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105. The Sting of Victory
Last Updated:
2025-03-31 07:40:12
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Traded For His First Love 106. Breaking the Chains
Josh POV I was standing near the door of Nathalie’s party, the cold night air hitting my face as the sound of Spencer’s car tires faded into the distance. What had just gone down in the parking lot—Bethany chasing after Venus and slapping her across the face—was still spinning in my head like a movie I didn’t want to watch. I’d seen it all from the entrance, the way Bethany screamed, the pure hatred in her eyes, her hand smacking Venus like she was a punching bag. And I knew, deep down, that this was one of the reasons I didn’t want to marry her. It wasn’t just that I didn’t love her—though that was true—but because Bethany had a rotten soul, a darkness that twisted my stomach every time I saw her lose it like that. I wasn’t some saint, and I didn’t pretend to be. The engagement to Bethany was my dad’s doing, a move to tie our families together, his business with hers, and I’d even thought it might work out. Maybe, with time, I could fall for her—she was pretty, had a fire that s
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Traded For His First Love 107. Fractured Trust
Venus POV The low rumble of Spencer’s car engine was the only sound filling the silence between us as he drove through Chicago’s dark streets, the streetlights streaking past the window like blurs. I was slumped in the passenger seat, my blue dress still damp from Nathalie’s champagne clinging to my skin, my face faintly stinging where Bethany had slapped me in the parking lot. My head was a mess—the party had started so well, with laughter, light conversation, a moment with Elliot on the balcony that nearly made me forget everything. But then it all crashed into a nightmare I couldn’t wrap my mind around. The humiliation in front of everyone, the accusations from Nathalie, Jennifer, and Bethany, and now this—Spencer driving me home with a look that said he was holding a volcano inside him. I ran a hand over my face, trying to wipe away the last of the dried champagne prickling my skin, and felt the weight of his gaze even without turning to him. The silence was suffocating
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Traded For His First Love 108. Shelter in the Storm
Venus POV I’d barely shut the apartment door when the buzzer rang, a sharp sound cutting through the heavy silence I was trying to cling to. My body was still trembling, the dress damp from Nathalie’s champagne sticking to my skin, my face faintly stinging where Bethany had slapped me, and Spencer’s words still echoing in my head like knives. I hesitated, my feet frozen on the cold floor, thinking it might be him coming back—maybe regretful, maybe to yell some more. My heart lurched with reluctance, but I dragged myself to the door anyway, opening it with a tired sigh. But when I saw who was there, my shoulders slumped, the weight of the day nearly knocking me over with relief. It was Elliot. He stood in my doorway, his hair mussed by the wind, his green eyes full of a concern I hadn’t expected but that hit me like a bolt. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until that moment—not just his presence, but the way he saw me, as Reese, not the Venus everyone seemed to hate now.
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Traded For His First Love 109. Heat of the Night
Alice POVI was on the balcony of Nathalie’s party, the cool night air brushing against my heated skin as Connor pinned me against the railing, his hands firm on my waist and his lips locked on mine in a kiss that was pure fire. The lively music from the ballroom spilled through the glass doors, muffled by the sound of crickets and the light breeze, but I could barely hear anything beyond the rough sound of him against my mouth. Our earlier conversation there— me throwing his flirting with the green-dress brunette in his face, him promising to surprise me — had turned into this: heated making out, his hands sliding up my back under my purple dress, and me losing myself in his warmth despite swearing I wouldn’t fall so easily.“You’re driving me crazy,” he murmured against my neck, his teeth grazing my skin as I arched into him, my heart pounding. His blue eyes glinted in the dim light, and his citrusy scent wrapped around me, pulling me deeper.“You started it,” I shot back, my voic
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Traded For His First Love 110. Morning Light
Reese POV I woke up to my kids’ laughter echoing through the apartment, a sound so alive it almost felt like a gift after the night I’d had. Sammy and Avie were in the kitchen — Sammy’s loud, energetic laugh mixing with Avie’s joyful little squeals — and the smell of fresh coffee and warm pancakes drifted through the air, pulling me out of bed like a thread of hope. My head still throbbed, a leftover from the party that turned into a nightmare, from the ugly fight with Spencer that ended with him dumping me at the door like I was nothing. But those laughs… they were a piece of something I’d lost, something coming back, even if it carried secrets I wasn’t ready to face.I got up slowly, my body heavy with exhaustion and a truth I hadn’t found the courage to tell. I grabbed the blue robe tossed over the chair, tied it around my waist while rubbing my eyes, and followed the sound down the hall. Last night had been a mess — Spencer spitting venom over things I didn’t even fully grasp,
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Traded For His First Love 111: Shadows of the Morning
Alice POV The morning sun slipped through the cheap motel curtains, casting golden stripes across the tangled sheets where I woke up, my body still warm and heavy from sleep — and from the night before. Connor was there, on the other side of the room, talking quietly on the phone out on the tiny balcony, the glass door cracked open just enough to let his murmurs blend with the distant hum of cars on the road. He was wearing a white motel robe, loosely tied, showing off the chest I’d run my hands over hours ago, his brown hair a messy tumble over his forehead as he gestured. I blinked slowly, reality hitting me like a soft slap: I’d actually gone to bed with him. After everything I’d sworn — no attachments, no letting a guy pin me down — here I was, still feeling the echo of his touch on my skin.The night had been wild, a blur of heat and desire that started on the balcony at Nathalie’s party and ended here, in this plain room that smelled of clean sheets and sex. I sat up in bed, t
Last Updated : 2025-04-06Traded For His First Love 112. Beneath the Quiet
Reese POV The day had been a soft unraveling of something I’d almost forgotten how to feel — Sammy’s wild laughter as he darted around the apartment, toy plane in hand, chasing Elliot through the narrow hall; Avie’s sticky fingers tugging at my blue robe while she babbled and stacked blocks that toppled with every giggle. We’d spent hours like that, the four of us tangled in a rhythm that felt dangerously close to the life I’d once pictured, before Jennifer stole it away. The kitchen still held the faint sweetness of pancakes from that morning, a trace of Elliot flipping them with that easy grin while Sammy shouted “Daddy!” and Avie clapped like it was magic. It was too good, too fragile, and it scared me — because every second of it pressed against the secret I still hadn’t let slip.Night crept in slow, the kids finally crashing after a day that wore them out. Sammy’s snores echoed faintly from his room, and Avie’s soft breaths hummed through the monitor on the counter, her little
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Traded For His First Love Chapter 113. In Your Arms
Reese POV The sheets were still warm where our bodies met, my head nestled on Elliot’s chest, the steady thump of his heart against my ear. His arms wrapped around me, one hand tracing slow circles on my lower back, the other resting on the curve of my hip. The room was cloaked in silence, save for the soft hum of the baby monitor on the nightstand, reminding me Sammy and Avie were sleeping soundly down the hall. I wanted to freeze that moment — us like this, bare, entwined, as if the world outside, with its venom and humiliations, couldn’t touch us.“You okay?” Elliot asked, his husky voice cutting through the quiet, a hint of worry tucked into the lightness. He tilted his head, trying to catch my face in the dimness.I looked up at him, his features softened by the faint light slipping through the curtains. “Why do you ask?” I countered, a half-smile tugging at my lips as I tried to keep things easy.He chuckled low, his fingers sliding through my brown hair, mussing it gently. “Y
Last Updated : 2025-04-08
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Traded For His First Love 135: A Race Against Time
Reese POVThe living room felt smaller, as if the walls were closing in around me, every shadow a cruel reminder of Sammy and Avie’s absence. I was sitting on the couch, knees pulled to my chest, clutching Avie’s favorite toy and Sammy’s baseball, my face still wet with tears that wouldn’t stop falling.Because they left in such a hurry, my kids couldn’t even take the things they were so attached to. Elliot, what have you done…? I was weak, my mind foggy, unable to think of anything but how much I missed my children, Elliot’s betrayal, and the consequences of my mistakes. I was devastated.Alice and Connor stood before me, their voices soft but firm, trying to anchor me as the world crumbled. The house, which hours ago had echoed with the promise of a plan to get my kids back, now felt like a cage, trapping me in Chicago while Elliot took Sammy and Avie to London, with Jennifer by his side.“Venus, you need to prepare legally,” Alice said, sitting in the armchair, her eyes full of con
Traded For His First Love 134. A Heart Divided
Elliot POVThe interior of the private jet felt smaller with each passing hour, the space cramped not by its size but by the suffocating presence of Jennifer Durham. The hum of the engines was a constant drone,steady noise, but it didn’t drown out the sound of her voice, sharp as a blade, as she berated a flight attendant. “This is lukewarm coffee,” she said, pushing the cup back at the young woman, whose face flushed with embarrassment. “What do you think I am? An economy passenger? Bring me another, and make it decent this time.” The attendant mumbled an apology, hurrying to the back of the plane, while Jennifer rolled her eyes, adjusting her pearl necklace with an exaggerated flourish.I watched her from my seat, anger simmering beneath the surface. Jennifer was insufferable, always had been, but now, with her haughty demeanor, she seemed determined to make every second of this flight a living hell. She leaned toward one of the other staff, a man organizing the bar, and pointed
Traded For His First Love 133. A Flight Full of Shadows
Elliot POVThe steady hum of the private jet cut through the silence, a monotonous reminder that we were thousands of feet above the Atlantic, leaving Chicago behind. Avie slept in my lap, her little face serene, the bottle still between her lips, her slight weight an anchor in the chaos my life had become. Lately, she’d been clinging to me more, always seeking my lap, my hand, and now I understood why. It wasn’t just a child’s affection—it was the bond of father and daughter, a truth Jennifer threw in my face days ago, changing everything. Knowing Avie was mine, by blood, made my heart swell with love, but it also hurt, like an open wound, because Reese had hidden it from me for years.Carefully, I stood, settling Avie on the jet’s sofa-bed, tucking a blanket over her. Her curls fanned out on the pillow, and I ran a hand over my face, trying to shake the guilt chasing me. I’d done what I had to, right? Taking the kids and leaving was to protect them, to keep them with me, away fro
Traded For His First Love 132. A Thread of Hope in the Storm
Reese POVThe silence in the house was a crushing weight, every empty corner a cruel reminder of Sammy, Avie, and Elliot, who were no longer here. I was curled up on the couch, my eyes swollen from crying, the phone silent after countless unanswered calls to Elliot and the devastating conversation with Josh, who confirmed that Elliot had quit and was planning to return to London. The pain of losing my children was a tightness in my chest, a wound that throbbed with every breath, and the guilt—for hiding the truth about Avie, for not trusting Elliot—was suffocating. When I heard the sound of keys in the door, my heart leapt, but it wasn’t Elliot. It was Alice, and beside her, Connor, the two of them inseparable now, like a shadow of light in the midst of my chaos.Alice rushed to me, arms open, and I threw myself into her embrace, sobs returning with force. “Venus, my God,” she murmured, holding me tightly against her chest, her warmth a stark contrast to the cold consuming me. “I’m h
Traded For His First Love 131. An Unbearable Void
Reese POVThe silence in the house was deafening, a mute scream echoing in every empty corner. I was sitting on the couch, my legs tucked under me, the phone still warm in my hand after yet another unanswered call to Elliot. Avie’s plate, with a half-eaten pancake, sat on the kitchen table, a cruel relic of the breakfast that now felt like it belonged to another life. Sammy, Avie, Elliot—they weren’t here. The house, which hours ago had buzzed with laughter and chaos, was now a tomb, and the dread gripping my chest was so overwhelming I could barely breathe.Spencer’s words still reverberated in my head, each syllable a blow: “Elliot knows he’s Avie’s real father… He’s going back to London with your kids.” I didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t, but the empty house was evidence I couldn’t ignore. I ran through the rooms again, opening closets, searching for any sign—a backpack, a toy, a note—but there was nothing. Sammy’s sneakers, always scattered around, were gone. Avie’s teddy be
Traded For His First Love 130. A House Too Quiet
Reese POV The air in Spencer’s apartment felt thick, suffocating, as his words landed like a blow to my chest: “Elliot’s heading back to London soon — with his kids.” My heart stopped, the world tilting around me. Avie, my Avie, his daughter? How could he know? How could Elliot know? The question burned, but Spencer’s mocking smile, his voice dripping with venom, held the answer before I could even ask. I stood frozen, my hands trembling, the industrial decor of his bachelor pad blurring as his accusation echoed in my mind.“What do you mean, he knows?” I managed, my voice barely a whisper, my throat tight with dread. “How does Elliot know about Avie?”Spencer leaned against the counter, his eyes cold, the warmth I’d once trusted in him gone. “Jennifer told him,” he said, his tone almost gleeful, like he was savoring my unraveling. “She cornered him, spilled the whole truth — that Avie’s his, not mine, not anyone else’s. And you know what, Venus? He’s done with you. He’s planning t
Traded For His First Love 129. Shattered Trust
Reese POV “Reese…?” Spencer gasped as he opened the door to me. He clearly hadn’t expected me to show up at his place; I hadn’t warned him beforehand, precisely because I didn’t want him coming up with excuses to avoid me. Spencer and I had a lot to talk about.“It’s Venus to you, darling,” I said, my voice sharp as I stepped into his apartment without waiting for permission. “My real name is reserved for the truly intimate people in my life, if you catch my drift.”The place was spacious, with industrial decor that screamed single guy’s bachelor pad. “You won’t believe it, but I met your wife,” I said, sarcasm dripping from every word. “She’s so charming, treated me so well. But I’m sure you already know that, don’t you?”Spencer sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I heard about it. Alice told me Roseanne went to see you,” he admitted.In that moment, something broke inside me, a crack splintering through my heart. I’d clung to the hope that Roseanne was anything but his
Traded For His First Love 128. Facing the Storm
Reese POV The kitchen was alive with the chaos of morning, the kind of messy, beautiful noise that made my heart feel full even when everything else was crumbling. Sammy was giggling, smearing syrup on his pancakes, while Avie babbled about a cartoon, her curls bouncing as she waved a sticky fork. Elliot sat across from me, pouring orange juice into their cups, his smile soft but strained, the same shadow in his eyes I’d noticed last night in bed. The memory of our early morning — his arms around me, the heat of our bodies, the words I’d said about our family — warmed me, but that quiet distance in him lingered, a knot of worry I couldn’t untangle.I pushed a piece of pancake around my plate, my appetite dulled by the weight of what lay ahead. Roseanne’s slap, her accusations, the way my employees had looked at me — it all churned in my mind, a storm I couldn’t escape. I’d spent yesterday broken, leaning on Elliot to hold me together, but today, I needed answers. Spencer owed me th
Traded For His First Love 127. A Silent Fracture
Elliot POV The bedroom was cloaked in the hush of four a.m., the kind of stillness that made every thought feel louder, heavier. I lay beside Reese, her body curled against mine, her warmth a stark contrast to the cold knot of betrayal in my chest. The day had been a storm — her desperate call, the way she’d collapsed against me outside Lunaris Event, the story of Roseanne’s slap and accusations spilling from her lips. I’d held her, promised to confront Spencer, brought her home, and tucked her in, but now, in the quiet, Jennifer’s words from the garage haunted me: “Avie is your daughter, Elliot. Reese has been lying to you.” The truth — if it was the truth — was a blade, and it was cutting me open.Reese stirred, her breath soft against my neck, and I turned to look at her. The faint moonlight slipping through the curtains traced her face — the curve of her cheek, the lashes resting against her skin, the vulnerability that made my heart ache even now. She’d been through hell toda
