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181: When It All Falls Apart
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2025-03-14 17:32:10
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 182: The Shattering
I didn't sleep. The hospital chair dug into my spine as I watched Arielle's chest rise and fall. Her fever had broken sometime around dawn, and the nurse had removed the IV. She'd be discharged today.And then what?My eyes burned, raw from crying and lack of sleep. The night replayed on an endless loop—Alejandro's face when he realized I'd been lying, the way his shoulders had stiffened, how the gentle man who'd comforted me hours before had vanished in an instant.I've destroyed us both.His words echoed in my head like a death sentence.The door swung open, and my heart seized. Alejandro stood in the doorway, his face a stone mask. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, but unlike me, he seemed carved from granite—hard, unyielding. His hands were clenched at his sides."How is she?" His voice was stripped of emotion."Better." I cleared my throat. "The doctor said she can go home today."Alejandro nodded once, his eyes sliding to Arielle, softening briefly before hardening again when they
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-15Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 183: No More Running
I followed Eleanor back home in a daze. The same house I'd stormed out of weeks ago when I discovered her lies. Now I am back to where I started, broken and desperate.The house was pin drop silence I walked through the door. No pitter-patter of little feet. No giggles down the hallway. No demands for bedtime stories or "five more minutes, Maama."Just emptiness."Hey, come sit down before you collapse." Eleanor guided me to the sofa, her hand on my elbow.I sank down, my body feeling heavy. My phone sat on the coffee table the screen dark and silent. I reached for it, checking for the hundredth time.He has not called. Not a text. Nothing."Has he reached out?" Eleanor asked.I shook my head. "What if she's scared? What if she wakes up in a strange place and needs me?""You said Arielle adores Alejandro," Eleanor reminded me gently. "I’m sure she'll be fine.""But she's never spent a night away from me. Not once in five years." My voice starts breaking. "What if she thinks I abandone
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-16Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 184: A Door Between Us
I punched in Alejandro's number for the third time. The same result—straight to voicemail. Not even a ring this time."Fuck," I muttered, tossing my phone onto the passenger seat. Eleanor glanced at me from behind the wheel. "Still nothing?""He's blocked me." The realization hit like a punch to the gut. "Or he's deliberately sending me to voicemail.""Maybe he just needs time."I shot her a look. "Don't start with that therapist bullshit. I don’t need that now."We'd reached a fragile truce—living under the same roof again—but forgiveness wasn't something I was ready to cross yet."I need to see him face-to-face," I said, staring out the window. "He can't ignore me if I'm standing right in front of him."Eleanor sighed. "Amelia—""Just drop me at his place." I cut her off. "Please."Twenty minutes later, Eleanor pulled up to the house."Want me to wait?" Eleanor asked."No," I said, opening the car door. "I'll call if I need a ride."I watched her drive away before turning to face t
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-19Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 185: A Table Set for Empty
The next day, I was on a mission. I woke early, made sure Arielle had breakfast, then spent the entire morning and afternoon in the kitchen."You know we have staff for this," Eleanor said, watching me struggle with a particularly stubborn clove of garlic."I need to do this myself," I insisted, cursing as the knife slipped. "It has to be perfect."I was making Alejandro's favorite. It was the first dish I'd ever cooked for him when we first got married, and I'd nearly burned down his house in the process. He had to take over and complete the meal himself. The memory made my hands shake."At least let me help," Eleanor offered, stepping closer.I shook my head. "No don’t worry. I've got this."By late afternoon, the kitchen was a disaster, but the food was finally coming together. I'd sent Aunt Eleanor out for fresh flowers and had set the table with the good china."Mama, it smells yummy!" Arielle said, skipping into the kitchen. "Can I call him now?"I checked the time. Five thirty
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-19Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 186: Running Away From Her, Running Into Her
Alejandro It’s been three days since I'd fled Madrid. Three days of pretending I wasn't running from her. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the stack of contracts I'd been working through for the past fourteen hours. My eyes burned, but sleep wasn't an option. Sleep meant dreams, and dreams meant her. My phone vibrated against the desk. Enrique again, the fifth time today. Need a pickup from the office, boss? It's nearly midnight. I tossed the phone face-down on my desk without answering. Let him wonder. Let everyone wonder. I was done explaining myself. I picture her standing in her food steaming on the table. Her eyes, wide and hopeful when Arielle called me. "Fuck," I muttered, shoving away from my desk. Leaving was for the best. I repeated it like a mantra. A lie I didn't believe. I walked to the minibar in the corner of my office and reached for the whiskey before stopping myself. No. I hadn't touched a drink since I found out I have a daughter, and I wouldn
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-21Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 187: A Door Between Us
The cold marble floor of the hallway numbed my ass hours ago. I'd lost track of time, sitting outside, knees pulled to my chest like some pathetic stalker.Each time the elevator dinged, my heart leapt into my throat, but it was never him. Just neighbors casting curious glances at the woman camping outside the most expensive unit in the building.What the hell was I doing here?Forty floors up in a New York high-rise, three thousand miles from Madrid, from Arielle. I'd left our daughter with aunt Eleanor after promising her I'd bring Daddy home."It'll just be a few days," I'd told her, brushing her hair from her forehead."Promise you'll fix it?"I couldn't lie to her again. "I promise I'll try."Now I was sitting on floor with nothing to show for it. All attempts to call him, straight to voicemail. Twenty-two hours of travel. A quick flight on a private jet, arranged by a single call to my family's assistant.I stared at the keypad beside his door.I considered the door code. Would
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-22Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 188: Punishing Love
It wasn't gentle. It wasn't forgiving. It was demanding, consuming, raw. I gasped against his mouth, my hands clutching at his shoulders, his back, anywhere I could reach. His body pressed against mine, pinning me to the wall. One of his hands tangled in my hair, pulling just enough to hurt, to remind me of all the pain between us. His hands gripped my waist, yanking me against him. "Five fucking years," he growled against my mouth. I gasped as his teeth scraped my lower lip, then bit down hard enough to make me taste copper. The pain shot straight to my core, making me moan. "Did he get to see you like this?" He spun me around, pressing my chest against the cold wall. His erection pressed against my ass, his breath hot on my neck. "All desperate and needy?" I gasped unable to answer as his hand slid up my thigh, under my skirt. His fingers hooked into my panties, ripping the delicate fabric with one sharp tug. The sound of tearing lace made me whimper. "I hate how much
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-22Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 189: Never Again
The bed was exactly as I remembered it—king-sized, with dark sheets that had always contrasted so beautifully with my skin. How many nights had we spent here, tangled together in passion or simply sleeping in each other's arms?I stood by the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do. What comes next now? This moment felt fragile. One wrong move, and whatever connection and peace we'd reestablished might shatter.Alejandro came up behind me, his chest pressed against my back, arms encircling my waist. His lips found my shoulder, then my neck, working their way up to my ear."On your knees," he murmured, and the command sent a shiver down my spine.I complied, crawling onto the bed and positioning myself as instructed. The towel fell away, leaving me exposed to his gaze. I heard his sharp intake of breath, felt the bed dip as he knelt behind me.His hands gripped my hips, pulling me back against him. "You left, Estella.""I know," I whispered, dropping my head between my arms. "I know."He
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-03-23
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 200: The Dead Don't Stay Dead
I stared at Marco, my entire body going numb. This wasn't possible. This couldn't be happening. Alejandro had told me he was dead—had described in detail how the FBI agents opened fire when Marco made a move for his gun. The official report stated he was dead on arrival at the hospital."You're dead," I whispered, the words escaping before I could stop them.Marco's lips curved into a cruel smile that seemed vaguely familiar, like a half-remembered nightmare."Clearly reports of my demise were... greatly exaggerated." He stepped further into the light, looking me up and down with undisguised contempt. "My God, Estella. A wedding dress? How touching. I'm sorry I missed the ceremony.""How?" Alejandro demanded. "I saw you die."Marco chuckled. "Did you, though? Did you really?"He circled us slowly, like a predator toying with cornered prey. The red laser dots from the snipers' rifles tracked our every movement, making any attempt to reach Arielle suicidal."Let me tell you a little sto
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 199: Walking into the Trap
"It's suicide," Raul said, his face tight with concern as he watched Alejandro count stacks of euros and stuff them into a duffel bag."You think I don't know that?" Alejandro didn't look up, he continued counting. Ten million euros in cash. The bank manager had nearly had a heart attack when we'd called, but Alejandro's name opened doors even at 2 AM.I stood by the car in my dirt-stained wedding dress, numb and hollow. Three hours since the call. Two hours and forty minutes since we'd started scrambling. Twenty minutes left until the deadline."We can send a team," Enrique suggested, not for the first time. "Have them take positions around the factory before you arrive.""And risk Arielle's life?" I shook my head. "They said they'd kill her if they spotted anyone else.""They're going to try to kill you both anyway," Raul argued.No one disagreed with that assessment. The question hung in the air: Was it better to die trying to follow their rules, or die trying to outsmart them?"En
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 198: A Race Against Time
I came back to consciousness with a gasp, the wail of sirens piercing through the fog in my brain. My wedding dress was filthy now, the white streaked with dirt and grass stains. The silk that had felt so perfect hours ago now no better than a rag."Estella!" Alejandro was kneeling beside me, his hands gripping my shoulders so tightly I could feel the tremor in his fingers. His face looked pale and rigid, but his eyes—God, his eyes burned with something that made my stomach drop."Arielle," I choked out, memories flooding back. The crash site. Eleanor covered in blood. The empty car.I tried to sit up too fast, and the world tilted before me. My hands clawed at Alejandro's arms as I fought to stand."Where is she? Did you find her?""Not yet. But we will."I pushed against his chest, struggling to my feet. My knees buckled instantly, and I would have fallen if he hadn't caught me. Behind him, I could see Eleanor being loaded into an ambulance, an oxygen mask still covering her face.
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 197: The Wedding Morning
Today is our wedding day. Again. And I haven’t seen my groom since last night."It’s bad luck to see the bride," Eleanor had insisted, practically shoving him out the door after our rehearsal dinner."Since when do you care about superstitions?" I'd asked her."Since you two have the kind of luck that makes me think we need all the help we can get," she'd replied dryly.I sat up and ran my fingers through my tangled hair, a smile spreading across my face despite myself. A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts."Mamá! Can I come in?" Arielle's voice was pitched high with excitement."Of course, baby."The door flew open and my daughter burst in, already dressed. The pink dress made her look like a tiny fairy, complete with a crown of fresh flowers sitting slightly askew on her dark curls."Look at you!" I gasped, holding out my arms. "The most beautiful flower girl in all of Spain."She twirled, the tulle skirt floating around her like a cloud. "Do you think Papá will cry whe
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 196: The Wedding Countdown
"Estella?" Eleanor's voice called through the door. "The wedding planners are here. They need decisions on flowers and table settings."Alejandro groaned, burying his face in my neck. "Tell them to come back next year."I smacked his shoulder and rolled out of bed, grabbing his discarded shirt from the floor. "Give us fifteen minutes, Aunt Eleanor!""Ten," she countered. "They have four other appointments today.""Jesus Christ," Alejandro muttered, throwing an arm over his eyes. "This is why I wanted to elope."I tossed his pants at him, hitting him square in the chest. "Up, De Luca. You wanted this big wedding too, remember?"He caught my wrist as I turned toward the bathroom, pulling me back onto the bed with a swift tug. "I want you. The rest is just details.""Details that cost a fortune," I reminded him, though my resolve weakened as his lips found my neck."Money well spent," he murmured against my skin.Another knock, more insistent this time."For fuck's sake," Alejandro growl
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 195: The Wedding Plans
The first thing I felt was warmth. A slow, lazy kind of heat, tangled in sheets that still smelled like him. My body ached—the delicious kind of soreness. Alejandro was already awakesat at the edge of the bed, bare chested with his laptop open, fingers flying across the keyboard.I stretched and watched him for a moment, admiring the way the morning light on his tanned skin, the way his dark hair was still a little messy from my hands last night."How the hell are you already working?" I mumbled, stretching again."Some of us don't need twelve hours of recovery after—"I grabbed a pillow and chucked it at his head. He caught it mid-air, of course.“I booked our flight,” he said. “We leave tonight.”That had me sitting up, blinking the sleep from my eyes. “Tonight?”His gaze flicked to mine, studying. “You sure you’re okay flying so soon?”I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “I talked to a neurologist when I got my memories back.”Alejandro listened, completely focused. The kind
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 194: I Choose You
He carried me down the hall, never breaking the kiss, and kicked the door shut behind us. We fell onto his bed in a tangle of wet clothes and urgent hands. He pulled back just long enough to tear his shirt over his head."I can’t get enough of you," he groaned, burying his face in my neck.I arched into him, nails scraping down his back. "Show me how much."He took his time undressing me, kissing each newly exposed inch of skin like he was memorizing me all over again. When he reached the scar that ran across my ribs."I thought I would never get you back," he murmured against my skin.I threaded my fingers through his hair, guiding his face back to mine. "You did. I'm right here."No more words were needed after that.Afterward, we lay tangled in the sheets, my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. One of his arm behind his head, the other lazily tracing circles on my hip. His fingers brushed over the faint scars marring my body—the ones I barely noticed anymore."You know,"
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 193: The Ties That Bind
ESTELLARaul, Clara, and Enrique pile into the penthouse, the takeout’s already spread across the kitchen island—pizza, wings, some fancy-ass pasta Alejandro insisted on. Kai’s toddling around, tugging at Raul’s pant leg, and Clara’s got that tired-mom glow."Don't look at my face like that," Raul said, catching my expression. "We're not leaving you two alone for a minute. Not until we're sure you won't try to run off again.""Raul!" Clara scolded, but her eyes sparkled with amusement."What? We all know it's true." He dropped onto the couch, stretching his legs. "Alejandro's turned into a real pain in the ass the past five years. I'm not dealing with that again.""You're such an asshole," I laughed.“Still can’t believe you’re sittin’ here, alive,” Enrique says, shoving a slice of pepperoni into his mouth. He’s perched on a stool, elbows on the counter, grinning like a kid who just won a bet. “You know, you might actually be a superhero.”I huffed a laugh. “What?”Enrique smirked. “T
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 192: Everything Clicks Into Place
ALEJANDRO"Running away again?" The words came out harsher than I intended, edged with irritation of her assuming and fleeing. Like she always did. She jerked her head up, eyes red-rimmed behind the oversized sunglasses she'd pushed up on her head."Fuck you," she spat, her voice raw.Not the reunion I was hoping for after last night. But at least she was looking at me, not running.I fought to keep my expression neutral, even as my insides twisted at the sight of her tear-stained face. She'd been crying—hard—and something told me it was because of me. I’m guessing she walked in on Vicky in my office just now. "You're an idiot,"Her eyes widened, fury replacing her tears. "Excuse me?""You heard me." I crossed my arms, studying her face. So goddamn beautiful, even when she looked like she wanted to tear my throat out. "Vicky is gay."She blinked. Once. Twice. Her mouth opened, then closed."What?" she finally managed."Vicky. The woman you saw in my office." I spelled it out slowly,
