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Stay Strong
Last Updated:
2024-12-12 07:50:07
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Second Chances Under the Tree Complicated
CALLIEA scream tore from my throat, echoing through the empty warehouse. My hands clutched the edges of my coat as if they could hold me together. My knees pressed against the cold concrete floor, the image in front of me searing itself into my mind."What the hell is happening?" My voice cracked, the words ripping out of me like shards of glass. "Why is Ethan here? He was supposed to be… "My thoughts fractured, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to suppress the rising panic. My stomach churned as I stared at his lifeless body.Sebastian's hurried footsteps echoed behind me, and then he was there, dropping to his knees beside me.He froze beside me. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he didn’t move. It was as if the sight of Ethan’s bloodied body had rendered him incapable of action.“Oh my God,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Ethan? No, no… this can’t be happening.”I turned to him, my voice trembling. “Sebastian… he’s dead. Ethan’s dead. What are we supposed to do?” His
Last Updated : 2024-12-13Second Chances Under the Tree White and Black
SEBASTIAN I opened the door, and there she was… Charlotte. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale, and her eyes bloodshot, swollen from tears. “Sebastian!” she spat my name, her voice cracking with raw emotion. Her eyes darted to Callie, who stood frozen behind me. “You… both of you… you’ve done it. You’ve killed my son!”“Charlotte, stop,” I said firmly, stepping in front of Callie to shield her. “We didn’t…”“LIARS!” she screamed, her voice cutting through the tension. She shoved past me into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.Callie took a step forward, her own tears flowing freely. “We didn’t do this, Charlotte. I swear to you, we had nothing to do with Ethan’s death…”“Shut up!” Charlotte whirled on Callie, her face twisted in grief and rage. “How dare you even speak to me? You! You’re the reason my son is gone!”“Charlotte, that’s not true!” Callie’s voice cracked as she tried to defend herself.“Not true?” Charlotte sneered, her lips curling in disdain. “D
Last Updated : 2024-12-13Second Chances Under the Tree What's wrong?
CALLIEI couldn’t help but laugh as I leaned back on the couch. “What do you mean by that? You’re something else.”He grinned at my reaction, his sharp features softening. “Who knows? You might start crying again tonight. You’re just a softie.”His playful tone was such a contrast to everything that had happened that I couldn’t stop smiling. For a moment, it felt like we’d stepped out of the storm. The warmth in his gaze, the way his lips curved just enough to let me know he was teasing… it was exactly what I needed.But before I could respond, Sebastian closed the space between us. His hand gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear I didn’t even know was there. “I mean it, Callie,” he murmured, his voice low, sending a shiver down my spine. “I love you. More than anything. We’re going to get through this together. You hear me?”His eyes bore into mine, searching, waiting for my answer.I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. “I love you baby,” I whispered.An
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Second Chances Under the Tree Five minute drive
CALLIEThere was silence. None of us said anything for a while. My heart clenched painfully, and I found myself struggling to form a response.Finally, I swallowed hard and spoke. “So… when is the date?”Sebastian exhaled deeply, his gaze dropping to the floor. “In two days. January 2nd.”I nodded slowly. “That means you’ll have to fly out tomorrow.” “Yeah,” he said softly. “I don’t have a choice.”The words stung, even though I knew he didn’t mean them to. I straightened my shoulders, meeting his gaze. “Then I’ll go with you.”Sebastian’s head shot up, his eyes narrowing. He took a step closer, his hands gently wrapping around mine. “No, Callie,” he said softly. “You don’t have to do that.”I frowned, my chest tightening at the seriousness in his tone. “Sebastian, you don’t have to do this alone. I want to be there for you.”He shook his head, his grip on my hands tightening slightly. “Lucas will be there. He has to be, as part of the team. I’ll go with him. You… you’ve been through
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Second Chances Under the Tree Bad News
CALLIEIt wasn’t Sebastian’s voice that greeted me.“Hello? Is this Callie?” a woman’s voice came through the line.My heart skipped a beat. “Y-Yes, this is Callie. Who is this? Where’s Sebastian?”There was a brief pause, as though the woman was trying to find the right words. “My name is Nurse Erica. I’m calling from Fairview General Hospital. Sebastian was… involved in an accident. He’s in critical condition, but he’s stable for now.”The phone nearly slipped from my trembling hand. “What?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “What happened? Is he okay?”“I can’t share all the details over the phone, but it’s important you come as soon as possible,” she said. “He’s at Fairview General. Please hurry.”The line went dead before I could respond.The phone clattered to the floor, my hand too weak to hold it any longer. For a moment, the world blurred. My legs gave way, and I sank to the ground. Tears welled in my eyes, streaming down my cheeks as sobs escaped my lips.“No,” I whispered to
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Second Chances Under the Tree The Fire
CALLIE I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear. “Mrs Reynolds?”“Callie, oh my God!” Her voice trembled. “Your house… your house is on fire! I called the fire service, but it’s bad. They’re here now, but… but so much is gone.”The room tilted. “What?” “I… I tried to help! I saw the smoke and called for help as soon as I could, but…” Her words trailed off into a sob.I shot to my feet, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “How bad is it? Is it still burning?”“The flames are mostly out, but it’s… oh, Callie, it’s terrible. You need to come home.”My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled toward the door. Lucas stepped forward, alarmed. “What’s going on?”“My house,” I said, my voice hollow. “It’s on fire.”Lucas’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, he grabbed his jacket. “I’ll drive.”I nodded numbly, unable to think past the chaos swirling in my mind. Sebastian’s lifeless form behind me. My burning house ahead.The ride to my neighborhood was a blur, my heart poundin
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Second Chances Under the Tree Where is he?
CALLIEI turned to Lucas, confusion written all over my face. “Quiting? Lucas, what are you talking about? You love your job.”He took a step closer, his eyes heavy with emotion. “I can’t do it anymore, Callie. Working for the Thompsons… it’s too much. Sebastian did the right thing when he walked away. They’re monsters, Callie. If Sebastian’s own father could do this to his son… put him in the hospital, what do you think they’d do to me? To anyone they consider expendable?” My heart sank as his statement settled in. Lucas was never one to back down from a fight, but the fear in his voice now was unmistakable.“Lucas…” I began, but he held up a hand.“I mean it, Callie. I’ve been trying to convince myself for years that I could handle it, that I could stay one step ahead of them. But this?” He gestured toward the smoking remains of my house. “This is too far. They’ve crossed every line. Sebastian was my best friend, and they’ve nearly killed him… nearly killed both of us in that accid
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Second Chances Under the Tree Nothing left
CALLIE My legs carried me down the hallway, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. I followed the group of doctors as they hurried toward the stairwell. Lucas was right behind me, his heavy footsteps matching my own frantic pace.As we reached the top of the staircase, I gasped, freezing in place.Sebastian was there, at the bottom of the stairs. His body lay sprawled on the tiles as if he’d been tossed down like a discarded doll. Blood smeared the sides of the steps, and his shirt was stained crimson.“No… no, no, no,” I whispered, my voice breaking. My knees nearly gave out, but Lucas grabbed my arm, steadying me.The doctors rushed past us, barking orders. “Get the oxygen mask! We need a stretcher, now!”One of them knelt beside Sebastian, checking his vitals. “Oh my God, he’s still alive!”The words barely penetrated the haze of shock gripping me. My hands trembled as I gripped the railing, staring down at the scene below. Nurses were swarming around him, carefully positionin
Last Updated : 2024-12-24
Latest chapter
Second Chances Under the Tree Unstoppable
CALLIEI slapped Sebastian’s chest, the frustration bubbling inside me. “You should’ve just told me all this sooner! You could’ve spared me all the stress and drama.”He winced slightly, “I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you’d be scared. You wouldn’t have agreed to let my guy shoot her. Not here, not today.”I was about to retort when I glanced around, my gaze landing on the guests who still remained eerily silent. My heart tightened with a sudden wave of discomfort. “Wait… have the guests been informed about all of this? About what’s happening?”Sebastian gave me that damn smile of his, the one that made everything seem like it was under control. “Oh, they know. I had to tell them. I didn’t want there to be chaos when it all went down.”I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not serious,” I muttered, lightly hitting his head playfully. "You had to make sure everything went according to plan, even the guests."He chuckled softly. “Callie, you’re the one who’s always thinking things throu
Second Chances Under the Tree Prove
CALLIEMy eyes were locked on Charlotte, blood staining the carpet around her. Why wasn’t anyone else reacting? Then, without warning, the doors burst open.Police officers flooded the room. I didn’t even have time to breathe before Nora walked in. She was followed by two other officers, their hands ready on their holsters.She moved toward Charlotte, her eyes scanning the scene slowly. The entire room seemed to tense as the officers approached Charlotte, who was still writhing on the floor, her hands desperately clutching at her bleeding legs."Charlotte Lawson," Nora’s voice rang out, echoing through the room, "You are under arrest for attempted murder. You’re also charged with the murder of Damon Wright and the murder of your son, Lucas Lawson."My heart skipped a beat. Attempted murder? Who’s Damon? Charlotte let out a painful, strangled scream as Nora and the officers knelt beside her. Her eyes were wide with terror, disbelief written all over her face. She tried to push hersel
Second Chances Under the Tree The shot
CALLIEIt was my day. My fucking wedding day.They were doing my makeup, but I couldn’t stop staring at my reflection. The brushes moved across my face like they were supposed to, but my mind kept drifting, wondering how the hell I had ended up here. This was supposed to be the day I’d dreamed about since I was a little girl, the perfect celebration of love and happiness. But instead, all I could think about was how surreal it felt. Was this really happening? Was I really about to marry Sebastian?The makeup artist was still blending foundation on my cheeks, oblivious to the whirlwind in my head. The soft smell of flowers, the faint noise of voices around me…it all seemed like a dream.How did I get here? How had I gone from feeling like I was losing everything to standing here, about to walk down the aisle with the man who’d promised me forever?I caught my reflection again, my eyes roaming over the dress. It was beautiful, something I never thought I’d get to wear.The past few mon
Second Chances Under the Tree One clean shot
SEBASTIANI kept my eyes on the road, but my attention was mostly on Callie. She was sitting there quiet, her fingers tapping nervously against her knee. I knew she was still upset about Charlotte… hell, I was too…but this surprise... it was meant to take her mind off things. It was meant to make her forget all about that witch and focus on us.I glanced over at her, and for a moment, our eyes met. I could see the worry still clouding her thoughts, but her lips curled up just slightly. That was all I needed. I wasn’t giving up. I had promised her everything, and I would keep that promise.I loved Callie more than anything. The thought of her standing by my side for the rest of our lives filled me with a sense of pride I couldn’t put into words. But today… today was about proving it. I wasn’t just going to let some meddling woman ruin our joy. Not today. Not ever.I pulled up to the curb, the tires rolling over the gravel, and stopped in front of the building. My heart was racing, my
Second Chances Under the Tree 21 cakes
CALLIEThe bell chimed softly as we stepped into the cake shop, the rich scent of vanilla and chocolate filled the air. The baker, a cheerful woman in her forties with flour dusting her apron, welcomed us with a bright smile.“Good afternoon!” she greeted. “You must be the Thompsons?”“That’s us,” Sebastian replied, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Or at least, soon-to-be Thompsons.”I smiled, still thinking about my wedding dress. I had just bought my dream wedding gown… a simple but stunning straight dress. I couldn’t wait to wear it as I walked down the aisle to marry the man standing beside me.The baker ushered us to a cozy table near the counter, where a variety of cake samples had already been laid out. “Alright, let’s get started. These are some of our most popular flavors. Feel free to let me know if there’s something specific you’d like to try.”We sat down, and I immediately reached for a small fork, eager to dive in. Sebastian, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair
Second Chances Under the Tree A family
CALLIEI was in the kitchen, still in my pajamas, hair tied up in a loose bun, trying to focus on slicing tomatoes without nicking my fingers.The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and I found it comforting as I hummed softly to myself.I was just about to layer the slices onto the bread when a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me gently against a warm chest.“My fiancée,” Sebastian’s deep voice purred into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine, “what are you cooking?”I smiled, not even bothering to turn around. “My fiancé,” I replied, mimicking his tone, “I’m making sandwiches for breakfast.”He chuckled, the sound vibrating against my back. “Sandwiches?” he murmured, his lips grazing my neck. “I don’t want to eat sandwiches.”I paused, raising an eyebrow as I turned slightly to look at him. “Oh? What do you want to eat then?”Sebastian grinned, his dark eyes gleaming mischievously as he leaned closer. “You.”I rolled my eyes, though I cou
Second Chances Under the Tree Don't fail me
SEBASTIANCallie looked at me, her eyes filled with concern. "What's wrong?" she asked gently, sensing the shift in my mood.I let out a deep breath, leaning back in my chair. "Charlotte was released from prison."She blinked at me, clearly not processing the news at first. "What? How? Why?""Yeah," I sighed. "Turns out, they didn’t have enough to hold her. So, she’s free."Callie’s eyebrows shot up, her lips parting in shock. "She’s free? Just like that?"I nodded. "Yeah, just like that. But it’s fine. I’m meeting with Nora tomorrow. We’ll figure this out."She leaned forward, concern etched on her face. "But if she’s out, doesn’t that complicate things? What if she comes after you again?"I smiled, a slow grin spreading across my face. "Charlotte thinks she’s smart, but I’m smarter. I’ve got a plan. A backup plan."She lifted her head. "Backup plan?"I leaned in a little, lowering my voice. "Plan B. It’s time to put it into motion."Callie sat back in her chair, eyes locked on mine
Second Chances Under the Tree She's free
CALLIE The videographer approached us, his camera now lowered. “Congratulations,” he said warmly, extending his hand to Sebastian. “This turned out beautifully. I’ll have the footage edited and sent to you by tonight.”“Thanks, Matt,” Sebastian replied, shaking his hand. “You did an incredible job.”Matt nodded at me with a kind smile. “You’re going to love this when you see it. Congratulations again.”“Thank you,” I said, still slightly dazed by the realization that this entire moment had been documented. As Matt packed up his equipment and walked away, Sebastian turned to me, his hand resting lightly on my back.“Come on,” he said, steering me toward a table set up a few feet away.The table was set with twinkling candles, a crisp white tablecloth, and an array of dishes and wines.I stopped short, taking it all in. “Sebastian… this is incredible.”“I wanted it to be perfect,” he said simply, pulling out a chair for me. “For you.”The music continued to play softly in the backgroun
Second Chances Under the Tree Important things
CALLIESebastian parked the car in a reserved spot, cutting the engine before stepping out. I barely had time to open my door before he was already there, holding out his hand for me like some kind of gallant prince.“Seriously?” I teased, slipping my hand into his as he helped me out of the car. “You’re making me feel like we’re about to walk a red carpet.”He chuckled, his grip gentle as we strolled toward the venue. The pathway was illuminated with fairy lights that twinkled like stars. The soft hum of live music floated through the cool evening air.I glanced at him, shaking my head with a bemused smile. “Sebastian, I don’t understand anymore. Isn’t this just dinner? You’re acting like this is some kind of royal event.”He stopped walking for a moment, turning to face me. His dark eyes softened as he brushed a strand of hair off my face. “It’s not just dinner, Callie. You’ve been through so much lately, and I wanted to give you something... magical. You deserve it.”My heart did t
