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Huling Na-update:
2024-11-25 22:12:46
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The Loveless Contractive Marriage 23
Third Person's POVThe next morning, Zia's phone buzzed on the bedside table, pulling her out of a restless sleep. She blinked against the light filtering through the curtains and reached for the device, noting the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen."Hello?" she answered, her voice groggy."Good morning. Am I speaking with Zia Audrey?" a calm, professional voice on the other end inquired."This is Zia," she replied, sitting up and rubbing her temples. "May I ask who’s calling?""This is Dr. Kingsley from Maryland Hospital," the man said. His tone was measured but carried an undertone of urgency. "I understand this call might be unexpected, but I’d like to meet with you. It’s regarding Sophia."Zia’s brow furrowed, her mind racing. "Sophia?" she echoed, her heart quickening."Yes," Dr. Kingsley confirmed. "It’s important, and I believe it’s something you should hear in person. Could you come to the hospital today?"Zia hesitated, gripping her phone tighter. She didn’t know Dr.
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Loveless Contractive Marriage 24
Third Person's POVZia gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove through the quiet evening streets toward Raymond’s apartment. Her thoughts were racing, the revelation about Sophia’s pregnancy gnawing at her. She had decided to tell Raymond—he deserved to know what Sophia was trying to do to Lorenzo.But just three buildings away from Raymond’s place, her car sputtered and jerked to a stop. She sighed in frustration, stepping out to assess the situation, but the engine refused to start. Not wanting to disturb Raymond or Mira, she waved down a passing taxi and continued her journey.The taxi dropped her off a few minutes later, and she walked the short distance to Raymond’s building. As she approached, she noticed that the apartment’s front door was slightly ajar, and voices floated out into the hallway. Zia paused, intending to announce herself, but the words she heard made her freeze in place.Inside, Raymond was speaking in a low, firm tone. "It has to be now, Henry. Lorenzo i
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-28The Loveless Contractive Marriage 25
Third Person's POVMira George's ApartmentThe cab pulled up to Mira George’s apartment as twilight began to settle over the city. Zia stepped out, clutching her bag tightly, her face pale and her thoughts heavy. Her car had been towed to the nearest mechanic workshop after breaking down earlier, but that wasn’t what weighed on her mind.Inside, the apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner. Zia sank into the sofa, staring blankly ahead. She had barely caught her breath when Mira walked in, a curious yet concerned expression on her face."You're back," Mira said, setting her bag on the counter. "What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."Zia finally looked up, her voice low and trembling. “Mira… I overheard something today. Something terrible.”Mira frowned, moving to sit beside her. “What is it? Tell me.”Taking a deep breath, Zia recounted everything she had overheard—Henry and Raymond’s plan to kill Lorenzo while he was still unconscious, their deter
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-28The Loveless Contractive Marriage 26
Third Person's POVEarly the next morning, Raymond walked into the hospital’s administrative office, the subtle hum of the western zone adding to the crisp, professional air of the hospital’s operations. This was the central hub where doctors received their daily assignments, and Raymond approached the counter confidently, his polished demeanor masking the darker intent behind his visit.The administrator, an older man with glasses perched on the tip of his nose, glanced at Raymond’s file before announcing, “Dr. Raymond, you’ve been assigned to Room 200 on the second floor.”A subtle smirk tugged at Raymond’s lips. He thanked the administrator, feeling the weight of success settling on his shoulders. Everything was aligning perfectly with the plan he and Henry had orchestrated. Today could mark a significant turning point in their scheme.Raymond made sure his coat was spotless and his appearance impeccable as he exited the office. On his way to the main hospital building, he greeted
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-28The Loveless Contractive Marriage 27
Third Person's POVAs Raymond exited the hospital in a fit of rage, he was too distracted by his own frustrations to notice someone walking toward him. He accidentally bumped into them, nearly losing his balance.“Motherf—!” he began, his voice booming with irritation, but as he looked up, his expression froze in shock.Standing before him was Zia, her arms crossed, eyebrows raised in surprise.“Raymond?” she said cautiously.Realizing his outburst, Raymond’s face softened, and he quickly straightened his coat. “Zia! I’m so sorry for yelling. I didn’t see you there,” he stammered, trying to recover.Zia gave a half-smile. “It’s okay. Though I didn’t expect to get called that so early in the day.”Raymond laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ve just had one of those mornings. Anyway, I didn’t think you’d actually come.”“You texted me, didn’t you?” Zia said, tilting her head slightly. “I figured I should at least check in since it sounded urgent.”Raymond nodded, his
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-30The Loveless Contractive Marriage 28
Third Person POVSophia walked out into the lounge, her expression cold as she adjusted her silk robe. Henry was pacing the room, his face darkened with frustration, while Raymond sat on the edge of a sleek leather sofa, his fingers idly drumming against the armrest.“What now?” Sophia asked, her tone sharp, already sensing the sour mood hanging over the two men.Henry stopped in his tracks, his fiery gaze snapping to Sophia. “The plan didn’t work,” he growled. “Lorenzo wasn’t in the hospital when Raymond got there.”Sophia froze, her hands clenched at her sides. “What do you mean, he wasn’t there? Weren’t you supposed to take care of this?” Her eyes darted between the two men, her voice rising with each word.Raymond sighed heavily, his calm demeanor barely masking his irritation. “Do you think I wouldn’t have handled it if I had the chance? By the time I arrived, they’d already moved him. No one knows where.”Sophia’s face twisted into a scowl. “So you’re telling me that after all y
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-01The Loveless Contractive Marriage 29
Third Person's POVZia's phone buzzed, interrupting the quiet evening she shared with Mira. She glanced at the screen and saw a text message from Grandpa Edward Audrey.Grandpa Edward Audrey:“Zia, you and Mira are the only ones I can trust. Here’s the address of the new hospital where Lorenzo is staying. Please visit when you can and ensure everything is alright.”Zia read the message twice, her heart sinking slightly. She glanced at Mira, who was seated on the couch across from her, reading a magazine.“It’s from Grandpa,” Zia said, holding up her phone. “He sent the address of Lorenzo’s new hospital.”Mira looked up, her expression thoughtful. “Looks like he really does trust us.”Zia nodded, gripping her phone tightly."So when are we going?" Mira asked. "Tomorrow." Zia replied and Mira nodded her head. Zia stared at her phone, the screen illuminating her conflicted expression. Raymond’s name glared back at her alongside the message he had just sent:Raymond: “I want to take you
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-02The Loveless Contractive Marriage 30
Third Person's POVRaymond pulled up to Sophia’s apartment late in the evening, his mood dark and his mind clouded. The failures of the day weighed heavily on him, but what awaited him inside the apartment only added fuel to the simmering fire of his frustration.As he opened the door and stepped into the lounge, he froze. There they were—Henry and Sophia locked in an intimate kiss, oblivious to his presence. The sight made his stomach churn. Clearing his throat loudly, he walked further into the room.Henry turned sharply, his expression unreadable but his stance defensive. “Raymond,” he greeted with forced calmness.Sophia, unbothered, smirked as she adjusted her blouse. “Oh, it’s just you.”“Just me?” Raymond hissed, glaring at them both. “What if it wasn’t just me? What if another member of the Audrey family walked in here? Do either of you realize the kind of scandal this could cause? Especially with you,” he jabbed a finger at Sophia, “parading around as Lorenzo’s fiancée?”Sop
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-02
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The Loveless Contractive Marriage 62
Chapter 62 – The Smoke Beneath the Boardroom TableBoardroom, Audrey Co-opZia was pacing like a lioness denied blood.The boardroom air felt thick—too many emotions rubbing against each other like dry wires, and something was bound to spark.Zac sat at the edge of the table, arms folded, jaw tight like he was trying not to react.But Zia? She had no such self-control.“You’ve got the audacity to act like you care?” she snapped. “Why would you come back here and start stirring ghosts from the past? If you know Nia has finally found peace—finally—why the hell would you want to mess that up?”Zac looked up slowly, like a man who’d swallowed a bottle of whiskey and was still thirsty.“Because I never stopped loving her.”Zia froze. “What?”“I never stopped,” Zac said, standing now. His voice low, dangerous. “I was stupid. I let her go. And then you—her loyal, protective, damn near judgmental twin—waltz in here like you're the morality police when all of you are neck-deep in secrets, murd
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Chapter 61: Blood, Bruises & the Softness Between Her ThighsHenry didn't do soft. He never had.But tonight, with Sophia bent over the edge of that mahogany table, her moans drowning out the jazz music playing from the vintage stereo in the corner, he did something dangerously close to worship.Her skin glistened, slick with sweat and his saliva. He gripped her hips like they were handles made for him, hips that rocked back against him with zero shame, all rhythm, all need.“Jesus, Soph,” he growled, sweat dripping down the curve of his spine. “You’re trying to make me die happy tonight, aren’t you?”She arched her back, glanced over her shoulder, lips swollen from too many kisses and teeth bites. “Or maybe I’m just making sure you remember who the hell helped you hide all these years.”He grinned, twisted, evil, raw.“Oh, I remember,” he whispered, before slamming into her one more time—rough, deep, final. She came undone like a secret. And he came undone right after her.They staye
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Chapter 60: Trail of the Tinted GlassThe air was thick in the Traffic Surveillance Division. The hum of outdated computers and the low chatter of officers filled the background. But when he walked in—clean-cut, dark specs, grey jacket hugging his sharp shoulders—there was a shift in the room.Gabriel Cruz. Grandpa Edward Audrey’s most trusted IT specialist. The man moved like he had access to more information than anyone dared to know, because… he did.He walked past the reception with no need to explain himself.“Good morning, Mr. Cruz,” a uniformed officer greeted nervously.Gabriel offered a tight nod. “Who’s handling License Plate Footage Archive today?”“That would be Officer Darlington. Room 14.”“Perfect.”Within minutes, Gabriel was seated in a dimly lit room, the door shutting behind him with a click.Officer Darlington raised his brow. “What’s a top-tier Audrey man doing digging through street footage?”Gabriel leaned in. “A woman’s missing. I need access to all outbound ve
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Grandpa Edward Audrey's OfficeAudrey Co-opLorenzo, Nia, and Zia sat in the assistant’s reception, the air thick with tension. The receptionist at the desk barely spared them a glance, her perfectly manicured fingers clicking away at the keyboard.Nia huffed, arms crossed. “Can’t the damn receptionist just tell your grandpa that we have to see him now?”Lorenzo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Nia, everything has a procedure. He might be in an important meeting right now.”“More important than my mother?!” Nia snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Lorenzo. This is Zia’s fault anyway. She’s the one who dated you. She’s the one who let you put a baby in her belly.”Zia whipped her head around, her eyes narrowing. “Oh, shut the hell up, Nia! Are you seriously blaming me for this? Are you trying to say I’m the reason our mother is missing?”“Of course! You heard what he just said! His grandad can’t come out yet because he might be in
The Loveless Contractive Marriage 58
On the Way to the Police Station, Zac’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he sped down the road, the city lights reflecting off the windshield. Mira sat beside him, one leg crossed over the other, her knee bouncing like she had energy to burn. She was watching him, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she could see right through him.“How did you meet Nia?” Zac asked, his tone light but probing.Mira scoffed, rolling her eyes. “What do you mean? I’ve known Nia for a long time. Not her entire life, but I’ve been friends with her sister, Zia, for more than a decade.”“I see.” Zac nodded, shifting gears. “I heard she isn’t entirely about that lesbian life.” His words were careful, but he threw them out like bait.Mira’s head snapped in his direction. “Excuse me?”“You know,” Zac shrugged. “That she’s a normal girl.”Mira’s lips curled, not in a smile but something close to irritation. “First of all, what the hell does ‘normal’ mean? Second, what exactly are you trying to say?”Z
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Raymond stormed into his office, slamming the door shut so hard the glass panel rattled. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, jaw locked so tight it could crack a damn tooth. He’d spent the last thirty minutes arguing with his father, and the bastard had the audacity to tell him to back off? To leave Lorenzo alone like some kind of untouchable golden boy? Yeah, right. Like hell that was happening.Yanking his phone from his pocket, he hit Henry’s number and pressed it to his ear, pacing the length of his office like a caged animal.Henry picked up after one ring. “What now, Ray?”Raymond exhaled sharply. “Dad just left my place.”There was a pause. Then, “And?”“He thinks we should leave our half-brother alone. That it’s some kind of cosmic mistake to mess with Lorenzo because Grandpa Edward Audrey has declared him the golden boy of the damn century.” Raymond let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through his already-messy hair. “Can you believe that?”Henry sighed. “You’re
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AfternoonHospitalRaymond sat in the hospital room, his posture sharp, calculated, like a man who never let his guard down. The patient in front of him—Mr. Tade, mid-fifties, a little too thin for his age—watched him with tired, expectant eyes. The steady beep of the heart monitor filled the silence between them.Raymond adjusted his wristwatch before clearing his throat. “Mr. Tade, we’ve gone through all the necessary tests, and based on the results, I believe we have a clear path forward.”The older man exhaled slowly. “And? What’s the damage, doc?”Raymond glanced at the clipboard in his hand, though he had already memorized everything. “Your liver function is severely compromised. If we don’t act fast, it could get worse. I’m putting you on a high-dosage medication plan. It will stabilize things, but it’s not a cure. We need to consider a transplant in the long run.”Mr. Tade chuckled bitterly. “Transplant? You think I got time and money for that?”Raymond’s jaw tightened. “Right
The Loveless Contractive Marriage 55
The morning sun filtered through the tall windows, casting golden streaks across the dining table where Zia sat. A plate of toast, eggs, and a half-empty glass of orange juice sat untouched in front of her. She idly swirled the juice, staring at the table like it held answers to questions she hadn’t yet asked.Then, the door creaked open.Lorenzo walked in, his movements careful, as if stepping into a space where he no longer belonged. He was dressed in black joggers and a plain white t-shirt that clung to his frame, his hair still damp from a morning shower.His eyes flicked to her, hesitant. "Hi."Zia glanced up briefly before looking away. "Hi."The air between them thickened. It wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either—it was that uncomfortable limbo of two people who used to share everything but now felt like strangers.Lorenzo cleared his throat and walked to the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water and cracked it open. As he took a sip, he turned back to her. "You need a drink, Z
The Loveless Contractive Marriage 54
Chapter 54: Past Reunion.Zac’s Apartment – MorningThe kitchen smelled like fresh citrus and regret. Nia stood at the counter, slicing lemons with the precision of someone who had seen too much, been through too much, and now wielded a knife like a final punctuation to past conversations. Zac walked in, rubbing the back of his head, his eyes scanning the room like he had just stepped into unfamiliar territory—though he had been here countless times before.He leaned against the fridge, arms crossed. “What’s with all the lemons? Planning to blind someone with citrus acid?”Nia didn’t even look up. “Maybe.”Zac smirked. “Still got that thuggery vibe, huh?”She finally turned to face him, a faint smirk on her lips. “What do you want, Zac?”Zac exhaled, running a hand down his face. “I dunno. Maybe closure?”Nia chuckled, a low, dry sound. “Closure? That’s rich. What, you suddenly woke up and thought, ‘Oh shit, let me go find Nia and explain why I abandoned her like some unfinished mixta
