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Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-15 01:33:48
Bab terkait
POWERLESS 0033
“If you strike with ease, it’ll land just where you want it… See?” Alex’s voice was low, almost bored. He swung his club smoothly, sending the golf ball sailing across the trimmed green. It landed near the flag without much effort. Of course it did. Because nothing ever missed when Alexander Blackwood was the one swinging. He stood shoulder to shoulder with a sharply dressed man whose name had flown over my head the moment we were introduced. He had a sharp accent, a polite smile, and a name that my Bronx tongue had fumbled within seconds. So I called him what I could in my head. ASIAN DUDE. Now, you might be wondering what the hell I was doing on a golf course at 5:30 in the afternoon, playing trophy wife to a man who barely looked in my direction unless it was for business. The answer was simple. Appearance. Turns out, the so-called “Asian dude in the suit” was no ordinary man. He was Alex’s late father’s personal lawyer. And judging by the stiff way Alex’s jaw ha
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16POWERLESS 0001
I didn’t expect the world to crumble in a single afternoon. One moment, I was hoping for a miracle. The next, I was holding a medical report with a death sentence wrapped in a six-figure invoice. “Your mother needs immediate surgery, Miss Monroe,” the doctor had said. “If it’s not done within the next seventy-two hours, she may not survive.” He said it like he wasn’t talking about someone’s life. Like he wasn’t talking about the only person I had left in this world. When I walked out of that office, it felt like my legs weren’t mine anymore. My fingers clutched the hospital file so tightly, my nails dug into the plastic cover. I didn’t even notice when I stepped into the rain. I was numb. Cold. Lost. $500,000. That’s what it would take to save her. Five hundred thousand dollars for the surgery and the post-operative care. I couldn’t even wrap my head around it. It was more than my life’s earnings. More than I’d ever seen in one place. And I had no one. No backup. No plan B
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0002
I didn’t sleep that night. How could I? I kept staring at the check as if it might vanish if I blinked. The zeros looked like a cruel joke. Unreachable. Unreal. But they weren’t. They were real. Tangible. Enough to save my mother’s life. And yet, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The thought of marrying a man I had never met, a man so far from my world, so powerful, so unknown it should’ve terrified me. And it did. But not more than the sight of my mother’s pale face and shallow breathing in that hospital room. So, when the clock struck 11:59 p.m., I found myself exactly where I swore I wouldn’t be. Standing outside Blackwood Towers. I hesitated at the entrance, the towering glass structure looming above me like a fortress. The city lights reflected off its sleek walls. Cold and intimidating. I would’ve preferred a more normal meeting maybe in a house or something but I didn’t know the location of the Blackwood estate. Hell… nobody did. The security guard had been expecting me. H
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0003
The first thing I noticed was the silence. It wasn’t the peaceful kind. No. This one was suffocating, heavy, eerie like the walls themselves were holding their breath. The Blackwood estate was unlike anything I had ever seen. More like a fortress than a home. A sprawling mansion built from polished gray stone, lined with steel gates, surveillance cameras, and perfectly trimmed hedges that looked like they had never known chaos. Just like him. The driver dropped me off at the entrance and left without a word. I stood there for a moment, suitcase in hand, feeling like an outsider about to trespass into a world I didn’t belong in. The massive double doors opened, and a woman in a dark uniform appeared. “Mrs. Blackwood,” she said, bowing slightly. “Welcome.” Mrs. Blackwood. The words made my chest tighten. I wasn’t a wife. Not in the way anyone imagined. Not in the way I once dreamed of. No love. No vows. No warmth. Just a signature on paper and a ticking clock counting down my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0004
Two days in the Blackwood mansion felt like two weeks in a snow globe. Perfect from the outside, cold and suffocating on the inside. I wandered aimlessly from hallway to hallway, trying to find meaning in the silence. But I couldn’t shake the weight in my chest, the guilt pressing harder with every breath. It had been three weeks since I signed my life away. Three whole weeks since I’d seen my mother. No matter how lavish my surroundings were, I still felt like a daughter who had abandoned her. I had to see her. “Please… just for a few hours,” I told the driver. His eyes flickered with hesitation probably wondering why someone like me, Mrs. Blackwood, wanted to visit a rundown government hospital in the slums instead of sipping champagne in a penthouse spa. Still, he nodded and opened the car door, mumbling something under his breath as he drove me to the shacks. The hospital hadn’t changed. But being Mrs. Blackwood had changed my perspective. Now, I saw every cracked wa
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0005
The sound of his voice still echoed in my ears as I stood frozen by the stairs. “Get dressed. We’re leaving.” No further explanation. No gentleness. Just a command. The kind that didn’t expect resistance. I stood in front of the vanity mirror, fingers trembling slightly as I fastened the last clasp on the delicate gold necklace. My reflection didn’t look like me. Not the girl who walked through rain-soaked streets. Not the woman who sat beside a hospital bed hoping for a miracle. No, the woman staring back at me had been sculpted by elegance curated like a mannequin for a man’s world. The gown was satin emerald green, hugging my body like it was stitched to my skin. It flowed at the hips and shimmered under the soft white light of the mirror. The slit rode high on my thigh. Scandalous yet elegant. My dark hair had been curled into soft waves cascading down my back, adorned with golden pins that sparkled like stars. Even my makeup had been done by a professional the staff summ
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0006
The ride back to the mansion was cloaked in silence. Alexander didn’t say a word. He didn’t glance at me, didn’t ask if I was okay after what happened at dinner. He just sat there—stoic and silent like the cold embodiment of every wall I’d been trying to understand since stepping into his world. When the car pulled into the estate’s private driveway, he stepped out first, not waiting or offering his hand like he had earlier. I followed, heels clicking softly across the pavement as the front door opened for us. Still no words. He walked in ahead of me, sharp shoulders squared, his long legs cutting across the hall toward the grand staircase. Halfway up, he paused and muttered, “I’ll be in the study.” And just like that, he disappeared. No goodnight. No explanation. I stood there for a second longer, then quietly made my way upstairs. The chandelier above the corridor sparkled softly as I walked down the hallway toward my room, the sound of my own footsteps the only company I had
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22POWERLESS 0007
I’d always dreamt of going on a shopping spree like this—designer stores, endless racks of silk and fine wool, the swish of elegant fabrics against my skin. But not like this. Not for this reason. This wasn’t a dream come true. It was a wardrobe crafted for deception—a carefully curated illusion meant to help Alexander secure his inheritance. Or so I told myself. So, I let the saleslady an overly enthusiastic woman in stilettos and red lipstick make most of the choices. She seemed to know exactly what would impress, what would flatter, and she was clearly thrilled by the endless stream of credit flowing from the Blackwood account. Still, I couldn’t pretend I didn’t enjoy the feel of silk gliding across my skin. I’d never owned anything so luxurious. Every piece fit like it had been made for me alone. Cinched waists, flowing skirts, soft fabrics that draped my figure in quiet elegance. The woman I saw in the mirror didn’t look like a girl from a rundown shack. She looked… poised.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-24
Bab terbaru
POWERLESS 0033
“If you strike with ease, it’ll land just where you want it… See?” Alex’s voice was low, almost bored. He swung his club smoothly, sending the golf ball sailing across the trimmed green. It landed near the flag without much effort. Of course it did. Because nothing ever missed when Alexander Blackwood was the one swinging. He stood shoulder to shoulder with a sharply dressed man whose name had flown over my head the moment we were introduced. He had a sharp accent, a polite smile, and a name that my Bronx tongue had fumbled within seconds. So I called him what I could in my head. ASIAN DUDE. Now, you might be wondering what the hell I was doing on a golf course at 5:30 in the afternoon, playing trophy wife to a man who barely looked in my direction unless it was for business. The answer was simple. Appearance. Turns out, the so-called “Asian dude in the suit” was no ordinary man. He was Alex’s late father’s personal lawyer. And judging by the stiff way Alex’s jaw ha
POWERLESS 0032
Something creaked open. I wasn’t sure if it was the door or a drawer, but I felt the subtle shift in the air, the tug at the edges of the room. Then, without warning, a burst of brightness spilled through my closed lids, painting the back of my eyes in a blinding orange hue. My face tensed, and my eyes squinted instinctively, trying to protect themselves from the light. But the curtains… they were open now. The light streaming in was soft but persistent. “Good morning, ma’am,” a familiar voice said gently. Then a warm hand settled against my forehead pressing gently across my skin, as though checking for a fever. The gesture was so careful it made something ache inside me. My lashes fluttered as I fought the pull of sleep. My eyes opening slowly, adjusting to the soft glow of daylight. crouched beside me was lucy. The sight of her made something inside me loosen. Her round face, slightly tired but full of concern, was framed by her brunette hair, now styled differently.
POWERLESS 0031
My legs moved before my thoughts could catch up. I sprinted down the hallway, heart pounding louder than my footsteps, past rooms filled with quiet groans and nurses who turned too slowly. The further I went, the heavier my chest became.She wasn’t in her room.She wasn’t in her room.She wasn’t—Oh God.“Where is she?!” I yelled, but no one had an answer. Not the nurse with trembling fingers, not the receptionist who suddenly couldn’t meet my gaze.A growing noise rang in my ears as an unbearable pressure built in my chest.I don’t even know how I got there. Maybe I flew. Maybe I fell. Maybe I ran with so much desperation that my limbs forgot their limits.But I found myself pushing past the familiar white door that led to the hospital’s back garden.It smelled like damp soil.And there, through the trimmed hedges, beyond the faded wheelchair ramp—Was a form.A pale form lying still in the grass.My breath caught in my throat.No.No, no, no please.My feet made a muffled sound agai
POWERLESS 0030
“Did you kill her because she chose Mr. Drew over you?” The question came with a loud snap of a camera, followed by a chaotic chorus of shutters and shouting. The reporters descended on us like vultures. “We just need one statement, sir!” A ginger-haired female reporter shoved a tiny mic into the partially open car window, her eyes wild with the thrill of a potential headline. When Candice had sent that message, I hadn’t even gotten the chance to show Alex. We were already pulling into the estate’s driveway—and then the swarm hit. Flashbulbs, voices and Chaos. These people should really give it a rest. “You okay back there?” Alex glanced at me from the front seat, his voice way too calm. “Yes, I guess,” I said. No, I wasn’t. The lights were blinding, relentless. Reporters kept closing in, waving mics like weapons. The guards were barely managing to hold them off. “Is it true you killed her to punish Drew for taking your inheritance?” “Were you in a passionate rela
POWERLESS 0029
His hand was still on my waist, warm and grounding, as his breath brushed the side of my neck.“What was she like?” I asked in a whisper, my eyes fixed on the ornate patterns carved into the door in front of us. My heart pounded softly.He didn’t hesitate. “She was… a handful,” he murmured, voice low. “But Father loved her.”A strange tightness twisted in my chest. The thought of him being madly in love with her and still sleeping with Celeste made my stomach churn. But then again… Beatrice had been sleeping with Drew.“We met in Bangkok,” he said, his voice barely above the hum of memory. “When I took over Blackwood Holdings. But even then, I was already doing business with the Martin Muir. So when I found out Martin had another daughter i was… shocked. I’d only ever known Celeste, and I realized she wasn’t a fan of bragging about being a twin.”He paused. The silence between us stretched thin.“It turns out Joseph never really put her in the spotlight,” Alexander said quietly, his b
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“You should stop me,” Alex murmured, his teeth tugging at my nipple, making a strangled hiss escape my dazed mouth. Yes, I should, I thought to myself, but how could I? How could I stop him when there was this strange heat pulling me toward him…. toward the sinful place where his suit-clad thighs now rubbed gently against my body? I was an idiot. A total fucking idiot. My hands instinctively tangled in his thick hair, still damp from the shower he definitely took on his way here, the strands not fully dried. I could feel the wetness against my fingers, and it only made everything more intense. He suddenly moved his mouth away from my nipple with a soft pop, raising his face to mine. His silver eyes were now a deep blue, glazed over as he took me in. His gaze burned into me. What did he see? Did I look dazed with desire like him? I wouldn’t know. The next moment, his warm breath seized my jaw, and his lips crashed down onto mine, kissing me with a heat that made me shiver. The
POWERLESS 0027
“It’s good to see you again, sister.” The voice was sweet…too sweet. Celeste, with her flawlessly curled blonde hair and those sparkling blue eyes, walked in like she owned the air we breathed. She pulled me into one of her signature tight fake hugs. My arms stiffened at my sides. It can’t be real. She called me sister. No, no, no. “I saw you,” I whispered, stepping back from her grip. “In the hospital. The same one my mom was in. You were there with… with a man you called your father.” Celeste tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips. “And?” I turned to Joseph. “She can’t be my sister.” Alex now perched on a chair several feet away, deep in hushed conversation with a man in spectacles. He didn’t look up, didn’t glance in my direction. “Daddy!” Celeste cooed, strutting over to Joseph like a runway model. She bent to kiss his cheek, her fitted dress rising just a little too high. I didn’t miss the smug flick of her eyes in my direction. Joseph simply repli
POWERLESS 0026
Thank God they weren’t heading back to the Blackwood Estate. That’s the only silver lining. I didn’t need Drew’s smug, annoying face anywhere near my personal hellscape or his mother’s. The last time I saw him was right after Nadia’s funeral and I promised myself then I wouldn’t grace his infuriating presence ever again. I hated that family. All of them. And the fact that he had something going on with Beatrice, my twin, my mirror, my stranger made my skin crawl. Who was she really? Because honestly, if you have a husband like Alex and still find time to roll around with his good-for-nothing stepbrother? You deserve your own Lifetime crime special. And then it hit me. I didn’t even ask the name of my other sibling. The one that doesn’t look like me. What kind of person am I? After hanging out with Candice, I stepped outside into the unholy heat of New York, only to find Orbot already waiting. He was chilling in the car, thank God. Not under the sun, obviously.
POWERLESS 0025
Calling me an idiot right now? Completely valid. Honestly, what else do you call a girl who just discovered she has two birth sisters? A girl whose supposed husband….no, contract husband married her just to hand her over to a father she never even knew? A girl whose mother lied to her every single day of her life? Whose sister is a suspected maniac that possibly murdered someone in the same house she’s still living in? A girl who’s standing in the same room with the man who kept all these secrets— And kissing him? I didn’t even ask how he got to know about me. Didn’t stop to think about how much he already knew. I wasn’t asking the most reasonable questions, like: Where is Beatrice now? Is she being tracked by the authorities? Do they even know where she is? Does Beatrice know I’m here to replace her? Of course she knows. She must. Because that’s what I am, right? A stand-in. Kissing him. Pointlessly. Stupidly. To the point where his hands were
