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45: Dodging A Corporate Bullet
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-12-17 23:57:52
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 46: Chilvarous Arella
[Arella] “Oh, it’s you, my dear. Hi!” She waves, a crinkle forming at the corners of her warm, hazel eyes as she smiles. Her whole face lights up with genuine warmth, something almost tangible radiating from her like a soft, comforting blanket on a chilly day. She doesn’t seem any older than Mom, but there’s this... feeling I’m getting from her. It’s like she carries sunshine within her, and I can’t explain why I suddenly feel safe, like I’m wrapped in a long-forgotten hug. “Hi,” I squeak out, feeling like a shy kid caught staring at candy. “Thank you for the other day, hon.” She chuckles, a rich, melodic sound that instantly calms my racing heart. It’s the kind of laugh that could make flowers bloom. “Oh, it’s okay. It was a pleasure. I hope your feet didn’t blister too much.” “No, no, they’re fine,” she rushes to say, heat creeping up her neck. “I should be asking you that though. You look so... confused choosing between these two.” “Oh,” I say, flushing like som
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-18The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 47: Dinner With Hubby
[Lincoln] "I’ve told you countless times to make sure she doesn’t leave your sight, but let her do her own thing nonetheless." “I’m sorry, sir,” the icy voice says over the phone, his tone clipped and professional as always. “It’s okay. We’ll—” A delicious, mouth-watering aroma wafts through the house as soon as I step in, wrapping around me like a warm hug. The strangely familiar, savory scent is enough to make my stomach growl in anticipation. I barely register the greetings of the staff, my focus narrowing in on that intoxicating smell. What’s that glorious smell? “Hello? Sir?” the voice on the phone prompts. “We’ll talk later,” is all I say before cutting off the call, my mind already drifting toward the kitchen. It’s almost like an invisible string pulling me forward, guiding me toward the source of the heavenly scent. And there she is. She’s still in her work clothes—the first thing I notice, and my brows knit together. Didn’t she freshen up? She must be e
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-19The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 48: Nervous
[Lincoln]“What does it look like?” I say, tracing my fingers light and soft across her calf, my voice deeper, darker, the room buzzing with anticipation. The soft glow from the bedside lamp casts a warm, intimate light, deepening the shadows on her skin. Her breath hitches, and I can feel the tension crackling between us like an electric current.But then one look at her tummy, and my chest deflates. Control yourself, Lincoln. It's just a massage. Not an excuse to lose your damn mind.I stand up and lift her in my arms. She squeaks out in surprise, chuckling—a sound like a soft bell cutting through the charged air. Her small hands clutch at my shoulders, and for a second, I wonder if she can hear how fast my heart is pounding."I think I can walk just fine, you know," she says but still flushes red, avoiding my gaze like I'm some forbidden temptation she’s not ready to face."Freshen up," I say, dropping her at the entrance of the toilet.She nods, not meeting my gaze, and scurries
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-20The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 49: Shell Shocked
[Lincoln] "What do you mean, your wife's company?" Jordan chokes out, wide-eyed, while Benson remains shell-shocked. The conference room is bathed in soft, natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows behind me. Outside, the San Diego skyline stretches in the distance, and the faint hum of the city filters through. The room smells faintly of polished wood and coffee, Benson’s half-empty cup sitting on the table. Both men are dressed in their typical boardroom attire—tailored dark suits and crisp white shirts. Jordan’s blue tie is loosened slightly, a rebellious contrast to Benson’s always-perfect Windsor knot. "You heard me," I repeat stoically, leaning back in my chair, fingers steepled. Is this so hard to believe? I know I promised Arella not to tell anyone, but these two? These guys are more like brothers than friends. I’ve known these assholes since my days at Harvard, and if anyone would understand, it’s them—or so I thought. They exchange a look—mischievous and full
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-21The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 50: As My Wife
[Arella] “Thank you so much, Doc. I really appreciate your help,” I say to the phone, a smile lighting up my face. The soft hum of the line fades as it disconnects. My heart feels lighter, a wave of relief rushing through me. I feel like I could almost float as I skip to our bedroom, the familiar warmth of the space embracing me. Lincoln was having a bath when I entered, but he was already out and in his sleepwear, his broad shoulders draped in a soft, worn T-shirt. He was bent over his laptop, his focus entirely on the screen. “Aren’t you going to blow dry your hair?” I blurt out, my gaze locked on the wet tendrils of his dark hair clinging to his forehead, droplets of water glistening under the dim light of the room. The air around me feels warm and heavy, the faint scent of lavender from his body wash mixing with the musk of his cologne. He chuckles, but his eyes remain focused elsewhere, distant. “And why would I do that?” he asks, his voice soft. I frown. He’s been o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-22The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 51: Office Gossip
[Arella] As my wife. The words keep ringing in my ears, looping over and over like a song I can't turn off. All day at work, I’m distracted and confused. Lincoln didn’t demand an answer to his request, but I could feel it—oh, I could feel it—oozing off him. The intensity. The silent urge to make me agree. To make me say yes. My head is so muddled with thoughts that I don’t even notice where I’m going until—bam!—I bump into someone. “Oh, sorry!” “Easy there, girl,” Sasha coos, steadying me with a firm hand on my arm. “Thanks,” I breathe out with a laugh that feels a bit forced, even to me. “Your head’s been in the clouds all day.” She eyes me suspiciously, her lips quirking in that way that says she knows exactly when something is up. “Is anything wrong? Something got you distracted?” I flush under her scrutiny, the heat blooming up my neck and cheeks. “No, no. It’s just…” I trail off, shifting awkwardly. How do I even begin to explain? Sasha isn’t buying it, of course. With
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 52: Office Gossip 2
[Arella] “Did you just say husband?” Bridget clarifies, her voice climbing an octave. She looks more like a giddy high school teen than the royal princess and polished CEO of this company. Her perfectly tailored white blazer gleams under the soft glow of her office lights, and the pearl earrings she always wears bob slightly as she leans forward. I nod, avoiding her gaze. Sasha, in her signature emerald-green jumpsuit, remains too stunned to speak, her wide eyes reflecting her disbelief. “But how did it happen? How come you never told us?” Bridget presses, her tone teetering between curiosity and excitement. She brightens up, a smile spreading across her face. “I didn’t want anyone to know,” I admit quietly. “Even his parents don’t know. You know how it is with me in the media.” Bridget nods understandingly, reaching out to hold my hand. The warmth of her gesture is comforting, but the memories of Deric's scandal still linger at the edges of my mind. “Is this about the Deric s
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-24The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 53: Under His Desk
[Arella] “You’re welcome, ma’am.” I look up with a smile to find Janet, Lincoln’s assistant, walking toward me. She’s dressed in a crisp navy-blue pantsuit that somehow looks effortlessly chic on her middle-aged frame. Her brown hair is tied into a neat bun, and her smile lights up the parking lot. “Hi, Janet. Sorry for disturbing you like this,” I say, feeling a little awkward. “It’s okay, ma’am.” “Please, just call me Arella,” I say, trying to ease the formality. Her smile widens, softening her features even more. “Okay,” she says simply. “I hope Lincoln isn’t aware, I want to…surprise him” “No, no one is, ma’am—I mean, Arella,” she replies quickly with a small chuckle, gesturing for me to follow. She guides me to a separate elevator, one tucked discreetly away from the main lobby. The polished steel doors gleam, and the faint hum of machinery fills the quiet space. “Don’t worry,” she assures me as the elevator doors close. “This is Sir’s private elevator, and it
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-25
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 134: Comfort Of His Love
[Arella]The door to the bathroom pushes open, and I can feel the urgency radiating off my husband before I even see him."Arella."His voice snaps me out of the haze of nothingness in my head."Huh?" I reply absentmindedly, barely registering him, my toes peeking above the surface of the water in the tub."You've been in here for more than an hour, love.""I have?" The answer slips out automatically, my voice distant.Today has dragged on forever. From Ava—her confession—to Deric and his memories… it all feels like too much. Like a storm swallowing me whole. My brain feels numb, detached, floating somewhere outside my body.After storming off with Lincoln in hand, I had barely registered coming home, nor the process of stepping into the bath. I don’t even recall undressing. The only real thing is the ice-cold bite of the water against my skin—sharp, unforgiving.That’s it. That’s the only sensation I feel.I barely register my naked body being lifted from the tub. My head swings slig
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 133: The Truth Unleashed
[Arella]“My memories are back.”The words sound in my head like a bad omen, curling around me like smoke, thick and suffocating. For a moment, my heart stops.There was a time when I dreamed of this—of him remembering, of him looking at me the way he used to, of the boy I fell in love with in my sophomore year coming back to me.But things change.People change.And Deric? He became something else entirely.Apart from the small, fleeting shock that zips across my skin, I feel nothing now. Nothing but pure, numbing apathy.But beside me, there’s something else—something sharp, electric.Lincoln.The energy radiating from him is different, dangerous. A nervous, explosive energy, coiled tight like a wire about to snap. I can feel his restraint, the way his muscles lock in place, his breathing steady but tense.He’s waiting. Holding back.For me.For my move.Keeping my face blank, I yank my hands away with force, stepping back a few inches. My voice comes out steady, deceptively cold.“
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 134: back
[Arella]Vivian is the first to notice me. Her eyes widen, not just from the sting of Deric’s slap but from the fact that I saw it happen. Despite the firestorm raging inside me, a self-satisfied smirk tugs at my lips. Trouble in paradise? I wonder what woman is strong enough to break these two apart.I ignore her. She’s insignificant. My gaze zeroes in on Deric, and he’s already looking at me. His eyes also wide but hold something foreign—something sickening. Like I’m the light in his dark world. Like… how he used to look at me.Disgust coils in my stomach.He steps closer, his fingers twitching as if reaching for me. But, all I see is him, drenched in a drunken haze, tossing money at my foster mother’s dying body like she was some disposable trash.“Arella…” His voice cracks. “It’s… you. I’m not dreaming, am I?”My hand moves before I even think. The sharp crack echoes through the room, my palm meeting his cheek with enough force to tilt his head to the side. But I don’t feel the s
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 131: Need To Kill
[Arella]The ringing in my ears is deafening, a sharp, unbearable screech that drowns out everything else. My heart pounds against my ribs, hammering so hard I swear it might break through. What did she just say?"What?!" I sputter, the words barely forming as the world tilts on its axis. My throat is dry, my pulse a wild, erratic mess. I watch Ava’s lips move, the syllables barely escaping before her eyes dim."It was...Deric Smith…"Then, she collapses against my shoulder, her body going limp like a marionette doll with its strings cut.A strangled sound escapes me. Panic—raw and unforgiving—roars through my veins, squeezing my lungs like a vise."Doctor! Doctor!" I scream, my voice breaking, my hands gripping her lifeless body. It feels like an eternity before the door bursts open and the doctor rushes in, a nurse trailing behind her. They don’t hesitate. I’m shoved aside, my arms suddenly empty, and I stumble back, disoriented.My breathing is erratic, the walls pressing in, the h
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 130: I Remember Everything
[Arella]Giving Lincoln one last look of reassurance, I follow the doctor into Ava’s ward. Two nurses are flocking around her, checking her pulse. The sterile scent of the hospital room fills the air, mixing with the anxiety that seems to hang in the atmosphere. Ava’s eyes jump around, frantic, her movements tense like she’s scared that even the slightest touch will hurt her. It twists something deep inside me—this isn’t my Ava.Her eyes instinctively catch mine, and I feel a lump rise in my throat. The tears in her eyes are like a punch to the gut. She’s lost, broken, and it feels like the world has fallen apart for her."Ava?" I say softly, my voice cracking as I step closer."Ella?" she asks, her voice so fragile it feels like she’s whispering to the air, unsure if she’s truly seeing me or if I’m just a figment of her shattered mind."Hi, baby," I coo gently, moving closer. I sit on the bed beside her, wrapping my arms around her trembling body. Her arms respond immediately, but th
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 129: The Doctor's Warning
Cold, sterile stench of the hospital clings to me like a second skin as I hurry down the dimly lit corridor, my pulse pounding so loudly it drowns out the sound of my heels clicking against the floor. The bright overhead lights feel too harsh, the air too cold, and my whole body is tight with panic. "Calm down," Lincoln whispers beside me, his hand finding mine, his grip firm and reassuring. Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down when my sister is in critical condition? When I am supposed to be on my honeymoon, yet here I am, sprinting toward a doctor’s office like my life depends on it? My chest heaves as I force myself to breathe, trying to push back the overwhelming fear clawing at me. Then I spot My mother-in-law, She sits stiffly in a chair outside the doctor’s office, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles have turned white. Her usually warm eyes are clouded with worry, her lips pressed into a thin, trembling line. The second she sees me, her expres
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 128: What Have I Done?
[Deric]This migraine will be the death of me."Bring me more bottles!" I roar at the bartender, my voice thick with alcohol and fury. The dim lighting of the bar barely does anything to soothe the pounding in my skull, the ache digging in deep like a knife.The bartender flinches, his face paling. “S-Sir, I think you’ve had enough,” he stammers, his Spanish accent tangling with his words.Enough?I jerk up so fast the stool scrapes against the floor, the sound grating against my ears. Grabbing him by the collar, I twist it hard, pulling him close enough to see the panic flashing in his eyes."Listen here, buddy. If you don’t get me more bottles of beer right now—""Whoa, whoa!"A strong grip yanks me back. My vision sways. The migraine slashes through my skull, and I almost collapse right there if not for the thick, muscular arms shoving me down onto my stool.A man looms over me—a huge guy with a thick mustache and a jagged gash running across his left eye. He mutters something in S
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 127: Mom's Call
[Arella]"Oh, c'mon, Lincoln, not this again."My eyes roll as a pout tugs at my lips. I know he can’t resist when I do that."Our honeymoon’s almost over—we should make the most of it," I plead, tugging his arm repeatedly like a child."We should," he finally turns to face me, a scowl on his handsome face, his deep honey brown eyes flickering with something sinful. "Like every other normal honeymooners, we should be in bed all day for the next two days before we go back."A look of horror flashes across my face, and Lincoln immediately chokes on his suppressed laugh.I take a step back, my core tightening at the memory of last night—his punishment. The way he handled me like I was nothing but his to ruin, the way his voice dropped to that deadly whisper before…No. No way in hell.His laugh settles, but his gaze doesn’t waver. He knows. He knows exactly what I’m thinking about, and I hate that. Heat rushes to my cheeks, and he clicks his tongue, his lips curving into that wicked smir
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 126: Almost Identical
[Arella]Pulling out the towel Lincoln packed for me, I wrap it around her shivering frame. Her skin is cool to the touch, damp with seawater, and her breath is still uneven from the near-drowning."Thank you," she whispers softly, almost as if she’s still in shock.“You're welco—”“Thank you!” she repeats, louder this time. But her eyes aren’t on me anymore; they’re locked onto Lincoln.My socially awkward husband, who doesn’t even acknowledge her. He just brushes past us like she doesn’t exist, heading straight for his phone on the table. No glance. No nod. Just complete, ice-cold disregard.I want to facepalm myself.Her face falls slightly, her shoulders drooping just a bit before she looks back at me with an uncertain expression. "Help me thank your brother. I really do appreciate it."My brows furrow. Brother? Did Lincoln and I look… alike? I let out an awkward laugh, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "He's my husband actually, and don't worry—he's glad to help. Jus
