A WEEK LATER EMILY’S POVAs I stood alongside Cade and his parents, surrounded by the workers who had tirelessly labored to revive the resort, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. Before us lay a breathtaking transformation – a vibrant oasis risen from the ashes of its former dilapidated self.Cade's mother gazed in wonder, her eyes shining with tears. "I can hardly believe it's rising again," she whispered, her voice trembling.Her husband's eyes sparkled with confidence. "It's happening soon, and it'll thrive," he assured, his voice filled with conviction. "This resort will once again become the crown jewel of our community."As Cade's gaze locked onto mine, his voice trembled with anticipation. "The final piece of our puzzle: attracting guests," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.I smiled reassuringly, buoyed by their trust. "I've crafted a strategy to draw in the crowds," I replied confidently.Cade's father nodded, his eyes shining with
CADE’S POV "Emily's hurt!" Stephanie's frantic cry pierced the air, sending a shiver down my spine. I rushed downstairs, my heart racing with concern, as David carefully navigated the stairs, Emily's limp form cradled in his arms.As I reached the bottom step, I instinctively stretched out my arms to take Emily from David, but he swiftly passed me, his face etched with worry and determination. His eyes, usually bright and carefree, now seemed dull and troubled."What happened to her?" Stephanie trailed behind, her anxious voice trembling as she struggled to keep pace with David's urgent strides.David didn't slow down or look back. "No time for questions," he called over his shoulder, his voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation. "Get the doctor, now!"Stephanie sprang into action, dashing to the phone as David gently laid Emily on the nearest couch. I watched, feeling helpless, as Emily's fragile body seemed to sink into the cushions.David's hands lingered
EMILY’S POV "Tell me, what dream were you having?" Cade pressed, his eyes searching mine."It's not important, I don't remember it myself," I replied hastily, trying to brush it off."So, you calling my name in your dream means nothing?" Cade asked, a hint of hurt creeping into his voice.I hesitated, about to reveal more, when the door swung open. Stephanie walked in, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Her presence ignited a spark of anger within me.What was she doing here? Cade had been worried about me, yet he brought his mistress to the hospital?My gaze shifted to Cade, his expression anxious. Did he expect me to be okay with this?"Stephanie," I said coolly, trying to keep my emotions in check. "What brings you here?"Cade's eyes darted between us, sensing the tension. "I asked her to come," he said slowly. "I thought it would cheer you up.""How are you, Emily?" Stephanie asked, her voice dripping with insincerity. "When I heard from the nurse that you were awake, I just had to
CADE’S POV"You can't sleep either?" Stephanie asked, her voice soft as she slipped beside me.I startled, lost in thought. "I guess not. What brings you here?"Stephanie's eyes sparkled in the dim light. "John called me.""Your latest boyfriend?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.Stephanie nodded, a hint of wistfulness in her voice. "He wants me to come back. Says he misses me."I frowned, concern etched on my face. "Are you going to go to him? You know he doesn't take you seriously, Steph. You deserve better."Stephanie's gaze drifted downward, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know. But it's hard to let go. I still care about him."I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You deserve someone who loves and respects you, not someone who toys with your emotions. Break free, Steph. You're worth more."Stephanie's eyes met mine, a glimmer of determination igniting within them. "You're right. I need to move on.""And I need to know I gave our relationship a chance," Stephanie said wist
FLASH BACK (TEN YEARS AGO)As they stepped out of the car, the warm sunlight cast long shadows across the mansion's facade, its stone walls and manicured lawns exuding an aura of luxury. But amidst the beauty, the girl's heart felt heavy, her thoughts consumed by the loss of her father."Where are we, Mom?" she asked, her voice laced with apprehension.Her mother, a woman in her fifties with a weary expression, stepped out of the car and helped her daughter follow."We're at your Uncle's house, sweetie," she explained. "Your father's brother. This island is called Cain Island."The girl's brow furrowed. "But why did we have to come here?"Her mother's eyes seemed to hold a mix of sadness and determination. "We have to, honey. We have nowhere else to go. Your father told me before...before he passed away, that if anything happened to him, we should come to his brother for help. He said Uncle would take care of us."The girl's gaze lingered on the photograph, her
EMILY’S POVI stirred awake, alerted by the soft creak of the door. Only one person could be visiting at this hour: Cade. I squeezed my eyes shut, feigning sleep.My mind replayed our last encounter, and I wondered what brought him here now. Had he come to gloat or persuade me further?As I lay still, I listened to Cade’s quiet movements around the house. His footsteps were light, deliberate, as if trying not to disturb me.But the door didn't creak open to signal his departure. Instead, I sensed his presence lingering outside my room.My heart quickened, anticipation building. What did he want now?Why isn't he leaving,I thought as I continued to pretend.Just then, I felt the covers lift and Cade slipped into bed beside me. I seethed inwardly, outraged that he assumed he could share my bed.But, recognizing the futility of confrontation, I maintained my charade of sleep."Emily," Cade whispered, his breath tickling my ear.I remained still, holding my breath.The silence stretched,
EMILY’S POV "I was lost in the warmth of his embrace, my happiness radiating like a beacon. But the spell was broken when a sudden presence interrupted our intimate moment. I stepped back, releasing my grip on him, to find Isabel standing in the doorway. Her eyes flashed with anger, her face a mask of disapproval.'What is going on here?' Isabel demanded, her voice icy. 'And who are you?' She took a step closer, her gaze piercing.Cade's hand still rested on my arm, his touch a gentle reassurance. 'Isabel, calm down,' he soothed. 'Let me explain.'Isabel's eyes narrowed. 'Explain? You'll explain why you're holding some stranger in my house?' Her tone dripped with venom.The air was thick with tension as Isabel's anger clashed with Cade's composure. I felt like a pawn in their battle, unsure of the rules or the stakes."Isabel spat, her eyes blazing. "I have to deal with your wife's presence, and now her friends too?" She glared at us, her venomous gaze lingering.Cade's face darkened
FLASH BACK CONTINUED (TEN YEARS AGO) DENISE’S POV Weeks had passed since Rachel and her mom moved in with us, but the memory of that fateful day remained etched in my mind. The tension between Rachel and her mom was palpable, and Christopher's behavior toward her was nothing short of cruel.I'd been trying to unravel the mystery behind their strained relationship, and today, I finally stumbled upon the truth. My anger simmered just below the surface as I realized Christopher had kept this secret hidden for so long.Clutching a revealing photograph, I stormed into Christopher's study unannounced. The door swung open, and I stood before him, my eyes blazing with indignation."Why can't you knock?" Christopher asked, his tone irritated.I stood my ground, my voice firm. "Why didn't you tell me about your past with Rachel's mother?"Christopher's expression darkened. "What are you talking about?"I held up the photograph, my eyes locked on his. "Don't
I stood at the balcony, lost in thought, as the memories of Emily's reaction flooded my mind. She had always looked at me with love and adoration, but when she remembered the truth, her expression transformed into one of hatred and disgust.That was why I had kept the secret hidden for so long. I had been terrified that if she found out, she would hate me, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing her. But now that she knew, I was consumed by the fear that she would never forgive me.If she wakes up, she'll hate me, I thought, my mind racing with dread. She might even ask for a divorce. The thought sent a chill down my spine.Just then, David's voice cut through my thoughts, his tone dripping with malice. "Thinking about Emily, or are you thinking about what you did to her?" he taunted, his eyes glinting with amusement as he walked towards me."Don't start with me, I'm not in the mood for your nonsense," I warned, my patience wearing thin.But David just smirked, his eyes glinting wit
EMILY’S POV (TEN YEARS AGO)I walked back into the kitchen, my heart still racing from what I had just overheard. My mom was finishing her food, a forced smile on her face as she caught my eye. I returned the smile, trying to reassure her, but I knew she was scared. We both were.My uncle and his family owned the island, and everyone here seemed to be under their control. It was as if they were above the law. I knew that no one would dare to cross them, especially not the police.My mom's voice broke the silence. "Should we just go back to the States?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for answers.I hesitated, knowing that we had nowhere to go. My mom had always said that we couldn't go back, that we had to make a new life for ourselves here.But now, she was willing to risk everything to get us out of this place. "But we have nowhere to go, you always said that to me," I reminded her.My mom's expression turned determined. "I'll figure something out, let's just
EMILY’S POV (TEN YEARS AGO) ( The night of the festival)I lay on the bed, feeling defiled and dirty. The night that was supposed to be special had turned into a nightmare. I couldn't believe what had just happened.Cade's voice cut through my thoughts, making me feel even more wretched. "I hope you're using protection, cause I never used one," he said, his tone casual as he got dressed.I felt a wave of shame wash over me. How could he be so nonchalant about what we had just done? "Hey, it's not something you should get worked up over," he said, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and malice. "You wanted it just as much as I did."His words were like a slap in the face, making me hate myself even more. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of shame and regret.But then Cade's expression turned ugly, his eyes flashing with anger. "Fine, then, since you've decided to act immature about it, I'll also do the same," he spat. "Don't get it wrong, this is for get
I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on Emily as she crouched on the floor, her body shaking with sobs. "You rapist, stay away from me!" she yelled, her voice hoarse from crying.I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. How did she find out? How did she know what happened? I thought, my mind reeling with questions.I took a step forward, my hands outstretched. "Emily, I can explain," I said, desperate to justify myself somehow.But Emily's words cut through my defenses like a knife. "I had begged you to stop, I had asked you to stop, but you didn't listen," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.I felt a wave of shame wash over me. I had never meant to hurt her, but I had. And now, I had to face the consequences."Emily, please listen to me, I beg you," I said, my voice shaking with regret.But Emily just shook her head, her eyes streaming with tears. "Don't come near me, please," she begged, her voice barely above a whisper.I knew that she needed time to cool off, to process her emotio
EMILY’S POV I tried to pull out of David's arms, but he held me back, his grip tight. "I thought you had left for good," he said, his voice filled with emotion as he held me tight.I tried to explain, but David cut me off. "Why did you leave without saying a thing?" he asked, his eyes searching mine as he let go of me to stare at me.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I had to be..." I started to say, but David didn't let me finish."Oh my!" I exclaimed, startled, as he pulled me into his arms again."I don't want to know your reason," David said, his voice filled with relief. "I'm just glad that you're back."I pushed him away, feeling a sense of unease. Why was David so glad that I was back? What did he know that I didn't?"I'll head to my room now?" I said, trying to sound casual.But David's response was unexpected. "Can't you see it?" he said suddenly, his eyes wide with excitement.I felt a surge of confusion. "See what?" I asked, my heart pounding with anticipation.David
EMILY’S POV I sat in stunned silence, my mind reeling with the weight of my discovery. I had always sensed that something was off, a nagging feeling that had haunted me for as long as I could remember. And now, I had finally uncovered the truth.But as I gazed blankly into space, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made a terrible mistake. Would it have been better to remain in the dark, to never have sought out the truth? I thought about how blissfully ignorant I had been just days before, and a pang of regret shot through me."If only I could go back," I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible. "If only I could erase the memories of the past three days." But it was too late now. The truth was out, and I was left to grapple with the devastating consequences. (FLASH BACK ) THREE DAYS AGOAs I sipped the welcome champagne, its sweet, fizzy taste danced on my tongue. But it wasn't long before the exhaustion of the previous day's events caught up wi
CADE’S POV "This is my picture from when I was graduating college," Emily said, a nostalgic smile on her face as she flipped through the pages of the family album.As we continued to browse through the album, a particular photo caught my eye. "And what about this?" I asked, pointing to a picture of Emily surrounded by a group of guys at the beach.Emily's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, this was my first project after finishing my advertising course," she explained.My curiosity was piqued. "What? Your first project? What sort of project would a girl be doing amongst all these guys?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.Emily chuckled. "I had to help them advertise their beach. This is a photo taken when we were making the advert," she said, her eyes shining with memories of the experience."I don't like this at all," I said, my eyes narrowing as I gazed at the photo. "They're all male. Which one of them hit on you?" I asked, feeling a pang of jealousy.Emily burst out laughing, her eyes
"Please, I don't want her finding out like this," I begged softly, my voice cracking with desperation. "I want her to know the truth from me. Please, don't tell her the truth yet."Mrs. Wilburn's expression was incredulous, her eyes blazing with anger. "Isn't this being more shameless?" she spat. "You don't want her to know the sort of bastard you are? You want her to keep on loving the bastard who raped her?"Her husband placed a calming hand on her arm. "Honey, take it easy," he said, his voice soothing.But Mrs. Wilburn shook him off, her anger and pain boiling over. "For years, I had to see that struggle to be back to normal," she said, her voice trembling. "The nightmares, the flashbacks, the fear... and now you're asking me to keep the truth from her again?""Racheal was just a happy girl, remember?" Mrs. Wilburn's voice trembled with emotion, her eyes welling up with tears. "She and her mom would light up any room they entered, their smiles infectious and bright. But after she
CADE’S POV As the air hostess's voice came over the speakers, I felt a mix of relief and anxiety. "Okay, sir, enjoy your flight," she said, her tone cheerful and upbeat. But I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been building up inside me since we left the mansion.The routine checks and procedures before boarding the plane had been exhausting, but it was Emily's silence that was really worrying me. She hadn't spoken to me since we left the mansion, and every time I tried to talk to her, she would only respond with a monosyllabic "yes" or "no".I couldn't help but think that something was wrong. Ever since her parents' call, Emily had been acting strange. She seemed distant, preoccupied, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her mind.As I pondered the reason behind Emily's silence, I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was my fault. Had I been too abrupt in asking her to leave the resort and come with me to the city? The resort held a special place in