Zeke vividly remembered the wounds scattered across Millie's back weeks ago. She'd told him she asked her boyfriend to inflict those wounds on her, but now he was sure she was lying.The thought of that bastard doing it to her again right now sent fury coursing through his veins along with an overwhelming surge of panic.Without a second thought, Zeke sprinted towards his car. He drove like a madman, and within minutes, he was pulling up in front of Millie’s flat.Getting out, he hurried to the door. saw the doorbell, but ringing it was the last thing on his mind. With one powerful stomp, the door flew back, and he stormed into the house.His blood ran like lava as he took in the scene before him. Millie was crouched in a corner, crying and begging as her boyfriend repeatedly struck her on the back with the buckle of a belt.Zeke lunged forward, crashing into Francis and tackling him to the floor.“What the—” Francis began to exclaim in surprise, but a hard punch to the mouth silenced
After crying herself to sleep, Thalassa woke up feeling refreshed. The storm of emotions that had overwhelmed her last night seemed to have passed, and now she felt calm and composed.She vowed not to let herself be that vulnerable again. Last night had been a moment of weakness, and she didn’t plan to repeat it.She reached for her phone, dialing a number before rolling out of bed. After a quick conversation, she made her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face and brushing out her hair. Her reflection in the mirror showed the tear patches on her cheeks, bags beneath her eyes, and her touched head, evidence of her breakdown last night.She looked away and proceeded to freshen up. Done, she headed downstairs, spotting Luisa setting the dining table.“There you are,” Luisa said, glancing up. “I was just about to come get you.”Thalassa gave her a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve been leaving everything to you lately. You’re the one making our meals every day.”Lu
“I wasn’t talking about a specific person,” Thalassa responded to Luisa's question. “I just mean… I’m not going to keep pushing men away like I’ve been doing for almost four years now. I want to give myself a chance to love again.” Luisa bit her lip. “What about Kris?” she asked tentatively. Thalassa pursed her lips into a thin line. “Practically all of my adult life has revolved around Kris, Luisa. He was my first love, and I never allowed myself to look at anyone else, even when he was making me suffer. Even after we divorced, I kept every man at a distance because I was still so angry, so consumed with getting justice. And all of that—my anger, my pain—was still tied to him.” She clenched her fist briefly around her fork before releasing it. “I’m tired of my life revolving around him.” Luisa frowned and pointed out, “But… your life won’t stop revolving around him, Lassa. You two have a son together.” She paused, hesitant to ask her next question. “Are you really planning t
All three women stared anxiously at the lawyer, waiting for his response to Thalassa's question.Mr. Baelish shook his head. “No, I'm not saying she will be released. The evidence is enough to bring the case to court, which is already damaging, but we’ll need something stronger to convict her. We need to link her directly to the more serious crimes—drug and human trafficking. What happened to the evidence you mentioned two days ago?”Thalassa's expression hardened as she recalled the sinking feeling she'd had when she found the safe empty. “I don't know how, but Linda found out what I was planning, and she had the evidence removed from the safe before I could get to it.”The lawyer raised an eyebrow. “‘Had’ it removed?”“Yes," Thalassa nodded, her voice firm. "From the way the safe was left open, it looked like whoever took it was in a hurry. The evidence was cleared minutes before I went into the room. Linda couldn’t have done it herself—she was at the party downstairs the entire tim
“What do you think will happen when I hand all that evidence over to the police?”Linda's heart thundered in her chest, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let her anxiety show as she glared at Karen.“You wouldn't dare.”“Wouldn't I?” Karen scoffed, looking unfazed. “I have evidence in my hands that can destroy you. Your reign over me is over, Linda Miller. And just to be clear, the 2 billion you demanded for Henry to invest in your failing fashion house is off the table. Now, I’m the one calling the shots.”“You don’t know who you’re messing with, you stupid girl," Linda sneered. "If you truly saw what was in the bag, you should know I’m capable of much more than just telling my son that your daughter isn’t his. I’ve told you before, and I’ll repeat it: you don’t want to be my enemy, Karen."For a moment, Karen felt a shiver run down her spine, but she quickly shook it off, maintaining her confident expression. She wasn’t going to let Linda intimidate her—not this time.“What’s a
Millie slowly awoke from her deep slumber. Fluttering her eyes open, she tensed when she realized she wasn't in her own bedroom.The room was different. More importantly, the loud snoring from Francis, which both grated on her nerves and terrified her, was absent.Instantly, the memories from last night came crashing through her mind: Francis catching her speaking with Zeke over the phone, flying into a rage, and beginning to beat her; Zeke’s sudden intervention, taking her to his house; and her breakdown when he asked why she wanted to return to Francis.He had held her while she cried, and that was the last thing she remembered. How had she ended up in this room and bed?Shifting onto her back, she winced as she felt stinging pain, but it didn’t hurt as much as it had the first time—or the countless other times.Whenever Francis was upset with her, her back always suffered the consequences. He never hit her face or arms—only places that could be hidden by her dresses.A gentle knock
Their gazes held for a few seconds before Zeke cleared his throat and looked away.“Why do I really want to help you?” He let out a small chuckle. “I mean, do you really even have to ask? It's because I... uh... I really meant what I said over the phone last night. I care a lot about you because... you're... I consider you a very good friend.”“Yeah. Of course.” Millie nodded, forcing a smile to mask the stinging feeling in her chest.Zeke, on the other hand, felt shaken by himself. Why had it been so hard for him to give her an answer that should've been so simple?He cleared his throat. “About what we were talking about earlier, I could hire—”“Zeke, that idea won't work. I don’t think my boss will allow it.”“Kris?” Zeke scoffed. “He won’t have a choice. In fact, I’m going to call him right now to tell him you’re taking the day off.”“Zeke...” Millie protested with an exasperated chuckle.Zeke pulled out his phone and dialed Kris’s number. It rang until it went to voicemail. The se
Thalassa’s body went rigid the moment Zeke’s lips touched hers, completely caught off guard. His lips moved softly over hers, as if pleading for a response.But she couldn’t. Her body refused to respond.Bracing her hands against his chest, she gently pushed him back. “Zeke, what are you doing?”Zeke looked at her, his face flushed, partly from embarrassment and partly from hope.“Something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I met you,” he whispered, feeling breathless from how hard his heart was pounding.He studied her, trying to gauge her emotions, but what he found wasn’t what he expected.“You don’t even look that surprised,” he said with a short, awkward chuckle. “Was I that bad at hiding my feelings for you?”“Zeke...” Thalassa began, fumbling for the right words.She hadn’t expected Zeke to kiss her, nor had she ever thought he saw her as anything more than a friend. Yet, strangely, she didn’t feel entirely shocked. It was as if her mind had pieced together his past reactions
"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