After a roller-coaster ride, the book has finally come to an end.
To be honest, there were several times when I had considered dropping the book because I did not find any motivation to continue.However, when I read your comments, I told myself, that even if it was for one person, I should finish what I had started.And now when I look back at it, I'm glad I did it.I sincerely thank all the readers who have supported this book. I can't express it into words how much your support means to me.Now that the book has been completed, I'll take a break and come up with another story at the beginning of 2024.Since most of you do not like to wait for updates, I'll first draft the entire book and then publish it for you all to read.In the meantime, you can connect with me on my social handle, @aerawrites where I'll be giving updates about my upcoming work.Before leaving, I'd like to ask if there's any specific genre you would like me to write on. If yes, let me know in the comment sections.One last thing, please don't forget to continue to support the story by voting and leaving your reviews.Take care and see you again until next time...~AeraPak! A loud, furious sound reverberated in the large hall, silencing everyone present. Nina held her stinging cheek in disbelief. A bright red print had appeared on her fair skin, looking especially eye-catching. Her eyes turned cold as she swept them across the people in front of her. Her so-called Father who had just hit her without caring about the occasion, her stepmother who looked at her accusingly, and lastly at her younger step-sister who wept uncontrollably in her mother’s arm. She could only laugh bitterly to herself. “You are so young, but already so vicious. How could I have a daughter like you? To steal your sister’s endorsement, you tampered with her makeup?” William Santiago, Nina’s father, pointed his finger at her angrily. The disappointment in his tone was apparent. Hiss! The guests immediately broke out into loud murmurs. Nina met her father’s enraged gaze and felt an inexplicable chill in her heart. Today was her stepsister, Alyson’s eighteenth birthday
It was unknown when Nina had fallen asleep. When she woke up, her body was already sore from sitting in the same position the entire night. After massaging her limbs, she stood up and pulled open the curtains on the windows. Her eyes rested upon the golden arcing rays that illuminated outside. The sunlight conjured the most brilliant of mosaics, reflecting from each leaf and cloud. As if it were happy to create art where it shone, warm and steady. But unlike the joy in the light, there was only darkness in Nina’s life. After she freshened up, she entered the kitchen and prepared breakfast for everyone. Although the Santiagos were considered slightly well-off, they did not have any helpers. But they did have her though, the unofficial maid. She was solely in charge of all the household chores, including laundry, cooking, cleaning, and so on. By the time she was done preparing the food, everyone had gathered at the dining table. The family of three was discussing something ferve
In the hotel room, a figure was sprawled across the bed. The straps of her dress had fallen, revealing her thin and slender shoulders. The person by the bed grabbed her delicate face to check if she had fainted. Good, that she’s unconscious. The man took out his cell phone and made a call. “Hello? Yes, I’ve already sent her to your room. When will you be arriving? Hahaha. Mr. Henry, don’t worry. My daughter is still a virgin and had never even been in a relationship before.” “Also, can you tell me when can my company sign the contract papers? Sure, it’d be best if we do it tomorrow.” “Then I won’t take much of your time. Please enjoy!” The man turned around cheerfully and left. After the door to the room closed, the girl on the bed slowly opened her eyes. Yes, the person earlier was none other than her biological father who had set her up! No wonder her so-called family had suddenly turned so affectionate towards her at the dinner. Turned out they were planning such a conspirac
Blood drained from Nina’s face. Just as their hands were about to touch her clothes, with her trembling lips, she managed to shout. “I agree.” Silence. The surrounding area seemed to have immediately quietened down upon hearing her voice. The man who had left her to fend for herself stopped in his tracks. Shaking his head, he knew that it was going to be a long night. Footsteps could be heard in the eerie night, and the man appeared in front of her. With his impressive height, he looked down at her miserable self and sneered. Her long hair was plastered to her delicate neck and the right side of her face had started to swell. It was a ghastly sight. The guard did not hold himself back while slapping her. “But I don’t want to help you now.” His low, monotonous voice rang in her ears. “I had given you a chance, but you did not cherish it. You must have thought I was too easy to talk to. Want me to help you? Sure, but first beg me.” Nina shut her eyes, and two streams of tears roll
Nina felt as though she heard an absurd joke. “What does his company have got to do with me? Do I own a share in it, or has anyone ever considered me a part of this family? Who gave you the confidence that I’ll agree?” So many years had passed, and they still thought she would obey whatever they said. Mrs. Santiago’s face darkened. She took off all the pretense and pointed at Nina tersely. “We aren’t asking for your opinion. If not for us feeling pity on you that day, you’d probably be begging on the streets by now. This is what you owe us for taking care of you all these years!” “I don’t owe you guys shit.” Nina roared. “I’m grateful to you for giving me a roof to cover my head and giving me two times a meal. If not for that, I would have already called the cops by now.” Everyone’s expression changed drastically. “I didn’t come back to reconcile with your family. If you’re that desperate to save the company, go spread your legs yourself. From today onwards, I, Nina, have nothin
After they left the mall, Jayden and Nina drove straight to the civil affairs bureau to get their marriage certificates. Nina felt a series of complicated emotions as she stared at the certificates in her hand. In the blink of an eye, she was already married at the age of twenty. The car drove along the villa areas in the Feron district area. As they passed the entrance gate, the guard recognized the license plate and greeted them politely. Nina had read this place was where Spring City’s wealthiest and most influential people lived. The housing price in this area was extremely high and unless you had a certain status, you could not purchase a property here. Did she just hit the jackpot? The car stopped in front of the villa. “Let’s go.” The cold voice pulled her back to reality. Jayden walked out of the car and went inside. Nina followed behind him silently. Inside the villa, several servants lined up in a row and bowed respectfully at Jayden. “Welcome home, master.” Jayden
The room was cloaked in darkness, with a faint light streaming through the night lamp. As the bed beside her sunk, her fingers subconsciously tightened around the bedsheets. A faint fragrance of sandalwood suddenly invaded her senses, and Jayden pressed her under him. Nina was pretending to be asleep, but after being crushed under his weight, her eyes flew wide open. “Not pretending anymore?” He looked at her with his two good-looking eyes. “W-What are you doing?” Nina felt she must be stupid to ask such an obvious question. Jayden’s body was pressed against hers, and she could feel the changes in his body. A light chuckle escaped from the man’s thin lips and his low, seductive voice rang in her ears. “Something that adults do.” He bowed his head and just as he was about to kiss her, Nina evaded it and his lips landed on her cheek. Jayden squinted his eyes and lifted her chin. He did not give her time to move, and his lips landed on hers. Her lips were soft and as sweet as he
Furious, Nina stood up angrily and pointed at him. “Could you please listen to me first? I’m not running away from you or this marriage. This place is located on the outskirts of the city and is almost a few hours away from the college. There are no taxis or cabs available nearby either. Next month I would enter the internship period. Do you expect me to spend my entire day traveling back and forth?” “There are dozens of cars parked in the garage. Take whichever you want with you.” “How’s it the same? Do you have any idea how much time would it take me to travel?” “Not my business.” Nina was speechless. “Then don’t even bother about where I live. Also, I’ve agreed on this marriage because I’m grateful to you for saving me and want to give this marriage a try. But that does not mean you can intimidate me or boss me around. If you want this marriage to work, then you should learn to respect your partner, too. If you can’t even do the bare minimum, then don’t blame me for pushing you
After a roller-coaster ride, the book has finally come to an end. To be honest, there were several times when I had considered dropping the book because I did not find any motivation to continue. However, when I read your comments, I told myself, that even if it was for one person, I should finish what I had started. And now when I look back at it, I'm glad I did it. I sincerely thank all the readers who have supported this book. I can't express it into words how much your support means to me. Now that the book has been completed, I'll take a break and come up with another story at the beginning of 2024. Since most of you do not like to wait for updates, I'll first draft the entire book and then publish it for you all to read. In the meantime, you can connect with me on my social handle, @aerawrites where I'll be giving updates about my upcoming work. Before leaving, I'd like to ask if there's any specific genre you would like me to write on. If yes, let me know in the comment
“I think this is a lot for Nina to process right now,” Jayden said in a protective tone. “We appreciate you sharing this with us, but she needs some time. We’ll talk about it later when she’s ready.” Isaac and Alaina exchanged a glance, recognizing the need for patience and understanding. “Of course,” Isaac replied, his voice gentle. “We’ll be here whenever she’s ready to talk.” At that moment, Isaac’s phone rang, breaking the heavy silence in the room. He excused himself with an apologetic look and answered the call. As he listened to the voice on the other end, his expression changed drastically. After a brief conversation, he hung up and turned to the couple. His expression was somber as he stood up and held Alaina’s hand. “I’m sorry, but I have urgent work that requires my immediate attention. We’ll have to leave for now, but we'll visit again soon.” “Take care, both of you.” Isaac nodded at them. Alaina, though confused, followed her husband. She gave a reluctant glance at
Speaking of his daughter, Nina, he almost cried when he thought about the abuse she had suffered at Kristen’s hands. While his daughter had to tread on thin ice just for a meal, Kristen’s illegitimate child was enjoying the luxuries that never belonged to her! Unknowingly, he had added to his daughter’s sufferings. Isaac’s regret and anguish over the past intensified as he considered the stark contrast in the lives of the two children. When he realized Nina was his and Alaina’s daughter, he immediately ordered his men to do a background check on her. Everything began to fit into pieces when he found out about Nina's relationship with Kristen. Isaac looked at the woman in front of him with disgust and called the officer over. Jayden had already done an excellent job in ensuring that Kristen faced the consequences of her actions. As for Isaac, he was determined to ensure that Kristen would rot in prison for the rest of her life, wishing she was never born. Meanwhile, the situati
Isaac’s face turned ashen, and he rushed toward Alaina. Everything happened so suddenly that he could not react in time. And when he came to his senses, there was already a long cut on Alaina’s forearm. “Alaina, are you okay?” Isaac asked, his voice trembling with heartache. “I-I’m fine,” Alaina nodded, though the pain was clear in her eyes. Her arm continued to bleed, prompting Isaac to call out urgently, “Somebody, call an ambulance.” Shocked, Emilia dropped the knife from her hand. The blood drained from her face when she realized the gravity of her actions. Everyone knew Alaina was the apple of Isaac’s eye and that he treated her like a treasure. Emilia’s heart trembled when she thought about how she had inadvertently touched his Achilles' heels. She watched as everyone in the house scrambled to send Alaina to the hospital. Overwhelmed with fear and guilt, he slipped away and retreated to her room. She locked the door, hoping Isaac wouldn’t settle scores with her if any
“I’m fine. Just a little tired,” Jayden replied weakly, his eyes still closed. “I’ll be alright after sleeping for a while.” His reassurance didn’t ease Nina’s worry, though. Her heart pounded in her throat, and she could not calm down. Wiping away her tears, a trace of stubbornness appeared in her eyes as she left the ward. Once again, Nina found herself standing in front of the imposing estate. This time, she came alone and did not alert anyone. Although Jayden forbade her from contacting Isaac, fear overrode her senses. She couldn’t shake the haunting image of waking up to his cold, lifeless body one day. The door creaked open, and Nina slipped inside, her eyes scanning the elegant foyer. She knew she was pushing her luck, but she had to convince Isaac no matter what. Turning a corner, she found herself in the expansive living room. There, seated on the sofa, was none other than Emilia Moore. After suffering multiple setbacks in life, nothing seemed to have changed for E
“WHAT!?” The room erupted in uproar. “No! You can’t. What about my son?” Lilian protested hysterically. “That’s my final order,” William asserted authoritatively. “As for you,” he addressed the woman, who was on the verge of a mental breakdown, “Let’s get a divorce.” Lilian’s eyes widened, and she slumped onto the chair with a thud. “No…” William paid no attention to her. His old body could not hold on any longer. He patted Jayden’s shoulder lightly before turning to leave. Watching him walk away, panic seized Lilian. She jumped from her seat and dashed forward. Kneeling, Lilian grasped William’s legs and pleaded for mercy. “Husband, I’m sorry. I was blinded by greed. I acknowledge my mistake, and I promise I’ll turn over a new leaf. Please don’t abandon me,” she begged. The weight of her actions only became clear when she lost everything. Without the title of Mrs. Luxton, she was nothing. “Husband…” Lilian continued to create a scene, but it was to no avail. The guards hel
“Don’t forget, I’m still the CEO.” Jayden looked at her coldly. A derisive snicker resonated in the room that came from Jayden’s uncles. Back when William suddenly fell ill, The Luxton Corporation faced imminent danger. During that period, it was Jayden who resurrected the Luxton Corporation from the brink of collapse. Under his leadership, the business flourished with each passing day. They were indignant about letting an illegitimate son take the position of CEO. However, Jayden’s ability to manage the business left everyone speechless. Throughout the years, they had silently consented to let him toil for the Luxton Corporation. However, now that he had a few days to live, they couldn’t wait to overthrow him. “Jayden, have you forgotten that you’re a dying man right now? How much more do you think you can invest?” They mocked. He had already outlived his usefulness and so there was no need for him to stay at the company. Nina’s heart chilled at their words. Among those pre
With a gesture to the servant, Isaac instructed him to chase them out of his house.Although they already knew the outcome, dejection settled over Nina as they left the residence.She opened the door when she saw Jayden’s intense gaze fixed upon her.Despite his sickly pallor, his domineering aura couldn’t be concealed.Sensing the tension, Nina felt amiss. “H-Hey, you’re up?”Jayden remained silent, his icy gaze unyielding. Instead of acknowledging her greeting, he asked instead, “Where have you been?”“Nowhere in particular. I just went to learn about your treatment plan with the doctor…” Nina replied, trying to keep her tone steady.“Is that so?”Nina nodded.“Was the doctor’s name Isaac Moore?”The smile on Nina’s face froze.The look in Jayden’s eyes sent a shiver down her spine; there was a dangerous gleam that made her heart race.Panic flashed across her face when she realized Jayden had figured out everything. Helpless, she started to speak, “Jayden, I—”“Enough!” Jayden inte
"I missed you. While you were away, I've never stopped thinking about you," she admitted.How could she be so selfish as to abandon him and leave everything behind? The very man who had been the reason she could step out of her shadows.She had let go of his hand when he needed her the most. The thought of not being there to witness his final moments was so agonizing that it felt like a sharp pain was piercing through her heart, leaving her breathless.Nina wiped away her tears and assured Jayden, “I’m here now. And I’ll never leave your side.”Without waiting for his reply, she expressed her intention to speak to his doctor.As she left the ward, a streak of worry flashed across Jayden’s face, “Nina…”In the doctor’s office.Closing the door behind her, Nina anxiously approached the doctor. “Doctor, how is Jayden’s situation?”The doctor furrowed his brow. “Who are you?”“I’m his wife, Nina Luxton,” she declared. She was his wife in this life and she would be his wife even after he d