Monica Banks had it all—beauty, fame, and a rising career as one of the industry's top lingerie models. Her distinctive curves and magnetic presence made her a favorite on every runway and billboard. But at the peak of her success, she gave it all up. Not for herself, but for her father—agreeing to marry Liam McKenzie, a cold and calculating business tycoon, in exchange for a crucial deal that would save her family’s company. The McKenzie family loathed her profession. To them, modeling lingerie was shameful. They gave her a choice: her career or the marriage. Monica chose Liam, foolishly hoping her sacrifice would earn his love. She terminated her contract—despite her agency’s desperate pleas—and stepped away from everything she had built. For three long years, she played the role of the perfect wife and obedient daughter-in-law. And when Liam finally touched her like a husband should, she believed—naively—that she had finally won a place in his heart. That illusion shattered when she returned home early and found him in their bed with another woman. Her sister. Brie Banks. Liam didn’t deny it. He didn’t even apologize. Instead, he coldly revealed that their marriage was nothing more than a favor to his mother. Broken. Betrayed. Humiliated. But Monica had enough . When Spencer McKenzie—Liam’s estranged half-brother, the black sheep of the family blamed for a fire that killed their grandfather—returned to the country, he made her an offer. One that promised revenge. A scandalous one, She accepted. --- “Are you insane, Spencer? You’re stirring up a scandal with my wife!” Liam’s voice thundered through the room, his eyes blazing. His lips twitch"No you stay away from her, she's mine now."
Lihat lebih banyakMonica clutched the sheets tightly as Liam opened the cabinet. She held her breath, afraid to move, afraid to break the moment.
It had been three years. Three silent, distant years—and now, finally, he had touched her. She watched him as he searched through the cabinet, her eyes tracing the lines of his bare back. His body still made her breath catch. He shut the cabinet and turned. Their eyes met. Her heart skipped. Monica froze when she saw the small foil packet in his hand. A condom. Her heart thudded. They were married. Why would he need that? Doesn’t he want to have a child with me? The thought stung. She laid there, quiet, holding the sheets tighter around her. Why does this feel like a hookup? she wondered. Why not like a wife? All these thoughts raced through her head as she watched Liam tear the packet open, calm and focused, like it was just another routine. Was this even love-making, or just sex? It wasn’t how she had pictured their first time. But as Liam climbed into bed and pulled her close, the air rushed out of her lungs. He looked so good—his fingers moving to his belt, his lips brushing her neck. When he gently parted her legs, she didn’t resist. She gave in. It was fine. It had to be. At least now, she told herself, she was one step closer to winning his heart. The Next Day Hours later, Monica stood in the checkout line, her basket filled with Liam’s favorite things—ingredients for that cheesy garlic pasta he loved, the sparkling water he always kept in the fridge, even the chocolate-covered almonds he claimed he didn’t like but always ate. She smiled. He liked her cooking. Monica held the grocery bag close as she got into the cab, her heart still floating from last night. She stepped into the mansion, greeted by the smell of polish and silence. Rose, the maid, hurried over. “I’ll cook tonight,” Monica said, handing her the groceries. “Yes, Ma,” Rose replied, already heading to the kitchen. Monica climbed the stairs slowly, touching the railing like it might steady her racing thoughts. Liam had finally touched her. Three years of waiting, hoping, pretending not to care—and now, something had changed. He made love to her. He kissed her. He held her close. But her smile faded. She remembered the condom in his hand. Why? They were married. Her fingers brushed her stomach as a quiet ache settled in her chest. Didn’t he want a baby with her? Was she still just someone to share the house with? No. She wouldn’t ruin this moment. He was trying. That had to mean something. She always knew Liam hadn’t married her for love. Not at first. But he’d never had a girlfriend before, so she kept hoping. Maybe, one day, he’d feel something for her too. Last night had felt like the start of that. Liam had been her magazine crush long before he became her husband. As a model, Monica had seen her fair share of good-looking men—but Liam was different. Ocean-blue eyes, a sharp jaw, and a smile that looked like it belonged on a billboard. He was the kind of man everyone wanted. The man she had fallen for the moment she saw his photo years ago. She hurried up the stairs, hope bubbling inside her. Maybe things were finally changing. Maybe she should change into something pretty, surprise him. But then she stopped. Right at the top of the stairs—clothes. Not hers. A lace bra. A silky blouse. One red high heel tipped on its side like it had been kicked off in a rush. Monica’s breath caught. Her heart raced. She didn’t move. Couldn’t. Her eyes stayed locked on the mess by their bedroom door. Then, slowly, dread pushed her forward. Her steps were quiet. She stepped over the scattered clothes, each one feeling like a slap. Her hand shook as she reached for the doorknob. And then—she opened the door. From the other side of the door came a voice—soft, familiar, and sweet. “Why don’t you divorce Monica? I’ve waited long enough, Liam.” Monica froze. That voice. She knew it. Every word felt like a knife. Brie. Her sister. The one person she had loved with her whole heart. Then Liam spoke, his voice calm. “You know how much my grandma loves Monica. She has to mess up first before I can divorce her.” Monica’s hand flew to her mouth as a sob escaped. Tears rushed to her eyes, blurring everything. No, this couldn’t be real. But it was. She didn’t need to see more. Her husband. Her sister. In her bed. Tears filled Monica’s eyes as she stepped back, her legs shaky. “But I’m tired of hiding,” Brie said. “Sneaking around is too much. I feel sad all the time.” Monica’s stomach hurt. Sneaking around? So this wasn’t the first time. “Just a little more time, love,” Liam said. Love. He had never called Monica that. She couldn’t breathe. Her throat felt tight. She tried to stay quiet, but a small cough slipped out. Liam and Brie turned fast. Their eyes went wide. They grabbed the sheets, trying to cover up. But it was too late. Monica had seen everything. “Monica!” Liam shouted, jumping out of bed. His face went pale. “How long have you been there?” Brie grabbed the blanket, covering herself. Her voice shook. “I’m sorry, sister. I love Liam. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Monica just stared at them. Her chest hurt. Her own sister. Her husband. “You don’t need to say sorry,” Liam said fast. “It’s not your fault.” Monica let out a dry laugh. “How long?” she asked. “How long have you been doing this?” Brie looked down. Liam didn’t say anything. “How long?” Monica shouted. Brie whispered, “Three years. We love each other. We want to get married.” Monica’s world stopped. “Three years?” she whispered. “You’ve been cheating since the start?” She stepped back, shaking. “I gave up everything for you. My dreams. My life. For this?” “This marriage was never a choice,” Liam said coldly. “It was just a favor to my mother.” The words hit her like a slap. Monica blinked, her voice shaking. “So all those late nights… the lipstick on your shirt… the dents on your car… You were with Brie? You were with my sister?” More tears spilled, but she didn’t bother wiping them. Brie let out a shaky breath. “Look, sister… I didn’t mean for it to happen like this.” Monica turned to her, her face pale. “You didn’t mean to? All those nights I tried to get close to my own husband—he was already giving himself to you.” Her voice broke as she whispered, “I waited for him… I stayed loyal… I loved him.” Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Stop whining like a baby.” Her tears poured as she grabbed a photo frame and threw it. “You’re both shameless!” Brie covered her belly. “Stop! You’ll hurt the baby!” Monica froze. “Baby?” Her voice was small. “You’re pregnant?” Liam rushed over and grabbed Monica’s arm, pushing her away from Brie. She fell. “You pushed me…” she whispered. “You were going to hurt my child,” Liam said, his voice cold. Monica laughed, but it sounded broken. “Your child? With my sister?” Monica's voice shook as the truth sank in. "Oh... I get it now." She took a shaky breath, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Last night... you used protection because it wasn’t love. It was just... a hookup. In our marriage." Brie’s voice was soft, but it cut deep. “I’m sorry, Monica, but Liam and I are meant to be. You’ve been so obsessed with him, you never saw that he wasn’t happy with you.” Monica nodded slowly, the pain settling in her chest. “You’ve always taken what’s mine… ever since we were kids.” Liam’s eyes were empty. “I was never yours.” Brie stood next to him, her voice almost sweet. “He loves me now. You two were just arranged.” Monica’s heart broke, and her voice cracked. “What about last night? Was it all fake?” Liam didn’t even look at her. “I felt bad for you. That’s all.” Monica’s throat tightened. She couldn’t speak. Her world felt like it was shattering. Without another word, she turned and ran.The morning was crisp, silver-gray clouds stretching across the sky like folded sheets. Spencer adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stepped out of the elevator, a garment bag slung over his arm, his other hand clutching his phone.Diane stood waiting at the lobby entrance, tablet in hand, her eyes sharp and ready. “Good morning, sir. The car is waiting.”He nodded once, then looked around the open lobby. It was early, but the building was already humming with quiet urgency—assistants hustling down corridors, heels tapping like a metronome of efficiency.“Before I go, I want all files for the Zurich account pulled and scanned to my secure inbox,” Spencer said, walking briskly toward the car. “Call Bernard directly—don’t leave it to his secretary. Tell him I’ll follow up mid-flight.”“yes, sir,” Diane replied, jotting notes down quickly. She hesitated, then looked up. “About the investor meeting next week…”“Postpone it,” he said without missing a beat. “If they can’t wait, they’re no
The music in the club pulsed like a heartbeat, deep and relentless. Lights flashed across their faces in soft strobes—red, blue, white—painting Spencer’s tired expression in fleeting colors. Max took another sip of his drink before speaking. “She didn’t even show up for the after-party.” Spencer didn’t respond. His fingers traced the rim of his untouched glass. “I really thought she would,” Max added. “I mean... the award, the show, all the buzz. It had her name written all over it. She deserved to stand there and own that moment.” “She was just gone,” Spencer said finally, his voice rough. “Like she never existed.” Max sighed and nudged the second drink toward him. “At least you know she’s alive now. You don’t have to keep carrying that guilt.” Spencer’s shoulders tensed. “That doesn’t make it better.” Max frowned. “It should.” “It doesn’t,” Spencer muttered. “Because I don’t know if she’s safe. I don’t know where she is. I don’t even know if she’s eating, sleeping, o
Spencer sat alone in the boardroom, long after everyone else had gone home.The lights were off. Only the faint orange glow from the city bled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His laptop was still open in front of him, screen dimming to black after hours of inactivity. He didn’t move to wake it.A glass of whiskey sat untouched near his elbow. The ice had melted.Papers lay scattered across the table—maps, reports, drone surveillance stills. GPS coordinates circled in red ink. Names. Time stamps. Useless details.None of them brought her back.His thumb hovered over her last message again. A photo of her coffee, snapped hours before she vanished. It meant nothing, and yet he couldn’t stop staring at it.Two weeks. Two goddamn weeks.And all they had were guesses. Maybes.He leaned back slowly, resting his head against the cold leather of the chair, eyes shutting as if by doing so he could escape the noise in his mind. But even in the dark, Monica’s voice haunted him. Her smile. T
The days that followed felt like a blur of warmth and shadows—of comfort interrupted by the aftershocks of what could’ve been a tragedy.After the police took Anthony and his accomplice away, Max barely let go of Lake. He wrapped his jacket tightly around him and guided him back to the car with a gentleness that made Lake want to cry all over again. No words were spoken for most of the ride—just silence and Max’s hand in his, thumb brushing over his knuckles in quiet reassurance.When they got home, Max helped him out of his shoes, helped him sit, brought him tea he didn’t drink, and tucked a blanket over his shoulders like he was made of glass. Lake didn’t protest. He didn’t have the strength to. He was still shaking, heart still skipping anytime he heard a car outside or footsteps near the door.But Max stayed. He stayed through the night, never leaving the couch where he’d curled up beside him. And when the sun rose and Lake finally fell into a light, uneasy sleep, Max slipped into
Lake stumbled over a root, nearly falling face-first into the forest floor. The man behind him shoved his shoulder, forcing him upright. “Keep moving.” It was the first time the man had spoken. His voice was low—rough and cold like gravel under boot. Lake’s breath caught in his throat. Something about hearing him speak made it worse. More real. “You don’t have to do this,” Lake said again, his voice cracking from a mix of cold and panic. “You can still turn around. Let me go. I swear I won’t tell anyone—” “Shut up and walk.” Lake gritted his teeth as they moved deeper into the trees. The sunlight was fading now, bleeding orange and gold through the branches. It cast long shadows ahead, each one twisting like they were reaching out to pull him under. “Who paid you?” he asked, trying to keep him talking. “Do you even know why they want me? You’re just someone’s puppet.” The man said nothing this time, but his hand jerked his arm roughly, steering him off the trail. Lake’
Lake stepped down from the last backdrop, sweat clinging lightly at the nape of his neck. The team behind the camera clapped softly—some polite, others more genuine. “That’s a wrap, Lake. Great work today.” “You really nailed that last set. The couch shots were fire.” Tania handed him a bottle of water with a nod. “Not bad for someone who claims he’s more comfortable behind a hoodie.” He chuckled, taking the water. “You weren’t so bad yourself. Give me a heads up next time you plan on stealing the show.” Tania smirked. “Please. I carried you.” “Rude.” But he was smiling. “Alright, everyone,” the creative director called. “Let’s clear up in ten. Models, thank you. We’ll be in touch before the next campaign.” Lake grabbed his bag from the corner, slinging it over one shoulder. He gave a few quick thank-you’s to the makeup artists and lighting crew, all of whom looked just as exhausted. He made his way to the exit, only to be stopped by the photographer. “Hey, Lake.” He turned.
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