Brenda’s life fell apart when her father’s fortune crumbled, dragging them from wealth to ruin. But her nightmare didn’t end there. After her father was murdered, while fleeing the same fate, Brenda became entangled in a crime that made her a fugitive. Desperate to stay hidden, she took refuge as a housekeeper in a wealthy family’s mansion—only to find herself surrounded by danger and secrets. Amid the chaos, she crossed paths with Lucian, a mysterious billionaire whose charm was impossible to resist. Yet falling for him could cost them both everything. Will Brenda find solace in Lucian’s arms, or will her past haunt her forever? Can Brenda uncover the truth behind her father’s death and reclaim her life, or will the dark forces hunting her finally catch up?
もっと見るBrenda's POV
The living room brimmed with friends who had turned up for Ralph's birthday party, the clinking of glasses, hearty chatter, and background music adding to the liveliness. From cutting the cake to making a toast, as a good girlfriend should be, I was right beside him through the whole process. It was a happy moment and I was supposed to be happy and totally unbothered. Well, I was happy—for him at least. But despite the celebration, I couldn't help the unusual clumsiness that descended on me tonight. I grabbed a drink and started refilling my cup. I was staring into vacancy, but the subconscious part of me noticed the silence that suddenly ensued at the table. Everyone was looking at me like I were some alien now, and I didn't realize what I was doing wrong until Ralph's voice cut through the silence like a sharp knife. “Babe! What are you doing? The cup is full.” Only then did I realize that I had been pouring the drink absentmindedly. It had filled to the brim, and now the cup was running over. At first, I was thunderstruck. “I'm so sorry,” I later managed, feeling like a weirdo. But my apology did nothing to stop me from being in the spotlight. With the scrutinizing gaze of each person at the table, I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Could my worries get any more obvious? Suddenly, the DJ switched up the music to a fast danceable one and Ralph shot to his feet, snaking his arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. “Ladies and gents, have all the fun that you can have tonight,” he said before gently dragging me with him to the dance floor. Finally, a rescue from the awkwardness that threatened to consume me. Ralph had my fingers entwined in his as we moved in synchronism to the rhythm of the music. Ralph knew how much music exhilarates me. He knew how much of a good dancer I was. But he figured I wasn't in my spirit tonight. As he locked his gaze on mine, his scrutinizing gaze didn't fail to catch how unsettled I was. You look worried, Brenda,” Ralph finally spoke up. I shook my head to refute but Ralph wasn't convinced, so he pressed further. “Don't lie to me, Brenda. I know there's Something wrong. You've been looking at your phone at intervals. You're making me feel like I forced you down here.” “Aren't you happy to be here with me tonight?” he asked again, his gaze still locked to mine. “Of course I am Lucian,” I managed a smile. “And I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me,” I added. But I lied. How do I remind Ralph that his constant pressures for me to be at his party made me sneak out on my sick father after he took his pills and slept? How do I explain to Ralph that I just had to turn up shortly because he'll not understand whatever reason I gave for not coming. He had always expressed his utter disappointment at my unavailability recently even when I had explained to him that my dad was sick and I was taking care of him. Despite that bad side of Ralph, I still loved him regardless. “Ralph, I won't stay too long tonight,” I managed. “Alright babe,” he said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Since you won't be here for long, let's make tonight memorable. Before I could open my mouth to reply, he playfully dragged me along with him and we got to his bedroom. Once the door was shut, Ralph didn't waste time. He pressed his lips to mine and we kissed. At first, it was a light kiss, but as Ralph deepened the kiss, I couldn't tell if it was borne out of his intoxication or the true love he had for more. I reckoned it was both reasons so I allowed the kiss to crescendo with every passing second. Ralph made sure to savor every inch of my mouth, our tongues continuing the dance that we didn't wait to finish as they swept against each other. After some time, we pulled away to breath. I took a glance at the time on my phone and I knew I had to start going, but Ralph held my hand. As I looked into his eyes, the dissatisfaction they reflected was palpable even under the dim light. For a moment, I thought I heard a faint sound somewhere in the room. “Are we alone, Ralph?” “Of course, who else would be in the room with us?” Ralph said and I concluded that I must have misheard. Before I knew what was happening, Ralph slid his right hand under my gown. His fingers slowly crawled all the way up and I already knew where they were going. His touch was already sending sparks throughout my body, but I suddenly held his hand to stop him before he could go further. “Please stop! I'm not ready for this.” As I said that, I noticed a sudden change in his demeanor. “You keep saying this,” he blurted out of frustration. “When will you ever be ready, Brenda?” I froze at his sudden outburst. I didn't even know what to say to him. “How long do you intend to carry on, being a virgin?” He barked, and the next thing I knew, tears welled up in my eyes. The moment I started sobbing, Ralph held my hands tenderly again, his demeanor back to normal. “I'm so sorry Brenda. You know I hate to see you cry.” “Don't worry, it's fine if you don't want us to…” I didn't let him finish before I cut in. “You can have me, Ralph. I'm all yours” His eyes dilated in surprise even as they carried a shadow of lust. “Are you sure Lila?” I didn't say a word at first. Instead, I leaned in and placed a brief kiss on his lips. “Anything for you, Ralph,” I finally told him. “We've been together for long and I think it's time I let you in. But be gentle with me, please. It's my first time.” The next minute, Ralph and I engaged in another passionate kiss. It was as though our lives depended on it. Shortly after we pulled away to breath, Ralph's hand worked its way beneath my thighs again, making it obvious that he had been starved. For a moment, I forgot that I was in a hurry to go back home to meet my dad before he woke up. I could feel the wetness down there already. As Ralph's hand continued to send sparks throughout my body, I threw all of my cautions out the window as Ralph's fingers had now found the hem of my panties. He paused, and we locked gaze briefly, a silent acknowledgment of what was coming. He started this. Now my body and soul were waiting for him to finish what he started. Just as he was about to shift the hem of my panties, my phone buzzed. Seeing ‘Dad’ appear on my phone screen, realization crashed down on me that my dad was awake. Crestfallen, Ralph slumped back unto the bed while I sat upright to answer the call with a trembling hand. “Hello, Dad,’’ my heart was pounding in my chest as I spoke. I expected that he would express his disappointment for leaving home without telling him. But his next words were far from disappointed. “Brenda, it's not safe to come home now. Just stay wherever you are for now,” he said in a rush, and the call ended before I could say anything. Confusion skated my expression as I tried his number again but it didn't go through. Now, my heart was beating twice its normal rate as I sensed danger in that tone. “I have to go now,” I said to Ralph as I shot up to my feet and dashed out in a frenzy, ignoring Ralph's confused responses. I was about to flag down a car when I tried to reach for my phone in my small purse and then I realized that I had left my phone In Ralph's room. My hurriedness did not even make me process for a second, the kind of noise or pleasure-coated sound that I was hearing. By the time I swung the door open, I could not believe the sight before me. I found Ralph lying stark naked above someone else on the bed. He quickly got off the person as soon as he saw me. Only then was the person's face revealed. Wait a minute, a man? Ralph wasn't even cheating on me with a woman. It was a fucking man!Lucian’s POV“Brenda! Brenda, please!”My voice was hoarse, raw with desperation as I cradled her limp body against me. The warmth of her blood seeped into my clothes, sticky and thick, a constant reminder that she was slipping away. My heart pounded in my chest, my breaths ragged as I shook her lightly, willing her to open her eyes, to say something—anything.Tears burned at the edges of my vision, but I refused to let them fall.I couldn’t lose her.I wouldn’t lose her.“Damn it, Brenda, stay with me!” My voice cracked as I pulled her closer. “Don’t do this—don’t you dare leave me like this.”She didn’t respond.A strangled sob tore from my throat, and I pressed my forehead against hers, murmuring broken pleas against her skin. My entire body trembled as panic surged through me, drowning out all rational thought.I had to get her to a hospital.Now.With a deep breath, I swallowed the fear choking me and gathered her in my arms, staggering to my feet. Sweat dripped down my temples
Lucian’s POVMy fingers trembled slightly as I fast-forwarded through the CCTV footage, scanning each second with sharp focus. The tension in the room was suffocating, the only sounds being the low hum of the computer and the occasional sharp intake of my breath. My eyes burned from staring too long at the screen, but I couldn’t afford to blink—not until I found something.And then I did.Vanessa appeared on the screen, emerging from the restroom. Her posture was relaxed, unaware of the impending danger.Then her phone rang.I watched as she pulled it out of her purse, answering with a quick swipe. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but her reaction was immediate—her brows lifted in surprise, then a slow, eager smile spread across her face. Whatever was being told to her, it excited her.Then, without hesitation, she turned and started walking.My pulse spiked as I tracked her movements. She wasn’t heading back to the party—she was heading toward the exit.“Where the hell are you g
Lucian’s POVIt had been five weeks since Vanessa was released and reunited with her sister and mother. Five weeks since the dust began to settle, since the chaos that once tore through all our lives finally started to fade into something resembling peace.In those five weeks, everything had changed.My father had been sentenced to ten years in prison, a fate that somehow felt both too lenient and just enough. Meanwhile, Grayson had received life imprisonment—a fitting end for a man who had thrived on destruction.But justice didn't stop there.Since Grayson had stolen Miller’s capital—money meant for Mrs. Elizabeth’s fashion design business—along with her entire business idea, the court had ruled that the business rightfully belonged to her. The legal process to transfer ownership back to her was still ongoing, but soon, she would finally reclaim what had always been hers.Yes, a lot had changed.And as I sat on the couch, lazily scrolling through my phone, I couldn’t help but feel a
Vanessa’s POVThe past few days had been nothing short of a nightmare—a slow, painful unraveling of everything I thought I knew about myself.I had always carried myself with an air of superiority, proud of the wealth and power that surrounded me, believing I was untouchable. But now… now, I was nothing. A nobody.The moment Grayson had looked me in the eye and coldly told me that I wasn’t his real daughter, my entire world came crashing down. The man I had spent my entire life seeking validation from, the one I had desperately tried to impress, had never even considered me his own.I was just an adopted child.The words had cut deeper than I could have ever imagined.And if that wasn’t enough, yesterday’s revelation had struck the final blow—the one that shattered me completely.Officer Smith had walked into this cell, looked me dead in the eye, and delivered a truth so painful I had struggled to breathe.Brenda.Brenda, the woman I had despised with every fiber of my being. The wom
Brenda’s POVThe air in the hospital room remained thick with tension, the weight of Officer Smith’s revelation still settling over us. Grayson had been the one to order my father’s murder. The thought alone sent another wave of cold rage through me, but before I could fully process it, Officer Smith’s gaze suddenly shifted.I noticed how his eyes moved—from Mrs. Elizabeth to me, then back to her again. A slow, almost knowing smile spread across his face, and I felt a strange sense of unease rise within me.“What is it?” Lucian asked, his brows furrowing slightly.Officer Smith finally spoke, his voice carrying a kind of anticipation that made my heart pound faster.“Mrs. Elizabeth,” he began, his eyes flickering between the both of us again. “It would interest you to know that Brenda—seated right here—is your biological daughter.”The words hit me like a slap.I felt my body jolt slightly as I blinked rapidly, my mind trying to process what I had just heard. My mouth parted slightly,
Brenda's POVI couldn’t just blurt it out.Not like this.Not when Mrs. Elizabeth had only just regained her memory, not when she was still fragile from years of lost time. I feared that the shock might be too much for her, that her body—already weakened from everything she had endured—might not be able to handle the pain of this truth.But she wasn’t going to stop asking.Her panicked eyes searched mine, pleading for an answer I didn’t want to give. The desperation in her voice clawed at my heart.So I did the only thing I could.I stepped closer, lowering myself beside her hospital bed.Her breath hitched as she looked up at me, hope flickering in her gaze, waiting for me to say that everything was fine—that Miller was alive and well, waiting somewhere for her.But I couldn’t give her that.I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.I didn’t say a word.I didn’t have to.The moment my fingers squeezed lightly, the warmth of my touch mea
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.
コメント