The past five years threw Lydia into hell, she lost her freedom and everything she was supposed to have. Now she’s back with a new identity, a thriving company, and the twins Mason never knew about. She is back to take everything from the man who once ruined her. Mason never thought he’d see her again. But when she walks into his world, fierce, beautiful, and untouchable, he knows the truth instantly. He let go of the only woman he’s ever loved. They were husband and wife once. Now they’re enemies. But when secrets start to unravel and old feelings rise to the surface, Lydia and Mason learn that hate can be just as dangerous as love. And sometimes, it’s impossible to tell the difference.
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In. Out. In. Out. I forced myself to take breathing exercises, gripping the mop handle tightly as I worked. I stared at my feet, trying to get a hold of myself. The work out boots I was putting on came into view, a harsh reminder of the life I was currently living. I shut my eyes tightly, wanting to block out the harsh reminder of where I was. I opened them almost immediately when the darkness only caused my nausea to heighten. I tried to resume my breathing exercise. In. Out. In. Out. It was of no use. The bleach-slick tiles blurred as my knees buckled, and the mop handle slipped from my fingers, clattering loudly against the cold floor. A sickly hum filled my ears, drowning out the prison guards’ muffled orders to get it together. I felt my body lowering and lowering until my head finally hit the ground, my vision a mix of orange and white and black. I had one second to try and steady myself. One second only. And then there was nothing. When I came to, the sterile tang of disinfectant bit at my nostrils, my head throbbing like I’d slammed it against a concrete wall. My body felt heavy, anchored to a thin mattress that squeaked beneath me as I stirred. I blinked against the harsh light until a face came into view - a nurse with warm brown eyes and a face lined by years of concern. A nurse I knew all too well from all the gossip in my cell block about her ridiculous kindness. Gloria. "Easy now," she said, her voice low and calm. "You're in the prison hospital. You fainted during your shift." I blinked against the bright lighting, fragments of memories piecing themselves together in my head. The prison part of her statement wasn't a surprise. I'd already come to terms with my new life as an inmate long ago. The hospital part however... it snapped me out of my daze a little bit. I had never visited the prison hospital in the three months I'd been here. I did my best to clean up my own mess as much as possible. Did she say I fainted? I hadn’t eaten much during lunch - what they served barely qualified as food - but I’d felt fine. Well, fine enough for a place like Westgate. My lips parted to respond, but she silenced me with a look. "You need to listen carefully, Lydia," she said, leaning closer. Her voice dropped, conspiratorial. My eyebrows furrowed at the concerned expression on her face, but that was all the reaction I was willing to give. "I ran some tests to figure out why you collapsed." Ran some tests? My own suspicions came back in spades and I immediately tensed. Something in her tone set my pulse racing. I gripped the edge of the mattress like it might steady the whirlpool forming in my chest. "You’re three months pregnant." The room stilled. It took a few minutes for me to register her words, and then a few more for me to register it was me she was speaking to. Her announcement hit me like a freight train. Pregnant. Three months. I swallowed hard. How could I be pregnant? "No," I whispered, my voice trembling. I shook my head, refusing to accept the results she'd given me of the tests she'd conducted. There was no way I was actually pregnant. I knew I'd been feeling a lot dizzy lately and I'd equally noticed I seemed to run a slight fever in the mornings, but pregnant? And already three months gone? "That… that can’t be right." Gloria nodded solemnly. "It’s right, Lydia. I double-checked the results myself." My hands flew to my stomach instinctively, pressing against the threadbare fabric of my uniform. There was nothing there, no sign of the life growing inside me. And yet… my chest tightened as panic clawed its way up my throat. The timing was impossible - or at least improbable - but deep down, I knew the truth. I’d been so careful to block out that night since I'd started my sentence, to suppress the memory of him. When I'd missed my period twice, it had been so easy to write it off as nothing more than a thyroid disorder. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall in front of Gloria. "Please," I said hoarsely, my voice cracking under the weight of desperation. "You can’t tell anyone. No one can know about this." She stared at me for a moment, her face unreadable. I could have sworn my life flashed before my eyes in that moment. She would let my evil witch of a mother-in-law know, and then they would take my baby from me. A tear slipped down my cheek and I parted my lips, prepared to plead once more. She nodded then, much to my surprise. "I won’t say a word. But you have to promise me something, Lydia." I stared at her, barely able to breathe. She took my hand in hers, rubbing them affectionately. I could easily see why the other inmates talked about her. She was indeed ridiculously kind. Any other nurse, and they definitely wouldn't have listened to my plea. "Promise me you’ll come back regularly for checkups. No skipping, no excuses." Her tone softened slightly. "You and the baby need to be monitored. Do you understand? I would like to make sure the baby is okay. you figure out what you're going to do now" I nodded, my response catching in my throat. Gloria sighed and patted my hand gently before stepping away to inform the guards I needed rest. The journey back to my cell felt like I was stuck in some kind of nightmare. The guards flanked me on either side, but I barely registered their presence. My legs moved of their own accord, my mind choosing to remain stuck in that hospital bed, replaying Gloria’s words over and over. Three months pregnant. I didn’t even notice when we reached my cell until the metallic clink of the door shutting jolted me back to reality. I stumbled to the cot, the thin mattress sagging under my weight as I collapsed onto it. My hands trembled as they hovered over my stomach, and I wondered how I was already three months gone. How could I be carrying a child in there. My stomach was still almost as flat as a washboard. What if my child wasn't growing like it should because I was barely living decently? Another tear slipped from the corner of my eye, tracing a path down my cheek. How could I protect a child in this place? How could I give them anything but fear, hunger, and the suffocating weight of survival? I curled onto my side, wrapping my arms tightly around myself as though that might shield us both from the cruel world beyond these walls. For the first time in years, I prayed - silent, fervent, desperate - for a miracle. I spread out my fingers in front of me, the wedding band on my middle finger mocking me with the way it shone even in the dim light. Three months ago, my life had almost been perfect. My in-laws had never actually accepted me but it hadn't mattered because I'd still been with the love of my life. The man I'd thought I would spend forever with. I let the darkness pull me under, the image behind my eyelids of that same man. Only this time he was staring at me with hate and disgust... As I got dragged away by the police.Lydia “They are my flesh and blood.” He insisted. “How is Melanie?” I hate the way he called her name. I don't want to hear him do so again.“You only remember to ask after her now?” I sneered. “Let me make myself clear, Mr. Woods. There are some wrongs you can never right, some mistakes that can never be corrected, and when you walked out of my life five years ago, that was done.” I began walking back to my chair. I took a tissue and dabbed the side of my face. “I’d appreciate it if you don't try to corner me in my office or elsewhere. Stay away from me and the twins, and also,” I paused and turned to look at him.“If you ask as much as try to fight with me for custody, I promise I'll make your life more hell than I originally intended. Trust me, I can do that now.” “Lydia, I know you are angry and understand how you feel. We can come to an agreement.” “No, you are wrong. You do not understand how I feel, and we're done talking.” I switched on my laptop. “Don't let the door hit
LydiaI never expected Zoe to tell Mason. A part of me suddenly wished there was another way to get a kidney, but there wasn't.After the surgery, Zoe tried to speak to me, but I refused to see her. I had trusted her, and she went right back to betray me.Again. She sent a text, and as I walked out of Melanie's room, I tapped on her message to reveal its content. “Please let's meet. I know you are angry, I told Mason, and I won't try to convince you by telling you that he has the right to know. I had exceeded the line. It wasn't my position to tell, but I want to set things straight.” A loud ding and another message appeared, continuing the last one, “I thought long and hard, and the first thing I needed to do was to correct all lies, so I told him about the twins. I will be telling him the truth about who killed my stepdad.” Another dinged, “I know what I will do may not correct the ruin. But I want you to understand that I'm truly willing to set things right, and the twins dese
Mason“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Mr. Johnson said.His eyes moved around in his socket, refusing to settle on anything. I inched forward, clasping my hand. “Did you lie to me?”I did not want to believe that he had been deceiving me all along. “I did not,” he said. “You're hiding something from me.” His reaction to what I said was proof of this. “If you tell me the truth, I won't blame you for lying. I would not even ask you why you lie. But if you try to deceive me one more time.” I gritted my teeth.“I swear I'll make sure this office of yours goes out of existence and you will be blacklisted in this industry.” I paused, leaning back into the chair, with my legs wide apart, to establish dominance.“I'll make sure you can't even feed your family, no matter how hard you work.” My lips pulled to the side, “Trust me, I can do that without lifting a finger.”Those words finally got to him, and he lifted his eyes. He grabbed one of the two water bottles in front of him
MasonI couldn't get what Mr. Johnson told me out of my head all night. I stayed awake, tossing and turning. I had the best time of my life while Lydia fought for her life. “You don't look well,” Daniel held my gaze from the rearview mirror, he sounded concerned. “I'm okay.” I lied. He had taken Julia home yesterday but couldn't come back to the penthouse. I don't mind, though. I needed the time to myself.Daniel didn't seem to be satisfied with my reply, but he didn't push, and I was grateful for that. He turned the steering wheel to the right, swerving into another lane. My phone beeped, and I brought it out. A message from Zoe. She wants me to come to the Hospital. What's wrong? Was she sick? I quickly gave Daniel the direction, and we changed lanes one more time, almost slamming into a speeding truck. “What's wrong with her?” Daniel asked.“I have no idea. It's early,” I took a peep at my wristwatch. Daniel dropped me off at the hospital and left. In ten minutes, I was alread
Lydia “Are you sure you want to do this?” Mia asked me one last time while my hand hovered over my screen.“You've kept it from him all those years, why do you suddenly want to tell him right now?” I twisted my lips to the side. I honestly have to answer her question.“Because he has always shown up for me. Does that even make any sense?” I asked, and she nodded. “Yes. It does.” It was as though I was waiting for her confirmation since I tapped on the send button.Marcus replied immediately, “Has the process started? Can I come? Is she alright?” I drew in a scent of breath, grateful he wasn't blaming me for not telling him about it all this while. “You can't come. And yes. She is fine. The surgery would begin in three hours.” Mia has left the room to answer a call. I thought for a while before trying again, “or, maybe you should come. That's if you can.” Zoe was up when I got to her room. “Good morning.” She smiled brightly at me. I missed that smile. This was the first time I ha
Mason “I know it's not my place to ask, but..” he paused and inhaled sharply, “You are engaged, what happens when Miss Brooks agrees to return your affection? Would you keep her as a mistress or break off your engagement?”His question was followed by a deafening silence between us. He looked back at me with the same intensity. I didn't get the chance to give him a reply. The elevator dinged, and immediately, I stepped out. Julia's face came into view. “Mason.” She called out. I began walking after we stepped out. “You promised to change the PIN back to the one it was before.” I did? She pouted her lips. Maybe she was trying to act cute, but it just didn't suit her.“I forgot.” Daniel went in front of us and punched the PIN. The door opened.“At least tell me what the new PIN is. I think I'm the only one who doesn't know it here.” She complained.How is she unable to read between the lines? If I didn't tell her the PIN to my apartment, isn't it clear that it is because I do not w
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