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Chapter 39
Last Updated:
2023-04-20 18:13:56
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The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 40
Katie's POVI sat nervously in the pediatrician's office, holding tightly to Alex's hand as we waited for Max's test results. Max, our youngest child, had been struggling with frequent illnesses and fatigue for weeks, and we knew that something wasn't right. The doctor had run a battery of tests, and now we were waiting for the results.I felt a knot in my stomach as the doctor walked in, holding a folder of papers. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but it looks like Max has a serious medical condition," she said gently.My heart sank, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "What kind of condition?" I asked, my voice trembling."It's a rare genetic disorder called mitochondrial disease," the doctor explained. "It affects the way your son's cells produce energy, and it can cause a range of symptoms, from fatigue to seizures."Alex squeezed my hand, and I knew that he was feeling just as scared and overwhelmed as I was. "What's the treatment?" he asked."There's no cure for mitochondrial di
Last Updated : 2023-04-20The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 41
Katie's POVWatching Max play and seeing him so happy was a reminder of how far we had come as a family. Alex and I sat on the porch, sipping on our coffee and chatting about everything and nothing. We didn't need words to express our gratitude for the moment. We simply sat there and enjoyed the peacefulness that surrounded us."Mom, Dad, can we go to the park?" Lily interrupted, standing in front of us with a smile."Sure, let's go," Alex said, standing up and taking Lily's hand.I watched as they walked away, feeling a twinge of sadness. I missed those days when Max could run and play without any worries. But I quickly pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present. Max was happy and healthy, and that was all that mattered.As we arrived at the park, Lily ran off to play with her friends, and Alex and I watched Max as he climbed on the jungle gym, his face lit up with excitement. Suddenly, my phone rang, and I saw that it was Max's doctor."Hello?" I answered, my heart racin
Last Updated : 2023-04-20The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 42
Katie's POVOver the next few months, we closely monitored Max's progress in the clinical trial. We made frequent trips to the hospital for check-ups and tests, but it was all worth it to see the improvements in our son."He's doing so well," Alex said one evening as we watched Max play with his toys on the floor. "I can't believe how much progress he's made.""I know," I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. "It's like we have our little boy back."Max looked up at us and grinned, holding up one of his toys. "Mama, look!" he exclaimed.I couldn't help but smile at his excitement. It was moments like these that made everything else feel worth it.But even as we celebrated Max's progress, we knew that there were still challenges ahead. The medication was only a temporary solution, and we needed to find a more long-term treatment plan."We need to keep exploring our options," I said to Alex one night as we sat down to dinner. "We can't rely on this medication forever.""I know," Alex
Last Updated : 2023-04-21The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 43
Katie's POVIt all started when Alex's business partner, John, reached out to us with a request. John had been mentoring a troubled teenager named Emily, who was struggling to find a stable home environment. Her parents had both passed away, and she had been moving from foster home to foster home, never able to find a place where she felt like she belonged.John had been doing his best to support Emily, but he knew that she needed a more stable home environment if she was going to have any chance of turning her life around. And that's where we came in."Katie, Alex, I know this is a big ask, but I was wondering if you might be willing to take Emily in for a while," John said, his voice filled with concern.Alex and I exchanged a glance, and I could tell that we were both thinking the same thing: Could we really take on another child right now? Max's medical needs were already taking up so much of our time and energy.But then I thought about Emily, and how much she must be struggling.
Last Updated : 2023-04-21The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 44
Katie's POVAs the weeks went on, Emily seemed to settle in more and more. She started opening up to us about her past and her struggles, and we did our best to support her through it all. But there were still moments of tension and conflict, like when Lily caught her stealing some money from her purse."Lily, what's going on?" I asked, walking into the living room to find her fuming."Emily stole some money from me," she said angrily."What? Emily, is that true?" I asked, turning to her.Emily looked down at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.""Lily, can you give us a minute alone?" I said, ushering her out of the room.Once we were alone, I sat down next to Emily on the couch. "Why did you do it, Emily? We've been nothing but kind to you.""I don't know," she said, sniffling. "I just needed some money.""That's not a good excuse, Emily. We trusted you, and you betrayed that trust. You're going to have to work to earn it back."Emily nodded, her s
Last Updated : 2023-04-21The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 45
Katie's POVOver the next few weeks, things started to settle down in our household. Emily continued to work hard at school, and Lily was preparing for college. Max was growing more and more every day, and Alex and I were busy with our respective jobs.One afternoon, I came home from work to find Emily sitting on the couch, staring off into space."Hey, is everything okay?" I asked, sitting down next to her."I don't know," she said, sighing. "I'm just feeling really down today.""Is it about school?" I asked, knowing how important her education was to her."No, it's not that," she said, shaking her head. "It's just...I don't know. I feel like I don't belong here.""What do you mean?" I asked, furrowing my brow."I mean, I'm not like you guys," Emily said, her voice breaking. "I don't have money or status or...anything, really. I just feel like I'm always going to be an outsider.""Oh, Emily," I said, taking her hand. "That's not true at all. You belong here, with us. You're part of o
Last Updated : 2023-04-21The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 46
Katie's POVThe past few months had been a whirlwind of emotions for our family. First, there was the challenge of taking in Emily and helping her turn her life around. Then, there was the joy of watching her flourish and grow under our care. But now, a new challenge had emerged, one that threatened to tear our family apart.It all started with a phone call. Alex had been in his home office, working on some business plans when his phone rang. He answered it with his usual cool demeanor, but I could tell from the tension in his voice that something was wrong."Hello?" he said, his voice low and serious.There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then a deep, gravelly voice spoke."Hello, Alex. Long time no see."Alex stiffened at the sound of the voice. "Who is this?""You don't remember me, Alex? That hurts my feelings."There was a hint of amusement in the man's voice, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew that tone, that sense of smug superiority. It was the voice of
Last Updated : 2023-04-22The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 47
Katie's POVOne afternoon, as I was driving home from the grocery store, I noticed a car following me. At first, I tried to convince myself that it was just a coincidence, but as I turned onto our street, the car turned with me.My heart was pounding in my chest as I pulled into our driveway. I sat there for a moment, watching as the car pulled up behind me. I knew I had to be careful, but I also knew that I couldn't let this go on any longer.I got out of the car and walked over to the driver's side of the other vehicle. The tinted window rolled down, and I saw Derek sitting behind the wheel."What do you want?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady."I just wanted to say hello," he said, his voice sickly sweet."Leave us alone," I said, taking a step back."Or what?" he said, a cruel smile spreading across his face."Or I'll call the police," I said, my heart racing.Derek just laughed. "You really think the police can protect you? You're playing a dangerous game, Katie. And yo
Last Updated : 2023-04-22
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The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 71
Katie's POVThe next day, we woke up early to start our usual routine. Max went off to school, Emily started work, and Alex headed to the office. But instead of feeling the usual rush and chaos of a busy morning, I felt a sense of calm and gratitude.As I sipped my coffee and watched my family rush around, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the beautiful life we had built together. We were all so different, with our own unique personalities and interests, but somehow we managed to come together and create something truly beautiful.And as I headed out to my own work, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and motivation. I was grateful for the love and support of my family, and I knew that together we could accomplish anything.Over the next few weeks, we settled back into our usual routine, but with a renewed sense of appreciation and gratitude for each other. We spent more time together as a family, going on walks, cooking together, and just enjoying each other's company.One eve
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 70
Katie's POVThe next day, we woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We spent the morning together, drinking coffee and talking about our plans for the day."I was thinking we could take the kids to the park today," Alex said, looking up from his coffee cup."That sounds like a great idea," I replied, smiling at him.We got dressed and headed out to the park, where the kids ran around and played together. Lily and Mia sat on a blanket, drawing pictures in a notebook, while Max and Emily played a game of catch.As we sat together on a bench, watching our children play, Alex turned to me and took my hand."I was thinking, maybe we should plan a family vacation this summer," he said, his voice soft."That's a great idea," I said, smiling at him. "Where were you thinking?""I was thinking maybe we could go to Hawaii. We could rent a house on the beach and spend some time relaxing and enjoying each other's company," he said, his eyes bright with excitement."That sounds amazing," I said
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 69
Katie's POVAs the day of the article release approached, I felt a mix of emotions. I was proud of our family and our love story, but I was also nervous about how people would react.But as the article went live, the response was overwhelmingly positive. People from all over the world reached out to us, sharing their own stories and thanking us for showing them that love comes in many different forms.It was humbling and beautiful, and I felt grateful to be able to make a difference in people's lives.As I looked around at my family, I felt a sense of gratitude and relief wash over me. We had been through so much together, and yet we had come out stronger and more united than ever before.A few days later, Alex surprised me with a romantic weekend getaway to a secluded cabin in the mountains. As we settled in by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa and enjoying the peaceful surroundings, I felt a sense of warmth and contentment settle over me.We spent the weekend hiking, exploring, and s
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 68
Katie's POVIt was a typical Sunday afternoon when our family gathered for lunch at our favorite restaurant. We were laughing and chatting, enjoying our time together, when Lily suddenly spoke up."Hey, do you guys remember that time when you were in a contract marriage?" she asked, casually taking a sip of her drink.Alex and I froze, exchanging a worried glance. We had hoped to keep that part of our past hidden from our children forever."What are you talking about, Lily?" Max asked, looking confused."Yeah, what contract marriage?" Emily chimed in, looking just as puzzled.Alex and I shared a look, knowing that it was time to come clean."Well, kids, your father and I weren't always in love," I began, taking a deep breath. "We were actually in a contract marriage.""A contract marriage?" Lily repeated, looking even more confused."Yes," Alex confirmed. "We got married because we needed to for business reasons. It was all part of a plan to help our companies succeed."The children l
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 67
Katie's POV As we sat in the small apartment, we knew that we had to do everything in our power to keep our loved ones safe. We couldn't risk putting them in danger by involving them in our plan to take down the organization."I don't want to involve Katie or the kids in this," Alex said firmly. "It's too dangerous.""I agree," I said. "But we have to be careful. We can't let the organization find out about our plan. They could come after our families.""Agreed," Andrew said, his expression serious. "We have to keep this between us."But even as we spoke, I couldn't help but worry about Emily. She was already in a fragile state, and I didn't know how she would react if she found out what we were doing."I think we need to keep an eye on Emily," I said, voicing my concerns. "She's been through a lot, and I don't know if she can handle this kind of stress."Alex nodded in agreement. "I'll talk to Katie and see if we can get her some extra support. Maybe a therapist or something.""I ca
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 66
Katie's POVThe next morning, we set out to meet with the organization again. This time, we were armed with a plan, and we were ready to take them down.As we entered the bar, I felt a knot form in my stomach. I knew that this was a dangerous game that we were playing, but I also knew that we didn't have any other options.The men were waiting for us, their faces grim and unsmiling. "Where's our money?" one of them demanded."We're working on it," Alex said smoothly. "But we need some more time. We're trying to get the funds together.""You have three days," the man said, his voice cold and menacing. "If you don't have the money by then, we'll come looking for you. And it won't be pretty."We left the bar, feeling a mix of relief and fear. We knew that the clock was ticking, and we had to come up with a plan fast."Let's go back to the apartment," I suggested. "We can talk there and figure out our next steps."Alex and Andrew nodded in agreement, and we made our way back to the apartm
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 65
Katie's POVWe set up the meeting in a seedy bar on the outskirts of town. Alex and I dressed in our best suits and arrived at the bar at the designated time. We were shown to a back room where a group of men were waiting for us."Welcome," one of them said. "I'm Nick. What can I do for you?""We're interested in doing business," Alex said smoothly. "We heard you guys were the best in town."Nick's eyes lit up. "Ah, I see. And what kind of business are you interested in?""We're looking for some merchandise," I said, playing the role of the interested buyer. "High-quality merchandise."Nick grinned. "Well, you've come to the right place. Follow me."He led us down a hallway and into a large room filled with all kinds of illegal goods. I tried not to look too interested as I browsed the wares, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust at the thought of the harm these items could do.Nick showed us a selection of items and we haggled over prices. We eventually settled on a few ite
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 64
Katie's POVDespite our reservations, we couldn't bring ourselves to turn him away when he came to us again, begging for help. He looked desperate and scared, and we couldn't bear the thought of leaving him out on the street.We agreed to lend him the money and let him stay with us for a few days until he could figure things out. But as soon as he moved in, things took a turn for the worse.Andrew became increasingly aggressive and unpredictable, lashing out at us over the smallest things. He was constantly on edge, as if he was expecting someone to come after him.One night, I woke up to the sound of shouting coming from the living room. I crept out of bed and peered through the doorway to see Andrew arguing with someone on the phone. His face was contorted with anger, and he was shouting so loudly that I could hear every word."You need to get me out of here," he yelled into the phone. "I can't take it anymore. They're on to me."I knew then that we had made a huge mistake by lettin
The Contracted Bride's Tale Chapter 63
Katie's POVIt was a quiet Saturday afternoon when the doorbell rang. I was in the kitchen, preparing lunch for the family when I heard the chime. I wiped my hands on a towel and walked to the front door, wondering who could be stopping by unannounced.When I opened the door, I was surprised to see a tall, dark-haired man standing on my doorstep. He was well-dressed, wearing a tailored suit and a crisp white shirt, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into mine."Can I help you?" I asked, feeling a sense of unease.The man flashed me a charming smile. "I'm sorry to intrude," he said. "My name is Andrew. I'm looking for Alex."I studied the man for a moment, trying to determine if he was telling the truth. "Who are you?" I asked."I'm a distant relative of Alex's," he said. "I've been trying to track him down for a while now."I was still skeptical, but something about the man's demeanor seemed genuine. "I'll go get him," I said.I left the man standing on the porch and walked bac
