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83. The Poisoned Invitation
Last Updated:
2025-03-18 23:51:57
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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
Traded For His First Love 126. Tangled Bonds and Hidden Truths
Alice POV The mirror in my bedroom reflected a version of myself I hadn’t seen in a while — a spark in my eyes, a flush on my cheeks, the kind of glow that only came from feeling alive. I smoothed the hem of my navy dress, the fabric hugging my curves just right, and checked my phone again. Connor’s text from an hour ago — “Can’t wait to see you tonight, Alice. You’re gonna knock me out.” — still sent a thrill through me, my heart doing a little flip. Every date with him was like a shot of adrenaline, each laugh and touch pulling me deeper into something I hadn’t felt in years. Maybe ever. I was falling for him, hard, and the thought made me giddy as I slipped on my heels, ready to meet him at the restaurant.I grabbed my purse, humming to myself, the anticipation buzzing under my skin. But when I opened the front door, the song died in my throat. Roseanne stood there, her hand raised to ring the bell, her blonde hair pulled tight in a ponytail, her face a mask of barely contained
Traded For His First Love 125. A Wound Unspoken
Elliot POV The city blurred past the car windows, a smear of lights and shadows as I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white, my heart a tangled mess of rage and heartbreak. Jennifer’s voice echoed in my skull, her words like shards of glass cutting deeper with every mile: “Avie is your daughter, Elliot. Reese has been lying to you this whole time.” My chest burned, each breath a struggle as I tried to hold myself together, but the truth — if it was the truth — was a weight I couldn’t carry. Avie, my Avie, with her giggles and curls, was mine? Not Spencer’s, not some other man’s, but mine? And Reese, the woman I loved, the woman I’d fought to win back, had kept that from me for years? The betrayal sliced through me, sharp and relentless, leaving me raw.I slammed my hand against the wheel, the dull thud doing nothing to ease the storm inside. How could she? All those moments — the late-night talks, the way she’d look at me with those eyes that promised forever — and not once
Traded For His First Love 124. Truths That Break
Elliot POVThe hum of the Carter’s Wine offices was a distant noise—phones ringing, keyboards clicking—but all I could focus on was the stack of contracts on my desk, each one a reminder of the long road to rebuilding my life. I was halfway through signing a distribution deal when my phone buzzed, Reese’s name lighting up the screen. Her voice, when I answered, hit me like a freight train—shaky, broken, desperate. “Elliot, can you come get me? Please. Something happened… I don’t… just come, okay?” The raw panic in her words sent a jolt through me, and I was already on my feet before she finished, the chair scraping against the floor.“I’m on my way. Stay there, alright? I love you,” I said, grabbing my keys and coat, already sprinting for the door. Her “hurry, please” echoed in my head, each syllable tightening the knot in my chest. Reese wasn’t the type to fall apart like this, not unless something had gone terribly wrong. My mind raced—was it Sammy? Avie? Something at Lunaris Even
Traded For His First Love 123. Cracks in the Truth
Reese POV The burn on my cheek still pulsed, as if the woman’s hand had left more than a red mark on my skin. I stood frozen in the Lunaris Event reception, my hand on my face, heart pounding as I tried to process what had just happened. The employees were still, eyes wide, some whispering low, and the heavy silence was only broken by the echo of her words: “You think you can get away with it?” The woman was already at the door, but now I could see her clearly — blonde, piercing light eyes, dressed in expensive clothes that screamed wealth, the kind Nathalie, Bethany, or even Alice would wear. And beside her, clutching her hand tightly, was a boy, about Sammy’s age, maybe five, staring at the floor like he wanted to vanish.Before I could speak, she spun back around, her face twisted with rage. “You’re a homewrecker, Venus!” she spat, my name dripping with disgust. “I’m Roseanne, Spencer’s wife. At least, he’d still be my husband if you hadn’t shown up to steal him from me!”Her wor
