All Chapters of Once Close, Now Strangers: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The day I escaped, my body was battered and barely covered, bearing wounds and scars.A swarm of reporters surrounded me, their camera flashes blinding my eyes. Some had even started live-streaming, spinning one outrageous headline after another.“Heartthrob actor Luke Trainor’s Secret Lover: Reduced to a Plaything Just to Get Resources for Her Beloved.”“Desperate Mistress Self-Harms to Pressure the Actor into Taking Responsibility.”I stared at them blankly, watching as they twisted the truth, smearing my name. They even started filming my disheveled and miserable state with their cameras. Yet, I didn’t feel a single thing.However, their actions grew increasingly outrageous. They ignored my injuries and shoved cameras directly into my face. Some even pushed me to the ground, trying to capture more revealing photos to fuel their sensational headlines.Just then, I heard the sound of police sirens, and the officers dispersed the crowd. Immediately after, a masked man lifted me f

I quickly washed up and put on a long-sleeve chiffon dress. Only when I couldn’t see the wounds on my body could I forget the awful things I had experienced.As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Luke signaling for me to come downstairs. Right, it was time to clear things up with him.I stood before him. He patted the couch, inviting me to sit. However, as I moved closer, he suddenly pulled me into his arms. The smell of alcohol immediately hit me. Luke wasn’t a heavy drinker, especially after that incident. Ever since then, he’d avoided alcohol altogether.That day, he had attended a party where someone had spiked his drink. That was how we ended up together. However, I agreed willingly because I had been in love with him for years.Luke and I had grown up together. After my family fell apart, he was the one who helped me through the tough times. The seed of love had been planted, and it grew without me even realizing it.After that night, Luke asked me to be his secret

A tense silence filled the atmosphere in the room.Just then, the door suddenly swung open. It was Luke’s grandmother.Her face was full of concern as she hurried in, exclaiming, “Suzy, what happened to you? I saw on TV that you got hurt.”Seeing her, an elderly woman, rushing all the way here from home, stirred some emotions in me.Luke’s grandmother had always treated me like her own granddaughter. Whenever I visited, she would tell me how wonderful Luke was and express her wish that I could become her granddaughter-in-law.Of course, I wished for the same. However, Luke had made it clear that his family could never know about our real relationship.“Suzy, you look so pale. You must’ve been through a lot.” Grandma then held my hand. Her warm gesture made my nose sting and my throat tighten.I shook my head. Just when I was about to respond, a familiar female voice interrupted.“Suzy, are you feeling better?”Standing at the doorway was a woman dressed in understated casual

After spending over two weeks in the hospital, I was finally discharged.Luke drove me back to his private residence. Once we arrived, he handed me a bank card loaded with five million dollars. He told me to treat it as compensation.I accepted it and immediately transferred the funds into my own account. When he left for work, I took the opportunity to pack my things and prepare to leave. However, I didn’t expect to run into Ian as I was leaving.He greeted me casually, “Ms. Roland, where are you headed? Mr. Trainor said you should stay home and rest.”Trying to keep my composure, I lied. I told him I was heading out for some fresh air. To my dismay, he pulled out his phone and began to call Luke.Panicked, I dropped my suitcase, grabbed his arm, and begged, “Please, Ian. Don’t tell Luke about this.”He hesitated for a moment before asking, “Ms. Roland, are you leaving?”Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded.“Ian, just pretend you didn’t see me, okay? I have nothing left. I’

It was Ian. He frowned as he pushed Ruby back to the ground. However, his protective embrace brought me a rare sense of safety.Tears streamed down my face as I clung to him tightly, my voice trembling. “It’s her! She was the one who got me kidnapped! She’s the mastermind!”“Stop spouting nonsense, Suzy!”Just then, Luke had also arrived. Ruby then started sobbing dramatically, twisting the truth to suit her narrative. She claimed I had hit her and that she had only approached me out of concern.Ruby continued accusing me of falsely claiming that she had kidnapped me.Luke, helping her to her feet, looked furious as he turned to me “Was Ian the reason why you didn’t answer my calls? Suzy, if you come back with me now, I’ll let this slide.”Did he really think I was that naive?I clung to Ian’s shirt, my voice shaking. “Let’s go home, please.”“Alright, we’ll go home now.”Ian reassured me gently before lifting me into his arms.Luke’s furious voice rang out behind us. “Suzy,