If it weren't for my facade, I'd be laughing hysterically at all the hypocrisy around me. That's why I completely understood the look of confusion on Jenna's face and how she must be whispering the truth of the gossip to Derek. I had to say, however, the sheer envy and frustration on Amanda's face were too obvious for me to not feel satisfied. After all, Serge hadn't given her such a passionate speech at her own wedding. "I've watched you grow into a strong, determined, and tenacious woman. From now on, you'll both face new challenges and experiences, and you'll have my absolute support through it all. To the two of you!" my father finishes, raising his glass, and the rest follow suit. As we clinked our glasses and started to drink, Amanda's voice cut through the atmosphere. "I'd like to add a few more words!" she practically shouted. The guests turned, waiting for what she was about to say. A knot tightened in my chest, and I dreaded whatever might come next, especially wit
I had sent the invitations personally, knowing that a meeting between Amelia and Liam would be inevitable. Still, I didn't expect that the shock of seeing each other after so many years would be so obvious. The two of them were frozen, staring at each other. It didn't take long for a few subtle glances to start circulating around the room."I was beginning to think Amelia wouldn't show up. Why is she only appearing now?" I asked Lucius."She wasn't planning to grace us with her presence. Serge told me before I went to get you for the ceremony. However, I reminded him how important our wedding is and how offended I'd be if she wasn't among us," he explained, clearly pleased with himself.Lucius had made sure I enjoyed our wedding, but his insistence on inviting both Liam and Amelia, setting this whole thing in motion, was a bit troubling."Do you think they'll start fighting?" I asked, observing them."I think we've got front-row seats to quite the show," he remarked, taking anothe
He laughed as we reached the room. I headed straight to the bathroom, just like I said, closing the door behind me, relieved to finally have a toilet within reach. But as I tried to bend over and gather my dress to pull up the skirt, I couldn't.I tried again, this time from the side, reaching down to grab the hem of my wedding dress. Still no luck. The corset and structure of the dress prevented me from bending the way I needed to. At another time, I might've thought of a creative way to get out of the dress to pee, but right now? Not a chance. I gave up and cracked the door open slightly."Could you help me lift my dress? I can't do it by myself, and I really need to pee," I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.Lucius looked at me, surprised for a moment before amusement filled his face. He stepped toward me and knelt. His hands began lifting the skirt, and I couldn't say it was great for my emotional stability. His hands on my legs, the predator-like gleam in his eyes—it was not a g
How bad could it really be to give your husband oral? Because that was what Lucius was—my husband. I moved closer, kneeling between his legs as he pulled his erection free from his pants. My mouth watered, oddly enough. It was all so strange, new, and undeniably hot."Don't be scared. I'll guide you," he whispered, tucking a few strands of my hair behind my ear. "Be a good girl, open your mouth, and go down."I took a deep breath and did as he asked, taking him into my mouth. The act itself felt primitive, the motions basic and not exactly something I found pleasurable. But when I started to hear his moans of pleasure, something else stirred inside me. The deeper I went, the deeper his sounds of pleasure became, and the faster I moved, the more he called my name.Time seemed to slip away as I became lost in a different kind of pleasure—not from what I was physically feeling, but from the pleasure I was giving the man I loved. I knew things were getting messy down here, what with my
Unfortunately, Jenna's warnings turned out to be true. That was what I was witnessing now as I saw Liam and my father punching each other in the middle of the hall. Both of them looked terrible—there was blood on Serge's shirt and Liam's nose. The rest of the guests were standing back, alarmed by the scene, except for a few.Lucia, Clara, and Leah were busy ushering the children out of the room while Amelia was just sitting in a chair, pale and unresponsive. She didn't do anything, not even throwing a glance at the fight that was likely happening because of her. I didn't even need to mention the mortified looks on Andrew's parents' faces or Andrew's own discomfort nor the desperation of Amanda, who was begging her mother to react, but Amelia remained unmoved.Before they could exchange another round of punches or knock over more of the hotel's dinnerware, some of which had already been smashed on the nearby table, Lennon and now Lucius stepped in to break them apart. Lennon grabbed h
Finding the place where Serge had chosen to yell at Amelia at full volume was easier than I thought. He had picked one of the private rooms, and I could already hear his angry shouts from outside."Why can't you react, you incompetent woman?! Where do you know him from? How do you even know him?!""Dad, please stop yelling at Mom…" Amanda begged him.I stepped into the room and found the same chaotic scene. Amelia was sitting in a chair, rubbing her legs with her hands, her complexion still pale. Amanda was clinging to her while Serge loomed over them, shouting."Stay out of this, Amanda!" he yelled."How can you expect me to stay out of it?! She's my mom! You can't keep humiliating her because of your favorite daughter's father-in-law!" Amanda shot back, glaring at me with pure hatred.Of course, I was the one to blame for neither of them being able to keep it together at their children's wedding. Still, I had to calm things down here."Dad, Amanda's right. You need to stop yel
"You need to calm down. Lucius is married to me. Fairmount Corporation is in good hands," I assured him."Are you stupid or just pretending?" Amelia sneered cruelly. "The Brown family will tear us apart, down to the very foundations.""They won't. I'm Lucius's wife. Why would he destroy his in-laws' company? The one he's invested so much money in? You're the one not thinking straight, Amelia.""Our company means nothing to them… nothing!" Amelia insisted."You're being just as short-sighted," I accused, turning to Serge with confidence. "I'll apply to be CEO. I've performed well, I'm married to him, and in a few years, when he steps down, he'll pass it on to me. I'll work myself to the bone if I have to. I won't let Fairmount Corporation fall."Serge grasped my hands, using them to steady his head. I felt him trembling, full of fear and desperation. The same fear and desperation that was starting to creep into me."I've seen it for myself. You are stupid and naive. Everything tho
Lucius' P.O.V.I had always been a free bird. I flew wherever I wanted, however I wanted, and with whoever I wanted. No limits, no answering to anyone, and no wasting my energy on emotional attachments or unnecessary ties.That was my life—this thrilling life I had either been fortunate or cursed to live. Maybe I should apologize to those I had hurt or annoyed along the way, but they say hurt people hurt others. What else could you expect from someone like me? Abandoned by my mother, left at the mercy of an alcoholic father, constantly battling for my grandmother's attention.I did what I did, and I didn't regret it. I didn't feel guilty. At least, that was the case until I was reminded that time doesn't spare anyone—not even me. The Lucius of 18 wasn't the Lucius of 34, and sooner or later, the weight of my past would catch up to me.I'd always known that in this life, everything comes with a price, and I had been more than willing to pay it. The small problem was that I expected
Sara Brown's P.O.V."Didn't we agree you wouldn't come, Mom?" Richard asked, his voice low and disappointed."Richard, you too?" Victoria exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and indignation."What else did you expect, Victoria?" Julian interjected, crossing his arms. "We practically had to beg Sara for permission just to see Matthew. Meanwhile, you've done nothing to make amends yet here you are, demanding things. That's not how this works.""Do you want me to apologize to Sara?" Victoria's voice cracked as she looked at me, her emotions on full display.I would never trust Victoria, and I certainly would never leave my son alone with her unsupervised. But in this moment, her vulnerability chipped away at some of my hardened resolve. Life had been so good lately, so full of joy and love, that my heart no longer had room for resentment."You don't need to apologize to me," I said calmly. "The people you owe an apology to are your sons."Victoria's eyes widened, her
Sara Brown's P.O.V.Six months later.Becoming a mother was one of those adventures I never knew I needed, but I'd never been more grateful for taking the leap—especially with Lawrence by my side. Now, here we were, standing in front of a flower-draped altar nestled in the woods of the Brown family estate.Getting married in this spot felt symbolic. It had been our sanctuary as kids, the place where we'd escaped from the grown-ups and shared secrets. It was fitting that my best friend, the boy who'd been by my side through thick and thin, was now becoming my husband.Behind us was a small gathering of family and close friends. The Browns—ever-expanding with a small army of kids—were all present, as were a handful of Lawrence's relatives, including his brothers, Richard and Julian. We'd kept the guest list to just sixty people, making this a more intimate celebration than anyone would've expected from a Brown-Lewis wedding.Still, it was perfect. Everyone we loved was here. And the
I looked at our baby's tiny face, and the urge to cry overwhelmed me again. He was absolutely perfect."Are you going to keep crying?" Sara teased with a mischievous grin. "If you don't stop, I won't give you another one."I wiped my tears immediately, not wanting to take any chances. She burst out laughing, her radiant energy filling the room."So," quickly shifting topics, she leaned forward slightly, "what are we naming him? We agreed we'd know when we saw him. I've got a name from the shortlist in mind. Do you?""I do," I replied, smiling."Okay, let's say it together," she suggested, and I nodded. "On three. One, two, three—""Matthew!" we both exclaimed in unison.We stared at each other before breaking into matching grins. Sara started clapping in excitement over our perfect sync. I laughed at her enthusiasm, but something on the hospital TV caught my attention—a news report about yesterday's gubernatorial election. Images of Isabelle, the winner, flashed across the scree
Lawrence Lewis's P.O.V.Three months later...Just when I thought I couldn't be any happier with Sara loving me, life proved me wrong. Every day felt like a new peak of joy. A few months ago, I believed I had reached the ultimate high when she accepted my proposal during our trip to Finland. I'd asked her under the northern lights in a private and intimate moment, just the two of us—just like our entire relationship had been.The fallout from canceling my engagement to Emma had been relatively manageable for me. There were no financial or legal repercussions, and I narrowly escaped the disgrace of almost becoming the son-in-law of a criminal like Mark. But to say I avoided all drama would be a lie. The rumors and gossip surrounding how Sara and I had gotten together were relentless.I was usually a calm man, but any criticism aimed at Sara, accusing her of "breaking up" my previous engagement, turned me into a beast. Sara would always tell me to ignore the noise, that only we knew
I stood there frozen, feeling every gaze lock onto me. It was as if time had stopped. No one spoke, no one moved—they just stared. Sweat started trickling down places I didn’t even know could sweat.“Hi… how’s everyone doing?” I asked, my voice hesitant.I braced myself for the shouting, the dramatic exclamations, the scolding even. Instead, the extroverted ones in the room simply smiled at me while the quieter ones went back to what they were doing, almost as if nothing had happened. The initial wave of attention just… evaporated.“As I was saying,” Uncle Lucius continued, picking up right where he’d left off, “if you don’t finish your vegetables, we’ll give them to the lion in the forest.”My jaw dropped. This table—the entire Brown family—was completely unfazed. Even Lawrence had that knowing smile on his face, almost as if he’d expected this exact reaction. Before I could recover, Aunt Lucia and Aunt Marianne came over and pulled me into tight hugs.“You look gorgeous, Sara. A
Richard's voice broke the silence as he gathered his courage. "We'd like to add Duke and Monarch for me, and the boat for Julian. With that, we'll be ready to sign the agreement."I rubbed my ears, almost certain I had misheard."The horses and the boat? That's all you want?" Lawrence asked, his tone tinged with disbelief."Yes," Julian confirmed, his voice hesitant. "We believe... they're of great sentimental value to us. And they were gifts. They just... weren't officially transferred to us."Lawrence's eyes darted between them as if trying to confirm whether these were the same brothers he'd been fighting with."That's it?" he repeated, his suspicion evident."That's it," Richard said, though his discomfort was plain to see."What are you two plotting?" Lawrence asked, narrowing his eyes.The twins exchanged confused glances."Nothing?" Julian said, his tone growing defensive. "What are you plotting? You told us you wouldn't give us anything but then sent this offer out of
I couldn't help but notice the sadness etched onto Lawrence's face. He'd always said he wouldn't give his brothers anything. Yet here he was, not only offering them a portion of the inheritance but also bracing himself for their inevitable demands and negotiating with them."Wouldn't it have been easier to just offer them exactly what you were willing to give from the start?" I asked as I leaned against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him. His sadness was palpable, and it was breaking my heart. Just moments ago, he'd been so happy. "Just say 'Take it or leave it' and then forget about them."Lawrence sighed, his gaze distant. "I know them. And I know myself. I can't lay the blame for all my hardships on them like I do with Victoria. Despite what I said during the will reading, I know they deserve more than what my father left them.""You have a heart of gold, Ren," I murmured, kissing his cheek. "Don't let those brats melt it down, okay?"He chuckled softly, though his sadnes
I swayed my hips rhythmically against his body, the two of us joined in that intimate connection we'd rediscovered nearly every night since the chaos with a certain corrupt official had come to an end.As Lawrence neared his release, he called my name, his voice rough with passion. I teased him by sucking on the thumb he'd slipped into my mouth, which was all it took for him to shut his eyes tightly as the force of his climax overtook him. I followed him into that blissful release just a moment later.Utterly satisfied, I collapsed beside him on the bed, both of us completely naked, basking in the warmth of each other's bodies. My breathing was still ragged as Lawrence shifted closer, his hands roaming gently over my hair, my chest, and finally, my stomach. The way his hand lingered there told me exactly what he was about to ask—again."Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" he asked."No. It was terrible. I never want to have another orgasm for the rest of my life," I replied
"What's going on here?" I asked Sara suspiciously."Just go with the flow," she replied, opening my car door with a grin.I hesitated but decided to follow her advice—or at least try. After exchanging cheek kisses, I walked over to where Jason was waiting. I tucked the envelope with my test results into my pocket. As I reached him, he took my hand, and we started walking up a hill in the park."When did you ask Sara to bring me here?" I asked, curious."That's a secret," he said with a chuckle. "And since you two are such close friends now—""Close friends?" I interrupted, raising a brow. "You think we're really friends?""That's how it seems. You smile a lot when you're with her," he replied."Do I?" I considered it for a moment, warmth spreading through my chest. "Maybe we are."Jason smiled but kept silent. As we climbed one of the hills, I was taken aback by the breathtaking view of the city spread before us. But even more surprising was the blanket laid out on the ground,