LOGINShare
Secrets Unraveled
Last Updated:
2025-01-30 13:10:22
Related chapters
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Shadows in the light
Chapter 17: Shadows in the Light**Lila** The photograph fell from my hand, landing softly on the wooden floor. My breath hitched, and the room spun around me. I clutched the edge of the table to steady myself, my mind racing. My twins. Their innocent faces stared back at me from the photo, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows. Who sent this? How did they know? I grabbed the note again, rereading the chilling words: *You can’t hide forever.* Carla’s concerned voice broke through the haze. “Miss Vitale? Are you okay?” I swallowed hard, trying to mask the fear in my voice. “Yes, Carla. It’s nothing. You can go now.” She hesitated, her eyes flickering to the fallen photograph, but nodded and quietly exited the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, I crumpled to the floor, my hands shaking. I had been so careful, so meticulous about keeping my children’s existence a secret. How had they found out? My mind darted back to Lucien. Could this be his do
Last Updated : 2025-01-30SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA in between the Robes
Chapter 18: in between the Robes LilaThe city’s lights blurred into streaks as I sped through the streets, my hands gripping the wheel like it was the only thing anchoring me. My chest felt tight, the note and photograph from yesterday still burning in my mind. Who sent it? How did they know about the twins? Questions swirled, each one more terrifying than the last. I had spent five years meticulously crafting a safe haven for my children, a world where they were untouchable. But now, that illusion was shattered. I can't believe that all my visions are fading away, it wasn't what I expected .I reached the park where the photograph had been taken, parking the car hastily. My heart raced as I scanned the area, half-expecting to see someone lurking in the shadows. The playground was quiet now, just a few stragglers heading home for the night. Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person I swore I’d never call again. “Lila?” Lucien’s voice came through
Last Updated : 2025-01-31SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA The web Tightens
Chapter 19: The Web TightensLila I had barely caught my breath when Lucien dragged the man into the light. His movements were sharp, filled with rage, and I could see the barely controlled storm in his eyes. “Who sent you?” he barked, shaking the man by his collar. The stranger was dressed in dark clothing, his face shadowed by a baseball cap that Lucien swiftly knocked off. He was younger than I expected, with wide, terrified eyes that darted between us. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man stammered, his voice trembling. Lucien’s grip tightened. “Don’t play dumb. You’ve been watching her. You took the photograph, didn’t you?” The man shook his head violently. “No! I swear, I wasn’t the one who took it. I just delivered the package.” My stomach churned as I stepped closer. “Who hired you?” I demanded. The man hesitated, his gaze flicking to me before landing on Lucien again. “I don’t know their name. I was just told to drop off the envelope and watch h
Last Updated : 2025-01-31SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A Deal with shadows
Chapter 20: A Deal with ShadowsLilaI slammed the door to my boutique shut, the force of it rattling the glass panes. My breaths came hard and fast, my hands gripping the edge of the counter for support. The photograph and note were still burned into my mind, haunting every thought. How could someone know about the twins? How could they have gotten so close without me noticing? I’d spent five years perfecting the art of invisibility, blending into the crowd, ensuring my children and I remained untouchable. Yet, with one image, my carefully constructed world was crumbling. “Mommy?” Sophia’s soft voice called from the doorway to the backroom. I straightened quickly, forcing a smile as I turned to her. “Yes, sweetheart?” Her little face peeked out from the doorway, her curls slightly mussed. “Are you okay? You look… worried.” I walked over, crouching to her level and brushing a stray curl from her face. “I’m fine, baby. Just a little tired.” She frowned, her big brown eyes s
Last Updated : 2025-02-01SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A Fragile Peace
Chapter 21: A Fragile Peace LilaI gripped the edge of the marble counter, staring at my reflection in the boutique’s restroom mirror. My face was pale, my lips trembling. No matter how hard I tried to calm my breathing, it felt like the walls were closing in. The package this morning had shattered the fragile peace I had been holding onto. The photograph of my twins—my sweet, innocent children—and the cryptic message had pulled me right back into the nightmare I thought I’d escaped. I splashed cold water on my face and closed my eyes. I needed to be strong. For them. The sound of the boutique’s front bell startled me, pulling me back to the present. I quickly dried my face and adjusted my blouse, forcing myself to step out. Lucien stood in the middle of the shop, his presence commanding as always. He wore a sharp black suit, but his face was clouded with an intensity I couldn’t ignore. “What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. His eyes scanned
Last Updated : 2025-02-01SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Muttered Breathe
Chapter 22: Muttered Breathe LilaI stared at the crumpled papers scattered across the table, my heart racing. The room was quiet except for the muffled ticking of the clock on the wall, a reminder that time was slipping through my fingers. The truth was right in front of me—hidden in plain sight—and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to face it. “I need answers,” I muttered under my breath, pacing back and forth. My mind replayed the events of the last few days like a broken record. The threats, the mysterious phone calls, and now, this—documents detailing something I hadn’t been prepared to uncover. The sound of the door opening startled me. I turned quickly, and there he was. Lucien. His presence filled the room, as it always did, like a force of nature. “What now?” I asked, trying to mask the tremor in my voice. He held up his hands, a sign of surrender. “I’m not here to fight, Lila. I’m here to help.” I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Help? You’re five years too late for that.”
Last Updated : 2025-02-02SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Tangled webs
Chapter 23: Tangled WebsLilaMy hands trembled as I read the note for the hundredth time. The words were scrawled in an uneven script, yet their meaning was clear enough to send chills down my spine: *You can’t hide forever.* I folded the paper tightly, as if crumpling it could somehow diminish its power. But it wouldn’t. The weight of its threat hung over me like a storm cloud. My first instinct was to run—grab the twins, leave everything behind, and disappear again. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the answer. I glanced at my reflection in the boutique’s window, the exhaustion in my eyes evident even under the dim light of the early evening. Five years of carefully avoiding Lucien, of building a life for the twins, felt like it was all unraveling at once. The chime of the bell above the boutique door startled me. My heart jumped before I turned, expecting one of my regular customers, but froze when I saw him. “Lila,” Lucien said softly, stepping inside. His presence filled
Last Updated : 2025-02-03SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Behind the shadows
Chapter 24: Behind the shadows LilaThe tension in the room was palpable, the kind of suffocating silence that clung to the air like a thick fog. Lucien sat across from me, his elbows resting on the table as his sharp eyes pinned me in place. The envelope he had thrown between us lay unopened, but its presence felt heavier than anything I had faced in years. “You’re not going to open it?” he asked, his voice low but insistent. I shook my head, folding my arms defensively. “Whatever is in there doesn’t matter.” “It matters, Lila,” he pressed, leaning closer. “You can’t keep running from the truth.” The truth. I hated how he said it, like it was some inevitable force waiting to swallow me whole. My fingers itched to grab the envelope, but I resisted. “Why are you so sure it’s the truth?” I shot back. “You don’t even know who sent it.” “I have my suspicions,” he said, his jaw tightening. Of course he did. Lucien always had his suspicions, his theories, his plans. And yet,
Last Updated : 2025-02-03
Latest chapter
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA uninformed
**Chapter 33: Uninformed **Lila**I paced the living room, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. Lucien sat on the couch, his elbows on his knees, watching me with an unreadable expression. The weight of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours pressed down on me like a boulder."We need a plan," I said, stopping to face him. "If Lily is behind the leaks, then she's not going to stop until she destroys everything."Lucien sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. And that’s why I need you to trust me." hope you canTrust? That was a word that had lost all meaning between us. I scoffed, folding my arms. "Trust? You think trust is something you can just demand after everything?"He exhaled sharply. "Lila, I get it. I do. But this isn’t just about us anymore. It’s about our kids. And if Lily has even the slightest inkling about them, she won’t just sit back. She will come for them."My stomach clenched at the thought. I had spent years shielding my babies from
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A Game of Power
Chapter 32: A Game of PowerLilaI had barely stepped into my boutique when Olivia grabbed my arm, her grip tight with urgency. “We have a problem,” she whispered, pulling me into the back office. My pulse spiked. “What is it?” She locked the door behind us and shoved a tablet into my hands. The screen showed a breaking news article, and my heart stopped when I read the headline: **LUCIFER HUNTER REUNITES WITH SECRET WIFE: LILA VITALE SPOTTED IN HIS ARMS** I scrolled down, my hands trembling as I saw the pictures—me and Lucien outside the gala, his arms around me. There was another photo of us in the car, his hand gripping mine. “No,” I breathed, shaking my head. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” “It gets worse,” Olivia muttered, flipping to another article. **MYSTERY CHILDREN: DO LUCIFER AND LILA SHARE A SECRET FAMILY?** My blood ran cold. The article speculated about the twins, showing blurry pictures of them playing outside my boutique. “They were watching us,” I
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA The Reckoning
Chapter 31 – The ReckoningLILAI never thought I’d step foot in this city again. The memories alone were suffocating, but I had come back stronger, smarter. This time, I wasn’t the naive girl who let love blind her. I adjusted my sunglasses as I walked through the airport, my heels clicking against the polished floor. Olivia walked beside me, pushing the luggage cart, her expression unreadable. "You sure about this?" she asked for the hundredth time. "Positive." My voice held no hesitation. "It’s time to face them." I wasn’t here for closure. I wasn’t here for Lucien. I was here to take back everything that was stolen from me—starting with my career. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t just business. My heart still carried the weight of betrayal, the echoes of his voice when he called me a liar, a gold digger. I clenched my fists. I wasn’t that weak, lovesick girl anymore. The moment I stepped outside, a cold gust of wind hit my face. New York hadn’t changed, but I had. I h
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Leave now or you Regret it
Chapter 30: Leave now or you regret itLila“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you can’t enter.” The burly security guard’s words sent a chill down my spine. I stood at the entrance of Lucien’s building, clutching my purse so tightly that my knuckles turned white. This wasn’t the first time I’d been turned away, but tonight it felt different. Urgent. I glanced up at the towering structure, its lights piercing through the foggy night sky. “He’s expecting me,” I lied, my voice firm. The guard’s expression didn’t waver. “Mr. Hunter left strict instructions not to allow anyone in. Especially—” He stopped, his gaze flickering over me. “Especially me,” I finished bitterly, stepping back. My heels clicked against the pavement as I turned away, my heart sinking. I had spent the entire day piecing together the fragments of the note I’d found yesterday. Each word felt like a slap, a reminder of how far someone was willing to go to destroy everything I had built. The message was clear: stay away
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA It's Not Over Yet
**Chapter 29: It's Not Over YetLilaI gripped the steering wheel tightly, the chill of the leather biting into my palms as I navigated the quiet streets. The silence in the car was deafening, broken only by the occasional hum of the engine. My mind raced as I replayed the last few hours over and over, each memory hitting me like a tidal wave. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. Bringing Lucien into my life again felt like opening an old wound, one I’d tried so hard to heal. But as much as I wanted to run, I couldn’t ignore the reality staring me in the face. The twins were in danger. And as much as I hated to admit it, Lucien was the only person I could trust to protect them. His voice echoed in my head: *“We’re stronger together, Lila.”* Was that true? Could we put aside the wreckage of our past long enough to fight this battle together? Or would the ghosts of what we’d lost consume us before we even had a chance to begin? The sound of my phone vibrating jolted me from my tho
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Threads of Deception
Chapter 28: Threads of DeceptionLila“Lila, stop!” Lucien’s voice chased after me as I stormed out of the house, the letter clutched tightly in my trembling hand. I couldn’t stay in that suffocating space any longer. His excuses, his half-truths—they were driving me insane. I didn’t look back as I stepped onto the driveway, my heels clicking loudly against the cobblestones. My chest burned with anger, and my mind was in a fog, replaying every moment that had brought us to this breaking point. “Let me explain,” Lucien called again, his footsteps quickening behind me. I spun around, the wind catching my hair. “Explain what, Lucien? That you’ve been keeping secrets? That you’ve known this entire time?” He froze, his jaw clenching. “I didn’t want to involve you until I was sure.” “Sure of what? That someone is playing games with us? That our lives are nothing more than pieces on a chessboard?” My voice cracked, but I refused to let the tears fall. He ran a hand through his ha
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A Dangerous Proposition
Chapter 27: A Dangerous PropositionLila“Why now, Lucien?” I asked, my voice trembling as I stared into his piercing blue eyes. The room felt too small, too suffocating, with him standing so close, his presence dominating the space. He reached out, his hand brushing against my arm, and I jerked back instinctively. The betrayal of five years ago still burned fresh in my memory, no matter how much I tried to bury it. “Because I can’t let you go,” he said, his voice raw. “Not now. Not ever.” I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest as I tried to steady my breathing. “You already did, Lucien. You let me go the moment you chose Lily over me.” He winced, as though my words had physically struck him. “You don’t understand—” “No,” I cut him off, my tone sharp. “You don’t understand. I gave you everything, Lucien. My trust, my heart, my body. And you threw it all away like it meant nothing.” His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I saw the cracks in his façade. The confident, unshak
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA The Mask Comes off
Chapter 26: The Mask Comes offLila"You've been keeping secrets, Lila." The accusation came from across the room, Lucien’s voice sharp enough to slice through the tense air between us. He stood tall, his hands clenched into fists by his sides, his stormy blue eyes drilling into mine. I felt like a cornered animal, unable to escape the weight of his anger. "I've been protecting our children," I said, my voice steady but quieter than I intended. "If that’s what you call secrets, then so be it." His jaw ticked, and he took a measured step forward. "Protecting them? By keeping me in the dark? By running from me?" I didn’t move, though every nerve in my body screamed for me to create distance between us. "What choice did I have, Lucien? You gave me no reason to believe you would protect them—or me." His face hardened. "So instead, you decided to disappear for five years, letting me believe you were gone for good. Do you have any idea what that did to me?" My chest tightened at
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA the price of secrets
**Chapter 25: The Price of Secrets** **Lila** The weight of silence in the room felt suffocating, like a tidal wave closing in on me. I sat in the corner of the dimly lit office, staring at the papers scattered across the mahogany desk. A single envelope sat in the center, unopened, mocking me with its presence. Lucien’s footsteps echoed as he paced back and forth in front of the window. The tension in his shoulders was palpable, and the way his jaw clenched told me he was barely holding it together. “They know, Lila,” he said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost guttural. “They’ve always known,” I replied, my own voice trembling. I hated how weak I sounded, but the truth of his words cut deeper than I cared to admit. Lucien stopped pacing and turned to face me. His piercing blue eyes burned into mine. “This isn’t just about you anymore. The twins—” “Don’t you dare lecture me about the twins!” I shot to my feet, my hands trembling. “Everything I’ve do
