Hi Besties, hope you're all doing greatâŠ. I knew it was about time I introduced you guys to our 2nd Male and Female Lead, Edwin and Lillian. And Iâm certain you're all going to enjoy their love story just as much as you love Sebastian and Kourtneyâs. Well, fasten your seatbelt cause we are in for a thrilling ride! I love you all. And thanks for sticking with me. đ„°đ„°
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
âUhh?â Lilian frowned, her curiosity piqued. âI donât know, what?ââAn impasta!â His laughter filled the car, and it was so infectious that she couldnât help but burst into giggles, the tension between them evaporating like morning mist.âOh my God, that was terrible!â she exclaimed, holding her stomach as the laughter bubbled up uncontrollably. âYou should be ashamed of yourself!âShe couldnât help but admire how effortlessly he lightened the mood. His humor was exactly what she needed to shake off the shadows of her earlier thoughts.But then, she clamped her mouth shut, mentally scolding herself for laughing so hard at such a boring joke. As she held her mouth closed tightly, she wondered why she was suddenly so self-aware around this stranger.Why was he making her feel so flustered? She was usually confident and composed, but here she was, giggling like a schoolgirl.What would he think of her then?âAre you alright?â Edwin asked, glancing at her with a teasing smile. âYou look l
âI owe you an apology,â Sebastian started with all sincerity in his gaze.He wasn't used to giving apologies, but he wanted to try his best anyway.He took a deep breath, visibly trying to compose himself. âIâve never been good at this,â he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. âBut I need you to know that Iâm sorry for all of it.âKourtney remained calm, feeling a rush of emotions at his words. She had already zeroed her mind from getting any kind of apologies about what happened from this man. But now, he surprised her.âHoney⊠I never intended for you to go through what you did at Coolaroo. I should have protected you better. I want you to know how deeply sorry I am. You were scared, and I should have been there for you, not just in the end but from the beginning.â As he spoke, Kourtney noticed the way his fingers trembled slightly, betraying the confidence he tried to project.His voice was thick with regret, and her heart ached at the sincerity in his tone. âIâŠââIt's okay i
The next morning, as the world awoke, the tabloids and social media buzzed with the news of the previous dayâs drama. Headlines screamed, âThe Allen Family Drama Continues!â âWretched family!â âShameless!âJamie, ever the clever investigator, had acted so quickly. Using the influence of Sebastian, he had managed to obtain the CCTV footage and different camera angles of the confrontation between Kourtney and her sister, Kathlyn. Kourtney never pushed Kathlyn.It was all a clear and precise setup!The moment the video hit the internet, it sent shockwaves through the general public. Kourtneyâs reputation, tarnished by lies, was restored once again while Kathlyn and the entire Allen clan were being dragged through the mud.But despite the shocking and dramatic twist of it all, the Allen family news wasn't even the most talked about at the moment.Rather, photos of the billionaire CEO, Sebastian Woods, carrying an unidentified woman in his arms stole the spotlight.Newspapers, blogs, TV, a
âGet away from me!â Kathlyn screamed, her voice raw with pain and humiliation.The scared nurses scrambled out of the room with speed. It looked like the patient was going crazy.The video had turned Kathlynâs life into a circus, dragging her name through the mud and exposing her dirty lies. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought about all the degrading remarks about her online, her heart heavy with shame.But that wasn't even the reason for her current state of madness.Just half an hour earlier, the door to her hospital room swung open, and in walked her familyâher mother, father, grandmother, and several other members of the Allen clan, their faces drawn with disappointment.They looked like a jury ready to condemn her for her sins.Grandma Florence, the ever-formidable woman with a reputation that preceded her, had stepped forward, her lips pursed in disapproval.âYou wretched girl,â she yelled as she slapped Kathlyn so hard across the face.The sound of the slap echoed in
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