All Chapters of Traded For His First Love : Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

Reese POVThe London courthouse was an imposing structure, its gray stone columns rising toward the overcast sky as if to intimidate anyone daring to cross its threshold. The morning was cold, the damp air carrying the scent of impending rain, and I felt the weight of each step as I climbed the marble stairs, my heart pounding so fiercely it seemed to echo in the silence around me. My hand gripped Alice’s tightly, her warm, steady fingers an anchor against the dread threatening to swallow me. Beside me, Josh walked with the confident posture of someone who knew the power of his name, his navy blazer impeccable, but his clear eyes sent me glances of support, as if to say we were in this together. My lawyers, two middle-aged men with serious expressions and briefcases stuffed with documents, followed close behind, murmuring strategies in hushed tones. It was the first session of the custody trial for Sammy and Avie, and though I knew it was just the beginning of a battle that would st

Reese POVThe guest room in the Goodwin mansion felt like a time bubble, where the past and present collided in an uncomfortable clash. As we played with Sammy and Avie, stacking wooden blocks into wobbly towers, I couldn’t help stealing glances at Elliot. He was sitting on the carpet, laughing with Sammy, helping build an improvised bridge, his green eyes shining with a tenderness that was painfully familiar. It was strange, almost surreal, this moment of harmony between us, as if the war over the custody trial didn’t exist, as if he hadn’t allowed his lawyers to humiliate me with lies about my life in Chicago. My anger still simmered, a smoldering ember that wouldn’t fade, but here, with the kids, I tried to keep the peace, at least for now.Avie, with her messy curls, giggled as she tried to steal a block from Elliot’s hand, but suddenly, a hoarse cough interrupted her laughter. She coughed again, the sound dry and persistent, and my heart tightened. The air in London was cold and

Alice POVLondon at night was a dream, a city that seemed crafted for lovers. The rain fell lightly, a silvery veil reflecting the glow of streetlights and shop windows, transforming the streets into a shimmering mirror. But for me, none of that mattered as much as the warmth of Connor’s hand holding mine, his fingers interlaced with my own as we strolled along the Thames, the sound of our footsteps mingling with the gentle murmur of the water. The chill of London’s autumn didn’t bother me, not when Connor looked at me with those brown eyes that seemed to hold secrets and promises, a shy smile curving his lips. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, a giddy excitement that made me laugh too loudly, talk too quickly, as if I were a teenager on a first date.“Have you been here before, Alice?” Connor asked, his voice soft but tinged with curiosity, as he pointed to the horizon where the London Eye rose, its colorful lights cutting through the night’s mist. He wore a gray coat that made h

Reese POVThe silence in the hospital waiting room was heavy, broken only by the tick-tock of the wall clock and the distant murmur of nurses in the hallway. I sat, hands clasped tightly in my lap, eyes fixed on the floor, trying not to let fear swallow me. Sammy slept on the couch beside me, curled up under my coat, his little face still stained with tears. Elliot, in the chair across from me, looked equally lost, his shoulders slumped, blonde hair disheveled, restless hands intertwined. The tension between us was palpable, an open wound neither of us touched, but it ached with every fleeting glance. We didn’t need to talk about the fight, about the hurts that brought us here—the weight of them lingered in every breath.Elliot broke the silence first, his voice hesitant. “Reese… do you think we should call Connor and Alice? To let them know we’re at the hospital?” He looked at me, his green eyes heavy with concern, but also something else, perhaps an attempt to find common ground.I

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