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143. A Past That Won’t Die
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2025-04-28 23:49:10
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Traded For His First Love 166. A Night of Surrender
Reese POVThe darkness of Elliot’s room was broken only by the soft glow of a lamp in the corner, casting dancing shadows on the walls of the Goodwin mansion. The sheets were tangled at our feet, and the warmth of our bodies, still entwined, seemed to defy the damp London chill seeping through the windows. My head rested on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat against my ear, a rhythm that once felt like home but now carried a mix of comfort and uncertainty. We had surrendered that night, giving in to a love that, despite everything—the fights, the trial, the pain—still burned between us. Making love with Elliot was like rekindling a flame that never fully died, but it left my heart heavy, knowing tomorrow could change everything.I traced slow circles on his chest with my fingertips, feeling the familiar texture of his skin, trying to anchor myself in the moment. Elliot held my waist, his strong arms wrapping around me as if he feared I might vanish. The silence between us was heav
Traded For His First Love 165. my greatest wish
Reese POVMy head was buzzing when I arrived at the Goodwin mansion, probably from the drinks I shared with Josh during our stroll through the streets of London earlier. Now, Josh had just dropped me off at the Goodwin estate before heading to the city for some fun.“I’m one step away from a marriage where I’ll be happy forever, Venus. So, I think I deserve a proper bachelor party, don’t you?” Those were his last words to me. I didn’t judge him, but only he could truly understand his own pain.The Goodwin mansion still felt intimidating to me, but compared to the cold outside, the cozy warmth inside was welcoming. I took off my coat and scarf as I climbed the stairs, heading straight to the children’s room. I knew Alice and the household staff would have taken good care of my babies, so I wasn’t too worried, but even so, I wanted to see them before going to bed.Elliot was there in the room, sitting in an armchair nearby, reading a book while watching over our sleeping children. Seein
Traded For His First Love 164. The Pain of Watching
Elliot POVThe courthouse still echoed in my mind, the voices of Sammy and Avie, the weight of the judge’s words, the tension that seemed never-ending. I should have gone home, should have taken the car and returned to the mansion, where I could try to pull myself together, maybe talk to the kids, pretend everything was fine. But I couldn’t. My feet didn’t take me to the parking lot. Instead, I found myself wandering London’s streets, the damp night chill cutting into my face, hands shoved into my coat pockets, while a part of me—one I didn’t want to admit—followed an impulse that made no sense. I wanted to know where Reese was, what she was doing, who she was with. And more than anything, I wanted to understand why the jealousy I felt at the courthouse still burned in my chest, even though I had no right to it.I knew Reese was with Josh. The image of her laughing with him, so at ease, while I was left behind with Jennifer and my own bad choices, wouldn’t leave my head. So when I s
Traded For His First Love 163. Lights and Shadows
Reese POVThe London night had a glow of its own, as if the city refused to sleep, even under the fine rain that still fell, leaving the sidewalks glistening beneath the streetlights. Josh and I had wandered along the Thames, past illuminated bridges and lively streets, until we found a small, nearly deserted square where the bustle was quieter. We sat on an iron bench, the metal’s chill seeping through Josh’s coat, which I still wore, as we ate fish and chips wrapped in paper, bought from a street vendor. The scent of fried food mingled with the damp air, and the distant rumble of a double-decker bus echoed in the night. Before us, the city pulsed—lights reflected on the river, the London Eye’s silhouette turning slowly against the dark sky. It was beautiful, but my mind was heavy, weighed down by what loomed tomorrow: the custody trial’s verdict for Sammy and Avie.I bit into a chip, trying to anchor myself in the moment, but anxiety was like a current pulling me under. “You’re qu
Traded For His First Love 162. Reflections in the Rain
Reese POVThe interior of Josh’s car was warm, a welcome contrast to the damp London chill that still seemed to cling to my skin. The leather seats smelled new, and the radio played a soft tune, barely audible, as the city lights flickered outside, reflected on the fogged-up windows. Josh drove calmly, hands steady on the wheel, saying something about London’s streets, but I hardly registered his words. My mind was elsewhere, circling around Elliot—the way he’d appeared out of nowhere at the courthouse, his voice almost pleading as he offered to drive me home, the hardened look in his eyes when I said Josh would take me. It was jealousy. It had to be. And that idea, so unexpected, left me restless, as if the ground beneath my feet had shifted.I didn’t think Elliot still cared about me. Not like that. After everything—the fights, the trial, the accusations, Jennifer—I’d convinced myself that any remnant of affection between us had turned to anger or indifference. But that moment, th
Traded For His First Love 161. Shadows of Jealousy
Elliot POVThe courthouse hallway still echoed with Sammy and Avie’s words, each one lodged in my chest like a truth I couldn’t ignore. I left the courtroom with tense shoulders, my tie feeling like a noose choking me. Sammy, with his steady voice, pleading for a united family and rejecting Jennifer, and Avie, with her toddler sweetness, begging for me and Reese—it all swirled in my head, a reminder of how badly I’d failed them. The judge had ended the session, but the weight of that day clung to me. The defenses would continue, and I still didn’t know how to fix what was broken.As I descended the building’s stairs, London’s damp air cutting into my face, Jennifer caught up, her heels clacking on the polished marble. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparking with indignation. “Elliot, this is absurd!” she snapped, her voice sharp, heedless of who might hear. “Your kids are ruining everything! Sammy painted me as the villain in there. How dare he say I’m not family? I’m trying to help,
Traded For His First Love 160. Voices of the Heart
Reese POVThe days after Avie’s crisis blurred together, as if time had become a slow but relentless current, dragging us back to the courtroom. The custody trial for Sammy and Avie pressed on, each hearing an exhausting battle of arguments and testimonies, with lawyers dissecting our lives as if we were strangers. I sat in the hard chair of the courtroom, my navy-blue dress impeccable but my heart constricted, while Elliot, across the room, kept his face impassive, his green eyes fixed on some distant point. There had been a fragile truce between us since that night in the hospital, but here, with our lawyers trading barbs, it was hard to recall the silent promise to do better for our children.The presentation of defenses continued its course. My lawyers highlighted my dedication as a mother, bringing medical records, teacher testimonies, and even letters from friends attesting to how happy Sammy and Avie were with me in Chicago. Elliot’s team, on the other hand, painted a picture
Traded For His First Love 159. New Perspectives
Reese POVMorning arrived with a soft light filtering through the guest room curtains, a pale glow that seemed to carry a promise of calm after the storm of the previous night. Avie slept peacefully beside me, her breathing now steady, her curls splayed across the pillow like a halo. Sammy, on the other side, mumbled in his sleep, arms flung wide as if soaring through one of his rocket dreams. On the sofa, Elliot still slept, his head tilted at an awkward angle, the blanket slipping to the floor. I looked at them—my children, my ex-husband—and felt a mix of relief and exhaustion, as if I’d run a marathon without knowing when I’d cross the finish line.The sound of light footsteps in the hallway pulled me from my thoughts. The door opened slowly, and Alice appeared, her face marked with concern but softening when she saw me. Connor was right behind her, his brown eyes full of empathy. “Venus,” Alice whispered, approaching the bed, “we just got back. The housekeeper told us what happen
Traded For His First Love 158. A Safe Harbor
Reese POVThe drive back from the hospital to the Goodwin mansion was quiet, but not the kind that suffocates. It was a comforting silence, heavy with relief, as if all of us—me, Elliot, Sammy, and Avie—were simply breathing, grateful to be together. Avie, still fragile, slept in my lap in the backseat of the Bentley, her breathing now steadier, her little face relaxed against my chest. Sammy, beside me, held her tiny hand, his eyes heavy but stubbornly open, as if he wanted to keep watch over her. Elliot drove, his gaze fixed on the road, London’s lights reflecting on his tired face. We didn’t exchange many words, but we didn’t need to. What mattered was here, in the warmth of my children against me, in the unspoken promise that we’d do better for them.When we arrived at the mansion, the rain had stopped, leaving the air fresh and the sky speckled with timid stars. Elliot parked, and I carefully carried Avie, her curls brushing my face as she mumbled something incoherent in her sle
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