Damien was thoughtful enough not to drive all the way to her apartment—Bella feared that Vaughn might still be waiting for her there. He wouldn’t be too happy to know she was spending time with his cousin.If possible, she wouldn’t even want to return to the apartment. She didn’t want to face Vaughn; who knew what kind of torture he’d put her through?But she would need to convince him to let her remain in school. When morning came, she’d be easily swayed because then he’d think she was back to being the stupid girl who loved him and did whatever he said."Thanks for everything."Damien nodded absently. "Come find me tomorrow. We’ll talk about the rest.""Okay."Bella got out of the car and watched Damien drive away. With a sigh, she walked the rest of the way back to her apartment. She paused to collect herself at the front door before going inside. The door gave way easily; she knew Vaughn was still inside—she could smell him.She took off her shoes and tried to make as little noise
His tongue pried her lower lips apart and then thrust into her pussy. His blue eyes darted to her face as he smirked mischievously before sucking hard on her clit. Bella’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her mouth fell open, and a strangled moan escaped her. Her body was slick with sweat, and the sheets beneath her felt damp as well. Bella's gaze was fixed on the ceiling, her fingers buried in the blond mop of hair that stuck out between her legs. Oh God, he used his tongue so well. He had her legs around his shoulders, and when he sank between them and gave her her very first tongue fuck, he didn’t come up for air even once. It seemed he was enjoying himself far more than she was. He sucked, licked, and nibbled at her cunt, making her moan so loudly that if the apartment hadn’t been soundproof, someone would no doubt have heard her. She couldn’t hold back her cries of ecstasy as he sucked at her clit and hungrily lavished her entrance with his skillful tongue. Bella’s hips
Some people were so hypocritical to the point of playing two characters so flawlessly at once. In Vaughn's case, one was the kind and loving husband who would do anything for his wife, while the other was the heartless psychopath who cared about no one else except himself.While having breakfast that morning, Bella found it hard to suppress her emotions. The fear and anger from yesterday would always resurface whenever her husband looked at her with false, gentle eyes or even kissed her. She would always recall the multiple times he had hit her, hurt her badly to the point of being hospitalized.Did this man not have a conscience? Was there no self-guilt? How could he live with himself knowing that he was putting on an act? He clearly didn't love her, so why insist on leading her into thinking he did? Why couldn't he let her go?"Eat some more, you've lost a bit of weight these past few days," Vaughn said softly. He put some more pancakes on her plate and even offered to make her some
Seeing the horrified look on her face, Damien chuckled. "I was just joking."Bella sighed in relief. Knowing how love-struck she had been in the past, she wouldn’t have doubted if she’d actually said something like that. She and Damien used to be good friends before she met Vaughn. He would always tease her like this. At one point, everyone thought they were dating, but then his demon cousin showed up, and the rest was history."Don’t say things like that; I actually believed you just now. Who would commit suicide by choking on a bar of soap?" The idea was ludicrous.Damien looked at her deeply. Seeing her like this, he was almost tempted to bring up the time she’d nearly dyed her hair blonde and gotten tattoos around her belly button just because she’d heard a rumor that Vaughn was into that aesthetic.This woman had done a lot of foolish things in her life for the love of a man. Damien had gone from seeing her as a genuine friend to thinking she was crazy; he had even been disgusted
"Can I make love to you? It’s been a while since we last did it, don’t you agree, baby?"Bella finally couldn't hold back a reaction. Her entire body tensed, and she looked at Vaughn with wide, stunned eyes. "What?"Vaughn smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. His movements were graceful and very delicate, and his voice was filled with patience as he explained, "We don’t have to, of course, but I just feel it’s been a while. I... I miss how beautiful you look under me. I want to hear those sweet moans of yours again."Let it be said that Vaughn might be a man with a high libido, but the only time they’d had sex was during the first few days of their marriage, back when they had gone on a honeymoon in the Maldives. Even then, he had insisted on using protection. The sex had been great for her, but it felt like her husband wasn’t that into it.Since then, they’d only exchanged kisses, and even that had grown very rare over the passing years. Bella would have probably found
Bella wasn't aware that Vaughn had already started suspecting her. At the moment, she was just glad that she wouldn't have to deal with that hypocrite anymore.Feeling worn out from the day's events, she stripped off her clothes and got under her sheets. It didn’t take long before she fell asleep.When she woke up the next morning, she got dressed and made herself some breakfast. She took a taxi to school; Vaughn had offered to get her a private car, but she had turned him down, afraid he would just use the opportunity to plant a spy by her side.While sitting in the car, she browsed through her phone. She had some text messages from Vaughn and her parents, all asking her to take care of herself. What caught her attention, however, was a text message from an unknown number.“Your husband isn’t as loyal as you think.”Those words put her in a trance—they sounded very familiar. She realized it was the same text message she had received that day at the hotel, the one that had made her co
Bella didn't go home immediately after seeing Eliza off; her mind was filled with thoughts about whether to take what the woman had said seriously. She didn't think Eliza was lying to her about this matter; the other woman had seemed sincere.So why would Jessica say they weren’t biological sisters? Had she only said it to convince Eliza to help her out? Did her words hold any truth?Bella wasn’t naive. She had long noticed the lack of resemblance between herself and Jessica. While most might consider her attractive, when compared to her blonde bombshell of a sister, she dulled in comparison. But she never thought much about it, as her dad had dark hair, so she figured she had inherited her brunette looks from him.Her childhood had been good; her parents had been loving and supportive, and she'd never had a reason to complain. She and Jessica had been treated equally and raised with so much love. So how could they not be biological sisters? It didn’t make sense!The thought of being
The day goes by in a blur. Bella can't seem to focus on any of her classes, not when her mind is a jumbled mess. She flops badly in her dance classes, even more than usual, and the displeased look the teacher gives her is enough to make her want to crawl into a hole and die. But persist she did, urgently wanting to get this awful day done and over with. After leaving the dance studio, she finds a spot under a shady tree to sit. She scrolls through her phone but only sees text messages from Vaughn and her parents, who are still convinced they can get her to return to Vaughn's mansion in New York to keep him company. Bella thinks she'd rather crawl into the deepest part of hell than return to that place, which brings back so many torturous memories. She replies to Vaughn's messages to avoid appearing suspicious. She ignores her parents, not wanting to indulge them further. The only highlight of her day is when she goes to see Damien. Maybe the pop star knew she would be in a bad mood
At the end, Bella couldn't find anything to hit Vaughn with. She shot him a venomous look and shoved past him, hurrying downstairs."Bella," Damien had noticed her enter the Banquet Hall earlier, but when he searched for her, she was nowhere to be found. Seeing her descend with Vaughn trailing closely behind, their clothes disheveled, his gaze darkened.When Bella saw him, she was about to walk toward him when Vaughn held her arm. "It's been a long day, let’s go home first.""I have someone I want to talk to. You can go by yourself."Vaughn glanced at Damien, though his expression didn’t change. Bella could tell he was displeased. "You both go to the same school. I only get you for today before you leave tomorrow. Surely whatever you have to say to him can wait."Bella didn’t bother arguing. She pulled her arm free and walked away. Vaughn watched her retreating form, feeling a sting of jealousy as he noticed how friendly she was with another man. His hand clenched at his side. His eye
"Mr. Winter, please don't be unreasonable. Vaughn and I...are really not that close."Eric smiled at her, his eyes seeming to say, "Really? You've been married for years and you claim you aren't that close? Impressive."Bella just knew this man was taunting her in his heart. He was very gloomy and detached normally, but when he smiled, he became even scarier. The good-looking ones were the most crazy! "We really aren't close!!""I believe you." Such a fucking liar, if you believe me, why am I still here? "But it makes no difference to me. I only want what your husband stole from my company. Surely that doesn't make me a bad person, right?""It does if you kidnap innocent people! If I report to the police, don't think you'll get away with it easily."Eric clearly didn't take her seriously. He gulped down the contents of his glass and stared at her. The longer he looked, the darker his eyes got. At one point, Bella's entire body started trembling in fright. Please tell me, what are you
"Is that?...""The Daughter-in-law of the McCoy family," Isaac Walker said, his voice devoid of any emotion. Though his heart was just as turbulent, he was even better at controlling his emotions than his father. "I've seen photos of her before. I just didn't think she looked this... familiar.""Oh, bro, you also think she looks familiar?" Silas couldn't help but look closely, but the woman had already retreated, and he could only stare at her back. Actually, he had just mentioned it casually to his brother, but he didn't think that his usually stoic brother and father would have such a strong reaction. Isn't it just a bit of resemblance?"Father, it's not possible," Isaac said."I know," the Patriarch of the Walker family lowered his eyes, hiding his complicated emotions. He knew it wasn't possible for his daughter to still be alive. It was just that the woman from the McCoy family looked a lot like her, and it made him remember the bittersweet memories of his little girl before that
The Banquet Hall was decorated lavishly. The heavy scent of expensive perfumes mixed together was very unpleasant, though when Bella saw the table brimming with all kinds of desserts, she felt her mood lighten up a bit.Being married to one of the world's richest men meant that she had a free pass to attend exclusive events like this. It was just a gathering where rich people mingled, compared who had the most assets, and formed partnerships. The rich only favored the rich. It was one of the reasons why she hated attending events like this."Mr. McCoy, it's a pleasure seeing you here," a middle-aged man with a balding head and an obvious potbelly was the first to walk up to them. Bella was ignored as usual; she was treated more like an accessory by her husband's side, only there to make him look good.As Vaughn and the man cheerfully chatted about business, Bella looked around the place. She saw some familiar faces, like her sister, Damien, and her parents. That's right... Bella's par
Bella threw the first punch; unfortunately, the man was able to evade it very easily. Her chest heaved as she faced Vaughn, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Rage burned in her eyes, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface when she saw the amusement on his face. “Stop smirking like that!” she snapped.Vaughn, calm as ever, tilted his head slightly, dodging another punch aimed at his face. “Is that all you’ve got?”“Shut up!” Bella growled, throwing another punch, followed by a clumsy kick. But Vaughn moved like water, effortlessly sidestepping each attack. His movements were fluid, precise, and unhurried—more like a dance than a fight.Bella stumbled but quickly regained her footing, her frustration evident. She lunged again, this time with more desperation than precision. Vaughn caught her wrist mid-swing and released it just as quickly, almost as if he found her attempts amusing.“Why aren’t you fighting back?” she yelled, her voice a mixture of ang
Vaughn's $26 million mansion was nestled in a high-class neighborhood, standing grand and elegant with its stone walls and steep slate roof. Warm lights glowed from its many windows, creating a welcoming aura. A circular driveway led to the main entrance, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes and vibrant flowers. At its center, a fountain stood, surrounded by lush green lawns and softly lit pathways.Bella had only been here a handful of times. She much preferred living in the villa over staying in the mansion. Whenever she stayed here, she felt uncomfortable. The space was simply too vast. Although there were maids and other staff in the house during the day, they all retired to their homes by dusk, leaving the mansion eerily quiet.Vaughn owned many properties—mansions, villas, vacation homes, and even skyscrapers. But Bella had never been the materialistic type. She longed for a modest home where she and her husband could spend quality time together.Unfortunately, the mansion was teemi
"I’ll send the private jet to pick you up tomorrow at noon. Be ready."Bella wanted to scream in frustration. Couldn't he get the hint that she didn't want to go back to the city? Vaughn's behavior was very strange. First, he broke it off with Jessica, and now he wanted her to attend an event with him? Usually, he mostly avoided being seen with her in public.She cut the call, fearing that if she heard his voice again, she might end up saying something she shouldn't—like cursing him. Honestly, she was getting so used to living a remote life that she felt very reluctant to go back. Maybe she would have preferred it if Vaughn and Jessica were still together; that way, her sister would be a distraction for Vaughn.Bella rubbed her cheeks absentmindedly; it still stung a bit from where Jessica had hit her. It was already late, and she had no interest in watching television, so she might as well go to bed. She took a shower, put on her nightwear, and lay on her soft bedding. It didn't take
Bella was speechless. She couldn’t comprehend why Jessica was in her apartment or why she’d insulted her. It had been a while since they’d seen each other, and Bella couldn’t recall doing anything that might have offended her sister. But how could she not feel angry, seeing the person who had once tried to kill her lounging casually on her sofa, still audacious enough to throw insults? "What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Why can’t I be here? Isn’t this the apartment Vaughn got you? It’s not yours, so what right do you have to kick me out?" Bella couldn’t believe her nerve. "Vaughn is my husband," she replied firmly. She had every right to anything he owned, whether money or property. The apartment was hers, and even Vaughn hadn’t fussed about ownership. So why was Jessica making an issue out of it? "That's what you think!" Jessica spat, trembling with rage. She looked at Bella with such hatred that Bella almost expected her to strike. Thinking back to the text she’d received
For someone like Silas, who had grown up with an overindulgent brother and a workaholic father who used money to solve problems, he’d never once been verbally disciplined. Now, he’d suddenly received a shoe to the face. He was so stunned that he couldn’t react for a long time.When he did, it seemed he didn’t feel anger in the end. He chuckled and wiped his face. Wow, fierce women were really the best. "Okay, don’t be angry. I didn’t mean it maliciously."Bella didn’t even want to acknowledge the man anymore. His thinking aligned with Vaughn’s. As expected, most men raised in wealthy families seemed to grow up with the mindset that they could get whatever they wanted with money."I still have things to do, so I’ll go first." She said her goodbyes to Damien and left.Silas watched her retreating figure, his eyes falling on her slim waist and voluptuous backside, hugged by the short dress she wore. He said to Damien, "How about you give me her number?""She is a married woman.""Huh?" T