Lena Reynolds thought her life was perfect. She was engaged to the powerful and successful CEO, Grant Wells. However, when a corporate scandal emerges, linking Lena’s family to the Wells company sabotage, Grant is forced by his own family to call off their engagement without a second thought, branding her as a liability and traitor. Heartbroken and rejected, Lena vows to never let another man control her life again. Meanwhile, Grant will stop at nothing to get her back. Including threatening to tear down her company and life if she doesn't accept his offer to make partners with his family. A steamy love triangle begins as Lena struggles to separate her true feelings from the manipulation surrounding her. Desperate, Lena agrees, only on business terms. But a night of reunion with Grant gets them tangled in hot sex, and she vows never to see him again. She discovers she's pregnant and Damien sees this as an opportunity to truly seal what they have. But Lena had called off the wedding. The child doesn't belong to Damien but Grant. Broken, Lena goes back to Grant and Damien is arrested and persecuted. Lena makes new demands, which are a public apology, a new position as the CEO of the Wells company and that her father must step down for her. Grant does it all, taking back the woman he desires.
View MoreCassidy's POVSomeone somewhere should have added that to the list of things which would occur after the wedding-that-wasn't. Days just played along, chatter, pitying glances, and endless speculation. Wherever I went, gazing eyes filled with curiosity and schadenfreude followed. The estate of my family was once home but has now turned into a gilded cage, every room echoing memories of what had been kept.Beth stood by me, her steadfast loyalty to me the only anchor in the storm. She'd ward off the intrusive calls, ignore the buzzing notifications on my phone, and times and again, remind me that I wasn't alone.But I felt so alone.For years, I had built up the perfect image of being good enough for Grant, the girl who we all adored. And now, that particular image was shattered, and I had to face the fact I had been too scared to admit: my worth wasn't tied to him, but I didn't know who I was without him.One morning, the early sun streamed through the curtains of my bedroom and forced
Cassidy's POV The reflection in the fancy mirror was unrecognizable. My eyes were red-rimmed and swollen from hours of crying, and even the most painstaking makeup was now a black-streaked mess. The white dress that I dreamed of wearing down the aisle was crumpled and dragged on the intricate lace floor at a restless pace about my bedroom.Grant had left.The words kept ringing in my ears like a broken record, and each repetition drove a heavier shard of pain through what felt like my already tender chest. He hadn’t just left me; he humiliated me. In front of our families, our friends, and the world.He had left me for her.The thought was enough to churn my stomach. Lena Reynolds. The woman I had quietly envied for years; she was my adversary and shadow, the ghost of my past I could never compete with. And now, she was the one he had chosen.I fell onto the edge of my bed, holding the veil in my hands. A new beginning, a fairytale ending has turned into this really cruel reminder of
Lena's POV He stepped in, and I nodded, making way for him.He breathed in and ran a hand through his hair, gathering thoughts again. “Lena, I know I messed up..big time. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, let alone a second chance, but for today, being with you, laughing with you... that felt like... something like a preview of what could have been. What we could have been."I opened my mouth to answer, but he raised a hand to stop me.“I’m not asking for an answer tonight,” he said, his voice steady but tinged with vulnerability. “All I’m asking is that you let me keep trying. Let me keep proving to you that I’m not the same man who walked away.”The sincerity in his voice and the raw honesty in his eyes left me speechless. I slowly nodded, my throat tight with unshed tears.“Okay,” I whispered, that single word holding more weight than I had ever expected.Grant’s shoulders relaxed, a small, hopeful smile playing on his lips. “Thank you,” he said softly.He took a step close
Lena's pov The table had been simply but thoughtfully set - fresh fruit and pastries with a generous carafe of coffee. Charming in its simplicity and I hated how much it made my heart ache.“Did you sleep well?” he questioned as, without giving me a chance to respond, poured coffee into my cup.I wavered, not sure of my answer. “I guess,” I said finally; reaching for the cup, he slid toward me.He searched my eyes, and I knew that he wanted to, that he intended to ask more, delve deeper. To his credit, though, he didn’t press it.“I was thinking,” he began, his tone casual but his expression anything but, “Maybe we could take the day to relax.” No plans, no expectations. Just you and me."“I can see what you mean then, no special treatment,” I quizzed him. “No surprises, huh?” He laughed, the sound rich and warm. "Not today. Today is all yours." It was the fact that his voice was so genuine that threw me off the track, and before I could capture my runs of thought, my head was nodd
Lena's POVMorning light filtered through the folds of curtains that lavished a golden hue upon the room. I blinked it in; my body was heavy with exhaustion but wrapped in a warmth I had not known for many years. The wash of the ocean outside calmed me; the gentle crash of waves against the shore matched with the slow ebbing of my breath.For a moment, I lay still, suspended between sleep and wakefulness. Then the memories of the previous evening began flooding in, and my cheeks flushed as the actions played out in vivid detail. Grant's hands, rough yet achingly gentle, exploring every inch of me as if he were mastering me all over again. The way he whispered my name, his voice thick with emotion and need, as though I was the only thing left in the world. It was not simply physical; it was deeper than that. Every touch, every kiss, every moment was so raw and intense that it made me feel naked and cherished all at once. He took his time, speaking the words we were too scared to say
Lena's POV The steam curled around us warm and suffocating, and my heart raced as Grant stepped closer with his eyes fixated on me. His shirt stuck to him, wet from the rain, and beads of water rolled down his jawline like streams. "What are you doing?" I barely breathed, whispering the question."Staying." The response was simple, his voice steady but soft, as though he had suddenly become afraid any loudness might scare me away.I wrapped my arms around myself instinctively even though I had already shed clothes. "You can't just walk in here, Grant."He stepped closer, his earnest gaze piercing into me. "You could tell me to leave if that's really what you want, Lena, and I'll go. But I think we both know you don't want that.”I did hate it. It was not fair that he could read me so well. He had never been. I had built walls so high, so thick, for years, and here he was, breaking them like glass."You think you know what I want?" I said, a ton sharper than I meant.He paused, an ex
Lena's POV And just like it was, the evening seemed to fall like a dream, one that I had not realized was in me all along. After a long time, I actually started feeling free-free from the expectations that had shrouded her like a cloud, free from all those endless moments when she had to prove herself worthy, free from the hurt that had pierced her heart for so many days-and where I owe it all to Grant.As the sun lowered into the horizon, filling it with currants of amber and pink, he leaned back amply into his chair, watching me with pleasant eyes and a soft smile, as if everything he had said were true, as if it pained my heart as well."You are staring," I said, arching my brow at him, although I was playfully accusing him. "Can you blame me?" To that he returned in a warm, teasing voice. "You look...happy."I held my breath; the fork suspended above the final bite of dessert. Was I happy? The fearsome, cautious part of me wanted to say no, but, unfortunately for me, it was true
Lena's POV I shook my head, and the tears spread. "I can't, Grant. I can't trust you." "Then let me earn it," he said. "Let me prove to you that I'm not the same man who walked away all those years ago." I didn't answer. My heart was so full of doubt and fear. But staring into those eyes, I now saw something that I had not seen in a long time. And for the first time in years, I let the possibility of maybe, just maybe, things could be different cross my mind."Please, just give me till tonight," he pleaded, low in voice. "And I'll make you feel just like the first time we met."Arms crossed, I stared at him, narrowing my eyes, trying to read between lines. The first time we met? That seemed like ages ago when everything was brand new and fresh before everything fell apart. How in the world could he recreate that?"So much you're asking for," I said cautiously, words laced with doubt. "I know," he said, as he moved slightly closer. He was close enough that I nearly gasped, covering
Lena's POV The next day, I brimmed with the sound of waves crashing down on the shore. The rhythm of the sound puts the ocean both at ease and in confusion. For a moment or two, I forgot exactly where I was. The softness of the bed and the salty scent in the air drew me to a different location entirely. Then the realization slapped me: resort, rain, Grant. I groaned, rolled over, buried my face into the pillow. What have I gotten myself into? The memory of last night was blurry, but certain moments stood out with startling clarity: Grant carrying me to bed, the weight of his arms around me, the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back as I drifted off. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment and rage surged inside me like a thunderstorm. Not right. None of this. I sat up in bed, the duvet pooling around my waist, and looked around the room. Beautiful. This one was, of course. Grant always had a taste for luxury, but somehow it was stiffened. The oversize windows encapsula
Lena's POV I couldn’t stop smiling. This was everything I’d ever dreamed of. The fancy gala, the people, the prestige. My parents were sitting proudly in the front row, watching me like I was the crown jewel. And tonight, I was. The Reynolds family, once modest and humble, was now a top-tier name, thanks to me, Lena Reynolds, soon to be Lena Wells. “Lena, the board is already discussing the upcoming mergers,” my father said, his voice filled with pride. “Grant has done wonders for the company, but now that you're engaged, we’re seeing even bigger deals come through.”I nodded, trying to suppress my grin. “Everything’s falling into place, Dad. This is just the beginning.”My mother, Barbara, chimed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She'd always been a party lover. “You’ve made us so proud, darling. And that ring,” she said, taking my hand, "it’s stunning.”I smiled and touched the diamond ring on my finger. It sparkled under the lights. Everything was perfect. Until Verena ap...
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