~~~MAYA'S POV~~~A smile tucked at the corner of my lips as I pictured Ashley’s entire expression. When she entered at first, she had no idea that she wasn't the only one here, as everywhere was dark, with light only focused on the table, which was set for Kingsley and Lysol, and also on the piano.I watched her as she played the piano well, pouring all her soul into it, and even the tone moved me. But when there was a loud burst of confetti and she snapped her eyes open, I could not help but burst into laughter when she first saw the proposal banner with Lysol's name on it.Poor Ashley.She had truly believed he was going to propose to her and had held onto that belief so tightly, probably imagining herself in a white dress, standing beside him in front of a crowd.Like, I really couldn’t deny that seeing her crushed expression gave me some satisfaction. Well, after everything she had done, after all the pain she had caused me, wasn’t it fair that she got a taste of her own medicine?
Walking toward Betsy, she gave me a disdainful look. “You know you’re such a bad person, Ariel.”“Am I?”“Like… How could you not tell me about this beforehand? Do you know how shocked I was? I nearly fainted!”I laughed, shaking my head as I finally got what she was saying. “Oh, sweetheart, I'm really sorry. I wanted to, but I don't really think it's such a big deal.”Betsy sighed dramatically before shaking her head. “You really have no idea what you made me do. I literally blew up all his lines with messages and insults when you went missing after the ruined wedding day. I was so mad at him that I thought he was the one taking you for granted.”I raised a brow, curious. “What did you say to him?”She bit her lip before groaning. “Let’s just say I gave him a piece of my mind.”That’s not good.But looking at Kingsley, I don't really think he still remembers that.“I’m sure he didn’t take it to heart.”She pouted. “I still feel bad, though.”I waved my hand dismissively before taking
~~~LANCE'S POV~~~ “We’ve been sitting here for six damn hours,” Bryan muttered, rubbing his temple. “Not a single damn fly has walked out of that place. I think it’s time we give up and try another method.” I didn’t look at him. My eyes stayed on the entrance of The Haven Lounge. “No, I'm sure this is the best way to catch him. If we go in there, he’ll see us coming and slip out before we even know where to look.”Bryan groaned, sinking further into his seat. “I get that, but I actually have real work to do. Unlike you, I can’t afford to waste my whole day on a wild goose chase.” I turned my head slightly, catching the frustration etched all over his face. His jaw was clenched, brows drawn together and his fingers were tapping impatiently against the steering wheel. I could clearly see that he’s at his limit. “Relax, I’m damn sure he’s in there and my gut is telling me that he’ll show his face soon. So just chill. And besides, aren’t lawyers supposed to fight for justice? I got in
~~~MAYA'S POV~~~I run through the hospital doors like a madwoman. The shoes I am wearing feel a little uncomfortable, which means I must be wearing them wrong, but I don't really care.Right now, I am not in my right mind. No mother would be.When Lance was rushed here last time, I had prayed to never experience this again—to never have someone I love lying in a hospital bed.But it has happened again. And to Bella.We were celebrating Betsy’s success, as she had successfully opened her resort, when Lance's call came in. In fact, right now, I'm managing to stay upright as I am still under the influence of alcohol."Bella… where is Bella?" I demanded as soon as we reached the reception. My voice was shaking, my breath uneven, as I really can't even imagine the condition my poor baby is in.Mia, Betsy, and I stood there, eagerly waiting for the nurse to say something—anything.“The patient?” she asked.“No, a fucking goat! Do you treat those here?” I snapped, frustration and fear twist
As the words left my mouth, time seemed to stop for a moment. Lance didn’t move nor blink. He just had his eyes locked onto mine, and I saw them filled with emotions I couldn’t name. Was it anger? Or shock? Or maybe disbelief?I didn’t really know. His lips parted slightly, and a small, shaky breath escaped. “What?”“ So you will donate. And I own you one and nothing more.”His lips trembled like he wanted to say something, like he wanted to yell or ask questions. But no words came out of his mouth. Was he too shocked or maybe he was holding them back?I looked away because I couldn’t take it anymore.Lance didn’t say another word to me. He just turned to the doctor. “Where do I donate?” His actions surprised me as I expected him to explode or to question me about how it is possible as he even had a DNA done or even get angry that I had kept this from him. But I was a little surprised as I had imagined this moment so many times but in every version, Lance never reacted like this.Wa
~~~LANCE'S POV~~~I stood from my seat and gently pulled the bedsheet up, tucking it around Bella’s small frame. She looked so small on the hospital bed with a thick bandage wrapped around her head.I should have been more careful. If I had been, she wouldn’t be lying here like this.As she lay there, her face was pale but peaceful, and I could see the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.It was good to see her getting better, but she had just not woken up yet. The doctor just left and said she's now much better and that we should be expecting her to wake up soon.But I was a little tense. How would I even begin to explain myself when she woke up? What words could possibly justify the years I had not been by her side? No matter what I said, no matter how I tried to rationalize it, the truth remained the same; I had failed her.I lowered myself back onto the chair beside her bed, my heart aching as I gazed at her. After all these months of knowing I had a child, I had no
~~~~BELLA'S POV~~~~I curled up on my bed, hugging my stuffed bunny tightly against my chest. My fingers gripped its ears tightly as if I was passing my pain onto it but no matter how hard I squeezed, it didn’t make the pain go away.My pillow was already wet with tears, yet they wouldn’t stop falling. My throat hurts from crying, but my heart… My heart hurts even more.They all lied to me, even Mommy…So Mommy is not my real mom, but Miss Ariel. And my dad who I have always been curious about all my entire life was actually Lance. How could they all hide this from me? They have been lying to me all these years, making me curious about my own entire existence. And Miss Ariel… I really thought she loved me. I remember how she always told me she did, so everything was nothing but lies.She hated me and that was why she never told me she was my mother.But why didn’t they want me? Was I such a bad child that they couldn’t accept me?“Bella, can you please open the door and talk to me?
~~~~ASHLEY'S POV~~~It was over..My perfect life. A life that I had carefully planned from the day I learned to stand up for myself—had turned into a joke for the whole world to mock. All because I met the wrong people I shouldn't have met. All because I moved the wrong pieces of chess, which was definitely not eliminating Maya when Lance divorced her.But if I had, the Roderigo family would never leave me alone. Maybe I should not have left Lance in the first place. Maybe if I had said yes, I do, when Lance first proposed to me then none of this would have happened. In fact, I would never have known a person called Maya or Killian.These two are the wrong people I met in this life.Every time I looked at the media, it was Killian and Lysol’s faces plastered everywhere. Their true love story was all anyone talked about. They had released all their pictures, starting from high school, their romantic journey, and then to their brave confession.It was sickening.But the worst part was
After some minutes, I finally managed to drag Paul into the secluded alleyway, my body trembling with exhaustion. His weight pressed against me as I lowered him to the ground, his breath ragged and shallow."Hold on, okay?" My voice wavered as I brushed the damp hair from his forehead but he didn't answer and just winced, his swollen eye barely able to open.I quickly opened my purse, pouring out everything that was in it until an ointment tube fell out of it. I always carried it around in case of any small emergency. Never know it would come handy today.My hands fumbled as I ripped open the ointment tube. My fingers shook so badly that I nearly dropped it. I scooped some onto my fingertips and dabbed it against the worst of his cuts.As it touches the area, Paul hissed in pain and tried to flinch away."Hold still," I muttered, gritting my teeth.But he couldn't. Every touch made him jerk, every press of my fingers made his body twitch in pain."I said hold still, Paul!" My voice c
The sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the air, each impact sending a violent shudder through my body and It felt like I was the one being hit. Like every punch Lance threw landed directly on me instead.A strangled sob crawled up my throat, but I clamped a trembling hand over my mouth.Don’t make a sound, Mia.Don’t let them hear you.I kept repeating the words in my head, willing myself to disappear—to pretend like I didn't see anything or hear anything. But then I heard it again.Paul’s groan.It was now low and weak. Like he would lose his life any time soon.But I can't take it anymore. I can't bear to lose him and before I could stop myself—my legs moved on their own, dragging me out of my hiding place.I could see Lance’s arm raised mid-swing, his fist ready to slam into my brother again and just before then,“Stop! Stop, please!”I threw myself between them, squeezing my eyes shut as I braced myself for the hit.I waited for the sharp sting that would knock me off b
~~~MIA’S POV~~~Standing in a quiet corner of one of the biggest club here, I sipped my drink, watching Maya moving her waist to the rhythm of the music. Her ass was pressed against Lance’s lower region as she tweaked her waist seductively. Lance's hands rested firmly on her waist while she rolled her hips against him, lost in the moment.I really do admire them and I remember that just a few years ago, Maya wouldn’t have even stood up from her seat at a club, let alone danced this freely. She used to be stiff, shy, and nervous. But now… she was different.Stronger.And happier.All because she has it all now. Everything she wanted. And I won't lie—I’m a bit jealous.A soft smile crept onto my lips as I marveled at the fact that I could even be among people like this. People who were far above my class.I took another sip of my drink, feeling a familiar weight settle in my chest. When I met Maya six years ago, I used to envy her. I thought she was greedy and ungrateful for the life he
I hit the glass again, harder this time. “Open this damn thing and come face me! I’ll kill you, you lying piece of—”She tilted her head back. “Oh, I thought it was. If I had known it wasn’t, I would have gotten something good for you on my way here. Poor you.”“Hey, just come in here and let’s see if you can still run your mouth without your big bodyguards with you! I dare you to come here, you bitch!”“Enough!” one of the guards barked. “Unless you want to be dragged back to your cell, step away from the glass.”I gritted my teeth, my breath heavy with rage but I didn’t want to give the bitch the satisfaction of watching me get thrown out like some wild animal. So I took a step back and inhaled deeply, then turned around, shaking my head.“I don’t have time for this,” I muttered. “I don’t even want to see her face again. Next time she comes, decline her visit. But I’m sure I’ll be out by then.”I was about to leave for my cell when her voice stopped me.“Do you really think you’re g
~~~ASHLEY’S POV~~~I sat on the cold, hard floor of the prison cell with my back leaning against the rough concrete wall. Never in my life did I ever think I would end up in a place filled with people like this.I had only been here for a few days, yet I already hated everything about this place. The food was trash, the people were worse and the bed was nothing but a thin, stinking mattress.I, Ashley Miller, the once queen of all, had now become someone who was framed for something she didn't do.I sighed heavily.Couldn't really blame anyone but my own stupidity for trusting that bitch.Well, it wouldn't be that long before I got out of here as Lance already promised me that..."Hey, new girl," a voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I raised my head only to see the leader of this cell.Fuck! I had been trying to stay out of their way for a while, but I had no idea today would be the day she would pick on me.She sneered. "Looks too clean for my liking. Come here and scratch my ba
I was more than shocked to see him like this. Lance was on his knees, holding up a ring and looking right at me, asking me to marry him again. His eyes were deep and filled with something I couldn’t explain. My heart started beating fast as I definitely remember that it wasn't that long that the two of us had an argument and he didn't really show any signs that he would do this. I was even angry at him thinking that…Oh God, Maya, can you just breathe?The loud gasps and excited whispers around me snapped me back, and I finally noticed the crowd. People had their phones up, cameras flashing from every direction. I felt trapped, not sure of the decision I was supposed to make.I turned back to Lance, still surprised and obviously I didn't really know what to say and then I looked upstairs only to see father and uncle looking at me while my dad was smiling, nodding at me like this was all part of some perfect plan. Like I was supposed to just say yes and go along with it.But how could
"You... you are the worst father on this earth. Is this your idea of being a father? Taking the blame for her? Do you even know what she did to me? How she tried to kill me multiple times? And yet, you dare to get on your filthy knees and beg for her forgiveness. You must be joking.”His head snapped up at that and I could see his eyes flickering with shock and regret, showing that he had no idea about that part."Oh you didn’t know, did you? That she was the one behind the chandelier falling? That she was also the one who gave the order for me to be kidnapped and killed during the board meeting?" I pressed, and he fell to the ground in shock.I couldn't help but let out an unbelievable chuckle. "It's so surprising that you really had no idea what your own child is capable of. So now that you are aware of everything, are you still going to defend her?!! Are you still going to make excuses for her and take the blame?!!"Carlos opened his mouth to talk. I didn't know whether he wanted t
Lance’s brows furrowed. "Maya, that’s not it—""Then what is it?" I cut him off, my chest tightening with every word. "Because right now, it really does feel like it. It feels like you’re more worried about your ex-wife than the woman standing right in front of you!""Maya, stop. That’s not what this is about," Lance said firmly. "I love you.""Do you?" I shot back, my tone cracking.It really hurt to still see him like this and I hate what he’s making me feel.Lance shook his head, stepping closer but I took a step back.I bit my lip, forcing down the lump in my throat. "Lance, it all makes sense, and I am not really that angry. Instead, I am trying to understand you—that you can’t easily let go of a woman whom you have been in love with for almost half your life and even married for five years, while you’ve only been with me for a few years." My voice wavered, but I held his gaze. "I get it, Lance. I really do. That you can’t just erase all those years, all those memories, overnight
~~~MAYA'S POV~~~With my fingers wrapped around the delicate stem of a wine glass, I walked through the bustling room, greeting guests who were here to celebrate my father's release. He was released two days ago, and we had thrown a party for him, inviting friends and family who did not deserve to be here, as they were not there for him when he needed them most.But my father wasn't bothered by their betrayal and still insisted on inviting them. Seeing their pretentious faces made me want to vomit, and some even lied, saying that they tried so much to prove his innocence.Oh gosh. Their words make me sick.As my eyes landed on my parents, who stood a few feet across from me, a smile graced my face. I could hear my mother’s laughter blending into the soft hum of music, her hand resting on my father’s arm. I was so happy to see her like this again after almost thinking that I would lose her. And my father, who held Bella in his other arm, was also happy, a bright smile on his face.The