CHAPTER 98Cody quickly replied, "Great! I'm glad it went well. Listen, we need to meet up and go over the plan soon."Alexa sighed, feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She knew she couldn't avoid Cody forever. "Sure, when do you want to meet?""How about tonight?" Cody replied. "We can go over the plan and make sure everything's in place. Meet me at the usual spot at 8 PM."Alexa didn't want to go, but she knew she had to. She didn't want to let Cody down, but she also didn't want to get caught up in something illegal. However, before she could respond, her phone rang. It was Anthony."Hey beautiful," Anthony said on the other end. "How was shopping?"Alexa felt guilty for thinking about selling the clothes Anthony had bought her. "It was good. I got everything I needed," she lied."That's great. Listen, I'm going to be busy with work for the next few days, so I won't be able to see you. But I wanted to make sure you're taken care of. Did you need anything else?"Alexa felt a twi
CHAPTER 99It wasn't easy, but it was necessary. Anthony was hurt, but he understood. "I just wanted to make you happy," he said."I know," Alexa replied. "But happiness comes from within, not from fancy things or grand gestures. I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted, but I hope you find someone who can."As she watched Anthony walk away, Alexa felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had been honest with both Cody and Anthony, and it felt like a weight had been lifted. She knew that she didn't need fancy clothes or grand gestures to be happy. All she needed was to be true to herself and to follow her heart.Dusk had descended on the mansion, and Alexa finally made it back after a busy day of shopping. Anthony greeted her at the door and pulled her in for a warm embrace."Long day?" he asked, holding her close.Alexa sighed, "Yes, it was. I'm so glad to be home."Anthony let her rest and excused himself since he had to head to work for a meeting. He apologized for his abrupt
CHAPTER 100Alexa stood in the middle of her living room, phone still clutched in her hand as she replayed the conversation with Nolan over and over in her head. Her heart was heavy with indecision, and she found herself at a crossroads, torn between her loyalty to her boyfriend Cody and her growing feelings for Nolan, the son of her employer, Anthony.Cody had been her partner for two years, and they had shared many memories together. They had started off as friends and gradually developed a romantic relationship. Alexa loved Cody, but lately, she had been feeling that something was missing between them. They had grown apart, and their once passionate love had dwindled into routine.Nolan, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air. He was everything that Cody wasn't; charming, witty, and intelligent. Alexa had known him for a short while but she was already starting to feel drawn to him. Their conversations flowed easily, and she found herself thinking about him even when they wer
CHAPTER 101As Alexa lay sleeping, she felt a shift beside her. She slowly opened her eyes, still feeling a little groggy. When she turned her head, she saw that it was Nolan lying next to her, cuddled up in the blankets.Alexa was surprised to see Nolan in her bed, but her instincts told her that something was wrong. As she looked closer, she noticed that Nolan appeared to be visibly drunk. She tried to wake him up, but he was unresponsive, his body limp and heavy.Feeling a mix of concern and confusion, Alex carefully lifted Nolan's arm and tried to rouse him. After a few moments, he began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. But he was still clearly inebriated, his speech slurred and his movements clumsy."Wha...what's going on?" Nolan mumbled, struggling to sit up.Alex helped him to his feet, trying to keep him steady as they made their way to his room. As they walked, she could smell the alcohol on his breath, and she knew that he had been drinking heavily.As Alex finished changi
CHAPTER 102The next morning, Alexa woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. As she stretched her arms and legs, she couldn't help but think about the events of the previous night. The memory of Nolan's drunken confession and his plea for her to stay kept replaying in her head, causing her heart to race with a mix of emotions.But as she got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some breakfast, she was met with a grumpy and distant Nolan. He was sitting at the kitchen counter, his eyes fixed on his phone screen, and he barely acknowledged her presence as she walked in.At first, Alexa tried to brush it off, thinking that Nolan was just hungover from the alcohol he had consumed the night before. But as the minutes ticked by and Nolan continued to ignore her, she couldn't help but feel hurt and confused.Alexa's phone beeped, interrupting her thoughts. She picked it up to see a text from Anthony, her boss and Nolan's father. The message read:"Alexa, please come
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
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