Share

Second chances: Love or revenge?
Second chances: Love or revenge?
Author: Sunshine

Chapter 1

Author: Sunshine
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-30 19:38:03

Ella Montgomery stared at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test, her heart hammering as a dozen emotions rushed through her.

Pregnant?

How on earth?

She and Lucas had only been married for half a year, and they’d only been…intimate once. And that one time didn’t even count; he’d been as drunk as a sailor on shore leave. So, how could she possibly be pregnant?

Just then, a voice came from outside the bathroom door, making her jump. “Mrs. Montgomery, sir is back.”

Ella's heart skipped another beat. She quickly tossed the pregnancy test into the trash, feeling absurdly guilty—like a thief hiding evidence.

But why should she feel guilty?

She was Lucas Montgomery’s legally wedded wife, and she was carrying his child. If anyone had explaining to do, it was him.

After a deep breath to steady herself, Ella stepped out of the bathroom, determined to share the news, but as soon as she saw him, her courage faltered. Lucas was by the door, kicking off his shoes, looking like he had something on his mind. She opened her mouth to tell him, but he spoke first.

“Ella, I’ve been thinking,” he started, his tone softer than usual. “You’ve always talked about wanting a family…so, I’ve decided I want to have a child. What do you think?”

Ella’s jaw nearly dropped. “You…already know?” she blurted out, her mind scrambling.

Lucas blinked in confusion. “You know too?”

“Uh, yeah, I just found out,” Ella said, feeling a rush of relief. So he wasn’t going to be upset after all. In fact, he’d somehow known before she even told him! Her heart felt warm as she realized that maybe, just maybe, he did care about this little life they’d created.

“So,” Lucas said, his eyes softening as he looked at her, “you’re okay with keeping the child?”

Ella blushed under his gaze, nodding. “We were going to have a family eventually…if it happened now, maybe it was meant to be.”

Lucas smiled, an expression that almost made her believe there was something real between them. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I was worried you’d be upset. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure the child sees you as his real mother.”

Wait…what? The words jarred her out of her blissful moment. “What do you mean by ‘see me as the real mother’? I am this child’s mother, Lucas.”

“Oh,” he said casually, as though he were explaining the weather, “I was talking about the child. You know, from earlier.”

The child? Confusion turned into a sickening feeling in her stomach. “Lucas…what child are you talking about?”

Lucas seemed surprised, almost as if she’d interrupted his train of thought. “Didn’t you already know? Amy is pregnant. We had planned on keeping the baby, and I want to bring him here to be raised as part of our family. I’ll give her a settlement and make sure everything’s arranged.”

The world felt like it was tilting around her. “Amy? Pregnant? With your child?”

Lucas looked slightly irritated, his brows drawing together. “Didn’t you say you already knew? I thought we were on the same page about this.”

Ella felt a chill rise through her body. Everything around her seemed distant, like it was happening to someone else.

For as long as she could remember, she’d known that Lucas wasn’t in love with her.

He’d always loved his high school sweetheart, Amy, the perfect girl-next-door. They’d broken up ages ago, but Ella knew that Lucas had never moved on.

In fact, she’d suspected their marriage was just a way for him to get his family’s company out of a rough spot.

Despite that, she’d dared to hope that maybe, over time, they could build something real together.

But now…this?

Six months into their marriage, Lucas had not only reconnected with Amy but had also decided to bring her child into their home—their home—and expected Ella to play stepmother?

Her silence must have given her feelings away, because Lucas’s tone softened, as though coaxing a skittish animal. “Ella, I know you’re a generous person. Just treat this child as if he were your own, and I promise, I’ll take good care of you.”

The polite mask she’d always worn in front of him shattered. Before she knew it, her hand had reached out, and smack—the slap landed with a force that even surprised her.

The housekeeper poked her head out of the kitchen, eyes wide with shock. “Ma’am, sir…is everything alright?”

“Please, Mrs. Jenkins, give us a moment,” Lucas said, waving her away.

When she was gone, he turned to Ella, rubbing his cheek, his voice tense with barely contained fury. “So, what’s this about? If you didn’t know about Amy’s child, what did you mean by the child you mentioned earlier?”

Ella took a shaky breath, debating if she should keep up the pretense. But she knew there was no hiding it now. “I meant that I’m pregnant.”

Lucas froze, staring at her like she’d spoken a foreign language. “That’s…impossible.”

Ella scoffed, crossing her arms. “Oh, don’t worry. If you can fool around, why shouldn’t I? Maybe this baby has nothing to do with you.” She didn’t mean it, but it felt satisfying to watch his expression shift from confusion to outright fury.

“Are you trying to provoke me, Ella?” Lucas said, voice tight with rage. “This baby is from that night when we—”

“Oh, I think you’re mistaken, Mr. Montgomery,” she interrupted. “You were so drunk that night you barely knew where you were. And by the way, I suggest you get a paternity test for Amy’s child, just to be sure.”

After six months of being the perfect wife, this felt like liberation. Lucas had never seen this side of her, and she could tell her words were hitting their mark. He looked ready to explode. “Ella…”

“Oh, were you going to hit me?” She raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead. But know this: I’ll sue you for everything you’re worth if you even think of touching me.”

“Do you want a divorce?” he asked, the words seeming to come out reluctantly.

“What do you think?” she shot back. “Do you want me to stay here and raise another woman’s child while you play happy family with her? No, thank you.”

She took a deep breath, her decision feeling final and oddly empowering. “I will contact a lawyer, and you’ll be getting the divorce papers by tomorrow. Sign them, or we’ll take this to court.”

With that, Ella turned and headed for the door, her heart thudding with every step. She was done with Lucas, done with pretending, and done with this sham of a marriage. Just as she reached the doorway, though, he grabbed her wrist.

“Think about this carefully, Ella,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ll regret it once you step out of that door.”

Regret? She glanced down at his hand, disgusted, and shook herself free. What was there to regret about leaving a man who’d lied and betrayed her?

Without looking back, she walked out, each step a declaration of her freedom. But as soon as the cool night air hit her face, she felt her facade crack. Tears she’d held back finally spilled over as she walked away, feeling both powerful and utterly broken.

He would never know that she hadn’t married him just because her family had wanted it. He’d never know that she’d actually loved him once, for four long years, waiting, hoping, believing in a love that had never been real.

Just as she tried to hold back another sob, her phone rang. It was her father’s assistant, his voice strained. “Miss Montgomery, I’m afraid there’s been an accident. Your father…he passed away on the spot.”

The world around her turned black as she dropped the phone, her knees giving out as reality came crashing down.

Related chapters

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 2

    Ella woke up suddenly, gasping. The air around her felt thick and hot, as if someone had cranked up the heat to unbearable levels. Squinting her eyes open, she was met with the eerie orange glow of flames licking up the walls, smoke filling every corner of the room. She couldn’t breathe. Her throat scratched with every gasp, her lungs screaming for relief. Instinctively, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and tried to rise. That’s when she stumbled, her feet catching on something soft yet unyielding. She glanced down and froze. “Dad…” The word came out as a broken whisper. Her father lay still beside her, his face peaceful yet hauntingly lifeless. He had no visible injuries, nothing to suggest he’d been hurt—yet here he was, lying motionless. Panic clawed at her chest, but amid the terror, a strange familiarity washed over her. She recognized this place: her father’s factory workshop, his beloved pharmaceutical lab. Her mind raced, piecing together fragments of memory

    Last Updated : 2024-10-30
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 3

    Everyone in the cabin went silent, their eyes fixed on Lucas. He gave a mocking sneer, putting down the newspaper he’d been holding. His icy gaze turned to Ella, and he took slow, deliberate steps toward her. "Miss Kane," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "you really live up to your name as the ‘Rose of the Battlefield.’” Suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing her by the neck, his grip cold and unyielding. He lifted her toward the window with a dark glint in his eyes. “Do you honestly believe I couldn’t open this window right now and toss you out as fertilizer for the flowers?” The threat hung in the air, his voice low and venomous. Just then, Ella stumbled forward, her balance lost as the plane gave a sudden jolt. She fell against him, her heart pounding as his arms closed around her for a brief second, enveloped in his scent. Lucas froze, momentarily taken aback by her closeness, a flicker of something like surprise crossing his face before he hardened again.

    Last Updated : 2024-10-30
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 4

    Ella heart skipped a beat, her mind racing. Had Aunt Laura, Lila's Mom figured it out? "Lila is our daughter, who else could she be? Laura, you’re getting old and confused!" Lila's dad’s voice boomed across the living room. Aunt Laura's eyes narrowed, eyebrows arching up. "James Peterson, did you just call me old?" Her dad, known across the neighborhood for his strict but silent demeanor, rarely spoke to Aunt Laura so directly. Yet here he was, standing his ground with a tone Lila had only ever seen him use with stubborn vendors at the farmer’s market. “Stop talking nonsense and just tell us where the child was last seen!” His voice was sharp and commanding, cutting through Aunt Laura's attempted rebuttal. Aunt Laura’s face lost its color, her fingers clenched into a tight ball. After a pause, she muttered unwillingly, “The paternity testing center.” Ella's heart dropped. Could Aunt Laura have taken both children for a DNA test? “You had them tested? Laura, have you completely

    Last Updated : 2024-10-30
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 5

    Compared to little Kaia, who was all bright-eyed and giggly, Kai seemed far more composed as he carefully observed his mother, who had just walked in. He smoothly pulled out a chair for her, showing a maturity that was almost startling in someone his age, and poured her a cup of warm milk. “Mom, when did you get back?” he asked, studying her with that same serious expression that made him look like a mini-adult. “Didn’t you say your flight was delayed because of the weather?” Ella chuckled. Her son always had a way of getting to the heart of things, didn’t he? “Well,” she teased, giving him a mischievous grin. “I actually borrowed a plane from a friend and flew back overnight myself. Impressive, right?” Kai's eyes went wide with shock. His mouth opened slightly, looking both amazed and doubtful at the same time, as he tried to wrap his head around the idea of his mom piloting her way across the night sky. She couldn’t resist ruffling his hair, holding back her laughter. “I’m jus

    Last Updated : 2024-11-06
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 6

    "Mr. Lucas, Captain Dan has recovered, but the doctor says he needs a six-month observation period before he can fly again. Do you think we should hire another pilot?" Secretary Zane reported over the phone, his voice echoing in the hallway. Standing by the glass walls of the mall, Lucas looked out with his usual unreadable expression. Expanding the Apex group’s business into Asia meant he had to fly overseas almost every month, so having a dependable pilot was essential. Just as he was about to respond, Lucas spotted Ella in the distance—and three little kids trailing behind her. Something in his mind shifted, and before he knew it, he said, "Look into a journalist named Lila Kane. I want to know why she knows how to fly a plane." There was a beat of silence on the other end, then Zane’s voice returned, tinged with shock, "Sir… Are you saying you want Ms. Lila to be your pilot?" Zane immediately regretted those words. Lucas hated it when people tried to guess his intentions, and

    Last Updated : 2024-11-06
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 7

    Ella nodded silently, her mind racing with thoughts she wasn’t quite ready to share. "But how is that even possible?" Jenna’s voice broke through the fog of uncertainty. "They didn’t notice anything weird when you lived with them before. So, what changed? Unless… someone told them something?" As the pieces clicked into place, Jennas expression shifted, her eyes narrowing. "Could it be Dr. Leo..?" "No," Ella replied, shaking her head with conviction. Jenna looked at her, surprised. "How can you be so sure?" Ella paused for a moment, weighing her words. She decided to spill the beans. "He’s been looking after Kai and Kaia for years. He’s helped me out a lot, so he has no reason to spill the beans to Mr. and Mrs. Kane." But Jenna, always quick to catch the scent of gossip, raised an eyebrow. "He helped take care of Kai and Kaia? What, like a dad or something?" Ella shot her a glare. "It’s not what you think." Jenna smirked, leaning in closer. "But how do you know what I’m thinki

    Last Updated : 2024-11-06
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 8

    Ella said indifferently: "She's in the entertainment department, and I'm in the international news department. We can't get along with her. She shouldn't be so idle as to stretch out her hand so long to punish me." It's a pity that Ella guessed wrong this time. Not only is Amy idle, but her hands are longer than she imagined. --- That night at Montgomery's Manor, the atmosphere in the dining room was thick with tension. Lucas placed the newspaper down, his gaze icy as it met the butler’s. “He still refuses to eat?” The butler sighed, shaking his head as if he were a parent dealing with a rebellious teenager. “Young Master Theo has locked himself in his room since he got back this afternoon. He’s declared a hunger strike, sir.” Lucas raised an eyebrow. “A hunger strike? For what?” “Unless you—” the butler hesitated, glancing nervously at Lucas’s growing impatience. “Unless Reporter Lila apolot for the incident this afternoon. He wants you to admit you were wrong, and—uh, he wan

    Last Updated : 2024-11-06
  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 9

    Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze cold but curious. "How exactly did you know?"Amy blinked, quick to throw up a flimsy excuse. No way she could admit she’d put someone on his tail. So, she conjured up a reasonable story with a hint of sweetness. "Oh, it was pure coincidence! I went to a little networking event tonight and ran into that journalist, Lila. Overheard her gossiping about it with some friends."Lucas’s gaze was steady and expressionless, giving nothing away.Taking a breath, Amy gathered her courage, clasping her hands and giving her best innocent look. "Lucas, please don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not prying into your life or anything. I just—well, I actually need a favor. My team recently started working on a new aviation program, but… you know me, I’m clueless about these things. I thought maybe that journalist Lila could help me out. You wouldn’t mind letting her tag along with me for a bit, would you?”A flicker of amusement crossed Lucas's face as he observ

    Last Updated : 2024-11-10

Latest chapter

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 155 Final chapter

    However, Ella suddenly thought of something and looked up. "Dante, the lawyer, did you hire him?"As expected, Dante was stunned before replying, "How did you know?"Although everyone knew that the mastermind behind the Montgomery family's fire six years ago was not only Leo, but also possibly involved the Lopez family, it was also known that it was difficult to bring down the Lopez family with their current momentum.Therefore, both Ella and Lucas did not act rashly.Yesterday, Leo's lawyer suddenly threw out evidence in court implicating the Lopez family, and Ella felt that the lawyer was suspicious, but she couldn't figure out who arranged it.Until just now, when she heard Dante's words, she suddenly understood that it could only be Dante.Ella suddenly felt warm in her heart.She looked at Dante and bowed deeply. "Thank you."DANTE was confused. "Thank me for what?" After a while, she suddenly reacted, "Wait, you don't think I hired a lawyer to save him, do you? You're wrong. I

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 154 We could still be friends

    With this thought, Ella suddenly realized that Kaia not only had a poker face like Lucas, but also had some resemblance to Lucas in his facial features."This is...""My son," Lucas lowered his head and said to Kai, "Kai, call Uncle Dante."Kai obediently called out, "Hello, Uncle Dante."Uncle Dante said he was not good at all.He stared at Kai, his face full of disbelief. "This, this child is yours and Lucas'...""Dante I brought the child over for an exam, and time is tight, so I won't chat with you anymore. You can do as you please."Ella didn't want to discuss the issue of her child's identity with this half-stranger so early in the morning, so she smiled at Dante, then took Kai and walked away.Dante had finally run into her, how could he just let her go like this?But he also realized that Ella didn't want to discuss this topic, so after coming back to his senses, he quickly caught up and steered the conversation towards Kai. "Your son is so young and already taking exams? What

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 153 Could it be like you secretly like me?

    Lucas asked again, "Is there anyone else at home while Amy is out?""There’s a nanny.""Does the nanny take good care of you?"Theo didn’t answer.Lucas frowned at his hesitant expression.If the nanny treated Theo well, he wouldn’t hesitate like this. But if she didn’t, with Theo’s tendency to complain and cause trouble, how could he possibly cover up for her?Could it be that this little guy, at such a young age, had already learned to be afraid of the strong and bully the weak?Thinking of this, Lucas’s expression turned cold."Stand up straight!"Theo trembled and tried to straighten his body like a small pine tree."I’m asking you, is the nanny good to you or not? If you lie, I won’t take care of you anymore."Theo panicked at these words.If Dad didn’t want him and Amy was gone, what would he do in the future?"Not good! The nanny hits me and says I’m a bastard, not Dad’s child! She won’t let me complain to Amy, or else she’ll sell me to a remote mountain and let Amy and Dad nev

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 152 You little fox

    "What's the matter with me?"This mischievous child wouldn’t be able to harm her even if he wanted to.Ella paused and said, "Do you want to talk to him first? Otherwise, I'm standing here at the hospital entrance with people coming and going. It’s not good to block his mouth, but if I don’t block his mouth, I’m afraid he’ll say something harmful to you, Mr. Montgomery."As soon as Lucas heard her call him Mr. Montgomery, he knew she was in a bad mood again and immediately said, "Then give the phone to Theo."Ella handed the phone to Theo’s ear and took the tissue box out of his mouth."You little fox.""Theo, say one more word to her and see what happens."Theo’s fear of Lucas was almost innate, so even though Amy had been brainwashing him these days, saying that his father had been lured away by Lila, the fox spirit, and didn’t want them anymore, he still harbored resentment towards Lucas.But now, when he heard Lucas’s voice, he reflexively closed his mouth and even trembled slight

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 151 Your son is in my hand

    Just then, Ella heard a commotion coming from the direction of the TV station entrance, and faintly heard a child crying."You bad guy! Let go of me, I want to find my mommy...""Your mommy doesn't work here anymore! If you keep causing trouble, I'll call the police!""You're lying, my mommy told me yesterday that she's coming to work at the TV station!"Ella listened from afar and felt a sense of familiarity. Could it be that she had just lamented that Amy wasn’t here, and now she had encountered Amy’s child again?She pursed her lips and originally wanted to turn around and leave. After all, even if the child had lost the protection of his mother, since Lucas had woken up, he should take care of him. It wouldn't be long before someone came to take him away, and it wasn’t her place to play the saint at this time.But just as she took two steps, the child’s crying became even louder, and the voice of the security guard didn’t sound as harsh as before, but rather panicked."You, you

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 150 Moving next door

    After leaving the court, Ella's mood was not very good.She had planned to go home and take a nap, but she received a call from the delivery company on the way. The furniture she had ordered online out of boredom while recuperating had been delivered in pieces over the past few days.The delivery company had been urging her to pick it up as the furniture took up space in their warehouse.Ella thought for a moment and decided to go to her new home to check on the furniture. She arranged a delivery time with the delivery man and headed to her new home.When she arrived at the doorstep of her new house, the delivery man had just arrived with the children's bed she had ordered. Even with two men carrying it, it took a lot of effort to move the pile of wooden boards.The online store had promised installation, but no one had come to install it even after half a day. Ella contacted customer service and was told that installation had to be scheduled separately. However, all the installati

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 149 Sick to the bone!

    "Life-saving benefactor?" Ella remained calm. "I never intended to take him away from the beginning."Lucas, who couldn't fit into his outfit, clung to Ella's hand. "You promised to take me to see the trial together today."Ella replied, "Yes, but I also said last night that we need the doctor's approval. I asked the doctor for you this morning, and he said you have to rest in the hospital."Lucas' face twisted into a bitter gourd. He was about to speak, but the ward door was pushed open at that moment."Lila, the discharge has been processed."Mrs. Kane's voice abruptly stopped.She stared at Ella, then at Lucas, and then at her own precious daughter's hand, tightly held by Lucas.The air fell into a deathly silence.Finally, it was Ella who reacted first. She pulled back her hand and smiled awkwardly at Mrs. Kane. "Um, Mom, Mr. Montgomery has something to discuss with me."Mrs. Kane replied, "Okay, you guys talk first. I'll wait for you outside."With complicated emotions, she clos

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 148 The sickly beauty

    “Lucas?” Ella frowned. “Why did he come to me instead of resting in his own room?”Zane repeated, “Mr. Montgomery has something to discuss with you.”“Why couldn’t he just talk on the phone?”Zane hesitated for a moment before blurting out, “He needs you to answer the phone first.”Ella fell silent. She didn’t mean to ignore Lucas’s calls. When he called in the afternoon, she was on the phone with Officer Philip. After hearing about Kings Lopez’s confession and Leo’s desire to confess, she had no energy left to deal with Lucas’s matters.It was only when she ran into Matt at the hospital and was reminded of some memories from the past that she thought to ask a few questions.Ella rubbed her forehead and didn’t bother explaining to Zane. She pushed open the door and walked in.Mrs. Kane had been guided by Mr. Kane to watch less TV recently, so she still didn’t know about Leo’s car accident, let alone that he was a murderer.She thought Lila might reconcile with Dr. Leo. So when she h

  • Second chances: Love or revenge?   Chapter 147 That child is not his, right?

    After asking the question, Matt finally got his answer and stopped being curious.But Ella suddenly remembered something.She turned her head to look at Matt and, imitating his tone, asked a riddle, "That child is not his, right?"Matt: "..."This riddle really stumped Matt for a moment.The child was easy to guess—it was obviously Theo. But who was the "he" in Ella's question? If she was referring to Lucas, then the answer was definitely no.But if she was referring to Theo's father, then the answer would be completely different!After thinking for a while, Matt scratched his head and said, "Didn't we already make it clear that the child's name was Theo?"Ella immediately understood. She guessed it right—or, more accurately, it was Kai who reminded her. The child was actually Lucas’s good friend, Theo's father, Dylan!Ella thought for a moment and asked again, "So he kept the child's identity a secret from me because he had his reasons?"This time, Matt immediately understood that th

Scan code to read on App
DMCA.com Protection Status