Masuk“Is this what you wanted?” He sneers, eyes cold and unforgiving. It was as if I was looking into the eyes of a stranger. He looks down on me due to his tall stature. “To be the ‘pathetic’ whiny burden you have always been?” I flinch at his words. No, this cannot be, this cannot be happening. This is not my Nate, my Nathaniel. I struggle to maintain my composure. My breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, each one a painful reminder of the betrayal that had brought me to this breaking point. ********* At just five years old, she was abducted and replaced to protect her family’s reputation, as it would have been scandalous for her influential father to have a kidnapped child. Returning home, she felt like a stranger in a place where her parents had long forgotten their love for her. Nate her husband, was her knight in shining armor… or so she thought. Betrayed and left to die by the people she trusted. What happens when life gives her and her unborn child a second chance?
Lihat lebih banyakEPILOGUEDaphne’s POV *1 year, 3 months later…. Ella twirled in the living room, her sundress spinning like a little daisy in the wind. “Mom, look! I’m a ballerina princess!” she beamed, striking a pose that looked more like a wobbly flamingo. I laughed, placing down the last plate on the table. “You are, sweetheart. The most graceful ballerina I’ve ever seen.” She giggled and spun again. Ever since baby Alex was born, she’d taken her role as big sister very seriously. She tried to change his diapers once—tried being the key word. She’d whisper stories to him at night and scold anyone who made too much noise while he napped. Today was Alex’s first birthday. Nothing grand—just a small, cozy gathering with a few good people. “Where do you want the juice boxes?” Maryam called out, holding two cartons under her arm while dragging a string of birthday flags with the other. “By the window, love,” I said, before grinning. “You know, this would be faster if you weren’t trying
Daphne’s POV As I stared at Nate’s motionless body, I didn’t know how to feel. Everything around me stilled. The air, the crowd…, the world. “Nate!” Only Claire’s scream pierced through the numbness. Her voice was ragged, shattered, the sound of a soul breaking open. My body didn’t respond. I couldn’t move. My legs were stone, locked in place as I watched her fall to her knees beside him. “Lord,—no, no.” Claire’s hands trembled violently as she pressed them against his chest. “This isn’t supposed to happen. Not now. Not when it’s finally over. Not when justice is served…” Her words cracked. “Someone, please! Call the ambulance!” Sebastian was already moving, phone pressed to his ear. He crouched beside her, pulled her against him as she sobbed. I just stood there useless. Everything that happened after that came in flashes. The cold, frigid air, and piercing ambulance sirens. The blur of red and white lights. Claire screaming at the paramedics to move faster. Nate’s body—pale,
Daphne’s POV My body shook, a buzzing filling my ears, tears blurring my vision. “I can’t believe this, Seb. I fucking can’t believe this,” I choked out, hugging him tightly, soaking his t-shirt as he held me close. “I’m happy that you’re happy, Daphne. You fought so well,” Seb whispered in my ear, his voice also shaky. Was this it? The end of Charles Sinclair? The end of the torment, the years of abuse, the never-ending cycle, all because of his selfish desires? It felt surreal. After the sentence was delivered, I watched Mom spiral. She couldn’t comprehend it, seeing the man she had placed on such a high pedestal come crashing down. Richard quickly took her away, but not before giving me a nod of acknowledgement. Seeing Mom like that tugged at my heart. She had ruined not just her life, but ours too. She had stayed with a man who repeatedly hurt her, and it had shattered me time and time again. But I had finally come to terms with it. I wasn’t responsible for her choices.
Daphne’s POV “This is the bank transaction, showing all the dirty work and exploitations,” Nathaniel said, spreading the thick sheaf of papers across the table. Sebastian’s eyes scanned the documents, his brow furrowed. “They’re rigging oil prices too,” he muttered. “Just how rich and powerful is Charles? He couldn’t have done this alone. There’s government involvement here, somewhere.” Nathaniel was back, thank God. Richard had been feeding us information over the phone, piecing together the puzzle of Charles’s illicit activities. After countless meetings with prestigious authorities, and after what felt like an eternity of legislative deliberation, we finally had it: an arrest warrant. But there was a problem. Intelligence suggested Charles was about to flee the country. Someone within the legislative body had tipped him off. Thankfully, Charles was tracked down to his private retreat, a secluded estate far from the city. The apprehension was swift and decisive. He would
She let out a blood-curdling scream, her voice echoing through the house as she gripped her ears, her body shaking. The smirk that had been playing on my lips vanished instantly, replaced by shock. “Miss Claire!” Richard rushed to her side, his face pale. “Claire… Are you okay?” “No! No! Stay the he
My body trembled uncontrollably as we were dragged outside. Sebastian was pacing, his phone glued to his ear, making urgent calls to his DSS contact and the detective. He was planning a way to cover everything up, but I wasn’t sure it mattered anymore. This wasn’t over, not even close. We had uncove
“You don’t mean it,” I said, stuffing my mouth with nuts as I paced around the room. Ella lay sprawled lazily on the couch, completely absorbed in her tablet, but still managed to shoot me an amused glance. “I’m telling you, his name is Hamza!” Maryam squealed through the phone, her excitement prac
Daphne’s POVAs Nate walked out, the room around me spun.“Easy,” Sebastian said, kneeling in front of me, his hand gently stroking my cheek. Maryam rushed to the kitchen, returning quickly with a glass of water, which I gulped down desperately.Nathaniel’s words echoed in my mind. What did he mean by












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