Melinda gave up everything for the man she loved—only to be stabbed in the back by the two people she trusted most: her husband and her own sister. On the morning of her wedding anniversary, she wakes up naked in a stranger’s bed, with no memory of the night before. Still reeling with confusion, she heads to her husband’s office to surprise him—only to find him in a compromising position with her sister. But the ultimate betrayal comes when they throw an envelope at her feet—photos accusing her of infidelity she never remembered committing. When she overhears them plotting her death, Melinda knows she has to run. What they don’t know is that she’s just inherited a fortune—and she's not the same naive woman anymore. She vanishes to Las Vegas, where she rebuilds her life from scratch. But fate has one more twist. She’s pregnant… with twins. And the father? Six years later, Melinda returns to Los Angeles, stronger, wealthier, and ready for revenge. Her plan is flawless—until her twins come face to face with their father. Now, James wants answers. The twins want a family. And Melinda just wants justice. Love was never part of the plan… but the heart has plans of its own.
Lihat lebih banyakThe moment I opened the door, I kicked off my shoes with a sigh. They hit the wall with a soft thud and dropped sideways like they were exhausted too. My bag slid off my shoulder and landed on the couch with a soft plop.
The air inside the apartment smelled faintly of marinara sauce. I made it this morning before rushing off to work. My stomach growled.
I dragged myself to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and pulled out the Tupperware. Cold pasta. Perfect. I couldn’t even wait to microwave it. I grabbed a fork and sat down right there at the small dining table.
Just as I shoved the first bite into my mouth, my phone started ringing.
Ugh. I rolled my eyes and muttered with my mouth full, “Who’s calling now?”
I stood up with my food still in one hand and shuffled toward the living room. I bent down, fished my phone out of my bag, and checked the screen.
Fiona.
Before I could swipe to answer, it stopped ringing.
“Too late,” I mumbled and walked back to my food.
The phone buzzed again.
I picked this time. “Hello?”
“Hey sis! How’s my favorite girl doing?” Fiona’s voice crackled with excitement.
I swallowed a mouthful quickly. “Just got home. Tired. Really tired.”
“Well, rest later. I’m coming over. Get ready before I arrive.”
“Huh? Fiona, wait. I’m not going anywhere tonight,” I groaned. “I just walked through the door. My feet hurt. My soul hurts.”
“I don’t want to hear that,” she cut in. “Tomorrow is your anniversary. You have to celebrate. No excuses. I’m coming.”
“Wait, Fiona—”
Click.
I stared at my phone.
“She hung up.”
I sighed and went back to my plate, forcing another bite into my mouth. Ten minutes later, I heard the door swing open.
“Seriously?” I muttered as Fiona stepped in like she owned the place.
She looked me over, hands on her hips. “Why are you still in your work clothes?”
“I told you I’m tired. I just want to sleep,” I said, wiping my mouth with a tissue.
“You used to be the life of every party. Don’t tell me marriage turned you into an old woman.”
“It’s not marriage,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I’m just tired. That’s all.”
“Nope. Not buying it,” she said and grabbed my hand. “You’re coming with me. Don’t make me drag you.”
She literally dragged me to my bedroom.
“Fiona!”
“Move it,” she said, opening my wardrobe. “What about this one?” She held up a black jumpsuit.
“No,” I said.
She tossed it aside and pulled out a red sequined dress. “This one. Perfect. Put it on. Now.”
Fifteen minutes later, I was staring at myself in the mirror. The dress clung to my body in all the right places. Red lipstick. A touch of powder. Simple earrings.
“You look like fire,” Fiona said behind me. “Let’s go.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. “But you’re really pushing this. I seriously wanted to stay in tonight.”
“No one rests the night before their anniversary. That’s a crime.”
We walked outside, and she unlocked her car with a chirp. “You’re riding with me.”
Her white Mercedes C300 4MATIC gleamed under the streetlights.
“Where are we going?” I asked, folding my arms.
“Velvet Ember.”
My heart skipped. “The new club in town?”
“You’ll love it.”
We arrived twenty minutes later. The club’s exterior shimmered in violet and gold lighting. Inside, it was packed—but not too rowdy. Plush couches lined the walls, and the music wasn’t too loud, just enough to feel it in your bones.
“Classy,” I said, looking around.
“I told you,” Fiona said, leading me to a table. “Sit. Let’s start the night.”
She waved. “Bar man!”
A young guy with a trimmed beard walked over.
“We’ll take your finest champagne,” she said with a grin.
I barely heard her. I was scrolling through my phone.
A few moments later, the waiter returned with a chilled bottle, popped the cork, and poured two glasses.
“To you,” Fiona said, handing me one. “Happy almost-anniversary.”
I clinked her glass and took a sip.
The bubbles tickled my tongue. Cold. Sharp. Sweet.
“One glass,” I said. “That’s it.”
She poured me another.
“Fiona.”
“Drink,” she said, pushing it toward me. “You deserve one night to forget everything.”
I stared at the glass.
“You sure you’re okay?” she asked, her voice softening. “You’ve been off lately.”
I didn’t answer. I just raised the glass and drank.
Then another. And another.
Everything after that was a blur.
Laughter. More drinks. My legs felt light. My head spun in slow circles.
Fiona was dancing. I think I danced too. Or maybe I just watched.
My phone buzzed once in my purse, but I didn’t check it.
The lights got dimmer.
Or maybe my eyes just closed.
When I woke up, the world was too bright.
My head throbbed. My mouth tasted like old wine and regret.
I sat up slowly.
White sheets. Soft pillows. A hotel room.
I looked down.
No clothes.
Panic hit me like a slap.
My breath caught in my throat, and I pulled the sheet up to my chest with trembling fingers.
“What the hell happened last night?” I whispered.
My voice sounded like i
t belonged to someone else.
And the silence that followed was deafening.
My eyes stared blankly at the ceiling as the dim light from the hallway flickered across the wall—like a ghost creeping in and out of my thoughts. My heart beat in uneven rhythms, like it was trying to keep pace with my fears. The air in the room felt heavy, thick, and cruel. I pulled the blanket tighter around my body, hoping to find comfort, but nothing—absolutely nothing—could warm the coldness inside me.How do you even breathe again when you’re trying to run from your painful past, but life isn’t done with you yet?I didn’t mean to cry again.But the moment I looked at the test result, the tears broke loose—like water crashing through a dam.Pregnant.Just one word. Eight letters. But it cracked something deep inside me.I sat at the edge of the bed, gripping the paper so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My body felt distant, like it didn’t belong to me anymore—numb, trembling, and cold, even though the fan was off and every window was shut.“No,” I whispered. “This can’t b
The doctor’s lips pressed together, and somehow, I found myself holding my breath too. His eyes stayed fixed on the result in his hand, and his expression didn’t help the tight knot forming in my chest.My heart was pounding, but I sat still, trying not to panic.He looked up slowly, his face unreadable.“The result is out,” he said.I gave him a nervous nod. My fingers curled tightly around my handbag resting on my lap.He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Miss Melinda… according to the test result, you’re pregnant.”I blinked at him.“Pregnant?” I repeated, like I wasn’t sure I heard him correctly.“Yes,” he replied gently.I just stared at him. My lips parted, but no words came out. I didn’t even know what I was feeling. My chest felt heavy, like someone had just dropped a rock inside it.The doctor tilted his head. “Miss, are you alright?”I nodded too quickly. “Yes, I’m… I’m fine.” I paused, then asked in a small voice, “Please… how long?”He glanced at the paper again. “You’re
I didn’t sleep a wink.My eyes were open the whole night, staring into the darkness, praying that Google had lied to me.Every time I blinked, I saw the search results again.“Can stress course fatigue. Dizziness. Sore breasts. Nausea.”The words danced in my brain like neon signs, refusing to fade. I shut my eyes tight, wishing I could shut my mind too.“It’s just stress,” I whispered for the hundredth time, hugging my pillow like it could save me. “It has to be.”I could still hear the faint humming of the fridge in the kitchen, the ticking wall clock above the wardrobe, and the restless sighs I released every five minutes. Time didn’t move. Neither did I.The weeks had been brutal—late nights, tight deadlines, no rest. That had to be the reason I felt like this. Not… not what Google suggested.No, it couldn't be that.By morning, my head was heavy, my stomach twisted, but I got up anyway. The alarm buzzed half-heartedly beside me, but I was already sitting up. I had been up all nig
I had already given up when the email popped in like a surprise guest I didn’t invite.I sat there, slouched on the edge of the bed, half-heartedly scrolling through job sites for the hundredth time that week, when the notification buzzed.I blinked at the screen, mouth half-open. “Wait… what?”I leaned forward, heart thumping just a little. Maybe I was imagining things. I read it again, just to be sure.Congratulations, you’ve been shortlisted for an interview.I stared. For a few seconds, I just sat there frozen. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. My eyes didn’t blink. My mind had gone blank.“Okay… This has to be a mistake,” I muttered aloud, grabbing my phone from the charger like it could give me answers. I scrolled through my sent emails, tapping each one like I was retracing my own steps. I had applied, yes, I remembered sending it in—just two days ago. But I hadn’t heard anything since then.Two days of silence had convinced me I’d been ignored. Again. Just like all the oth
Starting over felt like standing at the edge of a cliff—scared, unsure, but with no choice but to jump.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the sunlight peeking through the faded curtains. My chest felt heavy, like something was pressing down on it, but I whispered to myself, “You didn’t come here to fail, Melinda. You came to fight.”I stood up slowly, stretching limbs that felt stiff from sleep and stress. I made my way to the bathroom with quiet steps.The cold water on my face woke me up more than the mirror did. I splashed it over my cheeks a few times, letting it drip down before grabbing a towel. I brushed my teeth, bathed quickly, and tied my hair into a neat bun. No makeup. No perfume. Just clean and ready.I pulled on my black slacks, a simple white blouse, and flats. Nothing flashy. Just enough to look serious. A plain outfit, but one that made me feel composed. I picked up my file of documents—resume, portfolio, references—and tucked it carefully under my arm.I exhal
“If I stay one more night, I might not live to see the morning.”The words echoed in my head like a drumbeat as I zipped the last bag shut.My hands trembled slightly. I wiped my palms on my jeans, glanced at the clock—it was almost 7 p.m. Fiona and Elvis had gone out. A romantic dinner, maybe. Or something worse. I didn’t care anymore. I couldn’t afford to.I grabbed my small suitcase and stepped into the hallway. The house was too quiet, almost like it knew I was about to vanish from its walls forever.Then, just before the front door, something caught my eye.A sheet of paper.Lying on the coffee table.I stopped. My heart skipped.My steps slowed. My heart did too.I reached for it with shaking fingers.The divorce papers.Signed.Just like that.No hesitation. No second thought. No emotion.His signature sat there in blue ink—Elvis’s name, carelessly scribbled like it meant nothing at all. Like I meant nothing at all.I stared at it for a long moment, my throat burning.Two years.
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