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CHAPTER 11
Last Updated:
2025-04-15 18:41:30
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Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 12
Marcus’s POVAva’s hospital room was empty.The bed was made, the lights dimmed, and not a trace of her or Cassandra in sight. My steps slowed as confusion crept in.Just then, a nurse walked past with a clipboard in hand.“Excuse me,” I said, stopping her. “Where is the patient who was in this room—Ava Cole?”She gave me a polite smile. “She’s in Exam Room 3C for her morning check-up. Just down the hall to your left.”I nodded, murmuring a quick thanks before heading in that direction. My phone was still in my hand, screen lit up with the last message I’d sent to Violet ten minutes ago:Already parked. Where are you?No response.Strange. She always replies fast. Unless something had happened…I hurried to the examination room. And as I approached, I heard voices echoing faintly through the corridor—sharp, tense, unmistakably female.My gut tensed. I turned the corner and immediately froze. Violet was on her knees, her arms gripping Cassandra’s legs, tears streaming down her cheeks,
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 13
Cassandra’s POVI sat in a nice café, with soothing music playing in the background and happy little conversations buzzing all around me. But no matter how hard I tried to stay present, my mind kept circling back to the hospital. To the way Marcus had looked at me—calm, detached, like nothing between us had changed.Like I hadn’t already walked away and let him go. Is he really still holding on? Or had he just not noticed I was gone?Maybe he was only trying to keep up appearances for Ava. Or maybe… maybe he really didn’t care at all.The thought sat heavy in my chest. I had made the choice. So why did it feel like I was the one being left behind?I blinked away the sting in my eyes and took a deep breath. I couldn’t let myself spiral now. I had more important things to face.I need to talk to Marcus—about the divorce, and about Ava. Because Violet’s words still echoed in my head, wrapping cold fingers around my heart.Ava is my daughter.How could that be?There was a truth buried
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 14
Cassandra’s POV“Marcus, no!”My scream tore through the studio lobby as Royce stumbled back, a sickening crack echoing in my ears. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he caught himself against the edge of the reception desk, dazed.I rushed toward them, shoving past Marcus’s broad frame. “What are you doing?!”Marcus’s chest heaved, his fists still clenched, his entire body tense like he was barely holding himself back from throwing another punch. His voice came out sharp and venomous. “He needs to stay away from my wife.”I turned to Royce, gently cupping his face as I inspected the damage. My hands trembled at the sight of the blood—dark red against his skin, so stark it made my stomach twist. “You’re bleeding,” I whispered, trying to steady my breathing. “I’m so sorry, Royce. Are you okay?”Royce nodded stiffly, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. “I’ll live,” he muttered, jaw tight with restrained fury.“Marcus, have you lost your mind?” I snappe
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 15
Marcus’s POVThe drive home was quiet.Ava had fallen asleep in the backseat somewhere between the hospital and the house. She looked peaceful—like the chaos of everything hadn’t touched her.I wished I could say the same.As I pulled up to the front gate of the house Cassandra and I used to share, I caught sight of Violet standing at the door, arms crossed, her expression tense.I parked, got out, and gently unbuckled Ava, lifting her into my arms. She stirred a little but didn’t wake. Violet stepped forward quickly, opening the door for me.“She fell asleep?” she asked softly.“Yeah,” I replied, brushing a strand of hair away from Ava’s forehead.But the moment I stepped inside, Violet’s soft demeanor shifted. She appeared restless. Reaching into her bag, she handed me a slip of paper.“What’s this?” I asked.“Cassandra’s studio,” she said. “That’s the address. I drove past it earlier.”I stared at it, blinking. “She opened a studio?”Violet nodded slowly. “Apparently. I had no idea
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 1
Cassandra’s POV“Mommy, you’re always like this—that’s why everyone hates you! It’s getting late and Grandma doesn’t like that.” our 6-year-old daughter Ava cried out impatiently.I froze, the words hurt me deeply. I never imagined that in Ava’s eyes, this was who I had become.Today was my mother-in-law Margret’s birthday. She held a party in the luxury mansion.I looked at my phone. Still, no message from my husband Marcus.Marcus had promised we’d all go together, but I didn’t know if he had returned from his business trip yet.Then my phone buzzed in my hand. Finally, Marcus.But as I glanced at the screen, it was an unknown number.Ava isn’t your biological daughter.I frowned, felt shocked, and didn’t understand the exact meaning of the message. Is it a joke? But who would joke like that?Before I could finish the thought, Ava cried again, “We’ve already wasted too much time. Having a mom like you is so embarrassing!”I lowered my head. The fact that my daughter felt ashamed of
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 2
Cassandra’s POVI pressed the phone tighter against my ear. “Hello? Who is this? Where’s Marcus?”Silence.Then, just as abruptly as it came, the call ended.I stood there, phone still pressed to my ear, my thoughts spiraling. It was so late — how could a woman be the one answering his phone? His assistant was clearly a man.Before I could dwell on it any longer, the sound of liquid splashing snapped me back to reality.Ava stood by the dining table, her small hands gripping the now-empty glass as the last of the milk trickled into the sink.“Ava!” My voice came out sharper than I intended.She flinched, then scrunched her nose in frustration. “I don’t want milk!” Ava shouted, her arms crossed tightly.I exhaled slowly, walking over to clean up the mess. “Ava, if you don’t like milk, you should have told me instead of wasting it.”She huffed, not even looking at me. “But Violet said I don’t have to drink anything I don’t want. She said I don’t have to do anything I don’t like!”My fin
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 3
Cassandra’s POVAva’s words hit me so hard, and I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.“Ava,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm despite the growing frustration, “you can’t stay up all night. I’m just trying to help you.”“Help? You don’t help. You just boss me around all the time. I don’t need you to tell me what to do every second!”“I’m your mother, Ava. I have to make sure you’re okay.”She crossed her arms, her voice became cold. “I don’t want to talk with you.”With that, she turned and slammed the door shut in my face, cutting off any chance of response.With a sigh, I walked to the kitchen to prepare dinner, my hands moving automatically.But the silence of the house seemed to stretch, a stark reminder of the distance between us.Later that night, I kept calling my husband, but he didn’t answer. I was used to it by now—late nights at the office, missed dinners.Yet, no matter how often it happened, a small part of me still held on to hope, foolishly waiting for him to acknowle
Last Updated : 2025-04-15Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 4
Cassandra’s POVMy hands were still shaking as I climbed into the driver’s seat, my mind a chaotic blur.The report sat on the passenger seat beside me, mocking me with its impossible truth. There had to be an explanation—one that didn’t shatter everything I thought I knew.I felt extremely worried and I needed to talk to Marcus. Now.With quick fingers, I dialed his number, pressing the phone to my ear as the engine roared to life.One ring.Two rings.Then—“Mr. Cole’s office,” a professional voice answered. I recognized it at once. Brad, his assistant. “It’s Cassandra,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need to speak with Marcus. It’s urgent.”A brief pause. Then, in a tone laced with practiced politeness, he replied, “I’m afraid Mr. Cole is currently unavailable.”My patience frayed at the edges. “Where is he?”Another pause. “He’s at the amusement park.”My eyes narrowed, wondering what he was doing there at this hour. “Emmm… I believe he is there with Miss Violet Lan
Last Updated : 2025-04-15
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Marcus’s POVThe drive home was quiet.Ava had fallen asleep in the backseat somewhere between the hospital and the house. She looked peaceful—like the chaos of everything hadn’t touched her.I wished I could say the same.As I pulled up to the front gate of the house Cassandra and I used to share, I caught sight of Violet standing at the door, arms crossed, her expression tense.I parked, got out, and gently unbuckled Ava, lifting her into my arms. She stirred a little but didn’t wake. Violet stepped forward quickly, opening the door for me.“She fell asleep?” she asked softly.“Yeah,” I replied, brushing a strand of hair away from Ava’s forehead.But the moment I stepped inside, Violet’s soft demeanor shifted. She appeared restless. Reaching into her bag, she handed me a slip of paper.“What’s this?” I asked.“Cassandra’s studio,” she said. “That’s the address. I drove past it earlier.”I stared at it, blinking. “She opened a studio?”Violet nodded slowly. “Apparently. I had no idea
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Cassandra’s POV“Marcus, no!”My scream tore through the studio lobby as Royce stumbled back, a sickening crack echoing in my ears. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he caught himself against the edge of the reception desk, dazed.I rushed toward them, shoving past Marcus’s broad frame. “What are you doing?!”Marcus’s chest heaved, his fists still clenched, his entire body tense like he was barely holding himself back from throwing another punch. His voice came out sharp and venomous. “He needs to stay away from my wife.”I turned to Royce, gently cupping his face as I inspected the damage. My hands trembled at the sight of the blood—dark red against his skin, so stark it made my stomach twist. “You’re bleeding,” I whispered, trying to steady my breathing. “I’m so sorry, Royce. Are you okay?”Royce nodded stiffly, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. “I’ll live,” he muttered, jaw tight with restrained fury.“Marcus, have you lost your mind?” I snappe
Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 13
Cassandra’s POVI sat in a nice café, with soothing music playing in the background and happy little conversations buzzing all around me. But no matter how hard I tried to stay present, my mind kept circling back to the hospital. To the way Marcus had looked at me—calm, detached, like nothing between us had changed.Like I hadn’t already walked away and let him go. Is he really still holding on? Or had he just not noticed I was gone?Maybe he was only trying to keep up appearances for Ava. Or maybe… maybe he really didn’t care at all.The thought sat heavy in my chest. I had made the choice. So why did it feel like I was the one being left behind?I blinked away the sting in my eyes and took a deep breath. I couldn’t let myself spiral now. I had more important things to face.I need to talk to Marcus—about the divorce, and about Ava. Because Violet’s words still echoed in my head, wrapping cold fingers around my heart.Ava is my daughter.How could that be?There was a truth buried
Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 12
Marcus’s POVAva’s hospital room was empty.The bed was made, the lights dimmed, and not a trace of her or Cassandra in sight. My steps slowed as confusion crept in.Just then, a nurse walked past with a clipboard in hand.“Excuse me,” I said, stopping her. “Where is the patient who was in this room—Ava Cole?”She gave me a polite smile. “She’s in Exam Room 3C for her morning check-up. Just down the hall to your left.”I nodded, murmuring a quick thanks before heading in that direction. My phone was still in my hand, screen lit up with the last message I’d sent to Violet ten minutes ago:Already parked. Where are you?No response.Strange. She always replies fast. Unless something had happened…I hurried to the examination room. And as I approached, I heard voices echoing faintly through the corridor—sharp, tense, unmistakably female.My gut tensed. I turned the corner and immediately froze. Violet was on her knees, her arms gripping Cassandra’s legs, tears streaming down her cheeks,
Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 11
Cassandra’s POVAva’s little arms wrapped tightly around my waist, her warmth sinking into me, calming something deep inside. I held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She’s here and she’s safe. That’s all that matters.I looked up to find Violet watching us, a slight crease forming between her brows.I straightened, gently rubbing Ava’s back before speaking. “It’s late, Violet. You should get some rest—I’ll take care of Ava tonight.”She forced a small smile. “Yes, sure.” She straightened up and grabbed her bag before turning toward Marcus. “Let’s go, Marcus. We need to rest, after all.” And just like that, Marcus moved without hesitation. He said a quick goodbye to our daughter, telling her he’ll be back. But there was not even a glance in my direction. He chose Violet over me so fast. I shook off the feeling, exhaling quietly as I tucked Ava back into bed. Within minutes, her breathing evened out, her tiny body relaxing into sleep.Smiling, I sat on the chair be
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Cassandra’s POVIt had been two days since Violet took Ava. I’d gotten to speak to my daughter over the phone a few times.And she was fine.She sounded happy, even—her little voice chattering away about the fun things she was doing at Violet’s place.Thinking about that, I let out a slow breath, running a hand over my face.I kept telling myself to be patient—just one more day. If Ava wanted to stay with Violet for a few days, and Marcus had allowed it, then what choice did I really have?“Oh, my Ava… I miss you,” I whispered, sinking onto the newly delivered couch.I stretched out my legs and closed my eyes for just a moment. Before I knew it, my mind had started drifting into the space between worry and fatigue.I wasn’t sure how long I was out, but it was the shrill ring of my phone that jerked me out of sleep.My eyes flew open, my pulse pounding in my ears as I scrambled to sit up, momentarily disoriented. I reached for my phone, squinting at the screen—Marcus.I swiped to answe
Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 9
Cassandra’s POVStacks of unopened boxes lined the walls, and the floors gleamed, freshly polished but untouched, waiting for the pieces that would bring the space to life.Shit, it’s really happening. I couldn’t help but smile.Emma stood beside me. “I’m thinking the lighting fixtures should be installed next week,” she mused. “That way, we can start setting up the main workspace without any delays.”I nodded with a grin. “Sounds good. We’ll need to finalize the equipment orders by then, too.”Just as she was about to respond, my phone buzzed. Oh, no! It’s Grandpa John.For as long as I could remember, Marcus’s grandfather had been like my own. He had looked after me, supported me in ways no one else had, and I could never simply walk away from that—even if I had already chosen to sever all ties with Marcus.“Cassandra,” his deep, authoritative voice came through, warm but firm as always. “Come to the house for dinner tonight.”I stiffened. I hadn’t spoken to him since leaving Marcus
Once Divorced, Now Desired CHAPTER 8
Violet’s POVI watched her walk away, her posture stiff, her movements deliberate. I was left wondering why she was in such a hurry when she was supposed to be doing her secretary duties here, especially since Marcus was away on an important business trip. My eyes flicked over to the door of Marcus’s office, which she’d left ajar. What had she been doing there earlier?I had to find out. So without any hesitation, I went in and scanned the space. The office was exactly as Marcus had left it before his trip — orderly and untouched. Except for one thing. A single envelope sat neatly at the center of his desk.I frowned, making my way toward it, my fingers grazing over the flap before I carefully opened it.Three documents. I picked one at random. It made me pause. Resignation letter? Wow, I can’t believe it. She finally has the courage. I flipped to the next document and stilled. My lips parted slightly in shock.No maternal relationship detected.I froze, my grip on the paper tigh
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Cassandra’s POVI had imagined this moment a hundred times.Walking into the office one last time, not as Marcus Cole’s secretary—not as his wife—but as a woman finally taking back control of her life.The receptionist gave me a polite nod as I walked past, heading straight for Marcus’s office.He wasn’t here yet. Good. I didn’t want to see him.I stepped inside his office—cold, modern, impersonal, just like the man who occupied it—and strode toward his desk. Without ceremony, I placed the envelope right in the center of the smooth glass surface.The top document was my resignation letter, simple and professional. Beneath it, the divorce papers, signed. And finally, at the very bottom—the maternity test results.Let him figure it out in his own time. Let him realize what he’s lost.I took one last look around before turning on my heel and walking out.I had almost reached the elevators when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.“Cassandra?”I turned to see Violet standing there, d
