MasukShare
Chapter 1: The Moment Everything Changed
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-19 10:06:29“If you want to know the truth about your husband, come to this address. 1588 Belmont Drive. Now!"
Isla stared at the anonymous message, the address mentioned was one she knew too well, it was the description of Hayes vacation home, not too far from the mansion she shared with her husband. Her expression remained neutral at first, but soon she could not help but scoff, waving the phone and shaking her head. “Fraudsters…Gossip phishers!” This must be a desperate attempt to stir trouble in her marriage and then put it on the news. Well, they could try such games with any other woman out there, but not her, Isla Hayes. “Not Nate," Isla murmured, shaking her head. "He would never." Three years of marriage had solidified her trust in him. He was a man of discipline, a man of his word. And, more importantly, the circumstances that had led to their unusual union made him owe her a debt that neither of them ever brought up but was deeply understood. The thought of that debt made her look up slowly at the wedding portrait of Nate and herself hanging above the alcove in the dining room where she was sitting. The photo captured a moment frozen in time— her in a simple ivory dress, him in a tailored suit, both smiling but with a distance in his eyes that only she seemed to notice now. "A marriage of convenience," some had called it, but she had always believed it could grow into something more. With a small sigh, Isla pushed away the thoughts. She was preparing a special dinner earlier before the rude interruption. Her dear husband would be home soon from his business trip to Wisconsin. She took a step toward the kitchen, but before she could reach the counter, her phone vibrated again. She rolled her eyes knowing it was yet another message from the first sender, already prepared to block the sender. But as she held out the phone, the next sight stopped her breath. It was a photo this time. A photo of Nate entering the previously mentioned vacation home. Isla blinked hard staring at the image. Something was grumbling in her stomach. “But.. but, he told me he was going to Wisconsin for a business trip.” “So why was he there?” A part of her brain tried to wave it off again as a misunderstanding but it did little to quell the doubts this time. A live photograph was way too much proof to overlook. With a deep breath, she turned off the stove, grabbed her car keys, and started hurrying towards the door. Less than an hour later, Isla pulled up at Belmont Drive. Her hands trembled as she saw Nate’s SUV was parked right outside. Her heart pounded. So he was really here? But why will Nate return without telling her? She made her way in and on getting to the first door, she took another deep breath and pushed it open. The sight that greeted her nearly gave her a heart attack. It nearly made her fall but she struggled and found balance. Nate was really there, and not just that, he was with a woman. Again, not just any woman but Vanessa Reed, her own best friend. Vanessa was perched on Nate’s lap, her head thrown back in laughter without the slightest concern that Isla was around. And like someone in a bad dream, Isla shivered and shouted their names. "Nate! Vanessa!" Her husband’s head snapped up first, his expression startled. But far from guilty. Vanessa, on the other hand, merely smirked and looked away, as if Isla was some random woman instead of the wife of the man she was flirting with, instead of her own best friend. The room was spinning. Isla pinched herself, suspecting it to be a dream. But the scene before her remained unchanged. It was painfully real. Nate exhaled finally, before rubbing his forehead and meeting her gaze. “We both know this marriage was never about love, Isla. It was…practical. For both of us.” Isla gasped, stepping back as if she had been slapped. " Practical? Is that all it has ever been to you?" The foods she cooked, the nights she stayed up waiting for him, the way she had tried to build a life with him—had it all meant nothing? While still staggering from that blow, Vanessa’s voice came next. "It’s time you knew the truth, honey. Nate and I love each other very much." To crown it up, Nate nodded to acknowledge it. Isla felt her face and eyes burning up. She swallowed hard and blinked, but tears did not come. She tried not to scream. She tried not to crumble. Instead, with great difficulty, she turned on unsteady legs and walked out of the room. She stepped into her car minutes later. And as her buttocks touched the seat, reality started to dawn on her slowly. Her marriage, which she had spent three years trying to nurture into something real, was over in the blink of an eye. *** One month after everything, Isla lay slanted and dejected on the bed of her room in her family house thinking about the soul-crushing betrayal over and again. Nate didn't even try to put up a fight to keep her. Not in the slightest. He had wanted out, and he got it without hesitation. A divorce. Had it always been a lie? Had she been blind all along? How long had they been seeing each other behind her back? Had she ever truly mattered to Nate? She stayed in that position for minutes, lost in the deafening silence of her thoughts until the sudden sound of the door made her look up abruptly. Standing in the doorway was her sister Sophia, her attitude hesitant, but without further delay, she blurted out. "Nate and Vanessa are getting married tomorrow.” Isla’s eyes almost tore apart, while the hair on her skin stood. “Tomo..what?” A whole marriage in just one month? Her lips opened, but no other words came out. Where does that ever happen? Her gaze slowly shifted away from her sister, a bitter realization making her face fall. They had been together all along. The words Vanessa had spoken that night resounded again. "Nate and I love each other very much." It hadn’t been a sudden affair. It had been premeditated. For the first time since that night, she felt something other than numbness. It was the bursting, vengeful force of rage and this time, she wouldn’t bury it.
Bab terkait
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 2: The Ultimate Humiliation
Isla stood outside Vanessa’s apartment, her hand trembling as it hovered over the doorbell. The sight of the familiar building—a place she had once called her second home—threatened to bring tears to her eyes. But she swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to press the button. She needed answers. She needed to hear it from Vanessa herself. The door swung open, and Mrs. Reed, Vanessa’s mother, greeted her with a warm smile. “Isla, dear! What a surprise. Come in, come in! You should join the celebration.” The words were cheerful, but to Isla, they felt like a slap. Celebration? Was this woman so oblivious to the pain her daughter had caused? Or was she simply choosing to ignore it? A sudden, bitter laugh bubbled up in her throat while Mrs. Reed regarded her with quiet amusement. Vanessa’s eyes met Isla’s, and for a moment, there was silence. Then Vanessa sighed, setting her cup down and crossing her arms. “Took you long enough.” Isla’s fists clenched a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-19His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 3: The Proposal of Revenge
Isla’s heart raced as the man tightened his grip on her wrist, dragging her out of the church hall. She glanced around nervously, her mind spinning. “What kind of reporter does this?” she thought, her panic rising. She considered yanking her hand away or even slapping him, but the fear of causing a scene stopped her. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to herself in a room full of people who had already witnessed her humiliation. As they stepped outside, the cool air hit her face, but it did little to calm her nerves. The man guided her toward a sleek black car parked in the church lot, a driver standing ready by the door. Isla’s stomach churned. “This isn’t a reporter,” she realized. Reporters were pushy, but they didn’t drag people out of weddings like criminals. "What are you doing?” She demanded, her voice trembling. “Do you want to kidnap me?" The man didn't respond, his expression unreadable as he opened the car door. "My boss wants to see you
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 4: The Decision That Changes Everything
Two days had passed since Isla’s encounter with Damien, and his words still echoed in her mind like a haunting refrain. “Marry me.” The memory of his face—serious, unyielding—was etched into her thoughts, replaying over and over. She paced her room, the business card he had given her clenched tightly in her hand. It felt like it was burning her palm, a constant reminder of the choice looming over her. Was this madness? Or could we call this fate’s way of giving her the perfect opportunity for revenge? How unlikely, how righteous, how suspiciously on time. Could this really be her chance to make Nate and Vanessa pay for what they had done? She grabbed a half-empty bottle of wine from her bedside table, twisted off the cap, and took a long, slow sip. The liquid soothed her throat but did little to calm the storm inside her. The room was silent except for the ticking of the clock, each second a reminder of the time slipping away. What followed next was the sound of the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 5: The Public Announcement
The next morning met Isla at the well-furnished bedroom Damien had ushered her into the previous night. She blinked her eyes slowly on the bed, adjusting to the light glow as the events of the previous day came rushing back, she sat up abruptly, the weight of her decision passed down her chest like a stone. Yesterday, she had arrived here as Isla Carter, a betrayed and bitter divorcee desperate for revenge. Today, she woke up as Isla Blackwood, wife to perhaps the most ruthless and wealthiest man in the city. A stranger. A billionaire whose motive she still couldn't grasp. The sound of the door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Damian standing in the doorway, his tall, imposing figure framed by the light of the room. His presence seemed to fill the room, the air growing heavier as his gaze met hers. Isla felt exposed and vulnerable and quietly pulled the sheet tighter around her. For a moment, Damien said nothing, he simply watched, his expression unreada
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-23His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 6: The Rule Of Engagement
The bedroom door slammed behind Isla with satisfying force. She pressed her back against it as if the solid wood could shield her from the memory of Damien's lips on hers. Her fingers rose instinctively to trace her mouth—still warm from his kiss. “No.” She shoved away from the door, pacing the length of the extravagant bedroom like a caged panther. The room was a masterpiece of cold elegance—all steel grays and icy blues, the furniture so pristine it might never have been touched. Just like its owner. “It was all for the cameras. Just for the damned cameras. It meant absolutely nothing!” She kept repeating to herself like someone fighting a powerful spell. But her traitorous body remembered too well: the firm pressure of his mouth, the possessive grip of his hands at her waist, the way her pulse had stuttered when he had pulled her close. “Gosh! Things were going too fast.” She was still thinking when a sudden knock on the door sounded, cutting off her spiral thoughts. “Wh
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-25His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 7: Unwritten Rules
Ever since Isla had signed a contract with Damien, she had become familiar with a new kind of freedom. A life that was the complete opposite of the one she shared with Nate. Back then, she had been a full-time housewife, but there had always been something to do. She would run the errands for his grandparents, do the shopping, oversee the house maintenance, and even scrub the damn floors herself. In Damien’s world, that life was nonexistent. Isla felt like a ghost in the big house with its numerous staff. There was even a time she had attempted to cook just to remind herself of the life she once lived but one of the maids, Amelia, had stopped her with a look so grave it was as though she had attempted to commit a crime. "Mr. Blackwood doesn’t like his wife working." It was perhaps after that particular encounter that the realization came upon her like a heavy cloak. If she stayed like this doing nothing, she would suffocate. The boredom would destroy her before the contract ev
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-25His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 8: Terms Of Engagement
Since the red carpet announcement, Isla's phone hadn't stopped ringing—calls from her parents, her sister Sophia, and everyone trying to reach her. But she couldn't answer. Not because she didn't want to, but because she had no words to explain. How could she tell them she had been essentially kidnapped by her ex-husband's billionaire rival? That he had offered the perfect revenge in exchange for marriage? They would think she had lost her mind. So she kept ignoring them, buying time to plan.Saturday morning brought a rude shock. Right after breakfast, a security guard burst in. "Your family is at the gate ma’am.”For a paralyzing moment, Isla stood frozen, panic turning her limbs to stone. Damien was home. This couldn't be happening."Tell them I'll be out in a minute," she managed to whisper, the words sticking in her dry throat.Minutes later, Isla finally summoned the courage to step out of the house. From a distance, she spotted her father, Robert Carter, standing firm at t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 9: Velvet And Venom
The stylists were done and left a moment ago. Now Isla stood alone in her room gazing into her reflection in the mirror to see their finished work.They had transformed her into a goddess.The deep emerald necklace on her neck shone under the light. The glow of her face intimidated her. The dress they had selected was impeccable: a velvet gown whose off-shoulder cut exposed the smooth, shiny lines of her collarbones.“Great job,” She whispered.This is what being the wife of Damien Blackwood meant. It was nothing like before when she was just a glorified maid bound to the kitchen.Now she was someone stronger. Someone who belonged in this world of power and ruthless ambition. Someone who was not allowed to be vulnerable. But was she?She hummed, not allowing herself to pursue the thought further. “It was almost time for the party.”~~~Isla stepped out about five minutes later, moving with careful control, the sound of her heels steady against the glittery floor. Something switched
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26
Bab terbaru
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 12: The Turn Of The Tide
Vanessa woke up feeling victorious. She stretched and yawned luxuriously. Today was yet another day to watch Isla Carter getting dragged through the filth of public scorn. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed wearing a smirk. And guess the best part of it all? Vanessa hadn’t even lifted a finger; it was someone else from the sky who had taken it upon himself to do the dirty work. With some effort, she pushed herself up and wanted to rearrange a pillow when a glow from her phone caught her attention. She paused with brows lifted. “More news, perhaps?” Another wave of disgrace for Isla? Well, she certainly wasn’t complaining. Vanessa picked up the phone with a quick flick of her wrist, bringing it closer, prepared to relish every detail. But the moment the words on the screen greeted her face her smirk died an instant death. It was like a dagger straight to the throat. She blinked, then blinked again, as a sudden fever began to descend on her, The headlines weren't ab
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 11: The Knife In the Smile
“Ugh God!” half-sleepy, with a half-repetitive beeping from her phone stirring her awake the next morning.With a sluggish roll of her hands, she picked up the phone and sat up slowly before finally lifting it to see a train of new notifications waiting on her screen.She blinked, letting her vision adjust to the light before swiping further."Isla Carter’s Success: Talent or Just Another Rich Man’s Wife?"That was the title of the main headline people were tagging her to. Her pictures with both Nate and Damien were placed side by side,, and under the main post, over a hundred thousand people had commented in less than three hours.A cold feeling ran down her spine, as her face started to get dark with foreboding. She swallowed, forcing herself to scroll further down.The main post she found beneath the pictures was worse;It painted her as nothing more than a former secretary who had merely married her way into success, someone whose achievements were not the result of talent but of
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 10: Check and Mate
Days later, Isla was sitting alone in the office of her new boutique, her manicured fingers eagerly skimming over the contract papers spread before her. From what she was seeing, her business proposal had won multiple grants, zero-interest loans, and exclusive sponsorships. One after another, the contracts bore the names of the high-profile investors and elite brands that had endorsed her. This was the kind of win she ordinarily would have spent years trying and failing to get the attention of, but like magic, it was lying freely on her palms.“Wait…is this for real?”Her expression hardened slightly as she queried herself. It was true that she had worked tirelessly for this, she had poured every element of her ambition into this dream business for some time now.But even so… this came way too easy.“Too convenient.”Just like that? Her brows knitted as she leaned back into the chair in contemplation. The rhythmic tapping of her finger against the desk echoed softly as she tried to
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 9: Velvet And Venom
The stylists were done and left a moment ago. Now Isla stood alone in her room gazing into her reflection in the mirror to see their finished work.They had transformed her into a goddess.The deep emerald necklace on her neck shone under the light. The glow of her face intimidated her. The dress they had selected was impeccable: a velvet gown whose off-shoulder cut exposed the smooth, shiny lines of her collarbones.“Great job,” She whispered.This is what being the wife of Damien Blackwood meant. It was nothing like before when she was just a glorified maid bound to the kitchen.Now she was someone stronger. Someone who belonged in this world of power and ruthless ambition. Someone who was not allowed to be vulnerable. But was she?She hummed, not allowing herself to pursue the thought further. “It was almost time for the party.”~~~Isla stepped out about five minutes later, moving with careful control, the sound of her heels steady against the glittery floor. Something switched
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 8: Terms Of Engagement
Since the red carpet announcement, Isla's phone hadn't stopped ringing—calls from her parents, her sister Sophia, and everyone trying to reach her. But she couldn't answer. Not because she didn't want to, but because she had no words to explain. How could she tell them she had been essentially kidnapped by her ex-husband's billionaire rival? That he had offered the perfect revenge in exchange for marriage? They would think she had lost her mind. So she kept ignoring them, buying time to plan.Saturday morning brought a rude shock. Right after breakfast, a security guard burst in. "Your family is at the gate ma’am.”For a paralyzing moment, Isla stood frozen, panic turning her limbs to stone. Damien was home. This couldn't be happening."Tell them I'll be out in a minute," she managed to whisper, the words sticking in her dry throat.Minutes later, Isla finally summoned the courage to step out of the house. From a distance, she spotted her father, Robert Carter, standing firm at t
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 7: Unwritten Rules
Ever since Isla had signed a contract with Damien, she had become familiar with a new kind of freedom. A life that was the complete opposite of the one she shared with Nate. Back then, she had been a full-time housewife, but there had always been something to do. She would run the errands for his grandparents, do the shopping, oversee the house maintenance, and even scrub the damn floors herself. In Damien’s world, that life was nonexistent. Isla felt like a ghost in the big house with its numerous staff. There was even a time she had attempted to cook just to remind herself of the life she once lived but one of the maids, Amelia, had stopped her with a look so grave it was as though she had attempted to commit a crime. "Mr. Blackwood doesn’t like his wife working." It was perhaps after that particular encounter that the realization came upon her like a heavy cloak. If she stayed like this doing nothing, she would suffocate. The boredom would destroy her before the contract ev
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 6: The Rule Of Engagement
The bedroom door slammed behind Isla with satisfying force. She pressed her back against it as if the solid wood could shield her from the memory of Damien's lips on hers. Her fingers rose instinctively to trace her mouth—still warm from his kiss. “No.” She shoved away from the door, pacing the length of the extravagant bedroom like a caged panther. The room was a masterpiece of cold elegance—all steel grays and icy blues, the furniture so pristine it might never have been touched. Just like its owner. “It was all for the cameras. Just for the damned cameras. It meant absolutely nothing!” She kept repeating to herself like someone fighting a powerful spell. But her traitorous body remembered too well: the firm pressure of his mouth, the possessive grip of his hands at her waist, the way her pulse had stuttered when he had pulled her close. “Gosh! Things were going too fast.” She was still thinking when a sudden knock on the door sounded, cutting off her spiral thoughts. “Wh
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 5: The Public Announcement
The next morning met Isla at the well-furnished bedroom Damien had ushered her into the previous night. She blinked her eyes slowly on the bed, adjusting to the light glow as the events of the previous day came rushing back, she sat up abruptly, the weight of her decision passed down her chest like a stone. Yesterday, she had arrived here as Isla Carter, a betrayed and bitter divorcee desperate for revenge. Today, she woke up as Isla Blackwood, wife to perhaps the most ruthless and wealthiest man in the city. A stranger. A billionaire whose motive she still couldn't grasp. The sound of the door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Damian standing in the doorway, his tall, imposing figure framed by the light of the room. His presence seemed to fill the room, the air growing heavier as his gaze met hers. Isla felt exposed and vulnerable and quietly pulled the sheet tighter around her. For a moment, Damien said nothing, he simply watched, his expression unreada
His Enemy, My Husband Chapter 4: The Decision That Changes Everything
Two days had passed since Isla’s encounter with Damien, and his words still echoed in her mind like a haunting refrain. “Marry me.” The memory of his face—serious, unyielding—was etched into her thoughts, replaying over and over. She paced her room, the business card he had given her clenched tightly in her hand. It felt like it was burning her palm, a constant reminder of the choice looming over her. Was this madness? Or could we call this fate’s way of giving her the perfect opportunity for revenge? How unlikely, how righteous, how suspiciously on time. Could this really be her chance to make Nate and Vanessa pay for what they had done? She grabbed a half-empty bottle of wine from her bedside table, twisted off the cap, and took a long, slow sip. The liquid soothed her throat but did little to calm the storm inside her. The room was silent except for the ticking of the clock, each second a reminder of the time slipping away. What followed next was the sound of the
