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Chapter 113: More Lies?
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2022-10-26 14:06:26Related chapters
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 114: Time for Truth
My hands shake for the entire walk back to Vincent's building, the elevator ride up, and the panic that doubles when I open his penthouse door. I take a step inside and find him standing in front of his window with his arms clasped behind his back in a pose so similar to one way he tied up the woman in the pictures.Parts of me want to run. To get as far away as possible and pretend we've never happened, but I need an explanation from him. I need something."Who were you speaking to, Mackenzie?" he asks the first question, not turning from the window. His words are hard and I bristle. Who is he to question me? I walk deeper into his penthouse sidestepping one couch and standing in the middle of the room suddenly angry he has the nerve to question me. As if I've done something wrong in this scenario."You tell me."How can a man I was starting to love, no, have already fallen in love with do something like this to a woman? How long until he wanted to do it to me? And if I was
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 115: How Many Others?
It's true we both may have people in our past, but the differences is mine holds only the one. He was lackluster. How would Vincent react if he had to see images of me going at it with another man who had a body of a model? The jealousy that blooms every time Henry sends me a text is a big enough clue of how Vincent would respond."She said you promised to buy her family's factory for a big payday and then you didn't."His eyes narrow and a spot in his cheek twitches. "No, she begged me to look at her family's property. I told her no until the thing between us ended and then I felt guilty. But it's mismanaged and poorly run. The roof is caving in on half of it. It wasn't a good investment and I won't let a loose pussy force me to make poor business decisions. She got her money and now she's gone against our deal."His words are chilly and harsh. I've never witnessed Vincent treat someone in such a fashion. Has this part of him always been hiding underneath the surface? Could he t
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 116: Apologies Don't Always Work
"I'm sorry." His words sound authentic, but it doesn't stop another chunk of my heart from breaking away. I wrap the bed covers around me tighter, feeling more exposed in Vincent's large bedroom now than I did twenty minutes ago when he took me from behind and moaned my name passionately with his release.I've been promised a long Labor Day weekend filled with sex, good food, and Vincent. So far what I've gotten was pictures of him with another woman, a broken heart, and now an afternoon alone.Vincent wraps the tie around his neck without using the mirror and fastens it into a perfect knot.I lie in his bed feeling as if my body is battered and bruised, not knowing how much more I can take, and he's primping before leaving for who knows how long. Through the sadness, anger works its way up making me want to cut the ends of his ties or light his expensive designer shirts on fire. Then he'd see how it felt to come home and find his beautiful penthouse in shambles to match the cond
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 117: Time to Leave
Even now I use Vincent to get by. He's been running my life and I've succeeded because of him since the first day we met and he offered me the job. Vincent has constantly picked me up after I've tripped and fallen. He found me an apartment, furnished it, bought me my car with a special parking space—even though I've never driven it. Vincent who continues to rescue me but never the other way around. Everything is one sided.Our relationship is not centered or evenly yoked. There isn't even a positive business term to describe what we have between us. We are as uneven as a seesaw—a business deal destined to go bad. He is writing the contracts, and I keep signing them without reading the fine print. The only thing I have going for me is the hope we'll work out. But now it feels as if we're rushing toward the end at full speed. Nothing I can do will stop it. Now I have to sit back and wait for the crash."I don't want to leave you like this." He tries to sit on the bed but I refuse to
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 118: Breakdown
"No."His face falls in disappointment, and with a shake of his head, he turns on a heel and walks out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. I pull the covers up higher around my neck and allow one tear to fall. It's stupid, but I can't help it.I worry that I'm having a breakdown or that my body is breaking. I had such big plans after college, yet so quickly I lost myself to Vincent. The only chance I had to survive is if I'd run the first day after the interview. Instead I made excuses about my career and forced myself to stay.For him.Now I'm stuck halfway in his world and the only thing I have to show for it is a week of marketing training and a broken heart I'm not sure will ever heal. I'm not rich girl material. I don't belong in this world.Hell, I wasn't even a decent assistant.I dreamed of going to a warm climate and working my way up the chain in the company before taking over—a true businesswoman with the world in my palms. Now those dreams seem a mil
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 119: Trouble at Home
She walks past me quickly getting in my line of sight again and trying to steer me to the left. "You are upset. Let me help. Get in my car and I'll drive you." She hits her key fob and a black super-expensive-looking sports car parked on the curb beeps."I'm just going to the towers," I say pointing at the apartment building visible from our bandage point.Tiffany's smile grows. "It will still be faster to drive."Not trusting her, but desperate to get to Ashley as quickly as possible, I open the passenger side door of the car as she waits. We drive the wrong direction away from the apartment complex, weaving through downtown's many one-way streets to get us back to the proper side of the street going in the right direction.She stops at a red light, even though there are no cars in the deserted downtown area on the holiday weekend."He set you up in the towers?" she says almost tsking her disapproval. "Honey, you should have held out for someplace better."Anxiety crawls u
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 120: Run
How is it that everything seemed so great in Paris, yet once we're back on American soil everything fell to shit so quickly?I thought when Vincent told me the truth that his secrets had been revealed, but we'd barely scratched the surface. Now we've uncovered two lovers and a romantic affair with a client. What could rattle our resolve next?How much will it take before I run? Will I ever be able to fit into Vincent's life? I wasn't a person for high drama or fears. Cheaters are the worst. And my life—the part that didn't have Vincent in it—was calm. I had my best friend to count on through thick and thin and all my plans for the future figured out. Vincent obliterated my easy demeanor when he stormed into the picture.I unlock the door to our apartment, expecting to find Ashley drunk again even though it's early in the day. The actual view rips a shriek from my chest as I leave my keys in the door and slide on the floor next to Ashley's body. She's passed out in front of the co
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 121: The Past Revealed
"You were overwhelmed, Ashley. It's okay."We all have times when it feels like the world is hitting us at once. I understand. Ashley and I have both been fighting our own battles in separate war zones."I haven't studied for the bar since May."I grab Ashley's hand, squeezing tightly. She always thinks the worst of herself. "Yes, you have. You're always at the library." How many nights have I come home to an empty apartment when Ashley's been off studying? She's always too hard on herself.She shakes her head. "No, I lied. I've been going to Harpers for lunch every day and staying until dinner."I blink, stare at her, and then blink again. Did I hear her right? Harper's is a corner stone of college life. Located less than two blocks from campus. We'd spent many nights there."What were you doing the whole time?"She shrugs and her gaze falls to her lap. "Playing on my phone."What? Why would she admit this to me now? "For how long?"Ashley lifts her shoulder again as
Last Updated : 2022-10-26
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The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 171: Epilogue
My enormous stomach stretches against the seatbelt in Vincent's expensive car. I'm no longer just showing a small bit as my due date creeps ever closer. The trees have budded along the highway as his car continues to travel north."Vincent, where are we going?"He smiles. "Our weekend place," he gives me what I suspect is the first semi-honest answer he has the entire trip.When we left this morning, I asked if I needed to pack a bag, but he said it was only a day trip. If I am being completely honest, my first thought was he bought the home in Okemos and planned to drive the fifteen miles to get away for the weekend. But we've been driving for over an hour at this point, passing my family home along the highway to continue north."I can't give you any more than that, Mackenzie. It's a surprise." He says turning off the highway.I hold back a sigh. They never do any good, anyway. "And you know how much I hate surprises.""Yes." His hand falls to my knee and squeezes, rubbin
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 170: Doctor's Orders
"I promise you, Mr. Valiant, your wife and baby are perfectly fine. I don't even see signs of a concussion. She's one lucky woman." The doctor's smooth voice does nothing to lessen Vincent's irritation."Can't you check them both again?" he grinds out annoyed he has to ask.The steady beeping of the baby's heart monitor, a large device they've wrapped around my tiny stomach, beeps consistently. "Vincent, I am fine."He looks back at me in the hospital bed and squeezes my hand. "I know, baby. I just want them to check you again."The doctor sighs, smiling at me as if apologizing I have to put up with the man for the rest of my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way."They've looked me over three times. I'm perfectly fine," I run my fingers over his arm, but it doesn't lessen his scowl."Your wife is right, Mr. Valiant. We've run every test. She and the baby are healthy. I'm going to write up her release papers as soon as I leave the room. Go home and get rest. That's the
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 169: November Winds
"I'm sorry we can't go on a honeymoon right away,""Vincent, I promise I understand. Really." He's an important CEO of a billion-dollar company. I don't expect him to take off whenever he wants. He can throw together a quick weekend wedding, but we can't drop everything and go on a three-week honeymoon like he's promised without notice. We have plans to make.I wrap the sheets around me tighter, the northern winds of November howling outside the window. We've been newlyweds for exactly twenty-four hours, and after I sneezed four times yesterday, Vincent decided I need to take Monday morning off to lie in bed and stay warm. He's obnoxiously worried about me catching a cold while pregnant. Any other time I would find it annoying, but the baby is involved so I'm listening to his heavy-handedness. This time."I'm sure I'll forgive you for not whisking me away on a honeymoon immediately during the three weeks we're on the boat in the Bahamas over Christmas." He thought of the best way
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 168: Two Weeks Later
Another two weeks laterA gust of wind batters the outside of the car, but the frigid temperatures we're walking into aren't enough to sway Vincent. He allows Davis to open the black limos door and then reaches for my hand when he exits."Is your mom going to kill us?" I ask as I step out into the freezing temperatures of northern Michigan in the late fall and wrap the white fake fur shawl around my shoulders."Probably," Vincent says with a devilish smirk, meaning he doesn't care what his mother will say. I wish I had his self-confidence.At least we'll go down together. "Good because my mother is going to murder me in my sleep."The newest personal protection guard—I'd never get used to that name—steps up to my side. Nicki is tall and her body thin, but she's never once looked at Vincent inappropriately over the last two weeks she'd been protecting me.When Vincent introduced her and brought her into the team, I hadn't argued. Safety isn't something I can take for granted
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Two Fridays laterMy eyes have just begun to close as I settle into the post-work catnap. The doctor said it wasn't a big deal I hadn't experienced any morning sickness or other complications during the pregnancy and I should consider myself lucky. But from the way I dozed off at my desk every couple hours the last few days at work, the exhaustion part of being pregnant is hitting me hard and making up for lost time of the first trimester.I still can't believe I'm pregnant. I've seen the evidence, we have the pictures to prove it, but besides being tired I don't feel different. Even though it is too early, I definitely haven't felt anyone moving around in there. Because I lack so much evidence, it is hard to picture me with a baby. It's even harder to picture my big rigid Vincent as a father. Not that I have any doubt he'll be a great one, I've just never seen him with kids. I rarely even babysat myself. Only once or twice in high school. I spent a couple of nights watching the Wa
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 166: You Can't Hid Glam Wear
Without thinking about, it I place my hand on my desk and the metal in the ring that sits so heavily on my finger hits against it with a clink. It draws my attention back to the fresh addition to my finger and I smile as I stare at the beautiful piece of jewelry.I tried not to wear out of the house this morning. It was Monday and even though Vincent's employees handled his email well, I couldn't imagine it would get the same response as the newspaper article outing his previous wife. I prepared for a full-on tizzy. To my relief the article didn't publish as expected. Vincent answers my text with only a smiley face—so unlike him. I figure it cost him a pretty penny, but he worked his magic.Me walking through one of the company floors wearing a big ass ring on my finger would only add to the clusterfuck I was sure our day would turn into at any moment. Therefore, in the name of less drama I tried to leave the item on my nightstand, but Vincent must have swiped it. He followed me on
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Vincent moves my feet off the couch and sits in the space. I don't like him being so far away, so I reposition myself until I'm leaning next to his body and getting into his personal bubble.He leans back on the couch wrapping one of his muscular arms over my shoulders. "Today's been shit. Huh?"He'd spent most of Sunday on the phone with his legal team and public relations employees. Everyone in Valiant Industries had quite the weekend. Even though he said he didn't plan to take action against Tiffany, he wants to stop the book from being published. Vincent doesn't elaborate on how he plans to make that happen, but I have faith in him.His legal and PR teams worked for hours and now had a course of action moving forward. Tiffany might strike the first blow with the article about her book, but Vincent wouldn't take it lying down. Tomorrow morning his office would release a statement countering the article and hopefully combatting any speculation. There will still be rumors and ta
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 164: Agreements
By the next morning we still haven't come to an agreement on the house. I want to continue living in the penthouse and Vincent wants to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a weekend place fifteen miles out of the city—a home we won't officially move into until the baby is school age.Something warns me if I don't put up a big fight, Vincent will buy the house and just not tell me about it right away, so I make him promise in the car on the way home he won't do anything without getting my permission first. It's his money, and I feel bad bossing him about his own bank account, but a house is a big damn deal. You can't just buy a house. I'm only half sure making him promise will work, but it's time for me to stretch the trust part of our relationship."You're hiring the chef who made the sandwich and the chocolate cake. Right? I ask biting off another piece of my breakfast bagel."We are hiring and yes."All the meals we tested were delicious, and my core heats remembering the
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 163: A Ruined Evening Fixed
The early Saturday morning sun wakes me the rest of the way after Vincent's alarm starts the job by rattling on his bedside nightstand. Who sets an alarm for Saturday?Vincent rolls over and wraps his arm underneath mine cradling a breast in his hand. I snuggle my back to his chest and reposition my head on the pillow, hoping I can fall back to sleep and he can do whatever he incorrectly believes is important enough to wake up early on a weekend."I'm sorry last night was ruined." He kisses the back of my neck sucking lightly."You mean when your wife broke in here and tried to steal what I strongly suspect was an engagement ring?" We'd talked about many things the night before but never got around to that topic.I'd planned to ask him, but after finding out Tiffany's demands for his sperm and then the sex, the thought completely fled my mind. We lay in bed together for another hour as Vincent held me tightly, but eventually he slipped from under the covers.Hours later I fou
