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Chapter 118: Breakdown
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2022-10-26 14:06:26Related chapters
The 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 : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 122: Broken Hearts
They have been together? For a year? Her words tumble around as I try and grasp each one, deciding what they mean. "But Henry and I have only been broken up for a few months."Oh.Double O.Everything hits me like a pile of bricks, knocking me to the hospital floor even though my body doesn't move. We were living with Ashley's now ex-boyfriend Jonathan and she was sleeping with my boyfriend."Oh, I see."Ashley reaches for my hand again but I take a step away from her hospital bed. "I'm so sorry, Mackenzie.""We're best friends?" It's a statement and a question. How could my best friend, the one person in the world I trusted, betray me in such a way? It's like a literal knife wound to the chest. And not only did they start seeing each other, but it happened while we were still dating. Ashley, the woman who was so broken when her boyfriend cheated, was cheating on her boyfriend, with her best friend's boyfriend. Shakespeare couldn't write such a tragedy."I swear it didn't
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 123: Rock Bottom
The simple skeleton key, silver with diamond embellishments on the circle latch and leaf vines feels extra heavy around my neck. The Tiffany etched in the backside means it probably cost more than I make in a month, but I'd been helpless to turn away the blue box when it was hand delivered earlier this morning.I mean it was a blue box. Everyone would be curious to see what was inside the package.The necklace is elegant yet simple and understated. Just like my style. A simple white business card was tucked into the box with a message from Vincent scribbled on the front.This reminded me of you.Does he understand me after all? Does Vincent want me to dress in power heels and wear fifty-thousand-dollar outfits that cost as much is his suit? Or is he okay with me? The real me. A woman who wants to wear a simple necklace and a pair of running shoes. I hope the gift is a sign—a gesture he doesn't realize he is making—but I can't determine a reason Vincent would be at Tiffany's sin
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 124: Empty Apartment
"Hello?" I answer."Yeah, I've got dinner for a Marshal.""Dinner?"I haven't eaten all day. The thought of food would take too much work to figure out and my stomach hasn't rumbled asking for anything.It rumbles. Stupid stomach."How much do I owe?""Listen, lady, it's been paid for already. I have two more deliveries. You going to let me up or not?"Wow, jerk.I punch in the access code, granting him access to the building so he can bring me the food my stomach now craves. Not wanting to waste a second, I open the apartment door and wait for him to step off the elevator. The smell of my favorite Chinese restaurant in the city hits me before he does. I reach for the bag and hand him a quick tip, the last five dollars from my wallet as he walks to the elevator, a heavy bag thrown over his shoulder.The apartment is too empty and quiet. Being in the main living area reminds me I'm the only one here. To combat the sadness, I spread the food out on my comforter and sit
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 125: Reunion
As I finish the story of what his wife told me in the car, he pulls back my face in his hands. Vincent's skin is red and his expression one of anger. "I swear that's not how it happened. I will do anything to prove that to you. Yes, I made bad choices when I was younger, but I've never raised my hand to a woman. Never, not after growing up in the home I did."I nod, wanting to believe it's true. A part of me always did. When faced with a difficult decision, a woman's choices are limited and often used against her for years. Do I believe the woman in the scenario and cast Vincent aside because of their words? Or do I trust a man who has never shown me anything but kindness and acceptance?You are always supposed to listen to women and believe them and trust them. Girl power and all, but I can't match up Tiffany's words with anything Vincent has done or said in our time together. It's as if I'm being forced to pick between two worlds."It's just so much at one time." I finally wrap
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 126: An Offer He Won't Let Her Refuse
"What?" There's absolutely no way I heard him correctly.From the briefcase he brought in that I completely forgot about, he pulls out a quarter-inch-thick stack of papers. "My lawyers drew up these papers this weekend. I promise they are very favorable to you, but I strongly suggest you have a lawyer look them over before you sign if you'd like. If you sign this, you'll gain half voting control of my company."He tries to pass the papers over but I push them away. "Vincent, I don't want half your company." It's absurd. He doesn't need to sign away his company to prove a point to me."But I want you, Mackenzie. I need you to realize how important you are to me. How much I'm willing to give you when it's possible I can." Looking deep into my eyes and making sure I'm paying attention, he continues. "I've never felt this way about another human being. The moment I saw you I wanted you. At first it was purely physical, but I've gotten to know you and realize your quirks.""I don't
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
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 167: Too Early to Tell
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
The Valiant Trilogy Chapter 165: Book Deals and Broken Promises
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
