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The First Crack
Date de publication:
2026-04-27 15:01:45
Dernier chapitre
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 89
CHAPTER 89RitaThe warm sand shifted beneath my bare feet as I walked down the stone steps of the villa, the linen of my white dress brushing softly against my ankles. The sky over the gulf was a deep, burning orange, the sun sinking low into the water like a heavy coin. There were no cameras here. There were no reporters hiding in the bushes, no corporate lawyers watching from the sidelines with legal folders. There was just the quiet, rhythmic rumble of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, and the small group of people waiting for me under the wooden arch.Maya stood near the palm leaves, a small bouquet of wild frangipani flowers in her hands, her eyes already wet with tears as she caught sight of me. My uncle sat in a simple wooden chair, his arms crossed over his linen suit, a proud, protective smile softening his old face. And right in front of them stood Victor.My breath caught in my chest, a sudden, powerful wave of emotion hitting me so hard my knees trembled. He loo
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 88
CHAPTER88Rita's pov The warm breeze from the balcony doors made the long sheer curtains dance into the room like white ghosts. I stood still in the center of the bedroom, my feet sinking into the soft cream-colored rug. The dress lay on the bed behind me. It wasn't the stiff silk gown from the New York wedding. This was a flowing gown of soft white linen that felt light against my skin."Rita if you don't stop staring at that fabric we are going to miss the sunset " a warm voice teased from the doorway.I turned my head smiling as Maya walked in. She held a glass of chilled lemonade, her bright floral dress a contrast to my bedroom's calm colors. Her eyes were bright. She looked relaxed."I'm not staring, " I said softly. "I'm just... I'm trying to convince myself that this is real Maya. I keep waiting for the phone to ring. I keep waiting for a server breach or an injunction or a black sedan to park in the driveway."Maya set her glass down on the dresser. She walked over to me, he
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 87
CHAPTER 87 Victor's pov The thick white paper sat on the wooden table between our beach chairs. The black ink of my fathers signature looked like a stain under the bright Dubai sun. The wind from the ocean blew across the terrace. It rustled the edges of the pages. Nobody moved to touch it. I stood still. My hands were buried inside the pockets of my linen trousers. I stared down at the document. It officially put a price tag on our freedom. Four hundred million dollars. That was the cost of a monster's surrender."Victor, " Rita whispered. Her voice was rough. It shook with a mixture of hope and pure exhausting terror. She stepped closer to me. Her small fingers reached out to grab the sleeve of my shirt. Her eyes were wide as she looked up at my face. "Is it real? If you sign that... If you give him that money is he truly gone? Can he never walk up our driveway again? Can he never send his lawyers to take our girl?"I looked away from the paper. I turned to face her. The golden su
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER86
CHAPTER86 Rita's pov The gentle sound of the waves washing over the white sand was all I could hear and it felt like a beautiful song. The morning sun was still low in the sky casting a glow across the empty beach behind our villa. The air was thick, salty and clean, completely different from the streets of New York. I leaned back in my beach chair, my toes digging into the sand letting out a deep breath. For the time in five long years my chest didn't feel tight with hidden panic."Look, Mommy! Look at the tower!" Aria's happy voice cut through the sound of the ocean. She was sitting a foot away, her little knees buried in the wet sand. She was wearing her yellow swimsuit, her face covered in a messy smudge of sunblock and a huge grin."That is a big tower sweetie " I said, my voice soft and thick with emotion. I looked down at her. I didn't have to worry about someone watching us from a car. We were a mom and a daughter on a beach."It needs a base, Aria," Victor's deep voice said
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 85
CHAPTER 85Victor's povThe golden desert sun poured through the glass windows of my new office. It warmed the wood floors. I didn't have a mahogany desk anymore. I didn't have the leather chairs or the cold marble statues that used to make my New York office look like a fortress. Instead there was a simple white table, a laptop and a wide view of the blue Dubai ocean.I adjusted my linen shirt sleeves rolling them up past my elbows. My right arm still ached a bit where the stitches had been.. The physical pain was nothing compared to the strange overwhelming lightness in my chest. For the time in my life I wasn't breathing in the toxic heavy air of my fathers empire. I was breathing in the scent of salt water and sweet jasmine from the courtyard below.The office door slid open with a click.Rita walked in with a plate of fresh fruit and two glasses of ice water. She wore a flowing blue dress that matched the sea outside. Her dark hair was tied back in a bun. Her skin looked healthy
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 84
CHAPTER 84Rita's pov The tires of the jet hit the tarmac with a loud screech that vibrated through my shoes. I tightened my grip on Victor's forearm. He didn't flinch. His large hand covered mine, warm and steady. I looked out the oval window. The bright sun of Dubai was shining over the runway burning away the memories of the rainy airfield we had left behind."We are here Rita " Victor whispered, his voice deep and rough from the flight. He looked tired with circles under his eyes but his jaw had finally softened. "We crossed the border. We are out of his reach."A huge wave of relief broke inside me suddenly and sharply. It felt like a physical blow. A shaky sob escaped my lips. I dropped my head against Victor's shoulder, my shoulders trembling. I wasn't running anymore. I wasn't hiding. I was home. Aria stirred on the leather seat next to us blinking her lashes against the bright desert light. She rubbed her fists into her eyes and looked out the window, a huge smile spreadin
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 73
CHAPTER 73Victor's pov The black cardstock was still clutched in my hand. The edges were bending under the sudden crushing weight of my grip. I stood in the center of the foyer. My eyes were burning as I stared down at the black ink. The single sentence felt like a block of ice dropping straight
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 72
CHAPTER 72 Rita's pov The cold damp air of the basement parking garage rushed into the elevator car. It instantly broke the suffocating heat that had trapped us against the mirror wall. The heavy silver doors had slid completely open with a hiss*. They revealed the dark concrete pillars and the l
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 71
CHAPTER 71 Victor's pov The heavy glass doors of the boardroom slid shut behind us. They cut off the whispers of the board members. The long executive hallway was completely silent now. The thick gray carpet swallowed the sound of our footsteps.I walked fast. My heavy leather boots clicked again
The Wife He Replaced CHAPTER 70
CHAPTER 70Rita's pov The big TV screen in the kitchen was flashing with an angry red banner. The numbers at the bottom of the news channel were dropping really fast making my eyes hurt.*VALE GROUP IN FREEFALL. VICTOR VALE DESTROYS OWN MERGER IN BREACH ANNOUNCEMENT.*I stood by the marble counter
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