Zavian suddenly felt disgusted at his wife’s taste and pulled back from their heated liplock.Then he gripped her shoulders and flipped her over on her hands and knees in one rough motion.Yuna let out a startled yelp. “Zavian!” She called, trying to get him back to his senses. But the man was too far gone to care.He bunched the silk of her dress up around her waist, hooked his fingers into the waistband of her lacy panties and simply ripped them away.The delicate fabric parted like tissue paper under his brutal strength.Yuna gasped at the sudden, rough treatment with fear and arousal coursing through her veins.It had been so long since Zavian had touched her like this. With such raw hunger.Part of her wanted to protest, to demand an explanation for his bizarre behavior. But a deeper part of her responded to his dominance.Her body was already preparing itself for what was to come.Zavian shoved his own slacks and boxer briefs down with an impatient grunt, freeing his achingly ri
"You really came!" Emmeline exclaimed in a cheerful tone, genuinely surprised her friend had followed through on her word despite her doubts.A small part of her had hoped Minnie might cancel and spare her the need to pretend everything was fine.Minnie gave her an amused look. "Of course I came, you goof.” sarcasm dripping from her voice. “I may be a total motormouth who never stops yakking, but unlike some people, I actually keep my promises."She let out a spontaneous peal of laughter at her own teasing jab.Emmeline gave her a playful nudge with her elbow, careful to maintain her balance on her good foot."Hey, that's not fair! You know how it is...life just always seems to get in the way. Things keep happening, one thing after another." She tried to keep her tone light but couldn't help wondering if Minnie could sense the weight behind her words.The adorable twins instantly captivated her attention, which provided a welcome distraction.She leaned down, ignoring the twinge in he
Emmeline made her way towards the kitchen, still marveling over the twins' insightful comments.She heard Minnie gently scolding her son. "Ruhn, we don't say things like that, sweetie. It's not a nice word, even if it's true sometimes. We talk about being kind to everyone, remember?"Emmeline hadn't expected such a heavy conversation from what was supposed to be a light-hearted visit with a friend.She took a deep, steadying breath and quickly got to work pouring four glasses of cold lemonade, the tart aroma refreshing her senses and helping to clear her head.She carefully arranged the freshly baked lemon cupcakes on four plates, taking care not to smudge the pale-yellow frosting that she'd painstakingly piped earlier.The familiar motions of playing hostess helped push away the lingering discomfort from their earlier exchange.When everything was set on a large tray, Emmeline took another deep breath and returned to the living room, plastering on her best hostess smile as she rejoin
Minnie and Emmeline immediately got up from the couch. Their laughter instantly died down as they turned toward the entryway.Emmeline quickly smoothed down her skirt with her palms in an attempt to regain some composure.She could feel her cheeks were still flushed from laughing.“Welcome back, honey.” She beamed like a good and happy wife at Richard. “This is Mrs. Kim from next door.” She hurriedly introduced with her gaze zeroing in on Minnie with a polite, tight-lipped smile.Minnie's eyes briefly flickered over to Emmeline before returning to Richard.Emmeline noticed the slight narrowing of her friend’s eyes as she took them in, probably wondering what they'd been laughing about."Good evening, Mrs. Kim. I'm Richard Maine, Emmeline's husband," Richard's deep voice rang out as he extended his hand.Minnie bowed politely and then introduced herself and the twins. "Kim Minnie and these are my children, Mimi and Ruhn."The twins peeked out shyly from behind their mother's legs and o
The days leading up to Sunday flew by in a flurry of cleaning, cooking, and fretting over what to wear.Before Emmeline knew it, Sunday evening had arrived, and they were heading to the sprawling Blackthorn estate for the neighborhood barbecue.Emmeline wanted to look presentable without going overly formal, so she opted for a simple but elegant ensemble - a white silk blouse with delicate pearl buttons down the front tucked into a flowy pink midi skirt that skimmed her calves.The fabric swished pleasantly around her legs as she walked.She left her hair down in loose, tousled waves around her shoulders and applied just a touch of makeup to enhance her features without looking overdone.Richard, on the other hand, took a more casual approach in a pair of dark-washed jeans and a thick gray knit sweater over a collared shirt, dressing for comfort and warmth.Emmeline noticed how the sweater clung to his broad shoulders, reminding her of the man she'd fallen in love with. How unfortunat
Emmeline sensed Yuna wasn't as harsh as her icy exterior suggested.She found Minnie actively chopping vegetables and meat on the large island that sat in the middle of the space when she arrived in the spacious and modern kitchen.Minnie wore a flirty peach dress that showed off her toned, tanned legs. Even while working, she looked effortlessly stylish, making Emmeline glance down at her own simple outfit with a momentary pang of envy."Emmeline is here," Yuna announced.Minnie set down her knife and enveloped Emmeline in a warm, exuberant hug despite having seen her earlier. "We can use two extra sets of hands in here!" She patted her new friend’s back affectionately, feigning annoyance in her usual playful way. "Glad to see you, I guess. Though I was hoping for a strapping young man to help instead."Emmeline rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sorry to disappoint. You'll have to make do with little old me."Then her brows furrowed in confusion. "But I saw so many servants milling ab
Emmeline pushed open the door with her hip and stepped into the immaculately landscaped Blackthorn garden, which looked like something out of a magazine spread.The late afternoon sun bathed everything in a warm, golden light, making the scene before her look almost surreal in its perfection.A massive rectangular pool took up a large portion of the space, the crystal blue waters shimmering invitingly.It was surrounded by sleek, modern patio furniture and lush greenery artfully arranged to feel both lavish and tranquil.Emmeline once again felt a twinge of envy at the sheer beauty and luxury of it all.Near the pool, a long wooden table was set up where Richard sat engaged in what seemed to be an animated conversation with a man Emmeline didn't recognize—Minnie's husband, Taehyung, she assumed.Richard's hands were making gestures while he spoke, his face beaming with excitement. It was nice to see him so engaged, though a small part of her felt a bit left out.A short distance away,
Emmeline found her gaze lingering on Zavian, studying him more closely than she probably should have. Besides Ruhn and Mimi, she didn't see any other children around.She wondered if perhaps one of the Blackthorn couple could not have children or if there was some other reason behind their lack of offspring.The thought of Zavian getting annoyed with her over something like that in the car the other day made her increasingly curious about the situation."You seem deep in thought," Zavian's voice broke through her reverie.Emmeline startled slightly, realizing she'd been staring. "Oh, it's nothing really. I was just... wondering about something."His eyebrow arched inquisitively. "And what might that be?"She hesitated for a moment. "I noticed there are no other children here. Is there... a reason for that?"A shadow seemed to briefly pass over Zavian's face before his expression smoothed out again. "That's a rather personal matter. It's not your place to speculate about such things."
Minnie grabbed the chance to pull Emmeline back, making sure there was enough space between them and the men for a private conversation."What's this about going to France?" Worry shadowed her expressive face. "When were you planning to tell me? Or was I supposed to get a postcard from Paris?"Regret washed over Emmeline's face. The truth was, she'd been putting off this conversation, dreading how Minnie would react."I never found the right time to tell you," she admitted, avoiding her friend's sharp gaze by staring at the fancy ceiling molding.Minnie's fingers tightened around Emmeline's arm and her eyes narrowed. "This wasn't your idea," she stated with certainty. "You have too much to lose if you leave Riverwalk. Maybe you could handle being without me—though I doubt it—but what about Judge Blackthorn? What happens to you two?"Emmeline put her hand over Minnie's. "Don't ever say that. I couldn't stand losing either of you."Satisfaction softened Minnie's expression, encouraging E
Taehyung’s eyes twinkled mischievously. "Something tells me you won't be single for long, though."Understanding his hint about Zavian, Emmeline ducked her head as heat flooded her cheeks. "Maybe."She turned toward her brother Emile, who waited with the patience of someone used to family obligations. His expression revealed nothing."Congratulations, Emmeline," he offered, his tone measured.Emmeline responded with a small smile.Emile placed his hands on her shoulders, his voice taking on that big-brother seriousness she'd known all her life."A dark chapter of your life is over. Every door is open to you now. Choose the right path. Our family made a terrible mistake pushing you toward Richard. I hope you'll be smarter going forward."His pointed reference to Zavian made Emmeline's jaw clench, but she forced herself to appear agreeable. This wasn't the time or place."I've had enough pain to last a lifetime, Emile. I won't walk into more."Her brother studied her face, clearly suspic
Emmeline closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the sweetness of liberation. When she opened them again, she found Zavian watching her with an expression that contained unmistakable tenderness.She sat motionless, letting the words wash over her like warm sunlight after an endless storm.Her heart thundered in her chest, each beat a celebration of newfound freedom.The courtroom around her blurred into insignificance. Only Zavian remained in sharp focus, whose distinguished features softened by something deeper than satisfaction.Their eyes remained locked across the formal expanse of the courtroom, defying the crowd of spectators, attorneys, and court officials surrounding them.Zavian gazed at her with such intensity that Emmeline felt heat rise to her cheeks. The subtle curve of his lips spoke of personal triumph, of a private victory shared between them alone.She finally snapped out of their spellbound when the courtroom erupted into a cacophony of reactions.The chaos provided Em
The courtroom hummed with tension as everyone returned to their seats.Emmeline’s hands clasped tightly in her lap to hide their trembling. However, felt a strange calm beneath her nervousness. Today might finally mark her freedom from Richard.Brody rose from his seat with confidence. His tailored suit and commanding presence gave Emmeline a small measure of reassurance as he buttoned his jacket and addressed the court."I am Attorney Brody Park, representing the plaintiff, Emmeline Lawson," he announced.While Brody spoke with unwavering authority, Emmeline found her attention drifting to Zavian.The man commanded respect without effort. With penetrating eyes that seemed to see through pretense and his expression remained neutral as he listened to the proceedings."My client has filed for divorce and is seeking damages against her husband, Richard Maine," Brody continued. "The grounds for this petition are irreconcilable differences and, more significantly, the pattern of physical vi
Emile released his grip on Emmeline's arms and exhaled deeply. "That's somewhat comforting."He took a seat in the front row while Emmeline proceeded to the plaintiff's table with Brody at her side.Brody’s expression shifted from contemplation to something sharper and more predatory. "I was looking forward to another round against Yuna," he admitted with a competitive gleam lighting his eyes. "I wanted to outmaneuver her in her own field and prove once and for all that I'm the superior divorce attorney. It's rather disappointing."Emmeline regarded him with barely concealed disapproval. "This divorce represents my entire future," she reminded him sharply. "Your attitude about it being some sort of professional competition is deeply troubling."They settled into their seats behind the prosecution table, and Emmeline added with admonishment, "I don't appreciate you viewing my personal trauma as just another notch in your professional belt."Brody placed his briefcase on the table and fo
The kitchen door slammed shut behind Yuna.The thick tension she'd brought with her lingered for a few seconds, then faded away, leaving Emmeline alone with her ragged breathing and wounded pride.Barely a moment passed before the door swung open again. Noel poked his head in, then stepped fully into the kitchen with worry plastered all over his usually chill face.His eyes darted around before landing on Emmeline."Thank God she's gone.” His shoulders dropped with obvious relief.He ran fingers through his hair and let out a huge breath. "Lucky she didn't show up during lunch rush. Can you imagine the drama with all those customers watching?"Then he really looked at Emmeline and his eyes widened.Her waist-length waves normally her best feature was in a tangled mess around her shoulders. Angry red prints marked her cheek, and her white blouse was rumpled."My God." The words came out barely above a whisper. He rushed over, stopping just short of touching her. "What the hell happened
Emmeline's mind raced back, trying to remember where Zavian had been, what he had told her about that night.Had he actually been with Yuna?"Why are you telling me this?" Emmeline’s voice sounded hollow. "Why not just tell him about the baby and let him make his choice?"Yuna's expression softened slightly. "Because I know my husband," she said quietly. "He has a strong sense of duty. If he knows I'm carrying his child, he'll feel obligated to stay with me, to give our baby a proper family. But if he's torn between that duty and his feelings for you..." She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air."You want me to make the choice for him," Emmeline realized aloud. "You want me to walk away so he never has to know."Yuna nodded slowly. "It would be better for everyone," she insisted. "He wouldn't have to choose between his child and his... infatuation. You wouldn't have to live with the guilt of separating a father from his child. And I wouldn't have to raise this baby alon
Emmeline blinked rapidly as her mind refused to process the devastating news.The world around her seemed to slow, sounds becoming muffled as though she were underwater. Her chest constricted painfully, making each breath a conscious effort."What?" The single word escaped her lips as a strangled whisper.Yuna's lips curved into a smile that never reached her eyes. With deliberate slowness, she placed her hand over her stomach in a protective, almost reverent gesture."I said I'm pregnant." Each syllable was delivered with precision. Her gaze remained fixed on Emmeline's face, drinking in every flicker of devastation with undisguised satisfaction.The room tilted precariously. Emmeline's hands fell limply to her sides, fingers suddenly numb and disconnected from her body. Blood drained from her face, leaving her skin ashen against the pristine white of her shirt. Her mind raced frantically, desperately searching for any explanation other than the one hammering at her consciousness."By
The morning brought a return to routine. Emmeline resumed her work at the restaurant after a two-week absence, grateful that her manager Noel had kept everything running smoothly in her absence.She dressed casually in a white T-shirt under a wheat-colored cardigan and comfortable jeans. A beige apron was tied around her waist, and she had pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail.The familiar motions of working in the kitchen: chopping vegetables, rolling dough, checking seasonings helped ground her after the emotional turbulence of the previous day.Emmeline was in the middle of preparing a vegetable pie when the kitchen door burst open with unexpected force."Let's talk," demanded a familiar voice, sharp and commanding.Emmeline's eyes widened when she turned to find Yuna standing in the doorway."Yuna?" Emmeline asked, genuinely surprised. "What brings you here?""I'm sorry, Mrs. Lawson. I tried to stop her from entering, but she insisted on seeing you." A flustered waitress app