Bonus chapter. :)
“Zavian!” A familiar voice suddenly called out.They both turned to find Yuna hurrying across the immaculate grounds toward them, clearly intent on catching up to the pair before they could make their getaway.Emmeline's face drained of all color, while Zavian's expression was rigid, his jaw clenched tightly.‘Stupid move shutting down the mind link,’ he cursed inwardly. Luca must have tried warning him about Yuna's unexpected arrival.A frown creased his brow as he was struck once again by how Emmeline's presence seemed to dull his usually razor-sharp senses.Did she really affect him that much, or was it the incomplete mate bond screwing with his head whenever she was around?Shoving those troubling thoughts aside for the moment, Zavian turned to face his uninvited wife. "What do you want, Yuna?" he asked coldly."I asked about you in your office half an hour ago so we could have lunch together," Yuna said with a bright smile. "But I learned from the guard you were still in court, so
"It was certainly a pleasant surprise that you came all the way down to the courthouse for me," Yuna began, shooting Emmeline a sidelong glance. "But I have to ask - how did you even think to invite me to lunch in the first place? We don't usually make plans one-on-one like that."Emmeline felt her heart rate kick up a notch as panic gripped her chest. She definitely hadn't anticipated that question and was utterly unprepared with a believable excuse."Honestly..." she hedged, stalling for time as her mind raced. Finally, she settled on the only remotely plausible explanation she could think of, even if it did throw Minnie under the bus a bit. "I felt kind of bad that Minnie and I went to the med spa for facials last weekend without you. I thought doing lunch would be my way of making up for leaving you out this time."She tried to inject a casual, friendly lilt into her tone, realizing the excuse was pretty lame even as the words left her mouth. "I know it's not quite the same as a r
Maybe he's just stressed at work.Seduce him, entertain him. That's what people usually tell a married woman when she complains about being subjected to violence and abuse by her husband. My own family and friends said the same ignorant, victim-blaming bullshit.Their words echo in my head like a constant reminder of how alone I truly am in this nightmare.The brutal truth? I was repeatedly raped and assaulted under my own roof by my husband Richard. And the most ridiculous, infuriating thing I heard when I finally gathered the courage to turn to my family for help and support? "He'll change when he gets older! Boys will be boys!"Their dismissive, enabling attitudes made me feel even more isolated and trapped. It was as if they were complicit in my abuse, choosing to protect a monster rather than their own daughter and sister.Like, what about my wasted life? What about the trauma and suffering I've endured? The sleepless nights, the constant fear, the way my body tenses at the sligh
The staggering height difference between his muscular 6'2" frame and my petite 5'3" made me feel even more powerless and insignificant in his presence. I could smell his cologne, the same scent that used to make me weak in the knees but now just made me nauseous."I am a man, whether you like it or not," he growled, his hot breath reeking of stale coffee and cigarettes fanning across my face.I tried not to gag."A real man, not some weak little pussy-whipped bitch like you want to turn me into." He added through gritted teeth, turning off the burner on the stove before I could with his other hand.The pan's contents was now a blackened, smoky, inedible mess. Just like our relationship.I stared at the ruined food, which was a perfect metaphor for my life."You're the one who's unfit - unfit for this house, unfit for my bed, unfit for my seed." His cruel words stabbed at my femininity and my sense of self-worth like a rusty knife.I thought of the pregnancy test I'd taken in secret la
At 10 am sharp, the moving crew of four large, burly men arrived to empty our modest city apartment of all our belongings.I trailed behind the massive truck carrying our furniture and possessions in a taxi, giving them directions to the new, high-end neighborhood.My stomach churned with anxiety as we approached our new home, knowing that this move would only serve to further isolate me from my support system and give Richard more control over my life.Achrafieh Hill contained only three luxurious mansions spaced extremely far apart - each one trying to outdo the other in grandeur and excess.One particular property occupied a massive, sprawling area surrounded by towering iron gates and a security checkpoint. It was not our new place, of course—Richard didn't make that much, at least not yet.But I had no doubt he aspired to own such a fortress one day, further cutting me off from the outside world.I paid the taxi driver and headed over to the four brawny workers, addressing them a
"Looks like you need some help there."The painting obscured my view, so I didn't realize it was a man until his rich, husky voice flowed into my ears from behind me.I tilted my head to the right and my gaze landed on the sculpted, exquisite features of a very handsome stranger.He was easily over 6 feet tall, with sharp, masculine features - eyes that crinkled becomingly at the corners and a head of perfectly tousled black hair.An air of quiet confidence and self-assuredness radiated from him in waves that were utterly breathtaking.For a moment, I forgot how to breathe."Leave it, I'll carry it for you," he stated firmly in a way that was authoritative and wouldn't take no for an answer.There was something about his demeanor that both irritated and intrigued me.And because I've always detested being ordered around or having my capabilities underestimated, I immediately objected with a shake of my head.The sweaty strands of hair that had escaped my bun tickled my cheek. "It's ok
For the next few hours, I threw myself into the task of cleaning and organizing.I carefully hung up my and Richard's clothes in the spacious walk-in closet, trying not to dwell on how my modest wardrobe barely filled a quarter of the available space.My husband's designer suits and expensive shoes, on the other hand, seemed right at home in such luxurious surroundings.Evening approached.I decided to take a break from unpacking and do some baking instead.Cooking had always been a source of comfort for me, a way to center myself when life felt chaotic or overwhelming.I spent the next hour or so in the gleaming gourmet kitchen, losing myself in the familiar rhythms of measuring, mixing, and folding.The result of my efforts was two batches of my signature cakes – one a rich chocolate fudge, the other a delicate lemon poppyseed.As they cooled on the marble countertop, filling the air with their tempting aromas, I carefully packed them into decorative boxes I had bought specifically
Minnie returned rather quickly. She set a plate of cookies on the coffee table between us, smothered her short white sundress, and plopped down next to me in a casual, friendly manner."I was planning to visit your house a little later after the twins came back from daycare to officially welcome you to the neighborhood," she said with a friendly laugh. "But you beat me to it! I'm so glad you did, though."My eyes widened in astonishment at her words. "Twins? You're...you're a mother?" I sputtered out, feeling a bit foolish for my surprise.I tried to reconcile the image of this youthful, vibrant woman before me with that of a mother of two.Minnie giggled audibly. "Why do you look so shocked? Do you think motherhood isn't suitable for a woman like me?" She arched one finely sculpted eyebrow teasingly, but there was no malice in her tone.I waved my hand in denial, flustered and trying to backpedal. "No, no, that's not what I meant at all! I just... you look so young and..." I trailed
"It was certainly a pleasant surprise that you came all the way down to the courthouse for me," Yuna began, shooting Emmeline a sidelong glance. "But I have to ask - how did you even think to invite me to lunch in the first place? We don't usually make plans one-on-one like that."Emmeline felt her heart rate kick up a notch as panic gripped her chest. She definitely hadn't anticipated that question and was utterly unprepared with a believable excuse."Honestly..." she hedged, stalling for time as her mind raced. Finally, she settled on the only remotely plausible explanation she could think of, even if it did throw Minnie under the bus a bit. "I felt kind of bad that Minnie and I went to the med spa for facials last weekend without you. I thought doing lunch would be my way of making up for leaving you out this time."She tried to inject a casual, friendly lilt into her tone, realizing the excuse was pretty lame even as the words left her mouth. "I know it's not quite the same as a r
“Zavian!” A familiar voice suddenly called out.They both turned to find Yuna hurrying across the immaculate grounds toward them, clearly intent on catching up to the pair before they could make their getaway.Emmeline's face drained of all color, while Zavian's expression was rigid, his jaw clenched tightly.‘Stupid move shutting down the mind link,’ he cursed inwardly. Luca must have tried warning him about Yuna's unexpected arrival.A frown creased his brow as he was struck once again by how Emmeline's presence seemed to dull his usually razor-sharp senses.Did she really affect him that much, or was it the incomplete mate bond screwing with his head whenever she was around?Shoving those troubling thoughts aside for the moment, Zavian turned to face his uninvited wife. "What do you want, Yuna?" he asked coldly."I asked about you in your office half an hour ago so we could have lunch together," Yuna said with a bright smile. "But I learned from the guard you were still in court, so
“Did you know you swallowed your children a while ago?”Emmeline took a moment to process Zavian's rather crude comment about her supposedly swallowing their unborn children. After a momentary pause, she lightly tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention."Enough with that, sir. You're embarrassing me," she chided, though her tone was more amused than truly scandalized.A sarcastic smile curved Zavian's lips as he leaned in closer with his voice taking on a darker, more suggestive timbre. "What a dirty woman you are to swallow your children without mercy after they've come all this way, thinking your womb would embrace them."For a fleeting moment, Emmeline did feel a pang of remorse over his words. But she quickly recovered her wits, determined not to let him gain the upper hand so easily."And you're a bad father for throwing your children into my mouth in the first place!" she countered shrewdly.Zavian let out a deep chuckle that seemed to reverberate through Emmeline's very c
Emmeline leaned in towards Zavian and blew a hot breath against his earlobe. "I doubt I'll be the only loser," she said sultry and teasing.Her hands slid over his broad shoulders, kneading them gently. Even though she was standing behind him, the subtle relaxation of his muscles under her touch was clear to see."You seem to get a kick out of causing a stir when everyone's oblivious," Emmeline continued, "Just like that day in my restaurant when you asked me to stroke you under the table." She paused for effect and added with a smirk, "What I did just now is no different."Zavian turned abruptly at this. He grabbed Emmeline's left hand and pulled her towards him without rising from his seat.It was so sudden that Emmeline almost lost her balance but managed to steady herself by gripping the edge of the table."What's wrong with you?" she grumbled. "You nearly tripped me up there!" She shot him an unimpressed look."The difference is I was actually doing important work and not playing
Emmeline could feel a rush of heady power thrumming through her veins as she held his burning stare, silently communicating that this tantalizing game of cat-and-mouse between them was just beginning.The defense lawyer launched into his arguments, but Emmeline barely heard a word..."Your Honor, members of the jury, my client is an upstanding citizen who was an exemplary employee at his workplace for years. He never caused any trouble or gave anyone a single reason to doubt his character. And most crucially, he has an ironclad alibi for the time when these heinous crimes were committed.""Objection!" The prosecutor jumped up from his seat, nearly knocking over his chair in his haste.He pointed an accusatory finger at the defense. "That alleged alibi is highly dubious and suspicious at best."All eyes turned to Zavian. His penetrating gaze swept over the court before settling on the prosecutor. "On what grounds are you calling the credibility of the alibi into question?"The prosecuto
It was Monday morning and Emmeline was up at the crack of dawn, eagerly getting dolled up for her day at the courthouse.She couldn't stop thinking about her lover all the time. Even when she lay beside Richard at night, her longing for Zavian wracked her nerves like a drug addict needing their next dose.She remembered his reckless desire to visit him during a court hearing, and the thrill of risk that accompanied it.Emmeline decided then and there that she would take him up on his invitation, consequences be damned.Today, she wanted to look sophisticated and polished, yet also alluring enough to drive Zavian wild - the kind of outfit that straddled the line between professional and provocative.After much deliberation, Emmeline decided on a fitted gray skirt suit that hugged her curves in all the right places. The skirt was made from a stretchy wool blend that clung to her toned thighs, the hem falling just a few tantalizing inches above her knees. She paired it with a crisp white
"Who was that guy who snuck out the back door of your house two days ago?" Minnie suddenly asked pointedly.Emmeline's eyes widened in shock. She forgot how to breathe for a moment, feeling trapped by Minnie's question.She knew Minnie must be referring to Zavian - who else would have been leaving through her back door like that?Emmeline hadn't prepared herself to face a confrontation like this, so she was unable to find a convincing excuse right away.After a charged pause, she smiled nervously. "And who else could it have been other than Richard, my husband?"She refrained from looking directly at Minnie, afraid of what she might see in her friend's eyes."I can give you more than one reason why that guy couldn't have been Richard," Minnie replied in a confident, assured tone.Emmeline's arms were resting on top of her stomach, and she couldn't control the trembling in them as Minnie started ticking off her reasons on her fingers."Firstly, your husband arrived home just a short tim
A few days passed in a blink.Minnie texted Emmeline asking for accompany to the facial care center the following day.Emmeline didn't hesitate to accept the invitation because her skin was in a terrible state, giving her an irreplaceable opportunity for some pampering.The doorbell rang after lunch the next day. Emmeline swiftly opened it, knowing who her guest was.Minnie was wearing a short gray knit dress under her brown wool coat, while Emmeline had on fitted jeans and an olive green peacoat."Right on schedule, Minnie," she said cheerfully.Minnie always hugged her whenever they met. But this time, she just stared at Emmeline's face intently as though the latter suddenly grew two horns.Emmeline wiped her cheeks self-consciously. "Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"Minnie snapped out of her daze and shook her head quickly. "Oh no, I was just thinking about the kitchen faucet and whether I turned it off."Emmeline didn’t think much of her friend’s behavio
Emmeline felt her blood turn to ice, the pulsating waves of the washing machine beneath her suddenly lost their allure as the reality of Richard's return hit her.Her eyes darted to Zavian, who maintained an unnerving calm."Shit, Richard's home. What should we do?" she whispered with panic.Zavian's expression shifted. His usual devilish charm was now laced with a dark intent that Emmeline had come to recognize as his plotting look."Fasten your seatbelts, we'll complete the euphoria trip spoiled by his return!" he declared with a mischievous grin.Emmeline's chest swelled with air. "Have you lost your mind, sir? My husband has come home! What if he comes looking for me?" she muttered in disbelief. However, Zavian ignored her protest.He resumed expertly teasing her breasts.Emmeline fined his touch both soothing and infuriating under the circumstances."I doubt he will come to the laundry room. Until then, I’ll drown you in ecstasy. The excitement is beyond thrilling. The feeling of