Kourtney arrived at the Allen Corporation, still not knowing what to expect. As soon as she stepped into the sleek, glass-walled lobby, she felt the usual unwelcome wave of discomfort wash over her. Once again, she couldn't shake off the feeling of being an outsider, an alien.The polished marble floors and glass walls screamed success, but to her, they felt like an impenetrable fortress. She was a stranger in her own familyâs empire.And, of course, she was met with the usual bitter stares, accusatory glares, judging whispers, and seething snares.âCan I help you?â the receptionist at the front desk asked, her tone as cold as the air conditioning that blasted overhead.âIâm Kourtney Allen, here to meet with HR,â Kourtney replied, forcing a smile despite the rudeness.âWell. Sign in,â the sharp-tongued receptionist barked, barely looking up from her computer screen, her fingers tapping away like a machine.Kourtney's heart sank as she complied, scribbling her name on the visitor log.
The police arrived at the scene in no time and started asking questions.âThis woman pushed Ms Allen. I saw it with my two eyes,â a male voice sprang out loud.Kourtney looked over to see the person who was uttering such lies. It was the same naive and innocent-looking intern who had brought her up the stairs.She wanted to cry, to scream, to fight back against the injustice that was unfolding before her eyes. But instead, she stood there, her heart heavy with regret for even bothering to come here."Maâam, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," a police officer stated, his tone firm yet devoid of any compassion.She was handcuffed and led away, the cold metal biting into her wrists, and the embarrassment of being paraded in front of so many people stung like salt on an open wound. She could feel their judgmental stares on her back, the whispers that echoed in her ears.Kourtney held back the tears that threatened to
Upon reaching Woods Corporation, Lilian rushed into the towering glass building in haste. She could feel the prying eyes of the staff on her as she stormed through the lobby, her determination radiating from her every step.âI need to see the CEO, Sebastian Woods,â she declared to the receptionist.The receptionist, a young woman with an air of arrogance, raised an eyebrow. âDo you have an appointment?ââAppointment? Kourtneyâs in jail, and I need to talk to him now!â Lilian exclaimed, her voice rising with urgency.The receptionist smirked, flipping her long hair over her shoulder as if Lilianâs panic was a mere triviality. âIâm sorry, but you cannot see President Woods without a proper appointment.âLilian felt like slamming her overly done plastic surgery face on the desk, but she held herself back.However, her blood continued to boil over. Heat rose in her cheeks, and her hands trembled with barely contained rage.âDo you even understand the situation? My friend could be in serio
Lilian turned her head toward the voice. It was a very tall, striking man with raven-dark hair that cascaded just above his chiseled cheekbones. His piercing blue eyes seemed to hold a universe of secrets, demanding attention from everyone in the room.And the way he carried himself screamed power and might.He was an Adonis, and for a fleeting moment, Lilian felt her mouth go dry, but she quickly regained her composure, reminding herself that she was here to save Kourtney, not to gawk at handsome strangers.âYeah! What's it to you?â she shot back, her tone laced with her usual bossiness, trying to mask the flutter of attraction she felt. âGreat, now I sound like a teenager!â she thought, annoyed with herself.The manâEdwin Woods, chuckled softly, a sound that was both charming and infuriating.âIt's nothing to me, but I'm related to someone for whom that name means the world.âLilian's heart skipped a beat, and she gasped, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized him closely. She notice
Inside the precinct, Kourtney felt like she was in hell!After her horrible family had left, the wicked officers had dragged her through a series of dimly lit hallways, their grip unyielding as they pulled her toward an entirely different section of the station.They exchanged knowing glances before they shoved her into a stark, rough room. Kourtney did not need a prophet to tell her that a certain someone had ordered them to do this.This new space was a far cry from the sterile confines of the comfortable holding cell sheâd just left. The walls were grimy, and the air was thick with the stench of waste and despair.Kourtney felt her heart pounding in her chest as she stepped inside. Her heart sank even further when she realized somethingâ she was not alone.Hell!The more she took in the scene, the more her eyes widened in fear. The women around her were a far cry from the polished, privileged circles she was used to.They were spread out across the benches, their eyes narrowing as
Kourtney's heart ached desperately for him. She thought of his strong arms around her, enveloping her⌠securing her⌠shielding her against this wicked world.âIf only he would come for me,â she thought desperately. If only he would burst through those doors and take her away from this nightmare. She needed her husband here now!She needed him now more than ever!The realization that she needed her husband was a hard pill for her to swallow. But now, she was done shying away from that thought. Lilian was right, after all.She knew now that she needed Sebastian so badly. He was like a God-sent to her, but she had been too blind to see and acknowledge that fact all this while.She needed that man, not only in this situation but also in her quest for revenge against her so-called family. At this point, Kourtney didn't care anymore.This time, she was done playing the good daughter.She was done being the naive little girl who they could step on so easily and get away with it.But now,
âFire every officer on duty today. The ones who mistreated and manhandled my wife,â Sebastian commanded a frightened senior police officer after carrying Kourtney back to the lobby of the precinct.His voice was a low growl, and each word was laced with an unmistakable threat that echoed through the whole place like a gunshot. He expected nothing less than justice for what they did to his precious wife.The officer gulped, fear evident in his eyes. âB-but sir, IâââNo excuses,â Sebastian cut him off, his gaze piercing. âYouâll do as I say, or youâll regret it.â The threat was clear, and the officer quickly nodded, scrambling to do his bidding. He was clearly shaken by the billionaire's unexpected presence. Even Governors were intimidated by this man, much less him, a mere Chief of Police. âYes, sir! It will be done, immediately.âKourtney watched as Sebastianâs anger simmered beneath the surface.âYou didnât have to do that. I mean, firing them? Isnât that a bit extreme?âThose were
As Sebastian carried Kourtney safely out of the precinct and away from the chaotic paparazzi, Lilian's eyes followed them, her heart swelling with relief and concern. She felt a wave of happiness wash over her. Lilian had always been Kourtneyâs rockâthe one who held her together whenever her family did her dirty. Memories of late-night talks about their dreams and fears flooded back, and now, seeing that her best friend had such a man to protect her after all that sheâs been through in that toxic and shitty family of hers made her heart so glad.âAt least sheâs safe now,â she murmured to herself, a small smile breaking through her worried expression. âLetâs go. Iâll drop you off,â Edwinâs deep voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She turned to face him, and her eyes met with the intensity of his piercing gaze.There was an undeniable chemistry between them, but she couldnât shake the feeling that the man was âtrouble.âFor all she knew, this man could be dangerous. And he seemed l
âShut up, Denise,â Grandma Florence finally snapped.The whole living room fell silent, all eyes turning to her.âMum, stop defending her!â Aunt Denise interjected, her tone accusatory. âSheâs the reason weâre in this mess! If she had just listenedâââEnough!â Grandma Florence barked again at her daughter. Her patience was wearing thin.Denise opened her mouth to argue again but was swiftly silenced by her motherâs voice booming through the room once more. âI said shut up. Kourtney is still family!âDenise was very pained.This wasnât the reaction she had been expecting from her mother after seeing the news.Why wasnât everyone in the family celebrating Kourtneyâs downfall like she was?âYouâyou canât be serious, Mum. Kourtney thought she had arrived with that sudden marriage and started treating us like nothing. This is the perfect opportunity to cut her off. Give her a taste of her own medicine!âFlorence shot her daughter a glare sharp enough to silence her. âThis is not the time f
Grandpa Woodsâ commanding presence filled the room.âNot another word from any of you,â he scoffed, lifting his walking stick in the air. âYou minions should be ashamed of yourselves! Kourtney is family now, and I will not have you bullying my young granddaughter-in-law. You ought to be ashamed!âThe women fell silent, their expressions shifting from smug satisfaction to shock.Since when did Thomas Woods become such a softie?Since when did he become so protective of anyone, especially an outsider?It was as if the arrival of Kourtney to the Woods Estate had flipped a switch in him, and suddenly, he was like a mere shadow of his former self.They couldnât recognize the Old Man anymore.How did Kourtney manage to curry his favor in less than 3 days when they had known him for decades but couldn't?The way he fell enchanted with her in such a short time was still so hard to explain...No one saw it coming!Meanwhile, Kourtney's heart warmed at his defense, and she felt a small smile t
Ever since he had heard about his First Loveâs arrival yesterday, Kourtney had barely seen or spent time with her husband. For the first time since she moved in with him, Sebastian had been absent in their bed when she got up.And even in her deep slumber, she knew she didnât feel his warm embrace or presence last night. She was more than certain he hadnât spent the night here.She could feel it in her bones!Just as she was about to lose herself in her spiraling thoughts, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out, only to be met by the sight of two of Sebastianâs bodyguards waiting just outside.âGood morning, Mrs. Woods,â one of them greeted with a polite nod.âUhmm⌠where is he?â The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it.âMr. Woods had something to do at the company, so he left first,â the other bodyguard replied, his expression unreadable.Kourtney felt her heart drop. âHe left me here again to go to the company?â she thought as anger bubbled inside her.She w
Meanwhile, as Sebastian drove away, his mind raced.How could she just show up like that?He felt sick from the memories the woman stirred within him. The nights spent dreaming of what could have been, the love that had once filled his heart, now twisted into something dark and painful.God! She had turned him into a shadow of himself.Why had she returned?Was she here to stir up trouble?Sebastian was a clever man, quick to understand the intentions of others. She has to be here to cause trouble. Nothing more, nothing less.He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he navigated through the congested streets of Melbourne. The evening traffic crawled at a snail's pace, much worse than usual.Soon enough, he got to know there was a recent ghastly accident. A multi-car pileup around the scene had brought the main road to a standstill.Because of this, he was stuck in the traffic jam for hours with a throbbing headache pulsating at his temples.As Sebastian sat there, trapped in his sleek
âFine. Then letâs talk about that person you married... it was just for formalities, wasnât it?â Scarlet probed, her eyes glinting with curiosity.At her words, Sebastian chuckled darkly. âYou think you know everything, donât you?â Scarlet's heart raced as she saw a flicker of something glinting in his eyes the moment when she mentioned that person. He was smiling now! He even laughed!âHeâHe canât possibly have feelings for her,â she thought frantically. âNo! Not after everything we had.âHer eyes narrowed as she assessed him, taking in the wedding band that glinted against his skin.It was as if something suddenly snapped inside her. Consumed by a wave of jealousy, she rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her body against his. She had moved so quickly before his bodyguards could move an inch to stop her. She took them all by surprise.âI need you, Bastian,â she said with desperation.Her breath was warm against his skin. She wanted to feel the heat of
Across town, Sebastian Woods sat in a sleek conference room, surrounded by his British investors. The mood was tense; the meeting had been called unexpectedly. They were supposed to arrive the next day morning, but their flight had changed, and now he had to face them early.It was annoying just sitting there for him. He hated urgent and unplanned business meetings like this, but he just couldnât keep these people waiting. He liked to treat his foreign investors well as they were important to the growth of his company. He had to be there no matter what.But, despite the urgent nature of the meeting, Sebastianâs mind was miles away.âPresident Woods?â one of the investors interrupted, waving a hand in front of him. âAre you with us?ââSorry, yes. Letâs continue,â he replied, shaking his head to clear the fog of distraction.He wanted to focus on work, but his mind kept wandering back to HER.It was funny how he kept glancing at his phone on the table, hoping for a beep, a call, or even
They both turned towards the voice. It was Edwin Woods.âWhatâs it to you? This is not of your business,â Micheal challenged.âIâll tell you what? Itâs every one of my business. Thatâs my awesome sister-in-law,â Edwin said stepping close enough to separate Kourtney from Micheal.âSheâs a grown woman. She can make her own decisions.ââRight. But stay away from her!ââYouâll never stop being Sebastianâs little sidekick, will you?ââBeing a sidekick feels much better than being the incompetent failure that you are,â Edwin scoffed.Kourtney watched as both men went head to head with scornful words flying around. She didnât ask for any of this drama. She only wanted to come here and cry, then probably inhale the fresh scent of blooming roses till she felt satisfied.What was this evening turning into?She could feel the tension crackling in the air between them, like a storm ready to break. It was hard to believe that these two men were cousins who grew up together, yet here they were, gla
Micheal grinned on hearing her positive response. âIâm glad youâre so interested in hearing what I have to say.âKourtney was getting impatient now, âYeah, so what is it?âIn truth, she only wanted to get the conversation over with so he could leave her alone.The man smirked, reveling in the power he held over her. âTrust me. It's a perfect solution that we can both enjoy.âKourtney's instincts screamed at her to be cautious. The way Michael leaned in, his expression shifting to something more intense, made her stomach churn. She didnât want to hear whatever twisted proposal he had in mind, but a part of her was suddenly curious, almost desperate to know what could possibly come next.âWhat exactly do want?â she asked again, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance as she silently wished he would suggest something that wouldnât make her hiss with contempt.âHmmm. So letâs be real here,â he started, his voice low and steady, almost hypnotic. âBastian is clearly not committed to you.
âMaybe that's why he still refused to let go of their old memories,â Kourtney continued talking to herself.She knew these images would be etched in her mind for a long time, a constant reminder of the love that had existed long before she came into the picture. Tears threatening to spill gathered in her eyes as she squatted down to pick up the photos.But on second thought, she felt a surge of defiance. She decided not to pick them up. Somehow, she wanted Sebastian to know she saw them without having to confront him about it.Did she even have the guts to bring it up?How could she possibly question him about something so personal?The thought sent a shiver down her spine.What would she even say to him? âHey, Sebastian, I found a box of your ex-girlfriend's photos, and Iâm feeling a bit insecure about itâ? That would sound like the ramblings of a jealous, obsessive woman, and she was determined not to be that person.She didnât want to come off as the psychotic wife who couldn't ha