“Do you feel it?” he murmurs, his voice low and husky as he inches closer, the heat between them obvious. He brushes his fingers lightly against her arm, making her feel electric currents through her body. “Feel what?” Tammie teases, her breath hitching as she meets his gaze, knowing exactly what he means. “This,” he whispers, leaning in, his lips brushing against her ear. “The way you ignite something deep within me.” Tammie’s heart races as his lips trail down her neck, planting soft kisses that leave her weak with desire. “Richard…” she breathes, her body yearning for his touch, aching to be closer. “Let go, Tammie,” he urges, his hands finding her waist, pulling her against him. “Forget everything else. Just us, here, now.” With a sultry smile, she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, whispering, “I want you… all of you.” Betrayed by her ex-husband and unjustly sent to jail, Tamara discovers deep secrets about her past, including her true identity and a long-lost lover. As she understands a life turned upside down, she faces relentless enemies and an undeniable attraction to Richard Garrison, the most sought-after bachelor and billionaire in town. Despite swearing off men, Tamara finds herself irresistibly drawn to Richard, challenging her and igniting a passion she thought she'd buried forever. Can she trust him with her heart, or will her past haunt her, threatening everything she’s fought to reclaim?
Lihat lebih banyakTAMERA'S POV
I couldn’t breathe. My cheeks were still burning from the sting of Max’s hand. I stood frozen in the living room, surrounded by the people I once called family, feeling the ache of betrayal deep in my chest. “Thief!” Delores, Max's mom, spat at me. “I always knew you weren’t good enough for my son, and now, you’ve proven it.” Her hand struck my face before I could even react. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Max. My Max. My husband. How could he believe this? How could he think I would steal from them? He had even hit me. “I didn’t do it!” I managed to choke out. “I swear, I didn’t take anything.” Max stood across from me. His face was hard, and his jaw was set. His arms were crossed over his chest like a wall I couldn’t break through. His once warm brown eyes were cold, unforgiving, as if the man I loved was no longer standing there. This wasn’t him. This wasn’t the man who promised to love me forever. He didn’t say a word as Delores stepped closer. “Liar,” Delores said. “You think we don’t know what kind of woman you are? You’ve been nothing but a parasite ever since you married Max. Taking everything for yourself, and now this?” I felt the tears rising, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of her. “Max, please,” I begged, my voice trembling. “You know me. You know I would never—” “Shut up, Tamara.” His words hit me like a punch, knocking the breath from my lungs. He had never spoken to me like this. Ever. He used to hold me when I cried, kiss away my pain, and tell me everything would be okay. Now he looked at me like I was nothing. I didn’t recognize him anymore. “Max, listen to me, please,” I whispered, stepping toward him, desperate to reach the part of him that still loved me, if it even existed anymore. “I didn’t take the jewelry. I don’t know how this happened, but I swear, I didn’t do it.” His expression didn’t change. If anything, it hardened. “You’re pathetic,” he muttered, looking down at me with disgust. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you.” His words sliced through me. My legs felt weak, but I stood tall, trying to hold onto what little dignity I had left. I had no idea why Max and his family thought I stole his mother's jewelry. I would never do anything like that. “Max…” My voice broke, and I hated myself for it. “How can you believe this? I love you. I’ve only ever loved you.” “You love yourself,” Anya, his sister, sneered from the side of the room. “That’s the only person you’ve ever cared about. This whole time, you’ve been playing us, taking advantage of Max’s kindness, of our family’s generosity.” “I didn’t take anything!” I cried out. “I would never do that to you. To any of you.” Delores stepped forward again, her face inches from mine. “Get out,” she hissed, her breath hot on my skin. “You don’t deserve to be here. You don’t deserve Max.” The lump in my throat grew until I could barely breathe. I looked at Max, pleading with my eyes, silently begging him to stop this. To come to my defense. But he stood there, still, unmoving, as if he was watching a stranger. And then he said the words that broke me completely. “I’m calling the police.” I gasped. In a second, the room spun around me. The words hit me so hard that I stumbled a little. “What?” I whispered, looking at him in disbelief. “No, Max, you can’t—” “They’ll take care of this,” he said coldly, reaching for his phone. “We’ll let them deal with your lies.” “Max, please,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face now. “Please, don’t do this.” But he ignored me. He dialed the number with a chilling calmness that made my stomach turn. The room felt like it was closing in on me now, suffocating me. The police arrived, and everything happened so fast. I barely had time to speak, to explain myself, before they were handcuffing me and leading me out the door. I glanced back one last time, hoping, praying, that Max would stop them. That he’d realize this was a mistake. But he just watched, his face stone-cold as they took me away. -- The cell was cold. Dark. The air smelled of sweat and fear. I had been there for what felt like forever, but in reality, it had only been a day. A day since the man I loved, the man I would have done anything for, turned his back on me. Accused me of something I didn’t do. I hadn’t slept. I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, heard his voice telling me I was pathetic. That he didn’t believe me. That I was nothing to him. The door to the cell opened, and a warden stepped in. "You have a visitor." I got up, making my way to the visiting room. In that moment, I knew it was Max, and I let myself hope a little. When I entered, I saw him seated in a corner. He was finally there. He had come to take me home. He had realized it was all a mistake. He would apologize, hold me in his arms, and everything would be okay. But when I took a seat opposite him, he didn’t look at me with warmth or regret. He looked at me with cold indifference. And in his hand, there was an envelope. “Max?” My voice trembled. “You came to get me out?” He said nothing. Just dropped the envelope onto the table between us. It landed with a heavy thud, and my heart sank. “What is this?” I asked. “Divorce papers.” His voice was flat, emotionless. Like I didn’t mean anything to him anymore. I stared at the envelope in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t real. It was a nightmare. Any second now, I would wake up, and Max would be beside me, holding me close. Telling me he loved me. But the papers were real. And so was the pain slicing through my chest. “Sign them,” he said, crossing his arms. “And you’ll be free to go.” I blinked, my vision blurring with fresh tears. “You’re… divorcing me?” Max didn’t flinch. Didn’t soften. “You should’ve thought about that before you stole from my family.” “I didn’t steal anything. Max, you know me. You know I would never—” “I don’t know you,” he cut me off in a harsh tone. “Not anymore.” My heart shattered into a million pieces. The final pieces of it crumbled to dust. There was a painful ache in my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. I thought I had more time. More time to fix this, to make him see that I loved him. But he was already gone. “I love you,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Please… don’t do this.” Max let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “You’re pathetic, Tamara. I don’t know why I ever thought you were worth my time.” I stared at him, the man I loved, the man I married, and realized that the person I thought he was no longer existed. Or maybe he never did. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I reached for the pen, my hands shaking. I didn’t want to sign. I didn’t want to let him go. But there was no choice. I scribbled my name on the dotted line. My heart broke with every stroke of the pen. Max watched me with a cruel smile. And when I was done, he laughed. “Good luck with your life,” he said mockingly before turning and walking away without a second glance. He walked out of the room, leaving me sitting there alone. My tears fell silently onto the cold floor. And this time, there was no one to wipe them away.NADIA'S POV.I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I drove away from the secluded spot, my mind racing with thoughts of Max and his twisted games.The wedding invitation card sat on the passenger seat, mocking me with its gold-embossed letters. Nadia and Max. It was written so elegantly, so perfectly, as if this was a love story meant to be.I scoffed, the bitter taste of anger lingering on my tongue. Love story? What a joke. Max didn’t love me. He didn’t even know the meaning of the word. This was about power, control, and, most of all, wealth.I knew exactly why Max had shown me that card. He was sending me a message, a warning. He was stylishly telling me to hasten up my plans to destroy Tammie and Richard’s marriage.And if I didn’t do it soon, if I was too slow or too careful, then I’d have no choice but to marry him.I gritted my teeth, the reality of his manipulation sinking in. Max was trying to corner me, to pressure me into speeding up my plans. He knew I didn’t love him.
NADIA'S POV.I paced back and forth in my room, my fingers tightening around my phone as I dialed Alisha’s number. The nerve of that girl…thinking she could play games with me.She had one job: to break up that wedding, and she failed miserably. Worse, she thought she could switch sides, working for Max behind my back. Pathetic.The phone rang twice before she picked up.“Nadia?” Her voice was uncertain, almost shaky. Good. She was already scared.I didn’t waste time on pleasantries.“You really thought you were smart, huh?” I spat, my voice dripping with contempt. “Working for Max while pretending to be on my side? Do you take me for a fool?”“Nadia, I…”“Shut up.” I cut her off, my patience wearing thin.“You failed me. You failed miserably, and now you think you can just disappear? Do you have any idea who you’re messing with?”She was silent on the other end, probably shaking in her boots. I could picture her now, all that fake confidence crumbling.“I own this game,” I continued,
RICHARD POV.It had been a week since Alisha left. A week since I found that note in her room, neatly placed on her pillow as if she’d planned her exit down to the last detail.Thank you for all you’ve done for me, but have it in mind that I have regained my memory and chose to leave your house without you knowing. Don’t look for me.I read that note at least a dozen times, trying to decipher what was real and what was just Alisha being... Alisha.Had she truly remembered everything? Did she remember the accident? The reason she was staying under my roof in the first place? Or was this another one of her games?The memory of finding that note still sat heavy in my chest, a weight I couldn’t quite shake off. And the strangest part was, I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much.Alisha had been nothing but trouble since the day she entered my life…manipulative, secretive, and too good at playing the victim.I should’ve been glad to see her go. Relieved, even. But that’s not what I felt.
ALISHA POV.The door opened, and my heart skipped a beat as I turned to see who it was.My eyes widened in shock as Mrs. Garrison walked in, her head held high, her presence commanding the room the moment she stepped inside.I didn’t expect it to be her. Of all people, I never imagined Richard’s mother would show up tonight.She was dressed elegantly, as always, in a tailored suit that screamed wealth and power.Her hair was perfectly styled, not a strand out of place, and her lips were painted in that signature red that made her look even more intimidating.Her sharp eyes scanned the room, landing first on Tammie. Her face softened instantly, a warm smile spreading across her lips as she hurried towards her.“Oh, my dear!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with affection.“Tammie, my beautiful daughter-in-law!”I watched, my chest tightening as Mrs. Garrison wrapped her arms around Tammie, pulling her into a tight embrace.Tammie laughed softly, returning the hug, her eyes shining with
ALISHA'S POV.My phone rang, slicing through the suffocating silence of my room. I jumped, my heart hammering in my chest as I saw the name flashing on the screen.Nadia.I swallowed hard, my throat tightening as dread pooled in my stomach. I knew this call was coming…I just didn’t expect it so soon.My hands trembled as I picked up the phone, pressing it to my ear, forcing myself to sound calm.“Hello?”There was a pause, a tense, heavy silence that made my skin crawl. Then her voice came through, cold and sharp, cutting straight to the bone.“You think you’re clever, don’t you?”My heart stopped. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, frozen, helpless, knowing the impact was coming but unable to move out of the way.Nadia’s laugh was low, bitter, dripping with contempt.“All this time, pretending to work for me, pretending to be loyal... and all along, you were working for Max.”I felt the blood drain from my face, my knees buck
ALISHA'S POV.I stared at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the woman who looked back at me.Her eyes were hollow, haunted, dark circles forming beneath them from too many sleepless nights.Her face was pale, drawn tight with guilt and worry. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, the weight of her secrets pulling them down.I turned away, unable to face myself any longer. How did I get here? How did I become this person…someone who betrays the very person who trusted me the most?Nadia.My stomach twisted just thinking about her, remembering the way she had looked at me when she offered me this job. There was no doubt in her eyes, no suspicion.She trusted me, believed in me, gave me this position to watch Tammy and Richard, to report back to her, to help her carry out her plans.But I’d betrayed her.The guilt was suffocating, wrapping itself around my chest and squeezing until I could barely breathe. I pressed a hand to my heart, trying to steady its frantic beat. It
TAMMIE POV.I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. All I could feel was him…his lips on mine, his hands on my body, his warmth surrounding me.I was lost in him, drowning in his touch, his scent, his taste. I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t want to let him go.My hands moved on their own, gliding over his shoulders, down his chest, feeling every muscle, every line. His body was firm, strong, and I wanted to feel more of him.I wanted to be closer to him. I pulled him closer, pressing myself against him, feeling his heart racing against mine.His lips moved against mine, desperate, hungry, as if he couldn’t get enough of me. And I couldn’t get enough of him.I matched his urgency, my fingers tangling in his hair, my body arching into his touch. I felt his hands slide down my waist, gripping me tighter, pulling me closer.I was losing myself in him.I didn’t even realize when he started to unbutton his shirt. I didn’t realize when his clothes fell to the floor.All I knew was his skin agai
RICHARD POV.I didn’t realize how heavy my breathing was until I heard it echoing through the hallway.My chest felt tight, each breath a struggle as I cradled Tammie in my arms, her body limp, her face pale.I tightened my hold on her, my heart kept beating loud as I made my way to her room, my footsteps quick and steady. I couldn’t let go. Not yet. Not when she looked so fragile, so broken.I should’ve been there sooner. I should’ve protected her. If I hadn’t been so stupid…so consumed by my own pride and anger…I would’ve never let her walk out alone.I knew something was off when she left the house without a word, her face blank, her shoulders tense even though she must be mad at me for hugging Alisha or probably thinking I have something to do with Alisha.Or was she trying to do something stupid? That’s why I followed her.That’s why I trailed her car all the way to that damn parking lot, hiding in the distance, watching her every move. I didn’t know who she was meeting. I didn’t
MAX'S POV.I watched Tammie’s back as she stormed off, her shoulders rigid with anger, her head held high. She was mad…really mad.But she didn’t understand. She didn’t get that everything I was doing, every word I’d said, was for her. For us.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I watched her march across the parking lot, weaving through the maze of cars.My heart raced, my chest tightening with frustration. I had done everything I could to show her how much she meant to me. I even offered to cancel my wedding for her.For her! How could she not see how serious I was? How much I was willing to sacrifice just to have her back?My eyes fell to the spot where the promise ring had rolled to a stop, its silver band glinting under the sun. She’d slapped it out of my hand like it was trash.Like it meant nothing. My jaw clenched. How could she be so cruel? So heartless?The wedding invitation felt heavy in my hand, my knuckles whitening as I gripped it tighter.I’d played
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