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37: Trapped
Last Updated:
2024-12-07 19:48:53
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 38: Finale
Estella The grogginess hit first, thick and cloying, weighing down my limbs. My eyes fluttered open, the blurry room around me solidifying into harsh lines. My wrists ached—no, burned. Shackles. Cold steel biting into my skin, chaining me to the corners of an old, rusted bedframe. I tried to sit up. Nothing. My head pounded like I’d been slammed against concrete. Poisoned, I realized. That bastard poisoned me. Alejandro was slumped in a chair across the room, his hands tied behind him, his chin resting against his chest. Unmoving. My heart twisted, panic gripping me. “Alejandro?” My voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. “Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. He’s alive. For now.” My eyes darted toward the source, and there he stood—Benjamin. He wasn’t wearing the mask anymore. His face was plain, unremarkable, but for the jagged scar running along his jawline. That scar was the only thing memorable about him, yet somehow, it made him all the more terrifying. He didn’t need to l
Last Updated : 2024-12-08Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 39: A Fragile Thread
EstellaA week had passed since everything went down. A week of silence, of tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Alejandro hadn’t looked at me the same since that night. He’d become distant, detached, like a wall had gone up between us. He was still there—physically. Watching me. Guarding me. But he wasn’t the same man. Not the one who held me through the storm, not the one who promised me we would survive.I’d catch him staring sometimes, like he wanted to say something, but he’d turn away before I could hold his gaze. And I… I didn’t push. Because, deep down, I was scared of what he might sayHe didn’t talk to me unless he had to. And when he did speak, it was to ask about my wounds, nothing personal. It was like I was invisible, even though he hadn’t let me out of his sight for more than a minute. He made sure I knew he was there, watching, but he wasn’t with me.It killed me. Slowly. Every damn dayI sat on the couch, my hands fumbling with the fresh bandages I was su
Last Updated : 2024-12-08Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 40: Gone Wild
EstellaHis left hand slid up, curling around my neck beneath my hair, while his right cupped my chin, holding me in place. I should’ve protested, said something—anything—but my lips parted too late, and the only thing my hesitation accomplished was leaving me wide open for him.His mouth descended, far from gentle. This wasn’t soft or sweet—it was commanding, consuming. His lips crushed mine, searing them with a kiss so fierce I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. His tongue swept inside, bold and unapologetic, leaving no corner of my mouth unexplored. It wasn’t like Marco’s sloppy kisses. Alejandro’s kiss wasn’t just an action; it was a brand.My head spun, my pulse hammering in my chest, but I didn’t pull away. I couldn’t.One kiss bled into another and another, each one hungrier than the last. His hands slid down, no longer cradling my face but gripping my back, pulling me so close I could feel the steady drum of his heart against mine. I gasped, and before I even realized w
Last Updated : 2024-12-09Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 41: Aftermath
I woke to the smell of him—the woodsy, slightly smoky scent I’d come to crave. Sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting a golden glow on his sleeping form. He looked softer like this, the usual sharpness of his features dulled by sleep.I traced a finger down the slope of his nose, over the stubble on his jaw. My touch was featherlight, careful not to wake him. He’d hate me if he caught me staring like this.But I couldn’t help it. My fingers moved of their own accord, brushing over his lips. God, those lips, the things they did to me. My cheeks flamed as flashes of last night played in my mind—his mouth on my skin, his tongue dragging sinful paths down my body, his voice a low growl between my thighs.I pressed my face into the pillow, stifling a giggle. If someone had told me this would be my life a month ago, I’d have laughed in their face. And yet, here I was. With him. I felt like a teenager, giddy and lightheaded.A loud growl interrupted my thoughts. My stomach. I hadn’t
Last Updated : 2024-12-09Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 42: Coward
The elevator dinged, and just like that, he was gone. Coward. I stood there for a moment, staring at the empty hallway, my chest heaving. My heart was beating too fast, my anger climbing higher with every passing second. He left. He fucking left. I wasn’t going to sit here and let him play me. Fool—that’s what I was. A fool for thinking Alejandro could ever want me, let alone keep me by his side. A fool for thinking I could give him my heart He thought he could make decisions for me, like I was some fragile little thing he could wrap up and send away when it suited him. I clenched my fists. Not this time. I wasn’t going to let him run the show. I wasn’t going to sit back and let him play me. Alejandro wasn’t the first man to underestimate me—he just might be the last. I spun around and stormed back into the room I’d been staying in. Every step made my resolve harder, sharper. He could keep his ticket and his plans. If he wanted me gone, fine. But it wouldn’t be on his t
Last Updated : 2024-12-10Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 43: Guilty
Alejandro The whiskey burned, but not as much as the fucking guilt.The glass was half-empty, the edges smeared where I’d pressed it too hard against my lips.I gripped the glass tighter, staring at the dark amber liquid swirling under the dim lights of the bar. Across the street, the glow of the penthouse windows taunted me. I could’ve been there, should’ve been there—with her.Instead, I was here, drowning in this poison because walking away from her had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. Leaving her felt like tearing myself apart.But it had to be done.I closed my eyes and let the burn trail down my throat as I tipped the glass back again. The bitter truth was louder than the music in the background or the soft hum of conversations around me. She deserved better.Better than me.She deserved better than the mess I’d drag her into. She deserved better than a man who couldn’t promise her safety, let alone a future. I’d made a mistake letting things go so far, letting her under m
Last Updated : 2024-12-10Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 44: A Fool’s Proposal
Marco parked the car in front of an old warehouse.He stepped out first, moving with that same irritating arrogance. When he moved toward my side of the car, I quickly shoved the door open before he could reach it. I wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction of opening the door for me.I didn’t need him playing the gentleman. If he thought I was about to play the obedient ex-wife, he had another thing coming.A man jogged over to him, a cocky grin plastered on his face. He handed Marco a small set of keys and winked.“It’s done,” the man said.Marco smirked, shaking his hand. “Good work.”I folded my arms across my chest, glaring. “What are you playing at, Marco?”“Patience, little dove.” His voice was infuriatingly calm, almost smug. “You’ll see soon enough.”The way he said it made my skin crawl. With that, he turned and headed for the warehouse door, leaving me no choice but to follow. My gut told me to run, to find another way out of this madness, but I wasn’t about to give h
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 45; A Fool’s Proposal II
“I’m not barren, Marco. For your information.” He froze, his smugness dissolving into stunned confusion. “What?” His eyes dropped to my stomach, his expression twisting with something between repulsion and fury. “Don’t tell me…” His voice rose, cracking. “Don’t tell me you’re pregnant with that bastard’s child.” “Shut up,” I cut him off with an eye roll that barely hid my disgust. “You’ll never change.” His nostrils flared, his face twisting in fury. “How could you? How could you open your legs to him? You—” “It wasn’t for him!” I snapped, cutting him off as my voice broke, loud and raw. “It was for you!” That shut him up His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He stared at me, his face pale and drawn. “I was pregnant the day you kicked me out,” I continued, my voice trembling with a fury I’d buried for too long. “I was pregnant until you and your mother killed my child.” The words hit him like a physical blow. He staggered back, his eyes wide with sh
Last Updated : 2024-12-11
Latest chapter
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 95: A Storm of Lies
Warning: This chapter contains graphic content, including self-harm, that may be triggering for some readers.If you're struggling with mental health issues, please take care of yourself and consider skipping this chapter.Alejandro POVThe snow started falling a few miles away from the estate, covering the road and slowing my progress. It hadn’t been snowing when I left home, but now it was heavy flakes covering the windshield and muffling the sound of my tires on the secluded drive.I cursed under my breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter as I turned into the long, winding driveway of the mansion. This place was old money through and through: a large plot of land in the middle of nowhere, towering oak trees lining the path, and a mansion that looked more like a fortress.The entire property’s lights were out, save for a faint glow coming from a single window on the second floor.When I reached the entrance, I slammed the car door shut and jogged to the grand stone front steps.
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 94: Blast from the Past
Estella Mia’s blank stare still stuck with me as I walked back into the house, locking the door behind me. The whole house was silent, the kind that made every creak of the floorboards echo louder than it should. What the hell was Mia doing out there? Sleepwalking? Spying? I couldn’t figure it out, but the way she just stood there, staring, still gave me chills. I tried to shake off the thought. She’d been weird since the moment she started working here. I sent Alejandro a quick message: Are you almost there? Is she okay? I sighed, heading to the bedroom. My dress clung to me uncomfortably after the long day, and I peeled it off, tossing it onto the chair. Sliding into the bathroom, I turned on the shower, letting the hot water soothe my tense muscles. The warm spray did little to calm my thoughts. My mind was a whirlwind of suspicion and unease. I had just been proposed to. I should be euphoric, floating on air, but instead, I felt restless. When I stepped out of the shower,
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 93: Abrupt Call
Estella“She just collapsed, Alejandro! One minute she was fine, and the next—oh my God, what do I do? I called an ambulance, but they’re taking so long. She’s just lying there!”Alejandro pinched the bridge of his nose, his jaw clenched as he paced. “Camila, just take a deep breath. Did you check her pulse? Is she still breathing?”“I-I didn’t want to touch her,” she stammered. “What if I make it worse? I don’t know what to do, Alejandro. I’m scared. She hasn’t even opened her eyes! Please what should I do?”“Stay with her,” he ordered, his voice firm. “I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon.”Alejandro’s expression was unreadable as he slid his phone into his pocket, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. I know what he is feeling. He told Lucia is like a mother to him. Losing her is like reliving the lost of his mother.“You’re going?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.“Yes,” he said shortly, grabbing his keys from his pocket.I stepped in front of him. “I’ll come
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 92: The Real Proposal
Estella POV“Let’s just go home,” I said. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day, and I’m just… done.”Alejandro shot me a sidelong glance. “When was the last time you let yourself just stop and breathe?”I huffed out a small laugh. “I’ll stop and breathe as soon as we get home.”“Then it’s my job to make sure you get it,” he said firmly, wrapping an arm around my waist.As we neared the corner where Clara stood, I spotted her slouched against the wall, arms crossed.“Hey Clara?” I asked, stepping closer. “Are you okay?”She straightened immediately, plastering on a forced smile. “Yeah, fine.”I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t look fine.”“I’m fine,” she insisted, waving me off.I hesitated, my concern growing, but before I could press further, she shook her head and chirped, “ Are you going? Just go and have a rest. I’ll handle everything.”I studied her, then gave a small nod. I will make sure to find out what is up with her. “Make sure everyone leaves safely, okay? And… I will get Raul stay
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 91: The Proposal
Estella POVI walked through the remnants of the event, seeing guests off and thanking them for sticking with me, believing me.I was about to suggest to Alejandro we leave when Elliot Harrington appeared in my path.Elliot Harrington, of Vanveau, the company that had yanked their partnership the second the rumors started. His cocky smile was a reminder of how easily people could turn on you when it suited them“Well well Estella,” he said. “I have to say, tonight’s event was nothing short of extraordinary.”“Extraordinary enough to make you regret pulling out of our deal?” I replied, arching a brow.His smile faltered for a split second, but he recovered quickly. “A lapse in judgment, I admit. One I deeply regret. That’s why I’m here—to assure you that Vanveau is still very interested in partnering with Estrella Designs. The deal stands if you’re willing.”I crossed my arms, keeping my face neutral. “Funny. I seem to remember you being the first to jump ship when the rumors started.
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 90: Julius Cadwell
The tension in the room thickened as Vivian’s father strode in, his presence commanding every ounce of attention. His tailored suit was impeccable, his silver hair gleaming under the spotlights. He scanned the room, his piercing gaze settling on Vivian, who was still struggling against the guards.“Daddy!” Vivian’s voice cracked as she broke free from their grip, staggering toward him like a child seeking refuge. “Look at what they’re doing to me! She humiliated me in front of everyone. She’s lying daddy! You can’t let them treat me like this.”“Vivian.” His voice was a low rumble, full of warning. “Enough.”Her confidence faltered for the briefest moment before she doubled down, her voice rising hysterically. “Enough? You don’t understand! She did this all… to ruin our company. Estella thinks she’s so perfect—she thinks she can just waltz in and—”“Stop.” His single word silenced her tirade, leaving her mouth agape. The crowd murmured in disbelief, the sight of the mighty Vivian Cadw
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 89: The Fallout
Estella We were still on the stage, under the blinding lights and sharp gazes of the elite, all I could focus on was Vivian. She was seething, her face twisted in rage as she lunged toward me. Her voice was shrill as she screamed, “You think you can humiliate me like this? You don’t know who you’re messing with, you bitch!.“Alejandro moved to my side in an instant, his hand firm on my waist. The heat in his eyes told me he was one second away from ripping Vivian apart. “Calm the fuck down and get lost, Vivian. That’s enough.”But she wasn’t calming down. If anything, Alejandro’s intervention seemed to spur her on. Her wild eyes fixed on me, and she sneered, “Of course, your knight in shining armor. Always rushing to save you, isn’t he? Just so you know you’re nothing without him!”She grabbed a glass from the nearby refreshment table. Before anyone could stop her, she hurled it with all her might—straight at me.“Estella!” Alejandro roared, stepping in front of me.The glass shatter
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 88: The Partnership That Wasn’t
It wasn’t every day that a promising startup like Estella’s Designs announced a partnership with a powerhouse like Cadwell Enterprises. The venue was packed with industry elites, media personnel, and potential investors, their eyes darting between the stage and their phones as they live-tweeted every moment. I stood behind the curtains, trying to calm my racing heart. Vivian’s figure loomed just a few feet away. She looked every bit the goddess she pretended to be, but I knew better. Vivian turned, her expression smug. “Nervous, Estella?” “Excited,” I replied, my smile bright. “Oh, you should be,” she said. The applause quieted as Vivian took the mic. Her crimson gown shimmered under the lights, perfectly coordinated with her aura of smug confidence. “Good evening, everyone,” Vivian began. “This partnership,” she said, her voice dripping with faux sincerity, “is about more than business. It’s about second chances.Estrella’s Designs has had… let’s say, its fair share of cha
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 87: Playing with Fire
EstellaThe black car waited in the underground parking lot, its windows tinted. Alejandro leaned against the passenger door, his arms crossed.“You were in there too long,” he said the moment he saw me approach, his gray eyes scanning me.“I had to make it convincing,” I replied, walking up to him. The tension in my body from the meeting with Vivian hadn’t fully eased, but seeing him standing there, waiting for me, calmed me in a way I couldn’t explain.He tilted his head. “Convincing, huh? Did she take the bait?”I nodded. “Hook, line, and sinker.”He smirked, opening the car door for me. “Good. Let’s move on”I slid into the car, the leather seats cool against my skin. He followed, shutting the door behind him with a solid thud. Raul, sitting behind the wheel, nodded at me in acknowledgment before starting the car.“Where to?” Raul asked, glancing at both Alejandro and I through the rearview mirror.“The address you gave Estella earlier,” Alejandro replied.The café was tucked in a
