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Chapter thirty eight
Last Updated:
2025-02-19 00:25:11
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Love and deceit Chapter thirty-nine
(Damien's Point of View)The days that followed my confrontation with Victoria felt like an endless barrage of rehearsed smiles and veiled threats. There was a tension in the air at Sterling Estates, something invisible yet heavy that I couldn’t shake. I had tried to maintain the facade of normalcy—business as usual—but every glance from Victoria, every calculated word, seemed designed to unsettle me. She was playing a game, and she was far too good at it.I spent hours in my office, the sterile, cold atmosphere providing a semblance of clarity as I reviewed contracts and figures, pretending I wasn’t thinking about her. But the truth was, I couldn’t stop. Every encounter with her left me feeling like I was teetering on the edge of something I couldn’t control, something I wasn’t prepared for.I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my face. The day had dragged on without any real resolution, and now, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the house seemed quieter than usual. The
Last Updated : 2025-02-19Love and deceit Chapter Forty
🌹Damien 🌹The days following my confrontation with my father were filled with an oppressive silence. It was as though a rift had opened between us, and no matter how hard I tried to bridge it, nothing would close the gap. I had done everything he asked of me, everything that was expected, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already chosen his side.Victoria’s influence over him was undeniable, and with each passing day, it became clearer that the legacy I had worked so hard to build, the empire that I thought would one day be mine, was slipping further away. It was no longer about business. It had become personal.The weight of that realization settled like a stone in my chest, and no matter how many times I tried to shove it aside, it lingered, suffocating me. The anger, the frustration, it all built up until I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at a dark abyss. If I fell, I might never be able to climb back out.But the one thing I knew for sure
Last Updated : 2025-02-19Love and deceit Chapter Forty one
🌹 Aurora 🌹Aurora sat alone in her apartment, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The room was still, save for the soft hum of the city outside. She had always found peace in this quiet solitude, but today, everything felt different. Her stomach churned, a cocktail of nerves and dread swirling inside her. The wedding was tomorrow. Tomorrow, her life would change forever.She glanced at her phone, which had been quiet for hours. There were no messages from Ethan, no words of reassurance or encouragement. It was probably for the best, she thought, pushing away the disappointment. What could he say anyway? She was about to marry someone she barely knew, someone she had been forced into a life with by promises made long before she was born.Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. It was her mother, Lila, followed by her brother, David. Aurora straightened up and walked toward the door, her steps slow and heavy, each one reminding her of the weight of
Last Updated : 2025-02-19Love and deceit Chapter Forty two
🌹Aurora 🌹The cab’s interior was dimly lit by the city’s early morning glow, a soft amber haze that did little to warm the chill that had settled inside me. I sat silently in the back, my thoughts a tangled mess of dread, uncertainty, and an inescapable guilt. Every mile took me further away from the small apartment I still called home and closer to the world that Damien Sterling and my family had planned for me—a world of glittering wealth and cold obligation.I couldn’t help but recall every moment that led up to this day—the whispered promises of a freer life, the desperate call from Ethan that I had tried so hard to ignore, and the overwhelming realization that my destiny had been written long before I could choose. I remembered how, in secret moments, I had dared to dream of escaping it all. Now, that possibility felt like a distant memory, swallowed by the relentless march of duty.The cab slowed abruptly as we neared the imposing, wrought-iron gates of the Reynolds estate. My
Last Updated : 2025-02-20Love and deceit Chapter Forty three
Inside the vast, ornate hall, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. My entrance had been met with a flurry of polite smiles and murmured greetings from guests who were there to witness the union of two powerful families. Yet, as I walked slowly down the aisle, the weight of every gaze—both sympathetic and scrutinizing—seemed to sap the life from me.Every face in the room appeared to be a carefully chosen mask of approval. Relatives from distant branches of the Reynolds dynasty and esteemed figures from the business world watched silently as I passed, their eyes an unspoken jury evaluating my worth. I felt like I was on display—a fragile, reluctant bride whose every movement was measured, every smile rehearsed.At the far end of the hall, I saw him—Damien Sterling. He stood stoically near the altar, his posture perfect, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes briefly met mine, sending a jolt of conflicting emotions through me. Was it indifference? Regret? Or was it simply th
Last Updated : 2025-02-20Love and deceit Chapter forty-four
🌹Aurora 🌹The ceremony hall was an expanse of polished marble and gentle light that seemed to magnify every heartbeat. I stood at the front of the room, the air thick with silent judgment and expectation, as I gazed down the long aisle. Every step I had taken to reach this moment felt weighted with the loss of my freedom, and now I was to commit to a future that wasn’t mine.Across from me, Damien Sterling waited. He stood in perfect, rigid form—a statue carved from ice—his dark eyes fixed on some distant point, as if he were detached from the ritual unfolding between us. I could see nothing but cold calculation in his face, and yet, in the brief moment when our eyes met, I thought I glimpsed a shadow of something else. I couldn’t tell if it was regret, longing, or merely a flicker of vulnerability that he then masked with his usual impassivity.The minister’s voice, low and measured, began the ceremony with words of sacred union, but all I could register was the pounding of my hear
Last Updated : 2025-02-20Love and deceit Chapter forty-five
🌹Aurora 🌹The ceremony was over, yet the echoes of every word, every whispered promise, clung to me like a second skin. I stood at the edge of the altar long after the minister’s final pronouncement, my heart pounding in a rhythm that seemed to mock the emptiness I felt inside. I was now Mrs. Sterling—a title that felt like a heavy shackle rather than a crown of honor. As the guests erupted in polite applause, the noise of their celebration only deepened my own isolation. I felt like I had just signed a contract rather than exchanged vows with a partner. Every syllable of the ritual, every glimmer of a smile from the attendees, was part of a performance that I was forced to play.My eyes instinctively searched for Damien across the room. He stood, quiet and composed, a mask of impenetrable detachment. His gaze, when it met mine, was distant and calculating—a cold, unyielding reminder that our union was not built on tenderness or shared dreams, but on duty and expectation. I tried to
Last Updated : 2025-02-20Love and deceit Chapter Forty six
🌹Aurora🌹The reception hall was a dazzling arena of opulence, where every detail was meticulously arranged to project perfection. I moved through the crowd as if in a daze, a reluctant participant in a performance that felt both surreal and suffocating. The ballroom’s high, vaulted ceilings were draped in shimmering lights, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and fresh flowers. Yet beneath the glitz and glamour, I sensed a pervasive emptiness—a facade that masked a world of expectations and unspoken agendas.Every face I encountered wore a smile that seemed rehearsed, as if each guest were an actor following a script. I saw relatives and business associates alike, each nodding and offering polite congratulations, their eyes betraying nothing more than a detached acknowledgment of the day’s proceedings. Their praise felt hollow, as if I were nothing more than an accessory in a grand display of power and legacy.I drifted toward the refreshment table, my steps sl
Last Updated : 2025-02-20
Latest chapter
Love and deceit Chapter Forty seven
🌹Aurora 🌹The reception had ended, and with it, the dazzling façade of celebration began to crumble into a hushed, somber silence. I found myself alone in a quiet corner of the grand ballroom, away from the lingering chatter and the soft clink of departing glasses. The ornate chandeliers cast a gentle, flickering light over the empty chairs and polished marble floors, and in that quiet moment, the weight of the day settled on me like a shroud.I sank into a plush armchair near a large window, gazing out at the city lights that twinkled distantly in the night. They seemed almost unreachable—tiny beacons of freedom in a vast, dark expanse. My mind wandered through the events of the day, each memory a mixture of vivid emotions and hollow formalities. I had walked down the aisle with a heavy heart, recited vows that felt more like a surrender than a promise, and exchanged rings that now felt like chains. Every moment of that day, despite its glittering perfection, had marked another ste
Love and deceit Chapter Forty six
🌹Aurora🌹The reception hall was a dazzling arena of opulence, where every detail was meticulously arranged to project perfection. I moved through the crowd as if in a daze, a reluctant participant in a performance that felt both surreal and suffocating. The ballroom’s high, vaulted ceilings were draped in shimmering lights, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and fresh flowers. Yet beneath the glitz and glamour, I sensed a pervasive emptiness—a facade that masked a world of expectations and unspoken agendas.Every face I encountered wore a smile that seemed rehearsed, as if each guest were an actor following a script. I saw relatives and business associates alike, each nodding and offering polite congratulations, their eyes betraying nothing more than a detached acknowledgment of the day’s proceedings. Their praise felt hollow, as if I were nothing more than an accessory in a grand display of power and legacy.I drifted toward the refreshment table, my steps sl
Love and deceit Chapter forty-five
🌹Aurora 🌹The ceremony was over, yet the echoes of every word, every whispered promise, clung to me like a second skin. I stood at the edge of the altar long after the minister’s final pronouncement, my heart pounding in a rhythm that seemed to mock the emptiness I felt inside. I was now Mrs. Sterling—a title that felt like a heavy shackle rather than a crown of honor. As the guests erupted in polite applause, the noise of their celebration only deepened my own isolation. I felt like I had just signed a contract rather than exchanged vows with a partner. Every syllable of the ritual, every glimmer of a smile from the attendees, was part of a performance that I was forced to play.My eyes instinctively searched for Damien across the room. He stood, quiet and composed, a mask of impenetrable detachment. His gaze, when it met mine, was distant and calculating—a cold, unyielding reminder that our union was not built on tenderness or shared dreams, but on duty and expectation. I tried to
Love and deceit Chapter forty-four
🌹Aurora 🌹The ceremony hall was an expanse of polished marble and gentle light that seemed to magnify every heartbeat. I stood at the front of the room, the air thick with silent judgment and expectation, as I gazed down the long aisle. Every step I had taken to reach this moment felt weighted with the loss of my freedom, and now I was to commit to a future that wasn’t mine.Across from me, Damien Sterling waited. He stood in perfect, rigid form—a statue carved from ice—his dark eyes fixed on some distant point, as if he were detached from the ritual unfolding between us. I could see nothing but cold calculation in his face, and yet, in the brief moment when our eyes met, I thought I glimpsed a shadow of something else. I couldn’t tell if it was regret, longing, or merely a flicker of vulnerability that he then masked with his usual impassivity.The minister’s voice, low and measured, began the ceremony with words of sacred union, but all I could register was the pounding of my hear
Love and deceit Chapter Forty three
Inside the vast, ornate hall, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. My entrance had been met with a flurry of polite smiles and murmured greetings from guests who were there to witness the union of two powerful families. Yet, as I walked slowly down the aisle, the weight of every gaze—both sympathetic and scrutinizing—seemed to sap the life from me.Every face in the room appeared to be a carefully chosen mask of approval. Relatives from distant branches of the Reynolds dynasty and esteemed figures from the business world watched silently as I passed, their eyes an unspoken jury evaluating my worth. I felt like I was on display—a fragile, reluctant bride whose every movement was measured, every smile rehearsed.At the far end of the hall, I saw him—Damien Sterling. He stood stoically near the altar, his posture perfect, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes briefly met mine, sending a jolt of conflicting emotions through me. Was it indifference? Regret? Or was it simply th
Love and deceit Chapter Forty two
🌹Aurora 🌹The cab’s interior was dimly lit by the city’s early morning glow, a soft amber haze that did little to warm the chill that had settled inside me. I sat silently in the back, my thoughts a tangled mess of dread, uncertainty, and an inescapable guilt. Every mile took me further away from the small apartment I still called home and closer to the world that Damien Sterling and my family had planned for me—a world of glittering wealth and cold obligation.I couldn’t help but recall every moment that led up to this day—the whispered promises of a freer life, the desperate call from Ethan that I had tried so hard to ignore, and the overwhelming realization that my destiny had been written long before I could choose. I remembered how, in secret moments, I had dared to dream of escaping it all. Now, that possibility felt like a distant memory, swallowed by the relentless march of duty.The cab slowed abruptly as we neared the imposing, wrought-iron gates of the Reynolds estate. My
Love and deceit Chapter Forty one
🌹 Aurora 🌹Aurora sat alone in her apartment, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The room was still, save for the soft hum of the city outside. She had always found peace in this quiet solitude, but today, everything felt different. Her stomach churned, a cocktail of nerves and dread swirling inside her. The wedding was tomorrow. Tomorrow, her life would change forever.She glanced at her phone, which had been quiet for hours. There were no messages from Ethan, no words of reassurance or encouragement. It was probably for the best, she thought, pushing away the disappointment. What could he say anyway? She was about to marry someone she barely knew, someone she had been forced into a life with by promises made long before she was born.Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. It was her mother, Lila, followed by her brother, David. Aurora straightened up and walked toward the door, her steps slow and heavy, each one reminding her of the weight of
Love and deceit Chapter Forty
🌹Damien 🌹The days following my confrontation with my father were filled with an oppressive silence. It was as though a rift had opened between us, and no matter how hard I tried to bridge it, nothing would close the gap. I had done everything he asked of me, everything that was expected, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already chosen his side.Victoria’s influence over him was undeniable, and with each passing day, it became clearer that the legacy I had worked so hard to build, the empire that I thought would one day be mine, was slipping further away. It was no longer about business. It had become personal.The weight of that realization settled like a stone in my chest, and no matter how many times I tried to shove it aside, it lingered, suffocating me. The anger, the frustration, it all built up until I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at a dark abyss. If I fell, I might never be able to climb back out.But the one thing I knew for sure
Love and deceit Chapter thirty-nine
(Damien's Point of View)The days that followed my confrontation with Victoria felt like an endless barrage of rehearsed smiles and veiled threats. There was a tension in the air at Sterling Estates, something invisible yet heavy that I couldn’t shake. I had tried to maintain the facade of normalcy—business as usual—but every glance from Victoria, every calculated word, seemed designed to unsettle me. She was playing a game, and she was far too good at it.I spent hours in my office, the sterile, cold atmosphere providing a semblance of clarity as I reviewed contracts and figures, pretending I wasn’t thinking about her. But the truth was, I couldn’t stop. Every encounter with her left me feeling like I was teetering on the edge of something I couldn’t control, something I wasn’t prepared for.I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my face. The day had dragged on without any real resolution, and now, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the house seemed quieter than usual. The
