All Chapters of Hopelessly Devoted: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

I took a few deep breaths, trying to compose myself before exiting the bathroom. As I stepped out, I was immediately greeted by Claus, who was standing in the hallway, looking concerned."Ava, what's wrong?" he asked, his eyes scanning my face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."I forced a smile, trying to brush off his concerns. "I'm fine, Claus," I said. "I just needed a moment to myself."But before Claus could press me further, a voice cut through the air, making my heart sink."Who is this woman you're with?" Riezel asked, her voice dripping with venom.I turned to see Riezel standing behind Claus, her eyes fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.Claus turned to Riezel, a look of annoyance on his face. "Riezel, this is Ava," he said. "She's the owner of this event."Riezel's eyes narrowed, her gaze still fixed on me. "Oh, really?" she said. "I didn't know you were involved with the owner of this event, Claus."Claus shook his head, a hint of frustration in his vo

I spent the next few days carefully planning my next move. I knew that I had to keep the momentum going, to keep Markus interested and invested in getting to know me better.So, I did some research and found out that Markus would be attending a business luncheon at a high-end restaurant in the city. I made sure to arrive early, taking a seat at the bar and ordering a glass of wine.As I sipped my drink, I kept an eye on the door, waiting for Markus to arrive. And when he did, I made my move.I got up from my seat and made my way to the restroom, carefully timing my exit so that I would "accidentally" bump into Markus as he was making his way to his table.As we collided, I let out a startled gasp and apologized profusely, making sure to make eye contact with Markus and flash him a bright, charming smile.Markus, on the other hand, looked taken aback by the collision, but he quickly recovered and smiled back at me. "No worries, it was my fault," he said, gallantly taking the blame.As

As the evening wore on, Markus and I made our way to the dinner table, where the rest of the Montenegro family was already seated. The table was set with fine china and crystal glasses, and the air was filled with the delicious aroma of roasted meats and steaming vegetables. As we took our seats, Markus reached out and took my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. I smiled up at him, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort in his presence. But not everyone at the table was pleased with our display of affection. Raphael, who was seated across from us, looked on with a disapproving scowl. He seemed to be seething with anger, his eyes flashing with resentment as he watched his father hold my hand. As the dinner conversation began, Raphael remained silent, his eyes fixed intently on me. I could feel his gaze like a weight on my skin, and I knew that he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. That moment came when the waiter arrived with the main course, a delicious-looking roas

I took a deep breath and made my way back inside, the cool air conditioning enveloping me like a welcome hug. I scanned the room, my eyes searching for Markus, and spotted him sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of wine. I made my way over to him, my heels clicking on the marble floor. As I sat down beside him, I couldn't help but let my eyes drift over to Raphael, who was standing across the room, his back to me. I smiled to myself, a small, secret smile. Markus noticed it and turned to me, a questioning look on his face. "What's making you smile, my dear?" he asked, his voice low and husky. I just shook my head, not wanting to share my thoughts with him. "Nothing," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. But Markus's eyes lingered on me, a hint of curiosity in their depths. I knew he was wondering what was going on, but I wasn't about to enlighten him. As I sat there, I became aware of Riezel's gaze on me. She was staring at me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. I felt a thrill of

As we continued walking through the mall, I noticed two kids playing tag nearby. The little girl, giggling and carefree, accidentally ran into Riezel, bumping into her and causing her ice cream to stain her dress.Riezel's face turned red with anger, and she pushed the little girl hard, sending her tumbling to the floor. The little girl cried out in pain and shock, and I couldn't believe what I was witnessing.I quickly rushed over to help the little girl up, trying to calm her down as she sobbed uncontrollably. Riezel, still fuming, took a step closer to the little girl, her hand raised as if to slap her.But I wasn't having it. I grabbed Riezel's hand, holding it tight as I glared at her. "Don't," I warned, my voice firm.Riezel's eyes flashed with anger, and she tried to shake off my grip. "Don't interrupt me," she spat, her voice venomous.But I stood my ground, refusing to back down. That's when I saw Raphael walking towards us, a concerned expression on his face. I knew I had to