**End of flashback*** “Man, you fucked up big time!" Daniel said. "I know! I know, dude! Just stop reminding me of it!” “Alright how do you intend to find her now that she is nowhere to be found!” “She is still in the city! I just need to put on efforts in looking for her! Bro, I can't do without her in my life! I will go crazy if I totally loses her!” “Says the man, who keeps fucking up!" Alright, man, I'm with you on this one!” Daniel said and I smiled faintly at him. Thank goodness, she has told my mom anything about it yet. ****** ALEXANDRIA POV It just two weeks away from the termination of the contract marriage, and I have made up plans on what to do nws with my life. I told Sande about it! About everything, and I can still remember how she fumes angrily over the phone, wishing she was here with me to teach him a lesson. Even since I left hospital, I have only being in touch with his mother, although she knows nothing yet about our separation. She has played
Sande's lips parted, and for a second, I thought she might argue. But then, something in my expression must have convinced her that I had finally reached my breaking point. She nodded. "I'll make the call." I exhaled slowly. This was the beginning. The first step toward taking my life back. And this time, there was no turning back. Two days later, I sat in my hospital bed, staring at the crisp stack of papers in my lap. Divorce papers. The black ink felt like a declaration of war—one I should have started a long time ago. But I had been too naive, too hopeful that the bond I had Chester when I knew him as Murphy could change everything! That he would eventually see me, that he would wake up one day, and realize I was more than just a contractual obligation. Slowly, I traced my fingers over the words, my chest tightening. Plaintiff: Claire Evans. Defendant: Leon Sinclair. Sande paced beside me, arms crossed. "Are you sure about this? I mean, I know he’s an absolute bastard, b
ALEXANDRIA POV I wasted no time. As soon as Chester left the hospital room, I grabbed my phone and called Sande. "It’s time." She didn’t ask questions. She just said, "I’ll handle everything." That’s why I trusted her—because she understood. There was no saving this shitty contract marriage. There was no salvaging what never existed. By the time I was discharged from the hospital the next day, everything was set. My plane ticket to Manhattan was booked, my things packed, and my new apartment secured. All I had to do was leave. But Chester wasn’t going to make it easy. He was waiting for me outside the hospital, leaning against his sleek black car. His gaze locked onto mine the second I stepped out, and my stomach twisted. "Going somewhere?" he asked, voice smooth, but there was an edge to it. I squared my shoulders. "Home." A flicker of something dark passed through his eyes. "Alex, I can take you home." "No, Chester." I met his stare head-on. "I never was going back there
It had been two whole months since I left Chester behind in Washington. His family especially his mom, tried to talk me into coming back, but my mind is already made up. In that time, I built something for myself. I landed a licence for my marketing firm, since I have long graduated from school and the money paid as allowances to me by him is enough to starts off and hires some staffs. At first, it was exhausting, demanding, and completely different from the world of wealth, and privilege I had been trapped in for six months. But it was mine. I woke up every morning to my own alarm, not the cold emptiness of his villa, I drive my own car through the city streets, blended in with the crowd, sometimes worked late into nights, and grabbed coffee from the same café every morning. I was a normal woman again. And I loved it. The Price of Freedom. But then, freedom came at a cost. Slowly my savings were dwindling. My apartment—while mine—felt too small, especially now that I wasn’t alo
Slowly, her smile faltered. I leaned in, my voice like steel. "And if you ever come near me again, I promise you, you’ll regret it." With that, I turned and walked away, never looking back. But even as I left her behind, my mind was in chaos. Natasha knew. And if she knew, how long until Chester did, too? The Walls I Build I spent the next few days in overdrive. If Chester was coming, I needed to be ready. I doubled my efforts at work, pushing myself harder, staying later. I told myself that if I was busy enough, I wouldn’t think about him. I wouldn’t think about the way he used to brush past me like I didn’t exist. The way he let Natasha humiliate me. The way he never chose me. That Chester Blackwood had no place in my life anymore. And when he came, I’d make sure he knew it.***** CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV Search begins, as my patience had run out For weeks, I had buried myself in work, telling myself that could wait. That Alex would come back when she was ready. But s
I knew he wouldn’t stop. Chester Blackwood was a man who never lost—deals, negotiations, or battles. And now, he had set his sights on me. But this wasn’t some business acquisition. I wasn’t a contract he could renegotiate, a deal he could close with a few persuasive words. He had lost me. And I would make damn sure he understood that. I am going to fortify my walls around me.The morning after he showed up, I made a list. 1. Change my phone number. 2. Inform security at my building—no one gets in without my permission. 3. Double down on work and focus on my business. 4. Do not let him get under my skin. I attacked my schedule like a woman on a mission. Meetings. Calls. Expanding my brand. I attended networking events, surrounded myself with people who saw my worth—who respected me for what I was building, not because of the man I had once been tied to. I was thriving. At least, I wanted to believe that.Until he made his first move The first sign that Chester wasn’t ba
Chester Blackwood wanted a war, I’d give him one. He thought he could bulldoze his way back into my life? Thought persistence and manipulation would break me? I wasn’t the woman he once ignored. I was stronger now. Smarter. And if he wouldn’t back off, I’d make him.****** A New Distraction "You need a rebound," My secretary Ava declared, sipping her cocktail as we sat at the rooftop bar overlooking the New York skyline. I raised a brow. "A rebound?" She smirked. "Or a distraction. Either way, you need someone to shove in his face. Show him he’s not the center of your universe anymore." I hesitated, swirling my wine. "I don’t know… I’ve been so focused on work." "Exactly. Which is why it’s time for some fun." Before I could argue, Ava waved someone over. I turned—and froze. Tall. Golden-skinned. Effortlessly confident. Alexander Carter. We had met a few times through business circles—an entrepreneur in his own right, wealthy, smooth, and devastatingly charming. His eye
I should have known Chester wouldn’t back down. I had barely shaken off the intensity of our confrontation last night when my assistant, Ava, rushed into my office, eyes wide. "You need to see this," she said, shoving her phone toward me. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as I took the phone. The headline was bold, impossible to ignore. "Chester Blackwood Makes a Move on Manhattan: Billionaire to Expand His Empire in the Heart of the City." My heart slammed against my ribs. I kept reading. "Sources confirm that the Blackwood's Conglomerate is in the process of relocating its headquarters to Manhattan City. The unexpected shift has sparked speculation, especially given president Chester’s recent visit to the city. Could this move be more than just business?" I gritted my teeth. Damn him. Chester!.******CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV "She saw it?" I asked, leaning back in my chair, fingers steepled as I listened to my assistant. "Yes, sir. Her assistant nearly dropped her ph
Meanwhile… Across the country, I sat hunched on the edge of my bed, my head pounding violently. A cold sweat drenched my skin, my entire body burning with fever.I clenched my fists, struggling to breathe. muscles ached, my vision swam, and my limbs felt unbearably heavy. My mother’s words from earlier haunted me. "Maybe she’s truly dead…my breath hitched, with chest tightening with agony. No. Alex wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be. But as my fever worsened, my mind began playing cruel tricks on me. I could hear her voice....soft, distant ...calling out to me. I could see the way she used to look at me, love shining in her eyes… before that love turned into pain. “Alex…” I rasped, gripping my temples as dizziness overtook me. Then, everything went black.*****CHRISTIAN POVI have been waiting downstairs, rushed up after hearing the loud thud from my boss's bedroom. My heart nearly stopped when I found my boss collapsed on the floor, completely unresponsive. “Shit! Boss!” With
Daniel, who had been silently watching, let out a deep breath. "She’s right, you know," he muttered. I remained still. "You should’ve treated her better," Daniel added. "You had everything, man. And now—" He shook his head. "You’re just letting yourself rot." I didn’t respond. I barely noticed when Daniel left, the villa falling into silence once again. Then, as if moving on instinct, I stumbled toward my bedroom. My feet felt heavy, my chest tight, as i entered the dark space, and headed straight for the bathroom. Without removing my clothes, i turned the shower on, stepping beneath the cold water. It hit me like a shock to the system. Memories flooded my mind. Alex’s laughter, her soft voice, the way she used to look at me when she still believed in me. Then the pain. The way her eyes darkened with betrayal. The way she flinched whenever i raised his voice. The way she walked away, leaving me with nothing but regret. A deep, strangled sob tore from my throat. I pressed my
CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV I stared at the bottom of my glass, the amber liquid barely reflecting the man I had become.A ghost!. A shell of the arrogant, ruthless businessman I once was.It had been months. Long, agonizing months since Alex disappeared. Since she left without a single trace, vanishing from my world like a cruel illusion.At first, i had been convinced i would find her. That no matter where she ran, no matter how far she tried to escape, i would track her down and bring her back.But every lead ended in nothing. Every investigator failed him.Every single day without her chipped away at my sanity, leaving me to drown in a darkness no one could pull me from."That’s enough, Chester," Daniel's voice cut through the thick silence of the Villa. In shame, I had returned back to Washington DC. My parents and some business partners laughed me to scorn. But, did I care?. Daniel, His best friend, was the only one who hadn't given up on me. And night , as usual, he stood near th
ALEXANDRIA POV The room was filled with the sharp cries of a newborn, his tiny fists clenched as he took his first breath in this world.Tears streamed down my face as the nurse gently placed him in my arms. His skin was soft, warm, and his little chest rose, and fell as he let out whimpers, adjusting to life outside the womb.I was exhausted, but nothing could dull the overwhelming love that consumed me whole.My son. I wiped my tears as I took a better look at him, and the moment my eyes landed on his face, my breath hitched.His sharp features. The familiar curve of his lips.The same gray, piercing eyes.No… it wasn’t possible.Yet, as I traced the contours of his face, there was no denying it. He looked exactly like Chester Despites my moments of Joy, a part of me shattered all over again. I had fought so hard, left everything behind, built an entirely new life to escape him.And yet, every time I looked at my son, he would be staring right back at me?."What is wrong, Alex?"
CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV I couldn’t breathe. The moment I walked into her apartment and found it empty, a deep, suffocating panic took hold of me.Alex, was gone!. There was no forwarding address. No goodbye note. Nothing. My hands trembled as I gripped the back of a chair, my entire body feeling cold, hollow, shattered. I lost her. I really lost her this time. The pain in my chest was unbearable, a sharp, twisting knife that dug deeper with every second. I had fought for her. Begged for her. Waited for her. And she still chose to leave?. A bitter, hollow laugh escaped my lips as I collapsed onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. For months, I had believed that if I just tried harder, if I just proved myself, she would come back to me. But now? Now, I was nothing but a miserable, broken man, still madly, crazily in love with a woman who didn’t want me anymore. I pressed my hands over my face, my chest heaving as the suffocating truth settled in. If Alex was t
And I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you, whether you let me back in or not." I swallowed, looking away. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hold onto my anger. But then, his voice softened. "I don’t just want to be in the baby’s life, Alex. I want to be in yours." I met his gaze, my heart hammering fast like a wheel. "Say the word," he whispered. "And I’ll walk away. But if there’s even a part of you that still feels something for me—tell me, and I’ll never stop fighting for us." The weight of his words crushed me. Because the truth was… I still felt something. And I hated it. "I just need time, Chester." His expression flickered—hope, pain, frustration. But he nodded. "I’ll wait." His voice was steady, but I could see the strain in his eyes. I swallowed hard. "This isn't just about us. It’s about our child. I need to be sure." He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "I understand, Alex. Take all the time you need." And with that, he left, but not
I never thought I’d find myself in this position again—sitting across from Chester's mother. She has to come over to Manhattan. Defended me from Natasha and her endless emotional torture. This woman has always looked out for me and I am grateful for her love. I can't just ignore her call anymore. She sat before me, her posture composed as always and her eyes… they held what I have come to love her for.Genuine concern. For me. For the baby. And also, for her son. The private dining room of one of Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurants was quiet, save for the distant hum of conversation from outside. A setting fitting for a Blackwood matriarch, but I felt so much warmth sitting before her. Strangely enough, I felt at peace. I felt this feeling I had missed for some months now. And I regret putting her in the dark. I wish I didn't pushed her away when she offered to help. "Thank you for meeting me," She said, her voice cool and kind. I folded my hands in my lap. "I almost didn’t.
I stared at the screen in disbelief. Natasha stood behind a podium, her expression carefully crafted—vulnerable yet poised. "I know the world sees me as the villain," she began, her voice trembling just enough to be convincing. "But I never meant to hurt anyone." Liar. I gritted my teeth as she continued. "CEO Chester Blackwood and I have history. A deep, undeniable connection. And while I’ve made mistakes, so has he." She exhaled, her eyes glistening with fake tears. "The truth is, Chester has always come back to me. Even after Alex left, he—" I shut the laptop. I couldn’t listen anymore. I had been through enough. She was trying to break me. To make me doubt everything. But I wouldn’t let her win. Not this time. Ava stormed into my office, her phone clutched in her hand. "Boss, you need to see this." I tensed. "More headlines?" "Not just headlines." She turned the phone around. It was a live feed. Of Chester. Standing outside Natasha’s press conference. With a microph
CHESTER BLACKWOOD POV "You want me to do what?" I stared at my mother, struggling to process her words. She sighed, setting her teacup down with a clink. "I said, you need to let me speak to Alex on your behalf." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Mother—" "Chester," she interrupted firmly. "You hurt that girl in ways I can’t even begin to understand. If you truly love her, then humbling yourself isn’t a weakness. It’s a necessity." I clenched my jaw. I hated this. I hated that I had to beg for the chance to fix things. But I also knew she was right. Alex wasn’t going to fall for my persistence alone. She needed something bigger. Something genuine. I exhaled slowly. "Fine." A small smile touched my mother’s lips. "Good. I’ll arrange a meeting." But even as I agreed, a strange unease settled in my gut. Because Alex was the least of my worries right now. Natasha is back with more schemes. And if there was one thing I knew about her, it was that she never played fa