LOGINShare
Chapter 8: The Shadow of George Reed
Last Updated:
2025-06-06 04:12:02
Latest chapter
Once my Wife Chapter 88: A New Legacy
The morning after the gala, New York was still buzzing. Newspapers splashed the photo of Jason kissing Bella across their front pages. Social media feeds looped the video over and over, captions screaming: “The Kiss That Stole the Gala” and “Love Stronger Than Scandal.”It wasn’t just gossip, it was a statement. A public coronation of their love.Bella’s phone wouldn’t stop vibrating. Messages poured in; friends, colleagues, journalists, even old acquaintances she hadn’t heard from in years.“That kiss,” one text read, “was everything. You shut everyone up.”Another said: “You two… power and fire. No one can touch that.”Bella sat at the kitchen counter in her robe, scrolling, smiling faintly, a cup of coffee untouched beside her. She wasn’t used to love being something celebrated instead of dissected.Jason walked in, barefoot, still half-asleep but carrying the quiet power that never left him. He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, watching her.“Still famous?” he teased.“Ap
Once my Wife Chapter 87: A New Kind of Show
The chandeliers glittered like a hundred frozen suns. The annual New York Philanthropic Art Gala wasn’t just an event, it was a spectacle. Politicians, CEOs, artists, and foreign dignitaries moved through the grand hall like chess pieces, each dressed in fabrics that whispered of wealth and influence. Cameras flashed. Champagne glasses clinked. Deals were brokered in whispers behind velvet curtains.But tonight, all eyes were on one woman.Bella Quinn-Reed.She stood near the entrance in a deep emerald gown that clung to her like liquid light, Jason at her side in a tailored black tux. They were the power couple of New York, a story people wanted to watch unfold in real time.Jason leaned toward her ear, his voice low and smooth. “Every head in this room just turned. You’re the star tonight, Bella.”Bella forced a smile. “It’s not about me. It’s about the art. About the cause.”Jason’s lips curved. “You can tell yourself that. But look around….you’ve become the cause.”Before she coul
Once my Wife Chapter 86: The Ghost of What Might Have Been
The café smelled like roasted coffee beans mixed with oil paint, a strange blend that pulled Bella into a past she thought she had buried. It was a small spot tucked away in a quiet corner of New York, its walls covered with paintings from local artists; wild splashes of color, uneven strokes, sharp lines that spoke of chaos and hope.And then she saw him.Chidi Obi.He hadn’t changed much. His hair was shorter now, touched faintly with gray. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and a well-used book sat open on the table in front of him. But it wasn’t his clothes or the gray that held her, it was his eyes. The same deep, calm eyes that once made her believe her life could have gone in an entirely different direction.“Bella.” He stood up, uncertain, caught between reaching for a hug or bowing in quiet respect. His voice was low, a little stunned. “You look… radiant. Victorious. I’ve followed your work. What you’re doing—it’s incredible. You’ve become a light.”She gave a ne
Once my Wife Chapter 85: The Aftermath and a New Ghost
The city had changed.In the week since Jason’s defiant broadcast, New York felt alive with a new energy, a fever, a belief. The Phoenix Foundation had risen from the ashes like its namesake, not just restored but transformed. Support poured in from every corner of the globe: messages, funding, partnerships. They weren’t just surviving anymore; they were leading.Jason and Bella’s story had been painted in headlines as a modern fairy tale. Love against betrayal. Courage against manipulation. Light against shadow. The world couldn’t get enough.But behind the bright lights, behind the applause and admiration, the wounds still bled quietly.At night, Bella would sometimes wake with a start, her heart pounding, certain she had heard Seraphina’s voice whispering through the dark. Sometimes, she would flinch when Jason touched her shoulder unexpectedly, the memory of isolation and fear still fresh in her skin.Jason bore his scars differently. He was always watching now. Watching doors, wa
Once my Wife Chapter 84: The Defiant Return
The doors slammed open.For one terrifying heartbeat, Bella thought it would be Dean’s shadows, Seraphina’s agents, or worse…Ryan himself come to finish the betrayal. But then she saw David Cole, his face pale, his chest heaving as if he had sprinted the whole way here.“Jason!” David’s voice cracked with relief. “Bella! You’re safe.”Behind him, the team flooded the penthouse, weapons ready, eyes scanning every corner. They secured the perimeter with a speed and precision that left no doubt that they had been waiting for this moment.Jason rose from his chair, still gripping Bella’s hand. His eyes met David’s.“You’re late,” Jason said quietly.David winced, his shoulders heavy with guilt. “I know. I should have been here sooner. I should’ve stopped Ryan before it got this far.” He swallowed hard, shame thick in his voice. “I let my own brother slip past me. I…”Jason cut him off. “You came back.”For a second, David looked at him, stunned. Then he nodded, his voice breaking. “I’ll m
Once my Wife Chapter 83: The Phoenix from the Ashes
Bella could still feel the warmth of Jason’s touch, the closeness that had drawn them back together. For the first time in what felt like years, her heart wasn’t weighed down by grief or despair. But her mind? It wouldn’t stop racing.Seraphina’s voice haunted her like a ghost. Dean’s final masterpiece.A masterpiece. Bella knew enough about men like Dean Carter to understand one thing; every masterpiece carried its flaw. No matter how clever the plan, there was always a tell. Always.She sat hunched over Jason’s laptop, the glow of the screen casting sharp shadows across her face. The files exposing Ryan’s betrayal were still open. The timelines. The leaks. The careful staging of the Foundation’s collapse. Every word made her stomach tighten.Jason leaned against the table, silent, his jaw clenched.Then Bella’s eyes narrowed. She spotted something. A tiny detail, almost hidden, like a whisper at the edge of the code.“Wait,” she muttered, pressing her finger to the screen. “This lin
You may also like
My Bestfriend's Brother Shouldn't Know How I Taste
Demiah13474.9K viewsA Dangerous Atrophy
Qi River's Old Stream777.3K viewsYou're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
Cora Smith671.5K viewsBeyond the Divorce
Third Blossom2.5M viewsSteel And Saddle
Rachel Hart41 viewsDon't Stop, Daddy
Freda439 viewsI Hate You... Don't Stop!
GemJade197 viewsMarried To My Arrogant Billionaire Enemy
Jechera537 views
