I stared at my mate, the same man whom I thought was dead. He was the same. Everything about him was exactly how he was before his death.'Mate!' Chels seemed like she was about to leap out of my chest, to get to him. For eight months, we have stayed without our mates. We missed him more than anything else. And there he stood, in front of me, looking like he just returned from work. “Excuse me, who are you? Why are you standing by my door? Who is Jayden? Where is Steph?” He asked, frowning at me. Even his voice sounded the same. However, the coldness in his eyes wasn't there when I last saw him. My mate was staring at me as if I were a stranger. “Have you forgotten me, Jayden? We —” “Manuel!” Steph interrupted. “You are back. I was just wondering what kept Chrysalis.” She walked past me and hugged my mate, pecking him on his right cheek. 'Remove your dirty claws off, my mate!' Chels growled. I also got this urge to slap her hands off him, but I was too shocked to move. “Who is
JAYDENWhat the hell could be wrong with me? Why were my entire thoughts constantly about the pregnant woman I almost ran down? From the day I met her at the door of my house, I was constantly plagued with thoughts of her. I had tried getting her out of my mind, but it was futile. I felt familiar with her. “Are you okay?” Steph asked as she joined me in bed. “Yup. Don't I look good?” I smiled, forcing myself to do so. I have been with Steph for six months now. I met her after I had an accident and lost my memories. Though she wasn't aware of that. Ada helped me secure a job here, promising to visit when she gets the chance. She supported everything I did except getting engaged with Steph. She told me I would regret my actions when I met the right woman, but I thought she was bluffing. However, I understood it after I met Chrys. I had felt nothing for Steph. I only got engaged to her because of how safe I felt whenever she was with me. We had only kissed, and that was just a peck
CHRYSI could tell something changed with Manuel. Not only did he not spend time with me like before, but he was constantly keeping enough distance between us. It was as if he were afraid to be touched by me. Was he repulsed by my touch? Regretting ever knowing me?I plopped down on the bed and instinctively placed my hands under my stomach. I could tell it was almost time for me to deliver. How happy I would have been had the real Jayden been with me. I groaned, partially closing my eyes. I felt my baby kick at that moment and a smile graced my face. With my hands placed on the little bump the small foot caused, I sighed. My baby repeated the action, and it tempted me to rush over to tell Steph about it, but I froze when I recalled I was the only one at home. Steph went on a business trip to a place called Texas. She would be back in a week. Before she left, I noticed something was going on with them. Not only was she always sad, but I sensed she wasn't on good terms with Manuel,
It would hurt me should that be the case.'What does it matter? You can just sleep with him and get it over with. It's not like you will cling to him after that.' If only it was as easy as Chels made it sound. Deep down, she knew this wasn't just scratching an itch for us. It was so much more than that. Jayden sighed. “I never saw you as a substitute for Steph. You are Chrys, I know.”“Then, what are you doing in my room?” I folded my arms with my eyes narrowed at him. “What if Steph sees us? How do you think she would react? She's your betrothed, for crying out loud!”Despite this urge, I had in me to throw all cautions to the wind and embrace him, I never wanted to be a reason for any discord between them. Steph had been nothing but good to me. I would never wish to pay her back by cheating with her boyfriend. “No, she's not.” “What?” I gaped at him. Out of all the words I expected him to utter and all the excuses I was hoping to hear, none of them came close to this. I thought
Who was I to refuse a handsome man like him? Not me, I tell you. I slowly nodded at his words. I was aware this wouldn't be fair to him. I was only willing to stay with him because of how much he reminded me of Jayden. Had that not been the case, I wouldn't have spared a look his way. To me, he was a substitute. “Thank you!” He kissed me. It was unexpected but appreciated. I wrapped my hands around his neck and brought his face closer, kissing him senselessly. I moaned into his mouth, loving the familiar feeling he evoked in me. It felt so much like Jayden's kiss. 'Stop thinking of Jayden! Since you have decided to date Manuel, don't you think it won't be fair to think of your late mate?' Chels sounded like she was moments from smacking me.Manuel broke from the kiss and placed his forehead on mine, heaving. His mouth curled up in a self-satisfied smile, one that caused my stomach to flip. “I love you, Chrys. More than you can ever imagine," he murmured. ….It was a long night, on
JAYDENA smile crept over my face the moment I snapped my eyes open. I reached for Chrys but found the bed empty and cold. Shocked, I sat up, eyes wide with worry. “Chrys?” I called out to her, hoping she might be in the bathroom, but got no reply from her. I got down from the bed and hastily wore my slacks, trying not to let my worry get the best of me. I tried to tell myself that she was waiting in the kitchen, but when I went there, it was empty, with no trace of my pregnant Chrys.I ran back to the room and took my phone, rushing out. “Chrys?!” I yelled out, running out of the house with my phone in hand, my face etched with worry. There was no sign of my lover out here and no way to connect with her since she had no phone with her. “Fuck!” Where could she have gone to? The mall? A grocery store? A cinema? To the hospital? Why the hell didn't she tell me about that? She's pregnant, for crying out loud! I dialled Ada's number, hoping she would pick up since she's mostly busy
CHRYSI couldn't tell what happened. One minute I was confronting the men, trying to know who they were and what they wanted with me, and the next minute, I lost consciousness. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a bit of discomfort on my forehead.I had to blink twice to get my focus on the room. I was in an empty, rundown-looking room. There was nothing in it, no pieces of furniture, nothing. Aside from the broken windows, and the unhinged door, that was it. I tried to raise my hand, at least to feel my head for the source of the pain but realized I was tied. Fuck, not this again. Don't tell me Gordon had mysteriously resurrected from the dead? That would be too … Unreal. There was no way in hell something like that could be possible because I saw him die. His heart was ripped out by Jayden. Could it be the ancient-looking men? But why? My gaze immediately went to my clothes, and I exhaled when I noticed I was still clothed, my shoes lost, and my legs tied together with a very stur
I had lost count of the days. The only one I had seen since they took me was the grouchy guy. Though he cursed a lot and made it sound like I was a nuisance, I could tell he wasn't the bad guy. The few days I spent with him made him less irritable and a little more friendly. He fed me with fruit every morning. For dinner, he either gave me some steaks or pies. Each time he brought food, he would grumble about how he wasn't supposed to provide for me but had to because he was scared I might lose my baby. It wasn't until the fourth day that I finally understood him. The people who brought me here wanted me to be weak enough for what they planned to do with me. They asked the grumpy man not to feed me, but he did, because of my baby. 'He's not so irritable now, is he?' I nodded at her questions, leaning my head back on the wall. Since the day before, I had been thinking of an escape. The grouchy man was kind enough to not let me urinate or defecate on my body. He came in four times e