All Chapters of Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

I tilt my head toward the mirror, squinting to see if the makeup covers the red mark. The foundation smooths over the skin fine enough, but somehow, I can still feel it—a prickling reminder right there on my cheekbone. I dab another layer, then another, the brush pressing harder until my jaw clenches.He didn’t even flinch.I shake the thought away, pulling back to check my work. The mirror reflects something close enough to perfect, so I force a smile. I pick up my phone and tap into Instagram. This—decorations, outfit, everything—has to mean something. Tonight’s the night.As the camera goes live, I tilt my face just right, adding a little shimmer of joy to my eyes. I’ve practiced the smile enough that it comes naturally. “Hi, everyone! Welcome back to Estella’s Living,” I chirp, waving. “Tonight’s a special night. It’s our five-year anniversary, and I thought you’d all love a little peek into the surprise I’ve put together for him.”I adjust the angle to show the beautifully arrang

Tears blurred my vision, but I could still make out the dim glow of streetlights outside the cab , casting shadows that only deepened the ache in my chest. I hugged myself, leaning into the cold leather seat, barely holding it together as the city blurred past into faded memories and fractured hopes I wish I could forget . Each sob ripped through me, leaving a raw emptiness in its wake, as if I’d drained some part of me I’d never get back.A tissue appeared over the seat. I looked up, surprised, meeting the driver’s eyes in the rearview mirror. They were oddly warm, though lined with the kind of weariness that comes from years of late nights and endless fares. I took the tissue with a shaking hand, dabbing at the mess on my cheeks, knowing there was no way a thin piece of paper could fix what was broken in me.He adjusted his rearview mirror, and our eyes met for a heartbeat. Something about him looked familiar, as if I’d seen him before, but my mind was too foggy to piece it together

The rain lashed against my face like tiny needles, soaking through my thin shirt as I stumbled out of the hospital doors. My hair clung to my face, and my sneakers squelched with every step. I didn’t know where I was going—I just knew I needed to keep moving. Anywhere but here. My steps faltered when a wave of nausea washed over me. This is too much for one day. Kicked out. Arrested. Pregnant. I laughed bitterly, my hand instinctively pressing against my flat stomach. “Pregnant,” I whispered to no one. It was absurd. Maybe the doctors were wrong. Maybe fate wasn’t this cruel. But it was. Of course, it was. A baby. A child. After years of Marco’s abuse,his insults, of his mother’s cruel words, of being called barren—a curse in heels. And now, when he’d thrown me out like garbage, this child decided to show up. I laughed again, louder this time, the sound strangled and raw. “Unbelievable,” I muttered, shaking my head. I was an orphan. I had no one except my adoptive parents who ra

Alejandro’s chuckle was low and unrelenting, the kind that made your skin prickle because it wasn’t just a laugh—it was a challenge. “You’re so dirty-minded,” he said, the words vibrating through the air like a ripple of staticI groaned and peeked through one eye, catching a glimpse of his black shorts. My breath hitched before relief washed over me. Oh, thank God.“Relax, princess,” he said, his voice dangerously close to my ear, making the hairs on my neck stand on end. “It’s just skin. Not like you’ve never seen a man before.”“Don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped, my eyes squeezed shut again. “And stop calling me that.”He shifted closer. I felt it, the heat of him radiating through the air between us, and my breath hitched again before I could stop it“Fine,” he drawled, his tone dripping with a smirk I didn’t need to see to know was there. “Would you rather I say cinderella? Or should I just stick with my guest who doesn’t know how to follow simple rules?I hated the way his voic