Share

Chapter Five

Author: Giftemmy
last update Last Updated: 2025-05-14 06:43:45

I slid down the wall to the ground.

I had thought I had no more tears left to shed, but how wrong I was.

She had promised me. She told me she would stay with me this time. That she wouldn't leave when things got tough.

Foolish Tessa. Of course, I let her in again, even though I knew she never kept her promises. Still, I was naive enough to believe her—just as I had blindly trusted Kelvin.

Maybe I was the problem.

She was my mother, my only family. She was all I had. I couldn’t give up on her, but then… What kind of mother does this to her own child?

I had been ready to go the extra mile to put food on both our tables, even if most children have their parents working to feed them. It had always been the other way around for me, but I never complained. I rose to the task, and yet… it still wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough—not when it came to her.

.

Seven text messages from Bree.

Two from Madame Victoria, my employer—probably to fire me, as if I didn’t have enough on my plate.

I ignored both messages.

I just wanted to be alone right now, but of course, that too was too much to ask.

My screen lit up with a call. The phone kept ringing, over and over again.

With a sigh of frustration, I picked up the call without checking the caller ID.

“Bree, this is the wrong time…”

It wasn’t Bree calling.

“Am I speaking to Tessa Valemont?” a male voice, unfamiliar and formal, questioned.

I stared at the caller ID; it was an unsaved number.

“Yes, you are,” I answered after a moment of hesitation.

“My name is Charles Green. I’m a lawyer with Callister & Wells Law Firm. I’m calling to inform you that your name has been listed in the late Mr. Falcone Callister’s will. According to its terms, you’ve inherited three-quarters of his estate.”

I stared at my phone, dumbfounded.

“Sorry, who is Mr. Falcone?” I asked, there was silence on the other end. “Hello?”

“You don't know who he is?” the caller, Charles, questioned, and I could sense the surprise in his voice.

“No. I don’t.”

“That’s strange. But your name was mentioned in his will, and we would need to meet to settle the matter as soon as possible. I’ll send you an address…”

“There must be some mix-up. I don’t think you have the right person. I’m sorry to hear about Mr. Callister’s death, but I don’t know him.”

There was another pause.

“Can you confirm your details for me? Your mother’s name is Rachel Valemont. You currently live in apartment 14A of the Old Holt, Seattle. You’re five foot six, with curly blonde hair and brown eyes. Age: 22.

Do I have the right person?”

The mention of my mother’s name sent a sharp throb through my chest. I didn’t think she deserved to be called my mother. No—she didn’t deserve anything.

“What did you say your name was again?”

Charles. Charles Green.”

The name didn’t ring any bells, nor did the name Callister.

Mom never spoke of any relatives, and I often wondered if we had any. My father had died right before I was born—that’s what Mom had always told me. So, who the hell was this man, Callister, and why was I part of his will?

Charles kept his word and sent the address where we were to meet.

I knew I should have told someone about this, maybe Bree, but I didn’t want her worrying about me any more than she already was. I also knew better than to wander off to strange locations alone, yet that was exactly what I was doing.

Call it curiosity, or maybe the fact that I had nothing left to lose.

I parked across the street from the mansion-like building. My rusty car stood out like a sore thumb. I double-checked the address to be sure I was in the right place. This was definitely it.

Now I regretted my choice of clothing. I wore a simple light blue gown that clung to my frame, and my hair was hastily thrown into a bun.

I was sure that once I got there, they'd realize there’d been a mix-up and I wasn’t the right person.

I was just about to cross the street when a sleek black car came to an abrupt stop in front of me. The back door flew open.

“Get in,” said a voice that sent chills down my spine.

Every instinct in me screamed to run—and I did.

I turned on my heel and sprinted back toward my car, heart pounding in my chest. But I didn’t make it far.

The man was out of his car in an instant. Before I could even scream, his hand clamped over my mouth.

I kicked and thrashed, trying to break free, but it was useless. He was strong. Very strong.

In one swift motion, he dragged me backward and shoved me into the back seat of his car.

I shouldn’t have come here alone. I should have told Bree.

But of course, I had to make another stupid mistake, and this time, it might cost me my life.

Then I saw his face in the rearview mirror.

Stormy grey eyes.

The same grey eyes I’d seen in my dreams ever since that day at the restaurant.

It was him.

Wraith.

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Seven

    Wet warmth slid down the side of my face, and I knew that smell—blood.I was still in my apartment, but I had been bound to a chair.I wasn’t alone. About six men in black suits crowded the room, along with a woman who looked to be in her mid forties.The first thought that crossed my mind was—how the hell did they all fit into this tiny apartment?“Sorry for the manhandling. We just wanted this as quiet as possible,” the woman said, her tone too sweet to be sincere. “How are you feeling?”My eyes flicked to the men; they were huge. While they were all similarly dressed, two stood out from the rest.Had Wraith sent these people after me? I should’ve known. He was never planning to let me go that so easily.The woman frowned when I didn’t answer her question, but her concern was obviously fake.“I am Diana Callister. Wife to Falcone Callister and I’m here to ask you a few questions.”Wraith didn’t send them. They were here to claim what they believed I had stolen from them. I had no

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Six

    “Let me out!” I screamed, but he kept driving. I had to do something—if I could just reach out...“That won’t work,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. He stared at me through the rearview mirror, a smirk playing on his lips.I thought back to what that waitress had said: ‘When Wraith wants you… he gets you.’I swallowed hard.“What do you want from me?”“What do I want from you?” he echoed with a laugh. “I just saved you from your own stupidity. So, you were really going to walk into that place and take over three-fourths of Callister’s wealth? Do you honestly think his family would just let you have it?”“I – I… How do you know about that?”“I have my sources.”“I wasn’t going there to claim anything; I just wanted to sort out whatever mix-up…”He chuckled, I couldn’t help but find it oddly attractive. “There’s no mix-up, honey. It was clearly stated. You are the one he intended.”I tried to shake off the term “honey”—he was just a stranger, one I should be desperately trying to es

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Five

    I slid down the wall to the ground.I had thought I had no more tears left to shed, but how wrong I was.She had promised me. She told me she would stay with me this time. That she wouldn't leave when things got tough.Foolish Tessa. Of course, I let her in again, even though I knew she never kept her promises. Still, I was naive enough to believe her—just as I had blindly trusted Kelvin. Maybe I was the problem.She was my mother, my only family. She was all I had. I couldn’t give up on her, but then… What kind of mother does this to her own child?I had been ready to go the extra mile to put food on both our tables, even if most children have their parents working to feed them. It had always been the other way around for me, but I never complained. I rose to the task, and yet… it still wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough—not when it came to her..Seven text messages from Bree.Two from Madame Victoria, my employer—probably to fire me, as if I didn’t have enough on my plate

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Four

    TESSA’S POVA whole week had passed since the incident. Everyone at work knew about it, and I couldn’t escape the stares that seemed to follow me wherever I went.“What are you doing sitting around?” Madame Victoria barked at me. “There’s a table in need of a waitress—I didn’t hire you to occupy space.”Victoria wasn’t just rude, she was the kind of woman who seemed to enjoy making people miserable. I’d learned to steer clear of her, but she seemed to have a problem with just about everyone.I expected, just for once, to be cut some slack—especially since she knew what had happened—but I should’ve known better. She was far too unsympathetic to care about anything except her business. “I’m Tessa, and I’ll be your waitress…”My words trailed off as I realized who it was. Kelvin. My eyes had been on my notebook—I didn’t realize it was him. Anger flared inside me at the sight of him.I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist.“Tessa, please wait. I need to talk to you. All those th

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Three

    KELVIN’S POVRebecca lay naked and sprawled across my bed. “Your girlfriend seemed pissed,” she said, voice dripping with mockery.“And now she knows you were with me.”“It was about time, I mean—I’d expected she would find out about us a long time ago.”“Tessa’s different. She’s quick to believe whatever she’s told.”“Isn’t she adorable?” Rebecca cooed.I chuckled.Rebecca had stopped by my place last night, and one thing led to another... and ‘this’ happened. I couldn’t deny it—last night had been magical.My thoughts were interrupted when the door burst open. My father stormed in, my mother right on his heels. They both stopped to stare at Rebecca. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why I wasn’t at my own wedding.Rebecca was nothing like Tessa. She wouldn’t make me wait for sex.If Tessa hadn’t kept denying me, perhaps I wouldn’t have to seek satisfaction elsewhere.“I should leave,” Rebecca said, getting up and pulling the bedsheet with her. She grabbed her clothes and hurried

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter Two

    On a day like this, I missed the father I never knew.If he were alive, he’d be walking me down the aisle, a huge smile on his face, tears in his eyes. He’d be whispering to me how proud he was of the woman I’d become. But I couldn’t afford to dwell on that thought, not right now.With each step I took down the aisle, a growing sense of unease settled over me.Around me, the murmurs and whispers grew louder.I glanced up toward where Kelvin was supposed to be standing, but he wasn’t there.I paused mid-step, and just then, Bree approached me.“What’s going on? Where’s Kelvin?” I asked.She didn’t answer right away, simply led me out of the church.“He’s not here yet,” she said, but the tight frown on her face told me everything.“Why isn’t he here already Bree?”“I don’t know.”A thought crossed my mind. What if he never shows up?The thought filled me with panic.“He won’t come, will he?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe he got cold feet and decided not to…”“Don’t sa

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Chapter One

    The day had finally come.My wedding day.I was in a white dress with thin straps and a skirt that brushed the floor. My hair was pulled into a low bun at the nape of my neck, with a few curls slipping free around my face.I walked out of the dressing room, and Bree—my best friend—gasped.“You look so fucking beautiful,” she said with wide eyes.Bree was dressed in a pale teal-colored dress that highlighted her sleepy blue eyes. Her short black hair had been straightened and left down.“You too,” I complimented.I met Bree a few years ago at the diner where I worked. We clicked instantly and have been best friends ever since. She was my total opposite—wild, carefree, and even bitchy at times. But deep down, she was a good person, and the only one I could truly call a friend.“You know, maybe I was wrong about Kelvin,” Bree says. “I mean, my gut has never failed me before, but maybe he is a good guy after all.”“I know admitting you were wrong isn’t a ‘Bree’s thing,’ but you were only

  • The Beta and The Lost Heiress   Prologue

    Tessa’s POVMy phone rang, and a bright smile spread across my lips when I saw who it was. My husband... or rather, my husband-to-be. In just two days, I would be getting married to Kelvin.“Hi, babe.” Kelvin’s voice rang out from the phone. “How is my bride preparing for the big day?”“I can’t believe I only have two days left to prepare. There’s still so much to do,” I said, unable to hide the slight panic in my voice. Our upcoming wedding was just as exciting as it was scary.“Calm down, you don’t have to worry about anything. Rebecca and I just picked up the rings—they’re perfect, I promise.”My smile instantly vanished.Rebecca was Kelvin’s ex.They were no more than friends now; Kelvin assured me of that and yet the thought of Rebecca and him getting our wedding rings caused a tightness in my chest. Kelvin had given me no reason to doubt him though, so I quickly pushed that feeling aside.“I believe you.” I finally said. “I was thinking we should meet with the wedding coordinato

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status