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2021-08-17 14:33:24The trip back to the island took about two hours. I canceled the rest of my engagements for the day. After meeting Waylon and Kenzie, all I wanted was to see Arianna. Something had changed. For the first time in years, this meeting did not affect me as it would have in the past.
Philip, our retired butler, looked up from his newspaper and smiled when I rounded the corner. He chose to stay at the estate since he had no family. He sat at his usual spot that overlooked the beach where he liked to spend time with a cup of tea.
“Hey, Philip, how’s your day?”
“It’s a great afternoon, Orlando. The weather is good for a walk.” A fond smile graced his lips. Philip was nearing eighty. He kept Grandpapa company.
“Where’s Boxer?”
“Oh, he’s with Arianna.” His eyes crinkled with laughter, and his features softened when he spoke her name. “They’re inseparable these days.”
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Resisting Her 13
The wind ruffled my hair. The sounds of the beach were so lively and relaxing. After being a workaholic for years, it would be a lie if I said this forced vacation didn’t relax me.It felt like a long time since I’d enjoyed some family time. However, I also missed being at work. The constant itch to check on my emails was still there. I refrained from doing so because I promised Enrique. Another round of laughter caught my attention.Arianna––the mere name gave me a reason and pinned me in place. While everyone drank and chattered away, I sat there on the beach chair, sipping my beer.I let my gaze sweep around the beach. Arianna was in the water with the girls, playing and laughing. The sight of her smiling face brought a smile on my own. A sigh passed my lips. I could watch her smile all day.My hands went to my pockets out of habit, only to realize I was in swim trunks. Reaching for the phone on the table, I made a quick call to
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 14
“Coward,” I spat for the third time that night as I gazed into the mirror. “Why can’t you just do this one thing you want the most? Fucking coward.”I despised seeing myself in the mirror. I’m a fool. I clenched my fists, suppressing the urge to hit the mirror. But I had to walk away to protect my heart and my sanity. Even a hot shower didn’t help to calm my rattling nerves.Boxer had snuck into Grandpapa’s room earlier, leaving me alone. Opening the cabinet, I took the pills, inspecting the bottle. Not that I needed it, but after what I went through, I wasn’t sure. The sex stamina pill was promising, but then our relationship would be built on a lie. Besides the bottle, the condoms I bought last week seemed to laugh at me. What was I thinking?Self-doubt is the worst poison. With a sigh, I placed it where it belonged. Let her hate me or think I wasn’t worth it. But how could I talk ab
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 15
“Here’s your coffee, sir.”I thanked Sheila and sipped the hot heaven, sighing in bliss. There was so much to do before I left for the business trip. The two weeks off had been wonderful. While I would give anything to re-live those two weeks, work consumed me. There were so many proposals and reports that required my attention.Two days had passed, and all I ever did was eat and work. I hardly had time to sleep with everything I had to do. Arianna was constantly at the back of my mind. Her face popped up in my mind in between, and she had called twice, which I missed.My headache returned as I skimmed through the papers. The investors in Europe needed numbers, and fortunately, we covered it already.“Have the reports ready this evening. I––”My cell phone blared for the sixteenth time, ruining my mood as Isabela’s name flashed on the screen. I’d deal with her in court. I turned the phone on sil
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 16
The chilly wind tussled my hair as I moved closer to hear the conversation. Light from a distant post illuminated the sides of their faces.“You already lost me, Brian,” I heard her say. The fury in her voice was a soothing balm to my jealousy.“Hear me out, please. I lied to you. Alana was the first one I met. My parents wanted us to get married. But then, one day, I bumped into you and got intrigued. I wanted to get to know you better. I fell in love with you and even broke up with Alana.” That son of a bitch ranted, and his voice grew desperate.I clenched my fists and forced my tense shoulders to relax. Arianna folded her hands over her chest and faced the bastard. “So, you were seeing each other.”“Kind of.” Brian averted his gaze.“There can be only one answer to this question, Brian. It’s either yes or no.”Atta girl! Speaking of which, I shouldn’t stay.
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 17
The plane touched down at the destination airport, jerking me out of my thoughts. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my aching limbs. Sleep evaded me the entire flight, as I could only think about her.Sheila had booked the tickets in economy since first class was full. First class sure had its perks when compared to economy. But the discomfort mattered less when I thought about the day I got to spend with Arianna.An hour and a long line to immigration later, Sheila greeted me at baggage claim. Her shoulders sagged with relief as she checked the time.“Here.” She handed me a steaming cup of coffee and a sandwich once inside the car. “Your flight arrived on time. We have enough time to make a quick stop at the hotel before heading over to our first meeting.”With a nod, I bit into the sandwich, glad to have something to my liking, unlike the food they served during the flight. The aroma of the coffee lifted my mood considerably. Sheila
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 18
Orlando CortezWhen I left for the Europe trip, she was the last person I expected to stumble upon. Last night, she was at the party. Sheila told me about the business gathering when I got back from a meeting with Colossal Inc. It was a last-moment invitation. Who’d have invited me to the party? I got my answer when I reached the venue. When Sheila stressed that most of the people I was visiting during this trip would be there, and it would help to build a rapport, I agreed.The evening started off well, meeting and greeting business prospects until my eyes fell on her. Dressed in a shimmery outfit that bared her midriff and revealed her long, tan legs, Kenzie stood there, gaze fixated on me.What is she doing here? I scanned the room, finding Desmond not too far from her, perched on a barstool, sipping a fancy drink. I turned around, not wanting to meet her gaze. But less than a minute later, I felt her arm snak
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 19
Arianna SwansonThe sun’s rays infiltrated through the dark curtains. It did little to lift my spirits. My phone lay on the bedside table. No calls. No messages. Three days had passed, and it killed me from the inside out. Rosie called, complaining I was shutting her out again, but I was barely getting through one day at a time. This morning was no different.My body swayed when I slipped out of the bed. I gripped the wall, steadying myself, and made it to the bathroom. The next thing I knew, I was puking my guts out.“Oh, fuck,” I groaned, reaching for the tissues. I hadn’t puked since my seventeenth birthday. My eyes rolled into my skull as I rested my head on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for the moment to pass.It felt like a great achievement when I finally got dressed for the day. Only I couldn’t make it to work. This was the worst time to catch the stomach flu. Patrick, the bulldog of the office, wo
Last Updated : 2021-08-17Resisting Her 20
Orlando CortezDead. She’s dead. Inhaling, I closed my eyes. Martha Pennington, the only witness, was dead for three years. Despite what our legal team claimed, I didn’t think we stood a chance with the drunken video we had in hand. The man who sat across the table could be useful.“Here’s your drink, sir.”The waitress placed the tray of drinks on our table before leaving. I picked up the glass of water and sipped it, all the while eying the shaking male in front of me.Andrew Pennington, Martha’s son and our only hope, grabbed the glass of whiskey, gulping it in one go. When Marcus tracked him to a rundown apartment at Vegas, where he lived by taking multiple jobs, I had him flown down here.The guy, now in his early forties, looked like shit. And I assumed his battered coat had seen worse. The bags under his eyes and the five-day beard proved my theory. He could use a d
Last Updated : 2021-08-17
Latest chapter
Resisting Her Bonus Chapter #1
Alana Swanson Seven years later With shaky hands, I secured the last pin in my hair and smoothed the non-existent creases on my simple white dress that ended a few inches below my knees. Butterflies fluttered in my belly as I gazed into the mirror. I’m getting married. Memories from my past tried to crowd in. I was in the room with my friends. Friends I grew up with. Professional stylists skirted around me as my friends made fun and laughed while I got ready for my big day. I pushed the unwanted memories aside and blinked my tears away. No. Don’t go there. I had come a long way since then. The path to redemption wasn’t easy. People judged me at every turn. I took it all. Because I deserved it for what I did to my sister. My throat constricted. I lifted my hand to rub my chest where it hurt. Guilt still ate away at me, and my only consolation came from knowing Arianna was better off w
Resisting Her Epilogue
Brian Schultz Four years later A black sedan pulled away from the otherwise deserted parking lot. Alana sat in my car, sipping the soft drink I bought for her. It had been four years since I left Linnesse. I kept tabs on her treatment and supported her in every way I could. When I asked her what she wanted after she got out of the rehabilitation center, she said she wanted to start over. Only this time without me. She wanted a divorce. Though I wanted us to give our relationship another chance, I adhered to her wishes. Now we waited outside the building where our attorney’s office was located. I saw the attorney coming out of his office, talking over the phone as he made his way to us. He disconnected the call and greeted me with a curt nod. “Something came up.” He offered a small smile, pulling out the papers from his briefcase. “Here are the pa
Resisting Her 29
Arianna Cortez“Are you sure you want to do this?” Orlando asked for the seventh time that morning. We sat in our car outside the rehabilitation center.“Yes.” I wanted to see her. It had been a week since Brian left, and she was all I could think about the entire week.“You don’t have to see her, you know.”“I know.” I gave him a small smile. Orlando has been a doting husband with unconditional love for our unborn child. I understood and embraced his overprotective nature. But this plagued my mind ever since I discovered the truth.Despite what I told him, I’d been religiously following the news. I witnessed how they tore her apart in the past months. While Orlando acted normal, Benji kept no details from me. I looked at the forlorn building. Perhaps I needed closure.“I don’t like this,” he said, pressing a feather-soft kiss on my
Resisting Her 28
The world zoomed in and out of focus when I woke. Several hammers pelted my head, making me groan. Guessing by the blinding sunlight, it must be close to noon. I looked around, realizing I was still in Alana’s room. I clutched my head. Last night’s events came flashing to my mind, and the pounding in my head increased.“I’ve been waiting for you to wake up forever,” Chris announced urgently.Did he stay?No. He changed his clothes. I squinted against the sunlight. He’d ditched last night’s suit and now wore a t-shirt and jeans.“What is it, Chris?” I groaned, raising myself on my elbows.“Come on, man.”“Give me a sec.” I staggered out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. I relieved myself quickly and washed my face.Loud voices reached us when I stepped across the threshold.“What the hell, Alana? I believed you. Is this how y
Resisting Her 27
Brian SchultzThe bar sat on the edge of the city limits. Though it appeared rundown on the outside, the inside looked like a posh club. Music blared, vibrating through the floor. Nicki Minaj’s and Drake’s voices drifted around me. But my mood was far from enjoying the beat.The whiskey burned down my throat. I drained the glass, welcoming the familiar burn, and signaled the bartender for another round.I watched the crowd dancing like headless chickens, swirling the amber poison the bartender delivered. Laughter bubbled in my throat.Is this how Alana partied?I pulled at the knot of my tie.Nothing made sense. Alana was much more sophisticated, while Arianna followed her heart. What went wrong? The cat was out of the bag. No more secrets. My heart knew Alana was the culprit all along. Only I struggled to comprehend the truth. The strong denial slowly lost its fight with the moment of truth a
Resisting Her 26
The tension I’d experienced for the past couple of hours ebbed away as soon the judge said those words. He saw no point of me being involved, since it was clear I wasn’t the one in the photos. The defense had no proof, apart from the lab reports. Since they received the photos from an unknown source and couldn’t validate the information, the court refused to consider that as evidence.Benji argued that someone who held a grudge against Orlando or me could have done that to tarnish my image. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the courtroom with a wide grin on my face. Benji had nailed it. It wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be. He had turned the case around without even mentioning her name.“It’s not over yet.” Benji approached us. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to come again. I’ll handle the rest from here,” he said, noticing my frown.I nodded. Orlando was right beside me. His hand rest
Resisting Her 25
Orlando CortezArianna laughed at something Mike said. She clapped and threw her head back, and her laughter chimed out. The custom-designed diamond ring sparkled on her finger. Was it the lights playing tricks, or was she really glowing? I couldn’t tell, but certainly, her spirits were high, and she beamed like Christmas lights. Bright and warm.Rosalinda and Mike continued to joke with her. They arrived two days after our wedding. Enrique gave me a hard time for not waiting, but he understood my need to tie the knot. Mike and Rosie had the most surprising reaction to our wedding and pregnancy news. They laughed, saying they expected me to whisk Arianna away long ago.My wife’s cheeks and neck had flushed on hearing something Rosie whispered in her ear. She playfully hit her best friend, her gaze briefly meeting mine. I wished her smile would last. The next couple of months would be hard on her with the legal proceedings. T
Resisting Her 24
Brian Schultz“Fuck!”The bastard in the car in front of me slowed again for the hundredth time. Ugh! The traffic wasn’t congested, but the asshole drove like the road belonged to him.Orlando’s words kept echoing in my mind. The nerve of that bastard. The fucker packed a powerhouse punch that knocked the breath out of me, literally. I should’ve expected this.My grip on the wheel tightened as I honked at the slow driver. The action was something I considered as outrageous before today. What did he say about the tattoo? Alana’s flawless skin was free of artificial ink.My mind reeled thinking of the time Arianna told me about the party. I vaguely remembered her telling me that she got a tattoo. I felt hotter despite the air conditioner running at sixty degrees. Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I took the turn toward our street.The car screeched when I slammed the brakes, and I got out, b
Resisting Her 23
I’m a coward.I banged my head on the table and stared at the far wall. Instead of going over to my apartment, I went straight to my mansion and slipped inside the dark office I rarely used. I didn’t bother to turn on the lights. Outside, the sun was setting for the day, dousing the room in the darkness that reflected my mood.The courage and fury I felt at the court building drained as soon as I climbed into the car. My hands still trembled.A child. My child.I walked to the only window in the room. I pulled the curtains closed, letting the room submerge in complete darkness.There was this foreign emotion snaking its way out of my heart, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it yet.She’s pregnant with my child.And this was Arianna. Wiping off the thin sheen of sweat, I paced. Scenes from my past pushed their way through, and I shoved them aside.The door opened with a click, and I
