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The countdown has begun

Penulis: Beth
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-05-08 20:49:50

ZOE’S POV

I hadn’t expected him to run to me like that.

"Mummy!" Jamie shouted with so much joy like a child who had found his world again. His little arms wrapped around my waist so tight, so trusting like he had been waiting for this moment too.

Everything froze. The room blurred. All I saw—all I felt—was my son. My baby. Right there in front of me. Calling me the one word I ached to hear from him again.

I wasn’t aware of the glass breaking until Austin’s voice cut through the moment.

“Zoe!” he shouted and ran to her.

I glanced up.

Chloe stood frozen in the archway, wine glasses shattered around her feet. But just as quickly, she masked it, pasting on that polished, perfect smile she always wore when she was lying.

“Oh! Sorry. I… Jamie startled me. I thought he was calling out to me.” she said, laughing a little too loudly.

I could see the panic still flickering in her eyes. She was unraveling, bit by bit.

One of the staff hurried to sweep the glass, and Chloe stepped back, smoothin
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  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    Where are you, Zoe?

    ZOE’S POV I couldn’t think straight. The image of the woman—Alexis—still lingered heavily in my mind. The way she smiled and yelled “Surprise!” like she belonged at Owen’s doorstep. The way she had confidently pushed past me calling his name like it was hers to say. The way he had looked at her shocked, tense but not entirely unfamiliar.He said nothing had been between them for two years. That he hadn’t spoken to her, hadn’t seen her. But if that were true, how did she know where he lived? And not just that—how did she know where we worked?Who just shows up like that out of nowhere?I was beginning to see how much I truly didn’t know about Owen. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. He was kind, protective, thoughtful, yes—but guarded. So much about him was unknown. He never talked about his family, his past not even about his scars.And now an ex-fiancée I had never even heard of suddenly walking into the picture like she never left. My stomach twisted.If they were really over, why did s

  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    The Calm before

    OWEN'S POV “I doubt Alexis would ever hurt Jamie,” I said softly, watching the panic still lingering in Zoe’s eyes. “She might know about him, yes, but going after a child? That’s a whole different line I don’t think she’d ever cross.”Zoe didn’t seem convinced. Honestly I wasn’t sure I was either.But I needed to calm her. I needed to calm myself.“I’ll talk to her,” I said after a pause. “Try to reason with her. Maybe if I talk to her, explain it clearly she’ll finally understand. Realize it's over between her and me.”Zoe nodded shakily. “Maybe that’s a good idea. You know her better than anyone.”I knew Alexis too well. And that’s what scared me.****************************************By early afternoon, I sat across from Alexis at a quiet restaurant. I picked the place on purpose—a calm, public area.She arrived looking elegant and composed. She seemed calmer now.She smiled and sat down like we were catching up. “I wasn't expecting you to want to meet.”“I needed to talk” I r

  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    Torn between regret and fear

    ZOE'S POV “What the hell? Owen?” I heard her say in a stunned whisper. But she wasn’t looking at him. Her sharp, wild and vengeful eyes were trained on me.One second I was still breathless from the tenderness of Owen’s kiss and the next, I was frozen with my eyes locked with a glare that could shatter glass."I knew it" Alexis spoke with venom. "It wasn’t just my stupid suspicion. I saw it. It’s you. You’re the reason he won’t even look at me twice!"Owen tried to speak but Alexis wasn’t listening."You little parasite," Alexis hissed, advancing a step. "First at his house like some stray he picked off the street, now in his office. You just love crawling into your bosses’ beds, don’t you? That’s what you do, right? Sleep your way up and act all innocent?"My mouth dropped open. My chest tightened. “What… what did you just say?”Owen stepped forward sharply. “That’s enough, Alexis.”But my mind reeled. My past—those words shouldn’t be in this woman’s mouth. No one should know about

  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    The Calm before she walked in

    OWEN'S POV I could not take it anymore. ‘I might regret it if I don't make a move now and it becomes too late.’ I thought to myself. I had tried to give her space. I’ve tried to be patient. I had told myself that maybe if I stayed quiet long enough and let things cool down Zoe would come back around. But now watching her drift further from me like I was a stranger again after all we had been through, it was unbearable.My chest still felt tight from the moment she walked out of my house with her bags and our goodbye felt forced. Like I hadn’t held her hands in mine just nights before. Like I didn’t care.But I did. More than she knew.I stood up from my desk ignoring the stack of documents I was supposed to go over. I started walking before I realised it. I walked straight to her office without pausing. Without thinking about whether it was smart or not.I couldn’t take the silence anymore.When I walked in she looked up from her desk. She was shocked at first—her brows went up but

  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    Every item felt like a reminder

    ZOE’S POV I couldn’t think straight. The image of the woman—Alexis—still lingered heavily in my mind. The way she smiled and yelled “Surprise!” like she belonged at Owen’s doorstep. The way she had confidently pushed past me calling his name like it was hers to say. The way he had looked at her shocked, tense but not entirely unfamiliar.He said nothing had been between them for two years. That he hadn’t spoken to her, hadn’t seen her. But if that were true, how did she know where he lived? And not just that—how did she know where we worked?Who just shows up like that out of nowhere?I was beginning to see how much I truly didn’t know about Owen. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. He was kind, protective, thoughtful, yes—but guarded. So much about him was unknown. He never talked about his family, his past not even about his scars.And now an ex-fiancée I had never even heard of suddenly walking into the picture like she never left. My stomach twisted.If they were really over, why did s

  • RIGHTFULLY MINE    There it was. The poison

    OWEN'S POV I stood in my office, glaring at Alexis as she leaned on my desk.She smirked at me. “I came back for us Owen. And you are not pushing me away this time. No matter what you say or do.”A bitter chuckle escaped me. “You're joking right? There’s no us Alexis. There hasn’t been for over two years. Did you forget that?”She blinked at me the smile faltering. “You can’t just toss aside what we had like it meant nothing.”“I didn’t do that. You did” I snapped. “I don’t want to have anything to do with you. Not now, not ever.”Her lips tightened. “Is this because of what happened back then? Is that what this is still about?” She crossed her arms, trying to sound calm, reasonable even. “That’s not me anymore, Owen. I went to therapy. I’ve grown. You don’t know the work I’ve done to heal and—”“Heal?” I cut her off. “You think you were the victim?”“That's not what I said.”“You didn’t have to.” I said, loosing my cool. “Did you ever get punished for what you did Alexis?”She hesit

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