It was supposed to be a happy day for my family to enjoy. Unfortunately, some things are beyond one's control. After we returned home from the picnic, Crimson received a call.I watched as his handsome face twisted with worry, the color draining from his features as he met my gaze.“Is everything alright? Who called you just now? What happened?” The words spilled from my lips one after another.I tried to restrain my thoughts so they wouldn't wander to terrifying conclusions, but they did anyway. It was hard not to think that something bad had happened while watching his reaction.“There's an emergency at home… Isabela was rushed to the hospital.” Worry rang painfully in his tone.Crimson cared deeply for his cousin, and the news of her being rushed to the hospital was a blow he had never expected.Fear and worry gripped me as well, knowing how important Isabela was to him.We immediately rushed back to the hotel and dropped Cleo in Sapphire's care since we couldn't bring her to the h
Crimson gently wrapped his arms around my waist as I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. It had been an hour since we left Isabela's room, but her confession still lingered in my mind.Part of me wished I had never learned the truth, but another part of me was grateful for the closure it brought."I wish I had been with my grandmother in her final moments so she could have shared the truth with me instead of my cousin. I wish I could have told her that I don't blame her; that despite her mistake, she remains the kindest person I know. I believe she wouldn't have done anything unless she was pushed to her limit.”I raised my head to look at him. Witnessing the frown on his forehead, I smoothed it away with my fingers until it vanished."I have my own regrets too," I whispered, feeling a tightness in my throat from the flood of emotions. "I wish I had discovered the truth sooner, so I didn't chase after it blindly. And I wish I could have reunited Grandpa with the woman he l
It had been a perfect night. I watched my husband, Crimson Phoenix, dance with the birthday celebrant—my friend Celestine—while enjoying a glass of champagne. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and they moved effortlessly to the rhythm of the music. I was enjoying the moment until an unsettling feeling settled in my chest as I realized they were dancing a little too close. “Are you okay?” a voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned and saw Mia, another close friend. I forced a smile, nodding, but inside, I felt a bit troubled. “You sure?” She tilted her head and crossed her arms underneath her breasts. “You’ve been a bit quiet.” I reasoned I was a bit tipsy from drinking Champagne. She bought the alibi and left to mingle with the guests. Once I'm alone, I sat down on the table and refilled my glass. A short while later, my husband joined me. "I think it's time we talked." He began. I set the glass down, preparing myself for what was coming. "I've thought about this for a
I left the hotel in a hurry. Once I arrived at home, the headlines of the newspaper greeted me. PHOENIX CORPORATION's HEIR'S WIFE SPOTTED WITH MYSTERY LOVER"No!"I grasped the newspaper, my hands shaking uncontrollably.There, taking up nearly the entire front page, was a photo of me leaning intimately with a man. The image would be burned into the minds of everyone who saw it.I had never thought — not even in my worst nightmare — I would see myself in such a negative light, let alone on the front page of a newspaper.As I peered out of the window, I could see a swarm of paparazzi eagerly waiting outside the door, like a pack of hungry wolves ready to pounce at me. The mere thought of facing them sent shivers down my spine, as I knew they were just waiting to snap a picture and tear me apart in the headlines.I'm not sure if Crimson had read the newspaper but if the whole Flintstone City had read it, it is likely that he has and I couldn't couldn't imagine how he must be feeling
"Miss?" The driver snapped me back to reality. A beat passed before he asked my destination.I pulled myself together and told him where I wanted to go. He nodded and said not a word for the rest of the trip.Minutes passed by in a blur. But then the silence was shattered when the driver spoke. “We arrived.”The cab skidded into a stop to the place I had promised myself never to step foot ever again. But promises are always meant to be broken, much like Crimson broke his promises and threw them away like a pile of trash.I handed the fee and hastened out of the car, before I changed my mind and fled. I've been fleeing all my life — fleeing from things that pains me, and I'm getting tired of it. Time has come for me to face my fears and this might be a good start.The family ancestral house looked exactly the same as I stored it in my memory and although a long time had passed, the memories of what took place the day I left played in my memory in clear, vivid details."Elizabeth, he wi
I've always dreamed of having children, always wondering what it would be like to have a child of my own, to feel their tiny fingers curl around mine as they drift off to sleep.But my husband didn't want a child. The first time I broached the subject, he grew quiet and distant. I couldn't blame him for it. His father had abandoned him before he was even born, leaving him to grow up with a single mother. Perhaps he feared repeating the same pattern, becoming a terrible father—much worse than his own.However, Crimson got Celestine pregnant. He must have been so in love with her to have broken his promise of not wanting a baby."Move on, Elizabeth. Leave yourself a bit of self-respect and stop chasing a man. Had he truly loved you, he wouldn't have fallen for me!"My friend's words stung, but it's still not an excuse for her to snatch another woman's husband. “Crimson is still my husband,” I spat firmly. She wasn't in a position to be proud in front of me since she's not even the legal
The nurse was gone, but I was still shaken by the news.“Do you want me to call a family member?” the man offered. He introduced himself as Grey Cameron.I shook my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. My grandfather wouldn't be pleased with the news, especially when he learned that the father had already abandoned me. He would undoubtedly come looking for my husband with a shotgun in hand. To avoid the worst-case scenario, I replied, “No, thank you… I'm fine anyway.”Grey's mouth opened. He looked as though he wanted to argue or ask questions, but in the end, he closed it, realizing he wasn't in a position to pry.“I’m going to go back to the bar,” Grey said as he rose from his seat. “I won’t be coming back. However, in case you might need my help, I'll leave you my number.” After scribbling his number on a piece of paper, he left.—The next day, I was discharged from the hospital and went back to work. I couldn't afford to slack off since I had bills to pay.It was a busy day, a
At first, I resisted and met his gaze with a defiant glare. There were more important things to attend to than deal with him. However, I reminded myself that he was still my boss and had authority over me.I let out a deep sigh and took the seat across from him while wondering what he wanted to talk about.“Sign the divorce papers, Elizabeth.” He placed the papers on the table.“Sure,” I replied, which surprised him. I wasn't acting on impulse; I had thought long and hard about this for a few days and had come to the conclusion that divorce was the only solution for us.I took the pen and signed where needed.He stared at me in silence for what felt like an eternity.Finally, he took a deep breath and mustered the courage to speak. "Who's Grey Cameron?" he asked, his voice strained. "Is he your lover?"I rose from my chair after the signing was done."Respectfully, Sir, you don't have the right to know. It's my personal business." After saying that, I turned to leave, but he rose fr
Crimson gently wrapped his arms around my waist as I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. It had been an hour since we left Isabela's room, but her confession still lingered in my mind.Part of me wished I had never learned the truth, but another part of me was grateful for the closure it brought."I wish I had been with my grandmother in her final moments so she could have shared the truth with me instead of my cousin. I wish I could have told her that I don't blame her; that despite her mistake, she remains the kindest person I know. I believe she wouldn't have done anything unless she was pushed to her limit.”I raised my head to look at him. Witnessing the frown on his forehead, I smoothed it away with my fingers until it vanished."I have my own regrets too," I whispered, feeling a tightness in my throat from the flood of emotions. "I wish I had discovered the truth sooner, so I didn't chase after it blindly. And I wish I could have reunited Grandpa with the woman he l
It was supposed to be a happy day for my family to enjoy. Unfortunately, some things are beyond one's control. After we returned home from the picnic, Crimson received a call.I watched as his handsome face twisted with worry, the color draining from his features as he met my gaze.“Is everything alright? Who called you just now? What happened?” The words spilled from my lips one after another.I tried to restrain my thoughts so they wouldn't wander to terrifying conclusions, but they did anyway. It was hard not to think that something bad had happened while watching his reaction.“There's an emergency at home… Isabela was rushed to the hospital.” Worry rang painfully in his tone.Crimson cared deeply for his cousin, and the news of her being rushed to the hospital was a blow he had never expected.Fear and worry gripped me as well, knowing how important Isabela was to him.We immediately rushed back to the hotel and dropped Cleo in Sapphire's care since we couldn't bring her to the h
I stared at the ring on my finger, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. I had dreamed of this moment a thousand times before, but it was far more beautiful and magical than I could have ever imagined.“Do you like it? I could have given you a much more beautiful ring. However, I got too excited and bought this one instead because I was at a loss as to which design you would like.”“You're kidding, right? This ring is so gorgeous! Why wouldn’t I like it?”Crimson's face lit up at my words. At that moment, he looked so damn cute that I couldn't resist pinching his cheeks.“I’m glad you like it. I was a bit hesitant to give it at first because the design is simple and not as extravagant as some of the other rings out there.”“It’s perfect.”He pulled me into a tight hug, his arms wrapped around me protectively. “I love you so much, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I'll wait for you until you're ready to marry me.”I hugged him back, knowing that this moment would for
My eyes swept the room, but it seemed the one I was looking for wasn't present among them.Sighing, I turned to look at my brother, David. He was saying something, but I wasn't paying attention, so I missed most of his words.“Liz, are you with me?”Color rose to my cheeks. “I beg your pardon?”He cleared his throat. “I'm asking if you're looking for someone. You've been spaced out for a while now. Are you waiting for a secret admirer or something?” He teased me.I rolled my eyes heavenward. "Oh, stop it. I'm just enjoying the party.”When the dance ended, David walked to the side, leaving me alone in the middle of the room, confused.The orchestra stopped, and the room was engulfed in total silence.Suddenly, the man who had been occupying my thoughts emerged from the crowd. He walked with the elegance of a king and seemed to own the crowd as he passed by.My breath hitched in my throat. Am I imagining things? I asked myself, watching him close the distance between us.He stopped rig
I sat by Crimson's bedside in the hospital, holding his hand tightly as he lay unconscious after his operation. I knew he was strong, but the thought of losing him was too much to bear. My phone rang, breaking the silence of the room. It was Sapphire, my stepsister. “I need you to come to the police station. The officers want to talk to you to get your statement." "I'll be right there," I sighed. My eyes went to Crimson, and I fought back the tears. “I have to go,” I told him, pressing my lips to his forehead. When I arrived at the police station, Sapphire was sitting in a small room, surrounded by police officers. She looked pale, perhaps because she had lost too much blood. But she seemed okay, and that was all that mattered. Chief Dallas spotted me. He stood up and gestured for me to follow. In a separate room, he interrogated me about what happened in the warehouse. I provided him with a detailed account. The interrogation lasted an hour, and when it finally ended, I coul
Please leave. I wanted to say those words to him, but I couldn't speak.The door opened, and Crimson entered the room.“Let her go, Mark!”The man Crimson called Mark grabbed the gun from his hip holster and pointed it at me. “Give me your gun.”When Crimson didn’t even budge, Mark pressed the muzzle of the gun against my head. The cold, hard metal dug into my skin. I was terrified he would accidentally pull the trigger."I said give me your gun or her brains will splatter on the floor," he threatened.I gently shook my head, signaling Crimson never to let go of his gun. We both knew that once he relinquished his only weapon, it would be our end."I'm sorry, Liz. I need to do this to protect you," he told me. Slowly, he lowered the gun to the floor."Kick the gun away."Crimson ground his teeth together and did what Mark ordered. He kicked the gun, and it slid near Sapphire's still body.Indescribable fear seized me as I watched Mark raise the gun and point it toward Crimson's head.
When I returned to Queen's Courtyard, Samantha was already waiting in my office, seated on the plush couch. The moment I entered the room, she looked at me and asked, “How are your medical results? I hope everything's fine.” Feeling like my legs would collapse, I slumped onto the single couch opposite her and sighed. “I’m pregnant.” The words emerged from my lips.She blinked rapidly, slowly digesting my words. “Come again?”“You heard it right, Sam.”She finally stopped eating her buttered toast and set the half-finished treat down on the table."You've got to be kidding me.”I shook my head. “I wish I was, but it’s true. I just found out this afternoon from my medical results. I really am pregnant.”Her palms cradled her forehead as though she suddenly had a headache. “You're not in a relationship, Elizabeth. You don't even have a boyfriend, nor have you been dating anyone so how can you be pregnant?” “Does your brother know? Is Sapphire aware of your pregnancy?” she asked frantic
Opening my eyes, I tried to piece together what happened last night. The events of the night came rushing back to me in fragments, like a puzzle being assembled. The memory of his touch, his kisses, and his passion flooded back, sending a flush of heat to my cheeks.I turned my head to look at Crimson, still asleep beside me. His face was relaxed, peaceful in sleep.What have I done?I instinctively freed myself from his arms, feeling a twinge of soreness between my thighs from the night before as I got up from the bed.“Elizabeth?” Crimson sleepily opened his eyes and looked at me. I could see confusion clouding his gazeHe looked at my nakedness. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, his cheeks turning tomato red, perhaps recalling what happened last night..“About last night—”“Please forget about it.” I cut him off before he could finish his words.Silence filled the room, the tension in the air swelling like a balloon.“I can't do that!” The harshness in his voice surprised me.
Finally, Samantha's wedding day arrived.It was held in a luxurious resort with a breathtaking view of the ocean. The sun was shining mildly, the sky was clear, and a gentle breeze was blowing through the air.There were a hundred guests in attendance, including the bride and groom’s close friends and family members.Samantha was glowing as she walked down the aisle, her white dress shimmering in the sunlight. Her groom was waiting for her at the altar, with a look of pure love in his eyes.I wasn't the type to easily feel envious. However, at that moment, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy while watching the beautiful ceremony unfold.The ceremony was intimate and heartfelt, with Samantha and her groom exchanging vows that brought tears to the eyes of the guests.After the wedding, the reception was a lavish affair, complete with delicious food, dancing, and toasts to the happy couple.I was having fun until I spotted Crimson in the crowd, accompanied by a stunning woman. They