After leaving the table, Luisa hadn’t even gotten past the hallway leading to the washroom when Alden suddenly grabbed her arm and held her back. “Luisa, please let me explain.”Luisa stiffened, then jerked her arm from his hold. “Explain what? You don’t owe me any explanation.”She tried to appear aloof, but she couldn’t keep it up for long before she hissed. “You told Millie to invite us here because of Kris, didn’t you? He made you bring Thalassa here because he was going to be here, didn’t he?”Seeing the need for honesty in her eyes, Alden couldn’t bring himself to lie. He ran his hand through his hair as he admitted, “Yes.”Luisa took a step back. She couldn’t believe she’d been foolish enough to think he’d sent the invite because of her.She knew she was being unreasonable because Alden never told her he was organizing this hangout for her. It was she and Thalassa who had assumed his intentions, so she had no right to feel this way—so betrayed.She felt even more foolish becau
Gasps echoed across the room at the man’s declaration. Even Zeke was shocked and confused because the women hadn’t told him any story about the pictures. He turned to Thalassa, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Naked pictures? What pictures is he talking about?” No one attempted to answer him. Thalassa’s gaze was fixed on the man who might have raped her, too focused to even spare Zeke a glance. Kris finally let go of the man and stepped in front of Karen. “I’m going to give you one chance to defend yourself. Just one.” His voice was cold. So cold that it sent a shiver of panic down Karen’s spine. “That man is lying!” she quickly said. “How could I have paid him to do anything when I’ve never even seen him before?” Kris’s lips curled wryly. “So now you don’t know him? I thought you were the one who took the pictures when you caught Thalassa…” He used his index fingers to air-quote the next word. “...‘cheating.’” Karen panicked, realizing she’d messed up, but quickly thou
Their eyes locked. For several seconds, they stared at each other—Kris’s eyes filled with all the desperation in the world, while Thalassa’s eyes were filled with... nothing. She hadn’t said a single word since he exposed Karen, and every second of her silence made him feel like he was dying inside, desperate for her to say something—anything. The moment was broken when Luisa suddenly stormed over to Karen. “You stupid bitch!” Two violent slaps landed on Karen’s face, causing her to stumble as Luisa continued to fume. “What kind of woman are you? How could you pay a man to do something like this to another woman? Someone who loved you and considered you her best friend? You’re despicable.” Another slap landed on Karen’s face, followed by another, and another. Karen’s ears were ringing and her head spinning from the pain radiating through her. She felt too overwhelmed to even attempt to hit Luisa back. All she could do was grab onto Kris’s arm and cling to it. “Kris, save me.
Kris stared at Karen incredulously, his lips curling with rage. “How dare you?! How dare you try to involve my mother in this?”“But I’m not lying. She was the one who suggested the plan to me,” Karen insisted.“My mother didn’t even know anything about the pictures until you gave them to her on my wedding day to pass on to me!” Kris hissed.“That’s what she told me to tell you. She wanted you to believe that,” Karen said bitterly.Looking back, she realized Linda Miller had made her do all the dirty work so that if the plan failed, she wouldn’t be implicated.She sniffed. “I didn’t want to do it, but Linda convinced me. You know she never liked Thalassa and always thought she wasn’t good enough to be her daughter-in-law. That’s why she hatched the plan.”“Keep my mother’s name out of your fucking mouth!” Kris snarled, his voice ringing with a savage warning. “If you tell another lie about her, you’re going to be even sorrier.”Thalassa felt bitter as she listened to it all. She knew
“Let go of my sister right this minute!” Zeke’s harsh voice cut off the confession Alden had been about to make as he grabbed Alden’s hand and tore it away from Luisa’s arm. Luisa gasped. “Zeke, what are you doing?” “Keeping this bastard away from you,” Zeke hissed. “Luisa, can’t you see that he can’t be trusted? He deceived all of you because his friend asked him to, just to get Thalassa here.” Alden clenched his jaw, frustrated, but tried to keep his voice calm. “You saw what happened here yourself, Zeke. I did it for a good reason.” “That doesn’t make you any less of a liar and a user,” Zeke scoffed disdainfully. “You still used my sister to get to Thalassa. How do I know you’re not trying to get close to her only because Miller asked you to?” Luisa felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment and quickly clarified, “Zeke, Alden never asked me out. He didn’t even speak to me personally.” Zeke huffed. “Sister, don’t try to defend this man. Please understand that he can’t
“Thalassa, please, can we talk?”Zeke instantly grew annoyed and stepped forward belligerently. “Lassa doesn’t have anything to talk to you about.”Kris gnashed his teeth. The bastard hadn’t had enough with controlling his sister’s life; now he wanted to control Thalassa’s life too.“I don’t remember you being her spokesperson,” Kris gritted out before looking at Thalassa again. “Thalassa, it will only take a few seconds, please.”She made no attempt to move away from the car. “If it will only take a few seconds, then you can say it from where you’re standing.”Her voice lacked everything—no coldness, no warmth, nothing. Kris swallowed hard.“I just... I just wanted to remind you that you have to go down to the station to file charges since you’re the one who was assaul—treated that way,” he said, skipping over the word because even the thought of it filled him with so much rage and pain.Thalassa looked at him. “Okay.”That was it. Just “okay.” Maybe Kris was losing his mind, but he
“The love birds are finally here!” Aunt Cynthia exclaimed excitedly the moment Kris walked into the house. His family were gathered in the living room, and they all had smiles on their faces, but their smiles dimmed when they noticed the gloomy look on Kris’s face as well as the fact that Karen wasn’t with him. “Kris, where’s Karen?” His aunt questioned. “Nephew, where’s your wife? You two went out to enjoy some quality time together, didn’t you?” His uncle supplied. His daughter, Tessa, was sitting on the floor in front of the nanny playing some Lego. Without answering his aunt and uncle, Kris sank down on the floor beside his daughter. “Hey baby.” He said and pressed his lips to her forehead. She stopped playing temporarily to look at him. “Dada.” The sweet, innocent smile she flashed him made his heart squeeze painfully. He knew the things that happened today were going to be hard on his daughter, but he hoped he was making the right decision. “Kris, why aren’t you
Linda Miller had always thought she was shrewd enough to sense a betrayal before it came her way, but Karen’s treachery caught her off guard.She gritted her teeth, fuming silently, unable to believe that Karen had dared to betray her. What had that foolish girl been thinking?“Mum,” Kris prompted grimly after several seconds of silence. “You haven’t answered my question.”Immediately, Linda summoned the most pitiful, heartbroken look she could conjure. “Why would I answer such a question? I refuse to believe that my own son would think me such a monster as to even consider that I could be behind something like that.”Kris pursed his mouth into a tight line. “Mum, I’m not trying to accuse you of anything. I’m just looking for answers here. I know you never liked Thalassa, so I just want you to be honest with me.”“I never liked Thalassa? You know that’s not true. Yes, in the beginning, I didn’t approve of her because I thought she was only trying to take advantage of you, but once I r
“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
Tessa’s happiness at seeing her family was unmistakable. After hugging and rocking her little sister for a bit, she moved toward her parents, who both engulfed her in a warm embrace.Gendry’s breath hitched. He’d seen Tessa wear a lot of expressions; angry, frustrated, annoyed, flushed, and pleasured, but he’d never seen her look so at peace before.It was obvious she loved and adored her parents, and she felt safe with them. Gendry wondered if there was a story there he didn’t know.“Hey, I’m feeling incredibly left out right now,” Alex said in a mock-grouchy voice.Tessa’s parents released her from their hug. She shrugged, looking at her brother.“I’m only hugging those I missed the most. I didn’t miss you much, so—”“Stop being silly and come here.”Tessa shrieked with laughter as Alex pulled her into a hug. Their bond as siblings was undeniable, their closeness evident in the easy way they teased and held each other.
Tessa’s heart caught. What he'd just told her could mean two things: that he wanted her so much that he’d set his rule aside because of her, or that she was worthless to him, which was why he was willing to sleep with her with no intention of having a relationship with her. The possibility of it being the latter stung more than she could ever admit. But why? It wasn’t like she wanted a relationship with him either. With her mood suddenly soured for reasons she couldn’t understand, she looked out the window at the buildings whirling by. “What about you?” Gendry’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Tessa pulled away from the window and looked at him. “What about me?” she asked, confusion in her voice. “You already know I’d never been with any man... until yesterday” “Yes. I know.” Gendry nodded. “The question is why. You’re beautiful, and you know it. It couldn’t possibly be because no man has approached you before. I know you probably have a thousand flocking around you, so wh
On the way back to the villa, the car was filled with a comfortable silence, but Tessa's mind was stuck on something she couldn't stop thinking about. It had been on her mind since morning, and she needed an answer. Before she could change her mind, she spoke. “This morning… what Jace said… what did he mean?” She saw Gendry’s hands tense around the steering wheel. “Jace said a lot of things,” he pointed out. “Yes,” Tessa agreed. “But I meant… what he said about thinking you’d lost interest in women.” Gendry briefly took his eyes off the road. “I can stop the car and show you right now that he was talking nonsense—just like I showed you a few hours ago.” Tessa’s cheeks flushed, wild images flaring through her mind at his words. “You’re evading my question.” “And you seem to have forgotten your own rules,” Gendry mused wryly. “No talking about each other’s personal lives, remember?” His voice had an edge to it, and Tessa wondered if she should drop it, but the curiosity was eati