Chapter 14: Kiss me! "Good night," Elsie overheard Aiden's cold words as he made his way into the elevator, headed to his room. Normally, he would take the stairs for exercise, but his pending work made him choose the fastest route. Feeling a sense of disappointment, Elsie found nothing but an empty room when she arrived. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment, and she sighed to herself, "Elsie, you are too slow." Initially, she had wanted to go with him and try to rekindle their lost bond, which had lasted until she remembered her son. Instantly, her heart sank. She had indeed been too slow and had missed spending a day with her son. But she reassured herself that she would have tomorrow. Thinking about this, a smile tugged at her lips. She grabbed her purse, which she had left on the sofa, and headed for the East wing where Eldon's room was. Her every step palpitated her heart, and she wrung her hands nervously. It had been ages since she had visited his
Chapter 15; Who are you? "Kiss me." Although his tone was low, it held a lot of dominance. "Huh?" Confusion mixed with embarrassment flickered across her face. She bit her lower lip and asked in a very shy tone, "You want me to initiate a kiss?" A sliver of displeasure ran through his eyes. His tone grew cold at her denial. "You don't want to?" "No... I..." She became extremely flustered. To avoid his heated gaze, she searched the marble floor for invisible bugs as a sign of distraction. Leaning against her, he forced her face upwards. "It's my reward for being good to you." Elsie licked her lips, asking playfully, "You need a reward for being good to me?" If it was so, then she was the biggest debtor in the world. He had always put her interests above his own and his work. She was truly blessed. "Not really. I just want a kiss from you." His lips turned into a half-teasing smile. Aiden enjoyed making her blush this much. "Okay." She nodded,
Chapter 16: What are you doing? "Why do you have this with you?" Dahlia asked Elsie, scrutinizing her with intense eyes. When Elsie didn't respond, Dahlia anxiously opened the book, her fingers trembling. The pages were filled with various ingredients and herbal recipes, and she was truly impressed by the hundreds of formulas. Being someone who specialized in creating herbal soaps and lotions, she could recognize the excellence of the recipes, which had a hundred percent chance of having therapeutic effects. Suddenly, Dahlia's face contorted, and she glared at Elsie with envy. How could this girl have possession of such a valuable medicinal book? The thought made her furious. "This book could bring us wealth and elevate the Dale family's status," she thought, glancing down at the cheap fake diamond necklace around her neck, feeling disgusted by it. "With this book, I could earn millions, and our family would lead a better life. I would have genuine, brand-new jewel
Chapter 17: Auntie Dahlia, Can You Step Out? Elsie tried to focus on the food in front of her, but the uncomfortable atmosphere made it hard to enjoy her meal, especially when sitting across from the woman who had taken credit for her mother's skills. Inwardly, Elsie was furious and wished to drag Dahlia by the hair and expose her fraudulent activity to the world. However, she plastered a soft smile on her face and continued eating. "I hope everyone enjoys the meal," Elsie said politely, attempting to break the tension. Dahlia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, Elsie, you always try so hard to please everyone. It's pathetic." Ignoring the comment, Elsie looked at Everest Dale and asked, "How was your day, Grandpa?" Everest Dale was taken aback by her question. Elsie was usually quiet in such gatherings, but it seemed that not only her clothing and makeup skills had improved, but her behavior as well. A small smile cracked on his lips. "I am good, even though
Chapter 18: Elsie is that gullible In a steak restaurant on the outskirts of the city, the ambiance was warm and romantic. The restaurant was filled with red-scented candles, and bouquets of roses adorned each table. Outside, the midday sun bathed the buildings, and tiny specks of dust seemed to dance in the shafts of afternoon sunlight that slanted through the windows. A woman disguised in an off-shoulder white floral shirt and a pair of jeans slipped into one of the chairs. She also wore a hat and a facemask, revealing only her beautiful blue eyes. "Why did you choose this restaurant?" she asked, anger evident in her tone. It was Trixson in disguise, trying to prevent being recognized by the paparazzi or fans. The man sitting in front of her was Henry Rowan, dressed in a green Henley and grey pants. His hair was neatly trimmed, and his lips shone pink. "My agent told me to stay home to avoid trouble, but you set up our meeting in a date-like scenario! Yo
Chapter 19: What about you, Auntie Dahlia? As soon as Dahlia Dale left the garden, she hurried into the kitchen and began searching for the ingredients she needed. They were safely hidden in a secret compartment underneath the large ceiling-to-floor cupboards. Before retrieving them, she glanced around cautiously, making sure she wasn't being watched. These herbs were powerful and slightly frowned upon by the herbal community due to their adverse effects and high efficacy. Within minutes, she had gathered all the ingredients and laid them out on the counter. She then took out a blender and started blending the necessary components. Next, she added a small amount of a powerful red powdery substance, followed by a green glob. After mixing everything together, she transferred the mixture into a container, wearing a satisfied smile upon completion. At that moment, two people walked into the kitchen – a tall man and a short, chubby woman. They were trusted members of th
Chapter 20: You have to apologize to Elsie "Yes, Mom. You have to apologize to Elsie," Cécilia agreed. Although Cécilia was no longer a supporter of Elsie, she did not want to take part in any injustice. Therefore, she reluctantly agreed and urged her mother forward. "I... I..." Dahlia became tongue-tied, attempting to stall to avoid apologizing. It would damage her pride to apologize to someone she considered a nobody like Elsie. Inwardly, she sneered, digging her nails into her palms. 'You might have married into a wealthy family, but you will always be an orphan who fed off my family's outcast!' Seeing Dahlia's hesitation, Elsie spoke softly, trying to pacify the situation. "It's fine. Auntie doesn't have to apologize since she is older than me." Knowing that the apology wouldn't change anything, Elsie had no reason to insist, even if it would hurt Dahlia's ego. Elsie refused to be petty. Impatient and angered by the situation, Grant Dale spoke u
Chapter 21: I have come to love him As Elsie discreetly followed Dahlia, her mind filled with anticipation and curiosity. She knew that there must be something important or suspicious that Dahlia was hiding, and she was determined to uncover the truth. Elsie quietly tailed Dahlia, observing her aunt as she entered a dimly lit study. The room was filled with shelves of books, old photographs, and various trinkets. Elsie's curiosity grew even more, wondering what secrets lay within those walls. Carefully, Elsie positioned herself outside the study, straining to listen for any clues. She heard the faint sound of a drawer being opened and closed, followed by hushed whispers. It seemed that Dahlia was not alone. "What could Dahlia be hiding in that study?" Elsie wondered. "Could it be that book? And who was she speaking to in such secrecy?" The possibilities swirled in Elsie's mind, fueling her determination to find the truth. Taking a deep breath, Elsie prepared he
Chapter Four: Mate?"The alpha male is not just a leader, but a guardian." - Unknown ___ In the torturing basement of the Crescent Moon Pack, a dungeon meant for defilers of the pack, the stench of blood and sweat filled the air. Kael and his beta, Lyra, strode in powerful strides towards the dungeon where the head witch was being kept. They had been successful in eradicating almost all the witches that had attacked them. "Why do you think the witches attacked us yesterday?" Lyra inquired softly, her voice echoing in the marble halls, as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "What do you think?" Kael retorted, subtle anger lacing his voice. He glared at her as if she had asked him to bite off his finger and increased his steps. Ly
Chapter Three: Kaiya, are we going to die? "Werewolves are like the ocean, you can't control them, but you can learn to navigate their tides." - Unknown ___ Kaiya and Linda ran swiftly through the darkened forest, their feet pounding on the soft ground. Kaiya's heart raced, both from the physical exertion and the sheer terror of the situation. "Hurry, Linda! He's coming after us!" Kaiya yelled, glancing nervously over her shoulder. Linda's breath came in short gasps, and Kaiya could see the strain on her face. She knew her asthmatic friend was struggling to keep up the pace. Suddenly, a bone-chilling howl pierced the air, sending shivers down their spin
Chapter Two: I want to see you happy "The things that go bump in the night, are not always monsters, sometimes they are just lost souls." - Unknown ___ Surprisingly, the day wrapped up as if the awkward conversation with her boss had never happened. Kaiya had never been happy, so she took out Linda to a small restaurant by the town borders to celebrate. It was a dumb but necessary idea. In the restaurant, they sat in a garden-themed backyard awaiting the waiter to come and take their orders. Sitting across from each other, Linda smacked her pink-painted lips several times, her legs bouncing nonstop. She wore a bright smile which happened to complement the black skin-tight dress she was wearing.
Chapter One: The beginning "The supernatural is the natural, not yet understood." - Elbert Hubbard ___ In the beautiful city of Voldermont, known for the void icy cold river that encircled the town and its touristic caves and beautiful forest, the cold wind carried from the river swept into the window of a three-storey building, making everyone shiver. "Have you contacted the man for the new windows?" Linda Crowe, the best friend and five-year roommate of Kaiya, asked as the moment she arrived at Kaiya's cubicle. She placed a cup of hot coffee with no cream on the table. Linda, a twenty-three-year-old ebony lady with heavy curves and brown butt-length braids. "Huh?" Kaiya raised her celery-green eyes to meet her friend's darker
Author's AppreciationI started writing this earlier without this novel being finished, because I wanted to say something from the heart and not rushed. That doesn't mean my other appreciations are not from the heart. They are!You see, I have never been good with words and not always known how to respond to messages, emails, and so on. I am a freaking walking disaster, a one-woman circus clown kind of show, but I say this with much confidence: when I read a book and I laugh hard, feel hate, dislike, and cringe at moments which genuinely become a part of me, even if just for a time - it fills in my heart. I am overwhelmed by such talent to aid me grapple with my own emotions and go over every scene. Feeling satisfied and still wishing for more. Looking at you, Ashley Peston, you perfect angelic wordsmith.And I want that to be the same feeling my readers get from
Epilogue Elsie's POV Six months later. I got a call from the prison, concerning Trixson's plea to have me visit her. I should have said no. However, I needed to hear what she wanted to say. Trixson had been sentenced with a double life sentence for the murders she had been involved in. Boris had been given ten years for being an accomplice in Henry's homicide. Trixson had Boris sneak into the rehab disguised as an operating nurse and provided him the drugs Henry overdosed on. After this, Boris' conscience could not bear the burden of the secret. Hence, he came to me. He had to, after I provided him photos of Trixson and Director Lee's affair. All that helped take off the rose-colored glasses he wore aroun
Chapter 137: I have you Aiden stepped out of the prison gate, blinking in the bright sunlight. He had dreamed of this moment for what felt like an eternity, and yet, it still felt surreal. He was finally free. As he looked around, his eyes scanned the crowded streets, searching for a familiar face. And then, he saw her. Elsie stood out from the crowd, her flaming red hair shining like a flame. She wore a bright smile, and her eyes sparkled with tears, as she waved at him. Aiden's heart skipped a beat as he made his way towards her. Elsie still looked as beautiful as she did the first time he saw her at the Scott mansion. She wore a knee-length red dress that clung to her skin, exposing her heavy curves. As a result of the pregnancy, Elsie had gained weight, and her chest and ass had grown bigger too. She was
Chapter 136: Prison Life Aiden's POV The courtroom had been filled with a sense of tension and anticipation. The judge, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression, sat at the bench. I stood before her, my eyes fixed on Elsie, who had been crying non-stop. The prosecutor stood opposite me, arms crossed. The judge announced, "After careful consideration of the evidence and the severity of the crime, I hereby sentence you to 7 years in prison for withholding information and obstruction of justice in relation to the double homicide case." My eyes had widened for a brief moment, but I accepted the sentence with a nod. I knew I deserved this punishment for my actions. The judge continued, "While I acknowledge your cooperation with the authorities and your expression o
Chapter 135; Promise me Two months later. On the day of Aiden's trial, after he had refused to file for bail, Elsie kept Eldon entertained by playing Legos when Aunt Rina walked in. The little lad ran to hug Rina, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Aunt Rina, where have you been? I've missed you," he exclaimed, his dimples creeping up as he smiled. Leaning in, she explained in a sweet voice, "I was busy, boy. But I'm back now..." Elsie, leaning against the counter in the kitchen, found their encounter very cute. She sometimes envied Eldon's relationship with Rina. A huge grin curled up on Eldon's lips, and he raised his arms, shouting out of ecstasy, "Yay, we'll all play together!" "We will," Rina confirmed, nodding her head. She reached out to touch the boy's cheek and pinched it fondly. "You should go to your room and wait for me there while I talk to your mom." The kid threw his arms up in happiness, spread them wide like wings, and ran out, making plane