All Chapters of LOVE, SECRETS, AND SCHEMES: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

“And who are you?”Liora froze at the hostile tone in David’s voice. He stared at her with open suspicion, his sharp gaze sweeping over her as if she didn’t belong there.“I asked a question,” he continued coldly. “You’re not deaf, are you?”“I–I…”“David, please just sit down and I’ll explain everything,” Nadine said quickly. She tried to stand but winced, gripping the chair for support.“No,” David said firmly, not even sparing her a glance. “Who is she? And who were those men? What did they mean when they said you owe their boss a huge amount of money?”“David—”“You,” he cut in sharply, pointing at Liora. “Leave. This instant.”Liora’s eyes widened in fear.She could not be thrown out again.Not now.Not after everything.“N-No, please,” she said quickly, her voice trembling. “I have nowhere else to go.”David scoffed loudly.“I’ve heard that a million times before,” he said. “You’re probably here to leech off my mom. For all we know, you could be working with those men.”“SHUT UP

Liora sat on her small bed with shaking hands, she held her phone tight with a worried look on her face. Her fingers trembled slightly around the device. She held the necklace around her neck in an attempt to calm herself down.The small pendant felt cold against her skin, but she held it tightly as if it could steady the storm raging inside her chest.5 days had passed since James and his boss came and she still did not have the money she promised them. The memory of that day still made her stomach twist with fear.She had tried so many times. God knows she had tried so many times to call her parents. Each time she opened their contact, her finger hovered over the call button before she quickly locked her phone again.But she could not bring herself to tap on that call button.She was afraid, afraid that she would be met with disappointment yet again. She was afraid her parents would not listen, that they would shun her like they always did.Her chest tightened just thinking about he

“Fuck!”Ashvin slammed his hand on the table, sending papers skittering slightly. He rubbed his temples, trying to force focus, but it refused to come. Concentration was impossible. Something had been gnawing at him—someone.That woman.Her voice. Her eyes. Her smile.He had been transfixed the moment he laid eyes on her. That night—it had been perfect. Electric. Wild. Sweet in a way that lingered far longer than it should have.He remembered the way her lips brushed his skin, the tilt of her head, the way she moved against him. Her eyes clouded with pleasure. Her laugh that made the world shrink to just the two of them. It was divine. She was divine. He didn’t remember everything—but he remembered enough. Enough to burn.When he woke up that day, he had expected her to be there, lying next to him. In his arms.She wasn’t.He searched the entire bar, desperate, desperate to find a trace of her. He found nothing—but he did not give up.Then the truth hit him like a punch. She was the d

“Liora, what’s wrong?”David’s voice cut through the quiet as he noticed the sudden change in her expression. One second she had been drinking water, the next—she froze.“Mmm—”Liora winced sharply, her hand flying to her stomach. Her fingers pressed against her round belly as another wave hit.“Arghh—!”Her breath hitched, her body tensing as the pain spread through her.David’s eyes widened in alarm as he rushed to her side.“What—what is it? Liora, talk to me!”Liora couldn’t answer.The pain came again—stronger this time.Her grip tightened around the edge of the chair, knuckles turning white as she struggled to breathe through it.Then—Both of them slowly looked down.A small puddle of water had formed beneath her.David blinked.“D… did your water just break?”Liora nodded weakly, her lips trembling as another contraction ripped through her.“W-What do I do?” David panicked, running a hand through his hair as he looked around helplessly.“G-Get… Nadine…” Liora gasped, her voice

“Yes, yes—stop here!” Liora said hurriedly, her voice tight with urgency.Before the taxi had fully come to a halt, she was already reaching for the door. She paid the driver quickly, barely waiting for her change before stepping out and rushing toward the school gates. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, each step fueled by anxiety.Everything had happened too fast. One moment she had been at the bakery, arranging fresh pastries and attending to customers, and the next—she received a call from Avery’s school. The principal’s voice had been calm, but the words themselves sent a wave of panic through her. A fight. Another parent demanding her presence.Liora hadn’t hesitated. She dropped everything and left immediately.Now, as she walked briskly through the school compound, her thoughts refused to settle. Images flashed through her mind—Avery crying, Avery hurt, Avery alone. Two years had passed since her birth, yet the worry had never left Liora. If anything, it had only grown st