I thought it was guilt more than anything else. I was sleeping with my ex-fiancé’s father, and even though I didn’t know where it would lead, I knew I didn’t want it to end. Liv Bennett believed she had her future figured out; A stable career, a man she loved, and a wedding just a night away. But everything fell apart the night she caught her fiancé, Aaron Blackwood, in bed with her stepsister. Crushed and humiliated, Liv ran from the humiliation of her life and ended up on the rooftop of the hotel, drunk. That night, she found comfort in the arms of a stranger and they shared a heated and passionate night. But when morning came, she discovered the truth: he was Kaelon Blackwood, Aaron’s father. Liv tried to walk away, but fate had other plans. Caught in the middle of a scandal she never asked for, Liv had to face her past and confront the consequences of one impulsive night. Kaelon was everything she shouldn’t want; Older, powerful, and far too close to the man who broke her heart. But he was also the one person who made her feel safe again. As her world unraveled, Liv had to decide if she would walk away from the man who could destroy her; Or embrace the one who might just save her.
Lihat lebih banyakLiv
“Fuck! I'm cumming Aaron.." My steps slowed and I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears. Wasn't that Vivi’s voice? All I wanted to get from our suite was a breather from the fake smiles and loud music of the hall. I never expected to be greeted by such a heart wrenching sight. You might be wondering what the hell is going right? Well, it's supposed to be my fucking bachelorette party. As well as his bachelor party. We are SUPPOSED to be married by morning. Aaron had been adamant—we weren’t going to do separate parties like everyone else. He didn’t want a bachelor party without me. I also didn't want a bachelorette party where I would have to plaster on an unwilling smile, wave and say, “Thanks for coming," to strangers. So here we were, throwing a joint party, dancing among his friends and family, in the glamorous ballroom of his father’s hotel. I continued down towards the suite and stopped in front of the door. My heart raced as I got closer, and then I heard Vivi’s voice, soft and breathless, whispering Aaron’s name like it was the only word she knew. My chest tightened, and I peeked through the door. There they were, Aaron kept thrusting hard into her wetness and she was visibly enjoying herself, judging from the slicky sounds that erupted from the effect of Aaron's dick in her. His face was contorted into one of pleasure as he reached for her full breasts and squeezed them as he kept thrusting and fuck! He wasn't using a condom! “Damn it Aaron! Come on baby hit that pussy like you own it." Vivi moaned. A wave of nausea hit me so fast, I had to steady myself against the wall. This couldn’t be happening. I stood there, frozen, my mind swirling back to all the moments I had doubted myself. All the times Vivi had made little comments about how “lucky” I was to have Aaron. How often she had remarked on his wealth, his power. I’d always brushed it off as her being her—an elite socialite, always trying to make herself feel better. But now, the truth stood before me, cruel and undeniable. I don’t know how long I stood there, watching the man I was about to marry fucking the hell out of my step sister right in the middle of our pre-wedding party. The more I saw him thrusting himself into her with low grunts and hearing her squirm and moan in pleasure beneath him, the more dizzy I felt. Eventually, my legs felt like they would give out beneath me, and I turned away, numbly heading back to the party. The ballroom spun around me as I stepped inside, the laughter and chatter of the guests like distant echoes. All around me, people were laughing, smiling, raising their glasses in toast to my “good fortune.” “You’re so lucky, Liv,” one of Aaron’s aunts said, a glass of champagne in hand as she sauntered over. “Aaron is such a catch! Handsome, successful... you’re marrying into a dream.” I forced a smile, my lips feeling stiff. “Yeah... lucky me.” “Look at you,” another woman cooed, her eyes scanning my dress from head to toe. “You look stunning. That dress must have cost a fortune! Oh, but of course, Aaron’s family has impeccable taste.” “Thank you,” I murmured, feeling the bile rise in my throat. “You’re going to be the envy of everyone,” she continued, her voice sickly sweet. “I mean, marrying into that family? Some of us could only dream.” I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms as I nodded politely, each word sinking deeper into my skin like poison. Envy of everyone? Is that all they thought this was? A business transaction? Did any of them see me—the real me—or did they only see the girl who didn’t come from money, marrying into it? Bunches of bullshit. I turned away, my pulse quickening as the walls of the ballroom seemed to close in around me. The chandeliers sparkled overhead, their light too bright, the music too loud. My heart pounded in my chest, the weight of their words pressing down on me, suffocating me. “Are you alright, Liv?” Aaron’s mother’s sister Cecil appeared beside me, her hand resting on my arm. Her eyes were kind but calculating, the perfect image of high society grace. “You seem a bit... off.” “I’m fine,” I lied, forcing another tight smile. “Well, you should be. Tonight’s your night, after all. This is the beginning of your new life.” Her smile was sharp, her eyes scanning the room as if she was already picturing me in the role she had chosen for me—the perfect wife for her perfect son. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yeah... I guess it is.” Aaron’s second aunt’s Magaret smile widened. “Don’t worry, darling. After tonight, you won’t have to worry about anything. We’ve got everything planned out for you. You’ll fit right in.” Lies! All fucking lies! Her words twisted like a knife in my gut. Fit right in? My mind decided to flash me a picture of the miserable life I would have, getting married to a cheating ass like Aaron. I blinked back the tears threatening to spill over, my chest tightening with each passing second. They didn’t see me. None of them did. They only saw what they wanted to see—the poor girl marrying into wealth, the outsider they were bringing into the fold. “Liv, are you sure you’re okay?” A voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. It was Megan, the maid of honor, some chosen relative of Aarons’. Her brow furrowed with concern as she approached. “You’ve been standing here for a while. Maybe you need some air?” “I’m fine, Megan,” I said, my voice tight. “Just... needed a moment.” “Well, I don’t blame you,” she said, her gaze softening. “This whole thing is overwhelming, isn’t it? But it’s almost over. Soon, you’ll be Mrs. Aaron Montclair, and everything will fall into place.” I laughed, a hollow sound escaping my lips. “Yeah. Everything’s just falling right into place.” Megan gave me a strange look but didn’t press further. I didn’t belong here. I never did. I grabbed a bottle from the bar, ignoring the waiter’s concerned glance. I needed something strong, something to numb the jagged edges of my heart. I gulped it down, each burning swallow a small victory over the pain clawing at my chest. I stumbled out of the ballroom, my heels clacking too loudly in the quiet hallway. I needed a place to cry, to fall apart, but I didn’t even know where to go. My private suite… the executive one Aaron had booked for me… I couldn’t remember the number. I couldn’t remember anything. My vision swam as I wandered aimlessly, and then it hit me—the rooftop. The music was just a hum in the back of my mind as I staggered toward the rooftop railing. The night air was crisp, cutting through the haze of alcohol, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache deep inside me. My chest felt like it was caving in, like every breath I took hurt more than the last. “Fuck you Aaron!” “To hell with you Vivi!” I screamed and wailed and drank from the whiskey bottle in my hands. When I took the bottle close to my lips again, it was empty. “Fuck that too.” I said, my words slurred as the bottle fell from my hands. “Fuck the world too!” I screamed finally into the sky, releasing all the pain, betrayal, and heartbreak that threatened to crush me. My legs wobbled beneath me, unsteady from the weight of it all—and from the alcohol. I wanted to keep screaming, but I was too weak, too broken. I let go of the railing, stumbling backward. The ground felt like it was spinning, pulling me down with it. My vision blurred, and I could feel my body giving out. My feet slipped out from under me, and I knew I was falling, but I didn’t care. Maybe the ground would hurt less than this. But then, just as I started to tip over, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back from the edge. I gasped, startled, and looked up, my vision still swimming. Even through the fog of alcohol and tears, I could see him clearly. He was... breathtaking. Dark eyes framed by thick lashes, a jawline so sharp it could cut through the night, and lips that were set in a determined line. He had an air of quiet strength about him, like he could handle anything—even me, broken as I was. Then I did the most odd thing ever. I pressed my lips into his.ETHANI couldn’t believe what I was hearing.My ears rang, like a bomb had gone off beside my head. I had to yank the phone away for a second just to breathe.“Elora?” I said again, my voice cracking. “You’re sure it’s her?”“Yes, sir,” Ava replied on the other end, sounding as confused as I felt. “I just got in. The whole floor’s a mess. People are whispering everywhere. Apparently, the President will be on seat today and…”“I know the President’s back,” I snapped, already pacing behind my desk. “I introduced the Belmont initiative last quarter. Don’t give me reports like I’m an outsider.”She went quiet.My fingers dug into my scalp. I had to stop myself from tearing a handful of hair out. No. No, this wasn’t happening.“She’s his assistant?” I asked again. “Rowen Grayson’s new assistant?”“That’s what I heard. She showed up in a new car and…”I hung up.I didn’t even know when I slammed my palm against my desk. My computer shook. Papers fluttered. My breath came out in ragged burst
ELORA“Yup. Black Mercedes. Delivered before sunrise. The security guy gave me the keys and said it was from Grayson Motors.”“Ethan?”I laughed. “Why would he? He would not go such lengths to prove his stance. My problem is that I haven’t even been promoted yet, I don’t even know how to explain this to people at work.”Gemma’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Whoever is doing this is not just spoiling you, El. He’s branding you. Feels like he’s trying to send a message. But who is this person? Any ideas?”I froze for a second.“I don’t Gem. Sorry, I have to go,” I said quickly. “I’ll call you later.”“Elora…”Click. I ended the call and stared at the fob in my hand.Branded. Was that what this was?I didn’t have time to figure it out. I grabbed my bag, stuffed my laptop inside, and walked toward the door. The elevator took forever. When I stepped outside, the car was still there. Shiny. Sleek. Intimidating.I slid behind the wheel and the seat adjusted automatically to fit my height. The
ELORAThe knock came sharp and persistent.At first, I thought it was part of a dream, causing something vague and irritating that rattled inside my skull. But then it came again, louder, more insistent.I groaned and blinked my eyes open.Light streamed in through the window, far too bright for comfort. My mouth tasted stale, and my limbs were stiff from sleeping in my clothes. My dress was wrinkled and had ridden halfway up my thighs. I cursed softly under my breath.I had passed out. Just like that. Last night’s chaos with Rowen, then going to see my parents, coming back emotionally exhausted… and then shutting down without even washing off my makeup. My lashes clumped. My head throbbed faintly.The knock came again. This time, three firm taps.I pushed myself off the couch. Yep, I had passed out on the couch, not even my bed. I staggered toward the door, rubbing sleep from my eyes.“Hold on,” I croaked.I cracked open the door, squinting. Standing outside was the morning security
ROWEN We had moved from the hospital room, where Mr. Miller was kept, with his wife watching over him. We had to stop at one of the private rooms for VIPs to take the call from my stupid nephew. Elora was sitting across from me in the room, with her phone still in her hand, brows drawn together in a tight knot of frustration. The glow from the screen highlighted the delicate curve of her cheek, but her focus was elsewhere. The faint buzz of the call had gone dead. And so was his voice.Her thumb hovered above the screen like she expected Ethan to call back any second. But the line stayed dead. Her fingers tensed like she was gripping a lifeline that kept slipping. It was the same expression she wore when she first lamented her ordeal to me. Although the way her brows knitted together, gave this expression a tint of anger burrowing underneath."I hung up," she muttered, her voice flat but with the bitter edge of disbelief. Her lips barely moved as she spoke, like the words were dif
ETHANI sat down in my study, listening to the hum of the air conditioning unit overhead. It was the only sound in the room, but it did nothing to ease the heat crawling beneath my skin. My elbows pressed into the polished oak desk as I stared at the wall across from me, not really seeing anything. The events from yesterday’s lunch replayed in my head like a highlight reel gone wrong. Elora hadn’t cried. She hadn’t screamed. She hadn’t begged me not to call off the engagement.She had just looked at me with that maddening, unreadable face. One I used to think I could read better than anyone else. Slightly vexed? Maybe. But mostly... indifferent. And then she walked out like it didn’t matter. Like I didn’t matter.I rubbed my temples, exhaling sharply. What the hell is going on with her?She used to hang onto my every word. She used to flinch whenever I raised my voice. Now? She walks out of a restaurant with her chin up, hips swaying like she just got promoted to queen of the goddam
ELORARowen’s shoes crunched over the gravel as he stepped out of the car and joined me. The wind tugged lightly at the hem of my sundress as we walked toward the porch. My heart thudded harder with every step. Not from nerves about my father’s health, that part was constant, but from Rowen being here. With me. At the ranch. The lines were blurring faster than I could catch them.I paused a few feet from the door and turned to him. His brows rose slightly as if he already sensed what I was about to say.“Please… just for today, don’t let them know who you really are,” I said. “Not the billionaire CEO thing. Not the Grayson family ties. None of it. Just… let them meet you as Rowen. My friend.”A grin stretched slowly across his face. Mischievous. Teasing.“I can never be your friend, but whatever you say, Princess.”Ouch. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Don’t call me that in front of them either.”He gave a mock salute. “Got it. Anonymous chauffeur-slash-friend. No crowns, no cas
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Komen