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Author: Margarette Grey
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

ALAYNA

Chills travel down my spine, making me colder than I already am.

How can someone steal Betty’s phone when there’s no one else in the house but us? How can they know that I’ll be meeting her at the resort?

Oh my God! The traitor must be in our circle.

Is it John? No. John spoke to Brandon and Ollie and told them where we are.

How about Betty? We don’t know much about her. However, she wouldn’t do anything that obvious. No sane person would betray us by using their own phone number.

I jolt in fear when someone suddenly knocks on the window a few minutes later, but relief floods through me as I find Brandon standing outside.

I push the car door open, and he instantly catches me in his arms, holding me tight against him.

“I’m all right,” I assure him, wrapping my arms around his body.

“You are certainly not all right because of me. I thought I'd lost you,” he says breathlessly.

I gaze into his eyes. “You didn’t, so don’t worry, okay? What happened back there?”

“Brandon.” Oliver app
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    After that promise, he lowers his head and kisses me. This time, his lips aggressively coax mine. I groan as tiny bolts of electricity rush inside me. His kiss grows demanding. I tighten my arms around his neck, and my nails dig into his back. He thrusts his tongue into my mouth, and his mouth devours me... possessing me.He grips my waist, and leisurely he slides his hand up to my breast, pinching my nipple softly.“Ahh...” I can’t help but moan loudly.“Shh...” He laughs. “Come. Let’s get you out of the water.”I shiver with the anticipation that he wants this to lead to something more. He takes my hand, but I stop. I cover myself with my arms. “I’ve never walked in this state outside.”“No one will come here. I promise,” he assures me. “Come on.”Brandon emerges from the water, and his erect shaft stands before me. I had no idea he would be this big. I feel the space between my thighs moisten. “Brandon...” My throat dries up, and my eyes widen.He takes me again, heaves me out of t

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    I wake up in the middle of the night after a terrifying dream, and when I open my eyes, Brandon is staring at me.He wipes away my tears. “Are you okay? You were crying.”“Hey...” I bury my face in his chest and embrace him. “I thought you left without saying goodbye.”“Alayna, I’ll never do that to you. But are you sure you’re okay with this?”“I am okay with this,” I whisper. “I’m happy that you wanted to finally do this.”“Then what are you worried about?”“We don’t know what’s going to happen. Everything is going to change.”“My feelings for you will never change.”I force another smile at his vow. “You should have decided to do this a long time ago, you know?”A soft murmur escapes his lips, and he embraces me. “It will be torture without you.”“That is why you have to heal fast,” I tell him. “I’m looking forward to seeing you succeed.” But I then laugh softly between tears. “Is this going to be our last night together?”He does not bother to reply because we both know the answer

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    Six months laterAthens, GreeceALAYNA“I found Brandon, Alayna,” Oliver says, reappearing at our table.We are now at the annual family reunion in the Katrakis Manor in Athens. Hundreds of guests have attended, and I spot a sea of blond heads. Ollie said some guests are from the Stavros and Dragoumis family and others are close friends. Everything around us looks luxurious. I’m glad I listened to Casey; she had me wear her sparkly, emerald evening dress. As usual, Oliver is very handsome in his designer tuxedo.I feel my face brighten up, but my heartbeat quickens. I gulp the champagne and grimace at it. “Where is he?”“I suggest we wait for the party to finish. He’s... occupied.”“Alayna? Ollie, Casey!” Cassius suddenly appears with a bright grin across his face. He is dressed in a white designer tuxedo, and his blond hair is brushed back.With open arms, I embrace him. “Cassius, it’s good to see you.”“It’s only been six months, but it seems like forever.” He gently strokes my back

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    “It’s me! Have you forgotten about me?” I scream from the top of my lungs, but there’s no sound coming from my throat. There seems to be a wall dividing me from him as I ram my fist on the invisible surface.“No! Please, come back! It’s me! Brandon, it’s Alayna,” I cry hard, but it’s no use. He can see me from the other side but remains still. Seconds later, a beautiful woman steps closer to him, and she slides her arms around his waist.My heart shatters into a thousand pieces.“Who is she, Brandon?” the woman asks, looking at me with blank, soulless eyes.“No one.”“No! It’s me, Brandon. It’s Alayna!” I shout, but there’s still no sound coming from me.He sneers at me, and I watch him hold the woman’s waist and kiss her cheek.“No!” I yell in anguish. I can’t breathe. I bang the wall once more with all my remaining strength, but I’m too late.Brandon and the woman stride away.“Come back, please!” I sob. “Oh, please don’t leave me...”“Alayna! Wake up! Alayna!” I snap back to my sen

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    BRANDONAthens, Greece“Okay, take a deep breath. This might irritate your skin a little, but it’s normal. You have to be very, very careful.” I looked at Cassius’s eyes as he started to remove my bandage.The procedure and the medication took four months. I had eleven operations and three plastic surgeries. Cassius said that my cheekbones were dislocated—the reason why the flesh wounds were always raw. It got infected because it wasn’t treated immediately. He said I was lucky it did not spread to the other part of my face. I still had more operations to go for my ribcage and the scars on my chest.“Are you ready?”I nodded. “More than ready...”Cassius started to carefully undo the bandage.“I was waiting for this moment, buddy—all my life. I waited for this,” he said.“I know, and I’ve been such a prick to you,” I admitted.“Heard something from Oliver? Did you talk to Alayna? Do they know about this day?”“No. I talked to Oliver, and they seemed fine.”He stopped. “Are you saying y

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    ALAYNA“No, no! Please, no!”“Please come back.”“Don’t leave me again.”“Please come back to me.”“I’m okay with it. Just come back to me.”“No. No. I’m not a burden.”“You said you would come back.”“Don’t leave!”“Brandon, don’t leave.”“No!”“Alayna? I’m here. I’m here.”“No. You are not.”“Please don’t be like this, Alayna.”“Brandon, just tell me you won’t leave!”“Ahh!”“Alayna, wake up!”I open my eyes, and it isn’t Brandon but Cassius in front of me. His hands are cupping my cheeks, and his expression is one of concern.“Cassius? Why what happened?”“You had a nightmare... I guess.” He brushes my tears with his thumb. “So, this is what Oliver’s talking about. Alayna, how long has this been happening?”“He doesn’t want me anymore,” I answer instead, and I don’t know why I’m not getting tired of it. But it’s just too painful.“That’s not true. He’s just in bad shape right now. Here, drink this.” Cassius helps me sit, then hands me a glass of water and a capsule. Quickly, I take

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    BRANDON They said nothing lasts forever, but that phrase might not be entirely true. Yes, I’ve lived a wretched life in the past. I was driven by guilt, anger, and revenge for as long as I could remember. I couldn’t do anything because I thought I was weak. I thought it was how I was going to die. Hopeless and a failure. Until she came into my life and changed everything. Alayna turned my world upside down and showed me a different side of reality I hadn’t yet seen. She made me realize it wasn’t too late to hope or win—the exact opposite of what I had lived for all along. For when I was hopeless, she showed me hope. I felt despair; she granted me peace. I thought I had more guilt than anyone else in the world, but she gave me her love. With her, my journey truly begins. Our marriage. My forever. We should enjoy every second of it now in a summer townhouse resort in Varkiza, one of the estates we owned in Athens. I am now tangling my wife’s hair as she devours my shaft by the

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    I walk them to the end of the venue, greeting the guests as we pass. Then I meet up with Cary and Stan by the garden’s exit. The twins step aside to introduce me to a man of nearly sixty—who did his best to appear formal with the suit I sent him. I immediately recognize the features of his face.The man opens his arms. “Brandon, my favorite boy…”I approach him immediately and briefly drape my arm around his shoulder. “Uncle Basil, you came.”“Of course. I won’t miss your special day.”“Um, hello?” Casey steps forward and joins in.“Ah, it must be you now. You’re Elysia,” Uncle Basil says. I step back, giving them space.Casey blushes. “I go with a different name now, um… but…”“No, you are Elysia. Elga’s younger sister. I held you as a baby.” He smiles in awe. “You look so much like your brother and your father—Oh!”Casey instantly embraces him. “Brandon said you look like him too.”Our uncle nods, stroking her back. “I’m sorry for what happened to you, child.”She snivels. “I alread

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    BRANDON“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride…”My wife selected a garden house by the beach in East Hampton for our wedding. Her dream wedding. She looked exceptionally royal in her white long trail wedding dress today. Omar did a remarkable job, as usual. I honestly can’t wait for this celebration to end, so I can finally have my wife for myself.Alayna wanted an intimate celebration with our families, but some press always finds a way to invite themselves. At least a hundred people are present today to witness our most awaited union compared to the five hundred who attended our engagement party.My beautiful wife is now in my arms, having our first dance as a married couple.“Hello, husband. You look very handsome.” She traces the line of my suit with her fingertips, and the diamond wrap around her finger flickers.“You look like I’m ready to eat you.”She giggles, and I always love the sound of it. “Behave,” she says, but her smile says otherwise.I raise a

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    ALAYNAOne week later“Senator Donovan Mallory is arrested for child trafficking, distributing child pornography, and the murder of Dr. Richard Hart, the former chair of Lifeline Foundation. The trial for his case will begin in two weeks…”The report switches the frame over to a desperate old man being hauled by the cops.“Let me go! This is not over yet! The mayor of Seattle is mentally sick! Do you hear me? I cannot accept this! He is lying!” he yells over the reporters surrounding him in front of the courthouse.“This is Luis Crawford from AAC News, reporting.”Cassius shuts off the news. We are now gathered in the living room, silently waiting for someone to speak.Last week, Cassius and Carmelo visited the senator to let him know Drake abducted me, but he only chased them away and denied his son. He told them he had no business in Drake’s escapades. However, during Drake’s interview, he disclosed everything he knew about his father and apologized to me in public.“Drake didn’t me

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    ALAYNAI have fallen asleep on the couch. It’s already morning. I’m not in my bed, nor Brandon’s penthouse, but in an unfamiliar room somewhere in Wichita. It turns out I’m not dreaming. The devil who’s asleep on the bed right now really kidnapped me.He’s sleeping! Maybe I can get away…I cover my mouth from squealing at the possible opportunity to get away from Drake.I take light steps toward the bed to make sure he’s unconscious. Drake’s forehead is wrinkled, and exhaustion is marked on the lines of his face. He must be unsettled with all this bullshit he got himself into, but he’s clearly tired because no matter how difficult the nightmares are, he doesn’t wake. I know because I’ve seen him in this state in the past. Whenever he was anxious, he’d just sleep it out.I instantly think of making a call, so I need a phone. Brandon has to know where I am. So bravely, I sneak back to the living room and open Drake’s stuff. I dig inside his suitcase to look for his phone and money. I ne

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    I knock on the door of an old townhouse, then a dark-blonde-haired woman appears at the door. She smiles when she sees us, but the bliss on her face quickly fades and turns into confusion.“Jason?” she says.Jason frowns. “Mariel?”“You know her?” I ask him.“Yes, she’s in the gang with me. I mean, was. Mariel Miller. What are you doing here?”The woman’s face turns red. “I don’t know why you’re here, but you need to leave.” She glances at me but then attempts to shut the door. However, Jason is swift. He shoves himself to the door and steps inside.“Mariel. I am asking you a question. Why are you here?” Jason questions as he steps further. I follow him.“She’s his sister. The twins found out in the family records,” I say. I see quite a resemblance.Jason nods, then shifts his attention back to the woman. “Where is Drake, Mariel?”She steps back. “He’s not here.”“But you’re expecting him.”She doesn’t answer.“You vanished, and now you’re here? You’re Drake’s sister?”She nods.Jason

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