LOGINMy world shattered when I discovered my husband Ryan's infidelity with my best friend. The pain and betrayal I felt were suffocating. Our five-year marriage, once a fairy tale, had been a facade. Behind closed doors, Ryan's charming smile hid a web of deceit and infidelity. I was blindsided, left to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. That's when Ethan, Ryan's billionaire brother, entered my life. His piercing eyes and charming smile made me feel safe, like I could trust him with my deepest secrets. Ethan was everything Ryan wasn't - honest, loyal, and true.
View MoreLilian's heart pounded in her chest as tears rolled down her eyes. The words of her father echoed through her ears, creating a livid expression on her body.
What her father had just asked her to do was the most terrible and forbidden thing to do. Mr Alfred looked at his daughter in pity, he regretted what he was asking her to do and wished he didn't have to do it."My dear, daughter. You must understand that this is beyond my will, Sebastian is not a bad person, he's been married to your sister for years and now that your sister is dead, you have to take her place as his wife."Lilian shook her head, her dark brown hair falling across her face with a thud. "I can't marry Sebastian, Father. it's only been one week after Katherine's death." Lillian's voice quivered as she spoke, the emotions that were swirling within her were too overwhelming. "I can't get married to her husband, people will think I killed her just because I wanted Sebastian."Mr Alfred rubbed his hand against his forehead. He knew he was putting a lot of pressure on his daughter and it was taking all of his strength to convince her. "Lilian, you don't have to care what people have to say. This is more than you think, this is for our family."Lilian took a shaky breath before responding. "Father, why do I have to do this? I don't love Sebastian, how can I spend the rest of my life with him."A tear escaped from her eye as she let out a shaky sob. She felt so angry, that she could barely speak, but her voice still sounded shaky. "Father this is more to me than to the family."She wiped her tears away with her fingers before standing up and turning away from her father, who sat on the bed.Mr Alfred felt bad for his daughter, he wished there was another way he could do things. He wished his first daughter didn't die. But there wasn't another way for their family."I know how this must be for you, but if there's another way, then I would've done it. This family had an agreement with the Rojas Alvaro family," Mr Albert explained.Lilian turned toward her father, her anger dissipating slowly, her blue eyes now held concern instead of anger. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach when she saw concern in her father's eyes, the last time she had seen them like this was at her sister's funeral."What deal, father?" Lilian whispered.Mr Alfred lowered his gaze. "Before you were born Rojas Alvaro's family and this family made a business deal. The Rojas Alvaro family were the first to discover the marketing method behind the creation of new products that can sell more efficiently."Mr Albert sighed and continued. "I decided to partner with them to make the production in our company effective and unique. It was the best, Mr Rojas and I became close friends and because of that the company is where it is. Mr Rojas was pleased and asked if we could be partners forever, and the only way that could be possible is if we passed it on to our children.""Mr. Rojas suggested that our agreement for being partners should be something that should last forever, so he put it on the paperwork that our children should get married."Mr Alfred paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "The deal is sealed, and so are the papers that confirm the agreement. That means no one is permitted to talk about it, or even read it, until Mr Rojas and I decided to do so."Mr Albert paused for a moment and stared into Lilian's eyes. "But this agreement is what made the company where it is today, I can't change that agreement or everything we have will be taken away from us.""This is more than I thought," Lilian said quietly."Everything was alright until your sister died and now this family's only hope is you."Tears rolled down Lilian's eyes, she couldn't believe she was about to throw away her hopes and dreams just for her family's sake, plus the fact that she had to live with a man she didn't love."I believe Sebastian is a good man, he'll love you and Katie will take you as her mother," Mr Albert said trying to comfort his daughter."But I'm not her mother," Lilian stated firmly. She tried to keep her voice strong and steady but failed miserably.Mr Albert's facial expression changed from one of guilt and regret to one of joy and gratitude, making Lilian smile. "I know she will, all she needs now is a comforting hand."Lilian took in a deep breath deliberating if she should do what her father asked her to, she knew there was nothing she could do. She was all their family had. She had to do that. She had to marry the man she didn't love."Father, this is the toughest decision. My life is at stake. What if the people that killed Katherine come after me, what if they come after Katie?"Lilian pleaded with her father hoping that he would find some other solution besides marriage. She didn't want to marry Sebastian and she was certain that if there were other solutions things wouldn't be difficult.Mr Albert placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, giving her a gentle smile. "If anything ever happened to either of you then there will be nothing left to live for. Your mother and I will always be here for you."Lilian gave her father a reassuring smile. "Yes, Father I know. I believe you, but what if they are really that powerful?" Lilian questioned, her fear evident in her voice."They're humans, they have weaknesses and they will always have flaws and that's their weak point."Lilian nodded in understanding, her eyes glistened as more tears began to fall. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hands and stood up straight, facing her father. "Alright, I'm going to do this.""Good, I know you can do it.'' Mr Albert rose off the bed with an exhausted sigh.Lexi's POVRyan smiled as though he had just walked into a reunion instead of an underground vault filled with secrets and armed men.His dark suit was dusty, and a shallow cut stretched across his forehead, but his eyes were as calculating as ever.They settled on the leather journal clutched against my chest."There it is," he said softly. "I've spent years looking for that book."Behind him, six armed men fanned out across the chamber, blocking every exit.Their weapons remained lowered, but their stance told me they wouldn't hesitate to use them.Evelyn stepped in front of me."You'll never have it."Ryan sighed dramatically."I was hoping we could do this without unnecessary violence."His gaze shifted to Evelyn."You've aged.""And you've become exactly what your father feared," she replied.A flicker of irritation crossed Ryan's face before his smile returned."My father underestimated me.""No."Evelyn's voice was cold."He loved you too much."Ryan laughed."Love is what made
Lexi's POVThe voice echoed through the estate."Lexi Morgan... you have one minute to surrender."Silence followed.Not the peaceful kind.The kind that settled before a storm ripped everything apart.I looked at Ethan, my pulse pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else."They're here for me.""No," Ethan said firmly. "They're using you."Another deafening crash shook the house.Dust drifted from the ceiling.Claire hurried toward the security panel near the fireplace. Her fingers flew across the keypad as surveillance footage appeared on the monitor.My stomach dropped.Eight black SUVs surrounded the estate.Armed men dressed in tactical gear moved with frightening precision.They weren't random criminals.They looked like a trained unit.Claire zoomed in on one of the vehicles."No license plates."The detective stepped closer to the screen."They've done this before.""How many exits?" I asked."Three," Ethan answered."The front entrance is compromised.""The garage?"Cl
Lexi's POVNo one spoke for several seconds.The only sound inside the car was the steady hum of the engine as Claire maneuvered through the afternoon traffic.I stared at my phone, my reflection looking back at me through the dark screen."She knew my mother."The words echoed relentlessly in my mind.Ethan finally broke the silence."What exactly did she say?"I swallowed hard."She said she'd promised my mother she'd protect me."Claire glanced at Ethan through the rearview mirror. I caught the subtle exchange between them—a look that lasted only a second but carried the weight of a conversation neither of them wanted me to hear."You know something," I said quietly.Ethan's jaw tightened."Lexi...""No."I turned to face him."I'm done accepting half-truths."His expression softened, but he didn't answer."I trusted Ryan once."The memory alone left a bitter taste in my mouth."He lied to me until I couldn't tell where the truth ended and the lies began."I held Ethan's gaze."I'm
Lexi's POVThe courthouse steps were crowded with reporters.Camera flashes lit up the gray morning sky as police officers escorted a line of suspects through the front entrance.I tightened my grip on the coffee cup in my hand, trying to ignore the knot twisting inside my stomach.Ryan's arrest had dominated every news channel for the past twenty-four hours.To the rest of the world, justice had finally caught up with him.But something about it didn't feel right.My phone vibrated.Ethan"Don't come to the courthouse."I frowned.Too late.I was already standing across the street.I quickly typed a reply."Why?"The three dots appeared almost instantly before disappearing again.No answer.A black SUV pulled up to the curb.Two men stepped out.They weren't journalists.They weren't police officers either.Both wore expensive charcoal suits and identical silver lapel pins shaped like a falcon.One of them looked directly at me.Not through me.At me.He said something into the tiny
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