Chloe
How had it come to this? How had we fallen so far? Why wasn’t anything going according to plan? I was supposed to be married to the love of my life, have children for him, be the perfect housewife. That was how I was trained, that was how I thought it was supposed to be. So, why? Why was the man I had loved for a long time doing this to me? Once, I had loved him with everything I had. Logan was my first love. My only love. We had been everything to each other as teenagers. I had been willing to sacrifice everything for him. Even when my father threatened to kill him if I didn’t leave him, I had to push him away to save his life. I still remembered the look in his eyes when I coldly rejected him, shattering both our hearts. I hated every second of it, but what choice did I have? My father would have destroyed him. And then, five years later, everything changed. Logan had returned, no longer the poor orphan boy I’d fallen for, but one of the richest men in the country. I was so happy for him. I thought fate had brought him back to me. When he asked for my hand in marriage, and my father immediately accepted, I thought my dreams had finally come true. But it had all been a lie Nothing was as it seemed. He hadn’t come back because he loved me—no, he came back for revenge. He wanted me to feel the same pain he had felt when I left him, convinced that I had betrayed him. But none of that mattered to me, because all I wanted was for him to see how genuine my love had always been. But, “Take off your clothes. Let’s make you another baby.” His words echoed in the room, and my heart pounded in my chest. My stomach clenched in disgust as I stared at him in disbelief. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. This man….the man I had loved for so many years. He might be many things but someone like him would never think of doing something like that to me. He would never try to take advantage of me. This must be a mistake. A terrible mistake. He would explain everything, and he would let me go. He wasn’t that type of man. “Logan, what are y—” “Shut up and take it off, Chloe. Or should I take it off myself?” I stared up at him, searching his face for regret, hesitation, and love. For basically anything to confirm that what he had just said was a mistake, or maybe a slip of the tongue. But the way he looked at me, like I was nothing more than a whore and not his wife, confirmed everything. “Then, I will do it myself.” “No,” I whispered, shaking my head in panic. “No, Logan, stop this.” I tried to push him away, my hands pressing against his chest, but he grabbed my wrists, holding me firmly in place. “Don’t you want this?” he said, as though he were doing me a favor. “You’ve always wanted this, right? You’ve always wanted me to touch you instead of Amelia. Well, I’m doing it now. I’m giving you what you’ve wanted, so just take it. Be the perfect wife that you’re always pretending to be and don’t resist me.” My mind reeled at his words, and a bitter laugh almost escaped my throat. It was true, wasn’t it? Once upon a time, I had wanted this. I had wanted him. I had wanted his touch, his love, his warmth. But not like this. Not like this. I didn't want him to take advantage of me. No matter how I felt towards him. This was wrong. Even if he was my husband, he shouldn't do this. “No, I don’t want this. Stop this, Logan. I'm sorry, I will apologise to Amelia. So, please stop this.” He ignored me, his hands moving to the straps of my dress. I froze, tears blurring my vision as his fingers brushed my skin. I should have known ever since then. He treated me like I was nothing during our marriage. At first, I tried to understand him, to love him, but then the suspicion began. And then, one day, I caught him with Amelia. Our maid. The shock of it broke me in ways I didn’t think were possible. It broke me so completely that I lost my child. Our child. I wanted to leave him then. I wanted to run far away, to escape the nightmare my life had become. But my father wouldn’t let me. Divorce was out of the question, he said. I had to endure. To save face. To keep the family’s reputation intact. So I endured. Three years of humiliation, of bending over backward for a man who didn’t love me. Three years of suffering while Amelia smirked in the background, taking everything that should have been mine. I was tired. Tired of the pain. Tired of the cold. Tired of being belittled, used, discarded. Tired of this marriage, of this life. I wanted out. I wanted freedom. I wanted peace. Logan’s hands gripped the straps of my dress, and I felt his fingers begin to pull. My body screamed at me to fight, to push him away, but my voice was stronger. “I want a divorce.” Logan froze, his hands pausing mid-motion as he stared down at me in disbelief. “What did you just say?” I swallowed hard, my chest heaving as I gathered the last shreds of my strength. “I said I want a divorce,” His eyes darkened, his grip tightening on my shoulders. “Do you think you’re in any position to demand that from me?” he growled. I stared up at him, tears streaming down my face. My body trembled, but I refused to back down. “I can’t do this anymore, I can’t live like this. I’m done, Logan. I’m done with you.” For a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, he released me, his hands dropping to his sides. He stepped back, his eyes boring into mine. “You’re done? You think you can just walk away from me?” “Yes, I deserve more than this. I deserve better than you.” His lips curled into a cruel smile, and he leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. “We’ll see about that. You can't run away from me, Chloe. You are my wife, my property, I own you and you belong to me. You are mine until your last breath.” With that he walked out of the room. The door closed behind him, and the room fell silent. For a moment, I just stood there, frozen in place, staring at the empty doorway. Then, like a dam breaking, the tears came. I buried my face in my hands as sobs wracked my body. What was I supposed to feel? Relief? Regret? Anger? I felt everything and nothing all at once. One part of me was relieved—relieved that I had finally said the words that had been suffocating me for years. I wanted a divorce. I had finally done it, finally stood up for myself. But another part of me wanted to take it all back. I was such a fool. Why had I waited so long? Why hadn’t I left the moment I caught him with Amelia? Why hadn’t I left the moment I lost my baby? The memories surged me. The pain of finding them together, the shock that had stolen the life growing inside of me, the emptiness that followed. I should’ve walked away then. I should’ve left it all behind—him, this house, this entire miserable life. But I hadn’t. And now I was here, broken and alone, crying on a bed that no longer felt like mine.Chloe “I want a div—” A sharp pain exploded across my cheek before I could even finish. The force of the slap sent me sprawling to the ground, my knees scraping against the floor as I fell. My head pounded, my vision blurred, and my cheek throbbed and I tasted the metallic tang of blood on my lips. I wanted to cry, but I refused to let the tears fall. I pressed my forehead against the cold marble floor, trying to steady my breathing. “Put your head up,” a voice barked, cold and venomous. My chest tightened as I hesitated, but the command was not a suggestion. Slowly, I lifted my head, my eyes stinging as I looked up. My older brother, Richard, stood above me, his face twisted in disgust. His sharp features, so much like my own, bore down on me. “Repeat what you just said,” he ordered, his voice quiet now, but that made it even more dangerous. I swallowed hard. I had never gone against my family before. I had known what I was walking into when I came here—known the kind of pe
Alexander The air reeked of alcohol, sweat, and desperation. People swayed on the dance floor like they were possessed, women grinding against men as if their lives depended on it. Voices rose over the music as they flirted shamelessly with every man. Men who craved attention, surrounded by women who wouldn’t normally even look at them if they met outside, were happy and excited at the chance of touching a beautiful woman, even if what they wanted was to suck their pockets dry. How pathetic. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs and closing my eyes, letting out a slow breath. What the hell was I doing here again? This place wasn’t my type of scene. The flashing lights, the chaos, the cloying perfume that hung heavy in the air. Annoying. Yet, here I was, sitting in the private section like a king presiding over a court of fools. I opened my eyes and scanned the crowd lazily. Then, out of nowhere, a woman walked toward me, her hips swaying deliberately, a glass of wine in
Chloe I swayed my hips, moving to the beat like a crazed woman. The music pulsed through my body, and I let myself get lost in it. I shook my body, my hair whipped around my face, my dress flowing with my movements, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I was smiling. The people around me clapped, clearly enjoying the energy I brought. I laughed as the women I'd joined on stage moved together with me like we were old friends. We danced like we owned the stage, like this was our moment, and nothing else mattered. I spun around, my arms raised high above my head. This was so fucking fun!!! But not everyone was happy. I caught the irritated expressions of a few men in the crowd, their gazes flickering over me in disdain. No doubt they would rather have someone sexier, someone who fit their fantasies, dancing on stage—a perfectly sculpted, half-naked woman. Certainly not someone like me. Like hell I care. Fuck them all. They get what they get. Greedy little cunt
Alexander “How much for the night, handsome?” I’d heard plenty of absurd things in my life. After all, people had a knack for saying stupid things without thinking, as if words just spilled out of their mouths before their brains caught up. But those things had never once gotten a reaction out of me. I was far too busy, too indifferent to care about people that didn't matter. And they never crossed the line—they never dared to. They cherished their lives. But never—never in my damn life had someone said those words to me before. Never have I had those degrading words thrown at my face without a second thought. Never had a woman looked at me like I was a piece of meat, as if she wanted nothing more than to have her way with me. The audacity. The sheer audacity. Does this woman have a death wish? The corner of my mouth twitched in annoyance. She looked up at me and smiled—a bold, infuriating smile that made my jaw tighten. She didn't even seem to care about the way my e
Chole One word. Big. Damn, he was big. Trust me, I knew. Rather, I felt it—the hard, solid evidence beneath me, pressing against my thigh. Something hard, something big. It made my heart race, and I wanted so badly to remove the stupid clothes separating us. Forget it, this man beneath me was perfect. A stripper who’s big? That’s an extra bonus. The heat coursing through my body took over everything else—name it: common sense, decency, shame. They were all gone, thrown into the trash. I didn't even want to waste another second on small talk. I wanted to stop this back-and-forth and head straight to a bedroom, somewhere private where I could have my way with him. How good would it be if he was half-naked, entertaining me, moving for me. My pulse quickened at the thought. My body was already aching for more. I looked down at him. He had to be feeling the same thing I was, right? I mean, that evidence poking me was clear. Even though his expression was cold, like he wanted noth
Alexander Temptation. People define temptation as many things—a fleeting desire, a moment of weakness, an indulgence that comes with consequences. But I had never understood that word. If you know something is bad for you, why indulge in it? Why get tempted to take something or do something that is bad for you? So, I saw temptation as a test. Fail it, and there would be consequences. I had never been tempted to do something before. Never been tempted to hold a woman, to make her moan, to give her the best orgasm of her life, to fuck her until she couldn’t walk anymore. Desires were never my thing. But... But why on earth was I dying to fail that fucking test? Why was I dying to fuck the woman in front of me? My jaw clenched as her soft moans echoed through the walls. “Ah,” she gasped, her head falling back, her hair cascading over her shoulders as her hand disappeared under the fabric of her dress, sliding along her thigh. Shit. I dragged a hand down my face, as if the gestur
Chloe Three words. I fucked up. Ah, Chloe. You have really fucked your whole life up this time. Not only had I acted like an absolute idiot by going to a strip club of all places, but I had actually gone and done the unthinkable—I slept with a man. Not just any man. A stripper. Oh. My. God. I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands tangled in my hair as I yanked at it in frustration, trying to process what I had just done. My eyes darted to the bed, where he was still lying naked under the sheet. Please tell me this was a dream. Tell me my fucking ass didn't act improper last night. I shook my head. Yes, everything was a dream. Maybe if I just closed my eyes, I would be in my room, ready to make breakfast. And…. I blinked at him, then immediately covered my face with my hands. Ah! This was real. This was really real. What should I do? What the hell should I do?! I peeked through my fingers again, and there he was. His toned chest rose and fell in steady rhythm, and his messy
Alexander “Hahahaha!” Joshua was doubled over, clutching his stomach as loud, as he laughed loudly. His obnoxious cackling echoed through the room, grating on my already frayed nerves. I sat on the edge of the bed, my jaw clenched so tightly it felt like it might snap. The sheet rested low on my waist, leaving my upper body bare. My hair was a mess, and I ran my hand through it in frustration, the events of the morning replaying in my mind. That woman. That damn woman. I could still feel the humiliation boiling under my skin, hot and suffocating. How dare she? How dare she even think of doing this? “Does she want to meet her maker soon?” I muttered under my breath, my tone sharp and deadly. “Is she insane?” Joshua straightened up slightly, wiping tears from his eyes as he held up the crumpled note she had left behind. “Oh my god,” he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. “Let me read this again. Excuse me, Mr. Stripper—” “Don’t,” I growled. But of course, Joshua ignored me.
Chloe People always think it’s easy. Easy to walk away. Easy to let go. Easy to do the right thing. Even when I watched movies with Stella and the female lead did something incredibly stupid—something that made no sense, Stella and I would yell at the screen, calling her an idiot, telling her to get her shit together. I never understood. I never saw that it’s hard to do something just because I thought it was simple. What might be easy for one person might be impossible for another. Even now, maybe… maybe I was just making excuses. I pressed my fingers to my temple, feeling the dull throb of a forming headache as Stella’s voice buzzed in my ear. She was still talking, still telling me all the ways Logan was bad for me, still trying to knock some sense into me like she always did. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Stella,” I interrupted, my voice quieter than before. “Can I call you back?” She paused. “…Chloe?” “Everything is confusing me right now. I just… need to thi
Chloe I poked at my food absentmindedly, barely paying attention to it. My appetite had vanished the moment we sat down. “Why aren’t you eating?” I looked up, meeting Logan’s gaze. His fork rested on his plate, untouched, as he stared at me. Before I could answer, his gaze flickered to my plate. “You don’t think I asked them to poison your food, do you?” My fingers tightened around my fork. Well, that could be a possibility. Logan wasn’t exactly above doing something like that. He could have gotten tired of me and wanted me out of the picture so he could have Amelia and any women he wanted all to himself. Or maybe he was finally bored of tormenting me. But instead of letting me go, he decided to speed up the process and send me straight to the afterlife. Instead of showing how suspicious this whole thing was, I forced a smile and shook my head. “I’m just not that hungry. I don’t really eat much at night. Your mother wouldn’t like it if I gained more weight.” Logan paused, his
Alexander I took a slow sip of my whiskey, letting the familiar burn slide down my throat. My expression remained indifferent as I stared at nothing in particular. Someone was talking, but I had long since tuned them out. A loud smack against the table snapped me back to the present. The impact made the plates rattle, and I lazily lifted my gaze to see Joshua glaring at me, his hand still pressed against the table. "Let me guess, you zoned me out again," he said. I took another sip of my drink and hummed. "Correct." Like I said, sometimes it wasn’t intentional, sometimes my mind simply decided what was worth listening to and what wasn’t. And, as usual, Joshua fell into that category. He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You're a lost cause, Alexander. Sometimes I think God blessed you with a perfect face and a genius brain, but he completely skipped the part where he was supposed to give you emotions. You have zero EQ." He turned to Leo, who was sitting beside
Chloe You are insane. Totally insane, Chloe. Save this marriage? Why would you even think something like that? Are you fucking dumb? I shook my head, trying to force the thought away. What the hell was wrong with me? I knew better. I knew Logan would never love me again. He would never look at me the way he used to. To him, I was nothing more than a wife in title. I was a trophy to parade around when it benefited him. So why… why was I still trying to fix something that had already shattered beyond repair? I sighed, running a hand down the blue dress I had just tried on. It was elegant and modest, with delicate embroidery tracing the hem and sleeves. The material hugged my waist perfectly before flowing down into a graceful A-line skirt. I turned to leave the dressing room, ready to show Logan if he approved of what I was wearing when I heard hushed voices outside. "Did you see her? Why would someone like him be married to someone like her? I can't believe it. He is way too go
Chloe I handed the driver the fare, but he simply shook his head. "Don't worry about it, ma'am. You need it more than me," he said with a sympathetic smile before driving off. I stood there, blinking. Wait… what? What did he mean by that? Did he think I was broke? Well… okay, that was technically true, but I could still pay for my own damn ride. So why would he— I paused. Was this because I said I was picking something out for my husband’s mistress? I groaned, rubbing my temples. That was just a joke! I only said it because he was being nosy and making assumptions. But no, he just had to turn it into a pity party. As if I was some helpless, pitiful woman who couldn’t even afford a taxi ride. Unbelievable. Shaking my head, I shoved the money back into my purse and turned to face the department store. It was massive—just like every other King Department Store across the world. I’d never really been a fan of shopping for clothes. Not because I didn’t like them, but because… w
Chloe I slid the picture across the glass counter, pushing it toward the woman. "Here, can you get something like this?" She leaned in, studying the picture closely. My heart pounded as I waited, silently praying for the answer I wanted. But then, she straightened and gave me a polite smile. "I'm sorry, ma’am, but we can’t make the exact same ring. This piece was customized by an expert. We don’t have the capacity to replicate it exactly. Maybe you should try another shop." I pressed my fingers to my temple, a headache forming. This was the fourth jewelry store that had told me the exact same thing. After leaving the cafe, I’d spent the entire day searching, going from one place to another, hoping someone could duplicate the wedding ring. But no one could. I swallowed hard. If I couldn’t replace it soon, someone in the house would notice—especially my mother-in-law. And if she found out… I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the counter. She wouldn’t only going to s
Logan Present time I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. Why? Why was I remembering this after all these years? I didn’t know why something I had long forgotten suddenly resurfaced. The moment the words left Alexander’s mouth, it was as if every feeling I had spent years burying came rushing at me. It made me uneasy. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t deny that Chloe had done a lot for me. She had cared for me. She had fought for me. Even though, in the end, she had admitted she never loved me, that it was all pity. That she had only stayed because I was a poor orphan who had no one. It was all a game to her. "Mr. White, are you daydreaming? How disappointing." Alexander indifferent voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. "It was just a simple question," he continued lazily. "You did say you were happily married, didn’t you? So it shouldn’t take you this long to respond." I lifted my gaze. Alexander sat in his chair like a god, completely at ease, as if he had a
Logan "Logan, if the boy’s family doesn’t forgive you, they’ll press charges. And you can say goodbye not only to your life at this school but to your entire future. Joshua’s parents have power with the authorities. They can ruin you. Why would you do something you are not supposed to do? Do you think you are something now that you go to this school? No, Logan you are still a poor orphan with nobody backing you up. You are nothing." The words echoed in my mind as I walked into the girls’ dormitory. Luckily, it was school hours. The hallways were empty. No one saw me slip inside. Not that I cared. None of it mattered right now. I knew she didn’t attend classes during exams. Chloe preferred to study alone, locked away in her room. I remembered her room number. It wasn’t hard to find. I turned the handle. It wasn’t locked. So I stepped inside. As expected from a school this prestigious, the dorm room was grand. It could easily fit seven people at once, yet she had it all to herself.
Logan Eight years ago My head pounded, my vision blurred, but I didn’t stop reading. I forced my eyes to focus on the text, trying to absorb the words, but the moment I read them, they slipped from my mind. At some point, the letters began to blur together, and it only made my headache worse. Tomorrow was my last exam, and if I failed, I’d lose my scholarship. Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t make it to the next semester. And if I didn’t make it to the next semester… I’d lose everything I had worked for. I’d be done. To make things worse, the subject was the one I hated the most. History. I mean, who on earth actually liked history? It was like being forced to gossip about dead people from centuries ago. My own life was already a mess, I didn’t have the time or energy to care about someone else’s from a hundred years back. I exhaled, flipping to the next page, forcing my brain to absorb the formulas in front of me. The prestigious school I attended didn’t care how hard I wor