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75. A new woman
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-09 18:10:59
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Traded For His First Love 76. The problem was always me
Reese POVWhen Elliot laughed at my words, I thought he was mocking me, but then I realized he was so stunned by this new side of me that he could hardly believe what was unfolding before him.“Actually, I like this new fire in you,” he said with an approving look. “Where has this Reese been hiding all this time, huh?”I rolled my eyes, finding his words a bit silly. “I’ve always been like this—you just never bothered to get to know me better,” I shot back, picking up our cold tea cups and heading toward the sink.“You’re right,” he said, raising his voice slightly so it could reach me. “There’s a lot I should’ve paid attention to with you, and I didn’t.”I shrugged. “Well, I can’t deny that recognizing that is a big step.”He stood from the table and walked to the counter, leaning against it while still watching me. “What can I say, my jaw drops every time I notice you now. It’s like I’m literally getting to know you for the first time,” he commented.I looked at him, drying my damp
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-11Traded For His First Love 77. Falling in his arms
Reese POV“Careful, don’t fall,” he said, but his words came out in a drawn-out growl.As I let out a moan with my breath, I’d already pulled him closer and joined our lips in a desperate kiss.I felt his body stiffen, completely taken aback by my unexpected kiss—he hadn’t anticipated it, and probably wouldn’t have in a million years. Maybe he’d lost all hope of ever having me this intimately again, but even I didn’t know what I was doing in that moment, because this had never been my plan.Elliot groaned against my lips. When he pulled back a millimeter to look at me with that expression of utter confusion, I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. Then he moved, his hands at my waist pulling me with more urgency against his body, his lips seeking mine with renewed desperation.It was as if he’d been thirsting for this for so long… and in a way, things weren’t much different for me.The kiss ignited something I couldn’t control—a wildfire that consumed the last threads of my r
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-12Traded For His First Love 78. Setback
Reese POVLying in the guest room bed, still wrapped in each other’s arms, our bodies pressed together under the sheets, the warmth of his skin against mine felt like an echo of a time I thought I’d never live again. His breathing was slow, his chest rising and falling as his hand stroked my hair—a gesture so familiar it hurt. The moonlight slipped through a crack in the curtain, softly illuminating his face, and for a moment, it was as if we were the only two people in the world—nights in London, before the betrayals, before Jennifer, before everything fell apart. But the past was there, a shadow I couldn’t ignore, even in that fleeting moment of peace.Elliot broke the silence, his voice hoarse and hesitant. “Reese… did you really miss me?” He turned his face to look at me, his green eyes filled with a vulnerability I hadn’t seen in years. “Because sometimes I feel like you hate me now.”My heart clenched in my chest, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. I looked away, star
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Traded For His First Love 79. Undervalued
Bethany POVToday was one of those days that left my heart aching, frustration with Josh swallowing me whole like a wave I couldn’t escape. I woke up with a thread of hope, convinced that if I arrived early at his house, we could share a moment together when he returned—maybe a dinner, a conversation, something to bring us closer for real. I wanted to feel like I meant something to him, that he saw me as the woman who would be his wife, not just a piece on the chessboard of our engagement. But, as always, reality hit me like a cold splash, reminding me that Josh was far from the man of my dreams, no matter how hard I tried to believe otherwise.At least today my waiting room was different, though no less humiliating than the last time I endured that embarrassment at his office. This time, I waited on the sofa in the grand living room of his parents’ mansion. It felt almost pathetic—I’d worn a beautiful dress, taken the time to fix my hair, dabbed on my best perfume, all just to sit h
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-14Traded For His First Love 80. The Morning Sun and Its Memories
Reese POVThe morning arrived like a hoarse whisper, carrying the weight of a night that still echoed on my skin and in my heart. I opened my eyes in my bedroom, my body heavy with sleep and the guilt beginning to take root, the sound of Spencer’s snores beside me pulling me back to reality. Last night, in the guest room, I surrendered to Elliot, letting the walls I’d built over years crumble under the heat of his touch and his promises. Now, with daylight filtering through the curtains, it all felt like a dangerous dream, a mistake I didn’t know how to undo.I rose slowly, careful not to wake Spencer, and dragged myself to the bathroom to splash water on my face, trying to wash away the traces of the night before. Each drop felt like a reminder—his whispers, the way our bodies met, the fragile promise that we might find our way back to each other. But the truth was, I didn’t know what I felt. Part of me still loved him, a part I’d buried beneath layers of pain and pride, but anothe
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-15Traded For His First Love 81. Yes, I fell.
Reese POV“What? You slept with your ex-husband?” Alice asked, her voice dripping with shock, but far too loud, drawing unwanted attention our way.“Alice!” I hissed desperately, reminding her that we weren’t in an appropriate place for such an outburst. We were at a luxurious restaurant, waiting for a client to discuss an event she wanted to host. A few heads had turned toward our table when Alice practically shouted in disbelief.She was composing herself now, but her face still held that stunned expression. “I’m sorry, Venus, but you can’t just drop a bombshell like that and expect me not to react accordingly,” she said, adjusting her short, choppy hair. I sighed. What could I even say? I could barely believe my own words myself. “So you’re telling me you and Goodwin hooked up?!”I nodded, embarrassed. “Yes, we hooked up.” I sipped my juice, feeling my throat dry up.Alice let out a humorless laugh. “But how? When did this happen? How?” She was trying to make sense of it, and hone
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-16Traded For His First Love 82. Common Reason
Bethany POVThe luxurious restaurant felt almost suffocating, with its golden lights and the muffled sound of elegant conversations surrounding me. I sat at a corner table, drumming my fingers on the white linen tablecloth, my stomach churning with anger and humiliation.I had come here to meet a mysterious woman who had promised juicy information about Venus—information that, according to her, could ruin that woman’s career. I didn’t have anything personal against Venus, at least not until she started hovering around Josh, messing with what was mine. And after the dreadful weekend I’d just had, I was more than ready to take my anger out on someone.My mind was still trapped in the humiliating scene from that morning, and as I waited, the memories swallowed me like a whirlwind. I had woken up next to Josh, still in his bed, my body warm against his, believing that the night we spent tending to him—after he stumbled in drunk and cursed at me—might have changed something.I washed him,
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-17Traded For His First Love 83. The Poisoned Invitation
The Poisoned Invitation Reese POVThe air at La Maison d’Or reeked of truffles and hypocrisy. The gold-plated walls reflected the fake smiles of women trading secrets like currency. I adjusted my red silk dress and forced a smile for Natalie Singleton, the client who barely hid her fascination with "Chicago’s Venus." Alice, beside me, was already in "pitbull in stilettos" mode, scowling at anyone who smelled of betrayal. “So, Natalie, we want something intimate but impactful. A party that says, ‘I’m rich but classy,’” Alice said, toying with her pearl necklace while reviewing the proposal. Natalie laughed, her eyes bright. “Exactly! I want everyone to remember this house. White flowers, dramatic lighting, and…” A sharp laugh made me turn. Across the room, *Bethany Skyland* leaned against a table like a trainee geisha, her lips glued to the ear of… Jennifer Durham. My body froze. The water glass in my hand trembled. “Shit,” Alice whispered, following my gaze. “What’s that
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-18
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Traded For His First Love 143. A Past That Won’t Die
Reese POVThe sound of the television in the children’s room—a cartoon filled with laughter and music that Sammy and Avie loved—was a small oasis amidst the tension pulsing through the Goodwin mansion. I left them on the bed, Sammy clutching the remote with a triumphant little grin, Avie hugging a pillow, her messy curls falling over her face. “Stay here, okay? Mommy will be right back,” I murmured, kissing both their foreheads. Avie, with her sweet little voice, said, “Okay, Mama!” but quickly added, almost as an echo, “Venus come back soon!” I smiled, despite the weight in my chest. Avie, at three years old, sometimes called me “Venus,” mimicking Sammy or Alice, who used my Chicago nickname. It was confusing but so quintessentially her—a mix of affection and innocence that made me love her even more.I closed the door partway, my heart tightening at leaving them, even for a few minutes. Elliot was waiting in the hallway, and each step toward him felt like walking on glass, the pa
Traded For His First Love 142. A Fragile Haven in the Storm
Reese POVI never imagined I’d end up here, back in the Goodwin mansion, the place that haunted my nightmares with memories of rejection, betrayal, and loss. Each white column of the facade, each dark window reflecting London’s gray sky, seemed to glare at me with contempt, as if it knew I didn’t belong. When I arrived in the city, exhausted and penniless after a harrowing journey—the theft of my bag in New York, the cramped flight, the uncertainty gnawing at me—my plan was clear: take Sammy and Avie and leave, rebuild our family far from Elliot, from Jennifer, from this mansion full of ghosts. But Elliot, with his anger and resolve, made it clear in the entrance hall that he wouldn’t let me leave with the kids. I faced a cruel choice: walk away alone, empty-handed, returning to Chicago defeated, or stay here, in this house that terrified me, to be with my children. There was no choice, really. Sammy and Avie were my life, and for them, I’d swallow any fear, any pain. So, I stayed.
Traded For His First Love 141. A Heart in Conflict
Elliot POVThe entrance hall of the mansion felt too small to contain the storm of emotions engulfing me, a vast space of marble and chandeliers that now seemed suffocating. Reese was on her knees in the doorway, Sammy and Avie clinging to her as if afraid she’d vanish. “Mommy, you came!” Sammy kept repeating, his voice choked, tears streaming down his face as he hugged his mother with a strength that seemed bigger than his eight-year-old frame. Avie, her little arms wrapped tightly around Reese’s neck, sobbed, “Mama, I missed you so much,” her high-pitched voice cutting through the air like a bell. My heart ached, a physical pain that made every breath an effort, as if an invisible hand were squeezing my chest. I wanted to be firm, to hold onto the anger that drove me to flee Chicago with the kids, the anger over Reese’s lies—about Avie’s paternity, about the secret lawsuit to take Sammy from me. But seeing them together, seeing the unconditional love in my children’s eyes, made s
Traded For His First Love 140. A Heart That Won’t Give Up
Reese POVThe gate of the Goodwin mansion loomed before me like a barrier, but I held my head high, even as the weight of the past dragged me down. Each step on the gravel driveway echoed like a drum, stirring memories of the darkest days of my life—the fights with Elliot, Florence’s disdain, the betrayal that culminated in our divorce and the loss of Sammy. This house, with its white columns and dark windows, was a tomb for my shattered dreams, but it was also where Sammy and Avie were, my children, my reason for living. For them, I would face any terror, any pain. I adjusted my cardigan, took a deep breath, and rang the bell, the sound cutting through the silence like a warning.The door opened slowly, and there was Elliot, his green eyes that I loved now hard, heavy with anger and hurt. He crossed his arms, blocking the entrance, and the weight of our past crashed over me like a wave. My heart, already broken by his betrayal—fleeing with the kids, aligning with Jennifer—wept, but
Traded For His First Love 139. Facing the Past
Reese POVThe plane landed in London with a jolt that reverberated through my bones, as if the impact could shake off the exhaustion consuming me. As I stepped into Heathrow’s terminal, the cold, damp air of the London winter enveloped me, bringing a bittersweet mix of relief and fatigue that nearly made me collapse right there, amid the hurried travelers and noisy suitcases. My clothes were crumpled, clinging to my skin from the sweat and the torrential rain I’d faced in Chicago. My hair, plastered to my face, was a curtain of defeat, and the deep shadows under my eyes betrayed sleepless nights and the strain of the past days. In New York, my wallet was stolen at the airport, and I nearly missed my connection to London. Now, I was penniless, with nothing but a crumpled passport, a phone with a dying battery, and a stubborn hope that kept me upright. But I was in London, thousands of miles from home, and closer to Sammy and Avie than I’d been in months. That was enough to make my h
Traded For His First Love 138. Ghosts of the Past
Elliot POVThe bedroom was exactly as I remembered it, as if time had frozen since the last time I was here with Reese. The heavy blue velvet curtains, the canopied bed with its carved mahogany frame, the Persian rug she loved because it was “too soft to resist.” Every detail was a knife, slicing deeper into the longing I tried, but couldn’t, suppress. This London mansion, where I grew up, where I fell in love with Reese, where our marriage crumbled, carried the weight of all our promises and failures. When I moved to Chicago, I swore to myself I’d only return to this room with her, that we’d fix everything, that we’d be a family again. But here I was, alone, with Sammy and Avie sleeping in the guest room, Jennifer infesting the house like poison, and Reese an ocean away, perhaps hating me as much as I loved her.I lay on the bed, the mattress yielding under my weight, and the scent of fresh linens mixed with the faint lavender aroma of the house enveloped me. I closed my eyes, and
Traded For His First Love 137. A Bitter Return
Elliot POVThe engine of the rental car fell silent with a sigh as I pulled up in front of the London mansion, the imposing structure rising like a sentinel of my past. Its tall windows caught the gray light of late afternoon, reflecting a heavy sky that matched the weight in my chest. The Georgian facade, with its white columns and stone embellishments, was both a home and a prison, every detail carrying echoes of Reese—the moments we laughed together on the veranda, the nights we argued in the dining room, and the raw pain of the night she left, driven out by me, by Jennifer, and by my mother, Florence. Now, I was back, bringing Sammy, older and more wary, and Avie, my newly discovered daughter, who was seeing this place for the first time with curious eyes. And, to my shame, Jennifer was here too, sitting in the front seat, her overpowering perfume invading the car like a constant reminder of the mistake I was making.Sammy stayed silent in the back seat, his videogame powered of
Traded For His First Love 136: A Path Full of Thorns
Reese POVThe plane landed in New York with a jolt, the impact snapping me out of the daze I’d been in since leaving Chicago. My small, rain-soaked bag was clutched tightly against my chest, as if it were the only thing keeping me whole. The JFK terminal was a chaos of voices, dragging suitcases, and blinding lights, but it all felt distant, muffled by the one thing consuming my mind: Sammy and Avie, in London with Elliot, so far from me. I had to get to them, had to fix what my lies—about Avie, about Sammy’s custody—had destroyed. Every second standing still was torture, but my body screamed for a moment’s pause, for something to keep me going.I dragged myself to a terminal café, the smell of burnt coffee mixing with the hiss of an espresso machine. “Black coffee, please,” I muttered to the barista, a bored-looking kid who barely glanced at me. My voice was hoarse, my eyes swollen from crying, and I knew I looked a mess, with wet hair plastered to my face and a drenched coat. Whi
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
