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85. Shadows of Trust

Author: Meminger
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-20 23:01:45

Reese POV

Back at my apartment, the air felt lighter, but only on the surface. I was sunk into the couch, running my fingers through Avie’s soft hair as she blinked sleepy little eyes in my lap, nearly giving in to sleep. Alice and Spencer were parked at the coffee table, wine glasses in hand, while I tried to explain the Bethany fiasco without letting exhaustion swallow me whole.

“So, Bethany was totally different,” Alice started, swirling her wine in the glass like it was some magic potion. “She treated Venus like she was trash or something. I swear, if I hadn’t held myself back, I’d have yanked that sloppy ponytail right off her head.”

Spencer laughed, that low, raspy laugh that always carried a hint of irony. “Seriously? What happened to make her so prickly?”

“She’s convinced Josh is into me,” I said, rolling my eyes while I rubbed Avie’s back, her warmth calming me a little. “Josh Carter’s a great catch, but to me, he’s just a good friend, you know? But Alice thinks that’
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  • Traded For His First Love    173. Shadows of a Wedding

    Spencer POVThe Chicago air was heavy that night, thick with the smell of wet asphalt and the neon glow of bars along Rush Street. My phone buzzed in my suit jacket pocket, and when I saw Josh’s name flashing on the screen, I knew it wasn’t good news. He was at a bar, his voice slurred from whiskey, begging me to pick him up. “Spencer, man, I… I can’t do this,” he mumbled before the call dropped. I sighed, tossing my cigarette to the ground and crushing it under my shoe. Josh was drowning on the eve of his own wedding, and I, as always, was the fool who’d go rescue him.It was no secret to anyone that Josh didn’t want to marry Bethany. Everyone saw it—friends, family, even coworkers who pretended not to notice. But the wedding was happening anyway, like a machine no one knew how to stop. Bethany came from an influential family, and the engagement felt more like a business deal than love. Josh, with his big heart and inability to say no, had let himself get trapped in that snare, esp

  • Traded For His First Love    172. Back to Family

    Reese POVThe train swayed gently as it cut through the English countryside, bringing us back from Bath to London. My head rested on Elliot’s shoulder, our hands intertwined, and the warmth of our weekend still seemed to pulse within me. Bath had been a dream—the thermal baths, the hand-in-hand walks, the candlelit dinner, the night in the bathtub, and the love we made, eyes locked, as if the world belonged only to us. Each moment reignited our love, sealing the promise that, this time, we’d get it right. But now, as London drew closer, my heart turned to Sammy and Avie. I missed my children, their laughter, their tight hugs, and I could hardly wait to see them.Elliot must have sensed my restlessness because he squeezed my hand and looked at me with a gentle smile. “Eager to see the kids?” he asked, his voice soft.“So much,” I admitted, smiling. “Bath was perfect, but… I miss them even being so close. Do you think they had fun with Alice and your mom?”He laughed, his green eyes sp

  • Traded For His First Love    171. A Night of Intimacy in Bath

    Reese POVThe soft glow of candles still danced in my mind as Elliot and I left the restaurant, hand in hand, the cool Bath air wrapping around us like a gentle embrace. Pulteney Bridge, lit by lanterns, reflected on the River Avon, and the sound of flowing water seemed to echo the calm we were finally finding together. Our dinner had been magical—the conversations, the glances, the taste of red wine mingling with the promise of a future that now felt within reach. My heart was full, overflowing with love, and each step we took back to the boutique inn seemed to draw us deeper into rediscovering each other.When we reached our room, the space was a haven of romance. The fireplace crackled, casting warm shadows on the walls, and the canopied bed seemed to beckon. But Elliot had other plans. He pulled me into the bathroom, where an antique clawfoot tub was already prepared, the warm water exuding a soft scent of lavender and jasmine. Candles flickered around, their flames reflected on

  • Traded For His First Love    170. A Weekend of Love in Bath

    Reese POVThe soft morning light filtered into the Goodwin mansion’s dining room, where breakfast was a joyful mess of laughter and plates. Sammy and Avie bickered over the last pancake, while Elliot, sitting beside me, chuckled and ruffled Sammy’s hair with a smile that seemed to light up everything. It was still surreal to look at him—my husband, again—and feel that, after so much turmoil, we were finding our way back. The ring on my finger, placed with such urgency and love at the registry office, was a constant reminder that we’d chosen to start anew. But even with happiness bubbling in my heart, I knew we needed a moment just for us, to rekindle what fights and time had nearly extinguished.Alice, with her sharp intuition as always, seemed to read my mind. While wiping the sticky syrup from Avie’s little fingers, she shot a mischievous smile at me and Elliot. “You two need some time alone,” she said, her voice brimming with conviction. “Every newlywed couple deserves a honeymoon

  • Traded For His First Love    169. A New Vow of Love

    Reese POVThe marble hallway of the courthouse seemed to melt away around us as I clung to Elliot, my face pressed against his chest, tears soaking his shirt. My heart still raced, the echo of the words he’d spoken in the courtroom—“Reese is the best mother they could have”—reverberating in my mind like a promise I never expected to hear. I trembled, not from cold, but from an emotion so overwhelming it felt like my body couldn’t contain it. “Elliot,” I whispered, my voice choked, “thank you. Thank you for this. You… you gave me everything today.”He hugged me tighter, his arms firm yet gentle, as if I were something precious he feared losing again. “No, Reese,” he murmured, his voice hoarse, almost breaking. “I’m the one who needs to apologize. I hurt you so much, made you suffer so much. Anger blinded me, made me act without thinking of the consequences, without considering what I was doing to you, to Sammy, to Avie.” He paused, his chest rising and falling with a heavy breath. “But

  • Traded For His First Love    168. Proof of Love

    Reese POVElliot’s words echoed in my head like thunder silencing everything else. I stared at him, stunned, as he stood before the courtroom, shoulders squared, his voice firm but laced with a raw emotion I knew so well. “I want to withdraw my case against Reese,” he said, each syllable cutting through the heavy silence of the room. “I regret trying to take the children from her. Sammy and Avie need their mother, and I was a fool to think I could separate them. Reese is the best mother they could have, and I’m done fighting against that.” My heart raced, caught between shock and a relief so intense I could barely breathe. Was this real? Was he truly giving up the fight for custody?The judge, with his thin-framed glasses and impassive expression, leaned forward, visibly surprised. “Mr. Goodwin, can you clarify the reason for this decision? Are you aware that this significantly alters the course of this case?”Elliot took a deep breath, his green eyes shining with a determination I ha

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