“Is he trying to running away from me because of my request? Or because he already knows that his cousin won't help me out!” Series of thoughts flashes through my mind.“Alex, Alex! What is wrong? Are you okay?”“Am fine, just feeling or wondering why you have to travel now that I need your help the most!” I said, and I could feel him smiling over the phone.“It's wouldn't be long, okay! I will be back before you know it, and we can keep on talking on the phone” He replied, and I sigh. Bading him good wishes, and goodbye, I immediately ended the call, walked back to the open window, staring at the half moon in the sky.“Just when I thought I finally had someone I can call my own! Someone I can at least depend on, and now he is he running away from me? Do I have to struggle things out on my own all my life?. Do I have to face my fears, challenges all alone? Don't I deserve some sort of love, or assurance of being not all alone, from someone?” I thought silently while drop of tears unco
CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV After waiting in vain for her call another few minutes, I decided to hold the bull by the horn. I mean, this is crazy! Waiting for who is going to call each other first?. I am going to act mature, and call her first. And when I did, I realized something that scared me a little bit! Something that gripped at my heart, at my conscience. But it's too late to make corrections now. Let her hates me in the future, not now! Not when I am finally getting a hold on her!. The way and manner she reacted to my information about my other identity make me to realize that she has unknownly falling in love with him, which is good though. Because it's actually the same person. The same me!. And I have my plans! The plans of making her fall in love with Chester, with the real me!. Not feeling sleepy, I went back to my private bar, drinking champagne. The strong ray of light coming from the window I failed to close up yesterday night, flashes through my eyes and covered my
“Who is she?” “Wow!” “She is damned gorgeous!” Some of the guests whimpers, still looking at her as she walked towards us. “Alex, darling! Thank you for coming! And I must confess, you look stunning in this dress of yours!” My mom embraced her. “Thank you mom! I got this for you!” She said, handed over a boutique of red roses to her and then a box wrapped with gold color. “Wow! Thank you for the gift, honey! Everyone please meet my soon to be daughter-in-law!” My mom suddenly announced, smiling as if it was the most casual thing to say in the world. I couldn't observed the expression on her face due to the mask but I hear her sharp breath just like me and her body went stiff for a while. I watched the unreadable expression on her face slowly turning into a smile when the some of the guests rally around her. It seems someone probably asked her a sensitive question because she suddenly turned to smile at me before answering whatever questions they're asking. “You never told me ab
“Thank you, Sir! You don't look bad yourself!” She replied. “Hummm…” “Go ahead!" I said when she hesitated from saying something. “Have you been able to call Murphy? His mobile number isn't connecting any more!” “Are you that worried about him?” I asked wondering if I should be happy about this or not. “He is my very good friend, of course I will be worried about his safety!” She said as a matter of fact. “While I believe he is fine, but I haven't heard from him either. His line isn't connecting just like you rightly observed!” I said, suddenly annoyed for no reason. “If you say so! But kindly let me know whenever you can reach him!” “No problem!” I said before opening the door to a place that I haven't been to in a very long while. “Is this your…?” She turned to stare at me, looking surprised. “Yeah, it is!” I said feeling proud of my decision of bringing her here. “This is beautiful!" You must have spend a great part of your childhood here!" She said, running her elegan
“And why is that?" She interrupted , frowning her face. "Because you are the wife, and hence I won't want eyes on your reputation as well as that of my family’s?" "Oh! I get it! Well, honestly, isn't fair!” She said, but I choose to ignore it. “The fifth one, I like I said, no flirting with the opposite gender as a married woman, and don't expect any form of intimacy from me!” I said, and she breathes out softly. “I have a condition too!" "Go on please!” “I won't be working with you at the company! And can we live separately?” She asked, and I frowned at the last part. “How do you intend to make it look real to the outside world if we were to be living separately? As the wife of a famous billionaire, all eyes especially the media eyes will be on you, finding faults from all angles!” I explained, and she breathes out softly, again. “I am smarter than she is! No man will flirt with my wife even if it a contract marriage!” I said inwardly. “Do you agree to my first request th
“Welcome home, sir!” The housekeeper hurried out to welcome me.“Thank you Mrs Williams!” I said while one of the bodyguard’s opens the car door for me. “Are you going in, sir?” She asked slowly, and I turned sharply to look at her, puzzled by her question.“Is there any reason for me not to enter my own house, Mrs Williams?”“No sir! Well, sir….” She started stuttering, and I watched her moving her arms behind her back nervously.“Is there something you are not telling me, Mrs Williams?” I narrowed my eyes at her.“I……well, I……i…..” She kept on stuttering, and I became confused.“Welcome back from the party, darling!” A female voice I have come to dislike sounded. Turning slowly to the direction the voice was coming from, I saw Sofia cat-walking towards me.“Now listen to me, Mrs Williams! The next time you allow strangers into my house without my consent, consider yourself sacked immediately!” I said coldly, while she nods her head vigorously to my words.“Yes..yes, sir!”“Who is a
“I knew it! I knew it was going this direction, but not the way I envision it to be!. So, what was your reply?” She giggled happily, and I wished I never wasted my time discussing it with her. She was going to make me agreed to it in the first place! Well, not that I had a choice, though!. “Nothing yet! He give me two days to think about it!” “Listen girl! There is absolutely nothing much to think, or worry about. Consider it as a job employment were you are being paid handsomely at the end of the month!. A marriage with convenience? And just for six months?. Girl, you are in for some luck! Chances of you getting a better medical treatment for your dad is slim! Plus an avenue for you setting up your future is guaranteed! So what are you scared of?” She asked the question that have made me restless since I came back from the party. “Yes! What am I really scared of? Afraid that I might end up loving him? Or afraid that I might miss a chance with Murphy?” I questioned myself inwardly.
“Oh! That is kind of you sir!” I said, feeling relieved a little bit when he informed me of his intentions of taking over my father's medical treatment immediately. At least, my decision is not in vain. “You mean this evening? Alright! I will get prepared before then. Okay, see you later, bye sir!” Ending the call, I breathe out again. He is indeed not wasting time. Since he wants to officially introduce me to his parents before the commencement of the wedding plans, I need to start preparing myself for a gorgeous dress to wear. Taking a brief look at the quiet front view of the compound, I closed up the window and walked away. ************ CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV Waiting restlessly the second day, I gave up hope of her ever accepting my offer until I received her call. “Yes!” I did a happy fist up in the sir before pacing around the room, wondering what to do next now that she has finally accepted me. Suddenly I stopped on my track, picked up my car keys and head out of the hous
Chester’s mind raced as he and Liam sat at the front of the sleek black car, the streets of New York blurred outside the windows. The tension between them was palpable, the quiet hum of the engine barely cutting through the weight of the situation. "I can't afford to alert Madeline," Chester said quietly, his gaze focused on the road ahead. "She’s playing this game too well. We have to keep everything under the radar. If she suspects we’re on to her, she might move Alex again." Liam nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. We’ll use private investigators. They can follow the trail without raising any suspicion. No need for police, now. We need this to be clean." Chester clenched his fists. His frustration was barely contained. He didn’t care about anything else anymore. His world had become a desperate chase to find Alex, to bring her back from the nightmare she was in. Every second that passed without her made the reality of losing her even more real. --- Meanwhile, in a dark and s
The streets of New York blurred as cheater's car sped down the road. His mind raced faster than the car’s engine, his heart pounding in his chest. He was so close. Just a few more miles, and he’d finally be able to see Alex, to explain himself, to tell her how much he regretted everything. But the closer he got to Alex’s house written address, the more his unease grew. His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the silence that had settled over him during the long drive. He pulled over, his hands trembling slightly as he grabbed it. It was a text from Daniel: "Call me. Something’s wrong." Chester's stomach twisted. Without hesitation, he dialed Daniel’s number, the anticipation gnawing at him. “Chester,” Daniel’s voice came through the phone, urgent and clipped. “It’s Alex. She’s gone.” Chester's pulse spiked. “What do you mean, gone? Where the hell is she?” “Someone took her. We don’t know who or why, but they grabbed her and her son. No sign of a struggle, just—gone. The police a
As the evening wore on, the luxurious ballroom where Chester’s wedding was supposed to take place was now eerily quiet. The guests had scattered, and the only sound that remained was the faint rustling of fabric from Madeline’s mother and her family, who had tried to console the shattered woman in the wake of Chester's abrupt departure. Madeline, her face pale and tear-streaked, sat alone in a chair near the empty altar, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The luxurious wedding gown that had once symbolized the beginning of a new life for her now felt like a suffocating shroud. Her mind raced with thoughts of betrayal and humiliation. She had spent so long trying to claw her way into Chester’s life, only for him to abandon her without a word. Her mother and the other family members kept trying to reach out to her, offering empty words of comfort. “He’ll come back around, darling,” her mother said gently, dabbing at Madeline’s tears with a lace handkerchief. “He has to. You’
The opulent venue was buzzing with excitement as the guests gathered, their eager whispers filling the air. The grand chandeliers cast a golden glow over the extravagant ballroom, and outside, the elite guests sipped champagne in a garden adorned with roses, basking in the spectacle of Chester's and Madeline’s wedding. Chester stood at the altar, a mere puppet of his family’s design. His chest tightened with every passing second. The distant clink of glasses and the murmured chatter of the crowd did little to drown out the chaotic thoughts racing through his mind. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t marry Madeline. As the officiant began the ceremony, Chester’s gaze flickered to Madeline, standing beside him with her flawless smile and eyes that glittered with triumph. But all he could think about was Alex—the woman he had loved, the woman he had lost. His heart slammed against his ribs, and his breath caught in his throat as a text message vibrated in his p
The weight of the news still hung heavily in the air as Alex watched the announcement unfold on the television screen. The buzz from the media, the socialites, and the world beyond seemed to intensify as the forced engagement between Chester and Madeline Brooks was broadcasted. The lavish wedding details began circulating—grand venues, designer dresses, and the promise of a high-profile ceremony to match the family's elite status. It felt surreal to Alex, who had once been that woman—caught in the whirlwind of Chester’s world, a world filled with promises and expectations. Yet, here she was, standing at the threshold of a new chapter, away from it all. Her son stirred in his crib, pulling her out of her thoughts. She smiled softly, walking over to him, watching as his tiny fingers reached up in his sleep. Despite everything—despite the confusion, the heartache, the betrayal—he was her miracle. And for him, she would build a future free from the past, free from the shadows of Leon a
Alex sat quietly in the park, the soft hum of the city around her, but her mind was far away. She glanced down at her son, his bright eyes reflecting the sunlight as he played with a small toy in his hands. He was the center of her world, and every decision she made from here on out would be for him. But there was something else. Something growing inside her—an uncertainty, a curiosity, a question that she had tried to ignore for so long. Could she open her heart again?... Liam had been there for her in a way that no one else had. He had never asked for anything, never pushed her to be someone she wasn’t. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized how much she appreciated his quiet strength, his kindness, and the ease with which he made her laugh. It wasn’t love yet, not the passionate kind she had shared with Leon, but it was something. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time... Liam had made it clear that he wasn’t ru
The weight of the announcement still hung heavily in Alex’s chest. She had tried to stay indifferent, but the image of Chester, standing next to Madeline, his expression distant yet resigned, kept haunting her. It wasn’t that she expected him to sit around pining for her, but seeing him so publicly move on, so easily, was more painful than she anticipated. As much as she told herself that it was for the best, that she was better off without him, there was always that nagging voice in the back of her mind. What if things could have been different? What if they hadn’t fallen apart the way they had? Could they have found a way back to each other? But that was in the past. And now, all that mattered was her son. He had her heart and soul, and Alex was determined to give him the best life possible. As she sat in the quiet of her apartment, holding her son close, she felt a stirring of something unexpected. It wasn’t just a feeling of longing for a man who no
Chester could hardly believe the words Madeline had spoken to him three weeks later! I'm Pregnant? The thought made his stomach churn. He hadn’t been careful, but the idea of her carrying his child seemed far-fetched, especially given the haze of alcohol and the drug she’d so deftly slipped into his system. But the truth, as twisted as it was, couldn’t be denied. He had no choice but to go through with a test, something he dreaded more than anything. --- The Next Day... Chester sat in the sterile, cold hospital room, his hands tightly clenched around the armrest of the chair. The results from the test were about to be revealed, and with every passing second, the knot in his stomach tightened further. Madeline sat across from him, her face a mask of feigned concern. She had been playing the role of the victim perfectly, looking so innocent, but Chester could see through the charade. Still, despite everything, there was a part of him that feared what the test might confirm. A nurse
CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV I sat at my desk, surrounded by files, photos, and addresses, my eyes bloodshot but sharp. For the first time in months, i wasn’t drowning in whiskey or self-pity. i had focus now — and it all pointed to one city. New York.... My private investigator had finally unearthed a clue, subtle but undeniable: a hospital record flagged under a different surname, but the birthdate and the emergency contact screamed Alex. It was the only real lead he’d had since she disappeared. Daniel walked in unannounced, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. “You look like hell, but for once you look alive.” I smirked slightly, the first real smile in ages. “I’m going to find her.” Daniel stepped closer, glancing at the spread of documents. “And when you do?” “I’m not letting her go,” I said flatly. “Not again.” But deep down, anxiety twisted in my chest. If Alex had hidden herself this well, it meant she didn’t want to be found. --- Meanwhile, across in another city..