When Lila's husband throws her out of his home for his pregnant mistress after five years of marriage, she thinks her life is over. The only person who stands by her is her kind sister-in-law, Annabelle, who sends her to the charming town of Sea’s Edge to start a new life and forget about her failed marriage. There, Lila meets Dominic, an attractive single dad trying to balance his job and raise two young children on his own. It doesn’t take long before she finds herself entangled in a love she never thought she would find again. But the past isn’t done with Lila. Just when she and Dominic’s relationship is getting serious, she starts getting threatening calls from a mysterious man from her past and James, her ex-husband, reappears, desperate to win her back. He’s ready to do anything to get her back and push Dominic out of the picture. Will Lila protect her heart from the man who betrayed her? Or will she risk everything for a new start with Dominic?
View MoreThe room was thick with silence as Annabelle let James mentally digest the words she had spoken. HE stood frozen, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. It was as if he was searching for words that would not come. His face was pale, as he stuttered incoherently, his words stumbling over one another in a desperate attempt to say anything that would make Annabelle’s reasoning invalid.“You... You couldn’t possibly know that for sure,” he finally managed, his voice trembling. “Infertile? I can’t be.”Before Annabelle could muster a response, the air in the room shifted as a heavy presence made itself known. David’s voice boomed from the doorway, cutting through the tension like a well sharpened blade.“Infertile?” he thundered, the sheer force of his voice making everyone in the room flinch. “What the hell is she talking about, James?”He stormed into the room, his lar
When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a whisper. “Who the hell is this?” He turned to Rachel, eyes dark with heartbreak. “Who is this man, Rachel?”Rachel opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her eyes darted frantically between James and Annabelle, her cheeks flushed with panic. She stammered, “James, I—”Annabelle didn’t give her the chance to finish. “His name is Victor Nolls,” she said, her voice hard as steel. “The man Rachel’s been seeing behind your back. And the real father of her child.”The color drained from Rachel’s face at Annabelle’s words, her reaction betraying her before she could deny it. She flinched visibly at Victor’s name, and though she shook her head weakly, her protests were unconvincing.“No, that’s not true!” Rachel finally managed to choke out. “James, I would never—”“Do
The words landed like a thunderclap. The room fell into a stunned silence and James’s rant cut off mid-sentence. His mouth opened and closed as he stared at Annabelle, his fury momentarily giving way to confusion. Rachel, who had been clutching her cheeks and avoiding eye contact, froze completely, her face draining of color.“What are you talking about?” James finally asked, his voice quieter now but still charged.Annabelle turned her gaze to Rachel, her expression cold and unrelenting. “Would you like to tell him, Rachel?” she asked, her tone deceptively calm. “Or should I?”Rachel’s lips trembled, her eyes darting to James and then back to Annabelle. “This is ridiculous,” she said, her voice shaking. “James, she’s lying. She’s just trying to cause trouble.”“Am I?” Annabelle challenged, taking a step closer to her brother. “Do you really think I&rsquo
Annabelle nodded placidly, her gaze sharp as it swept over the room. She ignored the pang of irritation at James’s obliviousness and focused on her next move. “Where’s Rachel?” she asked, her voice calm but carrying an undertone of steel.James blinked at the shift in her tone. “She went for a walk around the estate. She said it soothes her morning illness,” he said, frowning slightly. “Why?” His eyes darted toward Margaret, who still lingered in the doorway. The sight of their mother’s pale face deepened his frown. “Is there a problem?” he asked again, his tone growing more apprehensive.Margaret hesitated, her hands clasping and unclasping nervously. She managed a weak shake of her head but couldn’t quite muster a convincing smile.Annabelle’s smile thinned further, though her tone remained deceptively light. “No problem,” she said. “But I do have some news of my ow
Margaret wrung her hands nervously, glancing toward the door as if afraid someone might overhear. “It’s Rachel,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “She made the announcement at breakfast. James, my poor boy, is so happy of course, but your father... He’s furious. He suspects something.”Annabelle snorted, the sound humorless. “Of course he does. He might be blind when it comes to James, but even he knows Rachel’s a liar.” She began pacing the room. “I warned her, Mother. I told her to leave before I got back. And now she pulls this? She’s trying to trap James—again.”Margaret nodded, her face pale. “I know, but—”“But what?” Annabelle snapped, cutting her off. “You know as well as I do that James can’t father a child. So why haven’t you told Father? Why haven’t you put an end to this circus?”Margaret
Annabelle gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white, her foot pressing harder against the gas pedal with each passing mile. The early morning light bathed the countryside in golden hues, but she barely noticed the scenery rushing past her. Her mind was a storm of fury, her thoughts circling around Rachel like a hawk homing in on its prey.How dare she?Annabelle’s jaw clenched, her teeth grinding audibly as she replayed Margaret’s words in her head. Rachel had blatantly disregarded her warning—no, her command—to leave the house. She had given that third rate nightwalker a clear ultimatum before leaving for Sea’s Edge: pack up and disappear from James’s life before her return. But Rachel had done the opposite. Not only had she stayed, but she’d played a card so bold it made Annabelle’s blood boil.The announcement of a pregnancy, whether it was real or not, was a move designed
Their quiet time was suddenly interrupted by the sudden buzz of Annabelle’s phone. She groaned, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. “I swear, they can’t give me one day of peace. It’s probably something about the household.” Her hand brushed against the pocket of her robe where the phone was tucked, but she didn’t fish it out. “Maybe I should just let it ring and go to voicemail.”Lila shook her head and nudged Annabelle with her elbow. “Oh, come on. What if it’s something important? You never know—it might be an office emergency where you’re needed.”Annabelle sighed dramatically, but there was a hint of resignation in her movements as she pulled the phone out. Glancing at the caller ID, her brow furrowed. “It’s my mother.” Alarm flickered in her eyes as she swiped to answer. “What’s wrong, Mum?”Her mother’s voice came through the
The truth Annabelle had revealed had opened a floodgate and Lila couldn't stop the memories flooding her senses, dragging her back to a time she had tried so hard to bury.It was the third time she and James had tried and failed this month alone. The third time a pregnancy test had shown her the stark disappointment of a single pink line. Lila stood in their bathroom, her trembling hand clutching the negative test. The air in the room felt suffocating as she stared blankly at the tiny plastic stick, her hope draining with each passing second. It was nearly two years into her marriage with James, and she hadn’t given the family an heir yet. She bit her lip, fighting back tears. They never failed to remind her of it.When she stepped into the bedroom, James was sitting on the edge of their bed, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped as though in prayer. His jaw was set tight, and his eyes darted up to meet hers the moment she entered. He didn&
The two women sat in silence for a moment. As the soft hum of the ocean filled the quiet, Lila stared into the swirling depths of her coffee, her thoughts too loud to ignore. It had gone cold, and she couldn’t bring herself to drink it anymore. Instead, she set it down. The gentle breeze carried the salty tang of the sea air, brushing against Lila's face as she took a deep breath.The scenery should have been calming, but it wasn’t. Not for her.“I’m so scared,” Lila finally whispered, her voice breaking the stillness like a fragile thread snapping.Annabelle turned her head, her brows knitting in concern. She rested a hand on Lila’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “Scared of what? Is it Dominic? Are you afraid things won’t work out between you two?”Lila opened her mouth to respond, but before she could utter a word, Annabelle pressed on, her tone light and reassuring. “If that’s what’s
Lila Robinson stifled a yawn, the clinking champagne glasses and forced cheer doing little to mask the hollowness she felt inside. She sat at a round table adorned with crisp white linens. Her father-in-law’s victory speech droned on, his words blurring with the hum of the crowd. She glanced at her husband, James, across the table, engaged in animated discussion with his business associates. The celebration was in full swing but Lila felt detached, her mind wandering to the bitter reality of her marriage.Across the table, Rachel, her husband’s mistress sat perched like a peacock. The woman had single-handedly turned Lila’s life into a living nightmare. She and James had been stealing glances at each other throughout the ceremony. Their poorly disguised performance was a public display meant to wound Lila. She absentmindedly stirred her drink, wishing she could leave but social decorum demanded her presence. She was trapped, forced to put on a smiling face for the sake of appearances....
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