She told one little lie… and it changed everything. When Alina catches her longtime boyfriend cheating with her own stepsister, no less—humiliation isn't even the half of it. In a desperate moment of pride and pain, she lies. Boldly. Recklessly. “I wasn’t that faithful either,” she says. “I’ve been seeing someone too… Aiden Blackwood.” It’s a name that stops everyone cold. Only problem? She doesn't know him. Not even a little. What was supposed to be a petty lie to save face spirals out of control when she's expected to prove her relationship with the elusive, powerful, and notoriously untouchable billionaire, Aiden Blackwood. Just when she’s about to be publicly shamed, the crowd parts, and the man himself shows up. With a smirk that melts every doubt, he wraps an arm around her waist, and lean in close; “Hey, wifey, did I keep you waiting too long?”
View MoreEverything was perfect—except for the man she was celebrating.
The candles flickered gently, filling the kitchen with a soft glow. The smell of slow-cooked stew filled the air, and the table was set carefully. Alina moved around the room, humming to herself, but her smile didn’t quite seem real. She had spent hours making the meal, making sure everything was perfect, hoping that tonight, just for once, he would actually show up. It was their third anniversary, and she had hoped tonight might be different. She paused by the window and glanced at the clock. He had left hours ago after receiving what he claimed was an urgent call from the office. It wasn’t unusual for his work to pull him away at odd times, but today, she had hoped that would change because there had always been one excuse after another. Still, she held on to the hope that he’d come back soon. And when he did, everything would be ready. Her phone buzzed on the counter. Wiping her hands quickly on a towel, she picked it up and saw his name flash across the screen. Kelvin *I can't make it home, but I'll be at the penthouse. Let's celebrate our anniversary there instead. Xoxo. Her heart lifted instantly. He hadn’t forgotten. He'd just made other plans to surprise her. A wave of happiness washed over her. Maybe tonight would turn out even better than she had hoped. She was about to reply when a voice broke through the moment. “There you are“ Alina turned to see her best friend, Lorraine, standing in the doorway with a deep frown on her face. “I told you this morning we had plans," Alina sighed and set her phone down. “Lorraine, today's our third anniversary. You really thought I wouldn't do something for it?“ Lorraine shook her head, her expression tight. “I get that, Lina. But still... you’ve been doing everything alone. Doesn’t that bother you? He left you to plan, cook, clean like it's your duty or something. A real relationship is about teamwork, not you playing housemaid just to keep love alive.” Alina bit her lip, a little stung by Lorraine’s words, because deep down, she knew they were true. Still, she quickly forced a smile. “Trust me, Kelvin isn’t like that. He’s been good to me. His job is demanding, and I get that. He’s waiting for me at the penthouse now, we’re going to celebrate there instead.” Lorraine didn't argue further, she just shrugged. “Fine. Do you need help with anything?” Alina smiled and nodded toward the pots and dishes still waiting to be finished. “ Yes please ” Together, they moved quickly, working in sync like they always did. It didn’t take long before everything was ready. Once done, Alina disappeared into the bedroom to change. She slipped into a simple yet elegant dress, added a touch of makeup, and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Tonight was going to be special, she could feel it. She grabbed one of Kelvin’s car keys from his room, returned to the kitchen, carefully packed the dishes into a basket, and looked at Lorraine. “Alright, let’s go.” With everything in hand, the two of them left the house and headed to the car. The drive to the penthouse was quiet. Lorraine glanced at Alina now and then but didn’t say much. Alina, on the other hand, kept her eyes on the road, her mind filled with thoughts of how the night would turn out; how it would be far more special than she had imagined. She smiled softly to herself. Three years. After everything they’d been through, tonight would be proof that their love was still strong. Sure, the last two anniversaries hadn’t worked out because of Kelvin's hectic schedules, but him making time for this one? It meant the world to her. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when she showed up with everything she had prepared. The car came to a halt minutes later in front of the penthouse. Lorraine glanced at Alina, who was gathering the packed food and fixing her hair one last time in the mirror. “Are you sure you don’t want to come up?” Alina asked hopefully. Lorraine shook her head immediately. “Nope. I’ll wait here. You know how I feel about Kelvin. I’d rather not fake a smile tonight. Take your time, I’ll be here.” Alina let out a small laugh, though deep down she wished Lorraine would come with her. But she didn’t push. “Alright. I won't be long.” She stepped out of the car, holding the basket of food carefully, and walked toward the building with a light heart. Everything felt so normal, so right. She was excited to finally relax and celebrate their anniversary properly for the first time in three years. Inside the penthouse, she headed straight to the dining area and placed the basket neatly on the table. She looked around, but the place was quiet. “Oh, the bedroom,” she remembered, smiling to herself. Smoothing her dress, she walked down the familiar hallway to the master bedroom. Her hand gripped the doorknob, and she pushed the door open with a soft call. “Ba...by…” Her voice caught in her throat, and she froze in place. Her eyes widened. The smile vanished from her face as she took in the scene before her. There, on the bed, two figures were tangled under the duvet. The soft murmur of voices, slow, throaty groans sent a shiver of dread down Alina’s spine. Before she could fully process what she was seeing, the duvet shifted. The covers slipped down slightly and Kelvin’s face came into view. Alina felt her breath catch in her throat. “Let’s continue, alright?” said a voice. A voice far too familiar. She stepped fully into the room, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. And then she saw her. Jennifer. Her own stepsister, lying in bed with Kelvin, both of them completely exposed in every way that mattered. Alina staggered back a step, her eyes darting between them, disbelief clouding her vision. “Kelvin?” she choked out, voice trembling. “Jenny?” Kelvin didn’t even look at her. He stood up, silent and cold, walking past her like she didn’t exist. He went to the wardrobe and casually pulled on a pair of pants, moving like this was just another ordinary night. Alina’s hands trembled. Her heart broke into pieces she couldn’t gather fast enough. Then Jennifer’s voice cut through the silence, sharp, smug, and unforgiving. “Not exactly how you pictured your night, huh?” Alina’s eyes met her stepsister’s, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. She had imagined this scene in her worst nightmares, but now, standing in the middle of it, it felt far worse than she ever could have dreamed. She had spent hours preparing a surprise. She had dressed up. She had believed in their love. And now… this?Alina nodded shyly, brushing her fingers over her lap."He promised he’d eat anything I made," she murmured, almost like she didn’t believe it herself. "I’m not completely sure… but I’m hoping he won’t go back on his words."She let out a small laugh, but it sounded unsure and sad.Grandma Linda looked at her for a long moment. Her heart was full, tears gathering in her eyes. It wasn’t because she was sad, it was because of something else.This girl… so kind, gentle, and patient. How had someone like her come into their lives and changed her grandson so much?She had never seen Aiden this way. Not since he was a boy. There was warmth in him now, a softness he always hid and it was because of her, Alina."Come here," Grandma Lind said suddenly, opening her arms.Alina looked surprised but didn’t hesitate. She leaned in, resting her head gently on the old woman’s shoulder as the woman held her tightly."My dear child," Grandma whispered, her fingers stroking her hair, "You don’t know wh
Gavin had just returned to the sitting room after leaving Alina by Grandma Linda’s door. He glanced around the room before heading to the couch. Just as he was about to sit down, he heard footsteps echoed from the hallway behind him.He looked up to see Mandy was approaching the staircase, moving slowly, clearly lost in thought until her eyes found his.“You didn’t go in after all?” she asked, stopping at the foot of the stairs and turning slightly to face him.Gavin gave a slight shrug as he sank into the couch. “Figured Alina might want some privacy with Grandma.”Mandy raised an eyebrow, head tilting in mild disbelief. “That’s new. Since when do you care about people’s privacy?”He didn’t answer. Just offered a small smile and leaned back, stretching out like he had all the time in the world.Mandy squinted at him, her eyes narrowing. “You’re acting weird.”He turned his head toward her, a brow raised. “Weird?”“Yeah,” she said, hands on her hips. “You’re not being your usual snobb
Gavin had thought about her so many times since that brief moment they crossed paths.That strange night, when their eyes met on the road—he couldn’t forget it. She looked so broken, tears falling down her face under the dim streetlights. That image stayed with him. He wanted to know who she was, what had happened to her.But all he had was her name. Searching for her felt like searching for a needle in a desert.Eventually, he gave up… hoping that maybe, just maybe fate would lead her back to him somehow.And now, here she was. Right in front of him.In his family’s house."Alina…" he said quietly, almost in disbelief. The name sounded so familiar in his mouth. That night, her friend had called her that after she had fainted. and ever since, the name had stayed in his memory.Alina blinked in confusion. How did he know her name? She was sure they’d never met before. At least, she thought so.“I think we’ve met before,” Gavin said carefully.Mandy’s eyes widened slightly as she looked
Aiden stared at her, momentarily stunned. Then the corners of his lips curved into a small smirk.Alina grinned, smoothing out her dress. Aiden reached out, helping her down from the desk gently, while still looking at her like he couldn’t quite believe her boldness.She turned toward Jesse, who had politely kept his back turned the whole time.“You can carry on now,” she said casually, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt. “I’m heading out.”Jesse turned back around, “Of course.”Just as Alina stepped toward the door, Aiden called out, “Wait.”He sifted through a few papers on his desk, flipping through them until he found the one he was looking for. Then he walked over and handed it to her.“I heard this design belongs to you,” he said.Alina took the paper and smiled as soon as she saw the sketch.“Oh! Yeah, that’s mine. Thanks,” she said, flashing him a bright smile. “See you tonight.”She gave a small wave to both men and walked out gracefully.Aiden stood there for a moment, a
“Aiden…” Alina whispered, her voice soft as she slowly turned to face him.When their eyes met, she finally saw it clearly; regret, sorrow, and something even deeper. His eyes held a quiet fear. Not fear of her, but of what might happen again. Fear that the food she made could hurt him... the way he’d once been poisoned.Still, he didn’t look away. He looked at her like a man trying to believe, wanting to trust.Alina took a step closer, lifting her hand to his face, her palm resting gently against his cheek. She said nothing.For a moment, it felt like time paused. The world outside the office disappeared, and it was just the two of them sanding close, breathing the same air.Then slowly, very slowly, Aiden lifted his hand and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. His touch was gentle and it made her heart skipped a beat."You’re already doing more than enough," he said quietly.Alina didn’t look away.His hand stayed on her cheek, his thumb lightly stroking her skin.“Do you
The receptionist froze, her face draining of color the moment Aiden’s voice cut through the room.She already knew her job was hanging by a thread.Hurriedly, she left her desk and approached him, bowing deeply, head lowered in apology.“I’m so sorry, sir,” she whispered. “I didn’t realize…”Before Aiden could respond, Alina stepped forward and gently shook her head. She looked at him, and even without saying anything, it felt like she was telling him not to be harsh.Aiden stared at her, surprised. She was standing up for someone who had just disrespected her.“Good morning, Sir Aiden,” Alina said quietly, bowing slightly.Aiden’s brow twitched. “Sir?”Jesse leaned in, lowering his voice just enough for only Aiden to hear. “Guess she doesn’t want people knowing you’re married.”Aiden’s gaze snapped to Jesse, then back to Alina, who quickly looked away.Jesse cleared his throat and stepped forward, professional as ever. “This way, ma’am,” he said respectfully as he gestured ahead.Ali
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.
Comments