Chapter: 161. HAPPY EVER AFTERARDENThe estate had been transformed entirely from the last time Arden had walked its gardens—white and gold everywhere, arches of flowers lining every path, the late afternoon light catching against crystal glasses already set out for the reception."You look insane," Sophia said, adjusting the veil for the fourth time even though it had been perfect the first time. "In the best possible way. Jett's going to forget how to speak.""That would be a nice change of pace, honestly.""He's been unbearable all week. Grandfather made him practice his vows out loud twice, and both times he cried before he finished." Sophia grinned, holding up her phone. "I have proof. Ammunition for future arguments."Riley appeared in the doorway, dressed in soft blue, holding a small bouquet of her own. "The venue looks incredible. You have to see the garden properly before we start."They walked through together, and Arden took it in slowly—the arches, the string lights already glowing faintly aga
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 160. True Love Will Always Make It's WayARDENJett had been oddly, infuriatingly cagey all week.He was dodging simple questions about weekend plans, slipping out of the room to take low-toned phone calls he refused to explain, and checking his watch with every single breath he took. I had noticed every single anomaly without saying a word out loud, filing each suspicious detail away in the quiet back of my mind."You're being weird," I said flatly on Friday evening, setting my wine glass down as I watched him glance at his phone screen for the third time in under ten minutes."I'm not being weird," he said seamlessly, leaning back against the velvet restaurant booth."You've checked that phone eleven times since our appetizers arrived, Jett. I'm counting.""I'm a very busy man, Arden." He finally flipped the device face-down on the white tablecloth and focused his full, dark eyes on me—a little too smoothly. "Chairman duties. Highly demanding.""Uh-huh." I narrowed my eyes at him across the candlelit table, entire
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 159. Jade's Down FallARDENI was reviewing a complex branding proposal at my desk, deep in a color palette spreadsheet, when my phone buzzed across the polished wood. Riley’s name lit up the screen.I almost let it go to voicemail. We had dinner plans scheduled for later that evening, and my eyes were burning from staring at pantone codes all morning. But something about the relentless, buzzing insistence of the second ring made me drop my pen and pick up anyway."Riley? What's going on?""You need to sit down for this, Arden," Riley said, her voice breathlessly fast, barely catching her wind. "Seriously. Sit down."I leaned back in my office chair, my attention snapping into sharp focus. "What happened?""Jade's family," Riley blurted out, the words tumbling over each other. "Her dad just got arrested by federal agents two hours ago. Securities fraud, wire fraud, racketeering—some massive, elaborate scheme. Apparently, his entire real estate empire was built on lies stacked on top of dirty money
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 158. A Trip Down Memory Lane II RITA Rita grew up understanding, long before she had the proper words to articulate it, that her father belonged to two separate houses, and that hers was always the second one—the quiet one, the hidden one, the house he visited on specific evenings rather than lived in full-time. She remembered being five years old, sitting on a vanity stool in her mother’s bedroom while the afternoon sun cut through the heavy lace curtains, painting amber stripes across the floral carpet. "He's still married," Vivian said, drawing a tortoiseshell hairbrush through Rita’s dark curls with considerably more force than was necessary, pulling hard enough to make Rita’s scalp sting. "For now. But that's temporary, Rita. Everything temporary eventually becomes permanent—if you're patient enough and clever enough about it." "When's he going to come live here with us?" Rita asked, squirming slightly against the pull of the brush. "Like Sarah's daddy lives at her house?" "When I decide it's the
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 157. A Trip Down Memory Lane IARDENI was seven years old the night my father walked out, and for years afterward, my brain kept it locked away in fragmented pictures. They were like broken pieces of glass caught in sunlight—too sharp to touch, too bright to look at directly, but always sitting just beneath the surface of everything I did.I remember the smell of the house first. It smelled like rain leaking into the window sills and the stale scent of dark roast coffee that had gone cold in the pot hours ago.I was supposed to be asleep. My bedroom was at the far end of the hallway on the second floor, a tiny space with faded wallpaper depicting yellow wildflowers that had peeled near the radiator. But I had been awake for hours, lying on my side under a scratchy wool blanket, watching the shadow of the oak tree outside trace jagged patterns across my ceiling.Then the raised voices started.It wasn't the usual low rumble of my parents discussing bills or complaining about the landlord. This was sharp. It
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 156. She Wins This TimeARDENI was at Jett's penthouse apartment, curled up on the oversized leather sofa with my laptop, working through a branding proposal for Palette's newest client, when my phone buzzed on the coffee table with an emergency news alert.Local Woman Found Dead, Husband and Sister-in-Law Arrested — Arsenic Poisoning ConfirmedI stared at the black push notification for a long, frozen moment before actually tapping to open the article. Something cold and hollow settled deep into my chest—a sensation I hadn't expected to feel.Jett looked up from his own tablet across the room, instantly sensing the sudden shift in the air. "Arden? What is it?""Rita's dead." My voice came out flatter and quieter than I meant it to. I stared down at the glowing screen. "Lucas and Jessica were both taken into custody two hours ago. Arsenic poisoning."He set his tablet down immediately, crossing the room to sit beside me on the couch. He pulled the phone toward us, reading the short breaking-news repor
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: 5. Who is She?!Anne woke up to sunlight on her face. The ceiling was unfamiliar…tis wasn't her apartment. She thought darkly.She sat up quickly. Her head pounded. She looked down at herself. Still wearing the black dress from last night. Even her shoes were on.The bedroom was huge. Where was she?Anne stood up slowly. Her legs shook but they worked. She remembered pieces of last night. The club! The man who drugged her and stranger who saved her…and the car!Her face burned hot. She remembered climbing into his lap. Trying to unbuckle his belt.“I could die of embarrassment right now” she muttered to herself.She walked out into a massive living room. The penthouse was empty. On the kitchen counter was a note in sharp handwriting.(You deserve better.)Her purse was there too. Her phone was inside with a cracked screen and seventeen missed calls from Donald.The phone rang in her hand showing Donald’s name in the caller ID.Anne answered."Anne! Oh thank God. Where have you been? I've been calling
Last Updated: 2026-01-26
Chapter: 4. The Hot StrangerSophie Laurent showed up at Anne's apartment three days later with a bottle of tequila and a plan."We're going out," Sophie said.Anne was on the couch in sweatpants. She'd been there since the engagement dinner. Her phone was still lost. She hadn't bothered to replace it."I don't want to go out," Anne said."I don't care what you want," Sophie said. She pulled Anne off the couch. "You've been crying for three days over a man who isn't worth your tears. Tonight, we forget Donald Ashford exists.""Sophie…""No arguments. Come on babe…wear something hot."Anne didn't have the energy to fight so she agreed in the end.She showered and put on a black dress that Sophie pulled from her closet. It was tight and short."Perfect," Sophie said. "Now let's go."The club they went to was called VIBE. The place was packed with extremely loud music.Sophie ordered shots at the bar."To being single," Sophie said, raising her glass."I'm not single yet," Anne said. "Technically.""Your father call
Last Updated: 2026-01-26
Chapter: 3. The Engagement DinnerAnne woke up in the hotel room at noon.Her body ached. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Her cheek still hurt where Donald had slapped her.She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She looked terrible. Her hair was tangled and her eyes were red with a faint mark on her left cheek.She splashed water on her face and tried to remember what she was supposed to do today.Then it dawned on her that today was her engagement dinner. Her father had made her plan months ago. It would be a formal dinner to celebrate the engagement with both families before the wedding next month. Also, to reveal who she truly was to Donald because he hated the secrecy.Anne's stomach dropped.She had no phone. No way to cancel. No way to call Donald and tell him not to come.Not that she wanted him there anymore.But her father didn't know what happened. He didn't know about the slap or Hannah or any of it.Anne sat on the edge of the bed.She could skip it. Just not show up.But her father would worry.
Last Updated: 2026-01-26
Chapter: 2. A Loud SlapAnne looked at the message for a long time before getting up and leaving the restaurant.She knew where Hannah lived. It was the biggest apartment in the best area with the expensive view that her dad paid for. She was halfway there when it started to rain. At first, it was only a light drizzle, but then it got worse. The windshield wipers couldn't keep up, but she didn't care. She just sped up. She finally got outside of Hannah's building. She went straight to the elevator after she found a place to park.“Miss you can't go in there!”“Stop, miss!”The doorman tried to stop her but she walked past him. Coming face to face to the door she knocked so hard her knuckles threatened to crack and after a few seconds it opened up.Donald stood there with his shirt wrinkled up. His eyes went wide when he saw her."Anne? What are you…""Move!" Anne said.She pushed past him into the apartment.Hannah was on the couch. She was still in those pajamas from the photo. Her hair was down. She looke
Last Updated: 2026-01-26
Chapter: 1. Happy Sad Birthday!Anne woke up at six in the morning even though today was her twenty sixth birthday.She slipped out of the bed quietly so she would not wake Donald. The house was silent except for the sound of her footsteps on the cold tiles as she made her way to the kitchen.Anne always made him breakfast every morning. Today she was making it extra fancy. She added candles to the plate of the toast. In the process of putting the finishing touches, she heard the door open and Donald walked in."Good morning," Anne said, smiling sweetly. "I made your favorite."Donald walked past her to the coffee machine. He was already on his phone, scrolling through something. His hair was still wet from the shower."Morning," he said, not sparing her a single glance.Anne watched him pour coffee into his mug. He hadn't touched the breakfast nor had he seen the candles yet."Donald," she said softly. "It's my birthday."He glanced at her briefly, stopping to stare at her for a brief second. Then his eyes went bac
Last Updated: 2026-01-26
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