บททั้งหมดของ Ten Strikes and You're Out: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

I unpinned the groom's boutonniere and pushed the door open.The two people locked in a heated kiss on the bed jumped in shock and sprang apart in panic.The moment she saw the look on my face, Tracie Conner hurriedly wiped the smear of saliva from her lips, guilt flashing across her face."You're back, honey. Have all the guests left?"She forced a laugh. "Don't get the wrong idea. Elton and I were just playing Truth or Dare to kill some time while you were gone. If you don't believe me, ask Erica."She nudged her best friend, Erica Frey, who stiffly turned around and flashed me an awkward smile. "Don't misunderstand, Jonas Sawyer. I was the one who suggested the game."A game? A game that involved putting on a live show on our bed while Erica watched?"Sounds like quite a game. Why stop? We can stay and watch."My expression darkened, and Tracie secretly pinched Erica, who looked like she'd been trying to slip away. Her face flushed red as she said, "Look, Jonas. Here's wha

Tracie and Elton stood at the doorway like a picture-perfect couple, smiling as they waited for me to enter.When I turned to leave, Morgan stopped me. "Stay for dinner, Jonas. Caitlin was just telling me how much she misses you and your mother."I could hear the unmistakable threat in his voice. I froze and looked at them in disbelief.Morgan ushered me to a seat, smiling like a wolf in sheep's clothing. "Tracie is at fault for what happened at the bridal suite, but I heard you've slapped Elton, so let's just call it even."A divorce isn't just about you, Jonas. The Conners have a reputation to uphold, and you can't afford to be this reckless, especially considering your mother's health. If you hate that villa so much, I can buy a new home for the two of you."As for Tracie and Elton, they grew up together. It's only natural for them to have such feelings. You can't be too demanding, and it's not like you caught them in the act. A man should learn to be content with what he has,

"What did you say? You can't stop her medication! Please!"I lunged at Tracie like a madman and banged my head against the floor until my forehead started bleeding. When she remained unmoved, I crawled over to Elton and slammed my head against the floor, over and over again."It's my fault! I did it. I'll apologize however you want, as long as you don't stop my mom's medications. She'll die!"Knowing that Mom would actually die, I knew that I now had nothing left to lose."You should've done that from the start," Tracie said coolly. She fished out her phone from her pocket and kindly held it to my face. The security footage showed Mom thrashing in agony on her hospital bed. Her face was twisted in pain, her fingers digging into her palms, her body covered in scratches she had inflicted on herself. She was critically ill. The medication was the only thing keeping her alive. Stopping the medication meant she would have to suffer constant pain until she died.I collapsed onto t

After that night, Elton changed.He stopped pushing Tracie to acknowledge their relationship. Instead, he became increasingly attentive. He even took the initiative to say, "I know you're still thinking about Jonas, so I won't force you. We'll talk when you've cleared your head."Every day, he brought her dinner, all of which were her favorite dishes. He'd even prepared warm red wine and claimed it'd help her sleep and relax.Though Tracie loathed him, she let her guard down and occasionally had a glass or two.One night, Elton's wine was exceptionally full-bodied. After just two glasses, her head began to swim, her limbs felt heavy and weak, and her consciousness started to blur.She tried to steady herself to head to the bedroom, but Elton suddenly pulled her into his arms.His eyes burned with greed, and his voice was laced with the smugness of a victor. "Don't blame me, Tracie. I just love you too much."Once you carry my child, it doesn't matter if Jonas comes back becaus

On the other side of the ocean, Mom and I finally landed.Uncle Hubert smiled as he handed me a glass of warm water. "Stop worrying, Jonas. I've already sent your mom in for a full check-up. "It's good to have you back. Now that you're here, nothing else matters."My fingertips were cold, but my mind had never been clearer. I'd never told Tracie that my uncle, Hubert, was a trade tycoon whose influence spanned across Araleth and Eadenport.Years ago, when Dad first cheated on Mom, it was Uncle Hubert who left for Eadenport to build an empire to protect us. FAnd for the sake of repaying what I thought was kindness, I handed Mom over to the Conners and turned her into leverage they could use against me.I thought I could win them over with sincerity. It took Tracie threatening Mom's life for the tenth time for me to finally wake up and realize that some people stayed cold no matter how much I tried to warm them.A few hours later, Mom completed all her medical tests. When I pu