IN THE PRESENT...Millie blinked back the sting of tears as she looked at Zeke, catching the confused hurt etched in his face. He shifted, stepping closer with a pleading gaze. “Millie…what’s wrong?” he asked softly. “Did I do something to offend you? Why are you saying these things? Why are you being so cold to me?” His eyes scanned her face, searching for a hint of what was happening. “Is this about me saying I regretted that night between us? I thought I explained. I didn't mean what I saw. I only—”Millie cut him off sharply. “Don’t bother, Zeke. I don’t care whether you regret that night or not.” She forced herself to hold his gaze, but every word she spat tore at her. Zeke’s face fell as he studied her with abject confusion.“Millie, I don't understand,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. He stepped even closer, and Millie felt the warmth of his hand as he tentatively reached for hers. “We were excited to go out together, weren’t we? You even said you needed time to ge
“Because I’m a murderer! I killed a man, and Francis has a video recording of it!”For a long moment, Zeke merely stared at Millie blankly, as if he couldn't process what she'd just said. When her words finally settled on him, his eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Millie, what are you talking about? That can’t be true,” he stammered, his voice filled with disbelief.Millie? Murderer? No, he must've heard her wrong.Millie shook her head solemnly, face pale and eyes haunted as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. “I wish it weren’t,” she whispered. "But it’s true. I killed a man.”Zeke stumbled back. “But...how...you aren't capable of something like that. What happened? Why are you calling yourself a murderer?”Millie took a shaky breath and began to explain. “It was three years ago… just a few months after you and your family moved back to New York.” Her voice trembled, her fingers nervously twisting together. “I moved away from temporary housekeeping. I got a job and
Zeke clenched his fists so tightly that his nails bit into his palm, barely able to contain his fury. “And that’s when he started hurting you?”Millie nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “At first, it was just words, anger over little things. Then it became physical. Initially, I stayed because… I thought I owed him. I thought…” She shook her head. “But after some time, I couldn't take it anymore. I told him I wanted out. It'd been several months since the incident, and with how he managed to wipe everything and help me, I thought I would be safe. That night was the first time he really beat me up. Afterwards, he showed me the video.”Zeke’s nostrils flared. “Which video?”Millie sniffed. “The man I killed had set up his phone to record… what he was planning to do to me, so it also recorded me killing him. When Francis came into the room, he found it still recording and transferred the video to his phone. After showing me the video, he told me if I left him or tried to report h
Francis leaned back in the elevator, tapping his foot and grinning smugly as he thought about the call from Millie an hour ago.She had sounded desperate, her voice trembling as she begged him not to release the video and told him she was ready to come back to him.He’d expected nothing less. After all, he’d spent years manipulating her, keeping her on a leash with fear of going to prison. And now that she’d come to her senses, he was going to make sure she regretted ever thinking about being with another man. He was going to make her regret letting Zeke Mathews even breathe near her, let alone touch her. The elevator came to a halt, and he strolled down the hallway toward her door, tapping on it. Moments later, the door opened, and there she stood—eyes red and teary, looking vulnerable, just the way he liked her. He smirked, stepping inside without an invitation. "Well, do you have any luggage? Where is it?" he asked, already reaching for her hand, preparing to drag her out of th
Francis's brow furrowed, his cocky expression faltering. "Prepared? What the hell do you mean by that?"Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Without missing a beat, Zeke walked over and opened it, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing eyes, carrying a laptop bag slung over his shoulder. The man gave Zeke a nod before stepping inside.“Thanks for coming, and especially on such short notice, Smoke.” Zeke said. “I asked you to come in person because I couldn’t trust this with anyone else. And Kris told me that I could trust you.”Smoke smirked, his eyes narrowing as he took in Francis slumped on the floor. Staring up at him, Francis scoffed before he looked back at Zeke. “Oh, so you need an extra guy just to fight me?” he sneered. Zeke stared at him. “Fight you? No. I don't fight losers. I beat them down.”“Doesn’t matter. You can beat me up all you want—even kill me. That video is still going out. You’re just wasting your time.”Zeke let out a laugh, shaking his head
Francis felt his heart pounding wildly as Zeke’s words sank in. He knew about the mental hospital Zeke was describing enough to know that the horrors went even further than that.A wave of panic washed over him, but he forced a sneer, trying to keep his voice steady. “You can’t do that,” he spat, the bravado slipping through his panic. “That lunatic place is in another country. Besides, it’s illegal to confine me against my will.”Zeke gave a dark snort. “All I need are a few documents saying you’re a danger to yourself and others. It won’t be hard.” Zeke’s smiled, but it was a hard one that didn't reach his eyes. “And yes, what I plan to do to you is illegal. So is what I've planned to have done to you once you're inside there. But I don't care. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about from monsters like you.”A sickly sweat broke over Francis as Zeke straightened to his feet and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. “You can come in now,” he said co
As Millie clung to Zeke, allowing herself to finally let go of the pain she'd bottled up for so long, Smoke took in the scene. The quiet closeness between them was so raw, so vulnerable, that he felt like he was intruding on an intimate moment. Sensing it was time to leave, he began gathering his laptop and cords into his bag. He shot Zeke a small nod, catching his eye briefly, and slipped out of the room with a respectful silence, closing the door softly behind him.Zeke continued rubbing gentle circles on her back, comforting her until her sobs subsided. Millie finally eased back, sniffling and glancing down at his shirt with an embarrassed expression.“Sorry,” she muttered. “I ruined your shirt.”Zeke smiled slightly, glancing down at the damp fabric. “Just some salty tears. Nothing damaging."Millie managed a tiny smile, though a shadow of sadness lingered in her eyes. Without thinking, Zeke leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering just a moment longer. “Re
Millie meant for the kiss to be slow, soft, and warm. But of course Zeke had other ideas. Zeke's arms wrapped around her as his tongue brushed her lips, asking for entry.Millie gave it to him in a heartbeat. His tongue came delving into her mouth, exploring it with an intensity that grew more with each passing second. He wanted her, and the evidence was poking her abdomen. And God knew she wanted him too. But before she could slide her hands between them to cup him, the sound of the doorbell sliced through their moment. Zeke groaned, pulling back reluctantly, his face filled with frustration. Millie tensed immediately, her eyes darting to the door. Zeke instantly knew what she was thinking and placed a reassuring hand on her cheek."Hey," he murmured gently, "relax. It's either Luisa or Thalassa. They're the only ones who are allowed to get to the door without the guards informing me.”Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he went to the door. It was just as he expected. Luisa and Tha
My dear supercalifragilisticexpialidocious readers, I won't ever get tired of expressing my gratitude for all the support you guys have given to this book. I know the way I write isn't always similar to the most popular books on the app, but I'm so glad you guys love it nevertheless. This is my most successful book yet, and it's all thanks to you guys. Love you so very much. Now, for those interested in what I plan to write the next, we're done with these characters. The next book will be about completely different characters. It's so hard to let these characters go, but we need a fresh start. No, wait. I was only joking. Don't bite my head off! Haha. (Really wish this app allows emojis so I can show you how I'm grinning like an idiot, lol) I don't intend to desert Alex like some of you fear. The next story will be about him and his lovestory. Will he ever get over the betrayal and allow himself to love and trust again? After some discussions with my editor, we came to the agreeme
Tessa stood frozen for several seconds before her hands flew to her mouth in shock. “Oh my God…” she whispered. She didn't even have to ask if he was sure because she could tell he was. Guilt clawed at her chest. Alex had told her before how most of the women who came onto him were only after his wealth which was also part of the reason he'd always been so careful about dating. And now it seemed he had been proven right. Tessa felt like it was her fault because she was the one who had set Alex on that blind date with Hillary. “Alex,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea she was that kind of woman.” He shook his head. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice calmer, his expression blank. “You were just trying to look out for me. But don’t do it again, Tessa.” There was no anger in his tone toward her, but she could sense the bitterness. Tessa swallowed hard, guilt still pressing down on her. She watched as Alex turned toward one of the cabinets, moving like he already knew exactl
After breakfast, the whole family moved to the shores to enjoy the beach. the whole family moved to the beach where a variety of games and fun had been set up.Tessa took a deep breath, feeling at peace.But peace never really lasted long when when her mischievous twins were around.The four-year-olds were balls of energy, running up and down the sandy shore, splashing water at people, and playfully disturbing anyone who looked too relaxed.“Girls!” Tessa called after them as they ran past, giggling. “Don’t bother grandpa Zeke!”Too late.Zeke had been lying on a lounger, sunglasses on, probably dozing off, until a handful of sand landed on his chest.His head snapped up. “Hey!”The twins burst into laughter and ran away before he could catch them.Gendry, sitting next to Tessa, shook his head. “Your daughters indeed.”Tessa turned to him with a dry look. “Excuse me?”“The mischief? That’s all you. I'm sure that's exactly how you were at their age.”She huffed, crossing her arms. “And
FIVE YEARS LATERThe morning sun peeked through the white curtains, casting golden light across the bedroom. Tessa stirred, instantly feeling the warmth pressed against her back, a familiar arm draped over her waist. A smile crept onto her lips as she blinked sleepily.She didn't have to turn around to know Gendry was awake. His slow, steady breaths against the nape of her neck gave him away.A soft kiss landed on her bare shoulder."Happy anniversary, Mrs. Graham," he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.Tessa hummed, pressing back against him. "Happy anniversary, Mr. Graham."Gendry tightened his hold on her, rolling her onto her back so he could hover over her. The intense look in his dark eyes sent a familiar shiver down her spine."Last night wasn't enough," he whispered, running his fingers down her side. "I need more."Tessa let out a soft laugh. "Didn't we exhaust ourselves already?"His lips brushed against her neck. "Not even close."They made love again, slow and deep, as
Tessa’s heart thudded as her father stared at Gendry, his brows furrowing deeper by the second. "Of course I figured that out already." her father finally scoffed, shaking his head. "It's just... Tessa is two months pregnant. Two months. I—" He blinked rapidly as the realization dawned. "Unless..." Tessa took pity on him. She sighed and decided to just put him out of his confusion. "Dad," she said carefully, "there was… something between Gendry and me. When we were in Jamaica." Her father's frown only deepened. "I don’t understand. Since we left Jamaica, I haven’t seen you two together until yesterday. How could there be something between you when–” Beside him, Thalassa let out a small chuckle and placed a hand on his chest. "Leave them alone, Kris," she said, eyes twinkling with amusement. Kris turned to her, narrowing his eyes. "You don’t seem surprised." Thalassa shrugged. Kris’s jaw dropped. "Lassa. You knew?" She gave him an innocent look. "I had my suspicions." "And yo
All eyes turned towards Tessa and Gendry as they entered. In the living room were her parents, Alex, Rita, Maya, Jace, Aunt Luisa, Uncle Alden, and their youngest 17 years old daughter, Tessa's cousin, Emma.The moment Rita spotted Gendry, she gasped. "Gendry!" she squealed, jumping up from her seat and rushing toward him.Gendry barely had time to react before Rita crashed into him. He let out a soft chuckle, crouching slightly to meet her height as he ran a hand through her hair.“Missed me that much, huh?” he teased, the corner of his lips lifting in amusement.Rita huffed and pulled back, immediately smoothing down her hair. “You're ruining my hair,” she grumbled, glaring up at him.“My bad,” Gendry said, his voice dripping with fake remorse. His amused gaze flicked toward the others, and laughter rippled through the room, even from Alex.Despite the lighthearted moment, Tessa caught the curious look in her father’s eyes. There were unspoken questions swimming in his gaze.“Good e
“Marry me, Tessa.”Tessa stared at him, her lips parting as she tried to process what he had just said. Her voice came out in a breathless whisper. “What?”Gendry didn’t hesitate. He looked straight into her eyes, his expression open and sure. “Marry me, Tessa.”She felt like her heart had stopped. Her mind raced, but no coherent thoughts came. “You—” She swallowed, utterly flustered.Gendry chuckled at her shock, rolling onto his side so that he was partially on top of her. His fingers traced lazy circles on her arm, his touch soothing.“Hear me out,” he murmured. “I know it sounds crazy. Maybe it is. But I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”Tessa’s breath hitched, her pulse drumming in her ears.“We just made things official, like, yesterday,” he admitted, his lips curving into a small, sheepish smile. “But it doesn’t feel new, does it? It feels like I’ve known you forever. We’ve been through so much. Hell, even we were against each other at some point. And yet, here we
“Don’t worry. You’re not the first couple to ask that, and you definitely won’t be the last.” The doctor said with a teasing note in her voice.She pulled out a disposable wipe and began wiping the gel from Tessa's belly. Tessa sighed in relief.“That should be all for today,” The doctor said warmly. “As I said, for the first few months, it would be best to be checked monthly, so please when you're ready, let me know when to schedule the next appointment.”She began rearranging the equipment. “Please wait outside for a few minutes. Your ultrasound pictures and the recording will be ready soon to take with you..” Gendry helped Tessa sit up and adjust her clothes before they stepped out. They waited in the reception area, their happiness and excitement tangible. Ten minutes later, a nurse handed over the envelope containing the picture and the USB. Gendry took it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. They made their way out of the hospital and back to Gendry's car. Aft
In the afternoon, when it was a couple of minutes to get an appointment, Gendry arrived a few minutes earlier than he promised to pick her up.Gendry leaned against the doorframe, looking relaxed yet effortlessly gorgeous in his button down shirt. His eyes swept over her in that way that always made her feel like the only woman in the world. "You're early," she teased, walking toward him. He beamed. “I'll always be early for you, princes.” Her heart did a little flip at that, but she rolled her eyes to keep her cool. "Such a smooth talker." He grinned and reached for her, pulling her close and covering her lips with his. When they finally broke the kiss, he took her hand. She let him take it without hesitation, their fingers interlocking. It felt so right.As they walked through the office, she felt the weight of dozens of eyes on them. Conversations momentarily halted, only to resume in hushed murmurs once they passed. She knew exactly why. One, no one had ever seen her h