LOGINShare
After tragedy
Last Updated:
2025-04-22 21:51:01
Related chapters
My arranged marriage The weight of a crown
Emma Watson The sunrise looked different from Ray’s penthouse. Softer, maybe. Less like a warning and more like a promise. The city below still pulsed with its usual noise—horns, sirens, the buzz of lives continuing—but up here, wrapped in Ray’s arms beneath his crisp sheets, everything felt still. It was the first time in days I’d slept through the night without waking in a panic. The first time I hadn’t dreamed of gunfire or blood. Ray was already awake, propped up on one elbow, eyes on me like he was memorizing every freckle. He didn’t say anything. Just watched. “Staring’s a little creepy,” I murmured, voice scratchy from sleep. He smiled. “You’re beautiful when you sleep.” I laughed, ducking my face into the pillow. “Liar.” He leaned in, brushing a kiss to my cheek. “Not even a little.” It still surprised me sometimes—how gentle he could be. After everything. After Moreau. After Benita. After that final shot that silenced the war but left so many bruises in it
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage What comes after
Emma Watson I always imagined that when the war ended—our war, the one that nearly cost us everything—there would be a clear line between before and after. That I’d wake up one morning, stretch beneath clean sheets, and feel lighter. Free. But peace, I’m learning, isn’t loud. It’s quiet. It arrives in pieces. A moment here. A breath there. Slowly, it builds a new life from the ashes of the old. This morning, it looked like sunlight warming Ray’s bare shoulder as he slept beside me. The way his hand instinctively found mine even in sleep. The faint crease between his brows, a remnant of the stress he still hadn’t shaken. It looked like us. And that scared the hell out of me. Because when everything is finally safe, what are you supposed to do with all the adrenaline you’ve lived on for so long? I pulled myself from bed as quietly as I could and slipped into one of Ray’s oversized shirts. His scent clung to the fabric—clean, woodsy, a little intoxicating. I padded barefoot
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage Breaking point
Ray Maverick The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only thing grounding me. I stood at the edge of Lucas’s hospital bed, my fists clenched and shoulders tight. He was alive—barely. Tubes snaked into his arms, and bruises marred the side of his face. It should’ve been me lying there. He took the bullet meant for me. Guilt was a quiet, gnawing thing, but now it roared like a beast inside my chest. I hadn’t slept. I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Moreau’s smirk, Benita’s last breath, Emma’s wide eyes as she fought to save Lucas while I wrestled a man I’d once called a mentor. It should’ve ended with closure. Instead, it ended in blood. I ran a hand through my hair and turned away from the bed. The hospital hallway was quiet this time of night. Emma had gone to grab coffee, but I knew she was just giving me space. She’d seen it—the way I froze when the nurse updated us, the look on my face when Lucas slipped into unconsciousness. She hadn’t said it out lou
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage The edge of us
Emma Watson The air outside the hospital was crisp, a welcome contrast to the sterile intensity of the emergency room. I stood on the sidewalk with my arms wrapped tightly around myself, trying to steady my nerves. My heart still pounded from everything that had happened—Moreau, Benita, the gunfire, the blood. Lucas was alive, but barely. Ray had changed. I had changed. And now, all I could do was wait. I turned my eyes up to the sky, the inky darkness broken only by the faint glow of streetlights and the soft flicker of stars. A world still spinning, indifferent to the chaos we’d just survived. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Ray. “How’s Lucas?” he texted. I stared at the screen for a second, debating whether to tell him the truth. That Lucas had lost a lot of blood. That the doctors weren’t sure if he’d walk without pain again. That he might not be the same man who once smiled so easily, who flirted so shamelessly. But I just typed: Still in surgery. I’ll let you know as
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage The breaking point
Ray The wind howled against the windows of the hospital waiting room like it was mourning something I hadn't let myself grieve yet. I stood at the far end, staring out over the rain-slicked city below, my hands buried in the pockets of my coat. Emma was in surgery. Lucas was sedated two floors down. And I—well, I was trying not to fall apart. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw blood. Emma’s blood. She’d collapsed in my arms not more than two hours ago, whispering something I couldn’t even understand through the panic. There hadn’t been time to process anything. Just the rush of getting her into the car, the sirens, the flashing red lights, and the metallic tang of fear I couldn’t shake from the back of my throat. “Mr. Maverick?” A nurse’s voice startled me. I turned around so fast my coat flared behind me. She gave me a tired, professional smile. “She’s out of surgery. Stable. She’s in recovery now. You can see her in a few minutes.” My chest caved in with the kind of re
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage When the storm clears
Emma The sky outside my hospital window had finally cleared. The rain had stopped sometime during the night, leaving the city glistening beneath early morning light. I watched as the sun broke through the clouds, its warmth slowly creeping across the floor like a hesitant promise. A new beginning, maybe. Or a fragile truce between past and present. My body still ached. The bullet had missed anything vital, thank God, but it had been close—close enough to remind me how quickly everything could be taken away. The door creaked open, and Ray stepped in carrying two cups of coffee and a brown paper bag. His hair was messy, his shirt wrinkled, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. But when his eyes landed on me, they softened. “Morning,” he said, walking over. “I brought you the worst coffee in the city and a donut I had to beg a nurse for.” I smiled. “You’re spoiling me.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead before placing the coffee on the bedside table. “Only the bes
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage Chapter 83
Ray Maverick The moment I stepped into the hospital hallway, the sterile scent hit me like a wave. It was too quiet. The kind of quiet that gets under your skin and makes your heartbeat sound too loud, too fast. My fists were clenched at my sides, and every nerve in my body buzzed with a mix of rage and helplessness. Lucas had survived. Barely. But knowing he was behind those doors, pale and broken, tore into me in a way I couldn’t explain. I should’ve gotten there sooner. I should’ve seen it coming. And now he was paying the price for my oversight. “Ray.” I turned. Emma stood a few feet away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked exhausted—dark circles under her eyes, a tension in her shoulders that hadn’t eased since we left the penthouse. But even in the mess of everything, she was still the most grounding thing in my world. I ran a hand through my hair. “He’s still in surgery?” She nodded. “The bullet nicked his liver. They said it’s complicated but
Last Updated : 2025-04-22My arranged marriage Chapter 84
Emma Watson When Ray slipped the ring onto my finger, something inside me stilled—something that had been running on adrenaline and fear and stubborn hope for what felt like forever. I didn’t cry right away. I didn’t scream or jump or gush like I might have once dreamed I would. I just felt... right. As if everything in the universe had finally shifted back into place. That night, we didn’t talk much. We didn’t need to. We curled up on the couch together, the fire burning low, the city twinkling beyond the windows, and the silence between us said more than words ever could. We were both exhausted, battered by what we’d been through, but still standing. Still here. Still together. And for the first time in a long time, I felt safe. The Next Morning I woke up to the smell of coffee and the sound of someone humming off-key in the kitchen. Ray. He was wearing flannel pajama pants and a T-shirt, barefoot, flipping pancakes like some domestic fantasy I never thought I’d
Last Updated : 2025-04-22
Latest chapter
My arranged marriage Home at last
Emma WatsonThe late afternoon sun poured through the tall windows of the Manhattan penthouse, casting golden beams across the sleek marble floors. The scent of fresh lilies drifted through the open space, mingling with the faint aroma of roasted coffee from the kitchen. For the first time in months, the silence didn’t feel heavy or dangerous. It felt... peaceful.I stood barefoot by the glass wall, gazing out at the city I once hated for everything it took from me. Now, somehow, it had given me everything too.Behind me, Ray’s footsteps echoed softly across the wood. I didn’t turn. I didn’t have to. I knew his presence by heart now—the rhythm of his breathing, the tension in his muscles when he was deep in thought, the way his energy wrapped around mine like a second skin.He came to stand beside me, his hand finding mine. Warm. Solid. Real.“This view used to make me feel invincible,” he said quietly.I looked up at him, his profile bathed in the soft light. “And now?”He glanced do
My arranged marriage Forever
Ray The night air bit against my skin as I stood on the rooftop of the Kingstone building, the skyline of Manhattan stretching before me in all its glittering, indifferent glory. The city didn’t know what it had cost me to get here—or maybe it didn’t care. Either way, the end was coming. And I was ready. Behind me, the wind whipped at my coat, and the faint sound of footsteps echoed from the stairwell. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. “Are you sure about this?” Lucas’s voice was low, hoarse from the healing wound in his side. I glanced back at him. “It ends tonight. One way or another.” He nodded grimly and joined me at the edge. “We have snipers stationed on the west building, just like you planned. Emma’s team is holding the perimeter.” My throat tightened at her name. We’d said our goodbyes earlier, just in case. She’d kissed me like it might be the last time. Maybe it would be. “They’ll be here,” I said. “Benitez doesn’t miss a chance to gloat.” Luc
My arranged marriage The forever
Emma I used to think love was the end goal. Like if I could just find the right person, all the broken parts would fall into place and I’d finally feel whole. But love wasn’t the end. It was the beginning. Because when Ray and I stopped running from who we were—and started building toward who we wanted to become—something bigger took root. Something wilder. Braver. Truer. Not a happy ending. A brave one. And that made all the difference. We spent the first few weeks after the wedding wrapped in a kind of quiet bliss. The world slowed down. Emails went unanswered. The Fellowship ran without us for a little while. Priya handled most of the chaos, sending short updates with emojis and bullet points. I skimmed them between morning walks and late-night dips in the ocean. Ray was softer, more still. I could see it in the way he looked at me—like the war inside him had finally gone quiet. I’d never felt more like myself. And in that stillness, something surpri
My arranged marriage More than a name
Ray When I was a kid, I thought power meant control. Silence in a boardroom. Eyes following your every move. A last name that carried weight, made people sit straighter. Turns out, none of that matters when you’re standing in a village where no one knows who you are—just that you show up when you say you will. That’s real power. Not dominance. But trust. And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t chasing power to bury my father's shadow. I was chasing purpose—with Emma beside me. We moved slower now, not because we had to, but because we could. Mornings began with thick coffee and open laptops, balancing spreadsheets with outreach emails. The fellowship was growing faster than we planned. Our quiet office above the bookstore had tripled in size, and we were already looking for a new space. We weren’t just funding journalism. We were creating platforms. Safety nets. A family of storytellers, rebels, and truth-seekers. People I would’ve never noticed if I’d stay
My arranged marriage The shape of forever
The Shape of Forever Emma The breeze was warm, laced with the scent of frangipani and sea salt as I stepped out onto the balcony. Below, the ocean stretched into a horizon so clear and infinite, it felt like time itself paused to breathe. Bali wasn’t what I expected. It was better. No crowds. No headlines. No past. Just us—and the rhythm of waves that didn’t care about who we used to be. Ray was in the kitchen, humming something soft as he sliced fruit. Shirtless, barefoot, sun-kissed. If I didn’t already love him, I would’ve fallen for him right then and there. But I’d already fallen—completely, recklessly, irrevocably. And here, in this quiet corner of the world, it finally felt safe to land. We spent our mornings wrapped in each other, too lazy to set alarms. Sometimes we talked. Sometimes we didn’t need to. His fingertips would trace patterns on my skin while the sun climbed higher, and I’d close my eyes, memorizing the silence between our heartbeats. In the af
My arranged marriage The legacy we choose
Ray The wind cut through my coat as I stepped out of the cabin one last time, the cold air snapping me to attention. Snow crunched beneath my boots, and far below, the world stretched out in a sea of silver and blue—mountains frozen in time, quiet valleys that didn’t care about headlines, betrayals, or billion-dollar collapses. Up here, the world couldn’t touch us. But it also couldn’t stay frozen forever. Behind me, Emma zipped up her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the chill, her hair tied back in a loose braid. She looked at me like she always did—like I wasn’t the broken son of a corrupt empire, but something more. Something worth saving. And maybe—for the first time in my life—I believed her. The train we caught into Lucerne was empty except for an older couple reading a newspaper and a teenage boy scrolling on a cracked phone. Emma sat beside me, her head leaning on my shoulder, one hand looped around my arm. I watched the
My arranged marriage The after shock
Emma The sun rose behind a shroud of pale clouds as we crossed the Swiss border. Ray sat beside me in the back of the SUV, his eyes fixed on the snow-dusted mountains ahead. Lucas dozed in the front passenger seat, snoring softly, a jacket draped over his face like a makeshift shield from reality. I watched Ray in the quiet. The shadows under his eyes hadn’t faded, even after everything we’d done. Even after the truth had finally come out. The Chronicle had published it all. Langston Enterprises. The bribes. The offshore accounts. The ports. The human cost. The devastation left in his father’s wake. It was global news now. Presidents were giving statements. CEOs were distancing themselves. Stocks were crashing. Investigations were launching across four continents. And yet, somehow, the air between us still held that tension. That edge. Because justice came with a price. And we were the ones who’d lit the match. The safe house was tucked into the mountains above Interla
My arranged marriage The weight of his name
Ray It wasn’t just the name—it was everything that came with it. Langston. In boardrooms, it carried weight. On Wall Street, it opened doors. But in my blood, it felt like a curse I’d spent my entire life trying to outrun. And now, it was time to turn around and face it. I stared at the screen, Emma asleep beside me on the couch, her legs curled underneath a blanket, her head resting on my thigh. The glow of the laptop cast long shadows across her peaceful face. God, she deserved peace. Deserved a life untouched by this war. But she’d chosen to fight anyway. With me. For me. I couldn’t let that be for nothing. I scrolled through the documents we’d compiled—encrypted logs, money transfers, real estate deals, fake nonprofit filings, covert port activity. All of it pointed back to one name: Langston Enterprises. All of it pointed back to my father. Everything we needed to dismantle his empire was right here. The question was—who could we trust with it? Lucas had reached
My arranged marriage Beneath the ashes
Emma The morning after the bloodshed, the safe house felt eerily quiet—like the walls themselves were holding their breath. I stood by the window, watching the pale gray mist roll over the hills. The trees swayed in a rhythm that felt too calm, too detached from what had happened less than twenty-four hours ago. Inside me, a different storm brewed. One that didn’t care for peace or clarity. Ray was still asleep. His breathing steady beside me in the bed we had barely touched since arriving. We’d held each other in silence last night, the kind of silence that didn’t beg for words but craved understanding. But even in his arms, I hadn’t truly rested. My mind hadn’t stopped since I’d pulled the trigger. I’d never killed before. I wasn’t even sure I believed in the right to. But when that man raised his weapon toward Lucas, something primal in me had taken over. I hadn’t hesitated. I hadn’t flinched. I’d acted. And I didn’t regret it. That’s what scared me the most. I steppe
