Thalassa’s brow rose slightly as she looked at Clark, waiting for his reply. Clark already had one prepared.“It’s simple. I just had a hunch. Thalassa already told me everything you and your family did to her. And knowing how important the awards show was, I had a feeling one of you would try something again. But I must admit, I was quite disappointed to find out it was you. I thought you were better than that.”Kris’s blood was above boiling point now, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The only thing preventing him from punching the hell out of the man was that Thalassa was standing between them.“Just get out of here, Kris,” Thalassa finally spoke again, her expression hard. “Be the man you claim to be and accept your deeds for once in your life instead of always finding someone else to blame.”Kris was pained, knowing she thought so low of him, but he couldn’t give up.“Thalassa, please, I just want to protect you. He’s not who he seems to be,” he said,
Clark stiffened, disliking how Thalassa’s gaze remained pointed and questioning. He let out a small chuckle. “Didn’t I? I think I did.”“No, you didn’t, Clark,” she calmly stated, shaking her head, still waiting for an answer.Clark swallowed. “Uh, the last woman I was with... she was called Meghan. I never married her, though, because after the first two experiences, I didn’t want to be attached to anyone else. But we were together, and I thought she had gotten better until she had a bad relapse and had to be sent back to the mental hospital. She committed suicide in there.”He let out a sorrowful sigh. “I guess I didn’t tell you because remembering this has become too painful for me.”“And what about the inheritance you got from all of them? You didn’t tell me about that either,” Thalassa continued.Clark subtly gritted his teeth, wondering why she wasn’t letting it go. “I... I didn’t think it was important. Yes, they were well-to-do, but almost everyone in the foundation I joined w
“So you and Clark... you’re serious now? Are you dating him?” Millie asked.“I wish!” Luisa interjected. “She’s still going on about her ‘I’ll never fall in love again. Blah blah blah.’ But I know Clark will slowly melt her heart. Isn’t he so handsome?”“Uh... yes.” Millie nodded, but in her head, she added, ‘but only on the outside.’Indeed, she’d initially thought Clark was a gentleman, even if he’d seemed a bit too sweet. She’d even thought that she would be happy if he helped Thalassa to finally move on, but after everything Kris’s investigator had revealed, she was wishing for the complete opposite.It troubled her that Thalassa was close to someone like Clark, but as much as she wanted to warn her friend, she couldn’t say anything because she feared Thalassa would accuse her of being sent by Kris to influence her or turn her against Clark.She just hoped the investigators could find damning evidence soon or that Kris could somehow manage to convince Thalassa of how dangerous Cla
Millie's heart pounded in her chest, and all she wished for in that moment was for the earth to open up and swallow her whole."Why do you have those bruises, Millie?" Zeke asked, his voice more serious than before."Bruises?" Millie chuckled nervously, shifting her back away from the mirror so he couldn't see the reflection anymore. "You must have seen wrong. Why would I have bruises?""I'm not stupid, Millie. I know what I saw," Zeke said, taking a step closer to her.Millie felt like she was going to pass out as he approached. "Zeke, please leave. It's not appropriate for you to be here while I'm barely dressed. Please go."Whether or not the situation was appropriate was the last thing on Zeke's mind as he closed most of the distance between them."Forgive me," he apologized for what he was about to do.Placing his hand on her shoulder, he tried to turn her back to face him, but Millie resisted."Zeke, no, please...""Millie..." Zeke ground out.There was a warning in his tone tha
“I... I'm a masochist. My pleasure comes from pain, so whenever we have sex, I tell him to do this to make me feel good.”Silence fell over the room. Zeke stood frozen, so shocked that words escaped him. Millie’s face was filled with shame, but was it because she was lying—or because she was telling the truth?Francis stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Millie, his mocking gaze never leaving Zeke.“Are you satisfied now? Feel good about yourself, making her confess something she’s ashamed of?” he sneered.The grating sound of Francis’s voice snapped Zeke out of his shock, and he spat, “You’re a fucking liar! I saw those bruises myself. They weren’t playful bruises. Millie would never ask for something like that.”Francis scoffed, his voice laced with contempt. “Apart from the fact that our bedroom business is none of yours, you didn’t hear it from me—you heard it from her. She’s into rough and kinky stuff when we’re intimate. Didn’t
"Kris was an idiot. I completely agree with that. But I could never doubt the love he has for Thalassa. I've been with him all these years. I was there when he desperately tried to verify those pictures of her supposedly cheating on him. It shattered him every time he was told they were real. And yet, even after that, he still chose to marry her." Luisa spun around, her expression hardening. "He married her to make her suffer." Alden nodded slowly, not bothering to deny it. "Yes, but that wasn’t his only reason. He married her because he still had hope—hope that she would confess what he thought she’d done. Despite how betrayed he felt, he was willing to forgive her if he saw that she truly regretted betraying him, if she showed him that she didn't want to lose him. That’s how much he loved her, Luisa. And he still does." A curt chuckle escaped Luisa. "He loved her so much that he knocked up the woman who was supposed to be her best friend and married her right shortly their divo
Panic seized Luisa’s expression. “Oh God, if you’re right, I need to warn Thalassa right away. She has to know Clark is dangerous.”Noticing how her breathing grew shallow, Alden gently cupped her face between his hands.“Hey, hey... breathe, Luisa. It’s okay,” he soothed.Luisa nodded and followed his advice, dragging in a breath to calm her nerves. But the anxiety still lingered.“I can’t believe this,” she muttered. “I’ve been pushing Thalassa toward Clark because I thought he was a good guy. I thought he’d make her happy. Oh God, I need to change her mind.”“You will,” Alden reassured her, his voice steady. “But first, calm down. We could be dealing with a lot more than we realize when it comes to Clark. We need to approach this carefully, with a clear head. Can you do that?”His hand lingered on her face as his gaze locked on hers, and suddenly, Luisa felt captivated by the warmth in his gold-flecked eyes. Her chest suddenly felt too tight, forcing her to breathe through her mout
“Alden was here?” Thalassa asked, her brows raised. “When?”“Just a few minutes ago. I saw him stepping out of the elevator,” Clark replied, fixing his gaze on Luisa. “Did he come to see you?”Luisa resisted the urge to snap at him, to tell him it was none of his business, but she bit her tongue and held back her retort.Thalassa smiled, her eyes lighting up as she turned to Luisa. “Did he finally ask you out? Are you two together now?”Both of them were staring at her expectantly, but Clark’s gaze was much more intent on her, making Luisa feel uneasy.“Yes,” she lied, feeling trapped. She couldn’t give any other answer, especially with Clark watching her so closely. If she denied it, it would mean having to explain what Alden actually came to do.Thalassa beamed. “That’s great! I’m happy for you, Sis.”“Thanks,” Luisa replied, forcing a smile. “Thalassa, I need to talk to you—”Clark cut her off with a smooth chuckle. “You said you had something to discuss with Thalassa, but we’re k
"I don't want anything more than a fling with Gendry either!"Maya seemed taken aback by Tessa's tone, but she didn't let that deter her. "Even after the truth that came out yesterday about what really happened at prom?"Tessa's face scrunched. "What does that have to do with anything, Maya?""I mean, if your brother hadn't played those tricks, you and Gendry would've dated, and who knows what could've come out of it?""Oh, please, Maya." Tessa nearly rolled her eyes in exasperation.As far as she knew, none of their classmates who had been couples—even the most popular ones—had gotten into anything serious after high school.Maya and Jace were no exception because they'd barely known each other back in school. They'd only met and fallen in love years after they'd graduated.Had Tessa and Gendry dated, it probably would've ended just like the rest of the couples in the school"What if Gendry wants more?" Maya asked, cutting into Tessa's thoughts.Tessa's heart raced inside her chest,
“When were you going to tell me about you and Gendry?”Tessa stiffened at Maya's unexpected question. She wracked her brain, trying to remember if it had been mentioned during their heated confrontation with Alex, but no such memory surfaced. So how did Maya find out?Her only conclusion was that Gendry had probably told Jace about it, even though they'd agreed not to say anything to their friends yet.“No, Gendry didn't tell Jace anything,” Maya said as if she could read Tessa's mind. When Tessa looked at her with a blank expression, she burst out laughing. “Girl, I'm not sure what you and Gendry were trying to do, but if you were trying to keep your affair a secret, you didn’t do a very good job.”Tessa shrugged, averting her gaze. “I don't know what you're talking about.”Maya gave her an amused look as if silently saying, Are we really going to play this game?“Okay, let's see,” Maya began. “I noticed immediately when something changed between you two. For the past three days, you
By the time they got to the villa, Tessa knew sleep wasn’t going to be kind to her, and she was right.In the middle of the night, she lay in bed, staring into the darkness, tracing the faint outlines of the ceiling designs while her mind raced with thoughts.Needless to say, after the confrontation outside, no one had been in the mood to return to the dinner venue and continue talking. So, they’d all agreed to head back.On the way to the rehearsal, Tessa had ridden with Maya and Jace’s parents while Jace, Gendry, and Jace’s cousin had taken another car. They returned to the villa the same way. Tessa and Gendry hadn’t exchanged a single glance. If he had been looking at her, she hadn’t noticed because she’d been too busy avoiding his gaze.They didn’t speak a word, either. It was the strangest feeling. On one hand, Tessa felt like they had so much to say to each other. But on the other hand, what was the point?It wasn’t like they could change the past. And even if they could… then
“What do you have to say for yourself, young man?” Kris demanded when Gendry remained silent for several seconds. “Did you say those things about my daughter?”Regret flashed across Gendry’s face as he nodded. “Yes.”Kris’s jaw clenched. “So you really did mean to make a fool of my daughter after all.”“No!” Gendry’s response was immediate, his voice sharp. “That was never my intention.”“Then why did my daughter hear you saying those things about her?”Gendry hesitated. “Because I..." He swallowed hard, as if he found it hard to admit his next words. “Because I felt humiliated. I was hurt that Tessa thought so little of me after I’d gone out of my way to show her how much I liked her.”Blowing out a heavy breath, he ran a hand over his face, then dragged it through his hair. “Yes, I know what I did was wrong, but back then, I thought that if we arrived separately, people would ask questions. I thought she would tell them she sent me away for being a lowlife, and I’d become the laughi
Tension crackled in the air like an overcharged high-voltage wire waiting to snap as Tessa waited for her brother to say something.Her brother, who was most certainly not capable of doing what Gendry had accused him of.When seconds passed and he still hadn’t spoken, her heart began to sink. She shifted her stance, positioning herself so she could look him straight in the eyes.“What is he saying, Alex?” she repeated, her voice laced with urgency. “Tell me he’s wrong. He’s wrong, isn’t he? You didn’t say any of those things to him. He’s lying, right?”The longer Alex kept his silence, the more her heart plummeted, and the faster her patience wore thin. Finally, the wire snapped.“Alex!” she bit out, smacking him hard on the chest. “Answer me, damn it!”Her voice rang out louder than she intended, the sharp sound echoing back at her like a taunt. She searched her brother’s face, but his expression remained frustratingly impassive.Just seconds later, the dining hall doors swung open,
Stiffening , Gendry let out a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was to deal with this control freak.He turned his head to glance at Alex for a second before looking away again, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.Alex stepped closer, standing beside him, his posture rigid. “Whatever game you’re playing this time, it won’t work,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Stay away from my sister.”A mirthless chuckle escaped Gendry. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at Alex. “Isn’t Tessa old enough to decide the people she wants around her?”“Yes, she’s old enough,” Alex admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop protecting her.”Gendry clenched his jaw, his temper flaring. Protect her? From who exactly?“From what, Alex?” he bit out, finally turning to face him fully. “From me? Because you still think I’m not good enough for her?”Alex met his glare without hesitation. “Yes,” he sai
The next day, Gendry adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stood at the edge of the altar behind Jace, watching the wedding rehearsal unfold. Maya and Jace were standing in front of the altar, holding hands while the priest explained how things would go tomorrow. Jace wore a simple button-down and slacks, while Maya was in a flowy sundress.Since this was just the rehearsal only family and those who had important roles to play in the ceremony were present. That included him and Tessa, Tessa's family, Jace's parents and aunt, and one of Maya's cousins.Gendry wasn't looking at any of them. His eyes were drawn to the maid of honor. Standing on Maya's side, Tessa was quite a sight. Her hair fell in soft waves, the light fabric of her dress clinging to her just enough to taunt him with the memory of last night. God, last night.He clenched his jaw, shifting his weight as flashes of her moans, the way her body had writhed against his, consumed him for the hundredth time that day. And y
Tessa was lying flat on her back, staring at the ceiling, her fingers clenched in the sheets. It had been two hours since she told Kevin she wanted to go to bed early, and yet here she was; wide awake, tossing and turning, unable to shut off her mind.She hated that her thoughts kept circling back to the conversation with Gendry in the car. His accusations about her thinking other people just weren’t good enough. His claim that he had firsthand experience of it years ago.What the hell had he meant by that?She should be angry. His words were baseless and unfair. And yet, instead of dwelling on that, all she could think about was everything he’d done to her body this time yesterday. And again this afternoon.A frustrated groan left her lips as a familiar ache coiled between her thighs. Damn him. Damn him and his expert tongue, his manipulative fingers, his very potent d–God, she couldn’t even finish the thought without feeling heat creep up her neck. How had she turned into this pers
The tension broke when Kevin suddenly appeared beside Tessa, a broad smile on his face as he looked at her parents. Gendry and Alex finally released their handshake, and Gendry stepped back, returning to his previous spot.After a few seconds, Kevin glanced at Tessa and arched a brow, silently prompting her for a formal introduction.Tessa cleared her throat. "Uh, Mum, Dad, this is Kevin Balthazar. Kevin is..."She trailed off, and Gendry unknowingly held his breath, waiting for what she was going to say."...a very good friend," she finally completed.Kevin beamed. "I'm very honored to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Tessa has told me a lot about you." He stretched out his hand eagerly.Both Kris and Thalassa shook his hand, looking slightly amused by his enthusiasm. Then Kevin turned his attention to Alexander."I'm a huge fan of yours, Alex." His eyes widened. "I can call you that, right?"Alex smiled and nodded. "Of course. My sister's friends are my friends."Gendry snorted. Why d