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Chapter 16: Turbulent Beginnings

Author: Nailynn
last update Last Updated: 2025-06-05 16:04:27

SOFIE

I woke to an unfamiliar weight draped across me. Disoriented, my hands fumbled over the dense pressure, my mind still tangled in the cobwebs of sleep. Pillow? Laundry?

No. The warmth seeped through the fabric of my nightshirt, solid and undeniably human.

Slow, creeping awareness pushed me further awake. I cracked my eyes open, squinting at the blurry shape. Lifting my head slightly, I forced my sluggish brain to focus. Then clarity struck: a muscular arm lay draped possessively over me.

A gasp tore from my throat as I shoved the arm away like it had burned me. A man’s arm.

Memories crashed into me like a wave. Andrew’s betrayal. The whirlwind contract marriage. The impromptu ceremony that bound me to a man I barely knew.

The storm in my head was cut through by a lazy, amused voice. “Good morning, Mrs. Reed.” He was propped up on one elbow, watching me with an easy, knowing smile, utterly at ease.

James.

My pulse pounded. Heat bloomed across my face as I took in the broad expanse
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  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 44: Blindsided

    st into Claire’s apartment, barely holding myself together. Tears blurred my vision, hot and relentless, sliding down my cheeks before I could wipe them away.She didn’t ask any questions. She just pulled me into her arms and held on. I clung to her, shaking, too overwhelmed to speak at first.“What happened?” she asked softly, guiding me toward the sofa.I collapsed onto the cushions, my whole body trembling from everything I had held in. Words tumbled out, broken and breathless as I tried to explain. The folder. The investigation. How Alex had known everything about me before we even met.She listened without interrupting, her eyes widening, her expression shifting between horror and disbelief as I spoke. I told her about Andrew at the hospital, about the chaos, about the media waiting outside like wolves. And then I told her about the hospital being in my name. The fact that Alex had bought it and never said a word.My voice cracked. My throat burned. The weight of it all pressed

  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 43: The Realization

    ALEXNews traveled fast. Too fast.News of the hospital fight hit hard. Andrew had gone after Sofie, the press swarmed, and security dragged him off. Something twisted in me.I needed to see her. Immediately.She had to know I supported her, that I would handle this myself.As I grabbed my jacket, my phone buzzed. Mr. Clark’s name flashed across the screen. I almost ignored it.“Mr. Reed,” he began, voice stiff with discomfort. “I need to discuss some sudden changes Mrs. Reed has made. She’s initiated a remote work transition and ordered a salary review for her department. It’s all... quite unexpected.”My jaw tightened. Concern for her shifted to irritation. He was questioning her authority.“Mr. Clark,” I cut in, voice calm but edged with steel, “you seem to be forgetting something. She owns the hospital. Every decision she made today falls within her authority, and I support her fully.”Silence. Cold, weighted.“I see,” he finally said, clearly caught off guard.“You should have k

  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 42: His Betrayal

    SOFIESummoning my driver still felt strange. A luxury I hadn’t asked for. One I hadn’t yet grown used to.As I stepped outside, the media descended like a swarm. Flashes blinded me. Microphones pushed too close. Reporters’ voices crashed over each other.“Mrs. Reed, is it true your marriage is just a business arrangement?”“How do you respond to claims you abandoned your professional ethics for personal gain?”Each question landed like a slap, stripping away another layer of privacy.My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms. Don’t react. Don’t let them see it get to you.Andrew’s threat from earlier echoed in my ears. Of course this fiasco was his doing.My security team moved in fast, forming a barrier as they ushered me toward the car.I ducked inside, the door slamming shut behind me. Blessed silence.I stared straight ahead, but my thoughts snapped to Alex.How could he not tell me I own the hospital? The weight of that truth still hadn’t settled.How does someone so smart

  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 41: Workplace Shifts

    SOFIEWalking through the hospital halls felt nothing like it used to. I wasn’t just Sofie anymore. I was Mrs. James Alexander Reed. And everyone knew it.The glances were sharp, the whispers more calculated. Colleagues I’d worked with for years shifted in doorways or exchanged knowing looks as I passed. A knot tightened low in my stomach. Why is everyone staring at me like I’ve grown horns?I pushed into my office, hoping to shake the unease, but paused when a familiar voice drifted from around the corner.“…new owner now. Can you believe it?”I rolled my eyes. Gossip. Probably about another department shake-up. I dropped my bag and shrugged off my blazer, then froze as Mr. Clark, the hospital CEO, stepped through the door, holding a fruit basket like it was some kind of peace offering.His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Congratulations, Mrs. Reed. We’re excited to see the new direction you’ll take us in.”My heart stuttered. What?“Thank you, Mr. Clark,” I said automatically, my vo

  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 40: Grief and Grace

    SOFIEThe ache in my chest wouldn’t ease, even after the story ended, even after he smiled.How did he survive that kind of pain and still love this openly? Still offer comfort, like he wasn’t the one carrying the heaviest grief?I reached for his hand again, lacing my fingers through his, needing that touch, not just for steadiness, but for connection. I wanted him to feel how much I saw him. How deeply I admired him.“You’re amazing and strong,” I whispered, the words feeling too small for what I meant. “After everything you’ve been through, you still have this... capacity to love. To show up. To protect.”His fingers squeezed mine. Not hard, but with quiet certainty. Like he understood what I couldn’t put into words.I thought I knew what strength looked like. But this… this is what it really is.He watched me, eyes searching. My heart thudded in response, not out of fear, but something deeper. Recognition. Trust.The space between us tightened, not with urgency, but with gravity

  • Unbound Desires   Chapter 39: Shattered Glass, Shattered Lives

    SOFIEAs evening approached, I felt the jittery blend of excitement and nerves settle in my chest. Going back to work tomorrow felt surreal, the idea almost too big to settle in my mind. The whirlwind of recent days, including the gala, the magazine cover, and the growing intensity between us, left me dizzy with everything that had changed.What if they’ve seen the cover? What if they treat me differently now?I stared out the window, barely noticing the skyline. The image of my coworkers’ faces flashed through my mind, all of them looking at me as if I’d become someone else.His voice cut gently through my thoughts. “Thinking about tomorrow?”I nodded. “It’s strange. A couple of weeks ago, I was just Sofie Davis. Now, I’m Sofie Reed, and people recognize me on the street. It’s a lot to process.”He reached for my hand, his thumb brushed slow circles against my palm, calming me.“Remember, you’re still you. The core of who you are hasn’t changed. We’ll navigate this new aspect of our

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