A victorious grin stretched against Dia's lips as if she won some game. She just hummed and got into the car without saying anything. It didn't go unwatched by onlookers. Sure enough, it would hit up another trending news in a few minutes. Arjan hopped into the car and hit the road. The ride was so silent, and they didn't break it until Arjan pulled the car over some lakeside. "You know you don't have to be so dramatic. Bringing me to the lake just to have some words," Dia sluggishly said. "Dia... Stop being irrational. Why are you ignoring me? From the text to the meeting, you ghosted me as if I didn't even exist," Arjan tried to hold back his frustration, but he failed to do so. He just banged the steering, cursing under his breath. A scoff. Yeah, Arjan heard a scoff from Dia. "Think of what you did, Mr Arjan Davier. Don't you think you have to explain something to me," Dia stomped out of the car, showing her anger through her actions. Arjan sighed defeatedly and got out o
By the time the meeting ended, it was already past 9 PM. Ethan had left the company before Arjan. Arjan couldn’t make it to college as he had been tied up in meetings with shareholders regarding their stock purchases.When he picked up his phone to check for any missed calls, he found several notifications and messages—some from his parents and others from Dia. Sighing, he rubbed his temple before dialing Dia’s number.She answered after a single ring."Arjan... Where are you? Did something happen at the company? I hope those old hags didn’t give you a hard time," Dia asked, feigning innocence.Arjan couldn’t help but smile at how considerate she was."It's fine, Dia... Just some internal conflicts. I'm just tired. I’ll get some rest once I reach the mansion. You should rest too. And don’t watch the news for now," Arjan said as he hopped into the car and started the engine."Why?""Nothing, just… you know how controversies about us keep circulating online. I don’t want you to be upset
Things had been gradually settling down since the social media accounts were taken care of. It had taken a great deal of effort and money from the Davier family. Taylah had been staying indoors, living like a typical housewife, tending to household chores. But being confined inside had severely affected her mental health.While she suffered, there were people—no, two people—who were genuinely worried about her.Dicentra kept zoning out, her focus slipping again and again. She had been cleaning the table for nearly half an hour. It was a hectic Saturday night, with people crowding in. By around 3 AM, almost all the customers had left the bar.She snapped back to reality when she felt a tap on her shoulder.“You’ve been cleaning the same spot for almost half an hour, Di… Where’s your mind, buddy?” Louis leaned against the table, facing Dicentra, who let out a heavy sigh as she mirrored his stance.“I haven’t been able to reach Taylah… It’s been four or five months. I don’t trust the Dav
The Day was slowly slipping into dusk when a soft knock echoed on the door of Taylah’s room. She looked up from the book she hadn’t really been reading and hesitated for a moment before walking over. Opening the door, she found the butler standing neatly at the threshold, holding a large white garment bag over his arm. “Young madame,” he greeted politely, bowing his head. “Mrs. Davier sent this for you. It’s the dress she’s arranged for you to wear to the year-end party tonight.” Taylah blinked at him, caught slightly off guard. She didn’t have any clue about the party at all. She opened the door a little wider, allowing him to step in while mulling over her thoughts. As the butler carefully laid the dress on the edge of the bed, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, frowned slightly, and answered immediately. “Yes, madam,” he said after a beat. “She’s here… Yes, I’ll hand it to her now.” He held the phone out to Taylah. “It’s Mrs. Davier, Young madame. She wishes to
The car ride was silent. The air between them was thick, but neither of them dared to speak. She wasn't ready to confront him and waste her energy. It was already too much for them to digest that she was going to a year-end party with Arjan that had nothing to do with her at all. When the car pulled up to the grand venue, the lights from the chandeliers inside spilt out onto the red carpet outside. As the door opened, Taylah was greeted by flashing cameras and the buzz of reporters’ voices. The chaos hit her all at once. “Mr Davier, are the rumours true about You and Mrs Dia Davier dating even though you are married?” “Mrs Taylah Davier, can you tell us how married life is treating you? Words leaked that you guys are expecting? Is that true?” “What happened between Davier's young couple? The brides seemed switched. Any word about that, Mr Davier?” Taylah blinked rapidly, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. She wasn’t used to this. The attention, the scrutiny—it wasn’t her w
Dia finally made up her mind and marched toward Taylah. As she got closer, she put on a confident expression."Well, look who’s here."Taylah’s expression turned cold. The last thing she wanted was to run into Dia—or worse, confront her. She didn’t have the strength left to face anyone, especially Dia and Arjan, the most shameless couple alive."Are you blind?"Taylah’s sharp response only fueled Dia’s anger."Just because you're wearing an unreleased dress by designer Edith Ashford doesn’t make you a princess. You’re still just a servant girl in this lifetime," Dia sneered, intent on humiliating Taylah.Taylah’s eyes widened in shock. She never imagined she’d ever wear a piece from one of the most renowned designers. The year-end party was a high-profile event, known for forging connections between small and large-scale businesses—but it also had a dark reputation. It was one of the dirtiest events of the year, where rivals exposed secrets to ruin reputations, destroy businesses, an
"The doctor's words echo in her mind: 'It's your second pregnancy, Miss Taylah. You can't abort this baby because your body is already weak from the last abortion. You must take good care of this child.' She grips the steering wheel tightly, her hands trembling.She presses the break, and the car jerks to a halt on the side of the road. The headlights of passing vehicles make her feel momentarily dizzy.She takes the report paper, gently strokes it for a moment, then clutches it tightly, a bitter smile appearing on her crimson-coloured lips.She touches her belly and takes a deep breath, her face shadowed with grief. If he finds out about this pregnancy, he will definitely insist on aborting this child too.She can't bear the thought of losing this child as well. Her heart pounds with fear. She feels neither sad nor happy about the tiny life growing inside her. Taking a deep breath, she accelerates and continues driving. It's around 7 p.m.She hopes he won't come home early. Since the
Two years Ago. Taylah Russell wakes up and finds herself in an unfamiliar room. She looks around and sees that the double Italian bed is messy, with her torn clothes scattered on the floor like trash. Bright sunlight streams in through the glass window, accompanied by the gentle morning breeze.The curtains sway softly in rhythm with the light wind.She feels pain and soreness all over her body. When she glances down, she notices her skin is covered in love bites, already turning purple. The stinging sensation feels like needles continuously pricking her skin.A sudden wave of fear washes over her, causing her to tremble. As she tries to recall the events of the previous night, a fragment of memory flashes in her mind. Her eyes widen in anger as the memory surfaces.The memories of last night start flooding back—the man's heavy breathing, his hard, muscular body. The more she recalls, the more violently she begins to tremble.The hangover from the night before makes her head feel lik
Dia finally made up her mind and marched toward Taylah. As she got closer, she put on a confident expression."Well, look who’s here."Taylah’s expression turned cold. The last thing she wanted was to run into Dia—or worse, confront her. She didn’t have the strength left to face anyone, especially Dia and Arjan, the most shameless couple alive."Are you blind?"Taylah’s sharp response only fueled Dia’s anger."Just because you're wearing an unreleased dress by designer Edith Ashford doesn’t make you a princess. You’re still just a servant girl in this lifetime," Dia sneered, intent on humiliating Taylah.Taylah’s eyes widened in shock. She never imagined she’d ever wear a piece from one of the most renowned designers. The year-end party was a high-profile event, known for forging connections between small and large-scale businesses—but it also had a dark reputation. It was one of the dirtiest events of the year, where rivals exposed secrets to ruin reputations, destroy businesses, an
The car ride was silent. The air between them was thick, but neither of them dared to speak. She wasn't ready to confront him and waste her energy. It was already too much for them to digest that she was going to a year-end party with Arjan that had nothing to do with her at all. When the car pulled up to the grand venue, the lights from the chandeliers inside spilt out onto the red carpet outside. As the door opened, Taylah was greeted by flashing cameras and the buzz of reporters’ voices. The chaos hit her all at once. “Mr Davier, are the rumours true about You and Mrs Dia Davier dating even though you are married?” “Mrs Taylah Davier, can you tell us how married life is treating you? Words leaked that you guys are expecting? Is that true?” “What happened between Davier's young couple? The brides seemed switched. Any word about that, Mr Davier?” Taylah blinked rapidly, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. She wasn’t used to this. The attention, the scrutiny—it wasn’t her w
The Day was slowly slipping into dusk when a soft knock echoed on the door of Taylah’s room. She looked up from the book she hadn’t really been reading and hesitated for a moment before walking over. Opening the door, she found the butler standing neatly at the threshold, holding a large white garment bag over his arm. “Young madame,” he greeted politely, bowing his head. “Mrs. Davier sent this for you. It’s the dress she’s arranged for you to wear to the year-end party tonight.” Taylah blinked at him, caught slightly off guard. She didn’t have any clue about the party at all. She opened the door a little wider, allowing him to step in while mulling over her thoughts. As the butler carefully laid the dress on the edge of the bed, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, frowned slightly, and answered immediately. “Yes, madam,” he said after a beat. “She’s here… Yes, I’ll hand it to her now.” He held the phone out to Taylah. “It’s Mrs. Davier, Young madame. She wishes to
Things had been gradually settling down since the social media accounts were taken care of. It had taken a great deal of effort and money from the Davier family. Taylah had been staying indoors, living like a typical housewife, tending to household chores. But being confined inside had severely affected her mental health.While she suffered, there were people—no, two people—who were genuinely worried about her.Dicentra kept zoning out, her focus slipping again and again. She had been cleaning the table for nearly half an hour. It was a hectic Saturday night, with people crowding in. By around 3 AM, almost all the customers had left the bar.She snapped back to reality when she felt a tap on her shoulder.“You’ve been cleaning the same spot for almost half an hour, Di… Where’s your mind, buddy?” Louis leaned against the table, facing Dicentra, who let out a heavy sigh as she mirrored his stance.“I haven’t been able to reach Taylah… It’s been four or five months. I don’t trust the Dav
By the time the meeting ended, it was already past 9 PM. Ethan had left the company before Arjan. Arjan couldn’t make it to college as he had been tied up in meetings with shareholders regarding their stock purchases.When he picked up his phone to check for any missed calls, he found several notifications and messages—some from his parents and others from Dia. Sighing, he rubbed his temple before dialing Dia’s number.She answered after a single ring."Arjan... Where are you? Did something happen at the company? I hope those old hags didn’t give you a hard time," Dia asked, feigning innocence.Arjan couldn’t help but smile at how considerate she was."It's fine, Dia... Just some internal conflicts. I'm just tired. I’ll get some rest once I reach the mansion. You should rest too. And don’t watch the news for now," Arjan said as he hopped into the car and started the engine."Why?""Nothing, just… you know how controversies about us keep circulating online. I don’t want you to be upset
A victorious grin stretched against Dia's lips as if she won some game. She just hummed and got into the car without saying anything. It didn't go unwatched by onlookers. Sure enough, it would hit up another trending news in a few minutes. Arjan hopped into the car and hit the road. The ride was so silent, and they didn't break it until Arjan pulled the car over some lakeside. "You know you don't have to be so dramatic. Bringing me to the lake just to have some words," Dia sluggishly said. "Dia... Stop being irrational. Why are you ignoring me? From the text to the meeting, you ghosted me as if I didn't even exist," Arjan tried to hold back his frustration, but he failed to do so. He just banged the steering, cursing under his breath. A scoff. Yeah, Arjan heard a scoff from Dia. "Think of what you did, Mr Arjan Davier. Don't you think you have to explain something to me," Dia stomped out of the car, showing her anger through her actions. Arjan sighed defeatedly and got out o
"Arjan..." Taylah's voice was barely above a whisper, her vision still blurry in the dim light. His face was shadowed, but before she could fully process what was happening, his lips crashed onto hers. Her pupils dilated in shock. She struggled against him, trying to push him away, but he was too strong. With ease, he pinned her wrists above her head, trapping her beneath him. His kiss was wild, rough, and forceful. The overpowering scent of alcohol on his breath made her stomach churn with nausea. "Arjan... you... you're drunk," she managed to say between his relentless kisses, her voice trembling. "Don't... don't do something you'll regret later..." She twisted beneath him, trying to break free, but his grip only tightened. He pulled away slightly, his dark eyes filled with something unreadable. Then, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "But you like it when I touch you, don’t you?" His voice was low, taunting. Taylah felt her entire body freeze. Fear and disgust twisted
The sound of his breathing made her shudder. Even though he ate in silence, his mere presence felt suffocating. His existence alone was enough to threaten her to the core.“Looks like my brother is obsessed with you,” Arjan suddenly spoke, breaking the heavy silence. His deep voice sent an unsettling chill through her, making her shiver.“In these two months, Ethan has only been asking about you. Did you bewitch him too? Or do you have a secret relationship with him?” Arjan tilted his head, his piercing gaze locking onto her.Was he seriously accusing her of having an affair? Did he even care?He was openly indulging in his relationship with Dia, despite her being his brother’s wife. How disgusting. Their entire relationship was twisted. And yet, he dared to question her?Taylah remained silent. What was the point of explaining? It was useless—he wouldn’t believe her anyway. She was exhausted from trying to justify herself to someone who didn’t even care whether she was okay or not.H
It had been two months since Taylah returned from her grandparents' home. Nothing had changed for her—she was still tormented by Arjan, enduring it silently. The morning was bright once again. A gust of wind rushed through the window, making the curtains sway in rhythm. Taylah was sleeping soundly in her room when the butler knocked on the door to wake her up. Slowly, she opened her eyes, rubbing them to adjust to the light. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room, while the soft chirping of birds filled the air like music to her ears. She stretched and pulled the blanket off herself. Over the past two months, Arjan had always left the mansion before she woke up and returned only after she had fallen asleep. Sometimes, he didn’t come back at all, choosing to stay outside instead. She knew exactly why he was staying out—it was for Dia. They didn’t even care about appearances anymore. When Taylah had told Arjan about her pregnancy, he had tortured her, furious