Library

Maghanap

Home / Werewolf / Marked By The Moon: Tied To The Four Alphas / Kabanata 141 - Kabanata 150

Lahat ng Kabanata ng Marked By The Moon: Tied To The Four Alphas: Kabanata 141 - Kabanata 150

167 Kabanata

140

Chapter 4But before it could hit the ground, Jeffrey's father rushed to catch it. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.Cassandra and Jeffrey's attention turned to Ava, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. Ava felt a wave of nausea wash over her, mixed with anger and hurt. She murmured an excuse, "I need to use the bathroom," and quickly turned towards the toilet.Jeffrey opened his mouth to say something, but Ava was already rushing away, her feet carrying her swiftly towards the bathroom. She reached the toilet just in time, her hands grasping the sink as she splashed water on her face, trying to calm herself down.As she finished washing her face, Ava stared at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes red-rimmed and her skin pale.She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but the image of Cassandra kissing Jeffrey's cheek lingered in her mind, fueling her anger and hurt.As Ava returned from the bathroom, she was met with a scene that reignited

141

Chapter 5Last night, Ava had returned home alone after the anniversary celebration, her heart heavy with emotions. The memories of Jeffery and Cassandra’s affair on and on in her head. She had cried herself to sleep in the visitor's room, her mind made up to leave Jeffrey, no matter how he felt about it. She was done with the constant betrayal and manipulation.The next morning, Ava woke up to the enticing aroma of fried chicken wafting through the air. She got out of bed and walked to the dinner room, only to be met with a shocking sight: Cassandra was seated at the table, eating breakfast."Oh, you're awake?" Cassandra said, looking up at Ava with a smug expression.Ava's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here in my husband's house?" she demanded, her voice firm.Cassandra stood up, her eyes locked on Ava's. "I'm moving in," she announced, her voice calm and collected.Ava's jaw dropped. "What? You must be joking," she said, her voice rising in incredulity.Cassandra shook her hea

142

Chapter 6The morning sun bled through the white curtains of the penthouse suite, spilling light across marble floors that gleamed like liquid gold. The sound of laughter—small, high, and bright—filled the air. Ava stood in front of the mirror, one hand clutching a diamond bracelet, the other steadying her thoughts.Behind her, chaos unfolded in the most beautiful form. Ethan was chasing Lucas around the sofa, both boys in matching little tuxedos, while Ava Rose—her tiny twin—sat on the bed, brushing her doll’s hair with intense concentration.“Boys,” Ava called softly, her tone both firm and affectionate, “if one of you rips that suit, I swear, Samuel will make you scrub his entire garage.”The boys froze. Lucas blinked up at her, wide-eyed. “Even the motorcycles?”Ava smirked. “Especially the motorcycles.”Their giggles filled the suite again, and for a moment, Ava felt the kind of peace she used to dream about. Five years ago, her mornings began with tears and silence. Now, they be

143

Chapter 7The line cuts. It must have been the network. But before she could drop the phone, it buzzed again in her hand, the unknown number flashing insistently. Ava frowned, her heartbeat quickening as she lifted it to her ear.“Mrs. Smith?” the familiar, crisp voice came through. “This is Mike Davis.”Relief softened her features. “Mr. Davis, it’s good to hear from you again. Is everything alright?”“All perfect, ma’am,” he replied with the polite enthusiasm that always made her smile faintly. “I just wanted to confirm you’ll be attending the charity event at The Winchester Grand this evening. The board members are quite eager to meet the new face of Holloway Industries.”Ava’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Tell them I’ll be there. It’s time the world finally sees what Ava Smith looks like without the Jones name hanging over her head.”Mike chuckled softly. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Your father would be proud.”Her voice faltered for just a heartbeat. “Thank you,

144

Chapter 8Jeffrey’s pulse hammered in his ears. He had been halfway through a polite conversation with a board member when his eyes found her—Ava. The woman he had once sworn was nothing more than an obligation now moved across the ballroom like a queen in exile returned to claim her throne.Before he could take a step toward her, a hand slipped around his arm. Cassandra.She followed his gaze, her painted lips curving when she saw where it landed. “Oh,” she said lightly, her voice slicing through the music. “Isn’t that… Ava?” She laughed, a silvery, practiced sound. “What on earth is she doing here?”Jeffrey stiffened. “Cassandra—”But she was already walking, the hem of her red gown whispering across the marble. Heads turned as she cut through the crowd, drawing the kind of attention she fed on. Jeffrey followed a step behind, silent, uncertain, like a shadow in his own story.Ava felt the shift in the air before she saw them. Mila, ever alert, murmured, “Incoming storm at two o’clo

145

Chapter 9The man blinked and shuffled through his papers. “Y-yes, ma’am.” “Tonight’s gala is hosted by the Chamber of Commerce to welcome Mrs. Ava Holloway, CEO of Holloway Industries.”The whispering grew louder, shock turning the air electric. Cassandra’s smile froze.Ava stepped closer, her perfume soft but her gaze lethal. “You were saying something about an impersonator? How about he verifies our identity.”The color drained from Cassandra’s cheeks. “You…”The event coordinator, pale and sweating now, lifted the folded page for everyone to see. “Per protocol, all honored guests were pre-verified with photographic identification.” He flipped the page to reveal a glossy print stapled to the top. “This is the image on file. Mrs. Ava Holloway.”The photo was unmistakable—Ava in a crisp suit, eyes calm, the same measured grace she wore now.The crowd’s murmuring swelled again.“It really is her.”“She’s the heiress.”“My God, Cassandra accused her?”Cassandra reached out, snatching

146

Chapter 10The ballroom seemed to hold its breath. Every chandelier crystal caught the light like suspended diamonds, but the true spectacle was unfolding on the marble floor. Jeffrey Jones stood frozen, his champagne flute slipping from numb fingers and shattering with a crystalline explosion that echoed through the sudden hush. The shards glittered like accusations at his feet.Lucas tugged harder on Ava’s gown, his small voice piercing the silence. “Mommy… who’s he? He looks like me and Ethan!”Ethan, never one to be left out, peeked around Ava’s leg and pointed boldly. “Yeah! Same eyes. Is he our daddy?”Ava Rose, clutching her pink bow with one hand and Samuel’s trouser leg with the other, tilted her head. “Mommy’s friend? He looks sad.”The words landed like grenades. Whispers erupted into a roaring wave. Cameras flashed in a blinding frenzy. Phones shot up from every direction, capturing the moment the scorned heiress’s secret exploded into the open. The pianist’s fingers stal

147

Chapter 11The morning after the gala, sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse like liquid gold, but the peace Ava craved was shattered by the storm raging across every screen in Winchester. She sat at the marble breakfast island, coffee untouched, as Mila scrolled through the headlines on her tablet.“‘Secret Trillionaire Heiress Returns with Jones Triplets – Scandal Rocks High Society!’” Mila read aloud, her voice laced with dry amusement. “They’re calling it the story of the decade. Stock in Holloway Industries is up twelve percent already.”Ava’s lips curved into a faint, satisfied smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. The triplets were in the playroom with Samuel, their laughter echoing faintly down the hall like a balm against the chaos. Ethan’s excited shouts about “the tall sad man” from last night still rang in her ears. She had stayed up until dawn, replaying Jeffrey’s shattered expression in her mind. Sweet revenge, yet it tasted bittersweet on

148

Chapter 12Chaos erupted in the garden like a thunderclap. Ava’s world narrowed to a single, horrifying point—Lucas sprawled on the grass, his small body convulsing before going terrifyingly still. His face had turned an ashen gray, lips tinged blue.“Lucas!” Ava screamed, dropping to her knees beside him. Her hands trembled as she checked for breath—none. “Call 911! Someone help him!”Jeffrey moved faster than she’d ever seen, scooping Lucas into his arms with surprising gentleness. “He’s not breathing—CPR!” His voice cracked with raw panic, the CEO facade stripped away to reveal a father terrified for his son. He laid Lucas down and began compressions, counting steadily while Ava tilted the boy’s head back for rescue breaths.Samuel barked orders into his phone, summoning the estate’s private medical team and the helicopter on standby. “Stay with us, buddy,” he murmured, but his eyes met Ava’s—grim, supportive, yet edged with the same fear clawing at her chest.The triplets’ cries

149

Chapter 13The alarms screamed through the sterile hallway like a death knell. Ava’s heart slammed against her ribs as she shoved past Jeffrey, bursting into Lucas’s room. Doctors and nurses swarmed the tiny bed, their voices a chaotic symphony of commands.“Push another round of epi! Charge to 20 joules!”Lucas’s small body jerked under the defibrillator pads, his face pale and lifeless. Ava clutched the doorframe, her world tilting. “No… not my baby. Fight, Lucas. Mommy’s here!”Jeffrey was right beside her, his hand finding hers in a grip that was both desperate and grounding. For the first time in years, she didn’t pull away. In that moment of raw terror, old barriers cracked. “He has to make it,” Jeffrey whispered, voice hoarse. “I just found him.”The doctor leading the code called out, “We have a rhythm! Sinus tach—stable for now.” The monitors settled into a steady, albeit weak, beep. Ava sagged against the wall, tears flooding her eyes as the medical team stepped back, allow

PREV

...

12 13 14 15 16 17

NEXT

I-scan ang code para mabasa sa App

DMCA.com Protection Status