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83: Pain
Huling Na-update:
2025-01-20 23:57:31
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 84: Surreal
[Lincoln]A week has passed since the blood transfusion scare. A week since I thought I lost her. Hell, I still can’t shake the memory of her scream. The way my heart nearly stopped, the cold sweat on my skin, the crushing weight of fear. But here she is, in my car, with that mischievous glint in her eyes as she reapplies her lipstick. The scent of her perfume mixes with the faint hum of the engine and the soft rush of the morning air through the slightly open window."You're giving me that look again," Arella says, rolling her eyes, the car’s interior light catching the small flicker of her long lashes."What look?" I ask, raising an eyebrow, genuinely curious.She smirks, her lips pressing together with a teasing tilt. "The 'oh, you're so surreal look.""But you are surreal," I say seriously, keeping my gaze locked on her as the car hums along the road.Her cheeks warm with a flush, and I can't help but admire how easily she can go from playful to shy in an instant. She's here,
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-21The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 85: Find A Walcott
[Lincoln]I claim her lips again, pulling her back to me, because I can’t let this moment go. I pour every single emotion I feel into it—not because I can't say it, but because she’s too scared to admit it. To us.She’s breathless, her chest heaving slightly as she pulls away, smiling so beautifully that my heart skips a beat. I think I fell for her even more in that second."Good luck on your meeting with the mayor," I add, though I don’t really want her to go."Bye," she whispers, her voice hushed and filled with warmth, as she hurries away with a flushed face, and it’s almost too much. I watch her disappear into the building, a part of me wishing I could just pull her back to me, keep her safe from the world.I reach the office in less than half an hour, my thoughts still lingering on her, all the while ignoring calls from my father. Immediately, I settle into my office, the door clicking shut behind me. Janet places a cup of coffee before me, the aroma of dark roast filling the r
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-21The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 86: Come Home
[Arella]There's only one thing I can do right now, and that's hope. Hope for the best. Hope that the old man will get out of his coma. Hope that we can find his family.It’s already a miracle that I haven’t lost my baby. My miraculous baby. The thought fills me with a bittersweet ache, but it also makes me question everything. Would I even be a good mother? I’ve made so many poor decisions already, ones that didn’t put my precious baby first. I almost died. I could feel myself dying that day. The memory makes my stomach churn, but somehow, by some miracle, my baby and I survived.The elevator dings open, the sharp sound yanking me from my thoughts. I push all those melancholic feelings to the back of my mind. It’s time to work.Without wasting much time at the office, Bridget, Sasha, and I head downtown for our rescheduled meeting with the mayor. As I smooth down my burgundy blazer, I silently marvel at how Bridget managed to pull this off. Whatever magic she worked, damn, am I grate
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-21The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 87: Lemon Pie
The driver pulls up, and I recognize him immediately—it’s Milo, one of my eight special forces bodyguards. Since the usual driver is on leave, he’s stepped in. Eight bodyguards trailing me everywhere is still a fact I’m trying to swallow, but they’re so skilled I hardly notice them until they’re needed. It’s unnerving yet oddly comforting. “Evening, ma’am,” Milo greets me, his typically cold tone softening just a fraction as his gaze meets mine. “Evening, Milo. How was your day?” “Very productive,” he finally replies, his tone clipped, efficient—so very Milo. “Same here,” I respond, settling into the plush leather back seat. “Home?” he asks, glancing at me briefly in the rearview mirror. I pause, my mother-in-law’s earlier text flashing through my mind. “No. To Sawyer Estate, please,” I reply. His expression remains impassive, though the slight furrow of his brow betrays his curiosity. I ignore it, turning my attention to the city streets blurring past. My fingers tap restlessl
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-22The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 88: A Challenge
[Arella] We walk in silence—heavy and tense—all the way to his office. Every step seems louder than it should, adding to the weight in the air. His office is large, with shelves full of books. Warm brown colors fill the space, and the soft golden light of the evening sun streams through tall windows. For a second, I notice how beautiful the view is, but the knot in my stomach quickly reminds me why I’m here.He moves to a cabinet, pulls out a file, and gestures to a chair. “Sit,” he says curtly. I obey, lowering myself into the seat with a stiffness I can’t seem to shake. If I said I wasn’t intimidated, I’d be lying. My mind races with possibilities, each worse than the last. What does he want from me? Is he planning to pay me off, like Lincoln’s grandmother did? “I must say,” he begins, his tone easy but clipped, “you’ve done a good job of disrupting the peace in this family.” The words sting, sharp and unrelenting. My brows furrow in confusion. “I haven’t done anything s
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 89: Talk To Me
[Arella]My mother-in-law’s gaze lingers on me, still heavy with concern, as she follows Ava and me to the car. The late evening sun casts long shadows across the driveway. “Are you sure he didn’t yell at you?” she asks, her voice firm yet warm. “Just say the word, and he’ll get an earful from me.”I blink at her, momentarily stunned. This woman was nothing short of an angel. My heart softens, and I offer a small smile to reassure her.“He didn’t do anything, Mom,” I reply, my tone light but stiff as I fumble with the car keys. “I just need to pass on some files to Lincoln.”Her sharp eyes narrow, clearly not buying my excuse, but she sighs in reluctant acceptance. “If you say so.”She leans down to hug Ava, and they share a quiet moment that makes my chest ache. “Be good, Ava,” she says gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face.As we settle into the car, my mother-in-law waves enthusiastically from the driveway. “Don’t worry about tickets to the big game!” she yells, her voic
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-24The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 90: Slithering Snake
[Lincoln]Something was wrong. I could feel it rattling my bones, gnawing at the edges of my mind like a shadow that refused to disappear.“I was told you went to the Sawyer estate,” I say, my voice low as my fingers trace a slow, deliberate path along her cheek. Her skin feels soft and warm under my touch, tiny goosebumps arise where my fingers touch. “Did something happen?”“Well…” she begins, her voice hesitant as her gaze flickers away. “It’s nothing big, actually. Maybe I’m just overthinking it all.”The way her eyes drift, refusing to meet mine, makes me frown. She’s holding back—I can feel it.“My grandma wasn’t home, she's at a retreat” I say, leaning closer, watching for any subtle change in her body language. “That could only mean Aunt Trixy or my father. Tell me, who made you mad?”Her nose scrunches adorably, and a small tilt to her lips hints at amusement. “Hold on, Mr. Macho Man. There was no drama…like that,” she says lightly. Then, after a beat, she adds, “But I did ha
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-25The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 91: The Doctor's Call
[Lincoln] “Thank you so much, Bridge,” Arella’s voice drifts into my thoughts as I descend the stairs. Her words feel like a soft echo in my chest, but there's a heaviness to them. It's the kind of tone you can't ignore, the one that quietly nags at your soul. As I reach the bottom, my gaze lands on her—her eyes, those deep blue eyes—now cast downward as she puts down her phone. They’re sad. Too sad. There's something in them I don’t quite understand, but it's there, staring back at me. “Good morning,” she says, but it's not quite right. Her cheerfulness feels... off. Forced, like a smile you put on because you think it’s expected. It doesn’t reach her eyes. Across from her sits Ava, slumped against the couch, eyes glued to the TV. The soap opera flickers on, but it’s clear it’s only there to fill the space. Ava’s mind is somewhere else. I've always wondered why these two sisters look so different. I mean, besides their personalities—Ava with her black eyes and auburn hair, and
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-25
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 199
[Arella]Vivian ran like the devil himself was on her heels.Her bare feet slapped against the filthy concrete, the sharp sting of debris cutting into her skin. The air was thick with the scent of rotting dough and mildew, the remnants of a bakery long abandoned, its glory days buried under dust and decay. Her breath came in ragged gasps, each one hitching in her throat as she weaved through the narrow corridors, her frantic movements sending old flour sacks tumbling to the ground.She was fast, I’d give her that. Desperation had a way of making people move like cornered rats, a blend of terror and pure survival instinct. But I wasn’t about to let her scurry away. Not this time.I chased after her, vaulting over overturned crates, my boots thudding heavily against the grimy floor. My pulse thundered in my ears, my lungs burning with exertion, but the fire only fueled me. Every step I took, every inch I gained, I thought about what this woman had done to me seven months ago.Seven. Fuc
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 198
[Arella]Two days later, we finally located the only bakery in Backwater Alley.True to the city’s name, the place was utterly demented. The snarls and sneers we received from passersby sent a chill slithering down my spine, despite the heavy security flanking me. It wasn’t just the people that made this place hell—it was everything. The very air felt wrong, thick with the scent of rot and dampness, like misery had been ground into the pavement for generations. The streets reeked of filth and desperation, a choking combination of decay and stale piss, and even with the promise of protection, a thick wave of unease clung to my skin like a second layer.Deric, on the other hand, was visibly cowering, his head ducked so low I half-expected him to burrow into the ground. He flinched at every sound, his breath coming in shallow gasps as we passed through each ‘checkpoint’—clusters of men loitering with sharp eyes and even sharper knives, their silent appraisal as damning as a blade against
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 197
[Arella] Deric leads us to a restaurant that's just as rundown as that bar, but at least the air inside isn't nauseating. The dim lighting does little to hide the grime-streaked walls, and the wooden chairs creak ominously as we settle down. The stench of stale grease lingers in the air, but it’s a small mercy compared to the overwhelming stench of alcohol from before.I speak first, my voice sharp. "Where have you been? What are you doing all the way in Chicago?"He clears his throat, his eyes locked onto mine with an emotion I can't quite place—adoration, maybe? Like he can't believe I'm sitting right in front of him. That only makes my patience thinner."You're going to have to start talking, Deric, because trust me, I have other ways to make you talk.""Water... please," he croaks out, his voice dry and weak. Zach signals to one of his men, never leaving my side for a single second. The moment the bottle is placed in front of him, Deric chugs it down like a man starved, gulping i
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 196
[Arella]We pass through the back, and the stench immediately assaults my senses—an overwhelming mix of stale alcohol, damp wood, and rotting garbage. Dirty bottles are strewn everywhere, some stacked haphazardly in corners, others being washed with a half-hearted effort. The entire place reeks of neglect. Dust clings to every surface, thick enough that I can practically taste it in the air. A few workers loiter around, loading crates onto a rusty truck that looks like it's one pothole away from falling apart.The sight of it all makes my skin crawl. My fingers twitch at my sides, an instinctive reaction to the unease curling in my stomach. This place feels wrong. Like a trap waiting to be sprung.A man with decayed teeth—yellowed and jagged, a testament to years of neglect—flashes me a grin as we draw closer. The smile is anything but friendly; it's lecherous, the kind that makes my skin prickle in revulsion. "Who's this fine little birdie, Isla?" His eyes drag over me from head to t
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 195
[Arella]“How may I help you?" The bartender slurs his words, his bleary eyes raking over me. So much for being insecure—he doesn’t even attempt to hide his once-over. His gaze lingers too long, his lips quirking up like he’s amused by something. But then, something shifts. He must have noticed Zach’s piercing gaze because he suddenly straightens, feigning a sense of professionalism, shoulders squaring as he averts his gaze. My lips twitch in amusement, but I don’t let it show too much."I'm looking for the owner of this number." I thrust a crumpled piece of paper into his hand, unwilling to risk handing over my phone. My fingers tighten slightly as I pull back, watching his face carefully. His brows furrow as he glances at it, then at me, before letting out a dry chuckle."You're looking for the owner of this number... in a bar?" He shoots me an incredulous look, the kind that makes me feel every bit as ridiculous as I probably seem right now.I nod anyway, knowing full well how absu
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 194
[Arella]The private jet hummed softly beneath my feet as I approached, Zach and his men flanking me on either side like silent sentinels. My heart hammered a little harder than usual, but I ignored it, my focus locked on the mission ahead. I knew I should probably wait for Benson and Jordan to return from Florida—playing it safe would be the smart thing to do. But what if this lead went cold? What if this person changed their mind?The IP address traced back to a woman’s phone—a bartender. She ran a shady little dive bar, the kind of place where secrets slipped out between shots of cheap whiskey and whispered conversations in the dark. Maybe she’d seen Lincoln with Lisa or Thompson? Maybe she knew something crucial? Or maybe… something about that desperate message didn’t sit right. If she was just giving me information, why did it feel like a cry for help?I’d responded, asking for a time to meet. No response. Nothing. Just silence.I exhaled sharply, shoving those nagging doubts asi
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 193: A Trap Or A Lead?
[Arella] "Clement came back seven years later," Father in law continues, his voice calm, but there’s an edge to it—something bitter, something restrained. "By then, I had married Gladys. I had everything I wanted—a wife, my son, a growing empire, a future laid out exactly as it should be. And Clement already had a wife of his own. Lisa’s mother." He scoffs, shaking his head. "He claimed he wanted to make amends. That the past was behind us. That friendship meant more than old grudges. I should have known better. I did know better. But I let him in anyway, like a fool." A slow exhale, his fingers tightening around his glass. "He didn’t ask for money. Didn’t come with some grand business proposal wrapped in false generosity. No, he played it smarter this time. Said he only wanted to invest in my company, that he believed in my latest vision. And like a fool, I let him buy in. Gave him a seat at my table. Trusted that maybe, just maybe, he had changed." He shakes his head, his jaw
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 192: A Father's Regret
[Arella]Have you ever longed for something so deeply, only to be denied it over and over again? And then, when you finally get it, you feel... nothing?Because tell me why I’m sitting across from my father-in-law and grandmother-in-law in the dimly lit study of the Sawyer estate, their faces grim and pale, like they’re afraid to speak in my presence. The heavy scent of old books and polished wood lingers in the air, wrapping around us like a suffocating blanket. My father-in-law clears his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing with unease."How have you been, Arella?" he asks, his voice measured, like he's trying to sound casual.I raise an eyebrow. "How have I been?" I repeat, the bitterness curling around my words before I can stop it.Seven months. Seven months of silence. Not a word from either of them. Every single family gathering between our families—declined. No messages, no explanations, nothing. And now, my father-in-law suddenly shows up at work, requesting my presence, expect
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 191: Boardroom War II
[Arella]"N-not yet, President," one of them stammers, shoulders hunched in defeat. "But we can assure you, with our budget handed over to us, we can—"I tsk, shaking my head. "Greedy, greedy, greedy—just like Deric. You won’t see a single cent from me. And if you dare make another move to disrupt my peace like this, I won’t just cut you off—I’ll reduce Ames Finances to nothing more than scraps in a flea market bargain bin."A stunned silence settles over the room. The weight of my words crushes any lingering defiance."If accountability is truly what you seek, then start by holding yourselves responsible for your own failures. I have no time for empty demands or misplaced outrage. So do us all a favor—take your so-called accountability and escort yourselves out of my conference room immediately before I make that decision for you."The man in the brown suit reddens with anger, jabbing an accusing finger in my direction. "You… you—"But no words come. I watch as they all file out, dej
