“Oh, now you call me a monster?” Ashley sneered, crossing her arms. “Well, that's quite funny, because when I was paying for your trips, showering you with gifts, and even bought you a fucking car on your stupid birthday,” she turned to Mom, "and buying you designer bags, shoes, even jewelry…” Laughing bitterly, “You both didn’t seem to think I was such a monster. It’s only now, after everything, that you’ve decided I’m some kind of ‘demon in human form.’”Morgan didn’t back down. She fired back, “Did... did I ask you to do any of that? Hell no! You chose to do all of it because you wanted our support. You knew we’re never on your side, but we didn’t have a choice since you promised to save Lance’s company!”And just like that, they were off, trading barbs like they were each trying to land the final blow while mom tried to separate them. Ashley's video was already going viral. The video of the public, even her fans, turning against her and they were the reason why she came home loo
"But I'm curious about something, Mr. Wells.""What is it?""Well," she paused, letting the words lingers around. "You keep talking about a…child" She trailed off. "May I ask, which child are you referring to?"I sighed heavily, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. Yes, I knew that I had no right to ask and yet, here I was. “Maya, I know that I have no right to ask about her but..""Her?" she interrupted, her eyes widening in surprise, clearly realizing that I knew Bella was mine."Yes, her. Do you remember when we met at the beach last time? I clearly told you then… that ..that I saw a resemblance, something familiar about her. Damn, why didn’t I think deeper about it then? Why did I insist on my hunch?"Maya burst into laughter, a sharp, mocking sound that cut through the room. "Lance, what the hell are you talking about? There was no child…”“ What?”“ Yes, there's none and Bella isn’t yours. I already told you that day that she’s not yours so how could you even think that….” S
****ASHLEY'S POV****Sitting down on the floor of our bedroom, resting my back against the bed, I bit my finger nervously as scrolled through the endless sea of comments. My finger shook and my body trembled as each words…each comments just kept on searing itself into my mind like a burning brand;“ Omg! Can't even believe that I trust that slut and even wrote bad things against Ariel! I wish I can just rip her freaking lips apart for her lies!“ A home wrecker! She's such a despicable person and even go around playing victim.”“ From now on I'm no longer one of her fan. Infact, I'm now her anti-fan!”“ She better not let me see her face or else….” The comments on my pages just kept coming one after another. Through my years in being a celebrity, I had never for once had 2.5 millions comments on my page and now…I'm seeing something like that in which all of it are nothing but bad comments and even some laying curses.I will sue them all! I will make them rot in jail for cyber bullyin
Lance stood motionless for a while as he slowly turned to face me, his eyes narrowing. "What did you just say?""You heard me right," I spat back. "If you’re planning on throwing every single thing away; your company, your position, your pride — all because of some misplaced guilt over “her”... then I’m done. I want a divorce, Lance Wells. This..isn’t the kind of life I signed up for. I didn’t marry you to become the wife of your ex-wife’s lackey. Never!” I said in a determined voice as I would never be the wife of Ariel Rodrigo's personal Assistant.In their dreams.A dark, hollow chuckle escaped his lips, a sound that sent chills down my spine. He’s also mocking me. Now that I've got nothing else again, he's not treating me like trash.He stepped closer, his face inches from mine. "A divorce, huh?" He tilted his head, dripping sarcasm. "Did you just say you want a divorce?" I crossed my arms, looking away defiantly, and nodded."Then what happened to that same Ashley who sabotaged
I lowered the phone slowly, feeling a little but scared as I knew that my father must be angry with everything going on about me but I know how to calm him down. I drove in, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. Stepping into the house, I saw my father sitting in the middle of the room, his head bowed, both hands resting heavily on his cane. My two older brothers were there too. One lounged in a chair, watching me with a smirk, while the other stood rigidly by our father’s side like a guard dog. I'm sure they must have say something bad about me. Those two had always resented me, my sister and my mother since the first day we step out feet into this house. They were my father’s first wife’s sons, and they blamed us for their mother's death. They claimed their mother died when she found out that her husband had a mistress with a child outside their marriage. And the worst part of it was that it wasn't even up to a month after her death that my mother had moved in
***MAYA'S POV***The night air was cool as I stood on the terrace, counting the stars that scattered across the big sky. Raising up my hand, I let my fingers trace patterns in the air, a small attempt to distract myself from the thoughts weaving through my mind.It had been a long day…A soft breeze ruffled my hair, and I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply, as though inhaling something sweet and calming. And then… there it was—a warm hand slipping around my waist. My heart skipped a beat as his familiar scent, woodsy and rich, filled my senses."Lance," I whispered breathlessly as his lips pressed softly against my neck.How could I not recognize his touch, his scent?He chuckled softly, pulling me closer, murmuring, “I’m back, love.” The warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine.I turned slowly to face him, drinking in his features—those familiar eyes and his smile that was bright. Before I could say a word, he leaned in and caught my lips in a deep, hungry kiss, his mouth e
"What the hell are you doing here?" My voice cracked, slicing through the morning silence like shattered glass. "No, seriously, how the hell did you get in here? Did you break into my house?" My brow arched, disbelief lacing my tone.Scrambling upright on the bed, I tugged at the hem of my nightgown as I was now suddenly hyper-aware of how exposed I was."Whoa, calm down, sweetheart," Lance drawled, his smirk as infuriating as ever. "You can't just jump to conclusions already? Relax. I’m not a thief.""Relax?" I gaped at him,. "You walk into my bedroom uninvited, and you think relax is the appropriate response? What if—what if you’re here to harm me? Especially after I took everything away from you because I'm pretty sure you are still angry about that but putting on a facades.”He raised his hands in mock surrender, the corners of his mouth twitching as though he found my panic amusing. "Harm you? Really? I thought we cleared the air, Maya. I clearly told you that I don't mind you ta
Yes, I know I'm hot. “Wow… you look absolutely stunning” he mouthed.i Ignored him, tossing his coat at him.“Stop leaving your trash in my room,” I said, walking past him.Just as I reached the car, he stepped forward and draped his coat over my shoulders. “You can’t walk into the company dressed like this,” he said, his voice low while I arched my brow at him, “ I mean..the weather seems cold today. “ I stopped, glancing at the coat before pulling it off and tossing it back at him. I knew exactly what he was trying to say as I remembered he didn't like me wearing something exposing. But what about his wife that could even walk naked in the public? I bet he got nothing against that. “And who exactly are you to tell me what I can and can’t wear? Mr Lance Wells, I will be grateful if you can keep your concern to yourself.” I said, feeling angry that he was here pretending to be concerned about me while still planning on secretly taking Bella's hair for a DNA test. His jaw tig
His words hit like a slap, but I refused to falter as I didn't regret the decision I had made. I straightened my shoulders and met his cold stare. “I never said I wasn’t part of this family, Dad. I’m still your daughter and I will always be. But it's just that I’ve chosen not to follow your rules blindly anymore. That doesn’t make me any less a Roderigo.” “And yet, you dare to lecture me about the company I keep? Or about what my brother has done?” His voice dropped dangerously low. “You, who abandoned us? Atleast he's still with us ” “Abandoned?” I repeated, my voice trembling with anger. “I stood up for myself after you forced your decision on me. For once, I chose to live on my own terms, and if that offends you, so be it. But seeing you laugh and drink with the man who almost destroyed you..almost took away what belonged to you while calling himself your brother—don’t you see how hypocritical that is?” “Maya, stop,” Mom whispered, tugging at my arm gently. “Please.” But I
As the nurse entered Mia's ward, I quickly rushed after her, feeling the heat rushing to my face. My cheeks burned like wildfire, and I clenched my fists as I stormed into Mia’s ward, slamming the door shut behind me. Leaning against the door, I pressed my back against the cool wood, my chest heaving. What the fuck did I just do? Are you insane? He's your ex, how could you even think of doing that?I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to calm down, but it was useless. The memory of his lips on mine, the way he held me so firmly, the warmth of his breath—it all came rushing back. I raised my fingers to my lips, brushing over them lightly. They still tingled, and I hated it. Butterflies swirled in my stomach, making me feel both nauseous and... something else I didn’t want to name. And then suddenly, I felt the weight of several gazes on me, only to open my eyes and see Mia, Bella, and the nurse all staring at me. Their expressions ranged from confusion to amusement, and I ins
But I finally managed to mutter, “Oh. Well, that’s... quite unfortunate. I actually thought you and Ashley were a match made in heaven, and this is… really sad.” He let out a soft chuckle. “No, it wasn't sad, and we are not a good match. Ever since I lost a match made in heaven, I lost my entire life. And now… I want it all back. Everything.” His eyes didn’t leave mine, as though searching for something more—for me to say something. But I couldn’t find anything to say. “Is that all you have to say?” He asked.“Yes, it is. Do you want me to say something else?” My tone was sharp, each word a deliberate dagger. “I thought you’d be happy about it… I thought you’d be… you know, fine that I got what I deserved.” He’s right. I was supposed to be happy seeing them broken apart and losing everything. But now… I really didn’t feel much. I felt like I had done too much damage to him, more than he deserved, and I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him properly. But I still didn’t wa
***MAYA'S POV***"And then the tortoise said to his wife, 'If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I’m not around as I have no money to give to them,' Bella began, her small hands emphasizing the words as she read aloud."So, the tortoise hid. But minutes later, a man arrived and asked the wife, ‘Is your husband home?’ The wife replied, ‘Oh, he’s traveled far, and I doubt he’ll ever return back to this house.’ Then the man sighed and said, ‘That’s unfortunate. I came to repay a debt I owe him, but since he’s not here, I’ll keep the money.’Bella paused dramatically, leaning closer as if sharing a secret. "Hearing this, the tortoise shouted from his hiding place, ‘Wait! I’m home!’ He rushed out from his hiding place to collect the money but on seeing the man, the tortoise's smile faded as the man was actually one of his debtors.” Mia and I couldn’t help but smile as Bella acted out each character with exaggerated expressions. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she giggled, clearly
***ASHLEY'S POV***I never imagined it would end like this—a quiet, heart-wrenching conclusion where we walked away from each other for good. When I decided to step back into Lance’s life six years ago, I was determined never to let him go, never to let anyone take him from me again. But now… it’s over. Standing on the courthouse steps, I watched his figure retreating, growing smaller with each step he took down the stairs. The crisp autumn air bit at my skin, but the cold I felt ran deeper. It wasn’t the chill of the weather—it was the weight of everything that had just happened. The closure I thought I wanted had left me feeling emptier than I ever imagined. The divorce was final. The court had granted it without a fight. Lance had surprised me by agreeing to sign the papers, though he made it clear I wouldn’t get a cent of his property. I didn’t care. I never wanted anything from him but this divorce… even if getting it meant resorting to things I never thought I’d be capable of
****FLASHBACKS****The classroom was bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, shadows stretching long across the floor. My lips brushed Lysol's owe last time, the moment abruptly shattered by the door bursting open and we both flinched apart.“Maya!” I barked, my heart leaping into my throat. Relief washed over me when I saw her standing there, smirking. For a brief moment, I thought it was a teacher or someone who could ruin everything.“What?” she drawled, leaning against the doorframe with a smug grin. “Relax, it’s just me.” She turned to Lysol with a playful tilt of her head. “Hi, handsome.”Lysol flushed, offering her a small smile. “Hi, Maya and congratulations on your graduation.” Today was actually the day we’re graduating from highschool. Others were outside celebrating but I prefer being here.“Same to you,” she replied breezily.Lysol turned to me, his smile softening. “I’ll see you later, Kingsley,” he murmured, slipping past Maya and out the door.As the door click
****KINGSLEY'S POV****“Here.” Lysol’s voice broke through my thoughts as he pressed a cool glass of wine into my hand. I looked up, meeting his gaze. His almond-shaped eyes, a shade of hazel that shimmer with flecks of gold, searching mine as though he could see the storm raging inside me.“Thanks,” I murmured, taking a sip. The wine burned sweetly, its warmth settling in my chest, but it wasn’t enough to distract me from the weight pressing on my shoulders.We stood side by side at the balcony, wrapped in bathrobes as we just showered together not long. The desert landscape stretched endlessly before us, a perfect hideous for us meeting secretly. Well, he does come to my house a few times but we have many eyes around us and that was why we chose here.The silence between us was heavy, broken only by the faint whisper of the wind. Lysol’s hand brushed against mine, and before I could react, he leaned in, capturing my lips in a soft kiss. It was grounding, familiar, and fleeting—just
“Ashley,” I hissed through clenched teeth, “I promise you, if I find you, you will regret this.”Then her tone changed and she bursted into a heavy laughter. ““Oh, sweetheart,” she cooed, dripping with malice. “I’ve had enough of this charade, so let me spell it out for you since you seem too dense to grasp the situation. You cheated on me, Lance. I found out. I even have pictures of your little escapades—pictures you’d never want anyone else to see.”My chest tightened. “Ashley…”She cut me off with an evil chuckle. “Since you refused to settle this amicably, I’ve decided to hit you where it hurts. I’ll be filing for divorce—and demanding half of your property as compensation. So get ready, darling. You’ll be splitting everything in two.And sweetheart, you’ll see the divorce paper in the bedroom once you get home. I'll see you in a few days at the court.”Her words sounds like a kids bed night story and I could not help but laugh.. “You think I’m going to let you take half of what I
***LANCE'S POV***I woke up to a pounding headache, the kind that felt like someone was jackhammering against the inside of my skull. A soft groan escaped my lips, as I clutched my head with both hands, trying to will the pain away. The world felt off-kilter, like I was trapped in some twisted dream, and it took what felt like an eternity for my senses to clear. After some minutes, I felt a little but relief and I slowly rolled onto my back, my gaze locking onto the ceiling above. A faint crack in the plaster caught my eye—a detail that only deepened the gnawing unease in my chest. I sighned in anger as the memory crashed into me like a tidal wave: the dining table, the satisfying smirk on her face, and the humiliation that had burned me from the inside out. "That bitch," I muttered, the words laced with venom as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My feet hit the cold floor, grounding me, but my head still felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I rubbed my temples wonderi