All Chapters of LOVE and RUSE: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The continuous chime of the doorbell echoed through the Montague mansion, rousing Isabella from her quiet reverie. With a furrowed brow, she made her way to the grand entrance of the mansion, her heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Who could be calling at this late hour, and why under the cloak of anonymity? There was no one at the door when she checked the doorbell camera whilst tension slowly build up in her chest. Slowly, she reached for the ornate brass handle, her hand hesitated for a moment while a flicker of uncertainty flashed across her features. With a deep breath, she pushed aside her apprehension and swung the door open. The cold night breeze slithers into the room like a stealthy intruder, its icy tendrils reaching out to caress her skin with a chilling touch, the sudden contrast in temperature sends shivers down her spine while her heart continue to pound wildly. A small package nestled on the doorstep, wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a

The hours stretched further into the night, Isabella found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the damning evidence spread out before her on the coffee table. Each photograph, each letter, served as a painful reminder of her husband's betrayal, fueling the turmoil of emotions swirling within her. With every passing minute, Isabella's anxiety grew, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for Alexander's return. She paced the length of the dimly lit foyer, her footsteps echoing hollowly against the marble floors, her mind consumed by thoughts of what she would say to him when he walked through the door, the hands of the clock crept closer to midnight and there was still no sign of Alexander. The mansion lay shrouded in silence, the only sound was the soft ticking of the antique grandfather clock in the corner. Several hours passed in agonizing silence, each minute feeling like an eternity as she wrestled with her conflicting emotions. Part of her longed to confront Alexande

For a long moment, there was only silence, broken only by the pounding of Isabella's heart in her chest. And then, finally, Alexander spoke, "She's... she's no one," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the photograph before him, but Isabella knew better than to believe his lies, knew that the truth was far more damning than he dared to admit. With a cry of anguish, she swept the photograph from the desk and hurled it across the room, the glass shattering with a deafening crash as it struck the far wall, Startled by her sudden outburst, he rose angrily from his seat and slammed his palm against the desk in anger, "I will not have you talk to me that way." he yelled, his masculine voice reverberated through the whole room. "I've acted with you for too long and now you don't know the difference between dream and reality. You are so confused and probably the reason why you think you have a say in the decisions I make with my life. I didn't marry you for love so get that into your thick skul

Alexander drove through the busy highway with a firm grip on the wheel while his foot pressed down hard on the accelerator pedal. He sigh in frustration when his thought drifted to Isabella. "Feels good to be free without having to fake anything anymore, " he smirked, "At least now she knows her place and I won't have to act like i care no more." A satisfied smile spread across his face as he swerved to the left, driving through the lonely estate road that leads to the temporary house he bought for Olivia few months back, pending her arrival from Australia. Few minutes later, he pull up in front of a single storey house, nestled among a row of similarly designed homes in a quiet suburban neighborhood and parked his car in the small parking space that could only admit a single vehicle. He pushed the thought of isabella to the far back of his mind as he alight from the car, and walked elegantly to the door with a big sincere smile plastered on his face. He rang the door bell and wait

"Do you know what I need now?" he asked, staring into her eyes. "What?" she asked with a knowing smile. "You." He stood up from Sophia's bed, careful not to wake her and swept Olivia off her feet in a single move while going in for another passionate kiss. Their lips remained locked as he carried her down the hallway towards the bedroom. Olivia let out a playful giggle. He lowered her onto the bed gently with desire evident in his fiery eyes while his lips reclaimed hers in fierce urgency. He trailed hot kisses down her neck and towards her shoulder blade, sending electric shocks through her whole body. Olivia kissed his neck and trailed her tongue down his chest, running her hands all over his body to feel the strong muscles of his chest and the toned abs of his stomach. His body tensed under her touch. He held her tightly and flipped her over, getting on top of her. Gently, he lowered the straps of her nightwear, drawing the gown below her perfect waistline, revealing her per