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Chapter 36: The Unraveling of a Madman
Last Updated:
2024-08-19 19:14:45
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It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 37: Bitterness and Anger
Ferris parked the car at the gate of what was supposed to be my home. After my emotional outburst, he never mentioned it again, simply taking me back home in silence. The awkward quiet reigned in the car, allowing depression and anger to dominate my mind.I knew I was being inconsiderate, but I also felt I deserved to be. What irked me was that Rominic had to suffer too. If he hadn't, my heart wouldn't have considered him for a second. But knowing he had gone through hardships, and that there was a chance he loved me, was making my heart turn against me.I was angry because I felt sorry for him, yet I also wanted to end everything. But I would never forgive him, not after what he had put me through. The fact that my children were ill, that we lived from hand to mouth, that I faced humiliation as a beggar — none of that mattered. The fact that he had ruined my life could never be forgiven or forgotten.Could he erase the memories of me using my body as a last resort to save my children
Last Updated : 2024-08-20It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 38: The Weight of Scars
I keep a smile plastered on my face as I slowly drag the zipper down the back of my dress, peeling it off my shoulders and letting it pool at my feet. I'm left standing in just my underwear, but that doesn't last long. With a few deft movements, I unclasp my bra, push the straps off, and toss it aside.The look of horror that washes over his face when he sees my once smooth, unblemished stomach now covered in scars is deeply satisfying. "Can you see?" I ask, my voice dripping with a mixture of anger and resignation. "This is what I've been hiding under my clothes. See these?"I turn around, exposing the angry red welts and lash marks across my back. "I got these when I willingly participated to be the sex slave of a wealthy psychopath. He doesn't sleep with the women, but he derives pleasure from their pain and the sight of their blood. All I had to do was take whips on my body and cry like there's no tomorrow, and I get the complete money to start Zayne's treatment."I point to a par
Last Updated : 2024-08-21It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 39: crows like shiny things
Rominic's viewpointI now truly understand the depths of Lavender's bitterness and pain. The scars that marred her body were a constant, physical reminder of the horrors she had endured, and the emotional and mental scars were even deeper, seared into her very consciousness. I felt a deep pang of guilt, knowing that my actions had been the catalyst for so much of her suffering.I desperately wanted to fix it, to make her forget the trauma and pain she had experienced. But I knew, deep down, that such a thing was impossible. The idea of using hypnosis or some kind of memory-wiping machine crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. That would be a selfish and greedy act, robbing her of her own experiences and freedom.No, if I truly wanted her forgiveness, I would have to earn it through patience and understanding, not through force or manipulation—but I knew it'll be impossible to fully control myself. The temptation to hunt down every single one of the men who had hurt her, to unlea
Last Updated : 2024-08-23It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 40: You need help
The greatest thing about acceptance is that the moment you embrace it, you feel an immense sense of relief, and the healing process begins. At least, that's how it was for me. I woke up with the most excruciating headache I'd experienced in ages — I couldn't recall the last time it had been this severe. Yet, the lightness and peace I felt in my heart made the pain seem like nothing.Granted, Rominic had panicked and ended up taking me to the hospital, but it was ultimately a good thing. Rominic was driving us back home, his expression quiet and concerned. I couldn't help but wonder if he was worried about me.I had decided to start accepting things as they were, determined to stop denying reality and simply deal with it. I had been slowly losing my grip, and it had terrified me. Rominic was right — we both needed psychological help, and I was considering getting some."Serenity came to me last night," Rominic said calmly. I turned my head to look at him, and I was struck by the grim e
Last Updated : 2024-08-24It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 41: like an inescapable curse
I loathe that my children are my greatest weakness. What's worse is that Rominic, my not-so-greatest enemy, is fully aware of my vulnerabilities and has mastered the art of exploiting them for his own benefit.I mentally snorted at the thought. Is there anything this man doesn't know how to use against someone? Manipulation and scheming seem to be ingrained into the very fabric of his family. It's as if they were born with the innate power to be domineering, manipulative, silent as deadly snakes, and untreatable psychopaths. I've never encountered a family where madness is their second nature, but the Verlice clan has proven that it is indeed possible.To the outside world, they present themselves as cold, calculating billionaires, business tycoons, and intellectual giants. But only those who have experienced or witnessed their madness firsthand know the true nature of this family. Their dynamic is truly freakish, yet I still found myself falling in love with Rominic.I vividly rememb
Last Updated : 2024-08-26It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 42: Cat Out of The Bag
I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I watched the interaction between Rominic and Zachary. Rominic was speaking to Zachary with a soft, affectionate tone — a stark contrast to the way he typically addressed me. It was obvious he was trying to cozy up to Zachary, but I couldn't help but smile at the thought of using this as a potential means of escape."So, what do you think of this one?" Rominic asked Zachary, his voice dripping with that uncharacteristic tenderness.Zachary considered the design for a moment before shaking his head. "The design is fabulous, really, but the idea, I'm not so sure. We are aiming for something simple yet unique, something that won't endanger children's lives. The idea is good, but the pressure of adding it to the construction of the board would be dangerous, as it could result in heat and explosion after a limited time. If we end up doing it, the team would have to come up with a way to limit it, and that won't be fun for those who would be buying it. We
Last Updated : 2024-08-27It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 43: Dramatic Quins
I stared at the headline, a deep sense of dread slowly unfurling within me. Shock, confusion, and finally, curiosity warred for dominance as I tapped the link, opening the news page. Rominic's face was the first thing that greeted me, and the sight of it sent a jolt through my heart, a scornful sneer automatically curling my lips.Scrolling down, I began to read the article. Mercury Hot News was a well-known hub for celebrity gossip, their pages overflowing with salacious breaking news, whether positive or negative. I could only hope that this particular story would not fall into the latter category."We all know that over the past years, Rominic B. Verlice has remained unmarried and single ever since the death of his fiancée. A lot of questions have been asked about why he hasn't moved on, and no answers have been given from either him or those around him. Well, it's a shocking surprise that I discovered his secret coincidentally," the reporter wrote, their tone casual and conversati
Last Updated : 2024-08-28It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 44: Who's Their Mother?
"I can't believe he has children," Giovanna remarked, the disbelief evident in her voice for what must have been the umpteenth time that week. The office had been abuzz with people discussing the news from every angle.Rominic, however, remained unfazed. He had already heard the news, but he simply didn't care. The only reason he had kept silent about them in the first place was because of me.Stacy, too, had not uttered a word on the matter, and many of the workers continued to ask me if the rumors were true, since I was Rominic's PA. But they were getting no information out of me."He's a man, what do you expect?" I replied dismissively.Giovanna shrugged, a crease of concern etching her brow. "I don't know, not having kids? I mean, I heard he was emotionally traumatized by his fiancée's death and the assassination schemes that followed. From what I know, she was assassinated and he blames himself for it. He hasn't been seen with women for years, and now suddenly he has children? He
Last Updated : 2024-08-30
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It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 113: Checkmate (2)
The color drains from her face. Her chair scrapes against the wooden floor as she jolts to her feet. "Shit." The curse barely escapes her lips before she reaches for the gun hidden at her waist, but Lavender is faster.A flick of her wrist. A barely visible glint of silver.Pain explodes through Giovanna’s hand as something sharp embeds itself into her wrist. She screams, the gun slipping from her grasp and clattering to the floor.Lavender is on her in an instant. She surges forward, pulling out her own firearm and stepping down hard on Giovanna’s fallen weapon, keeping it out of reach. The weight of her shoe against the cold metal is final, unwavering.Giovanna freezes as something much colder presses against her temple—the barrel of a gun.Her body goes rigid. Her mind races. She had underestimated Lavender, had stayed alone in this room like a fool, thinking she had control. But it was fine. It had to be fine.Her guards were right in the next room.Any second now, they would burs
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 107: Checkmate
Lavender pulls up to the farmhouse, her car rolling to a stop in front of the small, unassuming structure. The address had led her here—a lonely farm tucked away in an open plain, the kind of place where screams would be swallowed by the wind and a body could be disposed of without a trace. How convenient. How utterly unsightly.She exhales softly, slipping the key card back into the pocket of her coat. Her eyes sweep over the land, taking in the neglected fields, the weathered fences barely holding together. No doubt, the original owners had been struggling—probably desperate enough to sell it off without questioning who was buying. A fleeting thought crosses her mind: purchasing this place herself, restoring it, turning it into something profitable.She shakes that thought away and strides toward the house, her shoes crunching against dry earth. There is no hesitation in her steps, no pause at the door to knock or ring the bell. Instead, she grips the doorknob, twists it, and steps
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 111: A Game of Ghosts
The clock ticks in slow, measured beats, each second stretching, elongating, suffocating. The rhythmic beeping of the cardiac monitor fills the room, a relentless reminder of the fragile life tethered to its machines. The air is thick, sterile, laced with the sharp scent of antiseptic that does nothing to mask the underlying bitterness of despair. The fluorescent lights cast a cold, artificial glow over the large hospital ward, highlighting the stark contrast between the warmth of the floral-printed bedding and the icy stillness of the girl lying upon it.Serenity remains motionless, her small body pale, her chest rising and falling only by the will of the ventilator. Tubes snake around her, connecting her to a maze of medical equipment that hums softly, keeping her alive. She should be running, laughing, causing the kind of mischief that only she could—but instead, she is trapped in a prison of unconsciousness, a mere shell of the vibrant child she had been days ago.Lavender stands
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 110: When One Falls, the Others Follow
The sky was a perfect shade of blue, a vast canvas unmarred by even a single cloud. The sun shone brightly, its warmth brushing against my skin, and the faint scent of chlorine and freshly cut grass wafted through the air. Despite the lively scene around me, I found myself staring up at the sky, smiling faintly. It wasn't because I felt at peace—I wasn't. Inside, I was a tangled mess of emotions, but I smiled anyway, if only to keep myself together.I sighed heavily, the weight in my chest pressing harder as my mind drifted to the scandalous headlines that had erupted online just days ago. The rumors of an affair between Apollo and me had spread like wildfire, and the storm they caused had been brutal. Thankfully, Apollo going public about his love for Rominic had turned the tide in our favor. Watching Rominic and Phineas look as if they'd turned to stone when they found out had been oddly satisfying. That, combined with the widely known fact that Apollo and I used to hate each other's
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 109: Possession and Apologies
Lavender stood in the dimly lit living room, her nerves fraying with every passing second. The soft glow of the overhead light bathed the space in warm hues, but it did little to soothe the tension crackling in the air. Rominic was pacing, his creamy blonde hair disheveled, winter-gray eyes stormy as they pinned her in place. He wasn't speaking yet, but his silence was worse than yelling. It was the kind of silence that suffocated, pressing down on her chest like an unseen weight.She laughed nervously, the sound brittle as it broke the stillness. "It's not what you're thinking," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "I swear, Rominic, it's not.”His eyes flickered, sharp and unyielding, and she could feel his temper bubbling just beneath the surface. The faint ticking of his wall clock was the only other sound in the room, an infuriating reminder of how slowly time seemed to move in moments like these.Lavender inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. Her cinnamon-brown hair
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 108: Truce Over Grudges
Apollo's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, sharp and unrelenting. "You alone could've prevented everything, but you chose not to. That's exactly why I despised you. None of you deserve him.""True," I whispered, my voice trembling but steady enough to hold the weight of my resolve. "I don't deserve him." I lifted my gaze to meet his, my expression calm despite the storm raging inside me. A soft, bitter smile curved my lips. "But neither does he deserve me."For a moment, Apollo's sneer faltered, his sharp retort caught in his throat. I turned away before he could recover, the silence between us broken only by the muffled sounds from outside and the deafening beat of my own heart.The room was still thick with the lingering stench of sweat and mildew, but somehow, the suffocating weight of the earlier confrontation had begun to lift. The muffled groans and rhythmic thumping from the other side of the door persisted, but I could almost tune them out now. Apollo leaned back agains
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 107: Locked In (2)
"Useless," I muttered, shaking my head and leaning further into the armrest of the sofa. The fabric felt damp, and I shifted again, trying to touch as little of it as possible.Apollo leaned back against the wall, his legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest. He looked as though he were perfectly comfortable, but I knew better. He thrived on tension, and this situation was no different. A heavy silence settled between us, but it was far from peaceful. The noises from outside—the cries, the moans, the unmistakable sound of a furniture slamming against a wall—filled the void like an unwelcome guest."You've changed," Apollo finally said, his voice cutting through the cacophony. I turned to him, my expression flat and unimpressed. "What?" "What you did out there…" he trailed off, his tone strangely contemplative, though the familiar edge of derision lingered."I don't see anything wrong with seducing my husband," I replied sharply, emphasizing the word ‘husband' with veno
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 106: Locked In
You know how sometimes things don't go as planned? Well, my situation was one of those.At first, everything seemed to be going perfectly. I had managed to get under Apollo's skin so effectively that he stormed off, his face tight with fury. Victory tasted sweet—at least for a fleeting moment. With him out of the picture, Rominic was mine, entirely mine. We flirted, trading sharp smiles and lingering glances that set my skin ablaze. We kissed, his hands firm yet teasing, and for a brief while, the club's chaotic energy seemed to fade into the background. Then, as if the universe couldn't let me revel for too long, Lilith and a group of men I'd pointed out started brawling. Rominic and Phineas stepped in, practically dragging them apart before things got bloody. They saved lives; I mostly tried not to get crushed.And somehow—still baffling to me—I ended up here. In the mixed-gender restroom. With Apollo.Let me clarify: calling it a “restroom” was a cruel joke. There wasn't a toilet i
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 105: How to Crash a Party (2)
The bass-heavy music from the club reverberated through the walls as I stepped inside, the heavy scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive cologne hitting me instantly. The lights pulsed in rhythmic patterns, casting shadows that danced across the crowded floor. Bodies moved in sync with the music, a chaotic symphony of energy and decadence.Beside me, Lilith was in her element. Her barely-there silver dress sparkled under the strobe lights, the hem so short it was a miracle it managed to cover her at all. She sauntered forward, her electric-blue eyes scanning the room with the eagerness of a predator sizing up its prey."Isn't this fun?" she chirped, her voice loud enough to cut through the music.I smirked at her. "You're certainly having the time of your life, Mrs. Zǐmò." I say, intentionally reminding her about who's she married to and the possibility of him destroying this club if any man should lay their hands on her.Lilith shot me a wink—ignoring me—before sashaying ahead, her dy
