All Chapters of Dared to love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The weather report for the day was at a slightly lower temperature than the previous day. At minus three degrees Celsius, winter was just a month away, and the cold sent shivers down Lorraine's spine. Every winter holiday was her family's traditional holiday. She was expected to be at home to be with her family to participate in the merriment and bonding. While she was in college, Lorraine always looked forward to this holiday. It was the only time she could see her little brother Jordan build fires in their backyard and roast marshmallows which she always seldom burnt. It was a pre-season Christmas in the Davis family, but this year felt different; her brother was diagnosed with cancer, her family was in debt with medical bills, her marriage had failed, and worse, her parents blamed her for it and wanted her back home indefinitely. Suddenly, a tradition that was once fun-filled and brought her joy seemed gloomy and dreadful as she stared for minutes at the calendar date beside her b

Lorraine's words left Clay in a very conflicting position. If he wanted their marriage to remain a secret, he would have to allow her to go, but if he wanted her to stay, that would mean that he would have to introduce himself to his in-law. Unfortunately, time wasn't on his side as Lorraine's bags were already packed, and she was heading towards the door. Lost in these conflicting thoughts, Clay yelled, "Stay," and Lorraine stopped halfway through the room. She wasn't sure what she had heard but hoped she heard him. As much as the thought of revealing her marriage to her father had terrified her, she also wanted him to know about their marriage, but being that Clay had emphasized maintaining the secrecy of his identity and his wealth, she couldn't pose him the question that weighed heavily on her - was it such a terrible thing, to let her father know she was married. But when he called out, Lorraine felt a sudden weight lifted off her chest. Clay slowly approached her and held her h

That morning, after Lorraine's father left for the airport, she felt relieved and went back to her husband's room. As she walked around the unfamiliar walls, she could sense his presence everywhere. The room smelled like Clay's perfume, and even though he wasn't there, she could still smell it in the air. The scent was intense, strong, and sweet, just like his bedspreads. She wondered if she would ever be able to enter his room again now that her dad was gone and they didn't have to pretend to be married anymore.On the other hand, Clay remembered what Lorraine had told him before her father's visit. He stared at her, his curiosity growing, which made his face twist."You quit your job?" he asked. Lorraine realized they were back to their usual superficial relationship. She looked at the clock, feeling frustrated. Out of all the things he could have said to make this seemingly perfect moment even better, or to grab her hand and pull her onto the huge bed, he chose to talk about work.

Maia brought out her phone and ordered an Uber, rushed to her room, and shortly after, she emerged wearing a boyfriend's jeans and some lose blouse"Let's go", she said, smearing the powder on her cheeks, and they were off to the most expensive clothing mall in Manhattan, Dechanelle.Maia and Lorraine walked into the high-end fashion store and browsed the racks of clothes, admiring the different styles and colours.The store was also filled with beautiful and seductive lingeries, from lacy bras and panties to sheer babydoll nighties.Maia was thrilled as she glanced around. She preferred fashion-forward clothes like those from Fashionova. On the other hand, Lorraine would probably have chosen a dress from a thrift store for dinner. Fancy dinners, parties, and balls were not her style. It was a stark contrast to Clay's world of wealth and status. She was more of a romance book by the reedy rivers type of girl, but somehow Lorraine managed to adapt and fit in. The upcoming family dinner

Lorraine stared at the mysterious lady as she approached the table. Her auburn wavy hair swung graciously as she stepped closer, adding a gentle elegance to her rhythmic steps, accentuating her natural curves. She looked almost like a model, and Lorraine was confused about what side of the family she belonged to. She had not heard any mentions of another sister whilst she was at the table, but she noticed that when the beautiful lady took a seat, the atmosphere of the table changed into apprehensive looks and quiet murmuring "Hi honey", she called, leaned in and kissed Clay on the cheek. Lorraine looked puzzled; this was an unusual display of affection between family members. Why would she call him honey? Her mind wondered, but she decided to ignore those thoughts. Still, the silence that hung in the air made it clear that something was amissClay did not respond to her greeting; he only looked uncomfortably bothered; they all did, except for Clay's mother.Celeste glanced around the