MasukMy dream was simple: Build a quiet life with the person I adored after college. However, destiny had a different course in mind when my father revealed that I had to rescue my late mother's struggling business by marrying the merciless CEO, Alexander Blake. At first, life with Alexander appeared promising, but as the saying goes, nothing good lasts forever. That was until his childhood sweetheart barged in, shattering everything I held dear and leaving me with a whirlwind of shame, bitterness, and fury. I fled Texas for London, where I spent the next six years rebuilding my life. Now, I’m back in Texas with my son, Franklin, driven by a burning desire for revenge against everyone who has wronged me.
Lihat lebih banyakKATHERINE'S POV
The thunder boomed outside, rattling the windows. A shiver ran down my spine—not from the storm, but from the heavy uncertainty as I sat glued to the TV, struggling to comprehend what I was seeing. This had to be some kind of nightmare. My words tumbled out, barely coherent, as the news headline hit me like a freight train. My heart felt utterly crushed as I watched Alex with his arm around her waist, both of them grinning, while I clutched the document in my hands. The doctor's voice echoed in my mind: “Congratulations, Mrs. Blake. You are pregnant.” All I wanted was to come home tonight and share the news with my husband, celebrating our first anniversary, only to be blindsided by this headline on the screen. “Is this really the return of the billionaire CEO's ex-girlfriend? A pregnancy for the CEO himself?” I muttered the headline to myself. Just then, I heard footsteps on the stairs. I looked up to see Alex and Astra laughing together, Astra wrapped in a towel and Alex shirtless. When they noticed me, Alex’s face changed, while Astra just rolled her eyes. I didn’t need anyone to explain; I could see exactly what was happening between them. “Alex, what is going on?” I asked, on the verge of tears, desperately wishing that what I had seen on TV was a cruel joke. “What does it look like to you?” Alex shot back, while Astra laughed like she’d just won a prize, which, of course, she had. For the past year, my focus had been on making Alexander Blake, my husband, happy. We got hitched through a marriage contract to support my late mom’s business—a decision that felt more like a transaction than a union of love. Yet, I promised to love him—and I truly fell for him. I poured my heart into our relationship, determined to show him what real love looks like, to prove I could be more than just a name on a contract. But now, just as I discovered I was pregnant, his ex-girlfriend had waltzed back into his life. The thunder outside felt like it was mocking me while I tried to hide the file behind my bag. I couldn't wrap my head around what went wrong. It was all a blur, a chaotic whirlwind of emotions that left me feeling lost. The audacity of both of them was infuriating. Neither seemed the least bit embarrassed, especially my husband. But why would he be? To him, this was just a business deal, and he could break the terms whenever he wanted. “You see, Katherine,” he said, striding over to Astra and kissing her, making my skin crawl. The sight of them together felt like a dagger to my heart. “This woman is the one I love, and you? You’re just a pawn. Now that she’s having my baby, I don’t need you around anymore.” His words hung in the air, suffocating me. I felt utterly betrayed. I should have realized Alexander Blake could only love himself and his ex-girlfriend; I was just the fool in this situation. “What do you mean? We’re married; we’re family,” I managed to say, my voice trembling as I held back the urge to reveal my baby news right in front of Astra. The weight of my secret felt like a boulder pressing down on my chest. “Family? No, we’re not. We’re just bound by a contract that’s about to expire,” Alex replied, his tone so casual it felt like a slap in the face. He was ignoring how much this was hurting us. I could see the glimmer of triumph in Astra’s eyes, and it made my stomach churn. “What do you mean, Alex? What do you mean… 'about to expire'?” I raised an eyebrow, feeling confused, hoping it wasn’t what I thought. “I want a divorce,” he said, his voice ringing out loud and clear. It felt like he’d just dropped a bombshell. My legs felt weak, and I quickly grabbed the couch to steady myself. “A divorce?” I stammered, completely taken aback, nervously glancing between him and Astra. “But she cheated on you! How can you take her back? How can you even think that baby is yours?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “We had sex three weeks ago, and that’s how I ended up pregnant. We’re back together, and that’s that. Do you get it now?” Astra shot back angrily, pulling away just enough from his embrace to rest a hand on his arm. “That can’t be true, right?” “Nope, you heard her correctly. She’s two weeks pregnant. We’ve been working things out, and I’ve chosen to forgive her,” Alex explained, while Astra tried to hide a smug smile. I couldn’t believe Astra was really pregnant with his child. It felt like a total lie just to win him back. “Is it because of her baby?” My voice trembled as I asked, but he just scoffed. “No, it’s because you tricked me into marrying you. Don’t you see, Kathe? I love her. She’s the one I want to be with, not you.” I stared at him in shock. I felt a wave of disbelief wash over me as if I had plunged into icy water. The room spun slightly, and I struggled to process his words. “Tricked you? Alex, that’s not how it happened! I love you! I could never trick you!” My voice cracked, desperation creeping in as I searched his eyes for any hint of the man I once knew. Astra leaned in closer to him, her presence a stark reminder of the betrayal that had shattered my world. “You were never good enough for him, Katherine. You always knew he was meant for someone like me,” she taunted, her voice dripping with condescension. I chose to ignore her, focusing my attention on Alexander. “Alex, you really need to think this over. Don’t rush into a decision like this,” I pleaded, gripping the papers and my bag tightly. “I have something important to share, but—” I glanced at Alex. “I’d rather discuss it privately.” Alex waved me off, clearly uninterested. “Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Astra,” he shot back, and for a moment, I couldn’t believe this was the same guy I’d known for the past year. He was going to be the father of my child, but the excitement that had brought me here was gone. There was no way I could reveal something so crucial with Astra around, someone I didn’t trust. “Well?” Astra said impatiently, stroking Alex’s arm. “Just say it.” “Actually, I’ve changed my mind,” I said bitterly. “Since that’s settled, I expect you to leave my house by tomorrow morning. Thanks for your help, Kathe, but I won’t need it anymore.” I opened my mouth to respond, but he continued. “If you’re wondering about the settlement amount, after all, all you need is money, it’ll be in your account by the end of the day. And the divorce papers will be sent to you soon.” His tone was final, and he looked impatient. I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat. It was still hard to believe all of this was happening. “Alex, please. You can’t do this to me. Not now, not like this,” I pleaded, my lip trembling, but I refused to let tears fall in front of them. Instead, he just walked away with Astra trailing behind him. Before she left, though, she shot me a look that could kill. I shoved the papers into my bag and nodded, then turned to head out. All I had now was the little life growing inside me, and I would be damned if I let that slip away too. As I stormed out of the building, the only thing on my mind was the way Astra had shot me that nasty glare. I’m not one to back down easily, especially when it’s not every day someone looks at me with such blatant malice.HAZEL’S POVHazel stared at her phone like it had personally offended her.The screen was blank, dark, reflecting her own annoyed expression back at her. She’d picked it up, put it down, picked it up again at least six times in the last ten minutes, pacing the length of her living room like a trapped animal.This was stupid.She was not the kind of woman who got restless over a second date.She was decisive. Logical. Controlled.And yet here she was, barefoot on cold tiles, hair tied up carelessly, biting the inside of her cheek while arguing with herself.Don’t text him.She stopped pacing.You already agreed to three dates.She resumed pacing.That doesn’t mean you have to be the one reaching out.The inner battle continued and she felt conflicted. She groaned, scrubbing a hand over her face.But the truth, annoying, inconvenient truth was that her chest felt too tight, her head too loud. Everything that had happened at Katherine’s place replayed on a vicious loop in her mind.Alex
KATHERINE’S POVThe quiet that followed felt strange.Not comforting. Not peaceful.Just… heavy.Alex’s arm remained around me as we sat on the couch, his presence solid and warm, like an anchor I didn’t know how to let go of. I leaned into him, my head resting against his shoulder, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. It was one of the few things that felt real at that moment.Everything else felt uncertain.David’s words replayed in my head, over and over again, each time sounding slightly different. Sometimes sincere. Sometimes rehearsed. Sometimes dangerous.I shifted slightly, and Alex’s grip tightened just enough to let me know he felt it.“You okay?” he asked softly.I hesitated before answering. “I don’t know.”He didn’t press me, and I appreciated that more than he probably realized.The house was quiet, way too quiet. Franklin was asleep upstairs, Beth had retreated to her room, and the world outside felt distant, like it was happening to someone else.I straight
ALEXANDER'S POV The silence David left behind was heavier than his presence had been. It pressed against my chest, thick and suffocating, lingering long after the sound of his engine disappeared down the road. Even the wind seemed hesitant to move, as though it was afraid to stir whatever fragile balance was barely holding together in that moment. Katherine stood beside me, wrapped in my coat, her shoulders tense, her gaze fixed on the empty stretch of road where David Hass had vanished. She looked smaller than she should have, too thin, too pale, too quiet and it ignited something ugly and violent inside me. The fact that it was so obvious and the way Charles made it seem like it was my fault for everything that has been happening to her made it even worse for me. I clenched my jaw. Charles shifted beside her, breaking the silence first. Of course he would. He somehow has managed to find creative ways to push me to my limit but I can't allow myself to flare up at him. Especi
ALEXANDER’S POV Of course.A snake might shed it's skin but it'll always remain what it is… a fucking snake.How silly of me to think that he would ever change? That he would stop being so god-damned selfish?Just because he claimed to have never abandoned me, to care a lot about Katherine, I easily allowed myself to be fooled by him and assume the best of him.I stared at him in shock as he blatantly, no, shamelessly answered me with the same look he'd given me earlier.A “I'm doing this for you” look.The hell he was.“What the hell do you mean by that?” I snarled and he instantly turned all his attention to me.“I can't, Alex.”“Why is that?” Katherine softly asked.I'm surprised that with everything that happened, Katherine was still able to keep her cool. I would have gone berserk by now if I was her and demanded that he testify for me.“Yeah…why is that?” I repeated after her and he sighed heavily as if there was really an explanation for it other than the fact that he was scar






Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Ulasan-ulasanLebih banyak