All Chapters of Second chances: Love or revenge?: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Lucas's eyes were glued to Ella’s face, almost greedily. In the six long years without her, he’d dreamed of her countless times, imagining she’d come back to his side. But each time he woke up, reality was the same—he was alone. And even after he’d figured out that Lila was indeed Ella, he could hardly believe it. He’d worried it was just a trick of his mind, afraid that if he blinked, she might vanish again. But now, here she was, standing in front of him, telling him she’d be with him for the next month. For the first time in ages, he felt a sense of calm. He ached to reach out, pull her close, and make sure she was real. But he held back. The image of her passing out the night before was still vivid in his mind, reminding him of the cost of losing her again. "I'm so thrilled that Reporter Lila has joined the Apex Corp," he said, his face perfectly composed. Ella was all business, though. “No need to be thrilled. Just make sure to pay me another secretary’s sal

“Just look it over; I trust you.” Lucas’ words hung in the air, cool and unbothered.Ella stood there, her expression a mix of disbelief and a touch of annoyance. Trust? Now? If he’d said those words to her six years ago, she might’ve been moved. Now, she just found it ridiculous.“Oh, really?” She arched an eyebrow. “You trust me? Isn’t that a bit… naïve?”Lucas’ gaze softened ever so slightly. “Because I know you’re still the Ella I knew,” he thought to himself, but he wasn’t going to say it out loud. Instead, he smoothly changed the subject.“Are you free on Saturday?” he asked, his tone almost casual.“No.”Lucas barely missed a beat. “Well, I’ll pick you up downstairs at ten.”Ella could practically feel her blood pressure rising. “Since you’ve apparently planned out my Saturday for me, why even bother asking?”He leaned back, his face growing more serious. “Saturday is the anniversary of my father-in-law’s passing. It’s… important. If possible, I’d like you to accompany me.”

Kai's mind flickered back to that one statement his grandmother once threw at him, "You used to be such a well-behaved child, but now you even talk back to me just to go online. Do you think going online won’t make you bad?" He had felt helpless then, caught in the crossfire between his own understanding and his grandparents’ worries. How could he even start to explain himself?That moment was a turning point, though. Kai had come to realize that adults could accept kids being smart – as long as they weren’t smarter than the adults themselves. Adults liked things they could understand and control. And so, he learned to keep parts of himself hidden. But now, with his mom standing in front of him, he wondered if things might be different with her. She had always been the one to have his back; even when his grandma confiscated his phone, it was Mom who returned it to him and even bought him a kids' computer, saying she trusted him to tell right from wrong.Kai took a deep breath, try

Probably feeling Ella's frustration, the young male voice on the other end of the phone sounded slightly apologetic, “We were too careless last time, and Luke managed to slip through our fingers. But don’t worry, Ms. Ella. I have people keeping an eye on his family. The moment he dares to show up again, I’ll make sure he’s caught and that justice is served.”Ella sighed and nodded slightly. This private investigator, among the many she'd hired, was the most reliable she'd found. She had no other choice but to trust him. After all, she had two children to care for and couldn’t just camp out in Luke’s hometown herself, hoping for a glimpse of him.As she hung up, Ella's thoughts drifted back to what the investigator had mentioned: someone was looking into the fire at her family’s pharmaceutical factory. For some reason, an uneasy feeling crept over her—could it be Zane?But she couldn't figure it out. The fire six years ago was obviously led by Lucas, so why did he ask Zane to investi

Ella watched as Lucas turned his head, and there was Leah, looking like she’d just seen a ghost. Leah’s mouth opened and closed as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Then, she narrowed her eyes at Ella, Ella already anticipating her reaction, took a couple of cautious steps back. Her eyes were calm, even smug, as if to say, Try it. I dare you. Leah’s hand clenched by her side, and a glare settled on her face before she turned to Lucas, exasperated.“You’ve really lost it, haven’t you, Lucas?” Leah’s tone was as sharp as ever. “What? Did this fox whisper in your ear, don't you remember that the woman standing next to me is your son’s ‘real’ mother?”Amy was red with embarrassment, her gaze flicking to the floor, the ceiling—anywhere but Lucas’s face. Ella tried to stifle a grin as she watched him, practically daring Leah to keep going. She did.“If you’re so against her, why let Amy get pregnant in the first place?” Leah demanded. “The boy’s five years old