Cattleya’s POVI was stunned. I couldn't find the words. Maybe my sister's 40th death day was way more important to think than to think what other people would say.My mom sighed, "I'm sorry, Catt… I got carried away… I didn't mean to hurt you."I nodded and looked away.She picked up her black purse and left my condo.I sat on the couch, thinking about my happy memories with my twin sister. Now, they are all gone. I can only think about it, but it’s difficult to think about it—it only brings me pain. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Vianne, my secretary. I answered her call. "Hey..." "It's been days since you've been to the office, boss. Are you okay?" she asked."I'm fine," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "Did you move everything to my new office? The art, the gallery, everything I wanted? And did you talk to Mr. Spencer? What's the news?"She cleared her throat. "Actually, there's a problem. He doesn't want to talk to me. He wants to talk to you. As soon as he heard I w
Cattleya’s POV"No!" I yelled at him angrily."Are you not going to leave, woman?!" he shouted.I laughed sarcastically. "No! I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth about why she was the worst! What did you do to my sister? What did you do?!""I did nothing wrong to her. She was annoying as hell! And you... you won't get anything from me because I won't tell you anything!" he retorted."I know you know something about her death." He sneered at me evilly as he said, "You better stay away from me and stop bothering me!"Within seconds, the hotel security arrived. They escorted me out of his room. "Let go of me!" I yelled at the two guards who were holding my hands behind my back.They let go of me without saying a word. I stepped out of the elevator as soon as we arrived on the ground floor. I walked outside; frustration was evident on my face. To my surprise, I saw Jaxon just arriving. He walked into the entrance with all his men behind him.They marched past me as if I were in
Cattleya’s POVAs I sat in the dimly lit room, the man's gaze seemed to burn into me, his eyes darting back and forth as if searching for a weakness. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple, a silent response to the intensity of his scrutiny."Well, thanks to me, you're still alive," he finally said, his voice a low rumble. "Leo could have killed you today if I hadn't intervened."I forced a smile, my teeth gritting against each other. "So, including you? You want to stop me from finding the truth? Because you know something about it?"He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against something hard. "Your sister wasn't just an ordinary person. Her image was important, and revealing the truth would only cause chaos—by dragging my name."I nodded and took a sip of the rich red wine. The taste was bitter on my tongue, a stark contrast to the sweetness of my memories of my sister."The only difference between us," I said, standing up, "is that I have nothing to hide. But you, you
Cattleya’s POVElise frowned, her anger rising, "Are you joking, right?"Jaxon cleared his throat, trying to calm the situation. "Elise—""No, Jaxon, I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to this woman. Who do you think you are?" Elise yelled, her voice trembling with rage."I'm Cattleya Sullivan, and I'm your fiance's girlfriend," I said, my voice steady and confident."Are you out of your mind?!" she screamed, her face flushed with wrath. All eyes in the coffee shop turned to us, their faces a mixture of shock and amusement."Sullivan?" Elise murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "That name sounds familiar. I remember her... her name was Ariella, wasn't it? Such a tragic loss. May her soul rest in peace."My heart pounded in my chest. Did she know something about Ariella, too?What a strange coincidence.Jaxon had no choice but to grab my hand and pull me outside. Elise followed, her tears streaming down her face. "Jaxon... wait...." She sobbed fakely, her words barely loud throug
Cattleya’s POVI wasn't sure if he had heard me correctly. For the first time ever, I saw a genuine look of confusion on his face. I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.Had I just made the Devil Mafia Lord look like a fool?I sighed, a smile playing on my lips. "Are you okay?""Do you want to marry me?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and hope."Yes," I replied without hesitation.His lips parted in awe. He seemed stunned as if he couldn't believe I had just said that. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. "Well... I'm very easy to negotiate, princess.""So, you're telling me you're going to leave your fiancée for me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow."It was just a deal, an agreement, to form an alliance with the Romano family by taking their first daughter as my bride. But now that you want to marry me... then yes. Let's get married," he said huskily, his voice filled with determination.I was stunned again. I hadn't expected him to be so serious. I had been h
Cattleya’s POV"Why is it gone?" I asked, my breath coming in heavy gasps. I couldn't believe my twin sister had lived a double life. After all this time, she'd kept a secret from us.Vianne sighed, "I think it's best if you talk to Sister Lorna about it."I nodded, grabbed my purse, and walked away without looking back.I needed to know the truth. It was the only way I could help my twin sister. I felt sorry for her. She'd suffered all her life and had met a tragic end.Sister Lorna, the owner of the orphanage convent, was the only nun with whom Ariella shared everything. Even I, her own sister, am left in the dark about many aspects of her life. It's as if she's deliberately keeping me out.But what about her daughter? What could have happened to her? And who was the father? I drove to the orphanage, the 45-minute journey filled with tears. I could still hear her laughter in my mind and the way she'd called my name on the phone. She'd insisted she was fine, but she wasn't.As I
Cattleya’s POV"What do you mean, Ms. Catt?" Vianne asked."Nothing. Just do your job and find me the most suitable gown for tomorrow night. I want it delivered tomorrow at 10 AM, then schedule an appointment for me at the salon. Okay?"Vianne replied politely, "Alright. Don't worry, I'll handle everything."I massaged my temples, thinking my parents might want me to marry Patrick. Then I stared at my engagement ring, which could easily cover the cost of the entire wedding. How ironic.****Next Day, I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing; the condo staff had delivered the box for me. When I checked the time, it was already 10 a.m. I guess Vianne did her work excellently. I put the big rectangular box on my bed. Then I opened the box and smiled because it contained an excellent gown for tonight's event. My stomach growled because I was hungry, and as soon as I opened the fridge, I bit my lower lip and frowned, "Darn, no food. I forgot to buy the groceries last week." After
Cattleya’s POVI'm so sorry, Catt. Your dad failed us this time..." My mom sobbed, her voice filled with despair.That's all I heard from my mom as she walked away, leaving me alone in the greenhouse, my heart heavy with disappointment.I sighed softly, "What should I do? Dad's company is failing, and his business partner will want to cut ties with us..."I put my hand on my temple and massaged it, my mind racing. "I should look for more investors or a new business partner to help my dad's business. Yes, that's right."I took a deep breath and walked out of the greenhouse, all the maids staring at me as if I'd done something wrong that morning.I glared at them and said, "What are you looking at?"One of the maids replied, "Ms. Catt, we did all of this for you. We heard that you rejected Mr. Patrick's proposal. So, what should we do with the preparations for tonight?"I looked around and realized that all their efforts would be wasted if they had to clean everything up. Clearing my t
Cattleya’s POV"Are you ready?" I asked, and then he held my hand tightly. He nodded nervously. I laughed, "Jaxon, this is not so you." "I'm just nervous, babe," he replied with a soft sigh.Thankfully, I had previously told them about their father, who had been away for many years and even showed them a photo of Jaxon. So, by the time they met him, they already knew who he was.Jaxon looked incredibly nervous as we arrived at the safe house. He seemed on the verge of running away. "What if they don't like me? What if they can't accept me?" he fretted."Have they seen your face before?" I asked calmly.He stood at the doorway, a mixture of excitement and apprehension evident on his face. "No, not yet. But I've already seen them. Gosh, they look so cute! They look just like me—""Hey! I'm their mother too," I teased, "You can't take all the credit!"Jaxon blushed. I wanted to laugh but gently knocked on the door with a smile.He sighed softly. "What do I do now? Will they be upset t
Cattleya’s POVI ducked down to cover my head. Looking around, I saw everyone had gone wild, fighting for survival as if their lives depended on it. Terror gripped me as I watched my husband battling fiercely, risking his own life."J--Jaxon!" He indeed chose me, and now he had to fight all those people trying to kill him. Within minutes, Vlad and his men arrived to help Jaxon in the battle.My eyes widened as I saw Vlad grab one of them and viciously crack their neck, and then a cruel smile graced his lips. He continued in this manner, dispatching each of them with chilling efficiency.I stepped back, searching for an exit, only to realize I had forgotten something. When I turned around, I saw Elise standing behind me, her eyes wide with shock.She hissed, "Don't you dare.." I scoffed, then walked towards her, grabbing her hand tightly and dragging her towards me. She struggled against me, but even though my body felt battered and bruised, I wouldn't let her go."Let go of me, bit
Cattleya’s POV"Oh, Cattleya, you are such a fool. How could you believe that I took your twins?" I heard Elise's voice echoing through the empty building.I never thought I would find myself in another life-threatening situation. My heart pounded in my chest, and then I took a deep breath, tried to steady myself, and looked up to see her. Elise stood at the bottom of the stairs, a vision in a crimson velvet dress, identical to the one I had worn on the night I chose revenge.A chilling smile played on her lips. She looked like a predator, poised and ready to strike.She turned around, a crowing glint in her eyes. "Do you like my gown? Oh, I almost forgot… it's quite identical to the one you wore the last time, but I think this one is better."I stared at her, my gaze unwavering. Giving her the death stare wouldn't achieve anything. I needed to think, to find a way to escape this deadly game, or perhaps even fight for my life.She walked towards me, stopping a few steps away. "But yo
Cattleya’s POVThe rain had finally stopped, and I was starting to feel a little peckish. I headed downstairs, planning to grab a snack in the kitchen. But as I approached, I heard a loud crash. My heart lurched. Three figures, masked and menacing, stood frozen in the doorway.Panic rushed through me. I reacted instinctively, snatching a heavy vase from the counter and hurling it at them. The vase shattered against the wall, glass raining down. Then, like a ghost, Jaxon appeared. His gun barked three times, and the intruders crumpled to the floor."Ow!" I hissed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my foot. Jaxon asked, "Are you hurt?" "I'd stepped on a shard of glass...." Jaxon rushed towards me, scooping me up in his arms. "We need to go," he growled, carrying me out of the house. Gunfire erupted behind us. It wasn't just three men. It was an ambush!He threw me into the car, buckling me in before sliding behind the wheel. "They found us," he said, his voice grim."I know,"
Cattleya’s POVHe put me above the table and pulled himself closer to me. He kissed my lips, then my cheek, and finally my forehead, staring into my eyes with such longing. He breathed softly and whispered, "You know how much I've waited for this…"I gasped and asked, "What do you mean?"He just smiled at me and continued. He kissed my earlobe, then down my neck, showering me with tender kisses all over my body. It sent a tingling sensation through me that I craved so badly.Then he took off his gray T-shirt. I gasped as I stared at his muscular body. Damn, what a body! I lay my back on the table, and he leaned in, kissing my lips again. He pulled me so close that our mouths and lips smashed together, driven by the longing we felt for each other.Then he caressed my neck down to my chest, making me almost moan aloud. He put his hand on my lips and said, "Moan out loud, baby..."He continued what he was doing, caressing my breasts more and more. Finally, unable to contain himself any l
Cattleya’s POVI awoke to the rhythmic drumming of heavy rain against the windowpane. Never had I imagined life could feel this peaceful, this utterly serene. I couldn't believe the man I'd yearned for, longed for with every fiber of my being, was sitting there, watching me sleep. I blinked slowly, a yawn escaping my lips, and murmured, "Did I sleep too long?"Jaxon smiled, the curve of his lips a breathtaking sight, and then he replied, "You passed out."I nodded, my heart pounding against my ribs. And I sat up in bed; the world still felt surreal, a dream I feared waking from. My gaze darted away, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze and the unspoken emotions swirling between us. I just couldn't help but sigh in relief. Then he said, "I… I only know you're my wife because my investigator proved it to me. The photos on the screen, everything about it, prove that you're my wife."My eyes widened. If this was all it was, if his feelings weren't genuine if he only recognized me
Cattleya’s POV"Catt, you should sleep, and we will face it tomorrow, okay?" Vlad said, leading me to my room. I couldn't help but hug him, saying, "Thank you for helping me."He was a little stunned when I hugged him. He tapped my shoulder, "Everything will be fine. I'm sure of it.""Thanks, Vlad," I said, kissing his cheek and locking the door. I only did that so that he would think my mind wasn't in a storm and that I would fall asleep tonight without thinking about anything. I took a deep breath and glanced at the window. I needed to know what really happened to Jaxon. I couldn't just leave him there with a group of people who betrayed him.I knew Vlad was working on it, but I had to take action before it was too late.I slowly opened the window, and the wind greeted me. I placed my hands on the railing and slowly climbed down without making any noise. Then I bit my lower lip when I saw Vlad talking to someone on the phone in the living room. I tried so hard not to be noticed by
Cattleya's POVMr. Salvatore glared at me as if he'd seen a ghost, then immediately pretended like he didn't know me, "Who the hell are you?"I chuckled softly. "Oh, you're just like your daughter. She pretended she didn't know me too. Alright, let me present myself again. My name is Cattleya Sullivan. The woman who died three years ago."Suddenly, Elise interjected, "It's Dylan's birthday, and I don't want you to ruin my son's birthday..." then she glanced at Jaxon. "How could you bring this woman here to cause some chaos?"Jaxon ignored her.And amid the crowd, I heard Grace's voice shriek. My first thought was that she'd escaped the mental hospital, drunk and disheveled. "Cattleya! Oh my god, it's been a long time! Y—You're alive! I thought you were dead?!" Then she laughed at her own joke. "Oh my god, maybe I was just seeing things. Are you a ghost?"And that's when Jaxon interrupted her, "Grace, do you know her?"Anthony arrived to stop Grace from talking. "Grace, what the hell a
Cattleya’s POV“What?! I didn't do anything wrong! She strangled me to death, Jaxon! This woman hurt me! You can ask your son! He saw everything!" Elise said while pointing a finger at me.She really wanted Jaxon to believe her, but I guess I really know my husband the most. By looking at it, he doesn't believe a single word that Elise just said."Did I just warn you not to hurt my employee? She's my new secretary, for the love of God, Elise. You always make this so complicated. And please, don’t drag Dylan into this. Don’t be so childish…." Then she shook her head and said one more time, "Jaxon—""Stop this, Elise. Get out of Cattleya's room now. I'll deal with you later," Jaxon said, opening the door wider.Elise walked out, her feet thumping against the floor. She looked furious, but here I am, my heart so flattered that Jaxon didn't believe Elise. I am so proud of my husband. Oh, damn, there he is, staring at me. Jaxon took a step closer and checked my arms and neck. My heart wa