I knew that nothing I said to the contrary was going to convince Jethro otherwise. All he cared about now was protecting his little princess. "Okay then, I'll be waiting for you at home. Don't work overtime tonight, okay?""Got it! I'll be home soon," he agreed smilingly. I was sure he’d have gone home with me straight away if it weren't for work.Doris was already waiting by the time I got home. She looked both excited and assured. "So? Pregnant, right?""You nailed it!" I laughed."Oh dear! Seren’s going to get a sibling soon!" she chirped. I shook my head helplessly. I should’ve been the happiest one, but the Willows were just one-upping me one after another right now. I smiled at Doris. "I'm a little tired, so I'll be in my room.""Go, go. I'll get the housekeeper to make something nutritious for you," Doris replied. Jethro came home a lot earlier than usual. He had a large bouquet of roses with him too. I couldn’t recall when was the last time he gave me flowers."Is thi
At 10 at night, I unlocked the door and stepped into the house at Derry Garden Residences. As I flipped the light switch, the crystal chandelier in the living room turned on. It cast a soft glow and bounced my reflection onto the floor-to-ceiling windows.After tonight, this enchanting space was to be our marital home. Liam Mercer, my dashing fiance who worked as a manager, had a kindness in him that left me smitten. I was lucky to be blessed with such a loving man. But according to tradition, we were forbidden from sharing a bed on the eve of our wedding. Liam honored this, opting to stay here while I stayed at the home of my best friend, Summer Hunley.As I was running through a mental checklist for tomorrow before turning in for the night, a feeling of dread washed over me. I had forgotten my bridal veil. I then decided to sneak into our new place without telling Liam to pick it up and surprise him.I pondered the journey that lay ahead of us and smiled. A lifetime of happiness a
"I wouldn't be marrying her if she hadn't pressured me," Liam replied as he pinned Julia beneath him."Baby, your fiancee really is here," Julia gestured toward the bedroom door, her arms bracing against his chest."That's impossible. I just saw her off. How..." Liam looked toward the door, locking eyes with me. "Rina, why are you here?" His face turned to stone the instant he saw me.Liam scrambled off Julia. Panic flooded his eyes as they met mine, the lust in them evaporating. He was so rattled that he did not even think to cover himself. Julia calmly wrapped herself with the blanket, her smirk radiating contempt as she stared at me.Tears cascaded down my cheeks. A torrent of fury and hatred overwhelmed me, screaming for an outlet. Faced with a truth too savage to bear, all I could do was turn and flee.With a towel wrapped around his waist, Liam chased after me. His eyes brimmed with guilt as he tried to explain, "Rina, please let me explain…""What's there to explain? Every
"Rina, you've gone too far! How could you hit Julia? When did you become so aggressive?" Liam turned to face me, his eyes ablaze with anger and blame toward me.A sharp pain tore through my heart. I looked at Liam as I paled. It was clear that Julia mattered more than I ever did. But I'm his fiancee, and our wedding was scheduled for tomorrow. Yet here he was, enjoying an intimate moment with another woman in our new home. And this woman is none other than my closest friend since college."Get out, Julia! This is my home. Get out! Now!" I rushed forward, my grip tightening around Julia's arm, driven by an urge to throw her out of the house."Enough! Rina, you're going too far!" Liam cut in, shoving me to the floor while cradling Julia protectively against him.The sting of hitting the ground paled in comparison to the ache in my heart. Picking myself up, I locked eyes with Liam and mustered a grim smile. Right then, I understood my worth in his heart. It was far less than that of a
I then locked onto a man standing near me. He was dressed in an all-black suit and had a stern expression. He was seated alone, sipping on his drink.I recognized the man. He was Liam's direct superior—Jethro Willow. I had once attended a company party with Liam. Jethro had spoken at that event, so I had a vague impression of him. What puzzled me was why a man like him would be here. Did elite businessmen from the upper classes enjoy nightlife too?Suddenly, a daring thought popped into my head. Since Liam had wronged me, why should I play nice?I grabbed my drink, got to my feet, and started stumbling in Jethro’s direction. As I reached him, I tripped and tumbled right into his embrace.Jethro was a young man about in his thirties. The top button of his white shirt was undone. The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, showing off sun-kissed skin. His nose was well-defined and his lips were alluring. His eyes had an intense, albeit icy, quality to them.He was a handsome but indif
It was a night of chaos, fueled by fiery passion.When I woke up, I felt like I had gone ten rounds with a boxer. Cursing Jethro silently. Just how wild had he been last night? The man was a beast!Sitting up, I glanced down at the plethora of love bites across my chest and the bruises on my arm. Was that really necessary, Jethro?"How was my performance last night? You satisfied?" a sultry, deep voice broke the silence.I jumped, turning to see Jethro's handsome face looking at me with a gloomy expression. A jolt of panic hit me, and I hastily wrapped the blanket around myself. Despite initiating last night’s affair, having a stranger stare at my body was still awkward."Trying to act innocent now, are we? You weren’t holding back last night."Jethro stood up and approached me, his tone full of disdain and contempt. His arrogant demeanor got under my skin, making me feel like some kind of cheap woman.I shrugged him off, snatching my clothes off the floor and getting dressed. "
Summer raised an eyebrow at me, her fingers tapping restlessly. I knew instantly what her look meant."Yep, you're spot on. I lost my virginity last night, but not to Liam."The mere mention of that name turned my stomach. How could I have been so blind to choose such a loathsome man?"What? You were with another man last night? What's going on?" Summer's eyes widened, and her jaw nearly hit the floor.Sensing her utter shock, I filled her in on the sordid details of catching Liam and Julia together the night before."No way… Liam did that? He's lower than an animal!" Fuming with rage, Summer let loose a torrent of insults against Liam."Hold on. What about the wedding? Isn't today supposed to be the big day?" Jolted by a sudden realization, Summer gave me a worried look."The wedding’s off,” I declared.As I said this, a wrenching pain engulfed my heart. This was a wedding I had looked forward to for many years. I had planned every little detail. All my love, my dreams, and my
The problem was clear. I was his girlfriend and today was supposed to be our wedding day. And yet, he had the audacity to say such things to me. I never dreamt the man I had loved all these years would stoop so low."Thank you, Rina..." Liam murmured, his voice tinged with hesitation. Maybe he felt guilty over this.Thank you? What a joke!Seeing the visible relief on his face, I felt a piercing ache in my heart. This was the same man who had sworn to make me happy forever. And here he was, thanking me for calling off our wedding. The situation was both ridiculous and pathetic."Get out. I never want to see you again." I pointed toward the door. I was almost shouting. I feared that I would lose control and confront him about his betrayal."Didn't you hear her? Get out!" Enraged and irritated, Summer smacked Liam with a broom.After he left, I felt like an empty husk. I sank to the floor, my eyes devoid of life. It would be a lie to say that it did not hurt having dedicated seven