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The Edge of Discovery
Last Updated:
2025-01-27 03:43:57
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SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A crack in the illusion
Chapter 10: A Crack in the IllusionThe murmurs of the crowd faded as I stepped into the lavish ballroom, my chest tightening at the sight of him—Lucien. He stood at the center of the gathering, effortlessly commanding attention in his tailored black tuxedo. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, oblivious to my presence, yet I felt his pull like a magnet. I clenched the stem of the champagne flute in my hand, wishing I could blend into the marble walls. Five years had changed me. I wasn’t the naive girl who had clung to his promises or sought his approval. But my heart, the traitor, hadn’t moved on as easily. “I see you still can’t take your eyes off him,” Olivia whispered, appearing by my side. Her emerald-green gown shimmered under the chandeliers, but her expression was all business. “Don’t start,” I muttered, taking a small sip of the bubbling liquid. “He’s been looking for you, you know,” she continued, ignoring my warning. “Obsessively.” “Let him look,” I replied, f
Last Updated : 2025-01-27SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Echoes of Her Return
Chapter 11: Echoes of Her ReturnThe moment the sound of heels clicking on the marble floor reached my ears, I turned toward the door, my chest tightening with anticipation. I could tell it wasn’t Lily. She never moved with that kind of confidence. No, this was someone different—someone whose presence carried a weight I hadn’t felt in years."Lila?" I muttered under my breath, almost too afraid to hope.She stepped into the room like a storm about to break. Her long, chestnut-brown waves fell over her shoulders, and those familiar hazel eyes, flecked with gold, locked onto mine. Time seemed to stand still, and for a brief moment, I thought I was hallucinating. But no, she was real. She was here.Her gaze didn’t falter, and her lips curved into a smirk that sent a chill down my spine. "Surprised to see me, Lucien?" she asked, her voice sharper than I remembered.I swallowed hard, unable to form words. How could I even begin to process the fact that she was standing right in front of m
Last Updated : 2025-01-27SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA The Turn
Chapter 12: The TurnI stormed into my office, slamming the door behind me. My heart pounded like a drum, the echoes of Olivia’s words still fresh in my mind. “I’ll help you, Lucien,” she had said, her gaze intense and unyielding. But there was a catch. There always was.She’d hinted at knowing something—something about Lila. And yet, she refused to divulge it outright. Instead, she wanted to meet later, on her terms, at a location she would share only hours before. The secrecy gnawed at me, but if it brought me closer to Lila, I’d play along. For now.Dropping into my chair, I rubbed my temples, trying to stave off the headache threatening to split my skull. Five years of searching and waiting had taught me one thing: patience. But patience was running thin when every lead turned into a dead end.I opened my laptop, scrolling through the photos my investigator had sent. A few grainy images of women in crowded marketplaces, none of them Lila. My fingers itched to throw the device acr
Last Updated : 2025-01-29SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Just a Face
Chapter 14: Just a Face LILA The clicking of my heels against the marble floors felt heavier than usual. Five years of perfecting the art of walking with my head high, shoulders back, had done little to ease the weight of the memories clinging to me. New York City buzzed around me, but its rhythm only served as a backdrop to the storm inside my chest. I was here for business, nothing more. But the past had a way of showing up uninvited, lurking like a ghost in the corner of my mind. As I reached the doors of the sprawling venue, the glittering lights spilling out into the street, a chill raced down my spine. Not from the cold, but from a presence I couldn’t shake. A gut feeling told me tonight wouldn’t be as simple as attending a design showcase. The doorman greeted me with a smile, but I barely noticed. My heart raced as I stepped inside, scanning the room. The hum of conversation, the clink of champagne glasses—it all felt too loud, too bright. I straightened my posture
Last Updated : 2025-01-29SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA A Twist of Fate
Chapter 14: A Twist of FateLila “Are you sure about this?” Olivia asked, her brows knitting together as she leaned over the café table. Her voice was calm, but I could feel the tension radiating off her. “I have to be,” I said, my fingers curling around the warm mug in my hands. The heat was grounding, a stark contrast to the icy storm brewing in my chest. “It’s been five years, Olivia. I can’t keep running.” She sighed, her eyes scanning my face as though searching for cracks. “It’s just... coming back here? To New York of all places? You know the risks, right?” “I do.” The words left my lips with a confidence I didn’t fully feel. Returning to the city wasn’t a decision I made lightly. It wasn’t about nostalgia or unfinished business—it was about survival. The boutique wasn’t just a dream; it was my lifeline. If I wanted to make a name for myself in this industry, New York was the battlefield, and I wasn’t about to lose before I even started. Olivia stared at me for a
Last Updated : 2025-01-29SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Unspoken Fate
Chapter 15: Unspoken FateLilaI couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this suffocated. New York was a place of freedom, but it seemed like I was still trapped in my past, tangled up in the mess I’d tried so hard to leave behind. I didn’t even know why I was back. My boutique had been doing well, the competitions had been in my favor, and yet, here I was—standing outside Lucien’s office, staring at the building like I had no idea what I was about to do.My heart pounded in my chest. Every fiber of my being screamed to turn around and walk away. But there was something pulling me closer, a feeling I couldn’t ignore no matter how much I hated it. He had been relentless in his pursuit, trying to fix the shattered pieces of our relationship. But what he didn’t know was that I wasn’t the same person I used to be. I couldn’t just forgive him, couldn’t simply let him back into my life. I had to be strong, to show him I didn’t need him to survive.But then there were moments, fleeting mo
Last Updated : 2025-01-29SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Secrets Unraveled
Chapter 16: Secrets Unraveled**Lila** The rhythmic hum of the sewing machine filled the room, but my thoughts were far from the dress I was working on. My fingers moved automatically, stitching the final details of a piece I had poured my soul into. The competition was just a few days away, yet my focus wavered, consumed by the ghost of the past. Lucien. He had come to my boutique yesterday, standing in the doorway like a storm ready to destroy everything I had built. His presence shook me, a cruel reminder of what I had left behind. I told him to leave, but his words lingered, haunting me like a song I couldn’t forget. I wanted to hate him. After all, he had chosen lies over the truth, her over me. But deep down, the woman I used to be still yearned for answers. Still yearned for him. A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts, snapping me back to reality. My assistant, Carla, poked her head through the door, her usually calm expression laced with uncertainty. “Miss Vitale, y
Last Updated : 2025-01-30SUBSTITUTE 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 : 2025-01-30
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SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA When the glove Comes Off
Chapter 35: When the Gloves Come Off**Lila** I barely slept. Even with the truth out there, I knew this wasn’t over. Lily wouldn’t back down quietly—she never did. My phone buzzed non-stop with calls, messages, and notifications. Some were supportive, but others were vicious. At sunrise, I sat in Lucien’s office, staring at the headlines flashing across his large screen. **‘Battle of the Billionaire: Lucien Hunter’s Ex-Wife Speaks Out!’** **‘Lily Hunter Fires Back: The Mistress Who Stole My Husband!’** **‘Truth or Lies? Who’s Really to Blame in This Love Triangle?’** I let out a humorless laugh. "They’re turning this into entertainment." Lucien, sitting across from me, looked up from his laptop. "That’s what the media does. But we’re not here to play their game. We need to control the next move." The door burst open, and Olivia stormed in, holding her tablet. "Lily just did an exclusive live interview." My stomach twisted. "What did she say?" Olivia placed the t
SUBSTITUTE BRIDE, I WANT YOU BACK LILA Just it
Chapter 34: Just itLila The room was still buzzing with whispers long after our press conference ended. My hands trembled slightly as I stepped away from the podium, my mind racing. The truth was finally out, but that didn’t mean the battle was over. If anything, this was just the beginning. Lucien placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me out of the pressroom and into the private hallway leading to his office. Olivia was already waiting inside, pacing anxiously. The moment we entered, she turned to us, her expression grim. "That was bold, Lila," she said. "But Lily isn’t going to take this lying down." I sighed, rubbing my temple. "I know. But what choice did we have? Let her destroy my reputation while I cowered in the shadows?" Lucien pulled off his tie, his jaw tight. "She’ll retaliate. She always does." I turned to him, my chest tightening. "What exactly is she capable of?" Olivia scoffed. "Knowing her? She’s got another trick up her sleeve already." She held up h
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
