All Chapters of The Man I Shouldn't Want: A Game of Seduction & Lies: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Anya freezes, her eyes wide and locked on Ric’s hand, which rests around my waist. Her expression shifts from shock to anger in an instant, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, but no words come. Then, in a strained voice, she says, “I can’t do this,” and spins on her heels to leave.“Anya, wait!” I call out, my voice breaking. I step forward, reaching for her arm. “Please don’t go.”She stops but doesn’t turn around. Her shoulders heave as though she’s holding back tears. When she finally turns, her face is twisted with barely restrained anger. “Tell me what’s going on,” she demands, her voice trembling.I gesture toward the door. “Come inside. I’ll explain everything.”Meera glances at Ric, her expression laden with fear, before brushing past me into the penthouse. Anya follows, her steps hesitant but sharp. “If this has anything to do with him,” she says, nodding toward Ric, “I don’t want to hear it.”“It doesn’t,” I assure her quickly, realising that having Ric here is not at

My ears are ringing, and my heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst out of my chest. It can’t be true. Maisie, the woman I trusted, the woman who reminded me of my mother with her gentle smiles and quiet appearance, helped him? Betrayal slices through me like a knife.“I didn’t know,” she continues, her voice breaking into sobs. “I didn’t know what it was truly meant for!”I grab her arm and yank her sharply to her feet, hissing, “What do you mean?” My voice is a razor, cutting through the air, cutting through her lies.She flinches, her face twisting further in guilt and agony. “Sir told me to mix the powder with your food. I-I had no clue… I didn’t know it was going to—”“How stupid were you to listen to him blindly?” I slash at her. “How could you be so naive?”She wheezes, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “He said it was to improve your health,” she says, but I catch her on that lie. Her eyes dart away, unable to meet mine.I shake her by holding her shoulders tigh

The after-party is in full swing, the air buzzing with the energy of a successful premiere. I'm seated at a table with people including Meera, Chris, Hugo, and Aura. The venue echoes the clinking of glasses, laughter, and excited conversations. I watch as Anya walks towards me, excusing herself from a group of executives before leaning in, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. “The premiere went incredibly well,” she whispers, a smirk on her otherwise sharp face. “The press is already raving about the film, and your appearance with Chris was the cherry on top.”Chris lifts his glass of champagne, a genuine smile on his face. “To Hugo, Aura, and Natalie,” he says, his voice carrying over the noise. “May 'Choose Me, Choose You' be the success it deserves to be.”I smile, feeling a warmth spread through me. There’s a lot of hard work that was put into the movie so of course we all want it to be successful. I would agree that the premiere has been great, if I could erase the memory of tha

“Your father, Elliot Jones, killed Neil.”I wait for him to smirk, to laugh. To tell me this is just another lie he’s woven up to throw me off track. To distract me from the bad he has done to me. But Mike doesn’t falter. I shouldn’t believe it, but somehow it makes sense. I don’t understand why or how, but it feels like he’s given me the last missing piece of the puzzle, and now I have the full picture. The room spins, and I feel like I’m going to throw up. My throat tightens as my mind flashes images of Neil, my brother—memories with him. His laughter, his caring nature, his ability to turn brutal if anyone tries to hurt me. Neil’s death has always been a mystery, a painful wound that never healed. And now, Mike is telling me that my own father is responsible?"You’re lying," I whisper despite knowing deep in my bones that it is true.Mike shrugs, a cruel smile on his face. “He fell off a building, huh? Tell me how stupid that sounds. I was there, Nat. The ground was perfectly firm

I sit cross-legged on Meera’s couch, the plush fabric soft under my fingers as I try to form the words. She’s scrolling through her phone, barely glancing up, but I know she senses my unease. Finally, I take a deep breath and let it out in a rush.“Ric wants to take me to the lakehouse.”Meera’s fingers pause mid-scroll. Her head snaps up, eyes narrowing with curiosity and concern. “What?”“Just for a break. To get away,” I explain quickly, watching her expression shift through a spectrum of emotions. “I want to go… to clear my head.”“Clear your head?” she repeats, setting her phone down and leaning forward. “Nat, I get it. You’ve been through hell. But are you sure this is a good idea? Being alone with him that far away?”Her words prick at me. But I know she’s just worried—she’s not so forgiving of his past. “I need this, Meera. I need space. Air. Something other than these walls.”Meera softens slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re right. You do. But I…” She hesita