All Chapters of A Whole New World: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

ESSENCEAfter staring for a while, I stepped out to meet Lucian. Seeing the people kneeling, up close, I felt something twist inside me. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was empathy. Either way, I couldn’t ignore it. Lucian was standing with his arms folded, his jaw clenched as if he were holding back fire. I reached out, gently taking his hand. “Come with me,” I said quietly, pulling him a few steps away from the others. He let me lead. “What’s the punishment exactly?” I asked, keeping my voice soft. He didn’t hesitate. “They’re to kneel for eight hours. After that, I’ll let it go.” My mouth parted in disbelief. “Eight hours? Lucian…” His eyes searched mine, unreadable for a moment. “What?” I sighed and tried to explain. “I know what they did was wrong, and I know they disrespected me... but I also heard what you did for Angel. You’ve always been kind to her, right? Always looked out for her?” He gave a small nod, clearly not sure where I was going with this. “Maybe those six ma

ESSENCEThe moment Lucian started taking off his robe, my brain went into full panic mode. My body was having a completely different reaction. My mouth went dry, my knees turned to jelly, and my very married-to-a-billionaire-for-one-day self began sweating in places I didn’t even know could sweat.Was he about to have sex with me?No, no, no. Abort mission! If that man laid one finger on me, every one of my secrets would fly out like prisoners escaping a maximum-security prison. My stretch marks, my awkward moans—he'd see it all. And I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t be ready. Not now. Not like this.Then he got off the bed and slipped the silk robe off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.Oh, Lord.I acted fast. “Oh wow,” I yawned dramatically. “Would you look at that? I suddenly feel very sleepy. Good night, Lucian!”I didn't miss the surprise in his eyes as I dramatically turned on my side and shut my eyes like I was preparing for the longest sleep of my life.The bed dipped behind

ESSENCE I sat in the room for a while, hugging one of the throw pillows and trying to talk myself into forgetting about what happened the night before. But the more I thought about it, the more embarrassed I felt. Eventually, I told myself that if I didn’t go out soon, Lucian would come looking for me. I got up and padded out to the dining room, steeling myself for whatever came next. Lucian looked up the moment I stepped in. His eyes landed on my face, and his expression immediately shifted into something soft and concerned. "Are you okay?" I nodded, attempting a half-hearted smile. "I'm fine." He motioned to the untouched food. "Come, finish your breakfast." I sat down, but I barely touched the spoon. "I'm not hungry anymore. I'm already full." Lucian watched me quietly for a beat before leaning in. "What’s wrong?" I sighed, realizing I couldn’t keep dodging him. Not with the level of attention he was giving to me. “Can we talk in private?” He led me into one of the sitting

ESSENCEWatching my friends’ jaws hanging open like broken hinges, I couldn't help but chuckle. I guess I should have given them a little warning before dropping the bombshell, but where was the fun in that?I let them stew in their shock for a moment longer, just to enjoy the rare sight of Sky and Hailey looking like they had seen a ghost. Only after I had enough of their gaping faces did I finally signal the waiter over and asked for a drink. Something chilled. Something sweet. Something strong enough to drown any second-guessing before it even had the chance to bubble up inside me.As the waiter opened the bottle and poured the sparkling drink into my glass, Sky leaned forward, her elbows nearly knocking over the centerpiece, and asked in a slightly strangled voice, "Essence, what the hell is going on? Wasn’t it just two days ago you were still married? Did you keep the truth from us or are we living in an alternate universe?"I took a casual sip of my drink, letting the sweet, fiz

REMI Yesterday had been hell. Today? Not any better. Ever since our sex tape hit X and went viral like wildfire, Alex had been a completely different person. I expected him to lean on me, to seek comfort in the woman who had always been there for him. But no. Instead, he pulled away. He barely looked at me without sneering. His words? Sharper than razors. Cold. Dismissive. Like I was a piece of gum stuck to his shoe. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. He was supposed to defend me. Shield me. Blame Essence like he always did. But instead, he turned that icy fury on me, and I hated it. But not as much as I hated her. Essence. That fat, entitled, holier-than-thou creature who walked around like the world owed her for merely existing. She always thought Alex and Asher owed her their lives..... as if wiping a kid’s nose and making burnt jollof rice was some noble sacrifice. If only she knew how often they both made fun of her when she wasn’t around. I couldn’t count