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SIXTEEN (2): The Man Outside
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2024-10-11 16:45:54Dominic lingered, his eyes soft as he watched Lila fiddle with a stack of newly arrived books. She glanced up at him, feeling the warmth of his gaze, and before she could stop herself, a small smile tugged at her lips. He had a presence about him that made the quiet moments feel comfortable, as if the space between them wasn’t empty but filled with something unspoken.
“So,” Dominic started, rubbing the back of his neck, a gesture that struck Lila as slightly nervous, “I was wondering if you’d be free sometime soon… maybe to have lunch with me and the kids?” Lila blinked, pleasantly surprised by the invitation. She hadn’t expected him to reach out so soon after their dinner, and certainly not with an offer to spend more time with his children. Her heart warmed at the idea of seeing Aaron and Winnie again, especially sweet little Winnie with her chubby cheeks and wide-eyed curiosity. “I’d love to,” Lila answered, her smile growing as she imagined Winnie’s
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Tangled Destinies SEVENTEEN: Bad, Bad News
Annabelle leaned back in her plush office chair, her gaze drifting from the documents scattered on her desk to the beams of sunlight streaming through her window. She had been completely buried in work for the better part of the morning and her mind constantly whirring with figures, contracts, and meeting agendas. But the flow of numbers and corporate business faded as a soft chime from her phone caught her attention. She reached for it, her mood lightening at the thought of a distraction from all her work. A notification lit up her screen, and she smiled when she saw that it was from Lila. The message was simple but filled with a kind of wonder that made Annabelle’s heart lift. "Look what I found on my walk this morning! Isn’t it gorgeous? I think it’s a lavender field... it smells heavenly! You’d love it here. Miss you xx" Attached was a picture of a sprawling lavender field, the purple blossoms stretching far into the horizon, almost blending into the soft blue of the sky. The i
Last Updated : 2024-10-12Tangled Destinies SEVENTEEN (2): Bad, Bad News
Annabelle’s phone slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor with a sharp crack, but she barely registered the sound. All she could think of was the devastation that awaited them if Andre truly broke ties. She swallowed hard, her heart racing. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she breathed, her hands trembling slightly. “Dad is going to kill you.” James nodded miserably, his face pale. “I know. Believe me, I know. But I don’t know what to do, Annabelle. I’ve tried everything. I’ve been going to Andre’s office every day for the past week, but he refuses to see me. His secretary won’t even let me in the building! And he’s not answering any of my calls. I’m completely shut out.” Annabelle’s anger flared, her hands balling into fists as she tried to steady herself. Her initial shock was giving way to a cold fury. “What the hell did you do, James?” she demanded, her voice sharp. “How did you manage to piss off Andre Winters, of all people?” James
Last Updated : 2024-10-13Tangled Destinies EIGHTEEN: Annabelle's Solution
Dinner at the Robinson mansion was usually an elegant affair, that had quiet conversation and the soft clinking of silverware against fine china. But tonight, the atmosphere was far from peaceful. The tension at the table was so thick, it seemed to choke the very air. The large dining room that was usually warm with the glow of candlelight and pleasant company, felt cold tonight. Each member of the family sat in their place, the silence stretching like a taut wire, waiting for something or someone to make it snap.David, their father, sat at the head of the table, his face thunderous as he picked at his food without appetite. His dark brows were drawn low over his eyes, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. The veins on the back of his hand stood out as he gripped his fork, making no effort to engage in the meager conversation happening around him. Tonight, they were all puppets waiting to dance to the tune of the piper, and silently, each of them knew without needing to be told
Last Updated : 2024-10-14Tangled Destinies EIGHTEEN (2): Annabelle's Solution
Margaret’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, clearly delighted by the idea of Rachel and James getting away from all the recent stress. “Oh, that sounds lovely, dear! Where were you thinking of going?”Rachel began to rattle off the names of expensive vacation destinations as though they were groceries on a shopping list. “Maybe Santorini or the Amalfi Coast,” she said, her eyes bright with excitement. “I’ve heard such wonderful things about both. Or perhaps the Maldives—those water villas look divine!”Annabelle, sitting quietly, looked from Rachel to James, waiting to see how he would react to the idea. Sure enough, he took the bait, his posture relaxing slightly as he finally seemed to engage with the conversation. “We’ll go wherever you want, Rach,” James said, smiling at her. His voice was more animated now, more like his usual self. “You deserve it.”At that moment, David barked out a laugh—loud and derisive, filled with more disdain than humor. The sudden sound echoe
Last Updated : 2024-10-15Tangled Destinies EIGHTEEN (3): Annabelle's Solution
Margaret’s lips parted, but no words came out. The accusation struck her like a blow, and she visibly recoiled from the intensity of his words. Her eyes darted toward James, who was fidgeting in his seat, clearly caught between embarrassment and fear.David’s anger surged again, his voice rising as he slammed his fist on the table, rattling the plates and cutlery. “No son of mine,” he thundered, “could have lost the Winters contract! No son of mine would be this much of a goddamn failure!”The heat in his words, the sheer disgust in his tone, seemed to burn the air around them. The Winters contract was everything to their family’s business—an anchor, a lifeline. And now, thanks to James’s incompetence, it was slipping through their fingers.James, affronted by the attack, sat up straighter in his chair. His face flushed with a mixture of humiliation and frustration. He opened his mouth, and when he spoke, his voice came out in a whiny, defensive tone that only made thing
Last Updated : 2024-10-16Tangled Destinies EIGHTEEN (4): Annabelle's Solution
Annabelle pressed on. “Winters might not take James’s calls, but he’ll take mine. And if he won’t, I’ll ambush him at his country club. I’m not going to let this contract slip away without a fight.”The room was deadly quiet again as her words settled over the table. David stood there, his chest still heaving, but the sheer force of his anger seemed to have lessened, if only marginally. His fists, which had been clenched at his sides, slowly unfurled, though the tension in his shoulders remained.For a long moment, no one spoke. David glared at Annabelle, his face still stormy, but the fire in his eyes was slowly dying down, replaced by something closer to resignation. He knew Annabelle meant business. She was the only one in the room who had both the composure and the will to fix what James had broken.Finally, with a rough, dismissive sound, David threw his napkin onto the table and turned away, stalking out of the dining room without another word. The sound of his foo
Last Updated : 2024-10-17Tangled Destinies NINETEEN: Simply Lunch
Lila stood frozen in front of her closet, eyes darting from one dress to another, her pulse racing faster than she liked. Today was the day. Lunch with Dominic and his kids. It wasn’t as if this was a date. It wasn’t. Just lunch. Her fingers traced the hem of her dress, smoothing out invisible wrinkles.Still, her heart wasn’t getting the message. She had agreed to it so casually when he first asked, thinking it would be a nice afternoon to spend with Aaron and Winnie, but now that the moment was here, her heart hammered against her chest.She couldn’t ignore the warm feeling that had bloomed inside her when Dominic sheepishly admitted that Aaron and Winnie had been asking after her. Especially Winnie, with her sweet, cherub-like face. Lila smiled to herself, her fingers lingering over a soft, pale blue dress she hadn’t worn in a while.She snapped her hand back. What was she doing? It wasn’t a date. She didn’t need to impress anyone. And yet, the thought of sitting acro
Last Updated : 2024-10-18Tangled Destinies NINETEEN (2): Simply Lunch
As she came closer, Dominic glanced up and smiled, his face lighting up in a way that made her pulse quicken. He stood, pulling out a chair for her, and Lila couldn’t help but notice how close he stood to her, the heat of his body just inches away.“You’re right on time,” Dominic said, his voice gentle. “Winnie’s been asking about you all morning.”Lila smiled, her gaze flickering over to the little girl, who looked up from her coloring and beamed. “Hi, Lila!” Winnie chirped, her excitement contagious.“Hi, sweetheart,” Lila replied, leaning down to give the girl a soft hug. Aaron, less vocal but still smiling shyly, waved at her, and Lila waved back.She settled into her seat, trying to shake off the growing nervousness that was bubbling in her chest. It was just lunch, after all. Nothing more.But the way Dominic’s knee brushed hers under the table, the way his fingers briefly grazed her hand as he passed her the menu, reminded her that there was something more
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Annabelle was the first to pull away, though it took every ounce of willpower she possessed to do so. Her breath came in short, uneven pants, and she could still taste Andre on her lips, still feel the firm press of his body against hers. His hands still rested on her waist, his grip firm, as if he wasn’t quite ready to let go. Maybe that was a hint he thought that she might take back what she'd just done. But Annabelle had no intention of second-guessing herself. Not this time.She placed a hand against his chest, creating a sliver of space between them, but it did nothing to cool the heat simmering in her veins.She swallowed, taking a moment to calm herself before she spoke. “We need to set some ground rules.”Andre’s fingers flexed against her waist, his thumb grazing over the damp fabric of her workout top. “Rules?” he asked. His voice was rougher than usual, less composed. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t secretly delighted in the fact that she had shaken that assured composu
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Annabelle pushed herself harder, ignoring the ache in her limbs and the sweat dripping down her back. She had been at the gym for nearly two hours now, punishing her body in an attempt to escape her thoughts. But no matter how fast she ran, no matter how hard she punched the bag, the truth remained: she was dreading going home.How the next few days would play out now after Rachel’s lies had been exposed was at the forefront of her mind. James knew now. Their father knew. And the fallout was only just beginning. She could already picture the tense silences, the barely restrained fury in David’s expression while he decided what to do with Rachel, and James breaking down even further as he digested his new reality. She didn’t want to be around for it.Wiping the sweat from her brow, she debated whether to spend another hour on the treadmill. Maybe if she ran long enough, she would be too exhausted to care about what awaited her back home.Before she could make a decision, a voice cut th
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Annabelle stood in the middle of James’ room, her eyes fixed on the door through which her father had exited moments earlier. The silence that followed his departure stretching uncomfortably as everyone tried to figure out what they were going to do next.James groaned and buried his face in his hands, his fingers tugging at his hair in frustration. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief and exhaustion. He pushed himself up from the chair, his movements abrupt, and began pacing the room. The tension radiating off him almost felt tangible, and his muttered curses filled the quiet air as he stalked toward the door.“I need... I need some air,” he said, his tone clipped, as if even forming the words required too much effort. Without waiting for a response, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.Annabelle sighed deeply, running a hand down her face. “What a mess,” she murmured under
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The 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
