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 Kourtney’s rock—the 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 she’s been through in that toxic and shitty family of hers made her heart so glad.“At least she’s safe now,” she murmured to herself, a small smile breaking through her worried expression. “Let’s go. I’ll drop you off,” Edwin’s 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 couldn’t shake the feeling that the man was “trouble.”For all she knew, this man could be dangerous. And he seemed l
“Uhh?” Lilian frowned, her curiosity piqued. “I don’t know, what?”“An impasta!” His laughter filled the car, and it was so infectious that she couldn’t help but burst into giggles, the tension between them evaporating like morning mist.“Oh my God, that was terrible!” she exclaimed, holding her stomach as the laughter bubbled up uncontrollably. “You should be ashamed of yourself!”She couldn’t 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?“Are you alright?” Edwin asked, glancing at her with a teasing smile. “You look l
“I owe you an apology,” 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. “I’ve never been good at this,” he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. “But I need you to know that I’m sorry for all of it.”Kourtney 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.“Honey… 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.” 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. “I…”“It's okay i
The next morning, as the world awoke, the tabloids and social media buzzed with the news of the previous day’s drama. Headlines screamed, “The Allen Family Drama Continues!” “Wretched family!” “Shameless!”Jamie, 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. Kourtney’s 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
“Get away from me!” 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 Kathlyn’s 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 family—her 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.“You wretched girl,” she yelled as she slapped Kathlyn so hard across the face.The sound of the slap echoed in
The admission cut deeply, even as she spoke it.Kathlyn’s real plan from the start was indeed to get pregnant with Brandon’s baby, but after months of their secret affair, she still couldn't conceive. She became desperate and more impatient as his wedding to Kourtney drew closer.She knew she had to act fast!The numerous hospital visits and examinations with Brandon and her family were preplanned after she paid and arranged with the doctors.The sonograms, the blood when she fell down the stairs—everything was fake!Kathlyn had deceived Brandon, her parents, Kourtney, and her entire family. She fooled everyone.There was never a child!Brandon’s eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, the tension in the room thickening. “What are you saying?” he demanded, his voice burning with rage.With a wild laugh, Kathlyn leaned back on the white, sterile wall, her eyes glinting with madness. “You…You still don’t get it, do you? I was never pregnant with your child. It was all a sham to make you
Sebastian was seated behind his massive mahogany desk, his eyes glued to the glowing screen of his laptop.But, the moment Kourtney stepped into the room, the world around him faded away, and his focus honed in on her.His gaze roamed over her, taking in every detail, and suddenly, his breath caught in his throat.Quickly, his eyes darkened with desire.He had not expected to see her like this.The soft sky-blue material of her nightie danced around her thighs, hinting at what lay beneath.The fabric clung to her curves, shimmering like a second skin. As she walked towards the desk, the sway of her hips did a number on him. He couldn’t help but let his gaze travel from her perfect, pretty face and tousled brown hair down to her feet and then back up.It was as if the night had woven its magic around her, making her look ethereal and utterly captivating.“Did the servants see you like this?” Sebastian asked, his voice coming out harsher than he intended.It made Kourtney freeze in her
Kourtney felt a jolt of electricity at his words, and her heart raced as Sebastian stepped closer.There was no denying the way the man’s gaze darkened with desire. She had seen that look too many times already…….“M—Me?” she stuttered with chaos written all over her face.“Absolutely.”The next thing she knew, Sebastian’s hands gripped her waist, lifting her effortlessly as usual, as if she weighed nothing.Kourtney gasped. Her heart was literally in her throat as her husband placed her gently on the edge of his study table, the cool surface contrasting sharply with the heat radiating from her skin.‘What is this man up to?’ she wondered.Not minding her obvious confusion, Sebastian settled himself into his chair. And with one swift and sudden movement, he held her two legs widely apart in front of his face while Kourtney gaped at him with wide eyes.There was that familiar predatory glint in his gaze as he inhaled sharply, enjoying the sweet scent of her womanhood.Sebastian could
“Shut up, Denise,” Grandma Florence finally snapped.The whole living room fell silent, all eyes turning to her.“Mum, stop defending her!” Aunt Denise interjected, her tone accusatory. “She’s the reason we’re in this mess! If she had just listened—““Enough!” 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 mother’s voice booming through the room once more. “I said shut up. Kourtney is still family!”Denise was very pained.This wasn’t the reaction she had been expecting from her mother after seeing the news.Why wasn’t everyone in the family celebrating Kourtney‘s downfall like she was?“You—you can’t 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!”Florence shot her daughter a glare sharp enough to silence her. “This is not the time f
Grandpa Woods’ commanding presence filled the room.“Not another word from any of you,” he scoffed, lifting his walking stick in the air. “You 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!”The 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 couldn’t 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 Love’s 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 didn’t feel his warm embrace or presence last night. She was more than certain he hadn’t 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 Sebastian’s bodyguards waiting just outside.“Good morning, Mrs. Woods,” one of them greeted with a polite nod.“Uhmm… where is he?” The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it.“Mr. Woods had something to do at the company, so he left first,” the other bodyguard replied, his expression unreadable.Kourtney felt her heart drop. ‘He left me here again to go to the company?’ 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
“Fine. Then let’s talk about that person you married... it was just for formalities, wasn’t it?” Scarlet probed, her eyes glinting with curiosity.At her words, Sebastian chuckled darkly. “You think you know everything, don’t you?” 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!“He—He can’t possibly have feelings for her,” she thought frantically. “No! Not after everything we had.”Her 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.“I need you, Bastian,” 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 couldn’t 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, Sebastian’s mind was miles away.“President Woods?” one of the investors interrupted, waving a hand in front of him. “Are you with us?”“Sorry, yes. Let’s continue,” 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.“What’s it to you? This is not of your business,” Micheal challenged.“I’ll tell you what? It’s every one of my business. That’s my awesome sister-in-law,” Edwin said stepping close enough to separate Kourtney from Micheal.“She’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions.”“Right. But stay away from her!”“You’ll never stop being Sebastian’s little sidekick, will you?”“Being a sidekick feels much better than being the incompetent failure that you are,” Edwin scoffed.Kourtney watched as both men went head to head with scornful words flying around. She didn’t 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. “I’m glad you’re so interested in hearing what I have to say.”Kourtney was getting impatient now, “Yeah, so what is it?”In 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. “Trust me. It's a perfect solution that we can both enjoy.”Kourtney'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 didn’t 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.“What exactly do want?” she asked again, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance as she silently wished he would suggest something that wouldn’t make her hiss with contempt.“Hmmm. So let’s be real here,” he started, his voice low and steady, almost hypnotic. “Bastian is clearly not committed to you.
“Maybe that's why he still refused to let go of their old memories,” 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? “Hey, Sebastian, I found a box of your ex-girlfriend's photos, and I’m feeling a bit insecure about it”? That would sound like the ramblings of a jealous, obsessive woman, and she was determined not to be that person.She didn’t want to come off as the psychotic wife who couldn't ha