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77: The Disguise of Concern
Last Updated:
2025-01-03 19:12:45
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Estella POV I couldn’t take another second of this. It was suffocating. “I’m going to lie down,” I said abruptly, excusing myself from the room before anyone could stop me. I couldn’t stomach Camila’s cloying voice for another second. “Oh, Estella,” she cooed, her eyes following me. “You really should. You’re still looking sick. Maybe you need some vitamins? Don’t worry I have loads of skincare packed here for you.” I bit my tongue and forced a tight smile. “Thanks for the concern but I’m good. There is no need. ” I didn’t wait for her reply as I headed back for the stairs, her voice floating up behind me. “Alejandro, do you hear that? She’s overworked. You should do something about it. This is the reason I planned this sleepover.” I rolled my eyes and kept walking. “Oh, come on, Alejandro!” she whined. “It’ll be fun. Like old times. I can’t go back to that apartment after what happened.” I paused mid-step, curiosity getting the better of me. “And what exactly happe
Last Updated : 2025-01-04Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 79: Shattered Foundations
Estella POVI stepped into the modest yet elegant space that housed Estrella Designs. It wasn’t huge—a handful of rooms for consultations, storage, and a cozy workspace where my team brought my ideas to life. At the far end, the walls were lined with shelves displaying my signature piecesI’d dreamed of expanding by the end of the year, turning this modest studio into a fashion house worthy of the luxury pieces we created. And if the current sales continued, that dream wasn’t far off.“Welcome back, Ms. Estella.” Clara greeted me at the door with her usual her no-nonsense attitude which had been exactly what I needed when I hired her.She was my first hire.I still remembered her interview—when I asked her the one question I asked every candidate, ‘Why should I hire you?’“Because I don’t just work hard. I make things happen,” she’d said.She hadn’t been lying.“How’s everything running?” I asked, shrugging off my coat as we walked to my office.“Better than you’d think,” Clara said, h
Last Updated : 2025-01-04Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 80: The Cracks Begin
Estella POVMy phone pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. Alejandro’s name lit up the screen.“How did the deal go, mi estrella? I know you’ll knock them off their feet. Don’t forget you’re unstoppable. Call me later—I want to hear all about it and I miss your voice already.”I stared at his words and swallowed hard. This should have been comforting, but it only twisted the knife deeper. He had no idea about the accusations, the cancellations, or the articles dragging Estrella Designs through the mud.My thumbs hovered over the screen, tempted to unload everything.“It was a disaster. Someone’s accusing me of fraud, and now everything’s falling apart because of a stupid online post.”I stared at the words, then sighed and erased them. Instead, I typed something simpler“I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”Pressing send, I let out a shaky breath. My fingers tightened around my coffee mug as guilt bubbled in my chest. Alejandro always had faith in me, but right now, I wasn’t s
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Alejandro was propped up against the headboard, a laptop balanced on his thighs. His face was pale, a sheen of sweat dotting his brow, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw me.“You’re back,” he said, his voice low and hoarse.I frowned, crossing the room in a few quick strides. “Alejandro, you look like you’ve been through a war,.”He smirked, though it lacked his usual fire. “Thanks, mi estrella. Just the compliment I needed.”Ignoring his sarcasm, I tugged the laptop off his lap, setting it on the nightstand. A glance at the bedside table revealed untouched tea and covered snacks left by Miss-we-go-way-back. My fingers brushed his forehead, and the heat radiating off him made my stomach twist.“You’re burning up.”“I’m fine,” he murmured, trying to wave me off, but even that small movement seemed to sap his strength.“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” I demanded, planting my hands on my hips.He shrugged, his lips quirking into a faint smile. “You had a meeting to worry about.
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A smile tugged at my lips, relief washing over me. At least one thing was going right today.“What’s got you grinning like that?” Alejandro’s deep voice came from behind me.Startled, I shoved the device under the blanket like a guilty teenager. “You’re supposed be in bed. When did you wake up?” I said, spinning around to face himHe raised a brow, crossing his arms. Even with the pale flush of fever still clinging to his cheeks, he looked every bit the sexy commanding man I’d married. “I was, but you’re being suspicious. Let me see.”“No!” I said quickly, scooting back on the bed.He raised an eyebrow. “Now that’s suspicious. You’re hiding something, mi estrella.“I’m not!” I shot back, but the heat rising to my face betrayed me.“Oh, really?” His lips curved into a dangerous smirk, and before I could protest, he lunged for the phone.“Stop!” I yelped, twisting away from him.I dodged, barely managing to keep it out of reach. “Alejandro!” I shrieked, laughter bubbling up.“Give it to
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Estella The door swung open, and Alejandro walked back into the room, his expression stormy. I sat up, pulling the blanket tighter around me, waiting for him to speak. “She’s leaving,” he announced curtly, his voice still laced with the anger from earlier. “Good,” I muttered. He climbed back into bed, brushing a hand over his face. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” Before I could respond, a sharp knock echoed from the door. Alejandro groaned, his jaw tightening as he called out, “What now?” Camila peeked her head inside, her eyes red-rimmed and watery. She looked nothing like the smug woman who’d barged in earlier. “Alejandro… I know you want me gone. But I—I can’t leave right now.” His glare was icy. “What part of ‘you’re leaving’ didn’t you understand?” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stepped inside, clutching her phone tightly. “I just got off the phone with my building manager. The rat infestation is worse than I thought. They’re still working on it, and I
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I was still mad at Alejandro for letting Camila stay. I sat at the edge of the bed, arms crossed, watching him tie his tie in the mirror. He looked annoyingly perfect. “You’re not going to work,” “I feel fine,” he countered, his gray eyes locking onto mine in the mirror. “Fine? You were burning up last night,” I reminded him, standing and planting myself between him and the door. “You’re staying home.” He smirked, leaning down until our noses almost touched. “You’re cute when you’re bossy.” “And you’re infuriating when you’re stubborn,” I shot back, my hands on my hips. His laugh was the kind that made my resolve waver. “I’ll take it easy. I promise. But I have to go. There are things that need my attention.” I sighed, knowing I wasn’t going to win this one. “Fine. But if I find out you overworked yourself, Alejandro…” “You’ll what?” he teased, brushing his lips against mine in a kiss. “You’ll punish me?” Heat rose to my cheeks, and I pushed him away with a laugh. “Go
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Clara’s car was a snug compact sedan that made it easier to move through the tight streets. I sat in the back, Raul in the passenger seat.“Not exactly the kind of neighborhood you want to be parked in for too long,” Clara muttered, half to herself“Thanks for covering the payment, Raul,” I said, glancing at him from the backseat. “I’ll make sure to pay you back—”“Don’t worry about it. Consider it handled.”“Handled?!” Clara spun around to face him, her dark curls bouncing as she gestured animatedly. “That was twenty thousand dollars. Do you have any idea how foolish it was to pay that sleazeball that amount?”Raul scoffed, shaking his head. “Relax, Clara. I didn’t actually pay him.”“Wait—what?”“What do you mean?” I asked, leaning forward.He tapped his phone, handing it to Clara. “Check the notification.”Her eyes darted to the screen before widening in realization. “The money’s been reversed!” she exclaimed. “Wait—so was that a fake transfer?”“Let’s just say he won’t notice unti
Last Updated : 2025-01-08
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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
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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
