SHIELA'S POVI wiped my tears angrily and looked back at Chase's car. I can’t lose now. Everything was already going my way, and I wouldn’t allow it to be ruined just because of the girl he was talking about."Let me meet her," I said, emotionless."No," Chase replied firmly.I smiled faintly. "Once I meet your girl, I'll leave you both alone. I’ll even make excuses for our parents to stop the marriage," I added."I know you, Shiela. I won’t let you hurt my girlfriend."I laughed at what he said. I couldn’t believe he still carried the fear of what I was capable of. I didn’t think he’d still remember what I did to Lexi when I found out they were together before."As long as she’s not Lexi, I won’t do anything. And for sure, she’s not your girlfriend now, right?" I said with a smirk.I had no intention of bringing up my half-sister, but I was stunned by his reaction. He looked at me seriously, and my heart began to race."What the f*ck, Chase!" I exclaimed angrily.Even though I was di
LEXI'S POVI slowly opened my eyes and was greeted by Chase’s peaceful face. I couldn’t move right away because he was holding me tightly, his face was so close to mine. Thankfully, he was still sound asleep.I bit my lip. I really did stay over at his condo.Flashback"I'm used to sleeping on the floor as long as there’s a mat," I said to Chase with a smile when we got back to his condo.He frowned. "What? No. We’ll sleep together tonight," he said seriously.Chase had been in a serious mood ever since we left the bar’s parking lot. I didn’t know why his demeanor suddenly shifted. I didn’t know what to think or do, and instead of feeling comfortable around him, I began to feel uneasy again.He walked over to his bed and fixed the sheets that had been messed up earlier. I couldn’t help but recall what had happened earlier. I felt my face heating up again at the thought."Come," he said after finishing."I need to shower first, but I don’t have clothes to change into," I said hesitantl
SHIELA'S POVA hard slap jolted me awake. I quickly sat up and faced the audacious person who dared interrupt my sleep, but all my irritation vanished when I realized it was Mama."Good thing I woke you up immediately," she said angrily.I held my head as a sudden pang of pain hit me. I wasn’t fully aware yet due to how abruptly she woke me, and I couldn’t understand why she was upset."Do you not remember what happened last night?" she added.What happened last night? I tried to recall everything. From what I remember, I was with Jenny at her bar. Then, bit by bit, everything became clearer. I froze in my seat, unsure if I was dreaming or not."Mama, where is Lexi?" I quickly asked her.Her brows furrowed. "Of all people, she’s the one you’re worried about?"I grabbed Mama’s hand urgently. "Mama, listen to me. I don’t know if it was a dream, but Lexi—she was with Chase last night."Another slap landed on my cheek. Mama was fuming, and I couldn’t figure out why."You disappointed your
LEXI'S POV"Lexi, go back inside and apologize to your sister and father so they won’t send you out of the country," Nanny Linda said, crying.I slowly shook my head. The driver was busy loading my two suitcases into the car while I stood outside the house, unable to move."What story did Shiela make up this time?" I asked Nanny Linda instead.Papa was furious, so it was impossible that my sister hadn’t said something outrageous. I thought she’d only tell Papa about Chase, but clearly, I was wrong. I didn’t want Papa to disown me, but I also didn’t want to leave the country because it would ruin my plans. Leaving the country is a great advantage for my half-sister and stepmother. They will surely win this battle if I leave. Now I was torn about what to do.Chase wasn’t with me. He had dropped me off, and I hadn’t allowed him to face Papa yet. He agreed to my request and went home immediately after."She said you put something in her drink last night, causing her to come home unconscio
SHIELA'S POVThis can’t be happening. There’s no way they’re back together. Lexi can’t win again. Chase should only be mine. They need to be separated again. I can't let all of this happen. Not over my body.“Just calm yourself, Shiela,” Mama whispered, gripping my hand tightly.But I ignored her. My gaze was fixed on Lexi with pure hatred. She was the reason why Chase kept pushing me away. She was still the obstacle to all my plans.“Chase, what is the meaning of this?” Papa asked Chase, clearly confused.Lexi glanced at me and smiled, which only fueled my rage. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore—I walked toward her, fury boiling over. As I moved closer, I grabbed Mama’s flower vase. Without a second thought, I hurled it at Lexi with all my strength.But Chase was faster. He pulled Lexi out of the way, and the vase shattered loudly across the floor.“Shiela!” Mama screamed at me.I didn’t pay attention to her. My focus remained on Lexi. I couldn’t allow her to take everything from m
LEXI'S POVAs Chase and I had agreed, I went back with him to his condo. I sent a message to Papa, telling him that I’d be temporarily leaving the house. Based on his reaction earlier, I knew he wouldn’t stop me from leaving. It was probably for the best, to bring some peace to the house for now.The entire ride was quiet. Chase didn’t bother me, likely knowing that I wasn’t okay after everything that had happened. Don’t get me wrong—I was pleased with Shiela’s reaction earlier, and I knew I’d shaken her world a bit. But I couldn’t bring myself to feel happy about Papa’s reaction. I should be used to him siding with Shiela by now, but it still hurt every time.I have also decided not to go to work today. I informed Savina about it, but when she started calling me, I turned off my phone. I wasn’t ready to share what happened, and I just wanted some peace and quietness. Chase had responsibilities at their company today, and I understood that. I planned to just stay in his condo and sort
THIRD POVShiela’s condition had stabilized, much to the relief of Ricky and Minda. Although their daughter was still unconscious, the doctor assured them she was out of danger. It was simply extreme stress that caused her to faint.“What are you going to do, Ricky?” Minda asked her husband seriously.“We can’t interfere or dictate to the children when it comes to matters like this,” Ricky replied.Minda looked at her husband in disbelief. “You’re just going to let our daughter suffer while Lexi gets to be happy? Are you really okay with seeing our daughter miserable?”“Minda, Shiela will only suffer more if we push through with the arrangement. It was obvious that Chase could not love her. She’ll just end up even more hurt,” Ricky said firmly.“If my daughter can’t be happy, then Lexi doesn’t deserve to be happy either,” Minda said angrily.“Do you even hear yourself, Minda? What do you want me to do? Separate the two of them? I already have enough problems at the company—don’t add t
LEXI'S POVI woke up to the sensation of a kiss on my forehead. When I opened my eyes, I saw Chase staring at me. He smiled, which made me sit up quickly. I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep.“How long have you been here?” I asked him.“I just got here,” he answered briefly.“Sorry, I fell asleep. Where is Chelsea?” I asked again.“She just stepped out for a moment.”I glanced back at Chase. He was still wearing his polo shirt, but his necktie was gone. His hair was messy, and his clothes were crumpled. His smile didn’t reach his eyes, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking him.“Is there something wrong?” I asked.“Are you hungry? Let’s eat,” he said, abruptly changing the topic.He was about to walk out of the room, but I quickly grabbed his hand. He stopped but didn’t turn to face me.“Grey, tell me,” I said with courage.He turned to me and knelt, so our faces were level because I was still sitting on the bed.“Let’s get married, Lexi Ann,” he said desperately.“What?” I asked, a
LEXI'S POV"I will call Grandma Mirasol to inform her about this," Chase said with a smile as we got back into his car."Grey, can we not? At least, not yet?" I asked hesitantly.My husband's smile faded instantly. "Why?"I placed a hand on my stomach and let out a deep sigh. "I didn’t want anyone to know yet. I’m scared that my sister might turn her anger towards our baby. I don’t want our child to get hurt," I said, my voice trembling as tears welled up in my eyes.Chase leaned closer, gently kissing my forehead. "I understand, Lexi. I know it’s selfish, but what if you leave for a while? Go with Grandma abroad. I will handle everything here."I shook my head quickly. "I won’t leave you, Chase. I don’t want to."He stared at me, and after a few moments, he sighed. "Alright, fine. But I think it’s best if you quit your job. I can’t always be there to watch over you, Lexi. And I think it’s safer if we move into the mansion. At least there, I know you’ll be protected," he said firmly.
LEXI'S POVAfter speaking with the investigator, Chase fell into a heavy silence. He drove without a word, heading to an unknown destination. I could feel his confusion and anger, so I chose to remain quiet as well. I was just as lost in my thoughts, unsure of how to process everything I had learned. Was the world really this small for Chase and me?An hour passed, and Chase finally stopped the car. I looked out the window and realized we were by the beach. So absorbed was I in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed how far we had gone.He got out without a word, and I followed him. He took off his shoes and let the seawater lap at his feet. Then, with all his might, he screamed into the open air.“Grey,” I called softly.He dropped to his knees, overwhelmed, and I quickly approached him.“I don’t know how to feel if I find out my father is truly behind all this,” he said, tears streaming down his face.I shook my head gently. “Grey, don’t think like that yet. Don’t doubt your father unles
LEXI'S POVI opened my eyes as I felt Chase getting up. He headed straight to the bathroom, while I slowly got out of bed. A grimace crossed my face as I felt the heaviness in my body. I lay back down, sensing that something wasn’t quite right. Thankfully, I still had one more day of leave, given that I had just gotten married. As for my husband, I wasn’t sure if he had plans because he seemed to be in a hurry.When he came out of the bathroom, our eyes met.“You’re awake,” he said, looking a bit surprised.I glanced at his outfit. “Are you going out?” I couldn’t help but ask.He gave a small smile and nodded lightly. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you, but I’m meeting James,” he said directly.“James? Why? I’m coming with you.”I sat up quickly. As I was about to head to the bathroom, Chase grabbed my arm.“Are you ready to hear what he has to say?” he asked seriously.“Ready or not, I need to do this, Grey. We can’t move forward if we don’t start somewhere,” I replied firmly.He si
LEXI'S POV"I love you, Lexi." I was speechless at what Chase said. I don't understand myself because my body's reaction is contrary to what my mind is shouting. My mind really wanted to respond to what he said, but I couldn't even open my mouth. So instead of speaking, I just kissed him.It should be just a quick kiss. But when he held my neck, our kiss deepened even more. His left hand also became restless, caressing my entire body. While he was kissing me, he slowly pushed me back against the bathtub. A small moan escaped my lips as my neck pressed against the cold edge of the bathtub."You're so sexy when moaning, Baby," he said hoarsely to me.I pulled him closer to kiss him again. My hands also became restless, wandering everywhere. And just as I was about to touch him, he immediately stopped my hand."No, Baby. I want our first night to be special."I was about to speak when suddenly the paper bag that had fallen on the floor made a sound. We both turned to look there, and I al
LEXI'S POVIt was already one in the morning when we finally made our way up to one of the rooms at Chase's event place. I couldn’t help but shake my head at the sight of the room—it was still in line with their princess or royal theme. No wonder White Castle is one of the most popular event venues in the entire country.“You’re tired, baby. Want to take a shower? There are clothes in the cabinet,” Chase said seriously while checking something on his phone.I glanced at the paper bag I was holding. Chelsea gave it to me and specifically told me to wear it tonight. I hadn’t looked inside yet, but I had a strong feeling it was nightwear since she even teased that she was excited to have a niece or nephew. Just the thought of it made my face feel warm. She even mentioned that Grandma Mirasol helped her pick it out.Feeling sticky, I decided to head to the bathroom for a shower. I smiled as I saw the bathtub and the array of soaps and scented candles prepared there. I set the paper bag on
LEXI'S POVIt was already 11:00 in the evening when the wedding reception ended, and almost all the guests had left. The only ones remaining were Chase's family and my family. Our families were engaged in a conversation, but it was evident that only my father was actively participating. I also noticed that Chase's stepmother barely spoke. I couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling I had about her—perhaps because I didn’t feel she had fully accepted me as Chase’s wife.“How long do you think they’ll keep talking? I can’t wait to have you all to myself,” Chase whispered to me, sending shivers down my spine.“Stop it; you already had your fill last night,” I whispered back.“That doesn’t count. You weren’t my wife yet then,” he said, pouting.I couldn’t help but laugh softly and shake my head. Truth be told, I was anxious about what would happen now that our wedding celebration was over. I wasn’t sure how to fully embrace my role as Chase’s wife. I had given myself to him completely, over a
LEXI'S POVAfter the wedding ceremony, Chase and I were already seated together in the bridal car. We were on our way to the wedding reception, though I had no idea where it was. Chase held onto me tightly, as if silently promising never to let me go. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought.It all started with my desire to get back at my half-sister and his desire to avoid marrying Shiela. But now, I couldn't understand what I was feeling. I felt like a genuine bride—happy and fulfilled because my long-dreamed wedding had finally come true. If only my mother were here, this moment would be perfect. As I married Chase, I managed to set aside my anger and thirst for revenge. I focused solely on him, just as Chelsea had advised me. It wasn’t an obligation—it came naturally. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but Savina seemed to be right all along.“Did you see your sister's reaction?” Chase whispered to me.I shook my head slightly. The truth was, I hadn’t noticed her presence. I w
LEXI'S POVI kept letting out deep sighs as I sat inside the bridal car. Ahead of us was the car carrying Chelsea and Savina, which gave me a sense of reassurance. However, I couldn’t shake off the nervous feeling gnawing at me for reasons I couldn’t explain. To make things worse, my phone was with Savina, and I hadn’t retrieved it before she got in the car with Chelsea. I had been so mesmerized by my wedding gown that I completely forgot to grab it earlier."Ma'am, don't be nervous. You look stunning," the driver remarked, noticing my frequent sighs. He was someone I knew well—Chase’s family driver, who had driven for him countless times."Thank you. Are we still far from the venue?" I couldn’t help but ask.I was startled when he suddenly turned right, while the car carrying the two ladies continued straight. I looked at him with curiosity, my heart beginning to race."Ma’am Lexi, Sir Chase instructed me to take this route to the venue," the driver explained, sounding a bit uneasy.
THIRD POVLexi was awakened by the ringing of her phone. Eyes still closed, she groped for it on the bedside table.“Sav, it’s too early,” she lazily answered her friend's call.“Early? It’s already noon! And isn’t today your wedding day?” her best friend replied.She sat up quickly. Chase was no longer beside her, and she noticed that she was already dressed. Because of what happened between her and Chase the night before, she hadn’t noticed how late it had gotten. Now, she’d overslept.“Get up now. Chelsea and I are on our way to your condo. See you soon.”Savina ended the call, leaving her furrowing her brows. She got up to look for her groom but found only a note pinned in the fridge.Baby,I’ll see you in church, okay? I love you.—ChaseLexi couldn’t help but smile. Today was the day she and Chase would get married. She had successfully outmaneuvered her sister, and she couldn’t wait to see her sister’s face when she walked down the aisle. She also promised herself that after th