All Chapters of A Marriage Without Boundaries: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

~Like an onion, your mate has layers, sometimes layers you don’t know anything about.~Hailey answered the phone. "Yes, this is Hailey.""Hailey, this is Jake. The reason I'm calling is that I think you should come into my office so we can discuss this matter in person." Hailey is surprised by the call from Jake, and now she's at a loss for words. "I can come on Wednesday evening around four.""Great, I will see you then, Hailey. I’m sorry for my manners. How are you feeling?""I was fine until you called me, now I’m a little worried." "Don’t be too concerned, it's a business matter, and it's probably just a misunderstanding. I’ll see you on Wednesday. Drive safely, Hailey. Hailey arrived at the law firm. She grabbed her purse off the car seat. Entered the building, Hailey thought about how it’s been almost a month now since she’s seen Jake. It was strange how one weekend together pretending to be a couple had this effect on her now. She looked at the elaborate twenty-five-story

~Saving a relationship takes a lot of effort, and it can even happen if you are willing to put in the time.~After working tirelessly on the divorce and thinking about Hailey for more than he cared to, Jake decided to try to get his relationship with Bridgette on track. There's just one thing standing in Jake’s way: Her lifestyle and his didn’t match. This is not a match made in heaven; it’s a match made by their parents.Bridgette is a city girl through and through, and Jake is a prestigious city attorney with the heart of a country boy. Well, Jake was going to have to do something about their differences, so he decided to take Bridgette out tonight. He gets up from his desk and goes for a walk to find Bridgett, and so the two of them can go out and have a good time. The polished marble floor of the law office gleamed under the fluorescent lights as Jake paced impatiently to the elevator. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling tension knotting his muscles. The impending wedding had

~Ranging from jealousy to controlling behavior, relationship insecurity can manifest itself in many destructive ways.~ When Jake pulls up outside, Hailey is so deep in thought that she doesn't even hear his SUV truck come into the driveway. He's sitting in his vehicle, talking to someone, asking them. "Are you ready to meet her?" He asks. "I think that was, yes. Okay! Let's go," Jake says as he opens the truck door and grabs as many bags as he can to carry inside at one time.Jake happily swings the door open, and immediately the smell of fresh lemons hits Jake's nose. He is so distracted by the clean scent of the house. Milo takes off running like a racehorse in the house toward the kitchen. He charges into the kitchen; just as Hailey turns around, she sees a big, black, furry animal.That jumps up, catching her entirely off guard. Milo stands up on his two hind legs with his paws pressed against Hailey's breast. He starts licking her neck and cheek as she tries to keep him from t

~This is your chance to be completely honest about your hopes, dreams, fears, and expectations for your future. And what are you looking for in a life partner? Don’t hold back—let your true self shine through.~Hailey stood at the edge of the ranch, the sprawling fields behind her bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. The golden light cast long shadows, evoking a strange mixture of nostalgia and resolve. She had spent countless weeks here, wrapped in the serenity that the open land provided, but today felt different. Today was the day she knew it was time to leave and never look back.Her heart ached as she glanced back at the big barn, its doors wide open, welcoming all who came through. It had been a haven for her, a place where she had found solace and happiness. But now, the thought of staying filled her with an uncomfortable tension—one that manifested from the complex web of emotions tangled between her, Jake, and Bridgette. Hailey had always been the kind of person who va

~A time comes when a relationship needs to end.~The day the proposal reached Jake’s ears felt surreal, as if someone had flipped the script of his life without his permission. Arranged marriages were an old tradition. But he had always imagined his life diverging from those traditions. That day, sitting in the coffee shop steeped in the aromas of roasted beans and quiet laughter, he couldn’t shake the weight of the decision his family had made for him — a decision to marry Bridgette Reed, a woman he knew and yet had nothing in common with. His father had the idea blooming in his head that he could change everything."I know the one thing that can end this arranged marriage to Bridget. If I told my parents that I'm having their first grandchild…with someone else." Jake had rehearsed the thought in his mind many times, but when he finally said it out loud to Hailey, his voice trembled with uncertainty.“What? This is not your child, Jake! I can’t do that. We would be lying! I don’t wan