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17. Jennifer's true intentions have always been wide open
Last Updated:
2025-02-13 23:09:06
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Traded For His First Love 18. The watershed
Reese POVWhen Jennifer pushed me into the lake, the shock of the cold was like a punch to the stomach. The icy water enveloped me, and my first instinct was to fight to survive, not just for myself, but for the baby I was carrying. However, in my struggle to stay afloat, I ended up pulling Jennifer into the water with me. She screamed in surprise, and we both flailed in the cold water, nearly drowning.The feeling of panic was overwhelming, and each movement seemed harder than the last, my soaked clothes weighing me down like lead. I heard shouts, but my vision was blurred by water and fear. Then I saw Elliot, running towards the lake, his face marked with concern."Jennifer!" he shouted, diving into the water to save her first.I felt a pang in my heart seeing him pass by me, completely ignoring me while he pulled Jennifer to safety. He seemed so worried about her, so dedicated to saving her, that I felt invisible. When I was finally pulled out of the lake, it was by hands that didn
Last Updated : 2025-02-14Traded For His First Love 19. The day I lost everything
Reese POVWeeks later, I was staring intently at myself in the mirror while preparing to face the inevitable. Each look at myself was a reminder of what was at stake, of the battle I had to fight not just for myself, but for Sammy's future and the baby growing inside me. My reflection showed a woman who had learned to be strong, but also one who carried deep pain, the pain of losing what she thought was eternal.Alice appeared, bringing with her a wave of support and encouragement. "You look beautiful, Reese. And strong. Today is the day to show that to everyone," she said, with a smile that gave me courage.I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Alice. I don't know what I would do without you."Together, we went to the judge's chamber, where Spencer, my lawyer, was already waiting for us. He greeted me with a look that combined confidence and concern. "We're ready, Reese. Let's fight for Sammy," he said, with the certainty only a lawyer of his caliber could have.We waited for E
Last Updated : 2025-02-15Traded For His First Love 20. Good riddance
Reese POV"Not everything is lost, Reese. You can appeal," said Spencer, his voice trying to be a beacon in the storm that was my life now. He and Alice were by my side, trying to console me after the court's decision that took away Sammy's custody. But how could I find comfort? My heart was in pieces, defeat sounding like a beacon within me."I'm out of strength, Spencer... How could I appeal when my own son has rejected me?" I asked, my voice almost a whisper, defeated.Elliot and Jennifer didn't even allow me to see Sammy after that. I was desperate, crying inconsolably, feeling like each tear was a piece of my heart dissolving. I felt ridiculous, a terrible mother, for having lost custody of my own son. How had I come to this point where I felt so powerless, so defeated?Alice held my hand, her voice firm yet caring. "You need to be strong, Reese. You need to rise and be powerful to fight on the same level as Elliot."I sighed, wiping my tears and looking back. Elliot was there, o
Last Updated : 2025-02-15Traded For His First Love 21. The decision
Three Years later Elliot POVIt was morning, and I was heading to Sammy's room to wake him up for school. The boy had been getting increasingly sad lately, and the fact that we had moved to Chicago seemed not to have helped.I approached his bed with a sigh, crouching down and pulling back his blanket. "Come on, Sammy. Time to wake up," I said, running my hand over his head.But the boy recoiled, grumbling. "No, please...""But you have to go to school," I said."No, school is boring," he grumbled.I sighed again. Sammy and I were trying to build a new life away from all the noise of London, although living our hearts' truth didn't mean it was easy. "Come on, buddy. You promised me you'd try to make it work."The almost eight-year-old boy sat up in bed, looking at me with a still sleepy expression. "Dad, do you think she misses us?" the boy asked with sorrow.He didn't need to say the name for me to know who he was talking about. It was obvious he was talking about Reese. After our d
Last Updated : 2025-02-15Traded For His First Love 22. Venus
Elliot POVThe day started with a firm handshake with Joshua Carter, a young billionaire and CEO of a renowned wine producer. Joshua was a long-time friend who had invited me to work with him here in Chicago."Welcome to the team, Elliot. I'm glad you accepted," said Joshua, with a broad smile as he shook my hand."Thanks, Josh. I'm eager to start," I responded, feeling a mix of anxiety and hope. It was a new chance, a new life for me and Sammy.Joshua laughed, giving a friendly pat on my shoulder. "And let's not forget, you're invited to my engagement party tonight. It's going to be quite the event.""Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic, although my heart wasn't really in the mood for parties.He continued, the excitement evident on his face. "Bethany hired the best event planner in the city. A mysterious woman named Venus. She's the most sought-after among Chicago's men.""Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seems like you're setting
Last Updated : 2025-02-16Traded For His First Love 23. The inevitable meeting
Reese POVThere, seated at the piano at the engagement party of young entrepreneur Josh Carter and his fiancée Bethany Skyland, immersed in a performance that had become my escape and my expression, my soul vibrated with each note. But when my eyes, almost by chance, found Elliot in the midst of the room, the world seemed to stop.It had been so long since I had last seen him that, for a moment, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. But there he was, at that engagement party, as real as the keys beneath my fingers.On the outside, I maintained the serenity that characterized me now, but inside, a whirlwind of emotions and past traumas stirred. A thousand thoughts collided in my mind: "Should I get up and run? Ignore him? Pretend I don't know him? Keep him away?" But then, I remembered that time had passed, and I was no longer that vulnerable woman. Now, I was Venus, a new version of myself, strong and independent.I kept my fingers on the piano, continuing to play, but my mind wandered
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Traded For His First Love 24. Like a phoenix
Elliot POVWhen I saw Reese at that engagement party of the young entrepreneur Josh Carter, her there playing the piano, her fingers delicately playing a melody so well-known to both of us, the sensation I felt was as if my heart wanted to leap out of my mouth. I really didn't expect to see her in that place, after all the places I had searched for her over all this time, to find her so randomly when I least expected it truly caught me by surprise.And Reese was such a different woman that I almost didn't recognize her. Her hair, her makeup, her clothes, they made her look like another woman I didn't know, but her mannerisms were still there, her voice and her gaze too, especially when her beautiful hazel eyes locked onto me.I saw a slight agitation form in her look when she recognized me, proving to me that she was as surprised as I was. "So this is where you've been hiding, my love?" My eyes asked this, conveying the tenderness I was feeling inside.Reese returned to playing her pi
Last Updated : 2025-02-18Traded For His First Love 25. Confession
Reese POVWhen Spencer introduced me to my ex-husband as his wife, it made me look at him with a question mark in my eyes. No, I wasn't married to him; I wasn't married to anyone, actually. My life in recent years had been too hectic to add love to it.I mean, I was chasing opportunities and achieving my goals—becoming an independent woman, in control of myself, and autonomous, which hadn't been easy at all. But nowadays, I could say I had reached a certain status even in the entire city; my event company was in high demand, and they even said my piano performance was the cherry on top of the night. Creating all this from scratch hadn’t been easy, even with my friends' help, so I had chosen to disconnect from everything else and focus on my growth. After all, I had this goal, and no matter how many years passed, I would gather everything necessary to achieve it.So at first, I didn't understand where Spence was going with introducing me to Elliot as his wife—something that wasn't tru
Last Updated : 2025-02-19
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Traded For His First Love 150. Encounter on the Balcony
Reese POVThe night was heavy, the London sky cloaked in a layer of dark clouds that hid the stars, as if the universe itself mirrored the turmoil within me. I couldn’t sleep, the weight of anxiety keeping me awake, my thoughts swirling like a whirlwind. In a few hours, the first session with the judge to decide the custody of Sammy and Avie would begin, and the thought of facing Elliot in court, of exposing our story to strangers, made my stomach churn. Lying in bed, I tossed and turned, the silence of the guest room broken only by the soft breaths of Sammy and Avie, sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the earthquake looming. Unable to bear the restlessness, I got up, wearing only a light cotton nightgown, my bare feet feeling the chill of the wooden floor. I grabbed the pack of cigarettes I kept hidden in my bag—a habit I’d abandoned in Chicago but brought along as a crutch for moments like this—and stepped out onto the balcony, hoping the cool midnight breeze would calm my troubled
Traded For His First Love 149. Shadows of Regret
Elliot POVThe fireplace room in the Goodwin mansion was enveloped in a cozy dimness, the flickering light of the flames dancing on the stone walls, casting shadows that seemed to mirror the weight of my thoughts. The scent of burning wood mingled with the rich aroma of the red wine swirling in the glass in my hand, a Bordeaux I’d chosen from the cellar in the vain hope that a drink could calm the storm within me. Josh Carter sat in the leather armchair across from me, his light hair tousled, his clear eyes gleaming with a mix of forced humor and melancholy. He held his own glass, gesturing as he told his story, his voice wavering between laughter and a tone that betrayed his true anguish.“So, Bethany really did it,” Josh said, taking a sip of wine, his crooked smile not reaching his eyes. “The pregnancy reveal was the final blow. She’s got me locked into this engagement, and now the wedding date’s set. In a few weeks, I’m a married man.” He laughed, but the sound was hollow, as if
Traded For His First Love 148. Confessions Under Moonlight
Reese POVThe night had fallen over the Goodwin mansion, the London sky now a dark mantle speckled with timid stars, visible through the tall corridor windows. Dinner had been surprisingly calm, with Sammy and Avie stealing the show as they recounted stories about the ducks at the lake, their little voices filling the dining room with a lightness that contrasted with the tension lingering among the adults. Josh had been polite but firm, keeping the conversation neutral with Elliot, while Alice cast supportive glances my way, a silent reminder that I wasn’t alone. Florence, with her newfound facade of a caring grandmother, served dessert—a vanilla pudding that Sammy devoured—but I barely touched my plate, my stomach knotted by Elliot’s presence, his green eyes seeming to find mine every time I looked up.After dinner, as the children headed upstairs with a governess Elliot had hired, I found myself standing in the hall, the bag of old clothes still weighing on my mind, a symbol of the
Traded For His First Love 147. An Unexpected Ally
Reese POVThe twilight began to paint the London sky with shades of orange and gray, the soft light filtering through the tall windows of the Goodwin mansion, casting long shadows across the polished wooden corridors. I was in the guest room with Sammy and Avie, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching them play on the rug with a set of wooden blocks Elliot had retrieved from the attic. Sammy was building a tower, his tongue sticking out in concentration, while Avie stacked the blocks in a chaotic pattern, laughing each time the pile collapsed. “Mommy, look! It’s a castle!” Sammy exclaimed, pointing to his wobbly structure, and I smiled, my heart warmed by the simplicity of the moment. But even with the children’s laughter filling the room, the tension wouldn’t leave me. The legal battle for custody of Sammy and Avie was looming, and every day in this mansion—with Jennifer scheming in the city, Florence acting suspiciously friendly, and Elliot looking at me with a love I didn’t want
Traded For His First Love 146. An Unexpected Request
Reese POVThe lake at the Goodwin mansion shimmered under the soft midday light, its surface reflecting the willows swaying in London’s chilly breeze. Sammy and Avie ran along the shore, their laughter echoing as they tossed bits of bread to the ducks, which swam in circles, quacking eagerly. Elliot was with them, kneeling on the grass, holding a tennis ball that Baxter, the family’s golden retriever, chased with enthusiasm, barking and wagging his tail. He had brought some toys from the shed—the ball, a frisbee, even a rope for Baxter to tug—and the kids were radiant, Sammy shouting, “Get it, Baxter!” while Avie tried to throw the frisbee, which landed just a few feet away.I sat on a wicker outdoor sofa, covered with faded cushions, watching the scene with a mix of tenderness and pain. Elliot looked so at ease, laughing when Baxter leaped to steal the ball from Sammy, helping Avie toss the bread farther for the ducks. He was an enthusiastic father, the kind who made the kids feel
Traded For His First Love 145. Shadows and Moments of Light
Reese POVThe dining room of the Goodwin mansion was filled with soft sounds—the clink of cutlery, the murmur of Sammy and Avie chatting about muffins, the aroma of coffee and fresh bread lingering in the air. I held a mug, its warmth against my hands a contrast to the cold I felt inside, still dressed in the old clothes Elliot had kept, clothes that made me feel as if I’d stepped back in time to a life I fought so hard to leave behind. Sammy was beside me, biting into a muffin, while Avie, in my lap, played with a strawberry, giggling when the juice stained her little fingers. Despite the tension pulsing at the table—with Jennifer casting venomous glares and Elliot staring at me with an intensity that disarmed me—the kids seemed, somehow, at ease. Except for the way Sammy kept his eyes fixed on his plate whenever Jennifer spoke, clearly uncomfortable with her presence.Florence, seated at the other end of the table, surprised me with her almost warm demeanor, serving more scrambled
Traded For His First Love 144. Your Nostalgic Gaze
Reese POVThe morning light filtered through the guest room curtains, soft and gray, as London’s sky always seemed to be. I stood before the small mirror on the dresser, my reflection staring back like an image from another life. The blue wool sweater, the floral dress underneath, the denim jacket—clothes I found in the bag Elliot handed me last night, clothes I wore three years ago when I was still his wife, when this Goodwin mansion was both my home and my prison. They still fit, as if my body hadn’t changed, but seeing myself, a hollow ache opened in my chest. It was as if time had folded in on itself, as if all my achievements in Chicago—the strength I built at Lunaris Event, the independence I fought to claim—were just a dream, an illusion. In that mirror, I was the submissive Reese again, the wife who endured Florence’s cold glares, Jennifer’s manipulations, and Elliot’s broken promises.My stomach churned, the sense of defeat threatening to swallow me. I had come to London to
Traded For His First Love 143. A Past That Won’t Die
Reese POVThe sound of the television in the children’s room—a cartoon filled with laughter and music that Sammy and Avie loved—was a small oasis amidst the tension pulsing through the Goodwin mansion. I left them on the bed, Sammy clutching the remote with a triumphant little grin, Avie hugging a pillow, her messy curls falling over her face. “Stay here, okay? Mommy will be right back,” I murmured, kissing both their foreheads. Avie, with her sweet little voice, said, “Okay, Mama!” but quickly added, almost as an echo, “Venus come back soon!” I smiled, despite the weight in my chest. Avie, at three years old, sometimes called me “Venus,” mimicking Sammy or Alice, who used my Chicago nickname. It was confusing but so quintessentially her—a mix of affection and innocence that made me love her even more.I closed the door partway, my heart tightening at leaving them, even for a few minutes. Elliot was waiting in the hallway, and each step toward him felt like walking on glass, the pa
Traded For His First Love 142. A Fragile Haven in the Storm
Reese POVI never imagined I’d end up here, back in the Goodwin mansion, the place that haunted my nightmares with memories of rejection, betrayal, and loss. Each white column of the facade, each dark window reflecting London’s gray sky, seemed to glare at me with contempt, as if it knew I didn’t belong. When I arrived in the city, exhausted and penniless after a harrowing journey—the theft of my bag in New York, the cramped flight, the uncertainty gnawing at me—my plan was clear: take Sammy and Avie and leave, rebuild our family far from Elliot, from Jennifer, from this mansion full of ghosts. But Elliot, with his anger and resolve, made it clear in the entrance hall that he wouldn’t let me leave with the kids. I faced a cruel choice: walk away alone, empty-handed, returning to Chicago defeated, or stay here, in this house that terrified me, to be with my children. There was no choice, really. Sammy and Avie were my life, and for them, I’d swallow any fear, any pain. So, I stayed.
