AMELIA I woke up slowly, my mind drifting through a thick haze, like I was trying to wade through fog. For a moment, everything was blurry, and a tightness settled in my chest. Where was I? Was I still at the hospital?Then I felt the warmth of a hand over mine, firm but gentle, and everything came rushing back. Blinking, I looked up to see Lachlan sitting beside me, his face tense but softening as he noticed I was awake. The sight of him washed away the last traces of fear, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.“Lachlan…” My voice was barely a whisper, but his expression shifted, relief flooding his eyes.“I’m right here, love,” he said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.I wanted to tell him everything I was feeling—how scared I’d been, how grateful I was that he was here now—but the words felt tangled in my throat. Before I could even try, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in a white coat stepped in. He had a kind face, with just a hint of greying at the
CHRISI stumbled into my apartment, half-drunk, exhausted, and honestly just wanting to sleep off the buzz from the club. It was nearly 3 a.m., and I’d lost track of how many rounds I’d downed with all those hot women. All I could think about was peeling off these clothes, getting under a scalding shower, and letting the water wash off the night.As I turned on the shower, the bathroom mirror fogged up, and I closed my eyes, letting the water pour over my blonde hair. But as soon as I stepped out and grabbed a towel, my phone vibrated on the counter, lighting up the dim room. Cassandra.I groaned, but something in the back of my mind told me to pick up. She wouldn’t call at this hour without a reason. So I dried off quickly, yanked on some pants, and slid the green icon.“Cassandra, I was wondering when I’d hear from you again.”I heard her take in a shaky breath. “Chris… I need your help.”I frowned, and my voice softened with a hint of sympathy. “Rough day, I take it?”“You could sa
LACHLANThe fluorescent lights of the police station buzzed faintly as I walked through the doors, my mind heavily held down by a mixture of dread and determination. Matthew trailed just behind me, his expression stoic but his eyes alert. The station gave a stench of stale coffee mixed with frustration, a combination I’d grown accustomed to during these past few chaotic days. The detective in charge of the case called in earlier today that there have been some findings about the whereabouts of the assailants. It was good news, yes, but there was more, and they couldn’t tell me over the phone, so I had to come down here myself. Detective Harper greeted me with a curt nod. “Mr. Mallory, thank you for coming in. Let’s talk in my office.”I followed her into a small, cluttered room. Matthew remained close. If anyone could recognise Amelia’s attackers, it was him. Which was why I had brought him along with me again. Harper motioned for us to sit, her lips pressed into a grim line.“We fou
Amelia “Give me a son,” Lachlan growled into my ear as his hips pistoned harder, driving his hardness deeper into me. I cried out in both anguish and pleasure as my body climbed higher and higher and finally reached the crevice. “Oh God,” I moaned, my nails digging into his back as I clung to him with all my might. I came with a choked sob and Lachlan followed a moment later, gritting out his daily mantra into my ear as he came. “Give me a son.” I had heard those words everyday of my life for the past three years and I was sick of it. Every time, I swore to myself that I’d be stronger and the words wouldn’t affect me, but I failed each and every time. Just like now, I could feel one more crack in my heart as the man I loved; the man I was hopelessly in love with; my husband, with jerked away from my body like I was contagious, shot me an acidic look and stomped off to his room. My husband and I hadn’t shared a bed for more than sex since our marriage three years ago.
Amelia“Green isn’t your color. You should have worn blue,” Lachlan snapped as he approached me.I had been waiting for him at our foyer for over twenty five minutes and he had finally arrived and had jumped right into criticizing me.“I’m S-sorry,” I said, “I can go change.”“There’s no time,” he hissed, “We’re already late enough as it is.” As if he hadn’t been the one to make us late.“You should have employed my sister’s personal shopper like she had suggested for you. She always looks so classy while you look like a pauper.”I held back my retort that I wasn’t sure he would be all that pleased with me dressing like a high class hooker like his sister. I didn’t think I had ever seen Nina Mallory wearing a dress that reached to mid thigh. “Let’s go.” He hissed, “I can’t wait for the day you’ll finally stop embarrassing me.” I followed him with my head down like I was headed to my own execution. It was safe to say that Lachlan’s family hated me. While his mother and sister always
Amelia “You’re awake!” Someone exclaimed in a kind Southern twang. I opened my eyes slowly, disoriented and confused. Where was I? The walls were a plain white and flooded with harsh lights. I winced, trying to understand what was going on. “Where am I?” I asked groggily. “Poor darling,” the accent replied. “you’re in the Maryland hospital.” I turned my head carefully to see a nurse staring down at me worriedly. My whole body hurt but my head felt like someone had taken a hammer to it. “What happened? Why am I here?” “Don’t you remember?” The last thing I remembered was running out of the Mallory house and my husband screaming my name. I remembered feeling terrified and horrified by my actions. Everything after that was a big blur. “You ran into the street and got knocked down by an incoming bike. You’re lucky that the bike was going slowly and you didn’t get yourself killed.” The nurse chided softly. “What were you thinking?” I was thinking that I needed to run as fast as
Amelia“Lachlan, I have good news,I’m pregnant. No- that’s too boring,” I muttered to myself as I hurried into the house excitedly. I couldn’t wait to tell my husband the good news. It was the one thing he had wanted since the beginning of this marriage. The only thing he had hoped for. I believed this would help us get closer, and finally heal the rift between us.But what if he didn’t believe me? The thought immediately halted me, but there was an easy solution to it. I could do a quick pregnancy test now so I could tell him with the evidence. I immediately rushed to my room and dug out one of the kits and followed the instructions then went to find Lachlan.But as soon as I burst into the home office excitedly, my heart dropped to my stomach at the sight before me. My husband was seated on his big leather chair, and on the hand of the chair was none other than Cassie. I froze in shock as her hands slowly undid the the buttons of his shirt, murmuring silky words at him while he l
Lachlan“A divorce?” I repeated blankly. I stilled in shock at the hard look in Amelia’s eyes. It was a look I had never seen before in our three years of marriage. She had always looked at me helplessly and with love and devastation that irritated me so much and made my skin crawl. The last thing I had ever expected was for my wife to be the one to serve me divorce papers tonight. Everything I had done had been to make her miserable in this marriage, but she knew the stipulations on the marriage contract arranged by my late father. She wasn’t entitled to a single dollar of my money if she ever divorced me unless she had given me an heir. So far, she was still the same barren woman from day one. Amelia hadn’t been my first, second or even hundredth choice for a wife. My plan had always been to end up with Cassie. But my father, the manipulative bastard had twisted my hands all the way to his grave and saddled me with this joke of a woman. “Yes,” she said slowly and stepped forwa
LACHLANThe fluorescent lights of the police station buzzed faintly as I walked through the doors, my mind heavily held down by a mixture of dread and determination. Matthew trailed just behind me, his expression stoic but his eyes alert. The station gave a stench of stale coffee mixed with frustration, a combination I’d grown accustomed to during these past few chaotic days. The detective in charge of the case called in earlier today that there have been some findings about the whereabouts of the assailants. It was good news, yes, but there was more, and they couldn’t tell me over the phone, so I had to come down here myself. Detective Harper greeted me with a curt nod. “Mr. Mallory, thank you for coming in. Let’s talk in my office.”I followed her into a small, cluttered room. Matthew remained close. If anyone could recognise Amelia’s attackers, it was him. Which was why I had brought him along with me again. Harper motioned for us to sit, her lips pressed into a grim line.“We fou
CHRISI stumbled into my apartment, half-drunk, exhausted, and honestly just wanting to sleep off the buzz from the club. It was nearly 3 a.m., and I’d lost track of how many rounds I’d downed with all those hot women. All I could think about was peeling off these clothes, getting under a scalding shower, and letting the water wash off the night.As I turned on the shower, the bathroom mirror fogged up, and I closed my eyes, letting the water pour over my blonde hair. But as soon as I stepped out and grabbed a towel, my phone vibrated on the counter, lighting up the dim room. Cassandra.I groaned, but something in the back of my mind told me to pick up. She wouldn’t call at this hour without a reason. So I dried off quickly, yanked on some pants, and slid the green icon.“Cassandra, I was wondering when I’d hear from you again.”I heard her take in a shaky breath. “Chris… I need your help.”I frowned, and my voice softened with a hint of sympathy. “Rough day, I take it?”“You could sa
AMELIA I woke up slowly, my mind drifting through a thick haze, like I was trying to wade through fog. For a moment, everything was blurry, and a tightness settled in my chest. Where was I? Was I still at the hospital?Then I felt the warmth of a hand over mine, firm but gentle, and everything came rushing back. Blinking, I looked up to see Lachlan sitting beside me, his face tense but softening as he noticed I was awake. The sight of him washed away the last traces of fear, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.“Lachlan…” My voice was barely a whisper, but his expression shifted, relief flooding his eyes.“I’m right here, love,” he said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.I wanted to tell him everything I was feeling—how scared I’d been, how grateful I was that he was here now—but the words felt tangled in my throat. Before I could even try, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in a white coat stepped in. He had a kind face, with just a hint of greying at the
CASSANDRAHow could they fail? I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms as I paced the length of my bedroom, the sour taste of anger mixing with fear. They were supposed to be professionals, discreet. They were supposed to handle everything without it coming back to me. But those idiots let Amelia slip through their fingers. I should have known his chauffeur wasn't normal. Lachlan was onto us now. He was too smart; I’d known this. It was part of why I’d fallen for him in the first place.Well too late for regrets; thanks to their incompetence, I was backed into a corner, and the thought made my skin crawl. The image of him still being by that bitch’s side burnt in my mind, fuelling my jealousy. Why her? Why did he look at her the way he used to look at me? I could have given him so much more if he’d just let me back in.My phone buzzed, and I saw Eric’s name light up the screen. My pulse quickened, a mix of hope and apprehension, but before I could even speak, his voice thund
LACHLANI should have been there. The thought ran circles in my mind, looping through every possible scenario in which I had somehow kept her safe. I was supposed to protect Amelia. But I had left her alone, vulnerable, and now she was in the hospital, recovering from an attack that could’ve cost her life. Worse, our child’s life. I clenched my fists so tight that my knuckles cracked, trying to keep my anger in check. It was mostly anger at myself—a gnawing, bitter frustration that I hadn’t been there when she’d needed me.Matthew sat beside me at the police station, scrolling through images on the detective’s tablet, helping to sort through potential suspects. He was silent but tense, his face a mirror of my own worry. I could see in his eyes that he was as furious as I was about what had happened. If he’d been there earlier, maybe he would have stopped those men. But he wasn’t to blame, and deep down, I knew that. The responsibility fell on me alone.“You don’t have to stay, Matthew
The house felt unusually still as I put away the last of the dishes. Lachlan had left just after dinner, saying he’d be home soon. He was working late again and had just come home during lunch break to spend time with me before he took off again. Lately, “soon” had been stretching longer and longer, but tonight, with the baby restless, I missed his presence more than usual. I sighed, patting my belly gently. “He’ll be home any minute now, my miracle, don't you worry,” I whispered, hoping it would somehow make the time pass faster. Lillian wasn't in the house today. She had gone to her home for her usual medical checkup, so she was sending her daughter to her place. Her name is Rebecca, and she and I have spoken a few times on the phone. She is a really lovely person. So yes, I was all alone in this empty house with nothing else to do but sleep. Which was exactly what I did. Cooking dinner did a number on me. My whole back was aching. Maybe I could ask Lachlan to give me one of thos
LACHLANThis whole week has been nothing but great. I had just closed a million-dollar deal with a company I've been chasing throughout the year. I had my beautiful wife waiting for me at home, and our son or daughter was going to be born soon. Amelia didn't want to find out the gender before the baby was born. She said it would ruin the thrill of having our first child. She wanted it to be a surprise for both of us. I, on the other hand, so badly wanted a daughter. Someone I could pamper, learn how to braid for, buy dresses for because she was my pretty princess, and chase away boys who wanted to come close to her. I didn't realise I was smiling widely until my cheeks started to hurt. I quickly stopped my daydreaming and continued to sign the projects we were supposed to commence with. I was planning on building a few gas stations in Dubai. My friend Abdul Rashad, who lives there, told me it would be a very good investment. Expanding my business was my goal. The whole world would kn
AMELIA I woke up that morning and Lachlan was already out of bed. My hands touched the side of his bed and was met with cold and empty space. Except for a single white rose. A smile spread across my face as I picked up the stalk. I brought the flower to my nose and took a deep inhale into my lungs. It's been 3 weeks since Lachlan and I made up, and ever since that day, he always left a single white rose on the bed next to me every morning. I asked him why he chose a white rose, and he replied with the statement, “It represents your purity. You're the light to my darkness. That's why I chose this particular flower.” I had gotten so emotional I was already a crying mess before he finished his statement. He had called me a crybaby, and I cursed him out, and then we made love over and over again. The new Lachlan was my favourite Lachlan. We had so much fun together and every waking day was so full of love and happiness. Life was getting better. An additional reason why I said so was
CASSANDRAI stared at the crisp white ceiling with a giant chandelier hanging in the middle. Sultry music blasted from the speakers in the room, giving me a massive headache. I've been getting more of those for the past week. No, not last week. Ever since that bitch came back, I've not had a second to rest my brain. Overthinking has become a norm to the point that I wasn't even into whatever Chris was doing to me underneath the sheets. He has had his face buried in between my legs for the past five minutes. He seemed to be enjoying whatever it was he was doing. The truth was, I had zoned out the moment his mouth touched me. I went to see Eric the other day, and he told me our plan flopped. We had to come up with another one, but that prick was acting like I was the only one who was going to benefit from separating those two. I was desperate, yes, but I wouldn't let any man talk to me like I was some retard. He made me feel that way, and to say it pissed me off was an understatement.