Trina’s POV I kept on staring at the piece of paper in my hands, with my brow furrowed in confusion. The scrawled numbers and letters in Justin's neat handwriting seemed to dance before my eyes, refusing to make sense and he hadn't said anything in response to my earlier question. Looking up at him, I asked in a confused tone. “Justin, this looks like an address, but... for where?"However, Justin's expression just remained grim and instead of answering my questions, he just kept his eyes locked on mine, without uttering a word. It was as if he wanted me to piece it together myself, to come to the realization on my own.And then, like a bolt of lightning, it suddenly hit me.My eyes widened, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Is this... is this what I think it is?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.Justin slowly nodded, his expression softening just a little bit. "Yes, Tri. It is." he said quietly. "It's your mother's grave. The address you asked me to find while y
The realization hit me like a physical blow. I instantly stumbled forward, falling to my knees beside the mound as a sudden wave of vertigo overcame me. Emotional and frantic, I don't know when my fingers began digging into the earth, grasping at the grass as if I could somehow reach through the soil and touch her. Touch my beloved mom whom I haven't seen in many years and will never see ever again…"Mom," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Oh, Mom!"The tears pricking behind my eyes then came loose like a dam, hot and relentless. They streamed down my face as years of pent-up grief and anger poured out of me. I sobbed uncontrollably, my body shaking with the force of my emotions.This was worse than anything I could have imagined. There was no headstone, no marker, nothing to indicate that a beloved woman rested here. It was as if that evil father of mine and his equally evil wife had tried to erase her very existence, to hide her away from the world like a shameful secret.I felt Just
Trina's POV The rest of the weekend passed by in a blur, with preparations of the memorial area already in place. Very soon, it was Monday and once again, I was faced with the reality of Eleanor being enrolled into Jayden's elite school. Mr. McAllister had mentioned that I am exempted from going to work at the mansion today since I have to go to the school this morning and complete the paperwork that required my signature.However, even when my alarm woke me up at the crack of dawn, I still had no intention of going to that school this morning. But Eleanor, my vibrant little firecracker had no such misgivings as she unexpectedly bounced into my room even before I got up, with her strawberry blonde pigtails swinging wildly as she jumped onto my bed."Mommy! Mommy! Is today the day? Are we going to my new school today?" Her light blue eyes sparkled with excitement, and I instantly felt a pang of guilt twist in my stomach.I forced a smile, running my fingers through her soft curls. "No
Trina’s POV The room suddenly seemed to tilt on its axis as a wave of vertigo overcame me. I gripped the arms of my chair, struggling to process this information. "That's... that's impossible. There must be some mistake."Mrs. Hartley's smile never wavered. "I assure you, there's no mistake. Mr. McAllister was quite clear in his instructions and all the payments have been signed, sealed and delivered already. Now, shall we proceed with the paperwork?"I nodded numbly, my mind reeling as I mechanically signed one form after another. Deep down, my mind was buzzing, as I tried to process the implications of what I had just learned. Mr. McAllister had paid for Eleanor's education, not just for a term, but until she graduates! And that too, years in advance, without even consulting me!"Are you alright, Ms. Ryder?" The headmistress's voice sounded distant, muffled by the roaring in my ears.I forced myself to nod, as I signed the last form."Thank you," I managed to say, my voice soundin
Trina’s POV I shifted from one foot to another as I nervously stood in front of my intimidating and charismatic boss, who was sitting down behind his imposing desk and looking at me with those piercing grey orbs of his. I took a deep breath and chose my words carefully before speaking, after all, I was talking to the so-called Mr. Meticulous."Does that mean you will sell the land to Justin's company?"Mr. McAllister's face remained impassive, and with his steely grey eyes still fixed on mine, he calmly stated. "No, Ms Ryder. The land isn't for sale."My heart sank as his words hit me like a blow to my gut. I felt the panic rising in my chest. And I didn't know when I blurted out, "But... but you promised! Just a few moments ago you said that if I agreed to the school fees payment, you wouldn't build an oil refinery on that land! So why are you going back on your own words in just a matter of seconds?"Mr. McAllister leaned back in his leather recliner, and steepled his long fingers
Trina’s POV "A memorial," he mused, leaning back in his chair. "For your mother and other heroines. That's quite an ambitious project, Ms. Ryder."I nodded, feeling both vulnerable and defiant at the same time. But in a firm voice, I responded to him. "It's important. These women deserve to be remembered, to have their stories told."That's all he needs to know. He doesn't have to know the details of my beloved mom's sorrowful life and why I really want to create the memorial for her. My family secrets are mine to keep!Mr. McAllister was quiet for a moment, with his fingers drumming lightly on the polished surface of his desk. I held my breath, waiting for his response. Would he laugh at my dream? Dismiss it as foolish sentimentality?But when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly gentle. "I can see why this means so much to you," he said. "Your passion is... admirable."I blinked, caught off guard by his words. Was Mr. Zane McAllister, the notoriously ruthless businessman, actually
Zane’s POV I watched as the color instantly drained from Ms. Ryder's face as my words sank in. For a moment, I couldn't help but feel a bit... off. Was the idea of being my wife really so repulsive? I quickly pushed the unfamiliar sensation of discomfort aside, as I maintained my usual mask of indifference."W...what?!" Ms. Ryder finally managed to stammer, with her voice barely above a whisper.I leaned back in my chair, and in a cool, calm tone as if I was just discussing the weather, I clarified. "My pretend wife. Be my pretend wife for a certain period of time, and your dreams of creating the memorial area will be fulfilled. Consider it a trade by barter."The words hung in the air between us, heavy with implication. I could almost see the gears turning in Mr. Ryder's mind as she struggled to process my unexpected proposal. Her hazel eyes, usually so full of fire and determination, now appeared confused and wary.I remained still, with my gaze fixed on her face. Years of high-st
Zane's POV Jayden had simply asked for a visit to his mother's grave. The grave that didn't exist, at least not where I had told him it did. When I was told his mother died after giving birth to him, I never knew or even bothered to know where she was buried. And when my overly smart son grew up and asked, I had no option but to lie that she was buried faraway in my ancestral homeland in the countryside.The lie had seemed harmless at first, a way to protect him from the pain and hurt of the real truth. But now, it has grown into something more complicated. I had avoided returning to my supposed homeland for years, knowing that to do so would be to invite scrutiny and questions I wasn't prepared to answer. But Jayden's request had backed me into a corner. I couldn't deny him this, not when it's the first thing he had ever requested from me.And so, I would have to face them. My so-called family, or as Randolph would say, those greedy vultures with their claws ever ready to sink them
Trina’s POV Zane told me he had taken the kids for an outing and so I expected the house to be empty by the time we arrived but the moment Mason and I walked through the front door, I froze in place. There, sitting on my couch with the same warm, gentle smile I remembered from years ago, was Aunt Pamela, Mom's best friend and the woman who had taken care of Mason when I left for Paris. My heart skipped a beat and for a second, I thought I was hallucinating, that maybe the emotional rollercoaster of the past few days was finally breaking me. But when Mason whispered in a shaky voice, “Aunt Pamela?!”, I knew she was real.“Hello, my darlings” Aunt Pamela's voice was still soft, warm, and calm just as I remembered it.I hadn't seen her in over six long years.Tears welled up in my eyes as memories of her kindness flooded back. I instantly threw myself into her arms and hugged her tight.As she hugged me back, she whispered against my hair, “You have no idea how long I've waited for t
Trina's POV Just as I promised Mason I would do when he arrives, I briefed him about the shocking revelation from Dad's lawyer, and just like me, he was absolutely shaken by the news. We may not have grown up loving him but he's the only father we have after all, so we definitely don't want anything to happen to him. As I drove to the small house he had bought and moved in after he moved out of the Ryder mansion which actually belonged to our late Mom, we quickly formulated our plan. And by the time we arrived at the house, Mason's face was still pale from the news, but his jaw was set with determination. We both knew what we were here for. This wasn’t just a visit, it’s rather a mission. A mission to save a man who had been planning to take his own life without anyone noticing.As I parked, I looked at the small, grey house which looked as lifeless as its owner. As I turned off the ignition and started unlatching my seatbelt, Mason let out a long, slow breath beside me before ask
Trina's POV To say that the twins were beyond themselves with joy is the greatest understatement of the year. The moment Zane and I returned from our little romantic weekend rendezvous and told them about our upcoming wedding, their eyes lit up like the brightest stars in the night sky. Our usually indifferent whizz kid surprised me by instantly throwing his fists into the air, exclaiming “Yay!!” in utter delight before throwing his arms around my waist and hugging me tightly while his twin sister let out one of her signature squeals of delight, even though this one seems to be louder than ever. She then started twirling around the living room for what seemed like the hundredth time, announcing to anyone who would listen that “Mommy and Daddy are getting married!” while also listing all the things she wanted to do as the “official flower girl”. Even Jayden was not left behind in that aspect as he immediately settled in front of his laptop, browsing on his role as the ring bearer. Al
Trina's POV As I finally broke our nth kiss this glorious morning, I chuckled radiantly at Zane before whispering, “I can taste myself in your lips.” Zane smirked as he slowly flicked out his tongue and wiped out the remaining drops of my womanly juices that clung to the side of his lips before responding. “Good. You better get used to it because as from now henceforth, that would be the taste of these lips which you would be kissing forever and ever.”I let out a delighted chuckle even as I felt my clit automatically clench at his words. The thought of having those erotic, masterful lips and tongue going down on me and eating me out every single day forever and ever…. Oo la la!As he laid back down beside me and pulled me even tighter against his completely naked body, I sighed in satisfaction and uncontrollable delight. I was still utterly and completely breathless and my heart was still pounding erratically and not just from the intensity of what we had just shared, but from the
Zane's POV Throughout that night, I couldn't sleep. Not even a wink. Even though my gorgeous goddess Trina who is completely sated and spent after our very rapturous and passionate night, now slept peacefully while snuggled in my arms, I just couldn't bring myself to do the same ever since that word came to my mind…. ‘forever’.That one word kept echoing in my head, setting my mind on overdrive, buzzing with different thoughts. I had never considered marriage before in my life. Never thought I would ever need something as binding, as absolute, as forever like marriage is, with anyone at all. Howecer, here I was, unable to imagine a future without my gorgeous goddess by my side. Without Katrina. Without our twins, Jayden and Eleanor. The mere thought of it made me feel an instant overwhelming rush of warmth all through my body… ‘Together forever’ The surprising fact is that the words didn’t scare me like they might have in the past. Infact, in the past if someone had told me that I
Zane's POV However, I waited and waited, but nothing came. I opened my eyes only to find her already standing on her feet with a mischievous smirk on her face. Damn!The mischievous smirk on her face turned into a sultry smile as she reached out to me with her hand, saying in a low, husky tone. “Dance with me?”I should have been disappointed. But how could I be, when she was looking at me like that?I immediately took her hand and eagerly pulled her into my arms, wrapping my arms around her waist while hers looped around my neck. And the moment our bodies joined together for the dance, it felt like coming home. Her softness molded perfectly against my hardness, fitting as if we were made exactly for this. As if we were made for each other.A slow, sultry song played in the background— John Legend's "All of Me," and the lyrics seemed to speak directly to my soul;‘Cause all of meLoves all of youLove your curves and all your edgesAll your perfect imperfections…’As we swayed toge
Zane’s POV For the most part of the funeral service of the late Sarah Caldwell Ryder, I could feel Trina’s eyes on me, watching me, burning into me like fire balls. The service had been a very quiet, dignified and very emotional one especially after the touching eulogies Trina, her brother and her great aunt made. But for me, it wasn't the touching eulogies that made me restless and set me on edge. No. It was those eyes… those mesmerizing doe-like eyes of hers which kept staring at me and boring into me all through the service. They were like laser beams, penetrating into me with a burning effect, setting my entire body on fire and making me hot and flustered… in the middle of a church for that matter.And when I finally dared to meet her eyes at the end of the service after I felt her eyes on me yet again, my breath hitched in my throat because those hypnotic eyes… they weren’t just looking at me. They were seeing me. Seeing me in a way she had never before, as if she was peeling a
Trina’s POV After her proclamation, Aunt Livvy wasted no time at all. The moment both Mason and I nodded our heads in agreement that Mom really deserved the grand funeral she had been cruelly denied, Aunt Livvy immediately sprang into action. She handled everything with a precision that portrayed her years of experience of managing the Caldwell empire and also, her deep love for her niece Sarah Caldwell Ryder. Within hours, she had called the archbishop, contacted every relative and every family friend across the country, arranged for caterers, and ensured that media outlets announced the passing of the Caldwell heiress to the world. The obituary was finalized, and invitations were sent far and wide. What surprised me is that as soon as she made those calls, even those people who had never once shown interest in my mother’s well-being while she was alive now clamored to attend her funeral after hearing that she was the Caldwell heiress!By the time Aunt Livvy finally finished all he
Trina’s POV From the address Aunt Livvy sent to me, I know she lives about an hour and a half drive away from my house. But when I inputted the address on the Google maps and let it direct us, it felt as if the drive to her estate was much longer than the hour and a half that I had estimated. Or perhaps it is because of the daunting task ahead of both Mason and I… of breaking the news of Mom's death to her loving aunt, that I felt so.As I drove, I kept biting my lower lip at intervals, which is a nervous habit I got from none other than Dad himself. Shaking my head as if to get rid of the numerous thoughts buzzing in it, I turned to the side, stealing a glance at Mason who was sitting at the passenger seat beside me. Just like me, he had been silent for a long while now, deep in thoughts. He was staring out of the window and I could see his clenched fists tightly around the large envelope containing the stack of letters we brought with us. I know exactly what he was thinking becaus