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165: A Lie Wrapped in Truth
Last Updated:
2025-03-05 22:51:33
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 166: A Lie Wrapped in Truth II
The house was silent when I finally slipped into my bedroom, but my mind was anything but.I shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it. My body felt heavy, like all the adrenaline from the last twenty-four hours had suddenly drained out of me.I walked to my closet, peeling off my gown and slipping into one of my silk nightdresses.I climbed into bed, tucking the blankets up to my chin. But sleep?It did not come.I tossed and turned for what felt like hours, my mind cycling through the same, torturous questions.What if he wasn’t lying?What if my entire life—the life I had accepted, the life Eleanor built for me—was the real lie?I squeezed my eyes shut. No.He was manipulating me. That was what Eleanor said. He was obsessive. He wanted something from me. That’s why he knew so much about my past.Why had he looked at me that way? Like he had already decided who I was—like I didn’t have a say in it?I turned over, reaching for my phone on the nightstand.My fingers hovered
Last Updated : 2025-03-05Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 167: The Stalker Phase
Alejandro's POV The moment she stormed off, I knew exactly where she was heading. She is running back home. I turned to Ethan staring after her like a lovesick puppy. "Stay away from my wife," I said, walking up behind him. He turned, shock and indignation crossing his features before settling into something harder. "Excuse me?" "You heard me. Amelia is my wife. So whatever you think is happening between you two—it ends now." He laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You're out of your mind." I stepped closer, looking him dead in the eye. "Let me make this crystal clear. I don't care who you are. I don't care what you think you mean to her. But she’s mine. And I'm taking her back home." "She doesn't even know you." "She'll remember." I turned to leave, then paused. "If you try to interfere, you'll regret it." I left him standing there, jaw clenched, hands balled into fists. He wasn't my concern. Estella was. Two hours later, I was on a jet back to Madrid. The s
Last Updated : 2025-03-06Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 168: Confirmation
Alejandro's POV Eleanor's face drained of color the instant our eyes met. Recognition flashed across her features. For a moment, no one moved. The playground sounds faded to white noise around us as we stared at each other across the short distance. The old woman's eyes darted between me and Arielle, horror slowly replacing shock. Then Eleanor stormed forward, gripping Arielle's hand with such force that the child winced. "Come, darling." Her voice was tight, forced calm barely masking panic. "We need to go home now." Arielle's face crumpled into a pout. "But I was talking to—" "Now." I stood motionless, watching as Eleanor pulled her away. Something primal and possessive surged through my veins. Before Eleanor disappeared into the crowd of mothers and children, I spoke, my voice carrying just far enough. "You had no right to take advantage of Estella condition. To keep a child—my child—from her father." Eleanor stiffened, her back to me but her posture rigid with f
Last Updated : 2025-03-06Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 169: Confrontation
Amelia's POVI closed my laptop with a satisfied click. The quarterly projections looked good—better than good. I'd managed to push through the last few days, burying myself in work to avoid thinking about all that happened. It had almost worked.Aunt Eleanor had been watching me closely since we returned, but I'd managed to convince her I was fine. Just tired from the trip. Work stress. Nothing more.Nothing to do with that strange man.I powered down my computer, grabbed my purse, and headed for the elevator. The office building was nearly silent at this hour, most employees having left hours ago. Just how I liked it.The parking garage was barely lit, my heels echoing against concrete as I walked toward my car. That's when I felt the presence of someone behind me. A chill crept up my spine, raising goosebumps on my skin.I turned—and froze.Alejandro stepped out of the shadows, his tall figure materializing as if from nowhere. He stood in front of my car. The harsh lights made him
Last Updated : 2025-03-07Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 170: Truth Unraveled
I don't remember the turns I took, the lights I stopped at. My mind was consumed by those numbers on the test.99.99% probability.How was this possible? How could Arielle be his daughter? It made no sense. None of it made any sense.Unless...Unless I really was her. Estella De Luca. His wife.No. That was impossible. I was Amelia Alvarez. I had a life here. A company. A daughter with Antonio. Antonio who had died......five years ago?My thoughts raced, colliding and fracturing. Could I trust anything I knew about myself?I screeched to a halt in the driveway, grabbed the test results, and rushed inside. The villa's grand foyer felt suddenly unfamiliar, like I was seeing it through a stranger's eyes.I burst through the door, breathless, pale, clutching the DNA test in my hand like it might explode.Eleanor looked up from the living room sofa, setting down a cup of tea. Her face immediately registered concern."Amelia? What's wrong?""You." My voice shook with barely controlled rage
Last Updated : 2025-03-07Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 171: Shattered Illusions
Amelia's POVMy hands trembled on the steering wheel as I sped through the darkened streets, constantly checking the rearview mirror. Arielle slept peacefully in her car seat, blissfully unaware that her entire world had just imploded."Where are we going, Mommy?" she mumbled sleepily at one point, rubbing her eyes with tiny fists."Just a little trip, baby," I whispered, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Go back to sleep."My phone buzzed. Ethan."I've got a place," he said when I answered. "One of my properties on Serrano Street. It's furnished, secure, and no one knows about it.""Thank you," I breathed, relief washing over me. "Send me the address.""I'll meet you there with the keys."I ended the call, guilt gnawing at me. I was dragging Ethan into this mess—whatever this mess was. A mess that apparently involved a powerful man who claimed to be my husband. A man who was apparently my daughter's father.My husband. Arielle's father.The words felt foreign, impossible. Yet the DNA
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak Chapter 172: The Meeting
Arielle stirred beside me, her small face peaceful in sleep. I traced the curve of her cheek, seeing for the first time the features she'd inherited from him—the determined set of her jaw, the arch of her eyebrows.How had I not seen it before?I lay down beside her, pulling her close, breathing in her familiar scent. Despite everything, she was still my daughter. That is the only thing that hadn't changed.Everything else might be built on lies, but my love for her was real.I must have dozed off because I woke to small fingers patting my cheek."Mommy," Arielle whispered loudly, the way only children can. "Where are we?"I blinked, momentarily disoriented before the events of the previous night came rushing back."We're at Uncle Ethan's house," I explained, forcing a smile. "We're going to stay here for a little while."Her brow furrowed. "Is Aunt Eleanor coming too?"The innocent question made my chest tighten. "No, sweetie. It's just us right now.""But what about school? And my t
Last Updated : 2025-03-09Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 173: The Meeting II
Alejandro strode toward me, his face unreadable. He wore a simple black shirt that highlighted his powerful build, dark jeans that fit perfectly. Not the formal businessman, but somehow more intimidating in his casual clothes.He sat across from me without a word, studying my face with an intensity that made my skin prickle."You came," he finally said, his voice low."I said I would didn’t I?" I fought the urge to roll my eyes.A server approached, clearly flustered by Alejandro's presence. He ordered an espresso without looking at her, his eyes never leaving my face.When we were alone again, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a slim folder, placing it on the table between us."What's this?" I asked warily."The truth," he replied simply. "Since you seem to have trouble believing my words."I opened it slowly, finding more documentation inside—marriage certificates, property deeds, photographs, newspaper clippings."These could be fake," I said weakly, but I knew they weren't
Last Updated : 2025-03-09
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak Epilogue: The Secrets We Keep
Five Years LaterEstella had insisted on having the windows open despite the doctors' protests—she needed to breathe something other than antiseptic and fear."Almost there," The matron encouraged from between her legs. "One more big push, Estella."Alejandro's hand was nearly crushed in her grip as another contraction seized her. The twins had decided to arrive three weeks early, sending them rushing to the hospital in the middle of the night."You're doing amazingly," Alejandro murmured against her temple. The entire pregnancy had been classified high-risk from the beginning.Estella bore down with a primal scream, feeling the first baby slide from her body."It's a boy!" The matron announced, lifting the wailing infant for them to see before placing him on Estella's chest.She touched her son's dark, wet hair. "Hello, little one,"The moment of joy was short-lived. The monitors beside her bed began beeping erratically."Blood pressure dropping," a nurse called out.The doctor in ch
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 216: Almost Home
The following weeks were filled with medical tests, therapy sessions, and small but significant milestones.Three weeks after waking, he took his first unassisted steps, gripping the parallel bars with so much intensity as he forced his atrophied muscles to cooperate. I watched from the sidelines, heart in my throat, as he pushed through pain that would have stopped a lesser man."Fuck," he growled through gritted teeth when his legs threatened to give out halfway through. "I'm not stopping."His physical therapist—a no-nonsense woman who'd quickly learned to match his intensity—nodded approvingly. "Two more steps. You can do two more."He did three before collapsing into the wheelchair afterward with sweat pouring down his face."Next time I'll do ten," he promised, breath coming in harsh pants.I handed him a towel, leaning in to whisper, "Watching you fight like this is incredibly sexy, you know."His exhausted laugh was all the reward I needed.By the six-week mark, he was walking
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 215: Two Months Later, Still Yours
When we broke apart, I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent beneath the antiseptic hospital smell. "Don't ever scare me like that again," I whispered."I'll try not to make a habit of getting stabbed in the heart," he replied dryly."This isn't funny, Alejandro." I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought our daughter would grow up without her father."His expression sobered. "I know. I'm sorry." He squeezed my hand weakly. "How bad was it?""Bad," I admitted. "The knife nicked your heart. You lost so much blood... They weren't sure you'd make it through the first surgery." My voice caught. "And then you didn't wake up. Days turned into weeks, and you just... stayed asleep.""I'm sorry," he repeated. "For putting you through that. For not being there for you and Arielle.""You're here now," I said. The door opened quietly, and we both looked up to see Dr. Matthews returning, accompanied by a neurologist I recognized from previous consultat
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 214: The Sixty-Second Day
Two months laterThe hospital room had become my second home. The nurses knew my schedule better than I did—when I'd arrive each morning with fresh clothes for both of us, when I'd step out for coffee, which chair I preferred to sit in while reading aloud to Alejandro's unresponsive form.Sixty-one days of talking to someone who couldn't answer. Sixty-one days of watching for the slightest movement of an eyelid or the smallest twitch of a finger. Sixty-one days of hope slowly eroding into something that felt dangerously close to despair."The medical journal says coma patients show increased brain activity when family members speak to them," I said, turning the page of the medical text I'd been studying obsessively. "So I'm going to keep talking, even if I'm starting to repeat myself."Alejandro remained motionless. They'd removed his breathing tube last week when he started breathing on his own—a positive sign, Dr. Matthews had assured me. But his consciousness remained locked away,
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 213: One-Sided Conversations
"Aunt Eleanor," I gasped, shocked to see her. In the chaos, I'd almost forgotten she'd been injured in the initial car crash where Arielle was taken."You look worse than me," she said weakly, attempting a smile that turned into a wince.For some reason, it was the sight of her—battered but alive, just like the rest of us—that finally broke through the numbness I'd been hiding behind. The tears came suddenly and violently, sobs wrenching themselves from my chest as she wheeled herself closer, reaching out with her good arm to pull me against her."I was so scared," I admitted between sobs. "I thought we were all going to die. I was scared history was going to repeat itself self. And this time Arielle, Alejandro—""But you didn't," she reminded me. "You saved them both."I shook my head, glancing at Alejandro's still form. "I didn't save him. He's still—""Fighting," Eleanor cut in. "Just like he always has. Just like you have."I cried until I had no tears left, letting go of the fear
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 212: The Silence That Hurts Most
I must have dozed off despite my determination to stay awake, because the next thing I knew, someone was gently shaking my shoulder."Estella? Can you hear me?"I forced my heavy eyelids open to find Raul standing over me, his face lined with worry. Clara hovered behind him, her eyes red-rimmed."Raul," I croaked, my throat dry. "Alejandro?""He's out of surgery," Raul said. "It was touch and go for a while, but he made it through."Relief made me dizzy. "He's okay?"Raul and Clara exchanged glances."What aren't you telling me?" I demanded, suddenly fully awake.Raul sighed. "The damage was extensive. They repaired what they could, but... he's in a coma, Estella.""A coma? For how long?""They don't know," Clara said gently, stepping forward to take my hand. "All they said was the next 48 hours are critical."I struggled to sit up, ignoring the pain that shot through my body. "I need to see him.""You need to rest," Clara countered. "You're no good to him or Arielle if you collapse."
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 211: Between Life and Death
"BP's still dropping," one of the paramedics called as they loaded Alejandro into the ambulance. "We need to move!"I climbed in after them, collapsing onto the bench seat as the doors slammed shut."Arielle," I suddenly remembered, panic clawing at my throat. "My daughter—where is she?""Already en route to Memorial," one of the paramedics replied without looking up from Alejandro. "She's stable."That small mercy gave me the strength to stay upright as I watched them work frantically to keep my husband alive. They'd cut away his shirt completely now, revealing the full extent of his injuries. The wound in his abdomen wasn't as deep as I'd feared, but the chest wound—it was a different story altogether."Left hemothorax," the paramedic muttered. "Need to decompress."I watched in horror as they inserted a large needle between Alejandro's ribs. Blood gushed out immediately, filling a collection bag."What's happening?" I demanded."Blood's filling his chest cavity, compressing on his
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 210: To the Death
He yanked the makeshift blade free and shoved Alejandro toward me with such force that we both crashed onto the wooden planks of the dock. I barely registered the pain through my ankle as I caught Alejandro's limp body."No, no, no," I sobbed, cradling him against me. His eyes fluttered, struggling to focus on my face as blood bubbled from his lips."Est...ella," he managed, each syllable a battle."Don't talk," I begged, pressing one hand against the stomach wound while frantically trying to stem the bleeding from his chest with the other. It was too much—too much blood, too many wounds.Marco staggered to the boat, his own strength clearly waning. He tossed the bloodied metal shard into the water and began fumbling with the ropes that secured the craft to the dock. His movements were clumsy, his injuries making the simple task laborious."Pressure," Alejandro whispered, his voice so faint I barely heard it. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his ashen lips crimso
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 209: Blood for Blood
We dove behind a heavy chest of drawers just as the explosion tore through the room. The blast was deafening, sending splinters of wood and plaster raining down on us. Dust filled up the air in the room.Through the ringing in my ears, I heard movement—Marco is making his escape in the confusion. I struggled to my feet, eyes stinging from the dust, and saw a shadow moving toward the far windows."Alejandro," I croaked, pointing.He was already up, blood trickling from another cut on his temple where debris had struck him. Together, we staggered through the devastated room toward the windows.Marco had reached what appeared to be a balcony beyond the shattered glass. As we emerged into the clean night air, I saw his plan—a rope, hastily secured to the balcony railing, leading down to the ground below. Near the edge of the property, barely visible in dark of the night was a small dock with what looked like a speedboat tied up."Stop!" Alejandro shouted, raising his gun.Marco turned, hi
