Novelas de Simply_B

ANTON"So, tell me. What's it like over there?" Ashley asked over the phone."It's pretty cold," I replied, glancing at the screen. "And it's snowing quite heavily.""Really?" She sounded intrigued. "What about Arthur?"I turned my head toward the living room, where Arthur sat on the sofa with a mug of hot coffee in his hand."He's here.""I can see that." She chuckled. "Give him my regards, will you?""Sure."Before I could say anything else, Jordan appeared on the screen, shirtless and looking far too comfortable."Merry Christmas in advance, Anton."I rolled my eyes. "Merry Christmas to you too.""Okay, I have to go," Ashley said. "Enjoy your trip, Anton.""I will," I muttered."Bye!" She waved at the screen before ending the call.I stared at my phone for a moment before dropping it on the counter and making my way into the living room. The warmth from the fireplace greeted me, but it did little to ease the chill that had settled into my bones after spending time outside.Arthur wa

SELENE The holiday season had arrived, bringing with it a sense of warmth, hope, and new beginnings.By now, my baby bump was becoming more noticeable, and the reality of becoming a mother was beginning to sink in. Sebastian and I had spent countless evenings discussing baby names. If we had a girl, I wanted to name her Andrea. If it was a boy, I liked Andrew or Horace. Sebastian, however, was firmly on team Andrew.Knowing him, he would probably find a way to convince me before the baby arrived.While Sebastian and I were preparing for our new life as parents, things were changing for the people around us, too.My father was still furious with Jordan for refusing to follow the path he'd chosen for him. But Jordan had made up his mind. He wanted to start his own atelier, build something of his own, and prove that he could succeed without relying on our father's influence.I'd offered to invest in his business, but he'd turned me down. He wanted to do this on his own, and although I wo

Four Weeks Later.ZARAI gave the closet one final look to make sure I hadn't left anything behind. Satisfied that everything had been packed, I zipped up my suitcase.I was supposed to return home tomorrow. My visit had only been meant to last a week, but somehow, I'd ended up staying for more than a month.And the funny thing was, I was beginning to love it here.I picked up my phone and noticed a message from Ashley saying she wouldn't be home tonight."Again?" I muttered.Ever since she and Jordan had gotten back together, she'd barely spent a night at home. At this point, I was beginning to wonder if she even remembered what her own bed felt like.I typed out a quick reply.Have fun.Then I dropped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.The house was going to feel awfully quiet tonight."I should go to Garrett's place," I mumbled, sitting up.It had become something of a routine. Whenever Ashley wasn't around, Garrett and I usually spent our evenings together. We were just hangin

ANTONJordan’s announcement had easily become the highlight of the evening. First, he'd announced his decision to step down as COO of Henderson Atelier. Then Ella had announced that their engagement was over.I hadn't expected either announcement, but watching Ashley and Jordan kiss afterward made me smile. They deserved a chance to be happy, and I was glad Ashley had finally allowed herself to take that step.“Damn.”A voice behind me pulled me from my thoughts.I turned, and my face immediately brightened.“James!” I exclaimed. “I didn’t think you’d show up.”“I couldn’t miss your exhibition for anything,” he said, pulling me into an embrace.I hugged him back, holding on for a moment before we pulled apart.He glanced around the room, taking in the artwork and the guests gathered around it. "You've done a good job. Mum would have loved to see this."The mention of our mother made my smile falter slightly."Where is she, anyway?""Something came up with her schedule." He reached int

ASHLEYMy lips parted at what I’d just heard.For a moment, I wondered if I’d misunderstood him. But the murmurs spreading through the audience and the gasps coming from different corners of the room told me otherwise.“What are you talking about?” Mr. Henderson demanded.“I’m stepping down from my position,” Jordan repeated calmly. “But that’s not even the shocking part, Father.”I furrowed my brows.Mr. Henderson glared at him. “What is?”“Wait for it.” Jordan glanced to the side.Curious, I followed his gaze, along with everyone else in the room.Ella Warner was making her way onto the stage."Isn't that the girl he got engaged to?” Zara murmured beside me.I didn’t answer. My eyes remained fixed on the two of them, my mind racing as I tried to figure out what Jordan was planning.Ella stopped beside him and leaned toward the microphone.“Hi, everyone. I’m Ella Warner." She said, looking at the audience. "I'd like to announce that Jordan and I have decided to end our engagement."Oh

SELENEOne of the most amazing things about being an expectant mother was how much more aware I’d become of my body.Every morning, I found myself standing in front of the mirror, lifting my nightdress to examine my stomach. I wanted to know if a bump had started to show or if my breasts were getting fuller. Sometimes, I’d turn sideways, studying my reflection as though I might notice a change I’d somehow missed the day before.It was ridiculous, really, considering how early it still was, but I couldn't help myself. There was something exciting about knowing a little life was growing inside me, even if the changes weren't visible yet.As for Julian, he would have to face the consequences of his actions in prison. Sebastian's father and Nora had visited him once, making it clear how disappointed they were. They'd considered him family, welcomed him into their lives, and trusted him, only for him to betray them in the worst possible way.After that, it was up to Julian to decide whethe

SELENEAunque mi corazón latía desbocado, me volví lentamente para mirarlo de frente. Estaba tan cerca que podía sentir su calor, y lo que más me desconcertaba no era solo la distancia que nos separaba, sino la forma en que me miraba.Con dulzura. Con ternura.Tan diferente de aquellas miradas frías e indiferentes que solía dedicarme.Aquel no era el Sebastian que yo conocía.Aquel hombre, de pie a escasos centímetros de mí, sonriendo como si mi presencia realmente le importara y llamándome su esposa como si aquella palabra tuviera un significado especial, me parecía un desconocido con el rostro de mi marido. Y, de alguna manera, eso dolía más que toda la crueldad que me había mostrado.Se me escapó un suspiro silencioso mientras apartaba la mirada.No me atrevía a desear que siguiera siendo así. La esperanza ya me había traicionado una vez.—Con permiso —susurré, intentando pasar por su lado.Pero él se movió y me bloqueó el paso con su imponente figura.Antes de poder evitarlo, mis

Había esperado tres años a que me mirara de aquella manera, y ahora que por fin lo hacía, no sabía cómo comportarme.SELENETres años. Tres largos años de silencio, de indiferencia y de sentirme invisible. Y ahora... me estaba mirando. Pronunciando mi nombre. Selene. Sus labios lo dejaron escapar como si fuera un hechizo, haciendo añicos los muros que había construido alrededor de mi corazón.Pero había una pregunta que ardía en mi interior con más fuerza que el alivio o la alegría: ¿Lo recuerda todo... o solo mi rostro?—¿Cómo es posible que la recuerde a ella y no a nosotros? —espetó Nora, señalándome.Los ojos de Sebastian pasaron de los míos a los de su hermana.—¿Quién... eres tú?Nora soltó un resoplido y retrocedió, perdiendo la seguridad por primera vez.—Mírame, Sebastian —dijo la señora Kingsley con dulzura, sujetándolo por los brazos—. Soy tu madre.—¿Mi... madre? —repitió él, con la confusión nublándole el rostro.—¡Sí! —exclamó ella, con una mezcla de esperanza y miedo en

Estaba preparada para poner fin a lo nuestro... pero no estaba preparada para perderlo.SELENEEstaba sentada en la fría sala de espera del quirófano, con las manos fuertemente apretadas sobre el regazo y la mirada fija en las paredes asépticas. El tiempo parecía cruel y lento, alargándose interminablemente. El penetrante olor a desinfectante me quemaba la nariz y me oprimía el pecho como un peso que no podía levantar.Nunca en mi vida había sentido tanto miedo.Mi mente no dejaba de reproducir todo lo que le había dicho: la rabia, el dolor, las palabras que le había lanzado por teléfono. Había arremetido contra él cuando ni siquiera podía defenderse.Y yo ni siquiera sabía que... estaba luchando por su vida.Bajé la mirada hacia mis manos temblorosas y una lágrima se deslizó por mi mejilla hasta caer sobre mis nudillos. Le había dicho que lo odiaba. Le había dicho que quería que desapareciera de mi vida.Pero nunca había querido esto.Nunca había querido perderlo de esta manera.Por

Me había preparado para sufrir por amor, pero no para esto.SELENE—Quiero el divorcio.Las palabras temblaron en mis labios mientras contemplaba el sobre que apretaba entre las manos. El grueso papel color crema que contenía pesaba como una sentencia definitiva.—Estos tres años contigo han sido un infierno y yo... yo...La voz se me quebró. Cerré los ojos con fuerza mientras el dolor me inundaba el pecho.—No, Selene. No.Abrí los ojos y me encontré con mi reflejo en el espejo. Parecía cansada. Vacía. Como alguien que había llorado demasiado y había esperado durante demasiado tiempo.—Llevamos días practicando esto —me susurré con amargura—. Y aun así, no has sido capaz de decirlo.Con una respiración temblorosa, abrí el sobre y saqué los documentos del divorcio. Los bordes temblaban entre mis dedos.Me había llevado tres años reunir por fin el valor para abandonar aquel infierno disfrazado de matrimonio. Tres años de silencio, de aguantar y de fingir que todo estaba bien.¿Qué me h

A las tres de la madrugada, mi esposo recordó dónde vivía, y yo recordé por qué había dejado de tener esperanzas.SELENEBip... Bip... Bip...Mis manos se quedaron inmóviles sobre el tirador del refrigerador.Por un momento, me quedé allí de pie, con el corazón dando tumbos ante el sonido agudo del código de la puerta introducido incorrectamente. La sala estaba en penumbra, con las sombras extendiéndose perezosamente por las paredes mientras entrecerraba los ojos para mirar el reloj de la pared.Las 3:00 a. m.Bip... Bip... Bip...El sonido volvió a escucharse, esta vez con más desesperación. Oí unos insultos ahogados al otro lado de la puerta y el tintineo del metal mientras alguien forcejeaba torpemente con el teclado numérico.Cerré el refrigerador despacio y me aparté de él, aferrando los dedos al borde de mi camisón. Sentí una opresión en el pecho, no por miedo, sino por esa resignación sorda y familiar.Finalmente, la cerradura hizo clic.La puerta se abrió con un chirrido.Di u

SELENE Obwohl mein Herz wie wild pochte, drehte ich mich langsam zu ihm um. Er stand so nah, dass ich seine Wärme spüren konnte, und was mich am meisten verunsicherte, war nicht nur der Abstand zwischen uns, sondern die Art, wie er mich ansah. Sanft. Zärtlich. So anders als die kalten, gleichgültigen Blicke, die er mir früher zugeworfen hatte. Das war nicht der Sebastian, den ich kannte. Dieser Mann, der nur wenige Zentimeter entfernt stand, lächelte, als wäre meine Anwesenheit tatsächlich von Bedeutung, und nannte mich seine Frau, als hätte dieses Wort Gewicht – er kam mir vor wie ein Fremder mit dem Gesicht meines Mannes. Und irgendwie tat das mehr weh als seine Grausamkeit es jemals getan hatte. Ein leises Seufzen entfuhr mir, als ich den Blick abwandte. Ich wagte nicht, mir zu wünschen, dass er so bleiben würde. Die Hoffnung hatte mich bereits einmal im Stich gelassen. „Entschuldige“, flüsterte ich und versuchte, an ihm vorbeizugehen. Doch er bewegte sich und v

Ich hatte drei Jahre darauf gewartet, dass er mich so ansah, und jetzt, wo er es tat, wusste ich nicht, wie ich mich verhalten sollte.SELENE Drei Jahre. Drei lange Jahre voller Schweigen, Abweisung und dem Gefühl, unsichtbar zu sein. Und jetzt … sah er mich an. Er sprach meinen Namen aus. Selene. Er rollte wie ein Zauberspruch von seinen Lippen und ließ die Mauern zerbrechen, die ich um mein Herz errichtet hatte. Doch eine Frage brannte heißer als Erleichterung oder Freude: Erinnert er sich an alles … oder nur an mein Gesicht? „Wie um alles in der Welt kann er sich an sie erinnern und nicht an uns?“, fuhr Nora mich an und zeigte auf mich. Sebastians Blick wanderte von mir zu seiner Schwester. „Wer … bist du?“ Nora schnaubte, trat einen Schritt zurück, und ihre Selbstsicherheit schwankte zum ersten Mal. „Sieh mich an, Sebastian“, sagte Mrs. Kingsley sanft und fasste ihn an den Armen. „Ich bin deine Mutter.“ „Meine … Mutter?“, wiederholte er, Verwirrung in seinen Zügen.

Ich war bereit gewesen, unsere Beziehung zu beenden … doch ich war nicht bereit, ihn zu verlieren.SELENE Ich saß in dem kalten Wartezimmer der Chirurgie, die Hände fest im Schoß geballt, und starrte auf die sterilen Wände. Die Zeit kam mir grausam und langsam vor, sie schien sich endlos hinzuziehen. Der stechende Geruch von Desinfektionsmittel brannte in meiner Nase und drückte wie ein Gewicht auf meine Brust, das ich nicht heben konnte. Noch nie in meinem ganzen Leben hatte ich solche Angst gehabt. In meinem Kopf spielten sich immer wieder all die Dinge ab, die ich zu ihm gesagt hatte – die Wut, der Schmerz, die Worte, die ich ihm am Telefon an den Kopf geworfen hatte. Ich hatte um mich geschlagen, als er sich nicht einmal verteidigen konnte. Ich ahnte nicht … dass er um sein Leben gekämpft hatte. Mein Blick fiel auf meine zitternden Hände, und eine einzelne Träne rannte mir über die Wange und landete auf meinen Fingerknöcheln. Ich hatte ihm gesagt, dass ich ihn hasste. I

Ich hatte mich auf Liebeskummer vorbereitet, aber nicht auf das hier.SELENE „Ich will die Scheidung.“ Die Worte zitterten auf meinen Lippen, während ich auf den Umschlag starrte, den ich fest in den Händen hielt – das dicke, cremefarbene Papier darin strahlte eine unumstößliche Endgültigkeit aus. „Die drei Jahre mit dir waren die Hölle, und ich … ich …“ Meine Stimme brach. Ich kniff die Augen zusammen, als Schmerz meine Brust überflutete. „Nein, Selene. Nein.“ Ich öffnete die Augen und sah mein Spiegelbild an. Sie sah müde aus. Ausgehöhlt. Wie jemand, der zu viel geweint und zu lange gehofft hatte. „Wir hatten das tagelang geübt“, flüsterte ich bitter vor mich hin. „Und du konntest es trotzdem nicht sagen.“ Mit zitterndem Atem öffnete ich den Umschlag und zog die Scheidungspapiere heraus. Die Ränder zitterten zwischen meinen Fingern. Ich hatte drei Jahre gebraucht, um endlich den Mut aufzubringen, diese als Ehe getarnte Hölle zu verlassen. Drei Jahre des Schweigens

Um 3 Uhr morgens fiel meinem Mann wieder ein, wo er wohnte, und mir fiel wieder ein, warum ich aufgehört hatte zu hoffen.SELENE Piep… Piep… Piep… Meine Hände erstarrten am Kühlschrankgriff. Einen Moment lang stand ich einfach nur da, mein Herz setzte bei dem schrillen Ton aus, der ertönte, als der Türcode falsch eingegeben wurde. Im Wohnzimmer war es schummrig, Schatten zogen träge über die Wände, während ich zu der Wanduhr hinüberblickte. 3:00 Uhr morgens. Piep… Piep… Piep… Das Geräusch ertönte erneut, diesmal noch hektischer. Ich hörte gedämpfte Flüche von der anderen Seite der Tür, Metallklirren, als jemand aggressiv am Tastenfeld herumfummelte. Ich schloss den Kühlschrank langsam und trat davon zurück, meine Finger krallten sich in den Saum meines Nachthemds. Meine Brust zog sich zusammen, nicht vor Angst, sondern vor einer dumpfen, vertrauten Resignation. Endlich klickte das Schloss. Die Tür quietschte, als sie sich öffnete. Ich trat einen Schritt zurück u

VALENTINAApex Secure Solutions.The number one security empire in the country.A company worth billions.And apparently, it belonged to Roman Calloway.I sat there, trying to absorb the information, but the more I thought about it, the more painfully obvious it became.I didn't know the man I thought I'd spent months slowly understanding.Not really.Not at all.I almost laughed.Nothing came out.Not even a breath of amusement made it past the tightness closing around my throat. I was too stunned to manage even that."Are you... mad at him?" Summer asked carefully.I lifted my eyes to hers.Mad didn't even begin to cover it.What I felt was closer to humiliation. The particular, sickening kind that came from realizing you'd been played quietly and completely by someone who had somehow allowed you to believe you were the one in control the entire time.And beneath that was something worse.A question I no longer knew how to answer.Who exactly had I fallen for?Because sitting in that

VALENTINAStay.One word shouldn't have had the power to undo me the way it did.Yet standing there in Roman Calloway's living room, with tears still drying in salty trails down my cheeks, I felt something inside my chest loosen.It was like a knot I hadn't even realized I'd been carrying until that moment, finally beginning to unravel.He wanted me to stay.I nodded, unable to stop the small smile that threatened to spread across my face despite everything.Roman exhaled, a breath that sounded almost like relief. The tension in his features softened, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.For a moment, neither of us moved.We simply stood there, looking at each other in the quiet of his living room.Then Roman finally broke the silence."Let's sit." He gestured toward the couch."What did you want to tell me?" I asked as I followed him."Something you should know about me."He lowered himself onto the couch, and I sat beside him, close enough to feel the warmth still rad

ROMANThat evening, standing in the hospital garage, I told Valentina Rhodes I quit.What I didn't tell her, or what she probably never considered, was that I wasn't just talking about the job.I was talking about her.About whatever this thing was that had taken root in me somewhere between the first month and now. Somewhere between watching her tear a room apart with nothing but her words and watching her hands shake afterward when she thought no one was looking.Technically, the promise I'd made to her late grandfather had ended months ago.But I stayed because I wanted to.Because somewhere along the way, I'd stopped being able to imagine handing her over to someone else and walking away.The problem was that Valentina Rhodes was complicated.One minute, I understood her completely.The next, she'd say something so cutting that I'd wonder if I'd ever understood her at all.Maybe that was the problem.Maybe I'd let myself get too attached. Too invested. Too quick to step in where I

VALENTINAI kept asking myself the same question over and over until it stopped sounding like a question and started sounding like an accusation.Why Roman?Why did one man take up so much space in my chest?Why did I think about him so often that it had stopped feeling like longing and started feeling like an irritation I couldn't scratch away from beneath my skin?Why were my fingers hovering over his name in my contacts right now, at eight o'clock at night, for no reason I could justify to myself?Why did I want so badly to call him?I flipped my phone face down against the sheets and exhaled sharply, as if that alone could force the feeling back down where it belonged.I lay back and stared at the ceiling.By tomorrow, I would be legally married to Charles.My uncles would have nothing left to threaten me with. Everything I'd spent the last week fighting for would finally, finally be secure.I should have felt calm.Instead, something restless and wrong seemed to crawl beneath my

VALENTINAI had spent my entire life making sure no one had the power to hurt me.I built walls around myself, brick by brick, until they stood so high that even the people closest to me rarely caught a glimpse of what existed behind them.Roman Calloway had walked straight through those walls without so much as breaking stride.And yesterday, with my own hands, I had pushed him back out.I told myself it had been necessary.I told myself I didn't need him. That I'd never needed anyone. And I certainly wasn't about to start with a bodyguard who had overstepped every boundary I'd spent years drawing.For a few hours, standing in my kitchen with my chin held high, I almost believed myself.Then I stepped outside.The driveway was empty.No black Maybach idling at the curb. No tall, impossibly composed man standing beside the door in a suit that never seemed to wrinkle, waiting for me with that maddening patience I had never once thought to appreciate.Just gravel.Morning light.Silence

VALENTINA The silence in the room felt like a physical weight crushing my lungs.My grandfather’s empire. My legacy. My name.All of it flashed before my eyes, tethered to the cold, sterile tiles at the foot of Charles Thorne’s bed.Kneel before me and beg, Valentina.The words echoed relentlessly in my head.Just do it.A desperate voice whispered from somewhere in the back of my mind.Kneel. Secure the votes. Save the company. Ruin him later.Against every instinct screaming at me to preserve what little dignity I had left, I slowly unclasped my white-knuckled fists.My heart pounded violently as I pushed myself out of the velvet armchair.Charles and his parents watched me in silence.My legs felt almost numb as I took a single step toward the bed, my eyes fixed on the floor as I prepared to lower my knees onto the cold tile.Charles's smirk widened into a triumphant sneer.Before my knees could bend, the doors swung open.My head whipped toward the entrance.Roman stepped into th