Todos os capítulos de Love Trials: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

"Damn, Darren's got his girl on lock.""Seriously. A catch like Carrie as his soulmate, plus an obsessed girlfriend? Dude's living the dream.""Yo Darren, drop the game—how do you train 'em so good?"The laughter that followed was rowdy and indulgent. Darren Finch, grinning smugly, pulled Carrie Specter closer by the shoulder. The two stood intimately side by side.At a glance, they looked like the couple about to get engaged.Meanwhile, I—the actual girlfriend—stood there soaking wet amid the glitzy crowd, looking nothing short of pathetic.I was already unwell, and after half an hour in the ocean, my body was on the verge of collapse.Carrie smiled sweetly and said, "Seeing how hard you're willing to fight for Darren, I can finally hand him over to you with peace of mind."I let out a laugh. My head spun, but I forced myself forward a step, steadying my gaze on her."Are you his mother? What gives you the right to say that to me?"Carrie froze, caught off guard. The conte

Darren's brows knit together, his voice laced with open irritation."Paula, what are you standing there for? Carrie already apologized. What more do you want? Come sit down and talk this through."He patted the empty seat beside him, as if doing me a favor.I drew in a deep breath, forcing down the emotions rising in my chest, and replied evenly, "I didn't come here to hear an apology. I came to hand over the Finch Corporation's affairs."From the briefcase at my side, I pulled out a neatly organized set of documents and resignation I had written long ago. I placed them on the table."These are the financial reports from the past three years, the contracts for all active projects, and the company's strategic plan for the next twelve months. And this is my letter of resignation. As of today, I will no longer be involved in Finch Corporation's operations."Darren, take care of it as you see fit."The moment my words fell, the room fell into stunned silence.All eyes turned toward

Before Darren could respond, I hung up. Then I turned off my phone.The plane began to taxi. A deep, thunderous rumble filled the cabin.I closed my eyes and let the faint sense of weightlessness wash over me as the aircraft lifted into the sky.Ten years of entanglement—resolved in a single moment.Back in the private room of the club, silence fell like a curtain.Darren stood frozen, clutching his phone, the color drained from his face. All that remained was a pale, dazed expression.Paula was gone. Really gone.Not only had she left—she'd uncovered the secret he'd buried for ten years.That lie about the pen pal was the most shameful product of his adolescence: a mix of vanity and jealousy.Back then, he had envied the boy who called himself "Skyler," and the way he so effortlessly earned Paula's trust and affection. So Darren intercepted the letters and assumed the boy's identity.He thought no one would ever find out.He thought Paula would remain in the dark forever, l

Meanwhile, in a foreign land far from home, I began a new chapter of my life.After returning to my birth parents, I finally experienced a warmth I had never known before.They were filled with remorse for the years we'd lost, and did everything they could to make up for it. Their love came without condition, their support unwavering. For the first time in my life, my long-wandering heart found a place to rest.I adjusted quickly to the new environment and took over part of the family business.Thanks to everything I'd learned at Finch Corporation, I demonstrated an unexpected talent—and resolve—for business.Within just six months, I had successfully expanded our operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, earning widespread recognition for my results.I was no longer that girl who lived under someone else's roof, forced to watch her words and swallow her pride.I had reclaimed my light and rebuilt myself from the ground up. I was new, through and through.From time to time

A few days later, Aokyle City held a grand charity gala for the business elite. My parents had received an invitation, and I attended with them as a representative of our family.The venue brimmed with nearly every prominent figure in Aokyle City's social and commercial circles.I was exchanging pleasantries with a few seasoned business leaders when I caught a glimpse—just out of the corner of my eye—of an uninvited guest.Darren.I had no idea how he managed to get in, but somehow, he had.He wore an outdated suit that clearly didn't belong in a room like this. His face was stretched into a forced, ingratiating smile, trying—and failing—to conceal his exhaustion.But the desperation in his eyes, the look of someone betting everything on one last chance, was unmistakable.He walked directly toward me, drawing curious glances from the surrounding guests.Those who knew us began murmuring, their eyes darting between us.I frowned slightly but kept a polite smile on my face, cont