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85: The Plan in Motion
Last Updated:
2025-01-08 23:02:36
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 86: A Carefully Laid Trap
EstellaI spotted her immediately, draped in a pristine white suit that made her icy blue eyes pop. She was surrounded by a small crowd of staff carrying her shopping bags and catering to her every whim. She was perched on one of the boutique’s velvet chairs like it was a throne.The high-end mall was exactly what I expected from a snob like Vivian. I took a deep breath and approached her.“Vivian,” I called, forcing a polite smile.Her head turned, her gaze sweeping over me like I was a piece of shit she’d stepped in. “Oh, Estella,” she said, feigning surprise. “Didn’t expect to see you here. Shopping, are we?”“Something like that,” I replied.“ Or are you stalking me now?”I smiled, refusing to take her bait. “I didn’t realize the mall was your private domain. But I’ll make sure to ask permission next time.”“What do you want?”“Oh, nothing much,” I said lightly. “Just thought we could chat. Maybe clear the air after… everything.”Vivian raised a brow, swirling her champagne. “The
Last Updated : 2025-01-09Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-10Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-11Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-12Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Till 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.
Last Updated : 2025-01-14Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Till 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
Last Updated : 2025-01-16
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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
