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Chapter 3
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Scorched Chapter 4
Tristan's face turned bright red, with veins bulging on his forehead. The fury in his eyes gathered, like a volcano ready to erupt."Who's this, Esther?""Come on. Introduce us.""Is he your fiancé?""Wow, he's hot! He looks like a celebrity. No, actually, he's better looking than a celebrity!"A few of the female classmates were gushing excitedly over the man beside me, curious about him.Meanwhile, the male classmates were quiet, watching us thoughtfully.Ignoring Tristan's murderous gaze, I lifted our hands, which were still tightly clasped together."Let me introduce you. This is my fiancé, Leon Russell."Leon smiled and nodded at the group.Tristan's eyes widened, and his face stiffened. The muscles in his cheeks twitched as he stared at me with confusion and disbelief.It took him a long time to process my words. When he did, he exploded in rage. "He's your fiancé? Then what am I? What have I been for all these years? You're really something else, Esther."The last se
Scorched Chapter 5
"He's Leon Russell from Straburgh! No wonder he seemed familiar!" one of my classmates shouted.…In the elevator, it was just Leon and me. The silence was so thick that we could hear each other's breathing."You knew my classmates before?" I asked. I couldn't help but feel a bit confused by the words of my classmates earlier."I didn't know them before, but thanks to you, I know a few of them now," he replied."Thanks for helping me out earlier."He turned to me and lowered his gaze to look at me."You're my fiancée, Estie. There's no need for thanks between us."Recalling the conflict with Tristan, I still felt a bit down. I had hoped for an amicable parting, but things were still a mess. I couldn't help but let out a sigh.Leon's hand was still around my waist. When he heard my sigh, he tightened his hold, almost pulling me into his embrace.This was the first time we were this close, and I immediately stiffened. He lowered his head, deliberately inhaling deeply to smell m
Scorched Chapter 6
"But it's okay," Leon said, "From now on, I'll try to stay by your side so you can get to know me better."He was right. Even though we had set a wedding date, Leon and I barely knew each other.Two years ago, my father, Nicolas Wilder, had fallen seriously ill. After his recovery, he expressed concern for me and started worrying about my future.When I returned to Axolis, I brought up the topic of marriage with Tristan, but he rejected me, citing the pressures of his career and his need to focus.I was heartbroken. At that time, we had been in a relationship for six years. But seeing him so overwhelmed with work, I couldn't bring myself to blame him.After breaking up with Tristan, I decided to listen to Dad and started accepting the blind dates he arranged for me.When my best friend, Ella Palmer, heard the news, she immediately told me that she had the perfect match for me."He's a workaholic, two years older than you, just over 30, and has never brought a girlfriend home. My
Scorched Chapter 7
Noticing my gaze, Leon cleared his throat. "Is it nice?""Yeah, it's nice."He smiled to himself, and his eyes burned. "Then keep looking."I blushed, wanting to turn away, but he raised an eyebrow and leaned in close before whispering, "Are you afraid I'll eat you up?"My heart raced like a drum, but I tried to stay calm. "Not really. I'm more afraid you won't be able to control yourself.""Is that so?" Leon looked at me with renewed interest.I remembered Tristan's look when he called me boring like a plank, and suddenly decided to be bold this time.I grabbed Leon's tie and looped my arm around his neck, slipping into his embrace. His body tensed noticeably as I began unbuttoning his shirt.He quickly grabbed my restless hands. "Don't touch me like that.""You're my fiancé. I can touch you however I want."I lifted my chin in defiance and bit down on his Adam's apple.Leon let out a muffled groan and immediately interrupted his subordinate's words. "Alright, we'll end the
Scorched Chapter 8
I didn't know how much time had passed, but I felt completely drained. I didn't want to move, so I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.When I woke up, the sky outside had already darkened. The dim yellow glow of the streetlights reflected on the window."Hey, you're awake. Still feeling tired?" Leon asked."What time is it?""Still not 7:00 pm."I curled up further under the covers, and Leon switched on the light. The events of the afternoon rushed back to me. I buried my face in my hands, not wanting to get out of bed."Not enough sleep?" His tone was heavy on the word "sleep", laced with an ambiguous undertone.Only then did I notice he had just come out of the bathroom. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His toned chest and abs were fully visible. I swallowed nervously.Leon must have heard the sound as a glint of interest flickered in his eyes. He looked at me teasingly. "Want me to help you up?""No, I'll get up myself."In a panic, I hurriedly tried t
Scorched Chapter 9
It's fine. Take it. He's giving it to you anyway," Leon said.The others followed suit, handing over gifts. Leon urged me to accept them. "Don't feel burdened. These things aren't worth much.""This gathering seems more about introducing me to your friends," I remarked.Leon buried his head in my neck."Yes, Estie, I want to announce to everyone that I have a wife now. I love you, and I just can't wait to bring you into my world."…Ever since the breakup at the class reunion, Tristan had been fuming at Esther. He felt she had humiliated him.It was one thing to make a scene at home, but to pressure him into marriage in front of everyone at the reunion really set him off.He could not believe that the gentle Esther would suddenly say she was marrying someone else.Tristan was sure that her fiancé from Straburgh was fake. She must have pulled someone out of nowhere just to make him angry. He almost fell for it.When his friends asked about Esther, he remained confident."She'
Scorched Chapter 10
What right did Tristan have to go to Esther's house now?At that moment, his friend, Matthew Hudson, came up with an idea."Tristan, I just remembered. The Straburgh investment conference is next month. You can attend, representing your company. Since Russell Group is a major player there, they'll definitely be attending."Esther is a loyal person. You two have been together for eight years, and they've only known each other for a few months. How can he be compared to you?"Tristan tapped his fingers on the table and made up his mind. "Alright, Matthew, you're coming with me."…"Esther!"I didn't expect to run into Tristan here in Straburgh.As I walked down the hallway after coming out of the restroom, I heard him call my name. After eight years, I recognized his voice instantly.Looking toward the voice, I saw him leaning against the wall with a glass of wine in hand while squinting at me. It seemed like he had been waiting for me on purpose."What are you doing here?" I a
Scorched Chapter 11
Tristan still couldn't accept that I was engaged.Leon cut him off, saying, "Enough! Do you expect her to mourn for you after a breakup?"Tristan scoffed at those words. "We were together for eight years. Eight years, not eight months. You wouldn't understand this kind of relationship. How long have you two known each other? Even if you're together, you're just my replacement."He sneered, but Leon shot back just as sharply, "So what? Eight years together, and you're still begging for attention? Sorry, the one who's marrying her is me."Tristan, clearly frustrated by Leon, turned to look at me. "How well do you really know him, Esther? Don't you think it's too hasty to decide to marry him this quickly?"You think someone with his status would marry a woman he's only met a few times through a blind date? I heard he's never even been with a woman. He's probably just using marriage with you to cover up his real preference."I sighed deeply. "You're wrong, Tristan."When I first ent
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Scorched Chapter 14
As Tristan thought back to the reckless things he had done over the past two years, besides regret, there was a hint of fear.He thought, "Luckily, Esther never found out about my relationship with Chloe. If she had, how would she have viewed me?"…After our marriage, I focused on building my own career. Leon, still the workaholic he always was, remained busy, but he always supported me, no matter how tired he was.It wasn't until five years later, when my business had stabilized, and I had my own small studio, that we decided to have a child.After having our daughter, Stella Russell, the once-dominant CEO with a net worth in the billions spent his days thinking whether Stella had drunk her milk and whether I had rested well.Usually, our nanny, Zuri Pate, took care of Stella. But as soon as Leon came home, he would take over, eager to do the work himself. He firmly believed that raising a child himself would foster a deeper bond.Nobody would have guessed how skilled he was a
Scorched Chapter 13
Tristan had truly put in the effort when he pursued me back then. He followed me around every day, showing concern and driving away many of my admirers.Unfortunately, that also led to Leon's misunderstanding.But in the end, after all the twists and turns, we still found our way back to each other.What I had thought was just an ordinary blind date turned out to be the result of a decade-long wait.Leon's proposal was extravagant, and someone had uploaded the video online. Soon, everyone knew that a woman named Esther Wilder was about to marry Leon....Tristan saw the video of Leon proposing to Esther.It was the middle of the night. The house without Esther seemed empty and lifeless.He couldn't fall asleep. The truth was, it had been a long time since he'd had a good night's rest.That night, as he scrolled through his phone, he saw the whole internet buzzing over a proposal video. The moment he clicked on it, his blood ran cold.The thumbnail was Esther's radiant smile.
Scorched Chapter 12
I looked at Tristan indifferently, saying nothing.The truth was, even now, he still didn't understand what he had done wrong.He thought I didn't know about him and Chloe because I never questioned him even when I saw them together.But not asking didn't mean I didn't care. It just meant I had already given up inside.Chloe had actually texted me long ago, gloating about how much Tristan favored her. But I never confronted him about it.I also never told him that I had seen his post.There was no need.He had countless chances to stop and make amends, but he never did. He was just relieved that I hadn't found out.Now, Tristan was finally panicking. But it was far too late.…My birthday was in June, and Leon had been incredibly busy lately. He had always been a workaholic.Ever since we got together, he made sure we saw each other every day. Lately, though, he had been traveling nonstop for business.At the same time, with his encouragement, I had picked up painting again
Scorched Chapter 11
Tristan still couldn't accept that I was engaged.Leon cut him off, saying, "Enough! Do you expect her to mourn for you after a breakup?"Tristan scoffed at those words. "We were together for eight years. Eight years, not eight months. You wouldn't understand this kind of relationship. How long have you two known each other? Even if you're together, you're just my replacement."He sneered, but Leon shot back just as sharply, "So what? Eight years together, and you're still begging for attention? Sorry, the one who's marrying her is me."Tristan, clearly frustrated by Leon, turned to look at me. "How well do you really know him, Esther? Don't you think it's too hasty to decide to marry him this quickly?"You think someone with his status would marry a woman he's only met a few times through a blind date? I heard he's never even been with a woman. He's probably just using marriage with you to cover up his real preference."I sighed deeply. "You're wrong, Tristan."When I first ent
Scorched Chapter 10
What right did Tristan have to go to Esther's house now?At that moment, his friend, Matthew Hudson, came up with an idea."Tristan, I just remembered. The Straburgh investment conference is next month. You can attend, representing your company. Since Russell Group is a major player there, they'll definitely be attending."Esther is a loyal person. You two have been together for eight years, and they've only known each other for a few months. How can he be compared to you?"Tristan tapped his fingers on the table and made up his mind. "Alright, Matthew, you're coming with me."…"Esther!"I didn't expect to run into Tristan here in Straburgh.As I walked down the hallway after coming out of the restroom, I heard him call my name. After eight years, I recognized his voice instantly.Looking toward the voice, I saw him leaning against the wall with a glass of wine in hand while squinting at me. It seemed like he had been waiting for me on purpose."What are you doing here?" I a
Scorched Chapter 9
It's fine. Take it. He's giving it to you anyway," Leon said.The others followed suit, handing over gifts. Leon urged me to accept them. "Don't feel burdened. These things aren't worth much.""This gathering seems more about introducing me to your friends," I remarked.Leon buried his head in my neck."Yes, Estie, I want to announce to everyone that I have a wife now. I love you, and I just can't wait to bring you into my world."…Ever since the breakup at the class reunion, Tristan had been fuming at Esther. He felt she had humiliated him.It was one thing to make a scene at home, but to pressure him into marriage in front of everyone at the reunion really set him off.He could not believe that the gentle Esther would suddenly say she was marrying someone else.Tristan was sure that her fiancé from Straburgh was fake. She must have pulled someone out of nowhere just to make him angry. He almost fell for it.When his friends asked about Esther, he remained confident."She'
Scorched Chapter 8
I didn't know how much time had passed, but I felt completely drained. I didn't want to move, so I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.When I woke up, the sky outside had already darkened. The dim yellow glow of the streetlights reflected on the window."Hey, you're awake. Still feeling tired?" Leon asked."What time is it?""Still not 7:00 pm."I curled up further under the covers, and Leon switched on the light. The events of the afternoon rushed back to me. I buried my face in my hands, not wanting to get out of bed."Not enough sleep?" His tone was heavy on the word "sleep", laced with an ambiguous undertone.Only then did I notice he had just come out of the bathroom. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His toned chest and abs were fully visible. I swallowed nervously.Leon must have heard the sound as a glint of interest flickered in his eyes. He looked at me teasingly. "Want me to help you up?""No, I'll get up myself."In a panic, I hurriedly tried t
Scorched Chapter 7
Noticing my gaze, Leon cleared his throat. "Is it nice?""Yeah, it's nice."He smiled to himself, and his eyes burned. "Then keep looking."I blushed, wanting to turn away, but he raised an eyebrow and leaned in close before whispering, "Are you afraid I'll eat you up?"My heart raced like a drum, but I tried to stay calm. "Not really. I'm more afraid you won't be able to control yourself.""Is that so?" Leon looked at me with renewed interest.I remembered Tristan's look when he called me boring like a plank, and suddenly decided to be bold this time.I grabbed Leon's tie and looped my arm around his neck, slipping into his embrace. His body tensed noticeably as I began unbuttoning his shirt.He quickly grabbed my restless hands. "Don't touch me like that.""You're my fiancé. I can touch you however I want."I lifted my chin in defiance and bit down on his Adam's apple.Leon let out a muffled groan and immediately interrupted his subordinate's words. "Alright, we'll end the
Scorched Chapter 6
"But it's okay," Leon said, "From now on, I'll try to stay by your side so you can get to know me better."He was right. Even though we had set a wedding date, Leon and I barely knew each other.Two years ago, my father, Nicolas Wilder, had fallen seriously ill. After his recovery, he expressed concern for me and started worrying about my future.When I returned to Axolis, I brought up the topic of marriage with Tristan, but he rejected me, citing the pressures of his career and his need to focus.I was heartbroken. At that time, we had been in a relationship for six years. But seeing him so overwhelmed with work, I couldn't bring myself to blame him.After breaking up with Tristan, I decided to listen to Dad and started accepting the blind dates he arranged for me.When my best friend, Ella Palmer, heard the news, she immediately told me that she had the perfect match for me."He's a workaholic, two years older than you, just over 30, and has never brought a girlfriend home. My
