All Chapters of RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

150 Chapters

Chapter Thirty-one

Amiriam failed to appear. Not the day after Mr. Oden's unexpected visit, nor the following day. She'd given up hope when she crawled into her frayed pajamas on Sunday night with the intention of surviving another lonely night of ice cream and Netflix. She'd told her family that she wasn't feeling well. Generally, they met Sunday evenings for dinner and cards, but she was not in the mood tonight. She'd rather spend her night wallowing in self-pity.She was such a sad case.Grabbing a spoon and a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream, she watched as the front door creaked to a persistent knock. Her heart fluttered in her chest before she convinced herself it was just the FedEx man. Because, you know, he usually came on Sunday nights. She rolled her eyes and tiptoed to the door, not allowing herself to get her hopes up. Peering through the peephole, the spoon dropped from her fingers and clattered on the floor."Amiriam?"Luke's deep voice boomed through the thick door as she leaned agai

Last Updated : 2025-05-05

Chapter thirty two

Amiriam felt the low vibration of Luke's voice humming in her ear, and she opened her eyes. He'd spent the night—in her apartment. An apartment that she was positive they'd left within a day. Indeed, her confused mind was still convinced that she was dreaming."Yah?" she croaked, holding the sheet over her mouth to protect him from a nasty morning breath.Luke grinned, yanked the sheet off, and pecked her on the lips. The action dispelled any fear that it would disturb him. "I want to ask you something.""And what's that?" Amiriam answered, still with a husky voice from sleep."I see how much you love James, and I see how much it killed you to be separated from him all these past months. My dad told me that he offered the job to you when he stopped by a week or so back. You've said yes already, haven't you?""I haven't decided yet," Amiriam admitted, weighing the pros and cons. "I've been thinking about it a lot, though.". I miss James crazy, but I also understand that things will nev

Last Updated : 2025-05-07

Chapter thirty-three

Amiriam "Yup. I'm getting divorced.""But, you love him.""Yup.""And he proposed."There's this huge, silly grin that spreads across Amiriam's face, and she looks down at her hand resting on the kitchen counter. "Yup.""And you said, 'Yes.'""Sure did.""And you're moving out?" Christiana questions.Amiriam nods, tearing her eyes off her left hand that's sporting the ring of her dreams and back at her sister. "Right again, my friend."Are you moving back to live in his parents' home?""Nope. We're actually going to go apartment hunting for the meantime. I think it'll be our home base, and then the rest of the time, we'll be traveling the world and helping those who are less fortunate than us."Gah! It sounds so wonderful when she says it like that!“You’re serious,” Christiana replies, inspecting Amiriam like she’s been captured by a body snatcher, and she’s not her real sister anymore.“Yup. Dead serious.”“And you’re okay with this?”Laughing, Amiriam walks around the counter and

Last Updated : 2025-05-07

Chapter thirty- four

Amiriam pressed the ivory envelope to her palm as she climbed the steps of her childhood home, her heart drumming a staccato of hope and apprehension. The invitation—ivory cardstock edged with silver filigree—had arrived that morning, carried by a stately butler whose formal nod lent the moment a ritualistic gravity. She watched him retreat down the drive as rain began to patter against the window panes, and for the first time since her return, possibility trembled in her chest. In her old bedroom, Amiriam smoothed the card before tucking it into her satin clutch. At the top, elegant script read: > The Oden Family requests the pleasure of your company this evening to welcome home AMiriam Swenson 7:00 p.m. Dinner and dancing to follow A small note in the corner added: “Black-tie.” She drew a steadying breath and dialed Rita. For weeks they had rifled through boutiques, slipping into gowns and discarding every style that whispered “nanny” or “charity gala” instead of “heir’s welc

Last Updated : 2025-05-09

Chapter thirty-five

Throwback, Late AfternoonThe sky glowed in rose and lavender as the chauffeur’s sleek black sedan wound up Oden Manor’s curved drive. Amiriam inhaled the mingled scents of freshly trimmed hedges and brine-laced sea air drifting in from the shore. Her heart fluttered with anticipation—tonight’s dinner would be her first formal event since the gala, and she longed to prove she truly belonged here.The driver—face shadowed beneath his cap—stepped down and offered his gloved hand. Amiriam clicked her heels on the cobblestones and accepted it, her emerald-chiffon gown stirring in the breeze. Delicate ruffles mirrored the manicured greens beyond the gates; pearls graced her collarbone, and her hair was swept into a soft chignon. She felt both vulnerable and radiant.A footman pushed open the iron gates, their ornate scrollwork framing the scene like a painting. Beyond them, the pale stone manor rose, turrets entwined in ivy, lanterns flaring along the drive in warm pools of light. Amiriam

Last Updated : 2025-05-09

Chapter thirty-six

The old dining hall fell silent as Jackson’s final words faded into candlelit shadows. Before the bell’s echo had fully died, Luke rose from his place at the head of the table. He cleared his throat, and the soft rustle of silk hushed the assembled guests."If I may," Luke began, lifting his glass toward Amiriam. His tone was steady, earnest. "When Amiriam first arrived back at Oden Manor, I worried the life I once knew was over—my world would feel smaller without her light. But these past weeks, watching her grace and strength weave into our family, I’ve realized how much I needed her presence."He paused, scanning the room with warm eyes that settled on Amiriam like a beacon. "Amiriam, your compassion has mended old wounds, and your courage reminds us all what it means to stand for family. I’m proud to call you one of us, and happier than words can say that you’ve chosen to stay. To Amiriam—welcome home."Glasses chimed, applause rippling through the hall. Amiriam’s cheeks warmed wi

Last Updated : 2025-05-09

Chapter thirty-seven

Jackson sprang to his feet, chair grating on marble as though protesting his abrupt surplus of vigor. "Impossible! " His voice clanged through the dining room like a cracked bell, reverberating off carved paneling and crystal chandeliers. Forks trembled in the hands of guests; a silver tureen tipped over, its scented steam curling into the air. Jackson walked the length of the long table, the hem of his tuxedo rubbing against fine china. His face was a turmoil of outrage and disbelief. He gave a curt nod to no one in particular, then spun on his heel and pushed through the French doors, which shuddered on their hinges behind him with a force that spilled wine from broken pieces on the floor. For a moment, that was the only sound. Then James—a boy of six with wide, frightened eyes—scurried beneath the tablecloth, pressing himself flat against the polished stone. His breath came in short, shallow gasps, and beads of sweat marked his hairline despite the cool wind from the open doors.

Last Updated : 2025-05-09

Chapter thirty-Eight

The fireflame spat in the fire, causing its golden shadows to spin and ripple over the drawing room, its high ceilings lost in velvety darkness. The close hush was thick with expectation, every charred ember hissing like a heartbeat in mounting tension. Silver brocade swathing Tiffany stood tall on velvet chaise longue, waving her fan listlessly. Before her, Mr. Oden prowled the hearth like a wolf, his gaze flicking from face to face there—each tense with expectation.At the center of this quiet court stood Stacy, her pale sapphire satin gown now a burden too heavy to be borne. Under the crystal chandelier's light, the fabric shone and appeared to mock her, holding a glitter she no longer felt worthy to wear. Her hands fluttered to her abdomen, a gesture instinctive and yet shockingly public. She swallowed, as if swallowing every whispered rumor that had brought this evening to its zenith.“Yes,” she said, her voice hushed yet resonant enough to fill the room. “I’m pregnant.”A collec

Last Updated : 2025-05-11

Chapter thirty-nine

Stacy sat at the edge of the vast Oden estate tub, the immaculate marble cool against her bare legs. The hardware was chrome and silver, every surface buffed to mirror sheen. She let her hand trail lightly over the curve of her belly—not yet burst into view, but far enough along for her to feel the marvelous life unrolling within. The power it held throbbed like a live wire between her fingers, and she sensed a still victory.She had won—at least temporarily.From inside the en suite, the muted buzz of servants seeped through the door—a distant note that life inside the Oden estate continued even when scandal hung poised to tear its meticulously built facade asunder. Stacy rose and stepped onto the marble floor, her satin slippers' arches making gentle echoes. She tied around herself a warm white robe, the cord at waist level, drawing the eye upwards to smooth skin and curvaceous shape.The baby she bore, if it was Luke's, enveloped her in a shroud of permanence. In a dynasty famous f

Last Updated : 2025-05-11

Chapter Forty

There was a light eucalyptus and old books smell in the therapist's office. Amiriam sat on a velvet couch too plush, too yielding. It felt as though it had been ripped from a life she no longer believed she lived. The window beside her gave way to the city skyline—buildings in morning mist, stubborn and unyielding.Why now?" Dr. Reiner's voice was soft, but not frail. She was a gray-haired, gaunt woman, and her quietness was remarkable. She didn't squirm. Didn't occupy the space.Amiriam gazed out the window, then at her hands. "I need… clarity. I can't breathe through this on my own anymore.".There wasn't a Luke. No Stacy. Not yet. But the ache that had made itself at home in Amiriam's chest had roots now. It pulled at her sleep, fogged her mornings. When she heard a telephone ring or a door creak open, she felt her belly twist.Dr. Reiner nodded. "You said trust. You said it's hard.""Impossible," Amiriam said quietly, folding her arms. "It's like. I start to trust someone, and the

Last Updated : 2025-05-12

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