Arwena never imagined surrendering to a stranger after discovering that her boyfriend, Jake, was cheating on her with her best friend, Farah. Heartbroken and disillusioned, Arwena left the country, vowing never to return. But five years later, she is back, tasked with reviving her parents’ struggling business. Arwena must face the very people who inflicted her deepest wounds. What she doesn’t anticipate is crossing paths once more with Tandre Denovan—the man with whom she shared a one-night stand and the father of her child. Will Arwena succeed in reviving her family’s struggling business while facing the painful memories of her past, or will she dare to open her heart to a second chance at love? Can she find the strength to rebuild her life and embrace a brighter future, or will her past continue to cast a shadow over her dreams?
view more"Let go of me, please!"
Despite her dizziness and weakness, Arwena fought hard against the man who was dragging her out of the bar.
She kicked and pushed him desperately, hoping to break free. But no matter how hard she tried, he refused to let go. His grip on her waist tightened, and he was practically carrying her.
"Stop fighting if you don't want to get hurt," he said, his voice sharp and commanding. He grabbed her face roughly, forcing her to meet his cold, menacing gaze.
Arwena's cries faltered briefly, her chest heaving with fear. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her heart pounded so hard she couldn't hear anything else.
Without warning, he grabbed her neck and slammed her into the hood of a car. Her scream was cut short when the cold metal pressed against her back, leaving her breathless and stunned.
"Please, let me go. I don't want this," she begged, her voice trembling with desperation. Her hands pushed at him weakly, shaking as she averted her gaze from his looming presence.
"Stop acting like you're some innocent virgin," he sneered, his words full of malice. "On the dance floor, you looked like you were inviting every guy in to fvck you."
Arwena's stomach churned at his words, and her disgust increased as he pressed his body against hers.
"Let me go! I don't want this!" she yelled, her voice breaking with fear. She continued to struggle, but her strength was fading quickly.
"You don't want this?" he mocked, his voice filled with cruel amusement. "Then maybe you shouldn't have danced like you did." He leaned in closer, brushing his nose against her neck and cheek. The way he sniffed her made her skin crawl.
"Please, no! I'm begging you—stop this!" Arwena cried, her voice breaking as she slapped him with all of her remaining strength. But the slap had little effect on him; instead, it seemed to aggravate him.
"Stop fighting," he growled, fiddling with his belt. "This won't take long, and I'll make sure we both enjoy it."
He kissed her roughly, his lips smothering her sobs. Arwena's strength ran out completely. Her body trembled as despair and hopelessness settled in. Her sobs subsided into soft whimpers.
As the man pressed himself against her, her thoughts shifted away from the agony she had been attempting to escape. She'd come to the bar hoping to forget—to drown her sorrows in alcohol.
Her ex-boyfriend's cruel words rang in her head: "It's your fault I cheated, Arwena." You pushed me to find someone else. I'm a man; I have needs—needs that you refused to give.
She couldn't keep the questions from flooding her mind. Was it actually her fault? Did she push him away? Would he have remained faithful if she had given him what he desired?
Flashback
"Why her, Jake?" Arwena asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Farah, why? You were my best friend, like a sister. How could you do this to me?"
Farah's cold response sliced like a knife. "Don't blame me, Arwena. If you'd been a better girlfriend, Jake wouldn't have come to me."
"Jake, I thought you loved me," Arwena said softly, her voice trembling.
"I did," Jake replied coldly. "But loving you became boring. You're suffocating. Why should I wait when someone is ready to give me everything?"
End of Flashback
Her heart burned with rage—at Jake, Farah, and herself.
"Let go of me!" she screamed again, using every ounce of strength in her body to push the man who was groping her.
"Shut up!" he demanded, raising his hand as if to strike her.
Before he could do anything else, he let out a loud cry of pain.
Arwena opened her eyes, dazed and disoriented. Her attacker was no longer holding her. Instead, he lay sprawled on the ground in front of the car, groaning in pain.
A man stood before him, his fists clenched. In the glare of the car's headlights, Arwena saw him delivering blow after blow to her attacker.
"Don't move if you want to live," the man said, his voice cold and commanding.
Arwena's legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground. Her trembling hands pressed tightly against her ears, attempting not to hear the sounds of the fight. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and tears streamed down her face.
"Mr. Tandre, what's going on?" a voice asked.
"Where the hell were you?" the man demanded angrily.
"Sorry, Mr. Tandre... Nature called," the younger man replied, his gaze darting to Arwena and then returning to the attacker.
"Take that bastard to the police station," Tandre ordered emphatically, leaving no room for debate.
Arwena could hear everything but was too weak to speak. She sat there, looking blankly at the man who had saved her.
"Miss, it's fine now; you're safe," Tandre said gently, kneeling beside her. His voice was steady but tinged with concern.
He put a light hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. It's over," he said quietly.
She looked at his hand on her shoulder and slowly lifted her head. When their gazes met, it was as if the weight of her pain and fear began to fade—like magic.
"Come with me," he asked softly. "I'll take you far away from here. You don't have to stay in this place anymore."
After Arche and Louie's wedding, Tandre and Arwena quickly returned to the country, knowing that in just a few months, their little bundle of joy would arrive. The excitement and anticipation of meeting their baby girl filled their days.Finally, the long-awaited day had come—the day Baby Natalia would be born.Inside the hospital, the family gathered outside the labor room. The atmosphere was tense with excitement, worry, and impatience. Everyone was eager to see Baby Natalia and to make sure Arwena was safe.Tandre, however, was the most restless of them all. He paced back and forth in the hallway, running his hands through his hair and glancing at the labor room door every few seconds. His heart raced with joy and worry, unsure of what to expect.Minutes felt like hours as they waited. Tandre tried to calm himself, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. “Will Arwena be okay? What if something goes wrong?” he thought, his palms sweaty and his breathing uneven. He wanted to be str
Four months after Tandre and Arwena's wedding, Archie and Louie decided to get married. Despite being family-centered and private, their wedding day was filled with deep emotion and beauty, but it was not without its challenges and moments of tension. Although it is a joyous celebration for them, it comes with society's judgment and harsh opinions that, at times, overshadow the happiness they are trying to embrace.Archie and Louie have been together for months, sharing a bond so strong that no amount of prejudice or criticism can tear them apart. But, like any same-sex couple in a world that isn't always accepting, their love is met with judgment from the people around them. From family members to strangers, their relationships face obstacles that are impossible to ignore.For Louie, the pressure was too much. Growing up in a family that still held traditional values, he heard whispers and hurtful words. Some family members, including some distant relatives, could not understand why
Two months after Tandre’s romantic proposal at the gazebo of Hotel Denovan—a place that once bore witness to one of the saddest chapters in Tandre’s life when Arwena rejected his marriage proposal—things took a different turn.Tandre had knelt, holding a ring in his hand, as the sky lit up with fireworks he had prepared for the woman he cherished most. He had promised himself to replace all of Arwena’s painful memories with joy.The proposal fulfilled one of Arwena’s long-held dreams—dreams as a woman. Tandre put in great effort to decorate the gazebo with small lights that looked like fireflies, along with red and white roses, symbolizing pure and genuine love.Arwena’s heart overflowed with happiness at Tandre’s grand gesture. She hadn’t expected him to go to such lengths. Although she once resented him for forcing her to sign a marriage contract, that was in the past. Tandre had kept all his promises to her, never falling short as a husband and a father to Nathan and the baby in her
Archie sighed repeatedly, his gaze following Louie as he retrieved an umbrella from the car. His heart stirred with a mixture of longing and frustration. He liked Louie, deeply, but he had learned to keep his feelings at bay. He had stopped flirting with him, knowing full well where it would lead—only to heartache.Louie was a real man, strong and genuine. Even though Archie couldn't help but notice the small signs that Louie might feel something for him too, he was afraid to take the risk. He knew that someday, Louie would find a woman who could give him the love he truly deserved, a woman who could fulfill the needs he had as a man.And so, Archie had learned to keep his emotions in check. Every time Louie came into his presence, his heart would thunder in his chest, but he had forced himself to accept that Louie was nothing more than his assistant and friend. Nothing more."Sir Archie..." Louie called out, his voice snapping Archie from his thoughts as Louie ran toward him, umbrella
"My queen," Tandre whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, his lips pressing a soft kiss to the back of her neck. His voice was tender and full of affection, and his touch made her heart skip a beat.She had been on the verge of drifting off to sleep, the peaceful lull of the night calling to her, but how could she refuse her husband, who had just returned from work and seemed determined to work his magic on her?“You smell so good, my queen,” he murmured, his voice warm and inviting, just as she turned to face him.His gaze was intense and inviting, and he bit his lower lip, his eyes dark with desire.Without thinking, her hands instinctively found their way to the back of his neck, drawing him closer. His eyes sparkled even brighter, and his smile deepened in response.She couldn’t help but feel as though she was being drawn in by the way he looked at her. His eyes spoke volumes of his love for her, conveying that she was the most beautiful woman in the world—his world.“You’re
"My queen," Tandre softly called to his wife, a gentle affection in his voice. Arwena immediately smiled, her heart warming at the sound of his words. He had been watching her for a while, patiently waiting for her to finish what she was doing. And now, with her task finally completed, he couldn't resist approaching her. Arwena shook her head with a knowing smile, fully aware of the silent longing that had been building in her husband. She knew he was eager to be close to her. He wanted to embrace her, to kiss her, but because of the warning she'd given him—that she wouldn’t join the Denovan Jewelry launch—he had held back. "Are you done?" he asked softly, his hand resting gently on her shoulder, caressing it with tenderness. Arwena responded with a sweet smile and a playful sparkle in her eyes. How could she not smile? Tandre's intentions were as clear as day. He wanted something more. He wanted to kiss her, and she could see it in the way he bit his lower lip, his gaze never le
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