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SEVENTY-EIGHT
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The weather was chilly even though the sun was out. But then again, that wasn't anything new. In England, it was always one of two things. Either it was extremely hot or cold. There was no average weather. It could be sunny in the morning and by midday the rain would be falling without any warning. TC didn't mind it. After spending months in an underground classified location, he was okay with anything he got.
He'd been chasing the Petrovs for years without any progress. It was frustrating every time he came up empty. He'd gather information and evidence, only for it to be inconsequential after he'd taken it to his superiors. Honestly, he had been ready to give up and admit defeat, but then they'd contacted Max Carter wanting to do business with him. That one small mistake had cost them dearly. It had led him straight to them and he hadn't hesitated in taking them out. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel some kind of satisfaction when he pulled the trigger and killRelated chapters
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife SEVENTY-NINE
TC left the mall. If he continued standing there like an idiot, he would miss her. If he wanted to see what she was hiding, he'd have to go underground to the parking lot. She would most definitely pass through there in order to get her car. She wasn't so old that she couldn't drive so it was unlikely she had a driver. Walking past the security like someone who was going to pick up his car, he hid behind one of the cars, waiting for her to come down. A few minutes later she came in, pushing someone who was wearing a hoodie over their head. He felt his heart skip a beat. Surely he couldn't be this lucky. Mrs. Carter was definitely keeping secrets, a lot of them from her family. No wonder she looked so scared when she found out who he was. If her children happened to see what she was hiding, there was no telling what they would do. Straightening from his position, TC watched the car speed away. He was going to have to start his investigation all over again. It looked like he
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY
Max let himself back in the house quietly so he wouldn't wake Emilia or Gaby. He'd gone for a morning run, something he'd been doing for the past two weeks. Emilia had put him on a strict diet and insisted he go back to working out, telling him that he needed to go back to the person she'd married. Funny, because she'd married a young man who was dumb enough to let her go because his pride wouldn't let him go after her. He had told her that but she'd said that wasn't the point. She wanted him to go back to being the strong and healthy man she knew. He hadn't realized how he'd let himself go until she pointed it out to him. Now that he could actually think straight, he understood why Preston and Mel were worried. He had been consumed with so much pain and loneliness that he couldn't see anything past that. He'd heavily relied on alcohol to numb him and it showed. But that was over now, wasn't it? He had his wife back. Well, not really. There hadn't been any intimacy between
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-ONE
"What?" "Have you fucked him? Or did you let him fuck you?" he asked, not being able to stop himself. At the back of his mind, he knew how risky that question was. It could start a fight between them but he had to know what he was up against. To his surprise, Emilia only rolled her eyes and answered,"Gee Max, no. I see him as a brother" "Does he see you like a sister?" "I don't know. Do you want me to call him back so we can ask him?" "No. He said he had an important appointment." Besides he didn't want to hear Doug's answer. It was enough that Emilia thought of him as a brother. He'd been sibling-zoned and would never get out of it. "It's Wednesday and his day off. I'm pretty he just went back home to sleep" "Gaby's hungry. What's for breakfast?" he changed the subject. Talking about that guy felt like a waste of time. He would rather talk about them and where they were headed. She had suggested that it was his r
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-TWO
FLASHBACKParalyzed. The doctor had said her chances of walking again were slim. Of course, she would have to go to rehab and the longer she put it off, the slimmer her chances got. As if letting the nurses massage and exercise her legs would help her walk. How had she ended up like that? So helpless and useless? She was the great Genevieve Carter. The elegant, classy, beautiful wife of Edgar Carter, owner of Carter Industries, and mother to three wonderful children. Women were envious of her. Even the other housewives who were on the same level as her found something to be envious of. How much her husband loved her or what he gave her for her birthday. Edgar had been so proud of her because she'd dedicated her life to raising their children. She could have been anything she wanted. She'd graduated from college with a degree in business management. If she had wanted, she could have continued running the business her father had left her. But she didn't want to. She
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-THREE
"Hello, Ma'am, I'm sorry but it looks like he beat you to it. He arrived five minutes ago and he's inside talking to your son" Mark said through the phone. Genevieve sighed. She thought she had more time to tell Max the truth. She'd hidden in England for two years and thankfully none of her children had visited in person to check up on her. Darren and Gwen would call once in a while but none of them went to see how she was or what she'd been doing. Which worked in her favor until that man showed up. The second he'd said TC, she had known who he was. Zander would always run to her room to tell her about his day and gush how over TC was so cool. He was the bodyguard Max had hired to protect his wife. Although Mark had mentioned he didn't look like an ordinary bodyguard. There was more to him. There had to be. Otherwise, how had he found her? How did he know Mark was working for her? And most importantly why was he digging into things that were alread
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-FOUR
Two Years AgoEmilia's condition was starting to worry her. She'd stopped crying and asking for Zander like how she'd done in the hospital after she woke up. Thea thought it was normal. She was in shock and they were ready for anything. But it was Zander's funeral. Mothers screamed for their children not to be buried. Others even jumped in the grave because they wanted to go with them. Em only stood there like a statue. If Thea believed in the paranormal stuff, she'd say her soul wasn't in her body. It seemed like she'd already checked out and nothing they did would bring her back. She was scared and angry at herself because she couldn't do anything for her friend. She'd seen Zander grow up. Had been there when he was born and even held Emilia's hand in the delivery room. It wasn't a secret that she hadn't liked Emilia at first. She had been in love with Sawyer since they were kids. She adored and worshiped him only to find out he didn't feel the same way. On top
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-FIVE
Thea came out of the station to find Preston waiting for her at the front of the precinct. Leaning against his car and in a three-piece suit, designer loafers, perfectly styled hair, and dark sunglasses, he looked every bit of the billionaire he was. Around her women stopped to stare while men stopped to probably admire his car. A flashy black Audi that even she couldn't help but admire. Sometimes she forgot that he was also rich. Having grown up with Sawyer Jennings, she'd thought he was the only wealthy person she would ever know and love. Others tended to come off as self-entitled assholes. But after meeting Emilia, her opinion had changed slightly. She still didn't like rich people but she was allowed to have exceptions. Especially when they looked as gorgeous as her boyfriend did"Hey handsome, what did you do this time?" she asked stopping in front of him. He smelled heavenly and she wondered if there was a position they could fit in that car. F
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife EIGHTY-SIX
She'd watched them talk and knew from Max's expressions that something was wrong. Anger, shock, rage, and fear, passed through his face at intervals as TC spoke. Emilia wondered where he'd been. She hadn't seen him since the day Zander was kidnapped. According to Gwen, he'd been in the bathroom when everything had happened. But when the ambulance arrived, the paramedics said Gwen was alone, surrounded by strangers. She hadn't had time to wonder where he'd gone or why he wasn't with her sister in-law. Now that he was there, she wanted to know. Emilia remembered telling him to watch over Zander. The least he could do was tell her why he'd left. Of course she wasn't blaming him for anything. Playing the blame game wouldn't bring back her son. She just needed to fill in some blanks so she could finally put everything behind her. Thinking about Zander brought thoughts of Lisandra which Emilia truly abhorred. Having them related in any way brought back the anger she felt at he
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The Vendetta of the Returned Wife Epilogue.5
EMILIA & MAX He didn't have to worry about the kids. They loved staying with the Jennings, especially now that they'd adopted a little girl. Zander was fascinated by Blossom while Gabby treated her as her doll. Soon Max was sure they were going to have sleepovers and joint parties. He had an hour before his flight so he called Darren. Gwen's outburst had reminded him how he'd neglected them over the years compared to when they were young. He thought they were grown-ups and didn't need him anymore but they were still his siblings. Even when he was grieving, he still had to remember he wasn't the only one who'd lost a mother. They both had. Now three of them only had each other. There was also the fact that his girlfriend had lied about who she was and her actions had led to their mother's death. He couldn't imagine the kind of pain Darren was going through. "Hey, what's up?" "I brought the kids to the Jennings for the weekend and I have an hour. Wanna have a drink?" "No thanks. I
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife Epilogue.4
HENDRIX & SAWYER "Hey, have you seen..." "Shut it" Hendrix whispered "I finally managed to put her down for a nap. If you wake her up with your big mouth I will push you off the balcony" Sawyer bit back a laugh "My watch, I'm looking for my watch" "You have more than twenty watches, babe. Why do you bother looking for one?" "The one Em and Zander gave me when he was two. Remember?" "You lost it?" He screeched in a whisper. "I misplaced it. That's why I'm asking if you have seen it" "Why are you so careless? Have Cosima help you find it. I'm going to catch some sleep before that little devil wakes up" Sawyer watched him head to their bedroom thinking that he was thriving as a parent. It suited him. He loved being a dad and every time Blossom made a sound, he'd rush to see what their daughter wanted. The adoption process had been hard but it was worth it. He couldn't ask for anything more out of life. Well, except for having his friend back. No one could have expected t
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife Epilogue.3
THEA & PRESTON Thea looked around sighing. While newly married women were on their honeymoon, she was busy at the office trying to solve the latest crime which just happened to be a breaking and entering case. Because she'd held her wedding out of the blue, her boss had told her to first tie up some loose ends before taking her vacation days. She'd never wanted to punch the man so bad. It wasn't as if she was the only cop in the building and she was only taking two weeks off. At one point she'd even thought of resigning but she loved being a cop. So she was busy debating whether to ask for a transfer to another division. Could she be better at something else? Say traffic police or... The thought of it had her shivering. She would rather quit than join another division and start all over again. But as much as she loved her job, it wasn't fair to Preston. He was the one who had convinced her to get married hastily in an attempt to cheer up their friends. They'd only been engaged for a
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife Epilogue.2
DARREN Even though he knew the streets of New York like the back of his hand, Darren felt lost. Every time he looked up, it took him a moment to remember where he was and why he was there. Sometimes he'd find himself in a place but not recall how he got there. If he'd listened to Preston and not rushed to fall in love, he wouldn't be in that situation. A few days after his mother's death, Nadia, no, Oksana had gone to him and confessed everything. She thought he needed to know who she was and why she'd approached him. As if knowing she was the one who got Lisandra out of prison would make him feel better. If he had known what she was going to say, he would have chosen not to listen. He would have decided to only know his Nadia and not the woman she claimed to be. He didn't want to believe she was capable of lying and killing. Or that she had family ties to a Russian criminal organization. He'd fallen in love with her because she was different from the women he'd known. Innocent, c
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife Epilogue
GWEN & TC "Am I allowed to ask where you're coming from?" "I would tell you but then I'd have to kill you" TC replied. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her, a light peck on the mouth, and then deciding it wasn't enough, he pried her lips open with his tongue. Gwen sighed, opening up to him. He needed to come up with new ways to distract her from asking about his job. Although she wasn't complaining. He had a way of making her forget everything with only a simple touch. She tried to remember if anyone had ever made her feel that way. Was there anyone before him? She couldn't recall. No one could compare to the way he made her feel. "How long until we can go on that vacation? I want to be able to do this all day without worrying about..." Her phone rang. He jerked his head back smiling but she knew he was annoyed. "Damn phone calls" "What happened to being a supportive partner?" He drew his lower lip between his teeth. A sign that his patience was thinning. She answ
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY-SEVEN
It was easy to picture them having a girls' day out together with Gwen and Thea. Gabby too. They would go to spas, have their hair and nails done, and do all the girly things she'd missed out on doing with her mother. Her mind conjured the perfect family gathering. With all her friends and family. Wouldn't that be something? "I felt the same way about Max. He looks so much like his father. I couldn't believe it" "Honestly I always feel proud whenever people tell me how much Gaby resembles me. It's so satisfying to know she at least takes after me and not her father" "She does. Down to the shape of your nose. She will break a lot of hearts when she grows up" "Hush, don't let Max hear that. He's embraced this Texan lifestyle. Next thing you know he's going to buy a shotgun to keep boys away from his daughter" Emilia had no doubt he would do that in a few years. The thought of him fighting with teenagers over his daughter excited her. She couldn't wait to see who would win. "I don
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY-SIX
Seeing that man had made her feel uneasy. All throughout yesterday she was nervous and kept jumping at the smallest sound. Sleep evaded her because she couldn't stop worrying about her children. What if someone broke in and hurt them? She just got Zander back. Losing him would destroy her. Max must have noticed how on edge she was because he took the kids and Mel out, telling her to relax. It was his way of giving her a day off. But all it did was give her more nerves. Instead of resting, she went around the house, looking for something out of the ordinary. A broken window or door. Anything to indicate she wasn't overreacting. Her search stopped outside Genevieve's door. Since Gwen went off on her, she hadn't left her room. Emilia wondered if the woman was repenting. That was if she was capable of repenting. She wasn't a saint but she knew she couldn't ignore her child, especially if he was in the hospital. How had she done it? Genevieve sure was one of a kind. Emilia couldn't believ
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY-FIVE
Lisandra's heart skipped a beat just as realization dawned on her. She wasn't free. Those guards had known the police were on their way and they had left after getting rid of any evidence that could point to any of them being there. That was why the house was so clean. They'd scrubbed down every inch of it, probably getting rid of evidence like fingerprints and stray hairs. Son of a bitch, her benefactor had really called the police on her. But why? Their deal was to distract the Carters while she took her revenge. Had she had a change of mind? Damn that bitch to hell. Spinning around, she ran the other way, swearing she would rather die than go back to prison. When she got to the road, her legs quickened, hoping the police cars wouldn't catch up with her. The second they realized the house was empty, they would know she had escaped and start chasing her. As she speed walked, she tried to think of reasons why her benefactor had cast her aside. Had she done something to change her min
The Vendetta of the Returned Wife ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY-FOUR
The guards were acting strangely. Lisandra had been keeping an eye on them and that's how she knew something was up. Ever since she stepped foot in that house, they hadn't let her out of their sight. Everywhere she went they followed. Kitchen, living room, bedroom, and even the bathroom. Their excuse? Her benefactor had told them to keep an eye on her so she wouldn't escape. It didn't make sense that she'd want to escape when she had nowhere to go but that bitch had insisted on having her men there. But before going to bed she noticed how they all sat in the living room watching TV. She had never seen them all together in one place so she thought maybe they were celebrating something or they had come to trust her. However, before she could get to her room, one of them got up and made it there ahead of her. He checked the windows to make sure they were locked then stood outside her door, telling her to hurry up. Normally they just let her do whatever she wanted. Lisandra dragged her
