CHAPTER 103As Alexa stepped out of the car in front of Anthony's company, she looked around nervously. She had never been to his office before, and she wasn't sure what to expect. As she was about to head towards the entrance, she saw Anthony walking towards her."Alexa, my dear, it's so good to see you," he said, reaching out his hands to her. "You look stunning in that dress."Alexa felt her cheeks flush as she thanked him, feeling a little self-conscious in the tight-fitting dress. Anthony took her hand and led her towards another car parked nearby."Where are we going?" Alexa asked, feeling a little nervous."It's a surprise," Anthony said with a grin. "But I promise you'll love it."Alexa couldn't help but feel a little suspicious as they got into the car and drove off. She tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over her, focusing on the passing scenery outside the car window. After a while, the car turned off onto a long, winding road surrounded by lush green
CHAPTER 104Alexa was still in the restroom with Jade, trying to explain everything that had happened so far, but Jade was still in disbelief. "How could you do this to Cody, Alex? You're supposed to be in a committed relationship with him," Jade said, shaking her head."I know, Jade, but it's not what you think. Anthony is Nolan's father, and he just wanted to take me out to lunch to discuss something," Alexa replied, trying to make Jade understand."But you're dressed in that stunning dress, and you're having lunch with a man who's not your boyfriend. That's cheating, Alex," Jade said, still not convinced."I'm not cheating, Jade. I love Cody, and he means everything to me. I just had to do this for Nolan's sake, and Anthony promised that he would help me," Alexa explained, hoping that Jade would understand."But what if Cody finds out? What will happen then?" Jade asked, her voice filled with concern."I don't know, Jade, but I just have to trust that Cody will understand," Alexa r
CHAPTER 105Alexa looked stunning as Anthony led her into the grand banquet hall. She wore a shimmering silver evening gown that hugged her curves in all the right places. The back of the dress was open, revealing her smooth, toned back. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her shoulders in loose waves, and she wore a pair of diamond earrings that sparkled with every move she made.Anthony looked equally dashing in a tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and chiseled features. They made quite the power couple as they strode across the room, with all eyes on them.Anthony made sure to introduce Alexa to all of his important investors, and she charmed them all with her quick wit and intelligence. Nolan watched from a far end of the banquet hall with his girlfriend, Kathy, who seemed to be jealous of the way he was looking at Alexa.As the night wore on, Alexa and Anthony danced to the soft music that played in the background. He held her close, whispering sweet nothings
CHAPTER 106Alexa was surprised to see Nolan approach her and Anthony on the dance floor. She wondered what he wanted, especially after what happened earlier in the day. Anthony was equally surprised to see his son, but he smiled and greeted him."Nolan, what brings you here?" Anthony asked."I just wanted to talk to Alexa," Nolan replied, looking at Alexa.Anthony nodded and excused himself, leaving Nolan and Alexa alone on the dance floor. Nolan took Alexa's hand and led her to the center of the floor."I'm sorry about Kathy earlier," Nolan said, looking at Alexa."It's fine," Alexa replied, not really knowing what to say."I know it's not an excuse, but she's been having a hard time lately," Nolan continued."What do you mean?" Alexa asked, curious.Nolan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Her mother has been sick, and it's been hard on her.""I'm sorry to hear that," Alexa replied sympathetically."I just wanted to apologize for her behavior earlier. She didn't mean to be ru
CHAPTER 107As Alexa stood on the balcony, trying to calm her nerves and process the events of the evening, she noticed a familiar car parked at the end of the driveway. It was Cody's car. Panic set in as she realized that he was here, right outside the mansion.Her heart started to race as she quickly made her way back inside, trying to avoid being seen by Anthony or Nolan. She made it to the door and started to open it, but before she could step outside, she heard Cody's voice behind her."What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed.Alexa turned around slowly, dreading the confrontation that was sure to follow. "I-I was just trying to relax," she stuttered, hoping he would believe her.Cody didn't seem convinced. "Relaxing? Really? You know we have a job to do tonight, and you're out here risking everything by being seen."Alexa felt a twinge of guilt. He was right - if Anthony or Nolan caught her with Cody, it could ruin everything. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I just needed s
CHAPTER 108Alexa turned to face Kathy, bewildered at what she was insinuating. "What are you talking about, Kathy?" she asked.Kathy let out a bitter laugh, "You really don't know, do you? You're the reason Nolan doesn't like me anymore."Alexa was taken aback by Kathy's words. "What? That's not true. I haven't done anything to come between you and Nolan," she said, trying to defend herself.Kathy rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on, Alexa. You've been parading around here with Anthony, flaunting your new relationship in everyone's faces. It's no secret that Nolan had a thing for you before Anthony came into the picture."Alexa shook her head in disbelief. "That's ridiculous, Kathy. Nolan and I are just friends," she protested.Kathy scoffed, "Friends? Please, Alexa. You don't know anything about relationships. Nolan has been ignoring me ever since you started hanging out with him. He's clearly interested in you, and you're too blind to see it."Alexa was starting to get annoyed at Kathy's
CHAPTER 109Nolan led Alexa through the darkened mansion towards the poolside. The only sound came from their feet hitting the tiles."Are you sure this is a good idea, Nolan?" Alexa asked hesitantly."I'm sure," he replied with a grin. "Trust me."As they approached the pool, Nolan pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from his jacket pocket."Here, have a drink," he offered, pouring the amber liquid into each glass.Alexa took the glass, feeling the coolness of the glass against her hand. She brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. The warmth of the whiskey seeped through her throat, spreading throughout her body.Nolan sat down on the edge of the pool and motioned for her to join him. Alexa sat down next to him, feeling the coolness of the tiles against her skin."I'm sorry about earlier," Nolan said, his voice low. "I shouldn't have pushed you like that.""It's fine," Alexa replied, taking another sip of whiskey. "I just don't know what to say."Nolan chuckled. "You
CH110As the morning sun shone through her window, Alexa woke up with a smile on her face, ready to face the day ahead. She remembered Anthony's invitation to his company and the thought of it made her feel excited yet nervous. She quickly got up from bed, washed her face, and got dressed in a sleek, black dress.As she was applying her makeup, there was a knock on her door. She was surprised to see Anthony standing there, looking dashing in his suit."Good morning, Alexa," he greeted her with a smile."Good morning, Anthony," she replied, feeling her cheeks flush with excitement."I hope I'm not disturbing you. I just wanted to invite you officially to my company. I would like to introduce you to the board of directors," he said.Alexa was surprised but also flattered that Anthony would introduce her as his woman to his board of directors."Wow, that's a big deal. But isn't that too soon?" Alexa asked, feeling a bit hesitant.Anthony understood her concern and quickly replied, "You'r
Alexa didn't hesitate to run into them, embracing him tightly as she buried her face in his shoulder. Nolan's arms wrapped around her just as tightly, holding her close as they both cried.It felt like they stayed that way for an eternity, just holding each other and letting out all the emotions they had been bottling up for so long. When they finally pulled away, Alexa looked up at Nolan, still unable to believe he was really there.Without a word, Nolan leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, the kiss filled with all the love and longing they had been keeping hidden for so long. Alexa's arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back, tears still streaming down her face.As they finally pulled away, Nolan took her hand and led her to a nearby bench. They sat down together, still holding hands as they looked into each other's eyes. Nolan took a deep breath before speaking."I'm so sorry, Alexa," he said, his voice filled with regret. "I should have never left like that, I shoul
159Alexa had been carrying the burden of not telling her son Anthony about his father for so long. She knew that Nolan hated her for what happened between them, but she still wanted Anthony to know the truth about his biological father. She had talked about it with her best friend Jade and decided to take matters into her own hands. Days had passed since Alexa wrote the letter to Nolan, and she had been anxiously waiting for his reply. She kept checking her phone for any email or message from him, but there was nothing. She even checked her mailbox day and night, hoping to see a letter from him. But as the days went by, she slowly accepted the fact that Nolan might never respond. Alexa felt heartbroken and disappointed, but she knew that it was what she had expected from him. She had made peace with the fact that Nolan hated her, and that she had to do what was right for her son. Instead of moping around her apartment, she decided to spend the weekend with her kids and Jade. Alexa
CHAPTER 158Alexa woke up to the sound of Nolan's voice singing his latest song, "Echoes of You". She smiled and pressed play again, letting the melody fill her ears. She couldn't help but hum along with the chorus, "You're the echoes of me, the echoes of you, and I'm lost in between, what's false and what's true."As she got ready for her day, Alexa continued to listen to the song on repeat, even while she was in the shower. She was so caught up in the melody that she didn't even realize she was humming along with it until she stepped out and heard herself in the silence.Alexa spent the whole day at school with Nolan's song stuck in her head. She couldn't focus on anything else, not even the lessons, and found herself humming the tune whenever she had the chance to, without even noticing it.As the week passed by, Alexa was approached by a girl at break time. She was minding her own business, eating her meal when the girl came up to her chuckling. The girl pulled out a banner of Nol
CHAPTER 157Three years had passed since Alexa had last seen Nolan. She had only caught glimpses of him on TV a few times since then. In the meantime, she had been busy raising her son, who bore a striking resemblance to Nolan.As Alexa kissed her son goodbye and turned to Jade, she couldn't help but feel grateful for her help. Jade had moved in with her to help pay the rent, and they had been taking turns caring for their children while working. Jade was currently calming down her daughter, who was having a tantrum."Thank you so much for helping me, Jade," Alexa said with a smile. "I don't know how I would have managed without you."Jade laughed and replied, "Don't be silly, Lex. We're like family now. I love your son like my own, and I don't mind helping you out at all."Alexa felt a sense of relief wash over her as she hugged Jade. It was comforting to know that she had someone she could rely on. As Jade pulled her aside, she whispered to her, "You need to tell your son the truth
CHAPTER 156Alexa looked at Bobby and thanked him for volunteering to take care of her son. She couldn't afford a full-time nanny, so she was grateful for Bobby's help. Bobby smiled at Alexa and told her that he understood her need to save money for her newborn. He was surprised that she had just been discharged from the hospital a month ago and was already back to work. Alexa reassured him that she had been through a lot and could endure any amount of pain.Bobby teased Alexa about missing her routine of watching "Rockstar Cutie" on TV. Alexa laughed and said she didn't have time for that anymore. After bidding farewell to Bobby, Alexa locked the back door and went to the counter where the TV was on. She switched the sign to "closed" as she knew there wouldn't be any customers at midnight.As the live performance was announced by the talk show host, Alexa smiled as she watched Nolan sing the same song he sang to her while they ate in the garden. It was a punk version of "Grow Old Wit
CHAPTER 155Alexa woke up to the sound of the roosters crowing outside her window. She stretched and yawned, feeling the weight of her baby bump as she got out of bed. She walked to the bathroom, splashed her face with water, and brushed her teeth. She took a moment to admire her growing belly and wondered what her baby would look like.After getting dressed, Alexa headed to the convenience store she managed. She unlocked the doors, turned on the lights, and started organizing the shelves. Her staff came in one by one, and they greeted her with smiles and hellos."Good morning, Lexie," one of her staff members said."Good morning," Alexa replied with a smile.Alexa loved her job. She enjoyed interacting with customers, organizing products, and managing her staff. It was a fresh start for her, and she was grateful for the opportunity.As the day went on, Alexa's thoughts drifted to Nolan. She wondered how he was doing and if he ever thought about her. She missed him, but she knew she h
CHAPTER 154Tears, pain and aches flew by her as they dwelt in her. Seeing the numerous messages from her colleagues, now ex co workers questioning her about her choice of resignation broke her and she couldn’t help but clench her fists. How was she supposed to explain to them? What was she even going to tell them?“Tell me Alexa, what made you change your mind?”“Did you fight with someone?”“Did someone try to force their self on you!”All these messages kept flooding her phone and she couldn’t take it anymore, she just couldn’t. She switched off her phone as she threw it to the side, she could not answer their questions, not now at least.Tears streamed down her cheeks, one day would come, perhaps she would be able to answer their questions then.She placed her hand in her bag as she took out her wallet, opening it as she checked it thoroughly, she needed to be sure she had enough money. Even if she didn’t want to take care of herself, she had to think about her baby.She heaved a
CHAPTER 153She said few words before sighing and then taking her bags out. She stepped out of the gates and on turning for the last time, she saw Nolan midway at the mansion’s door. She gasped as she tried to call out to him but then, he didn’t even act like he knew her.She narrowed her gaze to his hands and she could see them tightly clenched. She took a deep sigh as she watched him step back before turning away and then walking back into the house. This time, the tears could no longer be held back in her eyes and she turned away before walking out of the gate, finally.She dragged her suitcase on the road as she couldn’t think of anything else but what had just happened. She held on to her stomach, at this moment, there was only one thing on her mind, her unborn child. She swallowed hard as the thought of how she would take care of her baby, alone bothered her.She sat on the bench she had found in the sidewalk, she was tired, she had being walking for so long and she rested her
CHAPTER 152Tears streamed down her cheeks as she knelt before him, “please Nolan, I swear I meant for none of this to happen” she told him as tears streamed down her cheeks even more.She could no longer bear it, he was upset with her, very upset and she knew she deserved it.He turned away from her, he was broken, he didn’t want to listen to whatever it was she had to say. He clenched his fists as he started to walk away from her but then she rushed to him as she held on to his coat, “just listen to me Nolan, please.” She told him. He shook his head as he sighed, “I don’t want to listen to whatever you have to say, Alexa. Leave me alone, please” he told her but she wouldn’t listen. She was already choking from the tears and her head ached her badly but she ignored it, every single pain she felt.“I swear I wanted to call it off but then…” before she could complete her statement, he put his hands to her lips and she stopped talking. She smiled slightly as she stared into his eyes, h