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Chapter 32: Unexpected Guest
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2024-12-04 12:00:40First Rachel Took, and now this? How does someone just waltz in after eight freaking years to drop a bomb like, “Oh, by the way, you have a kid”?
Athena Winters knew exactly what she was doing. She couldn’t not know about Valerian and me. What was she trying to pull?Whatever beauty she owned on her skin brought nothing but headache in me."Massaging the sides of my head, I let out a soft sigh as I listened to the faint sound coming from the radio, breaking the silence that had settled in the air.""Ellie," Valerian said softly, his hands gripping the steering wheel, eyes darting toward me. He was trying to gauge my mood, but his voice betrayed him—he was nervous.I get it, his past was a mess. But can I really blame those women when it’s Valerian Blackwood who was willing to bring them heaven?If I were one of those women who had him, I'm pretty sure I'd do whatever it takes to keep him in my pocket. But the point is, I was the
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It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 33: Hickey
My eyes locked onto the face of a man I never thought I’d see again—not in this lifetime, not in the next. Yet, here he is. After twelve long years. Liam. Back from my history, as if he’d never left.His straight, dark hair still framed those maddeningly familiar brown eyes. Eyes that once felt like home and now felt like a question I wasn’t ready to answer. He carried the same calm he oozes, the kind that felt almost too fragile for the chaos he used to create. But then there was that jacket—black leather, well-worn—still screaming "trouble follows me everywhere."“Liam?” I said his name, my voice unsteady, as if speaking it would bring back all the ghosts I’d worked so hard to bury.His name tasted bitter, like chewing on regret.He stood there, easily towering over me, though I hated giving him that much credit.Standing there, he just shrugged. That same damn shrug, like nothing in the world could faze him—not heartbreak, not time, not even the look on my face right now.His expre
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-11It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 34: "Friend"
It's past noon, and Liam told me to meet him tonight. I 'could' just tell Valerian about it, but what’s really bugging me is—what the hell does Liam have to spill?Shaking my head, I tried to clear my thoughts. I could practically feel my brain splitting in two. This is all Athena’s fault. If she hadn’t shown up with that huge ass missile, I wouldn’t be stuck overthinking everything."I’ve been seeing you around a lot lately," someone said behind me, making me inhale sharply mid-pour as coffee overflowed from my mug.I spun around to find Valerian’s decent yet laid-back older brother, Theodore, leaning casually against the counter.He was dressed in a dark gray suit and black tie, his whole vibe screaming calmness and effortless charm—unlike Valerian's color scheme on a daily basis. Theo looked like the type who could host a TED Talk on "Chill Vibes Only" while rocking the same monotone wardrobe every day.The meeting must’ve been dismissed. Now he’s probably looking for someone to bl
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-12It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 35: Jealousy
"So, what's the deal between you and that guy?" Valerian asked as we sat in the waiting area, a chair apart.Frankly, we hadn’t talked for minutes now, even after he insisted on driving us to the hospital just to wait for Silas to finish his report to the police. And Liam... poor Liam. I didn’t know what to think.I figured Silas would be the one to handle the case—if there even was one. He hadn’t shared the story yet. All we knew was that Liam got into an accident just an hour ago.And Valerian? He was sour."He just came by the door after twelve years of not seeing him. Just like you saw," I answered, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms. "He asked if we could talk.""About what?" he asked, sticking his nose in further. I couldn’t blame him. Jealousy clung to his voice like a second skin."Well, I’d know by now if he hadn’t been hit by a car," I shot back, sarcasm held my words captive as I huffed and closed my eyes. "Look, Val, don’t you think this is just not the time to
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-21It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 36: Dessert
After visiting Liam at the hospital, I asked Valerian if he could drive to Dad's since, no matter what bad news comes, it’s apparently not a valid excuse to skip work. But he just said we could go there tomorrow—together.Fine by me. I still have a ton of stuff to sort out, especially now that Dad just sent me a message roping Valerian and me into some charity exhibit this weekend.I’ve got a million thoughts racing through my head, and just as many words I want to say. But instead, here I am, watching Valerian being way too tenacious with his phone while expertly taking off his watch and loosening his tie.He’s definitely hiding something. I’ve got this gut feeling—he’s the one who got Rachel fired.And let’s be real, Valerian’s not just powerful; he’s the kind of guy who could order a thunderstorm out of existence if it annoyed him. Still, maybe this is partly my fault. I mean, I did complain endlessly about Rachel’s articles. Maybe my whining pushed him to… "snap his fingers" and m
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-24It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 37: Liam
"You know, you don’t have to drive me to the hospital. I can go there by myself," I told Valerian as he opened the car door for me.He rested one elbow on the roof of his car while holding the door open with the other. His body blocked my way, leaning in just enough to trap me against the car.This teasing bastard."I’m a gentleman," he said curtly before stealing a kiss on my lips.Giving him a teasing deadpan stare, I cocked my head to the side. "You’ve got better things to do than play chauffeur, you know. Like... dealing with Athena Winters and her accusations?"His mood dipped for a second before he shrugged it off. "I moved the test to tomorrow. So, to shut that beautiful, delicious, perfect mouth of yours, we’ll handle it faster than your patience runs out." He put a period on his sentence with a playful poke to the tip of my nose."Is that supposed to make me agree to let you tag along?" I asked, raising an eyebrow."Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly asking for permission. Besides,
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-01-06It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 38: Testosterone
"Liam... thinks you two are still together."Suddenly, from behind Silas, Valerian's loving eyes turned into laser beams. He must have picked up on what Silas said last."What's going on?" he asked. His voice wasn't just curious or demanding an answer—it thundered through the hallway, but there was worry in it too.Silas glanced at me as if he's asking for my consent, shifting on his feet like a kid caught red-handed stealing peaches from the pantry. Eventually, he faced Valerian with his professional face.I took a slow, deep breath as I peeked from behind Silas and found Valerian's demanding eyes, frankly, glaring at his innocent cousin."Don't you think it would be best for you to sit down? Your knees might not take it," he slightly mocked, gesturing at the floor.Arching his eyebrows, Valerian exhaled sharply and took the space beside me as if I needed guarding. "I don't do weak shit. Spill it."Silas delivered the l
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-02-01It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 39: Breathless
It wasn’t the clouds that told me a storm was coming—it was Dad’s silence. The criticism in his eyes was burning me, and I had no idea why. Well… maybe a bit?"I heard what happened to Liam," he said, slicing his lunch into a perfect diamond cut before taking a bite. "That was a terrible accident."Nodding, I straightened my spine, careful not to let it touch the backrest of the chair. "Yes, it was very... unfortunate. But he was already stable and awake when we left the hospital," I said, not really having an appetite.After I explained everything to Liam, I gave him a headache—a massive one. The doctors had to give him painkillers and a sedative. They reminded us about his situation, but Valerian was too eager to slap Liam with reality.Just as I joined my father for lunch, Valerian had to take his own road to put a halt to another problem we had. Athena Winters.Valerian promised me that whatever the result, nothing would change. I cou
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-02-02It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 40: Daddy
"One line, negative. Two lines, positive," I read out loud from the box. "Fifth time, okay..."Biting my lower lip, I stared at the result, waiting for it to show up. Tapping my heel on the tiled floor repeatedly, I counted the ticking of the clock as I listened to the loud pounding of my heart."Oh, shit..." I muttered, staring at the two lines on the PT. "I'm really pregnant," I murmured, covering my mouth.I looked at myself in the mirror, checking for the changes I had been feeling in my body.My breasts were full and raw. I cupped them with my hands and felt their sensitivity. Then, I caressed my flat stomach over the silvery dress I wore. My own flesh and blood is growing inside of me."Oh my gosh, Val. You're going to be a freaking father," I whispered, sighing in both tension and excitement."Ellie, are you good in there?" Valerian's voice came from outside the bathroom door. "What's taking you so long? Are you okay?"Panic rushed through me. I didn’t know which item to toss a
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-02-03
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It All Started with a Divorce Epilogue
"Sign it, Ellie."Valerian’s words rang in my ears. I lost count of how many times he had tried to convince me, but my hand still refused to move, hovering over the stupid paper like it weighed a ton.I wanted this. I was the one who suggested it. So why the hell am I hesitating now?"I know what to do, don’t rush me," I snapped, shooting a glare at the man sitting across from me as I sat on the floor, he's far too comfortable and confident for someone who’d been nagging me.His man spread was almost right in my face. And had I—out of curiosity—glanced at what sinful thing he hid under those pants? I think more than a dozen times in the past few minutes already.Sighing, I picked up the pen, my lips twisting in disapproval."Time ticks, baby."I was on the edge of a cliff, and this man was shoving me right off. Was he for real?I threw him another glance. Those same green orbs that had swallowed me whole for years were still watching me like I was the only person he could ever fall fo
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 59: The Real Pain
I take it back. I regret it. I regret it!!The pain I feel is the worst of all. Never in my entire life have I felt this way. And it's all Valerian's fault."Aah!" I screamed, tears welling in my eyes.I gripped his already wrinkled shirt—one he had barely worn by now. Some of his buttons had flown everywhere from my pulling."Damn you, Val! I swear I'm going to kill you!" I shouted at him as the nurses transferred me from the ambulance to the stretcher.My water just broke!I have an indefinite words to explain what I feel right now, but it just doubled up whenever I senses Valerian's loud panic. He acts like he's the one who would give birth."Hang in there, baby," he comforted me. "Everything will be just fine. I'll be here, okay? Just—just hold my hand, okay?"Sweat formed in bullets on his forehead. My whole body hurt, and I felt like I was about to explode.I expected the pain, but I didn’t know it would feel "this" bad! Is my body splitting to two? I gripped his shirt tighter
It All Started with a Divorce Chaptee 58: Man on Fire
I stood frozen while I watched him walk in with confidence, his hands in his pockets. He gazed at me like I had committed a crime.Actually, I did.Ute sherpishly chuckled to lighten the mood. "I’ll join the others. I'll leave you two to talk, okay?" She excused herself and patted Valerian’s chest twice, silently telling him to be careful before blending into the crowd.A lump formed in my throat. Is he mad at me for not telling him sooner?"Val..." I called, my voice fragile and guilty.He shuffled the sole of his shoe as he slid closer to me, searching for my eyes.Lifting his hand, he tucked my hair behind my ear and guided my head to meet the calmness of his gaze.Instead of showing betrayal, he looked at me with even more intense love."I'm sorry," I whispered. "I—I should've told you the moment I figured it out. I was just—" I began to babble, but he placed his forefinger on my lips and hushed me."I'm not mad. Just surprised that we're going to have twins," he clarified, showin
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 57: No One But Us
Fanning myself, I find it hard to breathe. Was the dress too tight? Did I eat too much? Or was I just hyperventilating because I was minutes away from getting married... for the second time? "Relax, relax, relax. Think of it as just a normal day and then seal this night with a kiss from your prince charming with big guns and a dick." I frowned at Bree’s so-called pep talk while she gave her whole body a once-over in the mirror. But judging by the look on her face, she wasn’t satisfied with how she looked. "Breathe in, breathe out..." she murmured, meeting my gaze in the mirror. "I think I’m better off with your 'encouragements,' Bree. I swear, they're not helping," I cut her off as I adjusted the ribbon of my robe. "It’s not for you, mother. It’s for me," she replied, pouring herself a glass of water before exhaling loudly. My back ached again, and the mix of excitement and anxiousness wasn’t helping at all. Add Bree to that—she had been with me since I started getting my hair a
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 56: Better
Swallowing my burp, I stared at the view of the resort from the small hill, where I could see the guests enjoying the last weeks of summer.The whole place was enough to give anyone peace—but not me."Stop staring," I chided, noticing how Valerian's eyes had been eating me up since we woke up this morning.It's making me so conscious of how I look.Does he think I look fat? I did gain weight from my pregnancy because of my nonstop cravings, and it was obvious—especially on my arms and cheeks.When I looked in the mirror this morning, I thought I was staring at a steamed bun. I already have a double chin, and it's kind of stressing me out."You look beautiful," he suddenly uttered, looking at me viciously—like he's a wild lion and he wants to eat me.Rolling my eyes, I created some space between us. "Can you say something sincere? I literally look like a pig right now," I snorted."That's not true. It’s like claiming you’re an angel," he retorted, wearing that smug grin on his face.I
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 55: Deep Dive
Too lazy to work, I stared into the air, replaying what happened that night at the celebration. If I could just go back in time, I'd smack my own head and tell myself to act right. I guess I just got sedated in the moment. There were a lot of eyes on us, high expectations poured onto me—the highlight of the night. And did I give them the right show? Did I give him the answer he was anticipating? I caressed my five-month-old womb. I guess I did the right thing. "Knock, knock?" someone uttered, showing up by the open door of my office with a bouquet of tulips and sunflowers hiding his face. "Earth is closed, Mr. Blackwood. Come back when it's open," I shooed him, leaning back in my chair as I watched his sulky face revealed when he pulled the flowers down. "Mood swings?" Valerian asked, pulling a surprise from behind him—a basket of oranges that made my eyes twinkle. "I think I've got an answer to that." Rolling my eyes, I had to clamp my lips shut to hide my excitement upon see
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 54: Answer
A ticking bomb. That’s me. If somebody cuts the wrong wire—boom! Everybody? Toasted. Fried.I’m still wondering how Valerian isn’t melting yet. Can’t he feel me blowtorching him since we share the same space?He’s got a lot of things to explain.I should’ve kicked him in the face back when I had the chance.I ate the oranges he gave me. I’m taking care of the flowers he gave me. I "kind of" welcomed him into my house. I let him join me in bed. I even let him kiss me. Hug me.And this? This is the "unfinished business" he was talking about? I thought it was about "us". I thought he was doing something to put us back together. Then why the hell is he with that leech?!"If looks could kill. He. Dead," someone snickered from behind me.When I turned, I thought I’d gone blind. If there was ever a personification of a diamond, it would be only one man I’d met recently—Atticus Lark."Jealousy isn’t good for pregnant ladies," he added, biting the olive from his drink. "Gives you stress." He u
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 53: Bad News
Rubbing the bottom of my nose, I can smell the approaching change of the season—just like the shift in my mood. "Dad organized the event, and a lot of people are coming tonight. I believe he told me it’s a celebration of the 37th year since the company opened," Bree explained while I pouted, my eyes scanning the names of the invited guests. Ever since Dad landed here on the coast, I haven’t seen him, but Bree said he brought his work with him. I’m neither happy nor upset about it. Technically, it’s not exactly work—just related—but it still makes my bones jitter, whether from annoyance or something else I can’t quite name. "He’s bringing a date with him," she added. "Does going there require bringing a date?" I raised an eyebrow, squinting at a particular name on the list. Valerian Blackwood. It was written in beautiful golden calligraphy, perfectly matching how elegant and powerful he is. But in my eyes, he’s still a bastard. "It’s a must. A ridiculous rule Dad made for tonig
It All Started with a Divorce Chapter 52: Eternal Sunshine
I hadn't considered any day special—until yesterday. I feel like the heavy thing that had been making my heart feel like it was about to explode is suddenly gone, and now there's just peace.But no matter how magical the scene was, I like to take things slow.And when I say slow..."What are you doing here?" I spat as soon as I opened my door and found Valerian holding a bouquet of sunflowers and a jar of... pickles?"Just came here to visit my pregnant Elodie," he said comfortably, lifting what he had in his hands.Arching my eyebrows, I gave him a deadpan glare.Just because we settled one thing doesn’t mean we’re already fine. I still want to play hard to get, and nothing goes fast—aside from his... No, no, no. I’m not going back to that kind of mindset anymore.I've refreshed my mind, and I am no longer a sinner. Or so I assume."This is private property, Mr. Blackwood. I suggest you back off before I call the police," I warned him, but as expected, it didn’t faze him—not even the
