Elara has always believed that love would bring happiness, but when Connor Reece–her boyfriend, denies her pregnancy and betrays her by marrying her best friend, she is left with nothing but heartbreak. Pregnant and constantly ridiculed, Rowan Nightshade, her enigmatic and ruthless boss, steps in. But Rowan's help comes with a price, and his intentions aren't as clear as they seem. Rowan is unsure if he hates Elara because of betraying his best friend, or because of her resilience when all odds are against her. Love and Loyalty are tested at every turn. Can Elara find the strength to claim the happiness she deserves while fighting for her children a d their future? Why is the cold-hearted Rowan Nightshade suddenly helping her at every turn?
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Three Months Pregnant. Elara Winterfell. “How dare you?” His voice thundered across the large living room. “How dare you accuse me of being responsible for that thing that is inside you?” He spat out in fury. Tears welled at the corners of my eyes as I clutched the scan results tighter in my hands. My hands were shaking in shock from his thunderous voice. “But, Connor…” I was at a loss for words at what to say, a searing pain in my heart. I couldn't understand his behavior. “But what, Lara? You pranced around like a virgin the whole time we were dating, and suddenly, you're pregnant with my child?” His voice bore that of disbelief. “If you are so desperate to marry into my family, there are many ways you could do that and not pin some pregnancy on me!” “You're the only one who has ever touched me!” I cried out in pain in my current situation. My lips quivered and my voice shook. “You're the one who took my virginity. You're the one…" “Don't you dare!” His eyes shone in anger as he roared at my small frame. “Don't you just dare to do that, Lara. Make that accusation one more time, and you will find yourself cooling your head in a jail cell!” To say I was stunned by his reaction was an understatement, my heart threatened to tear out in pain from my rib cage. Wasn't he the one who spoke about having children with me? Didn't we talk about it every day? Why was he acting this way? Was he just as excited as I was? “Connor, I know it's scary as a first-time dad. I understand that.” My voice shook as the tears spilled out from my eyes, and I stood up to sink my knees in the ground, in a pleading manner. “But, I can give you more time to think about it and come to your senses! We talked about having children before, why are you acting this way? I wouldn't be able to raise a child alone, I need you with me. I need you for our child. I …" “You're pushing this too far, Lara!” He walked abruptly to where I knelt, startling me, and looked at me dead in the eye. “Yes, we talked about marriage. We talked about children. We talked about having children, Lara, but I sure as hell didn't talk about raising someone else's child with you!" His eyes bore hatred for me. I searched his eyes to find the traces of the man who had always doted on me and taken good care of me, but that man was gone. The man in front of me had only eyes of disdain and disgust, which greatly bothered me. Where had all the love gone? All these because I was pregnant? My mind did not even register what he was going on about. “What's going on here?” A soft voice filled the room and our heads snapped to the curvy figure that just entered the room. “Isabel.” I breathed out, both surprised and relieved at the presence of my best friend in my boyfriend's house. That latter didn't quite bother me as I began to explain things to her. “Isabel, Connor doesn't want to believe me.” I quickly stood up and rushed to Isabel's side. “What's the issue, Lara?” Isabel stared at me with softness in her eyes, her voice soft and calming. “What's wrong?” “I'm pregnant.” I managed to say, pulling my black hair behind my ears. Her eyes widened slightly and something I could not quite place shone in them, but I shoved it off and continued. “I'm pregnant for Connor, and he doesn't want to accept it.” “Is that true?” Isabel was surprised as she turned to stare at Connor who raked his hands through his blonde hair in frustration. “Why not? Why are you disregarding her? Why are you disregarding her feelings? She is your girlfriend! Why would you reject your child!” “I'm a man of honor, Isabel. Don't think so lowly of me!” Connor furrowed his brows in a deep frown and spoke with gritted teeth. “I will never reject my child. Never! But I am certain that the thing in her stomach does not belong to me.” “How dare you?” Isabel suddenly blew up in anger, her gold bracelets and bangles jingling in sync with her anger. She was the hotheaded friend between us. “How dare you, Connor?” Isabel started by dropping the things she came with on the table. Starting with her bag, shoes, bangles, wristwatch, and even earrings. She was prepared for a fight with Connor, and my eyes flew wide in surprise. No, she couldn't do this! “Isabel!” I panicked when I saw her sudden reaction. I didn't want her picking a fight with Connor, she just had to talk to him and he would come around. “Isabel, you need to calm down. I just need to talk to him. He would understand. I just sprang it on him. It's normal to be skeptical at first.” I tried to calm my friend, but Isabel was not having any of it. “No, leave me, Lara! Why do you keep making excuses for his actions? He slept with you, took your virginity, now he is denying ever touching you? How dare him? Why is he talking like you cheated on him with another man? Leave me alone, let me teach him a lesson that he will never forget!” She tried advancing towards Connor who stood stock still, vibrating in anger, but I tried my best to hold her back by firmly grasping her waist. This would only make things worse, and she was not getting it! “Isabel, please, stop all this nonsense! Connor loves me! He is just in shock about the turn of events." I snapped angrily. I was very certain that Connor's reaction was because he was going to be a father for the first time in his life. Many men got cold feet, and I was sure Connor was also experiencing the same thing. Connor would not leave me alone because he loves me so much. “I. Did. Not. Sleep. With. Her.” He said the words bitingly slowly and his jaw hardened, eyes darkening in anger. “Ask her who she sold herself out to get that thing inside her because it surely wasn't me.” He paused. “You know what? Lara, I need you to get out of my house forever, and never dream of coming back inside here.” I was suddenly stunned as I paused at where I stood, not believing my ears. Had it gotten to this? I thought we were just talking to hear each other out. Wait, did he really believe that I cheated on him? Why would he even think that way? Why would it even cross his mind? “Connor, you can't! What about our child?” My chest suddenly felt heavy and the pain that was already there washed over my entire self. “Why are you doing this, babe? No, babe. The child is yours. I didn't sell myself to anyone. You're the only one who has ever had access to my body. Only you…” I let the tears fall from my eyes in torrents as I ran to hold him, to plead with him to take me back. But Connor gave me a dirty look, and without thinking, he kicked me away from him with a lot of force. I found my body flying towards the glass table. I fell on my back, with my head making a lot of contact with the table, and everything went black in my head.Chapter 55Taste Of Prison.Elara Winterfell.My brain went numb for one, two, three seconds. My heart caught in my throat as the cot flew sideways towards the other end of the living room. It was like my soul had just left my body. I could feel the instant rise in my temperature and the blood rushing in my ears."What. Did. You. Just. Do?" My voice sounded foreign to my ears. It was shaking with anger and deep hatred. For Natasha. For myself. For being a bad mother who couldn't take her child out of a toxic environment. For the first time, something snapped inside me. Something scary that I hadn't felt before.Anna rushed to the cot that was flung close to the huge flat screen television. I waited as I stared at her. She peered over the cot and stabilized it from the way it was rocking. She picked him out of the cot, and his shrill scream tore out from his throat. I felt my eyes prickle with tears at his cry. I was supposed to protect them, but I kept on failing them at every turn."
Chapter 54Bullying Elara?Natasha Reeds."What really happened, Isabel?” I inched closer to her. “Did she really push you off, or did you slip accidentally?”She winced as if the memory of that night was one very painful to remember, and she held my hands in hers."Drop it, Natty.” She sighed weakly, leaned back into the chair, and took a deep breath. “I don't want to remember that night again… To remember those things I faced.” Her voice faded as she tapped her forehead slightly."Fine!” I raised my hand in surrender. “I just want to know the truth of the matter. I'm not pursuing the case.” I lied through my teeth and watched her expression soften."Are you sure you're not going to hurt her?” She eyed me slightly, raising her head up to look at me. “I'm letting everything go. Forget everything I said about pursuing her from your home… It was just the pregnancy hormones talking… It—”I shook my head and shifted closer to her. “Listen here, Isabel…"From the corner of my eye, I spotte
Chapter 53Four Suspects.Rowan Nightshade.“No, you'll stand back for today and watch the house while I'm away. Sucre will ride with me today.” I gave orders to my bodyguard as I settled into the backseat of my car."Yes, sir.” He nodded to me while closing the door. “I will call if anything happens.”I shook my head at that. “If it is something you can handle, then you handle it yourself. I would rather not get disturbed or distracted about trivial matters. If someone tries to make a fuss, there are still policemen stationed around the building.”He nodded and put his dark shades back on before turning away from the car and heading back into the house. My bodyguard for the day, Sucre, turned to me and nodded as well."Good morning, sir. Where are you headed?” He asked in a smooth mexican accent."To the company.” I gave a short reply and went back to opening my laptop.Because of the day-by-day fuss, I hadn't had any time for myself or the company. It was either one problem or the o
Chapter 52I'm Sorry.Elara Winterfell.Isabel was discharged two days later and looked as good as new. Her tummy was flat, and she looked exhausted. It made me wonder why she hadn't stayed in the hospital a bit longer."Elara…" She squeaked immediately her eyes met mine, and she started making her way towards me.She was limping slowly towards me, and all eyes were on us. Her family was also here; in fact, everyone who was around that night was here. They watched from the sidelines as she approached me, her eyes filling with tears."Elara…" She reached where I stood and took my hand in hers. Her hands were cold against mine. “I'm sorry, Elara. For all the trouble you are going through. I have asked Rowan to drop the charges. I know that whatever happened, you didn't mean to do it.”“What?” My eyebrows pulled together. What kind of rubbish acting was this? She was making herself look like the victim who had a big heart and would always save the villain, while I was the villain who was
Chapter 51What is coming?Natasha Reeds.I turned over the bed and couldn't find Rowan. A frown formed on my face, and I stood up, sliding into my flip-flop at the edge of the bed. The room was dark, and I flicked on the switch. My frown deepened when I saw the room door slightly ajar, and from the opening, I could see Elara's room open too.No. No. It couldn't be what I was thinking. No. Rowan wouldn't be doing that. But the way my heart raced told me something different. Flashes of all the warnings I had received from people concerning Elara began to surface."Rowan?” I called out and hurriedly made my way out of our room, rushing into Elara's room.I opened the door wider, and I spotted Rowan immediately. On the bed, Elara was fast asleep, and it looked as if someone had tucked her in because of the way the covers were. I let out an annoyed huff and looked towards Rowan, who was slowly rocking one of her children to sleep."Are you serious right now, Rowan?” My voice was loud and
Chapter 50.Which Child?Dean Tobago.It was already two days after Isabel's accident, and things seemed to calm down a bit. I took confident steps towards the expensive café at the corner of the street."Mr. Dean? Please come this way. Mr. Salvatore has been waiting for your arrival.” The waiter met me at the door and ushered me into the café.I saw him the moment I stepped into the café. His silver hair always made him stand out in any crowd. I made my way towards him after thanking the waiter before settling into his booth."Mr. Salvatore.” I nodded to him."Mr. Dean.” He nodded back."When I asked you to destroy the big three families, I didn't expect you to sleep with the wife of the lowest of them and get her pregnant.” He stated harshly, his eyes forming into narrow slits."It has been handled.” I told him. “Don't worry about that. How is my mother doing?” I asked him.He paused and gave me a long look before sighing and taking out his phone. “She is doing well. Responding to t
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