《The Love From Vengeance》


 Chapter 1

    The Love From Vengeance


    1 THE FINAL STRAW


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Please slow down; you¡¯re going too hard!¡± I screamed, my eyes squeezed shut in pleasure, while Luke


    relentlessly pounded into me. He gripped me tightly, showing no mercy as he moved with vigorous


    force. My moans echoed throughout the dark room, barely visible except for the outline of Luke¡¯s figure


    as he continued to ravage me.


    ¡°Ohhh Luke!¡± I cried out, my nails digging into his back. The intensity of his thrusts caused both of us to


    breathe heavily. But amidst the pleasure, Luke¡¯s grip on my neck tightened, choking me slightly. ¡°You


    little whore, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d go this far, drugging me to touch you!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± I tried to speak, but he cut me off, anger mixing with pleasure in his eyes. He was inflicting


    pain and bringing gratification at the same time.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± I cried out as he drove deeper and deeper, his powerful thrusts filling the room with their


    sounds.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy now. Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?!¡± Luke snapped, pounding into me with


    relentless force.


    ¡°Slow down, slow¡­¡± I begged, but he choked me hard, silencing me. Spit drooled out of my mouth, but


    he didn¡¯t seem to care as he continued his brutal assault,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you pay!¡± He growled, his thrusts bing even more forceful. ¡°You wanted


    pleasure; well, now you¡¯ve got it.¡±


    ¡°Ouhhhh, ouhhh, ouhhhh!¡± I cried out, feeling like he was going to split me in two. As much as I wanted


    this, I also wanted him to stop.


    I had been waiting for him toe home, but when he arrived, intoxicated and ming met for


    drugging him, I never expected this. His torture was a mixture of agony and ecstasy.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± He asked, his breath mingling with mine. ¡°Are you satisfied?!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer him; I was just screaming and looking into his eyes as he choked me even harder.


    The force of his movements caused themp on the bedside table to fall, lighting up the room with an


    orange glow.


    ¡°I asked you a question, didn¡¯t 1?¡± He snapped, his anger and rage intensifying. My face was red, and I


    was unable to speak as he seemed determined to choke me to death.


    I dug my nails into his back, causing him to cry out, but he just red at me before resuming his brutal


    thrusts. He went on and on, finally spilling inside me. But instead of stopping, he continued to pound


    into me, and when I was about to scream, he covered my mouth with his


    hand.


    He wore a devilish smirk as he continued for what felt like an eternity before finally pulling out. Iy


    there, weak and unable to move, as he red at me before going back in for another round.


    ¡°Please, I can¡¯t take anymore!¡± I screamed, but he just bit his lip and silenced me. ¡°I¡¯m just ¡°Please, I


    can¡¯t take anymore!¡± I screamed, b granting your wish, my lovely wife,¡± he mocked before releasing my


    face.


    But it was too much. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I whimpered as he continued to m into me, holding


    my arms against the bed. And when he finally let out a loud growl, I knew he had reached his peak. He


    pulled out and shifted backwards, leaving me trembling and exhausted on the bed.


    I watched him as he made his way to the bathroom, and it took me a while to gather the strength to put


    on my robe. When he emerged from the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist, I was still trembling


    from the brutal experience.


    Three years ago, my family, also known as The Walker group, faced a severe financial crisis. Without a


    solution, all the hard work they had put in for years would have been in vain. It was a difficult time


    watching my parents in tears, and I was willing to do anything to end this sad chapter.


    Then, unexpectedly, I found myself in Luke¡¯s bedroom. It waster revealed that my parents had


    drugged me, despite always iming to love me. They eventually exined their reasons, and I


    couldn¡¯t stay angry at them forever.


    Luke was a billionaire, but his wealth was inherited from his grandfather and father. My parents made a


    deal with Sir Reynold, as we referred to Luke¡¯s grandfather, and decided to give me to Luke. However,


    they knew he wouldn¡¯t agree if they asked for his opinion, as he had someone else in mind. So, they


    conspired to drug me and bring me to Luke¡¯s room, making it seem like we had slept together.


    Their n seeded, and it became a media sensation. But nothing happened between us. I was only


    half¨Cnaked and lying on top of Luke when he woke up. It was a humiliating experience.


    As a result, Luke had to marry me, and our family¡¯s financial crisis was resolved. However, it was only


    the beginning of my personal hell.


    Our marriage was filled with pain and heartache. Luke treated me poorly, and I had to endure his


    actions. I convinced myself that I could change him and make him fall in love with me, like in the


    movies.


    Despite knowing how Luke mistreated me, many people in New Haven looked down on me. I ignored


    their judgment and neverined, enduring every heart¨Cwrenching moment. But, after this torture, I


    reached my breaking point. I couldn¡¯t tolerate his behavior any longer. Enough was enough.


    Luke drove his hands through his damp hair, water dripping all over his body. He shed me a smirk,


    clearly pleased to see me in such a state.


    He sauntered over to a drawer and retrieved a small box of pills. With a re, he tossed them in my


    direction. ¡°Take it.¡±


    I grabbed the box from the bed and read thebel, ¡°Emergency contraceptive.¡± I looked back at Luke,


    my expression conveying my reluctance. I was sure he understood.


    Luke and I had an agreement that we would not have children, or rather, he did not want to have a child


    with me. He despised me to the point where he refused to start a family with me. This was the second


    time he had touched me in our three¨Cyear marriage, and he imed to be drunk. But that was not what


    I was seeing around here.


    I stared at the pills, not wanting to take them. Luke¡¯s voice broke through my thoughts: ¡°Quit


    daydreaming, you idiot.¡±


    I looked up at him, seeing the irritation on his face due to my hesitation.


    ¡°If you think we¡¯re going to have kids, you¡¯re only deceiving yourself.¡± His tone was dark. ¡± Now don¡¯t


    waste any more time, you moron. Take those damn pills.¡±


    I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, my grip on the box tightening. ¡°I¡¯m not taking them. ¡°I finally


    made up my


    mind.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief as he stepped closer to me.


    I met his gaze with determination. ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t taking them.¡±


    t


    e


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to; I don¡¯t think you can carry my child in that belly of yours.¡± He crossed his


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    arms.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry; I won¡¯t get pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that; do you think I¡¯m a child?¡±


    Ab


    ¡°I told you not to worry, didn¡¯t I?¡± I threw the pills away. ¡°By the way, I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I closed my eyes, a few tears escaping. But I held myself together, not wanting to break down. After a


    moment, I said, ¡°I want a divorce.¡±


    He stared at me in shock for a few seconds before bursting intoughter. I gave him a confused look,


    wondering what was so amusing.


    Hisughter only grew louder. ¡°Are you serious? How much do you want this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious, and I don¡¯t want your money.¡± I stood up and walked over to a nightstand, retrieving a


    document I had left there earlier. Thoughts of divorce had been guing my mind


    THE FINAL STRAW


    Hisughter continued. ¡°Oh, sorry, how much does your broke family want now? A billion dors, or the


    wholepany?¡±


    ¡°Just take this, will you?¡± I handed him the paper, and hisughter came to an end at that moment. He


    furrowed his brows at me before taking it from my hands.

 Chapter 2

    im


    5/5


    2 A SCANDALOUS HEADLINE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    1/5


    After taking the document from her hands, I gazed at it and then looked up to meet her eyes. She


    seemed to be on the verge of tears, her sad expression tugging at my conscience. I couldn¡¯t


    understand why she was putting herself through this, knowing she would end up in


    tears.


    As I tossed the divorce paper on the table, I lit up a cigarette and blew the smoke in her direction. She


    coughed, clearly not enjoying the secondhand smoke, but I didn¡¯t care. She had taken things too far,


    and I was not going to let her get away with it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve yed your little game long enough,¡± I sneered, blowing another puff of smoke in her face. She


    coughed again and stepped back, but I grabbed her hands and pulled her towards


    1. me.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Her body pressed against mine, and I held her chin, my gaze roaming over her body, which was barely


    covered by her robe. I pushed her away forcefully, and she stumbled, but managed to maintain her


    bnce.


    This whole situation was strange and unexpected. Ariel had always loved me, even though I never


    reciprocated her feelings. I didn¡¯t want anything to do with her family, who were nothing but gold


    diggers and thieves. But circumstances had forced me to marry her.


    And now she was standing in front of me with divorce papers, as if she had nned this all along. She


    should be grateful that I even touched her, something I never wanted to do. But I had been drinking


    with my friends at the bar, and things had gotten out of hand. It wasn¡¯t until I took a shower that I


    regained my senses and realized the consequences of my actions. She could get pregnant from the


    activity we just carried out.


    But it was clear that she was going insane, and this was not something her family wanted. They were


    enjoying all the benefits of my wealth, so why would they want the marriage to end?


    ¡°What are you plotting now?¡± I asked, giving her a serious look


    ZA SCANDALOUS HEADLINE


    She met my gaze and said with determination, ¡°I¡¯m not plotting anything. I just want a divorce.¡±


    I chuckled, not believing her for a second. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    She let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t continue living like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me; you got yourself into this mess. If you hadn¡¯te into my life, you wouldn¡¯t be


    feeling so broken right now,¡± I retorted, blowing another puff of smoke in her face. She flinched and


    turned her head away.


    ¡°Please stop,¡± she pleaded, her eyes avoiding mine. ¡°I¡¯ve given back everything I owe you. My parents


    took your money, but all the torture you¡¯ve put me through has paid for it,¡± she said, her voice breaking.


    I could see the tears in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. ¡°You¡¯ve made my life a living hell,


    Luke. I don¡¯t love you anymore. I don¡¯t want anything to do with you.¡± And with that, she burst into


    tears.


    I stood there, looking at her, and feeling a twinge of guilt. I had always enjoyed seeing her suffer, but


    now it was thest thing I wanted to see.


    After a few moments of crying, sheposed herself and handed me the divorce papers and a pen.


    ¡°Here. Sign it.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t pleased with the situation, but I wasn¡¯t going to let her know that. So I grabbed the papers and


    pen from her, keeping a smirk on my face.


    ¡°Do you really think I won¡¯t sign this?¡± I taunted.


    She just coughed and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. I chuckled, shaking my head,


    and then signed the papers, fulfilling her wish.


    ¡°You better not regret this,¡± I warned in a deep voice before throwing the papers at her face and tossing


    the pen on the floor. I grabbed my wallet and took out a card, throwing it at her as well. ¡°Consider this


    payment for your hardships these past few years.¡±


    I stormed out of the room, mming the door behind me. She could go to hell for all I cared. I


    enly liked her anyway.


    After I was done with work and exhausted and drained out, I drove to the Sun House. Just so you


    know, i didn¡¯t spend the night with Arielst night. After that conversation, I went to an apartment close


    to mypany and spent the night there, getting myself some peace of mind.


    Well, today, Ariel and I are going to pay my grandfather a visit. It was something we did once in a while,


    and there were dates fixed for the asion.


    The Sun House was where my grandfather resided. It was a nice ce for someone to just chill and


    rx, but that stupid wife of mine made it theplete opposite.


    Dressed in a crisp blue suit, I stood outside the house and couldn¡¯t spot Ariel anywhere. She was


    supposed to be bidding patiently for me; that was how we did it anytime we went to visit my


    grandfather. I wondered where she was now.


    I spotted a maid heading in my direction, and then I halted her. ¡°Where¡¯s Ariel?¡± I questioned the maid.


    She hesitated, looking at me cautiously, but then she answered. ¡°Mrs. Reynold hasn¡¯t arrived yet;


    should I call her on the phone?¡±


    I gave the maid a look of disgust for dying before giving me an answer to my question. ¡± There¡¯s no


    need for that; you may go.¡± I dismissed her, and she left my presence. I walked away afterwards.


    Going further, I saw my grandfather as he tended to the nts in our yard. His age had not diminished


    his handsomeness, and his passion for gardening had only grown since his retirement. People often


    teased him, suggesting he be a professional gardener.


    As I approached, he turned to me with an uncharacteristically stern expression. He scanned the area,


    as if looking for someone, and I followed suit, confused by his behavior.


    ¡°Where is Ariel?¡± he asked, locking eyes with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I replied, shrugging. ¡°She was with me at my apartmentst night.¡±


    ¡°You tool!¡± he growled, flinging his watering can at me, I dodged it and took a step back. ¡°You absolute


    kliot!¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± I asked, bewildered.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± he echoed, his anger palpable. ¡°You¡­¡± he trailed off, scanning the yard. His


    friends, former coworkers now all elderly, had recently arrived,


    My grandfather let out a sigh. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said calmly, leading me away. As we walked, I


    noticed his friends staring at me, but I followed him regardless.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the reason for the scandal?¡± he snarled once we were inside the house. I was still lost, trying


    toprehend what was happening.


    ¡°What scandal?¡± I asked.


    He walked over to a table, grabbed his phone, and thrust it at me. ¡°Take a look!¡±


    1 reluctantly tore my gaze from him and saw a news article on the phone. The headline read, ¡± Golden¨C


    Award Winning Actress Harriet Donald¡¯s Mysterious Boyfriend Revealed: Luke Reynold!¡±


    Apanying the article was a photo of Harriet and me having dinner a few days


    ago.


    I remembered the dinner, but the photo made it look like we were kissing. In reality, I had only been


    helping her keep her bnce after she stumbled. Harriet was my girlfriend, the woman I loved and


    wanted to spend my life with. But Ariel had toe along and ruin everything.


    ¡°Can you exin this to me?¡± my grandfather demanded, his tone threatening,


    ¡°Grandpa, this is nonsense,¡± I lied. I didn¡¯t want him to know I was still with Harriet, He was


    unpredictable, and I didn¡¯t want to risk his reaction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, you idiot!¡± he shouted, grabbing a teacup and hurling it at me. I managed to dodge it,


    but it shattered on the ground.


    RASCANDALOUS HEADLINE


    ¡°Harriet will never get married into the Reynold family, not while I¡¯m alive!¡± he dered, Don¡¯t be


    ungrateful like your father!¡±


    I narrowed my eyes but kept my cool. ¡°I won¡¯t, Grandpa. I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make empty promises. You better do as I say, or else!¡± he threatened. ¡°Do you want to ruin Ariel


    and The Walker family¡¯s reputation? Why do you have to be so stupid?¡±


    His words stung, but I bit my tongue and remained silent, looking down.


    ¡°Now get out of here and fix this mess!¡± he barked. ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandpa,¡± I said with a low reply, not wanting to cause any more trouble.


    ¡°Good. Now go!¡± he snarled, and I left without another word.


    Once I made my way outside, I called my assistant Jack and told him to make sure the post was


    deleted, along with any other rted articles. Then I drove home.


    As I pulled into my driveway, I saw ady standing nearby. She was wearing a white dress, facing away


    from me. Of course it was Ariel; she finally came running back. What a prodigal wife she was.


    I cleared my throat, feeling victorious as always. ¡°Well, well, well. Look who¡¯se back. I thought you


    didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Luke!¡± She turned and hugged me, her face beaming with joy, leaving me in shock.


    But guess what? It wasn¡¯t Ariel.


    KIDNAPPED REMEMBRANCE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Who let you in? And why are you wearing Ariel¡¯s clothes?¡± I asked Harriet as she continued to hug me


    really tight. She was putting on Ariel¡¯s white strapless dress; that was probably why I couldn¡¯t recognize


    her. Or maybe I was too stupid not to discern the love of


    my life.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use for all of these questions? Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± Harriet squeezed me really


    tight, leaning her head on my chest with her eyes closed. There was so much joy in her face.


    I was supposed to be happy to see her like this, but for some reason, I wasn¡¯t. And it was really kind of


    crazy.


    ¡°I asked you a question, didn¡¯t I? Who let you in?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but frown. I hated to admit it, but this


    was sort of ufortable.


    Harriet withdrew her head from my chest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong now? Why throw these questions at me?¡±


    ¡°Because you know it¡¯s not a good idea for you to be seen around here,¡± I said, looking at the dress


    she was putting on. It didn¡¯t fit her one bit; her breasts were spilling out the top, and I was wondering if


    she had noticed that. ¡°Who even gave you this dress anyway?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Oh, this dress?¡± She looked at her body, quite pleased with what she was wearing. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Answer my question, will you?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she uttered, wrapping her hands around my neck, slowly moving her fingers at the ack of my


    neck. ¡°Well, I spilled coffee on my dress earlier, and this maid called Bridget let me in. Apparently, Ariel


    lent me one of her clothes.¡±


    SARY


    ¡°Ariel lent you one of her clothes.¡± I uttered it in disbelief. There was no way Ariel would do


    that


    I couldn¡¯t actually tell, but I had a feeling Ariel didn¡¯t like Harriet one bit, since she knew about our


    rtionship. There was this time when I identally brought Harriet¡¯s lipsticks home, and when Ariel


    found them, she didn¡¯t hesitate to tell the whole issue to my grandfather. So technically, I wasn¡¯t going


    to believe what Harriet was telling me.


    ¡°Baby, what are you thinking about?¡± Harriet held my face, putting away those thoughts.


    ¡°Are you really sure Ariel lent you this dress?¡± I asked again, just to see if this lover of mine was


    actually in her senses.


    Harriet let out a long sigh. ¡°Okay, fine, Ariel didn¡¯t lend it to me; I just borrowed it.¡®


    ¡°Without asking her for permission?¡± I arched an eyebrow, and Harriet shrugged in response. ¡°Where is


    Ariel?¡±


    ¡°How in the world am I supposed to know?¡± She brought out an irritating tone, and I quickly gave her a


    disgusting look. The moment she noticed that, she had topose herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s just that she


    wasn¡¯t home when I arrived.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± I inaudibly said to myself, my hands fixed on my waist.


    ¡°Why are you looking so troubled?¡± Harriet asked, and I set my eyes on her right away.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re worried about this wife of yours. Do you love her?¡±


    ¡°Why would you ask me such a silly question?¡± I gave her a cold stare.


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know; your actions toward Ariel are just so different today. It¡¯s like you¡¯re worried


    sick.¡±


    I gave Harriet a death stare, and she paused immediately.


    ¡°You may go now. I¡¯ll see youter tonight at the Mystery Club,¡± I said, and she nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t ever


    wear any of Ariel¡¯s dresses anymore; they don¡¯t suit you!¡±


    She looked at me, not pleased with my tone, but she nodded once more and began to walk away. I saw


    the heart¨Cshaped birthmark on her arm, and at that moment, my expression softened. She eventually


    walked away, and I sighed afterwards.


    I burst into the house and made my way to my bedroom. I opened the wardrobe in haste, only to notice


    that it was still packed full of Ariel¡¯s clothes. Harriet had only taken one of her dresses.


    Oh great, Ariel¡¯s clothes were still in the bedroom, so it was obvious she was ying a silly prank on


    me when she brought those divorce papers. And she had to extend such a joke by not visiting my


    grandfather. She was a lunatic, but her madness was nowhere near mine.


    The day had gotten dark, and I was in Mystery Club, along with Harriet and some of my friends. Harriet


    was dressed in a sparkling red dress, unting her curves, and she sat on me, wrapping her arm


    around my neck. A lot ofpliments were directed to the both of us, and she literally epted them


    all. It¡¯s something she was good at.


    We were all gathered, ying the game ¡®Spin the Bottle¡®, which we had started about five minutes ago


    after taking in some mouthwatering wine. Someone spun the bottle, and it ended up pointing at me.


    One of my friends pped right away. His name was Daniel, and let¡¯s just say he was the crazy guy


    around here. He was handsome and won the hearts of so many girls; he was literally a yer.


    ¡°Okay, Luke, it¡¯s time to throw a serious question at you.¡± Daniel grinned mischievously, with his hands


    sped together,


    ¡°How serious is it?¡± I quizzed, with a huge smile on my face.


    ¡°How beautiful is your girlfriend?¡± He asked, still grinning.


    ¡°Really, really beautiful,¡± I answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Yup, you got your answer.¡± He pointed at me, while Harriet kissed me on the lips. I couldn¡¯t help but


    rub her butt, and she gently rocked it on my crotch, causing me to get hard.


    ¡°So Luke, you tell us¡­ how did you meet Harriet?¡± Daniel asked. Harriet chuckled at the question and


    handed me a ss of liquor.


    I took the ss from her hands and drained it. I exhaled deeply. ¡°As you all can see, Harriet saved my


    life.¡± I smiled at Harriet, who gave me the same expression before pecking me on the lips.


    ¡°She did?¡± One of my friends, Bryan, asked, as everyone was kind of shocked at my response. They


    were probably thinking she was Wonder Woman or the female version of Hercules at the moment, but


    that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Twenty years ago, on Christmas Eve, I was kidnapped by a group of men, and so was this girl; we


    were both little at the time. The kidnappers held us captives for days; I even missed Christmas.


    Those moments were really dark, but they eventually came to an end. This little girl found a way to


    escape, but she was too afraid to make a move. So I was the only one who escaped, and I had to


    inform the police about everything.


    By the time we got to the location, no one was there. The kidnappers had left, along with this little girl.


    There was this heart¨Cshaped birthmark on her arm, which I kept in my memory.


    As I lived my life growing up, I searched for this person. Years passed, but one faithful day, I stumbled


    upon Harriet, who was singing at the bar: She had the heart¨Cshaped birthmark on her arm, so it was


    obvious she was the little girl at that time. And from that moment on, I decided to be her man and


    vowed that I would not let go of her. But then Ariel had toe into the picture.


    Thinking of Ariel, my face darkened, and my joy vanished. And then I noticed the look on Bryan¡® face; it


    was not normal.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Bryan came out, reading whatever text he had gotten on his phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Daniel asked. Everyone looked at Bryan in curiosity. I could see that.


    KIDNAPPED REMEMBRANCE


    ¡°One of my friends ran into Miss White at the airport!¡± Bryan answered and gave me a knowing look.


    5/5


    ¡°Who?¡± I quizzed myself, not believing my ears.


    ¡°Ariel Walker. Oh, sorry, Mrs. Reynold, your wife,¡± Bryan replied, loudly to a certain degree.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 4

    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why thatdy would make her way to the airport. Was she nning to leave


    the country or what? What the hell was she thinking? My grandfather would definitely not want this,


    My phone started ringing, and I took a look at it. Oh sh*t, it was my grandfather. I looked at Harriet, and


    she didn¡¯t utter a single word; she was waiting to see what I would do.


    I answered the phone call, and my grandfather barked, ¡°You good for nothing, fool! You¡¯re nning to


    divorce Ariel? Are you kidding me?¡±


    His voice was just too loud for everyone sitting around us to hear him. I got up right away and began to


    walk away, with the phone still pressed to my ear, but Harriet held my hands tight. I turned around and


    looked at her; she didn¡¯t want me to leave her presence, but I pulled my hands away from hers and


    went to a quiet spot to continue the call.


    ¡°Idiot! Are you still there?¡± My grandfather wanted to know if our call was still ongoing.


    ¡°Yes, grandpa,¡± I answered quietly,


    ¡°Can you please exin to me what the hell is going on?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about, grandpa. Ariel is just throwing a tantrum; ignore her; she¡¯ll calm down in a


    few days.¡± I tried to calm my grandfather down.


    ¡°Then why is she at the airport? Did you drive her away so that you could marry that woman? I told


    you, as long as I¡¯m alive, there is no way, no goddamn way, that I¡¯m going to let Harriet get married into


    the Reynold family! Never!¡±


    ¡°Is she really nning to¡¯go to the airport?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Fool! She¡¯s already at the airport!¡± My grandfather snapped. ¡°Now you better make things


    right, or else you¡¯ll regret it!¡± He ended the phone call.


    I let out a deep sigh after that. Having knowledge of Ariel being at the airport really left me uneasy,


    honestly. And I didn¡¯t like this feeling one bit. But if she was at the airport, then I shouldn¡¯t still be here


    anymore.


    As I was about to walk to my car, Went suddenly appeared in front of me.


    ¡°Luke, where are you going?¡± She asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to talk right now, Harriet. I was about to tread away, but she still blocked the way.


    ¡°Seriously Luke? You¡¯re just going to leave us?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have no choice, Harriet!¡± I screamed, and after gazing at her, my tone softened. ¡°I have no


    choice.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Okay then,¡± she uttered before walking away. I looked at her as she made her way to the


    club. Her eyes met mine, but she took her gaze away.


    I shook my head, not liking what was going on around here. I burst into my car and drove home,


    There was no doubt that I was uneasy about this whole Ariel situation. What in the world was wrong


    with me? I never loved her; I despised her so much. So why was I feeling troubled with this? Oh yeah,


    it was because of my grandfather. That man.


    I rushed inside the house and saw one of the maids walking with some sheets folded in her hands.


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡± I asked the maid.


    ¡°Your wife?¡± She gave me a perplexed face. ¡°I thought you guys were divorced.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing; it¡¯s just that I saw some divorce papers in your room that clearly showed you guys


    signatures.¡± She shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Oh well, I got to go now.¡± The maid ambted towards the


    door while I headed to my room.


    I went to the wardrobe, and some of Ariel¡¯s clothes were still there. In fact, all her clothes were still


    there. It was just how I left it earlier today. And that could tell that she had note home ever since.


    Or maybe she did, but didn¡¯t pack her stuff.


    I called Ariel, but I couldn¡¯t reach her. Who knows? Maybe she must have blocked me. I did a lot of


    wrong things to her, and she was only trying to cease all of that. But why now? Why didn¡¯t she do this


    earlier on? Why didn¡¯t she just continue to live her normal life with me?


    My phone began to ring, and as I looked at who was calling, I refused to answer. It was my grandfather.


    The moment I saw his name pop up on my phone, his words echoed through my mind: ¡°You¡¯ll regret it!¡±


    It was more like a threat, and trust me, that man could do something crazy, not caring whether he was


    rted to you or not. That was his dark side, and no one wished to put him on that side. Like I said


    before, that man could do something crazy.


    My gaze shifted to the nightstand in the room, and I saw a document right on it¨Cour divorce papers. I


    slowly woke up in that direction and took hold of the papers.


    I went through it, and my eyes caught my signature, harking my mind back to the time when I had


    signed it as she requested. I didn¡¯t even think for a second about what the oue would be. Now look


    at my grandfather, who is troubling me seriously.


    Just take a look at what Ariel has done. She was about to bring chaos into my life and wanted to make


    sure that I just resided in darkness forever. But that wasn¡¯t going to happen. There was no way she


    would ever prevail over me. No matter what the situation may be, I must conquer her. Who the hell did


    she think she was to miss me like this?


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I threw the paper away and saw the card on the floor¨Cthe card that I had given her after I finished


    signing the divorce paperst night.


    With my eyes fixed on the card, I traipsed closer to it and squatted. Slowly picking up the card, I


    couldn¡¯t help but stare at it. And I was quite surprised that Ariel didn¡¯t carry it along with her. Or maybe


    she forgot. Nah, she couldn¡¯t forget. She threw this on the floor to disrespect me.


    What a dark mind she had. But I was not going to let her get away with this.


    My grandfather called again, and I ignored his calls. At the moment, I was not up for any sort of insult


    or thunderous and antiseptle screams. He was calling because of that good¨Cfor- nothing Ariel, and I


    hadn¡¯t even gone to look for her at the airport.


    I lit a cigarette and blew some smoke to ease my mind. After that, I began to call Jack, who eventually


    answered the phone. On my way home, I told him everything, and he said he would search for Ariel at


    the airport. So now, I wanted to know If he was actually keeping up with his words.


    ¡°Yes Luke?¡± Jack uttered, and there was no doubt that he was in a noisy location.


    ¡°So, have


    you seen her?¡± I asked, blowing up another¨Csmoke.


    ¡°Well, our people saw Mrs. Reynold at the airport.¡±


    ¡°Then bring her back,¡± I enjoined him without hesitation.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jack paused, leaving me in suspense.


    ¡°Well what?¡± I quizzed him out of curiosity, but he didn¡¯t answer for a minute. ¡°Well what?!¡± I snapped. I


    was about to lose it.


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold has already boarded the ne and taken off,¡± he told me. ¡°She¡¯s left, bro; she¡¯s left.¡±


    I hung up as my cigarette fell from my hands, I was speechless, anger flooding every part of me. And


    with a loud cry, I flung my phone to the wall, causing it to break.


    Ariel was really serious about the divorce. No


    What was my grandfather going to do the moment he realized that she had already taken off?


    I gave him a puzzled look. ¡°What the heck is she doing there?¡±

 Chapter 5

    5 STUCK IN NEGATIVITY


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat on the floor with a dolesome countenance and tons of cigarettes on the floor, and the room was


    partly covered with smoke. My phone had been ringing; different people were calling me, but I decided


    to ignore each and every one of them.


    My phone was far from me, so I couldn¡¯t actually tell the people who were calling, but one thing was for


    sure: my grandfather was included in that list of callers. I didn¡¯t know how I was going to reply to him.


    What was I going to tell him concerning this Ariel situation?


    It had been an hour, and I was just sitting here like a helpless man, like someone who waspletely


    broken and could never be fixed back.


    I heard a knock on my door, but I didn¡¯t say anything. I was not in the mood to talk to anyone. But I


    sighed in annoyance the moment the knocks got louder. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I groaned.


    The person replied, ¡°It¡¯s Bridget, sir.¡®


    ¡°What is it now?¡± I queried in tiredness.


    ¡°You have a visitor,¡± she let me know.


    ¡°Tell that person to go back; I don¡¯t want to speak with anyone right now.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, sir, I told him that you weren¡¯t in the mood to talk to anyone, but he said he must speak with


    you.¡±


    ¡°What does he want to talk about?¡± I leisurely got up from the ground, tuckered, and then I went to


    open the door.


    I looked at Bridget, scanning her from up to down, and she did the same.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked her immediately.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said, shaking her head and starting to walk away.


    ¡°I never said you could leave!¡± I vocalized, and she paused immediately, I bowed to her, looked her in


    the eyes, and walked away. I could tell she was frightened at that very moment.


    When I got out of my house, I received a punch immediately, causing me to stumble. I wasn¡¯t even


    given another chance to turn my face as I received the second strike, and this time, I fell down.


    Holding my face in pain, I steadily rose to my feet, only to see this huge, dark dude. He was muscr


    and also baldheaded. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him, wondering what he was doing at my house.


    ¡°You did pretty well, Luke,¡± my grandfather said, showing up from behind the dude with his hands fixed


    in his pockets. ¡°You actually did a great job,¡± he continued with his sarcastic tone.


    ¡°I can exin¡­¡±


    ¡°Exin what, huh?¡± My grandfather cut me off. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re stupid? He gave me a mordant


    smile. ¡°Should there even be an exnation for your stupidity?¡±


    ¡°You do not understand, grandpa.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He stirred nigher to me. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the fact that I had to marry a foolish woman


    who gave birth to a nipoop who gave birth to an absolute idiot!¡± His words caused me to look


    down, feeling disappointed.


    He continued, ¡°I told you not to go ahead with your foolish ns, didn¡¯t I? But you disobeyed; I can¡¯t


    even tell who¡¯s more foolish between you and your father. You both are nitwits. It was a great thing that


    man died; he didn¡¯t deserve to be called a Reynold.¡±


    I looked at my grandfather in rage. ¡°How can you say such a thing about your own son?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Point of correction: he¡¯s not my son. I clearly told him not to marry thatdy, but he went


    ahead and did that anyway, being ungrateful for all the wealth I gave him. Now


    my


    These words had me steaming up, but I didn¡¯t want to lose them. I had so much respect for


    grandfather, but the fact that he kept on insulting myte father had me developing hatred for him. He


    kept on bringing up this issue, and it was really making me sick.


    ¡°You were given a beautiful wife, ady who has so much respect. But you went ahead and threw her


    out of your life, all because of some hideous whore.¡±


    ¡°Harriet is not a whore!¡± I challenged my grandfather and looked him in the eyes. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve


    forgotten about the time I was kidnapped when I was still a little kid.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t forget,¡± he said immediately. ¡°What are you going to say now, huh? That the good for


    nothing who saved your life?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a whore grandpa!¡±


    ¡°She is!¡± He snapped. ¡°Have you even seen how she dresses naked in public?¡°Is that someone who


    has manners?¡±


    ¡°She dresses fine to me,¡± I told him in my mind, and he burst intoughter. I set my eyes on the


    muscr guy, who was making a serious face, not looking at us, not even for a second.


    My grandfather¡¯sughter slowly came to an end. ¡°Now I see what¡¯s going on here,¡± he said, pointing


    his finger at me, and I couldn¡¯t help but give him a confused look with my brow arched. ¡°You just love


    having sex with Harriet, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°That is not true.¡± I denied his words, my tone mixing with anger.


    ¡°Oh,e on now, Luke, I finally know why you keep on following that whore like a fool. It¡¯s because


    she¡¯s so good in bed and nothing else,¡± he mocked.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I bawled in anger. ¡°That is a big, fat lie! I love Harriet, and the feelings I have for her cannot


    be taken away by anyone.¡±


    My grandfather gave me a surprised look.Did you just raise your voice at me?¡± He turned to the big


    dude standing close to him. ¡°Did you just see what he did? He¡¯s finally gotten some


    ner


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, keep your apology to yourself!¡± He interrupted me. ¡°I think I would be the one apologizingter


    on.¡±


    ¡°Why exactly?¡± I looked at him with one of my brows raised.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he stated in a cold tone. After that, he snapped his fingers and walked away.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice the muscr man as he tilted his head from side to side, his fists making


    small sounds as he did so. My instincts warned me that trouble was on the horizon.


    Without hesitation, the man strode towards me and threw a punch at my face. I stumbled and fell, but


    quickly regained myposure, pretending his punch had no effect on me.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± I taunted, encouraging him to try again. He threw another punch, and once


    again, I fell to the ground. But I refused to let him see the pain in my eyes.


    ¡°Come on, show me what you¡¯re made of,¡± I egged him on. In an instant, he tackled me with his


    shoulder, and we both ended up on the floor. He grabbed my neck and began to choke me, his grip


    tightening as he pressed on my head, as if trying to extract my brains.


    In a panic, I jolted awake, gasping for air. It took me a moment to realize that it was just a dream. I


    looked around the quiet room and noticed the lingering smell of cigarettes in the air. I couldn¡¯t believe


    how vivid the dream had been.


    There was a knock on the door, and I quickly got up to answer it. It was Bridget.


    ¡°Sir, you have a visitor,¡± she informed me.


    I nodded, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. ¡°Tell that person I¡¯ll be there shortly.


    ¡°Of course, sir,¡± she said calmly before walking away.


    I closed the door and took a deep breath. I took a breath, my heart still racing from the


    intensity of the dream. I wondered who could be visiting me now.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Read Complete Chapter Just Click Here

 Chapter 6

    6 REJECTED PLEASURE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As I stepped outside, I was taken aback when I saw Harriet. Her appearance had transformed from her


    sparkling red dress to a fitted ck bodycon dress, teasingly disying her cleavage.


    Her beauty was mesmerizing, her face expertly made up, and her red lipstick added to her allure. In


    that moment, she looked like an angel standing before me.


    ¡°Hey, baby,¡± she said, walking towards me and nting a kiss on my lips. Her scent was intoxicating,


    and I couldn¡¯t help but want to be close to her all night. ¡°How are you?¡± She asked, fully aware of what


    had transpired at the bar. I wanted to be angry with her, but her irresistible looks made me forget my


    anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I look beautiful?¡± She twirled around, beaming. I couldn¡¯t resist any longer and pulled her close


    to me. We both grinned at each other as she trailed her nails down my face, neck, and chest. I grabbed


    her waist, and she pressed her body against mine, causing our breaths to mingle.


    I leaned in closer, and she reciprocated, driving me wild. I spanked her butt, and her smile grew wider.


    But we couldn¡¯t continue this outside.


    ¡°Are youing in?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Only if you want me to,¡± she purred, running her finger over my chest.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± I teased. Suddenly, she used her hips to grind against mine, a mischievous glint in her


    eyes.


    I pulled her hair and kissed her fiercely. We were now standing at the doorway of my house, lost in our


    passionate embrace. Then she whispered in my ear, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside so I can fulfill your desires.¡±


    I wasted no time in leading her inside. I could hear the click of her heels as she made her way up to my


    bedroom. I followed behind, admiring her curves as she walked.


    Once we were in the room, sheid on the bed and slipped off her pants, still leaving her dress on. I


    quickly discarded my clothes, leaving mepletely naked.


    I climbed cu top of her, and she moaned softly. I spread her legs wide and began to move in and out of


    her, rocking her with every thrust.


    ¡°Oh Lukeeeeee!¡± She screamed my name as I continued to pound her. She held on to me tightly,


    digging her nails into my back, and I could feel her screams vibrating through my body.


    But then my phone started ringing, breaking the intense moment. It reminded me of Ariel, and I


    suddenly felt guilty. What was happening between Harriet and me was no longer pleasurable, so I


    pulled out.


    Harriet looked at me, confused, with her legs still in the air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡±


    ¡°Just put your clothes back on, okay?¡± I quickly got dressed.


    ¡°But we were just getting started; why did you stop?¡± She asked, disappointment evident in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not in the mood anymore,¡± I told her bluntly, and I walked out of the room, taking my phone


    with me.


    I stood at the top of the stairs, calling Ariel to see if she would answer, but she still wasn¡¯t reachable.


    Memories of our time together flooded my mind, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel angry at myself for how I


    had treated her. But I shook my head and snapped back to reality. She deserved everything I did to her.


    Harriet appeared, frowning at me as she made her way down the stairs. I avoided her gaze and


    focused on my phone. She stood there for a moment, then finally turned to leave.


    ¡°Do you want me to drive you home?¡± I asked, feigning concern.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she replied curtly, and she left the house.


    I ced my hands on my waist and let out a deep sigh. What was wrong with me? Harriet was here,


    looking gorgeous and ready to please me, and I rejected her. I needed to get my act together and start


    coming back to my senses.


    ****


    FIVE YEARS LATER


    It had been a good five years when I had to adapt to the changes in my life. Well, there were no


    significant changes; the only person who left my life was Ariel. And we had no knowledge if she was


    still alive or dead. We searched for her in the past few years, but we couldn¡¯t find her. She had left our


    lives for good, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to even think about her.


    So many people now know about my love story with Harriet. But my grandfather still didn¡¯t want the two


    of us to be together, so our rtionship was kind of a secret, and when we noticed that useless rumors


    were about to spread, we would put end to such news as soon as possible.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    up


    Now that the day had gotten dark, the Sun House was filled with different people¨Cpeople who were


    filthy rich. Billionaires and many other individuals who were notable in the country.


    It was my grandfather¡¯s birthday, and we had nned to make this asion a special one as he was


    turning eighty. Although the man was getting old, he was still lively and vibrant in the things he did, able


    to rte to everybody, and they all loved him so much. He was a big name in New Haven.


    Most people who showed up at the party were businessmen and businesswomen. All owners of


    differentpanies all around the city, all around the world. They had all teamed up with my


    grandfather one way or another at the time he was still running The Reynolds; that was the name of our


    company, in case you were wondering.


    I stood upstairs, simply looking at everyone as I sipped from the ss of wine that I was holding. The


    ce was quite lively, and it was nice to see all these smiling faces.


    More people showed up at the party, most of them my grandfather¡¯s workers back then; some were his


    business partners. And then my eyes caught a group of businesswomen, chatting andughing with


    themselves. They all looked wonderful and reminded me of my mom.


    ARUECTED PLEASURE


    more. I had no idea why my grandfather even hated her back then; I couldn¡¯t find any fault in her. It was


    still the same thing with the Harriet situation.


    Speaking of Harriet, my eyes widened the moment I spotted her stepping foot inside the house. She


    was putting on a sleeveless silver dress, which was torn a little. She was indeed beautiful with all that


    makeup, but I wondered what my grandfather was going to do if he saw her at the party.


    I had told her not toe, and I couldn¡¯t understand why she refused to listen to me. I didn¡¯t see any


    drama ormotion around here. And even though grandpa was turning eighty, he could still beat the


    living daylights out of so


    I looked down at Harriet as she took slow steps, looking everywhere, probably searching for


    calling. I just dipped it back in my pocket


    1. me. My phone began to ring, and she was the on


    and sipped more wine.


    ¡°Sir, I have something to tell you.¡± Jack, my loyal assistant, approached me.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I drank from my ss of wine, still watching Harriet.


    ¡°We were informed that the CEO of Vitality Group has arrived and is outside along with her workers.


    They should be stepping foot inside the building any minute from now,¡± Jack brought out.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. The Vitality Group had made an agreement with ourpany


    two months ago to work on a major project. We had been discussing the project with the CEO, but


    hadn¡¯t actually met her in person. But today, we were going to meet face¨Cto¨Cface for better


    understanding.


    This project was a big deal for the both of us. The Vitality Group rose to fame about six months ago,


    and they were considered to be one of the most sessfulpanies across the globe, leaving


    everyone astonished. With this, allpanies wanted to team up with them.


    ¡®Sir, there are also some people who would like to speak with you. They want to discuss the matters


    concerning¡­ Jack paused immediately; his eyes widened, his jawline tightened, and his mouth was


    widely opened.


    Read Complete Chapter Just Click Here

 Chapter 7

    ?


    7 THE RETURN


    LUKE''S POV


    I couldn''t believe what I was seeing at the moment-who I was seeing stepping foot inside the building. Ady with red hair was putting on a red dress, her neck adorned with jewelry, and behind her were two young men who were looking bold in their red suits.


    She held her purse, walking slowly, and those who recognized her were all surprised, just as I was. She was looking prettier than before, and the bold expression on her face could tell that she was stronger and better than ever.


    She looked around, and her eyes met mine. I couldn''t take my eyes off hers, and she couldn''t take hers off mine as well. We gazed at each other for what seemed like eternity, and I was just short on words; I didn''t know what to say. I thought she had left and was nevering back. I thought she was gone for good. But she had to prove me wrong. Ariel was finally back.


    ARIEL''S POV


    Oh, it felt so good to be back. After five years-five good years I finally came back home. And I could tell these people were surprised to see me. They were acting like they had all seen a ghost or something. It wasn''t like I was dead. I just took a flight out of the country.


    The little music that was ying stopped, and I noticed how many people couldn''t take their eyes off me, including the young man standing upstairs. What was his name again? Oh, right, Luke. He did look familiar. Oh yeah, he was my ex-husband, the person who treated me so badly and made me feel like I didn''t deserve to be loved.


    We both stared at each other, and the ss he was holding fell from his hands, shattering on the floor, and that caused him to take his gaze off me. But I kept on looking at him as he hunkered down, along with his assistant Jack, who was helping him to clean up the mess he had created.


    It was actually nice to see him again. I have to admit, I really missed his handsome face and his grumpy attitude. He still had the stunning features that could make thousands ofdies go crazy, but let''s not get to that. I came here for business, so nothing but business.


    "This ce is beautiful, isn''t it?" I asked one of the men standing close to me. His name was Michael; he was part of the Vitality Group and also a good friend of mine.


    "Yes, it is," he answered, looking around. "But howe there''s no beautifuldy around here?"


    I couldn''t help butugh. "Who told you that?"


    "Uhhh, I''m seeing it," he answered in a chaffing tone, and I giggled.


    "Will you too just stop it?" Seth held a serious face. He was the other guy standing next to me. "Just act mature; for once, Michael, we are at the party of one of the most notable men in New Haven."


    "You think I don''t know that?" Michael raised his brow at Seth.


    "I''m not sure you do." Seth red at him.


    "Okay, okay, no fighting, you two." I tried to calm the both of them down. "This is supposed to be a moment of happiness."


    "Yeah, it''s just that this guy''s taking things too seriously. I mean,e on, can he even smile for once?" Michael crossed his arms, returning Seth''s re.


    "Maybe if you act mature for once, I''ll actually smile at you," Seth told him.


    "Go to hell!" Michael scoffed and walked away.


    "Where is he going now?" I gave Michael a weird look as he took some steps away from us.


    "Just let him be; he''s useless anyway," Seth continued with his cold tone.


    I red at him promptly. "I think it''ll be best if you can just walk away too."


    Frowning at me, Seth growled, but he left my sight anyway. Just like Michael said, that guy did take things too seriously.


    "Sorry, I''mte, ma''am; I was just finding a suitable ce to park my car." Andre approached me.


    "It''s okay." I grinned at him. "Shall we?"


    "We shall." He smiled back, and he crossed arms with mine as we both moved forward.


    Andre and I had been friends for five good years now. He was a nice guy, filled with humility. At the time I arrived in Canada, I was robbed by a group of thugs, leaving me shattered andpletely broken. I had no money to buy food and no ce to go. I was hopeless at that time.


    But Andre saw me lying helplessly on the road and took me to his apartment, where he provided for me and treated me like family, to the point that people thought we were a couple. He was the founder of Vitality Group, establishing thepany after breaking out of his father''s business.


    Still walking with Andre, I noticed how Luke was staring me from upstairs. His look wasn''t that great, and I had no idea if he was jealous or whatever. But I shouldn''t even care anyway. He was no longer an important part of my life.


    The both of us halted the moment we spotted Sir Reynold heading in our direction. He was dressed in a ck suit, and the buttons on his shirt were made of gold. He was really enjoying thevish life, wasn''t he?


    "Ariel!" Sir Reynold eximed the moment he got close to me. His face was filled with surprise, as he was open-mouthed. I would be too if I were in his position.


    "My daughter, is this really you?" He asked, still keeping that stunned expression on his face, scanning me from up to down. He held my hands, while I did nothing but smile at him. I could see tearsing out of his eyes. "I miss you so much!" He hugged me directly.


    I slowly embraced him back, smiling with my eyes both closed. "I miss you too."N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    After letting go of each other, he continued to look at me; his hands were fixed on both of my shoulders. "I can''t still believe it; after all these years, you came back. You''ve finallye back." He hugged me for the second time. I literally had no idea he loved me this much.


    Sir Reynold eventually broke the embrace; his eyes went on to Andre, who was standing close to me. "Who is this?"


    "He''s a good friend of mine; his name is Andre." I introduced Andre to Sir Reynold with a huge beam on my face.


    "It''s nice meeting you." Andre shook hands with Sir Reynold as the both of themughed slightly.


    "Nice meeting you too," Sir Reynold uttered, and their shaking of hands came to an end.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell you." I yfully pped my head. "Andre right here is the owner and founder of Vitality Group."


    Sir Reynold gaped at Andre right away, more surprised than directed at him. "Oh my, I had no idea." He turned to me. "Are you also part of the Vitality Group?"


    "Yes." I beamed joyfully at him. "I''m the CEO," I added.


    Sir Reynold slowly nodded, his mouth partly open. "That means I''m standing in the midst of a powerful businessman and woman."


    I chortled. "Please don''t say that; it is your birthday, and you''re the only one who deserves all the respect


    here."


    Sir Reynold smiled at me, pleased with my words. "That''s why I like you."


    I nodded, smiling back at him, and after a few seconds of staring, he told us to get a seat. He walked away, going to discuss it with other individuals.


    Andre''s phone began to ring. "Excuse me, please." He brought his phone out of his pocket and answered the call, treading away.


    Just as Sir Reynold had said, I decided to go take a seat. As I began to walk, someone pushed me from behind, and I was about to fall, but I was caught in the hands of another person at that very moment.

 Chapter 8

    your wish.¡±


    ¡°You could have said no; you could have just ignored the document I handed over to you.¡±


    He chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Like you wanted that.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I asked, growing more frustrated with his dismissiveness.


    ¡°Enough with the pretense!¡± He snapped. ¡°You never loved me; you were just doing that because of the


    money, and since your family finally got what they wanted, you decided to divorce me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that is so not true,¡± I countered, my voice rising. ¡°I only wanted what was best for you. I did


    everything I could, just to make sure you changed. But in the end¡­¡± I sighed and added, ¡± It was all in


    vain.¡±


    ¡°Should I tell you a secret?¡± Luke¡¯s lips curled into a sardonic smile. I just looked at him, anger


    materializing in my eyes. He moved his face closer and whispered in my ear, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be


    loved, Ariel. You¡¯re nothing but a worthless piece of trash. No one is going to ever take you seriously.¡±


    After saying those hurtful things, he stepped back a little and pushed me away, and I started falling


    down.


    I opened my eyes immediately, and I simply looked everywhere. Luke wasn¡¯t close to me; I couldn¡¯t


    even see him anywhere. So it was clear that I was only imagining things. Oh gosh, what in the world


    was wrong with me?


    My eyes went upstairs, and Luke wasn¡¯t there any longer. I wondered where he headed off to. Wait, I


    shouldn¡¯t be thinking about him.


    Andre finally walked up to me; he had a huge smile on his face. I could tell his conversation on the


    phone was quite lovely.


    We were all directed to the main hall, where there was a live band, and when they noticed that people


    were showing up in the hall, they began to y soft, slow music. I couldn¡¯t actually get the lyrics, but I


    felt each rhythm right in my heart. Andre was standing close to me with a nk expression, and let¡¯s


    just say he was not the type of person who derives pleasure from


    S DEEP THOUGHTS


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    listening to these songs. He was a huge fan of hip¨Chop.


    The slow song continued, and everyone gathered with each other. And finally, Sir Reynold showed up,


    smiling like there was no tomorrow. I checked to see if I could see Luke, but I couldn¡¯t spot him


    anywhere. This was supposed to be a celebration for his grandfather, right? So where the hell was he?


    Still smiling gleefully, Sir Reynold made his way to the stage, where a microphone was waiting for him.


    The members of the band left the stage for him to take over.


    C


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to have you all here tonight,¡± Sir Reynold began. His voice was


    deep and soothing, capturing the hearts of everyone in the room. Well, his voice captured mine; I


    couldn¡¯t tell for the others.


    Sir Reynold continued, ¡°I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for being a


    part of this special evening. Your presence here makes it all the more special.¡±


    Everyone pped, a smile filling the faces of each individual present in the room. Well, Andre was busy


    with his phone. And his smile was definitely not from Sir Reynold¡¯s words. But I think it would be best if


    I just thought about my own business.


    ¡°The Sun House has been my home for many years, and I have hosted numerous parties here. But


    tonight, I want to do something different. I want to create a night of pure magic, a night that we will all


    remember for years toe.¡± He paused for a moment, taking a sip of water before continuing, ¡°As the


    music ys, I want you all to let go of your worries and just enjoy the moment. Dance like no one is


    watching,ugh like there¡¯s no tomorrow, and make memories that willst a lifetime. Let this be a night


    of love,ughter, and joy. It¡¯s my birthday after all, and I can¡¯t let anyone here leave with a frowny face.¡±


    ¡°Happy birthday, woo!¡± Someone screamed really loud, but his face couldn¡¯t be seen.


    ¡°Yes, happy birthday!¡± Another person screamed, and before we knew it, the whole ce was filled


    with noise, with people whistling and screaming loudly, wishing Sir Reynold a happy birthday.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, but you all can put an end to the noise now.¡± Sir Reynold raised his hands, and


    the room eventually became calm.


    ¡°Today, we all shall celebrate. So, live this night to the fullest, dance your hearts out, and let


    every moment be filled with joy.¡± He smiled and stepped down from the stage, making his way to the


    dance floor. I looked around and saw various people grabbing their partners so they could dance to the


    nice song.


    I narrowed my eyes toward Andre, and he was still busy with his phone. He wasn¡¯t even paying


    attention to what was going on at the moment. Why was he here in the first ce?


    I spotted Michael; he had already found a partner. It was ady with dark brown hair; she was rocking


    an azure dress. The way he was dancing with thedy made it look as if he had known her before. And


    you want to know something? She wasn¡¯t even that beautiful.


    The slow music continued to y, filling the room with its gentle melody. I saw Sir Reynold dancing with


    thisdy, and their moves were kind of funny. The old man was extremely happy, and I was happy for


    him.


    I nce at Andre, hoping that he will give me his attention. But no, he was just focused on his phone.


    And that made me let out a deep sigh.


    Suddenly, someone stretched his hand over to me. ¡°Want a dance?¡±


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 9

    9 PARTY DISPUTE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke, dressed boldly in his suit, had his arm stretched out to me. He was offering to dance with me,


    and I was just staring at him, simply surprised, without uttering a word.


    What the hell was he doing? Was this really happening? I didn¡¯t really think so; I was probably thinking


    nonsense again.


    ¡°Is this real?¡± I asked, confused about what to do. I didn¡¯t know why I kept thinking about this man. I


    thought these past five years would have erased him from my head for good.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± He asked with a charming smile, winking at me.


    I couldn¡¯t help but frown at him. Memories of our past flooded my mind, bringing back all the pain and


    hurt he had caused me. I turned away from him, not wanting to relive those


    moments.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, pretty? Don¡¯t you want to dance?¡± Luke persisted, his hand still outstretched to


    me.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. ¡°Please pinch me,¡± I blurted


    out, my eyes still shut tight.


    ¡°Pinch you?¡± Luke repeated, his tone sounding confused. ¡°Why in the world should I pinch you?¡±


    ¡°Pinch me,¡± I repeated, opening my eyes to meet his gaze. ¡°I need to make sure this isn¡¯t a dream.¡±


    ¡°Instead of pinching you, I¡¯d rather stick my fingers in your ass.¡± Luke teased.


    And yeah, this wasn¡¯t some silly imagination of mine.


    @ PARTY DISPUTE


    I gave him an unserious look. ¡°You¡¯d rather stick your fingers in my ass?¡± I questioned him, raising an


    eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯ve done that before.¡± He gave me a mocking smile.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it!¡± I spoke up, my voiceced with irritation. ¡°You can go get yourself anotherdy. Dance


    with her, and when the two of you are done, you can stick your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing fingers in her ass.¡±


    Luke gave me an incredulous look, clearly taken aback by my outburst. ¡°Wow, I see Canada has


    changed you a lot.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s where you¡¯re mistaking,¡± I retorted without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re the one who changed me.¡±


    Heughed in disbelief. ¡°Oh,e on now; by the time you left, you were a soft little pillow.¡±


    ¡°But your bitter actions had to make me bitter!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to dance with me or not?¡± He tried to change the topic, but his hand still extended


    towards me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to dance. I¡¯ve made it clear to you before. You can go find yourself anotherdy.¡±


    He dropped his hand and turned around, surveying the people as they danced to the slow,


    romantic song. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to find anybody. Most of thedies here are middle¨Caged women.


    11


    I shrugged, not bothered by his predicament. ¡°So what? Go hit one of them,¡± I brought out, and he gave


    me a crazy look. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they must be interested in you.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because alldies are interested in you,¡± I replied dryly, bitterness creeping into my voice. ¡± That was


    definitely why you never loved me or treated me right, am I not correct?¡±


    PARTY DISPUT


    ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re bringing this topic back again?¡±


    ¡°Anything wrong with that?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a brief summary of how wicked


    you are.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a wicked man to you?¡± He queried, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Do you look like a wicked man to me?¡± I repeated his question in a mocking, tone. ¡°Luke, do you want


    me to start telling you the terrible things you have done to me since day one? The hurtful words.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t me me. Your parents just had to fix our marriage for money, knowing fully well that I had


    someone else in mind. If anyone were in my shoes, the person would have done the same thing.¡±


    I chuckled in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t really think so.¡±


    He let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Why am I even exining myself to you?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re feeling guilty.¡±


    ¡°What do you just say?¡± He asked without hesitation.


    ¡°Keep acting like you didn¡¯t hear me. I¡¯m not going to repeat myself.¡± I directed my eyes to the other


    people dancing.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this anyway?¡± Luke gestured towards Andre, who was still engrossed in his phone.¡± Your new


    boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Let me just be clear to you: we didn¡¯t go out separate ways yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± he said nonchntly.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± I gave him an acidic smile. ¡°You¡¯re asking me this question, making it look like we


    divorced not too long ago.¡±


    ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± Luke arched an eyebrow. He seemed eager to get an answer concerning


    Andre.


    ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you even have senses,¡± I muttered, wrapping my arm around Andre¡¯s neck


    before taking a look at Luke once again. ¡°Don¡¯t this face look familiar to you?¡±


    Gazing at Andre, Luke furrowed his brows. I could see the bewilderment in his eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t ring a


    bell.¡±


    ¡°Well, this is the owner of Vitality Group.¡± I introduced Andre, and I still noticed how he was giving that


    phone all of his attention. So I snatched it from him.


    ¡°Hey!¡± He gave me a bizarre look at that moment. ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°I was introducing you to someone.¡±


    Andre¡¯s eyes met Luke¡¯s, and he quickly shook hands with him. ¡°Luke Reynold, it¡¯s an honor to be in


    your presence.¡±


    ¡°See, he even knows who you are,¡± I said to Luke.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m famous.¡± Luke tried to make aeback.


    ¡°Famous?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh, sir; you just don¡¯t have brains to recognize people.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s kind of offensive?¡± Andre gave me a knowing look. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s his


    grandfather¡¯s birthday; we should be nice to him.¡±


    ¡°His grandfather¡¯s birthday, exactly. But not his birthday,¡± I vocalized. ¡°So all the curses in the world can


    be thrown right at him; he deserves it anyway.¡± I red at Luke.


    ¡°You can go to hell,¡± Luke spat at me, his eyes filled with disgust.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already been there when I was living with you. Fortunately, I managed to break free,¡± I


    replied, forcing a fake smile.


    ¡°You know what?¡± Luke¡¯s anger grew, his voice escting, ¡°You are the most irritating and stupid


    person I have ever seen!¡±


    ¡°And yet, you wanted to dance with me.¡± I maintained my stic grin. ¡°How fascinating¡±


    ¡°Who the hell do you even think you are?!¡± He snarled, attracting the attention of those around us. ¡°You


    think you¡¯re some big shot, huh?¡±


    As people started to stare, including Sir Reynold, I realized the situation was getting out of hand. The


    music abruptly stopped.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to say anything now, huh? Who are you afraid of, the people? You don¡¯t want them to


    see your true colors and your disgusting attitude?¡± Luke continued, disregarding the growing audience.


    ¡°What attitude?¡± I raised an eyebrow, trying to understand his usations. ¡°Why are you being so


    foolish? It¡¯s best if you calm down and keep quiet. Show somemon sense, for goodness¡® sake.¡±


    Andre approached me and whispered in my ear, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Now you want me to calm down?¡± Luke moved closer, not caring about who was looking. The


    expression on Sir Reynold¡¯s face clearly showed his disapproval of the situation.


    ¡°Luke¡­¡±


    ¡°Just stop it, will you?¡± Andre interrupted me in a hushed tone. ¡°Can¡¯t you see everyone¡¯s watching?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know something, Ariel?¡± Luke snarled,pletely unhinged. ¡°You will never be loved!


    Not in this life or the next! No one will ever love you!¡±


    His words stung, reminding me of my earlier foolish daydreams. It hurt, but I resolved to hold myself


    together.


    @ PARTY DISPUTE


    Andre tightened his grip on my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything,¡± he whispered urgently.


    6/6


    Luke continued with his hurtful words, still drawing the attention of everyone around us. Suddenly,


    darkness enveloped the area as the lights went out. Then, a gunshot pierced the air.

 Chapter 10

    ?


    10 BIRTHDAY GOONS


    ARIEL''S POV


    Upon hearing the gunshot, an unsettling feeling washed over me. The darkness made it impossible for me to see anything around me. And that was just bullshit.


    Andre, holding my hands, reassured me, "Don''t be scared, alright?"


    Amidst the chaos, someone shouted, "What''s happening?" Another gunshot pierced the air, causing me to tremble with fear.


    Gunshots echoed, and people scattered in fear, fleeing in different directions. Andre and I remained motionless. It was evident that hecked fear, showing an unusual indifference towards death. But for me, let''s just say it was quite theplete opposite.


    As the doors swung open, another gunshot rang out, this time from the room. It meant that the shooters had entered the hall. Terrified, I kept my fear hidden, not wanting to show it since Andre remained unfazed. I wondered where Luke was at that moment.


    "Nobody move!" a man shouted loudly, and the lights flickered on. Two lifeless bodies of middle-aged women were on the floor, evoking a deep sense of sorrow within me.


    Seven masked men, each armed with a gun, stood before us, dressed in ck. My eyes met Luke''s for a moment, but he quickly averted his gaze, his anger evident.


    "Who are you people?" an elderly man demanded to know.


    "Are you seriously asking us that?" One of the robbers retorted, promptly shooting the man in the chest. He perished instantly, sending shivers of fear throughout the crowd.


    "It''s obvious you all know why we''re here," one of the robbers bellowed. "Now tell us, who''s responsible for this party?" he demanded, but his question received no response.


    "You!" the robber pointed at ady. "Tell me! Who''s behind this party?" His tone was menacing, and his gun was aimed at her.


    Thedy nced at Sir Reynold and then fixed her eyes on the robber once again.


    "I asked you a question, didn''t I?" The robber threatened, pointing his gun at her. "If you don''t tell me, I''ll send you straight to hell."


    Tears welled up in thedy''s eyes as she closed them, whispering, "I... I don''t know." The robber wasted no time in shooting her. Witnessing this, a youngdy gasped in terror and met the same tragic fate.


    "Do you all see what happens to those who refuse to cooperate? If you don''t want their fate, you better do as we say."


    The robber turned to an elderly man. "Now you tell us. Who''s the person responsible for this damn party?"


    "I have no idea!" the man boldly replied, ring at the robber. "Look at what a fool you''ve be, wasting your life."


    "I''ll blow your brains out, you bastard!" the robber threatened, pointing his gun at the man, ready to pull the trigger.


    "Shoot me! I''m not afraid of you!" the man shouted back defiantly.


    "Wait!" a youngdy screamed, capturing everyone''s attention. She was the one who had been dancing with Michael earlier. "Please, don''t kill my father," she pleaded. "I''ll tell you who''s throwing this party."


    "Ariel, what are you doing?" the elderly man asked, his voice barely audible.


    After a moment of contemtion, she turned her gaze from her father to the robber. "The person throwing this party is..."


    "It''s me!" Luke interrupted, capturing everyone''s gaze. "I''m the one behind this party. Happy now?" He raised an eyebrow at the robber.


    I couldn''t help but worry about him. He could get killed by those guys. What the hell was he thinking?


    "Hmm, are you absolutely certain about that?" The robber queried Luke, nodding slowly.


    Luke burst intoughter. "Seriously? Is that the best question you''ve got? You were searching for the party host, right? Or do you doubt my party-throwing skills?"


    "Oh, spare me! Don''t try to act clever here!" The robber aimed his gun at Luke.


    "Act clever? Me?" Luke looked puzzled. "How in the world am I acting clever? I was just following your instructions."


    "We know this party is for an old man. It clearly said outside that it''s his eightieth birthday celebration."


    "Yes, it''s my grandfather''s party, and I organized it for him." Luke shook his head. "Come on, use the brain cells God gave you."


    "Silence!" The robber bellowed. "If what you''re saying is true, then get ready."


    "To give you money?" Luke chuckled. "Alright, so how much do you need?"


    "Don''t you dare think you''re the boss here."


    Hearing the robber''s words, Luke burst outughing. "I''m not acting like the boss; I''m just getting straight to the point. You guys came for money, right? I''ll give it to you so you can leave, and we can get back to the lively party."


    "You still want to party after people have died?" The robber asked, sounding confused.


    "Is there something wrong with that?" Luke smiled. I knew that was a fake expression.


    "No, no, it''s just.... it''s going to be weird." The robber lowered his gun. "I mean, who the hell continues a party after people have been killed?"


    "You''re looking at him right here." Luke ced his hand on the robber''s shoulder. "Now tell me, how much do you want?"


    The robber hastily shrugged off Luke''s hand and pointed his gun at him again. "Hey, don''t think I''m ying around!"


    "Calm down, buddy. There is no need to get so worked up. Just tell me the amount, and I''ll give it to you.


    Let''s wrap up this conversation quickly."


    "Sorry, but I don''t operate that way."


    "Well, there''s always a first time for everything." Luke maintained his stic smile.


    "Shut the hell up and get down on your knees!" The robber growled, and Luke slowlyplied, hands


    raised. "Same goes for all of you! Get down on your knees!"


    Everyone began to follow his orders, even his aplices. We all knelt down.


    "Except you guys, you morons!" The robber scolded his men.


    "Right, right," they responded, promptly standing back up.


    I noticed one of the robbers staring at me. Ufortable, I averted my gaze. Yeah, I felt totally uneasy the moment these ck dogs barged into the hall.


    The leader of the gang focused on Luke; the gun was still trained on him. "You cherish your life, don''t you?


    "Is that a question you really want to ask?" Luke replied yfully. "Can we just cut to the chase?"


    "I''m the one in charge here!" The robber shouted immediately.


    "But you''re not the one with the money," Luke taunted him.


    "You better be grateful I haven''t blown your brains out."


    "Well, if you kill me, how are you going to get your hands on the money?" Luke smirked sarcastically.


    "I don''t know, but I''ll be satisfied seeing your lifeless body on the floor."


    Andre''s phone started ringing, catching the attention of the robber. But with our hands raised, he couldn''t


    turn off the phone.


    "Whose phone is that?" the robber asked, locating the source of the sound. He approached us, annoyed, and struck Andre''s head with his gun.


    Andre copsed, and as he slowly got up, the robber hit him again, causing him to lose consciousness.


    "Andre!" I cried out in fear, catching the robber''s attention.


    "Well, well, well, who do we have here?" The robber slowly spoke, forcefully holding my chin. "You''re


    going to be a good one in bed."


    How repulsive! I red at him, filled with disgust. He better keep his disgusting thoughts to himself.


    "You''re going to be a real treat." The robber''s finger moved along my neck, about to reach for my chest,


    but I bit him so hard that he yelped in pain.


    "You crazy bitch!" He gave me a hard p, and


    I have to say, it was really, really painful. "Just wait until I deal with you!"


    "How dare youy your filthy hands on her?"Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 11

    he robber hastily shrugged off Luke¡¯s hand and pointed his gun at him again. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t think i¡¯m


    ying around!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, buddy. There is no need to get so worked up. Just tell me the amount, and I¡¯ll give it to


    you. Let¡¯s wrap up this conversation quickly.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t operate that way.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s always a first time for everything.¡± Luke maintained his stic smile.


    ¡°Shut the hell up and get down on your knees!¡± The robber growled, and Luke slowlyplied, hands


    raised. ¡°Same goes for all of you! Get down on your knees!¡±


    Everyone began to follow his orders, even his aplices. We all knelt down.


    ¡°Except you guys, you morons!¡± The robber scolded his men.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± they responded, promptly standing back up.


    I noticed one of the robbers staring at me. Ufortable, I averted my gaze. Yeah, I felt totally uneasy


    the moment these ck dogs barged into the hall.


    The leader of the gang focused on Luke; the gun was still trained on him. ¡°You cherish your life, don¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°Is that a question you really want to ask?¡± Luke replied yfully. ¡°Can we just cut to the chase?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one in charge here!¡± The robber shouted immediately.


    But you¡¯re not the one with the money,¡± Luke taunted him.


    ¡°You better be grateful I haven¡¯t blown your brains out.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you kill me, how are you going to get your hands on the money?¡± Luke smirked sarcastically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll be satisfied seeing your lifeless body on the floor.¡±


    Andre¡¯s phone started ringing, catching the attention of the robber. But with our hands raised, he


    couldn¡¯t turn off the phone.


    ¡°Whose phone is that?¡± the robber asked, locating the source of the sound. He approached us,


    annoyed, and struck Andre¡¯s head with his gun.


    Andre copsed, and as he slowly got up, the robber hit him again, causing him to lose consciousness.


    ¡°Andre!¡± I cried out in fear, catching the robber¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Well, well, well, who do we have here?¡± The robber slowly spoke, forcefully holding my chin. ¡°You¡¯re


    going to be a good one in bed.¡±


    How repulsive! I red at him, filled with disgust. He better keep his disgusting thoughts to himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be a real treat.¡± The robber¡¯s finger moved along my neck, about to reach for my chest,


    but I bit him so hard that he yelped in pain.


    ¡°You crazy bitch!¡± He gave me a hard p, and


    I have to say, it was really, really painful. ¡°Just wait until I deal with you!¡±


    ¡°How dare youy your filthy hands on her?¡±


    11 CRAZY CONVOS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    This goddamn robber turned around, and the look I gave him was way out of this world. You could call


    it a death stare, and if looks could kill, I was pretty sure this guy would have been dead by now.


    There was no doubt that I didn¡¯t like Ariel, but what he did back there really displeased me. I didn¡¯t


    know, but I couldn¡¯t just stand and watch her in pain.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± The robber asked as the both of us eventually stood up. ¡°I can see you have


    some fucking nerve, huh?¡±


    ¡°If you want money, I¡¯ll give you money, but don¡¯t you dare touch her,¡± I told him, calm and threatening


    at the same time. I narrowed my eyes down to Ariel, and she just gazed at me in confusion. I know she


    must be wondering why I was helping her out, and I too was wondering the same thing.


    The robberughed in disbelief. ¡°You know I can shoot you right now, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m scared of dying?¡± I came back. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot to lose all these years. Don¡¯t think that I


    value my life that much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you want me to kill you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish for that, but if you want to, go ahead. But let me just make something clear to you: don¡¯t


    you dare touch her.


    ¡°Why?¡± The robber nced at Ariel and set his eyes back on me. ¡°Is she your wife?¡±


    ¡°You ask too many questions.¡± I generated a pungent smile as I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s


    high time you shut up?¡±


    His men pointed their guns at me immediately, but he lifted his hand up, signaling them to


    halt. They all took their guns down.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± The robber inquired.


    ¡°If I were scared of you, do you think I would be saying all these things right now? Or do you think i¡¯d be


    standing on my feet while everyone is on their knees?¡±


    Heughed inwardly. ¡°I like this boldness of yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to.¡±


    ¡°You know I have a gun loaded with bullets.¡±


    ¡°I already made it clear to you that I¡¯m not scared. So to hell with


    you and


    your weapon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that does it!¡± He snarled and pointed his gun at me. ¡°I¡¯m sending you straight to hell! Tell the devil I


    said hi.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be necessary.¡± I gave him the usual spurious smile.


    ¡°Why do you say so?¡± He asked. And with his tone, it was clear he was confused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I just have the feeling that you¡¯ll be the one paying the devil a visit.¡±


    ¡°He made a sound with his gun, like he was fully prepared to pull the trigger. ¡°Oh, you son of


    a¡­


    ¡°Freeze!¡± The police showed up and began firing bullets at the robbers, leading to a shootout.


    Taking advantage of the situation, I quickly punched the robber, who was standing close to me. I


    elbowed his belly, kneeled his balls, and snatched his gun from him.


    After throwing the gun away, I advanced towards Ariel and grabbed her hands. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out


    of here.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave Andre here.¡± She tapped Andre to wake him up, but the man was still unconscious.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? You could get killed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you care about me anyway,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Just leave me alone!¡± She pushed my hand away. ¡°There is no way I¡¯m following you.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯d rather die?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned about her.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then so be it. But walking through that door with you? Not happening.¡±


    ¡°Just kill this pride of yours and follow me.¡± I grabbed her hands again, and she struggled for me to let


    go, but my grip was too tight.


    ¡°I said let go!¡± She bawled. And then a bullet was fired in our direction. But we were lucky it hit neither


    of us, and the insensible guy was lucky too.


    ¡°See what I¡¯m saying?¡± I gave Ariel a knowing look.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not following you.¡± She still decided to be stubborn.


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°Okay, that does it.¡± I got up and carried her promptly.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± She hit my back, but I held her tight, and that was how I carefully made my way out of the


    hall, carrying her on my shoulder.


    The moment we were outside, she bit my shoulder an hard that I had to let go of her.


    ¡°You scumbag!¡± She was about to hit me, but I captured her hand. She attempted to use the other hand


    to hit me as well, but it was still the same result. I was now holding both of her hands.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Ariel snarled, humping to get her hands off mine, but I refused to let go.


    ¡°Just calm down, will you?¡± Theld her tight while she continued to use all of her might so she could


    cease my grip. And the next thing that happened? Shended on my chest. I didn¡¯t even know how, but


    I was quick to wrap my hands around her.


    She finally ceased her bootless efforts, and the both of us are now looking into each other¡¯s eyes. She


    was just as beautiful as he was five years ago. And yes, I was captivated by her mour, ensnarled in


    her charm, and lost in hereliness. Of course, she was one prettydy, but there was no way I


    would lose my heart to her.


    While the shootout continued, we didn¡¯t take away the gaze from each other¡¯s eyes. I didn¡¯t know what


    was going on, but it seemed like something had taken full control of me.


    Ariel slowly looked down at my arms, which were wrapped around her waist. She set her

 Chapter 12

    eyes back on me once more, and her expression looked like a sad one.


    She ced her hands on my face as she shook her head in a slow manner. ¡°It¡¯s toote now,¡± she


    whispered.


    I quickly let go of her. ¡°Toote for what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to say too much.¡± Ariel shifted backwards a little, her eyes looking down. ¡°And although I


    don¡¯t want to, I need to apologize.¡± She looked at me and sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened


    at the party.¡±


    ¡°Keep your apologies to yourself.¡± I told her in an unfriendly tone.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She gave me a look that said, ¡®I couldn¡¯t believe it¡®. But it was good that she


    reminded me of what happened at the party. Now this spleen for her had dawned once again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to repeat myself.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°You don¡¯t have to act nice and all that. It¡¯s just the


    two of us around here.¡±


    ¡°You want to know something?¡± She snapped. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you¡¯re unbelievable, you¡¯re just so¡­ I


    don¡¯t even know the words to use!¡±


    I did nothing but watch her as she continued, ¡°One minute, you¡¯re an annoying dirtbag, and the other


    minute, you¡¯re a superhero, being so nice and friendly.¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± I asked with a deep voice, my arms were still crossed.


    She closed her eyes, making a frustrated expression: ¡°Oh, you¡¯re about to make me go nuts. Just shut


    up!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to him in that manner!¡± Someone chimed in, so I quickly turned around.


    Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    12 GETTING THE COUNSEL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    You shosid really watch your words,¡± Harriet said, approaching me with an excessive amount of


    makeup that made her almost unrecognizable. Despite that, I somehow managed to recognize her and


    was surprised at myself for remembering her from our brief encounters five. years ago, when she used


    to follow her boyfriend¡¯s lead and treat me poorly.


    Harriet walked over to Lake and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, a huge grin stered. on her


    face. It was obvious that they were still dating, and I couldn¡¯t help but be happy for them. Although I


    had my doubts about their rtionshipsting..


    ¡°I never thought you were still around,¡± Harriet said with disgust, her fingers gently rubbing Luke¡¯s


    shoulders. ¡°Have youe back to ruin our lives like you did in the past?¡±


    I simply stared at her, unable to find the right words. I had no desire to engage in a verbal spat with


    someone so petty. I had better things to do.


    I looked at Luke and noticed that he was also looking at me. He was a handsome man, but hist


    character was theplete opposite.


    ¡°Honey, why are you staring at her?¡± Harriet tried to kiss Luke on the cheek, but he turned away. His


    expression made it clear that he was annoyed by her presence. I couldn¡¯t help but stifle augh.


    ¡°Wow, you two make such a perfect couple,¡± I said with a p. ¡°You should enter a couple¡¯s


    competition; I¡¯m sure you¡¯d win first ce.¡±


    I


    ¡°Miss Clinton,¡± my driver, Ben, approached me. ¡°I¡¯m d I found you. I heard there was a robbery at


    the Sun House, and I also heard gunshots. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I reassured him with a smile, then turned to Luke. He had a serious look on his face, the


    same one he used to give me when I lived with him. ¡°I was just talking to some friends. Would you like


    to meet them?¡±


    ¡°Sure, that would be nice,¡± Ben said with a smile.


    CTING THE COUNSEL


    ¡°Great, this is Luke Reynold,¡± I said, gesturing towards Luke with a raised eyebrow. ¡°He¡¯s the current


    owner of The Reynolds, thepany we¡¯re coborating with for a project.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, sir,¡± Ben said as he extended his hand for a shake.


    But Luke just red at him and walked away. Ben turned to me, confused. I simply shrugged.


    ¡°What about her?¡± Ben asked, pointing to Harrict.


    ¡°She¡¯s not important,¡± I said dismissively, and I walked away. I didn¡¯t even care to look at Harriet¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, hold on!¡± Ben called after me, following me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Richardson, I¡¯ll make sure everything goes ording to your wishes,¡± I said into the


    phone before ending the call. Daniel Richardson was one of my business partners, and I admired his


    logical thinking. Unlike some people,.


    I sat down on my couch and turned on the television, only to see news of the incident at the Sun House


    all over the screen. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering the fame of the Reynold family. Such an event was


    bound to make headlines.


    Andre, who had just taken a shower, came downstairs in his night robe. I was still on the couch, my


    attention on the TV.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to bed early?¡± I asked him, popping a French fry into my mouth. Andre was someone


    who usually stayed upte.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, picking up some files from the table. ¡°We have a business meeting with the


    Reynolds at theirpany tomorrow, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± I said, taking another fry.


    ¡°I have to go to sleep early so I can be ready for the early morning meeting.¡±


    17?UTTING THE COUNSEL


    ¡°What time again?¡±


    ¡°7:00 a.m.,¡± he reminded me, going through the files in his hand.


    ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s too early.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s business. We can¡¯t afford to let anything ruin this project.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve heard you,¡± I said, lying down on the couch and flipping through channels. Andre started to


    head upstairs but then stopped. I nced at him before focusing back on the TV.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± he said, turning to me. ¡°I didn¡¯t like what you did at the party.¡±


    ¡°Says the guy who was on his phone the whole time instead of dancing,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Ariel,¡± he said with a serious expression.


    ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± I said, muting the TV. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    He looked at me for a moment before continuing, ¡°I know you and Luke have a history, and you can¡¯t


    stand him. But you shouldn¡¯t have acted the way you did. You need to learn to control yourself, Ariel.


    Self¨Ccontrol.¡±


    ¡°I understand your perspective, Andre. However, the self¨Ccontrol you mentioned was already present in


    me during my marriage to Luke. He did many hurtful things to me, and I endured each one. But I had to


    put an end to it. I¡¯m not some piece of garbage.¡±


    ¡°You want to know something?¡± Andre moved closer and sat beside me. ¡°In high school, I had this


    close friend. We were too close, really really close, to the point that people thought we were a couple.¡±


    ¡°Just like how we are now,¡± I whispered to myself.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± He asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± I replied, avoiding eye contact.


    ¡°Do people really think we¡¯re a couple?¡± He asked, his forehead creasing in confusion. He heard me,


    plece of sh*t.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about it,¡± I said, forcing augh. ¡°Please continue with your story,¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He leaned in closer. ¡°So here¡¯s the thing: My friend became popr in school, and her attitude


    changed. She started treating me poorly.¡±


    ¡°How bad?¡± I asked after a moment.


    ¡°She made me drink toilet water.¡±


    ¡°Ew!¡± J eximed. ¡°And you actually did that?¡±


    ¡°I had no choice. I had broken a rule and didn¡¯t want to get caught. She said she¡¯d help me, but only if I


    did that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°What rule did you break?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± he replied jokingly. ¡°But she did other terrible things to me, I won¡¯t go into


    details.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± I said in a low voice.


    ¡°I put up with her behavior until we graduated. I kept my cool. And since then, we haven¡¯t spoken. I


    tried to reach out to her, but she wouldn¡¯t respond. It was painful, but guess what happened?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We ran into each other in Canada after I started my ownpany. She was struggling financially and


    felt embarrassed when she saw me. She didn¡¯t want to talk, but I approached her and acted like


    nothing had happened. That¡¯s how we became friends again.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s nice, but as you can see, my situation with Luke is totally different.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said knowingly. ¡°You had self¨Ccontrol, but you let it go. Imagine if I had done the same to


    her.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, you guys wouldn¡¯t have been friends,¡± I answered slowly.


    ¡°Exactly. Remember, always have self¨Ccontrol. You know what they say: Silence is the best answer


    given to fools.¡±


    ¡°I know. Thank you for the advice,¡± I said, smiling.


    He chuckled and stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understood anything I just said,¡± he teased, and we both


    laughed. ¡°Goodnight.¡± He walked away.


    Honestly, his story was nothing like mine. But let¡¯s not dwell on that.


    A video call appeared on my phone, and I answered immediately.


    On the screen were these two adorable children, and just seeing their faces filled me with happiness.


    One of them eximed, ¡°Mommy, we miss you so much!¡±

 Chapter 13

    13 ANAMNESIS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The sound of my rm clock was so loud that it jolted me awake from my slumber. It was nearly 5:00


    am. After turning it off, I sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I nced over at my friend


    Harriet, still sound asleep and covered in sheets. We had a wild night, and I was sure she was


    completely exhausted.


    It took me a few minutes to finally get dressed. I chose a sharp red suit and sprayed on a hint of


    strawberry cologne. My hair was styled perfectly, and as I looked in the mirror, I knew I was ready for


    the day¡¯s important meeting.


    Today, ourpany was meeting with The Vitality Group to discuss a new project we would be working


    on together. I had already texted my assistant, Jack, who assured me everything was in order for the


    meeting.


    Last night was a nightmare, with those ruthless robbers appearing out of nowhere and wreaking havoc.


    We were lucky that the police arrived in time to save us, but the memory of the terror still lingered.


    My grandfather, who was celebrating his birthday, couldn¡¯t shake off the horror of what had happened.


    It was supposed to be a special day, but it turned into a nightmare.


    As I made my way downstairs, I saw my cousin Riley watching TV. She was a smart seventeen- year¨C


    old, a true genius. She hade to stay with me for the holidays, and it was great having her around.


    ¡°Riley?¡± I called out, causing her to quickly turn off the television and pretend to be asleep.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I chuckled and walked over to her. ¡°Cut the act; I caught you.¡± She immediately stopped snoring and


    sat up on the couch.


    I sat down next to her. ¡°You¡¯re a crazy girl. Were you really sleeping the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Well, I woke up about three hours ago and couldn¡¯t fall back asleep, so I decided to watch


    some movies.¡±


    I let out a sigh. ¡°That reminds me of when I was sixteen. I used to do the same thing until one


    horror movie scared my buttocks to do since then, me andte¨Cnight movies are


    friends.¡±


    not


    Rileyughed. ¡°Seriously, Luke, you were scared?¡±


    I nodded, smiling at the memory. ¡°Yeah, that was the end of myte¨Cnight movie marathons.¡±


    Sheughed again. ¡°I always thought you were fearless.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Is your girlfriend still here?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, wondering where she was going with this. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Riley said bluntly.


    I was taken aback by her words. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°She treats me terribly when you¡¯re not around; she¡¯s like a devil on earth. But when you¡¯re here, she¡¯s


    one sweet little angel.¡±


    I was shocked by this revtion. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Riley looked at me. ¡°She locked me in my room all day yesterday and didn¡¯t let me


    eat until she left for the birthday party. I have no idea why she hates me so much,


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. If this were true, Harriet would have to face the consequences of


    treating my family badly in her own home.


    I stood up, taking a deep breath. ¡°I have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Where so early?¡± niley checked her phone. ¡°It¡¯s only 6:00 am.¡±


    ¡°I have an important meeting at work today, and I need to get there early.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I would love to work at yourpany someday,¡±


    Iughed, patting her shoulder, ¡°Once you finish your studies, you know where to find me.¡± I smiled and


    walked away. ¡°Take care, Riley,¡±


    ¡°You too,¡°she waved at me. I smiled back before leaving the house.


    Four years ago


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre and I sat together at the dinner table, surrounded by silence. I didn¡¯t understand why, but I


    decided to remain calm and go along with it, refusing to be the first one to break the silence.


    Andre, engrossed in his fried chicken, furrowed his brows and nced at my te of vegetable


    lasagna. It made me feel a bit uneasy as he continued to give me that strange look.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just have some chicken instead of this green mush?¡± Andre finally broke the silence,


    teasingly poking at my dish with his fork,


    Andre was a meat lover, while I preferred vegetarian meals. It had always been a source of yful


    banter between us, leading to lighthearted arguments,


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Seriously, Andre? Are we still doing this now?¡±


    He responded in aical tone, ¡°Doing what exactly?¡±


    I sighed deeply and continued eating my meal. ¡°Acting like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking


    about.


    He chuckled silently and took a sip of water before continuing his yful banter. ¡°You should try eating


    meat one day. Trust me, it¡¯s awesome. The taste will blow your mind.¡±


    ¡°Nah, you should try some of thissagna.¡± I yfully offered him my te, but he pushed it back


    toward me.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good,¡± he said, returning to his fried chicken. After a while, he asked, ¡°Can I ask you


    something?¡±


    I took a sip of water before replying, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Have you been vegetarian your whole life? Like, since the day you were born? Or did you just wake up


    one morning and decide to change directions?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle at his questions. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious,¡± he replied. ¡°I want to know if being vegetarian is something you¡¯ve done since birth or


    if there was a specific moment when you made the choice.¡±


    Iughed again. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just how I¡¯ve always been. I¡¯ve never liked meat or anything rted to it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then, Miss Lasagna. Message received,¡± he yfully bowed his head.


    I chuckled. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m showing you respect because there¡¯s no way¨Cand I mean absolutely no way¨CI¡¯m going to give up


    juicy steaks like this.¡± He held up his fried chicken. ¡°Come on, you should experience the taste of a


    perfectly cooked steak. Every bite is like heaven.¡±


    As Andre continued talking, I suddenly felt difort and pain in my stomach. I winced, gripping my


    belly.


    Andre immediately paused, noticing my distress. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ariel?¡±


    NAMNESIS


    Taking a deep breath, I replied, ¡°I think my water just broke,¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Andre¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he quickly stood up. ¡°But the doctor said your due date was


    in two weeks!¡±


    I nodded, trying to stay calm. ¡°Yes, I know, but it seems like the little one wants to make an early


    entrance.¡± I forced augh, even though the pain was intensifying.


    ¡°We need to act quickly,¡± Andre said, running his hand through his hair. ¡°Just hold on, okay? Let me go


    upstairs and grab some things for the hospital.¡± He rushed off.


    I called my doctor, exining the situation as best I could, but the contractions were getting stronger


    and closer together, making it difficult to speak.


    Andre came rushing downstairs, holding a bag, and helped me up from my seat. We left the house


    together, and he assisted me into the car. He drove with urgency, heading to the hospital.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine,¡± Andre reassured me as I focused on my breathing.


    After what felt like an eternity, we finally arrived at the hospital. The staff quickly took me to a delivery


    room, and Andre stood outside. /


    After a few hours ofbor, I heard the beautiful sound of babies crying.


    ¡°Congrattions, Miss. You now have two adorable babies, a boy and a girl,¡± the doctor said with a


    joyful smile, as I caught my breath.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, a mix of happiness and sadness overwhelming me at the moment.


    Read Complete Chapter Just Click Here

 Chapter 14

    14 RIVERTING IDEAS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1 stepped out of my car, dressed in a simple yet elegant ck dress that unted my curves. Shielding


    my eyes with sunsses, I couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the building in front of me. It was The Reynold


    Company, and in just a few moments, our meeting wouldmence.


    Memories of the past flooded my mind as I stared at the building. I couldn¡¯t help but think about the


    times when I used to visit Luke here. But he had ignored me back then, causing me immense pain.


    Turning to my driver, who was still seated in the car, I instructed him, ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, ma¡¯am?¡± he asked, concern evident in his voice.


    I nodded, offering a reassuring smile. ¡°Yes, Andre will drive me home once the meeting is over, so you


    don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he replied before driving away.


    Standing alone, my gaze returned to the building, and I let out a deep sigh. This meeting was going to


    be challenging, but I knew I had to be strong. I couldn¡¯t be the same vulnerable Ariel that everyone


    knew five years ago. Things had changed drastically, and the past few years had taught me the


    importance of resilience in the face of adversity.


    Finally, Andre arrived, looking dapper in his navy suit. Michael and Seth also emerged from their car,


    and we were ready to enter the building.


    As we stepped foot inside, Jack approached us, his sses adding a touch of sophistication to


    appearance. I never thought I¡¯d be so happy to see him again.


    his


    ¡°Andre Jones, it¡¯s an honor to have you here. You are most wee.¡± Jack greeted Andre with a wide


    smile, shaking his hand.


    Jack then turned to me and extended his hand. ¡°And you, Mrs. Reynold.¡± He quickly corrected himself:


    ¡°Oh, I apologize, Ariel Walker.¡±


    I shook his hand, returning his smile. ¡°Just so you know, the name¡¯s Ariel Clinton.¡±


    ¡°Ariel Clinton?¡± Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by my words.


    ¡°Yes, any problem with that?¡± I replied with a friendly smile.


    ¡°No, no, not at all,¡± he quickly responded, turning his attention to Seth and Michael and weing


    them as well.


    Jack led the four of us to the meeting room. As I entered, I noticed several faces already seated. And


    then, there was Luke, looking impable. His striking appearance, adorned in a ravishing red suit with


    his hair perfectly styled, captivated my attention. We exchanged nces multiple times before I finally


    took my seat.


    Luke¡¯s gaze remained fixated on me, making me feel uneasy. I tried to avert my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t


    resist stealing a quick nce, only to find him still looking at me. Once more, I turned my face away,


    feeling a wave of difort knowing that his captivating eyes were still on me.


    After a brief moment, Luke stood up. ¡°Alright, isn¡¯t it a fantastic day?¡± A smile graced his face, and


    some individuals in the room nodded in agreement.


    ¡°First of all, I want to express my gratitude to the Vitality Group for being here today. We truly


    appreciate it,¡± Luke said, directing his words towards Andre, who smiled in response, giving Luke his


    undivided attention.


    Luke continued, ¡°As you all know, we have joined forces with the Vitality Group to embark on an


    extraordinary project. It involves theunch of a new mobile app for both ourpanies.¡± He turned his


    gaze back to Andre. ¡°So, sir, please tell us how you envision this.¡±


    Luke took a seat, and Andre rose to his feet. ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered softly before speaking


    the louder. ¡°Well, Luke Reynold, I want to thank you for partnering with us. As you can see, Vitality


    Group aims to create a user¨Cfriendly interface that allows customers to ess our services all in one


    ce. We have already assembled a team to work on the app¡¯s design and development. However, we


    need to formte a robust marketing strategy to ensure its sess.¡± Andre nced around the room.


    ¡°Does anyone have


    any


    ideas?¡±


    ¡°I propose that wemence with conducting market research,¡± I stated confidently, capturing


    everyone¡¯s attention, including Luke. ¡°Our primary objective is to identify our target audience and


    understand their preferences so that we can tailor our campaign ordingly.¡±


    Luke nodded slowly at my words, and bur eyes were still fixed on each other. But there was no smiling


    face, and there was no serious face either.


    s a great idea,¡± ady in sses agreed. ¡°We also need to keep in mind thepetition


    and what sets this app apart from others in the market.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Seth chimed in. ¡°We should also focus on the user experience and make sure the app is not


    only user¨Cfriendly but also visually appealing and efficient.¡±


    ¡°Nice,¡± I said to myself, nodding in agreement. ¡°We can also leverage social media and influencer


    marketing to create buzz and reach a wider audience.¡±


    Hearing all this, Andre smiled. ¡°Excellent suggestions, everyone. Let¡¯s also consider offering special


    promotions and incentives to attract more users and retain them in the long run.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a nice one,¡± I said lowly, with several nods.


    ¡°I think we should have a strong customer support system in ce,¡± Luke said, and everyone looked at


    him. ¡°This will ensure customer satisfaction as well as positive reviews, which are crucial for the


    sess of any app.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, because I¡¯ve seen a lot of apps with poor customer support.¡± Michael chuckled, and in a yful


    tone, he said, ¡°Piece of shit.¡±


    Everyone turned to him immediately, and we didn¡¯t give him a great look. ¡°What?¡± He asked with a


    confused face.


    ¡°We can¡¯t forget about app store optimization as well,¡± thedy in sses brought out another idea.


    ¡°We need to make sure our app is easily discoverable and ranks high in the app store search results.¡±


    ¡°That is absolutely correct.¡± Andre agreed, ¡°With all these suggestions, going to be a huge sess. Or


    are there any more ideas?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Seth answered, and he brought out another idea. That was how the meetingsted for


    hours.


    Throughout the meeting, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Luke constantly gazing at me. It was intriguing, and I


    couldn¡¯t understand why he found me so captivating. No matter how much I tried to avoid meeting his


    gaze, I just couldn¡¯t resist,


    Once the meeting concluded, everyone rose from their seats and began to exit the room. Andre shook


    hands with Luke, engaging in a brief conversation. I couldn¡¯t catch their words.


    ¡°Hi,¡± thedy in sses approached me with a smile, ¡°Ariel Clinton, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, mirroring her smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m Rose. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± I asked, feeling like a celebrity.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she continued, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m truly delighted to finally meet you in person.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile broadly. ¡°You work here, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Yes, I do. Would you mind sharing your contact information with me?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, not at all.¡± I assured her, taking her phone and dialing my number. ¡°Here you go.¡± I handed her


    phone back to her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she grinned, and she left the room.


    I turned around, only to find Luke staring at me, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. Yet he


    quickly averted his gaze.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Andre approached me. ¡°Shall we go?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I nodded, and we left the room together.


    As we approached his car, I suddenly realized that I had left my purse behind in the meeting


    room


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Andre asked, raising an eyebrow, noticing the expression on my face.


    ¡°I left my purse in there.¡± I pointed towards the building. ¡°I need to go and get it. Can you please wait for


    me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, no problem,¡± he agreed, and I swiftly made my way back inside the building.


    Entering the room, I searched for my purse but couldn¡¯t find it anywhere. Now I was perplexed because


    I distinctly remembered leaving it there.


    ¡°Looking for this?¡±

 Chapter 15

    15 NO LOVE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I found your purse,¡± Luke said, holding it up for me to see.


    Thank you. Can I have it back?¡± I approached him, extending my hand.


    As I reached for the purse, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how close we were standing. His cologne smelled


    pleasant, though I refused to let myself be swayed by his charm. It would have been nice if he matched


    his attractive appearance with a good personality, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. I knew that


    the good side wasn¡¯ting any time soon.


    I collected my purse from him, surprised by his action. And I thought he was going to start acting crazy


    again. But it looked like some people hade to their senses. Or maybe he was just waiting for the


    perfect opportunity to start being stupid.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, my tone devoid of any warmth. I was not going to joke with this man anymore, nor


    was I going to be friends with him. But one thing was for sure: My mission here. would be


    aplished.


    I started to walk away, but Luke called out to me, prompting me to stop. I turned around, wondering


    what he wanted to say. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to engage with him, but maybe being a little polite wouldn¡¯t


    hurt, right?


    ¡°What is it now?¡± I asked without facing him.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why did youe back?¡± he queried.


    I gave him a disapproving look as I turned to face him. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡±


    ¡°I need to know, Ariel!¡± Luke raised his voice and approached me. He grabbed my arm, and I red at


    him in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like you came back because of me.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± His grip tightened as he spoke.


    ¡°If you think you¡¯re still important in my life, you¡¯re only fooling yourself,¡± I said, my tone cold. ¡°You were


    erased from my life the moment we separated.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Why are you even bothering yourself with this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, puzzled.


    ¡°You have a girlfriend, Luke, and you im to hate me. So why do you keep following me around like


    you love me or something?¡±


    ¡°Pfff,¡± Luke scoffed. ¡°Who said I was following you around?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. You¡¯re the only person here with me, and the only person I¡¯m talking to.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± Luke released my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t get it twisted. I do not love you. I never loved


    you and never will. You¡¯re not even worth my time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I crossed my arms, leaning closer to him. ¡°If I¡¯m not worth your time, then why bother


    asking me those pointless questions?¡±


    ¡°I was just curious, okay?¡± he tried to exin himself.


    ¡°Why would you be curious about someone who¡¯s not worth your time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act smart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just being clear with you,¡± I retorted. ¡°And don¡¯t over think things, Luke. I do not love you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your love,¡± he said, after staring at me for a moment.


    ¡°I know, but you need answers to your questions, so let me give them to you.¡± I spoke with so much


    boldness. ¡°First of all, I came back for work. There are lots of projects, including this on with your


    company. And secondly, I don¡¯t want anything to do one, that we¡¯re working with you anymore. If it


    weren¡¯t for this ongoing project, do you think I¡¯d be standing here with you right now? So please, Luke,


    don¡¯t approach me again with all these silly questions. The only thing we should be discussing is


    business, nothing else. I don¡¯t know you; you don¡¯t know me; we¡¯re just business partners. Okay?¡±


    Luke redirected his angry gaze away from me and focused it elsewhere. ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Just what I was about to do,¡± I promptly replied, vanishing from his presence.


    The moment I got out of the building, I noticed Andre leaning against his car. He seemed to be


    engrossed in a text conversation, as indicated by the constant smile on his face. It appeared evident


    that he had found himself a girlfriend. I mean, considering his expression at the party and now, it was


    quite obvious. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder who the lucky girl was.


    ¡°Alright, we can start going now,¡± I said aloud, walking toward Andre.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± He asked without sparing me a nce, still focused on his phone.


    ¡°I was talking to someone,¡± I replied, slightly annoyed as I thought about my recent conversation with


    Luke.


    Andre briefly nced at me and then returned his attention to his phone. ¡°Who were you talking to?


    Luke?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡± I asked, slightly surprised.


    He simply shrugged and continued to give his phone undivided attention.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the car,¡± I informed him before getting into his car.


    I intended to make a phone call, so I rummaged through my purse, searching for my phone. To my


    surprise, it was nowhere to be found.


    Oh no, please don¡¯t tell me I forgot it as well. What the hell is wrong with me? I lightly pped my face,


    disappointed in myself. This meant I would have to go back to that building, and I sincerely hoped I


    wouldn¡¯t run into my good¨Cfor¨Cnothing ex husband. This was truly frustrating¨Cincredibly frustrating.


    Andre got into the car, whistling. He settled into the driver¡¯s seat, fastened his seat belt, and ced his


    hands on the steering wheel. ¡°Alright, time to hit the road.¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± I eximed, and he turned to look at me. ¡°I forgot something.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± He wore a tired expression.


    ¡°I can¡¯t find my phone in my purse, so it¡¯s obvious I left it back there,¡±


    ÒÀÅf


    Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a hundred percent sure I had it with me in the building,¡± I replied, though not entirely convinced.


    Andre gave me a skeptical look. ¡°Are you sure you brought it along?¡±


    ¡°Come on now, mister. You saw me using it during the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± Andre furrowed his brow at me.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste, sir. Can I please go now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you can go. Nobody was stopping you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± I grinned at him. ¡°You know, this might actually work out for both of us. I¡¯ll go find


    my phone, and you can continue your conversation with whoever you¡¯re chatting with.¡± I gave him a


    yful smile, acting a bit silly.


    Andre chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Just go.¡±


    ¡°You got it, sir.¡± I pointed my finger at him, smirking


    ¡°Just be quick, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it!¡± I eximed, jumping out of the car and heading back into the building.


    As I hurried towards the meeting room, I identally bumped into a guy, causing the files her was


    holding to scatter on the floor,


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized, quickly retrieving the files from the ground. I handed them back to him and swiftly


    walked away without even ncing at his face.


    As I approached the room, I could hear faint sounds of a woman whimpering, indicating that something


    unpleasant was transpiring inside,


    Initially, I considered turning


    I was walking around and not entering the room, but just as my phone rang from within, I pushed the


    door open. And lo and behold!

 Chapter 16

    16 PERFECT TREATMENT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was quite surprised to see Michael having sex with Rose, thedy who had taken my number earlier.


    Michael quickly let go of her, and as they both began to put on their clothes, I turned my face away. But


    then Luke showed up. His eyes went straight to the two lovers, or whatever name you wanted to call


    them.


    ¡°The both of you were having sex at mypany? In my meeting room?¡± Luke moved in their


    direction, anger evident in his eyes. He seized Michael, who was now fully dressed, and then he tossed


    him to the ground.


    Luke lifted Michael to his feet and gave him a hard punch in the face. Rose gasped at the violence, and


    Luke didn¡¯t hesitate to give her a dark look. I knew he wanted to beat the hell out of her. But she was


    lucky she wasn¡¯t a man. He wouldn¡¯t even dare touch her in public unless he wanted to ruin his


    reputation.


    Luke kept on beating Michael mercilessly, and at this point, I realized something. The anger that


    developed within him wasn¡¯t because of what Michael and Rose were doing at hispany; it was


    because of something else.


    I couldn¡¯t tolerate this anymore; he was going to beat the poor guy to death. I never wanted that, and


    trust me, Andre wouldn¡¯t want that either. And as for Michael, he better learn how to control himself. His


    love for women was too much, and he needed to know where and when to carry out certain things. But


    for now, I wasn¡¯t going to let anything happen to him.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough!¡± I shrieked loudly, hoping Luke would listen, but he didn¡¯t. He kept on beating the


    soul out of Michael, and I felt sorry for him. I was pretty sure Luke heard me,


    but the anger had overshadowed his brain and taken full control of his senses.


    ¡°Luke, enough!¡± I shouted once again and ran towards him. ¡°You need to stop this right now! ¡°I grabbed


    his arms, trying to pull him away from Michael, but he pushed me, and I fell d


    *DEASRAFHT


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Luke snarled at Michael. ¡°Get the hell out of mypany. I don¡¯t want to see you here


    again. Do you understand? Now get out!¡±


    Michael walked out of the room in shame, and his face was covered with bruises. He had a lot of


    exining to doter on. And I just hoped this wouldn¡¯t ruin our business deal with Luke, or else my


    ns would bepletely ruined.


    ¡°And as for you.¡± Michael turned to Rose, giving her a death stare. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever see your ugly


    face here again. You are fired!¡±


    Rose pleaded, ¡°Sir, please.¡±


    ¡°Get out of here before I do something you¡¯re going to hate for the rest of your life!¡±


    I was still sitting down, just watching the drama. Luke¡¯s anger was so out of this world. And I hated it so


    much; it reminded me of the time I was still living with him. Those memories were the worst, and I didn¡¯t


    even wish to live in them.


    I set my eyes on my phone the moment it started ringing. It was still on the floor, a little bit far from me.


    I looked at Luke, and the other man in the room was talking to him, trying to calm him down. And it


    seemed like Luke didn¡¯t want to listen. That was just his regr attitude.


    My phone began to ring again, and I stretched my hand to grab it. Andre was the one who was calling.


    Oops, I forgot someone was outside, waiting for me.


    I answered the phone call, and then Andre stated, ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? I have other meetings to


    attend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, you¡¯ll see me outside any minute,¡± I said, looking at Luke. He had his hands situated on his


    waist, and he was facing the opposite direction. I could tell he was still boiling with anger.


    Luke turned around, and his eyes went straight to me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get up?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± I responded in a cold tone. As I turned away, I was enraged.


    PERFECT TREATMENT,


    ¡°It is actually my yard.¡°!


    I sighed deeply. I didn¡¯t have time to get into a silly argument, so I decided to do as he had said. I


    slowly stood up but quickly fell down, and Luke rushed to me like an arrow from a bow. He was


    concerned about me, which was quite surprising and confusing.


    I was feeling some pain right in my body, especially around my legs. And it was all because of that


    forceful push that Luke gave me. Now look at him, acting all nice and Innocent.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luke asked, gently touching my leg. I did nothing but watch him. I had a nk


    expression on my face, as I had no words for this man. You could actually say he was being controlled


    by a remote or something.


    ¡°Does your leg hurt?¡± He asked, carefully kneading my leg. He looked really worried, and I had to


    admit, I loved this side of him.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me a reply?¡± He continued to massage my leg.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± I asked, and he looked at me right away. ¡°You were the one who


    caused this, pushing me to the floor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he apologized instantly as he moved both of his hands slowly on my ankle. His touch


    was just so perfect, sending a surge of shivers right inside me. His manly hands were vigorous and, at


    the same time, soft. With a touch so wonderful, I was lost in the moment.


    ¡°Ouchh!¡± I shouted in pain the moment his hands went to a sensitive spot on my leg, and he had to


    adjust the movements, slowing down the pace.


    I kept on staring at him as he tenderly took care of me. At the moment, I didn¡¯t know if I was with a


    doctor or a businessman. This gentle touch was just the type that anyone would need. Once you felt it,


    you would fall in love with it, you would crave for it, and you wouldn¡¯t want to feel the touch of anyone


    else in this world.


    Why was I saying this? He did something like this back then, when we were still married. I identally


    spilled hot water right on my leg, giving me a slight injury. He was the one who took care of the wound.


    That could just be the only lovely moment we had during our marriage.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s just that I lose it when I¡¯m angry.¡±


    PRFECT TREATMENT


    ¡°You know, a good friend of mine once told me something about self¨Ccontrol. Have you heard of that


    word before?¡±


    Luke


    gave me a bizarre look. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± he answered sarcastically.


    I giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t act silly.¡± Everyone does have a good and bad side. But to be on the right track, we


    should try our very best to put away the bad side.¡±


    Listening to my words, Luke ceased what he was doing. He stood up immediately and began to walk


    away.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked in bewilderment.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that; I¡¯ll call someone to take care of you, so you can leave this ce as


    soon as possible,¡± he answered and then left.


    I did nothing but gape at him. I didn¡¯t say anything wrong, did I? Seriously, that man was unbelievable.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 17

    17 BUSTED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Daring the night, the rain fell heavily, creating a nice and soothing sound, and this was indeed


    a remarkable moment.


    1 was settling down on my couch, eating brownies, and watching a basketball match. Harriet sat close


    to me, leaning her head on my shoulder, and her hand was right on my chest. She wasn¡¯t the type who


    was actually interested in sports stuff and all that, but she decided to watch this one all because of me.


    As soon as the game was over, Harriet turned off the television, and I couldn¡¯t help but give her an


    unfriendly look. She smiled at me, hoping the expression on my face would change. But little did she


    know that she was just fooling herself.


    I gestured for her to turn the television back on, but she refused, shaking her head. I wanted to snatch


    the remote from her, but then she drew her hands backward. A re was directed at thisdy before I


    grabbed the remote.


    I turned the television back on, with a lot of thoughts stirring around in my mind. One was about that


    good¨Cfor¨Cnothing goofball, Ariel. Thetest moments spent with her and how she just made me look


    like a fool.


    Then the second was about this girlfriend of mine, whom Riley used of treating her terribly. And


    then there was my grandfather, who was probably still in shock after that horrendous episode. Life


    could get really dark sometimes, but I have to say, I needed things to brighten me up once again.


    ¡°So, Harriet, I need to know something,¡± I said, with my eyes still fixed on the television.


    ¡°Okay, what is that?¡± Harriet asked slowly, probably thinking of the question I was about to throw at her.


    And if she had some senses, her mind would reveal to her a hint.


    morning, Riley told me go


    I fixed my eyes on her; my gaze was


    know what I¡¯m talking about.


    still normal, and the re had not yet risen. ¡°Earlier this and it was literally not good news. I believe you


    already


    Harriet looked so stupefied, and I could sense the fear arising within her.


    ¡°Now tell me, Harriet,¡± I uttered after a deep sigh. ¡°What have you been doing to Riley while I was not


    around?¡±


    Harriet looked at me. I could see that terror had captured her; her senses had fled away, but she had to


    quicklye back to reality. ¡°Why are you asking me this, Luke? What did that girl tell you?¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, she told me that you have been treating her badly whenever I wasn¡¯t around. To


    the point that you even refused to let her eat on several asions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Harriet defended herself instantly. ¡°Why the hell would I want to do that to someone? Do I


    look like a heartless person to you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Her tone was mixed with mazes and spleens.


    ?


    ¡°One thing I know is that Riley is not the type of person who lies. Her words are always true; everybody


    knows that.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you trying to say?¡± Harriet didn¡¯t waste any time attacking me. ¡°That I¡¯m the one who¡¯s


    lying here, right?¡±


    I wore a stolid face, not wanting to say anything until she was done with her lunacy, which she seemed


    to have just begun.


    ¡°Look, Luke, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into your head these past few days, but you need to stop! Your


    cousin told you that, and you believed her¨Cbelieved her over me.¡±


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve told you before, Riley would never lie.¡±


    ¡°But I think you¡¯ve seen her true colors today, right? She¡¯s nothing but a liar!¡±


    ¡°You better keep your voice down,¡± I cautioned her in a frosty tone.


    ¡°No, Luke, because I need to put an end to this!¡± She stood up, ring at me, and I just kept my eyes


    on the television.


    ¡°Well then, go ahead,¡± I told her casually, increasing the volume of the television.


    ¡°Your attitude towards metely is the total opposite of nice and romantic,¡± she spat. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that,


    Luke. You¡¯ve just been acting strange for some days now. You barely talk to me, don¡¯t give me your


    attention, and get angry at me easily.¡±


    As she voiced all of this, I was busy giving my attention to the movie. I had no idea why the television


    wasn¡¯t loud enough to prevent me from hearing what she was blurting out.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± Harriet queried, her anger clear in her voice.


    ¡°I was just waiting for you to finish whatever you were saying.¡± I looked at her. ¡°Are you done?


    11


    ¡°I have no words for you,¡± she said softly, slowly shaking her head. With a tone as sad as that, her


    words would have struck me hard. But I had to leave no room for that.


    One of the maids was walking to the kitchen, so I called for her, gesturing for her toe.


    ¡°Yes, sir, how may I help you?¡± The maid asked politely the moment she approached me.


    ¡°I just want you to give me simple answers to my questions.¡± I nced at Harriet but focused my eyes


    back on the maid. ¡°Can you promise to say nothing but the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded and then looked at Harriet. She turned her face away, scowling.


    I turned back to the mhis


    The maid nced at Harriet and then focused her attention back on me. And with that action, I had


    already jumped to a conclusion.


    ¡°So, Riley told me that Harriet has been mistreating her when I¡¯m not around. Is this true?¡±


    The maid looked at Harriet again and then lowered her gaze. Perturbation was written all over her


    countenance.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be scared, alright?¡± I said it loudly. ¡°Who is your boss around here?¡±


    ¡°You are, sir,¡± the maid answered instantly.


    ¡°Good, I would like an answer to my question. Does Harriet mistreat Riley when I¡¯m not around?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, she does.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked at Harriet with a chuckle. ¡°Is she also lying?¡±


    Harriet didn¡¯t answer me. Her arms were crossed, and she had her gaze fixed in another direction. She


    was steaming up, and the same goes for me right here.


    I turned to the maid once again. ¡°How long has this been going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir, but I think it should be about two to three weeks.¡±


    ¡°Wow, and Riley kept all of this to herself?¡± I was quite surprised. Two weeks was enough for someone


    to leave the house after receiving such harsh treatment. Oh wait, I forgot¨CI once had a wife who put up


    with me for three good years.


    ¡°Tell me now, Harriet. Why do you have to do such a thing? She¡¯s still young, you know. Since you are


    my woman, you are supposed to be a hero to Riley, not a viin. So tell me the reason for your


    actions. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Riley caught her having sex with a guy in your house,¡± the maid chimed in.


    17 BUSTED


    ****


    ¤Õ¤¯


    1563%


    G


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 18

    ¡°Goodbye, my babies. Take care, and remember, Mommy always loves you!¡± I eximed happily to my


    little children on the phone. We were having a video call.


    ¡°We love you too, Mommy! We love you too! I can¡¯t wait to see you!¡± Janice said before ending the call.


    That was my little daughter. Lukel was the name of her twin brother. Yup, those were my two adorable


    children.


    They were both in Canada, living with Andre¡¯s parents. I had decided not to bring them along for


    various reasons.


    I was lying down on my bed when I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in, it¡¯s not locked.¡±


    The door opened, and Andre stepped foot inside the room, dressed in his pajamas.


    ¡°You¡¯re still awake?¡± I asked, sitting down on the bed.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not feeling sleepy,¡± Andre answered, walking close to me. He looked kind of tired and


    exhausted. ¡°Does your leg still hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not that much. The pain has gone down.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± he said inaudibly. ¡°There¡¯s thispany I just finished discussing with, and we¡¯re going to


    start a project with them, probably around next week.¡±


    ¡°Business discussions; no wonder you were asleep,¡± I teased him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that; I¡¯ve just been thinking too much,¡± he exined.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s thisdy who I¡¯ve been spending so much time withtely.¡±


    ¡°The one you¡¯re texting always, right?¡± I gave him a sillyugh, apanied by a


    grin.


    Heughed softly. ¡°Yes, the one I¡¯ve been texting always.¡± The cast on his face didn¡¯t look so good, and


    I didn¡¯t like that at all.


    ¡°Come sit down next to me.¡± I patted the bed. Andre sighed and settled down on the bed, a few inches


    away from me. ¡°I think the big man¡¯s morefortable now, right?¡± I joked.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± he said softly, smiling narrowly. I could tell that was a forced expression.


    ¡°Okay, so tell me what¡¯s going on? Did anything bad happen to thisdy? Did the two of you get into a


    heated argument or something?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± I asked him curiously.


    He exhaled deeply. ¡°Turns out she has a man.¡®


    I stared at him for a moment. ¡°Wait a minute, hold on. So the girl you like, spending most of your time


    with, is in a rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I found out today,¡± he answered. ¡°And you want to know the most confusing part? Thisdy


    kissed me on several asions.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°We¡¯ve kissed about five times, and I thought she was into me. But I didn¡¯t just want to jump into a


    rtionship. I was actually waiting for the perfect time.¡±


    ¡°And when was the perfect time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°You were waiting for the spirit of your ancestors to tell you, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please stop it.¡± He yfully pushed my face. ¡°I just wanted us to spend more time together and


    get to know each other better.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°So how did you find out that this girl is in a rtionship?¡±


    ¡°She told me,¡± Andre answered, his expression turning sad. ¡°After all the wonderful moments, I¡­ I just


    don¡¯t even know what to say.¡± He sighed, running his hands through his


    hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend,¡± I said, cing my hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah, and you want to hear something else that¡¯s crazy?¡± He looked at me. ¡°Both of us had sex this


    one time.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute. You guys had sex?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And she ims to have a boyfriend?¡± I took my hands off his shoulder and stood up right away. ¡°That


    means she was cheating on him with you.¡±


    ¡°Great, so I¡¯m the side chick here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a girl.¡± I furrowed my brows at him.


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± he said nonchntly. ¡°But it¡¯s just so painful, you know. It was like she was ying


    with me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she was definitely ying with you.¡± I nodded with my arms crossed. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure she


    was after your money. Did you spend a lot on her?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. I took her to the mall, bought different clothes for her, got her a new phone, and


    then¡­¡± he trailed off as he stopped counting with his fingers. He looked at me. ¡°Yeah, I spent a lot on


    her.¡±


    ¡°Yup, I hope things are bing clear now.¡± I sat next to him. ¡°She was just using you for your money;


    she never really liked you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe she would do that,¡± he uttered in a low tone, thinking about thisdy, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll just have to. I mean, who doesn¡¯t know Andre Jones?¡±


    ¡°I met this guy today, and I introduced myself, but he just gave me a confused expression.¡±


    I stared at him for a moment, with my mouth partly open. ¡°Okay, but still, most people know Andre


    Jones, owner of The Vitality Group, a billionaire. Who wouldn¡¯t want to hang out with someone like


    that?¡±


    Andreughed, shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t start praising me right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the truth. That girl was acting friendly all because of the money. She¡¯s a gold digger,


    and you need to cut her off as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be so hard, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know, but you have to do it. Or else you¡¯re going to keep getting your heart broken. And if there is


    anyone else who¡¯s acting that way, cut them off.¡±


    ???


    guess you¡¯re right,¡± Andre said, tilting his head.


    The doorbell rang, and we looked at each other in confusion. Who would visit us sote at night,


    especially when it was raining heavily?


    ¡°Are you expecting anybody?¡± I asked Andre, and he shook his head, still trying to figure out what was


    going on.


    The doorbell rang again.


    doorbell rang for the third time.


    ¡°Just hold on, will you? I¡¯ming!¡± I yelled loudly and approached the door. I opened it immediately,


    and I wasn¡¯t expecting to see this guy. ¡°You?¡± I eximed in absolute wonder.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°So you¡¯re cheating on me, huh? And you have the nerve to do it at my house?¡± I snarled at Harriet,


    giving her a threatening look. At this point, I could just grab her neck and choke her to death.


    These people were really carrying out disgusting acts at the wrong ce, which was really, really


    annoying. First, it was those useless individuals at mypany. Now it was my own woman, the


    person who imed to love no one else but me. Wow, you never really know what goes on behind your


    back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me! I needed someone to satisfy me since you didn¡¯t want to,¡± Harriet fired back


    at me.


    ¡°Well, that someone should have satisfied you in his house!¡± I snapped. ¡°You know what? Just get out


    of my house.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s raining outside.¡±


    ¡°I


    don¡¯t care. Just get the hell out right now! I don¡¯t even want to see your face again.¡®


    ¡°Hold on, what are you trying to say?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m trying to say?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Are you breaking up with me?¡±


    ¡°I have no time to answer your questions. Just get out already.¡±


    441


    She moved closer to me with a whisper: ¡°Eight years, Luke. Eight years of being in a rtionship with


    you. You want to end everything just like that?¡±


    ¡°I said leave.¡± I grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door. ¡°And don¡¯t evere back snarled the


    moment she was outside, and then I shut the door.

 Chapter 19

    WhatsApp


    19 UNUSUAL FEELINGS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Oh Ariel, it¡¯s so good to see you again,¡± Mason eximed, giving me a radiant smile. He looked quite


    dashing in the suit he was wearing, holding an umbre as the rain poured relentlessly.


    Mason happened to be Andre¡¯s younger brother. Both of them used to assist their parents in running


    the family business until Andre decided to start his own.


    I was taken aback to see him here, as I thought he was still in Canada. He had told everyone that he


    would being to New Haven in the next three months, so his presence came as a big shock to me. I


    was certain Andre would have the same reaction. However, I had a hunch about the reason behind his


    unexpected visit.


    Regardless, Mason wasn¡¯t exactly known for his gentle nature. Most of the time, he was annoying and


    a real pain. With a short temper, it was best to avoid getting on his bad side. If provoked, he could


    easily be violent.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let me in?¡± he asked, maintaining his smile.


    ¡®Oh, sorry,¡± I apologized, quickly stepping back to wee him inside. Once he entered the house, I


    closed the door behind him.


    Mason nced around, grinning at everything. However, that smile seemed too forced for him to


    genuinely appreciate the surroundings. He always found a way to criticize people, even if there was no


    fault to be found.


    ¡°This ce looks nice,¡± hemented, but his tone and expression contradicted his words. ¡± But why


    didn¡¯t you guys get yourselves a mansion?¡±


    ¡°Andre didn¡¯t want to,¡± I replied. ¡°We won¡¯t be staying here for long, so he chose a regr apartment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± Mason chuckled. ¡°I mean, how can you all befortable living in a ce like


    this?¡±


    ¡°Mason?¡± Andre interrupted, and both of us turned to look at him. Andre, still in his pajamas,


    descended the stairs and approached us. ¡°When did you arrive in the country?¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on now, brother,¡± Mason moved toward Andre, opening his arms wide. ¡°Is this how you


    wee your brother who missed you so much?¡±


    They bothughed as they embraced each other.


    ¡°How have you been doing?¡± Andre asked Mason, their smiles beaming.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing great,¡± Mason replied, returning the smile.


    ¡°What about Mom and Dad?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re doing well, enjoying themselves,¡± Mason said, surveying the entire house. I could sense what


    he was thinking. ¡°They¡¯re even nning to throw a party this weekend.¡±


    ¡°A party?¡± Andre asked, his face disying confusion.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the asion?¡± Andre inquired, eager to know. I shared his curiosity.


    ¡°What!¡± Mason burst out. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten,¡± he said sarcastically, while Andre remained


    puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s their anniversary, remember?¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Andre trailed off. ¡°Their anniversary?¡± He looked shocked, and Mason nodded in


    confirmation. ¡°How did I not know about it?¡±


    Mason sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s quite disappointing, especially considering you¡¯re the older one.¡± The


    mocking grin still lingered on his face.


    Andre¡¯s smile vanished upon hearing thatment. He had to keep hisposure and not


    lose his temper. If those words were directed at Mason, he would have lost his cool instantly.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I made my way to my room and sat on the bed. My hands covered my face as my mind swirled with


    countless thoughts. I feltpletely unlike myself at the moment.


    So much had happened in just two days, to the point where I started to feel like I was living in a movie.


    I couldn¡¯tprehend why things had to be this way. I was drowning in pain, and now I understood


    why my grandfather had warned me against marrying Harriet.


    It seemed he had seen the horrible side of her, while I was just being blinded by ignorance. Of course, I


    vowed to always be with Harriet, no matter what, because of the help she gave me while we were still


    children.


    I would continue to be grateful to her for that, but as for the rtionship stuff, it¡¯s not happening


    anymore. To be honest, the love had already faded, and the future I pictured with her disappeared from


    my head. I wasn¡¯t even as crazy about her as I was before; that¡¯s just the simple truth. And then an


    opportunity came for me to break up with her, but she brought it upon herself anyway.


    And then there was Ariel, who came out of the blue with a modified name, looking stunning, ravishing,


    refined, stronger, and courageous.


    I had no idea, but I didn¡¯t want to hate her as I did in the past. When she left the country, I felt kind of


    horrible, considering myself guilty for that. And of course, my grandfather put pressure on me, which


    led to an unusual feeling. I had to carry out a search, hoping she would still be in the country. But what


    the hell was that? I literally didn¡¯t want that.


    I walked to a table, grabbed the bottle of alcohol, and just stared at it. I screamed loudly, smashing the


    bottle, and it shattered into different pieces, leaving the drink on the floor.


    I sat on my bed and started thinking about the moments I spent with Ariel. Then anger rose once again.


    How I treated her badly all shed in my head, reminding me of the vigorous and cold Luke Reynold,


    who didn¡¯t care about anything or anyone else¡¯s opinion.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    so, when did youe to the country, brother¡± Andre asked Masons I could tell he wa quite happy with


    his brother after thatment ownerning their parents¡® anniversary Mis


    But that was how Mason worked, that was what he was good at. Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s h profession


    Wandering around like a devil, searching for a way to pull one dom


    Masonughed a little at Andre¡¯s question. ¡°Well, I came back three days ago. I spent my nights in this


    five¨Cstar hotel. But then, I had toe here.¡± Mason¡¯s eyes wandered everywhere. ¡°To this apartment.¡±


    Andre held Mason¡¯s shoulder, smiling narrowly. ¡°You¡¯re fully wee.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°You want to know something?¡± Mason raised an eyebrow, and Andre nodded. ¡°This


    ce is some.¡± Mason¡¯s lips swerved into a caustic grin.


    Andre¡¯s expression became disapproving. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said this ce is just garbage.¡± Mason gave the house an exasperated look. ¡°There are different


    mansions where a rich man like you could just settle down. But no, you had toe to a ce like


    this.¡±


    Andre just stared at him for a moment, then let out a deep sigh, taking his hand off Mason¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Do you have a problem with me living here?¡±


    ¡°I just brought it up to you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Mason retorted.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like this ce, the door is that way.¡± Andre gestured toward the door. ¡°Now goodnight,¡± he


    told Mason in a brittle tone before walking away.


    ¡°Did you just see that?¡± Mason turned to me. ¡°He literally disrespected me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he wouldn¡¯t have if you had been more respectful,¡± I muttered, gazing in a different direction. I


    yawned promptly. ¡°I think I should be going to sleep now.¡±


    As I began to walk to my room, Mason seized my hands, and I stopped. I turned around, and his look

 Chapter 20

    wasn¡¯t friendly.


    ¡°I think you know the reason why I¡¯vee here,¡± he said in a solemn tone.


    2 PLANS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    by are you staring at me like that, huh?¡± Mason questioned, his tone still snarky along with


    ¡°Can you please let go of me?¡± I uttered as he was squeezing my arm, and it hurt like hell.


    ¡°Your wish is mymand,¡± he mockingly replied, and he shoved me backwards. I almost fell, but I


    managed to keep my bnce.


    Mason moved closer. ¡°I came to tell you a few things. There have been some changes in my ns.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked in a hushed tone.


    Still wearing his mordant smirk, he began to walk around me in circles. ¡°As you can see, we¡¯re no


    longer going with the first n. I¡¯ve thought about it and realized that I need to go to extremes to


    seed in this mission. Well, we need to go extreme.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand,¡± I said, giving him a puzzled look.


    He stopped walking in circles. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. You¡¯re not going to do all that business stuff with Luke


    anymore. You are going to marry him.¡±


    His words shocked me. ¡°Wait a minute, you want me to marry Luke?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it won¡¯t be too difficult, will it?¡±


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m doing that. I¡¯d rather stick to the first n.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡± He snapped his fingers and calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s already been canceled.¡± He wrapped his arm


    around my neck. ¡°We¡¯ll be following the new n, and you¡¯ll have to marry Luke first


    POPLAND


    before we can proceed.¡±


    I removed his hands from me. ¡°Luke is my ex¨Chusband.¡±


    ¡°You think i don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m marrying him. Find someone else to help you carry out this silly n of yours.¡±


    Mason simply chuckled. ¡°You know what I can do, right?¡±


    I red at him. ¡°Look, why don¡¯t we just stick to the first n? I¡¯ll bring Luke¡¯spany down before


    you know it.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re still going to bring it down,¡± Mason admitted. ¡°But if we want to do that, someone will have


    to be by his side, really close to him.¡± Mason then looked at me. ¡°And that person is you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to say this, mister, but I can¡¯t.¡± I stood firm in my disagreement. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than be


    Luke¡¯s wife again.¡±


    ¡°Or would you rather let your little babies die?¡± Mason leaned closer, wearing a malevolent smirk. ¡°Just


    imagine the headlines: two little children brutally stabbed to death.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even dare think about it.¡± My anger intensified.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m already thinking about it.¡± He slowly pulled his face back. ¡°And if you refuse to do as I say, I¡¯ll


    have no other option but to follow through with it.¡±


    ¡°I thought you loved those children.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong, sweetheart, I do.¡± Mason ced his hands on his chest. ¡°But the truth is, I


    love revenge more than anything else. And you¡¯re going to help me execute my revenge. Refuse to do


    so, and you¡¯ll find yourself attending your children¡¯s funeral. So, it¡¯s your choice, miss, are you in?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t reply; I just continued to re at him. He knew how much I loved my children, so he had put me


    in this difficult situation. Why did he have to tell me to marry Luke? Oh gosh, I don¡¯t even know what to


    do.


    ¡°No response yet?¡± Mason chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand why you find this situation so


    challenging. You hate Luke and want to get revenge for the hurtful things he did to you. So do


    1.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why we agreed that we would work together to ensure he goes bankrupt.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Mason eximed. ¡°And that¡¯s precisely what we¡¯re doing here. You¡¯ll get married to him, and


    then we can proceed with our n.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions,¡± he replied curtly. ¡°Just do as I say, alright?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so heartless?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s just life,¡± Mason replied with a shrug. ¡°Being good only brings pain, just like when you


    were married to that scumbag.¡± He yawned, stretching his arms. ¡°I need to get. some sleep. We¡¯ll


    continue this discussion tomorrow.¡±


    He started walking, and when he reached the stairs, he stopped, turned around, and asked, ¡°Is there


    any room avable for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, feeling downcast.


    ¡°Care to lead the way?¡± He smirked, gesturing towards the stairs.


    I let out a long sigh and slowly walked in his direction.


    This was just life, right? When you n on doing something really mean and terrible, you¡¯ll just get


    struck hard. I was the only one who ced myself in this goddamn situation. Revenge, revenge,


    revenge¨Cjust take a look at what that word has brought to me.


    Because I became so influential, I thought I had it all. I wanted revenge, so I had to team up with


    Mason, not knowing about his other intentions. This came as a big blow to me, and it had me shattered


    in some way.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Good morning, Luke.¡±


    I opened my eyes only to find myself lying on the floor. I had fallen asleep after consuming too much


    alcoholst night. Riley was sitting nearby. With my eyes half¨Copened, I sat up as


    well.


    Damn, I couldn¡¯t believe I was really heartbrokenst night that I had to take too much alcohol. And I


    couldn¡¯t believe Harriet would do such a thing. She imed to love me, didn¡¯t she? She told me


    countless times that I was the only one in her heart and no one else. So why did she have to do


    something so disgusting?


    Love was a word, and action was another. But when these two unified, it would actually bring tons of


    electrifying moments, along with a bond that could never be broken. But it was so sad that most people


    used the word ¡®love¡® and failed to interfuse it with action.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Riley smiled at me.


    I looked around, holding my head. I felt quite dizzy. I focused my gaze on Riley. ¡°How long have you


    been sitting here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been about an hour,¡± she answered. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s been two hours.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve just been here, watching me sleep?¡±


    ¡°Well, something like that. I was also talking to my friend on the phone.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± I mumbled quietly. ¡°Did I snore?¡±


    Riley couldn¡¯t help but giggle at my question. ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± lightly tapped my head. ¡°Why am I even asking you that?¡±


    ¡°Seems like that alcohol is still messing with your brain,¡± she teased, wiggling her fingers above her


    head.


    I chuckled softly. ¡°You just love making fun of me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°And when have I ever made fun of you?¡± She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± I pondered, trying hard to recall if she had indeed done that.


    ¡°Can¡¯t remember?¡± She chuckled. ¡°The alcohol is still messing with your brain.¡± Riley teased me again.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s calling,¡± Riley said, getting up. My phone was ringing, and it was on the bed, so she picked


    it up and tossed it to me.


    Jack was the one calling, and it took a few seconds before I answered the call.


    ¡°Good morning, Jack. How can I help you?¡± I asked, rubbing my eyes and shaking off drowsiness.


    Jack replied, ¡°Sir, we have a problem.¡±


    Ast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 21

    21 AGREED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked Jack curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s Harriet,¡± he answered. I immediately stood up from the floor, still holding my phone in


    my ear.


    ¡°Harriet? What happened to Harriet?¡± A worried expression appeared on my face.


    ¡°She¡¯s currently at the hospital, unconscious.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­ but how?¡± I inquired. ¡°She was with me justst night. What could have happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Well, the doctor informed us that she took too many pills. It was an overdose, but fortunately, she


    survived.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness, Harriet,¡± I whispered to myself, hitting my head. ¡°Text me the address of the


    hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir,¡± Jack replied before ending the call.


    Why would Harriet do such a thing? Was she trying to give me a heart attack or something? I knew I


    was extremely angry with her, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that I still loved her. Yes, she had done


    something wrong, and she needed to face the consequences. However, taking her own life was not the


    answer. What was she thinking?


    ¡°What happened to Harriet?¡± Riley asked.


    ¡°She overdosed and is currently in the hospital,¡± I answered, quickly putting on a pair of jeans.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I hurriedly put on my shirt.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But why would she do that? Did you two have an argument?¡± Riley queries, trying to understand the


    situation.


    ¡°Well, not really. It¡¯s just that I said some hurtful things to herst night.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Riley continued with her questions.


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°I found out everything.¡±


    ¡°Um, please exin it more clearly to me,¡± Riley requested.


    I sighed. ¡°I discovered why she had been treating you so poorly.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± She raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, and as a result, I broke up with her.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Riley chuckled and shook her head. ¡°And then she decided to end her life. How


    foolish of her.¡±


    ¡°Can you please be more respectful?¡± I pleaded. ¡°Yes, what Harriet did was wrong, but that doesn¡¯t


    change the fact that I love her.¡±


    ¡°If you love her, why did you break up with her then?¡± Riley questioned.


    ¡°It was out of anger, okay?¡±


    ¡°You should think twice before taking action. Making hasty decisions is never the best solution in life.¡±


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t,¡± I promptly replied.


    ¡°But if she had died, would you have held yourself responsible?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose,¡± I answered softly. Then I received a text from Jack containing the address of the


    hospital. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter. I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Okay, take care.¡± Riley waved her hand at me as I reached the door. I grinned at her and left


    the room.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I leisurely opened my eyes and let out a scream the moment I saw Mason sitting on my bed. He had a


    knife in his hand, which frightened me. Had hee to kill me or something? This was definitely not a


    dream.


    you


    ¡°What¡¯s with that scream, huh?¡± Mason¡® smirked at me. ¡°Thought I was going to stab to death?¡±


    I did nothing but look at him, filled with terror, because I knew the person sitting close to me was


    completely insane. He was a psychopath, and I was afraid he could do something crazy right now. But I


    didn¡¯t want to die yet; I still had a long way to go in life. I had children to take care of.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked with an unfriendly stare, and heughed immediately. I couldn¡¯t see


    the humor in this situation.


    ¡°I just came to check up on you, sweetheart. I can¡¯t resist taking a look at this beautiful face.¡± He


    wanted to move his finger around my cheek, but I stopped him.


    ¡°Well, this is my room, and I would really appreciate it if you could get your hideous face out of here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude now, babygirl. You don¡¯t want to see the other side of me,¡± he smirked.


    I sighed and asked calmly, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talking!¡± He eximed instantly. ¡°You¡¯re finally thinking straight. Now just keep being a good


    girl.¡±


    This young man was talking as if I were a little kid or something. I was burning with anger on the inside,


    but I couldn¡¯t act stupid at the moment. He had a knife with him, and any slight rage could cause him to


    stab the living soul out of me.


    ¡°Can you please get straight to the point? I have a business meeting in about an hour, and I need to get


    ready.¡±


    ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Mason asked with a smiling face. That was definitely a fake smile. ¡°Or


    do you still need more time?¡±


    ¡°What if I request more time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s invalid,¡± he replied without hesitation. ¡°You need to make a choice right now, right here. And you


    need to think wisely. Just so you know, only one phone call can take your little children out of this


    world.¡±


    It was infuriating that he had to mention my children in this conversation. I was overshadowed with


    anger, and I swear, if given the opportunity, I would have ripped this guy¡¯s balls apart. With no second


    thought about it, there would be no time wasted.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you keep threatening me with my children.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still thinking like a fool,¡± he threw back at me. ¡°Justply, and I


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it,¡± I agreed, not happy about the situation.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get inarried to Luke?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡± I red at him.


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what I want.¡± He nodded, smiling, and then he got up. ¡°You can go get dressed for


    your meeting. We¡¯ll see each otherter in the day,¡± he said, walking away.


    I sighed, shaking my head.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I arrived at the hospital, following the address Jack had sent me. The ce was quite calm, and there


    were hushed whispers among the doctors.


    I approached the reception desk at the entrance, and the nurse standing there was actually beautiful.


    She greeted me with a delightful smile. Behind her was arge sign with the hospital¡¯s name written in


    bold letters. Yeah, this was definitely the right ce.


    Still thinking about Harriet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. I was ufortable, and I could only me


    myself for what had happened to her.


    I walked further into the hospital, looking quite worried and disturbed. But then I saw people sitting


    down, and their sad expressions were even worse than mine, I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but I


    could sense their distress.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but my heart was pounding really fast. Wow, I was genuinely worried about Harriet,


    even after what she had done. I was quite surprised by myself.


    As I walked slowly, I surveyed the rooms to see if I could spot Harriet. Soft music yed from a nearby


    table, and I couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the soothing melody.


    2) AGREED


    A few more steps, and finally, my eyesnded on the person I was looking for.

 Chapter 22

    22 BLAME AND REGRET


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Looking through the door, I felt so sorry for Harriet. Her pal¨¨ face was still and serene, with tubes and


    wires connecting her to machines. My eyes were almost filled with tears, but I wasn¡¯t the crying type.


    When I lost my parents, I barely shed a tear.


    But now, it hurts so badly to see Harriet in this condition. And although she cheated, she did have a


    point back there. I started spending less time with her, getting angry at her easily. Always maintaining a


    serious expression, even when she tried to lighten my mood.


    Seriously, what had gotten into me? It didn¡¯t start like this. The beginning of our rtionship was a


    perfectbination of mirth and humor; every moment was electrifying. Butterflies of glee surrounded


    us, and tender kisses, heavenly moments, and intense happy asions. But my recent attitude had


    ruined it all. What a scumbag I was.


    ¡°Oh, sir, you¡¯ve finally arrived,¡± Jack uttered, approaching me.


    ¡°Just look at her right now, unconscious,¡± I said in a low and calm tone, fixing my eyes on Harriet. ¡°This


    is all my


    fault.¡±


    ¡°Your fault?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jack, if it weren¡¯t for me, she wouldn¡¯t be in this state.¡± I leaned my head against the door, closing


    both of my eyes. ¡°I feel so disappointed in myself.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, sir. Everything is going to be alright. It¡¯s just a matter of time until she regains


    consciousness.¡±


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°I have to go, sir. Some people from the Alfatriumpany want to speak with us about a project,¡±


    Jack stated.


    22 BLAME AND REGRET


    ¡°You may go. I¡¯ll stay here until Harriet wakes up. And if anyone asks for me, tell them to send me text


    messages. Or perhaps they can wait for their discussion to be held tomorrow. Today, it¡¯s just going to


    be me and Harriet.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Jack nodded and left.


    Oh, Harriet, I remembered the help you gave me when we were both kidnapped. We were still kids


    back then, with immature senses. That moment was supposed to be lovely and filled with fun. But it


    was simply terrifying because we were in the hands of kidnappers.


    All these thoughts still ran through my head as I continued to look at an unconscious Harriet.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I entered my car and was ready to head to work when suddenly Mason burst inside, holding a bowl of


    ice cream in his hands. I couldn¡¯t help but re at him as he settled down in the front


    seat, near me.


    ¡°Why are you in my car?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that; just start driving, will you?¡± Mason smiled.


    ¡°You need to leave first because there is no way I¡¯m taking you along to work.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was following you to work?¡± He asked promptly. ¡°I just need to buy some groceries, so I


    want you to drive me to a nearby store.¡±


    ¡°Take a taxi,¡± I suggested. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring your car with you?¡±


    ¡°If I did, do you think I¡¯d be sitting here in this ridiculous car?¡± He mocked me, but I didn¡¯t want to argue


    with him. ¡°By the way, when are you going to start your rtionship with Luke?


    T


    ¡°I understand that you want this to happen quickly, but remember that I¡¯m also a


    businesswoman. I have things to do besides just being with Luke.¡±


    22 BLAME AND RECHT


    ¡°I see.¡± Mason nodded slowly. ¡°But if you try to act smart with me, I won¡¯t spare you.¡±


    I sighed deeply. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard you.¡±


    ¡°Want some ice cream?¡± He offered me his bowl.


    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m good.¡± I made a serious face, avoiding eye contact. I couldn¡¯t be sure if there was


    something wrong with it. I was just being cautious.


    ¡°Okay, you can start driving now.¡± Mason fastened his seat belt.


    ¡°Wait, are you serious about the grocery store?¡± I questioned him.


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± He took a spoonful of ice cream. ¡°Now start driving if you don¡¯t want to be


    late for your meeting.¡±


    I was extremely irritated by his attitude, but I was putting up with him. His parents must have raised him


    well, didn¡¯t they?


    As I was about to drive, someone started calling me. It was Andre¡¯s mother, but I knew my children


    wanted to talk to me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± Mason asked with more ice cream in his mouth.


    I gave him an entric look. ¡°And why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°It could be my


    brother.¡±


    ¡°So what if it could be your brother?¡± I snapped, but as Mason gave me an unfriendly stare, Iposed


    myself.


    I declined the call and put my phone in my bag. I wasn¡¯t going to talk to my children in front of this guy,


    especially when he was threatening to kill them. He was a pain in the ass.


    ANDRET


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the call?¡± He asked, and I gave him another annoyed look. Like, how was this


    even his business?


    ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡± I gripped the steering wheel.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Nobody; I did.¡± I started the car and began to drive.


    Mason continued with his irritating talk, which made me even more annoyed. I just wanted to shout at


    him to shut up. I just wanted to stop the car and kick him out. But what would be the consequences if I


    followed through with any of those ideas?


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I was still driving, and my frustration with Mason was building up. I didn¡¯t notice the little girl running into


    the road. I identally hit her, but not with much force as I hit the brakes. However, she keeled over,


    and I was not happy about this.


    ¡°It looks like someone justmitted murder.¡± Mason taunted.


    I gave him a dark look, not having any words for his useless behavior. This ident happened


    because of him.


    A few people gathered around us as I quickly got out of my car. I carried the little girl in my arms, and


    the onlookers started hurling negativements at me. I ignored each and every one of them as I


    rushed to ce the girl in the back seat of my car. I needed to take her to the hospital. Mason had


    already left, and I didn¡¯t know when, but I was d about that.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Still at the hospital, I sat down on the bench along with two other people, a man and a woman. They


    looked really sad, and tears wereing out of the woman¡¯s eyes as she prayed.


    ¡°Is she your wife?¡± I asked the man who was close to me. He just stared at me before turning his face


    away. I know that question was not worth it.


    522 HAME AND RECRE


    A nurse approached the three of us. ¡°Sir, pleasee with me,¡± she told the man. He stood up


    immediately and followed the nurse.


    As for the woman, she kept on praying silently. Her hands sped together, and her eyes tightly shut


    as tears continued to flow. I had no idea about their situation, but I felt really sorry for her. This was so


    sad.


    Just then, I saw Ariel being directed by a nurse to where I was sitting. The moment Ariel saw me, she


    halted.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 23

    23 DRENCHED BY DOLOR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke and I stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and I noticed a woman sitting close to


    him, deep in prayer. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea if he joined her. He needed to pray too, so God could give


    him a sense of how to handle situations in his life.


    By the way, I wondered why he was at the hospital. The expression on his face wasn¡¯t reassuring, and I


    must admit, this was the first time I had seen him like this. Or was it? I couldn¡¯t recall.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I continued to gaze at Luke, but he shifted his gaze away from me, and I followed suit without


    hesitation.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please have a seat. We¡¯re already taking care of that little girl. She will be alright; there is no


    need to worry,¡± the nurse assured me. She was the one who directed me to this bench.


    ¡°Could you find me another ce to sit? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be toofortable here,¡± I said to the nurse,


    though my eyes remained fixed on Luke. He also looked at me, aware of what I was referring to.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the other chairs are upied. Please, ma¡¯am, just sit here,¡± the nurse gestured towards the


    bench.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d rather stand,¡± I replied, crossing my arms.


    ¡°Are you sure about that, ma¡¯am?¡± the nurse inquired.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. You can go now.¡± I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture before walking away.


    I turned to Luke once again, and he quickly averted his gaze. He didn¡¯t want me to know he had been


    staring at me the whole time..


    DRUNCHED BY LO


    ¡°What brought you here, anyway?¡± I asked Luke, but he didn¡¯t respond. Either he heard me and chose


    to ignore me, or his mind was elsewhere, ¡°I asked you a question, mister.¡± I spoke up loudly, and he


    looked at me immediately.


    ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± He asked, pointing at himself.


    ¡°Who else does it look like I¡¯m talking to?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, what were you saying?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± I replied in a hushed tone.


    A man approached us, tears streaming down his face, and he kneeled down beside the woman who


    had been praying moments ago.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Simon? Why are you crying?¡± the woman asked, resting her hand on his cheek.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s no more, Martha,¡± the man replied, his words barelying out of his mouth. ¡°Terry


    is gone; he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Hearing the news, the woman burst into tears. They held each other¡¯s hands and drowned in sorrow. I


    wanted to cry just watching them.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As these two shed tears, a surge of pain went through my heart. This was indeed a sad moment losing


    someone you loved so much. It reminded me of the time my parents died. Back then, I waspletely


    broken. The people who loved and cherished me the most had left me, and at in sorrow, and felt like


    there was no need to live that moment, I was filled with pain, trapped in sorrow,


    anymore.


    My father was my


    role model. He was one in a million, the best out of thousands, and the star that shone the brightest


    among all others. My mother, too, was the best¨Ca lovely character as beautiful as her face. She was


    one of a kind, and the love she gave me has been unmatched since she died. She was my diamond


    and my angel.


    OPENCHED BY DOLOR


    The couple walked away in tears, leaving just me and Ariel at the scene. Ariel couldn¡¯t take her eyes off


    them, and I knew she felt really sorry and could burst into tears any minute. She was still the soft Ariel I


    knew five years ago, although she was trying to act extremely vigorously.


    I did nothing but watch Ariel. Tears were about toe out of her eyes, but she held herself together


    and sat down, not close to me.


    We both stayed quiet for minutes, with no one talking to each other. I had no idea who she was waiting


    for, but it wasn¡¯t someone she loved that much that I knew for sure.


    I let out a deep sigh, closed my eyes, and leaned the back of my head against the wall. It was time to


    go and check on Harriet. I had spent too much time in the hospital, don¡¯t you think?


    I stood up and couldn¡¯t help but notice how Ariel looked at me. But I walked away from her and made


    my way to the room where Harriet was. She had finally regained consciousness. I was really d to


    see her eyes open once again.


    I slowly opened the door and walked inside the room in the same manner.


    ¡°Luke?¡± Harriet uttered it softly. I could barely hear her, as she was really weakened by what had


    happened to her.


    I sat on the edge of the bed, our eyes locked, and I gently held her hands. ¡°Why, Harriet? Why did you


    have to do such a thing? You almost gave me a heart attack.¡±


    She sighed, looking in her direction for a moment before turning to me. ¡°You made it clear to me that it


    was over, so I felt like there was no need to live in this world anymore.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± I gently caressed her cheek. ¡°Please don¡¯t think like that. You have every reason to


    live, even if I¡¯m not with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡± Harriet said it faintly, with a pained smile on her face. ¡°I love you so much,


    Luke. But I¡¯m sorry; I know I messed up big time. Please, I¡¯m really, really sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay.¡± I held her hands tightly together, gently rubbing her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m the one who


    should be apologizing here. The whole thing was all my fault. If I were a better boyfriend and treated


    you nicely, you wouldn¡¯t have done that. If I had given you love and affection, you wouldn¡¯t have go


    ahead and done such a thing.¡®


    C


    ¡°Who said you weren¡¯t giving me love and affection?¡± Harriet kept her fragmented smile. You were


    treating me nicely; you¡¯re one of the best boyfriends I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Harriet, don¡¯t lie to yourself, and don¡¯t lie to me as well. I knew I caused so much pain,


    both directly and indirectly. I threw our love into an ocean, but I¡¯m ready to dive into that water and


    bring those feelings back.¡± I held her hand really tight, lost in at moment of both mirth and


    despondency.


    ¡°So that means you want us to get back together?¡± Harriet asked softly.


    you


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯d really love it if things went back to the way they were. When I first met you, I felt the


    powerful connection we had back then. The lively spirit and heavenly conversations. I promise to


    always put a smile on your face.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Luke,¡± she uttered, and we both gazed at each other for quite a long time. ¡°I love you,¡± was


    what she said to break the silence.


    ¡°I love you too.¡± I kissed her forehead and slowly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Harriet nodded, and then I left the room.


    I walked back to the bench where I was moments ago, but Ariel was not there anymore. I didn¡¯t know


    why, but for some reason, I wanted her presence.

 Chapter 24

    24 LIGHTS OUT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet knelt on the bed, her ravishing hair cascading down her back, while I stood behind her, admiring


    her beautiful body. ¡°You look so sexy, babe,¡± I whispered into her ear, running my hands through her


    back.


    It had been three days since she left the hospital, and let¡¯s just say things were kind of back to the way


    they were. I had taken her out for dinner with the promise that this night was going to be filled with so


    much fun and pleasure.


    She let out a soft moan, and I could feel her body tingling with excitement. ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer,


    baby,¡± she uttered, turning to me with a mischievous grin.


    I chuckled and pulled her closer, which resulted in our naked bodies pressing against each other. ¡°Let¡¯s


    not waste any more time then.¡± I lifted her up and ced her on the bed.


    She giggled as shey back, her legs spread wide open for me. I positioned myself in between her


    legs, then leaned down to kiss her passionately, our tongues intertwining as our bodies moved together


    in perfect rhythm.


    The moment I entered her, she let out a loud moan, her hands gripping the sheets tightly. ¡°Oh Luke!¡±


    Harriet cried out loudly; her voice was echoing all around the room.


    My thrusts became more powerful, and her moans only grew louder. The sounds of our bodies.


    colliding filled the room. I groaned as I pounded her mercilessly..


    Her back arched off the bed, with her fingers digging into my back as she rode the waves of pleasure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, baby; please don¡¯t stop!¡± she pleaded as her moans grew louder and more urgent.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop, baby,¡± I whispered, my breath hot against her ear. ¡°I¡¯m going to make. you feel


    good.¡±


    The force of the ms intensified; I could feel myself getting closer to the edge, but I didn¡¯t


    ward this moment to end anytime soon


    Mastered the pace, with the thrests bing more intense, and my moans were mixing with hers. We


    were moving together in perfect harmony, and I could say we were lost in our own world of delectation.


    The pleasure continued for what felt like an eternity, our bodies bing slick with sweat as we rode


    the waves of ecstasy. I could feel her muscles tightening around me, signaling that she was close to


    her climax.


    I reached down and started to rub her sensitive spot, causing her to moan even louder. Her hands


    gripped the sheets tighter as she came undone beneath me, her body shaking with pleasure.


    Feeling her release only pushed me closer to my own, and with a few more powerful thrusts, 1 reached


    my peak, letting out a loud groan as I released inside of her.


    We copsed onto the bed, both of us trying to catch our breath. There was no doubt that we were


    energized from all those moments.


    Harriet stirred closer, leaned her head on my chest, and started moving her finger slowly in that area. ¡°I


    love you,¡± she whispered, her lips drawing closer to mine.


    ¡°I love you too.¡± I smiled at her and smacked her lips. That was how we cuddled afterwards, enjoying


    the feeling of being together.


    The next morning, I woke up early, took my bath, got dressed, and was fully prepared to head. for work.


    Harriet was still sleeping while I did all this. Yeah, she was really exhausted afterst night, and I didn¡¯t


    want to ruin her sleep.


    I took a look at myself in the mirror, which showed me how dashing and outstanding I looked in the suit


    I was wearing. Today, I was going to a business meeting with representatives from differentpanies.


    As the owner of mypany, I would be representing The Reynolds, along with Jack and some of my


    workers. This meeting was going to be remarkable.


    After a while on the road, I arrived at thepany where the meeting would be taking ce. The name


    was Dorgina, and apart from The Reynolds, thepany was also one of thergest


    in New Haven.


    I was waiting for Jack and the others, but they had not arrived yet. Well, it was a great thing we


    still had time on our side.


    1 looked around and saw different people heading towards the building. The ce was a little crowded,


    as there were people from differentpanies all stepping out of their cars and engaging in


    conversations.


    And then this man stepped out of his car¨Cthe man whom I caught having sex at my ce of work with


    that useless worker of mine. Speaking of the idiot, she burst out of his car as well. I could see that they


    were now a couple.


    I spotted Andre close to those two morons, and the three of them started having a little chat as they


    walked towards the building. Don¡¯t tell me she is now working for The Vitality Group. I couldn¡¯t jump to


    conclusions yet, but if that was the case, then this was absolutely unbelievable.


    Finally, Jack and the others arrived. He stepped out of his car, looking good in his suit. There were


    three of my workers standing behind him, two men both wearing shades, and ady looking quite


    stunning in a ck dress. They were simply looking perfect, making it seem like they were going to an


    award show.


    ¡°Mr. Reynold.¡± Someone touched my back, and I turned around to see Andre, with those two idiots


    beside him.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Jones.¡± I shook hands with him, smiling. ¡°How have you been doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing great.¡± Andre returned the smile. ¡°Did youe all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± I replied without dy. ¡°My people will be here any minute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. We¡¯ll be entering the building now. See you at the meeting.¡± Andre patted me on the


    shoulder and stepped into the building. Those two followed him without ncing at me. It was obvious


    they were still ashamed of themselves.


    I went to settle down in my car while people kept making their way inside the building, including my


    workers. I didn¡¯t want to walk in the midst of the crowd, so I patiently waited until everyone had gotten


    inside.


    W


    It took me quite some time, and when I noticed no one else wasing, I left my car. But then a car


    stopped, and you could just guess who came out: Ariel.


    She was looking absolutely beautiful in a green dress, with slight makeup on her face. Her looks were


    so captivating; I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.


    She nced at me with a smile and walked majestically towards the building. I followed suit.


    The two of us stepped inside the sleek elevator, and I could hear soft music ying through the


    concealed speakers. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Arlel, but she didn¡¯t even give me a nce. She just


    stood still, quiet, with her hands together.


    The door closed smoothly, and I heard a gentle voice say, ¡°Going up.¡± After that, the elevator


    ascended.


    I could hear Ariel humming gently, and I looked at her once again. She looked at me, so I quickly


    turned my face away. I heard herughing silently.


    ¡°You know you can talk to me,¡± she grinned at me.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good,¡± Lreplied, inaudible to a certain degree.


    We both became quiet once again, patiently waiting until we arrived at our destination. But all of a


    sudden, the lights went out, and the elevator stopped moving. It convulsed, causing both of us to fall


    down.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ariel asked immediately, her tone revealing that she was really terrified.

 Chapter 25

    25 ELEVATOR KISS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1 stood up, barely able to see anything, and I could feel my heart racing. The darkness and unexpected


    stop had me on edge. This was not something I had signed up for.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, don¡¯t tell me the elevator is broken.¡± I panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡±


    ¡°We are not going to die, okay?¡± Luke assured me, stepping closer. ¡°It might just be a temporary glitch.


    The lights will probablye back at any moment now.¡±


    ¡°And how can you be sure about that?¡±


    ¡°You just need to calm down. I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re trying to fix the issue right now,¡± Luke told me,


    devoid of terror in his tone. He wasn¡¯t afraid. Well, good for him. But for me,


    it was quite the opposite.¡±


    I brought my phone out of my purse to see if I could make a phone call so someone could at least get


    us out of here. But, to my surprise, there was no signal. I couldn¡¯t reach anybody, and this was


    definitely not good.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I forcefully threw my phone to the ground and ran my hands through my hair. ¡± We¡¯re


    doomed.¡±


    ¡°Just shut


    up, will you?¡± Luke snapped at me as if I were a little kid.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me to shut up.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re trying to act tough now, huh?¡± Luke taunted.


    I rolled my eyes, but right now, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to get into an argument or fight with somebody.


    ON ELEVATOR KILO


    I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths in and out. It was something one of my friends had introduced to


    me back in high school. When she was scared to death, she would breathe in and out, and it


    surprisingly worked for her. Well, I didn¡¯t know,


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Luke asked slowly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t distract me right now,¡± I told him, and I resumed my breathing exercise.


    ¡°You think that¡¯s going to change anything?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give him a reply; my eyes were still closed as I continued to breathe in and out. And to my


    surprise, it was actually soothing to me. My fear was diminishing until the elevator quivered for the


    second time. I fell down, and the trepidation rose once again, intensifying.


    I slowly got up, and so did Luke, but then the elevator shook for the third time, repeating the same


    action. We bothnded on the floor.


    Luke got to his feet, but as for me, I just sat down. I was too tired to stand up, overwhelmed with fear.


    The elevator moved downward with intense force, and I couldn¡¯t help but scream. Luke swiftly moved


    to me and held me tightly until the elevator came to a halt.


    My hair was kind of messy, I was breathing heavily, and my heart was beating really fast. I just hoped


    this wasn¡¯t the end, but seriously, this was really freaking me out.


    I could still feel Luke¡¯s arms all around me, and that calmed me down a little bit. But the terror was still


    inside me, and I simply hoped this woulde to an end as soon as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s going to be alright, okay? Everything¡¯s going to be alright,¡± Lukeforted


    me. His face was close to mine, and I could feel his breath. But I was brimming with


    fear.


    My phone started ringing, and I pointed at it. I was suffocating to the point that I couldn¡¯t even utter a


    word. I had ustrophobia, and it seemed like things were about to get deadly around here.


    Luke directed his eyes to my phone and quickly went to pick it up. I barely managed to get to my feet


    as I began to wheeze.


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Luke moved closer. ¡°Ariel, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I tried to talk, but I couldn¡¯t. My wheezing intensified, and I felt like I was going to pass out any minute


    from now on.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Ariel continued to wheeze, and with that, I became really worried about her. I didn¡¯t even know what to


    do. This elevator issue was taking quite some time to be resolved, and I used to think thispany


    was one of the greatest. But take a look at the problem that is going on at the moment.


    Her eyes were closing, and it seemed like she was going to ck out any moment. I didn¡¯t even know


    what I was going to do to put an end to this.


    When she gasped, I grabbed her, pulling her closer to me, and then I gently pressed my lips against


    hers. The kisssted for almost a minute as I wrapped my hands around her waist, hoping it could


    actually ease the situation.


    Once I broke the kiss, Ariel looked at me for a few seconds before losing consciousness. I held her as


    she was about to fall down, gently brushing a strand of her hair away from her face.


    Her visage was so beautiful that I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her. My gaze remained fixed on her lovely


    face. She was indeed beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have her in their life. But for me, the


    feeling wasn¡¯t there, and I didn¡¯t even want it to be there. Ariel and I were never going to work out. We


    weren¡¯t meant to be with each other, and I didn¡¯t think we would ever be.


    ¡°Is there anybody there? Anybody?!¡± I let out a thunderous scream, but unfortunately, no one came. I


    decided to sit down and wait for something to happen. So that was what I did. I settled down on the


    floor, cradling Ariel¡¯s head on myp as I gently brushed her hair. Eventually, I fell asleep.


    After a considerable amount of time, I opened my eyes, hearing a faint sounding from


    above. It was a voice calling out to us. ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡±


    I quickly wiped my eyes and stood up. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re right here! Down here!¡± I hollered, waving my hands


    to make ourselves easily noticeable.


    The light from several torches was directed towards us. I saw some men who threw a long rope down


    to us. They carefully made their way downward with the help of the §Ô§à§â§Ö.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you guys finally came,¡± I said to one of the men.


    He nodded and looked at Ariel. ¡°She¡¯s still alive, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,


    she¡¯s just unconscious at the moment.¡±


    Some of the men walked over to Ariel, and one of them carried her on his back. They held onto the


    rope and slowly ascended. I had to wait patiently until it was finally my turn. That was how we escaped


    that terrifying situation.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I opened my eyes only to find myself in a hospital bed. Flowers were beside me, and there was Luke. I


    was quite surprised to see him here. Was he actually the one who brought me to the hospital?


    Thest thing I remembered was that we were both stuck in the elevator. I was freaking out and


    wheezing continuously until everything went dark. And now I find myself in a hospital. bed. I really


    needed to know what happened. How did we get out of that horrendous situation? Who brought me


    here? Hold on a minute; Luke kissed me. He literally kissed me.


    Luke wasn¡¯t looking in my direction, so when he turned around, I closed my eyes, pretending to still be


    unconscious.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I could hear his footsteps getting a little farther from me, then I heard the sound of the door opening


    and closing. I opened my eyes after that, and Luke was no longer in the room.


    Just as I sat up on the bed, the door immediately opened.

 Chapter 26

    26 HARD CONDITIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Mason stepped foot inside the hospital room, his hands deep in his pockets. He was wearing a leather


    jacket, and the smile he gave me was clearly fake.


    What the hell was he doing here anyway? He was thest person I expected to see.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive!¡± Mason smirked. ¡°That¡¯s nice. I don¡¯t know how this n is going to work out without


    you.¡±


    ¡°I literally went through hell earlier today. Can you please give me a break?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Breaks are for babies.¡±


    I shook my head and let out a weary sigh. ¡°I¡¯m being serious here.¡±


    ¡°And do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± He raised an eyebrow, and I turned my face away. ¡°How was your


    elevator experience?¡±


    I gave him a quizzical look. ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know if you and Luke did¨Cyou know, the whole rtionship stuff.¡±


    I stared at him for a few seconds, then replied, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡±


    Mason chuckled softly. ¡°You have thousands of reasons to lie to me.¡± He moved closer to the bed. ¡°I


    know you hate me and that you don¡¯t want to follow this n of mine. But what can


    you do?¡± He shrugged. ¡°You have no choice.¡±


    ¡°You are the most heartless person I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± I told Mason, my tone cold.


    ¡°Oh really? Heughed again. ¡°What about your ex¨Chusband? Oh, sorry, your husband¨Cto- be?¡± He


    had a mocking grin. ¡°I mean, he did a lot of terrible things to you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but at least he¡¯s better than you. He tried to save my life today.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Mason¡¯s eyes widened.


    I remained silent, choosing not to tell him anything about what happened between me and Luke in the


    elevator.


    He nodded slowly. ¡°I can see the chemistry developing. Just what I wanted. But we still need to act fast.


    I want to see Lukepletely ruined as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°In what way did he offend you that you¡¯re going through all these measures?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out as time goes by. But for now, just do as I say without any questions. You have three


    days to get Luke to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Three days?¡± I eximed. I couldn¡¯t believe what he was telling me.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, three days is too much. Two days.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± I said, getting up from the bed. ¡°How do you expect me to get Luke to marry me within


    three days?¡±


    ¡°Two days, to be precise,¡± Mason whispered.


    ¡°Even ten days is too little. Do you even have any idea what we¡¯re talking about here? That man hates


    me so much. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s ever going to marry me.¡±


    ¡°And yet he tried to save your life in the elevator.¡±


    DEMANTOL


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Oh, please, he could have done that to anyone else.¡±


    ¡°That is none of my business. Just do as I say, alright? You don¡¯t want to lose these two little adorable


    children of yours.


    Great, he had to bring my kids into this conversation again. I was really annoyed by this. But what


    could I do? Absolutely nothing. If I tried to act smart, he might just kill my little babies, and trust me, I


    didn¡¯t want to sign up for that.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t act stupid. And think about it: this is a chance for you to avenge Luke for the things he did to


    you. I¡¯m just going to be helping you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to help me, then you won¡¯t be threatening to murder my children.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, miss, but you can¡¯t tell me what to do. I¡¯m the one who calls the shots around here. And once I


    make a decision, it¡¯s final. You have no choice but to follow it if you don¡¯t want to face the


    consequences.¡±


    Mason walked to the door and turned around with a stic smile. ¡°Have a nice day, and remember, you


    have two days.¡± He left after that.


    I sat down on the bed, covering my face, thinking about how I was going to handle this one. He told me


    to get married to Luke, and I should do that in two days. Like, how in the world is that even possible?


    How am I going to convince Luke to marry me?


    This one was really tough, and I knew Mason pretty well. He wasn¡¯t going to change his words. at all. It


    was my fault anyway. If I hadn¡¯t made those ns with him in the first ce, none of this would have


    happened. I thirsted for vengeance, and now look at what it had brought upon


    1. me.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I arrived home, only to be weed by my grandfather. He was standing outside, having a chat with


    one of his friends. They seemed to be having a great time.


    ¡°Luke!¡± My grandfather eximed the moment he saw me. ¡°You¡¯re finally home.¡±


    I approached the two of them, wondering why they were at my house. This wasn¡¯t a normal visit; it had


    a specific purpose because my grandfather barely paid me a visit.


    ¡°Tim, meet my grandson Luke,¡± he introduced me to his friend, gesturing his hand towards


    1. me.


    I promptly shook hands with Tim, a smile on my face. ¡°It¡¯s nice meeting you, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice meeting you


    too.¡± Tim smiled back. He turned to my grandfather. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I just love this grandson of


    yours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I chimed in. ¡°Everybody loves me.¡± I joked, and the three of us burst intoughter.


    ¡°Yes, everybody loves him,¡± my grandfather continued the mirth as we keptughing.


    ¡°So, Luke, we came here to see you for a reason,¡± my grandfather said.


    Exactly! Just as I thought.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Luke, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s high time you got yourself a wife?¡± My grandfather ced his hand on my


    shoulder.


    ¡°A wife?¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°Yes, a wife. Don¡¯t you want to get married?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡­¡± I paused for a moment, thinking about Harriet. ¡°I do want to get married.¡±


    ¡°So what are you waiting for? Haven¡¯t you found the perfect woman yet?¡± Tim asked.


    I justughed at his words. There was no way I was going to tell them that Harriet was the one I


    nned on spending the rest of my life with My grandfather was definitely not going to ept that


    rtionship. I really wanted him to change his mind, but I was afraid that he would be filled with nothing


    but rage if I told him that Harriet and I were still a couple.


    ¡°Look, Lake,¡± my grandfather said softly before coughing. ¡°I¡¯ve grown so old, and I know myst day in


    this world is getting closer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Please, Luke, let¡¯s just face the truth.¡± He coughed for the second time. ¡°Death cane and take me


    anytime. But before that happens, I want to see


    my grandson start a family. Yes, Luke,


    I want to see you with a wife. That would make me really, really happy.


    Should I tell him about Harriet? I didn¡¯t think so.


    He continued, ¡°Ariel was a perfect option back then, but you two had to separate. But it seems like


    destiny has brought her back.¡±


    I gave him a skeptical look. ¡°Hold on a minute, what are you trying to say?¡±


    He coughed again. ¡°I would be really happy if the two of you got back together.¡±

 Chapter 27

    RIEL¡¯S POV


    I opened the door, only to see a group of little children. They looked like they had not eaten for days,


    with messy hair and pale faces. They were even wearing torn clothes, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry


    for them. They seemed to have no one to take care of them.


    ¡°Good afternoon, miss,¡± one of the children greeted, her tone low and soft. She was the one standing


    close to the door, while the others stood behind her.


    ¡°Afternoon, sweetheart.¡± I squatted with a huge smile. ¡°What is your name?¡± I gently touched the little


    girl¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Chloe,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Okay, Chloe. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± I took my hands off her face, still smiling at her. ¡°May I please


    know why you all havee to my house?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re really hungry, miss,¡± she answered softly. ¡°We have no food to eat, so we thought if we came to


    you, you might find us something to eat. You don¡¯t have to give us that much. Even if it¡¯s just one piece


    of a cookie, we would appreciate it so much.¡±


    ¡°One piece of a cookie? How is that going to satisfy each and every one of you?¡± I asked in wonder.


    ¡°We¡¯ll share it among ourselves, miss.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I whispered to myself, absolutely surprised. ¡°Do you guys have parents?¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t. We¡¯re all orphans wandering around the streets,¡± Chloe responded.


    I felt so sad for them; it was really touching. I couldn¡¯t let these children starve; I just couldn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t


    even going to scold them or whatever. I¡¯d make sure they eat until they are full. And I could also let


    them live in this house. Andre wouldn¡¯t get angry with this; he was a kind-


    hearted person, so I knew we were on the same page.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± I got to my feet. ¡°All of you,e inside.¡± 1 opened the door wide for them.


    ¡°Really, miss?¡± One of the children brought out so much happiness in his tone. ¡°You want all of us to


    come inside your house?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered promptly. ¡°Is that a bad idea?¡± I raised an eyebrow at him..


    ¡°No, no,¡± he replied.


    ¡°If so, thene in, all of you!¡± I stepped back. With a morous shout of glee, they all rushed inside


    the house.


    I closed the door, unable to stop smiling at them. I adored little children since I


    ery much. So was given the opportunity to take good care of them, why should I reject it?


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± My grandfather quizzed me, and trust me, that tone didn¡¯t sound nice. ¡°Are


    you still pursuing thatdy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandpa, I love her so much, and she loves me too. If I¡¯m going to get married to someone, it¡¯s


    definitely her.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body!¡± He shouted right away. ¡°You shall not marry that woman!¡±


    ¡°But why, grandpa? What wrong did she do to you?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± He snapped. ¡°That girl will never be weed into the Reynold family as long as I¡¯m still


    alive!¡± He continued shouting, and he gasped all of a sudden, cing his hand on his


    heart.


    ¡°Grandpa?¡± I eximed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    My grandfather copsed on the ground, and I rushed down to hold him, as did Tim. It was as if he was


    being choked to death. He cked out immediately.


    ¡°I think he had a heart attack,¡± Tim told me, cing his hands around my grandfather¡¯s chest. ¡°But he¡¯s


    not dead. We need to take him to the hospital as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Both of us carried him to my car, and we drove off. When we arrived at the hospital, the nurses


    assisted us in taking him to a room. Tim and I stood outside, worry creeping all over my face.


    This was all because of Ariel. If he hadn¡¯t brought up this discussion, I was pretty sure none of this


    would have happened. I didn¡¯t know what he saw in her, but his blindness for her had tranted into his


    hatred for Harriet, which I was not happy about.


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s going to be okay?¡± I asked Tim.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luke. But if I were you, I¡¯d do what he says if he recovers from this. I¡¯ll see youter,¡± Tim


    left.


    His words were still revolving around in my head. He was advising me to sacrifice my happiness all


    because of my grandfather. If I decide to follow my grandfather, I¡¯ll only end up breaking Harriet¡¯s heart.


    And if I decide not to leave Harriet, I¡¯ll only be going against my grandfather and breaking him. Just


    take a look at what happened today; who knew what would. happen next?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood, watching these little children enjoy their dish, all seated on the couch. There were nine of them,


    actually.


    The smile on my face was just too much as I continued to watch them relish every bit of the buffalo


    wings I had prepared for them. Of course, I was a great cook, all thanks to Elizabeth. But don¡¯t get me


    wrong; she only took my cooking skills to the next level.


    ¡°so, how¡¯s the food?¡± I asked with a beam, even though I knew they were loving it.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± one of them replied. She was wearing sses, ¡°This has to be the best thing I¡¯ve ever


    tasted,¡± she added.


    ¡°I wish I could just stay with you forever, so I can continue to enjoy these delicious meals,¡± a boy said,


    and I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Exactly, she¡¯s obviously the best cook in the world!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. There¡¯s no need to praise me too much,¡± I gently interrupted their highly¨Cratedments.


    ¡°There are thousands of people who are way better than me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± one of them eximed and continued with his food.


    1 pped my hands. ¡°Okay, can I please know the names of each and every one of you here?¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± The little girl in sses spoke. ¡°My name¡¯s Emily.¡±


    ¡°Peter!¡± one of them shricked.


    ¡°Kelvin!¡± another yelled. That was how they all started telling me their names, like students presenting


    things to their teachers.


    So their names were like this: Chloe, Emily, Peter, Kelvin, Daniel, Mandy, Piper, Josh, Kendall, and


    Mark. Yes, these were all of them, and they were all so cute and adorable. I just needed to give them a


    nice bath and put on some good clothes. We¡¯d work on thatter.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Mason eximed loudly the moment he entered the house.


    LUKE¡¯S POV

 Chapter 28

    Still at the hospital, I slowly walked into the room where my grandfather was. And seeing him in this


    state brought so much sadness to my heart. I felt guilty.


    The doctor had informed me that my grandfather was seriously sick. I couldn¡¯t recall the name of the


    disease, but the way the doctor exined the whole thing to me, it sounded really.


    serious


    I noticed how my grandfather slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Luke,¡± he uttered softly, and I didn¡¯t hesitate to


    move closer to him.


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± I said, sitting on my heels, holding his hands. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying sorry, my grandson?¡± He spoke inaudibly. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were sick? I would have taken you to one of the


    best hospitals.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, Luke, I¡¯m already an old man. If deathes to take me, so be it. I feel like I¡¯ll be leaving


    this world at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, grandpa. We¡¯ll get surgery done right away.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to remind you that I¡¯m an old man?¡± He looked at me, exhaled deeply, and closed his eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you taking me anywhere for treatment. I just want you to do me a favor and fulfill my wish.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡± I asked slowly.


    He leisurely held my arm. ¡°Get married to Ariel.¡±

 Chapter 29

    29 PAINS AND SHOCK


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°What are these children doing in my house?¡± Mason snarled, stepping closer to me.


    ¡°This is my house.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Last time I checked, Andre and I were the ones living here


    before you came along.¡±


    ¡°But he is my brother, and you¡¯re just a stranger!¡± Mason focused his gaze on the little children, giving


    all of them a death stare. ¡°Now all of you should get the hell out of here!¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I threw him an unfriendly look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you didn¡¯t hear me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I did.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°But I just wanted you to repeat that nonsense.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you can do something about it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± I generated a fake smile.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Beat me up.¡± He mocked. ¡°Come on, Ariel, you know I have the upper


    hand. You don¡¯t want to mess with me.¡± He curled his lips into a sardonic smile.


    I fell silent, ring at him. I knew exactly what he meant. He kept threatening me with my children. I felt


    an urge to choke him to death right now. To strangle him, stab him with a knife, or blow his brains out.


    There were so many ways to end his miserable life, but he was lucky that I wasn¡¯t as heartless as he


    was.


    ¡°Look, why do you have to be so cruel? I already agreed to your n, right? Why are you being so


    mean to these children? They have no parents, nowhere to call home.¡±


    ¹Ú


    ¡°Does this ce look like an orphanage to you?¡± He gestured around the living room. ¡°So, I


    think it¡¯s best you get these filthy thing out of the house!¡±


    tits words filled me with anger. ¡°How dare you call them filthy? That¡¯s so rudo!¡± I snarled.


    ¡°But it¡¯s the truth.¡± Mason quickly grabbed Josh¡¯s arm. ¡°Take a look at this kid, Can¡¯t you see how dirty


    he is? And he stinks, by the way.¡±


    ¡°St, please let go of me. You¡¯re hurting my arm,¡± Josh pleaded.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mason barked at me. ¡°You think you can juste into our house and get free food? You¡¯re


    mistaken.¡±


    Mason dragged Josh to the door, and as he opened it, he pushed the little kid outside. I continued to


    re at him. He locked the door immediately and turned around. ¡°Which one of you is next?¡±


    ¡°Miss, is he the owner of the house?¡± Chloe asked me, looking at Mason. Everyone in the living room


    was staring at him, and I could tell that no one liked him one bit.


    I would have answered, but Mason¡¯s gaze spoke volumes, conveying things only I could understand.


    Going against him might unleash his malevolent nature,


    ¡°And you, little girl.¡± Mason¡¯s eyes narrowed down on Chloe. ¡°Why are you asking her that?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can tell you¡¯re also just freeloading here.¡±


    ¡°You little brat!¡± He marched toward Chloe and pped her immediately. ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡± He


    dragged her and threw her out of the house.


    He swung the door wide open for the rest to leave, and with anger on their faces, they all exited the


    house, just as he wanted. I felt sorry for them, but I was d they had finished their


    ineal.


    I started walking towards the door, intending to discuss it with the children ande backter,


    probably when Mason was not around. But the scumbag seized my hand.


    JO PAINS AND SHOCK


    ¡°And where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± He leisurely asked. I turned around, my re intensifying. My


    rage had only grown.


    ¡°Are you happy now?¡± I questioned him, then I forcefully dragged my hands out of his. ¡°I just need to let


    you know that I¡¯m not your ve, okay? Stop acting like I am!¡±


    ¡°If you dare raise your voice at me, you¡¯re going to regret it.¡± Mason warned.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill my kids, right?¡± I looked him dead in the eyes; he didn¡¯t give me an answer, though.


    The angry look on his countenance was intense, but it wasn¡¯tpared to the one on my face right


    now. He was taking things too far, making it seem like I was his ve or something.


    ¡°I can kill you as well. I can kill all of you.¡±


    ¦°


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, they kill me then!¡±


    He gave me a hard p immediately, causing me to look in a different direction. And when I fixed my


    gaze on him again after some moments, he pped me for the second time. It was painful, but not


    painful enough for me to cry or start acting like an idiot.


    He grabbed my neck and began to choke me so hard. My face was all red, and I could barely breathe. I


    tried to tug his hands off my neck, but his grip was too tight.


    He elbowed my stomach in a vigorous manner, inflicting severe pain on me. And when I felt like I was


    about to depart from the earth, he let go of me.


    With sweat all over my face, I was breathing heavily, and then he pushed me away. Inded on


    the couch.


    ¡°I was just showing you a preview of what I can do. You try to act smart with me next time; you¡¯re going


    to get it.¡± Mason marched upstairs while I was still trying to catch my breath.


    He should have just killed me; I think I would be free from all this stress and trouble.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Please, Luke, this is a favor 1¡¯m asking from you,¡± my grandfather said as he coughed.


    Both of my eyes were closed as I was still mulling over these words. I didn¡¯t know how I was going to


    act. If I should do as he said, or if I should follow my heart and keep my rtionship with Harriet, This


    moment was really painful; it was so sad. And it was still tough because I was stressing my brain while


    trying to make a decision. On one hand, it was about being devoted to family. On the other hand, there


    was devotion to thedy I loved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know grandpa; this is a tough one. Harriet and I made promises; we made them.


    My grandfather¡¯s cough interrupted me. Okay, this one was fake.


    ¡°My death is near, and it mighte anytime. But won¡¯t you fulfill this wish? It could be myst.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I can¡¯t actually promise¡­¡±


    I was interrupted once again, but this time, it was my phone ringing. The number was unknown.


    ¡°Please excuse me,¡± I whispered, and I went outside the room to answer the phone call.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, right?¡± The caller asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, curious to know who was calling me. ¡°Can I please know who¡¯s talking?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. What you should be worrying about right now is your girlfriend,


    who happens to be cheating on you.¡±


    ¡°Harriet?¡± I blurted it out instantly.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m standing outside this guy¡¯s house right now, and she¡¯s having a wonderful moment with him.¡±


    20 PAINS AND SHOCK


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said, ending the call. And I received a video immediately.


    When I opened it, I was shocked to see my Harriet kissing this man.

 Chapter 30

    WhatsApp


    30 CONCLUSIONS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the video. The guy with the blonde hair was kissing Harriet passionately,


    rubbing her buttocks. And she was moving her hands all over his body, even down to his crotch. She


    even dipped her hands through his towel,ing into contact with his. Oh sh*t! This was all bullshit!


    Why would Harriet do something so disgusting for the second time? I thought we were already strong


    in our promises. So why the hell would she do that? I didn¡¯t want to believe this, but this video was not


    fake.


    The person who sent me the video began to call me again, so I answered the phone call.


    ¡°Have you seen it?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I have,¡± I answered, flooded with pain.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m just showing you the kind of woman you call your own. And just so you know, this isn¡¯t the


    first time she¡¯s done this. Neither is it the second, nor is it the third. The choice is now yours to make.


    Goodbye.¡± He put an end to the phone call.


    I was boiling with anger after hearing all that, and the nonsense I saw in the video was still ying in


    my head. This was the samedy who made a promise that she would never cheat on me and would


    do anything to make sure our rtionship wouldn¡¯t fall apart.


    I was ready to go against my grandfather, even seeing him in that condition, but not anymore. As of


    now, my rtionship with Harriet is over. From now on, I had nothing to do with her. She could go to


    hell for all I care, and she could sleep with any man she liked; that was none of my business anymore.


    This was the end of Luke and Harriet. I didn¡¯t want to even hear her apologies, and if she wanted to


    end her own life, she was good to go. No one would be stopping her, especially not me. She broke my


    trust once again, and this video clearly showed everything. This was what she consistently did behind


    my back. How shameful of her.


    And a big thanks to whoever got them on video. I had no idea why this person decided to


    2 CONCLUSIONS


    disy this to me, but I was d, and I would be grateful for the rest of my life.


    I put my phone in my pocket and walked inside the room. My grandfather, still lying on the bed, had his


    eyes closed. I walked to him.


    ¡°Are you done with your phone call?¡± He asked softly.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m done,¡± I answered in hushed tones, thinking about the betrayal that Harriet had to carry


    out. I didn¡¯t even know what to do when I saw her. If I should ignore her, or if I should strangle her to


    death,.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I held my grandfather¡¯s hands. ¡°So about that wish of yours, I¡¯m going to fulfill it. I¡¯m going to get


    married to Ariel,¡± I told him without thinking twice.


    It was a decision I had decided to make. Harriet messed up big time, so I didn¡¯t want anything to do


    with her anymore. And since my grandfather wanted me to get married to anyone he wanted, which


    happened to be Ariel, I shouldn¡¯t go against his wishes. All the thinking had finally been over; the


    problem was now solved.


    ¡°Are you for real, Luke?¡± His tone was soft, low, and kind of broken. But there was happiness right


    there. And that made me happy.


    ¡°Yes, grandpa, I¡¯m going to get married to Ariel, and we¡¯ll do that as soon as possible. Just what you


    want.¡±


    My grandfather smiled at me, invoking me to beam back at him. It was a great moment. Now, how was


    I going to convince Ariel to marry me? After what happened between the both of us in the past, I could


    tell that she would never want to spend her life with me. She was going to refuse no matter what, even


    if an angel from heaven told her to. But I¡¯d have to try my very best. I would have to.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Oh, it was another beautiful day, and I was at the mall, looking for the perfect gift to get for Andre.


    Tomorrow was his birthday, and I recently remembered that. Now I was searching for the perfect dress


    for him, walking past so many wonderful and stunning suits. All would suit him perfectly, and it was


    quite hard to make a choice. Maybe I could just buy the whole store.


    After quite some time of walking around, I finally picked a suit for him. It was ck in color and


    absolutely stunning. I was just picturing Andre wearing it at the moment, and I have to say, he was


    really dreamy in this head of mine.


    I also picked out T¨Cshirts for him; most of them were blue because that was Andre¡¯s favorite color.


    After I was done buying the clothes, I left the building, and then I saw Jack, Luke¡¯s assistant. And he


    seemed to be heading in my direction. I halted the moment he got closer.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Reynold,¡± Jack greeted.


    I cleared my throat, and he corrected himself immediately. ¡°Sorry, good afternoon, Miss Clinton.¡±


    ¡°Afternoon,¡± I greeted him as well. ¡°How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Reynold wants to speak with you,¡± Jack informed me.


    ¡°Who? Luke?¡± I asked Jack, and he nodded. ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s at his car, right over there.¡± Jack gestured towards a ck car, and just as he had said, it


    belonged to Luke.


    ¡°Do you have any idea why he want to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°No, miss. Can we get going now?¡±


    I nodded, and he led the way until we both got in close proximity to Luke¡¯s car. Jack opened the door


    for me. I stood for a moment, wondering what was going on and if this was a dream or not. But I


    entered the car anyway. Jack closed the door forthwith.


    Luke, looking dashing in the suit, was sitting down, fixing his eyes on nothing¨Cno one else


    but me.


    ¡°You came; I thought you were going to refuse,¡± Luke said, taking his eyes off me.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you know where we stand,¡± I uttered, turning my gaze in another direction as well.¡± So, can


    you please tell me why you¡¯ve called me here?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I miss you,¡± he answered with a nk look on his face. How was I even going to


    believe what he was saying?


    ¡°You miss me?¡± I gave him a skeptical look.


    ¡°Of course, I guess. But your response makes it seem like I¡¯m lying.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re doing around here?¡± I quizzed him, raising my eyebrows.


    He looked at me with a cold face, but he quickly softened his expression, exhaling deeply. ¡°Of course, I


    know you hate me for all the wrong I did to you. And I too have nothing to say right now; that¡¯s why I


    want you to follow me.¡±


    ¡°Follow you to where, exactly?¡±


    ¡°My grandfather wants to speak to you,¡± he uttered, averting his eyes.


    ¡°Your grandfather? Who, Sir Reynold?¡±


    ¡°How many grandfathers do I have?¡± He asked, his tone sort of cold.


    ¡°As a matter of fact and ording to the principles of life, you¡¯re supposed to have two.¡±


    ¡°How many do you


    frown on my face.


    know?¡± He asked directly. I refused to answer his question. And I had a


    ¡°He¡¯s at a hospital. So, are youing with me?¡°.


    I was silent for a few seconds. I didn¡¯t even want to follow him, but then I saw Mason¡¯s text on my


    phone, and that reminded me of his dark ns.


    30 CONCLUSIONS


    ¡°Are youing with me?¡± Luke asked again.


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 31

    31 NO FRIEND ZONE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    When Luke and I arrived at the hospital, we didn¡¯t utter a single word to each other while we were on


    the road. And look at me, thinking of a way to convince him to marry me. This was going to be a tough


    one.


    As I wanted to burst out of the car, Luke seized my hands. I turned to him right away. I wanted to yell at


    him, but for some reason, I didn¡¯t. His manly hand was simply nice on mine, along with his wless


    grip. I didn¡¯t want this, but I couldn¡¯t tell him to let go of me.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Luke came out with a calm face. I couldn¡¯t help but admire his looks; he


    was so cute with this innocent cast of his. But drawing my mind back to the dark looks and hateful


    words he threw at me only caused me to terminate this admiration that was going on at the moment.


    I needed to kill the pride in me and cease the anger for the moment if I wanted this n to work. As


    much as I hated Mason and his silly ideas, I also kind of liked the fact that we both wanted one thing:


    revenge.


    I wanted revenge for all the things Luke had done to me when we were still married. And as for Mason,


    I had no idea what Luke did to him; he kept on refusing to tell me for some reason, and I couldn¡¯t even


    imagine what it was.


    ¡°Hey, what are you thinking?¡± He snapped his fingers at my face, taking me away from my deep


    thoughts.


    ¡°Oh sorry.¡± I shook my head. ¡°What were you saying?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, go ahead, sir.¡±


    ¡°On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see, I uttered, gently rubbing my chin. ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡±


    ¡°My grandfather told me something yesterday, and the words keep on revolving in my head.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± His tone was kind of anti¨Cseptic.


    ¡°Okay, keep your thoughts to yourself then. It wasn¡¯t like I was that curious anyway.¡± I shrugged.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t given me an answer to my question.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need an answer,¡± I vocalized inaudibly. ¡°Just know that I hate you. I hate you so much.¡±


    Luke gazed at me for seconds with a disapproving look, and I didn¡¯t care anyway. He burst out of the


    car, making a serious face. I left as well.


    We entered the hospital and made our way to the reception desk. I approached the nurse, trying to


    maintain aposed demeanor. ¡°Excuse me, could you please tell us where we can find Sir Reynold?¡±


    I asked politely.


    ¡°Sir Reynold?¡± The nurse gave me a confused expression. And I too was confused that she gave me a


    confused face. Like, wasn¡¯t this the hospital where his grandfather was admitted?


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask where he is; I know the room goofball,¡± Luke told me.


    I quickly turned around to look at him. ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a goofball?¡±


    ¡°There is no time for childish things. We can¡¯t spend our entire day in the hospital.¡± He walked away


    with an annoyed expression. But he wasn¡¯t the only one who was annoyed here.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, giving the nurse a fake smile before following Luke.


    MOFRIEND ZONE


    I was walking behind Luke, and believe me when I say this, he was too fast. I couldn¡¯t even catch up


    with him. It was as if we hadn¡¯te into the hospital together.


    ¡°Can you please slow down? You¡¯re walking too fast!¡± I bawled a little, still following Luke¡¯s


    lead.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m at my normal pace. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s slow.¡± An arctic tone right there, no nces


    directed at me. His hands were in his pockets.


    ¡°I thought your grandfather wanted to speak with me.¡±


    Luke didn¡¯t give me a reply. He just ignored me, acting like he didn¡¯t even hear what I said. I decided to


    shut it down for now.


    After waking for quite some time, Luke halted, so I had to do the same. He nced back at me.


    ¡°Get in,¡± was what he told me, and it sounded more like amand. I couldn¡¯t believe this guy. It was


    as if I were begging to be with him or something.


    We both gazed at each other; the look of anger right within us showed no seriousness, and the looks


    were quite mutual. I couldn¡¯t help but think that someone was forcing him to do all these things.


    Luke budged backwards, making way for me to enter the room. I took a deep breath and ploddingly


    stepped inside. Sir Reynold was lying on the hospital bed. He looked so enervated, which made me


    feel kind of sorry for him.


    I moved forward to Sir Reynold, still having that sorrowful feeling for him. At the time, I was still married


    to Luke; he was the only one in the Reynolds who seemed to care for me. The rest were all mean and


    heartless toward me.


    When I was adjacent to him, I held his warm hand. His eyes were closed, but he opened them the


    moment he felt my touch.


    ¡°Ariel, is that you?¡± He spoke in a soft tone, his eyes partly tone, his eyes partly


    pened, and his gaze was directed


    upwards.


    RT NOTIPEND ZO


    ¡°Yes.¡± I spoke softly as well, closing my eyes and letting out little tears. But I swiftly wiped them away.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you are here. You don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± His words prompted me to


    laugh. ¡°Where is Luke?¡± he asked.


    I turned around immediately, but Luke wasn¡¯t in the room. He must probably be outside. ¡°I think he¡¯s


    outside; should I go and call him?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need.¡± Sir Reynold let out a long sigh. ¡°Ariel, I wanted to speak with you about


    something. This is really important.¡± He coughed.


    ¡°What is that, sir?¡± I asked in a calm and gentle manner.


    He coughed again. ¡°Five years ago, you and Luke were separated; is that not correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we divorced.¡±


    ¡°Look, I know he did a lot of terrible things to you. But did you really hate him?¡±


    I sighed after some time. ¡°I did; I hated him.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Sir Reynold disagreed, and I looked at him forthwith. ¡°You were only allowing your


    anger to overshadow you.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°That is what I know. Look, Ariel, do you know that Luke changed a little when you were absent in the


    past five years?¡±


    I had a look of both surprise and confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°After you left him, he changed some of his ways. He doesn¡¯t smoke again; you don¡¯t see him partying


    in the club all night. He missed you, but he didn¡¯t realize it, and he still hasn¡¯t. But I know that the three


    years spent with you had an impact on his life.¡±


    Yeah, I did remember telling Luke to stop smoking. But he would just ignore me and blow smoke on my


    face, which was literally annoying. I¡¯m quite surprised to find out that he had put an end to his smoking


    habits.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, you don¡¯t know how important you are to me, Luke, and to the rest of the people who have


    actually spent a lot of time with you.¡±


    Yeah, I could believe that, but me being important to Luke? That was so not true.


    ¡°Sir Reynold continued, ¡°You¡¯re so kind and lovely. Beautiful and wonderful. Anyone would be so lucky


    to have you in their lives. That¡¯s why I want you to marry Luke.¡±


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 32

    32 A ONE TIME THING


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You want me to marry Luke?¡± I was kind of shocked and confused. I had tons of dreams and


    imaginations in the past, which got me wondering if this was just another one of them.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Of course, Ariel, Sir Reynold said with a cough. ¡°I feel like my days on earth will soon be over; that¡¯s


    why I want to witness something so remarkable. Please, Ariel, grant me just this one wish. Marry Luke


    and do your very best to change him. Bring the loving heart out of him.¡±


    I was still in shock, wondering if Luke agreed to this. Although this was what I wanted, I couldn¡¯t believe


    what I was hearing. I never knew it was going to be this easy.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your decision, Ariel? Will you marry him?¡±


    I looked at Sir Reynold for quite a while, still wondering if I should actually agree to this. But I shouldn¡¯t


    even be thinking, because this was just what I wanted¡ªwhat Mason wanted. And thinking about my


    little children, of course I was going to agree to get married to Luke. I wouldn¡¯t even care if he was


    going to be nice with me, since this was just for revenge and nothing else. I wasn¡¯t nning to spend a


    lifetime with him.


    ¡°Okay, fine, I¡¯ll marry him.¡± I smiled at Sir Reynold. He beamed at me back.


    I spent an hour discussing various things with Sir Reynold, just like we used to do back then when Luke


    and I would go and pay him a visit at Sun House.


    So after our conversations hade to an end, I left the room, and Luke was nowhere to be found. I


    wondered where he had gone to.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Ouhhhhhhh, gimme more! gimme more!¡± Tiffany screamed, bouncing on top of me, as I vigorously


    pounded the soul out of her.


    We had been going at it for what felt like hours, but neither of us showed any signs of slowing down.


    Our bodies were slick with sweat, and our breaths came out in ragged gasps as we


    AA ONE TIME THING


    moved together in perfect rhythm.


    Tiffany¡¯s hands roamed over my chest, her nails digging into my skin, leaving red marks in their wake. I


    could feel my release building, and I knew she was close too.


    ¡°Harder!¡± she cried out, and I obliged, thrusting into her with all my might. She screamed my name, her


    body shaking as she went harder and harder. Her walls clenched around me, sending me over the


    edge, and I exploded inside her.


    Tiffany didn¡¯t just stop there; she continued to rock her hips on me and bounced harder, screaming


    louder. I had to let her take control.


    Tiffany was a nurse I stumbled upon while I was at the hospital. She was just too dishy, with her blonde


    hair and wonderful curves. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her, and since she was also interested in me,


    Why should I waste the opportunity? We had an interesting talk before I took her to a hotel nearby.


    If Harriet could cheat on me, satisfying herself with other men, Then I guessed I could also do the


    same. But we were no longer a couple, so I could do whatever I wanted. I also used to be a yer


    back then, in high school. But I decided to change for some reason. Well, it looked like I was about to


    go back to my


    old ways.


    As I looked up at Tiffany, I couldn¡¯t believe how lucky I was to have her bouncing on top of me like this.


    Her long hair swayed with each movement, and her body glistened with sweat. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes


    off her as she rode me with such intensity.


    I could feel every inch of her as she moved up and down, her moans filling the room. I couldn¡¯t help but


    let out a low growl as she picked up the pace, her hips grinding against mine.


    Her hands were gripping onto my chest, her nails digging into my skin, but the pleasure was too great


    for me to even feel the pain. I reached up and grabbed onto her hips, guiding her movements and


    feeling her body mold to mine.


    I could tell she


    was getting close; her pace was bing more erratic, and her screams were getting louder. I wanted


    to savor every moment of this, knowing it would be over soon.


    But then she leaned down and whispered in my ear, ¡°I¡¯m almost there, baby. Are you ready?¡±


    And with that, she started bouncing even harder, her body mning against mine with each thrust. I


    could feel myself losing control, my body tensing up as I could feel myself about to explode. And as she


    moaned my name, I burst all over her. But it didn¡¯t end there; I flipped us over, giving her powerful


    strokes.


    As I mmed into Tiffany, her screams of pleasure echoed throughout the room. Shey back on the


    bed, her body writhing beneath me. I could feel her nails digging into my back, urging


    me on.


    I couldn¡¯t get enough of her and the way she moaned and begged for more. It was like an addiction,


    and I waspletely under her spell. I should be doing this more often.


    I looked down at her, her eyes closed in ecstasy, and her lips parted in a silent scream. I knew I was


    driving her wild, and that only made me want her more.


    I picked up the pace, my thrusts bing more urgent and rough. The headboard of the bed was


    banging against the wall, but I didn¡¯t care. All I could focus on was the woman beneath me, her body


    responding to my every move.


    I quickly pulled out of her, and she grabbed my member, her eyes filled with desire. Without saying a


    word, she kneeled on the bed and started to suck the soul out of me. Her lips were soft, and her touch


    was electric, sending shivers down my spine. I moaned in pleasure as she expertly worked her magic,


    taking me to new heights of ecstasy.


    I couldn¡¯t believe how amazing she was, and I was lost in the moment as she pleasured me. Every


    touch, every lick, was like heaven, and I couldn¡¯t get enough. I grabbed onto her hair as she continued


    to suck me, her passion and hunger evident in every move.


    The moment I felt myself about to explode, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. I let out a primal roar as I


    released myself into her mouth, my entire body trembling with pleasure. She eagerly took in every drop


    and continued to suck me until I waspletely spent. We copsed onto the bed, both panting and


    sweaty, but with


    tisfied smiles on our faces.


    ¡°That was crazy,¡± I uttered, trying to ca


    breath.


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Tiffany brought out, also breathing heavily. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should do this every day?¡±


    ¡°Nope, this is just a one¨Ctime thing.¡± I rose from the bed.


    My phone started ringing; Jack was the one who was calling, I decided to answer it.


    ¡°Luke, where the hell are you?¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound like Jack¡¯s voice at all. It was the voice of ady.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ariel, you idiot!¡±


    Wow, howe I didn¡¯t recognize her voice? She had finally finished her conversation with my


    grandfather. I thought she was going to take forever. And who the hell was she being disrespectful to?


    Thisdy really had some nerves.


    Ariel continued, ¡°You better show yourself at the hospital right now. My stuff is in your car!¡±

 Chapter 33

    33 A TIME FOR DISSES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood outside the hospital alongside Jack, and we were both waiting for Luke. I didn¡¯t even know


    where the idiot ran off to; the clothes I bought for Andre were in his car.


    ¡°Your boss is really stupid, you know,¡± I said to Jack. ¡°I believe you¡¯ve noticed that so many times.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Miss Clinton, you


    need to


    e more respectful.¡®


    ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t act so innocent. You definitely know what I¡¯m talking about. So go ahead, feel free to


    insult him as much as you want; I won¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Jack just kept his serious face on, standing like a statue. I took out my phone and saw a text from


    Mason. He was asking me where I was, which was really aggravating. I was not his girlfriend for crying


    out loud.


    ¡±


    We continued to wait until, finally, Luke¡¯s car arrived. He wasn¡¯t the only one who was inside. There


    was this blonde who happened to be a nurse. I had seen her at the time I first stepped foot inside the


    hospital. I wondered where both of them wereing from.


    The nurse left his car and


    towards the building. As for Luke, he still sat inside. I


    nced at Jack, and he was still making his serious face. I turned my gaze to Luke once again, and he


    was still in his car, doing what only God knows. These men were unbelievable. It and he was still in his


    car, doing what only G


    seemed like that big head had forgotten what I told him on the phone earlier.


    I stood still, trying to see if Luke was going to walk to us. But no, he was still settling down in his car,


    and I forgot to mention that he had sunsses on.


    ¡°Miss Clinton, I thought you were waiting for him,¡± Jack told me.


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± I threw him an unserious face before traipsing to Luke. I knocked on the door of his car,


    and then he took the window down.


    ¡°Can I please have my stuff?¡± I stretched my hands over to him.


    Luke took his sunsses off his eyes. ¡°What stuff?¡±


    ¡°The bag of clothes I ced in your car before I went to the hospital.¡± I had to exin it to


    him.


    ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t see any bags here,¡± he said, looking all around his car.


    My eyes widened at that very moment. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute, let me check.¡± I wanted to open the car door, but it was locked. I looked at Luke right


    away and gestured towards the door.


    He shook his head, indicating a no, and he began to make a phone call. I could tell he was lying when


    he said he couldn¡¯t see those clothes in his car. This man was really getting on my nerve.


    ¡°Luke!¡± Someone shouted, and when I turned around, I saw his good¨Cfor¨Cnothing girlfriend, Harriet.


    ¡°Luke!¡± She yelled again, but the goofball didn¡¯t give her his attention. I couldn¡¯t help but


    business anyway. have the feeling that they had a fight. But it was not my


    Harriet finally got closer; she red at me, but I quickly turned my face away to avoid any nonsense.


    She moved her face closer to Luke, who was still in his car.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been answering my calls, nor have you been replying to my messages. going on?¡± She


    questioned him. But he acted like he wasn¡¯t the one she was talking to.


    What¡¯s


    ¡°Luke, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Harriet interesting. ¡°Luke, talk to me!¡± She wanted to hold his shoulder, but he


    pushed her hand away. Harriet looked frustrated and was about to cry. Should I feel sorry for her?


    bed it loudly, and he still didn¡¯t reply to her. This was


    ¡°You!¡± she turned to me with a bitter tone.


    you say to him?¡±


    I looked around, pretending like I was trying to see who she was talking to, although I knew it


    was me.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, idiot!¡± Harriet snarled, seizing my arm and making me look at her.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± 1 bawled and forcefully tugged my arm off her hand. ¡°Why are you dragging me into


    this?¡±


    ¡°You viper! I know you¡¯ve filled Luke¡¯s head with poison.¡±


    I chuckled, taking my eyes off her. ¡°Oh please.¡±


    ¡°Why are you just ruining people¡¯s lives, huh?¡±


    ¡°Ruining people¡¯s lives?¡± I gave her an incredulous look. Am I the one who wrecked your father?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you


    dare drag my father into this!¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t you dare say false things about me!¡± I came back. ¡°I¡¯m not the reason for your man ignoring


    you.¡±


    ¡°I can just choke you to death right now.¡®


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± I told her in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re the one who needs to be choked to death, since your man¡¯s


    ignoring yourme ass. But don¡¯t worry, you can go ahead and hang yourself.¡±


    ¡°Look here, Ariel.¡± Harriet stirred again. ¡°I do not like you one bit.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t hate you too?¡± I gave her a false grin. ¡°Like, I¡¯d rather eat dog poop than be friends


    with you.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    She chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just stupid?¡±


    21 A TIME FOR DISSER


    ¡°Not as stupid as your mom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you this; do not drag my parents into this!¡±


    ¡°Well, you only told me not to drag your father into this. Nothing about your mother, so¡­¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Just shut up your ugly trash!¡±


    ¡°Awwn, thank you; I really, really appreciate that,¡± I said sarcastically, ¡°You are a beautifuldy; there is


    no doubt about that. But I think you¡¯ll look more beautiful when you¡¯re lying in your coffin with your eyes


    closed.¡±


    ¡°Are you the one who¡¯s going to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Why


    Would I want to kill something that¡¯s already dead?¡±


    ¡°Okay, will the both of you just please stop it?¡± Luke chimed in with a shout, causing the both of us to


    look at him. ¡°Enough already. I¡¯m sick and tired of you two behaving like children.¡±


    ¡°Then you should have just driven away,¡± I fired at him.


    ¡°Or maybe I should have hit you with my car,¡± he retorted. He looked at Harriet promptly. ¡± And as for


    you, I don¡¯t want to ever see your face again. It¡¯s over between us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over? But why?¡± Harriet¡¯s hard expression changed.


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Luke handed his phone over to her. With her gaze fixed on the phone, she


    couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    ¡°Care to exin?¡± Luke red at Harriet; she was speechless. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± Luke then turned to


    his car. But Harriet quickly sized his shirt.


    ¡°Luke, please, please don¡¯t do this to me.¡± Harriet pleaded. ¡°Please don¡¯t end our rtionship. I¡¯ll do


    anything, anything you tell me.¡±


    TAE FOR OVE


    ¡°You¡¯ll do anything, right?¡± Luke raised his eyebrows, and Harriet nodded, ¡°Then get out of here.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave Luke. I love you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t love me, Harriet; stop saying that!¡± Luke barked immediately. ¡°You are nothing but a liar, and


    I¡¯m d I¡¯m ending things with you. It¡¯s over, Harriet; I want nothing to do with you any more.¡±


    This drama was quite interesting, but I needed to get the clothes I bought for Andre.


    I moved closer to Luke¡¯s car and was about to see if I could open it. But he quickly grabbed me


    neck. and pulled me very close to him, wrapping his arm around my


    He took his eyes off Harriet and looked at me, smiling. ¡°This is my woman now.¡±

 Chapter 34

    34 NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing at the moment. Anger and astonishment had filled her up.


    But this was what she wanted, right? The downfall of our rtionship. Her wish had already been


    fulfilled. And trust me, I wasn¡¯t going back on my words.


    Ariel, too, seems kind of shocked by what was happening. I wasn¡¯t even interested in her; I was just


    doing this so Harriet could be filled with pain. Lots and lots of pain. And it seems like it was working.


    ¡°Ariel, is your woman now?¡± Harriet asked, her voice broken. And it seemed like she was about to burst


    into tears. I wanted to feel sorry for her, but I quickly terminated that good¨Cfor -nothing feeling.


    I wore a fake smile, replying to Harriet. ¡°Yes, and we¡¯ll be getting married tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Ariel blurted it out with a surprised face. Of course, she wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    ¡°Luke, you are really going to do this to me?¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Just breaking up


    with me and getting married to her immediately? Why, Luke, why?¡±


    ¡°You were the one who brought this whole sorrow upon yourself, Harriet, by deciding to go and sleep


    with other men. Like, what made you do that? Was it because of money? I got that. Was it because of


    beauty? I got that. Or wait a minute, my manhood wasn¡¯t big for you, or what?¡±


    ¡°Did you really have to say that?¡± Ariel whispered.


    ¡°Oh, shut up, will you?¡± I replied to her in the same manner. I set my eyes back on Harriet. ¡°So tell me,


    woman, what is the reason for your sleeping with other men?¡±


    Harriet shook her head, ¡°You know what, Luke? It¡¯s useless talking to you. You never really loved me,


    because if you did, you wouldn¡¯t decide to get married immediately after our breakup.¡±


    CHUNG BACK TOGETHER


    ¡°You want to know something, Harriet? I picked up a cigarette from my pocket, and Ariel was quick to


    give me a disapproving look. I never really cared about her opinion anyway. It¡¯s been a long time since


    I smoked. Like, what the hell was wrong with me?


    1 lit the cigarette and blew a smoke, fixing my eyes on Harriet once again. ¡°Our love was fading; did


    you notice that?¡± I asked, and she cleaned the tears from her eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious you didn¡¯t,


    because you were sleeping with different men.


    I blew more smoke and continued, ¡°Everything became worse the moment I found out you were


    cheating on me. Then I got back together with you because I had pity. You wanted to kill yourself, and I


    didn¡¯t want to feel guilty for someone¡¯s death. But then you had to do shit again.¡± I threw the cigarette


    on the ground and stepped on it.


    I directed my gaze at Harriet. ¡°It¡¯s over between us, Harriet. No apologies, no second chances, nothing


    at all. Just imagine that I never existed and that this chapter between us never took ce.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Harriet uttered lowly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to change your decision.¡±


    no,


    ¡°Oh I won¡¯t. But don¡¯t think about suicide, because even if you try to kill yourself, I¡¯m still not getting


    back with you. We are never ever getting back together. Let those words sink into your brain.¡±


    Harriet exhaled deeply; her eyes went straight to Ariel, and there was a re right there. ¡°And you, do


    you really want to marry this man again?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking her that?¡± I slightly squeezed Ariel, rubbing her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you


    we¡¯re getting married, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I was not talking to you, so don¡¯t interfere,¡± Harriet spat at me in a cold mode. ¡°I asked you a question,


    Ariel. Do you want to get married to Luke?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re seeing it,¡± Ariel answered, going with the flow. She also wanted to hit Harriet with tons of


    pain, and it wasn¡¯t like we had nned it.


    ¡°Okay, then,¡± Harriet uttered with a slow nod. ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    34 NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER


    375


    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± I said immediately, still giving her a fake smile. Harriet turned around and walked


    away.


    Immediately, Ariel pushed me off her body. ¡°What the hell were you doing, huh?¡±


    ¡°What was I doing?¡± I repeated her question.


    ¡°Who told you that you could touch me like that?¡±


    I red at her from up to down. ¡°Oh,e on now; don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t like it; I don¡¯t want to even be close to you. If it wasn¡¯t for your grandfather and Ha¡­¡± she


    paused her lips immediately. I wondered why.


    ¡°My grandfather, and who now?¡± I asked, with one of my eyebrows raised.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern. Now give me the clothes that are in there.¡± Ariel gestured towards my car.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already. There are no clothes in there. Do I have to sing it as a nursery rhyme for you so


    you¡¯ll understand?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut


    up,


    ¡°she answered bitterly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really be a nuisance, worse than how you were years ago.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much; I appreciate thement.¡± sarcastic expression right there. ¡°Now are you going


    to open this door or not?¡±


    ¡°There is no way I¡¯m going to open this car for you. Go to hell!¡±


    ¡°Luke, you better open


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    the door now or else. ¡°


    ¡°Or else what?¡± I spoke right away. ¡°You¡¯re going to break my


    car?¡±


    34 NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do that, but that¡¯s actually a nice suggestion.¡± She fixed her hands on my


    car.


    ¡°Get your filthy hands off my car,¡± I spat.


    ¡°For crying out loud, Luke, my clothes are in there!¡± Ariel extended her hands over to my car.


    ¡°Your clothes?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Since when did you start wearing a suit? And those T¨Cshirts are way too


    big for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business anyway. Just give me what belongs to me so I can get out of here.¡±


    ¡°If you leave now, when are we going to discuss the preparations for our wedding?¡± I smirked, crossing


    my arms and leaning my shoulder against my car.


    ¡°You¡¯re the billionaire here. Go find a bunch of people; you all can discuss it. Buy the necessary


    materials and get me the wedding dress. And when you guys are done, inform me about it.¡±


    ¡°How stupid of you?¡±


    ¡°Look, sir, I don¡¯t have all day. Please open the car so I can get the clothes out. I have other things to


    do.¡±


    ¡°Things like what?¡±


    Sit


    Ariel sighed, shaking her head in frustration. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it.¡± She began to walk away from me.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving the clothes with me?¡±


    She simply ignored me and disappeared. Like, seriously, did she actually leave those clothes for me?


    But then she answered my question the moment she showed up with a baseball stick. I gave


    31 NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER


    her a weird look, watching her as she transposed closer to me.


    ¡°Where did you get that from?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that,¡± she said and lifted her hands, still having a hold of the baseball bat. She was about


    to wreck my car, but I quickly stopped her.


    ¡°Woah woah woah, what are you doing? You want to smash my car?¡± I took her hands lower.


    ¡°Well, you chose to be stubborn. Now let go.¡± She tried to drag the bat off my hands, but I held it tightly.


    ¡°Luke Reynold and Ariel Walker. Are the two of you back together?¡±


    35 STAY


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Ariel and I saw some people standing not too far from us, each of them holding cameras, and they


    were taking pictures of the two of us.


    Since Ariel was giving them all of her attention, I dragged the bat from her hands. No doubt we still had


    a problem around here, but at least my car wouldn¡¯t be getting demolished.


    ¡°Ariel Reynold,¡± one of them said, moving closer. ¡°Can you please exin to us what this is all about?¡±


    Ariel raised an eyebrow with a displeasing look. ¡°Can you please mind your own business?¡±


    ¡°This is our business,¡± the dude said. Ariel just ignored him as she started walking away.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take your clothes along with you?¡± I sounded off, reminding her that her properties


    were still with me, right in my car.


    ¡°You can keep them!¡± she yelled back, not even ncing at me. She had now gotten a little bit


    far.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I shouted again. And you could just guess what she did: she flicked me off.


    I chuckled. It was kind of disrespectful, but I have to say, I loved this version of Ariel.


    The


    guy who was taking pictures turned to me. ¡°So, Mr. Reynold, care to tell us about the whole situation?¡±


    ¡°Have a nice day, man.¡± I¡¯patted his shoulder and burst into my car.

 Chapter 35

    35 STAY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    2/5


    I arrived home, and right in the living room, these four were gathered: Andre, Mason, Seth, and


    Michael. They were all sitting down. I slowly closed the door and walked in their direction in the same


    manner. I could discern Mason¡¯s gaze towards me; it wasn¡¯t a nice one, so I took my eyes off him and


    fixed them on a better person.


    ¡°You all came home early,¡± I said, advancing towards them. I sat close to Andre, trying my very best to


    ignore Mason¡¯s gaze. ¡°So what¡¯s the discussion about?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We had an issue at ourpany in Canada, so we¡¯ll need to go there to resolve it,¡± Andre answered.


    ¡°Okay, hold on, so we¡¯re going back to Canada?¡± I needed to be clear about this whole discussion.


    ¡°Yes, but Mason here insists that we stay a little longer. He says he has some things to take care of in


    New Haven, but I have no idea what they are, and he keeps on refusing to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, brother, why are you still stressing yourself over this? I¡¯ve already told you. You can go


    to Canada with all these two, but Ariel and I will stay to run the business around here.¡±


    Andre looked at me instantly. ¡°You agree with that, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Of course she¡¯s going to agree,¡± Mason chimed in. ¡°Remember, we have an ongoing project with The


    Reynold Company. Someone will have to be in charge around here to see how that goes.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Seth brought out and turned to Andre. ¡°Look, sir, the project with Luke Reynold¡¯spany is


    really important, and indeed, someone will need to represent us. The Vitality Group at New Haven is


    gradually developing, so someone needs to handle it. I believe Ariel will be able to do that wlessly.¡±


    Andre nodded. ¡°That is true. But I need to hear from Ariel first. Let¡¯s see what she has to say- if she¡¯s


    going to follow us to Canada or stay here in New Haven.¡±


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°Well, I¡¯d really love to go back to Canada; my babies must be missing


    me,¡± I uttered, looking at Mason. His re towards me was slowlying up,


    I continued, ¡°But as Seth has said, Vitality Group is in New Haven, so we need someone to manage it.


    So I think I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Andre asked, looking fixedly at me.


    I stared back at him for seconds before finally answering, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m sure about that.¡±


    Michael pped his hands right away. ¡°See? Case closed. I told you all it¡¯s going to be easy once Ariel


    arrives. His words caused me tough silently.


    ¡°So will Ariel be the only one staying?¡± Andre threw a question.


    ¡°I thought I told you,¡± Mason vocalized, and we all nced at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here with her. Vitality


    Group is indeed going to need a genius.¡± He felt so proud of himself.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Andre uttered beneath his breath. ¡°Guess, it¡¯s all settled then.¡±


    ¡°Now time for refreshments.¡± Michael sped his hands together, and his eyes went to me forthwith.


    ¡°So, miss,¡± he said, giving me a knowing look.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked him incontinently.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Seth red at Michael. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to act mature? You¡¯re no little kid.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you in the first ce.¡± Michael frowned back at him.


    ¡°Okay, okay, there¡¯s no need to start an argument.¡± Andre tried to calm them down. ¡°We need to start


    packing our stuff!¡±


    ¡°When will the three of you be leaving?¡± I queried. Not that curious, though.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning. As early as possible.¡± Andre stood up.


    ¡°But tomorrow¡¯s your birthday.¡± I reminded him.


    He raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°It is?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Iughed. ¡°See, you¡¯ve even forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just celebrate it tonight?¡± Michael brought a suggestion. ¡°I mean, we can just buy a few


    things, get the cake, and boom! It¡¯s a happy birthday, sir.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be leaving now. I have some things to take care of.¡± Seth stood up and moved to the door.


    Andre walked to Seth and patted his shoulder. ¡°Okay, Seth, take care. Remember toe early


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay sir.¡± Seth nodded with a narrow smile before leaving the house.


    ¡°d that guy is gone.¡± Michael leaned against the couch, slowly closing both of his eyes.


    ¡°So, about that birthday suggestion, Michael?¡± I smiled at him, and he opened his eyes promptly.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going to discuss that, but first, can you please find me something to eat? I¡¯m starving.


    ¡°Okay, then Michael,¡± I brought out, leisurely getting to my feet. ¡°Andre, eat as well?¡±


    would you


    like to


    ¡°Yes please. My tummy¡¯s been grumbling since morning,¡± Andre answered, taking off his shirt.


    ¡°Seriously? You haven¡¯t eaten since morning?¡± I quizzed him and surprised him a little.


    Nope. I¡¯ve been really busy. So let me know when the food is ready. I¡¯ll be in my room upstairs.¡± Andre


    headed for the stairs.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t care to ask about me,¡± Mason smirked. I wanted to throw him a dark look, but I decided to


    suppress my anger,


    I closed my eyes, shaking my head, trying to put myself together. ¡°Okay, then, mister, would you like to


    have something?¡±


    ¡°Nah, you can get your ugly ass to the kitchen,¡± he derided, inming me. And I just wanted to grab a


    knife right now and throw it at his head.


    I ignored Mason and made my way to the kitchen. Michael had his eyes closed, and I didn¡¯t even know


    if he was sleeping, but that never really mattered to me anyway.


    Just as I was about to get the stuff to prepare my dish, the doorbell rang,


    ¡°Ariel, someone¡¯s at the door!¡± Mason informed me in a ring tone.


    He was the one close to the door. Why didn¡¯t he go and check it out himself? That is good for nothing,


    scumbag,


    I red at Mason, who was giving his phone all of his attention as I walked to the door. When I opened


    it, I was surprised to see who had shown up. It was Luke.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 36

    36 ON MY BED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why are you here? It would be best for you to return to where you came from.¡± I attempted to shut the


    door on Laike, but he easily overpowered me. My strength was no match for his.


    ¡°Why the sudden pursuit now?¡± He chuckled. ¡°I only came to pay my wife a visit.¡± His tone dripped with


    mockery.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions, sir. 1 am not your wife,¡± 1 retorted quickly. ¡°Please refrain from


    addressing me like that.¡±


    ¡°Why not? We¡¯ll be married soon.¡± Luke¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°It¡¯s time to start preparing yourself, don¡¯t you


    think? Tomorrow will be a monumental day for you. Apparently, one of the best in your life.¡±


    ¡°And who in the world said we¡¯ll be getting married tomorrow?¡± I blurted out, taken aback by his sudden


    announcement.


    He let out a mocking sigh and sped his hands together. ¡°My grandfather is insistent on having the


    wedding as soon as possible.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. ¡°But still, tomorrow? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Luke chuckled softly. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with that.¡± He shifted his face closer. ¡°And besides,


    I¡¯m pretty sure you hunger for this.¡±


    I met his gaze, feeling his warm breath on my face. ¡°And who gave you that impression?¡± I whispered,


    slowly getting lost in his eyes.


    He grinned mischievously. ¡°No one, but it¡¯s written all over your face.¡± He brushed a stray hair from my


    face, causing my heart to flutter.


    My body wanted to dance to this, and my heart wanted to pound like never before. I was about to be


    lost in this moment, with an imagination of total bliss. But then I snapped out of it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I pulled away, snapping out of my daydream.


    Luke couldn¡¯t hold back augh. ¡°Why would I want to? You¡¯re not worth it.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, annoyed by his words. ¡°Then what were you doing?¡±


    ¡°I was just shooing away a pesky fly from your grimy hair.¡± He shook an insect off his hand and it


    landed on the ground. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re drawn to you.¡±


    My eyes narrowed down to the little fly on the ground. How in the world did that thing get in my hair?


    ¡°Come on now, Ariel. Don¡¯t be surprised that fly pop out of your hair.¡± Luke gave me a sardonic smile.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s quite clear that you¡¯re an absolute mess. Ju nothing life.¡±


    ¡°Seriously Luke? Did youe here just toy insults at me?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let mee in. So what were you expecting?¡±


    like your good for


    ¡°Ariel, isn¡¯t the food ready yet?¡±


    Michael yelled from inside the house.


    ON MY BED


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m speaking to someone right here!¡± I replied loudly.


    Luke looked into the house. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s talking with her hu¡­¡±


    I cut him off, covering his mouth with my hand. ¡°What did hell is wrong with you?¡± I asked in a whisper.


    He pushed my hand off his mouth. ¡°What kind of silly question is that? I was just trying to introduce


    myself.¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡±


    ¡°When then?¡± Luke smirked.


    I stared at him for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but not now.¡±


    He breathed out deeply. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. You can start inviting all your friends. They


    can¡¯t miss this special event.¡±


    Luke was really distressing. But it should be the other way round, because I was one who was nning


    to take revenge. Going to live in moments that would pleasing and unptable- because some


    scumbag was threatening to kill my children.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You can get going now, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me¡± he said, with a smirk.


    Luke turned around, and treaded away. I watched him as he burst into his car and drove off. My


    feelings toward him was unbnced.


    Sometimes there was hate, and other times, I just felt different. But trust me, the hate was way bigger,


    ten times stronger than the other feeling. I was definitely not going to use the word ¡® love¡®.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    When I arrived home, I went straight to my room. I needed to take a nice, cool, refreshing shower. The


    day was stressful, all thanks to Ariel. Why in the world did I even pay her a visit?


    As I opened the door, I was shocked to see Harriet, lying on my bed. She was wearing a lingerie, red in


    color, which had to boost her attractiveness.


    ¡°You?¡± I red at her, recalling this things I had heard, and the video seen as well. ¡°Luke,¡± she uttered


    in a seductive tone, gently brushing herp with her finger.


    ¡°What are you doing here? And who let you in?¡± Curiosity had taken over me.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be asking that, baby,¡± she continued with her soft voice, slowly getting off the bed.


    ¡°Do not call me that. I already ended things with you,¡± I reminded her.


    ¡°You did, but I haven¡¯t.¡± Harriet grinned, stirring nigher to me. When she got really close, she wrapped


    her arm around my neck, and fixed her other hand on my chest.


    My re only intensified, along with my confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t start acting crazy now, You better stop this


    nonsense and leave.¡±


    Harriet.


    ¡°I know you like this.¡± Her smile widened. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, you would pushed me away


    MON MY DED


    immediately.¡±


    She pressed on with her slow movements, and wanted to touch my face. But I stopped her. I seized her


    hand. And while she just gave me the salted expression, I threw her a vicious look.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was finally done preparing the food, so I served it on different tes, right on a tray, and I made my


    way to the dinning table. I arrived the tes of food there.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Michael quickly rushed to the table, finding himself a seat.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Looks delicious,¡± he said, licking his lips, and rubbing his palms together. I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    I was about to call Andre, but he had to lessen the stress the moment he walked downstairs. Mason


    was still busy with his phone. He didn¡¯t seem hungry to me.


    I was expecting Andre to walk to the dinning table, but he headed straight to the door. He paused, just


    as he was about to open it, and then he turned around.


    ¡°I thought you wanted to eat,¡± I said to Andre gently. Mason nced at me, and set his back on his


    phone.


    eyes


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d love to do that right now. But one of my friends had an ident, so I need to go see him at


    the hospital,¡± Andre told me.


    ¡°Wow, you came here recently, and you¡¯ve started making so many friends. Good for you,¡± I talked in a


    yful tone.


    Andre couldn¡¯t hold a softugh. ¡°Now is not the time for jokes, Ariel. I¡¯ll see you guyster.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ming with you,¡± I spoke. He was about to open the door, but hearing my words, he slowly


    turned around.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Andre spoke his mind..


    ¡°Why not?¡± I queried.


    ¡°I might take long there, and I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to keep up with it.¡±


    Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll be by your side every single minute.¡±


    Andre gazed at me for seconds. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    I smiled instantly, walking to him. He opened the door, and left. I was about to do the same, until Mason


    coughed. I looked at him.


    ¡°We have some things to talk about. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be right for you to leave.¡± Mason smirked.


    IF SURLY CHANGES NOTHING

 Chapter 37

    37 SORRY CHANGES NOTHING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet could notice the anger on my face right now, burning within me like mes. And I could tell she


    was scared, but she wanted to act tough. I was not going to be blinded by her desirabic looks.


    Still ring at Harriet, I forcefully pressed her hand, which I had a hold of.


    ¡°Ouuu,¡± she vocalized in pain. ¡°Luke, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just fulfilling your wish¨Cmaking you scream.¡± I squeezed her hand harder.


    ¡°This is not how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Harriet struggled to cease my grip, but it was just too tight.


    ¡°Then how?¡±


    ¡°Let me go, and I¡¯ll show you.¡± She tightly shut both of her eyes.


    I didn¡¯t give Harriet a reply. But instead, I kept on inflicting pain on her.


    ¡°Please Luke, let go of me!¡± Her scream only got louder, and I had to do as she said.


    After letting go of Harriet, I grabbed her face, forcefully pressing her jaws. ¡°Now listen, I don¡¯t want


    anything to do with you again. Don¡¯t think you can use your body to make me forget about everything


    you did.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry!¡± she spoke, with the words barelying out of her mouth, since I was pressing her


    jaws like hell.


    ¡°Sorry¡¯s going to change nothing,¡± I spat bitterly. ¡°You tell me, if you throw a te to the ground,


    causing it to shatter into peices. And you tell it sorry, is it going to be fixed? Is it going to get back to


    normal?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she answered lowly, barely audible.


    ¡°Is it?¡± I snarled, moving my face closer to hers, still pressing her jaws forcefully.


    ¡°No!¡± Harriet screamed morously this time, with both of her eyes still closed. I thrust her visage


    backwards after that.


    She stood still for a moment, trying to catch her breath. And seeing her face, the hatred grew more and


    more.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Mason and I exchanged a gaze, whichsted for some seconds. Of course I knew what he wanted to


    talk about, but would this guy even let me rest?


    ¡°So what are you trying to say? That I shouldn¡¯t follow Andre?¡± I asked Mason, installing both of my


    hands on my waist.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered coldly, dropping his phone on the table. ¡°This is important.


    ¡°Important?¡± I blurted out, letting out a short sigh. ¡°I know what you want to talk about. Can¡¯t that wait till


    when I get back?¡±


    FSORRY CHANGES NOTHING


    ¡°No, no, it can¡¯t,¡± Mason replied, getting up. ¡°You might take too long, and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll fall asleep,


    waiting for yourme ass.¡±


    Hisst words caused Michael to look at him.


    ¡°What?¡± Mason asked Michael in an unfriendly tone, noticing how he was just staring at him.


    ¡°You just disrespected her,¡± Michael answered.


    Mason took a quick look at me, before fixing his gaze back on Michael. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do that,¡± Michael defended me.


    ¡°This is unbelievable.¡± Mason couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It seems like you have no idea who you¡¯re


    talking to.¡±


    ¡°I do. And don¡¯t start thinking too high of yourself,¡± Michael retorted.


    ¡°Oh shut up!¡± Mason mmed the table with his fist. He was burning with rage, breathing heavily,


    ring at Michael. ¡°You do not want to regret this.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Michael spat back.


    ¡°Okay that¡¯s enough!¡± I had to put an end to their little fight. Mason was insane, and I didn¡¯t want


    Michael¡¯s life to be in jeopardy.


    Mason and Michael red at each other, silent, yet burning with intense rage. And this was definitely


    not something I wanted.


    ¡°Ariel, aren¡¯t youing?¡± Andre screamed from outside.


    I looked at Mason, and he raised his brows at me, faking a smile. Crazy how he changed that frowny


    expression in seconds.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for you to still be standing there,¡± I told Harriet, still not taking my re off


    her. ¡°Get out.¡± I gestured toward the door.


    ¡°Why the hate of all a sudden, Luke?¡± Harriet threw a dumb question at me. And I gave her a look that


    showed how stupid she was.


    I didn¡¯t say anything, but she continued to scrutinize me, waiting for an answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a dumb question, you know.¡± I had to let her know. ¡°And you better get the hell out of this room,


    out of this house. Just taking a look at your face, makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°This is exactly what I¡¯m talking about,¡± she uttered and continued, ¡°A love you imed to have for so


    many years, is going toe to an end just like that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep repeating this, Harriet. You changed, so I decided to change as well.¡±


    ¡°I never changed!¡±


    ¡°So that means you¡¯ve been sleeping with other men since day one.¡± I chuckled promptly, averting my


    gaze. ¡°I should have known.


    ¡°You made a lot of promises to me, Luke. They¡¯re still in my head. And you couldn¡¯t fulfill any of them.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of you,¡± I retorted. ¡°If you had just remained loyal, I¡¯m pretty sure we


    won¡¯t be like this right now.¡±


    ¡°Things can still change, Luke.¡± Harriet moved closer, and I took a step backward. ¡°We can still go back


    to the way we used to be.¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± I disagreed. ¡°There is no way I¡¯m getting back together with a whore like you.¡°¡±


    ¡°Did you just call me a whore?¡± She asked, a broken tone.


    ¡°Was i wrong to call you that?¡± I spat. ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought this upon yourself. Doing something


    so disgusting.¡±


    ¡°But I said sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry changes nothing!¡± I snapped right away, and gave her the usual re. ¡°Sorry¡¯s just a word,


    okay? And even if it did change situations, it wasn¡¯t going to be in this case.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s look wasn¡¯t nice, and she paid attention to every word I spoke.


    ¡°I gave you a chance, a chance to change your ways. But what did you do? You squandered it. And it¡¯s


    not like those men are more handsome than me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for this long talk. Just tell me, is your decision final? Do you really want to end our


    rtionship?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaking, I already ended this shit. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re still asking me this question. It¡¯s


    pretty stupid of you.¡±


    ¡°I see. So you¡¯re telling me that you no longer want this ravishing body of mine?¡± she unted her


    figure, feeling so pround of herself.


    ¡°Dead things don¡¯te back to life. I hope you know that,¡± I told her. ¡°The dead decades and as time


    goes on, they¡¯re forgotten. So let me make things clear to you, Harriet. You are now a dead person in


    my world. And all the beautiful moments we had; I consider them to be nothing. I was only wasting my


    time with you, when there were other loyal women out there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that I¡¯m the one who saved your life when we were little.¡± She crossed her arms,


    harking my mind back to the past.


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t get things wrong around here. You only found a way we could escape. But because you


    were terrified, you refused to follow the way, but I did. I was the one who gathered the courage. So


    apparently, I saved myself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying all these.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still wasting your time. You should be somewhere else, banged by those


    good¨Cfor¨Cnothing men. Because that¡¯s clearly what you¡¯re good at.


    Harriet pped me immediately.


    getting

 Chapter 38

    getting


    38 NO HEAD ALLOWED


    FOUR YEARS AGO


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The hard work paid off, filled with so many joy. The pain was indeed too much, but the safe delivery


    took ce, now here i was now, with my two little adorable babies.


    The moment I held them in my arms, a wave of pure love and overwhelming happiness washed over


    me. Their tiny fingers curled around mine, their eyes gazing up at me with innocence and trust


    I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the miracle of life and the incredible journey we had all been through


    together. But these little babies really kicked my belly hard so


    I knew that this was just the beginning of a perfect life that would be filled with unconditional love,


    sleepless nights, and endless joy.


    Of course, after months of patience, it had now happened. I was ready to embrace every moment, to


    cherish their first smiles, their first steps, and to be there for them every step of the way.


    The challenges ahead seemed small inparison to the immense joy and fulfillment these little


    bundles of joy brought into my life. They were just so cute, and I could remember the times when I


    slowly moved, all because of thee little two.


    I was grateful for the support of this one person who had been there for me during those difficult


    months of pregnancy andbor. He knew what was going on, yet he took me like his


    OWIL


    I wanted to just quit this life several times, but his unwavering encouragement and presence gave me


    the strength to endure and ovee any obstacles that came my way. Isn¡¯t that just wonderful?


    Now, here I was, looking into the innocent faces of my babies, It was obvious the journey ahead would


    be filled with love,ughter, and the most precious moments that would make it all worthwhile. Ariel,


    this was indeed a remarkable moment in your life.


    Andre got into the room, slowing walk to my direction. Seeing the little ones, and hearing their beautiful


    cry, he smiled, with little tears streaming down his eyes.


    When he finally got close, he sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°They look so cute,¡± he said, softly touching


    the little faces of my adorable babies.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± I uttered, still exhausted from all that pushing.


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, just like their mother.¡± Andre smiled at me. I giggled to hisment.


    ¡°They have your eyes,¡± he whispered. ¡°And look at those tiny fingers, so delicate and perfect.¡±


    I smiled, a mixture of pride and exhaustion evident on my face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this day would finally


    come. It¡¯s just so, unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Unimaginable?¡± Andre looked at me. ¡°Please, don¡¯t say that. This is a big moment for you. You know


    these babies today, are going to give you different gleeful expressions.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I just didn¡¯t think all of this, would happen so soon.


    Andreughed. ¡°You never said any of these things when you were still carrying these babies.¡± His


    tone was yful, causing the both of us tough.


    ¡°So, you thought of names, yet??


    I looked at the two lovely babies, their heavenly faces, aggrandizing my smile. ¡°Janice and Lukel


    After naming them, I turned to Andre. He had this slight confused face.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, smiling at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m totally good with Janice. But Lukel? Seriously? Is that even a word? Like, why?¡± Andre spoke.


    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± I said softly, setting my eyes once again on my beautiful babies.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet¡¯s action reyed in my mind. The sting of her hand on my cheek lingered, fueling the fire of


    resentment within me. I could feel my fists clenching involuntarily, my whole body tensing up with a mix


    of rage and disbelief.


    ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡± I asked, brimming with anger.


    ¡°You need to watch your mouth, Luke,¡± Harriet told me. Her pleading tone had vanishedpletely. ¡°I


    need some respect!¡±


    ¡°Respect? Do you think a whore like you deserve respect?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up!¡± I snapped. ¡°You deserve all the insults in the world, because you¡¯re an absolute fool.¡±


    ¡°You can insult me all you want, Luke. But I know you still want this.¡±


    ¡°Keep your disgusting body to yourself.¡±


    Harriet ignored me, and the moment she inched closer, my unease grew. Suddenly, she knelt down


    and her fingers began encircling my crotch. The shock and disbelief washed over me as she swiftly


    undid my belt.


    I couldn¡¯t believe she was following through with this. Right now, a wave of anger surged within me.


    This waspletely uneptable.


    My mind raced, grappling with how to respond to this vition. Should I stab her or choke her to death?


    This was totally insane, and if she thought she could blind my eyes with this


    nonsense, she was truly mistaking.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Michael finally left the house, after he was done eating. Andre had already gone to the hospital. And as


    for me, I was just here, waiting to hear what Mason had to say.


    Mason walked down the stairs, his confident stride caught my attention. He strained an air of mystery,


    featured by the leather jacket that hugged his frame and the sleek ck jeans he


    Wore.


    approach, a mix of curiosity and annoyance flickered across my face. He was an annoying jerk.


    ¡°Have you been standing there, waiting for me?¡± He asked, giving me the fake smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for jokes. What is it you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°You need to calm down woman.¡± He kept on with his two¨Cfaced smile. I rolled my eyes in annoyance,


    as I let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to follow me,¡± he said, taking his shades off his eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t help but give him a confused look. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there,¡± Mason answered, and transposed to the door.


    ¡°Go somewhere with you, at this time of the night?¡± I turned to him. ¡°I see you¡¯re nning to take my


    life already.¡±


    He reached for the doorknob. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to panic. I¡¯m not nning to kill you any time


    soon.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I spoke, crossing my arms. ¡°That means you¡¯ve actually fixed a time when you¡¯ll chop my head


    off. You know, you can just do that now.¡±


    ¡°No, you still have a mission to aplish, remember?¡± He slowly turned around, giving met the


    baleful smirk. ¡°But if you try to act stupid, you¡¯re gonna regret it. Your little babies will join you in hell.¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    With my belt taken off, as well as my pants, Harriet¡¯s hands reached towards my boxers, a surge of


    conflicting emotions washed over me. The lines between desire and restraint blurred, and my instinct


    kicked in.


    I seized her hands, my fingers tightening around her sensitive wrists. But before I could react further, a


    sharp pain shot through my body as she sank her teeth into my flesh, forcing me to release my grip.


    She quickly dipped her hands in my boxers, pulling out my member, which was now hard in her hands.


    But I refused to let pleasure get the best of me.


    She was about to take it in her mouth, but I was fast enough to stop her. No head allowed.


    37 SORRY CHANGES NOTHING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet could notice the anger on my face right now, burning within me like mes. And I could tell she


    was scared, but she wanted to act tough. I was not going to be blinded by her desirable looks.


    Still ring at Harriet, I forcefully pressed her hand, which I had a hold of..


    ¡°Ouuu,¡± she vocalized in pain. ¡°Luke, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just fulfilling your wish¨Cmaking you scream.¡± I squeezed her hand harder.


    ¡°This is not how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Harriet struggled to cease my grip, but it was just too tight.


    ¡°Then how?¡±


    ¡°Let me go, and I¡¯ll show you.¡± She tightly shut both of her eyes.


    I didn¡¯t give Harriet a reply. But instead, I kept on inflicting pain on her.


    ¡°Please Luke, let go of me!¡± Her scream only got louder, and I had to do as she said.


    After letting go of Harriet, I grabbed her face, forcefully pressing her jaws. ¡°Now listen, I don¡¯t want


    anything to do with you again. Don¡¯t think you can use your body to make me forget about everything


    you did.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry!¡± she spoke, with the words barelying out of her mouth, since I was pressing her


    jaws like hell.


    ¡®Sorry¡¯s going to change nothing,¡± I spat bitterly. ¡°You tell me, if you throw a te to the ground, causing


    it to shatter into peices. And you tell it sorry, is it going to be fixed? Is it going to get back to normal?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she answered lowly, barely audible.


    ¡°Is it?¡± I snarled, moving my face closer to hers, still pressing her jaws forcefully.


    ¡°No!¡± Harriet screamed morously this time, with both of her eyes still closed. I thrust her visage


    backwards after that.


    She stood still for a moment, trying to catch her breath. And seeing her face, the hatred grew more and


    more.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Mason and I exchanged a gaze, whichsted for some seconds. Of course I knew what he wanted to


    talk about, but would this guy even let me rest?


    ¡°So what are you trying to say? That I shouldn¡¯t follow Andre?¡± I asked Mason, installing both of my


    hands on my waist.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered coldly, dropping his phone on the table. ¡°This is important.¡±


    ¡°Important?¡± I blurted out, letting out a short sigh. ¡°I know what you want to talk about. Can¡¯t that wait till


    when I get back?¡±


    RY CHANGE


    ¡°No, no, it can¡¯t,¡± Mason replied, getting up. ¡°You might take too long, and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll fall asleep,


    waiting for yourme ass.


    Hisst words caused Michael to look at him.


    ¡°What?¡± Mason asked Michael in an unfriendly tone, noticing how he was just staring at him.


    ¡°You just disrespected her,¡± Michael answered.


    Mason took a quick look at me, before fixing his gaze back on Michael. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do that,¡± Michael defended me.


    ¡°This is unbelievable.¡± Mason couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It seems like you have no idea who you¡¯re


    talking to.¡±


    ¡°I do. And don¡¯t start thinking too high of yourself,¡± Michael retorted.


    ¡°Oh shut up!¡± Mason mmed the table with his fist. He was burning with rage, breathing heavily,


    ring at Michael. ¡°You do not want to regret this.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Michael spat back.


    ¡°Okay that¡¯s enough!¡± I had to put an end to their little fight. Mason was insane, and I didn¡¯t want


    Michael¡¯s life to be in jeopardy..


    Mason and Michael red at each other, silent, yet burning with intense rage. And this was definitely


    not something I wanted.


    ¡°Ariel, aren¡¯t youing?¡± Andre screamed from outside.


    I looked at Mason, and he raised his brows at me, faking a smile. Crazy how he changed that frowny


    expression in seconds.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for you to still be standing there,¡± I told Harriet, still not taking my re off her.


    ¡°Get out.¡± I gestured toward the door.


    ¡°Why the hate of all a sudden, Luke?¡± Harriet threw a dumb question at me. And I gave her a look that


    showed how stupid she was.


    I didn¡¯t say anything, but she continued to scrutinize me, waiting for an answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a dumb question, you know.¡± I had to let her know. ¡°And you better get the hell out of this room,


    out of this house. Just taking a look at your face, makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°This is exactly what I¡¯m talking about,¡± she uttered and continued, ¡°A love you imed to have for so


    many years, is going toe to an end just like that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep repeating this, Harriet. You changed, so I decided to change as well.¡±


    ¡°I never changed!¡±


    ¡°So that means you¡¯ve been sleeping with other men since day one.¡± I chuckled promptly, averting my


    gaze. ¡°I should have known.


    ¡°You made a lot of promises to me, Luke. They¡¯re still in my of them.¡±


    head. And couldn¡¯t fulfill any


    you.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of you,¡± I retorted. ¡°If you had just remained loyal, I¡¯m pretty sure we


    won¡¯t be like this right now.¡±


    ¡°Things can still change, Luke.¡± Harriet moved closer, and I took a step backward. ¡°We can


    back to the way we used to be.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    still go


    ¡°Impossible,¡± I disagreed. ¡°There is no way I¡¯m getting back together with a whore like you. ¡°Did you


    just call me a whore?¡± She asked, a broken tone.


    ¡°Was i wrong to call you that?¡± I spat. ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought this upon yourself. Doing something


    so disgusting.¡±


    ¡°But I said sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry changes nothing!¡± I snapped right away, and gave her the usual re. ¡°Sorry¡¯s just a word,


    okay? And even if it did change situations, it wasn¡¯t going to be in this case.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s look wasn¡¯t nice, and she paid attention to every word I spoke.


    ¡°I gave you a chance, a chance to change your ways. But what did you do? You squandered it. And it¡¯s


    not like those men are more handsome than me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for this long talk. Just tell me, is your decision final? Do you really want to end our


    rtionship?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaking, I already ended this shit. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re still asking me this question. It¡¯s


    pretty stupid of you.


    ¡°I see. So you¡¯re telling me that you no longer want this ravishing body of mine?¡± she unted her


    figure, feeling so pround of herself.


    ¡°Dead things don¡¯te back to life. I hope you know that,¡± I told her. ¡°The dead decades and as time


    goes on, they¡¯re forgotten. So let me make things clear to you, Harriet. You are now a dead person in


    my world. And all the beautiful moments we had; I consider them to be nothing. I was only wasting my


    time with you,.


    when there were other loyal wom


    out there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that I¡¯m the one who saved your life when we were little.¡± She crossed her arms,


    harking my mind back to the past.


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t get things wrong around here. You only found a way we could escape. But because you


    were terrified, you refused to follow the way, but I did. I was the one who gathered the courage. So


    apparently, I saved myself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying all these.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still wasting your time. You should be somewhere else, getting banged by


    those good¨Cfor¨Cnothing men. Because that¡¯s clearly what you¡¯re good at.¡±


    Harriet pped me immediately.

 Chapter 39

    39 NIGHT DRIVE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Still ring at Harriet, I pushed her away. I was about able to get my pants back on. And the anger in


    me was just too much. Thisdy was unbelievable, she was indeed a whore. No doubt about that now.


    I marched to Harriet, seized her hands, and dragged her out of the room. That was how I forcefully


    tugged her downstairs, and when we were in the living room, I tossed her to the floor.


    She got to her feet, while I just gave her a dark look. I couldn¡¯t even see the beauty in her anymore.


    The feelings right now was simply nothing but hate.


    ¡°Get out!¡± I barked at Harriet. She gave me the same expression in return. But she eventually left the


    house.


    After that, I yelled for all the maids toe downstairs. Hearing my infuriated screams, they all showed


    up at once.


    I red at each and every one of them. ¡°Now, you all tell me! Who let Harriet in the house?¡± They all


    looked generated that confused face.


    ¡°Are you guys deaf or what?¡± I barked again. ¡°Which one of you let Harriet in?¡±


    They were all silent, fear evident in their faces. I too was exhausted with the whole thing, but these


    people didn¡¯t actually like their jobs. Cause I could just fire them all at once, and get perfect


    recements.


    ¡°So, none of you want to answer, right? Okay, that¡¯s it! Start packing your stuff, all of you! You all are


    fired!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that Luke,¡± I heard Riley¡¯s voice, and I turned around to look at her. ¡°I was the one who let


    Harriet in,¡± she said.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Mason and I went to an abandoned area, I¡¯d say. Somewhere around the woods. I could hear the


    sounds of different creatures, and it was kind of creepy, scaring my butts off. But I needed to keep


    myself together. I didn¡¯t even have an idea where we were, but I just kept silent, hoping for no terrific


    event.


    Mason drove deep inside the forest, increasing my fear, but what could I do? I was not going to jump


    out of the car. Neither was I going to scream for someone to help me. Worse part of the whole


    situation; this ce had poor signal.


    Mason finally stopped his car, and I didn¡¯t even know if we had arrived to our destination. It was a thirty


    minute drive, and I got to say, it really had me exhausted. Plus, my butt hurt. His car seat wasn¡¯t even


    thatfortable. It had issues just like its crazy owner.


    I could see a fire, burning intensely in front of us. The fire expanded every single minute, and the sound


    it produced, was really thunderous, enough to scare lions around here. Okay, I better zip it for now.


    Mason burst out of his car, while I was still sitting down, observing the fire as it grew more


    ¡°You cane out now,¡± Mason told me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± I let him know, and then the fire made a morous sound that caused


    me to scream.


    This one was way different from the other sounds, and right now, I was filled with nothing but fear. Wait,


    I was filled with hate as well. Because I was with a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing scumbag. Masonughed at me,


    all because I had hollered. But he could crack up all he wanted. My life was really precious to me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this scared,¡± he continued to roll in the aisles, holding the car. And this annoyed


    me greatly. I could just burst out of this wrecked vehicle, and push him right into that fire. It was still far


    from us, damn it.


    I blew the car horn, and he had to cease hisughter right away.


    ¡°Get out of the car, alright?¡± He said to me.


    I looked at him for seconds, before blowing the car horn again. And then he marched to my direction,


    opened the door, and dragged me out of the car. It was a perfect opportunity to kneel his testicles, but I


    wasn¡¯t that heartless.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m out of the car, now can you tell me what the hell we are doing here? Cause right now, we got


    a humongous fire in front of us, which can roast our asses any time.¡± I vocalized in a ring mode.


    ¡°Calm down, will you? That fire won¡¯t do anything. This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been to this ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I totally get it now,¡± I spoke. ¡°You¡¯re the devil, and of course, this is yourir.¡±


    Mason gave me a weird look. ¡°Stop trying to be funny. You¡¯re terrible at it.¡±


    ¡°And who the hell said I¡¯m trying to be funny?¡±


    He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Oh gosh, you¡¯re going to give me a headache.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be d to. And if it can end your life, I¡¯ll have to stick around with you all day, so the headache gets


    to a whole new level.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°I see, this is how much you hate me, huh?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen anything yet,¡± I responded, my voice was almost inaudible.


    ¡°Well, Mrs. Reynold.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± I cut him off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± Mason retorted. ¡°As I was saying, Mrs. Reynold, I don¡¯t want you to like me.


    You think I give a damn about friends?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no wonder,¡± I stated immediately.


    ¡°No wonder what?¡± He gave me a curious look.


    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to stop someone from having friends.


    You¡¯re the one who decided to stick your lonely ass in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°You are some rude bitch!¡± Mason snapped.


    ¡°Hey, watch your mouth, okay?¡± I told him. ¡°You got to be respectful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die than give respect to a nitwit like you.¡± He spat.


    ¡°Okay then, the fire¡¯s right there.¡± I gestured toward the fire.


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯d rather die, right? I¡¯m just helping you fulfill your wish. The fire is right there. You can just


    go jump in it. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Mason did nothing but re at me. ¡°Just shut up and follow me.¡±


    He started walking, and although I hesitated, I treaded on his heels anyway.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why would you do that, Riley?¡± I aksed Riley in a calm tone, as I walked to her.


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to. But you should have seen the look on her face. She wanted to sort things out


    with you. And I didn¡¯t even want to let her in. But she pleaded, and pleaded, and pleaded. And she


    looked she was going to die if didn¡¯t let her in.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And you fell for that?¡± I softly pped my face. ¡°Come on, Riley. That¡¯s just how she is. She¡¯s nothing


    but a liar, a yer, a drama queen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. And I¡¯m really sorry. I had no idea she wanted to, you know,¡± Riley winked at me


    headlong, and I understood perfectly.


    ¡°Wait, how did you know that?¡± I furrowed my brows.


    ¡°I heard you guys conversation from outside the room,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Hold on, you were eavesdropping on us?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, I was just passing by. But if you want to put it that way.¡± Riley shrugged.


    My grandfather¡¯s driver ran into the house immediately. ¡°Sir, I have terrible news.¡±


    Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 40

    40 GONE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I walked behind Mason as we both got close to the gigantic fire. Well, he got close. I was a little bit far


    from him, slowing down my pace. Yeah I knew he was a psychopath, but I had not idea he was this


    crazy.


    Getting really close to a fire huge like that? No one in his right senses would do that? But this scumbag


    right here was actually surprising me.


    And I kept on watching him inch closer to the roaring inferno. I couldn¡¯t help but question his sanity. I


    would keep on doing that over and over.


    I mean, who willingly gets up close and personal with a fire that could roast a Christmas turkey in 3


    seconds t? It was like he had a secret death wish or something. And if he did, I would be really d.


    At least it would reduce the number of scumbags in the earth.


    Meanwhile, I continued to do my best to maintain a safe distance, like the responsible, self- preserving


    human being that I am.


    ¡°What are you even doing?¡± I aksed, still walking slowly.


    ¡°You ask too many questions,¡± he replied, not ncing at me.


    ¡°This is crazy, you know. Like, are going to walk in that fire?¡±


    Mason turned to give me a quick look. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°This is absolutely insane. But it won¡¯t be surprising, cause you¡¯re insane yourself.¡±


    ¡°You can shut up, and just follow me, okay.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like six inches away from that fire. And you want me to keep on following you. Okay, what are


    you nning to do now, huh. Perform a miracle?¡±


    Mason red at me, but gave the fire his attention back. He squatted, and I just crossed my arms,


    watching him.


    And you want to know what happened next? Oh boy, when that fire started crackling and growling like


    an angry beast, I swear I let out a scream that could rival a banshee! I mean, who wouldn¡¯t? It was like


    being in the front row of a pyrotechnics concert gone wrong!


    But you know what really cracked me up? This jerk sitting in front of me. While I was busy channeling


    my inner Olympic sprinter, this guy was just chilling there,pletely unfazed. I mean, seriously, who


    stares at a raging fire like it¡¯s thetest episode of their favorite TV show?


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire his unshakeable calmness. It was like he had a secret pact with the mes,


    or maybe he was just auditioning for the role of the Fire Whisperer.


    Who knows? All I can say is that while I was two steps away from dialing the fire department, Mason


    was still sitting on his heels, probably contemting the meaning of life amidst the inferno.


    And at this moment, I couldn¡¯t decide whether to call him brave orpletely bonkers. Maybe a bit of


    both. But everyone has their quirks, right? Some people collect stamps, others stare


    down fiery monsters like it¡¯s a walk in the park.


    So there we were, me who screamed like a maniac, and Mason casually enjoying his front¨Crow seat to


    the hottest show in town. But this needed to stop. I wasn¡¯t going to spend the whole night staring at


    some idiot who was staring at a holocaust, like he was worshipping it or something.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? What terrible news have youe to give me?¡± I aksed my


    grandfather¡¯s driver. His name was Peter, a middle¨Caged man. And I kind of loved him for his calm


    attitude.


    Perter¡¯s gaze was fixed downwards, and his hesitation to give me a reply, had a million thoughts rolling


    in my head at the moment. I just hoped nothing bad had happened to my grandfather. Of course, the


    man was old, but I still loved him, and didn¡¯t want to lose him yet. ¡°Why are you being silent now? Tell


    me what the problem is?¡± I asked Peter, moving closer to


    him.


    And at this moment, my heart pounded in my chest as I waited for his response. His hesitant silence


    only fueled my worry, and my mind raced with a whirlwind of worst¨Ccase scenarios. What if my


    grandfather had left the earth? What if his sickness had finally prevailed over him? The uncertainty


    gnawed at me, and I struggled to keep my anxiety in check.


    Memories of my grandfather flooded my mind his gentle smile, his wise words, and the warmth of his


    embrace. Well, sometimes he was a total maniac.


    But he had always been a pir of strength for our family, and the mere thought of losing him sent


    waves of fear crashing through me. This was the realization that life was fragile and unpredictable.


    Struck me with a heavy weight right here.


    And as the seconds ticked by, I couldn¡¯t help but rey thest conversation I had with him in my mind.


    Did I tell him how much he meant to me? Was there anything left unsaid? Regret washed over me like


    a tidal wave, intensifying my worry and fueling a deep sense of unease.


    But I needed to pull myself together. All these were just thoughts. Maybe that wasn¡¯t the news Peter


    hade to give me.


    ¡°Answer me now!¡± I yelled at Peter, tears popping up in my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s Sir Reynold. He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I seized Peter¡¯s shirt. Riley held me immediately. ¡°What did you just say?¡± I yelled


    again, not wanting to believe the information.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but he¡¯s no more.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Peter couldn¡¯t look me in the eyes. He was also shattered. But his pain was nothingpared to mine.


    This was really intense. My grandfather, dead? No this couldn¡¯t be. I loved that man. I didn¡¯t want to


    lose him.


    We stood still, with tears streaming down our faces, the weight of the news hung heavy in the air, and


    had to let go of Peter.


    It felt like the world had crumbled beneath my feet, leaving me stranded in a sea of sorrow. My heart


    ached, unable toprehend the reality that my beloved grandfather was no longer


    AS GONE


    with us.


    The memories flooded my mind, each one a precious moment spent with him. From his warm smile


    that could light up a room to his gentle voice that always reassured me, his absence left a void that


    seemed impossible to fill. He had been a pir of strength, a guiding light in my life, and now that light


    had been extinguished.


    This was so painful, losing a remarkable friend, who always wanted me to be in the right path. And


    indeed I was angry at me sometimes. But he was only trying his best to prevent me from going astray.


    Peter cleaned his tears. ¡°An hour before his death, he handed me this letter, and said I should give it to


    you.¡±


    Peter slowly gave me the letter. ¡°He said you that was his wish, and he wanted you to fulfill it, even if he


    was no more.¡±


    Peter burst into tears again, and quickly turned his face away. Riley ced her hand on my shoulder,


    crying as well. She loved the man just the way I did.


    With my eyes still filled with tears, I carefully opened the letter.

 Chapter 41

    41 JUST A WISH


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Luke my grandson. We¡¯vee a long way, and I¡¯m really happy to have you by my side. I know,


    we¡¯ve been through ups and downs. And there have been some terrible moments when I made you


    ufortable. I apologize for all the reproach, for hurting you in any way. But all this I did, I did for


    love. It¡¯s never my wish to see you go astray, it¡¯s never my wish to see you sad also.


    These past few days, I¡¯ve been really troubled by the sickness. And I have the feeling that today might


    be myst day on earth. But before I go to the other world, I just want to let you know that I love you so


    much. You mean a lot to me. Seeing you smile, makes me smile, and it hurts to see you sad.


    I¡¯ve always wanted the best for you. Giving you the wealth, passing the Reynoldpany over to you.


    But money isn¡¯t the thing I¡¯m talking about here. I¡¯m talking about love, because the love I have for you


    is one in a million.


    I cherish the moments spent with you. Thinking about those times bring nothing but joy to my heart.


    Yes, you have my heart my grandson. And I will never stop thinking about you, even if I¡¯m dead.


    You have promised me, grandson; that you will get married to Ariel. I know you made such decision. all


    because of me, and I appreciate that. But please, I want you to love her with the whole of your heart.


    Treat her like a queen, take good care of her, without anyone reminding you to.


    I might not be able to witness the wedding of you two. But please, please please please. If I die today, I


    don¡¯t want you to change your decision. Marry her, give her all of your attention, love her to the fullest,


    give her a remarkable spot in your heart.


    This is my wish my grandson. Please, do not change your decision. Make Ariel your lovely wife, and


    take good care of her to the point that people will be jealous of the two of you. And I will be


    watching you from up there, pleased with your actions.


    So do not let anyone talk bad about Ariel, and hold her tight, never letting go. This is what I want from


    you, and it might be myst wish. I love you my grandson.¡±


    As I held the letter in my trembling hands, the weight of its words began to sink deep into my heart.


    Each simple sentence carried a heavy burden, weighing down my soul with sorrow.


    With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes, hoping to find sce in the darkness that enveloped me. Tears


    welled up, rolling down my cheeks, as I struggled to ept the truth.


    My beloved grandfather had departed from this world, leaving behind an emptiness that could never


    be filled.


    The pain washed over me like a relentless tide, consuming every fiber of my being. Memories of his


    warm smile and gentleughter flooded my mind, intensifying the ache in my chest.


    The room seemed colder, the air heavier, as the reality of his absence settled in. No longer would I


    hear hisforting words or feel his reassuring presence.


    1/3


    13


    41 JUST A WISH


    The world suddenly felt devoid of color, as if the sum had lost its brilliance. The future seemed


    uncertain, as I would have to navigate life¡¯s challenges without his wise counsel.


    Grief held me tightly in its embrace, suffocating my spirit. Every breath was a struggle, every heartbeat


    a painful reminder of the void left behind.


    The moment I opened my eyes, the tears continued to flow, mingling with the ink on the letter that held


    the final words from my grandfather.


    His absence would always be felt, but his memory would remain eternally cherished. Frank Reynold,


    you will forever be in my heart.


    I turned to Riley. ¡°He¡¯s gone Riley, he¡¯s gone.¡± My tears got harder, and she quickly embraced me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Luke,¡± she tried tofort me, yet she was still broken, bringing tears out of her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m never going to see him again.¡± I hugged her tightly, and the letter fell from my hands.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all going to miss him. But you have to stay strong. If he was here, he wouldn¡¯t want to see


    you like this.¡± Riley told me.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s gone,¡± I continued mourning.


    ¡°Stay strong Luke. Stay strong,¡± Riley said.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Here I was, still standing like a majestic mingo, trying to figure out what on earth was going on. And


    there was Mason, who continued struggling through his squat. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had


    secretly enrolled in a ¡°Stand¨COff Against Gravity¡±petition. Like, who in the world willingly tortured


    themselves like this?


    The silence between us stretched on, as if time had decided to take a coffee break and left us hanging.


    Was this some sort of Zen meditation?


    I half¨Cexpected him to start levitating or summon a flock of birds to perch on his shoulders. But no, he


    just kept squatting, eyes closed, as if searching for the meaning of life in the crackling mes.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I pondered over whether I should p him in the head, or even worse, thrust him to the fire. Just like


    how the Hillsong music goes: another in the fire. This was a perfect opportunity, right?


    After what seemed like eternity, Mason let out a deep sigh. I took a step forward, with the intention of


    ending this nonsense once and for all.


    ¡°You know, when you told me you wanted to speak with me about something important, I never thought


    it would be this.¡± I said, getting closer to him. The fire seemed calm than before, and this was really


    creepy.


    ¡°Can you please be more respectful?¡± Mason aksed, his eyes were still closed.


    ¡°No. But there¡¯s something I can do; get the hell out of here.¡±


    41 JUST A WISH


    3/3


    Mason breathed out deeply, and got to his feet. ¡°Do you want to know why I¡¯ve brought you here?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give him a reply. But of course, I wanted to know. I didn¡¯t want to be in this creepy location


    anymore.


    He walked to a huge stone on the ground, and grabbed a blue vase which was close to it.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what this is?¡± He aksed, showing me the vase which he had on his hands.


    ¡°Uhmm, it¡¯s a vase?¡± I replied slowly, creating a confused face.


    ¡°Yes, but do you know what¡¯s in this vase?¡± He queried.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡±


    ¡°My girlfriend¡¯s ashes.¡± He answered.


    ¡°Your girlfriend¡¯s ashes,¡± I repeated. ¡°You mister, had a girlfriend? And if you did, that means she¡¯s


    dead.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Mason answered, fixing his eyes on the vase. ¡°She was my diamond, she meant the whole


    world to me.¡± His countenance was now sad.


    ¡°Sorry to ask, but what killed her?¡± I aksed in a slow manner.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what killed her; who killed her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm okay then, who killed her?¡± I quizzed.


    Mason chuckled, I could see pain in his eyes. ¡°You want to know, huh?¡± He asked. No response came


    from me, I was just staring at him, waiting for a perfect answer to my question.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he said and looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s none other than your beloved husband, Luke.¡±

 Chapter 42

    42 FACTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Okay, first of all, Luke is not my husband. And secondly, Luke is not a murderer. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the


    one who killed your girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Who told you, he isn¡¯t a murderer?¡± Mason snapped.


    ¡°It is true that Luke did me a lot of terrible things while we were still married, but killing somebody? That


    doesn¡¯t sound like him one bit.¡± I stood firm in my words.


    ¡°Well you¡¯re wrong. Turns out he was drunk that night.¡±


    ¡°Drunk?¡± My eyes widened. The only time Luke was drunk, during our marriage, was the night I


    divorced him.


    ¡°Yes, he was drunk, along with May. She was blowing him and he choked her to death.¡±


    I gave him a skeptical look. ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°This is apparently why I want to ruin his life for good.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute. If what you¡¯re saying is true, how did you know all of this? Was there someone else


    who was with them while they carried out their¡­¡± I trailed off. There was no need to end thatst


    sentence.


    ¡°She had it on video. And he had the nerve to do that shit right in my house.¡±


    ¡°Your house?¡± I uttered. ¡°I thought you used to live in Canada.¡±


    ¡°I moved to Canada the next day after that nonsense happened,¡± Mason told me.


    ¡°And when did this happen, exactly?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Five years ago,¡± Mason replied immediately.


    ¡°Five years ago?¡± My face was filled with confusion, and curiosity. ¡°Do you perhaps remember the


    date?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to start interrogating me,¡± Mason red at me.


    ¡°I was just trying to put two and two together, but nevermind.¡± I gave up. ¡°By the way, your girlfriend


    cheated on you. So what¡¯s the need for you to avenge her death?¡±


    ¡°I loved her, okay?¡± He bawled, and looked down. ¡°She might have done wrong. But I love her. And if


    it wasn¡¯t for that useless man, she would have still be here today. We could have fixed our issues.¡±


    ¡°I see, sorry for your loss,¡± I said lowly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your sorry,¡± he said in a cold tone. I shrugged.


    I looked at the fire after that. ¡°Okay, can you please tell me what we¡¯re doing here then?¡±


    42FACTS


    2/3


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept this with me for years,¡± he talked about the vase on his hands. ¡°But today, I¡¯m going to finally


    dump it in this fire.¡±


    I nced at the vase, and did the same to the fire, ¡°How did you even know this ce?¡± I aksed in


    wonder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about that,¡± he replied, also staring at the fire.


    Gazing at the vase filled with ashes, Mason tossed it into the fire. And as I stood close to him, I couldn¡¯t


    tear my eyes away from the sight of it burning,


    mes danced and flickered as the vase broke down, transforming into smoke and ash. It was


    mesmerizing to witness the destruction unfolding before me.


    The crackling fire consumed the remains, devouring everything in its path. The heat radiated, warming


    the surroundings as the mes reached higher and higher.


    Seeing Mason in this state, left me kind of sad. But I was also eager to know why he had to carry out


    this action in here. And why did he have to bring me along? Couldn¡¯t he do this all by himself?


    The memories and story that were contained within those ashes were the remnants of his precious


    girlfriend, and he seemed to have loved her so much, even willing to forgive her for what she did with


    that idiot.


    It¡¯s funny how Luke did this, and he imed to love Harriet back then. He literally cheated on her. So I


    guess they were even.


    But I shouldn¡¯t be judging just yet. Mason might just be the oneing up with false stories.


    Of course, Mason was now letting go of her. The pain right in his eyes clearly showed how she was


    surpassingly significant.


    And so, I stood there, captivated by the simple yet profound act of watching the vase of ashes burn.


    Mason began tough, but tears also came out of his eyes. He squatted once again, smiling at the fire,


    and he lifted both of his hands up in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always love you, May,¡± he said, before rising to his feet once again.


    ¡°Okay, this is kind of sad, no doubt about that. But can you please exin to me, what the squat was all


    about? Like, were you praying? Is this some kind of religious stuff or something?¡±


    Mason turned to me. ¡°Your questions are so weird.¡±


    ¡°No, you are so weird,¡± I retorted. ¡°And you better give me an answer to my question.¡±


    The fire made a thunderous sound immediately, and I shifted back with all possible haste.


    Masonughed at me. ¡°See, even the fire knows you¡¯re weird.¡°


    I red at him. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m out of here.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that. We¡¯re deep inside this forest, and I know you have no clue of how to get out.¡±


    42 FACTS


    3/3


    I looked at him. I wanted to disagree, but of course, he was actually right about that. I wasn¡¯t familiar to


    this ce one bit. Why did he have to take me here in the first ce?


    ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s leave,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he said promptly. ¡°I still need to know about our n. How¡¯s iting along with Luke?¡±


    I refused to give him an answer to his question. But a dark look was what I gave the jerk.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me an answer to my question?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I feigned a smiling face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. Just give me an answer, alright? Don¡¯t make me push you in this fire.¡±


    ¡°Crazy. I was even thinking about doing the same to you.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± Mason raised an eyebrow as his eyes widened.


    ¡°I said nothing,¡± I told him bitterly.


    ¡°Okay, now start talking. You do know what I can do to your children, right?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you have to keep on telling me this, every time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only way for you toe back to your senses.¡± Mason smirked, while I just red at him.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I arrived at the hospital, along with Riley. We hade to see our grandfather, who was no more.


    The moment we entered the building, I was weed with a tight hug. And it was none other than


    Tiffany. This nurse who I had a lovely time with. I¡¯m pretty sure you know what I mean.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s so good to see you again,¡± she said gleefully, tightening her embrace more and more, with


    her head fixed on my chest. Well, she had no idea that I was not in the mood for this.


    I took a look at Riley, and she justughed, turning her face away. I knew what she was thinking.


    ¡°Can you please let go of me?¡± I vocalized, but Tiffany refused to listen.


    ¡°Come on now, baby. I missed you,¡± Tiffany said, still leaning her head against my chest, closing her


    eyes.


    ¡°Baby?¡± Someone spoke loudly.


    43 RESOUNDING HITS

 Chapter 43

    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet¡¯s eyes grew big with surprise when she caught sight of Tiffany standing beside me. The scene


    before her waspletely unbelievable. She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. But who cared anyway?


    The air seemed to freeze around Harriet, and her mind was obviously racing to make sense of the


    whole situation. Just by looking at her, I could tell her heart pounded in her chest, with a mix of


    emotions flooding her head.


    Harriet¡¯s gaze zipped between Tiffany and I, and she was probably going crazy right now, obviously


    searching for answers that seemed to shuffle out of her grasp. And I have to say, I loved this scene.


    How she was open¨Cmouthed, submerging in exhrating shock.


    Tiffany broke the hug, and turned to look at Harriet. Harriet quickly marched closer, and dragged Tiffany


    from me. I wanted that, but not this way.


    Harriet¡¯s sudden outburst of aggression left mepletely stunned. She forcefully pped Tiffany, not


    just once, but twice, and it was just so wild.


    Of course, I clearly understood why she would resort to such violent behavior. But she went a little bit


    far.


    Tiffany, in disbelief, held her reddened cheek, and her countenance was a mix of pain and confusion.


    I felt bad for her, and indeed, I was guilty of this.


    I watched as she slowly turned towards Harriet, hoping for an exnation or maybe even an apology,


    but instead, she received yet another forceful p across the face.


    The impact of each p echoed through the room, leaving everyone stunned. The doctors, nurses, and


    all those who were present at the moment.


    Tiffany stumbled backwards, as Harriet, who was consumed by a surge of rage, aggressively shoved


    her. The sound of Tiffany¡¯s body hitting the floor resounded, increasing the tension in the room.


    I didn¡¯t like this behavior at all. It was clear that Harriet had gone crazy these past few days. And I


    wouldn¡¯t mind taking her to a mental asylum.


    I froze for a moment, still observing Harriet, who was burning with rage. Her blood was obviously


    boiling, and she must probably be feeling like a WWE superstar at the moment. But I had to realize


    something; she was following me. It was quite clear.


    ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong with you?¡± I barked at Harriet, as I went to grab Tiffany.


    Harriet drove her hands through her hair, and the look on her face was crazy. ¡°So this is what you do,


    huh? I finally know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your senses?¡± I snapped at Harriet. ¡°Why the hell would you do all that to her?¡±


    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    2/3


    ¡°Because she deserves it,¡± Harriet spat. ¡°She¡¯s messing with my man, and she needs to face the


    consequences.¡±


    ¡°For the love of God, Harriet, I am not your man. Stop being so delusional!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Tiffany asked lowly, with her hand still lingering on her face.


    ¡°Shut up! No one asked you to talk!¡± Harriet snarled at her.


    ¡°You shut up!¡± Harriet had to cause me to bark at her once more. I was sick of it, but I needed to follow


    through with it. ¡°Why do you have to be so crazy, huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling me crazy?¡± Harriet chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy around here!¡±


    ring at Harriet, Tiffany got up, and broke free from my grip. I knew she was about to do something


    crazy.


    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are huh?¡± Tiffany snarled at Harriet.


    Harriet gave Tiffany a ck look. ¡°Be active on social media, I think you¡¯ll know who..¡±


    Tiffany¡¯s interruption was abrupt and forceful as her hand connected with Harriet¡¯s face, resulting in a


    resounding p that echoed through the room. The impact was astonishing, leaving everyone stunned


    by the sheer force of it.


    Harriet, receiving this p, experienced a wave of intense pain moving through her cheek. Although I


    wasn¡¯t the one who got pped, I could sense the agony that Harriet must have felt. It was so painful.


    But she deserved it.


    The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately, as the silence was shattered by the sound of the p.


    The eyes of everyone were fixed on Tiffany and Harriet, frozen in disbelief at their fascinating actions. It


    was a scene that no one expected, and the tension hung heavily in the air.


    For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Harriet¡¯s hand reached for her reddened cheek, the mark


    of Tiffany¡¯s fury etched upon her skin. The impact of that single p was so powerful, that it was the


    combination of all of Harriet¡¯s powerful ps.


    People began to whisper, captivated by the actions of bothdies. This was more like a movie, and


    anyone would want to grab popcorn in this one. But I didn¡¯t relish the moment. Because this violence


    was happening all because of me.


    Harriet shifted her gaze to me, her hand still lingering on her face. ¡°Can you see what she just did?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give her a reply. I wanted this to end as soon as possible. I came here for a purpose, not to


    watch these people behave like children.


    ¡°Why are you talking? You started it.¡± Riley told Harriet. She was given a dark look immediately.


    Tiffany looked at me. ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? Who is this psychopath?¡±


    I nced at Tiffany, and took my gaze away, ignoring her question.


    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    3/3


    ¡°Answer me, Luke!¡± Tiffany captured my arm, and I didn¡¯t hesitate to give her a death stare. She let go


    immediately.


    ¡°The two of can kill yourself if you want, that¡¯s none of my business,¡± I said, and was about to walk


    away. However, Harriet seized my arm.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I broke her grip. ¡°And stop following me!¡± I snapped, and left their presence, with Riley


    moving behind.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So are you going to tell me how the Luke situation¡¯s going, or not?¡± Mason aksed me, crossing his


    arms.


    ¡°Remember, Lukel, Janice,¡± he said inaudibly, raising his eyebrows. ¡°You don¡¯t want anything bad


    happening to them.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you,¡± I finally spoke. ¡°Luke has decided to marry me.¡±


    ((


    Mason¡¯s face became filled with happiness. ¡°Wow, are you for real?¡± He aksed, and I nodded. ¡°I hope


    you¡¯re not lying to me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want to lie to you?¡±


    ¡°Oh I got millions of reasons,¡± he replied, with a smirk.


    I looked at him for a moment. ¡°Okay, I totally get that.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Mason pped, walking away from the fire. ¡°When are the two of you getting married


    then?¡±


    ¡°Well, he said tomorrow. And I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s joking or not.


    ((


    ¡°Tomorrow? Fascinating, fascinating,¡± Mason said, fixing his fingers on his chin.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get too happy, okay? That man¡¯s a psychopath. You can¡¯t actually trust his words.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just get married to him as soon as possible. We¡¯ll need to be fast in this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll try my very best. And if the story about your girlfriend is true, I¡¯ll make sure


    he pays for taking her life.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act caring now. It¡¯s really weird.¡±


    ¡°I was only feeling sorry for you.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you feeling sorry for me.


    He walked away, and I suspired before following him.


    ((


    44 REMEMBER ME

 Chapter 44

    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Harriet¡¯s eyes grew big with surprise when she caught sight of Tiffany standing beside me. The scene


    before her waspletely unbelievable. She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. But who cared anyway?


    The air seemed to freeze around Harriet, and her mind was obviously racing to make sense of the


    whole situation. Just by looking at her, I could tell her heart pounded in her chest, with a mix of


    emotions flooding her head.


    Harriet¡¯s gaze zipped between Tiffany and I, and she was probably going crazy right now, obviously


    searching for answers that seemed to shuffle out of her grasp. And I have to say, I loved this scene.


    How she was open¨Cmouthed, submerging in exhrating shock.


    Tiffany broke the hug, and turned to look at Harriet. Harriet quickly marched closer, and dragged Tiffany


    from me. I wanted that, but not this way.


    Harriet¡¯s sudden outburst of aggression left mepletely stunned. She forcefully pped Tiffany, not


    just once, but twice, and it was just so wild.


    Of course, I clearly understood why she would resort to such violent behavior. But she went a little bit


    far.


    Tiffany, in disbelief, held her reddened cheek, and her countenance was a mix of pain and confusion.


    I felt bad for her, and indeed, I was guilty of this.


    I watched as she slowly turned towards Harriet, hoping for an exnation or maybe even an apology,


    but instead, she received yet another forceful p across the face.


    The impact of each p echoed through the room, leaving everyone stunned. The doctors, nurses, and


    all those who were present at the moment.


    Tiffany stumbled backwards, as Harriet, who was consumed by a surge of rage, aggressively shoved


    her. The sound of Tiffany¡¯s body hitting the floor resounded, increasing the tension in the room.


    I didn¡¯t like this behavior at all. It was clear that Harriet had gone crazy these past few days. And I


    wouldn¡¯t mind taking her to a mental asylum.


    I froze for a moment, still observing Harriet, who was burning with rage. Her blood was obviously


    boiling, and she must probably be feeling like a WWE superstar at the moment. But I had to realize


    something; she was following me. It was quite clear.


    ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong with you?¡± I barked at Harriet, as I went to grab Tiffany.


    Harriet drove her hands through her hair, and the look on her face was crazy. ¡°So this is what you do,


    huh? I finally know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your senses?¡± I snapped at Harriet. ¡°Why the hell would you do all that to her?¡±


    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    2/3


    ¡°Because she deserves it,¡± Harriet spat. ¡°She¡¯s messing with my man, and she needs to face the


    consequences.¡±


    ¡°For the love of God, Harriet, I am not your man. Stop being so delusional!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Tiffany asked lowly, with her hand still lingering on her face.


    ¡°Shut up! No one asked you to talk!¡± Harriet snarled at her.


    ¡°You shut up!¡± Harriet had to cause me to bark at her once more. I was sick of it, but I needed to follow


    through with it. ¡°Why do you have to be so crazy, huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling me crazy?¡± Harriet chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy around here!¡±


    ring at Harriet, Tiffany got up, and broke free from my grip. I knew she was about to do something


    crazy.


    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are huh?¡± Tiffany snarled at Harriet.


    Harriet gave Tiffany a ck look. ¡°Be active on social media, I think you¡¯ll know who..¡±


    Tiffany¡¯s interruption was abrupt and forceful as her hand connected with Harriet¡¯s face, resulting in a


    resounding p that echoed through the room. The impact was astonishing, leaving everyone stunned


    by the sheer force of it.


    Harriet, receiving this p, experienced a wave of intense pain moving through her cheek. Although I


    wasn¡¯t the one who got pped, I could sense the agony that Harriet must have felt. It was so painful.


    But she deserved it.


    The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately, as the silence was shattered by the sound of the p.


    The eyes of everyone were fixed on Tiffany and Harriet, frozen in disbelief at their fascinating actions. It


    was a scene that no one expected, and the tension hung heavily in the air.


    For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Harriet¡¯s hand reached for her reddened cheek, the mark


    of Tiffany¡¯s fury etched upon her skin. The impact of that single p was so powerful, that it was the


    combination of all of Harriet¡¯s powerful ps.


    People began to whisper, captivated by the actions of bothdies. This was more like a movie, and


    anyone would want to grab popcorn in this one. But I didn¡¯t relish the moment. Because this violence


    was happening all because of me.


    Harriet shifted her gaze to me, her hand still lingering on her face. ¡°Can you see what she just did?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give her a reply. I wanted this to end as soon as possible. I came here for a purpose, not to


    watch these people behave like children.


    ¡°Why are you talking? You started it.¡± Riley told Harriet. She was given a dark look immediately.


    Tiffany looked at me. ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? Who is this psychopath?¡±


    I nced at Tiffany, and took my gaze away, ignoring her question.


    43 RESOUNDING HITS


    3/3


    ¡°Answer me, Luke!¡± Tiffany captured my arm, and I didn¡¯t hesitate to give her a death stare. She let go


    immediately.


    ¡°The two of can kill yourself if you want, that¡¯s none of my business,¡± I said, and was about to walk


    away. However, Harriet seized my arm.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I broke her grip. ¡°And stop following me!¡± I snapped, and left their presence, with Riley


    moving behind.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So are you going to tell me how the Luke situation¡¯s going, or not?¡± Mason aksed me, crossing his


    arms.


    ¡°Remember, Lukel, Janice,¡± he said inaudibly, raising his eyebrows. ¡°You don¡¯t want anything bad


    happening to them.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you,¡± I finally spoke. ¡°Luke has decided to marry me.¡±


    ((


    Mason¡¯s face became filled with happiness. ¡°Wow, are you for real?¡± He aksed, and I nodded. ¡°I hope


    you¡¯re not lying to me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want to lie to you?¡±


    ¡°Oh I got millions of reasons,¡± he replied, with a smirk.


    I looked at him for a moment. ¡°Okay, I totally get that.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Mason pped, walking away from the fire. ¡°When are the two of you getting married


    then?¡±


    ¡°Well, he said tomorrow. And I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s joking or not.


    ((


    ¡°Tomorrow? Fascinating, fascinating,¡± Mason said, fixing his fingers on his chin.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get too happy, okay? That man¡¯s a psychopath. You can¡¯t actually trust his words.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just get married to him as soon as possible. We¡¯ll need to be fast in this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll try my very best. And if the story about your girlfriend is true, I¡¯ll make sure


    he pays for taking her life.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act caring now. It¡¯s really weird.¡±


    ¡°I was only feeling sorry for you.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you feeling sorry for me.


    He walked away, and I suspired before following him.


    ((


    44 REMEMBER ME


    1/3


    SN


    44 REMEMBER ME


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The air was thick with sorrow as we all, mourners gathered at the tranquil cemetery, their hearts heavy


    with grief. We were at the funeral of my grandfather, and this was indeed a painful moment.


    We were all seated, the rows of chairs lining the freshly dug grave, adorned with wreaths of white lilies


    and crimson roses. Lots of faces around here, some were great friends with him. While others were the


    ones who met him just once, or a couple of times. I didn¡¯t know, but everyone loved him around here.


    I sat alone in a chair near the front, my eyes were puffy and red from the tears which I had shed. My


    hands trembled as I clutched a ck handkerchief. I was trying to find sce in its fabric.


    The memories of my grandfather flooded my mind, each one a bittersweet reminder of the bond we


    had shed together. His voice was still echoing in my head. All the things he said, and the fun we had


    together. These were all precious to me.


    All these thoughts continued to dwell in my head while the priest offered words offort and hope,


    talking about my grandfather, in a gentle voice.


    My eyes went to the wooden casket, draped in a velvet cloth, which stood as a symbol of finality. And


    at this point, my heart ached with the weight of loss, as I recalled the countless stories and life lessons


    my grandfather had imparted to me.


    As the soft breeze rustled through the leaves, I could hear people sharing hushed conversations. I was


    just silent, short of words, and it seemed like my lips had frozen.


    Each and every one of us bowed our head, as the priest carried out the final prayer. And when he was


    done, I moved forward to the pulpit to deliver a eulogy. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice,


    and began to speak.


    ¡°Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all for being here today to honor the life of my beloved


    grandfather. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude for the time we had together and the


    impact he had on my life.¡±


    My voice cracked, and I paused topose myself before continuing.


    ¡®Grandpa was a man of unwavering strength and integrity. He had a way of making you feel seen,


    heard, and loved. He taught me the importance of family, the value of hard work, and the power of


    kindness.¡±


    A tear rolled down my cheek, but I pressed on to share these memories. I was not going to end here.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget those long summer days spent fishing at theke. Grandpa would patiently sit beside


    me, sharing stories of his own childhood and imparting wisdom that I¡¯ll carry with me forever. He taught


    me to appreciate nature¡¯s beauty, to find sce in its tranquility.¡±


    I looked out at the gathering, seeing tearful eyes and nods of understanding. And then, my eyes


    44 REMEMBER ME


    caught Ariel, ensconcing herself in one of the chairs. I froze for a minute, staring at her, and the looked


    into my eyes as well. But I had to cease that.


    23


    I continued, ¡°Grandpa had an infectiousughter that could light up a room. His sense of humor was


    legendary, and he had a way of finding joy in the simplest of moments. He taught me to embrace life¡¯s


    humor, to findughter even amidst the darkest of times.¡±


    A faint smile appeared on my lips as I reminisced all those beautiful moments. Too bad everything


    hade to an end.


    ¡°But above all, Grandpa was a pir of love andpassion. He touched the lives of so many, always


    ready with a listening ear, aforting word, or a helping hand. His generosity knew no bounds, and


    his kindness was a beacon of hope for everyone he encountered.¡±


    My voice began to tremble again, but I needed to concluded this eulogy.


    ¡°Today, as we bid farewell to Grandpa, let us remember the legacy he leaves behind. Let us honor his


    memory by embracing the values he held dear and spreading love and kindness wherever we go. He


    may be gone, but his spirit will forever live on in our hearts. Rest in peace, Grandpa. You will be deeply


    missed.¡± I looked upwards because I knew he was watching me from up there.


    I stepped away from the pulpit, and my heart was heavy with grief. I¡¯d forever be grateful to that


    wonderful man. He might have made me angry as hell sometimes, but it was all worth it. This was just


    life; thingsing unexpected. But we all needed to be prepared.


    Everyone remained silent for a moment, but apuse filled the air headlong. I took my eyes to Ariel


    who was also pping We both stared at each other, until I took my gaze off her.


    My eyes were filled with tears once again, and I needed to act strong. Just as Riley said the other day;


    grandpa wouldn¡¯t want to see me like this.


    The funeral finally came to an end, and I was still sitting down, and then Ariel approached me. She was


    actually looking pretty in her ck dress, but I couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said softly, waving her hands in front of me.


    After a moment, I looked at her. ¡°Hey,¡± I said in a soft and inaudible tone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± she said, still in a low tone. ¡°Sir Reynold was a good man. Everyone loved


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    him.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I whispered and set my eyes on her. ¡°Thanks foring.¡±


    She ced her hand on my shoulder leaving me quite stunned. It was as if she had forgotten about the


    moments we spent with each other in the past.


    ¡°It¡¯s so painful when you lose someone close to you. I¡¯ve been in this situation before, so I totally


    understand that.¡±


    My head had to process her words slowly, and I hoped she wasn¡¯t referring to the two of us. Nah,


    couldn¡¯t be.


    it


    44 REMEMBER ME


    3/3


    ¡°When I was ten, I lost my elder brother. He was a little bit older than me at that time. And we were


    really close. He will always have a ce in my heart.¡±


    I never knew she had a brother. How was I going to, anyway? When I barely gave her my time.


    ¡°Okay, you take care. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Ariel wanted to tread away but I stopped her. She turned around, to hear what I had to say.


    My eyes met hers, and I slowly rose from my seat. ¡°Before my grandpa died, he wrote this.¡±


    I brought my grandfather¡¯s letter out of my pocket. I had to keep it with me, going through the words,


    over and over.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± I handed her the letter. ¡°You can read it.¡±


    Ariel slowly took the letter from my hand. She began to read it, while I just watched her in silence,


    dipping my hands in both of my pockets.


    When she was done with the letter, she looked at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re done, right?¡± I aksed her, making a serious face.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered softly, giving me back the letter. I took it and put it back in my pocket.


    ¡°I believe you know what¡¯s going to happen now,¡± I said.


    Ariel looked at me in wonder. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± she asked, although she knew the answer.


    I took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re getting married, and it¡¯s happening tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 45

    45 BULLETS IN THE AIR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Tomorrow? Are you really sure about that? I mean, your grandfather¡¯s funeral just took ce today.


    We can¡¯t just go ahead with a wedding,¡± I brought out to Luke.


    Of course, I did like the fact that we were about to get married once again. The vengeance was surely


    going to take ce. But I was still human, and I had feelings. Since Sir Reynold¡¯s funeral took ce


    today, I think the wedding should be shifted to next week, to avoid heartbreaking moments, and


    unnecessary talks from different folks.


    Luke looked at me, his eyes were all red. ¡°I know. But that¡¯s what he wanted.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out immediately.


    ¡°I saw it in one of his letters when I went to the hospital. He wrote that I should get married to you the


    day after his funeral.¡±


    ¡°He said that?¡± I arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes he did. Do you think I¡¯ll be in a hurry to get married to you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Am I not beautiful than your girlfriend?¡± I gave him a sardonic smile.


    ¡°I do not have a girlfriend,¡± he answered coldly, turning his face.


    ¡°What about Harriet?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you guys broke up?¡± I taunted, knowing fully well that they were no more.


    He red at me. ¡°Don¡¯t try to be so funny around here.¡±


    Crap! Mason told me the same thing. Was I that bad? I mean,e on, it¡¯s not like I was trying to crack


    jokes or something.


    ¡°Need a drive home?¡± Luke asked. It was quite surprising that this man was trying to act nice now.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good,¡± I replied. ¡°Take care, okay? And don¡¯t think too much. But just know that whatever you


    do, Sir Reynold is watching you, and he will always be proud.¡°


    Luke nodded slowly to my words, and I smiled at him, before walking away. My phone started ringing


    so I halted, to check who was calling.


    ¡°Ariel look out!¡± Luke screamed, and as I turned around to look at him. He pushed me to the ground,


    getting on top of me. Yup, we dodged a bullet.


    Bullets were released in the air, terrorizing everyone present at the scene. Some people were hit with


    bullets, and I felt so sorry for them. The bullets were still being released, nad I couldn¡¯t help but wonder


    the people responsible for such act.


    1/3


    13


    45 BULLETS IN THE AIR


    2/3


    Just when I struggled to catch my breath, I realized that Luke was shielding me from the uing


    danger. The deafening sound of gunfire pierced the air, and I watched in horror as bullets whizzed past


    us, their deadly intent sensible.


    Around us, chaos unfolded like a scene from a nightmare. The individuals who attended the funeral,


    were now scattered in every direction, desperate to find cover from the relentless rain of bullets.


    Fear was written all over their faces, they all scampered up and down. Yet, not everyone was fortunate


    enough to escape the bullets. And I felt so sorry for them.


    I was stillying on the ground, my heart pounding in my chest, my senses heightened by the


    uing threat.


    The air was heavy with the hard scent of gunpowder, blending with the scent of fear. I couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder who could be responsible for such a senseless act of violence.


    What could drive someone to unleash such terror on innocent people? Sometimes, I wondered why


    some people came to this world.


    Still in the turmoil, I caught glimpses of wounded individuals, their pain clear in their anguished cries.


    My heart ached for them, and a deep sense of sorrow washed over me.


    How could anyone be capable of inflicting such harm upon their fellow human beings? This was


    absolutely brutal. I hope karma finds the bastards responsible for this.


    The bullets continued to rain down, and I clung to Luke. I didn¡¯t know, but his presence was providing a


    feeling of security in the core of this storm.


    We huddled together, seeking sce in each other¡¯s arms. The gunshots seemed like it was never


    going toe to an end. And I didn¡¯t know if it was the end, but if life was ready to take me, then so


    be it.


    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Luke whispered.


    ¡°I shot him a crazy look. ¡°Are you kidding me? Do you want to get us killed?


    ¡°You fear too much. No one¡¯s going to die.¡±


    ¡°How are you so sure about that?¡± I quizzed. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong here mister, but can¡¯t you see the


    dead bodies all over the ground? Do you want to die?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so scared of death?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of death. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m still too young to die.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaking, you should be in your early thirties.¡± He replied, with his eyes fixed at a different


    spot.


    ¡°What?¡± I gaped at him, and another gunshot echoed through the air. ¡°What you trying to say, huh?¡±


    ¡°If we continue to be in this same spot, we might be killed,¡± Luke said, ignoring my question, as he


    surveyed the whole surrounding. ¡°We need to run from here.¡±


    45 BULLETS IN THE AIR


    The both of us rose from the ground, with the idiot leading the way, his hands tightly sped around


    mine. And we both moved forward together, while the chaos continued to take ce.


    I couldn¡¯t help but relish Luke¡¯s manly hands which held mine. He was providing a sense of security, as


    the bullets continued tond like hell. Yes, I was terrified, but the mode which he used in leading the


    way was so awesome. And his touch was gentle and firm at the same time.


    Luke¡¯s strides were confident and effortless, as if he knew the path to safety by heart. And although I


    was following his lead, I still needed to ask where this guy was going to. Because it looked like he was


    scampering to anywhere, known or unknown, but just to keep us safe.


    ¡°Can you please be a little bit faster?¡± Luke gave me that annoying tone, which I hated so much.


    ¡°Hey, this is the fastest I can go,¡± I told him.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    We ran straight to the woods, and I kicked something hard on the ground, maybe a stone or whatever.


    But I almost fell, and then Luke¡¯s hands reached out and firmly grabbed me in a sh. And at this


    moment, we looked into each other¡¯s eyes, I could see his beauty right there.


    His captivating features were impossible to ignore; they held a mesmerizing charm that drew my


    attention. I found myselfpletely immersed in his gaze, unable to tear my eyes away.


    And to my goddamn surprise, it seemed that he too was captivated by me, as his unwavering gaze


    mirrored my own. But these were all nonsense. Pure nonsense.


    I quickly shoved him backwards, breaking the moment, as he let go of me.


    ¡°What was that for, huh? I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?¡± Luke barked to a certain


    degree.


    I couldn¡¯t help but give him a confused face. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± He repeated my question. ¡°You forceful push just now, almost caused me tond


    on the ground. What if I got injured or something?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care anyway,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Someone snapped, and we both turned to look at him. It was a baldheaded man and he


    had his gun pointed at the both of us.


    33


    3/3


    46: OLD POPS DICKSON

 Chapter 46

    46: OLD POPS DICKSON


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke and I stood still while the baldheaded man kept his gun aimed at us without wavering. Hisrge


    belly stood out prominently beneath his shirt, and his face was adorned with a snowy white beard.


    We couldn¡¯t help but notice the scar right across his cheek, and adding to the unsettling image, his


    mouth revealed a set of decayed teeth, which was kind of disgusting. I¡¯d rather eat a dog poop than


    kiss those little guys for a million bucks.


    ¡°And what are you two doing here?¡± The baldheaded man asked, moving closer to the both of us. Don¡¯t


    you know that this is my yard?¡± he added with a raised eyebrow.


    Luke and I nced at each other, with puzzled faces.


    ¡°Am I talking to statues?¡± He barked, and we had to look at me that very moment. Making a sound with


    his gun, he was fully prepared to fire at us. Luke and I lifted our hands right in the air.


    ¡°Sorry to intrude sir. But trust me when I say this; we had no single clue this was your yard. We didn¡¯t


    even know this ce belongs to anyone,¡± I spoke in a calm tone, trying to defuse the situation of


    course.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t lie to me now. I had a signboard right there.¡± the baldheaded man gestured toward a


    signboard, a little bit far from us, which read: Old Pops Dickson¡¯s yard. No trespassing.


    And boy trust me, I had no idea that, was right there. So did Luke, I think. We were just running like


    chickens who got their heads cut off.


    ¡°You had any idea that was there?¡± Luke asked me in a whisper.


    ¡°Hell no,¡± I whispered back.


    ¡°Silence!¡± The baldheaded man shrieked immediately, causing me to tremble. Luke just shook his head


    in a silentugh. He didn¡¯t even seem terrified at all.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that those who enters Old Pops Dickson¡¯s yard neveres out alive?¡± The


    baldheaded man continued with his infuriated tone.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard about this ce before,¡± Luke said after a chuckle. ¡°And by the way, you need to


    change that name of yours. I mean,e on, you should be in your early fifties or something.¡±


    ((


    ((


    ¡°I think you need to be more respectful,¡± I whispered to Luke.


    ¡°Trust me, I got this,¡± he responded in hushed tones, feeling so high of himself. What a jerk.


    Hearing the sound of the man adjusting his gun, the two of us set our eyes on him once again. The


    look on the man¡¯s face could tell that he was so desperate to end the lives of both of us. Well, that¡¯s


    what I think.


    And as for Luke, his expression showed how he had no single fear in him. He even clenched his fists


    46: OLD POPS DICKSON


    tightly, scrutinizing the baldheaded man whose gun was still pointing at us.


    2/3


    As for me, I was just wondering what could happen in this situation. Terror was right within me, and my


    wish right now, was that there should be no single bullet in that gun.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Blow our brains off?¡± Luke spoke courageously.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to shoot you both to death, rip your hearts out, cut you both into pieces, and feed your


    worthless bones to the dogs,¡± the man shot Luke aeback, and his tone was really threatening.


    It was like he wasn¡¯t even going to hesitate to carry out the things he had freshly said. Just great.


    From a moment of sorrow and grief, to a frightful scene of bullets, to this; a baldheaded man who was


    about to go crazy. Not a great day for me, right?


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m so scared,¡± Luke said in a dramatic tone, extremely sarcastic. I shot him a crazy look instantly,


    and hit his belly.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± He questioned me.


    ¡°You need to behave if you still want to enjoy that wealth of yours,¡± I tried to give him some senses.


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Luke retorted, and I frowned incontinently.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Then, a bullet was released in the air. Luke and I turned to the baldheaded man forthwith, only to see


    his gun pointing at the air.


    He pointed it back at us. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid to release these bullets at the both of you. So if I were


    you guys, I¡¯ll start begging for mercy now.¡±


    ¡°And if we beg for mercy, are you going to spare our lives?¡± Luke asked, knowing the answer to his


    question, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°I might spare the life of the prettydy right there,¡± the man spoke, looking at me.


    Luke¡¯s eyes were also on me, but he eventually took his gaze back to the baldheaded man. ¡°What


    about me?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± The man replied immediately.


    ¡°You hate me that much?¡± Luke asked him, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± The man answered promptly. ¡°And I¡¯m going to blow your fucking brain off.¡°


    He was about to pull the trigger, but I got in the way, shielding Luke. As much as I wanted vengeance, I


    didn¡¯t want this idiot to die just yet.


    ¡°Ariel, what are you doing?¡± Luke asked lowly, trying to push me from his front, but I refused to be


    moved by his actions.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he called my name again, but I ignored him, fixing my eyes on the baldheaded man.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for his behavior towards you. I promise, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    46: OLD POPS DICKSON


    3/3


    Lukeughed. I threw him a stare that was supposed to give him senses. But he seemed to have none


    to realize thatm


    I took my eyes back to the baldheaded man, and he raised an eyebrow, with a face that was like ¡®


    seriously?¡®, clearly pointing out to Luke. I didn¡¯t even know what to do. I just had to sigh and shift back.


    It seemed like the billionaire wanted to take care of things around here.


    Luke, with so much boldness started walking to the baldheaded man.


    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer,¡± the man warned Luke.


    Luke still moved like he wasn¡¯t the one the man was talking to. ¡°You said you were going to shoot,


    right? So go ahead,¡± Luke told him.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where he had gotten all this courage from. But trust me, the situation didn¡¯t


    look that good, with Luke acting all tough and mighty.


    If he had just tried to humble himself for a minute, I¡¯m pretty sure the baldheaded man would have let


    us go easily. But no, it was all about pride. And yeah, it¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s crazy as well.


    Luke finally got close, looking into the eyes of the man, who eventually lowered his gun. ¡°See, I knew it.


    You can¡¯t shoot me. I¡¯ve seen it in your eyes already. The passion to save, not kill. The thirst to help the


    lost one home.¡±


    I gave Luke a puzzled face. How in the world did that attitude of his changed? And what the hell did he


    think he was doing?


    Luke continued, ¡°I know for a fact that you¡¯re a nice man, and you only want to do what¡¯s right,


    protecting this ce from the armed ones, the enemy. But believe me, we are not the enemy.¡±


    ¡°We came here with no weapons, and we don¡¯t even have any intention of harming you, or anyone else


    around here. If there are any. We made our way to this forest, running for our lives.¡±


    And when the man seemed to be captivated by Luke¡¯s talk, someone fired a gunshot to our direction.


    But luckily, it didn¡¯t hit any of us. How lucky are we?


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    im

 Chapter 47

    47: THE HATRED IS MUTUAL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The second bullet came flying towards Luke, the man, and me. But it was quite a miracle that it still


    didn¡¯t hit any of us. And with this, Luke and I hunkered down. More bullets came our way, and the


    baldheaded man was able to fire back at whoever was attacking us.


    After a few moments of releasing some bullets, the man looked at us. ¡°The both of you, follow me, he


    instructed and moved away, at a fast pace. Luke and I nced at each other before trailing behind


    him.


    He took us deep inside the forest, and I could see a farmhouse a little bit far from us.


    ¡°So what happened back there?¡± The baldheaded man quizzed, as the three of us were now walking at


    normal pace. ¡°You guys have a problem with someone?¡±


    ¡°As for me, no. But this woman right here?¡± Luke pointed at me. ¡°She has a problem with everyone.


    She¡¯s even a huge problem to herself.¡°¨C


    I red at him. He smirked in response, and I turned my face away quickly.


    ¡°Nah, I think those guys were after you, young man. Most of the bullets fired, were aimed in your


    direction,¡± the man said, turning to Luke.


    Luke halted, and so did I. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Someone is after your life,¡± the baldheaded man told him. ¡°It¡¯s very clear that person wants you


    dead. And I just have to let you know right now, that if anyonees shooting at us, you¡¯re the target.


    ((


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. Why would someone be wishing me dead?¡± Luke queried himself, living in his own


    thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising, is it?¡± I told him and he looked at me. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve never been a great guy. ¡°Just


    because I wasn¡¯t nice to you, doesn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t nice to others,¡± he spat.


    I chuckled. ¡°What a hypocritical fool you are then.¡®


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked like he was going to cut my head off or something.


    I looked him right in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to deny it now? Three good years spent with you was


    nothing but hell. And here you are, saying you¡¯ve been nice to other people. This shows how you¡¯re a


    good¨Cfor¨Cnothing scumbag. What did I even do to you for you to treat me like that?¡± I uttered, my tone


    was getting louder each second.


    Luke rolled his eyes, growling in annoyance. ¡°I thought we were over this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah we are. But everything¡¯s still stuck in my head. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to throw away those terrible


    memories.¡±


    47: THE HATRED IS MUTUAL


    2/3


    ¡°Well to hell with you and your worthless memories,¡± Luke spat. ¡°You should even be happy that I¡¯m


    about to marry you again. Consider yourself lucky.¡±


    ¡°Why should I? Are you some sort of gold or something?¡± I crossed my arms.


    Luke budged his face closer. ¡°I don¡¯t want to start arguing with you. Right now, I¡¯ve got better things to


    be thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Things like what? How you¡¯re going to get yourself out of this sticky situation?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Watch it, okay? We¡¯re still not sure if those guys are after me.¡±


    ¡°Well I wish they are. I wish they can juste here right now and take the living soul of you!¡± My


    anger aggrandized.


    ¡°After I saved your life, this is what you feel, huh? This is what you want?¡±


    ¡°Saved my life?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Please Luke, don¡¯t make me die inughter. When did you save my life?¡±


    He was about to speak, but I interrupted him. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about back then after the funeral, you¡¯re


    clearly mistaking. You did save me from those bullets, that¡¯s true. But you were only trying to protect


    yourself. So don¡¯t start acting like a hero around here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luke blurted, making an irritated face. ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make any sense. If I wanted to save


    only myself, I would have just zoomed off without pushing yourme ass to the ground.¡®


    Yeah, that is true. But I wasn¡¯t going to keep silent. I wasn¡¯t going to be defeated in this one.


    ¡°I know you have no brain. You just love thinking like a fool,¡± Luke spoke these harsh words. ¡°Even if a


    rock got no senses, it¡¯s a hundred times better than you. Nitwit.¡±


    ¡°You are impossible!¡± I snapped. ¡°You still have the guts to be talking like a fool when you¡¯re clearly the


    one who¡¯s at fault here!¡±


    ¡°How exactly?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because if I can remember, you¡¯re the one who started the


    whole nonsense.¡±


    ¡°And I wasn¡¯t lying. You are a hypocrite. Luke Reynold, acting all nice to the people, loved by everyone,


    and yet he treated his own wife like trash.¡±


    ¡°You and I both know the reason why.¡±


    ¡°I was never a golddigger, okay? And I didn¡¯t even have any clue of the deal my parents made with Sir


    Reynold. So if you¡¯re going to start ming anyone for ruining your dry rtionship with your lover,


    point the fingers at them.¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Luke heaved his finger at me. The warning sign, I¡¯d say. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk nonsense about my


    grandfather. We just finished his funeral. Have some respect you moron.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m only saying the truth,¡± I said. The anger in my eyes was absolutely visible.


    ¡°You better watch your mouth. If you keep on spitting nonsense, I¡¯ll have no other option but to¡­.¡±


    47. THE HATRED IS MUTUAL


    3/3


    ¡°But to what, huh? Hit me?¡± I cut him off. ¡°Go ahead then. Inflict the pain on me like you always did


    those years.¡±


    Luke¡¯s baleful lookpounded. ¡°You and I both know that I neverid my hands on you,¡± he said


    bitterly, with his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But now you¡¯reying false usations at me.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t touch me, yes. But only your words, actions, and ignorance brought deep pain to my heart.


    You can justplete the sequence right now by hitting me.¡± I could hear the pain in my voice. Harking


    my mind back to those times always left me broken. And today, it did again.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot if you think I¡¯m going to fall into these temptations invoked by you.¡± Luke still wore his


    dark look. Indeed, the hatred is mutual.


    ¡°Okay that¡¯s enough!¡± The baldheaded man chimed in with a loud scream. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough. Will the


    both of you stop fighting like children?¡±


    ¡°Well tell her to have some senses. I won¡¯t be able to put up with her if she keeps on with this


    nonsense. I¡¯ll just get the hell out of here,¡± Luke talked like he was of any use around here.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, leave!¡± I bawled. ¡°Maybe you can leave the earth as well. Cause I believe those guys


    won¡¯t hesitate to end your worthless life.¡±


    ¡°I thought I told you guys to put an end to your silly fight!¡± The baldheaded man spoke harshly. Have


    you both heard of the saying; two heads are better than one?¡±


    Luke and I gave him no response. We refused to utter a single word. And yes, our countenances were


    still the opposite of happy, gleeful, and friendly.


    ¡°Now I don¡¯t need to know what happened between the both of you in the past. I just want to focus on


    the present, where we stand at the moment. Right now, the two are you are in a serious trouble. So I


    think it¡¯s better not to bring up a conversation that¡¯s going to lead to a heated argument.¡±


    He nced at the two of us. ¡°You guys im to hate each other, right? But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m seeing


    around here. I can see the passion in your eyes. The anger might be there but it¡¯s going to slowly fade.


    Your history together might be terrifically bad. But destiny has brought the both of you into each other¡¯s


    arms once again.


    ¡°My grandfather was the one who brought us back together,¡± Luke said coldly. ¡°And please, don¡¯t start


    bringing out romantic quotes.¡±


    48: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED

 Chapter 48

    48: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/5


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve said before, I don¡¯t really care about your past. I can only talk about the present. With the


    things I¡¯m seeing at the moment,¡± the baldheaded man told Luke. I was still standing, surveying him.


    If he was talking about a love story that¡¯s going to unfold within Luke and me¨Cmutual feelings¨Che was


    clearly mistaking. There is absolutely no way I could develop the devotedness I once had for Luke. I


    just don¡¯t see that happening anymore.


    ¡°Look, sir, thanks for protecting us from those guys. I really appreciate that. But please, don¡¯t start


    saying things that¡¯s never going to happen.¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I said nothing,¡± the man said, raising his shoulders to a certain degree. ¡°And by the way, the name is


    Foster. Foster Dickson.¡±


    Luke nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s time we leave now.¡±


    He turned around and examined me, not giving me a friendly expression. ¡°A correction right here: I¡¯ll be


    the only one leaving. She can stay here with you if she wants.¡±


    Luke began to walk away, but Foster stopped him.


    ¡°Are you seriously leaving her here? All by herself?¡± Foster asked Luke.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a little kid. And since she thinks so highly of herself, I think she can leave all by herself.¡±


    Luke directed his gaze towards me,pletely brimming with rage.


    My eyes were just fixed on him, and I couldn¡¯t cease the re. The hatred was getting bigger and


    bigger,pounding with each passing moment. And now, my thirst for vengeance has gotten to a


    46: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED


    whole new level. I just wanted to ruin him without Mason giving me multiple reminders.


    215


    He deserved anything terrible that was going toe his way. Believe me when I say this: I¡¯m going to


    make sure he pays for the insults, the pains, the heartbreaking moments, and the embarrassments.


    Luke Reynold was going to get it from me. I swear on the graves of my deceased family, all of them.


    The bitterness he brought to my heart would be delivered back to him. I was going to wreak havoc on


    him and let him get a taste of the exhrating pain that he caused me. The movie was only getting


    started, and I couldn¡¯t wait till we were married.


    ¡°Come on now, you can¡¯t be so heartless,¡± Foster tried convincing Luke.


    ¡°I¡¯m only being what she sees me to be. A heartless monster who¡¯s willing to bring pain to anyone,¡±


    Luke said, ncing at me.


    Foster wanted to continue pleading with him, or whatever. But I interrupted him, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    He can go. I¡¯ll handle things on my own.¡± After these words, I tardily closed both of my eyes.


    The pain was still moving all around my body. I knew I needed to be strong in this situation. If I were


    going to spend days with him, I should be ready, fully prepared, and extremely vigorous. Mental heart,


    a mind like a rock, and let the ice flow in my veins.


    The good side of me should be crushed, burned down, and thrown away. Let me ignite the heartless


    me dwelling in my body. It was defunct, but it was time I brought it back to life.


    An exchange of intense re, and Luke finally left us. I couldn¡¯t even say anything. No need for


    comebacks; that idiot can go to hell, because there was absolutely no way I was going to waste my


    time with such a scumbag. Well, I was going to live with him for days.


    But at this moment, his face was thest thing I wanted to see. And his voice was thest thing I


    wanted to hear. I didn¡¯t want to hear him speak at all. Luke Reynold was the greatest scumbag I had


    ever seen. He was so aggravating.


    48: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED


    The fool was an extreme pain in the ass. And just by spending time with him, he would take your


    breath away. Yes, because his irking words were enough to murder you t. Simply wless.


    3/5


    ¡°Wow, that guy¡¯s unbelievable,¡± Foster said underneath his breath. He nced at me. ¡°I guess you will


    just have to stay with me till all of this terror is over.¡±


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± I told him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving as well?¡± he asked slowly.


    ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t spend the whole day in this forest. I have some business stuff to take care of,¡± I gave


    my reason.


    him


    ¡°Who said you¡¯d be staying in a forest? I have a house right here. And trust me, you¡¯re going to feel so


    comfortable inside,¡± he vocalized, and it was like he wanted me to stay, a little longer, I guess.


    It¡¯s so nice of him. But as I have said, I¡¯ve got business stuff to take care of. If it wasn¡¯t for that funeral I


    attended, I would have been in a business meeting, getting involved in important discussions that could


    bring more money to mypany.


    But don¡¯t get me wrong here; I didn¡¯t regret going to that funeral. I respected Sir Reynold a lot. He was


    the only one in the Reynold family who genuinely cared about me. The others were all pieces of


    trash.


    He gave me so much love¨Cthe type that anyone could ask for. He treated me like I was his own, like I


    was his blood. He was such a wonderful man. So sad that he was no more.


    I gave Foster a smiling face. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good. I really appreciate the help you gave us. I¡¯m sorry,


    me. Is there anyway I can repay you?¡±


    Foster shook his head. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m the only one who lives around here.¡± His eyes narrowed


    down to his feet. ¡°And sometimes I feel really lonely.¡±


    48: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED


    His tone was kind of sad, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a family?¡± I asked. He chuckled in response, and I could tell the answer was no.


    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually pay you a visit around here? Like friends, you know what I mean.¡±


    4/5


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about friends, I have none. It¡¯s a big zero. And people doe into this ce, just like


    you and Luke did.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mention his name,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Foster gave me a puzzled face, but he had to understand what was going through my head at


    the moment.


    ¡°You saw what happened between the both of us; do you think I want to be friends with that man?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the both of you friends?¡±


    Iughed in answer to that question. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re nowhere near friends. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever be.


    ¡°Are you really serious about that?¡± Foster quizzed. ¡°Cause I¡¯ve seen in movies where¡­¡±


    11


    ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s not go on with this conversation.¡± I cut him off. ¡°What were you saying before that


    idiot¡¯s name got into your mouth?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was trying to tell you how brave you guys were. Of all the people I¡¯ve met, I chased all of them


    with my gun. But you and Luke didn¡¯t fear me, which is unbelievable.¡±


    Well, Luke was the one who wasn¡¯t terrified. But I¡¯m not going to start giving him all the praise. As for


    48: BITTERNESS ENKINDLED


    me? I was scared to death, but I had to put myself together. So technically, I wasn¡¯t actually frightened.


    5/5


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ve found you,¡± someone said from behind. I quickly turned around. I was quite startled to


    see ke.

 Chapter 49

    49: VENGEANCE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    1/5


    Okay, so I had gone a little far in this saunter of mine, and I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the argument I


    had with Ariel. She was really annoying, to the point that I was about to unleash the beast inside of me.


    Growing up and living my life all these years, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve touched a woman. In fact, I even hated it


    when men did that todies, to their wives. I find it so absurd. But moments ago, there was almost a


    change of thoughts. Ariel¡¯s annoying words almost caused me to transfigure into a monster, and I was


    seriously avoiding that. I¡¯m d that I wasn¡¯t taken away by anger.


    Now, a promise had already been made to my grandfather, and I would be spending the rest of my


    goddamn life with that woman. I pray I don¡¯t beat the living soul out of her; it¡¯s something I never


    wanted. So, if she wanted me to fulfill my grandfather¡¯s wishespletely, she betterpose


    herself.


    I was still treading in the forest, hearing different sounds of creatures that were scary enough to make


    someone jump off their butts continuously.


    I had to cease this walk the moment I saw dead bodies on the ground, and some were being devoured


    by worms. It was really disgusting and frightful for some people, I guess, but not me.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off these lifeless bodies, and I kind of felt sorry for these people. It was obvious


    that they were murdered. And anyone else, except for me, who was moving in this forest, might have


    the same fate.


    Now that I havee to think of it, Ariel¡¯s still in the forest, and if care¡¯s not taken, she might be killed


    as well. We all know that ady¡¯s terror is worse than that of a chicken. And even though I hated her, I


    wasn¡¯t going to let anything terrific happen to her. She was not going to be a dead piece of crap.


    Hell no.


    After all these thoughts, I turned around, making my way to where I had left Ariel, along with that


    baldheaded man. What was his name again? Oh yeah, Foster.


    49: VENGEANCE


    2/5


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Ariel Clinton, one of the owners of The Vitality Group. It¡¯s such a nice thing to see you,¡± ke said,


    walking closer in my direction. Oh yeah, Foster was behind me.


    There were three men who stood behind ke, looking sort of huge, with shades on their eyes, and


    each of them was holding guns, which had me really terrified.


    And if you¡¯re wondering, ke used to be a worker at The Vitality Group. A remarkable one, for that


    matter, gaining the trust of Andr¨¦ and others. But I always had my doubts about him. And I had to find


    out that he was stealing some of thepany¡¯s money and that he was nning to take everything. I


    didn¡¯t know how, but it was his scheme.


    Well, I had to expose him, and that was how he lost his job. So, taking a look at these men with guns, I


    could tell that he had finallye to take revenge.


    ¡°ke? What are you doing here?¡± I made a confused face, although I could guess the reason I was


    seeing his hideous face at the moment.


    ¡°I should be asking you that. What are you doing here?¡± His countenance was covered with a false


    smile.


    ¡°I think you know the answer to that,¡± I replied, and my tone wasn¡¯t friendly at all.


    keughed softly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. But I think I¡¯ll make a quick guess. You¡¯re running for your life, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give him a reply, but my look said everything. And even though my anger was so intense, would


    it be powerful enough to prevail over bullets? I feel like those men are going to fire me at any moment.


    Let them hit the chest anyway, the burdens would finally be lifted.


    49: VENGEANCE


    Foster quickly pointed at ke and wanted to shoot, but I stopped him. When I turned to ke, I could


    see how the three men were already pointing their guns at us.


    ¡°Act crazy and die crazy,¡± one of the men said, their guns still pointing at Foster and I. However, ke


    enjoined them to drop their guns, and they slowly did that.


    ¡°I ask again, what are you doing here?¡± My unfriendly tone remained, and my face was all frowny.


    315


    ke sighed, still with his fake grin. ¡°I just came to enjoy the sweet scent of nature, taking a look at the


    beautiful trees and the ravishing sky. Everything is just so wonderful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Just get straight to the point!¡± I snapped, crossing my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right. I should get straight to the point,¡± ke said, gently stroking his chin with his


    eyes downward. That irritating smile was still on his face, and it made me sick.


    And when heid his eyes on me, he said, ¡°I attacked you twice, but you escaped death. How lucky are


    you?¡± He exhaled deeply after that. ¡°But it¡¯s too bad; luck won¡¯t be on your side this time.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Foster asked ke bitterly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m the hero here, trying to put an end to the viin, right in my story.¡± ke smirked


    at Foster.


    ¡°And who is the viin?¡± Foster¡¯s question came with a raised eyebrow.


    ke shook his head with a sigh. ¡°Are you dumb, or what? Can¡¯t you see ady standing right next to


    you?¡±


    ¡°You need to have some respect, young man. Don¡¯t make me rip your heart out. I won¡¯t regret a thing.


    ??


    Foster was now about to march to ke, but I got in front of him.


    49: VENGEANCE


    ¡°You need to calm down, okay?¡± I whispered to Foster.


    ¡°Calm down? Those guys need to be taught a lesson.¡±


    ¡°I know, but if you try to act stupid¡­¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Stupid?¡± Foster cut me off.


    4/5


    $5


    I suspired, and my hushed tone continued, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I know any other word to use. But if we


    act without thinking, they are going to kill us.¡±


    ¡°Fight or not, either way, they¡¯re going to kill us,¡± Foster disagreed. ¡°So it¡¯s best we just give these


    animals what they deserve.¡±


    Foster wanted to move towards them, but I had to stop him again.


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t let your anger get the best of you,¡± I tried to calm him down.


    ¡°Do those guys look like they came here to y?¡± Foster nced at ke and set his eyes back on


    me. ¡°They got guns, and I believe they¡¯re the ones who were shooting at you and Luke earlier. Turns


    out Luke isn¡¯t the one they¡¯re after. They thirst for your blood, and you¡¯re just going to stand here like a


    statue? We need to fight back. Who knows? We mighte out victorious.¡±


    I nced at ke. His smirk was still lingering on his face, and his hands were in both of his pockets.


    ¡°Are the two of you done talking?¡± ke asked.


    I quickly averted my gaze and looked at Foster. ¡°I understand you, Foster, but there¡¯s no need for us to


    fight back.¡±


    49: VENGEANCE


    Foster rolled his eyes. ¡°You have got to be kidding me.


    5/5


    ¡°No, no, try to understand.¡± I held both of his shoulders. ¡°Acting bold is never the answer. We need to


    plead with them to spare our lives.¡±


    ¡°Over my


    dead body!¡± Foster spoke immediately. ¡°Never happening in Old Pops Dickson¡¯s yard.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I heard Luke¡¯s voice, and I turned around right away.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 50

    50: BLACK OUT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/5


    Luke stood still, surveying ke and his men, who had guns. There was no fear in his eyes; he didn¡¯t


    look terrified one bit. And boy, I begin to wonder if he has actually been in such a state before. Recall


    that when we were still in that elevator, the man was not scared at all. The blood of his grandfather


    flows right in his veins.


    ¡°Who the hell is this?¡± Luke asked, giving ke a disgusting look. He nced at the three men behind


    ke. ¡°And why are these guys with guns?¡±


    ¡°Luke Reynold. We meet again,¡± ke said, advancing towards Luke in a slow manner.


    ¡°Meet again?¡± Luke wore a puzzled face. ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we haven¡¯t,¡± ke answered, pping his hands. ¡°But I did go to yourpany to apply for a job.


    I was fit for the job and had all the qualities. But what did you people do? You guys rejected me, and


    when I tried exining, you people had to call security to kick me out!¡±


    Luke stared at ke for a moment, still with a confused face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°It was really painful. And from that day on, I swore I¡¯d take revenge. Well, here am I, killing two birds


    with one stone.¡± After ke had said all these things, he set his eyes on me.


    ¡°Who did all that to you exactly? Cause it¡¯s definitely not me,¡± Luke told him.


    ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t you. But you¡¯re the owner of thepany. That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to pay.¡± ke


    red at Luke in response.


    ¡°You¡¯re one crazy idiot, aren¡¯t you?¡± Luke fired him with this. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a psycho like you before.


    There are billions of fools in this world, but you are different.¡±


    50: BLACK OUT


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. So you actually want to kill Luke and me?¡± I asked ke. He was indeed crazy.


    Luke nced at me. ¡°He wants to kill you?¡± He turned back to ke. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been taking


    so long. Shoot her already.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gaped at him. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°I told you, man, shoot her already!¡± Luke uttered it in a morous tone.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± ke snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t need you telling me what to do.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea who you¡¯re talking to?¡± Luke asked ke in a threatening tone.


    2/5


    ¡°Oh yes, I do,¡± ke replied in hushed tones, shifting his face closer to Luke. The both of them red


    at each other like they were preparing for a wrestling match or something.


    Foster fired a gunshot immediately. The bulletnded in the head of one of the men. The other two shot


    back at Foster, but he swiftly moved out of the way. So did I.


    Luke gave ke a punch on the face, and the other men wanted to fire their bullets at him. But


    Foster¡¯s fingers were faster. He shot both of them, and they fell down. Like, wow. That was so


    incredible. I could tell he was a pro at this.


    The brawl between ke and Luke continued. Exchange of tremendous punches, resulting in injured


    faces. Foster wanted to shoot ke, but he had run out of bullets.


    He turned his gaze to the three huge men who were lying down, their blood flowing slowly on the


    ground. I knew he wanted to get a hold of one of their guns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get it,¡± I told him, and I ran towards one of the men. Luke continued the battle with


    50: BLACK OUT


    ke, dominating with vigorous punches.


    3/5


    As I wanted to grab the gun from the man, he opened his eyes immediately, seizing my hands, causing


    me to gasp in horror. I tried to get his hands off mine, but then he fired a gunshot at my belly. After that,


    he passed away.


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Luke brought out immediately, surveying me. And with the look on his face, he was not happy


    with my situation at the moment.


    Luke was still staring at me, but then ke had to break the gaze, seizing his neck from behind. He


    pulled Luke backwards, and the both of themnded on the ground.


    I was just speechless watching them. And then I took my eyes to my belly, which was bleeding like hell.


    I took my hands off it, just to see my fingers covered in blood. My eyes once again went to Luke, who


    was still brawling with ke.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± Foster moved closer to me, hunkering down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine, okay?¡± He uttered,


    holding both of my shoulders.


    I tried smiling, but it was too hard. The pain was intense, and this might actually be the end. If it is,


    then I¡¯ll be joining Sir Reynold and others. The ones who cared for me before they left the earth.


    ¡°Ariel! Ariel! Look at me!¡± Foster screamed, shaking me strenuously as my eyes were closing slowly.


    Luke turned around, looking into my eyes. I returned the stare, but everywhere eventually turned


    ck.


    ***


    I woke up to see myself in a hospital room. My eyes quickly went down to my belly as I took the cloth


    off. The wound had already been taken care of. But I was really enervated.


    50: BLACK OUT


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± I heard Luke¡¯s voice, and I turned to see where it came from.


    4/5


    He was right in the room, leaning his back against the wall, his hands dipped inside his pockets, and he


    was just staring at me. His face was covered with bruises.


    ¡°You? How long have you been standing there?¡± I asked him.


    He sighed and took his body away from the wall. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a long time now.¡±


    ¡°Why exactly?¡± I threw another question at him.


    ¡°What kind of question is that? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯ve been waiting for you to regain consciousness?¡±


    Luke retorted, stepping closer.


    I turned my face away. ¡°Well, thank you. But I don¡¯t need you worrying about me.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was worried about you?¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°If you weren¡¯t worried about me, why were you standing there the whole time?¡±


    ¡°So you actually believed me when I said I was been here for a long time?¡± Heughed after those


    words.


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I shot him a confused face.


    ¡°How¡¯s your body right now? Still feeling the pain?¡± He inquired.


    ¡°A little bit,¡± I said, and I touched my wounded stomach. ¡°Ouuu!¡± I nced at Luke. ¡°Yeah, it still


    hurts.¡±


    50: BLACK OUT


    5/5


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie; seeing you in this state doesn¡¯t hurt me one bit.¡± Luke finally got close to my bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to fulfill the things my grandfather told me to.¡± He sat on his heels, staring at me. ¡°He


    made it clear that I should treat you like a princess. And I¡¯m actually trying my best to keep to that.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s forcing you. And I don¡¯t need you acting like you care for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel, I know that. But a promise is a promise. This was what my grandpa always wanted. He¡¯s


    gone now, and I want to make him proud from up there.¡±


    I looked at him for seconds. ¡°I can see that. But don¡¯t think you can start messing with me or


    something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t get you.¡±


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± I said underneath my breath. ¡°What happened to ke anyway?¡±


    Luke let out a deep sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s just say he¡¯s gone back to where he came from.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

 Chapter 51

    51: SCORPION¡¯S RETURN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You killed him?¡± I blurted out to Luke. And the pain in my belly increased. I held that part immediately,


    closing my eyes.


    ¡°Okay, take it easy.¡± Luke wanted to hold me, but I hit his hands, telling him not to touch me.


    1/5


    ¡°You need to chill, alright? I didn¡¯t kill ke, or whatever his name is. I just handed him to the cops.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you say you sent him back to where he belongs?¡±


    ¡°I was only trying to see your reaction,¡± Luke said, getting to his feet. He started walking to the door. ¡±


    I¡¯ll see you at the wedding tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still doing that?¡± I asked.


    Luke halted and turned around. ¡°Yeah.¡± He left the room after that.


    I sighed, shaking my head, and then Iy on the bed. I have to say, today was actually a wonderful day.


    What even happened to Foster, by the way?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As I burst inside my car, so many thoughts raced through my mind. There were a lot of things going on


    in this head of mine, and my grandpa¡¯s face was still lingering in my memory.


    And then there was Ariel. Thatdy almost lost her life today, and I didn¡¯t even know why in the


    51: SCORPION¡¯S RETURN


    2/5


    world I was worried. Of course, I hid all these from everyone. The feelings I had for this woman were


    definitely not hate, and they obviously weren¡¯t love either. I could see she really had me tangled.


    My phone began to ring, breaking me from my thoughts, and I answered the call that very moment.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Fiona. Pleasee home.¡± That was one of my maids talking on the phone.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s..,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your aunt, you nitwit!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Mariam?¡± I uttered slowly. That¡¯s her voice. She was the one who snatched the phone from


    Fiona.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Luke. And you bettere home immediately!¡± Thisdy snapped, talking like she was


    the boss of me.


    ¡°Why, if I may ask?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me questions. Juste here!¡± She continued with her bossy tone.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m busy right now.¡± I lied. There was no way she was going to start treating me like her


    ve.


    ¡°That is none of my business! Leave whatever you¡¯re doing right now ande.¡±


    I hung up. Why did that woman have toe into my life again?


    My aunt and I were never on good terms. She was an arrogant carkingdy who thought so highly of


    51. 51.


    S RETURN


    3/5


    herself. She was filled with pride and hated by all. She used to live with me, but after the death of my


    parents, she went to only God knows where. Now she¡¯se back.


    The dangerous scorpion, full of venom, has returned to wreak havoc in my life. This wicked creature


    brought nothing but trouble. I couldn¡¯t tolerate her presence for even a moment. Her actions and


    behavior caused immense distress and frustration.


    Dealing with her was a constant struggle, and it seemed impossible to find peace. The venomous sting


    of her presence always poisoned the atmosphere, leaving me in a state of constant unease. Her return


    only amplifies the difficulties I face, and currently, I¡¯m left with a sense of despair and annoyance.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was still lying down on the bed, my eyes closed, as I was thinking about what happened in the forest


    today. You know what kept revolving around in my head? Luke¡¯s reaction when that man shot me.


    His face changed all of a sudden, and it was like he cared for me. The way he screamed my name said


    it all. His voice trembled with fear and concern, filled with raw emotion. I never wanted to actually


    believe it, because I wasn¡¯t going to take my mind further.


    The door opened, and Mason stepped in. He had a bunch of flowers in his hands, and he also had


    some shades on, but he took them off immediately.


    How the hell did he know I was here?


    ¡°Ariel, it¡¯s so nice to see you.¡± Mason smiled, moving closer. ¡°When I heard you were at the hospital,


    I thought you were dead. Gosh, I was scared for a minute.¡±


    ¡°Okay, enough with the pretense,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Pretence?¡± Mason chuckled. ¡°Do you hate me that much that you¡¯re going to start saying I¡¯m pulling off


    a drama when I¡¯m actually being concerned about you?¡±


    51: SCORPION¡¯S RETURN


    4/5


    ¡°Look. I¡¯m not in the mood if you¡¯re here to start this decision about Luke. As you can see, I got shot,


    and I almost died.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still alive,¡± he said with a huge smile. ¡°And you should be d about that.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m d, and thanks foring. You can leave now.¡± I threw him a mealy grin.


    ¡°Oh, the conversation¡¯s not going to end just like that.¡± His unctuous smile covered his face. ¡°Now tell


    me about your wedding with Luke. Is it still going to take ce tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I told you already. I¡¯m not in the mood for this conversation. Can¡¯t you see how I¡¯m badly wounded? ¡°I


    tried to let him see my situation around here.


    ¡°I can see that. But your wound¡¯s not going to restrain you from talking. So let¡¯s not waste any more


    time.¡± Mason still wouldn¡¯t listen. Bullshit.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s wasting your time. You can just leave now, and we¡¯ll talk about this another time.¡±


    My annoyance grew.


    ¡°You know how curious I can get.¡± He kept on pressuring me. Damn, it was really frustrating.


    ¡°And you know how annoying I can be. So please, sir, leave me alone.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to give up that


    easily. There is no time to talk nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh gosh, Ariel, stop being stubborn.¡± He sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°Just give me an update on this


    mission of ours, and I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Unbelievable words came right out of his mouth.


    I gave him a crazy look forthwith. ¡°You¡¯re not going to bother me anymore?¡± This was unthinkable,


    I¡¯d say. Mason was a pain in the ass.


    ¡°Just for today.¡± He had to let me know.


    ST: SCORPION¡¯S RETURN


    ¡°Yeah, just what I was expecting to hear,¡± I said underneath my breath.


    ¡°Tell me already!¡± He snarled. Danger zone.


    5/5


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, alright. But Luke still wants the wedding to take ce tomorrow. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s being


    serious or not.¡± I was sick and tired of this man already.


    ¡°I see. That means I need to go get myself a perfect suit for tomorrow¡¯s asion.¡± Shocking words.


    ¡°Hold on a minute. You¡¯re attending the wedding?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t miss such an important event. Take care, by the way. I hope that wound doesn¡¯t get


    worse than it is right now.¡± He was definitely being sarcastic.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. It won¡¯t.¡± I tried to y along.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± he smiled. ¡°See you tomorrow. Or will you being home tonight?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll spend the night here at the hospital.¡± Perfect decision. Tonight, he can have the house all to


    himself.


    ¡°Okay, but you got to be prepared. Tomorrow¡¯s going to be a special day in your life.¡±


    I chuckled in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t really think so.¡±


    Masonughed and dropped the flowers close to me. He stood up and left the room after that. The


    flowers smelt nice, but since it was from Mason, I considered it to be horrible.

 Chapter 52

    52: MOVING IN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    1/6


    I arrived home, and the moment I stepped foot inside the house, I saw my aunt sitting down, slowly


    tapping the couch she perched on. She was obviously waiting for me.


    ¡°I thought I told you toe earlier. Where have you been?¡± My aunt asked me the moment she


    sighted me.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this nonsense, huh?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but get irritated by her pesky question.


    ¡°Nonsense? Is this how you talk to your elders? Don¡¯t you have some respect in that mouth of yours?¡±


    Here she was again, speaking like she was a god or something.


    ¡°Respect? If you could hear yourself when you were talking to me on the phone, you¡¯d know that you


    deserve none.¡± I struck her with these words, trying to let her know the kind of person she was.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re trying to act stubborn, just like your father.¡± And she had to mention him in this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare drag my father into this.¡± My spleen got out, still unleashing heavily.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What are you going to do, huh? I mean, your anger¡¯s not going to change the fact that you are crazy,


    just like your father.¡± She kept on with her fudge.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, okay? So you better watch your mouth.¡± I threatened her, and I swore I could rip her


    heart out if she didn¡¯t zip it.


    ¡°What did you just say? Do you know I can p the living soul out of you?¡± Her words were quite


    52: MOVING IN


    bbergasting.


    2/6


    ¡°You can p me all you want, but don¡¯t you dare insult my father. That¡¯s something I¡¯m not going to be


    able to tolerate.¡± She needed to know what kind of pain she was bringing me.


    ¡°Okay, shut up. Stop trying to act all mighty around here, all because you¡¯ve grown up. In my eyes,


    you¡¯re still a little kid.¡± Mariam spat.


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Can you please tell me what you¡¯re doing at my house?¡± I asked,


    crossing my arms.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re trying to change the topic, now?¡± She raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat this question anymore. What are you doing at my house?¡± My rage was worsening.


    ¡°Well, I heard that your precious grandfather is dead. Is that true?¡± She quizzed. Such a silly question.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Sir Reynold for crying out loud. He¡¯s a notable businessman in the country, so the news about


    his death is going to be all over the inte.¡±


    ¡°You do know that some people go about with fake news.¡±


    ¡°Not this one, okay? Now, we¡¯ve already carried out the funeral. So I don¡¯t see the need for you to still


    be at my house. The door is that way.¡± It was time for this nonsense toe to an end.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to drive your aunt out of your house?¡± She queried, not believing my words. Was this


    something new?


    ¡°Yes, since she¡¯s trying to act like the boss of me.¡± I retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere! I¡¯m staying right here, in this house with you.¡± Mariam made her decision.


    52: MOVING IN


    But it¡¯s the wrong one.


    ¡°It seems like your husband kicked you out. It¡¯s not going to be surprising. After all, you have an


    irritating attitude.¡± I taunted.


    ¡°You need to watch your mouth, you little rat!¡± She snapped, raising her finger at me.


    ¡°Sorry, but it hits different when I say it.¡± I smirked. But I was still angry as hell.


    3/6


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re wrong with what you said, because my husband and I are still living together, perfectly


    fine, filled with love.¡± She could lie or not; it was none of my business.


    ¡°I¡¯m not buying that.¡± I had to press on with the mocking mode.


    ¡°Then go to hell.¡± She spat.


    ¡°Nah. This is my house; you¡¯re the one who should go to hell. The devil¡¯s going to dly wee you


    into his arms.¡± I came back.


    ¡°I see this little rat has gotten some nerve. Just so you know, I¡¯ll be living in this house for the next


    couple of months.¡± Her words were fanciful.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± I quickly disagreed.


    ¡°Yes, I am. And any moment from now, my belongings will being right here,¡± she said, snapping


    her fingers.


    Some people walked inside the house right away, having a hold of different luggage. I couldn¡¯t help but


    give them an angry look. Who told them they could just barge into my house like that?


    ¡°They¡¯re already here.¡± Mariam pped her hands. A joyful face right there.


    52: MOVING IN


    4/6


    I watched her as she moved closer to them. She helped the individuals out, directing them upstairs.


    There were avable rooms up there, but I was not willing to give her a space in this mansion. She


    was trying to act like the boss. But I¡¯d better let her know who¡¯s the boss around here.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Still at the hospital, I couldn¡¯t help but start thinking about my children. I was missing them so much,


    and I couldn¡¯t wait till all this vengeance stuff was over. I¡¯d finally go back to them, so I hope we get this


    done as soon as possible.


    Speaking of them, my phone began to ring; it was a video call. Andre¡¯s mother was the one who was


    calling. Of course, I knew my adorable babies wanted to talk to me.


    I answered the call with a smiling face, and there was Janice, along with Andre¡¯s mother, right on the


    screen. But I couldn¡¯t see Lukel anywhere. I wondered where he was, or perhaps he didn¡¯t want to talk


    to me.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Janice eximed. My smile only got wider.


    ¡°I miss you, mommy. When are youing back?¡± Her beautiful voice was music to my ears.


    ¡°Soon, my baby, soon.¡± I hoped.


    ¡°Okay, I can¡¯t wait. I have a lot of things to tell you!¡± Janice was indeed joyful.


    ¡°You do know you can tell mommy each and every one of them right now.¡± Smile all on my face.


    ¡°No, I want to tell you when we meet.¡± She was firm on that.


    ¡°Okay then, sweetheart.¡± I beamed.


    52: MOVING IN


    ¡°Ariel, what are you doing at a hospital?¡± Mariam asked.


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s in the hospital?¡± Janice¡¯s face changed.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just had a slight injury. That¡¯s all.¡° I lied.


    ¡°You can¡¯t actually be on that bed and say you have a slight injury. Tell me, Ariel, what really


    happened?¡± Elizabeth knew my words were false.


    5/6


    ¡°I told you already; it¡¯s just a slight injury. The lights got broken, and I was trying to fix it, but I fell down


    hard.¡± I kept on with my lie.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes, never lucky.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call someone else to fix it? You know you¡¯re bad at that.¡± Elizabeth had to tell me that.


    ¡°There is a first time for everything, right?¡± I joked.


    ¡°Yeah, I still don¡¯t believe this story of yours. But I¡¯m not going to stress myself out on that.¡± Elizabeth


    was unbelievable.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lukel, by the way?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He has a fever. So he¡¯s getting some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Aww, my poor baby.¡±


    52: MOVING IN


    ¡°These children miss you a lot, Ariel. When are youing back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time. Take care.¡± I had to let them know, also wishing them the best.


    ¡°Take care, mommy! Love you.¡± Janice¡¯s beautiful voice was loud.


    ¡°I love you too!¡± I smiled, and the call ended.


    6/6


    My phone began to ring, and Luke was the one calling me. I answered after taking quite some time.


    ¡°Get your butts ready. I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡°


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 53

    53: RISE UP


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/7


    ¡°Hold on. You¡¯reing to the hospital toe pick me up.¡± I was trying to see what this idiot was


    talking about around here.


    ¡°Yes. Any problem with that?¡± Luke was feeling proud of himself, huh?


    ¡°Any problem with that? Of course, there are problems! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m injured?¡± A perfect reminder.


    ¡°Your wound changes nothing. Now you should start getting ready. I¡¯ll be there any moment.¡± He was


    still trying to be bossy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your timeing. I¡¯m still not following you.¡± I made up my mind. Decision¡¯s final.


    ¡°You have no choice.¡± He talked like I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I have a choice. You¡¯re not the boss of me. Stop trying to act like you are. It gets irritating every single


    second.¡± Like, really irritating. This guy and Mason were annoying jerks.


    ¡°Why do you have to fight all the time?¡± He spoke as if he¡¯s the one with senses here.


    ¡°Fight? Are you trying to say I¡¯m starting a fight here?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. His words


    were trash anyway.


    ¡°Of course. You are so unbelievable. I didn¡¯t even know what my grandfather saw in ady like you.


    Luke started the insult. I think I¡¯ll be the one ending it.


    53: RISE UP


    ¡°Have some respect,¡± I told him.


    ¡°You started the whole thing.¡± Was he giving me a reminder, or what?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for you right now.¡± Exactly! The right words to use against this scumbag.


    ¡°Yeah, like you have time for anything at the moment.¡± Here he was, taunting me.


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡® My tone deepened.


    217


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act like the person with senses here. Just get ready, okay?¡± His words showed that he was


    stilling. Like, what the hell?


    Our call ended. I dropped my phone on the bed, moving my hands to my face. What in the world did


    that man want now? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s thinking of carrying me to his house. Crap! We¡¯re not even


    married yet.


    Minutester, Luke showed up at my room. The both of us looked at each other for what seemed like


    eternity. And then he finally marched closer to me. This was not definitely something I wanted.


    I sat on the bed and was about to get on my feet, but he held my arm. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why.


    The look I gave him told him to let go, but he had to smirk in response.


    He held my other arm, and the feeling of his hand right there wasforting. I couldn¡¯t help but lean in


    closer as he moved his face towards mine. The moment our eyes met, I was immediately captivated by


    the intensity and warmth in his gaze.


    With every breath he took, I could feel a spark of electricity between us. His touch was unlike anything I


    had ever experienced before, sending shivers down my spine and making me feel alive. It was truly an


    amazing sensation that I never wanted to end.


    53: RISE UP


    3/7


    Hold on? I better end this immediately. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to have me trapped in his charm.


    I shoved his hands from my arms, giving him the angry countenance.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°What?¡± He was acting innocent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to y dumb here. Now tell me what you were about to do.¡°I demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t get you.¡± He feigned a confused face.


    ¡°Your hands on my arms. What was that?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Are you mad about it?¡± His tone was calm. But I was getting mad each second.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I¡¯m mad. You know how the both of us feel towards each other, and you¡¯re touching me like


    that? Like, what the hell?¡°I made a bizarre face.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happy?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea how many women are dying to get a taste of me?¡± Was he praising himself, or


    what?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are. But if perhaps there are women like that, thinking that way, they¡¯re bunch of


    fools.¡± That¡¯s just it.


    ¡°So that means you¡¯re a fool, then.¡± That smirk of his was maddening.


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I saw how you were captured easily. You were lost in the moment,¡± he said, speaking absolute


    nonsense.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± I differed.


    4/7


    ¡°Is it?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to keep lying to yourself. If you want me, just


    say it. Who knows, you might be lucky to scream my name all night.¡± Luke¡¯s thoughts were wild.


    ¡°Eww. How disgusting of you! Did you actuallye here to tell me this nonsense?¡± I gave him an


    irritated face.


    ¡°Nope. I came to take you home.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, do you have to be too slow? I¡¯m taking you home, to my house, which is going to be yours as


    well, tomorrow.¡± He slowed down the words to me, like I was a little kid or something.


    ¡°That wedding is still taking ce tomorrow?¡®


    ¡°You think I¡¯m joking?¡± He arched his brows.


    ¡°You see I¡¯m wounded, right? I don¡¯t want my dress to get covered in blood,¡± I said crazy stuff.


    ¡°It won¡¯t, you birdbrain. Can¡¯t you see the wound¡¯s already been taken care of?¡± He changed to his


    rude manner.


    53: RISE UP


    ¡°You¡¯re the birdbrain around here,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Just get up, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, my legs hurt. I can¡¯t get up.¡± I made up false words.


    ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡± Luke knew I was lying.


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I aksed inaudibly.


    ¡°Yes. After all, your life¡¯s a joke,¡± he spat.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Nice. You can leave now.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tolerate this nonsense.


    ¡°Okay then. Get up.¡±


    577


    ¡°No, leave all by yourself. The door¡¯s right there, and you obviously know the way out of this building.


    ¡°I forgot, actually. And I think it would be nice if you showed me the way.¡°Luke grinned.


    ¡°Oops. I don¡¯t know the way either. If I could clearly remember, I was unconscious when you brought


    me here.¡± I had to y along.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who took you here,¡± he brought out.


    ¡°If not you, then who?¡± Curiosity overshadowed me.


    53: RISE UP


    ¡°Foster did.¡± He revealed.


    ¡°Foster? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± He repeated my words, making a sardonic smile.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°You know what? Just leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. There is no way I¡¯m getting off this bed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste any more time now. We got to start making preparations for the wedding.¡± He was talking


    like I was his ve.


    ¡°No, you got to start making preparations for the wedding. The doctor said I needed to rest.¡±


    6/7


    ¡°Who brought you flowers?¡± Luke asked the moment his eyes caught the flowers Mason brought for


    1. me.


    ¡°My husband.¡± I faked a smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re not married yet. And I¡¯m not the one who did that.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was talking about you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, jokes aside. Are you getting up or not?¡± He asked, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Nope. So if you don¡¯t want to leave, that¡¯s your problem.¡± I turned my face away.


    53: RISE UP


    ¡°You leave me with no choice then,¡± Luke said in hushed tones.


    ¡°What are you going to¡­.


    777


    He interrupted my question the moment he carried me in his arms, while I just screamed, ¡°Woah!¡±


    53: RISE UP


    ¡°You leave me with no choice then,¡± Luke said in hushed tones.


    ¡°What are you going to¡­.¡±


    7/7


    He interrupted my question the moment he carried me in his arms, while I just screamed, ¡°Woah!¡±

 Chapter 54

    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Let go of me, you.¡± I demanded that Luke release me from his hands.


    ¡°You were trying to act stubborn, right? You don¡¯t know how crazy I can get.¡± Luke smirked, his manly


    hands still on my back.


    1/6


    ¡°I think I do. I have lived with you for three good years.¡± All the moments were still etched in my head.


    ¡°Do you have to bring the past back into all of our conversation?¡± Luke asked. He clearly knew how I


    was hurt asionally those years.


    ¡°I can never forget those memories.¡± These words needed to be stuck in that head of his.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I¡¯m just looking forward to our wedding tomorrow.¡°He talked like he was


    actually happy about that.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Yeah right. Getting married to you again. Such an important day in my life.¡± My


    tone was sarcastic.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re about to start another unnecessary talk. But guess what? I¡¯m not up for that.¡± His smile


    was so annoying.


    ¡°Go to hell,¡± I said harsly.


    ¡°Just shut up, will you?¡± He had the nerve to tell me this.


    ¡°Make me.¡± I had to feign a smile. What the hell was he going to do anyway?


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Luke said, moving his face closer and looking deep into my eyes.


    2/6


    His gaze and his breath said a lot of things. The feeling of his fingers transfigured. Yes, his touch was


    now different, and this spark was unfolding within me.


    After seconds of silence, our eyes were still locked in, and our lips drew closer. He still had a hold of


    me, and my hands were wrapped around his neck. It was quite sensational, staring into his bewitching


    eyes.


    The feeling was unthinkable, and the look he gave me said a hundred billion feats. I tried to grasp this,


    since the moment was unimaginable.


    His lips were extremely close to mine, and my eyes were closed as I continued to feel his warm breath.


    But then I had toe back to my senses. There was no way some beauty would get the best of me. I


    was not going to be captivated by this. I would never let go of the past.


    Staring at Luke, I pinched him at the back of his neck, and he let out an inaudible scream in pain. He


    wanted to let go of me, but I wrapped my hands around his neck tightly.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Do you want me to m me to the floor?¡± I bawled at him.


    ¡°You birdbrain, you were the one who pinched me.¡± Luke red, returning the tone.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t say you should let go of me!¡± Seriously, he didn¡¯t have to do that. Where¡¯s the


    respect for ady?


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to throw you to the floor.¡± He smirked. His sardonic countenance made me sick every


    second.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± My tone was deep.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me,¡± Luke said, the smirk still lingering on his visage.


    3/6


    ¡°You scumbag!¡± I bawled, and I pinched him again. This time, it was harder than the first. I was going to


    show him how crazy I could get.


    After that, Luke flung me to the bed, and I screamed while he did that.


    Damn, this man was crazier than I expected. I never thought he was actually going to throw me off his


    arm. He did that just because I pinched him? Payback? What the heck!


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Luke snarled. I wasn¡¯t terrified of his screams. I wasn¡¯t that same


    Ariel back then, when we were still married.


    ¡°Nothing. Absolutely nothing,¡± I answered calmly, not ncing at him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone nuts, I see.¡± Luke brought out his crazy thoughts. He shouldn¡¯t be surprised, right?


    ¡°I was just trying to be like you.¡± These words I said, apanied with a grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Luke uttered bitterly. ¡°Are you going to get up or not?¡±


    ¡°Not doing that; my leg hurts.¡± I refused to do what he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to carry you then. But don¡¯t pinch me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Why are you eager to take me to your house, huh? What do you have under your sleeves?¡± I quizzed,


    not that curious though.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just trying to take my lovely wife home. Is there anything wrong with that?¡± He uttered.


    Slow tone, feigned smile.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah. Hold on there; I am not your wife.¡± I didn¡¯t want him to start living in his


    imagination.


    ¡°You¡¯ll soon be. In just about a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re really excited about this.¡± But honestly, I didn¡¯t think he was.


    4/6


    ¡°Of course I am, since it¡¯s for my grandfather.¡± Yeah, he was obviously lying. That tone didn¡¯t sound


    genuine.


    ¡°Oh gosh, this is so annoying,¡± I said beneath my breath as I took my eyes down.


    ¡°Just get up, will you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I replied instantly.


    ¡°I said get up.¡± Luke¡¯s tone became harsh.


    ¡°I said no.¡± I was able to match his pace.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be my wife, so you better start doing what I tell you to:¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my boss,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Wives are supposed to be submissive to their husbands,¡± Luke said, taking some steps forward.


    ¡°Not me.¡± I threw aeback, standing up from the bed.


    Surveying the billionaire standing in front of me, frowining, I treaded to the door, walking past him.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°You want to take me to your house, right? Okay, then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Luke stood still, giving me that ugly stare. But he shook his head with a sigh, washing away the


    negative thoughts.


    I raised an eyebrow at him, the expression clearly telling him to get his butts in my direction.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± he said in a whisper, and stepped to me.


    I walked out of the room, leading the way, with Luke moving behind me.


    ¡°Are you strong enough to walk?¡± He asked, as if he cared about me.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I replied, turning to him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re concerned anyway.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    5/6


    ¡°Can you just be calm and act nice for just a minute? You¡¯ve really been stressing me out, honestly,¡±


    Luke enunciated, installing his hands on his waist.


    ¡°I would have, but this is what you did to me. You broke me, and that¡¯s what led to this strong heart.


    ¡°Okay, at least I made you strong.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°True talk,¡± Luke said, nodding. ¡°Now move.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to, but not because I¡¯m scared of you.


    Luke took his gaze elsewhere. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    6/6


    I was about to move forward, and suddenly, the intense pain in my belly unfolded again, causing me to


    stumble. However, Luke caught me before I couldnd on the floor. Cleaving my hands, he pulled me


    closer to his body, wrapping his hands around my waist. I would have thrust him back, but the pain took


    full control of me.


    ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t strong enough to walk,¡± Luke said softly, looking into my eyes.


    ¡°If you knew, then why did you have toe here to drag me to your house?¡± I leaned my head on his


    chest. It was not something I wanted to do. But the pain right now was so out of the world.


    ¡°I need to go back,¡± I said in hushed tones, and I wanted to make my way back to the room, but Luke


    refused to let


    go


    of me.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not going back. I¡¯m taking you home,¡± he whispered.


    I looked him in the eyes, and he slowly carried me in his arms. After gazing at me, he embarked on


    walking.

 Chapter 55

    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Let go of me, you.¡± I demanded that Luke release me from his hands.


    ¡°You were trying to act stubborn, right? You don¡¯t know how crazy I can get.¡± Luke smirked, his manly


    hands still on my back.


    1/6


    ¡°I think I do. I have lived with you for three good years.¡± All the moments were still etched in my head.


    ¡°Do you have to bring the past back into all of our conversation?¡± Luke asked. He clearly knew how I


    was hurt asionally those years.


    ¡°I can never forget those memories.¡± These words needed to be stuck in that head of his.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I¡¯m just looking forward to our wedding tomorrow.¡°He talked like he was


    actually happy about that.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Yeah right. Getting married to you again. Such an important day in my life.¡± My


    tone was sarcastic.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re about to start another unnecessary talk. But guess what? I¡¯m not up for that.¡± His smile


    was so annoying.


    ¡°Go to hell,¡± I said harsly.


    ¡°Just shut up, will you?¡± He had the nerve to tell me this.


    ¡°Make me.¡± I had to feign a smile. What the hell was he going to do anyway?


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Luke said, moving his face closer and looking deep into my eyes.


    2/6


    His gaze and his breath said a lot of things. The feeling of his fingers transfigured. Yes, his touch was


    now different, and this spark was unfolding within me.


    After seconds of silence, our eyes were still locked in, and our lips drew closer. He still had a hold of


    me, and my hands were wrapped around his neck. It was quite sensational, staring into his bewitching


    eyes.


    The feeling was unthinkable, and the look he gave me said a hundred billion feats. I tried to grasp this,


    since the moment was unimaginable.


    His lips were extremely close to mine, and my eyes were closed as I continued to feel his warm breath.


    But then I had toe back to my senses. There was no way some beauty would get the best of me. I


    was not going to be captivated by this. I would never let go of the past.


    Staring at Luke, I pinched him at the back of his neck, and he let out an inaudible scream in pain. He


    wanted to let go of me, but I wrapped my hands around his neck tightly.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Do you want me to m me to the floor?¡± I bawled at him.


    ¡°You birdbrain, you were the one who pinched me.¡± Luke red, returning the tone.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t say you should let go of me!¡± Seriously, he didn¡¯t have to do that. Where¡¯s the


    respect for ady?


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to throw you to the floor.¡± He smirked. His sardonic countenance made me sick every


    second.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± My tone was deep.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me,¡± Luke said, the smirk still lingering on his visage.


    3/6


    ¡°You scumbag!¡± I bawled, and I pinched him again. This time, it was harder than the first. I was going to


    show him how crazy I could get.


    After that, Luke flung me to the bed, and I screamed while he did that.


    Damn, this man was crazier than I expected. I never thought he was actually going to throw me off his


    arm. He did that just because I pinched him? Payback? What the heck!


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Luke snarled. I wasn¡¯t terrified of his screams. I wasn¡¯t that same


    Ariel back then, when we were still married.


    ¡°Nothing. Absolutely nothing,¡± I answered calmly, not ncing at him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone nuts, I see.¡± Luke brought out his crazy thoughts. He shouldn¡¯t be surprised, right?


    ¡°I was just trying to be like you.¡± These words I said, apanied with a grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Luke uttered bitterly. ¡°Are you going to get up or not?¡±


    ¡°Not doing that; my leg hurts.¡± I refused to do what he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to carry you then. But don¡¯t pinch me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Why are you eager to take me to your house, huh? What do you have under your sleeves?¡± I quizzed,


    not that curious though.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just trying to take my lovely wife home. Is there anything wrong with that?¡± He uttered.


    Slow tone, feigned smile.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah. Hold on there; I am not your wife.¡± I didn¡¯t want him to start living in his


    imagination.


    ¡°You¡¯ll soon be. In just about a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re really excited about this.¡± But honestly, I didn¡¯t think he was.


    4/6


    ¡°Of course I am, since it¡¯s for my grandfather.¡± Yeah, he was obviously lying. That tone didn¡¯t sound


    genuine.


    ¡°Oh gosh, this is so annoying,¡± I said beneath my breath as I took my eyes down.


    ¡°Just get up, will you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I replied instantly.


    ¡°I said get up.¡± Luke¡¯s tone became harsh.


    ¡°I said no.¡± I was able to match his pace.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be my wife, so you better start doing what I tell you to:¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my boss,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Wives are supposed to be submissive to their husbands,¡± Luke said, taking some steps forward.


    ¡°Not me.¡± I threw aeback, standing up from the bed.


    Surveying the billionaire standing in front of me, frowining, I treaded to the door, walking past him.


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    ¡°You want to take me to your house, right? Okay, then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Luke stood still, giving me that ugly stare. But he shook his head with a sigh, washing away the


    negative thoughts.


    I raised an eyebrow at him, the expression clearly telling him to get his butts in my direction.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± he said in a whisper, and stepped to me.


    I walked out of the room, leading the way, with Luke moving behind me.


    ¡°Are you strong enough to walk?¡± He asked, as if he cared about me.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I replied, turning to him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re concerned anyway.


    5/6


    ¡°Can you just be calm and act nice for just a minute? You¡¯ve really been stressing me out, honestly,¡±


    Luke enunciated, installing his hands on his waist.


    ¡°I would have, but this is what you did to me. You broke me, and that¡¯s what led to this strong heart.


    ¡°Okay, at least I made you strong.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°True talk,¡± Luke said, nodding. ¡°Now move.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to, but not because I¡¯m scared of you.


    Luke took his gaze elsewhere. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±


    54: A HUNDRED BILLION FEATS


    6/6


    I was about to move forward, and suddenly, the intense pain in my belly unfolded again, causing me to


    stumble. However, Luke caught me before I couldnd on the floor. Cleaving my hands, he pulled me


    closer to his body, wrapping his hands around my waist. I would have thrust him back, but the pain took


    full control of me.


    ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t strong enough to walk,¡± Luke said softly, looking into my eyes.


    ¡°If you knew, then why did you have toe here to drag me to your house?¡± I leaned my head on his


    chest. It was not something I wanted to do. But the pain right now was so out of the world.


    ¡°I need to go back,¡± I said in hushed tones, and I wanted to make my way back to the room, but Luke


    refused to let


    go


    of me.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not going back. I¡¯m taking you home,¡± he whispered.


    I looked him in the eyes, and he slowly carried me in his arms. After gazing at me, he embarked on


    walking.

 Chapter 56

    56: STAND FOR ME


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/5


    Luke slowly approached us, his eyes locked onto Mariam, a fierce and intense re eminating from the


    both of them. But the anger and fury within him were almost palpable, making it clear that he was not


    one to be trifled with.


    The intensity of his gaze was like nothing Mariam had ever seen before, sending a chill down her


    spine. If looks could kill, this woman would probably be dead by now.


    It was as if he was apletely different person, consumed by a burning rage that seemed to


    consume him. With each step he took, the tension in the air grew thicker, creating a sense of unease


    for Mariam.


    His eyes were like a storm, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was standing in the eye of it. Well,


    that¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking about her. I don¡¯t know if other thoughts are still revolving around in her


    head.


    ¡°I asked a question, didn¡¯t I? What the hell are you doing?¡± Luke¡¯s tone clearly showed how his anger


    got harder and harder.


    Mariam was speechless, yet she returned the angry stare. It was a war zone at the moment, more like


    a staringpetition.


    When Luke got close to me, his piercing gaze met mine, causing a rush of emotions to flood through


    me. But then he turned to Mariam and gave her the intense re once again. Yup, that¡¯s his true


    nature; an angry baboon.


    But at this moment, my anger towards him vanished, I guess. Well, it was because it looked like he was


    against Mariam, and so was I. So, it¡¯s the two of us against the grumpy witch. Oh, wait, Riley was here.


    It was three of us, actually.


    56: STAND FOR ME


    2/5


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Luke asked, and I was kind of surprised about that. That was a caring tone right there.


    Bute on, I wasn¡¯t going to let this wash away the passion for vengeance. The hatred was only


    gone for the moment. It would definitely materialize after this whole thing.


    ¡°Look here, you. I wasn¡¯t talking to you, alright? So, don¡¯t you dare stick your nose in this!¡± Mariam


    snapped. Luke chuckled.


    ¡°First of all, this is my house¨Cmy room, for that matter. Secondly, this is my wife right here.¡± Luke


    wrapped his arm around my neck. I gave him a weird look. ¡°So you need to respect her.¡± He had to


    make it clear to Mariam.


    ¡°No, the two of you need to respect me.¡± Mariam brought her thoughts out. She red at me. ¡°And


    you? I don¡¯t know where you came from, but you are definitely leaving this house.¡±


    Mariam seized my hand and wanted to drag me out of the room. Well, Luke captured my other hand,


    and you know he was stronger than this witch.


    ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere,¡± Luke told her. ¡°Why the hate all of a sudden? It¡¯s not like you know her


    from somewhere.¡±


    Yeah Mariam. Why the hate all of a sudden?


    ¡°This woman does not deserve to be your wife,¡± Mariam said, twisting my hand.


    ¡°Says who?¡± Luke queried, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Says me,¡± Mariam responded.


    Lue sighed, looking down. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. We all know your words are never right. No one takes your


    opinion seriously. Get things straight; it¡¯s not like they don¡¯t like you; they hate you. Get that through


    that thick skull of yours.¡±


    56: STAND FOR ME


    ¡°No respect for your elder ones, I see,¡± Mariam said lowly.


    ¡°How many times do I have to keep on telling you this? Respect is given to people with sensea, to


    people who actually think straight. Not to people like you.¡±


    3/5


    ¡°How dare you?¡± Mariam was about to p Luke, but I seized her hand that very moment. I literally had


    no idea what had gotten into me. But this was not normal.


    Mariam gave me a dark look and shoved me a little bit backwards, putting an end to the grip. Her eyes


    shed with anger as she continued to re at me, her hand itching to strike me in the face.


    But before she could make her move, Luke intervened, grabbing her hand and twisting it in a swift


    motion. A cry of pain escaped Mariam¡¯s lips as she winced, her fury momentarily.reced by agony.


    Yup, I felt a sense of satisfaction at Luke¡¯s quick action. Whatever thatdy got, she deserved it. This


    was quite entertaining. Just imagine how the rest of the days in this house are going to be.


    Luke eventually let go of her hand. ¡°Try to act stupid next time, and I promise you, it¡¯s going to be


    worse than this,¡± he warned her.


    Mariam¡¯s eyes narrowed in a fierce re, a piercing that cut through Luke like a razor¨Cedged knife,


    revealing the intense anger and frustration brewing within her.


    It was clear that her rage had gotten to a whole new level, and her insides must probably be burning


    with a fiery intensity. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to do anything anyway. All the disrespect she received, she


    was the one who brought it upon herself.


    ¡°You will pay for this, Luke Reynold. You will pay,¡± Mariam told Luke in a cold tone.


    ¡°You can leave now,¡± Luke told her, gesturing toward the door.


    56: STAND FOR ME


    4/5


    Mariam took her eyes off Luke before turning her attention to me, with that dark look on her face. I


    couldn¡¯t resist returning the stare, as we both shared the same feeling of annoyance and hate. Our


    eyes were so fixed on each other, and it was quite clear that this woman was not backing down any


    time soon. But she eventually left anyway.


    Luke held his waist, watching her as she walked away. ¡°Damn, how does her husband even put up with


    her?¡±


    ¡°Same way I did with you,¡± I said, and Luke turned to me immediately.


    ¡°But we onlysted three years. That woman and her husband have been married for more than ten


    years.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I told him coldly.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Riley chimed in, and the two of us looked at her. ¡°Is she the one?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Riley, she¡¯s the one I divorced years ago,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Ariel Walker. But since grandpa


    wanted me to get married to her, I have no choice.¡±


    I shot him a look of disgust. Yes, this hate hase back. Just what I was expecting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. We know this wedding is happening all because of my grandpa. If he didn¡¯t


    want this, you think I¡¯d be wasting my time with you?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, brother,¡± Riley told Luke as his tone got louder. I refused to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it easy, alright? It¡¯s just that this pain and all that, passes through me whenever I think of


    that man.¡®


    56: STAND FOR ME


    ¡°I know. Same thing here,¡± Riley stated. ¡°But why are you pouring out all your anger on her?¡±


    ¡°When did I do that?¡± Luke queried, his tone softening.


    5/5


    I looked at him right away. If I wanted to curse the living soul right out of him, I would have done that


    with style. But I¡¯m actually here, trying topose myself, and this idiot just wants me to terminate this


    little self¨Ccontrol. Damn, it¡¯s not easy, you know.


    Luke¡¯s eye met mine, and he could see the anger within me.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I said softly, and I left the room.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 57

    57: LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ??


    I stepped out of the house, standing outside, taking a look at the beautiful stars. A gentle breeze


    brushed against my face, carrying with it a sense of renewal and hope. It was a much¨Cneeded respite


    from the whirlwind of thoughts that had been swirling in my mind.


    The prospect of marrying Luke once again had brought a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.


    Memories of our previous marriage filled my thoughts, particrly the painful moments that had left


    scars on my heart.


    But this time, things would be different. I had grown tenfold in strength and wisdom since then, and I


    refused to allow history to repeat itself. I promise to fulfill this vengeance of mine without getting a mix


    of feelings or generating a soft heart.


    Harking my mind back, I realized that I had been na?ve and easily swayed during our first marriage.


    Luke had taken advantage of my trusting nature, asserting his dominance and controlling every aspect


    of our rtionship. But that was the past, and I had learned my lesson. I had emerged from those trials


    with a newfound determination to stand my ground and refuse to be bossed around.


    Still gazing at the stars, I found myself reflecting on the growth I had experienced since our separation.


    I had focused on self¨Cimprovement, nurturing my independence, and discovering my own identity


    outside of the confines of a rtionship.


    I had surrounded myself with supportive friends and family who had helped me rebuild my shattered


    confidence. Yes, Andr¨¦ and his parents. They helped me a lot in bing who I am today.


    Now, as I stood on the precipice of marrying Luke again, I knew that I had the power to redefine the


    whole situation. I had be stronger, both emotionally and mentally. I had learned to set boundaries


    and demand the respect I deserved. The days of being a pushover were behind me.


    Yet, even with my newfound strength, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of uncertainty. I didn¡¯t want to


    57: LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS


    2/4


    grow soft again or be carried away by emotions. I wasn¡¯t going to be lost at any moment. I needed to


    concentrate on my mission, and it should be just that. I had this fear of transfiguring into the fool I used


    to be in the past.


    But deep down, my heart kept telling me that I couldn¡¯t let that fear hold me back. I had worked hard


    to ovee my past and build a future filled with felicity and happiness with my loved ones. A


    willingness to destroy Luke and wreck his life for good.


    I just needed Luke to acknowledge the growth I had undergone and reciprocate my efforts by


    pretending to care about him, creating a stronger and more fulfilling marriage. Then I would start


    stinging him like a bee.


    The stars were prettier every second, or maybe my eyes were just lying to me. Still surveying upwards,


    the weight on my shoulders began to lift. The fresh air and the beauty of nature surrounding me


    reminded me that life was full of second chances and new beginnings. But I wasn¡¯t going to follow


    through with that. Hell no!


    Luke didn¡¯t deserve a second chance; he wasn¡¯t even ready at all. Even if I wanted to love him again,


    he would still act like a fool. But for me to get his trust and all of his attention, I¡¯d need to act like I loved


    him. So when the time for his destructiones, he¡¯ll be surpassingly shocked.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Mason couldn¡¯t even threaten me anymore. Because right now, I¡¯m not being forced to do all this. This


    thirst for vengeance had finally grown big, and I was ready to make Luke pay for all the things he did.


    Mason did tell me Luke was responsible for the death of his girlfriend, but I don¡¯t know; I didn¡¯t


    want to believe that.


    Luke emerged from the doorway; he joined me on the outside, standing next to me as we both gazed


    up at the night sky. The moon shone brightly, and the stars twinkled like a dazzling disy.


    Our eyes were fixed on the celestial beauty above us, and I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the vastness


    and wonder of the universe. It was a peaceful moment, and we stood there in silence, enjoying the


    simple yet breathtaking sight. But those thoughts still continued to move in my head.


    ¡°How¡¯s your wound?¡± Luke asked softly, not ncing at me.


    57: LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS


    ¡°What?¡± I looked at him.


    ¡°The wound on your belly. Does it still hurt?¡± He questioned me.


    I exhaled deeply, setting my eyes back on the sky. ¡°Well, the pain is kind of gone.¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to lie to me,¡± he said. I had to look at him again.


    4/4


    ¡°Why in the world would I want to be lying? Yes, the pain was there a moment ago. But it¡¯s all good


    now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Luke asked. I let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Why are you being so caring all of a sudden?¡± I queried. ¡°A moment ago, you were the one who was


    like, ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for your grandpa, you wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with me¡®.¡±


    ¡°Look, Ariel, I know we¡¯ve had so many differences in the past. And I know you hate me so much. The


    thing here is that I¡¯m not that man you used to know before. I¡¯ve changed,¡± he mentioned.


    ¡°And why are you telling me all these?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°You see, I felt guilty for the words I said to you a while ago,¡± Luke dered, and I quickly gave him a


    surprised face. ¡°I¡¯ve always hated you since the first day we got engaged. I¡¯m not going to lie about


    that. But all these years without you, I came to realize something.¡±


    I looked at him in curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Luke exhaled deeply, fixing his eyes downward. ¡°This might be hard for me to say, but you are a


    wonderful person, Ariel. I know, I¡¯ve been treating you badly since day one, even till now, but these past


    few moments of spending time with you, I had to fully realize that.¡±


    57: LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS


    4/4


    I continued to look at him, paying attention as he continued, ¡°These years had been really tough, and


    these recent days had been exhausting. I had to find out Harriet¡¯s been cheating on me the whole time,


    and I didn¡¯t even know what to do.¡±


    Luke drove his hands through his hair as he exhaled deeply. He was looking broken, and as much as I


    wanted to feel sorry for him, I refused to.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m sorry if I ever treated you badly.


    ¡°If you ever treated me badly?¡± I interrupted, raising an eyebrow.


    He looked at me for a moment and corrected himself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for treating you badly.¡±


    I smiled to that.


    ¡°I just had these evil thoughts about you. Tomorrow¡¯s going to be our wedding, and I don¡¯t want any of


    us frowning, okay? My grandfather wanted me to treat you like a goddess, and I guess I¡¯m going to


    have to fulfill that. Good night.¡±


    He began to walk towards the house, and I turned around, calling out his name. He paused and turned


    to look at me.


    ¡°Good night,¡± I said, giving him a nominal smile.


    He smiled back and burst inside the house.


    Okay, what the hell just happened? Did an angel p him with senses, or what? He was really nice and


    different. But even though I¡¯m still not getting that soft heart.


    58: GETTING READY


    58: GETTING READY

 Chapter 58

    58: GETTING READY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/4


    I found afortable seat and settled myself down, since today was the day for the awaited wedding.


    Yeah, I know; it¡¯s only been a few days since this crazy idea popped up.


    I nced at the mirror in front of me, and I saw the makeup artists approaching with their brushes and


    palettes. They were all looking beautiful and had huge makeup on their faces, to the point that I was


    terrified the moment they stepped in. I got to ask: were they running a test on themselves before they


    came here, or what?


    ¡°Good morning, Miss,¡± one of them greeted. She seemed to be the leader around here. ¡°I¡¯m Dayton,


    and we are all d to be at your service.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. Then you guys should get to work then. You know what they say: Time waits for nobody. ¡°I


    gave them a sillyugh after those words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss; we¡¯ll get this done in no time,¡± another one of them said, with a huge smile on


    her face.


    ¡°And we¡¯re going to make you the most beautiful creature in the world,¡± another said, moving her hand


    dramatically. I think I should know the names of these people.


    After a little and humorous conversation, they began to apply makeup to my face, enhancing my


    natural features and giving me a radiant glow. Gentle movements, skillful hands.


    And while they did that, my eyes couldn¡¯t help but wander over to the corner of the room where my


    sparkling wedding gown hung gracefully on its hanger.


    The sight of it caused me to remember the time when I first got married to Luke. Back then, I was filled


    with bitterness, knowing that my life was going to be ruined. I never knew that I would break


    58: GETTING READY


    out of the sorrow.


    2/4


    This gown right now is a vision of elegance and beauty, adorned with delicatece and shimmering


    beads that catch the light with every movement. Five stars to whoever designed it. It was really


    beautiful, and Luke was a billionaire. Of course, he¡¯d try his best to get the best wedding dress in the


    world. Since a lot of notable billionaires, just like him, would be attending the wedding.


    As the makeup artists continued their work, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the journey that had led me to


    this moment. Those heartbreaking and gut¨Cwrenching moments, when happiness was really hard to


    find. And dolefulness would juste to take full control of everything.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to look so pretty, miss,¡± Be said. She was one of the makeup artists. I had some


    knowledge of their names, but I wasn¡¯t yet clear on who was who.


    ¡°I know, right? She¡¯s already a beautiful woman. This makeup is going to make everyone explode,


    especially her lover,¡± Stephanie spoke with that tiny voice of hers. She, too, was one of the makeup


    artists.


    I generated a smile, not saying anything, just letting them carry on.


    Soon, the sounds ofughter and chatter filled the room as my bridesmaids joined me in the bridal


    suite. I didn¡¯t know, but since they were all smiling, their presence brought a sense of joy and glee.


    I still drew my mind back to that wedding with Luke years ago. These types of individuals showed up,


    causing me to smile at that time. But it changed nothing; sadness was still sadness, and sorrow was


    still the kingpin.


    Back then, although they were not my friends, they tried to be my pirs of support, willing to lend a


    listening ear or offer aforting hug because they could see the pain in my eyes. And I felt incredibly


    grateful to have them by my side that day. Even though I was still shattered.


    As the final touches of makeup were applied, I couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at the clock. Time


    seemed to move both too fast and too slowly. Every passing minute brought me closer to the moment I


    would say ¡°I do¡± and embark on a new chapter of my life. Yes, vengeance was about to begin.


    58: GETTING READY


    3/4


    This new chapter was going to be tough because I was going to get millions of headaches. There was


    a witch in that house, and who knows? More people like her mighte to add fuel to the fire. But I


    knew I was going to be strong against everyone in that house who would try to mess with me.


    Finally, the makeup artists stepped back, their workplete. I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling a


    surge of confidence. Wow, I never knew I was this pretty. Makeup does make a remarkable change in


    people¡¯s faces.


    This makeup had transformed me into a bride, a goddess, ready to walk down the aisle and meet my


    partner at the altar. That good¨Cfor¨Cnothing idiot. He too was going to be shocked if he saw this face, as


    was everyone else who had seen me before.


    ¡°Just as we had told you, miss, looking all perfect,¡± Dayton said, blowing me a kiss. I couldn¡¯t help but


    giggle.


    ¡°Wow, Luke is really lucky to have you in his life,¡± Abigail said with a grin. She was one of the


    bridesmaids who had entered the room.


    If only she knew what was going down in my mind. If only she knew.


    ¡°Exactly; her beauty is just so wless. I have to say, I¡¯m jealous,¡± Sofia spoke. She was also a


    bridesmaid.


    I continued to look at myself in the mirror while the makeup artists stood close to me, along with the


    bridesmaids. We were all admiring my beauty.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Anna said, giving me the perfect sign. She was one of the makeup artists here.


    ¡°It¡¯s all good, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dayton asked, looking at me. I nodded. ¡°That means we can get going, right?¡±


    ¡°Come on now; you have to wait,¡± Anna told her immediately. ¡°Can¡¯t you see we¡¯ll have to help her


    58: GETTING READY


    with the wedding dress?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take care of that,¡± Sofia stated. ¡°You guys did well. Thank you.¡±


    ((


    The makeup artists smiled before leaving the room. I really enjoyed theirpany.


    4/4


    With a deep breath, I stood up from the chair and carefully made my way to the gown. The moment


    had arrived to slip into my wedding dress and embrace the magic that awaited me. Yeah, right, who am


    I kidding?


    I delicately stepped into the gown, and its soft fabric enveloped me. The others in the room helped me


    out on it. I wore it carefully, since I had an injury on my belly. After I was done, I looked at myself in the


    mirror. I was indeed a goddess. I don¡¯t love bragging, but this was just fantastic.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do the twirling thing?¡± Abigail smiled at me.


    Iughed and turned around. ¡°Do I really have to do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Andrea said, another bridesmaid. ¡°You¡¯re looking pretty in that wedding dress after all.¡±


    I smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to be shy.¡± Sofia walked to me. She held my hands and gently took me


    forward. ¡°Now unt that wedding dress of yours.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    I sighed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Just as they wanted, I twirled around in my wedding dress, and a feeling of delight washed over me.


    The smiles of thesedies around me only added to the beauty of the moment. I couldn¡¯t help but feel


    dashing and elegant as I spun around. The moment was quite lovely.


    59: MEMORIES


    59: MEMORIES

 Chapter 59

    59: MEMORIES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    1/5


    I was at the Sun House, standing in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie and straightening my suit. This


    was where I spent the night. And now I was preparing for this goddamn wedding. I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel a mix of emotions. Today marked the day when I would fulfill myte grandfather¡¯s wish. Well, only


    half of it.


    He had always wanted me to marry Ariel because he believed she would bring happiness and


    prosperity to our family. I used to consider that to be bullshit. But the days had passed by, and I had to


    realize that there was something special about this woman.


    I had never imagined myself in this situation. All these years, I was deeply in love with Harriet. We had


    dreams of a future together, building a life filled with love andpanionship.


    But as time went on, the cracks in our rtionship began to show. Trust was shattered, and the person


    I thought I knew turned out to be someone entirely different. The pain of betrayal stung, leaving me


    wondering if love was worth the heartache.


    And so, here I stood, ready to embark on a new journey with Ariel. She had reentered my life


    unexpectedly, like a gust of wind on a calm summer¡¯s day. I never thought we would cross paths again,


    let alone consider marriage. But life has a way of surprising us, throwing unexpected curveballs our


    way.


    Taking onest look at my reflection, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how my hair had been meticulously


    styled. It was a small detail, but it represented the effort I was putting into this new chapter of my life.


    I knew this was going to be a hard one, filled with bitterness. But I would have to take it all in and try my


    very best to develop feelings for Ariel. That sounds almost impossible.


    Just as I traipsed downstairs, the doorbell rang, and I swiftly made my way to the door. I opened it, only


    to see Jack.


    59: MEMORIES


    ¡°Good morning, boss,¡± Jack greeted.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I said, scanning him from up to down.


    ¡°So, are you ready?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You can see me in my suit, right? I guess you have an answer to your question.¡±


    Heughed softly. ¡°Yeah, I totally understand. So, we should be leaving then.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, the car is right there,¡± Jack answered, gesturing toward the car parked outside.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said with a slow nod. ¡°Just give me a minute, okay? You can go wait for me in the car.¡®


    ¡°Okay, boss,¡± Jack said, and he made his way to the car.


    I closed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the empty house. The silence was


    overwhelming, a stark reminder of my grandfather¡¯s absence.


    2/5


    The house that once bustled with life now stood still, frozen in time. It felt as if the very essence of my


    grandfather lingered within these walls, whispering his presence to me.


    As I walked through the Sun House, a wave of doom washed over me. Memories of my dear


    grandfather flooded my mind, each one etched vividly in my heart.


    The times we spent together, theughter we shared, and the wisdom he imparted upon me¨Cthey all


    seemed so fresh yet painfully distant.


    My eyes scanned the rooms, searching for traces of him. The worn¨Cout armchair in the corner is


    59: MEMORIES


    where he used to sit, reading his favorite books.


    3/5


    The photographs on the mantelpiece capture cherished moments of our family. Each object held a


    story¨Ca cherished memory waiting to be relived.


    I moved from room to room, and I couldn¡¯t help but recall the countless visits I made to this house. The


    aroma of freshly baked cookies that greeted me at the door, the warmth of his smile as he embraced


    me, and the hours we would spend talking about life¡¯s mysteries. It was a safe haven, a ce where I


    could always find sce and guidance.


    But now, the house seemed different. The air was heavy with the weight of loss, and the absence of his


    laughter was a constant ache in my heart.


    Life can be so unpredictable and unfair. It had ripped away the person who meant the world to me,


    leaving behind only memories and an unfible void.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood in the center of the living room, the flood of emotions threatening


    to consume me. I closed my eyes, trying to hold onto those memories to keep his spirit alive within me.


    The love he showered upon me, the lessons he taught me, and the values he instilled in my core- they


    would forever guide me on my journey.


    Life can indeed be hard, filled with moments of joy and sorrow. But it is the memories we hold dear that


    sustain us and remind us of the love we shared.


    The Sun House may now be empty, but its walls will forever be filled with the echoes of ourughter,


    the warmth of our embraces, and the enduring bond between the both of us.


    Grandfather, the time hase for me to begin this wish of yours. It¡¯s going to be hard, I know. But I¡¯ll


    try my best to follow through with it.


    I finally left the house, locking the door, and after that, I walked to the car. Jack was seated in the


    59: MEMORIES


    driver¡¯s seat, waiting for me.


    4/5


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± He aksed. I nodded slowly, with the thoughts of my grandfather still revolving in my


    head.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± he said, and he unlocked the door from the inside. I opened the car and got inside.


    ¡°You need to smile, boss; today¡¯s a big day for you,¡± Jack told me with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± I said underneath my breath.


    Still grinning at me, Jack wore some shades and threw another one to me. I was settling down in the


    back seat.


    ¡°You want me to put this on?¡± I looked at him pretty well. He nodded before setting his eyes on the


    road.


    ¡°Hope you got your seatbelt on,¡± he vocalized, fixing his hands on the steering wheel.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, putting on my seatbelt and also cing the shades around my eyes. ¡°We can go now.


    ((


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jack spoke, and he began to drive.


    *****


    We were now at the venue for the wedding. A huge hall, used by tons of notable people in the country


    for different parties, and today it was my turn.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I had greeted some of the guests, and at the moment, we were all waiting for one person, Ariel. She


    was supposed to be here, but no. I wondered what was taking her so long. I just hope she isn¡¯t


    59: MEMORIES


    nning on ditching me in this one. That woman was unpredictable.


    5/5


    With anticipation all over the air, everyone was seated down, chatting softly, but they were eagerly


    waiting for the arrival of that goofball.


    I nced around, catching glimpses of familiar faces, and I was d they showed up. Business


    partners, friends¨Cthey were all present. But one idiot wasn¡¯t yet present. I don¡¯t know why I have to


    keep insulting that moron. Oops, I did it again.


    ¡°Oh gosh, where is she now?¡± I whispered to myself, standing at the altar, biding patiently for Ariel.


    My eyes narrowed down, and murmurs rippled through the crowd. I just wanted them to shut up. What


    were they even talking about anyway?


    Minutester, I heaved my face, only to see the golden doors open. The guests all craned their necks,


    eager to catch a glimpse of who was about to step foot in the hall.

 Chapter 60

    60: THE WEDDING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Ariel, adorned in her stunning white gown, stepped into the grand hall where our wedding was to take


    ce. The air was heavy with anticipation, and the room fell silent as all eyes turned towards her.


    And I couldn¡¯t get my eyes off her. Her face was adorned with makeup, and her eyes were just so


    captivating. Her red lips added to her magnificent beauty, and I couldn¡¯t even recognize her anymore.


    I was still standing at the altar, and my gaze was fixed on this ravishingdy, who, for a moment, I


    thought was a goddess. The way she gracefully entered the hall was simply fantastic. And she was


    walking majestically, taking leaden steps in my direction.


    At the moment, my face held a mix of awe and disbelief as I continued to look at the woman I was


    about to marry. And the room seemed frozen in time, everyone captivated by Ariel¡¯s entrance. I know


    her looks were killing it. Never had I seen such beauty before. How did I not see this charm all these


    years, including the time we were married?


    A soft murmur traveled through the crowd, and everyone was obviously whispering admiration for


    Ariel¡¯s beauty.


    Her dress was adorned with ravishingce, which hugged her figure gracefully as she glided down the


    aisle. The simplicity of her appearance emphasized the natural elegance that radiated from within her.


    Oh man, she was totally killing it.


    Her eyes met mine, and this spark just unfolded within me. It was quite clear she noticed the


    passionate look in my eyes. And I¡¯m not going to lie, this affection was there, causing me to be lost in


    this imposing beauty.


    Each step Ariel took echoed in the room, the sound magnified by the hushed atmosphere. The petals


    scattered along her path, creating an impulsive trail. I caught a whiff of the fragrance of the flowers,


    which drifted through the air, filling the space with a delicate sweetness.


    60: THE WEDDING


    2/4


    Ariel drew nearer to the altar, and it was something to be d about. At least she didn¡¯t decide to go


    into crazy mode. And yeah, I marveled at the way she carried herself majestically, a vision of grace and


    beauty.


    The guests all gave her their attention, their eyes solely fixed on the bride, and they all watched her


    with admiration and adoration.


    Of course, they loved the sight before them, and they were obviously relishing the scene at the hall.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ariel finally reached the altar, standing face¨Cto¨Cface with me. Our eyes locked once again, and I


    couldn¡¯t stop staring at her. She was even more beautiful when she was in close proximity to me. And


    her fragrance blended wlessly with her mour.


    Ariel, staring back at me, winked at me, and I quickly took my face away. This was kind of weird. After


    that, the priest joined us on the altar. He adjusted the sses he was putting on, and then he fixed his


    eyes on me and Ariel.


    He began, ¡°Dearly beloved, we gather here today to witness the sacred union of two souls embarking


    on the beautiful journey of marriage. Before us stand Ariel Clinton and Luke Reynold, ready to


    exchange their vows andmit to a lifetime of love andpanionship.¡±


    His words were quite soothing. I nced at Ariel, only to realize she was doing nothing but stare at


    1. me.


    ¡°Ariel Clinton, do you take Luke Reynold to be your lovely husband, to support him through all the joys


    and challenges that life may bring? Will you promise to stand by his side, in sickness and in health,


    offeringfort and strength?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Ariel answered softly, and the priest turned to me.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, do you take Ariel Clinton to be your cherished wife, to embrace her with unwavering


    love, sharing in both her triumphs and tribtions? Will you pledge to be there for her in sickness


    60: THE WEDDING


    and in health, providing sce and support?¡±


    3/4


    After all those words, I nced at Ariel, and my mind took me back to the times I caused her pain. She


    shed tears continuously, all because of me. I didn¡¯t know if I was feeling guilty or not. But I was just


    silent, thinking about those moments.


    ¡°Luke Reynold?¡± The priest vocalized, breaking me from my thoughts.


    I looked at him and set my eyes back on Ariel. I could see the eagerness in her eyes, waiting to see


    what I was going to execute.


    After some seconds, I shook my head before I finally replied, ¡°I do.¡± Ariel chuckled forthwith.


    The priest looked at me for a moment before he continued, ¡°May your love be a refuge, a sanctuary in


    times of illness, where you both find healing and sce. May you nurture each other, bringingfort


    and strength, and cherishing the bond that unites you.¡±


    ¡°As you embark on this sacred union, remember the power of your love. May it be a guiding light,


    illuminating even the darkest of days. Together, you will face the peaks and valleys, knowing that your


    love will remain steadfast, unwavering, and enduring.¡±


    As the priest said all this, I was just looking at Ariel, wondering how our lives were going to turn out


    after this.


    The priest continued, ¡°So with great joy and hope. I asked that you both hold each other¡¯s hands.¡±


    I moved closer to Ariel, slowly holding her hands. I didn¡¯t know why she couldn¡¯t just take her eyes off


    me. Something was not right around here.


    ¡°Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows


    with a kiss, and may your marriage be blessed with a lifetime of love, good health, and happiness.¡±


    60: THE WEDDING


    I moved closer to Ariel, gently holding her hands. I felt a rush of warmth and electricity flowing through


    my body, with our faces mere inches apart.


    4/4


    We gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, and I couldn¡¯t tell what was going on. I did expect to get close, but


    this was different. The moment was quite surprising and confusing, and I was left with no words.


    I could feel the intensity of our connection, with our fingers intertwining in that moment. Our breaths


    mingled, creating a sense of intimacy that I had never experienced before.


    I looked around, and everyone was watching us. They were waiting for the moment we were going to


    kiss. And this was really a tough one. Kissing Ariel? I don¡¯t know, but I just feel like this is impossible.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Ariel asked in hushed tones, and my eyes widened that very moment.


    She really wanted me to kiss her. Like, as soon as possible? Come on, I thought this woman used to


    im that she hated me so much.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s watching Luke. Aren¡¯t you going to kiss me?¡± She continued with her whisper. And her


    words were unbelievable. I never expected this from her.


    The priest made a fake cough. And although he didn¡¯t say a word, I knew he was telling us to kiss


    already.


    I looked at Ariel once again, letting go of her hands, and my fingers slowly went to her face. As our lips


    drew closer, someone yelled at us to stop.


    It was Harriet.

 Chapter 61

    61: I OBJECT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    All eyes turned towards Harriet as she stood at the entrance, wearing a disapproving expression. Ariel


    and I exchanged nces, both equally surprised and curious about her unexpected presence. I didn¡¯t


    know if Ariel was surprised, but I was.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my disapproving re, wondering why Harriet had chosen this particr moment to


    make an appearance. And of course, I knew why she hade here. But trust me, wasn¡¯t going to let


    her create a scene.


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly felt tense as Harriet remained silent, offering no exnation for


    her unexpected arrival. Her presence was like a dark cloud casting a shadow over the joyous asion.


    It seemed as though everyone held their breath, waiting for an exnation that never came.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think back to the past, recalling the conflicts and misunderstandings that had


    strained our rtionship. Harriet had always been a source of disruption, seemingly finding pleasure in


    creating chaos wherever she went.


    And not just that, her disgusting actions had caused deep wounds and bitter resentments, leading to


    the fractured bond between us. She did the unthinkable, breaking my trust. The dreams of spending a


    life with her had already faded.


    I continued to observe Harriet, noticing a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. It was a brief moment of


    transparency that revealed a glimpse of the pain she carried within. But I didn¡¯t care one bit.


    I let go of Ariel¡¯s hands and walked away from the altar. Harriet slowly moved in my direction with a sad


    countenance, and her eyes filled up with tears.


    ¡°Luke,¡± she called my name. Her voice was broken. It seemed like she had been crying her heart out all


    this time.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked her, trying my best to be low. We had gotten close to each other,


    and all eyes were fixed on the both of us.


    ¡°So you were serious when you said you wanted to marry this woman?¡± Harriet spoke loudly; her eyes


    were still filled with tears. And it seemed like thisdy could explode any minute.


    ¡°Give me an answer to my question, will you? What are you doing here?¡± I quizzed her again.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes went straight to Ariel, and the re was terrifically frightening. Seriously, this was the


    most horrific expression I had seen on her face since I knew her. She looked like she could kill


    someone or something.


    ¡°That witch has blinded you, right?¡± Harriet spoke harshly.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You need to calm down and leave, okay?¡± I told her. My tone was gentle.


    ¡°There is no way I¡¯m going to let her get away with this.¡±


    ¡°Will you keep it down? She has nothing to do with this,¡± I said.


    ¡°No,¡± Harriet replied, still giving Ariel the angry look. ¡°And I¡¯m going to make her pay,¡± she said bitterly,


    and wanted to march to Ariel, but I stopped her, seizing her arm.


    of me, Luke!¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Let go of


    ¡°No, there is no way I¡¯m going to let you do something stupid.¡± I tightened my grip.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do this, Luke. You betrayed me.¡± Harriet burst into tears. I wasn¡¯t going to


    feel sorry for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s best you leave. I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt more than this,¡± I said to her.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s best I leave,¡± Harriet uttered, wiping away her tears. She seemed like she had already


    calmed down, so I let go of her in a slow manner.


    And to my surprise, she punched me in the stomach, causing me to shift backwards a little. She quickly


    walked away from me and made her way to the altar. I ran after her and seized her hand, but then she


    had to step on my foot.


    When let go of her, she bolted to the altar. Everyone was just watching what was happening, all with


    confused countenances.


    Harriet marched to Ariel with a re. But the priest walked to her immediately.


    ¡°Woman! Who do you think you are to ruin this lovely asion?¡± The priest rebuked Harriet.


    ¡°I respect people like you a lot. But if you dare try to stop me, I swear to God, I¡¯m going to make you


    regret it,¡± Harriet warned him.


    ¡°How dare you use the Lord¡¯s name in vain?¡± The priest shrieked. ¡°And what are you going to do? Do


    you think I¡¯m scared of you? I can never be afraid of anyone because I have God by my side. Yes, I


    have The¡­.¡±


    He trailed off the moment Harriet pointed him with a gun she had brought out of her purse. Noise filled


    the hall as everyone was involved in different conversations.


    ¡°Harriet!¡± I snapped, and as I was about to head towards her, she pointed her gun at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move. I won¡¯t be afraid to shoot you!¡± Harriet¡¯s words shocked me.


    ¡°Oh really? You¡¯re going to shoot me?¡± I asked her softly. She was still pointing her gun at me, her eyes


    filled with sorrow and anger-so many tears right there.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Luke,¡± Harriet said, crying as I took a step forward. I nced at Ariel, and she wasn¡¯t


    even saying anything. There was no reaction from her in this situation.


    ¡°Woman! I can see how the evil is moving in your veins right now. There is no need for you to be a


    devil.¡±The priest spoke to Harriet.


    She quickly pointed her gun at him. ¡°Shut up! The only devil here is thisdy.¡±She barked, and she


    pointed her gun at Ariel. She¡¯s the one who stole everything from me.¡±


    ¡°Look, Harriet, you need to calm down,¡± Ariel told Harriet in a soft tone. ¡°Don¡¯t let your anger get the


    best of you.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to act all innocent!¡± Harriet snapped. ¡°Luke was madly in love with me. But then, you had to


    come and snatch him from me.¡±


    She was talking like we were dating before I got married to Ariel. Meanwhile, I was already in that


    goddamn rtionship with Ariel before I met Harriet. But in conclusion, this is all my fault.


    ¡°So what are you going to do now? Kill me?¡± Ariel raised an eyebrow as both of her hands were lifted


    up a little.


    ¡°Yes, I am going to kill you! I¡¯m going to send you straight to hell, just where you belong!¡± Harriet


    snarled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that murder is a sin? You have no right to kill your fellow human!¡° The priest tongue-


    lashed Harriet.


    ¡°Will you just shut up?¡± She shouted at him.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I cannot just stand and watch someone do something so sinful. Our Father in Heaven will


    not be happy with you.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Harriet barked and shot the priest in the head. Everyone gasped immediately. The priest fell


    down.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he gets for trying to mess with me.¡± Harriet red at the dead priest. I couldn¡¯t actually


    believe that she would kill someone. I could see her madness had gone to a whole new level.


    ¡°And you!¡± She turned to Ariel, who immediately shifted back. ¡°Anyst words?¡±


    I could see the fear in Ariel¡¯s eyes, and I didn¡¯t like what was happening at the moment. This had gone


    too far. I needed to put an end to Harriet¡¯s madness.

 Chapter 62

    62: SURGE OF RAGE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Harriet¡¯s furious gaze fixed on me as she raised her gun, intensifying my fear to the point of


    overflowing. It was clear to me that this woman hadpletely lost her mind.


    Witnessing her cold¨Cblooded murder of a pries


    just moments ago, I couldn¡¯t help but believe that I might be her next target. The situation had spiraled


    intoplete absurdity, with the barrel of the gun now directed squarely at me.


    My mind raced, desperately searching for a way out of this nightmare. Harriet¡¯s eyes, once filled with


    life, now reflected a twisted sense of anger and madness.


    This was so crazy; it was supposed to be a gleeful day, right? But things turned out the opposite way.


    This was something no one would sign up for. And damn, what was going to happen after this? Was I


    going to walk out of this hall alive?


    As Harriet¡¯s finger tightened around the trigger, my heart pounded in my chest, echoing the sheer terror


    that consumed me. I pleaded silently for a miracle, desperately hoping that someone or something


    would intervene and save me from this impending doom.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes bore into mine, devoid of any trace of humanity. It was as if she had be a vessel for


    pure malevolence, a force of destruction that sought to eradicate everything in its path.


    A wave of thoughts crashed over me, with memories and regrets flooding my mind. I thought of my little


    ones, Janice and Lukel, wondering if I would ever see them again.


    ¡°Harriet, you don¡¯t have to do this. You do not have to kill anyone,¡± I said, trying to see if I could give


    this woman some senses. ¡°What will you gain if you kill me? Will it give you the happiness you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it will!¡± Harriet snapped. ¡°If you die now, I will have Luke all for myself.¡±


    ¡°And how are you so sure about that?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that! just start praying that you find a way to get out of this situation!¡± She continued with


    her ring tone. ¡°But it¡¯s too bad, God won¡¯t listen to you. Since you¡¯re a devil.


    ¡°That¡¯s rich


    me from the person who just murdered a priest.¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Harriet screamed right away. ¡°I¡¯m going to send you straight to hell. You don¡¯t belong here.


    You don¡¯t belong in Luke¡¯s life either. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to erase you from this world.¡±


    ¡°And you think you¡¯re going to be happy if you kill me?¡± I gave her a question that was likely to bring


    her senses back. ¡°You think you¡¯re just going to get away with it?¡±


    ¡°I will have Luke all for myself,¡± she vocalized. But she was only talking nonsense.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself, Harriet. You just murdered someone, and if you kill me, that¡¯s going to be two


    charges. Who knows? You might spend the rest of your life in jail,¡± I said, looking in another direction.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Just worry about yourself right now,¡± she spat bitterly, not taking


    her hands off her gun for even a second.


    ¡°I¡¯m only being real right now. You can¡¯t get away with this murder,¡± I told her, and I continued with the


    lecture, ¡°There are a lot of people around here who witnessed this. So, will you be able to escape this


    one? ept the facts, Harriet. You¡¯re going straight to jail.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that does it,¡± Harriet said underneath her breath.


    how


    She was just about to shoot a bullet, but Luke forcefully pushed her from behind, causing both of them


    to lose their bnce and fall to the ground.


    As a result of the sudden impact, the gun slipped from Harriet¡¯s grasp andnded a few feet away.


    Reacting swiftly, I wasted no time in grabbing hold of the firearm.


    Meanwhile, Luke maintained a firm grip on Harriet, ensuring that she remained pinned to the floor. With


    the gun n¨®w in my possession, I aimed it directly at her, my finger hovering over the trigger.


    Harriet, trapped beneath Luke¡¯s grasp, struggled fruitlessly to escape. Fear and desperation flickered in


    her eyes, and yet a sense of determination emanated from her. But his grip was just too tight.


    ¡°Guess the tables have turned around, I told Harriet, still pointing the gun at her. ¡°And now, I have the


    upper hand.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Harriet barked, struggling to break free from Luke.


    ¡°Will you please behave yourself?¡± Luke barked at her, but she was still trying to act stubborn.


    ¡°What are you guys staring at? Someone call the cops or something!¡± I shouted at the guests who were


    just watching the three of us.


    ¡°Way ahead of you,¡± Mason said, moving closer in our direction.


    ¡°Mason?¡± I whispered to myself. I never knew he was serious when he said he would show up at the


    wedding.


    A bunch of police officers strolled in after that. They appeared strong and brave in their matching


    outfits, and they directed their steps toward us.


    I felt relieved that they had eventually arrived to whisk Harriet off. Thatdy waspletely insane, I


    tell you! She nearly ended my life moments ago, but luckily, Luke changed the story.


    The policemen approached us with stern expressions on their faces, and all eyes went to Harriet, who


    was still seething with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the thought of what could have happened if


    she had seeded in her malevolent n.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    It was all thanks to Luke¡¯s quick thinking and bravery that I¡¯m still standing here right now. Although he


    was a jerk, he still had some good sides to him. My vengeance was still going to be executed.


    ¡°There is thedy who¡¯s responsible for killing that priest, that innocent man.¡± Mason let out a deep sigh


    after uttering those words.


    314


    One of the officers nced at me. ¡°And what¡¯s she doing with a gun?¡± He asked Mason.


    ¡°She was just trying to save herself,¡± Luke replied immediately, taking Harriet from the floor. ¡°From this


    lady right here,¡± he added.


    ¡°I thought I told you everything, didn¡¯t I?¡± Mason brought out to the policeman.


    ¡°Yes, we were just trying to be clear,¡± the cop replied, turning to Harriet. ¡°Well, sorry to say this, but


    you¡¯re under arrest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling her sorry? Dude, she killed a priest. She¡¯s a murderer, and you¡¯re here, trying to be nice,¡±


    Mason said loudly.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re the one who called me here doesn¡¯t give you the right to talk to me like that. You


    need to have some respect, young man,¡± the cop said to Mason. He turned to me. You can drop that


    gun down now, Miss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± I uttered softly, and I lowered the gun.


    The cops grabbed Harriet, fixing a handcuff on her hands, and Luke slowly let go of her.


    Harriet, being restrained by the policemen, shot me a death stare. ¡°You will pay for this, Ariel! You will


    surely pay!¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut your ass up,¡± one of the cops said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done this, miss. Now you¡¯re going to


    spend the rest of your precious life in jail.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret a damn thing!¡± Harriet shrieked in anger.


    ¡°I know


    you don¡¯t. Now move¡± The cop shoved Harriet forward, and that was how they took her out of the


    building.


    Gosh, that was so exhausting, and it was never something I expected. What a wedding this was!

 Chapter 63

    63: ONCE AGAIN


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The day had gotten dark, and here I was, sitting down in Luke¡¯s bedroom, d in my soft and


    comfortable night robe. The wedding had finallye to an end, and I was once again Luke¡¯s wife. I


    was back to the billionaire.


    Just as I was lost in my thoughts, Luke emerged from the steam¨Cfilled bathroom, his body adorned


    only with a towel snugly wrapped around his waist. Drops of water went down his drenched hair, giving


    it a tousled, seductive appearance.


    The sight of his well¨Csculpted abs peeking through the fabric of the towel was undeniably appealing. In


    that instant, he exuded a captivating charm that was hard to resist.


    Luke¡¯s presence in the room was maic. His captivating gaze locked with mine, and a mischievous


    smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The allure of his rugged masculinity was impossible to ignore.


    But I quickly turned my face away. What the hell was I thinking? I shouldn¡¯t start taking my mind too far.


    I nced at Luke once again, and he was still staring at me. I don¡¯t know, but it seems like he¡¯s waiting


    for something to happen. What in the world was going on in that mind of his?


    At the moment, he had the looks, the charm, everything, but I was trying my best not to fall for his trap.


    One nce at him, and his broad shoulders were wless. He gave me that million¨Cdor smile, but no


    way. I wasn¡¯t going to let his looks control me.


    But honestly, it was really hard to withstand. He was indeed a beauty to behold, with those dreamy


    eyes and a body like a god. It had been a long time since I had seen his chest, and I was quite


    stunned. Lost in this beauty now.


    As Luke took some steps forward, I turned my face away, not wanting to get swayed by his


    looks.


    ¡°I thought you were sleeping,¡± Luke said, standing in front of a mirror. He dried his hair up with a small


    towel, and he flung it away.


    He gazed at the mirror for a few seconds, deep in thought, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was


    thinking about. The moment he turned around, I took my eyes in another


    direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Ariel?¡± He asked softly.


    ¡°The problem?¡± I made a puzzled face and looked at him once again. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Ever since I got out of the shower, I¡¯ve been noticing that look you¡¯ve been giving me.¡±


    I stared at him for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Stop ying dumb around here,¡± Luke said, and he traipsed towards me. ¡°You clearly know what I¡¯m


    talking about.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I stated.


    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Luke called out, now adjacent to me. I was sitting on the bed while he was standing.


    ¡°So, tell me, what was going on in your mind?¡± He asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡¯ I answered, turning my face away.


    ¡°You are my wife now, so you better show some respect around here,¡± he said, but I didn¡¯t even nce


    at him one bit.


    ¡°Look at me when I¡¯m talking to you,¡± he vocalized. His tone was kind of harsh.


    1 looked him in the eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t start thinking I¡¯m going to be your ve or something¡±


    ¡°I never said anything like that,¡± Luke uttered.


    ¡°But I believe that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking, right? Since I¡¯m married to you now, you can start treating me


    just the way you want.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ariel. Don¡¯t get things twisted around here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting anything twisted. I¡¯m only saying the truth. And if you think I¡¯m that Ariel who you can do


    shit to, you¡¯re clearly mistaking.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting angry all of a sudden?¡± Luke asked, fixing his hands on his waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry; I¡¯m just trying to let you know a few things. You might be the owner of this mansion,


    having power over everyone living in it. But don¡¯t think you can control me.¡±


    Luke scanned me in silence, and then he let out a deep sigh. ¡°You know what? You can have the


    bedroom for yourself.¡±


    He stormed out of the room after that. And after some seconds, he came back, grabbed his nightwear,


    and left. I exhaled deeply afterwards.


    I didn¡¯t know what was wrong. I was supposed to make this man fall in love with me, not hate. me. I


    knew this was going to be really hard.


    ****


    I blinked my eyes open, slowly waking from my slumber. The morning sunlight streamed. through the


    window, casting a warm glow on the bedroom walls. I stretched my arms and yawned, feeling the


    sleepiness fade away. It was time to start the day.


    I swung my legs out of bed and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I reached for my slippers and slid them onto


    my feet, feeling the softness beneath my toes. Then I stood up and walked towards the closet.


    Opening the closet door, I gazed at the neatly arranged clothes. I had brought these yesterday


    from my house, and the maids here had helped me arrange them in the closet. That was nice


    of them.


    I chose a simple ck dress, loving how these types of clothes disy my curves, letting people know


    the definition of true beauty.


    I walked to the bathroom to freshen up. I brushed my teeth, feeling the minty freshness in my mouth.


    Then, I sshed water on my face, washing away any remnants of sleep. I turned on the shower after


    that, and the water was so refreshing.


    I grabbed the soap and began tother my skin gently, the scent ofvender filling the air. As the drips


    trickled down my face, I closed my eyes and let the melodies flow from my lips. I was singing ¡®My Love¡®


    by Westlife. The lyrics were stuck in my head.


    With each verse, my voice soared higher, carrying my emotions to the heavens above. It was as if the


    shower became my stage, and the water globs were my adoring fans. I sang so loud, losing myself in


    the euphoria of the moment.


    As the water continued to move over my body, my voice grew softer, like a gentle whisper in the wind. I


    relished the raindrops that fell on my skin, embracing their delicate touch.


    My voice grew stronger as I closed my eyes, letting the water wash away any crimps. My voice,


    unfiltered and raw, continued filling the bathroom with a sense of tranquility. I had no idea I could sing


    like this.


    I swayed to the rhythm, my body moving effortlessly with the melody. The water sshed as my hands


    gracefully glided through the air, mimicking the waves of the ocean. My voice soared, carrying the


    weight of my feelings with each note.


    I didn¡¯t know, but I was in the spirit, and it¡¯s been long since I raised my voice like this, bringing out


    magnificent melodies.


    The door opened, and I gasped, turning around and trying to cover my naked body.


    Luke was the one who entered the bathroom, and the jerk couldn¡¯t even turn away. He scanned every


    part of my body, from up to down.

 Chapter 64

    64: IN THE SHOWER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°What the heck!¡± I bawled at Luke. And that still didn¡¯t give him some sense. His eyes were still on me,


    and this was really crazy.


    ¡°Get out! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m taking a shower?¡± I yelled at him.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± he uttered, with a deep tone and a smirk on his face. ¡°But you¡¯re my wife. Ande


    on, don¡¯t act like this is the first time I¡¯m seeing you naked.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but re at him. Was he under the influence of alcohol, or what?


    ¡°You are sick in the head!¡± I snapped. ¡°Now leave!¡± I was about to push him out of the bathroom, but he


    seized both of my hands.


    Luke pushed me to the wall with the shower still turned on, soaking his shirt. He pressed both of my


    hands against the wall, staring into my eyes. And he did all this while I was naked.


    His eyes went down to my breasts. I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking now, but it was definitely nasty.


    Luke took his gaze downward, observing my whole body, and our eyes met. again.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I told him.


    Luke chuckled. ¡°I know you want me,¡± he said softly, moving his face closer to mine. ¡°Just say the


    words, and you can have me all you want,¡± he whispered, nozzling my neck.


    I thought this man and I used to have mutual feelings of hatred. So what in the world is this all about?


    ¡°Let go of me, and get the hell out of the shower.¡± I also vocalized in hushed tones.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that,¡± he said softly, moving his finger down to my chest and halting in between my


    breasts. His touch sent waves of some feeling right inside me that I couldn¡¯t understand. And then I felt


    his tongue on my neck, slowly, and it was kind of shooting.


    Luke gazed at me once again, gently brushing my hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something naughty this


    morning? What do you say?¡±


    ¡°I say you leave me right now. I have work to do, and so do you.¡±


    ¡°Work can wait, Ariel; this is a lovely moment between a husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± I told Luke, and kneeled his balls immediately. He bawled a little.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± He asked in pain, with his hands fixed around his groin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try this nonsense with me again!¡± I snarled, grabbed a towel, and left him in


    the shower.


    Later in the day, I was at my office, going through different files and preparing for the uing


    meetings. And there were a lot of ongoing projects. So at the moment, my head was on fire. If Michael


    or Seth were here, they would help me out with this.


    ¡°Miss, you have a visitor,¡± one of my workers,informed me. I wondered who it was.


    ¡°Tell that person toe in, please,¡± I told her, and she nodded before leaving the office.


    The next person who entered was Mason. A huge smile filled his entire face, and I could just guess


    why he hade to pay me a visit.


    ¡°Mrs Reynold!¡± Mason eximed, smiling broadly at me, as he stepped nigher. ¡°You¡¯re looking really


    beautiful,¡± he added. But I knew he was telling me theplete opposite.


    ¡°Okay, Mason, thank you. But please, you do not have to keep on giving me falsements.¡±


    ¡°Falsements?¡± He made a puzzled face. ¡°You¡¯re the wife of Luke Reynold, so calling you Mrs.


    Reynold is totally fine. Or was I lying when I said you¡¯re really beautiful? Aren¡¯t you pretty?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, okay? But you know what? Nevermind, let¡¯s just forget about this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Luke said, snapping his fingers. He walked closer. ¡°We should forget about that and talk


    of something better. Something that¡¯s going to blow someone¡¯s mind.¡±


    The way he spoke made it look like it was special. But I clearly knew what he was talking about. And


    I¡¯m sure you do too.


    ¡°I just got married to Luke, okay? And I have tons of projects to go through. So can we please shift this


    discussion to another time?¡±


    Mason pped his hands immediately. ¡°Sure! Anything you say, Mrs. Reynold.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°The name¡¯s Ariel.¡±


    ¡°And you are the wife of Luke Reynold,¡± Mason said immediately. ¡°I¡¯m just paying my respect around


    here.¡°.


    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah, respect.¡±


    ¡±


    ¡°Well, your wish is mymand. But I got to ask, when are the two of you going on your honeymoon?¡±


    Mason grinned.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°Please, don¡¯t ask me that.¡±


    ¡°Why not? The two of you are thetest couple in town.¡±


    Rose burst into the office promptly.¡°¡±Miss, the directors of Oranos want to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Well, tell them toe to my office,¡± I told her.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rose responded, and she left. I smiled at Mason after that.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be leaving then. We¡¯ll continue with this conversation some other time,¡± he said, stepping to


    the door. I nodded, and he left.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The day had been a busy one, with different projects being carried out, meeting stuff, and all that. It¡¯s


    really been exhausting, and that¡¯s why I made my way to a coffee shop. I needed some time to just chill


    and rx and get some peace of mind.


    But even in the rxation, I was still stressing my brain, thinking about what happened between me


    and Ariel earlier this morning. I was only teasing her, but I knew I almost drove her nuts. She even had


    to kneel my balls, but I decided to let her go with that one.


    4


    I was still sittingfortably, enjoying a nice, cool, refreshing drink, when someone approached me. It


    was Tiffany.


    She crossed her arms, looking pretty in an orange mini dress, and the look she gave me was literally


    not a nice one.


    ¡°Tiffany?¡± I uttered, still looking at her. I was never expecting this encounter.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Look who we have here: the good¨Cfor¨Cnothing yer, Luke Reynold.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that,¡± I said, dropping my ss of wine on the table.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Tiffany quizzed.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not one,¡± I answered, almost inaudible, and I looked at her.


    Sheughed. ¡°Oh Luke, you have got to be the funniest man I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You used me, you idiot. All you wanted was sex, and I was thinking you actually wanted to spend your


    life with me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that, but it¡¯s just a one¨Ctime thing. I was mad at my woman back then; that¡¯s


    why¡­.¡±


    ¡°You went to get freaky with me?¡± She cut me off. ¡°I thought you were a different man, Luke. But I


    guess I was wrong. You¡¯re no different from the others.¡±


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t need any argument; that¡¯s thest thing I want right now. I¡¯m sorry if I made you develop


    feelings, or whatever, but as you can see, I¡¯m married now.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°Good, so why are you still here then?¡± I smirked.


    She groaned, ring at me. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡±


    Tiffany walked away after that. I was even surprised that the conversation was short. For a moment, I


    thought she was going to create a scene, acting crazy like Harriet.


    My phone started ringing¨Can unknown number right here. But I answered it anyway.


    ¡°Luke Reynold. It¡¯s a great thing to be talking to you again.¡±


    The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn¡¯t recall who.


    ¡°Uhmm, who is this?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say the person who exposed your girlfriend to you,¡± he replied.

 Chapter 65

    65: NETFLIX AND CHILL??


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°You?¡± I blurted. The call was still on, and now that I¡¯vee to think of it, this was the same voice as


    the guy who sent me that video of Harriet.


    ¡°Yes, aren¡¯t you happy to hear my voice?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just surprised,¡± I responded, getting up from my seat. ¡°You must have a perfect reason for


    calling me, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Then tell me, why have you called me?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Take it easy, man; don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to give you all the information just like that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. If you¡¯re not going to tell me whatever information you have, then why do you bother


    calling me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get all angry, Mr. Reynold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset. I just don¡¯t have time on my side right now because I¡¯ve got a lot of things that need to


    be done. So if you¡¯re going to start wasting¡­¡±


    ¡°Easy, Mr. Reynold, take it easy,¡± he cut me off. ¡°This information I have is important, and it will help


    save your life. But you¡¯ll have to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Pay for it?¡± I stated.


    ¡°Yes. So, whenever you¡¯re less busy, let me know. That¡¯s if you love your life. Goodbye.¡±


    He hung up just when I wanted to tell him to hold on. I wondered what he was talking about.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was stili sitting in my office, waiting for the directors of The Oranos to show up. It¡¯s almost been ten


    minutes since Rose informed me that they¡¯re here. So, why were they taking so long?


    This was just a waste of time. Because right now, I should be going through all these files rather than


    biding for these people. I think I¡¯m gettingzy as the days go by. Perhaps all this Luke stuff distracted


    me.


    The door opened, and this man stepped in. He was dashing, looking wonderful in a red suit, and


    putting on a pair of sneakers. He also had earrings on and a ring pierced in his nose. He has some


    tattoos on his neck and a dulcet beard.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Miss,¡± he greeted me while I continued to stare at him. His beauty was great, but I


    had to snap back to reality.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± I said, making a sillyugh. ¡°Good afternoon, sir; you must be¡­¡±


    ¡°Daniel Orano, holder of The Oranos,¡± he said, boldly. ¡±


    ¡°I see, it¡¯s a nice thing to have you here.¡± I weed him with a smile. ¡°Please,e sit down,¡± I said,


    gesturing my hand toward the visitor¡¯s chair.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, and sat down, as I had told him. He looked everywhere, and I was kind of admiring his


    looks.


    ¡°So,¡± I uttered, and Daniel turned to me immediately. ¡°Can you please tell me why you¡¯vee here?¡°!


    He let out a deep sigh. ¡°You know, as time goes on, you need to find yourself new things to do and


    great ideas that could better the society.¡±


    I continued to gaze at him while he carried on. ¡°The Oranos had really gone so far in New Haven. But


    even with all that, we¡¯re not stillpared to others. Hugepanies like Intectorn, Blue Davis, The


    Reynolds, and others.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said slowly, giving him all of my attention.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to team up with yourpany, The Vitality Group. You people are the greatest


    in Canada; no one¡¯s going to argue about that. And since you people are also bringing yourpany


    to New Haven, I know for a fact that it¡¯s going to be ten times better than the rest around here.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you.¡± I grinned at Daniel.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he said underneath his breath. ¡°I think it will be great if ourpanies work on a


    project together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually a nice idea. But can you please tell me what the project¡¯s all about?¡±


    Daniel shifted his face closer, with his hands fixed on the table as he walked. ¡°I will, but why don¡¯t we


    discuss this somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere else?¡± I said in a slow tone. Daniel nodded, still grinning at me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my office?¡± I queried, looking around.


    ¡°Nothing. Nothing at all,¡± he answered. ¡°I just thought this discussion would be great with a delicious


    meal.¡± He kept on with his grin.


    ¡°Hmm, okay,¡± I said, with a slow nod. ¡°I¡¯m even hungry by the way.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Daniel blurted out, giving me a silly smile, and we both burst intoughter.


    He stood


    up and stretched his hand over to me. ¡°Mydy,¡± he said, bowing dramatically.


    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°Silly,¡± I told Daniel before giving him my hand and slowly getting


    1. up.


    *****


    Daniel and I were at a restaurant, eating andughing, getting involved in all kinds of


    conversations. And this man was hrious. We were supposed to talk about business, but look at us¨C


    totally forgotten about that.


    ¡°So, Ariel, has anyone told you that you¡¯re beautiful?¡± Daniel asked with a smile, taking a bite


    of French fries.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± I replied, drinking from my ss of apple juice.


    ¡°How many?¡± He aksed with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I can¡¯t actually recall,¡± I replied, shrugging.


    ¡°I see,¡± Daniel vocalized lowly. ¡°Well, did those people emphasize this ravishing and amazing beauty of


    yours?¡±


    I giggled. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t start now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. You are the perfect definition of true beauty. Your eyes make the whole world go


    crazy, and your voice causes the oceans to move.¡±


    I looked at him pretty well. ¡°Are you trying to flirt with me?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± He budged his face closer, grinning.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re trying to find your way to me.¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Danielughed. ¡°Don¡¯t say that now. I came here for business.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m seeing around here.¡± I smiled widely at him.


    Daniel couldn¡¯t hold augh. ¡°Okay, okay, just chill.¡±


    ¡°Netflix and chill?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He raised an eyebrow, giving me a confused face.


    ¡°Yeah, what?¡± I also made a confused face.


    Seriously, what the hell was wrong with me?


    ¡°Did I just hear someone say Netflix and chill?¡± Someone uttered with a familiar voice, and I definitely


    knew who he was.


    I turned around, and Luke was standing right beside me, with a look that¡¯s bad enough to annihte


    someone.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I gave him a surprised face.


    ¡°You know this guy?¡± Daniel asked me.


    ¡°Yes, she is my wife,¡± Luke answered, giving Daniel a cold stare. He turned to me. ¡°What are you doing


    with this man, huh?¡±


    ¡°Umm, excuse me?¡± I uttered, looking at Luke back.


    ¡°Get up;


    it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± Luke held my hand.


    ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you see we¡¯re discussing business here?¡± Daniel red at Luke, who didn¡¯t hesitate to


    return the expression.


    ¡°And by business, you mean Netflix and chill?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow at Daniel.


    Oh gosh, those words were still stuck in his head.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t mean to say that,¡± Daniel defended.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t mean to drag her out of here,¡± Luke retorted, tugging me out of my chair. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he


    said, giving me a cold face.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Luke interrupted me, cing his hand on my lips. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word. Just follow me,¡± he said softly.


    I looked at him, and I decided to do that. Since I want the scumbag to fall for me, I should be doing as


    he says.


    He slowly took his hands off my lips and began to walk to the entrance, dragging me along. I nced at


    Daniel, but I turned my face away.

 Chapter 66

    66: TAKE IT IN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It was another beautiful morning, a wonderful Saturday, and a good time to get some rest. I had not


    seen Luke since he took me away from that restaurant yesterday. He didn¡¯t spend the night at his


    house; probably steamed up or something.


    As I made my way to the kitchen, I saw Mariam cooking. It looked like she was preparing breakfast. But


    that was kind of strange. Of all the maids in this mansion, this woman was the one who decided to


    cook. A grumpy witch, for that matter.


    kept on staring at her as she hummed, pressing on with her cooking. She didn¡¯t even realize I was


    here.


    As the minutes passed by, I stood still, and then Mariam¡¯s eyes finally caught me.


    ¡°You?¡± was what she vocalized that very moment.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± I responded. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing, you idiot? I¡¯m cooking!¡± She snapped, grabbing a knife, and was


    ready to cut down some of her ingredients.


    ¡°And since when did you start cooking?¡±


    She red at me. ¡°You¡¯re just a stranger here. Plus, you know nothing about me. So it¡¯s best you mind


    your own business.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay,¡± I answered calmly, moving backwards. ¡°Happy cooking. I can¡¯t wait to get a taste of your


    food.¡±


    Mariam chuckled after I said those things, and then I left her.


    1201212/0


    A few hourster, I walked downstairs only to see Luke seated at the dining table. Riley sat close to


    him. He was in a normal shirt and not putting on one of those suits.


    Luke¡¯s eyes met mine, and we stared at each other till Mariam came, holding a tray of tes.


    ¡°Okay, herees breakfast,¡± Mariam said, dropping the tray on the table. The food smelled nice; I


    won¡¯t lie about that.


    The face Luke gave his aunt was not a good one, but she was just smiling and dropping the tes on


    the table, like there was no dispute between them.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat down, watching my aunt, Mariam, as she ced the tes of food on the table. She had prepared


    veal chops, and although the food had a nice smell, I didn¡¯t want to get a taste of it.


    After my wedding, Mariam had been nice to everyone, which was really creepy and kind of suspicious.


    Now, she had prepared food and wanted us to take it into our stomachs.


    I never wished to do that, although Riley had been telling me to. It was even because of her that I was


    sitting down right now. And damn, looking at my aunt with that smiling face, had me on the angry side.


    After Mariam had finished what she was doing, she went back to the kitchen. I looked at Ariel, who was


    standing not too far from us. My expression toward her was nk.


    What happened yesterday was still in my mind, seeing her with that man, whoever he was. I was kind


    of choleric. And I didn¡¯t want to say I was jealous. It¡¯s not like I like her or something.


    ¡°Big brother,¡± Riley said, and I set my eyes on her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat your food?¡±


    I slowly fixed my eyes on the te of veal chops, observing it very well. I took a hold of my knife and


    fork, still giving the dish an angry look. The people in this mansion were just making me sick.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Ariel shrieked as I was about to eat the food. Riley and I both turned to her as she took some


    steps forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat that food, alright,¡± she told us, and I couldn¡¯t help but give her a confused expression, mixed


    with curiosity.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Riley asked


    ¡°Because it¡¯s poisoned,¡± Ariel answered.


    ¡°Poisoned?¡± My bafflement got harder.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Mariam asked the moment she came back.


    Ariel looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t start lying now. I saw you.


    Seer


    S


    ¡°You saw me? Poisoning the food?¡± Mariam looked surprised. ¡°Why would I want to kill my own


    nephew?¡±


    ¡°Please, there are so many reasons,¡± Ariel replied coldly. ¡°You never liked him. Now you want him


    dead.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Mariam snapped. ¡°Why are you doing this, huh? Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m only doing what¡¯s right. I¡¯m not going to stand here and watch you murder my husband.¡±


    I looked at the two of them. Their attitude was totally out of line. Absolutely different; now I didn¡¯t know


    who to believe. Who the hell was saying the truth?


    ¡°I can see you¡¯ve finally revealed your true colors. From the very first day I saw you, I knew you were


    nothing but a liar. But I didn¡¯t know that you were going to carry this disgusting attitude of yours too far,¡±


    Mariam spat.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I shouted, and they both turned to me.


    I looked at Ariel. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re telling the truth? Did she really add poison to this food?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did,¡± Ariel answered. ¡°And if you think I¡¯m lying, I¡¯m going to prove it to you.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Riley asked.


    ¡°Just watch,¡± Ariel replied, and walked closer to me. ¡°If it means sacrificing my life just to save you, I¡¯ll


    take this food in.¡± Ariel looked into my eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t grasp what was going on around here.


    She grabbed part of the food from my te, staring at me, and then she slowly took a bite of it. She


    looked me in the eyes again and took another bite until everything went down in her stomach.


    After that, she fixed her hand on her belly and began to cough.


    ¡°Ariel?¡± I spoke lowly, and the moment her cough became harder, I got up.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± I bawled the moment blood starteding out of her mouth. She closed her eyes and was


    about to fall down, but I swiftly grabbed her.


    ¡°Ariel! Ariel!¡± I tapped her face, trying to see if I could open her eyes. But no, she had already lost


    consciousness.


    I red at Mariam. ¡°You cruel woman!¡±


    Her mouth was partly open. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But what, huh?¡± I snarled and carried Ariel in my arms. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you,¡± I told Mariam bitterly.


    After that, I left the house, making my way to my car, so I could drive Ariel to the hospital, Riley wanted


    to follow me, but I told her to stay at the house.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, sir; everything¡¯s going to be alright. She¡¯s all good now,¡± the doctor assured


    me.


    I had taken Ariel to a hospital, waiting patiently for quite a long time for the doctor to give me feedback.


    And here he was, telling me that she was going to be okay.


    Thank goodness. I didn¡¯t know why, but I was really afraid of losing her.


    ¡°Thanks doc.¡± I shook hands with the doctor before he walked away.


    I looked at Ariel through the door as shey unconscious. She was willing to take poison, willing to


    sacrifice her life, all because of me.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Where do the both of us stand? Was this rtionship filled


    with love or not? Why would she take the risk of losing her own life only to save mine?

 Chapter 67

    67: RIGHT HERE AGAIN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I opened my eyes, and Luke made his way inside the hospital room, making a phone call.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my assistant will take care of that,¡± he said, and then his conversation on the phone came


    to an end.


    His eyes met mine. The both of us gazed at each other for quite a long time. It was as if time had


    frozen for this moment.


    Luke couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me. I could see this passion in him. And somehow, I noticed a surge of


    guilt moving within him. Yes, his countenance said it all.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Luke said as he advanced toward me. ¡°You know, I feel really sorry for you


    sometimes. First, you got shot in the stomach. Now this.¡±


    ¡°I guess life just loves ying with me,¡± Iughed, although I was not feeling too good.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Why did you take poison for me?¡±


    I sighed, averting my gaze. ¡°Well, you¡¯re my husband. I can¡¯t just let you die.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? That?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I responded in h¨²shed tones. ¡°What do


    you think?¡±


    ¡°Nothing actually. It¡¯s just quite surprising that you would do that for me.¡±


    Iughed softly. ¡°I know, but that¡¯s just it. I¡¯ll do anything for the people I love.¡±


    ¡°For the people you love?¡± Luke had a confused face. ¡°You love me?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re my husband. I¡¯m supposed to love you.¡±


    ¡°Darn it, you¡¯re not understanding this, are you?¡± He vocalized inaudibly, moving his hands down on his


    face.


    ¡°Understand what?¡± I asked.


    He sighed. ¡°Nevermind. You take care. I have to go. I have something to take care of.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to teach some people a lesson. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything,¡± he told me, and


    I left the room.


    He was definitely going to deal with Mariam. I felt so sorry for thedy. It¡¯s such a pity that she¡¯s going


    to suffer for something she has no knowledge of.


    She wasn¡¯t the one who added poison to the food; I was. This was one way to get Luke to fall in love


    with me. And I could see it was working.


    I had to take that poison with me. I knew I wasn¡¯t going to die. Life¡¯s all about risks, right? This was just


    the beginning of this mission of mine. Luke would eventually fall for me. And at that point, I¡¯ll strike him


    hard. But Mason still needed to tell me the n.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Aunt Mariam!¡± I shouted the moment I arrived home. ¡°Aunt Mariam!¡± I screamed again, boiling with


    rage.


    I sighted one of the maids walking upstairs. ¡°You!¡± I shouted at her, and she turned around


    immediately. ¡°Have you seen my zant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. She went out with this man,¡± the maid replied.


    ¡°She went out with someone?¡± I brought out, my tone filled with anger. The maid nodded. ¡® For how


    long now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think it should be about thirty minutes ago,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Okay, you may go,¡± I told her, and I walked away.


    That woman better note back to this house. She would be making the biggest mistake of her life if


    she did.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    I was still at the hospital, lying down on the bed, when the door to the room opened. And I was


    surprised to see who had shown up. It was my mother.


    It had been a long time since I had seen my parents. After one year of marriage with Luke back then,


    they left without even telling me where they were heading.


    They didn¡¯t even call meter on, and when I tried calling, I wasn¡¯t able to reach them. And that had me


    extremely infuriated with the both of them. Some parents they were.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked my mom as she walked in my direction. ¡°And how in the world did


    you know that I was at the hospital? Who told you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Take it


    easy,


    Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy?¡± My angerpounded. ¡°You and dad abandoned me.¡±


    ¡°Honey, you know that¡¯s/not true,¡± she said in her soft, deceiving voice.


    ¡°What is true then? Tell me!¡± I shrieked and then closed my eyes the moment I felt a little


    S


    pain.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± she uttered, and wanted to move close to me, but I told her not to,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you daree close to me,¡± I said in a harsh whisper.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, my child. You know I love you.¡±


    ¡°You have no right to say that word. You have no love in your heart. All you care about is money. That¡¯s


    the only thing revolving around in your head.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°First of all, you and dad made a decision without informing me first. I got married to some scumbag I


    don¡¯t even like or know anything about. All because of what? Money.¡±


    My mom shook her head, closing her eyes, as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll only be lying to yourself if you think you can fool me with those crocodile tears.¡±


    She wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°You reproach me with these hard words, and you strike your anger


    at me. But you know the reason why your father and I did that. And we even apologized. You were fine


    with it, so why the change of mind now?¡±


    ¡°Of course I was fine with it; I even forgave you guys. But the two of you just abandoned me, especially


    when I needed someone tofort me. Do you know the pain and heartbreak that I had to go through


    living with Luke? Do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,


    but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± I cut her off.


    She exhaled deeply after a moment. ¡°I have a perfect exnation for that.¡±


    RIGHT HERE AGAIN


    ¡°What are you going to say now, huh? If you and father were going bankrupt, you had to go somewhere


    else to get money?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied in hushed tones, and gave me a serious face. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to start talking


    nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m talking nonsense now?¡±


    ¡°Will you please have a little respect for me?¡± She barked at me. The both of us looked at each other


    for seconds, and she let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°I know I did wrong by leaving without telling you. But it was what your father wanted.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    She exhaled deeply. ¡°Your father was seriously sick.¡±


    ¡°Dad was sick?¡± I aksed. She nodded. ¡°Howe he never told me?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want anything that was going to get you worried. So he went to India for treatment. There


    was this man who said he would help him take away the sickness. But it ended so sad.¡±


    She looked at me and said softly, ¡°Your father died.¡±


    Her words shocked me hard. ¡°Wait, are you trying to tell me that Dad is no more?¡±


    She closed her eyes as tears rolled down her cheek.¡°It¡¯s so painful. But that¡¯s just it, Ariel. Your father is


    gone. His death brought intense pain to my heart and left me broken.¡±

 Chapter 68

    68: MY EYES FOUND YOURS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    and yet


    ¡°Now you¡¯re telling me that my father¡¯s dead,¡± I said softly, broken by the sad news, my heart was still


    moved with anger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this? Why do you have to wait until now?¡±


    ¡°When your father died, I came back to the country to inform you about it, but you were nowhere to be


    found,¡± my mom told me.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I asked leisurely.


    ¡°Yes. I even went to meet Luke, but he told me he had no idea where you went.¡±


    I breathed out deeply, feeling sad about this news. It was really heartbreaking to find out that my father


    was no more. And all this time, I was angry at my parents. But now that I¡¯ve finally had full knowledge


    of everything, I don¡¯t think that lividness should still be dwelling within.


    1. me.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out a deep sigh. ¡°Why mom? Why did dad have to leave the country? I mean, Sir


    Reynold was a billionaire. He could have helped him with his condition. He could take him to one of the


    greatest hospitals.¡±


    ¡°I even suggested that to your father, but he refused. I didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him. He just


    wanted to go to India, and who was I to say no?¡±


    My mom held my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you in any way.¡±


    dehat


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± I told her softly. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should apologize for being rude to you.¡±


    She slowly fixed her hand on my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything, Ariel. But I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re still


    married to Luke. I thought the two of you got separated, or something.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of a long story.¡±


    Luke entered the room promptly, and he halted the moment he saw my mother. I did nothing but look at


    him while he stood still, observing my mom.


    When my mom noticed how my eyes were simply fixed in another direction, she turned around. And


    yes, her eyes met those of Luke¡¯s.


    She nced at me back. ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s time I leave now; we¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    The both of us smiled at each other before she stood up. My mom tread in Luke¡¯s direction, and as she


    walked past him, he gave her a cold stare. She left the room anyway.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked Luke, and he turned to me.


    ¡°What?¡± He responded with this question.


    ¡°That stare you gave my mom, it wasn¡¯t a nice one.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°You and I both know that I don¡¯t like your parents one bit.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you kept that hatred in your heart all these years.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to,¡± I told him.


    ¡°How¡¯s your body? You¡¯re doing okay now?¡± He queried.


    PR


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to change the topic, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to chat with you about your parents, you¡¯re wrong. I just came to take you home.


    The doctor said you¡¯re physically fit to get your butts off the bed.¡±


    I looked at him for a moment. ¡°He didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Well, not in that way,¡± Luke revealed with a deep voice.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I nodded. ¡°You know my father¡¯s dead?¡±


    Luke became silent for a few seconds. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my father. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°For how long now?¡± Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years now,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Like, how many years?¡±


    ¡°You ask too many questions,¡± I replied, a cold tone right there.


    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be concerned around here.¡±


    I chuckled, turning my face away. ¡°Oh, how nice of you.¡±


    When I turned my face back in his direction, I gasped incontinently. His visage was very close to mine.


    Like, when in hell did he move like that?


    At this point, our eyes locked in a silent conversation, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of emotions.


    His gaze was so intense yetforting at the same time.


    I couldn¡¯t look away, as if I were under a spell. His eyes were like a beautiful ocean, pulling me deeper


    and deeper into their depths. This was what happened, when my eyes found his.


    gaze was


    I felt myself getting lost in his eyes, and I didn¡¯t want to be found. It was as if his saying everything that


    words couldn¡¯t. His smile was just so different at the moment. I could consider it to be genuine. Maybe.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we leave row.¡± Luke smirked.


    ¡°You can leave if you want; I need some time to rest,¡± I said after rolling my eyes.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Luke grinned and pecked me on the forehead, leaving me kind of shocked. And although


    it¡¯s what I wanted, I gaped at him.


    He smiled with a wink, and after that, he disappeared. It looked like my n was working after all.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Ariel and I arrived home; it was getting quitete, and the day was already bing dark.


    The moment we opened the door, we were weed by the one and only malevolent trot.


    Mariam stood in front of us, arms crossed, with her eyes zing with fury. Her stare was like a raging


    inferno that could reduce anyone to ashes.


    Her anger was clear and could be felt like a searing heat, bringing trepidation to anyone who would


    take a nce at her. Exclude me from this.


    But one could feel the intensity of her emotions through her piercing gaze, a warning to tread carefully


    or risk being burned. Well, it was my turn to return the goddamn expression.


    ¡°You came back to my house, huh?¡± I asked harshly, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I never left,¡± she retorted, and she took her re to Ariel. ¡°And I can see you¡¯re still with this good-for-


    nothing liar.¡±


    ¡°Good-for-nothing liar?¡± I chuckled. ¡°You almost killed her, and here you are, saying she¡¯s a liar. I see


    this knavery of yours has gotten too far.¡¯


    ¡°I was trying my best to be kind to you and your worthless people. Do you have any idea how


    68 MY EYES FOUND YOURS


    hard it was to actually pull off that character? Do you?¡±


    ¡°I never told you to,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°You fool!¡± She snapped. ¡°I knew I made a bad decision bying to your house.¡±


    ¡°You can leave then.¡± I gestured toward the door. ¡°But let me make something clear to you. Don¡¯t you


    ever try to do nonsense in this house anymore. You almost killed Ariel today, but I¡¯m going to forgive


    you for this one. But if you try to do something so vile again, I swear on my grandfather¡¯s grave, I won¡¯t


    spare you.¡±


    The both of us red at each other, and then she stormed out of the house without giving me a


    comeback.


    Ariel exhaled deeply. ¡°I need to go get a shower,¡± she said, and went upstairs.


    I heard the sound of a phone ringing, and it belonged to Ariel. It was right on the couch. I took the


    phone, staring at who was calling. It was Elizabeth, whoever that was.


    I decided to answer the phone call with the intention of telling this person to callter.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± This little girl eximed just as I was about to talk.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± I whispered to myself, wondering who that little girl was calling her mother.

 Chapter 69

    69: PAPERS OF DESTRUCTION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I made my way downstairs after hearing my phone ring. I was surprised to see it with Luke. The worst


    part of it all was that he had that phone pressed against his ear. He had the nerve to answer my phone


    call.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this, please?¡± Luke said, making a puzzled face. I just stood there, watching him. ¡± Janice?¡± He


    spoke.


    My eyes widened at that very moment. In a sh, I bolted in his direction. I snatched my phone from


    him the moment we were now close.


    It looked like Janice was the one Luke was talking to. But I wasn¡¯t going to let him get into a


    conversation with any of my babies. Not now. Not ever.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Luke asked. He must probably have millions of thoughts going through his


    head at the moment.


    ¡°That was the voice of a little girl. And she was looking for her mother, I think,¡± Luke told me. I was


    silent, surveying him with my phone in my hand.


    ¡°Now tell me, Ariel, what¡¯s going on?¡± Luke queried. His expression was goddamn serious. But it wasn¡¯t


    going to move me.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to start panicking or something.


    ¡°What do you think is going on?¡± I smiled at him, clutching my phone with a white¨Cknuckled grip.


    Luke suspired, driving his hands through his hair. After a moment, he looked at me. ¡°Are you sure


    you¡¯re not hiding anything from me? Is there something you¡¯re not telling me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything, okay?¡±


    CTION


    Lakeughed, shifting his gaze away. Heid his eyes on me once again. ¡°Ariel. Tell me. Who is this,


    Janice?¡±


    He was very eage: to know. But too bad, he would know nothing.


    ¡°Janice?¡± I stated, holding my chin. ¡°Well, she¡¯s just a little girl I know, in Canada.¡±


    ¡°In Canada,¡± Luke repeated myst words. His voice was barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I grinned at him.


    ¡°I see. Who was she calling mother then?¡± He acted like a detective.


    I gave him a sillyugh. ¡°You¡¯re asking me that? She was probably talking to her mother.¡±


    ¡°No, I knew she was talking on the phone. Answering the call immediately and talking like that. That


    little girl was definitely talking on the phone.¡± Luke tried to be clever. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about that anyway.


    You can go and take your shower.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± I faked a smile. I walked upstairs after that.


    ****


    I was sitting in my car, waiting for Mason. He was going to show me how this n of ours was going to


    take ce.


    I had been waiting for minutes, but he still hadn¡¯t shown up. I was getting impatient as the minutes


    passed by. I had to lean my head on the steering wheel, and that was when I heard a slight knock on


    the car door. I looked; it was Mason.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not locked,¡± I replied, my tone almost cold.


    Mason burst into the car immediately. He had a file on his hands, and I couldn¡¯t help but get curious


    about it.


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold,¡± he uttered, keeping that smirk on his face.


    I rolled my eyes, suspiring. ¡°Can we just get this over with?¡±


    ¡°Hey, just because I¡¯m being all nice to you, doesn¡¯t mean you can start acting like the boss of me. I¡¯m


    the boss. I call the shots around here.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, with a slow nod. ¡°Anything you say, boss,¡± I uttered in slight anger. I just wanted this


    conversation done with, so this scumbag could get the hell out of my car.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°Now, I have something to show you.¡±


    He moved the papers close to me. ¡°Take a look at these papers. They hold the power to take over all of


    Luke¡¯s wealth and property.¡±


    I looked at him pretty well. ¡°Are you serious about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a hundred percent sure,¡± he answered. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours? Are you


    having second thoughts about this?¡±


    ¡°No, no, not at all.¡± I¡¯m just wondering how these papers can have such an impact.¡±


    Masonughed. ¡°Come on now, Ariel. There¡¯s no need for you to start acting dumb around here.¡± He


    taunted. ¡°These papers contain legally binding agreements and contracts that, when signed by Luke,


    will transfer ownership of his assets to us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, seriously?¡±


    Mason sighed, shaking his head. ¡°These are meticulously crafted legal documents, Ariel. Once Luke


    signs them, the transfer of ownership will be enforceable.¡±


    ¡°And you think Luke¡¯s going to sign that?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But that¡¯s why I need you to make him fall in love with you. And once we¡¯re


    done taking all his wealth, we¡¯ll end his life. After he has gone through misery.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, you want to kill Luke?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, but only after we¡¯ve gotten his wealth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s kind of extreme?¡±


    ¡°Nothing extreme about that. If Luke can kill my girlfriend, I can do the same. Goodbye!¡±


    Mason burst out of the car and walked away, carrying the papers with him. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a


    deep sigh.


    ¡°Where the hell do you even think you¡¯re going?¡± I asked Luke.


    This man wanted to give me a surprise, saying he wanted to take me somewhere. But here we were,


    on a deste road that seemed to stretch out endlessly.


    We had been on the road for an hour, and I was hoping we could reach our destination any time soon.


    And all of a sudden, the car halted.


    Luke mmed his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. ¡°No! Not now!¡±


    I peered out the window, my brows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the car?¡±


    I¡¯m not sure,¡± Luke replied, his voice tinged with worry. ¡°It looked like the car broke down. And the worst


    part? We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere!¡±


    ¡°This is all your fault,¡± I told him.


    ¡°My fault?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Why would you even drive around a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°How ungrateful?¡± Luke chuckled. ¡°I was trying to surprise you, and this is how you repay me.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I rolled my eyes and reached for my phone, only to find that it had no signal. ¡± Great, no


    reception. What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Just sit down here and wait till a miracle happens,¡± Luke said inaudibly, leaning on the car


    seat.


    1 shot him a weird look. ¡°Or, we can just go and check the problem in the car to see if it¡¯s something we


    can handle.¡±


    ¡®Are you a mechanic?¡± He aksed.


    ¡°Uhmm, no,¡± I answered slowly.


    ¡°Then what makes you think you¡¯re going to be able to fix this car?¡±


    I looked at him for seconds and took my face away. I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°You know what?


    You¡¯re hrious. You can sit in the car all day and wait for a miracle to happen.¡±


    I got out of the car. ¡°And how did your car even break down? I thought you were a billionaire.¡±


    ¡°Somethings are meant to be. Just like that brain of yours. You¡¯re pretty, but you got nothing in there,¡±


    Luke taunted.


    I gave him a fake smile. ¡°Just get out now.¡±


    Luke exhaled deeply and slowly left the car. He moved to me. ¡°I¡¯m out. What now?¡±


    I shook my head, ignoring him. As I was about to walk to the front of the car, Luke seized my hand and


    pulled me closer to him.


    His grip was tight as he wrapped his hands around me. I had my fingers on his chest, looking


    at him like never before. At this point, we shared an electrifying gaze, more imposing than


    ever.

 Chapter 70

    70: BEATING IN SYNC


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke and I still stood face¨Cto¨Cface, with our eyes locked in a mesmerizing gaze. This mixture of desire


    and uncertainty swirled around me.


    His strong arms enveloped me. I tried shifting back, but he would draw me closer without saying a


    word. The warmth of his touch seeped into my skin, igniting a fire within me.


    From all my attempted movements, our bodies were now inches apart. My heart was beating in sync. I


    felt a rush of emotions overwhelming me, and I couldn¡¯t actually get rid of this feeling at the moment.


    Luke¡¯s presence was intoxicating, and his eyes were reflecting a depth of emotion I had never seen


    before. His grip tightened around me, and I could feel his fingers trembling ever so slightly.


    The both of us leaned in, our lips barely a breath away from each other. But then we stopped,ing


    back to our senses. Even though we still had our eyes fixed on each other.


    The connection was quite remarkable¨Chatred mixing with desire, creating a bittersweet symphony in


    my soul. The intensity was undeniable, but I wasn¡¯t going to be lost in this. No, not at all.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luke asked underneath his breath. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± I could feel his fingers


    reaching my face.


    I slowly closed my eyes, holding his hands. I tardily took both of his hands down, looking into his eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem now?¡± He aksed softly. ¡°Is it going to be wrong if I kiss you? Didn¡¯t we do the same


    at our wedding?¡±


    ¡°That was our wedding, Luke. You and I both know our feelings toward each other.¡± My tone was calm.


    ¡°Remember what you told me at the hospital.¡± He gently held my cheeks again. ¡°You said I¡¯m your


    husband, and you¡¯re supposed to love me,¡± Luke reminded me.


    I closed my eyes. I did remember telling him that. Of course, I wanted him to love me. And if he wanted


    this kiss, I needed to give it to him. But it¡¯s just too hard to easily forget about the pain.


    ¡°You saved me from being killed, Ariel. Where was the hate back then?¡±


    This man had no idea what really happened. Oh, how sad.


    ¡°I need to ask, Luke. Are you doing this to fulfill your grandfather¡¯s wish, or do you genuinely love me?¡±


    I asked him softly.


    Luke became lost in his thoughts. He gently took his hands off my face. He held this waist, and


    obviously, the question was still revolving around in his head. I just looked at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just find a way to fix this car,¡± Luke said in hushed tones. He turned to the car, and I slowly


    walked behind him.


    After letting out a deep sigh, Luke lifted the hood of the car, peering inside. But I knew he didn¡¯t have


    much knowledge of what he was searching for.


    I moved closer, also scanning inside the hood. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong around here.¡±


    Luke gave me a serious face. He set his eyes back on the car. ¡°This is definitely something we can¡¯t fix


    on our own.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that is correct,¡± I said inaudibly.


    Luke nced at me. ¡°I thought you were trying to be a mechanic a while ago.¡±


    I shot him a quick re, turning my face away promptly. ¡°I never said that,¡± I muttered, crossing my


    arms.


    ¡°We should try to g down another car for help,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re in the middle of nowhere? We¡¯re the only souls in this ce.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, okay? I have a feeling we¡¯re going toe across someone,¡± I told


    him.


    I went to stand by the side of the road, trying to see if any vehicles would appear. Luke stood close to


    his car, just staring at me.


    I stood for a very long time. Luke leaned against his car, his arms crossed together. We didn¡¯t say


    anything the whole time. And finally, I heard the sound of an engineing our way. It was a truck.


    I waved my hands frantically, hoping whoever was driving that truck would notice us. The car slowed


    down, and an older gentleman with a friendly smile rolled down the window. ¡°Need some help?¡±


    ¡°Yes, our car broke down,¡± I exined. ¡°We have no idea what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s bad. You guys need a ride?¡± The man offered help.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Yes, sure. That would be really nice,¡± I answered, smiling at him.


    I nced at Luke. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡±


    It took quite a few seconds before he responded. He sighed and advanced toward us in leaden steps,


    still crossing his arms.


    The man got out of his truck, he helped me and Luke burst inside. And after that, he entered. That was


    how we left. I guess we were quite lucky.


    *****


    Luke and I arrived home without talking to each other. And I didn¡¯t really like that. I wanted him to fall


    for me, not ignore me. But at the same time, I still didn¡¯t want to feel his touch.


    Luke was about to open the door, but then I held his hand. He slowly took a look at me, and his


    countenance was not the friendly type. I had to let go of his hand.


    He opened the door, stepping foot inside the house. I was about to enter as well, but he wanted to shut


    it down. Well, I quickly held the door, stopping that from happening. I made my way inside the mansion.


    I saw my mom sitting down with her eyes closed. It seemed like she had fallen asleep, waiting


    for me.


    Luke wasn¡¯t giving her a nice look. Only his silence, with that expression on his visage, spoke


    everything. The anger inside of him was quite clear.


    ¡°Fiona!¡± Luke called for one of the maids. She came down immediately.


    ¡°What is she doing here?¡± He aksed Fiona, gesturing toward my mom.


    ¡°She was waiting for miss,¡± Fiona replied, looking at me. ¡°Should I wake her up?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay,¡± Luke answered calmly. He marched upstairs forthwith.


    Fiona took her eyes off him and looked at me. ¡°Should I¡­¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for you to do that,¡± I interrupted Fiona. ¡°Let her sleep; she needs some rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± Fiona uttered. She left as well.


    Staring at my mom, I smiled at her. She looked so wonderful when she was sleeping, looking like an


    innocent baby.


    After the long stare, I went to my room upstairs. I tried to enter, but the door was locked from the inside.


    ¡°Luke,¡±


    ¡°I said softly, knocking on the door. I waited for a few seconds to respond. But no, he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°ee if he would


    I knocked for the second time. ¡°Luke, open the door. I know you¡¯re in there. And you¡¯re definitely not


    asleep.¡±


    He still didn¡¯te out. This man was driving me nuts.


    ¡°Luke, open the damn door!¡± I shrieked, hitting the door louder, thinking he woulde out. It was all in


    vain.


    I needed to go take a shower. At least get some good sleep. Today¡¯s journey was not great. Luke didn¡¯t


    even surprise me again, all because his car broke down.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I decided to knock onest time.


    The door opened, and I was dragged in immediately.

 Chapter 71

    71: THE PASSION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    My heart pounded in my chest as Luke forcefully dragged me into his room. I stumbled that very


    moment, the room was kind of dark.


    Luke¡¯s grip was firm, and his determination for whatever he wanted to do, was evident in his eyes. He


    had an intense gaze, one that made me feel both captivated and apprehensive.


    My eyes darted around, as I was still trying to understand what the hell was going on around here. I


    tried to put an end to Luke¡¯s grip, but the more I resisted, the tighter his hold became.


    Luke, still holding me, and sensing my resistance, spoke in a low, gentle voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong Ariel?


    Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°Doing what?¡± I asked him, still trying to get his hands off me.


    ¡°You are my wife, aren¡¯t you?¡± He queried, but I refused to give him an answer. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be


    afraid. I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I won¡¯t bring the pain like I did to you those years.


    es


    gaze


    Immediately, I stopped struggling, my eyes meeting Luke¡¯s. There was something in his that softened


    my defenses. And the words he just uttered changed my actions at the moment. Luke¡¯s grip loosened


    slightly, and he slowly moved closer to me. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to resist. And I know I¡¯ve done a lot of


    wrong in the past. But you just need to let go. Free your mind, and be lost in the passion.¡± His voice


    was calm, as the type that was soothing.


    I couldn¡¯t say anything, I was just gazing at him, hypnotized at the moment, I¡¯d say.


    Luke reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch sent shivers down my


    spine, and I couldn¡¯t help but lean into his caress. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the two


    of us in this moment.


    Without breaking eye contact, Luke slowly leaned in, closing the distance between us. Staring at each


    other, with our breaths mingling, I could sense the connection materializing.


    Our lips finally met in a tender, passionate kiss, unfolding a lot of things. The kiss was gentle, soft, and I


    wanted to break it off, but I couldn¡¯t. His lips were soft as hell, and tasty. It was like abination of


    different mouthwatering vors.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    As our lips remained locked in a passionate embrace, I could sense Luke¡¯s hands exploring my body


    with tender caresses. His lips moved expertly against mine, sending shivers of pleasure through my


    entire being.


    With each gentle suck on my tongue, the intensity of our kiss grew, making the moment even more


    enchanting. I find it quite unbelievable that I never wanted this moment to end, as I was lost in the


    overwhelming sensation of being with him.


    It was absurd, I know. But his lips were just so bewitching. He had me trapped in his baronial charm.


    Our kiss became wild, the passion between us ignited, and it was like we couldn¡¯t get enough. Luke¡¯s


    hands were exploring every inch of my body, leaving a trail of electricity wherever they touched.


    And when his hands found their way to my bum, the intensity of the kiss only grew. It was a wild and


    uninhibited moment, as if we were lost in our own world, consumed by our desire for each other. Every


    touch, every kiss, felt like pure magic.


    Luke¡¯s lips trailed down my neck, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a low moan. His rough kisses ignited a


    fire within me, and I could feel myself getting lost in the moment.


    Suddenly, he lifted my dress, revealing mycy panties. I felt a rush of excitement and my heart raced


    as his kisses grew even more intense. I could feel the lingering sensation of a hickey forming on my


    neck, a trail of heat around my skin.


    Luke¡¯s touch was thrilling as he continued to ravish me with his kisses, his hands eagerly exploring the


    curves of my body. I could feel my heart racing with desire as he skillfully removed my dress, leaving


    me exposed in just my bra, my nipples hardening at the cool air. His fingers expertly unhooked my bra,


    unveiling my breasts to him, and I could feel the heat between my legs intensify. With only my panties


    and heels left, I waspletely lost in the whirlwind of passion and pleasure.


    The moment Luke carried me in his strong arms, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of excitement and


    anticipation. When he gentlyid me on the bed, I knew I was in for a night of pure pleasure.


    He removed my heels and panties, making me feelpletely vulnerable and exposed, but in the best


    way possible. And when he revealed his own naked form, with his impressive and eager arousal, I


    knew that this was going to be a night to remember. Our bodies were drawn to each other like


    mas, and I couldn¡¯t wait to feel his hot, hard rod inside of me.


    Luke¡¯s touch enkindled a mesmerizing me within me as he got on top of me, his lips meeting mine in


    a soft and passionate kiss.


    The moment he slid his rod inside of me, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft moan of pleasure. The feeling


    of him inside me, his heat and strength, was intoxicating.


    With every slow and deliberate movement, he took me deeper and deeper into a state of pure ecstasy.


    In that moment, I waspletely lost in him, consumed by his touch.


    Luke paused within me, I felt a surge of contemtion and desire. He taunted me with a teasing pause,


    only to aggrandize my pleasure as he began to thrust into me with relentless. force.


    Every second felt like an eternity, his powerful movements causing me to whimper uncontrobly. I


    couldn¡¯t resist the urge to shut my eyes tightly, surrenderingpletely to the delectation that he was


    giving me,


    Luke¡¯s breath was heavy against my neck as he held me close, his body moving in a rhythm that sent


    dithers down my spine. I could feel the passion and desire in every thrust, and it drove me wild.


    My body whirled with each moan that escaped his lips, and I could feel myself losing control. As he


    pushed deeper and deeper, I couldn¡¯t contain my pleasure any longer and I let out a primal scream, my


    nails digging into his skin as he took me to new heights of tion.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Luke moaned softly, his voice filled with desire as he continued to move inside of me. With


    each forceful thrust, he drove me closer to the edge of pleasure and pain, causing me to moan and cry


    out in response.


    Our bodies were in perfect sync, moving together in a dance of passion and need. And as he pounded


    into me with increasing intensity, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.


    ¡°Luke!!!¡± I cried out his name, reaching my peak, my body trembling as I released myself on his thick,


    hard rod.


    Luke thrust into me with increasing strength, the room filled with the sound of his passionate ms.


    With each one, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a moan of pleasure.


    ¡°Ughhhh!¡± His groans echoed throughout the room, when he finally reached his climax.


    He copsed onto the bed, our bodies slick with sweat and we were breathing heavily.

 Chapter 72

    72: SEE YOU AGAIN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I slowly stirred from my deep slumber, my eyes fluttering open as the morning light trickled through the


    curtains. Stretching my arms above my head, I let out a contented sigh, relishing the warmth of the


    nkets covering my body. Aslo remembering the exhausting moment with Lukest night.


    And at this point, my consciousness fully returned. I became aware of the empty space beside me,


    where that husband of mine should have been.


    He slept by my sidest night, and it was still early in the morning. Luke wouldn¡¯t leave for work around


    this time.


    Slightly puzzled, I furrowed my brow and sat up, scanning the room with bleary eyes.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I called out, my voice tinged with a hint of concern. Why was I even concerned?


    But anyway, there was no response, only the echo of my own word reverberating in the silence.


    Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I slipped my feet into my slippers and rose to my feet.


    I walked to the bathroom and opened the door. But I still didn¡¯t see him. Where could he have gone


    now? I didn¡¯t even know why I was concerned about him. Oh gosh, what the hell is wrong with me?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I stood at the entrance of the cemetery, my heart heavy with a mixture of grief and dejection. The air


    was crisp, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the towering trees that lined the ¡± path leading to


    my parents¡® resting ce.


    Today marked the anniversary of their tragic passing, and I hade to pay my respects, just as I had


    done every year since that fateful day.


    I walked along the winding path, and memories flooded my mind. I remembered my parents¡®


    warm smiles, their loving embrace, and the sound of theirughter that seemed to fill our home back


    then.


    They had been taken from me too soon, leaving behind an empty void that time had failed to heal.


    Sometimes I wondered why these bad moments had to strike us on earth. Why did it have to assault


    me? What wrong have I done to receive this?


    Finally, I arrived at the familiar spot where their gravestones stood side by side. I kneeled down, gently


    cing fresh flowers on each grave. I took a deep breath, my eyes filled with


    tears.


    ¡°Mom, Dad,¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible. ¡°I miss the both of you every day. I know the two of


    you can see me from up there. And I just want to let you both know that life hasn¡¯t been the same


    without you.¡±


    I sat down next to the gravestones, leaning against a nearby tree. Memories continued to flood my


    thoughts, transporting me back to happier times.


    I remembered the countless evenings spent in the backyard, my father teaching me how to ride a


    bicycle, and my mother¡¯s gentle voice reading bedtime stories.


    My father had to sacrifice most of his time back then, not going to thepany business meetings, all


    because he wanted to spend time with me.


    and ignoring


    Tears streamed down my face as I traced the engraved names of my parents on the cold stone. I


    whispered my apologies for all the moments I wished I could have shared with them, all the


    conversations left unsaid.


    ¡°I wish the two of you were here,¡± I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. ¡°There¡¯s so much I want


    to tell you, so much I want to ask the both of you.¡±


    Silence filled the cemetery, broken only by the distant chirping of birds. I closed my eyes, allowing the


    memories to wash over me. In my mind¡¯s eye, I could almost hear my parents voices, offering words of


    encouragement and unconditional love.


    ¡°I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad,¡± I said, my voice filled with gratitude. ¡°Thank you both for everything.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to take me a long time to join you guys. But I can wait to see you again.¡±


    With a final nce at the gravestones, I turned, and as I was about to walk away, my phone started


    ringing. The caller ID was unknown.


    I gazed at my screen, wondering who was calling me now. It took me quite a few seconds before I


    answered the phone call.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, I see you don¡¯t love your life, right?¡± The caller spoke.


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I made a puzzled face, filled with curiosity. I wonder who was talking. ¡°Can I please


    know who¡¯s talking?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°You still haven¡¯t gotten used to my voice yet. That¡¯s weird.¡±


    After he said that, I finally remembered who was talking. It was that guy who kept on blowing my phone


    with calls. The guy who sent me that video of Harriet.


    ¡°You?¡± I vocalized.


    Heughed. ¡°Yes, me¡±


    ¡°What do you want now?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Hold on, hold on. There¡¯s no need to start rushing things. Before we get to that, I need to show some


    concern. So, how have you been?¡±


    ¡°Just get straight to the point, will you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you sounding so mad? I didn¡¯t call you to threaten you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad. And I don¡¯t have time for silly talk right now. Can you please just tell me what¡¯s going on?


    On ourst call, you had to let me know that my life was in danger. Is that true, or not?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me if it¡¯s true? Do I look like someone who cracks cocaine to you?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you before,¡± I responded.


    I could hear himugh. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to help you. And you¡¯re here, being rude to me. You know, I can


    just keep this information hidden from you, and don¡¯t be surprised if you see yourself in hell the next


    minute.¡±


    I breathed out deeply and softened my tone. ¡°Okay, fine, please let me have knowledge of this


    information of yours.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it,¡± he said. ¡°I will give it to you. But not for free; you¡¯re going to have to pay to get


    this information.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Five hundred million dors. Since you¡¯re a billionaire.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted. ¡°That huge amount of money? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Do you love your life or not?¡± He aksed.


    ¡°Of course I love my life, but five hundred million dors? Are you kidding me? Can you even hear


    yourself right now?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, let me know. If I were you, I¡¯d make a decision as soon as possible. Tomorrow


    might be toote,¡± he said, and hung up.


    I couldn¡¯t believe what that guy was telling me. What was this information that he even had to give me


    anyway?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stepped outside on a crisp morning, dressed in vibrant jogging gear. I had decided to take a leisurely


    stroll, hoping to enjoy the scenery and clear my mind.


    As I made my way down the path, I spotted Daniel, who was not too far from me. He was carrying out a


    jogging exercise, and the moment he got close to me, he stopped.


    72. SEE YOU AGAIN


    ¡°Ariel, what are you doing around here?¡± He asked, trying to catch his breath.


    ¡°I live close by,¡± I answered. ¡°My house is just a few feet away.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± he said, still breathing heavily.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It looks like you need some water.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he uttered beneath his breath.


    5/5


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened immediately. ¡°Look out!¡± He pushed me to the ground, getting on top of me, and


    a car drove past our previous direction with exhrating speed.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I asked, looking at the car, which had gotten far from us. Daniel was still on


    top of me.


    ¡°Crazy drivers. I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, slowly getting to his feet.


    ¡°Ariel, what the heck?¡± I heard Luke¡¯s voice. He was standing a little bit far from us.

 Chapter 73

    73: CRAZY CONFLICTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Giaring at the both of us, Luke stormed in our direction, his fists clenched tightly and his face red with


    anger. But I still needed to know where he came from. Because it was like he just appeared right here.


    ¡°Take it easy, man; it¡¯s not what you think,¡± Daniel tried exining as Luke got closer. The next thing he


    received was a punch in the face. It caused Daniel to shift backwards.


    ¡°How dare you try to get your dirty self on my wife?!¡± Luke seized Daniel¡¯s shirt and gave him another


    punch.


    ¡°Luke! What the hell is wrong with you?!¡± I shrieked. I moved nearer, trying to break Luke¡¯s grip on


    Daniel.


    He pushed me away, blinded by his jealousy or whatever was going on in his head. I almost fell down,


    but I kept my bnce.


    Luke wanted to deliver another punch, but Daniel was quick to seize his hand. Daniel struck Luke on


    the face vigorously.


    Daniel hooked Luke and threw him to the ground. I could hear the sound of Lukending, and I have to


    say,


    it was really painful.


    Luke was about to get to his feet, but Daniel punched him hard in the face. However, Luke struck back


    at Daniel and gave him back-to-back punches.


    Their brawl went on for minutes, with blood covering both of their faces. I tried yelling some senses into


    their heads, but their anger had blinded their eyes and clogged their ears.


    I spotted some cops passing by, and I had to run in their direction.


    ¡°I need your help, please,¡± I told them.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on down there?¡± One of the cops asked, watching Daniel and Luke brawl with


    themselves.


    ¡°Yeah, I need help with that.¡± I gestured toward them.


    The cops swiftly advanced toward the two infuriated men, and they had to separate the both


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    of them.


    ¡°Will the two stop it?!¡± One of the policemen barked, getting in between Daniel and Luke. Why do you


    guys have to behave like children?¡±


    ¡°He started this shit!¡± Daniel snapped, trying to catch his breath. His face was covered in blood, and so


    was Luke.


    ¡°He was trying to take advantage of my wife!¡± Luke snarled.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Daniel shrieked in return.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough!¡± The cop silenced them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see this nonsense anymore. If this


    repeats itself next time, I¡¯ll have no option but to make sure the two of you spend the night in jail. Is that


    understood?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea who you¡¯re talking to?¡± Luke asked the cop in a proud tone.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± the cop answered, crossing his arms. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard about you. You think you¡¯re


    some sort of big shot?¡±


    Luke red at him. ¡°You do not want to be messing with me.¡¯


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± The cop asked slowly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say this is a warning.¡± Luke¡¯s repounded.


    The cop chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. But you¡¯re not above thew. And if I were you, I¡¯d go get my


    face cleaned up.¡±


    The policemen all walked away after that. Luke and Daniel exchanged dark looks promptly. Daniel


    stormed off after that.


    Luke turned to me. ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy now.¡±


    ¡°You hope I¡¯m happy? Luke, you were the one who went ahead to do some crazy shit. You didn¡¯t even


    bother to know what happened. You just came and strated acting like the mighty Hulk Hogan.¡±


    ¡°What is there to know about? It¡¯s clear you¡¯re cheating on me with that man.¡±


    ¡°You know what, Luke? I don¡¯t have time for this nonsense. Think all you want.¡±


    The moment I began treading away, he nailed my hand.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, okay?! When you¡¯re back to your senses, let me know.¡±


    He pulled me to him, and when I got closer, I pushed him backwards. He dragged me with him. as he


    fell down, and the both of usnded on the ground.


    I looked into his eyes, but I quickly broke the I was about to get up, but he dragged me to him once


    again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand you, Mr. A minute ago, you were all steamed up. Now look at you; you¡¯re


    trying to act so romantic.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like this romantic side of me?¡± He smirked. Was this how he always changed his moods so


    fast?


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I told Luke, making a hard face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± He kept on with his smirk, wrapping his hands around my waist.


    ¡°I don¡¯t, now let go of me,¡± I demanded, but his grip became tighter. I could feel his fingers moving


    around my waist, and a passionate gaze took ce at the moment.


    ¡°Hey, can the two of you get your butts off the ground?!¡± An olddy yelled at the both of us. Her voice


    was as tiny as hell.


    Iughed before getting up. Luke rose to his feet as well.


    ¡°What were the two of you trying to do, huh? This is public. Don¡¯t you know people can see you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry,¡± I told the olddy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me sorry,¡± she said in an unfriendly tone, and she walked away, saying only God knows


    what. But her tiny voice caused me tough.


    ¡°You really need to get your face cleaned up,¡± I told Luke.


    He walked away from me without saying anything in return.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I uttered, moving behind him. ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The day had gotten dark, and I was at a strip club, waiting patiently for someone. And you could just


    guess who that was, It was that guy who kept on calling me, talking about some information.


    I wanted to meet him face-to-face, so he gave me this location. And here I was, biding patiently, sitting


    for minutes. I didn¡¯t understand why he had to choose this location. Of all the ces in the world.


    He said he would let me know when he arrived. So I was waiting for his call and looking at the entrance


    of the club. The thumping bass reverberated through the air, blending with the raucousughter and


    hushed conversations.


    I took my eyes to the entrance once again, and then two scantily d strippers approached my table,


    swaying their hips seductively. Their eyes sparkled with mischief, and their lips curled into inviting


    smiles. They were here to entice, to captivate, and to ensure that my money found its way into their


    pockets. But hell no.


    I politely declined their advances, but one of them leaned in, her perfume filling my senses. Come on,


    handsome,¡± she purred. ¡°Let me show you a good time.¡±


    My lips curled into a polite smile, and my voice was firm but gentle. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m waiting for


    someone.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so shy. We¡¯re going to make sure you get the night of a lifetime,¡± the other


    smirked, walking up to me.


    She had that seductive smile and wanted to trail her fingers on my chest, but I seized her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I red at her and let go of her hand forcefully. They both gave me an angry look before


    walking away.


    I was d those devils were gone.


    My phone began to ring, and I answered it immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived. You cane meet me outside,¡± the caller said.

 Chapter 74

    74: NEED TO KNOW


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I inade my way out of the strip club, scanning my surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the


    mysterious man. I couldn¡¯t remember what he looked like since I had never seen him before. However,


    he did mention over the phone that he would be wearing a white hoodie.


    My eyes finally caught someone putting on the white hoodie, his hands dipped in the pockets of his


    pants. I did nothing but watch him as he advanced towards me.


    When he got close, I noticed that he had his face covered. He was putting on a ck mask that hid


    every part of his visage. The two of us, now adjacent, looked at each other.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, sorry foringte,¡± he said. His tone was yful and unserious.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I told him, and he chuckled. ¡°You want the both of us to meet, right? I¡¯m here. You¡¯re here.


    So, let¡¯s get this conversation done with.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in a hurry, Luke Reynold? We have a lot of time. We can just chill and watch these


    strippers dance their hearts out. You can even get one for yourself. You know, after we¡¯re done with our


    discussion.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not into any of those chicks. Let¡¯s just discuss this outside. So we can get home on


    time.¡±


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s actually a nice thing for you, huh? You have a family, people waiting for you at home.


    Spending time with each and every one of them.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying all this?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Because I do not have a family. I live my boring life all by myself,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I uttered slowly. ¡°Well, I¡¯m kind of sorry about that.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Oh please. Keep your fake sympathy to yourself. I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. Now tell me, what is this important information you have for me?¡± I asked. ¡°I need to know.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve forgotten about our conversation on the phone.¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I haven¡¯t also forgotten about the fact that you were totally out of your mind.¡±


    He let out a lightugh. ¡°Are you talking about the five hundred million dors I told you to pay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a huge amount of money.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re a billionaire. You¡¯re a motherfucking billionaire. That¡¯s not going to be a problem for you.¡±


    ¡°I know, bute on,¡± I vocalized loudly.


    ¡°I can see you cherish your wealth more than your life,¡± he brought out.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that, what?¡± He cut me off. ¡°Come on now, Luke Reynold. You don¡¯t even have to think twice.


    This is not a challenge for you. So why are you hesitating?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting the point here, are you?¡± I crossed my arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± He asked.


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°Just forget about that,¡± I said underneath my breath. ¡°You haven¡¯t even told me


    your name.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know about that. It¡¯s not the main thing around here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we can just get straight to the point; enough with all of the silly talk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, with a nod. ¡°So, are you giving me that money or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I enunciated.


    ¡°Well, you better be fast about that. I¡¯m only being concerned around here. I don¡¯t want you dying or


    losing one of your loved ones.¡±


    I gave him a cold stare. ¡°If you were concerned about me, you wouldn¡¯t be asking for this huge amount


    of money. You wouldn¡¯t be asking for a dime at all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re rich, Luke Reynold. But I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re being chintzy.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s being chintzy around here,¡± I said slowly. ¡°Give me some time to think about this. I¡¯ll let you


    know when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. I guess this meeting was just a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. It isn¡¯t,¡± I told him.


    ¡°See you when you¡¯re ready, Luke Reynold,¡± he vocalized and walked away.


    This stripper came in my direction, giving me a desirable smile. But as she got closer, I quickly walked


    away, avoiding her captivating looks.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    My mom stood in the spacious kitchen, an apron tied around her waist, ready to impart her culinary


    wisdom to her daughter, and that¡¯s none other than me.


    Yeah, she was going to teach me how to prepare a remarkable dish today.


    We were standing close to the kitchen, and the aroma of spices and fresh ingredients filled the ait,


    creating an atmosphere of anticipation.


    ¡°Alright, Ariel,¡± my mother said, her, feeling like a Sensel. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to teach you how to make a


    delicious tuna tartare. It used to be one of my father¡¯s favorite food and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it too.¡±


    I nodded, smiling at her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to love it.¡± I spoke slowly, observing the ingredients.


    ¡°Where do we start?¡±


    ¡°We start by selecting the freshest ingredients,¡± my mom replied, reaching into the refrigerator.


    She pulled out a b of vibrant red tuna and ced it on the cutting board. ¡°A good tuna tartare relies


    heavily on the quality of the fish.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± my slow tone continued. I watched intently as my mom expertly sliced the tuna into small,


    uniform cubes.


    ¡°How do you know when the fish is fresh?¡± I asked, my brow furrowing slightly.


    My mom smiled, her hands moving swiftly. ¡°Fresh fish should have a vibrant color, firm texture, and a


    clean, slightly oceanic smell. If it smells fishy or has a dull color, it¡¯s best to avoid it.¡±


    I nodded, absorbing the information. ¡°Got it, Mom.¡±


    I don¡¯t think I got that. But anyways, I asked, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll prepare the marinade,¡± my nom exined, reaching for a bowl. She squeezed fresh lemon


    juice into it, adding a ssh of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. ¡°This


    combination of vors will perfectlyplement the tuna.¡±


    I watched as she whisked the marinade. ¡°Wow, I think I sillyugh.


    ould try whisking it too.¡± I let out a


    ¡°Of course, sweetheart,¡± my mom said, handing the whisk to me. ¡°Remember to whisk gently


    TO KNOW


    and evenly, creating a smooth mixture.¡±


    As I began to whisk the marinade, I couldn¡¯t help but wear a delightful grin. ¡°I think I got this.


    My mom chuckled. ¡°You sure do, Ariel. Now, it¡¯s time to add the diced tuna to the marinade.¡±


    I carefully added the tuna cubes to the bowl, gently tossing them with the marinade, ensuring each


    piece was coated evenly. This looks colorful and delicious.¡±


    My mom nodded. ¡°Indeed, it does, sweetheart. Now, we¡¯ll let the vors meld together in the


    refrigerator for about fifteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°Wow mom. I got to say, you¡¯re an expert in this one.¡± I pped. ¡°Like, how are you even good at this? I


    need to know.¡±


    Her face lit up with a reminiscent smile. ¡°Well, when I was about your age, I traveled to Japan with my


    father and fell in love with their cuisine. Tuna tartare was a dish I tried there, since


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    my


    father loved it so much.¡±


    My eyes widened at that moment. ¡°I never knew you went to Japan!¡±


    ¡°Well, you do now.¡± My mom gave me a silly smile, and the both of us couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± Mariam queried with a harsh tone.

 Chapter 75

    75: THE SOUND OF FEAR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Who said the two of you could carry out this nonsense in my kitchen?¡± Mariam snapped at my mom,


    and I.


    ¡°Your kitchen?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You barely even be here. And by the


    house.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just about a matter of time before I throw you out.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°The both of you can leave now!¡± She snarled.


    way,


    this is my


    My mother entered the conversation with a calm tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry miss, but we¡¯re preparing¡­..


    ¡°No one said you can talk!¡± Mariam barked at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at her!¡± I gave Mariam a dark look.


    She returned the expression. ¡°Just look at this little rat, raising her voice at me like I was her puppet, or


    something.¡±


    ¡°If you want respect. Then you got to be respectful,¡± I told her. ¡°Don¡¯t think people are going to be


    smiling at you when you got that disgusting attitude.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting attitude?¡± Mariamughed. ¡°You went ahead to poison yourself, and put the me on me.


    Now you¡¯re saying I got a disgusting attitude?¡±


    ¡°You poisoned yourself?¡± My mom uttered softly, and looked at me. ¡°Ariel, is this true?¡±


    ¡°Come on now mother. Why in the world would I do such a thing? Poisoning myself? Hell no.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up now. Enough with the lies,¡± Mariam spat.


    ¡°Hey, you need to have some manners,¡± my mom told Mariam.


    Mariam burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to have manners? When your daughter right here has


    none.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you insult my daughter like that, do you hear me?!¡± My mom¡¯s anger was awakened.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Mariam moved closer to my mother. ¡°Your daughter is nothing but a


    worthless piece of trash,¡± she said in huhsed tones.


    My mom, brimming with rage, surprised Mariam with a tight p. And as Mariam held her face in


    shock, she received another p. Then my mom gave her the third one on a different cheek.


    Mariam gaped at my mother who did nothing but re at her. She couldn¡¯t believe what just happened.


    ¡°That is what you get for being disrespectful to my daughter.¡± My mom picked a knife. ¡°If you try to talk


    nonsense again, I won¡¯t hesitate to stab you with this.¡±


    15 THE SOUND OF FEAR


    ¡°Okay mom, you got to calm down. That¡¯s enough, that¡¯s enough,¡± I said, lowering the knife she was


    holding.


    After that, we heard a the thunderous sound of a bullet released in the air.


    Wide-eyed, the three of us exchanged fearful nces, my heart pounding in my chest.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I aksed, as I could feel myself getting carried away by fear.


    ¡°Someone just released a bullet,¡± my mom said softly.


    I strained my ears, hoping it was just a stray sound, but my hope vanished when I heard more


    gunshots, one after another, growing louder and closer. Panic gripped me immediately. I wasn¡¯t going


    to lie, I was submerging in trepidation.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I sprang to my feet, my voice quivering with urgency. ¡°Mom, we need to


    get to safety! Follow me!¡±


    ¡°Ariel, I think you need to rx. Everything will be fine,¡± my mom said. And then we heard more


    gunshots.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Mariam spoke, and I looked at her immediately.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have time for a beef right now,¡± I told her. My expression was cold.


    Mariam rolled her eyes. ¡°You think I got time too?¡±


    We heard more gunshots, and I knew something was definitely not going great outside this mansion.


    ¡°Come on mom, we need to hide from this chaos.¡± I grabbed my mom¡¯s hand, and began to tread at a


    fast pace. Mariam moved behind us.


    Still holding my mom, I rushed through the elegant hallways. I could hear our footsteps echoing in the


    mansion. Each step brought us closer to one of the rooms where different books were kept. I used to


    come here to read whenever I felt bored.


    As we hurried, we could hear the cacophony of gunshots intensifying, their echoes bouncing


    off the walls. Fear twisted my stomach, fueling a desperate need to find refuge.


    Finally, we reached the sanctuary of the dark room, my mom and I. I mmed the door shut behind us,


    just as Mariam was about to join us in the room.


    ¡°Ariel! What was that for?¡± My mom questioned me in a ring tone.


    ¡°What?¡± I faked a confused face, acting like I had no idea of what she was talking about.


    ¡°You need to open that door right now and let her in as well.¡±


    ¡°But mom..¡±


    ¡°No buts. Open it,¡± my mom¡¯s mode was serious, and her decision was final.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I groaned, before opening the door. I red at Mariam, but eventually shifted backwards,


    opening the door wide for her toe in. And she did that.


    More gunshots unfolded/creating more senses of trepidation for us. In the dark room, we could hear the


    sound of someone mming the door from downstairs. And at this point, I knew we were not safe. But I


    hoped nothing bad would happen to anyone in the mansion at the


    moment.


    THE CHANG


    Mariam trembled as she fixed her hands around her chest. ¡°What¡¯s happening out there? Who would


    bring violence to our doorstep?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we need to stay calm and stay hidden until it¡¯s safe. We have to trust that help will


    come.¡± My mom replied, her voice filled with anxiety.


    ¡°Yeah, I agree mom.¡±I nodded. ¡°But we can¡¯t just keep standing here like this.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do then, huh?¡± Mariam aksed. Her irritating tone caused me to ignore


    her.


    My eyes darted around the room, as I was searching for anything that could offer a sense of security.


    Bookshelves were all over the ce, but I spotted arge wardrobe in the corner of the room. I had


    totally forgotten that was there.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s hide inside the wardrobe. It¡¯s our best chance to stay out of sight.¡± I gestured toward the


    wardrobe.


    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going to fit into that?¡± Mariam aksed, observing the wardrobe.


    I shot her an irritated look. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hide in it. That¡¯s your own cup of tea. Maybe you can


    find somewhere more safe to hide your annoying ass in.¡±


    ¡°Ariel. Please be respectful,¡± my mom told me. I exhaled deeply, before treading to the wardrobe. The


    two of them walked behind me.


    We eventually squeezed ourselves into the cramped space, our bodies pressed against each other.


    The scent of old clothes filled the air, mingling with the fear. I even wondered who these clothes used to


    belong to. It was definitely not Luke.


    I held my breath, but my fearpounded the moment I heard some maids screaming. The gunshots


    were released downstairs, and it made me feel really uneasy.


    I had to realize that Riley was still in the house, and her life could be in danger. I quickly burst out of the


    wardrobe, running to the door.


    ¡°Ariel, where are you going to?¡± My mom asked me, she was sort of loud.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Just keep yourself safe,¡± I answered, leaving the room.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    I walked slowly, still looking for Riley. My heart raced as the deafening sound of gunshots reverberated


    through the mansion. Panic gripped her as I had a conscience of the danger that lurked just below. But


    I was determined to find Riley, no matter what.


    I cautiously stepped through the corridor, my footsteps muffled by the plush carpet beneath my feet.


    The air was thick with tension, and I was filled with terror. But I needed to gather the courage. I was not


    going to let anything bad happen to that young girl.


    The gunshots grew increasingly louder, their sharp cracks piercing through the air. Apanied by the


    desperate screamsing from downstairs, my fear intensified. Each gunshot seemed to echo


    through my bones, causing my heart to race and my hands to shake uncontrobly.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to imagine what was happening below, but I knew I had to stay calm and find


    Riley so I could get her to safety before it was toote. The chaos and terror surrounding me was


    suffocating, and I could only pray for a way to escape this nightmare.


    I halted for a minute, closing my eyes in fear. The terror emanating from downstairs was overwhelming.


    My heart raced and my hands shook as I tried to steady myself. But I knew I couldn¡¯t let fear consume


    me. I needed to be strong in this moment, for myself and for Riley, whenever shr was at the moment,


    Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, ready to face whatever


    horrors awalted me downstairs.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was at the office, diligently working my way through a stack of documents, when suddenly my phone


    began to ring. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on the task at hand, but the persistent ringing


    became too distracting.


    I reached over and grabbed my phone, ncing at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and my


    mind told me it was that guy who kept on requesting for money.I wanted to ignore the call, but it was


    too distracting.


    I was frustrated and annoyed that he wouldn¡¯t give me the time I had asked for. All he seemed to care


    about was money, and I couldn¡¯t understand why. It made me question if he even had any useful


    information to offer in the first ce. I just wanted some space to think things through, but he wouldn¡¯t


    listen to me. It was clear that his only motivation was financial gain, and I couldn¡¯t help but get


    infuriated about this.


    I had to answer the call. However, to my surprise, it was apletely different person speaking. I


    couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit taken aback, wondering who could be calling me and why it wasn¡¯t the


    person I was expecting. My curiosity and confusion grew as I listened to the voice on the other end,


    trying to make sense of the unexpected call.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s chaos going on in the house,¡± the person said, and it did sound like one of the maids.


    ¡°Chaos? What chaos?¡± I aksed in curiosity.


    ¡°Some men came and strated shooting, and¡­¡±


    I heard a loud gunshot from the phone, and the call abruptly ended, leaving me in a state of shock. I


    quickly stood up, my heart zing as I tried to process what had just happened. Fear and confusion


    consumed me as I began to recall the words she uttered before the call ended.


    Chaos at my house? And then that? Something terrible was definitely taking ce in that mansion.


    Without hesitation, I knew I had to go and see what was happening. I rushed out of my office that very


    moment.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I continued to walk, my pace slowed as I noticed that the sounds of bullets had suddenly ceased. The


    once chaotic and haunting noises had now been reced by an eerie silence.


    I cautiously looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened.


    Had the danger passed or was it just a temporary lull in the chaos? I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I knew I had


    to keep moving and find safety as soon as possible.


    Every step I took felt heavy and uncertain, but I pushed forward, still looking if I could see


    Riley anywhere. When I said terrific like this.


    wanted to get married to Luke, I didn¡¯t request for something


    1 cautiously walked down the hallway towards Riley¡¯s bedroom, hoping to find her there. However, my


    search proved fruitless as I discovered her room to be empty. Suddenly, a loud scream echoed from


    the floor below, causing my heart to skip a beat. I decided to make my way downstairs to see what was


    going on.


    I walked down the dark living room, an I saw a group of men huddled together, all holding guns and


    wearing menacing masks. My heart pounded in fear as I noticed they had Riley kneeling in front of


    them,


    Her face was filled with fear and tears were streaming down her cheeks. I could feel my palms getting


    mmy and my breath caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold before me. I knew I had to


    act fast, but my body felt frozen in ce.


    The scene was horrific and shocking. Plus, to add to the already terrifying atmosphere, there were


    dead bodies scattered all over the living room. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that all the maids who usually


    kept the ce spotless were now lying lifeless on the ground.


    It was a realization that these men standing before me, were extremely ruthless and heartless The


    once luxurious and elegant living room was now a gruesome crime scene. My heart ached for these


    maids.


    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± One of the men turned to me. The others all set their eyes on me, including Riley.


    I did nothing but look at them, my body froze and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move. Seeing Riley in such


    a vulnerable state brought a deep sorrow to my heart. I couldn¡¯t stand to see someone her in so much


    pain.


    It was as though my own heart was breaking alongside hers. I wanted to reach out andfort her, to


    ease her suffering, but I felt powerless in that moment. All I could do was stand there and silently offer


    my support and empathy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but this cheek is hot,¡± one of the men walked to me. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to get a taste.¡± he wanted


    to touch me, but I pped him.


    He slowly looked at me, and I pped him again. If anything was going to happen, let it happen.


    ¡°You crazy bitch!¡± He snarled and gave me a hard p that caused me to fall down.


    Fear and panic surged through my body as he climbed on top of me, his weight pressing me down into


    the ground. I could feel his hands gripping mine, holding them in ce as he tried to force himself on


    me.


    I fought with all my strength, desperately trying to break free from his grasp. The thought of what he


    wanted to do to me filled me with terror, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to stop him.


    But despite my struggles, he continued to overpower me. He was determined to carry out this


    disgusting feat. I could only hope that someone would hear my cries for help ande to my


    rescue.


    And indeed, someone did show up. It was Luke.

 Chapter 76

    76: FRIGHTFULLY GRUESOME


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I walked slowly, still looking for Riley. My heart raced as the deafening sound of gunshots reverberated


    through the mansion. Panic gripped her as I had a conscience of the danger that lurked just below. But


    I was determined to find Riley, no matter what.


    I cautiously stepped through the corridor, my footsteps muffled by the plush carpet beneath my feet.


    The air was thick with tension, and I was filled with terror. But I needed to gather the courage. I was not


    going to let anything bad happen to that young girl.


    The gunshots grew increasingly louder, their sharp cracks piercing through the air. Apanied by the


    desperate screamsing from downstairs, my fear intensified. Each gunshot seemed to echo


    through my bones, causing my heart to race and my hands to shake uncontrobly.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to imagine what was happening below, but I knew I had to stay calm and find Riley so I


    could get her to safety before it was toote. The chaos and terror surrounding me was suffocating,


    and I could only pray for a way to escape this nightmare.


    I halted for a minute, closing my eyes in fear. The terror emanating from downstairs was overwhelming.


    My heart raced and my hands shook as I tried to steady myself. But I knew I couldn¡¯t let fear consume


    me. I needed to be strong in this moment, for myself and for Riley, whenever shr was at the moment.


    Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, ready to face whatever


    horrors awaited me downstairs.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was at the office, diligently working my way through a stack of documents, when suddenly my phone


    began to ring. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on the task at hand, but the persistent ringing


    became too distracting.


    I reached over and grabbed my phone, ncing at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and my


    mind told me it was that guy who kept on requesting for money.I wanted to ignore the call, but it was


    too distracting.


    I was frustrated and annoyed that he wouldn¡¯t give me the time I had asked for. All he seemed to care


    about was money, and I couldn¡¯t understand why. It made me question if he even had any useful


    information to offer in the first ce. I just wanted some space to think things through, but he wouldn¡¯t


    listen to me. It was clear that his only motivation was financial gain, and I couldn¡¯t help but get


    infuriated about this.


    I had to answer the call. However, to my surprise, it was apletely different person speaking. I


    couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit taken aback, wondering who could be calling me and why it wasn¡¯t the


    person I was expecting. My curiosity and confusion grew as I listened to the voice on the other end,


    trying to make sense of the unexpected call.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s chaos going on in the house,¡± the person said, and it did sound like one of the


    maids.


    ¡°Chaos? What chaos?¡± I aksed in curiosity.


    ¡°Some men came and strated shooting, and¡­¡±


    I heard a loud gunshot from the phone, and the call abruptly ended, leaving me in a state of shock. I


    quickly stood up, my heart zing as I tried to process what had just happened. Fear and confusion


    consumed me as I began to recall the words she uttered before the call ended.


    Chaos at my house? And then that? Something terrible was definitely taking ce in that


    mansion.


    Without hesitation, I knew I had to go and see what was happening. I rushed out of my office that very


    moment.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I continued to walk, my pace slowed as I noticed that the sounds of bullets had suddenly ceased. The


    once chaotic and haunting noises had now been reced by an eerie silence.


    I cautiously looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened.


    Had the danger passed or was it just a temporary lull in the chaos? I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I knew I had


    to keep moving and find safety as soon as possible.


    Every step I took felt heavy and uncertain, but I pushed forward, still looking if I could see Riley


    anywhere. When I said I wanted to get married to Luke, I didn¡¯t request for something terrific like this.


    I cautiously walked down the hallway towards Riley¡¯s bedroom, hoping to find her there. However, my


    search proved fruitless as I discovered her room to be empty. Suddenly, a loud scream echoed from


    the floor below, causing my heart to skip a beat. I decided to make my way downstairs to see what was


    going on.


    I walked down the dark living room, an I saw a group of men huddled together, all holding guns and


    wearing menacing masks. My heart pounded in fear as I noticed they had Riley kneeling in front of


    them.


    Her face was filled with fear and tears were streaming down her cheeks. I could feel my palms getting


    mmy and my breath caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold before me. I knew I had to


    act fast, but my body felt frozen in ce.


    The scene was horrific and shocking. Plus, to add to the already terrifying atmosphere, there were


    dead bodies scattered all over the living room. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that all the maids who usually


    kept the ce spotless were now lying lifeless on the ground.


    It was a realization that these men standing before me, were extremely ruthless and heartless. The


    once luxurious and elegant living room was now a gruesome crime scene. My heart ached. for these


    maids.


    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± One of the men turned to me. The others all set their eyes on me, including Riley.


    I did nothing but look at them, my body froze and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move. Seeing Riley in such


    a vulnerable state brought a deep sorrow to my heart. I couldn¡¯t stand to see someone her in so much


    pain.


    It was as though my own heart was breaking alongside hers. I wanted to reach out andfort her, to


    ease her suffering, but I felt powerless in that moment. All I could do was stand there and silently offer


    my support and empathy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but this chick is hot,¡± one of the men walked to me. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to get a taste.¡±


    n


    ¨C


    he wanted to touch me, but I pped him.


    He slowly looked at me, and I pped him again. If anything was going to happen, let it happen.


    ¡°You crazy bitch!¡± He snarled and gave me a hard p that caused me to fall down.


    Fear and panic surged through my body as he climbed on top of me, his weight pressing me down into


    the ground. I could feel his hands gripping mine, holding them in ce as he tried to force himself on


    me.


    I fought with all my strength, desperately trying to break free from his grasp. The thought of what he


    wanted to do to me filled me with terror, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to stop him.


    But despite my struggles, he continued to overpower me. He was determined to carry out this


    disgusting feat. I could only hope that someone would hear my cries for help ande to my


    rescue.


    And indeed, someone did show up. It was Luke.

 Chapter 77

    77: GONE TOO SOON


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke stood still, with a group of policemen behind him. His strong and determined presence was a


    beacon of hope amidst the chaos and danger surrounding us.


    I felt a sense of relief wash over me as I realized that he hade to our rescue, ready to protect us


    from the clutches of these evil men.


    The policemen behind had their guns pointed at the nefarious men, and with Luke at the forefront, I


    knew that we were in good hands. His bravery and quick thinking could save me once again, and I


    couldn¡¯t be more grateful for his presence in this dire situation.


    ¡°Get off her now,¡± Luke told the guy who wanted to force himself on me.


    The man slowly got off me, a wicked smirk spreading across his face as he looked over at Luke. Luke¡¯s


    features contorted into an angry scowl, his jaw clenched and his fists balled up.


    It was clear that he was ready to unleash his wrath upon the man who had just been on top of me. I


    could see the fire burning in Luke¡¯s eyes, and I knew that he was not going to let this man get away


    with whatever he had done.


    ¡°I see you brought some friends along,¡± the man told Luke. ¡°But are they powerful enough to take out


    my army?¡±


    ¡°Your army?¡± Luke replied with a serious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. There are just five of you.¡±


    The manughed. ¡°Luke Reynold. I was sent to murder you. But it¡¯s a good thing you weren¡¯t home at


    the time we arrived here.¡±


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about that.¡±


    ¡°All of you, freeze! Hands on your head, and don¡¯t move!¡± One of the policemen spoke in a morous


    tone.


    ¡°You think we gonna do that?¡± One of the masked men asked.


    ¡°We rather die!¡± Another one said.


    The masked men had their fingers on the triggers, ready to release their bullets and cause chaos. But


    the cops were quick and agile, their guns drawn and pointed at the criminals. With precise aim and


    rapid fire, they shot at the masked men continuously until they fell to the ground, their weapons


    ttering beside them.


    It was a bloody scene, with bodies strewn across the ground and the sounds of gunfire still echoing in


    the air.


    Among the carnage stood the man who wanted to force himself on me, his once confident. demeanor


    now reced with fear and desperation, although I couldn¡¯t see his face.


    His men, who had followed him in attacking the mansion, nowy lifeless at his feet. He looked at


    them, and I could tell he had a mix of regret and anger.


    He turned his gaze to the approaching policemen. I could see the realization in his eyes that he was


    outnumbered and outmatched. Since he was thest one remaining.


    ¡°No one daree close,¡± he said and moved behind me, fixing a gun at my head. ¡°Any one try to do


    anything stupid, I¡¯ll shoot her.¡±


    ¡°Let her go,¡± Luke said to him, moving closer.


    ¡°Don¡¯te close. Believe me when I say I¡¯m going to shoot her if you do. And you good-for- nothing


    cops, drop all of your weapons!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him! Shoot him!¡± I shrieked at the policemen.


    The man¡¯s grip on my neck tightened. ¡°Just shut up bitch!¡±


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re scared of death,¡± I told him, trying to get his hand off my neck. ¡°You don¡¯t want to die,


    right? Well you should have thought of that before you came here.¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut up! Shut the hell up!¡± He snapped.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to. If you¡¯re going to kill me, kill me. But just know that you won¡¯t be able to get away with


    it.¡±


    ¡°You better not do anything to her,¡± Luke warned him, walking slowly.


    ¡°And you better note close!¡± He told Luke.


    ¡°You still have the chance to live. Surrender yourself now,¡± one of the policemen told him, their guns


    still pointing at him.


    ¡°Over my dead body,¡± he retorted.


    ¡°Kill me or not, you¡¯re going to die anyway,¡± I told him inaudibly, and he began choking my neck harder.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You better stop that now. I¡¯m warning you,¡± Luke said.


    ¡°Then I think it¡¯s best you just stay there, and don¡¯t move.¡± The masked man began to move


    backwards, dragging me along.


    His grip on my neck was getting tighter every second, and I could barely breathe. Luke stood still,


    anger evident in his eyes.


    The cops wanted to shoot, but Luke signalled them not to. He just watched as the man made his


    way upstairs, moving backwards, holding me tight.


    And all of a sudden, Riley sprinted in our direction.


    ¡®Riley!¡± Luke yelled at her, indicating that she should halt. But she refused to stop, and the moment she


    got closer, she was shot in her stomach


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My eyes widened in horror after I witnessed what just happened. Riley was shot, the little girl was shot.


    And I still couldn¡¯t believe this terror It was just so unimaginable.


    No!¡± I bawled loudly, my voice broken, and my body trapped in terror. At this moment, a wave of raw


    anger surged through me, and a fire was ignited within my veins.


    The man who shot Riley seemed to have froze, and then Ariel elbowed him, causing the


    gun to


    fall from his hand. After Ariel ran down the stairs, the cops didn¡¯t waste any time in shooting at the


    masked man.


    They fired bullets at him continuously, and I could tell they also felt the pain within their hearts. A young


    girl like that, being shot. A sweet soul that brought smile to the faces of any one who had met her.


    The policemen finally ceased their actions. The masked man was nowying dead on the stairs. I


    rushed over to Riley, and so did Ariel.


    My heart pounded in my chest as I knelt beside my fallen cousin, my fingers trembling as I brushed a


    strand of hair away from Riley¡¯s pale face.


    ¡°Luke?¡± Riley whispered, slowly holding my hand. ¡°Big brother? Is everything going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes Riley. Everything¡¯s going to be okay,¡± I replied, my voice brimming with sadness.


    ¡°Will anything bad happen to me?¡± Riley asked softly, still cleaving to my hand.


    ¡°No. Nothing bad¡¯s going to happen to you,¡± I said softly, moving my fingers gently around her hair.


    ¡°She¡¯s bleeding seriously. We need to take her to a hospital,¡± Ariel suggested. ¡°Someone call 911 or


    something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, brother,¡± Riley whispered. Her eyes were closing slowly, but she was trying her


    very best to stay strong.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to die. There¡¯s no need to be afraid, okay?¡±


    ¡°We have no time, Luke. We need to take her to a hospital as soon as possible,¡± Ariel said.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± one of the policemen agreed.


    I rose to my feet, carrying Riley on my arms. But I had to realize something; her eyes were closed.


    ¡°Riley? Riley?!¡± I panicked, tapping her face repeatedly, but her eyes refused to open. ¡°Riley?! ¡± Tears


    rolled down my cheeks.


    She was¡­¡­¡­¡­.gone.

 Chapter 78

    78: IN MY HEART


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I stood at the entrance of the funeral home, my heart heavy with grief. Inside, my beloved cousin Riley


    lay peacefully in a casket, her young life cut short at just seventeen years old. The room was filled with


    sorrowful faces and the scent of fresh flowers. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before


    stepping forward.


    I approached Riley¡¯s parents, my aunt and uncle, who stood next to the casket, tears streaming down


    their faces. I could see the pain etched on their faces, the weight of loss bearing down on their


    shoulders.


    I hugged them tightly, sharing their grief. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your loss,¡± I whispered, my voice choked with


    sadness.


    ¡°Thank you, Luke. It means a lot to have you here with us,¡± My aunt, Sarah replied. That was the name


    of Riley¡¯s mother. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. I nodded, unable to find the right words to


    comfort her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s gone,¡± she added, her voice trembling


    Taking a deep breath, I slowly made my way to a vacant seat near the front row. I sat down, my eyes


    fixed on the casket. The pain was really intense.


    Memories of Riley flooded my mind her infectiousughter, the way she always had a kind word for


    everyone, and her vibrant spirit. It was hard to believe she was gone.


    As the funeral service began, a soft, somber melody filled the room. I listened to the minister was about


    to speak about Riley¡¯s bright personality and the impact she had on those around her.


    His voice filled withpassion, began, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to


    remember and celebrate the beautiful life of Riley. Though her time with us was tragically short, she left


    an indelible mark on everyone she encountered.¡±


    He paused, surveying the somber faces before continuing, ¡°Riley possessed a radiant spirit that


    brought joy to all who knew her. She had a way of brightening even the darkest moments, reminding us


    all of the power of kindness and love.¡±


    ¡°Remember when Riley helped us with our groceries? Always with a smile on her face.¡± I heard the


    voice of ady whispering from behind.


    The minister continued, ¡°Indeed, Riley¡¯s kindness knew no bounds. She had a heart as wide as the


    ocean, and her acts ofpassion touched countless lives.¡±


    ¡°I remember when Riley took the time to listen to me after my wife passed away. She made ?ne feel


    heard and understood, even when I couldn¡¯t find the words to express my grief.¡± A man sitting behind


    me vocalized.


    The minister looked at him with understanding eyes. ¡°Riley had a special gift, dear friends. She had an


    innate ability to connect with others, to empathize with their joys and sorrows. She made us feel seen


    and cherished.¡±


    Amidst the quiet sniffles, someone else spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll never forget how Riley rallied themunity during


    the floodsst year. She organized a fundraiser and worked tirelessly to


    help those in need.¡±


    The minister smiled softly, acknowledging her words. ¡°Riley¡¯s spirit of service was boundless. She


    believed in the power of unity and selflessness, inspiring us all to make a difference.¡±


    As the minister concluded his eulogy, a sense of gratitude filled the room. ¡°Let us carry Riley¡¯s bright


    light within us. In her memory, let us continue to spread love, kindness, andpassion. Though her


    time was short, her impact was immeasurable. And as we say our final goodbyes, may we remember


    Riley as the beautiful soul that she will forever be.¡± After all these heartfelt eulogies, I found myself


    standing up to share my own memories.¡± Riley was more than just a cousin to me. She was my best


    friend, my confidante, and the one who always made meugh when I needed it the most.¡± My voice


    trembled.


    My eyes were filled with tears as I continued, ¡°I remember the countless adventures we had together,


    thete¨Cnight conversations, and the way she never failed to bring a smile to my face. Riley was a


    beautiful soul, and her absence will be felt deeply by all of us.¡±


    As I took my seat again, I felt a mix of sadness and relief. Sharing my memories of Riley had brought a


    small measure offort, but the pain of her loss still lingered heavily in my heart. The service


    concluded with a final prayer, and I joined the procession to the burial site. The sky was overcast,


    mirroring the somber atmosphere. As the casket was lowered into the ground, I watched, my eyes filled


    with tears.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± I whispered, knowing that Riley would forever hold a special ce in my heart.


    After the burial, I stood by Riley¡¯s grave, surrounded by family and friends. They were sharing stories,


    laughter, and tears, finding sce in each other¡¯s presence. It was a bittersweet moment. But I wasn¡¯t


    going to spend another time around here.


    I walked away from the cemetery, my heart heavy with loss. Riley¡¯s memory would forever be in my


    heart. I knew that life would never be the same without her, but I would honor her by living each day to


    the fullest, cherishing the moments we had shared together.


    I saw Ariel, walking to my direction. She halted the moment her eyes met mine, and at this point, this


    sadness had transfigured into rage.


    Ariel and I continued to stare at each other, the tension between us very clear. I could feel my


    frustration rising as I thought about her showing upte.


    She had promised to be here, but it seemed like her business was the top priority for her. I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel hurt and disappointed by herck of consideration for our ns. Yet, as we locked eyes, I could


    see the guilt and regret in her expression, and I knew she was aware of how her actions had affected


    me,


    After a long and ufortable silence, staring at each other, Ariel¡¯s guilt and remorse were quite clear


    once again. She seemed on the verge of saying something, perhaps a heartfelt apology for her actions.


    But before she could utter a word, I made a swift decision and walked past her, not giving her the


    chance to speak.


    I walked to my car, my steps heavy and my heart heavier. As I entered the vehicle, I couldn¡¯t help but


    let out a deep sigh, exhaustion and sadness washing over me.


    The past few moments had been filled with sorrow and grief, experiencing the loss of a dear loved one.


    Heartbreaking, extremely sad, and I was very ufortable. I¡¯ve had too many loved ones to lose.


    From my parents to my grandpa to Riley. I hoped no one was next.


    I covered my face with my hands, trying to process the overwhelming emotions that consumed me. The


    drive ahead would be a long and difficult one, but I knew I had to keep moving forward, even in the


    midst of my pain.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    My phone began to ring, but I wasn¡¯t in any mood to answer the call. It rang continuously, but I still


    refused to answer. Then I received a text message instantly.


    I took a look at it and the message read: ¡°I told you.¡±


    With this, I knew who had been calling me the whole time.

 Chapter 79

    79: TIME


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It had been two weeks since the tragic incident urred, and the impact was still felt by everyone. The


    sudden loss of Riley and the maids was a devastating blow that left a permanent scar on our hearts.


    The grief and sorrow were overwhelming, but it was Luke who was hit the hardest.


    He had lost not only his beloved cousin, but also the loyal maids who had been a part of his life for


    years. The emptiness and sadness he felt were palpable, and it was clear that he would never be the


    same again.


    He had been struggling with depression for the past few days, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.


    He seemed distant and withdrawn, barely speaking or eating, and he hardly did anything at all. Just


    going to work, with a sad countenance.


    It was difficult to see him like this, and it was clear that he was going through a rough time. We didn¡¯t


    spend time together anymore. We even slept in separate bedrooms at night. I wanted to reach out and


    help him, but I didn¡¯t know how to make things better. All I could do was hope that he would find his


    way out of this dark ce soon.


    Yes, I wanted vengeance. No doubt about that. But seeing him like this every day? I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel shattered. I had been consumed by thoughts of revenge, wanting to see him pay for the pain he


    had caused me.


    heby


    But here I was, dwelling in agony as he dwelled in agony. And just thinking about his broken state had


    me sorrowful. I couldn¡¯t help but feel broken myself. This was not the oue I had hoped for, and I


    couldn¡¯t bear to see him in such a state.


    After the incident that rocked his life and left him with painful memories, Luke move to a new mansion


    in New Haven. He couldn¡¯t bear to live in the old its constant reminder of the tragic events that had


    unfolded there.


    aded to


    anymore, with


    The house held too much sorrow and pain for him, and he knew he needed a change of scenery in


    order to heal and move on. I totally understood his point of view. And I just hoped he would change


    back to the way he used to be.


    I sat on a bench in the park, watching as small kids yed happily on the green grass. The sun shone


    bright, lighting up their smiling faces. Theyughed and ran around, full of joy. I couldn¡¯t help but smile


    at them.


    A group of kids gathered around a sandbox, their small hands busy building sandcastles. They molded


    the sand into towers and moats, their imaginations creating magical kingdoms. I was captivated by their


    awesome creations, making my smile wider.


    Then there was this little boy who was running, but stumbled, and fell. He began to cry. I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel sorry for him. I got up and was about to move in the little boy¡¯s direction. But someone blocked


    me. It was Mason.


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold, isn¡¯t it just wonderful to see you in the park, watching these little children y?¡± Mason


    smirked.


    I nced at the little boy who had fallen seconds ago. His friends rushed to help him from the ground.


    And then Mason snapped his fingers at my face.


    Th


    ¡°Look at me when I¡¯m talking to you,¡± he said.


    I couldn¡¯t help but re at him. ¡°What do you want now, Mason?¡±


    ¡°What do I want?¡± Masonughed. ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten about our n. If so, then forget about


    your two children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get Luke to sign those papers, okay? Just give me more time.¡±


    ¡°More time?¡± He blurted. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks Ariel. Two goddamn weeks, and you still haven¡¯t given


    me any feedback. What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! Nothing, okay?!¡± I shrieked a little. ¡°It¡¯s just that..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that what?¡± Mason cut me off.


    I looked him in the eyes, and settled down on the bench once again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear of the tragedy


    that struck Luke?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. His little cousin died.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± I blurted. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to give him more time to heal from the pain.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, stop making dumb excuses. The Luke you want to give more time to heal from his pain,


    goes to work every single day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he does. But you¡¯re not the one living with him. I see what you don¡¯t see, and I know what you


    don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°And I can see your little babies being buried. Yes, six feet underground. What¡¯s their name again?


    Right; Lukel and Janice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already. I¡¯ll make Luke sign those documents in just a matter of time,¡± I spoke, my tone


    getting louder each second.


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What did you just say?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°When are you going to make Luke sign those goddamn papers?¡±


    ¡°You need to give me more time,¡± I told him.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m going to give you more time. But it¡¯s not going to take this long,¡± Mason spoke, crossing his


    arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours right now?¡± I looked at him pretty well.


    ¡°Oh nothing,¡± he replied, crafting a fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of how I¡¯m going to murder your babies.


    Should I use the knife, bury them alive? Or¡­..!!


    ¡°Okay will you please just stop it?¡± I interrupted him.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting on my nerve, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°I told you; Luke has been going through a lot, and giving him a bunch of papers to sign might just be


    kind of crazy. And creepy.¡±


    ¡±


    ¡®Creepy for you. Not for me,¡± he spat. ¡°Did you see how that little boy fell down hard and started


    crying?¡± Mason snapped his fingers after uttering those words. ¡°Oh yeah! You did!¡±


    A


    I just gave him a weird face, mixed with confusion.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me that look?¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to let you know that if you continue to do shit,


    you will be just like that boy. You¡¯ll go through so much pain, and trust me. I¡¯m not going to spare you


    one bit.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be vile, okay? You and I both want revenge. I think we¡¯re on the same page.


    ¡°Those are just words, Ariel. Mere words,¡± Mason enunciated. ¡°You say you want revenge, but I can


    see that you don¡¯t. You im that you have intense hatred for Luke, but I can see the passion for him in


    your eyes.¡±


    ¡°I think you should go see an optometrist, or something. Cause there is no way, I mean no way, I got


    passion for Luke.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? You still love that man, just like you used to do in the past.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± I disagreed.


    ¡°Yes you do!¡± He spoke loudly. ¡°If you really hate that man the way you say it, then we would have been


    done with this n by now.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s that easy to make someone who used to despise you, fall in love with you? You think it¡¯s


    easy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up. You have six days. Six days to get Luke to sign those documents. And failure to do that,


    you know what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    Mason walked after vocalizing those words. I red at him as he traipsed a little bit far from


    1. me.

 Chapter 80

    80: PRISON TALK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I arrived at the police station, looking fixedly at everywhere. Today, I had decided to pay my ex -


    girlfriend a little visit.


    These past few days had been incredibly difficult for me. The loss of Riley, the young prodigy, had left a


    gaping hole in my heart. Her vibrant voice and infectiousughter were still fresh in my mind, serving as


    a reminder of the joy and brilliance she brought into my life.


    It was hard to believe that she was no longer with us, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of emptiness


    without her. The memories of her would always hold a special ce in my heart, and I¡¯d never forget


    the impact she had on me.


    Of course, I had been really depressed. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t shake off


    this overwhelming feeling of sadness. I found it difficult to engage in conversations with people, and


    even when I did, it felt like I was just going through the motions.


    Food, which used to bring me joy, now held no appeal and I had no appetite. It was a constant battle to


    push through each day, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I would ever feel like myself again. Despite my


    efforts, this sadness seemed to have a firm grip on my mind, making it incredibly hard to let go.


    Again, I was at the police station, as I hade to visit Ariel. As I entered the building, the smell of cold


    metal which filled my nostrils. I walked up to the reception desk, where a stern- faced officer sat.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Harriet,¡± I said, my voice trembling.


    The officer looked at me with tired eyes and handed me a visitor¡¯s pass. ¡°Third floor, Cell Block C,¡± he


    replied, pointing in the direction I needed to go.


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he replied nonchntly. I surveyed him before making my up the stairs.


    Each step felt heavier than thest. When I reached the third floor, I followed the signs that led me to


    Cell Block C. The dimly lit hallway was filled with locked doors, and the sound of muffled voices echoed


    in the distance.


    had


    Finally, I reached Harriet¡¯s cell, after quite a long walk, which had me feeling somehow; a way I couldn¡¯t


    exin.


    As I peered through the small window on the door, my eyes met Harriet¡¯s and I could see the toll that


    her imprisonment had taken on her.


    Her once bright and lively eyes were now dull and filled with sadness. My hand trembled as I reached


    out to knock gently on the door, and she slowly turned to face me, her expression a mixture of surprise


    and resignation. I took a deep breath promptly.


    ¡°Luke,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stay away,¡± I replied, my voice choked with emotion. ¡°I needed to see you. I can see how this


    prison has changed youpletely.¡±


    Harriet let out a deep sigh, turning her face away. ¡°If you¡¯vee here to throw insults at me.


    You can kindly leave.¡±


    I looked at her for a moment, her ravishing hair that used to be one of a kind, was now messy, the


    complete opposite. ¡°I haven¡¯te here for that.¡±


    Harriet looked at me immediately. ¡°Why are you here then?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that? You and I once had this passionate feeling toward each other.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± she spoke coldly.


    I sighed, looking down. ¡°I know. How have you been doing?¡±


    Harriet red at me. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing great. Since I could no longer see your face or hear anything


    about you. But you had to show up and destroy the glee.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie Harriet. You¡¯re looking horrible.¡±


    ¡°If you know how I¡¯ve been doing, then why ask in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to be nice,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Well I don¡¯t need you being nice to me. I don¡¯t even want to see your face anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so sad you¡¯re seeing it


    ow,¡± I


    told her


    softly.


    ¡°What do you want, Luke? Tell mo you?¡±


    exactly what you want. Or has that wife of yours abandoned


    I chuckled. ¡°No, why would she do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because you don¡¯t deserve to be loved by anyone,¡± Harriet spat bitterly.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± I aksed, curving my lips into a little smirk.


    ¡°Nobody. It¡¯s something I had to find out myself. I loved you, cared about you. Sacrificed most of my


    time just to be with you. And you


    had to break up in the end.¡±


    ¡°You did that?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    Harriet rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes Luke. Do you know how many role I had to


    time with you?¡±


    ¡°You should never have done that.¡®


    Ject, just to


    spend


    ¡°Please don¡¯te here with any silly talk. Just get straight to the point, so you can get the hell out of


    here!¡±


    Looking at how she barked, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her. Harriet noticed the expression on my face,


    and she had to look at me in a confused manner.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing actually,¡± I answered. ¡°You just look so pretty when you¡¯re mad.¡±


    Harriet chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to crack jokes around here either.¡±


    ¡°How in the world am I cracking jokes? Does that sound like a joke to you?¡±


    Harriet shook her head. ¡°Okay, jokes aside. Just tell me the reason why you¡¯vee to visit me.


    ¡°I just felt like paying you a visit.¡±


    Harriet gaped at me. ¡°You just felt like paying me a visit,¡± she slowly repeated my words.


    I nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t stay mad at you forever. Although you killed a holy priest.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re not angry with me anymore?¡± Harriet looked kind of puzzled.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still mad at you.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I knew that,¡± she said underneath her breath.


    ¡°You went too far. I never thought you would kill someone.¡±


    ¡°Have youe here to remind me of my mistakes?¡± She averted her gaze.


    ¡°Do I have to remind you?¡± I aksed, and she looked at me. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s obvious that terrific scene y


    in your head every single day.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± she whispered. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I feel so sorry for you. Honestly.¡±


    ¡°I feel so sorry for myself,¡± Harriet said. ¡°But this is just my life now. And I¡¯ll be looking forward to my


    trial.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t get the punishment of a lifetime,¡± I brought out. ¡°I know you did wrong, and I¡¯m


    supposed to hate you. But I can¡¯t hide the fact that we did share something in the past. And all those


    moments, I truly loved you.¡±


    I looked at Harriet. Her eyes were filled with guilt. ¡°There have been some depressing things happening


    in my lifetely.¡± I sighed and continued, ¡°You need to cherish this visit so much. Because this might be


    thest time we see each other.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re trying say that I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life in jail?¡± Harriet asked softly.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you that I might not be alive to see you anymore.¡±


    I moved backwards, ¡°So, goodbye,¡± I whispered and walked away. I could notice the pain in Harriet¡¯s


    eyes.


    The moment I walked out of the building, I took my phone out of my pocket, and started calling that


    guy, who had the information. It was time toply to his conditions.


    He answered the phone call, and immediately, I asked, ¡°Where and when do you want us to meet?¡±

 Chapter 81

    81 EYES ON YOU


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was sitting at a business party, thrown by The Elviro Company. They had decided to throw a party to


    celebrate their son who just returned from Ennd, after going through a tough project.


    I was putting on tight bodycon dress. It hugged my curves, unting my figure. I watched people dance


    gracefully on the dance floor, their movements synchronized with the music. With each sip of wine, I felt


    a gentle warmth spreading through me.


    The room was filled withughter and chatter, the air alive with energy. I observed the guests, their


    faces adorned with smiles and excitement. The flickering lights cast a vibrant glow, the space and


    creating an atmosphere of celebration.


    As I sipped my wine, I noticed a couple twirling on the dance floor, their movements graceful and


    effortless. Their bodies seemed to glide across the polished floor, perfectly in sync with the music. I


    wish I could be like them. But where was the love?


    Just then, my eyes caught sight of Luke, making his grand entrance. He wore a dashing suit that


    entuated his broad shoulders. I couldn¡¯t help but fix my eyes on him as he slowly walked inside the


    building.


    He had his eyes fixed on everywhere, scanning the whole ce, as if he was looking for someone. My


    eyes were just settled on him. I had no idea what he was doing here, since I believed he had no


    connection with The Elviro Company. I don¡¯t know.


    But I kind of loved the fact that I had to see his face around here. At least my loneliness might still be


    terminated. Yeah right, who am I kidding?


    Ever since Riley¡¯s funeral, I don¡¯t Luke has talked to me. He acted like I wasn¡¯t in his world, like I didn¡¯t


    exist. But I didn¡¯t want that. Even if we argue all day, I wanted to talk to him. I wanted his expression to


    be directed towards me at least.


    Luke, still surveying everywhere, spotted me, as I took a sip of wine. He noticed how I couldn¡¯t take my


    eyes off him, and in a sh, he turned his face away.


    Luke moved to a different direction, where it was quite hard to observe him. He obviously didn¡¯t want


    me to stare at him, but I wouldn¡¯t stop. I noticed how he stole nces. All his gazes were forestalled


    when he discerned that I noticed the fact that his eyes were in my direction.


    I watched Luke as he went to sit down at the wine service, while the music only got louder. Luke


    nced at his watch, and it was obvious he was waiting for somebody.


    I couldn¡¯t put up with this silence anymore. I needed to talk to him. Two weeks of us not


    communicating, was just too much, and it could ruin my n. How was I going to get Luke to fall in love


    with me if we were not talking?


    I approached Luke while he was handed a ss of wine. He noticed my presence, but still decided to


    put on the ignoring act.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted softly, staring at Luke, and hoping he would nce at me.


    He was about to take a sip of wine, but he paused. After a moment, he took the wine in his


    ON YOU


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    mouth, without giving me a reply.


    I sat next to him, fixing both of my hands on the table. ¡°You know, it¡¯s actually going to be a good thing


    if you at least talk to me.¡±


    Luke still didn¡¯t respond. Of course, he was listening to my words, but he was trying to be the Mr. Not¨C


    talking type.


    I looked at him for seconds, he continued drinking his wine. He dropped the ss on the table after he


    was done taking everything.


    ¡°More!¡± Luke passed the ss to the server; who then took it, and went to get more wine. ¡°Will you


    please talk to me?¡± I moved my face closer to Luke¡¯s.


    He sighed deeply, his eyes fixed downward. ¡°What is there to talk about?¡±


    ¡°A lot of things!¡± I blurted, not too loud. Also trying to gesture with my


    Luke nced at me. ¡°Things like what?¡±


    hands.


    ¡°Why have you been ignoring me all this time?¡± I asked softly, fixing my hand on my face, with my


    elbow situated on the table. I was looking into his eyes. And even when he turned his face away, I


    didn¡¯t cease my gaze.


    ¡°Why are you asking me that? Am I supposed to be addicted to you?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was soft, as he


    gave me his eyes back.


    ¡°Here you go sir.¡± The server moved nigher, handing Luke a tray. On the tray was a ss of wine,


    along with a bottle of the same drink, I guess.


    Luke nced at the server. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for a whole bottle.¡±


    ¡°I know sir, but I have the feeling that you¡¯re going to be drinking a lot tonight.¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not,¡± I jumped into their talk. Luke didn¡¯t hesitate to re at me.


    He took his eyes back to the server. ¡°I love the way you think. You may go.¡±


    The server nodded and left.


    ¡°Are you seriously going to drink that tonight?¡± I questioned Luke, feeling sort of concerned about him.


    ¡°That is none of your business,¡± he replied coldly and drank all the wine from his ss.


    ¡°None of my business?¡± I opened my mouth slightly. ¡°Come on now Luke, you might get drunk.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, that is none of your business.¡± Luke turned wine from the bottle right into the ss.


    ¡°And by the way, one little bottle isn¡¯t going to get me hammered.¡±


    ¡°How are you so sure about that?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    Luke let out a deep sigh. ¡°What are you doing here anyway?¡±


    ¡°Close to you? Or in the party?¡± I aksed, trying to be clear of his question.


    ¡®Both,¡± he answered coldly, and drank wine. ¡°Who even invited you to this party?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually a dumb question. Don¡¯t you know The Vitality Group is known by all?¡±


    AUKC


    ¡°In Canada, not here in New Haven.¡± Luke turned more wine in his ss. ¡°I think it¡¯s best you go and


    join your people around there. They must really be missing you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t leave you,¡± I told him, holding his hand.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to look at me; a face that said I was talking absolute nonsense. ¡°You can¡¯t leave


    me?¡± He repeated my question. And then his eyes narrowed down to my touch on his hand.


    I quickly let go of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I brought out inaudibly.


    Luke chuckled. ¡°Why are you saying sorry?¡±


    ¡°You know the answer. That look you gave me was quite frightening.¡± I answered, tapping the table


    gently with my finger.


    Luke nodded. ¡°You can leave me now. I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to ask, but who is this person you¡¯re waiting for?¡± I asked in a slow mode.


    Luke nced at me for a moment. ¡°Do you have to stick your nose in everything?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my husband. I need to know where you go and the things you do.¡±


    Lukeughed and drank more wine. ¡°This has to be the most funniest thing I¡¯ve heard so far.¡±

 Chapter 82

    82 BITTER MEMORIES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why are youughing? I¡¯m only spitting facts,¡± I told Luke, making a puzzled face after heughed to


    my recent words.


    ¡°Well, Ariel, you are spitting nonsense,¡± his tone was full of mockery. ¡°You don¡¯t have to start pretending


    now. One thing I finally realized, is that you don¡¯t care for me. You don¡¯t care about anyone in my


    family. You¡¯re only concerned about your business.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°I know why you¡¯re saying that.¡±


    ¡°I know you do,¡± Luke responded immediately.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Riley, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, and set my eyes on him. ¡°You¡¯re still mad at me for showing up


    late at her funeral.¡±


    ¡°Showing upte?¡± Luke red at me. ¡°Fuck that Ariel! You didn¡¯t even show up


    at all.¡±


    ¡°I know and I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that I was¡­¡±


    ¡°Busy with business, am I not right?¡± Luke cut me off.


    I sighed, being silent for a moment before I finally replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Riley was an angel. She was so nice to you. And that¡¯s how you repay her? Remember she died all


    because of you.¡±


    ¡°I know, and I felt guilty for that,¡± I vocalized, trying to find the words. ¡°I felt guilty for not showing up. I


    felt guilty for not spending so much time with her, even when she wanted to. I felt guilty for so many


    things, Luke!¡±


    Luke gazed at me in silence. I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking at the moment, but he became hushed


    after I had spoken those words.


    And I stared at him back, looking into his eyes, with no words escaping my lips. And having no


    knowledge of the silence. But I knew I had topose myself, and keep it together at the moment. For


    what could I do right now? Argument


    couldn¡¯t be the option, and an expressed anger at him would never make things. work out.


    ¡°You feel guilty?¡± He asked softly, his eyes still fixed on me. I nodded, and he turned his face away,


    drinking from his ss of wine.


    ¡°Two weeks passed Luke, and you didn¡¯t speak to me,¡± I carefully said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to.¡± Luke drank more wine. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, Ariel. I just needed some time alone.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you needed some time alone,¡± I uttered underneath my breath. ¡°But you were angry with


    me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Luke paused for a moment. He dropped his bottle of wine on the table, along with his ss. And a sigh


    moved out of his lips. ¡°Yes, I was angry with you.¡±


    ¡°I know, it was quite clear,¡± I hushedly said. ¡°But you should have at least brought it out to me. We


    could have find a way to¡­¡±


    ¡°To what?¡± He broke me off. ¡°To fix things?¡± Luke chuckled promptly. ¡°You¡¯ve started thinking too far,


    Ariel, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I slowly asked.


    ¡°After that night, you¡¯ve pictured in your mind; the two of us dwelling together in Heaven.¡± Lukeughed


    softly. ¡°It was just sex Ariel, no big deal.¡±


    I simply looked at him while he continued, ¡°I thank you for everything you did for me. You took poison


    all because of me, and you¡¯ve gone through terrific moments all because of me. I appreciate that. And I


    know this is my grandfather¡¯s promise; to treat you nice. But I have to say, Ariel, the feeling is, just not


    there.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say now?¡± I aksed him softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that I¡¯m not in love with you. The feelings can¡¯t just unfold in my heart. And even if I¡¯m


    going to fall in love, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be any time soon.¡±


    Luke turned wine into his ss, fixing his eyes on me directly. ¡°I know you also don¡¯t love me. So


    please, let¡¯s not act like we¡¯re actually crazy over each other. Let¡¯s not start talking like there¡¯s


    something actually going on between us.¡±


    After he had crammed the ss with wine, he dropped the bottle back on the table. ¡°We¡¯re only


    married. It¡¯s what my grandfather wanted. And his wish has been fulfilled. You¡¯re addressed as Ariel


    Reynold in anywhere you are, wherever you go. It¡¯s actually a good thing. That can at least bring a


    smile on my grandfather¡¯s face from up there. But the fact that we¡¯re going to start craving a mutual


    feeling, the romantic type, is so absurd. Let¡¯s just be ourselves.¡±


    I breathed out deeply, looking downwards. ¡°And by that, you want things to go back to the way it used


    to be?¡±


    ¡°Did things ever change, Ariel?¡± Luke asked, sipping from his wine.


    ¡°I think it did,¡± I replied, looking at him once more.¡±


    BV BITTER MEMORIES


    ¡°You think it did, but it didn¡¯t,¡± Luke enunciated, his hand perked up a little, as he had a hold of the


    ss of wine. ¡°I remembered when I first saw you after five years. You came back, looking bold and


    ravishing. And we had a huge argument back then, which literally made no sense. I regret exchanging


    words with you at that moment.¡±


    He drank his wine, and dropped the ss back on the table. ¡°And then we had to get involved into


    another silly argument at the forest, where we met Foster. It still didn¡¯t make any sense. And yes, I also


    regret exchanging words with you back then.¡±


    ¡°Why are you bringing all these up? What are you trying to say?¡± I asked, slowly moving my fingers


    together.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to tell you, Ariel, that the hatred back then was intense. Just a little nce at you would


    make my heart burn in fury. I¡¯m not going to lie. And in the days after that, when our conversation got


    deeper, things became a little bit different.¡±


    ¡°So that means it did change,¡± I spoke softly.


    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t. We just thought things changed, but it didn¡¯t. I had to realize that my anger toward you


    was still residing within me. You only had to worsen it, igniting the fire that mixes up with hatred.¡±


    ¡°Because I missed Riley¡¯s funeral?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. It¡¯s all hate right now for you,¡± he replied in a whisper.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± I disagreed.


    ¡°Why do you say so?¡± Luke aksed, giving me a curious face.


    ¡°The way you spoke to me those moments. The way you looked at me. The way you kissed me, all


    said one thing,¡± I spoke these words tardily.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°And what is that?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°You developed the passion for me,¡± I replied, and he gave me a skeptical look. I continued, ¡°You can


    say whatever you want Luke. And you do can do whatever you like. But I won¡¯t forget those moments.¡±


    ¡°Keep it in your head if you want. Add it to the bitter memories. The times I treated you like trash. The


    times I made you feel like you don¡¯t deserve to be loved,¡± Luke said, and drank wine.


    At this point, I could recall the scenes, the divergent scenarios. The bitter moments, when tears came


    like a flood, and when it had to hurt like hell. Those were indeed painful. But why was he causing me to


    reminisce about it all?

 Chapter 83

    83 DANCE WITH ME


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I told Luke in hushed tones. ¡°I am going to add it to the bitter memories.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing then,¡± Luke said, and turned his face away, looking in the server¡¯s direction. ¡°Hey,


    can I get another bottle please?¡±


    Luke turned to me headlong. ¡°I told you one bottle wasn¡¯t going to get me hammered.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± ady said, and I turned to look at her.


    She was a stunning blonde, with a bold sense of style. Her nose and lips were both adorned with


    piercings, adding to her edgy appearance. What she had on was a form¨Cfitting blue dress, with her


    ample bosom on full disy, drawing attention to the intricate tattoo etched on her chest.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± she repeated his name, and Luke gave her his attention. I could see how he was


    captivated by her looks, and that made me, kind of irritated.


    ¡°Uhmm, do I know you?¡± Luke aksed her, raising an eyebrow. The blonde giggled. It wasn¡¯t like


    anything was funny.


    ¡°Oh silly,¡± sheughed, moving closer to Luke and yfully hitting his arm. He


    gave


    her a confused look, and so did I. But mine was mixed with anger, for some


    reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m Bethany, daughter of Manuel Elviro. I¡¯m the one who sent you an invitation,


    she introduced herself, grinning at Luke.


    11


    Her smiles and that expression on her face were like a shing neon sign that screamed ¡°I¡¯m into


    Luke!¡± But she shouldn¡¯t be. Yeah, she shouldn¡¯t.


    Not that I had anything against her, but it was just one of those things that didn¡¯t make sense. Like


    putting pineapple on pizza or wearing socks with sandals. It just shouldn¡¯t be done. But there she was,


    grinning like aplete idiot.


    And there must be a valid reason for this thinking of mine. But I couldn¡¯t grasp it. I couldn¡¯t care less


    anyway.


    ¡°Bethany?¡± Luke uttered, still looking at her, trying to recall if he actually knew her before. But with that


    look on his face, it was clear they hadn¡¯t crossed paths.


    ¡°You¡¯re still trying to crack your brain?¡± Bethany kept on with her intense smile. Which was literally


    irritating. ¡°I sent you a pic. Didn¡¯t you take a look at it?¡±


    ¡°A pic?¡± Luke uttered, still looking puzzled. He brought his phone out of his pocket, and he gazed at it


    for quite some seconds. I guess he had seen whatever she was telling him about.


    ¡°Ohh I see,¡± Luke said, and dropped his phone on the table. ¡°So you¡¯re the


    daughter of Manuel Elviro.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I sure am. The beautiful daughter of Manuel Elviro,¡± she responded, with a huge smile, feeling so


    proud of herself.


    Beautiful daughter? Did she really have to include that? It was obvious she was trying to captivate him.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s nice meeting you.¡± Luke offered her a handshake.


    Bethany looked at his hand for seconds. ¡°You know, there¡¯s a better way for a perfect greeting.¡±


    Luke stared at her for a moment. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to kiss my hand.¡± She smiled, stretching her hand over to him.


    Luke¡¯s eyes met mine, and the expression on my visage was telling him not to follow through with that.


    But he did it anyway. He slowly took her hand, and kissed it. And the fool had to smile like an idiot.


    ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Luke asked her.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Bethany replied, with a nod. ¡°You want to dance?¡± She gestured toward the dance floor.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m not needed here anymore,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Luke spoke loudly,


    just when I was about to walk away. I turned to him. He stood up, moving closer to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dance,¡± Luke whispered, looking into my eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. How his thoughts about us kept on changing every minute.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was joking with me at the moment. But this actually felt nice. I think it did.


    ¡°I was the one who offered you a dance,¡± Bethany reminded Luke.


    ¡°I know, but this is my wife, standing right here in front of me,¡± he replied, still gazing at me, and not


    sparing Bethany a nce.


    He eventually turned to her. ¡°If you were in my position, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°So, are you just going to ditch me?¡± Bethany asked, crossing her arms.


    33 DANCE WITH ME


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me an answer to my question.¡± Luke smirked at her


    ¡°I think you already know the answer.¡± She shook her head after that, and took a deep breath. ¡°Guess


    we¡¯ll hang out some other time.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Luke told her, and girthed his hands around my waist. Bethany had no other option but to


    walk away.


    I was just speechless, and had no idea what to say. I felt so vulnerable at the moment, which I didn¡¯t


    like. The feeling of his hands around me was ideal, and staring into his eyes made the moment more


    zing.


    When Luke¡¯s face got closer to mine, the feeling became intense. It was like a gleam of fervor had


    emzed up our world. And the stare went on for moments, till his forceful thrust on me, got me closer.


    I gasped while he did that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to dance?¡± Luke aksed in a whisper. His hand stirred a strand of my hair, and his


    fingers trailed down to my face, the slow movement ending on my lips.


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say. Because at the moment, I was filled with surprise, and bafflement. But


    sensitive, and prostrate to do anything.


    And then our gaze spoke more things I couldn¡¯t understand. If perhaps this was supposed to be a


    moment of delectation, or a time that was supposed to be brimful with dolefulness.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked softly, after he had fixed his hands on both of my cheeks. His touch was


    quite magnificent.


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing what you wish for,¡± he whispered, his lips curving into a fragile smile.


    The music seemed to have stop, or maybe it was just my imagination, living in my own world.


    ¡°I never wished for this,¡± I answered him inaudibly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t. But your eyes did.¡± Luke began to caress my hair. ¡°Your face said it all, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°But then why are you doing this? Aren¡¯t you the one who said you hate me?¡± I questioned him, my


    tone still hushed.


    ¡°Of course, I hate you. But you are my wife after all. And I want you to enjoy this moment.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± I spoke softly. His gentle movements on my stopped, and his grip on


    me was broken. But his gaze was still there.


    hair


    ¡°I know it don¡¯t. But you don¡¯t have to question me about my actions. I have reasons for the things I do.


    Right now, you just have to enjoy the moment.¡°


    I furrowed my brows and shifted back a little. ¡°Sorry, but this dance won¡¯t take ce. You need to


    understand, Luke; that I¡¯m not your puppet. You can¡¯t just treat me the way you like.¡±


    Forget about the revenge stuff and the bullshit at the moment. This man had me infuriated, and if he


    thought I was going to be his ve, he was sick in the dead. ¡°Goodbye,¡± I told him, and wanted to


    move away. But he went ahead to hook my hand. And I had to desist from taking another step.

 Chapter 84

    84 THE FEELING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ariel turned around, with my hand still holding hers. Her expression towards me was not that nice.


    Okay maybe it was nice, but she looked confused with everything. And I too was puzzled myself, just


    carrying out these actions without thinking things through.


    The hurtful words that had been directed to her, quite a massive blow. Thunderstricken, harmful like a


    hurricane. And the hate I im better be stuck with me, because I don¡¯t even have knowledge of the


    things I utter in certain situations.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let go of me?¡± Ariel asked, our eyes still locked in. She tried pulling back, but my


    grip only became tighter.


    ¡°Do you really want me to let go of you?¡± I asked leisurely, not taking my eyes off


    her.


    I could see that Ariel was tired of this, probably angry or frustrated. She wanted to know where we


    stood. But she would just have to live the life like this. With me, and I did promise my grandfather that


    there would be no torment.


    Although the hate was there, razzing would materialize, and I could try my best to shake off the feeling,


    hoping for the better. But the repulsion seemed like it couldst for eternity. Even though it may look


    like it faded sometimes.


    ¡°Luke,¡± Ariel called my name, closing her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on here,¡± she added.


    And I could see the granite to put an end to this moment.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just be lost in the moment.¡± Still holding her, I took a step


    forward.


    ¡°Are you seriously telling me this right now?¡± She asked, not wanting to give in to my words.


    ¡°Of course. Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I raised both of my eyebrows.


    Arie rolled her eyes after letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Luke¡­¡±


    I interrupted her the moment I pulled her closer. And now, she had her mouth. partly opened, trying her


    very best not to get her hands around my chest. Trying to resist the connection. And abandon the


    moment. But could she really do that?


    ¡°You want to know something, Luke?¡± Ariel vocalized, with our eyes still fixed on each other.


    24 THE FEELING


    2/3


    A smirk came right into my face. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable!¡± She hit my chest multiple times until I let go of her. ¡°You really need to stop


    messing with my head!¡±


    ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± I aksed, although I could tell that I had a little clue of what she was


    talking about. Well, kind of.


    ¡°You im to hate me, right? Then what the hell is this?¡± Her expression showed that she wasn¡¯t


    chaffing one bit. Not a single smile right on that face. A zero sense of joy.


    ¡°You need to let me know; do you love me or not?¡± Ariel¡¯s voice simply became louder, but not loud


    enough for everyone to hear her. The music at the moment, yed a vital role in this scene.


    ¡°A yes or no, please. Do you have feelings for me, or not? Is your heart filled with hatred, or is it filled


    with passion for me?¡± Ariel queried, eager to get an answer.


    I stared at her for a moment, but decided to give her a reply, simply what she wanted. ¡°I don¡¯t love you.


    The hate is just what¡¯s here.¡±


    I continued, ¡°It is true I¡¯ve been in circumstances when I felt like I love you. I¡¯m not going to deny that.


    But those were all lies. I¡¯m focusing on the present; what¡¯s going on now. And my mind has finally


    made it clear that my feelings for you are nothing but hate.¡±


    ¡°If you hate me, then why did you decide to do this?¡± Ariel quizzed.


    ¡°Do what?¡± I aksed her in reply.


    And all of a sudden, she captured my hand, tried pulling me closer to her. But my strength prevailed


    over hers. Like a tug of war, and I came out victorious. I tugged her to me.


    ¡°Since you say you hate me, let go of me!¡± Ariel demanded, in a ring tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that,¡± I let the words out slowly, looking fixedly into her


    eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to,¡± she stood strong on her words. ¡°No passion in your heart, right? So don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    Ariel pushed me off her. ¡®And if you think you¡¯re just going to keep sleeping with me, you¡¯re clearly


    mistaking.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You talk like I¡¯ve slept with you tons of time.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t love me, then you¡¯re just trying to get your body on mine. This action of yours right now is


    clearly absurd if you keep on iming to have the


    84 THE STELING


    383


    hate,¡± Ariel spoke ngently.


    I didn¡¯t know if what I said hurt her. It wasn¡¯t like she loved me, or something. Yeah, I know, she did


    some remarkable things for me. Like taking a poison. Bute on, I knew her hatred for me was


    beyond the world.


    Three years spent, a life like hell. She kept on repeating those things. So don¡¯t tell me she would fall in


    love all of a sudden. This wasn¡¯t a movie. And even if it was, the scenes wouldn¡¯t turn out so quick like


    that.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest with you around here. Like really honest. I almost caught


    feelings, but as time went on, I had to be strong, not letting that shit overshadow me.¡±


    Dipping my hands in my pockets, I continued, ¡°In these recent days, I think I¡¯ve finally transfigured back


    to my old self. Luke Reynold, the one who hated golddiggers, always displeased with them.¡±


    Ariel and I kept a fixed gaze, and I could tell she was starting to get infuriated, perhaps broken. But she


    needed to ept the fact that those good¨Cfor¨Cnothing scenes would no longer take ce.


    Starting from now. I shouldn¡¯t even be touching her, or getting close.


    ¡°Are you trying to call me a golddigger?¡® Ariel asked. A threatening tone that sounded like she was


    going to wreck me, or something.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you were all those years? And that¡¯s also how you became what you are today,¡± I boldly


    told her, moving my face closer.


    With a re etched on her face, Ariel gave me a hard p. Painful enough to take someone¡¯s life. And


    I was pretty sure the marks of her fingers would unfold right on my face.


    ¡°Who gave you the right to p me?¡± I gave Ariel a death stare. But it didn¡¯t seem to frighten her one


    bit. Her re also, was the type that looked like it would never leave her face.


    ¡°Me, myself, and I,¡± she answered. ¡°And I¡¯ll do it again if you continue to spit nonsense.¡± She felt so


    courageous. And my re only intensified.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve gotten some nerve, huh?¡± I tried


    huh?¡± I tried my best to keep the anger within me, and not unleash a demon that¡¯s going to leave


    everywhere disarrayed.


    ¡°You just had to act stupid.¡± Ariel slowly shook her head. ¡°And all this time, I thought you were a


    sensible man. But turns out you¡¯re stupid,¡± she uttered bitterly, and traipsed away.


    After that, I received a text, telling me toe outside.

 Chapter 85

    85 WHO?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As I made my way out of the building, my heart raced with anticipation and my eyes scanned every


    corner, searching for the mysterious figure I was supposed to meet. The bustling crowd outside was


    filled with people engaged in various


    conversations, but amidst it all, I couldn¡¯t seem to spot the young man I was looking for.


    I remembered he was supposed to be wearing a hoodie, but then again, I couldn¡¯t be sure. Perhaps he


    had changed his appearance or was trying to conceal his identity more and more.


    Frustration began to creep in as I continued to look around, my hands resting on my waist in a gesture


    of annoyance. I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that this guy was ying some sort of game with me, and


    he seemed like the type who enjoyed pulling pranks and tricking people. It was starting to feel like a


    wild goose chase, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was all just a big joke.


    After what felt like an eternity, I finally spotted the person I had been eagerly anticipating. His white


    hoodie and masked face were a familiar sight, just like thest time we met.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit annoyed at his tardiness. He had sent me a text to meet him outside, yet he


    was the one who arrivedte. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but I held back.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, I see you¡¯ve been waiting for me,¡± he spoke, his voice muffled by the mask. I couldn¡¯t


    decipher his expression, but I could sense his amusement.


    ¡°Yes, where have you been?¡± I asked, trying to keep my frustration in check. ¡® I¡¯ve been waiting for


    quite some time now. I almost left.¡±


    The man chuckled, his eyes twinkling behind the mask. ¡°If you had left, that would¡¯ve been your loss.¡±


    11


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more of our precious time, shall we?¡± The man with the enigmatic mask inched


    closer. ¡°So, are you finally ready to get the deal done?¡±


    I let out a heavy sigh, not wanting to prolong this any further. ¡°Yes, I suppose I am.¡±


    He chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. ¡°Excellent. I wouldn¡¯t want anyone to start ying


    games with meter on.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one saying that,¡± I retorted, eyeing him up and down. ¡°You seem


    85 WHOT


    273


    like quite the trickster to me.¡®


    He burst into a fit ofughter, leaving me utterly perplexed. What was so amusing? Had he already


    begun to disy his madness?


    I could only watch as heughed, unsure of what to do or say. After what felt like an eternity, he finally


    calmed down and took a deep breath. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he wiped a tear from his eye. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t


    resist.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, still trying to make sense of the situation. ¡°Are you finished now?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment,¡± he said, trying to stifle anotherugh. I rolled my eyes and looked away, tapping my


    foot impatiently on the ground.


    Finally, hisughter subsided and I turned to him. ¡°So, can we continue now?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± His expression was serious once again. ¡°Where were we before you went off on a


    tangent?¡± He scratched the back of his head, trying to remember our initial topic of discussion.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°You mentioned someone was nning to kill me, right? I need to know the truth.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead meeting my gaze with a cool, unreadable expression. ¡°What is


    it that you need to know?¡± he finally asked, his tone guarded.


    I took a deep breath. ¡°I need to know if this person had anything to do with the attack on my house two


    weeks ago,¡± I exined, my wordsing out slowly as I struggled to make sense of everything.


    The masked man let out a heavy sigh, as if he was tired of this conversation already. ¡°What do you


    think?¡± he asked, his voice tinged with annoyance.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated by his response. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I snapped, my irritation bubbling to the


    surface. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to have the answers, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    A hint of anger shed in his eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m some sort of omniscient figure who knows


    everything about everyone?¡± he retorted, his voice rising.


    I was quite startled by his sudden outburst. ¡°No, of course not,¡± I replied, my own voice moving with


    frustration. ¡°But I have a feeling that you know more than you¡¯re letting on. That man who attacked me,


    he said he was sent by someone. Do you have any idea that could be?¡±


    The masked man let out a slow, solemn nod. ¡°I see,¡± he said, his tone softening. You¡¯re lucky to be


    alive today, you know.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but scoff at his words. ¡°Lucky?¡± I repeated, my voiceced with bitterness. ¡°If I was lucky,


    my cousin would still be here, sitting next to me and making jokes to brighten my day. But instead,


    she¡¯s gone because of this person who wants me dead.¡±


    The masked man seemed to sense my inner turmoil and spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself, Luke


    Reynold. Even if you were to think for ten thousand hours, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out who


    this person is. You need help.¡±


    ¡°Who? Who¡¯s this person?¡± I aksed softly. The question was more directed to myself.


    Who was actually this person, that wanted to ruin me? Who had the hate that wanted to wreck me for


    good. Taking my mind back to the past, and I could barely see myself developing a feud with someone.


    Or wait, I was just talking nonsense now. Of course, I did burst into a lot of actions, enough for


    someone to shoot the living soul out of me. But this was just fucked up.


    The masked man fixed his hands together. ¡°This person is someone you know. Someone you used to


    hold dear, someone who was once precious to you.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, trying to think of anyone who could fit that description. But my mind drew a nk.


    ¡°Someone precious to me? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    The masked man let out a sigh. ¡°Yes, this person was very precious to you. And even if you were to try


    your best to figure it out, you wouldn¡¯t be able to. So it¡¯s best to calm your mind.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. Someone I used to cherish was now my enemy, and I had no


    idea who it could be. It was a sobering realization, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of betrayal and


    hurt.


    Whoever that was, the person was going to pay for the pain brought to me. And the sadness which


    flooded my heart.


    ¡°Just so you know, I go by Lucifer,¡± the masked man informed me. ¡°And about the payment, are you


    finally ready to follow through with it?¡±


    I paused, considering his question. ¡°I believe I am.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± he replied with a sense of satisfaction. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this talk tomorrow then. Right now, it


    seems like you¡¯re about to have the moment of your life.¡±


    I furrowed my brows/in confusion. ¡°Moment of my life? What do you mean by that?¡±


    Immediately, I felt someone¡¯s hands on me, kneading my tense shoulders

 Chapter 86

    86 NO, NOT NOW!


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Bethany?¡± I blurted out, giving this woman a confused face. Her hands were all over my shoulders, as


    she massaged it with a huge smile on her face.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she would do this. But yes, my mind did tell me something. And thisdy


    would only be fooling herself if she thought I was actually going to be her man.


    No doubt about it all. She was beautiful, like really really beautiful. Sexy enough for any man to want to


    get his groove on her. The tattoos right on her chest, her sparkling nails, and her remarkable figure.


    All were quite impressive, but I had nothing for her. Not lust, no passion, nothing at all. I didn¡¯t even


    think I wanted to be friends. But I would have to, only for business¡® sake.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I slowly pulled back from her. When I turned around, I couldn¡¯t see that man


    again. I wondered how he was able to disappear like that. He showed upte, but he left early. These


    set of humans.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Bethany asked, innocently. She was trying to y dumb, but we needed to


    face reality. Just because I said I didn¡¯t love Ariel, didn¡¯t mean I was going to be a goddamn lover boy


    to random women.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing actually. I was just shocked with what you did,¡± I replied calmly, trying to hide the little


    disgust with her feat.


    ¡°You¡¯re shocked with what I did?¡± Bethany moved closer, and I shifted


    backwards. She looked at me for a moment before she asked,¡± Are you trying to avoid me?¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t put it that way. It¡¯s just that we need topose ourselves with each other.¡±


    ¡°Compose ourselves? What do you mean by that?¡± Her brow was raised. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    What kind of question was she asking me? It was clear she had a knowledge of what I was talking


    about.


    ¡°Look Bethany, you¡¯re pretty and..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty?¡± Her eyes widened in glee, and she budged closer to me. ¡°Did you just say I¡¯m pretty?¡±


    C


    I looked at her for seconds, and then I slowly replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She jumped on me immediately, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I had no option but to hold


    her too. I could feel her butt on my hands, and she had to rock it slowly. What the hell was she trying to


    do?


    ¡°The party isn¡¯t over, why did you leave?¡± Bethany aksed softly, moving her hand around my face.


    ¡°Can I let go of you now?¡±


    ¡°You really want to let go of me?¡± Bethany smirked. Yes, I could see the lust in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you


    want this beauty right beside you?¡± Her voice was soft, seductive, and bewitching.


    Her lips drew closer to mine, had me lost in the moment. And as she closed her eyes to press her lips


    against mine, my senses came back. My eyes widened, and I quickly let go of her, causing her tond


    hard on the ground.


    ¡°Ouuu!¡± She screamed in pain. ¡°What was that for?¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I told Bethany, and stretched my hand over to her. ¡°Let me help you get up.¡±


    Bethany took my hands, and instead of getting to her feet, she dragged me to her, and Inded on top


    of her body. Her hands got wrapped around my waist, and seeing this, I quickly rose to my feet,


    breaking her grip. Bethany stood up as well.


    ¡°You need to stop.¡± My tone was cold to a certain degree. I was getting tired of her actions each


    second.


    ¡°Stop what?¡± Bethany asked, like she had no idea what I was talking about. I could see that she was


    really fond of that.


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving? But the party isn¡¯t over yet.¡± Bethany gestured towards the building.


    ¡°Then go inside,¡± I said inaudibly, holding both of her shoulders.


    After letting go of her, I made my way to my car, got in, and drove off.


    I arrived home, getting out of my car, and looking fixedly at my mansion. Yes, my new dwelling ce.


    Since that terror took ce, this was where I had decided to move in.


    A location not known by all, getting the new workers, hoping for the peace. No horrendous episode on


    my wishlist, and to hell to whoever was trying to get me down.


    BANO NOT NOW!


    After blowing the horn of the car, the gates were opened, and I drove inside. This time, my mansion


    was built with diamond gates, exceedingly strong, and it was going to be tough for someone to get in.


    You could call it the great wall of Luke Reynold.


    ¡°Good evening sir,¡± Marcus greeted me the moment I stepped out of my car. He was my gateman. I


    was a little bit older than him, having no idea of his character, crazy things he did, or not. But all I knew


    was that he was doing a perfect job. That was why he was getting tipped every single day.


    ¡°Evening Marcus, how¡¯s it going around here?¡± I aksed, looking around.


    ¡°It¡¯s been great, as usual,¡± he replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing then.¡± I nodded. ¡°So what about Ariel, has she arrived home yet?¡±


    ¡°No, she hasn¡¯t,¡± he replied, shaking his head.


    ¡°Oh I see,¡± I said inaudibly, with my eyes fixed downward. ¡°Okay then, keep up


    the good work.¡± I patted Marcus¡® shoulder, and started walking away.


    ¡°Sir, hold on!¡± He said loudly, and I had to halt, slowly turning around. ¡±


    Someone came to see you.¡±


    ¡°Someone came to see me?¡± I repeated the question, with a little bit of confused expression.


    Marcus nodded. ¡°And she¡¯s in the house.¡±


    ¡°I thought I told you not to let anyone in, without seeking my permission first!¡± I castigated him.


    ¡°I know sir. The moment I opened the gate, she just rushed in. And I tried chasing her out, but she was


    too stubborn. She imed to be


    your aunt.¡®


    ¡°Hold on a minute, she imed to be my aunt,¡± I spoke slowly.


    Marcus nodded and continued, ¡°She was really stubborn sir. And I couldn¡¯t drag her out. I have a


    respect for women.¡±


    I exhaled deeply, trying my best not to lose it. And I thought this guy was good for the job. If he couldn¡¯t


    control a single woman, how was he going to be able to handle a bunch of criminals?


    And I think I know who came to this house. Stubborn, possessing an irritating demeanor. Of course, it


    was that good¨Cfor¨Cnothing aunt if mine. I definitely was not mistaking in this one.


    I set my eyes back on Marcus. ¡°Don¡¯t let this repeat itself. Do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± He nodded promptly.


    Just as I was about to make my way in the house, we heard a knock on the gate.


    ¡°Who could that be?¡± I asked, looking at the gate.


    Marcus shrugged. ¡°It could be Mrs. Reynold. Let me go check it out.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I lowered my hand in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    I treaded to the gate, and partly opened it. It was a woman I had never seen before. She should be in


    herte fifties, or something.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± I aksed lowly, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m Elizabeth,¡± she said. ¡°Please, is this the house of Luke and Ariel Reynold?¡±

 Chapter 87

    87 NAUGHTY ACT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The moment I parked my car, my heart pounded in my chest after sighting Elizabeth standing at the


    gate of the mansion; the house which belonged to Luke and I.


    It was quite strange, or were my eyes lying to me? I didn¡¯t really think so. Elizabeth was standing right


    there, discussing with Marcus, I think. And I knew I needed to put an end to that conversation as soon


    as possible, before anything could get out of hand.


    I quickly rushed in her direction, and my eyes widened the moment I realized Luke was the one she


    was talking to. I hoped their discussion had not gotten too


    far.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± Elizabeth eximed, hugging me tightly. I nced at Luke, and he was just staring at the both


    of us. Kind of curious, I¡¯d say. But it didn¡¯t really matter- obviously what was going on in his mind.


    ¡°Oh sweetheart, I miss you so so much.¡± Her hug became more tight.


    ¡°Yeah, I miss you too,¡± I told her, and she broke the embrace. ¡°So, how did you find me?¡±


    ¡°It was quite easy. Who doesn¡¯t know Luke Reynold?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s smile widened.


    I nced at Luke, who had his eyebrows raised. ¡°Wow, and I here I was thinking this ce was kind


    of¡­. hidden.¡±


    Elizabeth burst outughing. ¡°Ohe on now. You thought wrong. But I¡¯m disappointed in myself, for


    not recognizing you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good. I think I should be going now,¡± Luke told her, turning around.


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Elizabeth smiled at him, and then he walked away.


    I held Elizabeth¡¯s hand, and walked to my car, dragging her along.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I aksed her in a whisper.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I came to see you,¡± she answered.


    ¡°I know, but that¡¯s not a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Elizabeth heaved an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind of a long story,¡± I replied, crossing my arms. ¡°So, can I please know why you¡¯vee


    here?¡±


    NAUGHTY ACT


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Lukel.¡±


    ¡°Lukel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lukel. He¡¯s been seriously sick the past few days,¡± Elizabeth revealed.


    I found it hard to believe, but there was no way she could be lying. Lukel was a strong little boy,


    healthy, and he was kind of crazy, at his young age.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform me about this earlier?¡± I quizzed.


    ¡°I tried calling, but I couldn¡¯t reach you. I had no idea why the signal had to be so terrible,¡± Elizabeth


    answered, and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lukel now?¡± I aksed, gradually falling into the panic state.


    It hurt me to see my babies feeling bad. I hate to get the news that they¡¯re in pain, or something rting


    to that. I just didn¡¯t want to see anything terrible happening to them.


    ¡°He¡¯s home, along with Andre,¡± Elizabeth gave me an answer to my question.


    ¡°Andre is back?¡± My eyes widened. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. I actually missed him, his lovely


    company.


    ¡°Yes, he is back. And this time, we all came to New Haven.¡±


    ¡°You all came to New Haven? Hold on, are you telling me that the whole family is in New Haven right


    now?¡± I queried, filled with surprise.


    ¡°Yup, we sure are.¡± Elizabeth smiled, making a silly face. I could see she was still trying to wear her


    comical mode.


    I giggled. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just have to join you guys.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Elizabeth pped my hand. ¡°Do you want to leave your husband?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave him. I¡¯m just going to pay you guys a visit. You know, spend the night there.¡±


    Elizabeth observed me for a moment. ¡°And you think your husband¡¯s going to be fine with that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,e on. He¡¯s not a little kid. He¡¯ll totally understand.¡±


    ¡°The face that you have been living with Andre for years, before you got back with him? Nah, I don¡¯t


    think he¡¯s going to understand.¡±


    I closed my eyes, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Why are you being so worried now?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I just don¡¯t want me or my family to ruin the lovely rtionship of a


    NAUGHTY ACT


    married couple,¡±


    ¡°Lovely¡± I whispered to myself, before chuckling. ¡°Yeah, right.¡±


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Elizabeth queried.


    ¡°What exactly?¡±


    ¡°You just¡­¡± She chuckled. And then raised both of her brows at me. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Are you and


    Luke living the married life without happiness again?¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Bursting into my house, I couldn¡¯t spot anyone in the living room. If my aunt dide to this house, she


    was supposed to be right here. Unless she was starting to feel herself again. Don¡¯t tell me she took her


    grungy feet upstairs.


    I quickly marched upstairs, went to my room, but she wasn¡¯t there. I searched other rooms until I finally


    saw her. But I tell you brother, she was cut in the naughty act.


    She was right in this room, no clothes on, and she was spreading her legs wide, pleasing herself with


    her fingers, whimpering like an idiot.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I bawled loudly, smacking the door, before turning my face away.


    Although I couldn¡¯t see her, I knew she had ceased the nonsense she was carrying


    out.


    ¡°What the hell, Aunt Mariam!¡± I yelled, turning to face her with a mixture of anger and disgust in my


    eyes.


    ¡°What?!¡± she snapped back, trying to cover herself with a sheet.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± I shouted, feeling my blood boil. ¡°You can¡¯t juste into my house and


    do¡­that!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my house too, you know,¡± she retorted, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment.


    ¡°Your house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you idiot! I¡¯m older than you. Don¡¯t forget that!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! Does that give you the right to do whatever you want?!¡± I shot back, my voice rising. ¡°I can¡¯t


    believe you would do something like this in my house!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, like you¡¯ve never done it before,¡± she scoffed, trying to deflect the me onto me.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± I yelled, feeling my frustration and anger building up. You¡¯re at my house, for


    god¡¯s sake! This is so messed up!¡±


    27 NAUGHTY


    AM4


    ¡°I¡¯m an adult, I can do what I want!¡± she argued, standing up and facing me with defiance.


    ¡°Fine, then do it in your own damn house!¡± I shouted, throwing my hands up in exasperation.


    ¡°You know what, I¡¯m leaving,¡± she said, grabbing her clothes and storming past


    1. me.


    ¡°Good riddance!¡± I yelled after her, feeling a mixture of relief and anger. ¡°And I hope you didn¡¯t soak the


    bed with your¡­¡±


    ¡°With my what, huh?!¡± She cut me off.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would stoop so low as to insult me like that,¡± she spat.


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯ve insulted me plenty of times before,¡± I shot back, not backing down.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re so perfect, don¡¯t you? Well let me tell you, you¡¯re not!¡± she seethed, her voice dripping


    with venom.


    ¡°At least I have some sense of decency,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Oh, please. You¡¯re just jealous that I can still have a good time and you can¡¯t,¡± she taunted, a smirk


    forming on her lips.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your version of a good time,¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re just a boring stick in the mud,¡± she fired back, her words like daggers.


    ¡°At least I¡¯m not a disrespectful, self¨Ccentered lunatic like you!¡± I yelled, feeling the weight of years of


    pent up frustration and hurt pouring out of me.


    ¡°Watch yournguage, you idiot!¡± she scolded, her face turning red with rage.


    ¡°You watch yours!¡± I shot back, not caring anymore. ¡°Youe into my house and act like it¡¯s your own


    personal yground. You have no respect for anyone or anything!¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up. You don¡¯t know anything about me,¡± she hissed.


    ¡°I know enough to see that you¡¯re a toxic and destructive person.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m leaving. I don¡¯t need this crap,¡± she said, turning to leave.


    ¡°Good. Don¡¯t bothering back,¡± I spat back, and she finally left.

 Chapter 88

    88 THE HATE WITHIN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Just when my aunt had stormed out of the room, I marched out as well, anger written all over my face.


    My eyes were filled with intense rage, and I could just burn this woman to ashes, Phoenix shit.


    Because she had taken things too far, forgetting who she truly was. Forgetting her ce, lifting her


    shoulders, thinking she was a god, always creating a sense of irritation everywhere.


    A venom catching your throat, killing you in the inside, ripping apart your liver, and ruining your


    intestines. Making your life dark, taking away the brightness, inserting the anger, killing you slowly.


    A scorpion with intense poison, a snake in disguise. A harmful bee ready to sting bitterness, a snake


    fully prepared to spit its poison, ammonia that was going to make you insensible.


    Family but not family. Human but not human. A heart within her, but no heart. It was all about evil for


    her, brimming with exhrating pride. Her evilness spreading far and wide, devouring the weak within


    two seconds.


    ¡°What were you even doing at my house?!¡± I snapped. Aunt Mariam was walking right on the stairs, but


    she stopped, and turned around.


    ¡°I can see you don¡¯t want this fight toe to an end!¡± She snapped back, crossing her arms.


    ¡°I have better things to do than fight with a venomous serpent like you!¡± I gave her a look of disgust.


    ¡°Then why ask me this silly question?¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted to know who the hell gave you the nerve to do this nonsense!¡®


    ¡°It¡¯s your worthless mother. Oh sorry, she¡¯s dead,¡± she taunted, forming a mocking smile.


    Her words caused my anger to increase the more. ¡°Have some respect!¡±


    ¡°Why should I? It¡¯s not like you even give me the respect that I deserve.¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t deserve one!¡±


    ¡°Then what makes you think your mother deserve one as well?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in the grave for crying out loud. Why do you have to keep insulting


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    THE STATE WITHIN


    someone that¡¯s already dead?¡±


    ¡°Be dead or alive, that¡¯s none of my business. I will curse who I want to, and nothing¡¯s going to stop


    me. No one dare try to seal my lips,¡± she spoke pure


    nonsense.


    274


    ¡°I see. I just hope you die any time soon. So people can start cursing your dead ass in the goddamn


    grave!¡±


    She wanted to p me, but I quickly seized her hand. We both red at each other, and I thrust her


    hand far from me.


    ¡°Why are you getting so angry, now? It¡¯s just a wish. Like they say; not all wishese true.¡± I wore a


    corrosive smile. ¡°But don¡¯t start feeling too happy. You¡¯re going to die before you know it. And I¡¯m a


    hundred percent sure devil has prepared a special ce for you in hell.¡±


    ¡°You worthless fool! You have to be the most irritating creature I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Look at who¡¯s talking.¡±


    ¡°You want to know the reason why I came here, right? I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I care anymore,¡± I faked a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anyway,¡± she said after ring at me for moments. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been broken ever since


    Riley died. I just came to see how broken you were.¡±


    ¡°And then you had to y with yourself,¡± I let out a mockingugh. ¡°How nice is that?¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± She snapped. ¡°I think you it¡¯s high time you start knowing your ce in our family. You are


    nothingpared to me. I came to this earth before you. I¡¯ve seen the things you haven¡¯t seen.¡±


    ¡°Is that something to be proud of?¡± I arched an eyebrow. ¡°You might be older than me. And you might


    have seen some goddamn things that I haven¡¯t seen. I literally don¡¯t care about that. But guess what, I


    made money that you couldn¡¯t make. To the point that you even came to lodge in my house.¡±


    ¡°And you must be feeling so high of yourself.¡®


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°Well, not actually. I¡¯m just bringing out facts. Since you were trying to act like you


    own the world.¡±


    Aunt Mariam shook her head slowly, still ring at me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you can be this irritating,¡±


    she spoke bitterly.


    ¡°And I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re this disgusting,¡± I scanned her whole body, a disgusting look directed to


    her. ¡°I think it¡¯s better you leave this ce. And I


    AR THE RATE WITHIN


    don¡¯t want to ever see your face again.¡±


    ¡°You think I want to see yours as well?¡± She retorted.


    I turned my face away. ¡°I love the mutual feeling. You can get the hell out now.¡±


    ¡°I will, but I need to go and change first,¡± she told me, and started walking upstairs, but I seized her


    hand immediately.


    ¡°You are not going anywhere,¡± I told her bitterly, and dragged her to my ¡°Are you crazy? Do you want


    me to go out like this?¡±


    front.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with that.¡± I forcefully let go of her hand. ¡°Fools are supposed to be treated


    like one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always baffled with the way you keep insulting me. Like, don¡¯t you even have manners?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only trying to be like you. But I can never like you. Because you are so bitter, and cruel, and


    heartless. All you care about is money.¡®


    ¡°If I were so bitter, do you think your parents would have gotten married?¡± She revealed, almost


    underneath her breath.


    I became speechless for a moment. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how were you supposed to know? You were still in your mother¡¯s belly at that time.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but get curious in this. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to spill all the beans.¡®


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to be in this house as well,¡± I told her, capturing her hand. And then I dragged her


    out of the house.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± She struggled to get my hand off hers, but I held her so tight, that nothing could


    separate us at the moment, not even an explosion. Nor a razor- edged knife, or the force of a lightning.


    Even a hurricane wouldn¡¯t be a match.


    Still having a hold of her, I continued to stir forward, moved by anger. A rage that¡¯s forceful like a


    whirlwind. And if care was not taken, I could m her goddamn head to the ground, and let the blood


    ssh, left to be consumed by fleas, and her body, devoured by vultures.


    As we approached the gate, I let go of her. Marcus did nothing but watch the both of us.


    I turned to him. ¡°You see this woman right here? Don¡¯t ever let her step foot into this ce. I don¡¯t care


    what you have to do. If she act stubborn, you act stubborn


    SE THEMATE WITHIN


    as well. If I find out she marched into my house, I¡¯ll have no option but to fire you. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Marcus nodded.


    ¡°Fools,¡± Mariam uttered lowly, but I could hear her clearly. And then I shot her a threatening re.


    ¡°Stop staring at me like that you idiot! I need to get these clothes on,¡± she spat. ¡°You can get them on


    somewhere else.¡± I grabbed her hand, and haled her out. Standing outside the gate were Ariel, and


    that woman, whose name was Elizabeth.

 Chapter 89

    89 LATE NIGHT VISIT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I turned around, only to see Luke and Mariam making their way through the gate. I couldn¡¯t help but


    laugh at the sight, as Luke was practically dragging Mariam along behind him.


    They had chosen the worst possible time to interrupt my conversation with Elizabeth. I was just about


    to spill all the juicy details about my time with Luke, per Elizabeth¡¯s request. Looks like she¡¯ll have to


    wait a bit longer for the full story.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Mariam broke Luke¡¯s grip. ¡°I¡¯m no little kid.¡±


    ¡°I never said you were,¡± Luke retorted, and threw some clothes at her. Which I knew for a fact,


    belonged to the grumpydy.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± Mariam barked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring your car along with you?¡± Luke asked her, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± she answered angrily, her usual tone.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Elizabeth entered their conversation:


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Mariam replied coldly.


    ¡°Trust me, you do not want to stick your nose in that,¡± I whispered into


    Elizabeth¡¯s ears.


    ¡°And who the hell are you anyway?¡± Mariam asked Elizabeth, but she decided to keep silent. At least


    she was a good listener.


    ¡°Aunt Mariam. I¡¯m sending someone to drop you home,¡± Luke spoke.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± Mariam gave him a hard re, before walking away.


    I was just staring at her, quite amazed, surprised, I don¡¯t know. Like, she wasn¡¯t putting on anything.


    Her body was only covered in sheets.


    Although the day was dark, was she really going to walk like that? I never knew this woman was really


    crazy. She was probably going to find herself a corner to get dressed.


    Elizabeth turned to Luke. ¡°So, Luke Reynold. It¡¯s actually nice meeting you. I¡¯m sorry for not


    recognizing you earlier.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to mention it again. it¡¯s okay though,¡± Luke said, barely inaudible.


    ¥ë


    274


    ¡°Do you know me, or should I introduce myself?¡± Elizabeth asked.


    ¡°I think you should introduce yourself.¡± Luke gave her a fragile smile.


    ¡°Okay then. Well, I¡¯m Elizabeth, the mother of Andre Jones.¡±


    ¡°Andre Jones. You mean the owner of The Vitality Group?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes. I see you have a knowledge about him.¡±


    ¡°Of course he does,¡± I whispered to Elizabeth.


    ¡°As you can see, our family just arrived in New Haven. And I¡¯vee here to take Ariel with me. I don¡¯t


    know if that¡¯s epted by you.¡± Elizabeth kept on with her smile.


    Luke nced at me, before giving her back his attention. ¡°I see no problem with that. Is she going to


    spend the night there?¡±


    Elizabeth looked at me. She knew what was going on in my mind. Obviously, I wanted to spend the


    night at their house. At least I¡¯d have to sleep close to my adorable babies.


    ¡°Uhmm, I asked a question,¡± Luke broke the silence.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elizabeth spoke in a hurry. ¡°She¡¯s going to spend the night there. Are you okay with that?¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes met mine once again, not giving me the chummy expression. ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯m cool with


    that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Elizabeth smiled gleefully at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure shees really early


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I won¡¯t be home tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± Elizabeth uttered lowly. ¡°Why exactly?¡±


    ¡°I have business stuff to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, business stuff,¡± She inaudibly said to herself, nodding slowly.


    ¡°I


    guess I can leave the two of you now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± She grinned at him. He walked away after that.


    My arms were just crossed together as I watched him enter his yard. I could the expression on his face.


    He was brimming with anger, enough to destroy some people. Crush the bones, and let the soul fade.


    Elizabeth turned to me. ¡°We should start going now, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    80 LATE NIGHT VISIT


    3/4


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I answered, looking around. ¡°But where¡¯s your car. You didn¡¯t bring it along. So I¡¯m the


    one driving?¡±


    ¡°I brought my car along. I just didn¡¯t take it to this main location. It¡¯s parked not too far from here.¡±


    ¡°We better start going then,¡± I told her, getting ready to tread.


    ¡°I can see how you¡¯re so eager to be together with your children once again. Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re at


    home, waiting patiently for you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you told them I wasing?¡± I hoisted an eyebrow.


    ¡°Nope. I was just talking. You know, to keep the conversation kind of¡­..¡± She smiled, and Iughed.


    ¡°Yeah, I get you,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°We better start going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elizabeth said, and nced at Luke¡¯s mansion. ¡°I hope everything goes well between you and


    your husband.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mention it,¡± I muttered, moving away. And she followed from behind. I was walking like I


    knew where she had parked her car.


    ***


    As I walked through the grand entrance of the magnificent mansion, I gazed around the opulent foyer,


    taking in the elegant chandeliers that cast a warm glow on the marble floors. The sound of my


    footsteps echoed through the vast space


    Elizabeth stood behind me, and with a deep breath, I pushed the doors open, and there they were¨Cthe


    family I used to call my own. Their faces lit up with joy as they saw me, and I could feel my heart swell


    with happiness.


    My eyes met Andre¡¯s, and a wide smile spread across his face. He rushed towards me, arms open


    wide, and we embraced in a heartfelt reunion.


    ¡°Andre!¡± I eximed, my voice filled with genuine delight. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a long time, right?¡±


    He pulled away slightly, his eyes shining with affection. ¡°Ariel, my dear friend, you have no idea how


    much I¡¯ve missed you. It¡¯s actually a nice thing to see you again.¡±


    ¡°So, how did things going around in Canada? You guys were able to fix the issue, right?¡± I asked


    Andre.


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡± Heughed. ¡°We took care of that the moment we arrived in


    Canada.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°For real?¡±


    Andreughed softly. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just kidding. But we did took care of it in a sh.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to keep talking about business, or you¡¯re going toe give me a hug?¡± Manuel


    vocalized loudly, in a gleeful tone. He¡¯s the father of Andre.


    Iughed, and quickly budged to him. He stood up, and we got engaged in a tight


    embrace.


    ¡°Ariel, the boss. It¡¯s so nice to see your beautiful face again,¡± Manuel stated, patting my back softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start now,¡± I yfully said, and we both burst intoughter, letting go of each other.


    ¡°But was I lying when I said she was the boss?¡±


    ¡°No, father.¡± Andre shook his head, and I gave him a silly smile.


    I turned to look at Lisa; Andre¡¯s sister, who was busy with her phone. It was kind of her usual


    demeanor. Well, we don¡¯t usually talk to each other. I didn¡¯t know if she had a problem with me, or


    something. But it wasn¡¯t nice, and I didn¡¯t relish that rtionship at all.


    Andre nced at Lisa, and our eyes met. He knew what was going on in my mind, fully aware of his


    sister¡¯s behavior towards me.

 Chapter 90

    90 TOGETHER AGAIN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Lisa,¡± Andr¨¦ said, and Lisa turned to him. ¡°Can¡¯t you see Ariel is right here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± she replied, not ncing at anyone, still fixing her eyes on her phone.


    ¡°What are you supposed to do then?¡± Andre queried her, his tone bing


    serious.


    She shot him an irritating look. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What kind of question is that?¡±


    ¡°Lisa!¡± Manuel snarled. ¡°I think you better behave yourself.¡±


    ¡°Behave myself? I¡¯m just sitting right here, busy with my phone. I didn¡¯t even do anything.¡±


    ¡°Who told you, you didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Andre harshly questioned her. ¡°I thought I had told you to put


    an end to this absolute nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Why are you pouring your rage on me, brother?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that, you clearly know the reason why,¡± Andre mentioned immediately. ¡°Ariel is right


    here, in our house, and you¡¯re sitting down there, acting like you didn¡¯t see her.¡±


    Lisa set her eyes on me immediately. The expression, the countenance was not a good one. And I


    couldn¡¯t help but obviate my gaze. Her death stare was one in a kind, but I didn¡¯te here to cause


    trouble.


    ¡°Why should I? Is she part of the family?¡± Lisa asked, not taking her


    1. me. She stood up, and started walking away.


    ¡°And where do you think you are going?¡± Andre queried.


    eyes from


    Lisa halted, now standing on the stairs. And her eyes scanned everyone. ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs. Where I


    can be free from this nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Lisa!¡± Manuel red at her, taking some steps forward.


    ¡°Just let her be,¡± Elizabeth said, her eyes still fixed on her daughter. Lisa shot me a re, before


    disappearing.


    Manuel drove his hands through his hair ¡°Can you believe thatdy? Can you see how she just ruin the


    happy moment?¡±


    ¡°Who said the happy moment is ruined?¡± Elizabeth smirked at Manuel, raising


    90 TOGETHER AGAIN


    an eyebrow.


    He let out a deep sigh, fixing his hands on his waist ¡°I don¡¯t know honey. But you really need to talk that


    youngdy. She¡¯s bing stubborn each single day.¡±


    ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried that?¡± Elizabeth crossed her arms.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just forget about what happened. Right now, we have an angel with us.¡± Andre smiled,


    wrapping his arm around my neck.


    I smiled back at him, my cheeks getting red a little from the lovelyment.¡± Awwn, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Ariel!¡± Someone screamed my name from behind. I turned around, and there was Hannah, looking


    pretty in her sses.


    She rushed to me, and hugged me tightly. Now, Hannah was the stepsister of Andre and Mason, the


    daughter of Manuel only. And even so, Elizabeth treated her with so much love and affection. Shows


    you how thisdy¡¯s truly a blessing.


    By the way, Hannah and I were good friends, the rtionship being theplete opposite of mine with


    Lisa.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to see you,¡± she said, the both of us till embracing each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to see you too,¡± I gently uttered, as we slowly broke the embrace.


    ¡°Where have you been this whole time? I heard you got married.¡± She faked a frowny face, situating


    her hands on her waist.


    ¡°Yeah, I did get married,¡± I slowly vocalized, smiling at her. ¡°Are you upset with that?¡± I had to y


    along.


    ¡°Pfff, why would I be upset? I¡¯m really happy about that. But I¡¯m angry at you for not sending me an


    invitation.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Iughed. ¡°But trust me, you wouldn¡¯t want to go to that asion.


    ¡°I know, I heard about it. The killing of the priest, and all that. I heard about them all.¡±


    I shook my head in slightughter. ¡°Yeah, it was really crazy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re still alive,¡± she raised an eyebrow, grinning at me.


    ¡°Yeah, it sure is,¡± I spoke in hushed tones, nodding my head slowly.


    ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s time you see your little ones.¡± Elizabeth walked closer to me, holding my shoulder./


    ¡°Right. Lukel and Janice, they really miss you,¡± Manuel spoke, sitting down.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they? She¡¯s an angel after all. A beautiful one,¡± Andreplimented me, a huge smile


    on his face.


    I couldn¡¯t help but return the gleeful expression.


    ¡°Come on, let me take you to their room upstairs,¡± Elizabeth said, traipsing from me. I quickly treaded


    on her heels.


    I turned around, and noticed how Andre was just smiling at me. I quickly turned my face away, as I kept


    on walking behind Elizabeth.


    Did he really miss me that much that he was smiling like that? I mean, it hadn¡¯t even been up to two


    months since he left. Was I this special?


    Finally, Elizabeth took me to the room, the space lodged by my adorable ones. I slowly opened the


    door, entering the dark room, and then the lights were turned on by Elizabeth.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    S


    And there they were, both lying down in separate beds, covered by the sheets. I couldn¡¯t tell if they


    were actually sleeping. But since Lukel was not feeling good, it was obvious he was slumbering.


    Maybe.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Janice slowly sat on the bed, leisurely opening her eyes. ¡°Is that you? ¡°She asked softly, as


    I transposed closer to her.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me darling. Mommy¡¯s here,¡± I told her, sitting on my heels.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re really here?¡± She fixed her little hand on my face. I smiled at her, rubbing her fingers.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I replied beneath my breath. ¡°I miss you so much.¡±


    ¡°I miss you too mommy. Why did you leave us?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Well, mommy just had some things to take care of.¡±


    ¡°You would have taken us along with you.¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°I like the way you think, Janice. But, I can¡¯t. I was even nning to be together with you


    guys again once I was done with my mission.¡±


    ¡°And what mission is that?¡±


    Iughed softly. ¡°Do you really have to know everything?¡±


    Janice yawned. ¡°I think I¡¯m feeling sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that. It¡¯s reallyte. You should go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Are you finally back, mommy?¡±


    I stared at her for a moment. ¡°Well, not really.¡±


    90 TOGETHER AGAIN


    4/4


    She yawned again.


    ¡°Yeah, you better go to sleep.¡± I kneaded her forehead gently.


    ¡°You should go and check on Lukel. He¡¯s not feeling too good, and I feel so bad for him,¡± Janice told


    me and yawned for the third time. ¡°I¡¯m going to go to sleep, only when you turn the lights off. But before


    that, Lukel is right there. He¡¯s going to need you by his side for a while.¡±


    I turned to Elizabeth, and she nodded, before turning off the lights. After that, she left, slowly closing


    the door.


    I moved slowly to Lukel, he was sleeping. And his body was scorching hot. I didn¡¯t like that one bit, and


    whatever fever this was, it had to go. I couldn¡¯t stand to see him this way.


    ¡°Lukel!¡± I shrieked, worried about him, as I tapped his face multiple times. He slowly moved his body,


    still asleep. I quickly carried him in my arms, rushing to the door, and bursting out of the room.


    Still holding him, I rushed downstairs. ¡°We need to take him to a hospital!¡±


    Request More Novels, I will upload your request very Soon.. Thanks

 Chapter 91

    91 THE THOUGHTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°We need to take him to a hospital!¡± I panicked, with Lukel still in my arms.


    Andre rushed to me, concern written all over his face, and I really liked that. The others got up as well,


    fixing their eyes on me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Andre asked the moment he got nigh to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lukel. His temperature is really high, and I¡¯m afraid something terrible might happen to him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Andre fixed felt Lukel¡¯s forehead. ¡°Yeah, that is true. We better hurry. then.¡±


    Andre carried Lukel from me, and swiftly walked to the door, I moved behind him, with the others still


    watching us.


    ¡°Can Ie along?¡± I heard Janice¡¯s voice, and I turned around without hesitation.


    She was standing upstairs, cleaning her eyes. And then she walked down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯d really love to


    follow you, mommy.¡±


    Elizabeth treaded to her, and squatted, fixing her hand on Janice¡¯s face. ¡°No, Janice. It¡¯s toote for


    you to be outside. You go to sleep, okay?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s my brother right there. And I also want to spend some time with my mommy.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Lukel will be fine, and mommy will be back before you know it.¡± Elizabeth


    smiled at her. ¡°Let me take you back upstairs, so you can go to sleep.¡±


    I looked at Janice, not knowing what to say. And yes, I wanted to spend time with her. But not like this.


    This was definitely not the right time.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go to sleep. I want to follow mommy,¡± Janice said, and ran in my direction.


    The moment she got close, she held my leg tightly. ¡°Mommy, please let mee with you.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Take it easy, Janice. We¡¯re not going to the park, or something,¡± Andre told her. ¡°I sat on my heels,


    smiling at Janice. ¡°I know you miss me, and I miss you too. But as grandma has said, don¡¯t worry.


    Everything will be fine. I¡¯lle back before


    you know it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie, mommy. You won¡¯te back. I don¡¯t want you to leave me again.¡± She quickly hugged


    me.¡°Please don¡¯t leave me.¡±


    1 caressed her back, not knowing how to take care of this situation. I didn¡¯t want. to take Janice


    outside, not wanting to put her life at risk.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was lying here on my bed, thoughts of Ariel swirling through my mind. I kept telling myself that I didn¡¯t


    like her, and that I never would. But deep down, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was stuck in my


    thoughts, like an uninvited guest.


    Tonight, at the party we went to, I noticed something different about her. She seemed broken,


    somehow. It was just a glimpse, a flicker in her eyes, but it touched me in a way I can¡¯t exin. I


    couldn¡¯t seem to let go of that image, reying it over and over in my mind.


    But it was just a simple fact around here, that Ariel wasn¡¯t for me. She became my wife again because


    of myte grandfather¡¯s wish. I was only fulfilling his desire, nothing more. There was no room for love


    or attraction in this equation.


    It was frustrating, though. No matter how hard I tried to push her away, she was always there, lingering


    in my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t escape the pull she had on me, no matter how much I deny it. It was like an


    invisible force, drawing me towards her against my own will.


    How fucked up was this? On one hand, I despised her, but on the other, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about


    her. It was a maddening contradiction, one that I can¡¯t seem to untangle.


    But once again, this was all for myte grandfather. This marriage, this charade, it was all a way to


    honor his memory, because this was what he wanted.


    She had be an enigma, a puzzle that I couldn¡¯t solve. And it frightened me. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking


    about all this. The feeling was just not normal. And I refused to like it at all, or follow through with it.


    I didn¡¯t know, but felt like a movie. Ariel¡¯s eyes, actions, were saying one thing¨Ca passion right there,


    enkindled within her. I could say it was ignited, but it better be washed away


    The oceans moves with tranquility, the gentle breeze provides a soothing moment. The trees all stand


    together, and the cloud stir slowly, unveiling its ¡®beauty. Now these were all nature. And we humans,


    had the way things worked


    out for us.


    These thoughts kept on creeping within me. Just as the clouds make its


    movements slowly. Yes, it was actually the simple truth. It stir within me,


    leisurely filling my head, tranting into a moment of deep thinking. Couldn¡¯t actually be lost in it


    anymore.


    And I couldn¡¯t be trapped by it. It did had me drowning, like I was being thrown in the middle of the


    ocean. Sometimes, these thoughts had me shaking, like the trees that were about to be cut off the


    ground. Overshadowing me like the cloud up there, and these drops of bewilderment was showered


    upon me.


    You could say my life was a movie, it only needed to be unted in a Cinema. Love was something that


    I wanted to lean on. Got shattered after the death of my parents. The people who imed to love me


    so much, yet left me.


    And Harriet, my beloved. The lovely rose that used to blossom my heart. It all had to end so sad. Even


    when Ariel left our lives, the love between the both of us couldn¡¯t go any further. Had to let go, because


    she followed through with crazy stuff. All resulting in anger.


    Riley was also a sweet soul. How painful that she was no more. I failed to protect her, and I couldn¡¯t


    help but feel guilty. It was all because of me, she had to lose. her life. My house was invaded, with me


    being the target. But she was the one who got murdered. That terrific scene would always be stuck in


    my head.


    Sir Reynold left too. Another huge pain that struck my heart. He was so special. So special to me that I


    had to marry Ariel because he wanted that. The sacrifice. made here was a huge one. My happiness,


    my future, my life. Cause Ariel wasn¡¯t someone I wanted to do all the romantic stuff with.


    But I had to carry out the sacrifice. My grandfather loved me, cherished me, and always showed me the


    true meaning of love. Even though he was a mad man sometimes, with actions invoked by rage. But it


    was all in love. Outstanding corrections.


    Ariel could do what she wanted, I couldn¡¯t care less anyway. Her smile, or whatever could be stuck in


    my head, but it wasn¡¯t going to move me. I might have made the promise, but the actions were


    extremely hard to carry out.


    I stood up from my bed, and treaded to the windows, opening them, getting the nice cool breeze. Even


    with this massive wealth, I felt kind of lonely. Of course, because I barely rte with others.


    At least get some friends, don¡¯t be too serious, talking about business every single time. It was


    something Riley once told me. And now, I think I was going to aplish that.

 Chapter 92

    92 IT¡¯S OKAY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre and finally arrived at the hospital, with Lukel still in his arms. The air was cool and sterile, a stark


    contrast to the heat radiating from Lukel¡¯s body.


    ¡°Lukel my brave boy. I¡¯m here for you. Don¡¯t be scared. Mommy¡¯s going to make sure nothing bad


    happens to you,¡± I said to Lukel in a soft, yet worried tone.


    He had woken up while we were at the car, and he was trembling like seriously, crying loudly, which


    brought so much pain to my heart.


    We approached the receptionist and she nced at us, her eyes filled with empathy.


    ¡°I can see how worried you are. But everything will be fine. Please go to the pediatric ward. The doctors


    there will assist you,¡± she told us.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I vocalized, underneath my breath.


    We rushed down the hallway, Andre leading the way with steady steps. Lukel¡¯s small hand clung tightly


    to my finger, seeking sce.


    Lukel cried, ¡°Mommy, I¡­.I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry my baby. Everything¡¯s going to be okay. There¡¯s no need to scared. There¡¯s no need to be


    scared. Mommy¡¯s here for you,¡± I reassured Lukel. Deep down, I prayed fervently for his well¨Cbeing.


    As we entered the examination room, Lukel¡¯s cries grew louder, punctuating the anxiety in the air.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Miss?¡± The doctor approached us with a gentle smile, her calm. demeanor reassuring.


    ¡°It¡¯s my son. His temperature is really high. I don¡¯t want anything bad happening to him.¡±


    The doctor kept on with her smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen to him. This is nothing serious.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I asked, as Lukel kept on crying, still in Andre¡¯s arms.


    The doctor moved closer to him. ¡°Don¡¯t cry now, little one. It¡¯s all going to be okay.¡±


    *She nced back af me. ¡°I understand your concern Miss, panicking like hell. If I were in your shoes,


    I¡¯d do the same. But you just need to know that we will try our


    very best to help him ¡±


    ¡°Do all the best you can, doctor. Do anything you have to do. Just make sure he


    ¡°Ariel, can you please calm down?¡± Andre asked me gently.


    ¡°How an I supposed to calm down when my baby isn¡¯t doing alright?¡±


    1


    ¡°It¡¯s just a fever for crying out loud. He¡¯ll get through with this in no time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still my little one. And my blood flows in his veins, I can¡¯t bear to see him. like this,¡± I told Andre.


    ¡°I know. But this is just life, Ariel. We all go through tough moments, whether we


    like it or not.¡±


    ¡°Andre, thank you. But you don¡¯t have to start bringing quotes now. Lukel¡¯s well- being is all that


    matters.


    I turned to the doctor. ¡°Doctor. Please, you got to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Just rx Miss,¡± the doctor told me. ¡°Let me just examine him.¡±


    She carefully examined Lukel, checking his temperature, pulse, and listening to his heartbeat. After a


    few moments, she stood up and faced us with a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Good news. Lukel¡¯s vital signs are stable, and his fever seems to being down. It¡¯s likely just a viral


    infection that should run its course in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I aksed her, raising an eyebrow, and ncing at Lukel once again.


    The doctor nodded, understanding my concern. ¡°I understand your worry,


    but based on his symptoms and the initial examination, it appears to be amon viral infection.


    However, I¡¯ll run some tests just to be thorough. It¡¯s always better to rule out any other possibilities.¡±


    Relieved yet still anxious, I turned to Lukel, who still in Andre¡¯s arms, looking weak and pale. ¡°Hang in


    there, buddy,¡± I said, trying to sound optimistic. ¡°The doctor says it¡¯s just a viral infection. You¡¯ll be back


    to your energetic self in no time.¡®


    Lukel managed a weak smile, his eyes reflecting a mix of uncertainty and trust. ¡°I hope so,¡± he


    whispered, his voice barely audible.


    The doctor approached with a syringe in hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a blood sample for testing,¡± she


    exined while preparing the needle. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, and we¡¯ll have the results as soon as


    possible.¡±


    Lukel winced slightly as the needle pierced his skin, but he remained brave. I held his hand tightly,


    trying to offerfort during the ufortable procedure. The doctor swiftly finished, and Lukel let out


    a relieved sigh.


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s a strong boy. You¡¯re going to be as tough as your mother.¡± Andre smiled at Lukel.


    ¡°Now, all we have to do is wait for the test results,¡± the doctor assured us. ¡°Can you wait?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, how long is it going to take us?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°Just going to take some minutes. I was only asking because it¡¯s kind ofte. Some people are fast


    asleep by now.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay,¡± Andre chimed in. We¡¯ll be right here, waiting for the results.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. You both can take a seat.¡± The doctor smiled reassuringly and left the room, leaving us in


    the hushed atmosphere of the hospital.


    Andre and I sat down, with Lukel lying on both of ourps, his head fixed on mine, as I slowly caressed


    his hair. The minutes ticked by slowly, each one filled with a mix of hope and worry.


    As we sat there in silence, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the times we had spent together¨Chisughter


    ringing through the air, his infectious enthusiasm for life. The thought of losing that spark was


    unbearable.


    Suddenly, a nurse entered the room, holding a clipboard. ¡°I have the test results,


    she announced, and her voice was brimming with cautious optimism. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed. Lukel has a viral


    infection, just as the doctor suspected.¡±


    The doctor entered the room forthwith. ¡°Yes, just as I had told you Miss. So, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°See, You worry too much.¡± Andreughed lightly, shaking his head.


    ¡°You can¡¯t actually me me.¡± I shrugged.


    The doctorughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡±


    Relief washed over me, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile back at the doctor. ¡°Thank you so much, Doctor. I


    can¡¯t believe I was panicking like that.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I understand. As parents, it¡¯s natural to be concerned. But Lukel is in good hands. We¡¯ll


    provide him with the necessary treatment and monitor his progress closely.¡±


    ¡°I nced at Andre, who had a relieved expression on his face too. ¡°Thank you for


    being here with me, Andre. Your support means the world to me.¡±


    He squeezed my hand gently. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here for you, Ariel. We¡¯ll get through this together.¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    The doctor interrupted our moment, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe some medication to help bring down Lukel¡¯s


    fever and alleviate his symptoms. Make sure he gets plenty of rest and drinks fluids. If his condition


    worsens or doesn¡¯t improve in a couple of days, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor. We¡¯ll follow your instructions carefully,¡± I said, gratitude evident in my voice.


    As we left the doctor¡¯s office, I held Lukel close, feeling his warmth against my chest.


    ¡°Mommy, when did youe back?¡± Lukel asked softly. ¡°And are you going to leave us again?¡±


    I sighed and nced at Andre.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take them along?¡± He asked. I shook my head in silence.


    ¡°Take us along? To where exactly?¡± Lukel threw another question, his body actually getting better.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, son.¡± I kneaded his hair. ¡°You need to get some rest.¡±


    PAct Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 93

    93 MORNING FEATS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    i woke up the next morning, lying close to Lukel. Our fingers were intertwined. I couldn¡¯t help but


    admire his ravishing face, his innocent face. And his body seemed to have been better thanst night.


    I stood up from the bed, and Janice was still sleeping. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her lovely face. These


    two always brought joy to me any time I nced at their ravishing countenances.


    I needed to leave them anyway. I still had a mission that needed to be aplished. And there was no


    way, I would be taking my children to Luke¡¯s mansion. Hell no. I didn¡¯t even like the fact that they were


    in New Haven. I wanted them to be far away from here.


    As I left the room, I crashed into Andre, and I was about to fall, but he held me. We looked into each


    other¡¯s eyes for seconds, before he finally took me to a


    higher position. And then he let go of me.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡± Andre asked.


    I exhaled deeply, and replied him in hushed tones, saying, ¡°Yes. Yes I am.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously going to leave your kids?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re safe here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Andre. Please, just watch over them for me. I know you love them as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said lowly, with a slow nod, looking downwards. And then he fixed his eyes on me. ¡°You got


    married to Luke right after I left New Haven. Why didn¡¯t you inform me about it?¡±


    ¡°Well, it actually didn¡¯t cross my mind.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get that,¡± Andre spoke beneath his breath. ¡°How did the two of you even get back together?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­.. kind of a long story.¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    *Andre and I turned around immediately, and we saw Mason, making his way to


    the both of us, a huge smile on his face.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I woke up in the morning, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. I stretched. my arms and yawned,


    slowly opening my eyes. As I sat up in bed, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, trying to shake off the


    remnants of the worthless dreams that stillgered in my mind. Ariel bullshit.


    1 swung my legs over the edge of the bed and nted my feet on the soft carpet. The floor felt cool


    against my bare skin as I stood up and made my way toward the bathroom. The tiles under my feet


    were smooth and cool, waking me up with each step.


    I turned the faucet, and water started flowing from the showerhead. I adjusted the temperature, making


    sure it was just right ¨C not too hot, not too cold.


    Stepping into the shower, I felt the water stirring down my body, washing away the lingering tiredness


    from my limbs.


    I grabbed the bar of soap andthered it in my hands, the scent of fresh rain filling the air. I closed my


    eyes and let the water rinse away the soap, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I reached for the


    shampoo and massaged it into my hair, the scent of mint awakening my senses.


    After rinsing off the shampoo, I turned off the shower and stepped out onto the fluffy bath mat. I towel¨C


    dried my body, feeling the softness of the fabric against my skin. I wrapped the towel around my waist


    and headed back to my bedroom.


    I walked to my closet, I opened the door and scanned through my neatly organized clothes. I picked out


    a crisp white shirt, a pair of ck trousers, and a sleek ck tie. I slipped into my clothes, fastening


    each button and knotting my tie with precision.


    I sat down on the edge of my bed and slipped on my ck dress shoes, tying theces tightly. I


    nced at the mirror, adjusting my tie onest time. My reflection stared back at me, aposed and


    confident expression on my face.


    Yup! I was one good¨Clooking man.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    After a final check of my appearance, I was about to leave the room, but then my eyes caught a photo


    of Ariel on the floor, not too far from me.


    I moved closer, slowly hunkering down, and picking the photo from the floor. I wondered why I couldn¡¯t


    sight the photost night, if it was here in the room the whole time. Yeah, probably because I was


    thinking too much.


    Ariel¡¯s face was absolutely morous in this photo. Her smile was captivating, and her red hair went


    ahead to add to the beauty.


    I couldn¡¯t stop staring at the photo. I held it, still looking at it, as I slowly rose to


    my feet. Then my phone started ringing It was that guy, who called himself Lucifer


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°t¡¯s quite a good thing to see you, when did you guys arrive?¡± Mason moved closer to re and Andre,


    offering him a handshake.


    ¡°We came yesterday,¡± Andre replied, shaking his hand. ¡°I thought I sent you a text. You didn¡¯t go


    through it?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t, would I be standing here, right in this house?¡± Mason raised an eyebrow, with a smirk on his


    face.


    ¡°Okay that do make sense,¡± Andre spoke inaudibly.


    Mason looked around. ¡°This ce is really beautiful. A hundred times better than that apartment you


    were dwelling in.¡±


    Andre sighed. ¡°Do you really have to say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I speak nothing but the truth.¡±


    Andre looked at him for quite a moment. ¡°And by saying that, you¡¯re lying.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°I see my brother¡¯s craving an argument.¡±


    ¡°Not really. I was just trying to shut you up,¡± Andre said, crossing his arms, and Masonughed. ¡°But


    anyway, this is where we¡¯ll be staying from now on.¡±


    I looked at Andre immediately. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re no longer going to be living in Canada?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He sighed with a nod. ¡°I know. We¡¯re going to be leaving a lot of memories. But this is just the


    life now.¡±


    ¡°What about thepany there?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Michael and Seth have everything under control.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± I spoke lowly.


    ¡°So, that means I¡¯ll be moving in here, then,¡± Mason smirked.


    ¡°Yeah, if you want.¡± Andre didn¡¯t give him a friendly kook. ¡°So, Ariel. Let me drive you home.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I think I¡¯ll go myself. You have business to take care of, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± He asked.


    .I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a feeling, actually.¡±


    My eyes caught Mason and I could see how he was staring at me. I knew what he was thinking, just by


    giving me that look.


    Andreughed. ¡°You and your silly feelings.¡± He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. ¡°I know you


    didn¡¯t bring your car along. So just follow me already.¡±


    He yfully dragged me down the stairs, while I giggled, ignoring Mason¡¯s gaze.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Lucifer spoke the moment I answered the phone call. Well, that was he said I should


    be calling him.


    ¡°Good morning. You¡¯vee to ask for the money, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You speak too fast Luke Reynold. Do you also release this fast when you roll around with your beloved


    wife?


    ¡°Okay, you better not cross your limits.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°It was just a question. You cane outside. I¡¯m waiting for you right here.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m joking?¡± He hanged up promptly.


    I exhaled deeply, and walked out of my room.

 Chapter 94

    94 AGREED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Coming out through the gate, I saw someone standing a little bit far, putting on nothing but ck. ck


    cap, ck trousers, ck jacket, back jacket, all ck.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± he said, turning around. And with that voice, indeed, it was Lucifer. He also had a


    mask on, still ck.


    ¡°You showed up quite fast. Have you been trying to be like Barry Allen these past few days?¡± His tone


    was quite mocking.


    ¡°No silly questions. Let¡¯s just get this done with.¡± I budged closer to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Now, where¡¯s the money?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be sent directly to your bank ount.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°That¡¯s actually a nice thing. So, when are you going to follow through with this?¡±


    ¡°Later in the day.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just do it now?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just reveal this person to me?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m no fool. If I give you information, you might just go away like that, not giving me


    anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not like that.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Can¡¯t trust anybody.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust you either,¡± I throw him aeback. ¡°What if I give you the money, and then you decide to


    go away like that? How does that sound, huh?¡±


    Luciferughed. ¡°You actually have a point. Bute on, you need mine more than I need yours.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°You do remember what happened at your house, right? Your beloved cousin lost her life.


    You might be next.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not actually scared of death. I don¡¯t see anything captivating in this life anymore.¡±


    ¡°What about your wife?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Seriously? She¡¯s the one you¡¯re bringing up, now?¡±


    ¡°You know, a lot of people do say they¡¯re scared of death. But when death actuallyes for them,


    they transfigure into a chicken, scared as hell.


    I suspired. ¡°Not me.¡±


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So, care to tell me how life has been for you all this while?¡± Andre aksed. The both of us were in his


    car, as he was driving me home.


    ¡°It¡¯s been normal,¡± I answered, looking through the window. ¡°I guess,¡± I added inaudibly.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about that?¡± Andre took a quick look at me, before setting his eyes back on the road.


    ¡°Yeah, why are you asking me that?¡± I glimpsed at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just being concerned. I hope Luke hasn¡¯t been treating you bad like how he did in your previous


    marriage.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, he¡¯s still a jerk,¡± I said. Andre was quick to look at me. ¡°But, he¡¯s actually gotten better than


    before. There¡¯s a little bit of human in him, now.¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s actually a great thing, right? I mean, there¡¯s a chance that the both of you can live happily


    ever after.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Come on, Andre. This isn¡¯t a fairytale.¡±


    ¡°I never said it was,¡± he uttered, his tone silly. ¡°But just in case that man tries to make your life a living


    hell. Just know I¡¯m here for you.¡®


    I grinned at him. ¡°What are you going to do, exactly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna beat the hell out of him.¡±


    I giggled, yfully hitting his shoulder. ¡°I guess you must be feeling like


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Superman when you said that.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not a fan of Superman.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Are you being for real right now?¡±


    He nced at me. ¡°Well, yeah. Do I look like I¡¯m joking, or what?¡±


    ¡°Likee on.¡± I opened my mouth slightly. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like Superman?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve seen a lot of children who are just like me in this one.¡®


    ¡°Well, if we were to rate this a hundred percent. I think ny percent of


    individual in this world are fans of Superman. Big fans.¡±


    Andre Laughed. ¡°Hmm teli me more about it,¡± he sarcastically said.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m being for real. Like the ¡®S on my chest¡® stuff and all that? Come on man, are you human, or


    what?¡±


    ¡°Well guess what? Lukel and Janice are both like me. We don¡¯t really care about that about that


    Kryptonian, or whatever they call him.¡±


    I furrowed my brows at him, silent for a moment. ¡°You have got to be kidding me.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Andre eximed, yfully hitting my shoulder, as he kept on driving.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°So, are you giving me that money, or not?¡± Lucifer asked.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back a sigh. ¡°I see you want this so bad? What if I don¡¯t give it to you?¡±


    ¡°Your life is in danger, Luke Reynold. And you need to know who¡¯s after you, so you can be able to stop


    her before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°Stop her?¡± I brought out instantly. ¡°So, it¡¯s a she.¡±


    ¡°Oops. Looks like I just gave you a little hint,¡± Lucifer said in a yful tone. Then he became serious as


    she spoke, ¡°Well, it¡¯s a she. That¡¯s all you need to know for now. And if you don¡¯t act fast, she might


    take your life, or kill those who are precious to you.¡±


    Do I have any one precious to me, again? I didn¡¯t really think so. But I would just have to do this


    anyway. Only because I wanted to know the person behind Riley¡¯s death.


    ¡°Okay then. The moment I¡¯m done with work today, I¡¯ll make sure you get your money.¡±


    ¡°You made the wise choice, Luke Reynold,¡± Lucifer tapped my shoulder. But I stopped that, seizing his


    hand, taking those fingers off me. I wasn¡¯t going to start joking with him now.


    ¡°And are you someone I can trust?¡± I questioned him.


    ¡°Who told you about Harriet¡¯s dishonest ways? Me? Soe on, you can count on me in this.¡±


    ¡°Counting on you?¡± I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m paying you man. And I just hope you keep to your words.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Luke Reynold. I¡¯m not going to let you down.


    I gave him a skeptical look. Yeah, something like that. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    He walked away after that. I stood still, thinking about the whole conversation we


    had.


    I still couldn¡¯t believe this guy wanted this huge amount of money, just for amon information. Worst


    part of it all, was that I never even wanted to have a knowledge of it. But he kept on hagriding me, so


    galling.


    But I would have to do this for Riley. Yes, that beautiful soul. The person that sent those good¨Cfor¨C


    nothing men to attack me, was so going to pay.


    A car parked in front of me, and Jack came out, already ready for work, dressed in his suit, boldly


    walking in my direction. I did nothing but look at him as he got closer to me.


    ¡°Good morning, sir,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Good morning assistant. How may I be of help to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I just came to rify a few things with you,¡± he said, and trailed off. After that, he hit his face,


    looking disappointed in himself.


    ¡°Damnit. I forgot it in the car,¡± he inaudibly spoke to himself. ¡°Hold on sir, just give me a minute, will


    you?¡±


    I nodded, and he rushed to his car, probably to bring out whatever he had left there.


    Another car showed up, parking behind that of Jack¡¯s. And you could just guess the two nimrods who


    slowly came out. It was Andre, and his beloved friend; Ariel.

 Chapter 95

    95 TENSIONS IGNITE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As they stepped out of the car, I couldn¡¯t help but re at Ariel and Andre. I had no idea why, but my


    blood boiled as I watched him hold her hand, only to quickly. let go when he saw me.


    I couldn¡¯t believe this man had the audacity to unt this nonsense with Ariel in front of me. I could feel


    the anger rising within me as I scrutinized them, wondering how they both spent the night together,


    probably wrapping themselves in each other¡¯s arms.


    Andre may have thought he could hide that goddamn feeling of his, but I could see it all over his face.


    How he was just smiling when they both burst out of the


    car.


    I was seething with rage, yet trying to control my emotions at the sight of them. together. I didn¡¯t know


    why this had to hurt at the moment. It was kind of fucked up. But there had to be a reasonable


    exnation for this.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You take care, Ariel. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Andre smiled at me


    ¡°Okay that¡¯s nice.¡± I beamed back at him, and we both hugged each other, letting go in the next


    second.


    Andre¡¯s warm hand sped around mine, radiating happiness as he bid me farewell and climbed into


    his car. I waved to him, feeling content and grateful for his presence.


    As he drove away, his smile lingered in my mind, filling me with warmth and joy. And then my eyes


    caught Luke¡¯s.


    He stood outside his gate, his hands dipped in his pocket, his posture rigid and his gaze intense. And


    at this moment, I felt a shiver run down my spine, looking at him.


    His expression was one of pure malice, his eyes dark and intimidating. For a moment, I got scared, as


    if I hade face to face with the devil himself. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had caused him to be


    in such a state. Moving closer to him might be a terrible option at the moment.


    Luke and I gazed at each other for quite some seconds, and then Jack had to walk past me, holding


    some files. He advanced towards Luke, handing the files to him.


    They started having a conversation, and I knew this was my chance to get in that


    house, and avoid any sort of trouble, or whatever. So, I struck into walking slowly, and Luke¡¯s eyes met


    mine again, the dark look, causing me to halt.


    Jack was talking to him, but it was like he wasn¡¯t even listening to anything his assistant was telling me.


    He was just staring at me, and no one else. Could have been Medusa¡¯s twin brother, or something.


    Anyways, I decided to terminate the fear, putting on all courage, like the


    transfigured Ariel that I was. And the I quickly walked to the gate, but Luke told me to stop that very


    moment.


    His dark tone, harsh voice. I didn¡¯t even know why he had to be so mad seeing me and Andre together.


    Was he jealous, or what?


    ¡°You can go now. We¡¯ll continue this discussionter at work.¡± Luke patted Jack on the back.


    ¡°Okay boss.¡± Jack nodded, and made his way to his car, driving away headlong.


    Luke turned to me. ¡°You. I see you had a good time at Andre¡¯s house.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but give him a puzzled face. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. I saw how that man was smiling after you both burst out of the car. It was really


    weird, and suspicious.¡± His face was goddamn serious.


    ¡°Hold on, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jealous.¡± I generated a silly grin.


    Luke chuckled. ¡°Why would I be jealous? There¡¯s no way I would be jealous seeing you with someone.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s written all over your face.¡± I kept on with my teasing grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try and crack jokes around here. I¡¯m not in the mood for that.¡± Luke crossed his arms, frowning


    his face.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re jealous.¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that word again,¡± he said in a bitter tone.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make sure you stop acting crazy.¡± He shook his head after those words, letting out a


    deep sigh. ¡°Have you finallye home, or you¡¯re going back to Andre¡¯s house to have more fun?


    Iughed. ¡°Come on now, don¡¯t start thinking too far.¡°.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t actually doing that,¡± I retorted.


    Luke turned around, the re still lingering on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to work. now. You can go to


    Andre¡¯s house if you want. I don¡¯t love you anyway.¡±


    I shook my head,ughing silently. ¡°Wow, Luke. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re jealous of Andre.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is joking with you around here?¡± He turned back, ring at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, sir. I¡¯m just spitting facts,¡± I replied, and myugh got a little bit louder.


    ¡°You¡¯re always spitting facts. And they¡¯re all nonsense,¡± Luke spat harshly.


    I gave him a sardonic smirk. ¡°Just admit it, you¡¯re jealous.¡±


    He chuckled in disbelief. ¡°I can never be jealous of someone because he¡¯s spending time with you. You


    can even sleep with random men, and go out with them all you want. That¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you sure about that?¡± I aksed, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Cause you¡¯re seeing me with one man


    now, amd you¡¯re all jealous.¡±


    ¡°Just let me be!¡± He stormed off, walking through the gate. At least that softened. his mood.


    As I exhaled a heavy breath, the gates swung open and the sound of Luke¡¯s car horn filled the air. I


    spun around, my eyes widening, as I saw his vehicle approaching dangerously close to where I stood.


    Like what the heck!!


    I quickly moved out of the way, but I stumbled,nding on the ground. Luke stopped his car, and he


    came outside, scrutinizing me.


    I looked at him, hoping he would lend me a hand, help me get up, or something. But no, the scumbag


    had to turn around, transposing nigher to the door of his car.


    I swiftly rose to my feet, and seized his shirt. I wasn¡¯t going to let him get away. with this. Hell nah!


    Luke turned around, ring at me. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that.¡± My grip on his shirt became more tight.


    ¡°Let go of me before I lose it on you!¡± He snapped.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to hit me?¡± Iughed, averting my gaze, but I looked at him. anyway. ¡°You still aren¡¯t


    satisfied after causing me to fall down, huh?¡±


    ¡°You, falling, has nothing to do with me.¡± He denied.


    ¡°Oh please. You would have hit me if I didn¡¯t move out of the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually a good thing. Bute on, that was not my intention.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we let the car speak?¡± I walked to the car, sticking my hand in, through the window.


    ¡°Say what now?¡± Luke made a puzzled face. ¡°Okay there is no way the car can¡­.


    I blew the horn of his car, interrupting him.


    ¡°Talk,¡± he added lowly, after I was done making the bluster.


    96 CANCELLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Love was like a warm nket on a chilly night, wrapping around you and making everything feel okay.


    It was the feeling when you wanted to make someone smile just because their happiness meant the


    world to you.


    My Lukel and Janice were my love personified. They were like the brightest stars in my sky, each one


    precious and unique. I would move mountains to shield them from harm, to keep them safe and sound.


    That¡¯s what a mother did she protected her little ones with everything she had.


    When I looked at Lukel, I saw his bright eyes full of wonder and innocence. Hel was like a little


    sunbeam, bringing light into every corner of my world. Hisughter was my melody, and his hugs were


    my refuge. I made sure nothing ever dimmed his light.


    Janice, my sweet Janice, she was like a delicate flower, so full of grace and beauty. Her smile was my


    sunshine, brightening even the darkest days. I guarded her with all my strength, just like a fortress


    shielding its most precious treasure.


    Love was also like the sturdy oak tree, providing shelter and strength. My love for Lukel and Janice was


    like those strong roots, grounding them, giving them a ce to grow and thrive. I was their rock, their


    anchor; I was there to guide them. through every storm.


    I would invariably watch over them, making sure the depth of my love was felt. It was like a river that


    flowed endlessly, carrying them through life¡¯s journey. I was theirpass, their beacon, steering them


    through the rough waters, making sure they found their way to happiness and peace.


    I made a silent promise to myself from the times I watched them sleep ¨C nothing would ever harm


    them. I would stand between them and any


    danger that dared toe close. My love would be their shield, their safe harbor, and their unwavering


    protector.


    Lukel and Janice, my precious ones, were the living embodiment of my love, and I cherished and


    guarded them for as long as I drew breath. That¡¯s what love was a mother¡¯s unyielding devotion, a


    bond that nothing in this world could break.


    I sat at my desk in my office, scrolling through a collection of stunning photographs of my two children,


    Lukel and Janice. As I looked at their sweet faces, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how incredibly adorable


    they were.


    I felt grateful and blessed to have such beautiful and precious children in my life.


    Their innocence and joy brought a sense of warmth and happiness to my heart. I was just so lucky to


    be their parent and to have the privilege of watching them grow and flourish into amazing individuals.


    These little children of mine were truly a gift, and I cherished every moment with them.


    Daniel stormed into my office, his face red with fury and his fists clenched tightly. I could feel the


    tension in the air as he stood before me, his eyes burning with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    had caused him to be in such a state.


    Was it something I had done or salid? Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. Not at all. It couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Daniel, and who told you, you could just barge into my office?¡± I queried


    loudly. I didn¡¯t like nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh sorry Miss. But this anger is something I can¡¯t control!¡± Daniel snapped.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, friend. What¡¯s going on?¡± I softened my tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to the deal I made with you. I¡¯m cancelling our project!¡± His words came as a big


    shock to me.


    ¡°Why exactly? I aksed.


    ¡°Go and ask him!¡± Daniel¡¯s harsh tone became harder.


    ¡°Who? Stop keeping me confused around here. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Go and ask your husband!¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I made a confused cast.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had enough of his nonsense. He thinks too high of himself,¡± Daniel. mentioned.


    ¡°What did he do?


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here to gossip. I just came to let you know that I¡¯m cancelling all our projects together.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Daniel. You don¡¯t have to be so harsh,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± He gave me the bitter look, turning around.


    Daniel stormed out of my office, mming the door behind him. And now, I wondered what did Luke do


    this time to set him off? That goofball always seemed to find a way to push people¡¯s buttons.


    But really, what was even wrong with him? I know, he could be like a total *maniac, and an annoying


    birdbrain most of the times. Sometimes I think it¡¯s a


    miracle that Luke even manages to function in society.


    I quickly moved to my table, grabbing a hold of my phone, and then I began to call Luke. It took quite


    some time though, but he answered anyway.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I snapped instantly.


    ¡°What the hell is¡­what are you saying?¡± His tone could tell how confused he was. But thei was none of


    my goddamn business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying,¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Ariel, will you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Daniel?¡± I aksed, underneath my breath, pressing my phone against my ear.


    ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. He just cancelled his projects with me, all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luke said inaudibly. But I heard his goofy ass.


    ¡°Now you better start talking Mr.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡±


    ¡°Why am I getting all worked up?!¡± I repeated his question, but not in the same. manner. ¡°Do you have


    any idea how much I just lost?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do too much. Act like you had never met him,¡± Luke suggested.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor.¡± Rose entered my office. I sighed.


    ¡°We still have so much to talk about. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± I hanged up, dropping my phone on the


    desk.


    I drove my hands through my hair forthwith. Luke Reynold was one crazy man.


    I stood by the road, listening to all the sounds people and cars made. I looked at my phone, flipping


    through pictures of Lukel and Janice.


    The cars zoomed past, and I felt peaceful hearing the mix of voices and engines. It was nice to take a


    moment and think about these people who mean a lot to me.


    Each photo brought back good memories, making me smile. And of course, I was really lucky to have


    all these people here with me. Andre and his family, marvelous blessings that showered upon me.


    *I wanted to get myself something to eat from a shop across. But I was too busy, looking at my phone,


    that I forgot I was going to cross the road. But my senses


    HCANCELLED


    came back anyway.


    I kept my phone back in my purse, and then I focused on the road. At that moment, I spotted someone


    standing from across. His face was wonderful, and his eyes were great, but he had this pestiferous


    attitude.


    Yes, and yes. Luke was the one my eyes had caught. He had his hands on his pockets, and his eyes


    met mine.

 Chapter 96

    96 CANCELLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Love was like a warm nket on a chilly night, wrapping around you and making everything feel okay.


    It was the feeling when you wanted to make someone smile just because their happiness meant the


    world to you.


    My Lukel and Janice were my love personified. They were like the brightest stars in my sky, each one


    precious and unique. I would move mountains to shield them from harm, to keep them safe and sound.


    That¡¯s what a mother did she protected her little ones with everything she had.


    When I looked at Lukel, I saw his bright eyes full of wonder and innocence. Hel was like a little


    sunbeam, bringing light into every corner of my world. Hisughter was my melody, and his hugs were


    my refuge. I made sure nothing ever dimmed his light.


    Janice, my sweet Janice, she was like a delicate flower, so full of grace and beauty. Her smile was my


    sunshine, brightening even the darkest days. I guarded her with all my strength, just like a fortress


    shielding its most precious treasure.


    Love was also like the sturdy oak tree, providing shelter and strength. My love for Lukel and Janice was


    like those strong roots, grounding them, giving them a ce to grow and thrive. I was their rock, their


    anchor; I was there to guide them. through every storm.


    I would invariably watch over them, making sure the depth of my love was felt. It was like a river that


    flowed endlessly, carrying them through life¡¯s journey. I was theirpass, their beacon, steering them


    through the rough waters, making sure they found their way to happiness and peace.


    I made a silent promise to myself from the times I watched them sleep ¨C nothing would ever harm


    them. I would stand between them and any


    danger that dared toe close. My love would be their shield, their safe harbor, and their unwavering


    protector.


    Lukel and Janice, my precious ones, were the living embodiment of my love, and I cherished and


    guarded them for as long as I drew breath. That¡¯s what love was a mother¡¯s unyielding devotion, a


    bond that nothing in this world could break.


    I sat at my desk in my office, scrolling through a collection of stunning photographs of my two children,


    Lukel and Janice. As I looked at their sweet faces, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how incredibly adorable


    they were.


    I felt grateful and blessed to have such beautiful and precious children in my life.


    Their innocence and joy brought a sense of warmth and happiness to my heart. I was just so lucky to


    be their parent and to have the privilege of watching them grow and flourish into amazing individuals.


    These little children of mine were truly a gift, and I cherished every moment with them.


    Daniel stormed into my office, his face red with fury and his fists clenched tightly. I could feel the


    tension in the air as he stood before me, his eyes burning with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    had caused him to be in such a state.


    Was it something I had done or salid? Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. Not at all. It couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Daniel, and who told you, you could just barge into my office?¡± I queried


    loudly. I didn¡¯t like nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh sorry Miss. But this anger is something I can¡¯t control!¡± Daniel snapped.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, friend. What¡¯s going on?¡± I softened my tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to the deal I made with you. I¡¯m cancelling our project!¡± His words came as a big


    shock to me.


    ¡°Why exactly? I aksed.


    ¡°Go and ask him!¡± Daniel¡¯s harsh tone became harder.


    ¡°Who? Stop keeping me confused around here. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Go and ask your husband!¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I made a confused cast.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had enough of his nonsense. He thinks too high of himself,¡± Daniel. mentioned.


    ¡°What did he do?


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here to gossip. I just came to let you know that I¡¯m cancelling all our projects together.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Daniel. You don¡¯t have to be so harsh,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± He gave me the bitter look, turning around.


    Daniel stormed out of my office, mming the door behind him. And now, I wondered what did Luke do


    this time to set him off? That goofball always seemed to find a way to push people¡¯s buttons.


    But really, what was even wrong with him? I know, he could be like a total *maniac, and an annoying


    birdbrain most of the times. Sometimes I think it¡¯s a


    miracle that Luke even manages to function in society.


    I quickly moved to my table, grabbing a hold of my phone, and then I began to call Luke. It took quite


    some time though, but he answered anyway.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I snapped instantly.


    ¡°What the hell is¡­what are you saying?¡± His tone could tell how confused he was. But thei was none of


    my goddamn business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying,¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Ariel, will you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Daniel?¡± I aksed, underneath my breath, pressing my phone against my ear.


    ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. He just cancelled his projects with me, all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luke said inaudibly. But I heard his goofy ass.


    ¡°Now you better start talking Mr.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡±


    ¡°Why am I getting all worked up?!¡± I repeated his question, but not in the same. manner. ¡°Do you have


    any idea how much I just lost?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do too much. Act like you had never met him,¡± Luke suggested.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor.¡± Rose entered my office. I sighed.


    ¡°We still have so much to talk about. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± I hanged up, dropping my phone on the


    desk.


    I drove my hands through my hair forthwith. Luke Reynold was one crazy man.


    I stood by the road, listening to all the sounds people and cars made. I looked at my phone, flipping


    through pictures of Lukel and Janice.


    The cars zoomed past, and I felt peaceful hearing the mix of voices and engines. It was nice to take a


    moment and think about these people who mean a lot to me.


    Each photo brought back good memories, making me smile. And of course, I was really lucky to have


    all these people here with me. Andre and his family, marvelous blessings that showered upon me.


    *I wanted to get myself something to eat from a shop across. But I was too busy, looking at my phone,


    that I forgot I was going to cross the road. But my senses


    HCANCELLED


    came back anyway.


    I kept my phone back in my purse, and then I focused on the road. At that moment, I spotted someone


    standing from across. His face was wonderful, and his eyes were great, but he had this pestiferous


    attitude.


    Yes, and yes. Luke was the one my eyes had caught. He had his hands on his pockets, and his eyes


    met mine.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    96 CANCELLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Love was like a warm nket on a chilly night, wrapping around you and making everything feel okay.


    It was the feeling when you wanted to make someone smile just because their happiness meant the


    world to you.


    My Lukel and Janice were my love personified. They were like the brightest stars in my sky, each one


    precious and unique. I would move mountains to shield them from harm, to keep them safe and sound.


    That¡¯s what a mother did she protected her little ones with everything she had.


    When I looked at Lukel, I saw his bright eyes full of wonder and innocence. Hel was like a little


    sunbeam, bringing light into every corner of my world. Hisughter was my melody, and his hugs were


    my refuge. I made sure nothing ever dimmed his light.


    Janice, my sweet Janice, she was like a delicate flower, so full of grace and beauty. Her smile was my


    sunshine, brightening even the darkest days. I guarded her with all my strength, just like a fortress


    shielding its most precious treasure.


    Love was also like the sturdy oak tree, providing shelter and strength. My love for Lukel and Janice was


    like those strong roots, grounding them, giving them a ce to grow and thrive. I was their rock, their


    anchor; I was there to guide them. through every storm.


    I would invariably watch over them, making sure the depth of my love was felt. It was like a river that


    flowed endlessly, carrying them through life¡¯s journey. I was theirpass, their beacon, steering them


    through the rough waters, making sure they found their way to happiness and peace.


    I made a silent promise to myself from the times I watched them sleep ¨C nothing would ever harm


    them. I would stand between them and any


    danger that dared toe close. My love would be their shield, their safe harbor, and their unwavering


    protector.


    Lukel and Janice, my precious ones, were the living embodiment of my love, and I cherished and


    guarded them for as long as I drew breath. That¡¯s what love was a mother¡¯s unyielding devotion, a


    bond that nothing in this world could break.


    I sat at my desk in my office, scrolling through a collection of stunning photographs of my two children,


    Lukel and Janice. As I looked at their sweet faces, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how incredibly adorable


    they were.


    I felt grateful and blessed to have such beautiful and precious children in my life.


    Their innocence and joy brought a sense of warmth and happiness to my heart. I was just so lucky to


    be their parent and to have the privilege of watching them grow and flourish into amazing individuals.


    These little children of mine were truly a gift, and I cherished every moment with them.


    Daniel stormed into my office, his face red with fury and his fists clenched tightly. I could feel the


    tension in the air as he stood before me, his eyes burning with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    had caused him to be in such a state.


    Was it something I had done or salid? Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. Not at all. It couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Daniel, and who told you, you could just barge into my office?¡± I queried


    loudly. I didn¡¯t like nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh sorry Miss. But this anger is something I can¡¯t control!¡± Daniel snapped.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, friend. What¡¯s going on?¡± I softened my tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to the deal I made with you. I¡¯m cancelling our project!¡± His words came as a big


    shock to me.


    ¡°Why exactly? I aksed.


    ¡°Go and ask him!¡± Daniel¡¯s harsh tone became harder.


    ¡°Who? Stop keeping me confused around here. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Go and ask your husband!¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I made a confused cast.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had enough of his nonsense. He thinks too high of himself,¡± Daniel. mentioned.


    ¡°What did he do?


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here to gossip. I just came to let you know that I¡¯m cancelling all our projects together.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Daniel. You don¡¯t have to be so harsh,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± He gave me the bitter look, turning around.


    Daniel stormed out of my office, mming the door behind him. And now, I wondered what did Luke do


    this time to set him off? That goofball always seemed to find a way to push people¡¯s buttons.


    But really, what was even wrong with him? I know, he could be like a total *maniac, and an annoying


    birdbrain most of the times. Sometimes I think it¡¯s a


    miracle that Luke even manages to function in society.


    I quickly moved to my table, grabbing a hold of my phone, and then I began to call Luke. It took quite


    some time though, but he answered anyway.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I snapped instantly.


    ¡°What the hell is¡­what are you saying?¡± His tone could tell how confused he was. But thei was none of


    my goddamn business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying,¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Ariel, will you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Daniel?¡± I aksed, underneath my breath, pressing my phone against my ear.


    ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. He just cancelled his projects with me, all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luke said inaudibly. But I heard his goofy ass.


    ¡°Now you better start talking Mr.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡±


    ¡°Why am I getting all worked up?!¡± I repeated his question, but not in the same. manner. ¡°Do you have


    any idea how much I just lost?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do too much. Act like you had never met him,¡± Luke suggested.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor.¡± Rose entered my office. I sighed.


    ¡°We still have so much to talk about. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± I hanged up, dropping my phone on the


    desk.


    I drove my hands through my hair forthwith. Luke Reynold was one crazy man.


    I stood by the road, listening to all the sounds people and cars made. I looked at my phone, flipping


    through pictures of Lukel and Janice.


    The cars zoomed past, and I felt peaceful hearing the mix of voices and engines. It was nice to take a


    moment and think about these people who mean a lot to me.


    Each photo brought back good memories, making me smile. And of course, I was really lucky to have


    all these people here with me. Andre and his family, marvelous blessings that showered upon me.


    *I wanted to get myself something to eat from a shop across. But I was too busy, looking at my phone,


    that I forgot I was going to cross the road. But my senses


    HCANCELLED


    came back anyway.


    96 CANCELLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Love was like a warm nket on a chilly night, wrapping around you and making everything feel okay.


    It was the feeling when you wanted to make someone smile just because their happiness meant the


    world to you.


    My Lukel and Janice were my love personified. They were like the brightest stars in my sky, each one


    precious and unique. I would move mountains to shield them from harm, to keep them safe and sound.


    That¡¯s what a mother did she protected her little ones with everything she had.


    When I looked at Lukel, I saw his bright eyes full of wonder and innocence. Hel was like a little


    sunbeam, bringing light into every corner of my world. Hisughter was my melody, and his hugs were


    my refuge. I made sure nothing ever dimmed his light.


    Janice, my sweet Janice, she was like a delicate flower, so full of grace and beauty. Her smile was my


    sunshine, brightening even the darkest days. I guarded her with all my strength, just like a fortress


    shielding its most precious treasure.


    Love was also like the sturdy oak tree, providing shelter and strength. My love for Lukel and Janice was


    like those strong roots, grounding them, giving them a ce to grow and thrive. I was their rock, their


    anchor; I was there to guide them. through every storm.


    I would invariably watch over them, making sure the depth of my love was felt. It was like a river that


    flowed endlessly, carrying them through life¡¯s journey. I was theirpass, their beacon, steering them


    through the rough waters, making sure they found their way to happiness and peace.


    I made a silent promise to myself from the times I watched them sleep ¨C nothing would ever harm


    them. I would stand between them and any


    danger that dared toe close. My love would be their shield, their safe harbor, and their unwavering


    protector.


    Lukel and Janice, my precious ones, were the living embodiment of my love, and I cherished and


    guarded them for as long as I drew breath. That¡¯s what love was a mother¡¯s unyielding devotion, a


    bond that nothing in this world could break.


    I sat at my desk in my office, scrolling through a collection of stunning photographs of my two children,


    Lukel and Janice. As I looked at their sweet faces, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how incredibly adorable


    they were.


    I felt grateful and blessed to have such beautiful and precious children in my life.


    Their innocence and joy brought a sense of warmth and happiness to my heart. I was just so lucky to


    be their parent and to have the privilege of watching them grow and flourish into amazing individuals.


    These little children of mine were truly a gift, and I cherished every moment with them.


    Daniel stormed into my office, his face red with fury and his fists clenched tightly. I could feel the


    tension in the air as he stood before me, his eyes burning with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    had caused him to be in such a state.


    Was it something I had done or salid? Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. Not at all. It couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Daniel, and who told you, you could just barge into my office?¡± I queried


    loudly. I didn¡¯t like nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh sorry Miss. But this anger is something I can¡¯t control!¡± Daniel snapped.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, friend. What¡¯s going on?¡± I softened my tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to the deal I made with you. I¡¯m cancelling our project!¡± His words came as a big


    shock to me.


    ¡°Why exactly? I aksed.


    ¡°Go and ask him!¡± Daniel¡¯s harsh tone became harder.


    ¡°Who? Stop keeping me confused around here. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Go and ask your husband!¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I made a confused cast.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had enough of his nonsense. He thinks too high of himself,¡± Daniel. mentioned.


    ¡°What did he do?


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here to gossip. I just came to let you know that I¡¯m cancelling all our projects together.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Daniel. You don¡¯t have to be so harsh,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± He gave me the bitter look, turning around.


    Daniel stormed out of my office, mming the door behind him. And now, I wondered what did Luke do


    this time to set him off? That goofball always seemed to find a way to push people¡¯s buttons.


    But really, what was even wrong with him? I know, he could be like a total *maniac, and an annoying


    birdbrain most of the times. Sometimes I think it¡¯s a


    miracle that Luke even manages to function in society.


    I quickly moved to my table, grabbing a hold of my phone, and then I began to call Luke. It took quite


    some time though, but he answered anyway.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I snapped instantly.


    ¡°What the hell is¡­what are you saying?¡± His tone could tell how confused he was. But thei was none of


    my goddamn business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying,¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Ariel, will you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Daniel?¡± I aksed, underneath my breath, pressing my phone against my ear.


    ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. He just cancelled his projects with me, all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luke said inaudibly. But I heard his goofy ass.


    ¡°Now you better start talking Mr.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡±


    ¡°Why am I getting all worked up?!¡± I repeated his question, but not in the same. manner. ¡°Do you have


    any idea how much I just lost?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do too much. Act like you had never met him,¡± Luke suggested.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor.¡± Rose entered my office. I sighed.


    ¡°We still have so much to talk about. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± I hanged up, dropping my phone on the


    desk.


    I drove my hands through my hair forthwith. Luke Reynold was one crazy man.


    I stood by the road, listening to all the sounds people and cars made. I looked at my phone, flipping


    through pictures of Lukel and Janice.


    The cars zoomed past, and I felt peaceful hearing the mix of voices and engines. It was nice to take a


    moment and think about these people who mean a lot to me.


    Each photo brought back good memories, making me smile. And of course, I was really lucky to have


    all these people here with me. Andre and his family, marvelous blessings that showered upon me.


    *I wanted to get myself something to eat from a shop across. But I was too busy, looking at my phone,


    that I forgot I was going to cross the road. But my senses


    HCANCELLED


    came back anyway.


    96 CANCELLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Love was like a warm nket on a chilly night, wrapping around you and making everything feel okay.


    It was the feeling when you wanted to make someone smile just because their happiness meant the


    world to you.


    My Lukel and Janice were my love personified. They were like the brightest stars in my sky, each one


    precious and unique. I would move mountains to shield them from harm, to keep them safe and sound.


    That¡¯s what a mother did she protected her little ones with everything she had.


    When I looked at Lukel, I saw his bright eyes full of wonder and innocence. Hel was like a little


    sunbeam, bringing light into every corner of my world. Hisughter was my melody, and his hugs were


    my refuge. I made sure nothing ever dimmed his light.


    Janice, my sweet Janice, she was like a delicate flower, so full of grace and beauty. Her smile was my


    sunshine, brightening even the darkest days. I guarded her with all my strength, just like a fortress


    shielding its most precious treasure.


    Love was also like the sturdy oak tree, providing shelter and strength. My love for Lukel and Janice was


    like those strong roots, grounding them, giving them a ce to grow and thrive. I was their rock, their


    anchor; I was there to guide them. through every storm.


    I would invariably watch over them, making sure the depth of my love was felt. It was like a river that


    flowed endlessly, carrying them through life¡¯s journey. I was theirpass, their beacon, steering them


    through the rough waters, making sure they found their way to happiness and peace.


    I made a silent promise to myself from the times I watched them sleep ¨C nothing would ever harm


    them. I would stand between them and any


    danger that dared toe close. My love would be their shield, their safe harbor, and their unwavering


    protector.


    Lukel and Janice, my precious ones, were the living embodiment of my love, and I cherished and


    guarded them for as long as I drew breath. That¡¯s what love was a mother¡¯s unyielding devotion, a


    bond that nothing in this world could break.


    I sat at my desk in my office, scrolling through a collection of stunning photographs of my two children,


    Lukel and Janice. As I looked at their sweet faces, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how incredibly adorable


    they were.


    I felt grateful and blessed to have such beautiful and precious children in my life.


    Their innocence and joy brought a sense of warmth and happiness to my heart. I was just so lucky to


    be their parent and to have the privilege of watching them grow and flourish into amazing individuals.


    These little children of mine were truly a gift, and I cherished every moment with them.


    Daniel stormed into my office, his face red with fury and his fists clenched tightly. I could feel the


    tension in the air as he stood before me, his eyes burning with anger. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    had caused him to be in such a state.


    Was it something I had done or salid? Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. Not at all. It couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Daniel, and who told you, you could just barge into my office?¡± I queried


    loudly. I didn¡¯t like nonsense around here.


    ¡°Oh sorry Miss. But this anger is something I can¡¯t control!¡± Daniel snapped.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, friend. What¡¯s going on?¡± I softened my tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an end to the deal I made with you. I¡¯m cancelling our project!¡± His words came as a big


    shock to me.


    ¡°Why exactly? I aksed.


    ¡°Go and ask him!¡± Daniel¡¯s harsh tone became harder.


    ¡°Who? Stop keeping me confused around here. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Go and ask your husband!¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Luke?¡± I made a confused cast.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had enough of his nonsense. He thinks too high of himself,¡± Daniel. mentioned.


    ¡°What did he do?


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here to gossip. I just came to let you know that I¡¯m cancelling all our projects together.¡±


    ¡°Come on now, Daniel. You don¡¯t have to be so harsh,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. It¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± He gave me the bitter look, turning around.


    Daniel stormed out of my office, mming the door behind him. And now, I wondered what did Luke do


    this time to set him off? That goofball always seemed to find a way to push people¡¯s buttons.


    But really, what was even wrong with him? I know, he could be like a total *maniac, and an annoying


    birdbrain most of the times. Sometimes I think it¡¯s a


    miracle that Luke even manages to function in society.


    I quickly moved to my table, grabbing a hold of my phone, and then I began to call Luke. It took quite


    some time though, but he answered anyway.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I snapped instantly.


    ¡°What the hell is¡­what are you saying?¡± His tone could tell how confused he was. But thei was none of


    my goddamn business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying,¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Ariel, will you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°What did you do to Daniel?¡± I aksed, underneath my breath, pressing my phone against my ear.


    ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. He just cancelled his projects with me, all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Luke said inaudibly. But I heard his goofy ass.


    ¡°Now you better start talking Mr.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡±


    ¡°Why am I getting all worked up?!¡± I repeated his question, but not in the same. manner. ¡°Do you have


    any idea how much I just lost?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do too much. Act like you had never met him,¡± Luke suggested.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor.¡± Rose entered my office. I sighed.


    ¡°We still have so much to talk about. I¡¯m not done with you.¡± I hanged up, dropping my phone on the


    desk.


    I drove my hands through my hair forthwith. Luke Reynold was one crazy man.


    I stood by the road, listening to all the sounds people and cars made. I looked at my phone, flipping


    through pictures of Lukel and Janice.


    The cars zoomed past, and I felt peaceful hearing the mix of voices and engines. It was nice to take a


    moment and think about these people who mean a lot to me.


    Each photo brought back good memories, making me smile. And of course, I was really lucky to have


    all these people here with me. Andre and his family, marvelous blessings that showered upon me.


    *I wanted to get myself something to eat from a shop across. But I was too busy, looking at my phone,


    that I forgot I was going to cross the road. But my senses


    HCANCELLED


    came back anyway.


    I kept my phone back in my purse, and then I focused on the road. At that moment, I spotted someone


    standing from across. His face was wonderful, and his eyes were great, but he had this pestiferous


    attitude.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Yes, and yes. Luke was the one my eyes had caught. He had his hands on his pockets, and his eyes


    met mine.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    I kept my phone back in my purse, and then I focused on the road. At that moment, I spotted someone


    standing from across. His face was wonderful, and his eyes were great, but he had this pestiferous


    attitude.


    Yes, and yes. Luke was the one my eyes had caught. He had his hands on his pockets, and his eyes


    met mine.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    I kept my phone back in my purse, and then I focused on the road. At that moment, I spotted someone


    standing from across. His face was wonderful, and his eyes were great, but he had this pestiferous


    attitude.


    Yes, and yes. Luke was the one my eyes had caught. He had his hands on his pockets, and his eyes


    met mine.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 97

    97 AND THERE WE STOOD


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Now here I was, standing still, and staring at Luke, who was also staring at me across the road. The


    anger within me was quite clear, and I just wanted to sove him, and kneel his balls, or something. But


    some other mind told me to not do anything stupid.


    And Luke was really stupid, acting crazy continuously. So, I too needed to do the same, so I could


    handle him pretty well. As the Ava Max song goes, sweet but a psycho. I¡¯m so going to show this man


    how crazy I could get.


    As Luke¡¯s intense gaze continued to bore into me, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what thoughts were


    running through his head. Was he angry? Confused?


    Why was he going to be angry anyway? He was the one who did shit. If someon was to be upset


    around here, it should be me. And confused? Nah, he obviously knew what I had in mind right now.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    But whatever it was in his head, I couldn¡¯t deny the urge to speak my mind and let him know exactly


    how I felt. I knew it would probably start an argument. Yeah, it was definitely going to start an


    argument.


    Well I was sick and tired of his goddamn demeanor. It was just so galling. Tongue shing him was


    something I was nning on carrying out, right here, right


    now.


    But now, I just couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t unt the rage within me, and I felt frozen for some reason. With the


    gaze still on, I felt like a statue. And looking into his eyes, I could recall the past conflicts between us.


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    Sitting on the bed, I felt the weight of my tears as they trickled down my face, each drop carrying the


    weight of my despair. Trying to keep myselfposed, I braced for Luke¡¯s approach.


    He was d in nothing but a towel, a sight that made my heart race faster with fear. His expression


    was so menacing, so full of an inexplicable intensity, that I couldn¡¯t help but be petrified as he steadily


    closed the distance between us.


    In that moment, the air felt thick with worry, and every step he took seemed to echo in the room, each


    one bringing him closer to where I sat, feeling smaller and more vulnerable than ever. The sight of him,


    coupled with his piercing gaze, left *me trembling in anticipation of what mighte next. It felt like the


    walls were


    closing in on me, and I was frozen in ce, unable to escape the impending


    confrontation


    be drew neat, my mind raced with a mix of emotions: fear, confusion, and a growing sense of


    helplessness. I tried to summon the strength to confront him, but his intimidating presence seemed to


    suffocate any courage I had left. His eyes bore into mine, and I found myself unable to look away,


    trapped in a silent battle of wills.


    The sound of my own ragged breathing filled the room, a stark contrast to the controlled and deliberate


    movements he made. In that moment, it felt like time had slowed down, each passing second


    stretching into an eternity of uncertainty and dread. I desperately thought of a way out, a way to break


    free from the paralyzing grip of fear that held me in ce.


    The seconds ticked by, each one feeling heavier than thest, until finally, he stood before me, his


    presence casting a long, foreboding shadow over the room. I braced myself for whatever was toe,


    my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for the inevitable.


    ¡°You good¨Cfor¨Cnothing fool.¡± He red at me, moving his face closer to mine.¡± What a golddigger you


    are. You want money right?¡±


    Luke pressed my jaws forcefully, causing me to wince in pain. His grip on my jaw was tight and


    unyielding, causing a sharp pain to shoot through my body.


    His expression remained dark and brooding, his hatred for me evident in his eyes. Despite my attempts


    to reason with him all these times, he seemed determined to inflict as much pain as possible, his anger


    consuming himpletely.


    I could only hope that he would eventuallye back to his senses before he decides to do anything


    baleful around here. Because at the moment, he was under the influence of alcohol.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want, huh? To live in wealth? Is this not what you want?!¡± Luke snarled, angrily


    pressing against my face.


    His grip on my jaw was tight and I could feel the pain shooting through my entire body. I wanted to


    scream, to fight back, but I knew it would only make things worse. So I closed my eyes and tried to


    block out the agony, hoping that it would be over soon.


    ¡°You and your worthless family. You guys came to my life miserable. So why shouldn¡¯t I do the same?


    Why shouldn¡¯t I make your life miserable?¡± His tone was bitter.


    ¡°¡°Speak!¡± He bawled, his grip on my jaws tightening. I could feel his frustration and anger mounting as


    he demanded for me to speak. But no matter how hard I


    tried, his force on my face was too much, preventing me from uttering a single


    word.


    It was as if my lips were glued shut, and I could see the desperation in his eyes, and the anger still


    lingering there, with his malevolent re stuck all around his face. I wanted to tell him something, to


    break the silence that had fallen between us, but his strong hold on my face had rendered me


    speechless.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to say anything?!¡± Luke barked, his grip on my jaws tightening before forcefully letting


    go.


    I gasped for air, my body wracked with pain, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak. Instead, I red at


    him, my eyes filled with anger and frustration.


    How could he treat me like this? I thought to myself, my jaw still throbbing from his rough handling.


    I knew I should say something, stand up for myself, but I was too afraid of what he might do if I did.


    Because right now, that alcohol had full control of him, and he could just transfigure into a mad dog, or


    something worse.


    So I remained silent, my gaze fixed on him, daring him to try and hurt me again. I swear, I wouldn¡¯t


    hesitate to find anything that would help me in making him unconscious. I wasn¡¯t going to care what the


    consequences may be.


    ¡°Okay then, suit yourself. Be silent all you want.¡± Luke got up, and as he turned around, he stumbled,


    falling down, all because of the intense alcohol he had taken.


    I thought about helping him get up, but I decided not to, because of the pain he had caused me. At


    least this was going to teach him some lesson tonight.


    s way to


    He made the bathroom, while I stood up, the re still etched on my face, and what just took ce was


    still on my mind. Although Luke disyed so much hate, spitting hurtful words, breaking me so much


    tines, he had never been this aggressive before. I wondered why the scumbag had to go and get tiddly.


    But anyways, he should suffer for his actions tonight.

 Chapter 98

    98 GIFTED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    lor, with his eyed still fixed it me, smirked, and began to traipse in my


    rection. 1 looked around, left and to the right, wondering if i was actually the one he wasing to


    meet. And when I nced at him once more, I noticed how he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me.


    Okay, creepy.


    And finally, he got nigh to me, looking into my eyes, and reminding me how tall he was. This was


    actually a perfect opportunity to kneel his balls, or maybe grab his throat and choke him. Worst- I could


    even give him a leg sweep, then thrust his dirty ass to the road, and let the vehicles crush his bones.


    Smart moves, malevolent thinking. Yeah, got to face reality, none of that was going toe to pass.


    ¡°You look more beautiful from afar than when someone¡¯s actually close to you.¡± Luke smirked, his


    hands still in his pockets.


    I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°I have no time for this right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? But you had the time to be rude to me on the phone,¡± he brought that


    1. up.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate to re at him. ¡°Sir, what the hell did you do?¡±


    ¡°To Daniel?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°To Daniel of course!¡± I snapped. ¡°Like, the guy was really angry. I was d we weren¡¯t close, I¡¯m pretty


    sure he would have ripped my head off.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he get close to you then?¡± Luke shook his head. ¡°Even in his anger, he was still a


    weakling.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to be so mean to everyone?¡± I aksed Luke, giving him a riling face.


    He chuckled. ¡°Why do you have to ask silly questions all the time?¡±


    ¡°How is this silly?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t walk up to you to waste my time, talking about nonsense.¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I raised an eyebrow, looking at him. ¡°Why did youe here then?¡±


    ¡°I only came to tell you not to mess with me. Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at


    me next time.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t still told me the shit you did to Daniel.¡±


    You don¡¯t have to know about that.¡± Luke turned his face away.


    ¡°Uhmm, I think I deserve to know, cause all my projects with The Oranos have officially been


    cancelled.¡±


    ¡°That is none of my business.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it is,¡± I spoke immediately. ¡°This disgusting action of yours looks like it¡¯s going to start affecting my


    business, and it needs to stop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, say what now?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, this has got to stop, okay?¡± I crossed my arms.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even know what happened between the both of us. That man just came to you, and started


    telling you shit, and you believed him. You don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s the bad guy here.¡±


    ¡°Well, Sir. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s refusing to tell me about your encounter with Daniel.¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because..¡± Luke trailed off immediately. His angry tone softened, and a deep sigh was what escaped


    his lips. ¡°Look, Ariel. I don¡¯t have to tell you this. But you just need to know that I saved your life.


    ¡°You saved my life?¡± I made a confused face. ¡°How exactly?¡±


    ¡°I told you already; you don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°How am I going to be grateful and appreciate what you did, if you don¡¯t tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your appreciation, or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? You really need to¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ariel!¡± Luke mentioned my name harshly. He suspired, his eyes narrowing downwards. I looked into


    his eyes, and I could see there was a little bit of truth to what he was saying.


    ¡°You just need to be happy that you¡¯re safe, okay?¡± He added, contemting me, and I couldn¡¯t take


    my eyes away from his. But then this little girl¡¯s ice cream fell on my my foot, messing my heel. Well,


    kind of.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the little girl apologized. Her voice was cute just like her face. And


    staring at her corpulent cheeks, I couldn¡¯t help but giggle.


    She wanted to clean my foot, but I quickly stopped her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay,¡± I said, hunkering down, smiling at her. ¡°I can see your ice cream just got ruined.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, and I have no money to buy another one. I bought that ice cream with the little


    money my mother gave to me. Now it¡¯s all gone, and I didn¡¯t even get a taste of it.¡±


    She wanted to cry, but I fixed my hand or her soft cheek, still beaming at her.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to cry now, okay?¡± My smile widened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your ice cream. I¡¯ll get you a


    new one.¡±


    She cleaned the little tears in her eyes. ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will,¡± Luke chimed in. I turned around to look at him.


    Was he being genuinely nice? Or was he just doing this, so people would


    acknowledge his deed? I couldn¡¯t tell anyway.


    Luke squatted as well, smiling at the little girl, and he gently took a hold of her hand. I was just staring


    at him.


    ¡°What is


    your name?¡± He grinned at her.


    ¡°Abigail,¡± she answered softly, while I cleaned the ice cream off my foot. It wasn¡¯t that much of a big


    deal.


    ¡°Abigail. What a beautiful name you got there.¡± Luke gently drew her cheek. He looked around. ¡°And


    where is this mother of yours?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s working,¡± Abigail replied, her innocent tone.


    ¡°Working?¡± Luke stated. She nodded. ¡°Sorry to ask, but what kind of work?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± I quizzed him without hesitation.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Luke retorted. Yeah, what a greateback.


    ¡°So tell me.¡± He turned back to Abigail. ¡°What¡¯s her job?¡±


    ¡°Well, she works at this ce where they handle trash. I don¡¯t really know. But we barely have food to


    eat everyday.¡±


    Luke smiled at me after that, and I rolled my eyes. I couldn¡¯t grasp that


    expression.¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Abigail. I¡¯ll take good care of you from now on, okay?¡± Luke stood up, with his hands fixed


    on Abigail¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure you live


    the happy life that you deserve.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Her cheeks widened with joy. Luke nodded, the delightful smile still lingering on his face.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we go get you that ice cream?¡± He raised both of his eyebrows, and Abigal nodded


    promptly.


    ¡°The ice cream stand is that way.¡± She led the way, with her finger pointing in the direction.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was great to see her happy, although this was the first time I crossed paths


    with her.


    I stood up as well, observing Luke, as he was just smiling at the little girl. ¡°That was nice of you.¡±


    He nced at me. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    I looked at him for a moment, and then I spoke,¡± Yeah, I actually like how you handled the situation.


    And your words were amazing. All were quite great, I¡¯ll say.


    ¡°Yeah, it was.¡± Luke gave me a fragile smile, and walked towards Abigail.


    He cleaved to her back, and the both of them wereughing with each other, as Luke was pointing at


    different ces all around the area. I couldn¡¯t get what they were actually saying, what he was telling


    her, but the moment was indeed at lovely one.


    Abigail turned around, looking at me. She quickly ran to me, and held my hand. ¡± Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    I beamed at her, and then my phone started ringing. Unknown ID, but I answered it anyway.


    ¡°I can see that joy on your face right now. Keep on smiling,dy,¡± the caller said.

 Chapter 99

    99 SHOPPING SPREE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The voice was very clear to me, and no doubt that it was Mason. He had obviouslye to remind me


    of the deadline. Well, I didn¡¯t forget about that. I needed to be close to Luke, being by his side all times


    now, if I wanted him to sign those documents.


    This used to be what I had pictured in my mind all these years. Revenge, bringing hell back to him just


    as he did to me. When I submerged in pain, the tearsing out of my eyes like how the rain dropped


    down. And the feelings were harder than rocks, had me broken like shattered sses. Thankfully,


    those days were no more. As I had said, this used to be what I wanted; intense passion for vengeance.


    Yes, that used to dwell within me. And my heart was really hard after those terrible moments, that no


    one could break it, nor hurt my feelings, unless you were threatening me with my children. But no one


    did that in the past years, until Mason came to change everything. But let¡¯s not go further in that.


    This was not the Luke I used to know. That version of Luke was baleful, cold- blooded, and he was


    consistently infuriated with me each second. I noticed the change when I came back to The United


    States, right here in New Haven. But I concealed those thoughts, never letting them break free.


    But now, with all the actions seen, and the millions of words spoken so far. I could see that his change


    had gotten to a whole new level. It was kind of a good thing, but a bad thing for me, because these


    feats of his, was deliberately


    softening me, and I never wished for that.


    ¡°Mason?¡± I uttered, sort of low, with my phone still pressed against my ear.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Ariel. How have you been doing?¡±


    I looked around, trying to see if I could catch sight of him, since it was obvious that he was around


    here, somewhere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start looking, Ariel. Trust me, you¡¯re not going to see me.¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling now?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Heughed. ¡°I¡¯m just calling to remind you about our n.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to remind me. I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±


    ¡°I never said you¡¯ve forgotten. I just want to make it clear to you, that those ¡®feelings of yours, you


    better terminate them, or keep them somewhere else. We¡¯ve gotten this far, and I don¡¯t want anything


    ruining this n.¡±


    ¡°And who told you I have feelings, huh?¡± I asked, my tone bing louder.


    Abigail was staring at me, and when I glimpsed at Luke, I discerned how he was


    simply observing me, standing not too far from my dire discerned how he was


    Mason chuckled to my question. ¡°Ariel my dear friend, there are some certain things that we see and


    know, without the person actually realizing it. And this is clearly your case around here. But you can


    keep lying to me, deceiving yourself, I don¡¯t care. Just don¡¯t do anything stupid that¡¯s going to ruin my


    n.¡±


    ¡°I understand, okay? Now can you please give me a break?¡±


    Mason still brought out that gallingugh. ¡°If I do, you might just let your feelings get the best of you. So


    I need to keep reminding you, that your children¡¯s lives are on the line here.¡±


    ¡°You do not have to worry about anything. I¡¯ll get those documents signed within the period of time you


    gave me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good of you,¡± he said, and hung up.


    I let out a deep sigh after that, and my eyes met those of Luke¡¯s. How he was staring at me, with


    curiosity written all over his face.


    ¡°Can we go now?¡± Abigail held my hand, looking up at me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered underneath my breath, with a smile. ¡°We can go now.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± She eximed, and traipsed forward, dragging me along. We walked past Luke, and he treaded


    behind us.


    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you guys took me here!¡± Abigail brought out loudly, scanning everywhere, in the


    huge mall Luke and I had taken her to.


    Well, it was more of Luke¡¯s idea. This had to be the greatest shopping mall in New Haven, with the


    clothes being surpassingly expensive. This was even my first time visiting this ce. And I have to say,


    it¡¯s really beautiful.


    I took in the sight of the vast, glittering space, filled with high¨Cend stores and luxurious decorations.


    The ceiling soared above us, adorned with golden glow. Everywhere was golden, absolutely beautiful.


    Of course, I believed this used to be a usual location for Harriet when she and Luke were still a thing.


    It¡¯s so sad they were no longer together. Yeah right, who am I kidding?.


    This ce is so big! I¡¯ve never been to a mall like this before.¡± Abigail


    eximed, and her voice was filled with wonder.


    Luke smiled down at her. ¡°We thought you might like to see all the beautiful things in the mall. Well, I


    was the one who came up with the idea.¡±


    I did nothing but look at him. ¡°You must be feeling so proud of yourself.¡±


    He ignored myment. ¡°Come on, Abi. Take a look at everything in this mall. You can have anything


    you want. You¡¯re going to feel like a princess today.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Abigail opened her mouth widely, as her eyes darted from one morous disy to another.


    We began to walk through the mall, and the smile on Luke¡¯s face could show how he was feeling so


    proud of himself for bringing us here. Idiot.


    Abigail stopped in front of a window disy, showcasing a stunning array of princess dresses. ¡°Look at


    these dresses, they¡¯re so pretty. Can we go in and see them, please?¡±


    Lukeughed softly. ¡°Of course, Abi. Let¡¯s get a closer look.¡±


    We all entered the boutique, I could see how Abigail¡¯s eyes were sparkled with excitement at the sight


    of the elegant gowns. She softly ran her fingers over the soft fabrics, admiring the intricate details of


    each dress.


    ¡°I wish I could try one,¡± she said wistfully.


    I knelt down to her eye level. ¡°Would you like to try one on, sweetie?¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Really? Can I?¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re forgetting what I told you.¡± Luke smiled at her.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You sure can.¡± I nodded, also beaming at Abigail.


    ¡°Okay then, sweetheart. Go try that on,¡± Luke told her, and his phone began to ring. ¡°Excuse me


    please.¡± He walked away from us.


    I turned to Abigail, helping her try the dress on her body. She twirled, feeling so pretty. And yeah, she


    did look beautiful in that dress.


    Luke eventually showed up, took him a long time. But by the time he had gotten closer to us, I had


    already purchased all the beautiful dresses that Abigail desired. They were really expensive, but it


    wasn¡¯t something bigger than me. I might not be a billionaire, but I had enough money to handle things


    like this.


    ¡°You bought the clothes already?¡± Luke surveyed the bags of dresses on Abigail¡¯s


    hands.


    ¡°Yeah, I did. And by the way, your conversationsted for almost an hour. Any problem?¡±


    ESANG SPREE.


    He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your nonsense right now. Abi, you still want anything else?¡±


    Abigail shook her head, smiling at him.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± He quizzed. She nodded.


    ¡°Well well well, look who we have at the mall today. The lovely and adorable. couple.¡± Someone said


    from behind, causing me to turn around.


    100 UNWELCOME QUESTIONS

 Chapter 100

    100 UNWELCOME QUESTIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°What a nice thing it is, to be seeing you guys around here.¡± Mason smirked, his hands sped


    together. He was the one who had shown up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you?¡± Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Mason chuckled. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. But you just need to know that I¡¯m your biggest fan.¡±


    Luke stared at him for moments. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a fan of your marriage. Luke Reynold and Ariel Walker. It¡¯s actually a nice thing for the two of you


    to be together, right?¡±


    Luke nced at me. ¡°You know this guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the brother of¡­¡± I paused for a moment, but then I concluded, ¡± Andre.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve been a good fan of your rtionship,¡± Mason stated.


    Did he have to keep mentioning that?


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Luke made a puzzled face.


    I sighed, shaking my head. What the hell was Mason trying to do now? This guy was clearly


    unbelievable. His imbecility had really worsened in the past few days. I could actually see that.


    ¡°I just need to ask one question, Mr. Reynold,¡± Mason lowered his tone, but his smirk, he still had.


    ¡°And what is that?¡± Luke gave him the not¨Cinterested face.


    Why didn¡¯t the both of you go on a honeymoon, or something?¡± Mason queried, and I could see the


    sardonic smile forming on his lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Luke red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything important to say, I


    believe I can leave now.¡±


    Luke turned to me, and Abigail. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He was on the verge of leaving, but Mason stood in his way, hands outstretched to stop him. Luke¡¯s


    reaction was immediately a sharp re, directed at Mason. *I could sense the anger boiling within him


    just by looking into his eyes. The fire of rage burning fiercely, and I had to feel uneasy about the


    situation. The eyes of


    Mason and Luke were locked, and Luke¡¯s frustration was quite clear.


    ¡°Before you leave. I just need to ask you another question,¡± Mason spoke slowly.


    Lake¡¯s re was still there. ¡°It better make sense this time.¡±


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry Sir. I¡¯m not going to take much of your time.¡±


    Looking at Mason, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what burning question he had for Luke. It was evident


    from his intense gaze and worthless smile that he waspletely out of his mind. I was still not easy


    about this; seeing Mason and Luke together.


    ¡°Do you perhaps, remember anydy with the name: Sofie?¡± Mason inquired.


    ¡°Sofie?¡± Luke¡¯s expression became a confused one. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question first. Do you remember any one with that name?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met someone with such name before.¡± Luke¡¯s cast showed how he was simply


    cracking his brain.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Mason raised an eyebrow.


    Luke shot him an unfriendly look once again. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Now move out of my way, I have better


    things to be doing right now.¡±


    Luke struck into walking, holding the hand of Abigail. Mason had to move out of the way, acting all


    innocent. His demeanor was calm, but that had me really suspicious. I wondered what he was up to


    now. It seemed like he had a new scheme building up in his head.


    As I was about to tread behind Luke and Abigail, Mason grabbed my hand. I nced at him


    incontinently.


    Mason looked at me, his smirk fading, and his serious countenance unfolding. ¡± Don¡¯t fail me, me,¡± he


    whispered, before letting go of me.


    Ariel. Don¡¯t f


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say. But I decided to nod slowly. Luke, getting a little bit far from me,


    stopped, and Abigail did the same. They both turned around.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Luke asked me, his tone ring to a certain degree.


    Without uttering a word, I nodded, and walked in their direction. I glimpsed at Mason, he was


    scrutinizing me, and I wasn¡¯t easy about that.


    So, the day had gotten a little bit dark, I was at home, watching television. But ¡°was also on the phone


    with Lukel. He was doing better than yesterday, and I was


    really happy about that.


    I was even nning to pay them a visit, but work had just been there. And of course, Abigail. Luke had


    taken the little girl to her mother, promising that he would make their lives better.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be healthy and strong, just like how you used to be,¡± I told Lukel, smiling. The television


    was muted..


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I know mommy. But when are youing back?We¡¯re missing you already.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, my son.


    ¡°Your son?¡± Luke appeared in the living room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call youter,¡± I said, and hung up.


    ¡°Wow, Ariel. I never knew you had a son.¡± Luke gave me a mocking smile.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Who in the world calls¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t need you to start an argument right now,¡± I cut him off. ¡°Can I just please enjoy the


    television.¡±


    He slowly turned to the huge screen. ¡°It¡¯s muted.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I grabbed the remote, and turned the volume back on.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Luke uttered.


    ¡°Go prepare yourself something to eat,¡± I told him, not ncing at him.


    ¡°I think you should do that,¡± he said.


    I chuckled, leaning back on the couch. ¡°I see you¡¯re not hungry.¡±


    Luke huffed, his arms crossed in front of his chest. ¡°Seriousy? You¡¯re not going to get your butts into


    the kitchen now.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, still not looking at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s hungry.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m busy,¡± he retorted.


    I finally turned to him. ¡°Busy doing what?¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression turned defensive. ¡°With business of course! I had some important files to go


    through.¡®


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about me, Sir? Don¡¯t you know I also have important stuff to be doing? I got


    tons of projects at hand.¡±


    But you¡¯re here, sitting like azy chicken, making some stupid phone call.¡±


    ¡°My phone is on the table.¡± I pointed at the table.


    ¡°Are you preparing me something to eat, or not?¡±


    ¡°I already told you already. Go give that order to a maid, or something. Or even better, you can prepare


    it yourself. You know how the saying goes: if you want something right, you got to do it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want this right, and I¡¯m not doing it myself.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Okay then. Suit yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ariel!¡±


    ¡°Did they just smash that guy¡¯s head?¡± I opened my mouth, my eyes fixed on the television.


    He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Ariel..¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± I brought out loudly, still watching TV.


    Luke scowled at me, his hands balling into fists. ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t have to listen to this. I¡¯ll go


    make myself something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful not to burn the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°If I do, that¡¯s none of your business!¡± He bawled from the kitchen.


    Iughed. ¡°I¡¯m just being caring around here. You do not want to be moving to a different house again.¡±


    Luke strolled back into the living room after some minutes, his shirt now removed, revealing his toned


    chest. The sight of him reminded me of just how sexy he was. His defined muscles and chiseled abs


    were simply fantastic. I couldn¡¯t help but admire his physique as he made his way towards me.


    Every movement he made was like a dance, showcasing his strength and grace. Now this thought


    unfolded within me; the urge to run my fingers over his chest, and feel the warmth of his skin under my


    touch.

 Chapter 101

    101 COOKING UP MEMORIES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    And Luke stood before me, his chest opened, which tranted in me feeling a flutter of nerves. He was


    impossibly handsome, with deep brown eyes and a chiseled jawline.


    But I quickly averted my gaze, reminding myself that I was here on a mission and I couldn¡¯t let myself


    be swayed by his appearance. I had a job to do, and I couldn¡¯t afford any distractions.


    Well, he was really handsome, and I could let a romantic scene take ce. But I didn¡¯t want to let these


    little thoughts unfolding, to get the best of me. I didn¡¯t know why my brain had to process his


    comeliness to be surpassingly bewitching this time. It wasn¡¯t like I hadn¡¯t seen him shirtless, or


    whatever.


    So yeah, there had been times when I felt like I didn¡¯t need this brain to cloud me with all these silly


    thoughts. It really had me fucked up sometimes. Could take you to a world you never imagined, what


    you never wished for could actually be what you¡¯de be thinking.


    ¡°You can go back to the kitchen now. This isn¡¯t a fashion show or whatever, where you can just¡­.Ughh


    nevermind.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Luke aksed.


    I sighed, looking at a different direction. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    And then he walked towards me. I felt the familiar urge to be near him. It grew stronger. But at the


    same time, I couldn¡¯t help but wish he would stop and stay at a safe distance. I knew that if he got any


    closer, I would have to confront my feelings and desires, and I wasn¡¯t ready for that.


    So I silently hoped he would keep his distance and spare me from having to act on my thoughts. Yeah,


    the crazy thoughts which kept on revolving in my head. Just great.


    I stood up the moment Luke got close. ¡°Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to take a seat. What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted to cook.¡± I stretched my hands to the direction of the kitchen.


    n


    *¡°I changed my mind.¡± He grabbed the remote from the table, and changed the


    channel.


    ¡°It seems like you weren¡¯t even hungry in the first ce.¡± I crossed my arms, eyes fixed on him.


    He simplyughed. ¡°You want to know something, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t actually tasted your food.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, quite odd, since we were once in a marriage, thatsted three years.¡±


    I gaped at him. ¡°You have got to be kidding me. You were the one who didn¡¯t want to get a taste of my


    food. All because of your intense hate.¡±


    Heughed lightly. ¡°I know. I was just trying to see your reaction.¡±


    ¡°Well you saw it.¡±


    ¡°So, are you a great cook?¡± Luke smirked.


    I chuckled. ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I need to know.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not. My food tastes like hell.¡±


    He looked at me for a moment. ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold augh. ¡°Why do you say


    so?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just feel like you¡¯re a good cook.¡±


    Luke stood up, and as he walked to me, I shifted backwards. He halted, noticing my movements.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± He asked, slightly furrowing his brows at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I aksed, although I knew what he was talking about.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. But don¡¯t get things wrong around here. I wasn¡¯ting to you.¡±


    I sighed, averting my gaze, my arms crossed. ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°Well, your actions did.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and I muttered, ¡°Yeah it did.¡±


    ¡®Luke took a step, and I couldn¡¯t help but do a little moonwalk backwards. He


    paused, giving me a quizzical look. I raised my eyebrows in response, trying to


    101


    CKING UP MEMORIES


    mimic his expression. He then widened his eyes, and I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to do the same, like a


    comical game of Simon Says. Like two kids in a game of charades. And I have to say, it was oddly


    amusing.


    Luke and I couldn¡¯t help but burst into a fit ofughter as our eyes finally broke away. Well, that was


    quite an intense staring contest we had there, wasn¡¯t it?


    I couldn¡¯t stop giggling as I looked down at the ground, trying to catch my breath. My hands were still


    on my waist, as if I was struck with a sudden case of the giggles. Who knew a simple staring contest


    could be so entertaining?


    I know, I can be really crazy sometimes. Andre can testify.


    ¡°Wow, are you really this scared?¡± Luke shook his head.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still lying, huh?¡± He let out a littleugh. ¡°I saw how you just moved like a bullet.¡±


    I giggled. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no need to start making fun of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth. Come on, Ariel seriously?¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Uhmm, excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to be terrified.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was terrified?¡± I gave him a skeptical look.


    ¡°I saw it in your face. It was really hrious.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in my head.¡± I pressed on with the argument.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. Keep your silly thoughts to yourself.¡± His lips curved into a caustic smile.


    ¡°Sir, are you going to that kitchen or not?¡± I made my tone serious, in a yful


    manner.


    ¡°You refused to cook for me. Why are you still stressing on this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be a little concerned here.¡±


    Luke shot me a disbelieving look. ¡°How exactly?¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me questions. What would you like to eat?¡± I asked, trying to be concerned. I had to remind


    myself that I needed to make him fall in love with me.


    Luke chuckled, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine: He let out a contented sigh, and I


    couldn¡¯t help but watch him with admiration.


    My eyes were drawn to his impressive chest, and I found myself gazing at his


    ¤Ê


    perfectly sculpted abs. It was breathtaking, the way his muscles rippled beneath his skin. I couldn¡¯t tear


    my eyes away,pletely mesmerized by his physical beauty.¡±


    I got lost in his beauty once more, but the resistance was still there, and it helped me push away the


    fucked up feeling.


    ¡°I love this question of yours,¡± Luke spoke, nodding slowly, he had his arms crossed. ¡°It seems like you


    want to prepare something for me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Now tell me what you want to eat, for crying out loud.¡±


    Luke smirked. ¡°Anything you prepare.¡±


    I looked at him for seconds. ¡°Anything?¡±


    He nodded, smiling at me. I didn¡¯t want to admire the expression.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± I said, and started making my way to the kitchen.


    ¡°Hold on. Are you really serious?¡± Luke asked.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°Yes!¡± After that, I burst into the kitchen.


    I started gathering ingredients, about to see if I could whip up something special. Let¡¯s see how this


    was going to get. I could just poison this scumbag. But I wasn¡¯t that brutal. And that was definitely not


    how the n was supposed to work out.


    I was about to chop vegetables, and suddenly, I felt a presence behind me, and a shiver ran down my


    spine. Turning around, I found Luke standing there.

 Chapter 102

    102 CROSSROADS OF EMOTIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°And what are you doing here?¡± I aksed Luke, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I just came to help you out,¡± he answered, looking around. ¡°I thought you might need a hand.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good. You can leave now.¡± I turned back to the ingredients, to focus on the preparation


    of the food.


    ¡°If I can remember, this is my house.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Stay then.¡± I said nonchntly.


    As I was about to chop, Luke moved closer to me and grabbed a tomato from the table, observing it.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked. He didn¡¯t give me a reply. Instead, he took a carrot from the table as


    well.


    ¡°Luke¡­.¡±


    He hushed me, cing his fingers on my lips, looking into my eyes. And as he stirred closer, I began to


    move backward, all these done in silence, until I found myself leaning against the wall.


    ¡°You loveining.¡± Luke said softly. ¡°Why?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say a thing as I kept staring at him. I didn¡¯t know if my lips were sealed at the moment, but the


    power to speak, was not there.


    After a gaze that seemed like eternity, Luke moved backwards,ughing silently. He budged nigher to


    the ingredients, and started doing only God knows what.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I shrieked at him. At this point, my voice came back.


    ¡°What?!¡± He yelled back. But kept on carrying out his nonsense.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to cook here. Stop doing shit with those ingredients!¡± I bawled at him


    He shook his head, with a grin. ¡°But Ariel, you know I¡¯m just enhancing the vor with my expert


    tossing skills.¡±


    ¡°Tossing skills? This isn¡¯t a sd, Luke! Get your hands off that tomato!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the worst that can happen? A little veggie rain never hurt anyone.¡± Luke threw a carrot at me.


    I quickly dodged the carrot, and gaped at him immediately. ¡°What the¡­Have you


    gone nuts?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rude now, Ariel.¡± He smirked, and threw a tomato in my direction.


    I dodged it as well, and itnded on the wall, messing it up.


    ¡°What the heck!¡± I uttered, staring at the part of the wall which had been messed


    1. up.


    I turned to Luke and moved closer to him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re turning my kitchen into a war zone. Can we please save the food fight for another time?¡±


    ¡°Your kitchen?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow. ¡°And since when did this ce be your kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Well, I cook most of the times around here. So yeah, it¡¯s my kitchen.¡±


    ¡°You cook so many times, and you can¡¯t even bother to let me have a taste of your food.¡±


    I gave him a weird face. ¡°Don¡¯t start now.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Luke took his eyes downward, and I found his fingers reaching for more ingredients.


    I snatched the ingredients from his hands promptly. ¡°Like I¡¯ve said, save this food fight for another time.


    Not now Mr.¡±


    Luke grabbed a handful of flour. ¡°But where¡¯s the fun in that? Let¡¯s make this a cooking show like no


    other!¡±


    ¡°Cooking show?¡± I gave him a bewildered face.


    Like seriously, what had gotten into this guy these past few minutes?


    Luke wanted to do shit with the flour, but I stopped him.


    I narrowed my eyes down. ¡°Luke, if you throw that flour, I swear¡­¡±


    He cut me off, throwing the flour all over the air. And here I was, covered in flour.


    ¡°Now we have a magical, flour¨Cfilled kitchen. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Luke smirked.


    I slowly cleaned the flour, covering my face. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s beautiful, all right. But guess what? You¡¯re


    cleaning this up.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°I wish.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Let me clean you up.¡± Luke moved extremely close to me.


    I treaded backwards, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°No, you look like a mess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you made me a mess!¡±


    ean


    ¡°Then let me clean up this mess, alright?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to¡­.¡±


    I felt a jolt of electricity course through my body the moment Luke¡¯s hand firmly grasped mine, tugging


    me towards him. Before I knew it, I was pressed against his chest, the sticky flour from my body


    coating both of us.


    His strong hands encircled my waist, pulling me even closer to him. And at this point, I felt a surge of


    butterflies in my stomach as our bodies were intertwined.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him, and I had no idea what was wrong with this man. He was definitely


    confused with his thinking. And he had no idea where he stood.


    On one hand, he would im to possess bitterness for me, that the feeling he had for me was nothing


    but hatred. Then on another hand, he would begin these actions, making it look like there was some


    passion for me right within him.


    And which one was I going to consider real?


    Yes, the days went by, and times had passed. All these, had the lines between his words and actions


    blurring even further, leaving me in a state of perpetual uncertainty. It was as though I was standing at


    a crossroads, unsure of which path to take. His inconsistency was a puzzle I couldn¡¯t solve, and it left


    me questioning the authenticity of every interaction we shared.


    I couldn¡¯t actually tell what was going on in his mind. I couldn¡¯t read his thoughts, I couldn¡¯t go deep in


    his head. I wasn¡¯t able to have knowledge of his thinking, and the actions he was nning to take.


    But observing the scenes between us very well. It was somehow clear. Following his exploits and


    moves, there seemed to be a higher percentage of the devotedness right within him. Although I


    couldn¡¯t tell. I had no idea if I was precise on this one.


    I might have to repeat this again; one moment he said he hated me like seriously, but on a different


    ocassion, his actions showed a love that glowed.


    Yes, his words cut deep, like a sharp knife, stabbing me vigorously, leaving my heart in a state of strife.


    And I couldn¡¯tprehend his thoughts, for they


    32 CROSSROADS OF PMOT


    seemed to change, like the passing days.


    He said he hated me, but his eyes betrayed the harsh words. His actions spoke a different thing, had


    me confused. But I had the feeling that he was already into me. And I could tell he was trying his very


    best to conceal and not bring out the thoughts.


    Well, in these few days toe, I was going to make that feeling aggrandize. So the mission could be


    aplished.


    And I would have to discipline myself, because sometimes I got a mix of thoughts. Just like in this


    situation. I didn¡¯t want to be washed away by his love and drown in the sea of passion. I wanted to be


    strong, firm on this, making my heart hard, to not let me fall into the concavity I used to be in before.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Luke¡¯s gateman walked into the kitchen, and he quickly turned his face away the moment his


    eyes caught us.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for any disturbance,¡± he spoke, still not looking at us.


    Luke had to let go of me. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s nothing going on around here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed with him, my tone inaudible.


    ¡°So, what do you have to say to me? Do I have any visitor?¡± Luke asked Marcus.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered.


    ¡°And who is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But he has a mask on, and he¡¯s putting on a hoodie.¡±


    Luke sighed immediately, installing his hands on his waist, with his eyes narrowing down. It seemed


    like he knew who his gateman was talking about.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 103

    103 LEFT IN WHIRL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I see. And how long has he been waiting?¡± I asked Marcus.


    ¡°Well, it had been a few minutes. And I tried telling him that you didn¡¯t want to be disturbed. But he kept


    on insisting that he wants to speak with you.¡±


    I stood still, silent for seconds, processing his words. Of course, I knew Lucifer was the one who


    wanted to see me. Our business had not been over yet, and I just wished it was.


    He was the one who called me at the mall today, and we had to discuss a lot of things, prompting the


    conversation to be a longsting one. He brought a lot of nonsense out of his mouth, talking about my


    loved ones who were no more, and it sparked an anger right inside of me.


    I wanted nothing to do with him again, and he could keep his goddamn information to himself.


    Ariel nced at me, her body still covered in flour. And the face she made was so funny, that I wanted


    tough at her. Well, I decided to hold it.


    ¡°Go hit the shower,¡± I told her, before leaving the kitchen. Marcus walked behind


    1. me.


    I marched to the door, burning with rage. And whatever that guy had to tell me. He could keep it to


    himself. His intense passion for money had spawned him to do shit, spit nonsense, and to be moved by


    lunacy. Well, he could go dwell in the sewers for all I care.


    I walked to the gate, and I opened it. I couldn¡¯t see anyone standing there. The area was just void, no


    single soul passing by. I wondered were this guy was. It seemed like his fear had overshadowed him,


    and he had finally disappeared. If that was the case, then he had some senses.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see him anywhere,¡± Marcus said, looking around. His finger pointed to a part of the ground. ¡°He


    was right here.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°I guess he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°But with his words, he seemed determined to have a conversation with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Marcus. We can¡¯t actually understand some certain people. They¡¯re just crazy.¡±


    Just then, I felt a hand on my back, and I quickly turned around. It was Lucifer, or


    whatever his concrete name was.


    Of course, he was dressed in his normal outfit, and it had me wondering if ever took those off.


    ¡°Luke Reynold. I thought you weren¡¯t going to show up,¡± he spoke.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m here now. So whatever it is, you have to say, tell me now.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He cleared his throat, and I totally understand that.


    I turned Marcus. ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Okay sir,¡± he nodded, and made his way through the gate.


    I gave Lucifer my attention once again. ¡°Will you ever get tired of this nonsense. Why are you acting


    like you¡¯re obsessed with me?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°There¡¯s no need to tter yourself. No one¡¯s obsessed with you.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you keep on carrying out this bullshit?¡± I gave him the no¨Cfriendly


    face.


    ¡°I¡¯m only trying to help you.¡±


    ¡°Well I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I retorted. ¡°You can keep your information to yourself. It¡¯s going to be of


    no use to me.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°No one,¡± I replied coldly. ¡°But it¡¯s something I had to realize.¡±


    ¡°Trust me Luke Reynold, you¡¯re going to be so surprised when I give you this information. You¡¯ll need


    it.¡±


    ¡°I told you already. Keep that shit to yourself.¡±


    He fixed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to start being harsh and making rash


    decisions.¡±


    ¡°Rash decisions?¡± I red at him. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know how crazy you look, right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a little bit crazy. But I have a purpose around here, to show you the truth.¡±


    ¡°With money!¡± I responded bitterly. ¡°Money is your only purpose here.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s everyone¡¯s purpose in life.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I spoke beneath my breath, shaking my head. ¡°Your case is different.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Oh Luke Reynold. You can be really funny sometimes.¡±


    10 LDT


    ¡°Get your hand off me.¡± I gave him a threatening re.


    ¡°You need to¡­.¡±


    I interrupted him, seizing his hand, and tossing him to the ground. As he stood up, I seized his hoodie


    and gave him a hard punch on his face. He fell down.


    ¡°That¡¯s for insulting my mother!¡± I yelled at him, and gave him another vigorous punch.


    Still giving him the death stare, I watched as he leisurely rose from the ground, trying to catch his


    breath.


    ¡°You had to disrespect my mother, who¡¯s in the grave! How dare you?!¡± I forcefully kicked him, and he


    fell down again.


    ¡°I never said anything wrong,¡± he said, breathing heavily, as he struggled to get to his feet. ¡°If only you


    knew about your mother¡¯s true colors, you wouldn¡¯t be doing this right now.¡±


    ¡°My mother¡¯s true colors? What do you mean by that?¡± I asked, totally confused of what he was talking


    about.


    Heughed, fixing his gaze on me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have to talk much.¡±


    ¡°You better start talking.¡± I moved closer to him, and before I knew it, he strenuously hit my balls. The


    next thing I received, was a punch in the stomach, and two other tremendous strikes followed after that.


    I found myself sitting on my heels, in pain. It took quite a minute before the pain lessened, and when


    my eyes went upwards, I saw Lucifer getting in close proximity to me, and he had this rod in his hand. I


    clearly had no idea how he got


    that.


    He got closer, and what happened next? He mmed my head with the rod, causing me to fall down.


    Everywhere slowly turned ck.


    I opened my eyes to see myselfying down in my room. After scanning everywhere, I sat on the bed,


    gently kneading my head, as I could still feel some pain from that vigorous strike.


    After letting out a sigh, Iid back on the bed, closing my eyes. And then, Ariel came out of the


    bathroom, with a towel girdled around her body. Her hair was wet, since she had just gotten out of the


    shower. And she was humming.


    Her tone was really beautiful, and at the moment, I didn¡¯t want to listen to anyone else except for her. I


    meant, her congenial hum.


    She moved closer to the mirror, gently brushing her hair. And as she turned


    EFT IN WHIRL


    AJA


    around, I quickly closed my eyes, pretending like I was still unconscious.


    It took me quite some seconds before I slowly opened one of my eyes, and I realized she had her gaze


    fixed on me. I closed my eyes back, but then I heard herughing.


    ¡°Come on now, Luke. You don¡¯t have to keep up with that.¡±


    I ignored her, acting like I was still insensible. But then I felt some fingers reaching for my groin. I


    opened my eyes that very moment, and seized her hand like a arrow from a bow.


    She startedughing, and pulled her hand off mine, shifting backwards. ¡°I knew you were going to do


    that.¡±


    I did nothing but observe her. Well, it wasn¡¯t actually surprising since thisdy was crazy from day one.


    104 MORNING TEXT

 Chapter 104

    104 MORNING TEXT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°What the hell even happened to you anyway? You had a fight with some thug, or something?¡± Ariel


    laughed, indirectly making fun of me.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± I told her, turning my face away.


    ¡°It is actually, cause I¡¯m the one who took you back to this house, right on this bed. Well, I did get help


    from Marcus.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel too proud. I could have done that by myself.¡±


    ¡°In your unconscious state?¡± Ariel taunted, crossing her arms, with her eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I could have regained consciousness eventually.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right,¡± she said lowly, turning her face away. But then she nced at me. But seriously, what


    really happened?¡±


    11


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve said, that¡¯s none of your business.¡± I slowly sat on the bed. And then I breathed out deeply,


    closing both of my eyes.


    ¡°Do you really have to be so stubborn, now?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act like mad granny here.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s mad granny?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a name, I gave to my grandma.¡± A frail smile appeared on my face, as I shed back to the


    times spent with her, before she passed away.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Your grandma?¡±


    I nodded, still smiling.


    ¡°Was she the wife of Sir Reynold?¡± Ariel queried.


    ¡°Yes. Yes she was,¡± I answered, nodding slowly.


    ¡°She died before I came into your life, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°And this was just how she used to act. The way you behaved moments ago.¡±


    Arielughed. In disbelief, I¡¯d say. ¡°Please, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to have a clue, because you weren¡¯t there at that time.¡± I moved to the edge of the


    bed.


    ¡°Okay sir, I¡¯ve heard you. So, are you still hungry? Cause, I kind of made something to eat.¡±


    you


    2/4


    ¡°I already have enough poison in my head. I don¡¯t think I can take any more.¡± ¡°What?¡± She gaped at


    me.


    I closed my eyes, with my lips curving into a sardonic smile, as Iy back on the bed.


    ¡°Good night,¡± I said, turning off the light.


    ¡°You are unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, keep talking,¡± I said, with my eyes closed, covering myself with the sheets.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I leisurely opened my eyes, waking up to see the brand new day, a beautiful morning, another day to


    remind myself that I was one beautifuldy. Yeah, I also got some kids who possessed my features.


    I turned around, and Luke was still sleeping. We actually spent the night in the same bedroom. I


    couldn¡¯t actually believe it, after these past days, since Riley¡¯s death.


    I stood up, putting on my slippers, and as I was about to make my way to the bathroom, I received a


    text from Andre, telling me that he was standing outside my house.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Was this text really saying what I thought it was saying? I rubbed my eyes,


    hoping that it was just my tiredness ying tricks on me. But, the words on the screen remained the


    same.


    ¨C


    I let out a chuckle, as I couldn¡¯t deny the humor in the situation


    me, squinting at my phone screen, desperately trying to decipher a simple text. Well, better safe than


    sorry.


    And yes, he was outside. But what the hell was he doing there anyway? So early in the morning. Oh,


    this man.


    I turned, and Luke was still asleep, looking so impable, with that stunning face of his. Okay, I better


    not draw my mind too far.


    Walking out of the room, I made my way down the stairs. One of the maids ¡®greeted me good morning,


    and I did the same, without even ncing at her. I was


    in a hurry to meet this good friend of mine.


    104 MORNING 113


    So there I was, approaching the gate and what do I see? Marcus, sleeping like a baby on a chair. But I


    have to tell you, it was not a peaceful slumber. No, no, it was more like a pig snoring at the top of its


    lungs.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears, those sounds were enough to give someone a serious case of insanity. I


    mean, who knew Marcus could make such terrifying noises? It was both hrious and disturbing at the


    same time.


    Anyways, I walked up to him, and I gently tapped his hand several times. It


    wasn¡¯t enough to wake him up. I crossed my arms, just staring at him. He seemed to be in cloud nine in


    that dream of his. I mean, I could have stood there all day and he probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed.


    After mustering up all my strength and taking a deep breath, I swung my arm andnded a solid punch


    on his face. His eyes flew open in shock, and he frantically looked around as if he was being


    ambushed.


    It was as if he couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. Maybe he thought he was in a dream or a prank


    show. But nope, it was just me, delivering a hrious wake¨Cup


    call.


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold.¡± Marcus stood immediately, cleaning his eyes.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, after gazing at him for a moment.


    ¡°Good morning Mrs.¡± He stretched both of his arms. ¡°How may I be of help to you?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s waiting outside.¡± I pointed at the gate. ¡°So, can you please open the gate?¡±


    ¡°Of course Mrs.¡± He rushed to the gate, and opened it.


    I smiled at him. ¡°How nice of you?¡±


    After that, I walked past the gate, and there was Andre, standing outside, leaning This back against his


    car, giving his phone all of his attention. He was dressed in a red suit, looking dashing and bold as


    always.


    The moment his eyes caught mine, he dropped his phone in his pocket, and traipsed in my direction.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± Andre spoke the moment we got closer.¡±


    ¡°Andre,¡± I matched his tone, getting in a tight embrace with him. ¡°It¡¯s actually nice to see you.¡±


    ¡®Come on now. Don¡¯t act like we haven¡¯t seen each other for years,¡± he joked, and we both burst into


    laughter. ¡°You¡¯re looking really beautiful this morning.¡±


    4/4


    Our fingers intertwined.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I scanned myself, my eyes going downward. ¡°And I haven¡¯t even taken my bath yet.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Your beauty covers it all.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at thepliment, and I think I blushed a little. ¡°Care to tell me why you¡¯ve


    come here?¡±


    ¡°Well, I came to invite you to a party that we¡¯ll be throwingter tonight, at our house.¡±


    ¡°A party?¡± I gave him an interested face.


    ¡°Yes, actually to celebrate the fact that we¡¯re now in New Haven. And do you know, my father¡¯s


    company teamed up with mine?¡± He smiled widely.


    ¡°Really?¡± I raised both of my eyebrows, in bafflement.


    ¡°Yes. And now, I think the Vitality Group is going to be more strong all across the globe. But at this


    moment, we¡¯re about to build a solid keystone in New Haven.¡±


    I nodded, also smiling. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy for you guys. But don¡¯t you think you should have told me


    about this earlier?¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Andre yfully hit his face. ¡°I totally forgot.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Luke¡¯s voice echoed around the whole ce, making my heart drop


    immediately.


    I turned around, only to see him giving Andre and me a death stare. I could feel the intensity of his rage


    directed towards us. Without hesitation, I quickly


    removed my hand from Andre¡¯s, realizing the gravity of the situation and the reason for Luke¡¯s piercing


    stare.

 Chapter 105

    105 VEILED ANIMOSITY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre and I stood close, as Luke¡¯s re was still directed at us. He was silent, but that silence said a


    lot of things. An intense rage right there, he was burning with. If looks could kill, Andre and I would


    have probably been dead by now.


    And I didn¡¯t know why I just felt scared, but this was really kind of crazy. He was just sleeping minutes


    ago. How on earth did he wake up, and get down here in a sh? Well, that didn¡¯t matter anyway. At


    the moment, I just wished that this husband of mine wasn¡¯t going to let his anger get the best of him.


    Cause if he did, the situation might get out of hand, with someone ending up at the hospital in the end.


    Draw your mind back to when this man caught Michael and Rose having sex at his ce of work. Also


    when he saw me with Daniel. What were the results? All concluding with violence, wounds, and I didn¡¯t


    like that one bit. His anger had him transfiguring into a wild dog, or a lion in fact. A cold¨Cblooded wolf,


    ready to wound someone with its fangs, and would let the paine in right there, with screams of


    torture.


    Not that I was scared of what he would do to me. I was scared of what he might do to Andre. The man


    could be a lunatic in situations like this. And I was pretty sure Andre wouldn¡¯t want to fight back, if


    perhaps, a brawlmenced. He was the type of person who loved making peace, using words of


    tranquility. And never adored violent actions.


    ¡°Wow. Look at what we have here. Two little love birds expressing their feelings, with their hands


    together,¡± Luke uttered slowly, although his menacing look had


    note to an end.


    He was trying to act chill. But it was crystal clear he was burning as hell on the inside. I didn¡¯t know why


    he had that face on, if we was iming to hate me so much. No passion for me, right? So what was


    with the re, Mr.?


    That was why I had to say that I was really confused sometimes. No doubt. His actions moved


    differently, his words remained the same. But I had a feeling. Yes, I had a feeling that a spark was right


    there.


    Right now, these thoughts shouldn¡¯t even be revolving in my head, cause I knew a wrestling match was


    about to take ce. Well, it was more like a one¨Csided violence crap. Yeah, and I hoped for that not to


    transpire.


    *¡°What are you doing here, Andre?¡± Luke took a step forward. ¡°And what is this


    nonsense that I see you¡¯re carrying out with my wife?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, okay?¡± Andre tried to defend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. You¡¯re standing right there, holding hands with my wife. What the fuck, man!¡±


    ¡°Just calm down, Luke,¡± I entered the conversation. ¡°Andre was just telling me a few things.¡±


    ¡°Like what? How he was going to screw you?¡±


    I swallowed my saliva hardly. ¡°Okay, that was really disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to deny the fact now, that you two don¡¯t have something going on?¡± Luke crossed his


    arms, around his chest.


    ¡°No. We¡¯re just friends.¡± Andre replied coldly. He too was getting annoyed with the situation. But one


    thing I loved about him, was that he had self¨Ccontrol. You could diss his mother, or curse his father, and


    he would still ignore you, like you¡¯re not even existing in the world.


    Luke raised an eyebrow, just finding a way to spit shit, even when he knew his words were trash. ¡°I can


    see that. The type of friends who make love with each other every single day. Right now, I can even


    picture how you keep letting yourself get screwed by this good¨Cfor¨Cnothing man.¡±


    ¡°You need to watch your mouth, Luke. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early to be doing this?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Calm down, Ariel,¡± Andre told me inaudibly.


    ¡°And don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early to be catching feelings? You know what? You can just get in that car


    right now, and let this idiot take you to wherever he wants, so he can bang the living soul out of you.¡±


    I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°I can¡¯t take this any longer.¡±


    ¡°Then go have some fun.¡± Luke smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now, Ariel. You can invite him to the party if you want,¡± Andre said, irritated but yet,


    chose to keep his face normal. He got into his car, and drove away.


    I turned back to Luke, ring at him. ¡°Are you happy now?¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    He refused to give me an answer, ignoring me, and then, he made his way back inside his enclosure.


    This man was clearly unbelievable. He spoke without thinking, acting like a little kid sometimes. It was


    clear that he was kind of jealous. But why would he be?


    705 VEILED ANIMOSITY


    So here I was, at work, sitting back in my chair, taking a moment to unwind amid the office hustle. My


    phone rang, and I picked it up.


    ¡°Hello, can I know who¡¯s talking?¡± I asked


    ¡°Hey, Ariel, it¡¯s David.¡±


    ¡°Oh David!¡± I eximed, stretching my arms wide, yawning. I didn¡¯t know if I was kind of sleepy. And by


    the way, he was someone I was working with, on a project.


    ¡°Can I please know why you¡¯ve called?¡± I cleaned my eyes pretty well.


    I wanted to chat about our uing project,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Sure, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°I think we should focus on expanding ourwork for this project. It could really help us grow.¡±


    I yawned again. ¡°I agree. Building a strongwork can open up opportunities for us. How do you think


    we should approach it?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking we could start by reaching out to industry events and setting up meetings with potential


    partners,¡± he proposed.


    ¡°That sounds like a solid n,¡± I replied, cleaning my eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be strategic about who we


    connect with and how we present our project. It¡¯s all about building mutually beneficial rtionships.¡±


    All these I said, in a drowsy mode.


    The door opened, and Daniel entered the office. I didn¡¯t give him a nice look one


    bit.


    ¡°Excuse me, David. I have some things to take care of, right now. We¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ariel. But just¡­.¡±


    I hung up before he couldplete his sentence. A the moment, I had a situation that needed to be


    handled. Daniel just loved barging into my office, like he was the owner of thepany. It was really


    annoying, and where were those useless workers of mine?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I aksed Daniel, dropping my phone on the desk.


    He was just staring at me, walking in my direction. And his silence had me a little *bit scared. What the


    hell was going on in his head right now? I was very curious


    to know.


    10 VEICED ANIMDSITY


    When he got close to me, he fixed his hands on my desk, looking me in the eyes, like this was a staring


    contest, or something. Or was this the first time that he was seeing a beauty like this?


    I had no option but to re at him. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    He shut me up immediately, covering my mouth with his hand. This was definitely not normal.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 106

    106 BEAUTY IN DISTRESS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ring at Daniel, I had to bite his hand vigorously, causing him to let go of me. I had no idea what he


    was thinking, or the crap he was nning to do, but it was definitely bullshit. And I had no time for


    bullshit. This was a ce for business, an office for work, and if he was nning to do something else,


    then he wasn¡¯t wee here.


    ¡°What is wrong with you, Daniel? Can you give me an exnation for this attitude?¡± I snapped,


    standing up.


    Daniel gave me that ribald look, scanning my whole body, from up to down. It was really crazy, and I


    only hoped he had note here to carry out what I was thinking. He wouldn¡¯t even dare.


    ¡°Ariel, Ariel, Ariel. What a sweet little thing you are.¡±


    I made a puzzled face. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Daniel moved backwards, dragging the desk along. My phone had to fall on the floor, along with some


    other files. And when he was done creating so much noise, he advanced towards me.


    I slowly walked backwards. ¡°You better stop right there, and don¡¯t youe closer, okay?¡± I warned


    him, cause it seemed like he had lost his senses.


    ¡°What are you going to do if I don¡¯t listen to you?¡± His coarse smirk still lingered on his face, as he


    continued to traipse towards me.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you.¡± I raised my finger at me. And then I realized I couldn¡¯t move back any further. My


    back was now leaning against the wall.


    ¡°Looks like the little princess has nowhere to go.¡±


    ¡°The little princess? What the heck!¡± I bawled.


    He hastened his steps until he finally got close to me. And he kept on with that smirk of his. I couldn¡¯t


    tell if I was actually scared, or annoyed and irritated.


    When he came to my office the previous day, making an angry face, and telling me that Luke did shit to


    him, I kind of felt sorry. But with this disgusting attitude, it was clear that Luke had a reasonable


    exnation for his actions.


    ¡°What do you want?¡°/I asked bitterly, not putting an end to my re.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I want you.¡± He moved his face closer, and his lips were about toe in contact with


    mine, but I turned my face away.


    ¡°Look at me you bitch!¡± He forcefully seized my jaws, and made me look at him.


    Well, my re spoke a lot of things, and I spat on his face. To hell with him and hiseliness, or


    whatever. It was really rude of him to address me that way.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± He disyed a threatening stare.


    ¡°And how dare youe into my office, and start pulling off this nonsense? Don¡¯t you know I can get


    you arrested?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°You don¡¯t even have the balls to. Oh, I forgot, you got none.¡±


    I pushed him backwards, he almost fell down, but he kept his bnce. I scanned the office, looking for


    anything that could help me against this lunatic in this situation. And then he transposed to me again,


    pressing both of my hands against the wall.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I shrieked, struggling to get his hands off mine. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to touch me.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I said shut up!¡± He snarled.


    His force aggrandized as he pressed his body against mine. I could feel his breath, and I never wanted


    that. I continued to struggle to put an end to this nonsense, but he was ten times stronger than me. If I


    could get out of this situation right now, without anything terrible happening to me. I¡¯d go straight to the


    gym.


    Today had to show me that it exceedingly was fucked up. The early morning nonsense from Luke, now


    these? The individuals usually surrounding me had made my life look like it was a movie.


    ¡°Somebody help!¡± I cried out, hoping someone would hear me out. Whoever was going to get me out of


    this, I would be grateful for the rest of my entire life.


    ¡°Someone help!¡± I screamed again.


    ¡°Why are you shouting? No one¡¯s going to save you. Do you hear me? So it¡¯s best you just shut that


    mouth of yours.¡±


    ring at me, I decided to kneel his balls, but he snappily dodged the attack, moving in the left


    direction. He gave me a hard p after that, and I had no other option but to fall down. I was breathing


    heavily, and if I had to nce at the mirror now, I knew I¡¯d look so horrible.


    Daniel squatted, getting adjacent to me. He forcefully grabbed my hair, and I felt his tongue on my


    neck. I shook my body vigorously, hoping that would stop him from executing this nonsense. Well, for


    the moment.


    Daniel stood up, dragging me along. His grip on my hair was just too tight, as he


    100 REALTY IN D


    pulled it extremely hard, letting the pain was all over me.


    I shut both of my eyes, trying to take his hand off my hair. And then he began to choke me.


    ¡°Your husband will be the one responsible for what¡¯s going to happen to you today,¡± he whispered into


    my ears. His tone filled with so much bitterness, and I didn¡¯t even know if this was the Daniel that I


    made friends with. His friendly had changed, and it was clear that he was just putting on an act the


    whole time. What a hypocrite he was.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± I asked, my tone not that clear, the words barelying out of my mouth, all


    because he pressed on with his aggressive act.


    ¡°He¡¯ll tell you, when you narrate this scene to him.¡±


    Daniel quickly shoved me against the wall, still snaring both of my hands forcefully. Standing behind


    me, he pressed his body against mine, and I could feel him getting hard on me. It was so irritating, but


    what could I do? Absolutely nothing. If only someone can just appear right now, and beat the hell out of


    this


    man.


    He wanted to lift my dress up, but I shook my body continuously, trying my best to stop him from doing


    that. He pped my butt very hard, and I shrieked in pain, closing my eyes.


    ¡°You better behave yourself, bitch!¡± His rude words echoed through my ears.


    All of a sudden, we heard multiple knocks on the door. ¡°Mrs. Reynold, it¡¯s Rose. Your husband is here


    to see you.¡±


    Daniel froze promptly. ¡°Your husband? What is he doing here?¡±


    I red at him, without responding, and I wanted to elbow him, but he hooked my arm, and pressed my


    face against the wall. It was really painful.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The knock on the door continued, and it even got louder. ¡°Mrs. Reynold. Are you in there?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, it¡¯s me. Open the door.¡± I heard Luke¡¯s voice. And for some reason, I felt kind of safe.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I screamed immediately. ¡°Help me!¡±


    ¡°You better shut up,¡± Daniel said lowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote now,¡± I replied underneath my breath. And then I screamed, ¡°Luke help! This man is trying


    to¡­¡±


    Daniel covered my mouth once again, and pushed me to the floor, getting on top


    106¨CBEAUTY IN DISTRESS


    of me promptly. I kept trying to speak, but his hands covered my mouth. Well, my hums were loud for


    someone to hear me.


    TUJRETICE INTRIGUE

 Chapter 107

    107 OFFICE INTRIGUE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Ariel! Ariel!¡± I knocked on the door continuously, but she still didn¡¯te out to give me an answer.


    The door was locked from the inside, and she was screaming for help. But what the hell was going on?


    Who was trying to follow through with nonsense in that office?


    I was standing close to Rose, thedy who used to work at mypany. Well, we were all familiar with


    the reason for me, firing her. But here she was now, working for The Vitality Group. I couldn¡¯t care less


    anyway, but being close to her made me sick.


    Anyway, I hade to see Ariel to discuss certain things. Well, I wanted to apologize for what


    happened earlier today. I had to realize I went a little bit crazy. But the moment I got close to her office,


    I was having second thoughts. Until I heard her screaming from the inside.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I heard Ariel¡¯s voice once again.


    ¡°Something is definitely going wrong in there,¡± Rose said.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± I refused to nce at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious Mrs. Reynold is in trouble. We have to save her.¡±


    ¡°Will you please shut up?¡± I gave her an unfriendly look. She adjusted her sses


    in silence.


    I could hear Ariel screaming from the inside, and my mind wasn¡¯t at ease. Who in


    MEGEEKCE INTRIGUE


    the world had the nerve to go in there, bringing terror upon her? Whatever was going on there needed


    to stop. But how was I going to get this door open?


    ¡°Sir, we need to get in that office as soon as possible,¡± Rose told me, and I had to let out a sigh in


    annoyance.


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to say a damn word, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. But that¡¯s my boss in there. And if you don¡¯t want to do anything, I¡¯m going to call the


    cops.¡±


    I shook my head, taking my eyes off her. After observing the door, I elbowed it with all of my might. It


    was quite painful, but I decided to do that repeatedly,pounding the force. And onest strike at the


    door caused it to open.


    I quickly entered the office, with Rose walking behind me, and I saw Daniel getting off Ariel. He walked


    in my direction immediately and tried striking my countenance. Well, I seized his hand and threw a


    punch at his face.


    How dare he try to do something so disgraceful? He tried to force himself on my wife. Okay, I think I


    needed to correct that: he tried to force himself on Ariel, something I never relished in this life.


    If I were to see any woman being outraged, I¡¯d do everything in my power to save Ther. Just like when I


    caught this man trying to force himself on one of my friends back then, when I was still a teenager. I


    had to beat the hell out of him, tranting into a lot of people being baffled. They called me the young


    Hercules.


    Daniel wanted to fight back, but my rage at the moment had unleashed the beast in me. A demon that


    couldn¡¯t be tamed, and the anger was so intense, as if I had loved this woman my whole life.


    I punched Daniel in the face and delivered another one to him. That was how I


    kept on striking his visage till hended on the ground. His face was bleeding, and my fist was covered


    in blood, a result of all the vigorous punches. You could feel sorry for him.


    I nced at Ariel, who had Rose standing by her side. Her hair was messy, and there were scratches


    on various parts of her body, especially her face. I didn¡¯t like that one bit. This useless man wanted to


    ruin her beauty, which was clearly not eptable.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± I called her name, treading towards her. ¡°I hope you¡¯re alright.¡±


    She nodded as she responded softly, ¡°I think I am.¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to let this man enter your office? You know how dangerous he


    can be.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± She shook her head, gently fixing her hand on her neck. ¡°And he just barged into my


    office. He didn¡¯t even bother to get permission.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I quizzed.


    ¡°How was I supposed to know? I was just sitting here in my office, not having any knowledge of what¡¯s


    going on outside the door.¡±


    I red at Rose. ¡°Then it must be thisdy¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me, okay? I too didn¡¯t know the time this man walked into her office.¡± Rose defended


    herself.


    ¡°Then you weren¡¯t doing your job properly,¡± I retorted.


    JOT OFFICE IN TANGLE


    ¡°I was busy, working on a project at that time.¡±


    ¡°You should have still been on guard.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Luke, please, I don¡¯t want this argument to take ce. I really appreciate. the fact that you just


    saved me from Daniel, but please, you shouldn¡¯t do this. right now. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe thisdy. I helped her, and just look at how she was talking to


    1. me.


    ¡°Luke, can you please tell me what you did to Daniel?¡± Ariel asked.


    I red at Daniel right away. ¡°What did he tell you?¡±


    ¡°He said nothing. But he had to let me know you¡¯re the reason for the actions he carried out.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°What a fool.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± Daniel spoke immediately, slowly getting to his feet as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°You


    wanted to ruin my business, Luke Reynold.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Ariel queried, like I was obligated to give her an answer. I could just walk out of


    here if I wanted. Nobody was going to do anything.


    ¡°Luke.¡± Ariel¡¯s tone was filled with eagerness.


    ¡°Can you please calm down?¡±


    ¡°Well, can you just tell me what you did to him?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so eager to know?¡±


    ¡°Because I almost got raped today!¡± Ariel answered loudly. ¡°So this is literally my


    business.¡±


    ¡°You want to know, right? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± I said after staring at her for a moment. I pointed at Daniel


    as I spoke, ¡°This man here wanted to drug you. He was nning to invite you over to hispany so


    he could have sex with your once you¡¯re insensible. Am I lying, Daniel?¡±


    1 continued, ¡°The moment I found out about his evil n, I went straight to hispany and bought


    almost all of his workers.¡±


    ¡°You did what now?¡± Ariel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t buy them, actually. I just gave them money to resign from hispany and join mine.¡±


    ¡°How in the world did you do that?¡± Ariel expressed admiration.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t notorious for nothing.¡±


    Ariel¡¯s face could tell she was still in awe. ¡°But that¡¯s..¡±


    ¡°Crazy. I know, right?¡± I cut her off. ¡°But it didn¡¯t end there. I had to beat the hell out of this man,


    warning him. It looks like he still hasn¡¯t learned his lesson.¡±


    Ariel red at Daniel. ¡°And I thought you were the good guy.¡°.


    ¡°And I was the bad guy,¡± I said straightaway. ¡°This is how you think of me. I totally deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, no,¡± I answered lowly.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± She nodded. Her eyes widened instantly. ¡°Look out!¡±

 Chapter 108

    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    108 AVERTING DISASTER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I pushed Luke out of the way, as Daniel wanted to strike him from behind. It seemed like he had


    regained all of his strength.


    He seized my neck and began to strangle me. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±


    I struggled to get his hands off me. I could barely breathe, and I felt like I was going to pass away any


    moment from now. However, I had forgotten that it wasn¡¯t only the two of us who were in the room.


    Luke forcefully took Daniel¡¯s hands from my neck and shoved him to the wall.


    ¡°Why do you have to be a pain in the ass?¡± Luke punched his face multiple times.


    Daniel managed to push Luke away from him, but he received a tremendous blow in the midsection. I


    had to ask myself if Luke learned martial arts or something. He was really incredible when it came to


    stuff like this.


    Holding Daniel¡¯s hair, Luke tossed him to the floor, and the cops arrived. immediately, with Rose


    leading the way. I didn¡¯t even know the time she left the


    office.


    ¡°There he is, sir,¡± Rose pointed at Daniel. ¡°He¡¯s the one who tried to force himself on my boss.¡±


    *The officer nced at everyone in the room while his fellow advanced toward


    Daniel, taking a hold of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be scared, ma¡¯am. You¡¯re safe now,¡± the officer assured me.


    I nodded, and the policemen took Daniel out of the office. I was d that the


    terror was over.


    I set my eyes on Luke; he was also gazing at me, his hands covered in blood, and he was breathing


    heavily. He was a hero today, and I was really thankful. He always found a way to change my thoughts


    about him. And I tried my very best not to, but it was just¡­ hard.


    ¡°You need to get a shower,¡± I told him.


    ¡°And so do you,¡± he smirked in response.


    I giggled, and I slowly walked to the door. I turned to look at him. His smile still dwelled on his face, his


    shirt stained, and he started traipsing to me, just as I had expected.


    I was smiling at him, and as much as I didn¡¯t want to, I just couldn¡¯t control it. But anyway, I had to turn


    my face away, moving out of the office in a slow manner. This ce was messed up; it was going to


    need some cleaning. And right now, I needed to go home and get some rest.


    Iy on my bed, extremely exhausted from that event that took ce at my office. today. My phone


    propped up on the nightstand as the familiar chime of an iing video call echoed through the room.


    I reached for the phone and swiped to answer, revealing the beaming face of my cute and adorable


    Lukel.


    ¡°Hi, Mommy!¡± Lukel¡¯s voice rang through the room.


    ¡°Hey, sweetheart,¡± I replied, a soft smile ying on my lips. ¡°How was your day?


    ¡°It was great. Mommy, I miss you,¡± he said, his bottom lip quivering slightly. ¡°I wish you were here with


    me.¡±


    ¡°I miss you too, Lukel. I wish I could be there to give you a big hug right now.¡±


    ¡°Can youe home, Mommy? I want you to be here with me.¡±


    ¡°I promise, sweetheart. I¡¯ll see you tonight at the party. We¡¯ll have so much fun. together; just you wait.¡±


    Lukel¡¯s face lit up with hope. ¡°Really, Mommy? You¡¯ll be at the party.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, really. I¡¯ll be there before it¡¯s over, I promise.¡±


    His smile widened. ¡°Yay! I can¡¯t wait to show you the drawing I made for you, Mommy! It¡¯s a surprise!¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Wow, you made a drawing?¡±


    ¡°Yes Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Wow, my little boy¡¯s an artist now. I never knew you had such a wonderful talent. But what did you


    draw, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s a surprise!¡±


    Iughed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it, Lukel. You always make the best surprises,¡± I grinned at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    there before you know it, okay? Just a little while longer.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy. I love you,¡± Lukel said, blowing a kiss to the camera before the call ended.


    ¡°I love you too, Lukel,¡± I whispered to the now silent screen, feeling a mix of emotions¨Cexhaustion from


    work, the bullshit from Daniel. Yeah, that was it. But I knew I had to make it to this party. My two babies


    would be waiting for me; I couldn¡¯t miss this asion.


    The door opened, and this maid slowly walked in. ¡°Ma¡¯am. Someone wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I aksed, sitting on the bed.


    ¡°She says she¡¯s your


    your mother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Thank you. You may go.¡±


    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am.¡± She nodded and left.


    My mother had finallye to speak with him. It had been a week since west talked to each other. I


    had no idea what was wrong with the both of us. I wouldn¡¯t say I was mad at her, because I also did the


    same crap. Not calling or texting her. So, of course, we both messed up in this situation. And now, I


    think it¡¯s time to fix


    this.


    I stood up, letting out a deep sigh, and I made my way out of my room. I went downstairs, only to see


    my mother in the living room. I was actually kind of surprised, because I thought Marcus was going to


    keep her waiting outside.


    ¡°Mom?¡± I slowly walked to her.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± She stood up and went ahead to hug me tightly. ¡°I miss you, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°i miss you too. But where have you been the whole time?¡± I asked her, our embraceing to an end.


    ¡°I was out of the state.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry about that. I just didn¡¯t want to disturb you since you and Luke were going through¡­ you


    know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Luke was the only one who was kind of depressed. You should have paid us a visit at least.¡±


    ¡°What if I told you I didn¡¯t know the location of your new mansion?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to believe that,¡± I vocalized, and sheughed softly. ¡°But hold on, how did you know I


    was at home?¡±


    ¡°I heard what happened to you today,¡± she answered, holding my hand.


    ¡°At my office?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m really sorry about that. I hope you weren¡¯t wounded.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. I¡¯m just tired.¡®


    ¡°I also heard Lake was the one who saved you.¡± She gave me a silly smile.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°Yeah, he did.¡±


    She yfully hit my hand. ¡°How romantic is that?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    Marcus appeared in the living room. ¡°Mrs. Reynold, two women are here, looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I must be really special today,¡± I joked.


    My mom smiled at me. ¡°You¡¯re always special.¡±


    Marcus cleared his throat immediately. ¡°Sorry,¡± was what he said when I nced at him. ¡°Should I let


    them in?¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, you can let them in.¡± I nodded, wondering who they were. Marcus left the both of us.


    ¡°Now, where were we?¡± My mom grinned.


    I sighed, closing my eyes, my hands fixed on my head. ¡°Oh my gosh.¡±


    ¡°What? There¡¯s improvement in your rtionship. You should be happy.¡±


    If only she knew my situation right now, she wouldn¡¯t be saying all these things.


    LAVERTING DISASTER


    201


    ¡°Ariel!¡± ¡°My name resounded in the living room. I turned around. It was Hannah and Elizabeth.

 Chapter 109

    109 LURE OF THE BAR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    This was definitely a nice moment, folks. The moment these two fabulousdies would finally get to


    meet the incredible woman who brought me into this world. The one who blessed me with my stunning


    looks and charm.


    I mean, let¡¯s be real, it¡¯s not easy looking this good, but I definitely owe it all to my mama. I couldn¡¯t wait


    for them to see where it all came from. It was going to be epic!


    Elizabeth and Hannah approached us with big grins on their faces. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how


    happy they were. ¡°Hey Ariel, how¡¯s it going?¡± Elizabeth asked, getting closer to me.


    ¡°We heard what happened at the office?¡± Hannah chimed in.


    ¡°Wait, you guys know about that?¡± I raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re just d you¡¯re okay,¡± Elizabeth said with concern.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m d too,¡± I replied, taking a seat. I knew it was time to introduce my mom to them. They


    needed to be friends, and I was going to be the one to make it happen.


    ¡°Have you two met my mom?¡± I asked, gesturing to my mother. Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened as she turned


    to look at my mom.


    ¡°Your mom?¡± She said in awe. ¡°Wow, so this is the mother of the beautiful angel standing before us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± my mom replied with a smile.


    ¡°Well, no wonder you¡¯re so beautiful,¡± Elizabeth said with a grin.


    My mom blushed, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, you two are too cute,¡± Iughed, enjoying the interaction between my two favorite women.


    ¡°Howe you never told us about your mom?¡± Elizabeth asked, turning to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said with a shrug.


    ¡°Did you guys have a falling out?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± I reassured her, turning to my mom. ¡°Anyways mom, this is *Elizabeth, the one I lived


    with after I left Luke. She¡¯s an amazing woman and her


    son is just as amazing.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, you have a son?¡± My mom eximed, her face lighting up.


    ¡°Yes, and he¡¯s quite handsome,¡± I whispered to her, causing her to giggle.


    ¡°Okaydies, as much as I love this introduction, we do have a reason for being here,¡± Hannah


    interrupted with a smile..


    ¡°What reason?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking you to the mall!¡± she announced with a grin.


    ¡°The mall?¡± I repeated with a puzzled expression. This seemed a bit extrerne.


    ¡°Yes, we need to find you the perfect dress for the party tonight,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± I questioned, wondering why they were making such a big deal out of it.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Elizabeth chimed in, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°But we have to make sure you look like a goddess,¡± Hannah argued.


    ¡°You already are a goddess,¡± Elizabeth said softly.


    ¡°See? You don¡¯t need a new dress,¡± I told her, agreeing with Elizabeth.


    ¡°But it¡¯ll be fun, trust me,¡± Hannah insisted.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll go,¡± I gave in, knowing I couldn¡¯t win this argument.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys supposed to be preparing for the party?¡± I asked, looking at Hannah.


    ¡°Lisa has everything under control,¡± she replied with a wave of her hand. ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about


    anything, she¡¯s in charge.¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case, let¡¯s go shopping!¡± I said, getting up from my seat.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Hannah cheered, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door.


    My mom justughed, watching the three of us.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I said, and Hannah halted. ¡°I need to go take a shower,¡± I added.


    She let go of my arm. ¡°Okay then, but hurry up, okay?¡±


    I smiled at her, and advanced towards the stairs. My mom and Elizabeth were having a conversation,


    and it seemed like they were about to be good friends.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was seated at thevish bar, the dim light reflecting off the polished mahogany


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Center Isailed the amber liquid in my ss, falding in the rich aroma of the eqensive whizbory.


    I had to say, today was quite a day. From the scene that happened right outside wy house, to the crap


    which took ce at Ariel¡¯s office, I felt so sorry seeing her In such state, and I also felt sorry for the way


    I talked to her, and Andre.


    Leould have apologized, but my pride was right here within me, making it hard for me to utter a simple


    sorry. That was just how I was. Well, sometimes. I could be a pochopath, a total pain in the ass. All my


    crazy feats I could remember. And sometimes, I just wanted to beat the hell out of myself.


    I remembered one time when I caught Harriet with this man. I thought he wanted. to force himself on


    her, so I had to beat him up


    But now that I hade to think of it, he wasn¡¯t trying to vite her. She was actually cheating on me.


    It all made sense now, how she didn¡¯t say anything when I gave that man hell.


    But no need to go deep in that. It was all in the past. I wasn¡¯t going to lie, I did miss Harriet. The times


    we spent together, oh she was really an angel. Why did things have to change?


    ncing around the opulent room, my eyes met those of a stunning woman at the other end of the bar.


    She was captivating, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. Her dark hair cascaded over her


    shoulders, and her elegant dress hugged her curves in all the right ces. Her gaze lingered on me,


    and I couldn¡¯t deny the maic pull of her beauty.


    However, I made it clear to myself that I was not going to be swayed by her allure. I hade to the


    bar for a quiet drink, seeking sce after all the bullshit. I had no interest in getting entangled in the


    allure of a beautiful stranger.


    Despite my resolve, I couldn¡¯t help but steal nces in her direction. Her smile was enchanting, and


    the way she carried herself exuded confidence and grace. And before I knew it, this woman made her


    way over to where I was seated, She took the stool next to me, her presence filling the space with an


    undeniable charm ¡°Good evening,¡± she greeted me, her voice smooth and alluring.


    I acknowledged her with a polite nod, trying to maintain myposure. I could sense her eyes on me,


    and I knew she was waiting for a response.


    ¡°Is this seat taken?¡± she asked, gesturing to the empty stool beside me.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered immediately.


    OF THE NAR


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I took a imoment, letting out a deep sigh, before responding, ¡°Fine. It¡¯s all yours.¡±


    She smiled, her lips curving into a knowing expression. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice you from across the


    room. You seemed lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Just enjoying a moment of peace.¡±


    Her gaze lingered on me, her eyes holding a hint of curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s rare to find someone in a ce like


    this who isn¡¯t here for thepany.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I prefer thepany of a good drink over anything else at the moment.


    Sheughed immediately. ¡°A man of discerning tastes, I see.¡±


    I felt her hand moving closer to mine. Oh gosh, this was a goddamn temptation


    OFRIENDS?


    110 FRIENDS?

 Chapter 110

    110 FRIENDS?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    And thisdy still sat here, right next to me, hoping for the best. I don¡¯t know, but I just wanted her to


    leave me alone as soon as possible. I didn¡¯t want to be moved by her beauty. Not making the same


    mistake I made with Tiffany.


    And I did remember carrying out shit as well with thisdy some years back. But I couldn¡¯t actually


    remember her name or what she looked like. Probably because I was intoxicated at that time.


    ¡°Can I please know your name?¡± The prettydy asked, grinning like an idiot. Okay, there was no need


    for me to be rude around here. I still tried my best to avoid making eye contact with her. Because it


    wasn¡¯t worth it.


    ¡°Why do you want to know my name?¡± I asked in reply, moving my hands together after taking a quick


    look at her.


    ¡°Because I want to be friends with you.¡± Her hushed tone was a little bit seductive. But I was going to


    be strong enough not to fall into this one.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I had to raise an eyebrow, ncing at her.


    ¡°I want us to be friends,¡± she said again, in a different way. ¡°Anything wrong with that?¡±


    I exhaled deeply, my eyes narrowing down. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just kind of odd.¡±


    ¡°Kind of odd?¡± She repeated my words.


    ¡°Yes. We don¡¯t know each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to know your name. I want to get to know you better.¡± Her smile was still on her face.


    And anyone would have easily fallen into her trap right now if such person were in my shoes.


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh,¡± was what she said in an inaudible tone.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I added to the drama, thinking she would now disappear. Since it was clear that I wasn¡¯t


    interested, Well, I was trying my best not to get interested.


    ¡°We can still be friends.¡± Her words baffled me.


    I had to spit out the drink I was taking into my mouth. Exceedingly surprised, shocked, and confused,


    I¡¯d say. Well, not really. But what the heck was wrong with her? It seemed like she wasn¡¯t ready to give


    up on this game of hers.


    Well, thisdy gave me a weird look after watching me spit the drink. The crazy part of it all was that


    some got spilled on her hand. She had to withdraw it from the table at that very moment. She should


    have just withdrew herself from this moment. I could have been happy about that, prevailing over the


    temptation. Literally.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± She asked after seconds of disying that bizarre face.


    ¡°I just told you that I¡¯m married. And you still want us to be friends?¡± My tone was trying to make it clear


    to her that she shouldn¡¯t even be thinking like that.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± she replied slowly, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I just thought¡­¡± I trailed off, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Ughh, nevermind. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    She gave me a skeptical look. ¡°Come on. Tell me what was going on in that head of yours.¡±


    ¡°I told you already. It¡¯s nothing; forget about it.¡± I took a sip of my drink.


    ¡°You thought I was into you, right?¡± These other words from her wanted to make me spit my drink


    again, but I was able to control myself. My mind was really crazy at the moment.


    I nced at her, noticing how she was scrutinizing me, expecting a replication. I gave her a reply


    anyway, saying, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am,¡± she said right


    away


    ¡°I knew it,¡± I muttered, hitting the table slightly.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll have to control myself,¡± she added.


    I looked at her promptly. ¡°Or we can just go out separate ways and act like this conversation never took


    ce.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I think we should be friends,¡± she said, disagreeing with my suggestion. My crazy suggestion.


    *I furrowed my brows at her, my hands sping together. ¡°Why are you so eager


    to be my friend?¡±


    She sighed, moving her face closer. ¡°Well, you¡¯re very handsome. Your beautiful. eyes and your


    wonderful lips. I can stare at your face all day.¡±


    I looked at her, silent for seconds. Like, seriously, that was a little bit too much. Anyway, I had to go with


    the flow. ¡°What if I was as hideous as a beast? Would you still want to be my friend if I wasn¡¯t


    handsome?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t do that. You are handsome; there is no need for imaginations.¡± She wanted to stir her


    finger around my face, but I swiftly moved back. Yup, she understood that clearly.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Anyways, my name is Luke. Luke Reynold. You must have heard about me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Luke Reynold. You¡¯re the owner of The Reynolds, right?¡±


    ¡°I sure am.¡± I wore a proud smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s really nice. I¡¯ve actually heard about you. But I never knew what you looked like. Not until now.¡±


    She grinned, fixing her eyes on nothing else no one


    else but me.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Arriving at the mansion, which belonged to Andre and his family, I stopped my car, scanning the


    surroundings. Different people are all making their way to the mansion. Tonight was going to indeed be


    great; my little babies would be waiting for me. And of course, there would be tons of smiling faces


    around.


    ¡°I got out of my car, fully prepared to make my way inside the mansion. No doubt, today has been really


    exhausting, stressful, and terrifying. It had to be one of my


    STEERING


    worst days, but definitely not the one topping the list. I had thousands of bad. days; most of them were


    caused by no one else but Luke.


    Let¡¯s just see how this party is going to be. It was actually a good thing to be surrounded by people who


    brought smiles to your face every time. That was just the case with Andre around here. He was very


    nice and husband ¨C material. Too bad I wasn¡¯t in love with him. I didn¡¯t even know why I wasn¡¯t able to


    develop feelings for him.


    My heels clicked against the cobblestone walkway as I approached the grand entrance of Andre¡¯s


    mansion.


    I straightened the folds of my scarlet dress, the fabric all around me like a rush of crimson waves. This


    stunning creation of silk andce hugged my figure in all the right ces, with the daring neckline


    adding a touch of allure to my ensemble.


    Yup, this was the perfect dress that Hannah had picked for me. It was really beautiful, and the makeup


    on my face aggrandized everything.


    Stepping into the midst of the lively gathering, I quickly spotted Andre, standing at the heart of the


    room, his easy smile captivating everyone around him. He looked dashing in a tailored suit, his dark


    eyes dancing with anticipation. Spotting me, his smile widened, and he made his way through the


    throng of guests to greet me.


    ¡°Andre, you look absolutely enchanting,¡± Iplimented him as he got close to


    1. me.


    ¡°Not as enchanting as you.¡± He smiled back, and we bothughed. ¡°I¡¯m d you could make it.¡±


    ¡°Well, there was no way I was going to miss this.¡± I smirked.


    110 FRIENDS?


    ¡°The party will begin any moment from now on. Why don¡¯t we go greet some guests?¡± He suggested.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I responded, still smiling. He crossed arms with me, and we both traipsed forward.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    im

 Chapter 111

    111 THESE STEPS WITH YOU


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    So, Laura and I had been here for minutes, having a conversation that I couldn¡¯t understand myself. It


    was actually nice being around her, she was fun to talk with, but I just didn¡¯t want to get moved by her


    beauty.


    A promise made to myte grandfather, I was not going to do anything stupid, leaving my wife and start


    following some otherdy. Even though I didn¡¯t love Ariel, I needed to be faithful.


    Our discussion eventually came to an end, and I stood up, fully prepared to leave the bar.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Laura halted me.


    I turned around. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me your number,¡± she spoke lowly.


    ¡°Was I supposed to?¡± I asked, cause I was not ready to do that. Even if I did, her calls would be


    ignored.


    ¡°Just give me, will you?¡±


    ¡°I have to remind you that I have a wife.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I never forgot that.¡±


    ¡°I think you did.¡± I shook my head after that. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time here. There¡¯s somewhere I


    need to be right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s squandering the time here. If you can just let me have your contact, we¡¯ll leave


    this ce immediately.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s my contact so important, huh?¡±


    ¡°Cause we¡¯re friends. And as a friend, I need to have your contact.¡±


    ¡°Who said we¡¯re friends?¡°/


    Laura chuckled. ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I made a serious face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she responded beneath her breath. ¡°You know what? It¡¯s okay. If you don¡¯t want to give


    me your number, it¡¯s cool. You can leave now.¡±


    I nodded, smiling at her. Finally, someone was starting to have some senses.


    THESE STEPS WITH YOU


    ¡°What about you? Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± I asked, not that I was concerned anyway.


    ¡°You do not have to worry about that,¡± she answered, and I could hear the bitterness in her tone. I was


    guessing she was infuriated with me.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She snapped immediately. And her tone softened as she apologized,¡± I¡¯m sorry, if you want to


    leave, just leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± I nodded, and made my way to the door. My eyes widened the moment I opened it. Yes, I


    saw Tiffany.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Still at the party, I found myself perched on a plush, cream¨Ccolored sofa in the midst of Andre¡¯s opulent


    mansion. The room was filled with the murmur of conversation, tinkling sses, and the soft melodies


    of a grand piano in the


    corner.


    My eyes were fixed on Andre, as he ascended the stage at the far end of the room, his charismatic


    presencemanding the attention of the gathered guests.


    The moment the room became quiet, Andre¡¯s voice echoed through the space, and his tone was filled


    with gratitude. ¡°Thank you all for joining us tonight. It means a great deal to have you here to celebrate


    with us,¡± he began, unting his smile in the glow of the spotlights. ¡°I am truly honored by your


    presence.¡±


    I observed him, and my eyes were tracing the lines of his confident posture, the way his gaze swept


    over the crowd.


    He pressed on with his words. ¡°As many of you know, my family has recently moved to New Haven. It¡¯s


    a joyous asion, and I am grateful for the support and well wishes we¡¯ve received.¡±


    The room became filled with apuse and genuine smiles as Andre


    acknowledged the well¨Cwishers. I couldn¡¯t help but be captivated by his presence, the way he


    effortlesslymanded the attention of the room.


    I had known him for years, and yet, in this moment, he seemedrger than life. Wow, that was actually


    nice of him.


    ¡°And of course,¡± he spoke boldly. ¡°I must express my gratitude for the sess of Vitality Group. We


    have achieved great milestones, and I am confident that we will continue to thrive in the years toe.


    Ourmitment to excellence and innovation remains unwavering, and I am proud to lead such a


    remarkable team.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    314 THESE STEPS WITH YOU


    I was shocked to see Tiffany. Well, I wasn¡¯t that shocked. But right now, she should be among thest


    people that I wanted to see. I was feeling guilty for breaking her heart. That was if she was


    heartbroken.


    But the fact that we had sex, and I just had to end our rtionship, was really crazy to her. I must


    probably be the person who she despised so much in the world.


    ¡°Luke,¡± she slowly called my name, her eyes fixed on no one else but me.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tiffany,¡± I said back in the same manner.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I just came to grab a few drinks,¡± I replied. ¡°Ill be leaving now.¡± I wanted to walk away, but she held my


    arm.


    ¡°Before you leave, I just want to let you know that I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Her words left me in a state of shock. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re obviously the father.¡±


    ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± I still couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Who knew? Maybe she was lying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. You knew what happened between us.¡±


    ¡°But that was like weeks ago. Why are you telling me this now?¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± She red at me. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying, or do you think I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°You better be,¡± I told her coldly.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not. This baby in my belly belongs to you. Like it or not, this child is your responsibility. When


    you¡¯re ready to talk something sensible, you know where to find me.¡±


    She walked inside the bar, and I was still shocked. Was she really telling the truth about her


    pregnancy? Was I actually the father? Oh this was all nonsense.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Everyone was quiet as Andre continued his speech, ¡°You know, life is a series of peaks and valleys.


    There are moments of triumph and times of hardship, but it¡¯s how we navigate through them that


    defines our journey,¡±


    His eyes went upward, and he shook his head, smiling. ¡°When me and my family *started ourpany,


    we had nothing but a vision and sheer determination. We


    faced countless setbacks and obstacles. There were times when it felt like the


    THESE STEIN WITH YOU


    world was against us, but we persisted. We believed in our mission, and that unwavering faith


    propelled us forward.¡±


    ¡°And then, slowly but steadily, things began to change. We pivoted, we adapted, and we innovated.


    Our family worked tirelessly, pouring our hearts and souls into our shared dream. We weathered the


    storms, learned from our mistakes, and emerged stronger each time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about my family in this one. My father, my mother, and Mason; my brother. It wasn¡¯t easy.


    But we had to ovee all obstacles. And then The Vitality Group came to life.¡± His smile lingered on


    his visage.


    ¡°Sess isn¡¯t just about reaching a destination; it¡¯s about the journey¡ªthe lessons learned, the bonds


    forged, and the impact we make along the way. Ourpany¡¯s sess is a testament to the resilience


    of the human spirit, to the power of teamwork, the love of family, and to the belief that anything is


    possible with passion and perseverance.¡±


    He nced at me, and I smiled at him. Then he continued, ¡°Life, my friend, is a magnificent tapestry of


    experiences. It¡¯s about embracing the challenges, relishing the victories, and always striving to reach


    new heights. Our journey is far from over, but looking back, I¡¯m filled with gratitude for every twist and


    turn that brought us to where we are today.¡±


    I turned around, gazing at the entrance, to see if Luke wasing. He had promised that he would be


    here, and I didn¡¯t know why he was taking so long. Wait, why was I even eager to see him?

 Chapter 112

    112 LOOMING DANGER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was still at the party as Andre¡¯s lengthy speech went on and on. I had no idea it was going to take this


    long. He had been talking for about ten minutes now, if I wasn¡¯t mistaking. Of course, the words were


    inspiring, but I had to stop paying attention. Not because of his lengthy speech, but because the person


    I was


    waiting for had not shown up.


    I nced back multiple times, hoping I would catch a sigh from Luke, but he wasn¡¯t to be seen


    anywhere, and it looked like no one else would be making their way into the mansion anymore.


    Right after we left the office, he told me that he woulde. He promised me that he was going to be


    here by my side, so he wouldn¡¯t let anything terrible happen to me. He said he was going to protect me


    from any sort of danger. His words were lovely, and his promises were just nice. It was soothing at the


    moment he freshly vocalized them.


    But guess those were mere words. He wasn¡¯t going to keep his promises. Who was I to him anyway?


    What was my spot in his life? Was I really special to him, or was I just holding a title, being his wife?


    I didn¡¯t know why it hurt at the moment. This was sort of painful, and I needed a perfect exnation for


    it. Why in the world did I want him to be by my side so badly? Andre was here, and Elizabeth was here.


    There were different people around who I could just mingle with. But why was I craving only Luke¡¯s


    presence and no one else¡¯s?


    The moment Andre concluded his speech, everyone began to p for him. Smiles on the faces of each


    and every one present at the mansion. There was Elizabeth, sitting close to Manual, pping in a


    buoyant mood. It was really lovely to see a


    smile on her face.


    As for my kids, I wanted to see how beautiful they would be. But Elizabeth had to let me know that


    Hannah had taken both of them out to buy a few things. So obviously, they would be stepping foot in


    the mansion any time soon.


    ¡°Okay people. We all know sess is right here with us, in our hearts,¡± Andre said, fixing his hand


    around his heart. ¡°We will always be victorious in the things we do. We¡¯re always going to be smiling.


    So, right now, let the glee continue to dwell in us. Let us all dance with the passion for sess right in


    our hearts.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    *Andre walked out of the stage promptly, and the room became dark to a certain degree, with the lights


    turning blue and slow music also ying at the moment.


    At this point, people went to grab their partners and started dancing tardily to the slow song.


    I still sat down, just observing everyone. It was a great thing to see these people happy. Elizabeth and


    Manuel danced together, and I could see the devotedness that was still within them. They had this


    passion for each other that had to make me envy their rtionship.


    If only my rtionship could be like theirs. It wasn¡¯t definitely going to be with Luke. Because in a few


    days, he¡¯d be signing those documents, and that was going to be the end of our marriage. Was I going


    to feel guilty about that? Ruining his life for good, was I going to be gratified after the vengeance had


    taken ce? I shouldn¡¯t even be taking my mind that far.


    Still sitting down, with all these thoughts moving in my head, someone stretched his hand towards me,


    and as I looked upwards, I had to realize it was Luke. He had a fragile smile on his face, and a wink


    was given to me at that moment.


    I was happy he had finally shown up, but also angry at him foringte. Maybe there must be a


    reasonable exnation for histe arrival, but that was none of my business anyway. He was here


    now, and that was all that mattered. But do not be mistaken, and don¡¯t think otherwise. I didn¡¯t have


    feelings for this man. No, no, this feeling right now was different. Absolutely different.


    Staring into Luke¡¯s eyes, I slowly gave him my hand. His touch this time felt kind of different. I didn¡¯t


    know why, but it was really amazing. The dawn of this moment was here, and it was really wonderful. I


    couldn¡¯t believe I was saying this, but this was a time spent with Luke that I would love. Even still, the


    n would still go on.


    As I stood up, Luke gently took me backwards, in the midst of the people dancing together. I felt the


    warmth of his hand on my waist and the gentle pressure guiding my movements. I looked up at him,


    our eyes meeting, and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away.


    The music wrapped around us, its gentle rhythm guiding our steps as we moved in perfect harmony. I


    felt the tension in my shoulders melt away as I lost myself in the music and in the nearness of Luke. His


    eyes held a warmth that seemed to draw me in, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a flutter in my chest.


    We kept on dancing; our steps became more synchronized, and our movements became fluid and


    graceful. I felt a rush of emotion as I looked into Luke¡¯s eyes, feeling a connection that seemed to


    transcend words. The feeling was great, I¡¯d say, with Luke¡¯s hands still wrapped around my waist.


    *Luke went ahead to smirk at me, tightening his grip, and then I wrapped my


    hands around his neck. The smile on his countenance had to hit differently this


    112 100MING DANGER


    33


    time; I couldn¡¯t exin why. But that expression spawned the golden light within me to gleam


    wlessly. Like I had said, it was as if we were the only ones in the world.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± I aksed Luke softly, still looking into his eyes.


    ¡°Why are you asking? Were you missing me?¡± He grinned.


    I let out a littleugh. ¡°Well, you promised you were going to show up, and then¡­


    ¡°I did,¡± he cut me off, his smile not leaving his face. ¡°I¡¯m here with you right now, so there¡¯s no need for


    you to start thinking too much.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was thinking too much?¡±


    ¡°When I walked into this house, I noticed the look on your face. You were lost in thought. Care to tell


    me what you were thinking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, actually,¡± I replied, shaking my head.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered softly, with a nod. ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Okay then,¡± he told me, and all of a sudden, I felt his hands reaching for my backside.


    I gave him a weird look, wondering what he was up to, and all he did was smirk. His hands went


    upwards, and then he let go of me. After that, he took my hand and made me twirl in front of him. And


    we continued our dance until both of us transposed downward.


    With Luke holding me, we gazed deeply into each other¡¯s eyes as our faces drew closer. And at this


    moment, clearly perceived, I could feel his zing breath, with his visage a few inches away from mine.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 113

    113 CREEPY CONVOS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    This was a moment of pure silence between the two of us, even though the song yed with other


    people dancing to it. Quite remarkable, galvanizing, relishing it ail in my head. Luke was still staring at


    me, and just when our lips became extremely close, he stirred his face backwards, standing upright the


    next second. The same thing happened to me.


    The music came to an end, and he eventually took his hands off me, averting his gaze, and I had to do


    the same. But I still glimpsed at him, and although he wasn¡¯t looking, I knew he carried out the same


    action. You could say it was a mutual feeling at the moment.


    ¡°Thanks foring,¡± I told him softly.


    He finally nced at me, and a smile popped up on his countenance. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I came here for


    the fun.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh softly. ¡°And you¡¯re having fun, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, not yet,¡± he answered, looking around. ¡°This ce is actually beautiful. So your friend is going to


    be dwelling in New Haven from now on, is that not so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he sure is. It¡¯s a great thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I smiled, also looking around.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Luke responded, his hands fixed on his waist. ¡°And I guess hispany is going to be


    apetition in this business stuff.¡±


    I looked at him, knowing where this talk was heading. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not go there.¡±


    He chuckled, understanding my words. ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth, though. But I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± I smiled at him.


    His phone began to ring, so he took it out of his pocket. ¡°I need to answer this call.


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to ask me for permission.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you for permission,¡± he uttered annoyingly, and he answered the call. ¡°Yes, Mr.


    Rolence.¡± He walked away, talking on the phone. I did nothing but look at him as he became a little bit


    far from me.


    I saw Hannah moving in my direction. She was looking pretty in a sparkling ¡®dress with tiny crystals on,


    navy blue in color. What made this even more


    awesome was that she didn¡¯t have sses on, and her makeup was one of a kind.


    She looked absolutely different.


    But now, I was wondering why she didn¡¯t have my children by her side. Elizabeth told me they were


    with her and that they had gone to buy some things. I wondered what they went ahead and purchased.


    It¡¯s not important anyway, The question right now is: Where were those adorable twins?


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re looking really pretty.¡± Hannah smiled widely. ¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong when I said you were going


    to look like a goddess, putting on this dress.¡°She gave me the perfect gesture, still smiling.


    ¡°Oh,e on now, the only goddess here is you,¡± Iplimented her, grinning back. ¡°Where are the


    both of them?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± She gave me a puzzled face.


    ¡°Lukel and Janice. Elizabeth told me they were with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± she responded, stretching her tone. ¡°Yeah, that is correct. I had them with me.¡±


    ¡°So, where are they now?¡± I asked in curiosity, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, okay? They¡¯re in safe hands.¡±


    ¡°You do know how important my little babies are. They mean the whole world to me.¡±


    ¡°I know, Ariel,¡± she said, fixing both of her hands on my shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you they¡¯re in safe


    hands.¡±


    ¡°And by safe hands, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re with Felix,¡± she revealed.


    Now, I made the confused face. ¡°Who¡¯s Felix?¡±


    ¡°My boyfriend,¡± she answered, smiling broadly. ¡°He¡¯s handsome, nice, and friendly. And your children


    love him so much.¡±


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be lying?¡± She asked, and I shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ve been spending the day with Felix, and


    they just don¡¯t want to leave his side.¡±


    ¡°Wow, is that so?¡± I crossed my arms, smiling at thement.


    ¡°Yes. But they¡¯ll be here in the next ten minutes, I think. Let me text Felix and tell him that we have a


    worried mother around here.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Yeah, a worried mother,¡± I whispered to myself.


    113 CRCEPY CONVOS


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. Your babies will be here before you know it,¡± she assured


    1. me.


    I sighted Mason standing upstairs, and he was staring down at me. The look on his face was the


    opposite of friendly, and while people were smiling, he was busy frowning. I knew what he was thinking.


    But to hell with his thoughts. He always wanted to bring the frightened side out of me whenever he


    noticed I was in a joyful mode.


    He walked away, looking like the viin that he was. I just stood still, ring at him as he moved further


    and further. My hate for this guy right now is so intense. If I were someone whose heart was a stone, I


    would have ripped his goddamn head off by now.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I just finished talking on the phone, putting an end to my business call. I nced around, looking at


    everyone as they got involved in divergent conversations. I suddenly felt someone¡¯s hand on mine, and


    before I could discern who it was, I was dragged out of my current position.


    I forcefully put an end to this person¡¯s grip, and at that moment, I realized it was Lucifer, that good¨Cfor¨C


    nothing fool. After what happened between the both of us, he still had the nerve toe close to me. I


    see he wanted to get his heart ripped out or something.


    ¡°You?¡± I red at him, as he still had that mask on. I didn¡¯t know why he never took that off his face.


    But I couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I came to the party. I¡¯m only a guest here, just like you,¡± he replied, with his irritating tone.


    Just by ncing at him, I recalled ourst encounter. And with those thoughts, I wanted to seize his


    shirt and m him to the floor. I wanted to pull his brain out of his head and pluck his eyes out. He


    deserved nothing but torture after messing with me. And I was d I didn¡¯t even give him the money he


    requested. He was a sick idiot.


    ¡°This might not be my party. But I swear, I¡¯m going to kick your ugly ass out of here,¡± I stated bitterly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯te here for this, Luke Reynold.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯vee to demand money again, You¡¯re sick in the head.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°I do not need your money. I just came to warn you. Because the* person after you is not


    far from here.¡±


    ¡°Keep your useless warnings to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Tonight, someone is not going toe out of this party alive,¡± he mentioned.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It might be you, Luke Reynold. It might be someone precious to you or someone you know. But you


    just have to know that tonight, there will be trauma.¡±


    His words echoed in my head. ¡°Are you really serious about this?¡±


    ¡°I have better things to do than toe here and say false things. So you just need to be careful


    tonight. You can keep your eyes open if you want.¡±


    He wanted to go, but I stopped him. ¡°Why are you doing this? Why are you giving me all this


    information?¡±


    Heughed at my question and walked away. But now, my mind was not at ease.

 Chapter 114

    114 STRAINED APOLOGIES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Lucifer had left me, and here I was, my head being flooded with heavy thoughts. The party continued,


    and people were still joyful, except for me. I stood still, outside the mansion, my hands fixed on my


    waist, my eyes narrowing down, heavy sighs escaping my lips.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The song ying at the moment was enough to soothe someone, bring the tranquility right into your


    soul, and make you be at peace. It was melodious, the tune was really heavenly. But guess what? I


    was not at peace here, after what that man had mentioned to me.


    It was a good thing to be rich, silk¨Cstocking, prominent, known by the people. Not by all, but by most.


    Good rtionships, bad rtionships, they were all present. Envy, hate, bitterness, were still counted


    right here. And I could see what these were tranting into. A death wish, nning to put me in the


    grave, taking my soul away, a scheme to send me to the other world.


    Confusion was still over me, my brain was still cracked each minute, trying to get a clue of the person


    bringing out all these schemes. There were tons of conflicts, and many haters. But I swear, I was too


    laborious to store the foes in my head.


    Facing moments like this, the terror gets worse each day, and the anxiety might shackle you, leaving


    you with nothing left to say. Only the fear of losing your life, and the people around you. But this fear


    wasn¡¯t a new thing, since I had lost the people most precious to me.


    And I could only me myself for Riley¡¯s death. The little one would have still been here, smiling today,


    if she had note to live with me. Life was quite unpredictable, and there were regrets for making


    certain decisions.


    But right now, who was left to lose? What was left to be gone? My life? I couldn¡¯t care less. If I could


    back in time, I¡¯d do it. I¡¯d sacrifice my life, just to make sure Riley¡¯s legacy goes on.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± someone mentioned my name, and I had to turn around. It was Andre, he was moving


    closer to me. ¡°It¡¯s actually a nice thing to see you at the party.¡± He shook hands with me, with a smile


    on his face. ¡°d you made it. I thought you weren¡¯t going to show up.¡±


    I smiled back, knowing why he said that. ¡°Well, I did. And I came here to say sorry.


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± He asked, as our shake came to an end.


    114 STAINED APOK


    273


    ¡°You know, for what happened this morning, around my house,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Oh, that? I wasn¡¯t mad.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I queried, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, of course. You had every right to be upset, seeing the two of us that way. After all, Ariel is your


    wife. I should be the one apologizing.¡±


    I gave him a baffled look, cause man, I was exceedingly surprised with his words.


    I had tough slightly, taking my face downward. ¡°Look, I understand the fact that you¡¯re trying to be


    nice around here. Bute on, you don¡¯t really have to say all those things, and we just got to face the


    truth. I spoke hurtful words that didn¡¯t even make sense. And I regret that moment. Trust me, I totally


    do.¡±


    Andreughed, and then he held my shoulder. ¡°Luke. These things I¡¯ve spoken are nothing but the


    truth. If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d do the same. Or even worse, I¡¯d beat the hell out of the man I see


    holding hands with my wife. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything now, I promise it won¡¯t happen


    again.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but give Andre a wonderful smile. His thinking was just kind of remarkable, and at this


    point, I could say I was envy of his demeanor. But we need to be real around here. I was really stupid


    this morning, just talking


    nonsense. I knew Andre was only trying to be nice. It was clear that he was a man of peace.


    ¡°So, why don¡¯t we go inside, and have a few drinks?¡± Andre suggested, patting my shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in the mood for drinks right now,¡± I told him. I was still thinking


    about what Lucifer told me, wondering if it was true. He told me to be very careful, but how the hell was


    I supposed to? I didn¡¯t even know who this for of mine was, if what Lucifer brought out to me was true.


    ¡°Come on, Luke. We¡¯re at a party. This is the time to celebrate. Be extremely happy, and forget about


    anything else. Forget about business, forget about all sort of problems. Just forget about everything,


    and enjoy every moment of this party.¡±


    I exhaled deeply, my mind still not soothed. ¡°I wish it was that easy.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s easy. You just need to get yourself some drinks. Chat with people, have all sort of


    conversations. Laugh to the fullest, joke around. You know, stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°Andre!¡± A man with mustache approached us, wrapping his arm around Andre¡¯s neck. ¡°Where have


    you been?¡±


    Andre grinned at him. ¡°Mr. Humphrey. Wow, you came to the party?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I couldn¡¯t miss this special event.¡±


    ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t see you?¡± Andre kept on with his smile.


    ¡°Probably because there are thousands of people around here. Especially the


    beautifuldies,¡± the man responded in a yful tone. He nced at me. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good evening,¡± I greeted back.


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± he furrowed his brows at me. And then I found his finger pointing at me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you


    Luke Reynold?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I sure am.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± He opened his mouth widely. ¡°It¡¯s actually an honor to be at your presence.¡±


    I smiled slightly. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡®


    ¡°What do you mean by that? You are one of the most greatest businessmen in New Haven. Everybody


    knows you. I mean, who doesn¡¯t want to work with The Reynolds?¡±


    ¡°A lot of people,¡± I teased myself in a whisper, only heard by me.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Mr. Humphrey asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I grinned shaking my head. I was just being honest with myself. Because after that


    situation between Harriet, Ariel, and me, years ago, a lot ofpanies decided to withdrawal their


    partnership.


    It was quite fucked up, embarrassing, and painful. But as the years went by, people came back to their


    senses. Well, not everyone. Some people still had that stuck in their head, up till now, never ready to let


    go. And it wasn¡¯t like they were the ones who lived in those moments.


    Mr. Humphrey moved closer to me. ¡°You lost your grandfather, and cousin. I didn¡¯t have the chance to


    tell you this. But here I am now, standing before you. So, sorry for those terrible moments. It¡¯s such a


    sad thing to lose the ones that are dearest to us, the ones who we cherish the most.¡±


    I took a deep breath, since this man had me harking back to the moment when Riley was shot. I felt


    speechless, as the dark event moved within me.

 Chapter 115

    115 CREEPY CONVOS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Hannah had to cease our talk the moment she began her conversation on the phone. She was really


    happy, and the smile on her face showed how that person she was talking with meant a lot to her. It


    was obviously her boyfriend. What was his name again? Felix, right. Well, that was what she told me.


    I nced around, observing everyone, and I couldn¡¯t see Luke in the mansion. My eyes couldn¡¯t catch


    sight of him, and I had to wonder if he had left the party so soon. He was indeed a busy man, and


    maybe he had onlye here not to break his promise. If he left so early, then the detestation for


    Andre was quite clear.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just as I was looking around, someone approached me, which was quite surprising. Okay, really


    surprising. Lisa was the one who had walked up to me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why. This was


    something that no one would expect, but I could just brace myself for what was about to happen. If she


    was about to spit shit or something.


    Indeed, everyone in their family was looking fantastic. Lisa, right here, killed it. She had to be the one


    with the most stunning dress at the party. Of course, since she was a fashion designer. But even so,


    Elizabeth and Hannah really had to unt their imposing sense of fashion. Especially Hannah, because


    her looks were almost the opposite of how she dressed on a daily basis.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I asked Lisa, as she was just staring at me.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± She quizzed me in return. Her tone, not friendly. It wasn¡¯t something


    new to me anyway.


    I raised an eyebrow at her, widening my eyes to a certain degree. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say


    what now?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. I walked up to you, and you¡¯re busy throwing that question at me,


    like I¡¯m aplete stranger.¡±


    Oh wow, this was surprising.


    Iughed, taking my eyes upward. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry. But I think you know the reason for that question. I


    mean,e on, let¡¯s not start pretending to ourselves around here.¡± I ended that talk with a shrug.


    Lisa shook her head. ¡°You love saying the most annoying shit, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Have youe to me to start an argument, or what?¡±


    ¡°Start an argument?¡± She chuckled, crossing her arms. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll waste my time doing that with


    you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that looks like what you¡¯re doing now,¡± I retorted, averting my gaze. ¡°You know, when you


    approached me, I had a feeling you just came to disy that rude attitude. And I can see you¡¯re


    heading in that direction.¡±


    Lisaughed. ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t make meugh. I haven¡¯te to you to be rude.


    ¡°But you totally understand what I¡¯m saying,¡± I said immediately.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± She raised both of her brows. And as I widened my eyes, staring at her, sheughed.


    ¡°Okay, maybe I do. But honestly, I haven¡¯te to be rude.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what do you want, then?¡±


    3/6


    ¡°Well, I need your help with something.¡± She took her eyes down. No wonder she was now trying to be


    nice.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I heaved my eyebrows.


    ¡°There¡¯s this friend of mine who¡¯s looking for a job. And I don¡¯t know if you can actually make her a


    worker in yourpany.¡±


    ¡°Mypany? Why don¡¯t you tell your brother about this?¡±


    ¡°I did. But he refused without thinking twice. He knows thisdy, and he believes she¡¯s not capable of


    doing the job.¡±


    ¡°If he thinks like that, then it¡¯s clear she¡¯s not suitable for the job.¡±


    She exhaled deeply. ¡°Yeah, I know. I just feel so sorry for her, ever since she lost all of her wealth.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°Care to tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°She was defrauded.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± I brought out in a low tone. ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s so depressed right now, and I just want to make her feel better.¡±


    ¡°By giving her a spot in The Vitality Group?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lisa uttered right away. ¡°That¡¯s what she wanted.¡±


    ¡°Lisa, can I talk to you?¡± Ady approached Lisa, holding her shoulders, smiling ¡°It¡¯s really important.¡±


    Lisa nced back at me. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    I nodded, and she walked away with thedy. And boy, what the hell was that? I just couldn¡¯t


    understand the conversation we had just had. It was somehow awkward.


    I sighted Mason from afar, moving in my direction. He had his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on


    me. I turned my face away multiple times, but a nce at him showed how he refused to take his eyes


    off me. It was really creepy, and I knew he was going to start talking nonsense. But this was a joyful


    asion, and I needed to smile every moment.


    ¡°How are you doing, mydy?¡± Mason smirked at me. He was now close. I wanted to re at him, but


    some part of my head told me to hold the anger and not disy it. Expression, words, or whatever. But


    if this man spit hard shit, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to follow through with such thoughts. I might even give


    him a tremendous punch in his balls.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine, thank you.¡± I gave him a fake smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± His smirk was still firm on his face. He grabbed a ss of wine from a tray that was being


    carried by a server. ¡°Want some wine?¡± Mason handed me the ss of wine.


    ¡°Sure, thank you.¡± I yed along, slowly taking it from his hand.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re enjoying the party,¡± Mason vocalized, looking around.


    ¡°Yeah, that is correct,¡± I told him, taking a sip of the wine. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, and breathed out deeply. ¡°It¡¯s normal. Now I don¡¯t have much time to waste.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. So you can go ahead and spit the crap you have to say.¡± A sardonic smile was right


    on my countenance as I slowly drank from the ss of wine.


    Masonughed, shaking his head. ¡°You can be an asshole sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Okay. So, how¡¯s our n going? You know, I don¡¯t want stories or excuses.¡±


    ¡°Stories or excuses?¡± We heard Andre¡¯s voice, and we both turned around. He was standing close to


    us. ¡°What n are you talking about?¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was still standing outside, watching different people as they passed by. Some people made their way


    out of the mansion, while others walked out, and I was just here, observing them all. Like, how was I


    even supposed to know the person who was after my life, or whatever?


    I didn¡¯t even know if I should believe Lucifer. He had to ruin my mood, showing up here to leave me in


    an uneasy state. But if I was destined to die, then so be it.


    *I spotted two little children not too far from me. A boy and a girl. Their beauty


    had captivated me, and I couldn¡¯t stop staring at them. For some reason, I


    115 CREEPY CONVOS


    616


    wanted to get close to the both of them,ugh, have fun, and talk about different things. Just like how I


    did with Abigail. I really loved little kids.


    Still staring at the two children, as they moved in my direction with a young man beside them, my


    phone started ringing. Unknown ID, but I had to answer the call. Even though I was tired of that bullshit


    popping up on my screen consistently,


    ¡°Hello, Pushki. How have you been doing?¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡± I brought out immediately, making a puzzled face. My mom was the only one who called me


    that. And it sounded just like her voice. But what the heck?

 Chapter 116

    116 UNYIELDING RESENTMENT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre was still standing behind me and Mason, expecting an answer from the both of us, I¡¯d say. He


    didn¡¯t have knowledge of our scheme, and I wasn¡¯t nning to tell him. Everything will be revealed


    once the n has been carried out. I was just picturing how things would be after that.


    ¡°So, can the both of you please tell me this n you¡¯re talking about?¡± Andre asked, his eyes fixing on


    the both of us. He would nce at Mason, and then he¡¯d do the same to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, actually,¡± Mason lied, adjusting his suit. ¡°We were just talking about business.¡±


    ¡°Business?¡± Andre gave Mason a curious face.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re discussing how we¡¯re going to execute the ns that could take ourpany to higher


    heights,¡± Mason continued.


    ¡°Wow,¡± was what Andre said before ncing at me. ¡°Is this true, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking her?¡± Mason queried him right away. ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    Andre nced at Mason and ignored him, turning back to me. ¡°You¡¯re going to give me an answer, or


    what?¡±


    ¡°What Mason said was true.¡± I lied as well. ¡°We were only talking about business.


    UNYIELDING RESENTMENT


    Andre nodded. ¡°I see. If that¡¯s the case, then okay.¡±


    2/5


    ¡°Hold on a minute. What do you think we were talking about?¡± Mason quizzed Andre; the anger and


    annoyance in his tone were quite clear.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Andre slowly turned to him. ¡°What do you think I was thinking?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Mason retorted. ¡°You were acting like a cop or something. Investigating


    us like we were carrying out a crime.¡±


    Andre looked at him for a moment, and then he shook his head as he said, ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Mason let out a deep sigh. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t realize it.¡± He looked in a different direction as he


    mockingly said, ¡°Sometimes, I wonder why I had to have an elder brother like you.¡±


    Andre chuckled. ¡°I too wonder why you had toe into this family. It¡¯s actually a nice thing, though.


    But your attitude isn¡¯t just nice. You¡¯re so proud of yourself, Mason. If you don¡¯t know, well, know that


    today. You¡¯re really annoying, and I think it¡¯s going to be a good thing if you change.¡±


    And Andre spoke nothing but the truth. Mason was indeed annoying; he was a proud man. A


    psychopath, aplete lunatic who deserved no respect.


    ¡°And what about you, huh?¡± Mason wasn¡¯t ready to shut up yet.


    ¡°What?¡± Andre asked as the two of them looked each other dead in the eyes.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to change your attitude as well?¡±


    Andre¡¯s unfriendly expression was all over his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re the type of man who always thinks he¡¯s right. You refuse to listen to other people¡¯s


    opinions because you feel like you always have the best ideas,¡±


    Andreughed. ¡°Look, Mason. I refuse to listen to most of your opinions because they make no sense.


    Your ideas are always mixed with evil, and it¡¯s something I dislike with so much passion. If you observe


    me carefully, you¡¯ll see that I do heed what people have to say.¡± Andre nced at me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that true,


    Ariel?¡±


    ¡°It sure is,¡± I answered with a nod.


    Andre focused back on Mason, patting his shoulder. ¡°So, stop hating on me, brother. You just have to


    start thinking straight and learn to love the people around you. Everyone needs help in this life, and a


    ruined rtionship might ruin the future.¡± Andre let go of Mason, looking at me. ¡°Good luck with your


    discussion.¡± He walked away from us after that.


    Mason was just ring at him. His brother¡¯s words must have pierced his heart really hard. But nothing


    was still going to enter that vain skull of his. He was not still going to change, so it seemed like Andre


    was only wasting his time when he said all of that. But anyway, you couldn¡¯t actually predict the future.


    ¡°That man thinks so high of himself,¡± Mason said bitterly, with his arms crossed, as he watched Andre


    greet some guests.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really think so. You¡¯re just jealous of him,¡± I told him, also watching Andre.


    ¡°Jealous of him?¡± Mason chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can be jealous of an idiot


    like that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to yourself now, Mason. It¡¯s obvious you envy your brother. He has a business of


    his own, he rtes with everyone just well, he¡¯s calm, he¡¯s handsome, he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, shut up.¡± Mason cut me off, Iughed silently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me all those things, okay?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m only saying the truth.¡±


    Mason slowly turned to me, a re etched on his face. ¡°You better watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re afraid of losing your children.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Are you going to keep on threatening me with that for every little thing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only giving you a reminder. You need it, because you just keep on talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± he bawled.


    ¡°Between me and you, now, who¡¯s the one talking nonsense?¡± I raised my brows. ¡°You say shit about


    Andre, but you and I both know it¡¯s not true. It¡¯s out of jealousy that you say these things. I totally


    understand that. I¡¯ve been in your


    1


    shoes before.¡±


    ¡°You fool!¡± Mason snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t start saying things, alright? I can jealous of my brother,¡±


    never be-


    ¡°But here you are, Mason, looking at him with those eyes. And in case you don¡¯t know, jealousy is


    written all over your face.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do, huh?¡± Mason looked at me like he was confused.¡± Why are you telling me


    all this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make you ept the truth. I¡¯m even sure you must have epted it within you. So,


    wine?¡± I handed him the ss of wine he had given me. minutes ago.


    Mason red at me, and before I knew it, he hit the ss on the floor. I closed my eyes the moment it


    shattered, but we weren¡¯t going to draw the attention of others because of the music ying at the


    moment.


    ¡°Did you see how that ss just got broken into pieces?¡± He aksed, pointing at the shattered ss.


    My eyes narrowed downward, and then I looked back at him. ¡°Yes. Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Good. If you don¡¯t behave yourself, you are going to end up having the same fate.


    ¡°I love the fact that you keep on threatening me, Mason.¡± I gave him a fake smile.


    ¡°Say what now?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    176 UNYIELDING RESENTMENT


    5/6


    ¡°You make this hatred for you grow each day. I even start asking myself if you can ever truly love


    someone. You im that Luke was the one responsible for your girlfriend¡¯s death. And that¡¯s why you


    want revenge. But you tell me, did you really love her that much?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course I loved her!¡± Mason snapped. ¡°If I didn¡¯t, do you think I¡¯d


    decide to carry out this n? Sofie meant the whole world to me. She was my diamond. But that


    husband of yours had to go on and do shit.¡±


    I stared at him for seconds. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be, you idiot. Just go on with the n. There are a few days left till everything is


    done. And don¡¯t fail me. You know the consequences.¡±


    He walked away, and I couldn¡¯t help but re at him. If he did love this girlfriend like he imed, then


    why did she go ahead and cheat on him? It seemed like they were both lunatics. I couldn¡¯t even be


    sure if Luke was the one who killed her.


    1

 Chapter 117

    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    im


    X


    117 TAMPERED TRUTH


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    With my phone pressed against my ears, I stood still in shock, right outside Andre¡¯s mansion. My head


    was trying to process the voice I heard. I was still trying to grasp the situation. This could have been a


    dream, or maybe it was only reality. But me hearing my mother¡¯s voice? Was I starting to go crazy, or


    what?


    Not just that the person¡¯s voice on the phone was the same as hers, the caller also addressed me as


    Pushki. It was a name that only my mother used to call me. Times of fun, times of happiness. Joyful


    times at the park, intense moments ofughter.


    Their deaths had hit me hard, and they were gone from me for so many years. There was not a voice


    heard from any one of them, and I was inplete loneliness. Little me back then. I had to live my life


    with my grandfather, letting the memories wash all over me.


    Now this voice had toe from nowhere. It was really crazy, and I could just hope this was a dream,


    an illusion, or something.


    ¡°Mom?¡± I vocalized, my mouth opening, as I was in awe of what was going on


    here.


    ¡°Yes, Pushki?¡± The caller spoke in return, and my phone fell from my hands. I was still open¨Cmouthed,


    trying to process the whole situation.


    ¡°Pick up


    the phone, Pushki!¡±


    ¡°I nced down at my phone after what I just heard. It was clear to me that this person was


    somewhere nearby, watching my every move at the moment. But was


    2/6


    It really my mother talking, or had this persone to y mind games with me? No doubt, this was


    exceedingly absurd. It was about to make me go bananas.


    ¡°Push!¡± The caller said it loudly. I sat on my heels and slowly took my phone from the ground. ¡°Now


    that¡¯s a good boy.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I slowly asked. ¡°You can¡¯t be my mother. She¡¯s dead! She died a long time ago.¡±


    No, she left your life a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say she got tired of her husband and her son and decided to do something crazy.¡±


    I wore a puzzled face. ¡°What are you saying? I don¡¯t get you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make things clear to you,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Hold on a minute. You¡¯re saying my mom got tired of me and my father?¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°This news is crap!¡± I snarled. ¡°It¡¯splete bullshit. There is no way my mom could ever get tired of


    us! She loved the both of us so much and would always do anything to see us happy.¡±


    ¡°Was that what she told you? Oh, she was one badass.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get any of this. What are you trying to say? Who the hell are you? Please make all this clear to


    me.¡±


    ¡°I was trying to make it clear to you, but you just had to raise your voice, Pushki.¡±


    ¡°Will you stop calling me that? How in the world do you have knowledge of that name? You are not my


    mother.¡±


    ¡®Are you that stupid? You heard my voice. I called you the beautiful name I gave you when you were


    still a little boy, and you¡¯re still telling me that I¡¯m not your mother. I never knew my son was this dumb.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ what the¡­¡± I spoke underneath my breath. ¡°How is this possible? My mom died years ago.¡±


    ¡°And yet she¡¯s talking to you right now. How astonishing is that?¡±


    ¡°Wait, so you weren¡¯t dead all these years?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m dead, will I be talking to you right now?¡±


    I took a deep breath, driving my hands through my hair. ¡°Okay, this doesn¡¯t make any sense. I visit your


    grave almost every time, and I pay my respects to you and dad every single year. So, please, what¡¯s


    going on? You both had a car ident, and the two of you were dered dead. So, how are you still


    alive? Like, this doesn¡¯t make sense one bit.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy that I¡¯m alive?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. Just make things clear to me. Cause right now, I¡¯m going nuts.¡±


    She suspired. ¡°Look, my son, I have never loved your father since day one.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe my ears.


    ¡°Have you ever bothered to ask yourself why your grandfather hated me so much?¡±


    ¡°But¡­I thought it was just a feeling.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°A feeling indeed. Yeah, that¡¯s nonsense. The great Sir Reynold had always known my


    true intentions. But your father was so dumb that he got blinded by my beauty. And of course, I had to


    act nice to him.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± I asked in hushed tones.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that I never loved your father. I only became his wife because of his money. He and


    his father were on bad terms, all because of me. I convinced him to take his share out of thepany.


    It wasn¡¯t an easy task, but he had to do it anyway. That was when I knew I had to make a move.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. What the hell are you saying? What¡¯s all this nonsense you are talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only making things clear to you, just as you requested.¡±


    ¡°But this is just nonsense!¡± I spat.


    ¡°This is the truth, son.¡±


    117 TAMPERED TRUTH


    ¡°So now you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ve never loved my father, and all the moments spent with him were


    nothing but pretense?¡±


    ¡°You got that one right,¡± she told me.


    ¡°Hold on, we¡¯ll get down to there. But first, tell me where you¡¯ve been all these years. If you weren¡¯t


    dead, why did you have to leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t love your father, what made you think I loved you?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say that of all the lovely times we spent together, ying andughing like crazy, you


    have never loved me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Pushki. You¡¯re an image of your father, and since I didn¡¯t love him, I don¡¯t love you either.¡±


    I was silent for a moment. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am. You just even need to ask yourself, who was the responsible for his death?¡±


    person


    ¡°Who was the person responsible for his death?¡± I repeated inaudibly. ¡°It was just an ident.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but who tampered with the brakes?¡±


    Her question made something sort of clear to me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was me. I¡¯m the one tampered with the brakes. I was behind the ident, and it¡¯s actually a


    good thing that he¡¯s no more.¡±


    HIS TAMPERED TRUTH.


    ¡°But weren¡¯t you in the car with him?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t. But most people don¡¯t know that. They thought I was also in the car when the ident took


    ce.¡±


    ¡°What the heck? Ady was also found in there.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°But her body was scattered into pieces. I knew an ident like that was going to rip their bodies apart.


    That was why I had to make that friend of mine sit in the car with that worthless father of yours.¡±


    I shook my head, hearing this. ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡±

 Chapter 118

    118 VENOMOUS REUNION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Still at the party, one of the servers approached me with a tray of drinks. He was a handsome young


    man, but his looks were nothing extraordinary.


    ¡°Miss, do you want some?¡± he asked, offering me a drink.


    I smiled and epted the drink. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± he replied, before walking away. No doubt he would make a great model with his


    looks and charm.


    Looking around, I couldn¡¯t spot Lukel or Janice anywhere. I was wondering why they hadn¡¯t arrived at


    the party yet. As


    Hannah approached, I grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.


    ¡°Hey Ariel, what¡¯s up?¡± she asked with a grin.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see Lukel and Janice anywhere. Where are they?¡± I asked, concerned.


    Hannahughed and reassured me, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you said an hour ago,¡± I replied with a sigh.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been twenty minutes, Ariel. Rx,¡± she spoke, shaking her head.


    ¡°I just want to be with my children right now,¡± I stated, feeling anxious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re in good hands with Felix. They¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Hannah reassured me.


    ¡°Can you please call Felix and tell him to hurry up?¡± I asked, feeling impatient.


    Hannah chuckled, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have some respect. He¡¯s the man of my dreams.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her statement. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have found the man of your dreams.¡±


    Hannah grinned at me, ¡°But not as lucky as you. You¡¯re married to one of the most famous billionaires


    in New Haven.¡±


    Iughed silently at herment. She had no idea about my past and the struggles I had been


    through.


    ¡°¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy the party.¡±


    Hannah nodded and we turned to face Manuel, who was now on stage with a microphone


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention!¡± Manuel announced. Everyone turned to face him.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Wow, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re this heartless,¡± I told this woman. We were still talking on the phone. ¡°You


    killed your own husband all because of money. And you even murdered your friend too. Why do you


    have to be so vile?¡± I asked her, my tone filled with anger and disgust.


    ¡°Point of correction, I tampered with the brakes. But you can put it that way,¡± she replied nonchntly,


    ¡°You are heartless. I can¡¯t believe I ever loved you,¡± I said bitterly. ¡°Show yourself, wherever you are.¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that? You should be afraid of me, Luke. You know what I am capable of,¡± she replied


    with a sinisterugh.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°What can you possibly do?¡± I asked, my anger rising.


    Sheughed again, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± I asked, my voice dripping with bitterness. All those years I had


    cared for her, it was all a lie. I wished she had nevere back into my life.


    ¡°Take it easy, Pushki,¡± she said, using the nickname she used to call me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Why not? You used to love that name,¡± she said mockingly.


    ¡°Not anymore. Keep that name to yourself. I want nothing to do with you,¡± I replied, my anger boiling.


    ¡°Denying me already? I like that,¡± she said with a snicker,


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do this. Tell me this is all a lie. Tell me you¡¯re joking and that none of this is


    true,¡± I pleaded with her.


    ¡°My little boy wants to cry,¡± she mocked. ¡°But too bad, Pushki. That¡¯s the truth. I never loved you and I


    never will. All these years without you or your father, I have been living in peace.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you have toe back into my life now? Why can¡¯t you just stay away and live in your


    peace until you die?¡±


    ¡°Oh son, don¡¯t think I came back to be with you again. Hell no,¡± she replied coldly.


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. You just had toe and break my heart,¡± I said, feeling broken and hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± she replied sarcastically.


    I clenched my fist tightly, trying to control my anger. ¡°Enough with the drama. Why did you call me? If


    you want nothing to do with me, then why bother me now?¡±


    ¡°Okay, son. Let¡¯s reflect on the horrifying event that urred at your house,¡± she said with an irritated


    tone.


    ¡°And what are you referring to exactly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± She snapped, fueling my anger. ¡°Have you forgotten what happened? It seems like you


    have a short memory.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the incident in my house? When Riley was killed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m talking about!¡± She spoke loudly on the phone. ¡® Good thing you


    remembered. I thought I was going to have to keep reminding you¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I interrupted. ¡°Why do you have to bring that up again? And who told you about it?¡±


    She let out a mockingugh. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be asking me that question. First of all, you¡¯re Luke


    Reynold, everyone knows about you. Well, almost everyone. Secondly, just because I haven¡¯t been a


    part of your life for all these years, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve been living under a rock. I know all about the


    attack at Sir Reynold¡¯s funeral and the one at your house. But do you want to know something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked bitterly. ¡°Are you the one responsible for all of it?¡±


    ¡°Wow, Pushki! Congrattions!¡± She eximed. ¡°I can see your brain is finally functioning. I guess


    you¡¯re not as dumb as I thought.¡±


    I let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Enough with the insults, okay? Can you just answer my question?¡±


    ¡°Well, you proved me wrong,¡± she sighed in annoyance. ¡°The answer I gave you was pretty clear.¡±


    ¡°So


    you did try to kill me?¡± I shook my head in disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s sad that the person I used to love would


    try to take my life. Do you have any idea how much I think about you every day? I always prayed for


    you and Dad toe back to me.¡±


    ¡°And your prayers have been answered. I¡¯m back.¡± I could almost hear the smug


    smirk in her voice.


    ¡°Out the crap, Mom. Oh, sorry, I shouldn¡¯t even call you that.¡±


    ¡°You can, though. After all, I did carry you in my belly for nine good months.¡±


    ¡°I wish that never happened. You¡¯re so heartless. Because of you, Riley died. What the hell is wrong


    with you?¡±


    ¡°Just shut up, okay?!¡± She snarled, her voice dripping with venom.


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re feeling the pain?¡± I retorted, my toneced with sarcasm. ¡°Well, it should hurt. Your


    actions caused the family to lose a beautiful soul. And yet, you have the audacity to feel proud of


    yourself. You are nothing but a murderer, and it disgusts me to even call you my mother.¡±


    ¡°Stop being so dramatic. This is not some TV show, or something,¡± she scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not being


    dramatic, I¡¯m stating facts. And it hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    She let out a bitterugh. ¡°Your words don¡¯t hurt me. They mean nothing.¡±


    ¡°Enough. I won¡¯t waste any more time talking to someone who has no remorse for their actions.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s end this conversation. But before we do, I want you to know that you have a terrible fate


    awaiting you tonight.¡±

 Chapter 119

    119 HOPES DASHED


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I burst out of the shower, my towel wrapped around my waist, only to see Iyanna settling on my bed,


    slowly taking off her dress. She was my neighbor, and she hade to pay me a visit, but I didn¡¯t know


    why she had the nerve toe to my bedroom.


    ¡°What the fuck?! I bawled.


    She turned around, smiling me.¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mason why are you screaming?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± I shouted.


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± She gave me a seductive smile.


    ¡°You got to get out of here right now!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Iyanna asked, standing up, and then she walked to me. She began rubbing my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t


    you want to get a taste of me?¡±


    ¡°Hell no! I have a girlfriend for crying out loud!¡±


    ¡°So what? She¡¯s not going to find out. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell her anything.¡± ¡°You better stop this


    nonsense!¡± I took her hands off me. ¡°Sofie is the love of my life. There is no way I would do something


    so disgusting behind her back.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t disgusting. Come on, it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± She wanted to move her fingers to my groin, but I


    stopped her that very moment.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You better respect yourself,¡± I told her bitterly.


    Iyanna looked at me for a moment, before sheughed. ¡°Oh, Mason. There¡¯s no need for you to put on


    an act. It¡¯s just me and you here, no one else. So let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡±


    ¡°I see you have gone crazy, Iyanna! You better leave my house!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, baby. You shouldn¡¯t be raising your voice at me.¡± She fixed her finger on my lips. ¡± I should


    be the one screaming here. Not you. And I¡¯m only going to do that when I¡¯m feeling that hard rock of


    yours.¡± Her eyes went down to my crotch.


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. Iyanna had always been a flirt, but I never *expected her to cross


    the line like this. I had to get her out of my room before


    things got out of hand.


    11 HOPES DASHED


    ¡°Look, Iyanna, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do here, but it¡¯s not going to work. I love Sofie and I


    would never cheat on her.¡±


    She rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°You¡¯re such a prude, Mason. What¡¯s so wrong with a


    little bit of fun?¡±


    ¡°Fun? This is not fun, this is wrong. You need to leave, now.¡±


    I could see the anger and disappointment in her eyes, but I didn¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t let her seduce me and


    ruin my rtionship with Sofie. I had always seen Iyanna as just a friendly neighbor, but now she was


    making advances towards me. I couldn¡¯t deny that she was attractive, but I loved Sofie and I didn¡¯t


    want to betray


    her like this.


    ¡°What the hell, Iyanna?!¡± I yelled, my anger rising.


    ¡°I told you, there¡¯s no need for you to put on an act. Just rx and let me show you a good time.¡± She


    wanted to reach for my groin again, but I still seized her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I red at her.


    Iyannaughed, and wanted to unbuckle her bra, but I quickly held her hand. What the fuck is wrong


    with you?!¡± I shrieked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare carry out this nonsense, okay?¡±


    ¡°Come on, now, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t like it,¡± she said softly, biting her lips. I could feel myself getting


    hard. But I wasn¡¯t going to be swayed by this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, wrapping her arm around my neck, her finger slowly moving down my chest.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Positive,¡± I replied sternly, pushing her away.


    Iyanna let out a sigh and sat back down on the bed, crossing her arms over her chest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so uptight, Mason. We¡¯re both adults, we can have some fun,¡± she


    pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not uptight, I just have morals and respect for my girlfriend,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s bullshit. You¡¯re telling me now that you don¡¯t want to have fun with a hot chick like me?¡±


    I glimpsed at her. ¡°No!¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°I know what¡¯s going to change your mind of yours.¡±


    119 HOPES DAS)


    3/4


    I said nothing, but watch Iyanna as she stood up, and before I knew it, she took off her bra, exposing


    her breasts. I closed my eyes immediately, trying to resist the temptation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy now,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯m going to call the cops,¡± I warned her, with my eyes still closed.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I felt a hand on my groin, causing me to get harder the more. I opened my


    eyes immediately, and she smirked. ¡°See, I knew you weren¡¯t going to resist this.¡±


    She took my towel down, gripped my rod tightly, squeezing it. I closed my eyes, feeling the pleasure. I


    had no idea what the hell was wrong with me.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself as she continued to stroke and y with me, her hands moving faster and faster.


    I moaned, unable to control myself any longer.


    She smirked, knowing the effect she had on me. ¡°You like that, don¡¯t you?¡± she whispered seductively


    in my ear. I didn¡¯t reply, but my mind was foggy with desire. I wanted to stop this, but I just couldn¡¯t. The


    pleasure was too much, and it had taken full control of my senses.


    She pushed me back onto the bed and climbed on top of me, straddling me. I could feel her heat as


    she grinded on me driving me wild. I grabbed her hips, pulling her closer to me, desperate for more


    contact. She leaned down and kissed me passionately, her hands roaming all over my body. I was lost


    in the moment,pletely consumed by her.


    But we both had to cease what we were doing when the door opened. Sofie was staring at us, and her


    expression clearly showed that she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing at the moment.


    ¡°Sofie?¡± I brought out in shock as I pushed Iyanna off me.


    She shook her head in disappointment, pain written all over her face. And then she stormed out of the


    room.


    ¡°Sofie, wait!¡± I bawled, put my towel back on, and ran after her. She had gotten to the stairs, but I


    quickly approached her, seizing her hand. ¡°Wait, I can exin!


    ¡±


    ¡°What is there to say, Mason? You broke my trust.¡±


    ¡°Please, just listen to me,¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°What is there to listen to? I thought I could trust you, Mason. But you were just like all the others.


    71% HOPES DASHED


    ¡°No, Sofie, it¡¯s not like that. Iyanna and I were just..¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to make excuses,¡± she cut me off. ¡°I saw everything with my own eyes.¡±


    I drove my hands through my hair, letting out a sigh. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry. It was a mistake, I swear.¡±


    ¡°A mistake? Is that what you call it? I can¡¯t believe you, Mason. I thought you were different.¡±


    ¡°I am different. I love you, Sofie. I would never do anything to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Love? Is that what you call this? You have a funny way of showing it.¡±


    ¡°Please, just give me a chance to exin. I promise it meant nothing.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Mason!¡± She snapped. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t even be here any more.¡±


    ¡°Where will you be going to, at this time of the night?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! You broke me, Mason.I just don¡¯t know what to do!¡± She burst into tears,


    and quickly treaded downstairs.


    ¡°Sofie!¡± I bawled, moving behind her. Before I could get close, she stormed out of the house.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    im


    X


    TANGLER FEELING

 Chapter 120

    120 TANGLED FEELINGS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°It¡¯s such a nice thing to be surrounded by you all,¡± Manuel spoke loudly, as everyone in the party gave


    him their attention, including me. ¡°You know, it¡¯s actually a great thing to carry out a party like this, and


    see different faces alling one by one. I acknowledged everyone¡¯s presence at this special


    asion. I really appreciate that.¡±


    He continued, ¡°When we started our ownpany, I never knew it was going to go this far, where it is


    today. There were so many discouragements. Lots of moment that¡¯d just make you want to give up. But


    that isn¡¯t the case around here. It is left for you to fight against all obstacles, beat the odds, and chase


    your dream, no matter how long it takes.¡±


    I looked backwards as Manuel continued to talk. I was trying to see if I could spot Luke anywhere, but I


    couldn¡¯t see him in the mansion. My eyes caught those of Mason¡¯s, and I quickly looked away. Not the


    person I was looking for.


    ¡°Sess is a journey, not a destination,¡± Manuel said, still catching the attention of the people present


    in the party. ¡°It¡¯s about constantly striving for improvement and learning from every experience, whether


    it¡¯s a triumph or a setback. It¡¯s all about resilience and the ability to adapt to change, embracing


    challenges and turning them into opportunities. Ites from building strong rtionships and


    fostering a supportivework. You can¡¯t do it all alone.¡±


    He sighed, and I could see how his eyes went straight to Elizabeth. ¡°Surrounding yourself with the right


    people is crucial. It¡¯s not just about what you know, but who you know and how you work together. Just


    like me and my family. My wife, always giving me inspirational words. She was always there for me,


    and she still is. Without her, I would be nothing today.¡±


    ¡°Sess is deeply personal,¡± Hannah uttered, and I nced at her right away. It¡¯s about setting


    meaningful goals and working diligently toward them. And when you reach those milestones, take a


    moment to celebrate before setting your sights on the next achievement.¡±


    She looked at me, and noticed how I was just staring at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You talk like you¡¯ve runned apany before,¡± I told her.


    She giggled. ¡°Sess/isn¡¯t only about running apany, silly.¡± After that, I chuckled, and then, I


    turned back to Manuel.


    ¡°Victoryes only when you look for it. There is need for passion, the devotion,


    ¡±


    the zeal for that aplishments. Life, my friend is a game, and we all need to y our cards right,¡±


    Manuel continued with his speech, while I turned around. I walked away from Hannah, and she didn¡¯t


    even seem to notice. Captivated by her father¡¯s speech, I¡¯d say


    I cautiously made my way outside the grand mansion, and there stood Luke, his figure filuminated by


    the moonlight as he spoke on his phone. But as he caught sight of me, his demeanor shifted and he


    ended the call.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he said, his voice full of surprise as he slipped his phone into his pocket. ¡± What brings you


    here?¡±


    ¡°I was looking for you,¡± I replied, stepping closer. ¡°Are you nning to leave the party now?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for quite some time, doing who knows what.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He smirked. ¡°Do you miss me, then?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±


    Luke closed the distance between us and took my hands in his own, his touch sending shivers down


    my spine. He looked into my eyes and his expression became serious.


    ¡°Ariel, over the years, I know I¡¯ve done some terrible things to you,¡± he began, with his gaze dropping to


    the ground before meeting mine again. ¡°Things that make you want to rip my soul out. And I


    understand that.¡±


    As I looked into his eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sadness and regret emanating from him. It


    was a side of Luke I had never seen before. Well, something like that.


    ¡°When I first married you, I was consumed by hate,¡± he continued, his grip on my hands tightening. ¡°I


    thought you were only after my money, and I treated you horribly because of it. I said hurtful things, did


    terrible things, and only made your hatred for me grow stronger.¡±


    My heart softened as I listened to him, the hatred towards him was already slowly dissipating earlier,


    and now he has to boost it.


    ¡°Even when we divorced, my grandfather was furious with me,¡± he sighed. ¡°He always wanted us to


    stay together, and I never agreed with him. But when you left, I realized how much I had taken you for


    granted. I felt a void in my life without you.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked at me with such sincerity in his eyes, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel


    2


    moved by his words.


    ¡°I was blinded by my hate for you,¡± he admitted, his voice filled with regret. ¡°But when you returned


    after five years, I couldn¡¯t ignore the feelings that were resurfacing within me. Feelings that contradicted


    my hate, but I was too stubborn to admit it. Too stubborn to pay attention to it, ignorance


    overshadowing me, and I refused to realize those feelings.¡±


    He took a deep breath and held onto my hands tightly. ¡°Ariel, I know I¡¯ve hurt you deeply, and I don¡¯t


    expect your forgiveness. But I had to tell you how I truly feel.¡±


    My heart raced as I gazed into his deep, soulful eyes. Curiosity swirled inside me, begging to know the


    reason behind this sudden confession. ¡°Hold on. Why are you revealing all of this to me?¡± I asked, and


    my voice trembled with emotion.


    Luke let out a heavy sigh, as if the weight of his words was too much to bear. ¡°Do you truly want to


    know?¡± he asked, his voice dripping with sincerity.


    I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was ready for this. But then, with a determined look, I nodded.


    ¡°Yes, I do want to know.¡±


    A small, fragile smile graced his lips as he reached out to gently cup my face in his hands. My heart


    fluttered at his touch, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going on.


    ¡°You see, Ariel, life is full of choices. We can either choose to be good, or we can choose to be bad,¡± he


    exined, his eyes never leaving mine.


    I furrowed my brow in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why are you telling me this now?¡±


    He chuckled, his hand still caressing my cheek. ¡°Because, Ariel, I have spent most of my life on the


    wrong side. I¡¯ve done things I¡¯m not proud of, things I can never forget. And every day, I wake up


    haunted by those memories,¡± he admitted, and I could swear his voice was filled with regret.


    I waited for him to continue, but he fell silent, his gaze drifting away from me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder


    why he had suddenly stopped speaking.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I called out, my voice breaking through the heavy silence. He turned to me with a start, and his


    eyes locked onto mine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is everything okay? You seem¡­ different.¡±


    He removed his hand from my face, there was a pained expression crossing his features. ¡°Ariel, I just


    want you to know that I¡­


    ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± Lukel eximed, running towards me, with Janice moving behind.

 Chapter 121

    121 FOOD FIGHT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ONE YEAR AGO


    1 had just finished a long day at work and was looking forward toing home and rxing. As I


    walked up to the front door, I could hear giggles and squealsing from inside. I immediately knew


    that my three¨Cyear¨Cold twins, Lukel and Janice, were up to something.


    As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted with a sight that made my jaw drop. My once¨Ctidy living


    room was now covered in ayer of food. There were bits of crackers, pieces of fruit, and even some


    spaghetti noodles scattered all over the floor. And in the middle of it all were my mischievous twins,


    laughing and throwing food at each other.


    ¡°Lukel, Janice, what on earth are you two doing?¡± I asked, trying to keep my cool.


    ¡°We¡¯re having a food fight, Mommy!¡± Lukel eximed with a big grin.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at their innocent response. But then I remembered that I would have to clean


    up this mess, and myughter quickly turned into frustration.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. We need to clean this up before Andre and the otherse home,¡± I told them,


    trying to sound stern.


    However, before I could even approach them, they both seized a handful of spaghetti and hurled it


    directly in my face. I stood there,pletely covered in food, trying to process what had just happened.


    ¡°Lukel, Janice, that¡¯s not funny!¡± I scolded, trying to wipe the food off my face.


    But instead of looking guilty, they both burst into a fit ofughter. And in that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but


    join in. I mean, how could I resist their infectiousughter? So I grabbed a handful of crackers and


    threw them at them, starting a full¨Cblown food fight.


    We were allughing and squealing as we chased each other around the room, throwing food at every


    opportunity we got. I didn¡¯t care about the mess or the fact that I would have to spend hours cleaning it


    up. In that moment, all that mattered was spending quality time with my kids and creating memories


    that we would cherish forever.


    ¡®After a few minutes, we all copsed onto the couch, panting and covered in food. Lukel and Janice


    looked at me with big, innocent eyes, probably expecting me to


    be mad at them. But instead, I justughed and pulled them into a big hug.


    ¡°You two are a handful, but I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± I said, smiling at


    thean.


    And as I looked around at the messy living room, I felt grateful for my crazy, chaotic, and absolutely


    wonderful life with my twins.


    And before I knew it, Andr¨¦ stepped foot inside the house. ¡°What in the world happened around here?¡±


    He asked, scanning everywhere. No kidding, the house was really messed up.


    My heart sank as I saw Andre¡¯s expression. I was sure he was going to scold us for the mess we had


    created. Well, something like that. Apparently, this was his parents¡® house, and those folks weren¡¯t


    going to take this lightly. But to my surprise, he just stood there, staring at us in silence for a few


    minutes.


    1 nervously looked at Lukel and Janice, expecting them to start crying at any moment. But to my relief,


    they just giggled and looked back at Andre with their innocent eyes.


    And then suddenly, Andre let out a loud scream. ¡°Food fight!¡± And after that, towards the kitchen.


    I was taken aback for a second, but then I realized what was happening. I couldn¡¯t help butugh as


    Andre grabbed a handful of spaghetti and threw it at me. Lukel and Janice joined in, throwing food at


    me as well.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I quickly grabbed a bowl of mashed potatoes and threw it back at them, hitting Andr¨¦ right in the face.


    He looked at me with mock shock and then startedughing.


    The four of us were now engaged in a full¨Cblown food fight,ughing and screaming as we threw food


    at each other. The living room was now aplete mess, but I didn¡¯t care. I was having the time of my


    life with my family.


    At one point, I looked over at Andre and saw him covered in food, stillughing and chasing the kids


    around. And in that moment, I was reminded of the great and lovely man that he was. He was my


    partner, but he was perfect and acted like a wonderful father to our children, always ready for a little fun


    and adventure.


    After a while, we all fell onto the floor,pletely exhausted and covered in food. But theughter and


    joy in our hearts made it all worth it.


    And sitting right there, catching our breaths, I had to think about how lucky I was to have such a loving


    and yful family. I may have had a long day at work, but *this food fight was exactly what I needed to


    unwind and reconnect with my loved


    ones.


    We were all still covered in food, with delightful smiles all over our faces. I knew that this would be a


    memory that we would never forget. A memory that we wouldugh about for years toe. And, of


    course, more wonderful memories are yet toe. More to reminisce, more to think about. There is


    more to talk about and more tough about. Yeah, I said that before.


    Elizabeth entered the house, making a phone call. But she paused the moment she discerned the living


    room and how it was so messed up. Her eyes narrowed down to the four of us lying on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you back,¡± she said before ending the call. Andre, Ariel. What happened here?¡±


    ¡°We were just having some fun,¡± Andre answered, sitting on the floor.


    ¡°And by fun, you mean this?¡± Elizabeth gestured everywhere. Almost everywhere. ¡°Of course. Anything


    wrong with that?¡± Andre queried, raising an eyebrow. I hit him silently, and he whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you guys some real fun,¡± Elizabeth said, and she walked away from us, making her way to the


    kitchen.


    ¡°What do you think she¡¯s going to do?¡± I asked Andr¨¦. He shrugged. Secondster, Elizabeth came


    back with a pot of noddle soup. She poured it over the four of us, leaving us in surprise, and she


    laughed hysterically.


    Andre and I were frozen in shock, our bodies drenched in soup. But before we could even process


    what had happened, Elizabeth was already running back to the kitchen, grabbing more food.


    I looked over at Andre, who was still in shock but managed to crack a smile. ¡± Well, I guess this is what


    we signed up for when we decided to have a food fight,¡± he told me,ughing.


    I couldn¡¯t help but join in; the absurdity of the situation just added to the fun. But before we could


    retaliate, Lukel had already joined in, throwing food at Elizabeth with a huge grin on his face. We all


    At one point, Elizabeth even grabbed a can of whipped cream and sprayed it all over us, adding to the


    chaos. We were all covered in food, but it didn¡¯t matter. At that moment, we were just a carefree family,


    enjoying each other¡¯spany and making the most of our time together.

 Chapter 122

    122 WHEN WE COLLIDE


    RIEL¡¯S POV


    While I was still holding them, Lukel and Janice both turned around to see Luke standing next to me.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Luke looked confused at the two little children. He slowly turned his eyes back on me. ¡°Did


    they just call you mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did. Because she¡¯s our mother,¡± Janice responded.


    And why are you asking us that question? Who are you?¡± Lukel threw these questions at him.


    Luke took his gaze off Lukel and gave me his attention back. ¡°Ariel, are these truly your children?¡± He


    asked, fixing his eyes on no one else but me.


    I refused to respond, taking my eyes downward, but then he had to harden his voice. I¡¯m talking to you,


    Ariel. Are these two your children?¡±


    Lukel tapped my arm, looking up at me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, mommy? Tell him we¡¯re your


    kids.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why my mother¡¯s speechless, but just so you know, sir, we are her children. She¡¯s the one


    who gave birth to us,¡± Janice spoke, crossing her arms.


    I leisurely fixed my eyes on Luke, realizing how he was staring at me, not averting his gaze. I sighed,


    finally getting the confidence to tell him. Why was I even scared anyway?


    ¡°Yes, Luke,¡± I said beneath my breath. ¡°These are my children.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Lukeughed a little¡ªa painful one, though. His expression was not surprised, but I could tell


    that he was extremely shocked. In fact, it could be quite obvious that the feigned cast was not lying to


    anyone. ¡°I see. And who¡¯s the father?¡±


    I kept silent because there was no way I was going to tell him who the father was.


    ¡°I asked you a question, Ariel. Who¡¯s the father?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare yell at my mommy like that!¡± Luke reproached Luke. Luke red at him immediately..


    ¡°Okay, I think the both of you should go inside. I¡¯ll join you both in a minute,¡± I said calmly, squatting.


    ¡°Alright, mommy. Don¡¯t take too long,¡± Lukel told me.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t,¡± I responded inaudibly, fixing my hands on his cheeks. ¡°Now the both of you, go


    inside, okay? Andre must be waiting for you two.¡±


    After my words, they nodded and walked to the mansion, leaving Luke and me. ¡°Andre?¡± Luke


    chuckled while I slowly got to my feet. ¡°So Andre¡¯s the father?¡± He crossed his arms.


    ¡°What?¡± I gave him an expression that made it look like he had gone nuts.


    ¡°It¡¯s very clear that Andre¡¯s the father. I mean, he¡¯s the one who took care of you these past few years.


    He also took you to his bed, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, Ariel. You don¡¯t have to lie to me. I¡¯ve always known you had this bond, this chemistry.


    And it¡¯s quite clear that Andre fucked you!¡±


    I pped him immediately. He had his face in another direction for seconds before he finally turned to


    me, his hands on his cheek. He couldn¡¯t believe my action.


    ¡°Did you just p me?¡± He red at me, still cleaving to his visage.


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll keep on doing that if you continue to talk nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense now? So you¡¯re going to deny the fact that you had that man spreading your legs


    so he could hit you?¡±


    I gave Luke a harder p, throwing him a dark look. He red back at me, and I stormed off, not


    wanting to take another nce at his face.


    I was trying my very best not to let him have knowledge about my children, but he did anyway. So what


    to do now? Well, I would not let him talk about them or even get closer to them. I knew this was going


    to be a tough one, but it wasn¡¯t new to me¨Cmy life had been tough from the very first day I got married


    to that psychopath.


    So, I walked back to the party, looking at everyone as they danced. I stood, still fixing my eyes on the


    people dancing and having a good time. These feelings of sadness had washed over me, really


    messed up, and could be somehow dreadful. Maybe¨Coh gosh, I don¡¯t know. But one thing I knew for


    sure was that Luke¡¯s finding out about my children was just the beginning of things getting


    I took a sip of my wine, which had been handed to me by Lisa the moment I *stepped foot in the


    building. She was nice¨Csomething that I still couldn¡¯t


    believe, but okay. I was still looking at the people around me as they enjoyed


    themselves, and then a walter approached me, offering me another ss. I


    politely declined, not wanting to get too drunk and lose control. Even though I had a lot of thoughts in


    my head right now, getting intoxicated was definitely not an option.


    The waiter insisted that I take the drink, and I wondered why. Well, I still refused, turning my face away.


    And just as I was about to walk away from this whole drink stuff, Manuel approached me.


    ¡°Hey, Ariel, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked, and concern was evident in his voice.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I forced a smile and shook my head. ¡°Nothing; I¡¯m fine. Just enjoying the party.¡±


    Manuel gave me a knowing look, but he didn¡¯t press further. He knew better than to pry into my


    personal life. I appreciated his understanding.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?¡± he offered. Is there anything any of us can do to


    make you feel good?¡±


    I shook my head again. ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine. Thank you, Manuel.¡±


    He nodded, still looking concerned, but he didn¡¯t push the subject. I finished my drink. I didn¡¯t see my


    kids around, so I excused myself, wanting to check if they were probably in one of the rooms upstairs.


    On my way to the stairs, Hannah approached me. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve seen the kids, right? They walked in


    here moments ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw them,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Nice. Well, did you see Felix as well?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, no. They ran to me when I was outside, and there was no one by their side.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Then why hasn¡¯t that big head been answering my calls?¡± She frowned at her phone and


    walked away. Iughed lightly.


    So, back to the main deal: I started to make my way upstairs. But as I did that, I scanned everywhere,


    hoping I might spot my babies. Those kids move fast with tiny feet.


    Suddenly, a little boy appeared in front of me, holding out his untied shoces. ¡± Excuse me, can you


    help me tie my shoes?¡± He asked politely.


    ¡°Sure. Why not?¡± I smiled and crouched down to help him. As I finished, he thanked me and ran off. I


    chuckled to myself, thinking how kids always seemed to find me when they needed help.


    But two men in suits came up to me and interrupted my train of thought. They


    123 WHEN WE COLLIDE


    A/4


    had bald heads and muscr builds, and their serious expressions made me feel uneasy. By the way,


    they were both putting on shades.


    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am. We need you toe with us,¡± one of them said.


    I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions. Just follow us,¡± the other spoke coldly. And I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about


    this.

 Chapter 123

    123 NOT MY CONCERN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was standing outside the mansion, making a phone call, when I saw her. Ariel was being walked out


    by two bald¨Cheaded men, both wearing shades. She looked scared and confused, but I couldn¡¯t bring


    myself to care. Not after she pped me earlier at the party.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I observed them leading her toward a ck car that was waiting by the curb. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder


    where they were taking her. But I decided to stay ignorant and not get involved. I was too angry with


    her to care about her well ¨C being.


    As the men opened the car door for her, she turned back and looked in my direction. Our eyes met for


    a brief moment, and I saw the fear in her eyes. But I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting to show any


    sign of concern.


    The men got into the car with her, and it drove off, leaving me standing there alone. I wasn¡¯t still settled


    with what I just saw, but I didn¡¯t move and didn¡¯t try to stop them. I told myself I didn¡¯t care.


    But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself. I did care. I cared about Ariel, even after everything she


    had done. But I was too proud to admit it and too angry to show it.


    I turned back to the party, trying to distract myself from the thoughts of Ariel. I could hear the music and


    laughtering from inside, but it all felt hollow and meaningless. The image of those men taking her


    away wouldn¡¯t leave my mind.


    I tried to convince myself that she deserved it and that she brought it upon herself. But a part of me


    couldn¡¯t shake off the guilt and worry that I felt for her.


    There are too many things to think about right now. My good¨Cfor¨Cnothingte mother did tell me sh*t


    that she was about to carry out something so noxious. I could stand here, fully prepared for her, but


    how would I even know when she was going to strike? Oh gosh, I don¡¯t know what to do.


    I saw Andre walking towards me, his face filled with concern. ¡°Hey Luke, have you seen Ariel? She was


    just at the party, but now I can¡¯t find her anywhere.¡±


    I gave him an irritated look, my anger toward him bubbling up. He was a good- for¨Cnothing scumbag,


    taking advantage of Ariel and sleeping with her. And here he was, acting like a great man. It was


    obvious he was the one who did it; he was ?the father of Ariel¡¯s children. Bullshit!


    I kept silent, not wanting to give him an answer, and it was clear that he had no


    NOT BA


    idea about my hatred towards him. He was still trying to understand why I was giving him a cold


    shoulder. After all, we did put the differences aside earlier at the party. But fuck that!


    He asked me again, and his voice was tinged with worry. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to answer him. I


    turned away and started walking, not wanting to deal with him or his problems.


    I could hear Andre calling out my name, but I ignored him. I didn¡¯t want to be a part of his drama


    anymore. I had my own problems to deal with.


    But seriously, I needed to deal with my anger towards Andr¨¦. I couldn¡¯t let it consume me; I needed to


    think clearly. I knew I had to put my personal feelings aside and focus on¡­ Ughhh, sh*t, no way! To


    hell with whatever was telling me all this.


    I stopped in my tracks and turned back to face Andr¨¦. He was still standing there, looking confused and


    worried. I took a deep breath and walked toward him.


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know where Ariel is, okay?¡± I told him, and he shot me an unfriendly look.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± He asked, his tone not nice one bit.


    ¡°My problem? What do you mean by that?¡± I queried him.


    ¡°I was just asking you if you had seen Ariel, and you acted like you didn¡¯t even hear me. What¡¯s the


    problem? Are you mad, or what?¡±


    ¡°You better shut your mouth, okay?!¡± I snapped, letting my anger get the best of me. And discerning


    how Andre was looking at me, my tone had to soften. ¡°Look¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. I don¡¯t know what had gotten into your head, and I¡¯m not going to stress


    that. If someone made you mad, that¡¯s your own cup of tea, not mine. But let me give you a piece of


    advice: don¡¯t use the anger caused by someone to face a different person. And with your actions just


    now, I have a million thoughts that need to be brought out. But I¡¯m going to keep them to myself. Enjoy


    the party if you want,¡± Andr¨¦ spoke and walked away from me. I watched him as he made his way back


    inside his mansion.


    I screamed in rage and was about to forcefully throw my phone to the ground, but it began to ring. I


    paused for a moment, still thinking about what had just happened between Andr¨¦ and me. And after


    some seconds, I answered the phone call.


    ¡°Pushki!¡±


    It was my mother; she was the one who had called. Now I could brace myself for


    the shit she was about to tell me, and whatever feats Sr had, I had in mind.


    ¡°You? What do you want now, huh? And I thought I told you to stop calling me that.¡± I spoke coldly,


    pressing the phone against my ear.


    ¡°Do you think I will listen to you? I mean, you¡¯re just a piece of trash.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Mother!¡±


    ¡°Aww, he called me mother. I¡¯m d you still acknowledge that.¡±


    ¡°You are just so annoying!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t your thinking years ago,¡± she retorted. ¡°By the way, I just wanted to ask about your


    lovely wife.¡±


    ¡°Who? Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡± she taunted. ¡°Or don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gone too far in your billionaire lifestyle by having an


    excessive number of concubines and feeling like a king.¡± ¡°Talk like someone with senses, alright?¡±


    ¡°I think I should be the one telling you that.¡±


    ¡°Enough! Why are you asking about Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me how she¡¯s doing or where she is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°It is, actually. If you can use your senses right now and put two and two together, you¡¯ll have a clue as


    to who took her. But you want to know the problem? You¡¯re too dumb. Although I do have a feeling


    you¡¯ll get this in no time, So enjoy the party, sweetheart.¡± She hung up.


    What was she trying to tell me? Was she trying to¡­ Oh my god. With what she just told me, it was


    clear she had¡­ This pernicious woman sent those men who took Ariel to their car. I needed to stop her


    from whatever she was about to do and do that as soon as possible.


    I quickly walked to my car, burst inside, and drove off. My speed was so out of this world. But I had to


    slow down the moment. I spotted the car that Ariel had entered, along with those men. It was parked


    just a short distance from me. I eventually stopped my car, got out, and ran towards their vehicle. But


    when I looked through the windows, there was no one in the car. It was¡­¡­empty.

 Chapter 124

    124 WINDOW PAIN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. The car was empty, and Ariel was nowhere to be seen. I looked around frantically,


    trying to find any sign of her or the men who took her. But there was nothing, just an empty street.


    I called out Ariel¡¯s name, hoping she would somehow hear me. But there was yet to be a response.


    And then my mother¡¯s mocking words echoed in my head, taunting me once more. She talked


    nonsense the first time I heard her voice after a very long time. I clenched my fists, feeling the rage


    build up inside of me. I couldn¡¯t let her win; I couldn¡¯t let her do anything terrible to Ariel.


    I quickly pulled out my phone and called Ariel, praying that she would answer. But it just went straight


    to voicemail. I tried calling again and again, but still need


    an answer.


    ¡°Where are you, Ariel?¡± I whispered to myself, my heart racing with fear and frustration.


    Just then, my phone rang again. It was that useless woman, someone I didn¡¯t believe I used to call


    mother.


    ¡°What do you want now?¡± I answered the phone call, and my voice was shaking with anger.


    ¡°Oh, I just wanted to check in on you and your missing wife,¡± she said with so much sarcasm.


    ¡°Tell me where she is,¡± I demanded, my patience wearing thin.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Oh, Pushki. Poor Pushki. Do you really think I would tell you where she is? You¡¯re so predictable. You


    always try to be the hero, but you always end up failing. What a fool you are,¡± she taunted.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who sent those men after her, aren¡¯t you?¡± I yelled, my fists clenched in rage.


    ¡°Maybe I did; maybe I didn¡¯t. But it¡¯s toote now; she¡¯s gone,¡± she said, her voice filled with


    amusement.


    ¡°Tell me where she is!¡± I screamed, my voice echoing through the empty street.


    ¡°Goodbye, Luk?,¡± she said, and then the line went dead.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I mmed my fist against the window of my car,


    feelingpletely helpless and defeated. I didn¡¯t know what to do next. I couldn¡¯t


    just sit here and wait for something to happen, I had to do something.


    But before I could even think of a n, my phone rang again. It was an unknown


    number.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I answered, my voice shaking.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s me,¡± a familiar voice said.


    ¡°Ariel? Where are you?¡± I asked, feeling a surge of hope.


    ¡°I can¡¯t talk for long; they¡¯re watching me. But I managed to escape. Meet me at the old, abandoned


    factory on the outskirts of town. Please, hurry,¡± she said, her voice urgent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± I said, my heart racing with relief.


    I quickly started my car and drove towards the abandoned factory, praying that I would find Ariel safe


    and sound.


    As I parked my car and ran towards the factory, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for my mother¡¯s call. If


    she hadn¡¯t taunted me and told me that Ariel was in danger, I might never have found her.


    I burst through the doors of the factory, and there she was. My beautiful wife was bruised and scared


    but alive.


    I ran towards her and held her tightly, tears of joy streaming down my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ariel. I should have protected you,¡± I whispered, kissing her forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Luke. I¡¯m just d you found me,¡± she said, tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Luke,¡± someone said, tapping my shoulder, taking me out of my imagination. I turned around, and it


    was Andre. I wondered what he was doing here. Has he been following me the whole time? And I


    couldn¡¯t believe I was thinking so much that I had to start imagining things. I should m my head


    against the wall for


    that.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked Andre, giving him a curious look.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He inquired immediately.


    Staring at him for minutes, I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re thinking about Ariel. I followed you here because I had a feeling you came looking for


    her. And I wasn¡¯t wrong about that; I saw you from afar, yelling her name. And take a look at how you¡¯re


    so worried. I didn¡¯t expect you to love her like this.¡±


    ¡°I love her like¡­¡± 1 trailed oft, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. I nced at Andr¨¦ once


    again. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m just going to act like you never said that.¡±


    ¡°Same way you keep on acting like you don¡¯t love Ariel?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say now?¡± I quizzed him cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth, Luke. You can keep on lying to yourself, but I believe one day you¡¯ll ept


    the truth.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the truth stuff,   , or whatever. I shouldn¡¯t even be joking right now.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was joking?¡± Andre retorted. ¡°This is the time to be serious, because right now, Ariel is in


    danger.¡±


    ¡°You continue to speak as if you are the one who initiated the phone call.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight. We both want the same thing: to save Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, you don¡¯t know who I¡¯m up against,¡± I said, almost inaudible, rolling my eyes. And then I


    looked at my hand; it was bleeding. I didn¡¯t even realize that. The window of my car was smashed by


    me. And this was the pain that I had brought upon myself, all because I was thinking about Ariel. What


    the hell was wrong with me?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I do know that I¡¯m not going to let anything bad happen to Ariel,¡± Andre said, fixing


    his hands on his waist.


    I shot him a cold look at that moment. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t let anything bad happen to her.¡± And I


    said that because, recalling what happened between me and Ariel at the party, This man slept with her;


    I could imagine them doing that shit. Oh, so disgusting.


    ¡°Why are you so mad, huh?¡± Andre questioned me.


    Iclenched my fists, trying to calm myself down before I said something I regretted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter


    why I¡¯m mad, okay?¡±


    Andre held my shoulder. ¡°What is the problem? I thought we had put our differences aside at the party.


    Why are you being so mad?¡±


    ¡°Get your hands off me,¡± I told him coldly. At that moment, my blood was boiling with rage at the feeling


    of his fingers gripping my shoulder. I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of him touching me; his presence made


    my skin crawl. I made sure my voice was steady and firm as I demanded for him to release me. His


    touch was an invasion of my personal space, and I was not going to tolerate it.


    124 WINDOW PAIN


    As Andre gazed into my eyes, he released his grip on my shoulders, following my request. We stood


    facing each other inplete silence, exchanging a look that was far from pleasant. I could feel the


    weight of his stare, and I knew he could feel mine. Despite the difort, I couldn¡¯t look away, and I


    could tell that neither could he.


    A car suddenly appeared in the distance. It slowly made its way towards us and eventually came to a


    stop just a few feet away. My eyes widened as I saw the driver step out of the car.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 125

    125 MOMENTS LIKE THIS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Twenty¨Ctwo years ago


    The symphony of birds chirping outside my window greeted me as I slowly opened my eyes. The warm


    rays of sun streaming in through the curtains enveloped me in a cozy embrace. I stretched my arms


    and let out a content sigh, knowing it was going to be a wonderful day.


    Saturdays were always special, but today was even more so because I had ns to spend the day with


    my mother in our garden. I felt joy and anticipation at the prospect of spending time with her in the


    splendor of nature. I couldn¡¯t wait to start the day and make some beautiful memories with my dear


    mother, just as always.


    I jumped out of bed and quickly threw on some clothes before rushing down the stairs. As I descended,


    I could hear the faint sound of my mother¡¯s voiceing from the garden. I burst through the back


    door and saw her kneeling in the dirt, carefully tending to her beloved nts.


    ¡°Good morning, Luke!¡± she eximed, looking up at me with a warm smile on her face. The sight of her


    always brought a sense of peace andfort to my heart. I greeted her back with a smile and joined


    her in the garden, ready to start the day together.


    ¡°Morning, Mom!¡± I eximed with pure joy in my voice. ¡°Can we please y in the garden today? It¡¯s


    such a beautiful day, and I can¡¯t wait to spend some time outside with you.¡±


    I stood, eagerly awaiting her response. I could already imagine all the fun activities we could do


    together in the garden. The possibilities were endless, from ying catch to having a tea party with my


    stuffed animals. I knew my mom would be just as excited as I was, and making more happy memories


    with her in our little outdoor oasis was just the thing.


    ¡°Of course, sweetheart!¡± she said, putting down her gardening tools. ¡°What game do you want to y?¡±


    ¡°I want to y tag!¡± I eximed, grinning from ear to ear. It was my favorite game to y with my


    mother, racing around the yard and trying to catch her. The thrill of chasing, being chased, theughter,


    and the excitement always made for *a fun afternoon. I could already feel the warm sun on my skin and


    hear the sound


    of our footsteps as we walked around the trees and bushes.


    My mother¡¯s yful tone caught me off guard as she dered, ¡°Okay, but I get to be the one chasing


    you today!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. I knew she loved to switch things up, and I was more than happy to go along


    with it. ¡°You got it,¡± I replied with a smile, ready to let her be the one to chase me for a change.


    Moments like these made life really


    awesome.


    I couldn¡¯t contain my joy as I ran around the beautiful garden, my mother yfully chasing after me. My


    giggles filled the air as I darted between the flowers and trees, feeling free and carefree.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never catch me, Mom!¡± I shouted, my voice ringing through the garden and my heart bursting


    with happiness. The sound of ourughter intertwined with the rustling leaves and chirping birds,


    creating a perfect moment of pure joy and love.


    ¡°Oh, I will catch you, my little bunny!¡± she said, yfully pretending to grab me.


    I giggled as I ran around the trees, my mother hot on my heels. She lunged forward, trying to catch me,


    but I dodged her with ease. We were both breathless fromughter, our game of tag bringing us closer


    together.


    The warm sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as we continued


    our yful chase. I could feel the wind in my hair and the thrill of my mother chasing after me to


    complete my chores. But at this moment, we were just two carefree souls enjoying the simple pleasure


    of a game.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting faster, Luke!¡± my mother eximed, trying to catch her breath.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m just too quick for you, Mom!¡± I replied, sticking my tongue out at her.


    We continued ying for what seemed like hours, running and chasing each other around the garden.


    The sun was starting to set, casting a warm glow over us. I loved spending time with my mother; she


    was my best friend, and I always had the most fun when we were together. This was how we would


    often lose track of time,pletely immersed in our lively conversations.


    I really feel grateful for these moments with my mother. She was not only my parent but also my


    confidant andpanion. I would praise her always, even if it meant repeating the beautiful words. I


    knew that no matter what, she would always be there to make me smile and fill my days with joy.


    After a while, we both copsed on the grass, panting andughing. ¡°That was so much fun, Mom!¡± I


    vocalized, trying to catch my breath.


    ¡°I agree, but I think it¡¯s time for a break, don¡¯t you think?¡± She pulled out a pic basket from behind a


    tree.


    I eagerly sat up and helped my mothery out the nket and set up our pic. We enjoyed


    sandwiches and lemonade while admiring the beautiful flowers in our garden.


    My mother pointed out different flowers and taught me their names as we sat there. She also showed


    me how to care for them and nt new ones. I loved learning new things from her; she was always so


    patient and kind.


    After our delightful pic, we were still brimming with energy and decided to extend our time outdoors


    by ying some more games. We started off with a ssic game of hide¨Cand¨Cseek, running and


    giggling as we tried to find the perfect hiding spot. Next, we yed Simon Says, taking turns being the


    leader anding up with sillymands for each other to follow.


    But the highlight of our game session was when we decided to create our own game. We roamed


    around the lush garden, searching for different colored flowers and racing to see who could find them


    first. It was a fun and imaginative way to end our lovely day together.


    When the sun started to set, we both sat on the porch swing, watching the sky turn different shades of


    orange and pink.


    ¡°Thank you for such a fun day, Mom,¡± I uttered softly, snuggling closer to her.


    ¡°Thank you for being the bestpany, Luke,¡± she replied, her warm embrace enveloping me. It¡¯s so


    wonderful to have a son like you,¡± she added, her eyes filled with pride and love.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her words, feeling grateful to have such a loving and supportive mother by


    my side. Her words filled me with a sense of purpose and reminded me of our special bond. I hugged


    her back tightly, cherishing the moment and knowing that I was lucky to have her in my life.

 Chapter 126

    us know of Ariel¡¯s location. Please miss.¡±


    ¡°Are you begging her?¡± I asked Andre, giving him an irritated look.


    ¡°She has a hold of Ariel, and her life is in danger. We have no choice.¡±


    ¡°We have a choice,¡± I said immediately, shifting my gaze to the woman in red standing in front of me.


    ¡°You better tell me where Ariel is, or else¡­¡±


    ¡°Or else what?¡± Her voice was sharp, interrupting me mid¨Csentence.


    My frustration was reaching its peak, but I somehow found the strength to keep myposure. I could


    feel the tension in the air as we both stood there, ring at each other. I didn¡¯t even know if I should try


    to find the right words to diffuse the situation or if I should m her to the ground. Because this woman


    could make me go nuts, she was already driving me crazy.


    I shook my head in intense annoyance. ¡°How did my father even get married to you?¡±


    ¡°How did you love me so much all those years?¡± She retorted with an acidic smile.


    ¡°You know, you can just put your pride down and¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no pride around here,¡± I interrupted.


    Andre held both of my shoulders. ¡°Think about Ariel. Would you want her to die?¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I took his hands off my shoulders, and then I sighed deeply, closing my eyes and thinking things


    through. If Ariel died, how would my life be after that? Hold on, why were thoughtsing in like this?


    Who was Ariel to me anyway? I was going to tell her something until her children had to interrupt, and


    realizing that brought me to a universe of pure spleen. And my ignorance was what put her in this


    situation. If I had helped her, we wouldn¡¯t be living in this moment right now.


    ¡°You should start thinking like your friend, Pushki. He has a brain right in that head of his,¡± my mother


    continued with her mocking tone.


    f exhaled deeply for the second time. ¡°You want me to beg you, right? I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°You should go down on your knees.¡± She smirked, tilting her head left with her arms crossed.


    Andre and I exchanged a nce immediately, and my re towards this woman had to intensify.

 Chapter 127

    127 ON MY KNEES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe this woman was making me do this. But I knew I had to y along it I wanted to find


    Ariel. This woman must be feeling so full of herself at the


    moment.


    I slowly got down on my knees, feeling the hard ground beneath me. I could feel Andre¡¯s gaze on me,


    but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at him. I was too angry and embarrassed.


    ¡°Come on, Luke, beg me,¡± my mother taunted.


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. ¡°Please, Mom, tell me where Ariel is. I¡¯ll do anything.¡±


    She justughed, her mocking tone only adding fuel to my anger.


    Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of us, and two men in suits stepped out. I could see the glint of their


    guns in the moonlight.


    ¡°Who the hell are these guys?¡± I asked, still on my knees.


    My mother¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°They¡¯re here to make sure you and your little friend don¡¯t try anything


    stupid.¡±


    I looked over at Andre, who was still standing, his hands held up in surrender.¡± What are we supposed


    to do now, huh?¡±


    ¡°We have to stay calm and do as they say,¡± Andre replied, his voice shaking slightly.


    The two men approached us, their guns still pointed at us. One of them spoke in a gruff voice. ¡°Alright,


    boys, let¡¯s take a walk to the car. And don¡¯t try any funny business.¡±


    We both stood up slowly, keeping our hands up and followed the two men to the car. I had a feeling


    something like this was going to happen.


    The moment we reached the car, one of the men opened the door and gestured for us to get in. I


    hesitated, but Andre gave me a reassuring nod, and we both climbed into the backseat. The men


    entered the car as well. I could see, through the window, my mother entering her car. She began to


    drive, and these men moved behind her.


    The car finally stopped, and Andre and I were not talking to each other the whole time. The men got out


    and dragged us out of the vehicle. It was such a painful


    thing that the billionaire, Luke Reynold, was being treated this way,


    Stepping out of her car, my mother walked to the both of us, her smirk still on her face. I had to re at


    her once more, but all she could do was give me that galling expression.


    ¡°You want to know where Ariel is, right?¡± She asked, raising her brows at me. My dark iook didn¡¯t fade


    off my face, nor was I being sacred around here. This part of me told me to rip her head off, and


    another part was like, Just let the goddamn witch be.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do,¡± Andre replied to her question.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate to re at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±


    I looked around; we were in a forest, and the ground was really sticky. I nced back at her and quickly


    elbowed the man who was holding me, breaking his grip. Before he could bring his gun out of his


    pocket, I gave him a spear, Roman Reigns style, and of course, he had tond on the ground.


    I was about to deliver powerful punches to him when I felt a gun pointing at the back of my head. A sigh


    escaped my lips, probably from that witch or the other idiot who was present. Yeah, there were three


    idiots: Andre and the other two men. I wasn¡¯t pleased with the folks present with me.


    ¡°You try to do shit again, and I¡¯ll shoot you,¡± my mother said. She was the one pressing the gun against


    the back of


    my head.


    Iughed, slowly getting up, and the gun didn¡¯t change its position one bit. Still, in a slow manner, I


    turned around, and now the gun was right on my forehead.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± I asked her, my hands raised a little.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If you try to act smart, I won¡¯t spare you,¡± she answered, not taking her gun down.


    ¡°You are crazy.¡±


    ¡°And you are an idiot!¡± She retorted.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°So, how are you feeling right now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± She raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, the fact that you keep on doing evil and you¡¯re just happy with all of your¡­ actions. Come on,


    have you even sat down one day to think about the people you¡¯ve caused so much pain? You killed my


    father, your husband, and you had to murder your friend, too. Do you have any idea how broken I


    was,.learning that my parents were no more? Sir Reynold, on the other hand, was shattered because


    of the death of his son.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to care? That old fool never liked me, but he was the smart one in the family. I loved


    his thinking, but too bad he couldn¡¯t get rid of me. I got your father¡¯s money, and now I¡¯m here, about to


    take yours as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m about to take your money. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± I shrieked and pushed her to the ground. The man behind me fired a gunshot in my direction,


    almost hitting my leg. But lucky for me, I stirred out of the way.


    Andre had to deal with the other man, putting an end to his grip and seizing his gun. He was a strong


    man; I could see that.


    And just when we were beating the hell out of these men, a gunshot was released in the air by my


    mother. I turned to her, and she pointed the gun at me, about to shoot, but Andre knocked it from her


    hand. She wanted to p him, but he seized her hand and then he shoved her away from him.


    I went to pick the gum from the ground. Gunshots fired at the two men, and I could tell they were dead.


    I set my eyes back on my mother, trying to catch my breath. ¡°You have no one to help you anymore.


    Now, you tell me, where is Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Shoot me if you want! But I¡¯m not going to say anything,¡± she spat.


    ¡°Tell us now! Where is Ariel?!¡± Andre yelled at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything!¡± She yelled back.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I shot the ground, the bullet almost hitting her leg. I controlled my fingers, and my aim was just


    perfect. I wanted her to be terrified. I was definitely not the little Luke she used to y with before. Hell


    no! Things have changed, just the way she has.


    ¡°Were you really going to shoot. me?¡± She asked softly, her tone showing how she was surprised that I


    released that bullet towards her.


    ¡°Are you shocked?¡± I questioned her, pointing the gun at her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. So go ahead, young man, shoot me!¡±


    My hands trembled, trying to decide whether I should grant her wish. And after a moment, I had to


    reach my conclusion. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± I said, closing my eyes and taking the gun down. ¡°Not


    everyone is as heartless as you.¡°, ¡°What a fool you are.¡± She smirked, and my fingers were shot


    immediately.

 Chapter 128

    128 IN THE DARK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My hands were trembling as I looked down at the blood dripping from the gunshot wound. The gun


    slipped from my grasp, ttering to the ground. I wanted to scream to let out the agony I was feeling,


    but I couldn¡¯t find the strength. The pain was overwhelming, radiating through my entire body. I could


    feel my hands shaking as I tried to hold myself together. The intense pain was almost unbearable, but I


    knew I had to stay strong.


    After hearing the sounds of rustling bushes, I turned around, only to see a group of mening out of


    the bushes, treading in our direction. Sort of many, I¡¯d say. I noticed that each one of them was armed


    with a gun, pointing at me and Andre, who I could tell was shocked and afraid. We werepletely


    outnumbered, right at the mercy of these strangers. It was clear that we were in a dangerous and


    potentially life¨Cthreatening situation. I wasn¡¯t going to let fear take over. Letting this woman win was


    definitely not it.


    ¡°What are you going to do now, Pushki?¡± My mother asked, smirking. I could only re at her. The


    moment she snapped her fingers, I was hit from behind. And I didn¡¯t know how they did it or what they


    used. But the strike had caused me to lose consciousness.


    ****


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I made my way through the crowd, scanning the room for Ariel. I swear I had seen her some minutes


    ago. Like, she was really in this building, relishing the party. But now, as I looked around, I couldn¡¯t spot


    her anywhere.


    I approached Lisa, who was talking to a group of friends. Not my concern anyway. ¡°Hey Lisa, have you


    seen Ariel?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.


    Lisa turned to me with a confused expression. ¡°Ariel? No, I haven¡¯t seen her. I did have a conversation


    with her, but I haven¡¯t seen her since then. Why, is everything alright?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I just can¡¯t seem to find her.¡±


    Lisa shrugged. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s gone out with the kids. You know how much they love moving with each


    other.¡±


    One of Lisa¡¯s friends grinned at me. ¡°Is this your brother, Lisa? He is one dashing man.¡®


    THE DARK


    -2/4


    ughed, shaking my head. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You know, we can hang outter.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not really.¡± I gave her a stic smile before walking away.


    I approached Hannah, who was busy standing at the entrance. ¡°Wassup, Han, have you seen Ariel?¡± I


    asked, hoping for a different answer.


    Hannah smiled at me. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Maybe she¡¯s ying with the kids. As you can see, I¡¯m waiting for


    Felix. He says he will being.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± I cut her off. ¡°You can¡­ keep that to yourself.¡±


    She looked at me for a moment. ¡°Okay, have fun finding Ariel.¡±


    I sighed, shaking my head as I muttered, ¡°It¡¯s useless talking to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, bye¨Cbye,¡± Hannah said nonchntly while I walked away from her.


    I made my way to the gardens, searching every corner for Ariel. But she was nowhere to be found.


    Now, where the hell has thatdy gone? I needed to ask her some questions concerning our n. Now,


    the idiot was nowhere to be found.


    I walked back to the ballroom and spotted my mother walking towards me. ¡°Hey, Mom, have you seen


    Ariel?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.


    She shook her head, looking concerned. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Is anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just looking for her.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, let me call her.¡± My mom began to call Ariel, but thedy was not reachable¨Cpiece of sh*t.


    My father walked in our direction, talking to a guest, and I had to stop him. ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t find Ariel


    anywhere.¡±


    ¡°And since when did you start showing concern for Ariel?¡± He asked, widening his eyes.


    I sighed. ¡°I just want to discuss something important with her,¡± I responded, holding both of my waists.


    ¡°Oh, I see. And what is the important stuff?


    I looked at him for seconds. ¡°Have you seen her?¡®


    He shook his head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen her. Maybe she went to the kitchen to get some food.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I asked him, raising an eyebrow.


    T28 IN THE DARK


    ¡°Of course. She might be in the kitchen. I mean, have you tried the dishes? They¡¯re really delicious.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t be in the kitchen right now.¡®


    ¡°Have you checked it out?¡± My dad grinned, and as I just looked at him, he winked at me. ¡°Look, I


    genuinely have no idea why you¡¯re so worried about Ariel. It¡¯s kind of a new thing, really surprising. But


    you don¡¯t have to stress yourself over that; Ariel is not a little kid. She¡¯s alright, wherever she is. Now


    you need to go get yourself some food, grab some drinks, and enjoy the party.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. But I¡¯m good.¡± I feigned a smile and walked away from him.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I slowly regained consciousness, finding myself in a dimly lit room. The darkness was overwhelming,


    but my eyes adjusted enough to make out some shapes in the room. I tried to move my hands, but they


    were bound together, and the pain in one of them was a constant reminder of the chaos that had led


    me here. I remembered the gunshot right in my hand and the part where I had to smash the window of


    my car. But now, I was in this good¨Cfor¨Cnothing room with no idea what was toe.


    Then I heard someone coughing, and he called out my name. It was Andre; he was also in the room, a


    little bit far from me.


    ¡°Oh, Luke. You¡¯ve finally regained consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Where are we exactly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But we have been in this ce for some minutes now. And I¡¯m just here, waiting for a


    superhero to show up. Superman, probably.¡±


    ¡°Superman?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Superman. If we were in the DC Universe, he¡¯d probably show up to save both of us right now.¡±


    ¡°Come on, man, this is not the time for jokes. You are in this dimly lit room while we are confined,


    conversing about aic book character or something simr.¡±


    ¡°I learned that I should always be happy in my darkest moments.¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± I muttered.


    He sighed. ¡°You know what, Luke?¡± He uttered it, and I looked in his direction. ¡± This has got to be the


    worst night of my life.¡±


    128 IN THE DARK


    AJA


    ¡°Yeah, speak for yourself. I¡¯ve faced moments worse than this.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll get out of this one alive?¡± Andre asked.


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But you shouldn¡¯t have followed me. Now look at you, in pain, when


    you¡¯re supposed to be at your family¡¯s party now, enjoying each and every one of them.


    ¡°I know. I just wanted to save Ariel. I can¡¯t stand to see her in pain. She¡¯s just too nice for any bad thing


    to happen to her.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Tell me something, Andre.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    I let out another deep sigh, gazing in his direction. ¡°Do you love Ariel?¡±

 Chapter 129

    129 HOW LUCKY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    FIVE YEARS AGO


    Arriving in Canada felt like a new beginning for me. It was a chance to leave behind all the drama and


    pain that Luke had brought into my life. I was determined to start afresh and not let the thoughts of my


    ex¨Chusband consume me. After all, we are officially divorced now. Canada was my opportunity to


    create a new life, one that was free from the hurt and turmoil of my past. I was ready to embrace this


    new country and all the possibilities it held for me.


    Those moments were really tough, and I could recall everything he did to me. The hurt and pain he


    caused me were almost unbearable. I knew I couldn¡¯t just forget about it all, but I also knew that


    starting a new chapter in my life and leaving him behind was the best thing for me. It wasn¡¯t easy, and


    there were moments where the memories would flood back and the hurt would resurface, but I was


    determined to move on and create a better future for myself. My top priority was letting go of the past


    and focusing on my well¨Cbeing and leaving him behind and starting a new, happier chapter in my life.


    Carrying my heavy luggage, I wandered the unfamiliar and bustling streets, feeling overwhelmed and


    exhausted. I had arrived in this new country with no ns or amodations, and now I was


    struggling to find a ce to stay. I approached a tourist information booth, hoping for some guidance,


    but was met with unhelpful responses. As I continued my search, I couldn¡¯t help but feel lost and alone


    in this foreignnd. The weight of my luggage only added to my difort, and I longed for a sense of


    familiarity and security.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Okay, I shouldn¡¯t just give up yet. I mean, it isn¡¯t that bad,¡± I said to myself, taking a deep breath. ¡°I


    really need to find a ce to stay. Maybe a hotel or a hostel. I¡¯m pretty sure I can do this.¡±


    Going further, I had to realize that I had tread on a quiet street. I frantically scanned my surroundings,


    searching for any indication of where to go next. It was just great that I was now lost and confused. But


    before I could make any progress, my heart sank as I saw a group of menacing figures emerge from


    the shadows. They were rough and intimidating, and I knew I was in trouble. The thing right now was


    coming up with a n to get the hell out of here, but it was toote. They were already closing in on


    me, and I could feel the fear creeping in. I was expecting something else.


    ¡°Hand over your money and belongings, prettydy,¡± one of the thugsmanded me.


    ¡°No, please. I don¡¯t have any money,¡± I panicked.


    Another seized my arm. ¡°Liar! We saw you walking out of the airport with your Juggage. Now give it to


    us!¡±


    ¡°No, please let go!¡± I pleaded with him, struggling to get my arm off his hand, but his grip was too tight.


    Before I knew it, I was struck from behind, putting an end to my struggle. This group of thugs started to


    hit and kick me mercilessly. I could feel my bones breaking and my body going numb with pain. I cried


    out for help, but no one came. As Iy there defenseless, the thugs ransacked my pockets and took


    everything I had, including my phone and wallet.


    With onest kick to my ribs, they ran off into the darkness, leaving me alone and injured on the


    ground. I could barely move, and tears streamed down my face as I realized the extent of the damage


    they had caused. I was bruised and broken, both physically and emotionally, and I wondered how I


    would ever recover from this terrifying and traumatic experience. The worst part of it all was that I had


    no one here to help me.


    I started crying, still going through the exhrating pain. Now, what was I going to do?


    Just then, a man appeared before me. His presence was unexpected, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice his


    kind face. His warm brown eyes seemed to radiate kindness, and his gentle smile put me at ease. He


    was dressed in a well¨Ctailored suit, and I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him. Something about him drew me


    in, and I found myself wanting to know more about him. It was like he was an angeling down from


    heaven toe and check up on me. I couldn¡¯t tell, but my pain had to shove all these thoughts away.


    He knelt closer to me. ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡±


    ¡°They took everything from me,¡± I replied, sobbing.


    ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe,¡± he vocalized, helping me get to my feet.


    I didn¡¯t know this man, but something about him felt trustworthy, and I couldn¡¯t deny the offer of help.


    Although it did sound really crazy, he Just came here and offered me help when he didn¡¯t even know


    me.


    I looked at him for seconds, still trying to process what he had said. ¡°Okay,¡± I finally uttered after being


    hesitant.


    ¡°I¡¯m Andre,¡± he said, smiling at me. ¡°You can tell me your nameter. Right now, you need to be taken


    care of pretty well.¡±


    Andre led me to his apartment, a ravishing ce that no one would want to reject. It was quite


    amazing.


    He offered me a ss of water. ¡°Here, drink this. It will help calm you down.¡±


    Taking the ss from his hand, I sipped the water. ¡°Thank you so much. I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve


    done without your help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I couldn¡¯t just leave you there. Please tell me your name now, if you want.¡±


    I wiped away my tears, sniffling. ¡°Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Ariel.¡± Andre smiled at me.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too, Andr¨¦.¡± I smiled back.


    And after that, he went ahead and offered me a spare room. I was really fascinated. ¡°You can stay here


    for as long as you need. I¡¯ll help you get back on your feet.¡±


    I was inplete disbelief. I never would have imagined that, following an ambush by some thugs, I


    would run into a kind stranger who was willing to help. It was like something out of a movie. I couldn¡¯t


    believe my luck. I kept thinking to myself, ¡°Is this really happening?¡±


    Ingratitude: It was such a surreal experience to go from a terrifying situation to finding a guardian angel


    in the form of a stranger. I knew I would be filled with gratitude, and I would definitely not stop thanking


    this wonderful person who hade to my rescue.


    ¡°Thank you, Andr¨¦. I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡±


    ¡°Just get some rest. We¡¯ll figure everything out in the morning,¡± he told me with a grin.


    This was just so wonderful. It was a reminder that there was still kindness and goodness in the world,


    unlike Luke and his venomous ass. I will never forget this moment of unbelievable luck.


    130 REPROBATED

 Chapter 130

    130 REPROBATED


    The party was in full swing, and Manuel was ready to make his way to the stage. He had another big


    announcement to make about the family business, and he couldn¡¯t wait to share it with everyone. But


    just as he was about to head towards the stage, he realized that Andr¨¦ was nowhere to be found,


    With his eyes, he searched the room for his son. They were supposed to make the announcement


    together, and now he couldn¡¯t see him anywhere. Manuel¡¯s heart sank as he realized that without


    Andr¨¦, the announcement wouldn¡¯t beplete. He knew he had to find his son before it was toote.


    Time was running out, and the party might be over before he knew it.


    And Manuel stood on the sidelines, getting this little twinge of disappointment. He had been eagerly


    anticipating this moment¨Can announcement made before the party would soon be over. But now, there


    was still no sign of Andr¨¦.


    Manuel scanned the room once again, taking in the joyous atmosphere and the familiar faces of his


    loved ones. His wife wasughing with her friends, and the guests were all having a wonderful time.


    These were all great. Yet, his heart couldn¡¯t help but ache for the absence of his beloved son, his


    favorite and the one he would always be proud of.


    He wondered if Andre had forgotten about this moment or if something hade up. Whatever the


    reason, he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of longing and wished that Andr¨¦ was there to share in the


    special moment of the asion.


    Conversely, Mason stood tall and confident with his arms crossed as he watched his father intently. His


    father, who was standing in silence, seemed to be lost in deep thought as he observed the guests at


    the party¨Cthe thought ran through Mason¡¯s mind.


    He could sense the strain and unease radiating from his father, and he knew exactly what was going on


    in his mind. He had always been able to read his father¡¯s emotions and thoughts, and at this moment,


    he could tell that something was weighing heavily on his mind, all about Andre, which Mason had to


    chuckle about.


    Of course, he knew what was about to take ce. He had knowledge about the announcement.


    Manuel had been considering adding Hannah to the business for quite some time now. She had always


    expressed her desire to have a major role in thepany, and Manuel wanted to make that happen for


    her.


    However, Mason had his doubts about Hannah¡¯s capabilities. He felt she would need help to handle the


    responsibilities of such a position. Despite Mason¡¯s


    P


    reservations, Manuel was resolute to give Hannah the opportunity she had always wanted. Mason


    could do nothing but stay angry and watch as things unfolded. After all, it wasn¡¯t his decision to make.


    He just had to remain in an infuriated state while everything went with the flow.


    Mason couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he watched Manuel walk off the stage. The


    smirk on his face grew wider as he took a sip of his wine, savoring the taste and reveling in the


    moment. However, deep down, he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that his father might still make the


    announcement before the party was over. He hoped for that not to take ce, but thinking about it,


    being announced at a party or not, his father would still give Hannah the spot if he wanted; he knew


    Manuel very well. This thought left Mason unsettled. But for now, he was content basking in the glory of


    Manuel¡¯s departure.


    Ady with long, flowing hair and a dazzling smile approached Mason, looking absolutely stunning in a


    flowy yellow dress. Her perfectly applied lipstick was a unique shade of deep red, entuating her full


    lips. As she held a delicate ss of wine, her eyes met Mason¡¯s, and he couldn¡¯t help but be captivated


    by her radiant beauty. Her grace and elegance immediately struck him, and he couldn¡¯t take his eyes


    off her.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Isabe,¡± she said, extending her hand towards Mason.


    He shook her hand, feeling a jolt of electricity run through his body. ¡°I¡¯m Mason,


    he replied, trying to contain his excitement.


    ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mason. I couldn¡¯t help but notice you from across the room,¡± Isabe said in a


    soft and alluring voice.


    Mason couldn¡¯t believe his luck; Isabe was one beautifuldy. They began talking, and before he


    knew it, they were lost in a conversation,ughing and sharing stories. He was already drawn to the


    lady. And now he had a few questions for her.


    ¡°So, are you single?¡± he asked, hoping for a positive answer.


    Isabe¡¯s smile faltered for a moment before she replied, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    Mason had to smirk right away. ¡°Do you want to get banged tonight?¡± he blurted out, unable to contain


    his desire.


    Isabe¡¯s expression turned dark, and she gave him a stern look. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Her tone wasced


    with anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that came out wrong. I meant, would you like to grab dinner sometime?¡± He stammered,


    trying to salvage the situation. But Isabe had already turned away, walking in another direction with a


    disappointed look on her face.


    BATED


    273


    Mason stood there, feeling embarrassed and regretful. He had let his desires get the best of him and


    had ruined his chances with one of the most beautiful women he had met. But he had to shrug, shaking


    off the feeling. It might hurt for the moment, but he wasn¡¯t going to careter on.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°You haven¡¯t given me an answer to my question, Andr¨¦. Do you love Ariel?¡± I asked Andre. He was


    silent when I first asked him about it, and I wondered if the question had made him dumb or what.


    Andre released a deep sigh. ¡°Why are you asking me such a question?¡±


    ¡°Because I need to know,¡± I responded immediately. ¡°Your words and actions show how much you care


    about her. You¡¯re risking your own life right now to save hers.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Andre asked without hesitation.


    I paused for a moment. ¡°Me? What about me?¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you also risking your life to save her?¡±


    ¡°Come on now, man, my case is different.¡± I tried to disagree.


    ¡°How exactly?¡± Andr¨¦ quizzed.


    ¡°Ariel is my wife. Of course, I have to protect her. I have to keep her from all sorts of danger. It¡¯s a


    promise I made to myte grandfather.¡±


    ¡°And Ariel is my friend, Luke. We¡¯ve been friends for five years. She¡¯s the true definition of nice; she¡¯s


    an angel, awesome; she¡¯s just so perfect. It had me wondering why you treated her so badly in three


    years of your marriage.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t bring that up,¡± I said under my breath.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? You had to make her feel like she didn¡¯t deserve to be loved. You just had to keep


    her happiness in the dark for such a long time.¡±


    ¡°Did she tell you all of this?¡±


    ¡°Of course she did. Or was she lying?¡±


    Iughed, shaking my head.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± Andre said softly. The door opened, and 1 heard footstepsing our way. I wish I could


    see the face of the person who had stepped in, but as you can see, the room was too dark for that.

 Chapter 131

    131 TOUGH?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The lights flickered to life, and the room was bathed in a bright glow. And there, standing in the center


    of the room, was a baldheaded man. He had amanding presence, with his chiseled physique on


    full disy and his shirtless form showing off his defined abs and chest. As he slipped on a pair of


    gloves, his gaze swept the room with purpose. He was also putting on a pair of cargo pants,pleting


    his utilitarian look. It was clear that this man was ready for action.


    The man¡¯s intense gaze zeroed in on Andr¨¦ and me, his expression filled with malice. He appeared to


    be a formidable creature, capable of crushing us with ease. However, I refused to be intimidated. I


    stood my ground, unafraid of his imposing presence.


    Me: Andr¨¦. His mind¡ªthat was for me; I couldn¡¯t talk about Andre. He had no idea what was going on


    in his mind, if he was terrified. But I knew we couldn¡¯t show weakness in front of someone who exuded


    such dominance and power. So, I met the man¡¯s eyes with so much confidence, ring at him back.


    My mind told me this moment was not going to be a great one, but there was no option. We had to face


    it.


    ¡°Okay, what do you think that¡¯s up to?¡± Andre asked, glimpsing at me.


    ¡°I have no idea. But it¡¯s definitely something not nice,¡± I answered, gazing at the terrifying man who was


    standing boldly in the room.


    The man began to make his way towards us; his steps were measured and deliberate. His hands were


    balled into tight fists, and his expression was a mixture of anger and detestation, a face twisted into a


    fierce scowl, creating a terrifying visage.that would make someone begin to panic. Despite this, I


    refused to unt fear and met his intense gaze with an unwavering one of my own. He was, without a


    doubt, a formidable figure, but I had no intention of behaving chicken¨Clike in his presence.


    ¡°You two will be crushed into pieces!¡± He bellowed, and his tone was filled with intense fury as he


    pounded his fists together with such force that it seemed like they could shatter at any moment. His


    voice was like thunder, booming and spine -chilling. But despite his dreadful demeanor, I felt a sense of


    defiance, remaining unfazed. I wasn¡¯t afraid of this man and his threats. I was ready to stand my


    ground and face whatever consequences maye. And I could tell Andre had the same thoughts as


    mine.


    ¡°I get the fact that you¡¯re really scary. But let¡¯s be real around here; if you¡¯re


    (


    about to exchange blows, then this isn¡¯t going to be a fair fight,¡± I told him.


    He growled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s trying to tell you that this fight isn¡¯t going to be fair because our hands are tied,¡± Andre


    answered the fearsome man¡¯s question.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I spoke immediately. ¡°So, if you think you¡¯re that tough, we can show you how tough we are.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Fools. Do you think I¡¯m that dumb to fall for your stupid trick?¡±


    ¡°What trick?¡± Andre made a confused face.


    ¡°Yeah, what trick?¡± I also disyed the expression of ying along.


    ¡°The boss wants the both of you dead.¡±


    ¡°The boss?¡± Andre raised an eyebrow, still feigning his silly tone.


    ¡°Yeah, my mother,¡± I whispered to him, and he nodded.


    ¡°Shut up, both of you!¡± The man yelled, and we both turned to him. ¡°I¡¯m not taking those ropes off your


    hands. I¡¯ll make sure the both of you perish in such a state.¡±


    ¡°Then you must be a coward,¡± I told him.


    ¡°What?¡± He made a puzzled face.


    ¡°Yes, you are a coward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bo coward,¡± he argued.


    ¡°Then make this a fair fight. Unloose these ropes; let¡¯s show you what we got.¡±


    The manughed. ¡°The both of you don¡¯t stand a chance against me.¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for, then?¡± I smirked at him, raising my brows. ¡°Remove those ropes from our


    grasp so we can severely strike you.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re going to beat me?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t think,¡± Andre spoke leisurely, and the man and I looked at him right away. ¡°We know.¡± He


    taunted.


    ¡°Oh, oh, that does it,¡± the baldheaded man said, and he walked to both of us. Both of you say you can


    beat me, right? Let¡¯s see about that.¡±


    ropes


    He brought a knife out of his pocket and immediately cut the


    off my


    my hands.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I smirked at that very moment. ¡°I never thought that was going to work.¡± ¡°Say what now?¡± The man


    raised an eyebrow with a confused expression.


    I mercilessly delivered a crushing blow to his vulnerable testicles. He howled in agony, but I didn¡¯t stop


    there. With brutal force, I struck him again and again, not giving him a chance to catch his breath. His


    body recoiled in pain as I continued my relentless assault, hitting him with all my might. By the time I


    was done, he was left gasping for air, his manhood aching and bruised from my brutal attacks. I


    showed him no mercy, and he knew better than to mess with me again. He was an intimidating figure.


    My mother was stupid for sending this man to finish the job.


    As I stood up, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Andre¡¯s shocked expression. He looked like he had just seen a


    ghost.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked Andre, and he shook his head slowly, still in disbelief. He was acting like I had


    pulled off some impressive dance moves or something, but it was clear that I had caught him off guard.


    Knocking that man out so quickly was really unbelievable. Yeah, I couldn¡¯t believe it myself. I thought I


    was going to battle for ages, but I guess I was wrong.


    My eyes narrowed down to the knife that had fallen from the man¡¯s hand the moment I struck him


    vigorously. I picked up the knife and went to cut the ropes off Andre¡¯s hands. ¡°You better get up. We


    need to find Ariel as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that,¡± Andre said inaudibly as I helped him stand to his feet. ¡± Thanks, by the way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I said, and I looked around. ¡°Do you think Ariel might be in this ce?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. But there¡¯s something I do know for sure.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I nced at him.


    Andre¡¯s finger shook wildly as he gestured towards the towering figure, who was gradually rising from


    the ground. Some part of me was about to gulp in fear at the sight. But hell no! I was not going to be


    terrified.


    We had to act fast before this man could fully stand on his feet. And it¡¯s not like I was scared or


    anything. Okay, maybe a little. Wait, hold on. Don¡¯t add me to the chicken list. I was just being cautious


    around here. You simply cannot predict what¡¯s going to happen, just like how I took this man down so


    quickly.


    ¡°Uh, oh, it looks like that guy is nning to take us on a wild ride through the fiery pits of Hades,¡± Andre


    spoke, our eyes fixed on the baldheaded man in cargo pants.

 Chapter 132

    132 NOT AFRAID


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the darkness that enveloped me. As my vision adjusted, I


    realized I was in a dimly lit room, with the only source of lighting from a single flickering bulb


    hanging above my head. Panic surged through me as I tried to move, only to discover that I was tightly


    bound to a chair, my wrists and ankles secured with rough rope.


    How in the world did I arrive here? Oh, I remembered. Those men who took me to their car had


    infected me with something I didn¡¯t know. But they were the ones responsible for my losing


    consciousness. Now I was right here and had no idea of this location or the person behind this whole


    sh*t. Technically, those men were following orders. There is no doubt about that. But who wants to do


    this now? Why can¡¯t someone live this life in peace? All these terrific situations were bing really


    galling. And I hoped to never see myself in one again. That¡¯s if I get out of this one alive.


    Now, my heart pounded as I frantically scanned my surroundings. The room was barren, with peeling


    paint on the walls and a musty smell that disgusted my nose. There were no windows or doors that I


    could see¨Cjust oppressive darkness pressing in on me from all sides.


    Terror wed at my throat as I struggled against my bonds, the ropes cutting into my skin with each


    futile tug. I called out for help, my voice echoing hollowly in the empty room. But there was no


    response, just the eerie silence that seemed to mock my fear.


    Desperation rising, I closed my eyes and tried to calm my racing thoughts. I remembered stories of


    survival, of people who had faced impossible odds and came out on the other side. Drawing on that


    strength, I took a deep breath and prayed for a way out of that nightmare.


    But I couldn¡¯t just give up; I had to get out of here and do that real quick. I focused on my surroundings,


    searching for any possible means of escape. My eyes fell on a glint of metal in the corner of the room,


    and I strained against my bonds, inching the chair closer until I could reach it with trembling fingertips.


    It was a paperclip, discarded and forgotten, but it was a lifeline to me. With shaking hands, I worked the


    paperclip against the ropes, feeling them slowly give way under my persistent efforts. Sweat beaded on


    my forehead as I toiled in silence, every second stretching out into an eternity of uncertainty.


    Finally, with a triumphant gasp, I felt thest rope snap free, and I surged to my


    feet, the chair ttering to the ground behind me. My muscles screamed in


    protest as I rubbed feeling back into my numb limbs, but I ignored the pain as I surveyed my


    surroundings once more.


    Suddenly, the door opened, and this woman stepped in. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± She asked


    coldly, and I couldn¡¯t help but stare at her.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The baldheaded man slowly stood up, his powerful muscles flexing as he did so. Sweat dripped down


    his glistening head, and he must be feeling himself at the moment. What an incredible fool he was.


    The moment he turned his gaze towards us, his expression was filled with a deep and unsettling


    darkness. He wanted us to be frightened, but it wasn¡¯t going to work for me. I wasn¡¯t some little kid or


    something. But this man exuded a sense of danger and strength, causing us to instinctively take a step


    back- just cautious, not terrified.


    ¡°It looks like we have a little trouble on our hands,¡± I said to Andre, trying to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°You think?¡± Andre retorted sarcastically.


    Before we could even react, the man was charging towards us with lightning speed. He was like a


    raging bull, and we were the unlucky matadors.


    I tried to throw a punch, but he caught my arm in a vice¨Clike grip, squeezing it until I thought the bones


    would break. I let out a cry of pain and struggled to break free, but it was no use.


    Meanwhile, Andre was trying to fight back, but the man easily overpowered him. His punches were like


    getting hit by a truck, and he showed no signs of slowing down.


    We were no match for this man¡¯s strength, and I could feel my energy draining with every blow. But I


    refused to give up. I couldn¡¯t let this man beat us.


    With onest burst of adrenaline, I managed to break free from his grip and deliver a swift kick to his


    stomach. But it was like kicking a brick wall. He didn¡¯t even flinch.


    Just when I thought all hope was lost, I heard a loud crash, and the man fell to the ground,


    unconscious/I turned to see Andre holding arge metal pipe with a satisfied grin.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re even now, Luke.¡± He smirked, offering me a hand.


    132 NOT AFRAID


    I chuckled, relieved that we had made it out alive. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I guess we¡¯re even.


    11


    ¡°So, time to go look for Ariel?¡± Andre threw the metal pipe to the floor.


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± I answered, and I suspended, my eyes narrowing down to the metal pipe. ¡°I think


    we¡¯re going to need that.¡±


    ¡°Against your evil mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, call her any name you want. But don¡¯t address her as my mother,¡± I told him and walked to the


    door.


    ¡°I see. Family issues,¡± Andre said, taking hold of the metal pipe. But I¡¯d like to know what happened


    between the two of you. That¡¯s if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I looked at him for a moment before I spoke. ¡°When we get to where she is, you can tell her that.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°And how are you so sure we¡¯re going to get to where she is?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling she¡¯s in this building. And I hope Ariel¡¯s here too,¡± I answered before leaving the room.


    Andre treaded behind me. And I believed we were both ready for anything that¡¯s going toe our


    way.¡±


    ****


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Who are you? And why am I here?¡± I asked the woman who had just entered the


    room.


    Her lips curled into a cruel smile. ¡°Oh, my dear, nothing, actually.¡±


    ¡°I demand to know what you want from me,¡± I vocalized with a trembling voice.


    Her smile turned into a sneer. ¡°You are in no position to make demands, my dear. But since you asked


    so nicely, I will tell you.¡± After those words, she burst outughing.


    I had to give her a confused face while she did that.


    And after she was doneughing, she nced at me, letting out a deep sigh, and her eyes glinted with


    malice. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Why were youughing like that?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Are you trying to be courageous?¡± She raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I answered, and a sigh followed. But you have to tell me what you really want from me.¡±


    182 NOT AFRAID


    ¡°It¡¯s that simple. I want you dead.¡± She smirked, and I had to shoot her a crazy


    look.

 Chapter 133

    133 SEARCHING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Andre and I hurried through the vast, empty warehouse, our footsteps echoing against the cavernous


    walls. The dim light from a few high windows cast long shadows across the dusty floor, adding to the


    eerie atmosphere. We had been searching for Ariel, our voices calling out her name but receiving only


    silence in return. I could feel frustration building within me.


    ¡°Andre,¡± I called out, my voice tinged with defeat. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s here. Maybe we should call for


    help. Maybe we¡¯re wasting our time.¡±


    Andre¡¯s voice echoed through the warehouse. ¡°Luke, we can¡¯t give up now. Ariel needs us, and we¡¯re


    not leaving until we find her.¡±


    I continued searching, pushing boxes aside and peering behind crates, but there was no trace of Ariel.


    It felt like an endlessbyrinth, and hope was slipping through my fingers.


    As I approached the center of the warehouse, Andr¨¦ joined me. ¡°Luke, I know this is tough, but we


    can¡¯t lose hope. Ariel is counting on us. We¡¯vee too far to give up now. We¡¯ll find her, I promise.¡±


    His words stirred something within me. I nodded, steeling myself against the rising doubt. ¡°You¡¯re right,


    Andr¨¦. Let¡¯s keep looking.¡±


    We ventured further, and then I caught a glimpse of something in the far corner. ¡°Andre, over here!¡± I


    called out.


    We rushed over and found a little girl sitting on the floor, her expression a mix of relief and exhaustion.


    ¡°Hey there, are you okay?¡± I asked, my voice trembling with concern.


    She nodded weakly, her eyes reflecting gratitude. ¡°I¡¯m okay, thanks to you both. I got lost in here and


    couldn¡¯t find my way out.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How exactly?¡± I asked her, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Uhmm, Luke, we have a problem,¡± Andre spoke, and I turned around. It was the fearsome man, and


    he was walking in our direction.


    Shit! This isn¡¯t good,¡± I said, staring at the man who was ring at us.


    ****


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Hold on a minute; you want to kill me?¡± I asked the woman.


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± She smirked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just so terrifying. I don¡¯t even know you, and yet you want to take my life. Have I done


    anything wrong to you? Because if I can clearly remember, We haven¡¯t met. So tell me, what¡¯s the


    problem around here? Why did you abduct me, and why do you want to kill me?¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do, and it¡¯s really irritating.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me. I¡¯m scared, alright?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°And you talk too much when you¡¯re scared.¡±


    ¡°Well, something like that. But being serious around here, who are you actually?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t know me?¡± She quizzed, heaving an eyebrow.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know you? We haven¡¯t met before, we haven¡¯t talked, and I haven¡¯t even seen


    your face in my entire life,¡± I brought out.


    ¡°Oh, Ariel, aren¡¯t you just a clown?¡±


    ¡°She knows my name,¡± I whispered to myself and then set my eyes back on her. ¡± Oh crap, how do you


    know my name?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m supposed to be your mother¨Cinw!¡± She responded coldly.


    ¡°My mother¨Cinw?¡± I gave her a bewildered face.


    ¡°Yes, your mother¨Cinw, you nitwit!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, what¡¯s going on here? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh, you¡¯re just as dumb as your husband,¡± she said in hushed tones, shaking her head.


    ¡°Who? Luke?¡±


    ¡°Luke, of course! Of how many husbands do you have?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I was just trying to rify things. But for real, are you Luke¡¯s mom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am his mother, Don¡¯t you see the likeness?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, actually.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Okay, calm down. Right now, I¡¯ve got millions of questions to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even bother.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re Luke¡¯s mother, where have you been? Where have you been all these years? Because if I


    can clearly remember, Luke told me his mother died when he was still a kid. Well, something like that.¡±


    She just red at me and shook her head.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As the baldheaded man lunged towards us, I quickly pulled, clenched my fists tightly, and took a


    defensive stance. Andre followed suit with his weapon, the metal pipe he carried with him.


    We were outnumbered and outmatched, but we were not going down without a fight. The man was


    known for his brutal strength; no one dared mess with him, but we were not going to back down.


    The fight was intense, and I could feel the pain coursing through my veins. Each of the man¡¯s


    sledgehammer¨Clike blows had the sensation of shattering every bone in my body. But I kept on fighting,


    determined to protect myself, Andre, and the little kid we had just seen.


    But as the minutes passed, it was clear that we were no match for him. He was too strong and too


    skilled. We were getting beaten badly, and blood was dripping from our wounds. I could see the fear in


    Andre¡¯s eyes, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was¨Cthis was the end.


    The both of us were on the ground, breathing heavily and slowly moving, while the baldheaded man


    was smirking at us.


    ¡°You thought you could beat me, huh? You pathetic fools!¡± He mocked me and kicked me hard on the


    back.


    My eyes went to the little girl standing and watching us; her eyes were filled with fear. She looked


    confused, and it seemed like she had no idea what to do. But how did she even end up here in the first


    ce?


    I knew I had to be strong for her right now. I also needed to find Ariel, wherever she was. She was


    definitely not safe, and I hoped that witch had not done anything to her.


    The man kept on beating the hell out of us, and just when we thought it was over, we heard a gunshot,


    and the baldheaded man fell to the ground. We turned around to see a woman dressed in all ck, her


    face hidden behind a pair of


    shades.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, still in shock.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m a friend,¡± she replied, her voice calm and collected.


    She walked towards us and helped us up, checking our injuries and tending to them as best as she


    could. I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for her help.


    She couldn¡¯t actually take care of our wounds, but she did the best she could. Finally, she removed her


    shades, revealing her striking blue eyes. I had no idea who she was, but she was really beautiful.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, still trying to process how the terror from that baldheaded man just


    ended like that.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been tracking this guy for a while now. He¡¯s been causing a lot of trouble in my town,¡± she


    answered.


    ¡°And where do youe from?¡± Andre questioned her.


    ¡°Tukashi. You haven¡¯t heard of that before, I know. But right now is not the time for conversations.¡± She


    set her eyes on me forthwith. ¡°You¡¯re searching for your wife, right?¡±


    I nodded, and she stood up, saying, ¡°Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 134

    134 HOW WE COLLIDED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    I woke up to the sound of the birds chirping and the sun shining through the window. As I slowly


    opened my eyes, I felt a weight on my chest and saw a woman lying next to me in bed. My heart


    stopped as I realized that we were both half¨Cnaked.


    Confusion and panic flooded my mind as I tried to remember what happened the previous night. I had


    gone out with my friends for a few drinks, but everything was a blur after that. I couldn¡¯t recall how I


    ended up in bed with this woman.


    I let out a gasp and quickly sat up, causing the woman to stir a little bit. She didn¡¯t wake up, and my


    mind wasn¡¯t settled about this one. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. I waspletely unaware of


    this woman, including her name, and it is beyond myprehension how we ended up in the same


    bed. My mind was racing with questions and frustration.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I yelled, my voice filled with intense rage, because this was just so fucked


    up!¡±


    The woman sat up immediately and looked at me in shock. She scanned the room, making a confused


    face, and she gasped immediately.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± she asked, her voice now filled with worry. And then she nced back at me. ¡°And who


    are you?¡±


    ¡°Who am I? Are you crazy right now?! I don¡¯t remember anything fromst night. How did you end up in


    my bed?¡± I demanded.


    The woman¡¯s expression turned serious as she realized the situation. But she was still looking


    confused as she drove her hands through her hair, letting out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer my question? How the frick did you end up in my goddamn bed?!¡± I


    snapped.


    ¡°I have no idea, okay? I genuinely have no idea how I got here,¡± she answered, and it seemed like she


    was about to burst into tears. But I wasn¡¯t going to care one bit. Hell no!


    But I couldn¡¯t believe it. I had never been so reckless in my life. I couldn¡¯t even remember thest time I


    got this drunk. So, what was really going on here? This whore had done sh*t, huh? Golddiggers.


    The door opened immediately, and tons of people rushed inside the room, taking pictures of us. They


    were journalists.


    I watched in horror as the room was suddenly filled with journalists, their


    cameras shing and microphones thrusting towards my face.


    ¡°Is this your girlfriend, Luke? Are you two in a rtionship?¡± one of them shouted.


    I shook my head, trying to make sense of the chaos. ¡°I don¡¯t even know her name, ¡°I replied, my voice


    trembling with anger and confusion.


    The woman next to me seemed to shrink into the bed, her eyes wide with shock and fear. I could see


    tears starting to form in her eyes. Bullshit! I feel like choking her to death right now.


    ¡°Is this some kind of scandal, Lukel? Are you cheating on your girlfriend?¡± another journalist asked,


    pushing their way to the front.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a girlfriend!¡± I snapped, my frustration and anger bubbling over. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who


    this woman is!¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    More questions were thrown at me, and I could feel my head spinning. How did this happen? How did I


    end up in bed with aplete stranger? I could see the headlines now: ¡°Famous Billionaire Caught in


    Scandalous Affair!¡±


    ¡°Please, just leave us alone,¡± I pleaded, gesturing towards the door. But the journalists refused to


    budge, continuing to snap photos and ask questions.


    The woman next to me finally spoke up, her voice shaking. ¡°Please, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on


    either. Can you please give us some space?¡±


    But the reporters seemed relentless, wanting to get every juicy detail of this supposed affair. I felt a


    surge of protectiveness towards the woman, and I scooted closer to her, draping an arm around her


    shoulders.


    ¡°Enough! We have nothing to say to you, people. Now get out!¡± I shouted, my voice echoing through


    the room.


    After a few more minutes of arguing and pleading, the journalists finally left, their cameras still clicking


    as they exited the room. I let out a deep breath, my heart still racing from the chaos.


    The woman next to me looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean for any of


    this to happen. I don¡¯t even know how I ended up here.¡±


    I got out of bed and started pacing around the room, trying to make sense of the situation. The woman


    stood there, watching me with that sad countenance. Oh, it made me sick.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry; I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen,¡± she continued apologizing, with her eyes still filled with


    tears.


    I stopped and looked at her. She seemed genuinely remorseful, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that I


    was in aplete mess. I couldn¡¯t even look at her without feeling a surge of anger and disgust.


    Without thinking, I walked towards her and pushed her off the bed. She let out a scream as she fell to


    the ground, hitting her head on the nightstand.


    I stood there, breathing heavily, trying to calm myself down. Should I even feel guilty that I had just


    done that? I had never been a violent person, but my anger and frustration got the best of me.


    The woman looked up at me with fear in her eyes. I could see the pain and confusion on her face. But I


    was definitely not going to feel guilty for my actions.


    ¡°You are nothing but a golddigger, you bitch!¡± I snarled. ¡°You say you¡¯re pretty, huh? You call that a


    face? It looks like someone took a sledgehammer to it!¡± I continued with my hurtful words.


    ¡°Just take a good look at yourself, you whore. You¡¯re trying to sell your body, looking for millions, right?


    Because you¡¯re broke as hell. No wonder you can¡¯t afford to fix that crooked nose of yours. Look at you


    right in this room, like you¡¯re some queen. Newssh, honey, you¡¯re nothing but a lowly prostitute. No


    one will ever take you seriously. Do you hear me?!¡±


    ¡°Why are you talking to me like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up! Just shut your mouth, you fool! You want to ruin my reputation. Isn¡¯t that what you want?


    Or tell me. You also need money, isn¡¯t that right? You¡¯re so desperate for money that you went ahead


    to do shit? Tell me what you want now, you filthy slut!¡±


    ¡°Your money is not required, and I must reiterate how many times I have to say that I h.dea how I


    ended up here?¡± I find it offensive that you continue to insult me in this manner by calling me


    derogatory names. I¡¯m not a prostitute, okay?¡±


    ¡°You watch your mouth, bitch,¡± I growled. ¡°You better shut up!¡±


    ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll hit me. That¡¯s all you know how to do. Beating up on women. I don¡¯t know you, but


    after you pushed me from your bed, I think I have a little idea about your terrible demeanor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± I snapped and walked to her, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her towards the door.


    She struggled against my grip, but I was too strong for her. I threw her out of the room and mmed


    the door shut, locking it.


    134 HOW WE COLLIDED


    I suspended, moving my hands to my face. I knew the sh*t that was going to


    happen after this. Who the hell


    Tas this woman?


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 135

    135 DREDGED UP


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    This woman, who imed to be Luke¡¯s mother, pointed a gun at me after we just had a lengthy


    conversation. A smirk was right on her face as she had to exin the whole situation to me. I didn¡¯t


    know if I should believe it because it didn¡¯t make any sense. Riley was the one responsible for sending


    those men to attack Luke¡¯s mansion. But why would someone be so cruel towards her son,


    her own blood? Life was really messed up.


    Now, I was just someone in their game who simply had no knowledge of anything, but I was going to


    suffer. This woman had her gun pointed at me, and just when she was about to pull the trigger, the door


    opened. Luke and Andre stepped inside the room with ady by their side, and this little girl was with


    them. But she stood behind them.


    Now this woman, Luke¡¯s mother, she said she was, also revealing her name to me as Celine, changed


    the direction of her gun, pointing it at Luke. But the otherdy who had apanied Luke and Andre


    pointed the gun at Celine, ring at her.


    There were exchanges of hurtful words right in the room, and I could just stand in silence, observing


    everyone. Looking at Luke and Andre, I felt a little bit sorry for them; their suits had been ruined and


    covered in blood, and they had various injuries all over their faces. This was supposed to be a


    wonderful night, but it had to go in the opposite direction.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re going to ruin everything, Luke? Oh no, all of you are going to die right here,¡± Celine


    spoke, a menacing tone right there as she was still pointing her gun at Luke.


    ¡°Put the gun down, Celine,¡± the otherdy in the room told her.


    ¡°Make me,¡± Celine smirked.


    ¡°Enough is enough, mom! I¡¯ve had enough of this nonsense. Just put an end to all of this now, so no


    one gets hurt!¡± Luke vocalized angrily, and I could see the rage burning in his eyes.


    ¡°Wait, you think you can do shit to me?¡± Celineughed. ¡°You¡¯re weak, Luke, just like your father. You


    can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Andre stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re the weak one around here. Attacking your own son like this.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my son. He¡¯s just a disappointment,¡± Celine seethed. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the fact that this


    disappointment is still in this world; he needs to be taken away.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, stop it,¡± the little girl said softly, looking at Celine with a sad face.


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart. It would help if you had stayed out of this,¡± Celine responded, smiling at her. ¡°Why did


    you have to follow me?¡±


    ¡°This is my sister?¡± Luke asked, his tone filled with disbelief.


    ¡°My daughter, not your sister!¡± Celine¡¯s expression hardened again. Her tone was too cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you


    dare make that mistake of calling her your sister again?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, she¡¯s really my sister.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to call her that,¡± Celine responded immediately. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you came to this world


    without brain. Crackpot, simpleminded, a nonsensical fool just like yourte father.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough, Celine.¡± The otherdy with the gun spoke firmly, and Celine nced at her. ¡°Put


    the gun down.¡®


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to do that?¡± Celine raised both of her brows in response.


    Andre let out a deep sigh. ¡°What a family reunion! Too bad this sh*t has gone wrong.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue.¡± Celine quickly pointed her gun at Andre.


    His hands went right into the air. ¡°Okay, calm down. There¡¯s no need to get all mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already mad, and seeing this idiot is making me go bananas.¡±


    ¡°Go bananas.¡± Andre chuckled, turning to Luke. ¡°It¡¯s so funny when she says it. I mean, I¡¯ve heard a lot


    of people say,


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Celine screamed, cutting him off. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be filled with senses, but it


    turns out you¡¯re just like your friend right here.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, please stop this,¡± the little girl pleaded again. ¡°Let¡¯s just go home.¡±


    ¡°No, Catherine. I¡¯ll have to end everything right here. I¡¯ll have to put an end to this disappointment


    standing in front of me.¡±


    ¡°But you always tell me never to engage in violence. You say it¡¯s not good, and you have never


    supported me when I got into a fight with my friends. So why do all this now? Just put an end to this,


    Mom; violence is never the answer. Same words you used to tell me.¡±


    Andre snapped his fingers. ¡°She¡¯s got a point. Violence is never the answer.¡±


    ¡°Not now, Catherine; I just need to¡­¡± Celine trailed off, shaking her head with a sigh.


    135 DREDGED UR


    ¡°Please, Mommy.¡±


    Celine¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Why do you have to do this now, Catherine? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I love you and don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen to me.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Thedy has a gun, Mommy,¡± Catherine stated. ¡°And if you shoot, she might


    shoot you.¡°, Momm


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll have to shoot her first.¡± Celine changed the direction of her gun, pointing at thedy. It


    was clear that they both knew each other from where they came from.


    Luke sighed. ¡°Are we going to do this all night?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not. Because you¡¯ll be getting killed any minute,¡± Celine answered.


    ¡°Then do it!¡± Luke barked right away. ¡°Kill me already. Enough with this nonsense. I¡¯ve had enough!¡±


    ¡°Luke, you have to


    calm down,¡± Andre told him.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to calm down! This woman has gone too far; she has brought so much pain to my


    heart. I wouldn¡¯t say I like the sight of her. She killed my father, and because of her devilish scheme to


    kill me as well, my cousin had to die. So much as I cherished that girl, this woman waspelled to


    remove her from my life. And now this little girl is trying her best to talk her out of it, but she still won¡¯t


    listen. What the fuck, man?!¡±


    ¡°I know. It hurts so much. I understand the pain, but you still need to calm down,


    Andre said.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t, Andr¨¦. You haven¡¯t lost anyone close to you, so you can¡¯t understand the pain.¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Andre said inaudibly, and I could see the pain in his eyes. Now, who was this person close to


    him that he had lost? Curiosity has taken full control of me


    now.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Enough with all the bullshit.¡± Celine pointed her gun at Luke. ¡°Your words are just


    meaningless; do you know that?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s your life that¡¯s meaningless around here,¡± Luke retorted. ¡± For the love of God,


    shoot someone already. Stop changing the direction of your gun. Is that how you keep changing men


    all these years? After this revtion you gave me, I won¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I think you need to shut up,¡± thedy, pointing her gun at Celine, told Luke.


    135 DREDGED UP


    He set his eyes on her. ¡°Look, I¡¯m thankful to you for saving me. But this woman right here deserves all


    the insults in the world.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Celine screamed, and I closed my eyes, hearing the sound of a gunshot. The moment I


    slowly opened my eyes, my mouth was wide open.

 Chapter 136

    135 DREDGED UP


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    This woman, who imed to be Luke¡¯s mother, pointed a gun at me after we just had a lengthy


    conversation. A smirk was right on her face as she had to exin the whole situation to me. I didn¡¯t


    know if I should believe it because it didn¡¯t make any sense. Riley was the one responsible for sending


    those men to attack Luke¡¯s mansion. But why would someone be so cruel towards her son,


    her own blood? Life was really messed up.


    Now, I was just someone in their game who simply had no knowledge of anything, but I was going to


    suffer. This woman had her gun pointed at me, and just when she was about to pull the trigger, the door


    opened. Luke and Andre stepped inside the room with ady by their side, and this little girl was with


    them. But she stood behind them.


    Now this woman, Luke¡¯s mother, she said she was, also revealing her name to me as Celine, changed


    the direction of her gun, pointing it at Luke. But the otherdy who had apanied Luke and Andre


    pointed the gun at Celine, ring at her.


    There were exchanges of hurtful words right in the room, and I could just stand in silence, observing


    everyone. Looking at Luke and Andre, I felt a little bit sorry for them; their suits had been ruined and


    covered in blood, and they had various injuries all over their faces. This was supposed to be a


    wonderful night, but it had to go in the opposite direction.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re going to ruin everything, Luke? Oh no, all of you are going to die right here,¡± Celine


    spoke, a menacing tone right there as she was still pointing her gun at Luke.


    ¡°Put the gun down, Celine,¡± the otherdy in the room told her.


    ¡°Make me,¡± Celine smirked.


    ¡°Enough is enough, mom! I¡¯ve had enough of this nonsense. Just put an end to all of this now, so no


    one gets hurt!¡± Luke vocalized angrily, and I could see the rage burning in his eyes.


    ¡°Wait, you think you can do shit to me?¡± Celineughed. ¡°You¡¯re weak, Luke, just like your father. You


    can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Andre stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re the weak one around here. Attacking your own son like this.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my son. He¡¯s just a disappointment,¡± Celine seethed. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the fact that this


    disappointment is still in this world; he needs to be taken away.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, stop it,¡± the little girl said softly, looking at Celine with a sad face.


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart. It would help if you had stayed out of this,¡± Celine responded, smiling at her. ¡°Why did


    you have to follow me?¡±


    ¡°This is my sister?¡± Luke asked, his tone filled with disbelief.


    ¡°My daughter, not your sister!¡± Celine¡¯s expression hardened again. Her tone was too cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you


    dare make that mistake of calling her your sister again?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, she¡¯s really my sister.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to call her that,¡± Celine responded immediately. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you came to this world


    without brain. Crackpot, simpleminded, a nonsensical fool just like yourte father.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough, Celine.¡± The otherdy with the gun spoke firmly, and Celine nced at her. ¡°Put


    the gun down.¡®


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to do that?¡± Celine raised both of her brows in response.


    Andre let out a deep sigh. ¡°What a family reunion! Too bad this sh*t has gone wrong.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue.¡± Celine quickly pointed her gun at Andre.


    His hands went right into the air. ¡°Okay, calm down. There¡¯s no need to get all mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already mad, and seeing this idiot is making me go bananas.¡±


    ¡°Go bananas.¡± Andre chuckled, turning to Luke. ¡°It¡¯s so funny when she says it. I mean, I¡¯ve heard a lot


    of people say,


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Celine screamed, cutting him off. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be filled with senses, but it


    turns out you¡¯re just like your friend right here.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, please stop this,¡± the little girl pleaded again. ¡°Let¡¯s just go home.¡±


    ¡°No, Catherine. I¡¯ll have to end everything right here. I¡¯ll have to put an end to this disappointment


    standing in front of me.¡±


    ¡°But you always tell me never to engage in violence. You say it¡¯s not good, and you have never


    supported me when I got into a fight with my friends. So why do all this now? Just put an end to this,


    Mom; violence is never the answer. Same words you used to tell me.¡±


    Andre snapped his fingers. ¡°She¡¯s got a point. Violence is never the answer.¡±


    ¡°Not now, Catherine; I just need to¡­¡± Celine trailed off, shaking her head with a sigh.


    135 DREDGED UR


    ¡°Please, Mommy.¡±


    Celine¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Why do you have to do this now, Catherine? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I love you and don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen to me.¡±


    ¡°Thedy has a gun, Mommy,¡± Catherine stated. ¡°And if you shoot, she might


    shoot you.¡°, Momm


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll have to shoot her first.¡± Celine changed the direction of her gun, pointing at thedy. It


    was clear that they both knew each other from where they came from.


    Luke sighed. ¡°Are we going to do this all night?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not. Because you¡¯ll be getting killed any minute,¡± Celine answered.


    ¡°Then do it!¡± Luke barked right away. ¡°Kill me already. Enough with this nonsense. I¡¯ve had enough!¡±


    ¡°Luke, you have to


    calm down,¡± Andre told him.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to calm down! This woman has gone too far; she has brought so much pain to my


    heart. I wouldn¡¯t say I like the sight of her. She killed my father, and because of her devilish scheme to


    kill me as well, my cousin had to die. So much as I cherished that girl, this woman waspelled to


    remove her from my life. And now this little girl is trying her best to talk her out of it, but she still won¡¯t


    listen. What the fuck, man?!¡±


    ¡°I know. It hurts so much. I understand the pain, but you still need to calm down,


    Andre said.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t, Andr¨¦. You haven¡¯t lost anyone close to you, so you can¡¯t understand the pain.¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Andre said inaudibly, and I could see the pain in his eyes. Now, who was this person close to


    him that he had lost? Curiosity has taken full control of me


    now.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Enough with all the bullshit.¡± Celine pointed her gun at Luke. ¡°Your words are just


    meaningless; do you know that?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s your life that¡¯s meaningless around here,¡± Luke retorted. ¡± For the love of God,


    shoot someone already. Stop changing the direction of your gun. Is that how you keep changing men


    all these years? After this revtion you gave me, I won¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I think you need to shut up,¡± thedy, pointing her gun at Celine, told Luke.


    135 DREDGED UP


    He set his eyes on her. ¡°Look, I¡¯m thankful to you for saving me. But this woman right here deserves all


    the insults in the world.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Celine screamed, and I closed my eyes, hearing the sound of a gunshot. The moment I


    slowly opened my eyes, my mouth was wide open.

 Chapter 137

    X


    137: A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARKNESS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    And I was still here, watching the unconscious Luke. I was gazing at his peaceful face at the moment,


    and the only thing I prayed for right now was that he should open his eyes.


    1 harked my mind back to when I saw him wounded, as he fell down in pain. It was really painful. I


    couldn¡¯t act like I still hated him at that moment; I was only human after all. This hatred for Luke had


    faded. If there was something I hade to learn, it was that. And I didn¡¯t know why I had to give in.


    Give in? Wait, why should I be telling myself this right now? Was I falling in love? Oh my gosh, this was


    quite messed up, Ariel.


    Luke¡¯s hand shook, and I had to set my eyes back on him. His eyes were still closed, but his hand


    jounced for the second time. With this, I had a feeling that he was about to open his eyes; that would


    happen any moment for now. The hope in me had risen again, like the sun, shining, and why the hell


    did I feel a smileing on?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    Mason made his way downstairs, staring at my mom as she took care of my wounds. His mocking


    smirk lingered on his face. He stepped closer, hands dipped in his pockets.


    ¡°Wow, brother. You got into a fight?¡± He taunted. I sighed, not even wanting to give him attention.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t, alright?¡± My mother replied before turning back to me.


    ¡°Well, I did get into a fight.¡± I took my mind back to the baldheaded man Luke and I had faced.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Mason sneered, eyeing the bruises on my face. ¡°Who was it now, huh? Some good for


    nothing, punk? Why would he waste his time fighting a chicken like you? But he did wound you.¡±


    ¡°Mason!¡± My father vocalized harshly.


    ¡°Calm down, father. I haven¡¯te here for nonsense. I¡¯m just concerned about my elder brother. So


    tell me, Andr¨¦. Who did it?¡±


    I clenched my jaw, trying to calm myself down. I would keep on saying this, and the thought would


    linger¨CMason always had a way of getting under my skin, and I hated it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I muttered,


    avoiding his gaze.


    ¡°Oh, but it does,¡± he countered. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help a delinquent like you, and you¡¯re here telling me


    sh*t?¡±


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense, alright?¡± I scoffed. ¡°You only care about your reputation, not me.¡±


    Mason¡¯s smirk faltered, and then anger took its ce. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me, Andr¨¦. You


    never have.¡±


    ¡°Then enlighten me,¡± I challenged, standing up to face him. ¡°Tell me something about yourself that I


    don¡¯t already know.¡±


    His jaw clenched, and he took a step closer to me. ¡°Fine. I care about my reputation because it¡¯s the


    only thing I have left. The only thing that makes me feel like I¡¯m worth something.¡±


    ¡°What are you even saying now? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve always been the perfect son, the one everyone loves.


    Meanwhile, I¡¯ve always been the troublemaker, the one who can never live up to your expectations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I argued. ¡°I¡¯ve never expected this terrible side from you, Mason. I¡¯ve always wanted


    us to get along, but you kept on ruining things.¡±


    Mason let out a bitterugh. ¡°Get along? You¡¯ve never even tried to understand me. You¡¯ve always


    been too busy with your own life. And you make a lot of announcements, telling people fake things


    about us.¡±


    ¡°Fake things?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, brother. A lot of people feel like we¡¯re close to each other. But they¡¯re far away from the truth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you refused to be a great person. I¡¯ve loved you, brother, and I¡¯ll always love you.


    You just got to change this disgusting attitude.¡±


    I walked away after tapping him on the shoulder.


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood at the entrance of the grand wedding hall, the soft strains of music floating through the air like a


    mncholic melody. The hall was adorned with cascading white flowers, their delicate petals creating a


    dreamlike atmosphere. The aisle stretched out before me, lined with flickering candles that cast a warm


    glow over the room. The moment I took a deep breath, I felt the weight of the borate gown¡® I wore,


    the satin andce hugging my frame in a way that felt


    137 A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARENAL


    suffocating rather thanforting.


    My heart clenched as I nced down at the dress -a gown fit for a fairytale princess but a prison for my


    soul. The ivory fabric shimmered in the soft light, adorned with intricate beading that sparkled like stars


    in the night sky. The veil moved down my back like a waterfall, obscuring my face from the world but


    failing to hide the turmoil in my eyes.


    My gaze drifted to the end of the aisle, where Luke stood beside the priest, his eyes fixed on me with a


    mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. His tuxedo was impably tailored, the ck fabric


    emphasizing his broad shoulders and chiseled features. But despite his handsome appearance, there


    was a distance in his eyes that mirrored the emptiness in my own heart.


    I began to walk down the aisle, the soft rustle of my gown echoing in the hushed hall, I felt as though I


    was marching towards my own demise. Each step was heavy with the weight of expectation and


    obligation, and the eyes of the guests followed my every move with a mix of awe and reverence. But


    beneath the facade of a picture¨Cperfect bride, my heart was in turmoil, a storm of conflicting emotions


    raging within me.


    The priest¡¯s voice blended with the soft murmur of the guests, the words of the ceremony washing over


    me like a distant tide. I could feel Luke¡¯s gaze on me¨Ca silent question in his eyes that I couldn¡¯t bear to


    answer. And as we exchanged vows, the words felt hollow on my lips, a mockery of the sacred union


    we were supposed to represent.


    The priest finally pronounced us husband and wife, and I felt a sense of profound loss wash over me, a


    finality that settled in my chest like a stone. Luke¡¯s hand reached for mine, his touch cold against her


    skin, and I forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. And so did he.


    The guests erupted into apuse as we, the newlyweds, turned to face them, their cheers a


    cacophony of celebration that rang hollow in my ears. When I looked out at the sea of smiling faces, I


    felt a pang of guilt at the deception she was perpetuating¨Ca charade of love that I couldn¡¯t bring myself


    to believe in.


    END OF FLASHBACK.


    That was the day I had to enter darkness, being inflicted with the pain. Word filled with thore, which


    stung me invariably, piercing my heart. Yes, I had to take my mind back to that moment because I was


    lost in a sea of sorrow, something I had to do for my parents, even though I knew what it would cause


    me.


    But here I was today, worried about this man and praying for him to regain consciousness. I should


    have just wished him dead, but that wasn¡¯t it. This part of me had already materialized, and I knew it


    was going to be hard to rip it off.


    137 A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARKNESS


    I was feeling drowsy, and just when I was about to go to sleep, Luke¡¯s eyes slowly


    opened.

 Chapter 138

    138 THE SHOCKING FEATS


    LUKE¡¯S POW


    Opening my eyes, I saw Ariel right by my side. She looked pretty tired, but a smile was right there on


    her visage ¡ª a fragile one, actually. And I could still feel the pain within me. With the pain caused by


    that good for nothing witch, I could even wonder what had happened to her. But I shouldn¡¯t care less. I


    could only feel sorry for the little girl I saw at the warehouse. Catherine, yes, that was her name. She


    was being raised by a monster, and I hoped she wasn¡¯t living a life of lies the same way I did.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Ariel said, holding my hand. She cleaned her eyes, trying to wash away the


    drowsiness. ¡°I¡¯m really d about that.¡±


    ¡°How long have I been here?¡± I asked, scanning the room.


    ¡°A few hours, I think. You don¡¯t have to worry. You haven¡¯t been in the hospital. You don¡¯t have aa


    or something.¡± Sheughed, a little one, though, because her expression right now was the synonym of


    sad, whatever word you want to use. And it was really surprising to me. It was really surprising that she


    was this worried about me. Wow, tonight was really a night that I¡¯ll never forget.


    I let out a weary sigh, closing my eyes. I could still feel Ariel¡¯s fingers intertwining with mine. The feeling


    was actually good. But the moment was quite confusing. It was as if our rtionship had been filled


    with so much love before all of that terror happened.


    ¡°You should get some rest, don¡¯t you think?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been resting here the whole time,¡± she responded.


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t. You¡¯ve been worried about me; am I not correct?¡±


    ¡°You are right about that. But anyway, I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°You think something worse than this is going to happen?¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, I was afraid you were going to die.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be, just in case next time.¡±


    ¡°Are you wishing for someone to shoot you again?¡±


    ¡°Not really. But I have to be real with myself. My life is reallyplicated.¡±


    ¡°No doubt about that.¡± Ariel yawned, lying on the bed, right next to me. Her actions really shocked me.


    This was not something I expected.


    This was a moment that I could say I wanted to take ce, and at the same time, I didn¡¯t want it to


    happen. It¡¯s quite funny, right? But it is extremely shocking, bbergasting, and unimaginable.


    Indeed, quite conceivable, as we did engage in sexual activity on this particr asion subsequent to


    our subsequent matrimonial union. I was just wondering how that scene took ce. Apparently, I


    wasn¡¯t ready to give in to this woman. I was about to spill the lovely words to her until those little


    children came along. And I didn¡¯t think that would be happening any more.


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°So you¡¯re really going to spend the night here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I will,¡± she answered softly, closing her eyes. And then she ced her hand on my chest.


    Another shocking feat. But I decided to do nothing. I didn¡¯t utter a single word, and that was how we


    both went to sleep.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I woke up, and the hospital room was bright, with lighting out through the windows. Yes, it was


    finally morning. I turned my eyes to Luke, who was still sleeping. And staring at his innocent face, I


    couldn¡¯t help but smile. He was really exhausted after what happenedst night. Shit, his life was really


    complicated.


    I sat on the bed, taking my hands off his chest, and yawned. My hair was sort of a mess, and I was


    tired myself. I was not feeling too pretty, although I was putting on a ravishing dress. Work today would


    be cancelled, probably. I needed to go home and get some rest; the same thing was true for Luke.


    The door opened, and the nurse fromst night entered the room. With her eyes fixed on me and Luke,


    she moved closer. ¡°Good morning. Arie, right?¡±


    I nodded, and she stirred nigher to Luke. ¡°Did he¡­.¡±


    I nodded for the second time, and she suspired as she said, ¡°Thank God.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d he¡¯s stable now. Well, we are all d that he¡¯s stable. But he¡¯s going to need some time to


    recover,¡± the nurse said. ¡°He¡¯s lucky the bullet didn¡¯t hit any vital organs, but the wound is quite deep.


    He¡¯s going to need proper care and treatment to ensure it heals properly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what kind of treatment does he need?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, for starters, he needs to stay in the hospital for a few days to monitor his condition and make


    sure there are noplications,¡± she exined. ¡°We¡¯ll also have to clean and dress the wound


    regrly to prevent infection. And of course, he¡¯ll need plenty of rest and a healthy diet to help his body


    heal.¡±


    I nodded, taking mental notes of everything the nurse was saying. ¡°Is there


    anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°Just make sure he doesn¡¯t strain himself too much. He¡¯ll need to take it easy for the next few weeks


    until the wound fully heals. And if he experiences any pain or difort, don¡¯t hesitate to call for a


    nurse. We want to make sure he¡¯s asfortable as possible during his recovery.¡±


    I nodded after the nurse vocalized those words. And then Lake woke up from his sleep. Opening his


    eyes slightly, he took a look at me, then he nced at the


    nurse,


    ¡°And he¡¯s awake,¡± the nurse said, her hands fixed on her waist as she stared back


    at Luke.


    ¡°Hey, how are you feeling?¡± I asked Luke, sitting next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, just a bit sore,¡± he replied. ¡°What did the nurse say?¡±


    ¡°She said you¡¯d need to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?!¡±


    ¡°What? Anything wrong with that?¡± The nurse made a confused face.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a businessman. I can¡¯t stay in this hospital for too long. I have important meetings today. And


    I think I¡¯m alreadyte for one.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Luke. You can¡¯t argue with the nurse. Nothing is more important than your health right now.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± He arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°If you want to fully recover, you just have to do what the nurse says, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fully recovered, alright.¡± He stood up immediately. ¡°See, there¡¯s nothing wrong with¡­ Ouuuhh!¡± He


    held on to the wounded part of his body.


    ¡°So, Mr. Businessman, you were saying?¡± The nurse crossed her arms while I helped Luke sit on the


    bed.


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m not staying here for too long. Only today.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s forcing you, sir. You¡¯re the owner of your body after all.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it.¡± Luke snapped his fingers.


    The nurse looked at me. ¡°This husband of yours is really stubborn. Just take care of him, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I nodded, smiling at her, and she left the room.


    ¡°Can you believe her? She just said, I¡¯m stubborn.¡±


    FLATS


    ¡°And she¡¯s right, Luke. You can be really hard to deal with sometimes. Every time, actually,¡± I told him,


    standing up and walking to the door.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To get us some food,¡± I answered, leaving the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me hospital food, okay?¡±


    Iughed immediately.


    ¡°Okay?¡± He vocalized loudly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I told him before walking away.

 Chapter 139

    139 FED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The hospital corridors were unusually quiet at this early hour, the only sound being the soft shuffle of


    my footsteps against the linoleum floor. I reached the lobby, where the fluorescent lights cast a harsh


    glow over the empty chairs and deserted reception desk. The automatic doors slid open with a soft


    whooshing, and I stepped out into the cool morning air.


    The streets were just beginning to stir, and the sky was a canvas of pastel pinks and oranges as the


    sun peeked over the horizon. I made my way down the sidewalk, my breath misting in the crisp air. The


    city was slowly waking up, the hum of traffic in the distance mingling with the chirping of birds in the


    nearby


    trees.


    I turned the corner and spotted a small convenience store nestled between two towering buildings. The


    storefront was adorned with colorful neon signs advertising various goods, and a flickering ¡°Open 24


    Hours¡± sign beckoned to early risers like me. Yeah, that was kind of true.


    The tantalizing smell of freshly baked pastries wafted out onto the sidewalk, making my stomach growl


    in response. So, stepping inside, I was greeted by the warm aroma of coffee and the soft murmur of a


    radio ying in the background.


    The shelves were stocked with an array of goods, from canned goods to fresh produce; their vibrant


    colors were a wee sight in the store. A friendly cashier stood behind the counter, a tired smile on


    his face, as he rang up a customer¡¯s purchases.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°How may I be of help to you?¡± He asked, yawning and stretching his arms.


    ¡°Well, I came to get myself some food,¡± I replied. ¡°And you must be feeling tired, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a job like this is so exhausting. You can go get what you want.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded with a smile.


    I made my way through the aisles, selecting a few items to take back to the hospital. I picked out a ripe


    apple, a loaf of crusty bread, and a wedge of sharp cheddar cheese, each item carefully chosen with


    Luke in mind. He was going to love this, I think.


    FRO


    As I made my way to the checkout counter, I couldn¡¯t help but linger by the rows of colorful flowers,


    their blossoms nodding gently in the soft morning light.


    With my purchases in hand, I bid farewell to the cashier and stepped back out into the waking city. The


    streets were now bustling with activity; the once- empty sidewalks were now filled with people going


    about their morning routines.


    I felt a sense of peace settle over me as I made my way back to the hospital, the sun rising higher in


    the sky with each step she took.


    I pushed the hospital doors open and made my way back to Luke¡¯s room, greeting the nurses around.


    I budged closer to Luke, with the purchased food in my hand, and I sat next to him. This devotedness


    had just unfolded within me, and I couldn¡¯t actually believe I was doing this. But I had to tell myself,


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream big head. Just keep on living the reality.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling, Luke?¡± I asked, gently touching his hand. But I took my hand off his the moment


    he gave me a knowing look.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling okay, Ariel. You don¡¯t have to keep asking me this.¡®


    ¡°I was just being concerned.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m alright, or should I say I felt like I¡¯d been run over by a truck or something?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because you ask too many questions.¡±


    ¡°Ask too many questions?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a big lie right there. But anyway, I brought you


    some food. You need to eat to regain your strength.¡±


    ¡°I have enough strength.¡±


    ¡°You argue too much. The nurse wasn¡¯t lying when she said you¡¯re stubborn.¡±


    Luke sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t keep mentioning that word. What have you got there, by the way?¡®


    ¡°Oh, you want to eat now?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said you had strength. Incredible Hulk,¡± I teased him. ¡°Don¡¯t start acting like a two¨Cyear¨C


    old. Just show me what you got there.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, disying the food I had bought for him. The ripe apple, the loaf


    of crusty bread, and the wedge of sharp cheddar cheese. ¡°It¡¯s clear, right? Not hospital food, since you


    wanted something delicious to eat.¡°¨C


    ¡°And you think these are delicious?¡± Luke made an irritated face.


    My smile vanished right away. ¡°Yes. Why are you asking? You don¡¯t like them?¡±


    Luke gave me a serious face for a few seconds before he began tough. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, alright. This


    all looks really delicious. It¡¯s going to make me feel better at the moment. Maybe eat and then zoom off


    to work.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I disagreed right away. ¡°You are not doing that.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m physically fit to get the hell out of here.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what the nurse said.¡®


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what she says.¡®


    I chuckled and grabbed the apple, taking a small knife to peel the skin off. ¡°Here, let me feed you.¡± I


    held the apple up to Luke¡¯s mouth, taking small bites and feeding them to him. He closed his eyes in


    pleasure, savoring the sweetness of the apple.


    ¡°Hmm, this is really good. I never thought I¡¯d taste something as good as this again.¡®


    ¡°Why exactly?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Because I thought I was going to die.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Say what? That I thought I was going to die?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°And you said it.¡±


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t be scared of death. It¡¯s something thates to you when the time is right.¡±


    ¡°I know. But still, I wouldn¡¯t wish for that to happen. When deathes knocking on my door, I¡¯m not


    going to let it get in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something you get to decide,¡± Luke told me. ¡°When deathes, we have no choice. And


    it¡¯s quite painful. Not everyone wants to leave this earth. But the painful truth is that we¡¯ll all have to.


    Young or old.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said underneath my breath. ¡°But I hope that we don¡¯t die any time soon. There are still a lot


    of things that need to be aplished.¡±


    ¡°Things like what? I¡¯m a billionaire; I already have the wealth. I don¡¯t see anything left for me to


    aplish.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, Luke. Speak for yourself.¡±


    The moment he finished the apple, I tore off a piece of the crusty bread and dipped it in some water to


    soften it. I then fed it to Luke, who eagerly chewed on the bread.


    ¡°Mmm, this is delicious,¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re enjoying it,¡± I said, and I took a small piece of the sharp cheddar cheese and fed it to


    him. ¡°I knew you would love this.¡±


    Luke nodded, savoring the tangy vor of the cheese. ¡°Well, I¡¯m supposed to say thank you now,


    right?¡±


    ¡°If you want.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Fine. Thank you,¡± he said softly. His words really lit the spark in my heart. It was quite lovely, and this


    was a moment that I thought would never take ce. I would be really surprising to anybody. How did


    we attain this passion overnight

 Chapter 140

    140 NIGHTS LIKE THIS


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I woke up the next morning to see thisdy lying naked next to me. Well, we were both covered by the


    sheets. Anyway, I pushed her away from me, and she woke up immediately.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sexy? Why are you acting like that?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve forgotten what really happenedst night. So much pleasure has


    taken your brain. This is my room; I led you here, don¡¯t you remember?¡®


    I looked at her pretty well, and I had to take my mind back to what happenedst night after I stormed


    out of the house.


    FLASHBACK


    LAST NIGHT


    I walked into a strip club, the sound of pulsing music filling my ears. I took a seat at the bar, ordering a


    drink to calm my anger. The party was really exhausting, and Andre¡¯s talk was really irritating. It was a


    good thing this strip club was in town. I needed to calm my head and unwind myself.


    As I sipped on my drink, my eyes wandered around the room, taking in the sight of the beautiful women


    dancing on stage. The anger bubbling inside me was going down just by seeing these dishy women, a


    perfect view right on this spot, and I could just sit here all night. I usually pay this ce a visit.


    My eyesnded on a blonde woman, her long hair cascading down her back as she moved to the


    rhythm of the music. She had a seductive smile on her face as she swayed her hips and ran her hands


    down her body. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.


    As the music changed to a slower, more sensual beat, the blonde woman began to strip off her clothes,


    revealing her toned body to the audience. My heart raced as I watched her teasingly remove her bra,


    exposing her perky breasts. I could feel myself getting harder as she continued to dance, her


    movements bing more and more erotic.


    She made her way over to me, her eyes locked on me as she danced in front of me. I could feel her


    breath on my skin as she leaned in close, her hands trailing down my chest. I couldn¡¯t resist reaching


    out and running my hands over her silky, smooth skin.


    The blonde woman continued to dance in front of me, her body moving in perfect harmony with the


    music. She had mesmerized me sopletely that I was


    unable to look away. I could feel the heat between us, my desire growing with each passing second.


    The song came to an end, and the blonde woman leaned in and whispered in my ear, ¡°Wannae


    back to my room?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you want me to follow you. I can be really rude.¡±


    ¡°I like rude men, especially the nasty ones,¡± she whispered, moving her fingers down my lips.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just one sexy bitch?¡±


    ¡°And I can be sexy bouncing on that hard cock of yours.¡±


    Her words caused me to be even harder. ¡°What are we waiting for then?¡± I smirked, spanking her


    butt.


    I followed her to a private room. As soon as we were alone, the blonde woman wasted no time


    seducing me. My hands roamed over her body as we kissed passionately. I could feel our desire


    reaching its peak.


    The minutes we spent together were intense and passionate. Our actions were untamed and rough,


    characterized by indelible kisses and an unquenchable hunger. I was like a lion, and she was my prey. I


    marked her with scratches and hickeys, showing her how serious I was. This was no game; it was a


    wild and thrilling experience.


    I was good at this, unleashing my inner beast and making women lose themselves in pleasure. I felt no


    mercy, only a desire to inflict pain and pleasure at the same time. I could feel the excitement coursing


    through me. I was eager to give her the ultimate experience.


    I threw her on the bed. My eyes held an intense and almost evil gaze. I was like a demon, ready to


    unleash all the fire and passion inside me on this woman. Her moans were a sign that she was


    enjoying herself, but she had no idea what was yet toe. My dark side had not been fully revealed.


    I took control, spreading her legs and eagerly pleasuring her. I devoured her with my tongue, creating a


    symphony of pleasure and making her moan even louder. I couldn¡¯t resist ripping her pants off and


    continuing to explore her body.


    30 NISATSI


    Her moans were music to my ears as I intensified my movements. I couldn¡¯t wait to taste every inch of


    her. My hands found their way to her breasts, and I couldn¡¯t resist exposing them and taking her


    nipples in my mouth. I continued to pleasure her with my mouth and fingers until she couldn¡¯t take it


    anymore and exploded in pleasure.


    I moved on to massaging her breasts, while my fingers continued to explore her. i couldn¡¯t resist biting


    her nipple and sucking it like a man possessed. My fingers continued their dance inside her as I kissed


    her and made her moan into my


    mouth.


    I wanted more, so I stood up and had her sit on the edge of the bed. I took off my clothes, and my hard


    cock was ready for her. I pulled her face towards me, and she eagerly took me in her mouth. I couldn¡¯t


    hold back, thrusting forcefully and pulling her hair. She gagged as I reached the back of her throat, and


    I released her with a p on the face.


    I couldn¡¯t resist ripping off her dress and exposing her naked body. Iid her back on the bed and


    slowly entered her, savoring the sensation. But soon, the pace became more intense, and I fucked her


    with all my might, making her scream in pleasure.


    I took control, choking her and thrusting with no mercy. The sounds of our passion filled the room, and


    after a few minutes, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, and I released inside her. We both copsed,


    breathing heavily, as I slowly withdrew from her.


    But I wasn¡¯t done yet. I made her kneel on the bed and pped her ass. I entered her once again, and


    the pace became more and more intense. I couldn¡¯t hold back, unleashing all my force and passion on


    her. She continued to mumble increasingly loudly as I elevated her to the pinnacle of pleasure, and I


    was unable to contain my rage as I did so.


    As wey there, our bodies spent and satisfied, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of triumph. I had given


    her the ultimate experience, and she would never forget this wild and thrilling day.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    ¡°Oh yeah. I totally remember now,¡± I said.


    ¡°Good, so you can get your butts off here now.¡±


    I red at her and got dressed. After I had left the strip club, I began to call Ariel, but she didn¡¯t answer.


    Thisdy was really getting on my nerve, and she was so going to get it from me.

 Chapter 141

    141 CAN¡¯T SEE YOU


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After having a conversation on the phone with someone concerning business, I made my way back to


    the hospital, greeted by the doctors around me. The building was now bustling.


    I made my way back to Luke¡¯s room, and the moment I opened the door, no one was inside. Luke¡¯s


    bed was empty, like empty. I wondered where he had gone to. My conversation on the phone was


    really lengthy, no doubt about that. It went for minutes, and I was so lost in my business talk that I


    totally forgot how crazy this man could get.


    ¡°Luke, are you here? Are you hiding, or something?¡± I asked cautiously. Well, it could be possible he


    was ying hide and seek. Literally.


    But no, he wasn¡¯t in the room, so the question now here was: where had he gone? He couldn¡¯t have


    left the hospital. If he had left, then I would have noticed because I was standing outside the building,


    making the phone call.


    I quickly made my way out of the room and down the hallway towards the nurse¡¯s station. As I


    approached, I could see that they were all busy with their duties, but I needed to find out where Luke


    had gone.


    ¡°Excuse me, have any of you seen Luke? He was in room 305, but now he¡¯s gone, ¡± I said, trying to


    keep the panic out of my voice.


    The nurses looked at each other with a concerned expression on their faces. One of them, a kind¨C


    looking woman named Maria, spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel. We haven¡¯t seen him since his morning


    check¨Cup. Is everything okay?¡±


    I quickly exined the situation to Maria, who immediately called for a search team to be sent out to


    look for Luke. As we waited for them to arrive, I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for not paying enough


    attention to Luke. I was so caught up in my business call that I didn¡¯t even notice him leaving.


    ¡°Thank you, Maria. I¡¯ll go check the other floors; maybe he just wandered off,¡± I told her.


    And I went on to check the floor; the man wasn¡¯t there. Ugh, this was definitely not good. Okay, so it¡¯s


    my fault now for making such a lengthy call? I¡¯m definitely not going to put the me on myself or feel


    guilty for anything. But I needed to find that man. I think I¡¯ll just sit in his room and wait for him toe


    back. Yes, that was the perfect solution. So, I made my way back to the room, settling down on the


    bed.


    I hadn¡¯t even taken a shower since this morning. No bath; I was just here, right with Luke, but it


    seemed like that man wasn¡¯t relishing mypany.


    And still, settling down on the bed, I had to discern that it was kind of cozy. It was not thisfortable


    when I was sitting down with Luke, but now it was really different and actually nice. So with my phone


    in hand, I think I was ready for a well¨Cdeserved break. Yeah, it wasn¡¯t easy searching for that husband


    of mine. I believed he was going toe back any moment from now on. It was only a matter of time


    before he would show up. Well, that was what I was thinking.


    And yes, the slight stresses of the morning stuff slowly dissolved as I scrolled through my favorite


    comedy video app. It was an app I got recently, and it really made me crack up like hell on several


    asions. It was useful mostly at work, when my head was about to go on fire. There were too many


    projects at hand, but someone needed a little rest. So what did I do those times? I just scrolled through


    thisedy app. It was quite awesome, and yes, I had introduced it to some of my workers.


    The first video popped up¡ªa hrious cat wearing sunsses attempting to dance. I couldn¡¯t help but


    chuckle at the feline¡¯s clumsy moves, myughter bubbling up uncontrobly. Now, this was what I was


    talking about.


    The next video began with a group of toddlers engaging in an adorable, but chaotic, pillow fight. I


    grinned, feeling the tension in my shoulders release with each giggle. The innocence and joy of


    children never failed to lift my spirits. I tapped the screen, saving the video to shareter with my


    workers. Of course, they needed to see this!


    Another video featured aption of clumsy puppies taking stairs for the first time. My heart melted


    at the sight of the tiny furballs tumbling over one another in their earnest attempts to conquer the steps.


    It was a symphony of adorable chaos that left me breathless withughter.


    My phone screen lit up with a video of a prank gone wrong. A man, attempting to scare his friend,


    found himself falling victim to his own trap instead. I doubled over, tears all over her face, as I watched


    the man¡¯s startled expression transform into a mix of shock and embarrassment. It was truly absurd


    that I began to cry because I wasughing so hard at the moment.


    Next, a clip of a baby¡¯s contagiousughter filled the screen. I felt my heart swell at the pure,


    unadulterated joy radiating from the infant. The baby¡¯sughter was infectious, and I found myself


    joining in without reservation.


    With each video, I felt this weight in me slipping away, reced by a lightness she hadn¡¯t felt for quite a


    while now. Sincest night, actually.


    Laughter bubbled up from within me, a soothing balm to my weary soul. 1 nced at the time, realizing


    she had been lost in the world of funny videos for longer than intended. But at the moment, I didn¡¯t


    care. The joy I had found in those short clips was priceless, a reminder that sometimes a littleughter


    was all I needed to brighten my day. And shit! Where the hell was Luke?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I tread along the asphalt, the weight of my steps matched by the ache in my stomach. Every breath felt


    like a jagged edge slicing through my insides, a constant reminder of the bullet that had found its mark


    last night, from that worthless mother of mine. Oh crap, I shouldn¡¯t even be calling her my mother. She


    was just a witch who hade back to wreck me. Apparently, she wanted me to go through intense


    pain.


    I clutched my side, trying to hold on to the pain. I had no idea how it had worsened in just a few


    minutes. This had me taking my mind back to when I got shot. When I was trying to stem the flow of


    blood seeping through my fingers, my hands were on my stomach, but the crimson stain at that time


    continued to spread across my shirt like a blooming flower of death. Oh, at that moment, we messed


    up.


    The pain was a tough one, so I think halting would be the best option, and perhaps I could head back


    to the hospital to get some rest. The nurse was actually right when she said I needed to stay in that


    ce for a few days. Now I couldn¡¯t argue, because this pain was just too much. It wasn¡¯t this stinging


    when I left the hospital. I didn¡¯t know why it had to change all of a sudden.


    And while I was standing, my gazended on someone. Someone I was not expecting to see. It was


    Tiffany.

 Chapter 142

    142 PAINFUL MEMORIES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Tiffany stood gracefully across the road,her golden hair shining under the morning light. She was


    dressed to impress in a stunning green minidress that hugged her curves in all the right ces. Her


    matching heels added an extra touch of elegance to her overall look. And as she made her way


    towards me, she exuded confidence and radiated beauty, making it hard to take my eyes off of her.


    Now I had to ask myself if this was the nurse I made out with back then. Damn, she looked really


    different. Bute on, I wasn¡¯t going to be lost in her beauty. I clearly remembered what she told me


    before I left for Andre¡¯s party yesterday, and I hoped she was just joking.


    I watched Tiffany as she walked in my direction, and I couldn¡¯t feel the pain in my stomach anymore. It


    was absurd and crazy, but I liked it. And I hoped the sh*t wouldn¡¯te running through me again.


    And Tiffany finally stood close to me, both of us staring at each other in silence. Right in her eyes, I


    could see her anger towards me. A re that was so out of the world. And all I could do was just make


    a serious face.


    ¡°So, have you finally made up your mind?¡± Tiffany asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°About what?¡± I raised an eyebrow, like I had no idea what she was talking about.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was ying dumb with you? Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to behave like this, now?¡±


    ¡°Behave like how?¡±


    She let out a sigh of frustration. ¡°Yesterday, I told you I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± I joked, and her re worsened. I had topose myself. ¡°Yeah, you did,¡± I said calmly.


    ¡°Now tell me, what¡¯s your decision?¡±


    ****


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I sat at a small, cozy coffee shop, my fingers wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. My gaze was


    fixed on the passersby outside, but my thoughts were a world away, lost in memories of Sofie. The


    aroma of freshly ground coffee beans


    142 PAINFUL MEMORIES


    mingled with the soft murmur of voices around me, creating aforting backdrop to my bittersweet


    reverie.


    I remembered the first time I met Sofie, herughter tinkling like wind chimes in the warm summer air.


    Our connection had been instant, as though we were two pieces of a puzzle that had finally found each


    other. We had spent countless hours at this very coffee shop, lost in conversation about everything and


    nothing, ourughter filling the air with a joy that seemed to defy gravity.


    My mind drifted to our adventures together, the road trips we had taken with no destination in mind, the


    spontaneous decisions that had led us to hidden gems and breathtaking views. I could still feel the rush


    of wind in my hair as we drove along winding roads, the music turned up loud, and our spirits were


    soaring high.


    But it wasn¡¯t just the grand adventures that filled my heart with warmth; it was the small, everyday


    moments that I cherished the most. The quiet mornings spent sipping coffee infortable silence; the


    lazy afternoons cuddled up on the couch, lost in books or movies; the stolen kisses and whispered


    words of love that only we shared.


    As I stirred my coffee absentmindedly, my thoughts turned to thest days we had spent together and


    the painful goodbye that had torn my world apart. Sofie had been my rock, my anchor in a stormy sea,


    and losing her had left me adrift, struggling to find my way back to shore.


    I closed my eyes, trying to hold on to the memory of her smile, the way her eyes sparkled with mischief,


    and the softness of her touch. The ache in my chest was a constantpanion now, a reminder of the


    love we had shared and the emptiness that had settled in its wake.


    The coffee shop around me buzzed with life, the sound of clinking cups and hushed conversations


    blending into a symphony of everyday moments. But for me, time seemed to stand still as I sat there,


    lost in a world that was no longer my own, a world where Sofie¡¯sughter still echoed in the air and her


    presence lingered in every corner.


    It was quite painful, but this was all Luke¡¯s fault. He was the one responsible for the death of my


    girlfriend, and he was definitely going to pay.


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    It was a typical Saturday night at the hottest nightclub in town. The music was loud, the drinks were


    flowing, and the dance floor was packed with people. Among them was Luke, a handsome young man


    who had spent the entire evening at the bar, downing one shot after another.


    By this point, Luke was extremely drunk, and his vision was starting to blur. He


    PAINFUL MENORES


    stumbled towards the dance floor, swaying to the beat of the music. As he moved through the crowd,


    he caught sight of a girl who seemed just as intoxicated as he was. Her name was Sofie, and she had


    just caught her boyfriend Mason in bed with another woman.


    Tears streamed down Sofie¡¯s face as she made her way towards the bar, and her heart shattered into a


    million pieces. But as she reached for a drink, her eyes met Luke¡¯s, and something sparked between


    them. Without a word, they both downed their drinks and continued to stare at each other.


    Luke couldn¡¯t resist the urge to talk to Sofie. He made his way towards her and leaned in close. ¡°Hey,


    you okay?¡± he slurred.


    Sofie let out a bitterugh. ¡°I just caught my boyfriend cheating on me. What do you think?¡±


    Luke¡¯s heart sank for her. He knew all too well the pain of being cheated on.¡± Well, let¡¯s drink to that,¡±


    he said, raising his ss.


    Sofie giggled and clinked her ss against his. They both took another shot, and then another. As the


    night went on, they continued to drink and talk, the alcohol numbing their pain. And before they knew it,


    they were dancing on the crowded dance floor, their bodies pressed against each other, moving in


    perfect sync.


    As the music slowed down, Luke leaned in and whispered in Sofie¡¯s ear, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Without hesitation, Sofie nodded and followed Luke out of the club. They stumbled through the streets,


    laughing and holding onto each other for support. Finally, they reached a nearby hotel and stumbled


    into a room.


    The moment the door closed behind them, their lips met in a wild, passionate kiss. They were both lost


    in the moment, their bodies craving each other¡¯s touch. They tore off each other¡¯s clothes, their hands


    exploring every inch of each other¡¯s bodies.


    The night between Luke and Sofie was really wild, the both of them kissing really wild. Sofie had to get


    on her knees and vigorously suck the soul out of Luke, still in their intoxicated state.


    Luke pushed her to the bed, and mmed her hard for minutes that felt like eternity. The room was


    filled with her moans, the both of them changing positions. And it came to a point where Luke began to


    choke her, while continued pounding her. His grip on her neck was too tight, and she could barely


    breathe. Luke¡¯s intoxicated state had blinded himpletely from seeing what he was doing, and that


    was how Sofie died in pleasure.

 Chapter 143

    143 IS IT MINE?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°How are you so sure that this child is mine, huh?¡± I quizzed Tiffany, and my tone was goddamn


    serious. ytime was over.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s yours, Luke. I haven¡¯t been with anyone else, since we, you know, split,¡± she answered


    firmly.


    ¡°But how can you be so sure? We¡¯ve been apart for a while now,¡± I replied, still not convinced. ¡°And we


    had sex only this one time. So, how can you be so sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, alright. And I won¡¯t abort this baby,


    no matter what. You have to take responsibility,¡± Tiffany spoke loudly, I could see hear the anger out of


    her tone. Oh great. Now I had gotten myself into this goddamn situation. To be honest with myself, I still


    had doubts about Tiffany¡¯s im, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the possibility that the child could be mine.


    ¡°You can run a DNA test if you want,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Why won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I just need you to be honest with me. Are you really pregnant?¡±


    ¡°What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I¡¯m pregnant. Do you think I¡¯ll juste to you and


    start making up false stories.¡±


    ¡°Might be possible.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Heyy!¡± She bawled immediately. ¡°What do you take me for? A golddigger?¡±


    ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Did youe here to argue?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but I can see that that¡¯s exactly what you want.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, how did you know I was at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at the hospital? Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Oh fuck, it¡¯s none of your business. You don¡¯t work in there again?¡± I gestured toward the hospital not


    too far from us.


    ¡°That¡¯s not where I used to work at, you dirtbag!¡±


    ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no need to be rude. It was just a simple question.¡±


    ¡°Coming out of an idiot.¡±


    ¡°I will not tolerate these insults anymore. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do then? Hit me?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere you¡¯re supposed to be heading to this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, until I saw your ugly ass.¡±


    ¡°Point of correction miss, I am handsome.¡±


    ¡°If only you were as ugly as your attitude.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so mad?¡±


    ¡°Because, you just dumped me Luke. You considered me to be a trash. You just slept with me like I


    was nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I snapped my fingers. ¡°I totally forgot. You want money, right?¡±


    She gaped at me, with an unfriendly look. ¡°I don¡¯t want your money. I just want you to take full


    responsibility for this child.¡±


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do the DNA test. But I need some time to think about everything.¡±


    ¡°Think about what?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know, and you to shut up.¡±


    ¡°You are just too rude.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Says thedy who called me a dirtbag.¡±


    ¡°Because you are one,¡± she retorted.


    I chuckled. ¡°You can start going now.¡±


    ¡°No you go!¡± She fired back at me,


    ¡°You¡¯re going to stand here at the road all day?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°I was only concerned. Since you¡¯re carrying my child.¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Oh shut up!¡± She snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Luke?¡± Ariel walked to the both of us. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you.¡±


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    I stirred as the soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across my bedroom.


    With a yawn, I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the stiffness of sleep slowly ebbing away.


    The faint chirping of birds outside my window signaled the start of a new day as I blinked my eyes


    open, hazily peering at the clock on my bedside table.


    Realization dawned on me, and I jolted upright, remembering the important meeting scheduled for


    today at work. With a sense of urgency, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and nted my feet


    on the cool wooden floor, shivering slightly at the sudden change in temperature.


    As I stood up, I nced out the window, taking in the serene view of the city waking up below me. The


    distant hum of traffic began to grow louder, mingling with the early morning bustle of a city on the move.


    I shuffled into the bathroom, rubbing my eyes to clear the remnants of sleep. The mirror reflected back


    a slightly disheveled version of myself, my dark hair tousled from sleep. I sshed my face with cold


    water, feeling the refreshing shock wake me up fully.


    Turning my attention to my morning routine, I quickly brushed my teeth and ran ab through my


    hair, trying to tame the unruly strands into submission. A quick nce at the clock told me I was


    running behind schedule, and I hurriedly moved to my closet to pick out an outfit for the day.


    After a moment of deliberation, I settled on a crisp white shirt and a pair of navy blue trousers, the


    ssic choice for an important meeting. As I dressed, I mentally went over the key points I needed to


    discuss, preparing myself for the day ahead.


    With my outfitplete, I grabbed my briefcase and headed to the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed


    coffee greeted me as I entered, courtesy of the timer I had set the night before. I poured myself a


    steaming cup and took a sip, relishing the rich, bitter taste that never failed to wake me up.


    Breakfast was a quick affair, a simple bowl of cereal and a banana to fuel me for the day ahead. As I


    ate, I scrolled through my emails on my phone, making a mental note of any urgent messages that


    needed my attention.


    My father made his way downstairs, looking at me. ¡°Andre, we have to talk aboutst night.¡±


    I gasped immediately. That was when I realized I was an idiot. ¡°Oh my, Ariel. I


    ?? ????


    need to go check up on her,¡± I stood up immediately, and wanted to make my way to the door, but my


    father stopped me.


    ¡°Hold on there, young man. You can go check on Ariel after we¡¯re done with this conversation.¡±


    I turned to him. ¡°Okay, what is it you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the announcement that we were supposed to make at the partyst night.¡±


    ¡°The one concerning Hannah?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I waited for you, but you didn¡¯t arrive.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I told you everything that happenedst night.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m not ming you for anything here. I just want to know what time we will be making


    the announcement. Later today at thepany?¡±


    ¡°Today won¡¯t be a good idea. We just arrived at New Haven, and we need to see how the workers at


    The Vitality Group areing along around here. Ariel and Mason have really been helping us out


    while we were in Canada.¡±


    ¡°I see. But I don¡¯t see that stopping the announcement today.¡±


    ¡°I know. Just leave everything to me. Hannah will get a spot in thepany.¡±


    ¡°When do you think will be the right time then?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t actually tell right now. But it¡¯s definitely going to be this week.¡±


    ¡°Okay, if you say so.¡±


    and just as I was about to leave my mother stopped me. ¡°Hev, hey, hey.

 Chapter 144

    144 RECOGNIZED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I¡¯ve been searching everywhere for you Luke. Where have you been?¡± I asked Luke, my arms


    crossed. He was standing next to this familiar face. Couldn¡¯t care about her.


    ¡°I just decided to take a stroll, you know, getting some fresh air and taking a good view at people as


    they move around,¡± Luke replied, smirking.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do that. The nurse said¡­¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯m not that strong yet, deep wound, and I should stay in the hospital for a few days. Yes, yes, I


    get it. Bute on, Ariel. I¡¯m not a little kid. I have everything under control. I mean look at me now,


    standing strong.¡±


    ¡°You got admitted into the hospital? What happened to you?¡± The woman asked Luke, making a


    worried face.


    Luke nced at her promptly. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re concerned now? We were talking and you couldn¡¯t even


    recognize my wounded face.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah whatever. You too can have your lovely moment. I¡¯ll be leaving, and do not forget about what I


    told you, Luke. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± She walked away forthwith.


    Luke turned back to me. ¡°So, why were you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. You better follow me back to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a hard punch on your stomach.¡± I clenched my fist, faking an angry face.


    Lukeughed. ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to do that?¡±


    ¡°Oh


    you think I¡¯m joking?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Like seriously, you think I can¡¯t do that? Are you underestimating


    me?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm I don¡¯t think underestimate is the right word to use.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up. Nowe on, let¡¯s go.¡± I held his hand and was about to walk,


    pulling him along. But things went the opposite way.


    Luke pulled me closer, and I could feel my heart breezing with contemtion.


    Our bodies pressed together, creating an electric current that seemed to flow between us. And as our


    eyes met, I could see something that reflected in his mesmerizing gaze. The way he smiled at me, It


    was like he could see straight into my soul, what was revolving within me. In that moment, it was as if


    time stood still and all that mattered was this onnection we shared. Our gaze lingered on, neither of us


    wanting to break the spell.


    And then someone blew his car horn at us. ¡°Hey you two! Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re standing close the


    road?¡± The man barked from his car.


    Luke red at him. ¡°But we¡¯re not standing at the road. And by the way, we¡¯re at the right spot for


    people to walk. So just get lost!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have manners?¡± The man spat.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that,¡± Luke retorted. And the man was about to fire back, but Luke


    interrupted, ¡°And if you try to talk one more shit. I¡¯lle straight to you and beat you up, forgetting the


    fact that you¡¯re older than me.¡± The man growled and drove his car away. Luke set his eyes back on


    me. ¡°Can you believe that man?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°He must have had a fight with his wife before hitting the road. Now, let¡¯s go back to the


    hospital so you can get some rest.¡±


    Luke nodded, and we both began to tread, making our way back to the hospital.


    *****


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I stepped out of the bustling coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the crisp


    morning air. As I walked down the street, a flood of memories washed over me, memories of Sofie,


    whose absence haunted me every day.


    The bitter taste of regret lingered on my tongue as I reyed the moment I almost cheated on Sofie.


    The guilt gnawed at my conscience like a relentless beast, devouring any semnce of peace I had


    left. How could I have been so foolish, so selfish?


    I found myself standing at a crossroad, both literally and metaphorically. The bustling city traffic


    mirrored the chaotic whirlwind of emotions inside me. My heart ached with the weight of my betrayal,


    the pain of losing Sofie still raw and unhealed.


    I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the world around me, but memories of Sofie flooded my mind. Her


    warm smile, her gentle touch, her infectiousughter ¨C they all danced before my eyes, a cruel


    reminder of what I had lost.


    I whispered her name into the wind, hoping against hope that somehow she could hear me, that


    somehow she could forgive me. But deep down, I knew that forgiveness, from her or from myself, was


    a luxury I might never attain.


    Each step I took felt heavier than thest, the weight of my mistakes dragging me down into an abyss


    of self¨Cloathing. The bustling city seemed to blur around me, the noise fading into a dull hum as I


    descended deeper into my own thoughts.


    When I reached a quiet park bench, I finally allowed myself to confront the demons that had been


    tormenting me for so long. Tears welled up in my eyes as I whispered an apology to the empty space


    around me, an apology to Sofie, wherever she may be.


    The cold wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a sense of sorrow and longing. I knew I had


    to find a way to make amends, to find redemption for my sins. But how could I ever make things right


    when the one person I needed to apologize to was no longer there to hear me?


    And I knew I had been doing crazy things each day, having sex with random women. But Sofie will


    forever be in my heart. Everything about her was just so awesome, and we were nning to live the life


    together, start a family together. I had to blow everything up, I was an idiot. A fool that didn¡¯t deserve to


    be forgiven. A scumbag that needed to be hanged to death.


    This really broke me, and I transfigured into aplete different man, seeking vengeance, because the


    deed needed to be done. Luke must pay for the pain that he brought to me, for taking away the love of


    my life. He thought he could just get away with that, huh? All because he was some fucking billionaire?


    Hell no, I had decided to take things into my own hands, and I would make him face the consequences.


    For any torture that would be given to him, for any pain that would strike him strenuously, he deservedBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    it all. And trust me, I would definitely not spare his life. He should just wait till I was done snatching all


    of his wealth.


    Still sitting at the park, ady ran in my direction, she was looking messed up. But looking at how she


    was dressed, I began to wonder if she had broken out of prison. She stopped, standing a little bit far


    from mez breathing heavily. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.


    Her eyes met mine. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± She asked coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry miss, but did you break out of jail?¡±


    ¡°How is that your business?¡±


    ¡°I was just wondering.¡± I stood up, still looking at her, she was indeed beautiful. But it was then that I


    had to realize that I had seen this woman from somewhere. It was then that my senses had toe


    back, and yes I finally remembered who


    144 RECOGNIZED


    she was.


    She was thedy who tried to ruin the wedding ceremony between Luke and Ariel. Thedy who had


    killed the priest who was conducting the rituals. And I could tell she also recognized me, for I was the


    one who called the police on her.


    X

 Chapter 145

    145 JOYFUL NOTES


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    I stood still, eyes fixed on my mother as she walked up to me. I was supposed to go pay Ariel a visit at


    the hospital, cause I had a feeling she would be there. Now I was being dyed by my parents. Just


    great, I was the one who brought this upon myself. I woke up, got ready for work, forgetting that about


    Ariel.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to work?¡± My mother asked, she had gotten a little bit closer to me.


    ¡°Yes. But I¡¯ll be going to the hospital first to see how Ariel and Luke are doing.¡±


    ¡°Oh right. We should go and see them, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°You want toe along?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Ariel is like a daughter to me, so I really need to check up on her.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, we can start leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Woah woah woah, young man. Not so fast¡± my mother spoke, and I gave her a curious look.


    ¡°Anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I thought you were woundedst night.¡± She crossed her arms.


    ¡°Yes. Yes I was,¡± I responded.


    ¡°And you¡¯re feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered and let out a sigh. ¡°I am feeling better now,¡± I added. Honestly, when I woke up this


    morning, took my bath, and put on my clothes, I totally forgot I got some scars on my body. Like, it


    wasn¡¯t even painful. It was like nothing happenedst night.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± My mother gave me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Of course Elizabeth,¡± my father chimed in. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how he¡¯s standing and talking boldly?¡±


    ¡°Well I can see that.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! My son is a strong man, and he took it from his father.¡±


    My mom burst intoughter immediately.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± My dad asked, giving her a puzzled face. ¡°I¡¯m strong, right? Bold like the


    Batman.¡®


    My mom refused to answer, as herugh got harder. And seeing her cracking up like that, caused me


    tough silently.


    ¡°Oh Manuel. Aren¡¯t you just so funny?¡± She fixed her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°What?¡± My dad gaped at her.


    ¡°Remember this one time when we went camping and you got chased by bees,¡± my mother reminded


    him.


    ¡°Okay, those weren¡¯t no ordinary bees.¡± He tried to defend.


    My mom continued with her elfish tone, taunting him. ¡°Oh tell me more about it.¡±


    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m out of here.¡± My dad marched upstairs.


    My mom continuedughing, but I rolled my eyes, not giving her the yful mode. ¡°Mom, you got to


    stopughing. Time¡¯s not on my side.


    ¡°Oh sorry,¡± she said, putting an end to herughter. ¡°We should get going then. But have do you


    perhaps know where Mason is? I haven¡¯t seen him since morning.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he stormed out of the housest night.¡±


    ¡°He did that?¡± she raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sighed, and walked out of the house.


    ¡°Hey, wait for me!¡± I could hear her screaming from behind.


    ****


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    In the sterile hospital room, I sat perched on the edge of my ufortable stic chair, gazing out the


    window at the dreary cityscape beyond. The beeping of machines and the faint murmurs of nurses


    outside the door created a dull backdrop to my thoughts, which were heavy with worry and exhaustion.


    I had been in that room for what felt like an eternity, waiting for news about Luke¡¯s


    condition.


    The moment we entered the hospital, he just fell on the floor, and began to shudder. The scene was


    really frightening, but thank God we had already arrived at the hospital when it happened. He was


    rushed to a room by the nurses, and doctors. Now I just hoped nothing bad would happen to him. The


    silence was suffocating, and I longed for a moment of respite from the anxiety that gnawed


    at me.


    music, growing louder with each passing moment. I furrowed my brow in confusion, wondering where


    the festive sounds could being from in such a somber ce. Then, as if materializing out of thin


    air, a group of Mexican musicians burst into the room, their vibrant energy filling the sterile space with


    life.


    Dressed in colorful traditional attire reminiscent of old Western movies, the musicians sported wide¨C


    brimmed hats, embroidered shirts, and polished leather boots. They carried guitars, trumpets, and


    maracas, their fingers flying expertly over the strings and keys, producing a cacophony of joyful


    melodies that seemed to dance through the air.


    My eyes widened in surprise as the musicians began to y, their infectious


    mncholy reverie. The room was transformed


    rhythms coaxing me out of my around me like a whirlwind of sound and color.


    into a fiesta, the music swirling


    The musicians¡® voices rose in harmonious chorus, singing songs of love, loss, and everything in


    between.


    As the music reached a crescendo, the musicians broke into a lively dance, their movements


    exaggerated andical. They twirled and stomped around the room with exaggerated ir, their


    laughter ringing out like a peal of bells. I couldn¡¯t help but be swept up in their infectious joy, my lips


    curving into a wide smile as I watched their antics unfold.


    The lead guitarist, a charismatic man with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, caught my gaze and


    winked yfully. Encouraged by his gesture, I rose from my seat and joined the impromptu dance, my


    movements clumsy but full of heart. I twirled and pped along with the musicians, my worries


    momentarily forgotten in the whirl of music andughter.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    As thest notes of the song faded away, I sank back into my chair, my chest heaving with exertion and


    mirth. The musicians beamed at me, their eyes twinkling with satisfaction at having brought a moment


    of light into the darkness of the hospital room.


    Then all of a sudden, Luke entered the room, and their song continued, he was dancing to their music.


    My eyes widened that very moment as I was shocked, and surprised to see him. Like seriously, what


    the hell was going on? This was the same Luke that fell down minutes ago, and it was as if he was


    dying. But here he was, smiling and dancing, like nothing had ever happened. I needed some answers


    in this mirth, cause I was confused as hell.


    I didn¡¯t take my eyes off Luke as he continued to dance, and he winked at me multiple times. I was


    smiling broadly, and the fear that was in me, had disappeared.


    /*


    The song eventually came to an end, and Luke moved closer to me, a smile etched on his face. He


    held my hands gently as I stood up from my chair.


    ¡°Luke, you¡¯re alright. What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, but he didn¡¯t say anything, his smile still lingering on


    his face. Instead, he pulled me closer to him, and we could just gaze into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It was all a prank,¡± one of the musicians told me.


    ¡°A prank?¡± I made a bewildered face, looking into Luke¡¯s eyes. ¡°What is he talking about? I thought you


    were..¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Ariel. I¡¯m alright,¡± he spoke softly. And I just stared at him, happy, joyful, and


    infuriated at the same time.

 Chapter 146

    146 THE ESCAPE


    HARRIET¡¯S POV


    EARLIER IN THE DAY


    I sat handcuffed in the prison infirmary, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. The clinking of


    metal against metal echoed in the small room as I fidgeted, my mind racing with thoughts of escape. I


    knew this was my chance, my only shot at freedom.


    The guard stationed at the door stood tall and vignt, his eyes fixed on my every move. I feigned a


    sudden bout of dizziness, clutching my stomach and groaning in pain. The guard¡¯s brow furrowed in


    concern as he approached me cautiously, his hand hovering over his radio to call for assistance.


    As he leaned in closer to inspect me, I sprang into action. With a swift movement, I kicked the chair out


    from under me, knocking the guard off bnce. Seizing the opportunity, I lunged forward, knocking the


    radio out of his grasp and sending it ttering to the floor.


    In the chaos that ensued, I grabbed the guard¡¯s keys and unlocked my handcuffs with practiced ease.


    The power coursing through my veins, I sprinted towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest. The


    guard recovered quickly, reaching out to grab my arm, but I twisted out of his grasp and made a break


    for it.


    I raced down the narrow corridor, my footsteps echoing off the cold, stone walls. I could hear the shouts


    of the guards behind me, their heavy boots pounding against the floor as they gave chase. Ignoring the


    burning pain in my chest, I pushed myself to run faster, my determination unwavering.


    The moment I reached a fork in the corridor, I skidded to a halt, my heart beating fast as I tried to


    remember theyout of the prison. With a split¨Csecond decision, I veered to the left, trusting my


    instincts to lead me to safety. The sound of rms red in the distance, signaling my escape to the


    entire facility.


    I emerged into the blinding sunlight, my eyes squinting against the harsh re. I scanned my


    surroundings frantically, searching for a way out. Spotting a chain- link fence at the edge of the prison


    yard, I knew it was now or never.


    Summoning thest of my strength, I sprinted towards the fence, my muscles burning with exertion.


    With a burst of adrenaline¨Cfueled energy, I leaped towards the fence, my fingers grasping the cold


    metal links as I pulled myself up and over to the other side.


    Inded on the other side of the fence with a thud, my breathing in ragged


    gasps. I stumbled forward, my legs threatening to give out beneath me from the exertion. ncing


    back at the prison yard, I could see the guards converging on my location, their shouts growing louder


    as they closed in.


    Ignoring the pain shooting through my body, I forced myself to keep moving. I darted across an open


    field, my heart pounding in my ears as I searched for cover In the distance, I spotted a dense thicket of


    trees, their branches swaying invitingly in the breeze.


    With renewed granite, I made a beeline for the trees, the sound of pursuit growing louder behind me.


    The branches scratched at my skin as I pushed my way through the undergrowth, the sound of


    snapping twigs echoing through the forest.


    Finally, I reached a small clearing, my chest heaving with exertion as I copsed to the ground. I could


    hear the distant sound of barking dogs and shouted orders, knowing that the guards were hot on my


    trail. Time was of the essence.


    Pushing myself to my feet, I scanned the clearing for any sign of civilization. In the distance, I spotted a


    winding dirt road, its path disappearing into the dense forest. Without hesitation, I set off in that


    direction, my feet pounding against the hard¨Cpacked earth.


    As I ran, the courage and intense force that had fueled my escape began to wane, leaving my body


    heavy and weary. Every muscle screamed in protest, but I forced myself to keep moving, knowing that


    stopping now would mean certain capture. Moments passed as I stumbled along the road, the sun


    sinking low on the horizon. The sounds of pursuit faded into the distance, giving me a small


    glimmer of hope. With each passing mile, my confidence grew, the knowledge of my newfound freedom


    spurring me onward.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    MASON¡¯S POV


    After our conversation, confronting each other and all that, we both arrived at my apartment. Yes,


    Harriet, and I. She was really bold and brave to have escaped from prison. Not many men would even


    do that, and they even had balls. I could tell that this woman went through a lot to break out of jail, and I


    could have just reported her to the cops, I could just hand her over. But I didn¡¯t.


    I loved her courage, I loved her boldness, I just admired the way she did it. I couldn¡¯t wait to hear the


    full story, of how she broke out. It was going to be a tough one, no doubt about that. But do you have


    any idea of the nerve that you¡¯ll have to possess before you could carry out such action.


    So, we both made our way inside the house, my apartment. Living with my family


    was something I was definitely not carrying out in New Haven. I only went to the party. And Andre had


    to ruin my mood. They


    mansionst night because of u


    were so toxic, I didn¡¯t even know how I lived with them all these years.


    And they thought they were so nice, deceitful folks. They kept on lying to themselves. They could keep


    thepany to themselves, hand it over to Hannah if they wanted. I couldn¡¯t care less. After all, I


    would be taking Luke¡¯s wealth in just d few days. Ariel better now fail me.


    ¡°So, this is your apartment?¡± Harriet asked, looking around. I knew she loved where she was. My ce


    of dwelling was a ravishing one,pared to other buildings. Not a mansion though, but it was really


    nice. Everything arranged perfectly, just the ce any one would want to lodge in.


    ¡°It is,¡± I answered, feeling proud of myself. ¡°You like this ce, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of beautiful,¡±


    she answered slowly, and then she settled on the couch.


    ¡°Really nice, isn¡¯t it? Make yourselffortable.¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Harriet said, sinking into the plush cushions. ¡°It¡¯s a lot better than my that prison cell¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Well, you know what they say, good thingse to those who work, and I¡¯m relishing all


    my hard work. I think it¡¯s time for you to do the same, since you put in so much effort in breaking out of


    jail.¡±


    ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t spend my entire life in there. That ce was just so messed up. You get beaten real


    hard when you¡¯re just trying to stay on your ownne. And I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. So I had to


    make a move.¡±


    ¡°And you got out all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wasn¡¯t going to tell those folks about my ns. They would just do shit and ruin everything.¡±


    ¡°You are one courageous woman. That¡¯s quite impressive. So, how do you n on living your life, now


    that you¡¯re no longer behind bars?¡±


    ¡°Vengeance is what I want,¡± she spoke bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m going to make Ariel pay for the pain she caused


    me.

 Chapter 147

    147 SONGS AND JOY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So now you¡¯re trying to tell me that it was all an act? You falling on the ground, shaking, and all that? It


    was all nned with the doctors and nurses?¡± I asked Luke after he had brought the whole thing out to


    me. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. But it shouldn¡¯t be surprising, since this man was a psycho.


    ¡°Yes, it was an act,¡± Luke replied, smiling at me.


    I was still trying to process the whole thing. ¡°But why, huh? You almost gave me a heart attack you mad


    man!¡± I wanted to hit his chest but he seized both of my hands.


    ¡°Calm down, will you?¡±


    ¡°Calm down? You¡¯re telling me to calm down now, when you almost gave me a heart attack?¡±


    Luke sighed, rolling his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep on saying heart attack.¡®


    ¡°Yeah right. So this was what you went to do when you left the hospital, right?¡± I crossed my arms,


    raising an eyebrow.


    He nodded, and I exhaled deeply that very moment. ¡°But I still went to take some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Of course you did.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting so upset now? Didn¡¯t you love the music?¡± He gestured towards the musicians


    standing behind him.


    ¡°Yes, I do love the music.¡±


    ¡°Put on a big smile then,¡± he spoke immediately. ¡°And I think it¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    ¡°Time to go home? Hold on, mister. You haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. The wound¡¯s a deep one. The


    nurse clearly told you that.¡±


    ¡°And it was this same nurse that I nned the whole thing with. Well, she was just part of the act.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± I spoke underneath my breath, turning my face away.


    Andre entered the room, walking past the singers who were standing nigh to the door. Elizabeth moyed


    behind him, and I was really happy to see the both of them. ¡°Andre,¡± I blurted, smiling delightfully as I


    moved towards him. We hugged each


    ¥¶¥Ó©`¥«©`


    other, a nice feeling right here.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s going on? Why are there a lot of people around here?¡± Andre asked, looking at everyone in


    the room.


    ¡°Old western style! I love it. These are the type of songs I love to hear!¡± Elizabeth eximed.


    Andre nced at her. ¡°Mom, you haven¡¯t even heard the songs.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m about to hear it now,¡± she replied. ¡°Hit those guitars, boys.¡± The musicians turned to


    Luke, an expression that needed his permission. Heughed silently and nodded, that was when they


    began to string their guitars, singing and bringing the melody back in the room. Elizabeth danced to


    their tune. Andre took his eyes off them, giving me his attention once again. ¡°I know you spent the night


    at the hospital,¡± he told me inaudibly.


    Iughed a little bit. ¡°Yeah I did.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty clear. And it seems like your husband¡¯s all good now.¡±


    We both turned to Luke who was smiling and dancing with the singers as they continued their


    wonderful song. Elizabeth was also moving to the rhythm, extremely joyful, and she was singing to the


    song.


    As for Luke, I hadn¡¯t seem him happy like this before, to the point that he was even dancing. It was


    something I imagined to witness all those years. But I never saw, or maybe I did, and I couldn¡¯t recall.


    But even so, he was never this joyful when I was present with him. When we were together during our


    marriage. So, even when he danced, it was definitely not with me, not for me, not by my side. ¡°He¡¯s


    really a strong man, you know,¡± Andre spoke softly, as we still had our eyes on Luke. ¡°Taking that


    gunshot, and the pain from his mother. It¡¯s not easy. But there he is, dancing and smiling like nothing


    ever happened.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I spoke inaudibly, nodding slowly. I turned to Andre after that. ¡°There¡¯s something I got to ask.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned somethingst night, while we were in that warehouse.¡±


    ¡°Oh, care to tell me what that is?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever lost someone close to you?¡±


    Andre looked at me for a second. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because of what you said, when Luke talked about the pain of losing


    someone.


    Andre made a confused face, looking upwards. ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°I know you remember. It was justst night. Those scenes are still stuck in your head.¡±


    ¡°How are you so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I asked you a question. Aren¡¯t you going to give me an answer?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Look, Ariel. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°So you did lose someone close to you.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, stop,¡± Anre told me, and took another deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this, okay? I¡¯m d


    you¡¯re alright.¡± He walked from me.


    I just watched him, also scrutinizing everyone in the room. I was curious about this though. But you


    know what they say; curiosity kills the cat.


    ¡°Come on,e join the crew. Dance with us.¡± Elizabeth stirred to me, beaming, and she dragged me


    along. The moment was really beautiful. And I hoped for more times like this. But you know, nothing


    lasts forever.


    ****


    MASON¡¯S POV


    I was sitting on the couch, controller in hand, eyes glued to the TV screen. Harriet was sitting next to


    me, her own controller in hand, equally invested in the game. We had been ying for minutes, taking


    turns and trying to beat each other¡¯s high scores.


    She was really fun to chat with. I liked her. We had been talking about so many things, till we reached


    this point. And it was as if we had been friends for years. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t supposed to be this friendly


    with anyone, caused my mood changed ever since I lost Sofie. But this woman really brought that side


    again. And now I had to realize the fun I had been missing all these years.


    ¡°Ha! Take that, Harriet!¡± I eximed as my character scored a goal in the virtual ser game we¡¯re


    ying


    ¡°Nice one, Mason. But I¡¯ll get you back,¡± she retorted.


    I focused on the screen, trying to defend my goal as Harriet¡¯s character made a daring move. She was


    good at this game, I¡¯d give her that. But I was definitely not going to let her win this round.


    ¡°Come on Show me what you got,¡± Harriet brought out, a smirk ying on her lips.


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see. Just wait.¡±


    ¡°Time¡¯s up!¡± I yelled as the final buzzer goes off.


    I looked at the score and it was really fucked up. Harriet beat me by just a few points. She had a grin


    on her face, clearly pleased with her victory.


    ¡°Looks like I win, Mason,¡± she said smugly.


    I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my disappointment. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Lucky shot.¡±


    Sheughed and yfully nudged me, ¡°Oh,e on. Admit it, I¡¯m just better at this game than you.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. You win this one. But I¡¯ll get you next time.¡±


    ¡°Wanna go for another round?¡± She smirked. And then the door bell rang.


    I went to open the door, and I was greeted by the cops. A man and woman, both putting on their


    uniforms. Their jackets actually.


    ¡°Morning sir. Can we pleasee in?¡±


    I made a confused expression. ¡°Why exactly?¡±


    148 SUSPECT

 Chapter 148

    148 SUSPECT


    MASON¡¯S POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why have you guyse to my house? Am I a suspect, or what?¡± I asked the cops who


    were both standing at my door.


    ¡°You came too fast about that,¡± thedy spoke. She was dark inplexion, and I could tell she was


    one rude bitch, the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t give a fuck about anybody.


    ¡°Well, sir. We came here looking for someone,¡± she added.


    ¡°You came looking for someone, at my house?¡± I had to act like I was confused. But I could guess who


    or what they were talking about.


    ¡°Of course. Now get your ass off the way so we can get it,¡± she stated coldly.


    ¡°Okay Trinity, I think you need to calm down,¡± the man told her calmly. ¡°We have to be on our best


    attitude, remember?¡±


    ¡°This is my best attitude. I don¡¯t give about this criminal.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s a criminal,¡± the man told her.


    ¡°You scared of this motherfucker?¡± She chuckled. ¡°I ain¡¯t scared of his ass one bit.


    11


    ¡°Can you both please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± I was irritated, but I tried to keep myself together. ¡°And


    who is this woman calling a motherfucker?¡±


    ¡°You of course, motherfucker,¡± she answered, her tone still galling.


    ¡°Just keep it down, will you?¡± the man held her shoulders, but she quickly put an end to that.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m gonna keep it down!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he told her softly, and she turned her face away. The man nced at me. ¡°Look sir, we¡¯ve


    heard from people about this woman being with you earlier this morning. Harriet Donald, and they


    directed us to this apartment. I believe this is where you live.¡±


    ¡°Yes it is. But Harriet Donald? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know her!¡± the woman snarled at me immediately. Trinity, if that was her name.


    The man suspired. ¡°Calm down, okay? We haven¡¯t actually rified anything.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck is there to rify?¡±


    ¡°Please be more respectful,¡± he told her, and turned back to me. ¡°You see, Harriet was arrested for


    murder. She killed a priest at the wedding of Luke Reynold and Ariel Walker. I believe you must have


    heard of them.¡±


    ¡°Of course he¡¯s heard about them.¡±


    ¡°Not now Trinity!¡± The man vocalized almost morous. He was sick of this woman¡¯s disgusting


    attitude, and so was I. How did she even join the police force? ¡°Sir, this Harriet we¡¯re talking about,


    escaped from prison. And when we were informed about it, we started searching for her. Some people


    told us that they saw her with you, and they directed us to your house.¡±


    ¡°I see. Do you have a search warrant?¡± I questioned him,


    ¡°Well, not really.¡±


    ¡°Good. So I don¡¯t think this search is going to be possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut yo ass up and get out of the way.¡± Trinity pushed me backwards. And then she marched


    inside the house.


    ¡°Hey, I can sue you for this,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Do shit all you want. But we ain¡¯t letting that murderer get away.¡±


    ¡°And how are you so sure that she¡¯s at my house?¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and let the cops do their job.¡±


    I looked at her fellow cop, and he just shrugged, before stepping foot in the house as well. Now I had


    no idea where Harriet had run to. But she was ady with brains. It could be possible that she already


    flee from my apartment.


    They began to search, and I kept telling them countless times that she wasn¡¯t here, but they refused to


    buy that. Trinity was livid, and she kept using me of hiding Harriet.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know where she is. You can keep searching if you want, but you won¡¯t find her here,¡± I


    said, trying to keep my cool.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Trinity spat, pushing past me and continuing her search. The other cop, whose


    name I still didn¡¯t know, looked at me apologetically before following her.


    I sighed and leaned against the wall, watching as they rummaged through my belongings. As the cops


    searched every nook and cranny of my house, I could feel my patience wearing thin. I kept telling them


    that Harriet wasn¡¯t here, but they


    refused to believe me. Trinity was especially persistent, constantly yelling at me and using me of


    hiding the fugitive.


    After what felt like hours, they finally finished their search and found no sign of Harriet. Trinity¡¯s face


    turned red with anger as she realized that I was telling the truth. Well, I wasn¡¯t actually telling the truth,


    but to them, I was telling the truth.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The man, who had been more level¨Cheaded throughout the whole ordeal, apologized to me for the


    inconvenience. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the disturbance, sir. We were just doing our job,¡± he was looking


    embarrassed by Trinity¡¯s behavior.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction at seeing Trinity humbled. ¡°No problem, officer. Just doing


    your job, right?¡±


    He nodded and they both left, with Trinity shooting me onest re before storming out of my house. I


    let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall. That was a tough one, good thing Harriet had to


    capitalize. Now, where the hell could she be?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Later in the day, Luke and I finally arrived at his house. We stood at the gate as we both gazed at it. I


    thought I was never going to see this ce again. I thought my journey in this world would endst


    night, but guess I was just lucky again. Too many bad moments, I had been through so much. And here


    I was, still alive. No, I wasn¡¯t perfect at all. Righteous at hell, definitely not me. I was just average, and I


    hoped life wouldn¡¯t get any worse. I didn¡¯t need any more horrific scenes in my life.


    I was still surprised by this new rtionship with Luke. Everything changed overnight. He became more


    lively towards me, and he was also caring. The recent actions were the total opposite of what he had


    executed years ago during our previous marriage.


    ¡°Home sweet home,¡± Luke said, and let out a sigh of relief.


    I looked at him. ¡°You should still be careful, okay? You know you¡¯ve not¡­¡±


    ¡°Fully recovered, I get it,¡± he cut me off. ¡°I promise, I will be careful.¡±


    I looked at him in surprise, silent for some seconds, and he turned to me, realizing how I was staring at


    him.


    ¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just surprised,¡± I answered quietly.


    ¡°Surprised about what?¡±


    BUSPEC


    ¡°Nevermind.¡± I shook my head. But honestly, I was really shock that he didn¡¯t argue this time. He just


    agreed, no arguments and all that. I genuinely loved how this new side of him wasing along.


    ¡°Wee back miss,¡± one of the maids greeted us with a smile. Her name was Tina, and she was


    really sweet. And just so you know, she¡¯s a bbermouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m really d the both of you are back. You know we¡¯ve all been waiting for the both of you sincest


    night, but you guys didn¡¯t show up, and I was really worried, and we were all¡­.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, we¡¯ve heard you, Tina. Thanks for being concerned.¡± I shut her up, smiling at her.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 149

    14,9 WHEN WE WERE YOUNG


    ELIZABETH¡¯S POV


    ¡°As I walked into the cozy jewelry shop on Main Street, I browsed the various disys of sparkling


    gemstones and shining metals. I had been searching for the perfect gift for my husband Manuel¡¯s


    birthday, which was just around the corner, and I had finally found it ¨C a stunning diamond watch with


    intricate details and sleek lines.


    Approaching the counter, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the friendly smile of the shopkeeper, who greeted


    me warmly. ¡®How can I help you today?¡® he asked, eyeing the watch in my hand.


    ¡®I¡¯m looking for a special gift for my husband,¡® I replied, feeling a little nervous about the high price tag


    of the watch. ¡®This one caught my eye,¡® I said, holding up the watch for the shopkeeper to see.


    The shopkeeper¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the beauty of the watch. ¡®Ah, yes. This is quite an


    impressive timepiece,¡® he said. ¡®It¡¯s definitely worth every penny.¡®


    I nodded eagerly, hoping that the shopkeeper would give me the best deal possible. ¡®So, how much


    does it cost?¡® I asked, trying to hide my excitement.


    The shopkeeper smiled kindly at me. ¡®Well, this particr model is quite rare and valuable, so ites


    with a bit of a hefty price tag. It¡¯s $5000.¡®


    My eyes widened in surprise, but I tried not to show any disappointment. I knew that $5000 was a lot to


    spend on a watch, but I also knew that Manuel deserved something truly special for his birthday. ¡®Is


    there anything you can do to make it more affordable?¡® I asked, crossing my fingers behind my back.


    The shopkeeper chuckled sympathetically. ¡®I understand that $5000 might be out of some people¡¯s


    budget, but unfortunately, we can¡¯t lower the price too much withoutpromising the quality of theExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    watch. However, I could offer you a discount.¡®


    ¡®I understand,¡® I said, trying to hide my disappointment. ¡®Is there anything else you can rmend that


    might be more affordable?¡®


    The shopkeeper nodded sympathetically. ¡®Well, actually, we do have some other options that might fit


    your budget. Let me show you something.¡® He gestured for me to follow him and led me to a disy


    case in the back of the store.


    Inside the case were several beautiful watches with simpler designs but still high- quality materials.


    ¡®These are all great options,¡® he said, holding up one of the watches. ¡®They¡¯re not as expensive as the


    diamond watch you saw earlier, but


    they still have a lot of style and ss.


    I examined each of the watches carefully, trying to find the perfect one for Manuel. I was about to make


    my decision when I heard a voice behind me.


    ¡®Excuse me,¡® a man said, approaching us from the back of the store. ¡®Are you looking for something


    special for your husband¡¯s birthday?


    I turned to see a tall, handsome man with piercing blue eyes and a kind smile. I felt a flutter in my chest


    as he introduced himself.


    ¡®I am the owner of this shop,¡® he said. ¡®And I think I might have just what you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡®Really?¡® I asked, my eyes lighting up with hope. ¡®What do you have in mind?¡±


    The shop owner smiled mischievously. ¡®Well, I might have a little surprise for you,


    he said, leading me to a small room at the back of the store. ¡®Follow me.¡®


    I followed him curiously, wondering what kind of surprise he had in store for me. As we entered the


    small room, I saw a beautiful watch disy case with a sign that read ¡®For Her Only¡®.


    ¡®Ah, perfect,¡® the shop owner said, gesturing for me to take a seat on a plush couch. ¡®I have just the


    thing for your husband¡¯s birthday.¡® He rummaged through a nearby cab and produced a stunning


    silver watch with delicate filigree and sparkling gemstones.


    I gasped in delight as the shop owner ced it on a tray and handed it to me.¡® This is beautiful!¡® I


    eximed. ¡®My husband will love it.¡®


    The shop owner grinned. ¡®I knew you would like it,¡® he said. ¡®And the best part is, it¡¯s only $200. Much


    more affordable than the diamond watch you were looking at earlier.¡®


    My eyes widened in shock. ¡®Only $200? This is incredible!¡® I reached out to hug the shop owner, who


    laughed good¨Cnaturedly.


    ¡®I¡¯m d you like it,¡® he said. ¡®Now, go enjoy this lovely watch and make sure to give your husband a big


    kiss from me.¡®


    I beamed at the shop owner, feeling grateful for his kindness and generosity. Thank you so much!¡® I


    said, hugging him tightly. ¡°This means a lot to me.¡®


    The shop owner patted me on the back and smiled warmly. ¡®It¡¯s my pleasure,¡® he said. ¡®I know how hard


    it can be to find the perfect gift for someone special. You go enjoy your time with Manuel, and don¡¯t


    forget to give him that big kiss from


    me.¡®


    I nodded and thanked him again before hurrying out of the store, watch in hand. I


    couldn¡¯t wait to show it to Manuel and see the look of delight on his face when he opened it. And as I


    walked down Main Street, I felt this sense of peace wash over me. It had been a long time since I had


    felt so happy and content, and this little surprise from the shop owner had made all the difference.


    And I would forever be grateful to him for that moment.¡±


    All these I spoke, ending the story with my hands moving dramatically in the air. Now I was telling Lukel


    and Janice the story when I ha recently gotten married to Manuel, and it was his birthday. I wanted to


    get him a present, and all of those things happened. I was trying to teach them how to do good to


    others. And this wasn¡¯t actually the first story I had told them.


    ¡°Now, I hope you both get the lesson,¡± I said, and noticed Janice was the only one sitting in front of me.


    I widened my eyes incontinently. ¡°Where¡¯s Lukel?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Did you forget that he went out at the middle of your story?¡±


    ¡°He did? When?¡± I asked her, looking confused.


    ¡°I think it was when you were telling us about the little children in the mall.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Howe I didn¡¯t notice?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Janice answered with a shrug. ¡°Probably because you were busy with your stories.¡±


    I stood up from the couch. ¡°And it¡¯s almost been twenty minutes since I finished that story. So why isn¡¯t


    he back yet?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he went to a store nearby,¡± Janice said slowly.


    ¡°We need to find him right now,¡± I spoke, and left the house. My eyes caught Lukel¡¯s wristwatch on the


    ground, not too far from me. I went to pick it up.


    ¡°He barely takes this off his hand. Something¡¯s not right here,¡± I whispered to myself. ¡°I¡¯ll have to start


    looking for this little boy now. I hope nothing bad happens to him.¡±


    Maybe Janice was right. It could be that he went to a store nearby. But he couldn¡¯t do that. We just


    arrived in New Haven, he definitely had no idea of any direction in this area. Why did he leave this


    house in the first ce? I really need to go and look for him.


    N


    PASERY DA

 Chapter 150

    150 PASSION¡¯S DAWN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke and I finally made our way inside the house, and I turned around to face him, feeling a rush of


    emotions. His intense gaze was fixed on me, almost as if he was trying to see right through me. In that


    moment, something shifted between us. It was like a switch had been flipped and we both knew that


    there was no going back to how things were before.


    His presence was overwhelming and I could feel my heart beating faster. I didn¡¯t know what was going


    to happen next, but one thing was for sure, things between us would never be the same again. It was a


    moment that would forever be etched in my memory, the moment when our connection became deeper


    and more intense than ever before.


    I melted into his embrace, my body responding to his touch like never before. Every inch of my skin


    was alive with desire and I couldn¡¯t help but lose myself in the moment. His hands moved lower,


    sending shivers down my spine, and I knew I waspletely under his spell.


    As his hands continued to explore my body, I couldn¡¯t help but feelpletely consumed by his touch.


    It was as if every nerve ending in my body was on fire, and I was powerless to resist him. His lips


    moved from mine to my neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses that made me gasp for air. I could feel his


    heart beating against mine, and in that moment, I knew that he wanted me just as much as I wanted


    him. Without a single word, he had shown me a passion and desire that I had never experienced


    before, and I knew that I never wanted to let


    1. go.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    His hands roamed my body, and I could feel the intensity of his passion radiating through his


    fingertips. Each kiss was filled with such raw desire that it ignited a fire within me. In that moment,


    nothing else mattered but him and the overwhelming need I had for him. His passion was


    consuming me, stirring up a longing that I couldn¡¯t ignore. I wanted him more than anything, and I


    could feel myself surrendering to the powerful hold he had over me. It was a feeling unlike any


    other, and I couldn¡¯t get enough of it.


    We stumbled towards the nearest wall, our bodies pressed against each other in a frenzy of


    desire. Our lips were locked in a passionate kiss and our hands were exploring each other¡¯s


    bodies with an intensity that left us both breathless. His touch was electric, igniting a fire within me


    that I couldn¡¯t deny. As we pressed against the wall, I could feel his desire for me growing,


    matching my own.


    His hands were everywhere, caressing my hair, tracing my back, and gripping my hips as if he


    couldn¡¯t get enough. And I wanted more, I wanted everything he had


    to offer. In that moment, nothing else mattered except for the intense connection between us. Our


    bodies moved in perfect harmony, driven by our insatiable craving for each other. It was a moment


    of pure ecstasy, and I never wanted it to


    end.


    We shed our clothes in a frenzy, the intensity of our passion only seemed to grow with each piece


    that fell to the ground. The air was charged with electricity as our bodies pressed against each


    other, moving in perfect synchronization. It was as if we were two puzzle pieces, finally finding


    each other after a long, search, fitting together perfectly,


    The heat between us was undeniable, and every touch, every kiss, only fueled the mes of


    desire. Right here in this moment, nothing else mattered but the burning desire we had for each


    other, and we gave inpletely, Our bodies intertwined in a dance of pleasure, lost in the intense


    passion that consumed us.


    Luke pressed me against the wall, his hands firmly gripped my waist, sending more shivers down


    my spine. I couldn¡¯t resist wrapping my own hands around his neck, pulling him closer to me. I


    could feel his hot breath on my skin, making me tingle with anticipation. His nose traced a slow


    path along my neck, igniting a fire within me. Nothing else was on my mind, all that mattered was


    the perfect connection between us. Luke¡¯s touch was electric, wless, and sensational. I had to


    lose myself in the moment.


    And then our lips met, a rush of desire and passion consumed us. I turned to him, unable to resist


    the maic pull between us. Our kiss quickly intensified, our tongues dancing in perfect harmony.


    With our naked bodies pressed against each other, I could feel every inch of his warmth and


    strength. My hands instinctively wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to me, and both of us


    were lost to the wildness of our kiss. Every touch, every caress, only aggrandized the galvanizing


    passion, a remarkable moment, that wouldn¡¯t be unforgettable.


    We continued kissing, the intensity between us grew even stronger. Luke¡¯s hands tightened


    around me, pulling me closer to him as he carried me to the bed. I could feel his desire for me in


    every touch and it only stoked my own desire for him. Slowly, he lowered me onto the bed, our lips


    still locked in a passionate embrace. Our tongues danced together, amplifying the mes, right


    within us that could not be tamed.


    He broke the kiss, looking into my eyes, and I did the same, both of us in silence, a passionate


    moment where we both had to catch our breath. No words spoken, but the spark was there, the


    desire, the passion, the mes I couldn¡¯t understand, although I relished it./


    And still with no words uttered, Luke smacked my lips. It was like a maic force cause my lips


    were glued to his, not breaking off. The kiss continued and it


    75 PASKY SEON


    was as if our lips had written a love letter in thenguage of touch. A peckture ¡ª perfect moment,


    lip services that spoke volumes. Oh gosh the movement of our lips, poetry in motion.


    Our kiss went wild, my hands moving around Luke¡¯s magnificent chest, and I was careful not to


    come in contact with his wound. His mesmerizing kiss was a spell I couldn¡¯t break, these


    passionate storms of emotions, leaving me electrified, a kiss that I couldn¡¯t resist. So maic that


    it created a powerful attraction between us.


    Damn, driving my hands through Luke¡¯s hair was like pure heaven. My eyes were closed, my body


    tingling as he showered me with kisses all over my neck. I couldn¡¯t help but moan softly, the


    pleasure coursing through every inch of my body. I wanted more, I needed more. Luke just wanted


    to make me lose control, and I was loving every second of it. I never wanted this moment to end, I


    wanted him to ravish me until we couldn¡¯t move anymore. Damn, this man was really driving me


    wild.


    As soon as he started ying with my tits, I knew I was in for a wild ride. And when he bit my


    nipple, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud moan. The pain mixed with pleasure was really intoxicating.


    I could feel myself getting wetter and wetter as he continued to tease and suck on my tits. He knew


    how to push all the right buttons and I was loving every second of it.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 151

    151 DELECTATION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Holy fucking shit, Luke was going at me like a goddamn jackhammer. He was mming into me so


    fuhard, my tight cunt could barely take it. But hell, I wasn¡¯tining. I was screaming like a damn


    banshee, my nails digging into his back as he fucked me into oblivion. Every thrust was like a punch to


    my pussy but I loved every second of it. Luke was a goddamn beast, and I was his willing prey. I just


    hoped he wouldn¡¯t stop until I was a quivering mess,pletely destroyed by his pounding.


    Eery thrust sent a surge of pleasure through my body, making me moan and curse even louder. I could


    feel myself beingpletely vulnerable in this moment, my body trembling and my mind losing all


    control. ¡°Fuckkkk Luke, don¡¯t stop!¡± I begged, my wordsing out in a jumbled mess. And just when I


    thought I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, I closed my legs, but he spread them wide, andd kept on mming


    me, leaving me breathless and weak.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re one hell of a fuck,¡± I screamed, my voice dripping with desire as he continued to pound


    into me. Every powerful thrust hit my sweet spot, sending waves of pleasure through my body. I


    couldn¡¯t help but moan and scream in ecstasy as he took me to new heights of pleasure. The intensity


    of his


    movements,bined with the primal look in his eyes, had mepletely under his spell. I was lost in


    the moment,pletely consumed by the pleasure he was giving me.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    And as he rode me harder and faster, I couldn¡¯t help but think that this was the best fuck I had ever


    experience. I loved it though, every thrust sending waves of pleasure through my body. I dug my nails


    into his back, urging him to go deeper,


    harder.


    ¡°Fuck, you feel so good. Shit,¡± he growled, his voice dripping with desire. I could feel my orgasm


    building, and I let out a string of curse words as he continued to pound into me relentlessly.


    ¡°Shit, baby, harder!¡°I moaned, my body shaking with pleasure as he went on and on, we we¡¯re both


    sweating and panting, the room being filled with the sounds of our groins smacking against each other.


    I so loved the way he was pounding into me like a goddamn jackhammer. I spread my legs wider,


    practically begging for more as he mmed into me with all his force. The way he grabbed my tits and


    squeezed them, it was like he knew exactly how to make me scream. And I did, over and over again,


    as he gave me the fuck of a lifetime. Sweat dripped down our bodies as we fucked like animals, lost


    70


    in the raw intensity of it all. I couldn¡¯t get enough of his hard cock inside me, filling me up and making


    me feel alive. Damn, this was some good fucking.


    And as he pounded into me relentlessly, I couldn¡¯t help but moan and scream in pure ecstasy. The way


    he took control and dominated my body was enough to make me lose all sense of reality. I felt every


    inch of him inside me, filling me up and satisfying my carnal desires.


    His rough hands continued to squeeze my breasts, sending shockwaves of pleasure through me. I


    didn¡¯t want this moment to end, I wanted him to keep banging me until I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, until I


    couldn¡¯t walk straight. And that was exactly what he was doing, leaving me breathless in this gratifying


    moment.


    ¡°Fuckkk Luke! Fuckkk!¡± I screamed, as his pound went on for what felt like an eternity. My nails dug into


    his chest, leaving red marks in their wake. He responded by squeezing my breast even harder, sending


    waves of pleasure through my body. I couldn¡¯t get enough of his forceful thrusts, each one pushing me


    closer to the edge. I cursed and moaned,pletely lost in the moment. It was really wild


    My body was on fire as Luke¡¯s relentless thrusts sent me to both hell and paradise. Too many moans


    escaped my lips as I begged for more. His rough touch. only fueled my desire, and I dug my nails


    deeper into his skin. I craved more, and this man right here had everything under control. With each


    hard squeeze of my breast, my moans grew louder and more desperate. Fuckkk, he was driving me


    insane with pleasure, and I never wanted it to end.


    I couldn¡¯t really believe this was happening. Every thrust, every touch, every moan was like fucking


    heaven. I screamed really really loud, and scratched at him, but it only turned him on more.


    He grip on my tits was really wild, and he squeezed them so fucking hard, I thought they might fucking


    burst. And then he kept pounding into me, relentless and fucking primal. The fucking pleasure was too


    much to handle, and I lost. control, as I continued begging and screaming for more.


    I


    Watching Luke rolling his eyes in pleasure was a huge turn¨Con. Every time he closed his eyes and let


    out a low, guttural moan, it sent shivers down my spine. But it wasn¡¯t just his vocalizations that had me


    hooked. It was the way his body. moved in response to my touch, his hips thrusting against mine as he


    filled me up with his hard, throbbing rod. I could feel him deep inside me, hitting all the right spots and


    igniting a fire within me. With each deep thrust, I could feel my stomach clench and my senses


    heighten. At the moment, his pleasure was my pleasure, and I couldn¡¯t get enough of watching him


    lose himself in the moment. It was really intoxicating, and I loved it.


    VAL DELECTATION.


    I was in total ecstasy as Luke¡¯s wless fingers explored every inch of my body, making their way down


    to my aching vagina. He thrust into me with such force, hitting all the right spots and causing me to


    moan uncontrobly. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of him, watching as he pleasured me and himself. My


    moans grew louder and more intense, matching his own grunts and groans. It was a great disy of


    lust and desire, and nothing else mattered, because all my focus were on this exhrating moment.


    ¡°Ouuuu fckkkk!¡± I repeated, my voice hoarse and filled with pleasure. Luke grinned, clearly enjoying


    my reaction.


    ¡°That¡¯s it baby, let it all out,¡± he growled, thrusting harder and faster. I could feel my body shaking and


    my mind going nk as I reached the peak of delectation. ¡°Fuucckkkkk!¡± I screamed again, my


    voice echoing off the walls. Luke kept on pounding me till he also exploded, a growl that was so dishy.


    He finally stopped, the both of us now breathing heavily.


    ¡°Damn, that was intense,¡± I said between gasps.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, it was,¡± Luke replied, smirking. ¡°I had no idea you were this nasty.¡±


    ¡°You want to use how nastier I can get.¡± I grinned, and Luke totally understood. I sat on the bed, the


    both of us smirking at each other, and my hands got a hold of his hard rod. I was going to make things


    keep going. Enjoy the moment while itsts. And we spent the remaining hours in ecstasy, simply


    remarkable.

 Chapter 152

    152 INFORMED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was standing in the spacious kitchen, preparing dinner for myself and Luke. The day had gotten dark,


    and the soft glow of the lights in the kitchen added a cozy feel to the room. I was lost in my own


    thoughts, nning the perfect menu for tonight¡¯s dinner, which I could consider to be lovely. But then I


    heard the door open. I turned around to see Tina walking in with a basket of freshly picked herbs.


    ¡°Good evening, Miss Ariel.¡± Tina greeted me with a smile.


    ¡°Good evening, Tina. How was your day?¡± I asked politely, trying not to sound. too interested. Tina, of


    course, as I had said before, was a bbermouth, and I didn¡¯t want to get caught in one of her never¨C


    ending stories.


    ¡°It was good, Miss Ariel. I spent the morning cleaning the guest rooms, and then. I did a little bit of work


    at the garden before you and Mr. Reynold showed up,¡± Tina replied, cing the basket on the kitchen


    counter.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I need to finish preparing dinner,¡± I said, hoping she would


    take the hint and leave.


    But Tina had other ns. She leaned against the counter and started telling me about her Christmas


    with her husband the previous year. I tried my best to appear interested, but my mind was wandering


    off to other things. I had a lot on my te, and listening to Tina¡¯s stories was not one of them.


    ¡°We went to my husband¡¯s hometown, and it was so beautiful. The snow¨Ccovered streets, the cozy


    firece, and the delicious food. Oh, the food was amazing,¡± she said with a dreamy look in her eyes.


    ¡°That sounds lovely, Tina,¡± I replied, trying to sound enthusiastic.


    ¡°It was, Miss Ariel. And you know what the best part was? My husband surprised me with a trip to Paris


    for New Year¡¯s. Can you believe it? Paris!¡± She eximed, her eyes sparkling.


    I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes. Tina was always full of surprises, and her husband was no different.


    Yeah, due to all the stories she¡¯s been telling me. I had to admit that I was a little jealous. I had never


    been to Paris, and it was on my list of ces to visit.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Tina. I¡¯m happy for you,¡± I said, trying to sound genuine.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Ariel. Oh, I can¡¯t wait for this year¡¯s Christmas. I¡¯m sure my husband has something


    even more special nned,¡± she spoke, with excitement


    evident in her voice.


    She vocalized other stories, and I was really tired of the never¨Cending talk. I had a feeling that it would


    soon be over, so now I faked a smile, trying to show that I was still engaged and interested in what she


    was saying. But deep down, I couldn¡¯t wait for it to be over. I had heard it countless times before, and it


    had lost its charm.


    Yet, I continued to listen, nodding my head and interjecting with the asional wow¡± or ¡°really?¡± I was


    just d that it would soone to an end and that I could finally move on to a new topic of


    conversation. Well, something like that.


    Marcus, our gateman, came to inform us that someone was at the gate looking for me and that the


    person was somehow recognizable. I didn¡¯t waste any time disappearing out of the kitchen. My chance


    of quitting Tina¡¯s worthless stories, because it seems like she wasn¡¯t putting an end to that any time


    soon.


    When I made my way to the gate, I saw Elizabeth; she was looking worried, and I had to wonder why.


    First of all, why had shee to pay a visit at this time? And secondly, what in the world was going


    on? It looked like something was not right around here.


    ¡°Elizabeth, is anything wrong?¡± I asked cautiously.


    ¡°Ariel. Lukel is missing,¡± she responded.


    My curious face changed immediately, and the expression right now was the sort -of¨Cworried type.


    ¡°Lukel is missing?¡± I repeated, and she nodded. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was telling him and Janice stories of how to be, you know, nice people. But when I was


    done, I couldn¡¯t spot him there, and Janice had to tell me that he had gone in the middle of my talk. I


    didn¡¯t even know the moment he left, and now I¡¯m really worried; I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, calm down. When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°About six hours ago. I¡¯ve been searching for him since then, but I can¡¯t find him.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± I said underneath my breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, okay? It¡¯s not your fault. We¡¯ll find him.¡± I tried to stop her from panicking. I could


    have panicked myself, but it wasn¡¯t going to change. anything. Finding Lukel as soon as possible was


    all that mattered now.


    ¡°You wait for me; let me go and tell Luke that I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell him that Lukel¡¯s missing as well?¡±


    152 INT DEMED


    ¡°No, that¡¯s none of his business,¡± I answered. ¡°Wait for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elizabeth responded softly.


    I went inside the house to tell Luke that I was leaving, but before I could even meet him, he was


    heading towards the door. And it was kind of clear that he was leaving the house as well.


    ¡°You¡¯re heading somewhere?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll talkter,¡± he replied without even ncing at me before he walked away. It was kind of


    painful, but who cared anyway?


    I went upstairs, quickly changed, and went back to Elizabeth. She had her arms crossed, but there was


    still worry written all over her face.


    She turned around to me. ¡°I saw Luke leaving not too long ago.¡±


    I sulked, not giving her a response to that, but I just walked to my car, and she followed. We both


    entered, and I drove off.


    We drove to the area where her mansion was. The surroundings were really bustling, with city lights


    and different people walking around. How on earth were we going to find Luke?


    We both got out of the car, my eyes scanning the surroundings and my hands situated on my waist.


    ¡°Oh gosh, where could Lukel be?¡±


    ¡°Worst part is that we can¡¯t inform the police about it right now. It¡¯s only been six hours. They might


    decide not to help us out,¡± Elizabeth told me.


    ¡°Does Andre or Manuel perhaps know about this?¡± I quizzed her.


    ¡°No, they don¡¯t. Only me and Janice, since we were the only ones around at that time. They¡¯re still at


    work, so they have no idea about this. I thought I was going to find Lukel before they showed up.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re telling me now that Janice is the only one at home?¡±


    ¡°No. She¡¯s with a babysitter.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh, that¡¯s good to hear,¡± I sighed. ¡°But we need to find Luke tonight. Whether the devil likes it or not.


    We can¡¯t give up on this search.¡±


    Elizabeth nodded, and after a little more talk, we both split. There was no time to waste time, no time to


    joke around. That little boy¡¯s safety was all that mattered at the moment. And I hoped nothing bad had


    happened to him.

 Chapter 153

    153 NO THANKS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Since I had gotten a phone call from this crazy woman, I went to meet her. Tiffany had told me that the


    both of us should meet at this nightclub. And of course, I knew what she wanted to talk about. It was


    about her pregnancy; that¡¯s even if she was pregnant.


    I couldn¡¯t actually tell, though, but I had a feeling that she was just making up all of this, probably to get


    to me or something. Well, I couldn¡¯t start jumping to conclusions or heeding these thoughts. She might


    be correct, and I might be the knucklehead around here.


    The moment I approached the nightclub, the thumping bass could be felt reverberating through the


    walls, setting the tone for the evening ahead. The neon lights flickered and danced, casting an


    otherworldly glow on the streets outside. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the heavy door and


    stepped into the dimly lit space.


    The club was a sensory overload; the air was thick with a heady mix of sweat, perfume, and alcohol.


    Strobe lights shed erratically, cutting through the haze and illuminating the gyrating bodies on the


    dance floor. I hesitated for al moment, taking in the scene before me.


    The music pulsed through me, a steady rhythm that seemed to sync with my heartbeat. I made my way


    through the crowd, feeling the energy of the ce enveloping me. The bass thudded in my chest,


    urging me to let go and to lose myself in the music and the moment.


    As I moved further into the club, the crowd seemed to part around me, a sea of faces and bodies


    shifting and swirling in a mesmerizing dance. I found myself drawn towards the bar, the promise of a


    drink and a momentary respite calling to


    1. me.


    Squeezing my way through the throng of people, I finally reached the bar and caught the bartender¡¯s


    eye. Ordering a drink, I leaned against the counter, taking a moment to survey the sc¨¦ne around me.


    There were people of all kinds in the club¨Csomeughing and chatting, others lost in their own world,


    their bodies moving to the music in a primal, instinctual way. The air was thick with anticipation, with the


    promise of something wild and unpredictable hanging in the air.


    I sipped my drink, and there was this feeling that went right through me. The music seemed to grow


    louder and more insistent, urging me to join the dance.


    floor, to let go of my inhibitions, and to surrender to the night.


    But, hell no, I wasn¡¯t going to do that. Tiffany was the one who had made mee here, so I was


    going to keep my cool, wait till she arrived, get the conversation done, and get the fuck out of here. The


    music was really nice, though; it had me nodding to the beat.


    This desirabledy approached me with makeup all over her face and a mini dress that wlessly


    disyed her curves. I couldn¡¯t stop staring at her, but I had to try my best to turn my face away. I didn¡¯t


    want to be that kind of man who just fucked anydy he crossed paths with.


    ¡°Why did you turn your face away?¡± This woman asked, and I had to cease drinking.


    I looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°Who else would I be talking to?¡±


    ¡°Well, there are tons of people in the building.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m standing close to you.¡±


    I let out a sigh after that and took a sip of my drink.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Wanna dance?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, you have no idea who I am. But you just walked up to me and want me to start getting all


    intimate with you.


    ¡°Intimate?¡± She made a confused face. ¡°Not what I said, but is there something wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with me refusing your dance offer?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You know what? You are unbelievable. ¡°You have a nice face, but you¡¯re just¡­


    She stormed off. Aww, she wanted me so bad. So sad I couldn¡¯t hit the pretty girl.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The night was one of swirling shadows and whispers in the city that never truly slept. My heart pounded


    in my chest as I pushed my way through the crowded streets, calling out Luke¡¯s name over and over


    again. Panic wed at my insides,


    twisting my stomach into knots. Where could he be in thisbyrinth of noise and movement?


    I remembered this one time back then in Canada, when I had lost sight of him at the time we were


    browsing the market stalls in the evening. One moment he was tugging at my hand, his small fingers


    slipping from my grasp, and the next he was gone. At that time, my mind raced with scenarios of what


    could have happened to him in the chaos of the city, but I was lucky to have found him quickly. But this


    time around, the situation was a tough one.


    My voice grew hoarse from calling out for Lukel, my eyes scanning every face that passed by, hoping


    to catch a glimpse of my precious son. The flickering streetlights cast long, eerie shadows that seemed


    to dance and taunt me as I frantically searched.


    Turning around, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the narrow alleyway, sending a chill down my


    spine. I shivered, my breathing out in white puffs in the cold night air. I clutched my coat tighter


    around me, feeling the weight of fear pressing down on my chest.


    The echoes of my calls bounced off the walls of the buildings, blending with the distant sounds of


    laughter and music from the taverns nearby. My heart sank with each passing minute, each second


    feeling like an eternity as I continued my desperate search.


    ¡°Where could he be now?¡± I whispered to myself, holding my waist. I was


    frustrated, frightened, and terrified. Use all the possible words you can. How was I going to see him? I


    didn¡¯t even know the direction he took, so this was going to be really hard.


    I called Elizabeth on the phone, asking her if she had seen Lukel, but the answer she gave me was no.


    And here I was, my heart sinking in worry. I don¡¯t even know what to do right now. I couldn¡¯t tell if my


    little boy was kidnapped or if he was somewhere enjoying himself. I just couldn¡¯t tell. But I hoped that


    he was neither sad nor terrified, wherever he was.


    I drove my hands through my hair, letting out a deep sigh, and I decided to continue my search. Just


    like I said earlier, no giving up. This was my son, whom we were talking about here. My blood, my


    treasure, my indefectible diamond.


    And as I continued to look around, my eyes caught someone standing close to a shop. Yes, these eyes


    widened immediately, but I wasn¡¯t sure who I was seeing at moment. Thedy looked just like Harriet.


    Her shape, her hair, everything. I just couldn¡¯t see her face since she wasn¡¯t looking in my direction.


    the


    My phone fell from my hands, and I slowly picked it up from the ground. By the time I looked in that


    direction, I didn¡¯t see this woman any more.


    154 SEEN

 Chapter 154

    154 SEEN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was still at the club, waiting for Tiffany, and I was getting angry that she had not arrived yet. What was


    taking her sote? She was the one who said we should meet here, so what was with the dy?


    Women can be really messed up sometimes.


    This woman just came out of nowhere and stared, rocking her ass on my groin. I just stood in


    confusion, enjoying the view, though. But I wasn¡¯t up for this. And as I could feel myself about to get


    hard, I shifted backwards. When she realized I was no longer near her, she turned around.


    She purred, ¡°Come on, baby, allow me to demonstrate a good time to you,¡± swaying her hips


    seductively.


    I shook my head and tried to move away, but she followed me, along my chest.


    her hands trailing


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone; I can¡¯t do this,¡± I said firmly, trying to push her away.


    She pouted, but then her eyes lit up as she caught sight of someone behind me.


    ¡°Ooh, who¡¯s your friend?¡± she asked, her attention now on Tiffany, who had finally arrived.


    I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the distraction. But as Tiffany approached us, I noticed something


    was off. She was stumbling and slurring her words, clearly drunk.


    ¡°What the hell, Tiff? Are you okay?¡± I asked, concerned.


    She just giggled and stumbled closer to the woman, who was still trying to grind


    on me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this, Luke? Your new girlfriend?¡± She slurred, her speech barely coherent.


    I rolled my eyes and tried to exin the situation to her. ¡°No, she¡¯s just some random girl who won¡¯t


    leave me alone.¡±


    But Tiffany didn¡¯t seem to care; she just continued tough and flirt with the woman,pletely


    disregarding my feelings.


    I was getting angry by the minute. Tiffany was not only tardy, but she was also embarrassing me in


    front of this stranger by making a fool of herself.


    ¡°Can we please just leave this ce, Tiff? I¡¯ve had enough of this club,¡± I said, grabbing her arm and


    trying to lead her away.


    But she resisted, pulling away from me and stumbling back towards the woman.


    ¡°Come on, Luke, let¡¯s have some fun. We can all dance together,¡± she slurred, her words barely


    understandable.


    I had reached my breaking point. I was tired of waiting for Tiffany and tired of her always beingte and


    causing drama. I was tired of her drinking and making a fool of herself.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m done. ¡°I¡¯m leaving this establishment; you are free to do as you please,¡± I dered as I


    stormed out of the club, leaving Tiffany and the woman in my wake.


    But as I was walking to my car, I stopped, feeling guilty for leaving Tiffany there. She was drunk; she


    shouldn¡¯t be in a ce that is rowdy like that. She needed to go home and get some sleep. But why the


    hell did she have to be intoxicated anyway? I hoped it wasn¡¯t because of me.


    I walked back to the club, traced Tiffany, and went to carry her. She was a total mess, embarrassing


    herself, but it seemed like the people around her were enjoying herpany. No concern anyway; I


    had already taken her out of the goddamn club. It was just a waste of time showing up there.


    Upon my exit from my vehicle, she immediately climbed into the backseat and dragged me along on


    top of her. Man, she was really drunk. His breath was all alcohol, and I didn¡¯t like the smell one bit.


    I retreated as I exited the vehicle, whereas Tiffany remained seated and maintained her insane drunk


    face. ¡°Why did you have to get drunk, huh? I thought you said you were pregnant. Don¡¯t you know that


    you might have caused harm to the baby?¡±


    ¡°Oh Luke. Shut up,¡± she said in her drunken state, her eyes barely opening. ¡°I love you so much. But


    you broke my heart.¡± She copsed after that.


    I was just looking at her. Should I feel remorseful, or what?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I looked around to see if I could see thatdy, who looked like Harriet, nearby. But no, maybe I was just


    imagining things. But that didn¡¯t matter now, not when I was searching for my little boy. So I kept on


    searching for Lukel, but I still couldn¡¯t find him anywhere. Okay, now I was starting to get really, really


    worried. Where could he be? This was so not good.


    My heart was pounding as I frantically searched through the crowded park, calling out my son¡¯s name.


    ¡°Lukel! Lukel, where are you?¡± I had been searching for quite a while now, asking every person I


    passed by if they had seen a little boy


    with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes. But no one seemed to have any information.


    Walking down a row of food stands, I noticed arge crowd gathering around a stand where a magician


    was performing tricks. I hesitated for a moment, thinking it was just another distraction from my search.


    But something inside me told me to take a closer look.


    And when I approached the stand, I saw my son, Lukel, being the magician¡¯s assistant, with a big smile


    on his face. My heart melted at the sight of my little boy, safe and sound. But my relief quickly turned


    into anger as I realized that he had been hiding here the whole time.


    ¡°Lukel!¡± I eximed, marching up to the stage. ¡°There you are! I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.


    Do you have any idea how worried I was?¡±


    Lukel¡¯s smile faded as he saw the worried look on my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy,¡± he apologized, looking


    down at his feet. ¡°I just wanted to help the magician. He said I could be his assistant.¡±


    My anger softened as I saw how excited my son was about being the magician¡¯s assistant. I looked at


    the magician, who seemed to be enjoying the attention from the children. ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± I tapped on


    his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting, but my son here has been causing me a lot of worry. Could we


    please have a moment?¡±


    The magician nodded and stepped aside, giving Lukel and me some space. ¡°Why did you run off like


    that, Lukel? You know you¡¯re not supposed to go off on your own,¡± I scolded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy. I just wanted to help the magician. He said he needed an assistant,¡± Lukel


    exined, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.


    ¡°But he told you that after you¡¯d left the house, right?¡± I asked him inaudibly. Lukel nodded, and I fixed


    my hands on his shoulders.


    ¡°Yes. I went to get myself a toy from the toy store, but when I saw this man, I decided to help out.


    Grandma said we should do good to others.¡±


    My heart softened as I saw how much my son wanted to help. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re having fun, but


    next time, please let me know where you¡¯re going. I was so worried about you,¡± I said, pulling him into a


    hug.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you finish your show with the magician, and then we can go home, okay?¡±


    Luke¡¯s face lit up with excitement as he ran back on stage. I watched as my son performed magic tricks


    with the magician, earning cheers and apuse from the


    1545¨CEEN


    audience. I called Elizabeth and told her that everything was okay now. She asked a lot of questions,


    her tone showing how she was worried as hell. But I told her that I had seen Lukel.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day**

 Chapter 155

    155 COOLING FLAVORS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After we had left where the magician was, I walked hand in hand with my little. diamond, Lukel, taking


    in the sights and sounds of the city. I was d that I had finally seen him. Now we were waiting for


    Elizabeth to show up, so we decided to take a little stroll until she came. As we strolled along, Lukel¡¯s


    eyes lit up when he saw an ice cream stand in the distance.


    ¡°Mommy, can we get ice cream?¡± he asked, tugging on my hand excitedly.


    I smiled at my son¡¯s joyful state. ¡°Of course, Lukel. Let¡¯s go get some ice cream.¡±


    As the two of us approached the stand, the colorful lights and lively music caught our attention. Lukel¡¯s


    eyes widened in delight as he saw the wide variety of ice cream vors disyed in the ss case.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wow, there are so many vors to choose from!¡± he bolted.


    Iughed and ruffled his hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick your favorite vor, Lukel?¡±


    His face scrunched up in deep thought as he looked at all the options. After a few moments, he turned


    to the vendor. ¡°I want a scoop of chocte and a scoop of strawberry, please!¡®


    The vendor, a friendly middle¨Caged man, smiled and handed Lukel his ice cream in a cone. ¡°That¡¯ll be


    $5, young man.¡±


    Lukel handed over the money immediately, and I just nced at him. What could I say? He was a rich


    kid..


    He eagerly took a lick of his ice cream. ¡°Thank you!¡± he said to the man with a big


    smile.


    I ordered my own ice cream, and we both walked over to a nearby bench to sit and enjoy our treats. As


    we sat in silence for a few minutes, Lukel suddenly spoke up. ¡°Mommy, why do we sometimes get to


    have ice cream at night? We usually did that in Canada, remember?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Well, sometimes we just need a little sweet treat to make our day better. And what better


    way to end a beautiful night than with some delicious ice cream?¡±


    He nodded in agreement, and we continued to enjoy our ice cream together. The moment we finished


    up, I noticed a homeless man sitting on the ground nearby, looking longingly at the ice cream stand.


    151 EDOLING FLAVORS


    Without hesitation, I got up and walked over to the man. ¡°Excuse me, would you like some ice cream?¡±


    The man¡¯s face lit up in surprise, and he nodded gratefully. I bought him a cone and handed it to him


    with a warm smile. ¡°Enjoy,¡± I said before returning to Lukel.


    Lukel looked at me with admiration. ¡°That was really nice, Mommy. Can we do that again next time?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lukel. It¡¯s always nice to share our blessings with others,¡± I replied, giving my son a proud


    smile.


    ¡°Just what Grandma told me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. She¡¯s a nice woman, very nice.¡± I spoke softly, holding his hand.


    ¡°Speaking of her. There she is!¡±


    I followed the direction he pointed in, and Elizabeth was walking towards us. The moment she got


    close, she let out a deep sigh, not taking her eyes off Lukel. Young man. Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, Elizabeth. He was just helping people out, like you taught him. I saw him with this


    magician, and they were having a great time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s telling the truth,¡± Lukel said, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh a little.


    Elizabeth shook her head, and she moved closer to him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know you. had me worried? Don¡¯t


    do that next time, okay?¡±


    Lukel nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise, young man. Promise me you¡¯re not going to walk out of my sight. like that next time.¡±


    ¡°I promise Grandma. Can we go home now? I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starving?¡± I ced my hand on his shoulder. ¡°I thought you just had ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Ice cream ain¡¯t real food, mom?¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    He stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s just go home, please. Janice must really be waiting for me.¡± ¡°Oh, Janice must be


    waiting for you, huh?¡± I stood up as well. ¡°Well, you should have thought of that before you went ahead


    with the abracadabra stuff.¡±


    ¡°More like Belcalis Alm¨¢nzar,¡± Lukel said.


    I processed his words. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Cardi B¡¯s real name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my favorite woman in the world. I¡¯m crushing on her,¡± he said dramatically, his mind going off to


    only God knows where.


    ¡°Your favorite woman? What about me, your mother?¡±


    He nced at me. ¡°Your case is different.¡±


    ¡°And since when did you start listening to Cardi B?¡± I asked him, crossing my


    arms.


    ¡°Two months ago, mommy. Oh, right, I never really told you about it. Grandma can testify.¡±


    I looked at Elizabeth. ¡°Oh, he isn¡¯t lying. He loves the rapper like hell.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Good luck crushing on someone who¡¯s six times older than you,¡± I told Lukel.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not,¡± he argued.


    ¡°Apparently, she is,¡± Elizabeth stated to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. She¡¯ll forever be in my heart,¡± he said, and he began to walk away. Elizabeth and I were


    just looking at him.


    ¡°Wow, that child ispletely insane,¡± she murmured as our attention


    remained on Lukel.


    ¡°Totally right about that,¡± I said immediately, and we both began to tread behind him.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I drove to Tiffany¡¯s apartment, carrying her out of my car and making my way inside the house. The


    door wasn¡¯t locked, which was quite surprising, but what I wanted was actually. Still carrying her in my


    arms, I took her straight to her room upstairs.


    Turning on the lights, my eyes noticed something, which was not normal. There were pictures of me all


    around the wall, so many pictures, and I was kind of shocked. Could she possibly be this obsessed


    with me, or what the hell was I witnessing?


    Tiffany, still sleeping, shook a little, and I set my eyes on her. Her face was so peaceful at the moment;


    she was pretty, having the face of a cute baby at the moment. But my eyes went back to the wall. What


    the hell was this?


    I almost let go of her while looking at the pictures, but I held on tight. I carried her to the bed and slowly


    dropped her on it. I looked at the pictures once again, and I shook my head.


    DOLING FLAVORS.


    ¡°Oh, Tiffany,¡± I said softly, looking at her. ¡°Why did you have to do all of this? Are you obsessed with


    me?¡± I sighed, covering my face with my hands.


    My phone began to ring, and I quickly answered the call. Not wanting to, you know, wake the girl from


    her sleep. That¡¯s if she¡¯s going to wake up anyway. Her drunken state was really intense.


    ¡°This is Luke Reynold, right?¡± The caller asked.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re speaking with him,¡± I replied. ¡°How may I be of help to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Stanley Jones. I¡¯m calling from the New Haven Police Department.


    ¡°Oh, okay. Is there like a problem, or something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling to inform you that Harriet Donald has broken out of prison.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted immediately. ¡°Hold on, Harriet did what now?¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s quite unbelievable, but she escaped. But you don¡¯t have to worry, sir. We¡¯ll try our very best


    to find her and send her back to prison.¡±


    ¡°Yes, find her, alright?! Why the hell do you people have to?¡±


    He ended the phone call before I could finish my sentence. Bullshit!

 Chapter 156

    156 I GOT YOU


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Here, I was driving home, still thinking about the news that hade to me. Harrier was out of prison;


    she broke out of jail, and now I don¡¯t even know if I should be sad or happy. Reminiscing about the


    times we spent with each other was really awesome, but the fact that she had caused me pain really


    changed all of that. She murdered them all for the sake of love. But she was the one who had ruined


    everything in the first ce.


    Now this news came as a blow to me. I wasn¡¯t going to lie. I wondered where she could be now. I knew


    something crazy was going to happen in the days toe; there was no doubt about that. Harriet had


    proven that she was a psychopath. And she could be dangerous around people, but I wasn¡¯t afraid of


    her. I was just concerned about the people around me. The fact that Ariel and I were now passionate


    toward each other. And Harriet might try to do something to separate us. Go to be careful; thedy


    broke out of prison, and this was no movie where she was ying the lead role.


    And as I was driving, I spotted two little children running on the road.


    Unfortunately, I applied the brakes and the vehicle came to aplete stop prior to any catastrophic


    events transpiring.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you two watch? What if something bad had happened to you? You both got to be careful next


    time, okay?¡± I scolded, bursting out of my car. They didn¡¯t answer; they just stood like statues, staring


    at me. The sad expression on their faces had this swell of guilt moving right through me. I was now


    feeling bad for scolding them.


    I sighed and hunkered down, close to the both of them. ¡°Look, I¡¯m really sorry. But you two need to be


    careful just in case next time. There are numerous insane drivers


    on the road, and they could run you over if you don¡¯t watch out. I¡¯m sorry for being too harsh on you


    guys.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    They refused to give me a response, and they were both still staring at me. I was wondering if they


    could even talk. Okay, I guess I shouldn¡¯t be going too far.


    I looked around and nced back at the both of them. ¡°Where are your parents?¡±


    One shook his head slowly, and the other answered softly, ¡°We don¡¯t have parents.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re orphans, and we have no ce to stay.


    I felt a pang of sadness in my heart at their words. My mind immediately went to


    how I had lost my parents at such a young age. I knew my mother wasn¡¯t dead, but still, I lost her when


    I was young. I lost the lovely and caring woman,


    although it had been an act. I still missed those days. I missed that kind woman, but she was never


    coming back.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to a restaurant. You both must be hungry,¡± I said, gesturing for them to follow


    me. They hesitated for a moment before nodding and following me to my car.


    As we drove to the nearest restaurant, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of responsibility towards these


    children. I knew I had to do something to help them, even if it was just for one night.


    We arrived at the restaurant, and I could see the excitement in their eyes as they looked at the menu.


    They ordered whatever they wanted, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their innocent faces. They


    deserved to have a good meal after everything they had been through.


    After we finished eating, I asked them where they were nning to go for the night. They both looked


    at each other with worried expressions. ¡°We usually sleep on the streets,¡± one of them replied.


    I couldn¡¯t let them sleep on the streets, not when I had a spare room in my house. ¡°How about you both


    come stay with me tonight? I have an extra room, and I¡¯ll make sure you have afortable ce to


    sleep,¡± I offered, hoping they would ept.


    Their faces lit up with gratitude, and they eagerly epted my offer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡± I smiled at the both of them. We stood up, making our way out of the


    building. I turned to the both of them. ¡°Hold on, can I please know your name? The both of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Randy,¡± one of them replied.


    ¡°Randy, that¡¯s a nice name. You¡¯ve ever heard of this famous WWE superstar, Randy Orton?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, then you must be missing a lot. When we get to my house, I¡¯ll show you some of his


    matches.¡± I smiled at him, ruffling his hair. I turned to the other. ¡°What about you? You haven¡¯t told me


    your name.¡±


    ¡°Ethan,¡± he answered, looking downward.


    ¡°Hmm, Ethan, that¡¯s a nice name. I can tell you¡¯ll be a billionaire in the future.¡± He gave me a skeptical


    look. ¡°Me, a billionaire? Are you sure about that?¡±


    I squatted next to him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. You have a bright future, kid. And I¡¯m


    going to help you with that. I¡¯m going to help the both of you. And trust me, you are going to love every


    mornent with me.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing with my kids?¡± This man bawled, his voiceing little bit far from me, and I


    quickly turned around.


    ¡°Your kids?¡± I uttered it in confusion, getting to my feet while the man was traipsing in my direction. I


    looked back at Ryan and Ethan. ¡°Do you know that man?¡± I asked, but they didn¡¯t give me any


    answers. I set my eyes back on the man, as he had now gotten close to me.


    ¡°Those are my children. I¡¯ve been searching for them for days. What the hell are they doing with you?¡±


    ¡°Your children? They told me they had no parents.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± He snapped and red at the two kids. ¡°You¡¯ve started lying now, huh? Just wait till we


    get home. I¡¯m going to teach you both a lesson.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to go anywhere with you!¡± Randy spoke firmly.


    The man¡¯s re intensified. ¡°Oh, you little rat!¡± He moved closer and wanted to hit the little boy, but I


    seized his hand. We exchanged a dark look before I shoved


    him back.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem, huh?¡± He barked at me. But I didn¡¯t utter a word, as I kept on giving him the


    unfriendly look. The little children had to tell me everything: that this man never showed them love and


    always treated them badly, like they were some kind of trash. They exaggerated and exined the


    whole thing¨Chow he was so cruel towards them.


    My re at this man had topound. There was no doubt the children were telling the truth; they had


    been living with an abusive father this whole time.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said, taking the children¡¯s hands and walking away from the man.


    ¡°Where are you taking them? Come back here, you idiot!¡± He tried to follow us, but I turned around and


    punched him in the face.


    ¡°Leave these children alone. They don¡¯t deserve to be treated like garbage.¡±


    The man stumbled back, holding his nose. ¡°Fine, take them. They¡¯re nothing but a burden to me


    anyway,¡± he spat before storming off.


    I turned to the children, who were staring at me with wide eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    They both nodded, and Ryan thanked me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; it was the right thing to do,¡± I replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, shall


    156TGOT YOU


    we?¡±


    They nodded, and the three of us walked to my car.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 157

    157 HOW DID YOU?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    By the time I arrived at Andre¡¯s house, Janice had already fallen asleep. I had to kiss her goodbye,


    dropping Lukel off. It was quite surprising that Andre and Manuel had not arrived yet; I guess they must


    be really busy with projects at the office. I didn¡¯t go to work today, and I didn¡¯t even bother calling them


    to ask how things were going. Silly me.


    So, I drove home with a great feeling, no longer worried since I had seen Lukel. But I drew my mind


    back to when I was still searching for him. The woman I had sighted looked just like Harriet. Or was I


    imagining things? I couldn¡¯t tell.


    The moment I arrived home, I got out of my car, and my phone started ringing. Mason was the one who


    was calling. This made me roll my eyes. Why the hell was this baboon calling me?


    I declined his call, and my phone went straight to airne mode. I wasn¡¯t going to let that scumbag give


    me a heart attack or something. I knew he wanted to ask me about the n, but he was in no mood for


    that conversation. And I had no idea how I was going to handle this situation since Luke and I were


    now this close. Well, I had a feeling this passion between us wasn¡¯t going tost long. Walking into the


    mansion, I saw two little children settling down on the couch, ying video games, and you could just


    guess who was in between them: Luke. They were so joyful,ughing and shouting like there was no


    tomorrow. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at Luke.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± Luke called my name the moment his eyes caught mine. ¡°You¡¯re back. You took so long. Where


    were you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you should worry about,¡± I answered, still smiling.


    He took his attention back to the huge screen as they continued to enjoy their gaming moment.


    §ß§Ö


    ¡°So, whose children are these?¡± I asked, holding my waist.


    ¡°They¡¯re mine,¡± he answered, not ncing at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± I said immediately, and heughed.


    ¡°Why did you say that?¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin everything to


    you, sir¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Follow me upstairs.¡± He dropped his gaming pad on the table.


    ¡°Follow you upstairs? You haven¡¯t given me an answer to my question.¡±


    ¡°I will, when we get upstairs. Chill alright?¡®


    ¡°Oh well. It¡¯s your house. You call the shots around here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you acknowledge that. Now follow me.¡± He walked upstairs, holding my hand, and we made it


    to our room.


    ¡°So, care to give me an answer to my¡­¡±


    He smacked my lips immediately, interrupting me from talking. I was surprised, but I had to get lost in


    the passion. We continued kissing, with Luke reaching for my waist as our tongues moved in perfect


    harmony. His grip on me tightened, the kiss deepening, and after what felt like eternity, he slowly pulled


    away, both of us looking deeply into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°How did you do it, Ariel?¡± He asked softly.


    ¡°Do what?¡± My tone was also inaudible.


    ¡°How did you ignite this passion within me? You ignited this passion within me, and now I just¡­ want to


    be with you every time.¡±


    I was still gazing into his eyes, silent for seconds, before I finally spoke in a whisper. ¡°You want to be


    with me every time. Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everything¡¯s just so.¡± I trailed off, letting out a deep sigh before I added, ¡°surprising.¡±


    Luke held my hands. ¡°I know. I¡¯m surprised as well at how everything just changed overnight. But what


    can I say? This is how things are meant to be, I guess. This has always been what my grandfather


    wanted. Something I thought was never going to happen. You can¡¯t actually predict the future.¡±


    He moved his face closer to mine and gently pressed his lips against mine, and I could feel a fire


    igniting inside of me. I had never felt this kind of passion before, and it was overwhelming yet addictive.


    His hands roamed over my body, sending shivers down my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck,


    pulling him closer to me as our tongues danced in perfect harmony.


    His lips moved from my lips to my neck, trailing soft kisses along my skin. I let out a soft moan, unable


    to control the pleasure that was coursing through my body. Luke¡¯s hands moved down to my waist,


    pulling me even closer to him. I could feel his heart beating rapidly against my chest, matching the


    rhythm of my


    own.


    I ran my fingers through his hair, deepening the kiss even more. I couldn¡¯t get enough of him, and I


    could tell that he felt the same way. Our bodies were pressed against each other, and I could feel the


    heat between us intensifying with each passing second.


    Luke¡¯s lips moved back to mine, and I could taste the desire and longing in his kiss. it was like we were


    two puzzle pieces finally fitting together,pleting each other in ways we never thought possible. I


    still couldn¡¯t believe that this was happening¨Cthat I was in Luke¡¯s arms, kissing him with all the passion


    and love like I had been holding it for so long.


    We fell onto the bed, our bodies tangled together as we continued to kiss. Luke¡¯s hands explored every


    inch of my body, leaving trails of fire right there, mesmerizing. Indeed, I was so consumed by this man


    right here.


    As our lips finally parted, we were both breathless and looking into each other¡¯s eyes. I could see the


    love and adoration in Luke¡¯s gaze, and I knew that he could see the same in mine. But it was still


    unbelievable. Were we just lying to ourselves, or was this a dream? Was this a hallucination, or was it


    real? Of course it was real, but the scene was still shocking in my head. I never thought a moment like


    this woulde to pass.


    ¡°So, what do you want to do then?¡± Luke asked, caressing my hair with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Anything you want.¡± I grinned at him.


    ¡°Anything you say, huh?¡± He smirked, and then the door opened. It was one of the little children I had


    seen in the living room. What was he doing here?


    He turned around immediately. ¡°Oh sorry. I was just looking for the bathroom.


    Lukeughed and got up, walking to the little boy. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Randy.¡±


    Randy. So that was his name. I wouldn¡¯t be confused around here anyway. I could tell he had seen


    these kids on the street or somewhere. And now he had decided to treat them right. It was clear that


    Luke loved children. I could still recall the time when we met this little girl, Abigail. Luke made her feel


    like a princess that day. It was really nice; honestly, it was a great moment. And now I started


    wondering if I should really introduce Lukel and Janice to him. Nah, I shouldn¡¯t be too quick at doing


    that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Ariel,¡± Luke told me, and I nodded with a smile. He led Randy Out of the room while I


    sat on the bed.

 Chapter 158

    158 MIDNIGHT BLISS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I woke up in the middle of the night, and there was Luke on the bed, still sleeping. Well, he was


    supposed to be. I mean,e on, this was the time for everyone to be in drowsy mode. But look at me;


    my eyes are all open.


    I closed my eyes, trying to get back to sleep, but, to God, it wasn¡¯t working. And it was just great; I¡¯d


    have to be around here, sitting down and doing absolutely nothing.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of restlessness, so I decided to get up and take a bath, hoping it would


    rx me enough to fall back asleep. I quietly made my way to the bathroom, trying not to disturb Luke¡¯s


    peaceful slumber.


    As I turned on the shower, the warm water cascaded down my body, instantly calming my senses. I


    closed my eyes and let out a sigh, finally feeling some sense of peace. Suddenly, I heard the bathroom


    door creak open, and my eyes shot open in surprise.


    There stood Luke, looking at me with a mixture of confusion and concern. ¡°Ariel, what are you doing


    taking a shower in the middle of the night?¡±


    I blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought a shower would help,¡± I replied


    sheepishly.


    Luke¡¯s expression softened, and he stepped closer to me. ¡°Come here,¡± he said, pulling me into his


    arms. I rested my head against his chest, feeling his warm embrace.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± he asked, his voice full of concern.


    I nodded, not wanting to worry him anymore. But as I looked up at him, I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to


    press my lips against his. The moment our lips met, sparks flew, and my heart began to race.


    Luke responded eagerly, deepening the kiss as his hands roamed down my back. I moaned softly,


    completely lost in the moment. His lips were soft and warm, and I just wanted to smooch him all day.


    Still unbelievable.


    The both of us were still kissing when the water from the shower fell on us, adding to the already


    intense sensation. Our bodies pressed against each other, fitting perfectly.


    Our kiss intensified as Luke pressed me against the cold, tiled wall of the shower. I wrapped my arms


    around his neck, pulling him closer to me as he deepened the


    name on the screen. Can¡¯t this man just let me be at peace? I ignored the call, covering myself with the


    sheets, but it kept on ringing.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pick up the phone?¡± Luke asked me, stepping foot in the room. He was already


    dressed, ready for work.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± I answered, my face still covered with the bed sheet.


    ¡°Why not? Is that your ex, or what?¡± He taunted.


    I took the sheet off my face, ring at him, and heughed. The phone ran again, and I wanted to


    smash it to the floor, but I realized that my mother was the one calling. I nced at Luke; he raised an


    eyebrow at me, his arms crossed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to work right now,¡± he told me, as he was about to leave the room. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, hold


    on,¡± I halted him, getting up from the bed. I walked in his direction; he was staring at me like I was


    crazy.


    He narrowed his eyes down to my phone, which was in my hand. ¡°Your phone is ringing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, forget about that,¡± I said right away, ignoring the noise being made on my phone. I even threw it


    on the bed without looking. And the crazy part here was that I had no idea if itnded on the bed or the


    floor.


    I crossed


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    yours?¡±


    my arms, still looking at Luke. ¡°Are you sure about this decision of


    ¡°What decision?¡±


    ¡°You are going to work. Don¡¯t you think you should still get some rest?¡± ¡°Ariel, you don¡¯t have to worry


    about me. I¡¯m totally fine. I got this, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you got this.¡±


    Luke sighed. ¡°Ughh you argue too much.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re so stubborn,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    I turned my face away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    He held both of my hands, and he spoke quietly, ¡°I know you¡¯re only being concerned around here, and


    I really appreciate that. But I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am sure. Now if you excuse me, I have some business stuff to take care of. ¡°He moved


    backwards, leaving the room. He didn¡¯t even blow me a kiss. Oh well,


    158 MIDNIGHT BLISS


    it is what it is.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 159

    159 WELCOME


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I walked into the sleek and modern lobby of mypany, feeling a mix of emotions. It was as if it has


    been almost a week since I arrived here. When technically, it¡¯s just been a day. Thanks to that


    goddamn bullet in my stomach. In fact, thanks to that silly mother of mine. Now as I made my way to


    the elevators, I had to take my mind back to the event that led me to straight to the hospital. It was just


    so fucked up.


    This could just be a regr day at work, or so I thought. Could be boring, could be fantastic, but all I


    could think about right now was Ariel. I didn¡¯t spend much time with her before I left for work.


    I remembered this one time when Ariel had not walked into my life. I was in a meeting with my top


    executives, along with my grandfather, and we were discussing a new project we were working on.


    Suddenly, we heard loud bangsing from outside the conference room. Before I knew it, my body


    was hit with a sharp pain and I fell to the ground. I could vaguely hear the screams and chaos around


    me as my vision blurred and everything turned to ck. That moment was frightening, I thought I was


    going to die. I wanted to give up, but God saved me. And I had to live up my life till this moment.


    Here I was, walking back into mypany, looking great and well. But being honest with myself, I


    could still feel this little pain around my stomach. Yes, I was acting like the pang wasn¡¯t still within me.


    But I got to admit things here, and be honest with myself.


    So, let¡¯s see how this work was going to be, and today was going to turn out. I stepped out of the


    elevator and onto the 20th floor, I was greeted with apuse and cheers. My workers had thrown me a


    wee back party,plete with balloons and a banner that read ¡°Wee back, Luke!¡±


    I was taken aback by the surprise, but I couldn¡¯t help the huge smile that spread across my face. My


    workers had gone through the effort of throwing me this party, even it was only a day I had missed at


    the hospital. I literally had no idea they loved me this much. But I was overwhelmed with gratitude and


    emotion.


    I made my way through the sea of my workers, bombarding with hugs and well wishes. ¡°We¡¯re so d


    you¡¯re back, sir. We heard what happened to you, and we were all worried that you weren¡¯t going to


    make it. But we¡¯re d that you¡¯re alright,¡± one of my workers told me.


    ¡°Oh really,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Thanks, I didn¡¯t spend years or weeks at the hospital. It


    was just a day.¡±


    ¡°We know, sir. But still, we wish for only the best.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°But who told you people about it?¡±


    ¡°Your wife. We called you yesterday since you weren¡¯t around. She was the one who answered the call


    and told us everything.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, why didn¡¯t she tell me about it?¡± I whispered to myself.


    ¡°What is it, sir?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I responded immediately, and looked around. ¡°Thanks for this.¡±


    ¡°It is our pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± I said, and walked from him.


    I finally made it to my office, and there was my assistant, Jack, waiting for me. Wee back, boss!¡±


    He eximed as he handed me a stack of papers. ¡°We were holding down the fort for you, but we¡¯re so


    d you¡¯ve recovered quickly.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his use of ¡°we¡°. No doubt Jack had been my assistant for years, and he


    was more like a brother than an employee.


    ¡°Thanks for everything. But I just got to ask one thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that, sir?¡±


    ¡°How did you guys know I¡¯ll be arriving at thepany today?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, sir. We have our ways.¡± He smirked.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh.¡°You¡¯re right, I shouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    One of my workers stepped foot in the room.¡± Sir, you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s that?¡± I asked, turning around. Who the hell was that person that came to visit me now?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Now looking forward to taking a long, rxing shower before I could step out for work. Yeah maybe I


    should just take another day off.


    The moment I stepped into the warm water, I felt the stress and tiredness ifst night melting away. But


    just as I closed my eyes to fully enjoy the moment, my phone started ringing. I could see the bright


    screen shing with an iing call, and it was Mason. But I refused to answer. This was my time, my


    moment of peace, and I was not going to let that scumbag distract me from it.


    I took a deep breath and let the water wash over me, blocking out the ringing


    phone and any other distractions. I didn¡¯t even know how I was going to answer that man. What was I


    going to tell him now? Cause I was definitely not going on with our n anymore. Little time left, and I


    didn¡¯t know what to do. I wouldn¡¯t want Luke to sign those papers, I didn¡¯t want him to get ruined. And


    on the other hand, I didn¡¯t want my children to get killed. Now how was I going to get out of this one?


    Well anyway, I continued to stand in the warm, soothing water of my shower, and I could have felt


    rxed. But no. That peace was shattered the moment that man began to blow my phone with calls.


    Letting out a frustrated sigh, I reluctantly turned off the water and stepped out, quickly wrapping a towel


    around my body. I made my way to the bathroom counter where my phone was incessantly ringing.


    Extremely annoyed by this nonsense, I picked up my phone and of course, it was the scumbag still


    calling. Icouldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes, and this made me feel like smashing my phone to the floor. d


    I could control this bedvilment. So despite the annoyance, I answered the call, ready to give that man a


    piece of my


    mind.


    ¡°Ariel, you bitch. Why haven¡¯t you been answering my calls?¡± He snarled on the phone.


    ¡®Hey, you better be respectful.¡±


    ¡°I can tell something¡¯s not right. What are you up to now, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me that? I¡¯m just following the n.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°To hell with you and your thinking,¡± I retorted.


    Masonughed. ¡°How¡¯s your rtionship with Luke going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going great, just as you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now all that¡¯s left is for you to get him to sign those papers. Remember, you have two days left.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡±


    ¡°I have to. Because I feel you¡¯ve started having a change of mind, or something.


    ¡°Wow. I have to say, I love your feelings,¡± I told him sarcastically.


    ¡°Keep loving it. And I¡¯m going to love sending both of your kids to the grave.¡± He ended the phone call.


    I let out a deep sigh after that.

 Chapter 160

    160 FELT SO REAL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Getting the information that someone came looking for me, I stepped out of the office, making my way


    out of the building, and then I saw Tiffany standing in front of me. She looked beautiful, dishy, and


    stunning as always, but my expression was far from happy. She hade here now to ruin my peace,


    cause I was definitely not in the mood to talk to her right now. She was obsessed with me, but too bad


    the feeling was not mutual. I made the mistake in the first ce, having sex with her when we just met.


    Now I had to keep my cool with women I crossed path with.


    I was still looking at Tiffany who was rocking a white mini dress, with makeup applied to her face. She


    looked stunningly beautiful, but I chose to ignore her physical appearance and instead focused on what


    she had to say. Yes I was eagerly waiting to hear what she had to say, knowing that it would be really


    captivating. Of course it would be really captivating. Her beauty was captivating, not for me though. We


    should get down to business so we can put an end to this conversation.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, aren¡¯t you doing just fine?¡± Tiffany grinned at me, both of her arms crossed.


    Iughed a little. ¡°Okay Tiff, can you please get straight to the point? I know why you¡¯vee here,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°I know you do. Soe on, let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡±


    I gave her a puzzled face. ¡°And where are we going exactly?¡±


    ¡°To the my parents¡® house. I¡¯ve already told them about you, expecting a baby.¡±


    and that we¡¯re


    ¡°You did what now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I told them this morning. And they want to see you.¡±


    I gave her a skeptical look. ¡°Are you being for real right now?¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°Oh you think I¡¯m joking? Why would I be joking in a situation like this?¡±


    ¡°Joke all you want or not. I¡¯m not doing any shit you tell me. You can be on your way home now. I have


    business to take care of.¡±


    I walked back inside the building, not caring about her reaction. She could even go get an abortion if


    she wanted. I couldn¡¯t be so heartless anyway. I¡¯d get back to


    her maybeter in the day.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I nervously tapped my foot as I waited for Mason to arrive at the coffee shop. I knew this meeting was


    going to be intense, and I was already regretting agreeing to it. But ! had no choice. Mason had


    threatened to harm my children if I didn¡¯t go through with our n..


    Just as I was about to give up and leave, Mason walked in with a stern look on his face. I stered on


    a fake smile and gestured for him to sit down.


    Mason sat down and leaned in close. ¡°We need to discuss our n. It¡¯s been going well, right?¡± he


    asked, his tone serious. And that re right there, could kill somebody.


    I shifted ufortably in my seat. ¡°Well, I¡­I¡¯ve been working on it. But I think it¡¯s going to take some


    more time. Luke is not an easy target,¡± I stammered, trying toe up with an excuse.


    Mason¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, Ariel. Remember, we have a deadline, which is


    the next two days. I need you to be fast about it,¡± he said, his voice low and threatening.


    I swallowed hard. I knew I had to tell him the truth, but I was afraid of his reaction. ¡°Mason, listen. I¡¯ve


    been thinking¡­maybe we should just forget about the n. I don¡¯t want to hurt Luke. I¡­I think I¡¯ve


    fallen in love with him,¡± I blurted out, my voice trembling.


    Mason¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What? Are you kidding me, Ariel? This is not a game. We need t. You


    can¡¯t just back out at thest minute!¡± he eximed, his voice rising.


    Tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mason. But I can¡¯t do this. I won¡¯t hurt Luke,¡± I said, my voice


    firm.


    Mason¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°You think you have a choice? You know what I¡¯m capable of, Ariel. I¡¯ll


    kill your children if you don¡¯t get this done,¡± he threatened, his eyes glinting with malice.


    I felt a lump form in my throat. I knew I had to do something to protect my children. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it. But I


    need more time,¡± I pleaded, my voice shaking.


    Mason leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk on his face. ¡°Good. I knew you¡¯de to your


    senses. But remember, time is running out. Don¡¯t disappoint me, Ariel,¡± he said, before getting up and


    leaving the coffee shop.


    I sat there for a few minutes, feeling defeated and trapped. I knew I had to go. through with the n,


    but I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of hurting Luke. As I


    walked out of the coffee shop, I made a silent promise to myself. I would find a way to get out of this


    mess, and I would protect my children no matter what. Lost in thoughts, I slowly walked into, and then I


    had to scream the moment a car


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold. Mrs. Reynold,¡± Tina tapped me, snapping me out of my imagination.


    I looked around. ¡°It was all a dream?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Uhmm, I have no idea what you were dreaming about. But you were all sweaty and shaky, and it had


    me worried,¡± Tina said to me.


    I took a deep breath and sat up straight. ¡°It wasn¡¯t real,¡± I replied, trying to calm myself down.


    Tina gave me a concerned look. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    I chuckled, trying to brush off the lingering fear. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bad shit.. Can you hand me a ss of


    water, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± Tina spoke, getting up from her chair and walking towards the kitchen.


    As she handed me the ss of water, I couldn¡¯t help but rey the imagination in my head. It felt so


    real, like I was living in a different reality. I took a sip of water and tried to shake off the unsettling


    feeling.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Tina asked, taking a seat next to me.


    I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to spill anything. But I knew Tina wouldn¡¯t stop pestering me until


    I told her. I wasn¡¯t going to talk anyway.¡±


    ¡°So, Miss Reynold, aren¡¯t going to tell me about this dream of yours?


    I shook my head, letting out a sigh.¡°Nothing actually. It¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°And yet it had you shaking uncontrobly.¡±


    I threw her a skeptical look.¡± I¡¯m not quite sure about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡® Her tone was teasing.


    ¡°Yes Tina. You can get back to work now,¡± I told her harshly. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m taking a nap


    this morning. I should go see how thepany¡¯sing along since Andre came back.¡±


    ¡°Andre? Who¡¯s that?¡± Tina asked.


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°Tina, you don¡¯t have to stick your nose in


    760 FELT SO REAL


    everything, okay? Just go back to the kitchen and mind your business,¡± I told her


    before walking away.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 161

    161 MEETING UP WITH THE FAMILY


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I arrived at Tiffany¡¯s house¨Cnot actually her house, her parents¡® house¨Cand I had no idea what to


    expect, but I definitely wasn¡¯t prepared for what I saw. I had agreed for her to take me to see them and


    talk about this whole pregnancy stuff. But I wasn¡¯t too happy about this. It¡¯s my fault anyway.


    The moment we pulled up to the massive gate, I was quite surprised. I was really, really surprised. The


    building was mountainous, just like mine. And here I was, thinking she wasn¡¯t in my status. I thought


    she was just an averagedy, middle¨Css, and normal. But I guess I was just wrong. Why didn¡¯t she


    live with her parents? Why was she residing in a different location?


    Tiffany noticed the expression on my face and ced a hand on my knee. ¡°What¡¯s with that face? Are


    you surprised with what you see?¡±


    I sighed, shaking my head, not giving her a response to her question. She understood my silence


    perfectly, so she turned her face away, looking in another direction.


    I stopped my car, and we both left as the gates slowly opened. I was still startled by the sight before


    me. The driveway was lined with perfectly manicuredwns and flower beds. The mansion in front of us


    was three stories tall, with a grand entrance and a balcony overlooking the front yard.


    I couldn¡¯t believe her parents owned this ce. I turned to her. ¡°Wow, howe you never told me you


    were this wealthy?¡±


    Tiffany chuckled at my question. ¡°You never gave me a chance to.


    I nodded. ¡°Oh right.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because you just considered me to be your¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I totally understand. You don¡¯t have to tell me that, alright?¡±


    ¡°You knew what I was going to say?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go inside,¡± she said, holding my hand. I gave her an unfriendly look, and she quickly took


    her hand off mine.


    We made our way towards the entrance, and I was still not happy about this meeting. Hold on, why did


    the hell did I even agree to this shit? Oh right, I didn¡¯t want her to start thinking like I was some


    heartless man or something.


    I took a deep breath the moment we entered the house. I was greeted by a grand foyer with a crystal


    chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls were adorned with expensive paintings, and the floors


    were made of marble.


    ¡°Tiffany, darling, you¡¯re back!¡± A woman¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts.


    161 MEETING UP WITH THE FAMILY


    2/4


    I turned to see a woman in a designer suit walking towards us with open arms. Tiffany ran to her, and


    they embraced in a hug.


    ¡°Mom, this is Luke. Luke, meet my mother, Mrs. Elviro.¡± Tiffany introduced us.


    ¡°Elviro? That name sounds really familiar,¡± I said inaudibly to myself.


    ¡°You said what?¡± Tiffany turned to me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡°I replied, shaking my head. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Elviro.¡± I shook hands


    with her.


    ¡°Oh, please call me Veronica. I¡¯ve heard so much about you, Luke Reynold.¡± She smiled at me and


    turned to Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, dear, you can please take this man inside the house now. We¡¯ll need to get


    this discussion started as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Okay, mother,¡± Tiffany nodded and turned to me. Luke,e on.¡± She walked, and I treaded behind


    her.


    Every room was tastefully decorated with expensive furniture and art pieces. She was really this


    wealthy; it was still kind of surprising. But I shouldn¡¯t even be thinking about that right now. We just


    need to get straight to business.


    Settling in the living room, this young man walked in our direction, with some of his fellows behind him.


    He wasn¡¯t putting on a shirt, and his body was filled with tattoos. I didn¡¯t know why, but I didn¡¯t just like


    that sh*t. Tattoos were not my thing.


    ¡°Luke, meet my younger brother, Todd.¡± Tiffany introduced me to him.


    ¡°Hey Tiff, who¡¯s the new guy?¡± Todd asked with a smirk.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°This is Luke, the man that I told you guys about earlier today.¡±


    Todd raised his eyebrow. ¡°And when did you do that?¡±


    She shot him a nce that made it look like he was absurd. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t care less.¡± He shrugged and walked away, along with his fellow.


    ¡°Your brother looks like a gangster,¡± I told Tiffany.


    She shook her head with a sigh. ¡°What can I say? That¡¯s his life.¡±


    ¡°Tiffany, my beautiful daughter, you¡¯re back.¡± This man moved closer to the both of us, smiling, and


    then he hugged Tiffany. It was her father.


    ¡°Luke, meet my father,¡± Tiffany told me, smiling delightfully.


    ¡°Luke Reynold? What a great thing to see you! I¡¯m Manuel.¡± He shook hands with me.


    ¡°Wait, Manuel. Like, Manuel Elviro?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Manuel Elviro. And you¡¯ve heard about me. There was a time when I wanted to work on a


    161 MEETING UP WITH THE FAMILY


    project with you. But I changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why exactly?¡±


    Manuelughed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°So, hold on. You¡¯re Manuel Elviro; that means your daughter is¡­¡±


    3/4


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± I heard her voice, and I turned around. It was Bethany, just as I thought. And I was really


    surprised to find out that she was Tiffany¡¯s sister. So many shocks areing at once. How nice was


    that?


    Bethany¡¯s expression changed the moment she saw me. ¡°What is this man doing here?¡±


    ¡°Who? Luke?¡± Manuel asked.


    Bethany¡¯s dark look on me didn¡¯t fade one bit. ¡°Yes, Luke. What the hell is he doing here?¡±


    ¡°Easy, sis,¡± Tiffany said, and I moved to her, fixing her hand on my chest and the other around my neck.


    ¡°This is Luke, the father of this baby I¡¯m carrying right here.¡± She rubbed her tummy.


    Bethanyughed. ¡°Let me get things straight around here. You literally let this man get in between your


    legs?¡±


    Tiffany¡¯s smile toward Bethany vanished. ¡°Can you please be respectful?¡±


    ???


    ¡°I can¡¯t even waste any more time around here. I¡¯ll be in my room, just in case anyone¡¯s looking for


    me.¡± Bethany walked away.


    ¡°Okay, Luke. We don¡¯t have much time because I have somewhere to be headed right now. So please,


    take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you.¡± I smiled at him and sat down. Veronica showed up in the living room.


    ¡°So, Luke Reynold. Our daughter right here has told us that the both of you are expecting a baby.¡±


    ¡°That was what she told you?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, any problem with that?¡± Veronica asked me calmly.


    ¡°Not really. But I just need to make things clear around here.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Before you say anything, we¡¯d like to let you know that we want the both of you to get married


    any time soon,¡± Veronica told me.


    I looked at her for a moment, and Iughed a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luke. You will have to get married to our daughter to make her pregnant.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You do know I¡¯m married, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, you should have thought of that before you went ahead to have sex with Tiffany.¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t get it. I wasn¡¯t¡­.¡± I paused immediately and shook my head. ¡°Ugh nevermind.¡±


    161 MEETING UP WITH THE FAMILY


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± Manuel said harshly, crossing his arms. ¡°Are you trying to tell us that you don¡¯t want to


    take responsibility for Tiffany¡¯s child?¡°

 Chapter 162

    162 A GLANCE ONCE AGAIN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    And we


    want Tiffany to be my wife because I already had one, but they wouldn¡¯t want to listen to me. Fuck that!


    I had made a promise to my grandfather concerning treating Ariel like a princess, but doing this with


    Tiffany might just ruin that vow. I could take responsibility for her child, but marrying her? It is definitely


    not an option. How the hell was I even going to have two wives? There was definitely no way I was


    going to divorce Ariel.


    that ¡°sull in


    the living room, still carrying out this discussion. I was trying to convince them


    So I had to tell them my feelings before storming out of the house. Yes, that was just it. They kept on


    insisting that I should get married to their daughter because their family doesn¡¯t ept things like that.


    To hell with their family sh*t or whatever. I would take care of that baby, but I was not going to be


    Tiffany¡¯s husband. That¡¯s my decision; I wouldn¡¯t be changing it. Not in this life.


    ¡°Luke, where are you going?¡± Tiffany asked loudly, marching behind me. I refused to answer her, and


    as I got closer to my car, she seized my hand.


    ¡°Let go!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°What in the world is wrong with you?¡± She asked coldly.


    ¡°Go tell your parents that.¡±


    ¡°Go tell my parents that. How disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s disrespectful, huh? And you were saying that to me.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Luke. Why do you have to be such a mad ass?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad; I¡¯m just letting you guys get some things around here. I can¡¯t be your husband.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m married,¡± I replied loudly.


    ta


    ¡°Well then, get a divorce.¡±


    ¡°A divorce? Can you hear yourself right now?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Tiffany wanted to lengthen the conversation, but I had to stop her. It was of no use if we continued


    talking. I drove away, not wanting to get involved in this anymore. But I knew it wasn¡¯t over. Hell no, the


    sh*t was just getting started. But still, no one was going to control me. You try to ruin my reputation.


    You¡¯ll only be fooling yourself.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre and I stood at the airport, waiting for Seth and Michael to arrive. Andre was the one who took me


    here; we both had been standing for minutes, talking about all kinds of stuff¨Cthe little children, Lukel


    and Janice, business talk, along with others.


    162 A GLANCE ONCE AGAIN


    213


    So, after quite some time, we spotted Michael and Seth. When they had gotten closer, I went to


    wee them with a tight hand again. Michael was the one I embraced first, since he was a funny guy.


    Scott, on the other hand, always had that frowny face, but still, I weed him. I missed both of them.


    The four of us made a good team; no one could deny that. d we were back.


    Andre walked to us with a huge smile on his face. He shook hands with Mason as well as greeting


    them. Funny talks took ce, and so many more until we left the airport.


    ?Seth.


    We all settled info Andre¡¯s car; he turned on the radio, and we all started singing along to thetest pop


    hits. Seth, however, sat in the back with his arms crossed, not joining in on the fun.


    ¡°Come on, Seth! Sing with us!¡± I called out, trying to get him to loosen up.


    But he just shook his head and muttered something about not wanting to embarrass himself. Michael


    and I exchanged a look and burst intoughter. Seth was always the serious one, no kidding. But we


    loved him for it.


    As we continued to sing and joke around, Andr¨¦ suddenly turned off the radio and said, ¡°Okay, enough


    of that. Let¡¯s y a game!¡®


    We all groaned, knowing howpetitive Andr¨¦ could be. He was a pro when it came topetitions


    like this. I remember back then in Canada when we would just sit down at the office, bored as hell, so


    we would start ying games and all that. Now we were about to relive that moment. So we agreed,


    and Andr¨¦ started the game.


    ¡°Okay, the rules are simple,¡± he told us. ¡°I¡¯ll say a word, and you have to say the first word thates


    to mind. Let¡¯s start with pizza.¡±


    ¡°Cheese!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°Pepperoni!¡± Michael joined in.


    ¡°Yuck,¡± Seth muttered.


    We allughed and continued with the game,ing up with the most random words andughing


    until our stomachs hurt. It was moments like these that reminded me why I loved spending time with


    these guys.


    When we got close to our destination, Andr¨¦ suddenly turned serious. ¡°Guys, I have something


    important to tell you.¡±


    We all listened attentively as he exined a new business project that hade his way, and then my


    phone began to ring. It was Mason. I declined the phone call, but he called again. I refused to answer,


    then I got a message on my phone from Mason.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering my calls?¡± Said the text.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy right now. We¡¯ll talkter,¡± I replied, while Andre continued telling us about the business


    project. My mind wasn¡¯t settled anymore. My joyful face had faded all because of Mason, and I was just


    quiet while the others were lively in the car. Well, except for Seth.


    162 A GLANCE ONCE AGAIN


    30


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked me slowly.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± I answered in a whisper, and I let out a deep sigh, covering my face. I could tell Andre


    was stealing nces at me. But she refused to ask me a damn thing.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My stomach growled loudly as I drove down the deserted highway. A cozy diner with a flickering neon


    sign caught my eye, reading ¡°Maggie¡¯s Diner: Home Cooking at Its Best.¡± I decided it was time to refuel


    both my cat and myself, so I parked my dusty old pickup outside and stepped into the warm, inviting


    glow of the diner.


    The sizzling of pans and murmured conversations filled the air as I settled into a worn booth by the


    window. A friendly waitress, wearing a vintage apron and a warm smile, handed me a menu. I scanned


    the options, my mouth watering at the thought of a hearty meal.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, I ordered Maggie¡¯s famous meatloaf with mashed potatoes and


    gravy, a side of buttery corn on the cob, and a slice of homemade apple pie for dessert. As I waited, I


    watched theings and goings of the locals, the clinking of silverware, and theforting hum of the


    ce.


    When my meal arrived, the aroma was divine, and the first bite of the savory meatloaf melted in my


    mouth. The buttery potatoesplemented the dish perfectly, and the sweetness of the corn added a


    delightful contrast. As I savored each bite, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for stumbling upon this


    hidden gem of a diner.


    After finishing my meal, I paid the bill and thanked the waitress for the delicious food and warm


    hospitality. With a contented smile, I stood up, and as I was about to leave, my eyes caught someone


    moving in my direction. I couldn¡¯t believe it. Well, I could believe it since I was informed that she had


    broken out of prison. And you now know who I was talking about. It was Harriet.

 Chapter 163

    163 RECALLING THE ACHE


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I took a deep breath as I held the door open for Harriet, my heart pounding with excitement. This was


    our first date since we both met, and I wanted it to be perfect. As we stepped into the elegant


    restaurant, Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in awe.


    ¡°Wow, this ce is amazing,¡± she said, looking around at the crystal chandeliers and the intricate


    decorations.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± I replied with a smile, feeling relieved that she was impressed with my choice


    of venue.


    As we were led to our table, I couldn¡¯t help but admire Harriet¡¯s beauty. Her long, dark hair cascaded


    down her back, and her emerald green eyes were sparkling with excitement. I felt lucky to have her by


    my side.


    Settling into our seats, I ordered a bottle of her favorite wine, and we began to catch up on each other¡¯s


    lives. We talked about our jobs, our families, and our dreams for the future. It felt like no time had


    passed since west saw each other.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Luke,¡± Harriet said, taking my hand in hers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, Harriet,¡± I replied, my heart fluttering at her touch.


    The food arrived, and we savored each bite, lost in our own world ofughter and conversation. But as


    the night went on, I couldn¡¯t shake off the nervousness that had been building up inside me. I knew I


    had to make this night memorable.


    ¡°Harriet, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you,¡± I said, taking a deep breath.


    She looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. ¡°What is it, Luke?¡±


    I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Her eyes widened in surprise as I opened it


    to reveal a beautiful diamond ne.


    ¡°Harriet, I want you to know that I love you more than anything. I¡¯d love to spend more beautiful


    moments with you. My heart beats for no one else but you,¡± I told her with so much passion.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw her arms around me. I gave her the diamond ne, and


    we shared a passionate kiss, our hearts overflowing with love.


    The other diners around us pped and cheered, and we couldn¡¯t help butugh and bask in the


    moment. It was the perfect ending to a perfect night.


    The moment we walked out of the restaurant hand in hand, I was already seeing the bright and


    wonderful future that we were going to spend together. Harriet looked at me with love and gratitude


    163 RECALLING THE ACHE


    in her eyes.


    2/3


    ¡°Thank you for the most amazing night, Luke. I can¡¯t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,¡± she


    said, her voice full of emotion.


    I smiled and squeezed her hand. ¡°I love you, Harriet. Always and forever.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Where are we going next?¡± Harriet asked with a curious smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± replied, leading her towards the park nearby.


    Walking towards the park, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for this moment. It had been a rough one for


    us, with our busy schedules and conflicting priorities. And also, Ariel¡¯s crap family wants me to


    get


    married to her. But tonight, I wasn¡¯t thinking about all those. It was just me and my beautiful woman. I


    hadn¡¯t gotten married to Ariel, and I hoped I wasn¡¯t going to.


    When we reached a clearing, Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. The night sky was lit up with


    colorful fireworks, dancing and sparkling in the air.


    ¡°Luke, this is beautiful!¡± Harriet eximed, her hand tightening in mine.


    ¡°I wanted to do something special for you, to make up for all the time we¡¯ve missed,¡± I said, looking.


    into her eyes.


    Harriet turned to face me, her eyes shining with tears. ¡°You always know how to make me feel loved,¡±


    she said, before pulling me in for a kiss.


    We stood there, watching the fireworks and basking in the moment, lost in our own world. As thest


    firework faded away, I knew that this night would be etched in our memories forever.


    As we made our way back to the car, Harriet couldn¡¯t stop gushing about how perfect the night had


    been.


    ¡°Thank you for everything, Luke. I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better night,¡± she said, resting her head. on


    my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m just d I could make you happy,¡± I replied, my heart filled with joy.


    Driving her back home, bliss reigned within me. The passion in the heart is shining so brightly. Making


    unforgettable memories with the love of my life was the only thing in my head right now.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    Harriet advanced towards me, her ck hoodie pulled tightly around her, and I just hoped she was


    feeling a pang of regret at this point. Standing rip


    here and seeing her again brought back. memories of our once¨Chappy rtionship. How she smiled.


    But I wondered if she could feel a sense of guilt for what she had done to me. I watched her as she


    reached out to cover her head with her hoodie, obviously hiding from the cops. And trust me, I was not


    happy to see her.


    I remembered the days that were so sweet, blissful moments, wonderful times; our love was our beat.


    The way her smile lit up the room and how my heart would start to bloom. Those beautiful asions


    when we danced in the moonlight¡¯s glow, lost in each other, with the thought that our love would


    163 RECALLING THE ACHE


    3/3


    grow. Those moments were the real deal; they were pure and true, and I thought forever it¡¯d be just


    the two of us.


    But then the truth came to light, and my heart shattered with all its might. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had


    heard or what I saw. The pain burned like a fiery bird. She cheated and betrayed my trust, and at that


    moment, our love turned to dust. I couldn¡¯t understand; I couldn¡¯t see how she could do something so


    disgusting, how she went ahead to deceive me, lying down in the bed of lies.


    Still, even in the midst of all the pain, I couldn¡¯t help but remember the love we had gained. The


    memories flooded back. Of all the moments we shared, the good and the bad, I remember the way her


    hand felt in mine and how herughter was like a sweet wine. I remembered the way she looked at me


    with love and adoration, so pure and free.


    But I also recalled the ache in my heart¨Cthe pain that came with her cheating sights. And though I tried


    to forget and move on, the memories of her lingered on. For she was once my everything. But now, she


    was just a painful sting.


    eves a


    She could obviously see the hurt and anger in my I remembered the moments we had shared together


    and the love we had once felt. But it was all shattered when she cheated on me, ruining our


    rtionship. Even when she stood there, I knew for a fact that her heart was not heavy with regret. The


    damage was already done, and now the both of us just stood still, staring at each other with nk


    expressions.


    164 FIRM ABOUT IT

 Chapter 164

    164 FIRM ABOUT IT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I stood there, aching inside, as I gazed at Harriet, who was still standing and staring at me, like we


    were both hypnotized. But it was darkness all over here. The memory of her betrayal lingered like a


    bitter taste in my mouth. We locked eyes, no words passing between us, just the weight of unspoken


    truths hanging heavily in the air. The silence spoke volumes, echoing the shattered trust and the pain


    that now stood between us.


    was


    As I looked into Harriet¡¯s eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of emotions swirling within me. There


    anger, yes, but also a deep sense of sadness and disappointment. When she had carried out that sh*t,


    I went ahead to ask myself how she could have done this to me. How could she have shattered the


    foundation of trust that we had built over the years? Yeah, those good¨Cfor¨Cnothing thoughts flooded my


    head.


    The diner buzzed with activity around us, oblivious to the silent turmoil that enveloped Harriet and me.


    It was as if time had frozen, trapping us in this moment of confrontation and quiet despair. The clinking


    of dishes and the murmur of distant conversations all faded into the background as we continued to


    stand there, locked in our wordless exchange.


    In this picture, things were literally messed up. I could now see the flicker of regret in Harriet¡¯s eyes, a


    shadow of remorse that danced across her features. But it was toote for apologies now. The damage


    had been done, with irreparable cracks forming in the once¨Csolid bond that held us together. I wanted


    to speak, to disy my anger, to unleash the torrent of emotions that threatened to consume me. But


    something held me back-a strange sense of resignation that settled over me like a heavy shroud.


    In this moment, I realized that words would not be enough to mend what had been broken between us.


    The trust that had been shattered could not be easily pieced back together. Our silence spoke louder


    than any words ever could, a poignant reminder of the rift that has existed between us ever since I


    found out about her unworthy acts.


    And right here, right now, as the weight of our shared history pressed down on me, I knew that those


    moments would forever be etched in my memory. The pain of betrayal, the ache of lost trust¨Cthey


    would linger long after we parted ways. And so we stood there, two figures in a crowded diner, bound


    by our past and the unspoken words that hung between us like a heavy fog


    but I


    As Harriet approached me, I couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. I knew she wanted to talk to me, was


    definitely not going to let that happen. I didn¡¯t want to engage in any conversation with her. In fact, I


    didn¡¯t even want to be near her. The thought of having to interact with her was really sick, and it was


    extremely ufortable. I took another step back, hoping she would get the hint and leave me alone. I


    didn¡¯t want that piece of trashing close to me. In fact, I should even call the police and tell them


    what the fuck I was seeing.


    The fire


    in my hea


    my heart was still burning, and it was not love. It was pure hate that churned for this woman who once


    held my heart, but then, with those days passing by, our love was torn apart, wrecked, demolished,


    ruined, broken like shattered sses, and could never be the way it used to be.


    164 FIRM ABOUT IT


    2/3


    I remembered when Harriet used to be my everything, my wonderful light, brightening my life and


    making me feel like I was in heaven. Great moments of bliss, but she chose to cheat and take flight,


    leaving me shattered with a pain that I couldn¡¯t withstand at that time.


    I trusted her with all my being, but she yed games, her lies deceiving, with a pain so exhrating. I


    gave her my all; my love was so true, but she chose to betray me, so what could I do? Throw her


    goddamn ass out of my life, and I followed through with it¨Ca perfect decision I made. Yes, I couldn¡¯t


    regret it at all.


    The memories haunted me those times, day and night, when I would wake up. Oh, the love we shared


    was so beautiful, but too bad it was now out of sight. And the pain still remained, along with the anger.


    A constant reminder of my love that went in vain in the end.


    I could curse her name with every breath for causing me such immense distress. My heart was now


    filled with intense rage towards this ravishing woman who once held my gaze. Oh, how she left me


    wounded, all because some love had me blinded. Piece of crap.


    So let the fire in my heart burn for this woman who caused me to yearn. It had me burning in pain, and I


    swear it felt like hell. A love that was once pure and true ended up in pain and intense hatred.


    Something that could never be forgotten. Because it took eight years to build such a rtionship, and


    everything went down the drain in the end. The fault was with both of us. The me was on her,


    though, and I would also consider myself to be part of it.


    Harriet fastened her pace, while I just stood still, watching her. Enough was enough; let¡¯s get things


    done around here. And the moment she got closer to me, we gazed at each other for quite a few


    seconds.


    ¡°Luke, my love. It¡¯s actually a nice thing to see you once again.¡± Harriet smiled at me.


    ¡°You broke out of prison. That¡¯s actually shocking of you,¡± I told her, my expression not softening one


    bit. ¡°And by the way, do not call me your love.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Have you forgotten about the lovely moments we spent together?¡±


    ¡°And have you forgotten how you were cheating on me the whole time?¡± I retorted.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sheughed. ¡°If you hate me so much, then why did youe to visit me in prison?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know myself.¡±


    me.¡±


    ¡°I think I do. It¡¯s because you still love me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to fool yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You know I can call the cops on you right now?¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°Because you love me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happening.¡±


    164 FIRM ABOUT IT


    3/3


    Harriet¡¯s smirk turned into a frown as she realized I wasn¡¯t going to give in to her. I couldn¡¯t let her get


    to me again. I couldn¡¯t let her weasel her way back into my life. That would be so stupid.


    ¡°Luke, please¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean it, Harriet. Don¡¯t show up in my life again,¡± I said firmly, trying to keep my emotions in check.


    ¡°But I need you, Luke. I have nowhere else to go.


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem anymore.¡± I turned away and started walking away from her.


    ¡°Luke, wait!¡± She called after me. But I ignored her and made my way to the car. She should be d I


    didn¡¯t even call the cops on her.

 Chapter 165

    165 ACT FAST


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1/3


    I pushed open the heavy oak door of the bustling catery, feeling the warmth of the cozy interior envelop


    me like a familiar hug. My eyes scanned the room, searching for Mason. Spotting an empty table near


    the window, I made my way towards it, the sounds of clinking cutlery and murmured conversations


    filling the air.


    Taking a seat, I pulled out my phone to check the time. Of course, the scumbag was running a few


    minuteste, and it was really galling. I leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers on the worn


    wooden surface. The soft glow of the afternoon sun bathed the room in a golden hue.


    A server approached my table with a warm smile on his face. ¡°Can I get you something to drink while


    you wait?¡± he asked. I ordered a cappino and settled back, watching the world outside the window


    pass by.


    ¡°Okay, miss. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have some orange juice as well.¡±


    ¡°Okie dokie. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± The server winked at me before walking to get my order. It


    didn¡¯t take long before he came back with my order. He was fast, and I would rate him five stars for


    that.


    I sipped on my cappino, enjoying the creamy foam on my lips, and the server returned with my


    orange juice. ¡°Here you go, miss. And my name is Max, by the way. Just in case you need anything


    else. ¡°He shed a charming smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his attempt at flirting. ¡°Thank you, Max. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± I replied,


    trying to keep my tone light and friendly.


    ¡°So, waiting for someone?¡± Max asked, leaning casually against the table.


    I nodded, not wanting to go into any details with a stranger. ¡°Yes, yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s a lucky guy to have such a beautifuldy like you waiting for him.¡± Max¡¯s¡¯eyes roamed over


    my face, making me feel slightly ufortable.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Iughed again, trying to brush off hispliments. ¡°You¡¯re quite the charmer, Max. But I think you


    should stick to serving tables.¡±


    Max chuckled, running a hand through his messy hair. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But if you ever need a


    break from this person, you know where to find me.¡± He winked before walking away to attend to


    other customers.


    I shook my head with a smile, amused by his shameless flirting. I took a sip of my orange juice and


    checked the time again. Mason was now fifteen minuteste. I sighed, feeling really annoyed with this.


    He was the one who had called me to meet him here, but now he was nowhere to be found. That man


    just loved doing sh*t; he kept thinking I was his puppet or something. Well, he was wrong about


    165 ACT FAST


    2/3


    that. This was just a n that was supposed to be carried out by the both of us in the first ce. Since


    he wanted revenge for his girlfriend, and I wanted vengeance for myself, But the scumbag had to


    switch things up; now he was acting like the boss of me.


    My phone buzzed with a text message. It was Luke asking me where I was and if I was still at work. I


    laughed softly and asked the same question. His reply came really fast, and it was a yes. I texted him


    that I was busy at the moment and would get back to him when I was done.


    I sat back in my chair, letting out a deep sigh. But I would be really d if Mason didn¡¯t show up. I didn¡¯t


    want to waste any more of my time and energy on someone so worthless. And if he doesn¡¯t show up


    any time soon, I¡¯m leaving here.¡±


    The moment I finished my drink and asked for the check, Max came back to my table with a warm


    smile. ¡°Everything okay, miss?¡±


    I nodded, smiling back at him. ¡°Yes, thank you. Can I get the check, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡± Max handed me the bill, but before I could reach for my wallet, he ced his hand on top


    of mine. ¡°On the house, for the beautifuldy.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his gesture. ¡°Thank you, Max. But I insist on paying.¡±


    He shook his head, his smile widening. ¡°Consider it a thank you for making my shift more enjoyable.¡±


    He winked again before walking away, leaving me with a warm feeling in my heart.


    ¡°It looks like that guy is in love.¡± I heard Mason¡¯s voice, so I quickly turned around. Yes, he stood


    behind me.


    ¡°You finally came. I thought you weren¡¯t going to show up,¡± I said to him.


    ¡°But here I am.¡± He smirked and nced at the server immediately, raising his own hand. ¡°I think I¡¯ll


    need something to eat!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mason. What¡¯s the deal? Why do you keep blowing my phone with calls?¡±


    ¡°And why do you keep on ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve got things to do. I¡¯ve got projects to take care of.¡±


    Mason let out a disbelieving sigh. ¡°Projects. That¡¯s your excuse, now?


    ¡°You think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°Well, go to hell.¡± I retorted and got to my feet, but Mason strenuously seized my hands, shaking the


    table, making such a noise that we almost stole everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Sit down; we are not done yet.¡±


    ¡°What is there that¡¯s left to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Our n,¡± Mason said, standing up and moving his face closer to me. With his dark, cautious tone,


    165 ACT FAST


    3/3


    he said, ¡°You better act fast, Ariel. And if you try to act smart, I swear your children will pay for your


    foolishness.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop ring at him, and then heughed. ¡°So, you better make sure you get Luke to sign


    those papers. And do that as soon as possible. You keep giving excuses. But when it¡¯s deadline, I¡¯m


    not going to listen to another of your bullshit.¡± Mason let go of my hand before walking away. I glimpsed


    at Max, who was just staring at me. I exhaled deeply after that.


    So,ter on, I went home to take a shower, and I also needed to rx. Tomorrow, a meeting will take


    ce at the Vitality Company. And tomorrow would also be the day when Andr¨¦ makes Hannah a part


    of thepany. It would be a special day, and tomorrow, of course, was my deadline. Getting Luke to


    sign those papers was not on my mind. I didn¡¯t want to ruin him.


    I stood in front of the shower, feeling the steamy water hitting my face. All I wanted right now was to


    rx and wash away the stress of the day. Slowly, I reached for the tie of my robe, taking a deep


    breath before loosening it and letting the silky fabric fall to the ground.


    The cool air hit my bare skin, causing goosebumps to form. I stepped into the shower, the warm water


    instantly enveloping me. I closed my eyes, letting the water run down my body, washing away all my


    worries. With each passing second, I felt the tension in my muscles gradually release. I took my time,


    savoring the feeling of the water cascading over me.


    It was a moment of pure bliss¨Cjust me and the soothing sound of the water. The moment I opened my


    eyes, they widened when I saw Luke leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

 Chapter 166

    166 PERFECT TOUCH


    1/3


    166 PERFECT TOUCH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Still standing in the bathroom, I did nothing but watch Luke as he stepped into the shower. The warm


    water moved down his toned body, causing his muscles to glisten. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away as he


    moved closer to me, his eyes locked onto mine. Suddenly, he reached out and wrapped his strong arm


    around my waist pulling me closer to him.


    It was a perfect touch, as I could feel his suit against my damp skin, the heat from the shower, and his


    body enveloping me. I could say he wanted me badly, because I wanted him as well. The feeling could


    be mutual, probably. And we both stood still, our bodies pressed together, as we looked into each


    other¡¯s eyes like never before. Right here, right now, I knew that this was just the beginning of


    something special between us.


    And I stood here, right in this bathroom,pletely naked, with the feeling that I was vulnerable, while


    Luke¡¯s eyes roamed over my body. But at the same time, his intense gaze filled me with a sense of


    desire I had never felt before. It was really mesmerizing. We continued to look into each other¡¯s eyes


    without saying a word as he slowly took off his suit. My feet moved really fast, like they were going with


    the speed of light, and I could feel the heat rising between us. I was mesmerized by the way he moved,


    each movement purposeful and deliberate.


    Indeed, I felt this perfect sense of longing as I watched him get ready for the actions we were about to


    follow through with. And while he continued to face me, eyes still locked on each other, a small smile


    yed right on his lips, and I couldn¡¯t resist the urge any longer. I closed the slight distance between us


    and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into a passionate kiss.


    With our bodies still pressing against each other, our eyes were still locked in a silent understanding.


    This connection was more than just physical; it was absolutely amazing¨Csomething deeper and more


    powerful. And we continued to kiss, our tongues moving together with great passion right there.


    In this great moment of our embrace, the passion ignited, setting a fire aze. Our lips meeting in a


    kiss so tender, desire ring, bodies surrendering, hearts beating, the spark galvanizing. Yes, with


    every touch, a wonderful spark is born. The passion materialized, with the feelings adorned. Our


    fingers entwined, my heart still beating fast, and I could say the same¨Cabout him. The flow was going


    pretty well, with perfect harmony, making it look like time had stood still, as if everyone had gone out of


    the world, with the seconds freezing. I wanted this moment to be a longsting one, and so did he, so


    we would relish every second of it.


    His lips were amazing; they were like petals, soft and sweet, marvelous and delightful. The seconds


    went on, and with this amazing symphony of passion, the heart was beating. His breath was warm


    against my skin, and I could lose myself in this passionate spin. His touch was like fire, igniting,


    enkindling, and lighting up my soul. A me that burned out of control could even make me lose


    control. His kisses were like drugs, so I couldn¡¯t resist, euphoric high that I couldn¡¯t persist in.


    No doubt I was lost in the moment; my heart and soul were sinking in passion, submerging in


    delectation, for he had embossed. With every kiss, he could set me free from the stress, and I could


    166 PERFECT TOUCH


    2/3


    just hope our passion goes a long way,sting for eternity, if that was possible. The gilt¨CedgedC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    passion kept on materializing in every touch, because it was simply incredible. And it was clear that we


    were both drowning in this love, much like a rocket to paradise. His kisses were like magical spells,


    casting them right on me. For in each embrace, all doubts dispel.


    So let the love be like a fire, burning brightly with passionate desire. In his arms, I could say I had found


    a restful home. Let my heart roam; this was the unblemished moment.


    The moment was so amazing, I didn¡¯t even know it was going to turn out like this. The warm water


    continued moving down our bodies, wetting us up as we were still in the shower, kissing each other


    with such passion and intensity.


    Luke¡¯s grip didn¡¯te to an end; his hands were still wrapped around my waist, though the fingers


    were intertwined. Still, the fervent hold came back, and our lips continued to stir together in perfect


    harmony. My body trembled, shaking with desire, as I waspletely lost in the superheated moment.


    His touch was electric, sending great dithers down my spine with every caress.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft moan as his lips trailed down my neck, igniting more mes within me.


    We werepletely lost in each other, and everything else could just fade at the moment. His lips met


    mine once again, and it went deeper, more passionate, and more intoxicating.


    We broke off the kiss, looking into each other¡¯s eyes, trying to catch our breath, and Luke fixed his


    gaze at my breasts. We looked at each other once again before he quickly seized me, and after turning


    me over, he flipped me against the wall. The next thing, I felt him going slowly inside me, and all I could


    do was moan softly.


    Luke went slowly into me, and his soft moans really turned me on. Both of my eyes were closed as


    these soft moans continued to escape my lips. The feeling was a great one. He pressed my hands


    against the wall as his thrusts became harder and faster.


    I let out a thunderous moan immediately, and he began to pound me with intense force. I moaned


    continuously, feeling him go deeper in me. I could feel him hitting my walls; the pleasure was a great


    one. He shifted his face closer to mine; I could feel his hot breath, listening to his soft moans. He


    stopped mming me vigorously and began to move his rod slowly in circles. I knew I was going to


    bust all over him anytime soon.


    Luke kissed me, and I felt his hands reaching for my breasts. He massaged them softly as we


    continued kissing, moaning into each other¡¯s mouths. His movement in me was a slow one, but it was


    electric. He turned me to him, and his ms became hard once again. I could feel every inch of him


    inside me, filling me up with pleasure.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out another moan as he picked up his pace again, thrusting harder and faster. His


    moans were bing louder and more frequent, and I knew he was close. I wrapped my legs around


    his waist, pulling him even closer to me. Our bodies were moving in perfect sync, and the pleasure was


    overwhelming.


    ¡°Ouuu Luke, fuck!¡± I whimpered, digging my nails into his back and tightening my legs, which were


    wrapped around his waist. The water continued to fall on the both of us, and the banging noises got


    louder.


    166 PERFECT TOUCH


    I let out a loud scream, reaching my peak, and Luke groaned loudly as well, exploding in me. His


    intense ms came to an end, and we were both breathing heavily. Luke set his eyes on me and


    smacked his lips on mine right away.


    3/3


    167 NIRVANA

 Chapter 167

    167 NIRVANA


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I snuggled closer to Luke, my head resting on his chest. The rhythmic sound of his heartbeat lulled me


    into a state of tranquility. I traced circles on his bare chest with my fingers, feeling the warmth of his


    skin under my touch. The lovely and exhausting moment was still in my head, and indeed, it was times


    like these that made all the chaos and stress of life disappear. I close my eyes and take a deep breath,


    savoring and soaking up every bit of this blissful moment.


    ¡°So, how was work today?¡± Luke asked, caressing my hair.


    ¡°Just normal. Nothing remarkable. What about you? Your day¡¯s been going great, right?¡±


    Luke chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I nced at him.


    ¡°It was reallyplicated, and somehow unbelievable.¡±


    ???


    ¡°Somehow unbelievable? What do you mean by that?¡±


    Luke looked at me for a few seconds. ¡°Did you join the police force?¡±


    ¡°No. Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re trying to act like a detective right now.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Okay, that is so crazy.¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯ve always been crazy.¡± He taunted, his lips curving into a smirk.


    ¡°A sweet psychopath, I know that,¡± I stated, getting up from the bed and getting dressed. Luke was


    just smiling, staring at me. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll be on my way to the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°To the kitchen? Why exactly?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°That¡¯s a dumb question, you know.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡± I blurted. ¡°I mean, what do people do in the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°They have sex,¡± Luke replied with a grin.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± I said inaudibly, hitting my face softly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    I set my eyes on him. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re going to start talking nonsense right now.¡±


    seen?¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, Ariel. You do know what I¡¯m talking about. I mean, haven¡¯t you


    167 NIRVANA


    2/4


    ¡°For the sake of Pornhub, do not finish that sentence.¡± I cut him off.


    He snapped his fingers. ¡°You totally get me.


    I shook my head, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s just put an end to this conversation. I


    gotta go to the kitchen now.¡±


    Luke sighed and didn¡¯t reply, acting like he didn¡¯t hear me. I ignored him and left the room. Walking


    towards the kitchen, I realized he was following me, smiling mischievously. I could feel his eyes on


    and I turned around to see him staring at my backside.


    me,


    ¡°Seriously, Luke? Can¡¯t you just act like a normal human being right now?¡± I rolled my eyes at him.


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t help it if you have a nice view,¡± he grinned.


    I shook my head, trying to hide my smile. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he shrugged, walking into the kitchen behind me.


    I started to gather ingredients when he suddenly asked, ¡°So, can you cook?¡±


    I stopped in my tracks, staring at him with my mouth agape. ¡°Did you seriously just ask me that?¡±


    Luke looked at me innocently. ¡°What? I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe he was asking me this. He never really made me prepare food for him, but I wanted to


    do that yesterday until I was informed about the whole Lukel stuff, and that was how that chapter


    ended. Well, the thing here was that I could cook, but Luke never wanted to taste my food, all because


    of his hatred towards me those years.


    I sighed. ¡°Luke. Do I have to keep reminding you that you were the one who refused to let me cook for


    you? But still, you don¡¯t know if I can cook or not?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I never really asked before.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm hello. Mr. Billionaire, you don¡¯t seem to have forgotten about those years, have you?¡±


    Luke chuckled. ¡°The past is the past.¡±


    I shook my head in silence and suspired after that. ¡°Well, I can cook. I¡¯m not a master chef or


    anything, but I can whip up a decent meal.¡±


    Lukeughed. ¡°Really? I had no idea.¡± His tone was somehow mocking.


    I crossed my arms, staring at him. ¡°How did you think I survived all these years, huh?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I always thought you ate takeout or frozen meals.¡±


    I gave him a fake smile. ¡°How nice. I¡¯m not that useless, you know.¡±


    Luke held his hands up in defense. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I just¡­.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You just what, huh?¡± I asked, crossing my arms together.


    167 NIRVANA


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could cook.¡±


    ¡°I thought we talked about something like this.¡± Larched an eyebrow.


    ¡°Really?¡± He asked, raising both of his brows, and I nodded. He shrugged, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t remember.


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°Well, now you know. Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± he grinned, wrapping his arms around me from behind.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile, feeling his warmth and love enveloping me. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m in a good mood


    right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± He whispered, kissing my neck. ¡°If you were in a bad mood, what were you going to do,


    huh?¡±


    I closed my eyes, feeling his soft kisses on my neck. ¡°I would punch you in the stomach, push you to


    the floor, and smack your head repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see. That would be really wild, you know.¡± His lips continued to move around my neck.


    I turned around in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get serious around here. I don¡¯t


    want to burn the house down.¡±


    Lukeughed. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. I promise I won¡¯t get in the way.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure about that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a hundred percent sure. It¡¯s a promise.¡± He smiled and pecked me on the lips.


    After that, one of the maids showed up, having his phone on her hand, which was ringing. ¡°Sir,


    someone¡¯s calling you.¡±


    Luke turned to her and took his phone; he answered the call. ¡°Uhmm, hello, who is this?¡±


    I just watched him as his phone call continued. His eyes widened immediately, and he quickly hung up,


    making me sort of confused around here.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    Still holding his phone, Luke fixed both of his hands on his waist, his face not looking good.


    ¡°Come on, Luke, tell me, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°I forgot to tell you,¡± he replied, almost inaudible.


    Tell me what?¡± I made a confused face.


    ¡°It¡¯s Harriet. She escaped from prison.¡±


    ¡°Say what now? Harriet escaped from prison?¡±


    Luke nodded, and then I asked, ¡°Was she the one who called you?¡±


    167 NIRVANA.


    4/4


    ¡°Yes,¡± Luke answered in hushed tones. He moved his hands around his face. ¡°Only God knows where


    she is right now.¡±


    ¡°You think she¡¯s going toe back into our lives?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, she just called me. So I think you know the answer to your question. I have to inform the police


    about this.¡± He began to walk away.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± I quizzed him.


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± He finally left my presence.


    noting


    I sighed, crossing my arms. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s definitely back anytime soon,¡± I said to myself,


    and I went back to focus on the ingredients. But my mind was far away; I was thinking about thedy I


    saw at the time I was searching for Lukel. If Harriet had broken out of prison, it meant that she was the


    one I saw. Wow, that woman¡¯s really courageous.

 Chapter 168

    168 REPORT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I made my way into the police station, the heavy wooden door swinging shut behind me with a thud.


    The faint smell of stale coffee mixed with the sharp tang of disinfectant assaulted my senses as I


    entered the bustling lobby.


    The room was a hive of activity, with officers in crisp uniforms moving purposefully around. Arge


    bulletin board covered in wanted posters and missing person flyers loomed on one wall, while a row of


    hard stic chairs lined the opposite wall, upied by a mix of anxious individuals and stern- faced


    officers taking statements.


    The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed incessantly, casting a harsh re over the room and


    highlighting the scuff marks on the linoleum floor. The sound of ringing phones, cking keyboards,


    and hushed conversations filled the air, creating a low hum of activity that seemed to vibrate through


    the room.


    I approached the front desk, where a tired¨Clooking officer sat behind aputer screen, typing away


    with practiced efficiency. The officer nced up as I cleared my throat, his expression shifting from


    concentration to polite inquiry.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the officer asked, his tone professional but not unkind.


    I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with Detective


    Hernandez,¡± I replied. Yup, Detective Hernandez; that was his name. I didn¡¯t know we would be


    friends, but that¡¯s just it. And when it came to things like this, he was definitely the one I should


    inform about them.


    ¨C


    The officer nodded, tapping a few keys on hisputer before gesturing towards a row of closed doors


    at the back of the room. ¡°Down the hall,st door on the left,¡± he said, his attention already shifting back


    to the screen in front of him.


    I offered a brief nod of thanks before making my way down the narrow hallway, the dull light flickering


    overhead as I walked. The walls were lined with framed certificates andmendations, a testament


    to the dedication and professionalism of the officers who worked there.


    Reaching thest door on the left, I knocked lightly before pushing it open and stepping into a cramped


    office. Detective Hernandez sat behind a cluttered desk, a mountain of case files and paperwork piled


    haphazardly in front of him. The detective looked up at me as I moved in his direction.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± Hernandez said, standing up from his chair. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you here. Can I


    please know the reason you¡¯vee to the station


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I believe you know,¡± I told him, as we¡¯ve both gotten closer now. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­¡±


    Pas


    ¡°Harriet,¡± he cut me off.


    +


    168 REPORT


    2/3


    ¡°Oh, so you know, huh? Why ask me that in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just something I do often.¡±


    ¡°Yeah whatever. Now you better let me know how the fuck she got out of prison.¡±


    ¡°That I have no answer to, myself. And please, don¡¯t put the me on me. I wasn¡¯t the one in charge.


    ¡°Yes. But you guys need to improve your security just in case next time.¡±


    ¡°Hold on there, Luke. I already made it clear to you. Do not put the me on me or my team.¡±


    things


    ¡°Absolutely right. But you got to tell the fucking department of New Haven to start seriously.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, okay? Why are you talking like Harriet¡¯s such a big threat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of her, man. But you have to understand that I¡¯m notfortable with her out there. Do


    you know she called me?¡±


    Hernandez raised an eyebrow. ¡°She called you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and that¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here. I came to inform the cops about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for the information.¡±


    ¡°You guys better make sure you find her.¡®


    ¡°We¡¯ll find her. Rx, okay?¡± Hernandez tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I told him before leaving.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    A soft morning light seeped through the curtains, gently waking me from a peaceful slumber. Opening


    my eyes, a warm smile crept across my face, and I saw Luke peacefully asleep beside me. The


    rhythmic sound of his breathing filled the room, creating aforting melody.


    Careful not to disturb him, I slid out of bed, the cool floor beneath my feet awakening my senses. 1


    tiptoed towards the bathroom, ncing back at Luk, a surge of love swelling in my chest. The tranquil


    sight of him sleeping peacefully was just a reminder of how we had spent such a wonderful and lovely


    momentst night.


    Turning on the shower, the soothing sound of water echoed in the tiled space. I stepped into the warm


    cascade, allowing it to wash away the remnants of sleep. The water droplets danced on my skin,


    revitalizing me as I closed my eyes and reveled in the quiet moments of solitude.


    As the steam enveloped the bathroom, my mind wandered, thinking about the day ahead. A contented


    sigh escaped my lips as I cherished the simple joy of starting my morning in peace, andst night was


    really awesome. The sound of water droplets against the tiles mingled with my thoughts, creating a


    serene symphony in the peaceful morning air.


    168 REPORT


    3/3


    And after singing for minutes, I heard a groggy voice from the bedroom call out, ¡°Please don¡¯t sing, I


    don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle that terrible voice so early in the morning.


    I rolled my eyes, stepping out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body. ¡°I don¡¯t need you


    to be the judge around here, okay? I know I got the voice of an angel.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°More like a dying cat.¡±


    I stuck my tongue out at him, and Mad started singing again, making my voice really loud this time.


    Luke groaned and pulled the covers over his head, pretending to be asleep. But I knew he couldn¡¯t


    resist my singing for long.


    Sure enough, a few secondster, he poked his head out from under the covers and shouted, ¡°Okay,


    that¡¯s it. I can¡¯t take it anymore. You have to stop.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Luke? Can¡¯t handle my beautiful concert?¡±


    He threw a pillow in my direction, which I easily dodged. ¡°No, I can¡¯t handle your terrible singing. It¡¯s


    like nails on a chalkboard.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back augh. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous of my amazing vocal abilities.¡±


    Luke raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Jealous of your vocal abilities? Come on, Ariel, that¡¯s a zero. A big


    zero. Singing¡¯s not for everyone, and trust me, it¡¯s definitely not for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking absolute nonsense right now.¡°.


    ¡°The truth hurts. But your voice is crap.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Then I¡¯d like to see you sing, mister.


    ¡°I never said I was a great singer.¡± Luke shrugged.


    ¡°No, dude. Cause you keep on telling me sh*t andd¡­ woah!¡± I slipped on the floor and ended up on my


    butt.


    Luke chuckled. ¡°It looks like your singing skills aren¡¯t the only thing that needs work.¡±


    I gaped at him. ¡°A little help would be nice right now.¡±


    He sighed, stood up, and walked in my direction. He stretched his hand toward me, but I quickly bit one


    of his fingers, causing him to scream a little.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± He asked, holding his finger.


    I smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me next time.¡±


    We heard a knock on the door, and Luke told whoever was there toe inside. It was a maid; she


    opened the door, greeting Luke, and then she set her eyes on me. ¡°Miss, you have someone standing


    at the gate, waiting for you.¡±

 Chapter 169

    169 ALMOST UP


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It


    a worse moment, like always, but now I knew things would get even worse. Aftering from the


    wedding, I winced as Luke¡¯s grip tightened on my arm, his eyes aze with anger. We stood in the


    doorway of his mansion, my new home, a ce that should have been filled with happiness. Instead,


    the air was heavy with tension, and it was all darkness roaming about.


    ¡°I don¡¯t love you, Ariel!¡± he eximed, his voice filled with anger and disgust. ¡°I will never love a woman


    like you. You are nothing but a piece of trash.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to keep throwing these abusive words at me?¡± I asked, trying hard to hold the tears


    within me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me,¡± he spat. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my grandfather, I would have never event


    considered marrying you. You¡¯re just a goddamn golddigger, trying to take advantage of my family¡¯s


    wealth.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Tears started to well up in my eyes. The pain was too much for me to bear. But what could I do? I had


    to go through the sorrow just for my family.


    Luke kept on talking nonsense, but arguing with him would be pointless. He was too consumed by his


    anger and hatred towards me. So, I decided to stay quiet and let him say whatever he wanted to say.


    ¡°I should have never listened to my grandfather,¡± he continued. ¡°I should have followed my gut. I


    shouldn¡¯t have given a damn about what the people said.¡±


    Each word felt like a knife piercing through my heart. I had never felt so much pain in my life. This was


    just the beginning of a wless heartbreak. I knew there would be more toe if this marriage


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal, Ariel,¡± he said, his grip on my arm tightening. ¡°You can have all the money and


    assets you want; just leave me alone. I never want to see your face again.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and ran inside the house, tears streaming


    down my face. I was surrounded by darkness now, and my mind was brimming with pain. If only I could


    just put an end to all this, but no, I had to go through the pain for the sake of my family. They were


    counting on me, so the business would be stable. Luke, being their son¨Cinw now, had tugged them


    out of the hard zone since we almost went bankrupt.


    I heard someone¡¯s footsteps, and when I turned around, it was Luke. He red at me before storming


    out of the room, and then I heard him locking it from the outside. I quickly advanced towards the


    door and tried opening it. But just as I thought, it was locked. I leaned against the door, closing my


    eyes, still in tears and still in pain, and I slowly sat down.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    169 ALMOST UP


    2/3


    And thinking about all those moments really made the pain unfold within me. Now look at us, friendly


    with each other,ughing and chatting like nothing had happened in the past. Look at me, developing


    feelings for this man. I didn¡¯t even know if I should be disappointed in myself.


    The moment I traipsed through the gate, walking past Marcus, I saw Mason standing. He smirked at


    me before stepping closer.


    ¡°Good morning, Ariel,¡± he greeted, not taking the smirk off his face.


    ¡°Seriously now, Mason? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be asking me that every time.¡±


    ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t be pestering me every single time,¡± I retorted. ¡°I know why you¡¯vee here. But


    you don¡¯t have to worry; the deadline is¡­¡±


    ¡°Today, I think,¡± he cut me off.


    I wore a puzzled face. ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel, and I can see that you haven¡¯t even made any progress.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that? Luke has finally fallen in love with me,¡± I defended. What the hell was I even saying


    right now?


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Mason gave me a skeptical look.


    I sighed, not quite happy with my words. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for then? Make him sign those papers. You don¡¯t want your children dying, do


    you?¡±


    And with the mentioning of my kids, I red at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m not scared of your ugly face, or whatever. Just get the job done. You¡¯re the


    one who keeps on doing shit around here, Ariel. It¡¯s that simple; get Luke to sign those documents, and


    I¡¯ll leave you and your children alone. It¡¯s as good as that. And why do you keep on hesitating, huh? I


    thought you hated Luke.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he mimicked me in a mocking tone. ¡°You keep on fooling yourself everyday. But I can see


    that you have feelings for that man. Well that isn¡¯t my business, just get the job done. That¡¯s all 1


    want.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go tell Luke about this? Tell him about your girlfriend. You need to hear his side of


    the story first, before you do anything else,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°I need to hear his side of the story? Are you crazy, or what? I saw the video, Ariel, with my own two


    eyes. The video where that man choked my beloved Sofie to death. I didn¡¯t even know how the video


    came up, but that¡¯s not my concern. Luke killed my girlfriend, and I¡¯m going to make him pay for it.¡±


    169 ALMOST UP


    3/3


    ¡°You had to wait for eight good years,¡± I told him.


    ¡°And you have to wait for five years before you decided to carry on with your vengeance, right? So


    apparently, it¡¯s the same thing we¡¯re taking about right here. Now goodbye, and when we meet next, I


    want to see Luke¡¯s signatures on those papers.¡±


    n got into his car, and drove away. That was when Luke showed up. ¡°Who was that?¡±


    Mason


    ¡°Just a friend,¡± I answered, before making my way back to the house. I didn¡¯t even bother to glimpse at


    Luke. Because right now, my head was not straight.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was still standing outside, trying to get why Ariel¡¯s face changed all of a sudden. Perhaps that person


    must have done something to upset her.


    When I decided to turn around, I spotted a car driving towards me. It stopped, and Tiffany came out,


    along with her brother, Todd, who had different gold chains around his neck. They both treaded to me,


    Todd walking behind her.


    ¡°Tiffany, what are you doing here?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I came to live with my husband.¡±


    ¡°Your husband?¡± I gave her a weird look.


    ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t one who made her pregnant?¡± Todd snapped at me immediately.


    you!


    I chuckled. ¡°Okay, okay. Look, I don¡¯t want you guys to get things wrong around here. Tiffany can give


    birth to that child, and if course, I¡¯m going to take responsibility. But getting married to her?¡± I chuckled


    for the second time. ¡°Come on man, that¡¯s not happening.¡±


    ¡°Why huh? Isn¡¯t she worthy to be your wife? Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± Todd continued with his thunderous


    tone.


    ¡°She is beautiful,¡± I replied, surveying Tiffany. ¡°Bute on, I don¡¯t like her.¡±


    ¡°But you liked it when you got in between her legs, right?!¡±


    ¡°Okay, calm down. Keep your voice down. There are little children in the house, and they might be


    ying close to us. You don¡¯t want them hearing you.


    ¡°Oh fuck shut up!¡± Todd pulled a gun out of his pocket, and pointed it at me.

 Chapter 170

    170 SETTLED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. This little kid was threatening me with a gun. What was he even thinking?


    That I would get down on my knees and start begging him? Hell no


    ¡°Are you bein


    you being serious right now?¡± I asked Todd, who still had his gun pointed at me.


    ¡°Todd, drop the gun,¡± Tiffany told him.


    ¡°Sis, this man don¡¯t deserve you. Let¡¯s just blow his brain off.¡±


    ¡°You do know who you¡¯re messing with, right?¡± I arched one of my eyebrows.


    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Todd barked, not taking his gun down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to speak much. Just know that you don¡¯t want to be messing with one of the notable


    billionaires in New Haven.¡±


    ¡°Just drop the gun for crying out loud!¡± Tiffany shrieked and snatched the gun from his hand. Well,


    that¡¯s someone with senses.


    Tiffany fixed her eyes on me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I had no idea my brother was going to¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I told her. ¡°But what do you expect when you got a gangster by your side?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Todd snarled, he nced a his sister. ¡°You¡¯re apologizing to this man?¡±


    ¡°Just be quiet, will you?¡± Tiffany gave him a cold stare. He angrily turned his face away. Tiffany looked


    at me. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing anything here, Luke. You just have to tell me, you need to be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I am being honest here. I¡¯m sorry for breaking your heart.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said underneath her breath.


    ¡°No it¡¯s not,¡± I said immediately. ¡°I was a fool, I did shit to you, caused pain, but I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ve


    been a terrible guy, no doubt about that. Ariel can testify, buttely, I¡¯ve been changing. And now we


    can¡¯t change the past. The deed has already been done, the pain has already filled our hearts, and


    we¡¯ve been broken. We just have to look forward to the future, we got to focus on the present,


    and


    believe me when I say this, I got you. I got this baby, and I¡¯ll take full responsibility. But I can¡¯t marry


    you.¡±


    ¡°Because you have a wife,¡± Tiffany told me, and as we looked into each other¡¯s eyes, she sniffled. ¡°I


    totally understand that, Luke. And I¡¯m d that you still care, I was afraid that you were going to


    abandon me, and this child I¡¯m carrying. I know, iny parents are wealthy, but I still need support. A child


    needs to know the father, right?¡± Sheughed, even in the pain. ¡°I¡¯m not going to keep on chasing you.


    You have a wife, you have a life, and I have my child. Just promise to alwayse around, love and


    treat this child very well.¡± She wiped the little tear from her eye.


    170 SETTLED


    213


    I smiled at her. ¡°I promise. Now don¡¯t cry, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± Sheughed faintly, a fake one though. ¡°You can take care of yourself. I¡¯ll be leaving


    now. We¡¯re still friends, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,


    ¡°I replied underneath my breath, and shook hands with her. ¡°We¡¯re still friends.¡± We hugged. No doubt


    Tiffany was hurt, broken. And it was all my fault. But I couldn¡¯t marry her, wouldn¡¯t be possible. A


    promise had already been made to myte grandfather.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, okay?¡± Tiffany told me after we had both let go of each other. She tapped my


    shoulder.


    ¡°You take care too,¡± I told her. My eyes went to Todd, he was ring at me, boiling in anger just by


    watching what was happening at the moment.


    ¡°Be careful with that gun,¡± I joked, and Tiffanyughed lightly. She left with Todd. I felt kind of bad for


    her. Being friends wouldn¡¯t actually be a bad idea. But I knew I wasn¡¯t going to take things further.


    I went back inside the house, walking straight to my room. I saw Ariel getting dressed, she looked really


    pretty in the dress she was wearing. At the moment, she was putting on some earrings.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to work, now?¡± I asked, moving closer to her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to see my mom,¡± she replied, not turning around. I kind of had the feeling that something


    wasn¡¯t right around here.


    ¡°What about Andre and the others, won¡¯t you be joining them at work?¡± I quizzed, but she refused to


    give


    me a response. She was looking at herself in the room, now applying some lipstick. ¡°The man that


    came to visit you, what did he do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Absolutely nothing,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± Ariel turned to look at me.


    ¡°Because I feel like you¡¯re angry.¡±


    She just shook her head, ignoring me, walking towards the door.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re just going to walk out like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, goodbye,¡± she told me and left. Like, what the hell was wrong with her?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After some minutes on the road, I pulled up to my mother¡¯s new house. No doubt, It had been a while


    since I had seen her. I didn¡¯t know why we had that rtionship of you know, just abandoning


    ourselves. Crap you know!


    I took a deep breath and got out of my car, making my way to the front door. ¡°Mom?¡± I called out,


    170 SETTLED


    hoping she could hear me from the garden.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°In the backyard, dear!¡± her voice echoed back.


    3/3


    I walked through the house, taking in some pictures and decorations that I had grown up with. As I


    made my way to the backyard, I could hear the sound of running water. My mother really loved


    gardening, and I could picture her now, tending to her nts.


    And there she was, just as I had imagined. My mother, with her delightful smile, was watering her


    flowers. She turn around as she heard my footsteps and her face lit up with surprise.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± she eximed, dropping the watering can and running to embrace me.


    We stood there, in each other¡¯s arms, for what felt like an eternity. d to be with her once more. ¡°I


    don¡¯t know, but I think I¡¯ve missed you, mom.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, my darling,¡± she replie.


    We pulled apart and my mother looked at me, still smiling. ¡°So, how have you been doing all this time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been great. How about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been great as well, and kind of busy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± I said, looking around. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a lot of things to tell you. And I really


    need your advice.


    ¡°Oh I see. I¡¯m always ready to listen to anything my daughter has to say. Let¡¯s go in the house to


    continue this discussion.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I told her softly. She ced her hand on my shoulder as we both made our way to the house.


    We both settled down on the couch. ¡°So Ariel, tell me what¡¯s bothering you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­.¡± I trailed off, and let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just confused right now, and at the same time, I¡¯m


    disappointed in myself.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    I became silent for a minute before I finally spoke, ¡°After all these years, I came back into Luke¡¯s life.


    And these feelings toward him, it¡¯s just¡­¡­ something I never expected.¡±


    171 LET LOVE LEAD

 Chapter 171

    171 LET LOVE LEAD


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So now you¡¯re telling me that you think you¡¯ve fallen in love with Luke?¡± My mother asked me. I had


    been narrating my whole situation to her, talking about how I developed these feelings and how they


    compounded, including all details, when he went to look for me at the time I was abducted by his


    mother.


    ¡°Well, I have fallen in love with Luke, and it¡¯s kind of¡­ heartbreaking.¡±


    ¡°Heartbreaking? Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Anytime I smile around him, my mind is drawn back to the things that happened at our first marriage.


    And this surge of hatred justes right in me, but it fades, and I¡¯m back to the loving Ariel again. Oh


    gosh.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I get the fact that Luke actually treated you like hell. It¡¯s really sad and painful. But since the two


    of you are back together, what¡¯s wrong with you loving him?¡±


    ¡°The thing is¡­.¡± I paused right away. With my eyes closed, I shook my head. A decision I made right.


    now¨Cnot telling her about my n. It wasn¡¯t going to be a good idea telling her about it. Everything


    would be revealed in the end. And it was close.


    ¡°The thing is what?¡± She asked.


    I suspired. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Forget I said that.¡±


    ¡°Look, Ariel. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in your mind right now. But just a piece of advice, you got to


    let love lead. Follow your heart, not your mind.¡±


    ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah. Look, getting into a rtionship with your father, I had to put away so many things, and I


    followed my heart. A lot of obstacles came in our way but our love was strong enough to win the battle.


    If Luke loves you, and you love him, then go on, forget about the past, focus on the present. You need


    to be lost in the passion, you got to savour every moment. Don¡¯t think about the terrible things that¡¯s


    going toe your way. Don¡¯t think about the differences, don¡¯t think about the obstacles, forget about


    the challenges. You know how the saying goes my dear¨Clove conquers all.


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t¡­¡­even know what to say. But thanks for the advice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, sweetheart,¡± she said with a warm smile, holding my hand. ¡°So, you want to help. me


    out with the garden? I still have a lot of work to do.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Of course I¡¯m going to help you with that,¡± Tresponded, also smiling delightfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should go and change first? You don¡¯t want to ruin your beautiful dress?¡±


    I giggled.¡°Nah, it¡¯s okay. Trust me, I got this.¡±


    1/3


    5


    171 LET LOVE LEAD


    2/3


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, woman.¡± My mother snapped her fingers. ¡°Start going upstairs, I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Ughh fine,¡± I stated, rolling my eyes.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I never thought I would find myself in this situation. As a billionaire, I was used to dining in the most


    luxurious and expensive restaurants in the city. But today, I was taking these two little children, Randy


    and Ethan to one of these fancy restaurants.


    Of course, we all knew Randy and Ethan were two good children I had met along the road, who didn¡¯t.


    like their father one bit since he was never treating them right. They were shy at first, but changed the


    attitude. Yes, something about them tugged at my heartstrings. So, taking me to live me with me was


    the feat that came out of it.


    Wallking into the restaurant, I could see the awe and wonder in the boys¡® eyes. They had never been to


    a ce like this before, and I could tell they were nervous.


    ¡°Wow, this ce is huge!¡± Randy brought out, looking around in amazement.


    ¡°Yes, it is. And the food here is incredible,¡± I replied, trying to ease their nerves.


    We were escorted to our table by a well¨Cdressed waiter, and I could see the boys¡® eyes widen as they


    took in the elegant surroundings. The moment we sat down, I could feel their excitement and


    anticipation.


    ¡°Can we order anything we want?¡± Ethan asked,looking at the menu.


    ¡°Of course, anything you want,¡± I replied with a smile.


    The boys scanned the menu, and their eyes lit up when they saw the prices. I could tell they were


    overwhelmed, and I knew I had to help them make their decision.


    ¡°Let me order for us. I know the best dishes here,¡± I said, signaling the waiter.


    While we were waiting ed for our food, I could see the boys rxing and starting to enjoy themselves.


    They asked me questions about my life as a billionaire, and I could see the admiration in their eyes.


    ¡°So, do you have a private jet?¡± asked Randy, his eyes wide with curiosity.


    ¡°Yes, I do. And maybe one day, I¡¯ll take you both for a ride in it,¡± I replied, winking at them.


    The boys were fascinated by everything I said, and I could see how much they looked up to me. It was


    a strange feeling, being seen as a role model by these two little boys.


    Our food arrived, and the boys couldn¡¯t stop gushing about how delicious it looked. I could see the joy


    on their faces as they took their first bites.


    ¡°This is the best food I¡¯ve ever tasted!¡± Ethan brought out, his mouth full of food.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. This is just a small taste of what it¡¯s like to be a billionaire,¡± I said with augh.


    After finishing our meal, the two of them were beaming with happiness. I could see that they were


    171 LET LOVE LEAD


    having the time of their lives, and it made me happy to be able to give them this experience.


    3/1


    ¡°Thank you so much for bringing us here, Luke. We¡¯ve never experienced anything like this before,¡±


    Randy thanked me, his eyes shining with gratitude.


    ¡°It was my pleasure. I¡¯m d I could show you a different side of life,¡± I replied, smiling at them.


    Walking out of the restaurant, I could see the boys holding onto each other, still in awe of what they had


    just experienced. And at this point, I knew that I had made a difference in their lives. I may be a


    billionaire, but nothing made me happier than bringing joy to these two little children.


    We sighted a photo shop nearby. I remembered my own childhood when I used to love taking photos


    with my parents. I could tell that the boys were still in awe of the restaurant experience, but I wanted to


    extend their day of fun and adventure.


    ¡°Hey, how about we take some photos to remember this day?¡± I suggested, pointing towards the photo


    shop.


    The boys¡® faces lit up with excitement, and they nodded eagerly. We walked into the shop, and the both


    of them were amazed by all the different backgrounds and props they could choose from.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a photo with this superhero background!¡± Ethan pointed towards arge green screen with


    superheroes flying in the background.


    ¡°Wait, I want to take a photo with this pirate ship!¡± Randy chimed in, pointing to a pirate¨Cthemed


    backdrop.


    I chuckled at their enthusiasm and let them take turns choosing different backgrounds. We took photos


    with funny hats, silly sses, and even a giant teddy bear. The boys couldn¡¯t stopughing and posing


    for the camera.


    ¡°Luke, can we take a photo with you? You¡¯re our hero!¡± Ethan asked with a big smile.


    ¡°Of course, I would love to,¡± I replied, joining them in the photo.


    As we waited for our photos to be printed, I could notice how delightful Randy and Ethan were. It really


    made me d, and I couldn¡¯t to spend more time with them. The love right here was as if they were my


    brothers.


    ¡°Here are your photos, boys,¡± the shopkeeper said, handing us a stack of printed photos.


    Randy and Ethan eagerly flipped through the photos,ughing and reminiscing about the fun they had.


    I could see the happiness radiating from their faces, and it warmed


    my heart.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Luke. This has been the best day ever!¡± Randy gave me a big hug. ¡°It¡¯s all


    because of you, Luke. We will never forget this,¡± Ethan added, hugging me as well.

 Chapter 172

    172 TERRIFIED, BLISSFUL NIGHTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After helping my mother with the garden, I made my way back to work, to thepany. The bustling


    energy of the office was palpable as everyone settled into their desks and began their workday. I sat at


    my desk, sipping on my coffee and scrolling through emails, trying to shake off the thoughts that kept


    on revolving my head. Just then, Andre walked in, followed by his sister, Hannah.


    ¡°Good day everyone,¡± Andre¡¯s booming voice echoed through the room, grabbing everyone¡¯s


    attention.


    ¡°Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you all to our newest team member, Hannah,¡± he said,


    gesturing towards the her as she stood beside him. ¡°Hannahes to us with a wealth of experience


    in the industry and I have no doubt she will be a remarkable addition to ourpany.


    The entire office erupted into a round of apuse as Hannah smiled and waved. I was really happy for


    her. She was a smart intelligentdy, so of course, this wouldn¡¯t be a challenge for her.


    As the apuse died down, Andre continued, ¡°Hannah will be joining our team, getting the remarkable


    spot and she will be working closely with Ariel.¡± His eyes went to mine, and he smirked, winking as


    well. Iughed silently, shaking my head.


    ¡°Please give her a warm wee and show her the Vitality Group spirit,¡± Andre concluded, before


    leading Hannah out of the room to give her a tour of the office.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I went to meet Hannah, congratting her. It was actually a great thing to see the Vitality Group


    improving day by day. Oh, I was forgetting that it¡¯s now a family business, like it used to be, before


    Andre went ahead into creativity.


    ¡°Congrattes ort your new job, Hannah,¡± I told her, with a smile on my face.


    ¡°Aww thanks, Ariel. This really means a lot to me.


    We hugged each other, but I still couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Luke. Tomorrow, Mason would start


    coming to ask me silly questions about the paper, and I literally had no idea how I would get out of the


    situation. But look at us, quite wealthy, humbling yourself is the key


    So, it had been an exhausting day at work, having different conversations, working on various projects.


    It was really tiring but thank God it was all over. Five stars to Andre and Manuel who were still at the


    office, looking forward to spending the night there, going through some files.


    I got into


    o my car,


    ar, and as I was about to drive, I received a text, it was from Mason, and he told me toe to a


    location not too far from thepany. I could just wonder what he was up to now,


    but I decided to do as he had said.


    I drove to the location, ravishing waterfall around here, with the beautiful lights. It was an amazing view.


    But my look changed all of a sudden.


    172 TERRIFIED, BLISSFUL NIGHTS


    2/1


    I sighted Lukel and Janice together in the backseat of a car, Mason¡¯s car. The scumbag was


    ensconcing himself at the front seat. I wasn¡¯t too settled with this. What the hell was he about to do to


    my children?


    Mason¡¯s eyes caught mine, and he noticed how I was just ring at him. Heughed, blew his car


    horn, the two children looked at me.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Lukel eximed and quickly left the car. Janice followed suit. They both ran to me.


    ¡°How have you both been, my babies?¡± I asked the two of them.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing great, mommy,¡± Janice replied. ¡°Uncle Mason took us out, and told us that you be


    coming.


    ¡°He did?¡± I asked, and Janice nodded.


    I set my eyes on Mason after that, all he could do was smirk. This man was now ying games with


    me, but I had the feeling that he was giving me a warning. I need to get Luke to sign those papers, and


    I needed to do that tonight.


    I had a fun time with Lukel and Janice, but I definitely didn¡¯t let them step foot inside Mason¡¯s car.


    The night was a great one, with the moon hanging low in the sky, casting a delightful glow from up


    there. We were having a great conversation, walking right in the bustling streets, and then we


    approached the quaint ice cream shop on the corner. The sweet aroma of freshly made waffle cones


    wafted through the air, drawing us closer with each step.


    As we entered the shop, Janice¡¯s hair bounced with excitement as she tugged at my hand, while Lukel,


    gazed around with wonder on his face. I smiled at their enthusiasm and led them to the front of the line,


    where we were greeted by a friendly young woman behind the counter. ¡°Hello there!¡± she chirped, her


    eyes twinkling.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted, with a smile on my visage.


    ¡°What can I get for you today?¡± The young wom


    winked at the little children.


    After much deliberation and a few giggles, Janice finally settled on a scoop of cotton candy ice cream


    in a bubblegum cone, while Lukel chose a ssic chocte cone. I decided on a scoop of mint


    chocte chip for myself, a vor I loved. No doubt about that.


    With our cones in hand, we made our way to a cozy table by the window, thete afternoon sunlight


    streaming in and casting a warm glow over our faces. The kids eagerly dug into their ice cream, their


    faces lighting up with joy at the first taste of the cold, creamy treat.


    As they savored their cones, I watched my children with a heart full of love. I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at


    how quickly they were growing up, how theirughter filled me with a sense of pure happiness that I


    had never known before bing a mother. Now Mason was telling me that he was going to take


    away these two children from me, all because I didn¡¯t follow through with some goddamn n?


    172 TERRIFIED, BLISSFUL NIGHTS


    3/3


    Janice¡¯s face was smeared with streaks of pink and blue from her cotton candy ice cream, her eyes


    sparkling with delight. Lukel, usually the quiet one, was chattering away animatedly about a bird he had


    seen in the park earlier that day. I listened with a smile, my heart swelling with pride at the wonderful,


    curious little people my children were bing-


    The ice cream shop bustled around us, the sound ofughter and chatter filling the air. Couples strolled


    by outside, hand in hand, their faces turned towards each other with love and affection. I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel grateful for this moment, this simple joy of sharing a sweet treat with my children on a bedtiful


    afternoon.


    As we finished our cones, the kids begged for just one more scoop, their eyes wide and pleading. I


    chuckled and shook my head, ruffling Janice¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°Come on now dear, I think that¡¯s


    enough.¡±


    With contented sighs, we pushed our empty cones aside and sat back in our chairs, relishing the


    moment. I wrapped my arms around my children, pulling them close in a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let


    anything bad happen to the both of you,¡± I spoke, and it was as if I almost burst into tears.


    I couldn¡¯t let anything terrible happen to them, so I think I¡¯d have to get Luke to sign those papers. Fuck


    love, or any other feelings.

 Chapter 173

    173 HURT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Under the star¨Cstudded night sky, the cool breeze rustled through the trees surrounding my¡¯s mansion.


    Standing on the marble steps, I gazed out into the darkness, thoughts drifting back to memories of my


    late grandfather. The old mansion stood silent, a sentinel to the passage of time, with its grandeur


    steeped in mytory and memories of generations past. The moon cast a soft glow over the sprawling


    estate, illuminating the intricate details of the architecture.


    My grandfather, a towering figure in my life, had been a man of wisdom and kindness. my presence still


    lingered in every corner of the mansion, in the creak of the old floorboards and the musty scent of aged


    books. I closed my eyes, trying to summon my grandfather¡¯s voice from the depths of my memory. I


    could almost hear the deep timbre of myughter and the gentle words of advice that had guided me


    through my formative years,


    As I stood there, a wave of nostalgia washed over me, recalling the countless evenings spent by the


    firece, listening to my grandfather¡¯s tales of adventure and wisdom. The lessons learned, the


    laughter shared, and the bond forged between them seemed to echo in the night air. My¡¯s heart ached


    with a mixture of longing and gratitude for the time I had spent with my grandfather.


    The night seemed to embrace me, offering sce in the quietude of the moment. I whispered words


    into the darkness, as if my grandfather could hear me, sharing my hopes, fears, and the uncertainties


    that gued my mind. The stars above twinkled like distant memories, each one a reminder of the


    fleeting nature of life and the enduring legacy of love and family.


    A shooting star streaked across the sky, and my breath caught in my throat. I closed my eyes and


    made a silent wish, a silent plea to my grandfather for guidance and strength. The night seemed to hold


    its breath, as if waiting for a response from the cosmos.


    In the stillness of the night, I felt a sense of peace settle over me, a reassurance that my grandfather¡¯s


    spirit lived on in the memories we had created together. The bond between us transcended time and


    pace, a connection that not even death could sever. With a heavy heart yet a renewed sense of


    purpose, I turned to re¨Center the mansion, carrying my grandfather¡¯s legacy with mine like a beacon. of


    light in the darkness.


    space,


    Just as I was about to turn around, I spotted Ariel walking through gate. She halted and we both. gazed


    at each other for what felt like eternity.


    Ariel and I continued to gaze at each other, both of us not uttering a single word. I couldn¡¯t tell what was


    going on here, but this was definitely not something right.


    With her eyes still fixed at me, Ariel stepped forward. Her face was not looking quite great, and I


    couldn¡¯t tell if she had an argument with someone, or something.


    The moment we were adjacent to each other, she held my hand, still looking me in the eyes. I was still


    trying to figure out the scene taking ce at the moment.


    173 HURT


    2/3


    ¡°Luke, we have to talk,¡± she spoke softly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I questioned her.


    ¡°Can we please go inside?¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong if we have this discussion outside?¡±


    She closed her eyes, her cast clearly saying that she wasn¡¯t settled at the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t even knew


    what to say right now? You know what? Let¡¯s just pretend like I never said anything.


    She wanted to walk from me, but I grabbed her waist, both of us not ncing at each other. ¡°Tell me


    Ariel, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me now,¡± I said, and looked at her, her eyes now fixed on me. ¡°I can tell something¡¯s


    bothering you. Please let me know what it is.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± I spoke firmly. ¡°Please don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem, huh?¡± She questioned immediately, her tone almost being cold.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. Early this morning, we were both with smiling faces, but after your


    conversation with that friend of yours, your mood changed. And now you¡¯reing back with that


    face.¡±


    ¡°What face?¡± She didn¡¯t give me a friendly expression at all.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the long face?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have other things you should be doing right now?¡± Her tone wasn¡¯t nice neither.


    ¡°I¡¯m just being concerned about you. You are¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your what?¡± She kept on with her cold mode. ¡°Your wife? Your love? Luke, it seems like you¡¯ve


    forgotten about what happened in the past.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. But I thought we were over that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what you were thinking, huh? You think we¡¯re over that? All the terrible things you did to


    me all those years?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going on, okay?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you saying all this? Why are you bringing this up?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t forget about one shit!¡± She snapped. ¡°All these moments spent with you recently were


    nice, I¡¯m not going to lie about that. But I had to take my mind back to how you treated me, it


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    173 HURT


    3/3


    wasn¡¯t nice one bit.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re mad about that? I apologized, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Apologies aren¡¯t going to fix the pain.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re joking.¡± I told her. ¡°Tell me this is all a dream.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hard p in the face, and maybe you¡¯ll get your answer.¡±


    ¡°Why are you beg this rude now? If you want, I can apolo¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your apologies,¡± she cut me off.


    ¡°Then what do you want? Tell me. Do you want me to get down on my knees?¡±


    ¡°Still the same thing you¡¯re talking here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. How did you change all of a sudden? How did you switch from the love to¡­¡±


    ¡°To hate? Or what are you trying to ask me here?¡±


    I shook my head, suspiring, and then I let go of her. ¡°This is.. unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°No it isn¡¯t. You want to know what¡¯s unbelievable? The both of us falling in love after the whole thing


    that halo between us.


    ¦°


    ¡°And you still have that in mind?¡±


    ¡°What do you expect?¡± She asked, crossing her arms. ¡°Just let me be.¡±


    I snaked her waist and pulled her body to mine. I wasn¡¯t going to let this conversation end like that.


    Ariel, i know something¡¯s not right around here. I can see the deceit in your eyes.


    H


    ¡°Then you must be blind.¡± She struggled to get my hand off her, but my grip was really tight.


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind. I can see what¡¯s happening here, and some part of me keep on telling me that you¡¯re not


    saying the truth. That all these words are nothing but lies.¡±


    ¡°Well rip that part off. Why would I be wasting my time lying to you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t read what¡¯s going on in your mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you right now, that these words I speak aren¡¯t lies.¡±


    ¡°So what are you trying to say now? That¡¯s it over between us?¡± I asked, trying to get her point.


    Ariel just red at me without a response. The way she shook her body, I had to let go of her. She


    walked away from me, while I just stood in silence.

 Chapter 174

    174 REVEALED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Walking inside the house, and man, I¡¯m still like what the hell just happened? My reaction with Luke


    moments ago, it was just kind of crazy. But I got to do what was needed to be done. Making Luke drunk


    now was the thing that I was about to follow through with, if I wanted him to sign those documents.


    I walked to the kitchen where some maids were preparing dinner. The food was ready, and now it


    needed to be served.


    ¡°You all can leave now. I¡¯ll take it from here,¡± I told the maids, and they nodded before leaving the


    kitchen.


    I arranged the dish right on the te, straight on the tray. Then I poured some orange juice in a ss.


    After that, I added a drug inside that would cause Luke to be intoxicated the moment he drinks it.


    Everything was prepared, but I knew he was definitely not going to take it from me if I was the one who


    served it. So, how was i going to deliver this?


    Just when I was thinking about that, Randy stepped foot inside the kitchen, looking around till his eyes


    met mine.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked, looking confused while I was just smirking at him.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat down, still thinking about what Ariel told me moments ago. It was just shocking, and kind of


    painful. But that¡¯s what I get, now I knew the pain I had given her during our first marriage. But why did


    she have to get upset all of a sudden? I thought we were doing good together.


    Randy approached me, holding a tray of food, on it was also a ss of orange juice. He dropped the


    tray on the table the moment he got close to me.


    ¡°Here is your dinner,¡± he told me, rubbing his palms together.


    ¡°Thanks but I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I turned my face away. Indeed, I had really lost appetite. Ariel¡¯s words hit


    me hard, and I have to say, it hurt like hell.


    ¡°No, you have to eat. It¡¯s gettingte, you don¡¯t want to sleep with an empty stomach,¡± Randy


    suggested.


    I sighed. ¡°I appreciate the fact that you¡¯re concerned here. But I¡¯m not in the mood to eat.¡±


    ¡°Why not? What¡¯s the problem?¡± Randy asked and sat next to me.


    Iughed a little. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. But you got to eat, it¡¯s necessary,¡± he kept on insisting. I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll eat the food,¡± I told Randy. He snapped his fingers and ran away immediately. Iughed


    174 REVEALED


    again.


    I set my eyes on the food, looking quite delicious. Always delicious when you had great cooks around


    here, awesome chefs. I nced at the ss of orange juice, and as I was about to get a hold of it, Ariel


    showed up.


    ¡°Wait,¡± was what she told me. I shot her a dark look immediately, and turned my face away, ready to


    ignore whatever shit she had to tell me. I held the ss of orange juice and was about to get some in


    my mouth, but she stopped me.


    ¡°Luke, don¡¯t drink that,¡± Ariel told me, budging closer.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked her in a cold tone.


    ¡°Because¡­..I might have put something inside,¡± she answered, scratching the back of her head.


    ¡°Oh so you want to kill me now, huh?


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I wanted to kill you, would I bother to stop you from drinking that juice?¡±


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°Okay, what the hell is going on?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this Luke. I can¡¯t.¡± She settled down next to me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do what?¡± I quizzed her, getting really confused right now. ¡°Can you please tell me what in


    the world is..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you alright!¡± You don¡¯t have to keep on repeating that,¡± she interrupted my speech.


    ¡°Yeah, you better start talking, and what the hell did you put in that drink?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to drug you,¡± she revealed.


    ¡°You wanted to what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t hear me,¡± Ariel vocalized.


    ¡°I did, and it¡¯s really confusing,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Should it even be confusing? After all, you do deserve anything terrible from me,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t joking.¡±


    Ariel sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if you even got brain.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve be really rude.¡±


    ¡°Yeah shut up and let me talk,¡± she said. I shook my head, oh the goddamn disrespect. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t


    know if you¡¯re going to get angry about this. But it¡¯s just the truth, cause I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to


    live with me myself if I carry out such action.¡±


    ¡°What action?¡±


    Ariel let out a deep sigh, moving her hand through her hair. ¡°I wanted to take your wealth.¡±


    773


    =


    174 REVEALED


    1/1


    I gave her a confused face. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You wanted to take my wealth, like all of my money.¡±


    You for


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the reason I came back to your life. That¡¯s the reason I agreed to get married to you the


    second time.¡±


    ¡°Wow, and thought you did that for my grandfather,¡± I spoke lowly. I was quite stunned with her


    words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie now, I¡¯ll speak nothing but the truth.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a court room where you have to¡­¡±


    ¡°I never said it was a court room,¡± she interrupted me. ¡°Enough with the jokes, okay?¡±


    ¡°Who said I was joking?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Luke, this is supposed to be a remarkable moment. But you¡¯re making it look like a piece of crap right


    now.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you and your disrespect! I get it! I¡¯m being quiet around you.


    That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a fool, that I¡¯ll be nodding to every crap you say.¡±


    Ariel looked quite hurt with my words, but I could see how she quickly decided to hide that face. ¡°Let¡¯s


    just get this conversation done with. I came here for vengeance. For all the things you did to me. And I


    wanted to wreck you. I wanted the wealthy and silk¨Cstocking Luke Reynold, to be nothing but a


    worthless piece of crap. A man with intense poverty, who won¡¯t even be worth a dor.¡±


    I gave her a surprised look, my mouth opened a little.


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s kind of heartbreaking. But that was my intention, and I wanted to drug you so I can get your


    signature on the papers that will ruin you for good. But I¡­..I¡­ just can¡¯t. The hatred was right here with


    me, but I have no idea how these feelings just came quickly, but it took over, now I don¡¯t want to see


    you in such pain.¡±


    ng me.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so all this time, you¡¯ve been waiting for the perfect moment to sting


    ¡°I know you¡¯re going to get upset. But me refusing to wreck you, is going to put me in a situation 1 think


    I won¡¯t be able to handle. And I¡¯ll have to be ready for it. So, sorry if I caused you pain, or made you


    catch feelings. I¡¯m going to leave your life for good, I promise.


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say. I waspletely speechless. So she was just acting like she loved me,


    so she could strike hard in the end.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Ariel said softly and walked away.

 Chapter 175

    175 WHERE ARE THEY?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The rain began to fall, I quickly made my way to my car, bursting inside. I didn¡¯t know what was going


    to happen after this, but I knew I needed to brace myself.


    1 got a text from Mason, it said, ¡®Nice Job. Hope you¡¯re ready.¡® With this, I could tell that he had a


    knowledge of what just happened at Luke¡¯s house. But who told me? That meant that there must be a


    goddamn spy there.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I called Mason several times, but he declined all of my calls. I had to drive straight to Andre¡¯s house.


    Getting out of my car, I hurried to the door, making my way inside the mansion. I saw Lisa using her


    phone.


    She caught a sight of me. ¡°Ariel, what are you doing here, and why did youe like a thief?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lukel and Janice?¡± I asked, walking to her.


    ¡°Uhmm, I have no idea. But I did see Mason taking them out.¡±


    ¡°Mason took them out?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lisa answered, giving me a confused face. ¡°Any problem with that?¡±


    ¡°Did you perhaps know where he was taking them?¡±


    ¡°I literally have no idea,¡± she answered, shaking her head slowly.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± I whispered to myself.


    ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re notfortable with Mason taking your children out?¡±


    I sighed, driving my hand through my hair. I left the house right away, got into my car and drove off. The


    rain continued to fall, the waters dropping down, the rumbles of thunder materializing. And my worry


    worsened, I panicked, but I needed to stay strong for my children.


    I drove to Mason¡¯s house, left my car, and went to knock on his door. No one came out, so I had to ring


    the doorbell. Still no one came out.


    ¡°Where could they be? Where¡¯s could they be?¡± I panicked, stepping on the ground vigorously. I called


    Mason again, but he refused to answer. In fact, he declined my calls.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I shrieked and threw my phone to the ground. ¡°Fuck Mason!¡± I punched the door and it opened


    that very moment.


    ¡°Who the hell is that?¡± The person who came out vocalized, and to my surprise, it was Harriet. I


    couldn¡¯t stop staring at her, kind of been a long time since we saw each other. What in the world was


    she doing here at Mason¡¯s house?


    ¡°Ariel? You?¡± Harriet spoke, looking shocked to see me. Mutual feeling right here.


    175 WHERE ARE THEY?


    2/4


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I queried.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. What are you doing here, you bitch ?¡± Harriet quizzed me, her


    tone was really rude. But it wasn¡¯t something so surprising. Her rude manners must have amplified


    from prison.


    ¡°Are you working with Mason?¡±


    Harrietughed, ¡°Get the hell out of here. Oh right, I think I know why you¡¯vee, it¡¯s because of your


    little childreh. You don¡¯t have to worry about them, sweetheart.¡± She gave me a threatening


    smile.


    ¡°You Know about Lukel and Janice?¡±


    ¡°Those are their names?¡± She chuckled. ¡°And by the way, what the hell is Lukel? What kind of name is


    that?¡± She continued to make fun of me, while I just red at her.


    ¡°I meane on, you should have found something else. Hold on, I think I know why his name¡¯s Lukel.


    Luke and Ariel, it all makes sense now. Still stupid anyway.¡±


    ¡°You can insult me all you want. But where are my children? Where did Mason take them to?¡±


    ¡°You think I have an idea about that?¡± Harrietughed. ¡°Oh boy. I wished I knew, but it¡¯s so sad that I


    don¡¯t. I hope Mason kills those children of yours¡±


    ¡°And I hope you are sent back to prison. When I¡¯m done with this, I¡¯m going to make sure I call the


    cops on you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, do what you want. I¡¯m not scared you. But if I were you, I¡¯ll start searching for my babies


    now.¡±


    ring at her her, I walked away, confused as hell, I didn¡¯t care if I was being washed by the rain. The


    only thing important right now, was the safety of my children.


    Just as I was about to enter the car, Mason began to video call me. I answered quickly.


    ¡°Hey, Ari. What¡¯s up?¡± Mason smirked from the screen. ¡°You¡¯ve been having a great night?¡±


    ¡°Where are my children?¡±


    He faked a shocking face, opening his mouth wide and looking around. ¡°Oh my. I genuinely have no


    idea where your kids are.¡±


    ¡°Stop ying with me. I know you


    do.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who was ying with me. You couldn¡¯t get the job done you imbecile. Now you¡¯re


    going to face the consequences.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your silly talk,¡® I retorted.


    So, do you want to talk to your children onest time before they, you


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Mason.¡±


    know¡­.end up in the grave.¡±


    175 WHERE ARE THEY?


    3/4


    ¡°Why? We had an agreement, didn¡¯t we? You fail to make Luke sign those papers, and I¡¯ll kill your kids.


    That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going on now, you¡¯ve done your part, now it¡¯s time for me to end the whole story.¡±


    ¡°Mason please, we can talk about this.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°You have to understand the meaning of love,¡± I tried changing his mind.


    ¡°I understand the meaning of love perfectly. I understand every bit of it. And that¡¯s why I decided to


    avenge Sofie¡¯s death. Because I loved her with the whole of my heart. She was my angel, my beautiful


    angel. But your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing husband took her away from me. And now I¡¯m going to take your


    children from you.¡±


    ¡°Please, Mason. I¡¯m begging you. Let them go, they¡¯re just children. They¡¯re still little, and they have a


    long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be putting them six feet deep. A long way indeed.¡±


    ¡°Can I please see their faces?¡±


    Masonughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just so caring?¡±


    ¡°Please let me talk to them.¡±


    ¡°You will talk to them, alright? But not now.¡±


    ¡°When then?¡±


    ¡°When they¡¯re already dead. You can pay them a visit at their graves.¡± Heughed again.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, you know,¡± I told him.


    ¡°It¡¯s hrious. Look at how sad you are. I can see the fear right in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Please let them go. I¡¯ll do anything,¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s toote now. But I¡¯m not that heartless, hold on for a minute.¡± He ended the phone call.


    ¡°Oh gosh, what am I going to do now?¡± I enunciated in hushed tones, hitting my face.


    Mason began to video call me, and I didn¡¯t hesitate in answering. I could see Lukel and Janice in the


    screen. I smiled, also bursting into tears.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you crying?¡± Lukel asked.


    ¡°Yes, why are you crying mommy?¡± Janice chimed in. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Lukel, Janice,¡± I uttered, not even able to form the words as I continued crying. My face all red, I


    cleaned my tears.


    ¡°Is everything okay, mommy?¡± Lukel inquired.


    175 WHERE ARE THEY?


    4/4


    ¡°Yes, son. Everything¡¯s okay. These are tears of joy.¡±


    ¡°Tears of joy? Tell us the good news then.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough. Uncle Mason wants to use his phone now,¡± Mason showed up in the screen


    and smirked before ending the video call.


    I didn¡¯t even know what to do, or who to inform about this. Who was going to help me out in this one?

 Chatper 176

    176 NOT THAT BAD?


    ARIEL¡¯S DOV


    I sat in my car,pletely lost and devastated. My children were in danger, and I didn¡¯t know what to


    1. do.


    Suddenly, my phone rang, and I answered without even looking at the caller ID


    ¡°Ariel, it¡¯s me,¡± a familiar voice spoke on the other end.


    ¡°Mason, what do you want now?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go through with this alone. I¡¯ll help you save your children,¡± he said, surprising me


    ¡°What? Why would you do that? I thought you were the one behind all of this¡±


    ¡°I was, but I¡¯ve had a change of heart. I can¡¯t let innocent children suffer because of my revenge


    against your husband.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust you,¡± I said, feeling conflicted.


    ¡°I understand, but you don¡¯t have much time. We need to act fast. I¡¯ll text you the location of where they


    are being held. Meet me there in an hour,¡± Mason said before hanging up.


    I sat in my car, contemting whether I should trust Mason or not. But I didn¡¯t have any other


    choice. I quickly drove to the location he had sent me, my heart racing with fear and hope.


    As I arrived, I saw Mason standing outside a rundown building, his expression serious. I got out of my


    car and ran to him.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked, not wasting any time.


    ¡°Inside, in the basement. There are two guards, but I¡¯ve taken care of them. We need to hurry,¡± Mason


    said as we made our way inside.


    We quietly made our way to the basement, and I could hear my children¡¯s screams and cries. I felt my


    heart break into pieces, and tears streamed down my face.


    Mason and I reached the basement, and I saw my children tied up to chairs, their mouths covered with


    tape. I ran to them and quickly removed the tape.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Janice cried, hugging me tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby; I¡¯m here now,¡± I said, tears still streaming down my face.


    Lukel hugged me as well, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me.


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Mason,¡± Janice said, looking at him with grateful eyes.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Yeah, thank you,¡± Lukel said, nodding his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, kids. I¡¯m sorry for everything you¡¯ve been through,¡± Mason apologized, looking


    176 NOT THAT RAIN).


    genuinely remorseful.


    20


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Uncle Mason. We forgive you,¡± Janice said, surprising me with her forgiving nature.


    ¡°We need to get out of here before anyone finds us,¡± Mason said, snapping us out of our emotional


    moment.


    He led us out of the basement and the building, and we quickly made our way to my car. I hugged my


    children tightly, grateful for their safety.


    ¡°Thank you, Mason. Thank you for saving my children,¡± I said, looking at him with tears in my eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m just d I could help,¡± he said, giving me a small smile.


    1 drove my children home, and we all sat in the living room, exhausted and emotional. I couldn¡¯t


    believe we made it out alive.


    ¡°Mommy, what happened? Why did Uncle Mason take us?¡± Lukel asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything to you, my love. But for now, let¡¯s just be grateful that we¡¯re all together and


    safe,¡± I said, kissing their foreheads.


    I shook my head, snapping out of my imagination. I looked around, still in my car, and the rain.


    continued to fall heavily. The cold wind blew, and the thunder unfolded. I had been so worried that I


    started imagining things. Mason is helping me? I knew that was too good to be true.


    I began to call Andr¨¦, thinking maybe he could help me out. He was not reachable, and I¡¯m frustrated; I


    mmed the steering wheel multiple times. I don¡¯t even know what to do right now. I could only hope


    that Mason would do nothing for my children. And after what I told Luke, I didn¡¯t think we would be


    getting back together again. But to hell with that. My children were all I could worry about at the


    moment. I decided to go meet Andre at hispany, if he was still there.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Here I was, in my mansion, standing like a statue, and all I could think about was what Ariel had


    brought out to me. Her words stabbed me in the heart and went hard, like a de sinking in. I thought


    the recent moments I spent with her were just¡­ I didn¡¯t even know the words to use. But I thought we


    had finally sorted things out and that the feelings were true. But I guess it was all a lie.


    Yes, I did feel guilty for all the terrible things that I did to her. Those memories kept haunting me, and I


    wished to have never carried out any of those actions. But the deeds had already been done, the


    history had already been made, and the past could not be changed. Only a wish to make things


    straight. The heart is brimming with regrets, and the present suffers the consequences.


    ¡°Big L?¡± Ethan advanced towards me. That was how he addressed me. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you


    standing like that? What are you thinking about?¡±


    Looking at his innocent face, I gave him a fragile smile. I was also this innocent when I was young, like


    him. Too bad things changed, and I became the bad guy. The one with so many sins and intense


    darkness.


    176 NOT THAT BATH


    1/3


    ¡°You want to know something, Ethan?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­sure. What¡¯s that?¡±


    I exhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m a bad man. A bad, bad man. I¡¯ve caused a lot of people


    just die right now.¡±


    1


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Big L. You¡¯re not a bad man.¡±


    I nced at Ethan. ¡°You think so?¡±


    in that I wish I could


    ¡°I know so. Will a bad man take the two little children from the streets and put them in his home,


    treating them like family?¡±


    I chuckled in pain. ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because I¡¯ve been treating you guys nice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been treating us nice because you are the good guy here.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, Ethan. There are tons of people who hate me so much. And I guess I don¡¯t deserve to be


    loved. My demeanor has brought this toward me. I was filled with pride, and now I have the knowledge


    that not a lot of people like me. If you¡¯re being nice to me, then it must probably be an act.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not an act. You are a nice person, Big L. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking right now or the


    person responsible for putting these thoughts in your head. But you don¡¯t have to hate yourself or


    me yourself for anything. Yes, I am still a little kid, and I have no idea what you all have been


    through in your journey, but I know for a fact that you¡¯re nice, and you won¡¯t want to harm anyone. If


    you were that bad in the past, it¡¯s the past. You don¡¯t have to live your life based on yesterday. That¡¯s


    history; let¡¯s focus on the present, hoping for the better. I don¡¯t know who sees you as a bad person. As


    for me, you¡¯re the good guy.¡±


    I looked at Ethan in surprise, quite fascinated by Ethan¡¯s words. Then I answered my phone call as my


    phone began to ring. It was Jack.


    ¡°Sir, we have a problem,¡± he told me.

 Chatper 177

    177 INTO THE INFERNO


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Sir, we have terrible news,¡± Jack told me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was talking about at the


    moment.


    ¡°Terrible news? What terrible news?¡± I asked out of curiosity. Now my mind was racing, and I couldn¡¯t


    even guess what the information would be.


    ¡°It¡¯s yourpany, sir.¡±


    ¡°Come on, tell me what¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°The building¡¯s on fire,¡± Jack vocalized.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    was told that the building is on fire, and I¡¯m on my way there right now. But I¡¯m close, and I can see the


    building on fire from here. Sir, you bettere to see things for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be on my way,¡± I


    told him, and then our conversation ended.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Anything wrong?¡± Randy asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Just be a good boy and stay home with your brother, okay?¡±


    Hen


    He nodded, and I ruffled his hair before leaving.


    I burst into my car and began to drive. This news was really shocking. Is mypany on fire? A


    building that my grandfather put in a lot of effort to establish. Now someone would want to ruin it? Who


    was that person who even had the nerve to set that ce on fire? I just hoped the information Jack


    gave me wasn¡¯t certified.


    With my head filled with so many thoughts and worry, I reached my destination after driving for


    minutes. And I was not happy with what I saw. The building was on fire, just as Jack had told me.


    I quickly got out of my car, walking past the crowd that stood there. I approached Jack.


    ¡°Sir, you came,¡± he told me.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir. I was informed just the way I informed you.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good. Call the firefighters, or something.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve done that, sir. And they¡¯re on their way.¡±


    I drove my hands through my hair, letting out a sigh. This was something I never expected. Whoever


    did this was so heartless. And if I ever got to know who such a person was, I swear on my


    grandfather¡¯s grave that I would make such a person pay.


    177 INTO THE INTERNS


    ¡°Mr. Reynold, Mr.Reynold,¡± one of my workers approached me. ¡°It¡¯s actually a nice thing that you¡¯re


    here,¡± he told me, trying to catch his breath. I didn¡¯t know where he was running from, be


    clear to see that he was doing that before he got adjacent to me right now.


    ¡°We have a problem, sir. Things aren¡¯t right around here!


    ¡°Of course I can see that. You think I¡¯m blind? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to mypany at the


    moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I know that, but two little children are in the building¡±


    I gave him a confused face. ¡°Two little children are in the building? What were they doing there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I was informed. Some people saw them stepping inside before the building begen to


    burn. They also told me that they saw this man wearing all ck who was right behind the kids. But


    they couldn¡¯t see his face.¡±


    ¡°That must be the person responsible for this,¡± I said lowly, and then nced back at my worker. ¡°So


    you¡¯re telling me right now that there are two little kids in that building?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. And I believe we have to save them.¡±


    ¡°Well, who¡¯s going to volunteer to go inside?¡± I looked at Jack forthwith, and he quickly turned his face


    away. ¡°You have no idea if I wanted to increase your payment. But the thing here is that I don¡¯t want to.


    I just want to ask if you can go in there and save those kids.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle that, sir. The fire right there is a tough one.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jack replied with a nod.


    ¡°What if it was your little sister in there? Your wife, or any of your blood? Will the fire still be tough?¡± I


    questioned him.


    ¡°I believe the firefighters will do their job.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for those guys. I don¡¯t even know why they¡¯re taking such a long time.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the decision then? You¡¯re going in?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s dangerous? You might die while trying to save them.¡±


    ¡°Then so be it,¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯m going to try my best to save those children, even if I have no idea who


    they are. If I were in their shoes, I¡¯d want someone toe rescue me. So that¡¯s what I¡¯m about to do.


    I¡¯m about to rescue them.¡°.


    ¡°I still think this is too risky. You know, we can wait till the¡±


    ¡°Not another word, Jack. I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going straight to that building.¡±


    177 INTO THE INFERNO


    3/3


    ¡°Good luck, sir,¡± Jack said. I nodded before walking away from him.


    I made my way to the building, jumping through the entrance and not turning back to look at anyone,


    although I could hear some people yelling at me to not go inside. I wasn¡¯t going to follow anyone¡¯s


    advice in this situation. I was just doing what I felt was right, and indeed, this was right.


    The intense fire raging inside the building was a sight to behold. The mes danced and flickered,


    casting an eerie glow on the surrounding area. The crackling sound of things burning and the acrid


    smell of smoke filled the air, creating a sense of chaos and destruction. The fire seemed to have a life


    of its own, consuming everything in its path with an insatiable hunger. It was a powerful force, engulfing


    the building in a fiery inferno that showed no signs of slowing down.


    The dreadful heat radiating from the mes was almost suffocating, as if it were trying to escape t


    confines of the building and spread its destruction further. It was a terrifying and mesmerizing disy of


    nature¡¯s power. Could leave onlookers in awe and disbelief at the intensity of the fire burning inside the


    building. And it did, because I noticed some people¡¯s faces back there.


    the


    Now, I could only imagine where these children were. The fire has ruined so many ces in thisrge


    building that I could barely discern the directions. I move my hand through my hair, trying to decide


    where I was going to start off. I wasn¡¯t going to give up. I wasn¡¯t going to back out now. Those children,


    whoever they may be, must probably be praying to God right now to let them out of this horrific


    situation. And I was going to make sure their prayers got answered.


    I looked left, and I nced right, putting on the armor of courage, letting the boldness take over, tossing


    away all fear, ready to make a move. The fire was indeed frightening, but I shouldn¡¯t let the terror wash


    all over me. I needed to get this done. And I hoped those goddamn firefighters would show up any time


    soon.


    The fire made a thunderous sound, causing me to tremble right where I was standing. I moved a little


    bit backwards, and my eyes were closed after that. The moment I opened them, I took a deep breath.


    and quickly moved forward.

 Chatper 178

    178 MONSTER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    on my way to Andre¡¯spany, my mind was racing with millions of thoughts and thousands of


    questions, since I was extremely worried at the moment. Panicking as hell, hoping for no hope to be


    lost.


    My phone started ringing. I didn¡¯t even want to nce at it, but I just decided to, and it was a good thing


    I did that. Mason was the one who was calling. Now I just hoped that he wanted to put an end to all of


    this madness, just like the scenes that took ce in my goddamn imagination.


    After parking my car, I answered the phone call. ¡°Mason, you son of a


    ¡°Hush Ariel. You don¡¯t have to be so rude to me. A while ago, you were begging for your children¡¯s


    safety.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so please tell me, where are my kids? Where¡¯s Lukel and Janice?¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute; I thought you wanted to start this conversation in a rude way. What happened? You


    changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for all this, Andre.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you do, Ariel. You have plenty of time for this. Well, not plenty of time, actually. Since your


    adorable twins will be¡­¡± He paused right there.


    ¡°Will it be what?¡± I asked immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to murder them.¡±


    ¡°That was actually the n in the first ce, since you refused to follow through with our n.


    ¡°For crying out loud, Mason, I can¡¯t do that to Luke. You can say I¡¯ve fallen in love with him or whatever;


    that¡¯s not my concern. I just can¡¯t see him go down like that.¡±


    Mason chuckled, ¡°You became a fool for love,¡±


    ¡°What about you, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool like you,¡± he said bitterly.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re not a fool. But you¡¯re a monster, Mason. You became a monster for love, am I not right?


    Since you med Lake for killing your girlfriend, you craved vengeance, and you had to turn into this


    cold¨Cblooded monster.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± He snapped.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth; you know that. You had to be so bitter all in the name of vengeance. Now you just


    Want to end the lives of two innocent children who had nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°They are your kids!¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are my children, and they¡¯re Luke¡¯s children as well. But that doesn¡¯t mean that you


    2/3


    should kill them. They have nothing to do with this. If you want to hurt anyone, Luke and I are right.


    here. You can let the little ones go.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of stories where people have to face the consequences of their father¡¯s actions? It¡¯s


    been happening since the dawn of time. Generations curse, parents¡® mistakes, so much shit, and now


    you¡¯re telling me this? Come on, Ariel. You know I¡¯m not going to listen to any of your words.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a monster,¡± I spat. ¡°Your heart is filled with nothing but darkness, and now you


    only want to do evil so you can be satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s actually nice,ing from thedy shit he did to her.¡±


    Who wanted to ruin her ex¨Chusband because of the


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t follow through with that shit in the end, did I?¡± I defended. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not a monster


    like you. Even when I wanted revenge, my heart had to stop me. Yes, Mason, my heart had to stop


    doing anything stupid. I won¡¯t be able to live with myself if I decide to ruin Luke for good.¡±


    ¡°Go to hell, bitch!¡± Mason barked on the phone.


    ¡°You tell me something, Mason. Would your lover want this right now? Would Sofie want to see this evil


    side of you¨Cextremely heartless, not caring about other people? Would she want you to take the lives


    of two innocent children? Do you think she¡¯ll be happy with you wherever she is right now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare mention her name? You don¡¯t know her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t know her. But I know she can never be this heartless. She wouldn¡¯t want this evil


    taking ce if she were still alive.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, okay?!¡± Mason snapped.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth, Mason. It¡¯s the truth, and I just want you to change. Put an end to all of this, forget about


    vengeance, and move on. I believe Sofie will be happy with that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already; don¡¯t you dare mention her name.¡±


    ¡°You need to change, Mason. Please do this for Sophie.¡±


    butConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Just shut up, Ariel! Stop calling her name like you know her! You¡¯re crazy,


    guess


    what? You can never be crazy like me. You want to know where your children are, right? They¡¯re in


    Luke¡¯spany, and they¡¯re probably in hell right now!¡±


    ¡°In hell? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Go see for yourself,¡± he said before ending the call.


    I slowly dropped my phone on the other seat. They were in Luke¡¯spany. Why would Mason carry


    them to that location? I didn¡¯t know, but I got to head there right now.


    I started my car and began to drive. I drove for minutes, still thinking about Lukel and Janice. At the


    time I gave birth to them, the moment when they just came into the world was a moment of tears of joy,


    with Andre by my side. I had promised to take good care of them. It was an oath I made that I wouldn¡¯t


    let anything bad happen to them. So what the hell was happening today? Things had gone


    TEMONSTER


    3/3


    out of hand a long way, a night filled with terror. The rain had stopped for quite a long time now, but this


    terror was still falling on me, and it was filling my head with billions of negative thoughts.


    Lukel and Janice were my everything and my favorite people in the world. The angels have a delightful


    smile, joyful faces, and a lovely demeanor. Why would I let anyone harm them? If only I was a god.


    I stopped my car, arriving at Luke¡¯spany, and I quickly got out. The building was on fire, and I had


    to gasp in horror. Lukel and Janice were both in that building, and it was burning like hell. Oh fuck, what


    am I going to do now? I hope they¡¯re still fine in there.


    How could they be fine? The intense heat, the massive fire. Hell no, I needed to do something as soon


    as possible. I got into the crowd, forcefully moving past them. It was really hard, but I made my way to


    the front anyway. A mother¡¯s love for her children can never be taken for granted. She would do


    anything to protect them, even if it meant giving up her own life. And that¡¯s what I was about to do.


    As I was about to advance towards the building, someone held my hand, pulling me back. I turned


    around, and it was Jack.


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold? What are you doing?¡± He queried.


    ¡°Let go of me. My children are in there!¡±


    ¡°Your children.¡± His expression turned into a puzzled one. ¡°Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯re the


    mother of the two children who happen to be in the building?¡±


    ¡°Yes, now let go of me,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Reynold, but I¡¯m not going to let you get hurt. Your husband already went inside to save.


    them.¡±

 Chatper 179

    179 DETERMINATION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    173


    I was still here in this building, searching for two little children I had no knowledge of I didn¡¯t even know


    if they were actually in the building, but I couldn¡¯t just give up now. If I was going to die here, then so be


    it. I¡¯d die with the things established by my grandfather. It would even be better that way. But saving


    these children now was all that was on my mind.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Looking in different directions, I walled carefully, so I wouldn¡¯t get toasted by this crap right here. I could


    even feel the heat of the dreadful fire, and dann, It was hot as hell. The people in hell m passing


    through a lot, no lie about that. This heat was so intense that I could melt someone in seconds. In


    minutes, actually, like a candle or something. I was just lucky to not have gotten hit by this me. Right


    now, it was grace covering me.


    1 paused for a moment, looking carefully to see if I could perhaps see any souls around here. Close to


    me, far from me all counted. But there was no one, so I needed to keep on moving


    As I decided to get into action, there was this crap that fell right in front of me, covered with fire¨Can


    item, actually, probably a part of the building. But I was lucky that I didn¡¯te into contact with it. Who


    knew what I wouldn¡¯t have be right now?


    Yes, I was sweating like hell, and my breathing wasn¡¯t normal. I kept on inhaling the smoke, and trust


    me, this was something I wasn¡¯t relishing. But I got to live in the moment. I could never tell what would


    take ce in the future, I just had to live up to it, predict whatever I wanted, and sometimes get a


    shocking result in the end. Yeah, what life had to give me.


    I kept on with the search, not giving room for terror, not panicking, but standing boldly with optimistic


    thinking. I could get out of this one alive; I hoped that.


    More noises, more falling things that could cause one to stumble¨Cthat would increase the fear. But I


    chose to stand firm, not sticking in my brain how the fire could casily turn one to ashes.


    The search continued, looking everywhere carefully, until I heard the voices of two little children, a little


    bit far from me. They were screaming for help, and indeed, I knew they were the ones I was looking for.


    I fastened my pace, but I did that carefully, bing really great with each step.


    So yes, the voice wasing from somewhere up the stairs, which was almost burnt down. So I


    needed to be fast to walk back through these stairs before they burned down fully. I carefully walked


    through it, and the voices were now close to me.


    ¡°Someone help, please!¡± The voice of a little girl echoed right in my ears. But it sounded kind of familiar.


    I couldn¡¯t just remember when, but I could tell that I had heard that voice before.


    ¡°Is anyone there? Please help!¡± She kept on hollering.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ming. Just stay calm!¡± I vocalized loudly, taking some steps forward. ¡°There¡¯s no need


    to be scared!¡±


    179 DETERMINATION


    2/2


    And even as I walked further, I still couldn¡¯t see them. But I had a feeling I was getting close, and in any


    minute, I might get to where they were. I just hoped I would be able to make it.


    ¡°Please help!¡± A boy¡¯s voice this time is also familiar. But I couldn¡¯t stress my brain by thinking about


    where I had heard their voices before. Right now, I needed to be really careful. It seemed like the fire


    was getting worse each minute.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the both of you! I¡¯m almost there. I¡¯ming to rescue you guys!¡± I sounded off. I stepped


    on something immediately, and a huge fire blew right behind me, leaving me shocked to the point that I


    shifted back in a sh, moving like a lightning bolt.


    I shook my head as I breathed out. ¡°That was a close one,¡± I said softly to myself. The heat was much,


    and I was sweating like never before. For a moment, I thought I was going to be blown up. could call


    this a stunt, and if I get out of this ce alive, I think I should get this written down.


    ¡°Help please!¡± The scream of the little girl got louder as I heard a thunderous sound produced by the


    fire. I was frightened for a moment. I needed to act fast now.


    I quickly moved in that direction, transposing fast. I didn¡¯t care if I was going to get burned. I took all


    those negative thoughts off my mind, as my movements were like those of the sh. And finally, I


    spotted them, not too far from me. There was a huge fire separating us. Now I was thinking of how I


    could pass the fire so I could get to them. It was really terrifying, as I just wanted to give up at the


    moment. But what gain would it be?


    And it was now that I knew why their voices sounded familiar. These were these two kids I had seen at


    the party¨CAriel¡¯s children. But what were they doing here? How did they end up at this location? Who


    was the heartless scumbag who ced these children here? Because I knew for a fact that they didn¡¯t


    come to this ce all by themselves. The person who broke in took them along. He must be an enemy


    of Ariel, and since this person hade to do this shit to my building, I could call the fool my


    hater.


    ¡°You two, don¡¯t be scared, okay? I¡¯ll save you, I promise,¡± I told them, and some frightening sounds


    popped up.


    I looked around and noticed there was another way I could get to them. Or they could just pass there


    and get to me. Okay, the second option wasn¡¯t going to work.


    ¡°The both of you stay right there, okay? I¡¯m going to pass that direction ande get you guys,¡± I


    gestured towards the way. But before I knew it, the little girl ran in that direction.


    ¡°What the..¡± I panicked, but I was quite surprised that she safely got to where I was. But as for the boy,


    he stood there, still looking terrified.


    ¡°You need to save him,¡± she told me, pointing at her brother. And all of a sudden, she ran off. I was


    confused, and I wanted to go after her, but I couldn¡¯t just leave her brother.


    I turned to him, and he was looking so terrified, but I began to assure him not to worry. ¡°Come on, you


    can do this. Follow your sister¡¯s footsteps, okay? You got this.¡±


    He stood still, extremely frightened, but I kept on encouraging him, giving him the assuring words. If


    179 DETERMINATION


    his sister could move like that, he could do it as well. But the moment he decided to make a move,


    things went terrible. Not as I had expected, not as I had thought.

 Chatper 180

    180 MORTAL DANGER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was still standing here, looking worried, right in the crowd. Jack wouldn¡¯t let me go inside, since he


    said Luke was there. So I hoped Luke wouldn¡¯t let me down. I could hear the murmur of the crowd. I


    didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, but I didn¡¯t like it. I was never a fan of gossip, so if these


    people were talking shit, that was their own cup of tea.


    Everything was just revolving in my head like a goddamn movie¨Cthe piercing wall of sirens cut through


    the air, blending with the roar of mes consuming the building. And I stood right here, with intense fear


    in my heart, hoping that the little ones would get through this chaos. My heart is a turbulent sea of fear


    and despair. My children, my precious ones, are trapped inside that inferno,


    Anderful fragile souls surrounded by merciless fire. I wasn¡¯t close to that building, but eachpping


    tongue of me felt like ash against my heart, tearing at my very being


    Memories shed before my eyes¨Cthe first time I held my children, theughter that once filled our


    home, the dreams we shared for a future now uncertain. The reality of the situation gripped me like a


    vice, squeezing the breath from my lungs. Every thought and scream that pierced the night sky was a


    dagger to my soul, a reminder of the precious lives I had brought into this world, now in mortal danger.


    My mind raced, a whirlwind of prayers and pleas to any higher power that might listen. Desperation


    fueled me, pushing me to the edge of sanity as I watched helplessly from right here. The heat of the


    mes seemed to sear my skin even from a distance, mirroring the searing pain in my heart.


    Time slowed to a crawl, each agonizing second stretching out into eternity. The wait was torturous, a


    relentless onught on her already fragile state of mind. My love, fierce and unyielding, battles against


    the encroaching despair threatening to consume me whole. I¡¯ve been through a lot, but I hoped this


    wasn¡¯t the end. It seemed so dreadful; it looked so horrendous. But I couldn¡¯t let the negative feeling


    consume me.


    Where were the responders anyway? Why wouldn¡¯t they arrive so they could bring a flicker of hope


    within me? I could cling to this like a lifeline, willing it to grow into a zing beacon of salvation. For in


    the midst of the raging fire, one thing remains unwavering: a mother¡¯s undying love, a force of nature


    stronger than any inferno.


    The fire had been raging for what felt like hours, engulfing the entire building in its destructive mes,


    and Luke had not yet shown up with my children. I was worried, but why did I even believe Jack in the


    first ce? I could have just gone there myself.


    Of course, the crackling of the fire and the tilling of the air created a sense of urgency. It made a


    thunderous sound like powerful rumbles of thunder, and it looked like the building was going to be


    wrecked fully. I didn¡¯t want that. No, no, my children were in that building; I didn¡¯t want that.


    Suddenly, the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance, growing louder and louder. The


    firefighters had arrived, their trucks and equipment illuminated by the fiery glow of the building.


    MORTAL DANGER


    I moved towards them. ¡°Please save my children. They¡¯re in there.¡±


    ¡°Try to stay calm, ma¡¯am. We¡¯ll try our very best.¡±


    Without hesitation, they quickly sprang into action. I just hoped their training and experience would


    guide them as they made their way through the chaos. Why were they called firefighters? Through the


    thick smoke and intense heat, they made their way inside the burning building, and I hoped they were


    determined to save the lives of the people in there: my children, and if there were other individuals


    inside, I prayed that nothing bad would happen to them.


    I¡¯ve seen in movies where firefighters were fully prepared, with their axes and hoses in hand, battling


    intense mes, their bravery and selflessness shining through as they risked their own lives to save


    others. But this was reality, and I hoped things would go that way.


    I sighted someone running out of the building; it was Janice. My eyes widened immediately, and I


    sprinted to her. When we had gotten close, I carried her.


    ¡°Janice, my love. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re alive,¡± I said, dropping her down. I


    hugged her tightly, hunkering down. ¡°What about your brother? Why didn¡¯t hee along with you?


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t run. He was too scared,¡± Janice answered. ¡°Mommy, please, we need to save Lukel.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. The firefighters are now in the building. They¡¯ll get everything sorted out. But


    I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I still think you need to go in there and get Lukel. He was really terrified, and the man there


    was trying to help the both of us. But Lukel was really afraid.¡±


    ¡°Who? Luke?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know his name. But I know I¡¯ve seen him before.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Janice. You need to get some rest. I¡¯ll walk you to my car. Stay there and don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll


    be back with Lukel, I promise.¡±


    Janice nodded, and I took her to my car, where she settled in.


    ¡°Stay here, alright?¡± I caressed her hair before closing the door. I turned around headlong, bracing


    myself. I think I was going to find my way inside that burning building. I didn¡¯t care what anyone was


    thinking.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Janice halted me, and I turned to her. ¡°Please don¡¯t let anything bad happen to Lukel,¡± she


    told me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, sweetheart. I won¡¯t let anything terrible happen to your brother.¡±


    She nodded, so I walked away. I made my way through the crowd and was about to stir to the burning


    building, but my hand got seized again. I turned to see who did that, and it was still Jack. He was


    i really annoying.


    180 MORTAL DANGER


    3/3


    ¡°Can you please let me go?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°No, Mrs. Reynold. I can¡¯t let you risk your life. The firefighters are already there. They¡¯ll save your


    son.¡±


    I looked at him for a moment. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Reynold, think about it. You could lose your life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die protecting my children than run away and let something terrible happen to them.¡±


    ¡°But nothing terrible¡¯s going to happen. The firefighters are¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep stopping me. Did Luke tell you to do this?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t even know you wereing.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now let go of me.¡± I pulled my hand off his.


    This woman walked out of the building, coughing seriously, and she advanced towards me. Some of


    her clothes were burned, and I could see some scars on her arms.


    obec


    ¡°You¡¯re okay, right?¡± I asked her, trying to be concerned.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she replied, breathing heavily. ¡°But as for your son,


    he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°My son? He¡¯s what?¡± I asked immediately, out of curiosity. I had no idea who thisdy was, so I could


    ask myself how she knew Lukel was my son. Oh well, that didn¡¯t matter at the moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did anything bad happen to him?¡± I asked, as thedy was keeping silent. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I


    think he¡¯s dead,¡± she answered.

 Chatper 181

    181: BLAME ON ME?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Standing amidst the engulfing mes, feeling the oppressive heat pressing against my skin, I gasped.


    for air, the acrid smoke invading my lungs. Panie wed at my chest, threatening to overwhelm me.


    And things were even worse. This little kid who I was trying to rescue had been shot by someone, and


    now he was dead.


    I was really down; I didn¡¯t know what to do. What was Ariel going to think now? How was she going to


    live her life, knowing that her beloved son was no more? This was really brutal; whoever did this was


    so heartless, taking the life of an innocent child, all in the name of what? Vengeance or what?


    I didn¡¯t even know if I should get out of this building. It was really unbelievable. Yes, he did pass in that


    direction, the same one his sister went through. There were too many struggles, but he was able to


    prevail over them. And just as we were about to find our way out, he was shot in the back of his head.


    A lovely little kid, dead like that. Was I cursed that people right beside me would die? I could remember


    how I had lost Riley. That moment was really heartbreaking, painful as hell, and it had met depressed,


    not even looking at the future or what was yet toe.


    Now this boy was gone; I just shot like that. This murderer was going to pay for this, whoever he or she


    was. It was really sad, and the pain right now is intense. I could imagine how Ariel was going to be


    heartbroken by this. All hopes were lost, and now I didn¡¯t even feel like getting out of this building.


    Since this little kid was dead, I was ready to die here as well. I never imagined this; it was like a movie,


    a scripted timeline, or something.


    Everything was shattered, and I didn¡¯t want to be part of this world anymore. I barely knew this child,


    but the pain that flooded my heart was exhrating. The fire kept on making its noises, threatening as


    hell, but could I really be terrified by it? The little kid I tried to save died. And on the other hand, I had


    no idea where she ran off to. whether she was still alive or if she had been consumed by this inferno.


    But I hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be so.


    But at this heartbreaking moment, a flicker of hope ignited within me as I caught a glimpse through the


    smoke of the approaching firefighters.


    Their fire trucks, adorned in zing red, screeched to a halt outside the burning building, their sirens.


    wailing a symphony of salvation. The sight of them was a beacon of light in the enveloping darkness. I


    watched with a mixture of relief and awe as they leaped into action, their movements purposeful and


    synchronized.


    Their determination was palpable, and their faces set in grim resolve as they armed themselves with


    tools of battle against the raging inferno. Each firefighter was a pir of strength, a warrior ready to


    combat the merciless mes that threatened to devour everything in their path.


    I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away as they advanced towards the building, a fearless brigade marching into


    the heart of danger. In that moment, I felt a surge of gratitude and admiration for their courage and for


    their unwaveringmitment to saving lives at any cost.


    THE BLAME ON MET


    2/1


    As they disappeared into the billowing smoke, I whispered a silent prayer for their safety and for their


    sess in quelling the voracious fire that held me captive. And even though my heart was still heavy


    with sadness, there was a glimmer of hope inside me thanks to the presence of these brave people


    who risked everything to save those who were in danger.


    Then I nced at Lukel, who was no longer breathing. It was a painful look, and I closed my eyes as


    the firefighters got closer. It didn¡¯t take long before they rescued us¨Cactually, rescued me since Lukel


    was dead. The words were so heavy to vocalize, but it was just reality, and we needed to live our lives,


    looking forward to the future.


    One of the firefighters carried Lukel in his arms, unknowingly telling him that the little one had already


    been dead. The moment Ariel sighted us, she rushed in our direction and went to the man who had a


    hold of her dead son.


    ¡°Lukel,¡± she blurted, getting a hold of him. ¡°My son, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re alive.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say a word. All I could do was just stare at her, because she would eventually have


    knowledge of her son¡¯s death anyway. Even the man carrying Lukel didn¡¯t say anything; his


    countenance had changed. And I could tell that he already knew what was going


    Con


    Ariel¡¯s face changed immediately. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Why isn¡¯t he saying anything? Is he really


    dead?¡± She nced at me, and her eyes went to the wounded part of his head. ¡°So it is true.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead, miss. I¡¯m sorry,¡± the firefighter consoled her.


    Ariel broke down in tears. After some minutes of crying and talking about all sorts of things about her


    she fixed her eyes on me. She gave me a dark look, like I was the one responsible for his death.


    son,


    ¡°So it¡¯s true. You killed Lukel,¡± she told me bitterly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. You killed Lukel; you shot him. Someone told me that, but I refused to believe, but now


    I¡¯ve seen everything with my own two eyes,¡± she blurted, anger and sadness filling her tone. She was


    still in tears while talking in this mode.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel. But what are you talking about? Who filled your head with all of those negative things?¡±


    ¡°Liar! You killed my son, all because of what I told you. Isn¡¯t that true?¡±


    ¡°Okay, what the hell is going on here? Why are you saying all this? It doesn¡¯t even make any sense. I


    would have thrown curses at you right now, but since you lost your son, I¡¯m going to restrain my lips.


    Ariel pped me immediately, her re still etched on her face. ¡°I knew you had always had evil in


    your heart, Luke. But I never knew you would go this far, killing your own son. Yes, Lukel is your son;


    he was your son. And now¡­¡± she trailed off, bursting into tears, and she covered her face with her


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    hands.


    I could still feel the pain on my cheek. ¡°Lukel is my son?¡±


    181 BLAME ON ME?


    3/3


    ¡°Yes, he is. You didn¡¯t realize that the whole time? How dumb and heartless you are! But I will make


    sure you pay for this.¡±


    I could see the pain in Ariel¡¯s eyes and her tone as well. And this pain was causing her to submerge in


    anger, to the point that she had to start using me for something I didn¡¯t do. I wasn¡¯t the one who


    killed Lukel. In fact, none of her words even made sense. Who was this scumbag that had blinded her?


    And funny enough, was she this dumb or stupid to believe what such a person brought out to her? Or


    did she hate me so much that she was blinded immediately, hearing the whole false shit?

 Chatper 182

    182: I couldn¡¯t


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Ariel kept on talking, and I did nothing but watch her. Yes, she was in so much pain, but now she was


    talking absolute nonsense. I had no idea what had entered her mind, but believe me, this was


    absolutely not to my liking. Yes, I felt sorry for her. But this needed to stop. I was just as hurt as she


    was. Well, not actually; the pain inside her was really intense, and I totally understood that. I had been


    in such a situation before.


    ¡°Okay, Ariel, can you please calm down? I might be quiet right now, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to


    let you keep on using me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just talking nonsense right now, huh? You¡¯re going to deny this, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Deny? Why would I even do that when I wasn¡¯t the one responsible for your son¡¯s death?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I was told everything, including how you shot him. How you mercilessly took his life.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°And you believed that?¡± I vocalized morously. ¡°Where¡¯s the evidence? Someone just told you sh 1,


    and you believed that?¡±


    ¡°Do I have a choice? It¡¯s not actually surprising. I know how brutal you can be. And honestly, I didn¡¯t


    even want to believe that, thinking Lukel was alive and safe. I¡¯m in your arms. But now that you came


    out, he was dead¨Ca bullet right in his head. What do you want me to believe?¡± Ariel cried, shaking her


    head. I felt so sorry for her.


    ¡°Look, Ariel. You¡¯re getting things all wrong.¡± I spoke softly as I was about to touch her shoulder. Well,


    she shoved my fingers away. It hurt, and trust me, I didn¡¯t like that. But what could I do?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to touch me. I¡¯m not wrong around here.¡±


    ¡°Can you please let me speak?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    I tried really hard to put up with this. ¡°Just let me speak, please?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to starting up with lies?¡±


    ¡°Wow, Ariel. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually saying this. Your son died. My condolences. But I can¡¯t still.


    believe that you¡¯re telling me all this nonsense. ming me for your son¡¯s death and using me of


    shooting him. You weren¡¯t even in the building with us. You didn¡¯t see the things that happened. You


    didn¡¯t see the things I did, nor did you hear the words I said. You just met a stranger, and you¡¯re


    following the words of that person? Come on, Ariel, you¡¯re bigger than that. You shouldn¡¯t be thinking


    like a fool.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insulting me now?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just trying to make things clear to you,¡± I defended. ¡°You need to listen to my side


    I couldn¡¯t


    of the story. I tried saving your son; I wasn¡¯t the one who killed him.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°No murderer will ever admit that he or she is a murderer. No one would want to admit that they had


    done wrong. They¡¯d always want toe up with different lies, just to get themselves out of the


    situation.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying now? That I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Her re aggrandized. ¡°After what I told you, you went ahead to kill my son, my


    wonderful and lovely son.¡± Ariel shook her head in tears. She sniffled, and then she cleaned her eyes.


    Why did you do it, Luke?¡± She questioned me underneath her breath.


    ¡°I did nothing, Ariel Of all the things I¡¯ve been through, arguments and all that, this is the most foolish.¡±


    Ariel caught me off guard, giving me a hard p. Second time she was doing this. It was painful.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead? Hit me again. Will that take away your pain? If so, then go on; keep hitting


    me. I genuinely have no idea what has gotten into your head. But trust me, I didn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m not


    the one responsible for your son¡¯s death. Believe me when I say this; I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Ariel looked me in the eyes, both of us not saying anything, and it was as if we were the only people


    present at the moment, like we were the only souls in the world. We were both silent; I didn¡¯t know if


    Ariel had gotten a change of mind or if the negative thinking was still there. All I could do was just stare


    into her eyes, hoping for her toe back to her senses,


    ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± She asked me in a soft tone, not taking her eyes off mine.


    ¡°Because you love me. Remember, you told me that?¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Well, you did tell me something like that. But if you don¡¯t love me, then why did you refuse to go on


    with your n?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless talking to you. But you just need to know, and I¡¯ll make you pay.¡±


    Ariel¡¯s words cut through me like a knife. I couldn¡¯t believe that she still didn¡¯t believe me. I watched. as


    she began to walk away, her head held high with determination. I wanted to go after her to try and


    make her understand, but I knew it would be useless. She had made up her mind, and nothing I said


    or did would change that.


    As she walked away, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry this pain was washing over me. She was really


    serious about her words, but I didn¡¯t want her to follow through with anything terrible. I wanted things to


    be great between us; I didn¡¯t want hatred or any kind of bad stuff.


    And still looking at Ariel as she walked away to get Luke with tears in her eyes, a group of policemen


    showed up, asking me if everything Ariel had said was true. Their sudden appearance surprised me,


    but I knew I had to remain calm.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not true,¡± I replied firmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her son. I would never do something like that.¡±


    182 troub


    3/3


    The policemen exchanged looks before one of them spoke up. ¡°Are you sure? We heard the


    conversation the both of you had just now.¡°!


    ¡°Of course you did, so let me tell you, I was with her son, trying to save him from that fire. But all of a


    sudden, someone shot him. I had no idea who it was, because when I turned around, I saw no one.¡±


    The policemen looked skeptical, but I could see a hint of belief in their eyes, I knew I had to convince.


    them that I was telling the truth.


    ¡°Please, you have to believe me,¡± I pleaded. ¡°There is no way I¡¯ll do something terrible like that. I love


    little kids; there is no way I would wish any one of them dead.¡±


    The policemen exchanged looks again before one of them spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take you in for


    questioning. We need to get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°Is that really necessary? Can¡¯t you see my building burned down? D


    child?¡±


    you think I¡¯ll kill an innocent


    ¡°Yeah, I think he¡¯s telling the truth. Let¡¯s just leave him,¡± one of the policemen said.


    Surprisingly, they all agreed and left. I scanned the whole ce, looking for Ariel. I spotted her holding


    Lukel; she drowned in tears. I wanted to walk to her, but for some reason, I decided not to.

 Chatper 183

    183: SPIRIT CRUSHED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1 stood outside on the porch, my back against the rough wooden railing, staring out into the darkness


    of the night. The cool breeze brushed against my tear streaked face, the onlyfort I could find in the


    midst of my overwhelming grief. The stars above seemed to mock me with their twinkling indifference,


    a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me.


    My little son, Lukel, had been the light of my life; hisughter was a melody that had filled our home


    with joy and warmth. But now he was gone, taken from me in a cruel twist of fate that I couldn¡¯t begin to


    comprehend. The pain in my chest was like a physical weight, crushing my spirit and leaving me


    gasping for air.


    As I closed my eyes, memories of Lukel flooded my mind¨Chis chubby cheeks flushed with excitement


    as he yed in the backyard, his tiny hands reaching out to me forfort, his sweet voice calling out


    ¡°Mommy¡± with such pure love that it had brought tears to my eyes. How could he be gone? How could I


    go on without him?


    A sob escaped my lips; the sound was raw and full of anguish. I clutched at my chest as if trying to hold


    myself together, but the grief was an all¨Cconsuming tide that threatened to sweep me away. The world


    around me seemed to blur, the familiar sights and sounds of our home fading into an indistinct


    haze.


    In the distance, a dog barked, its lonely cry echoing through the night. My heart clenched at the sound,


    a sharp pang of longing piercing through my sorrow. Lukel, who loved dogs, had begged me. for one of


    his own with such earnestness that I had almost relented. Now, the thought of a yful puppy bounding


    around the yard seemed like a cruel joke, a reminder of all the dreams and ns that would never


    come to pass.


    I sank to my knees, the rough wood of the porch digging into my skin, but I hardly felt the pain. My grief


    was a relentless force, dragging me down into the depths of despair. The tears flowed freely now, a


    silent cascade of sorrow that seemed to have no end.


    it


    And yet, through the haze of my anguish, a faint glimmer of hope flickered in the darkness. Somewhere


    deep within me, a voice whispered that Lukel was still with me and that his love would never truly leave


    my side. It was a fragile thread offort, but in that moment of crushing grief, was all I had to hold on


    to. With a shuddering breath, I closed my eyes and let myself surrender to the pain, knowing that only


    by facing it head¨Con could I hope to find a way through to the other side.


    Still kneeling there on the porch, my heart heavy with grief, memories of Lukel continued to flood my


    mind like a torrential downpour. I recalled the way he would throw his arms around my neck, his


    embrace filled with a warmth that could chase away any shadow of doubt or fear. How I longed to feel


    that touch once more, to hear hisughter ringing through the house like a bell of pure joy.


    The ache in my chest deepened as I reyed the moments we had shared¨Cthe bedtime stories read


    with such enthusiasm, the scraped knees I had kissed to make better, the whispered secrets shared in


    the quiet of the night. Luke¡¯s almence felt like a hole in my very being, a void that nothing could fill.


    I wished with all my heart that I could turn back time, that I could hold him close and tell him how much


    I loved him and how much he meant to me. I longed for his presence, for the sound of his footsteps


    running down the hallway, for the mischievous glint in his eyes that could brighten even the darkest of


    days.


    The night seemed to stretch on endlessly, the stars above offering no sce or answers to the


    questions that tormented my soul. I whispered his name into the stillness, a prayer that he might hear


    me, that he might know how much I missed him and how much I wished he could be by my side


    once more.


    And as the tears continued to flow, a sense of quiet eptance began to settle over me, a fragile pener


    born from the depths of my sorrow. I knew that Lukel would always be a part of me, that his spirit would


    live on in the memories we had created together and in the love that bound us forever.


    With a heavy heart and a soul weighed down by loss, I rose slowly to my feet, my gaze fixed on the


    darkness that surrounded me. In that moment of profound stillness, I whispered a promise to the night


    air, a vow to carry Luke¡¯s light within me and to honor his memory with every beat of my heart.


    Still standing, I noticed that a single star seemed to shine a little brighter, a silent sentinel in the vast


    expanse of the night sky, a reminder that love endures, even in the face of the deepest pain.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re still going through so much pain.¡± Samantha approached me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    She was the one who told me that she witnessed the whole thing¨CLuke shooting Lukel. She narrated


    everything to me like it was a goddamn story. And I couldn¡¯t say she was lying; there were some


    senses to her words.


    I sighed in pain. ¡°Life can be really unfair sometimes.¡±


    ¡°It sure can,¡± she said. ¡°I lost my mother when I was twelve, and my father died of cancerter on.


    I nced at her. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s painful.¡±


    ¡°I know. The pain of losing someone really close to you. The worst part here is that someone also close


    to you was the person responsible for the killing.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute; I got to ask a question.¡±


    Samantha looked at me. ¡°Go ahead, what is it?¡±


    ¡°What were you doing in the building that was burning at that time?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me that? Are you starting to doubt the things that I told you?¡±


    I shook my head, turning my face away. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I was just asking.¡±


    ¡°Well, I went there to save your children. There was this man who had taken them in. And before I


    could do anything, the ce was already on fire. And then Luke and Tow worsen everything.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I said, nodding.


    183: SPIRIT CRUSHED


    3/3


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to file a case against Luke?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to do that.¡±


    ¡°He killed your son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make him pay myself. I¡¯ll take thew into my own hands.¡±


    I walked away from her after that, both of my arms crossed, as I could still go through the pain of losing


    my precious one. I stopped the moment I spotted Mason not too far from me. He was standing close to


    his car, and his eyes were fixed on no one else but me. I was ring at him, and I wished I could just


    find myself a gun and blow his fucking brains out.

 Chatper 184

    184: MEMORIES


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I continued to re at Mason, and his smirk only intensified my anger. He walked closer to me with that


    smirk still on his face. If looks could kill, this heartless man would probably be dead right now. Luke was


    no different from him; the both of the


    were cold¨Cblooded scumbags.


    ¡°Ariel, Ariel, Ariel, I¡¯m so d to see that you¡¯re still alive. You know, I thought you would be dead after


    realizing what happened.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy, Mason? You¡¯ve gotten what you want, right? You set a building on fire and ced my


    kids in it. Now Lukel was killed by his own father, all because of you.


    ¡°Come on, Ariel. Don¡¯t put the me on me. I was only following our agreement. Your husband is the


    one who should be taking all the me here.¡±


    ¡°You are a monster.¡±


    ¡°You can repeat it,¡± Mason snapped at his fingers. ¡°I am a monster, and you know what a monster


    does? It wipes away all its foes. So believe me when I say the job isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    ¡°Lukel is already dead. What do you want to do now?¡±


    ¡°Remember what I told you. I said I was going to kill your children if you refused to carry out the n.


    And you refused, so I¡¯m about to keep to my words.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that I¡¯m not going to be satisfied unless I send your daughter to the grave.¡±


    ¡°You W


    want to kill Janice? Can you even hear yourself right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can. And I can picture myself taking away your daughter¡¯s life. Stabbing her continuously or


    strangling her which one would you prefer? There are tons of options.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you touch her!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, Ariel. We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    Mason walked away from me and made his way back inside his car. He drove off. My phone began to


    ring; Luke was the one who was calling. I declined the call immediately.


    Now my mind wandered off to my little baby. Janice had always been a curious child, full of life and


    spirit. Herughter was like music to my ears, filling their home with joy and warmth. But now, that


    laughter cannot be silenced. Sadness couldn¡¯t take my ce. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the


    images that haunted my mind¨CJanice¡¯s frightened face, her tiny hand reaching out for help.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to her,¡± I whispered to herself, my voice barely more than a breath.


    Memories flooded my mind¨CJanice¡¯s first steps, her first words, the way she would cling to my hand


    whenever they went out. The thought of losing her was unbearable a pain so deep it felt like a physical


    ache in my chest


    [PLASHBACK)


    I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window, signaling the start of a beautiful morning.


    Today was a special day, it was picture day at Laikel and Janice¡¯s school. I could already envision the


    adorable photos that would adorn our photo album for years toe. With a smile on my face, I got out


    of bed and started my morning routine.


    As I walked into Label and Janice¡¯s room, I found them still snuggled up in their beds, their eyes dlowly


    opening to greet the day. ¡°Good morning, my little stars! It¡¯s picture day today!¡± Lannounced it


    cheerfully. Lankel¡¯s eyes widened with excitement, while Janice let out a yawn and a sleepy smile.


    After a quick breakfast of pancakes and orange juice, I helped Lakel and Janice get dressed in their


    picture¨Cperfect outfits. Lukel chose his favorite superhero t¨Cshirt paired with jeans, while Janice opted


    for a pretty pink dress with matching ribbons in her hair. I made sure their hair was neat and their faces


    were clean before we headed out the door.


    The school was buzzing with energy as parents and children alike made their way to the designated


    photo spot. I held Lakel¡¯s hand on one side and Janice¡¯s on the other as we weaved through the crowd.


    Luikel¡¯s eyes darted around, taking in the colorful decorations and the excited chatter of his


    ssmates.


    When we reached the photo area, I saw the professional photographer setting up his equipment. Lukel


    and Janice stood in line, their faces beaming with anticipation. Lukel kept adjusting his shirt nervously,


    while Janice twirled her ribbons with a shy smile.


    Finally, it was Lukel and Janice¡¯s turn. I watched proudly as they posed for the camera, their smiles


    lighting up the room. Lukel stood tall with a confident grin, while Janice¡¯s eyes sparkled with innocence


    and joy. The photographer captured their essence with each click of the camera, freezing this moment


    in time forever.


    After the photos were taken, I treated Lukel and Janice to ice crearn as a reward for being such good


    sportsmen. We sat at a nearby bench, enjoying our sweet treats and talking about the fun we had that


    day. I listened to Luke¡¯s tales of bravery and Janice¡¯s dreams of bing a princess, my heart


    swelling with love for my precious children.


    As we walked back home, the sun setting in the distance, I knew that these memories would be


    cherished for a lifetime, Lukel and Janice held onto my hands tightly, theirughter filling the air. In that


    moment, I felt grateful for the simple joys of life and the love that bound our family together.


    The moment we entered the arcade, Lukel and Janice¡¯s eyes widened with excitement, and they both


    let out a loud gasp: ¡°Mommy, can we y all the games?¡± Lukel asked, tugging on my sleeve.


    I chuckled. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what we can do, shall we?¡± I replied with a smile.


    We walked around the arcade, and I could see the kids¡® faces light up as they saw all the different


    games and machines. I could feel my heart swell with joy, seeing them so happy


    ¡°Mommy, can we start with the racing paine?¡± Janice asked, printing at a bright and colorful car


    racing game.


    ¡°sane, let¡¯s pol¡± I replied, and we made our way to the game 1 helped Janice sit on the seat and gave


    Lukel some coins to start the game.


    ¡°okay, Lubel, you steer, and Janice, you press the buttons, all right?¡± instructed them.


    They both nodded eagerly, and soon enough, they were fully immersed in the game,ughing and


    cheering as they raced their cars.


    ¡°That was so much fun!¡± Janice eximed as she jumped off the seat, and Lakel high fived her in


    excitement


    ¡°Can we y another game now, Mommy?¡± Lakel asked, already pulling me towards the next game.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at their enthusiasm. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go!¡±


    We yed several games, from shooting hoops to pop a shot and even a dance game. It was


    heartwarming to see my children having such a great time and bonding with each other.


    ¡°Mommy, can we y the w machine, please?¡± Janice pleaded, pointing at arge machine with


    stuffed toys inside,


    I hesitated at first, as I knew those machines were not easy to win. But seeing the pleading look on


    their faces, I couldn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s give it a try,¡± I said, and we gathered around the machine.


    Lukel was the first to try, and after a few failed attempts, he finally managed to grab a small teddy bear.


    He proudly handed it to Janice, who hugged it tightly and thanked her brother.


    ¡°Okay, my turn!¡± Janice eximed as she excitedly inserted the coins and maneuvered the w. After


    a few tries, she managed to grab a cute little unicorn, and we all cheered in excitement.


    As we were about to leave the arcade, I saw a photo booth in the corner. ¡°Hey, do you guys want to


    take a picture to remember this fun day?¡± I asked, and they both nodded eagerly.


    We went inside the booth, and I helped them choose fun props and poses for the pictures. As we


    waited for the prints, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful and blessed to have these two amazing kids in my


    life.


    ¡°Look, Mommy, we look like superheroes!¡± Lukel eximed, holding up the photo strips.


    I smiled. ¡°You two are my superheroes,¡± I said, giving them both a hug.


    We left the arcade with big smiles on our faces and memories that I knew we would cherish forever. It


    was a simple day out, but it was filled with so much love,ughter, and joy. And that¡¯s all that matters. in


    the end.

 Chatper 185

    185: MEMORIES 2


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    I tiptoed quietly into my children¡¯s bedroom, trying not to wake Janice, who was sleeping soundly in her


    crib. Laikel was already waiting for me, his big brown eyes lighting up as soon as he saw me. ¡°Mommy,


    are you going to read me a bedtime story?¡± he asked eagerly, his small hands clutching his favorite


    teddy bear tightly.


    ¡°Yes, my love,¡± 1 replied with a smile, settling down on the edge of his bed. ¡°Which story would you like


    to hear tonight


    Luikel thought for a moment before pointing to a book on his shelf. ¡°Can we read the one about the


    princess and the dragon?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I told him, pulling out the book and opening it to the first page. As I started reading. Lukel


    snuggled closer to me, his eyes fixed on the colorful illustrations.


    As 1 continued to read, Lukel would asionally interrupt with questions orments, showing me


    how much he was engaged in the story. I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of my little boy¡¯s curious mind and


    his love for stories.


    As the story came to an end, Lukel let out a contented sigh. ¡°That was a great story, Mommy. Can we


    read another one?¡±


    I chuckled, ruffling his hair affectionately. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, my love. We can read another one


    tomorrow.¡±


    Lukel pouted, but I could see his eyes were getting heavy. ¡°Okay, Mommy. Can you sing me a luby


    then?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, starting to sing his favorite luby. As I sang, I could feel Lukel¡¯s body rxing and


    his breathing bing even. Before I knew it, he was fast asleep, his teddy bear clutched tightly in his


    arms.


    I stayed for a while, watching my little angel sleep peacefully. It was moments like these that reminded


    me of how blessed I was to be a mother. I gently kissed Lukel¡¯s forehead before getting up to check on


    Janice.


    I peeked into her crib and saw that she was still fast asleep. I smiled, knowing that my husband and I


    were truly blessed with two beautiful children.


    Satisfied that both my children were sound asleep, I quietly made my way out of their room and closed


    the door behind me.


    2/3


    It was a typical Saturday afternoon in the house, the others had gone out, so it was just the three of us


    right now. Lukel and Janice were sprawled out on the living room floor, their eyes glued to the TV


    screen. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched them watch their favorite cartoon, SpongeBob


    SquarePants


    ¡°Mom, look!¡± Lukel eximed, pointing at the TV. ¡°Squidward just got hit in the face with a pie!!


    Janice giggled uncontrobly, her small hand covering her mouth as she watched the silly scene


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    unfold.


    I chuckled and joined them on the floor, sitting in between my two little ones. ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Lukel?¡± I


    asked, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°Squidward¡¯s face!¡± he brought out, stillughing. ¡°It¡¯s so funny!¡±


    Icouldn¡¯t argue with that. The cartoon had been a favorite of mine since I was a child, and now I was


    passing down that love to my own kids. I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for this moment, this simple joy


    of watching cartoons with my children.


    As the episode continued, Lukel and Janice¡¯sughter filled the room. They werepletely


    engrossed in the show, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel happy as I watched them. But then Lukel suddenly


    sat up, his eyes wide with excitement.


    ¡°Mom, mom, look!¡± he said, practically bouncing with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s the part where SpongeBob and


    Patrick go jellyfishing!¡±


    1 smiled and nodded, pretending to be just as excited as he was. ¡°Oh wow, I love that part!¡± I told him,


    trying my best to match his enthusiasm.


    Lukel turned to Janice, who was still giggling at Squidward¡¯s misfortunes. ¡°Janice, you have to see


    this!¡± he eximed, grabbing her hand and pulling her closer to the TV.


    Janice¡¯s eyes widened as she watched SpongeBob and Patrick catch jellyfish with theirs. ¡°Wow,


    that¡¯s so cool!¡± she said, her voice filled with wonder.


    As the episode came to an end, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. These


    were the moments that made parenthood worth it. I love watching my children bond¨Cover a silly


    cartoon,ughing and enjoying each other¡¯spany.


    ¡°That was the best episode ever!¡± Lukel jumped to his feet, striking a dramatic pose.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Janice agreed, joining her brother in his over¨Cthe¨Ctop antics.


    1


    Iughed and stood up, ruffling their hair affectionately. ¡°You two are the best audience a mom could


    ask for,¡± I said, feeling grateful for their love and joy.


    We turned off the TV and headed to the kitchen for some snacks. Yeah, of course, we were hungry.


    Watching TV was quite great, fun, and amazing. I was d to relish these moments with my two kids;


    they were really lovely. I was lucky to have them in my life.


    Reaching the kitchen, I opened the fridge to grab some fruits and snacks for the kids. But before I


    TES MEMORIES 2.


    185


    could even reach for the fruits, Lukel grabbed a grape and threw it at Janice. She squealed and


    retaliated by throwing a cherry back at him.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at their yful antics. ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough, you two,¡± I said, trying to


    sound stern but failing as I fought back my ownughter.


    3/3


    But the kids weren¡¯t done yet. They continued to throw food at each other,ughing and shrieking with


    joy. I couldn¡¯t me them; it was a Saturday afternoon, and they were just having innocent fun.


    I joined in on the food fight, throwing a couple of grapes at them and sessfully hitting Lukel¡¯s head.


    He looked at me with mock hurt in his eyes before throwing a piece of popcorn at my face. Janice


    joined in too, throwing some crackers at both of us.


    Soon, the kitchen was aplete mess. There were fruits and snacks scattered all over the floor. But I


    didn¡¯t care; seeing my kids having so much fun was all that mattered to me.


    After a few more minutes of ying andughing, we finally settled down and sat at the kitchen table to


    eat our snacks. The kids were still giggling and talking about the food fight, reliving the fun they just


    had.


    I watched them munch on their snacks and talk, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for this moment. It


    was just a typical Saturday afternoon in our house, but it was filled with so much love andughter.


    As the day went on, Andre and the others came back home, and the kids excitedly told them about the


    food fight they had. We allughed and joked about it, making new memories to cherish.


    Andre walked to the kitchen, and heughed immediately, looking everywhere. ¡°Wow, Ariel, you guys


    did a great job around here.¡±


    Iughed, and as I was about to speak, Lukel rushed in, advancing towards Andre. ¡°I need to show you


    something.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, what¡¯s that exactly?¡± Andre asked him, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you. Just follow me and go to my room.


    Andre nced at me, and I shrugged, smiling. He agreed, and Lukel took him to his room.

 Chatper 186

    186: MEMORIES 3


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    My mornings are always a whirlwind of activity, especially when ites to getting Lukel and Janice


    ready for school. As the sun peeked through the curtains, I gently nudged Lukel and Janice awake with


    a soft, ¡°Good morning, my little sunshines.¡±


    Lukel rubbed his eyes and yawned, while Janice, yawning as well, quickly jumped out of bed with at


    beautiful and wide smile right there. ¡°Good morning, Mommy!¡± she chirped, her enthusiasm


    infectious.


    I guided Lukel to the bathroom first, where he brushed his teeth and washed his face. Meanwhile,


    Janice was already bouncing around the room, her excitement palpable. I managed to wrangle her long


    enough to get her teeth brushed too before the real challenge began¨Cchoosing their outfits for the day.


    Lukel, ever the easygoing child, epted whatever I picked out for him without protest. Janice, on the


    other hand, had her own ideas. ¡°I want to wear my pink dress, Mommy!¡± she dered, pointing to the


    frilly garment hanging in her closet.


    I smiled, knowing that negotiating with Janice would take some finesse. ¡°How about we save the pink


    dress for the party this weekend, sweetheart? Let¡¯s pick out somethingfy for school today,¡± I


    suggested, hoping to steer Janice away from a potential tantrum.


    After some negotiation and a fewpromises, Janice settled on a cute pair of leggings and a colorful


    tunic top. Lukel, dressed in his favorite jeans and a superhero t¨Cshirt, was all set. Next came the battle


    of the shoes.


    While Lukel slipped on his sneakers with ease, Janice insisted on wearing her sparkly silver ts. I


    helped her buckle them on, admiring my daughter¡¯s determination even in the smallest decisions.


    With their outfits finally sorted, I ushered the kids to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Lukel opted for


    cereal, while Janice demanded her favorite pancakes with a side of fruit. I inanaged to whip up both in


    record time, my multitasking skills on full disy.


    As they finished their breakfast, I quickly packed their lunches, double¨Cchecking to make sure Lukel


    and Janice both had their favorite snacks. With their backpacks slung over their shoulders, Lukel and


    Janice lined up by the door, ready for another day at school.


    I kneeled down to their eye level, smoothing down Lukel¡¯s hair and fixing Janice¡¯s ponytail. ¡°Have a


    great day, my little stars. Learn lots, be kind, and remember that Mommy loves you very much,¡± I said,


    my voice filled with warmth and love.


    Lukel and Janice shared a hug with me before heading out the door, theirughter echoing down the


    hallway. As I watched them go, a sense of pride swelled in my chest.


    I was about to turn around when Lukel walked back to me. ¡°Mommy, can you please drive us to


    school?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my love. Hope in the car,¡± I replied with a smile, grabbing my keys and following Lukel


    and Janice to the car.


    When buckled up in the backseat, Lukel asked, ¡°Can we listen to our favorite songs, Mommy?


    ¡°Of course, Lukel. What do you want to listen to first?¡± I asked, starting the car and pulling out of the


    driveway.


    ¡°Can we start with the Moana soundtrack?¡± Janice chimed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I said, scrolling through my phone until I found the soundtrack and hit y.


    The familiar notes of ¡°How Far I¡¯ll Go¡± filled the car, and Lukel and Janice began to sing along at the top


    of their lungs. I joined in, feeling the warmth of their voices and the happiness in the air.


    We continued to sing along to different Disney songs, from ¡°Let it Go¡± to ¡°Circle of Life,¡± as we made


    our way to the school. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the joy on my children¡¯s faces and the bond we


    shared through music.


    Pulling up to the school, the kids quickly gathered their backpacks and gave me a quick kiss before


    rushing off to their respective ssrooms. I watched them go, feeling grateful for this moment and the


    love that filled our little family.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Driving back home, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the journey we had been on. From the moment I found


    out I was pregnant with Lukel and Janice, to the sleepless nights and endless diaper changes, to now


    seeing them grow and thrive every day,


    It wasn¡¯t always easy, but moments like these, where Lukel and Janice¡¯sughter and love filled the air,


    made all the challenges worth it.


    I savored the quiet drive back home, grateful for the precious moments I got to spend with my children.


    And as I walked back into the house, I couldn¡¯t help but feel excited for the great moments


    that awaited us.


    But for now, I was content with being Ariel, the mother of two amazing children, and the driver of the


    most epic car sing¨Calongs.


    Lukel and I walked into one of the best salons in town, and his eyes widened at that very moment. The


    bright lights, the sound of scissors, and the smell of hair products filled the air. I could see his


    excitement growing as we approached the barber¡¯s chair.


    ¡°Hi there, young man! What can I do for you today?¡± The barber asked with a warm smile.


    ¡°Mommy says I need a haircut,¡± Lukel replied, looking up at me.


    ¡°Well, you came to the right ce. My name is Joe, and I¡¯ll make sure you leave here looking like a


    MEMORIES, I


    handsome young man,¡± Joe said, winking at Lukel.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at Joe¡¯s yful attitude. He seemed determined to make this a fun experience


    for my little boy.


    ¡°So, Lukel, what kind of haircut do you want? A mohawk, a buzz cut, or maybe a mullet?¡± Joe asked,


    running his fingers through Lukel¡¯s curly hair.


    Lukel looked at me, unsure of how to answer. I could tell he was a bit overwhelmed by all the options.


    ¡°How about we just trim his hair and keep it simple?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Sure thing, Mom. I¡¯ll make sure he leaves here looking like a little heartbreaker,¡± Joe replied, winking


    at me this time.


    Joe began to cut Lukel¡¯s hair, cracking jokes and making silly faces. Lukel couldn¡¯t stop giggling, and I


    couldn¡¯t help but join in. It was such a joyful atmosphere, and I was d I chose this salon.


    ¡°So, Lukel, do you have a girlfriend?¡± Joe asked, holding up a mirror for Lukel to see the back of his


    head.


    Lukel blushed and shook his head, causing Joe and me tough.


    ¡°Well, you better watch out, Lukel. With this new haircut, you¡¯ll have all the girls chasing after you, Joe


    joked.


    When Joe finished up the haircut, he gave Lukel a lollipop and a balloon, making him the happiest kid


    in the world. I thanked Joe for the wonderful experience, and we left the salon with Lukel¡¯s new haircut


    and a bag full of memories.


    ¡°Mommy, can wee back here again next time?¡± Lukel asked, still holding onto his balloon.


    ¡°Of course,


    honey. We can make it a tradition,¡± I replied, ruffling his hair. ¡°And I¡¯m d you had


    such a great time.¡±

 Chatper 187

    187: MEMORIES 4


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    I sat on a weathered wooden bench in my lush garden, basking in the warm glow of the afternoon sun.


    Around me, colorful flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their sweet fragrance filling the air. Lukel and


    Janice, my two little children, yed nearby, theirughter echoing through the garden.


    Lukel, with his tousled hair and mischievous grin, chased after a butterfly, his chubby legs pumping as


    he tried to catch it. Janice, her curls bouncing with each step, giggled as she ran around a bed of


    daisies, pretending to be a fairy princess.


    I watched them with a smile, my heart swelling with love. This beautiful rtionship between the three


    of us was one in a million. The bond between me and my children was unbreakable, a thread that wove


    through our lives, connecting us in a way that nothing else could.


    Lukel finally caught the butterfly in his tiny hands, and he ran over to me, his eyes shining with


    excitement. ¡°Mommy, look what I found!¡± he eximed, holding out the delicate creature for me to


    see.


    I gasped in delight, marveling at the butterfly¡¯s intricate wings. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Lukel,¡± I said, giving him a


    proud smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let it go so it can fly free again?¡±


    Lukel nodded eagerly and opened his hands, watching with wonder as the butterfly fluttered away into


    the sky. Janice skipped over to us, a handful of wildflowers clutched in her tiny fist. ¡°Look, Mommy, I


    picked these for you!¡± she said, holding them out with a beaming smile.


    I took the flowers, my heart melting at my daughter¡¯s thoughtfulness. ¡°Thank you, Janice,¡± I said,


    pressing a kiss to her rosy cheek. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, just like you.¡±


    The children¡¯sughter filled the garden, a symphony of joy that lifted my spirits. Even though I was


    aware that life was full of difficulties and challenges, when I was with the people I loved most,


    everything else seemed to fade away.


    The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the garden. I gathered Lukel and


    Janice in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s time to go inside, my darlings,¡± I said, my voice soft but firm.


    The children protested, not ready to leave their ytime behind, but I promised them another


    adventure tomorrow. With a final round of hugs and kisses, I led them back to the house, theirughter


    lingering in the air like the sweetest melody.


    I tucked Lukel and Janice into bed that night. I knew that I was the luckiest mother in the world. Their


    love was my guiding light, a beacon that shone brightly no matter what storms life may bring. And as I


    watched them drift off to sleep, their faces peaceful and content, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the


    blessings that filled my life.


    The gardeny quiet and still outside, the flowers closing their petals as night descended. But in my


    187: MEMORIES 4


    heart, the memory of that perfect afternoon would always bloom.


    2/3


    I sat on the couch, controller in hand, while Lukel jumped up and down in excitement next to me, Come


    on, Mom! You can do it!¡± he cheered as I maneuvered my character through the virtual world of our


    favorite video game.


    I smiled down at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m trying, buddy. But you¡¯re just too good at this.¡±


    Lukel let out a triumphantugh as I finally defeated the boss level. ¡°Yes! We did it!¡± he eximed,


    giving me a high¨Cfive.


    Just then, Janice walked into the living room. ¡°Mom, can you help me with my homework?¡± she asked,


    holding up her math book.


    I nced at the clock and saw that it was already past her bedtime. ¡°Janice, it¡¯s gettingte. Can¡¯t it


    wait until tomorrow?¡± I replied, hoping to avoid interrupting our gaming session.


    Janice pouted, ¡°But I don¡¯t understand this problem, and it¡¯s due tomorrow. Please, Mom?¡±


    I sighed, knowing that I couldn¡¯t say no to her. ¡°Okay, Lukel, why don¡¯t you continue ying for a little


    bit while I help Janice with her homework?¡±


    Luke¡¯s face fell, but he nodded understandingly. ¡°Okay, Mom. But hurry back; we were just about to


    unlock the secret level.¡±


    I chuckled and ruffled his hair before turning my attention to Janice. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re


    struggling with,¡± I said, sitting down next to her on the couch.


    I helped Janice work through the problem, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for my two wonderful


    children. They were so different in their interests and personalities, but they both brought so much joy


    into my life.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom. I understand it now,¡± Janice said, smiling up at me.


    I returned her smile and said, ¡°Great job, sweetie. Now it¡¯s time for bed.¡±


    Janice groaned, but got up and headed towards her room. As she walked away, I couldn¡¯t help but feel


    a twinge of guilt for not spending more time with her tonight.


    I made my way back to the living room and saw Lukel still ying the game. ¡°Hey, buddy, it¡¯s time to


    turn off the game and get ready for bed,¡± I said gently.


    Lukel¡¯s face fell again. ¡°But we didn¡¯t get to the secret level.¡±


    I sat next to him and pulled him into a hug. ¡°I know, but we can try again tomorrow. Right now, it¡¯s time


    for bed. You don¡¯t want to be tired for school tomorrow, do you?¡±


    Lukel shook his head. ¡°No, I guess not.¡±


    ¡°1


    I smiled and turned off the game console. ¡°Goodnight, Lukel. I love you.¡±


    187: MEMORIES 4


    ¡°I love you too, Mom,¡± he replied, giving me a hug before heading off to bed.


    3/3


    It was a beautiful summer afternoon, and I decided to take my two little children, Lukel and Janice, out


    for a walk in the park. The moment we strolled along the green, lush paths, I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to


    capture this precious moment with a selfie.


    ¡°Come on, kids, let¡¯s take a selfie!¡± I pulled out my phone.


    Lukel, who was always full of energy, jumped up and down with excitement. ¡°Yes! I want to be in the


    selfie!¡± he shouted.


    Janice, on the other hand, was a little hesitant. ¡°I don¡¯t know, mommy; I don¡¯t want to make a funny


    face,¡± she said, looking at me with her big, innocent eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. Making funny faces is the whole point of a selfie,¡± I reassured her with a wink.


    I held up my phone and gathered my little ones close to me. ¡°Okay, on the count of three, we make the


    craziest faces we can,¡± I said, trying to contain myughter.


    ¡°One¡­two¡­three!¡± I counted, and we all made our most ridiculous faces.


    Lukel stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes, while Janice scrunched up her nose and stuck out her


    tongue. I, on the other hand, made a fish face and winked.


    We burst intoughter as we looked at the result. ¡°Mommy, you look so funny!¡± Janice giggled.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You guys look even funnier,¡± I replied, stillughing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take another one; I want to try a different face!¡± Lukel eximed, already making his next


    funny expression.


    We took several more selfies, each one getting sillier and sillier. Janice even suggested we take one


    with our tongues out and our fingers in our ears, pretending to be silly monkeys.


    As we walked back home, I couldn¡¯t stop smiling at the silly selfies we had taken. It was such a simple


    and fun activity, but it brought us so much joy andughter.


    ¡°Mommy, can we take a selfie every day?¡± Janice asked.


    ¡°Of course, my love. We can do that,¡± I replied, patting her head.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Lukel cheered, jumping up and down. I couldn¡¯t hold back augh at that.


    188: MEMORIES 5

 Chatper 188

    188: MEMORIES 5


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    1/3


    I smiled as I gazed at the twinkling Christmas lights adorning the grand staircase of the mansion. The


    festive spirit filled the air, and I couldn¡¯t wait to make this Christmas the most magical one yet for my


    two little children, Lukel and Janice. As I bustled around the spacious living room, arranging gands


    and hanging ornaments on the towering Christmas tree, I could hear the excited chatter of my children


    coming from the nearby yroom.


    ¡°Lukel, Janice,e help me with the tree!¡± I called out, my voice filled with warmth and joy.


    The children came bounding into the room, their faces bright with anticipation. Lukel, with his


    mischievous grin, and Janice, with her sparkling eyes, eagerly joined me in decorating the tree. They


    carefully ced ornaments on the branches, theirughter filling the room as we reminisced about


    Christmases past.


    We worked, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for the precious moments spent with my children.


    Despite the challenges we had faced, we were a tight¨Cknit family, and our love for each other shone


    brightly during the holiday season.


    Just then, the doorbell rang, and I hurried to answer it. Standing on the doorstep was Hannah, the kind


    and generous soul who had always been there to put a smile on your face. She hadn¡¯t been around for


    quite some time, but it was a great thing that she was back.


    ¡°Come in, Hannah! We¡¯re so d you could join us,¡± I hugged her.


    Hannah beamed as she entered the mansion. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world! I brought some


    homemade gingerbread cookies for us to enjoy while we decorate.¡±


    Together, the three of us and my two children set to work, ourughter and chatter filling the mansion


    with joy. Hannah helped string lights around the firece mantel while Lukel, Janice, and I ced a


    star atop the Christmas tree.


    While we continued working, Lukel and Janice regaled Hannah with tales of their school Christmas y


    and their letters to Santa. Hannah listened attentively, and it didn¡¯t take long before Elizabeth joined us,


    along with Manuel and Andre.


    ¡°Wow, this ce is really looking nice,¡± Elizabeth said, looking around. ¡°I can help with this, right?¡±


    ¡°You sure can,¡± I replied, smiling at her. She giggled, and my eyes went to Andre. He gave me the


    thumbs up, and I gave him the perfect sign.


    After the decorations were up, I suggested we make hot cocoa and gather around the crackling fire.


    The children¡¯s faces lit up at the idea, and soon we were all cozied up on the plush sofa, sipping cocoa


    and sharing stories.


    As the evening wore on, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of contentment. Surrounded by loved


    TAB: MEMONIES 5


    213


    ones in the warmth of a great ce to call home. This Christmas will definitely be one to remember.


    The clock struck midnight, signaling the arrival of Christmas Day. We exchanged gifts in the glow of the


    tree. The children¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight as they unwrapped their presents, and I felt my heart


    swell with love for my little family.


    The night drew to a close, and I tucked Lukel and Janice into bed, their hearts full of dreams of


    sugarplums and reindeer. And as I stood in the doorway, watching my children sleep, I whispered a


    silent prayer of gratitude for the blessings in my life.


    Christmas morning dawned bright and clear, and as we gathered around the tree, our smiles were


    brighter than the twinkling lights above. In that moment, amidst joy and love, I realized that the true


    magic of Christmasy not in the gifts under the tree but rather in the happiness of spending time with


    those who mattered most.


    And as we sat down to a festive Christmas breakfast, with the scent of cinnamon and evergreen in the


    air, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was just the beginning of many more magical Christmases to


    After finishing our breakfast, Andr¨¦ suddenly stood up, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. ¡°I have a


    special Christmas surprise for you all,¡± he announced.


    We all looked at him curiously, wondering what he had up his sleeve. With a smile, he began to sing a


    beautiful rendition of ¡°Silent Night.¡± His voice was like honey, filling the room with warmth and joy.


    As he finished, we all pped and cheered, amazed by his talent. Elizabeth even stood up and gave


    him a standing ovation.


    Not wanting to be left out, Manuel stood up and proimed, ¡°I have a special talent too!¡± We all looked


    at him expectantly, wondering what he could possibly do.


    He pulled out a deck of cards and began to do a magic trick. However, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t very


    good at it. The cards kept falling out of his hands, and he stumbled over his words.


    But that didn¡¯t stop us from pping and cheering for him. We were all proud of him for trying, and it


    was the thought that counted.


    We yed games, sang carols, and exchanged stories. The mansion was filled withughter and love,


    and I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better Christmas.


    And as the evening drew to a close, we all sat by the firece, sipping on hot cocoa and watching the


    snow fall outside. We talked about our hopes and dreams for the new year, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel


    grateful for the amazing people in my life.


    This Christmas had been truly magical, filled with love,ughter, and cherished memories. And I knew


    that with these amazing people by my side, every Christmas would be just as special.


    So, I was with Lukel and Janice as I was about to tell them to go to sleep.


    ¡°Mommy, can you tell us a Christmas story?¡± Janice asked.


    188: MEMORIES 5


    3/3


    ¡°Of course, my darlings,¡± I replied, ruffling her hair. ¡°Once upon a time, in a farawaynd, there lived a


    little girl named Lily. She lived with her parents in a small cottage at the edge of a forest.¡±


    ¡°Was it a snowy forest?¡± Lukel interjected.


    ¡°Yes, it was.¡± I smiled. ¡°Every year, on Christmas Eve, Lily and her family would decorate their


    Christmas tree with homemade ornaments and twinkling lights. It was their favorite tradition.¡±


    ¡°Did they have presents under the tree?¡± Janice chimed in.


    ¡°They did,¡± I nodded. ¡°But for Lily, the best part of Christmas was spending time with her family. They


    would bake cookies, sing carols, and tell stories by the fire.¡±


    ¡°¡®That sounds like so much fun!¡± Lukel eximed.


    ¡°It was,¡± I agreed. ¡°But one year, a blizzard hit the forest on Christmas Eve. The snow was so thick that


    Lily¡¯s father couldn¡¯t make it back home from work. Lily and her mother were worried, but they knew


    they had to celebrate Christmas without him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sad,¡± Janice said, her lower lip trembling.


    ¡°But Lily¡¯s mother told her that Christmas was about being together with the ones you love,¡± I


    continued. ¡°So they lit a fire, made hot cocoa, and began to tell stories. As they sang carols, they heard


    a knock on the door. It was Lily¡¯s father, who had braved the blizzard toe home to his family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet,¡± Lukel said, a smile spreading across his face.


    ¡°From that day on, Lily and her family cherished every moment they spent together on Christmas,¡± I


    said, looking at my children. ¡°And that¡¯s why we should always remember the true meaning of


    Christmas: love, family, and togetherness.¡±


    ¡°I love that story, Mommy,¡± Janice said, snuggling closer to me.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Lukel agreed. ¡°Do you think we can make some homemade ornaments for our tree next


    year?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I replied. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for bed, my little ones. We¡¯ve had a great and exhausting day.¡±

 Chatper 189

    189: MEMORIES: PERFECT TALES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    Waking up to the sound of seagulls and the gentle rustling of palm trees outside my window, I saw my


    two children, Lukel and Janice, still sound asleep in their beds. Today was the day I had promised to


    take them to the beach, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see the joy on their faces. After a quick breakfast of


    pancakes and fresh fruit, I hurried to get everything ready, packing beach towels, sunscreen, snacks,


    and toys into arge beach bag. Lukel and Janice were already bouncing with excitement as they put


    on their swimsuits and sandals.


    On our way to the beach, Lukel and Janice chattered excitedly about building sandcastles and


    sshing in the waves. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their enthusiasm. I loved these moments¡ªjust the


    three of us exploring and having adventures together. When we arrived at the beach, Lukel and


    Janice¡¯s eyes widened in wonder at the vast expanse of sand and sparkling blue water. They ran


    towards the shoreline, giggling and shouting with joy. I spread out our towels and set up a small


    umbre to provide some shade.


    The children wasted no time in kicking off their sandals and running towards the water. Lukel was the


    first to dip his toes in, squealing with delight as the cool water sshed against his skin. Janice


    followed suit, herughter blending with the sound of the waves. Watching them with a heart full of love


    and seeing my children so happy and carefree filled me with a deep sense of contentment. I joined


    them in the water, the three of usughing and sshing each other as the waves rolled in.


    After a while, we decided to build a sandcastle. Lukel took charge of digging a moat around our


    creation, while Janice fashioned seashells into decorations. I helped them pile the sand high, shaping


    turrets and walls with my hands. The children¡¯s faces were alight with concentration and joy as we


    worked together.


    And as the morning turned into the afternoon, we enjoyed a pic lunch on the beach. Lukel and


    Janice devoured their sandwiches and fruit, their cheeks rosy from the sun. I watched them with a


    smile, grateful for these simple moments of happiness. After lunch, we went for a walk along the shore,


    collecting seashells and watching as seabirds soared overhead. Lukel and Janice held my hands as we


    strolled, their chatter blending with the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.


    I made it clear to them that it was finally time for Lukel, and Janice protested, begging for just a few


    more minutes in the water. I relented, allowing them to ssh and y for a little while longer.


    We packed up our things and started the journey home. Lukel and Janice chattered excitedly about


    their day at the beach. I smiled as I listened, my heart full of love for my two precious children. Today


    had been a perfect day, filled withughter, sunshine, and the simple joy of being together. Walking


    hand in hand towards our car, two men stopped at our front and pointed their guns at us.


    I froze in fear as the two men pointed their guns at us, demanding that I hand over all of our


    belongings. My mind raced as I tried to think of a way to protect Lukel and Janice. I couldn¡¯t let


    189: MEMORIES: PERFECT TALES


    anything happen to them.


    ¡°Please, just take what you want and leave us alone,¡± I pleaded, my voice trembling


    But Lukel and Janice were not going to go down without a fight. They stood bravely in front of me, their


    small bodies shaking but their eyes determined.


    ¡°We won¡¯t give you anything!¡± Janice eximed, her voice surprisingly strong


    The menughed, thinking it was just a game. But I knew my children were serious. It was quite clear


    with their expressions.


    Just as the men were about to make a move towards us, a loudmotion could be hearding


    from behind them. I turned to see a group of policemen running towards us.


    ¡°Drop your weapons and put your hands up!¡± one of them shouted,


    The robbers, taken by surprise, quickly dropped their guns and put their hands up in surrender. The


    policemen quickly apprehended them and handcuffed them.


    I let out a sigh of relief and hugged my children tightly. They were my little heroes. They had stood up


    to danger and protected our family. I couldn¡¯t have been prouder.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The policemen took the robbers away, and we were left alone on the beach. I sat down on the sand,


    still shaking from the adrenaline rush. Lukel and Janice sat beside me, their faces beaming with pride.


    ¡°We did it, Mommy!¡± Lukel eximed, giving me a high five.


    I chuckled and ruffled their hair. ¡°Yes, you did. You were so brave.¡±


    As we sat there, I couldn¡¯t help but think about how lucky we were. If we hadn¡¯t stayed for those few


    extra minutes at the beach, we could have been caught in the middle of the robbery. It was as if fate


    had intervened and protected us.


    But most of all, I was grateful for my two brave children. They had shown me that even in the face of


    danger, they would never back down and would always protect their family. And in that moment, I made


    a promise to always protect them as well.


    Together, we walked back to our car, the sun setting behind us. It was a perfect end to a perfect day,


    filled with love,ughter, and a little bit of heroism.


    It was a chilly night, and I decided to take Lukel and Janice out for dinner. And of course, a fancy


    restaurant was just the perfect location.


    Walking into the restaurant, Luke¡¯s eyes widened as he looked around. ¡°Wow, mom, this ce is really


    beautiful.¡±


    I smiled and ruffled his hair. ¡°Of course, my darling. But not as beautiful as you.¡± Heughed at my


    words.


    A friendly waiter pulled our chairs out for us as he led us to our table. Janice was giggling with


    189: MEMORIES PERFECT TALES


    excitement while Lukel was scanning the menu, trying to decide what to order.


    ¡°Everything looks so delicious; I don¡¯t know what to choose,¡± Lukel said with a frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you decide,¡± I assured him. ¡°Why don¡¯t we share a few dishes so we can try


    different things?¡±


    3/3


    Lukel¡¯s face lit up, and he nodded eagerly. Janice joined in on the nning, and soon we had ordered a


    variety of dishes to share.


    We waited for our food, and Janice couldn¡¯t stop talking about how beautiful the restaurant was. ¡°I feel


    like a princess here,¡± she said dreamily.


    I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m d about that, your Majesty.¡±


    Our food arrived, and we dug in, savoring every bite. Lukel¡¯s eyes widened with each new vor, and


    Janice couldn¡¯t stopplimenting the presentation of the dishes.


    ¡°This is the best meal I¡¯ve ever had!¡± Lukel eximed, his mouth full of food.


    Iughed and scolded him to chew properly before speaking. But seeing the joy on his face made my


    heart swell with happiness. I was d I could give him and Janice this experience.


    After we finished our meal, we were surprised with aplimentary dessert from the restaurant.


    Lukel¡¯s eyes widened again, and he vocalized loudly, ¡°This is the best day ever!¡±


    Janice and I bothughed and agreed with him. It truly was a wonderful evening filled with delicious


    food,ughter, and greatpany.


    190: GONE

 Chatper 190

    190: GONE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    [FLASHBACK CONTINUES]


    As the clock struck midnight, I stood on the grand steps of our mansion, watching the sky explode in a


    kaleidoscope of colors. Lukel and Janice, my precious children, stood beside me, their faces aglow with


    wonder as the fireworks painted the night sky.


    Lukel pointed excitedly at a burst of red and gold, eximing, ¡°Mom, look at that one! It¡¯s like a dragon


    breathing fire!¡±


    I chuckled, feeling a swell of pride and nostalgia. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it? Each firework tells a story, just


    like the year we¡¯ve had.¡±


    Janice tugged at my hand. ¡°Mom, will this year be as magical as the fireworks?¡± Her gaze was fixed on


    the dazzling disy above.


    Kneeling down to Janice¡¯s level, I gazed into her eyes, filled with warmth and love. ¡°Darling, every year


    is what we make of it. Just like these fireworks, we can create our own magic and light up the


    darkness. Let¡¯s make this year the most beautiful one yet.¡±


    The fireworks continued to illuminate the sky, casting a soft glow over our mansion. The air buzzed with


    the sound of crackling fireworks, blending with distant cheers andughter weing the new


    year.


    As the grand finale approached, I held Lukel and Janice close, feeling their hearts beat in rhythm with


    the explosive disy of light and sound. We stood together as a family, united in our love and shared


    experiences.


    With a final burst of color lighting up the sky, the fireworks concluded in a spectacr disy, leaving


    behind fading sparks that slowly dissipated into the night.


    A quiet fell over the grounds as thest echoes of the fireworks faded away, the gentle rustle of the


    wind in the trees filling the air. Lukel¡¯s joyful whoop broke the silence as he hugged me tightly. ¡± Happy


    New Year, Mom! I love you!¡±


    Tears of joy filled my eyes as I embraced Lukel. ¡°Happy New Year, my dear boy. I love you more than


    words can say,¡± I whispered, my heart brimming with love for my children.


    Janice joined in, wrapping her arms around us. ¡°Happy New Year, Mom, Lukel. I love you both so


    much,¡± she said softly, her voice filled with emotion.


    Under the watchful gaze of the stars and the fading embers of the fireworks, our family stood together,


    our hearts intertwined in an unbreakable bond. Weing the new year with hope and open arms, we


    knew that whatever challengesy ahead, we would face them together because we


    were one.


    [END OF FLASHBACK]


    TWO GONE


    2/3


    And that was it the lovely moments spent with Lukel. They were all in my head; I could remember each


    scene and each word spoken. How he smiled, how he cried, how he was so lively, how weughed, the


    games we yed. Oh, the memories now how was I going to continue to live with this pain etched in


    my heart?


    I still couldn¡¯t believe that Lukel was gone and that little boy was gone. That adorable kid was gone,


    and that marvelous son had left me. Why did this have to happen to me? Why did the pain have to


    strike me hard like this? I made a promise to protect my children, to keep them safe, and to make sure


    they don¡¯t fall into any sort of danger. But I couldn¡¯t keep that promise; it was all my fault that my


    little one had to leave this world.


    And all I could do was drown in tears, getting washed by the pain. Because life now would be filled with


    so much darkness, and my heart would continue to bleed. Losing a loved one was painful, but this was


    really intense. It seemed like I was going to be ripped apart and torn into pieces. The heart had been


    shattered already. Now I could just see what life had installed for me. Or was there still a reason to


    live? Yes, my Janice was here, and I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone touch her.


    I braced myself, putting on the armor of confidence and bravery. Now, I had decided to be strong and


    firm in this situation. If Mason thought he was going to take my daughter away from me, he was


    mistaken. My daughter was now my world, since she was the only one I had left. I would make sure no


    harm came her way.


    I quickly rushed to my car and drove to where I had left Janice. Luke kept on calling me, so I had to


    block his number. Janice was standing outside, tears falling down her face, sad and broken by the


    news of her twin brother. It was the same feeling here, but what could we do? Absolutely nothing. We


    would just have to live our lives ording to what we see¨Cthe things that came out.


    ¡°Janice, get in the car,¡± I told her.


    She shook her head. ¡°No, mommy, I don¡¯t want to go anywhere. I want my brother back.


    ¡°We all do, but right now, I need to protect you. If Lukel were here, he wouldn¡¯t want anything bad to


    happen to you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, mommy? Are some people after us?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. That¡¯s why I want the both of us to go somewhere far from here. And we need to


    do that tonight; if not, it¡¯s going to be toote.¡±


    Janice kept staring at me, not saying anything.


    ¡°Please Janice. Do this for my sake; I¡¯m not going to let anything bad happen to you. So please, enter


    the car.¡®


    After some seconds, Janice finally nodded, and she got into my car, sitting next to me.


    ¡°I love you so much, my baby,¡± I said in hushed tones, kissing her forehead.


    I started driving, and yes, I was leaving this city and this state. If possible now, I should be leaving this


    country. I needed to be somewhere far from here. Somewhere, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find us.


    190: GONE


    But as I was driving, I looked in the mirror and noticed some cars were driving behind me, and it looked


    really suspicious. I drove with speed; they matched my pace, following me till one of the cars finally got


    in front of mine. I stopped immediately; we were now at a bridge.


    Two men walked to my car, pointing guns at me and Janice. ¡°Get out, now!¡± They snarled


    I refused to listen to them, so they opened the car doors and forcefully dragged me and Janice out.


    ¡°Mommy, who are these people?¡± Janice cried out as they held her forcefully.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to see her in pain. ¡°Let her go!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Ariel.¡± A voice rang through my ears, and when I turned to look at who it was, I saw Harriet.


    She had a baleful smile on her face, and she was holding a pistol. Just taking a look at her made me


    sick.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± She asked, slowly moving her fingers on her gun.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. You better let go of us now.¡±


    ¡°And you think I would do that? Oh,e on, Ariel, I thought you were better than this.¡±


    ¡°Mason sent you, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Well, he did. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to kill that child of yours. Payback for you ruining my life.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who wrecked your own life. Don¡¯t put the me on me.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You snatched Luke away from me. And now I¡¯m going to snatch your daughter from you.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I nced at Janice, and she was extremely worried. ¡°Mommy, please, don¡¯t let her take me. I don¡¯t


    want to die.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Harriet snapped at her.


    ¡°Harriet, please. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°Too bad, Ariel. You can¡¯t change my mind.¡±


    The man holding me let go, pushing me to the edge of the bridge. Harriet didn¡¯t hesitate to fire a


    gunshot at my stomach.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± I heard Janice screaming as everything began to fade slowly. Harriet shot me for the second


    time, causing me to fall from the bridge, right into the river.

 Chatper 191

    191: VISIT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    After waking up to the sound of my rm ring in my ear, I groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore


    the annoying noise. But then I remembered that I had some things that needed to be done as soon as


    possible.


    The night had been tough; I had a lot to think about. I had a lot going on in my mind. My workce was


    destroyed¨Ca building my grandfather put so much effort into working on. And on the other hand, Ariel¡¯s


    son was killed, who happened to be my son as well. It was sad that I couldn¡¯t even spend time with


    him. And Ariel didn¡¯t arrive homest night. I wondered where she must be right now.


    I quickly made my way to the bathroom, sshing cold water on my face to help wake me up. As I


    stood in front of the mirror, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. This job interview


    was for my dream job, and I couldn¡¯t afford to mess it up.


    I turned on the shower, letting the hot water soothe my tense muscles. As I washed myself, I couldn¡¯t


    stop my mind from racing. I hoped Ariel was fine. She was so upset with me yesterday that I could tell


    she would have stabbed me if she had a knife in her hand. But it didn¡¯t make sense. How could she just


    come and use me of killing her son when she wasn¡¯t even present in the building at the time


    got shot? It was like a movie with a bad script; it really had me perplexed, honestly.


    he


    After showering, I wrapped a towel around my waist and returned to my bedroom. I quickly rummaged


    through my closet, trying to find a suit for today. I finally settled on a navy blue one.


    As I was getting dressed, my phone rang. I nced at the caller ID and saw that it was Jack. I debated


    whether to answer it or not. It was about business, and I didn¡¯t want anything distracting me. I just


    wanted to look for Ariel. I hoped she¡¯d be fine wherever she was at the moment. My phone kept ringing,


    so I answered it.


    ¡°Hey, Jack. How¡¯s it going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be asking you that, sir. The building, aren¡¯t we going to get a new one done?¡±


    ¡°You do know that¡¯s not the only building of The Smiths here in New Ennd, right?¡±


    ¡°I know, sir. But remember that this is something your grandfather worked on. It¡¯s been ruined, and now


    we have to fix everything.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Jack. That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving you in charge of that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving me in charge of that, sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have things to take care of right now. And you¡¯re the only one I can trust. You¡¯ve been with me


    for so many years. And you¡¯ve helped a lot in boosting the sess of this business. Even though it


    was already a sess before you came, your hard work counted, and I¡¯m really grateful for that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,


    boss.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°No problem. Now, just let me know when you need help with this project you¡¯re going to work on.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir. I promise it¡¯s going to be a sess,¡± he told me.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s going to be a sess. We just need to be careful. Assign security to every other location of


    ourpany in New Haven.¡±


    ¡°I will do that right away, sir.¡±


    We said our goodbyes, and I finished getting dressed. There was no need to grab a briefcase or look at


    myself in the mirror. There would be no time for that.


    I greeted Randy and Ethan and walked out of the mansion. Good morning to Marcus, then out of the


    gate and straight to my car. I drove to Ariel¡¯s mother¡¯s apartment. And the moment I got out of my car, I


    saw her, Sydney Walker, leaving her house. She locked her door, and the moment she paused, she


    turned around. Yes, that was what happened when she caught sight of me.


    She halted, not taking her eyes off me. I walked in her direction, not taking my eyes off her as well. I


    got close, and we still couldn¡¯t put an end to the gaze. Of course, the two of us barely talked. But right


    now, I was in no mood for dispute, conflict, or whatever.


    ¡°Luke, I didn¡¯t know you wereing.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this myself, but what can I do?


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard what happened?¡±


    She made a confused face. ¡°What? Did something bad happen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your daughter¡¯s son diedst night.¡±


    ¡°My daughter¡¯s son? Hold on, Ariel has a son.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know?¡± I raise my brows. ¡°I have no idea why she refused to tell you. But she has a son,


    and she also has a daughter.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Sidney said under her breath. ¡°Ariel has kids and didn¡¯t tell me about it,¡±


    ¡°Well, she had a son; he¡¯s dead now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said, taking a deep breath. ¡°And you want to know the most painful part? She¡¯s using me


    of killing her son.¡±


    Elizabeth nced at me immediately. ¡°Why exactly? Did you two have a disagreement?¡±


    ¡°Well, something like that. But forget about that. I came here looking for her; is she in the house?¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not,¡± Sidney answered, shaking her head. ¡°You can¡¯t find her?¡±


    101 VISIT


    ¡°No, and I¡¯ve been trying to call her but can¡¯t reach her. I clearly have no idea where she is at the


    moment.¡± And after some minutes, I vocalized, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. Have a nice day.¡±


    As I began to walk away, she halted me, calling out my name. I turned around to look at her. ¡°What?¡±


    She became silent for a few seconds, clenching her fists. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing. You can go,¡± she


    answered, looking down.


    I nodded. She had no idea what was on her mind. But I knew I shouldn¡¯t be wasting more time. I


    needed to find Ariel. I didn¡¯t know why, but my mind was telling me that she was not in safe hands.


    I got into my car and drove away. I went to meet Andre at hispany. One of his workers had told me


    to wait while she would go and inform him. And you could just guess who it was. It was Rose, my


    former worker. Yes, I clearly remembered firing her. She must probably beughing at me because my


    building burned down.


    I stood for minutes, waiting for Andr¨¦, as I was looking at the people moving around in the building.


    The ce was actually nice.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± Andre called my name. I turned around, looking at him as he walked in my direction.


    Rose was behind him, walking confidently with her sses on.


    ¡°What a nice thing it is to see you today.¡± He shook hands with me. ¡°So tell me, why have youe


    here?¡±


    ¡°I believe you have knowledge of what happenedst night.¡±

 Chatper 192

    192: TOGETHER WE SEARCH


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Of course, I heard. Your building was destroyed and burned down. I¡¯m sorry for your loss, man.¡± Andre


    tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not just that,¡± I said in hushed tones.


    ¡°What else? Did you lose someone close to you?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Yes. We weren¡¯t that close, but he was my blood.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s that exactly?¡±


    I looked Andre in the eyes. ¡°My son.¡±


    ¡°Your son? Hold on a minute. Are you talking about Luke?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered, nodding. ¡°I am talking about Lukel.¡±


    ¡°Ariel finally told you everything.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, she did.¡±


    ¡°And wait right there. Are you trying to tell me that Luke is dead?¡± Andre continued with his questions.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s dead. It¡¯s really painful, I know.¡±


    ¡°How? And howe I wasn¡¯t informed about this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯ve probably been busy. I can tell that your whole family knows this.¡±


    ¡°And how are you so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. But you can ask them right now.¡±


    Andre shook his head, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re right. I did spend the night at a hotel yesterday. I got caught up


    with so much stuff. I¡¯ve got a lot of projects at hand right now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have to tell you that. But what about Ariel? If Lukel is dead, where is she?


    And what about Janice? Is she still alive?¡±


    ¡°That I do not know,¡± I replied.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good at all. Lukel, gone?¡± I could see the pain in Andre¡¯s eyes. He stood still for a minute, his


    mind far from here. ¡°Ariel must be so broken right now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is.¡±


    192 TOGETHER WE SEARCH


    2/4


    Andre set his eyes on me, ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know where she is? She is your wife, Luke.


    Your wife.¡±


    ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s not the perfect time to talk about this, but I believe you have an idea of my


    rtionship with Ariel.¡±


    ¡°So what? Both of you got married again. She came back to you. You guys were supposed to fix things


    with each other.¡±


    ¡°If you were in my shoes, you¡¯d probably understand my whole part of the story. But I¡¯m not here to talk


    about that. I¡¯m not here to argue, either. I came to ask if you¡¯ve seen Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Well, now you know she isn¡¯t with me, and I have no idea where she is.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t done talking,¡± I told him, and I could tell he had to adjust his attitude. ¡°Now, since you and I


    don¡¯t know where Ariel is, why don¡¯t we work together and search for her?¡±


    ¡°Really? I have a lot of projects at hand right now, and.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Ariel worth more than those projects?¡± I cut him off.


    He gave me a cold stare. ¡°I wasn¡¯t done talking. But if I¡¯m going to have to ditch all these meetings just


    for Ariel, then so be it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we got to get going now,¡± I told him and turned around.


    ¡°But you have to promise me one thing.¡±


    I turned to him. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to love Ariel and treat her right. No heartbreaks or any painful sh*t. Got that?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I became quiet, but I turned around, not looking back at him. ¡°We better get going. There¡¯s no time to


    waste.¡± I walked away.


    I went to my car and waited for Andr¨¦ there for a few minutes. I thought maybe he had already


    changed his mind about the search. But just when I was about to start my car, he opened the door and


    entered.


    ¡°You took quite a long time there, didn¡¯t you?¡± I started the car.


    ¡°I had to make sure things would go smoothly at thepany while I¡¯m not around. No, Ariel, too. But I


    know I have people that I can count on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care about that. You got your seatbelt on?¡±


    ¡°Do I appear to be the type of child who needs to be reminded to fasten their seatbelt?¡±


    I wore a confused face. ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing; just start driving.¡± His tone was as fast as lightning. Anyway, I began to drive.


    Minutes passed, and with me and Andre speeding through the streets of New Haven, the tension in


    192: TOGETHER WE SEARCH


    the car was palpable. My knuckles were white as I gripped the steering wheel, my eyes scanning


    everywhere for any sign of her.


    ¡°Where do you think she could be?¡± Andre asked, his voice tight with worry.


    314


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man,¡± I replied, my jaw set. ¡°But we have to keep looking. She could be in trouble.¡±


    We drove through the city, checking all the different areas¨Ccaf¨¦s, bookstores, the park- just trying to get


    a positive result. But there was no sign of her. As we reached the outskirts of town, we decided to head


    towards the woods.


    The shadows of the trees were right there while we drove deeper into the woods. My heart pounded in


    my chest as we searched, calling out Ariel¡¯s name.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s not here,¡± Andre told me, his voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°We have to keep looking. She could be out here somewhere.¡±


    We drove deeper into the woods, the trees closing in around us like silent sentinels. The air was thick


    with the smell of earth and pine, and the only sound was the crunch of gravel beneath the tires.


    And when we emerged from the woods, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by


    fields and empty space. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant hum of crickets.


    ¡°We have to find her. We can¡¯t stop. We can¡¯t give up right now,¡± I said, letting out a s¨ªgh.


    We drove on, searching every corner of the destendscape, but there was no sign of Ariel. The


    minutes stretched into hours, and still, we found nothing


    Exhausted and defeated, we finally pulled over to the side of the road, the weight of our failure heavy


    upon us. I leaned back in my seat, my hands shaking with emotion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find her, Luke. We just have to keep looking,¡± Andr¨¦ told me with a gentle voice.


    I nodded, exhaling deeply, still leaning back in my seat. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to do right now. I can¡¯t


    tell if she¡¯s still alive or if she¡¯s¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Andre cut me off. ¡°Why are you going to think like that, huh? Ariel is not dead. She¡¯s


    probably somewhere, just going through the pain.¡±


    ¡°I feel so sorry for her. I feel bad for everything. And I don¡¯t know, man, but I got to hold myself


    responsible for this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Andre asked, looking at me. ¡°You¡¯re not the one who killed her son.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but it¡¯s really just¡­ ugh, forget it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that over there?¡± Andre asked, and I looked at where his eyes were fixed. It was a car


    stationed at a bridge not too far from us. And that car looked really familiar; it looked like Ariel¡¯s.


    ¡°It looks like Ariel¡¯s car,¡± Andre told me, looking pretty well at the vehicle. ¡°Come on, what are you


    waiting for? Let¡¯s get closer.¡±


    I drove further, and indeed, it was Ariel¡¯s car. The front doors were open, but no one was inside.

 Chatper 193

    193: BLAME


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Andre and I got out of the car, moving forward to Ariel¡¯s vehicle. She wasn¡¯t there, but I was a hundred


    percent sure that this belonged to Ariel.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anyone here,¡± said Andre, looking around this area.


    ¡°Yes, but this is Ariel¡¯s car. She must be around here somewhere.¡±


    ¡°In an empty ce like this? I don¡¯t really think so.¡±


    ¡°Come on, we have to search.¡±


    ¡°Luke, this is telling us that something isn¡¯t right here.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to jump to conclusions. But my mind keeps on telling me that Ariel¡¯s been kidnapped.¡±


    sighed, still staring at the car. ¡°I know. The same thought keeps running through my head. I¡¯m just


    hoping for the best.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± Andre¡¯s eyes narrowed down, and he slowly sat on his heels. He took two nes


    from the ground. One I had seen around Ariel¡¯s neck. And for the other, I had no idea who owned it.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°This is Ariel¡¯s,¡± Andre told me, unting the ne that he was holding.


    ¡°Of course, I see that.¡± I squatted and took the ne from his hand. I looked at it pretty well,


    remembering how Ariel had that around her neck, making her really beautiful.


    ¡°And this belongs to Janice.¡± Andre showed me the other ne. ¡°I think someone kidnapped the


    both of them.¡±


    ¡°I can never be too sure about that,¡± I said, trying to be positive. But trust me, my mind was saying the


    complete opposite.


    I stood up and looked around, trying to find any clues or signs of where Ariel and janice could have


    gone. ¡°We need to call the police,¡± I suggested.


    Andre nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll call them; you start looking for any other clues.¡±


    I started walking around the area, searching for anything that could give us a lead. Suddenly, I noticed


    a piece of paper on the ground. I bent down and picked it up, my hands trembling. It was a note written


    in messy handwriting. I could make the words out. Finally, she¡¯s dead.¡±


    And this handwriting was very familiar. It belonged to Harriet. I was sure about that. I had been with her


    for years and knew what her writing looked like.


    Andre looked at me and noticed the scar on my face. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    193: BLAME


    2/3


    I slowly handed the paper to him without taking a look at him.


    ¡°Finally, she¡¯s dead?¡± He read it out, too. ¡°What is this supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Harriet¡¯s handwriting.¡®


    ¡°Harriet. Your¡­¡±


    ¡°Ex¨Cgirlfriend. She was in prison for murder, but she broke out, and now she¡¯se to do shit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. So what are you trying to say now? Is Ariel dead? That this ¡®ex¨Cgirlfriend of yours actually


    killed her?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell that myself. But we have to be really careful now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and the cops need to know about this. Let¡¯s continue our search. We can¡¯t give up now.¡±


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t give up now.¡±


    The two of us burst into my car, and I drove away, carrying Ariel and Janice¡¯s nes.


    We reached the police station nearby and rushed to the front desk, asking for the officer in charge. A


    middle¨Caged man with a stern expression greeted us.


    ¡°Excuse me, officer, we have some important information regarding a possible kidnapping case,¡± I said.


    The officer raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°And who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Luke, and this is my friend Andr¨¦. We found some evidence that our friend, Ariel, and her


    daughter, Janice, might have been kidnapped.¡±


    The officer¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Alright,e with me, and we¡¯ll take your statement.¡±


    As we followed the officer, Andre and I exchanged worried nces. We were hoping that the police


    would take us seriously and start an investigation.


    But to our dismay, the officer just kept asking us useless questions about our rtionship with Ariel, our


    whereabouts, and even the color of her car. It was frustrating, and we could feel our anger building up.


    ¡°Excuse me, officer, but we have important information, and we need you to take it seriously,¡± Andre


    finally snapped.


    Unimpressed, the officer looked at us and said, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you let us do our job while you stick to


    yours? We¡¯ll take your statements and start an investigation if we find it necessary.¡±


    Andre and I were seething with anger. How could this officer not see the urgency of the situation? We


    stormed out of the police station.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just sit around and wait for the police to do something. We have to find them ourselves,¡± I


    told Andre.


    193: BLAME


    3/3


    ¡°Of course. But this Harriet you¡¯re talking about, do you perhaps know where she is?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know? She broke out of prison. She¡¯s probably hiding her ass somewhere, with


    evil still in her heart.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± Andre said, and we both went back to my car,


    The two of us searched high and low, scouring every possible location we could think of, but our efforts


    were in vain. No matter where we looked, we couldn¡¯t find any trace of Ariel or her daughter, It was a


    frustrating and disheartening experience, especially since we were so determined to find them. The


    feeling of helplessness and uncertainty weighed heavily on us as we desperately searched for any sign


    of their whereabouts. It was a truly fucked¨Cup situation, and all we could do was hope and pray that


    they were safe and would eventually turn up,


    And I could me myself for everything, reflecting on my past actions, Filled with regret and guilt. I


    should be the one responsible for causing her so much pain. I remembered every hurtful word I said,


    every action that caused her tears, and every moment I was selfish and thoughtless.


    She wanted the best, and I wanted the worst. Damage that I had caused, and it pained me to know that


    I had brought such sorrow to her heart. I was blind back then, but not anymore. I wish I could turn back


    time and make things right, but I knew that would not be possible. All I could do now was take


    responsibility for my actions and try to make amends. I will never forget how I hurt her, and I will do


    everything in my power to never make the same mistakes again. Now, I just needed to see her once


    again.


    Life can throw unexpected challenges our way, and sometimes, it can feel like everything is falling


    apart. My friend, I have learned that life can be really fucked up. I had a lot of money, and it blinded me


    to the point where I couldn¡¯t see what was truly important. I ignored that Ariel only wanted the best for


    me, even if she didn¡¯t love me then.


    My hatred so consumed me that I pushed away someone who genuinely cared for me. I was convinced


    that this person was only after my money, but ultimately, I realized I was wrong. I regret not being able


    to see the true value of this rtionship and the lesson it taught me about the importance of genuine


    connections. Life can be unpredictable and tough, but it¡¯s important not to let hatred blind us from the


    things that truly matter.

 Chatper 194

    194: THE RAGE AND THOUGHTS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I settled down by the tranquil riverbank in the quiet afternoon, and the gentle murmur of the water


    soothed my restless mind. The sun casts a warm golden glow over the rippling surface, creating a


    serene ambiance around me. With each passing moment, my thoughts drifted back to Ariel.


    The memory of ourst encounter lingered in my mind¡ªthe way she snarled at me, the angry words,


    the bitter tone, and the pain moving right in her eyes. But now, she seemed to have vanished without


    a trace, leaving me with an emptiness I couldn¡¯t shake. The uncertainty of whether I would ever see her


    again weighed heavily on my heart, casting a shadow over the idyllic scene before me.


    Lost in my thoughts, I gazed into the crystalline waters of the river, watching as the sunlight danced


    upon the surface, creating a mesmerizing y of light and shadow. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where


    Ariel might be, what she was doing, and if she was thinking of me too. But obviously, she would be


    brimming with anger if she were. The longing to see her again tugged at my soul, filling me with a


    sense of longing that I couldn¡¯t ignore.


    A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, carrying with it the sweet scent of wildflowers. I


    closed my eyes and let out a sigh. I wished I could turn back time to the instant when our worlds had


    collided, and everything had changed. Then, I would fix everything, even my mistakes.


    The memory of ourtest conversations, of the way she challenged my beliefs and made me see the


    world in a different light, flooded my mind. When I first met her, I never knew things were going to be


    like this. I had no idea I would be this passionate about her. Things really turned, and I was right


    there, stuck in thinking.


    Opening my eyes, I scanned the riverbanks, half¨Cexpecting to see Ariel¡¯s familiar figure emerge from


    the shadows, her bright smile lighting up the world around her. But she was nowhere to be found,


    leaving me with a sense of loss that I couldn¡¯t quite articte.


    With a heavy heart, I leaned back against the soft grass, feeling the cool earth beneath me and the


    warmth of the sun on my face. I closed my eyes once more, allowing the sounds of nature to envelop


    me¡ªthe rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the gentle flow of the river¨Call merging into a


    symphony of peace and tranquility.


    In that moment of stillness, I made a silent promise to myself. I vowed to search for Ariel, to follow my


    heart wherever it might lead me, and to never give up hope of finding her again. As the sun began its


    slow descent towards the horizon, casting the world in a soft, golden light, I whispered a prayer to the


    universe, a silent plea for guidance and a chance to be reunited with thisdy. I didn¡¯t know if she had


    stolen my heart. But I just wanted to connect with her, the both of us cleaving to each other.


    After quite some time, I rose to my feet, my gaze fixed on the horizon. With the river flowing peacefully


    beside me, I let out a deep sigh, and the gentle breeze moved past me. Then I heard some footsteps,


    and when I turned around, my expression changed from sad to angry and extremely sour just by


    catching sight of this person. I caught a glimpse of her, and I was filled with anger.


    194: THE RAGE AND THOUGHTS


    2/3


    Harriet had a smirk on her face, and it grew wider as she moved closer, her eyes sparkling with


    mischief. I could feel my frustration rising, but I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from her. Her confidence


    and boldness were extremely infuriating. I wanted to put an end to her smug expression, but for some


    reason, I couldn¡¯t find the right words to do so. Her presence seemed to have a hold on me, and I


    found myself unable to look away or even speak. I could only hope that I would be able to gather my


    thoughts and give this woman harsh words because she clearly deserved that.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s a surprise to see you. What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go far with the drama, Harriet. I know you¡¯re following me.¡®


    ¡°Pfff. Why would I follow you?¡±


    ¡°Enough with the whole crap. Now tell me, where is Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Ariel? How am I supposed to know?¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I found a note at the bridge nearby. It had your handwriting on it.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I also saw Ariel¡¯s car there, and I believe you know what you wrote.


    11


    ¡°What are you trying to say? That I did something terrible to Ariel?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be surprised, should you? You never wanted to see her happy.¡±


    ¡°What about you? You¡¯ve always treated her badly,¡± Harriet retorted. ¡°You brought a lot of pain to


    her heart. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about those times.¡±


    ¡°Enough! I know you did something to Ariel. Tell me, where is she?¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°Well, I have no idea where she is. Probably in hell right now.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I said nothing. I said nothing. But tell me, Luke. Do you actually live, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the answer I was looking for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was your question again?¡±


    ¡°Where is Ariel?¡± I quizzed her coldly.


    ¡°I genuinely have no idea. I swear on your mother¡¯s grave.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my baby is angry.¡± She shook her head as sheughed.


    ¡°Do not call me your baby. We have no business with each other.¡±


    ¡°I think we should. It seems like you¡¯re forgetting about all those times when you told me you loved


    me.¡±


    194: THE RAGE AND THOUGHTS


    3/3


    ¡°Those were past moments. I can never tell you such a thing currently. Not after everything you did.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Luke. Just forget about everything. Let¡¯s get back together,¡± she said, getting very close to


    me. ¡°I want you.¡± She wanted to wrap her arms around my neck, but I shifted back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to touch me?¡±


    ¡°You used to love it when I did that, remember?¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t have to keep on telling you that that¡¯s the past. I do not love you, Harriet. Yes, I did before,


    but not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself, baby. Forget about Ariel. Focus on me, Luke; focus on me.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± I snarled. ¡°You better tell me where Ariel is, or else I¡¯m going¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna do what, huh? Hit me?¡± She chuckled. ¡°You won¡¯t even dare.¡±


    ¡°You can keep on wasting your time, talking nonsense, and you¡¯re just going to be dreaming if you think


    the both of us are going to get back together. That¡¯s never ever happening.¡±


    ¡®Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. And if you¡¯re not going to tell me where Ariel is, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll find her myself. But


    believe me when I say this: if you harm her in any way, I¡¯m going to make you pay.¡±


    I spoke to her coldly, and as I was about to walk away, she grabbed my hand.

 Chatper 195

    195 HIS FUNERAL


    18


    195: HIS FUNERAL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Burning in intense rage, I pushed Harriet away from me hard. ¡°Let go of me, Harriet!¡± I yelled, my anger


    boiling over. She stumbled and fell to the ground, her smirk finally fading.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me, Luke. You can¡¯t just leave me like this! I¡¯m not going to let you.¡±


    ¡°I can do whatever I want, Harriet. And right now, I want to find Ariel and make sure she¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve you, Luke. She never did,¡± Harriet spat. ¡°I¡¯m the one for you. You are meant for


    1. me. We are meant for each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide. Now tell me, where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t say a damn thing.¡±


    ¡°You better tell me now, Harriet. I know how brutal and crazy you can be.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me at all, Luke. You never did,¡± she hissed, standing up and brushing herself off.


    ¡°I know enough to know that you¡¯re capable of anything,¡± I retorted, my fists clenched at my sides.


    ¡°You know what? Fine. To find your precious Ariel. But don¡¯te crying to me when she breaks your


    heart again,¡± Harriet sneered.¡±


    ¡°And who told you she broke my heart, huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, Luke. If you¡¯re going to start telling me lies, save those sh*t for someone else,¡± she spat


    before marching off.


    I watched her go, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. I needed to find Ariel fast. But where could she


    be? My mind was still telling me that Harriet had something to do with this.


    Oh, Ariel, how am I going to see you now? Where am I going to search? I¡¯ve gone through so many


    ces, and I haven¡¯t yet seen you. What will I do about this? Where are you?¡±


    THREE DAYS LATER


    The somber clouds hung low in the sky as I made my way to the small, quaint cemetery on the


    outskirts of town. I adjusted my tie nervously, feeling the weight of the asion pressing down on


    1. me. Today, I was attending the funeral of Luke. The tragedy of a young life cut short weighed


    heavily


    on everyone who knew his family. Yes, his family, not mine. I didn¡¯t even know that he was my son.


    As I approached the gathering, I could hear the soft murmurs of the mourners and the sniffles of those


    trying to hold back tears. The air was heavy with grief, and the atmosphere was suffused with a sense


    of profound loss. I scanned the crowd, recognizing familiar faces twisted in sorrow, their eyes


    red¨Crimmed and faces drawn.


    I saw Andre¡¯s parents, Manuel and Elizabeth, standing at the front, their faces etched with pain as


    195 HIS FUNERAL


    2/3


    they greeted the guests. My heart ached for them, knowing the unimaginable grief they must be feeling.


    I made my way towards them, offering a silent prayer for strength andfort. And I still needed some


    for myself. But they needed it the most since they were the ones who spent years with him. The ones


    who watched him grew. But I was the one who witnessed him die.


    The ceremony began with a gentle breeze rustling through the trees, carrying the scent of freshly


    turned earth. The minister¡¯s voice was a soothing murmur as he spoke of life¡¯s fleeting nature and the


    precious gift of each moment. I listened, my thoughts drifting to the time I first met Lukel, a bright- eyed,


    energetic child. I could tell when I saw him at that moment.


    Elizabeth stepped forward, her voice trembling as she spoke of Lukel¨Chis infectious smile, his


    boundless energy, the joy he brought to their lives. Tears streamed down her face, and Manuel reached


    out to steady her, his own grief palpable in every line of his face.


    So, as the service continued, I found myself lost in a whirlwind of emotions: sadness, anger, and


    disbelief. How could a child so young be taken away? Why do such tragedies happen in the world? The


    questions swirled in my mind, unanswered and unanswerable.


    The sound of a lone violin filled the air, its mournful melody weaving through the crowd. I closed my


    eyes, letting the music wash over me, a balm for my aching soul. I thought of Luke, of the moments we


    would never share, of the milestones he would never reach.


    As the ceremony drew to a close, the sun broke through the clouds, casting a golden light over the


    cemetery. I felt a sense of peace settle over me, a quiet eptance of the cycle of life and death. I


    looked around at the faces of the other mourners, seeing our shared grief and our shared humanity..


    After the final words were spoken, the crowd began to disperse, offering their condolences to the


    grieving parents. I approached Elizabeth and Manuel, my heart heavy with sorrow. I took their hands in


    mine, offering a silent gesture of support and love.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened.¡±


    Elizabeth looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Luke. Thank you for being here. But


    we¡¯re the ones who should be saying sorry.¡±


    ¡°And why do you say that?¡± Manuel asked her.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s their father. He¡¯s the father of Lukel and Janice,¡± she answered him softly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Manuel¡¯s face changed as he nced at me. ¡°Is what she¡¯s saying true? Are you the father of


    Ariel¡¯s children?¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, I am the father.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Manuel said under his breath. ¡°Howe I never knew about it? Ariel never told me. And


    speaking of Ariel, where is she? I haven¡¯t seen her in the past two days. Is she with you, Luke?¡±


    ¡°If she was with me, she¡¯de to this funeral. But since she¡¯s not here, I think you already have an


    answer to your question.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been missing, and I¡¯ve been really worried about her,¡± Elizabeth entered, her tone low and


    195: HIS FUNERAL


    broken.


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you informed the police about it?¡± Manuel asked her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯ve just been broken, thinking a lot, finding out about the death of Lukel.¡±


    3/3


    Andre approached the three of us. ¡°Mom, Dad, you have some people who want to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll talkter, Luke,¡± Manuel said.


    ¡°Okay, take care,¡± I uttered lowly, nodding, and they both walked away.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s the search for Ariel¡¯s sister going?¡± Andre asked.


    ¡°Bad, I haven¡¯t yet found her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that. And I¡¯ve also informed the cops about it. They¡¯re carrying out the search, and


    we¡¯re hoping to find Ariel anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to do. She¡¯s gone, and I¡¯m afraid she might be dead.¡±


    Andre gave me a look like I was insane. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Ariel can¡¯t be dead.¡±


    ¡°Then where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she isn¡¯t dead.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I said inaudibly.


    ¡°Lukel¡¯s gone, and we can¡¯t even see Janice anywhere. Things have really gotten out of hand,¡± Andr¨¦


    said.


    ¡°If I ever get the chance to meet my daughter again, I¡¯m going to make her feel like a princess. Same


    thing for Ariel.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Luke. God¡¯s on our side; we will find Ariel and Janice. Don¡¯t lose hope.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡±


    ¡°Ariel¡¯s family to me. I never want to see her hurt in any way.

 Chatper 196

    196: MY SINS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat alone in the dimly lit church; my hands sped tightly together as I gazed at the flickering candles


    casting dancing shadows on the walls. The silence enveloped me like a heavy shroud, amplifying the


    turmoil in my heart. My mind echoed with memories of the hurt I had inflicted on


    Ariel.


    My heart ached with the weight of my mistakes, the sharp pang of regret piercing through me like a


    knife. How could I have been so blind and foolish as to have caused her so much pain? The tears


    welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over, but I fought them back, my jaw clenched in a futile


    attempt to hold back the flood of emotions raging inside me.


    The image of Ariel¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face haunted me, her eyes filled with betrayal and hurt as she


    turned away from me, her harsh words thest time I saw her cutting through me like shards of ss. I


    had never felt more alone than in that moment when she walked out of my life, leaving me standing


    there, shattered and broken.


    I bowed my head, my shoulders shaking with silent sobs, as I prayed for forgiveness, for a chance to


    make things right and to earn back her love and trust. The emptiness of the church mirrored the void in


    my soul; the absence of Ariel¡¯s presence was a gaping wound that refused to heal.


    Lost in my thoughts, I whispered her name like a mantra, a plea to the heavens to bring her back to


    me. I longed to see her, to hold her in my arms and beg for her forgiveness, to tell her how much she


    meant to me now and how lost I was without her by my side.


    A soft voice broke the silence as I sat there, consumed with guilt and longing. ¡°Luke,¡± it said, and I


    looked up to see Father Michael standing a few feet away, his gentle eyes filled withpassion. We


    have known each other for a long time now. He was good friends with my grandfather, and he was


    someone that everyone would want to be like.


    ¡°Father,¡± I managed to choke out, my voice hoarse with emotion. ¡°I¡¯ve done something unforgivable.


    I¡¯ve hurt someone, and it really hurts my heart to just live in those memories. Now I¡¯ve realized that


    she means the whole world to me.¡±


    Father Michael approached me and ced aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°We all make


    mistakes, Luke. It¡¯s what we do next that truly matters. Have you spoken to Ariel? Have you tried to


    make amends?¡±


    I shook my head, my throat tight with regret. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start, Father. I don¡¯t even know if


    she would want to see me again.¡±


    He smiled warmly. ¡°Love has a way of healing, my son. Reach out to her, apologize from your heart,


    and be willing to make amends. It may not be easy, but it¡¯s a start.¡±


    ¡°You want to know the most funny part? It¡¯s that we both were getting along, even after all my mistakes.


    But all of a sudden, she just changed, reminding me of the past and leaving me broke. Cause


    196 MY SINS


    right now, I¡¯m filled with regrets.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Father Michael said, sitting down next to me. ¡°So now you are telling me that the both of you


    were getting along,ughing, and chatting pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We even had romantic moments,¡± I responded.


    ¡°And then she just changed her demeanor, bringing back the past.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I can¡¯t me her for it. I wasn¡¯t nice to her those years. I know she used to consider me to


    be a monster back then.¡±


    ¡°The past is a powerful force that often stays with us, Luke, no matter how hard we try to move on from


    it. It can be difficult to let go of hurtful events that have urred, as they can leave asting impact on


    our minds and hearts. We may try to forget about these painful moments, but they often remain stuck in


    our heads, resurfacing at unexpected times.¡±


    I had my eyes fixed on him as he continued,¡± The past, Luke, is something we cannot change, and it


    can be a challenging reality to ept. However, it¡¯s important to remember that while we can¡¯t change


    what has already happened, we can control how we react to it and how we choose to move forward.


    It¡¯s a process of learning and growing, and ultimately, finding peace within ourselves despite the past.¡±


    ¡°So,


    what are you trying to tell me now, father? Like, what¡¯s your suggestion?¡±


    ¡°I already told you. Talk to your wife about everything. The two of you should make things clear to each


    other, putting aside all bitterness and differences. If you want your rtionship to grow, that¡¯s what you


    should do. But I believe this wife of yours loves you very much.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Not that sure. But I can tell. After leaving this building, you should go and meet her so the both of you


    can sort things out in a deep conversation with no arguments or disputes.¡±


    ¡°That would have been great. But apparently, she¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nowhere to be found? What do you mean by that? Was she kidnapped?¡± Father Michael was


    questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen her in the past few days. I¡¯ve been trying to call her, but I can¡¯t reach her.


    And I¡¯ve been searching, but it¡¯s all bootless.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. That¡¯s bad. Have you informed the police about this? Are they helping you out in your search?


    ¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Luke. I can only imagine the worry and pain you must be feeling. But don¡¯t lose


    hope. God works in mysterious ways, and I believe He will bring Ariel back to you.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But what if she doesn¡¯t want toe back? What if she¡¯s purposely avoiding me because she doesn¡¯t


    want to be with me anymore?¡± I asked, my voice trembling with fear.


    196: MY SINS


    3/3


    Father Michael ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Luke, have faith in your love for each other. Love has a


    way of oveing all obstacles. If your love is true and strong, then it will find a way back to each


    other.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re right, Father. I won¡¯t give up on her. I¡¯ll


    keep searching and praying for her safe return.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, my son. And in the meantime, keep working on yourself. Use this time to reflect on


    your mistakes and be a better person. When Arieles back, show her how much you¡¯ve


    changed and how much she means to you. I have faith that she wille back to you.¡±


    I could feel a sense of peace washing over me. Father Michael¡¯s words gave me hope and strength to


    keep going. I thanked him for his wise words and promised to keep him updated on any news about


    Ariel.


    I left the church more renewed. And I just hoped that my prayers would be answered. I wanted Ariel


    back in my life, and I wanted to show her a lot of love. It was time to make things straight and clear


    between us. And should I happen upon her at any moment, I would spontaneously utter the exquisite


    words.

 Chatper 197

    197: NIGH TO THE GRAVES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I stood at the edge of the cemetery, the autumn wind gently rustling the leaves around me. The air was


    crisp, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and distant rain. I took a deep breath, my heart heavy with


    sorrow, as I walked towards Riley¡¯s grave. The headstone stood out starkly against the fading light, a


    silent marker of a life cut short.


    Kneeling down beside the grave, I traced the letters of Riley¡¯s name with trembling fingers. Memories


    flooded my mind¨Ctheughter we shared, the secrets we kept, and the dreams we dared to dream


    together. Riley has to be my closest confidante; he should be my partner in crime or, I¡¯d say, my rock.


    But it was so terrible that she was gone, taken from me too soon.


    My eyes were filled with tears as I whispered, ¡°Hey Riley, it¡¯s me. I miss you so much.¡± My voice


    cracked with emotion; the weight of my grief was almost suffocating me. I bowed my head, trying to


    collect my thoughts in the midst of the swirling storm of emotions inside me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re gone,¡± I continued, my words barely more than a whisper. ¡°You were only


    seventeen; you had your whole life ahead of you. Why did you have to leave so soon? Why did you


    have to leave me?¡± My voice rose with anguish, the pain of loss raw and unrelenting.


    I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the flood of memories that threatened to overwhelm me. I can still


    remember the day when she was shot. I remembered the moment she slipped away, leaving me


    shattered and lost.


    ¡°I wish you were here, Riley,¡± I whispered, my voice breaking. ¡°I wish we could talk again,ugh again,


    and share our hopes and fears like we used to. I wish I could tell you how much I love you and how


    much you mean to me.¡± My words hung heavy in the air, a silent plea to a world that had taken


    so much from me.


    I talked to Riley as if she could hear me, pouring out my soul into the empty space beside her grave. I


    finally stood up, my eyes red¨Crimmed and my cheeks wet with tears. I ced a small bouquet of


    flowers on Riley¡¯s grave, a token of my love and remembrance. ¡°Goodbye, Riley,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll


    never forget you. I¡¯ll carry you in my heart always.¡±


    With a heavy heart, I turned away from the grave and walked slowly back towards the entrance of the


    cemetery.


    Life can be incredibly unfair at times, especially when we are faced with the loss of someone we love. It


    can feel like the world is copsing around us and that there is nothing we can do to change the


    situation. We may feel angry, frustrated, and helpless, but ultimately, there is nothing we can do to bring


    back our loved ones.


    As difficult as it may be, we muste to ept that death is a natural part of life and that we have no


    control over it. Instead, we can hold onto the memories and cherish the time we had with that


    person. We can also findfort in the fact that they will always hold a special ce in our hearts and


    will never truly be gone as long as we keep their memory alive. It may not be easy, but we must try


    197 NIGH TO THE GRAVES


    to find peace and eptance in the face of life¡¯s unfairness, Just as I¡¯m trying to do concerning Riley,


    I drove to a different location, where my grandfather¡¯s grave was, I made my way through the rows of


    weathered tombstones, clutching a bouquet of fresh daisies in my hand, their delicate petals bobbing


    with each step I took. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of earth and fallen leaves.


    Finally, I reached my destination¡ªa simple headstone nestled beneath the spreading branches of an


    ancient oak tree. The marble was weathered and moss¨Ccovered, but the engraved words were still


    clear. My beloved grandfather is right there.


    I kneeled before the grave, the damp grass soaking through the knees of my jeans. I ced the daisies


    gently at the base of the headstone, arranging them with care. Silence enveloped me, broken only by


    the distant cawing of crows and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.


    ¡°Hey, Grandpa,¡± I began, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s me, Luke. I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    I paused, my throat tightening with emotion. Memories flooded back¨Cof fishing trips by theke, of


    sharedughter over bowls of ice cream, of quiet afternoons spent tinkering in the old workshop.


    ¡°I wish you were here,¡± I continued, my words heavy with longing. ¡°There¡¯s so much I want to tell you.


    So much, I wish I could share with you.¡±


    I reached out to touch the cold marble, tracing the letters of my grandfather¡¯s name with trembling


    fingers. The reality of his absence weighed heavily on my heart, leaving a gaping void that could never


    be filled.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re proud of me, Grandpa,¡± I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to live


    my life the way you taught me¨Cwith kindness, with integrity, with love. But¡­ it¡¯s hard


    sometimes. It¡¯s hard without you here.¡±


    A gentle breeze stirred the branches above me, sending a shower of golden leaves drifting down like


    confetti. I looked up, my eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The beauty of the moment mingled with


    the sorrow in my heart¨Ca bittersweet symphony of emotions.


    ¡°I made a promise to you. To keep Ariel safe and treat her like she¡¯s the only woman in the world.


    You¡¯ve always wanted the both of us to be together and united. But it¡¯s something I never wanted and


    despised so much.¡±


    I exhaled deeply and continued, ¡°Well, I¡¯vee to realize that she¡¯s a nice person, a great woman.


    And I thought she had totally fallen in love with me, putting aside the past. But I guess I was wrong. I¡¯m


    going to me her; it¡¯s all on me. I was a fool, a monster, and an idiot. I couldn¡¯t realize that, but now,


    my thoughts are all changed.¡±


    ¡°Your words will still be stuck in my heart. Your letter made me find out about your death. The vows


    made to you won¡¯t be broken. I promise I will find Ariel. I know you¡¯re watching me from up there,


    seeing my actions, and probably disappointed in me for letting you down. But everything will be fixed; I


    have hope. I¡¯ll find Ariel and put billions of smiles on her face.¡±


    ¡°And I also promise I¡¯ll never forget you, Grandpa,¡± I vowed my voice firm with determination. ¡°I¡¯ll carry


    your memory with me always in everything I do. You¡¯ll always be a part of me.¡±


    197, NIGH TO THE GRAVES.


    3/3


    ¡°Goodbye, Grandpa,¡± I murmured, my voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves. ¡°Until we meet


    again.¡±


    With onest lingering look, I turned and walked away, the memory of my grandfather¡¯s presence


    lingering in the quiet of the cemetery,


    I walked to my car and got in. I have to say, these days have been tough, and I genuinely had no idea


    what I was going to do right now.

 Chatper 198

    198: THE NIGHTMARE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    In the heart of this ancient, dense forest, I stood, the moonlight struggling to break through the thick


    canopy above, casting eerie shadows that danced upon the forest floor. My breath misted in the chill


    night air as I called out my wife¡¯s name, the sound lost in the rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of


    an owl.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Hope and fear mingled within me as I pushed through the undergrowth, each step crunching on the


    carpet of fallen leaves. The darkness seemed to envelop me, the silence of the forest weighing heavy


    on my chest. I couldn¡¯t halt my steps now, not when I felt so close to finding her.


    Then, there she appeared. A figure at the edge of a small clearing was bathed in a pale, ethereal light


    that seemed to radiate from within her. It was her, unmistakably so, with her long, flowing hair and the


    soft curve of her smile. Relief flooded through me as I quickened my pace, arms outstretched to


    embrace her.


    But as I drew nearer, a shadow passed over her face, her features morphing into something dark and


    malevolent. I hesitated, my steps faltering as unease crept over me. This was not right; this was not my


    wife.


    Before I could react, darkness surged forth from the shadows, engulfing her in a writhing mass of ck


    tendrils that coiled around her like serpents. My heart leaped into my throat as I watched in horror,


    unable to move as she was dragged into the depths of the forest, her voice echoing hauntingly in the


    night.


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± My voice cracked with desperation as I stumbled forward, reaching out a hand toward the


    fading silhouette of my wife. But it was futile; she was already lost in the darkness, swallowed up by


    forces beyond my understanding.


    Tears welled in my eyes as I fell to my knees, the weight of grief crushing me like a vise. I hade so


    far and searched for so long, only to have her tear away from me once again. The forest seemed to


    close in around me, the trees bending and twisting like using fingers, and the night was alive with


    whispers that chilled me to the bone.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± I bawled, waking up from my sleep. I had to realize it was all a dream. Breathing heavily, I


    nced at the clock. The time was just 2:00 a.m.


    And Iy here in this bed, my mind still reeling from the vivid nightmare I had just experienced. I


    couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of fear and unease. She reached out to touch Ariel, but the darkness


    engulfed her. It was a terrifying sight that left me feeling helpless and disturbed. Even though I knew it


    was just a dream, the intensity of the emotions it evoked had me feelingpletely fucked up. It was


    as if my subconscious was trying to warn me of something, but I couldn¡¯t decipher what it meant. The


    image of Ariel being swallowed by the darkness was haunting me, and I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling


    of dread that lingered within me right here, right now.


    I couldn¡¯t shake Ariel¡¯s thoughts from my mind. She seemed to dominate every waking moment of


    194 THE NIGHTMARE


    mine. And as it turns out, oven my subconscious couldn¡¯t escape her grasp. I found myself dreaming


    about her, but it wasn¡¯t the sweet dream I had hoped for. Instead, it was a nightmare, one that felt all


    too real. It was like my fears and anxieties were manifesting themselves in my dreams, and I couldn¡¯t


    wake up from them. It was a crazy experience, making me realize just how much Ariel had affected me.


    Of course, I had already realized that in the previous days,


    I stayed awake for minutes, which felt like hours. But I finally went to sleep, I just hoped that I wouldn¡¯t


    have another nightmare. Ariel was just the person I wanted to see now,


    And hourster, I finally woke up. I sat in bed, looking everywhere, I nced at my rm clock; it


    wasn¡¯t even going mad. And yes, I woke up really early today. I went to wash my face, and looking at


    myself in the mirror, I saw Ariel in it as well. I immediately cleaned my eyes with water, shaking my


    head, and when I opened them, she wasn¡¯t in the mirror, Hallucinations wow, this is quite fucked


    1. up.


    A little whileter, when the day had gotten a little brighter, my phone began to ring; Tiffany was the one


    calling. I answered it.


    ¡°Hello, Luke, you have toe to the hospital right now,¡± the caller said. But it wasn¡¯t Tiffany speaking;


    it sounded like her mother.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s Tiffany. She fell down the stairs, and now she¡¯s bleeding seriously.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. We¡¯re going to need your support around here. Come to the hospital as soon as possible.


    I¡¯ll text you the address.¡±


    The call ended after that. About a minuteter, I received a text message with the hospital address.


    The thought of Tiffany¡¯s bleeding was extremely concerning and rming. It was clear that she was in


    need of immediate medical attention. I knew that I needed to make my way to the hospital as quickly as


    possible to ensure that she received the necessary care. Time was of the essence, and I couldn¡¯t afford


    to waste any precious moments. I would really need to rush to get to the hospital because, right now,


    my mind is filled with worry and concern for Tiffany¡¯s well¨Cbeing. If it were in my hands, I would have to


    do everything in my power to get her the help she needed, and I wouldn¡¯t stop until I knew she was in


    good hands.


    I quickly got dressed and rushed out of my house, not even bothering to grab breakfast. My mind was


    racing with thoughts and scenarios of what could have happened to Tiffany. I couldn¡¯t bear the thought


    of her being hurt or in pain, although I wasn¡¯t in love with her. She was a friend.


    I made my way to the hospital, driving as fast as I could without breaking any traffic rules. I couldn¡¯t


    afford to get pulled over now. Finally, I arrived at the hospital and quickly made my way to the


    emergency room.


    When I entered, I saw Tiffany¡¯s parents pacing back and forth, their faces etched with worry and fear.


    They looked up at me with relief in their eyes, grateful that I had arrived.


    108: THE NIGHTMARE


    3/3


    ¡°Luke, thank goodness you¡¯re here.¡± Veronica walked to me.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She slipped and fell down the stairs. We found her lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. The


    doctors are doing everything they can, but she¡¯s lost a lot of blood,¡± Tiffany¡¯s father, Manuel, exined.


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± I queried.


    ¡°They took her to the emergency room. Come, we¡¯ll take you to her,¡± Veronica said, leading me down


    the hallways.


    When we got to the room, I saw her unconscious, so I moved further and took her hand in mine. Her


    hand was cold and limp, and I could see the bandages on her head and arm. Also, a pale face right


    there.


    ¡°Tiffany,¡± I whispered, still cleaving to her hand, hoping for her to get better soon.


    I left the room, and hours passed by as we waited for any news from the doctors. And finally, after what


    seemed like an eternity, the doctor came out to speak to us.


    ¡°Ms. Tiffany is stable now. We managed to stop the bleeding, and she regained consciousness.


    However, we have some terrible news.¡±


    ¡°Terrible news? What is that, doctor?¡± Veronica asked.

 Chatper 199

    199: NEED NO NONSENSE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    We all stood there, waiting for the doctor¡¯s response. I was trying to figure out what this terrible news


    was, and I hoped it wasn¡¯t what I was thinking,


    The doctor hesitated before continuing, his eyes filled with sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but your


    daughter has lost her baby. It appears that the fall caused her to miscarry.¡±


    Veronica gasped, and Manuel covered his mouth in shock. I felt my heart drop to my stomach.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; we did everything we could,¡± the doctor said softly.


    Veronica burst into tears, and Manuel hugged her tightly. I stood there, feeling a mix of emotions. Guilt,


    regret, and sadness consumed me. I should have been more attentive to Tiffany¡¯s needs; I should have


    been there for her.


    ¡°Can we see her?¡± Veronica asked afterposing herself.


    ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s still very weak. She needs rest, and we¡¯ll be monitoring her closely,¡± the doctor replied.


    We followed the doctor to Tiffany¡¯s room and saw her lying in the hospital bed, looking pale and weak.


    Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. I approached her cautiously, not knowing what to


    say.


    ¡°Tiffany,¡± I spoke her name softly, but she didn¡¯t nce at me. ¡°I¡¯m¡­. sorry.¡±


    She looked at me with tears in her eyes and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Tiffany is my daughter,¡± Veronica cried. ¡°Seeing you like this is really painful, and having knowledge of


    the death of that child is just so¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to cry too much, mom. Everything will be alright.¡±


    ¡°I know everything will be alright, Tiffany. But this moment is too painful. Let me drown in tears, please.¡±


    ¡°Luke,e with me,¡± Manuel whispered into my ears before leaving the room.


    I took onest look at Tiffany, my expression filled with sadness. But then I left as well. Manuel had his


    hands in his pocket, and as I approached him, I could see the look on his face directed at me. It wasn¡¯t


    a good one.


    ¡°Yes, what is it that you want to talk about?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°You¡¯re happy now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Happy? Why would I be happy? I just lost my child.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    199: NEED NO NONSENSE


    213


    I gave him a crazy look, not even knowing the words to use at the moment. ¡°Okay, you are clearly


    mistaken.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± he repeated. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to get married to Tiffany in the first ce. You didn¡¯t even


    like the fact that she was pregnant for you, am 1 not correct?¡±


    ¡°Okay, at first I was not quite happy learning that the both of us were expecting a baby. But¡­¡±


    ¡°That says it all, Luke. That says it all. You never wanted to be by her side. Now you¡¯ve seen the


    perfect opportunity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be respectful around you. But I¡¯m going to take any


    nonsense; do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to start faking a mad face because I¡¯m telling the truth? Don¡¯t think that anger can


    scare me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scare you here. I¡¯m just making things in and simple, clear and straight. Don¡¯t you


    ever talk this nonsense again? Tiffany and I had sorted things out, and I was ready to take full


    responsibility for the child. Do you think I¡¯m that heartless or cold¨Cblooded that I would love it when


    someone died all because of my selfish needs? You don¡¯t even know what¡¯s happening in my life. Right


    now, I should be the saddest person on earth. I lost my son, and I can¡¯t find my wife or my daughter. My


    building burned down, and now the baby I¡¯m expecting is dead. What do you think of that, huh? Now, if


    you don¡¯t have anything better to say, excuse me.¡±


    I walked away from him, leaving the hospital. I got into my car and sat down, letting out a deep sigh. I


    was so confused I didn¡¯t even know what to do. The darkness was just falling upon me, striking and


    hitting me hard. This has got to be the worst day of my life so far.


    I pushed open the heavy wooden door of the bar and then stepped into a cacophony of sound and


    color. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and sweat, and the dim lighting cast shadows that


    danced to the beat of the music. The room was filled with a mix of people¨Csomeughing, some


    dancing, and others simply lost in their own thoughts.


    As I made my way through the crowded space, the music grew louder, pulsating through my body. A


    band was on stage, their instruments ring as they yed with infectious energy. The lead singer¡¯s


    voice soared above the noise, filling the room with raw power.


    I found an empty stool at the bar and gged down the bartender, ordering a beer to steady my nerves.


    As I took a sip, I surveyed the crowd. There were people of all shapes and sizes dressed in an eclectic


    mix of outfits. A man in a sharp suit sat next to a woman in a flowing dress, theirughter mingling with


    the music.


    Suddenly, the music shifted, and a spotlight illuminated a figure on a small stage in the corner. It was


    V3


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    a woman, her long hair cascading down her back as she began to sing. Her voice was hauntingly


    beautiful, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as she poured her heart out into the music. And when the song


    reached its climax, the room fell silent, the only sound being the echo of her voice lingering in


    the air.


    The spell was broken as the crowd erupted into apuse, with the woman bowing graciously before


    disappearing into the shadows. A new act took the stage: a group of dancers, their bodies moving in


    perfect synchrony to the pounding beat of the music. I watched in awe as they twisted and turned, their


    movements a blur of motion and emotion.


    The night wore on, with more performers taking the stage, each one more mesmerizing than thest.


    There were jugglers and fireeaters, magicians and poets, all showcasing their talents with a passion


    that was infectious. The energy in the room was electric, crackling with creativity and emotion. Then,


    thisdy approached me.


    ¡°Lake Reynold, right?¡± She grinned, and all I could do was just stare at her. I hadn¡¯t seen her before;


    she had a new face, and she wasn¡¯t that pretty but manageable.


    ¡°Yes, and who are you exactly?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It will be useless to introduce myself. You don¡¯t know me,¡±


    ¡°But you can at least tell me your name,¡±


    She smiled promptly. ¡°May,¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s your name.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she replied with a nod. ¡°But I haven¡¯te here to flirt or try to getid with you tonight.


    That would be totally absurd.¡±


    ¡°It sure would,¡± I agreed. ¡°So tell me, then, why have youe to me?¡±


    ¡°Well, probably because I kind of know the person responsible for your son¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Really? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, sir. I¡¯m not just going to spill the beans.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Oh, I forgot. You want money, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, something like that.¡±


    I gave her a serious face. She giggled instantly and said, ¡°Yes, of course, I do need some dors.¡±


    I kept staring at her, and all of a sudden, I heard a gunshot.

 Chapter 200

    200: NOT HERE TO PLAY


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    And after hearing that gunshot, I wasn¡¯t settled. What the hell could be going on outside this building? I


    could have been scared, but what was the point of being terrified of death when I was already dead


    myself?


    Then, the sound of gunshots filled the air in the next few seconds. People were screaming and running


    in all directions, trying to find safety. I instinctively grabbed May¡¯s hand and pulled her towards the exit,


    pushing through the crowd of panicked individuals.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I yelled over the chaos.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a robbery,¡± May shouted back, her voice trembling with fear.


    We finally made it outside, but the chaos didn¡¯t stop there. The streets were filled with people running


    and shouting, and the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.


    I turned to May, trying to catch my breath. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±


    May nodded, her eyes wide with fear. We started to run, not knowing where we were headed, just


    trying to escape the chaos. As we turned the corner, we came face¨Cto¨Cface with a group of masked


    men, all armed with guns.


    ¡°Give us your money and jewelr


    one of them demanded, pointing his gun at us.


    This was the part where I let out a deep sigh. I crossed my arms. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Do we look like we came here to y? Give us your money, or we¡¯re going to shoot the hell out of both


    of you!¡±


    ¡°Please, just take what you want and leave us alone,¡± May pleaded, her voice shaking.


    But the robbers didn¡¯t seem to care. They were focused on their mission, and we were just coteral


    damage.


    ¡°Of course, we came to take your money and your life as well.¡± One of the robbers told May, and his


    gun was pointed at her.


    ¡°My life?¡± She made a confused face. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Am I the main target here?¡±


    ¡°You sure are, prettydy.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not after the money? You¡¯re after


    my


    life?¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up! You ask too many questions!¡±


    ¡°Because I need to know what the hell is going on here,¡± she maybe vocalized loudly, which was quite


    surprising because a minute ago, she was all scared and terrified.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for us to exin any sh*t to you. You brought this upon yourself.¡±


    2/3


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough!¡± I chimed in with a snarl and then took a step forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯te close. You do that; we¡¯ll shoot.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. You think I¡¯m scared of dying?¡±


    May looked at me and whispered immediately, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am. You¡¯re daring these guys to shoot you. Don¡¯t you love your life?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, this life¡¯s now a useless one. What¡¯s the point of living if the people you want are not by


    your side?¡±


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± She gave me a skeptical look.


    I shook my head,ughing slightly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not kidding.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you want to die, you have to give me your wealth first.¡±


    I gave her a crazy look, blurting out immediately, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I heard you¡¯re a billionaire. So, if you want to die and leave your money behind, go ahead. You¡¯re


    good to go. But do everything for me. I¡¯ll be very thankful. You¡¯ll always have a ce in my heart.¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± I shook my head, still giving her the absurd face.


    ¡°Hey, morons!¡± One of the robbers snapped, and we both turned to them. ¡°It seems like you forgetting


    that we¡¯re still here with our guns.


    ¡°Stay out of this!¡± May and I yelled at them, and we started arguing.


    both are


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± One of the men released a gunshot right in the air, causing me and May to give them


    our attention.


    ¡°Now, can they both please have some senses around here? Don¡¯t you love your life?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I replied right away. ¡°I do,¡± May said, speaking like a sh. We both responded at the same


    time.


    ¡°Okay, she does.¡± I pointed at her. The robbers were just looking at us; they looked confused.


    ¡°What?¡± She blurted it out immediately.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m just trying to help you out. You clearly said you loved your life.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I did.¡±


    ¡°Okay, stop this silly nonsense!¡± One of the robbers snapped, shooting at the ground near us. May and


    I stepped backward.


    ¡°You both are fools; we won¡¯t hesitate to shoot!¡±


    200 NOT HERE TO PLAY


    1/3


    ¡°Drop your weapons and put your hands up!¡± a police officer yelled, his gun pointed at the robbers.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    The robbers turned around. ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡±


    ¡°Your worst nightmare,¡± a cop retorted, and their for didn¡¯t hesitate to shoot at them.


    Chaos erupted once again at that moment, as did the robbers and the police. May and I took the


    opportunity to run in the opposite direction. We split, and I needed to find out where thedy we went to


    was. I thought the both of us were running together, but now I couldn¡¯t see her.


    Moving forward, I heard a woman¡¯s voice pleading for whoever was with us to let her go. I fastened my


    pace, and lo and behold, I saw a man with a lot of beard on his face, trying to force himself on my aunt,


    Mariam. I never thought I¡¯d see her again. I hated her, but that wouldn¡¯t change the fact that what the


    beard man was doing was wrong.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± My aunt cried out, but the man wouldn¡¯t still heed her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± 1 bawled, and the man halted, turning around to look at me.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked, giving me a disgusting face.


    ¡°Better get your hands off her.¡±


    ¡°And who are you, huh? Her husband?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. Just let go of her, and I promise there won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±


    The manughed, taking off his hands. He ain¡¯t Mariam. Hisughter continued as he made his way


    toward me. ¡°Trouble? You think you can do shit around here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­.I know.¡±


    In a split second, he lunged forward and threw a punch at me with full force. But with lightning¨Cfast


    reflexes, I dodged his attack, narrowly avoiding his fist as it grazed past me. Without wasting any time, I


    counterattacked, hitting him hard in the stomach with all my might. As my fist connected with his belly, I


    could feel the impact reverberate through my arm, and I could see the surprise and pain on his face. It


    was satisfying to have sessfully dodged his attack and then delivered a powerful blow in


    return.


    He moved back, holding his belly in pain. I could see that.


    ¡°Come on, man. Is that all you got?¡± I challenged him, clenching my fists.


    He moved in my direction before he shouldered me to the ground, and we both fell, the impact


    knocking the wind out of me. Before I could do anything, he began to punch my face with a fury that


    made my head spin. I could feel the pain radiating through my body, but I refused to give up. As he


    reared back for another strike, I seized his arm, and with all my might, I punched his face with all the


    strength I had left. The force of my blow caused him to shift back for a brief moment.

 Chapter 201

    201: LODGE IN, AUNT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Okay, I literally had no idea how I did it, but I did it. It turns out that the man with the hipster beard was


    his version of Hercules, and he really beat me. But after the lengthy brawl, I was victorious in the end. I


    made him unconscious with the strength of Luke Reynold.


    But the funny part here was that I actually risked my life and my health for that useless aunt of mine.


    Ever since she left my mansion, I thought she was probably dead or something. But I had to see her


    today. I was not happy to see her face, but I also wasn¡¯t happy to witness a man trying to do shit to her.


    I hate it whendies are in such a situation. No matter how much I dislike a certain woman, if I see her


    being vited, I¡¯ll try my best to save her.


    After finishing a battle that seemed like an eternity, I stood near my aunt, my hand covered in blood as I


    was trying to catch my breath. As I observed the woman seated on the ground, I was moved to the


    point of feeling pity for her. Her hair was messy, and she looked like someone who had been suffering


    from hunger for days. Even her dress could say it all.


    ¡°Wow, you look awful,¡± I told her, and my eyes widened.


    She turned her face away. It¡¯s not something new anyway. But a little thank¨Cyou would be nice.


    ¡°So, I think I can leave now, right?¡± I asked.


    She didn¡¯t give me a reply. She was still looking in another direction. I wanted to leave, but I knew it


    would be kind of cruel for me. I would be a bad person from my point of view. I couldn¡¯t just leave her


    out here. First of all, there were bandits all around¨Cgood¨Cfor¨Cnothing robbers. Secondly, she looked


    like a homeless piece of crap.


    Okay, I think that was rude.


    ¡°Aunt Mariam, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    I waited for minutes to get a reply, but she was still silent. I wondered what was wrong. Don¡¯t tell me


    she has gone nuts or perhaps lost her memory. Nah, it couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°Say something, will you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± And she finally spoke in her regr tone. Not something new.


    ¡°At least you can thank you.


    ¡°Of course, I should thank you. Thank you for ruining my life,¡± she told me sarcastically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t get you. How on earth did I ruin your life?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see my current situation?¡±


    I scanned her pretty well. ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡±


    LODGE IN, AUNT


    ¡°This is all your fault.¡±


    ¡°My fault? How exactly?¡±


    ¡°You expelled me from your residence and were forced to circte the nonsense that I poisoned your


    beloved wife.¡±


    ¡°When did I do that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Luke. My husband kicked me out of his house because of you.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t something new?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°He took everything for me¨Cthe money he gave me, the car, everything¨Cand threw me to the


    streets.¡±


    ¡°Wow, okay, now that¡¯s new,¡± I uttered, quite surprised. ¡°But seriously, why would he do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because he had to find out that Ariel was poisoned.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were the one who caused it.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who poisoned her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, hmm, then who did?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She was probably lying.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to do that,¡± I vocalized. ¡°Last time I checked, Ariel isn¡¯t the type who¡¯s going to


    start saying false things.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really, is this how you trust her now? Wow, you¡¯ve really fallen in love with that woman, haven¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to continue your pointless conversation, or will you apany me to my vehicle so I


    can drive you home?¡±


    ¡°You want to take me to your house?¡± Aunt Mariam shot me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±


    She looked at me for quite a few seconds before she turned her face away. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean you don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°You might drive me to a forest or something.¡±


    ¡°What? Why would you even think like that?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t like me, Luke. You never did, and you never will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you hated me. You never treated me like family. I have no idea why.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just my nature.¡±


    3/4


    ¡°No wonder your husband kicked you out of his life,¡± I muttered.


    She looked at me immediately. ¡°What do you just say?¡± She must have heard me.


    ¡°I was talking about my car keys, I think they must have fallen to the ground.¡± I lied, scratching my


    head. ¡°Let me just go get them; you can wait for me until I get back.¡±


    ¡°No, you can leave. You¡¯re not useful anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not useful. I saved your life. That man could have raped you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Superman, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It is not my concern if you choose to continue residing on the streets; that is your decision.¡± I¡¯m going.¡±


    As I began to walk away, the sound of a gunshot filled the air, and I heard Aunt Mariam next thing I saw


    was her hand on my arm.


    I turned to her. ¡°What happened? You changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯m d you finally got some senses.


    gasp.


    The


    ¡°Hey, just because you¡¯re about to help me doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re going to be rude to me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s just my nature.¡± I smirked.


    She let go of me immediately. ¡°You know what? You can leave yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re serious now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯ll stay here, right here.¡± She crossed her arms, making a grumpy face and looking away.


    ¡°Even after hearing that bullet? Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to be acting like you¡¯re concerned for me.¡±


    ¡°Concerned


    isn¡¯t the word I should be using right now. I only felt sorry for it. You look miserable and terrible. You¡¯ve


    been living in the garage for ages.


    ¡°Okay, enough with the insults,¡± she cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯m only saying the truth. You should go and look at yourself in the mirror but don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll do


    that when we get home,¡± I stated before turning around.


    ¡°I told you already; I¡¯m going nowhere with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for real? Are you serious? I thought you were just joking.¡±


    ¡°Joke¡¯s on you because I¡¯m goddamn serious.¡±


    ¡°Nope, the joke¡¯s on you. Someone might juste right now and point a gun at your head; then it¡¯s


    201: LODGE IN, AUNT


    tons of bullets right into your brain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die than go to your house with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh really, you know I can just wake that man up and let him force himself on you.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than me being close to you.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°How ungrateful are you?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And how disrespectful are you?¡±


    We heard two more gunshots, and at that very moment, she trembled in fear.


    I gave her a knowing look. ¡°So, are youing with me?¡±


    She frowned at me for seconds before she finally agreed, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you had to think things through.¡±


    4/4


    I turned around and walked away, making my way to my car with Aunt Mariam treading behind me.

 Chapter 202

    202: LITTLE ARI


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Sidney sat across from me as she began to recount tales of Ariel¡¯s early years. I had decided to pay


    her a visit to be by her side since her daughter was nowhere to be found. She was my mother¨Cinw,


    after all, and I think it¡¯s time we get along.


    We had been talking about the things that happened in my life, from how heartbroken I was to realizing


    that my parents were dead, to this point, the death of my grandfather. They all counted. So now here


    we were, and here she was, about to tell me about her daughter.


    ¡°Luke, you wouldn¡¯t believe how amazing Ariel was as a baby. She had this spark, this energy that just


    lit up the room.¡±


    I leaned in, eager to hear more about this wonderful woman. ¡°I see. Please go on; I think I¡¯d like to


    know everything.¡±


    ¡°Well, Ariel was always so curious. She would reach out for everything within her tiny grasp, her eyes.


    wide with wonder. I recall that she once found a butterfly flitting outside the window to be fascinating.


    She giggled and pped her hands as she watched it dance in the sunlight.¡±


    The picture of baby Ariel enthralled by a straightforward butterfly made me smile. ¡°She sounds like she


    was a handful even back then.¡±


    Sidney nodded, her eyes twinkling with fond memories. ¡°Oh, she was! Ariel had this mischievous side,


    too. I remember one time when she managed to crawl out of her crib, and when I found her, she had a


    mischievous twinkle in her eye as if to say, ¡®Gotcha!¡°¡±


    As she spoke, I could almost picture baby Ariel, a tiny bundle of energy and curiosity, getting into all


    sorts of adorable mischief. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought.


    ¡°But you know what, Luke?¡± Ariel¡¯s mother continued, her voice soft with affection. ¡°Despite all her


    antics, Ariel was also the most loving baby. She would wrap her tiny arms around me and snuggle in


    close, her little heartbeat against my chest. In those moments, everything felt perfect, like the whole


    world was in harmony.¡±


    My heart swelled at the thought of Ariel¡¯s pure love as a baby. ¡°I can imagine her being the sweetest


    little thing, just like she is now. Yeah, something like that.¡± I whispered thest part, looking away.


    Sidney nodded, and she had a wistful look in her eyes. ¡°She truly was. And she had this infectious


    laughter that would just light up the room. I remember one time she heard me singing, and she started


    babbling along in her own babynguage, her eyes alight with joy. It was a moment I¡¯ll never forget.¡±


    And while she kept talking, I felt this deep love and warmth for the little girl, who had now captured his


    heart. If only she were here with me, where we could share this lovely moment.


    I sighed, a fragile smile popping up. ¡°I really wish Ariel was here. But anyway, thank you for sharing


    202¨CLITTLE ARI


    these beautiful memories with me.¡±


    203


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Luke. Ariel is a special soul, and I know she¡¯s going to do great things in this world. I


    just hope that she wille back. Back to us.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, too,¡± I said inaudibly. We both sat in silence for minutes that felt like hours. And after we


    were done discussing other things, 1 left.


    I got into my car, drove, and made my way to the hospital. I went to pay Tiffany a visit as well. I walked


    to her room, and before I opened the door, I let out a deep sigh, closing both of my eyes.


    I entered the room after that, and Tiffany was sleeping. I just stood still, looking at her, wondering what


    kind of pain and sorrow she must be going through. I felt sorry for her. I never wanted to see her like


    this, in this condition. But I couldn¡¯t disturb her at the moment, so I decided to leave, and as I turned


    around, I heard her calling my name softly. I turned back to her, and she was now awake.


    ¡°Tiffany,¡± I uttered in hushed tones, moving closer to her.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Luke?¡± She asked in a whisper.


    ¡°I came to see you. I came to check up on you.¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to do that. I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Tiff. Why would you think like that?¡±


    ¡°The only thing connecting us was this pregnancy, but the baby¡¯s gone. So why are you stilling to


    see me?¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t Ie to see you?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you love me?¡± She queried.


    I suspired. ¡°Look¡­¡±


    ¡°Give me a yes or no. Do you love me, Luke?¡±


    ¡°You do know my feelings. You know I have someone else in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Then go meet that person and leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with this behavior, Tiff? I thought we talked about this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did. But I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Who said you¡¯re a burden to me?¡±


    Tiffany breathed out deeply. ¡°The thing here is this: you need to get out of my life.¡±


    ¡°You want me to get out of your life. Like, leave for good.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please, I beg you, just leave me. If I keep on seeing you, these feelings won¡¯t disappear. And 1


    don¡¯t want to keep on getting hurt since the feeling isn¡¯t mutual. Since you don¡¯t love me like I love you,


    So please, Luke, leave.¡±


    I nodded slowly, being silent for a moment, then I turned to her. ¡°So you don¡¯t want us to be friends.


    anymore?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you. I don¡¯t want to see you; I don¡¯t want to hear your voice, Luke. I just don¡¯t


    want you to be a part of my life. You can go now; I¡¯ll really appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I said under my breath. ¡°If this is what you want, no problem, then I¡¯ll leave your life, and you¡¯ll


    never see me again. I won¡¯te to see you. We might cross paths, but I won¡¯t approach you because


    that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand,¡± she told me softly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You take care.¡± I gave her a half¨Csmile before walking away. I left the room after that, and thinking


    about the words the both of us had just spoken, I let out a sigh. If that was what she wanted, then I


    would give it to her. But one thing was still on my mind: Where are you, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Luke Reynold, such a nice thing to see you.¡± Andre¡¯s brother, Mason, approached me when I was


    about to enter my car. I knew I hade across this guy on a weird asion, and we barely spoke.


    Yeah, I remember him telling me he was a fan of my rtionship.


    ¡°You came to the hospital?¡± He asked. It¡¯s a dumb question, but I¡¯ll just have to give him an answer.


    ¡°Yes, I came to see someone. Can I help you with something?¡±


    ¡°No. I was just going to visit the parents of myte girlfriend, Sofie. I believe you knew her before she


    died.¡±

 Chapter 203

    203: TAUNT, RECALL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As I stood there, my mind racing to make sense of this man¡¯s words, I couldn¡¯t help but feelpletely


    lost. My thoughts were a jumble of confusion, trying to piece together the meaning behind his words.


    Despite my best efforts, I couldn¡¯t seem to grasp what he was trying to convey.


    It was as if my brain had hit a roadblock, unable to process any more information. I desperately tried to


    recall any previous context that could help me understand, but my efforts were futile. I was still


    standing, trying to make sense of it all, but my mind was the perfect definition of confusion at that


    moment.


    I tried to gather my thoughts and make sense of what Mason was saying while he continued to stare at


    me with a smug smirk on his face. It was as if he was enjoying my state of confusion and was eagerly


    waiting for my response.


    His intense gaze made me feel uneasy, and I couldn¡¯t help but fidget under his scrutiny. I wanted to say


    something witty or clever to counter his teasing, but my mind was nk. I felt like a deer caught in


    headlights,pletely at his mercy. Mason¡¯s persistent stare only added to my growing


    frustration, and I couldn¡¯t wait for this awkward moment to be over.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me an answer?¡± Mason¡¯s smirk lingered on his face.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± I gave him a serious face.


    ¡°I believe you didn¡¯t forget what I told you before all of the silence.¡±


    I gave


    him a serious face, my expression unfriendly and unweing. At the moment, this man was just


    saying nonsensical things, and I was in no mood to entertain him. I had no patience for idle chatter or


    meaningless banter.


    I needed to focus my energy on more important matters, like finding Ariel, and this nonsense would


    only serve as a distraction. So, I made it clear with my stern expression that I was not interested in


    engaging in any pointless conversation. Sometimes, a serious face is all it takes to convey a message


    without having to say a word. And in this case, my serious face spoke volumes.


    Mason indeed noticed the seriousness etched on my face, yet he stubbornly refused to wipe away his


    annoying smirk. It was not something I particrly enjoyed seeing, especially at this moment. As much


    as I wanted to confront him and demand an exnation for this abnormal behavior, I knew it would only


    lead to a pointless argument. Instead, I tried my best to keep myposure and ignore his smug


    expression, hoping he would eventually realize the gravity of the situation and stop his childish antics.


    ¡°Look, I have better things to do right now. Can you just get straight to the point?¡± I vocalized.


    He chuckled. ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to tell me that you haven¡¯t met with anydy named Sofie?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. I¡¯ve met millions of people; I can¡¯t actually tell.¡±


    203: TAUNT, RECALL


    2/3


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s dead, and would you be surprised if I told you that you were the one who killed her?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. His words were shocking, to say the least. The question he had


    just asked me waspletely messed up. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around why he would even think to


    ask me something so absurd. I was taken aback and didn¡¯t know how to respond. It was as if he had no


    filter and just blurted out whatever was on his mind. I couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted and confused by


    his question. How could someone think it was okay to ask something like that? Like, man, what the


    fuck?


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked Mason, giving him a hard look. His sudden burst ofughter, like that


    of a goddamn clown, only added to my confusion. He had mepletely perplexed with his words. I


    couldn¡¯tprehend what he was trying to tell me, and hisughter made it even more baffling. I


    waited for him topose himself and exin, but I could only stare at him, wondering what was so


    funny or confusing about what I had asked or what he had just said.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, Luke,¡± he replied, tapping my shoulder, hisughter graduallying to an end.¡± How


    is your wife anyway?¡±


    ¡°You do know my wife¡¯s missing, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I totally forgot,¡± he dramatically said. Did he juste to me to make fun of me? ¡°So sorry


    about that, man. But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll find her.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I told him, but he wasn¡¯t still happy with this nonsense he had just carried out.


    ¡°You want to know something, Luke?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he replied, moving closer to me, and in my ear, he whispered, Vengeance is something that


    can¡¯t be stopped. It¡¯s going toe uncontroble like a fire and burn your vein, leaving a trail and


    destruction of pain.¡±


    He shifted away from me and smirked as he told me to take care. When he walked away, I was just


    staring at him, and my mouth opened to a certain degree. What the hell was he even saying? And why


    was he talking about Vengeance? This was really messed up.


    *****


    The river that once sparkled under the sun¡¯s warm embrace now flowed ominously, its waters dark and


    turbulent. The sky above was shrouded in heavy clouds, casting a somber hue over thendscape.


    The wind howled through the trees, bending them to its will as if nature itself held its breath in


    anticipation of something unknown.


    Laura stood at the riverbank¡¯s edge, her long chestnut hair whipping around her face in the fierce wind.


    She watched the water rush by; the current was strong and unforgiving. Her brother, Mike, was right


    next to her. The both of them were enjoying the view, but Laura¡¯s heart quickened as she noticed a


    figure bobbing in the distance, carried by the tumultuous river.


    ¡°Over there!¡± She pointed at the figure.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mike asked, following the direction of her finger.


    ¡°Right there. I can see someone in the river!¡±


    And without hesitation, Laura sprang into action. She descended the steep bank, her feet slipping on


    the wet grass as she made her way to the water¡¯s edge. The cold spray of the river stung her face, but


    she pushed forward, her eyes fixed on the figure struggling in the water. Mike just stood and watched


    her.


    The moment Laura drew closer, her heart clenched in fear. It was a woman, her body limp and lifeless,


    caught in the unforgiving grip of the river¡¯s embrace. Without a second thought, Laura waded into the


    icy water, the current tugging at her legs as she fought her way towards the woman.


    She reached the woman¡¯s side and grasped hold of her, pulling her towards the safety of the riverbank.


    The woman¡¯s body was cold and mmy, and her skin paled against the dark waters. Laura¡¯s hands


    shook as she searched for a pulse, relief flooding through her when she felt a faint throb beneath her


    fingertips.


    Laura¡¯s eyes caught the wound on the woman¡¯s belly, but she could feel the heartbeat, so all hope


    wasn¡¯t lost. And this unconscious woman was none other than Ariel.

 Chapter 204

    204: HOW LIFE¡¯S BEEN


    ONE YEAR LATER


    Sitting cross¨Clegged in the soft, dewy grass of the sprawling meadow, I felt a gentle breeze tousling my


    hair as I gazed up at the vast expanse of the sky. The sun was just beginning its ascent, brightening


    everywhere in thendscape. Birds soared and swooped in intricate patterns above me, their melodic


    songs filling the air with a symphony of nature¡¯s ownposition.


    Watching, a magnificent stag burst forth from the edge of the forest, its powerful muscles rippling


    beneath its sleek coat as it bounded across the meadow with effortless grace. My heart swelled with


    wonder at the sight of such a majestic creature in its natural element. I marveled at the sheer beauty


    and power of the animal, feeling a deep sense of connection to the world around me.


    The stag came to a halt not far from where I sat, its dark eyes meeting mine with a look of curiosity.


    Time seemed to stand still for a moment as we regarded each other, human and beast, sharing a


    fleeting moment of understanding. Then, with a toss of its antlered head, the stag turned and


    disappeared back into the forest, leaving me with a sense of awe and reverence.


    A smile yed at the corners of my lips as I watched the other inhabitants of the meadow go about


    their morning rituals. A family of rabbits darted among the wildflowers, their cotton¨Ctail puffs bobbing in


    the sunlight. A pair of squirrels chased each other up and down a nearby tree, chitteringughter


    echoing through the stillness of the morning.


    their


    High above, a hawk circledzily on the thermals, its keen eyes scanning the ground below for any sign


    of movement. I followed its flight with rapt attention, feeling a sense of freedom and exhration in the


    bird¡¯s effortless mastery of the sky. I imagined myself soaring alongside it, feeling the wind beneath my


    wings and the sun on my face.


    The meadow was alive with the vibrant energy of the natural world, with each creature ying its part


    in the intricate tapestry of life. I felt a deep sense of peace settle over me as I drank in the sights and


    sounds around me, letting the moment¡¯s beauty wash over me like a gentle tide.


    As the sun climbed higher in the sky, painting the meadow in a wash of brilliant colors, I closed my


    eyes and tilted my face upward, basking in the warmth of its rays. I felt a profound connection to the


    earth beneath me and the sky above¨Ca sense of oneness with all living things.


    When I finally opened my eyes, the meadow was alive with movement and sound¨Ca bustling symphony


    of life in all its forms. I rose to my feet and heard someone call my name.


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been searching everywhere for you,¡± Laura uttered, walking closer to me.


    You had me worried.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I just came to take some fresh air,¡± I replied, turning around.


    She looked around, also smiling at everything. ¡°I see. Well, I have something important to discuss


    with you.¡±


    ¡°And what is that exactly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with Bernardo and made it official.¡±


    I looked at her, waiting for what she had to say to me.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be going to New Haven,¡± she revealed. ¡°Finally, back to where you came from.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°When will we be leaving?¡±


    ¡°Probably tomorrow or the day after that.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t be a problem; do we have to discuss anything else?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Not really. Well, I¡¯ll be going now. You can continue taking some fresh air.¡±


    She was about to walk away, but I told her to hold on. She did then, and then she turned around.


    ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± I said softly.


    Laura smiled at me. ¡°You¡¯re wee, my love. And thank you for supporting me in my business.¡±


    ¡°I was just repaying the favor. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have been dead by now.¡±


    Sheughed softly. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t say that now.


    ¡°Why? I got shot, fell into a river, and almost left the earth, but then you found me, took care of my


    wounds, took care of me till I regained consciousness, and then you gave me a ce to stay. Of


    course, I should be saying these things.¡±


    Lauraughed. ¡°Ariel, I¡¯ve heard you.¡®


    Iughed as well. ¡°I know that. And thank you once again.¡±


    ¡°And once again, you¡¯re wee.¡± She smiled before walking away.


    Yes, that was Laura. A 41¨Cyear¨Cold woman who not only saved my life but also showed me the true


    meaning ofpassion and selflessness. Of course, we all knew I was in a dire situation, bleeding


    profusely from that deep wound caused by that good¨Cfor¨Cnothing witch, Harriet. And yes, without


    hesitation, this wonderful woman rushed to my aid and treated my wound with such expertise and care


    that would leave anyone amazed upon hearing this story. She saved my life, and I will forever be


    grateful for her quick thinking and kindness. She truly exemplified the saying,.¡°Not all superheroes.


    wear capes.¡±


    Now, I was going to make Luke pay for killing my son. As for Mason, I would make his life a living hell


    because he was the one who caused everything. On the other hand, Harriet was so going to get it from


    me. These three people would get to see a different side of me because the Vengeance was moving


    me. And trust me, they no longer knew the soft and caring Ariel. And I wasn¡¯t nning to go to anyone


    for family sh*t or something. I had two purposes: search for my daughter and take revenge.


    The sound ofughter and giggles soon cut me off from my thoughts. I turned around to see two little


    children chasing after their puppy, who had a ball in its mouth.


    They were about five or six years old, with bright eyes and big smiles, and I watched them run around


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    in the meadow. It was a beautiful sight that reminded me of my childhood.


    Suddenly, one of the children crashed into me, causing me to stumble back a little. But before I could


    even register what had happened, the child was already apologizing profusely.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, ma¡¯am. I didn¡¯t see you there,¡± the little boy said with a look of concern on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; it was just an ident. Are you two okay?¡± I asked, trying to hide myughter.


    The little girl, who seemed to be the older of the two, nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re fine. We were just


    ying with our puppy.¡±


    I looked down to see the puppy wagging its tail happily,pletely oblivious to the chaos it had


    caused. I chuckled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite a yful puppy you have there. What¡¯s its name?¡± I asked, crouching down to pet.


    the puppy.


    The little boy beamed with pride. ¡°His name is Max. He¡¯s the best puppy ever.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s really fast, too,¡± the little girl added, still trying to catch her breath.


    I smiled at the children. ¡°Well, I can see that. Maybe you two should be careful when ying with him.


    They both nodded enthusiastically, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of joy and innocence wash over


    me. These children reminded me of my own kids, who were not here with me. One was dead, and the


    other was kidnapped. So painful.


    ¡°Thank you for reminding us, ma¡¯am. We¡¯ll be more careful next time,¡± the little girl said with a small


    curtsy.


    Iughed and ruffled both of their hair. ¡°No problem, kids. Just be safe, okay?¡±


    They both nodded and ran off, chasing after their puppy once again. I watched them disappear into the


    distance, feeling grateful for this small interaction with them.

 Chapter 205

    205: CONFRONTATION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was finally going back to face my old life. Well, it has only been a year, but still, that was the past. It


    was now time to continue the chapter that had almost ended a year ago. This time, I was going to end


    it. But I¡¯d also miss this calm, wonderful, and peaceful location.


    As I packed my clothes, memories of my time here flooded my mind. Thete¨Cnight conversations with


    Laura, the delicious meals cooked by her husband Bernardo, and the endlessughter we shared.


    They had be like family to me, and I was eternally grateful for all they had done for me.


    After folding my dress, Laura walked into my room with a smile on her face. ¡°Do you need any help,


    dear?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ve got it all under control.¡®


    Bernardo followed behind her. ¡°We just wanted to make sure you¡¯re not forgetting anything important.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got everything, but thank you for reminding me.¡±


    They both stood by my side, watching me pack.


    Laura cleared her throat, breaking the silence. ¡°Ariel, we wanted to talk to you about something.¡±


    I turned to face them and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Bernardo spoke up: ¡°We¡¯ve been talking and decided to give you a remarkable spot in the business.


    That¡¯s if you want.¡®


    My heart skipped a beat. ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    Laura nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot for us. So we thought we could just put this wonderful smile on your


    face. Plus, you¡¯ll need some good money if you want to take out those people responsible for hurting.


    you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. Thank you. Thank you both so much.¡±


    Laura hugged me tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t thank us, dear. We¡¯re just happy we can be there for you.¡±


    Bernardo joined in the hug. ¡°You might not be our blood. But we¡¯ll always be there for you, Ariel.¡±


    Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, I pulled away. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I got so lucky to have you both in


    my life.¡±


    Laura smiled. ¡°We feel the same way about you.


    ¡±


    We finished packing, and I made my way to my car. After a delightful conversation with Laura and


    Bernard, I drove away. We would meet in New Haven since they had some important stuff to take care


    of. So, of course, it was me going back to the crap out there. But I wasn¡¯t going to waste any time.


    Once


    205 CONFRONTATION


    I was done avenging and finding Janice, I would leave this country.


    2/3


    I was driving down the highway towards New Haven, still thinking of how this chapter would be and


    how I had nned it to be. Was everything going to be just the way I pictured it in my head? Nah, I


    didn¡¯t really think so. The sun was shining, the music was sting through my car speakers, and I


    couldn¡¯t wait to reach our destination. I had carefully curated a ylist for the trip, filled with upbeat


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    songs


    that would actually keep me alive. Yeah, because if I let this hate stir me, I could actually crash into


    some shit or something. Yeah, I¡¯m just kidding.


    I was singing lowly to the songs ying, and suddenly, my car started making strange noises, and I felt


    a jolt as it came to a sudden stop. I couldn¡¯t help but make a confused face as I tried to figure out what


    was wrong. I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. Maybe it was just a minor issue that I could fix


    myself. This wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened to me.


    I got out of the car and popped open the hood, but I couldn¡¯t see anything obvious that could be


    causing the problem. I checked the engine oil and gas, but both seemed fine. I started to feel frustrated


    and worried. I had no idea what to do, and I was stuck in the middle of the road with no one around to


    help.


    Feeling defeated, I got back in my car and sat there for a few minutes, trying toe up with a n.


    Suddenly, a song came on that I hadn¡¯t heard in years brought back memories of my childhood when


    my dad used to y it on road trips. I smiled and closed my eyes, letting the music take me back to


    simpler times.


    But then, reality hit me again as I realized I was still stranded on the side of the road. I took out my


    phone to call for roadside assistance, but there was no signal. I waspletely alone and helpless.


    I got out of the car, driving my hands through my hair. I tried calling again, but there was still no signal.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I threw my phone to the ground. Then, I red at my car and forcefully kicked one of the tires.


    But then I held my feet as I felt the pain of carrying out such an action.


    Still standing around here, fuming angrily and frustrated, I saw a car driving towards me from afar. I


    waved my hands, hoping they would stop and help me. To my surprise, the car stopped and started


    driving in my direction.


    But as the car got closer, my heart sank. It was Mason, the fool, idiot, and scumbag, who I despised


    with every fiber of my being. And what the hell was he doing here anyway?


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± I spat at him as he got out of the car.


    ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± he replied, a hint of surprise in his voice. ¡°I thought I had taken care of


    you. I thought Harriet had killed you. Why are you still alive, and where have you been the whole time?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You thought you killed me? You thought you could just get away with it?¡±


    Mason¡¯s expression turned cold, and he took a step closer to me. ¡°You were a loose end, Ariel. I had to


    tie it up. And you were the one who brought shit upon yourself.¡±


    ZAS CONFRONTATION


    3/3


    ¡°You and Harriet both made a mistake. Well, the fool made a mistake. She should have shot me


    millions of times in the head. But that¡¯s too bad, and trust me, I am going to make sure that karma hits


    the both of you real hard.¡±


    ¡°You shut up, Ariel. You might be alive for now. But don¡¯t be too happy about that. I can still ruin you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe his audacity. ¡°You are sick, Mason. You will pay for what you did to me.¡±


    He chuckled, a sinister smile on his face. ¡°And how do you n on doing that, Ariel? You¡¯re all alone,


    stranded on the side of the road. You¡¯re helpless.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. And you can get your ugly ass out of here. But just keep in mind


    that I¡¯ming for you. So if you still have Janice with you, you better start bringing her out.¡±


    ¡°Janice, your daughter. I wonder if she¡¯s still alive. What? Do you think she¡¯s going to be with me for a


    whole year? Do I look like a babysitter to you?


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to y games, I see. But believe me when I say this: Payback ising.¡±


    Mason red at me for seconds before he finally said, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    He got into his car and drove off.

 Chapter 206

    206: BACK IN HAVEN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After a stressful and exhausting journey that I thought was going tost for hours, I approached the


    grand entrance of my new mansion. I would be dwelling in the new ce, along with Laura, her


    husband, and her brother, if he wanted to.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The wrought iron gates swung open slowly, revealing a winding driveway lined with majestic oak trees.


    The crunch of gravel beneath my car¡¯s tires echoed through the quiet surroundings. I could feel this


    greatness washing over me the moment my car came to a stop in front of the ptial estate.


    And yes, I did have it fixed. I had seen a truck driving in my direction then, and I didn¡¯t hesitate to stop


    it. Luckily, the man was kind of a mechanic. Well, something like that. But, in conclusion, he helped me


    out. I got the problem fixed, and boom! I was on the road again.


    Stepping out of the vehicle, I took a moment to absorb the sheer magnificence of my new home. The


    mansion stood before me like a castle out of a fairytale, its grand facade adorned with intricate carvings


    and towering columns. The sun and its magnificent beauty made the whole ce shimmer with an


    otherworldly light.


    And as I walked up the steps to the entrance, I marveled at the sheer size of the mansion. Although I


    had been in a simr ce, it was quite wonderful. Extremely awesome; five stars. A new home


    indeed, a time to relish every moment, and things would be really great if my blood was here with me


    on that.


    The double doors loomed before me, carved with borate designs that seemed to tell their own story.


    I reached out a hand and pushed the doors open, stepping into the grand foyer.


    My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight before me. The foyer was a symphony of opulence,


    with a gleaming chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a sweeping staircase leading up to the second


    floor. The marble floors shone under my feet, reflecting the light in a dazzling disy.


    I wandered into the mansion, footsteps echoing through the empty halls. I passed through room after


    room, each more luxurious than thest. The living room was a study in elegance, with plush velvet.


    sofas arranged around a roaring firece. The walls were adorned with priceless works of art, their


    colors vibrant and alive.


    Next, I found myself in the dining room, a grand space with a long table set for a feast. Crystal


    chandeliers hung overhead, casting a warm glow over the room. I ran a hand over the table¡¯s smooth


    surface, feeling awe at the thought of hosting dinners and gatherings in such a magnificent setting.


    I continued my exploration of the mansion, finding a library lined with floor¨Cto¨Cceiling bookshelves filled


    with leather¨Cbound tomes, a sunlit conservatory filled with exotic nts, and a cozy study with a


    mahogany desk and a crackling fire.


    Every corner I turned revealed a new treasure¨Ca new marvel to behold. I felt as though I had stepped


    into a dream¨Ca world of beauty and luxury beyond anything I had ever imagined. Tears pricked at


    206 BACK IN HAVEN


    the corners of my eyes as I realized that this incredible mansion w


    build a new life and a new future..


    now mine, a ce where I could


    I also made my way to the master bedroom. The room was a sanctuary of peace and luxury, with a


    canopy bed draped in silk and a window overlooking the sprawling grounds. I sank onto the bed,


    ovee with gratitude and wonder at my life¡¯s turn. Yes, because I had no idea I was going to here


    today. I thought I would still be with Lakel, or with Andre and the kids.


    be


    I was still ensconcing myself on the bed, taking in the luxurious surroundings of my new bedroom.


    Suddenly, I heard a soft knock on the door.


    ¡°Uh,e in?¡± I made a confused face.


    The door opened, and two well¨Cdressed maids walked in, a tray of refreshments in their hands. I was


    quite surprised; I thought I was the only one at the mansion. When did these two arrive? Were they


    here the whole time?


    ¡°Wee, Miss Ariel,¡± one of the maids said with a warm smile. ¡°We have been waiting for you.¡±


    I looked at them in confusion. ¡°Waiting for me? But how did you know I wasing?¡±


    The other maid said, ¡°Mrs. Laura had assigned us to wait for you and take care of your needs. She


    wanted everything to be perfect for your arrival.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± I told them, touched by Laura¡¯s thoughtfulness.


    The maids set down the tray and started to unpack my clothes and arrange them in the closet. And


    when they finished their tasks, they left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


    I was grateful for Laura¡¯s generosity and everything she had done for me, even though we were not


    rted one bit. She was indeed a caring woman, and she reminded me of Elizabeth. I did miss that; I


    couldn¡¯t believe everything had to turn out this way.


    With a contented sigh, I settled into the plush bed. It had been a long and tumultuous journey, but I


    needed to get ready for the journeys ahead. Because I knew clearly that this Vengeance of mine was


    going to be a bloody one.


    After a nap, I made my way to the living room, cleaning my eyes and yawning as well. But then I saw


    Laura standing a little bit close to me. She was sort of far away, and the smile on her face was a


    delightful one.


    ¡°When did you arrive?¡± I asked, smiling as I budged closer.


    ¡°About an hour ago. The maids told me you were sleeping.¡±


    I slept for an hour. I thought it was just a few minutes. Like, what the hell?¡±


    Laura chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just silly?¡± She looked around. ¡°So, you like your new home?¡±


    ¡°Like it? I love it! Thanks for everything¡±


    206 BACK IN HAVEN


    3/3


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now, about this revenge of yours, when are you going to be stepping into action?¡±


    ¡°Any day, I might decide to finish the whole thing. I just have to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°You are prepared already. You have the money to help you with everything you need. Now you have


    To make sure Luke and the others pay for what they did to you.¡±


    ¡°I will. I¡¯m not going to let them get away. It¡¯s a promise I made to my son; I¡¯m going to avenge hist


    death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really shocked by your story. How can a father kill his own son?¡±


    ¡°He has always been a monster, dark in the heart. But I never knew he would take things too far.¡±


    ¡°I feel so sorry for your son. He never got the chance to spend time with his father, and when they met,


    he was murdered.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so sad,¡± I said inaudibly.


    ¡°Look, Ariel,¡± Laura uttered, moving her face closer. ¡°You need to assassinate Luke.¡±

 Chapter 207

    207: CAN¡¯T GET IN THE WAY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I looked at Laura, shocked by her idea of taking someone¡¯s life. ¡°I know I made a promise to my son,


    but I don¡¯t know if I c


    actually go through with it. Ending someone¡¯s life is not something I can do


    easily.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, you can¡¯t let your emotions get in the way of your revenge. Luke deserves to pay for what he did.


    He doesn¡¯t deserve to live after taking away your son¡¯s life.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want to be a murderer like him. I want to make sure he


    suffers, just like my son did.¡±


    Laura ced a reassuring hand on my shoulder. ¡°I understand your hesitation, but you can¡¯t let your


    conscience hold you back. Luke doesn¡¯t have a conscience, so he did what he did. You need to let


    Vengeance take over.¡±


    ¦§


    your


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right about that. I can¡¯t let my emotions hold me back. I will do whatever it takes to


    make sure Luke pays for his sins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Laura said with a grin. ¡°I will help you with whatever you need. We¡¯ll make sure he


    regrets ever crossing you.


    ¡°Thank you, Laura. I couldn¡¯t do this without your support.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, Ariel.¡± She wrapped her arm around my neck, grinning. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get ourselves some good


    dishes.¡®


    ¡°Cool, but where¡¯s Bernardo? He came with you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s probably in the shower right now.¡±


    ¡°And your brother?¡±


    Laura smirked at me right away. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    I raised my brows immediately, knowing, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s definitely not what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°You like Mike, don¡¯t you?¡± She teased.


    ¡°What? No!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± she yfully poked at me.


    ¡°Nah, let¡¯s just go get some food, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay, cool.¡± She wrapped her hand around my neck, and we both made our way to the kitchen.


    And I knew life was about to get tougher. I may have lost my son, but I would not lose my sense of


    justice. I¡¯d make sure Luke met his end, but I was going to do it in a way that would make him suffer.


    And with Laura by my side, I knew I had the strength and support to see this through to the end.


    207 CAN¡¯T GET IN THE WAY


    201


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I


    I made my way through the crowd to find a seat at the public business meeting. Yes, it was a meeting


    where there would be many discussions, and many people were anticipating it. So, adjusting my tie,


    listened to the gentle murmur of conversation around me, the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut


    grass filling the air.


    Taking a seat on one of the white folding chairs facing the stage, I felt a sense of anticipation building


    within me. This gathering was a chance for themunity to unite and discuss how to make our


    society a better ce for all. And trust me, it was what I wanted for these people. I could see things.


    getting worse day by day.


    The speaker, a distinguished gentleman with silver hair, stepped up to the podium, hismanding


    presence capturing the attention of everyone present. His words about creating a more inclusive and


    prosperous society struck a chord deep within me.


    ¡°We must address the inequalities in ourmunity,¡± the speaker dered, emphasizing the need for


    equal opportunities for all. I nodded in agreement, wanting to contribute to this cause. Why? Because


    that¡¯s what billionaires do? Businessmen actually.


    The speaker continued, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and environmental


    consciousness. It inspired me to do my part in protecting our for future generations.


    Damn, I just sounded like one of those DC superheroes.


    The apuse that followed his speech reverberated through the garden, filling almost everyone with


    hope. When the speaker invited attendees to share their thoughts, I didn¡¯t hesitate to raise my hand. In


    fact, I stood up.


    ¡°I believe that throughmunity and coboration, we can ovee any challenge,¡± I said, my voice


    steady and resolute. The crowd erupted into cheers and apuse; a sense of unity was very clear


    in the air.


    ¡°That¡¯s the billionaire right there!¡± Someone shouted from the crowd.


    ¡°Luke Reynold! Luke Reynold!¡± They all began to shout my name, and I wondered why. I loved it,


    though. After all, I was famous.


    ¡°Taking from your grandfather¡¯s footsteps. Thank you, Luke Reynold. What is this city without you?¡±


    Iughed silently. ¡°Please don¡¯t tter me.¡±


    The crowd continued to bring out their morous voices, and when I turned around, I spotted her from


    afar, with her arms crossed. She looked just like Ariel. I shook my head, closing my eyes before


    opening them again. I saw no one at that spot.


    Now, I was just seeing things. Ariel was still lingering in my head, and my eyes were now starting to lie


    to me. I looked in that direction again and saw no one. Yup, it was all just in my head.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood in front of the grave, my heart heavy with grief, as I clutched a bouquet of fresh flowers. Tears


    streamed down my face as I was just staring at the tombstone. My dear Lakel, my precious boy, was


    lying beneath the ground, a victim of a senseless act of violence.


    nceled down, cing the flowers gently on the grave as if they were a symbol of my undying love for


    my son. ¡°Hey, Lake,¡± I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. ¡°It¡¯s Mom. I miss you so much, baby,


    I wish you were here with me.¡±


    I closed my eyes, letting the memories of our time together flood my mind. I remembered how he used


    tough so easily, his infectious smile lighting up my world. He had been such a happy child, always


    full of life and adventure. We had shared so many good times together, just the two of us, ever since


    his father walked out on us when Lukel was just a toddler.


    ¡°Do you remember our camping trips, Lukel? You used to love exploring the woods, pretending to be a


    brave adventurer. And our movie nights, when we would cuddle up on the couch and watch our favorite


    animated movies. You always wanted to be the hero, just like the characters on the screen.¡±


    I wiped away my tears. ¡°I promise you, Lakel, I will make the person who did this to you pay. No one


    can take away my son and get away with it.¡±


    ¡°You were my everything, Lukel, you and your sister, Janice. And I will never let anyone forget that. You


    will always be my son, my little hero.¡±


    I stood up, cing a hand on the tombstone. ¡°I have to go now, Luke. But I wille back soon. I


    promise.¡± With onest look at his grave, I turned and walked away, my heart heavy but my resolve


    stronger than ever.


    I walked to Laura, who was standing far from me when I was still close to Luke¡¯s tombstone.


    ¡°I could tell your son was a nice kid.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Yes, he was,¡± I told her, and she burst into tears.


    She hugged me after that. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ariel. This is just part of life. And we need to live up to every


    moment,¡±

 Chapter 208

    208: NEW THINGS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    So here I was, finally opening the doors to my new mansion. Yes, I had moved to a new one worth


    millions of dors. And standing right here, next to the building, the excited chatter and shes of


    cameras were all here.


    I could feel the weight of the keys in my hand, a symbol of all my hard work and sess. And I gazed


    up at the sky, knowing my grandfather would be way happier with this.


    ¡°Are you ready, Luke?¡± Jack asked with a proud smile on his face. He was standing right behind me,


    along with Randy and Ethan.


    I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    With Jack by my side, I walked towards the grand double doors, Behind me, I could hear the excited


    voices of Randy and Ethan, and they seemed to be really excited about this. Anyone could tell as the


    little children¡¯s eyes widened with wonder as they took in the grandeur of the mansion. It was like never


    before. Yeah, I knew that.


    I pushed the doors open, and the sound of apuse and cheers filled the air. I stepped inside, my eyes


    scanning every inch of the vast, luxurious space. Randy¡¯s dropped in awe at the sight of the high


    ceilings, marble floors, and elegant furnishings. I didn¡¯t know why he was so stunned. It was not like


    this was his first time stepping foot into a mansion. Well, this house was quite better than the previous


    one.


    ¡°Wow, Luke, this ce is amazing!¡± Randy came out, looking everywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a castle!¡± Ethan added, his eyes wide with amazement.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their glee. I really never imagined that I would have two young boys living


    with me, but they have be a big part of my life. And now they get to enjoy this wealth with me.


    As I continued to explore the house, I was followed by a swarm of people¨Cpaparazzi and journalists


    -eager to capture every moment of that monumental day.


    ¡°Mr. Luke, can you tell us how having this new and wonderful mansion feels?¡± One reporter asked,


    shoving a microphone in my face.


    ¡°It feels incredible. I am grateful for all the support and the opportunities,¡± I replied, trying my best to


    keep myposure amidst the chaos. These guys were like bees, but what could I do? That¡¯s what


    you get for being famous.


    I paused for a moment, feeling a pang of sadness wash over me as I noticed a nk spot on the wall. I


    remembered the promise I had made to myself when I decided to get a new mansion¨Cto hang a big


    frame of my Ariel¨Call because I missed her so much. It was a way to keep her memory and the little


    romantic moments we shared alive. They were still in my head.


    I took out the framed photo of her from my pocket and gently ced it on the wall, right where it


    belonged. I looked at her beautiful face, smiling back at me, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of


    emptiness. I wish she was there to share this moment with me. It would be really great.


    ¡°You miss her so much, don¡¯t you?¡± Randy set his eyes on the photo.


    I smiled sadly. ¡°Yes, I do. It¡¯s too bad that we didn¡¯t spend much time together. It¡¯s so sad that our


    rtionship was short and meaningless. It¡¯s so sad that she had to leave, being angry with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ethan said, his voice filled with sympathy.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You see, guys, Ariel will always be a part of my life,¡± I replied, my gaze still fixed on the


    photo. ¡°Well, she wasn¡¯t actually part of my life.


    As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, I realized that the mansion did not make that day special. It was


    the people standing by my side¨Cmy assistant, Jack, who had been with me through thick and thin- and


    these two young boys who had brought so much joy into my life. And even though Ariel was not


    physically there, her memory would always be with me.


    I turned to face the crowd, a sense of gratitude filling my heart. ¡°Thank you all for being a part of that


    special day. I couldn¡¯t have done it without all of you.


    The room erupted in cheers and apuse, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed with emotions,


    smiling at everyone. ¡°Cheers, my people!¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The mansion was filled withughter, music, and chatter as the night went on. The party was a huge


    sess, and I couldn¡¯t be happier. I mingled with my guests, making sure everyone was having a good


    time. But as the night progressed, I started to feel a bit tired. I excused myself from the crowd and


    made my way upstairs to my room.


    I was greeted by a waiter who handed me a drink. ¡°Here you go, Mr. Reynod. This will help you rx.¡±


    ¡°And who are you exactly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a worker, sir. I came to the party and was told that I needed someone to serve me until it was


    over.


    ¡°Oh, really,¡± I vocalized, and she nodded. ¡°Who told you about that anyway?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea, Mr. Reynold. But it looked like someone close to you.¡°.


    ¡°Someone close to me?¡± I made a puzzled face. But I knew I had to shake the feeling off. It must


    probably be Jack. ¡°Is it a man or a woman?¡±


    ¡°A woman, sir.¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡± I vocalized, wondering who that was. ¡°Can you please tell her I want to see her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Reynold.¡±


    ¡°Good, now go do that. Get it done as soon as possible, alright?¡±


    The waitress nodded before leaving the room. I was still wondering who she was talking about. But


    then Ariel¡¯s face popped up in mind.


    208. NOW 208 NEW THINGS


    3/3


    Shaking my head, I tried to push away the memories of yesterday¡¯s gathering. It seemed sort of


    impossible that I had seen Ariel. Well, it wasn¡¯t that impossible, but it was the thing. I missed Ariel more


    than words can describe. She was constantly on my mind, upying my every thought and emotion.


    Each moment that passed without her felt like an eternity. Whether I¡¯m awake or asleep, she¡¯s always


    there, lingering in the back of my mind.


    Memories of her flooded my thoughts, reminding me of the times we shared and the moments we


    laughed, joked, and argued until before the chaos unfolded separation. I could find myself daydreaming


    about her, imagining how it would feel to have her by my side once again. The ache in my heart


    constantly reminded me how much I longed for her presence. I missed her so much that I couldn¡¯t help


    but think of her every single moment.


    Still lost in these thoughts, I took a sip of the drink. But something felt off. The drink tasted strange, and


    I started to feel dizzy before I knew it. I stumbled towards my bed, trying to keep my bnce, but


    everything went ck as I fell onto the soft mattress.

 Chapter 209

    209: LISTEN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I opened my eyes to see myself naked in bed, and the next thing I saw was crazy. Okay, the person I


    saw lying next to me had me stunned, and things were officially messed up right then. Harriet was on


    the bed, right next to me. She looked naked; the sheets covered her body.


    I wondered if this was just a dream or another imagination of mine. I was left confused, stunned, and


    open¨Cmouthed. I looked around, and yes, I was in my room. But what the hell was this woman doing


    here? How in the world did shee into this mansion? What time was it? Was that party still going


    on?


    I nced at the clock; it was just 2:00 in the morning. And I was right here in bed with this good¨Cfor-


    nothing woman. I had to p my face several times, and it was finally verified that this wasn¡¯t a dream.


    It was real, Luke. It was so fucking real.


    I set my eyes on Harriet, who was sleeping peacefully with a satisfied smile on her face. I could just


    imagine what she did while I was insensible. Now, it all makes sense. This useless woman sent the


    lady who gave me that drink.


    ¡°Harriet!¡± I forcefully tapped her. ¡°Harriet! Harriet! Wake up, you fool!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± She finally opened her eyes, but she was still drowsy. ¡°Why are you ruining my beauty.


    sleep?¡±


    ¡°Beauty sleep?! Get your ass out of my goddamn bed, out of this room, and out of this mansion!¡±


    She


    gave me a look like I was insane. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, huh?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. What is your problem?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you.


    ¡°Fuck! Are you kidding me?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Oh, Luke. I enjoyed every moment with you. I was reunited with my friendst night, and it was so


    amazing.¡±


    I gave her a look filled with so much bitterness. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    ¡°Too bad, I already did.¡± She burst intoughter. ¡°And I have everything on video. How you had sex with


    me, how I rode you like a motherfucking cowgirl. And with this, I can ruin your reputation. The people


    seem to like you once again, and what¡¯s going to happen if they see a video like this?¡±


    ¡°You do know you¡¯re wanted, right?¡± I reminded her.


    ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I came up with a catchy headline.¡± She moved her hand dramatically as she


    uttered, ¡°The famous Luke Reynold is having sex with a criminal, fucking and banging the wanted


    Harriet Donald. How does that sound, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Exactly, because you fucked me.


    ¡°You and I both know I didn¡¯t do that.¡®


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re going to tell everyone? You think they¡¯re going to buy that?¡±


    I was boiling with anger just by staring at her, ¡°Oh, I feel like strangling you to death right now.


    ¡°Go ahead, kill me. You¡¯ll be charged with murder. How great is that?¡±


    ¡°At least you¡¯ll be going straight to hell.¡±


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± she said slowly, looking me in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to walk out of this ce, and you¡¯re


    not going to do shit.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I know,¡± Harriet replied, and before I knew it, she injected me with some kind of shit. I lost


    consciousness immediately.


    By the time I regained consciousness, it was dawn, and Harriet was already gone. I would have said


    that was a nightmare, but no, that idiot was crazy enough to leave her pants here. And trust me, I was.


    going to set that sh*t on fire.


    ***


    I walked through the cemetery, the autumn leaves crunching under my feet. The sky was gray and


    gloomy, matching my mood as I made my way towards my son¡¯s grave. Lukel. I had never spent much


    time with him before he died; I didn¡¯t even know him. But now, standing in front of his grave, I couldn¡¯t


    help but feel a sense of overwhelming sadness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lukel,¡± I whispered as I knelt down in front of his headstone. ¡°I genuinely had no ideal you


    were my blood. If only I could go back in time, I¡¯d change everything every moment.¡±


    I paused before continuing, ¡°You were there; you had a sister and a wonderful family who took good


    care of you and treated you like you were their own. But as for me, I was just living life, having no


    knowledge that I had two children¨Cmy blood. Your mother hid that from me. But it isn¡¯t her fault. She


    knew what a monster I was. And the times I touched her, she was not too pleased with it.¡±


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°I wish I could turn back time and make things right.¡±


    I ced a bouquet of flowers on his grave and heard footsteps. I turned around, expecting to see a


    caretaker or another mournering to pay their respects. But instead, I was met with the piercing


    re of the one person I had been longing to see the whole time. It was Ariel, and she was standing


    still, but the dark look on her face reminded me of how things were between the both of us before she


    went missing.


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re finally back,¡± I said softly, walking to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you daree close,¡± she said, and I stopped immediately. ¡°And what are you doing here?¡± she


    asked, her tone cold and using.


    ¡°Where have you been this whole time?¡±


    ¡°I asked you a question, didn¡¯t I? What are you doing here?¡±


    I nced at Luke¡¯s tombstone before turning back to Ariel. ¡°I came to pay a visit to my son¡¯s grave.¡±


    ¡°Your son?¡± Ariel¡¯s re didn¡¯t go off one bit. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s your son, now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was my son, our son.


    ¡°But you killed him. So you have no right to say that.¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh,¡± I said inaudibly, looking down. I set my eyes back on her. ¡°Look, Ariel. I didn¡¯t do anything.


    Why won¡¯t you let me tell you what happened at the building when it was on fire?¡±


    ¡°Why should I? You¡¯re just going to start telling lies.¡±


    ¡°Who brainwashed you, Ariel? Who filled your head with those dark thoughts that you just believed? 1


    mean, how could you just ept the lies? You do know my rtionship with children, right? You know


    how much I love kids. Why would I want to kill an innocent child? Why would I even want to kill a


    child?¡±


    ¡°So you can get back at me,¡± she answered.


    ¡°No, no, no, no. You¡¯re totally wrong. I never wanted to get back to you. I even wanted to make things.


    straight.¡±


    ¡°Well, you left me broken by killing my son.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, just listen to me.¡±


    ¡°No, you can leave now. But you just need to know one thing: that I will make sure you pay for what you


    did.¡±


    I walked closer to her, the both of us staring into each other¡¯s eyes. And even though she had an


    infuriated face, I could see the passion right there.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, Ariel,¡± I told her softly.


    She kept on ring at me. ¡°Leave, now.¡±


    ¡°I will leave. But I¡¯m d you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± she told me coldly. I nodded before walking away.

 Chapter 210

    : UNBEARABLE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat


    In my car, the words from Ariel echoing in my mind. ¡°You killed him.¡± The pain in her voice was almost


    unbearable. But I couldn¡¯t me her. I knew she was hurting and looking for someone to me for our


    son¡¯s death. And unfortunately, that me fell on me. I didn¡¯t even know why she had to put it on me.


    She wasn¡¯t even there when the whole thing happened.


    I started the car and drove away from the cemetery. There were some flowers on the passenger seat


    beside me, and all I could do was just look at them. I had no idea about the things Lukel relished. I


    didn¡¯t know his favorite color, his favorite song, his favorite food, or so many other things. I didn¡¯t get


    the chance to walk in the park with him. I didn¡¯t know him, but it still brought pain, and I couldn¡¯t believe


    he was gone.


    But what hurt the most was the fact that Ariel believed I was responsible for his death. I couldn¡¯t


    understand how she could think that I would harm such a little child. Like, who the hell even gave her


    such information? Did it just pop up in her head, or what? I loved little children, heart and soul, and I


    would never do anything to harm anyone. Little kids? Hell no.


    Driving through the quiet streets, my mind was filled with memories of Ariel and our time together. From


    our first marriage, when I was treating her miserably, until now, when she is giving me payback.


    Everything fell apart. I remembered the day I had slept with her and told her to take abortion pills, but


    she refused. That was also the day we divorced. It was quite remarkable; the date might still be stuck in


    my head.


    I drove further and stopped my car, looking at some little children as they were having fun together.


    Watching the children y, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Their faces were so innocent, and their tiny voices


    were simply wonderful. I wondered what Lukel would have been like at this age. Would he be as


    carefree and innocent as these children, or would he have been more crazy like his mother? Just


    kidding, but honestly, Ariel could be really crazy sometimes.


    I sighed and shook my head, trying to push away the painful thoughts. I knew I couldn¡¯t change the


    past, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for not being able to protect the little one. Yes, I did try my best to


    get him out of the fire, but if I had just aggrandized the passion, maybe he would still be alive.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, mister,e and y with us!¡± one of the children called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.


    I smiled at them and shook my head. ¡°Sorry, I have some things to take care of.¡±


    The children didn¡¯t give up that easily and continued to pester me until I finally gave in. I took them in


    my car and drove to the nearest ice cream shop. As we sat outside, enjoying our ice cream, the


    children chattered away about their favorite toys and what they wanted to be when they grew up.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of peace and happiness wash over me as I watched these children.


    They reminded me of the simple joys in life and how precious every moment is. I came to the


    realization that I had lost sight of the present because I had been so preupied with my own suffering


    and guilt.


    258 ACARABLE


    These children finished their ice cream and said their goodbyes. I thanked them for bringing


    drive. light into my day. I got back into my car with a smile on my face and continued my


    some


    I knew that Ariel¡¯s pain and anger towards me were justified, but I also knew that I couldn¡¯t continue to


    me myself for something that was out of my control. Something I didn¡¯t execute. No doubt, I had


    reallymaged Ariel. I couldn¡¯t change the past, but I could make a conscious effort to be present in the


    present and appreciate the small moments in life, doing the best I could to make things could see how


    my mistakes were affecting me currently. I¡¯m not really happy about that.


    better. I


    I drove to Sidney¡¯s apartment to tell her what had happened. I had seen her daughter paying a visit to


    her son¡¯s and our son¡¯s grave.


    I knocked on the door softly, but she didn¡¯te out. Perhaps she didn¡¯t hear me. I even rang the


    doorbell and waited for some time, but she didn¡¯te out. I had to put my ear closer to the door, and I


    was hearing the moans of a woman, almost like her voice. I could see she was having a good time. So


    what was I going to do? I turned around, and as I was about to reach my car, I heard my name.


    I turned around to see her standing at the door, adjusting her dress.


    ¡°You came to see me?¡± She asked loudly since we were kind of far from each other. But that was a silly


    question, wasn¡¯t it?


    I didn¡¯t say a word, but I walked back to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was busy,¡± she apologized.


    ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡± I nodded. ¡°Anyways, I came to tell you that I saw your daughter today. She¡¯s alive;


    thank God for that.¡±


    ¡°Wow, really?¡±


    I ¡°Yes. You can go back to what you were doing because it¡¯s clear that you¡¯re not done. Goodbye.¡± 1


    walked away after those words, got into my car, and drove off. I wasn¡¯t going to start sticking my nose


    in her business.


    The moment I arrived at my mansion, I saw this woman standing there. She was beautiful, no doubt.


    But I could tell she was older than me. It should be about forty or something. She had makeup all over


    her face and a nice figure, too, looking quite desirable. But I wasn¡¯t going to get myself interested. That


    would be really messed up if I decided to go on with such a thought.


    ¡°Afternoon,¡± she said the moment I approached her. But there was no smile on her face. I couldn¡¯t


    care less anyway.


    ¡°Afternoon, miss,¡± 1 greeted back.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Laura, actually.¡±


    ¡°I see. So, can I please know why you¡¯vee here? Have you shown up to discuss business?¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°I haven¡¯te to talk about that.¡± Her cold tone had me kind of speechless.


    210. UNBEARABLE


    ¡°Okay, then why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I just have two words for you, Luke Reynold. Be prepared.¡±


    I gave her a confused face. ¡°Be prepared?¡±


    She raised her brows in response, and 1 shook my head, still dumbfounded. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Be prepared


    for what?¡±


    ¡°Ariel,¡± she answered.


    My eyes widened at that very moment. ¡°Ariel? You know Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m the one who took care of her after she got damaged, broken, and wrecked by you.¡±


    ¡°And when did that happen?¡±


    ¡°When you killed her son, I found her in the water, almost dead. I saved her and took her as family.


    ¡°Wait, you saw her almost dead in a river. Did she tell you that I¡¯m the one responsible for that?¡±


    ¡°Nope, but she did tell me that you killed her son. So be prepared for what¡¯sing for you. Have a


    nice day.¡±


    She walked away from me after that. A car drove in her direction, and she entered. I stood still,


    watching the car move away, and this woman¡¯s words were revolving around in my head.

 Chapter 211

    211: MY EYES FOUND YOURS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I emerged from the grand doors of City Hall, and my confident stride and determined expression


    captured the attention of the crowd. Dressed in a sharp navy suit, I made my way to the podium, the


    microphone awaiting my words.


    ¡°Good afternoon, citizens of New Haven,¡± I began, my voice strong and clear, carrying across the


    square. ¡°I stand before you today not just as the owner of The Reynolds but as a fellow resident of this


    beautiful city.¡±


    The crowd murmured in agreement, nodding their heads in acknowledgment of my connection to their


    community.


    ¡°For too long, New Haven has been overlooked, its potential untapped, and its future uncertain,¡± I


    continued, my gaze sweeping across the sea of faces before me. ¡°But today, I stand here to tell you


    that change ising. The Reynolds ismitted to bringing better improvements to our city,


    revitalizing our neighborhoods, and creating opportunities for all who call New Haven home.¡±


    A wave of apuse rippled through the crowd, the sound echoing off the stone facades of the


    surrounding buildings. I paused, allowing the cheers to subside before I continued.


    ¡°Our vision is simple but powerful,¡± I dered, and my voice was ringing with conviction. ¡°We


    believe that by investing in our infrastructure, schools, and local businesses, we can transform New


    Haven into a thriving hub of innovation and progress.¡±


    I spoke, and I could see my words painting a vivid picture of a brighter future for New Haven, one


    where dpidated buildings were reced with modern structures, where struggling schools were


    rejuvenated with state¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cart resources, and where small businesses were given the support they


    needed to seed.


    ¡°We are not here to impose change upon you,¡± I emphasized, my tone earnest. ¡°We are here to work.


    alongside you, to listen to your needs, and to build a future that reflects the hopes and dreams of every


    resident of New Haven.¡±


    The crowd erupted into cheers and apuse; their happiness was very clear in the warm afternoon. air.


    My speech had struck a chord with them, igniting a spark of hope and excitement for the future of their


    city.


    Right after I stepped away from the podium, the crowd surged forward, eager to shake my hand, offer


    their support, and join me in my mission to bring better improvement to New Haven. And as I looked


    out at the sea of smiling faces, my eyes caught someone who had taken a perfect spot in my heart-


    and she was standing from afar.


    She was also staring at me, crossing her arms. She didn¡¯t move, as our eyes were fixed on each other,


    but her dark look was present. It looked like it could kill someone, but even so, I didn¡¯t turn my face.


    away. Her gaze was not broken, and I kept looking in her direction.


    21 MYERS FOUND YOURS


    Ariel took her eyes off me and walked away. I wanted to move as soon as possible, but the crowd was


    stopping me. They all wanted to take pictures and get into different conversations with me. I was


    forcefully budging through them. I wanted to speak with Ariel.


    She was never giving me a chance to exin myself. But this time, I needed to make things clear to


    her. I needed to change that thinking of hers. I needed to make her see the truth and soften her heart.


    Let her know that my feelings for her are now one of a kind, and I would never want to hurt her.


    My heart was beating faster as I pushed through the crowd, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of


    Ariel. I knew she would not want to listen to me, but I wanted to make things right. I couldn¡¯t let her walk


    away without giving me a chance to rify everything. I did wrong in the past, and I admit that. But she


    shouldn¡¯t keep on installing all those moments within her. We had a lovely time together before all this


    crap took ce.


    Making my way through the sea of people, I couldn¡¯t spot Ariel anywhere. My eyes darted from one


    person to another, hoping to see her familiar face. I even asked a few people if they had seen her, but


    no one seemed to know where she was.


    Feeling frustrated, I decided to search for nearby ces. I checked the parking lot, the food stalls, and


    even the restrooms, but she was nowhere to be found. I could just guess that she might have already


    left.


    But then, I saw her. She was standing near her car, her back facing me. I could see her shoulders


    tense as she reached for the door handle. Without a second thought, I called out her name, my voice


    filled with urgency.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± I yelled, running towards her. She turned around, her expression still guarded. I could see the


    rage in her eyes, and it tore at my hearing.


    I stopped in front of her, trying to catch my breath. We stood there, just gazing at each other for what


    felt like an eternity. Her eyes were filled with so much darkness, and I did not reach out and touch her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel,¡± I finally said, breaking the silence. ¡°I know I¡¯ve hurt you in the past, but I promise you,


    I¡¯ve changed. But now, you have to listen to me. Please.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything; she just continued to stare at me. I could see the inner battle in her eyes, and I


    knew I had to give her time to process everything. But I couldn¡¯t leave without at least trying to make


    her understand my feelings. She needed to know how I wanted to save our children. I tried my very


    best to help them out of that fire.


    ¡°I know you might not believe this, but I love you, Ariel. I love you. I¡¯ve finally realized my feelings and


    can¡¯t help it anymore. I¡¯ve missed you all these days, praying every day for your return. Look, I have


    made tons of mistakes in the past. But I¡¯ll make it up to you. Please don¡¯t harden your heart for


    don¡¯t be blinded by the hate. Please, Ariel.¡±


    me;


    Still not saying a thing, Ariel looked away, her hands gripping the door handle tightly. My heart ached at


    the sight, and I knew I couldn¡¯t let her walk away from me again.


    ¡°Ariel, please. You can¡¯t just walk away from me again.¡±


    TEMVIVES FOUND VOUS


    33


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I can, Lake,¡± she finally said, her tone hard to a certain degree. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to tell


    me all of this. I don¡¯t Luke.


    re If you now love me. That¡¯s your problem. I came back for a purpose, And that¡¯s revenge.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, please.¡± I wanted to hold her shoulders, but she shifted back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she told me coldly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy now.¡±


    ¡°Happy? Why would I be happy when the person I love is not here with me?¡±


    ¡°You have money. You have fame. You have everything. So just keep on enjoying the moment because


    you don¡¯t know what¡¯sing.¡±


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill your son, okay? Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Enough, Luke. Enough with the lies already. You are nothing but a¡±


    I interrupted her by cupping her face and smacking her lips with mine.


    212: IN YOUR IMAGINATION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. Ariel had just kissed me back, but then she had pulled away and


    pped me. Hard. My cheek stung from the impact, but I couldn¡¯t me her. No, I couldn¡¯t.


    But I couldn¡¯t let her go either. She was my wife, and I loved her. Yes, I did now, and it was something I


    kept on repeating because the feelings were true.


    I stood there still, stunned and reeling from the hard p that Ariel had just given me. I found myself


    locked in a tense staring match with her. Her beautiful, ravishing eyes were filled with an intense,


    almost menacing re that I had never seen before.


    I was at a loss for words, my mind unable toprehend what had just happened and what was to


    come next. I could feel the weight of her disappointment and anger in that moment, all the thoughts


    revolving in her head,pounding the hate. All I could do was stare back, searching for the right


    words to say. But at this moment, all I could do was stand there, lost and speechless, as we both tried


    toe to terms with what had just transpired.


    And I didn¡¯t want to admit this, but what could I do? I waspletely broken. Ariel¡¯s actions were like a


    constant knife digging into my heart, causing me immense pain. We stood there, neither of us uttering


    a word, just staring at each other.


    I could see the anger and resentment in her eyes, and she seemed unwilling to let go of her re. It


    was a silent battle between us, and I didn¡¯t know how to make it stop. My world was falling apart; it had


    already fallen apart. And this intense tension between us had everything going wrong. It was not what I


    had wanted or thought. I wanted to fix things and bring us together, but theplete opposite was


    what I was seeing here. I just hoped that we would be able to get this done, putting an end to the


    dispute and repairing the damage that had been done.


    Having wealth, money, and fame may seem like the ultimate dream, but it was a nightmare for me.


    Despite having all of these material possessions, I was still in pain. My world had crumbled before my


    eyes, with everything crashing down and sinking into darkness. What was the use of having all these


    when my flesh was hurting?


    It was a constant battle right now, and I was afraid I could be depressed at any moment, any day, any


    second, any minute. No amount of money or fame could heal the pain and emptiness I felt inside. Love


    was trying to let me down, but I was still pressing on.


    ¡°Ariel, please¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, Luke. Do not say a word.¡± She kept ignoring my pleas, her eyes filled with anger. I could see the


    tears threatening to spill from her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.


    ¡°Ariel, please listen to me,¡± I begged, trying to grab her arm.


    But she shook me off, her voice cold and distant. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me again?¡±

 Chapter 212

    212- ?N YOUR IMAGINATION


    2/3


    I felt a pang in my heart at her words, but I couldn¡¯t give up. ¡°I know I¡¯ve made mistakes. But I


    apologized, didn¡¯t I? Why won¡¯t you juste back to me?¡±


    ¡°Come back to you?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Can you even hear yourself right now? Like, are you stupid, or


    what? Don¡¯t you know the weight of those words of yours? Luke, I suggest you give up on this. Cause


    we¡¯re never getting back together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still my wife, Ariel. But please don¡¯t give up on us. We can work through this together.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Us?¡± Sheughed again. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. There is no us, and I¡¯m your wife only in your


    imagination.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not divorced, remember?¡±


    ¡°I do remember. But I can¡¯te back to you. And I can¡¯t even get close to you to give you some


    divorce papers. You just got to know that it¡¯s over between the both of us. You can keep living in the


    past.¡±


    She wanted to enter her car, but I held her hand, telling her to hold on. But she quickly kneeled my


    balls, causing me to let go of her.


    ¡°I hope you enjoyed that,¡± she stated bitterly. She had already made up her mind. Without saying


    another word, she got into her car and drove away, leaving me on the ground.


    Iy there, feeling lost and defeated. I had thought that by confessing my love for her, everything would


    magically fall back into ce. But no, it didn¡¯t. The pain just became more intense and exhrating than


    ever.


    After some minutes, I leisurely got to my feet, feeling empty and alone. I did my best, but she wasn¡¯t


    on this. ready to ept. I didn¡¯t even know what to do again. But trust me, I wasn¡¯t going to give up


    I sat outside my mansion, staring at the stars in the sky. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of peace and


    calmness wash over me. I always found sce in the night sky; it was like my own personal therapist.


    ¡°Luke, what are you doing out here all alone?¡± My aunt Mariam¡¯s voice Broke through my thoughts, and


    I turned to see her standing beside me.


    ¡°I¡¯m just enjoying the view,¡± I replied, not wanting to share my thoughts with her.


    She sat down next to me, her eyes scanning the stars as well. We sat in silence for a few minutes.


    before she spoke again.


    ¡°Something is bothering you, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, her tone gentle.


    I didn¡¯t want to tell her; we had never been close. She was always the rude aunt, while I was the


    rebellious and careless nephew. Everything had never been ideal, and you were well aware of the state


    of my rtionship with this woman. But tonight, I felt a sudden urge to confide in someone.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ariel,¡± I finally admitted, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them.


    213 IN YOUR WANGINATION


    ¡°What about her?¡± Mariam asked


    I sighed, not knowing where in start¨C1 told there are eater and wow the rejected may pleas to return to


    me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to do right now,¡± I said, driving, my bed through my brake.


    Mariam ced aforting hand on my shoulder ¡°Luke, don¡¯t pre up on her the tories you¡±


    I gave her a surprised look, not expecting her to say these words, the bad nem been ungentore of our


    rtionship, always finding something to criticize. But what the heat?


    ¡°But she refused to even listen to me,¡± I protested.


    ¡°Give her time, Luke. She needs to process everything ande to terms with what happened. Par I


    have no doubt that she wille back to you, just remember, take, true love always finds a way.¡±


    I gaped at her. ¡°Hold on a minute. Are you sure you¡¯re a sleep talking! Because this is really weird and


    surprising.¡±


    Mariamughed. ¡°I understand you, Luke, But sometimes, you don¡¯t have to be crued.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, I get it,¡± I said with a nod, setting my eyes on the sky.


    We didn¡¯t say anything to each other again, but it was quite great to see that this woman had some


    sense today. It was actually a miracle,

 Chapter 213

    213: THE CHASE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I walked into the grocery store; my mind upied with the list of items I needed to pick up for dinner.


    As I made my way through the aisles, I overheard two little children arguing loudly near the candy


    section.


    ¡°I saw it first!¡± the little boy eximed, tugging on a colorful pack of gummy bears.


    ¡°No, I did! You always get the first pick!¡± The little girl retorted, trying to snatch the pack from his


    grasp.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched the familiar scene unfold before me. It reminded me of my twins


    back in Canada, who always fought over the smallest things. Sometimes. Oh, the sweet memories.


    Things weren¡¯t the same anymore.


    ¡°I I made my way towards them, hoping to intervene before things got too out of hand. ¡°Excuse me,


    said, catching their attention. ¡°What seems to be the problem here?¡±


    The children turned to look at me, their faces red with anger and frustration. ¡°He won¡¯t let me have the


    gummy bears!¡± the little girlined.


    ¡°Well, it seems like there¡¯s only one solution to this problem,¡± I told them, grinning.


    They both looked at me, confusion evident on their faces. ¡°What solution?¡± the little boy asked, still


    holding onto the gummy bears tightly.


    I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful of coins. ¡°I¡¯ll buy both of you a pack of gummy bears


    each. How does that sound?¡±


    Their eyes widened in surprise and excitement. ¡°Really?¡± they both eximed in unison.


    I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. ¡°Yes, really. But on one condition,¡± I said, holding up a


    finger.


    They both looked at me, waiting for me to continue. ¡°You have to promise me that you won¡¯t fight


    anymore. No more arguing over candy, okay?¡±


    They both looked at each other, nodding in agreement. ¡°Okay, we promise!¡± they said, their faces


    beaming with happiness.


    I walked them over to the candy section and let them each pick out their own pack of gummy bears. As


    they excitedly made their choices, I drew my mind back to Lukel and Janice. It was sweet having both


    of them by my side. It couldn¡¯t be possible anymore.


    Once they had their candy in hand, the children turned to me, their faces filled with gratitude. ¡°Thank


    you so much!¡± they said, their little voices filled with genuine appreciation.


    I patted them both on the head, a nostalgic feeling washing over me. ¡°Remember, no fighting over


    candy anime,reminded thras


    They both wood, widening the cyst W won¡¯t, we prondant they said beforeing off to join the


    parents, who was watting hu thus at the chicbout crunter


    Emade my way to the counter to pay for my proverbs, and I couldn¡¯t help tout amite at the thought of


    the two hale chablon who vendnded me of my own twins


    adel, you¡¯ll forever be in my heart And Janice, P¡¯m going in find you no matter what Mason and Harrier


    may beughing wherever they are right now, and they might hold your captive for now but you do not


    have to be scared, my baby. F¡¯ll save you from the evil ones, not using the help of thew but taking


    thew into my own hands.


    Pilsave


    So, I got into my car and began. I drove down the deserted road, lost in my thoughts when I saw her.


    Harriet was walking along the side of the road, her head down and her hands stuffed in the pockets of


    her ck hoodie. I mmed on my bakes and pulled over to the side of the road,


    Without a second thought, I jumpest out of my car and started running towards her, my feet pounding


    against the pavement. She must have heard me because she immediately started running as well, her


    hood falling off to reveal her wild, tangled hair


    ¡°Harriet!¡± I yelled, my voice desperate. ¡°Walt¡±


    But she just kept running, her pace quickening as she noticed me getting closer. I could see the fear in


    her eyes, and it only fueled me. I needed to talk to her to find out where she had taken my daughter.


    We ran for what felt like forever, our feet pounding against the ground as we left the road behind and


    entered a deserted, sandyndscape. I could feel the sand crunching between my toes as we


    continued


    Finally, I managed to catch up to her, and I grabbed her by the arm, mming her to the ground. She


    let out a cry of pain as she hit the ground, but she didn¡¯t stay down for long. She quickly scrambled to


    her feet and turned to face me, her eyes zing with anger.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she spat, her voice filled with venom.


    ¡°I want my daughter back.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter? I have no idea where she is. And she doesn¡¯t need trash like you in her life,¡± Harriet


    sneered.


    1 felt a surge of anger wash over me at her words. How dare she insult me in such a way? Without


    thinking, Ished out and punched her in the face, causing her to stumble backward. She let out a cry


    of pain as she clutched her bleeding nose.


    ¡°You have no right to speak about me that way,¡± I growled, my fists clenched at my sides.


    Harriet justughed, a cruel sound that sent shivers down my spine. ¡°You think you can just do shit and


    demand your daughter back? You don¡¯t deserve her. You¡¯re a terrible mother.¡±


    Her words only worsened my anger. It aggrandized me, and I swear, I was ready to kill this woman.


    Lungest at Harriet, tacking her to the ground, and we began to brawl. We scratched, pinched, and


    pulled at each other, both of us determined toe out on top. But I was stronger, and my anger had.


    gotten to a whole new level.


    I managed to pin her down, and I started punching her over and over again, not caring about the


    bruises and cuts that were forming on my own body. I needed to know where my daughter was, and I


    wasn¡¯t going to stop until I got the truth out of Harriet.


    ¡°Tell me where she is!¡± I yelled, my voice filled with desperation.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But Harriet just continued to refuse, spitting insults at me and struggling against my hold. I could feel


    my anger rising to dangerous levels, and I continued to punch her, my fists connecting with her face


    over and over again.


    Finally, Harriet¡¯s struggles started to weaken, and she let out a cry of pain. I released her, and shey


    there on the ground, panting and bleeding. I could see the fear in her eyes, and it filled me with


    satisfaction.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I growled, my voice low and menacing.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes darted around, looking for an escape. But she knew she was trapped. It was quite


    obvious.


    ¡°Where is Janice? I asked her, breathing heavily.


    ¡°You can kill me all you want, but I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°You already have a bloody face; don¡¯t make me put you six feet deep.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, then. I¡¯ll be d to die and let your daughter continue to suffer. Just kill me, bitch.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to talk?¡± I quizzed her in a low tone.


    Sheughed. ¡°Never!¡±


    I looked around, and my eyes caught a rod in the ground. Harriet traced my direction, and before she


    could get there, I rushed and grabbed the rod. She wanted to snatch it from me, but I mmed her


    head, and she lost consciousness instantly.

 Chapter 214

    214: BURN IT DOWN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. After everything that had happened, after all the pain and suffering my daughter


    had been through, Harriet still wouldn¡¯t tell me where she was. I drove aimlessly, my mind racing with


    thoughts and worries. Where could my Janice be? Was she safe? Was she hurt?


    I nced over at Harriet, still unconscious in the passenger seat. Her face was bruised and bloody, but


    I felt no remorse. She deserved everything she got and more for what she had done to my daughter


    and me.


    As I continued to drive, my anger slowly turned into sadness. I thought about all the time that had


    passed and all the moments I had missed with my Janice because of this cold¨Cblooded Harriet. I


    thought about the memories we could have made and theughter we could have shared. I could feel


    the tears starting to prick at the corners of my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away.


    I needed to focus on finding my daughter. I needed to be strong for her.


    I reached over and grabbed Harriet¡¯s phone from her pocket, hoping to find some clues about Janice¡¯s


    whereabouts. But as I scrolled through her messages, I found nothing. There were no texts or calls to


    Mason or indications of where she could have taken my little baby.


    I felt a surge of frustration and anger wash over me. How could she have been so heartless? How


    could she have decided to carry out such action in the first ce? Harriet was one crazy woman, and I


    had to praise Luke for dating her for eight good years. He was a psychopath, too; it was a mutual


    rtionship.


    I threw Harriet¡¯s phone out the window, the shattered pieces flying in all directions. I didn¡¯t need it


    anymore. I needed to focus on finding Janice and wouldn¡¯t let anything or anyone stand in my way.


    I continued to drive, my mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. I had no idea where to start looking,


    but I knew I couldn¡¯t give up. I wouldn¡¯t give up until I found that sweet angel and brought her back


    home. ytime was over; it was finally time to be serious. I pray God protects my little angel wherever


    she may be.


    I drummed my fingers against the steering wheel as I pulled up in front of Mason¡¯s apartment building.


    It was already dark, and I could feel my heart racing at the thought of what I was about to do. I had


    been Janice and had a gut feeling that she was somewhere in Mason¡¯s house.


    1 for


    I took a deep breath and looked over at Johnny, the guy I had hired to help me track down Mason¡¯s


    apartment. He was known for being able to find people¡¯s houses in no time, and I was counting on him


    to help me break into Mason¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right address?¡± I asked, looking around.


    Johnny nodded confidently. ¡°Positive. I¡¯ve been tracking him for days. This is definitely Mason¡¯s


    214: BURN IT DOWN


    apartment.


    I took a deep breath and turned off the car¡¯s engine. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    Johnny and I got out of the car and made our way to the apartment bu


    We were lucky enough to find the front door unlocked, but we still had to be careful not to draw any


    attention to ourselves. We quietly made our way up the stairs and to Mason¡¯s apartment on the fifth


    floor.


    Johnny pulled out a set of lockpicks and quickly picked the lock. I held my breath as the door clicked


    open, and we cautiously stepped inside. The apartment was dark and eerily quiet.


    I flicked on my shlight and started searching the apartment for any sign of Janice. Johnny followed


    close behind, checking every room and closet.


    After a few minutes of searching, I started to feel a sense of dread wash over me. There was no sign of


    Janice anywhere.


    Frustrated and angry, I mmed my fist against the wall. ¡°Where is she?!¡± I yelled, my voice echoing


    through the empty apartment.


    Johnny ced aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll find her. We just have to keep looking.¡±


    But I was done looking. I was done waiting for someone else to find my daughter. I was going to take


    matters into my own hands. I turned to Johnny and firmly said, ¡°Leave the house. Now.¡±


    Johnny looked at me with concern in his eyes. ¡°Ariel, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to burn this ce down.¡±


    His eyes widened in shock. ¡°Are you crazy? You can¡¯t just set someone¡¯s apartment on fire!¡±


    But I wasn¡¯t listening. I was already making my way to the kitchen to find something to start the fire


    with. I grabbed a bottle of cooking oil and started pouring it all over the apartment, making sure to


    cover every room.


    ¡°Ariel, stop!¡± Johnny shouted, trying to grab me.


    But I was too far gone. I lit a match and threw it onto the oil¨Csoaked floor. The mes quickly spread,


    and I watched as the apartment began to burn down.


    Without a second thought, I grabbed Johnny¡¯s arm and pulled him out of the apartment. We made our


    way back down the stairs and out of the building just as the fire rms started ring.


    As we stood on the sidewalk watching the apartment go up in mes, I felt a sense of relief wash over


    me. I may not have found Janice, but I had done some terrible shit to Mason. Now, he would obviously


    know who was responsible for this. If only I had the fool¡¯s number, I would have called him to tell him


    the good news.


    Johnny looked at me with a mix of shock and admiration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did that.¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± I told him, and my voice shook with emotion. ¡°For Janice.¡±


    We stood silently, watching as the firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. I was really going


    214 PORNIT DOWN


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    crazy today, but it was all worth it. Janice needed my help wherever she was, and I was definitely going


    to find her. I wouldn¡¯t rest till 1 had seen her, till we would be reunited.


    ¡°Guess we can leave now,¡± Johnny said, his arms crossed as the both of us continued to v firefighters


    do their job.


    watch the


    3/3


    ¡°Wow, wow, wow, look at what we have here.¡± I heard Mason¡¯s voice, and I turned around immediately.


    He had a smirk on his face. ¡°Oh, Ariel. What did you do now?¡±


    ¡°You can look over there.¡± I gestured towards the wrecked building. ¡°The perfect surprise, right?¡±


    Masonughed, setting his eyes on Johnny. ¡°Who is this? Your new boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± I retorted. ¡°Now tell me, Mason. Where is my daughter?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know.¡± I moved closer, ring at him.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to tell you? After what happened to my apartment?¡±


    ¡°This is just the beginning. You better get ready because I will make your life a living hell.¡±


    Masonughed. ¡°I got to say, I like this new Ariel. Cold¨Cblooded, brutal. Who changed you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to joke around. If I get to find out that something terrible happened to Janice, you¡¯re going


    to regret the day your mother gave birth to you.¡±


    Mason¡¯s fake smiling face changed into a frowny one. I gave him a mocking smile before walking away


    to my car. Johnny moved behind me. We both got in, and I drove away.

 Chapter 215

    215: IN THE DARK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I woke up to the sound of loud, upbeat music ring from the living room of my mansion. I groggily


    rubbed my eyes and checked the time. At precisely 8:00 in the morning, I was astounded that someone


    was already ying loud music.


    Curiosity getting the best of me, I slowly made my way downstairs to the living room. Ast approached,


    the music only grew louder. I was met with a sight that made me burst outughing


    In the middle of the room were Randy and Ethan, dancing their hearts out. They were bothpletely


    lost in the music, moving their bodies in wild and erratic motions.


    I couldn¡¯t help but join in on their infectious joy. ¡°What on earth are you two doing?¡± I asked, trying to


    stifle myughter.


    ¡°We¡¯re dancing!¡± Ethan eximed, twirling around and almost losing his bnce.


    ¡°Yeah, we found this cool song and couldn¡¯t resist,¡± Randy chimed in, still bouncing around to the


    beat.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their innocence and carefree nature. ¡°Well, you two certainly know how to


    start the day off right,¡± I said, still chuckling.


    Ethan¡¯s eyes¨Clit up, and he grabbed my hand. ¡°Come on, Luke! You have to dance with us,¡± he


    insisted.


    I hesitated, knowing I had to get ready for work. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have time, buddy. I have to get ready for


    work,¡± I exined, trying to free my hand from his grip.


    But Randy had other ns. ¡°No way! You have to dance with us, or else we won¡¯t let you leave the


    house,¡± he dered.


    I couldn¡¯t resist their yful challenge. I let out augh and began to dance along with them, much to


    their delight. We were all jumping and twirling,pletely lost in the music and the moment.


    Suddenly, the music stopped, and we all froze, trying to catch our breath. That¡¯s when I heard a soft


    gasp from behind me. I turned around to see my aunt Mariam standing at the stairs, with a look of


    surprise and amusement.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my eyes,¡± she said, still in shock.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin sheepishly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not every day you see me dancing like this,¡± I replied,


    feeling slightly embarrassed.


    She shook her head and chuckled. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. But it¡¯s good to see you letting loose and having fun


    with the little ones.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t agree more. Dancing with Randy and Ethan had been the perfect way to start my day. And as


    I got ready for work, I couldn¡¯t stop smiling at the thought of their innocent and carefree spirits.


    215 IN THE DARK


    They reminded me not to take life too seriously and to make time for the things that brought me joy.


    And by the way, my aunt and I have been getting alongtely. It was quite surprising, something I


    ght would never happen. Who knew that this day was going toe? So there was still hope. I hope


    that Ariel and I will get back together once again.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I slowly made my way through my mansion¡¯s dark, twisting hallways. The air was cold and musty, and


    the only light came from a single flickering torch I held. I knew exactly where I was headed¨Cto the


    hidden room where I kept my captive, Harriet.


    As I approached the heavy wooden door, I could hear the faint sound of someone stirring inside. I


    grinned, knowing Harriet was awake and waiting for me. I pushed open the door and stepped into the


    small, dimly lit room..


    Harriet was lying on the floor, her hands and feet bound with thick ropes. She slowly opened her eyes


    and red at me.


    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Look who¡¯s finally awake.¡±


    Harriet sneered at me. ¡°What do you want, Ariel? Come to gloat about how you¡¯ve finally captured me.


    I walked over to her and crouched down, looking her directly in the eyes. ¡°Actually, I came to ask you a


    question. Where is my daughter?¡±


    Harriet¡¯s expression remained defiant. ¡°I have no idea. And even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    I let out a sigh and stood back up. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re being so difficult. Just tell me


    where she is, and this can all be over.¡±


    Harriet spat in my direction. ¡°You think I¡¯m scared of you? You¡¯re nothing but a spoiled, entitled brat.


    My blood began to boil at her insults. How dare she speak to me like that?


    ¡°You know what, Harriet?¡± I said, my voice dripping with venom. ¡°I don¡¯t like your attitude. Not one


    bit.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I walked over to a corner of the room and picked up a heavy chain that was lying on the ground. I


    swung it around a few times, testing its weight.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡°What are you doing, Ariel?¡±


    I smirked at her. ¡°I¡¯m just teaching you a lesson.¡±


    With that, I swung the chain and hit Harriet hard across the face. She let out a blood¨Ccurdling scream


    as I hit her again and again.


    ¡°Stop! Please, stop!¡± she begged.


    But I didn¡¯t listen. My need for vengeance and anger fuelled me. I wanted Harriet to pay for what she


    had done to me.


    After a few minutes, I stopped and caught my breath Harriet was lying on the ground, whimpering and


    bloeding from her wounds.


    I walked over to her and crouched down once again. ¡°Now, Harriet, let¡¯s try this again. Where is my


    daughter?¡±


    Harriet red up at me, her eyes filled with hatred. ¡°I¡¯ll never tell you.¡±


    I let out a frustrated sigh and stood back up. ¡°Fine. Have it your way.¡±


    I snapped my fingers, and tworge, muscr women entered the room. ¡°Beat the hell out of her,¡± I


    ordered.


    The two women wasted no time in following mymand. They began punching and kicking Harriet,


    causing her to scream and cry out in


    I stood back, watching with my arms crossed. I felt a sense of satisfaction as I saw Harriet finally get


    what she deserved.


    After a few minutes, I called off the women, and they left the room. Harriet was now lying on the


    ground, bruised and battered.


    ¡°Last chance, Harriet,¡± I said, leaning down to her level. ¡°Where is my daughter?¡±


    Harriet justughed weakly. ¡°You¡¯ll never find her. She¡¯s long gone.¡±


    I felt a surge of anger at her words. I grabbed the chain again without a second thought and began


    hitting her with it.


    This time, I didn¡¯t stop until Harriet was unconscious. I stood up, breathing heavily, and looked down at


    her lifeless body. I knew that she was still alive, but barely.


    I turned and left the room, feeling satisfied and relieved. I may not have found Janice, but at least 1 had


    taught Harriet a good lesson. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. No, no, it wasn¡¯t. I would torture her every single


    day. She just needed some time to heal.


    Harriet thought she was tough all because she broke out of jail, huh? Well, I survived a bullet. And I


    would do whatever it takes to find Janice and bring her back to safety. No one would stand in my way.


    And as for Luke, I will being for him anytime soon.

 Chapter 216

    216: A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    1 had been driving around on my way to Andre¡¯spany. I needed to talk to him, and I knew he


    would be there. Finally, I saw the familiar building and parked, bursting out to make my way


    The receptionist greeted me with a smile and asked how she could assist me. ¡°I need to speak to


    Andre,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± she asked, typing on herputer.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s urgent. Please, it won¡¯t take long,¡± I pleaded.


    inside.


    She looked at me for a moment before picking up the phone and dialing a number. After a brief


    inversation, she hung up and told me to wait in the lobby. I thanked her and took a seat on one of the


    plush couches, my nerves getting the best of me.


    I tried to calm myself down by focusing on the soothing music ying in the background. Minutes felt


    like hours as I waited. And where the hell was that guy? Why was he taking so long? Didn¡¯t he know I


    had other things to do?


    Finally, the receptionist called my name and informed me that Andr¨¦ was avable to see me. I


    followed her to his office. She knocked on the door before opening it and gesturing for me toe in.


    Files and piles of papers were all around Andre as he sat at his desk. He looked up at me with a raised


    eyebrow. ¡°Luke, what brings you here?¡± he asked, his voiceced with surprise.


    ¡°I need to talk to you, Andre.¡±


    He motioned for me to take a seat in front of him. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, leaning back in his chair.


    I took a deep breath before blurting out, ¡°Ariel is alive.¡±


    Andre¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re being real now?


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m for real. I saw her and even talked to her.¡±


    ¡°You saw her? Where?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll stop there. But you just have to know that Ariel is not dead.


    Andre¡¯s face broke into a huge grin, and his eyes shone with tears. ¡°That¡¯s amazing news, Luke. 1


    can¡¯t believe it. She¡¯s finally back; I¡¯ve missed her so much.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I had to tell you.¡±


    ¡°We need to celebrate this. Let¡¯s go out for dinner tonight,¡± Andr¨¦ suggested.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his excitement. ¡°That sounds great, but I have to go now. I just wanted to let


    you know.¡± I stood up.


    216. A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for this, Lake,¡± Andre sald, getting up as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Andr¨¦. I¡¯m just d I could bring you some good news. You know what we had to pass


    through while searching for Ariel, right?


    ¡°I know. I won¡¯t forget those moments.


    ¡°It was really terrifying, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It sure was,¡± Andre said in hushed tones. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve got a meeting to attend.¡±


    ¡°I feel you.¡± He shook hands with me. ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I told him with a nod before leaving. Well, at least now he knew that Ariel was alive. But as


    for me, I needed to make Ariel mine before it was toote.


    I was standing outside the Enritoespany building, looking forward to my discussion with the CEO.


    Today was the day we would discuss whether we would carry out a project together. I took a deep


    breath and walked through the revolving doors, making my way to the elevators.


    As I stepped into the elevator, I noticed a familiar figure standing in the corner. It was Ariel. She was


    standing there, crossing her arms, acting like she didn¡¯t see me. I couldn¡¯t stress about what she was


    doing here. I pressed the button for my floor and stood next to her.


    We both stood in silence, not even making eye contact. I wanted to say anything, but I couldn¡¯t bring


    myself to do it. I was afraid of rejection, clearly remembering what happened thest time we met. So I


    just stood there, stealing nces at her every now and then.


    After what felt like an eternity, I finally broke the silence. ¡°Ariel, please listen to me.¡±


    Ariel turned to look at me, her expression cold. ¡°Don¡¯t start now.


    I turned my face away, not talking to her for minutes. She did the same, but I kept staring at her


    beautiful face and looking at her wonderful hair. She was indeed a pretty and ravishing goddess.


    Things turned shit when the elevator began to shake violently, causing both of us to lose our bnce.


    Ariel grabbed onto the railing, looking worried. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, her voice trembling


    ¡°I think it¡¯s just a minor earthquake,¡± I replied, trying to sound reassuring


    But as the shaking continued, Ariel¡¯s panic began to rise. ¡°Oh my god, we¡¯re going to die in here!¡±


    I could see the fear in her eyes, and I knew I had to do something to calm her down. I reminded her of


    the time when we were both trapped in an elevator back then.


    ¡°Do you recall the time we were trapped in an elevator, and you were in a panic?¡± But we got out of it,


    didn¡¯t we? This is no different.¡±


    But Ariel was beyond reason. She began to hyperventte, and I could see her starting to lose


    216: A SIMLAR EXPERIENCE


    consciousness. I knew I had to do something to snap her out of it.


    ¡°Ariel, there¡¯s no need for you to panic. Everything¡¯s going to be fine, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. Don¡¯t start acting like you care about me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I care about you. I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you, Ariel. That I promise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you making any promises concerning me.¡±


    ¡°Look, Ariel. I love you; why do you have to be so stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Stubborn? Are you seriously asking me that? Like, why do I have to be so stubborn?¡±


    ¡°I know why you¡¯re mad as hell.¡±


    ¡°I know you do. But I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that I¡¯m not the one who killed Lukel?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then who did?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was trying to.¡±


    The elevator shuddered, interrupting me. The lights in the elevator flickered and went out, plunging us


    into darkness. Ariel let out a small scream, but I grabbed her arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid. Everything will be alright,¡± I assured her.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you talking to me, okay? Just shut up and leave me alone!¡±


    The elevator was now shaking again, this time even more violently. Ariel screamed for help, but there


    was no signal on her phone. I could see the fear in her eyes, and I knew I had to act fast.


    I tried to calm her down, but the shaking was too intense, and Ariel started to lose consciousness. She


    was wheezing, just the way she did thest time.


    I panicked, shaking her and calling her name, but she wouldn¡¯t respond. I couldn¡¯t lose her, not like this.


    I seized her face and passionately smacked her lips, expressing my deepest longing and desperation


    through the act.

 Chapter 217

    217: ENOUGH!


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As the lights flickered back on and the elevator stopped shaking, I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked


    down at Ariel, who was now unconscious in my arms. I had kissed her, and she had fainted. I thought


    the kids were going to stop that from happening, but too bad, it didn¡¯t. I could just wait for us to get out


    of this situation.


    I held her tightly, scared of losing her again. I couldn¡¯t handle the thought of losing her twice. I waited


    for what felt like an eternity for the elevator to start moving again. Finally, the doors opened, and a


    group of people came rushing in, looking worried.


    ¡°We heard someone screaming for help. Is everything okay?¡± one of them asked.


    I exined the situation to them, and they quickly called for medical help. Ariel was still unconscious,


    and I didn¡¯t want to let go of her. I carried her out of the elevator, and the medical team quickly took her


    to the hospital.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I woke up to the sound of beeping machines and the sterile smell of a hospital room. My head was


    throbbing, and my body felt like it had been hit by a truck. As I tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through


    my side, and I winced. Wait, I couldn¡¯t all this pain be here, all because of a shake? It wasn¡¯t like I was


    beaten or something. I just cked out. Oh well, life goes on.


    ¡°Easy there,¡± a familiar voice said, and I turned to see Luke standing by my bedside. ¡°You¡¯ve finally


    regained consciousness.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, my voice weak and scratchy.


    ¡°You fainted in the elevator. Thankfully, everything got back to normal that moment, and I got help, and


    here you are at the hospital.¡±


    I groaned and closed my eyes, trying to piece together what happened. It was really a fucked¨Cup


    feeling. I couldn¡¯t believe I was that scared of dying. Like, I was still terrified of leaving this earth?


    Seriously?


    ¡°I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay,¡± Luke said, cing a hand on my arm.


    I shrugged his hand off and red at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to care about me, Luke. Just go.¡±


    He sighed and shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Ariel. I still care about you, no matter how much you


    push me away.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? I don¡¯t want you in my life anymore. You¡¯ve caused me


    enough pain.¡±


    ¡°Enough pain, yes; big mistakes, yes. But I¡¯ve apologized, and I don¡¯t get why your heart is still filled


    with darkness. I want to protect you, no matter what.¡±


    217; ENOUGH!


    273


    I scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t need your protection, Luke. I¡¯m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.¡±


    He sat down next to me, and his face was serious. ¡°I know you are, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to


    do it alone. I made a vow to protect you when I married you, and I intend to keep it.¡±


    ¡°The vow you made to your grandfather? Oh, please, Luke. Don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°I did make that vow because of my grandfather. But things have changed. I now love you, and I want


    to protect you. I want to keep you safe from all sorts of danger.¡±


    I looked away, not wanting to see the sincerity in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be married to you anymore,


    Luke. We both know our marriage was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t even have married you for the second


    time.¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that we¡¯ve had our problems, but I still love you, Ariel. And I


    won¡¯t give up on us.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t keep on saying that. I can¡¯t even picture myself being with you.¡±


    ¡°But I can, Ariel. I can picture you kissing me, and I can picture the two of us cuddling. It¡¯s all in my


    head.¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t tell me such nonsense. Better get those thoughts off your head. Get it out, Luke. You¡¯ll only


    be deceiving yourself.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ariel. But these feelings are true. And I¡¯m not going to stop until we¡¯re finally back together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die trying.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d rather die trying to get you back than sit down and do nothing. ¡°You are mine, and I am


    yours.¡±


    I closed my eyes, trying to block out his words. But then I remembered something. ¡°Why did you kiss


    me before I passed out in the elevator?¡±


    Luke¡¯s cheeks turned pink, and he looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I guess I just wanted to make sure you


    knew I still cared.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t do it again. It¡¯s irritating, and it doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±


    Luke¡¯s


    you, ze met mine. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that, Ariel. You¡¯re still my wife, and I still have feelings for


    ¡°Keep your feelings to yourself,¡± I spat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Ariel. You¡¯ve already stolen a part of my heart.¡±


    ¡°Thene and take it. I don¡¯t want anything to do with you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill your son.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± I uttered inaudibly.


    217 ENOUGH


    1/1


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t 171 can¡¯t keep on letting you go on with these usations.¡±


    I red at him. ¡°I feel like getting up from this bed and ripping your brain out of your head.¡±


    ¡°Who even made you believe that?¡±


    ¡°Believe what?¡±


    ¡°That 1 killed Luke. Apparently, you weren¡¯t there when he was shot.


    ¡°So what?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you that I didn¡¯t do anything. Someone told you sh*t, and you just believed? Like, that


    doesn¡¯t even make any sense.¡±


    ¡°You killed my son to get back at me. It makes sense enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s false, Ariel. I didn¡¯t do that. Believe me, please.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, Luke. You expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with my son¡¯s death?


    ¡°I swear, Ariel. I had no involvement in Luke¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying to me, Luke. You have always been a monster!¡±


    ¡°I would never hurt you like that. I may have made mistakes, but I would never harm an innocent child.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this anymore. Get out of my sight!¡± I shouted, pointing towards the door.


    Luke¡¯s face fell, and he nodded in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll leave, but remember this, Ariel. I still love you.!!


    1 ignored his words and turned away, not wanting to see the pain in his eyes. Luke walked out of the


    hospital room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that he was still trying to defend himself. After everything that had happened, I


    couldn¡¯t let myself be vulnerable to him again. Hell no. I came back for vengeance, but I was too stupid


    to let love get a hold of me.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    But a part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder, What if he was telling the truth? What if he really didn¡¯t have


    anything to do with Luke¡¯s death?


    I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. It didn¡¯t matter anymore; Lukel was gone, and


    nothing could bring him back.


    A few hourster, the doctor came in and checked on me. He informed me that I had fainted due to


    stress and exhaustion and that I needed to rest.


    I nodded, not really paying attention to his words. All I could think about was Luke and our shattered


    rtionship.

 Chapter 218

    218: LOST SOUL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I walked into the bar, and right at this point, I was feeling like a goddamn lost soul. My heart was heavy


    with the weight of Ariel¡¯s words ringing in my head, I ordered a drink and took a seat at the bar, hoping


    the alcohol would numb the pain.


    But even as the drinks kepting, I couldn¡¯t shake off the memory of Ariel¡¯s usations. The words


    echoed in my mind, like a constant reminder of the hurt and betrayal she felt towards me. I closed my


    eyes, trying to block out the pain, but it only seemed to intensify.


    I watched as the women in the bar danced on stage, trying to entice me with their seductive moves. But


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at them. My mind was consumed with thoughts of Ariel and the love we


    once shared.


    A woman with long blonde hair and a tight red dress sat down next to me. She tried to flirt with me, but


    I couldn¡¯t even manage to smile. She huffed and angrily left, her heels clicking against the floor.


    Still sitting here, nursing my drink, a woman with long, blonde hair and a tight red dress sat down next


    to me. She shed me a flirtatious smile. ¡°Hey there, handsome, what¡¯s a guy like you doing all


    by himself?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even manage a smile in response as I was lost in my own thoughts. Noticing myck of


    interest, she huffed, ¡°Well, I was hoping for somepany tonight. But I guess you¡¯re not interested.


    ¡°She started to get up from her seat, her heels clicking against the floor.


    Feeling guilty for not acknowledging her, I finally spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just not in the mood for


    company tonight.¡±


    She rolled her eyes and snapped back, ¡°Well, you could have at least pretended to be interested. It¡¯s


    not like I was asking for your hand in marriage.¡±


    I let out a small chuckle. ¡°I apologize; I didn¡¯t mean toe off as rude. It¡¯s been a long day, and I


    wanted some time to myself.¡±


    She softened her expression. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll leave you with your thoughts then. Maybe another


    time?¡±


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Maybe another time.¡±


    that the


    ¡°Idiot,¡± she snapped and walked away. I made a confused face at that very moment. Like, what the fuck


    just happened? How did her demeanor change? Ugh, never mind.


    I requested another drink, hoping that it would drown out my thoughts. But as I drank, I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel like a monster. The weight of Ariel¡¯s words was crushing me, and I couldn¡¯t escape them.


    I downed more of my drink, my mind racing with anger. I was going to find this person and clear my


    name. I was going to prove to Ariel that I was innocent and that I loved her despite everything.


    But most importantly, I was going to find out who had killed that innocent kid. No one was going to get


    away with hurting my family.


    And as I was still sitting there, someone approached me. It was Lucifer, the masked man, who had


    been giving me heart attacks those times. What the hell was he doing here?


    ¡°Luke Reynold, seeing you again is a nice thing ¡°He sat close to me, ordering a drink after that.


    ¡°You? You¡¯re still alive?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I should be the one asking you that. Your mother spared your life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t the both of you reunited?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having a bad moment right now, and please, don¡¯te here to make things worse.


    ¡°You¡¯re having a bad moment? I¡¯m having a bad moment, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s none of my business.¡± I drank my ss.


    ¡°I know, and same thing here,¡± he uttered, and I gave him a serious face. He smirked and continued,


    When you told me that you were having a


    ¡°Okay, did youe here to talk sh*t?¡± I cut him off.


    ¡°I came here to get a drink.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like that to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± he retorted.


    I shot him a cold look before turning my face away. ¡°What are you feeling like, huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Luke. I have to say, I actually missed having a conversation with you.


    ¡°You know you can just tell me what you want. Is it money? Five hundred million dors?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Take it easy, brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your brother.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just a saying.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t say it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. But I can m your head with one of these bottles right here.¡±


    ¡°Luke Reynold, calm down. I didn¡¯te here for arguments.


    ¡°You came here for jokes. But I¡¯m in no mood for that right now.¡±


    213 LOST SOUL


    ¡°Your wife broke your heart.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Please shut up.¡±


    ¡°God didn¡¯t give me this mouth for that.¡±


    ¡°God also doesn¡¯t want you talking like a fool.¡± I gave him a fake smile. ¡°By the way, I keep on


    wondering something.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Do you ever take that mask off?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± he vocalized.


    I let out a tiring sigh. ¡°Will you stop saying that?¡±


    ¡°Go getid.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gave him a puzzled face.


    ¡°You want to see my face, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not that eager, though. I mean, you¡¯re not going to be charming.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Your voice says it all,¡± I replied.


    He took a deep breath and looked at me with a sense of sadness in his eyes. ¡°You know, Luke, my


    name is not Lucifer. It¡¯s Henry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was quite clear.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment before taking off his mask and revealing his scarred face. ¡°My family was


    killed in a fire when I was just a kid. My face got burned during the attack.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really sad,¡± I spoke slowly, just staring at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. I wear the mask to hide my scars. People are afraid of me when they see my face.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m d I finally saw your face today. But I have a question.¡±


    ¡°No questions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t stop me from taking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just ignore you then.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll smack that scar on your face.¡±


    218: LOST SOUL


    He immediately gave me a cold face, and I couldn¡¯t hold back augh.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry, but the joke¡¯s aside. How did you get to know about my mother? Like the information and


    all that. Who told you about it?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°No big deal. I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°You now know that your mother is alive, and she was trying to ruin your life, right? I don¡¯t think should


    know everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now? Do I look like a little kid to you?¡±


    you


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you my ways. I just came to show you my face. You won¡¯t be seeing me anymore.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you for a year.¡±


    ¡°I know, but this is different. You will never see me in your entire life. We will never cross paths again.


    I looked at him, wondering what was going on in his mind. I could grasp what he was saying. Was he


    going to die?


    ¡°Take care, Luke Reynold.¡± He patted my shoulder before getting up and walking away. I didn¡¯t even


    know what to say, but this conversation was kind of absurd.

 Chapter 219

    219: CHASED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After leaving the hospital, I was driving alone on a deserted road at night, the only source of light being


    the headlights of my car. I turned on the radio to keep mepany as I drove, but the music only


    added to the eerie feeling of being alone in the dark.


    Suddenly, I noticed two cars in my rearview mirror, their headlights ring and getting closer by the


    second. I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. I tried to ignore it, but the cars were


    not slowing down.


    My heart started racing as I realized that they were following me. I tried to increase my speed, hoping


    to lose them, but to my horror, they also sped up. It was like a scene from a thriller movie, but this was


    real, and I was the main character.


    I tried to calm myself down and think rationally. Maybe it was just a coincidence, I thought. But as I


    turned onto a different street, they followed. I knew then that I was in trouble.


    I drove at full speed, trying to lose them, but they were persistent. We drove through the city, breaking


    stores and causing chaos in our wake. I was scared for my life, but I refused to give up. I couldn¡¯t let


    them catch me.


    Finally, we reached an empty road, and the two cars managed to get in front of my car, effectively


    blocking my way. I was trapped.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My heart was pounding in my chest as I saw the men getting out of their cars. They were all ck and


    had a sinister look on their faces. I knew I was in danger.


    One of them came to my car and forcefully opened the door. I was rendered speechless as he


    delivered a forceful blow to the face, causing me to perceive stars. I could taste the metallic tang of


    blood in my


    mouth.


    I tried to ask them who sent them, but they didn¡¯t answer. Instead, they tied my hands with a rope and


    dragged me out of my car. I struggled, but they were too strong.


    They pushed me into one of their cars, and I was forced to sit between them. One of them pointed at


    gun at me, making me freeze in fear. I didn¡¯t know who these men were or what they wanted, but I


    knew it couldn¡¯t be good.


    The car started moving, and I could feel my heart beating faster with each passing second. I was


    scared and confused, but I refused to show it. I had to stay strong and find a way out of this.


    After what seemed like hours, the car finally stopped. The men dragged me out and into a dark


    building. I couldn¡¯t see anything, but I could hear voices and footsteps all around me.


    Finally, they stopped, and one of them untied my hands, only to tie them again in front of me. I could


    see their faces now, and they were all wearing masks. I couldn¡¯t see their eyes but feel their malicious


    intent.


    210 CHASED


    979


    One of them grabbed me by the arm and forced me to stand in front of a man sitting on a chair. He was


    the only one not wearing a mask, but his face was covered in shadows


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± I asked, my voice trembling


    He didn¡¯t answer, but instead, he gestured for one of his men to hit me again. I could feel the pain in my


    face, but I refused to show weakness.


    They interrogated me for what seemed like hours, but I refused to give in. I didn¡¯t know what they


    wanted or who they were working for, but I knew I couldn¡¯t trust them.


    Finally, they stopped, and one of them pointed a gun at me. I closed my eyes, ready for the worst, but


    Instead, they tied me up and threw me into a car.


    The car started moving, and I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I didn¡¯t know where they


    were taking me, but I knew it couldn¡¯t be good.


    As we drove through the city, I could feel my heart breaking. I didn¡¯t know what was going to happen to


    me, but I knew I had to stay strong and find a way to escape.


    I didn¡¯t know what the future held, but I knew my life wasn¡¯t going to end like this. I was Ariel, and I


    refused to let them break me.


    Minutester, still in the car, I managed to untie the ropes and snatch the gun from one of the men. It


    was now or never; I had to escape.


    I pretended like I was still tied up, waiting for the right moment to strike. Whenever one of the men


    looked at me, I acted innocent and helpless. But inside, my heart was racing, and my mind was


    working on a n.


    Finally, the moment came. The man next to me reached for the gun, but I quickly elbowed him in the


    face. He groaned in pain, and I took the opportunity to push him out of the car. I pointed the gun at the


    driver and ordered him to stop the car.


    He looked at me with fear in his eyes, but I didn¡¯t back down. I was determined to get out of this


    situation alive. I could see the hesitation in his eyes, so I shot his leg without a second thought.


    As soon as the car stopped, I got out and ran as fast as I could. I could hear the men shouting and the


    sound of their cars chasing after me. I was running on pure adrenaline, not knowing where I was going,


    but just trying to get as far away from them as possible.


    I could see a small convenience store up ahead and ran towards it, hoping to find help. I burst through


    the door, causing the bell to ring loudly. The owner, an elderly man, looked at me in shock..


    ¡°Please, help me! They¡¯re after me!¡± I cried, panting heavily.


    The man quickly understood the situation, and without hesitation, he locked the doors and called the


    police. I could hear the sirens getting closer, and I knew I was safe.


    ¡°Are you alright? Did they hurt you?¡± The man asked, scanning my face. ¡°Oh sh*t, they did. Hold on, let


    me get you some ice. Take a seat.¡± He gestured towards a chair in the store.


    219 CHASED


    3/3


    I sat down while he went to go get whatever he was about to get. I was d I was safe from those


    men, but now I could just wonder who sent them. I had a few options in mind. Just one, actually. I could


    have called Harriet, but the moron was in misery, stuck in a situation between life and death.


    So, yes. The only scumbag on my mind was Mason. I could tell. I knew he was the one responsible for


    this. And I was going to get back at him. In fact, I was going to make him pay for what he did to my


    son.


    The elderly man returned with ice, handed it over to me, and gave me a cup of water. I thanked him


    and exined what happened between me and the men. I had to stay in the store for hours until the


    coast was clear.

 Chapter 220

    220: AT THE GRAVEYARD


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Life


    e was aplex and unpredictable journey filled with moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in


    between. It could be hard, with challenges and struggles that test our strength and resilience. It could


    also be good, with moments of pure happiness and contentment. But it could also be bad and even


    terrible, with heartache, loss, and pain. Despite having wealth and material possessions, there were


    times when everything seemed to be falling apart, and nothing could fix the brokenness. It was a


    reminder that true happiness could not be bought, and even with all the riches in the world, life could


    still be filled with hardships and difficulties. In those moments, we had to find strength and hope,


    knowing that even the darkest of times would eventually pass and life would once again find its


    bnce.


    Right here, right now, my heart felt heavy, and my soul felt shattered. I could feel myself broken, as if


    someone had taken a hammer and shattered every piece of me. The darkness slowly crept in, taking


    over my mind and thoughts. I tried to fight it, but it was too strong.


    Right at this moment, I thought of all the loved ones I had lost, the memories we shared, and the


    moments we would never have again. It was a painful realization that brought tears to my eyes. The


    sadness was overwhelming, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel alone and lost. But in this darkness, I also


    needed to find strength and resilience. I knew I had to keep going, for myself and those I had lost.


    I remember the time when I used to be aplete monster toward Ariel. I always thought she was only


    after my money, and I treated her with nothing but contempt. But now, as I find myself desperately


    chasing after her, I regret all of those moments when I spoke those harsh words to her.


    I realize now that I was wrong about her and that my own insecurities and fears drove my actions. I


    wish I could turn back time and make things right, but all I can do is hope she will return to me. I never


    thought I would be the one chasing her, but now I understand the depth of my feelings for her and how


    much I truly care about her. I needed to make things right and show her the love and respect


    she needed.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    And with all these thoughts in my head, I made my way to the cemetery where my parents¡® grave lies.


    My father¡¯s actually since that good¨Cfor¨Cnothing witch was still alive.


    Walking through the rows of headstones, my heart began to ache. Memories of my father flooded my


    mind, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I took a deep breath and finally reached his grave. I


    knelt down and traced my fingers over his name on the tombstone. ¡°I miss you, dad,¡± I whispered.


    But as I looked up, my eyesnded on a figure standing a few feet away. My heart skipped a beat when


    I realized it was my mother. I froze, unable to move or even breathe. What was she doing here? She


    had no right to be here.


    I felt a wave of anger wash over me as I watched her. She was the reason my father was gone. She


    was the one responsible for his death and for the death of my cousin, Riley. I couldn¡¯t believe she had


    the audacity toe to his grave as if she actually cared.


    I slowly stood up and made my way toward her, my fists clenched at my sides. When she finally turned


    around and saw me, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Luke,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling.


    I red at her, and my eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked her in a cold


    and harsh tone.


    She refused to answer me, instead turning back to look at my father¡¯s tombstone. I couldn¡¯t believe her.


    How dare shee here as if she had any right to mourn him? ¡°You have no business being here,


    ¡°I spat.


    Tears began to fill her eyes as she turned back to me. ¡°I know I have no right to be here. But I just had


    to see him to apologize,¡± she said, her voice breaking.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. She actually had the nerve to apologize now, after everything she had done.


    I shook my head, my anger growing with each passing second. ¡°Apologize? For what? For trying to kill


    me? For being the reason my father is dead? For taking Riley away from us.¡± I yelled.


    She flinched at my words, her tears falling freely now. ¡°I regret everything I did, Luke. I was wrong, and


    I am so sorry. Please forgive me,¡± she pleaded.


    But I couldn¡¯t forgive her. I couldn¡¯t forget the pain and suffering she had caused. ¡°No, I will never


    forgive you. I don¡¯t even want to see your face.¡± My voice was filled with venom.


    She continued to beg and plead, but I refused to listen. I could feel the anger and hatred boiling inside


    me, and I just wanted her to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, mom. I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses. I


    could just call the cops right now and have you arrested.¡±


    Her eyes widened in shock and fear at my words. ¡°Please, Luke. I know I don¡¯t deserve your


    forgiveness, but please, just give me a chance to make things right,¡± she cried.


    But I couldn¡¯t bear to hear her anymore. I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there in front of


    my father¡¯s grave. I knew I would never forgive her, and seeing her here only brought back painful


    memories. I couldn¡¯t let her ruin this moment for me. I needed to say goodbye to my father in peace,


    without her presence tainting it.


    ¡°Luke, wait!¡± I heard her calling my name.


    I stopped, not wanting to talk or even see her face. But I just decided to halt; I had no idea why.


    Perhaps I still had this love for her. Now, I understood Ariel¡¯s thinking and her thoughts toward me. The


    pain and everything.


    ¡°Luke, please.¡± She got closer. I closed my eyes, trying my best to hold myself together. I could just


    explode right now, letting this anger all out. I was trying to control myself.


    I turned to her. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time. I can never forgive you. You might still be alive. But to me, my


    mother is dead. That good and caring woman is no more.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. We can stille back together. We can still be a family.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I brought it out immediately. ¡°How the hell is that going to happen? It seems like you¡¯ve


    forgotten everything you¡¯ve done. Every single part of your actions brought this intense hate to me, and


    trust me, I want to put you six feet down there right now. But I can never be as heartless as you You


    are a monster.¡±


    ¡°I know; that¡¯s why I¡¯m pleading mercy. If you want, I can get on my knees.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± I told her coldly. ¡°And why in the world did you change? I thought you were


    happy without me.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± I heard a scream not too far from where I was.

 Chapter 221

    221: HELPED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± I tried to trace where I heard the scream from.


    ¡°That sounded just like Catherine,¡± my mother said. I red at her before walking away.


    1


    I ran towards the source of the scream, and as I got closer, I saw Catherine lying on the ground, her


    eyes wide with terror. My heart clenched at the sight, and I knew I had to act fast.


    Without thinking, I rushed towards her and pulled her towards me, away from the snake that was


    slithering dangerously close to her. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I looked at the snake,


    ready to strike any moment.


    But I couldn¡¯t let that happen. Not to Catherine.


    With a loud yell, I scared the snake away, making sure it was far enough from us before turning to


    Catherine. She was trembling in my arms, and it looked like she was about to cry. I held her tightly,


    trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked her, very concerned.


    Catherine nodded, still clinging to me. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, as her voice was barely audible.


    I smiled, relieved that she was okay. But I knew I needed to get her to safety. ¡°Come on, everything¡¯s


    fine now, okay? You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    My mom popped up, walking in our direction. I stole nces at her, but I wasn¡¯t going to look fixedly at


    her face. She might possess beauty, but she was a beast. A monster that needed to be devoured and


    consumed by fire.


    ¡°Catherine, are you okay?¡± She quizzed, getting closer to the both of us. I wanted to shift back, but I


    didn¡¯t since I still had a hold of Catherine.


    Catherine nodded, still shaking, and she pointed at me. ¡°He saved me.¡±


    My mother nced at me. She could see the hatred in my eyes. It was clear; she could discern it. I


    eventually turned my face away.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she uttered in hushed tones. ¡°For saving her.¡±


    I refused to give her a reply. I could have just walked away the moment she brought that out. But


    Catherine was still stopping me. I had the innocent girl in my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright now, okay? Take care.¡± I slowly dropped her to the ground.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told me, smiling. Her smile caused me to smile back. I couldn¡¯t keep a frowny face


    forever, not for that cute visage.


    ¡°Luke,¡± my mother uttered. She paused whatever she had to say.


    I looked in another direction, with the rage silk within me, AUT LIB; 1¡­¡­¡­¡­ them. And I didn¡¯t even


    bother to turn around.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I


    I got out of bed and headed to my walk¨Cin closet. As I browsed through my collection of dresses,


    couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of disappointment. None of my dresses seemed to match my mood today.


    I needed something that would make a statement and make me stand out from the crowd. Then, my


    eyes fell upon the sparkling ck dress my stylist had brought me. It was perfect. I quickly


    make¨Cup. slipped into it and called for my maids toe and help me with my


    Sitting in front of the vanity, my maids began their work. They chattered away about thetest gossip in


    the town, and I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes. I was tired of their constant discussions about handsome


    and rich billionaires. I had heard enough about them and their extravagant lifestyles.


    But I didn¡¯t want to spoil their fun, so I decided to keep quiet and let them talk. After all, it was just


    harmless gossip. As they appliedyers of make¨Cup to my face, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it


    would be like to be with someone who wasn¡¯t just rich, handsome but also kind, and genuine.


    Just then, Laura burst into the room. She was dressed in a stunning red gown, and her hair was styled


    into an elegant updo.


    ¡°Wow, you look amazing!¡± she brought out as she took in my appearance.


    ¡°Thanks, so do you,¡± I replied with a smile.


    Laura then came over to me, a smile still etched on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Well, now you do,¡± one of the maids chimed in and made a sillyugh. Laura just gave her a serious.


    face, and she had topose herself.


    ¡°You all should leave. I want to be alone with Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± The maids left the room, closing the door.


    Laura turned back to me. ¡°So, how¡¯s your ning along?¡±


    ¡°n? What n?¡±


    ¡°To assassinate Luke. You haven¡¯t started preparing for that?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± I responded, shaking my


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re wasting time.¡±


    head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I will handle Luke.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to do that?¡±


    ¡°In the next few days. But before that, I need to take care of Mason. His men attacked me yesterday


    after I had gotten out of the hospital.


    221: HELPED


    3/3


    ¡°They tried to kill you.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t actually read their minds. They wanted to take me to a different location, and only God. knew


    what they were nning to do.¡±


    ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t tell me about this?¡±


    ¡°It slipped my mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re okay. This Mason is going to pay for his foolishness,¡± Laura sat and walked


    away. I had no idea what she was about to do. But I hoped it wasn¡¯t something so crazy.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked, and she paused.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to do anything stupid,¡± Laura replied. ¡°You should better get ready for


    the party.¡± She left the room after that.


    I sighed and said, ¡°Yeah, I should get ready.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Laura and I arrived at the party, which was being thrown by one of her friends. Her close friend, her


    childhood friend, whatever name you choose.


    Different people greeted us; I could see familiar faces. And I knew I was recognizable to them. But they


    dare not ask me about my rtionship with Luke.


    ¡°Ariel.¡± I heard my name, and I quickly turned around; it was Mason, and he was just smirking at me. I


    red fixedly at him, crossing my arms and stepping forward.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was sitting in my car, just thinking about life and all the things that had happened so far, especially


    with Ariel. I wanted us back, but she kept on refusing. The same thing is happening here with me and


    my mother. She wanted a family once again, but I wouldn¡¯t let that happen. That would be so stupid.


    of me.


    That woman murdered her husband, abandoned her own son, and tried to kill him. Could you believe


    her actions? Evil, selfish, shit. I didn¡¯t even know the words to use.


    And with these thoughts, I spotted a little girl from afar being walked into the woods by a woman in a


    ck garment. I couldn¡¯t actually see the face of the little girl, but I could tell she was being abducted.


    I got out of my car and wanted to follow them right into the woods, but I felt someone tapping me on the


    shoulder.

 Chatper 222

    222: OPENED EYES, IN THE DARK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Feeling someone¡¯s fingers on my shoulder, I turned around. I didn¡¯t even get to see whose face it was


    because I was immediately mmed in the face, and only God knows what. Everywhere turned ck.


    The world¡¯s best and most beautiful things cannot be seen or touched. They must be felt with the


    heart. Helen Keller.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You were lucky my men didn¡¯t kill you. Those guys were fools to not get the job done,¡± Mason


    vocalized.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You bastard. Do you think you can get rid of me? Just wait till I make you bleed, till I torture you. Talk, I


    will make you pay for everything you did.¡±


    Mason chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. This is going to be like a Netflix movie, right?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m joking with you?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I just don¡¯t consider what you¡¯re saying to be serious. One thing I had to find out about you is that


    you¡¯re simply a person of words, not actions. I remember you saying you¡¯d get Luke to sign those


    divorce papers. What happened? You did nothing.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Have you ever wondered what happened to your friend?¡±


    ¡°Who is that? Which friend are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Harriet,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Harriet? What have you done to her?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I put her in her ce. You¡¯ll join soon.¡±


    ¡°I wish. I mean,e on, you can kill Harriet if you want; that¡¯s none of my business. Just don¡¯te


    doing shit, alright?¡±


    ring at Mason, I pushed him back before waking up. I stood close to the servers.


    ¡°Good evening, miss. How may I be of help to you?¡± One of the servers greeted me with a grin.


    ¡°Just give me a drink, please.¡±


    ¡°Any drink, you say, right?¡±


    I nodded, and he snapped his fingers before waking up. It took some minutes before he returned with a


    ss of water and handed it to me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± was what I told him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. By the way, my name is George.


    222: OPENED EYES, IN THE DARK


    2/3


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t ask, but¡­ okay.¡± I took a sip of my drink and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Yeah, miss. So, do you want anything else?¡± He asked, his palms fixed together. I shook my head and


    told him to ensure my ss remained full.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of it, beautiful,¡± George said with a wink.


    I rolled my eyes. Thest thing I needed was someone flirting with me. Like, did this guy think this was


    a movie or something?


    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you supposed to be mingling with the guests?¡± I asked George, trying to get him away


    from me.


    ¡°I can take a break for a little while,¡± he replied, leaning against the wall beside me.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that against your job description?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll make an exception for a beautiful woman like you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at his persistence. He was cute, I had to admit, but hell no, I was not going to


    go through with this sh*t.


    ¡°Listen, George. I appreciate the attention, but I¡¯m not here to socialize.¡±


    ¡°Or you don¡¯t want to chat with me because I¡¯m not in your status?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Nevermind, nevermind, I get it. Well, if you need anything, I¡¯ll be around.¡±


    I thanked him and watched as he walked away. I took a deep breath and continued to scan the room. I


    saw Mason across the room,ughing and chatting with some guests. I had no idea the scumbag could


    rte to people like that. I continued to watch him, ring. His eyes would meet mine, and he would


    notice the look I was giving him. But he would smirk and turn his face away, back to the people he was


    talking to.


    I took my eyes off him, looking around at the magnificent hall, everyone looking absolutely stunning in


    different designs. I was trying to see if I could spot Laura anywhere, but I didn¡¯t catch sight of her.


    ¡°Looking for someone?¡± A familiar voice echoed behind me.


    I turned around at that very moment. It was Andr¨¦. It had actually been quite a while since I saw his


    face. Now, here we were, standing, looking at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back, Ariel,¡± he said softly, his hands fixed in his pockets. ¡°So tell me, where have you


    been all this time?¡±


    ¡°Far from here.¡±


    ¡°I realized that. But why did you leave like that? Or is there some exnation for this? Did someone try


    to kill you?¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    222: OPENED EYES, IN THE DARK


    3/3


    My eyes fluttered open, met by an overwhelming darkness enveloping me. Panic surged through my


    body as I realized I couldn¡¯t move my hands. A tight restraint cut into my wrists, binding me to the


    ground. The air was stale, and the room felt suffocatingly small. I strained my eyes to make out any


    semnce of my surroundings, but the darkness seemed imprable, offering no clues as to where I


    was or who had brought me here.


    A faint sound echoed in the distance, barely audible over the deafening silence of the room. My breath


    caught in my throat as I strained to hear more, my senses on high alert. Footsteps approached, slow


    and deliberate, sending shivers down my spine. The sound grew louder and closer until, finally, a dim


    light flickered to life, casting eerie shadows across the room.


    In the dim glow, I could make out the outline of a figure standing before me. The stranger¡¯s face was


    obscured, hidden in the shadows, but I could feel their gaze fixed on me. Fear clenched my chest as I


    struggled against my bonds, the rough rope chafing my skin.


    ¡°Why am I here?¡± My voice wavered in the oppressive silence, the words barely more than a whisper.


    The figure before me remained silent, their intentions shrouded in mystery. My heart pounded in my


    the seconds stretching into eternity as I waited for a response.


    ears,


    Finally, the figure spoke, their voice low and menacing. ¡°Because you can¡¯t stick to your own business.


    11


    Before I could respond, a sharp painnced through my head¨Ca blinding headache that left me gasping


    for breath. The figure loomed closer, their presence oppressive in the confined space. ¡°You brought this


    upon yourself.¡±


    she is My heart sank as I realized the gravity of my situation. Trapped in this dark, suffocating room, at


    the mercy of a shadowy figure with unknown motives. Desperation wed at me, but I refused to let


    fear overtake me. With a steely resolve, I met the figure¡¯s gaze, defiance burning in my eyes.


    ¡°Who are you, and where is the little girl?¡± I asked underneath my breath.


    ¡°This is why you¡¯re going to die. If you had just minded your business, you wouldn¡¯t be in this ce


    right now.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± I spat. ¡°I¡¯ve seen worse. I¡¯ve been in situations moreplicated


    than this.¡±


    ¡°That is none of my business. You have to know you¡¯re not leaving this ce alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ll die along with the little girl. Bring her in.¡±


    The door opened right away, and the lights were turned on. I had my eyes fixed on the entrance as


    they brought her in.

 Chatper 223

    223: KNOW THIS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Right here at this party, Andre and I stood close to each other, still discussing. The music was loud but


    needed to be more morous to cease our conversation. I had told Andre about Laura and how she


    saved me. But now I was about to bring everything out to him. Everything that led to this situation,


    where Lukel was no more, and Janice was nowhere to be found, And Luke? I shouldn¡¯t even be talking


    about that scumbag.


    ¡°You see, a year ago, I was working with Mason to ruin Luke,¡± I started after I had taken a deep breath.


    ¡°We had a n to bring him down, but at thest minute, I couldn¡¯t go through with it. I couldn¡¯t bear


    the thought of ruining someone¡¯s life like that.¡±


    Andre¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ¡°But why were you working with Mason in the first ce?¡±


    I let out a bitterugh. ¡°Because vengeance consumed me. Luke had wronged me in the past, and I


    wanted to make him pay. But I couldn¡¯t do it when the time came to carry out the n.¡±


    ¡°So what happened?¡± Andre pressed, his eyes never leaving mine.


    ¡°Mason was furious. He decided he would take matters into his own hands. And he did.¡± I spoke and


    exhaled deeply. ¡°He went ahead to leave me broken, bringing so much pain to me, messing with my


    children.¡±


    There was a moment of stunned silence before Andre spoke again. ¡°What? Why would he do


    something like that?¡±


    ¡°Because I backed out of the n. He wanted to teach me a lesson. And he seeded.¡± My tone was


    filled with anger and sadness.


    I took a deep breath and continued. ¡°But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Mason was the one who set Luke¡¯s


    company on fire. And he also sent Harriet to kidnap my daughter.¡®


    ¡°Wait a minute. Did my brother do all these?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a monster.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s just surprising. Yes, Mason was a psychopath and annoying. But I genuinely had no idea


    he would do something so baleful.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, you know now. Mason is really dangerous, and now I have to go find my daughter before


    things get out of hand.¡±


    ¡°You want to find your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Are you really sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Why are you asking?¡±


    223: KNOW THIS


    2/4


    ¡°Because if you were serious about finding your daughter, you wouldn¡¯t be here attending this party


    right now.¡®


    ¡°Thank you for the lecture, sir.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you; it will be pointless. So, did Mason kill your son?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. Although he tried to.¡±


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t, then who?¡±


    ¡°Luke,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Luke?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luke. He was the one who killed my son.¡±


    Andre had a confused face. ¡°How do you know all of this?¡±


    ¡°Because someone told me.¡±


    He leaned forward, his expression serious. ¡°But how can you be sure that Luke killed your son? You


    shouldn¡¯t just believe what someone tells you, especially in a situation like that with no evidence.¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but I just have this gut feeling. It was clear why he would do that.¡±


    ¡°Clear, Ariel? Are you being real now? Someone told you Luke killed his son, and you believed that? I


    mean, does that even make any sense?¡±


    ¡°Okay, if you think you can change my thoughts about Luke, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Andre took a deep breath and reached out to hold my hand. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re hurting, and you


    want someone to me. But you can¡¯t just jump to conclusions without any evidence. You need to stay


    strong for your daughter; she needs you now more than ever.¡±


    I nodded, looking into his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right, Andr¨¦. I need to be strong for my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea where Janice might be?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, Mason never told me, nor did Harriet. But I¡¯m afraid he might do something to


    her. Because that man is a psychopath.¡±


    ¡°Then we need to find her. We¡¯ll figure this out together.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But hey, do you remember this one time when you said you had lost someone close


    to you?¡± I asked, trying to jog his memory.


    His brows furrowed for a moment. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is going to be a serious, kind of sensitive topic. But I really need to know since no one in


    your family mentioned it. Who was this person?¡±


    ¡°And you really want to know.¡±


    3/4


    I shrugged. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, it¡¯s cool.¡±


    It was my girlfriend back in college,¡± he said immediately, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Her name was


    Cherry.¡±


    I was kind of surprised. In all these years of knowing Andr¨¦, I had never heard him mention a girlfriend


    named Cherry. He never even had a girlfriend. But, of course, that was his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Andr¨¦. What happened?¡±


    His eyes grew misty. ¡°Apparently, she died due to a drug overdose.¡±


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s terrible. I had no idea. I¡¯m sorry, Andr¨¦.¡±


    He gave me a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ariel. It happened a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Care to tell me about her?¡± I fixed my hand on his shoulder, wanting to know more about the girl who


    had captured his heart.


    ¡°Cherry had the most beautiful smile. It was infectious, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile whenever I saw


    her. She had thisughter that was like music to my ears. She was kind, funny, and so full of life.¡±


    I could see the love and adoration in Andre¡¯s eyes as he talked about Cherry. It was clear that she had


    meant everything to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure she was an amazing person.


    Andre nodded. ¡°She was. And although I was still young at that time, I still think about her.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, it¡¯s really heartbreaking, and I¡¯m sorry for bringing up the pain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ariel. It¡¯s good to talk about her sometimes. It helps me remember our good times,¡± Andre


    smiled, prompting me to also smile.


    We were both silent for a moment, lost in our thoughts, while the music continued filling the hall.


    But then Andr¨¦ broke the silence. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m wondering about right now.¡±


    I nced at him, and he continued, ¡°And I believe you know the answer to that.¡±


    ¡°What exactly?¡± I quizzed him, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Mason ruining Luke. Why would he want to do that? Did Luke offend him in any way?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your question?¡±


    ¡°It sure is.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I forgot to mention that to you. Did you have any idea about Mason¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mason¡¯s what now?¡±


    ¡°His girlfriend. I think her name was Sofie.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not really. Mason never told me he had a girlfriend. I barely even asked him about his life. We


    lived in different countries for years, so I had no idea about most of what he did.¡±


    223: KNOW THIS


    4/4


    I looked at Andr¨¦ for a moment. ¡°Oh, I see. Well, Mason had a girlfriend whose name was Sofie. And


    your brother mes Luke for her death. He said Luke killed her. So yeah, that¡¯s why he wants to ruin


    the billionaire.¡±


    Andre let out a sigh. ¡°Man, this story is reallyplicated.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    My phone vibrated from a text I had just received. And the moment I opened it, both of my eyes were


    bigger than before.

 Chatper 224

    224: HERE FOR YOU


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    And the face was familiar¨Cso familiar that it took me a moment to register who it was. And then it hit me


    ¡ªit was Ariel¡¯s daughter, my daughter, Janice. My heart sank as I saw her in such a vulnerable state¨C


    her hands tied, her hair messy, and a look of fear in her eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe that she was in this


    situation, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of guilt for not being there to protect her the whole time.


    Seeing her like this broke my heart, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to keep her safe.


    Quite horrific! They pushed Janice to the ground with a force that made hernd with a loud thud. But


    my shock quickly turned to anger as I saw her struggle to stand up. Yes, indeed, her legs and hands


    were tied. The sight of her helplessness fueled a rage within me, as I wanted to break free and confront


    those responsible for her suffering. It was a feeling of intense anger and frustration, knowing that I


    couldn¡¯t do anything to help Janice at that moment. But it only made me more determined to find a way


    to rescue her and put an end to her torment.


    As the scumbags mocked Janice and 1, jeering at our vulnerability, my blood ran red with rage. I


    longed to unleash my fury and show them the consequences of underestimating us. However, I was


    forced to restrain myself because my hands were tied, and it was just fucked up. It was a frustrating


    and infuriating feeling to know that these idiots would be getting away with their cruel actions. But I


    refused to let their taunts andughter break me. I knew I was going to find a way out of this goddamn


    ce, and I was going to take Janice along with me.


    ¡°What are we going to do with them?¡± I heard one of the people say:


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We won¡¯t do anything yet. We¡¯ll wait for the boss to arrive before proceeding.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just going to leave them like this?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to let them go?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and leave.¡±


    They left the room. The lights were turned on after that.¡±


    I could hear Janice breathing heavily, and I leisurely moved in her direction. The ce might be dark,


    but at least I knew her spot.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, getting closer to the little one.


    The moment I touched her, she trembled. I felt so sorry for her. I could imagine how she had been living


    in this misery for one good year, thinking about her family. She wished that she could be reunited with


    her mother. I¡¯d try my very best to get the both of us out of here. If not me, then her. She was just a little


    child. She had nothing to do with this. Why did people have to be so heartless?


    ¡°Janice,¡± I called her name softly. ¡°Janice, you can hear me, right?¡±


    7


    224: HERE FOR YOU


    273


    She didn¡¯t say anything, but instead, she shed tears. It was a painful thing, I didn¡¯t want her to continue


    to live in this darkness. If it were possible, I¡¯d sacrifice my life just to get her to safety and give her


    freedom.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was still reading the text that had been sent to me. My eyes were fixed on nothing but the screen, and


    I read this message over and over.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Ariel? Anything wrong?¡± Andre questioned me.


    I looked at him and showed him the screen.


    ¡°We have your daughter. If you want her back, you¡¯ll have to do what we say. If you¡¯re ready, reply yes


    to this message.¡± Andre sent the message out.


    He looked at me. ¡°Who do you think sent this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously Mason,¡± I replied, taking my phone from him.


    ¡°Mason? Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s up to something now. But I don¡¯t give a fuck. I¡¯m going to do what he says.¡±


    ¡°What if you get killed?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave things like that. I¡¯d dly ept death while trying to save my daughter. My son died;


    I won¡¯t let the same happen to his sister. So, I¡¯ll do anything in my power¨Canything I can¨Cto save her. I


    might be wounded or killed, but Janice¡¯s safety is all that matters. And if God says I¡¯m going to win this


    one, I¡¯m going to win it.¡±


    Andre nodded, simply staring at me. ¡°I like your boldness. I¡¯m with you on this one. If we die, then so


    be it.¡±


    I smiled at him. ¡°Thanks for the support, Andr¨¦. You¡¯re really a true friend.¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, Ariel. You¡¯re a wonderful and amazing friend. I¡¯ll risk my life trying to save yours. And


    I don¡¯t care if I die in the process.¡±


    I kept on smiling at him. ¡°What are we waiting for? Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, reply to that text. We have to brace ourselves for anything that¡¯s going to happen. But I


    promise you that I¡¯ll be by your side, and I hope wee out victorious.¡±


    Relishing his words, I hugged him. This was really nice.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Janice. You don¡¯t have to cry; you don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡± I tried tofort Janice. I was


    now close to her. Hearing her cry was hurting me really hard. It had me not feeling good one bit. She


    was my blood, and I couldn¡¯t stand to see her in this situation.


    ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve been facing these days. I miss my mom; I miss everyone.¡±


    224: HERE FOR YOU


    3/3


    I sighed. ¡°Yes, your mom misses you too. She worries day and night about you. She loves you so


    much.


    31


    ¡°I know that. But why hasn¡¯t shee to take me out of here?¡±


    ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t know where you are. But don¡¯t worry; things will be back to normal any moment


    from now on. You will return to your loved ones, and your life will be just how it used to be.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t. Lukel isn¡¯t here anymore. Life can never be that interesting without him,¡± she said, her tone


    filled with sadness.


    And by mentioning Lukel, I took my gaze down. It was really sad.


    The door opened, and the lights were turned on immediately. The person who had shown up was


    Mason, the psychopath who was talking sh*t thest time we met. Now, what the hell was he doing


    here? Don¡¯t tell me he had something to do with this kidnapping.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, it¡¯s actually surprising to see you here,¡± he said, stepping forward. ¡°I feel so sorry for


    you.¡°!


    ¡°So you¡¯re behind everything, huh?¡±


    He ced his hand on his chest, opening his mouth wide and letting out a gasp. ¡°Oh my god, what are


    you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Stop acting like a clown; what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Mason has been treating me badly; he¡¯s a bad man,¡± Janice vocalized.


    I red at Mason right away. ¡°So, is the kid lying?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up. I¡¯m not scared of you.¡± He brought out a gun and pointed it at me.

 Chatper 225

    225: CALLING ME A MONSTER


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    And 1 red at Mason, his gun still pointing at me. He was about to pull the trigger. It was now or


    never, it was death or life. But I wasn¡¯t going to beg him to spare me. I¡¯d try my best to get things


    straight around here.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally time I blow your brains off. I¡¯ve waited years to do this,¡± Mason spat bitterly, not changing the


    direction of his gun.


    ¡°And what exactly did I do to you?¡± I threw this question at him.


    ¡°You made my life miserable.¡±


    ¡°Can you please be more specific?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± He snapped. ¡°You monster. If I¡¯m brutal and cruel like this, it¡¯s all because of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put the me on me here. I¡¯m not the reason for your ass being evil.¡±


    ¡°You are, Luke!¡±


    ¡°Tell me how, then!¡±


    ¡°You killed my girlfriend,¡± he brought out.


    ¡°I killed your girlfriend? What the fuck are you saying right now?¡±


    ¡°Sofie, that¡¯s her name. You two were drunk; you both had sex, and that was how you murdered her.¡±


    ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Years ago. You can act like you don¡¯t remember a damn thing. That¡¯s none of my business. I¡¯ve


    already told you my reason for this vengeance. Now I¡¯m going to send you straight to hell.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me now that I killed your girlfriend, all because I was drunk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for any friendly conversation. ¡°I am about to execute you in this room as your daughter


    and feed your flesh to the dogs.¡±


    ¡°Look, I can¡¯t remember a thing. But please, let Janice go. She has nothing to do with this. I¡¯m the one


    who offended you, right? Kill me and let her go. Please, she¡¯s just a little kid.¡±


    Masonughed. ¡°She is your daughter. Your blood flows through her veins. So I will end both of you,


    just as I did to Lukel.¡±


    ¡°Lukel? You were the one responsible for Luke¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You killed that innocent child? Aren¡¯t you just cold¨Cblooded? How could you?¡±


    213


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Mason cut me off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. My hands are tied up right now, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m inferio here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got


    the upper hand, you idiot. I got a gun, and i can just blow your fucking brain any second.¡± ¡°And do you


    think I¡¯m scared of you? What are you feeling like, a god?¡±


    ¡°I never said that i want to get justice for my beloved Sophie.¡±


    ¡°And by getting justice, you decided to take innocent lives.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going to be more painful than that? First of all, I decided to burn those children at yoASE


    company. Killing all of you with one stone. But then you had to show up. Well, Mason thinks too fast.


    That¡¯s when i decided to carry out a n to shoot that son of yours. And it worked. I shot him, but you


    didn¡¯t see me. Why? Because I have brains. And then I paid ady to tell Ariel false stories. You¡¯re the


    one who killed Laked. I thought Ariel wouldn¡¯t buy that, but surprisingly, she did. I guess your wife is as


    stupid as you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really this crazy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet. And guess what? Your beloved wife will being any time,¡±


    ¡°What? Ariel ising here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, for her daughter, of course. She got the address, and now she¡¯ll be showing up in no time.


    Tonight is going to be the end of your little family. You three, the father, the daughter, and the mother,


    are leaving this world tonight.¡±


    ¡°Leave Janice and Ariel, Won¡¯t you be satisfied with that? Won¡¯t the vengeance be done since I¡¯m the


    one who killed your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I got to wipe your family. Everyone close to you, they¡¯ll all die one by one.¡±


    ¡°Guess what, Mason.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You lose,¡± I responded. He made a puzzled face, and before he could say anything; I quickly rose to


    my feet and punched the gun out of his hand. I had no idea how I did that so quickly, but I felt like the


    sh.


    During the idiot¡¯s discourse, I was in the process of unbuckling the ropes from my hands. It wasn¡¯t even


    that tight, and I was thinking it was going to be really hard to put an end to that crap.


    Mason gave me a surprised look, and I hit him hard in the face before he could even ask any


    questions. He turned to me, and I gave him the second punch. I gripped his shirt and mmed him


    against the wall. Then, I delivered another punch to his face.


    ¡°What are you going to do now, huh?¡± I punched him hard, causing him to stumble. ¡°You have the


    upper hand, don¡¯t you?¡± I threw another punch at his face.


    3/3


    I repeatedly struck him in the face with the wall while firmly grasping his hair until he began to bleed. I


    punched his face and shoved him down. I quickly picked up the gun from the ground and shot his leg


    twice.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He screamed in pain. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this.¡±


    I ignored him and rushed to Janice. I took the ropes off her hands and legs, and then I carried her in my


    arms, still having a hold of the gun.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay now. I told you we¡¯ll get out of here,¡± I said softly. ¡°Now, do you trust me?¡±


    Janice nodded, wrapping her hands around my neck. I kissed her forehead, and then I walked to the


    door.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re going to survive this?¡± Mason barked, still on the ground in pain.


    ¡°You should be d I didn¡¯t kill you. I¡¯m not and can never be a monster like you.¡±


    Mason red at me; I did the same, leaving the room. Everywhere was dark, but I still moved, trying to


    find my way out of the building.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Someone screamed. That was definitely not good. I shot in his person¡¯s direction and


    ran away, with Janice still cleaving to me. When we finally left the building, Mason¡¯s men were chasing


    us.


    ¡°Come back here, right now!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you better stop right there!¡±


    They screamed, but I refused to turn around. Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t shoot at me. I had no idea why,


    but I didn¡¯t want to care.


    The street was empty, the ce was calm, and I couldn¡¯t spot a single soul there. Only God knew


    where all these guys had taken us.


    1


    I sighted two people walking from afar, and they looked really familiar. As I kept on scampering, I


    realized it was Ariel and Andre. It was obvious they had seen me because they fastened their pace.


    I turned around and didn¡¯t see Mason¡¯s men running after me. I wondered where they had gone to. It


    seems like I lost them.


    I turned back to Ariel and Andre, who had now gotten close. Janice was still in my arms, and I was d


    I had brought her out of that misery.


    ¡°Janice!¡± Ariel was brought out.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Janice slowly got off my hands and ran straight to Ariel. I smiled just by staring at the


    both of them.


    And right after that, the sound of a gunshot filled the air.

 Chatper 226

    226: PAINS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Holding Janice, I couldn¡¯t stop taking my eyes off Luke. The men hade out of nowhere and fired a


    gunshot at him. Luckily, the bullet went straight to his shoulder. I just hoped it couldn¡¯t get worse


    than that.


    Luke fell to his knees, holding his shoulders. The pain was too much for him to bear.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I called his name loudly, and then I ran straight to him.


    The men behind pointed their guns at us, ready to release more gunshots. But I wasn¡¯t even giving


    them my attention.


    I didn¡¯t want to do this. I didn¡¯t want to run towards Luke, making it look like I cared for him. But I


    couldn¡¯t help it. Seeing him bring my daughter really brought this feeling within me. Something I


    couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ariel. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Luke told me softly, holding his bleeding shoulder. You and Janice should


    leave before these people do something terrible to you guys.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave you,¡± I disagreed, looking into his eyes, and I had this worried expression.


    ¡°Just go. I told you, everything¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°But if you die, it won¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Why, huh? I thought you didn¡¯t want me. I thought you came for revenge. So if I¡¯m killed now, won¡¯t


    you be satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, now. Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re in the middle of a terrific situation?¡±


    ¡°I can see that. But I just want you to be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay, I think we¡¯ve given you guys enough time to talk. Now it¡¯s time to die,¡± one of the men spoke.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± Andre pleaded. I nced back at him. He did not move forward. ¡°I know you people are


    doing this for money, but please, you don¡¯t have to kill anyone. You can stop these evil deeds.¡±


    ¡°Life can be a tough one. And I know you guys need money to offer your family. But will they really


    want this? They wouldn¡¯t want you to get involved in any criminal activities.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up, you don¡¯t know our families.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. But I do know one thing: they won¡¯t be in support of this. So I plead with you, just let us go.


    Trust me, you¡¯ll see the changes in your life if you do that.


    The menughed. ¡°We¡¯re already seeing the changes. We kill all of you now, and we¡¯ll have enough


    money to feed ourselves and our families.¡±


    226: PAINS


    2/3


    I could see the desperation in Andre¡¯s eyes as he begged the men not to shoot. But they justughed


    and insulted him, calling him weak and a coward.


    Luke tried to reason with them, telling them that there was no need for anyone to die. But they were


    adamant, their greed for money clouding their judgment.


    I held onto Janice tightly, hoping for nothing terrible as I watched this scene unfold. I couldn¡¯t lose Luke,


    not after witnessing what he had done. The rage disappeared after this, and there wasn¡¯t a need


    for that hatred.


    At this point, I made a decision. I couldn¡¯t let these men harm the people around me. I had to do


    something, even if I had no strength. I¡¯d do my best, and luck would be on my side.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I yelled, surprising everyone around me. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt them.¡±


    The men turned their attention to me, their guns still pointed at Luke and Andre. I took a deep breath


    and continued, ¡°I may havee here for revenge, but seeing Luke with my daughter¡­it changed


    everything. I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt; please just put down your guns.¡±


    The men hesitated, unsure of what to do. I could see the conflict in their eyes. But then, one of them


    raised his gun and aimed it at me.


    ¡°No!¡± Luke shouted, trying to get up and protect me.


    But before the man could pull the trigger, Andre jumped in front of me, shielding me from the bullet.


    I screamed, watching him as he copsed to the ground.


    This unexpected turn of events took aback the men. Luke managed to get up and tackle one of them to


    the ground while I ran to Andre¡¯s side.


    ¡°Andre, why did you do that?¡± I kneaded him, trying to stop the bleeding from his wound.


    ¡°I thought that you were an amazing friend, remember? And I¡¯ll do anything to protect you, even if it


    means sacrificing my life,¡± he replied weakly, his eyes closing as he lost consciousness.


    I looked up at Luke, who was now fighting off the other men. He managed to knock their guns off, even


    with his injury. He stood strong for me, for Janice, for us. I was just lost in what he was doing.


    But my mind reminded me that my friend was unconscious right now; he needed to be taken to the


    hospital. I set my eyes on Luke once again; the men had now overpowered him, and he was beaten


    mercilessly.


    I narrowed my eyes down to the guns which were on the ground. I looked up at the men once again;


    their attentions were not even on the ground. I looked at Andre, his eyes closed, recalling his words


    before he zonked out. And I looked at my little daughter, who stood in shock, trying to process what


    was happening at the moment.


    I set my eyes back on the guns and stood up, walking in that direction. I quickly grabbed both guns


    from the ground and pointed them at the men. ¡°Stop, now!¡±


    They paused immediately, turning to me, surprised and terrified faces they had at the moment.


    PINS


    ¡°You both should let him go, now. Hesitate to do that, I won¡¯t hesitate to shoot you ¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to pull the trigger?¡±


    ¡°Does she even know how to use a gun?¡± They mocked me.


    I didn¡¯t say a word; I just released two bullets in the air. Immediately, they let go of Luke. But they were


    still foolish to shove him to the ground.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to do that.¡± I gave them a cold stare, still pointing the guns at the two of them.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°You said we should let go of him, and we did just that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to do it that way,¡±


    I shot at the ground, nigh to their feet, and they shifted backward in a sh.


    ¡°Go now. And tell Mason that it isn¡¯t over. I will make him pay for this.


    They were both ring at me, still standing. I quickly shot the ground close to them again, and they


    bolted at that very moment,


    I set my eyes back on Lake and moved closer, I sat on my heels, right next to him. ¡°You¡¯re okay, right?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be asking me that, I was shot in the shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I spoke right away,


    Heughed softly. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I¡¯m alright. You shouldn¡¯t worry about me, but you should check your


    friend over there. He isn¡¯t dead, is he?¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡± I stood up and walked to Andre, observing him. I fixed my eyes on Luke, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s still


    alive.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste any more time then.¡± He stood up and approached me. He wanted to carry Andre,


    but I stopped him.


    ¡°Are you sure you can do this?¡±

 Chatper 227

    227: TRUTH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Yes, I can, Ariel. You do not have to worry about me. Let¡¯s just get Andre to the hospital as soon as


    possible.¡± Luke carried Andre in his arms. ¡°Is your car far from here?¡±


    ¡°Not that far,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±


    I walked to Janice, holding her hand. I began to traipse forward. But after seconds, I turned around to


    check on Luke. He held Andre, walking towards me. He was going through a lot of pain; I could see


    that. Yet he decided to put up with it, acting like there was nothing wrong.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry for me. I¡¯m totally fine. We have to make it to your car as soon as possible. Andre was


    shot, and we can¡¯t let him die. I¡¯m pretty sure you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go.


    And as we continued walking towards my car, I felt really grateful for Luke¡¯s strength and determination.


    He was carrying Andre, who was heavy, and yet he didn¡¯t show any signs of struggle.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay, Luke?¡± I asked, concerned about him.


    He smiled at me, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just focus on getting Andre to the hospital.¡±


    After a few more minutes of walking, we finally reached my car. Just when I was about to open the


    door, I heard Luke stumble behind me. I quickly turned around and saw him struggling to hold onto


    Andre.


    ¡°Luke, are you okay?¡± I asked, rushing towards him.


    He let go of Andre and leaned against the car for support. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired. I¡¯ll be okay once I


    get some rest.¡±


    I helped him to the passenger seat, and he leaned back, closing his eyes. I quickly got into the driver¡¯s


    seat and started the car. I began to drive to the hospital, worrying about these two men in my car, who


    risked their lives trying to save mine. They both needed medical attention, and I couldn¡¯t wish to lose


    any of them. I didn¡¯t know, but I couldn¡¯t be sure if I still wanted terrible shit happening to Luke.


    When we arrived at the hospital, I parked the car and rushed to the passenger side to help Luke out.


    He insisted that he was okay and didn¡¯t need any help, but I could see the pain and exhaustion on his


    face.


    ¡°Come on,


    let¡¯s get you both inside,¡± I said, linking my arm with Luke¡¯s for support.


    We made our way inside the hospital, and the nurses quickly came to our aid. They took Andre to a


    room for treatment, and I tried to convince Luke to get himself checked as well. But he stubbornly


    refused, saying that his wound on the shoulder wasn¡¯t serious and he just needed some rest.


    After Andre was taken care of, I helped Luke to a nearby bench and sat down next to him. I was just


    227 TRUTH


    staring at him, not knowing the word to utter.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I said softly, and he nced at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He ced his hand on mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, Ariel. I¡¯m just


    d I could help. Plus, I¡¯ve been shot before; I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Iughed a little, recalling the time when he was shot and I had to be by his side at the hospital. Yeah,


    you sure have.


    After a while, the doctor came out of the room. I stood up immediately.


    ¡°How is he, doctor? Hope he¡¯s doing alright.¡±


    The doctor smiled at me. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, miss. He¡¯s fine and stable now. He just needs


    some rest.¡±


    I let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Just doing my job.¡± The doctor wanted to walk away, but then his eyes caught Luke. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re


    bleeding.¡±


    Luke looked around before setting his eyes back on the doctor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, who else would I be talking to? You¡¯ll have toe with me so we can take care of that


    wound on your shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not that serious,¡± Luke disagreed.


    ¡°No, sir. The wound inflicted on the shoulder by a gunshot possesses a dire potential to prove fatal, as


    it can lead to severe blood loss, damage to vital structures, and potential infection, ultimately


    jeopardizing your beloved life.¡±


    Luke looked at him for a moment, opening his mouth slightly. ¡°Okay, that is serious.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± the doctor brought out. He called several nurses to take Luke to a room in the building, and


    they did that.


    I slowly sat down, still thinking about what happened and what I witnessed. Luke saved my daughter;


    now,


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say. Was he actually the one who killed Lukel? Was that woman lying to me


    when she said he took away the life of my son?


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Janice uttered, and I turned to her. ¡°You look really worried.¡± She treaded closer and sat


    next to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Janice,¡± I responded softly, wrapping my hand around her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned


    about Andre and your father.¡±


    ¡°My father?¡± Janice gave me a confused face. ¡°That man is my father?¡±


    I breathed out deeply. ¡°Yes, Janice. Luke is your father.¡±


    ¡°My father has been alive the whole time? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this, mommy?¡±


    227 TRUTH


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Why? Was he a bad man?¡±


    I paused for a moment. Then I held her hand. ¡°He saved you, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Janice nodded.


    ¡°So there, you have your answer.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s a good man, why did you keep him from us all these years?¡±


    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± I answered in hushed tones. ¡°You stay here, I¡¯ll be back.¡± I caressed her hair


    before standing up.


    I went to the room where Luke was being taken care of. The moment I entered, the nurses left.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he called my name and sat on the bed right away.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± I asked him, walking closer.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m doing great. Just can¡¯t spend much time here at this building.¡± He looked around.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s too bad. You¡¯ll have to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Rest?¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting the fuck out of here anytime soon.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You have got to be kidding me. You¡¯re taking your business more seriously than your


    health?¡±


    ¡°Well, I got to do that.¡±


    ¡°Health is wealth. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with the saying.


    ¡°Wealth is health. If you don¡¯t have money, how will you be able to buy drugs? How will you be able to


    get surgery done?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how the¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, no lectures concerning this health stuff. You¡¯re not the doctor here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be a doctor first to tell you that. I¡¯m just being concerned.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re concerned?¡± Luke smirked. ¡°I thought you wanted to make my life a living hell.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not thinking straight at the moment.¡±


    Luke made a confused face. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking straight? Like, you being concerned about me, you¡¯re


    not¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± I cut him off. My tone softened, ¡°I have to ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±

 Chatper 228

    228: A LOT TO HANDLE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Did you kill Lukel?¡± I asked Luke.


    He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ve told you this a billion times. I¡¯m not the one who killed your


    son. You never listened to me, and even when you did, you never believed me.¡±


    I crossed my arms, sniffling and looking away. ¡°Well, I still don¡¯t know if I should believe you.¡±


    ¡°Tell me something, Ariel.¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Who is this person that filled your mind with such a lie?


    I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know her, but I thought¡­ Nevermind. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°So, you now have a change of mind?¡±


    I looked at him immediately. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± He asked, looking into my eyes.


    I averted my gaze. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for being rude to you; I¡¯m just sorry for everything, the


    usations and all that.¡±


    ¡°No, Ariel. I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing. I¡¯ve done a lot of terrible things to you, and I totally


    understand your point here.¡±


    ¡°We did have some great moments, Luke. And to be honest, I really liked them.¡±


    ¡°We can make more then.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I love you, Ariel. I¡¯ve really missed you. You have been a great person, honestly. All these years, I


    didn¡¯t realize that. But now, I finally know who you are. You are the one for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Luke. You need to get some rest.¡± I stood up and started walking to the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now? Seriously, Ariel? You¡¯re just going to end our conversation like that?¡±


    ¡°The doctor made it clear to us that you shouldn¡¯t stress yourself. This discussion might affect you in


    some way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; I¡¯m totally fine. This is just a little wound; I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re taking it too


    seriously.¡±


    ¡°Just take care of yourself, Luke.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going now?¡±


    228 A LOT TO HANDLE


    2/4


    I refused to give him an answer. I made my way to the door, and he called my name as I was about to


    open it. I paused, not ncing back at him.


    ¡°So that you know, Mason is the one who killed Lukel.¡±


    And by the mentioning of his name, I shed tears after I had slowly closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t give Luke a


    response; I just looked left the room.


    At that moment, I burst into tears and went to take a seat on the cold metal bench outside the hospital


    room.


    Janice sat next to me and looked into my eyes with her cute, innocent face. ¡°Mommy, why are you


    crying? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I tried to hold back my tears, but they kept flowing. I couldn¡¯t hide it, hold it, thinking about my son and


    the times we spent with each other, having the knowledge that he¡¯s no longer with me, was just


    so painful.


    I took a deep breath and tried topose myself. ¡°Janice, mommy is just feeling sad,¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t be a sad mommy.¡±


    I looked at her, and my heart broke. My little girl didn¡¯t deserve any of this. She had already lost her


    brother, and now she was seeing her mother in tears. I wiped away my tears and pulled her into a hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a lot to handle, sweetheart. Mommy is just trying to be strong,¡± I said, trying to reassure her.


    ¡°But why? Did anything terrible happen? Is Uncle Andre dead?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not. It¡¯s just that I miss your brother so much. He¡¯s no longer here with us. He¡¯s in heaven.¡±


    ¡°I know that, mommy. And I miss him.¡±


    I miss him too, baby. I miss him too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too much, mommy. Lukel will be smiling at you right now in Heaven. And we


    will both join him there one day.¡±


    I nced at her. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°I know so.¡±


    ¡°I hope so cause right now, I¡¯m about to find this person who killed him.¡±


    Janice pulled away from the hug. ¡°Well, mommy, I¡¯ll tell you who did it. I don¡¯t want you to be sad


    anymore.


    ¡±


    I smiled at her, impressed with her words. I hugged her again, grateful to have such a wonderful angel


    by my side. ¡°Thank you, Janice. Mommy loves you so much.¡±


    But then I processed her words, what she just told me. ¡°Hold on, did you just say you¡¯re going to tell


    me who killed Lukel?¡±


    228: A LOT TO HANDLE


    374


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Uncle Mason. He¡¯s the one who also kidnapped me.¡±


    ¡°How did you know that? Who told you?¡±


    ¡°He said it himself. So, Mommy, are you going to make him pay?¡±


    ¡°Just give me a minute, okay?¡± I told her, and she nodded. I stood up, walking away to make a phone


    call.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I justy there, staring at the white ceiling, thinking about my recent conversation with Ariel. I didn¡¯t


    even know what was going on now. What was going to happen after I got out of there? I could just


    brace myself for whatever was going to take ce. And I hoped Ariel would finally let us get back


    together.


    All these thoughts kept crawling into my head, and then suddenly, the door to my room opened, and in


    walked a little girl, Janice, with an innocent face, lovely eyes, and a wonderful voice. She walked closer


    to me, her steps hesitant and unsure.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she said softly, looking up at me with a smile.


    I didn¡¯t respond. I was still silent, looking in another direction. I just felt weak following Ariel¡¯s


    actions.


    ¡°I just wanted toe and say thank you,¡± Janice continued, her voice filled with gratitude. ¡°You saved


    my life.¡±


    I was suspended after that but still didn¡¯t utter a word.


    Janice¡¯s smile widened. ¡°My mommy told me everything.


    I gave her a curious look. ¡°What did she tell you tell you?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You can guess.


    ¡°1This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I let out a deep sigh and turned my face away. What the hell was wrong with me?


    ¡°She told me that you¡¯re my


    father.¡±


    I looked at her once again.¡± She did?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but can you please tell me what happened between the both of you? Why did the two of you


    separate?¡±


    I hesitated, not sure how to answer. Did I really want to tell my daughter I did no know she existed?


    That her mother and I had a messy andplicated past? But then Janice¡¯s innocent and curious eyes


    were looking at me, waiting for an answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story,¡± I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But I¡¯m d she finally told


    you about me.¡±


    Janice smiled again and reached out to hold my hand. ¡°Me too. I¡¯ve always wanted a daddy.¡±


    228 A LOT TO HANDLE


    I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears that were filling my eyes. I had missed out on so many years with my


    daughter, but here she was, sitting by my side, without even knowing the full story. She was indeed a


    sweet soul, just like her mother.


    ¡°Thank you foring to check up on me, Janice.¡±


    Janice squeezed my hand. ¡°Of course, daddy. I¡¯lle and visit you every day until you get better.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ll be leaving here anytime soon.


    Janiceughed as well. ¡°You must really strong.¡±


    The door opened immediately, and Ariel stepped foot inside. ¡°We¡¯re not safe.¡±

 Chatper 229

    229: EYES ON HER


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked Ariel, giving her a concerned face.


    ¡°I spotted Mason¡¯s men heading towards the hospital. We have to leave now before theye and do


    something terrible,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Hold on, those guys followed us here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Ariel replied lowly. She turned to Janice. ¡°Janice, we have to leave.¡±


    ¡°Are they going to kill us, mommy?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not. We¡¯re going to get out of this one alive.¡±


    I stood up, feeling slight pain, but it was worth it. And by the way, those nurses only made things worse.


    ¡°We better start going.¡®


    Ariel looked at me, concern written all over her face. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. You don¡¯t have to keep on asking me that. Right now, your safety is all that matters. You


    and your daughter. Our daughter, actually.¡±


    Ariel looked at me, not saying a word, but her cast was not good.


    ¡°What?¡± I queried.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± She took her eyes off me and held Janice¡¯s hand.


    ¡°But what about Uncle Andre? Are we going to leave him here?¡± Janice asked, and Ariel looked at me,


    waiting for a response. Cause she looked confused herself.


    ¡°He¡¯s unconscious. We have to leave him here in the meantime. Hopefully, those guys won¡¯t find him


    in his room,¡± I uttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should just hide ourselves?¡± Ariel suggested.


    ¡°So they can find us and blow our brains out? Nice suggestion, Ariel. Nice suggestion.¡±


    ¡°Hiding ourselves in this building¡¯s not a bad idea. Just imagine running from the terror, and you¡¯re shot


    from behind. How does that sound, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not happening. We¡¯ll be in our quickest mode. Moving really fast. sh, Quicksilver,


    Superman¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re not in some superhero universe around here,¡± Ariel cut me off.


    ¡°I know; I¡¯m just trying to rify some things. I don¡¯t want us to be sluggish in this one.


    She shook her head. ¡°So much for being a fan.¡±


    229 EYES ON HER


    2/4


    ¡°I really loved those guys during my childhood.¡±


    ¡°And you still love them.¡±


    ¡°Memories, I guess.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°No time for jokes right now. Let¡¯s get out of here as soon as possible.¡±


    We all heard a gunshot. Janice quivered, and I held her right away. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one. There¡¯s no


    need to be scared.¡±


    ¡°Are theying for us, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not going to harm us, okay?¡± I assured her with a smile. She nodded, and I ruffled her hair.


    I held Janice¡¯s hand and smiled at Ariel. ¡°We better leave now.¡±


    ¡°I love how you¡¯re so bold, smiling even though we¡¯re finding ourselves in a tough and difficult


    situation.¡±


    I grinned at her. ¡°I have you by my side. I shouldn¡¯t be afraid, should I?¡±


    Ariel took her gaze downwards, letting out a sigh. ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s just get out of here.¡±


    Iughed a little, and the three of us left the room. We walked cautiously, looking everywhere, with me


    leading the way. Stepping further from where we were, we saw two nurses dead¨Cbodies right on


    the floor.


    I could tell Janice was extremely terrified seeing this. I held her tightly, not wanting her to be fully


    consumed by trepidation.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good one bit,¡± Ariel uttered slowly, still looking at the dead bodies.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°We better leave as soon as possible,¡± I told them.


    We fastened our steps, still moving carefully. We heard another gunshot, but that didn¡¯t stop us from


    walking. We were lucky that these men had not sighted us, wherever they may be.


    This hospital was actually arge one, and I hoped we wouldn¡¯t cross paths with those good¨Cfor-


    nothing folks around here. And I also didn¡¯t want them to find Andre. Those guys could be crazy to


    shoot him in his unconscious state.


    We left the hospital with some nurses and patients running around. Traipsing to Ariel¡¯s car, we heard


    the men screaming at us to halt.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± were the words they vocalized. Ariel and Janice wanted to freeze, scared of losing


    their lives. But I was the one who pushed them to keep moving.


    The men shot at us as they began to scamper in our direction. No bullet hit us; we were quite lucky.


    The moment we burst into the car, I drove off at full speed, losing track of those idiots.


    ¡°That was close,¡± Ariel said, trying to catch her breath like she was running a marathon or something


    229 EYES ON HER


    314


    ¡°Yeah, but we lost those guys. I¡¯m not going to let anyone hurt the both of you. Not while I¡¯m still


    alive.¡±


    ¡°Thanks so much, Daddy. You¡¯re really a strong man.¡±


    Ariel nced at Janice right away. ¡°He told you that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I am strong,¡± I joked around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself,¡± she said, looking through the window.


    I sighed deeply and decided to be silent, just focusing on the road. After a while, we arrived at a


    restaurant.


    ¡°So, who¡¯s hungry?¡± I asked loudly, scrutinizing the building.


    ¡°Me!¡± Janice eximed, raising her hand.


    We made our way into the eatery, took our seats, and made our orders. I smiled, watching Janice as


    she enjoyed her drink, and so did Ariel. But I could also see some pain in her eyes, and I think I knew


    what she was thinking, probably about Lukel.


    It¡¯s obvious that she used to spend time with both of them at different restaurants. If only the little kid


    were here. There would have been intense joy within her heart. It is not being in the darkness. Smiles


    everywhere with no dull moment.


    But the painful thing here is that we sometimes get what we want¨Conly some things we wish fore


    to pass. But we just have to keep living in hope.


    ¡°Ariel, can I have a moment with you in private?¡± I asked her


    ¡°Are you sure about that? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to leave Janice all by herself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. We¡¯ll still have our eyes on her. I just want to tell you something really


    important.¡±


    Ariel looked at Janice. ¡°Is that okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll be fine with these burgers around,¡± Janice replied, her mouth filling. I raised an eyebrow at


    Ariel, smirking at her.


    I stood up, and she did that as well, following me as we left the building.


    Ariel crossed her arms. ¡°Okay, we have to make this quick. What do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Ariel. We have our eyes on her.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t actually tell what¡¯s going to happen. Someone mighte and try to do shit. Oh, God.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want?¡±


    She gave me a crazy face. ¡°What? No!¡±


    229: EYES ON HER


    4/4


    ¡°I know that. So, I really need to tell you about my feelings.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still following through with this conversation?¡±


    ¡°Yes! You know very well how I love you.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do. And I want the both of us together again. The three of us, me, you and Janice. We can


    bring the family back, you know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be that easy.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You already know the truth. I didn¡¯t kill Lukel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know that.¡±


    ¡°So, tell me. Why do you think it¡¯s not going to be that easy?¡±


    Ariel looked at me pretty well. ¡°You really want to know, huh?¡±


    WITH

 Chatper 230

    230: HOME WITH YOU


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke had his eyes fixed on no one else but me. We had been standing here for minutes now, with this


    discussion that seemed eternity. The talk continued, the mood lingering, the gaze not breaking. But


    apparently, this moment wouldn¡¯tst forever. It was going toe to an end before I knew it. And


    hopefully, what I expected.


    Luke threw a question at me that I couldn¡¯t answer. Or maybe I wanted to wait. It could have been the


    best option.


    We kept on staring at each other. No one was ready to break the silence. But anyway, he did. ¡°You


    don¡¯t want to say anything?¡±


    ¡°What is there left to say?¡± I asked him. ¡°I¡¯mpletely out of words.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It means that she doesn¡¯t want to see or speak with you now. She¡¯s tired of yourpany.¡®


    I looked down at who had just given him an answer. It was a little, just fat to a certain degree. He is


    really fleshy, but none of that mattered anyway.


    ¡°Luke, thank you for everything. For risking your own life, for saving my daughter, for saving me. You


    proved to be a nice man, after all. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m always here. In case you have any issues


    concerning your phone and all that.


    ¡°So, you want to leave now?¡± Luke asked in a low tone.


    ¡°Well, I have to wait for Janice to finish eating. Speaking of Janice, where is she?¡± I asked, not seeing


    her right in the position she was supposed to be in. I wasn¡¯t paying attention, but the little one stood up.


    I couldn¡¯t tell where she was.


    Luke turned around. ¡°She was right¡­.. there.¡± His tone softened at the end.


    I quickly rushed into the restaurant, scanning the room for any sign of Janice. But she was nowhere to


    be seen. My heart started pounding with worry and fear. What if something had happened to her? What


    if she had gotten lost or hurt? And how the hell did she disappear so quickly? Was my


    conversation with Luke that lengthy? And I¡¯m such an idiot for not keeping an eye on her. The same


    goes for Luke.


    I walked up to the person who had served me earlier and asked if they had seen Janice. The server


    smiled and nodded, saying that Janice was getting prepared for something special. My heart started to


    settle a bit, but I still couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of panic.


    I waited anxiously, and suddenly, the lights in the restaurant turned off, and the room was filled with


    blue lights. Confused, I looked around and saw little childrening onto the stage, singing and


    dancing. And among those children was Janice, dressed in a cute little outfit with a big smile on her


    face.


    230: HOME WITH YOU


    273


    Tears started to well up in my eyes as I watched Janice perform with the other children. She looked so


    happy and carefree that nothing could bring her down. And in that moment, my heart was filled with


    gratitude towards God. He had given me such a beautiful and precious daughter, and I had to be


    faithful to Him even though I had some dark moments in the past.


    As the performance ended, Janice ran towards me, her face beaming with joy. She hugged me tightly.


    Mommy, did you see me? I was singing and dancing!¡±


    I hugged her back, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. ¡°Yes, my dear. You were amazing!¡± I


    whispered, tears streaming down my face.


    We both walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand. Janice looked up at me and asked, ¡°Mommy, why


    were you crying?¡±


    â}


    I smiled down at her. ¡°I was worried about you, but there¡¯s no need to fear now. Because I¡¯m so grateful


    to God, he has given me the most precious gifts; you and Lukel. But it¡¯s sad that he¡¯s no more. ¡°I took a


    deep breath. ¡°Even though I¡¯ll still appreciate the diamond I have.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, mommy.¡± Janice looked around headlong. ¡°Where is Daddy?¡±


    I looked around as well, but I did not see Luke. I wondered where he had gone. ¡°I don¡¯t know myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we should wait for him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Just like that? I wanted to spend some time with him.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I bent down next to her. ¡°And you will; there are still days ahead, my love.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Can¡¯t wait!¡±


    I smiled at her, standing up. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    The both of us walked to my car, and when I opened the door, I saw a note on the driver¡¯s seat. I slowly


    took it and read the words silently, ¡®You may still be upset; you may not want this. But you just have to


    know, Ariel, that I love you, and you¡¯ll always be the one ruling my heart. I¡¯ll wait for you, hoping for the


    better.¡®


    I smiled, looking at the paper. I ced it back in the car, then Janice and I got in.


    Janice and I finally reached our destination, and the little diamond took in the sight of the huge house


    with its towering pirs and sprawling gardens.


    ¡°Mommy, is this where we¡¯re going to live?¡±


    I smiled down at her.¡°Yes, this is my house. But I don¡¯t just live here, I live with Laura and the family.¡±


    Janice looked up at me with curious eyes, ¡°Who¡¯s Laura?¡±


    I hesitated momentarily, unsure how to exin Laura¡¯s rtionship with me. But then I decided to


    230 HOME WITH YOU


    keep it simple, ¡°She¡¯s a friend.¡±


    As we reached the entrance, the grand doors opened to reveal a woman in her forties standing there


    with a warm smile on her face. ¡°Ariel, my dear!¡± she eximed, pulling me into a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m so d


    you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d myself.¡±


    Laura then turned to Janice, her smile widening, ¡°And who is this little angel?¡±


    ¡°This is my daughter Janice.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, she¡¯s finally here? Oh my goodness, that¡¯s amazing!¡± She held Janice¡¯s cheeks. ¡°We need to


    celebrate. Do you like chocte, dear?¡±


    Janice¡¯s face lit up with excitement, ¡°Yes, I love chocte!¡±


    Without hesitation, Laura pped her hands, ¡°Perfect! I have some of the most delicious choctes in


    the world. Would you like to try them?¡±


    Janice¡¯s eyes widened, and she nodded eagerly.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Laura brought out, before turning to two maids who had appeared behind her, ¡°Martha,


    Sarah, please bring some choctes for our little guest.¡±


    The maids curtsied and went off to get the choctes. They soon returned with a tray filled with an


    assortment of choctes. Janice¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as she looked at the tray.


    ¡°Go ahead, dear. Take your pick,¡± Laura encouraged her.


    Janice happily grabbed a piece of chocte and took a bite, her face lighting up with pure delight.


    This is the best chocte I¡¯ve ever tasted!¡±


    11


    Laura chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m d you like it, Janice.¡±


    The maids then took Janice by the hand and led her to the dining room, where they had set up a table


    filled with more choctes and other treats. Janice happily followed them, leaving Laura and I alone.


    Laura turned to me. ¡°So, care to tell me what happened?¡±

 Chapter 231

    231: BOOK PROBLEMS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Laura and I stood still as her question hung in the air. After moments of silence, I decided to vocalize


    the whole thing to her, from the text message I received at the party, to where we had gone, to the


    scene at the hospital, to the restaurant; it had actually been an exhausting night.


    ¡°No wonder I didn¡¯t see you at the party. I was searching everywhere for you, and I thought maybe you


    had gone home. But when I arrived here, I didn¡¯t see you,¡± Laura brought out to me.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just it. That¡¯s what happened. And I¡¯m really thankful for what Luke and Andre did.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thankful for Luke?¡± Laura gave me a disapproving look. ¡°Are you being for real right now? He


    killed your son?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that man has brainwashed you or something.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, he didn¡¯t. He told me everything.¡±


    ¡°So if he didn¡¯t kill Lukel, who did?¡±


    ¡°Mason,¡± I answered incontinently. ¡°Luke told me that Mason confessed the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°And you just believed him?¡±


    ¡°Janice told me as well. She said Mason brought everything.¡±


    ¡°So what are you going to do now? Go back to Luke?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s not the one who killed my son. He even risked his life to save Janice


    from Mason. You can¡¯t be mad at him for that.¡±


    Before Laura could respond, Janice came skipping towards us with the maids following behind her,


    carrying trays of choctes and other treats.


    ¡°Look, Mommy! The maids set up a special table for us!¡± Janice ran to me as her eyes sparkled with


    excitement.


    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s nice. Hope you¡¯re having a good time.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯m having a good time!¡± Janice answered loudly. ¡°Let¡¯s go get more chocte.¡± She ran away.


    ¡°Janice, wait!¡± The maids called her, moving after her.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. After that, my eyes caught Laura, who was not looking too happy.


    ¡°Anything wrong?¡± I asked her, ¡°Janice is finally back in my life. You wanted that, too, right? You should


    be happy.¡±


    ¡°I am happy,¡± she responded, suspiring, shaking her head. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to say right now. I¡¯ll


    be in my room if you¡¯re looking for me.¡± She walked away after that.


    Like seriously, what the fuck just happened?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I woke up early this morning feeling refreshed and energized. I decided to take a bath before anyone


    else in the house woke up. As I made my way downstairs, I could hear the sound of little voicesing


    from the living room.


    I smiled to myself, knowing that it was Randy and Ethan. They were always up early, full of energy, and


    ready to start the day. I walked into the living room and saw them sitting on the couch, both engrossed


    in a heated argument.


    ¡°Justin Bieber is the best singer in the world!¡± Ethan eximed, his voice filled with conviction.


    ¡°No way, Shawn Mendes is way better!¡± Randy retorted, his face scrunched up in determination.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at their argument. They always seemed to have a new debate every day. I


    walked over to them and sat down on the couch.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I asked, trying to contain myughter.


    The boys turned to me, and their faces were serious m.


    ¡°We¡¯re arguing about who¡¯s the best singer between Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes,¡± Randy


    answered, with his eyes narrowing in concentration.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their innocence. ¡°You know, both Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes are


    great singers. There¡¯s no need for arguments.¡±


    Ethan shook his head. ¡°No way, Justin Bieber has the greatest voice. He can hit all the high notes


    perfectly.¡±


    Randy crossed his arms, and there was a stubborn look on his face. ¡°Shawn Mendes has the greatest


    voice, and he can sing and y multiple instruments at


    the same time.¡±


    I was about to interject and settle their argument, but Marcus walked into the living room.


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s someone here to see you,¡± he said.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I quizzed him.


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s just say a mad granny.¡±


    ¡°A mad granny?¡± I made a puzzled face. ¡°Who the hell is that?¡±


    I stood up and followed Marcus outside to the front gate. And I was surprised with who I saw; it was my


    great¨Caunt, my grandfather¡¯s younger sister. Liliana was her name. And my grandfather was fifteen


    years older than her.


    She was short and chubby, with an undeniably round face. Her short blonde hair and her brows were


    what caught people¡¯s attention. They were thick, almost furrowed, giving off the impression that she


    was constantly infuriated. Despite her stature and roundness, a fire in her eyes showed she was not


    one to be underestimated. Cause she was just like my grandfather, or even worse than him. It had


    been a long time since west saw each other, and I had no idea the woman was still alive. No wonder


    Marcus said it was a mad granny.


    ¡°Luke my boy, seeing you again is such a nice thing.¡±


    ****


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I walked into the bookshop, the smell of fresh paper and ink filling my nostrils. It was like a personal


    sanctuary. I made my way down the aisles, my eyes scanning the shelves for the perfect books for


    Janice. Last night, she told me that she wanted one. And I couldn¡¯t say no.


    My peaceful moment was interrupted by loud voices from the store¡¯s other side. I furrowed my brows in


    confusion, wondering what could possibly be causing such a ruckus in a peaceful ce like this.


    I made my way towards themotion, my curiosity getting the best of me. As I got closer, I saw two


    women, both with their faces scrunched up in anger, exchanging heated words with each other.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would even think about buying that book! It¡¯s trash!¡± one of the women yelled.


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re some literary genius. That book is a masterpiece! ¡°the other woman


    retorted.


    Their voices were getting louder and more aggressive, and I could feel the tension rising in the air.


    Other customers were starting to gather around, their attention drawn to the unfolding drama.


    I stood there, frozen, not sure what to do. I didn¡¯t want to get involved, but at the same time, I couldn¡¯t


    just stand there and watch this escte.


    Just as I was about to speak up, the two women started pushing each other, their argument turning


    physical. They were now brawling in the middle of the store, knocking over shelves and books in the


    process.


    I could hear gasps and screams from the other customers, some of them trying to intervene and break


    up the fight. But the two women were so consumed by their anger that they didn¡¯t even notice.


    I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed the store¡¯s security, hoping they would arrive before things got


    even more out of hand.


    Thankfully, the security guards arrived just in time and managed to separate the two women. They


    were both shouting and pointing fingers at each other, but the guards were able to calm them down and


    escort them out of the store.


    The customers slowly dispersed, going back to their own business as if nothing. had happened.


    I turned to the cashier, who looked just as shocked as I was. ¡°Is this amon urrence here?¡±


    He chuckled nervously and shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m sorry you had to witness that.¡±


    ¡°Ariel,¡± I heard my name, and I turned around.

 Chapter 232

    232: AFTER ALL THESE YEARS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Turning around, I saw my mother standing at the entrance of the shop. Quite surprising for me, wasn¡¯t


    it? I just remembered that I had to meet her just when I arrived in New Haven. I was so filled with


    thoughts of vengeance that it took over my brain. Yes, she must really miss me all these days. A year


    might have been like a hundred billion years to her with me not being by her side. But anyway, I was


    d to see her face once again.


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re finally back,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°Mother!¡± I went to give her a warm hug.


    ¡°I miss you, my daughter; I miss you so much.¡±


    ¡°I miss you too, Mother,¡± I told her, and we let go of each other.


    ¡°So, where have you been? I¡¯ve been so worried about you. I didn¡¯t want to believe that you were dead,


    and I prayed day and night for your return. Thank God my prayers have been answered.¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ve just been away from everyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite clear. And I totally understand your point of view here. Losing your son was really a big


    blow to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was. You do know I almost got killed, right?¡±


    She looked at me in surprise. ¡°What? Someone tried to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was how Janice was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°But who would be so cruel? Who did that?¡±


    ¡°The same person who set Luke¡¯spany on fire. The same person who killed my son. Well, he is


    responsible for everything.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that some other time. But now, let¡¯s focus on why we¡¯vee here. You came to get


    yourself some books, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m guessing you came for the same reason. I shouldn¡¯t even be saying that. There¡¯s


    obviously one reason why someone would be in a bookstore.¡±


    ¡°Well, not really,¡± I spoke, and in my head was how those two women were fighting moments ago. Oh,


    that was so sick.


    ¡°Okay, I guess the both of you would like to get yourselves your books, right?¡±


    The cashier vocalized.


    turned to him. ¡°Yes, thank you. But there¡¯s no need for you to worry about us. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t worried.¡±


    I nodded and turned back to my mother. When we were done picking up our books, we paid the


    cashier.


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s nice having customers like you around. Just in case you want to get more books,


    you¡¯re always wee here.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    My mother and I left the shop after that.


    ¡°So, Ariel, tell me, how¡¯s your rtionship with Luke?¡±


    After a little while, I exhaled deeply, but I didn¡¯t give her a reply.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still angry with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Mom. I just don¡¯t¡­Ughhh, never mind.¡±


    ¡°Luke loves


    , Ariel. I realized that when I saw how worried he was about you. When you were missing, he searched


    everywhere. He barely went to work, he barely ate. He barely did a thing, all because of you. You


    shouldn¡¯t be mad at him.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not mad at him. I just don¡¯t feel like..¡±


    ¡°Getting back together with him?¡± She cut me off.


    ¡°Hmm, yeah. Those are the words.


    ¡°But you two are still married.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that,¡± I uttered in hushed tones.


    ¡°Hope you¡¯re not nning to get a divorce.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that.¡±


    ¡°You want to get a divorce?¡± She quizzed me.


    ¡°Mom, please. I¡¯m in no mood to talk about this right now. I brought a paper kit from my purse and


    wrote my number on it. I handed the paper to my Here you go. That¡¯s my number. You can call me


    some other time. Take care.¡±


    mother.


    I walked away after that.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Great¨Caunt, what are you doing here? And where have you been all these years? ¡°I asked my great¨C


    aunt. Honestly, I thought she was long gone from this world. Like, she barely talked with my


    grandfather. She didn¡¯t evene to his funeral she¡¯s nor send messages. She ghosted the family for


    years. But all of a sudden, back, straight to me, I¡¯m fact. Something was not right around here. There


    must be a solid reason for hering back.


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that, Luke. Don¡¯t you have some respect, or has your money taken away


    your character?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I say anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re asking me that as well?¡± She gave me a death stare. Yeah, right with


    those brows of hers.


    ¡°Okay, I apologize for any misunderstanding. But I¡¯m just surprised anyone would be. I mean, it¡¯s been


    years since west saw you, and we never got in touch, we never¡­.¡±


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t get in touch, it¡¯s all you and your grandfather¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°How exactly?¡±


    ¡°You guys forgot about me. All of you abandoned me.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who abandoned us.¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± She snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not done talking. Don¡¯t you dare interrupt me?¡±


    ¡°Okay,. I¡¯m sorry about that, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I said silence!¡± She snapped once again. ¡°Where are your manners, young man? Did they die with


    your grandfather?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the grave. Have some respect.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, shut up. Now, move out of the way. I got to go in.¡±


    ¡°You want to live in my house?¡±


    ¡°My house, actually. I¡¯vee back to take what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what exactly is that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act dumb, don¡¯t y stupid around here. You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, no, I don¡¯t.¡°/


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to tell you then. I¡¯vee back for one reason: to take this wealth Because it belongs to


    me.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I quizzed immediately, not giving her a friendly look. She gave me the stare that could kill


    someone instantly, but I didn¡¯t quiver at that.


    ¡°What do you mean by how?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. You need to make things really clear around here. You have nothing here. I¡¯m the owner of


    the Reynolds, I own the business, and I run thepany. I¡¯ve been doing this for years; I don¡¯t see any


    reason why you woulde and start telling me all this.¡±


    ¡°Before you came, I was already in this world.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that everything¡¯s under my name. I worked hard for this. Yes, I¡¯m not


    going to lie; I was born with a silver spoon. But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that Ibored hard day and


    night, trying to keep the business in form and make it stable. What did you do? Disappear into thin air.¡±


    ¡°You canpose a story all you want. You¡¯re still not changing my mind.¡±


    ¡°Change your mind or not. That¡¯s none of my goddamn business. I won¡¯t let you do shit.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She pped me immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk nonsense? You little thing! I was there when your


    mother gave birth to you. You were just as tiny as an ant, crying like a fool. But now look at you,


    bringing out all this crap. Aren¡¯t you such an idiot?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be ashamed of yourself?¡± My tone was extremely bitter.


    She looked at me in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right; I¡¯m not repeating anything. If you came here to cause trouble and create chaos,


    it¡¯s best you leave.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± She barked. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate another one of your insults.¡±

 Chapter 233

    233: RETORTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I tiptoed into Janice¡¯s bedroom, careful not to wake her up. She looked so


    peaceful, her chest rising and falling gently as she slept. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of her.


    I had gone to the bookstore early this morning to pick up some books for her. Last night, she had been


    begging me for thetest bestseller, and I couldn¡¯t resist spoiling her. Just when I ced the books on


    her nightstand, I saw her stir and slowly open her eyes.


    ¡°Mom?¡± She mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.


    ¡°Good morning, sweetheart,¡± I said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. ¡°Time to wake up.¡±


    She groaned and buried her face in her pillow. ¡°Already? Can¡¯t I sleep for five more minutes?¡±


    I chuckled and sat down on the edge of her bed. ¡°Nope. You have a full day ahead of you. And


    besides, I have a surprise for you.¡±


    Her eyes widened with excitement. ¡°Really? What is it?¡±


    I handed her the books, and her face lit up. ¡°Oh my gosh, thank you, Mom!¡± She eximed, giving me


    a quick peck on the lips. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±


    I smiled and ruffled her hair. ¡°Anything for my little bookworm. Now, get up and get ready. We¡¯re going


    out today.¡±


    She sat up and stretched, yawning. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± I said, winking at her.


    She rolled her eyes yfully. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get ready. But I¡¯m not taking a bath.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°And why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I took onest night.¡± She shrugged.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her antics. ¡°Nice try, but you still need to take a bath. We don¡¯t want you


    going out smelling like a skunk.¡±


    She pouted, but I could see the amusement in her eyes. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll take a quick shower.¡±


    I watched as Janice reluctantly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. After that,


    I picked up one of the books I had bought for her and started


    flipping through the pages. It was a fantasy novel, one of my personal favorites. I sufled to myself,


    knowing that Janice would enjoy it just as much.


    Deeply immersed in the story, I heard a knock on the door. I looked up to see one of the maids


    standing at the doorway.


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Ariel,¡± she greeted with a smile. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No, thank you. I can handle it. But thanks for asking.¡±


    She nodded and turned to leave, but then she paused and turned back to me. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Mrs.


    Janice¡¯s breakfast is ready. Would you like me to bring it up to her room?¡±


    Iughed silently. ¡°Thank you, once again. But I think Janice is still in the shower. I¡¯ll take the breakfast


    up to her when she¡¯s done.¡±


    The maid nodded and left the room, again leaving me to my reading.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want any more insults, I suggest you get out of here!¡± I snapped at my great¨Caunt. Enough


    is enough! I was sick and tired of her irritating presence. Right now, I just wanted her to get the hell out


    of my sight.


    ¡°You are still being rude, aren¡¯t you?¡± She spat back. ¡°Where¡¯s the respect?¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that. Where¡¯s the respect great¨Caunt?


    expected you to stoop this low. Come on, you¡¯re better than that.¡±


    ¡°You are crazy, Luke.¡±


    I never


    ¡°That¡¯s rich. Coming from the woman who just popped out of nowhere, saying she wants to take the


    wealth of someone who has been working hard for it.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve really changed, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No, I never changed. You just never knew me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d I do now. And trust me, I¡¯m going to change you in different ways.¡±


    ¡°No need to be rude, but you¡¯re not going to do any shit.¡±


    ¡°Wow, wow, wow. You know what, Luke? Step out of the way.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t? What are you going to do about that?¡±


    ¡°Oh god, where the hell did you get the nerve?¡±


    ¡°You are family, great¨Caunt Liliana. I¡¯m not going to lie about that. You were like my grandfather¡¯s best


    friend, that¡¯s correct. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m going


    to let you talk nonsense or do shit here. If you¡¯vee to this house to live with me, then you better


    behave yourself. Live in peace, and I don¡¯t want any trouble, I don¡¯t want chans, I don¡¯t want


    commotions.¡±


    She wanted to p me, but I was quick to seize her hand. ¡°You already did this. Not again.¡± I shoved


    her hand off.


    ¡°You better listen to me, young man.¡±


    ¡°No, you listen to me. This is my house and everything I have here; I work day and night for it. I suggest


    you show some respect, not just to me, but to myte grandfather. I believe he wouldn¡¯t want you doing


    this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care about that man anyway. He chose not to care for me, so why should I care for him?¡±


    ¡°What? How didn¡¯t he care for you?¡± I quizzed her instantaneously.


    ¡°I left his life, and he didn¡¯t even bother to look for me.¡±


    ¡®Seriously? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to say now? That¡¯s your goddamn backup?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a backup, you


    idiot! I¡¯m just telling you my feelings,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Your feelings, you say. So, if you don¡¯t care about him, why have youe to take his wealth then?


    Why didn¡¯t you just continue to live your life withouting back to our lives?¡±


    My great¨Caunt chuckled. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know the history of your grandfather¡¯s wealth.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say now, huh?¡± I asked her, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I helped your grandfather in establishing this business.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, how nice is that? Well, guess what? I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to care, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°Can you please just go away? It¡¯s too early for this. I have to go to work and attend a business


    meeting. Get a lot of things done or something.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, young man!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only be wasting my time.¡± I turned around, but she seized my hand. I nced at her immediately.


    ¡°Please, put an end to this drama.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not putting on a drama here. I¡¯m just trying to make you understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Understand what?¡± I cut her off.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t let me finish.¡±


    ¡°Cause you don¡¯t have to, okay?¡± I tugged my hand out of hers. ¡°Please, I just want peace. I¡¯ve got a lot


    going on in my mindtely, and you bringing all this is only adding up, making things worse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± she told me coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why you should get the hell out of here. I shouldn¡¯t even be wasting my time with


    you. Like,e on, this is so fucked up.¡±


    ¡°Your thoughts are as useless as you. But right now, I¡¯m just going to let you know one thing. This


    wealth, this sess, this establishment. Your grandfather wouldn¡¯t have all these if it weren¡¯t for me.¡±


    I looked at her in disbelief. ¡°How? What did y

 Chapter 234

    234: WHAT I DID


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I¡¯m d you asked me, young man, ¡°my great¨Caunt spoke in her mocking tone. And I was very eager


    to know what she did that had brought to the establishment of thispany. Or maybe she was talking


    nonsense. Well, she better be.


    I kept ring at her while she continued, ¡°As you can see, your grandfather always had a dream of


    bing a billionaire. He had no money, and he needed one to chase this dream of his. So I had to


    help him out.


    ¡°Hold on a minute, what year did all of this happen?¡± I asked, still not ready to buy this craping


    from this woman.


    ¡°Before you were born.¡±


    Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°You know what? Just continue, continue.¡± I pped.


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± She spat. ¡°What are you feeling like, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, say what now?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re feeling yourself too much.¡±


    ¡°Right, yeah. Says the woman who came and started talking shit. The woman who just came out of


    nowhere wants to take away what doesn¡¯t belong to her.


    ¡°I helped your grandfather. I gave him the money he needed to start a business. That was all I had at


    that time because I felt so sorry for that man.¡±


    ¡°And you enjoyed the wealth, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet!¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t be quiet. You think I¡¯ll be quiet when it has gone to a situation like this? You think my lips


    are going to be sealed?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Hell no, but I have to make this clear to you. You helped my


    grandfather, yes. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re told to stand somewhere and watch your loved ones suffer. You can


    still enjoy, live with. me peacefully, and kill that pride of yours.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a clown?¡±


    ¡°The only clown here is you,¡± I retorted. ¡°Your thoughts, your thinking, everything concerning you is just


    lame.¡±


    ¡°Keep talking nonsense all you want. I¡¯m still going to that house.¡±


    ¡°Feel free. But you just got to know that I bought this house. This isn¡¯t where I- lived when I was still a


    young kid. This is my house.¡±


    ¡°Still used my brother¡¯s wealth.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless talking to you.¡±


    I angrily walked away, bursting into my car. This woman was about to give me a serious headache. I


    better make sure I put her in her ce.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood in the park with Janice by my side; a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves of the towering


    oak trees that lined the paths. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the


    tranquil scene. Birds chirped melodiously in the background, adding a symphony of nature¡¯s sounds to


    the peaceful setting.


    Janice tugged at my hand, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the sights around her. The park


    was a kaleidoscope of colors and textures, with vibrant flowers blooming in every corner and the grass


    a lush, inviting green beneath our feet. The air was rich with the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming


    flowers, a sweet perfume that tickled our senses.


    I smiled down at my daughter, my heart swelling with love at the sight of Janice¡¯s joyful expression. I


    knelt beside her, our eyes meeting as we took in the beauty surrounding us. Janice¡¯s gaze darted from


    one feature to another, unable to contain her excitement at the wonders of the natural world.


    Together, we wandered along the park¡¯s winding paths, hand in hand, our footsteps soft against the


    earth. We passed by a tranquil pond where ducks glided gracefully across the water, leaving ripples in


    their wake. Janice let out a delighted squeal as she pointed at the ducks, her eyes sparkling with


    delight.


    Iughed at my daughter¡¯s infectious joy, my own heart filled with happiness at the simple pleasures of


    motherhood. I watched as Janice bent down to pick a wildflower growing by the path, her small fingers


    carefully plucking the delicate. petals. The flower was a burst of color against the backdrop of greenery,


    a small treasure that Janice held gently in her palm.


    As we continued our stroll, we came upon a grove of cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The branches


    were heavy with pink and white blossoms, creating a canopy of petals that danced in the breeze.


    Janice and I stood beneath the blooming trees; our faces upturned to the fluttering petals that fell like


    snow around us.


    The air was filled with the soft hum of bees and the distantughter of children ying in the park. I


    closed my eyes, savoring the moment of peace and contentment that enveloped me. I felt a deep


    gratitude for this time spent with my daughter, for the bond we shared and the memories we were


    creating together.


    Janice tugged at my hand once more, her eyes alight with curiosity as she spotted a family of squirrels


    ying in the branches above. I lifted my daughter onto my shoulders, allowing her to better view the


    yful creatures, Janice giggled with delight, her small hands reaching out to the squirrels as they


    chattered and scampered among the branches.


    Janice immediately ran towards the swings, her favorite yground equipment. chuckled to myself as I


    watched her jump onto the swing and sway back and forth with so much joy. ¡°Mommy, push me


    higher!¡± she yelled, her blonde hair flying


    in the wind.


    I walked towards her and started pushing her higher and higher. ¡°Weeeeee!¡± Janice squealed with


    delight. ¡°This is so much fun, mommy!¡±


    Janice got down from the swing and pointed towards the slide. ¡°Let¡¯s go on the slide now, mommy!¡°. I


    smiled and followed her towards the slide. It was actually a nice moment,¡±


    Once we reached the top of the slide, I sat down at the top, and Janice sat on myp. ¡°Ready,


    mommy?¡± she asked with a big grin on her face. ¡°Ready!¡± I replied, and we both went sliding down the


    slide,ughing and screaming all the way down.


    Making our way to the next yground equipment, I noticed a group of kids ying with a frisbee.


    ¡°Janice, do you want to y frisbee with me?¡± I asked. She nodded eagerly, and we joined the group of


    kids. Seeing my daughter¡¯s enthusiasm and energy was amazing as she ran around, trying to catch the


    frisbee.


    After a while, Janice and I sat down on the grass, exhausted but happy. ¡°Mommy, this has got to be


    one of the best days ever!¡± Janice vocalized, resting her head on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m d you had fun,


    sweetie,¡± I said, kissing her forehead.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    While we were still sitting down, we watched the clouds drift by and yed ¡°I Spy ¡°with the shapes we


    could see in the sky. ¡°Look, Mommy! That cloud looks like a unicorn!¡± Janice said excitedly, pointing


    towards the sky.


    ¡°It sure is,¡± I uttered, looking at the sky.


    ¡°And it sure is the most beautiful woman on this standing in front of me right now,¡± someone


    said, and I turned around to see who it was.

 Chapter 235

    235: DON¡¯T HIDE IT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Turning around, Luke was the one I saw. He stood not too far from Janice and me, not taking his eyes


    off the two of us one bit. He had this sad countenance, not that we had spoken with each other yet. I


    began the conversation, but he already made me feel sorry for him.


    ¡°Ariel, he spoke my name softly, looking deeply into my eyes. Our gaze wasn¡¯ting to an end any


    time soon. ¡°I¡¯m d I saw you.¡± His soft and gentle tone continued.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I vocalized softly as well. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came here for you,¡± he answered.


    ¡°For me?¡± I asked, with a face that was puzzled to a certain degree. ¡°How did you know that I came


    here?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m here now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, say what now?¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Janice ran to Luke, grabbing his leg in her buoyant mood.


    Heughed and squatted to her level, holding her hands. ¡°How have you been, pretty one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been great, daddy. I was even thinking of telling Mommy to take me to you. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re


    here now.¡±


    My eyes widened, hearing Janice¡¯s words. She was thinking of doing what now?¡±


    ¡°It seems like my little baby is having a great time at the park.¡± Luke smiled. delightfully at her, kneading


    her nose.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy made this moment really special for me. We were looking at the sky before you came.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Come on, daddy, take a good look at the sky.¡± Janice pointed towards the sky.


    Luke looked in the direction of her finger. ¡°Wow, the sky is really a beautiful one.¡±


    I looked at the sky as well, and it was really beautiful, with the clouds moving slowly right there. It was a


    magnificent view.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Janice asked Luke.


    He nodded,ughing slightly. ¡°it¡¯s beautiful, and you can just imagine how it¡¯s going to look like when


    the day gets dark, with the stars popping up.¡±


    Luke moved his hand dramatically, continuing, ¡°It¡¯s going to be real beautiful. just like your mother.¡± He


    turned to look at me, smirking. I quickly turned my


    face away


    Look at me, Ariel,¡± he said. I nced at him that very moment, watching how he stood up and walked


    to me. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    I continued to look into his eyes, lost in his charm. ¡°Why are you asking me that?


    I asked him softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m being caring. You are my wife, remember?¡±


    ¡°I know that. You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, take a look at the little children ying in this park.¡± Luke gestured towards the gleeful children


    right in the park.


    I looked in the direction he was gesturing. Children of all ages ran and yed, theirughter filling the


    air with joy and excitement.


    On the swings, a little girl with curly blonde hair giggled as her father pushed her higher and higher. Her


    pink dress fluttered in the wind, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with delight.


    Nearby, a group of boys were ying a game of tag. They ran around the yground, their sneakers


    pounding against the ground as they chased each other with shouts of glee. The tallest boy, with


    messy brown hair, managed to tag his friend, and they both copsed on the grass, panting and


    laughing.


    A little boy with sses and a book in hand carefully constructed a sandcastle in the sandbox. He


    added a moat and a g on top, a proud smile on his face as he admired his creation. A few feet away,


    a group of girls were having a tea party with stic cups and tes, their stuffed animals as guests.


    They chattered away, their imaginations running wild.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    On the basketball court, a group of teenagers were ying a game of pick¨Cup. They dribbled and shot,


    theirpetitive spirits evident as they cheered and high -fived each other. One girl with long braided


    hair made a perfect shot, and the others cheered, impressed by her skills.


    A little further away, a group of toddlers were chasing bubbles that their parents blew for them. They


    squealed with delight as they tried to catch the colorful orbs, their tiny hands reaching out in


    excitement.


    Some yed on the jungle gym, climbing and sliding with ease. Others rode their


    bikes or scooters around the paved paths, a sense of freedom and adventure in


    their movements.


    ¡°Now tell me, Ariel, what do you see here?¡± Luke asked, setting his eyes back on


    1. me.


    ¡°I see¡­..ferent children,¡± I replied slowly.


    ¡°Of course, I know that. But tell me what you see in these children ying around?¡±


    ¡°Happiness,¡± I answered softly.


    ¡°Uhmm, what did you say?¡± He pretended like he didn¡¯t hear what I said.


    ¡°Happiness, they¡¯re all happy.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! And why are they happy? It¡¯s because they have what they want. They have the things that


    they need.¡±


    ¡°I think I know where this talk of yours is going to.¡±


    ¡°I know you do.¡± Luke held both of my hands. ¡°Ariel, listen to me. There¡¯s no need for you to keep on


    fighting it.¡±


    ¡°Fighting what?¡±


    ¡°You love me, and I can see the passion in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°And who told you that?¡± I asked in a whisper.


    ¡°No one has to tell me. I can see everything clear myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start thinking like that.¡± I took my hands off his. ¡°Janice,e on, we have to¡­.¡±


    He grabbed my waist and pulled me really close to him. Now, this man had hist hand wrapped around


    me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let me go?¡± I tried taking his hand off my body.


    ¡°You have to listen to me,


    me, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Listen to you? What do you have to say?¡±


    ¡°My feelings. Every time I look into your eyes, I can feel the love and passion you have for me. It¡¯s like


    a me that never dies burning bright and strong. Your gaze is filled with adoration, and I can see how


    much you truly love me.¡±


    I almost got lost by his words, but I shook my head, snapping out of it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hide it, Ariel. Your eyes are the windows to your soul, and they show me the depth of your love.


    Every single minute, I¡¯m captured by your passiorr, and I


    hope to spend every moment of my life basking in it.¡±


    After staring into his eyes for some seconds, Iughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Luke questioned softly.


    ¡°And since when did you be a poet?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m only expressing these feelings for you. I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m for real when I say I


    want you to be my woman and no one else.


    I sighed. ¡°I understand you, Luke. But please, you have to stop all these and listen


    to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening. So tell me, what¡¯s your decision?¡±


    ¡°First, you have to let go of me,¡± I told him and he did that. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not ready yet. I¡¯m not ready to get


    back to you and you know, live that life.¡±


    ¡°I want the both of you together, mommy.¡±


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 236

    236: THE FEELING


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    i turned to Janice who was looking at the both of us, a surprised look etched on my face. I didn¡¯t even


    know what to say right now. Did I just hear Janice right, or were my ears deceiving me?


    Luke looked at Janice as well. ¡°What did you just say, pretty one?¡±


    ¡°I said, I want the two of you back together. And I want to spend time with you, daddy. I want to y


    and have fun with you always.¡±


    Luke nced back at me with a smirk on his face. ¡°I think you heard the little girl loud and clear.¡±


    I gave him a nk expression before turning back to Janice. ¡°Janice, my dear, you¡­¡±


    ¡°You want that, right?¡± Luke quizzed Janice, cutting me off.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, of course. Daddy, I want to spend time with you. I want to y and have fun with


    you always. You saved me from that bad man; you are my hero, and I know for a fact that you will be


    my best friend.


    Luke smirked at me once again. ¡°I think you should listen to the little kid.¡± He fixed his eyes on Janice.


    ¡°Of course, pretty one. We are going to be good friends.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Yes, Daddy! I know that every moment I will spend with you will be filled with joy,ughter, and love.


    Your presence right now brings a sense offort and security that I cannot find anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s so sweet of you.¡± Luke smiled, nodding. ¡°Come here, little one.¡± He stretched his arms


    wide for her.


    She ran to him and hugged him. ¡°Daddy, please, don¡¯t leave me. Whether we¡¯ll be ying catch in the


    backyard or watching a movie together, every moment that I¡¯m going to spend with you will be precious


    and irreceable. I¡¯ll cherish our time together, and I¡¯m looking forward to making memories with you. I


    have a feeling that you will be the best dad a child could ask for.¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ll also be the best daughter ever.¡±


    ¡°I am grateful to have you in my life, Daddy, and I can¡¯t wait to spend time with you.¡±


    I was just watching them, and this moment was really nice. Father and daughter¡¯s love. I didn¡¯t even


    know what to say or what to do right now. But I


    didn¡¯t think I would be telling Luke yes any time soon


    Tanker let go of Lake and walked to me ¡°Why aren¡¯t we even living together, mommy?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, this is really fucked up.¡± I muttered and hit my head. I took a deep breath after that,


    crossed my arms, staring at Janice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s live together, mommy,¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. Let¡¯s live together,¡± Luke said yfully, and I gave him a cold glimpse. Turning back to


    Janice, I hunkered down and held both of her shoulders, ¡°Look, Janice. I love you, and I¡¯ll always do


    the things you say. Not this time, sweetheart.¡±


    I exhaled deeply, looking into her eyes. ¡°Janice, my love for you knows no bounds, and I have always


    been willing to do anything you ask of me. However, this time, I have to respectfully disagree. My love


    for you does not mean I have to blindly follow your everymand.¡±


    I sniffled and continued, ¡°I believe in our rtionship, and I trust that you will understand my decision.


    Please know that my love for you remains unwavering, but in this instance, I must follow my own path. I


    hope you can understand and support me in this decision.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s wrong with my suggestion, mommy? Can¡¯t we be a family?¡±


    ¡°We can be a family, but I don¡¯t think the time is right.¡±


    ¡°Then when will the time be right?¡±


    I looked at her in the eyes. ¡°Trust me, sweetheart. Please.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, mommy. But I just want Daddy to be with us. I just got to know him, and I want to spend so


    many times with him.¡±


    ¡°And you will, but we are not living together.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is anything wrong with that?¡± Luke chimed in. I frowned at him right


    away.


    ¡°Janice, I have no words right now. I can¡¯t keep on arguing.¡± I stood up and held her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go


    home.¡±


    Janice pulled her hand out of mine. ¡°No, Mommy! I don¡¯t want to go home! I want to spend time with


    Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act stubborn now, Janice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being stubborn. I just want Daddy by my side.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, dear; I¡¯ll always be here for you.¡± Luke transposed closer, fixing his hands on


    Janice¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Are you happy now?¡± I questioned him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be happy when you¡¯re not by my side.¡± He let go of Janice and moved really close to me.


    ¡°Step back..¡± I told him.


    He paused for a moment, and then he seized my waist, grabbing a hold of me. Why, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Why what?¡±


    ¡°Why do you continue to fool yourself? Why do you pretend not to love me when it¡¯s evident in your


    eyes? It¡¯s clear that you have strong feelings for me, yet you refuse to acknowledge them. Is it because


    you are afraid of being hurt or vulnerable? Or is it because you don¡¯t want to admit to yourself that you


    have feelings for me?¡±


    ¡°Luke¡­¡±


    ¡°You are the one who has stolen my heart. But whatever the reason may be, I wish you would stop


    ying games with your own heart and be honest with yourself. Love is a beautiful and powerful


    emotion, and denying it will only lead to pain and regret. Open your heart and embrace the love that


    you feel, Ariel. Don¡¯t let fear and denial hold you back from experiencing true happiness.¡±


    ¡°You love me, Luke. But please, I¡¯m not ready to be in this rtionship. Please. understand that.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to be ready then?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me that. Cause I don¡¯t know,¡± I answered and he slowly let go.


    of me.


    ¡°Okay then. That¡¯s your decision, so I guess I¡¯ll have to respect it.¡±


    I held Janice¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, Janice. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I took her to the parking lot which was surrounded by tall trees, their leaves. swaying gently in the light


    breeze. Of course they provided a sense of serenity and privacy, shielding the lot from the busy streets


    and the hustle and bustle of the city. The branches of the trees stretched out, creating a natural canopy


    above the lot, providing shade from the remaining rays of the sun.


    And just when I got close to my car, Janice pinched my hand.


    ¡°Ouuuhh! Janice!¡± I gave her a crazy look. ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mommy. But I want to go back to daddy. Please let me go back to him..


    ¡°I already told you, and you know my decision. You¡¯reing home with me.¡± I brought my keys out of


    my purse and opened the car.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go now. I want to spend time with daddy. I want to have fun. with him.


    ¡°You will have fun at home, okay? There¡¯ll be plenty of toys to y with, and there will also be


    chocte,¡± I spoke with half of my body fixed in the car as I was searching for my keys which fell down.


    ¡°Finally,¡± I said the moment I finally found it took me almost a minute. When I took my face out of the


    car, I couldn¡¯t see Janice anywhere.


    I looked left and looked right, but I couldn¡¯t sight her. ¡°Janice?¡±

 Chapter 237

    237: PANICKING?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    1 frantically looked around the parking lot, my heart racing in fear. ¡°Janice? Janice¡± I called out, hoping


    she would answer. But there was no sign of her.


    1 ran up to a couple getting into their car, ¡°Excuse me, have you seen a little girl around here? She was


    wearing a pink dress.¡±


    They shook their heads, ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. Sorry.¡±


    I felt a lump form in my throat. Where could she have gone? I turned to another person, an old man


    walking towards his car, ¡°Excuse me, sir. Did you see a little girl around here?¡±


    He gave me a sympathetic look, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t seen anyone like that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I told him, and he nodded before walking away.


    I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Where could my daughter have gone? I ran back to my car, my heart


    pounding in my chest. Why did Janice have to act like this now? It wasn¡¯t nice, wasn¡¯t cool, wasn¡¯t fun


    either.


    She might be with Luke right now. Yes, she must probably be with him. But I didn¡¯t think Luke would still


    be around. Even so, I decided to go check.


    I rushed to that location, and I spotted Luke about to enter his car. I didn¡¯t waste any time running to


    him. ¡°Luke! Have you seen Janice? Is she with you?¡±


    ¡°No, she isn¡¯t,¡± he replied.


    ¡°But have you seen her?¡±


    He looked at me with concern, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. What¡¯s wrong? Is she missing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find her. She was right here, and then she disappeared.¡± I felt my voice break as I could feel


    myself about to burst into tears.


    ¡°Okay, you mean she just vanished?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she left, and I have no idea where she is right now.¡±


    ¡°Why would you let her move like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, okay? I was searching for my keys which fell in my car.¡±


    ¡°Okay, great. It¡¯s not your fault. The whose fault is it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find my daughter here. I¡¯m in no mood to joke right now.¡±


    Your sign¨Cin rewat. Come to im your free coins. C


    ¡°Who said I was jok


    ¡°Please, no jokes, alright?¡±


    Luke chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m just trying to lighten the mood. Let¡¯s think logically, where could she


    have gone?¡±


    I sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe she ran off to the ice cream truck.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Oh no, not the ice cream truck!¡± Luke eximed, mockingly. ¡°We better call the FBI, she must have


    been abducted by the ice cream man.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°Very funny, Luke. This is not the time for jokes.¡±


    ¡°You told me that already, and you think I¡¯m cracking jokes right now?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not cracking jokes, what are you doing, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, I¡¯m just trying to lighten your mood. You worry too much, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°I worry too much? It¡¯s my daughter we¡¯re talking about here.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, you think I don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t have time for this. I just need to focus on finding my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Our daughter,¡± Luke told me and I red at him slowly. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say anything wrong, did I?¡±


    I let out a sigh, not giving a fuck about him. ¡°Now, where could Janice be?¡± ¡°Maybe she went back to


    the car?¡± He suggested.


    ¡°Nah, she¡¯s not there,¡± I replied, not ncing at him.


    ¡°Why do you feel so?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that, okay? She¡¯s not there!¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, Ariel. No need to tell like that.¡±


    ¡°What? I wasn¡¯t even screaming.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°Luke, please. No more jokes.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh,¡± I spoke underneath my breath. ¡°For the love of God, do not ask me that.¡±


    ¡°You remind me of someone right now,¡± he said.


    Who exactly?¡± I asked, giving him a curious look.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re that eager to know? I thought the only thing on your mind right now is finding your Oh sorry,


    our daughter.


    ¡°Are you even thinking straight right now? Your daughter is nowhere to be


    four


    and you¡¯re just here, talking nonsense. You¡¯re not even concerned about


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Ariel. I am concerned about Janice. But you want to know why I¡¯m not freaking out? It¡¯s


    because I believe that my daughter is in safe hands. Nothing bad is v happen to her.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I said lowly.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Let¡¯s think. Where would Janice go if she got lost?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°Knowing her, probably to the nearest candy store.¡±


    ¡°Candy store? She loves candy that much?¡±


    ¡°Oh you have no idea. She loves candy, books, chocte and so many stuff. Oh she¡¯s just so


    wonderful.¡±


    ¡°And she loves me too.¡± He grinned.


    I gave him a face that made it seem like he was crazy. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let¡¯s go check the nearest candy store then.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said and we both began to make our way to the candy store.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ariel. We¡¯ll ind her. And then you can ground her for giving you a heart attack,¡± Luke joked


    while we¡¯re both walking along the road.


    ¡°Grounding her won¡¯t be enough. I¡¯m thinking about sending her to military school,¡± I joked back.


    ¡°There there, that¡¯s the spirit!¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± I covered my mouth immediately.


    Lukeughed. ¡°Come on now. You have to smile. Janice is okay, she¡¯s in safe hands.¡±


    ¡°How are you so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just being optimistic, just the way I am in all of my business projects.¡±


    I shook my head, deciding not to say anything. We arrived at the candy shop, and we got in, but didn¡¯t


    see Janice anywhere.


    15


    ¡°Great, she¡¯s not here.¡±


    Luke looked at me. ¡°I thought you said she was at the candy store.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me sir, that was not what I said.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I totally remember,¡± he responded, looking around. ¡°Where could she be now?¡±


    ¡°I genuinely have no idea. What if she¡¯s been kidnapped?¡± I whispered, my voice trembling.


    ¡®Come on, Ariel. Don¡¯t jump into conclusions. You worry too much.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter. I have every right to be worried about her.¡±


    ¡°What about me? Isn¡¯t she also my daughter? But do you see me being worried or saying negative


    things?¡±


    ¡°Oh gosh, this girl is going to give me a heart attack,¡± I uttered lowly.


    ¡°Follow me to my car.


    Luke left the store. I turned around and my eyes caught the cashier. She was just staring at me.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± She asked, chewing a gum.


    ¡°No,¡± I replied, faking a smile. I left the store forthwith. I spotted Luke a little bit far from me. How was


    he that fast?


    ¡°Hey, hold on! Wait for me!¡±


    I managed to reach him, he did slow down, but he didn¡¯t stop walking. The both of us advanced


    towards his car and he opened the door for me.


    I looked at him in surprise. ¡°Oh¡­.thank you.¡±


    I entered and then he shut the door before bursting in as well. We both put on our


    seatbelts.


    ¡°You want to know something, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He let out a sigh. ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    I gave him a ridiculous look and then he started the car. He drove slowly, as the both of us were looking


    through the windows. Going further, I saw some people gathered along the road, not too far from us.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± My eyes were still fixed on the crowd. And my words caused Luke


    238: DON¡¯T DO THAT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    With my hands fixed on the steering wheel, I had my eyes on the people around. I was really curious to


    know why there was a crowd around there. I knew we shouldn¡¯t be distracted in our search for Janice,


    but my mind was telling me to go and check out what was happening around there.


    ¡°What do you think is going on out there?¡± I asked Ariel who was as curious as I


    was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should go check it out?¡± I suggested, although that was the feat going on in my


    mind. It was something I was going to follow through with anyway. Ariel¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter in this


    one.


    ¡°We have to find Janice. We can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    Iughed softly. ¡°I knew you were going to say that. Don¡¯t worry, okay? We will find Janice.¡±


    She took her eyes off me, setting them back on the road.


    ¡°Right after I¡¯m done checking that out,¡± I added and drove in that direction, where the people were.


    I got out of my car and these folks were close to a three¨Cstory building, which stood tall and proud, its


    brick facade shining in the warm sunlight. It was at striking sight, with its height reaching up to about to


    sixty feet, I¡¯d say. It was extremely tell and on top of that building was a familiar face. A person that I


    would hate and love at the same time. It was my mother.


    She stood at the edge of the building, looking ready to end her life. People were pleading with her to


    come down, but it was like everywhere was mute to her. No one¡¯s words were going through her ears.


    ¡°Ariel stood close to me, not taking her eyes off the scene as well. ¡°Luke, isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    ¡°My mother? Yeah, I know,¡± I cut her off.


    ¡°Is she trying to kill herself?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re seeing right now.¡±


    ¡°I think you should go and stop her,¡± Ariel suggested. I nced at her immediately. ¡°What¡¯s with that


    face, huh? She¡¯s your mother.¡±

 Chapter 238

    238: DON¡¯T DO THAT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    With my hands fixed on the steering wheel, I had my eyes on the people around. I was really curious to


    know why there was a crowd around there. I knew we shouldn¡¯t be distracted in our search for Janice,


    but my inind was telling me to go and check out what was happening around there.


    ¡°What do you think is going on out there?¡± I asked Ariel who was as curious as I


    was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should go check it out?¡± I suggested, although that was the feat going on in my


    mind. It was something I was going to follow through with anyway. Ariel¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter in this


    one.


    ¡°We have to find Janice. We can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    Iughed softly. ¡°I knew you were going to say that. Don¡¯t worry, okay? We will find Janice.¡±


    She took her eyes off me, setting them back on the road.


    ¡°Right after I¡¯m done checking that out,¡± I added and drove in that direction, where the people were.


    I got out of my car and these folks were close to a three¨Cstory building, which stood tall and proud, its


    brick facade shining in the warm sunlight. It was a striking sight, with its height reaching up to about to


    sixty feet, I¡¯d say. It was extremely tell and on top of that building was a familiar face. A person that I


    would hate and love at the same time. It was my mother.


    She stood at the edge of the building, looking ready to end her life. People were pleading with her to


    come down, but it was like everywhere was mute to her. No. one¡¯s words were going through her ears.¡±


    ¡°Ariel stood close to me, not taking her eyes off the scene as well. ¡°Luke, isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    ¡°My mother? Yeah, I know,¡± I cut her off.


    ¡°Is she trying to kill herself?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re seeing right now.¡±


    ¡°I think you should go and stop her,¡± Ariel suggested. I nced at her immediately. ¡°What¡¯s with that


    face, huh? She¡¯s your mother.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but after what she did, do you think I¡¯m still going to call her that?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, you did about a minute ago.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it


    ¡°Okay, joke¡¯s aside. You got to go help her.¡±


    ¡°Am I the only person standing here. There are lots of folks around here. Any one can just climb that


    building and stop that woman from falling.¡±


    ¡°If I can clearly remember, she gave birth to you.¡±


    ¡®And if I can clearly remember, she almost killed you. She almost killed us, you¡¯re still going to help her


    after that?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, so you¡¯re just going to let her die?¡±


    ¡°If God says so, who am I to say no?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up, Luke.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not, Ariel. I broke all ties with that woman the moment I realized she¡¯s nothing but a witch.¡±


    ¡°I suggest you throw away that hate right now, and go stop her from jumping off that building. You¡¯ll be


    doing yourself a favor, you¡¯ll be saving a soul around here.


    ¡°A worthless soul, Ariel. That woman¡¯s already damaged, wrecked and destroyed. The only thing left is


    for her to go straight to the grave.¡±


    ¡°I would have given you a tight p right now. But technically, I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯d love to get your fingers on my cheek, lovely.¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°I can see you¡¯re crazy. But seriously, your mother needs you right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my mother.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t change the fact that she gave birth to you, also treated you nice for years, made your childhood


    lovely, do not forget that.¡±


    ¡°Why are you defending her? You and I clearly know that she did wrong. She doesn¡¯t deserve


    forgiveness.¡±


    She might have made some mistakes, that¡¯s left for you to end her life. But she¡¯s still your mother and


    you have to forgive her.¡±


    ¡°Mistakes, you call those terrible actions mistakes?¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s above mistakes, Luke. It seems like you¡¯ve forgotten how you treated me badly during our


    first marriage.¡±


    ¡°This is different,¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± she disagreed. ¡°If I can forgive you, then I think you should do the


    same a this situation.¡±


    ¡°Wow, have you forgiven me?¡±


    ¡°Duhhh,¡± she vocalized loudly.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s nice,¡± I told her with a nod.


    She raised an eyebrow a me, giving me a knowing look.


    ¡°You seriously want me to¡­¡± I trailed off as she was still giving me that face. ¡°Oh fine,¡± I finally agreed


    and looked upwards. My mom was still standing there, right at the edge of the building. Her eyes


    caught mine, and all I could see was pain, regret, guilt.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Go save that soul.¡± Ariel gestured towards her.


    I suspired and after that, I made my way through the crowd. I walked inside the building, and the first


    floor was a home to a bustling caf¨¦, withrge windows that allowed natural light to flood in. And the


    second floor housed a variety of small businesses, ranging from aw firm to a photography studio.


    Then the top floor was like a penthouse apartment. None of these mattered anyway as I was moving in


    haste.


    I finally got to the top of the building and there she was, standing right there, pulling off a drama or


    something.


    Taking some steps forward, I took a deep breath, ready to live in this moment. Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for


    Ariel, I wasn¡¯t sure I was going to go through with this. But now that I had already popped up here, it¡¯s


    best I continue the action and make sure no shit takes ce around here.


    ¡°Mom, wait,¡± I spoke softly, getting closer to her.


    ¡°Luke?¡± She said, turning around. ¡°Son.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like it when she called me that, but right now was not the time to go on with some harsh stuff.


    ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡± I asked gently, still taking leaden steps in her direction.


    Her eyes narrowed down the building. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± She set


    88 DON¡¯T DO THAT


    her eyes back on me, before looking back in that direction. ¡°I¡¯m about to end my life.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡± I questioned her. Although I knew there were billions of reasons for


    her to kill herself. It was just me putting on an act right


    now.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve done so many terrible things, Luke. I don¡¯t deserve to be in this world anymore.¡±


    ¡°Just calm down, okay? Take things easy. Look, I know you¡¯ve done a lot of terrible things, no doubt


    about that. Bute on, you shouldn¡¯t kill yourself. It¡¯s not going to change anything. We¡¯ve all made


    mistakes. I made mistakes, lots. and lots of mistakes. But I¡¯m trying my very best to be better than


    before, I¡¯m changing still, and I think you¡¯re going through the same as well.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯ve done, Luke. I¡¯m a monster, I¡¯m a terrible monster.¡± She burst into tears,


    messing her hair up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself that. You¡¯re not a monster, mom. You¡¯re just going through a bad a time at the


    moment, and I¡¯m d you¡¯ve finally realized your mistakes.¡±


    She continued to shed tears. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I set the house on fire, Luke. I set the house on


    fire.¡±

 Chapter 239

    239: THE SON¡¯S WORDS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Her tears never left her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I set the house on fire, Luke. I set the house on


    fire.¡±


    I gave her a confused expression. ¡°What house?¡±


    ¡°I killed Catherine. I set the house on fire and everything got burnt including her.


    ¡°Oh my god, are you serious?¡± I asked in shock and she nodded. ¡°But how?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been taking too many pillstely. Been depressed, regretting all the things I¡¯ve done. And all of a


    sudden, I don¡¯t know. The whole ce just caught fire.¡±


    ¡°And when did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Earlier today. I¡¯m a monster, Luke.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not, it isn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Its is my fault! I killed my own daughter, tried killing my son too I¡¯m so heartless, so cold¨Cblooded. I


    deserve to die, Luke.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. Some minutes ago, I wanted her to just die so she could get the


    hell out of this. But now, it was theplete opposite. I didn¡¯t want anything bad happening to


    her. And I needed to stop this as soon as possible.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so harsh on yourself. You didn¡¯t do it intentionally, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°Please stop saying that, Luke. It is my fault.¡± She turned around, facing the opposite direction. ¡°Now


    I¡¯m going to jump.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± I yelled. ¡°I love you, mom!¡±


    My words caused her to slowly turn around, and she gave me the shocked face. ¡± What¡­did you just


    say?¡±


    ¡°I love you, mom. Don¡¯t kill yourself, please. Stay in this world, because of me,¡± told her softly.


    She looked at me, with tears in her eyes, a sad happy moment for her. And I didn¡¯t know how the words


    just spilled out of my mouth, but that was it, and nothing else. I didn¡¯t want her dying anyway.


    After I walked closer to her, the both of us hugged each other. Her tears even got


    to a higher level, as I could feel her hands stirring around me right in this warm hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, now,¡± I whispered. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything, mom. You¡¯re


    going to be alright.¡± I poured her back.


    ¡°Thank you, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me.¡±


    ¡°If not you, then who?¡±


    My eyes went down and I saw Ariel standing in the midst of the crowd. She nced at me back and


    smiled.


    I smiled at her and turned back to my mother. ¡°You were saved by God. I think you should give the


    thanks to Him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that is true,¡± she spoke lowly.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to take you home,¡± I said, holding her hand.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Luke.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± I replied, still cleaving to her hand.


    Making our way out of the building, we were met with a sea of people as we emerged nigher. The


    crowd quickly budged towards us, their curiosity piqued by our descent. Among the throng of


    onlookers, a group of journalists had popped up, eagerly vying for our attention and seeking any


    information we could provide about our daring feat. It was quite stressful and exhrating to be in the


    spotlight, with these people seemingly interested in our story.


    ¡°Celine Reynold is alive?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, I thought she was dead.¡±


    ¡°What really happened?¡±


    I could hear people saying different thing concerning my mother. And if any one was to throw insults at


    her, she clearly deserved it. I wasn¡¯t trying to diss her or whatever. I was just saying the truth. But for


    real, I wouldn¡¯t let her get hurt by these folks around here.


    ¡°Celine Reynold, can you please tell us how you¡¯re still alive after all these years. Where have you


    been? Did you fake your death?¡± A journalist bombarded her with questions. ¡°And why did you want to


    end your own life?¡±


    We refused to give them answers to their questions, and after we were done walking past them, we


    made our way to my car. Ariel was waiting for us right there.


    BARE THE NEW


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay,¡± she told my mother.


    ¡°Ariel, please forgive me. I know I offended you big time. I had to include you in the whole situation, just


    to make my son¡¯s life miserable. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not angry with you,¡± Ariel told her.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just don¡¯t go back to your


    your evil ways.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so I¡¯ll call Jack and tell him toe pick you up. You¡¯ll just have to wait for him,¡± I told my


    mother.


    ¡°Here?¡± She looked around, finding this location creepy.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ll just drop you off at a candy store nearby. He¡¯ll pick you up from there and take you


    home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°But tell me something, mother.¡± My face got closer to hers as we both looked into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Is Catherine really dead?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Can¡¯t actually tell, but after setting the whole ce on fire, everything got burnt.¡±


    ¡°So, there is a possibility that Catherine is still alive.¡±


    She was just gazing at me.


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s time we go now. Remember we¡¯re carrying out a search?¡± Ariel reminded me.


    I got into the car and driving away. So, yeah, I took my mom to the candy store Ariel and I had went to


    earlier, then I called Jack toe pick her up. He was also surprised to hear me tell him that,but that¡¯s


    just it now. Thedy was alive.


    Ariel and I continued our search for Janice, right in my car, still looking around. The sound of car horns


    and chatter filled the air as people hurriedly made their way to their destinations. The scent of freshly


    brewed coffee wafted through the streets, tempting me to want to stop and get some, but looking at


    Ariel¡¯s serious expression, I wasn¡¯t going to do that.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    The sidewalks were a sea of people, all rushing to get to their next destination. Businessmen in sleek


    suits and ties, reminded me of when I was still younger. And there were students with backpacks slung


    over their shoulders, tourists with cameras in hand, and families out for an evening stroll. That was just


    New Haven for you.


    Going further, I noticed some performers scattered throughout the city. A group of musicians ying


    lively music, a mime entertaining aughing crowd, and a magician wowing passersby with his tricks. I


    was not going to lie, those guys stole my attention, and I could say the same thing for Ariel right here.


    The aromas of different cuisines filled the air, from Italian to Chinese to Mexican. My stomach grumbled


    as I passed by a pizza ce with the most delicious


    looking slices on disy.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, don¡¯t you think we should stop by and get some food?¡±


    Ariel shot me an unfriendly look. ¡°Are you kidding me? We haven¡¯t found Janice yet, and you¡¯re talking


    about food.¡±


    ¡°Just so you know miss, I wasn¡¯t the one who lost her.¡±


    ¡°Oh great? So you¡¯re trying to make fun of me now, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand things now.¡±


    ¡°You know what, Luke? You can go do whatever you want. Get yourself your goddamn food. I¡¯ll find


    Janice myself.¡±


    She wanted to leave the car, but I held her.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Ariel bawled and her phone started ringing.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading

 Chapter 240

    240: TO THE SPA


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°My phone is ringing,¡± I told Luke who still had a hold of me, while my phone continued to vibrate in the


    car.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting go of you.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act stupid now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rude, you know.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to let go of me or not?¡± I wore a serious face.


    Luke chuckled and took his eyes im the direction of my phone, to where the sound wasing from.


    He took it from my purse, looking at the screen.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± I asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s my phone, duhh.¡±


    ¡°So what? I have a hold of it now.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to quit this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense?¡±


    I let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°We have to find Janice right now, so can you please act serious, for crying


    out loud? And please hand me my phone!¡± I stretched my other hand over to him.


    ¡°Maybe if you were a little bit nice, I¡¯ll hand it over.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if you could act a little bit mature, I¡¯ll be nice.¡± I retorted, giving him at fake smile.


    His expression turned serious. ¡°Why are you mocking me?¡±


    ¡°You know the reason why. You brought shit upon yourself.¡±


    Luke sighed and looked away. My phone started ringing for the second time. The both of us eyed each


    other and my gaze went straight to my phone which was on


    his hand.


    He didn¡¯t take his eyes off me one bit, but fuck that anyway. I snatched my phone. from his hand and


    answered the phone call.


    ¡°Ariel, why haven¡¯t you been answering your calls?¡± Lisa quizzed me that very


    moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve just been¡­.busy.¡± I ended that sentence, frowning at Luke.


    ¡°Well, be busy all you want. I¡¯m just calling to inform you that your beloved daughter is right here with


    me at the spa.¡±


    ¡°Janice? Janice is with you at the spa.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she came in some minutes ago, and I¡¯ve been calling you but your number¡¯s not reachable.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness you found her.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you were looking for her? Like, you lost her?¡±


    ¡°Long story short, but it¡¯s great she¡¯s with you. Please text me the address.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you owe me big time for this. Where are you anyway? It¡¯s been a year and I haven¡¯t seen


    you or


    your daughter? I¡¯m surprised I still had your number.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised myself.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind. Just text me the address.¡± I ended the call after that.


    That was quite surprising. Lisa still had my number the whole time. Okay, hold on


    a minute, silly me. I didn¡¯t change that shit. But honestly, I thought I changed it..


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°You saw the name, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Then why were you looking so surprised.¡±


    ¡°Look sir. I don¡¯t have time for this nonsense. I just got the address so you can start driving now.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute, you didn¡¯t change your number?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow.


    I looked through the window. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°But I tried calling that number several times but it was not reachable.¡±


    ¡°Maybe God didn¡¯t want you talking to me.¡± I gave him a stic smile.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the what are you doing in my car, right next to me?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to drive, you can go to the backseat.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡®And let you drive? No, I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡±


    ¡°Are you being for real right now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Who knows? Maybe that¡¯s why Janice ran from you. She probably realized that your driving


    skills are terrible.¡±


    I gave him a cold stare for a moment, but I shook my head anyway. ¡°Idiot.¡±


    Stepping out of the car, I looked up at the elegant fa?ade of Nirvana Spa. The building was made of


    smooth, white stone ented with cascading greenery, giving it a serene and weing appearance.


    A sign adorned with graceful cursive lettering proimed the name of the establishment, hinting at the


    luxury and rxation that awaited inside.


    The entrance was framed by tall, slender columns entwined with delicate climbing vines, their leaves


    rustling softly in the gentle breeze. The muted sound of a bubbling fountain greeted me as I


    approached, its crystalline waters shimmering in the sunlight, casting yful reflections on the polished


    stone pathway leading to the front door.


    Pushing open the heavy ss door, I was enveloped in a wave of warmth and tranquility. The interior of


    the spa was a symphony of soft, earthy tones and gentle lighting, designed to soothe the senses and


    calm the mind. The air was scented with a delicate blend ofvender and eucalyptus, creating a


    peaceful oasis away from the bustle of the outside world.


    My eyes swept over the reception area, taking in the plush velvet armchairs, their rich burgundy hue


    complemented by gleaming mahogany side tables adorned with fresh flowers. A sparkling crystal


    chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, warm glow over the room and bathing everything in a


    soft, ethereal light. The walls were adorned with elegant oil paintings depicting serenendscapes. and


    tranquil seascapes, their colors muted and soothing to the eye. Arge, ornate mirror hung opposite


    the entrance, reflecting the beauty of the space and multiplying its sense of spaciousness.


    As I made my way further into the spa, I passed through a corridor lined with flickering candles set in


    alcoves carved into the walls, their dancing mes casting yful shadows that seemed to beckon me


    forward. Soft, instrumental music floated through the air, its gentle melodies weaving a tapestry of


    rxation and tranquility.


    Entering the main treatment area, I was struck by the sight of a stunning indoor garden bathed in


    natural light streaming in through a skylight overhead. Lush greenery cascaded from ornate nters,


    their leaves shimmering with droplets of water from a nearby fountain.


    The treatment rooms themselves were havens of peace and serenity, each one


    softly lit and elegantly appointed with plush massage tables draped in soft, white linens. The sound of


    trickling water added to the ambiance, creating a sense of harmony and bnce that could envelope


    one like a warm embrace.


    ¡°Uhmm excuse miss, are you looking for someone?¡± Ady approached me. She must have probably


    noticed how I was just looking around, scanning the building.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m came here to see someone. I wonder where she is now,¡± I answered, looking around.


    ¡°Who is that, if I may ask?¡±


    I set my eyes on thedy. ¡°You might not know her, but her name¡¯s Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Lisa Jones?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± I snapped my fingers immediately. ¡°Well, that was quite easy.¡±


    ¡°She was here some minutes ago, but I think she left after she had gotten her treatment done.¡±


    ¡°She left?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. Anything wrong? Is there a problem or¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s all fine,¡± I cut her off.


    She gave me a skeptical look. ¡°Are you sure about that? If there¡¯s a problem, me me know. Maybe I


    can help.¡±


    ¡°I really love that fact that you¡¯re this caring.¡±


    ¡°Well, not really. I have something to take care of, so I just want to get things done with you as soon as


    possible.¡±


    I looked at her for a moment. ¡°Okay, still caring.¡±


    ¡°If you say that,¡± she whispered. ¡°But seriously, is there a problem?¡±


    My eyes went in a different direction. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just looking for my¡­¡±


    I paused immediately.

 Chapter 241

    241: FOUND HER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Janice was standing right there, holding an ice cream with strawberry vor. I was d she was fine,


    and nothing bad had happened to her¨Call thanks to Lisa, I¡¯d say. I could only wonder where she was


    right now.


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re looking for someone else, miss,¡± thedy told me. I refused to give her a reply, as I


    still had my eyes on Janice. She looked in that direction, catching sight of my daughter as well.


    ¡°Is that your daughter?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, taking a look at her. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple. No one ever told you that you both look alike.¡±


    ¡°Well, not really. But I can see it right there.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You are her mother. She was with Lisa anyway.¡±


    ¡°And Lisa¡¯s the one who bought her that ice cream?¡± I quizzed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t actually tell. But I think so.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± I patted her shoulder. ¡°I should go meet her right now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you should probably do that.¡±


    ¡°You just want me to leave as soon as possible, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If you have no appointment, I don¡¯t see any reason why you should be here.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°That¡¯s sort of rude. But I¡¯ll let that one slide since you did try to help


    me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me, miss. I wasn¡¯t talking to you directly. I was just like, You know.¡°!


    ¡°Oh, I totally understand,¡± I told her, fixing my hand on her shoulder.


    She nodded, smiling at me. ¡°I¡¯m d you do.¡±


    ¡°Still rude,¡± I stated immediately. ¡°But thanks anyway.¡±


    I walked away from her and went straight to Janice, who was still enjoying her ice cream. I watched


    her, crossing my arms, as she faced opposite directions.


    I cleared my throat, and she turned around immediately.


    ¡°Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Janice, it¡¯s me. I finally found you.¡± I grinned at her. ¡°You had me worried, you know.¡± I walked


    closet.


    ¡°Where¡¯s daddy?¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s not here right now. He¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Right here, honey.¡±


    I heard Luke¡¯s boy, and I turned around. He was walking next to us, grinning.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Janice ran to him and hugged him. She was shortpared to him, but he sat on his heels


    anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d that you came,¡± she added. And I didn¡¯t know, but I felt kind of jealous.


    ¡°Where have you been, little one?¡± Luke questioned her with a smile.


    ¡°The spa, duh,¡± I answered, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±


    ¡°You are talking to my daughter. So technically, you were talking to me.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re the one who¡¯s acting stupid now.


    ¡°So you admit it, you were acting stupid.¡±


    ¡°I never denied that,¡± he answered with a shrug. ¡°But don¡¯t taunt me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got better things to do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, you can get the hell out of here.¡±


    I gave him a cold face instantly. ¡°What? No?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got better things to do, right? Why was your time at the spa?¡± ¡°Because my daughter¡¯s here.


    You think I¡¯m just going to leave her?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m here for her. You can


    leave.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, but I came here first when we arrived at this ce. You were still in the car doing only God


    knows what.¡±


    ¡°For your information, I was making a business call.¡±


    ¡°You never seemed worried about our daughter.¡±


    ¡°Because I knew she was in safe hands, and she¡¯s indeed safe. Worrying too much- wasn¡¯t going to


    change anything. Let¡¯s just be d that she¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t really think so.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what the hell is wrong with you?¡± I questioned him, my voice getting


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    louder.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°You just keep on talking shit, and it¡¯s pretty annoying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying yourself,¡± he retorted.


    1ughed, shaking my head. ¡°Nice one, idiot.¡±


    ¡°Okay, the two of you should please stop fighting!¡± Janice chimed in.


    ¡°He started it.¡± I pointed at Luke.


    ¡°The me¡¯s always on me, right?¡±


    ¡°Are


    you indeed nning to refute the notion that you instigated the entire shambles in this area?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, calm down. We¡¯re at a spa; respect yourself.¡±


    ¡°So what if we¡¯re at a spa? That¡¯s not going to stop me from telling you the shit you did.¡±


    Luke pped slowly, giving me a fake smile. ¡°Wow, Ariel. You are on fire.¡±


    ¡°Please stop it; there is no need to fight,* Janice told the both of us. Why are the two of you fighting?¡±


    ¡°Ask your mother.¡± Luke gestured toward me.¡±


    ¡°How crazy are you?¡±


    ¡°Not as crazy as you. You are a psycho. It might be sweet, but you¡¯re a psycho.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be sweet to you.¡±


    ¡°But I love you.¡±


    ¡°Keep your love to yourself.¡± I turned my face away.


    Lisa approached the three of us. ¡°Ariel, wow. I never thought I¡¯d see you again. Where have you been,


    girl?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story,¡± I responded, fixing my palms together.


    ¡°Did someone try to kill you? Did they try to hurt you or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you informed the police about it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let those guys get away like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, karina¡¯s a bitch, and they¡¯ll obviously pay for what they did. One of them is already suffering


    wherever she is now.


    ¡°That¡¯s a she? Like, a girl did this to you.¡±


    ¡°Yup, she almost sent me out of this world. But thank God, I survived. Thank God I¡¯m not dead right


    now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re back. Everyone in the family misses you so much. I know it¡¯s kind of weird that


    I¡¯m saying this since the both of us don¡¯t usually talk in the past, but I miss you.


    ¡°Oh, you do?¡± I asked her, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah, and I do miss your daughter as well. ¡°Your children, actually,¡± he said. softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for


    Lukel¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks for everything.¡± I hugged her. ¡°The ice cream, too,¡± I added, and Lisaughed.


    ¡°Okay, you guys can take care. I just have to handle a few things.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Take care, Lisa.¡± I waved her goodbye, and she walked away, smiling at me.


    ¡°Now, where were we before the¡­¡±


    He had to pause the moment I red at him, giving him a dark look. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that face.¡±


    I ignored him, rolling my eyes and turning to my daughter. ¡°So, Janice. We have to go home. Today¡¯s


    been an exhausting one, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°No, mommy. I want to go with Daddy.¡± Janice held Luke¡¯s suit tightly.


    ¡°Luke, what did you do to my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I guess she loves me.¡± He ruffled her hair, smiling down at her.


    ¡°Of course, she loves you. But she loves me more.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue, but I don¡¯t care anyway. I¡¯m good as long as someone loves me.¡± He held her chin, still


    smiling at her. She smiled at him back.


    ¡°Janice, are you being serious right now? Let¡¯s go home before the day gets dark. The rain might also


    fall at any moment. We can¡¯t stay here forever.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to stay here forever. We¡¯ll go to Daddy¡¯s house.¡±

 Chapter 242

    242: TIMES LIKE THIS


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So great, Janice. We¡¯re seriously doing this.¡± I crossed my arms, looking at Janice. She was firm with


    this whole Luke stuff, and it was really crazy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you keep on saying no, Ariel. Janiceing to my house is not actually a bad idea,¡±


    Luke vocalized.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Then tell me why you don¡¯t want my daughtering to our house.¡±


    ¡°Our daughter.¡±


    ¡°Still the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I remember you using that shit against me a couple of times.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s terrible when you say it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, shut up.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    Luke carried Janice in his arms. ¡°Oh, my beloved. It¡¯s time for Daddy to take you home.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, you¡¯re seriously taking her to your house?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what she wants. Who am I to say no?¡±


    ¡°Janice. You would want many toys, books, and other things.¡±


    ¡°I just want to spend time with my dad,¡± Janice told me.


    I nced at Luke, and he smirked at me with a raised brow.


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Fine, you win. You can go to his house.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Janice eximed and high¨Cfived Luke. They were acting like they had known each other for


    years.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going then,¡± Luke said, taking some steps forward and carrying Janice in his arms. I just


    stood still, watching them.


    He paused and turned around. ¡°Ariel, aren¡¯t youing along?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mommy. Come, let¡¯s spend some time together. It will be awesome, I-


    promise.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile, staring at Janice¡¯s innocent and cute visage.


    ¡°So, Ariel?¡± Luke gave me a knowing expression.


    I breathed out. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    After that, the three of us left the spa. We got into Luke¡¯s car, and he drove us to an arcade.


    ¡°Okay, here we are, the arcade,¡± he said, looking at the building.


    ¡°I thought you were taking us to your house,¡± I stated.


    ¡°Yes, but I just want the three of us to have fun around here. We can hang out before we go to my


    mansion. There¡¯s plenty of time to enjoy ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to that arcade!¡± Janice came out in a ring tone and burst out of the car. Iughed,


    remembering when I would take Lukel and Janice out to ces like this.


    FLASHBACK


    ¡°Good morning, my darlings!¡± I greeted my children as they descended the stairs, still rubbing the sleep


    from their eyes.


    ¡°Morning, Mom!¡± they both replied, still groggy from their sleep.


    ¡°Get ready quickly; we have a surprise outing today!¡± I eximed, trying to contain my excitement.


    ¡°What is it, Mom? Can we know now?¡± Janice asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a surprise. Just trust me, you¡¯ll love it!¡± I replied, winking at them.


    After getting ready and having breakfast, we hopped into the car and made our way to the arcade. As


    soon as we entered, their eyes widened with wonder and amazement. The ce was filled with bright


    lights, colorful game machines, and the sound of cheerful childrenughing and ying.


    ¡°Wow, this ce is amazing!¡± Lukel eximed, his eyes darting from one game to another.


    ¡°I know, right? Let¡¯s go and have some fun!¡± Janice chimed in, tugging at my hand.


    I smiled at their excitement and led them to the first game. It was a racing game, and the three of us sat


    in the car, each taking a steering wheel. As the game started, we raced against each other,ughing


    and cheering as we tried to beat


    each other. Janice was in the lead, with Lukel and I close behind. In the end, it was a tie, and we high¨C


    fived each other, proud of our gaming skills.


    Next, we moved on to a shooting game, and I was surprised to see how good my kids were at aiming


    and shooting. We yed several more games, each one more exciting than the previous one. I could


    see the joy and happiness in my children¡¯s eyes, and it warmed my heart.


    ¡°Mom, can we go on the roller coaster ride now?¡± Lukel asked, his eyes pleading. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I replied, my heart pounding with excitement.


    As we sat on the roller coaster, I could feel my children¡¯s hands grip mine tightly. But as the ride


    started, all their fear vanished, and they screamed with delight, their hands raised in the air. I couldn¡¯t


    help butugh, feeling like a kid again.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    And I was smiling with those memories. I left the car, but Luke didn¡¯t; he was making a phone call. I


    stood, waiting for him until his conversation was over.


    ¡°You guys go on without me. I¡¯ve got some stuff to take care of. I won¡¯t take long, I promise.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Tell that to your daughter.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond; he just drove away. I walked to Janice after that.


    ¡°Mommy, where is Daddy?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be back. In the meantime, let¡¯s enjoy ourselves in the arcade, okay?¡± She nodded, and we both


    advanced towards the building. When we stepped inside the arcade, the air was filled with a cacophony


    of sounds. Bright neon lights bathed the room in a kaleidoscope of colors, reflecting off the polished


    floors. Janice¡¯s eyes widened in wonder as she took in the sights and sounds around her, her hand


    tightly sped in mine.


    The arcade was a hive of activity, with groups of people huddled around various game machines, their


    faces lit up by the screens in front of them. The air was tinged with the scent of popcorn and cotton


    candy, adding to the festive atmosphere.


    ncing around, a delightful smile yed on my lips as I recalled my own childhood spent in arcades


    like this one. The familiar jingles and beeps of the games brought back memories of carefree days


    spentpeting for high scores and prizes with friends.


    Janice tugged at my hand, her eyes alight with excitement. ¡°Mom, can we y that one?¡± she


    eximed, pointing towards a brightly lit racing game in the


    corner. I chuckled softly and nodded, allowing Janice to lead me towards the machine.


    We settled into the seats in front of the game, the vibrating sound of engines and screeching tires filling


    our ears. The screen in front of us came to life, disying


    thrilling race track with winding curves and sharp turns.


    I Handed Janice a handful of tokens and watched as her face lit up with joy. Janice eagerly inserted the


    tokens into the machine, her fingers flying over the buttons. as she steered her virtual car around the


    track.


    With the race progressing, I couldn¡¯t help but be swept up in the excitement, cheering Janice on as she


    navigated the course with skill and determination. The shing lights and roaring sounds of the game


    created a sense of exhration, drawing us both into the virtual world before us.


    After the race ended, Janice turned to me with a grin, her eyes sparkling with triumph. ¡°I won, Mom!¡±


    she eximed, her voice filled with pride. Iughed and ruffled Janice¡¯s hair, my heart swelling with


    love for my daughter.


    Moving on to the next game, I marveled at the variety of attractions the arcade. had to offer. From


    ssic pinball machines to state¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cart virtual reality experiences, there was something for


    everyone to enjoy.


    ¡°What did I miss?¡±


    Luke¡¯s voice echoed through my ears. I turned around right away.


    HAS MORE MI

 Chapter 243

    243: MORE MOMENTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°What did iniss?¡± Luke asked, smiling at the both of us.


    ¡°Oh, you missed a lot,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Janice ran to him. ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I just had some things to take care of. But don¡¯t worry now; Daddy¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Cool, how about we y a game together?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be nice. I¡¯m going to crush you.¡± Luke yfully told her, and sheughed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± she smirked at him. These two were giving me joy, putting a gleeful smile on my


    face. I couldn¡¯t control the joy..


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s do this.¡± Luke chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately before turning to me. ¡°Alright,


    what game should we y first?¡± He asked, staring at


    1. me.


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll let you two decide. I¡¯ll just watch and cheer you on.¡±


    But Janice wouldn¡¯t have it. ¡°No way! You have to y with us, mommy!¡±


    I chuckled, giving in to her infectious enthusiasm. ¡°Okay, okay. Let¡¯s see what you two have in store for


    me.


    We made our way to a racing game with three steering wheels attached. I took my ce in the middle,


    with Janice on my left and Luke on my right. As we started the game, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how


    competitive they both were, their eyes. fixed on the screen as they maneuvered their cars with


    precision.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    On the other hand, I was terrible at racing games. I couldn¡¯t seem to get the hang of the controls, and


    my car kept crashing into walls and other cars. But Janice and Luke didn¡¯t seem to mind; they were too


    focused on beating each other.


    As we moved on to another game, I watched Luke and Janiceugh and cheer,pletely engrossed


    in their friendlypetition. They looked great together. Maybe bing a family wouldn¡¯t be a bad


    idea for the three of us. I didn¡¯t know why I wasn¡¯t still settled on that.


    Eventually, we made our way to the w machine, where Janice begged Luke to try to win her a


    stuffed animal. Luke rolled his eyes yfully but couldn¡¯t resist her puppy dog¡¯s eyes. After a few tries,


    he finally managed to grab a stuffed unicorn, much to Janice¡¯s delight.


    After we were done, we made our way out of the arcade, with Janice holding onto her new un


    tightly


    ¡°Daddy, that was amazing. I knew I would love spending time with you. This is


    fun.¡±


    Luke looked at her with a smile and ruffled her hair. ¡°It is, sweetheart. And guess what? We¡¯re just


    getting started.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Janice asked.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going to have a lot of fun today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, daddy. Lots and lots of fun.¡± Janice beamed, squeezing Lake¡¯s hand as we walked back to his


    car. And I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. I just had joy watching these people.


    My heart raced with excitement as I stood in line with Luke and our Janice at the entrance of the


    colossal rollercoaster. The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky, casting a golden hue over the


    amusement park. Janice¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation, her small hand tightly gripping mine as we


    moved closer to the


    coaster.


    ¡°I cannot believe we are doing this,¡± I eximed, covering my mouth with my hand.


    Luke smirked at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared.


    ¡°Me? Why would I be scared?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because you can be unbelievable sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to keep throwing insults at me all day?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I love you. I just can¡¯t help it.¡± He smirked and turned his face away, wearing a wide grin on that


    countenance, eager to experience the adrenaline rush of the twisting, turning ride. I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel a mix of nervousness and exhration bubbling within me. The atmosphere was electric, filled with


    theughter of children and the excited chatter of fellow thrill¨Cseekers..


    As we reached the front of the line, a surge of excitement washed over me. The coaster loomed


    overhead, its tracks twisting and turning into intricate patterns against the sky. The sounds of screams


    andughter filled the air as the cars zoomed along the tracks, disappearing into loops and corkscrews.


    With a final check of our safety harnesses, Luke, Janice, and I climbed into the front row of the coaster


    car. The attendant gave us a thumbs¨Cup, and with a


    sudden lurch, the coaster began its ascent. My heart pounded in my chest as we climbed higher and


    higher, the park shrinking below us.


    At the peak of the coaster¡¯s ascent, we were treated to a breathtaking view of the entire park stretched


    out before us. I felt a rush of exhration as the coaster plunged downward, picking up speed with each


    passing second. The wind. whipped through my hair as we hurtled through twists and turns, the world a


    Elur of colors and sounds.


    Janice¡¯sughter echoed in my ears, a symphony of joy that warmed my heart. Luke¡¯s whoops of


    excitement mingled with the screams of our fellow riders, creating a cacophony of sound that added to


    the thrill of the experience. We were weightless, suspended in time as we raced along the tracks for a


    few exhrating


    moments.


    The coaster finally came to a stop, and my heart was still racing, my cheeks. flushed with excitement.


    Janice was practically bouncing with joy, her eyes shining with the thrill of the ride. Luke wore a broad


    smile on his face, his sparkling with excitement.


    Stepping off the coaster, a sense of contentment washed over me. But it was really kind of crazy. Well,


    I was d that was over.


    ¡°So, how was the ride?¡± Luke quizzed me, grinning.


    ¡°It was great.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. It seems like your fear has disappeared.¡±


    ¡°I was never scared,¡± I defended.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± He gave me a sardonic smile. I rolled my eyes, suspensing, and turned my


    face away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just joking,¡± he apologized.


    ¡°To hell with you and your jokes.¡±


    eyes


    ¡°Mommy, Daddy, let¡¯s go for another ride.¡± Janice bounced on the ground with so much joy.


    ¡°Woah woah woah, easy there, little one. We can¡¯t go for another ride.¡±


    ¡°Come on,


    daddy! Please, I love it so much.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you exhausted?¡± Luke asked her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am. Maybe some other time, okay?¡± He ruffled her hair, and then he looked around. ¡°I think we


    should get ourselves something to eat.¡±


    Larke musht me


    I didn¡¯t give him a


    Mathet abonat too Artel? Aten your hamgry:


    newer, I just ignored him because he deserved that He e deserved wat se for being such a jerk. And all


    this timer, he was saying he lovesi me Imbecile


    Ariel, von do not need to be mad at me.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t be mad at you? Remember all the words you¡¯ve told me today,


    and give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t be mad at you.¡±


    All those words I said, I didn¡¯t mean any of them.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I shot him a skeptical look.


    ¡°Yes, I love you, and you know that.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading

 Chapter 244

    244: GREAT TIMES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You can keep on saying you love me.¡± 1 frowned at Luke, not wanting to near


    what he said.


    ¡°These feelings are true.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they are true,¡± I said sarcastically.


    All of a sudden, he pulled closer and smacked his lips against mine. I wouldn¡¯t lie; those lips tasted like


    strawberries. But what the heck was I doing now?


    I tried to push him away, but his grip was tight. I stepped on his shoe and his foot, and he quickly let go


    of me.


    ¡°Ouhh, what the hell was that for?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that,¡± I retorted. ¡°Were you trying to rape me?¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a psychopath. Bitter and a psycho.¡±


    Luke shook his head. ¡°I see what you¡¯re trying to do here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, shut it.¡±


    ¡°Daddy. Aren¡¯t we going to buy some food anymore? I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Okay, little one. Let¡¯s get you some food. There¡¯s an eatery nearby. Right, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°You ask me, na, who do I go ask?¡± I shrugged.


    Luke gave me a confused face. ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a song. Like, that¡¯s the lyrics of the song,¡± I tried exining to him, but he was still giving me that


    face. ¡°It¡¯s a Nigerian song.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, it all makes sense. But that sounds so wired in your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not mynguage.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m being real.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your opinion. I will express my thoughts and feelings ordingly, both in words and in


    song. I¡¯m even thinking of going to Nigeria one of these days.¡±


    ¡°Good luck on your trip to Africa,¡± Luke said, walking away, holding Janice¡¯s hand. I moved behind


    them.


    Honestly, Nigeria is one of the greatest countries in Africa, That was my thinking. though, but it was


    kind ei obvious. I had been there this one time when I went to carry out a business project Lactually


    enjoyed their dish, it tasted really nice. And their songs were dope. I¡¯m just saying that if I wanted to


    travel to Africa again, it would definitely be Nigeria.


    The three of us arrived at the eatery. It was a quaint Italian restaurant, and the outside of the building


    looked really ravishing. The aroma of garlic and tomatoes greeted us as we stepped inside. Janice


    looked around in wonder at the cozy ambiance, her hand slipping into mine as we were led to our table.


    ¡°This is going to be great,¡± she said, sitting down.


    Lukeughed. ¡°I know. Since it¡¯s the first time we¡¯re spending time together, I wanted to make this


    special and trust me, we¡¯re not done yet.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re free today.¡±


    ¡°Well, not really. There are still some business projects at hand, and there are a lot of things that need


    to be done. But don¡¯t worry, Jack has everything under control.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jack. That guy. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still working for you all these years.¡± ¡°What do you mean by


    that?¡±


    ¡°You can be really annoying sometimes. But it seems like this Jack is someone with self¨Ccontrol.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re the one throwing insults at me.


    ¡°You started it,¡± I told him, snapping my fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I thought that shit was over.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I¡¯m just getting started.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, okay?¡±


    ¡°And by going too far, what do you mean exactly?¡±


    Luke sighed. ¡°Never mind.)


    Still seated by the window, I watched Janice study the menu with intensity, her finger tracing the


    descriptions of each dish.


    ¡°What looks good to you, sweetheart?¡± I asked, a smile ying on my lips.


    Janice looked up, her face scrunched in concentration. ¡°I want the spaghetti with meatballs, Mama. It


    sounds yummy!¡±


    I chuckled softly. ¡°Spaghetti it is, then. And for me, I¡¯ll have thesagna. What about you. Luke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have whatever you have,¡± he answered.


    ¡°You eatsagna?¡± Larched an eyebrow.


    ¡°of.ourse. Why would you be asking me such a weird question?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re weird,¡± I answered right away, grinning at him.


    He couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You¡¯re still on that sh*t, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I told you, I¡¯m just getting started.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Luke continued tough, shaking his head.


    While waiting for our food, Janice¡¯s chatter filled the air; her excitement was palpable. She told me


    about her day at school, her friends, and the drawing she had made in art ss. My heart swelled with


    love for my daughter as I listened.


    When our meals arrived, steaming tes of pasta made Janice¡¯s eyes sparkle. She eagerly dug in,


    twirling spaghetti around her fork with practiced precision. I watched her with a mix of amusement and


    pride, savoring this simple moment of togetherness.


    ¡°This looks delicious!¡± Janice came out, her eyes still fixed on the food.


    ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s delicious, like your mother,¡± Lukemented.


    I gave him a crazy look. ¡°Say what now?*


    ¡°What? Did I say something wrong?¡± He asked, making an innocent face.


    ¡°You just said I¡¯m delicious.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± I told him.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. But why did you have to say that in front of the kid?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s not going to grasp a thing. There¡¯s no need for you to get all mad.¡±


    ¡°Just focus on your food, Luke. I think it¡¯s best to say nothing until you¡¯re done eating.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise you that. But I will try, though.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Between bites, Janice shared some of her dreams from when she was asleep. Luke and I listened


    attentively, I couldn¡¯t say the same for him, actually.


    ¡°I jumped on top of the huge butterfly, and it flew me to the garden kingdom.¡± ¡°The garden, what now?¡±


    Lake asked, making a puzzled face.


    ¡°Th Gardenion Kingdom It¡¯s a ce in my dream, made of grasses and cabbages.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I wish I was in your dream,¡± Luke said. I quickly hit his hand.


    ¡°So, Janice. What happened to the blue mermaid?¡±


    She disappeared. And she was never heard from again.¡±


    ¡°Then you woke up?¡± Luke asked, and I had to hit his arm again.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s not funny,¡± he whispered to me.


    ¡°And you asking her stupid questions isn¡¯t funny either.¡±


    I turned back to Janice. ¡°You can continue your story, dear.¡±


    She did that, and after we finished our meal, a dessert menu was ced before us. Janice¡¯s eyes


    widened at the sight of the decadent tiramisu, and she turned to me with a pleading look.


    ¡°Can we get dessert, please?¡± Janice asked, her voice hopeful.


    I pretended to ponder for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips. ¡°Alright, one dessert to share. But just


    this once!¡±


    Janice pped her hands in delight, her joy infectious. We ordered the tiramisu, and as we savored


    each bite, the restaurant around us faded into the background. At that moment, it was just Janice and


    me, a mother and daughter bound by love. and sharingughter. Oh, right, of course, there was Luke.


    The three of us finally left the restaurant. It was quite a lovely moment, and I didn¡¯t want to say this, but


    I needed more times like this. A happy family was what I wanted, but that would be kind of impossible


    when there was an idiot like Mason roaming around. I needed to put an end to that scumbag once and


    for all.

 Chapter 245

    245: THOSE TIMES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    It was a beautiful, sunny day, perfect for a birthday celebration. I woke up early, excited to take my


    twins, Lukel and Janice, out for their third birthday. Something I did? I always made sure to make their


    special day extra special. I had nned a fun day at the park and then a visit to their favorite ice cream


    parlor.. After getting dressed and ensuring the twins were ready, we headed to the park. Luke and


    Janice were bubbling with excitement, holding my hands tightly as we walked towards the park. As we


    entered, their eyes widened in amazement at the colorful balloons, decorations, and bouncy castle that


    I had arranged for them. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched them run towards the castle, their


    laughter filling the air. They were growing up so fast, and I wanted to cherish every moment with them. I


    joined them in the bouncy castle, and we yed andughed for what felt like hours. As the sun started


    to set, I knew it was time to move on to the next part of our adventure.


    We walked to the ice cream shop, and Lukel and Janice couldn¡¯t contain their. excitement. They loved


    ice cream, and I promised them they could choose any vor. As we entered, they were greeted with a


    chorus of ¡°Happy Birthday¡± from the staff, and they couldn¡¯t stop beaming.


    After choosing their favorite vors, we sat outside and enjoyed our ice cream. I watched my twins with


    their faces covered in ice cream, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for this moment. Lukel and Janice


    were my worlds; I would do anything to see them happy.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    After finishing our ice cream, I surprised them with a small gift each. They were overjoyed, and their


    squeals of delight filled my heart with warmth.


    ¡°Come on, you two, let¡¯s go to the pizza shop now!¡± I said, holding their hands as we walked out of the


    ice cream shop.


    ¡°Yay, pizza!¡± Lukel eximed, jumping up and down.


    ¡°I want pepperoni pizza!¡± Janice added, her eyes shining with excitement.


    We entered the pizza shop, and the smell of freshly baked pizza instantly made our mouths water. We


    ordered arge pepperoni pizza and a cheese pizza, and the twins eagerly waited for it to be served.


    ¡°Mommy, can we have some soda too?¡± Lukel asked, looking up at me with his


    big, innocent eyes.


    ¡°Of course, my love,¡± I replied, smiling at him.


    As we enjoyed our pizza, the twins were having the time of their lives. They were making silly faces


    with the pizza slices, and theirughter echoed in the small shop. I cuidn¡¯t help but join in, feeling


    grateful for this moment with my precious children.


    After finishing our pizza, I took the twins to a nearby shop with various costumes for kids. Lukel and


    Janice¡¯s eyes widened as they saw the costumes of their favorite superheroes and princesses.


    ¡°Mommy, can we try on the superhero costumes?¡± Lukel asked, pointing at the


    Iron Man costume.


    ¡°Of course, my little superhero,¡± I replied, smiling as I helped him put on the


    costume.


    Janice chose a beautiful Cindere dress, and I helped her put it on as well. They both twirled around,


    pretending to be their favorite characters.


    ¡°Mommy, you should be a superhero too!¡± Janice giggled.


    I couldn¡¯t resist their innocent request and joined them in trying on a Wonder Woman costume.


    ¡°Wow, mommy, you look so cool!¡± Lukel eximed, his eyes wide with admiration.


    We spent the rest of the day trying on different costumes, taking silly pictures, and ying pretend. As


    the day came to an end, I knew that this was one of the twins¡® best birthdays ever.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    And indeed it was; that day was something I would never forget. I was looking at pictures of Lukel right


    on my phone. He was such an angel, and he will forever have a ce in my heart.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Luke asked, sitting next to me. We were both at the park while Janice


    was enjoying herself for the moment.


    Luke nced at my screen. ¡°Oh,¡± his tone softened immediately. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I loved him so much.¡± I closed my eyes as I could feel tears about to pop up.


    Luke let out a deep sigh. ¡°I know. It¡¯s really painful losing the ones you love, right?¡±


    ¡°It sure is,¡± I answered softly


    ¡°Yes, I mean, take a look at what happened to Riley. She had a lot of things ahead of her since she was


    a smart kid. Schrships so many opportunities. She was so nice and extremely amazing; everybody


    loved her. But she died, and even today, Te still feel her presence. If she were here today, she¡¯d


    probably be making jokes and putting on her delightful smile.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I miss that soul too. I remember when she first saw me when we first met. She was asking me


    all sorts of questions, and I didn¡¯t want to answer her; I probably didn¡¯t like her at the start. Butter on,


    I had to realize how wonderful she was.¡±


    ¡°You want to know something, Ariel?¡±


    I fixed my eyes on Luke. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°I really wish I could spend some time with Lukel. It¡¯s so painful seeing him die; right on that scene, he


    was shot. And even though I didn¡¯t know him all that well, his passing really broke my heart.


    ¡°We were all broken by his death. But what can we do? We can¡¯t question God about why He takes


    away our loved ones. All we have to do is live life and see how things are going to work out.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a question, Ariel?¡±


    I looked at him for a moment before I said, ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever picture the both of us being one?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Like, have you yed the scenes in your head? The two of us being together, no troubles, no


    commotions, just me and you, in peace, loving with each other with the whole of our hearts.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me that, Luke?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m curious. I really want to know what¡¯s going on in your mind. Yes, I know you have feelings


    for me, but I want to know more. Your eyes, Ariel, are so out of this world. And your lips are simply


    majestic. I love you, Ariel, and I¡¯m serious about that. Ever since your disappearance, I have been in


    excruciating agony, despondent, and as hopeless as a dog without a bone or a bow. I was just waiting


    for you toe back because I know you¡¯re not going to die and leave me around here. I love you so


    much, Ariel.¡±


    I kept staring at him. Now, I didn¡¯t even know what to say. His words were absolutely amazing and


    breathtaking, igniting this passion within me. Indeed,


    Th


    the mes were ignited, but what was the response? Was I going to tell him that I loved him, too?


    Should I tell him that I wanted him back?

 Chapter 246

    246: LET THE HEART DECIDE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Look, Ariel, things have really been tough. We¡¯ve faced a lot of obstacles, and we¡¯ve gone through


    terrible times that almost caused us to die. I finally found love, that wonderful passion in all those


    moments.¡±


    Luke held my hand, looking into my eyes. ¡°Forget about everything else, and let your heart decide.¡±


    I was still staring at him, speechless. Our hands were still together, and he didn¡¯t take his eyes off me


    one bit.


    ¡°Luke, you need to calm down.


    ¡°What do I have to calm down for? I love you, Ariel. You love me; what are we waiting for? Or is there


    someone you¡¯re afraid of? Is there someone threatening to end your life?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no one.¡±


    ¡°So, why do you keep on wasting time?¡± What¡¯s the need for hesitation?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luke. I just don¡¯t feel like it right now. My mind keeps telling me that it would be a good


    idea to get back together with you.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to do that? Your mind can¡¯t be right all the time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But I still don¡¯t give a fuck.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Ariel, just¡­¡±


    A group of musicians materialized, setting up their instruments at the other end of the park. They were


    dressed in colorful clothes and had a variety of instruments with them. A few children had already


    gathered around, their curious eyes fixed on the musicians.


    ¡°Ariel, life can get tough. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in your mind, but please, you just have to return.


    I promise you, I¡¯ll protect you. I won¡¯t let anyone touch you or your daughter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about protection, Luke.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m just making a promise to you.¡±


    I took a deep breath and looked at him. ¡°Luke, I can¡¯t just forget everything and jump back into a


    rtionship with you. It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°But we love each other, Ariel. That¡¯s all that matters.¡®


    Before I could respond, the musicians started ying their instruments, and a beautiful melody filled


    the park. The children¡¯s attention was captured, and they all ran towards the musicians, dancing and


    pping along to the music. Janice was among them, relishing the moment.


    Luke and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight. The atmosphere had suddenly changed, and it was as if


    all our worries and problems had disappeared. The music was so enchanting I couldn¡¯t resist swaying


    to the beat.


    ¡°Come on, Ariel,¡± Luke said, standing up and extending his hand toward me. Let¡¯s dance.¡±


    I hesitated momentarily, but then I looked into his eyes and saw their sincerity and love. Still, I didn¡¯t


    want to dance.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s dance,¡± he told me, his hand still extended towards me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in the mood, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll put you in the mood.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Just take my hand.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, but I finally took his hand, and he pulled me closer to him.


    ¡°See, Ariel. We¡¯ll be about to have a wonderful time.¡±


    ¡°I never had such a great moment with you before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re about to enjoy ourselves,¡± he said as we continued to sway to the music.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± he said after I stepped on his foot.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologized.


    ¡°Why are you saying sorry?¡±


    ¡°Because I hurt you,¡± I responded.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re going to hurt met you refuse toe back to me


    youtrete


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I see what you¡¯re trying to do here.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding anything. I want you.¡±


    As we danced, the musicians moved from one song to another, and the chisteen continued to dance


    and sing along. At that moment, i forgot about all the pair and hurt Luke had caused me. I just focused


    on the present, the music, and his countenance. Have I ever mentioned that he has a ravishing visage?


    I guess not, well, he does.


    ¡°You want to know something, Ariel? I never thought I could feel this way toward you. You remembered


    how I used to hate you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to forget that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything, Ariel. I know I hurt you, and I regret it every day. But I promise to make it up to


    you and never let you go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made so many apologies concerning this. And I¡¯ve forgiven you, alright?


    ¡°Then why are you wasting time?¡±


    ¡°That I have no answer to. But you just have to know that I¡¯m not ready to get back to you.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Do you n on getting into a rtionship? Or do you just want to keep on living your life like this?¡±


    ¡°That I do not know. Let¡¯s just see what the future holds.¡±


    The music continued to y, and we danced, enjoying the wonderful tunes. I had no idea who these


    guys were, but they came to bring joy to everyone¡¯s hearts. Simply consider the manner in which that


    lovely daughter of mine is beaming that grin. It¡¯s so nice to see her happy.


    The songs finally came to an end, and the musicians packed their instruments. before leaving.


    Luke still had a hold of me as my hands were wrapped around his neck. No words. were spoken, just a


    gaze that spoke a billion things, and passion was included.


    ¡°Mommy, Daddy!¡± Janice ran to us. ¡°Thank you so much for today.¡±


    Luke and I quickly let go of each other.


    My pleasure, sweetheart,¡± Lake told her, smiling down at her.


    A magician was performing tricks for a group of kids as we were about to leave the park, which caught


    Janice¡¯s attention. She tugged on my arm excitedly. Mommy, can we go and


    1 looked at Luke, who nodded with a smile. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go see some magic.¡±


    to the small crowd gathered around the magician. He wore a


    We made our the magician?¡±


    top hat and a long, flowing cape, giving off a mysterious aura. Janice squeezed in between us, her


    eyes wide with anticipation.


    ¡°Wee, my dear audience, to a world of wonder and enchantment,¡± the magician announced, his


    voicemanding attention. ¡°Prepare to be amazed and mesmerized by my magical abilities.¡±


    He began his performance by pulling out colorful scarves and making them disappear, producing coins


    out of thin air, and even turning a simple


    handkerchief into a dove. Janice was in awe, pping and cheering after every


    trick.


    But what caught my attention were the magician¡¯s words. He spoke of magic as if it were real as if he


    truly had the power to make the impossible possible. It reminded me of the songs we had just heard,


    with lyrics filled with magic and fantasy. Love and passion.


    I looked at Luke, and he gave me a knowing smile. We both knew that Janice was too young to


    understand the difference between reality and fantasy, but it didn¡¯t matter at that moment. She was


    enjoying herself, caught up in the magic of it all.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 247

    247: WITH THE HOPE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    the show, the magician approached us and handed Janice a small, glittering wand. Here you go, little


    one. This special wand will make all your wishese


    true.¡±


    Janice¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as she held onto the wand tightly. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr.


    Magician!¡±


    He winked at her and turned to us. ¡°And for you, my dear parents, a little bit of magic as well.¡± He


    snapped his fingers, and suddenly a bouquet of flowers appeared in Luke¡¯s hand.


    We all gasped in amazement, and Janice squealed with delight. ¡°Wow, how did you do that?¡±


    The magician chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s all just a little bit of magic, my dear.¡±


    My eyes were still wide with surprise.


    ¡°That was¡­.¡±


    ¡°Amazing? Sensational? Remarkable? Monumental?¡± The magician spoke, moving his hands


    dramatically in the air.


    ¡°But seriously, man, how did you do that?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already; it¡¯s magic. And you need to have love.


    ¡°The love?¡±


    ¡°Yes, love is a powerful emotion that has the ability to bring people together, heal wounds, and create


    happiness. It¡¯s often described as a feeling that cannot be exined, a force that is beyond our


    understanding.¡±


    Luke and I looked at each other.


    The magician continued dramatically,¡± Love is magic in the sense that it has the ability to transform us


    and make us better versions of ourselves. It can make us do things we never thought possible and see


    the world in a different light. Love can make us feel invincible as if we can conquer any challenge that


    comes our way. It is a force that can transcend time and distance and bring people together regardless


    of barriers. Love is something that cannot be seen or touched, but its effects are undeniable. It is a


    magical force that has the power to change our lives in unimaginable ways.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re definitely right about that,¡± Luke said, giving me a knowing look.


    I chuckled, shaking my head.


    Was


    ¡°You see when I first embarked on the journey of bing a magician, I was filled with excitement and


    passion. But as I delved deeper into the world of magic, I also encountered numerous challenges and


    setbacks. I struggled to perfect my tricks and often felt discouraged by theck of progress. There were


    moments when I wanted to give up and pursue a different career path. But just when about to throw in


    the towel, hope came in the form of a mentor who believed in me and my abilities. With its guidance


    and encouragement, I was able to push through the difficult times and continue chasing my dream.


    That glimmer of hope changed everything for me and reignited my passion for magic. Today, I am


    grateful for that moment of hope that kept me going and ultimately led me to where I am today.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s actually a nice thing to talk about.¡±


    ¡°So, you see, everything in life is about hope. Whatever you think of doing, do it. Put all the doubts


    aside. Hope, my friend, is just so wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Luke said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Your words are quite magical.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Of course, magic.¡± He snapped his fingers, and immediately, smoke popped up in front of him. We had


    to cover our eyes, but we didn¡¯t see him anymore when we opened them.


    ¡°Well, that was great. But is it time we leave the park, don¡¯t you think?¡± Luke set his eyes on me.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s leave.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going home now?¡± Janice asked, making a sad face. It seemed she wasn¡¯t ready to put an end


    to the fun right now.


    ¡°Well, not really. I still have a few ces to take you.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Come on now, let¡¯s go,¡± Luke said, holding her hand. And as we left the park, Janice was still talking


    about the magician and his tricks. She waved her wand around, pretending to cast spells and make


    things appear.


    Walking out of the park, I could recall how Janice felt a little sad that our fun day wasing to an end.


    But Luke¡¯s words about having a few more ces to take us filled her with excitement again. And now


    she couldn¡¯t wait to see where he would take us next.


    As we made our way down the street, Janice skipped and hopped beside me, still talking about the


    magician and his tricks. I couldn¡¯t help but give her a warm smile.


    ¡°Where are we going now, Lak


    Tasked, onions about our next destination.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to a candy store not too far from here,¡± he replied with a sinile.


    Janice¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of candy. ¡°Yess! I love candy!¡± she eximed, bouncing up and


    down


    Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°No doubt about that.¡±


    We soon arrived at the candy store, and Janice¡¯s excitement only grew as she saw the colorful disys


    of candies and choctes. Luke and I watched as she ran around the store, picking out her favorite


    treats.


    After we paid for the candy, Janice happily skipped out of the store, tightly holding her bag of goodies.


    But as she turned a corner, she identally bumped into a little boy who was walking by.


    The boy, who couldn¡¯t have been older than six, stumbled back, and his lollipop fell to the ground. At


    that moment, he red at Janice, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, you clumsy girl!¡±


    Janice¡¯s face fell, and she looked close to tears. I stepped forward to defend her, but Janice spoke up


    before I could say anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m not clumsy; you¡¯re just in my way!¡± She retorted, her hands on her hips.


    The boy¡¯s face turned red with anger, and he clenched his fists. ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? I¡¯ll


    teach you a lesson!¡±


    Before things could escte further, Luke intervened. ¡°Hey, hey, calm down, kids. Fighting is not the


    solution.¡±


    The boy huffed and crossed his arms while Janice stuck her tongue out at him. Luke then turned to


    Janice and kneeled down to her level.


    ¡°Janice, it¡¯s not nice to talk back to someone, even if they¡¯re being mean. And fighting is never the


    answer,¡± he exined gently.


    ¡°Just look at who¡¯s talking,¡± I muttered.


    Janice¡¯s face fell, and she looked down at her feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy. I just didn¡¯t. like the way he talked


    to me.¡±


    Luke smiled and ruffled her hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay kind, even to those who are not kind to you.¡±


    Janice. Just remember to always be


    I chuckled after that, causing him to nce at me.


    The little boy, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly spoke up. I¡¯m sorry, too. I didn¡¯t


    mean to be mean. I just got mad because I dropped my


    lollipop.¡±


    Luke smiled and patted the boy¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, buddy. idents happen. Here, let me buy you a


    new lollipop.¡±


    The boy¡¯s face lit up, and he happily epted Luke¡¯s new lollipop. Janice and the boy then smiled at


    each other and started talking about their favorite candy.


    ¡°That was really crazy, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I whispered to Luke.


    ¡°Yeah, if we hadn¡¯t done something about it, your child would have a ck eye right now.¡±

 Chapter 248

    248: STUCK IN TRAFFIC


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh upon hearing Luke¡¯s words: ¡°Okay, okay. There was no way at boy was going


    to do anything.¡±


    Luke widened his eyes, staring at me. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°No, I know that.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you didn¡¯t see how he clenched those fists. He was getting ready to deliver a Superman


    punch, like Roman Reigns or something.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t start now. Let¡¯s just go home.¡±


    ¡°My home, you mean?¡± He smirked at me.


    What the hell was he feeling like?


    Anyway, I replied, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re home.¡±


    I held Janice¡¯s hand, and the three of us left the candy store after that. We entered the car, and I


    laughed a little, recalling what Like said while we were still at the candy store. It was really fucked up,


    WWE stuff, seriously? Although I never liked that, I could not say the same about that psycho.


    Luke nced at me. ¡°Why are youughing?¡®


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± I answered, shaking my head. ¡°I was just thinking about something.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so curious, huh?¡±


    ¡°No big deal. I just love seeing you smile like that.


    ¡°Lovely words. For a moment, I thought you were going to start talking sh*t.¡±


    ¡°Why would you think like that?¡±


    ] gave him a knowing look, crossing my arms. I didn¡¯t say anything, though. But he totally understood


    with that expression on my face.


    He also didn¡¯t say a word; he simply turned his face away. Perhaps he didn¡¯t find that funny. I didn¡¯t


    mean to make him upset. I was just trying to, you know, joke around here.


    Luke turned on the engine and began driving. I noticed the sky was turning a deep shade of orange. It


    was getting darker, and the traffic was only getting


    Worse, We were stuck in the midle of a sea of cars, barely moving an inch.


    this traffic is ridiculous,¡± Janlee groaned from the backseat.


    know, right? It¡¯s like everyone decided to leave work at the same time,¡± 1 replied, trying to make light of


    the situation.


    ¡°Both of you should calm down. We just have to wait and hope for this traffic to be over soon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not freaking out,¡± I told him.


    ¡°I never said you were freaking out.¡±


    ¡°But you told us to calm down.¡±


    ¡°Technically, you guys were losing it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± I whispered to myself, leaning on the car seat.


    And while we sat there, with our car slowly inching forward, I had to notice the chaos around us. People


    were honking their horns, yelling at each other, and even getting out of their cars to argue. It was like a


    scene from a bad movie.


    ¡°I bet that boy from the candy store could handle this traffic better than all of these people,¡± Luke said,


    breaking the tense silence in the car.


    I rolled my eyes at hisment but couldn¡¯t help butugh. I never knew Luke had this side of making


    someoneugh, even in frustrating situations.


    Minutes passed that felt like hours, and the traffic only seemed to get worse. We were barely moving,


    and I could feel my patience wearing thin.


    ¡°Seriously? What the hell is going on now? What¡¯s causing all this?¡±


    Luke turned to me. ¡°Who are you asking?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you. I was just¡­ you know what? Nevermind.


    ¡°Come on, talk. I¡¯m not going to make fun of you.¡±


    ¡°Even if you did, I wouldn¡¯t give a damn.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Man, I love you.¡±


    Iughed forthwith, and Janice began to p.


    ¡°Daddy loves Mommy. Daddy loves Mommy. It¡¯s time for a kiss. It¡¯s time for a kiss. Daddy loves


    Mommy. Daddy loves Mommy. It¡¯s time for a kiss. Time for a kiss,¡± she sang, pping her hands.


    ¡°Nice one, Janice. You should go be a singer; you got the voice,¡± Luke teased.


    I looked at him immediately because I knew he was making fun of her, even though she wasn¡¯t going to


    realize it. Her singing was sort of terrible, so technically, he was mocking her.


    I wanted to say something to Luke, but then something unexpected happened. A man in the car next to


    us started cursing and yelling at another driver, who responded with even more aggression. Before we


    knew it, a full¨Cblown argument had broken out between the two drivers, causing a major dy in traffic.


    ¡°Great, just what we need,¡± I muttered, feeling my frustration grow.


    But Luke turned to me. ¡°Hey, maybe this will turn into a wrestling match, and we¡¯ll have some


    entertainment while we wait.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his ridiculousment. ¡°Only you would think of that in a situation like this.¡±


    But as we sat there, watching the two drivers continue to argue, It was really annoying, and I wished


    this shit could just stop.


    The two drivers continued to argue, and the tension in the air grew thicker. I could feel the anger and


    frustration radiating off of them. Suddenly, a loud gunshot filled the air, causing everyone around to


    freeze.


    People started to panic and try to move their cars, but with the heavy traffic, it was nearly impossible.


    Another gunshot rang out, and this time, I could see the fear in Janice¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Janice, honey,e sit in the front with me.¡± Luke tried to sound calm.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Janice stuttered, and it looked like she was about to cry.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetie. Juste sit with me and Luke,¡± I said, trying to reassure her.


    Janice climbed over the seats and sat between me and Luke, burying her face in his chest.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± I asked, my own voice shaking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we have to stay calm for Janice,¡± Luke replied, trying to keep his voice steady.


    Suddenly, another car pulled up next to us, and a man with a gun stepped out. He was yelling at the


    two drivers fighting, but they were too caught up in their argument to even notice him.


    The man fired a shot into the air, and that¡¯s when everyone in the surrounding cars started to panic.


    People were honking their horns, trying to get out of the way, but there was nowhere to go.


    cover your ears.¡± Luke sald, pulling her even closer to him.


    1 could feel my heart racing as the man with the gum continued to yell and fire off shots. I prayed that


    we would make it out of this situation unharmed


    Finally, the police arrived and were able to diffuse the situation. The man with the gua was taken into


    custody, and the two drivers were separated.


    As we finally started to move through the traffic, I sighed in relief. Janice was still shaking, but she had


    stopped crying. I reached over and took her hand, giving it at gentle squeeze.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Are you okay, sweetie?¡± I asked, looking back at her.


    ¡°I think so,¡± she replied, her voice still shaky.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay. We¡¯re safe now,¡± I reassured her.


    ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like traffic. Can we go home now?¡± Janice asked, her eyes still filled with fear.


    ¡°Of course, baby. As soon as we got out of this mess, I smiled at her.


    Minutes passed, and I didn¡¯t know how, but we finally made it out of the traffic and onto the open road.


    Life, my friend, could be really unpredictable. One moment, we were making jokes, and the next, we


    were stuck in the middle of a dangerous situation.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day**

 Chapter 249

    249: ARRIVAL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke and finally arrived at his mansion; Janice had already fallen asleep. And looking through the


    window, I noticed that this was a new location. Wasn¡¯t the house I used to live in before all that shit


    happened?


    I got out of the car and looked at the building. It was majestic and ravishing. Nestled at the end of a


    winding, tree¨Clined driveway, the opulent mansion stood as a beacon of grandeur and luxury. Towering


    golden gates with intricately. Wrought, ornate designs that sparkled in the sunlight protected the


    entrance and provided a glimpse of the extravagance thaty beyond.


    The mansion itself was a masterpiece of architecture, with a facade crafted from rare marble imported


    from distantnds. The towering columns that framed the entrance soared majestically toward the sky,


    exuding an air of regality and grandiosity.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Luke stepped out of the car, carrying Janice in his arms. He walked to the door but paused and turned


    around to look at me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going toe along?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± I answered and walked towards him.


    We walked inside the mansion, and the interior was just as breathtaking as the exterior¨Cnot a new


    thing, but it was great, with a design like the previous one. The grand foyer was adorned with priceless


    paintings and sculptures, and the marble floors gleamed under the crystal chandeliers.


    But the sight of two young children running around and yelling in the living room quickly caught my


    attention. Luke gently ced Janice on the couch and turned to the boys, his expression stern.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Calm down, boys. We have a guest.¡±


    The both of them immediately stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide as they looked at me. I couldn¡¯t


    help but smile at their innocent faces.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± I said, crouching down to their level. ¡°I¡¯m Ariel.¡±


    The boys looked at each other and then back at me, their curiosity evident in their expressions.


    ¡°Is she our new mommy?¡± One of them asked, tugging at my shirt.


    I nced at Luke. ¡°Are they your sons?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    Heughed and looked back in su ¡°You beliew


    at m


    don¡¯t lonew¡± I shrugest


    them?


    Taske chuckled and set his eyes back on the twis kids ¡°Her name is Ariel, and stee


    ¡°He surveyed me before he finally added, ¡°Friend,¡±


    ¡°An what about that girl with you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Ariel¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Are they going to be living with us??


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Luke answered. They¡¯re just going to spend the night with us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cool!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Nowe on, boys,¡± Luke said, picking up Janice. ¡°Let¡¯s let Ariel settle in.¡±


    He carried Janice up to her room, and I followed behind them. The room was just as luxurious as the


    rest of the mansion, with a king¨Csized bed and a balcony that overlooked the sprawling gardens,


    ¡°Make yourself at home,¡± Luke said with a smile, cing Janice on the bed.


    ¡°Thank you, Luke. But you do know I¡¯m not going to be living here.¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to ask you. That¡¯s clearly what Janice wants; she wants a family, Ariel. The three


    of us together.¡±


    ¡°Not happening. And even if it is, it¡¯s definitely not now.¡±


    ¡°Then when?¡±


    ¡°Probably when all of this is over.¡±


    ¡°When all of this is over? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t understand, so don¡¯t bombard me with questions.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on a mission?¡± He queried, and I turned to him. ¡°Like you did when we got married for the


    second time?¡±


    ¡°Can we just quit this discussion, Luke? You do not want to wake Janice.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to wake up; you don¡¯t have to worry about that. And even if she does, I¡¯ll just put her


    back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Great, ¡®cause you got some magic or something.¡±


    Lake gave me a face like I was nuts. ¡°No! It¡¯s ipite easy. Izan jout ad bestime


    rond


    stories for her.¡±


    ¡°Your voice is terrible; it¡¯s only going to kill her ears¡±


    Heughed ¡°Nice one. So, will you tell me why you keep refusing toe live in this house?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t owe you any exnation.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife, Ariel. Remember that.


    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t, alright? And by the way, you still need to check up on your mother. I thought your


    beloved assistant took her to this house.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that. Let me call jack.¡±


    ¡°You can do that outside this room. Can¡¯t you see that little girl is asleep?¡± I gestured toward Janice.


    Luke left the room after that. His face didn¡¯t look quite good when he did that, but that was none of my


    business.


    I turned around and quietly approached, looking at Janice, and quietly approached the bed she was on


    at the moment. I had to smile, eyes fixed on her as she was sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and


    falling in a steady rhythm.


    I sat beside her, and memories of all the wonderful times we¡¯d shared flooded my mind. Every moment,


    from her first steps to how she is now, has been a blessing. I smiled as I remembered the countless


    bedtime stories, movie nights, and family vacations we¡¯d enjoyed together with Lukel by our side.


    It was amazing watching her sleep, and I felt grateful for every moment we had and more grateful for


    the ones about toe. Being close to Janice right now was that would regrly


    just great. I wanted peaceful moments with her¨Casions ice right now was


    remind anyone of the unbreakable bond we share and the love that would always be between us.


    Now, I had to think about Luke. I miss my son, who died at such a young age and left my mother


    heartbroken. It has been a year, but it has looked like years since he left this world. He left me so


    young, and the pain of his absence was still raw. I missed everything about him¨Chisughter, hugs, and


    mischievous smile.


    My heart ached knowing that I would never see him grow up and never get to experience all the


    milestones that a mother looked forward to with her child. Losing a child had left a hole in my heart that


    would never fully heal, and I wasn¡¯t going to lose the other. But I did find sce in the memories we


    shared and the love that would always remain between us. My dear Lukel, wherever you are,


    know that you are deeply missed and forever loved.


    My thoughts broke as I could hear Janice snoring. It was a sound that was new to me. In all the years I


    have known my daughter, she has never snored. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what could have caused


    this sudden change in her sleeping habits. It was strange to hear her snoring, but at the same time, it


    was alsoforting. She was right here, sleeping peacefully, in safe hands.


    I smiled at her, slowly caressing her hair and looking at her innocent face. The door opened, and Luke


    walked inside the room. He treaded towards me and grabbed my hand.

 Chapter 250

    250: THIS PASSION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Holding my hand, Luke took me out of the room. He didn¡¯t say anything until he led me to another


    room, which was probably his.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Luke? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He shut the door behind us, locking it, and then he turned around to look at me. ¡°Okay, have you gone


    crazy, or what? Like, what the hell is?¡±


    He interrupted me by pressing his lips against mine. I felt his hands wrapping around my waist, and


    then he roamed his fingers all over my back. His lips were really delicious, and I could recall thest


    time I tasted them.


    want to follow Luke continued to kiss me, doing that passionately, and I didn through with this; I didn¡¯t


    want to be led away. But I couldn¡¯t say no. It was just a moment that I adored and, at the same time,


    wanted to hate. But I didn¡¯t think that would be happening.


    I tried to break the kiss, but Luke wouldn¡¯t let that happen. He kept on going with it like this was the end


    like we were the only people in the world.


    He eventually stopped, slowly taking his lips off mine. At this point, we gazed deeply into each other¡¯s


    eyes, not taking a look at anywhere or anyone else except ourselves.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he said in a hushed tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you want this?¡± He asked softly. I


    couldn¡¯t utter a word, but I just kept on gazing at him. In his eyes, I could see the passion. In the tone in


    which he had just vocalized, I could hear the craving, and right from his touch, I could feel the desire.


    ¡°Ariel. You have to¡­¡±


    I smacked my lips against him before he could say anything else, and yes, wrapped my hands around


    his neck.


    I


    In this delicate dance of intimacy, there existed this profound connection that transcended the physical


    realm as we continued with our passionate kiss. It was a moment of pure vulnerability and trust, where


    our souls intertwined in a symphony of emotions.


    Our lips kept on moving together; a spark ignited, sending a wave of sensations coursing through our


    bodies. The gentle caress of skin against skin, the mingling of breath, and the shared heartbeat created


    a harmonious rhythm, bouncing our spirits in a timeless embrace.


    In this fleeting moment, the outside world faded away, leaving only the two of us suspended in a


    universe of our own making. It was a moment of raw passion and unspokenmunication where


    words were no longer necessary to convey the depth of our feelings.


    Through this kiss, wemunicated our desires, fears, and dreams,ying bare our souls for others to


    see. It was anguage of its own, a silent dialogue that spoke volumes about the connection we shared


    at the moment.


    In this embrace, I could tell that we found sce and strength because I myself found sce and


    strength, drawingfort from the warmth of each monumental touch. It was a moment of surrender,


    where we would let go of our inhibitions and allow ourselves to be truly seen and epted for who we


    were.


    The kiss became a symbol of galvanizing passion, a testament to the bond being shared at the


    moment. It was trying to let us know that we were not alone and that we had found a kindred spirit in


    the vast expanse of the universe.


    We pulled away, our eyes met, and I found a reflection of our souls in that shared gaze. It was a


    moment of rity where I could see myself mirrored in him, and I realized that this was meant to ur.


    In this breathtaking moment, we were somehow united in a way that transcended the physical,


    emotional, and spiritual nes. It was a connection that defied exnation, a bond that was as


    timeless as it was profound.


    And so, in the beauty of that shared kiss, I could find a glimpse of eternity¡ªa moment of pure bliss that


    could linger after this scene was over.


    Luke held my hands as he spoke softly, ¡°Ariel, I hope you can feel my love pouring out through these


    words. It¡¯s taken me some time to realize it, but I can¡¯t deny it any longer. I¡¯ve said this multiple times,


    but I have to say it again. I am deeply in love with you. Every moment spent with you fills me with joy


    and happiness. You bring a light into my life that I never knew was missing. I may have been blind to


    my feelings in the past, but now it¡¯s crystal clear to me that I need you. Youplete me in a way that


    no one else ever could. I love you, Ariel. With all my heart and soul.¡±


    Now, I was gazing into Luke¡¯s eyes, and his lovely, romantic words washed over me, causing me to


    smile. It was as if he knew exactly the right things to say to make my heart flutter. But at that moment, I


    also had to admit to myself that I wanted him, too.


    I had been trying to deny my feelings; I just didn¡¯t want to get back to him for some reason, but his


    sincere words broke down my walls. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of happiness and a sense of


    vulnerability. It was a beautiful and scary


    realization that I couldn¡¯t hold any longer. Luke had finally captured my heart with his words and his


    wonderful actions. Now, I was ready to let him in.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I spoke his name softly, cing my hand on both of his cheeks. And the both of us gazed


    deeply into each other¡¯s eyes, with the passion right there.¡± You¡¯ve done so much. I really appreciate


    that.¡±


    Luke held my waist, and his touch sent shivers down my spine. I could feel the intensity of his gaze as


    he looked deeply into my eyes. At this moment, I could see the passion burning brightly in his eyes,


    and I waspletely drawn in by it. It was unting all the love and desire right there, in front of me, in


    his gaze. I felt my heart skip a beat as I gazed back at him,pletely lost in the moment. His touch


    and his eyes told me everything I needed to know without a single word being spoken again. Indeed,


    he was truly in love. Well, that was really clear.


    I leaned in closer to Luke, and I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. It was aforting


    sensation, making me feel even closer to him. Our faces were only inches apart now, and I could see


    the faint freckles scattered across his nose. His warm breath tickled my face, sending shivers down my


    spine. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I took in his familiar scent, a mixture of cologne and mint. I closed my


    eyes and savored the moment, feelingpletely at ease in his presence.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Ariel, I love you so much,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep on saying this. Because I want to be with you.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I want to be with you, too.¡±

 Chapter 251

    251: YOUR TOUCH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    His warm lips pressed against mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Luke¡¯s touch was gentle yet


    passionate, sending shivers down my spine. With a soft smile on his face, he pulled away and gazed


    into my eyes, making me blush. At that moment, everything seemed to fade away except for the two of


    us. His love for me was evident in the way he looked at me, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed


    with emotion. Luke, at this moment, right in this scene, was trying to make me feel like the most special


    person in the world, and I knew that this passion would aggrandize me day by day.


    I was pulling him closer to me. His lips gently nibbled on mine, sending more nerves down my spine.


    Our bodies pressed against each other as if trying to merge into one. The intensity of our kiss grew with


    each passing second, and I couldn¡¯t help but lose myself in the moment. I ran my fingers through his


    hair, savoring the softness and the way it felt between my fingertips. As our lips finally parted, we were


    both left breathless and gazing into each other¡¯s eyes, lost in the intense feeling of love and desire.


    I pushed Luke onto the bed, and a surge of hankering overtook me. I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to feel his


    body beneath mine, to taste his lips with mine. So I straddled him, and yes, I could feel his heart


    beating faster, matching the rhythm of my own. Our lips met in a fiery kiss, our bodies pressed against


    each other, enkindling a me that had been burning between us for so long.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    My hands explored his chest, feeling his muscles tense under my touch. Right now, I didn¡¯t care about


    anyone in the world or anything that was going on. I was lost in the intensity of our passion. I couldn¡¯t


    get enough of him and knew he felt the same. This was like a force to be reckoned with; currently, it


    was all that mattered. Nothing else.


    Luke flipped us over; my heart stirred with avidity. I melted into his strong arms as he hovered above


    me, his gaze filled with exhrating desire. Our lips met once again, igniting a fiery passion between us.


    His touch sent electric shocks through my body, making me crave more of him. So, in the wild, I lost


    myself in the moment, consumed by the thrilling lust I felt for him. Apparently, we werepletely lost


    in each other.


    This was a moment of pure bliss, just the beginning of paradise. Anyone in a moment like this wouldn¡¯t


    want it to end. It was remarkable, galvanizing, and the tough electrifying.


    We continued to kiss passionately, with Luke¡¯s hands roaming over my body,


    exploring every curve and inch of my skin. I could feel my heart transposing with more desire, intense


    desire, as his lips moved down my neck, leaving a trail of congrant kisses.


    And then, his hand gently cupped my breast, sending the waves of pleasure through me. I let out a soft


    moan, encouraging him to continue his sensual touch. His fingers expertly teased and caressed,


    torching the mes of delectation within me that I couldn¡¯t control. Our bodies were pressed together,


    our passion growing with each passing moment. I couldn¡¯t resist him any longer as I pulled him closer,


    losing myself in the moment,pletely surrendered to his touch. ¡°I want you, Luke,¡± I whispered to


    him, tugging his shirt


    ¡°I want you too,¡± he whispered as well.


    I closed my eyes, feeling his soft lips against my skin. His kisses were passionate and intense, causing


    me to moan softly in pleasure. As he trailed his lips along my neck, my body quivered with craving. I


    could feel his hands running up and down my body, sending electric waves of pleasure throughout my


    body.


    With each kiss, I felt myself getting deeper into the ocean of bliss,pletely consumed by the


    vehemence of his touch. I surrendered myself to him, letting go of inhibitions and allowing him to


    control me. Every touch, every kiss, every moan was an expression of our shared desire urring at


    this point.


    And our lips were still in a passionate frenzy, my hands roamed over Luke¡¯s toned muscles, eager to


    explore every inch of his body. With a seductive smirk, I slowly began to unbutton his shirt, revealing


    his chiseled chest and abs that made my heart race even faster. Our tongues danced in sync as I


    helped him shrug off the shirt, unable to resist the urge to run my hands over his bare skin. We pressed


    our bodies closer together, our desire and hunger for each other growing with each passing second.


    The shirt fell to the floor, forgotten as we continued to explore each other¡¯s bodies, lost in a world of


    pleasure and utter bliss.


    I gasped so hard I thought I was gonna pass out. The feeling of his hands on my skin was like a


    goddamn electric shock, and I couldn¡¯t help but close my eyes and let out a moan. This man right here


    knew exactly where to touch me, and I was already wetter than a goddamn slip¨Cn¨Cslide. As his hands


    reached down my dress and found my panties, I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. I let out a string of


    moans, loud enough for anyone in this building to hear. But I didn¡¯t really care right now. All that


    mattered now was the pleasure coursing through my body as he teased and taunted me with his


    fingers. Damn, I was in for one hell of a ride.


    ¡°Show me what you made of, Luke,¡± I told him softly, closing both of my eyes as I was still submerging


    in pleasure.


    Luke¡¯s hands expertly worked their way down my body; I couldn¡¯t help but feel a


    shiver of anticipation run through me. As he slowly removed my panties, I could feel his hot breath


    against my skin, sending tingles throughout my body. I inoaned as his tongue flicked against my most


    sensitive areas, his skilled movements causing me to arch my back in pleasure. With each passing


    moment, I could feel myself getting lost in the sensations,pletely surrendering to his touch. Luke


    continued to devour me, sending me into a state of pure bliss.


    ¡°Ouhhh baby fuckkk!¡± I screamed as I could still feel his ague on me.


    Luke continued to move his tongue around me, and all I could do was tremble, moving my body from


    side to side like I was trying to run away. But I was enjoying every single action and movement,


    relishing how he was going so wlessly.


    ¡°Hmm baby, that¡¯s it, yes, that¡¯s it.¡± I gripped his hair tightly, looking down at him as he slurped on me. I


    could feel myself getting wet each second, and then I gasped the moment he bit me.


    I waspletely naked, going through a blissful moment, cloud nine. I felt Luke¡¯s hands on my breasts


    while he continued to carry out his magic on my sensitive spot.


    ¡°Oh, Luke. I¡¯m going to cum, Luke. I¡¯m going to cum.¡±

 Chapter 252

    252: THE JOY OF IT ALL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke kept on eating me out, massaging both of my breasts, increasing the pleasure within me.


    ¡°Shitttttt!¡± I was about to explode, but Luke quickly took his mouth off that spot, and the next thing I felt


    was his finger. He began to thrust his finger in and out, going hard, and all I could do was scream.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to feel me, baby?¡± He asked, getting to his feet. I nodded, and then he took off his


    trousers, bing fully naked, revealing his hard rod, his huge rod, the veins right there.


    The both of us gazed deeply into each other¡¯s eyes as he slowly inserted his rod inside of me, kissing


    me slowly. I moaned in his mouth while he moved slowly, kneading my melon.


    ?


    down He leisurely broke the kiss and moved his fingers right through my chest, to my belly, and we


    found them in my vagina. But then he took them back to my tits.


    He began to move his rock slowly in me, and I couldn¡¯t help but moan softly.


    ¡°Hmm, Luke.¡± I fixed my hands on his chest, watching him as he continued to rock me in a slow


    manner.


    His pace fastened, and he went harder, causing me to scream really loud. I could hear his silent


    moans. The pleasure came like the wind; this was a lovely moment.


    Holding my hips, Luke mmed me harder, and the both of us were screaming loud as hell, not caring


    about who was in the house. Little kids or not, they weren¡¯t going to do any shit.


    We went on and on for minutes, and I could feel myself about to blow up. ¡± Fuckkk! Fuckkk! You¡¯re


    going to make me cum!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, baby,¡± Luke spoke softly, closing his eyes in pleasure as he moved in and out. He was


    vigorous, and all his feats were like that.


    He pounded me with so much force; the smacking noises were loud as hell, and


    so were my moans.


    ¡°Luke, fuckkkkk! Fuckkkkk! Our baby!¡± I exploded, feeling myself cream all over his rod, and it didn¡¯t


    take too long before he busted inside of me.


    I copsed onto the bed, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. Lukey


    next to me, his arm draped over my waist, both of us covered in sweat and panting heavily.


    ¡°That was¡­amazing,¡± I managed to say between breaths.


    Luke chuckled, his hand trailing down my body beforeing to rest on ny thigh. ¡°You were amazing,¡±


    he replied, his voice husky with desire.


    I turned to face him, my lips meeting his in a passionate ass. Our tongues danced together, our bodies


    still tingling from our intense lovemaking. Luke¡¯s hands roamed over my body, sending shivers down


    my spine as he touched me in all the right ces.


    But then, I felt his fingers trailing down to my core, and I knew what he wanted. I pushed him back onto


    the bed and straddled him, my hands running over his chest and down to his throbbing member.


    I took him in my hand and began to stroke him slowly, watching as his eyes closed in pleasure. I leaned


    down and took his rod into my mouth, swirling my tongue around him as I sucked.


    Luke moaned loudly, his hands tangling in my hair as I continued to pleasure him. I could feel him


    getting harder, and I knew he was close. I increased my pace, determined to make him explode.


    And then, with one final thrust, Luke climaxed, his body shaking as he released into


    my mouth. I swallowed it all, savoring the taste of him.


    I sat back on the bed, smiling satisfiedly. Luke pulled me into his arms and kissed me softly.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± he whispered, and I couldn¡¯t help but blush.


    ¡°No, you are,¡± I replied, snuggling closer to him.


    As Iy in Luke¡¯s arms, catching my breath after our intense lovemaking, he leaned down and


    whispered in my ear, ¡°Ready for round two?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin, feeling a surge of desire wash over me. I quickly got up and straddled him,


    sitting on his rod. I began to ride him slowly, grinding my hips against his, feeling him deep inside of


    me.


    Luke¡¯s hands roamed over my body, massaging my breasts and increasing the pleasure within me. I


    moaned softly as I leaned down and kissed him, our tongues dancing together in a passionate


    embrace.


    As I bounced on top of him, I could feel myself getting more and more aroused, my moans bing


    louder and more frequent. Luke urged me on, telling me to go harder, and I did.


    I bounced faster and harder, my body moving in perfect rhythm with his. I could feel the pleasure


    building up inside of me, and I screamed Luke¡¯s name as I came, my body shaking with ecstasy.


    I switched the position to reverse cowgirl, bouncing hard on Luke¡¯s rod as he watched the with intense


    desire in his eyes. We continued like this for what felt like hours, our bodies moving in perfect harmony.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I changed the position back, riding him with all the pleasure I could muster. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a


    sense of empowerment. I was in control, and I loved it.


    Luke¡¯s hands were on my hips, guiding me as I moved up and down on his rod. I could feel him getting


    harder inside of me, and I knew he was close to reaching his climax.


    But I wanted to go harder, to make him feel even more pleasure. So I leaned down and pressed my lips


    against his, our tongues dancing together as I continued to ride him.


    He moaned into my mouth, his hands gripping my hips tighter as I bounced


    harder on him. I could feel my own pleasure building, and I knew I was close to reaching my peak.


    ¡°Go harder, babe,¡± Luke whispered, and I obliged. I bounced faster and harder, my moans getting


    louder and more frequent.


    But then, Luke flipped us over, still inside of me, and began to m into me with so much force it was


    almost painful. But the pleasure was too overwhelming for


    me to care.


    I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hands gripping his shoulders as he continued to pound into


    me. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge.


    And then, with one final thrust, I exploded, my body shaking as I released all my tension. Luke followed


    soon after, copsing onto me with a satisfied sigh.


    We bothy on the bed, trying to catch our breath, and we were sweating as hell.


    Luke kissed my lips slowly, rubbing my wet cunt, and all I could do was moan in his mouth.


    ¡°You taste so good,¡± he whispered after withdrawing his lips from mine.


    ¡°You taste better.¡± I grinned at him.


    ¡°I still want more of you, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    I got up and sat on top of me, slowly sliding his moistened rod into me. I moaned softly while doing that.


    Luke rubbed my hips, and I kissed him, moving my tongue together with his.

 Chapter 253

    253: INSANE?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke¡¯s arms wrapped around me tightly as I sat on hisp, his rod still buried deep inside of me. We


    were both panting heavily, sweat dripping down our bodies as we tried to catch our breath.


    ¡°Ready for another round?¡± Luke whispered in my ear, his hands running over my back.


    I quickly got up, a mischievous smile on my face. ¡°You bet I am,¡± I replied, straddling him once again


    and sitting on his rod.


    I began to ride him slowly, grinding my hips against his, feeling every inch of him inside of me. Luke¡¯s


    hands roamed over my body, massaging my breasts and increasing the pleasure within me.


    I leaned down to kiss him, our tongues meeting in a passionate dance as I bounced on his rod. I could


    feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge, my moans bing louder and more frequent.


    ¡°Harder, Ariel,¡± Luke groaned, his fingers digging into my hips.


    I did as he asked, bouncing harder and faster on his rod, my body moving in perfect sync with his. I


    screamed his name as he mmed into me, the pleasure bing almost unbearable.


    ¡°Switch positions,¡± Luke said, his voice filled with desire.


    I quickly got off of him and turned around, getting on my hands and knees, Luke entered me from


    behind, and I could feel him hitting all the right spots.


    He kept on mming me from behind, and I was screaming his name. Then I felt him pulling my hair


    hard, and he dug his nails into my hip, pounding me like never before.


    ¡°You love that, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked, going harder.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± I screamed. ¡°Fuckkk!¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, baby.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Ouhhhh, Luke, fuckkkkk!¡±


    I bounced on his rod, my moans turning into screams as he thrust into me harder and faster. I could


    feel myself reaching my peak, but then he paused and slowly pulled out.


    He teased me for seconds before he alld his rod in me once again, and this time, he went hard as hell,


    smashing my walls, going deeper like he was tormenting me like a goddamn devil. But the pleasure


    was so out of this world.


    ¡°Oh, Luke, this is so fucking good!¡± I rolled my eyes in pleasure.


    Luke puiled my hair hard, moving his hand through my back. ¡°Oh baby, you¡¯re so pretty.¡±


    He moved his face closer, and the both of us kissed as he continued to drill the living soul out of me.


    ¡°Ugh, yes, baby, that¡¯s so good.¡± I closed my eyes in delectation, feeling him reach for my spot.


    I kept on panting and sweating as Luke continued to m into me from behind, His hands were


    gripping my hips tightly, his fingers digging into my skin as he drilled into me with reckless abandon.


    ¡°Fuck, Ariel. You feel so good,¡± he grunted, his voice filled with lust.


    I moaned in response, my body trembling with pleasure as he hit my sweet spot over and over again. I


    could feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge, my breathing bing ragged and my moans


    turning into screams,


    ¡°Come for me, baby. I want to feel your juice on me,¡± Luke growled, his thrusts bing more intense.


    And with those words, I exploded around him, my walls squeezing his rod as I rode out the waves of


    pleasure that coursed through my body. Luke continued to pound into me, prolonging my orgasm and


    drawing out every ounce of pleasure from my body.


    But he didn¡¯t stop there. He pulled me up by my hair. My back pressed against his chest as he


    continued to m into me from behind. Our bodies were slick with


    sweat, our skin pping together with each thrust.


    I could feel another orgasm building within me, and I could tell by the way Luke¡¯s breathing had


    be more erratic that he was close as well. He reached around and began to rub my clit, sending


    me over the edge once again.


    ¡°Fuck, Ariel. I¡¯m gonna cum,¡± he groaned, his thrusts bing more desperate.


    I could feel him twitch inside of me as he released himself, his hot seed filling me up. But he didn¡¯t stop.


    He kept thrusting into me, prolonging both of our


    orgasms until we were both spent and copsed onto the bed, panting and sweaty.


    But Luke wasn¡¯t done yet. He flipped me over onto my back, spreading my legs


    wide and plunging back into me. This new angle allowed him to hit even deeper. and I could feel my


    body responding once again.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re insatiable,¡± I moaned, my hands gripping the sheets as he pounded


    into me.


    He grunted in response, his eyes locked onto mine as he continued to thrust into me with a hunger that


    matched my own. Our bodies moved in perfect harmony, our lust and desire for each other driving us


    both to the brink of ecstasy.


    ¡°Oh my god, Luke,¡± I moaned as he continued to m into me, his rod hitting all the right spots.


    ¡°Fuck, Ariel,¡± he grunted, his thrusts bing more urgent.


    I could feel my body building towards another orgasm, and I couldn¡¯t help but rub my clit as he fucked


    me harder and harder. My moans turned into screams as he picked me up, spreading my legs wider


    and mming into me with even more force.


    My body was on fire, and I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge. And then it hit me,


    an intense orgasm that left me shaking and screaming his


    name.


    ¡°Luke, oh my god, I¡¯m gonna cum!¡± I screamed, my body shaking uncontrobly. He didn¡¯t stop, and he


    kept pounding into me, prolonging my orgasm and driving me to new heights of pleasure. And then, I


    felt a warm liquid gush out of me, and I knew I had squirted all over his rod.


    ¡°Fuck, Ariel, that¡¯s so hot,¡± Luke grunted, his thrusts bing more erratic.


    He continued to pound me, chasing his own release until finally, he fell onto the bed next to me, both of


    us panting and covered in sweat.


    ¡°That was¡­insane,¡± I gasped, trying to catch my breath.


    Luke chuckled, pulled me into his arms, and kissed my forehead. ¡°You have no idea, baby.¡±


    Wey there for a few moments, basking in the afterglow of our intense lovemaking session. I couldn¡¯t


    believe how amazing it felt to be with Luke, and I knew that this was just the beginning of our wild side.


    ¡°Ready for another?¡± Luke smirked.


    Iughed, getting up from the bed. ¡°Okay, sir. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    ¡°Can never be tired when I got you with me.¡®


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Wow, I can see you¡¯ve be really crazy.¡±


    26H INSANE


    ¡°If I¡¯m crazy, then you made me that way.¡±


    ¡°I need to go get a shower,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Well, good luck with that.¡±


    ¡°Luke,¡± I called his name, and he set his eyes on me, wondering what I was about


    to say.


    ¡°Do you really want the both of us together?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ve made that clear to you like a billion times.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m being serious around here.¡±


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 254

    254: WHAT A GREAT TIME


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I do love you, Ariel. Don¡¯t think I just want to have sex with you,¡± Lake told me.


    ¡°No, no, that wasn¡¯t what I was saying. Why would you think like that?¡±


    ¡°You just threw that question right at me after we just had sex.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. But no, that¡¯s not it. I just don¡¯t want anything terrible to happen to our rtionship; ! do


    not want misunderstandings.


    ¡°Why do you think there will be misunderstandings?¡± Luke quizzed me, now smirking at me.


    ¡°There are thousands of reasons for me to think like that.¡±


    ¡°Give me one, then.¡±


    ¡°Luke, I need to go take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Not the response I was looking for.¡± He kept on smirking.


    I chuckled without getting a reply. I walked to the bathroom after that.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need a towel, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s one right here,¡± I answered, loudly to a certain degree. Now I¡¯m in the bathroom.


    ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s yours? You¡¯re my husband; what belongs to you apparently belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°Even mypany?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but I¡¯m not that heartless.¡±


    I turned on the shower, enjoying its calmness, and it was a transformative experience for me¨Ca brief


    escape


    from the chaos of the outside world into a sanctuary of tranquility and bliss. The moment I stepped


    under the warm cascade of water, a sense of calm enveloped me, washing away the stress and


    weariness of the day. The water streamed down my body, carrying with it not just physical grime but


    also mental burdens, leaving me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.


    As the water flowed over me, it massaged my muscles, loosening the tension that had built up


    throughout the day. The gentle pressure of the water rxed my body, melting away the knots of stress


    that had gathered in my shoulders and back. With each drop that fell, I felt lighter, as if the weight of the


    world were being lifted from my shoulders.


    The sound of the water created a soothing symphony, drowning out the outside world¡¯s noise and


    allowing me to focus on the present moment. The rhythm of the water hitting the tiles was like a


    meditation, calming my mind and slowing down my racing thoughts. At this point, there was only me


    254 WHAT A GREAT YOU


    274


    and the water, a peaceful coexistence that allowed me to be fully present in the moment.


    The steam rose around me, creating a cocoon of warmth that wrapped me in aforting embrace.


    The heat rxed my muscles further, releasing any remaining tension and allowing me to fully unwind.


    The steam cleared my sinuses, allowing me to breathe deeply and fill my lungs with fresh,


    clean air.


    As I reached for my favorite shower gel or soap, the scent filled the air, awakening my senses and


    adding anotheryer to the sensory experience. The familiar fragrance brought a sense offort and


    nostalgia, transporting me to a ce of peace and contentment.


    With each passing minute, I felt the day¡¯s stress and worries melting away, leaving me feeling light,


    refreshed, and renewed. When I stepped out of the shower, I was clean on the outside but also


    cleansed and rejuvenated on the inside. The world may have been waiting just beyond the bathroom


    door, but I was at peace in that moment of blissful calmness. And then Lake had to dive Inside the


    picture.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back from the shower. I thought you were going to spend a million years there,¡± he


    teased.


    I had his towel wrapped around my body, my hair wet, and my skin as well. So I tread to the mirror,


    staring at myself, a And before I knew it, Lake threw me a night dress.


    ¡°Here, you can put that on for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you,¡± I said, looking at the dress. ¡°Whose dress is this?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really. I¡¯m just curious, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start thinking too far, okay?¡±


    I rolled my eyes at Luke¡¯s response, but anyway, I slipped into the night dress, which was a little too big


    for me, but it wasfortable nheless. I turned to face Luke, sprawled on the bed, scrolling


    through his phone. Just so you know, he had a towel wrapped around his waist.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for tonight?¡± I asked, plopping down next to him.


    ¡°ns for tonight?¡± He chuckled, his eyes still fixed on his phone. ¡°Go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not feeling sleepy.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Are you being real now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, duh. Look at the time; it¡¯s just around eight. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to sleep this early.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter¡¯s asleep,¡± he said almost inaudibly.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a little kid.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine. What do you want to do then?¡±


    wax thinking we could order some takeout, watch a movie, and just rx.¡±


    ¡°You want to watch a movie¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t watch movies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s craps you know. Who the fuck in this world doesn¡¯t do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you?¡±


    He gave me a serious expression immediately.


    Don¡¯t look at me like that. You know you can be really weird sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Keep on talking shit, Ariel,¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision, sir?¡± Are we still going for the order?¡± I queried, and suddenly, my stomach


    let out a loud growl, causing Laike to burst outughing.


    ¡°It looks like someone is hungry,¡± he teased, poking my side.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I said, yfully swatting his hand away.


    grabbed my phone and dialed the number for one of the Chinese restaurants in town, Laura was the


    one who took me there. It was


    ¡°Thanks for making this night special, Ariel.¡± Luke smiled at me.


    ¡°Thank you, too.¡± I yfully poked his nose.


    After cing the order, I settled back on the bed next to Luke, who had now


    put his phone away. It didn¡¯t take long before his gateman, Marcus, showed up, informing us about the


    delivery man.


    I followed him out of the room, and the guy who had our delicious meal with him was right there. He


    was a young man, tall as hell and sort of handsome. I wouldn¡¯t stress on that.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your order, ma¡¯am.¡± He handed the packages to me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, taking the bags from him.


    I closed the door and turned to see Luke already setting the table. He hadid out two tes,


    chopsticks, and some napkins. I smiled at his thoughtfulness and joined him at the table. This was a


    simple moment, with no maids helping us. Sometimes, it is good to try things on your own.


    We dug into our food, savoring each bite and making satisfied sounds. We watched aedy movie


    that had us both in stitches as we ate. The delicious food and hrious movie were perfect for a


    rxing night in.


    After we finished eating, Luke cleared the table while I snuggled on the couch, already feeling sleepy.


    He joined me, wrapping his arms around me as we continued watching the movie.


    And when the movie came to an end, I yawned and stretched, feelingpletely content and rxed.


    Luke turned off the TV, and we made our way to bed.


    254 WHAT A GREAT TIME


    ¡°Thanks for a great night, Ariel.¡± He pulled me closer to him.


    ¡°Anytime, Luke,¡± I replied, kissing him on the cheek.


    What a great night this was! Life felt absolutely different. How were the rest of the days going to be


    after this?

 Chapter 255

    255: IN MY MANSION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Lakel Luke!¡±


    I awoke to the sound of resounding screams, my name stered across the mouth of whoever was


    carrying out that nonsense. I turned to Ariel; she was still sleeping, her hands wrapping around me.


    But then I heard my name again. ¡°Luke! Come down here!¡± And that voice sounded like my great- aunt.


    No need for arguments; it was definitely her.


    I slowly took Ariel¡¯s hands off me, put on some shorts, and then put on a shirt. I left my room to see


    what all the screaming was about.


    Treading down the stairs, I saw my great¨Caunt in the living room, dressed in her night outfit.


    Undoubtedly, she had recently awoken, yet she was present and generating this abhorrent din.


    My eyes went further, and my mother stood close but not too close to the canon. She looked kind of


    broken and hurt; the expression on her face said it all.


    My great¨Caunt finally caught sight of me, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to give me a re. But I couldn¡¯t be


    terrified by that.


    ¡°What am I seeing here?¡± she barked


    at me.


    I looked at her in a confused manner. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°What is this trash doing here?¡± She gestured toward my mother.


    ¡°Who, she?¡± looked at my mom, then I looked back at this woman. ¡°She, of course; who else would I be


    talking about?¡±


    ¡°Have some respect; that¡¯s my mother right there.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± My great¨Caunt gave me a disgusting face. ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve respect.


    ¡°And who are you to say that?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. Have some respect, young man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already tried to do that before, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible. Since you don¡¯t deserve respect, the


    same way you talk sh*t about her,


    ¡°Who even let here into this house?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to make that person pay. I will ensure that person gets the torment of a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Well, guess what? I¡¯m the one who did it,¡± I told her at that very moment. ¡°I¡¯m the one who took her


    to this mansion.


    255. IN MY MANSION


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s my mother. Why wouldn¡¯t I let here in? I can¡¯t bear to see her in pain.


    ¡°She deserves to be in pain.¡±


    ¡°No, great, I don¡¯t really think so,¡± I continued my defense.


    ¡°Do you


    have any idea what this woman has done all these years? Do you?¡±


    ¡°What did she do?¡± I asked out of curiosity. Was she talking about my mother killing my father, or was


    she just going to use her of doing something terrible? My grandfather and this woman had never


    liked my mother. Probably because of their knowledge of who she was and her demeanor.


    I nced at my great¨Caunt. Hatred, the powerful emotion that could consume my goddamn soul with a


    fiery intensity, found its roots in the depths of my heart before ever reaching my eyes. This woman


    really had me fucked up. At times, a mere nce could unveil a world of disdain and animosity that


    simmered just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt like a volcano of malice.


    Just take a look at yourself. My gaze pierces through the facade of civility to reveal the storm brewing


    within. With each passing nce, a torrent of contempt flows unchecked, coloring my perception of the


    world in shades of loathing and disgust.


    Of course, I could see the hate my great¨Caunt had for my mother, and it was definitely not because of


    my father¡¯s death. I knew, for a fact, that she had no knowledge of that. So, I could be right. Perhaps it


    was a deep¨Crooted prejudice, a past betrayal, or an unresolved conflict that festered like a wound,


    tainting every interaction with a bitter aftertaste.


    But right now, my eyes, which I often refer to as the windows to my soul, betrayed the true nature of the


    current, fucked¨Cup situation. Cold, calcting stares devoid of warmth or empathy sent shivers down


    this woman¡¯s spine if she was unfortunate enough to cross my path. My dark path which has not been


    revealed to her, Because those feelings were concealed. But right now, my gaze was a dangerous


    weapon¨Cready to strike fear and unease in this woman¡¯s heart. But I knew she was also a tough one,


    and I still couldn¡¯t give her goddamn respect.


    Our eyes wandered against ourselves, seeking out what only God knows for this silent moment. A


    fleeting nce was enough to condemn, categorize, and dehumanize: The weight of my disdain was


    clear in the air, suffocating this woman in its path. A stare that was a dagger, an expression that was a


    blow to the spirit of this woman who dared to do shit and act different, who dared toe to my


    mansion to start telling me nonsense.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°You were just a little kid back then. You wouldn¡¯t have any idea of a damn thing she did.¡±


    ¡°Then why won¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s going to be useless. I¡¯ll just be wasting my i


    I told her, ¡°And you¡¯ll be wasting your time here by causing a disturbance at my house.¡±


    ¡°My house, you meant,¡± she said, and I chuckled, looking in another direction.


    245. IN MY MANSION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stood on the rocky shore, my feet sinking into the wet sand, as I gazed out at the turbulent con before


    me. The sky above was a swirling mass of dark clouds, illuminated by shes of lightning that tore


    through the darkness like jagged knives. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a primal roar that seemed to


    shake the very foundations of the earth. The air was heavy with the scent of salt and on impending


    storm¨Ca palpable tension that made my heart race with fear and anticipation,


    As I watched, a wave of dread washed over me, mirroring the crashing ways that pounded agains the


    shore. The sea, usually a source of sce and serenity for me, now seemed ha malevolent force, a


    monster hungry for destruction. The water churned and rolled, its surface frothy and chaotic, as if


    hiding some terrible secret beneath its depths.


    In the midst of the storm, Luke stood at the water¡¯s edge, his silhouette a stark contrast against the


    raging sea. He seemed to be calling out to me; his voice lost in the howling wind and crashing waves.


    Panic seized my heart as I watched him wade further into the water, oblivious to the danger that


    surrounded him.


    I tried to reach out to him to warn him of the impending danger, but the fury of the storm drowned out


    my voice. I felt a sense of helplessness wash over me a feeling of being powerless to save the one I


    loved from the darkness that threatened to swallow him whole.


    As Luke ventured deeper into the water, a massive wave rose up before him, towering like a titan


    against the sky. My heart leaped into my throat as I watched in horror as the wave crashed down upon


    him, engulfing him in its icy embrace. I screamed his name, a sound lost in the cacophony of wind and


    water, as I saw him disappear beneath the surface, swallowed by the roiling sea.


    The moment I screamed, my eyes were opene

 Chapter 256

    256: THROWBACK: BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    It was a beautiful summer afternoon. Luke and I were enjoying a pic in the park while Janice was


    busy with drama at school.


    We were surrounded by lush green trees and colorful flowers, and the sun was shining brightly in the


    clear blue sky. Lukel was running around, chasing butterflies andughing uncontrobly. I couldn¡¯t


    help but smile as I watched him, my heart filled with love and joy.


    Suddenly, I heard a thud and turned around to see Lukel lying on the ground, and his face contorted. in


    pain. I rushed over to him, my heart beating fast with worry.


    ¡°Lukel, are you okay?¡± I asked, panic rising in my voice.


    ¡°Mommy, my knee hurts,¡± he replied, tears welling up in his big brown eyes.


    I gently lifted him up and sat him on myp, examining his knee. It was red and swollen, and there. was


    a small cut on it. I knew he must have tripped and fallen while chasing the butterflies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. Mommy will make it all better,¡± I said, trying to soothe him.


    I reached into my bag and pulled out a first¨Caid kit. I cleaned the wound with some antiseptic and put


    a bandage on it. Lukel winced in pain but bravely held back his tears.


    ¡°Does it still hurt, honey?¡± I asked, brushing his hair away from his face.


    ¡°A little bit, but not as much as before,¡± he replied, smiling.


    I hugged him tightly and nted a kiss on his forehead. I couldn¡¯t bear to see him in pain.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a brave boy, Lukel. Mama is so proud of you,¡± I said, my voice filled with love and


    admiration.


    He beamed at me, his eyes sparkling with happiness. I knew that my little boy was a fighter, and he


    would get through this just fine.


    After a few minutes, Lukel¡¯s pain had subsided, and he was back to his usual energetic self. We


    finished our pic and decided to head back home. As we walked, Lukel held onto my hand tightly,


    asionally stopping to show me a flower or a butterfly he found.


    As we reached home, I carried Lukel inside and sat him on the couch. I brought him a ss of juice


    and his favorite teddy bear.


    ¡°Mama, can we watch my favorite cartoon?¡± he asked, his eyes pleading.


    ¡°Of course, sweetheart. I¡¯ll do anything to make you feel better,¡± I replied, smiling at his innocent


    request.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    276 THROWBACK BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS


    We smuggled on the couch, watching his favorite cartoon andughing together. As I looked at my little


    boy, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for moments like this. Moments where I could take care of him and


    make him feel better. Moments where I could be his superhero.


    A few hours passed, Lukel¡¯s injury hadpletely healed, and he was back to his usual energetic self.


    Andre had told me that we would bring Janice home. So I wasn¡¯t worried about that. Lukel and I yed


    games, read red books, and danced around the house.


    He looked up at me with those beautiful eyes. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me. You¡¯re the best


    mommy ever!¡±


    Tears rose as I kissed his forehead and whispered, ¡°No, Lukel, you¡¯re the best. Mommy loves you and


    your sister more than anything in this world.¡±


    The sun beat down on the stadium, casting a golden glow over the field as I settled into my seat. My


    eyes were fixed on the tiny figures running back and forth on the pitch. My heart swelled with pride as I


    watched my son, Lukel, a bundle of energy at only three years old, chase after the ball with a


    determination that belied his age..


    Beside me, Janice bounced up and down with excitement, her little face alive with joy as she cheered


    for her twin brother. ¡°Go, Lukel, go!¡± she squealed, pping her hands together in delight. I couldn¡¯t


    help but smile at the sight of my daughter, her curly hair dancing in the breeze as she rooted for her


    brother.


    The crowd around us was a sea of colors and sounds: parents shouting encouragement, siblings


    running around in excitement, and the asional st of a referee¡¯s whistle cutting through the air. But


    all that mattered to me was the sight of Lukel, his tiny feet kicking up dust clouds as he raced across


    the field.


    As the game progressed, I found myself holding my breath with every near miss, my heart pounding in


    time with Lukel¡¯s quick footsteps. I could see the determination in his eyes¨Cthe same fierce spirit that


    had driven him since he was born. He might be small, but he was a force to be reckoned with.


    Beside me, Janice clutched my hand tightly, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched her brother


    weave in and out of the other yers, his red jersey a blur of motion. ¡°He¡¯s amazing, Mama,¡± she


    whispered, her voice filled with awe.


    I couldn¡¯t help but agree. Lukel was a natural on the field, his talent shining through with every move he


    made. I felt a surge of pride welling up inside me, threatening to spill over as I watched my son. y


    with all the heart and soul of a champion.


    And then, in a sudden burst of speed, Lukel broke away from the pack, the ball at his feet as he raced


    towards the goal. My heart leaped into my throat as I watched him go, my breath catching in my chest.


    This was it¨Cthe moment of truth.


    ¡°Go, Lukel, go!¡± I shouted, my voice rising above the din of the crowd as I urged my son on. Beside me,


    Janice echoed my cries, her face a mask of pure joy as she cheered for her brother with all her


    And then, with a final burst of speed, Laikel kicked the ball with all his might, sending it soaring howard


    the goal Time seemed to slow as the ball arched through the air, the crowd holding its breath as it


    headed straight for the.


    With a resounding thud, the ball struck the back of the, the crowd erupting into cheers and


    apuse as Lathol raised his arms in triumph. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I watched my


    son celebrate his victory. His face lit up with a smile that could light up the world.


    ould only nod, my heart overflowing with joy, as I watched my children, my little champions, bask the


    glow of their sess. In that moment, surrounded by the sounds of victory and the warmth of my


    family, I knew that nothing in the world couldpare to the simple pleasure of watching my children


    y.


    I kept on smiling, pping, and cheering for my little angel, Lukel. He was celebrating with his


    ammates, all buoyant in the lively energy. What a great moment this was, and it was going to be truly


    remarkable.


    Laukel¡¯s eyes met mine, and I gave him a thumbs¨Cup. His smile widened.

 Chapter 257

    257: THROWBACK: BROKEN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    It was a beautiful summer morning, and I eagerly awaited my grandfather¡¯s arrival. He had promised to


    take me fishing today, something that we did a lot when I was very young. I was only neen


    currently, rich as hell, but we wanted to enjoy this moment differently. I was excited to spend the day


    with him and just be in hispany.


    As soon as I saw his car driving in my direction, I grabbed my fishing gear and ran outside. My


    grandfather, who had always been there for me, greeted me with a warm smile and a pat on the back.


    ¡°Ready to catch some fish, Luke?¡± he asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement.


    ¡°Definitely, Grandpa!¡± I replied, grinning from ear to ear.


    We drove to our favorite fishing spot by theke, just like we used to when I was a kid. I set up my


    fishing rod while Grandpa prepared the bait. We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the peacefulness of


    our surroundings.


    After a few minutes, Grandpa broke the silence. ¡°So, how¡¯s school going, Luke?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going okay, I guess,¡± I replied, not wanting to dwell on the subject. School has been tough ever


    since my parents passed away in a car ident a year ago.


    ¡°I miss them, Grandpa,¡± I blurted out, my voice cracking with emotion.


    Grandpa put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me with a sad smile. ¡°I know, Luke. I miss them,


    too. But they will always be in our hearts and memories with us.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the good times I had with my parents. Grandpa handed


    me a tissue and waited patiently for me topose myself.


    ¡°You know, Luke, your parents were the best thing that ever happened to me. And you are a part of


    them. They will always be proud of you, no matter where they are,¡± Grandpa said, his voice full of


    love and affection..


    I nodded, trying to hold back my tears. I was grateful to have Grandpa in my life; he had been my rock


    since my parents¡® deaths. He had always been there for me,forting me and guiding me through the


    tough times.


    ¡°I love you, Grandpa,¡± I said, hugging him tightly.


    ¡°I love you too, Luke. And I will always be here for you, no matter what,¡± he replied, returning the hug.


    We spent the rest of the day fishing and talking about everything under the sun. Grandpa shared


    stories about my parents that I had never heard before. Weughed and reminisced, and for a


    25 BAE BROWIN


    moment, I forgot about my sadness and just enjoyed being in the present


    As the sun began to set, we packed up our things and headed back home. I couldn¡¯t thank Grandpa


    enough for the wonderful day we had. I knew my parents were looking down on us, happy to see us


    spend quality time together.


    ¡°I had a great time today, Grandpa. Thank you,¡± I said, breaking the silence in the car.


    ¡®Anytime, Luke. You know I love spending time with you,¡± he replied, smiling at me.


    I smiled back, feeling grateful for having such a loving and caring grandfather. I knew that no matter


    what, he would always be there for me, just like my parents would have been. And that though brought


    mefort and sce.


    As we reached home, Grandpa ruffled my hair. ¡°Just remember, Lake, I will always be here for you no


    matter what happens. And your parents will always be watching over you.¡®


    I hugged him once again, feeling blessed to have him in my life. And as I went to bed that night, I felt a


    sense of peace and contentment, knowing that I had my grandpa by my side, and that was all that


    mattered. Yes, the money was there, but it wasn¡¯tpared to the joy and love this man gave me


    asionally. Well, he was also the one who gave me the money.


    I was sitting at the dining table in my parents¡® grand mansion, eagerly waiting to be served my favorite


    dish by the maid, Lily. She always made the most delicious mac and cheese; I couldn¡¯t wait to dig in.


    As a seven¨Cyear¨Cold, food was always on my mind.


    ¡°Here you go, Luke,¡± Lily said with a warm smile as she ced the te in front of me.


    ¡°Thank you, Lily! It looks amazing,¡± I replied, my mouth already watering.


    I took a big bite and closed my eyes in bliss. But my enjoyment was short¨Clived when I heard another


    maid, Farana, sobbing as she entered the room.


    ¡°Farana, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, concerned.


    She wiped her tears and tried topose herself before answering, ¡°Luke, I have some terrible news.¡±


    My heart started pounding with fear. ¡°What is it, Farana? What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your parents, Luke. They were in a car ident. They didn¡¯t make it,¡± she said, her voice


    trembling.


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. My parents couldn¡¯t be gone. They were supposed toe back.


    from their business trip today. They promised to bring me a surprise.


    ¡°No, no, that can¡¯t be true. They can¡¯t leave me,¡± I said, tears streaming down my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luke. I wish it wasn¡¯t true,¡± Farana said, tears now falling freely.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I pushed my te away and ran out of the mansion, not wanting to believe


    the devastating news. I ran through the gardens, past the fountain, and into the woods behind the


    257 THROWBACK BROKEN


    mansion. I didn¡¯t know where I was going, but I just couldn¡¯t stay in that house anymore.


    3/3


    As I ran, I heard someone calling my name. It was my grandfather, who lived in a cottage nearby. He


    was running towards me, his face filled with worry.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you running like that?¡± he asked, out of breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true, is it, Grandpa? Farana said, My parents are dead, but that can¡¯t be true, right?¡± I asked,


    desperately hoping for him to deny it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my boy. It¡¯s true. I just got the news myself. Your parents were on their way home when they


    had a terrible ident. They didn¡¯t survive,¡± he said, his voice breaking.


    I copsed to the ground, my world falling apart. My parents were my everything. They were my best


    friends, my superheroes, and now they were gone.


    My grandfather sat down next to me and put his arm around me. We stayed like that for what felt like


    hours, crying and grieving for the loss of my parents.


    As the days went by, I slowly began to ept the reality of the situation. But it was my grandfather who


    helped me through it all. He became my rock and my constant support in this difficult time. Even though


    I missed my parents terribly, I knew they would always be with me in spirit.


    From that day on, my grandfather and I became even closer. He became my new best friend, and I will


    forever be grateful for his love and guidance during the toughest time of my life.

 Chapter 258

    258: THROWBACK: MORE BROKEN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    I never thought I would have to attend my parents¡® funeral at the age of seven. It all happened so


    suddenly, and I was left with my grandfather as my only family now. As we entered the church, d could


    feel the weight of the situation on my small shoulders. My grandfather held my hand tightly we made


    our way to the front of the church, where my parents¡® caskets were ced.


    I could hear people whispering and sniffling as we passed by them. Some of them gave me.


    sympathetic looks, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look back. I just kept my head down and followed my


    grandfather.


    Reaching the front, I saw two bodies covered there, and this left me more broken. Tears filled my eyes,


    and I could feel my throat tightening. My grandfather squeezed my hand, and I knew he was trying to


    give me strength.


    ¡°Grandpa, why did they have to go?¡± I finally spoke, my voice trembling.


    ¡°I know, Luke. I don¡¯t have the answers, but I promise to take care of you from now on,¡± my grandfather


    replied, his voice filled with sadness.


    We sat down in the front row, and the priest began the service. I tried to listen, but the words seemed to


    be a blur. I couldn¡¯t believe that my parents were gone and I would never see them again. My eyes kept


    wandering to their caskets, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of emptiness inside me.


    After the service, people started toe and pay their respects. My grandfather held my hand as we


    stood in line, and people kepting to us, offering condolences. I could see tears in their eyes,


    making me realize how much my parents meant to them.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    A woman approached me, and I recognized her as my mother¡¯s great friend. She hugged me tightly


    and whispered, ¡°Your parents were amazing, Luke. They loved you so much.¡±


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears anymore, and I buried my face on my grandfather¡¯s shoulder. He


    rubbed my back soothingly and whispered words offort.


    After the funeral, my grandfather and I made our way to the cemetery for the burial. As I watched my


    parents being lowered into the ground, I felt a sense of finality. They were truly gone, and I was left


    alone.


    ¡°Luke, would you like to say a few words?¡± My grandfather asked, breaking the silence.


    I nodded and stepped forward, looking at the caskets. ¡°Mom, Dad, I miss you both so much. I wish you


    were still here with me. But I know you will always be watching over me from above. I love you,¡± I said,


    my voice shaking with emotion.


    My grandfather hugged me, and we stayed there for a while, just standing in silence. As we returned to


    the car, my grandfather held my hand tightly, and I knew he would always be there for me.


    250, THROWANY MORE BROKEN


    2/3


    ¡°Are you okay, Lake?¡± he asked, looking down at me with concern.


    ¡°I will be, Grandpa. I have you,¡± I replied, giving him a small smile.


    We drove home, and my grandfather tucked me into bed, just like my parents used to do. As I closed


    my eyes, I could still feel their presence, and I knew they would always be with me in spirit.


    ¡°Goodnight, Laike,¡± my grandfather whispered, kissing my forehead.


    ¡°Goodnight, Grandpa,¡± I replied, feelingforted to know that I still had family by my side.


    As I approached the familiar gravestone, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a lump in my throat. I took a deep


    breath and tried to hold back my tears. My grandpa put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it


    gently, giving me a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Are you ready, Luke?¡± he asked.


    I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. We stood in front of the grave, and I gently ced a bouquet


    of flowers on the grass. I traced my fingers over my parents¡® names engraved on the stone, feeling the


    coldness of the letters against my skin. It has been three years since they left me.


    Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad,¡± I whispered, my voice cracking. ¡°It¡¯s me, Luke. I turned ten today.¡±


    My grandpa stood a few steps behind me, giving me some privacy to talk to my parents. But I knew he


    was listening, just like he always did. Knowing that I wasn¡¯t aloneforted me.


    ¡°I miss you both so much,¡± I continued, my voice trembling. ¡°I wish you were here to celebrate with me,


    I wish you could see how much I¡¯ve grown physically and emotionally. I wish you could be here to guide


    me and give me advice. But I know you¡¯re watching over me, which strengthens me.¡±


    I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. I could feel my grandpa¡¯s presence behind me and


    knew he was smiling proudly. I turned to him and gave him a small smile before turning back to my


    parents¡® grave.


    ¡°I want you to know that I will always remember you, Mom and Dad,¡± I said, my voice stronger this time.


    ¡°You will forever be in my heart, and nothing can ever change that. I will make you proud, I


    promise.¡±


    I felt my grandpa¡¯s hand on my shoulder again, and I knew it was time to go. I said my final goodbye to


    my parents and turned to leave, but not before giving the gravestone onest touch.


    ¡°I love you, Mom and Dad,¡± I whispered before walking away with my grandpa.


    We both walked back to the car, and I felt a sense of peace and closure. I knew my parents were gone


    physically, but their love and memories will always be with me. I will continue to visit their grave every


    year to remind them that they will always hold a special ce in my heart.


    Getting inside the car, I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears any longer. The emotions from visiting my parents¡®


    grave overwhelmed me, and I couldn¡¯t help but cry.


    25A THROWBACK MORE BROKEN


    My grandpa noticed and immediately reached over to wipe away my tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Luke,¡± he said


    softly. ¡°Your parents wouldn¡¯t want to see you sad on your birthday.¡±


    ¡°But I miss them so much,¡± 1 sobbed. ¡°I wish they were here.¡±


    ¡°I know, kiddo,¡± my grandpa replied, his voice filled with understanding. ¡°But they will always be with us


    in our hearts and memories. And they would want you to be happy today, on your special day.¡±


    I sniffled and tried topose myself. My grandpa was right. My parents wouldn¡¯t want me to be sad.


    They always wanted me to be happy and enjoy life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa,¡± I said, wiping my tears away. ¡°I just wish they were here to celebrate with us.


    ¡°I know, Luke,¡± my grandpa said, starting the car. ¡°But they are here in spirit. And we will always carry


    them with us, no matter where we go.¡±


    We drove in silence for a few minutes, the only sound in the car being the soft hum of the radio. I could


    feel my grandpa¡¯s presence next to me, and it gave me a sense offort.


    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa,¡± I said, breaking the silence. ¡°For always being here for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Luke,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°Your parents were my children, and you are my


    grandchild. And I will always be here for you, no matter what.¡±


    I smiled back at him and leaned my head against the window, watching the scenery pass by. I knew my


    parents were watching over me, and I promised to make them proud

 Chapter 259

    259: Throwback: I SEE YOU THROUGH THE STARS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    I stood outside my mansion, the cold winter air biting at my skin as I shivered in my thin coat. It was


    New Year¡¯s Eve; I was just seventeen. As I gazed up at the starry sky, memories flooded. I remember


    when I was just a little kid, my mother would take me outside on New Year¡¯s Eve, and we would shout.


    at the top of our lungs until the clock struck 12:00 am. It was our little tradition, one that I looked


    forward to every year.


    But now, my parents are gone. They had passed away In a car ident ten years ago, and everything


    has changed since then. I was left with my massive mansion, countless servants, and arge


    inheritance. And there was my grandfather, who was always there for me. But none of it mattered to


    me. I would give it all up just to have my parents back and to have them by my side on this special


    night.


    I watched as people around the neighborhood set off fireworks, their shouts andughter filling the air.


    It was a cheerful sight but only made me feel more alone. I longed for my mother¡¯s warm embrace. and


    my father¡¯s boomingugh. I closed my eyes and tried to


    imagine them standing next to me,


    celebrating the new year together.


    ¡°Luke, are you okay?¡± A voice brought me back to reality, and I turned to see my butler, James,


    standing behind me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, James,¡± I replied with a forced smile.


    ¡°You shoulde inside; it¡¯s freezing out here,¡± he said, concern evident in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± I assured him, wanting to be alone for a little while longer.


    ¡°As you wish, sir,¡± James said before walking back into the warmth of the house.


    I turned my attention back to the sky, watching as the fireworks continued to light up the night. I couldn¡¯t


    help but feel a pang of envy towards those families celebrating together. I wished I could join them, but


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to face the world without my parents:


    Suddenly, a loud bang caught my attention, and I looked up to see a group of teenagers shooting off a


    large firework. They wereughing and cheering; their joy was contagious. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at


    their excitement. It reminded me of the times when I was their age, carefree and full of life.


    ¡°Hey, you want to join us?¡± One of the boys called out to me.


    I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I wanted to be around other people. But then I remembered my


    parents and how they would want me to enjoy this night. So, I made my way towards the group and


    joined in their celebration.


    When the clock struck 12:00 am, we all shouted ¡°Happy New Year!¡± at the top


    just like my mother and I used to do. And in that moment, surrounded by new friends, I felt a sense of


    peace. I


    of our l


    259 Throwback TSCE YOU THROUGH THE STARS


    knew my parents were looking down on me, happy to see me finally moving forward.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Luke,¡± one of the girls said, giving me a hug.


    ¡°Happy New Year,¡± I replied with a smile, feeling grateful for this unexpected moment of joy.


    The night went on. Iughed and talked with my new friends, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my


    shoulders. I knew I still had a long way to go in dealing with my loss, but for now, I was happy to have


    this memory to hold onto. As I watched the fireworks light up the sky, I knew that my parents were with


    me in spirit, celebrating the new year together.


    Although we were rich, I had never been to a party like this before. The grand ballroom was filled with


    chandeliers, expensive art pieces, and people dressed in their finest designer clothes. My grandfather


    and I were invited to this party by one of our business partners, who was throwing a soiree for all the


    billionaires in town. As we made our way through the crowd, my grandfather introduced me to various


    people, all of them incredibly sessful and wealthy.


    ¡°Luke, this is Mr. Roberts, one of the city¡¯s most prominent real estate developers,¡± my grandfather


    said, shaking hands with a man who looked to be in his sixties.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, sir,¡± I replied, trying my best to sound confident andposed.


    After a few more introductions, I excused myself and headed towards the bar to get a drink. As I sipped


    on my scotch, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little out of ce. I was only eighteen and surrounded by people


    at least twice my age. But I felt a tap on my shoulder before I could dwell on it.


    I turned around to see a stunning woman with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She had a


    mischievous smile on her face as she extended her hand toward me.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Hailey,¡± she said, her voice smooth and seductive.


    Her forwardness and her beauty took me aback. I introduced myself, and we struck up a conversation.


    Hailey told me that she was the daughter of a notable billionaire in New Haven and had recently moved


    back home after studying abroad.


    Our conversation continued, and I felt drawn to her. She was smart, funny, and incredibly charming. But


    then she said something that caught mepletely off guard.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been watching you all night, Luke. And I have to say, I really like what I see,¡± Hailey


    said, her eyes roaming over my body.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I could feel my cheeks flush as I tried to formte a response. Before I could say anything, she leaned


    in closer and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°I want to have sex with you.¡±


    My heart raced, and my mind went nk. I had never been in a situation like this before. I was only


    eighteen, and she should be like twenty¨Cfive or something. But as I looked into her eyes, I could see


    that she was serious.


    25% throwback 1SEE YOU THROUGH THE STARS


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± I stammered, trying to find the right words. ¡°You should be like teri


    years older than me.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Age is just a number, and besides, you¡¯re legal,¡± Halley said with a sly smile.


    I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as I tried to think of a way out of this situation. But then 1


    remembered something myte father used to tell me.


    ¡°Luke, don¡¯t be misled by women. They¡¯ll tell you anything just to get what they want,¡± he would say.


    And in that moment, I knew what I had to do. I took a deep breath and looked at Halley.


    ¡°I appreciate your offer, Hailey. But I¡¯m not interested in women,¡± I said firmly.


    Hailey¡¯s smile faltered for a second before she regained herposure.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. But you know where to find me if you ever change your mind.¡± She winked at me


    before walking away.


    I sighed in relief and took a sip of my drink. Looking around the room, I felt kind of proud of myself. So I


    went outside and looked at the starry sky, smiling and remembering some good moments spent with


    my parents.


    My grandfather found me a few minutester and aske

 Chapter 260

    260: CONFIDENTIAL


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    FLASHBACK


    I stood in front of the grave, my heart heavy with memories and sorrow. Harking my mind back to the


    time I was informed of how they passed away in a tragle car ident was really painful. And here i was


    today, on their death anniversary. I hade to visit them with my cousin Riley


    I kneeled down and ced a bouquet of flowers on their grave. ¡°Hey, mom, hey, dad,¡± I said softly, my


    voice trembling. ¡°It¡¯s me, Lake. I miss you guys so much. I wish you were here with me today, still alive.


    I wish I could tell you about everything that has happened all these years, I wish I could hear your


    voices and see your smiles. I wish¡­¡±


    Tears streamed down my face as I spoke to them, pouring my heart out. I could feel Riley¡¯s hand on my


    shoulder, offering mefort. When I was done, I stood up and turned to face her.


    ¡°Thank you for being here with me, Riley,¡± I told her, as my voice choked with emotion.


    She smiled sadly at me. ¡°I might not have been born when your parents were still alive, but I love them


    so much. They were family to me, too.¡±


    I pulled her into a tight embrace, grateful for her presence, ¡°Thank you for saving that, Riley. It


    means a lot to me.¡±


    We stood there for a few more minutes, lost in our own thoughts. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and rain


    started pouring down.


    ¡°We should go to the car,¡± I said, breaking the silence.


    Riley nodded, her eyes filled with concern. We quickly made our way to my car, trying to shield


    ourselves from the rain. As we got inside, I turned on the engine and the wipers.


    ¡°Are you okay, Luke?¡± Riley asked her hand on my arm.


    I nodded, unable to find my voice. The rain was relentless, pounding against the hield. I could feel my


    heart sinking further with each passing second.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re gone,¡± I uttered, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Riley squeezed my arm reassuringly. ¡°I know, Luke. But they¡¯ll always be with you, in your memory. and


    in your heart.¡±


    I smiled at her through my tears. ¡°Thank you, Riley. You always know how to make me feel better.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She smiled back at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. ¡°That¡¯s what family is for, right?¡±


    I nodded, feeling grateful for her love and support. The rain continued to pour down, but I knew that I


    could weather any storm with Riley by my side.


    260 CONFIDENTIAL


    1/2


    END OF FLASHBACKS


    I was still standing here, ring at my great¨Caunt, who returned the expression. She insulted my


    grandfather and my father, and reminiscing about those moments, I was boiling with anger. They were


    dead now, but she had the balls to¡­


    Oh, sorry about that.


    She had the nerve to talk sh*t with no respect, and she was here, looking for respect. I didn¡¯t want to be


    rude around here. If not, I would have seized her goddamn hand and tossed her fat ass out of this


    mansion.


    I wanted to be respectful; I didn¡¯t want to challenge her. That¡¯s why I even let her stay in this house. But


    here she was now, upsetting me to the fullest, and I swear, I might give her a hard p if she didn¡¯t


    watch her mouth.


    Of course, my mother did sh*t in the past, which is kind of clear. But this woman didn¡¯t know that she


    was the one who killed my father. I might have to be silent in that part. But the fact that she was just


    treating my mother like trash was really annoying, galling, whatever word you want to use.


    Honestly, my mother deserved all these treatments. She did terrible, wrong, and evil things in the past,


    so she needed to take some insults. But yesterday, when I stopped her from jumping off that building, I


    felt this change of heart towards her a different thought. And now, I didn¡¯t want anyone speaking badly


    about her, throwing insults at her, or whatever.


    Ariel¡¯s words had knocked on my brain, and even though my mother¡¯s sins were intense, forgiveness


    materialized within me, overshadowing the cloud of darkness and hatred I had for her. Now, I couldn¡¯t


    be that mad at her. But I am still drawing my mind back to when she felt so full of herself, and I would


    just wish I hadn¡¯t crossed paths with her anymore. But this was just life, my friend, and I had to live with


    what was thrown at me.


    My great¨Caunt raised her finger at me. ¡°Young man, if you don¡¯t talk with manners, I¡¯m going to¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to do what, huh?¡± I cut her off, raising my voice to a certain point. ¡°I respect the fact that


    you¡¯re older than me But please, you have to respect yourself.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just so irritating?¡±


    ¡°Not as irritating as you,¡± I retorted.


    She crossed her arms, ring at me, and she moved her face closer. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for the perfect


    time, Luke. When I¡¯m going to kick you out of this house,


    I looked her in the eyes. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know that I bought this mansion,¡± I said.


    ¡°Used my money.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± I spoke immediately, irritated by her words. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be talking


    nonsense; stop iming what you don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°What I don¡¯t have? Didn¡¯t I tell you that I gave your grandfathera mana


    MAN


    260: CONFIDENTIAL


    He was nothing but a broken piece of crap back then. If it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here


    with this wealth today.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. You might have given my grandpa the money, but he had the wisdom, the


    knowledge, and the brain. He was the one who established this business; I don¡¯t care if you gave him


    the money or not. He worked hard day and night to gain sess. He started The Reynolds, made it


    remarkable, and made it notable, and I¡¯m going to continue that legacy. I¡¯m not going to let you or


    anyone else do shit. You can live in this house; I¡¯m fine with that. But don¡¯t even think of snatching this


    wealth because you¡¯re just going to be wasting your time. Believe me when I say tha


    ¡°So much confidence. I can just imagine the look on your face when I¡¯ve finally taken what rightfully.


    belongs to me.¡±


    You kee


    on saying that, and it gets more annoying. No shit rightfully belongs to you. Stop lying to yourself. In


    fact, tell me how much you gave to Grandpa to help him start the business. Tell me how much, and I¡¯ll


    pay you without thinking twice. A hundred million dors? Five hundred million dors? A billion


    dors? Nah, it¡¯s definitely not thest one. You¡¯re not a billionaire. So tell me, how much is it? I¡¯ll pay


    double or triple if you want for you to just respect yourself.¡±


    ¡°You talk with so much pride,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to pay me a dime. I will take my


    wealth back, and I¡¯ll beughing at you when that momentes. Just watch me.¡®

 Chapter 261

    261: NOT WHAT I EXPECTED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I sat on this bed, still thinking about the dream I had. What the hell was that? What was it trying to tell


    me? Luke swallowed water; I couldn¡¯t grasp the whole idea. Was it trying to tell me that the future


    between Luke and me would not be nice? If only I could get a perfect exnation for this.


    I stood up from the bed, driving my hands through my hair, and the door opened. A maid stepped in.


    ¡°Good morning, miss,¡± she greeted.


    ¡°Uhmm, good morning,¡± I greeted back, and we looked at each other for seconds, no one saying


    anything. Like, it was really crazy.


    But then I broke the silence. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± sheughed. Fake shit. ¡°I was lost in thoughts. Please forgive me, miss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. So can you please tell me why you¡¯vee to this room? Did you perhapse to the


    wrong ce ore here for a purpose?¡±


    ¡°I came for the morning cleaning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°But I can see you¡¯re busy now, so I guess I¡¯ll just returnter.¡± She wanted to leave the room, stopped


    her.


    ¡°Hold on,


    hold on. Do you usually do this cleaning early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss. That is my job.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to ask this question, miss. But can I please know why you were asking?¡±


    but I


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, actually. I was just curious,¡± I replied. You may go now, and you cane backter.¡±


    ¡°Okay, miss.¡± She walked away.


    Well, that was a relief.


    ¡°Now, where the hell was Luke? I slept by his side but didn¡¯t wake up next to him. Has he left for work?


    Nah, it couldn¡¯t be. It was too early.


    I could hear the sound of a phone ringing, and when I turned around, it was mine, right on the bed. I


    could only wonder who was calling me so early.


    I took my phone, and Laura was right on the screen. I looked at it for a moment, but I answered the call


    anyway.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯ve been worried sick about you. Where have you been?¡± She asked.


    261: NOT


    ¡°Well, I just decided to spend the night at one of my friends¡® houses.¡±


    There was no way I was going to tell her that I spent the night with Luke. Her expression when I


    informed her that Luke did not murder my son was a memory in my mind; it was¨Coh my god, let¡¯s not


    even begin to think about it.


    She already had this hatred for him, and it was all because of me, with the way I kept talking about


    Luke, emphasizing the whole situation, how he¡¯s cold¨Cblooded, and all that.


    I could just tell her everything now, but my mind was telling me it wasn¡¯t a good idea. Currently, I didn¡¯t


    want to jeopardize our rtionship by bringing up the entire h h because I believe I was aware of


    the consequences that would ensue.


    ¡°And who¡¯s this friend of yours?¡± She asked, but I remained silent. ¡°Oh, never mind. I called to tell you


    that Harriet is no longer in the room you kept her in.¡±


    My face changed right away. ¡°What? Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve searched almost everywhere in the house and can¡¯t find her here.¡±


    ¡°Almost everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re still searching, though. Pleasee home as soon as possible. We have some things to


    talk about, not concerning Harriet.¡±


    The phone call ended promptly. And the unexpected news still shocked me. How on earth did Harriet


    escape? She was chained, like chained. And those weren¡¯t just any ordinary chains. No, no, she was


    too weak to even flee out of that mansion. Someone helped her with this, and that person was residing


    inside that house.


    But Harriet should be given five stars, a round of apuse, or whatever. She broke out of prison, cool.


    Now that she broke out of my chains, she left. But I wasn¡¯t going to let her go away. I knew how crazy


    she could get. She was a psychopath who was capable of causing harm to those I cared about and


    loved. She would engage in malicious behavior toward them. And speaking of these people, I just


    remembered Andre. He was still in the hospital, and I didn¡¯t go to visit him. What the heck!


    What kind of friend was I? He endured a gunshot wound in my ce; he came perilously close to death


    in an effort to safeguard me. However, there I was, engrossed in my own thoughts,pletely


    oblivious to the fact that he had been transported to the hospital just the day before.


    I quickly burst into the shower, but I halted immediately. Right now, I don¡¯t even need to shower. I just


    have to get dressed, take my daughter, and get the hell out of here.


    Maybe thatst part was rude. I¡¯ll just leave here. Yeah, that was quite better.


    I wore my dress, grabbed my purse, and took my phone. Just when I was about to leave the room,


    Luke stepped in. I moved backward a little while he scanned me.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving so early?¡± He queried.


    ¡°Yes, something came up. And my presence is needed right now, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Are you for real?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luke, This is an emergency.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡±


    I nced at him promptly. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°So I can help you out.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you, mister. But I think I can handle this on my own. And by the way, don¡¯t you have some


    business projects to take care of?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there are projects. But if you¡¯re about to attend to an emergency, I¡¯ll help you. After all, you are


    my wife, so I have to put you first in everything.¡±


    I smiled at him and then drew his cheek, ¡°Thanks, I appreciate that you want to help me so badly, but I


    got this. You do not have to worry,¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°And how are you so sure that you have this?¡±


    ¡°Laike, I¡¯lle back to spend time with you. No big deal here.¡±


    He gave me a skeptical look. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, duh. I¡¯m not running away, sir.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, can I trust you?¡± He smirked, moving his face closer.


    ¡°Of course you can.¡± I grinned, holding his chin. And then I pecked him on the lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking Janice along with you?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, that¡¯s if she agrees,¡± I replied, and then Iughed softly. Lukeughed as well.


    He wrapped his hands around my waist, looking deeply into my eyes. ¡°Take good care of yourself,


    Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will. You take care of yourself and don¡¯t miss me too much.¡±


    I kissed him before he let go of me. Then, I went to Janice¡¯s room. She was still sleeping with her


    innocent face visible, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I regarded her.


    I walked north and sat next to her on the bed. Moving my face closer, I caressed her hair and


    whispered into her ear, ¡°Wakey, wakey, my little princess.¡±


    She gently moved her body, and Laura started calling me again.

 Chapter 262

    262: THE FEELING


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Gazing at the screen, I could only wonder why Laura was calling again. It could be that she had found


    Harriet. I hoped so; I didn¡¯t want that psychopath to get away.


    I answered the phone call. ¡°Yes, Laura?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, you have toe here quickly.¡±


    ¡°Why? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I found two dead bodies here. Two of my servants are dead. And it¡¯s obvious Harriet is the one who


    killed them.¡±


    ¡°Harriet killed them?¡± I spoke, trying to grasp the situation.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think. Is this woman that brutal?¡± Laura quizzed.


    Well, what do you expect from ady who killed a priest?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    ¡°Okay, hurry up,¡± she said before ending the call.


    I set my eyes on Janice, and she was still sleeping. I didn¡¯t want to wake her up, so I think it would be


    best if she just stayed with Luke in the meantime. At least she gets to have fun with the two little boys


    around here.


    I also wanted to visit Andre at the hospital to check up on him, but I would have to postpone that until


    later. I needed to go to that house to see this whole Harriet situation.


    With Janice still sleeping, I walked out of the room. I went to Luke¡¯s room, and he was making a phone


    call. I waited for him to end the conversation, but it went on for minutes. He eventually turned around,


    and that was when he saw me standing at the door.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get back to you,¡± he said before ending the call. ¡°Ariel? I thought you were gone.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still here. But I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that. I¡¯m not going to be taking Janice along with me.¡±


    Luke raised an eyebrow promptly. ¡°Oh, you changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t want to wake her up just yet, but when she does, tell her I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°I can just tell her you ran away and never returned,¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°And you think she¡¯s going to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she? She¡¯s a little kid.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a little kid with brains, Luke. Do you think she¡¯s like you when you were little?¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can start leaving now,¡± he told me without hesitation, and I burst intoughter.


    ¡°I¡¯lle backter.¡±


    ¡°Of course, You¡¯re definitely not going to leave your daughter here.¡±


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± I smirked at him.


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever. Take care,¡± I kissed his cheek before leaving the room.


    Walking down the stairs, straight to the living room, I saw this woman standing in front of me. She was


    fat and round, and her brows were so fucked up.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, halting me,


    ¡°Just a guest,¡± I replied with a smile, and then I left her presence.


    1 got into my car and drove for minutes until I finally arrived at Laura¡¯s mansion, my residence, ce of


    living, and cool words. And after parking the car, I left.


    I hurriedly made my way inside the mansion, but while I did that, I looked around to see if Harriet


    was probably around the area, I wasn¡¯t still convinced that she killed those maids, but we¡¯d just have to


    see how things went.


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re finally back,¡± Laura said, approaching him. ¡°Good morning, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Janice? Still at your friend¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s still sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Ariel. I never knew you had great friends around here. Oh, sorry, I forgot; this is your hometown.


    You got tons of friends in this ce.¡±


    ¡°That tone isn¡¯t too nice. Are you¡­ upset?¡± I questioned her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not upset, actually. But just in case, next time, if you¡¯re going to spend the whole day at your


    friend¡¯s house, you should let me know. Do you have any idea how worried I was yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You didn¡¯t do anything here. You¡¯re not a little kid, and you should be telling me


    everywhere you go.¡±


    ¡°I understand your point, Laura.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do,¡± she said, looking at me. ¡°So, I called you for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Right, Harriet.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nowhere to be found, but we have two dead bodies in the house.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? I beat the hell out of her. She was like a lifeless soul, half dead. She would have


    no idea how on earth she could escape those chains, much less seed in murdering two individuals.


    No, something isn¡¯t right around here.¡±


    ¡°Duhh, that woman escaped. Of course, things aren¡¯t going to be right around here.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m trying to make everything clear. I feel like someone helped her out.¡±


    Laura gave me an interesting face. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Harriet can¡¯t just do this on her own. Someone obviously helped her.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you trying to say now? That one of my workers is doing shit behind my back.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, yes.¡±


    Laura chuckled. ¡°Wow, these fools. I¡¯m cutting their paychecks.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy; we¡¯ll just have to find out who did this.¡±


    ¡°How? Do you think any of those bozos are going to talk? One thing in life, Ariel, is that the criminal


    never admits he¡¯s a criminal.¡±


    42


    ¡°Hmm, yeah, everyone knows that,¡± I stated lowly.


    ¡°If Harriet is gone, then so be it. We¡¯re not going to stress ourselves on that woman, right?¡±


    ¡°Harriet escaped, and you think she¡¯s just going to sit down? That woman is sick in the head. She¡¯s not


    going to rest until she takes her revenge.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re not going to rest either. Those people almost took your life; they killed your son and


    abducted your daughter. You can just see all the terrible things they did. And you think we¡¯re going to


    let them get away with it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not. I¡¯m definitely going to take revenge for my son¡¯s death.¡®


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± Laura asked me right away. ¡°If you were really serious and focused on


    this revenge stuff, your enemies wouldn¡¯t still be alive today. Mason, Harriet, and Luke,¡±


    ¡°I told you already, Luke didn¡¯t kill Luke.¡±


    ¡°And you believed him just like that?¡± Laura chuckled. Do not tell me you have developed feelings for


    the man who shattered you to a million pieces,¡± she advised.


    ¡°I was wrong about Luke. You have to understand that he didn¡¯t do anything. He¡¯s innocent. Mason is


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    the one who killed tanke. He paid some goddamndy to tell me false things, and I believed it. I didn¡¯t


    know how, but I believed it, and I started thinking Luke was the one responsible for my son¡¯s death.¡± 1


    fixed my hands on her shoulders as I continued. The hate blinded me. I med Luke for everything the


    pain, the sorrow, everything. But he had to open my eyes. He made me realize that he would do


    anything to keep his blood safe. He was willing to die, just so nothing bad would happen to me and


    Janice ¡±


    Laura raised an eyebrow. ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you went to spend the night with him, right?¡±

 Chapter 263

    263: THE LOVE FROM VENGEANCE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    My eyes widened at Laura, giving her a surprised look. Oh sh*t, she just said, which meant she was


    fully aware that I had been with Luke the entire time. Yet she pretended like she knew nothing.


    Unknowingly, this was extremely messed up, and I believe I was beginning to grow annoyed with this


    woman.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You know I¡¯m telling the truth, right? You spent the night with


    Luke, and Janice is still at his house.


    ¡°You knew all this time? But why did you? How did you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry about that. I have my own ways of doing things. But tell me, why


    were you lying to me?¡±


    ¡°Lying to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. You told me that you were at your friend¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Well, technically, that wasn¡¯t actually a lie.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Since when did you and Luke be friends?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow. She had a fake smile


    on her face.


    ¡°Is this the reason why you called me? We should discuss something more important, like finding


    Harriet and getting her back here.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this important?¡±


    ¡°Look, Laura, I don¡¯t want to argue.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I. Bute on, Ariel, this was not what we agreed to in the first ce.


    ¡°I know, and at that time, I thought Luke was the one who killed my son. But it turns out he¡¯s not, so we


    can¡¯t follow through with that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not convinced.¡±


    ¡°How are you not convinced? Okay, let¡¯s do it this way. I¡¯m the one who told you that Luke killed Lukel,


    right? Cool. So now, I¡¯m also telling you that he isn¡¯t the one responsible for my son¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know; I just don¡¯t like that man.


    ¡°He¡¯s actually a nice person.¡±


    Laura gave me a disbelieving look. ¡°You¡¯re saying that now because?¡±


    263: THE LOVE FROM VENGEANCE


    ¡°He saved me; he saved my daughter. He almost got killed for our sake. Of course, I¡¯m going to be


    grateful for that.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°So now you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re ending the vengeance thing with Luke.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Ariel. I can¡¯t actually believe this.¡±


    ¡°You see, I wanted revenge so bad since I returned from Canada and when I also came back. But I


    guess things changed. The hate disappeared, and there was love from vengeance,¡±


    Laura stared at me for a few seconds, not saying anything. ¡°Your choice, Arici. Decide to kill Luke or


    not; that¡¯s none of my business. But I hope you don¡¯t regret this decisionter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t regret anything.¡±


    ¡°How sure are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a hundred percent sure. Luke won¡¯t turn his back on me. We might face some challenges and


    obstacles, but I believe he¡¯s going to stand by my side in all situations.¡±


    ¡°I love your belief. You¡¯re being so confident in the same man who made your life hell for three good


    years, the same man who wished for bad things to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the past. I have to focus on the present right now and trust me, Luke has changed. He has


    changed so much that I start wondering if he¡¯s the same man that I used to live with all those years.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you,¡± Laura said, and she walked away promptly.


    Yes, I knew this was going to happen. But I wasn¡¯t going to hide anything. I wasn¡¯t going to be afraid.


    Let whatever you want happen; I didn¡¯t really care. I could only hope for the better in the future.


    ¡ü


    I made my way to the dark room where I had ced Harriet. I scanned everywhere, looking at the


    loose chains, and there were blood stains on the floor. As I squatted to get a closer look, I could vividly


    recall the insanity that Harriet must havemitted to force her to flee.


    I stood up, and I suddenly heard the sounds of rats. But the creatures were gone. Looking in that


    direction, my eyes went straight to a paper. I moved forward to take a closer look at it. What was on the


    paper was a big X, and it was written with blood. Obviously, Harriet was responsible for this. But how


    were we going to find her now?


    I tore the paper into pieces and threw it away. It had no use, but I knew that was a warning. Harriet tried


    telling me things wouldn¡¯t be great for me. However, who the hell did she believe herself to be that I


    ought to be terrified of her?


    Her threats meant nothing to me. Even if she were to ce the human head in a box and deliver it to


    me, I would not be frightened of her. Never had been and never would be. She had just been a pest


    since the beginning of their whole story, trying to cause trouble but being terrible at it. And always


    unsessful, trying to be sessful. Crazy, wild, and fucked up.


    Slowly, I traipsed out of the room, thinking about the things that were likely to happen. If I could clearly


    remember, Mason was not dead. Luke didn¡¯t kill him, obviously. So, the idiot must be plotting a new


    scheme to make my life terrible. Things were going to be difficult with that man around. Then there was


    Laura, who so despised Luke as she knew him from somewhere before. She didn¡¯t want to believe that


    he was innocent, but she easily epted him killing Lukel when that detail was wrong. And as for


    Harriet, let¡¯s not talk about her.


    But thinking too much wouldn¡¯t change anything, nor would it solve the problems. So, visiting Andre at


    the hospital right now was the next thing I decided to carry out. He is somewhat irate with me, but I


    intend to apologize. I mean, it wasn¡¯t my fault. I was searching for my daughter, and I was¡­


    Okay, I have no exnation for this. It was totally my fault.


    I got into my car and drove to the hospital. When I was done with this, I would just get dressed so I


    could go see my daughter and her father, Luke.


    I went to Andre¡¯s room, and Elizabeth was right there, sitting next to him. And still holding Andre¡¯s


    hand, she gave me a surprised look.


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re finally back,¡± she said softly, letting go of Andre and walking towards me. Andre¡¯s eyes


    were closed. He was probably sleeping or just decided to have his eyes shut.


    Elizabeth hugged me. ¡°I miss you so much, sweetheart.¡±


    After our embrace, she held my cheeks. ¡°Tell me, where have you been this whole time? Everyone has


    been searching for you. But you just disappeared into thin air.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story. But you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. You should just be d that I¡¯m


    right here, and I¡¯m also d to see you here. You¡¯ve always been like a mother to me, and I really


    appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°Ariel?¡±


    I heard my name, with the tone being soft.

 Chapter 264

    264: A VISIT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre opened his eyes and stared at me. He looked kind of energized, but he sat on the bed, and I


    moved closer to him.


    ¡°Andre, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake.¡± I hugged him.


    ¡°Ouchh, take it easy,¡± he told me.


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± I let go of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you came to see me. I thought you weren¡¯ting back after leaving me at this hospital.¡±


    ¡°No, why would you think like that?¡±


    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t show up yesterday,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Well, I had some ns yesterday,¡± I replied, and he gave me a skeptical expression. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to apologize; I¡¯m not mad at you.¡®


    ¡°Still, I should havee to see you yesterday. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°But you came today. So you see, it¡¯s all okay.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? You¡¯re sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Duh, do you want me to be a grumpy ass like Squidward Tentacles? Hell no!¡± He rolled his eyes in a


    silly way.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at Andre¡¯s joke, He always had a way of making me smile, even in the most


    difficult of times. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re feeling well enough to make jokes,¡± I said, still giggling.


    Just then, a nurse walked into the room with a hospital food tray. Andre¡¯s face fell, and he let out a


    dramatic groan. ¡°Oh no,


    no, not hospital food,¡± he said, pretending to be horrified.


    ¡°Good morning, miss. I brought breakfast for the patient,¡± the nurse told Elizabeth.


    ¡°Well, thank you.


    ¡°Seriously? Isn¡¯t there any other stuff I can eat apart from those guys?¡±


    The nurse chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all we have for now. But I promise, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± she said


    with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it here for


    you.¡±


    As soon as the nurse left, Andre turned to me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°I know you like me,


    Ariel.¡±


    I nced at him immediately, and he said right away, ¡°As a friend, as a friend.¡±


    I shook my head,ughing. ¡°Silly.¡±


    He continued, ¡°But I didn¡¯t know you liked me enough to bring me hospital food,¡± he joked.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t me me. I wasn¡¯t the one who brought it.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I rolled my eyes yfully. And please, I wouldn¡¯t torture you like that,¡± I replied as Elizabeth


    walked closer to us and handed me the tray. I took it from her with a smile before returning to Andre.


    ¡°You two can continue with your conversation; I¡¯ll be going now,¡± she told us.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Andr¨¦ asked.


    ¡°Yes, son.¡±


    ¡°Bute on, stay a little bit longer.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°Ariel is here for you; she¡¯ll keep youpany. And besides, I have some things to take


    care of.¡±


    ¡°Things like what?¡± Andre quizzed her, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Business, of course.¡±


    ¡°Right, great,¡± he said lowly, turning his face away. He didn¡¯t look quite happy hearing that.


    ¡°I promise toe back, Andre.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay,¡± he uttered, still looking in a different direction.


    ¡°Ariel, take good care of him, okay?¡± Elizabeth fixed her hand on my shoulder.


    I nodded. ¡°I sure will.¡±


    ¡°What about Janice? Is she with you? It¡¯s been quite long since I heard from her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing she must be more beautiful than you right now.¡±


    Iughed softly. ¡°She¡¯s always beautiful.¡±


    ¡°No lie about that. Just the way you are.¡± Elizabeth held my chin, still smiling at me. She let go anyway.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m sorry for your son¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s really painful. But God knows why some things happen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he sure does,¡± Elizabeth whispered, looking at me. She could feel the sadness in my eyes at the


    mention of my son. Okay, I¡¯ll be going now. You both take care and take good care of Andr¨¦, alright?¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Yes, alright,¡± I responded while she left the room. After that, I turned to Andre. ¡°Okay, sir. It¡¯s time for


    you to eat.¡±


    ¡°Eat what? That?¡± He gave the tray an irritating look.


    ¡°Yes, anything wrong with this?¡±


    ¡°Ariel, you¡¯re not new to hospitals. You do know what hospital food tastes like.¡±


    ¡°It tastes great.¡± I smiled widely at him, and he quickly turned his face away.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Come on, Andr¨¦. You have to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat, but not that. I¡¯d really love it if you got me some real food, please.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You are going to eat this.¡±


    Andreughed. ¡°You know, you reminded me of the time when I was still a kid, going back to school


    back then. And my mom would tell me to eat this, but I found the food horrible and was like, ¡®Hell no.¡®


    But then she would make sure I ate it.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m about to do here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    75


    I shook my head, giving him a yful smile. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m goddamn serious.¡±


    ¡°I can just grab that tray now and toss it to the ground.¡±


    ¡°I know you, Andr¨¦. You¡¯re such a gentleman and a sweet soul. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to do that.


    11


    ¡°Oh wow, you think I can¡¯t do that?¡±


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t,¡± I smirked.


    He suspired. ¡°Fine, you win. Nowe give me that food.


    I snapped my fingers. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± I transposed the tray closer to him.


    ¡°Thanks, Ariel. But I think I¡¯m going to need your help. I can¡¯t move my arms,¡± he said, giving me a


    helpless look.


    My face changed immediately. ¡°You can¡¯t what now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I just can¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°Recently, I think it should have been about five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you informed the doctor about this?¡± I asked him, looking worried. ¡°They shot your belly.


    How did¡­ Ughh nevermind. I need to call a doctor.¡±


    The moment I stood up, Andre burst intoughter. I slowly turned around, giving him a confused face.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡±


    ¡°Because I was just joking with you. Nothing¡¯s wrong with my arms.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. I was just kidding. I wanted to see your reaction.¡±


    ¡°You almost gave me a heart attack.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right here at a hospital,¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it. You¡¯re eating this food, and your devoted friend will have to feed


    you.


    ¡°Hospital food?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Hospital food.¡±


    Andre gave me a mock re. He stated, ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this way too inuch,¡± although he was clearly


    attempting to conceal his grin.


    ¡°Yes, 1 am.¡± I grabbed a spoon and fixed it to the food. Now, it¡¯s time for you to open your mouth.


    ¡°No way I¡¯m doing that.¡±


    ¡°Stop being so stubborn and open, will you?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said inaudibly, and I opened his mouth and fed him a spoonful of food.


    ¡°Mmm, this is kind of good. It¡¯s not as bad as I thought.¡±


    ¡°The nurse told you it wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe a nurse tells you.¡±


    I looked at him, quiet for a moment. ¡°I literally have no idea what you¡¯re saying. But I¡¯m just going to


    keep quiet on this one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. So, how¡¯s Luke? He¡¯s doing okay, right?¡±

 Chapter 265

    265: GAMERS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I walked into the living room to see Randy and Ethan engrossed in a ser video game. They were


    both sitting on the edge of the couch, their eyes glued to the TV screen.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at their intense concentration. ¡°What are you guys ying?¡± I asked, trying


    to stifle myughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s this new ser game,¡± Randy replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. ¡°It¡¯s so cool; you should


    try it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I said, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll just watch.¡±


    Randy and Ethan continued ying, with Randy leading by four goals to nil. I couldn¡¯t believe how


    good Randy was at the game; he waspletely dominating Ethan. I couldn¡¯t resist teasing him a


    little.


    ¡°Is this how you spend your mornings, Randy?¡± I teased. ¡°Beating your brother at video games?¡±


    Randy shot me a yful re. ¡°I¡¯m not just beating him; I¡¯m destroying him,¡± he said proudly.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his confidence. ¡°Well, I used to be pretty good at this game when I was


    younger,¡± I said, trying to sound modest.


    ¡°Really?¡± Randy¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you y against me? Let¡¯s see if you


    still have it.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you do not want that happening.¡°`


    ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡± Randy yfully smirked at me.


    I looked at him for a moment, and if that was what he wanted, then so be it. I couldn¡¯t turn down this


    challenge now.


    I took Ethan¡¯s controller and sat down next to Randy. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re on.


    The game began, and I felt thepetitive spirit rising. I was determined to beat Randy and show him


    that I still had what it took. We yed with intense focus, both of us trying our best to score goals


    and defend ours.


    In the end, I emerged as the clear winner, with six goals to Randy¡¯s nil. I couldn¡¯t resist a smirk of


    satisfaction as I handed back the controller to Ethan.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯m still the king of this game,¡± I said, trying to hide my smugness.


    Randy rolled his eyes at me, but I could see a hint of admiration in them. ¡°Okay, okay, you win,¡± he


    conceded. ¡°But I have to admit, you were pretty good.¡±


    I felt a sense of pride at his words. ¡°Thanks, little guy,¡± I said, patting him on the back.


    Ethan couldn¡¯t stopughing at Randy¡¯s defeat. ¡°Randy, you got beat. And here you were, acting like


    you were the beast of this game.¡±


    Randy yfully shoved him away. ¡°Shut up, Ethan. At least I put up a good fight.¡±


    We allughed and continued ying the game, taking turns and trying to beat each other¡¯s scores. I


    know it was too early for that, but the morning was quite fun, filled withughter and friendly


    competition, and I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better way to spend it. Well, there were better ways, but


    this was awesome.


    After some minutes spent in this game, we eventually put down the controllers, which felt like hours.


    ¡°You know, Randy,¡± I said, ruffling his hair. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be as good as me one day.¡±


    Randy just rolled his eyes at me, but I could see a glimmer of determination in them. Who knows,


    maybe one day he¡¯ll surpass me in this game. But for now, I was happy to be the reigning champion in


    our little living room tournament.


    ¡°Never!¡± Ethan joked loudly, standing on the couch. ¡°Rand¡¯s a loser. Randy¡¯s a loser. Nah, nah, nah,


    nah, nah.¡±


    ¡°Keep it down, will you?¡± I held him and made him sit down.


    ¡°I know. I was just joking.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have to be careful with your jokes. Do you want to upset Randy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, he totally understands. He¡¯s not going to get mad.¡± Ethan nced at Randy. ¡°Right,


    Randy?¡±


    Randy nodded, and Ethan smiled at me. ¡°See, it¡¯s just natural. We always make fun of each other, but


    that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re enemies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re enemies. Just be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ethan said loudly, in a yful tone.


    Iughed right away and ruffled his hair. ¡°Silly.¡±


    ¡°Daddy?¡± Janice pooped up on the stairs. Cleaning her eyes. I could tell she was still sleepy.


    ¡°Oh, Janice, sweetheart.¡± I got up from the couch and quickly walked to her. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,


    little one.¡±


    She yawned. ¡°Where¡¯s mommy?¡±


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Luke¡¯s all good,¡± I gave Andre in response to his question.


    ¡°That good? I thought he was shot in the shoulder.¡±


    ¡°That man can be unbelievable sometimes, especially when shot.¡®


    ¡°How many times has he been shot?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember clearly; it should be two or three.¡±


    Andre chuckled. ¡°Wow, your husband¡¯s bulletproof.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just surprised and a little bit jealous.¡±


    ¡°He still feels the pain, though.¡±


    ¡°But he acts like he doesn¡¯t feel a damn thing,¡± Andr¨¦ told me. Iughed softly and fed him another


    spoon.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? You¡¯ve had breakfast?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answered, shaking my head.


    ¡°Then have some.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhhhhhh,¡± Andr¨¦ uttered. I furrowed my brows at him promptly. ¡°I see what¡¯s happening here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can see what¡¯s happening here,¡± he said again.


    ¡°What?¡± I repeated my question.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to have a taste of this food, right?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I heaved one of my eyebrows.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like this hospital food. But you¡¯re here, feeding me.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then, have a spoon.¡±


    I gave him a crazy look. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s pretty clear now.¡±


    ¡°Think whatever you want to think; that¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    Andre snatched the spoon from my hand, served some food, and wanted to feed me, was closed to the


    fullest. There was no way I was letting that shit get in.


    but


    my mouth


    ¡°Come on now, Ariel. Just one spoon,¡± he suggested.


    ¡°Just let it be; I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯m not hungry as well.¡± He dropped the spoon and pushed the tray aside.


    ¡°You have to eat.¡®


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at a hospital, doofus. You¡¯ll need some food for strength.¡±


    ¡°I have all the strength I need,¡± Andre said, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°So, have you heard from Mason?¡±


    ¡°No,


    I don¡¯t even know where he is right now. If he¡¯s dead or if he¡¯s still alive,


    ¡°He can¡¯t be dead. He¡¯s definitely hiding somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right about that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my brother would do all those things. I can¡¯t believe he would be so heartless.¡± Andre


    spoke lowly, his expression making it clear that he was thinking about the moments spent with his


    younger brother.


    ¡°He always had this bitter character, this terrible attitude, this disgusting demeanor. But¡­¡± He trailed


    off, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m surprised. I never thought Mason would go to such lengths to get payback. His actions


    left me shocked, honestly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andre,¡± I told him, fixing my hand on his shoulder. ¡°But that¡¯s just it. Mason is a heartless


    human being.¡±


    He looked at me. ¡°So, what are you going to do to him?¡±

 Chapter 266

    266: FIRM ON IT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Mommy had to go out for a little while, but she¡¯ll be back soon,¡± I said, gently wiping the sleep


    from Janice¡¯s eyes.


    Janice pouted, ¡°I miss her already.¡±


    ¡°I know, but she¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± I reassured her, kissing her forehead.


    Janice yawned again and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Did I sleep well, Daddy?¡± she asked, looking up at me


    with her big, innocent eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did, sweetheart,¡± I replied, brushing her hair out of her face.


    ¡°I had a dream,¡± Janice said.


    ¡°Oh really? What was it about?¡± I asked, curious to hear her dream.


    ¡°Mermaids flying in the air,¡± she said, her face beaming with joy. ¡°They were all so pretty, and they


    made the sky really bright.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a beautiful dream.¡±


    Ethan chimed in, ¡°But mermaids can¡¯t fly in the air, Janice. It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°It was just a dream, Ethan,¡± Randy told him, rolling his eyes at his brother.


    I wrapped my arm around Janice¡¯s neck, pulling her closer to me. ¡°Well, in your dreams, anything is


    possible.¡± I winked at her forthwith.


    ¡°Really, Daddy?¡± Janice asked, and her eyes widened with excitement.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I replied, smiling down at her. ¡°Now, do you want toe and y with us?¡±


    Janice hesitated. ¡°But I¡¯m not good at video games, daddy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, Janice. We¡¯ll teach you.¡± I stood up and offered her my hand.


    Janice hesitantly took my hand, and we walked over to the couch, where Randy and Ethan were still


    ying their game.


    ¡°Here, you can sit next to me,¡± Randy said, scooting over to make room for Janice.


    I handed Janice the controller and showed her how to use it. She watched intently as Randy and


    Ethan continued their game.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°You see, Janice, this is how you make the yer run,¡± I said, guiding her fingers to the buttons on


    the controller


    Janice tried to mimic my movements, but she was still struggling to get the hang of it.


    ¡°Okay, now try to score a goal,¡± Randy said, encouraging her.


    Janice pressed a few buttons, and to our surprise, she scored a goal.


    Good job, Janice!¡± Ethan eximed, high¨Cfiving her.


    She giggled with delight. ¡°Can I y again?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± Randy replied, smiling proudly at her.


    Janice continued to y with us, and even though she wasn¡¯t as good as Randy or Ethan, she was


    having a great time. And that¡¯s all that mattered.


    As we yed, Janice told us more about her dream. She described how the mermaids had colorful


    wings and how they sang beautiful songs as they flew in the air.


    ¡°It was like a concert in the sky,¡± Janice vocalized, with her eyes sparkling with wonder.


    I was quite amazed by her imagination. ¡°Wow, that sounds incredible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s just a dream. It¡¯s not real,¡± Ethan uttered, shaking his head.


    ¡°That may be true, Ethan, but sometimes dreams can feel very real.¡± I grinned at him.


    Janice smiled back at me and continued ying the game with us. It was a remarkable moment


    with wild imaginations.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Andre and I were still staring at each other, the silence filling the hospital room, the question still ringing


    in my ear. Of course, he knew the answer because it was very obvious.


    Mason did shit, a lot of shit, and he deserved those shit back. He needed to go through the pain,


    the misery, and the torture.


    This thirst for vengeance was indeed a powerful emotion that consumed me entirely, blinding me


    to reason and driving me towards actions that might sound wild and crazy, which you could say I


    mightter regret, but hell no.


    We all have knowledge of this¨Cnothing new, indeed a primal instinct -and yes, this feeling was rooted in


    the desire for justice and retribution because it was fueled by pain, and I was extremely


    broken and damaged because of the hurt he caused me. This vengeance was all¨Cepassing,


    and it had dominated my thoughts and actions.


    And this path was fraught with inner turmoil and conflict. Yes, this desire.could be somehow


    intoxicating, but fuck that. Mason was going to pay for his evil deeds.


    So, Ariel, give me an answer to my question, What are you going to do to Mason? Because my mind


    keeps telling me that you will not let him get away with this.¡±


    Well, your thoughts are right. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting him get away with this.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do then? You¡¯re going to call the cops on him?¡±


    Iughed right away, getting up from the bed. ¡°I would be so stupid to do that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re going to take thew into your own hands.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to follow through with that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to kill him.¡±


    ¡°He deserves it.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s my brother.¡±


    ¡°And Lukel was my son,¡± I countered. ¡°Did your brother think of him before he went ahead to take


    his life? Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but you don¡¯t have to pay evil with evil. Blood by blood isn¡¯t the answer.¡±


    ¡°Nice lecture, Andr¨¦. But you¡¯re still not changing my mind. You witnessed what Mason¡¯s men did to us.


    They almost had us killed. That man isn¡¯t ready to change, so his death is the only thing that


    will end all of this.¡±


    ¡°Please, Ariel. He¡¯s my brother. Think of our family. My mother, do you know the pain that she¡¯ll go


    through realizing that her son is dead? She¡¯s going to be heartbroken and depressed.¡±


    ¡°Andre, you must understand that Mason must be stopped.¡±


    ¡°Then you can let the cops do their job. He can be sent to prison and sentenced. You don¡¯t have to


    kill him.¡±


    ¡°How are you even sure that I¡¯m going to win this battle? It¡¯s a mutual feeling, Andr¨¦. Your brother


    wants me dead, and so do I. The war has begun already; now, if I don¡¯t do anything, the next thing


    you¡¯re going to be seeing is yourself, shedding tears at my funeral.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re not going to die. No one¡¯s going to die. I can just find Mason and talk to him.


    ¡°And you think he¡¯s going to listen to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his brother; he¡¯s supposed to.¡±


    ¡°The two of you get along with each other. So what makes you think he¡¯s going to heed your words?¡±

 Chapter 267

    267 FIRM ON IT


    ¡®Ariel, just listen to me. This vengeance may have consequencester.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the consequences. I¡¯m just going to make sure Mason gets what he deserves.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to kill him? You¡¯re not even thinking of changing your mind?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡°


    ¡®Because I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Or, you don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to your brother.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is true. But you, especially.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I raised my brows in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, think of it. If you kill Mason, the cops are going to start searching for his murderer. And who


    knows? They might get to know that you¡¯re the one behind his death. And with that, you¡¯re going


    straight to jail.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know all that?¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want to do this?¡±


    THE SIGHT FROM THERE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It¡¯s


    It for my son, of course. That Innocent soul is gone, all because of that scumbag. And trust me, I¡¯m


    going to make him pay. I don¡¯t care about the consequences, Andr¨¦. Mas¨®n deserves to die, and no


    one is going to stop me from carrying out my revenge.¡±


    Andre¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Ariel, you can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t be a monster like Mason. You¡¯ll


    regret itter.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it. He killed my son, Andr¨¦. He destroyed our family. I won¡¯t rest until he pays for his


    sins.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill him to make him pay. Let thew handle it.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Thew can¡¯t bring back my son. Thew can¡¯t give me closure. Mason must


    die.¡±


    ¡°And what about you? What will happen to you if you get caught? Have you thought about that?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll take whatever punishmentes my way. As long as Mason is dead, I¡¯ll


    be at peace.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking straight, Ariel. Please, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, Andr¨¦. Nothing you say will change it.¡±


    ¡°And what about our friendship? Will you throw that away, too, for the sake of revenge?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about our friendship, Andr¨¦. It¡¯s about justice. And I won¡¯t let anyone stand in my way.¡±


    Before Andre could respond, a nurse walked into the room. ¡°Excuse me, I came to check on the


    patient.¡±


    Andre looked at me with a pleading expression. ¡°Please, Ariel. Think about it. Don¡¯t do something


    you¡¯ll regret.¡±


    I gave him a small smile. ¡°Take care, Andre.¡± With that, I left the room, leaving Andre and the nurse


    behind.


    As I walked down the hospital hallway, I couldn¡¯t help but think about what Andr¨¦ said. Was I really


    bing a monster like Mason? But then I remembered the pain and suffering he caused me, and all


    doubts disappeared, Mason must pay for his actions.


    After leaving the hospital, I walked to my car. I brought my keys out of my purse, and just as I was


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    about to open the car, my phone started ringing. It was a video call from Luke.


    answered the call, and right on the screen, I saw Janice. Sitting next to her was Luke and they both


    had big smiles on their faces.


    Mommy, where are you?¡± Janice asked, smiling at the screen. ¡°Are you at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I came to see your uncle, Andre.¡±


    Ohhh, Uncle Andr¨¦! He¡¯s still at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Janice. Remember he was badly wounded?¡±


    ¡°I do remember. So when are youing back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way now. You miss me already?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I miss you, Mommy. And you can just guess what happened.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked her, smiling.


    ¡°Daddy and I yed video games. I¡¯m still bad at it, but he¡¯s giving me some tips.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so nice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is! Pleasee as soon as possible. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hungry?¡±


    Janice nodded.


    Ay


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell one of the helpers there to prepare breakfast for you?¡±


    ¡°No, mommy. I want to eat only food. I want to taste only your dish.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh softly. ¡°Okay, sweetheart. I¡¯ll be with you anytime soon.¡±


    The call ended, and I just stood still for a few seconds, smiling. But my eyes caught someone from afar,


    and she was also staring at me with that horrific look on her face, which was filled with


    bruises and scars.


    We both kept staring at each other, not putting an end to the gaze. Her eyes burned with rage, but they


    were nowhere near mine; they shouldn¡¯t even bepared. Just by recalling what she did,


    the hate onlypounded.


    And, of course, you know who I¡¯m talking about. It¡¯s Harriet, the goddamn fool, who didn¡¯t even deserve


    to be breathing. The good¨Cfor¨Cnothing idiotic idiot. Oh fuck! I was so upset seeing her; 1 was just


    saying things at the moment.


    Harriet¡¯s re changed into a demonic smirk, and then she walked away. In case you were wondering,


    she was wearing a hoodie, so her face was covered to some extent.

 Chapter 268

    268: KISSES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Once filled with hope and joy, the heart was brimming with love. A rtionship blossomed, and each


    day, a new chapter in the love story. There were hard dreams, whispered secrets, and a future built


    together. Yet, as time passed, cracks began to form in the once¨Cunbreakable bond.


    Small disagreements turned into heated arguments, each word a dagger that pierced a fragile heart. I


    tried to mend what was broken and salvage the love once shared, but the distance only grew wider.


    Doubt crept in, casting shadows over the once¨Cbright love that illuminated the world.


    Actions spoke louder than words, each betrayal a blow that shattered trust. The promises made in the


    past now feel like echoes in the wind, empty and meaningless. Held on desperately, hoping against


    hope that things would change and that the love that was once shared could be revived.


    But love, once broken, is not easily repaired. The pain of indifference cuts deeper than any physical


    wound, hollow and lost. It is worth questioning, and it is the very essence of love itself. How could


    something so beautiful turn so ugly and so destructive?


    I picked up the pieces of the broken heart, realizing that some wounds never truly heal. The love that


    was once defined nowy in ruins, a painful reminder of what once was. Mourned the loss of


    what should have been forever.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    In the aftermath of love¡¯s destruction, a new person emerged. Scarred but resilient, he vowed never to


    let himself be broken in the same way again. He had been broken by love, but invaluable lessons were


    taught about strength, resilience, and self¨Cworth.


    Though the pain of heartbreak lingered, one day, there was knowledge: to rise from the ashes of


    broken love, stronger and more whole than ever before. Once broken by love, it was also made


    unbreakable.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke¡¯s intense gaze made me feel like I was under a microscope. I could see the anticipation in his


    eyes, waiting for me to say anything in response to what he had just quizzed me about. But I was at a


    loss for words. My mind was still reeling from the shocking sight¨CHarriet¡¯s sh*t¨Cthat


    had left me speechless.


    I tried to gather my thoughts and form a coherent response, but I could only stare back at him,


    searching for words that wouldn¡¯te. Luke¡¯s unwavering stare only added to the pressure, and I


    didn¡¯t even know what the hell was wrong with me. I desperately wanted to say something to break the


    silence, but my mind was still trying to process the reality of what I had witnessed back


    then.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­.it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s who, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Harriet.¡±


    *Harriet?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow. ¡°You saw Harriet, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re speechless? Don¡¯t tell.


    me you¡¯re scared of her.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t understand,¡± I said lowly, looking in another direction. ¡°You know what? Forget I ever said


    anything.¡±


    I felt Luke¡¯s fingers reaching for my chin, and he slowly made me look at him and gaze into his


    ravishing eyes.


    Luke¡¯s touch was gentle and reassuring, and I felt my body rx as he held my chin and looked


    into my eyes. His gaze was intense, but it also had a softness and understanding that made me


    feel safe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything, Ariel,¡± Luke said softly, his voice full of sincerity. ¡°You can tell me


    anything; I won¡¯t judge you.¡±


    I let out a shaky breath and looked at him. There was no way I was going to tell him about my


    current situation with Harriet, even though I could see the love and support right in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­seeing Harriet like that¡­ it brought back a lot of memories.¡±


    ¡°What kind of memories?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t want hering to ruin our rtionship.¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression softened even more, and he leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing against mine.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything,¡± he whispered. ¡°But just know that I¡¯m here for you,


    no matter what.¡±


    Luke¡¯s grip on my chin tightened, his eyes never leaving mine, and the same thing happened right


    here. Both of us didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t need to. His actions spoke louder than any words


    ever could.


    He slowly moved his face closer, his lips pressed against mine. I could feel the warmth of his


    breath¨Ca perfect one at the moment.


    ¡°I love you, Ariel,¡± he whispered, and then he kissed me.


    Our lips moved in perfect synchronization, and I could feel all my worries and fears melting away with


    each touch. Not that I was actually afraid, but all shit rting to that disappeared. The stress and


    thinking that unfolded within me moments ago were being reced with love and happiness.


    Luke¡¯s hands roamed over my body, and I responded eagerly, my hands exploring his back and pulling


    him closer to me. Our kiss grew more passionate, and I could feel the heat between us


    rising


    As a result of his neck kiss, which caused shivers to run down my spine, I sighed softly, I could feet his


    hands moving down to my waist, and without hesitation, I brought my hands down to his groin.


    We were lost in each other, our bodies moving in perfect harmony as if they were made for each


    other.


    Our kiss came to an end, and we both pulled away, our foreheads resting against each other¡¯s. We


    were both panting, trying to catch our breaths, but our eyes never left each other.


    ¡°I love you too, Luke,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper.


    He smiled and kissed me once more before pulling me into a hug. All I could do was smile.


    ¡°How¡¯s Janice?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Has she had breakfast yet?¡±


    ¡°No, not really.¡±


    ¡°Then let me go prepare something for her.¡±


    But before I could even take a step towards the kitchen, Luke grabbed my arm and pulled me


    back to him. His strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I could feel his breath


    on my face once again.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, my love?¡± he asked, with a smirk etched on his face.


    ¡°I needed to go make breakfast for Janice,¡± I replied, trying to sound serious but failing as a smile


    crept onto my face.


    ¡°Let me take care of that, my dear.¡±


    ¡°But Janice was my responsibility,¡± I protested, trying to think logically. However, Luke¡¯s touch


    made it difficult for me to focus on anything else.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Janice, but right now, I just wanted to spend a romantic moment with you,¡± he


    whispered, his lips dangerously close to mine.


    I could feel my resistance crumbling as he leaned in for a kiss. Our lips met once again, and I


    melted into his embrace. Every kiss with Luke felt like the first one, full of passion and love.


    Finally breaking the kiss, I caught my breath and looked into his eyes. ¡°I have to go to the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡± Luke caressed my face.


    ¡°Yes, so please let go of me, sir.¡± I grinned at him, and he did take.


    Luke grinned as he watched me walk towards the kitchen, a smile still ying on my lips.


    While I was busy cooking, he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting


    his chin on my shoulder.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    $

 Chapter 269

    269: EXHILARATED AND EXHAUSTED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    And I was right here, standing in this kitchen, feeling Luke¡¯s presence behind me, his warm hands


    wrapping around my waist. I couldn¡¯t help but smile, knowing that this touch was the type that brought


    the exhrating passion within me¨Ca passion so intense that it seemed to consume every fiber of my


    being.


    His touch was like a symphony ying on my skin, each caress sending delightful shivers down my


    spine. The connection we shared was beyond words¨Ca silent understanding that spoke volumes in the


    silence of our embraces.


    As his fingers traced patterns on my skin, I could feel my heart racing and my breath catching in my


    throat. Each touch was a revtion¨Ca discovery of hidden desires and unspoken yearnings. At this


    point, time seemed to stand still, the world fading away as we became lost in each other.


    The mes of our passion burned brightly, casting a warm glow that illuminated the depths of our souls.


    In his arms, I felt safe and vulnerable all at once, a heady mix of emotions that left me breathless. Our


    connection was like a dance, a give and take of energy and emotion that left us both exhrated and


    exhausted.


    I reveled in the way his hands moved over my body, mapping out every curve and contour as if trying to


    memorize me with his touch. Each soft kiss was a promise, and each embrace was a vow of devotion.


    In those moments, nothing else mattered but the two of us, intertwined in a


    dance as old as time itself.


    In his arms, I found sce and passion, a refuge from the storms of life that raged outside our


    cocoon of intimacy.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me,¡± he whispered, his breath tickling my


    neck.


    I turned around to face him, a smile spreading across my face. ¡°And you are mine,¡± I replied, kissing his


    lips gently. ¡°But seriously, I have to prepare breakfast for Janice. Weren¡¯t you there when she told me


    she was hungry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was there.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Iughed. ¡°Yeah, so hold on. Just give me some time to get this done. I¡¯lle straight to you


    when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be the oneing to you.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I wanted to spend some time with my family. Jack has everything under control.¡±


    *Jack, right. The future owner of The Reynolds.¡± I joked.


    Lukeughed straightaway. ¡°I genuinely have no words for you.¡±


    ¡°Great, so you can leave now.¡± I smiled and kissed his lips. After that, I held both of his shoulders,


    turned him around, and walked him out of the kitchen.


    After that, I opened the fridge to get the ingredients for breakfast, and then I heard footsteps


    approaching. I turned around to see one of the maids walking into the kitchen.


    ¡°Good morning, miss,¡± she greeted me with a warm smile.


    ¡°Good morning. How are you today?¡± I replied, returning her smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thank you. Do you need any help with breakfast?¡± She asked, gesturing towards the


    ingredients on the counter.


    I chuckled. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ve got everything under control.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t mind helping,¡± she insisted.


    I appreciated her offer but knew I could handle cooking breakfast for Janice and myself. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.


    But you can help me clean up once I¡¯m done cooking.¡±


    She nodded, but then she hesitated before speaking again. ¡°Is there anything else I can do to help?


    Like washing the dishes or doing other stuff in the kitchen?¡±


    I smiled at her eagerness to assist. ¡°Thank you. But I¡¯ll take care of everything in the kitchen. You can


    go and clean somewhere else in the house.¡±


    The maid looked like she wanted to say something else, but I could tell she didn¡¯t want to overstep her


    boundaries. ¡°Okay, miss. I¡¯ll leave you to it then.¡±


    After she left the kitchen, I felt a little guilty for brushing her off. But I knew that she had other tasks to


    attend to, and I didn¡¯t want to burden her with my responsibilities.


    I turned my attention back to breakfast and decided to make one of Janice¡¯s favorites: fluffy pancakes


    with fresh berries and whipped cream. I carefully measured out the ingredients and started mixing them


    together. The smell of pancakes filled the kitchen, and I knew Janice would


    love this.


    Once the pancakes were cooking on the griddle, I started preparing the fresh berries. As I was slicing


    them, I heard Janice¡¯s footsteps approaching. I quickly turned around and saw her running


    into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy!¡± she eximed, giving me a hug.


    ¡°Oh, my love. Were you having a great time?¡± I asked, kissing her forehead.


    asked, looking around.


    ¡°Pancakes should be one of your favorites,¡± I replied, pointing to the griddle.


    ¡°Can I help you, Mommy?¡± Janice asked eagerly.


    I smiled at her enthusiasm. ¡°I think you should go and y, my love. I¡¯ll get everything done,¡± I replied,


    trying to shoo her away.


    But Janice refused. ¡°No, I want to help you make breakfast. I promise I¡¯ll be a good helper,¡± she said,


    giving me her best pleading look.


    I couldn¡¯t resist her adorable face. ¡°Okay, but are you sure you want to help? It might get a little messy,¡±


    I warned her.


    Janice nodded and smiled back at me. ¡°I¡¯m sure, Mommy. Please, let me help,¡± she eximed, jumping


    up and down.


    Iughed and gave in. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get started.¡± I patted her head.


    Janice pped her hands in excitement, and I showed her how to mix the batter. She carefully poured


    the ingredients into the bowl and stirred it with a big wooden spoon. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I


    watched her, her little face scrunched up in concentration.


    Once the batter was ready, I showed her how to pour it onto the griddle, making sure the


    pancakes were perfectly round. She did a great job, and we soon had a stack of fluffy pancakes


    ready.


    ¡°Now for the best part, the toppings,¡± I said as I brought out the fresh berries and whipped cream.


    Janice¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the colorful berries. ¡°Can I help with this too?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my little helper,¡± I replied, handing her a bowl and a spoon.


    We worked together, carefully cing the berries on top of the pancakes and adding a dollop of


    whipped cream. Janice couldn¡¯t stop giggling, and I couldn¡¯t stop smiling at her.


    ¡°Mommy, these look so yummy. I can¡¯t wait to eat them.¡± Janice licked her lips.


    ¡°They do look delicious, don¡¯t they? And you helped make them, so they¡¯ll taste even better,¡± I replied,


    ruffling her hair.


    We sat down at the kitchen table, admiring our work. Janice took a big bite of her pancake, and


    her face lit up with delight./


    ¡°Mmm, these are the best pancakes ever.* She nodded leisurely, relishing the bite.


    Iughed and took a bite of my own. They were indeed delicious. Just perfect.


    It didn¡¯t take long before Luke traipsed into the kitchen.

 Chapter 270

    270: FELT LIKE PARADISE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Well, well, well, what do we have here?¡± Luke smirked, his eyes fixed on me.


    I chuckled and gestured towards the stove. ¡°I believe you¡¯re not blind. Look what we made.¡±


    He widened his eyes a little as he saw the stack of pancakes on the table. ¡°Wow, those look amazing.


    What did you guys make?¡±


    ¡°Pancakes with fresh berries and whipped cream. Duh.¡±


    His face broke into a wide smile as he took a bite of the pancake. ¡°Mmm, these are really good. But


    you know, I can do better.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him, yfully challenging him. ¡°Oh really? I¡¯d like to see you try.


    ¡°Sorry, miss, but I have better things to do right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh great, then you shouldn¡¯t havee here and talked sh*t in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°How rude is that?¡±


    It


    ¡°It¡¯s not as rude as you telling me that my pancakes are terrible,¡± I said, giving him a stic smile.


    ¡°No way. Iplimented your food. I just said mine were better.¡±


    ¡°Indirectly insulting my abilities, how nice is that?¡±


    Janice giggled and suddenly got up from the table, carrying a te of pancakes. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you


    two to fight over who¡¯s the best cook. I¡¯m just going to go enjoy my pancakes in peace.¡±


    Luke and I watched as Janice walked out of the kitchen with a smug look. We couldn¡¯t help butugh at


    her antics.


    ¡°It looks like we have a little food critic on our hands,¡± Luke chuckled, wrapping his arms around


    1. me.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± I replied, snuggling into his embrace.


    He leaned in and whispered in my ear, ¡°But you know, I still think my pancakes are better.¡±


    1


    I yfully pushed him away. ¡®Oh, please, don¡¯t start now.¡±


    And just as we were about to continue our argument, Luke leaned in and kissed my lips, effectively


    silencing me. I couldn¡¯t help butugh and melt into his embrace.


    ¡°So, what do you want to do now?¡± He asked softly, smiling at me.


    2NE PARADE


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Your call,¡±


    He smiled silly, turning his eyes upward. ¡°How about we go to my room?¡±


    ¡°You want us to go to your room?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Anything wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s nothing wrong,¡± I answered promptly.


    ¡°d


    you acknowledged that. You are my wife, after all.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, and before I knew it, Luke carried me in his arms.


    ¡°Woah, easy, easy,¡± I told him loudly,ughing.


    Heughed as well, turning me around several times.


    ¡°Okay, okay, stop. You¡¯re going to make us feel dizzy,¡± I told him, stillughing. I couldn¡¯t control it.


    Luke took me out of the kitchen and straight to his bedroom. Janice was just enjoying her breakfast and


    didn¡¯t even care to nce at us as we walked past her.


    Luke dropped me on the bed. My heart was beating faster, and my body was buzzing with desire. He


    leaned in and kissed my lips again, his hands gently running through my hair. I wrapped my arms


    around his neck, pulling him closer to me.


    Our kiss became more intense and passionate as if we were trying to convey all our love and desire for


    each other through it. His lips moved down to my neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses. I let out a soft


    moan, my fingers digging into his back.


    He pulled away for a moment; his eyes locked with mine, and I could see the love and longing in them.


    He slowly took off his shirt without breaking eye contact, revealing his toned chest and abs. I couldn¡¯t


    help but admire his body, my hands running over his chest and down his back.


    And then he showered me with passionate kisses. I could feel his lips trailing down my neck as I


    wrapped my hands around his. Every moment with him felt like paradise, a universe full of joy and love.


    I waspletely under his sway, enamored with his love, and lost in the passion he sparked


    inside of me.


    Lying back on the bed, he grabbed my waist and brought his face closer to mine, his blue eyes fixed on


    me. I could feel his lips craving mine and his body yearning for mine just as much as! yearned for mine.


    We were both lost in each other¡¯s gaze, waiting for the right moment to give in


    to our desires.


    Unable to resist any longer, I grabbed his face and started kissing him roughly. His lips were


    magnificent, and I wanted them so much. But then he took over, matching my pace as our tongues


    danced together. We were both in a state of pure pleasure, our intense passion


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    270 FELT LIKE FARADISE


    enhancing every moment.


    My breath hitched as I felt his hand slide under my dress, reaching for my pants. I moaned softly into


    his mouth as he continued to kiss me, his fingers now inside my pants. His kisses moved down to my


    neck, sucking on it like a vampire, while my hands tangled in his hair, savoring his


    divine touch.


    His touch was unlike anything I had ever felt before, and I never wanted to feel anyone else¡¯s. Was he


    some kind of god, like Poseidon, causing me to be so wet that I felt like I was drowning? But it


    was a sea of happiness, filled with amusement andfort. He was a master at this, and I was lucky to


    have him.


    He removed my dress, showering me with as many kisses as he did. His head moved down to my


    breasts, where he softly bit my nipple, sending shivers down my spine. I moaned softly, unable to


    control myself. He used his hands to press both of my breasts together, sucking on them slowly and


    gently. My moans became louder as he continued to please me, unable to resist his touch.


    I watched as he took off my pants, tossing them away. His fingers worked their magic on my moistened


    vagina, sending waves of pleasure through my body. I couldn¡¯t help but release moans of delight, my


    hands reaching down to hold onto his. He grabbed my fingers and kissed them,


    giving them a gentle peck.


    And then I felt his lips slowly making their way down to my womanhood. He twirled his tongue on


    my genitals, causing me to release a little bit of fluid. As he continued to eat me out, my moans


    became louder and louder. He was relentless, bringing me to the edge of ecstasy and back again.


    He kept the intensity going, his warm touches and passionate moments igniting electricity within


    1. me. It was like I was made of titanium and silver, with joy and sensitivity flowing through me like


    gold, purified and amplified. Every touch of his lips brought me to a state of pure pleasure, opening the


    doors to ecstasy and taking me on a journey that I never wanted to end.


    My moans grew louder as Luke continued to please me, his movements bing faster and more


    intense. I couldn¡¯t resist any longer, and I released my sticky fluid. He swallowed everything down


    before removing his lips from my drenched vagina. As he approached my face, he climbed


    onto myp andvished me with slow, passionate kisses. As we intimately touched, the sensation of


    my own liquid on his lips was apanied by his groin gently rocking against my


    vulva.

 Chapter 272

    272: RUMBLE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I ced my hands on Ariel¡¯s hips, guiding her movements as she bounced harder and faster on my


    cock. Her moans were so loud now that I was sure that the people here could hear her.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, baby!¡± I encouraged her, pping her ass and watching it jiggle on my cock.


    She screamed and moaned in pleasure, her body moving with frenzied energy. I grabbed her breasts


    and massaged them as she bounced harder, her moans bing even more intense.


    She applied cream to my cock with an outburst of vitality and continued to bounce harder and faster,


    her body trembling with pleasure. I took my hands to her neck and choked her, adding to her pleasure.


    She responded by bouncing even harder and faster, her body trembling with every


    thrust.


    Ariely on her back, her legs spread wide, as she began to pleasure herself. I couldn¡¯t resist and


    moved closer, holding her as I slowly entered her. She lifted her legs up, inviting me deeper into


    her.


    As we gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, I started off slowly, savoring every moment. But soon, the intensity


    took over, and I couldn¡¯t help but thrust harder and faster.


    Ariel moaned in pleasure, cing her legs on my shoulders. I bit my lip as I pounded her relentlessly,


    watching her body respond to every movement. She rolled her eyes back, and I could


    tell she was lost in ecstasy.


    ¡°Fuck me, baby! Harder!¡± She cried out, her voice filled with desire. I obliged, mming into her with all


    my might, feeling her walls clench around me. She screamed in pleasure, urging me on.


    I kept on thrusting, giving her exactly what she wanted. Our bodies moved in perfect sync, the pleasure


    building with every thrust. Her grip on the sheets tightened as I pounded her relentlessly, giving her


    everything she needed.


    ¡°Fuck me, baby! Fuck me!¡± She screamed, her voice echoing through the room. I kept going, giving her


    everything I had lost in the moment.


    ¡°Ohhhh god, I¡¯m cumming baby, I¡¯ming!¡± She creamed all over my rod. I could feel myself about to


    explode as I pounded her harder and faster.


    I slid my rod out of her cunt and moved it to her face. I stroked it fast, and my cum got all over her


    visage,


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± She closed her eyes, licking the semen thatnded on her lips.


    ¡°I so love you, baby,* I whispered into her ears. She smiled back at me.


    Still, on the edge of the bed, Ariel got up and arched her buttocks. It was a nice view as I rubbed it


    continually, and then a little spank wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?


    I slowly slid my member into her bun, holding her buttocks for support. She moaned softly the moment


    my rod went deep inside.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    1 began to go slowly, watching my knob thrust in and out of her cunt. She gripped the bedsheet


    the moment I fastened the pace.


    Holding her ass, I pounded her quite hard, pushing in and out. The mming got intense, with noises


    being produced, and, of course, it got louder.


    ¡°Fuckkkk!¡± She screamed as I started using so much force to bang her. I pounded her strenuously,


    going deeper, beating her cunt, and mming her to the fullest.


    ¡°Ohhh, baby fuckk!¡± She hollered and bounced her ass back on my rod, increasing the pleasure.


    Ariel moaned continuously as the strokes became more powerful every second.


    ¡°Shit,¡± I moaned quietly, still smacking the life out of her. I paused for a few seconds, teasing her. But


    she didn¡¯t hesitate to bounce her ass on my rod; I let her take control for some time. Then I grabbed a


    hold of her butt, pounding her powerfully with so much might.


    I mmed the soul out of her, going crazy, mming her energetically, and beating her up with a lot of


    effort. Her moans were music to my ears. There was so much pressure and lots of pleasure


    because she was my treasure.


    I pulled her hair so hard and kept on mming her vigorously. She bounced back on my rod, matching


    the pace. This left the two of us moaning loud as hell.


    I was devouring her cat like a ravenous lion, pounding each and every part of it. She squirted all over


    my rod, messing up the sheets. I banged her continuously, mmed her repeatedly, and beat her


    aggressively.


    ¡°Fuckkkkk!¡± She creamed on my fucking tool. I still continued to destroy her cunt, mming her with all


    of my abilities. Pulling her hair hard as hell, I spanked her ass multiple times. I drilled her with my cock,


    smashed her very hard, and pounded her continuously. I pressed both of her arms on her back and


    kept on with the activity, not slowing down one bit.


    ¡°Oh god, this feels so good!¡± She screamed so loud. ¡°It feels so good, baby, fuck me! Fuck me!


    Fuck me!¡±


    ¡°You love that, don¡¯t you?¡± I pressed her chin hard, moving my face closer to hers.


    ¡°Yes, I do, baby. Yes, I do. Fuckkkkk!¡± She replied, shutting her eyes.


    ¡°Ohh sh*t, I¡¯m going to cum.¡±


    272 RUMBLE


    ¡°Go ahead, Luke. I¡¯m all yours. Cum for me, baby, cum for me!¡± She screamed so loudly, and I granted


    her wish.


    I released my love for her. That was when I stopped mming her. She wobbled her ass on my


    rod, the both of us breathing heavily.


    ¡°Come on, baby. Give me more,¡± she requested. I immediately pulled my cock out of her cunt and


    inserted it in her chocte channel.


    The both of us let out a short scream in pain and pleasure. Her ass was tight. But I began to m


    her anyway.


    I thrust my rod in and out slowly, pressing her butt cheeks. She let out a soft moan and turned to look at


    me. I pushed her head back in the direction she was facing, and then I pressed her face against the


    bed.


    I started going fast in her, pounding that tight hole.


    ¡°Hmm, baby, fuck me,¡± Ariel said softly. With her face pressed against the bed, I let go eventually.


    I struck, pounding her faster and smashing her wonderful bootyhole. She groaned with so much.


    pleasure, taking my rod. I messed up her ass, mming her with so much energy, going deep, and she


    let out a very loud moan, ¡°Godddddddd!¡±


    ¡°Just like that, baby, please fuck me, baby, please fuck me.¡± She begged.


    I captured the back of her neck, thrusting my rod into her harder and smashing that ass


    repeatedly. I went faster, speeding up,mbasting her, hammering her, sending tons of relish, and


    pumping her up.


    I pounded her tight ass for minutes; she moaned so loudly and shook her body like she was trying to


    run away or something. But I grabbed her and mmed her, too, fucking her roughly, and I could feel


    myself about to explode.


    I continued to m the life out of her, and the moment she bounced back, I slid my rod out of her ass,


    which was when I creamed. She pushed her but against my cock, getting my cream all on it, with the


    both of us moaning softly.


    ¡°Oh, Ariel,¡± I said in hushed tones, trying to catch my breath. ¡°I never knew you were this wild.¡±

 Chapter 273

    273: EXCUSE ME?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you know now,¡± I told Luke beforeying on the bed. I was really exhausted. I had


    never gone wild like that before.


    Lukeughed andy next to me on the bed. Smiling at him, I moved really close, letting him wrap his


    hands around my shoulder while I fixed my head on his wonderful chest.


    ¡°So, do you have any ns for today?¡± I asked him, a smile still etched on my face as I leisurely moved


    my finger on his chest.


    ¡°I work, but I¡¯m going to take the day off.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to take you out. I think spending time with you and Janice shoulde before


    everything else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is true. But you can just keep ditching your business like that. Your projects, meetings,e


    on, Luke.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say now? That I should stop spending time with you and Janice and start


    focusing on my business rather than on you guys?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant,¡± I told him.


    ¡°What did you mean, then?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ forget about it. It¡¯s not that important anyway.¡±


    Luke smiled at me and pecked my lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just so beautiful?¡±


    ¡°And you are one handsome man.¡± I licked his cheek. After that, I sat on the bed, smirking


    at Luke, and he could just start thinking about what I was about to do.


    I moved down straight to his rod, and then I took hold of it. It became hard on my hand,


    and I stroked it softly. I could hear Luke moaning softly. After that, I ced it in my mouth.


    It was so warm.


    Looking up at him, I could see the desire and pleasure in his eyes. It only fueled my


    naughty intentions as his rod was still in my mouth, and I was savoring every inch of his


    hardness.


    1220 EXCUSE ME


    I went slow, wanting to tease and please him all at once. His moans stimted me to pursue him


    further and further, akin to listening to pleasant music. I could feel him getting harder and harder, and I


    could tell he enjoyed every moment. I couldn¡¯t resist a


    mischievous grin as I continued to pleasure him with my mouth, knowing I was driving him wild with


    desire.


    As I initiated a back¨Cand¨Cforth head motion, my lips began to glide up and down his shaft. I could feel


    his hands gripping my hair, urging me on. ¡°Ariel,¡± he moaned, ¡°you¡¯re driving me


    crazy.¡±


    a un atb


    I pulled back slightly, with a smirk. ¡°Good,¡± I said before taking him back- into my mouth, this time using


    my tongue to swirl around his tip,


    Luke let out a low groan, his hips involuntarily bucking up towards me. ¡°God, you¡¯re so good at this.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to tease him even more. I allowed him to enter my mouth


    of practice,¡± I teased, winking at him.


    ¡°With whom?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°No one, I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Iughed.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As I started to elerate, heughed as well, but a loud moan cut it short. My hand joined in to stroke


    him as I sucked on him. I could feel his body tensing up, and I knew he was


    getting closer.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m going.


    But before he could finish, I took him deep into my mouth again, using my hand to stroke him faster. As


    he approached his climax, hismentations intensified in volume and urgency, causing a palpable


    sensation in my mouth.


    I swallowed every drop, savoring his taste before finally pulling back. Luke looked at me with a dazed


    expression, his chest rising and falling rapidly. ¡°Holy sh*t,¡± he breathed out.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride in driving him to such pleasure. But before I could say anything,


    he pulled me up and kissed me fiercely, his hands roaming over my body.


    Your turn.¡±


    And with that, the roles were reversed, and it was my turn to moan and writhe under his


    skilled touch. That was how we spent the rest of the morning, relishing every moment.


    I took a perfect nap and opened my eyes to see myself lying on the bed. Luke was not here. with me;


    when I checked the time, it was around 2:00 p.m.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I called his name, but he did not answer. I wondered where he had gone. Perhaps


    he had left for work.


    I slowly stood up from the bed and went to the shower. My hair was all messy, and I was sweaty and


    extremely exhausted. It has been long since I had great feelings like this. You know, letting a man


    touch you. Of course, Luke did that in our second marriage. But this


    time, things were more passionate.


    I stepped into the bathroom and lost myself in the shower. It was quite soothing, removing¡± all tiredness


    from my body, and I felt strong and renewed like never before.


    I left the shower, wrapping a towel around my body. ncing at myself in the mirror, I realized I really


    loved myself¨Cthe pretty face and all that.


    The door opened, and this woman stepped foot inside the room and looked around. It was this old


    chubbydy that I had seen earlier today. But it was really crazy that she would just burst into this room


    like that without even asking first. This was technically an invasion of


    privacy.


    ¡°You? I thought I saw you this morning. Who are you, and what are you doing here?¡± She questioned,


    giving me an unfriendly look.


    I stopped caressing my hair as I was just staring at her, also giving her an unfriendly face. But mine


    wasn¡¯t as intense as hers. I could already see the hate in her eyes. And I had a feeling something not


    great was about to go down here.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to answer me? Who are you?¡± Her cold tone was still there. ¡°Oh, I see. You¡¯re one of


    the sluts he¡¯s brought home, huh?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Tarched a brow, throwing her a cold stare.


    ¡°This is how he squanders money. Wasting it on whores like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but can you please mind the way you speak?¡±


    ¡°This is my house; you cannot tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°Your house? I thought this mansion belonged to Luke?¡±


    ¡°He keeps deceiving you,


    hub?


    I gave her a puzzled face. ¡°He keeps dece¡­ You know what? I shouldn¡¯t even be thinking or asking


    questions about this. This is definitely Luke¡¯s house, and I genuinely have no idea


    who you are.


    ¡°Know me or not, that¡¯s none of my business. You can go out in your dress and leave when you¡¯re


    done. I can¡¯t stand being in the presence of a prostitute.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rude. So please have some respect,¡± I told her, trying to remain calm.


    But she still wanted shit. ¡°Whores like you do not deserve respect.¡±


    ¡°I am not a prostitute, for crying out loud.¡±


    ¡°Then who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am Luke¡¯s wife.¡±

 Chapter 274

    274: INTRODUCTIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I am Luke¡¯s wife!¡± I spoke boldly to this old woman. I had enough already; she was making me sick,


    and I didn¡¯t want to get this day ruined. Because I was in bliss before she just came out of nowhere.


    Now I wasn¡¯t craving shit, but if she wanted that, who was I to say


    no?


    ¡°You are Luke¡¯s wife,¡± she repeated my words slowly, giving me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the problem? Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°What? Why would I want to lie?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a whore, and you don¡¯t want yourself getting the treatment you deserve.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that is so fucked up. This has to be the dumbest thing I¡¯ve heard so far. It just


    doesn¡¯t make any¡­.¡±


    I was interrupted the moment she seized my hand and she forcefully dragged me out of the room. She


    tugged me downstairs, and you want to know the worst part of it all? I still had this towel wrapped


    around my body, and I felt like it was going to fall down any


    moment.


    When we reached the living room, she pushed me to the floor. Some workers were present, having


    different discussions, but they all stopped them and gave me their


    attention right away.


    ¡°Do you people know this woman right here?¡± the olddy asked loudly, looking around. ¡°I repeat, do


    any of you know this woman?¡±


    They refused to answer, but I could hear the murmur. Good¨Cfor¨Cnothing idiots.


    ¡°You all don¡¯t know. Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. She is a prostitute, and it¡¯s an abomination for her to be present


    here at my house.


    Her words were so irritating, and she was annoying herself. Who the hell was this Canon ball? What


    was her rtionship with Luke? It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s family.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± I heard Janice¡¯s voice, and I turned around. She was standing with those two little boys who


    were living with Luke, and they were all staring at me.


    Janice quickly ran to me, but the canon ball stopped her as she was about to get close. Where do you


    think you are going, and who are you?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me. What are you doing to my Mommy? Why is she on the floor?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Your mother¡¯s a prostitute. Luke really did shit bringing the two of you into this


    house. That¡¯s so shameful.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± One of the boys chimed in.


    The olddy turned to them that very moment. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Her voice was low


    and threatening.


    ¡°We are telling the truth. You are lying by clicking her that.¡±


    ¡°Who are these two morons? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m ten times older than you?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t care. We won¡¯t let you insult the woman of our big brother.¡±


    ¡°Your big brother?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Is that what you call him?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I spoke harshly, rising from the floor and holding Janice. I looked this woman right in the


    eyes, and we both red at each other, and no one was breaking the dark look. any time soon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this nonsense,¡± I spoke to her coldly.


    ¡°Then go to hell.¡±


    ›_¿I


    ¡°You go to hell. You are an old woman and so should be giving you respect, but you don¡¯t


    deserve any.¡±


    ¡°How dare you insult me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything. I¡¯m still trying to hold myself together because I respect elders.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your respect.¡±


    ¡°So that means I can throw tohs of insults at you, right?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± she uttered slowly, with such intense bitterness. ¡°Whore,¡± she added.


    My re only intensified, and I was burning with rage. My fists were clenched tightly, and I just wanted


    to give her a hard punch in the face right now. Butposure mixed with respect still held me. An elder


    was still an elder.


    ¡°Your words mean nothing to me. So if you think I¡¯m going to get hurt by the shit you say you¡¯ll only be


    making a fool of yourself.¡±


    ¡°You dirty whore.¡± She wanted to p me, but I seized her hand.


    ¡°I did note to this house for this.¡± I shoved her hand away, still ring at her. ¡°And don¡¯t be


    surprised if people don¡¯t respect you. You¡¯re the one who brought it upon yourself.


    I mean, look at you right now and take a look at everyone present here. They all know you¡¯re just acting


    crazy. Even the little children can testify.¡±


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Luke¡¯s mom uttered, stepping foot inside the house. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    The olddy red at her incontinently.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°It is. Because this is her son¡¯s house,¡± I reminded her, crossing my arms.


    ¡°All of you are crazy.¡±


    ¡°Not as crazy as you,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Just watch, the both of you. I will make your lives miserable if you two live in this house.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I won¡¯t be staying here,¡± I told her with a feigned smile.


    She angrily walked away, and the helpers watching the scene also left.


    I turned around to Celine. ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Luke¡¯s great¨Caunt. Her name¡¯s Liliana and she¡¯s the sister of Sir Reynold.¡±


    ¡°Wow, howe I¡¯ve never heard about her?¡±


    ¡°She left for a very long time. But she just came back all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°Just like how you did.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Celine said under her breath.


    LUKE¡¯S POV:


    ¡°I¡¯ve got your schedule for the day ready and some important files for you to go through,


    took Jack said, handing me a stack of papers. I had arrived at thepany minutes ago, some calls for


    quite a long time, and Jack was the one who weed me.


    I thanked him and made my way to my office, with Jack following closely behind. Just


    when I settled into my chair, he began briefing me on the projects and meetings I had lined


    1. up.


    ¡°Sir, I also wanted to inform you that we¡¯ve had some people terminate their projects with


    My heart sank at the news. I knew I had been neglecting my worktely, but I didn¡¯t think it would have


    such a big impact.


    ¡°How many?¡± I asked, dreading the answer.


    ¡°There are about five major partnerships. It seems like you haven¡¯t been responding to them for the


    past few weeks,¡± Jack replied, handing me a file with the details.


    I sighed, feeling disappointed in myself. I had been so caught up with my personal life that


    I had neglected my work, and now it wasing back to bite me.


    ¡°I suggest we contact them and try to salvage the partnerships. They were all very important clients,


    and losing them would be a huge blow to thepany.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I nodded, knowing he was right. ¡®Call them and set up a meeting. I want to speak with


    them¡±


    Jack reassured me before leaving the room to make the necessary calls. I sat back in my chair, running


    a hand through my hair. I knew I had to fix this and make things right with those goddamn folks. But


    Ariel was still on my mind.

 Chapter 275

    275: THROUGH THE ALLEY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    So, it had been quite an exhausting and stressful day. It¡¯s not stressful; I just said that because of the


    scene at Luke¡¯s mansion a while ago. All good now cause I was already ¡®making my way out of there,


    along with Janice.


    I had promised her earlier that we would go on a mother¨Cdaughter trip. I had the perfect ce in mind


    ¨C a saltke I had stumbled upon during one of my morning runs a year ago. The location just pooped


    up in my head, and I was like, ¡®Okay, we gotta go, right?¡±. It was a hidden gem, with crystal clear water


    and stunning views.


    Getting ready, we both packed a small pic basket with snacks and a camera. Janice. insisted on


    bringing a stuffed bunny, which she called Floppy, along for the trip. Randy gave it to her as a sign of


    their new friendship.


    We got into the car, and Randy and Ethan soon wished us safe journeys. They were so


    sweet, no lie about that. So now, we were on our way to our little adventure.


    While I was driving, Janice chattered non¨Cstop, excitedly pointing out every tree and bird. we passed


    by. With beautiful trees and ravishing locations, New Haven was just wonderful.


    After a short drive, we reached the saltke, and Janice¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as she took in


    the breathtaking view. ¡°Wow, mommy, this ce is beautiful!¡°She tugged my


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    hand.


    I smiled and led her towards the water. We took off our shoes and felt the cool, salty water on our feet.


    Janice squealed in delight and started running around, chasing after the small fish that swam near the


    shore.


    ¡°Why is the water so salty, Mommy?¡± she asked, her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Well, thiske is called a saltke because it has a high concentration of salt in it. That¡¯s what makes


    the water so clear and blue,¡± I exined, trying my best to sound like a


    science teacher.


    Janice nodded, taking in the information before running off again to explore. I took out my camera and


    started taking pictures of her, capturing every moment of her happiness.


    ¡°Mommy,e y with me!¡± She called out, holding Floppy up in the air.


    I couldn¡¯t resist her infectious energy and joined in on the fun. We sshed around in the


    water, yed tag, and built sandcastles. It was the perfect day.


    The sun started setting, and we sat on a nearby rock, enjoying our snacks. Janice munched on her


    favorite chocte chip cookies while I sipped on some lemonade. We watched as the sky turned into


    shades of pink and orange, the water reflecting the colors like a mirror.


    ¡°Mommy, can wee back here again?¡± Janice asked, snuggling into my side.


    ¡°Of course, sweetie. We can make this our special ce,¡± I replied, kissing the top of her head.


    We stayed until the sunpletely disappeared behind the mountains and then returned to the car,


    happy and content.


    ¡°So, where are we going now? Daddy¡¯s house?¡± Janice quizzed.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re heading back home, not Daddy¡¯s house,¡± I replied, staring at the car.


    Driving home, Janice fell asleep with Floppy in her arms, a big smile still on her face. I couldn¡¯t wait to


    print out the pictures I took and frame them to always remind us of this beautiful day we spent together.


    If only Lukel had been here, he would have really loved this ce.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I walked into the restaurant, the smell of sizzling steaks and garlic bread filling my nostrils.


    I scanned the room, looking for the man I was supposed to meet. I spotted him sitting at a table near


    the back, hisrge frame almost spilling over the chair.


    I approached him, dodging waiters carrying trays of food and couples chatting over sses of wine.


    ¡°Leonardo?¡± I said, extending my hand for a shake.


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± he replied, his voice deep and booming. ¡°Luke, right? Take a seat.¡±


    I sat down across from him, and we exchanged pleasantries. Then, I got straight to the point. ¡°So, why


    did you terminate our project, Leonardo? We had a good thing going.¡±


    His face turned serious. ¡°You were just messing with me, Luke. Giving me no response in the past few


    days. I couldn¡¯t work with someone like that.¡±


    I felt a pang of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been really busy with different stuff. I didn¡¯t mean to ignore you.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s toote now. I¡¯ve already found someone else to partner with. But let¡¯s


    forget about that. How about we order some food and catch up?¡±


    Before I could respond, the sound of gunshots rang out, causing chaos in the restaurant. I looked


    around, trying to make sense of what was happening. Two men had entered the restaurant, their faces


    covered with masks, and they were shooting at anyone in sight.


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    I yelled, pulling Leonardo under the table with me.


    We huddled together, trying to stay out of sight. The sound of screams and breaking ss filled the air.


    I spotted a waiter running in another direction, and I nudged Leonardo.


    ¡°We should follow him,¡± I said, pointing toward the waiter. ¡°He might know a way out.¡±


    He nodded, and we crawled out from under the table, staying low to the ground. We followed the waiter


    through a back door into a dark alley behind the restaurant.


    When the waiter noticed us following him, he turned around, fear evident in his eyes. ¡°What are you


    doing?¡± he asked. ¡°Why are you following me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just trying to get out of here,¡± I replied, trying to calm him down. ¡°Do you know a way out of this


    alley?¡±


    ¡°No, please leave me alone,¡± he answered, but his voice was shaking. So apparently, he was


    frightened. But goddamn, this man shouldn¡¯t be scared of us.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯re the good guys, okay? We just want to find a way out. And I believe you know that. If not,


    why are we here?¡± I told him.


    He was still staring at us, not knowing what to do, and Leonardo spoke, ¡°He already told you


    everything. Do we look like criminals to you? Or haven¡¯t you heard of Luke Reynold and the great


    Leonardo?¡±


    ¡°The great Leonardo?¡± I gave him a puzzled face right away.


    ¡°Yeah, just a title I gave myself. I¡¯m not that famous, but it¡¯s cool,¡± he whispered.


    I turned to the waiter. ¡°So, are you going to help us out?¡±


    He hesitated for a moment before nodding. There¡¯s a door at the end of this alley. It leads


    to the street. But be careful; those guys are still in the restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, won¡¯t you being with us?¡± I queried.


    ¡°No, I have other things to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded and walked away, with Leonardo moving behind me.


    We followed his directions, keeping a lookout for the masked men. As we reached the door, we heard


    police sirens approaching. We quickly opened the door and stepped out onto the street, d to be out


    of harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°That was too close,¡± Leonardo said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I never expected something like this to


    happen in a quiet restaurant.¡±


    I


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite fucked up that these things keep on happening day


    by day.¡±


    ¡°New Haven needs to improve in their security.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, turning to him. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to talk about this project?¡±

 Chapter 276

    276: MY BLOOD BOILING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to talk about our project?¡± I quizzed Leonardo. I did hear him talk about teaming up


    with someone else concerning his project. Not that mypany was going to fall or whatever without


    this guy; I just didn¡¯t want to ruin any rtionships. My grandfather wouldn¡¯t want it if he were still alive.


    ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Leonardo asked me, giving me a face that unted him, not caring about


    a damn thing here.


    ¡°The project.¡±


    ¡°I told you already, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m not working with yourpany anymore. You had your chance, but you


    went ahead to blow it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. You have to understand that I had much to care for.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± He queried.


    ¡°Personal stuff. There were just a lot of things to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is none of my business. So let¡¯s quickly end this conversation. You can start leaving now.


    We don¡¯t want those mening back again.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s your decision. You¡¯re just going to terminate the project.¡±


    case you h


    ¡°I already did. Goodbye, Luke Reynold. So, in a new partner, you better be


    focused and give me attention. Just a piece of advice.


    I nodded, deciding not to say anything and just letting him have his way. It wasn¡¯t a big deal anyway; I


    didn¡¯t want to lose business partners. But fuck it, mypany was still one of the greatest in New


    Haven. I didn¡¯t need him anyway.


    I was still standing in silence, watching Leonardo as he traipsed to his car. And all of a sudden, he was


    shot right in the chest. He fell to the ground instantly.


    I stood there frozen, my mind unable to process what had just happened. One moment, I was having a


    conversation with Leonardo about our canceled project, and the next, he was lying on the ground with


    a gunshot wound.


    I looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the gunshot, but there was no one in sight. My


    heart was racing, and my hands shook as I rushed to Leonardo¡¯s side. He was


    struggling to breathe, his hand clutching his chest where the bullet had struck him/


    Leonardo, stay with me!¡± I spoke, trying to stop the bleeding with my hands.


    He looked up at me, his eyes filled with pain and fear. ¡°Luke, call 911,¡± he gasped, his breathing getting


    more rapid by the second.


    I fumbled for my phone, my mind in a state of panic. I didn¡¯t want this man to die like this. I needed to


    do something quickly, as soon as possible. I dialed the number while


    Leonardo¡¯s breathing became more and morebored. I could see the life slowly leaving his body.


    ¡°Stay with me, Leonardo. Help is on the way.¡±


    But his eyes started to close, and I could feel his hand go limp in mine.


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± I brought him out loudly, shaking him desperately. But it was toote. He was gone.


    The sound of sirens filled the air as the ambnce arrived, but they could do nothing.. Leonardo was


    already gone. The police arrived shortly after, asking me questions about what had happened. I told


    them everything, from our conversation to the sudden gunshot. They searched the area, but there was


    no sign of the shooter.


    The police took my statement and left, and I was left alone with Leonardo¡¯s lifeless body. I


    couldn¡¯t bring myself to move¨Cto leave him there on the ground. I sat there, just staring at


    him.


    This was the same man who was talking to me moments ago. Now look at him¨Clifeless; he couldn¡¯t talk


    anymore. Man, this life was really messed up. Sometimes, I felt like everything was worthless¨Cthe


    fame, the wealth, everything. But no one would be following


    you to the grave.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Janice and I finally arrived home. She was sleeping, and I had no ns of waking her up. But I carried


    her in my arms, slowly stepping out of my car. Making my way to the mansion¡¯s entrance, one of the


    helpers there sighted me, and he quickly moved in my direction. He carried Janice from me, doing that


    gently.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told him softly. He nodded and walked to the mansion. I tread on the heels


    of him.


    When we had gotten inside, he took Janice to her room upstairs. I smiled, looking around. Then Luke¡¯s


    face popped up in my head. I hadn¡¯t talked to him since. A conversation on the


    phone would be really nice.


    brought my phone out of my purse and began to call him. He didn¡¯t answer.


    1 called him several times but got the same result. He must probably be busy, but he shouldn¡¯t be too


    busy to answer my calls. It could be that he was having a business meeting at the moment.


    No, I don¡¯t really think so. The day was already dark. Business meetings were supposed to be carried


    out at ater time. I couldn¡¯t tell. There were too many thoughts, but he


    definitely had a reason for not answering my calls.


    But then my eyes narrowed upward, and it had me frozen in shock. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was


    seeing. Bernardo was openly flirting with another woman. And not just any woman, but- a woman


    dressed in a revealing dress with heavy makeup on her face. The two of them were walking down the


    stairs.


    I could feel my blood boiling as I watched Bernardough and even yfully spank the woman¡¯s


    buttocks. How could he do this to Laura? I thought he loved her. But as I stood there, watching the


    scene unfold before my eyes, I couldn¡¯t deny the evidence. Bernardo was cheating on his wife. And it


    was clear that she wasn¡¯t in this house.


    I stood still, not taking my eyes off them. Bernardo¡¯s eyes met mine. He froze, his mouth. opening in


    shock. I could see the guilt and fear in his eyes as he realized he had been


    caught.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he stammered, trying to find an exnation. But before he could say anything else, I


    cut him off.


    ¡°What are you doing, Bernardo?¡± I asked, my voice shaking with anger. ¡°Where is Laura? How could


    you do this to her?¡±


    His face fell as he realized he had no excuse for his actions. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ariel,¡± he finally admitted,


    his voice trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    But his words fell on deaf ears. I couldn¡¯t believe he would betray Laura like this. I turned to the woman,


    who was now looking embarrassed and ufortable. ¡°And who are you?¡± I asked her, my tone icy¨C


    cold.


    She looked at me nervously before finally speaking up. ¡°I¡¯m just a friend,¡± she stuttered. We were just


    having some fun.


    I scoffed, not believing a word she said. I knew exactly what was going on, and I wasn¡¯t going to let


    Bernardo or this woman get away with it.


    MY ELD


    *You should be ashamed of yourself, Bernardo,¡± I spat, my voice filled with disgust. ¡°How could you do


    this to Laura? She loves you and trusts you.¡±


    He hung his head in shame, knowing he had been caught in the act. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel,¡± her whispered. ¡°I


    don¡¯t know what to say. I messed up.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Save your exnation for your wife because I¡¯m calling her right now.¡±

 Chapter 277

    277: TROUBLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I brought my phone out of my purse, while Bernardo could just stare at me. The worried expression


    was all over his face, but what could he do in this situation? Absolutely nothing. I couldn¡¯t belleve he


    would do this, I couldn¡¯t believe he would cheat on the woman he imed to love with the whole of his


    heart. It was such a sad thing, you know. And life was fucked up itself.


    ¡°Are you seriously going to do this?¡± Bernardo questioned me, walking closer to me.


    ring at him, I wanted to dial Laura¡¯s number. But staring into his eyes¨Cthe way he looked so troubled


    and terrified -I decided not to. I was not like that. But I would now be seeing him in a different way, not


    the normal Bernardo. He broke my trust, and I could only imagine how his wife would be if she realized


    what a character he was. It was actually a painful thing to know this. But I wouldn¡¯t be the one revealing


    his cheating ass. His wife was going to catch him regardless, just like I did today. But he had better


    change this ugly attitude.


    ¡°You know what?¡± I said it underneath my breath. ¡°Just get her out of here.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling Laura about this?¡±


    ¡°Just get the woman out of here!¡± I yelled immediately. I couldn¡¯t help it. I was mad as hell. Iposed


    myself anyway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My tone was quite calm, and then I walked away.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was driving home, still thinking about what happened earlier and how Leonardo died. The scene


    where he got shot was still revolving around in my head, every moment and every second of that time.


    It was really sad, I wouldn¡¯t lie. So many people had left this world, and here I was, still breathing fine


    and living healthy, even though I had faced different situations where I almost left the earth. But I was


    still here. What a grace this was.


    I stopped the car at some point, bringing out my phone, only to see Ariel¡¯s missed calls. Wow, she


    called me. That was actually nice. But calling her now was not the right thing. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to


    talk.


    But fuck that, I loved this woman. So, I would always be in the mood to talk to her. I started calling her,


    and it didn¡¯t take long before she answered the phone.


    ¡°Hey, Luke. Wassup, how have you been?¡±


    277: TROUBLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I brought my phone out of my purse, while Bernardo could just stare at me. The worried expression


    was all over his face, but what could he do in this situation? Absolutely nothing. 1 couldn¡¯t believe he


    would do this. I couldn¡¯t believe he would cheat on the woman he imed to love with the whole of his


    heart. It was such a sad thing, you know. And life was fucked up itself.


    ¡°Are you seriously going to do this?¡± Bernardo questioned me, walking closer to me.


    ring at him, I wanted to dial Laura¡¯s number. But staring into his eyes¨Cthe way he looked so troubled


    and terrified -I decided not to. I was not like that. But I would now be seeing him in a different way, not


    the normal Bernardo. He broke my trust, and I could only imagine how his wife would be if she realized


    what a character he was. It was actually a painful thing to know this. But I wouldn¡¯t be the one revealing


    his cheating ass. His wife was going to catch him regardless, just like I did today. But he had better


    change this ugly attitude.


    ¡°You know what?¡± I said it underneath my breath. ¡°Just get her out of here.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling Laura about this?¡±


    ¡°Just get the woman out of here!¡± I yelled immediately. I couldn¡¯t help it. I was mad as hell.


    T


    Iposed myself anyway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My tone was quite calm, and then I walked away.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I was driving home, still thinking about what happened earlier and how Leonardo died. The scene


    where he got shot was still revolving around in my head, every moment and every second of that time.


    It was really sad, I wouldn¡¯t lie. So many people had left this world, and here I was, still breathing fine


    and living healthy, even though I had faced different situations where I almost left the earth. But I was


    still here. What a grace this was.


    I stopped the car at some point, bringing out my phone, only to see Ariel¡¯s missed calls. Wow, she


    called me. That was actually nice. But calling her now was not the right thing. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to


    talk.


    But fuck that, I loved this woman. So, I would always be in the mood to talk to her. I started, calling her,


    and it didn¡¯t take long before she answered the phone.


    ¡°Hey, Luke. Wassup, how have you been?¡±


    Ariel, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡±


    *For not answering your calls, I was busy. I didn¡¯t even know the time you called.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that,¡± she told me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologized again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, It¡¯s not much of a big deal anyway. So, how was work?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was kind of great.¡±


    ¡°Kind of great?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered in a whisper.


    ¡°Your voice doesn¡¯t sound too good. Anything wrong? Is there a problem?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, no, nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m just stressed right now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stressed, okay?¡±


    I smiled promptly. ¡°Thanks, sweetheart. Where are you now? Are you still at my¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve gone home already,¡± she interrupted me. ¡°I left long ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I said lowly. ¡°Well, can we meet?¡±


    ¡°You want us to meet? Like, right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°I believe you¡¯re free.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m free.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Then that shouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    ¡°Yeah, it shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°So, what about Janice?¡± I asked her. ¡°How¡¯s my little girl doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Just asleep right now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see. I can imagine her cute face.¡±


    Arielughed. ¡°Where are you right now? Because it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re not at your house.¡±


    How do you know I¡¯m not at my house?¡±


    Because you asked me if I was there moments ago. Duhh.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Right, I totally forgot.¡±


    ¡°Or you were just teasing me.¡±


    ¡°If you want to put it that way.¡±


    ¡°So, where can we meet?¡± Ariel inquired.


    ¡°Where do you want us to meet?¡±


    You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to decide that, Luke. My head is nk of different locations.


    right now because I¡¯m already in bed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re about to go to sleep?¡±


    ¡°I was just resting. But who am I to say no if sleep decides to take over?¡± She yfully


    replied.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back augh. ¡°All you need to do is inform your sleep that your spouse is on


    his way to retrieve you.¡±


    Sheughed as well. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not picturing us in the DC Universe right now.


    now


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. But now that you mentioned it,


    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± she cut me off. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, alright?¡±


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re not a fan?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°But your mom told me how you were crazy about Wonder Woman when you were little.¡±


    ¡°She did that?¡±


    ¡°Of course she did. What are you going to say about that now, huh?¡±


    ¡°I was just a little kid back then.¡±


    I let out a slightugh. ¡°I knew you were going to say that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I mean,e on. There are some things I did when I was little that¡¯s definitely not. working out for


    me now.¡±


    Like you dancing in the rain?¡±


    Ariel gasped immediately. ¡°My mom also told you that, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± I answered,ughing.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. She did. Because there is no way you could ever have knowledge of that.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think so?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You didn¡¯t spend my childhood with me.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me now, Luke. Admit it, my mother told you.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Okay, fine. She did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I knew that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I admitted it.¡±


    ¡°So, Mr. Reynold. Where do you want us to meet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s say¡­¡± I trailed off the moment I spotted a little girl running along the road, screaming. ¡°I¡¯ll


    call youter, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Why? Anything wrong?¡± Ariel asked.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get back to you,¡± I told her before ending the call. My eyes were still fixed on the little girl


    running toward me.


    I got out of my car, not taking my eyes off the little girl. When she got closer, I realized it was Catherine,


    my mother¡¯s daughter. What was she doing out here, on this lonely street, at this time of the night?


    Something wasn¡¯t right around here.


    As she continued to run, I got in the way. And when she had gotten close, I grabbed her


    hand.


    ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡± She pleaded, tears going down her countenance.


    ¡°Calm down! It¡¯s me, Luke, your big brother! Well, something like that.¡±


    ¡°Let go! Let me go!¡± She screamed as she kept on hitting me. And she almost hit my balls, but I was


    quick to seize her hand¨Cclose call.


    ¡°Stop it, okay? Stop it!¡± I shook her vigorously till she was finally calm. That was


    challenging.


    I squatted to her level, looking into her eyes as if tears wereing out. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Why are


    you crying?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply but kept on shedding tears. I cleaned her eyes.


    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s wrong? Who¡¯s chasing you?¡±


    She sniffled. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°Who exactly?¡±


    I heard footsteps forthwith. Catherine turned around while I looked in that direction.

 Chapter 278

    278: IN THE STARK STREET


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Catherine turned around, and I also looked in the direction she had eyes on. The footsteps got close,


    and it was terrifying, like a horror movie or something.


    A man treaded closer, doing that in a slow manner. He wore a ck garment¨Ca hooded one. And I


    couldn¡¯t see his face very well, but the way he walked was sort of terrifying¨Cfor different people, not me.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    My eyes narrowed down to his hand and the item he was holding. He had an axe, with blood dripping


    down his fingers right on that weapon. Like, seriously, what the hell was this? Who was this man, and


    why was he after this little girl?


    I looked at Catherine and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay; there¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡±


    My words didn¡¯t seem to assure her at all; she still had her gaze fixed on the man in the hooded


    garment, and I could see the fear in her eyes. She was trembling; I could tell her heart was beating


    rapidly, and her mind could be racing as hell. This was no ordinary sh*t. You could call this a horror


    movie, and trust me, I wouldn¡¯t want to be a character in it.


    ¡°This is so not great,¡± I whispered to myself, looking at the man as he got closer, his footsteps echoing


    in the nk street.


    I stood up, holding Catherine, not wanting her to be terrified. I totally understood. If I were


    in her shoes, I would actually. She was just a little kid, after all, and I think I was worse back


    then. Yeah, I clearly remembered the times I was totally afraid. It was worse than this, and


    the situation wasn¡¯t even as terrifying as this.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked the man, but he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Who are you?¡± I repeated my question. He


    seemed to hear me, but he acted like he didn¡¯t.


    He treaded closer, but I could only see his eyes. He wore this nose mask, the same color as his


    garment. I could see the re right there and the intense darkness in his expression. It wasn¡¯t a nice


    one, and it almost had me terrified to the fullest. But goddamn, I wasn¡¯t


    going to be in such a state!


    He halted his steps and stared at us as if we were both statues. His eyes went straight to Catherine;


    she held me tightly. He nced back at me, and I did the same, gazing at him in wonder. And I was still


    wondering who he was and what he had with this little child.


    This man said nothing; he didn¡¯t shake, he didn¡¯t move, and he didn¡¯t take his eyes off me


    PE IN THE STAN


    as well. I wondered what was going on in his mind. What the hell was I thinking? I hope he wasn¡¯t


    nning to go into Thor mode and throw that axe at me. Just picture how things


    would be.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± I queried. He still didn¡¯t utter a word, and this was quite strange.


    Was he a ghost? Nope, he couldn¡¯t be a ghost. Or perhaps this was a dream?


    I looked down at Catherine. ¡°Is this a dream?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply to me either; she was too scared to say a word at the time. Or maybe shel wasn¡¯t


    saying anything because this was a dream.


    And since the man didn¡¯t want to get involved in a conversation or anything, I took. Catherine closer to


    my car and opened it for her. She got in, and I again set my eyes on the man. I wanted to see if he was


    going to do or say something.


    Well, he didn¡¯t. So I couldn¡¯t waste any more time. I entered my car, put on my seatbelt, and drove off. I


    was still surprised that the terrifying figure decided not to do anything. Even when I felt like he wanted


    to execute an action so sinister, I could only thank God.


    We were still driving; we had gotten far from that location. I stole nces at Catherine; she was still in


    shock and terrified but stopped crying. I didn¡¯t know if she was in the mood to say anything. But I really


    needed to know who that man was and why he was after her. She could have knowledge of that. Or


    maybe she didn¡¯t? I couldn¡¯t tell, actually.


    ¡°So, care to exin what happened back there?¡± I asked her, breaking the silence.


    She didn¡¯t respond, and I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Your mother thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°I do not have a mother,¡± she said coldly. It was very clear in her tone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a mother?¡± I nced at her. What do you mean by that? The two of you


    had an argument.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear from her, so I gave her a quick look before setting my eyes back on the road.¡± Are you


    going to be silent all day? Won¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing left for me to say.¡±


    I stopped the car and turned to her. ¡°Okay, now are you going to tell me what happened between you


    and your mother?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I do not have a mother.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, yeah, you do.¡±


    TEIN THESTAUR TALL


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. She might be yours, not mine,¡± Catherine told me, and I turned my face away, looking


    through the window.


    ¡°Did she do something bad to you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°It is not for you to know. She thought she killed me, right? So take it like that because I¡¯m


    dead to her.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really cold,¡± I uttered. ¡°If she did something really terrible to you that makes


    you want to never see her again, you can always tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Catherine asked, still looking through the window.


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been in your shoes before. Broken and hurt, shattered and damaged, and it was all


    because of her¨Cthe woman we called our mother. Trust me, I know what it feels


    like.¡±


    Catherine slowly turned to me. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± I answered softly, cing my hand on her shoulder. ¡°I was broken, getting to know that my


    parents were dead. My father, whom I loved so much, was always taking me out a great pal and


    skipped so many business projects just to be with me. And then there was my mother, who always had


    fun with me and gave me so much of her time. These people had tons of things that needed to be


    done, but they left them all because of me. They spent time with me and made me feel like I was the


    only child in this world. They died, and that was really painful.¡±


    Catherine was giving me all of her attention while I continued, ¡°That was what I thought- that the both of


    them were gone. But I had to find out that my mother was still alive. And I would have been very happy


    about that. But it had to go the opposite

 Chapter 279

    279: AMNESTY


    You remember the way love came into your life like a whirlwind, promising endless


    happiness and fulfillment. It was a love that consumed you, filled you with joy, and made your world


    brighter. You felt invincible as if nothing could ever shatter the perfect bubble you had created together.


    But slowly, imperceptibly at first, cracks began to form in that beautiful facade. Small disagreements


    turned into bigger arguments, misunderstandings led to hurt feelings, and before you knew it, you were


    caught in a downward spiral that seemed impossible to


    escope.


    The suffering you experience when someone you love hurts you is unlike any other. A deep ache


    settles in your chest, a constant reminder of what once was and what could have been. Every word


    spoken in anger, betrayal, and broken promise chip away at the armor around your heart until you feel


    exposed and vulnerable.


    You tried to hold on, to mend what was broken between the two of you, but it felt like trying


    to piece together shards of ss¨Cpainful and futile. The love that once lifted you up now weighs you


    down, dragging you into a dark pit of despair. You felt lost, adrift in a sea of


    emotions you couldn¡¯t make sense of.


    You found yourself questioning everything¨Cyourself, your worth, your ability to love and be loved. The


    pain of heartbreak is a lonely road to walk, filled with memories that haunt you


    in the quiet moments when you¡¯re alone with your thoughts.


    But even in the depths of your despair, a small ember of hope flickered within you. You realized that


    holding on to anger and bitterness would only poison your own heart. Your knew that forgiveness was


    the key to setting yourself free from the chains of the past.


    Forgiveness is challenging. It¡¯s a choice you have to make every day, a conscious effort to let go of the


    hurt and anger that weigh you down. It¡¯s a process of healing, of releasing the grip of pain so that you


    can move forward with an open heart.


    You chose to forgive not because the other person deserved it but because you deserved peace. You


    deserved to let go of the heavy burden you had been carrying for so long. Forgiveness was your gift to


    yourself a way to reim your power and your happiness.


    In the end, you emerged from the darkness stronger and more resilient than before. Love may have


    broken you, but it also taught you the power of forgiveness and the strength thates from letting go.


    You carry your heart with you, bruised but still beating, ready to love.


    again with a newfound sense of wisdom and grace.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The things she did to me were enough reasons for me not to forgive her. But, you see, someone made


    me realize I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her forever. I had to remember our great moments; they were


    wonderful. I knew; it was just a little kid back then. But trust me, I enjoyed every moment and every


    single asion. They were all joyous and wonderful.¡±


    I took a deep breath, patting her on the shoulder. ¡°Look, Catherine. You have a lot to learn. Right now,


    you have a lot of adventures ahead of you. And I¡¯m hoping you choose the right. path, not making any


    mistakes or hurting anyone. Because I¡¯ve been in such a situation. where I brought nothing but pain to


    this one person, but she forgave me in the end, and


    now things are going great between us.¡±


    ¡°What am I trying to say here? You¡¯ve got a heart right in you¨Ca gift from God. And the choice is left for


    us¨Cto make that heart a good one or not. But I tell you, little one, you have


    to make the right choice. Doing terrible things might just hurt youter on; karma is haunting you, and


    trust me, you wouldn¡¯t want that. So I suggest you soften that heart of yours and give your mother a


    second chance. Listen to her exnations and her apologies,


    and believe me, things will go smoothly between the both of you.¡±


    I started the car. ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk much, and I¡¯m not going to ask you about this anymore. You¡¯ll


    just have to make the choice yourself. Life is yours, after all. Everyone has their own story with different


    chapters; in everyone¡¯s story, they¡¯re always the hero. I believe you¡¯ll make the right choice.¡±


    I smiled at her before I started driving. She didn¡¯t say anything, but I know that deep down, she felt the


    words, and I hoped that they might have an impact on her.


    I drove her to my house, stopping the car after that. The two of us set our eyes on each


    other.


    ¡°Where have you taken me?¡± She asked, gazing at the mansion once more.


    ¡°My house,¡± I answered, smiling at her. And then I gently brushed a strand of her hair. ¡°This is where


    you¡¯ll be living from/now on.¡±


    ¡°Does she live here as well?¡±


    ¡°Well, something like that.¡±


    Catherine raised her brows at me, and I exhaled deeply before I responded, ¡°Yes, she lives here. Don¡¯t


    you want to see her?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She nced back through the window. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I slowly fixed my hand on her shoulder. ¡°Look, just keep it cool, okay? I may not know why you are mad


    at her, but you just have to listen to what she has to say. Let love lead, little


    one.


    I patted her shoulder, and she left the car. I burst out of the car as well, walking next to her.


    ¡°Come on.¡± I smiled down at her, holding her hand. And with that, we made our way inside


    the mansion.


    *Wee back, sir,¡± Marcus greeted me.


    ¡°Thank you, Marcus. How¡¯s things going around here?¡±


    ¡°Going great, sir. All thanks to God,¡± he replied, and I smiled at him.


    Finally stepping inside the building, I saw some maids having a silent discussion, gossiping. Apart from


    cleaning, that was the other thing they were good at.


    They quickly put an end to such conversation the moment their eyes caught me.


    ¡°Mr. Reynold, you¡¯re back,¡± one of them said as they both took their heads down like I was some


    goddamn king or something.


    ¡°Wee back, sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, looking around. ¡°Where is my mother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s home, sir. Thest time I saw her, she was standing at the stairs, making a phone


    call.¡°.


    ¡°And what time was that?¡±


    ¡°It should have been about an hour ago. But if you want, we can go and check her room to


    see if she¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± I told them.


    ¡°Okay, sir.¡±


    ¡°What about my great¨Caunt? Is she home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. She¡¯s sleeping.¡±


    ¡°I hope she didn¡¯t create a scene around here.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± one of the maids uttered, scratching her head.


    ¡°Well, what?¡± I queried, and my tone was goddamn serious.


    ¡°She did create a scene at the mansion.¡±


    ¡°What did she do?¡±


    ¡°It was with that woman you brought to this house yesterday.¡±

 Chapter 280

    280 RIGHT TO ME


    What happened? I asked the maid who had told me a little shit about my great¨Caunt, arid now I wanted


    to know the whole crap.


    Well¡­:


    ¡°Well, what?¡± This harsh tone echoed in the mansion, and I turned around. My great¨Caunt


    was walking towards the stairs.


    I nced at one of the maids. ¡°I thought you said she was asleep,¡± I vocalized, referring to


    my great¨Caunt right here.


    ¡°That was what I thought.¡±


    ¡°Gossiping about me, huh?¡± My great¨Caunt smirked, walking closer.


    ¡°Oh, please, save your crap forter,¡± I fired back.


    She red at the two maids. ¡°These two of you, get out of my sight right now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that; just get out!¡±


    They wanted to leave, but I halted them and said, ¡°Hold on. Take her along with you.¡± I was referring to


    Catherine.


    ¡°Okay, sir,¡± one of them says, moving closer and taking hold of Catherine¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Find her afortable room, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± They all walked away after that.


    My great¨Caunt took her eyes off them and turned to me. ¡°Who¡¯s that girl now, huh?¡±


    ¡°How is that your concern?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do shit with me, Luke?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even waste my time.¡±


    ¡°You entered this residence with a prostitute who imed to be your spouse. How disgusting is that?¡±


    ¡°Ariel is my wife. Show some respect,¡± I told her coldly and walked away.


    am not done with you. Where are you going? She asked loudly, but I decided to ignore he


    saw the maidsing out of one of the rooms in the mansion. It was obviously where they had taken


    Catherine.


    ¡°She¡¯s in there, right?¡± I pointed towards the room, and they both nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    They walked away while I made my way inside the room. It was dark, but I turned the lights on.


    Catherine was sitting on her bed in deep thought, and I could just guess what she was thinking about.


    But I didn¡¯t know the reason why she was so infuriated with her mother. My mother took it, bute


    on, let¡¯s put it in a simpler way.


    I walked closer and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She didn¡¯t say anything, and she


    didn¡¯t look at me; there was total silence around here.


    So I waited for a minute, or something close to that, before I finally spoke. ¡°What are you


    thinking?¡±


    Catherine looked at me with an expression that was somehow not nice, kind of bitter, but she turned


    her face away. ¡°Can you please leave? I just want to be alone.¡±


    I let out a sigh. ¡°Why are you so troubled? What did she do to you? I¡¯ve got millions of questions right


    now, but you¡¯re not ready to say anything. I even need to know why that man was chasing you earlier.


    ¡°Please leave. We¡¯ll discuss this some other time.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    She nodded. I exhaled deeply, and then I stood up. ¡°Okay, then. If you don¡¯t want to talk, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m


    not going to force you. But please, don¡¯t be a depressed soul. You¡¯re too little for


    that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispered and looked at me. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°If you ever need anything or someone to talk to, I¡¯m here,¡± I said, cing my hand around my chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you,¡± she told me inaudibly, nodding.


    ¡°Take care.¡± I walked to the door and turned the lights off. After that, I left. Man, I felt sorry for that little


    girl. What the hell did my mother do anyway? Technically, it wasn¡¯t just that she burned the house, it


    was something else. Something she did intentionally, and I


    needed to find out what it was.


    RIGHT 101


    ¡°I¡¯m not done with you. Where are you going?¡± She asked loudly, but I decided to ignore her.


    I saw the maidsing out of one of the rooms in the mansion. It was obviously where they had taken


    Catherine.


    they


    ¡°She¡¯s in there, right?¡± I pointed towards the room, and they both nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you.


    They walked away while I made my way inside the room. It was dark, but I turned the lights on.


    Catherine was sitting on her bed in deep thought, and I could just guess what she was thinking about.


    But I didn¡¯t know the reason why she was so infuriated with her mother. My mother took it, bute


    on, let¡¯s put it in a simpler way.


    I walked closer and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She didn¡¯t say anything, and she


    didn¡¯t look at me; there was total silence around here.


    So I waited for a minute, or something close to that, before I finally spoke. ¡°What are you


    thinking?¡±


    Catherine looked at me with an expression that was somehow not nice, kind of bitter, but she turned


    her face away. ¡°Can you please leave? I just want to be alone.¡±


    I let out a sigh. ¡°Why are you so troubled? What did she do to you? I¡¯ve got millions of questions right


    now, but you¡¯re not ready to say anything. I even need to know why that man was chasing you earlier.


    ¡°Please leave. We¡¯ll discuss this some other time.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    She nodded. I exhaled deeply, and then I stood up. ¡°Okay, then. If you don¡¯t want to talk, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m


    not going to force you. But please, don¡¯t be a depressed soul. You¡¯re too little for


    that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispered and looked at me. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°If you ever need anything or someone to talk to, I¡¯m here,¡± I said, cing my hand around my chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you,¡± she told me inaudibly, nodding.


    ¡°Take care.¡± I walked to the door and turned the lights off. After that, I left. Man, I felt sorry for that little


    girl. What the hell did my mother do anyway? Technically, it wasn¡¯t just that she burned the house, it


    was something else. Something she did intentionally, and I


    needed to find out what it was.


    I wanted to walk to her room, but then Ariel started calling me. Ariel, shit! I forgot that we were having a


    conversation before that happened.


    I answered the call. ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡±


    ¡°I ended the call and forgot to call you


    back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad. I¡¯m just standing at the front of your house right now.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you being serious?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You cane outside to see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just hold on. I¡¯ll be¡­¡±


    She ended the call before I could finish my sentence. I had a feeling she was upset.


    I quickly walked downstairs and left the mansion. I went through the gate, and Ariel was looking


    beautiful in a ck dress. She was leaning against her car, and she chuckled the


    moment she saw me.


    ¡°Luke Reynold, it¡¯s nice to see you,¡± she said, walking closer to me.


    And when she had gotten close, she wrapped her hands around my neck, grinning at me.


    ¡°Look at those eyes of yours. Aren¡¯t they just beautiful?¡± He whispered. ¡°I could stare at


    them all day.¡±


    She giggled. ¡°Please, don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m not joking.¡± I snaked her waist, pilling her really close, and now I had her body pressed


    against mine.


    ¡°Of course, I knew you were serious.¡±


    ¡°Then why were youughing?¡±


    ¡°I was just admiring thepliment, you idiot.¡± Sheughed, yfully hitting my chest.


    I held her hands,ughing as well. ¡°I really like the fact that you came all the way here.¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted the both of us to go somewhere, right? So here we are, and here I am. Where do


    you want to go, Sir Reynold?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s title. Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it when people call me that. I¡¯m trying to be respectful.¡±


    ¡°And how are you being called ¡®Sir Reynold¡® disrespectful?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir. Anything you say,¡± she said, pecking me on the lips. I gripped her backside and began


    kissing her.


    Our kisssted for a minute before we finally pulled away. We both gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, and


    Ariel asked, ¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    ht away w


    I heaved both of my brows that?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sheughed and held my hand, led me to the car, opened the door, and I ensconced myself in the


    backseat. She also got in the car and locked the door before straddling me.


    Looking into my eyes, she kissed me slowly, grinding against my groin. I could feel the passion


    unfolding, and I could also feel myself getting hard.


    As she continued to rock her booty on me, I grasped her posterior while our lips moved in perfect


    unison. And then she whispered into my ear, ¡°I want to feel you inside of me.¡±


    I licked her neck after that, still running her backside. Gripping her dress, I tugged it up, exposing her


    pants, which I took off. And she took hold of my belt, unbuckled it, undid the zip, took my pants down a


    little, and brought my cock out.


    As she tenderly kissed me, I could feel her gently massaging it, and I could barely hear inaudible


    moans emanating from her mouth. She continued to stroke me, but she stopped, and with a smirk on


    her face, she sat on my stem.

 Chapter 281

    281: DON¡¯T DO SHIT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Sliding my rod into her, Ariel began to grind on me slowly, her hands wrapped around my neck as she


    kissed me, moaning into my mouth. She gripped my rod tightly, causing me to groan in pleasure. After


    that, she started going up and down on me, bouncing hard.


    ¡°Ohh sh*t,¡± she moaned softly as she kept on with her movements. I gripped her ass while she went on


    and on. She intensified her assault by mming her posterior against me with great force, producing


    audible mming sounds.


    ¡°Ouuu fuckkk, Luke. Give me that dick.¡± She kept on going hard, and after some minutes, she paused.


    Then she moved slowly in a circr motion, with the two of us letting out soft


    moans.


    She was breathing heavily, her tongue fixed on my neck. I began by gently rubbing her butt before


    mming her with such force.


    ¡°Hmmm, baby, fuckk,¡± she screamed a little, holding on to me while I kept on pounding the hell out of


    her. ¡°Shit, Luke, don¡¯t stop. Don¡¯t stop, fuckk!¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She gasped and started bouncing on me while I continued to bang on her. I did that vigorously,


    mming her like never before. It was intense, and her moans filled the car.


    ¡°Fuckkk, Luke, fuckkk, baby!¡± Ariel kept on screaming. I could feel her juices dripping down on my


    cock, and then she exploded all over me, making the ms more slippery.


    ¡°Shit!!!¡± She shut both of her eyes tightly, and I went nonstop. I banged her, banged her, and banged


    her for minutes until I burst into her. After that, she took control, riding me very fast, doing that in a


    circr motion.


    ¡°Hmm, baby,¡± I moaned softly, letting her do her thing. She bounced on me, going harder, while I


    showered hot kisses around her neck. This went on for minutes till I felt her creaming on me again. She


    got off me immediately, copsing on the couch forthwith.


    ¡°Damn, Luke,¡± Ariel said, trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°You liked that, didn¡¯t you?¡± I moved my face closer to hers and began to kiss her. With our lips pressed


    together, my fingers found their way to her wet cunt, and I started kneading her slowly.


    ¡°Ohhh godd,¡± she moaned in my mouth while I thrust my fingers in her, doing that really


    hard, My fingers were wet since 1 was digging them into her moistened vagina. She eventually


    exploded, and I took my face down to get her cum all in my mouth. When I was done, I kissed her, also


    sticking my fingers in her mouth and letting her taste herself.


    withdrew from her, resting on the car seat as well, with the both of us breathing heavily.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Anywhere you take me, I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,¡± I said, ncing at my watch. ¡°We can just spend the night at my house.


    ¡°With that olddy in there?¡±


    ¡°Who? My great¨Caunt?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ariel answered. ¡°She¡¯s so irritating.¡±


    ¡°What did she do?¡±


    ¡°By calling me a slut, she intended to humiliate me in front of all. But I stood up for myself. I wasn¡¯t


    going to let her do shit.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand that woman. She thinks so highly of


    herself.¡±


    ¡°Totally the opposite of your grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I wouldn¡¯t say that. They both have this attitude. Grumpy, violent. Oh god, they just have a lot of


    things inmon. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s against us.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is correct.¡±


    I looked at Ariel, and both of us were silent for seconds.


    ¡°You should get dressed,¡± I told her, taking my trousers up and putting everything back. together. Ariel


    also got dressed


    Ariel and I climbed into the front seats of my car, both of us still catching our breath from the intense


    make¨Cout session we had just shared. I looked over at her, admiring how her. hair fell in messy waves


    around her face and how her chest rose and fell with each breath. She was beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t


    believe she was here with me at this moment.


    I turned on the ignition and started driving, thinking of other ces to go. But as we turned aer, I


    spotted a girl not too far from us, with two boys close by. The girl seemed to be ignoring the boys, who


    were shouting and trying to get her attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± Ariel asked, noticing my gaze.


    I pulled the car over to the side of the road, and we both got out, walking over to where the girl and the


    boys were. As we got closer, we could hear the boys making crudements and trying to grab the


    girl¡¯s arm.


    Without hesitation, I stepped in between them, pulling the boys away from the girl. ¡°What the hell do


    you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I growled, my protective instincts kicking in.


    The boys stumbled back, surprise and fear evident on their faces. ¡°We were just having some fun,¡± one


    of them stuttered.


    That¡¯s not fun; that¡¯s harassment,¡± Ariel said, her voice firm and unwavering.


    The boys looked like they were about to argue, but I wasn¡¯t going to let them get away with their


    behavior. I grabbed them by their cors and pinned them against a nearby wall, my anger boiling over.


    I wailed, ¡°You are not permitted to behave in such a manner, and certainly not in front of my residence.¡±


    I could feel Ariel¡¯s hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. ¡°Luke, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger. I released the boys, and they quickly scampered away,


    fear written all over their faces.


    I turned to the girl, who was now standing behind us, looking grateful and relieved. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I


    asked her.


    She nodded, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°Thank you so much. I couldn¡¯t get away from them.


    I smiled at her. ¡°No problem. Just be careful next time.¡±


    The girl nodded and was quickly about to walk away, but I stopped her. ¡°I suggest we drive you home.


    It¡¯ste, and we don¡¯t know what might happen if we let you go on your own.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ariel agreed. ¡°We can take you to your house if that¡¯s okay with you.¡±


    ¡°As long as you give us directions,¡± I said.


    Ariel nced at me right away and whispered, ¡°Of course, she¡¯s going to give us directions.


    ¡°I know that. I¡¯m just trying to make things clear and easy,¡± I whispered back. The two of us turned to


    the girl.


    So you¡¯re cool with that?¡± I asked.


    1 guess,¡± the girl answered softly.


    ¡°What is your name anyway?¡± Ariel questioned her.


    ¡°Danie.¡±


    ¡°Okay, cool,¡± I said immediately. You can get in the car now. There¡¯s no need to be afraid,


    okay?¡±


    She nodded and walked to my car, settling down in the backseat.


    ¡°Thanks for standing up for her,¡± Ariel told me, smiling.


    ¡°Of course. I couldn¡¯t just stand by and let them do that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bing sweeter each day. I like that,¡± she said softly, kissing me.


    I heard a phone ringing, and I turned around to see the phone on the ground. When I got closer, I


    realized that the caller was Tiffany, and I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the picture


    popping up on the screen.

 Chapter 282

    282: RECALLING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Staring at the phone in my hand, my mind was somehow in a state of chaos. Well, I wasn¡¯t panicking,


    but this was somehow crazy, like crazy.


    The caller ID showed Tiffany¡¯s name and her face¨Cthe face of this woman who once had feelings for


    me. I couldn¡¯t tell if those feelings were still there. But she did have me feeling guilty. And yes, she did


    carry our child. A child we never got to meet because she


    miscarried.


    I can actually remember that moment back then; it was really painful when she told me that she didn¡¯t


    want me in her life anymore. But what could I do? I didn¡¯t want to be with her; it was something I


    wanted, but at that time, I felt kind of broken¨Cjust for that moment, though.


    And while these thoughts continued to process in my head, a voice broke through my


    trance. It was Danie.


    ¡°Uhmm, excuse me?¡± She vocalized. ¡°The phone you¡¯re holding belongs to me. I think it must have


    fallen on the ground when those boys were harassing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? This phone belongs to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it does. Please hand it over, that call might be important.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry about that.¡± I apologized and walked to her, handing her the phone.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said softly, and her eyes went straight to the screen.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not supposed to ask, but who¡¯s that person calling?¡± I threw up the question. I couldn¡¯t help


    it. I knew it was Tiffany, looking at that screen. But who was Tiffany to her?


    ¡°It¡¯s my elder sister, Tiffany,¡± she answered.


    My curious face changed into a confused one. ¡°Your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, do you perhaps know her?¡± Danie asked, giving me a slightly puzzled face.


    I hesitated for a moment, not sure how to answer. I didn¡¯t want to lie to her, but I didn¡¯t


    want to reveal my past with Tiffany to a stranger. So I simply shook my head and muttered, ¡°No, I


    don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Your expression says a different thing, Ariel chimed in.


    ¡°No, I was just kind of¡­¡± I trailed off, letting out a sigh. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s just take her


    home.


    I walked to the car, settling in the driver¡¯s seat, and I closed my eyes as I took a deep


    breath again.


    Ariel got inside, and so did Danie. ¡°Luke, Luke,¡± Ariel called my name.


    I opened my eyes immediately, staring at her. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Something wrong? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Your face changed the moment that phone started ringing. So tell me, what¡¯s the problem?


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, okay? Let¡¯s just get Danie to her house as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay, if you say so.¡± Ariel took her eyes off me and set them on the road.


    I shook my head and started driving, I didn¡¯t know what was wrong with me. I had no idea why my


    mood changed after seeing Tiffany¡¯s name on the screen. It wasn¡¯t like I was in


    love with her or something.


    I drove while Danie was giving me directions. I didn¡¯t say anything; I just acted like I knew nothing


    when I clearly had an idea of the directions. But why would I say anything.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    now?


    So, after what felt like hours, we finally arrived at Tiffany¡¯s mansion. I clearly remembered thest time I


    came to this ce, and all of those scenes were still stuck in my head.


    The moment we pulled up to the gates of her house, Ariel¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. She couldn¡¯t


    believe what she was seeing. It was clear right here.


    ¡°Is this your house?¡± she asked Danie, her eyes wide.


    Danie nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I never knew you were going to be this rich.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am,¡± Danie¡¯said before leaving the car. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡± She closed the door, smiling


    at the both of us.


    turned my face away. ¡°We should get going now,


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave yet. Aren¡¯t we going to meet her parents? Tell them what happened, how we saw her,


    and how we saved her from those kids,¡±


    Ariel, It¡¯s reallyte. She¡¯s home now andpletely safe. I don¡¯t see the need for us to go


    to her house and get into more conversations.¡±


    ¡°I totally understand, Luke. But you need to understand me here, too.¡±


    ¡°I get you, Ariel. And I¡¯m in no mood for arguments.¡± I drove off after that.


    When we arrived at my house, I didn¡¯t say anything, and Ariel didn¡¯t, either. The silence


    between us was still there, and I didn¡¯t like it one bit.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, almost inaudibly.


    Ariel didn¡¯t shoot a nce at me. ¡°I should be the one asking you that. What happened


    back there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know. I guess I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I should go now. Good night.¡±


    Ariel left the car, and I didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t stop her; I didn¡¯t move. I was just sitting down, still


    processing what had happened. I didn¡¯t know, I should just tell her about my history with Tiffany. Why


    was I hiding it anyway? It wasn¡¯t like we were dating.


    Before I could burst out of my car, Ariel had already gotten in hers and drove away. The night was


    ruined. There was no need for conversations on the phone right now. I should be hoping for a better


    tomorrow.


    So that was it. That was how things went between us. So the night went on, and I slept, not settled,


    hoping for the next day to be better than this..


    I woke up the next morning, looking around the room. I could hear the birds chirping and the sun¡¯s light


    coming right through the window.


    With my eyes partly open, I sat on the bed. Kneading my head, I remembered what had happenedst


    night between me and Ariel. I quickly grabbed my phone and wanted to call her, but I stopped


    suddenly. I didn¡¯t know what came over me.


    I let out a deep sigh, still staring at my phone. And I wanted to know if I should call her or not. But then


    my phone started buzzing; Jack was the one who was calling. I could only wonder what he was about


    to tell me this time. I answered.


    ¡°Sir, I just got a call from the CEO of Texas. Thepany would like to discuss a new project with


    Reynolds, so they want you to be at work as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Great news. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go take my bath now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sir,¡± Jack said, and then our conversation ended.


    I dropped my phone on the bed, and I got up. I moved my hands down my face, took some


    steps, and transposed forward to the bathroom. But then I heard a knock on the door. I


    stopped, trying to see if I was just hearing things. Or, perhaps, that knock was real. I may have been


    thinking too muchtely.


    But the knock came again, and I had to go open the door. I saw my mother standing right


    there.


    ¡°Mom? What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 283

    283: UNDERSTAND


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Standing right here in my room, I was just looking at my mom, wondering why she hade to this


    location in the house so early in the morning.


    Seriously, it was way too early for me to get into any heated conversation. I have things running


    through my head right now¨Cthings that might make me go crazy. The situation with Arielst night


    seemed to be a tough one, and I had no idea if she was angry at me or not. But I could just wish for the


    best. Things are going great between us.


    ¡°Can I please know why you¡¯vee?¡± I asked, not taking my eyes off her.


    ¡°Good morning, first of all,¡± she said, with a tone that was deep and goddamn serious.


    Somehow.


    But I greeted her anyway. ¡°Good morning. So, can we get straight to the point?¡±


    ¡°Catherine is at this house.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡±


    ¡°Were you the one who brought her home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I had to. I saw her while driving on the road. So, I have some questions for you. And you need to


    give me answers.¡±


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Ariel, wake up.¡±


    Laura¡¯s voice ran through my ears, waking me from my sleep. I was really exhausted. I


    probably didn¡¯t wake up anytime soon because of how things went with Lukest night.


    I literally had no idea what had gone on with him. His mood just changed, and I was still


    wondering if he had any idea/about Danie¡¯s family. Everything seemed so strangest.


    night.


    ¡°Ariel, you have to wake up.¡± Laura said, walking closer to me.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Business meeting. The Tecas are about to discuss a new project with different


    five But the thing here is that we were invited Bernardo would havee along, but as a matter of fact,


    he¡¯s busy with other stuff¡±


    I I


    Right, like having sex with other women, I muttered. But knew I was inaudible because


    no one could hear me


    ¡°What did you just say? Loom asked promptly. But no worries, she didn¡¯t hear me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing lied I¡¯m just tired. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Where were youst night?


    I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Where were youst night? I searched the house, but I couldn¡¯t see you.¡±


    ¡°Your husband saw me. You can go ahead and ask him. By the way, I came home to drop Janice off,


    but I didn¡¯t see you, so I went out again.¡±


    ¡°With Luke, right? Laura quizzed, raising an eyebrow.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    So, mother, I hope you don¡¯t lie to me,¡± I told my mom, fixing my palms together..


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡±


    1 don¡¯t know. Probably because you¡¯ve done it in the past.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still talking about that?¡±


    1 forgave you, but that doesn¡¯t mean I forgot about all the things you did. It¡¯s the brain, alright? It¡¯s a


    part of life.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that. I¡¯m not mad at you. And I believe you haven¡¯te here to bong back


    those memories.¡±


    1 didn¡¯te here for that. You were the one bringing the whole thing up.¡±


    ¡°I know. I just cant help it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I totally understand that,¡± she vocalized in hushed tones.


    undendang


    ¡°Gray, Now, you tell me. What did you do to Catherine?¡±


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    233 UNDERSTAND


    ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡± I stood on the bed while Laura kept staring at me, not taking her eyes


    off me. In addition to the damned question she posed, the fact that she had her arms crossed was an


    expression that brought unease to my face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t deny it, right? You went to see Lukest night, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Can we please not talk about this?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to. We¡¯ve made this quite clear: our situation with Luke.¡±


    ¡°What did we make clear?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re going to take revenge on him for killing your son.¡±


    ¡°That was your decision.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to deny it now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did agree to do that¨Cget revenge, kill Luke, and make his life miserable. But things changed;


    why won¡¯t you ept that, Laura? Why do you keep hardening your heart?¡±


    ¡°I do not like Luke. I¡¯ve always had hatred for him since you told me about him. About the things he did


    to you in the past. Are you really that stupid to just take him back?¡±


    ¡°Please, I don¡¯t need any insults around here,¡± I told her in my calmest tone, trying to be


    respectful.


    ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you. I¡¯m only stating facts around here. Luke doesn¡¯t deserve to be with you. He


    wronged you in the past; think about it.¡±


    ¡°I did that already. I¡¯ve thought about everything, and I know where I stand right now. Luke did me


    wrong; there is no doubt about that. But it¡¯s all in the past. I¡¯m not upset about that


    anymore.¡±


    ¡®Then what about the death of your son?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you this a thousand times. Luke did not murder Luke.¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why are you asking me that? I told you already, Luke.¡± My mother gave me a response to my


    question. And I don¡¯t know; I just couldn¡¯t buy these words right now.


    ¡°Yes, you did tell me that you unintentionally burned the house, almost ending Catherine¡¯s life. But I feel


    like there¡¯s more than that.¡±


    ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I saw the look on Catherine¡¯s face, the anger in her eyes. It was something worse than what you told


    me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is, actually. She became really upset because of that. It¡¯s quite clear.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Nothing else?¡± I inquired, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Luke, why do you keep on stressing about this?¡±


    ¡°Catherine hates you and doesn¡¯t want to talk to you. She has even decided to cut ties with


    you. But I don¡¯t want that to happen. Trust me, it¡¯s not the right thing to do, and I don¡¯t want the both of


    you to be on bad terms. So please, you have to make things clear to me.


    Please, mother, tell me what you did to your daughter.¡±


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Luke didn¡¯t kill my son, okay? Take those thoughts off your head,¡± I said, raising my voice at Laura. I


    never wanted to, but I couldn¡¯t help it. She was bing irritating every single


    second with the words she was vocalizing.


    Laura gave me a knowing look¨Cthe look that was asking me why I raised my voice at her. She didn¡¯t


    utter a word. But that expression said it all.


    ¡°Wow, Ariel. I can¡¯t believe this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologized. I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice at you, but I really need to bring these things


    out to you.¡±


    ¡°Do you love Luke? Oh, please, save the crap for someone else. I don¡¯t want you to bring out your


    worthless thoughts.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not worthless,¡± I replied incontinently. ¡°Sorry to say this, Laura, but you can¡¯t change anything


    now. I¡¯ve fallen in love with Luke.¡±


    Laura chuckled. ¡°And here I was, trying to help you. But you had to turn your back on me.¡±

 Chapter 284

    284: THE STRENGTH


    Fighting for love against all odds was a testament to the strength of your human spirit, at force that


    transcended barriers and challenges, igniting a me that withstood the fiercest storms Love, the


    essence of your being, had the power to inspire you to persevere, endure, and ovee the


    seemingly insurmountable obstacles that stood in your way.


    At the heart of this struggley a deep conviction, a belief so strong that it drove you to defy the odds,


    to rise above adversity, and to fight for what you held dear. Love, in its. purest form, was a force that


    compelled you to go beyond your limits, to push yourself to the brink, and to stand firm in the face of


    uncertainty and doubt.


    The strength to fight for love was born out of a deep connection, a bond that transcended time and


    space, uniting two souls in a profound and unbreakable way. This connection gave you the courage to


    face your fears, confront your doubts, and challenge the status


    quo, all in the name of love.


    But love was not without its challenges. It was often in the face of adversity that your love.


    was truly tested. You were forced to confront your deepest fears and insecurities when you had to


    choose between the easy path and the one less traveled. During those moments, your strength was


    tested, and you had to dig deep within yourself and find the courage to continue the fight.


    The strength to fight for love was a resilience from within, a fire that burned bright even in


    the darkest times. It was a determination that refused to be extinguished, a resolve that.


    remained unyielding in the face of despair and hardship. It was amitment to love that went beyond


    words and was felt at the very core of your being.


    In the battle for love, you may have faced opposition from all sides. Society may have


    frowned upon your choices, your family may have disapproved, and your friends may have questioned


    your decisions. But in those moments of doubt and uncertainty, your strength was truly tested¨Cthat you


    had to stand firm in your convictions and hold fast to the love that bound you together.


    The strength to fight for love was a journey of self¨Cdiscovery, a path that led you to the very depths of


    your soul. It was a process of growth and transformation, of learning to let go of


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    your fears and insecurities and to embrace the power of love in all its forms.


    As you navigated the twists and turns of this journey, you realized that the strength to fight for love was


    not just about oveing external obstacles but also your own internal struggles. It was about learning


    to love yourself unconditionally, ept yourself for who


    you are, and believe in love¡¯s power to transform your life


    The strength you found to fight for love was a testament to the salience of your human spirit, a force


    that could ovee even the greatest of challenges. It was a reminder that love transcended all


    boundaries, that it had the power to heal old wounds, mend broken hearts, and bring light to even the


    darkesters of your soul. And so you fought on with courage in your heart and love as your guide,


    knowing that love would always preval in the


    end.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I didn¡¯t turn my back on you,¡± I said to Laure, looking her in the eyes. Honestly, this wasn¡¯t something I


    wished for I didn¡¯t want this¨Cthe both of us being against each other. But I literally had no idea what


    was wrong with Laura Why was she being so ignorant?


    I had always thought she only had this sweet, nice, and wonderful side. But things were really different


    around here.


    ¡°I only want what¡¯s best for you, Ariel. I just want to see you happy¡±


    ¡°If you want to see me happy, then you wouldn¡¯t be against my rtionship with Luke.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Laura vocalized softly with a slow nod. That¡¯s the problem around here. You¡¯re


    only being stubborn. You don¡¯t want to listen.¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t want to listen. I keep on telling you that I


    love Luke.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s not the right one for you,¡± Laurs told me promptly. ¡°Luke is not the perfect man for you.¡±


    ¡°And who told you that? Who told you that Luke font perfect for me?¡± I questioned her, and the both of


    us could just stare at each other. Disagreements are rising between us.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My mother let out a deep sigh, standing at the door. I had my eyes fixed on her as I was eagerly waiting


    for her to give me a reply to my question


    ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± I quizzed her since she didn¡¯t want to utter a word. This made it


    clear that something was not great about the whole situation.


    My mother breathed out deeply for the second time. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°Great. But before you do that,e in. You can¡¯t stand at the door all day.¡± I budged


    294 THE STRENGTH


    backward like a nice gentleman, gesturing towards the bed. My mom walked in, and I


    closed the door after that.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Laura. But I love Luke now, and I don¡¯t wish for anything terrible to happen to him. The


    strength I found in this love is like no other, and no one can take that strength away from me.¡±


    ¡°So this is your decision now, Ariel: I¡¯m going back to Luke because you¡¯ve fallen in love


    with him.¡±


    I¡¯ve found love, there are still Yes, and I need your support on this one. Because even w some


    obstacles on the way. Mason, Harriet. Those folks will do anything to ruin our lives. But you can help


    me fight against them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel. But I can¡¯t do that,¡± Laura said to me before walking out of the room.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My mom sat on the edge of the bed, and I settled down next to her. She had both of her hands sped


    together.


    ¡°Luke, you see, after what happened between us that night, when you got shot, I started feeling guilty.


    Catherine and I went home, but things weren¡¯t the way they used to be.¡±


    She let out a deep sigh and continued. ¡°I thought you died, so I started taking drugs. That was what I


    did all day¨Ctaking pills, ignoring the fact that I had a little daughter.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute


    You became a drug addict all because of what you did to me.¡±


    My mom was suspended, her tone broken. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So, is that why Catherine hates you? Because you weren¡¯t giving her attention?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luke. And after taking those drugs, I started treating her miserably. I was torturing


    her; I was inflicting pain on her. And then, one day, I just had to set the house on fire. I


    regret everything, Luke. I regret everything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really fucked up,¡± I said inaudibly. ¡°Are you still on drugs?¡±

 Chapter 285

    285: NEED A HAND


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°So, you tell me, mother. Are you still on drugs?¡± I quizzed my mom, with the both of us still ensconcing


    ourselves on the edge of the bed. I think I knew the answer. But I just decided to throw the question at


    her, and now I was expecting a replication.


    ¡°The thing here is that¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. Just please give me an answer. A yes or a no.¡±


    She nced at me at that moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rude to me.¡±


    ¡°Not rude to you, but sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm hmmm.


    ¡°But


    but you just have to give me an answer to my question, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯m still on the drug stuff.¡±


    I sighed, driving my hand through my hair. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you ask me?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to hear what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°And you did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Are you going to help me?¡±


    ¡°Help you with what?¡±


    ¡°Two things. My rtionship with Catherine and the whole drug shit.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not get things wrong around here. I might help you with the drug. problem and


    all that. But with Catherine, you¡¯ll


    have to do that on your own.¡± I rose from the


    bed.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll need your help talking to her. I don¡¯t think I can do this myself.¡±


    ¡°You are her mother. Of course, you can do this yourself.¡±


    285: NEED A HAND


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°So, you tell me, mother. Are you still on drugs?¡± I quizzed my mom, with the both of us still ensconcing


    ourselves on the edge of the bed. I think I knew the answer. But I just decided to throw the question at


    her, and now I was expecting a replication.


    ¡°The thing here is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. Just please give me an answer. A yes or a no.¡±


    She nced at me at that moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rude to me.¡±


    ¡°Not rude to you, but sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm hmmm.¡±


    ¡°But you just have to give me an answer to my question, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯m still on the drug stuff.¡±


    I sighed, driving my hand through my hair. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you ask me?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to hear what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°And you did.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Are you going to help me?¡±


    ¡°Help you with what?¡±


    ¡°Two things. My rtionship with Catherine and the whole drug shit.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not get things wrong around here. I might help you with the drug. problem and


    all that. But with Catherine, you¡¯ll have to do that on your own.¡± I rose from the


    bed.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll need your help talking to her. I don¡¯t think I can do this myself.¡±


    ¡°You are her mother. Of course, you can do this yourself.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not too sure about that.¡± She shook her head,ughing. Her tone was kind of low.


    ¡°You broke her into pieces. And now, you¡¯ll have to fix things, put those pieces back together.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to do that, but I¡¯ll need your help.¡±


    ¡°No, mother. The rtionship with Catherine is something you ruined for yourself. Now you¡¯ll have to fix


    that yourself.¡±


    ¡°Keep on saying that, Luke. You¡¯re still helping me.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to do that.¡±


    ¡°Please, Luke. You have to help me.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, son,¡± she pleaded. Looking into her eyes, I could see how she wanted this badly. and I


    couldn¡¯t say no anymore.


    I shook my head, letting out a deep sigh. And then I closed both of my eyes, fixing my hands on my


    waist. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She asked. I could hear the joy in her tone.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± I replied, looking in another direction, not setting my eyes on her.


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± She got up from the bed and hugged me tightly as if she were about to squeeze


    the living soul out of me.


    ¡°Okay, you can let go of me now,¡± I told her, barely breathing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, sorry,¡± she apologized and let go.


    Well, that was a relief.


    My phone started ringing, and Jack was the one calling. It was obviously about what he


    had told me earlier.


    ¡°Okay, mom. You have to go.¡± I held both of her shoulders, walking out of the room.


    ¡°Are you for real? We have to go talk to Catherine.¡±


    ¡°We will do thatter, I promise. Right now, I¡¯ve got business stuff to take care of.¡± I took. her out of the


    room. She was now outside the door.


    ¡°Okay, but you have to be quick. You just have to tell me when you want everything to be


    done and how we¡¯re going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± I gave her a fake smile before closing the door. I locked it, leaning against the door. Thank


    God that was over.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I made my way to the bathroom, the marble floors cold against my bare feet. I turned on the shower


    and let the warm water cascade down my body, washing away any trace of sleepiness. I closed my


    eyes and took a deep breath, letting the steam and the scent of my


    Whilethering my hair with shampoo, I thought about my conversation with Laura. It was so messed


    up that things would turn out like this. She was really lovely, but now she was disying the dark side


    to me. I literally had no idea why she was still stressing herself out with Luke. It wasn¡¯t like he had done


    something to her in the past.


    I quickly rinsed off the shampoo and applied conditioner, leaving it in for a few extra


    minutes to give my hair some extra shine.


    I reached for my body scrub and gently exfoliated my skin, paying extra attention to my arms and legs.


    I wanted to feel and look my best for the meeting. After rinsing off the scrub, I grabbed my loofah and


    body washed, making sure to cleanse every inch.


    Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped myself in a plush towel and dried off my body. I then grabbed my


    fluffy white robe and tied it around my waist. I walked over to the vanity. and looked at myself in the


    mirror. My hair was still wet, so I let it air dry while I dressed.


    I walked over to my walk¨Cin closet, filled with designer clothes and shoes. I picked out a ck pencil


    skirt and a crisp white button¨Cup shirt¨Cthe perfectbination right here. I slipped on a pair of nude


    pumps and added a statement ne for a touch of elegance.


    I sat down at my vanity and started on my makeup. I set it with a lightyer of foundation, followed by a


    dusting of powder. I then added a subtle blush to my cheeks and a swipe of rosy lipstick. I wanted to


    look professional but still feminine.


    After my makeup was done, I moved on to my hair, I decided to leave it down, as it was still damp and


    had a natural wave to it. I sprayed on a bit of texturizing spray and scrunched it with my fingers to


    enhance the waves. I then used a curling iron to add some loose curls and pinned back a small section


    of my hair with a sparkly clip.


    Feeling satisfied with my appearance, I walked back to my closet and picked out a pair of


    diamond stud earrings and a matching bracelet. I also spritzed on my favorite perfume, at floral and


    musky scent that always made me feel confident.


    As I made my way to the door, I took onest look at myself in the mirror. I looked like a sessful and


    powerful businesswoman, which is exactly the image I wanted to portray. With a final touch of lip gloss,


    I grabbed my briefcase and headed out the door.


    My phone started ringing, and Luke was the one calling. I gazed at the screen for quite a moment, still


    thinking about how he was a jerkst night. But I shouldn¡¯t be mad at him for


    that. No, no.


    I answered the call. ¡°Hey, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, my love. How are you doing?v


    slept well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. Thanks for being concerned.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re mad at me.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that.¡±


    He hung up, cutting me off. Why the hell did he hang up on me like that?


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± Laura walked closer to me, giving me a dark look with


    her arms crossed.

 Chapter 286

    286: THE CRAP


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Laura stood in my way, giving me the dark face, an expression that wasn¡¯t pleasant to me one bit. And


    what could I do in return? Nothing. No words spoken, and nothing uttered.


    It was clear that her anger had now brought this decision upon her, her head was filled with dusk. I


    could only wish the best for her, to change that mindset of hers. But with the way things were going, it


    was quite clear that we would soon be parting ways.


    And I never wanted any of that. This wasn¡¯t my intention in the first ce. She saved me, and I wanted


    to give her all the respect. If it wasn¡¯t for this woman, I wouldn¡¯t be standing right here. She helped me,


    bringing my soul back to life, when I thought all hope was gone.


    The n for vengeance was a decision which was agreed by the both of us. But back then, I wasn¡¯t


    thinking straight. Now I kept on asking myself, what the hell was wrong with me at that moment, that I


    was just a fool to easily believe some goddamn lie, false words, piece of crap?


    Lie was s


    my fault. Day and night, I kept on filling her head with bitterness concerning Luke. Now look a the


    situation at the moment. Take a good look at it. Things were fucked up. Divisions were about to take


    ce. I could sense the malice, anger, rancor, all creeping in. And I genuinely wanted none of this to


    happen between us. But we¡¯d just have to see


    what the future has installed for the both of us.


    ¡°Laura, I get the fact that you¡¯re angry at me. But you¡¯re not actually going to let this ruin this business


    deal, are you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is going to be ruined, Ariel. I will go for that meeting.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to help you? Like,e along? Trust me, I¡¯m good at these things.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I¡¯ll handle things all by myself.¡±


    was expecting


    I couldn¡¯t believe what she was saying now. Well, I did believe because I was something¡¯s like this. But


    come on, she couldn¡¯t just make rash decisions. I believed I could help if I was present there. Perhaps I


    could bring new suggestions that would make the people want to work with her, that would make them


    want to team with herpany. This was something I was good at, all thanks to the Vitality Group for


    giving me great opportunities. I had full confidence in myself in this one.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just going to start a dispute, now?¡± Perhaps my question could at least


    206 THE CRAP


    talk some senses into her.


    ¡°The dispute already began when you went back to that man, disobeying me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything. I really appreciate everything you did for me.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Because if you do, you won¡¯t be following through with this nonsense.


    ¡°I can see how this anger has blinded your heart. You¡¯re not the sweet Laura I used to know.


    ¡°And you¡¯re not the Ariel I know.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°I¡¯m only standing up for what is right. For my job.¡±


    ¡°Then good luck standing up for that. Because from now on, I do not want you handling anything


    rting to my business.¡±


    She stormed off after that My face had transfigured, the joy had been disappeared. First, Luke hang up


    on me. Now this? Sometimes, these moments were really terrible.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°What was that for?¡± I asked my great¨Caunt fiercely. She hade to my room, this early to


    do shit, huh?


    This woman so so annoying, like so so annoying. Harsh, cruel, not giving a fuck, I totally understood


    that. Same characteristics with my grandfather, but the thing here was that this old woman was fucked


    up in the head, doing things that made this anger for herpound more and more.


    The respect had disappeared. It was nothing but hatred for her around here. When peace. was


    something I wanted, this woman craved chaos. She thirst for disunity, and that was why she had


    returned.


    She was like a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing witch. Unfolding to cause trouble, materialize to leave souls broken,


    terminate the happiness, and make the people ufortable.


    I was just letting her live in this house because there was still some little respect left for her. Well,


    something like that. Should have thrown her old dirty ass out but that dark Luke Reynold was no more.


    Changed to a certain degree. Transformed in different ways, the vile section had been thrown out, lifted


    out. Gates of love were opened. Now I had this passion, mix of emotions, morepassionate. This


    was me looking forward to the future. There were days ahead, and this canon ball standing in front of


    me wasn¡¯t going to make those. moments look like hell.


    204 THE CRAP


    Could you believe the motherfucking nerve? The audacity, the boldness this woman had, to snatch my


    phone from me just when I was making an important call. A lovely call with Ariel, but this great¨Caunt of


    mine really had her way of doing things, and shit was carried out when she ended the call. Like, she


    hanged up on Ariel, and I could just imagine what my wife was thinking at the moment.


    ¡°Give it back,¡± I stated coldly, with my voice above a whisper, a bitter one. Intense


    bitterness, and if any one asks me, I wouldy more emphasis on that. Because this great-


    aunt of mine could make me do crazy things. Things that I didn¡¯t thought I would do.


    Starting now.


    ¡°Who were you talking to? That slut?¡±


    ¡°That is none of your business,¡± I retorted.


    And like seriously, it wasn¡¯t. If I was talking to a whore or not. If I was discussing with at ghost on the


    phone or not. None of that was her goddamn business.


    And cut the crap! What the hell was she doing at my room? Shouldn¡¯t even be asking that, because it


    was obvious. It was really clear. Like, crystal clear.


    The ancient serpent who happened to be present at the time of Adam and Eve, had shown. up. Shown


    up to do what now? To send the surge of pain right in me. To insert the venom


    and to let it spread across my body.


    She wanted the mood ruined. So guess what? It was already ruined the moment she stepped foot


    inside this room. Not to talk of the fact that she went ahead to snatch my phone from me, putting an


    end to an important call. Because I nned on apologizing to Ariel aboutst night. Now this canon ball


    was about to make things dyed.


    ¡°That is actually my business, Luke. Because as you can see, this is my house.¡± A fake smile spread


    across her face. She tried aeback. Quite fucked up. And with her words,


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Why do you keep on saying that? Like,e on. You don¡¯t have to keep on lying to yourself every


    single day. Your thoughts are worthless, and your threats are useless.¡±


    ¡°Oh Luke, Aren¡¯t you just so full of yourself?¡±


    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t be misled. Those words should be thrown at you. And I don¡¯t have to give, you an


    exnation, but if you want one, I¡¯ll be really really d to spit it all out.¡±


    ¡°This generation is fucked up. It¡¯s the youngsters acting like the


    know it all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that you people are the ones doing shit to yourselves. And yes, we


    know it all because we worked hard for this. You just popped out of nowhere and came to


    do shit¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± She snarled, pping me in the face.


    Bonut For Free Every Day


    Chan


    257 GLAD ABOUT YOU¡¯E

 Chapter 287

    287: GLAD ABOUT YOU L


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Enough!¡± The great¨Caunt Liliana barked at me, her eyes moving with anger, and she gave me a hard


    p on the face. It was painful, no doubt about that. And right now, I was boiling with anger. I was all


    steamed up, her actions were just so, not it. I didn¡¯t even know what to say. Didn¡¯t know the words to


    use.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She pped me! Like she pped me! How the hell would she do such a thing? How in the world


    would she even think about it? This woman had really gone too far, crossed her


    limits, everything getting kind of crazy, creepy, and terrible.


    Someone needed to remind this canon ball that this wasn¡¯t her house, and she had no single property


    here. She kept on iming shit, which was absolutely irritating every single time. Like, I just felt like


    grabbing some knives and cutting her lips off. She shouldn¡¯t be allowed to speak, because only poison


    flowed out of her mouth. There were no great words being vocalized by her, and her presence


    invariably killed the happiness of every


    single individual.


    Now she stood here, had the guts to raise her hand at me. The boldness, the audacity, the nerve,


    everything. Oh god! She was a pain in the ass, and I think it was high time I kick this woman out of my


    house. She wasn¡¯t helpful anyway. But if she had justposed herself, and behaved like someone


    with senses, I probably won¡¯t be this infuriated.


    ¡°What did you just do?¡± I quizzed my great¨Caunt slowly, my tone was calm, but harsh, and even in such


    soft mode, you could hear the bitterness. It was so clear, like really clear.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that like I¡¯m scared of you. Well I am not, and if you keep on acting like this, I¡¯m


    going to get your ass broken.¡±


    Iughed, looking in a different direction. ¡°Should I start crying because of what you said? Like, do you


    want me to start begging you?¡±


    ¡°You need to be more respectful, Luke.¡±


    ¡°And you need to mind your own business,¡± I retorted. ¡°It¡¯s really funny that you¡¯de into my room


    so early in the morning, just to start an argument. You¡¯re not wee here.¡±


    ¡°But here I am, standing in the room,¡± she spoke incontinently. What was she feeling like?


    ¡°Because I let you. I can just throw you out right now, or even worse, I can kick you out of..


    this house.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± She snapped.


    ¡°Look, I have a business meeting to attend. And I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll arrivete if I continue this silly fight. You


    know, people just keep on wasting their time, arguing with It¡¯s


    you. pointless, and it just reduces the mentality. You can leave now.¡± I gestured towards the


    door at the end.


    She red at me for what seemed like an eternity, leisurely no in closer. And I didn¡¯t even know why


    she was following through with that. But I tell you this, I was fully prepared to push her away. Let her fall


    to the floor and bleed to death, or whatever. That would be


    none of my concern.


    ¡°I will leave. But not because you told me,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just get out.¡±


    ¡°I will make you pay for these insults,¡± she threatening me, raising her finger at me.


    ¡°Go ahead, do whatever you want. But just get out of my room right now.¡± I gestured


    towards the door again.


    With her eyes still fixed at me, and giving me that malevolent expression, she stormed out


    of the room. Granny problems.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    So, the terrible moment with Laura had taken ce, and she was the only one who left for the meeting.


    I still couldn¡¯t understand that woman. But insulting her wouldn¡¯t be the right thing to do. I would still be


    grateful because she saved my life. I might not be standing here today if it was because of her. So,


    yeah, I still had that gratitude.


    I had decided to go pay Andre a visit at the hospital. You know, to check up on him and all that. So,


    making my way through the automatic doors, the smell of disinfectant and the constant beeping of


    machines filled the air. I traipsed to the front desk and the


    receptionist was settled down right there.


    I


    ¡°Excuse me, I would like to meet Andre please. Andre Jones,¡± I said to the receptionist.


    She


    She looked up from herputer screen and smiled at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mr. Jones has been


    discharged. He left just a little while ago.¡±


    AD ABOUT YOUL


    ¡°He left a while ago?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow and she nodded, stop smiling.¡°Do your perhaps


    know where he went?¡±


    The receptionist shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t. But he should still be in the building somewhere.


    Maybe you can try looking around?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I told her, and started walking down the long corridors, my eyes. scanning each door


    for any sign of Andre. The hospital was bustling with activity, nurses.


    and doctors rushing past me, patients being wheeled from one room to another.


    Still making my way through the maze of hallways, I almost collided with a woman in a


    wheelchair. I quickly stepped aside, apologizing profusely. Thedy in the wheelchair


    smiled kindly at me and the woman pushing her gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, dear. No harm done,¡± the woman in the wheelchair said with a chuckle.


    I continued on, my heart sinking with each passing moment. So, Andre had actually left. That was nice.


    Finally, it was back to business. So happy for him, but he hadn¡¯t gone that far, had he?


    As I was about to leave the hospital, I caught sight of someone standing not too far away. My heart


    skipped a beat when I realized it was Andre. I quickened my pace and when I


    reached him, I threw my arms around him in a tight hug.


    ¡°Andre, I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally better.¡±


    He chuckled and hugged me back. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ariel. Thanks for alwaysing to see me.¡±


    I pulled back and looked up at him, taking in his smiling face. ¡°Well, I barely came here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, at least you showed up.¡± He grinned. ¡°And by the way, the doctors here did ant amazing job.


    I¡¯m just grateful to be alive.¡±


    ¡°You know, Ariel. I do owe you big time.¡±


    ¡°How, exactly?¡± asked slowly.


    ¡°Foring to see me. Do you have any idea how much it means to me?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at him. Andre had always been a great man. He was so nice to the extent that I


    started wondering if he was one of God¡¯s angels in Heaven, disguised as an angel right here. To all the


    ladies, if any of you are searching for a partner, don¡¯t stress yourself too much. Just go pick Andre.


    ¡°Andre. I so much appreciate you always being lovely to me.¡±


    257 GLAD ABOUT YOUL


    ¡°You¡¯re a great friend, Ariel. I¡¯ll do anything to see you smile.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I kept on smiling at him.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ve got a question.¡±

 Chapter 288

    288: THE LOSS, THE PAIN


    Losing a child is like having a piece of your soul torn away, leaving an empty, aching void that nothing


    can fill. Your little boy, your sweet anget, was taken from you too soon, leaving you alone in a world that


    suddenly felt cold and heartless. Every day was a struggle to navigate through the pain, to find some


    semnce of peace amidst the storm of grief that


    raged within you.


    You remembered the day he was born so vividly, as if it were only yesterday. The joy and excitement


    that filled the room as you held him in your arms for the first time, his tiny fingers wrapping around


    yours, his eyes wide with wonder at the world around him. From that moment on, he became your


    entire world, your reason for living, your everything.


    As he grew, you watched in awe as he discovered the world around him with boundle curiosity and


    infectiousughter. His smile could light up even the darkest of days, and his hugs were like a warm


    embrace from heaven itself. You shared countless moments together, building memories that you


    thought wouldst a lifetime.


    But life had a cruel way of taking the things you held most dear. One fateful day, a tragedy struck,


    snatching your precious boy away from you in the blink of an eye. You still remembered the phone call,


    the words that shattered your world into a million pieces. It felt like the ground had been ripped out from


    beneath you, leaving you to fall into an abyss


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    of despair.


    In the days that followed, you were consumed by grief, drowning in a sea of tears that seemed to have


    no end. Everywhere you looked, you saw reminders of him his favorite toys scattered around the


    house, hisughter echoing in the halls, his empty room at constant reminder of the life that was taken


    from you too soon. The silence that once brought youfort now felt suffocating, a constant reminder


    of the absence that now defined your existence.


    People tried to offer words offort, but their well¨Cmeaning titudes only served to deepen the


    wound in your heart. How could they understand the pain of losing a child, of having a piece of your


    soul ripped away without warning? You felt isted, alone in your grief, with no one to turn to for


    sce.


    Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and still the pain remained, a constantpanion


    that refused to be ignored. You found yourself withdrawing from the world, retreating into yourself as


    you struggled toe to terms with the loss that had torn your life apart. Nothing seemed to bring you


    comfort, no amount of time could heal the wound that had been carved into your heart.


    THE LOSS THE FAIN


    ¨C


    But amidst the darkness, there were moments of light memories of your sweet boy that brought a


    bittersweet smile to your lips. You would close your eyes and picture his face, hear hisughter ringing


    in your ears, feel the warmth of his embrace enveloping you like a gentle hug from beyond. In those


    moments, you could almost believe that he was still with you, watching over you from wherever he may


    be.


    You knew that he would want you to find a way to move forward, to live your life in a way that honors


    his memory. And so you tried, one step at a time, clinging to the love that still binds you together even


    in death. You knew that he would always be a part of you, a guiding light in the darkness, a reminder of


    the precious gift of life and love.


    But no matter how much time passed, no matter how far you may have journeyed on this road of grief,


    there would always be a part of you that longed for the little boy who was the taken from you too soon.


    He would forever be your sweet angel, your precious son, light of your life and the beat of your heart.


    And though he may be gone, he would never be forgotten, for his memory lived on in the depths of


    your soul, a beacon of hope in the darkness that surrounded you.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Andre quizzed, and I slowly turned to him.


    I could only wonder what he was about to ask me now. And trust me, my mind had two things. Two


    things in the track, right in this brain. Okay, don¡¯t mind me, I might be talking a little bit too much earlier.


    But honestly, two questions ran through my mind.


    It¡¯s either he was going to ask me about my rtionship with Luke, which would be really kind of


    awkward. Since Andre don¡¯t usually ask me about that. I mean, the things going on in my rtionship


    aren¡¯t actually his concern. So that thought could be scrapped out. But


    don¡¯t do that.


    And then the second thought, the question stirring through my mind. He was going to ask. me about


    Mason. Apparently, it could be quite clear. Although the discussion and not started, I could tell that it


    was going to just like thest one we had when I came to see him at the hospital.


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Andre voiced, moving his hand nigh to my face, and it broke me off my thoughts.


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± I did a fakeugh. I was quite terrible at it.


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    I looked at him, closing my eyes a little. ¡°Is this what you wanted to ask me about?¡±


    374


    ¡°What? No,¡± he answered right away. ¡°This is just a question. You know, to snap you back. to reality.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, I see. You want to snap mo back to reality.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get things wrong around here. I genuinely had no idea what you were thinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting things wrong. I¡¯m not even upset. I was just lost in my thoughts, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°And I was only trying to help you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± I smiled at him.


    ¡°Okay, back to the main point.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the main point?¡°I asked that very moment.


    ¡°Uhmm, I¡¯m about to spit the question out.¡±


    ¡°Well go ahead, friend. No one¡¯s stopping you.¡±


    He looked at me for a moment. ¡°Apparently, you are.¡±


    ¡°Me? How?¡±


    Andre gave me knowing look. ¡°Ohh,¡± was what I said immediately, in a low tone. He shook. his head


    and turned his face away.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the question?¡± I quizzed.


    He took a deep breath before he finally replied, ¡°It¡¯s about Mason.¡±


    ¡°I knew it,¡± I whispered to myself, snapping my fingers.


    Andre nced at me immediately. ¡°You knew what now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s nothing,¡± I lied. ¡°I was just uhmmm, practicing.¡±


    He gave me a confused face. /¡±Practicing for what?¡±


    ¡°Practicing for what? Yes, that is a good question. What am I practicing for actually?¡± I moved my


    palms together, just doing crazy shit. I didn¡¯t even know what the hell was wrong with me.


    ¡°Just forget about your practice, or whatever. Let¡¯s focus on this question right now.¡±


    ¡°Concerning Mason?¡± I crossed both of my arms together.


    Of course


    Okay, go ahead with your questions¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about your revenge. Have you changed your mind?¡±


    I closed my eyes, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Andre, please don¡¯t as me that.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Ariel. You have to.¡±


    7 have to what, huh? To forgive Mason?¡± I yelled to a certain degree. ¡°He killed my son!¡±

 Chapter 289

    289: REMINISCE


    FLASHBACK


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    As we stepped onto the lush green golf course, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement mingled


    with a tinge of apprehension. I nced down at Lukel, his eyes wide with anticipation, clutching onto


    his miniature golf club with all the determination of al champion.


    ¡°Are you ready, buddy?¡± I asked, trying to muster up as much enthusiasm as possible.


    ¡°Yeah, Mommy! I¡¯m gonna hit the ball really far!¡± Lukel eximed, his face beaming with excitement.


    I chuckled nervously, hoping that Lukel¡¯s joy wouldpensate for mypleteck of golfing


    prowess. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, champ! Let¡¯s do this!¡±


    Approaching the first hole, I realized that Lukel¡¯s idea of ¡°hitting the ball really far¡± might be slightly


    ambitious. His swing resembled more of a wild il than a calcted stroke, and the ball barely rolled a


    few inches ahead..


    ¡°Good try, Lukel! Remember to keep your eye on the ball,¡± I encouraged, trying to sound as supportive


    as possible.


    He pouted, frustration evident on his small face. ¡°But Mommy, it¡¯s too hard!¡±


    I knelt down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. Golf can be tricky at first,


    but we¡¯ll figure it out together, okay?¡±


    Just then, a familiar voice interrupted our conversation. ¡°Looks like you two could use a


    hand!¡±


    I turned to see Andre approaching us, a wide grin stered across his face. Last time I checked, Andre


    was good at these things, and his mere presence on the course made me feel slightly more at ease.


    ¡°Hey, Andre! I didn¡¯t know you were here,¡± I said, relieved to see a friendly face.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world! And who do we have here?¡± Andre crouched down beside Lukel,


    extending a hand. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not good a golf little buddy.¡±


    Lukel shook Andre¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m totally bad at it. Maybe because I¡¯m still a little kid.¡±


    289 REMINISCE


    Andre chuckled, tousling Lukel¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I can help you be


    a pro in no time.¡±


    Lukel¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, his earlier frustration fading away. ¡°Really? You¡¯ll teach


    me?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! But first, let¡¯s see that swing of yours,¡± Andre said, gesturing towards the ball.


    With Andre¡¯s guidance, Lukel¡¯s swing gradually began to improve. Andre patiently corrected his


    posture, demonstrating the proper technique with ease. As Lukel¡¯s confidence grew, so did his avidity


    for the game.


    ¡°Wow, Lukel! You¡¯re a natural,¡± I pped my hands, watching in awe as Lukel sent the ball


    sailing across the green.


    Andre chuckled, giving Lukel a yful high¨Cfive. ¡°See? I told you that you had it in you!! Now, let¡¯s


    tackle the next hole.¡±


    For the rest of the afternoon, Andre became Lukel¡¯s personal coach, guiding him through. each hole


    with patience and encouragement. With Andre¡¯s help, Lukel¡¯s swings became more controlled, and his


    shots grew increasingly urate.


    The time went on and on, a lovely moment, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a swell of pride watching Lukel¡¯s


    transformation. Despite our initial struggles, the day had turned into a memorable great experience,


    thanks to Andre¡¯s kindness and expertise.


    ¡°Thanks for everything, Andre,¡± I said, smiling gratefully at him.


    Andre waved it off with a grin. ¡°Anytime, Ariel. It was my pleasure. And Lukel, remember what I taught


    you today. Who knows? Maybe one day, you¡¯ll be the next golfing prodigy!¡±


    Lukel beamed up at Andre, his eyes shining with so much glee. ¡°I¡¯ll practice every day, just like you


    said! Someday, I¡¯ll be the best golfer in the world!¡±


    The three of us burst intoughter, and Andre carried Lukel, making him sit on his


    shoulders.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget those moments now, Andre, when all of us would go on to different ces back then at


    Canada. Lukel would snatch your phone and take pictures of the both of us, like we were a couple,¡±


    I/vocalized to Andre, trying to let him know how Lukel was so important in our lives,


    I brought out different moments, different asions, divergent times, Lukel and Andre spending so


    many times together. I was trying to make Andre see things from my


    perspective. Because it hurt. It hurt so much, taking my mind back to those great memories, the little


    angels with me, smiling faces, lovely voices, wonderful actions. Now going back to reality, one was


    gone. And he was nevering back. So tell me, shouldn¡¯t I put an end to the scumbag responsible


    for his death?


    ¡°Or have you forgotten the time when the four of us went to the Cinema, and Lukel wasughing so


    hard while we were watching the movie, and the mad granny close to us keep on telling him to shut up.


    Have you forgotten about all of that?¡± I asked Andre, my tone


    rising a little.


    ¡°Wow, Lukel was really a lovely soul,¡± Andre said lowly, and I could tell every single word. was sinking


    inside his head. Because they needed to, he needed to see the pain I was going through. He needed to


    see how broken I was, even though I keptughing. He needed to get the clear picture, he needed to


    know why this vow to end Mason¡¯s life was never going to be broken.


    ¡°Yes, he was indeed a lovely soul. But your brother killed him. He also wanted to kill me and my


    daughter. But we were lucky, it¡¯s all thanks to God that I¡¯m standing here alive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡± Andre¡¯s voice was very low. He sighed, driving his hands through his


    hair. ¡°I miss Lukel, and it¡¯s really painful to have the knowledge that it¡¯s my brother who killed him. Lukel


    was like a son to me.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± I spoke in hushed tones.


    ¡°He was like a son to me. And that son was taking away, by my own brother. Why did Mason have to


    do such a thing? Why?¡±


    I could see the conflict swirling in Andre¡¯s eyes, the pain mirrored in his expression as he grappled with


    the reality of his brother¡¯s actions. It was a heavy burden to bear, knowing that someone so close could


    inflict such irreparable harm.


    ¡°Mason is cold, brutal, heartless, he did what he had to do. And right now, all I can focus on is making


    sure justice is served. Lukel deserves that much.¡±


    Andre nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ariel. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine


    the pain you¡¯re going through. And if there¡¯s anything I can do to help, anything at all, just say the


    word.¡±


    His offer of support touched me deeply, reminding me that I wasn¡¯t alone in this fight for justice. ¡°Thank


    you, Andre. Your friendship means the world to me.¡±


    200 REMINISCE


    414


    We stood in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared grief hanging heavy in the air.


    But amidst the pain, there was also a glimmer of hope¨Cthe hope that together, we could find closure


    and peace for Lukel¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Andre, I think I¡¯ll need your help in this one,¡± I finally spoke up, steeling myself for what was toe.


    ¡°Mason has to pay for what he¡¯s done. And I just need to know if you¡¯re going.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    to stand by me.¡±


    ¡°You want to kill him, Ariel.¡±

 Chapter 290

    290: HOLDING ON


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You want to kill him, Ariel. I don¡¯t,¡± Andre spoke to me softly. I¡¯m going to stand by you, yes. But killing


    my brother isn¡¯t something I can follow through with. He might have done a lot of terrible things, being


    absolutely cruel. But murdering him? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m up for that.¡±


    I suspired. ¡°I totally understand you. And I¡¯m going to respect your decision. But you just have to know


    that I¡¯m not going to change my decision for your sake. So, doing this, it¡¯s either I lose my life or that


    heartless brother of yours die. Because I¡¯m not going to spare him one bit,¡± I told Andre, and my tone


    was serious.


    And as I finished speaking, there was a heavy silence between us, filled with the weight of his words


    and the gravity of the situation. I looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation or doubt, but


    all I found was a deep sadness tinged with resignation.


    ¡°I¡­ I appreciate your honesty, Andre,¡± I finally managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. I


    know this isn¡¯t easy for you, and I won¡¯t pretend to understand the bond you. share with your brother.


    But I can¡¯t let what he¡¯s done go unpunished. Not after what he did


    to my son.¡±


    Andre nodded slowly, his expression somber, ¡°I know, Ariel. And I won¡¯t try to stop you. If¡­ if you feel


    like this is what you have to do, then¡­ then do it. I won¡¯t stand in your way.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes as his words sank in. Despite everything, despite the pain and the anger,


    there was a strangefort in knowing that Andre supported me, even if he couldn¡¯t bring himself to


    join me in my quest for vengeance.


    ¡°Thank you, Andre,¡± I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm lightly. ¡°I¡­ I know this isn¡¯t


    And I¡¯m sorry for putting you in this position.¡±


    easy for w


    He shook his head, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Ariel. You have


    every right to feel the way you do. Just¡­ just be careful, okay? I don¡¯t want to see


    you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I promised, my voice barely audible over the sound of passing cars. ¡°And¡­ and thank you,


    Andre. For everything.¡±


    With a heavy si


    With a heavy sigh, Andr¨¦ turned and walked towards his car, his footsteps echoing around the building.


    I watched him go, my heart heavy with guilt and grief. As he reached the car, I hurried after him, unsure


    of what to say.


    HOLDING ON


    H


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you upset?¡± I asked softly as I caught up to him, my voice trembling with


    emotion.


    He shook his head, and his expression was quite unreadable. ¡°No, Ariel. I¡­ I just need. some time to


    process everything. Take care of yourself, okay?¡±


    I nodded, swallowing back the lump in my throat. ¡°You too, Andre. And¡­ and thank you


    With onest nce, Andre got into his car and drove away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and


    my pain. As I watched him disappear into the distance, I knew that I was on my own now, with nothing


    but my resolution and my grief to guide me.


    I stood outside the extravagant restaurant, the night air swirling around me, carrying the scent of


    anticipation and luxury. Dressed in a sleek ck sparkling dress that hugged my curves, I leaned


    against my car, tapping my fingers impatiently against the polished surface. Luke waste, and my


    patience was wearing thin.


    While waiting, my gaze wandered, taking in the vibrant scene unfolding around me. People bustled by,


    theirughter mingling with the soft strains of music drifting from the restaurant. A group of performers


    caught my eye, their colorful costumes swirling as they twirled and leaped in an impromptu circus act.


    Mesmerized, I watched as acrobats soared through the air with grace and precision, their movements a


    testament to the human spirit¡¯s boundless potential.


    But my attention soon shifted as a duo of magicians set up nearby, their fingers flicking deftly as they


    performed sleight of hand tricks that left the gathered crowd gasping in awe. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at


    their antics, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly as I lost myself in the magic of their


    performance.


    Just as I was beginning to rx, amotion drew my gaze towards a cluster of people painted in


    shimmering gold. They moved with fluid grace, their bodies gleaming in the soft glow of the streetlights.


    Entranced, I watched as they danced with abandon, their movements a symphony of motion and color


    against the backdrop of the night.


    But as their performance came to an end, reality came crashing back, and I found myself scanning the


    area once more, searching for any sign of Luke. Where was he? He had promised he¡¯d be here, yet


    there was no sign of him.


    And then, like a beacon cutting through the darkness, I spotted him. He emerged from his car, a


    sheepish smile on his face as he made his way towards me. Relief flooded through. me, washing away


    the frustration and worry that had been building inside me.


    DINGTON


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte,¡± he apologized, reaching out to take my hand in his. ¡°I was caught up in my meeting,


    and they wouldn¡¯t let me rest.¡±


    I wanted to be angry, to demand an exnation for his tardiness, but as I looked into his eyes, all I


    could see was sincerity. With a sigh, I squeezed his hand, letting go of the tension that had been coiling


    inside me.


    ¡°It¡¯s


    okay,¡± I said, offering him a small smile. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re here now.


    Together, we made our way into the restaurant, leaving the hustle and bustle of the street behind us.


    And we stepped through the doors, with this sense of excitement building.


    inside me.


    At the moment, a lot of things didn¡¯t actually matter. My conversations with Andre and the


    one with Laura earlier this morning. Being with Luke was all that I could think of right now,


    and I knew I could relish every moment of this.


    So, Luke and I took our seats, settling down in the golden chairs, and he was just smiling


    the whole time, unting his dashing visage.


    ¡°I have questions, sir.¡±


    ¡°I know, you¡¯re mad at me forst night, and also because I hanged up on you today.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I told you that on thest conversation we had on the phone. But forget about all of that, you


    camete.¡±


    ¡°I told you the reason, didn¡¯t I? I was busy with work. Thispany was discussing a new project that


    was about to be carried out, and I was invited, I couldn¡¯t miss it for anything


    else.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? You couldn¡¯t miss it for anything else? My eyes were fixed on him, as I raised


    an eyebrow.


    ¡°I totally know here you¡¯re going to.¡±


    ¡°I think you do,¡± I responded inaudibly, giving him a smile, something that was kind of not


    real.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to think like that, Ariel. You¡¯ll always be the first person on my mind. No


    other thing else.¡±


    ¡°What if you got some important project?¡±

 Chapter 291

    291: SORT OF JEALOUS


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With Luke sitting across from me, his earnest gaze fixed on mine, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a flutter of


    doubt. His words reassured me, but actions spoke louder than words, didn¡¯t they?


    ¡°What if you got some important project? I challenged him, searching for any hint of hesitation in his


    response.


    Luke¡¯s expression softened, his eyes never leaving mine. ¡°Ariel, you¡¯ll always be my priority. No matter


    what important projectes up, you¡¯lle first.¡±


    I offered him a skeptical smile. ¡°Prove it.¡±


    He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. ¡°How am I


    I shook my head,ughing softly. ¡°Just prove it.¡±


    g to prove it right now?¡±


    Luke¡¯sughter joined mine, but there was a glint of determination in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not


    serious, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°But I am,¡± I insisted, my smile widening. ¡°Go on stage and sing a romantic song for me.¡±


    His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    I nodded, unable to contain my grin. ¡°Dead serious.¡±


    We locked eyes for a moment, the tension clear between us, before I gestured towards the


    stage. ¡°Go ahead, Luke.¡±


    With a resigned sigh, Luke got up from his seat and made his way towards the stage. The


    restaurant dimmed, the spotlight focusing solely on him as he stood there, microphone in hand. My


    heart pounded in anticipation as he began to sing, his voice filling the room with warmth and melody.


    While he sang, his gaze never wavered from mine, his words carrying a depth of emotion that sent


    shivers down my spine. And then, as if guided by an invisible force, he moved closer to me, his voice


    growing softer, more intimate.


    And before I knew it, he was standing right in front of me, his hand reaching out to gently cup my cheek


    as he leaned in, pressing his lips to mine in a tender kiss. The world around. us faded away, leaving


    only the two of us enveloped in the music and the moment.


    24


    The song came to an end, and the apuse of the audience washed over us, but all I


    could focus on was the love and sincerity shining in Luke¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°So, miss, are you happy now?¡± He grinned, sitting next to me.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I answered with a shrug.


    ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°Nice song back there. I never knew you had such a wonderful voice.¡±


    ¡°I barely sing, but you made do that, in front these people.


    ¡°So? Are you feeling bad about that? I mean, don¡¯t you love unting your talents?¡±


    ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want people to start calling me sort of names.¡±


    ¡°Sort of names? What do you mean by that?¡± I asked him, making a puzzled face.


    ¡°You know what? Nevermind,¡± he spoke inaudibly, turning his face away.


    With the both of us still sitting there, basking in the aftermath of his impromptu serenade, I


    noticed a waiter passing by, impably dressed in a tailored suit. Seizing the opportunity


    to lighten the mood, I called out to him, ¡°Excuse me, can we get some dessert menus,


    please?¡±


    The waiter approached our table with a charming smile, his eyes briefly lingering on me before turning


    to Luke and me. ¡°Of course, right away. And might I add, you¡¯re a beautiful


    creep onto my cheeks.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured shyly as he handed us the menus.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± he replied warmly, leaning in a little closer. ¡°I¡¯m James, by the way. If you need


    anything else, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    Before James could say anything else, Luke interjected abruptly, his tone curt. ¡°That won¡¯t be


    necessary. We¡¯ll manage on our own. You can go.¡°.


    James looked taken aback for a moment, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to thedy,¡±


    he brought out with a pointed nce in my direction.


    Luke¡¯s jaw clenched, his irritation was very clear. ¡°I said, you can go. We¡¯ll find another


    waiter.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s


    your problem, man?¡± James asked, and his tone was incredulous.


    Sensing the tension escting, I intervened, cing a hand on Luke¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Luke.


    Let¡¯s not make a scene.¡±


    James looked at me sympathetically before turning back to Luke. ¡°I¡¯ll respect thedy¡¯s wishes,¡± he


    said evenly, before shooting Luke a pointed look and walking away.


    Once James was out of earshot, I turned to Luke, a mixture of frustration and understanding in my


    expression. ¡°Why did you have to be so rude?¡±


    Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°I just¡­ didn¡¯t like the way he was looking at


    you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I encouraged him,¡± I countered, feeling a pang of guilt for unintentionally causing the


    tension.


    Luke softened, reaching for my hand across the table. ¡°I know, Ariel. I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ I guess I got a


    little jealous.¡±


    I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, offering him a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just enjoy the rest of


    our evening, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed, returning my smile with a grateful one of his own.


    I diverted my attention to the dessert menu, hoping to shift the atmosphere. Flipping through the pages,


    I scanned the array of decadent treats, feeling torn between the indulgent chocteva cake and the


    refreshing fruit sorbet.


    ¡°Luke, what do


    opinion.


    i think I should get?¡± I asked, looking up from the menu, seeking his


    He nced at me with a soft smile. ¡°Honestly, Ariel, I¡¯ll enjoy anything you choose.¡±


    I bit my lip, feeling the weight of his sincerity. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you pick something then?¡± I suggested,


    nudging the menu towards him.


    Luke nodded, taking the menu from me and scanning the options. After a moment of contemtion, he


    decided on the seared scallops.


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± I said, offering him a smile of approval. ¡°As long as you like it.¡±


    Before we could delve further into our culinary deliberations, Luke¡¯s phone began to ring,


    disrupting the moment.


    He nced at the screen briefly before muttering, ¡°Business.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, take it,¡± I encouraged, gesturing towards his phone. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Luke shook his head, declining the call with a press of a button. ¡°No, I just want to spend. time with


    you,¡± he told me softly, with his gaze fixed on no one else but me.


    A warmth spread through my chest at his words, and I reached across the table to squeeze his hand. ¡°I


    feel the same way,¡± I admitted, feeling grateful for his presence amidst the


    chaos of the evening.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I began, breaking thefortable silence that had settled between us after his phone call, ¡°do


    you have any ns for tomorrow concerning your businesses?¡±


    He tilted his head slightly, studying me with a curious expression. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he replied, hist tone


    guarded. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    I shrugged, trying to appear nonchnt. ¡°Oh, no reason in particr.¡± I muse casual smile.¡±


    I was just wondering.¡±


    Luke¡¯s gaze softened as he reached across the table to gently brush a strand of hair from my face.


    ¡°You know, Ariel, you can always tell me if something¡¯s on your mind,¡± he said, his voice tender. ¡°I¡¯m


    here for you.¡±


    I sighed, feeling the weight of his sincerity once again. ¡°I know,¡± I admitted, my voice barely above a


    whisper. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­.¡±

 Chapter 292

    292: FOLDED NOTE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°It¡¯s just that what?¡± Luke asked, giving me a curious look. The both of us were still staring into each


    other¡¯s eyes, and it wasn¡¯t like was scared, or shy, or something.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping we could spend some time together tomorrow,¡± I brought out to him.


    A flicker of understanding crossed Luke¡¯s features as he smiled at me reassuringly. ¡°Of course, we can.


    I¡¯ll make sure to clear my schedule.¡±


    Relief washed over me, and I returned his smile gratefully ¡°Th


    a sense of contentment settle within me. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡±


    you.¡± Now I was feeling


    He leaned forward, his eyes locking with mine. ¡°Ariel, spending time with you is never a chore. It¡¯s


    something I always look forward to.¡±


    I felt a flutter in my chest at his words, my heart swelling with affection for this man sitting across from


    me. ¡°Likewise,¡± I murmured, reaching out to cup his cheek tenderly. ¡°I cherish every moment we share


    together.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know you do.¡± He pecked me on my cheek.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as Luke¡¯s lips brushed against my cheek, leaving a warm sensation in their


    wake. His affectionate gesture never failed to make my heart skip a beat. I gazed into his eyes, filled


    with adoration, and I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.


    Well, maybe.


    Just as we were basking in the moment, a waitress approached our table with a friendly. smile. ¡°Is


    there anything I can get for you two?¡± she asked, and her voice was polite and


    attentive.


    I nced at Luke, knowing exactly what we needed. ¡°We¡¯ll have some seared scallops, please,¡± I


    replied, returning the waitress¡¯s smile.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± She queried, transposing her eyeballs to the both of us.


    ¡°And some orange juice as well,¡± Luke answered, his voice was so smooth and easy. And it


    was also sexy.


    The waitress jotted down our order, and after that, she discreetly passed a folded note to


    Luke.


    292 FOLDED NOTE


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back with the order,¡± she told us calmly, and then she walked away.


    My curiosity piqued, looking at Luke, watching him as he unfolded the note, his brows furrowing in


    confusion. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.


    Luke shrugged, his expression puzzled, before scanning the contents of the note. ¡°It seems someone


    in the restaurant wants to speak with me,¡± he exined, ncing around


    the room.


    I felt a surge of intrigue mingled with a hint of apprehension. ¡°Who could it be?¡± I wondered aloud, my


    mind racing with possibilities.


    Luke shook his head, equally puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted, with his gaze scanning the faces of


    the other diners. ¡°But there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡±


    ¡°And what way is that?¡± I asked him. My curiosity was really getting the best of me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go to and meet the person who wrote this.¡±


    ¡°Are you being for real right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. This might be something important.¡±


    ¡°Important? You don¡¯t even know who wrote that.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have to meet this person. I promise, I won¡¯t take long.¡± Luke rose from his seat, the note


    clutched in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he assured me, nting a quick kiss on my forehead before


    making his way through the restaurant.


    I sighed, turning my face away. This was just great. Now he had to leave me all because of someone


    he had not seen before. And here he was, telling me that I was his top priority. This man can be


    annoying sometimes. After al, he was irritating in the past. And I thoughting to this restaurant to


    spend some time with him might actually make me feel better after everything today, but that wasn¡¯t


    what I was seeing around here.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of frustration that bubbled within me. Why did he have to leave now, just


    when we were finally enjoying a moment together? My mind wandered, reying our conversation and


    his sudden departure, stirring up a mix of emotions.


    Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed when the waitress returned with our order. She set down two


    tes of seared scallops and two sses of orange juice with practiced efficiency, but I couldn¡¯t bring


    myself to thank her. Instead, as she turned to leave, I found myself speaking up.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I called out, halting her retreat. ¡°Can I nok you something?¡±


    The waitress paused, turning back to face me with a polite smile. ¡°Of course, what can I help you with?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment before plunging ahead. ¡°The note you gave to my husband, who was it from?


    A man or a woman?¡±


    Her smile faltered slightly, a flicker of difort crossing her features. ¡°It was from a woman,¡± she


    replied cautiously.


    My curiosity only intensified. ¡°Can you describe her to me? Did you see what she looked


    like?¡±


    The waitress hesitated, ncing around the busy restaurant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that,¡±


    she said apologetically. ¡°Now, if you excuse me, I have other tables to attend to.¡±


    With a sigh, I watched her walk away, leaving me with more questions than answers. Who was this


    woman, and why did she want to speak with Luke? My mind raced with possibilities, but without more


    information, I was left to ponder in silence. And as I picked at my seared scallops, a sense of unease


    settled over me, overshadowing what was


    supposed to be a romantic evening.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Making my way through the restaurant, scanning faces, I couldn¡¯t shake the sense of mystery that


    enveloped the situation. Who could be reaching out to me in such a ndestine manner? My thoughts


    whirled with possibilities, each one more intriguing than


    thest


    Eventually, the waitress approached me, her demeanor calm yet purposeful. ¡°Follow me,¡± she said, her


    voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid of being overheard. I obliged,


    curiosity gnawing at me.


    She led me to a table upied by a woman I didn¡¯t recognize. Her brown curly hair cascaded over her


    shoulders, and she wore a dark blue dress that shimmered under the soft lights of the restaurant, As I


    approached, she looked up and offered a warm smile, thanking the waitress who then left us alone.


    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± she said, gesturing to the chair opposite her. I hesitated for a moment, still trying


    to make sense of the situation. But herughter broke through my uncertainty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy,¡± she chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t bite.¡±


    292 FOLDED NOTE


    ¡°I¡¯m not shy,¡± I replied, and I have to say, my tone was more defensive than I intended. ¡°But I do have


    someone waiting for me.¡±


    Herughter bubbled up again, and she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick, I promise.¡±


    Reluctantly, I took a seat, my gaze still fixed on her. She was undeniably pretty, but I had no interest in


    getting entangled in whatever web of intrique she was spinning.


    ¡°I¡¯m Daria,¡± she introduced herself, extending her hand across the table. ¡°And


    you


    are?¡±


    *Luke,¡± I replied, shaking her hand briefly before withdrawing mine. ¡°Now, what is it that


    wanted to discuss?¡±


    Daria¡¯s smile widened, as if she were enjoying some private joke. ¡°Straight to the point, I


    see. I like that.¡±


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time to spare,¡± I exined, my patience wearing


    thin.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she conceded, leaning back in her chair. ¡°I¡¯ll get right to it, then.¡±


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 293

    293: SIGHTED


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Sitting across from Daria, her words hung in the air, pregnant with implication. I could feel a tension


    building within me, a sense of unease that refused to dissipate. But before ! could formte a


    response, she spoke again, her voice smooth as silk.


    ¡°I have to be honest with you, Luke,¡± she began, her gaze unwavering. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but


    notice you from across the room. You¡¯re quite¡­ captivating.


    I blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her sudden confession. ¡°Say what now?¡± I asked,


    my disbelief evident in my tone.


    Daria smiled, leaning forward slightly. ¡°I like you, Luke. A lot,¡± she continued, her words. dripping with


    seduction. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome, so dashing, so lovely. I¡¯m a hundred percent sure that you could


    satisfy me in ways I¡¯ve only dreamed of.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her brazenness, though it was tinged with difort. ¡°I appreciate the


    compliment,¡± I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. ¡°But trust me I, I¡¯m


    not interested.¡±


    Her grin widened, undeterred by my rejection. ¡°Oh,e now, Luke. Don¡¯t be coy,¡± she cooed,


    reaching out to touch my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you want a woman like me? Pretty and¡­


    nasty?¡±


    I recoiled at her touch, my patience wearing thin. ¡°I said I¡¯m not interested,¡± I reiterated firmly, pushing


    her hand away. ¡°And besides, I have a wife waiting for me.¡±


    But Daria seemed unfazed by my words, her eyes sparkling with granite. Ignoring my protests, she


    moved closer, her knee brushing against my groin as she whispered in my ear, her wordsced with


    desire. ¡°I want you to fuck me.¡±


    I tensed, my resolve hardening as I realized the gravity of the situation. Before I could react, Ariel


    appeared, her gasp of shock echoing through the restaurant. My heart sank as I met her gaze, knowing


    that I had hurt her with my indiscretion.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± I called out, reaching for her as she turned to leave. But she was already gone, disappearing


    into the crowd before I could stop her.


    With a curse under my breath, I pushed myself to my feet. I needed to make things right around here.


    This was clearly a misunderstanding. But Daria seized my hand, her grip surprisingly strong as she


    attempted to pull me back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave, Luke,¡± she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. To the omer of this Testaurant can


    give you anything you went


    I shook my head, and boy, my anger was simmering beneath the surface ¡°Go to hell with your


    goddamn restaurant, Lapat, wrenching my hand free from her grasp.


    Without a backward nce, I stormed off in search of Anal, knowing that I had to make amends for my


    mistake. Well, it wasn¡¯t actually my mistake. But I made a mistake by letting that womane too


    close. I guess I was captivated after all. But it was really fucked up Now I could only Ariel don¡¯t get this


    deep in her heart


    i


    I disappeared into the crowd, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of regret that grawed at my conscience


    But I knew I needed to find Ariel, to prove to her that she was the only woman


    for me, now and always.


    And who the hell was that Da anyway? She was like the devil, a demonic idiot,ing into my life to


    ruin my happiness, Too many demons to handle. I got my that useless great- aunt of mine, Harriet


    lurking around, couldn¡¯t tell where she was, but I knew she was nning to do shit. Then this woman


    had toe into the picture. To hell with her and her restaurant. If something extremely terrible happen


    between me and Ariel, I swear, I¡¯m going to rip that woman¡¯s head off.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Storming out of the restaurant, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, hurt, betrayal -they all


    collided inside me, making it hard to think straight. How could Luke do this to


    me? To us?


    The image of him and that woman, whatever her name was, was burned into my mind. Her audacity,


    his weakness¨Cit was all too much to bear, I reyed the scene over and over, each time feeling a fresh


    wave of pain and indignation wash over me.


    Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered the sounds of the bustling street around me. It was only when a


    cak pulled up beside me, its upants leering at me, that I snapped back to


    reality.


    ¡°Hey there, hot stuff,¡± one of them called out, his tone dripping with sleaze. ¡°What¡¯s a pretty girl like you


    doing out here all alone?¡±


    I recoiled, my heart racing as fear mingled with my anger, ¡°Leave me alone,¡± I spat, and my voice was


    filled with rage. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    But they didn¡¯t listen. Instead, they advanced towards me, their intentions clear. Panic


    surged through me as they grabbed my arm, pinning me against the wall.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I screamed, struggling against their grip. But they onlyughed, their hands groping at


    me roughly.


    Just as I thought I couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, a voice cut through the chaos. ¡°Enough of


    this nonsense!¡±


    I turned, my eyes widening in disbelief as I saw Luke striding towards us, his fists clenched at his sides.


    Anger radiated from him in waves, his gaze fixed on the men who were harassing me.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± one of them sneered, but Luke paid him no mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to teach you a lesson,¡± he growled, his voice low and dangerous.


    With a roar, the men lunged at him, but Luke was ready. He fought like a man possessed,


    his blowsnding with precision and force. In a matter of moments, the two assants


    were lying on the ground, defeated.


    Luke turned to me, his expression softening as he reached out to me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he


    asked, there was a lot of concern etched in his features.


    ¡°Don¡¯te close to me, cheater!¡± I snarled, moving backwards.


    ¡°Ariel, I can exin.¡±


    ¡°What is there to exin, huh? I saw everything with my own two eyes.¡±


    ¡°You have to believe me, okay? That woman was crazy. I didn¡¯t even know she was going to do


    something so disgusting. Trust me, Ariel, I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the lies! You wanted to sleep with her, right? Because she¡¯s so hot and sexy. What about


    me? Am I not prettier, Luke? Am I not prettier?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, you are prettier, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°So why do you have to go and stab me in the back? Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I keep on telling you that those weren¡¯t my intentions, but you don¡¯t want to listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Because those are lies. You¡¯re telling me lies, Luke. I don¡¯t want to listen to you. Leave my


    sight.


    ¡°If I leave, those guys might juste and try to force themselves on you. And I¡¯m not going to let them


    do that. I¡¯m not going to let anyone touch you. No one¡¯s going to hurt you.¡±


    But you steady did Luke You¡¯ve already brought pain to me. You You goddamn


    itut me off, smacking his lips against min

 Chapter 294

    294: BURNING PASSION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With Luke¡¯s lips meeting mine, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions wash over me. Anger, betrayal,


    hurt¨Cthey all warred with the undeniable pull of his touch. For a moment, I resisted, wanting to push


    him away and run as far from him as I could. But his kiss was insistent, tender yet desperate, and


    despite myself, I found myself melting into it.


    Slowly, he pulled away, his eyes searching mine for some sign of forgiveness. We stood there in


    silence, the weight of our unspoken words hanging heavy between us. Then, as if sensing my need,


    Luke reached for my hand, his touch gentle yet firm.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel,¡± he whispered, his voice tinged with remorse. ¡°I never meant to hurt you. You have to


    believe me.¡±


    I stared at him, tom between the desire to believe his words and the fear of being hurt again. ¡°I don¡¯t


    know if I can,¡± I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.


    Luke¡¯s hands moved to cup my cheeks, his gaze unwavering as he spoke. ¡°You have to trust me,


    Ariel,¡± he pleaded, his voice raw with emotion. ¡°You¡¯re the only woman I love, the only one I ever want


    to be with. Please, don¡¯t shut me out.¡±


    Gazing into his eyes, I saw the truth there, the depth of his feelingsid bare for me to see. And at this


    moment, something inside me softened, an outburst of hope reigniting in my heart.


    Slowly, tentatively, we leaned towards each other, our lips meeting in a passionate kiss. The world fell


    away around us as we lost ourselves in each other, the heat of his touch


    sending shivers down my spine.


    Pressing me against the wall, Luke¡¯s kisses trailed down my neck, igniting a fire within me that burned


    brighter with each touch. I felt his hand move to my thigh, his touch sending


    waves of pleasure coursing through me..


    Wrapping my leg around his waist, I pulled him closer, the heat between us undeniable. In that


    moment, there was only him and me, our past mistakes and future uncertainties forgotten in the


    passion of the present.


    And while we continued kissing, I knew that forgiving him wouldn¡¯t be easy, but I had to do it. I could


    actually tell that he was telling the truth. And if I could forgive him for hurting me, during our first


    marriage, then I think I could go with this actually.


    Our lips continued to move together, and this wasn¡¯t just a kiss, it was a connection¡ªa profound


    intertwining of souls. Every sensation heightened, every nerve electrified as his touch sent waves of


    warmth coursing through my body. Right now, it felt as though the universe had aligned, and we were


    the only two beings in existence.


    His lips were soft against mine, gentle yet filled with passion. With each kiss, I could feel the depth of


    his emotions, his longing, his desire. It was as if we weremunicating on a level beyond words,


    where our bodies spoke thenguage of love fluently.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Our embrace deepened, wless, mesmerizing. I lost myself in the sensation of his arms around me,


    pulling me closer, drawing me into his world. It was a world of warmth and security, where all worries


    melted away in the intensity of our connection.


    I could feel his heartbeat against my chest, steady and strong, echoing the rhythm of my own. Yes


    indeed, at this point, we were truly one, our souls merging in a dance of love and


    desire.


    With each touch, each caress, I discovered new depths of intimacy, as if I were unraveling theyers of


    his being with my fingertips. Every inch of his skin seemed to speak to me, telling a story of longing and


    belonging.


    In his embrace, I found sce¨Ca refuge from the chaos of the outside world. It was a ce where time


    ceased to exist, where past and future faded into insignificance, leaving only the present moment,


    brimming with possibility and passion.


    The electrifying kiss continued, and I felt a sense ofpleteness wash over me, as if I had finally


    found my missing piece. Not the first time, though, but his touch was just so magnificent. It was a


    feeling of wholeness, of being exactly where I was meant to be.


    burned brighter with each passing His touch ignited a fire within me, a me of desire th moment. It


    was a fire that consumed me, yet at the same time, it filled me with a sense of


    warmth and contentment.


    In his arms, I felt alive¨Cmore alive than I had ever felt before. It was as if he had unlocked something


    within me, releasing a flood of emotions that had long been dormant. And the pain had ceased,


    because his touch was just so sensational.


    With each $, each caress, I fell deeper and deeper into the depths of our connection. It ction that


    transcended the physical realm, reaching into the very depths of my


    cout


    Chinally parted, I knew that this connection was something truly special, something orth cherishing for


    eternity. For in this moment, I was chained to the rhythm, the rhythm


    204.BURNING PASSION


    of our magnificent connection. And nothing could break us out of this.


    Our eyes were locked in a silent exchange of emotions. Luke¡¯s gaze was filled with veracity and


    despite the tumult of conflicting feelings revolving within me, I couldn¡¯t deny the love


    shining in his eyes.


    ¡°I love you, Ariel,¡± he whispered. His voice was filled with raw honesty and vulnerability. A faint smile


    tugged at theers of my lips as I reached up to caress his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin


    beneath my fingertips.


    With a sudden surge of desire, Luke¡¯s hands found their way to my waist, pulling me closer to him. His


    touch sent a wave of anticipation coursing through me, bringing up a fire that


    threatened to consume us both.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°I want to feel you on me,¡± I confessed breathlessly.


    Without hesitation, we hurried to his car, the urgency of our desire propelling us forward. In the


    backseat, I straddled Luke, my lips crashing against his in a frenzy of passion.


    Our kisses grew more fervent, I hastily lifted my dress, eager to feel his skin against mine. With


    trembling hands, I removed my panties, tossing them aside as Luke¡¯s fingers deftly unzipped his pants.


    With a desperate urgency, I guided him inside me, relishing the sensation of him filling mepletely.


    As I began to bounce on his cock, pleasure surged through every fiber of my being, driving me to new


    heights of ecstasy.


    ¡°Harder,¡± I pleaded, my voice filled with need as Luke¡¯s thrusts became more intense. With each


    powerful thrust, I felt myself teetering on the edge of oblivion, my senses overwhelmed by the intensity


    of our connection.


    Closing my eyes, I surrendered to the pleasure, my moans mingling with Luke¡¯s as we moved in perfect


    synchronicity. The sound of our bodies colliding filled the car, echoing in the darkness as our passion


    consumed us both.


    With each thrust, I felt myself drawing closer to the edge, the tension coiling within me like a spring


    ready to snap. And then, with a primal cry of release, I shattered into a million pieces, my climax


    washing over me in a tidal wave of ecstasy.


    Luke¡¯s own release followed soon after, his body trembling beneath mine as he poured himself into me.

 Chapter 295

    295: RECKLESS ABANDON


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke¡¯s lips devoured me with an insatiable hunger, I melted into the plushfort of the luxurious hotel


    bed, the golden hues of the room enveloping us in a warm glow. With every skillful flick of his tongue,


    he made a fire unfold within me, each touch sending ripples of pleasure coursing through my body.


    I arched my back, offering myself to himpletely, as his hands found their way to my breasts,


    teasing and caressing with an expert touch. The sensation of his fingers tracing circles around my


    hardened nipples sent shivers down my spine, amplifying the intensity


    of the pleasure building between my thighs.


    His mouth continued its relentless assault on my core, his lips and tongue exploring every inch of my


    dripping sex with a voracious appetite. I couldn¡¯t contain the moans that escaped my lips, the sounds of


    my pleasure mingling with the symphony of our desire echoing throughout the room.


    My fingers tangled in his hair, urging him on as I surrendered to the overwhelming sensation of his


    mouth pleasuring me in ways I had never imagined. Waves of ecstasy crashed over me, each more


    intense than thest, as he expertly brought me to the brink of


    blissful release.


    With a primal scream, I let go, my body convulsing with pleasure as the intensity of my orgasm washed


    over me like a tidal wave. Luke held me close, his touch anchoring me in the sea of ecstasy as I


    trembled with the aftershocks of pleasure.


    As I slowly came down from the heights of ecstasy, I felt Luke¡¯s tender kisses tracing a path up my


    body, his lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Our eyes met, filled with a newfound depth of


    connection forged in the heat of passion, as he hovered above me, his desire burning bright in the


    golden glow of the room.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With a soft smile, he whispered words of love and adoration, his voice a soothing balm to my senses as


    he cradled me in his arms.


    It was actually a great feeling, surrounded by the opulence of the hotel room and wrapped in the


    embrace of our love. This was where I belonged, I wanted to feel every bit of him.


    I gazed into Luke¡¯s eyes, filled with desire and anticipation, as I slowly descended to my knees before


    him. The golden glow of the room cast a radiant aura around us, adding an air of enchantment to the


    intimacy we shared.


    With a tender touch, I took hold of his throbbing cock, feeling its pulsing warmth beneath my fingertips.


    As I lowered my head, my lips parted to take him in, savoring the taste of him as I traced a path along


    his length.


    Luke¡¯s grip tightened in my hair, his breath hitching as I enveloped him in my mouth, relishing the


    sensation of him filling mepletely. I nced up at him, meeting his gaze with a look of hunger,


    before surrendering myself entirely to the rhythm of my movements.


    With each bob of my head, I elicited guttural moans of pleasure from Luke, the sound music to my ears


    as I worked to bring him to the pinnacle of delectation. The slurping noises filled the air, mingling with


    his ragged breaths as he surrendered himself to the pleasure I offered.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re so good,¡± Luke gasped, his words a symphony of praise that fueled my desire even


    further. I intensified my efforts, the urgency of our passion propelling me to new heights of tion as I


    devoured him with an insatiable hunger.


    And then, in a moment of reckless abandon, I tightened my grip and bit down on his cock, sending a


    jolt of pleasure coursing through him as he let out a primal scream of release.


    His essence flooded my mouth, the taste of him an intoxicating elixir as I drank in every


    drop of his ecstasy.


    As he copsed onto the bed, spent and breathless, I rose to my feet, a satisfied smile ying on my


    lips. Our eyes met, a silent understanding passing between us as we reveled in the intensity of our


    connection.


    I straddled Luke, feeling the heat of his desire radiating beneath me as our eyes locked in a passionate


    gaze. With a sense of urgency, I settled down onto his throbbing cock, relishing the sensation of him


    filling mepletely. As I moved my hand to his chest, feeling the rhythmic beat of his heart beneath


    my fingertips, I began to grind against him, savoring the friction that sent waves of pleasure coursing


    through my body.


    We moaned softly in unison, our voices mingling with the symphony of our desire as I pinched Luke,


    eliciting a gasp of pleasure from him. In response, he reached out and yfully pped my booty,


    sending a thrill of excitement coursing through me as I began to bounce on him with increasing fervor.


    With each thrust, I mmed my ass against his rod, the intensity of our connection driving me to new


    heights of ecstasy. Moans escaped my lips uncontrobly as I rode him harder and harder, lost in the


    intoxicating pleasure of our union.


    Just when I felt myself teetering on the edge of climax, I shifted position, moving into


    795 RECKLESS ABANDON


    reverse cowgirl with Luke¡¯s hands firmly gripping my butt, guiding my movements as I continued to


    bounce on him with renewed vigor


    I went hard and fast, the intensity of our passion building to a crescendo as I felt the pressure building


    within me, threatening to consume me entirely. With a primal cry, I reached the peak of ecstasy, my


    body convulsing with pleasure as I squirted all over him, the sensation sending waves of bliss crashing


    over me like a tidal wave.


    Luke held me close as I slowly pulled out, our bodies slick with sweat as wey together, spent and


    breathless,


    ¡°That was so exhausting,¡± I spoke lowly, trying to catch my breath.


    ¡°No doubt about that,¡± Luke also uttered, moving his hand around my breasts, smiling at


    1. me.


    I nestled into Luke¡¯s embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against mine as wey entwined in the


    aftermath of our passion. The golden hues of the room seemed to dance around us, casting a soft glow


    that highlighted the contours of his face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how incredible that was,¡± I whispered, my voice barely above a breath as I tracedzy


    circles on his chest.


    Luke¡¯s fingers traced patterns along my spine, waves of pleasure right within me. ¡°You were amazing,¡±


    he murmured, and brushed his lips against my forehead in a tender kiss.


    I smiled against his chest, reveling in the intimacy of the moment. ¡°You helped me earlier. I just wanted


    to make you feel good,¡± I confessed, feeling a rush of warmth spread through me at the thought of


    bringing him pleasure.


    ¡°You always do,¡± Luke replied, his


    tone was calm and then he pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. ¡°I love you, Ariel,¡± he whispered against


    my skin, his words a promise of love and


    devotion.


    ¡°I love you too, Luke,¡± I whispered back, and then I buried my face in his chest, feeling his steady


    heartbeat beneath my ear.

 Chapter 296

    296: THE CHAOS AROUND YOU


    As the darkness envelops the world around you, a chilling sense of terror


    grips your very being. It¡¯s not just the absence of light, but the profound void that seems to seep into


    every corner of your consciousness. In the midst of chaos, where order once reigned, you find yourself


    engulfed by an overwhelming sense of fear.


    At first, the darkness is subtle, creeping in like a thief in the night. Shadows dance at the edges of your


    vision, teasing and taunting you with their elusive forms. But as chaos unfolds, the darkness grows


    thicker, denser, suffocating. It presses against your skin like a heavy nket, weighing you down with


    its oppressive presence.


    In the absence of light, your senses be hyper¨Caware, amplifying every sound, every whisper of


    movement. Each creak of the floorboards, each rustle of leaves outside, sends shivers down your


    spine. You can feel the palpable tension in the air, a silent scream echoing through the darkness.


    But it¡¯s not just the physical darkness that fills you with terror. It¡¯s the darkness within, the abyss that


    threatens to consume your very soul. In the face of chaos, you find yourself confronting your deepest


    fears, the demons that lurk in the darkest recesses of your mind.


    Fear gnaws at your insides, a relentless beast wing at your sanity. It whispers cruel taunts, feeding


    on your doubts and insecurities. In the midst of chaos, you feel utterly alone, abandoned to face the


    darkness that threatens to swallow you whole.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Time seems to lose all meaning in the depths of that darkness. Minutes stretch into hours, hours into


    eternity. There¡¯s no escape, no respite from the relentless onught of fear. You¡¯re trapped in a


    nightmare of your own making, a prisoner of your own mind.


    But even in the darkest of moments, a flicker of hope remains. A tiny spark, barely discernible amidst


    the suffocating darkness. It whispers of resilience, of the strength to endure even the most harrowing of


    trials. And so, you cling to that flicker of hope, refusing


    to surrender to the darkness that threatens to consume you.


    Slowly, agonizingly, the darkness begins to recede. Light pierces the gloom, banishing the shadows


    that have held you captive for so long. With each ray of light, the terror begins to dissipate, reced by


    a sense of cautious optimism.


    In the aftermath of chaos, you emerge battered but unbroken. The darkness has tested you, pushed


    you to the brink of despair, but you have survived. And in that survival, you find. a strength you never


    knew you possessed.


    26. THE CHADS AROUND YOU


    For in the darkest of moments, when chaos unfolds and fear threatens to consume you, it Is your


    resilience that ultimately prevails. You may stumble and fall, but you rise again, ready to face whatever


    darkness maye your way.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    My eyes opened, and I could myself standing close to the sea, the water moving with so much force,


    and it¡¯s noise was enough to scare the living soul out of someone. There was thunder all around, and


    lightning materialized.


    I stood confused, wondering where I was. And looking around, only to discern that I was the only soul


    around this empty location, I was extremely terrified. The river kept on moving g violently, and the


    movement of the wind became vigorous, going on to a whole new level. Violent, aggressive and


    looking forceful.


    The ground began to quiver, I could hear the cracking noises. Still with my terrified face, I looked


    around, trying to see if there was any way to get out of this ce. I couldn¡¯t understand what was going


    on, but this was definitely not great.


    Just then, I saw Luke running towards me. He grabbed my hand, and continued his race, dragging me


    along. I wanted to ask him what was going on, or the location we were currently at. But for some


    reason, I didn¡¯t. And I didn¡¯t know the reason myself.


    Still scampering, we both stopped, and everywhere became darker than before. The ground in front of


    us cracked, anding out was a man, more like a shadow, pointing a gun at us. Luke ran from that


    direction and took me to a different location, but while we continued to sprint, the ground shook


    vigorously, and it cracked.


    We both fell down, and as Luke tried to hold me, something came from the front, ripping his head off.


    His blood was spilled all over my body, my face was messed up, all covered


    1. up.


    And then I gasped, opening my eyes, looking at everywhere in the room. My eyes went down and


    Luke, was sleeping peacefully. I was breathing heavily, every scene of the dream was still ying in my


    head. This wasn¡¯t the first time I was having a nightmare where I had to lose Luke. Something just


    didn¡¯t seem right around here. And it looked like I was being told something, but I just couldn¡¯t figure


    out what it was.


    I stood up, grabbed a robe and put it on, walked towards the window and I stood there, just taking a


    look at the things outside the hotel.


    Gazing through the window, I sighted this man walking along the road, in the empty street. He was


    putting on a ck garment, taking some leaden steps, and I could imagine what


    THE CHAOS AROUND YOU


    he was doing at this time.


    I was still staring at this man, with my arms crossed. The man halted and then turned


    around, his eyes met mine. I quickly averted my gaze, hiding myself nigh to the wall, leaning against it,


    and I was breathing heavily, but inaudibly.


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Luke uttered softly, waking up. ¡°What are you doing there?¡±


    ¡°Nothing actually. I was just standing close to the windows to get some fresh air** | replied, and my


    voice was shaking.


    Luke gave me.a skeptical look. ¡°You don¡¯t sound too good.¡±


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t sound too good? How?¡± I gave him a fakeugh.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re freaking out. And you¡¯re all sweaty.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I need to go take a shower,¡± I told him and looked through the window but I didn¡¯t


    that see the man in the hooded garment anymore. He must have disappeared, or what?


    And was this some imagination, it something? Or was this real?


    After hastily excusing myself, I made my way to the bathroom, trying to shake off the lingering unease


    from the nightmare and the unsettling sight of the mysterious man outside. As the warm water


    cascaded over me, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being


    watched, the memory of those piercing eyes burning into my mind.


    When I emerged from the shower, I found Luke waiting for me, concern etched on his face.. ¡°Are you


    feeling any better?¡± he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.


    I hesitated, unsure of how to articte the strange encounter I had just experienced. ¡°I don¡¯t know,


    Luke. I saw something¡­ someone outside,¡± I began, my voice trembling


    slightly.


    Luke¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? Who did you see?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­ a man, wearing a ck garment, walking alone in the street,¡± I exined, struggling to find


    the right words. ¡°He looked at me and his face was so scary. It was like he belonged to the demons of


    devil, or something.¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression softened as he listened, his concern deepening. ¡°Do you think it was just your


    imagination?¡± he asked gently.


    I shook my head, a shiver running down my spine. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luke. But it felt real, too real to be just


    a figment of my imagination.¡±


    Loke reached out, taking my hand in his. ¡°Well, whatever it was, you¡¯re safe now. We¡¯re here


    together, and nothing is going to harm you,¡± he reassured me, his voice steady and


    <pforting

 Chapter 297

    297: BEAR PROBLEMS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The first light of dawn began to paint the sky with soft pastel hues, I gently shook Ariel awake. ¡°Hey,


    love, wake up,¡± I whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.


    Ariel stirred, blinking sleepily as she slowly registered her surroundings. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she


    mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep.


    ¡°Come on, I have a surprise for you,¡± I said, my excitement bubbling beneath the surface.


    With a curious nce, Ariel allowed me to help her up from the cozy nest of nkets we had made on


    the floor. I led her outside, where the crisp morning air greeted us with its invigorating chill. The sky was


    a canvas of soft purples and pinks, and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of dew¨Ckissed grass.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ariel asked, her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± I replied with a grin, taking her hand in mine as we made our way through the


    quiet streets, leaving the hospital¡¯s location. And we got into my car, I drove to somewhere


    different.


    Earlier this morning, she was filled with fear, so I wanted to give her a delightful face at least, before


    carrying out anything else today.


    So, arriving at the spot, I got out of my car and went to help Ariel walk out as well. She smiled at me,


    while I held her hand, feeling her soft and wonderful fingers. We were at a


    small riverside area.


    We walked infortable silence, the only sound apanying us being the soft crunch of gravel


    beneath our feet. As we approached the edge of the area, the sound of rushing water filled the air,


    growing louder with each step we took.


    Finally, we arrived at our destination: a secluded spot overlooking the great river. The water stretched


    out before us, its surface shimmering in the early morning light. The riverbanks were lined with tall


    trees, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze.


    ¡°Oh, Luke, it¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ariel breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.


    I smiled, squeezing her hand affectionately. ¡°I thought you might like it,¡± I said, leading her to a spot


    where we could sit and watch the river together.


    297: BEAR PROBLEMS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    The first light of dawn began to paint the sky with soft pastel hues, I gently shook Ariel


    I awake. ¡°Hey, love, wake up,¡± I whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.


    Ariel stirred, blinking sleepily as she slowly registered her surroundings. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she


    mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep.


    ¡°Come on, I have a surprise for you,¡± I said, my excitement bubbling beneath the surface.


    With a curious nce, Ariel allowed me to help her up from the cozy nest of nkets we had made on


    the floor. I led her outside, where the crisp morning air greeted us with its invigorating chill. The sky was


    a canvas of soft purples and pinks, and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of dew¨Ckissed grass


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ariel asked, her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± I replied with a grin, taking her hand in mine as we made our way through the quiet streets,


    leaving the hospital¡¯s location. And we got into my car, I drove to somewhere


    different.


    Earlier this morning, she was filled with fear, so I wanted to give her a delightful face at


    least, before carrying out anything else today.


    So, arriving at the spot, I got out of my car and went to help Ariel walk out as well. She smiled at me,


    while I held her hand, feeling her soft and wonderful fingers. We were at a


    small riverside area.


    We walked infortable silence, the only sound apanying us being the soft crunch of gravel


    beneath our feet. As we approached the edge of the area, the sound of rushing. water filled the air,


    growing louder with each step we took..


    Finally, we arrived at our destination: a secluded spot overlooking the great river. The water stretched


    out before us, its surface shimmering in the early morning light. The riverbanks were lined with tall


    trees, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze.


    ¡°Oh, Luke, it¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ariel breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.


    I smiled, squeezing her hand affectionately. ¡°I thought you might like it,¡± I said, leading her. to a spot


    where we could sit and watch the river together.


    BEAR PROBLEM


    We settled down on a patch of soft grass, wrapping our arms around each other as we gazed out at the


    tranquil scene before us. The river flowed steadily onward, its waters reflecting the colors of the dawn


    sky.


    For a while, we simply sat in silence, content to be in each other¡¯spany as we watched the world


    awaken around us. The sun rose higher in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over everything it


    touched.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Luke. It¡¯s really great to have you by my side,¡± Ariel said softly, resting her head


    against my shoulder.


    I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, feeling a surge of love and gratitude wash over me. I feel the


    same way,¡± I whispered, tightening my hold on her.


    The both of us sat there, lost in our own little world, the worries and stresses of everyday life seemed to


    melt away. All that mattered was the here and now, the two of us together, sharing this quiet moment of


    connection.


    Eventually, the sun climbed higher in the sky, and the world around us began to stir with the hustle and


    bustle of another day. Reluctantly, we rose to our feet, knowing that we couldn¡¯t stay in our peaceful


    sanctuary forever.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s take a picture,¡± I said, pulling out my phone.


    Ariel smiled and nodded, posing next to me as I snapped a quick photo. We bothughed at how silly


    we looked, and I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to kiss her again.


    But before our lips could touch, we heard a loud growling sounding from behind us. We froze,


    turning around to see a bear emerging from the trees.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ariel whispered, her eyes wide with fear. ¡°What the heck!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. We¡¯ll just hide behind these bushes until it goes away,¡± I reassured her, trying to


    remain calm.


    Ariel nodded, but her grip on my hand tightened. As we crouched down behind the bushes, I had to


    realize how her whole body was trembling.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ariel. We¡¯ll be fine,¡± I whispered, trying to soothe her.


    ¡°I¨CI know. I¡¯m not scared,¡± she said, her voice shaking.


    I chuckled softly, ¡°Really? Because it sounds like you¡¯re pretty scared to me.¡±


    She gave me a skeptical look, but I could see the fear in her eyes. I wanted to kiss away all


    her wonies, but we had to stay quiet


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared, alright? She disagreed


    ¡°Are you sure about that? I mean, we got a bear moving around here 1 smirked, teasing her


    ¡°Just keep quiet, will you? She told me in a whisper


    ¡°Okay, anything you say ¡±


    ¡°Luke, I¡¯m serious. Don¡¯t say anything if you don¡¯t want us to be breakfast for some goddamn bear who


    just popped out of nowhere.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The bear sniffed around the area, and I could feel Ariel¡¯s grip on my hand getting tighter. 1 wanted to


    take her hand off my mouth, but she shook her head, silently telling me not to


    Eventually, the bear walked away, Ariel and I burst into relievedughter. We were still hidden behind


    the bushes, but the danger had passed.


    ¡°Thank God that¡¯s over,¡± Ariel spoke softly, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°Who knows what


    would have happened if that bear had seen us?¡±


    I chuckled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t let anything happen to you,¡± I


    replied with a smile.


    Ariel blushed, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. ¡°Thank you, Luke. You always know


    how to make me feel safe,¡± she whispered, her eyes shining with gratitude.


    ¡°Well, you were the one who actually kept me safe,¡± I responded in a yful tone, and she


    yfully hit my arm.


    I chuckled, then I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here to protect


    you,¡± I murmured against her lips.


    We stayed there for a moment, wrapped in each other¡¯s arms, enjoying the warmth andfort of our


    love. But eventually, we knew we had to leave our hiding spot and head


    back to the car.


    As we walked back, hand in hand, Ariel turned to me with a serious expression. ¡°Luke, I just for want to


    say thank you for everything. For this morning, for always being there for me, making me feel loved and


    cherished,¡± she said, her voice filled with sincerity.


    I smiled, squeezing her hand. ¡°I love you, Ariel. And I¡¯ll do anything for you,¡± I replied, my heart


    overflowing with love for this amazing woman.


    BLAR PROBLEMS


    We reached the car and I opened the door for Ariel, helping her in before getting in myself. As I started


    the car, Ariel turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.


    ¡°So, Luke, do you think we coulde back here sometime? Maybe without any


    unexpected bear encounters?¡± she asked with a yful grin.


    Iughed, feeling the weight of the world lift from my shoulders. ¡°Of course, love. Anytime you want,¡± I


    replied. ¡°Just don¡¯t bring honey along.¡±

 Chapter 298

    298: MONEY TALKS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    We were still in the car as Ariel chuckled. ¡°Deal, no honey on our next adventure. But maybe I¡¯ll bring


    some bear repellent, just in case.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. ¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m not enough to scare off


    bears?¡±


    Sheughed, ¡°Oh, no, not at all. I¡¯m just thinking of extra protection for our future escapades.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I said, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot. ¡°But next time, let¡¯s stick to less


    adventurous activities, like pics in the park or binge¨Cwatching Netflix.¡±


    Ariel nodded, still grinning. ¡°Sounds like a n. As long as you¡¯re by my side, I¡¯m up for anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t too be scared next time,¡± I taunted her, trying to


    see her reaction.


    Ariel¡¯s grin turned into a yful scowl. ¡°Scared? Me? Please, I¡¯m as brave as theye.


    I chuckled, teasing her further. ¡°Oh really? So you weren¡¯t the one clinging to me like a


    ko bear back there behind the bushes?¡±


    Her eyes widened in mock indignation. ¡°I was not clinging! I was¡­ strategically positioning myself for


    safety.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°Strategically positioning yourself to use me as a shield


    against the bear.¡±


    Ariel crossed her arms, trying to maintain her facade of bravery. ¡°Well, you know what they say, Luke.


    Behind every brave person is someone even braver who¡¯s willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater


    good.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Oh, so now I¡¯m the sacrificial hero in this scenario?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± she eximed with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re the unsung hero of our bear encounter.¡±


    I shook my head, still chuckling. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll ept my role our rtionship.¡±


    as the fearless protector of


    Ariel leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. ¡°And I¡¯ll continue to be the brave one who


    60 240 MONEY TALKS


    fearlessly drags you into all sorts of crazy situations.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a perfect bnce.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°So, it¡¯s still early in the morning. Where do


    you want to go next?¡±


    ¡°To the river? So we can jump inside and get chased by sharks,¡± Ariel yfully replied,


    smirking at me.


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Why would I be joking?¡±


    ¡°Because I can see it right in your face. It¡¯s written boldly.¡±


    Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°Alright, fine. But if we¡¯re getting chased by sharks, I¡¯m definitely bringing


    the honey this time.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even bring honey in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°I know. I was just talking shit, since you were talking shit.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s bullshit,¡± Ariel said, her tone bing serious all of a sudden.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s notpared to yours. Like, seriously, Ariel, sharks? That¡¯s some next¨Clevel insanity.¡± I


    nced at her incredulously.


    She burst intoughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°Come on, Luke, where¡¯s your


    sense of adventure?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s right where it should be, firmly nted on solid ground,¡± I retorted, unable to


    suppress a grin.


    She yfully nudged my arm. ¡°You know I was just joking, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± I said, mimicking her earlier response. ¡°Just like how you were ¡®strategically positioning¡®


    yourself close to me back there with that bear around.


    She grinned sheepishly. ¡°Okay, okay, guilty as charged. But you have to admit, it made for a thrilling


    adventure.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll admit that. I was the one who took you there after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh thank you, mister.¡±


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°You definitely keep life interesting, Ariel.¡±


    As we continued driving, Ariel reached over and turned on the radio. The announcer¡¯s voice


    filled the car, talking about outrageous ideas to surprise your partner.


    Ariel and I exchanged a bemused nce before she quickly reached to switch off the radio.


    ¡°Looks like even the universe agrees that your shark¨Cchasing n was a bit out there,¡± I remarked,


    breaking the brief silence.


    Arielughed, leaning back in her seat. ¡°Yeah, perhaps we should stick to more grounded activities for


    our next escapade.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said, reaching over to intertwine my fingers with hers. ¡°As long as I¡¯m with you, Ariel, every


    moment is an adventure worth cherishing.¡±


    She squeezed my hand affectionately, her gaze softening. ¡°Likewise, Luke. Let¡¯s keep making


    memories together, even if they involve fewer sharks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still with the shark idea, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Arielughed. ¡°Can¡¯t help it.¡±


    I stopped the car abruptly as I spotted two young guys getting into a heated argument on the road


    ahead.


    ¡°Ariel, we should probably stop those guys before one of them gets hurt,¡± I said, ncing


    at her.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± she agreed, her expression serious as we both stepped out of the car and approached the


    scene.


    ¡°Hey, guys, what¡¯s going on here?¡± I called out, trying to diffuse the tension.


    But the boys ignored my question, their voices rising in anger as they continued to hurl


    insults at each other.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I yelled, stepping between them as they squared off, fists clenched.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked, trying to get to the bottom of the situation.


    One of the boys, his face flushed with anger, pointed usingly at the other. ¡°He tried to have sex with


    my girlfriend!¡°/


    I sighed, shaking my head, and nced at Ariel, who shrugged, her face turned away.


    The other guy shook his head vehemently. ¡°That¡¯s not true! She¡¯s not even his girlfriend!¡±


    I


    ¡°Alright, alright, calm down,¡± I interjected, trying to maintain control of the situation. ¡°Is


    there any way we can resolve this peacefully?¡±


    MONEY TALKS


    But the boys were still adamant, their tempers ring as they refused to back down.


    Thinking quickly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out two hundred¨Cdor bills, handing one to each


    of them. ¡°Here, are we good now?¡±


    They both eyed the money hesitantly before nodding, begrudgingly epting the gesture.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Now, go your separate ways and let this be the end of it.¡±


    As they walked away, I turned to Ariel, shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°Well, that was


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    certainly unexpected.¡±


    She chuckled, shaking her head. ¡°You never know what you¡¯ll encounter on the road.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I agreed, grateful that the situation had been resolved without any violence. ¡°Let¡¯s


    get back in the car, shall we?¡±


    Ariel nodded, shing me a reassuring smile as we climbed back into the car and drove off, leaving the


    chaos behind us.


    As we settled back into the car, my phone buzzed with an iing call. I nced at the screen and


    saw it was one of the maids from my mansion. Curious, I answered.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Luke, it¡¯s Stephanie,¡± the maid¡¯s voice crackled through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but the


    house is a bit¡­ chaotic at the moment.¡±


    I furrowed my brows, wondering what could have possibly gone wrong so early in the morning.


    ¡°Chaotic? How so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Randy and Ethan, sir,¡± Stephanie exined. ¡°They¡¯re yfully wrestling all over the ce and have


    made quite a mess.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the image of my two little guys causing havoc. ¡°Ah, I see. Don¡¯t worry,


    Stephanie, I¡¯ll take care of it when I get home. Thanks for letting me know.¡±


    I ended the call and turned to Ariel, still grinning at the absurdity of the situation. ¡°Seems like our


    morning trips aren¡¯t the only ones getting wild today.¡±


    Ariel raised an eyebrow, curiosity evident in her expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

 Chapter 299

    299: A TIME TO HELP


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°It¡¯s Randy and Ethan,¡± I exined,ughter bubbling up within me. ¡°They¡¯ve decided to tur the


    mansion into their own wrestling arena this morning.¡±


    Ariel burst intoughter, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°Those two never cease to amaze, do they?¡±


    ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± I replied, still chuckling. ¡°But hey, at least it keeps things interesting.¡±


    We shared a knowing smile.


    ¡°I might barely know them, but I really like them. They¡¯re fun to be with, ording to Janice. And do


    you know they defended me when your great¨Caunt was trying to create a scene?¡±


    I raised my brows. ¡°They did that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I¡¯m really grateful. Their words didn¡¯t change anything, but I kind of like their courage.¡±


    ¡°I know, they¡¯re really nice.¡±


    Ariel nodded in agreement. ¡°So, care to tell me how you met them?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, I was just driving and I saw them along the road. They were homeless so I decided


    to help them out.¡±


    ¡°Aww. How sweet of you.


    ¡°Yes, but I had to find out that they had a father, but he didn¡¯t really take care of them. And the little


    children didn¡¯t want to go back to him, so I took them in. And surprisingly, the man hasn¡¯te looking


    for his children ever since.¡±


    ¡°Then he didn¡¯t really care about them.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I snapped my fingers.


    Driving along the road, Ariel and I spotted a car crashed at the side of the road. Without hesitation, I


    stopped the car immediately.


    ¡°Ariel, we should go check it out,¡± I stated urgently, my heart racing as I opened my door and quickly


    stepped out of the car.


    291A HATONIP


    Ariel nodded, her expression serious as she followed suit. We hurried over to the damaged


    Car, where we found a young man stuck inside, unconscious, with blood tricklic vo


    from a gash on his head.


    ¡°We have to help him,¡± Ariel told me and her voice was filled with concern.


    I nodded, trying to open the car door, but it was jammed shut. ¡°It¡¯s too hard, I can¡¯t get it


    open.¡±


    ¡°We need to call 911 or an ambnce,¡± Ariel suggested, reaching for her phone.


    But I couldn¡¯t wait. The sight of the injured man spurred me into action. Ignoring Ariel¡¯s protests, I


    began to m my shoulder against the door, trying desperately to pry it open.


    ¡°Luke, stop! You¡¯re going to hurt yourself!¡± She shrieked, but I was too focused to listen.


    Finally, after several forceful attempts, the door gave way with a loud creak. I wasted no time in


    dragging the young man out of the car, checking to see if he was still breathing.


    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± I said, relief flooding through me as I looked up at Ariel.


    she quickly dialed for an ambnce, instructing them to hurry to our location. But I knew


    we couldn¡¯t wait.


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait for them, Ariel. He might not make it,¡± I uttered, urgency in my voice as I lifted the man


    into my arms.


    ¡°There¡¯s a hospital not too far from here. We have to get him there as fast as we can.¡±


    Ariel nodded, her eyes wide with worry as she quickly got back into the car. I carefully ced the


    injured man in the backseat before joining Ariel in the driver¡¯s seat.


    With determination, I started the car and began to drive towards the hospital, praying that we would


    make it in time to save the young man¡¯s life. I may not know him, but I didn¡¯t want anything bad


    happening to him. I didn¡¯t want him to die, and I guess this might cancel some of my ns for today.


    We arrived at the hospital, and I quickly carried the unconscious man out of the car, with Ariel following


    closely behind me. We hurried inside, and the nurses immediately sprang into action, helping me carry


    the man to the emergency room.


    The doctors swiftly took over, wheeling the man into a room as they assured me they


    would do everything they could to save him. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders knowing he was in good


    hands.


    2Y A TIME TO HELP


    3/4


    ¡°Are you rted to the patient, sir?¡± one of the doctors asked me, looking up from his clipboard.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t even know him. I saw his car crashed along the road and decided to


    help.¡±


    The doctor nodded understandingly, a look of admiration in his eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s people like you that


    make the world a better ce. Thank you for bringing him in.¡±


    He patted my shoulder before disappearing into the room with the medical team. I watched them go,


    feeling a mix of emotions swirling within me. It was a relief to know the man was receiving care, but I


    couldn¡¯t shake the worry gnawing at me until I knew he was


    out of danger.


    Ariel came up beside me, cing aforting hand on my arm. ¡°You did a good thing, Luke. You


    saved his life.¡±


    I managed a weak smile, grateful for her support. ¡°Let¡¯s hope he pulls through.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to wait for the..¡± Ariel gestured toward the hospital room, giving me a knowing look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can wait. I¡¯ve got a lot of schedules today,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Okay then


    ¡°Okay then, you should go home and get ready for work. I¡¯ll stay here till the doctors give me a


    feedback on the patient.¡±


    ¡°Are you being for real right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. You¡¯re going to be really busy today. And trust me, you do not want to miss


    out on anything.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t just leave you here.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Ariel asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t like it.


    She smiled and ced her Hand on both of my shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Luke.


    Everything will be fine.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± She smiled at me, her hands still installed on my


    shoulders.


    ¡°What about our daughter, Janice? Aren¡¯t you going to give her a bath, help her get ready


    200 A TIME TO HELP


    for the day, you know, all sort of things?¡±


    ¡°Luke, she¡¯s six years old. She can handle herself, and by the way, she has helpers at home, so there¡¯s


    no need for you to worry.¡±


    I sighed, knowing she was right. ¡°Okay, fine. But call me immediately if anything happens, alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will,¡± Ariel reassured me, giving my shoulders a gentle squeeze before letting go. ¡°Now


    you go out there and get those projects done.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t have a great feeling about this,¡± I spoke, underneath my breath.


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ariel. I don¡¯t know. One part of my mind keeps on telling me to stay here with you, and the other


    is about my project. And trust me, I don¡¯t want to leave you all by yourself.¡±


    She fixed her hand on my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Luke. Go, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I promise to give


    you a callter on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to call you.¡± I sighed after that. ¡°Take care, honey.¡± I kissed her on


    the cheek.


    ¡°Take care too.¡± She smiled back at me.


    With a final nce at the hospital room where the doctors were attending to the injured man, I turned


    and made my way out of the hospital.


    And getting closer to my car, I saw a text from my mom, telling me toe home. And

 Chapter 300

    300: FRAGILE LIFE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I sat down on one of the benches in the hospital waiting area, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm


    my nerves. Pulling out my phone, I decided to distract myself by scrolling through some videos on


    social media.


    After a few minutes, I remembered Janice and decided to give her a call. I dialed her number, but she


    didn¡¯t pick up. Chuckling softly to myself, I knew she was probably still fast asleep. Janice always loved


    her beauty sleep.


    As I was about to put my phone away, I noticed ady, older than me, sitting on the bench. nearby.


    Tears filled her eyes, and her hands trembled slightly as she clutched a tissue.


    Concerned, I moved closer to her. ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am, is everything okay?¡±


    The woman looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy from crying. ¡°No, everything¡¯s not okay, * she


    replied, her voice trembling. ¡°My husband had a heart attack. He¡¯s in critical condition.


    My heart sank as I listened to her words, and I reached out to ce aforting hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I just¡­ I don¡¯t know


    what to do.¡±


    I squeezed her shoulder gently, offering whateverfort I could. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. The doctors


    here are experts, and they¡¯ll do everything they can to help your husband.¡±


    She nodded, wiping away her tears with the tissue. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, her voice barely


    audible.


    Feeling a pang of empathy for the woman, I sat with her for a while, offering silent support as she


    grappled with her emotions. In that moment, I realized how fragile life could be and. how important it


    was to cherish the moments we had with our loved ones.


    So I needed to cherish every moment now with my little girl, and Luke, and all the loved ones present


    at the moment. Lukel left me so soon, and it was something I couldn¡¯t predict. It was heartbreaking


    realizing that he would no longer be here with me. I missed him in every single way.


    And to also add the fact that I missed my father as well, who died, without me having any


    knowledge about it for quite a long time. It was really painful, no tie about the


    Then there was Luke, who had lost almost all his beloved ones. His grandfather, his father, his cousin,


    his son. And he had been through a lot, trying to amend the broken pieces. The heart being shattered


    into a million pieces, but he still stood strong, trying his best not to get too affected by the traumatic


    events


    Yes, he smiled daily. He joked around, here and there. Heughed asionally, but the presence were


    still there within him, within us. The memories were all present, the great and wonderful moments stuck


    in our head. But this was just life, and I kept on repeating this, we never hope for a temble future. We


    just had to live every single moment, counting each second, and relishing all the scenes taking ce


    Still sitting there, lost in my thoughts, the woman¡¯s shaky voice broke through my reverie. Excuse me,


    dear, what brings you to the hospital?¡± she asked, her tone filled with genuine


    concern.


    I blinked, refocusing on the present moment. ¡°Oh, um, I brought in an unconscious man,¡± I exined,


    gesturing vaguely towards the emergency room. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the doctors to give me some feedback


    on his condition.¡±


    Her expression softened, sympathy evident in her eyes. ¡°I hope he¡¯ll be okay,¡± she said


    softly.


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty. ¡°I don¡¯t know him personally, but¡­ I just


    hope he gets better and recovers.¡±


    The woman looked surprised. ¡°You brought him in even though you don¡¯t know him?¡±


    I nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. ¡°Yeah, my husband actually found him and


    brought him here. He¡¯s the real hero in all of this.¡±


    She reached out and squeezed my hand gently. ¡°You¡¯re both heroes in my book. Not everyone would


    go out of their way to help a stranger.¡±


    I shook my head, feeling a wave of humility wash over me. ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to what my husband


    did. He¡¯s the one who acted quickly and made sure the man got the help he


    needed.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration. ¡°Well, you¡¯re both remarkable individuals. The world could


    use more people like you.¡±


    I smiled gratefully, but deep down, I knew all the credit belonged to Luke. He did pretty well, helping the


    man, willing to hurt himself. He was getting better day and day. And I was


    loving him more and more every single day.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I stopped my car in front of the towering gates of my mansion and stepping out, the gravel crunched


    beneath my shoes. I hurriedly made my way towards the entrance.


    ¡°Morning, Marcus,¡± I called out to my gateman, who stood tall and vignt beside the gate.


    ¡°Good morning, boss,¡± Marcus replied with a respectful nod.


    I


    I smiled and nodded back, appreciating his diligence. Passing through the gate, I entered


    the sprawling mansion grounds, my footsteps echoing against the marble pathway.


    Entering the living room, I was greeted by chaos. My two little rascals, Randy and Ethan, were


    engaged in a yful wrestling match, while toys and cushions were strewn across the floor. Well, I


    came prepared for this.


    ¡°Stephanie!¡± I called out, since she was the one who called me on the phone earlier.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Stephanie hurried over, a worried expression on her face. ¡°Mr. Luke, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here,¡± she said,


    relief evident in her voice. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get these two to settle down.¡±


    I chuckled, shaking my head at the sight. ¡°Randy, Ethan, enough of that,¡± I called out firmly, pping


    my hands to get their attention.


    The boys froze, looking up at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe to be doing this, you know. One of you might get injured, or something.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s fun,¡± Ethan told me.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Randy agreed. ¡°Running around, jumping with the awesome moves like Rey Mysterio. This is


    actually worth it.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± Stephanie muttered, shaking her head as she hit her face. ¡°This is going to be a tough


    one, sheined silently.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± I spoke to her.


    Sheposed herself immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry


    s¨ªr. I didn¡¯t know you can hear me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said and turned to Ethan and Randy. ¡°It is fun. I won¡¯t lie to you two about that. But it can


    really be dangerous in different ways. You can break an ankle, break your arm, or even worse, you


    might get a broken neck. And trust me, you do not want that happening to


    you.


    ¡°That sounds bad,¡± Ethan told me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s really really bad. I uttered immediately. ¡°Even professional wrestlingpanies. advices you


    not to try any of their scenes at home. Why? Because they know the pain it can cause. So you two are


    going to promise me that you won¡¯t do this from now on. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, we promise.¡±


    ¡°Good, now you guys can clean this ce up. Stephanie Wi assist the both of you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, kids. Come along.¡± Stephanie held both of their shoulders and three of them walked


    away. I smiled, watching them.


    ¡°Luke, you really ditched me yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    My mother¡¯s voice resounded in the living room and I turned around to look at her.

 Chapter 301

    301: ANSWERS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do that, Luke,¡± my mother spoke, with her arms crossed, and then she treads


    nigher to me.


    ¡°Do what?¡± I asked, not taking my eyes off her. And yes, I clearly had an idea of what she was talking


    about, but let¡¯s see how this works out.


    ¡°You promised me.¡±


    ¡°Promised you what?¡±


    ¡°That you would help me talk to Catherine.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± I raised an eyebrow, still ying dumb around here.


    with you


    ¡°What the hell is wrong Luke? Why are you acting like this right now?¡±


    ¡°Acting like what?¡±


    My mother let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°It¡¯s going to be ridiculous if we continue to go like this.¡±


    ¡°Then you can just end the conversation.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Luke, please just¡­¡± she sighed, closing her eyes, and her tone softened. ¡°Please, just help me.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± I said, stepping closer to her, feeling the weight of the conversation settling between us. ¡°I¡¯ll


    help you talk to Catherine. We¡¯ll figure this out together.¡±


    She looked up at me, a mixture of surprise and gratitude flickering in her eyes. Thank you, Luke,¡± she


    whispered, her voice softening.


    But before she could say anything else, I knew I had to address what had been nagging at me since


    the incident with Catherine. I took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I need


    to tell you.¡±


    Confusion creased her brow as she waited for me to continue.


    ¡°When I found Catherine the other night,¡± I began, my hands sliding into my


    301 ANSWERS


    pockets, ¡°a man in a ck garment was chasing her. But then, he just stopped and let us go.¡±


    My mother¡¯s expression shifted from confusion to concern in an instant. ¡°A man in a ck garment?¡±


    she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.


    I nodded, watching her closely for any reaction. ¡°Yeah. And¡­ Ariel saw him, too.¡±


    Her silence was deafening as she processed my words; her eyes were clouded with worry. ¡°Do you¡­


    do you know who he might be?¡± I asked cautiously, already dreading her answer.


    She continued to stare at me, her silence stretching on ufortably.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± I pressed, my own anxiety mounting with each passing second.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she spoke, her voice barely audible. ¡°Luke,


    I¡­ I don¡¯t know who he is.¡±


    I frowned, studying her carefully. Something didn¡¯t add up, and her reaction only fueled my suspicions.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not telling me something,¡± I insisted, my tone pleading now. ¡°Please, whatever it is, just


    tell me.¡®


    She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor, before meeting mine again. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything,


    Luke,¡± she promised, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°But not here.


    Not now.¡±


    I wanted to push her further, to demand answers then and there, but I could see the fear etched into


    her features. Whatever she was hiding, it was big.


    ¡°Whatever it is, we can work this out together. I have a feeling you know this. person. So please, just


    tell me who he is. I don¡¯t want something bad to happen to uster on. It¡¯s better we get the whole


    situation done as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Luke, you shouldn¡¯t be stressing yourself out over this,¡± my mother sighed, her voice softening as she


    ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be getting yourself involved.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I demanded, my voice rising. I locked eyes with her, searching for answers. ¡°Is.. is he going


    to kill me if I get involved?¡±


    ¡°No, Luke, 10,¡± she reassured me, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°But the man in the


    301. ANSWERS


    garment¨Che¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Why was he chasing Catherine then?¡± I pressed, my heart racing with each passing second.


    My mother shook her head, turning her face away. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, not yet.¡±


    ¡°Why not? When will the timee?¡± I pushed, feeling the frustration building


    inside me.


    ¡°Luke, please,¡± she pleaded, her eyes pleading for me to drop the subject.


    But I couldn¡¯t¨Cnot now, not when I knew there was more to the story. ¡°Mom, I need to know,¡± I insisted,


    my voice wavering with emotion.


    ¡°Please, put an end to this conversation,¡± she whispered, and her voice was barely audible over my


    heart pounding.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to tell me, then I don¡¯t think I should be helping you with your conversation with


    Catherine.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m goddamn serious,¡± I replied firmly, my frustration boiling over as my mother continued to withhold


    crucial information about the man in the garment.


    She looked at me surprised, her eyes widening in disbelief. ¡°Luke, why are you so curious about this


    man?¡± she eximed, her voice rising with anger.


    ¡°Why?¡± I shouted back, feeling the weight of my emotions crashing down on me. Because I want to


    protect my people! I want to protect you, Mom, and everyone else. in ourmunity!¡±


    We stood there, facing each other in silence, the tension thick in the air. I could feel my heart pounding


    in my chest and my breathsing in ragged gasps as I struggled to control my emotions.


    Closing my eyes, I softened my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I just want to protect my loved ones,


    Mom,¡± I confessed, the weight of my words hanging heavily.


    between us.


    My mother¡¯s expression softened, her face turning sad as she whispered, ¡°I understand, Luke. But I still


    can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    4/5


    A wave of disappointment washed over me, mingled with a sense of resignation. ¡± I¡¯m sorry, Mom,¡± I


    said, my voice catching in my throat as I fought back tears. ¡°I just¡­ I can¡¯t stand by and do nothing.¡±


    She sniffled, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke,¡± she said softly, her voice filled


    with sorrow. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help me talk to Catherine, I understand. And I¡¯m sorry for


    everything.¡±


    With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me feeling a pang of guilt in the pit. of my stomach. I


    watched her go, knowing that despite our differences, we both wanted the same thing: to protect our


    loved ones at any cost. But why was she hiding this from me? This was clearly not right.


    I fixed my hands on my waist, watching my mother¡¯s retreating figure with a mix of frustration and


    concern. Just as I was about to turn away, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see Jack¡¯s


    name shing on the screen. With a sigh, I answered the call.


    ¡°Hey, Jack,¡± I said, trying to keep the tension out of my voice.


    ¡°Hey, sir,¡± Jack replied, his voice slightly muffled through the phone. ¡°Where are you? We¡¯ve got some


    unexpected guests at the office, and they¡¯re asking for you.¡±


    ¡°Unexpected guests?¡± I repeated, furrowing my brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit early for that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it caught us off guard too,¡± Jack admitted. ¡°But they seem eager to discussi new projects with


    us.¡±


    I nced at the clock on my phone. It was indeed earlier than usual for such meetings. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll


    head over right away.¡±


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll let them know you¡¯re on your way.¡±


    As he started to say something else, I cut him off, whispering to myself, ¡°Oh, these guys.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± I quickly replied, not wanting to delve into my inner thoughts over the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry about it. Just entertain the guests for now, and I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    301: ANSWERS


    5/5


    ¡°Okay, sir,¡± Jack responded, his tone indicating he sensed my hesitation but chose not to push further.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    I ended the call and stuffed my phone back into my pocket.


    ¡°Luke Reynold,¡± my great¨Caunt uttered, walking down the stairs.


    302: FAITH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Sitting down in silence, I couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at the woman beside me. Her lips moved


    silently in prayer, and her eyes closed in fervent devotion. Memories flooded my mind as I watched her,


    reminding me of a time when I had been in the hospital and a woman next to me had prayed with the


    same unwavering faith.


    Finally, the woman finished her prayer, and I seized the opportunity to strike up at conversation. ¡°How


    was it?¡± I asked softly, and my curiosity piqued.


    The woman turned to me, her brow furrowing in confusion. ¡°How was what?¡±


    ¡°Your prayer,¡± I rified, gesturing toward her folded hands.


    Understanding dawned on her face, and she smiled gently. ¡°Oh, it wasforting. It always helps to


    turn to God in times of need.¡±


    I nodded thoughtfully, contemting her words. ¡°Do you really believe prayer changes anything? Does


    it solve the problem?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but voice the doubts swirling in my mind.


    The woman chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with warmth. ¡°Yes, I do. God always watches over us


    from Heaven and listens to our prayers. He may not always give us what we want, but He knows


    what¡¯s best for us.


    ¡°But if God will always protect us, then why did my little son die?¡± I blurted out, unable to contain the


    pain and confusion that still lingered within me.


    so sorr


    The woman¡¯s expression softened, and she gently squeezed my hand. ¡°I¡¯m for your loss, dear. I don¡¯t


    know your little son, but I believe that God has a reason for everything. Sometimes, we may not


    understand His n, but we have to trust in His wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Trust?¡± I echoed, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡°How can I trust in a God who took away my


    innocent child?¡±


    The woman¡¯s gaze never wavered as she met my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all about trust, faith, and patience,¡± she


    said softly. ¡°God sees the bigger picture, even when we can¡¯t. And in time, He will bring healing and


    I let her words sink in, a part of me resisting while another part longed for the peace she seemed to


    possess. Maybe she was right. Maybe there was a sce to be found in surrendering to something


    greater than myself,


    After a moment of silence, I turned to the woman again, curiosity nagging at me. Do you pray regrly


    to God, especially when you¡¯re broken?¡± I asked softly, hoping to understand her unwavering faith


    better.


    The woman chuckled softly, her eyes reflecting a deep sense of peace, ¡°Yes, I do,¡± she replied gently.


    ¡°God has made it clear to me that we should always pray and have trust in Him.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, remembering a moment earlier when she had been crying about her husband


    going to the hospital. ¡°But earlier, you were crying about your husband,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you


    just pray to God immediately?¡±


    She smiled warmly, her gaze unwavering. ¡°I¡¯m only human,¡± she exined softly.¡± Fears and doubts


    maye at times, but that¡¯s where the Lordes in. He wants us to stop thinking and worrying too


    much and instead call on Him and lean on His evesting arms.¡±


    ¡°But why cry first?¡± I pressed, still grappling with the concept of surrendering to


    faith.


    e woman¡¯s expression softened, and her voice was gentle. ¡°Because bad things might happen to us,


    but trusting in God is always the best.¡±


    I nodded slowly, her words resonating within me. Perhaps there was wisdom in surrendering to


    something greater than myself, even in the midst of pain and uncertainty. As I gazed at the woman


    beside me, a sense of peace washed over me, and I found myself nodding in agreement.


    It didn¡¯t take long before a nurse approached us with a bright smile. ¡°Excuse me, miss. You¡¯re the one


    whose husband was rushed here due to a heart attack, right?¡±


    The woman next to me¡¯s eyes widened with hope as she nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, I am. Is there news


    about my husband?¡±


    The nurse beamed. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s all better now. We were able to stabilize him after the


    heart attack..

 Chapter 302

    As she stood up from the bench, a radiant smile spread across her face, her eyes shining with joy.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The nurse nodded. ¡°Yes, you can go and see him in his room if you¡¯d like.¡± After that, she walked away.


    The woman turned to me, overflowing with happiness. Without hesitation, she enveloped me in a tight


    hug, her gratitude clear. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.


    I returned the embrace, genuinely happy for her. ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear that. You¡¯re quite lucky,¡± I


    remarked sincerely.


    Her expression softened, and I could see the glee in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to God, ¡°she replied, and


    her tone was filled with conviction. ¡°Always believe in Him. His presence is everywhere, and He works


    in mysterious ways.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said in hushed tones, nodding with my eyes fixed downward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go now to check on my husband. Thanks for keeping mepany. I hope the patient you brought


    here gets well soon.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too.¡±


    With that, she walked away, but before she disappeared from view, I called out to her, a question


    lingering on my lips. ¡°Wait! You never told me your name.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned back with a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s Barbara.¡± Her answer was gracious and


    kind.


    I returned her smile, feeling a connection forged in a moment of shared faith and hope. ¡°Thank you,


    Barbara. Good luck,¡± I wished her sincerely as she walked away, her steps light with newfound joy.


    Sitting back on the bench, I let out a deep sigh, the words Barbara spoke about God still swirling in my


    head. I nced at my phone, the screen disying a photo of my son, Lukel. A pang of sadness


    tugged at my heart. Despite the ache, a faint smile graced my lips as memories flooded back of our


    precious moments.


    Looking up, I felt a strange sense of vulnerability, as if God could see me right then, amidst my oubts


    and pain. ¡°You see me, don¡¯t you?¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible. ¡°u know the agony I¡¯ve


    endured all these years.¡±


    302 FAITH


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I spoke, the weight of the loss heavy on my heart. ¡°I believe in you; I do,¡±


    I continued, my voice trembling with emotion. ¡°But the doubts, the brokenness¡­ it¡¯s always there.¡±


    I wiped away a tear, my gaze shifting to the heavens above. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to lose anyone else,¡± I


    confessed, the fear gripping my heart. ¡°Please, if you¡¯re truly there for me, protect my daughter, Janice,


    from all harm. I don¡¯t care what happens to me, but I can¡¯t bear the thought of anything happening to


    her.¡±


    A sob escaped my lips as I poured out my heart into the unseen presence I hoped was listening. ¡°Keep


    her safe,¡± I pleaded, my voice choked with emotion. ¡°Please, don¡¯t let her suffer like we have.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I let the weight of my prayer linger in the air. And then I heard footsteps getting close.


    ¡°Miss?¡±


    This voice caused me to open my eyes, and a nurse stood near me.

 Chapter 303

    303: CUTTING THROUGH


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    So while my great¨Caunt descended the stairs, her presence filled the room with an air of unwee


    authority. Dressed in a blue dress that entuated her ample figure, she approached with deliberate


    steps, and I couldn¡¯t muster a friendly look. ¡°What do you want now?¡± I asked, my tone devoid of


    warmth as she drew near.


    She nced around, her eyes narrowing at the disorderly scene before us. ¡°Your house is a mess,


    Luke. Those little children have caused chaos everywhere.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I interjected sharply, cutting her off before she could continue. ¡°The children will clean it up.¡±


    She offered a fake smile, and I couldn¡¯t help but bristle. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± I asked, my patience


    wearing thin.


    She shook her head, still smiling. ¡°I just came to remind you of your ce in this


    house.¡±


    I sighed heavily. ¡°You should stop talking nonsense,¡± I retorted, my frustration bubbling to the surface.


    ¡°When will you ever change?¡±


    Despite my irritation, she chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll keep reminding you that I am the owner of this house.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll keep telling you that you¡¯re talking nonsense,¡± I shot back, refusing to back down. ¡°But I¡¯m not


    kicking you out. You can do as you please, but I know your evil ns won¡¯t seed.¡±


    Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± she said cryptically


    before turning to leave.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, sort of loudly, and she halted before turning around.¡±


    ves, my dear child?¡± The fake smile was still etched on her round face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I don¡¯t need you faking a smile or putting on an act.¡±


    ¡°Go to hell,¡± she spat before turning around.


    303 CUTTING THROUGH


    ¡°I just have to ask,¡± I uttered, causing her to freeze. ¡°Why do you hate me so much?


    ¡°You want an answer to that?¡± She turned to me.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked the question, right?¡±


    As my great¨Caunt chuckled at my question, herughter filled the room with a mocking tone. ¡°Oh, Luke,


    you really don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± she said, her voice dripping with condescension. ¡°I have better


    things to do than waste my time exining myself to you.¡±


    I clenched my jaw, frustration mounting with every word she spoke. ¡°Well, so do I,¡± I retorted, my tone


    sharp. ¡°But I need to know why you insist on being so rude to me every single time.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She tilted her head, with a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°Oh, sweet child, I don¡¯t care about your feelings,¡±


    she said dismissively. ¡°All I care about is getting this mansion and taking what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of anything else besides money?¡± I asked, my voice


    tinged with disappointment.


    Her smirk widened into a knowing grin. ¡°Money is everything, Luke,¡± she replied confidently. ¡°Money is


    power.¡±


    I met her gaze with a serious expression. ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± I stated firmly.


    Sheughed, the sound grating on my nerves. ¡°You know it yourself, Luke,¡± she told me with a mocking


    tone. ¡°Money rules the world.¡±


    I shook my head, feeling a surge of frustration and disappointment. ¡°I used to have respect for you,¡± I


    admitted, and my voice was filled with regret. ¡°But I can¡¯t even


    stand to be in the same room as you now.


    Herughter echoed in the room, grating on my nerves. ¡°Oh, sweet child,¡± she said mockingly. You¡¯ll


    come to realize that money is the only thing that matters in the


    end.¡±


    ¡°That used to be my thought.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she brought out immediately, snapping her fingers.


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± I said lowly and coldly.


    ¡°Oh, Luke, my child. Don¡¯t fool yourself. You love money as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I love money. But thatst part? Scratch it out. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll go against my blood all


    because of money.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡±


    ¡°Not happening,¡± I spat back.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± my great¨Caunt retorted sharply, her voice cutting through the tension


    like a knife.


    I straightened my posture, meeting her gaze with a steely resolve. ¡°Put an end to your rude behavior,¡± I


    shot back, refusing to cower under her oppressive presence.


    She scoffed, her lips curling into a contemptuous sneer. ¡°You¡¯re just a little kidpared to me,¡± she


    spat harshly.


    I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down. ¡°Even so, you should still have some respect for


    yourself and for yourte brother,¡± I countered. My voice stirred with a hint of usation.


    Her eyes narrowed, and a dangerous glint flickered in their depths. ¡°Don¡¯t start talking nonsense,¡± she


    snapped.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I challenged her, meeting her re head¨Con. ¡°Have you ever loved my grandfather?¡± I


    queried, and my voice cut through the tension like a de¨Ca sharp one, indeed a two¨Cedged sword.


    She red at me, incredulous. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± she demanded, her tone bordering on


    outrage.


    ¡°I just want to know,¡± I replied calmly, refusing to back down. ¡°Especially since you keep causing trouble


    in the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Have some manners!¡± she snapped, and her voice rose with frustration.


    I tilted my head, a fake smile ying on my lips as I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Right after you, mydy.¡±


    ¡°What a stupid man you are.


    303 CUTTING THROUGH


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Say what now?¡± I pretended like I didn¡¯t hear, taking my hand to my car. But the least I could


    expect her to do was to repeat that. Because, trust me, there was no way she was going to spit it back.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± she snapped. You¡¯re just a fool enjoying your grandfather¡¯s wealth. You don¡¯t own this


    mansion.¡±


    ¡°How exactly?¡± I quizzed, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°You never worked for any of this, but yet you were given the wealth. Something that clearly belonged


    to me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, you are mistaking. I worked hard; I don¡¯t have to keep saying the same thing repeatedly.


    And you should do the same. Stop lying to yourself; you own no dime around here.¡±


    ¡°But I gave your grandfather money to start his business.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I already brought this out to you. Tell me how much you gave to him, and I will give it to you


    as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°To hell with you and your money!¡±


    ¡°I thought you loved money.¡± I shot her aeback, tone low, smirk on the face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you giving me anything,¡± my great¨Caunt retorted defiantly, her voice dripping with disdain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be begging you for anything.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her audacity. ¡°I don¡¯t wish for it to happen,¡± I replied, a smirk ying on


    my lips. ¡°But if you do die, well, you¡¯re going straight to hell.¡±


    Her eyes zed with fury, and she shot me a venomous re. ¡°I¡¯ll be joining your father there,¡± she


    spat, her wordsced with malice.


    A surge of anger coursed through me at the mention of myte father. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bring him into


    this?¡± I growled, my voice low and dangerous.


    But my great¨Caunt onlyughed, a hollow sound that echoed in the room. ¡°He was just as pathetic as


    you,¡± she sneered, her words like poison¨Ctipped arrows aimed at my heart.


    I clenched my fists, struggling to contain the rage bubbling inside me. ¡°You have no right to speak ill of


    him,¡± I seethed, my voice trembling with suppressed emotion.


    303 CUTTING THROUGH


    She smirked, a cruel twist of her lips that made my blood boil. ¡°Oh, but I do,¡± she taunted, crossing her


    arm. ¡°And I can still say the same about your grandfather. After all, he was my brother.¡±

 Chapter 304

    304: THE HECK?


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Miss?¡± The nurse¡¯s voice brought me back to the present, her expression filled


    with concern.


    I blinked, focusing on her face as I struggled to push away the lingering thoughts of my prayer. ¡°Yes?¡± I


    replied, my voice hoarse with emotion.


    ¡°I just wanted to let you know that the man you brought to the hospital is now doing fine,¡± the nurse


    informed me, her words bringing a sense of relief. ¡°We¡¯ve taken care of his injury, and he¡¯s resting


    comfortably now.¡±


    A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I nodded, gratitude flooding my heart. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured,


    feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s a relief to hear.¡±


    But as I nced around the hospital waiting area, my eyes fell upon amotion unfolding nearby. A


    man, clearly agitated, was engaged in a heated argument with a doctor, their voices escting into


    shouts. Before I could process what was happening, the argument turned physical, and they began to


    exchange blows, sending shockwaves through the otherwise serene atmosphere of the hospital.


    ¡°What on earth?¡± I eximed, my eyes widening in disbelief.


    The nurse beside me gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. ¡°Oh no,¡± she muttered, and she


    was filled with so much concern. ¡°We need to stop them before someone gets hurt.¡±


    Without hesitation, the nurse rushed towards the altercation, but her efforts were futile as the two men


    continued to grapple with each other, oblivious to the chaos. they were causing. Other nurses soon


    joined in, attempting to separate the brawling individuals, but their efforts proved to be in vain as the


    men seemed determined to inflict harm upon each other.


    ¡°Where¡¯s security?¡± I demanded, my heart pounding with fear and disbelief at the violence unfolding


    before my eyes.


    Just then, a team of security guards arrived on the scene, their presence.manding attention as


    they swiftly intervened, pulling the men apart and


    304: THE HECK?


    restraining them before they could cause any further harm. It was a tense moment, and the air was


    thick with tension as the hospital staff worked tirelessly to restore


    order amidst the chaos.


    Themotion gradually subsided, and the men were escorted away by security, I didn¡¯t know, but I


    felt sort of shaken by the sudden outburst of violence in what was supposed to be a ce of healing


    and sce. How could such aggression take ce within the walls of a hospital, where lives were


    meant to be saved and suffering alleviated?


    The nurse returned to my side, her expression grave as she surveyed the aftermath of the altercation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to witness that,¡± she murmured, and she was sort of sad. Like, sad to a certain


    degree. ¡°Violence has no ce in a hospital, but sometimes, emotions run high and tempers re.¡±


    I nodded, still reeling from the shock of what I had just witnessed. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I never expected to see


    something like that here,¡± I admitted, and my voice was filled


    with disbelief.


    It shouldn¡¯t be, because I¡¯ve seen people do more sh*t. Well, not in tranquil ces like this, but sh*t


    was sh*t. There was Harriet, the good¨Cfor¨Cnothing psychopath, and Mason, who I genuinely had no


    idea where he was now. However, it goes without saying that these two morons were mentally ill. Like,


    really, really sick. And they should go to a mental asylum. How cool would it be to see those bozos


    locked up? Not in a cell, but in a location that looks like you¡¯re in hell.


    The nurse sighed, her eyes reflecting a shared sense of dismay. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s not as umon


    as we¡¯d like to believe,¡± she confessed. ¡°But rest assured, we¡¯ll do everything in our power to ensure


    the safety and well¨Cbeing of our patients and


    staff.¡±


    I nodded, grateful for her reassurance, but the image of the violent altercation lingered in my mind, a


    sobering reminder of the fragility of human nature and the unpredictability of life itself. So while I


    watched the nurses attend to the aftermath of the incident, I had this gratitude for their unwavering


    dedication andmitment to their calling, even in the face of adversity.


    Unlike some people that I know, who would run from the chaos when they saw things crashing down,


    Okay, Ariel, who the hell are those people anyway?


    ¡°Can I go inside the room where the man is?¡± I asked the nurse. My voice wasn¡¯t


    304, THE HECK?


    3/4


    that clear after I yelled during thatmotion. Trust me, it wasn¡¯t great. Getting a broken voice right


    now was definitely not the thing.


    The nurse nodded in agreement; she had this sympathetic expression. But it was for the best. ¡°Of


    course,¡± she replied softly, and she gestured toward the door. ¡°Take all the time you need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured gratefully as I slowly made my way towards the door of the room where the


    man was resting.


    Entering the room, I found him lying on the bed, his eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber. He seemed


    to be restingfortably; the tension from the earlier


    altercation was nowhere to be seen on his face.


    Yes, so that was it. Right here, where I stood, I could still recall how Luke had put so much effort into


    saving this man. At that moment, things were a little bit different. And Luke made me love him more


    and more.


    I approached the bed cautiously, my footsteps echoing softly in the otherwise silent room. Drawing


    closer, the man slowly opened his eyes, blinking in confusion, before focusing on me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked in a soft voice, his gaze searching mine.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I offered him a small smile, hoping to ease any difort he might be feeling. You don¡¯t know me,¡± I


    replied gently. ¡°But I¡¯m d to see that everything went well.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression softened, a hint of relief flickering in his eyes. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered, his


    voice filled with gratitude. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to be alive.¡±


    I nodded, feeling a swell of emotion rise within me at his words. ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± I replied softly, my


    heart heavy with the weight of what had transpired. ¡°I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re okay.¡±


    The man sighed, looking upwards. ¡°You know, when my car crashed, I thought I wasn¡¯t going to make


    it. I thought it was the final chapter of my life. But you saved me. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re wee. But actually, my husband was the one who saved you,¡± I admitted, a sense


    of pride swelling within me as I spoke of Luke¡¯s heroic actions.


    The man¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Your husband?¡± he echoed, clearly taken


    aback.


    I nodded, a small smile ying on my lips. ¡°Yes, he did a lot to pull you out of the wreckage. He was


    really determined to save you, no matter what.¡±


    A look of gratitude washed over the man¡¯s face, mingled with newfound respect. ¡°I owe him everything,


    then.¡°.


    ¡°You sure do.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would love to see him.¡±


    ¡°And he would love to see you too. But, as a matter of fact, he¡¯s not here right now. Just know that he


    wishes you all the best in your recovery.¡±


    The man nodded, understanding evident in his gaze. ¡°Can I please know your name?


    ¡°My name?¡±


    He nodded, smiling at me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Ariel. You have a beautiful name, and you¡¯re just as beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I raised an eyebrow.

 Chapter 305

    305: VENOM ALL OVER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I quizzed this man with my eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I said you¡¯re beautiful.¡± He kept on with hispliment, still smiling at me. ¡°And by the way, my name


    is Robert.¡±


    All these words had me feeling a bit uneasy. But I didn¡¯t want to spit anything out. He stretched his


    hand closer, reaching out to mine, but I quickly withdrew, offering him a polite but confused smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Robert,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°But I really should be going.¡±


    His smile faltered slightly, his hand still hovering in the air where mine had been. ¡± Please, just a


    moment longer,¡± he urged, his tone pleading.


    I hesitated, feeling torn between politeness and my own difort. But the sensation of his fingers


    brushing against mine was too unsettling to ignore. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really have something important to


    take care of,¡± I replied, standing up from the edge of the bed.


    His expression fell; it was clear he was disappointed. I could see it in his eyes. Well,


    fuck that.


    ¡°Please, Ariel,¡± he implored, reaching out as if to grab my hand again. ¡°Just a moment. I want to thank


    you properly for everything.¡±


    His insistence only intensified my unease, and I took a step back, shaking my head. ¡°I really must go,¡± I


    insisted, my voice firmer this time. ¡°But I¡¯m d you¡¯re doing well. Take care, Robert.¡±


    With that, I turned on my heel and swiftly left the room, the echo of Robert¡¯s voice. calling after me


    fading as I hurried down the corridor. The encounter left me unsettled, and I couldn¡¯t shake off the


    difort that lingered long after I had left. his presence.


    Seriously, what in the world just happened back there? That was definitely not normal; it was bullshit. If


    that man wanted to have feelings for me or whatever, he


    JUS VENOM ALL OVER


    better stop it. I wouldn¡¯t let him follow through with such nonsense.


    How could he even think of that? He knew clearly that I was married since I told him about my


    husband. Yet he wanted to carry out something so disgusting in his condition? In that goddamn


    condition? Humans can be quite stupid and unpredictable sometimes.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    This canon ball continued her barrage of insults, each word slicing through the air like a dagger,


    trenchant enough to go through you and pierce your heart vigorously. At this moment, my anger had


    reached its boiling point. I could feel the heat rising within me¨Ca fiery rage that threatened to consume


    everything in its path.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls of the room. Seriously, enough is enough. I¡¯ve had


    enough of this woman and her toxic words.


    My great¨Caunt paused, quite surprised by the sudden ferocity in my tone. But her expression quickly


    hardened into one of defiance as she met my gaze with a steely re.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disrespect my father again?¡± I roared, and you must have faith that the venom in my


    voice was palpable.


    Her lips curled into a mocking smirk. ¡°And what are you going to do about it, little boy?¡± She taunted,


    her voiceced with malice.


    I took a step forward, my fists clenched at my sides. And I could just give her a hard punch in the face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to tempt me,¡± I warned, my voice low and dangerous. Now the other side of me was


    slowlying out.


    She scoffed a derisive sound that grated on my nerves. ¡°You are a worthless piece of garbage, just like


    your father,¡± she spat, her tone piercing my heart with the force of a dagger and arrow, like nails sinking


    into me to the fullest.


    I screamed in anger, the sound reverberating through the room like a thunderp. ¡± Enough!¡± I roared


    extremely loudly. Louder than a lion, I couldn¡¯tpare the sound of a dinosaur. Oh, sh*t, I don¡¯t know,


    but I was mad as hell.


    With a final, contemptuous nce in my direction, my great¨Caunt turned and angrily walked away, her


    footsteps echoing loudly in the silence that followed.


    SAN VENDAVALT DWELL


    2/4


    Breathing heavily, I clenched and unclenched my fists, struggling to rein in my tumultuous emotions.


    But the anger still burned brightly within me, a fiery inferno. that threatened to consume everything in its


    path.


    With a frustrated growl, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the living room, making my way


    upstairs to my own quarters. The encounter with that woman had left me seething with rage, and I


    needed to find a way to calm the storm that raged within me. It was too early for this, and fuck! I have a


    business meeting to attend,


    I am right into my room now, and I am fuming from the confrontation with my great¨Caunt. As I entered


    my bedroom, I made a beeline for the wardrobe, needing to distract myself from the anger boiling


    within.


    Taking deep breaths, I scanned through my suits, trying to decide which one to wear for work. The navy


    one, perhaps? No, too somber for today. Maybe the charcoal gray, then. Yes, that should do.


    Just as I reached for the suit, my phone rang, breaking the tense silence of the room. It was Ariel. I


    quickly answered, trying to mask the lingering frustration in my voice.


    ¡°Hey, Ariel,¡± I greeted, forcing a calm tone. Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just dealing with some family drama.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I never asked you that, but it¡¯s cool. Have you gone to work yet?¡±


    I hesitated before replying, ¡°Not yet; I¡¯m sorting things out.¡±


    Ariel¡¯s voice softened with concern. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Luke?¡±


    I sighed, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Just some family problems. Nothing I


    can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I totally understand that.¡±


    ¡°No doubt about that.¡±


    ¡°So, Luke, I have to tell you something.¡±


    And what is that?¡±


    ¡°The man we brought to the hospital has regained consciousness.¡±


    105 VEN?AL ALL OVER


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I blurted out, my anger momentarily forgotten.


    ¡°Yeah, he woke up a little while ago,¡± Ariel confirmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s great news,¡± I said, genuinely relieved. ¡°Are you still at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m outside the building.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Make sure you stay safe out there, you hear me?¡±


    She giggled softly. ¡°Trying to look out for me, huh?¡±


    I chuckled, feeling some of the tension melting away. ¡°What can I say? It¡¯s in the job description.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sheughed.


    Then I paused, a warmth spreading through me. ¡°You know, talking to you¡­ I was mad before, but now


    I feel better.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You feel better now?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm yeah?¡±


    ¡°Why were you mad?¡± She queried.


    1 justughed it off. ¡°Oh, you know, family drama. But you just have to know that talking to you is like


    therapy.¡±


    Herughter tinkled through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m d I could help, Luke.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I said softly, the words carrying more weight than usual.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± she replied, her voice warm and affectionate.


    With a smile on my face, I ended the call, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. Okay, time to get


    ready.


    I was about to go to the bathroom when I heard a huge scream in the mansion.

 Chapter 306

    306: IT¡¯S OKAY


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I bolted out of my room, and the next thing I did was sprint towards Catherine¡¯s room. The scream


    echoed in my cars, driving me faster.


    What the hell was going on? What could be the reason behind that scream? And this morning?


    Goddamn, something was not right around here, and I needed to get knowledge of it. Fix this whole


    damn situation before shit happens.


    Bursting into her room, I found Catherine huddled on her bed, trembling and crying out in fear. Without


    hesitation, I rushed to her side, enveloping her in a tight embrace, trying to soothe her frayed nerves.


    ¡°Catherine, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± I asked urgently, but she continued to shake


    uncontrobly.


    I settled beside her, wrapping my arms around her protectively and murmuring words of reassurance.


    ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now. I¡¯ve got you.¡±


    Despite having no idea what was happening around here, I had no interest in it in the least. And if I had


    the power, I¡¯d put an end to it immediately.


    I was patting Catherine as I continued tofort her, and then my mother rushed into the room, her


    face etched with concern and worry.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is Catherine alright?¡± She asked, her voice fraught with anxiety.


    I nced up at her, my own worry mirrored in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She¡¯s really scared. Something


    must have terrified her.¡±


    As my mother rushed into the room, her face etched with concern and worry, I could feel the tension


    mounting. She took a step closer, her arms outstretched, a clear intention tofort Catherine evident


    in her movements.


    70


    My mother¡¯s gaze softened as she approached Catherine¡¯s trembling form on the bed. ¡°Catherine,


    sweetheart, let me take care of you. Tell me what happened,¡± she said gently, reaching out to touch her


    shoulder.


    But Catherine recoiled, her eyes wide with fear as she shrank away from my


    2/4


    mother¡¯s touch. ¡°No! Stay away!¡± she cried, her voice quivering with panic.


    My mother¡¯s expression fell, hurt shing across her features before she masked with a look of


    understanding. ¡°Catherine, please; I just want to help you. You don¡¯t have to be afraid,¡± she pleaded,


    and her voice was filled with desperation.


    But Catherine shook her head vehemently, her whole body trembling as she clung to me even tighter.


    ¡°No, no, no! I don¡¯t want her.


    Near me! Please, just leave me alone!¡± She begged, tears streaming down her checks.


    I felt a surge of helplessness wash over me as I held Catherine close, torn between wanting tofort


    her and respecting her wishes. My mother stood there, her heartbreak evident in her eyes as she


    slowly backed away.


    ¡®Alright, sweetheart,¡± she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some space. But please


    know that I¡¯m here for you whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    With a heavy heart, my mother turned and was about to leave the room. She was about to leave


    Catherine and me alone in the suffocating silence. I continued to watch her as she slowly walked to the


    door. I felt really sorry for her and didn¡¯t want things to go this way. Perhaps this was why she needed


    my help in talking to


    Catherine. She knew she couldn¡¯t do this alone.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    My mother stood there, her hand on the doorknob, ready to leave Catherine and me alone in the tense


    atmosphere. But, you see, I couldn¡¯t bear to let her go.


    Something inside me urged me to stop her, to bridge the gap between them, even if I didn¡¯t fully


    understand what had transpired between them. Although I had asked her about it, she refused to tell


    me a thing. Damn, that was still bothering me.


    ¡°Wait, Mom,¡± I called out. Desperation was present here, present in this room, present at this moment.


    She turned back to look at me, her eyes brimming with at mixture of sadness and hope.


    Turning back to Catherine, who was still clinging to me, I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts


    before speaking. ¡°Catherine, I know you¡¯re scared, and I don¡¯t me you for feeling that way. But Mom,


    she¡¯s just worried about you. She loves you, Catherine, just like I do.¡±


    Catherine¡¯s grip on me tightened, but she didn¡¯t respond, her tear¨Cstreaked face


    306 115 OKAY


    buried in my chest.


    I continued, my voice gentle yet determined. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but


    whatever it is, we can work through it together. You don¡¯t have to face this alone, Catherine. Please,


    just give her a chance.¡±


    My mother remained silent, her eyes fixed on Catherine, silently pleading for her forgiveness.


    Catherine finally lifted her head, her gaze meeting mine with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. ¡°But I


    can¡¯t, Luke. I can¡¯t forgive her,¡± she whispered, and I could. barely hear her voice. ht


    1 felt a pang of sadness at her words, but I refused to give up. ¡°Catherine,


    forgiveness doesn¡¯t mean forgetting or condoning what happened. It means letting go of the anger and


    pain so that you can move forward. Please, for both of our sakes, give her a chance.¡±


    Tears welled up in Catherine¡¯s eyes as she looked from me to my mother, her emotions warring within


    her.


    My mother took a hesitant step forward, her eyes filled with hope. ¡°Catherine, I¡¯m so sorry for whatever


    I¡¯ve done to hurt you. Please, let me make it right.¡±


    Catherine hesitated for a moment, still gazing at my mother. I could see the hurt in her eyes. What


    could this woman have done to her?


    My mother continued with her leaden steps. ¡°Catherine¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te closer!¡± Catherine snapped.


    My heart sank as she snapped at my mother, refusing to let here any closer. I held Catherine


    tighter, trying to convey a sense of calm amidst the chaos within her.


    ¡°Catherine, please. You don¡¯t have to keep pushing her away. Let¡¯s talk about this; let¡¯s find a way to


    work through it together.¡±


    But Catherine was relentless, her body stiffening against my touch as she attempted to push me away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, Luke. Just leave me alone.¡±


    I refused to give up. No, not now. ¡°No, Catherine, we can¡¯t just ignore this. Whatever happened, it¡¯s


    tearing you apart. You need to face it and confront it head-


    306: IT¡¯S OKAY


    on.¡±


    But she shook her head adamantly, her eyes filled with pain and anger. ¡°I can¡¯t, Luke. I can¡¯t do this


    right now,¡± she cried, and her voice began to break.


    4/4


    I could feel my frustration mounting¨Ca desperate need to break through the walls she had built around


    herself. ¡°Then tell me, Catherine,¡± I implored, my voice rising with each word. ¡°Tell me what my mother


    did to you that¡¯s caused you so much pain. We can¡¯t move forward until we address the root of the


    problem.¡±


    The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. Catherine¡¯s eyes darted away


    from mine, her silence speaking volumes.


    ¡°Catherine, please,¡± I begged, my voice softer now, with a hint of pleading. ¡°I need to understand. We


    both do.¡±


    Tears filled Catherine¡¯s eyes as she finally met my gaze, her expression filled with anguish and


    vulnerability.

 Chapter 307

    307: TALK THE TALK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    My frustration simmered beneath the surface as Catherine remained silent, her refusal to speak only


    fueling my growing desperation. I looked to my mother, and the weight of the situation was heavy in the


    air.


    ¡°What happened between you two?¡± I demanded, and now I was frustrated as hell. ¡± You have to tell


    me, Mom. We can¡¯t fix this if we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.


    My mother¡¯s eyes flickered with sadness as she hesitated; the pain of whatever they had gone through


    was evident in her expression. ¡°Luke, it¡¯s not that simple,¡± she began, and her voice was filled with


    regret.


    But I wasn¡¯t willing to ept excuses anymore. ¡°No, Mom, it *is* that simple,¡± I insisted, my tone firm.


    ¡°Whatever happened between you and Catherine, it¡¯s tearing her apart. And if we¡¯re going to put an


    end to this, you need to tell me the truth.¡±


    Catherine¡¯s gaze flickered between us, her expression a mixture of fear and


    uncertainty. I could see the turmoil raging within her and the weight of her silence bearing down on us


    all.


    My mother sighed, her shoulders slumping with resignation. ¡°Fine,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    I held my breath, waiting for her to speak, to finally shed light on the darkness that had engulfed us.


    ¡°It hadn¡¯t been too long,¡± my mother began, her voice quivering. Catherine was going through a difficult


    time, and I wasn¡¯t there for her like I should have been.¡±


    My heart clenched at her words, the guilt and regret evident in her voice. ¡°What do you mean you


    weren¡¯t there for her?¡± I pressed, my voice urgent.


    My mother¡¯s gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet my eyes. ¡°My own problems so consumed me


    and struggles that I neglected her. I let her down, Luke. And I¡¯ve regretted it every day since.¡±


    The weight of her confession hung heavy in the air, and silence stretched between


    us as the truth sank in. Catherine¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and her walls crumbled around her.


    Yeah, it was her drug situation that had brought her into this mess, and now she has to fix this whole


    sh*t up. I didn¡¯t want to see all these two not getting along ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Catherine,¡± my mother whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry for failing you.¡±


    Tears streamed down Catherine¡¯s cheeks as she looked at my mother, her expression was filled with


    pain. ¡°That isn¡¯t all!¡±


    I gave her a confused face. ¡°That isn¡¯t all?¡±


    Catherine nodded. ¡°Yes, that isn¡¯t all¡±


    ¡°Tell me then what she did to you.¡®


    ¡°She tried to kill me.¡±


    as the


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart dropped at Catherine¡¯s words, a chill running down my spine gravity of her revtion sank in.


    ¡°What do you mean she tried to kill you?¡± I asked, my voice barely audible.


    Catherine¡¯s gaze was filled with pain and fear as she recounted the horrifying ordeal. ¡°It was one


    night¡­ she came into my room, and she had this look in her eyes¡­ like she wasn¡¯t herself. She tried


    to suffocate me with a pillow, Luke. I thought I was going to die.¡±


    Shock rippled through me as I turned to my mother, searching for any sign of denial or exnation. But


    all I found was a haunted expression, her eyes filled with guilt and remorse.


    ¡°Mom, is this true?¡± I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief.


    My mother¡¯s hands shook as she struggled to find the right words. ¡°Luke, I¡­ I was going through a


    really difficult time. I took something. I don¡¯t even remember what it was. But I swear, I would never


    intentionally hurt Catherine. I love her like my own daughter. I did tell you I was into drugs, right? Yes,


    that was it. It was what I took that was controlling me. I would never harm my own daughter.¡±


    Catherine scoffed, her voice filled with bitterness. ¡°That¡¯s a lie, and you know it! You tried to kill me, and


    now you¡¯re trying to cover it up with excuses.


    507, TALK THE TALK


    Tension hung heavy in the air as my mind raced, torn between all these two. Of course, my mother told


    me she was an addict. But should I believe that? I mean, I couldn¡¯t actually verify that. After what this


    woman did to me, I couldn¡¯t even trust her words anymore. I didn¡¯t know, but the feeling was just there.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe,¡± I admitted, my voice heavy with uncertainty.


    My mother¡¯s eyes pleaded with me, begging for forgiveness and understanding.¡± Luke, please. You


    know I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I was in a dark ce, and I made a terrible mistake. But


    I¡¯m not that person anymore. I¡¯ve changed, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Have you?¡± I quizzed her, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You know, you still take drugs. So have you changed?¡±


    you that


    ¡°Luke, please. I told you all these things. I changed after what happened to night¨Cthe night you were


    shot. I was broken, and I became a ve to drugs.¡±


    ¡°You had to let it take full control of you, huh?¡±


    My mother nodded. ¡®But Luke. I love Catherine so much. I can¡¯t hurt her.¡±


    But Catherine shook her head, her resolve unyielding. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Luke. She¡¯s lying to you. She


    almost killed me, and she needs to be held ountable for her actions.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.


    Memories flooded my mind, swirling around me like a turbulent storm. I remembered the countless


    moments I spent with my mother,when I was just a child. Herughter echoed through the halls, her


    warm embrace wrapping me iin the sense of security. But amidst those cherished memories lingered a


    shadow of fear and uncertainty.


    EUR


    The night she had tried to take my life, the terror etched into my soul resurfaced. with haunting rity.


    The look in her eyes, devoid of recognition, when she fired a gunshot at me. It was a memory I had


    tried to bury or forget, but now it loomed before me like a specter from the past.


    ¡°Luke.¡± My mother¡¯s voice broke through the tumult of my thoughts, her tone pleading and desperate.


    307: TALK THE TALK


    4/4


    I opened my eyes to meet her gaze, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Honestly, I was


    already sick and tired of this scene.


    I turned to Catherine. Her tear¨Cstained face was a mirror of my own inner turmoil. I could see the


    hesitation in her eyes, the struggle to reconcile her pain with the possibility of forgiveness.


    ¡°Catherine,¡± I began, my voice soft yet resolute. ¡°I understand your pain and your anger. But holding on


    to that hatred will only poison your own heart. Please, for


    your own sake, consider forgiving our mother.¡±


    Catherine¡¯s gaze wavered, torn between the desire for retribution and the hope for redemption. I


    reached out to her, gently taking her hand in mine, willing her to find the strength to let go of the past.


    ¡°Our mother has made mistakes, grave ones,¡± I continued, my words a plea for understanding. ¡°But


    she is still our mother, and she is begging for forgiveness. Can¡¯t we find it in our hearts to grant her


    that?¡±

 Chapter 308

    308: RECONCILIATION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    her


    As she looked from me to our mother, tears welled in Catherine¡¯s eyes, emotions


    warring within her. Slowly, she nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the difficult path ahead.


    My mother¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as she approached us, her movements tentative yet filled with


    hope. She sank to her knees before Catherine, her voice trembling with emotion.


    ¡°I am so sorry, Catherine,¡± she whispered, her words a prayer for absolution. ¡°I cannot undo the pain I


    have caused, but I promise to spend the rest of my days trying to make amends. Please find it in your


    heart to forgive me.¡±


    Catherine¡¯s tearful gaze met mine, and I felt a surge of empathy wash over me. Despite the hurt and


    betrayal she had endured, I could still see the hope in her eyes -a flicker of willingness to let go of the


    past.


    ¡°Catherine,¡± I said softly, squeezing her hand gently. ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy, but forgiveness can be the


    first step towards healing. We don¡¯t have to forget what happened, but we can choose to move


    forward.¡±


    She gazed at me without saying anything, and I gave her a knowing look, raising my brows at her and


    smiling at her cute face.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision? You¡¯ve changed your mind?¡± I asked, and i still raised as I demanded an


    answer politely and softly I¡¯d say.


    my


    brows were


    Catherine didn¡¯t say anything but didn¡¯t take her eyes off me either. We kept on staring at each other


    like we were carrying out a staring contest. But she lost, taking her eyes off me and setting them on her


    mother¨Cmy mother, er, as well; I knew that. Let¡¯s just go on with the narration.


    Turning to my mother, I could see the desperation etched on her face and the raw vulnerability in her


    eyes. Despite the pain she had caused, I couldn¡¯t ignore the love still lingering in her gaze.


    I couldn¡¯t have that bitterness for her anymore. I didn¡¯t know why, but it had


    308 RECONCILIATION


    vanished, and it was all thanks to Ariel for talking some senses into me and changing that mindset. You


    could call that one of her achievements in our rtionship so far. And yes, she stole my heart. The


    greatest of all, which was exceedingly remarkable.


    2/4


    ¡°Mom,¡± I said softly, not taking my eyes off my mother while she did the same. Just that she had her


    lips shut. ¡°I want to believe that you¡¯ve changed and are not the same person who hurt us. But actions


    speak louder than words.¡±


    She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°I understand, Luke. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to earn


    back your trust.¡±


    ¡°Not my trust. I can¡¯t even care less anymore. Let¡¯s talk about her.¡± I gestured toward Catherine. ¡°She¡¯s


    just a little kid. Now she sees you as nothing but a viin. Are you seriously okay with that?¡±


    ¡°No, Luke. That¡¯s why I came to apologize.¡±


    ¡°Pretty clear, huh? But this is going to be a tough one, and I hope you know that. Once you¡¯ve broken


    someone¡¯s trust, it bes very hard for them to trust you again.¡±


    ¡°But Ariel trusts you, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    I raised my brows at her immediately. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused her so much pain in the past, but she decided to forgive you.¡±


    ¡°My case with Ariel is different. We were never the loving type in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The simple truth, quite clear as that,¡± I answered, but I was curious about something. ¡°And by the


    way, how did you know about my rtionship issues?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a notable billionaire in New Haven. Who wouldn¡¯t know about the things you do?!


    I let out a sigh. ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s forget about that. Right now, you and your daughter need to


    reconcile. And I¡¯m not leaving this room until that happens.¡±


    I turned to Catherine. ¡°Your mother did hurt you; she treated you like trash and tried to kill you. Trust


    me, I understand that this woman right here can be so


    308 RECONCIATION


    unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± my mother said, and I took a look at her. She clearly understood the expression. ¡°Okay, do what


    you have to do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told her before turning back to Catherine. ¡°You see, that¡¯s just how she is.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± My mother chimed in again.


    ¡°Can you please let me finish?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, cool. It¡¯s fine; go ahead with your speech,¡± she said, turning her face away.


    I sighed, shaking my head, before turning back to Catherine. ¡°Now, as I was saying before, the witch


    interrupted.¡±


    My mother wanted to speak out, but I countered, widening my eyes and giving her a fake smile.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to shut up,¡± she uttered under her breath.


    ¡°Better.¡± My fake smile lingered on my face. I set my eyes on Catherine promptly. ¡± I used to love this


    woman right here with the whole of my heart, ying all day and doing all sorts of crazy stuff. Every


    moment was fun, and taking my mind back to those old days, a smile always pops up on my face.¡±


    Catherine didn¡¯t take her eyes off me; she was interested in my talk, and I wanted to share more. Pain


    and happiness are flooding through me because of the deceit


    and all that.


    ¡°I took her to be the best. The greatest gift is a light shining upon my life. Our moments were filled with


    laughter¨Cso gleeful, really remarkable. And it was just what


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    e would wish for. I never wanted it to end. I even wanted to be a little kid for the rest of my life.¡± I


    chuckled after thatst part.


    Catherineughed a little. That brought a smile to my lips. It was nice seeing that.


    I continued, ¡°But that¡¯s clearly impossible. And even if it might be possible, things. went the way I didn¡¯t


    expect them to. She was gone from my life, and I was shattered. But she came back. And even though


    she told me it was all a lie, there was still a lie in her words. Because the way she yed with me,


    laughed with me. and had fun with me was just so awesome. There couldn¡¯t be any fake moments.


    there.¡±


    I ced my hand on Catherine¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re just a little kid. And your shouldn¡¯t let bitterness flood


    your heart. Enjoy the moment while you¡¯re still young. Childhood days are the best; you shouldn¡¯t


    create time to be upset or mad at someone. Don¡¯t create room for malice or let darkness overshadow


    you. Stay strong always, and please forgive your mother.¡±


    Catherine slowly took a look at our mother. I could see the softened expression right there, and the


    anger seemed to have disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard, you know,¡± she told me, and I exhaled


    deeply forthwith.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard. But she¡¯s still your mother, after all. And she¡¯s changed; she made a promise not


    to treat you badly anymore. You just have to believe that she¡¯s going to keep that promise, Because I


    believe and I know for a fact that she loves you so much and won¡¯t do anything to harm you anymore.¡±

 Chapter 309

    309: NICE FEELING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Catherine,¡± I said softly, holding her gaze, ¡°will you forgive Mom?¡±


    Catherine nodded, her eyes glistening with tears of both pain and relief. ¡°I will.¡±


    Now, a warm smile spread across my face as I scooped her up into my arms, turning her around in a


    yful spin. So the two of us halted, and we both looked over at our mother, beaming at us, her arms


    outstretched in a weing gesture.


    who w


    I gently set Catherine down, and she hesitated for a moment before taking a few steps towards our


    mother.


    ¡°Go on, Catherine.¡± I encouraged her softly, giving her a gentle push forward.


    Catherine took a deep breath and then ran into our mother¡¯s open arms. I watched as they embraced,


    the tension and hurt melting away in that moment of reconciliation. It was a beautiful sight, and I loved


    this reunion. I just hope shit doesn¡¯t happen next time.


    With a loving smile, our mother mouthed a silent ¡°thank you¡± to me.


    I nodded, smiling at her back, and the both of them stood there, their warm embracesting for


    minutes.


    ¡°So, if the two of you are back together, I guess I can leave now.¡± I held my waist.


    Catherine turned around. ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I am. I have work to take care of. But I will be back, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we know you¡¯ll be back,¡± my mother told me. ¡°Or are you going on a business trip, or¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not happening right now,¡± I cut her off. But that does make sense,¡± I gently stroked my chin,


    thinking about it.


    Catherine and her mother continued to embrace me, and I slowly backed away from them, a sense of


    contentment filling my heart. Seeing them reconcile brought a wave of relief, but I knew I had other


    things that needed to be dealt with. And sh*t,


    10% NICE FEELING


    2/4


    this morning had been so busy that I kept forgetting that I had a meeting waiting for me. Who knew?


    Maybe those guys have disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to catch up,¡± I said with a small smile, turning towards the door.


    Catherine nced back at me, smiling gleefully, and she was full of gratitude. Thank you, Luke.¡±


    I nodded in response, giving them onest look before stepping out of the room. Closing the door


    behind me, I let out a sigh, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. It was a moment that a mother of mine


    had been hoping for, and she should be d it had finally arrived. And I was d that she would stop


    troubling my ass.


    Making my way to my room, I quickly discarded my current shirt and headed for the bathroom. The


    warm water going down my body felt soothing, washing away the tiredness I had gotten just this


    morning. You could imagine what the next few hours were going to be like. I had to brace myself. After


    all, I am Luke Reynold.


    I towel¨Cdried myself. I reyed the scene in my mind, each moment etched vividly. I spoke to


    Catherine about the way I felt during those wonderful moments. I¡¯d say I was in the spirit, and it was a


    nice scene, changing her mind. After all, she was a little girl,; I didn¡¯t want her to be that bitter at


    such a young age. It wouldn¡¯t make sense, would it?


    Dressed in my gray suit, which I had chosen earlier, I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie with


    precision. Today was going to be a busy day, but I was ready to face whatever challenges awaited me,


    starting with those folks who hade to see me to discuss whatever. Business stuff, yeah, I knew


    that.


    With a final nce in the mirror, I straightened my posture, ready to tackle the day ahead. Exiting my


    room, I made my way downstairs. I would have grabbed a quick breakfast, but there was no time for


    that. No time to waste, no time to squander. It was all about getting things done quickly, being fully


    prepared, and avoiding much. stress. But technically, that was kind of impossible. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it


    if I


    wanted to go to a restaurant and just sit there half of the day.


    Anyway, I headed out the door, not looking back at anyone or anything. The sun was shining brightly, a


    promising start to the day. Well, I just had to say that. But we all knew my day had started. And just in a


    few hours, I had seen all kinds of stuff -weird and irritating stuff, and the great ones, too. I won¡¯t forget


    that.


    309: NICE FEELING


    3/4


    So, stepping outside, I took a deep breath, feeling energized. I went through the gate, and there I was. I


    strode down the path towards my car, ready to dive into the tasks awaiting me. With my hands fixed on


    the steering wheel, I leaned back, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Here I was, cruising down the road, enjoying the freedom of the open highway, and I felt the wind in my


    hair and the sun on my face. I was reveling in the joy of this moment, and just in case you were


    wondering, I was going to meet Andre at hispany. I had some things that I needed to discuss with


    him. It was for the best.


    I was still relishing the great drive, but suddenly, I noticed the shing lights of a police car in my


    rearview mirror. My heart skipped a beat as I pulled over to the side of the road, wondering what I could


    have possibly done wrong. Was I driving at too much speed, or did I forget to signal?


    Two officers approached my car, and I rolled down my window, trying to appear calm despite the


    nervous flutter in my stomach. I had never experienced a police stop in my life. Okay, that was a lie¨Ca


    big one. But it didn¡¯t happen frequently, and I could just hope that this was something minor.


    ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am,¡± one of the officers greeted me politely.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said back. How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°We just need to take your number for our records.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°My number? Why?¡±


    The other officer chimed in, ¡°Just routine procedure, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re updating our database.¡±


    I shook my head with a chuckle. ¡°Sorry, officers, but I¡¯m happily married with a child. I don¡¯t think my


    husband would appreciate me giving out my number to other men.


    The officers exchanged looks, trying to hide their amusement. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I gave them a stic smile.


    ¡°Well, not really.¡±


    ¡°Good, so can you owl?


    ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am,¡± one of them said with a smile, ¡°We understand. Have a good day.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You too.¡± I smiled back. I actually loved their politeness. I thought they were going to start screaming,


    or something.


    They both walked to their cars, and Iughed out loud. They might hear me, but 1 didn¡¯t care one bit.


    But seriously, asking for my number? What were they even thinking?


    I was about to drive away when I spotted someone, and the look on my face changed that very


    moment.

 Chapter 310

    310: NO RESPECT


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Not someone I expected to see, but what could I say? God was just showing me things. And by the


    way, I couldn¡¯t let this woman continue to walk around freely. Who knew what she had in mind? Who


    knew what she was cooking up? Her schemes are to ruin me. I couldn¡¯t let her get out of my sight, no.


    Still sitting in my car, I watched Harriet, her figure shrouded in a ck hoodie, trudging along the road


    with an air of secrecy. My curiosity piqued. This was how the idiot was going to keep living her life.


    Moving here and there, hiding from the people of New Haven. What a life that was! Once a famous


    actress, now look at how she was ruined.


    Instinctively, I felt the urge to drive in her direction, to uncover the mystery veiled beneath her cloak of


    anonymity. But was there actually a mystery? I could ask myself that, but the thoughts were technically


    kind of messed up. I knew what was going on in her mind right now. Seeking vengeance, she tried to


    follow through with her evil deeds. But apparently, I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. Well, if I had the


    chance, Hold on; I have the chance right now. Things could be really messed up, probably.


    So, right now, it was all about following her, and just as I was about to shift gears. my phone interrupted


    the moment, buzzing insistently with an iing call from Janice. When my daughter¡¯s sweet voice


    called, I sighed and replied, ¡°Why hadn¡¯t I spent the night at home?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve just got some things to take care of. But I promise, I¡¯ll join you soon.¡±


    Our conversation was brief but filled with affectionate exchanges, leaving me with a warm feeling in my


    heart as I ended the call.


    Turning my attention back to the road, I became frustrated when I realized Harriet had vanished from


    sight. I mmed my palm against the steering wheel, cursing my luck.


    Fuck! Why did that good¨Cfor¨Cnothing idiot have to vanish like that? Now, where the hell had she gone?


    If only I could spot her right now. I¡¯d start the car without


    310: NO RESPECT


    thinking twice.


    2/4


    But I couldn¡¯t let myself get wild by that. I couldn¡¯t think too much or get upset. about losing her. If she


    wanted to do something bad, she should go ahead. I wasn¡¯t scared of her, but I was fully prepared for


    anything that was about toe.


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. And then I started driving.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Stepping into the lobby of mypany, the weight of responsibility pressed.


    heavily on my shoulders, as always. Today, I just had this different feeling. I didn¡¯t know, but things


    were just different. Everyone was great¨Csame faces, normal activities¨Cbut the feeling was different


    within me.


    I nced at my watch and decided to move further, but before I could even reach. my office, Jack


    hurried over, his expression a mix of concern and urgency. Crap, on the way I could actually guess


    that.


    ¡°You¡¯rete, sir,¡± he whispered, and his voice was filled with worry, as if we were supposed to depend


    on thispany that hade to pay us a visit.


    ¡°I know,¡± I replied tersely, all because I had to. Thoughts of the impending meeting were moving around


    in my head, but it wasn¡¯t like I was panicking or something.


    ¡°So, I thought you were with them. Where are they?¡± I nced around, searching for representatives


    from the Starkpany. But before Jack could respond, they approached us, their demeanor cold and


    disapproving


    ¡°Luk Reynold, you¡¯ve been a messtely,¡± one of them stated bluntly, his tone. dripping with disdain.


    ¡°It¡¯s bing increasingly difficult to work with you.¡±


    His words cut deep, and I struggled to maintain myposure. Otherpanies. noticed my erratic


    behavior and tendency to avoid meetings and responsibilities. I knew I needed to do better. But, you


    see, it has been all about familytely. It was all about Ariel, and I would do everything I could to put


    her first. She deserved all the attention, so losing anything just to still have a hold of her was worth it.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± I began, my voice kind of low, and it¡¯s not like I wanted to do this. But it was something I


    had to do. To maintain the rtionship I had with these people. My grandfather taught me that. ¡°I¡¯m


    committed to improving and making things right,¡± I added.


    314 NO RESPECT


    3/4


    But they were not swayed. Instead, theyunched into a barrage of insults, which was really irritating


    and made me sick.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know why your grandfather handed thispany to you in the first ce. You clearly do


    not deserve it,¡± one of them spat, looking around.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± the other spoke. ¡°I have to admit; the old man was a fool for making


    such a decision.¡±


    ¡°What the hell did you just say?¡± I asked in a cold and threatening tone. Anger boiled inside me,


    threatening to erupt. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak ill of my grandfather, ¡°I growled, my fists clenched at my


    sides. ¡°He believed in me, and I won¡¯t let you tarnish his legacy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t think that we¡¯re going to be scared of that face of yours. We¡¯re saying nothing but the


    truth right here. Your grandfather was such an idiot to hand Reynold¡¯spany to you. It¡¯s definitely


    the biggest mistake someone¡¯s going to


    make in a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I snapped incontinently. Their words stung, but I refused to back down. ¡°Leave the


    company,¡± Imanded, my voice low and menacing. ¡°I don¡¯t need your worthless project, and I


    certainly don¡¯t need your insults.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start yelling at us, Luke Reynold. We¡¯re just telling you the truth. We all


    know the truth hurts.¡±


    ¡°To hell with you and your goddamn truth. You can leave.¡±


    ¡°Is this how you¡¯re going to act now, Luke? Getting angry and terminating projects that are worth


    millions? That is so unprofessional.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And what¡¯s professional? Youing to my ownpany to throw insults at me and mock my


    grandfather¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Is that how you see it?¡±


    ¡°How else am I supposed to see it?¡± My infuriated tone continued.


    ¡°We are only correcting you.¡±


    ¡°And in no little kid. I know how things work, mister.¡±


    ¡°You want to know your problem, Luke Reynold? You can¡¯t take simple corrections.


    310. NO RESPECT


    ¡°And you want to know your problem? Is it that you can¡¯t stop talking sh*t? You both are so annoying.


    Like, how do you idiots even run yourpany?¡±


    ¡°Enough with the insults.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up! And I don¡¯t want to see the both of you around here anymore.¡±


    ¡°You do know the consequences of your actions, right?¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± I spat, my tone final. ¡°Before I lose my patience.¡±


    They both made me angry, but I didn¡¯t care one bit. ¡°Fine, we will leave. But just know that the Stark


    company will never work with The Reynolds anymore.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, bye.¡± I faked a smiling face, and they both adjusted their suits before walking away.


    ¡°That was terrible,¡± Jack said softly.


    I sighed and walked away.

 Chapter 311

    911: BEEN LONG


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stepped out of my car, and the imposing structure of Andre¡¯spany loomed overhead, its sleek


    ss fa?ade reflecting the morning sunlight. I took a moment to admire the modern architecture before


    making my way towards the entrance.


    After all, it had been kind of long since I got here. The Vitality Group still looked good, and I was d


    everything was going well. It was nice to know about this and see how things were going great. I


    couldn¡¯t be happier.


    The automatic doors swooshed open, and I stepped into the spacious lobby, taking in the polished


    floors and minimalist d¨¦cor. My eyes scanned the area, searching for any familiar faces amidst the


    bustling activity of employees going about their day.


    Suddenly, a voice called out my name, and I turned to see Hannah rushing towards me with open


    arms. ¡°Ariel!¡± she eximed, enveloping me in a warm hug. ¡°It¡¯s been so long; I¡¯ve missed you!¡±


    Returning her embrace, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the genuine affection in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you


    too, Hannah,¡± I replied, feeling quite great to be in her presence. Nostalgia or whatever, let¡¯s just say it


    was washing over me. Yeah, pretty much.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re back, Ariel. Honestly, without you, things felt a little bit different.¡±


    ¡°Oh great. Thanks; I feel so special, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ariel. You are special.¡±


    We pulled away from each other, and I took the opportunity to nce around the lobby once more.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything going with the business?¡± I asked, genuinely


    curious about Hannah¡¯s sess.


    She beamed with pride. ¡°It¡¯s going great, Ariel. Been doing great with all kinds of projects, making


    things work out with the business deals. And yes, with all these, I


    have been elevated to higher heights in the business.¡±


    I smiled, genuinely happy for her. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear. You¡¯ve always had such


    a knack for entrepreneurship. And you totally deserve everything. I feel so happy for


    911. BEEN LONG


    you.¡±


    Hannah¡¯s smile widened at thepliment. ¡°Thank you, Ariel. But enough about me,


    she said, linking her arm with mine. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere quieter where we can catch up properly.¡±


    I chuckled softly, appreciating her thoughtfulness. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to, Hannah,


    I¡¯m actually here to see Andre,¡± I confessed, my gaze drifting towards the elevators.


    Her expression softened understandingly. ¡°Of course, Ariel. He¡¯s been looking forward to seeing you


    since he left the hospital,¡± she said, reassuringly squeezing my


    arm. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re here.¡±


    With a grateful nod, I watched as Hannah made her way toward the elevator bank, leaving me to wait


    anxiously for Andre¡¯s arrival.


    Whileas still standing, waiting for him, someone approached me. Someone I knew was really crazy


    about the things she did¨Cjus¨Cjustway of beingbeing Gwen popped up out of nowhere, her enthusiasm


    practically bouncing off the walls.


    ¡°Ariel!¡± She vocalized, and my mouth widely opened. ¡°Oh my gosh, girl, where have


    you been? It¡¯s been ages since Ist saw your face!¡±


    I was just staring at her because I knew what I was signing up for. ¡°Hey, Gwen! Yeah,


    it¡¯s been a while. I¡¯ve been-¡±


    ¡°However, allow me to borate on this irrational dream I experiencedst night! Consequently, I was


    traversing a glittering field atop a unicorn when all of a sudden, I was alightening aboard a rocket ship


    bound for Mars! Can you believe it?¡±


    I made a face that was sort of a puzzle, I¡¯d say. ¡°Um, that sounds¡­ wild. But, Gwen, I-¡±


    ¡°And then, I found myself at a disco party with aliens!¡± She cut me off. ¡°Can you. imagine dancing with


    little green men? Oh, it was hrious!¡±


    ¡°Gwen, that sounds like quite the adventure, but¡­¡±


    She snapped her fingers/continuing with her nonsense. ¡°Oh, sorry, I¡¯m rambling again, aren¡¯t I? I just


    get so excited to see you! Hey, let¡¯s take a selfie to


    Before I could protest, Gwen had already whipped out her phone and pulled me into


    a selfie.


    She opened her mouth really wide. ¡°Say cheese!¡±


    I had no other option but to force a smile. ¡°Cheese.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡± She put her phone down, letting go of me. ¡°Okay, so tell me, what have you


    been up totely? Is there any juicy gossip?¡±


    I crossed my arms, trying to make her understand that I was not in the middle of this.


    ¡°Actually, Gwen, I really need to catch up with Andre. It¡¯s kind of urgent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, of course! I won¡¯t keep you any longer. But hey, let¡¯s grab lunch sometime and catch up


    properly, okay?¡±


    I nodded with a smile. ¡°Sure, that sounds good.¡± Fake smile, but I needed to pull that


    off at the moment.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, bye¨Cbye. You have work to do, and I have someone to see.¡± I gently


    ced my hands on Gwen¡¯s shoulders and began to slowly steer her away.


    ¡°I know, but I still have other things to talk about. Those scenes just came back to


    my head, and trust me, they are really captivating.¡±


    ¡°Sure, they are,¡± I said sarcastically, still pushing her away. ¡°Well, I should get going


    now. It was great seeing you, Gwen.¡±


    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be a stranger, Ariel! Catch youter, alligator!¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°In a while, crocodile.¡±


    Finally breaking free, I made a swift exit towards the elevators, relieved to escape.


    Gwen¡¯s whirlwind of energy. But as I stood there, Hannah advanced toward me.


    ¡°There you are,¡± she blurted, walking closer to me. ¡°I thought you had left. I was like,


    Oh my god, gone too soon?¡±


    I widened my eyes at her, and she shook her hands, saying, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong here.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Alright, Ariel, let¡¯s go see Andr¨¦. He¡¯s been eager to catch up with you.¡± She smiled at me, crossing


    her arms.


    Thanks, Hannah. I really appreciate it.¡± I smiled back


    We walked up to Andre, who was seated at his desk, engrossed in some paperwork.


    As we approached, he looked up with a warm smile.


    ¡°Ariel, it¡¯s good to see you. How have you been?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been alright, Andr¨¦. And how about you? How¡¯s the recovery going?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the wound still stings a bit, but I¡¯m getting by. Thanks for asking.¡±


    I nced around the office, smiling at the building. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here. Things


    haven¡¯t changed much, though.¡±


    Andre sighed. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been keeping things pretty steady. But we¡¯ve missed having you around.¡±


    Hannah interjected, sensing the moment was right for her to make her exit. ¡°Wel, n leave you two to


    catch up. Ariel, it was great seeing you again.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Hannah. Take care.¡±


    As Hannah walked away, Andre turned his attention back to me, his expression


    curious.


    ¡°So, what brings you back here, Ariel?¡® Andre was questioned, resting his elbows on


    his desk. ¡°Not that I¡¯mining, of course.¡±


    I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before speaking. ¡°Well, Andre, I did some thinking, and¡­ I


    want to start working for thepany again.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

 Chapter 312

    312: CAN¡¯T CHANGE MY MIND


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I cleared my throat, feeling a bit nervous under Andre¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Um, yeah, so¡­ I want to


    come back and work with thepany again,¡± I finally blurted out, hoping I didn¡¯t sound too awkward.


    Andre raised an eyebrow, still not saying a word, and I shifted ufortably under his intense stare.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Andre,¡± I stammered, feeling the need to defend my


    decision.


    He finally broke his silence with a small chuckle. ¡°Of course, I know you¡¯re serious, Ariel,¡± he said, his


    voiceced with amusement. ¡°I was just¡­ processing.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his response. ¡°Processing? You looked like you were


    about to grill me for a second there,¡± I teased, feeling a wave of relief wash over me.


    He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I don¡¯t know; maybe I thought you found some other


    I shook my head, still chuckling. ¡°No way, Andre. You know that I¡¯ll always work with Vitality Group. You


    helped me out years ago, and I¡¯ll never forget that.¡±


    Andre¡¯s smile widened at my words. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Ariel,¡± he replied sincerely,


    his eyes reflecting genuine gratitude.


    ¡°So, am I hired?¡± I asked, slowly widening my mouth.


    He chuckled, tapping


    s desk lightly. ¡°Wee back to the team.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Andre,¡± I told him with a smile. It¡¯s good to be back.¡±


    ¡°So, Ariel, I need to ask you something.¡±


    I gave


    him a curious face. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I know we¡¯ve talked about this before, but I just have to make things clear around


    here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay, so what is it?¡± I queried.


    112 EAST CLANG MY MIND


    Andre sighed before he finally decided to speak up. Do you still n to take revenge on Mason?


    ¡°Oh, I see. Now I understand this whole conversation from the very beginning.¡±


    Andre chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you do. So, Ariel, aren¡¯t you going to give me an answer to my question?¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Yes, Andre. My decision about Mason hasn¡¯t changed. And it¡¯s not going to


    change. I thought we made this clear at the hospital.


    ¡°I know, but I just want to see if I can still change your mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t. I think you¡¯ve seen enough now.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, you can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t decide to kill him.¡±


    ¡°I have to, Andr¨¦. Mason must pay for what he did to my son.


    ¡°But you do know there are other ways to seek justice. Killing him won¡¯t bring your


    son back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, Andr¨¦. This is the only way.


    Andre exhaled deeply and leaned his back against his chair. ¡°I know you won¡¯t change your mind, but I


    had to try.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, Andr¨¦. But Mason needs to pay.


    ¡°I know, Ariel. I won¡¯t stress it further. Let¡¯s focus on your return to thepany.¡±


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I sat on the weathered bench in the heart of the park, a sanctuary amidst the bustling city. The rhythmic


    chirping of birds provided a soothing backdrop, a symphony of nature in contrast to the cacophony of


    urban life. I took a deep breath, relishing the momentary respite from the demands of work.


    I was drawn to the vibrant tapestry of life unfolding before me. Children of all ages danced and yed,


    theirughter echoing like music. Each one seemed to possess irrepressible energy, an infectious joy


    that enlivened the surroundings.


    Nearby, a group of toddlers chased after a colorful ball, their tiny legs pumping with


    212 CANT CHANGE MY MIND


    determination. Theirughter bubbled with pure delight, filling the air with a heartwarming and nostalgic


    innocence. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their antics, reminded of simpler times when life was measured


    in moments of unbridled


    happiness.


    Further along the path, a pair of siblings swung hand in hand, theirughter mingling with the rustle of


    leaves overhead. The older sister pushed her brother higher and higher, his squeals of excitement


    reaching new heights with each arc. Their bond was palpable, a testament to the unbreakable ties of


    family and friendship.


    Watching these little children, a smile popped on my face, transporting me back to my childhood days


    spent in this park. I remembered the thrill of racing down the winding paths and the exhration of


    conquering the yground¡¯s towering structures. Back then, the world was a vast yground, filled


    with endless possibilities and adventures waiting to be discovered.


    I yearned for those carefree, free of obligations¨Cand expectations days with a pang of longing tugging


    at my heart. But amidst the wistfulness, there was also gratitude ¨C for the memories forged in this very


    park, for the moments of joy andughter that had shaped me into the person I am today. Yes, my


    grandfather used to take me here, as wdidmy parents. I can still remember every scene I spent with


    them around


    this location. Oh, the sweet memories.


    A sudden burst ofughter drew my attention to a group of older children engaged in a game of tag.


    They darted and dodged with practiced agility, their movements fluid. and effortless. A timeless custom


    passed down through the generations, shouts of ecstasy and the asional burst of yful taunting


    apanied each chase.


    I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at youth¡¯s resilience and creativity and ability to find joy in the simplest of


    moments. In a world fraught withplexities and uncertainties, they remained beacons of hope,


    reminders of the enduring power ofughter and


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    friendship.


    This was just me sometimes, thinking too much. I get lots of pleasure in that, observing the better


    things, and thinking about how the individuals enjoying relishing


    such times are doing.


    Lost in contemtion, I barely noticed the passage of time until the distant tolling of a bell stirred me


    from my reverie. Reluctantly, I rose from the bench, a sense of peace


    settling over me like aforting nket.


    As I sat there, immersed in my thoughts, my phone suddenly rang, jolting me back to the present


    moment. With a sigh, I fished it out of my pocket and saw Jack¡¯s name


    shing on the screen.


    ¡°Hey, Jack,¡± I answered, trying to soundposed despite the interruption to my peaceful interlude.


    ¡°Luke, sorry to disturb you, but there are some people at thepany who really want to see you.


    They¡¯re insisting on a meeting today.¡± Jack¡¯s voice came through, urgent yet respectful.


    I nced at the lively scene around me, torn between the park¡¯s serenity and work demands. ¡°Alright,


    tell them I¡¯ll be there,¡± I replied, resigning myself to the inevitable


    return to reality.


    After ending the call, I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, preparing to leave the


    park¡¯s sanctuary. But before I could stand, I felt a tap on my shoulder, causing me to


    slowly turn around, curious as to who had interrupted my departure from this peaceful oasis.


    ¡°Harriet?¡± My eyes widened in shock the moment I noticed she was the one who had


    tapped me¨Cthe one standing behind me.


    She had a smirk on her face. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Luke? Are you shocked to see me?

 Chapter 313

    313: THE MONSTER THAT YOU ARE


    FLASHBACK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I took Harriet¡¯s hand as we strolled down the cobblestone streets of New Haven, the


    crisp autumn air swirling around us. Tonight was special; I had made reservations at one of the city¡¯s


    most exclusive restaurants, Le Vingt¨CCinq. I could feel her


    excitement radiating beside me, her eyes moving with so much love.


    The moment we approached the entrance, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of nervousness. Would


    everything be perfect? Would she enjoy the evening as much as I hoped she would? Pushing aside my


    doubts, I held my head high and led her inside.


    The restaurant¡¯s interior was stunning, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the elegant decor. A


    ma?tre d greeted us with a smile and led us to our table near arge window overlooking the city


    skyline. Harriet¡¯s gasp of awe made my heart swell


    with pride; I had made the right choice.


    We settled into our seats, and I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from her. She looked


    breathtaking, the soft candlelight dancing across her features. Taking a deep breath. to steady my


    nerves, I reached for her hand across the table.


    ¡°Harriet,¡± I began, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I wanted tonight to be special because you mean


    everything to me. I love you more than words can express.


    Her eyes widened in surprise, a soft smile spreading across her lips. ¡°Luke, I love you too,¡± she


    murmured, squeezing my hand in return.


    With a sense of relief flooding through me, I leaned back in my chair, determined to make this night one


    to remember. We perused the menu, indulging in dishes we had only dreamed of trying before. Each


    bite was a symphony of vors, a testament to


    the chef¡¯s skill and expertise.


    And as the evening wore on, our conversation flowed effortlessly,ughter mingling


    with the gentle hum of the restaurant around us. We talked about everything and nothing, our words


    weaving together like a tapestry of shared memories and dreams,


    for the future.


    21 THE MONSTER THAT YOU ARE


    P


    But it wasn¡¯t just the food or the ambiance that made this night unforgettable; it was the way Harriet


    looked at me, with love and adoration shining in her eyes. It was the way herughter rang out like


    music, filling the space between us with warmth and


    joy.


    The dessert tes were cleared away, and I reached into my pocket, fingers brushing against the


    velvet box hidden inside. I knew the moment was right; I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this


    incredible woman by my side.


    Taking a deep breath, I slid the box across the table towards her, my heart pounding


    in my chest. ¡°Harriet, will you marry me?¡± I asked, my voice barely a whisper.


    Her eyes widened in shock, tears shimmering on hershes as she opened the box to reveal the


    sparkling ring nestled inside. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as she gazed at the ring, and


    then she looked up at me, her smile radiant.


    ¡°Yes, Luke. I will marry you. But you¡¯re engaged to that woman, Ariel. How are we going to deal with


    that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I¡¯ll talk to my grandfather; I¡¯ll change his mind about that


    woman, and after that, the both of us can get married. So put this


    ring on.¡±


    ¡°No, Luke. I can¡¯t do that. You have to prove to me first that our love is stronger than anything else in


    this world. So when you¡¯re done ending that engagement with Ariel, I¡¯ll slide in my finger, whatever ring


    you give me. But for now, that¡¯s not happening. Let¡¯s just enjoy our meal and every moment in this


    restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Harriet,¡± I said lowly and let out a sigh, putting the ring in the box and straight into my pocket.


    Her words really ruined my happiness, but there was some truth to


    them. Indeed, there was some truth to it.


    END OF FLASHBACK


    ¡°What¡¯s with that face, Luke? Are you surprised to see me?¡± Harriet asked, still smirking at me. I looked


    down at her because it had been a long since the two of us were this close. And I didn¡¯t even want to


    get too close to her anymore. Well, I did feel sorry for her when she was in prison, to the point that I


    even had to visit her. But she was so cruel that she kidnapped my daughter, held her a ctive for a year,


    and even tried to kill the woman I loved. Wasn¡¯t such a person a monster? That¡¯s the


    313 THE MONSTER THAT YOU ARE


    Harriet I¡¯m talking about right now.


    She was putting on a ck hoodie with a pair of jeans that suited her figure perfectly. But to hell with


    her and her looks. They might be great to other folks, but to- me, they¡¯re just as hideous as her.


    ¡°You,¡± I said coldly, in a whisper. I think I was short on words at the moment because the anger boiling


    inside of me was way too much for me to even say a damn thing. What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°What am I doing here? I came to the park to watch the little children y, too. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re


    the only one who gets to witness the fun?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop ring at her. ¡°I ask again, what are you doing here?¡± This time, my voice was


    threatening. Like a wolf growling, ready to devour the fool standing in its


    way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that tone of yours is going to make me afraid. I was in a rtionship with you for eight


    years. So just stop that shit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so crazy, Harriet. I can¡¯t keep on wasting my time with a monster like you.¡±


    Harriet scoffed, her smirk widening. ¡°Oh, spare me the melodrama, Luke. You knew. exactly what kind


    of person I was when you got involved with me.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I never imagined you¡¯d stoop so low as to endanger so many lives just to get what you


    want,¡± I shot back, my fists clenched at my sides.


    ¡°And I wanted you, Luke! But you betrayed me. You departed from me in search of that valueless


    woman who abhorred you to the point of insufficiency.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk trash about Ariel?¡±


    Harrietughed. ¡°Oh, I see your love for her has gone this far, huh?¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and walk away before I lose it.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do? Beat the hell out of me the way your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing


    wife did.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she didn¡¯t tell you?¡±


    313 THE MONSTER THAT YOU AFL


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± I asked with so much bitterness.


    ¡°Well, your beloved wife, Ariel, is also a monster. She just kidnapped me and tortured me. Do you see


    all these scars on my face and body? It¡¯s all because of her; she wanted to make my life a living hell,


    but too bad, I escaped.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea about that. But whatever she did to you, you deserved it. After keeping her from her


    daughter for almost a year and killing her son, what do you expect?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her son.¡±


    ¡°But your aplice did. It¡¯s the same thing around here.¡±


    ¡°Luke, do you hate me that much?¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡±

 Chapter 314

    314: DRENCHED IN RAIN


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m asking you that! Why wouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡± Harriet snapped


    at me. We once shared this remarkable love, and it was so passionate¨Cyour


    wonderful touch, your passionate kisses.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I snarled. ¡°That was in the past. It¡¯s never happening anymore.¡±


    ¡°Because of that witch, right? It¡¯s because of Ariel, right?¡±


    ¡°I warned you to stop talking about Ariel,¡± I growled, my hands trembling with rage as I grabbed


    Harriet¡¯s neck, tightening my grip around her. She gasped for air, her eyes widening in fear as she


    struggled against my hold.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re crazy,¡± she wheezed out, her voice barely audible between choked


    breaths.


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± I spat, my anger boiling over as I remembered Harriet threatening to fire a gunshot


    at me and Ariel during our wedding. And I could imagine the scene. where she shot Ariel at the bridge.


    I wasn¡¯t there, though, but I could just picture it. How could she have the audacity to stand there and


    nder Ariel after everything


    she had done?


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her,¡± Harriet managed to croak out, her face turning red fromck


    of oxygen.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t deserve to breathe another breath,¡± I snarled, my fingers digging deeper into her throat.


    Every insult she hurled at Ariel fueled the fire burning inside me, driving me to the edge of sanity.


    Before she could utter another word, I thrust her backward with all my strength, releasing my grip on


    her neck. Harriet stumbled and fell to the ground, gasping for air


    as she clutched at her throat.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± I spat, my voice trembling with fury. ¡°And don¡¯t you evere near


    me or my family again.¡±


    Harriet scrambled to her feet, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hatred, as she


    314 PRINCAID IN RA


    stumbled away from me. I watched her go, the anger still burning inside me like a raging inferno.


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling within me. But the memories of what


    Harriet had done¨Cwhat she had put Ariel through¨Clingered like a


    dark cloud over my soul.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    I turned and walked away, leaving Harriet behind me in the park. But I knew that this was far from over.


    The wounds she and that scumbag, Mason, had inflicted on Ariel ran deep, and the scars she had left


    behind would never truly heal, killing her beloved son. That was really malevolent. But one thing was


    certain: I would do whatever it took to protect the woman I loved from monsters like Harriet, no matter


    the cost.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It had been a long day discussing with Andre at hispany, and all I wanted to do was go home and


    rx. But first, I decided to go meet Luke to see if he was still at his ce of work so the both of us


    would go home together. And yes, I noticed that his car was parked outside with the windows rolled up.


    I could see him sitting inside, lost in deep thoughts. I walked up to his car and knocked on the window,


    calling out


    his name.


    ¡°Luke? Are you okay?¡± I asked, concerned.


    He slowly rolled down the window, and his face was wearing a serious expression. I wondered what


    could be bothering him. I knocked on the window again, this time a


    little louder.


    ¡°Uhmm, how was your day at work?¡± I queried, but he remained silent, staring ahead. ¡± Luke, what¡¯s


    wrong? You seem upset.¡±


    He still didn¡¯t respond, and he didn¡¯t even turn to look at me.


    ¡°Did something bad happen at work? Did you get into a fight with somebody?¡±


    He finally turned to me, but he didn¡¯t say anything. We looked into each other¡¯s eyes, but it didn¡¯t take


    long before he turned his face away. It was not nice, honestly.


    I stood there, not knowing what to do. I didn¡¯t want to intrude on whatever was going on in his mind, but


    I also didn¡¯t want to leave him alone.


    ¡°Please, whatever it is, talk to me. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    914 DRENCHED IN RAIN.


    He finally let out a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ariel. Just a rough day.


    That didn¡¯t convince me. ¡°Are you sure? You seem really troubled.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Luke, please tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± I pleaded. Whatever you¡¯re going through right now, I can help.


    Trust me.¡±


    He refused to answer, so I stood there in silence, staring at him, not taking my eyes off him. If he did


    not wish to converse, I had no intention of entering that vehicle. I


    would stand here until his mind was settled.


    The both of us were still silent, with me staring at him while he had his eyes fixed on


    somewhere else and his mind on a different ce.


    Suddenly, the rain started pouring down heavily. I stood still, getting wet, and it seemed he didn¡¯t care.


    But even with that, I still stood my ground, and I wasn¡¯t going


    I


    anywhere if this man wasn¡¯t going to act normal.


    What in the world happened to him? Who broke him now?


    I


    He finally turned to look at me; his eyes showed how worried he was, and that was when he noticed


    that I was in the rain. ¡°Why are you standing outside in the rain?


    Come inside the car.¡±


    I didn¡¯t move; I just continued to stare at him. I wanted him to open up to me and share whatever was


    burdening him. I could feel the raindrops on my face, but I didn¡¯t


    care anyway.


    ¡°Ariel, get in the car,¡± he told me again. Now it was my turn to ignore, my turn not to give a response.


    But even with that, I wanted a response. He needed to tell me what was going on with him so we could


    fix this make things right.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get inside the car?¡± He asked, his voice now louder than before.¡± Please get it;


    you¡¯ll get soaked,¡± he pleaded, but I remained rooted to the spot, still


    staring at him.


    ¡°Ariel plea¡­¡± He trailed off. After that, he got out of the car and walked towards me, standing close to


    me. We looked into each other¡¯s eyes, the rain pouring down on us. At that moment, I felt like we were


    the only two people in the world.


    Luke gently took hold of my hands, and we were both now drenched in rain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ariel? Why


    won¡¯t youe inside?¡±


    I met his gaze, searching for his, as I spoke softly, ¡°I was worried about you. You


    seemed so distant.¡±


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t stand in the rain. You could get a fever or something.¡±


    I smiled faintly at him, cing my hand on his cheek. ¡°What are we doing now, my


    love?¡±


    ¡°We are standing in the rain,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I responded softly. ¡°But you tell me, why were you ignoring me? I was worried about you and


    what you were thinking back there. And I tried to talk to you, but you ignored me.


    Luke exhaled deeply, gently squeezing my hand on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel. I was


    thinking about something.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡± I asked in a calm tone.

 Chapter 315

    etting out a contended sigh forthwith. And then we became silent for a few seconds.


    But I spoke up, ¡°So, back to the main talk: about Harriet being my biggest threat.¡±


    ¡°I saw her today.¡±


    ¡°You saw her?¡± I gave him a curious expression. ¡°At yourpany?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°I went to the park to get some time alone and the little children ying with


    themselves. And when I was about to leave, that monster came out of nowhere and tapped me.


    ¡°Hold on, hold on.¡± I sat properly, my eyes fixed on Luke. ¡°Let me get things straight around here. Ariel


    came to meet you as she approached you. I mean, she walked up


    to you.


    ¡°Yes, she did that. I didn¡¯t even know where the witch came from, but trust me, I was


    not happy seeing her.¡±


    ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. You don¡¯t have to tell me,¡± he whispered, shooting me a stic smile. I shrugged, and


    he continued, ¡°Anyway, she was talking badly about you, and it was really irritating.¡±


    315 RIGGEST THREAT


    ¡°She¡¯s always irritating.¡± I agreed with thest part. ¡°So, what did you do?¡±


    ¡°Well, I kind of strangled her.¡±


    ¡°You did what now?¡± My eyes widened right away. ¡°You killed her? Is that why your were looking


    depressed?¡±

 Chapter 316

    316: DRENCHED DISCLOSURES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I continued to stare at Luke, giving him a surprised face. Apparently, his actions were shocking. Quite


    shocking, yeah, the perfect words to use. But no matter what he did, Harriet deserved it. She was a


    rotten woman, after all. And she didn¡¯t deserve mercy in any way, not at all.


    ¡°You strangled her? Are you serious?¡± I blurted out, still having my eyes firm on him.


    Luke scratched the back of his head, avoiding my gaze. ¡°Well, not exactly. ¡°I mean, I was so furious,


    and she was saying all sorts of terrible things about you, so I grabbed her by the cor, but then I had


    to let go.


    I was kind of relieved at the moment, but then I wasn¡¯t pleased with what I was hearing. ¡°Did you let


    go? Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hurt her.¡±


    I let out a shaky breath, trying to process everything. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t go through with it. But


    still, Luke, you can¡¯t just go around strangling people, even if they


    deserve it.¡±


    I was attempting to impart some knowledge to him, but I believe Harriet shouldn¡¯t be


    subject to thew. Although I wanted to hurt that woman so badly, there was still a part of me that didn¡¯t


    want to see her dead.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± he mumbled, looking sheepish.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his guilty expression. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not calling the


    cops on you right now.¡±


    ¡°Hey,e on, don¡¯t be like that,¡± he said, trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on


    something else, like how ridiculous it is that Harriet thinks you kidnapped her.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, a smirk ying on my lips. ¡°She said that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she was going on and on about how you kidnapped her and tortured her of


    something.¡±


    DRENCHED De


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity of it all. ¡°Wow, she really is delusional. I mean, kidnapping?


    That¡¯s a new one.¡±


    Luke chuckled along with me, shaking his head. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s definitely something


    else.¡±


    I sobbed up a bit, a hint of determination creeping into my voice. ¡°Well, whether she believes it or not,


    Harriet needs to pay for all the evil things she¡¯s done.¡±


    Luke nodded in agreement, his expression serious. ¡°Yeah, she definitely does.¡±


    We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of our conversation hanging in the air.


    But anyway, Luke uttered it, breaking the silence the moment he asked. ¡°Did you really kidnap her?¡±


    His tone was serious, not therky one that was going about a


    moment ago,


    I had to take a deep breath, looking forward, and then I nced at him. ¡°What do you


    think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯ve got a million thoughts running through my head right now. I can¡¯t actually find the


    perfect answer.¡± He installed his hands on the steering wheel, and it


    was like he was about to start the car.


    ¡°But be honest with me.¡°What do you think? Do you think I¡¯d do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell, actually,¡± he answered, and he suspired. ¡°You can be really cold


    sometimes. No lie about that.¡±


    I tossed him a strained smile, replying sarcastically, ¡°Yeah, thanks for thepliment. It really means a


    lot to me.¡±


    ¡°No joke, Ariel. I¡¯m just saying that sometimes you can act a little bit different.¡±


    ¡°And by different, what do you mean?¡± I asked, my tone slow and one of my brows


    raised.


    Luke was quiet for seconds, but in hushed tones, he stated, ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk


    much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to.¡°We can¡¯t just end the conversation like that.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not saying anything.¡±


    He started the car after that; the rain was still falling. I decided not to say anything. I wasn¡¯t going to


    argue or take the discussion further. Sometimes, silence could speak volumes, allowing you and your


    partner to reflect on the weight of your rtionship.


    As the car moved through the rain¨Csoaked streets, the tension between me and Luke lingered in the


    air. Each passing moment felt heavy with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. I couldn¡¯t hold


    back wondering about the implications of his words and my actions.


    Despite the silence, the rhythmic sound of the rain on the car¡¯s roof provided a


    strangefort, a backdrop to the turmoil within my mind. I nced out the window, watching as the


    city lights blurred into streaks of color against the dark backdrop of the night.


    After a while, Luke broke the silence with a soft sigh. ¡°Look, Ariel, I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I just¡­ I


    don¡¯t know what to think anymore.¡±


    I turned to him, meeting his gaze briefly before looking away. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. I


    understand.¡±


    He nodded, his grip on the steering wheel tightening slightly. ¡°I just want to make sure you¡¯re okay.


    That¡¯s all.¡±


    I nodded in response, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. ¡°I know, and I


    appreciate it.¡±


    The rest of the car ride passed in rtive silence, punctuated only by the asional sound of tires on


    wet pavement. Despite the tension that still lingered between us, there was a sense of mutual


    understanding, a silent agreement to navigate through


    the uncertainty together.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Luke pulled up to our destination¨Cmy destination, actually. He had taken me to Laura¡¯s mansion, and


    that was so kind of him. But honestly, I didn¡¯t feel like spending the night here. I didn¡¯t even want to live


    with her anymore. I didn¡¯t want to work with her since she was turning into something else.


    Yes, I was really grateful for her saving my life and strengthening me. She executed great actions, but


    now she was giving me different thoughts about her. I didn¡¯t want


    1316 DRENCHED DISCLOVURES


    to follow through; I didn¡¯t want to belleve those thoughts, but she wanted to push me to stick to those


    things. And now I could see myself getting separated from her any


    moment soon.


    Still settling down in the car, I turned to Luke, offering a small nod of gratitude.¡±


    Thanks for the ride, Luke.¡±


    He smiled softly, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. ¡°Anytime, Ariel. Take care of yourself, okay?¡±


    With a final nod and a smile, I stepped out of the car and into the rain. I felt like a sense of relief had


    washed over me, but I didn¡¯t really think so. I was standing right here outside a mansion, and I didn¡¯t


    feel too good about stepping inside. If only the rain could alleviate these heavy feelings, I would stand


    here in various positions, still


    drenched by the drops, and if the rain continued for hours, I would find myself firmly


    rooted there.


    Luke¡¯s car was still present, and he didn¡¯t say anything, but I could still tell he was still heavy with our


    recent conversation. A moment ofughter turned into a moment of


    silence. It was not what I expected or what I wanted, but it shot me pretty hard. So


    yeah, there it was.


    As I stood there contemting whether to go inside or not, a voice called out from


    behind me, breaking through the sound of the rain.


    ¡°Ariel?¡±


    I turned around to see Laura standing on the mansion¡¯s grand porch. And I turned


    back to see Luke in his car, and he was still staring at me.

 Chapter 317

    317: STORMY ENCOUNTERS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Laura¡¯s voice sliced through the tension¨Cfilled air like a knife. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Luke¡¯s car


    parked nearby. Despite the rain soaking her, she strode purposefully down the steps. Her expression


    was a mix of anger and disbelief.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± she demanded. Her voice was sharp and usatory.


    I took a step back, caught off guard by Laura¡¯s sudden appearance and the intensity of her reaction.


    ¡°Laura, you need to calm down,¡± I started, trying to diffuse the situation before it escted further. I was


    only trying to be polite here.


    But Laura wasn¡¯t having any of it. Her gaze locked onto Luke, who remained seated in the car, his


    expression guarded. ¡°You want me to calm down when this man is with you? No way! I don¡¯t want him


    near you, Ariel.¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression showed that he was clearly annoyed with Laura¡¯s words. His grip on the steering


    wheel tightened. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t think we need¡­¡±


    But Laura cut him off with a wave of her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any nonsense you have to say,¡± she


    spat, and her lividity was on a whole new level. You could say the same for Luke. ¡°Just leave,¡± she


    added, ring at Luke.


    I nced between him and Laur, feeling torn between them. Luke, who brought smiles to my face


    despite the fact that he could be an asshole at times, was the man I cherished. But Laura saved my life


    and took me in like family. Not that she knew me or something. Her kindness was just sensational.


    ¡°Laura, please,¡± I pleaded, taking a tentative step toward her. You don¡¯t have to


    create a scene now. You do know about my feelings for Luke. You do know that he¡¯s the father of my


    child. And we share a bond¨Cthe type that no one can break. So please, let¡¯s just act matur¨¦ around


    here.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t even listening to what I was saying to her. Her eyes remained fixed on Luke, her jaw


    clenched in anger. But she turned to me, with the ck cast still


    present there. ¡°What are you trying to say, Ariel? That I¡¯m not acting mature.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I tried to defend my words.


    COUNTERT


    Then what did you mean?¡± She quizzed immediately, furious and grim.


    Just calm down, will you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect me toe down with this man right here. He needs to leave; he doesn¡¯t belong


    here. And he doesn¡¯t deserve you. Why are you so blind, Ariel? This is the same man who made your


    life a living hell during your first marriage, the same man who didn¡¯t care about your children.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that second part isn¡¯t true,¡± Luke chimed in.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Laura snapped right away. ¡°Don¡¯t speak while I speak. Don¡¯t you dare do that?


    ¡°Why? Are you some fucking god or something?¡± Luke retorted.


    ¡°You are an animal.¡±


    ¡°SSaysthe woman who keeps parking like a dog.¡± Luke threw her aeback.


    ¡°Please stop it, both of you!¡± I shrieked. There was silence between the three of us and the rain kept on


    falling. Even though Laura and I were getting wet every second,


    it didn¡¯t matter to us.


    I


    v eves u ¡°Please, just stop,¡± I uttered beneath my breath, and straight to Luke. He discerned the soft


    expression and how I was pleading with him not to go further in his argument with Laura. It wasn¡¯t


    going to help or solve anything. Instead, it was only going to make things worse.


    Luke sighed heavily, understanding my expression, and his gaze fluttered between Laura and me.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯ll go,¡± he said quietly, his voice resigned. I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    I felt a pang of guilt as he started the car and pulled away, leaving me standing alone in the rain with


    Laura. She turned to me, her expression softening slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel,¡± she said, her voice gentler now. ¡°I just¡­ I can¡¯t stand to see you with him.¡± She


    reached out to touch my arm, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. ¡°I just want what¡¯s best for you,


    Ariel. ¡°You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°And what do you think is best for me? Luke not being by my side?¡± I unted a nauseating look.


    MY ENCOUNT


    Ariel, he¡¯s just not perfect for you.¡±


    ¡°And who are you to make such a decision?¡± I snarled. ¡°I appreciate you saving me. Thank you very


    much for that. But this game of revenge is over. And me staying in this mansion of yours is over.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean by that?¡± She asked me in a whisper, and she couldn¡¯t


    believe her ears. But it was the decision I had made. And I didn¡¯t think I was going


    back into it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live with you anymore. Do you know why? I don¡¯t know what has gotten into you. I told


    you that Luke didn¡¯t kill Luke, but you¡¯re refusing to believe. Fine, keep your thoughts to yourself and let


    your hatred live with you in your house.


    ¡°After what I did for you, Ariel, This is how you repay me.¡± Her voice was not audible, and her eyes


    looked as if she were broken. But she wasn¡¯t; I didn¡¯t think so. In fact, she was the one who wanted to


    shatter me into a million pieces. But the over; it was time to put an end to this nonsense. I couldn¡¯t


    tolerate it any longer.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    game was


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Laura. And I told you, I appreciate you saving me. Thank you; I¡¯ll forever be grateful for that.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m going to be your ve.¡±


    I shifted my face closer to hers as I continued, ¡°Luke and I love each other, and I¡¯m not going to let


    anyone try to ruin our rtionship. He is my husband, and he is the father of my daughter. My heart


    belongs to him, and if you¡¯re going to be an obstacle in our story, then I don¡¯t see the need for me to be


    by your side.¡±


    ¡°He ruined your life.¡±


    ¡°He did that once,¡± I responded immediately. ¡°And I¡¯ve forgiven him. It¡¯s been clear to me that he has


    changed, and I believe our rtionship is going to stand strong, prevailing over all obstacles.¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes flickered with a mix of hurt and frustration, but underneath it all, there was a hint of


    resignation, She knew deep down that she couldn¡¯t force me to see things her way, no matter how


    much she wanted to protect me.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she finally whispered, her voice barely audible over the rain. ¡°I just¡­ I worry about you,


    Ariel. I want to prevent you from experiencing harm once more.


    ¡°I know, Laura,¡± I replied softly, reaching out to touch her arm in a gesture offort.


    KIA STORMY: NCOUNTER


    And I appreciate your concern. But I need to make my own choices, even if they¡¯re not the ones you


    would make for me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±


    ¡°Get what?¡± + let go of her, fixing my eyes on nothing else but her.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. Luke is just so¡­ Ughh, I don¡¯t like him one bit.¡±


    ¡°Do not worry about me, but if you want to worry about someone, go and worry about your husband.¡±


    Laura stared at me for a moment, processing my words. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    THE DIVERGEN

 Chapter 318

    318: PATHS DIVERGED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I held Laura¡¯s gaze steadily, my expression resolute. ¡°I mean exactly what I said. If you¡¯re worried


    about someone, pay close attention to your own husband. I¡¯m not going to talk too much. But don¡¯t be


    blind to what¡¯s right in front of you.¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in suspicion. ¡°What are your trying to say about


    my husband?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that maybe he¡¯s not as innocent as you think,¡± I replied evenly. ¡°But that¡¯s your business to


    sort out. Right now, I need to take care of mine.¡±


    Without waiting for Laura¡¯s response, I turned on my heel and headed inside the mansion to pack my


    belongings. As I made my way through the familiar halls, my heart felt heavy with the weight of my


    decision, but I knew it was the right one.


    I found Janice in her room, ying with her toys. I crouched down beside her, cupping her face in my


    hands. ¡°Sweetheart, we¡¯re leaving,¡± I said softly.


    Janice looked up at me, confusion flickering in her eyes. ¡°Leaving? But why?¡±


    I brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead. ¡°Because it¡¯s time for us to start fresh somewhere else,


    where we can be happy.¡±


    Janice nodded solemnly, sensing the gravity of the situation. ¡°Okay, mommy. I¡¯ll go with you wherever


    you go.¡±


    Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I gathered Janice into my arms, holding her close. ¡°Thank


    you, sweetheart. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With Janice in my arms and my belongings in tow, I returned to the front door, where Laura was still


    watching silently. I paused in front of her, my heart heavy with unresolved emotions. But this was the


    right step to take. And I needed to follow through with it, or something terrible might happen if I


    continued living in this house.


    ¡°Goodbye, Laura,¡± I said quietly, my voice thick with emotion. It was for the best. Take care of yourself.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    BADLI DIVER


    Laura remained silent, her expression unreadable, as she watched us leave the mansion for thest


    time. As I stepped out into the rain, I knew that I was closing a chapter of my life. But I also knew I was


    stepping into a new chapter filled with hope and possibility with Luke and Janice by my side.


    Just as I was about to walk further with Janice, Laura halted me and said, ¡°Wait!¡±


    I stopped walking and turned around, my hand positioned around Janice¡¯s shoulder. Actually, both of us


    turned around.


    Laura let out a deep sigh, stepping closer to us. ¡°You can take one of my cars. I don¡¯t want you both


    walking in the rain.¡±


    My eyes went down to Janice as I held her hand tightly. I turned back to Laura with a


    smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.


    She was now close to me, and I could see pain in her eyes. ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I hugged her immediately; I could feel the little tearsing out of my eyes slowly, and I could say the


    same for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡±


    Our embrace came to an end, and I held both of Laura¡¯s shoulders, smiling at her. Thank you for


    everything.¡± I thanked her in a whisper.


    She had her hand fixed on my face, smiling at me. ¡°Take care of yourself. ¡°And take care of the little


    one.¡± Her gaze went down to Janice, a quick look, and then the eyes fell back on me. ¡°I believe you can


    handle things really well on your own. But if you ever need help with anything, you just have to know


    I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t hesitate to call


    me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve taken note of that. Thank you.¡± I smiled delightfully at her.


    Laura nodded, her expression softening as the seconds passed by. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Ariel. Just


    promise me one thing.¡±


    I tilted my head, curious about what she would ask.


    ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll take care of yourself, too,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been strong for


    everyone else, but don¡¯t forget to look after your own well¨Cbeing.¡±


    I smiled, touched by her concern. ¡°I promise, Laura. I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡±


    With that, I guided Janice towards the car Laura offered, feeling a sense of relief mingled with sadness


    as we embarked on this new journey. This was an unexpected


    moment, which turned out to be unexpected.


    Settling down into the driver¡¯s seat with Janice beside me, I nced back at the


    mansion onest time, knowing that although I was leaving behind this part, which would now turn out


    to be my past, I was also embracing a future full of possibilities.


    With Laura¡¯s unexpected actions echoing in my heart, I started the engine, ready to drive and make my


    way to my destination.


    The rain continued to pour, and its rhythmic beat against the car¡¯s windshield matched the tumultuous


    thoughts swirling in my mind. With each mile closer to Luke¡¯s mansion, my anticipation and


    apprehension grew in equal measure.


    Janice sat quietly beside me, her small hand gripping mine tightly as she stared out at the rain¨C


    drenchedndscape. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what awaited us at our


    destination.


    Would Luke be relieved to see us? Would he understand why I had to leave Laura¡¯s


    mansion so abruptly? Well, he would be happy. That was what he wanted, after all.


    Lost in my thoughts, the minutes stretched into what felt like hours as w


    we drove


    through the stormy night. The asional sh of lightning illuminated the darkened sky, casting eerie


    shadows across the deserted road.


    Finally, the imposing gates of Luke¡¯s mansion loomed into view, and my heart.


    skipped a beat. This was it¨Cthe moment where the true family would unfold. Taking


    a deep breath to steady my nerves, I started calling Luke on the phone.


    After a tense moment, Luke answered the call. ¡°Ariel, my love. I hope everything¡¯s


    fine.¡±


    Relief flooded through me at the sound of his voice, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile despite the


    circumstances. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, Luke. Can you please open the gates?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m outside, and beside me is our little daughter, Janice.¡±


    ISTE, PATHS DIVERGED


    through. As I approached the mansion, I stared everywhere with a fragile smile on


    my face.


    Parking the car in front of the grand entrance, I turned to Janice, offering her a reassuring smile. ¡°Are


    you ready, sweetheart?¡±


    She nodded eagerly, not saying a word, but I knew for a fact that she was extremely happy with this


    decision. Together, we stepped out of the car and made our way


    towards the mansion¡¯s imposing double doors.


    Before I could even ring the doorbell, the doors swung open, revealing Luke standing in the entrance


    hall, his expression a mix of surprise and concern. Without a word, he


    rushed forward, enveloping us both in a tight embrace.


    ¡°Ariel, what happened? Why are you here?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was filled with worry as he pulled back to


    study my face. ¡°Did that woman throw you out of her house?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze, my resolve firm. ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything, Luke.


    But first, we need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 319

    319: HOMECOMING


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Ariel, what happened? Why are you here?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was filled with worry as he pulled back to


    study my face. ¡°Did that woman throw you out of her house?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze, my resolve firm. ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything, Luke. But first, we need


    to talk.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, stirring closer to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. Look at you. You¡¯re all soaked


    up.¡±


    ¡°Does that really matter right now?¡±


    ¡°It does, Ariel. You might have a fever or something.¡±


    ¡°You will be by my side to take care of me at all times, correct?¡±


    Lukeughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, holding Janice on her shoulder as well. He


    led us into the warmth of the mansion, his arm never leaving my shoulders as if afraid I might vanish if


    he let go. Janice clung to my hand, her small face upturned, absorbing the grandeur of her new home. I


    couldn¡¯t actually read her mind, but I knew she loved this so much. You could see how she didn¡¯t


    hesitate when I told her that we were both leaving Laura¡¯s house.


    We settled in the living room, a crackling fire casting a soothing glow over the plush furnishings. Luke


    sat opposite me, his anxious gaze locked on mine, while Janice explored the room, smiling gleefully.


    Seeing her with such a joyful face made me joyful. However, the moment spent with Laura had been


    painful to some extent.


    ¡°So, Ariel, what happened?¡± Luke asked softly, still looking into my eyes.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I began, my voice steadier than I felt. ¡°Leaving Laura¡¯s house wasn¡¯t just a


    spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment decision. Things were happening that made me feel unsafe and unwee. It¡¯s


    not just about me; it¡¯s about Janice, too. We needed a fresh start, somewhere we could feel happier


    and loved.¡±


    ¡°Is this how that woman has always been to you?¡±


    ¡°No, her attitude changed.¡±


    And I¡¯m guessing you understand why.¡± Luke had one of his brows raised.


    I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, before I finally revealed. ¡°It¡¯s because of you.¡±


    ¡°Because of me?¡± He repeated.


    ¡°Yes, Luke. She still considers you to be a monster, although I tried changing her


    mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I totally understand that.¡± His tone was low.


    I nced at him at that moment, my hands fixed together. ¡°Are you sure you do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the revenge you wanted the second time. I totally understand it all. ¡°And I¡¯m


    sorry.


    ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡±


    He nodded, and then, with a whisper, he came out. ¡°Yes, I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°But I do feel guilty. I¡¯ve ruined your rtionship with that woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Things are going to get back to normal. Just a matter of time,¡± I


    assured him.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that.¡± Luke¡¯s expression softened, his earlier concern giving way to


    understanding. ¡°But, Ariel. Remember, I made it clear to you: this ce is as much yours as it is mine,¡±


    he said gently. ¡°You and Janice belong here with me. If any problem arises, we¡¯ll face it together.


    Because we are one.¡±


    The joy that moved within me was clear¨Ca sensational spark glowing greatly in the darkness. Feeling


    overjoyed by every presence in this mansion, Janice came to sit beside me, her soft hand finding mine


    once again.


    ¡°Thank you, Luke,¡± I whispered, feeling the weight of the previous moment begins to lift. ¡°For us, this is


    more than just a shelter from the storm. It¡¯s a chance to build the life that I¡¯ve always wanted. I


    remember when I had this hatred towards myself. I never expected us to be here together like this. I


    thought the future would be dark,


    but I¡¯m happy with the three of us being right here.¡±


    Luke nodded. ¡°I myself never thought this day woulde to pass.¡°I hated you so much back then, but


    I have to thank my grandfather for bringing such a wonderful woman like you into my life.¡±


    ¡°You must also thank God for making this moment possible.¡± I smiled at him.


    Luke spoke under breath, ¡°Yes, of course. He¡¯s always with us.¡± His gaze shifted to Janice. ¡°We are a


    family,¡± he stated simply but with a conviction that brooked no argument. ¡°And from now on, we¡¯ll look


    out for each other. No disputes, no negativity, no dark thoughts, always being positive and happy,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I answered in a whisper, smiling at him. Then he stood up to hold my hand gently, and I felt the


    heavenlyfort of his touch.


    ¡°New home, finally!¡± Janice came out loudly, moving her hands over the air.


    Luke and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her. What a great family this was. But I believed things would have


    been more lovely if Luke was here. Even though I could still feel his presence, hisughter, and his


    mirth, I could feel everything about him here,


    As the fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm, golden light over us, I felt a profound sense of peace


    settle over my heart. Janice, sensing the change, snuggled


    closer.


    Outside, the storm raged on, but within the walls of Luke¡¯s mansion, a new chapter was beginning. A


    chapter filled with hope, love, and the promise of brighter days ahead. Together, we would build a


    future where the shadows of the past could no Jonger reach us. I hoped that we wouldn¡¯t ruin this


    family.


    Luke and I stood up after our heartfelt conversation in the living room, ready to take Janice to her new


    room. Still brimming with excitement, Janice practically skipped ahead of us, eager to explore every


    nook and cranny like she hadn¡¯t done that before.


    Luke and I exchanged a knowing nce, sharing a silent understanding of the significance of this


    moment. With Janice leading the way, we ascended the grand staircase, the soft glow of the chandelier


    above casting a warm ambiance throughout the hallway.


    Reaching Janice¡¯s room, which was decorated with pastel colors and contained toys


    119 NOMEDING


    and books, her eyes sparkled with delight. ¡°Wow! Are these all mine?¡±


    Luke chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately. ¡°Yes, sweetheart. This is your room now. I had the


    helpers make preparations because I had a feeling you would be


    Janice busied herself exploring every corner of her new sanctuary, and Luke turned to me, his gaze


    softening as he took in my drenched appearance. ¡°Ariel, you should change out of those wet clothes


    before you catch a cold.¡±


    I nodded, grateful for his concern. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go change now.¡±


    Luke squeezed my hand gently before gesturing towards our own room. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. I want to


    make sure you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Together, we walked towards our shared bedroom. Once inside, Luke insisted on helping me out of my


    wet clothes; his touch was gentle and reassuring..


    As I slipped into dry attire, the weight of the day¡¯s events began to lift, reced by a sense offort


    and security in Luke¡¯s presence.


    He handed me a fluffy towel, his eyes never leaving mine as he spoke softly. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, Ariel.


    We¡¯re safe. And we¡¯ll always take care of each other.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Luke,¡± I whispered, reaching out to pull him into a warm embrace.


    Luke held me close, wrapping his arms around me, his heartbeat steady against


    mine.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 320

    320: ARCANE ARDOR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With Luke and I standing and embracing in our bedroom, the warmth of his touch enveloped me like a


    comforting cocoon. The passion was lucent, and indeed, it was magnificent. Fully verified, with the


    lovely desires being magnified.


    Our lips met in a soft, tender kiss, a silent exchange of love and reassurance. At that moment, all the


    worries and uncertainties melted away, leaving only the undeniable connection between us. A


    connection that was so heavenly, bringing the thoughts of me being in paradise to my head. The


    golden feeling sparkled upon me.


    In the blissful moment, our kiss deepened, and Luke¡¯s hands roamed gently over my body, eliciting soft


    moans of pleasure from deep within me. Each caress sent shivers of anticipation coursing through my


    veins, with the imposing mes that burned with an intensity I had never known before.


    With practiced ease, Luke began to slowly undress me, his touch reverent and tender. Each article of


    clothing fell away, leaving me exposed and vulnerable before him. But there was no fear, only trust and


    a deep¨Cseated desire that pulsed between us like a living, breathing thing. I was drowning in an


    endless sea. An endless sea of


    bliss.


    Stepping into the shower, with the warm water transposing over our bodies, Luke¡¯s touch became more


    urgent, demanding, and passionate, the great desirespounding¨Ctruly remarkable. His lips sought


    mine with a hunger mirrored my


    own,


    and his hands explored every curve and contour with a reverence that left me


    breathless.


    Lost in the intensity of our passion, time seemed to stand still as we moved together in perfect


    harmony. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of us locked in a timeless embrace,


    bound together by an unbreakable bond of love and desire.


    The steam from the shower enveloped us, mingling with the heat of our bodies. I


    knew that this was another great moment that would be etched in my memory forever. In Luke¡¯s arms, I


    had found love and passion and a sense of belonging and


    security that I had never known before.


    With Luke and I standing in the shower, enveloped In the preeminence of our love and the steamy mist,


    he carried on with the monumental touch. His eyes burned with an intensity that matched the fiery


    passion revolving through my veins.


    Not saying a word, he captured my lips in a searing kiss, his tongue tracing the contours of my mouth


    with a hunger that left me weak at the knees. I melted into his embrace, my hands tangling in his hair


    as our bodies pressed together in a heated


    embrace.


    Luke¡¯s hands roamed over my skin with a possessiveness that sent tons of desire down my spine.


    Every touch and every caress released a powerful fire within me that threatened to consume us both.


    As he ran his fiery lips down my neck, he bested me with a session of passionate kisses. I arched


    into his touch, my breathing in ragged gasps. His hands found their way to my breasts, teasing


    and tantalizing, sending waves of pleasure coursing through me.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back the moans that escaped my lips; the sheer ecstasy of the moment overwhelmed


    my senses. Luke¡¯s touch was electric, igniting sparks of desire that danced across my skin like wildfire.


    With each kiss and each caress, our passion grew, building to a crescendo that threatened to engulf us


    both. And we moved together in perfect harmony, lost in the depths of our desire, going on to higher


    heights, climbing to the top of the mountain of delectation. And then the clouds moved close to us,


    pouring raindrops of gratification because this intoxication was one of a kind, and I wouldn¡¯t wish for


    anything better.


    Right in Luke¡¯s arms, I had found the love and passion¨Cthe sense ofpleteness- that seemed to


    have been hidden from me before. The desire burns every second. Felicity, glee, and all the great and


    wonderful things are all mixing up together. Yes, indeed, it was great and perfect, and the movements


    were nonstop. We surrendered to the intensity of our desire, and everything emerged stronger than


    ever before.


    His galvanizing love surrounded me, and I have to say, I felt invincible like I was going to conquer the


    world or something. But it was one passionate embrace at a time. A love that took me higher, never


    going to fall. All in all, this was worth it.


    Luke¡¯s intense gaze was locked on mine, and then he pressed me gently against the wall of the


    shower, his lips trailing down my neck, showering hot kisses and the marks¨CI could tell they had


    unfolded right on that spot. I gasped while his hands explored every inch of my body, igniting a fierce


    desire that burned like wildfire within


    me


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    And there were no words vocalized; only the exhrating passion was talking right now. He sank to his


    knees before me, his lips zing a scorching trail down my abdomen. My breath caught in my throat as


    he nuzzled against my sensitive skin, his hands gripping my hips possessively.


    His tongue found its mark, and as for me? I let out a soft moan of pleasure, the sensation sending


    electric shocks of delight going round and round right through my veins. Luke¡¯s movements were


    deliberate, purposeful, magnificent, mboyant, and prominent¨Call the heavenly things you could ever


    think of. Hevished attention on every inch of my heated flesh.


    His tongue danced over my sensitive folds, teasing and pleasing with a skill that left me trembling with


    desire. I arched my back against the wall, losing myself in the overwhelming waves of ecstasy that


    crashed over me.


    The steam from the shower surrounded us, clouded us, and environed us, amplifying the intensity of


    our passion as Luke continued his sensual assault. Each flick of his tongue and each gentle caress


    sent me spiraling higher and higher toward the peak of pleasure. Cloud Nine is what I could speak of


    right now. And it seemed like this was never going to end. I didn¡¯t even want it to happen. I just wanted


    to keep on drowning in the lovely waters of mirthfulness.


    I moaned softly, unable to contain the raw desire that consumed me. Luke¡¯s touch was like fire against


    my skin, burning away any inhibitions or reservations as I surrendered myselfpletely to the


    overwhelming tide of sensation.


    Right now, I knew I kept on repeating this, but it was really clear that there was only Luke and me, lost


    in the throes of our desire, the world outside fading into insignificance, with the both of us being


    consumed by the fiery passion that raged


    between us.


    With each mind¨Cblowing stroke of his tongue, I felt myself teetering on the edge of oblivion, on the


    brink of pleasure so intense that it threatened to consume me whole,


    tearing me down.


    And then, with one final, blissful caress, I tumbled over the edge, my body convulsing with the sheer


    intensity of my release. Luke held me close, his hands guiding me through the storm as we rode the


    waves of pleasure together.


    I was breathing heavily, closing my eyes, and Luke was also staring at me when took my gaze down.


    His went up from my stomach to my breasts.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading

 Chapter 321

    321 ETHEREAL BLISS


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With the intensity of our desire reaching its peak, Luke rose to his feet, pressing me firmly against the


    wall of the shower once again. His eyes bore into mine, filled with an undeniable hunger that mirrored


    my own.


    Without a word, he positioned himself between my legs, his hands gripping my hips as he slowly


    entered me. I gasped as he filled mepletely, the sensation sending shockwaves of pleasure


    coursing through my body.


    Luke¡¯s movements were slow and deliberate at first, savoring every moment as we moved together in


    perfect synchrony. Each thrust sent waves of bliss crashing over me, building the mes of desire


    higher and higher with every motion.


    Our bodies moved together in a passionate dance with an absolutely splendid rhythm. I used to be in


    the dark, but now the light has materialized and shone over


    1. me.


    The wless steam from the shower girded us, intensifying our connection. Lost in the breathtaking


    sensation of our lovepletely devouring me, I clung to him


    desperately.


    With each thrust and each movement, the pleasure grew more intense until we were both teetering on


    the edge of gratification. Our cries of passion mingled with the sound of rushing water, echoing off the


    walls of the shower as we surrendered ourselvespletely to the moment.


    Nothing else mattered, and nothing could roll around in my


    head/w


    through a sensational spell, wonderful to all degrees, and there was a wish. It is indeed a wish that this


    rtionship wouldst a long time and produce nothing but joy and happiness.


    An unbreakable bond of love and desire bound the two of us in a timeless embrace. As we hit our


    meridian, we screamed each other¡¯s names, our bodies writhing in


    nirvana. The two of us/plunged over the borderline together, lost in the sheer bliss of our union. This


    was a love that would surely brighten for eternity.


    So, our bodies slowly came down from the euphoric high. Luke cupped my face in his hands, his gaze


    soft yet intense.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± he whispered, so much emotion right here, husky indeed, and all I could do was just gaze


    deeply into his pretty eyes as he did to mine.


    With his hands still on my face and the gaze not ending, he continued, ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot of


    tough moments, and there might still be some threats on the way. But you do not have to worry. I


    pledge to consistently stand by your side, regardless of life¡¯s challenges. I¡¯ll be your rock, your shelter,


    and your unwavering support. Nothing will ever tear us apart.


    My eyes were filled with lovely tears, great tears of joy, and my lips curled into a gleeful smile since the


    depth of his words deluded me.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I murmured. My voice shuddered, and my tone was low. The passion was still swirling around


    us. ¡°I know the both of us must have made some mistakes in the past, actions that are somehow


    affecting us right now. But I tell you this, my love: I promise to love you fiercely and to stand by you


    through every trial and triumph. I¡¯ll be your partner, your confidante, and your soulmate. Together, we¡¯ll


    conquer the world, hand in hand.¡±


    Luke smiled at me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a sweetheart?¡±


    I giggled. ¡°Thanks, Luke. It¡¯s all because of you that the joy keeps filling my heart. Thank you for


    bringing these wonderful moments to me. It¡¯s so great, and I wish to


    create more with you.¡±


    Luke brought darkness to my heart those years, no doubt, no lie. Happir reced all that and is what


    makes the light sparkle around our lives.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to have you in my life, Ariel. What more can I ask for?¡±


    has


    ¡°I¡¯m also d to have you in my life. I hope this lovests. Because I will always be by your side till


    death, and even in the grave, I¡¯ll still be by your side.¡±


    Lukeughed, continuing to smile at me. ¡°Same here, Ariel.¡±


    With our promises hanging in the air like an unbreakable vow, Luke leaned in, capturing my lips in a


    tender yet passionate kiss. It was a kiss filled with promises of eternity, of a love that knew no bounds.


    321 ETHEREAL BLISS


    Our lips melted together in perfect harmony, and the feeling was so spectacr; it was like we had


    nevere into contact before, and this was the first time. Life was going to throw a lot of terrible


    things at us, for sure. But I believed we would stand strong and go through all obstacles together.


    Luke and I stepped out of the shower. The warmth of the bathroom over us was slowly fading, although


    we could still feel the cold water right on our skin. Luke grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my


    shoulders before tenderly drying me off.


    ¡°You know,¡± he said with a yful grin, ¡°I think we set a new record for the longest shower in history.¡±


    I chuckled, reaching for another towel to return the favor. Time tends to pass quickly when you¡¯re in


    goodpany.


    We helped each other into our night robes, exchanging yful banter and gentle touches along the


    way. Luke pretended to struggle with tying my robe, earning him at yful swat on the arm.


    ¡°Hey now, none of that,¡± I teased, giving him a mock stern look. ¡°You better behave


    yourself.¡±


    He raised his brows, smirking at me. ¡°Or else what?¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back augh, and I shook my head doing that. ¡°This is crazy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s crazy?¡±


    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re trying to behave like a little kid right now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just happy.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°Well, keep on being happy. I was thinking of giving you some wonderful bedtime. stories, but with your


    attitude, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s happening.¡±


    Luke raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. ¡°Okay, cool. But you¡¯re going to tuck me in and sing me


    lubies, right?¡±


    I faked a crazy face, staring at him for quite a few seconds, but then I shook my head, throwing the


    response right at him¨Cjust a single word: ¡°No.¡±


    He sighed, looking upwards. ¡°Oh, seriously, Ariel? Come on now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine.¡± I rolled my eyes with a smile, finishing the knot on his robe. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. I love you.¡±


    Luke wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m grateful


    for it.¡±


    We shared a sweet kiss before making our way to the bedroom, ourughter echoing through the halls.


    We settled into bed, nestled close together, smiling at each other, with Luke caressing my hair.


    I fixed my hand on his face, dragging his cheek softly. ¡°Is it just me, or you¡¯re bing handsome day


    by day?¡±


    I am a handsome man.


    Heughed softly. ¡°No need to brag, but I am a handsome man.


    ¡°Of course you are. That¡¯s why so manydies are going crazy over you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s not move on to that.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, my lord,¡± I said dramatically and giggled promptly.


    ¡°But I have a question, Ariel.¡±


    I moved my hand around his chest. ¡°Go ahead, sir. Speak out whatever is on your


    mind.¡±

 Chapter 322

    322: LATE NIGHT CHUCKLES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°But I have a question, Ariel,¡± Luke vocalized, and I wondered what it was that he


    wanted to say.


    Moving my hand around his chest, I uttered, ¡°Go ahead, sire. Speak out whatever is


    on your mind.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not living with Laura anymore, I¡¯m just wondering.¡± He fixed his eyes on


    1. me. ¡°Where will you be working now?¡±


    I arched my eyebrow. ¡°Oh, seriously? Is that your question?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. I mean,e on, I¡¯m just curious. And concerned around here. If your


    want, I can let you work at mypany.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but t


    won¡¯t be necessary,¡± I brought out.


    Luke looked at me for seconds and finally spoke, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± But his tone was low.


    gripp


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that about the Vitality Group. I grinned at him.


    ¡°Oh, right. The Vitality Group. I totally forgot. You¡¯re going to be working with your¡®


    second husband.¡°¡±


    I sighed promptly. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset; I was just joking.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t joke like that,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Okay, then. I guess it¡¯s time to go to sleep,¡± Luke stated, covering our bodies with the bed sheet.


    ¡°Goodnight, Ariel,¡± he said softly, kissing me on the forehead.


    ¡°Goodnight, Luke.¡± I smiled at him, closing my eyes while he caressed my hair. And


    with the next minutes in silence, I drifted off to sleep.


    When my eyes opened, I looked everywhere and realized that I had woken up in the


    middle of the night at the wrong time. ncing back at Luke, he was still sleeping peacefully.


    I so hated this, waking up in times like this. It seemed like it happened regrly when I was with Luke.


    And I was d that I didn¡¯t have a nightmare. Boy, that could have been fucked up, and I could


    conclude that I was jinxed.


    Minutes passed as Iy on the bed, repeatedly closing and opening my eyes, but I still couldn¡¯t sleep.


    So, what to do now? Exercise? Nah, not really. Maybe I should just


    get up and walk around. It might make me drowsy, I guess.


    But now that I think about it, that was a stupid idea. There was no way walking around was going to


    help me sleep.


    I quietly slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Luke, who could wake up at the slightest sound


    despite his seemingly peaceful slumber. I tiptoed across the room, feeling slightly ridiculous about the


    idea. Who seriously walks around in the


    middle of the night expecting it to help them sleep?


    While I paced, my thoughts wandered aimlessly. I considered the idea of counting sheep but quickly


    dismissed it as too clich¨¦. Perhaps I should count something more interesting, like the number of times


    Luke snored in a minute. The thought made me chuckle softly to myself.


    In the midst of my silentughter, I identally stepped on a particrly vocal


    floorboard. It squeaked under my foot like a trumpet in the quiet of the night. I froze, holding my breath,


    then slowly turned to look at the bed.


    Luke was sitting up, rubbing his eyes and blinking at me in confusion. ¡°Ariel, why are


    you marching around the room? Did you decide to join the night¡¯s gu something?¡± he asked, his voice


    thick with sleep.


    ¦£


    I bit my lip to keep from giggling. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t sleep. I thought walking might help,¡± I admitted, feeling


    a bit foolish.


    He squinted at me, then looked around the dark room as if he expected to find some hidden answer to


    my insomnia. ¡°Walking, huh? Because nothing screams ¡®sleep¡® like a midnight parade,¡± he remarked,


    the corners of his mouth twitching.


    ¡°I know. It sounds silly when you say that,¡± I told him, and despite my best efforts, a smile escaped.


    392 LATE NIGHT CHUCKLES


    He then swung his legs off the bed, his eyes lighting up with mischief. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to do this,


    we might as well do it right. Wait here,¡± he dered before


    disappearing into the closet.


    He emerged a momentter, donning a fluffy bathrobe and holding another one out. for me. ¡°If we¡¯re


    going to be part of the night¡¯s guard, we need to look the part. And nothing says ¡®guard duty¡® like fluffy


    robes.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t contain myughter any longer. ¡°Oh, is that right? The ancient order of the


    Fluffy Robe Guards?¡± I teased.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he said, putting on a mock¨Cserious face. ¡°Now, let¡¯s march. Maybe if we tire ourselves out,


    we¡¯ll actually get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously going on with this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who was walking around like a night guard or something.¡±


    The room was silent for seconds, and I stared at him with my hands fixed on my


    waist.


    After a little while, I had to move the lips. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go on with that.¡±


    So, there we were, marching up and down the room in our fluffy robes, trying our


    best to muffle our giggles so as not to wake the entire household. After a few


    minutes, we copsed onto the bed, out of breath and grinning from ear to ear.


    Luke looked over at me, his eyes soft in the dim light. ¡°I think that¡¯s the most fun I¡¯ve


    had at 3 AM,¡± he said.


    I nodded. ¡°No doubt about that. Who knew insomnia could lead to such an


    adventure?¡±


    So we settled back


    found us more eased, this time with smiles stered on our faces, sleep


    found us more easily. Perhaps it was theughter, or maybe it was just thefort of knowing that


    together, we could turn even a sleepless night into a cherished


    memory.


    The day was now bright, and my eyes were now open. But after a yawn, I widened


    them immediately, seeing Luke on the floor.


    What in the world was he doing there? He was with me on the bed when we slept next to each other.


    Or wait, don¡¯t tell me I pushed him off the bed. I didn¡¯t do that, did


    17


    As I watched Luke stir on the floor, confusion etched across his face, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he


    ended up there. He slowly sat up, rubbing his head with one. hand while looking around in


    bewilderment.


    ¡°Um, Ariel,¡± he started, his voice groggy from sleep. Why am I on the floor? Did the bed finally decide it


    couldn¡¯t handle the two of us?¡±


    I tried to stifle a giggle, feeling a mix of concern and amusement. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°I just woke


    up and saw you there. Maybe you were sleepwalking and


    decided to explore the floor?¡±


    He frowned, considering the possibility. ¡°Or maybe,¡± he said with a sudden sparkle of humor in his


    eyes, ¡°you decided to throw me off the bed in your sleep. Were you dreaming of being a wrestler or


    something?¡±


    The thought was so ludicrous that I burst intoughter. ¡°Yes, that must be it. I was dreaming of being in


    the wrestling ring, and you, my dear, were my unfortunate


    opponent.¡±


    Luke stood up, dramatically clutching his back as if injured. ¡°Well, it seems I¡¯ve lost the match. But don¡¯t


    get toofortable, champion. I¡¯ll demand a rematch tonight.¡±


    Iughed even harder, watching him y up his pretend injury. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to train in my dreams


    then. Maybe I¡¯ll dream of being a gymnast tonight, you


    and no


    chance.¡±


    He chuckled and made his way back onto the bed, pulling me into a gentle hug.¡± How about we just


    stick to being teammates in our dreams? I think the floor, and I have had enough of a tussle for one


    night.¡±

 Chapter 323

    323: FASHION FLIRTATIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my body, and I was getting ready for work.


    Yesterday, Andre agreed with me to take my spot back at hispany. He was such a wonderful


    friend. If it were some folks, they¡¯d go ahead to do something that was not on the right side.


    Luke was walking around the room, making a phone call. I just stood, watching him until he was done.


    He let out a sigh since his talk on the phone was more of an argument than a conversation. But staring


    at me, he smiled.


    ¡°Is it just me, or do you look absolutely pretty whenever you step out of the shower?¡±


    He walked closer to me.


    ¡°Oh really, you think so?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed?¡± he raised an eyebrow. Oh, right, I forgot. You can¡¯t look at yourself unless you


    go and stand close to a mirror.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mirror right there.¡± I gestured towards the mirror fixed on the wall in the


    room.


    ¡°Go take a look at yourself then.¡± Luke grinned at me.


    I sighed and moved towards the mirror. The cool air of the room contrasted with the warmth still


    radiating from my skin. Luke followed closely behind, his presence a


    Standing in front of the mirror, I caught our reflections. The contrast between my towel¨Cwrapped form


    and his casual, everyday attire highlighted the intimacy of the


    moment.


    Luke¡¯s hands found their way to my shoulders, his touch gentle. Our eyes met through the mirror; his


    gaze was soft yet intense, making my heart flutter.


    ¡°See?¡± he said quietly, his voice soothing to the fullest. ¡°Absolutely stunning.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread across my face, feeling a blend of bashfulness


    523 FASHION FLIRTATIONS


    and confidence. ¡°I suppose the mirror does add a special touch,¡± I teased, meeting his gaze in the


    reflection.


    His lowugh resonated through the small space between us. ¡°It¡¯s not the mirror,¡± he insisted, leaning


    in so his head was just over my shoulder. It¡¯s you. The mirror just reminds you of what¡¯s already there.¡±


    The sincerity in his voice, coupled with the affection in his eyes, wrapped around me like a baronial


    embrace. Our reflections in the mirror¨Ca snapshot of our rtionship-


    seemed to capture more than just the physical aspect of us standing there. It was as


    if the mirror reflected back the depth of our connection, the silentmunication and understanding


    that had grown between us.


    Luke¡¯s gaze shifted from our reflection to meet my eyes directly, an unspoken


    question lingering in the air. The world seemed to narrow down to just this room, this


    moment, with the early morning light casting a soft glow around us.


    Right here, in this small, seemingly inconsequential moment, I found a profound sense of peace and


    mirth. With Luke behind me, his hands on my shoulders, I felt grounded, as if everything in my life had


    led me to this point of greatness and tion.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, not just for thepliment but for thefort, the love, and the shared life


    that seemed to promise so much more.


    Luke¡¯s response was a gentle squeeze of my shoulders, a wordless promise of his own¨Cto be there, to


    support, to cherish. As I leaned back slightly, feeling his solid


    warmth, I realized that no mirror was needed to see the beauty of what we had together. It was right


    there, in the way we stood, in the way we looked at each other, and in the silent promises we made for


    the future.


    After that, I had to tell Luke about me trying to choose a dress for work today, and guess what! It didn¡¯t


    take long before Luke rummaged through my bag, a goddamn grin right on his face.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what we have here,¡± he muttered, pulling out a dress and holding it


    up for inspection.


    I leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re not going


    to suggest that I wear that neon pink disaster again.¡±


    Luke chuckled, tossing the offending dress over his shoulder. ¡°Not a chance. J


    223: FASHION FEIRTATIONS


    learned my lesson thest time.¡± He continued his search, pulling out dresses of varying colors and


    styles, each one more outrageous than thest.


    ¡°Are you trying to torture me?¡± I eximed, shaking my head in mock dismay. ¡°I think- you¡¯re secretly


    enjoying this.¡±


    ¡°Guilty as charged,¡± he admitted with a grin, holding up a sequined monstrosity that seemed to glitter


    under the room¡¯s fluorescent lights. ¡°But hey, at least you¡¯ll be the


    shiniest person at the office.¡±


    Iughed, swatting the dress out of his hand. ¡°I¡¯d blind everyone within a ten¨Cmile


    radius. Let¡¯s aim for something more subtle, shall we?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Luke feigned disappointment, dramatically throwing his hands up in defeat. ¡°Fine, fine. But where¡¯s the


    fun in subtle?¡± he teased, finally pulling out a sleek, ck dress


    from underneath the bag.


    My eyes lit up as I took the dress from him, inspecting it with a critical eye. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± I


    dered, holding it up against myself in the mirror. ¡°What do you


    think?¡±


    Luke pretended to ponder for a moment, tapping his chin with his finger. ¡°Hmm, let me see¡­¡± he trailed


    off before bursting into a grin. ¡°You look absolutely stunning, as


    always.¡±


    I rolled my eyes yfully but couldn¡¯t hide the smile that tugged at my lips. ¡°ttery will get you


    everywhere, you know.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Just stating the obvious. Now, let¡¯s get you ready to conquer the day.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, that means a lot to me.¡± I kept on smiling at him..


    ¡°And you mean a lot to me,¡± he told me, with his voice soft before he slowly pressed


    his lips against mine.


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    Dark days, beautiful days, wonderful days, I had seen it all. Gone through so many great experiences,


    what did it mean to feel lonely and broken? Wouldn¡¯t you be hurt realizing that your own brother was a


    monster? Yes, we might not usually do things


    123 FASHION FLIRTATIONS.


    together and argue regrly, but blood was still blood.


    Ariel had told me all these things, and I believed her. Because Mason¡­ he was just so¡­ god, I didn¡¯t


    even know what to say; how to bring out the expression in this one. But it pained my heart to know


    what my younger brother had done.


    Suppose I could see him right now if only I had a clue about his location. I wanted to talk to him face to


    face so we could settle this, and I wanted him to put an end to his terror. And if that happened, then he


    should leave the country.


    I stood outside mypany, watching people as they stepped out of their cars, my workers unfolding


    one by one. Michael and Rose showed up. I greeted the beautiful couple before they walked inside the


    building. Seth showed up, and we exchanged. greetings.


    And then, after a few minutes, the beautifuldy arrived. Slowly stepped out of her car, looking


    absolutely gorgeous in her sleek ck dress.

 Chapter 324

    324: BEAUTY IN BLACK


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    Ariel slowly stepped out of her car; her beauty was like never before. The dress unveiled her wonderful


    curves, and the smile on her face added to her magnificent look. Her makeup was just indefectible, and


    her stunning looks made her look.


    different.


    She was walking toward me, and I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her. It was like an angel


    hade my way.


    Getting closer, she greeted, ¡°Good morning, Andre.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything because I was still lost in her beauty. And I swear I could have


    gone insane the moment I caught a whiff of her wonderful fragrance.


    ¡°Uhmm, Andre?¡± Ariel had to snap me from dreand.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± She turned around, scanning the surroundings, and set her eyes back


    on me. ¡°Are you waiting for someone?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. I¡¯m just thinking about¡¯something.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re thinking about a lot of things today. Hope everything¡¯s fine at home.¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s good. No problem. Don¡¯t mind me. Wee bac


    nyway, Ariel. It¡¯s


    nice to have you around again.¡± I hugged her. Her fragrance was so amazing I didn¡¯t


    want to let go of her.


    Our embrace finally ended. I was still staring at Ariel, but noticing that it made her


    feel ufortable, I shifted my gaze to somewhere else.


    I had a feeling she didn¡¯t want to say anything about that, probably because she didn¡¯t want me


    getting.., h, yeah, let¡¯s use that word.


    Ariel patted my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll go inside now. You take care of your,t thinking.¡±


    Iughed a little, then a nod right there from me. ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll join you guys any moment.


    moment


    ¡°It¡¯s cool, sir. You can stand there and day long, thinking about who knows what.¡±


    After herrky tone, she traipsed inside the building. I shook my head, herst words. reying in my


    head. Crazy Ariel.


    After standing outside for quite a long time, thinking about Mason and his prejudicial acts, I made my


    way inside the building.


    A few hours passed, with me just sitting in my office, thinking about my brother. If only I could see him


    now. I didn¡¯t even know if he was still alive. My mother had been worried sick about him. I didn¡¯t want to


    be the one to tell her that her beloved son


    was a monster.


    So, it was now time for a discussion concerning one of ourtest projects. Ariel had. been included in


    this, not that she had been working with us all this time. I just believed; in fact, I knew that her presence


    would make this talk remarkable.


    Yes, I settled into my chair at the head of the conference table. Rose, Michael, and Scott gathered


    around, each armed with theirptops and notebooks. As I had told


    you earlier, Ariel was present.


    And here we were, in the room that buzzed with contemtion, the whiteboard eagerly waiting for our


    ideas to fill its nk canvas.


    ¡°Alright, team,¡± I began, sping my hands together. Today, we¡¯re diving into our newest project:


    developing a mobile app for our client. Let¡¯s put our heads together so we can get this done perfectly.


    To be honest, I¡¯m not in the mood. As you can see, I have a lot on my mind right now. But we have to


    do this to go furt..er in this project.¡±


    ¡°You got that, boss.¡± Michael smiled with his eyebrows raised.


    ¡°Yes, sir. We have you covered,¡± Rose said, leaning forward. ¡°I¡¯ve sketched some initial wireframes


    based on the client¡¯s specifications. We need to ensure the app is


    intuitive and visually appealing.¡±


    Michael snapped his fingers, hitting the table. The yful one. I wasn¡¯t surprised.


    He spoke up, ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ve been researching thetest trends in app


    development. We should consider integrating features like augmented reality or


    voice recognition to make the app stand out.¡±


    324 BEAUTY IN BLACK


    Seth cleared his throat, stealing everyone¡¯s attention. He tapped his pen against his notebook. ¡°I¡¯ve


    been analyzing our target audience andpetitors. We need a solid marketing n to ensure the app


    gains traction uponunch.¡±


    I smiled at each one, nodding slowly. ¡°Great insights, everyone. Now, let¡¯s delve deeper.¡± I turned to


    Ariel, smiling at her. ¡°Ariel, do you have any idea or any way your think we can streamline the user


    journey to maximize engagement?¡±


    Ariel took a deep breath and moved her hands down her face. ¡°Okay, well¡­.¡±


    ¡°Come on, give us your suggestions on this. I know you have something to say, and I believe you¡¯ll


    make an impact on this.¡± I smiled at her.


    She smiled at me back. And then she voiced out, ¡°I think we should incorporate user personas to tailor


    the app experience to different demographics. You know, implement user testing throughout the


    development process. I think that will help us a lot in refining the interface based on real user feedback.


    Yeah, I think that¡¯s going


    to help us a lot.¡±


    ¡°Nice,¡± Michael agreed, nodding his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that so, boss.¡± He turned to me.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I responded, then looked at Ariel. ¡°That¡¯s Ariel for you. She¡¯s alwaysing up with


    great ideas. She¡¯s so awesome.


    Ariel giggled, looking down at the table like she was shy. ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t tter me.


    ¡°I¡¯m only saying the truth, Ariel.¡± I kept on smiling at her.


    ¡°Can I continue, sir?¡± Rose asked.


    I nodded. ¡°You may proceed.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she said inaudibly. ¡°For the app¡¯s functionality, we should focus on seamless integration with


    third¨Cparty services and ensure scbility for future updates. And I have a feeling that leveraging cloud


    technology will optimize performance and


    storage.¡±


    Scott scribbled notes furiously. ¡°To generate buzz, we canunch teaser campaigns on social media


    and coborate with influencers in our client¡¯s niche. To ensure early adopters incentivize downloads,


    we have to offer exclusive perks. It¡¯s worth it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, nice suggestion, man. But can you please take it easy? You¡¯re not in a


    wrestling ground or something,¡± Michael told Scott. But Scott just red at him with


    no response.


    ¡°Excellent suggestions, everyone,¡± I uttered, breaking up whatever was about to happen between those


    two. ¡°Well, I suggest that we should synthesize these ideas. into aprehensive project n and set


    our milestones. We¡¯ll create an app that exceeds our client¡¯s expectations and captivates users


    worldwide.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, sir,¡± Rose said.


    I nced at her. ¡°I know.¡± I gave everyone in the room my attention back. ¡°I think this is where we¡¯re


    going to stop for now. We¡¯ll continue this discussion some other time. Right now, you guys can go


    ahead and carry on with whatever we¡¯re doing. Thanks for the suggestions.¡±


    I stood up, and they did the same. Michael left the room, discussing with his girlfriend. Scott left as well,


    not saying anything but putting on the cold face. Ariel left, too, making a phone call.


    Now, I was the only one left in this room. Mason pooped up in my head, and I had to


    let out a deep sigh.


    The day had gotten dark, and everyone had left. I was about to tread to my car when another vehicle


    drove in front of me.


    The door opened, and I was surprised to see who hade out.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 325

    325: DARK CONFRONTATIONS


    ANDRE¡¯S POV


    It had gotten dark, and everyone had left thepany, going to their various homes. Ariel was thest


    one to leave, and before she did that, we had a little conversation- just a normal conversation, actually.


    I was exhausted from work, and my thoughts added to my stress. I had no idea how this all started, but


    my head couldn¡¯t shake the thoughts away.


    Walking to my car, I spotted a light of another caring in my direction. The light was pointed at me,


    giving me the feeling that whoever was in that vehicle came to see me. So I stood, waiting for the car to


    stop and for the driver to leave.


    When the car finally stopped, I didn¡¯t take my eyes off it. The lights were turned off, and I stood still,


    letting the scene unfold. To my surprise, a familiar face stepped out. And this was not just any familiar


    face. It was my brother Mason. He was the one


    who burst out of the car.


    He wore a leather jacket and grey jeans. His face had several scars, and he was definitely not as


    handsome as he used to be.


    ¡°Mason? Is that you?¡± I asked cautiously. It could be that my thinking had brought me


    to this imaginary world.


    ¡°What are you seeing, brother?¡± He replied, opening his arms wide.


    He took some steps forward, but it was like he had been injured in the leg. Of course he was. His


    encounter with Luke was definitely the cause of it. I was quite sure about


    that.


    ¡°Where have you been all these days?¡± I quizzed him. His steps were getting closer


    each second.


    Just trying to build myself.¡± He shrugged, making that not¨Ccaring face. ¡°You know, after what your


    friend¡¯s lover did to me.


    But you deserved it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    325 DARK CONFRONTATIONS


    ¡°Ha!¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°You know about everything now. I noticed that.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to be so cruel?¡±


    ¡°Cruel? Is that what you call me now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mason! You murdered a five¨Cyear¨Cold kid who literally had no idea about


    anything.¡±


    ¡°He was the son of Luke.¡±


    ¡°The boy was innocent!¡± I bawled right away. ¡°He had nothing to do with any of your¡­ problems with


    Luke. If you wanted revenge, you shouldn¡¯t have touched any of the little kids.¡±


    Mason chuckled, moving his fingers together. ¡°Then it wouldn¡¯t be a cool one.¡±


    ¡°A cool one? That¡¯s it, Mason? Seriously? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to say?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say?!¡± He shrieked at me that very moment. The re had now


    overshadowed his visage. ¡°Do you have any idea what Luke did to me, do you? Do you know the pain


    that he caused me, the pain that I had to go through for years?¡±


    ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t have to go ahead and kill his son. In case you don¡¯t know, Luke was


    like a son to me. He was family.¡±


    ¡°And Sofia was family too,¡± Mason spat, and in a whisper, he said, ¡°I loved her so much. I loved her


    with the whole of my heart. But Luke had to take her from me. So I followed thew: an eye for an eye,


    a tooth for a tooth. Karma came knocking right on his door. I brought that to him.¡±


    I gazed at him in silence, scanning him pretty well. I looked around, and different.


    people were walking by.


    I turned back to Mason. ¡°Let¡¯s find somewhere more safe to talk about this.¡±


    I entered my car, and Mason followed promptly. We didn¡¯t say anything to each other


    while I drove.


    We traversed the deste stretch of road; an eerie silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the


    asional whisper of the wind. Weathered and cracked asphalt stretched out like a yawning chasm,


    disappearing into the horizon. The darkness


    325 DARK CONFRONTATIONS


    seemed to swallow everything whole, and It could leave someone with a sense of unease as you


    pressed forward.


    ¡°Where are we heading to?¡± Mason asked, looking around.


    ¡°Why are you asking? Are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be curious then. You know how the saying goes: curiosity kills the cat.¡±


    Mason chuckled, still looking through the window. ¡°That¡¯s an old season.¡± He looked at me with his


    sardonic smile. ¡°Those are for babies, not for me.¡±


    I chuckled, not saying anything further. I only carried on with my driving.


    To either side, gnarled trees stood sentinel, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers grasping at


    the void. Their twisted forms cast elongated shadows that danced across the road, adding to the sense


    of foreboding. The sparse foliage that clung to their branches rustled softly as if murmuring secrets to


    the night.


    Ahead, a solitary hill rose ominously against the backdrop of the starless sky. Its silhouette loomed like


    a specter, beckoning you forth with an unsettling allure. I approached in that detection, and the incline


    became steeper, the road winding its way upwards like a serpent¡¯s coil.


    Driving further, the darkness seemed to deepen, pressing in on all sides. If you were here with me right


    now, you would feel like you were suffocating under its weight, with the air growing colder. It would look


    like it was chilling you to the bone as you climbed ever higher toward the summit.


    Finally, we reached the crest of the hill, and for a moment, all was still. The road stretched before us,


    disappearing into the darkness below. From this vantage point, I could see nothing but emptiness, a


    vast expanse of nothingness that stretched out into infinity.


    ¡°You can get out now,¡± I told Mason, not glimpsing at him.


    ¡°Seriously, brother? What are we doing here?¡± he asked me. His tone indicated that he was frightened,


    but he didn¡¯t want to admit it.


    My eyes were tardily fixed on him, unwavering.


    325 DARK CONFRONTATIONS


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that face,¡± he spat. ¡°What the hell are we doing here? Why have your brought us to this


    ce?¡±


    I hoisted my brows at him. ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that!¡± He snarled promptly. ¡°Enough with that ¡®why are you scared shit,¡® ¡®alright? I¡¯m sick


    of it!¡±


    ¡°Why? I only asked you twice,¡± I told him calmly.


    ¡°Bullshit, Andre! Bullshit!¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down and leave the car. We are here to talk, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Of all the ces in this city. You had to bring us here.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a problem with it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me if I have a problem with it? If I don¡¯t, do you think I¡¯ll be saying all


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    this right now?¡±


    ¡°Mason, I came here to talk, to rify things, and to see how we can end all this


    madness. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    He sighed, and after a moment, he left the car. I got out as well. We were both. standing right at the hill,


    silence within the darkness.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re here. Say what you have to say. Mason asked me, and I turned to him.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± I answered and walked closer to the edge of the cliff. Mason moved


    behind me and stood close to the edge as well.


    ¡°Tell me, Mason, about this lover of yours. The one you said was killed by Luke.¡±


    Mason let out a deep sigh. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have much to say. But she was pretty, nice, amazing, and all


    the great things you could ever think of. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, but unfortunately,


    I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Because Luke killed her.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I turned to him. ¡°You want to know something, Mason?¡±


    9925 DARK CONTRONTATIONS


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Lukel was also nice. He was a sweet kid, funny, yful, lively, and all the great


    things you could think of as well. But you went ahead to kill him. You kidnapped his sister, tried to kill


    his mother, and also tried to kill his father.¡±


    ¡°They all deserved it. And I¡¯m not done yet.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m about to put an end to all of this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He raised his brow in confusion.


    I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mason.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what? What are you talking about..¡±


    I pushed him off the cliff before he could finish his sentence. And ncing down, I


    could hear his screams.

 Chapter 326

    326: FALLEN FRIEND


    ¡°Detective,e take a look!¡±


    Jack Ryan hollered from down the hill. The day had now brightened, and the cops were carrying out their duty, which had been


    going on for the past few days.


    They all gathered around, looking at the lifeless body. Blood covered the back of the head, and the eyes remained closed.


    The detective, Lucas Grayson, walked from his car, his eyes fixed on the scene before him. The days¨Clong search had finally


    Sitting on his heels, close to the lifeless body before him, he took a deep breath and


    closed his eyes, mourning for this person.


    It was Mason.


    Lucas and Mason had been good friends, and hearing the news that Mason was missing, Lucas set out to search for him, doing


    everything he could just to find his


    greatrade.


    Now, he was seeing the body of his friend, who was no longer breathing and whose heart was beating no more. Tears rolled


    down Lucas¡® cheeks as he recalled his


    wonderful times with Mason.


    This was definitely not suicide; who could have killed him? Who could have been so heartless to end the life of this nice and


    wonderful young man?


    Lucas rose to his feet, not taking his eyes off Mason one bit. His fists clenched


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    tightly as if he was about to strike someone with his anger.


    ¡°Sir Lucas, is everything okay?¡±


    The question came from Hailey, a recruit who had been following him around. A beautiful youngdy who recently turned


    neen is chasing her dream of being a


    cop, just like her father,who made a great name in New Haven.


    Lucas turned to her/not willing to say anything, but he would have to give her a response. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡±


    M12R PALEEN FRIEND


    ¡°Do you know him?¡± Jack asked, standing closer to the both of them.


    They all fixed their eyes on Mason, but Lucas was most grieving. The other two showed no feelings


    since they had no idea who the dead man was. But the fight for justice was revolving around them.


    ¡°We should get going,¡± Lucas said in a low voice. Although he was not crying out, his heart was


    mourning for Mason.


    He needed to know the person responsible for this killing. He needed to start the investigation, and he


    needed to do that fast. He wanted justice for his friend, but he was unaware of the terrible things that


    his friend had done.


    or any more words.


    Hailey noticed Lucas¡¯s pained expression, so she refused to She turned her eyes back to Mason,


    hoping Lucas would break the silence.


    One of the cops advanced in front of them. He scanned their faces and saw how they were all silent; he


    wondered if they were at a funeral.


    They didn¡¯t move; they didn¡¯t shake. But their eyes transposed, and the gaze on


    Mason did note to an end.


    When this cop took his eyes off the lifeless body, he became shocked. He knew who this was, so now


    he had knowledge of the silence between the three folks standing


    next to him.


    ¡°This is Mason Jones, brother of Andre, the owner of Vitality Group!¡±


    Hearing the beautiful sounds produced by the birds, Ariel woke up from her sleep. After looking around


    the room, she yawned.


    She spent a great night with Luke yesterday, which brought tons of joy to her heart. It was her second


    night with Luke, returning to his arms once again as his lovely wife.


    Ariel nced at the clock, only to see that it was 11:00 a.m. Her eyes widened at that very moment


    because she was quite surprised.


    She was really startled that she had slept this far. But she was lucky it was a


    Saturday.


    26. FA; LEN FRENO


    Sitting up on the bed, Ariel continued to wonder why her sleep had to take this long. Was she so happy


    in Luke¡¯s arms that she forgot the proper time to wake? And why didn¡¯t Luke wake her from her sleep?


    He was no longer in the living room. This could have made Ariel mad, but she


    decided to overlook the situation because it was a Saturday.


    She even needed rest, by the way. The weekend¡¯s activities had all been exhausting, following the


    dispute with Laura and so many more.


    Ariel wondered if Luke was still in the mansion until she heard the toilet flush. Then


    she had her answer.


    Luke walked out without a shirt. He was just wearing a pair of white shorts. Ariel


    couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his chest. It was like this was the first time she had seen


    him.


    Luke, walking to the mirror, noticed Ariel¡¯s gaze at him. But he paused, staring at her


    through the corner of his eyes. Although he was trying to hide it, Ariel knew he was


    staring, so she gave him a smile. A smile was too wide, which caused Luke tough.


    He took his eyes off her and set them on the mirror. He grabbed a shampoo and


    poured some on his dark hair, looking in the mirror.


    With his hands moving around his hair in slow motion, Luke noticed how Ariel


    couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, so he asked, ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡±


    Ariel chuckled. The question seemed quite funny to her, but Luke was amusing himself. asionally, he would act irrationally,


    teasing her and behing in a clown-


    like manner. It wasn¡¯t something new to Ariel.


    Crossing her hands together, with a smile on her face and her eyes going upwards, Ariel decided to follow through with a


    replication. ¡°First of all, that question isme. Secondly, I am your wife; I have every right to stare at you.¡±


    Lukeughed in his heart upon hearing her words. Hereback fascinated him, and he wanted the conversation to go on. He


    loved teasing Ariel, and he liked that she was always able to match his energy.


    ¡°So what if you¡¯re my wife? Can¡¯t I have some privacy?¡±


    326: FALLEN FRIEND


    Luke shrugged and continued to shampoo his hair. His eyes were on the mirror, and he could see Ariel sitting on the bed with her


    aesthetic countenance.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s too early for this.¡±


    Ariel vawned andy back on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m really tired. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m still sleepy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that myself.¡±


    The door opened, and Luke¡¯s gateman, Marcus, stepped inside the room.


    Turning to Marcus, Luke didn¡¯t give his gateman a friendly look.


    How could he just barge into the room like that? Couldn¡¯t he knock?


    ¡°Sir, there are some¡­¡±


    Before Marcus could finish his sentence, Luke rebuked him, ¡°Who told you you could just walk into my room like that? Can¡¯t you


    knock or something? Where are your manners, young man?¡±


    Despite his dislike for the yelling, Marcus lowered his face and refused to speak. But what could he do? Luke was his boss, after


    all.


    Ariel, too, didn¡¯t like how Luke yelled at the gateman. Yes, Marcus should have knocked, but Luke getting angry over little things


    was just not it.


    Having tolerated Luke¡¯s actions, Marcus finally said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just came to let you know that you have some visitors.¡±

 Chapter 337

    337: PRIORITIZING RECOVERY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Where¡¯s Luke? ¡°Is he okay?¡± I questioned my mother, looking fixedly at her.


    Her smile faltered slightly, a shadow passing over her features. ¡°Luko, he¡¯s still unconscious,


    sweetheart. But the doctors are doing everything they can for him. He¡¯s a fighter, just like you.¡±


    My heart clenched at the news of Luke¡¯s condition, a wave of worry crashing over me. ¡°I need to see


    him, Mom. I need to make sure he¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll ask the doctors, dear,¡± my mother assured me, her voice soothing. ¡°But for now, you need to


    focus on getting better at yourself. You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±


    ¡°I know, Mom. But I need to go and see Luke. Please don¡¯t stop me.¡± I tried getting up, but my mother


    was firm on me.


    ¡°You will see him, Ariel. But not in this condition; you¡¯re too weak to move. ¡°And it¡¯s not quite advisable.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the lectures or whatever. I just want to see Luke. Did you see the look in his eyes


    when those men were beating the hell out of us? Did you?¡±


    My mother¡¯s tone was low as she replied. ¡°You clearly knew I wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to tell you. The pain, everything¨CLuke stood by my side, willing to die for my


    sake. And now you¡¯re telling me not to go and see him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting things wrong, Ariel. That wasn¡¯t what I meant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not buying any talk right now, and I don¡¯t care what anyone has to say.¡°I just want to go and see


    Luke,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stressing yourself, Ariel. Now your wounds might just be more painful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. The wounds are already there, anyway. I only want to see the one person who


    supported me in that dark moment. You literally had no idea what we had to go through.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that you have to stress yourself.¡±


    ¡°Stress mymeOkay, that is quite fucked, because I¡¯m not doing that right now. I¡¯m just being concerned


    about my husband.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡°And trust me, I¡¯m also concerned about Luke.¡±


    ??


    I gave her a skeptical look, and after seconds, I told her, ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Why do you tell who?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite clear?¡±


    ¡°Quite clear?¡± Her face was filled with confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me seeing my husband, who¡¯s unconscious at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re not in your great form, she defended herself immediately. ¡°Who knows? Maybe you


    might stumble when you stand on your feet.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, looking in a different direction. ¡°How nice. Keep making fun of me.¡±


    My mother took a deep breath. She gently ced her hand on my shoulder. ¡°I understand your


    situation, Ariel. But right now, I¡¯m worried about you. Everyone¡¯s worried about you. You love Luke; we


    all know that But please, love yourself as well.¡±


    ¡°I do love myself,¡± I said right away, interrupting her frompleting whatever speech she had in line


    next to say.


    But she quickly defended herself. ¡°Yes, you do. But you¡¯re not fit to walk or move around right now. You


    just woke up from aa, so it¡¯s best you get all the rest you need. Okay?¡±


    I was silent, and just when she thought I was about to heed her words, I gave her a shocking response.


    Well, not that shocking since we already had this argument going on.


    And the words were like this: ¡°I¡¯m still not changing my mind.¡±


    My mother let out a frustrated sigh, and after that, a doctor walked inside the room.


    My mom tumed to him while he took some steps closer. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. Please help


    me


    talk to her?


    ¡°I see she¡¯s finally awake.¡± The doctor smiled at me.


    He was dark¨Cskinned, really handsome, had a nice haircut, and his smile was so captivating. He even


    had


    this remarkable figure for anydy to crush on him. But count me out of it.


    ¡°Doctor, I need your help,¡± my mother said to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± He inquired, shooting glimpses at both me and my mother.


    My mother quickly filled him in on our conversation, expressing her concerns about my insistence on


    seeing Luke despite my fragile state. She emphasized the need for me to prioritize my own recovery.


    He listened attentively, nodding asionally as my mother spoke. When she finished, she left the


    room, saying she would be back, while he turned his attention to me, his expression thoughtful.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Jamal,¡± the doctor introduced himself as he approached my bedside, his voice gentle and


    calming. His presence exuded warmth and reassurance, and I found myself instinctively drawn to his


    demeanor.


    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re eager to see your husband, Ariel,¡± he began, his tone soft but firm. ¡°But your


    mother is right.¡°Your body needs time to heal, especially after what you¡¯ve been through. Pushing


    yourself too hard could jeopardize your recovery.¡±


    I sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. It was hard to argue with both my mother and now


    the doctor.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Luke,¡± he continued, his gaze meeting mine with empathy. ¡°But you have


    to trust that the medical team is doing everything they can for him. Right now, your focus needs to be


    on


    2ST PRIORITIZING RECOVERY


    regaining your strength.¡±


    I shifted ufortably in the hospital bed, torn between my desire to see Luke and the logic of this


    man¡¯s words right here. Just great.


    To my surprise, Jamal leaned in closer, his expression bing more earnest. ¡°Let me share a story


    with you, Ariel. A patient of mine once insisted on leaving her hospital bed to visit her loved one, who


    was also hospitalized. Like you, she was determined and fiercely loyal.¡±


    I listened intently as he recounted the patient¡¯s story, detailing how her impulsive decision to leave her


    bed resulted in a setback in her recovery. He described theplications that arose and the additional


    strain it ced on her body.


    ¡°But you know what?¡± He continued. ¡°Despite all the setbacks, she eventually got to see her loved one.


    And do you know how?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I shook my head, curious about the oue of the story.


    ¡°By taking care of herself first, he replied, his eyes locking with mine. ¡°By following her doctor¡¯s advice,


    she regained her strength and was able to be there for her loved one when they needed her most.¡±


    His words resonated with me, sinking in deeper than I expected. Perhaps there was wisdom in


    prioritizing my own well¨Cbeing before rushing to Luke¡¯s side.


    Jamal reached out and gently squeezed my hand. ¡°Trust the process, Ariel. We¡¯re here to help you


    every


    step of the way.¡±


    In silence, I nced down at his hand on mine and gave him a knowing look.


    He quickly released my hand. ¡°Oh, sorry. This is just how I usually interact with my patients. Don¡¯t think


    otherwise.¡±


    I chuckled, shaking my head.


    ¡°So, I hope you¡¯re clear on this whole health thing.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I replied, causing him tough lightly.


    ¡°Ariel, please get some rest. Health is wealth.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much for your concern. I¡¯ve heard you,¡± I told him, not fixing my eyes on him.


    I¡¯ll check up on youter. Promise to take care of yourself, okay?¡±


    I nodded, and he left the room. It should take about two minutes when the door is opened again. And I


    was shocked as hell to see this person standing in the room.

 Chapter 338

    338: CLASH OF TITANS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe who I was seeing or what the heck I was witnessing at the moment. The person that I


    would never want to be seen with or get close to. However, she was present in this room, mocking my


    condition with a smirk, and I was powerless to stop her.


    ¡°You? What the hell are you doing here? How did you get to this hospital?¡± I asked Harriet, who still


    had


    that irritating smirk on her face.


    She was wearing the nurse outfit; she had a mask on the moment she arrived, but she took it off


    anyway. All of this made it look like she was working in the hospital.


    ¡°I ask again. How did you get in here? I snarled at Harriet, who had not given me a response to my first


    question. But instead, she carried on with her good¨Cfor¨Cnothing expression.


    ¡°Calm down, Ariel. You don¡¯t have to scream so loud for the people in this building to hear you.¡±


    I


    ¡°How did you know that I was here?¡±


    Harriet shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Well, I have my ways.¡±


    ¡°Leave now,¡± I told her bitterly. My eyes stirred at the door before I set them back on Harriet.


    She chuckled, clearly making fun of me. ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to beat me up?


    You¡¯re going to p me? Will you strangle the living soul out of me?¡±


    ring at the baboon, I was about to fire back at her, but she interrupted me.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, hold on, Ariel. It seems like you¡¯re forgetting one thing. But let me just remind you


    about the condition you¡¯re in currently. I just hope it stays with you for the rest of your miserable life.¡±


    *Thanks for the hardments. You can get your hideous face out of here.¡±


    ¡°Right, how amazing is that? Come from the idiot who has some scars on her face.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a worthless piece of trash, Harriet.¡±


    ¡°You do know I can murder you now, right?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± I looked her dead in the eyes, both of us exchanging


    nk


    expressions. ¡°Do what you want to do, Harriet. No one¡¯s stopping you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be nice, actually. It¡¯s as if they are drawing nearer to you and trying to choke you to


    death. You look miserable anyway. I probably shouldn¡¯t waste my time with you.¡±


    ¡°Do what you have to do. Now that you still have the chance, Because if you spare me right here, right


    now, you¡¯re going to be making the biggest mistake of your life.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, just zip it. Shut that mouth of yours. You talk sh*t like you¡¯re not scared of death.¡±


    ¡°I might be scared of death. But I¡¯m not scared of you. So if you¡¯re going to kill me, you better do that


    now


    that you still have the chance.¡±


    Harriet didn¡¯t give me a good face one bit. Her expression was somehow filled with disbelief. ¡°Are you


    out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Because you keep on talking nonsense,¡± she responded.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be begging for mercy, not spitting shit.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, actually, but there is no way. There is absolutely no way in this motherfucking world, and when I


    say it, I mean it. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to beg you for sh*t or whatever. So I suggest you erase that


    thought out of your fucking head.¡±


    ¡°I love how you¡¯re so bold. The way you talk, there is no single fear at all. It¡¯s actually shocking, since


    you¡¯re useless in that worthless condition. Not everyone is as courageous as you. So, I got to give you


    five stars on this one. But just a simple piece of advice: learn how to shut that mouth of


    yours.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back augh. ¡°Nice advice, Harriet. But I don¡¯t need it. You can keep your stupid


    thoughts to yourself.¡±


    ¡°So, tell me.¡°How did you do it?¡± Harriet just threw up a weird question all of a sudden.


    It caused me to look at her in confusion. ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°How did you kill Mason?¡± She crossed her arms, giving me this question.


    ¡°Hold on a minute, you think I killed Mason? ¡°You seriously think I murdered that idiot.¡±


    ¡°Duhh, it¡¯s pretty clear.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not, you dopehead,¡± I spat incontinently. ¡°I did not kill Mason. Okay? Get that through that thick


    skull of yours.¡±


    Harriet red at me, ignoring thestment as she asked, ¡°If not you, then who?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably someone who hated him as much as I did. Fuck it, why am I even talking to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Because you can


    you can¡¯t help it. You try so much to be like me¨Cto be cruel and heartless¨Cbut you keep on failing. Just


    ept the facts, Ariel. You can never be like me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Harriet. I can never be like you. You are a monster; I¡¯m not. I might be a monster to you


    because you deserve it. But I am no monster. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to start ending the lives of


    Innocent souls. You are a lunatic, Harriet. You are a goddamn lunatic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you acknowledged that. Harriet smirked at me, moving slowly. ¡°And what does a lunatic do?¡±


    She raised her brows, letting her question hang in the air.


    With my brows furrowed in rage, I refused to give her an answer, letting her disy her stupidity. Yeah,


    she was one stupid b*tch.


    ¡°No answer, Ariel?¡±


    I sighed, averting my gaze from her hideous countenance.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear Just got the hell out of here!¡± I barked.


    ¡°A lunatic ends the lives of her enemies. She makes them suffer. She tortures them day and night,


    crushes their bones and makes them scream in agony. She doesn¡¯t let them wear a smile on their


    faces. When happinesses their way, she quickly snatches it from them.¡±


    you


    ¡°Are


    yourself?¡±


    done talking?¡± I asked her after a moment of silence. ¡°Are you done making a fool out of


    ¡°I¡¯m only telling you how I¡¯ll bring Thore into your miserable life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already started. Just finish it.¡± I spoke coldly, giving her a face brimming with lividity. ¡°Bitch,¡± I


    added.


    Harriet¡¯s sour expression materialized. ¡°How rude of you, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Shut that mouth of yours and get the hell out of here!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Harriet snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you and your nonsense.¡±


    ¡°It took you long enough.¡±


    Harriet dipped her hand in her pocket, and behold, she brought a honed dagger out. Evidently, that


    object was razor¨Csharp simply by its appearance. I could say it was trenchant enough to slice off


    someone¡¯s


    head


    Well, Ariel Walker, Ariel Reynold, was not terrified of this moron standing in front of her.


    Harriet, who had the baleful look on her face, kept on walking in my direction, her hand lifted up as she


    still had a hold of the dagger.


    Well, this was actually a tough scene, but what could I do? I could only see how it was going to end.


    But I had the feeling that Harriet wasn¡¯t going to be sessful in this one.


    ¡®Failure!¡®


    That had been her nickname from the start.


    As Harriet got closer, I closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever was about to happen. And all of a


    sudden, we heard a knock on the door.

 Chapter 339

    339: PLANNING CHANGES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I watched how Harriet swiftly hid the dagger in her pocket. There was a knock on the door, and Doctor


    Jamal entered the room. Standing right there, he looked at Harriet with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jamal asked her, his brows furrowing in confusion.


    ¡°I just came to check on the patient,¡± Harriet replied smoothly, her voice dripping with false innocence.


    Jamal crossed his arms, not taking his eyes off her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and assist others with work? I


    can assure you that the patient ispletely fine.¡±


    Harriet nodded at that very moment and hastily left the room. I couldn¡¯t help but smile to myself, feeling


    victorious. Doctor Jamal noticed and asked, ¡°Why are you smiling, Ariel?¡±


    I shook my head, suppressing a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Doctor Jamal.¡±


    He studied me for a moment before asking. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    I nodded, grateful for his concern. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Thank you for checking on me.¡±


    He smiled warmly. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Take care of yourself, Ariel.¡±


    The moment he left the room, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Despite the tense encounter with


    Harriet, I was grateful for Jamal¡¯s timely intervention.


    I knew it; Ariel was always a failure. She might have won me sometimes, but in general, she was a


    complete failure.


    Hours passed, and I was still here in the hospital, right on this bed. All I could do was think about Luke,


    and I was really worried about him.


    It was clear; the both of us lost consciousness at that moment. I didn¡¯t know. However, this was


    serious, since Luke was still insensible. He took longer than mine, and right now, I was just praying that


    he recovered soon.


    Stillying in the hospital bed, lost in my worries about Luke, the door creaked open, and in walked


    Janice, my beautiful daughter, holding Mariam¡¯s hand. My heart lifted at the sight of her, a bright spot in


    this dim room,


    But Mariam is around here,ing to see me? That was weird. And now, I was hoping that she didn¡¯t


    ¡°Mom!¡± Janice blurted out, her face lighting up with joy as she rushed to my side. ¡°I missed you so


    much!¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I pulled her into a tight hug, grateful for her presence here. It was


    actually a pleasure to see her here.


    939: PLANNING CHANGE


    ¡°Oh, Janice, I missed you too, sweetheart, I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.


    Mariam followed behind Janice with a warm smile on her face. ¡°We brought some food for you, Ariel,¡±


    she said kindly, cing the containers on the bedside table. I thought you might be hungry


    I paused at first, not knowing the right words to say. And with the way she observed me, it was clear


    that she understood the expression.


    But anyway, I had to smile gratefully at her, touched by her thoughtfulness ¡°Thank you, Mariam That¡¯s


    so


    sweet of you¡±


    Janice peered at me with wide eyes. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really d that you¡¯re okay. You¡¯ve been in the hospital


    for so long now, you and Daddy, and the whole ce seemed empty without you two.¡±


    I brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Tm so sorry about that, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying sorry?¡± It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course it isn¡¯t. ¡°But I can tell how you were so lonely


    ¡°That is correct, Mo. But you¡¯re okay now. We can leave the hospital, you, me and Daddy. Grab some


    ice


    cream and hang out together.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not happening any time soon.¡±


    Janice¡¯s excitement faded a little. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m still injured. ording to the doctor and your grandma, I¡¯m not physically fit to move


    around.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s bad¡± Janice¡¯s tone was low.


    Mariam knelt down beside Janice, her expression gentle. ¡°Even so, you do not have to worry about


    anything. Your mother is a strong woman, Janice. She¡¯ll be back on her feet in no time,¡± she said,


    offering words of encouragement.


    And I was like, ¡®Wow. This new attitude of Mariam would be surprising to me every single time.


    Janice nodded, bringing back her wonderful smile. ¡°I know, Aunt Mariam. She is the bravest person i


    know!¡±


    Iughed a little. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your father.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t actually say for him.¡± Janice shrugged yfully, causing me and Mariam tough.


    My heart swelled with pride at Janice¡¯s words. Despite everything, she still saw me as her hero. I


    hugged


    her tightly once more, feeling a surge of gratitude for my precious daughter.


    ¡°But mom, the house has been a total mess, with you and Daddy not being around.¡±


    I looked at Janice in a confused manner. ¡°What? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my aunt,¡± Mariam replied instantly.


    I gave her my attention. ¡°Who, Liliana?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s been acting like the boss since Luke is still in aa. And trust me, it was like we were in


    hell. She even kicked Cynthia out of the house.¡±


    ¡°She did what now? I blurted out.


    ¡°You want to know what else is terrible? She turned Randy and Ethan into ves; now they work


    alongside the workers,¡± Janice revealed.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible,¡± I spoke in hushed tones and turned to her. ¡°I hope she didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡±


    ¡°No, she did not. But that cannot change the fact that she was mean to me.¡±


    ¡°In general, she¡¯s mean to everyone in the house. And we¡¯re all waiting for you and Luke toe back


    to change all of that,¡± Mariam told me. ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate that woman. I was nning to move out of the


    house until we came here, and I saw that you¡¯d regained consciousness. At least, there is hope.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could just go there right now and put Liliana in her ce. But unfortunately, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m still not


    physically fit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I totally forgot about that part,¡± Mariam said, almost inaudible.


    ¡°But you both do not have to worry.¡°We¡¯re going to put an end to whatever nonsense is being carried


    out by Liliana.¡±


    ¡°When exactly?¡± Mariam asked, raising an eyebrow.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it won¡¯t be very long. ¡°And I know for a fact that Luke will regain consciousness by


    then.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Mariam uttered. ¡°I have to go now. Janice, don¡¯t you want toe along?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m staying with my mom.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to spend the night with me?¡± I asked Janice.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve spent days without you. And now that you are finally awake, why should I waste the great


    moment?¡±


    ¡°Aww Janice. That¡¯s so sweet of you.¡± I beamed at her.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll leave the two of you here. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯lle to pick up Janice from the


    hospital so she can get ready for school.


    I looked at Janice. ¡°Oh, the holidays are finally over for you guys.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Grandma picked a great school for me.


    ¡°Cynthia?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mariam answered. ¡°I¡¯ll go now,¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks for bringing Janice to the hospital. It means a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Ariel.¡± Mariam finally left the room.

 Chapter 341

    341: HOLDING ON


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Janice furrowed her brows, concern etched across her features. ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t be pushing


    yourself like this. You¡¯re hurt.¡±


    ¡°I know, sweetheart,¡± I sighed, wincing as I adjusted myself on the bed. ¡°But I had to make sure your


    dad


    was okay.¡±


    ¡°But the doctors are taking care of him, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are.¡± I nodded, reaching out to gently stroke her hair. ¡°But I just needed to see him for


    myself, you know?¡±


    Janice nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. ¡°I get it, Mom. But please, promise me you¡¯ll take it


    easy. You need to focus on getting better too.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± I replied, offering her a weak smile. ¡°Now, how about we both try to get some rest? We


    could


    use it.¡±


    Janice nodded, leaning against my shoulder. ¡°Yeah, that sounds good.¡±


    As we settled into the quiet room, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of gratitude wash over me. Together,


    we would confront numerous challenges, yet our unwavering unity would be the only thing that


    mattered.


    L


    Storms coulde and chaos might unfold, but with my blood by my side, those terrors would be so


    bootless,


    And as I closed my eyes, I had to think of the things ahead and how everything was going to work out.


    Luke being there to hold me tight, and Janice supporting the both of us. With smiles all around our


    faces,


    we would savor each moment.


    ONE MONTH LATER


    The hospital corridors seemed endless, each step echoing the cacophony of emotions raging within


    me.


    My heart was heavy with a burden I could barely carry. The sterile smell permeated the air, a constant


    reminder of the stark reality that awaited me behind those white doors. My belovedy there, fragile


    and


    broken, hooked up to machines that whispered tales of his suffering


    The sight of him lying there, so still and pale, was a dagger to my soul. His once vibrant eyes dulled,


    mirroring the agony I felt within. I reached out to hold his hand, the touch so familiar yet foreign, as if he


    were slipping away with each passing moment. The beeping of the machines was a cruel symphony,


    and the rhythm of his heartbeat was a haunting melody that yed on repeat in my mind.


    The days had transitioned into nights, which in turn led to endless hours of waiting and hopelessness


    The doctors came and went, their faces a mask of professionalism that did little to assuage my growing


    terror. Words like ¡°critical¨Ccondition¡± and ¡°uncertain prognosis hung in the air like a curse, a constant


    reminder of the fragility of life and the powerlessness of my love to shield him.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    I watched as he struggled, his spirit unbowed despite the ravages of pain and illness. His resilience


    was a beacon in the darkness a flicker of light that guided me through the long and torturous nights: 1


    whispered words of encouragement and promises of better days toe, knowing deep down that I


    was grasping at straws, trying to hold onto a reality that was slipping away with each passing moment


    The agony of watching someone you love suffer is like no other. It seeps into your bones, twists your


    insides, and leaves you gasping for breath in a world that suddenly seems devoid of color and joy. The


    quiet hum of machines reced theughter that once filled our home, and whispered prayers escaped


    my lips like a plea to the heavens,


    I found sce in the memories we shared and in the love that bound us together through the trials and


    tribtions of life. I clung to those moments like a drowning soul to a life raft, holding onto the hope that


    They would be sufficient to rescue her from the abyss. But deep down, I knew that love alone was not


    always a match for the cruel hand fate had dealt us.


    The nights were the hardest, long and lonely stretches of darkness that seemed to stretch into eternity.


    I


    would sit by his bedside, holding his hand and watching the rise and fall of his chest, willing him to hold


    on and fight just a little longer. The tears that fell were a silent testament to the pain that gnawed at my


    heart¨Ca pain so raw and consuming that at times I felt it would swallow me whole.


    In those quiet moments, when the rest of the world slept and the only sound was the steady beep of


    the machines, I would whisper words of love and devotion, promises of a future we might never share 1


    would tell him of the dreams we had woven together and the ns we had made, hoping that


    somewhere in the recesses of his unconscious mind, he would hear me and find the strength to hold on


    The road to recovery was long and arduous, filled with setbacks and small victories that seemed like


    miracles in the making I knew for a fact that we would go through it all, clinging to each other¨Ctwo souls


    bound by a love that had weathered the storm and emerged stronger on the other side. The pain of


    these days and nights lingered like a scar, a reminder of the fragility of life and the resilience of the


    human spirit.


    It was s not just his battle to fight, but also ours. The pain of watching him suffer had forged a bond


    between us that was unbreakable, a bond that would carry us through the darkest of times and the


    brightest of days


    I had the feeling, being optimistic, that any day soon we would walk hand in hand into the light of a new


    dawn, I knew that our love was a force to be reckoned with, a beacon of hope in a world filled with


    uncertainty and pain


    And I sat here, still watching Luke. It had been a month now, and he was still in this condition. As for


    me, I


    was discharged from the hospital two weeks ago, being fully fit to go through everything.


    All these days, I have always hoped for the better. I wanted Luke to open his eyes again, to mention my


    name softly, and to let me feel his touch.


    Everyone was eager for him to engage in this battle and emerge victorious. Everyone, except for


    Liliana. That woman was so heartless, and by her actions, it was clear that she didn¡¯t want Luke to


    regain consciousness ever again.


    She was feeling too high for herself, gaining control of Luke¡¯s wealth for a while, and treating people


    really badly Randy, Ethan, Mariam, and everyone else residing in that mansion. She even had the


    nerve to mess


    with my daughter


    Back then when I was still in the hospital, when I heard that, I totally lost it. I wanted to be discharged


    no soon as possible, so I could put that woman back in her ce. And God answered my prayers, and


    I left


    I walked back to that house with full action, and Liliana thought she had me frightened. But I had to give


    sock of a lifetime when I drove her out of the mansion. She couldn¡¯t do anything because she clearly


    knew our ces, there was a big difference. So finally, peace came and everything was back to


    normal.


    Well, not everything, since Luke was still lying here, unconscious. And staring at him, I had to take my


    mind back to our story¨Chow everything started.


    Years of hate turned to love. The love that came out of vengeance was craved.


    So, this was how it all began.

 Chapter 342

    342: HOW IT ALL STARTED


    (shback to the lives of Luke and Ariel ten years ago, before and when they crossed paths with each


    other.)


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t stop talking about the partyst night. It was one of the most happening parties I have ever


    been to. My best friend, Tessa and I were walking together, reliving every moment of the party.


    ¡°Did you see that guy? The one with the curly hair and dimples? He was so handsome,¡± I gushed.


    Tessaughed. ¡°Oh, you mean Pete?¡±


    ¡°Is that his name?¡°I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him the whole night,¡± I replied dreamily.


    ¡°I think he was checking you out too, Ariel.¡°You should have gone and talked to him,¡± Tessa teased.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; he seemed a bit too forward for my liking.¡± I said, remembering how he had approached


    me at the party.


    As we walked towards my mansion, Tessa continued to tease me about Simon. But as soon as we


    arrived at my mansion¡¯s gates, Tessa interrupted my thoughts. I was about to say goodbye to Tessa


    when we heard a voice behind us


    ¡°Hellodies,¡± the voice belonged to Simon. He was wearing a sharp suit and looked even more


    handsome in daylight.


    ¡°Hi Simon,¡± Tessa greeted him with a sly smile.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Ariel. I wanted to talk to you about something.¡± Simon said, walking towards


    1. me.


    Simon was always a difficult person to be around. He was rude and arrogant, constantly thinking he


    was better than everyone else. I knew him because his father was good friends with mine, so we had


    crossed paths many times. Despite his wealth and status, I never found him appealing.


    He made it obvious that he was interested in me, but I couldn¡¯t stand his entitled attitude. I didn¡¯t care


    about his family¡¯s money or his connections; I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to like someone who thought so


    highly of themselves. Simon may have had a privileged life, but to me, he was just a regr guy with a


    big ego. And an absolute idiot.


    I could feel my heart racing, but I tried to y it cool. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice


    steady.


    ¡°I think we have a connection, Ariel. And I know your parents like me. So why don¡¯t you give me a


    chance? ¡°He spoke confidently, taking my hand. I tried to pull my hand away, but he held on tight.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Simon. I don¡¯t like you that way. And I don¡¯t appreciate you assuming that my parents¡®


    opinion would sway me,¡± I stated firmly, trying to maintain myposure.


    ¡°Why are you being so stubborn, Ariel?¡°I can give you


    moving closer to me.


    everything you want. Just say yes.¡± He smirked,


    Before I could react, Tessa stepped in between us. ¡°She said no, Simon.¡°Now leave her alone.¡±


    Simon¡¯s face turned into a scowl, and he raised his hand to silence Tessa. But before he could do


    anything, I quickly kneeled down and kicked him in his private area.


    He let out a loud groan and doubled over in pain. I quickly grabbed Tessa¡¯s hand, and we ran inside my


    house.


    ¡°What the hell was that, Ariel? Are you okay?¡± Tessa asked, her eyes wide with shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. He just wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer,¡± I replied, my heart still racing.


    Martha approached us with a concerned expression on her face. ¡°Ariel, Tessa, why do you both look so


    shocked?¡± she asked, her voice filled with worry.


    Tessa quickly filled Martha in on what had just transpired outside with Simon. ¡°Simon was being pushy


    and wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. Ariel had to¡­ um¡­ intervene, Tessa exined, her words slightly


    stumbling as she recounted the scene.


    Martha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and then she shook her head disapprovingly. ¡°That young man has


    no manners. I¡¯ll have a word with the security to ensure he doesn¡¯t bother you again, Miss Ariel,¡±


    Martha said firmly, her tone leaving no room


    or argument.


    ¡°Thank you, Martha, I appreciate it,¡± I said, grateful for her support.


    Sha


    gave us a reassuring smile before continuing on her way, leaving Tessa and me to process the


    adrenaline¨Cfueled encounter we had just experienced.


    Martha was now a wise and experienceddy, with age gracefully written on her face. She must have


    been around sixty, or maybe even older, yet her energy and enthusiasm were unmatched. She had


    been a loyal and dedicated maid at our mansion for as long as I could remember. In fact, she had been


    working for my parents since before I was born.


    Despite her old age, she never failed to amaze us with her efficiency and hard work. She was not just a


    maid but also a part of our family. Her kind and caring nature made her an irreceable presence in


    our lives. We were lucky to have such a remarkable woman in our home.


    My heart was pounding with fear as Simon walked into the house, his face twisting into a scowl. Tessa


    held onto my hand tightly, trying to reassure me. But I could see the fear in her eyes too.


    ¡°Simon, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Leave her alone!¡± Martha defended me.


    Simonughed, ¡°I can¡¯t help it if your daughter is so irresistible. I just wanted to talk to her.¡±


    Martha¡¯s expression changed from anger to disgust. ¡°Get out! ¡°And don¡¯t you darey a hand on Ariel


    ever gain,¡± she said firmly, pointing towards the door.


    But Simon didn¡¯t move; instead, he pushed her aside and advanced towards me. My heart was racing.


    and I tried to back away, but his grip on my waist was too tight.


    ¡°Let go of me, Simon!¡± I yelled, struggling to break free.


    But he only tightened his grip. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Ariel. And I won¡¯t let you go.¡±


    Before I could react, Tessa stepped in between us. ¡°She said no, Simon.¡°Now leave her alone.¡±


    Simon¡¯s face turned into a scowl, and he raised his hand to silence Tessa. But before he could do


    anything, I quickly kneeled down and kicked him in his private area.


    He let out a loud groan and doubled over in pain. I quickly grabbed Tessa¡¯s hand, and we ran inside my


    house.


    ¡°What the hell was that. Ariel? Are you okay?¡± Tessa asked, her eyes wide with shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. He just wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer,¡± I replied, my heart still racing.


    Martha approached us with a concerned expression on her face. ¡°Ariel, Tessa, why do you both look so


    shocked?¡± she asked, her voice filled with worry.


    Tessa quickly filled Martha in on what had just transpired outside with Simon. ¡°Simon was being pushy


    and wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. Ariel had to¡­ um¡­ intervene. Tessa exined, her words slightly


    stumbling as she recounted the scene.


    Martha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and then she shook her head disapprovingly. ¡°That young man has


    no manners. I¡¯ll have a word with the security to ensure he doesn¡¯t bother you again, Miss Ariel,¡±


    Martha said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    ¡°Thank you, Martha. I appreciate it,¡± I said, grateful for her support.


    She gave us a reassuring smile before continuing on her way, leaving Tessa and me to process the


    adrenaline¨Cfueled encounter we had just experienced.


    Martha was now a wise and experienceddy, with age gracefully written on her face. She must have


    been around sixty, or maybe even older, yet her energy and enthusiasm were unmatched. She had


    been a loyal and dedicated maid at our mansion for as long as I could remember. In fact, she had been


    working for my parents since before I was born.


    Despite her old age, she never failed to amaze us with her efficiency and hard work. She was not just a


    maid but also a part of our family. Her kind and caring nature made her an irreceable presence in


    our lives. We were lucky to have such a remarkable woman in our home.


    My heart was pounding with fear as Simon walked into the house, his face twisting into a scowl. Tessa


    held onto my hand tightly, trying to reassure me. But I could see the fear in her eyes too.


    ¡°Simon, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Leave her alone!¡± Martha defended me.


    Simonughed, ¡°I can¡¯t help it if your daughter is so irresistible. I just wanted to talk to her.¡±


    Martha¡¯s expression changed from anger to disgust. ¡°Get out! ¡°And don¡¯t you darey a hand on Ariel


    ever gain,¡± she said firmly, pointing towards the door.


    But Simon didn¡¯t move; instead, he pushed her aside and advanced towards me. My heart was racing,


    and I tried to back away, but his grip on my waist was too tight.


    ¡°Let go of me, Simon!¡± I yelled, struggling to break free.


    But he only tightened his grip. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Ariel. And I won¡¯t let you go.¡±


    HE HOWITALT STANITED


    I could feel my eyes watering with fear and anget. How daro he think he could control me like this?


    ¡°Let go of her, you jerk!¡± Tesan yelled, trying to push Simon away.


    But he pushed her aside, causing her to fall to the floor. I could feel the anger bubbling Inside me, and


    for a moment, I was too shocked to react. But then I remembered what Simon had done to Tessa and


    Martha, and I knew I had to do something.


    I quickly looked around for something to defend myself with, and my eyesnded on a golden vase on


    the side table. I quickly grabbed it, and without thinking, I hit Simon on the back of his head with all the


    strength I could muster.


    He let out a loud groan and finally let go of me, falling to the ground. I could see the surprise and shock


    on Tessa¡¯s face, but before any of us could react, Simon got up and turned towards Martha, who was


    standing behind him with a determined look on her face.


    ¡°Olddy, you¡¯ll pay for that,¡± Simon growled, his hand raised to hit her.


    But before he could do anything, my father appeared in the mansion and yelled, ¡°Stop right there,


    Simon!¡±

 Chapter 343

    343: VICTORY IN VALOR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°What is going on here? My father¡¯s booming voice filled the room as he entered the hallway. My


    mother followed closely behind him, her face etched with worry


    Simon turned to face my father, a look of anger and entitlement still evident on his face. ¡°Your daughter


    here has no manners. She kicked me in the private area,¡± he spat out, pointing an using finger at


    me.


    My father¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Is this true, Ariel?¡±


    I quickly exined the situation to my parents, leaving out the part where I had kicked Simon. I didn¡¯t


    want them to think of me as a violent person, even though Simon deserved


    Before my parents could say anything. Martha interjected, ¡°Sir, I saw everything. That young man was


    being disrespectful and forceful towards Miss Ariel. I had to intervene to protect her.¡±


    My father¡¯s expression turned from disbelief to anger. He red at Simon and said, ¡°How dare youy


    your hands on my daughter and our maid? Get out of my house this instant!¡±


    I


    Simon¡¯s face turned red with rage. ¡°I don¡¯t have to listen to you. I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡±


    Before anyone could react, Simon pushed Martha to the floor and marched towards me. I tried to walk


    backward, but I was scared to make a move. Tessa held onto my hand with the reassurance that


    everything would be okay.


    I


    However, Simon pushed her away and grabbed me, wrapping his hands around my waist. I struggled


    against his grip, but he was much stronger than me. I could feel his hot breath on my neck as he


    whispered, ¡°You will regret this, Ariel.¡±


    My father stepped in between us, breaking the grip. ¡°Leave now before I call the police.¡±


    ¡°You think you can scare me with your threats?¡± Simon sneered, his voice dripping with contempt, as


    he squared off against my father. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a washed¨Cup old man who can¡¯t even control his


    own daughter. What are you going to do, though? Call the cops. They won¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    My father¡¯s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with fury. ¡°You have no idea who you¡¯re messing with hoy.


    Get


    out of my house before I lose my temper.¡±


    However, Simon justughed mockingly, his arrogance fueling his defiance. ¡°Make me, old man. I¡¯m


    not leaving until I¡¯m good and ready.¡±


    I could see the frustration mounting in my father¡¯s expression, his fists tightening at his sides. Martha


    stood behind him, her gaze steeling as she watched the confrontation unfold.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a big mistake, Simon,¡± I warned, my voice trembling with anger and fear. ¡°Just leave


    before things get worse.¡±


    But Simon ignored me; his focus was solely on my father. ¡°You can¡¯t intimidate me, Ariel¡¯s dad. ¡°I¡¯ll do


    whatever I want, and there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop me.¡±


    with a swift motion, my father reached for his phone, his fingers dialing the emergency number. ¡°Tine, If


    that¡¯s how you want to y it,¡± he said, his voice cold and determined. ¡°But don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±


    As the call connected, Simon¡¯s bravado faltered slightly, but he still stood his ground, his defiance


    masking any hint of doubt. I held my breath, praying that help would arrive before things escted any


    further.


    ¡°Ive had enough of this,¡± Simon growled, his eyes fixed on me with an unsettling intensity. ¡°All I v Anel


    ¡°Just hand her over to me, and I¡¯ll leave peacefully.


    want is


    My mother¡¯s voice trembled with indignation. ¡°You have some nerve, young man. Do you believe that


    you can simply enter this room and demand our daughter as if she were an object?¡±


    er want


    Tessa¡¯s voice cut through the tension like a knife. ¡°You¡¯re delusional if you think Ariel would ever


    anything to do with you. You¡¯re nothing but a pathetic bully.


    Simon¡¯s gaze flickered with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. ¡°Watch your mouth, girl. You don¡¯t


    know who you¡¯re talking to.¡±


    But Tessa didn¡¯t back down, her voice moving with contempt. ¡°Oh, I know exactly who you are. ¡°You


    are a coward who preys on girls because you can¡¯t handle a real challenge.


    I could feel the tension in the room reaching a boiling point, my heart pounding in my chest with each


    passing moment. Simon¡¯s face contorted with rage, his resolve wavering as he struggled to maintain


    his


    ¡°Just give it up, Simon,¡± Lsaid, my voice firm despite the fear coursing through me. ¡°I¡¯ll never go with


    your willingly, and my family will never let youy a finger on me again.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    My father nodded in agreement, his expression unwavering as he held the phone to his ear, waiting for


    help to arrive. Simon¡¯s defiance crumbled before us, his bravado fading into desperation as he realized


    the gravity of the situation.


    Tessa¡¯s words seemed to fuel Simon¡¯s fury even more. His face twisted into a mask of rage as he


    lunged


    towards her, his hand raised to strike.


    Before I could even process what was happening, a loud smack echoed through the room as Simon¡¯s


    palm connected with Tessa¡¯s cheek. A gasp escaped her lips, and she stumbled backward, her hand


    instinctively flying to her face.


    ¡°Simon, you monster!¡± I screamed. ¡°How dare you?¡±


    But Simon wasn¡¯t done yet. His eyes zed with a dangerous fire as he advanced towards Tessa, his


    hands curling into fists as if he intended to do much worse.


    That¡¯s when my father sprang into action. With speed and strength I had never seen before, he


    stepped forward and delivered a powerful punch straight to Simon¡¯s jaw. The force of the blow sent


    Simon crashing to the ground, his body sprawling across the floor in a heap.


    For a moment, there was silence. The only sound that filled the air was the heavy breathing of


    everyone in


    the room, the tension sharp enough to stab like a de.


    111 VICTORY IN VALUN


    My father stood over Simon, his chest heaving with exertion. But there was no remorse in his eyes,


    there was only a steely determination to protect his family at all costs


    ¡°You will never set foot in this house again,¡± my father growled, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°If I ever


    see you near my daughter or anyone in this family, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your


    miserable


    life.¡±


    Simon didn¡¯t dare to move; his body was shuddering with pain and humiliation. He knew he had


    crossed a line he could nevere back from.


    My father turned tofort Tessa and ensure she was okay. I felt a rush of gratitude and admiration


    going right through me.


    He gave Simon a dark look. ¡°Get out of my house, Simon. And nevere back.¡±


    Simon scrambled to his feet, his face twisted with a mix of pain and rage. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this ¡°All of


    you.¡±


    With one final hateful re, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the mansion, his footsteps


    echoing


    down the hallway like the ominous beat of a drum.


    The door mmed shut behind him, and a heavy silence descended upon the room. I was d that


    was


    over.


    My father wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. ¡°Are you okay, Ariel?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you, Dad. Thank you for protecting us.¡±


    He squeezed me tighter. ¡°I¡¯ll always protect you, no matter what. That¡¯s my promise to you.¡±

 Chapter 345

    345: DRIVE THROUGH DESPAIR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I drove through the pouring rain, my windshield wipers working overtime to keep my vision clear. My


    mind was racing with worry as I headed to meet Tessa. I knew she was heartbroken, and I wanted to


    be there for her. Her two¨Cyear rtionship with her boyfriend had suddenlye to an end, and I could


    only imagine the pain she was feeling.


    I pulled up to Tessa¡¯s house and ran through the rain to her front door. She opened it before I even had


    a chance to knock, her eyes red and puffy from crying. I hugged her tightly, trying to convey my support


    and understanding. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Tessa,¡± I said softly. ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s sobs increased as she leaned into me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s over. Two years and now it¡¯s just¡­


    done,


    ¡± she choked out between tears.


    I knew there was nothing I could say to take away her pain, but I also knew that she needed someone


    to


    listen and be there for her. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go for a drive,¡± I suggested, taking her hand and leading her


    to


    her car.


    We got in, and I started driving. The rain was still pouring down around us. We didn¡¯t talk at first; Tessa


    just stared out the window, lost in her thoughts. But as we drove on, she began to open up to me.


    ¡°I thought he was the one, you know? We had ns for the future; we talked about getting married and


    starting a family. And now, none of that is going to happen.¡±


    I reached over and squeezed her hand, trying to offer somefort. ¡°I know it hurts right now, but trust


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    me, everything will be okay. You¡¯re strong, and you¡¯ll get through this,¡± I reassured her.


    Tessa let out a deep sigh. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why he ended it. He said he wasn¡¯t happy anymore,


    but


    he never talked to me about it. He just gave up.¡±


    I could feel my own anger towards Tessa¡¯s ex¨Cboyfriend rising, but I knew that wasn¡¯t what she


    needed.


    right now. ¡°Maybe he was going through something and didn¡¯t know how tomunicate it. But that¡¯s


    not your fault, Tessa. You did everything you could to make the rtionship work. ¡°You deserve


    someone


    who will fight for you andmunicate with you.¡±


    Tessa nodded, her tears slowing down. ¡°Thank you, Ariel. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you,¡±


    she


    said, giving me a small smile.


    I smiled back, happy to see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what best friends are for.¡±


    We drove through the rain, and right at this moment, I felt grateful for Tessa¡¯s friendship. She had


    always been there for me, and now it was my turn to be there for her. I knew that the road ahead would


    be tough for her, but I also knew that she was strong enough to get through it.


    Driving on the road, with the rain still falling down, Tessa still looked shattered, and seeing her in such a


    condition really hurt me.


    All of a sudden, a car came running in our direction. It came at full speed, making it seem like it was


    145 DRIVE THROUGH DESPAIR


    going to collide with our vehicle.


    *Tessa, watch out!¡± I shrieked, tapping Tessa on the shoulders.


    Her eyes widened immediately, and with fast hands, she controlled our car in a different direction,


    going along the road and crashing into a store in the area. But we were quite lucky that the ident


    wasn¡¯t a


    serious one.


    Our heads were down, with the both of us breathing heavily. I slowly took my gaze upwards, and so did


    Tessa. As we looked through the window, the car that had run in our direction stopped.


    I


    I burst out of the car immediately, burning in rage. As I approached the vehicle that had arrived to


    cause havoc, I sobbed, ¡°Hey, who¡¯s in the car? Get out right now!¡±


    I was being soaked by the rain, but I had been so consumed by anger that I was paying less attention


    to it Just then, a young man stepped outside of the car.


    As he emerged from his car, I had to notice his striking blonde hair and well¨Ctailored white suit. He was


    undeniably handsome, but I couldn¡¯t find it in me to be impressed. My anger at him for recklessly


    crashing his car towards us overshadowed any physical attraction I may have felt.


    How could he be so careless and put us in danger? His looks were irrelevant in this moment; all I could


    think about was the frustration and anger I felt towards him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t see youing; it was a mistake,¡± the man stammered, his hands raised in


    surrender.


    I stormed towards him, my anger boiling over. ¡°A mistake? Do you have any idea what could have


    happened? You could have killed us!¡±


    Tessa joined me, her expression furious. ¡°You need to be more careful! You could have seriously hurt


    someone with your reckless driving!¡±


    The man hung his head, looking ashamed. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m really sorry, I wasn¡¯t paying attention. It


    won¡¯t happen again, I promise.¡±


    But his apology fell on deaf ears. ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t good enough!¡± I snapped, my hands trembling with rage.


    ¡°You


    need to understand the consequences of your actions. You put our lives in danger, and for what?


    Because you couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay attention to the road.¡±


    Tessa ced a calming hand on my shoulder, trying to diffuse the tension. ¡°Ariel, let¡¯s just go. It¡¯s not


    worth it.¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t let it go. But not after the scare he had given us. ¡°No, Tessa. He mustprehend the


    seriousness of his actions. Reckless driving is not something to be taken lightly.¡±


    The man nodded, his expression contrite. ¡°You¡¯re right; I¡¯m truly sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful from now on,


    I promise.¡±


    Satisfied that he had at least acknowledged his mistake, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing


    heart. ¡°Just express gratitude that no one suffered harm this time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is that, and why is she barking like a mad dog?¡± A voice came from inside the young


    man¡¯s


    car.


    I turned sharply toward the voice, my anger still pulsing through me. ¡°Who the hell are you referring to


    as a


    mad dog?¡± I shot back.


    Tessa hurried over, grabbing my arm. ¡°Ariel, let¡¯s just go. It¡¯s not worth it,¡± she urged, her tone pleading.


    But I couldn¡¯t ignore the disrespect. ¡°No, Tessa. This guy needs to learn some manners,¡± I insisted,


    shaking off her grip and striding towards the car,


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem,dy? You¡¯re the one causing a scene here,¡± he retorted, his tone mocking. I


    couldn¡¯t see his face, but he was a goddamn asshole.


    I clenched my fists, my anger reaching its peak. ¡°My problem is that you almost killed us with your


    reckless driving!¡± I shouted, my voice echoing through the rain¨Csoaked street.


    Tessa tugged on my arm again. ¡°Ariel, please, let¡¯s just go. It¡¯s not worth it.


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. As much as I wanted to give this guy a


    piece of my mind, Tessa was right. It wasn¡¯t worth it.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Tessa. Let¡¯s just go,¡± I said calmly, and as we were walking back to the car, the voice


    popped up again.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Go away, you mad dog.


    Enjoy Ad

 Chapter 346

    346: RAIN¨CSOAKED RAGE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    My blood boiled at the insult. How dare he continue to disrespect us like that? Without a second


    thought, 1 stormed towards the car, my anger reaching its breaking point. Ignoring Tessa¡¯s protests, I


    picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it towards the car, aiming


    for the windshield.


    The stone struck the ss with a loud crack, leaving a spiderweb of fractures in its wake. For a


    moment, there was stunned silence, then the man inside the car erupted into a string of expletives.


    ¡°You crazy bitch!¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± he shouted.


    I ignored him, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn¡¯t let him get away with insulting us like that. I


    grabbed another stone, ready to continue my assault on his car.


    But Tessa grabbed my arm, her voice urgent. ¡°Ariel, stop! Let¡¯s just go, please. It¡¯s not worth


    it ¡±


    Her words cut through my anger, and I hesitated, the stone slipping from my fingers. Taking a deep


    breath, I forced myself to calm down. She was right. This wasn¡¯t worth it. As much as I wanted tosh


    out, it wouldn¡¯t solve anything.


    With onest re at the car, I let Tessa lead me back to our vehicle. As we drove away, my hands


    trembled with residual anger, but I knew that I had made the right choice. Sometimes, the hardest thing


    to do is to walk away, but in this case, it was the only option.


    ¡°Okay, Ariel. That was really wild of you,¡± Tessa said, with the both of us still in the car.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I replied, my voice still edged with frustration. ¡°But did you hear said? He can¡¯t just talk


    to us like that and expect us to take it lying down.¡±


    what he


    Tessa sighed, her grip on the steering wheel tight. ¡°I get it, Ariel; believe me. But escting the


    situation like that isn¡¯t going to help. ¡°We need to be the bigger person here.¡±


    I clenched my fists, feeling the urge to argue bubbling up inside me. But as I nced at Tessa¡¯s worried


    expression, something softened within me. She was right. We couldn¡¯t let this jerk ruin our day any


    further.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand people like him,¡± I muttered, sinking back into my seat.


    ¡°I know neither,¡± Tessa said softly. ¡°But let¡¯s try to put it behind us, okay? We¡¯ve got better things to


    focus on.¡±


    214


    I nodded, forcing myself to rx. Tessa was always the voice of reason in moments like these, and I


    was grateful for her calming presence. Taking a deep breath, I turned my gaze towards the road ahead,


    determined to leave the anger and frustration behind us.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± 1 sald, offering her a small smile. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about him and enjoy the rest of


    our day.¡±


    As the rain stopped falling, Tessa and I decided to treat ourselves to some ice cream, hoping it would


    help shake off the lingering tension from the earlier encounter.


    ¡°You know, ice cream sounds like the perfect way to lift our spirits after that mess, Tessa suggested,


    ncing at me with a hopeful smile.


    I nodded, grateful for her suggestion. ¡°Yeah, definitely. Let¡¯s go indulge ourselves a little.¡± We drove in


    silence for a few minutes, the weight of the earlier confrontation still hanging in the air. But as we pulled


    into the parking lot of our favorite ice cream shop, I could feel some of the tension dissipating.


    Stepping out of the car, I took a deep breath, letting the cool breeze wash over me. Tessa linked her


    arm with mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze as we walked towards the entrance.


    Inside the scent of freshly made waffle cones and sweet treats enveloped us, instantly lifting my spirits.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as we approached the counter, scanning the colorful array of vors.


    ¡°What are you in the mood for?¡± Tessa asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.


    I nced at the menu, feeling a sense of childlike joy wash over me. ¡°Hmm, maybe something fruity. ¡°I


    like strawberry or mango.¡±


    Tessa nodded in agreement, cing her order before turning to me. ¡°I¡¯ll get the same.¡°And maybe we


    can add some sprinkles for an extra treat.¡±


    I grinned, nodding eagerly. ¡°Sounds perfect.¡±


    While we awaited the scooping of our ice cream into waffle cones, the tension from earlier dissipated.


    With each passing moment, I found myself rxing, focusing on the simple pleasure of enjoying a


    sweet treat with my best friend.


    Finally, with our cones in hand, we found a cozy corner to sit and enjoy our desserts. The first taste of


    the creamy, fruity goodness was like a balm to my soul, washing away thest remnants of anger and


    frustration.


    ¡°This is exactly what I needed,¡± I said, smiling at Tessa as we savored each delicious bite.


    345: RAIN¨CSOAKED RAGE


    3/4


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She nodded, her eyes shining with contentment. ¡°Me too, Ariel.¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s going to make you forget about that ex of yours.¡±


    Tessa sighed deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ariel. We¡¯ve shared lots of moments together. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m


    ever going to get over him.¡±


    I listened quietly as Tessa spoke, her words carrying a weight of sadness that tugged at my heart.


    Despite everything, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.


    ¡°I understand, Tessa,¡± I said gently, reaching out to ce aforting hand on her arm. But you


    deserve someone who respects you and treats you right. You shouldn¡¯t have to settle for anything


    less.¡±


    Tessa looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. ¡°I know, Ariel. It¡¯s just hard to let go of


    someone you¡¯ve cared about for so long.¡±


    I nodded, squeezing her arm in reassurance. ¡°I get it. But sometimes, holding on to something that¡¯s


    not good for us only brings more pain in the long run.¡±


    She sighed, leaning her head against my shoulder. ¡°I just wish it didn¡¯t hurt so much.¡±


    ¡°I know, Tessa. But I promise you, it¡¯ll get easier with time,¡± I said softly, offering her as littlefort as I


    could.


    We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the soft hum of conversation and the clinking of


    spoons against ice cream dishes. But despite the heaviness of our conversation, I felt a sense of


    closeness and solidarity between us.


    ¡°Thanks, Ariel,¡± Tessa said, giving me a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.


    ¦°


    I returned her smile, feeling a swell of affection for my best friend. ¡°Anytime, Tessa. I¡¯ll always be here


    for you, no matter what.¡±


    While enjoying our ice cream and each other¡¯spany, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that


    lingered in the air. Tessa¡¯s sadness weighed heavy on my heart, and I couldn¡¯t bear to see her hurting


    like this.


    ¡°Tessa, I know it¡¯s tough right now,¡± I began, searching for the right words to offer herfort. ¡°But


    you¡¯re stronger than you think. ¡°And you deserve to be with someone who sees your worth and treats


    you with the love and respect you deserve.¡±


    Tessa nodded slowly, a tear slipping down her cheek. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever find someone like that


    again.¡±


    346 RAIN SHARED RAGE


    I reached out to wipe away her tear, offering her a reassuring smile. ¡°You will, Tessa ¡°I have no doubt


    about that. But in the meantime, focus on yourself Rediscover the things that make you happy, and


    eventually, everything will fall into ce¡±


    She sniffled, managing a small smile in return. ¡°Thanks, Ariel. I needed to hear that ¡±


    ¡°Anytime, Tessa,¡± I said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. ¡°You¡¯re not alone in this. I¡¯ll be here every


    step of the way.


    347: RECKLESS REACTION

 Chapter 347

    347: RECKLESS REACTION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Can you believe that woman, Daniel?¡± I yelled at Daniel with the two of us in my car, although he was


    the one driving. ¡°She had the nerve to insult me and even throw a stone at this car. She doesn¡¯t really


    know how expensive this is.¡±


    Daniel sighed. ¡°Luke, we almost ran our car into theirs.¡°We almost killed them. I think that¡¯s enough for


    her to get really upset.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Daniel,¡± I snapped, my hands tightening on the armrest. ¡°She had no right to talk to me


    like that. And she certainly had no right to damage my car.¡±


    Daniel nced at me, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. ¡°Luke,e on. Let¡¯s just


    calm down and focus on getting home safely.¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t shake off the anger coursing through me. ¡°No, I won¡¯t calm down. She needs to learn


    some respect.¡±


    As we drove, my mind raced with insults andebacks, each one more cutting than thest. I


    couldn¡¯t let her get away with disrespecting me like that. She needed to know who she was dealing


    with.


    ¡°She¡¯s probably just having a bad day, Luke,¡± Daniel said, attempting to reason with me.


    I scoffed, shaking my head. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for her behavior. She needs to learn some manners.


    She was d I didn¡¯t even see her face. I could have seized her neck and strangled her to death.


    Daniel fell silent, focusing on the road ahead. But thoughts of retaliation consumed my mind. I couldn¡¯t


    let her off the hook so easily. She needed to pay for what she did.


    The moment we pulled up to a red light, I spotted the woman¡¯s car from afar¨Cnot too far, though. She


    parked her car near an ice cream shop. Without hesitation, I rolled down my window and shouted


    obscenities at her, my anger boiling over.


    ¡°Luke, stop it!¡± Daniel pleaded, his voice tinged with rm.


    But I ignored him, my focus solely on the woman in the other car. She needed to know that she couldn¡¯t


    mess with me and get away with it.


    The light turned green, and we continued on our way. But the fire of anger still burned within me,


    fueling my mind to teach her a lesson she wouldn¡¯t forget.


    But do you want to know the crazy part? It was that she didn¡¯t even hear me. No one was


    347 RECKLESS REACTION


    2/4


    probably in the car.


    ¡°Luke, seriously, calm down,¡± Daniel pleaded, his tone urgent. ¡°You¡¯re letting your anger get the best of


    you,¡±


    I shot him a re, my frustration bubbling to the surface. ¡°No, Daniel, I won¡¯t calm down. She needs to


    learn not to mess with me.


    Daniel sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. ¡°Luke, this isn¡¯t like you. You¡¯re better than this.


    Let¡¯s just forget about it and move on.¡±


    I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°Forget about it? How can you say that? She insulted me and


    damaged my car. She needs to pay for what she did.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s brows furrowed, his voice tinged with exasperation. ¡°And what exactly do you n to do,


    Luke? Start a fight. Get the police involved. That won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Daniel,¡± I snapped, my temper ring. ¡°But I can¡¯t just let her off the hook. She needs to


    face the consequences of her actions.¡±


    Daniel nced at me, his expression a mix of concern and disappointment. ¡°Luke, listen to yourself.


    This isn¡¯t you. You¡¯re better than this. Let¡¯s just focus on getting home safely.¡±


    I clenched my jaw, my fists tightening at my sides. ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± I muttered, turning away from him


    and staring out the window.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    We drove in tense silence for the rest of the way home, the weight of our argument hanging heavily in


    the air. But deep down, I knew Daniel was right. I couldn¡¯t let my anger control me like this. I needed to


    find a way to let go of the resentment and move on. But it was easier


    said than done.


    ¡°Sow, how did things work out with you and thatdy?¡± Daniel asked.


    I nced at him. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Thedy you met at the nightclub and danced with. How did things go for the both of you?¡±


    I shifted ufortably in my seat, feeling a pang of guilt wash over me. ¡°Oh, um, things didn¡¯t really


    work out,¡± I mumbled, avoiding Daniel¡¯s gaze.


    Daniel raised an eyebrow, his curiosity evident. ¡°What do you mean?¡°I thought you two hit it off pretty


    well at the club.¡±


    I let out a heavy sigh, steeling myself for the confession. ¡°Yeah, we did. But¡­ we ended up hooking up


    later that night.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered, offering me a supportive nod.¡±


    347 RECKLESS REACTION


    3/4


    Hey, It happens. No judgment here.¡±


    I shook my head, feeling a wave of regret wash over me. ¡°I know, but¡­ It just felt wrong, you low?¡°I


    was using her to distract myself from everything else going on.¡±


    Daniel reached out to pat my shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. We all make mistakes. What


    matters is that you recognize it and learn from it.¡±


    I nodded, grateful for his understanding. ¡°Thanks, Daniel. I just¡­ I don¡¯t want to lead her on or hurt her


    feelings.


    Daniel smiled, his eyes warming with affection. ¡°I know you won¡¯t, Luke. You¡¯re a good guy, deep down.


    Just be honest with her, and everything will work out.¡±


    I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, knowing that I had Daniel¡¯s support. ¡°Thanks, man. I really


    appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°No problem, buddy,¡± Daniel said, giving me a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this


    together.¡±


    I raised my brows at him. ¡°Get through what together?¡±


    ¡°This!¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, thanks, man. But I¡¯m no little kid, okay? I can handle this on


    y own.¡±


    Daniel chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Sure, sure, tough guy. But just remember, I¡¯m always here to bail


    you out of trouble.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, unable to suppress a grin. ¡°Yeah, yeah, like I¡¯ll ever need your help.¡±


    Daniel smirked, giving me a yful shove. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t underestimate the power of a good wingman.


    You never know when you might need me to swoop in and save the day.¡±


    Iughed, feeling the tension from earlier dissipate. ¡°Alright, alright, fair point.¡°But let¡¯s just hope I don¡¯t


    get myself into any more trouble.¡±


    Daniel nodded, his grin widening. ¡°Agreed. But if you do, you¡¯ll know where to find me.¡±


    As we got closer, I was kind of grateful for Daniel¡¯s friendship. Despite our disagreements and


    asional arguments, he was always there for me when it mattered most..


    ¡°Thanks, Daniel,¡± I said sincerely, pping him on the shoulder. ¡°I mean it.¡±


    Daniel shed me a genuine smile. ¡°Anytime, Luke. That¡¯s what friends are for.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Luke,¡± Daniel called out before I could shut the door.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    347: RECKLESS REACTION


    4/4


    ¡°Just remember, next time you¡¯re feeling angry, take a deep breath and count to ten. It might save you


    from making a decision you¡¯ll regret.¡±


    I grinned, nodding in agreement. ¡°Thanks for your wise words, Daniel. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.


    We arrived at my mansion, and I left the car. However, I spotted my grandfather standing at the


    entrance. It seemed like he was waiting for me, and the look on his face was really threatening.

 Chapter 348

    348: PATH TO REDEMPTION


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    As I approached my grandfather, his stern expression sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder what I had done to incur his wrath this time. Had he learned about


    my


    reckless behavior earlier?


    ¡°Luke,¡± he said in a low voice, his toneced with disappointment. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    My heart sank as I followed him into the mansion, my mind racing with the possibilities of what he could


    know. Did he find out about the incident with the woman on the road? Or perhaps he had discovered


    my recent escapades at the nightclub?


    As we entered his study, my grandfather fixed me with a prating gaze that made me squirm under


    his scrutiny. ¡°I received a call today,¡± he began, his voice steady but filled with reproach. ¡°About your


    behavior at the charity eventst night.¡±


    My stomach dropped as the pieces fell into ce. So he hadn¡¯t found out about the


    -Itercation on the road, but my actions at the charity event had still managed to reach his


    ears.


    ¡°I¡­ I can exin,¡± I stammered, my mind scrambling toe up with a usible excuse for my


    bel.avior.


    But my grandfather held up a hand, cutting me off. ¡°I don¡¯t want excuses, Luke. I want you to


    understand the gravity of your actions. You embarrassed both yourself and our family with your


    reckless behavior.¡±


    His words struck a nerve, and I felt a pang of guilt wash over me. I had let him down, just like I had let


    down Daniel and countless others with my impulsive actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandfather,¡± I said, the words heavy with sincerity. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to cause any harm. I just¡­


    lost control.¡±


    My grandfather sighed, his expression softening slightly. ¡°I know you¡¯re young and prone to making


    mistakes, Luke. But you must learn to temper your impulses and act with more responsibility. Our


    family¡¯s reputation is at stake.¡±


    I nodded, chastened by his words. ¡°I understand, grandfather. I¡¯ll do better, I promise.¡±


    He gave me a nod of approval, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer before he spoke again.


    ¡°Good. Now, I expect you to make amends for your behavior and represent our family with dignity and


    grace in the future.¡±


    348: PATH TO REDEMPTION


    2/4


    Just when I was about to walk away, my grandfather told me to hold on.


    ¡°Right. I still heard some disgusting news about you.¡±


    I turned to him. ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°Your dance with the stripper at the nightclub.¡±


    My heart sank as my grandfather mentioned the dance at the nightclub. I knew I was in deep


    trouble now.


    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not what you think,¡± I began, my voice trembling slightly. ¡°I was just having some fun with


    my friends. It wasn¡¯t anything serious.¡±


    But my grandfather¡¯s expression hardened, and his eyes bore into mine with a fierce intensity. ¡°Luke,


    do you have any idea how damaging this could be to our family¡¯s reputation? You were representing


    us, and your behavior reflects poorly on all of us.¡±


    I swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in my stomach. I hadn¡¯t considered the consequences of my


    actions, too caught up in the moment to think about the implications for my family.


    ¡°¡®m sorry, grandpa,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bring shame upon our


    name. It was a mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.¡±


    His gaze stern gaze softened slightly, but his disappointment was still palpable. ¡°I hope you understand


    the seriousness of this, Luke. You are a member of the prominent Reynolds, and your actions carry


    weight. You must conduct yourself with dignity and respect at all times.¡±


    ¡°I understand, grandfather,¡± I replied, my voice tinged with remorse. ¡°I will do everything in my power to


    make amends and restore our family¡¯s honor.¡±


    He nodded, his expression grave. ¡°Good. This will not be taken lightly, Luke. You have a lot. of work to


    do to earn back the trust and respect of those around you.¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s words hung heavy in the air, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of


    disappointment that radiated from him. But before I could say anything else, he continued


    with a more stern tone.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s time you start focusing more on the family business and less on these frivolous distractions,¡±


    he said, his voice firm. ¡°You have a responsibility to uphold the legacy of our family, and that means


    prioritizing your duties over indulging in reckless behavior.¡±


    I nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of his words. ¡°I understand, grandpa. I will dedicate


    myself to the business and ensure that I honor our family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    He gave me a nod of approval, but his expression remained serious. ¡°Good. Remember, your


    349 PATH TO REDEMPTION


    374


    actions reflect not only on yourself but also on our entire family. It¡¯s time to start acting like the man I


    know you can be.¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandpa,¡± 1 spoke softly, taking my gare downward.


    My grandfather walked closer and ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Luke, I only want what¡¯s best for


    you. I trust you, your hardwork all these years was really remarkable. But you have to put more effort,


    and forget about women at the moment. They¡¯re just distractions.¡±


    I nodded, feeling the weight of his hand on my shoulder. ¡°I understand, grandfather. I¡¯ll focus on the


    business and put aside distractions.


    His grip tightened slightly, a silent reminder of the seriousness of his words. ¡°I have high expectations


    for you, Luke. You have the potential to aplish great things, but you must stay focused and


    disciplined.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, grandpa,¡± I promised, meeting his gaze.


    He looked at me back with a nod, a hint of pride shining in his eyes. ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Now, let¡¯s work


    together to ensure the sess and prosperity of our family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    ake,¡± my grandfather continued, his tone shifting to one of business¨Clike determination. ¡°We have a


    huge project tomorrow, and I need you to be fully prepared to take charge.¡±


    My eyebrows furrowed in surprise. ¡°A project? What kind of project, grandfather?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a major expansion initiative for ourpany. We¡¯ll be acquiring a new branch, and I


    want you to oversee the entire process.¡±


    My heart raced at the magnitude of the responsibility ced on my shoulders. ¡°Me? But¡­ I¡¯ve never


    led a project of this scale before.¡±


    My grandfather nodded, his expression unwavering. ¡°I have full confidence in your abilities, Luke.


    You¡¯ve been groomed for this moment, and I believe you¡¯re ready to rise to the


    asion.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to quell the nervous fluttering in my stomach. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down,


    grandfather. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to ensure the sess of this project.¡±


    He gave me a reassuring smile, his hand squeezing my shoulder in a gesture of support. ¡°I know you


    will, Luke. Just remember to stay focused, delegate tasks effectively, and lead with confidence. You


    have the intelligence and determination to make this project a resounding


    sess.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled at him before walking away.


    On my way upstairs, my phone began to ring, and Brenda was the one calling. She was theN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 349

    349: UNDER SIEGE


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Brenda, I thought I made myself clear,¡± I said, my tone firm as I tried to keep my frustration in check.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in pursuing anything further with you.¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I could sense Brenda¡¯s confusion and


    disappointment. ¡°But Luke, I thought we had a connection. Why are you suddenly pulling away?¡±


    I sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt for leading her on, even unintentionally. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I gave you the


    wrong impression, but I¡¯m just not interested in pursuing a rtionship right now. My focus is on other


    priorities.¡±


    Brenda¡¯s tone turned pleading. ¡°But I really want to see you again, Luke. Can¡¯t we just meet up and talk


    about this?¡±


    I shook my head, even though she couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brenda, but I don¡¯t think that


    ould be a good idea. It¡¯s best if we just go our separate ways.¡±


    re was a hint of frustration in Brenda¡¯s voice now. ¡°Fine, Luke. If that¡¯s what you want.


    But don¡¯te crawling back to me when you realize what you¡¯re missing.¡±


    I back and retort, knowing that it would only escte the situation further. ¡°Goodbye,


    Brenda.¡±


    With that, I ended the call and let out a long sigh, feeling a mix of relief and guilt wash over me. I knew I


    had made the right decision by prioritizing my family and career over fleeting rtionships, but it didn¡¯t


    make the conversation any easier.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Stepping through the grand entrance of our mansion, the familiar sight of opulent furnishings and


    elegant decor greeted me. But something felt different today. The air seemed heavier, and a sense of


    unease settled in the pit of my stomach.


    I nced around, noticing the somber expressions on my parents¡® faces as they sat in the living room.


    Their usually vibrant energy was reced by a quiet sadness that sent a chill. down my spine.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, my voice tinged with concern as I approached them. ¡± Is


    everything okay?¡±


    My father looked up, his eyes clouded with sorrow, but he quickly averted his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s


    349: UNDER SIEGE


    2/4


    nothing, Ariel. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    But I could tell by the tightness in his voice that it was far from nothing. My mother remained silent, her


    eyes fixed on some distant point, and I could see the tears glistening in her eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to see them like this, their pain palpable even in their attempts to hide it.¡± Please, tell me


    what¡¯s wrong,¡± I pleaded, reaching out to touch my mother¡¯s hand. ¡°I want to help.¡±


    My father sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging under the weight of whatever burden he carried. ¡°It¡¯s


    just¡­ some family matters, Ariel. We¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m a part of this family too,¡± I insisted, my voice trembling with emotion. ¡°Please, let me help you. I


    can¡¯t stand to see you both like this.¡±


    For a moment, there was a flicker of hesitation in my father¡¯s eyes as if he were considering my offer.


    But then he shook his head, his expression closing off once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s not


    something you need to worry about, Ariel. Just focus on your studies and leave the rest to us.


    I telt a surge of frustration and helplessness wash over me. Why were they shutting me out like this?


    Didn¡¯t they trust me enough to confide in me?


    ¡°But I can¡¯t just ignore it,¡± I protested, my voice rising with desperation. ¡°I need to know what¡¯s going on.


    Please, Dad, Mom, talk to me.¡±


    But my pleas fell on deaf ears as my parents remained silent, their expressions unreadable. It was as if


    they had built a wall around themselves, shutting me outpletely.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I was powerless to break through their defenses. All I


    could do was stand there, feeling utterly helpless as the weight of their unspoken troubles hung heavy


    in the air.


    ¡°Dad, please,¡± I implored, the desperation evident in my voice as I reached out to grasp my father¡¯s


    hand. ¡°I can see that something is deeply troubling you both. You raised me to be part of this family, to


    share in both the joys and the burdens. Let me help you.¡±


    His gaze softened, but it was with sadness that he met my eyes. ¡°Ariel, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you or


    value your support. It¡¯s just¡­ difficult to burden you with this.¡±


    I squeezed his hand tighter. ¡°I can handle it, Dad. Whatever it is, we¡¯ll face it together as a family.¡±


    He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his confession. ¡°Our family business¡­ it¡¯s


    not doing well, Ariel. Despite our best efforts, we¡¯re facing financial


    349: UNDER SIEGE


    3/4


    challenges that threaten its stability.¡±


    My heart sank at his words, the gravity of the situation hitting me like a ton of bricks. ¡°But¡­ how? I


    thought everything was going smoothly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been struggling to keep up with the changing market trends and increasedpetition,¡± my


    father exined. ¡°But our situation only worsened.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Tears streamed down my cheeks as I processed the devastating news. Our family business wasn¡¯t just


    a source of ie; it was our legacy, something we had poured our hearts and souls into for


    generations.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dad,¡± I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. ¡°I had no idea¡­¡±


    My mother wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into aforting embrace. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to


    worry you, sweetheart. But now that you know, we¡¯ll need your strength and support more than ever.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, together. I promise.¡±


    My father¡¯s eyes was with gratitude while he squeezed my hand. ¡°Thank you, Ariel. Your Isilience


    always give me hope for our family¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°But I have a question,¡± I uttered, and then I continued, ¡°How did this happen? How do the situation of


    the business be so terrible?¡±


    My mother took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s all because of our confrontation with Simon.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Simon? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Ariel. Ever since we drove Simon out of our mansion, his father stopped being friends with me,¡± my


    father revealed. ¡°And since that man is more powerful than us when ites to this wealth stuff, he


    went ahead to¡­¡±


    ¡°He went ahead to what?¡± I quizzed after my father paused.


    ¡°He went ahead to sabotage our business,¡± my father confessed. Simon¡¯s father used his influence and


    connections to spread rumors about us, tarnishing our reputation in the industry. As a result, we lost


    valuable partnerships and contracts, causing a significant


    decline in our business.¡±


    My eyes widened in disbelief f that very moment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they would stoop so low.¡±


    My mother nodded, her expression pained. ¡°It¡¯s a harsh reality, Ariel. But we must face it head¨Con and


    work together to rebuild what we¡¯ve lost.¡±


    My mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. ¡°We can¡¯t let them get away with this. We


    340 UNDER SIEGF


    have to fight back.¡±


    4/4


    My father ced a reassuring hand on my shoulder, ¡°We will, Ariel, But for now, we must focus on


    stabilizing our business and regaining the trust of our partners and clients. Revenge won¡¯t solve


    anything.


    ¡°No, father. I¡¯m going to meet that man right now, and put him in his ce.¡± I marched out of the house.


    I could hear my mother yelling my name, telling me to stop. But right now, Simon and his father needed


    to know they were just no disgusting.

 Chapter 350

    350: STANDING UP TO POWER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After I left my car, I marched determinedly towards Simon¡¯s house, my heart pounding with righteous


    anger. Every step I took was fueled by the burning desire to confront the ones responsible for tearing


    apart my family¡¯s legacy.


    I reached the imposing ga; I hesitated for a moment, steeling myself for whaty ahead. With a deep


    breath, I pushed the gate open and stepped onto the path leading to the front door.


    My hand trembled slightly as I raised it to knock on the door. The sound echoed through


    the silent neighborhood, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me. Seconds felt like an eternity as


    I waited for someone to answer, my impatience growing with each passing


    moment.


    Finally, the door swung open, and I found myself face¨Cto¨Cface with Simon¡¯s mother. Her expression


    was one of surprise, quickly reced by a haughty disdain as she regarded me with cold eyes.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked, her voice dripping with condescension.


    I squared my shoulders, refusing to be intimidated by her icy demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m here to speak. with Mr


    Kingston,¡± I replied, my voice steady despite the raging storm of emotions within me. ¡°I have some


    questions that need answering.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother¡¯s lips curled into a disdainful smirk. ¡°And why would he want to speak with you?¡±


    I felt a surge of anger bubbling up inside me, but I pushed it aside, determined to keep myposure.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. I demand to see him.¡±


    She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest in a gesture of defiance. ¡°I¡¯m afraid my husband is not


    avable at the moment. Perhaps you shoulde back another time.¡±


    I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my temper in check. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until I speak. with him. This


    concerns my family¡¯s business, and I won¡¯t rest until I get the answers I deserve.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance passing across her features. ¡°Fine. Wait here.¡±


    With that, she mmed the door shut in my face, leaving me standing alone on the doorstep, seething


    with frustration. But I refused to be deterred. I would wait as long as it


    350 STANDING UP TO POWER


    Look to confront Simon¡¯s father and hold him ountable for ble actions.


    I stood on the doorstep, walling for Simon¡¯s father to appear, my hands clenched wan tude, my


    patience wearing thin with each passing, second. Pinally, the door creed


    and Simon¡¯s father emerged, his expression one of annoyance as he red at me


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this Interruption?¡± he barked, with so much irritation


    I met his gaze with intense anger, my rage simmering just beneath the surface, ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about


    what you¡¯ve done to my family¡¯s business,¡± I said, my voice trembling with suppressed fury. ¡°Your


    underhanded tacties have caused irreparable damage, and 1 growt stand for it.


    TNT,


    His eyes narrowed, a smug smirk ying at his lips. ¡°Ah, the little Walker girl,¡± he his tone brimming


    with contempt. ¡°What makes you think you have any right toe here and use me of anything?¡±


    Before he could react, I raised my hand and delivered a resounding p across his face, the sound


    echoing through the air like a crack of thunder. He stumbled back, his hand flying to his cheek in shock


    as he stared at me in disbelief.


    ¡°how dare you!¡± he roared, his face contorted with rage. ¡°You insolent little brat!¡±


    But I refused to back down, my resolve hardening with each passing moment. ¡°You think you can


    destroy our family¡¯s legacy and get away with it?¡± I spat, my voice dripping with venom. ¡°Well, you¡¯re


    sorely mistaken. I won¡¯t rest until you¡¯re held ountable for your


    actions.¡±


    ¡±


    His eyes zed with fury as he advanced towards me, his fists clenched at his sides. ¡°You¡¯ll regret ever


    crossing me, girl,¡± he snarled, his voice low and menacing


    But I stood my ground, undeterred by his threats. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you,¡± I dered, my voice ringing


    out with defiance. ¡°I¡¯ll fight tooth and nail to protect my family, no matter


    what it takes.¡±


    Mr Kingston stood there, seething with rage; his wife emerged from behind him, her eyes aze with


    fury as she red at me..


    ¡°How dare youy a hand on my husband!¡± she spat, loaded with tons of venom. ¡°You little wretch, who


    do you think you are?¡±


    I met her gaze head¨Con, my own anger matching hers in intensity. ¡°Your husband deserved every bit of


    that p,¡± I retorted, my voice cold and unyielding. ¡°He¡¯s the one responsible for destroying my family¡¯s


    business, and he needs to be held ountable.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother scoffed, a derisiveugh escaping her lips. ¡°And you think you¡¯re the one to


    350 STANDING UP TO POWER


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    3/3


    do it? You¡¯re nothing but a spoiled little princess who¡¯s never had to work a day in her life,¡±


    Her words cut deep, but I refused to let her belittle me. ¡°I maye from a wealthy family, but that


    doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t fight for what¡¯s right,¡± I shot back, my voiceced with determination. ¡°And unlike


    you, I won¡¯t stand by and watch as my family¡¯s legacy is torn apart by greed and deceit.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes shed with indignation, her hands balling into fists at her sides.¡± You¡¯re


    delusional if you think you can challenge us,¡± she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. ¡°We have


    power and influence that you could only dream of.¡±


    I refused to back down, my resolve unwavering in the face of her threats. ¡°You may have power, but I


    have something far more powerful,¡± I dered, my voice ringing out with conviction. ¡°I have the


    strength of my convictions and the unwavering support of my family. And together, we will fight until


    justice is served.¡±


    Mr Kingston continued to seethe with rage, his face contorted with fury, he pointed a trembling finger at


    me.


    ¡°Get out of my house this instant, you insolent little brat!¡± he roared.


    ¡°your house?¡± I scoffed. ¡°More like a den of thieves and liars.¡±


    his eyes zed with fury at my words; his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. ¡°How


    dare you speak to me like that!¡± he thundered, his voice booming with anger.


    Still, I didn¡¯t flinch; I was mad as hell. ¡°How dare you destroy my family¡¯s business and think you can


    get away with it?¡± I shot back, my voice rising with each word. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a coward hiding


    behind your wealth and influence.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother stepped forward, her eyes shing with malice as she red at me. ¡°You think you¡¯re


    so righteous, don¡¯t you? Well guess what 1, you¡¯re just a spoiled little girl who doesn¡¯t know the first


    thing about real life.¡±


    Her words stung, but I refused to let her tear me down. ¡°At least I have the courage to fight for what¡¯s


    right. Unlike you, who hides behind your husband¡¯s wealth and power.¡±


    Simon¡¯s father¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red as he struggled to contain his rage. ¡°You have no


    idea who you¡¯re dealing with,¡± he seethed, his voice low and dangerous.


    ¡°I know exactly who I¡¯m dealing with,¡± I dered.¡°A pair of cowardly bullies who think they can trample


    over anyone who stands in their way. Well, I¡¯m here to tell you that you¡¯ve met your match.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± Simon¡¯s voice came from behind, and I turned around to look at


    him.

 Chapter 351

    351: POWER PLAY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Simon¡¯s sudden appearance startled me, but who the hell was he to frighten me? ¡°Oh, look who


    decided to show up,¡± I spat, giving him a fake smile. ¡°Just in time to defend mommy and daddy¡¯s dirty


    deeds, I see.¡±


    Simon¡¯s jaw clenched, his nostrils ring with barely contained rage. ¡°You have no right toe here


    and cause trouble,¡± he growled.


    I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°Oh, please, spare me your self¨Crighteous indignation,¡± I


    retorted. ¡°You¡¯re just as guilty as they are, Simon. You¡¯ve beenplicit in tearing down my family¡¯s


    legacy from the start.¡±


    His eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. ¡°Watch your mouth, Ariel,¡± he warned,


    his voice low and menacing. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    I stepped forward, closing the distance between us, my gaze locked with his. ¡°I know exactly hat I¡¯m


    talking about. ¡°And I won¡¯t let you or your family get away with what you¡¯ve done.


    His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw working furiously. ¡°You¡¯re making a big mistake, Ariel.


    ¡°No, the mistake was my father trusting you and your family in the first ce. But mark my words,


    Simon, I won¡¯t rest until you people finally get what you deserve.¡±


    Simon quickly seized my hand. His sudden grip on my wrist startled me, his fingers digging into my skin


    with a vice¨Clike grip.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I demanded, trying to wrench my hand free from his grasp..


    His eyes zed with fury, his grip tightening even further. ¡°You think you cane here and insult my


    family? I¡¯ll teach you some manners, you spoiled brat!¡±


    I refused to cower in fear, meeting his gaze with unflinching defiance. ¡°Youy a hand on me, and you¡¯ll


    regret it,¡± I warned, giving him a hard re.


    His lips curled into a cruel sneer, and his free hand balling became a fist as he raised it threateningly.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a pathetic little girl,¡± he snarled. ¡°And you¡¯re about to learn what happens to girls


    who cross me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hesitate to spit at his face. ¡°You¡¯re the pathetic one. You¡¯re nothing but a coward who hides


    behind his family¡¯s wealth and power. All of you are cowards.¡±


    351 POWER PLAY


    214


    Simon recoiled in shock, his grip on my wrist loosening slightly as he wiped the spittle from his face


    with a disgusted grimace. ¡°You¡¯ll regret that.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to regret.¡± I made it clear to him. ¡°And I won¡¯t stop fighting until you finally get


    get what you deserve. ¡°And believe me, I mean what I say.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Mr. Kingston chimed in, and I turned to him. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now, Ariel, I¡¯m going to


    call the police.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, call the police,¡± I challenged him. ¡°Your threats won¡¯t intimidate me; I have nothing to hide.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    all


    His eyes narrowed, and his face flushed with anger. ¡°You¡¯re trespassing on private property. And


    assaulting a member of my family. I have every right to call the authorities.¡±


    I held my ground, refusing to back down in the face of his threats. ¡°I haven¡¯t assaulted


    ¡°I shot back. ¡°I defended myself against Simon¡¯s aggression and won¡¯t apologize


    anyone,


    for it.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother stepped forward, her expression twisted with fury. ¡°You¡¯re delusional if you


    ink you can get away with this.¡±


    ¡®m not delusional,¡± I retorted, and continued, ¡°I¡¯m fighting for justice, and I¡¯m going to make sure things


    are going to get back to normal. My father¡¯s business will not go down the drain a you have nned.¡±


    Simon¡¯s father hesitated, his eyes flicking between me and his wife. Finally, with a


    frustrated sigh, he lowered his phone and turned to face me. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard thest of this,¡± he


    said.


    I met his gaze directly. I¡¯ll be waiting. You must understand that we will hold you and your family


    ountable for your actions.


    ¡°That¡¯s not happening, Ariel. Your family¡¯s business will never be the way it used to be. The damage


    has already begun and will only worsen with each passing day. ¡°That¡¯s what you and your pathetic


    father get for embarrassing my son.¡±


    ¡°Embarrassing your son?¡°Did he even tell you the part where he tried to assault me? Oh, I¡¯m sorry, he


    did. But you just had to support him in his evil ways.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, save your crap for yourself. Go cry with your mommy and daddy.¡±


    Before I could react, Simon¡¯s grip on my wrist tightened even further, his fingers digging into my skin


    like ws. With a sudden shove, he pushed me backward, causing me to stumble and fall to the


    ground with a thud. Pain shot through my body, but I refused to show weakness in front of him.


    351: POWER PLAY


    3/4


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a pathetic worm,¡± Simon spat, his face contorted with rage as he loomed over me.


    ¡°You think you can stand up to me? You¡¯re nothingpared to my family¡¯s power.¡±


    I gritted my teeth against the pain, ring up at him defiantly. ¡°You¡¯re a coward, Simon. Attacking


    someone who won¡¯t fight back. That¡¯s the only way you know how to feel. powerful.¡±


    His lip curled into a sneer as he towered over me, fists clenched at his sides. ¡°You¡¯re so naive, Ariel.


    You have no idea what you¡¯re up against. My family will crush you and your pathetic attempts at


    revenge.¡±


    I struggled to push myself up from the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t let you destroy everything my family has built.


    Simon, I will vigorously oppose your actions. I¡¯ll make sure you pay.¡±


    Heughed cruelly. ¡®You¡¯re nothing but a little girl ying at being a hero. But you¡¯ll soon learn that in


    tes don¡¯t stand a chance against people like me.¡±


    ¡°In the real world, and please, just go home. We don¡¯t want you to get yourself damaged.¡± Simon¡¯s


    mother gave me a mocking smile.


    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t know what might happen if you continue to talk nonsense here.¡± Her husband followed


    her lead, both of them looking down at me.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Kill me?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s worthwhile.¡± Mr. Kingston shrugged.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± I dered, pushing myself up despite the pain shooting through my


    body. ¡°I won¡¯t let you intimidate me into silence. You and your family have done enough damage.¡±


    Simon¡¯s mother scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re just a stubborn little brat, aren¡¯t you? I can¡¯t ept the reality of your


    situation.¡±


    I ignored her insult, focusing on standing my ground. ¡°I won¡¯t ept a reality where injustice prevails.


    Enough of this nonsense.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, dismissing me with a wave of her hand. ¡°Oh, please, spare us your heroics. You¡¯re


    nothing but a nuisance, Ariel. Just leave before you embarrass yourself even


    further.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s going to kick me out? You?¡± I shot back at her. ¡°I won¡¯t let you and your family get away


    with what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Sheughed with a cold, mocking sound. ¡°You¡¯re so naive, thinking you can take on people


    351: POWER PLAY


    like us. You¡¯re out of your depth, Ariel. Just ept defeat and slink away like the loser you are.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m done with you, the losers here will be you guys. No matter what insults you throw my way.,


    I¡¯ll never back down.¡±


    She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re even more delusional than I thought. Fine, stay here and


    wallow in your own self¨Crighteousness. But don¡¯t expect anyone toe to your rescue when you


    realize just how futile your efforts are.¡±


    ¡°Ariel?¡± Simon¡¯s elder brother, Larry, showed up.

 Chapter 352

    352: LINE IN THE SAND


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Larry approached us, and I quickly scrambled to my feet, brushing off the dirt from my clothes. His


    expression was a mix of concern and irritation as he looked between me and his


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    family.


    ¡°Ariel, what¡¯s going on here?¡± He asked, his tone edged with a hint of frustration.


    I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts beforeunching into an exnation. ¡°Your brother and


    parents are trying to intimidate me into backing down from exposing the truth about what they¡¯ve done


    to my family¡¯s business,¡± I began, my voice steady despite the


    lingering ache from Simon¡¯s shove.


    Larry¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, his gaze flickering to his family before settling back on me. What truth?


    What have they done?¡±


    ¡°They used their power to ruin my family¡¯s business, all because they¡¯re trying to support


    hat scumbag right there. A scumbag who doesn¡¯t deserve respect. Simon tried to assault me, but my


    family saved me from his brutality. With that, your father went ahead and ruined ourpany¡¯s name


    because of his wealth. Because he has all the power in the world, and now that I¡¯vee to confront


    him, they are treating me like shit.¡±


    Larry¡¯s expression darkened, his jaw clenching as he absorbed my words. ¡°I had no idea,¡± he muttered,


    his voice low with disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± I replied bitterly. ¡°They¡¯ve been careful to keep their actions hidden, but I won¡¯t let


    them get away with it.*


    He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his movements. ¡°This is uneptable. I can¡¯t


    believe they would stoop so low.¡±


    ¡°Believe it. ¡°And unless someone from within their own family stands up to them, they¡¯ll continue to


    destroy everything in their path.¡±


    Larry¡¯s eyes met mine, a flicker of resolve shining through the turmoil. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯ll talk to


    them; make them see reason.¡±


    I shook my head, a bitterugh escaping my lips. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll listen to you, Larry. Their own greed


    and power too consume them.¡±


    [


    He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. ¡°Even so, I have to try. I can¡¯t let them ruin


    everything.¡±


    352 LINE IN THE SAND


    2/4


    I reached out and ced a reassuring hand on his arm. ¡°Thank you, Larry. I appreciate your support


    more than you know.¡°.


    He gave me a small nod. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make this right, Ariel ¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to take her side now, son,¡± his mother told him.


    Larry turned to her. ¡°Mom, please. Why do you people have to be so rude towards her?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do here, young man?¡± Mr. Kingston questioned Larry.


    ¡°I¡¯m only doing what¡¯s right, father.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think is right?¡± Simon budged into the conversation with a loud voice.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, brother. I think it¡¯s best you just hold it there,¡± Larry retorted. He turned back to


    his parents. ¡°So, I did hear about the Walkers going down, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re responsible for it,


    father.¡±


    ¡°Larry, you¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± Mr. Kingston thundered, his face flushing with anger. ¡°How


    are you speak to me like that? You¡¯re nothing without this family¡¯s legacy!¡®


    rched as Larry squared his shoulders, refusing to back down. ¡°I may be your son, but that doesn¡¯t


    mean I¡¯ll stand by silently while you destroy others for your own gain.¡±


    Mrs. Kingston scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous, Larry. Don¡¯t fall for this girl¡¯s falsehoods.


    Larry¡¯s jaw clenched, but he remainedposed. ¡°It¡¯s not about Ariel, Mom. It¡¯s about what¡¯s right.¡±


    Simon sneered, his arrogance evident. ¡°Right? What do you know about what¡¯s right? You¡¯re just a


    naive kid who doesn¡¯t understand how the real world works.¡±


    Larry shot back, his voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air. ¡°Maybe I am naive, but I


    refuse to be like you, Simon. I won¡¯t sacrifice my morals for the sake of power.


    Mr. Kingston¡¯s face contorted with rage. ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to this family, Larry! If you continue down


    this path, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life.¡±


    But Larry didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Maybe so, but at least I¡¯ll be able to live with myself, knowing I stood up for


    what¡¯s right.¡±


    I could see the conflict in Larry¡¯s eyes as he faced his family¡¯s fury, but his resolve remained unshaken.


    He was determined to make peace, even if it meant facing their wrath. At this point, I knew I had an ally


    in this fight.


    352 LINE IN THE SAND


    By the way, Larry was remarkable. He had an irresistiblebination of looks, kindnes and empathy.


    His charming personality and warm demeanor had a maic effect on those around him, especially


    thedies.


    Unsurprisingly, many were smitten with him, as his genuine care and consideration for others were truly


    admirable. Larry remained Jumble and down to earth despite his marry admirable qualities, a stark


    contrast to his vain and selfish brother, Simon Many adored Larry because his character exemplified


    what it truly meant to be a great guy


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this man¡¯s still doing in this house, father. Just kick him out. He doesn¡¯t belong here.


    He doesn¡¯t deserve to be called your son,¡± Simon said, a


    ¡°What are you saying, Simon?¡± Mrs. Kingston questioned him. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. He¡¯s not in his


    right senses at the moment, but that doesn¡¯t mean I love him.¡±


    Mr. Kingston sighed. ¡°Oh, shut up. Stop being emotional. Larry is trying to challenge me, and he is


    going to suffer for it.


    ¡°Dad, you have to understand my point here.¡± Larry continued to stand his ground, pleading with his


    father to reconsider his actions,


    I admired his unwavering determination. Despite his family¡¯s verbal onught, he remained resolute in


    this situation.


    ¡°Larry, please,¡± I interjected, fixing my hand on his shoulder. ¡°We can find another way to handle this.


    We don¡¯t need to resort to threats and ultimatums.¡±


    He nced at me, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes, before returning his attention to his father. ¡°Dad,


    please listen to me. I don¡¯t want to see our family torn apart over this. There has to be a way to make


    things right without destroying everything we¡¯ve built.¡±


    Mr. Kingston¡¯s face hardened, his eyes narrowing as he regarded his son with disdain. ¡°You dare to


    question my authority in front of everyone? You¡¯re a disgrace, Larry. I raised you to be better than this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not questioning your authority, Dad. I¡¯m questioning your ethics. What you¡¯re doing is wrong, and I


    can¡¯t stand by and watch it happen.¡±


    His father¡¯s lips curled into a sneer. ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s how you feel, then you leave me no choice. You¡¯re


    no longer wee in this family¡¯s business. Consider yourself disowned.¡±


    The words hung heavy in the air, a clear tension settling over us. I could see the hurt and betrayal in


    Larry¡¯s eyes, but beneath it was a glimmer of relief as if a weight had been lifted


    from his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it had toe to this, Dad,¡± Larry said, his voice filled with sorrow. But I can¡¯t


    IN LINE IN THE SAND


    4/4


    condone what you¡¯ve done. I¡¯ll find my own path that aligns with my principles and values.¡±


    He turned around to face me and said, ¡°Come on, Ariel, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Larry, wait!¡± His mother spoke audibly.

 Chapter 353

    353: NEW PATH FORWARD


    ARIEL¡¯S POW


    ¡°Larry, wait!¡± His mother¡¯s voice cut through the tense atmosphere, her tone pleading as she stepped


    forward, reaching out to her husband. ¡°Harold, please, you can¡¯t do this. He¡¯s


    Our Son.¡±


    Mr. Kingston¡¯s expression remained stoic, unmoved by his wife¡¯s plea. ¡°He¡¯s made his choice, Martha.


    ¡°He¡¯s chosen to defy me and undermine everything we¡¯ve worked for.¡±


    ¡°But disowning him? Is that really necessary?¡± Mrs. Kingston implored. ¡°He¡¯s just young and idealistic.


    He doesn¡¯t understand the consequences of his actions.¡±


    ¡°He needs to learn, Martha,¡± Mr. Kingston replied sternly. ¡°He needs to understand that there are


    repercussions for going against the family.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s your son,¡± she insisted, desperation creeping into her voice. ¡°You can¡¯t just cast him aside like


    this.¡°We¡¯ll lose him forever.¡±


    Mr. Kingston sighed heavily, his features softening ever so slightly at the sight of his wife¡¯s distress.


    ¡°Martha, you know how important it is for us to maintain control. We can¡¯t afford to shc weakness,


    especially not now.¡±


    ¡°But at what cost, Harold?¡± Mrs. Kingston pleaded, her eyes searching for any sign of empathy. ¡°Is our


    pride worth more than our own flesh and blood?¡±


    Larry stood silently, his eyes darting between his parents, his face a mask of conflicted emotions. I


    could see the turmoil raging within him, torn between loyalty to his family and standing up for what he


    believed was right.


    ¡°Please, Harold,¡± Mrs. Kingston continued. ¡°Think about what you¡¯re doing. Is this really the legacy you


    want to leave behind?¡±


    For a moment, there was silence as father and son locked eyes, a silent battle of wills ying out


    between them. Then, with a heavy sigh, Mr. Kingston relented, his shoulders slumping


    in defeat.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered grudgingly. ¡°But he¡¯s on his own. He can¡¯t expect any support from this family if he


    chooses to walk this path.¡±


    Mrs. Kingston let out a breath she seemed to have been holding, relief washing over her features as


    she stepped forward to embrace her son. ¡°Thank you, Harold.¡±


    Larry returned his mother¡¯s embrace. ¡°Thank you, Mom. But I cannot follow through with


    16 NEW PATH FORWARD


    this.¡±


    2/4


    His mother let go of him at that very moment, giving him a surprised face. ¡°What? What do you mean


    by that?¡±


    ¡°You wronged Ariel and her family, and if you don¡¯t decide to change things back to the way they were,


    I¡¯m not stepping foot in this house.¡±


    ¡°See, I told you. He¡¯s an idiot,¡± Simon mocked him.


    ¡°Shut up, Simon.¡± Larry silenced him. ¡°You have no right to be talking here since you¡¯re the cause of


    everything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± Simon spat back..


    ¡°Silence!¡± Mr. Kingston said harshly, then turned to Larry with a hard re. ¡°Larry, is this what you


    want?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°You know what I want, father.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about this whole Walker thing, you¡¯ll only be fooling yourself. Because here is no way


    I¡¯m changing things; the deed has already been done.¡±


    ee, then. You just have to know something, Father,¡± Larry said inaudibly, moving his face closer. ¡°I


    won¡¯t rest until The Walker Company rises again.¡±


    Wout bastard,¡± Mr. Kingston said bitterly. ¡°Is this how you hate me? Defying me out of spite?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not defying you out of spite but out of a sense of justice and integrity,¡± I chimed in.


    Enough of this nonsense.


    Mr. Kingston¡¯s eyes narrowed as he turned his attention to me, his expression one of disdain. ¡°And who


    the hell gave you the right to talk, huh? ¡°A mere outsider meddling in family affairs?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, it seems like you¡¯re forgetting the cause of this whole argument,¡± I retorted. ¡°And I may not be


    part of your family, but I care deeply for Larry.¡°I won¡¯t stand by while you belittle him for having the


    courage to do what¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a naive girl, thinking you can change anything. You¡¯re just as foolish as my son.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for someone to shake up your narrow¨Cminded perspective, Mr. Kingston. Larry is a


    great man, ten times better than your useless son. He deserves better than to be ridiculed by his own


    father.¡±


    353: NEW PATH FORWARD


    3/4


    Mr. Kingston¡¯s face contorted with rage, but Larry spoke up with a calm yet resolute voice before he


    could unleash another barrage of insults.


    ¡°Enough, Father. I won¡¯t tolerate any more disrespect towards Ariel or myself. If you can¡¯t put an end to


    your vile acts, then goodbye.¡±


    With that, Larry took my hand and angrily walked away, leaving his family brimming with rage as if they


    were just staring at us.


    We got into my car, and the two of us settled there in silence, no one saying anything. Then I let out a


    deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that had to happen,¡± I said, breaking the silence between us.


    Larry turned to me. ¡°What had to happen?¡±


    ¡°You and your family.¡°Because of me, you had to go through all of this. Because of me, your


    rtionship with them is ruined.¡±


    His expression softened as he let out a sigh. ¡°Ariel, none of this is your fault. You didn¡¯t you for cause


    any of this. My family¡¯s actions are their own, and I won¡¯t let them me them.¡±


    ¡°But still, I can¡¯t help but feel responsible. I never wanted toe between you and your family


    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Larry reassured me. ¡°If anything, you¡¯ve shown me what true courage and integrity look


    like. And I¡¯ll stand by you, no matter what.¡±


    I gave him a warm smile. ¡°Thank you, Larry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Ariel. We¡¯ll get through this together. I¡¯m going to make sure


    your


    family¡¯s business is as stable as it used to be.¡±


    ¡°But I have to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Why did you save me all of a sudden? I mean, we know each other, but we barely talk.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡± Larry raised his brow, looking at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯m just curious. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Well, Ariel. There¡¯s just something special about you,¡± he told me with a smile.


    I looked at him for seconds before I finally said, ¡°Uhmm, excuse me?¡±


    353: NEW PATH FORWARD


    He chuckled softly. ¡°I mean it. You have this way of standing up for what¡¯s right, even when it¡¯s difficult.


    ¡°And I admire that about you.¡±


    I felt my cheeks flush at his words, a mixture of surprise and gratitude washing over me.¡± Thank you,


    Larry. That means a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Ariel. And if standing up for you means defying my family, then so be it. You¡¯re worth


    it.¡±


    Touched by his sincerity, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I have to say, I¡¯m grateful to have you on my side.


    He returned my smile, his gaze holding mine for a moment longer before turning back to the road


    ahead.


    He knew about me the whole time, and it was as if he didn¡¯t. We met a couple of times, and we barely


    had a conversation. But when he just stood up for me, I had this monumental feeling towards him, like


    we had beenrades for years.


    ¡°So, where will you be living from now on?¡± I asked him, being concerned.


    You don¡¯t have to worry about that.


    ¡°You can live with me if you want,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Thanks, but I have somewhere else in mind.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded, deciding not to ask further.

 Chapter 354

    354: DINNER DISCUSSIONS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Stepping out of my car, I saw my grandfather sitting on the porch with another man. I wondered what


    they were talking about.


    ¡°Luke, my boy!¡± My grandfather¡¯s face lit up as he saw me approaching. ¡°Come, meet Mr. Gray Walker.


    He¡¯s a dear friend of mine.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    I walked up to them and shook Gray¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Walker.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Luke,¡± he replied with a warm smile. ¡°Your grandfather has told me so much


    about you.¡°You¡¯re quite a talented young man.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little ttered by his words. My grandfather had always been my biggest


    supporter, and hearing him praise me for someone else made me feel proud.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to chat,¡± my grandfather said, patting me on the back. ¡°I¡¯ll go and check on the


    preparations for dinner.¡±


    Gray and I found ourselves alone as he walked away. I was about to excuse myself and head inside


    when my grandfather¡¯s next words stopped me in my tracks.


    ¡°Actually, Luke, why don¡¯t you join us? We have some business to discuss.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was ready for such a serious conversation. But my grandfather¡¯s


    warm smile and encouraging nod convinced me to stay.


    We all sat on the porch, and my grandfather began exining the Walkerspany and its sess in


    New Haven. I attentively listened, making a concerted effort toprehend the swirling business


    terminology.


    ¡°Have you heard of Walker¡¯spany before, Luke?¡± my grandfather asked.


    I shook my head, feeling a little embarrassed. It seemed like I was the only one who hadn¡¯t heard of


    this renownedpany.


    My grandfather burst intoughter, causing Gray to join in. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their


    lightheartedness, feeling more at ease in their presence.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s alright, my boy,¡± my grandfather said, still chuckling. ¡°You¡¯ll know more about them soon


    enough.¡±


    He then turned to Gray and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been discussing a possible partnership between our two


    companies, and I think it would be a great opportunity for both of us.


    354. DINNER DISCUSSIONS


    Gray nodded in agreement, and I could see the excitement in his eyes. I was still trying to understand


    why my grandfather was considering partnering with such apany. If they¡¯re No sessful, why


    haven¡¯t I heard about them before?


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, finally finding my voice. ¡°That sounds good. Can I go now?¡±


    My grandfatherughed. ¡°Always in a rush, aren¡¯t you? I was just about to tell you that Gray here has a


    daughter, and I think you two would get along quite well.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes at my grandfather¡¯s attempts right now. I knew what he was trying to do.


    But I was more focused on the business aspect of the conversation, and the thought of meeting Gray¡¯s


    daughter didn¡¯t interest me at all.


    ¡°Grandpa, I appreciate your efforts, but I¡¯m really not interested in meeting anyone right now,¡± I replied,


    trying to keep my tone polite yet firm. ¡°I¡¯m more focused on my studies and building my career.¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s expression shifted from jovial to slightly surprised, then understanding.¡± Ah, I see.


    Well, that¡¯s perfectly fine, Luke. Your priorities are what matter most. There¡¯s no


    ush.¡±


    Gray nodded in agreement, offering a supportive smile. ¡°Absolutely, Luke. Focusing on what¡¯s


    important to you at this stage in your life is important. There¡¯s plenty of time for otheringster on.¡±


    pressure to I felt a sense of relief wash over me at their understanding. Sometimes, the conform to


    societal expectations seemed overwhelming, but having my grandfather and his friend acknowledge


    and respect my choices meant a lot.


    ¡°Thank you, both,¡± I said sincerely, feeling grateful for their support. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely keep that in mind.¡±


    with that


    the conversation shifted back to business matters, and I became fully engaged again. But then they


    had to talk about his daughter. They didn¡¯t mention her name, but I knew they were talking about her.


    And something didn¡¯t seem right. The friendship between all these two, talking about his daughter, and


    trying to introduce her to me. Their moves were somehow suspicious. But I couldn¡¯t get myself further


    into such thoughts.


    My grandfather fixed his eyes on me. ¡°Luke, we¡¯ll be throwing a party this weekend to celebrate our


    new partnership with The Walkers Company.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a great idea, Grandpa,¡± I replied, trying to match his enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be a


    wonderful celebration.¡±


    354. DINNER DISCUSSIONS


    3/4


    As the conversation continued, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of unease about the whole situation. The


    way they were talking about this partnership and Gray¡¯s daughter felt too calcted, almost rehearsed.


    I made a mental note to do some research on the Walkerspanyter. Something didn¡¯t add


    up, and I needed to find out what it was before diving deeper into this partnership.


    But for now, I stered on a smile and focused on the current conversation, trying to y my part in


    the discussion while keeping my guard up. After all, in business and in life, it never hurts to be cautious.


    The conversation wound down, and my grandfather stood up from his chair, signaling the end of our


    meeting. ¡°Well, Gray, it¡¯s been a pleasure having you here. We¡¯ll be in touch regarding the details of our


    partnership.¡±


    Gray stood up as well, extending his hand towards my grandfather. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Sir


    Reynold. I¡¯m looking forward to future coboration between ourpanies.


    My grandfather shook his hand firmly. ¡°Likewise, Gray. Safe travels back home.¡±


    Turning to me, Gray smiled warmly. ¡°Luke, it was truly a pleasure meeting you. I hope we¡¯ll have the


    chance to chat more in the future.¡±


    I turned his smile, though the unease still lingered in the back of my mind. ¡°Likewise,¡± said Mr. Walker.


    Take care.¡±


    With that, Gray bid us farewell and made his way down the steps of the porch towards his car. My


    grandfather and I watched him leave, the sound of his car engine fading into the


    distance.


    Once Gray was out of sight, my grandfather turned to me with a serious expression. ¡°Luke, I know this


    partnership with the Walkerspany might seem sudden, but I believe it¡¯s a tremendous opportunity


    for us. However, I want you to promise me that you¡¯ll remain vignt and cautious. Trust your instincts.¡±


    I nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. ¡°I will, Grandpa. I¡¯ll make sure to do my due diligence


    before we proceed any further.¡±


    My grandfather pped me on the back with a proud smile. ¡°That¡¯s my boy. Let¡¯s go inside and discuss


    our next steps over dinner.¡±


    The moment we walked back towards the mansion, my mind buzzed with questions and doubts. I


    couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was off about this whole situation. My grandfather¡¯s


    eagerness to introduce us and Gray¡¯s mention of his daughter felt too


    354 DINNER DISCUSSIONS


    contrived and orchestrated


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± I began as we entered the mansion, ¡°what¡¯s the rush with this partnership? Why haven¡¯t I


    heard of the Walker¡¯spany before?¡±


    My grandfather sighed, his expression turning somber. ¡°Luke, you just have to understand that the


    Walkers are great people. And I believe they¡¯re going to.¡± He paused immediately


    1


    I gave him a curious look. ¡°They¡¯re going to what?¡±

 Chapter 355

    355: MY INSTINCTS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I believe they¡¯re going to be valuable partners,¡± my grandfather finally said, his tone guarded. ¡°But let¡¯s


    not dwell on that for now. We¡¯ll discuss it further another time.¡±


    I sensed his reluctance to delve deeper into the matter, but his words only fueled my curiosity even


    more. However, before I could press him for more information, he changed the subject abruptly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about business tonight, Luke,¡± he said, shing me a reassuring smile. ¡± Dinner awaits,


    and I¡¯m sure Cook has prepared something delightful.¡±


    Despite my lingering questions, I knew better than to push the issue further. With a nod, I followed my


    grandfather towards the dining room, making a mental note to revisit the topic


    As we settled into our seats and began to enjoy our meal, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that there was


    more to this partnership with the Walkers Company than met the eye. But for now, I pushed those


    thoughts aside and focused on the delicious food in front of me,


    ring that answers woulde in due time.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I finally made my way home, and by pushing the double doors open, I was greeted by my parents, who


    were waiting for me in the foyer. They rushed over to hug me as soon as they


    saw me.


    ¡°Ariel, darling, it¡¯s so good to see you,¡± my mother eximed, holding me tightly.


    to


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you too,¡± I said, turning to Larry, who was following me. He was


    hesitant, knowing my parents¡® situation with his family, but he insisted oning with me, trying to


    make them understand that he was on our side.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, this is Larry,¡± I introduced him. ¡°He¡¯s the son of¡­¡±


    ¡°Harold Kingston.¡± My father cut me off.


    His face darkened as soon as he spoke the name. I knew he was thinking about how Larry¡¯s father had


    ruined our family¡¯s business. His face was filled with regret.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± my father asked, barely able to hide his disapproval.


    I took a deep breath and prepared to defend Larry. ¡°Dad, please listen to me. Larry is different from his


    family. He¡¯s on our side.¡±


    Curious, my mother asked Larry to share more about himself. As he spoke, I could see my parents¡®


    expressions soften. They were impressed by his intelligence, drive, and, most of all, genuine remorse


    for what his father had done to us.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for what my father did to your family,¡± Larry said, his voice full of sincerity. ¡°I low it¡¯s


    going to be kind of hard, but I want to help you regain what you have lost.¡±


    My parents looked at each other, and I could see the wheels turning in their heads. After a moment of


    silence, my father spoke up, ¡°Well, I have to admit, I¡¯m impressed by you, Larry. And we could help get


    our business back on track.¡®


    They invited him to stay for dinner, and I could see the joy in Larry¡¯s eyes. Despite his initial


    nervousness about meeting my parents, he felt warmly weed into our family.


    We all sat down for dinner; the atmosphere was tense yet hopeful. Larry seemed eager to prove


    himself, and my parents were cautiously optimistic.


    We began to dig into the delicious meal, and my father cleared his throat, breaking the silence. ¡°So,


    Ariel, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to discuss with you.


    exchanged a nce with Larry, wondering what my father had in mind. ¡°What is it, Dad?¡± I ked, trying


    to sound casual.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in talks with The Reynolds Company,¡± my father began, his tone measured. ¡°I believe they¡¯re


    going to be valuable partners for us in revitalizing our business.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. Reynolds was one of the most reputablepanies in the


    industry, known for its innovation and sess. This could be exactly what we need to turn things


    around.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic news, Dad. How did this partnershipe about?¡±


    My father smiled proudly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been in the works for a while now. I¡¯ve held several meetings with


    their representatives. Sir Reynold, I believe, sees potential in coborating with us. He has offered their


    company¡¯s expertise and resources to help us navigate through these challenging times.¡±


    Larry nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Mr. Walker. The Reynolds have a ster reputation, and


    I¡¯m sure their support will make a significant difference for


    your business.¡±


    My mother chimed in, her voice filled with optimism. ¡°It sounds like a wonderful opportunity, dear. With


    Reynolds backing us up, I have no doubt that we¡¯ll be able to ovee any obstacles thate our


    way.


    ¡°Yes, but there is one thing,¡± my father said under his breath, his face changing all of a sudden.


    355: MY INSTINCTS


    ¡°What is that?¡± I asked him in curiosity.


    He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just enjoy your meal.¡±


    I decided not to ask further, but I knew something wasn¡¯t right here with the way his tone changed all of


    a sudden. What was going on?


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Daniel and I decided to go to our favorite club for a drink. Walking inside the building, loud music and


    chatter filled our ears. We made our way to the bar and ordered our usual drinks. We sat down at a


    table near the dance floor, sipping on our drinks and catching up on each other¡¯s week. But as I looked


    around, something caught my eye. In the corner of the club, I saw a man with a bald head yelling at a


    youngdy. She looked scared, and I could see tears in her eyes.


    I nudged Daniel and pointed toward them. ¡°Do you see that? That man is harassing that girl.


    Daniel shrugged and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s not get involved, man. It¡¯s none of our business.¡±


    towards 1¨Ct I couldn¡¯t just sit there and do nothing. I got up from my seat and made my way Le. As I got


    closer, I could hear the man yelling at thedy, demanding that she dance with him.


    I tapped the man on his shoulder and said, ¡°Excuse me, sir. I think thedy doesn¡¯t want to dance with


    you.


    The man turned around, giving me a menacing look. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a concerned citizen. I don¡¯t think thedy wants to dance with you. Why don¡¯t you


    leave her alone?¡±


    The man scoffed and pushed me away. ¡°Mind your own business.¡±


    I stood my ground and looked at him straight in the eye. ¡°I think you should leave before things get


    ugly.¡±


    The man let out a sinisterugh. ¡°Oh, you think you can take me on?¡±


    Before I could reply, the man swung his fist at me. I quickly dodged and punched him back. He


    stumbled back, surprised by my quick reflexes. I could see Daniel watching us from a distance, his


    eyes wide with shock.


    The man quickly shoved me to the floor and wanted tond punches on my face, but I got up right


    away, pushing him backward.

 Chapter 356

    356: BRAVE


    LUKK¡¯S POV


    The man came at me again, but this time I was ready. I blocked his punch andnded a few more of


    my own. We were now in the middle of the club, attracting a small crowd. But I didn¡¯t care; I only


    thought about protecting that youngdy.


    We continued to exchange blows, but finally, I managed to knock the man down with a powerful punch.


    I stood there, catching my breath, and then thedy approached me, tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Thank you so much. I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    I gave her a reassuring smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now.


    The crowd around us erupted into cheers and apuse. Daniel came up to me with a proud look on his


    face and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you took down that guy. You¡¯re like a superhero,


    man.


    Iughed. ¡°What can I say, man? I can¡¯t stand by and watch thatdy suffer. She¡¯s too pretty for that.


    And by the way, that man¡¯s an idiot.¡±


    Thedy wiped her tears and offered her hand to me. ¡°I¡¯m Sarah, by the way.¡°Thank you for helping


    me.¡±


    I took her hand and replied, ¡°I¡¯m d I could assist, Sarah. Are you alright? ¡°Do you need any medical


    attention?¡±


    Sarah shook her head, still a bit shaken but able to manage a faint smile. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be okay. Thank you


    again.¡±


    Just then, the bouncer arrived, assessing the situation. ¡°Is everything under control here?¡±


    Daniel stepped forward, nodding. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine now. This guy,¡± he gestured towards the


    now¨Csubdued troublemaker, ¡°won¡¯t be causing any more problems.¡±


    The bouncer nodded approving and signaled for security to escort the man out. As themotion


    settled, Daniel turned to me with a grin. ¡°You really saved the day, mate. That


    wedible.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Just doing what anyone would do in that situation.¡±


    Sarah stepped closer, looking grateful. ¡°Thank you again. I don¡¯t know what would have


    hargement if you hadn¡¯t dipped in


    I waved off her gratitude, offering a trawring erite ¡°No need to thank me just take care of yourself,


    strig?a?¡±


    with that, Teaniel and I changed mods, and I watched as Sarah made her way out of the chub,


    hopefully feeling a bit sale in The crowd dispersert, and as for me, I had this feeling


    f satisfaction for saving thatdy from the filthy hunes of that ridiculous man


    1


    Daniel and I made run way to an empty table. The moment we sat down, he pped me on the back, a


    wide grin still stered on his face.


    ¡°Man, that was intense! I¡¯ve never seen anyone handle themselves like that before.¡±


    chuckled, feeling a mix of exhaustion and aplishment. ¡°Thanks, man. It was a spur¨Cof the moment


    thing, but I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.¡±


    Daniel nodded, his expression turning more serious. ¡°Yeah, I get that. You did the right thing, Luke.


    Sarah¡¯s lucky you were here.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, still processing everything that had just happened. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just d


    she¡¯s okay. That guy was out of control.¡±


    We continued to talk, the music in the club thumped on, and the atmosphere slowly


    returned to normal.


    Daniel pped me on the shoulder again, breaking me out of my thoughts. ¡°Well, cheers to you, mate.


    You¡¯re a hero tonight.¡±


    I grinned, raising my ss in acknowledgment. ¡°Cheers, Dan. But let¡¯s hope the rest of the night is a bit


    less eventful.¡±


    We clinked our sses together, settling in to enjoy the rest of the evening. A captivating rhythm filled


    the club, drawing our attention to the stage, where a stunning woman began to dance. Her movements


    were mesmerizing,manding the attention of everyone in the


    room.


    Daniel nudged me with his eyes fixed on the woman. ¡°Luke, would you look at that? She¡¯s absolutely


    gorgeous.


    ¡±


    I followed his gaze, nodding in agreement. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a great dancer too.¡±


    ? ??¡¿ ?2


    Lin closer, his voice filled with admiration. ¡°I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. She¡¯s like an angel on that


    stage.¡°..


    I chuckled, knowing Daniel¡¯s penchant for beautiful women. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, mate. But remember,


    we¡¯re just here to enjoy the night, not to get into any more trouble.¡±


    256 BRAVE


    He grinned, momentarily tearing his gaze away from the woman, ¡°Oh,e on, Luke. Can you me


    me for appreciating beauty when I see it?¡±


    I shook my head, a smile ying on my lips. ¡°No, I can¡¯t me you. Just don¡¯t let it distract you too


    much.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the woman dancing on stage. His eyes gleamed with goddamn


    confidence, and I knew what wasing before he even said it.


    ¡°Luke,¡± he whispered. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go talk to her.¡±


    I shot him a cautious nce, my voice low but urgent. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea, Dan? We just


    had a whole ordeal back there. Let¡¯s not stir up any more trouble.¡±


    He waved off my concerns, his grin widening. ¡°Come on. What¡¯s the worst that could happen? I¡¯ll just


    go introduce myself and maybe buy her a drink. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Alright, but be careful, okay? ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about her, and things can escte


    quickly in ces like this.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luke. I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    I watched him as he walked to thedy. She had just finished dancing, and now they had


    started their conversation.


    Still sitting down, ady approached me. She had long, brte hair cascading down her back and


    was wearing a stunning ck dress that showed off her ample cleavage.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice her striking features, including a pierced nose that added to her edgy and


    alluring aura. She immediately drew my attention, leaving me unable to look away. She exuded


    confidence and beauty, and I felt a strong pull towards her. At this point, I was wondering what she


    would say or do next.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± she said with a coy smile, her voice smooth and alluring. I couldn¡¯t help but notice you


    sitting here all alone. Would you mind if I joined you?¡±


    I blinked, momentarily taken aback by her forwardness, but quickly regained myposure. ¡°Uh, sure,


    go ahead,¡± I replied, gesturing to the empty seat across from me.


    She slid gracefully into the chair, her piercing gaze locking onto mine. ¡°I¡¯m Cam,¡± she introduced


    herself, extending her hand toward me.


    ker hand, feeling a jolt of electricity shoot through me at her touch. ¡°I¡¯m Luke,¡± I replied, trying to


    maintain a semnce ofposure.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Luke,¡± she purred, her lips curving into a seductive smile. ¡°So, what


    356: BRAVE


    brings you to a ce like this tonight?¡±


    I hesitated, not quite sure how much to reveal to this mysterious woman. ¡°Just out with a friend, trying


    to unwind after a long week,¡± I finally replied, opting for a vague answer.


    Cam nodded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. ¡°Ah, I see. Well, I¡¯m d fate brought us together


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°What do you do for a living?¡±


    I gave her a confused look. ¡°Uhmm, excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s your job? You know, I don¡¯t hang around with broke guys. They¡¯re not worth my time. And


    they¡¯re not worthy of having sex with ady like me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. In that case, you should leave. Because I¡¯m the perfect definition of broke.¡±


    She gaped at me. ¡°Oh my god, are you for real?¡±

 Chapter 357

    357: GOLDDIGGER¡¯S GAMBIT


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡°I told you, I¡¯m broke.¡± I lied to her. I guess she was just a gold digger, and one


    thing my grandfather had taught me was never to roll with gold diggers.


    Cam¡¯s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized me, her lips forming a pout. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t fool me.


    You¡¯re wearing an expensive suit and exude a confident aura. I know wealth when I see it.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    I shook my head, trying to maintain my fa?ade. ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble, Cam, but appearances


    can be deceiving. This suit? It¡¯s all fake. I just borrowed it for the night.¡±


    She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly not buying my story. Oh,


    please. You expect me to believe that? You¡¯re just ying hard to get, aren¡¯t you? Trying to be all


    mysterious and enigmatic.¡±


    I chuckled, finding her persistence both amusing and annoying. ¡°Believe what you want, Cam. But


    the truth is, I¡¯m not the wealthy yboy you seem to think I am. I¡¯m just a regr guy trying to get by.¡±


    She studied me for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, she relented.


    ¡°Fine, have it your way. But I still think there¡¯s more to you than meets the eye.¡±


    I shrugged, not wanting to delve any further into the conversation. ¡°Suit yourself. So, what¡¯s your story,


    Cam? What brings you to a ce like this tonight?¡±


    She shed me a coy smile, her earlier disappointment seemingly forgotten. ¡°Oh, you know. I¡¯m just out


    for a bit of fun and looking for some excitement. And maybe a handsome stranger will keep me


    company.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, amused by her flirtatious demeanor. ¡°Well, you certainly seem to have


    found one.¡±


    Sheughed; the sound was musical and infectious. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re talking about yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually,¡± I answered, scratching the back of my head.


    fer not rich, then we have no business together.¡±


    ¡°Are you for real?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Yes, do you think I¡¯ll be wasting my time talking to broke¨Can idiot?¡±


    357: GOLDDIGGER¡¯S GAMBIT


    274


    I felt a surge of frustration rising within me as Cam continued to belittle those she deemed unworthy


    of her time. Taking a deep breath, I attempted to diffuse the tension.


    ¡°Cam, there¡¯s no need for insults. We can have a civil conversation without resorting to name¨C


    calling.¡±


    But she wasn¡¯t about to back down. ¡°Oh, please. Spare me the moral lecture. You¡¯re just as pathetic as


    the rest of them.¡±


    I continued to y along. ¡°Listen, Cam. I don¡¯t value suchnguage. I may not have wealth, but I


    have something far more valuable¨Crespect.¡±


    She scoffed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Respect? Please. ¡°Respect doesn¡¯t pay the bills, Luke.¡±


    I¡¯m done here. I have no interest in continuing this conversation with someone who can¡¯t see past


    material wealth.¡±


    With that, I pushed back my chair and stood


    up, p


    Own at Cam with a mixture of anger and disappointment. She watched me stand up, a smug smirk


    ying on her lips.


    ¡°Go ahead, idiot.¡°Run away like the coward you are. You¡¯ll never be good enough for someone like


    me.¡±


    A man approached me. ¡°Mr. Reynold, I have something to tell you.¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Tendaopies, and I¡¯m here to inform you that ourpany is interested in coborating with


    The Reynolds.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯ll inform my grandfather about it.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Just provide your contact information so I can call you to discuss thingster.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I


    said with a nod. After that, I exchanged contact with the man before he walked


    away.


    ¡°The Reynolds?¡± Cam¡¯s words caught my attention, and I turned to face her. ¡°Hold on a minute, are


    you Luke Reynold, grandson of Sir Reynold and owner of The Reynolds Company?¡±


    I red at her. ¡°Why do you care?¡±


    coll me; I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so eager to talk to me noh?¡±


    ¡°Are you


    Luke Reynold?¡±


    #57. GOLDDIGGER¡¯S GAMBIT


    3/4


    ¡°You know my name is Luke,¡± I replied, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t know you were the grandson of Sir Reynold.¡±


    ¡°Well, now you do.¡± 1 gave her a fake smile.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I queried, giving her a disgusting look.


    Cam¡¯s sudden change in demeanor caught me off guard, but I remained wary of her intentions.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden interest, Cam? I thought you weren¡¯t interested in talking to broke guys like


    me.¡®


    She rushed to exin herself, her words tumbling out in a desperate plea. ¡°No, Luke, you don¡¯t


    understand. I didn¡¯t know who you were before. Please, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±


    I crossed my arms, skeptical of her sudden change of heart. ¡°Oh, now you want to chat


    because you


    know who my grandfather is? Sorry, Cam, but I¡¯m not interested in being used for my family¡¯s


    wealth.¡±


    Her eyes widened, a flicker of panic shing across her features. ¡°No, Luke, it¡¯s not like that. I


    genuinely want to get to know you. Please, give me a chance.¡±


    I shook my head, unmoved by her pleas. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think that would be a good idea. I can¡¯t


    trust someone who judges people based on their wealth.¡±


    She reached out to touch my arm, her voice softening. ¡°Please, Luke. I promise, I¡¯ll make it up to you.


    Just give me a chance to prove that I¡¯m not like that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± I drew away from her touch, my resolve firm. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we go our separate


    ways. Goodbye.¡±


    With that, I turned around and walked away. I left the club, and I didn¡¯t even wait for Daniel. I stood


    outside, taking in the fresh air and staring at the sky. I had to take a deep breath.


    Something was still on my mind: my discussion with my grandfather concerning The Walkers and how


    he suddenly fell silent. While I wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable with the situation, I also didn¡¯t want to


    overburden him with questions. It would only be a waste of


    time.


    to take a little stroll, and thenter, I¡¯d return to the club to get Daniel.


    Walking along the road, the cool night air refreshed my skin. The city¡¯s neon lights were awesome,


    disying the bustling nightlife around me. Couples strolled hand in hand, withughter and music


    filling the air.


    357: GOLDDIGGER¡¯S GAMBIT


    4/4


    Despite the encounter with Cam leaving a sour taste in my mouth, I found sce in the simple


    pleasure of taking a leisurely walk. It gave me time to clear my head and reflect on the events of the


    evening.


    Still wandering and lost in thought, my mind drifted back to the conversation with the representative


    from Tendaopies. Reynolds¡¯s prospect of working with theirpany was an exciting opportunity, but I


    couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of my mind.


    My grandfather¡¯s¡­ Ughh nevermind.


    Dwelling on it wouldn¡¯t get me anywhere. For now, I needed to focus on the present and enjoy the


    simple pleasures of life.


    I heard a voice from a nearby building, and I stopped. It was ady singing, and her voice was so


    captivating. I tread closer to the building to see who this person was.

 Chapter 358

    358: HEALING HEARTS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Intrigued by the mesmerizing voice, I followed the sound into the building, stepping into a dimly lit bar.


    The ambiance was cozy, with soft lighting bringing about a warm glow over the space. I approached


    the source of the music, and my eyes fell upon a stage where a woman stood, bathed in the spotlight.


    She was captivating, with long, flowing hair and a voice that seemed to reach my soul¡¯s depths. Her


    presencemanded attention, and I found myself drawn to her like a moth to


    a me.


    Leaning against the bar, I watched in awe as she poured her heart and soul into each note, her voice


    weaving a spellbinding melody that enveloped the room. It was as if time stood still, and for a moment,


    all the worries and frustrations of the evening melted away.


    Lost in the music, I felt a sense of peace wash over me¨Ca feeling of serenity amidst the chaos of the


    world. And as the final notes faded into the air, I found myself apuding along


    with the rest of the audience, a sense of gratitude filling my heart.


    As I approached the stage, I was really drawn to her presence. ¡°That was incredible. You have a gift.¡± I


    complimented her with a smile.


    She turned to me, smiling. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m d you enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Luke,¡± I introduced myself, extending my hand.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Luke. I¡¯m Harriet,¡± she said, taking my hand in hers. That was when I saw


    something on her arm. A heart¨Cshaped birthmark.


    As I gazed at the heart¨Cshaped birthmark on Harriet¡¯s arm, a sense of familiarity washed over me. It


    was the same birthmark that I had seen on a little girl¡¯s arm many years ago.


    It bore a striking resemnce, from the shape to the cement on her arm. I found myself lost in


    thoughts, wondering if there was some sort of connection between them. Perhaps they were rted, or


    maybe it was just a mere coincidence.


    Hell no, this wasn¡¯t any coincidence. This was the same mark on the little girl who had helped me


    escape from the men who abducted us. That happened years ago. I was still little at the time. And I had


    been searching for the person who had this mark. Who knew I would


    meet her one day without stressing myself?


    ¡°This mark on your arm,¡± I said lowly, slowly, and softly, still fixing my eyes on Harriet¡¯s arm. ¡°It reminds


    me of someone.¡±


    358: HEALING HEARTS


    2/4


    ¡°Who?¡± She asked lowly, giving me a curious expression.


    ¡°Are you the person who helped me from those kidnapers during Christmas?¡±


    eyes


    Harriet¡¯s widened immediately. ¡°Hold on, are you the little boy who went missing with me?¡±


    It was confirmed. It was her; she was the girl who saved me back then.


    I nodded and hugged her right away. ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe I found you. After all these years, After all


    these many years, I¡¯ve been searching for you for so long,¡± I admitted, my voice barely above a


    whisper, overwhelmed by the flood of memories and emotions.


    Harriet returned the embrace, her arms wrapping around me tightly. ¡°I never forgot about that day. I


    always wondered what happened to you.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I pulled back slightly to look at her face. ¡°Thank you for saving me. You


    were like an angel back then.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Luke. I¡¯m just grateful we both made it out of that situation.¡±


    We stood there for a moment, enveloped in the weight of our shared past and the


    serendipity of our reunion. The din of the bar faded into the background as we lost ourselves in each


    other¡¯s presence.


    Finally, Harriet broke the silence, her voice soft. ¡°We should catch up. There¡¯s so much to


    talk about.¡±


    I nodded eagerly. ¡°I would love that.¡±


    ¡°But first of all, you don¡¯t know you abandoned me, right?¡± She yfully said.


    Iughed. ¡°You were afraid. However, when I went to seek assistance, I didn¡¯t see you or the men


    again. Where did they take you?¡±


    Harriet let out a deep sigh. ¡°Luke, those men wanted to take me to the forest. However, their distraction


    allowed me to escape. I ran as fast as I could, heart pounding, until I stumbled upon a road. That¡¯s


    when a man in a truck saw me and stopped to help. He took me to safety and made sure I was okay.¡±


    I nodded, listening to her words. ¡°I¡¯m so d you got away. Who knew what those men would have


    done to you?¡±


    h it was terrifying,¡± she admitted. ¡°But meeting you again tonight, it¡¯s like a miracle.¡±


    i nodded, smiling at her beautiful face. ¡°It truly is.¡°I never thought I¡¯d find you after all these years.¡±


    358: HEALING HEARTS


    3/4


    We had a moment of silence, the weight of our shared past hanging heavy in the air. But there was


    also a sense of newfound connection, a bond forged through adversity and the passage of time.


    ¡°But I¡¯m just thankful that we got out of that one alive,¡± I said finally, breaking the silence.¡± And now that


    we¡¯ve found each other again, I don¡¯t want to lose touch.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way. We have a lot of catching up to do.¡± She smiled at me.


    ¡°So, are you a singer?¡± I asked her slowly.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Harriet chuckled softly, shaking her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m actually an actress.¡±


    Surprise flickered across my face. ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing. I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I haven¡¯t exactly risen to fame yet,¡± she admitted with a sheepish smile. ¡°But I¡¯m working


    on it.¡±


    I grinned, impressed by her determination. ¡°That¡¯s still incredible. I can¡¯t imagine how tough it must be


    to pursue a career in acting.¡±


    ¡°It has its challenges, for sure,¡± she agreed, nodding her head slowly. ¡°But it¡¯s what I love to do, so I¡¯m


    willing to put in the work.¡±


    ¡°I admire that,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°It takes real courage to chase your dreams like that.¡±


    Harriet smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Luke. It means a lot to hear you say that.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been in the business?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been three years now.¡±


    ¡°Three years?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I just came here to practice singing since I¡¯ll be doing that in my uing movie.¡±


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    ¡°It sure is,¡± she said in a whisper.


    ¡°How about I help you boost your career?¡±


    ¡°Really? How?¡±


    a billionaire,¡± I smirked at her.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, her expression shifting from curiosity to disbelief. ¡°A billionaire?¡±


    358: HEALING HEARTS


    41A


    I nodded, a grin spreading across my face. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got differentpanies across New Haven, and


    let¡¯s just say I¡¯m not short on cash,¡±


    Her astonishment was clear as she processed the information. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Incredible¡±


    I shrugged nonchntly, trying to downy my wealth. ¡°It¡¯s just money. But it doese in handy


    sometimes.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Thank you, Luke. That¡¯s incredibly generous of you.¡±


    I waved off her thanks, feeling satisfied at the prospect of helping her achieve her dreams. Hey, what


    are friends for, right?¡±


    She chuckled, a warmth spreading through the air between us. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d love to hear more about your acting career,¡± I said, eager to change the subject. ¡°What


    kind of roles do you usually go for?¡±


    Harriet¡¯s face lit up, and sheunched into an animated description of her past roles and her


    aspirations for the future. I listened intently, captivated by her passion and drive.


    Go

 Chapter 359

    359: STYLE SEARCH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    It was finally Saturday, a beautiful afternoon, and Tessa and I were headed to the mall. Of course, we


    all knew the business party would be taking ce tonight. And so, I needed to find the perfect dress.


    Tessa, being the fashionista she is, insisted oning along to help me pick the perfect outfit.


    Entering the mall, I was overwhelmed by the crowds of people and the endless rows of shops. ¡°Where


    do we even start?¡± I asked Tessa, feeling a little lost.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I got you,¡± she replied with a reassuring smile. ¡°Let¡¯s start by checking out some of the


    designer stores.¡±


    We made our way to the first store and immediately started browsing through the racks of dresses.


    Tessa pulled out a stunning red dress and held it up against me. ¡°This would look amazing on you,


    Ariel.¡±


    I took the dress from her and headed to the fitting room. Tessa waited outside as I tried it on, eager to


    see the dress on me.


    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± I asked, stepping out of the fitting room.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, but I think we can do better,¡± she replied with a thoughtful expression. ¡± Let¡¯s try a few


    more stores, don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    ¡°Ughh, fine,¡± I replied in hushed tones.


    We went from store to store, trying on different dresses. Some were too tight, others were too short,


    and none seemed to be the perfect fit. I was starting to feel discouraged, but Tessa¡¯s positive attitude


    kept me going.


    Finally, we walked into a small boutique that Tessa had spotted earlier. As soon as we walked in, I saw


    the most gorgeous dress on disy. It was a navy blue off¨Cthe¨Cshoulder dress with intricatece


    detailing. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± I said, pointing at the dress.


    Tessa¡¯s face lit up with excitement as she grabbed the dress and handed it to me. I rushed to the fitting


    room and slipped it in. As soon as I looked in the mirror, I knew this was the dress I had been searching


    for. It hugged my curves in all the right ces and made me feel confident and beautiful,


    When I stepped out of the fitting room, Tessa¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Ariel, you look stunning.¡± She gave me a


    hug. This is definitely the dress for you.¡±


    359: STYLE SEARCH


    2/4


    A


    I couldn¡¯t stop smiling as I twirled around in front of the mirror, admiring the dress. Thank you so much,


    Tessa. I couldn¡¯t have found this without you,¡± said gratefully.


    ¡°Anytime, girl. Now, let¡¯s go find some essories toplete the look,¡± Tessa said, already pulling


    me towards the jewelry section.


    Tessa and I continued our search for essories. While weaving through the bustling crowd, I


    suddenly collided with someone, flying their shopping bags.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± I apologize and am reaching out to help gather the fallen


    items.


    Thedy I bumped into, however, didn¡¯t seem as forgiving. She scowled at me, her eyes narrowing with


    irritation. ¡°You clumsy oaf, watch where you¡¯re going!¡± she eximed as she seized her bags from me.


    ¡°I really am sorry; I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± I started to apologize again, but she cut me off.


    ¡°Of course, y¡¯all didn¡¯t mean to. People like you never do,¡± she scoffed, rolling her eyes.


    I felt a flush of embarrassment and frustration rise in my cheeks. ¡°Look, I said I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s no


    need to be so rude about it,¡± I retorted, trying to keep my tone calm.


    Thedy huffed indignantly. ¡°Well, maybe if you paid attention instead of prancing around like you


    owned the ce, idents like this wouldn¡¯t happen!¡±


    Tessa stepped in, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s all just calm down, okay? It was just an


    ident.¡±


    But thedy ignored her, continuing to berate me. Feeling increasingly flustered, I took a deep breath,


    reminding myself to stayposed.


    ¡°I understand you¡¯re upset, but insulting me is unnecessary. Let¡¯s just move on, shall we?¡±


    Finally realizing that her tirade wasn¡¯t getting anywhere, thedy huffed onest time before storming


    off, leaving Tessa and me standing there, feeling a mix of annoyance and


    relief.


    ¡°Wow, what was her problem?¡± Tessa muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.


    I shrugged, still feeling a bit shaken from the encounter. ¡°Who knows? I guess some people are just


    looking for someone to take their bad day out on.¡±


    Tessa squeezed me on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you, Ariel. Let¡¯s just focus on finding those


    essories, alright?¡±


    Nodding gratefully, I took a deep breath, pushing the encounter to the back of my mind as


    359 STYLE SEARCH


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    3/4


    we continued our search for the perfect finishing touches toplete my outfit for tonight¡¯s party.


    Resuming our search for essories, Tessa and I strolled into a chic boutique adorned with sparkling


    jewelry and elegant evening wear. Among the dazzling array of garments, a sleek ck dress adorned


    with shimmering diamond ents caught my eye.


    ¡°Tessa, look at this dress.¡± I pointed toward the disy. ¡°It¡¯s stunning!¡±


    Tessa¡¯s eyes lit up as she took in the dress. ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s absolutely gorgeous, Ariel. And


    those diamond details? Perfection!¡±


    ¡°No doubt about that. It¡¯s really nice.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely wonderful. Majestic, this is just the thing.¡± Tessa made the perfect gesture.


    Eagerly, we approached the dress, running our fingers over the smooth fabric and admiring


    the intricate embellishments.


    ¡°I think this could be the one,¡± Tessa remarked.


    I imagined myself wearing the elegant ensemble. I did look like a princess.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it on!¡± As I suggested, I was already heading towards the fitting rooms.


    With Tessa¡¯s assistance, I slipped into the ck dress, feeling its luxurious fabric envelop me like a


    second skin. As I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, the diamond ents sparkled in the soft lighting,


    adding an air of sophistication to the ensemble.


    Stepping out of the fitting room, Tessa¡¯s eyes widened in awe. ¡°Ariel, you look absolutely stunning,¡± she


    breathed, her voice filled with admiration.


    A smile of satisfaction tugged at my lips as I twirled, feeling the fabric swirl gracefully


    around me. ¡°I love it.¡±


    Tessa beamed with pride. ¡°You¡¯re going to turn heads at the party tonight, Ariel. This dress is perfect for


    you.¡±


    I hugged her, smiling. ¡°Thank you, Tessa, for helping me find the perfect dress. I couldn¡¯t have done it


    without you.¡±


    She returned the hug, her warmth and support filling me with reassurance. ¡°Anytime, Ariel. NoLet¡¯sind


    the perfect essories toplement this stunning ensemble.¡±


    As Tessa and I delved into our search for essories, we perused the boutique¡¯s sparkling disys of


    jewelry. Each piece seemed more dazzling than thest, and I couldn¡¯t wait to find the perfect ents


    toplement my stunning ck dress.


    359: STYLE SEARCH


    ¡°Where do we even start?¡± I murmured, my eyes scanning the array of earrings, nes, and


    bracelets before us.


    Tessa grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s start with earrings. A pair of statement earrings would really elevate your look¡±


    Nodding in agreement, 1 followed Tessa¡¯s lead as we began sifting through the selection of earrings.


    Gold, silver, pearls¨Cthere were so many options to choose from. Finally, Tessa¡¯s fingersnded on a


    pair of exquisite diamond drop earrings, their brilliance catching the light.

 Chapter 360

    360: GEMS OF AFFECTION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Tessa grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s start with earrings. A pair of statement earrings would really elevate your look.¡±


    Nodding in agreement, I followed her lead as we began sifting through the selection of earrings. Gold,


    silver, pearls¨Cthere were so many options to choose from. Finally, Tessa¡¯s fingersnded on a pair of


    exquisite diamond drop earrings, their brilliance catching the light.


    ¡°These are perfect,¡± she dered, holding them up for me to see. ¡°They¡¯ll add just the right amount of


    mour without overpowering the dress.¡±


    I admired the earrings, and the thought of wearing them shed through my head. ¡°I love them.¡±


    With the earrings chosen, we moved on to the next task: finding a ne toplement them. After


    careful consideration, we chose a delicate diamond pendant on a fine chain, which perfectly


    complemented the dress¡¯s intricate detailing with its understated elegance.


    ¡°And for bracelets?¡± Tessa pondered, scanning the disys once more.


    I spotted a slender diamond bangle nestled among the other essories; its simple yet sophisticated


    design caught my eye. ¡°What about this one?¡± I suggested it, pointing it out to


    her.


    She nodded in approval. ¡°Perfect. It ties everything together beautifully.¡±


    With our selected essories, I felt a sense of satisfaction. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Tessa. You have


    such an eye for fashion.¡±


    She beamed at me. ¡°It was my pleasure, Ariel. You¡¯re going to look absolutely stunning tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you.¡± I blushed at thepliment.


    ¡°Well, well, well, who do we have here?¡± Simon approached us, walking slowly in our direction. ¡°If it


    isn¡¯t Ariel Walker and her worthless friend,¡±


    He paused, then asked Tessa, ¡°What¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡® She snapped at him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came here to get myself some clothes, just like you,¡± he answered with a stic smile.


    360 GEMS OF AFFECTION


    2/4


    ¡°Look, Simon. I know you¡¯vee here to y your vile games. But I don¡¯t have time for this nonsense


    right now.¡±


    His smile faltered for a moment before he regained hisposure. ¡°Oh, is that so? And here I thought I


    was just enjoying a leisurely shopping trip,¡±


    I could feel the tension cracking in the air as Simon¡¯s gaze shifted to me. He took a step closer, his


    expression turning menacing, ¡°But you, Ariel, always seem to find yourself in the wrong ce at the


    wrong time,¡±


    1 stiffened, instinctively taking a step back. ¡°There¡¯s no need for all this, Simon. We can just go now


    and pretend like none of this ever happened.¡±


    He quickly captured me, with his grip tightening on my hand and his fingers digging into my skin. ¡°Don¡¯t


    y dumb with me, Ariel. ¡°You know exactly what you did, disrespecting my family like that.¡±


    I winced at the pain in my hand. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I demanded, attempting to pull my hand free from his


    grasp.


    But Simon only tightened his grip, his eye glowing with malice. ¡°You will pay for what you¡¯ve done,¡± he


    hissed, his voice low and dangerous.


    I shook my head defiantly, refusing to cower in the face of his threats. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go on


    with this. Let go of me now.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    With a frustrated growl, Simon released my hand, his gaze narrowing in fury. ¡°Fine,¡± he spat, taking a


    step back. ¡°But don¡¯t think this is over, Ariel. You haven¡¯t heard thest of me.


    11


    And the moment he stormed off, I let out a shaky breath, feeling a rush of relief wash over me. Turning


    to Tessa, I met her gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said, my voice trembling slightly.


    Her expression was filled with concern as she nodded in agreement. ¡°Absolutely. Come on,


    Ariel. We¡¯ll go somewhere else.¡±


    Linking arms with Tessa, I followed her lead as we hurried away from the spot, leaving behind the


    echoes of his threats and the lingering sense of unease.


    ****


    I couldn¡¯t believe it was already three days and how the rtionship had been moving so fast.


    Everything moved so fast, and I wanted to make this day extra special for Harriet.


    I wanted to express my love for her in the most meaningful way possible, and I knew that


    360 GEMS OF AFFECTION


    she deserved nothing but the best. That¡¯s why I decided to take her to a Jewelry shop.


    ¡°Where are we going, Luke?¡± Harriet asked as we walked hand in hand


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± I replied with a smile.


    3/4


    We arrived at the jewelry store, and Harriet¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise. ¡°A jewelry shop?


    ¡±


    ¡°Not just any jewelry shop, but one of the most expensive in New Haven.¡±


    ¡°Luke, you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I want to buy you something special.¡±


    Her eyes widened, and she let out a small gasp. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t have to do that, Luke.¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡°Please, let me show you how much you mean to me,¡± I said, taking her hand and leading


    her inside.


    The store was filled with sparkling diamonds, glittering gold, and shining silver. Harriet¡¯s eyes darted


    around, taking in all the beautiful pieces. It was clear that she was in awe.


    ¡°So, what kind of jewelry do you like, Harriet?¡± I asked her with a smile.


    She paused for a moment, looking at all the options. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved earrings,¡± she finally said.


    I nodded and walked over to the earring section. Harriet¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the variety of


    designs. ¡°These are all so beautiful,¡± she said, looking at me with a grateful smile.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of myself as I picked out a pair of diamond stud earrings for her. ¡°These


    will look amazing on you,¡± I said, handing them to her.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes filled with tears, and she hugged me tightly. ¡°Thank you, Luke. I love them,¡±


    she whispered in my ear.


    But I wasn¡¯t done yet. I wanted to make this day even more special for her. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s more,¡± I said,


    leading her to the next section.


    I could see the glee in her eyes as she saw the stunning nes. ¡°Oh my, these are gorgeous,¡± she


    said, her voice filled with awe.


    I knew that she loved delicate and dainty jewelry, so I picked out a simple yet elegant gold chain with a


    small heart¨Cshaped pendant. ¡°This is for you,¡± I said, cing it around her neck.


    HHarriet hugged me tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Luke. Thank you so much,¡± she said,


    360: GEMS OF AFFECTION


    4/4


    her voice cracking with emotion.


    I smiled and wiped away her tears. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± I said, leading her to thest


    section.


    Harriet¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the beautiful bracelets. ¡°Luke, this is too much,¡± she said, looking at


    me with a mixture of love and surprise.


    ¡°Nothing is too much for you, Harriet,¡± I replied, picking out a delicate silver bracelet with a heart charm.


    I helped her put on the bracelet, and she looked at me with so much happiness in her eyes. Thank you,


    Luke. You¡¯ve made me the happiest girl in the world,¡± she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.


    I hugged her tightly, feeling overwhelmed with love and joy. This was the perfect way to show Harriet


    how much she meant to me. And seeing her so happy made it all worth it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go to the party with me, right?¡± I grinned at her.

 Chapter 361

    361: DIAMONDS AND DECLARATIONS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I hugged Harriet tightly, feeling overwhelmed with love and joy. This was the perfect way to show her


    how much she meant to me. And seeing her so happy made it all worth it


    ¡°You¡¯ll go to the party with me, right?¡± I grinned at her.


    ¡°Absolutely, Luke,¡± Harriet said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d love to go to the party with you.¡±


    My smile continued, as I was feeling a rush of happiness flood through me. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic, Harriet.


    You¡¯ll be the most stunning one there.¡±


    The both of us stood there, relishing the joy of our moment. I realized there was something else I


    wanted to share with her, something that would make the evening even more special, Taking a deep


    breath, I looked into her eyes.


    ¡°Harriet, there¡¯s something I want to tell you,¡± I began, and she gave me all of her attention. ¡°At the


    party, you¡¯ll get to meet my grandfather.¡±


    Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Your grandfather?¡±


    I nodded, smiling at her. ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s time I let him know about the woman who has captured my


    heart.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s smile grew even wider, and she squeezed my hand affectionately. ¡°I¡¯d love to meet him, Luke.


    Thank you for inviting me.¡±


    Mirth flooded through me, and I felt grateful for Harriet¡¯s understanding and willingness to be a part of


    my life. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Harriet. He¡¯s going to adore you; I just know it.¡±


    With that settled, we continued browsing through the jewelry store, savoring the anticipation of the


    evening ahead. And as I looked at Harriet, who was filled with intense happiness, I knew that tonight


    would be a memory we would cherish forever.


    After leaving the jewelry shop, a disheveled man approached us, holding out a cup and asking for


    spare change.


    Harriet nudged me and whispered, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t give him any money, Luke. He might use it for drugs


    or alcohol.¡±


    I paused, contemting her words. It was a valid concern, but I knew I was going to feel a sense of


    guilt at the thought of turning away someone in need.


    ¡°I understand your concern, Harriet. But what if he really needs the money for food or


    361: DIAMONDS AND DECLARATIONS


    shelter?¡±


    Harriet sighed, but she didn¡¯t argue further. She knew howpassionate I could be, and she


    respected my decision. I reached into my pocket and pulled out some spare change, handing it to the


    man.


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± he said with genuine gratitude, his eyes lighting up with surprise and


    relief.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Is there anything else you need? A meal, perhaps?


    The man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and he shook his head. ¡°No, sir. This is more than enough. Thank


    you.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Harriet looked at me with admiration. I could see it all in her eyes. She had to discern that I had a big


    heart, and she loved me for it.


    In a case like this, I couldn¡¯t just walk out on such a man. It wouldn¡¯t make sense one bit, and it would


    be defined as cruelty.


    When the both of us started to walk away, the man called out to us.


    ¡°Wait, sir. Can I ask you a question?¡±


    I turned back to him, curious. ¡°Of course, what is it?¡±


    He hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Why did you stop to help me? Most people just ignore me


    or walk away.¡±


    I looked at him with sincerity. ¡°Because I believe that every person deserves kindness andpassion,


    no matter their circumstances. ¡°And if I can make a small difference in someone¡¯s life, even in the


    slightest way, then I will do it.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and he thanked us again before we parted ways.


    Harriet looked at me with a soft smile. ¡°You never cease to amaze me, Luke,¡± she said, wrapping her


    arms around me. ¡°You have such a wonderful heart. You¡¯re different from other men. You¡¯re so kind.¡±


    I hugged her back. ¡°And I am grateful to have you.¡±


    ¡°So, where are you taking me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a surprise,¡± I answered with a mischievous grin.


    Harriet rolled her eyes yfully. ¡°You and your surprises.¡°I hope it¡¯s not something too extravagant.¡±


    361: DIAMONDS AND DECLARATIONS


    Iughed and held her hand as we walked towards the golden hotel that I had booked for the evening.


    It was a beautiful five¨Cstar hotel with grand chandeliers and elegant decor. Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in


    surprise and awe as we entered the lobby.


    ¡°Luke, this is amazing!¡± she said, looking around in wonder.


    ¡°Just wait until you see our room,¡± I said, leading her towards the elevators.


    The two of us entered our luxurious suite, and Harriet¡¯s jaw dropped at the stunning view of the city


    skyline. I had arranged for a romantic candlelit dinner on the balcony, with rose petals scattered all


    around and soft music ying in the background.


    ¡°Luke, this is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me.¡±


    I pulled her into a hug, feeling overwhelmed with love for this woman. ¡°You deserve nothing but the


    best, Harriet. You mean everything to me.¡±


    We spent the rest of the day talking andughing, enjoying the delicious food and each other¡¯s


    company.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I sat in my room, looking at myself in the mirror, while the makeup artists were doing their job, applying


    makeup to my face. The night was fast approaching, and the party wouldmence a few hours from


    now.


    This party was going to be a great one, thrown by The Reynolds, to celebrate their partnership with our


    company. At least they were going to help us rise again. But the connection was just too fast.


    Everything happened so fast, and I kept on wondering how.


    My father and Sir Reynold were not friends one bit. But now, both of them seemed to like each other


    very much, which was still surprising in some way.


    My mother stepped into the room, walking closer to me. ¡°I am certain that you will be the most beautiful


    individual at this party.¡±


    As my mother¡¯s words echoed in my mind, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of nerves. The pressure to


    impress weighed heavily on me, especially knowing how much was riding on this partnership for our


    company¡¯s future.


    I forced a smile. ¡°Thanks, Mom. I just hope I can live up to everyone¡¯s expectations.¡±


    She reached out and gently squeezed my hand, her eyes filled with reassurance. ¡°You¡¯ve always had a


    knack for handling these situations with grace and charm, Ariel. Just be yourself, and everything will fall


    into ce.¡±


    361: DIAMONDS AND DECLARATIONS


    Her words wereforting, but they did little to quell the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I took a


    deep breath, trying to center myself and push aside any doubts. Tonight was not just about me; it was


    about ourpany¡¯s sess and my family¡¯s legacy.


    The makeup artists finished their work, and then I looked at my reflection in the mirror,


    taking in the carefully applied makeup and elegant hairstyle. I hoped it was ¡°irror,


    a good impression on the Reynolds and their esteemed guests.


    to make


    With a final nce at myself, I stood up from the vanity, steeling myself for the evening ahead. It was


    time to step into the spotlight and y my part in securing our future.

 Chapter 362

    362 SENSUAL SURPRISES


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I stood in the mirror, perfecting my hair, trying to get the perfect look for tonight¡¯s party. Harriet was still


    in the shower. This was going to be a night to remember, since I would be introducing her to my


    grandfather.


    I went to grab my suit, which I had ced on the bed, and then Harriet popped out of the shower,


    naked. I quickly turned my face around, obscuring my eyes. I heard herugh.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Luke? Aren¡¯t you my boyfriend?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle nervously as I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. ¡°Of course I am,


    Harriet.¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ well, I wanted to keep the surprise forter.¡±


    I could hear herughter echoing in the bathroom, and it made me smile despite my awkwardness.


    You¡¯re too cute, Luke. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t spoil the surprise.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I turned back around, relieved to see Harriet wrapped in a towel as she app ed


    1. me. ¡°You look stunning, as always,¡± I said, admiring her natural beauty.


    She grinned, leaning in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. ¡°Thank you, Luke. You clean up pretty


    well yourself.¡±


    I chuckled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Tonight was already shaping up to be an


    unforgettable


    side. one, and I couldn¡¯t wait to share it with Harriet by my


    Harriet stepped closer, her towel slipping slightly. I couldn¡¯t help but admire the graceful curve of her


    silhouette. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the verdict on my hair tonight?¡± she asked.


    I couldn¡¯t suppress a grin. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re asking for my expert opinion,¡± I teased, ¡°I¡¯d say


    something elegant yet yful, just like you.¡±


    let¡¯s go for


    She rolled her eyes yfully. ¡°ttery will get you nowhere, Luke. Now, are you going to help me or


    not?¡±


    I pretended to mull it over, but the truth was, I couldn¡¯t resist the chance to run my fingers through her


    hair. ¡°Fine,¡± I relented with a dramatic sigh. ¡°But only because I¡¯m captivated by those adorable eyes of


    yours.¡±


    Harrietughed, settling into a chair in front of the mirror as I gathered the necessary tools. As I stood


    behind her, I felt this rush of warmth in the intimacy of the moment. Gently, I began tob through her


    hair, marveling at its softness under my touch.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± she called out as I hit a shag, and I winced in sympathy.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± I apologized, carefully untangling the stubborn knot. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be more gentle.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    With each stroke of theb, I felt a sense of connection between us, as if we were in our own little


    world. Harriet¡¯s reflection in the mirror seemed to glow with a radiant beauty that took my breath away.


    I reached for the styling gel, and my hand brushed against her shoulder, sending a shiver down my


    spine. I marveled at the way her skin seemed toe alive under my touch, her every movement a


    symphony of


    grace


    Lost in the moment, I began to shape her hair into Intricate curls, each one a testament to the love and


    affection I felt for her. With each twist and turn, I found myself falling deeper and deeper under her


    spell,pletely lost in the magic of the night.


    And as I put the finishing touches on her hair, I had this surge of pride at the sight of her reflection in


    the mirror. She was more than just beautiful; she was breathtaking, a vision of perfection that took my


    breath


    away.


    ¡°Wow,¡± she breathed, turning to face me with a smile that lit up the room. ¡°You really are amazing,


    Luke.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin, feeling a sense of satisfaction within me. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job, ma¡¯am,¡± I


    replied with a mock salute. ¡°Now, shall we go and conquer that party together?¡±


    Harrietughed at my mock salute. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too much, Luke,¡± she said, yfully swatting my arm.


    I grinned, reveling in herughter. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to keep things interesting,¡± I replied, feigning


    innocence.


    She shook her head, still chuckling. ¡°Well, you certainly seed at that.¡±


    She turned to grab her dress, and I really admired the way the fabric draped over her curves,


    entuating


    her beauty even more.


    ¡°Here, let me help you with that,¡± I offered, reaching out to take the dress from her.


    Harriet arched an eyebrow and had a yful smirk on her lips. ¡°Oh, really? ¡°And what makes you think


    I need your help?¡±


    I chuckled, stepping closer to her. ¡°Because,¡± I said, draping the dress over her shoulders, ¡°I happen to


    be


    an expert in the art of dressing.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, but I could see the hint of amusement in them. ¡°Fine, have it your way,¡± she


    relented,


    lifting her arms so I could slide the dress down her body.


    When I slowly zipped up the back of the dress, a sense of reverence washed over me. Harriet¡¯s soft


    skin seemed to glow under my touch, and the way her body pressed against mine sent a thrill down my


    spine.


    With each delicate movement, I savored the intimacy of the moment, relishing in the feel of her warmth


    against my skin. And as I finally secured the zipper in ce, I had to admire the way the dress hugged


    her figure, entuating every curve.


    Harriet let out a soft moan, her eyes fluttering closed as she leaned back against me. ¡°Thank you,


    Luke,¡± she murmured.


    I smiled, cing a gentle kiss on her shoulder. ¡°Anytime, my dear,¡± I whispered.


    Harriet grinned. ¡°You know, Luke, I think you deserve a treat for being such a gentleman.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°Oh, really? ¡°And what kind of treat are we talking about here?¡±


    Before I could even register her response, Harriet dropped to her knees in front of me, her hands deftly


    unbuckling my belt and unzipping my trousers. My breath caught in my throat as she leaned forward,


    her warm breath sending shivers down my spine.


    362, SENSUAL SURPRISE


    3/3


    ¡°Harriet, what are you?¡± i began, but my words trailed off into a gasp as she took me into her mouth,


    her lips closing around me in an intoxicating embrace.


    The sensation was overwhelming, a heady mix of pleasure and desire coursing through my veins. I


    could feel her tongue swirling around me, teasing and tantalizing in all the right ways.


    Every flick of her tongue sent waves of ecstasy crashing over me, and I found myself surrendering to


    the momentpletely. Her mouth moved with a rhythm that was both maddeningly slow and


    impossibly perfect, each movement bringing me closer and closer to the edge.


    I closed my eyes, lost in the sheer intensity of the experience. Harriet¡¯s touch was electric, igniting a fire


    within me that threatened to consume everything in its path.


    And then, just when I thought I couldn¡¯t take it any longer, she increased the pressure, her movements


    bing more urgent and desperate. I felt myself teetering on the edge of oblivion, my entire body


    consumed by the overwhelming ecstasy of the moment.


    With a final, breathless gasp, I let go, surrendering to the powerful tide of pleasure that washed over


    me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before¨Ca moment of pure, unadulterated bliss that left


    me feeling utterly andpletely spent.


    I opened my eyes, and I found Harriet looking up at me with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°How was that for a treat?¡± she asked, her voice husky with desire.

 Chapter 363

    363: BUTTERFLIES


    ¡®S POV ARIEL


    I was finally ready for the party, putting on the dress that I had bought from the mall. I was the only one


    in my room, stili thinking about how the situation was going to turn out.


    As I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my dress, I took a deep breath, trying to


    calm the nerves fluttering in my stomach. The dress made me feel elegant and confident, but I couldn¡¯t


    shake the uncertainty swirling in my mind about the uing party.


    Just then, there was a gentle tap on my bedroom door, and it swung open to reveal my father, dressed


    in a sharp charcoal suit that hugged his frame perfectly. His crisp white shirt contrasted beautifully with


    the


    dark fabric, and a simple yet stylish tiepleted the ensemble.


    ¡°Hey, Ariel, Are you ready to head out?¡± He asked, his voice warm and reassuring as he stepped into


    the


    room.


    I turned to face him, a smile spreading across my face at the sight of him. ¡°Almost, Dad,¡± I replied,


    feeling a sense offort wash over me in his presence.


    He walked further into the room, his eyes sweeping over me with pride. ¡°You look absolutely stunning,


    sweetheart,¡± he said, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before meeting my eyes.


    I blushed at hispliment, feeling a rush of love for him. ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± I said softly, grateful for


    his


    encouragement.


    He extended his hand towards me, a gesture of invitation. ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked, his smile warm and


    inviting.


    I nodded, slipping my hand into his, the familiar warmth of his touch grounding me. Together, we made


    our way to the car, the anticipation of the evening ahead mingling with a sense offort and security


    that only my father could provide.


    Settling into the car, the familiar scent of my father¡¯s cologne mingled with the soft hum of the engine,


    enveloping us in a cocoon of warmth and familiarity. I nced over at my mother, who offered me a


    reassuring smile from the front seat, her eyes filled with bliss.


    ¡°Hey, sweetie, you look beautiful,¡± she said in a gentle tone that was really encouraging.


    I smiled gratefully at her. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    My father nced at me through the rearview mirror; his eyes were full of love. ¡°Are you ready for


    tonight, Ariel?¡±


    I took a deep breath, nodding firmly. ¡°I think so, Dad,¡± I replied, trying to muster up some of his calm


    assurance.


    He reached over and squeezed my hand, smiling at me. ¡°Tonight is going to be really remarkable, Ariel.


    It¡¯s a night that will bring about significant changes. It¡¯s going to be really wonderful.¡±


    363 BUTTERFLIES


    2/3


    I smiled at him. ¡°That¡¯s going to be nice, I guess.¡±


    I reached for my phone and dialed Tessa¡¯s number, eager to see if she had already started making her


    way to the party.


    ¡°Hey, Tessa, it¡¯s Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Anel! Are you ready for tonight?¡± Tessa¡¯s voice bubbled on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± I replied, trying to sound confident despite the fluttering butterflies in my stomach.¡±


    Have you started heading to the party yet?¡±


    There was a brief pause before Tessa responded. ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m about to leave in a few minutes. Are


    you already on your way?¡±


    I looked at my parents, who were engrossed in a lively conversation in the front seats of the car. ¡°Yeah,


    we¡¯re on our way now,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll see you there then,¡± Tessa said cheerfully. ¡°And¨Cdon¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going to have an


    amazing time tonight!¡±


    I smiled at Tessa¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, I believe so. See you soon, Tessa.¡±


    With that, I ended the call.


    We started our journey to the party, and the atmosphere in the car


    Was filled with excitement and anticipation. My father nced at me through the rearview mirror, a


    yful twinkle in his eyes.


    ¡°So, Ariel, when are you going to bring a man home to meet us?¡± he teased


    Iughed, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeps into my cheeks. ¡°Dad,e on,¡± I protested, trying


    to hide my embarrassment with a yful grin. ¡°Can¡¯t I just enjoy being single for a while longer?¡±


    He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ¡°Of course, you can, sweetheart. I was just teasing.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at his words, feeling grateful for his understanding. ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    We fell into afortable silence for a moment, the soft hum of the engine filling the car. Then my


    father nced at me again, his expression thoughtful.


    ¡°But seriously, Ariel,¡± he said, his voice turning serious for a moment. ¡°Just remember that when you do


    find someone, make sure they treat you with the love and respect you deserve.¡±


    I nodded. I will, Dad,¡± I promised.


    He smiled, reaching over to squeeze my hand. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±


    My mother chuckled from the front seat, her voice filled with amusement. ¡°You have no idea, Ariel, how


    many potential suitors I have in mind for you!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her teasing tone, shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re incorrigible,¡± I


    said, affectionately rolling my eyes.


    She grinned. ¡°Oh,e on, sweetie, you know I only want what¡¯s best for you.


    363, BUTTERFLIES


    3/3


    ¡°I know, Mom,¡± I said, reaching over to hold her hand.


    As we continued our journey to the party, the yful banter between my parents filled the car with


    laughter and warmth, easing thest traces of nervousness from my mind.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Why was I even nervous?!


    As we neared the venue, the excitement in the car grew palpable. My mother couldn¡¯t contain her


    enthusiasm, chattering animatedly about the party and the people we might meet. Meanwhile, my


    father navigated the streets with ease, his calm demeanor reassuring.


    ¡°Dad, do you think my dress is okay?¡± I asked abruptly, feeling a twinge of uncertainty creeping back.


    My father nced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes soft with reassurance. ¡°Ariel, you look


    absolutely beautiful. Everyone will be thrilled to see you; there is no doubt about it.¡±


    I smiled gratefully at his words, feeling a surge of confidence wash over me. ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± I said,


    feeling reassured by his unwavering support.


    had been waiting for. With my parents by my side, I stepped out of th


    As we pulled up to the venue, I felt a flutter of excitement mixed


    night had in store.


    This


    I embrace whatever the


    ready to was it¨Cthe moment I


    Staring at the huge building, I heard someone calling my name from behind, and when I turned around,


    I saw Tessa.


    ¡°Tessa,¡± I said, smiling at her.


    When we both got close, she gave me a tight hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you could make it,¡± I told her.


    ¡°It¡¯s your family¡¯s party. I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world,¡± she replied, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°You look


    absolutely stunning, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Tessa,¡± I said, feeling a surge of gratitude for her kind words. ¡°But technically, this isn¡¯t my


    family¡¯s party.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about their business partnership, so it¡¯s definitely your family¡¯s party.¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

 Chapter 364

    364: BEAUTY IN EVERY DETAIL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I approached the grand entrance of the mansion with Tessa, and my steps slowed in awe of the


    towering structure before us. The mansion stood proudly against the night sky, its windows aglow with


    warm light spilling out onto the intricate stone steps leading up to the entrance. The sound ofughter


    and music floated through the air, creating an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation.


    My heart raced with a mix of nerves and excitement as I adjusted my dress, feeling the soft fabric


    rustling against my skin. I nced at Tessa and offered a reassuring smile before we both took a deep


    breath and stepped inside.


    A whirlwind of sights and sounds enveloped me the moment we crossed the threshold. The foyer was a


    symphony of elegance, with a grand staircase spiraling upwards and its banisters adorned with delicate


    flowers. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the marble floors where guests


    mingled, theirughter filling the air.


    Tessa squeezed my hand, her eyes wide with wonder, as we made our way further into the mansion.


    We passed through rooms adorned with opulent tapestries and exquisite artwork, with the walls lined


    with mirrors that reflected the flickering candlelight.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of self¨Cconsciousness as I nced at the other guests; their designer


    gowns and tailored suits were so superbpared to mine. But Tessa¡¯s reassuring presence by my


    side gave me the courage to hold my head high and walk with confidence.


    Yes, who cared anyway?


    We entered the grand ballroom, where a sea of guests swayed to the music that filled the air. The room


    was a vision of splendor, with crystal chandeliers casting shimmering patterns on the walls and a band


    ying lively tunes in the corner.


    Tessa and I made our way through the crowd, exchanging greetings with familiar faces and offering


    smiles to strangers. The atmosphere was electric, charged with the promise of a night filled with


    excitement and possibility.


    As we reached the far end of the ballroom, I took in the sight before me. Moonlight bathed a lush


    garden, its blooms illuminated by softnterns swaying in the gentle breeze from a grand balcony. The


    scent of fresh flowers and the sound of cascading water from a nearby fountain filled the air, creating a


    sense of


    magic and tranquility.


    Tessa tugged at my hand as she led me towards the balcony. We stepped outside, the cool night air a


    refreshing contrast to the warmth of the ballroom. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the


    breathtaking view before me¨Cthe mansion¡¯s gardens stretching out like a tapestry of color and light.


    We stood side by side, gazing out at the beauty that surrounded us. A sense of peace washed over


    me. At that moment, I knew that this night would be one to remember¨Ca night ofughter, friendship,


    and endless possibilities.


    With the music swelling behind us and the stars twinkling overhead, Tessa and I shared a smile.


    AUTY IN EVERY DETAIL


    ¡°Ariel, Ariel!


    Tessa¡¯s voice dragged me out of my imagination. I turned to her right away.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go to the party.¡± She gestured toward the building.


    ¡°Oh, I thought I had already¡­¡±


    I sighed, never mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    Tessa and I made our way back into the mansion, and I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of enchantment


    that lingered from my daydream. The grandeur of the surroundings seemed to heighten as we walked


    through


    the corridors adorned with intricate decor.


    Suddenly, a man approached us with a charming smile, his eyes alight with admiration as he extended


    his


    hand to me.


    ¡°Excuse me, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice how stunning you look tonight,¡± he said, his voice smooth like


    velvet. ¡°Your presence adds an extra sparkle to this already dazzling event.¡±


    I felt my cheeks flush with a mix of surprise and delight. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, feeling a warmth spread


    through me at his kind words. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say.¡±


    He nodded gracefully, his gaze lingering for a moment longer before he excused himself to join the


    throng of guests. Tessa shot me a knowing look, smiling at me.


    ¡°See, with that dress on, you look like a goddess,¡± she told me.


    I chuckled at Tessa¡¯s words, feeling a surge of confidence. ¡°Thanks, Tessa. You always know how to


    boost my spirits.¡±


    She grinned mischievously. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just stating the obvious. Now, let¡¯s mingle and make the most of


    this enchanted evening.¡±


    The opulence of the party immediately overwhelmed my senses as Tessa and I stepped into the hall.


    The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of fresh flowers, and the sound of lively chatter mingled with


    the soft melodies of the live band. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the room, illuminating the


    exquisite decor and elegant guests.


    The hall itself was a masterpiece of grandeur, with high ceilings adorned with intricate designs and


    towering pirs wrapped in vines of ivy and twinkling fairy lights. Luxurious fabrics draped the walls,


    their rich colors contributing to the ambiance of luxury and sophistication.


    As I walked further into the hall, I couldn¡¯t help but admire the attention to detail in every aspect of the


    party. borate centerpieces adorned the tables, bursting with vibrant blooms and cascading greenery.


    Waiters floated gracefully among the guests, offering trays of decadent hors d¡¯oeuvres and sparkling


    champagne.


    The guests themselves were a sight to behold, dressed in their finest attire and adorned with glittering


    jewels. Laughter and conversation filled the air, creating a vibrant energy that seemed to pulse through


    the room.


    MED BEAUTY IN EVERY DETAIL


    I nced at Tessa, who was taking in the scene before her. We weaved our way through the crowd,


    exchanging smiles and greetings with familiar faces and introducing ourselves to new acquaintances.


    Everywhere I looked, there was something to captivate the senses. A dance floor beckoned in one


    corner where couples twirled and swayed to the music with effortless grace. Another group of guests


    gathered around a grand piano, their voices raised in a melodic chorus.


    As I moved through the hall, sampling delicacies from the buffet and sipping champagne, I felt a sense


    of happiness within me. It was actually nice. There is no doubt about that.


    I nced around at the smiling faces and sparkling eyes of the guests. I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful


    to be a part of such an extraordinary evening.


    ¡°Ariel, there you are,¡± my father said, walking closer to me.


    ¡°Dad! Anything wrong? ¡°Do we have a problem?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for me to introduce you to Sir Reynold,¡± he said in a whisper, looking around. ¡°I wonder


    where he is right now.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    As my father spoke of Sir Reynold, a distinguished figure approached us from across the hall, his


    presencemanding attention. His posture was regal, and his eyes held a hint of warmth as he drew


    nearer, although he was an old man. He looked kind of young for his age.


    ¡°Ariel, this is Sir Reynold,¡± my father said, turning to me with a proud smile. ¡°Sir Reynold, may I


    introduce you to my daughter, Ariel?¡±


    Sir Reynold extended his hand toward me.

 Chapter 365

    365: CURIOSITY, CONFUSION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Dad! Anything wrong? ¡°Do we have a problem?¡± I asked my father in a


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for me to introduce you to Sir Reynold,¡± he said in a whisper, looking around. ¡°I wonder


    where he is right now.¡±


    As my father spoke of Sir Reynold, a distinguished figure approached us from across the hall, his


    presencemanding attention. His posture was regal, and his eyes held a hint of warmth as he drew


    nearer, although he was an old man. He looked kind of young for his age.


    ¡°Ariel, this is Sir Reynold,¡± my father said, turning to me with a proud smile. ¡°Sir Reynold, may I


    introduce you to my daughter, Ariel?¡±


    Sir Reynold extended his hand towards me, his gaze unwavering as our eyes met. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to


    finally meet you, Ariel,¡± he said in a deep, resonant voice. ¡°Your father has spoken very highly of you.¡±


    I offered him a warm smile, feeling a sense of respect and admiration for this esteemed gentleman.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine, Sir Reynold,¡± I replied, shaking his hand firmly. ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Sir Reynold nodded graciously, his eyes crinkling with a hint of amusement. ¡°I must say, your beauty


    truly does justice to your father¡¯s praise,¡± he remarked, his tone sincere.


    I blushed at thepliment. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I just hope you¡¯re enjoying yourself at the party.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°I would really like it if you met my grandson. But apparently, he¡¯s not here yet.¡±


    ¡°No problem; it¡¯s okay. He¡¯s going to show up, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but it¡¯s bing toote.¡±


    Sir Reynold let out a deep sigh before he told me, ¡°I¡¯ll be back. I have to greet the guests.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded, and he walked away.


    A young man with a charming smile suddenly diverted my attention as I watched Sir Reynold make his


    way through the crowd. He had dark hair and piercing blue eyes, and he was dressed in a sharp suit.


    ¡°Hello there, may I have the pleasure of this dance?¡± he asked, extending his hand towards me.


    I hesitated, not wanting to leave my father¡¯s side. But before I could politely decline, the young man


    continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a great dancer, and I would love to have you as my partner.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel ttered by his words, but I knew I couldn¡¯t ept his offer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t


    think I can,¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice firm.


    ¡°Oh,e on, just one dance,¡± he pleaded, his tone bing more insistent.


    365 CURIOSITY CONFUSION


    I shook my head, feeling a little ufortable with his persistence. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯m here


    with my father, and I can¡¯t leave him alone.¡±


    The young man¡¯s expression turned sour, and he seemed to be getting a little annoyed. ¡°Fine, then, at


    least introduce yourself. I¡¯m Alexander,¡± he said, still holding out his hand.


    I hesitated for a moment before reluctantly shaking his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Ariel; it¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± I said,


    trying to be polite.


    ¡°Likewise. Now, about that dance,¡± he trailed off, clearly not giving up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really can¡¯t,¡± I repeated, feeling


    flush with embarrassment.


    Just then, Sir Reynold returned and noticed our exchange. He quickly made his way over to us, a stern


    look on his face. ¡°Is everything okay here?¡± he asked, his tone serious.


    Alexander¡¯s expression changed immediately, and he stammered, ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine. I was just


    asking this youngdy for a dance.¡±


    Sir Reynold¡¯s gaze shifted to me, and I could see a hint of disapproval in his eyes. ¡°Ariel, is this


    gentleman bothering you?¡± He asked, his tone protective.


    I quickly shook my head, not wanting to cause any trouble. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. He was just asking for a


    dance, that¡¯s all,¡± replied, trying to diffuse the situation.


    Sir Reynold seemed satisfied with my answer and turned to Alexander. ¡°I suggest you find someone


    else to dance with, young man,¡± he said sternly before leading me away from the dance floor.


    Moving away from the dance floor, Sir Reynold looked at me with a warm smile. ¡°I apologize for that,


    my


    dear. I hope that young man wasn¡¯t bothering you,¡± he said, his tone full of concern.


    I shook my head, trying to reassure him. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. ¡°Thank you for stepping in, Sir Reynold,¡± I


    replied, grateful for his protection.


    He patted my hand gently. ¡°There is no need to thank me, my dear. It¡¯s my duty to look after my guests,


    especially a youngdy like yourself. Now, I wanted to talk to you about my grandson.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little confused. ¡°Your grandson?¡±


    Sir Reynold chuckled. ¡°Yes, but before that, I apologize for that man¡¯s behavior. Anyways, my grandson


    is a handsome man who is loyal, humble, and caring.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Sir Reynold was telling me all of this. ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re telling me


    this, Sir Reynold?¡± I asked cautiously, not wanting to offend him.


    He smiled kindly at me. ¡°I just wanted to let you know that my grandson is a good man. You¡¯re going to


    meet him very soon, and you guys are going to get along pretty well.¡±


    I nodded, still unsure of why he was telling me all of this. ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Sir Reynold.


    I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± I replied, not wanting to question him further.


    Sir Reynold seemed satisfied with my response and changed the topic, engaging me in a conversation


    about my interests and hobbies. I found myself enjoying hispany, and it wasn¡¯t long before I forgot


    all


    about the awkward encounter with Alexander.


    I noticed Alexander observing us from a distance, his expression unreadable. I couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder why Sir Reynold had told me about his grandson, but I decided not to ask. I didn¡¯t want to ruin


    the pleasant evening I was having.


    ¡°Is everything okay, Sir Reynold?¡± I asked, noticing his restlessness.


    He let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about my grandson. He still hasn¡¯t arrived.


    I tried to reassure him. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be here soon. Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said, giving him a reassuring smile.


    But Sir Reynold couldn¡¯t seem to shake off his worry. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand why he¡¯s not here yet.


    He¡¯s usually very punctual.¡±


    I could tell that Sir Reynold was really looking forward to introducing me to his grandson, and I didn¡¯t


    want to disappoint him. ¡°Maybe he got caught up with something. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll show up soon,¡± I


    said, trying to remain optimistic.


    MU


    Just then, he noticed one of the servers walking by and promptly called out to him. ¡°Excuse me, do you


    know where my grandson is?¡±


    The server looked a little taken aback by the question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I haven¡¯t seen him all evening.¡±


    Sir Reynold¡¯s expression fell, and I could tell he was starting to get really worried now. ¡°Thank you,¡± he


    said to the server before turning to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ariel. I should¡¯ve introduced you to him earlier. I just


    can¡¯t understand why he¡¯s not here.¡±


    I could see how much this meant to Sir Reynold, and I didn¡¯t want to see him upset. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure


    he¡¯ll show up eventually.¡±


    But deep down, I was wondering why his grandson hadn¡¯t shown up yet. Sir Reynold had spoken so


    highly of him, and I couldn¡¯t wait to meet him.

 Chapter 366

    366: HEARTFELT PROMISE


    LUKES POV


    I stepped out of the car with Harriet by my side, and I noticed how all eyes seemed to be on her,


    especially those of the men around her. She looked absolutely stunning tonight, and it was no surprise


    that heads were turning wherever she went.


    Feeling a stream of protectiveness, I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her closer


    to me. Leaning in, I kissed her cheek tenderly, feeling her coziness against my lips.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take our time getting to the hall,¡± I whispered softly to her, hoping to shield her from the unwanted


    attention.


    Harriet smiled up at me. ¡°Thank you, Luke,¡± she murmured, squeezing my hand in reassurance.


    Together, we walked slowly towards the grand hall, my heart swelling with pride as I was attracted to


    the beauty by my side. Despite the stares and whispers, I knew that nothing else mattered as long as


    she was


    with me.


    As we were both advancing towards the hall¡¯s entrance, a youngdy suddenly stopped Harriet.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, are you Harriet Donald?¡± She burst out, her phone already out, ready to take a picture.


    Harriet looked surprised, her eyes darting towards me for reassurance. ¡°Um, yes, I am,¡± she replied


    hesitantly.


    Thedy squealed in delirium. ¡°I¡¯m such a big fan of your work! Can we please take a picture


    together?¡± She asked, practically bouncing.


    Harriet¡¯s cheeks turned pink as she smiled shyly. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± she said, stepping closer to thedy,


    and they posed for the picture.


    I watched from a distance, feeling a mix of emotions. I was proud of Harriet and her aplishments,


    but at the same time, I didn¡¯t want her to be overwhelmed by all the attention. Giving her a small smile,


    I decided to make my way to the hall, leaving Harriet to take her picture.


    As I walked towards the hall, I thought about how far Harriet hade in her acting career. She had


    started out as a struggling actress, taking on small roles here and there, well, that was what she told


    me.


    But now she was being recognized by fans. It was a surreal feeling And it was all because of me,


    actually. I wasn¡¯t going to brag anyway.


    I entered the hall, and my grandfather greeted me. ¡°Luke, my boy! You made it! He pulled me into a


    tight.


    hug.


    I returned the embrace. ¡°Of course, Grandpa. I wouldn¡¯t miss this special asion.¡±


    ¡°You werete. Care to tell me why you werete?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    566. HEARTFELT PROMISE.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± he said, cutting me off. I have to introduce you to Mr. Walker¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Walker¡¯s daughter? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s the perfect match for you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted it out immediately. This was unbelievable. Was she trying to tell me he wanted me to


    marry this woman? Whoever she was,


    ¡°Grandpa, I appreciate your concern, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to be set up with someone,¡± I replied,


    trying to keep my tone diplomatic.


    He chuckled, patting my shoulder. ¡°Nonsense, Luke. You¡¯re a sessful young man, and it¡¯s time your


    start thinking about settling down. Br. Walker¡¯s daughter is also a lovely woman. You two would make a


    perfect pair.¡±


    I sighed inwardly, knowing there was no point in arguing with my grandfather when he had his mind set


    on something. ¡°Alright, Grandpa. I¡¯ll meet her, but I can¡¯t promise anything.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± my grandfather asked in a harsh tone. ¡°You don¡¯t have any women you


    love, do you?¡±


    I sighed, looking in another direction. ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, what? Tell me now, Luke.¡±


    ¡°I have someone I love, and it¡¯s definitely not this daughter, Mr. Walker.¡±


    ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa, but I cannot make promises I can¡¯t keep.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind, Luke? How dare you talk such nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not out of my mind, Grandpa, and this isn¡¯t nonsense. I cannot ruin my future by getting into a


    loveless marriage,¡± I stated firmly, looking my grandfather straight in the eye.


    He scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment, ¡°Love? Is that what you are going to say right now? Do


    you not know that the woman I¡¯ve set for you is filled with love herself?¡±


    ¡°She might be filled with love, but I do not love her. You have to understand, Grandpa, that I do not


    want


    the future to be ruined for me.¡±


    ¡°The future won¡¯t be ruined. In fact, it will be great because thisdy is one in a million. She¡¯s perfect,


    Luke. Perfect, I tell you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. My grandfather, who had always taught me to follow my heart


    and do what makes me happy, was now trying to force me into a loveless marriage. For the sake of


    what, huh?


    ¡°You¡¯re only concerned about your happiness and that of The Walkers. But what about my happiness?


    What about my happiness, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be naive, Luke. You can find happiness in a marriage; you will find happiness in this marriage.


    366 HEARTFELT PROMISE


    Because I believe that this woman will make you better than you¡¯ve ever been.¡±


    I could feel my blood boiling, and I knew I had to stand my ground. ¡°I refuse to marry someone I don¡¯t


    love, Grandpa. And I will not let you or anyone else dictate my future for me.¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s face turned red with anger, and I could see the disappointment In his eyes. ¡°You can


    be you want. You can disagree all you want. But this marriage will take ce. Believe me when I say


    angry


    that.¡±


    all


    With that, he stormed off, leaving me feeling terrible. I couldn¡¯t believe my grandfather was willing to do


    this. It was so messed up, but I couldn¡¯t let him control my life, not when I had found someone I truly


    loved.


    I made my way towards the exit, my mind racing with thoughts about my future. I knew I had to talk to


    Harriet about this and get her opinion. As I stepped out of the hall, I saw her standing there with a


    concerned look on her face.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s wrong? I saw you arguing with your grandfather,¡± she said, walking towards me.


    I took her hand and led her to a more secluded area. Taking a deep breath, I told her everything that


    had transpired between my grandfather and me. Harriet listened intently, her expression changing from


    concern to shock and then to understanding


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would do that,¡± she said, her voice filled with sympathy.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know. But I won¡¯t let him control my life, Harriet. I love you, and I can¡¯t imagine my future without


    you,¡± I said, looking into her eyes.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, and she threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. ¡°I love you too,


    Luke. And I will stand by you, no matter what.¡±


    I would not let anyone change my story. I had Harriet by my side now, and together, we would face


    whatever challenges came our way, including my stubborn grandfather¡¯s disapproval. Because, at the


    end of the day, love was all that mattered.

 Chapter 367

    367: DROWNING IN DESPAIR


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Just when Harriet finished consoling me about the argument with my grandfather, she suggested we go


    to the bar Anger still simmered within me, but I agreed, needing an outlet for my frustration. We made


    our way to the nearest bar, the neon lights casting an eerie glow on the sidewalk.


    Upon entering the establishment, I wasted no time ordering a variety of bottles. I needed something to


    numb the pain and drown out the echoes of my grandfather¡¯s harsh words.


    Harriet sat quietly beside me, watching as I downed one drink after another. I could feel her concerned


    gaze on me, but I ignored it, drowning myself further in the alcohol¡¯s haze.


    Suddenly, she excused herself, saying she would be back. I barely acknowledged her departure; I was


    too consumed by my own thoughts to care.


    ast in my o


    I continued drinking, turmoil. I felt a presence beside me. It was Daniel and Bryan, and they


    were just staring at me.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? Why are you drinking so much?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice cut through the fog of my mind.


    I shrugged, unwilling to share the pain that gnawed at my heart. ¡°I just need to forget about some


    things,¡± I mumbled, taking another swig from the bottle.


    Bryan frowned, concern etched on his face. ¡°You know drinking won¡¯t solve anything, Luke. You need


    to


    talk to us.¡±


    But I remained stubbornly silent, refusing to let them see the turmoil raging inside me. Instead, I


    drowned myself in another drink, hoping to numb the ache that pulsed through my veins.


    The weight of my argument with my grandfather pressed down on me, crushing me beneath its


    suffocating grip. I drank to numb the pain, but with each sip, it only seemed to grow stronger.


    Daniel and Bryan exchanged concerned nces, but I waved them off, not wanting to burden them


    with my troubles. Deep down, though, I longed for someone to understand, to see the hurt behind my


    facade.


    Harriet returned to the table, her eyes filled with worry as she nced at the empty bottles scattered


    around me. ¡°Hey, Luke. Can I talk to you for a minute?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    I turned to her, my vision slightly blurred from the alcohol. ¡°What is it, Harriet? My words slurred slightly.


    ¡°I think we should go outside for some fresh air,¡± she suggested, her eyes pleading with me.


    I shook my head stubbornly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go outside. I want to stay here and drink,¡± I said, pouring


    another ss


    ¡°Luke, please. I don¡¯t want to see you like this. Let¡¯s go outside and talk.¡±


    Daniel and Bryan exchanged worried nces but remained silent. They didn¡¯t know Harriet, but they


    obviously had a feeling that she was the only one who could calm me down.


    367 DROWNING IN DESPAIR


    2/3


    With a heavy sigh, I got up, stumbling a little. Harriet grabbed my arm to steady me, and we made our


    way outside. The cool night air hit me, clearing my head slightly.


    ¡°Luke, I know you¡¯re upset about what happened with your grandfather,¡± she said softly.


    I took a gulp of my drink, my anger bubbling up. ¡°He has no right to control my life like this,¡± I muttered.


    Harriet nodded, her hand resting on my shoulder. ¡°But you can¡¯t let him get to you like this. Drinking


    won¡¯t


    solve anything.¡±


    I sighed, feeling lost. ¡°I just feel so lost, Harriet. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    She suggested I take a break from everything and figure out what I want. ¡°And I¡¯ll be right here by your


    side, supporting you,¡± she promised.


    Her words softened me, and I pulled her into a hug. ¡°Thank you, Harriet. I don¡¯t know what I would do


    without you.¡±


    She smiled, and as we pulled away, her phone rang. She excused herself, leaving me alone with my


    thoughts. My friends looked at me sympathetically.


    ¡°Man, what happened with you and your grandpa?¡± Daniel asked, breaking the silence.


    I sighed, not wanting to delve into it. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. But right now, I just need to forget everything and


    have some fun,¡± I said, pouring another drink.


    Bryan shook his head. ¡°Drinking your problems away won¡¯t make them disappear, Luke. You need to


    face


    them head¨Con.¡±


    Iughed bitterly. ¡°Easy for you to say. You don¡¯t have a grandfather who wants to control your life.¡±


    Harriet returned, seeing me drinking more than I should. She suggested we go home, and despite my


    protests, I agreed to finish our drinks. We drove back, exhaustion washed over me, and I fell asleep in


    the


    car.


    Stirring from the haze of unconsciousness, the throbbing ache in my head reminded me of the


    mistakes of the night before. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I found myself sitting in the


    passenger seat of the car parked in the driveway.


    My limbs felt heavy and uncoordinated, and the faint memories ofst night¡¯s alcohol¨Cfueled escapade


    flooded back to me. I struggled to push myself upright, my movements sluggish and clumsy.


    ¡°Luke, are you alright there?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice broke through the fog of thy mind, his concern evident in


    his


    brow furrow.


    I managed a feeble nod, my throat dry and scratchy as I attempted to form words. ¡°Yeah, just¡­ feeling


    a bit rough,¡± I muttered, my speech slurred from the lingering effects of the alcohol.


    Bryan appeared beside me, offering a steady hand as I stumbled out of the car. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you


    Inside,¡± he said, his tone gentle yet firm.


    With their help, I made my way into the house, each step feeling like a monumental effort. My room


    seemed miles away, but we finally reached our destination with Daniel and Bryan¡¯s support.


    367 DROWNING IN DESPAIR


    Copsing onto the bed, I let out a heavy sigh. The softness of the mattress was a wee relief


    against my aching body. Daniel and Bryan hovered nearby; their expressions were a mix of sympathy


    and concern. ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± I mumbled, my words barely audible as exhaustion threatened to pull me


    back into the depths of sleep.


    Danielid aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Luke. Just focus on resting up.¡±


    Bryan nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll take care of everything. You just take it easy.¡±


    Their reassurances washed over me like a soothing balm, momentarily easing the turmoil that still


    churned within me. With a grateful nod, I closed my eyes, sumbing once again to the oblivion of


    sleep, the previous night¡¯s events fading into the distant recesses of my mind.


    Some minutester, the door slowly opened, but I didn¡¯t pay much attention as I closed my eyes,


    wandering back to sleep.


    I woke up to the sound of the birds chirping and the sun shining through the window. As I slowly


    opened my eyes, I felt a weight on my chest and saw a woman lying next to me in bed. My heart


    stopped as I realized that we were both half¨Cnaked.


    mind I let out a gasp and quickly sat up, causing the woman to stir a little bit. She didn¡¯t wake up, and


    my wasn¡¯t settled about this one. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. I didn¡¯t even know this


    woman¡¯s name, let alone how we ended up in bed together. My mind was racing with questions and


    frustration.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I yelled, my voice filled with intense rage, because this was just so fucked


    up!¡±


    The woman sat up immediately and looked at me in shock. She scanned the room, making a confused


    face, and gasped at that moment.

 Chapter 368

    368: THE MORNING AFTER


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I awoke to the melody of birdsong and the gentle caress of sunlight filtering through the window. As


    consciousness dawned upon me, I found myself sharing the bed with a woman, both of us scantily


    d, sending shockwaves of confusion and disbelief through my mind.


    Frantically trying to piece together the previous night¡¯s events, I struggled to recall anything beyond a


    night out with friends. The haze of intoxication clouded my memory, leaving me grasping for answers


    as to how I found myself entangled with this stranger.


    A gasp escaped my lips as I jolted upright, disturbing the woman beside me, who stirred but remained


    asleep. Questions swirled in my mind, a tempest of uncertainty and frustration.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± I eximed, my voice tinged with anger and disbelief.


    v own


    Startled awake, the woman¡¯s eyes widened as she surveyed her surroundings, mirroring my


    bewilderment.


    ¡°Where am I? And who are you?¡± she inquired, her tone filled with worry.


    The gravity of the situation began to sink in as we both grappled with the inexplicable circumstances


    that had brought us together. Tensions mounted as usations flew, neither of us able to shed light on


    the enigma of our shared predicament.


    Before we could make sense of our situation, the door burst open, flooding the room with a barrage of


    shing cameras and probing questions from journalists. Caught in a whirlwind of media frenzy, we


    found ourselves thrust into the spotlight, our privacy vited, and our livesid bare for public


    consumption.


    Amidst the chaos, I felt a surge of protectiveness towards the woman beside me, a stranger yet an


    unwittingpanion in this surreal ordeal. As reporters mored for scious details, I refused to


    indulge their insatiable curiosity, demanding privacy and space in the midst of the media storm.


    But the relentless onught persisted, driving me to the brink of frustration and despair. Fueled by


    anger and confusion, Ished out in a moment of recklessness, pushing the woman away with callous


    disregard


    for her well¨Cbeing.


    Regret mingled with resentment as I grappled with the consequences of my actions, unable to


    reconcile the violence within me with the bewildering circumstances that had Jed us here.


    In the aftermath of the chaos, as silence descended upon the room once more, I was left to confront


    the harsh reality of our shared ordeal and the lingering question that hung in the air: who was this


    woman, and how had our lives be so irreversibly entwined?


    [Later that day]


    I walked to my grandfather¡¯s study; he was just sitting there with his sses on. He was going through


    some files, but I was mad as hell.


    The woman I saw with myself this morning was named Ariel Walker; she was the daughter of Gray


    Walker,


    360 THE MORNING AFTER ¨C


    so it all made sense now. My grandfather was responsible for this. It was obvious.


    24


    He had to go this far just to get what he wanted. I couldn¡¯t believe it. No, no, I couldn¡¯t buy it. This


    wasn¡¯t the grandfather I knew. But now it was time to set things straight.


    ¡°Grandpa, we need to talk!¡± I moved closer, smashing my fists against his table.


    He acted like he wasn¡¯t the one I was talking to, not paying attention to me but going through his files.


    It was making me sick; the anger moving within me was so intense, but I didn¡¯t want to lose it on this


    man. We had been through a lot together. Why ruin everything now?


    After deep breathing, I spoke again, ¡°Grandpa, please. We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Talk about what, Luke?¡± He asked, not setting his eyes on me.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    Suspicious, he stopped going through his files and finally took a look at me. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not take this longer. I¡¯m talking about Ariel Walker.¡±


    ¡°Ohh?¡± he uttered lowly. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to marry her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t. But you went ahead and drug me and put her on my bed. So, what? So she can be


    my


    wife, is that not it?¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dumb.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I like you. You are not like your father. That man was so dumb.¡±


    ¡°But why did you do it? You know I don¡¯t love Ariel. I don¡¯t even know her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll get to know a lot of things about her when you get married to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that. I continued with my disagreement.


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I have someone else in mind. Someone who is worthy to be called my lover, not Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Why do you feel that Ariel isn¡¯t worthy of you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t love her,¡± I answered without hesitation. And I don¡¯t want to be with her. She doesn¡¯t even love


    me; I¡¯m so sure of that. But you people are just pressuring her¨Cunless she¡¯s a golddigger.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± my grandfather snapped. ¡®This marriage will take ce, and there¡¯s nothing you can do


    about it. It¡¯s all over the news. Ariel will be your wife in no time. She will be weed into this house as


    the beloved wife of my grandson.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body, Grandpa!¡± I spat out the words, my frustration boiling over. ¡°I won¡¯t marry Ariel;


    you


    can¡¯t force me to do it!¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s expression remained stoic, unmoved by my defiance. ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable,


    Luke.


    968 THE MORNING AFTER


    This marriage is going to be great for you. Ariel is the type of woman any man would want to have.¡±


    Then give her to someone else, not me.¡±


    ¡°You are just being ignorant, Luke. This marriage will be a good thing for our family.¡±


    ¡°Our family? What about my happiness? What about what I want?¡± I shot back.


    ¡°Your happiness is secondary to the greater good of our family legacy,¡± he retorted.


    ¡°I refuse to be a pawn in your game, Grandpa. I won¡¯t sacrifice my life for your ambitions,¡± I dered,


    my resolve hardening with each word.


    ¡°Enough of this nonsense, Luke. You will marry Ariel, and that¡¯s final,¡± he asserted, his tone brooking


    no


    argument.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± I countered, my voice trembling with defiance. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way out of this; I promise you


    that.¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s steely gaze bore into mine, a silent challenge hanging in the air between us. But I


    refused to back down, determined to chart my own path.


    ¡°Luke, what are you doing, standing at the door?¡± My grandfather asked, snapping me back to reality.


    I looked around, and that was when I realized that everything was just an imagination; the whole


    conversation was just an imagination.


    I took a deep breath, walking slowly to my grandfather. ¡°Good morning, grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Luke. How may I be of help to you?¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Can I sit down?¡±


    ¡°Sure, take a seat.¡± He gestured towards the other chair on the table, and I settled down on it.


    ¡°So, what do you want to talk about?¡± He asked, giving me an interested face.


    ¡°Earlier this morning, I came across something shocking. I never expected it, and it really had my mind


    racing with questions.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Luke. You can tell me what that is.¡±

 Chapter 369

    369: A CLASH OF WILLS


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I took a moment to gather my thoughts, bracing myself for the conversation ahead, ¡°Grandpa, earlier


    today, I found myself in a rather perplexing situation, I woke up beside a woman I didn¡¯t recognize,


    leaving me with many questions.¡±


    My grandfather regarded me with a measured gaze, his expression unreadable. ¡°I see. And what did


    you make of this situation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, Grandpa. It¡¯s all a bit of a blur. But it got me thinking about a lot of things,¡± I


    replied, choosing my words carefully.


    *Such as?¡± he prompted, his tone neutral.


    ¡°Well, for starters, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why you would go to such lengths to orchestrate a


    situation like that,¡± I said, my voice tinged with curiosity.


    My grandfather leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Luke, you know I have your


    interests at heart. Everything I do is for the betterment of our family.¡±


    best


    ¡°But drugging me and cing a woman in my bed? That seems a bit extreme, don¡¯t you think?¡± I


    pressed, unable to shake off my unease.


    ¡°Sometimes, drastic measures are necessary to achieve our goals,¡± he replied cryptically.


    ¡°And what goal would that be, exactly?¡± I asked, my patience wearing thin.


    ¡°Luke, I have high hopes for Ariel. Shees from a respectable family and would make a fine


    addition to our household,¡± he exined, his tone firm.


    ¡°So, this was all about Ariel?¡± I questioned, feeling a mixture of disbelief and frustration bubbling within


    1. me.


    ¡°In part, yes. But ultimately, it¡¯s about securingja prosperous future for you,¡± he rified, his gaze


    unwavering. ¡°Because with Ariel by your side, I believe you will never go astray.


    I sighed, feeling the weight of his words settle on me. ¡°I understand, Grandpa. But I can¡¯t just go along


    with


    th something like this. It¡¯s not fair to Ariel, and it¡¯s certainly not fair to me.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Luke, sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. This marriage will benefit both you


    and Ariel, whether you see it now or not,¡± he stated, his voice gentle yet resolute.


    I nodded, though inwardly, I remained conflicted. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, Grandpa. But for now, I need some


    time to process everything.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Luke. Take all the time you need,¡± he replied, his tone softening.


    With a heavy heart, I rose from my seat, bidding my grandfather farewell before leaving the study. As


    walked away, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of uncertainty that lingered within me, knowing that the


    path ahead would be fraught with difficult decisions and tough choices. But one thing was certain: I


    couldn¡¯t


    369 A CLASH OF WILLS


    let myself be swept away by the tide of others¡® expectations. I had to find my own way, even if it meant


    challenging the very foundation of my family¡¯s legacy.


    Stepping out of my grandfather¡¯s study and out of the mansion, I was immediately met with a barrage


    of shing cameras and eager journalists, their voices moring for my attention.


    ¡°Mr. Luke! Can you confirm the rumors about your engagement to Ariel Walker?¡±


    ¡°Is it true that you were caught in bed with her this morning?¡±


    ¡°Are wedding bells in your future, Mr. Luke?¡±


    My head spun with a whirlwind of questions, each one more intrusive than thest. I tried to push


    through the crowd, my heart pounding with anxiety and frustration.


    !


    ¡°I have noment at this time,¡± I muttered, attempting to maintain some semnce ofposure as


    I dodged their relentless pursuit.


    But the journalists were relentless, their persistence bordering on harassment as they dogged my every


    step.


    ¡°Mr. Luke, just a moment of your time!¡±


    ¡°Can you at least give us a hint about your rtionship with Ariel?¡±


    I felt like I was suffocating under the weight of their scrutiny, my thoughts consumed by a desire to


    escape this suffocating circus of spection.


    Just as I was about to lose all hope, a familiar voice cut through the chaos like a lifeline.


    ¡°Mr. Luke, over here!¡± called Jack, my faithful assistant, as he pushed through the crowd towards me.


    Relief flooded through me as I saw his familiar face, a beacon of sanity within the madness.


    ¡°Jack, thank goodness you¡¯re here,¡± I blurted out, gratefully epting his outstretched hand as he


    guided me toward the waiting car.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here, sir,¡± he said, his ice calm and reassuring as he shielded me from the


    relentless onught of questions.


    The moment we made our way through the throng of journalists, Jack expertly deflected their inquiries;


    his cool demeanor starkly contrasted the chaos around us.


    ¡°Sorry, folks. No interviews today,¡± he said with a polite smile, his tene firm yet diplomatic, as he


    ushered


    me into the safety of the car.


    I sank into the plush leather seat, breathing a sigh of relief as we pulled away from the crowd, leaving


    the mor of the journalists behind us.


    ¡°Thank you, Jack,¡± I said, my voice filled with gratitude as I finally felt the weight of the world lift from


    my shoulders.


    ¡°Anytime, sir,¡± he replied with a reassuring smile.


    369 A CLASH OF WILLS


    The speed was remarkable as we drove away from the chaotic scene, with Jack ncing at me with a


    mix of concern and curiosity.


    ¡°Sir, are those rumors true?¡± he asked.


    I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair as I wrestled with my thoughts. ¡°Jack, I can¡¯t talk


    about it right now. Just keep driving, please,¡± I replied, my tone weary and resigned.


    Jack nodded understandingly, sensing the weight of the situation weighing heavily on my shoulders.


    Without another word, he focused his attention on the road ahead, navigating through the bustling


    streets with practiced ease.


    Silence enveloped the car, broken only by the soft hum of the engine and the distant sounds of the city


    beyond. My mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, each one vying for dominance as I grappled


    with the repercussions of the morning¡¯s events.


    As we drove further away from the mansion, the chaos of the media circus began to fade into the


    distance, reced by a sense of solitude and introspection. Alone with my thoughts, I dwelled on the


    implications of my grandfather¡¯s actions and the difficult choices thaty ahead.


    I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling slightly with the weight of the conversation I was about to


    have. Harriet¡¯s number was on speed dial, and I pressed the button with a sense of urgency.


    The phone rang several times before her voice filled the line. ¡°Hey, Luke! What¡¯s up?¡± she greeted with


    a


    warm and cheerful tone.


    ¡°Harriet, I need to talk to you. It¡¯s urgent,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Of course, Luke. What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯splicated,¡± I began, struggling to find the right words to exin the events that had


    unfolded


    that morning.


    ¡°Take your time, Luke. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    I took a deep breath, gathering my thought beforeunching into the tumultuous tale of my morning


    encounter with Ariel and the media frenzy that had ensued.


    I recounted the events, and Harriet listened attentively. Her silence speaks volumes as she absorbs the


    gravity of the situation.


    ¡°Luke, I can¡¯t even imagine what you¡¯re going through right now, she said softly. ¡°But just know that I¡¯m


    here for you, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Harriet. You mean the world to me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get through this together, Luke. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I love you,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°I love you too.¡±

 Chapter 370

    370: BROKEN BONDS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stormed into my parents¡® elegant living room, a cloud of anger and betrayal churning within me. My


    hands trembled with disbelief as I brandished my phone, the ring headlines announcing my


    supposed engagement to Luke burning into my consciousness.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, we need to talk,¡± I demanded.


    They looked up, surprised, etching their features at the urgency in my tone.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetheart?¡± my mother asked, concern furrowing her brow.


    I thrust my phone forward, the damning evidence of my supposed betrothal disyed on the screen.


    ¡°Exin this,¡± I demanded, my voice rising with each word,


    Their guilty exchange confirmed my worst fears.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Ariel. We never meant for things to spiral out of control like this,¡± my father began, his


    voice


    tinged with remorse,


    But apologies were not what I sought. I needed answers.


    ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t enough, Dad. Why have you destroyed my future?¡± I queried, my anger boiling over.


    My mother reached out, but I recoiled, the sting of their betrayal too raw.


    ¡°I trusted you both. I thought you had my best interests at heart,¡± I used the both of them. I was


    feeling


    broken.


    They hung their heads, unable to meet my using gaze.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°We only wanted what was best for you, Ariel. We thought¡­¡± my mother faltered, unable to finish her


    justification.


    My disbelief turned to indignation. ¡°So you thought it was eptable to manipte me into marriage for


    your own ambitions?¡±


    Their silence spoke volumes, leaving me with a searing sense of betrayal.


    ¡°I refuse to be a pawn in your social climbing game,¡± I dered my voice resonating through the room.


    Tears threatened to spill as I turned away, weighed down by disappointment and hurt.


    ¡°I need time to process this,¡± I murmured, my voice barely audible over the tumult of emotions.


    I turned away from my parents, feeling like my world was crumbling around me. The weight of their


    betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness. Without another word,


    I fled from the living room, seeking sce in the sanctuary of my own room.


    I closed the door behind me and locked it with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had been holding


    370 BROKEN BONDS


    back finally burst. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the pain


    and betrayal i felt deep in my soul.


    Copsing onto my bed, I burled my face in my hands, the sobs wracking my body uncontrobly. It felt


    as though my heart had been torn from my chest, leaving behind a raw, gaping wound that throbbed


    with


    agony.


    The realization of my parents¡® betrayal cut me to the core. How could they have orchestrated


    something so cruel and maniptive? Did they truly see me as nothing more than a pawn in their quest


    for social


    status?


    Anger hurt, and profound sadness swirled within me like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the


    fragile walls of myposure. I felt utterly alone, abandoned by the very people who were supposed to


    protect and support me.


    The weight of their expectations, their ambitions, and their decelt pressed down on me like a


    suffocating


    nket, threatening to crush me beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch my breath amidst


    the


    tidal wave of emotions that threatened to consume me whole.


    In the solitude of my room, I allowed myself to surrender to the torrent of tears, each one a cathartic


    release of the pain and anguish that gnawed at my insides. It was as though I were mourning the loss


    of


    the future I had once envisioned, now shattered into a million irreparable fragments.


    Time seemed to lose all meaning as Iy there, cocooned in the darkness of my despair. Minutes


    stretched into hours, but still, the ache in my chest remained, a constant reminder of the betrayal that


    had


    torn my world asunder.


    Eventually, exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted into an uneasy sleep, my dreams haunted by visions


    of betrayal and broken promises. But even in slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality of


    my shattered dreams and the bitter taste of betrayal that lingered on my lips.


    The knock on my door shattered the fragile cocoon of thoughts I had wrapped around myself. I froze,


    my heart pounding with apprehension, as I heard my mother¡¯s voice urging me to open the door. With a


    reluctant sigh, I rose from my bed, every fiber of my being resisting the inevitable confrontation awaiting


    me on the other side.


    Reluctantly, I turned the lock and pulled open the door, my mother¡¯s worried expression greeting me.


    ¡°Ariel, sweetheart, please let us in,¡± she implored, her voice filled, with remorse.


    I hesitated for a moment; the urge to m the door shut and shut out the world was almost


    overwhelming. But eventually, I stepped aside, allowing my parents to enter


    They crossed the threshold, and I retreated to the safety of my bed, my arms crossed tightly over my


    chest in a defensive gesture. I refused to meet their gaze, my anger simmering just beneath the


    surface.


    My mother approached tentatively, her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Ariel, darling, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she


    whispered, reaching out a trembling hand.


    I recoiled instinctively, the sting of their betrayal still fresh in my mind. ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t going to fix this,¡± I


    retorted, my voice edged with bitterness.


    370¨CMROKEN BONDS


    My father stepped forward, his expression grave. ¡°Ariel, there¡¯s something we need to exin.¡±


    I remained silent, refusing to dignify his words with a response.


    He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was toe. ¡°The truth is, our family¡¯s business is in


    trouble. All because of what Simon¡¯s father did, we¡¯re on the brink of copse and desperately trying to


    find a solution. You know that.¡±


    ¡°And you thought forcing me into marriage was the solution?¡± I demanded, my voice tied with


    incredulity.


    He shook his head, and his gaze was filled with anguish. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an easy decision, Ariel. But the


    Reynolds family has offered to bail us out in exchange for your hand in marriage,¡± he exined, and


    his words were heavy with shame.


    I felt as though the ground had been yanked out from beneath me, the enormity of their betrayal


    crashing


    down upon me like a tidal wave.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it, then? I¡¯m just a bargaining chip in your desperate bid to save our family¡¯s legacy.¡± I spat as


    I was shuddering with rage.


    My father¡¯s expression softened, a hint of desperation creeping into his eyes. ¡°Ariel, please understand.


    We did what we thought was best for the family,¡± he pleaded.


    But his words fell on deaf ears as I struggled toe to terms with the enormity of their betrayal. How


    could they have sacrificed my happiness for the sake of their own ambitions?


    Without another word, I turned away, my heart heavy with disillusionment and despair. The sanctuary


    of


    my room offered no sce as I grappled with the harsh reality of my shattered dreams.


    my


    At this point, I realized that the family bonds had been irreparably fractured, leaving behind nothing but


    a gaping chasm of betrayal and heartache. Gazing out into the darkness, I knew that nothing would


    ever be


    the same again.

 Chapter 371

    371: VEILED VOWS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Here I was in my room, sitting down, thinking about all the moments that I had spent with my family. My


    father, who I thought would be my hero, turned out to be a viin in my


    story.


    I was crushed, realizing they had to go to such lengths because they wanted to keep the business


    stable. I thought we were going to fight together; I thought we were going to get through all the terrible


    situations together. But it seemed like I was wrong. They had broken trust, and the hope they craved


    was no longer present.


    They carried out this without informing me first. Why? Because they knew I would never agree to that.


    They knew I would never follow their conditions, letting them decide the person that I would spend my


    life with.


    It all made sense now¨Cmy father asked me about my rtionship life when we were going to the party.


    I was really confused right now about whether I should follow through with their terms or not. But there


    was no way I was going to get married to someone I didn¡¯t love, someone I had no feelings for,


    someone I barely knew.


    My mother walked inside my room, her eyes scanning me as I sat silently. My eyes filled with tears,


    with a look that unted how shattered I was.


    ¡°Ariel, please, you need to eat. It¡¯s been two days now, and you haven¡¯t eaten anything. Come on,


    something bad might happen to you.¡±


    I stared at my mother, her voice echoing in my ears like a distant plea. But the turmoil inside me was


    too intense to heed her words. ¡°I can¡¯t, Mom,¡± I whispered. ¡°I can¡¯t eat.¡®


    ¡±


    Tears streamed down my cheeks as I met her gaze, hoping she would understand the depth of my


    despair. ¡°I won¡¯t do it, Mom. I won¡¯t marry Luke. I won¡¯t sacrifice my happiness for business deals.¡±


    Her eyes widened in rm, and she rushed to my side, taking my hands in hers. ¡°Ariel, darling, please


    don¡¯t say that. You can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t do this to yourself.¡±


    I shook my head, pulling away from her touch. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Mom. You and Dad have already


    made your decision. The two of you don¡¯t care about what I want. You only care about your precious


    business.¡±


    Anguish twisted her features as she reached out to wipe away my tears. ¡°But you can¡¯t give up on life,


    Ariel. There¡¯s so much to live for ahead of you.¡±


    I swallowed hard, with my throat tight. ¡°Not If it means living a life I didn¡¯t choose for myself.¡°Not if it


    means being trapped in a loveless marriage.¡±


    She took a deep breath. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, sweetheart. But please, try to eat something for


    me and for us.¡±


    I shook my head defiantly, my resolve hardening with each passing moment. ¡°No, Mom. I won¡¯t eat. I


    won¡¯tply with you and your father¡¯s demands. I¡¯d rather die than marry Luke,¡±


    Her gasp of horror pierced the silence, but I remained resolute, knowing that my decision was the only


    way to reim control over my own life. But would they listen?Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I hope you and Dad are happy now. You guys have ruined my life. I hope you are happy.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, please don¡¯t say that. Getting married to The Reynolds isn¡¯t actually going to be a


    bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t.¡°Why would it be, since you guys are going to get all the money you need?


    ¡°Ariel, you have to understand that this is the only way to bring our business back to life.¡±


    I stared at my mother incredulously, unable to believe her words. ¡°So, what? My happiness doesn¡¯t


    matter. Our family¡¯s business is more important than my own life.¡±


    She reached out to touch my shoulder. ¡°Ariel, please try to see the bigger picture here. We¡¯re doing this


    for the entire family¡¯s sake, not just for the business.¡±


    I shrugged off her touch, a surge of anger rising within me. ¡°Well,. don¡¯t care about the family reputation


    or the business! I care about my own happiness and my own future.¡±


    She recoiled as if she were struck. ¡°How can you say that? How can you be so selfish?¡±


    Selfish? The word stung, but I held my ground.¡±


    Selfish? You and Dad are the ones making decisions about my life without even considering what I


    want. How is that not selfish?¡±


    Her voice quivered as she spoke; desperation was evident in every word. ¡°Ariel, please don¡¯t do this.


    Don¡¯t throw everything away because of one disagreement.¡±


    ¡°One disagreement?¡± I.scoffed bitterly. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a disagreement, Mom. This is about my


    autonomy, my right to choose my own path.¡±


    She sank onto the edge of my bed. ¡°I know we¡¯ve made mistakes, Ariel. But we¡¯re only trying to do


    what we think is best for you.¡±


    I shook my head, frustration boiling over. ¡°Your idea of ¡®best¡® is suffocating me, Mom.¡°I can¡¯t live the life


    you¡¯ve nned for me. I won¡¯t.¡±


    Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the sound of our ragged breathing. I could see the pain


    etched into every line of my mother¡¯s face, but I couldn¡¯t back down. Not now.


    Finally, she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°What do you want us to do, Ariel? Tell me, and I¡¯ll do it.


    Just please, don¡¯t shut us out like this.¡±


    Torn between anger and sorrow, I searched her eyes for any sign of understanding. ¡°I want you to


    respect my choices, Mom. I want you to trust me enough to let me live my own life, even if it¡¯s not the


    life you imagined for me.¡±


    Her gaze faltered. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do that, Ariel. But I¡¯ll try. For you, I¡¯ll try.¡±


    I turned to her. ¡°Why on earth would you select that individual as my spouse?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what his grandfather wants. The owner of The Reynolds likes you so much, Ariel. He


    wants you to be a part of his family.¡±


    ¡°Well, you all should have taken permission from me first before you did anything.¡±


    My mother looked down, her hands sped tightly together. ¡°I know, Ariel. I know we should have


    talked to you about it first. But your father and I thought we were doing what was best for the family.¡±


    I shook my head, feeling a mix of frustration and betrayal. ¡°And what about what¡¯s best for me,


    Mom?¡°What about my happiness?¡±


    She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping in defeat. ¡°I underst..


    that you¡¯re upset, Ariel.


    I wish things could be different. But sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the greater good.¡±


    I scoffed, unable to contain my disbelief. ¡°Sacrifices? Is that what you call it? Sacrificing my happiness


    for the sake of some business deal?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a business deal, Ariel. It¡¯s about securing our future and ensuring stability and security. You


    and I both know how things have been ever since Simon and his family sabotaged our business.¡±


    ¡°But seriously, mom? Are you people seriously going to do this? You¡¯re going to betray me and take


    away my happiness because of a business going down.¡±

 Chapter 372

    372: TANGLED


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Ariel, please try to understand. We never wanted to hurt you. We just thought we were doing what was


    best for the family.¡± My mother continued to plead with me.


    I pulled away from her touch. ¡°Well, you were wrong, Mom. Dead wrong. ¡°And now I have to suffer the


    consequences of your mistake.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, just understand that this is all worth it. We can¡¯t go down and let the business fall. This is the


    only option we have, and it¡¯s the one that¡¯s going to make our lives better than


    ever.¡±


    ¡°You keep saying that, Mom, but it doesn¡¯t change anything. You and Dad made a decision about my


    life without even consulting me. How can you expect me to just ept that?¡±


    She mirrored my anguish. ¡°Ariel, please, I know we made a mistake. But we were just trying to do what


    we thought was best for the family. Can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    I shook my head, the pain cutting deep. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the family right now, Mom. All I care about is


    my own happiness and my own future.¡±


    Before she could respond, a maid entered the room carrying a tray of food. I red at her, my anger


    boiling over. ¡°I said I¡¯m not hungry!¡±


    But the maid hesitated, her eyes filled with concern. ¡°Miss Ariel, please; you need to eat something. It¡¯s


    not good for you to starve yourself like this.¡±


    I felt a surge of irrational anger, and before I could stop myself, Ished out, swatting the tray away.


    The food was scattered across the floor, with the te ttering loudly against.


    the tiles.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± I shouted loudly in so much rage.


    The maid recoiled, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Ariel. I didn¡¯t mean to upset


    you.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t care. I desired solitude to ponder over the chaos of my life.


    The maid hurried out of the room, and I sank back onto the edge of my bed, the weight of everything


    pressing down on me like a suffocating nket.


    How had everything gone so wrong? And most importantly, how was I going to fix it?


    ¡°You know what, Ariel.¡°I¡¯m going to leave you for now.¡± My mother stood up from the bed.


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± she added.


    The moment she turned to leave, something inside me snapped.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I spoke, and she paused, turning back to face me, a little hope in her eyes. But I knew I had to


    be honest, no matter how much it hurt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a part of this family anymore,¡± I said, each word heavy with finality. My mother¡¯s


    expression crumbled, a mixture of shock and sadness washing over her features.


    ¡°Ariel, please,¡± she pleaded, reaching out to me. But I held up my hand, cutting her off before she could


    say anything more.


    ¡°No, Mom. I mean it,¡± I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here


    and pretend like everything is okay when it¡¯s not. I need to find my own path, away from all of this.¡±


    Tears welled up in my mother¡¯s eyes, but I hardened my heart against the pain of seeing her


    hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible. ¡°But I have to do this for myself.¡±


    With that, I turned away from her, unable to bear the weight of her disappointment any longer.


    She left the room, and I felt a sense of liberation revolve within me, going on with sadness for what


    could have been. But deep down, I knew for a fact that I was making the right decision, no matter how


    hard it was.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I entered the bustling headquarters of mypany, and at that moment, I realized that whispers were


    following me like shadows, each one carrying a different version of the truth. I ignored them because it


    would be a waste of time to give responses to these morons. They were so eager to lose their jobs.


    Jack intercepted me before I could reach my office. His expression was tense, betraying the gravity of


    the situation,


    ¡°Luke, there¡¯s someone waiting for you in your office,¡± he said, his voice low.


    I arched an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding settling in the pit of my stomach. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    He hesitated before answering, ¡°It¡¯s your grandfather.¡±


    My blood ran cold at the mention of him. I knew this wasn¡¯t going to be a pleasant visit, not after


    everything that had been happening for the past two days. Rtionships had been


    ruined somehow; things weren¡¯t how they used to be.


    With a nod, I brushed past Jack and headed towards my office, steeling myself for whatever


    confrontationy ahead.


    I opened the door, and the sight that greeted me only fueled my growing anger. My


    grandfather sat behind my desk, his stern gaze fixed on me, while Ariel¡¯s father stood beside


    him.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I demanded, my voice sharp with frustration. ¡°What the hell is this golddigger doing at


    my office?¡±


    ¡°You better watch your mouth, Luke. Gray is not a golddigger,¡± my grandfather defended


    him.


    ¡°Oh, really? If he¡¯s not, then why are all these rumors going around? Why does he want me to marry


    his daughter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who wants that the most, actually,¡± my grandfather answered calmly, giving me all of his


    attention. ¡°You see, Luke.¡°This whole marriage thing was actually my idea. Drugging the both of you,


    getting you two close to each other, and the journalists¨Cthey were all my idea.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    My grandfather glimpsed at Ariel¡¯s father before she continued his talk. ¡°Ariel is a nice woman. I¡¯ve


    heard so much about her, and I believe she will be your perfect wife.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t going to be perfect for me. I¡¯m even sure she is a golddigger too, just like her father!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± My grandfather barked. ¡°Enough, Luke. You will not continue to speak nonsense at Gray.¡±


    ¡°I will speak however I please, especially when it concerns my life and mypany!¡± I retorted. I didn¡¯t


    know what had gotten into me, but I was so crazy and mad as hell at the


    moment.


    Ariel¡¯s father, Gray, stepped forward. ¡°Luke, you need to understand the bigger picture here. Ariel is a


    nice woman; you two will be perfect, and everyone would want to have a rtionship like that between


    the both of you.¡±


    I scoffed at his words, my frustration reaching its boiling point. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about that stupid


    future. This is my life we¡¯re talking about, and I refuse to be a pawn in your game.


    My grandfather¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°You need to think about the greater good, the happiness you¡¯ll find


    living with Ariel. Stop being ignorant!¡±


    I shook my head, refusing to back down. ¡°I¡¯m not being ignorant. I just don¡¯t want to make a mistake


    that¡¯s going to ruin my life forever.¡±


    A tense silence descended upon the room, broken only by the sound of my rapid breathing. I knew that


    this confrontation was far from over, but I also knew I had to stand my ground, no matter the cost.

 Chapter 373

    373: STORM BREWING


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    ¡°I know what this is really about, Grandfather,¡± I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging within


    me. ¡°You and Gray are just trying to save his precious business from falling apart. ¡°You two don¡¯t care


    about Ariel or me. All you care about is maintaining the wealth.¡±


    My grandfather¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing with anger. ¡°How dare you speak to me like


    that, Luke? You need to learn your ce.¡±


    ¡°My ce? I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what my ce is. You and Gray haven¡¯t arranged my marriage. ¡°It¡¯s


    standing up for what I believe in, even if it means going against you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to do what¡¯s best for the family,¡± my grandfather insisted. His voice was growing colder


    with


    each word.


    We had never had a heated argument like this before, but I couldn¡¯t help it. This was my life; we were


    talking about it here. My life!


    a


    ¡°Well, what about what¡¯s best for me?¡± I shot back. ¡°No one can force me into a marriage I don¡¯t want.¡±


    Not by you, not by Gray, not by anyone.¡±


    ¡°You will do as I say, Luke,¡± my grandfather dered, his tone final. ¡°This marriage will take ce


    whether you like it or not.¡±


    I felt a surge of anger and frustration coursing through me like a fire burning in my chest. ¡°No, not sure


    if I have anything to say about it.¡±


    it won¡¯t.¡± ¡®m


    With that, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the office, leaving my grandfather¡¯s words echoing in


    the empty corridors behind me.


    I knew that this was just the beginning of this crazy situation. But Harriet was the one I loved, and trust


    me, no matter the obstacles that stood in my way, I would fight to ensure that my future remained in my


    own hands.


    Storming out of the building, my mind was a vortex of emotions. I wasn¡¯t so focused on my walk that I


    almost collided with Daniel, who was waiting outside the building.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± Daniel spoke, and his features were filled


    with concern. Yeah, always the caring guy, I¡¯d say.


    I paused, taking a moment to collect myself before responding. ¡°It¡¯s my grandfather. ¡°He¡¯s trying to


    force me into a marriage with Ariel, all for the sake of his business.¡±


    ¡°A marriage? But I thought you were in love with Harriet.¡±


    Was he surprised or what?


    I gave him a skeptical look. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard the news?¡±


    ¡°Well, I did hear something like that.¡°I didn¡¯t take it seriously. I hate listening to storiesing from the


    373: STORM BREWING


    news; they¡¯re filled with fake shit most of the time, bute on, I thought you were in love with Harriet.¡±


    I am,¡± I replied right away. ¡°But my grandfather doesn¡¯t care about that.¡°All he cares about is his helping


    that man¡¯s worthless business.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s expression tumed grave, his eyes searching mine. ¡°Luke, I know you¡¯re angry, but you can¡¯t


    disobey your grandfather. He¡¯s the head of the family, and going against him could ruin your


    rtionship


    with him forever.¡±


    1 shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and let him control my life. I have to fight for what I believe in,


    for


    the woman I love.¡±


    ¡°But at what cost, Luke?¡± Daniel pressed. ¡°Is it worth sacrificing your rtionship with your grandfather


    and with your family for this?¡±


    I hesitated, the weight of Daniel¡¯s words sinking in. He was right¨Cmy father wouldn¡¯t want to see me


    tear apart the family like this. But I couldn¡¯t ignore the fire burning within me¨Cthe desire to carve out my


    own path, regardless of the consequences.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted, the uncertainty gnawing at my insides. However, I cannot simply allow others


    to dictate my life. I have to take a stand, for better or for worse.¡±


    Daniel sighed, cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Just think about it, Luke. Think about what your father


    would want and what¡¯s truly best for you in the long run.


    ¡°Do you think my father would want this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luke. But I¡¯m pretty sure he wouldn¡¯t want you to destroy your rtionship with your


    grandfather.¡±


    ¡°You do not know what you are saying. You didn¡¯t meet me before he died.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, I didn¡¯t meet him. Cool. But I have the feeling¨Cthe feeling that he wouldn¡¯t want this


    chaos going around in the family. He wouldn¡¯t want you guys fighting like this.¡±


    I exhaled deeply, fixing both of my hands on my waist, ¡°Yeah, that might be right.¡±


    Daniel continued, ¡°Luke, I know this is difficult, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the sake


    of our rtionships with our family. You don¡¯t want to regret your decisionster on.¡±


    I nodded slowly, acknowledging his words, but my mind was still a typhoon of conflicting thoughts and


    emotions. The force of the situation bore down on me, pressing against my chest like a suffocating


    nket


    Turning away from Daniel, I walked a few steps, distancing myself from the bustling street and the city¡¯s


    noise. Finding a bench tucked away in a quiet corner of the park, I sank down onto it, feeling the cool


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    metal beneath me.


    My thoughts enveloped me like a cloak, offering a moment of respite from the chaos of my


    abstractions. But even in the stillness, I couldn¡¯t find rity. My mind raced with questions, doubts, and


    fears, each one moring for my attention.


    Was I making the right decision by defying my grandfather? Was I jeopardizing my rtionship with him


    57S STORM BREWING


    beyond repair? But what about Harriet? Was she worth risking everything for?


    I closed my eyes, attempting to silence the cacophony of voices in my head. But no matter how hard i


    tried, I couldn¡¯t shake the sense of unease that lingered within me.


    Lost in my thoughts, I didn¡¯t notice the passage of time¨Cthe sun sinking lower in the sky, casting long


    shadows across the park. The world around me seemed to fade away, leaving me alone with my


    doubts


    and fears.


    The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with obstacles and challenges. But one thing was clear: I


    couldn¡¯t continue to ignore the turmoil brewing within me. I had to confront it and make a decision that


    would shape the course of my future, no matter how daunting it may be.


    With a heavy sigh, I rose from the bench, the burden of the world resting heavy on my shoulders. The


    sun had gone below the horizon, and I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be drowning in these thoughts forever.


    Bracing myself for the challenges ahead, I squared my shoulders and began to make my way back to


    the office, ready to face whatever maye


    I was on my way back to thepany, lost in my goddamn thoughts, and I didn¡¯t notice the figure


    walking towards me until it was toote. I collided with someone with a jolt, nearly knocking them off


    their feet.


    ¡°Hey, watch where you¡¯re going!¡± A sharp voice uttered suddenly, and I didn¡¯t hesitate to look at who it


    was. The person I had collided with.

 Chapter 374

    374: WOES AT WORK


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    I looked up to see a journalist standing before me, a determined look in her eyes no she held out n


    recording device, ready to capture my every word.


    ¡°Mr. Reynold, can youment on the rumors circting about your engagernent to Ariel Gray?¡± she


    asked, her voice insistent.


    I froze, just giving her a face that showed how disgusting she was. Questions about my personal life,


    especially from nosy journalists, were thest thing I needed right now.


    ¡°I have noment at this time.¡± I replied curtly, attempting to brush past her.


    However, she persisted, stepping into my path and blocking my way. ¡°But surely you must have


    something to say about the rumors? Is it true that your grandfather nned the whole thing?¡±


    I gritted my teeth, my frustration mounting with each passing second. I had no desire to engage in a


    conversation with this woman, especially not about something as personal as my rtionship.


    ¡°Look, I said I had noment,¡± I snapped. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have important matters to


    attend


    to.¡±


    I maneuvered around her and continued on my way, ignoring her protests as she called out after me. I


    had more pressing issues to address, and thest thing I needed was to be entangled in a media


    frenzy.


    I reached the office building, opened the door and stepped inside. I could notice how my workers were


    staring at me, and they continued their whispers, which was really irritating. I didn¡¯t want to listen to it


    any


    further.


    As I entered the office building, the whispers and stares of my workers only served to heighten my


    frustration. I could feel their eyes on me; their murmurs were growing louder as I passed by. It was as if


    they were waiting for some sort of exnation, some confirmation of the rumors that had been


    circting about me.


    Fed up with the spection and gossip, I mmed my hand down on the nearest desk, causing


    everyone to jump and fall silent. All eyes turned to me; their gazes fixed on my furious expression.


    ¡°If anyone has a problem with me, say it to my face!¡± I bellowed, my voice echoing through the office. ¡°I


    won¡¯t tolerate this behind¨Cthe¨Cback chatter any longer!¡±


    But no one spoke up. They simply stared back at me, their expressions a mix of fear and uncertainty. It


    was clear that none of them were willing to confront me directly, preferring instead to whisper and


    specte about the safety of their cliques.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I spat, my anger boiling over. ¡°If none of you have the guts to speak up, then don¡¯t expect me to


    stick around and listen to your cowardice.¡±


    With that, I turned on my heel and stormed to my office, not bothering to give any of them a second


    374 WOES AT WORK


    nce. They didn¡¯t deserve it, not after their spineless behavior.


    It appeared that not even these goddamn employees were on my side. I always treated people nicely.


    making their ce of work a paradise for them. But to hell with their bad, useless thinking.


    I refused to let their opinions dictate my actions, I had made my decision and would stand by it, no


    matter the consequences. I firmly believed that this was the intended oue.


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I sat alone at the coffee shop, and my mind raced with thoughts of the choos that had engulfed my life.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at me, knowing that my own parents had arranged


    this entire mess without my consent.


    I nced at my watch, noting that Tessa was running a few minuteste. I sighed, hoping that she


    would arrive soon so we could delve into the tropical storm of emotions swirling inside me.


    Finally, Tessa rushed in, her cheeks flushed from the brisk walk. She slid into the seat next to me, her


    eyes filling with concern as she took in my troubled expression.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯mte,¡± she apologized breathlessly. ¡°I got caught up in traffic. Are you okay?¡±


    I forced a smile, grateful for her presence. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tessa. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re here.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    She reached out and squeezed my hand, her touch offering a small measure offort. ¡°So, what¡¯s


    been


    going on? You sounded really upset on the phone.¡±


    I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the flood of emotions that threatened to consume me. ¡°It¡¯s my


    parents, Tessa. They¡¯ve betrayed me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡°How could they betray you?¡±


    I recounted the events of the past few days, from the revtion of the forced marriage to my parents¡®


    role in orchestrating the whole debacle. As I spoke, the weight of the truth settled heavily within me, the


    betrayal cutting deep.


    Tessa listened intently, her expression abination of anger and sympathy. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they


    would do something like that to you, Ariel. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s despicable


    ¡°I know,¡± I replied softly. ¡°I thought they had my best interests at heart, but now I realize they only care


    about their own selfish ambitions.¡±


    Tessa reached out and took my hand in hers, offering silent support. ¡°You deserve so much better than


    this, Ariel. You deserve to be loved and respected, not treated like some pawn in their game.¡±


    I nodded, heeding her words. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do, Tessa. Everything is


    now.¡±


    just so messed up right


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out together. You¡¯re not alone in this, Ariel. I¡¯ll stand by you every step of the way.¡±


    I took a deep breath, my eyes narrowing, but then I nced at Tessa. ¡°But you want to know


    something?¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± She asked right away, shooting me a curious face.


    374 WOES AT WORK.


    3/3


    ¡°I feel kind of bad for being mad at my parents.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Ariel. I don¡¯t get you. Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯re¡±


    ¡°Thinking of getting married to Luke? Yes, I cut her off.


    ¡°Seriously? You were against this a minute ago, and suddenly, you¡¯ve changed your mind.¡±


    ¡°These past few minutes in silence, I had to think things through. It¡¯s about my family¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course it¡¯s about your family¡¯s business, Tessa blurted out promptly. ¡°They did you wrong, and


    now you¡¯re feeling bad for getting mad at them? Seriously, Ariel?¡±


    ¡°Their business will fall, Tessa. I need to get married to Luke to stop that from happening.¡±


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious about this, Tessa.¡±


    ¡°But you are human, Ariel,¡± she told me loudly. ¡°You have feelings. You can¡¯t just let anyone treat you


    like shit. You can¡¯t let them take advantage of your kindness.¡±


    ¡°I understand your point, Tessa. My parents did wrong; there is no doubt about that. But they were only


    doing it to secure the future. My father worked so hard to get to where he is today. He wanted the best


    for me and my mother and for our family. And seeing all of that going down the drain, I can tell he¡¯s


    broken. He¡¯s ruining the better future he wanted for me. This is the only way.¡±


    ¡°The only way to do what, huh?¡± A man uttered it suddenly.

 Chapter 375

    375: DISPUTING ASSUMPTIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Their business will fall, Tessa. I need to get married to Luke to stop that from happening,¡± I said to


    Tessa, trying to make her understand the talk around here.


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± She shook her head; her tone was inaudible.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious about this, Tessa.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    you are human, Ariel,¡± she vocalized loudly. ¡°You have feelings. You can¡¯t just let anyone treat you like


    shit. You can¡¯t let them take advantage of your kindness.¡±


    ¡°I understand your point, Tessa. My parents did wrong; there is no doubt about that. But they were only


    doing it to secure the future. My father worked so hard to get to where he is today. He wanted the best


    for me and my mother and for our family. And seeing all of that going down the drain, I can tell he¡¯s


    broken. He¡¯s ruining the better future he wanted for me. This is the only way.¡±


    ¡°The only way to do what, huh?¡± A man uttered it suddenly.


    Turning around, Tessa and I met the intense gaze of this man standing close to our table. He wore a


    navy. suit, exuding a sharp and polished appearance. However, his eyes were filled with rage and fixed


    on me.


    Despite the anger in his eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how handsome he was, with his dark hair and


    well- structured shoulders. He was undoubtedly formidable, yet he exuded an indisputable charm.


    Tessa and I exchanged confused nces, wondering who this mysterious man could be and why my


    words had caused a strong reaction from him.


    ¡°Uhmm, excuse me, who are you?¡± I asked in curiosity, as this man wouldn¡¯t stop ring at me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡± He raised his brows in fury.


    I made a confused face, processing his words. ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He snarled, mming our table, causing me to shudder.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you do that? Don¡¯t you have some respect?¡® Tessa fired


    at


    him.


    His gaze went back to me, the anger still in his eyes. ¡°Are you happy with what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What are you talking about?¡± I asked him, still in confusion.


    Who was this man, and why was he unleashing his anger on us?


    My mind raced, trying to connect the dots. Who could he be, and why did my words trigger such a


    visceral reaction? Could he be a rtive of Luke, the man I was considering marrying to rescue my


    family¡¯s business? Or perhaps he had ties to my own family and was aware of the turmoil surrounding


    ourpany?


    375 DISPUTING ASSUMPTI


    ¡°You still don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about, Ariel. You still don¡¯t?¡±


    He knew my name. Okay, what the hell was going on?


    ¡°Please introduce yourself to me,¡± I told him calmly.


    ¡°I am the man your father wants you to get married tol¡±


    My eyes widened immediately. ¡°So, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am Luke Reynold. Are you surprised?¡±


    Tm just¡­


    ¡°Speechless? Yeah, I know. ¡°That¡¯s what I get from a fucking golddigger.¡±


    ¡°You have to be respectful!¡± Tessa snapped at him.


    ¡°Golddiggers do not deserve respect,¡± he retorted, ring at Tessa. ¡°And you¡¯re definitely one of them,


    since you¡¯re good friends with her.¡±


    ¡°You idiot. Don¡¯t you dare talk nonsense!¡± She fired back at him.


    ¡°Tessa, calm down,¡± I interjected, trying to diffuse the escting tension between her and Luke.


    But Tessa was not one to back down easily. ¡°You have some nerve, Luke! Calling Ariel a golddigger?


    You


    don¡¯t know anything about her or the sacrifices she¡¯s making for her family.¡±


    Luke scoffed, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk, ¡°Oh, please, spare me the sob story. Ariel here is


    willing to marry me just to salvage her family¡¯s sinking ship of business. If that¡¯s not textbook


    golddigging.


    then I don¡¯t know what is.¡±


    I felt a surge of anger rising within me at Luke¡¯s callous words. ¡°How dare you speak about my family


    like that? You know nothing about the struggles we¡¯ve faced.¡±


    ¡°And you know nothing about honor or integrity,¡± Luke shot back, his voice dripping with contempt.


    You¡¯re willing to throw yourself at the first rich man whoes along just to save face. It¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s eyes zed with fury as she stepped closer to Luke, her fists clenched at her sides. ¡°You have


    no


    right to judge Ariel or her family. You¡¯re just as much a part of this twisted game as anyone else.¡±


    Luke¡¯s gaze hardened as he met Tessa¡¯s re head¨Con. ¡°And what about you?¡°Are you here to y


    the role of the loyal sidekick, defending Ariel at every turn? ¡°Or do you have your own agenda to fulfill?¡±


    Before Tessa could respond, I stepped between them, my voice trembling with emotion. ¡°Stop it, both


    of you! This isn¡¯t helping anyone. We need to find a way to resolve this situation without tearing each


    other apart.¡±


    For a moment, there was silence as the weight of my words hung heavy in the air. Then, with a


    resigned sigh, I turned to Luke.


    ¡°And as for you, Luke, if you truly care about me, then try to understand the position I¡¯m in. This isn¡¯t


    just about me or my family¨Cit¡¯s about finding a solution that works for everyone involved.¡±


    375 DISPUTING ASSUMPTIONS


    ¡°Hold on, are you seriously saying that right now? Do you believe that I care about you? I don¡¯t even


    know you. The only thing I know is that you are a golddigger.¡±


    ¡°I feel like pping you right now!¡± Tessa barked.


    ¡°For saying the Luke blurted out. ¡°It¡¯s clear, isn¡¯t it? That Arlel right here is working with her family on


    this one. They need money; that¡¯s what their whole life is about.¡±


    ¡°You have the wrong impression of Ariel. She¡¯s not the person you¡¯re making her out to be.¡±


    Luke scoffed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. ¡°Oh please. I¡¯ve seen her type before¨Cwilling to do


    anything for a quick buck, even if it means selling herself to the highest bidder.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Luke! You have no right to judge Ariel or her family. You don¡¯t know anything about the


    struggles they¡¯ve faced.¡±


    ¡°Tessa¡¯s right,¡± I chimed in. ¡°You do not know me, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Spare me the theatrics, Ariel.¡°I¡¯ve heard it all before. You¡¯re just another greedy opportunist looking for


    a


    handout.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s eyes zed with fury as she stepped forward, her fists clenched at her sides. ¡°How dare you


    speak to her like that? You don¡¯t know anything about her or what she¡¯s been through.¡±


    Luke¡¯s lips curled into a disdainful smirk. ¡°And I suppose you do? What makes you think you have the


    right


    to defend her?¡±


    ¡°Because unlike you, I care about Ariel,¡± Tessa shot back. ¡°And I won¡¯t stand by and let you insult her


    like


    this.¡±


    I could feel the tension in the air thickening with each passing moment, and I knew that if I didn¡¯t


    intervene soon, things would only escte further. Taking a deep breath, I stepped between them, my


    voice firm.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I was bawling, my eyes darting between Luke and Tessa.

 Chapter 376

    376: BURDENED HEARTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I interjected firmly, stepping between Luke and Tessa. ¡°We¡¯re not getting anywhere by


    arguing like this.¡°We need to find a way to settle everything calmly and rationally.¡±


    Tessa nodded in agreement; her expression was still heated with anger. ¡°She¡¯s right. This isn¡¯t helping


    anyone.¡±


    But Luke just scoffed, his eyes zing with frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in ying nice around here.


    This whole situation is a mess, and it¡¯s up to you to put an end to it.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m trying, Luke. But we need to work together on this. Fighting amongst ourselves


    won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    He crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw clenched in frustration. ¡°Well, you better figure something


    out fast. I¡¯m not sticking around to watch this circus any longer.¡±


    Before I could respond, he turned on his heel and stormed away, leaving Tessa and me standing in


    stunned silence.


    Tessa sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. ¡°Well, that went well.¡±


    I let out a frustrated groan. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Tessa. Everything¡¯s falling apart, and I can¡¯t seem


    to


    fix it.¡±


    Tessa ced aforting hand on my shoulder, offering me a reassuring smile. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,


    Ariel. Together.¡±


    I nodded, drawing strength from her words. ¡°You¡¯re right, Tessa. We¡¯ll find a way to get through this.


    Together.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to do? Are you going to get married to Luke?¡±


    ¡°What do you think I should do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ariel. You¡¯re the one who makes the choice, since it¡¯s your life.¡±


    ¡°But advice from a friend wouldn¡¯t actually be a bad idea.¡±


    Tessa suspired, shaking her head. I¡¯let out a deep breath, still thinking about how I was going to handle


    this situation. It was really messy, and I hoped all this would just stop.


    I arrived home to find my parents sitting in the living room, their faces drawn with worry. As I


    approached, the atmosphere seemed heavy with strain, and I knew that whatever I was about to say


    would only add to their worries.


    After a few minutes of silence, I gathered my courage and spoke up. ¡°Mom, Dad, we need to talk.¡±


    RDENED HEART


    2/3


    They both looked up at me, concern etched in their expressions. ¡°What is it, Arlel? What¡¯s wrong?¡± My


    mom asked, her voice filled with apprehension.


    I took a deep breath, bracing myself for their reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision,¡± I began, my voice


    trembling. slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Luke.¡±


    My parents¡® eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, there was nothing but stunned silence in the


    room. ¡°Ariel, are you sure about this?¡± My dad asked, as if this wasn¡¯t what he wanted.


    What the hell! Sometimes, I just wonder how these people think things through. Everything right now is


    just so annoying. But anyway, I would just have to go on with the act.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, Dad. This is what you wanted, right? To save the business.¡±


    My mom reached out and took my hand, her eyes searching mine for any sign of doubt. ¡°But,


    sweetheart, are you sure this is what you want?¡±


    I was still surprised by their questions. What if I said no? What were they going to do? Were they going


    to put an end to the nonsense that was already taking ce? Certainly not!


    I didn¡¯t want to be the bad person around here. So if marrying Luke would make these people happy


    and bring their business back to stability, then I was ready to follow through with it.


    I forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mom, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make the business great again.¡±


    They exchanged a worried nce, clearly still processing my sudden deration.


    ¡°And you¡¯re fine with this?¡± My dad looked at me pretty well.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, Dad. I¡¯m sure. That¡¯s what you want, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is, Ariel,¡± he replied silently, closing both of his eyes.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll get married to Luke because my parents want that.¡±


    With that, I turned and walked away, leaving my parents behind in a state of shock.


    I made my way to my room, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. But


    despite the doubts swirling in my mind, I knew that I had made my decision. And now, I would have to


    live with


    the consequences.


    LUKE¡¯S POV


    Iy in bed at the hotel, and Ariel¡¯s image dominated my thoughts. Even though there was turmoil


    surrounding her, her resolution was evident in her eyes, sparking an undeniable attraction within me.


    Despite my initial belief that, she was merely another golddigger, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there


    was more to her than met the eye. Her sincerity in wanting to help her family hinted at a deeper


    motivation, one that left me questioning the assumptions I had made.


    But fuck that! It wasn¡¯t going to change my goddamn feelings about her. She wanted money, and I was


    376 BURDENED HEARTS


    pretty sure the good face was nothing but an act. I didn¡¯t know why I was thinking positively about her.


    Under the surface, my grandfather¡¯s ultimatum weighed heavily on my conscience. While I had always


    been obedient to his wishes, the prospect of marrying a stranger like Ariel made me doubt whether I


    was making the right decision.


    The sound of the bathroom door opening abruptly jolted me out of my reverie. Harriet emerged;


    concern was disyed in her eyes as she wrapped a towel around her slender frame.


    ¡°Luke, are you okay?¡± she asked, making a worried face.


    I hesitated, unable to immediately respond as Ariel¡¯s presence still lingered in my mind. I didn¡¯t want to


    tell Harriet what happened at the coffee shop or the thoughts that kept revolving in my head right now. I


    didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    Harriet approached me, her touch gentle as she trailed her hand over my chest. ¡°Luke, talk to me.


    What¡¯s going on?¡±


    With a heavy sigh, I finally turned to face her. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m not sure about all of this, Harriet.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡°About us?¡±


    Shaking my head, I rified, ¡°No, not about us. About everything. My grandfather¡¯s demands, this


    whole. situation with Ariel¡­ I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s expression softened; her concern was clear as she held my hand softly. ¡°Luke, you don¡¯t have


    to face this alone. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    Despite herforting words, I couldn¡¯t throw away the load of uncertainty that pressed upon me. ¡°I


    appreciate that, Harriet. Truly, I do. But right now, I just need some time to think.¡±


    Her disappointment was evident, yet she nodded with understanding. ¡°Okay, Luke. I¡¯ll give you the


    space you need. Just know that I¡¯m here for you, no matter what.¡±


    I managed a weak smile, grateful for her support. But even as she sought to distract me, I found myself


    unable to shake the unease that clung to my thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Harriet,¡± I murmured, gently pushing her away. ¡°I¡¯m just not in the mood right now.¡±


    Her crestfallen expression mirrored my inner turmoil as she retreated to her side of the bed. Left alone


    with my thoughts once more, I couldn¡¯t help but feel consumed by the dubiety of Ariel¡¯s presence and


    the daunting future thaty ahead.

 Chapter 377

    377: HEART¡¯S CONUNDRUM


    ARIELS POV


    1y in bed, staring up at the ceiling in the dimly lit room, feeling the weight of the decision I had just


    made pretnog down on me. The events of the day reyed in my mind like a broken record, each


    moment more chaotic than thest


    Manying Luke. The mere thought sent shivers down my spine. Would I ever be able to truly love him, or


    would our marriage be nothing more than a facade, ¨¤ means to an end? And what about his feelings


    toward me? Would he evere to see me as anything more than a pawn in his family¡¯s game?


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what our life together would be like. Would he treat me with the same


    contempt he had shown earlier, or would he eventually soften toward me? Could a marriage based on


    duty instead of love bring me happiness?


    As I pondered these questions, a sense of dread settled over me like a suffocating nket. The


    prospect of spending the rest of my life with someone who may never truly care for me filled me with a


    profound


    sense of loneliness.


    But then again, maybe I was just being pessimistic. Perhaps Luke and I could find a way to make our


    mamage work, to build something meaningful out of the chaos that surrounded us. After all, strange


    things had happened, hadn¡¯t they?


    With a heavy sigh. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift into the realm of uncertainty. Unsure of


    what the future held, I was determined to face it head¨Con. Whatever challengesy ahead, I would


    confront them with courage and resilience, for better or for worse.


    As I drifted into the realm of sleep, my mind became a canvas for twisted visions and haunting images.


    In the darkness behind my closed eyelids, I found myself standing in a dark room, surrounded by an


    eerie


    silence that seemed to suffocate me.


    Before me, a figure emerged, d in a flowing white wedding dress that billowed around her like a


    ghostly shroud My heart quickened as I realized that the figure was none other than myself, but there


    was something horribly wrong, something sinister lurking beneath the surface.


    The pristine white of the gown was tainted with streaks of crimson, and the fabric was soaked in blood


    that dripped from every seam. My hands trembled as I reached out to touch the dress, feeling the sticky


    warmth of blood against my skin.


    A sense of dread washed over me as I looked down at myself, my reflection distorted by the darkness


    that seemed to seep into every corner of the room. My once¨Cbeautiful wedding dress was now a


    macabre tableau of horror, a symbol of the nightmares that haunted my subconscious.


    Fear paralyzed me as I tried to scream and tear myself away from the ghastly sight before me. And


    then, from the shadows, a figure emerged, his features twisted into a grotesque mask of rage and


    malice.


    It was Luke, but he was no longer the man I thought I knew. His eyes burned with an evil light as he


    stalked towards me, his hands outstretched as if to im me as his own. I tried to flee, but my legs


    refused to move, leaving me helpless against the approaching horror.


    ATT HEARTS COMUNDA


    377: HEART¡¯S CONUNDRUM


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Iy in bed, staring up at the ceiling in the dimly lit room, feeling the weight of the decision I had just


    made pressing down on me. The events of the day reyed in my mind like a broken record, each


    moment more chaotic than thest.


    Marrying Luke. The mere thought sent shivers down my spine. Would I ever be able to truly love him,


    or


    would our marriage be nothing more than a facade, a means to an end? And what about his feelings


    toward me? Would he evere to see me as anything more than a pawn in his family¡¯s game?


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what our life together would be like. Would he treat me with the same


    contempt he had shown earlier, or would he eventually soften toward me? Could a marriage based on


    duty instead of love bring me happiness?


    As I pondered these questions, a sense of dread settled over me like a suffocating nket. The


    prospect of spending the rest of my life with someone who may never truly care for me filled me with a


    profound


    sense of loneliness


    But then again, maybe I was just being pessimistic. Perhaps Luke and I could find a way to make our


    marriage work, to build something meaningful out of the chaos that surrounded us. After all, strange


    things had happened, hadn¡¯t they?


    With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift into the realm of uncertainty. Unsure of


    what the future held. I was determined to face it head¨Con. Whatever challengesy ahead, I would


    confront them with courage and resilience, for better or for worse.


    As I drifted into the realm of sleep, my mind became a canvas for twisted visions and haunting images.


    In the darkness behind my closed eyelids, I found myself standing in a dark room, surrounded by an


    eerie


    silence that seemed to suffocate me.


    Before me, a figure emerged, d in a flowing white wedding dress that billowed around her like a


    ghostly shroud. My heart quickened as I realized that the figure was none other than myself, but there


    was something horribly wrong, something sinister lurking beneath the surface.


    The pristine white of the gown was tainted with streaks of crimson, and the fabric was soaked in blood


    that dripped from every seam. My hands trembled as I reached out to touch the dress, feeling the sticky


    warmth of blood against my skin.


    A sense of dread washed over me as I looked down at myself, my reflection distorted by the darkness


    that seemed to seep into every corner of the room. My once¨Cbeautiful wedding dress was now a


    macabre tableau of horror, a symbol of the nightmares that haunted my subconscious.


    Fear paralyzed me as I tried to scream and tear myself away from the ghastly sight before me. And


    then, from the shadows, a figure emerged, his features twisted into a grotesque mask of rage and


    malice.


    It was Luke, but he was no longer the man I thought I knew. His eyes burned with an evil light as he


    stalked towards me, his hands outstretched as if to im me as his own. I tried to flee, but my legs


    refused to move, leaving me helpless against the approaching horror.


    1


    With a guttural roar, Luke lunged towards me, his hands wrapping around my throat with a vice¨Clike


    grip. I struggled against him, gasping for breath as the world around me began to blur and fade.


    And then, with a final, desperate gasp. I jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat and trembling from


    head to toe. The echoes of the nightmare lingered in my mind, leaving me shaken and disoriented,


    unsure of what was real and what was merely a trick of the darkness.


    I shot up in bed, my heart pounding in my chest as the remnants of the nightmare clung to my


    consciousness like cobwebs. With trembling hands, I reached for the Inmp on my bedside table and


    flicked it on, flooding the room with light that banished the shadows to the cornorn.


    swung my legs over the side of the bed; the excellent wood beneath my feet offered a smallfort


    against the lingering terror of the dream. I stumbled towards the bathroom, the floorboards creaking


    beneath me with each step, as if echoing the unease in my own mind.


    Turning on the faucet, I sshed cold water onto my face, the shock of the chill helping to ground me


    in reality. I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, the lines of exhaustion etched into my features betraying


    the restless night I had endured.


    The image of the blood¨Csoaked wedding dress shed before my eyes, sending a shiver down my


    spine. It was just a dream, I told myself, a figment of my overactive imagination. However, the fear


    persisted, unabated by reason alone.


    I leaned against the sink, gripping the edge tightly as I tried to steady my breathing. The memory of


    Luke¡¯s twisted visage haunted me, a stark reminder of the uncertainty thaty ahead.


    With a heavy sigh, I sshed my face once more, willing the nightmare to fade into the recesses of my


    mind. I couldn¡¯t let fear dictate my future; I couldn¡¯t allow the specter of doubt to overshadow the


    choices


    I had made.


    Bracing myself, I straightened up and met my own gaze in the mirror, determination flickering in the


    depths of my tired eyes. I would confront the challenges ahead with courage and resilience, not


    allowing the shadows of my subconscious to imprison me.


    Turning off the faucet, I left the bathroom and returned to the dark room, the warmth of the light offering


    a small beacon of hope in the darkness. With each step, I felt the weight of the decision I had made


    pressing down on me once more, but this time, I refused to let it suffocate me.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Taking a deep breath, I climbed back into bed, pulling the covers tightly around me as I settled in for


    what remained of the night. The echoes of the nightmare still whispered at the edges of my


    consciousness, but I refused to let them define me.


    Closing my eyes, I focused on the steady rhythm of my own heartbeat, letting it guide me back towards


    the realm of sleep. Whatever trials awaited me in the days ahead, I would face them with courage and


    conviction, determined to carve out my own path amidst the chaos.


    Iy in bed, surrounded by the suffocating silence of the night, my mind still reeling from the horrors of


    the dream that had torn me from sleep. Despite my best efforts to push the memories away, they


    persistently loomed like shadows in the corners of my mind, demanding attention.


    I shifted restlessly beneath the covers, trying to find a position that would offer sce from the


    relentless


    grip of insomnia. But no matter how I tossed and turned, sleep remained elusive, slipping through my


    fingers like sand.


    The weight of the decision to many Luke bore down on me like a leaden weight, pressing against my


    chest with eachbored breath. Doubt gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, whispering cruel


    reminders of the uncertainty that awaited me in the days toe.


    EMBERS OF FEAR:

 Chapter 378

    378: EMBERS OF FEAR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With a frustrated sigh, I threw off the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed, the cool air of


    the room offering a stark contrast to the fevered heat that pulsed beneath my skin. I ran a hand through


    my tangled hair, trying to quiet the tumult of thoughts that churned within me.


    The soft glow of themp cast long shadows against the walls, their dance a mocking reminder of the


    darkness that lurked just beyond the reach of the light. I shivered, feeling as though I were teetering on


    the edge of a precipice, poised to plunge into the abyss below.


    I paced the room, the floorboards creaking beneath my weight as I sought refuge from the turmoil of my


    own mind. But no matter where I turned, the specter of doubt followed, its icy grip tightening with each


    passing moment.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I longed for thefort of sleep and the respite it promised from the relentless onught of my own


    fears. But as the hours stretched on, it became increasingly clear that rest would note easily, if it


    came at all.


    With a heavy heart, I returned to bed, pulling the covers tightly around me as if they could offer


    protection from the demons that haunted my dreams. Closing my eyes, I tried to quiet the tumult of my


    thoughts and find some semnce of peace amidst the chaos.


    But as the night wore on, the darkness only seemed to deepen, enveloping me in its cold embrace.


    And as the first light of dawn began to filter through the curtains, I realized that sleep would remain a


    distant dream, forever out of reach in the wake of the nightmare that had consumed me.


    I sat in the darkness, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me like a suffocating nket, and


    then a soft knock echoed through the room, breaking the silence. My heart lurched in my chest, a surge


    of panic coursing through me at the unexpected interruption.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I called out, my voice barely above a whisper, hoping against hope that the answer would


    offer some reprieve from the fermentation that churned within me.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Ariel, came the familiar voice of my mother. ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob as conflicting emotions warred within me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom,¡± I replied, with my voice shuddering. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t right now. I just need some time


    alone.¡±


    There was a pause, as if she were considering my words, before she spoke again, her tone softer now,


    moving with understanding. ¡°Alright, sweetheart. But just know that I¡¯m here for you, whenever you¡¯re


    ready to talk.¡±


    I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me as tears pricked at the corners of my


    eyes. ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible even to my own ears.


    With a heavy heart, I listened as her footsteps retreated down the hallway, leaving me once more


    alone. with my thoughts.


    1378 EMBERS OF FEAR


    2/3


    And as the echoes of her presence faded into the distance, I knew that the battle raging within me was


    not done yet. But for now, I would face it alone, drawing strength from the flickering ember of hope that


    still burned within me, refusing to be extinguished by the darkness that threatened to consume me


    whole.


    I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and walking to my bed. I drove my hands through my hair,


    wondering why she hade to see me.


    I woke up from my fitful sleep, my body feeling heavy and sluggish from the restless night. Rubbing the


    sleep from my eyes, I sat up slowly, blinking away the remnants of the haunting dreams that had


    gued


    1. me.


    With a deep breath, I pushed back the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed, the cool


    wooden floor offering a wee contrast to the fevered heat that still lingered within me. Standing up, I


    stretched my arms above my head, trying to shake off the lingering sense of unease that clung to me


    like a stubborn shadow.


    The soft light of morning filled the room, bringing about everything in a gentle glow that seemed to


    soothe the edges of my frayed nerves. Gathering my resolve, I made my way to the bathroom, the tiles


    cool beneath my bare feet as I turned on the faucet and waited for the water to warm.


    Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water cascade over me, washing away the remnants of the night


    and easing the tension that had settled into my muscles. Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to simply


    be in the moment, letting the rhythmic sound of the water wash away the echoes of the darkness that


    had threatened to consume me.


    I emerged from the shower, wrapped in a fluffy towel, and I felt a sense of renewal wash over me, as if


    the act of cleansing had somehow purged the lingering doubts that had gued me.


    Still thinking about how the life would turn out to be, I set about getting ready for the day ahead, feeling


    a sense of rity guiding my every movement.


    I stepped out of the bathroom, and I went to pick a dress. Just when I was doing that, I heard multiple


    notifications pop up on my phone. So, I took a hold of my phone, and these notifications were all about


    me and Luke.


    These people were all taking different things, and I didn¡¯t even know what to say. I literally had now


    words for them. They could just talk shit all they want, while I would live my life around here, trying to fix


    the broken part inside of me.


    I let out a deep sigh, and right after that


    I tossed my phone on the bed. I could hear the sound of more notifications, but I wasn¡¯t going to stress


    myself with that.


    I pressed on with my morning routine, and I reached for the bottle of lotion, its familiar scent bringing a


    sense offort amidst the chaos of my thoughts. Squeezing a generous amount into my palm, I


    smoothed the creamy lotion over my skin, the gentle massage helping to ground me in the present


    moment.


    I turned my attention to drying my hair, the soft hum of the hairdryer drowning out the noise of the


    outside world as I focused on each strand, willing them to fall into ce.


    URBEMBERS OF FEAR:


    Once my hair was dry and styled to my liking, I slipped into the dress I had chosen earlier, its soft fabric


    going over my skin like a second skin.


    With each movement, I felt a renewed sense of confidence within me, as if the simple act of getting


    dressed was a deration of my resilience in the face of adversity.


    Stepping back to admire my reflection in the mirror, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of the woman


    staring back at me. She was strong, she was resilient, and she refused to let the opinions of others


    define


    her worth.


    Well, something like that.


    With a final nce, I gathered my belongings and just when I was about to make my way to the door,


    my phone started ringing.


    The ID was unknown, so I was curious about who was calling.


    As I answered the phone call, the voice came through like a thunder.


    ¡°You psychopath!¡±

 Chapter 379

    379: STARTLED AWAKE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I was prepared to leave, my belongings in hand, but then, my phone suddenly rang, its caller ID


    disying


    unknown.¡±


    Intrigued, I answered, only to be met with a thunderous usation: ¡°You psychopath!¡±


    The voice was familiar, and of course, it was Luke Reynold, the rude and arrogant man. I have to


    admit, he was so annoying. The scene at the coffee shop yesterday, was fucked up, and this man was


    fucked up


    in the head.


    ¡°You? What do you want now?¡± I asked him.


    Are


    ¡°Are you seriously asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Well what do you expect after you just call me so early in the morning, taking like an asshole.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling me an asshole.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your nonsense right now. Just tell me why you¡¯ve called.¡±


    ¡°I just call to tell you that you better find a way to put an end to all of this. There is no way I¡¯m going to


    get married to a golddigger.¡±


    ¡°Will you please stop calling me that? I am not a golddigger. Your grandfather is the one who wants this


    marriage to take ce. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and throw insults at him?¡±


    ¡°Wait! Are you trying to say that you are going to get married to me?¡±


    ¡°What can I do? I¡¯m only following the wishes of our elders.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up! All that nice face of you yesterday was just fake. I knew this was an act. Screw you, bitch!¡±


    He ended the phone call after that.


    I was shocked at his words, my mouth open¨Cmouthed, thinking of thest sentence. Did he just call me


    a¡­..Ohhh nevermind.


    I put my phone in my purse, and headed towards the door. The moment I opened it, I was greeted by a


    man in a suit. I screamed immediately, shifting backwards.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m not here to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, cing my hand on my chest, as I was trying to catch my breath all because


    of the scream.


    ¡°My name is not necessary. But Lwas sent by Sir Reynold, toe pick you up, and take you to his


    mansion.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand that. But why did you have toe all the way to my room? Can¡¯t you just stand


    outside this house, or stay in the living room, or something?¡±


    ¡°A helper told me to meet you here.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°You know what? Just go downstairs.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯reing with me, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ming with you. But first, I have things to do.¡±


    ¡°Things like what?¡± He asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°How is that your business?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Can¡¯t afford to waste any time.¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s personal. And to hell with you and your time!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m only following the boss¡® order. He said I should take you to his mansion as


    soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to eat breakfast first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. There¡¯s enough food at Sir Reynold¡¯s mansion.¡±


    I let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°What in the world is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing ma¡¯am. Just doing my job.¡±


    I tried to regain myposure and had to roll my eyes at the man in the suit. ¡°Well, you can tell your


    boss I¡¯ll be there when I¡¯m good and ready.¡±


    He nodded, unfazed. ¡°As you wish, ma¡¯am. But I must insist we leave promptly.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Insist all you want, but I¡¯m not hopping into a car with a stranger just because Sir Reynold


    snapped his fingers.¡±


    The man shifted ufortably. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s really for your own safety. Sir Reynold is quite insistent.¡±


    ¡°Insistent or not, I have boundaries,¡± I retorted. ¡°And one of them is not being strong¨Carmed into


    anything, especially by someone wearing a suit at my doorstep.¡±


    He sighed, a hint of frustration in his tone. ¡°Look, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m just trying to do my job here. Can we


    please make this easier for both of us?¡±


    I folded my arms, unyielding. ¡°Not until I¡¯ve had my breakfast and a decent exnation as to why I¡¯m


    being whisked away to a mansion against my will.¡±


    He hesitated before relenting. ¡°Fine, but make it quick. Sir Reynold won¡¯t be pleased with any dys.¡±


    ¡°Good thing, pleasing the Reynolds isn¡¯t at the top of my priority list,¡± I muttered as I made my way to


    the kitchen.


    The man trailed behind me like an obedient puppy, his presence irking me more with each step. ¡°I¡¯ll


    wait outside,¡± he announced unnecessarily.


    ¡°Great, don¡¯t let the door hit you on the way out,¡± I quipped before disappearing into the kitchen.


    370 STARTLED AWAKE ¡®


    I saw Martha, washing the dishes.


    ¡°Ariel, good morning.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Good morning, Martha. Who the hell is that man?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Who?¡± She made a confused face.


    ¡°The man in a suit. He¡¯s irritating.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s just a visitor. He came to see you.¡±


    ¡°And he had to go to my room.¡±


    ¡°He did what now?¡± Martha gave me a worried face. ¡°Hope he didn¡¯t try to take advantage of you.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s not it. He¡¯s just a messenger, from Sir Reynold.¡±


    Her yes widened in disbelief. ¡°Sir Reynold? What does he want now? Did he send his henchmen to


    drag you off to hisir?¡±


    my will*


    ¡°Close enough. Apparently, I¡¯m being summoned to his mansion against my


    She shook her head in dismay. ¡°That man has some nerve, doesn¡¯t he?¡± She handed me a te of


    scrambled eggs. ¡°Well, better fuel up before you go to that mansion. I¡¯m not happy with the situation


    that man and your parents put you in.¡±


    I nodded, taking a bite of the eggs. ¡°Thanks, Martha. At least I¡¯ll face whatever madness awaits me with


    a full stomach.¡±


    The man in the suit impatiently cleared his throat from the doorway. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you ready to leave


    yet? Sir Reynold¡¯s patience wears thin.¡±


    I wiped my mouth with a napkin, shooting him a re. ¡°Tell Sir Reynold he can wait a little longer. I¡¯m


    not about to rush on an empty stomach.¡±


    He sighed, clearly exasperated. ¡°Fine, but please hurry. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    I waved him off dismissively. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time. Just give me a minute to finish


    breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Are you that slow when you¡¯re eating?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± I gave this man a cold stare.


    ¡°Nothing, actually. Just enjoy your breakfast and let me know when you¡¯re done,¡± he replied and walked


    away.


    I savored thest bite of Martha¡¯s delicious scrambled eggs, and she nced at me with concern


    etched


    on her face. ¡°Ariel, are you sure about all of this? Do you really want to marry Luke?¡±


    I sighed, setting down my fork. ¡°It¡¯s not about what I want, Martha. It¡¯s what my parents want. And


    apparently, it¡¯s what Sir Reynold wants too.¡±


    319. STARTLED AWAKE


    Martha shook her head gently, her expression softening. ¡°You always have a choice, Ariel. Don¡¯t ever


    forget that. Your happiness shoulde first, no matter what anyone else says.¡±


    When she finished cleaning up the dishes, she patted my shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Remember, Ariel, you


    deserve to be happy. Don¡¯t settle for anything less.


    With a grateful smile, I watched her leave the kitchen, the weight of her words sinking in. Alone in the


    quiet kitchen, I let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am, are you ready now?¡± That man asked from outside the kitchen.

 Chapter 380

    380: FATE¡¯S DECREE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stepped out of theforting familiarity of the kitchen and into the waiting car, a sense of


    apprehension washed over me. The man in the suit held the door open with an expectant gaze, his


    impatience was written all over his face.


    With a resigned sigh, I slid into the plush leather seat, the cool Interior of the car contrasting sharply


    with the warmth of the morning sun.


    The car started to move, the rhythmic hum of the engine filled the silence, allowing my thoughts to


    wander.


    Marriage to Luke Reynolds. The mere idea felt like a heavy burden pressing down on my shoulders.


    Could I truly endure a lifetime bound to a man I barely knew, let alone liked? The memory of our brief


    encounter at the coffee shop, fraught with tension and hostility, lingered in my mind like a bitter


    aftertaste.


    I nced out the window, watching the familiar streets pass by in a blur. My mind raced with doubts


    and uncertainties, each one more daunting than thest. Could I find happiness in a marriage dictated


    by obligation rather than love?


    Would I be able to withstand the constant scrutiny and judgment of Luke¡¯s family, with their wealth and


    Influence looming over me like a shadow?


    As the car slowed to a stop, my reverie was abruptly interrupted. I blinked, pulling myself back to the


    present moment, only to find myself faced with the imposing facade of the Reynold mansion. I felt a


    knot form in my stomach as I took in the sight, a sense of foreboding settling over me like a shroud.


    Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I gathered my resolve and stepped out of the car. The man


    in the suit followed closely behind, his presence a constant reminder of the weight of my


    circumstances. As I stood before the imposing gates of the mansion, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of


    unease wash over


    1. me.


    But even in the uncertainty and trepidation, there was a flicker of defiance.burning within me. I may


    have been thrust into this situation against my will, but I refused to surrender my autonomy without a


    fight.


    With each step closer to the mansion, I steeled myself for the challenges thaty ahead, determined to


    carve out my own path in a world dictated by the whims of others.


    As I crossed the threshold into the opulent foyer of the Reynold mansion, I squared my shoulders and


    braced myself for whatevery in store. Whatever maye, I vowed to face it with courage and


    resilience, refusing to be defined by the circumstances of my birth or the expectations of others. For


    better or for worse, this was my reality now, and I was determined to make the most of it,e what


    may.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think it¡¯s best you walk faster,¡± the man from behind said to me.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate to re at him. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are to talk me to like that, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. Did I do anything wrong?¡±


    380 FATES DECREE


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that? Walt till I tell your boss about this.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Think whatever you want, I¡¯m just trying to teach you some good manners, young man.¡±


    ¡°My mom already did that,¡± he told me.


    I shook my head, just staring at him. ¡°She didn¡¯t teach you properly.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I do not have time for this insult. Please, walk faster, so you can go meet Sir Reynold.¡±


    I


    I couldn¡¯t believe this guy¡¯s nerve. Here I was, already grappling with the impending doom of a forced


    marriage, and now I had to deal with Mr. Impatience over here.


    ¡°Listen, buddy,¡± I said, mustering all the sarcasm I could, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of where I need to go. No


    need


    for your unsolicited advice.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. ¡°Well, ma¡¯am, forgive me for assuming you might want to avoid


    beingte to your family¡¯s discussion.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Trust me, being fashionablyte is the least of my worries right now.¡±


    He gave me a look like he was debating whether tough or call security. ¡°Ma¡¯am, if you¡¯d kindly just¡­¡±


    I held up a hand, cutting him off. ¡°You know what? Fine. Lead the way, Speed Racer.¡±


    With an exaggerated bow, he gestured towards the mansion gates. ¡°As you wish, your highness.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I quickened my pace, his footsteps echoing behind me. As we reached the entrance, I


    turned to him with a smirk. Thanks for the escort, but I think I can handle it from here.¡±


    He nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am. Best of luck with¡­ everything.¡±


    With a parting wave, he disappeared back towards the car, leaving me to face whatever awaited me


    Inside the walls of the Reynold mansion.


    I took a deep breath, preparing to step inside, and I had to chuckle, thinking about the moment spent


    with


    that man just now.


    Walking further, I saw him: Sir Reynold, sitting down, his gaze fixed downward, and Luke Reynold,


    sitting opposite him.


    The both of them didn¡¯t know I had arrived, they just had their faces downward, in silence, thinking


    about whatever. It seemed like they had an argument, or something. Because this tranquility felt kind of


    creepy.


    Sir Reynold finally nced upwards, and his eyes caught mine. ¡°Ariel!¡® He called my name, and Luke


    also set his eyes on me.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a good thing that you¡¯re here, my daughter. Pleasee and sit.¡± He patted the couch


    next


    to him.


    anything.


    I took a deep breath and went to sit by his side. I noticed Luke ring at me, but he didn¡¯t and I didn¡¯t


    either. Looking into his eyes, I could see the hatred and anger being thrown at me. It made me


    380 1ATES DECRED


    ufortable.


    ¡°Ariel, I¡¯m d you could make it. Wee, my dear,¡± Sir Reynold told me calmly. I nodded, not saying


    anything, because I had nothing to say..


    He continued, ¡°I have called you here for something important.¡±


    Of course. my marriage with Luke. I knew that. If not, what business did I have with this man and his


    good- for¨Cnothing grandson?


    ¡°Your wedding with Luke has been fixed, and it will take ce anytime soon,¡± Sir Reynold announced,


    his voice carrying a weight that seemed to fill the room.


    I forced a smile. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I am prepared.¡±


    I nced at Luke out of the corner of my eye, catching his intense re. It sent a shiver down my


    spine, but I quickly looked away, refusing to let his hostility unsettle me.


    Sir Reynold nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response. ¡°Good. I expect you both to make the best


    out


    of this union.¡±


    I nodded again, though inside, I was screaming. The thought of being bound to Luke for the rest of my


    life felt like a prison sentence, and the weight of his grandfather¡¯s expectations only made it worse.


    Luke remained silent, his expression unreadable as he continued to re at me. I couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder what thoughts were running through his mind, whether he shared my apprehension or if he was


    simply resigned to his fate.


    No one had to tell me. I knew that this marriage was a mistake, one that would haunt me for the rest of


    my days. But for the sake of family.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 381

    381: SILENT EXCHANGE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Sir Reynold pped his hands, and a helper swiftly entered the living room, carrying a small box. With


    a nod from Sir Reynold, the helper approached Luke and handed him the box. Luke took it, his eyes


    briefly shuddering towards me before focusing on the box in his hands.


    Sir Reynold¡¯s voice broke the tense silence. ¡°Open it, Luke.¡±


    Luke hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on me before he slowly lifted the lid of the box. Inside


    gleamed a stunning diamond ring, catching the light in a mesmerizing disy


    Sir Reynold¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°Put it on her finger, Luke.¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes darted to mine once again, a cold intensity burning in them. For what felt like an eternity,


    we locked eyes, a silent exchange of emotions passing between us.


    Sir Reynold¡¯s tone grew impatient. ¡°What are you waiting for, Luke? Put the ring on her finger.¡±


    With a reluctant nod, Luke rose from his seat, his movements deliberate as he approached me. He


    knelt before me, his expression unreadable as he took my hand in his. The touch sent a shiver down


    my spine,


    but I refused to let it show.


    With deliberate slowness, he slid the ring onto my finger, his gaze never leaving mine. The load of the


    moment hung heavy in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the fate that had been thrust upon us.


    I felt a sense of resignation as the diamond sparkled on my finger. This ring was more than just a piece


    of jewelry, it was a symbol of the life that awaited me, bound to a man I barely knew, in a marriage


    dictated by imperative rather than love.


    But as I looked into Luke¡¯s eyes, I saw something twitch beneath the icy facade. Was it regret?


    Resignation? Or perhaps something else entirely?


    Only time would tell.


    Still in s


    silence, Sir Reynold¡¯s piercing gaze bore into Luke. ¡°Kiss her, Luke,¡± hemanded, and I could only


    wonder what happened between these two?


    A tense silence enveloped the room as Luke and I exchanged uncertain nces. The weight of Sir


    Reynold¡¯s expectation hung heavy in the air, suffocating any semnce of free will.


    Minutes passed like hours, the pressure mounting with each passing second. But just as the tension


    reached its breaking point, Luke stood abruptly, his jaw clenched with resolve.


    ¡°I cannot,¡± he dered, his voice betraying a hint of defiance as he turned on his heel and strode away.


    leaving his grandfather stunned.


    As for me, I wasn¡¯t.


    The echo of his departure reverberated through the room, leaving behind a hollow emptiness tinged


    with the bitter taste of rejection. Sir Reynold¡¯s steely gaze followed Luke¡¯s retreating figure, his


    expression was


    SILENT EXCHANGES


    unreadable


    The path we had been forced upon was fraught with incertitude and Incumbency, a far cry from the


    fairy tale romance I had once dreamed of.


    But even at this point, still through the ashes of shattered moments and unexpected situation, I found a


    glimmer of something else¨Chope.


    Hope that perhaps, in spite of the constraints that bound us, we could forge our own destiny, one that


    defied the expectations thrust upon us.


    Only God knew if that hope would be enough to sustain us in the trials thaty ahead.


    Could Luke actually fall in love with me? Could we make something different out of this? These


    questions just kept on revolving in my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ariel. He just has a lot to think of right now,¡± Sir Reynold said softly, dragging me out of my


    thoughts


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± I responded calmly, pretending not to know what was going on between these two. I could


    see that this marriage situation had brought something terrible between them, but Luke didn¡¯t want to


    disrespect this man. It was quite clear.


    Before I could dwell further on Luke¡¯s departure, Sir Reynold¡¯smanding voice sliced through the


    tension once again.


    ¡°Eva,¡± he called, and a maid promptly appeared at the doorway, her demeanor poised and


    professional.


    ¡°Show Miss Ariel around the mansion,¡± Sir Reynold instructed, his tone carrying a hint of dismissal.


    I nodded silently, grateful for the opportunity to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the living room.


    Rising from my seat, I followed Eva out of the room, casting onest nce over my shoulder at Sir


    Reynold, whose stoic expression betrayed nothing of the turmoil within.


    Eva led me through thebyrinthine corridors of the mansion, and it was really beautiful. Beautiful than


    our mansion, since these people were richer than us. They were in the five¨Cstar silk¨Cstocking level.


    Eva proved to be a gracious guide, offering tidbits of information about each room we passed. Yet,


    despite her efforts to make me feel wee, I couldn¡¯t shake the sense of apprehension that lingered


    in


    the air.


    With each step, I found myself grappling with the reality of my situation. Trapped in a marriage of


    convenience, hurled to a man I barely knew, in a world governed by duty rather than desire.


    But as Eva led me through the ornate halls of the mansion, I wondered if between this story of wealth


    and privilege, there might be a glimmer of humanity waiting to be discovered.


    Perhaps, in thebyrinth of this mansion, I would find not only the keys to its hidden chambers but also


    the secrets of my own heart.


    I continued to tread on the heels of Eva, and I didn¡¯t know, I just felt this pang of empathy for her. There


    was something in her demeanor, a subtle sadness beneath the guise of professionalism, that spoke


    volumes.


    381 SILENT EXCHANGE


    As if sensing my curiosity, Eva began to speak, a hint of mncholy right there. ¡°You know, Miss Ariel,


    Paths dictated by duty rather than sometimes life takes us down paths we never imagined for


    desire.¡±


    I listened intently as she recounted her own story, a tale of love forsaken in the face of familial


    expectations.


    ¡°I was once like you, Miss Ariel,¡± Eva confessed, her eyes distant as she delved into the depths of her


    past. ¡°I fell in love with a man who was not of my family¡¯s choosing. But when it came time to marry,


    duty prevailed over my heart¡¯s desires.¡±


    A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she continued, ¡°I thought I could learn to love him, that perhaps duty


    would pave the way for affection. But as the years passed, I realized the folly of my decision. I was


    trapped in a loveless marriage, bound by chains of obligation.¡±


    Her words struck a chord within me, resonating with the doubts and fears that had gued my heart


    since Sir Reynold¡¯s decree.


    ¡°And do you regret it?¡± I found myself asking, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Eva¡¯s gaze met mine, a glimmer of sorrow stirring in her eyes. ¡°Every day,¡± she admitted with intense


    remorse. ¡°I traded my happiness for the illusion of duty, and in doing so, I lost myself.


    ¦°


    Her words hung heavy in the air, it was literally a solemn reminder of the stakes at hand.


    ¡°Miss Ariel,¡± Eva told me, with a gentle and firm tone. ¡°Whatever decision you make, make it wisely. Do


    not allow yourself to be bound by the expectations of others. Choose the path that leads to your own


    happiness. That¡¯s all I have to say.¡±


    Her words echoed in my mind as we continued our journey through the mansion. And finally, we parted


    ways, after she had led me back to the living room.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    #im Bonus For Free Every Days

 Chapter 382

    382: TWISTED EXPRESSIONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I stepped out of the The Reynolds mansion, the cool morning air enveloping me, offering a brief respite


    from the suffocating atmosphere within. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the weight of


    expectation that still clung to my shoulders like a heavy cloak.


    Before I could gather my thoughts, the sound of footsteps behind me made me turn, and there he was-


    Luke, his expression twisted in a mixture of frustration and anger. He strode towards me, his steps filled


    with so much rage and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of apprehension at the intensity in his eyes.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he snapped, ring at me.


    ¡°I was just¡­¡± I stammered, unsure how to respond, since I had too much in my head right now.


    Luke closed the distance between us in an instant, his grip on my arm tight as he pulled me towards


    him,


    his face contorted with rage. ¡°You think you can just walk into my life and ruin everything?¡±


    I winced at the force of his words, feeling the sting of his usation like a physical blow. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t


    mean to¡­¡± I trailed off, unable to form a coherent response amidst the torrent of emotions crashing


    over me.


    His grip tightened even further, his eyes boring into mine with a fierce intensity. ¡°You have to change


    your mind, Ariel,¡± he growled, his voice low and menacing. ¡°You have to put an end to this marriage, or


    else¡­


    His threat hung in the air, unspoken yet palpable, and I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine.


    Despite the anger burning within him, there was something else lurking beneath the surface¨Ca


    vulnerability, a desperation that hinted at deeper turmoil beneath the facade of strength.


    It was then that my senses finally came back, the soft side of me disappearing, and unfolding was the


    firm Ariel, who would speak her mind despite the consequences. But why wasn¡¯t this side helping me to


    make a decision against my parents?


    ¡°Or else what, huh?¡± I asked Luke, since he was just in silence, thinking about shit. To hell with


    whatever he was thinking. ¡°What are you going to do, Luke Reynold?¡±


    He quickly let go of me, his expression showed how frustrated he was. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± He asked,


    and right now, the two of us had our eyes fixed on each other.


    He continued with his question, like he wanted an answer. ¡°Why did you decide to follow through with


    my grandfather¡¯s decision?


    ¡°I just did what¡¯s best,¡± I replied, taking my gaze to a different direction.


    ¡°You want to know something?¡± he said, but I didn¡¯t nce at him. ¡°When you said those things at the


    coffee shop, I had doubts.¡±


    I set my eyes on him promptly, interested in what he had to say.


    ¡°I had doubts about my thoughts about you. You being a golddigger, only after my money. That was it,


    but you had to make me realize that I was a fool to have such doubts. I shouldn¡¯t even think of trusting


    you,


    because you are indeed a golddigger. All you want is money, you and your worthless ferraty¡±


    ¡°You can say anything you want. You can throw insults at me and my family. Those are just your


    thoughts, and honestly, they don¡¯t really matter


    I moved closer to him and continued, ¡°My family is going through crisis right now. And if I don¡¯t get


    married to you, by your grandfather¡¯s will, I won¡¯t be able to take them out of it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing here. You goddamn golddiggers¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want this marriage to take ce, trust me. I do not love you and do not want to spend my


    with you.


    .don¡¯t


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Then why are you still saying yes to everything?¡± He cut me off. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just disagree with all


    the decisions? Why can¡¯t you just go and leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°As much as I want to do that, I can¡¯t,¡± I answered in a whisper.


    Luke gave me a face that made me look like I was crazy. ¡°Are you stupid, are you crazy? Why can¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what your grandfather wants.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, silly excuses!¡±


    ¡°Silly excuses? Okay, you tell me, Luke. If you don¡¯t want this marriage to take ce, why don¡¯t you tell


    your grandfather about it? Why don¡¯t you disagree with his decisions?¡±


    Luke fell speechless to my questions. He was just staring at me, and I bet the words were revolving in


    his


    head.


    ¡°I think I know why. It¡¯s because you cannot go against him, just as how I can¡¯t go against my parents


    This is something we don¡¯t want, but we both can¡¯t ruin the rtionship with family. We can¡¯t break the


    bonds we have with our blood.¡±


    Luke ran his hands through his hair, letting out a sigh that clearly showed his frustration. ¡°This is


    unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°What is unbelievable?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re making up dumb excuses.¡±


    ¡°I am not making up excuses, I am just telling you the truth.¡±


    ¡°And you


    think this is the truth?¡± He snapped immediately, with a high tone. ¡°Answer me, you think this is


    the truth?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even get what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Because you cannot hide it, Ariel! You cannot hide the fact that you¡¯re nothing but a golddigger, and all


    you think about is money, power, fame, wealth.¡±


    Luke¡¯s words hit me like a punch to the gut, each usation slicing through me with surgical precision.


    The anger in his voice was clear, his frustration radiating off him in waves.


    I clenched my fists, fighting to keep my emotions in check despite the torrent of insults hurled my way.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me,¡± I shot back. You don¡¯t know anything about my family. You have


    no idea what I¡¯ve been through or what we have endured together. You don¡¯t know anything!¡±


    Luke scoffed, his lip curling in disdain. ¡°Oh please, keep the fake shit to yourself. I¡¯ve heard it all


    before.¡±


    ¡°You think you know everything, don¡¯t you?¡± I retorted, my voice rising with each word. ¡°Well, let me tell


    you something, Luke Reynold. You don¡¯t know the first thing about me, my family, or the sacrifices


    we¡¯ve made just to survive.


    ¡°And what sacrifices are those, huh? Please, put an end to this fake story. I don¡¯t want to hear another


    piece of nonsense from you. You and your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing family have been golddiggers since the


    dawn of time. Don¡¯t say anything further.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! And it¡¯s so fucked up that you would spit such nonsense! My parents have worked


    themselves to the bone, just to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. We¡¯ve faced hardships


    that you couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine, and yet you have the audacity to stand there and judge me


    based on your own misguided assumptions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not judging you, Ariel,¡± he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ frustrated.¡±


    The vulnerability in his tone caught me off guard, momentarily disarming me in the midst of our heated


    exchange. ¡°Frustrated?¡± I echoed, my anger giving way to confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

 Chapter 383

    383: DESTINY¡¯S CALL


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°You think you know everything, don¡¯t you?¡± I barked at Luke, my voice rising with each word. ¡°Well, let


    me tell you something, Luke Reynold. You don¡¯t know the first thing about me, about my family, or


    about the sacrifices we¡¯ve made just to survive.


    ¡°And what sacrifices are those, huh? Please, put an end to this fake story. I don¡¯t want to even hear


    another nonsenseing out of your mouth. You and your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing family have been


    golddiggers since the dawn of time. Don¡¯t say anything further.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! And it¡¯s so fucked up that you would spit such nonsense! My parents have worked


    themselves to the bone, just to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. We¡¯ve faced hardships


    that you couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine, and yet you have the audacity to stand there and judge me


    based on your own misguided assumptions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not judging you, Ariel,¡± he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ frustrated.¡±


    The vulnerability in his tone caught me off guard, momentarily disarming me in the midst of our heated


    exchange. ¡°Frustrated?¡± I echoed, my anger giving way to confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He took a deep breath, shaking his head, and then he gave me dark look. ¡°That¡¯s none of your fucking


    business. Just get the hell out of my life, Ariel Walker. Leave! I do not need you!¡±


    I suspired with a slow nod, and my tone became calm. ¡°I totally understand you, Luke. But we have to


    face the facts and embrace what life has thrown at us.¡± I looked him in the eyes. ¡°And this is our destiny


    now.¡±


    Luke continued to re a me, not taking his eyes off me one bit. ¡°Fine, have it your way. You want to


    get married, right? Cool, go ahead, be my wife. Ariel Reynold, wife of the famous billionaire; Luke


    Reynold. That¡¯s what you want, right? Fame an wealth. It¡¯s cool, you can have them, you can have


    them. all. But trust me, I will make your life a living hell. Every day of your married life will be miserable,


    and I will make sure a smile neveres in your face again.¡±


    After that, he stormed into his car and drove away.


    As Luke¡¯s car disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a cloud of dust and echoes of his harsh


    words, I stood there, rooted to the spot, feeling the weight of his threat hang heavy in the air.


    His venomous words reverberated in my mind, each syble a dagger aimed at my heart. Yet, despite


    the pain and anger swirling within me, a sense of resolve began to take root deep within my soul.


    I refused to let Luke¡¯s bitterness define me, to dictate the course of my life. Who the hell did he think he


    was? He was too rude, how in the world was my rtionship going to work with that idiot?


    It would be best if I just give up. Take the ring off and get the hell out of this ce. This could just be


    God telling me not to get married to that man, because the future might be really dark, full of sorrow,


    bringing intense tears, heartbreak, mncholy.


    393 DESTINYS CALL


    ¡°Ariel!¡±


    I heard my name from behind, and I quickly turned around. It was Sir Reynold, he was treading


    forward, right in my direction.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were still around. I thought you had left,¡± he said the moment he had gotten nigher to


    1. me.


    ¡°I was just about to leave,¡± I told him gently, making a fake smile.


    ¡°Well, since I found you here, I¡¯ll just have to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s about your engagement party. It will be taking ce tonight.¡±


    I just gave him a surprised face, and all I could say was, ¡°Ohhhh.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my daughter. Tonight will be special because you are special.¡± He ced his hand on my


    shoulder. Now you just have to go home, think about all the fun that¡¯s going to take ce tonight, get


    dressed, and get prepared for the party.¡±


    ¡°Take care,¡± he told me and was about to walk away.


    But I halted him, saying, ¡°Uhmm, Sir Reynold.¡±


    I


    He slowly turned around, and then I asked him calmly, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, go on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t find this disrespectful.¡±


    He nodded, still giving me his attention. ¡°Say what you have to say. Do not be afraid.¡±


    ¡°Why do you like me so much?¡± I asked.


    He raised an eyebrow immediately, and I continued, ¡°You see, it¡¯s just so strange that you want Luke to


    get married to only me, and even when he doesn¡¯t want that, you keep on pressuring him.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was pressuring him?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind of clear, and¡­¡±


    I trailed off, noticing how we was just gazing at me. Wasn¡¯t an angry stare though, but it made me felt


    really ufortable.


    ¡°I think this is the part where I shut up,¡± I said lowly, looking in a different direction.


    Sir Reynoldughed, and then he walked closer to me. ¡°Ariel, you are a special woman.¡±


    ¡°Special?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s just something about you that I can¡¯t even tell myself. You are awesome, you¡¯re


    wonderful, pretty, nice, you¡¯re just remarkable.¡±


    303 DESTINYS CALL


    ¡°Wow, I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, let me tell you something. Since the moment Iid eyes on you, I saw a spark, a radiance that¡¯s


    rare to find. You possess a strength of character, a resilience that¡¯s truly admirable.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a warmth spread through me as he spoke, his words touching something deep


    within my soul.


    ¡°You have a kindness in your heart that shines through, even in the darkest of times,¡± he continued,


    sincerity evident in every word. ¡°And your determination, Ariel, it¡¯s something to be marveled at. You


    face challenges head¨Con, refusing to back down, and that, my dear, is a quality that not many


    possess.¡±


    I listened intently, feeling a sense of validation wash over me. Sir Reynold¡¯s praise was unexpected yet


    incredibly uplifting.


    ¡°And beyond all that, Ariel, you have a spirit that lights up any room you walk into,¡± he said with a smile,


    his eyes reflecting genuine admiration. ¡°You have this ability to bring joy to those around you, to uplift


    their spirits with just a smile or a kind word.¡±


    His words were so touching. Honestly, I was speechless. The words were beautiful, and¡­.and.. and I


    didn¡¯t even know what to say right now.


    ¡°So, my dear Ariel,¡± Sir Reynold concluded, cing a hand on my shoulder once more, ¡°never doubt


    your worth, your value. You are a treasure, a gem in this world, and anyone who fails to see that is


    simply blind to true beauty.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find the words to respond, my heart too full with gratitude for Sir Reynold¡¯s kindness. Instead,


    I simply nodded, a soft smile gracing my lips.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, giving him a fragile smile.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    With a final nod, Sir Reynold turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, and I watched him.


    disappear into the distance.


    His words were quite encouraging, but would this goddamn marriage match up to that? Different


    demeanor, between a grandfather and grandson.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>

 Chapter 384

    384: TROUBLED THOUGHTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After Sir Reynold¡¯s heartfelt words, I found myself seeking sce in the familiarfort of Tessa¡¯s


    home. I sat across from her in the cozy living room, and I felt a sense of unease lingering beneath the


    surface of my thoughts.


    Tessa noticed my troubled expression and reached out, gently cing a hand on mine. ¡°Ariel, you


    seem really distant. Is everything alright?¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Honestly, Tessa, I don¡¯t know. Everything feels so¡­plicated right now.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    She nodded understandingly. ¡°It¡¯s about, Luke, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I nodded slowly, biting my lip as I struggled to find the right words. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about Luke. And this


    whole marriage thing. I just¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±


    She gently squeezed my hand. ¡°Ariel, you don¡¯t have to go through with this if you¡¯re not sure


    happiness shoulde first, above everything else.¡±


    Your


    ¡°But what about my family? They¡¯ve put so much pressure on me to marry Luke, to make sure our


    business doesn¡¯t go down.¡±


    Tessa shook her head, her gaze unwavering. ¡°Your family¡¯s expectations shouldn¡¯t dictate your life


    choices, Ariel. You deserve to live your own life, on your own terms.¡±


    I took a deep breath, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. ¡°I know, but¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel like I


    owe it to them, you know? They¡¯ve sacrificed so much for me.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Ariel, your family loves you, but they shouldn¡¯t expect you to sacrifice


    your own happiness for their sake. You deserve to be with someone who truly cares for you, who


    respects you.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying. Tessa. But I¡¯ve made my decision. I¡¯m going to marry Luke.¡±


    ¡°Ariel, are you sure about this? You don¡¯t have to go through with it if you¡¯re not ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, Tessa,¡± I insisted. ¡°I may not know what the future holds, but I refuse to let fear dictate my


    choices. I¡¯ll make the best out of this marriage, whatever it may bring.¡±


    Tessa studied me for a moment, her expression filled with concern. ¡°Just promise me one thing, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll prioritize your own happiness above everything else. Don¡¯t let anyone else¡¯s


    expectations overshadow your own well¨Cbeing.¡±


    I nodded, smiling at her. ¡°I promise, Tessa. Thank you for always being there for me.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is what it is,¡± she said underneath her breath.


    We shared a quiet moment of understanding, the weight of our conversation hanging heavy in the air.


    The


    994: TROUBLED THOUGHTS


    door opened after that, and Larry stepped foot Inside the house.


    ¡°Larry?¡± I uttered, quite surprised with his presence.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he waved his hand, smiling at me.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I called him here,¡± Tessa replied.


    ¡°Yeah, she did.¡± Larry pointed a her.


    ¡°We have to discuss about this, we have to find a way to bring your family¡¯s business back to higher


    heights, without you getting married to Luke.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? How is that possible?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, Ariel. It¡¯s all about bringing Mr. Kingston down.¡±


    ¡°And Larry is going to help us with that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he fights for justice, remember?¡±


    I nced at Larry, raising both of my brows at him. He shrugged at me.


    I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? What do you have in mind, Tessa?¡±


    ¡°You do know I can be a little crazy sometimes.¡± She smirked at me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered in a slow manner. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Okay, this is what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Tessa responded, sping her hands together. ¡°We¡¯re going to


    get that man drunk, so we can get him to sign some papers and transfer all his wealth to his son right


    here.


    How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Tessa. That¡¯s¡­ a pretty dark idea.¡±


    Tessa leaned forward. ¡°Sometimes, Ariel, you have to fight fire with fire. Mr. Kingston won¡¯t hesitate to


    use any means necessary to maintain his grip on power. We have to be willing to y by his rules if we


    want to stand a chance against him.¡±


    I bit my lip, torn between my difort with the n and the desperate need to save my family¡¯s


    business. ¡°But getting him drunk and manipting him into signing over everything to Larry¡­ it feels


    wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about what feels right, Ariel,¡± Tessa insisted, her voice firm. ¡°It¡¯s about doing whatever it takes


    to protect the ones we care about. Mr. Kingston has no qualms about ruining lives to get what he


    wants. We


    can¡¯t afford to be naive.¡±


    I nodded slowly, understanding the logic behind Tessa¡¯s n even as my conscience protested. ¡°Okay.


    let¡¯s say we go through with this. How do we even pull it off?¡±


    Tessa¡¯s lips curved into a sly grin. ¡°Leave that to me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. All we need is


    ant opportunity, and I¡¯ll make sure Mr. Kingston falls right into our trap.¡±


    I sighed, feeling a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. ¡°I just hope this doesn¡¯t backfire on us. If Mr.


    Kingston finds out¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it,¡± Tessa interrupted, her tone confident. ¡°Right now, we


    need to focus on taking back what¡¯s rightfully yours and ensuring your family¡¯s future.¡±


    I nodded, steeling myself for the dangerous game we were about to y. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it. But promise


    me Tessa, that no one gets hurt in the process.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s expression softened, and she reached out to squeeze my hand reassuringly. ¡°I promise, Ariel.


    We¡¯ll do everything we can to make sure this goes smoothly. And when it¡¯s all said and done, your


    family will be back on top, where they belong.¡±


    I took a deep breath, forcing myself to push aside my doubts and fears. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s make it


    happen.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit¡± She tapped my shoulder.


    ¡°So, you mean I¡¯m not getting married to Luke anymore?¡±


    ¡°If this n bes a sess, yes. And apparently, it will be sessful, you won¡¯t have to sacrifice


    your happiness for your parent¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Sounds great, but still kind of dark.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Tessa told me inaudibly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been watching you guys and I¡¯ve seen that rtionship built by the both of you. We need


    really need to get this done as soon as possible,¡± Larry vocalized.


    Still shocked that he was about to help us execute this, and the n was still awkward. But if this could


    actually work, all this chaos would be no more.


    ¡°So, here¡¯s the n,¡± Larry leaned forward, outlining the details. ¡°We¡¯ll hire a beautiful stripper to


    seduce


    my


    father. She¡¯ll lead him to a private room, where she¡¯ll¡­ distract him. Once he¡¯s sufficiently upied,


    she¡¯ll slip a sedative into his drink, and while he¡¯s out cold, we¡¯ll get him to sign the papers.¡±


    ¨C


    Tessa nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s risky, but it might just work. We¡¯ll need to coordinate carefully to


    ensure everything goes smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Larry, I don¡¯t know about this,¡± I said, my stomach churning uneasily at the thought of using such


    deceitful tactics.


    Larry nced at me. ¡°Ariel, I understand it¡¯s not ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures.


    My father¡¯s obsession with women is well¨Cknown. This might be our only shot at getting him to sign


    those


    papers.¡±


    ¡°But using someone like that¡­ It just feels wrong.¡± I protested..


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal, Ariel,¡± he replied. ¡°But think about what¡¯s at stake here. Your family¡¯s business,


    your future. We can¡¯t afford to let sentimentality get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Larry¡¯s right, Ariel,¡± Tessa chimed in. ¡°We need to be practical about this. If we want to seed, we


    have


    to be willing to do whatever it takes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine. But I don¡¯t have to like it,¡± I said after a sigh.


    ¡°None of us do,¡± Larry admitted. ¡°But sometimes, we have to make tough choices for the greater good.

 Chapter 385

    385: TRYST WITH FAITH


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I sat in my car, leaning on the chair, hands on the steering wheel, and you want to know what I was


    thinking about? You want to know what was going on in my mind? It was Larry and Tessa¡¯s dark n of


    getting my family¡¯s business back to the top.


    Honestly, I was not easy about such idea. I didn¡¯t even think I had done something really extreme like


    that, but I had to understand their point around here. They were doing this for me. They didn¡¯t want to


    see me broken, they wanted to put nothing but a smile on my face, and I was really grateful to them for


    that.


    Larry approached the car, with a beautifuldy behind him, and then he knocked on my car door. And I


    was guessing that woman should be the one who was about to pull the whole thing off


    After Larry has knocked on my door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was about toe.


    rolled down the window, and he motioned for the woman behind him to approach. She had a confident


    stride, and her gaze held a hint of mischief.


    ¡°Ariel, meet Jasmine.¡± Larry introduced, gesturing towards the woman. ¡°She¡¯s going to help us execute


    the n.¡±


    Jasmine shed me a dazzling p ¡°Nice to meet you, Ariel. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice, I guess,¡± I replied, trying to muster up a smile despite my unease.


    Larry leaned in closer, speaking in a low voice. ¡°Jasmine, Ariel here knows the n. We need you to


    seduce Mr. Kingston, get him to a private room, and slip a sedative into his drink. Once he¡¯s out cold,


    well


    handle the rest.¡±


    Jasmine nodded, her expression serious. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll make sure to keep him distracted long enough for


    you to do what you need to do.¡±


    Larry pulled out an envelope from his pocket, containing a stack of cash. He handed it to Jasmine.


    ¡°This is half of your payment. You¡¯ll get the other half once the job is done.¡±


    She nced at the envelope, her eyes widening at the sight of the money. ¡°Wow, this is¡­ more than !


    expected.¡±


    ¡°We know it¡¯s a risky job,¡± Larry said. ¡°But we¡¯re willing to pay top dor for your services.¡±


    Jasmine nodded, tucking the I¡¯m a professional. I¡¯ll get the job done.


    Envelope into her purse. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    ¡°Thank you, Jasmine,¡± I told her with a partial smile.


    She smiled back at me, somewhat reassuringly. ¡°No problem, Ariel. I¡¯ll see you both tonight.¡±


    With that, Jasmine turned on her heel and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I watched her go,


    feeling a mixture of apprehension and relief. This was it there was no turning back now.


    Larry pped his hands together. ¡°Alright, Ariel. Let¡¯s make sure everything goes smoothly tonight.¡±


    I nodded, responding in an inaudible tone, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just make sure that happens.¡±


    I walked along the road, lost in my thoughts. I didn¡¯t notice Luke approaching until it was toote. The


    collision sent me stumbling backward, my heart racing as I struggled to regain my bnce. Strong


    arms wrapped around me, steadying me before I could fall, and I found myself gazing up into Luke¡¯s


    intense


    eyes.


    For a moment, time seemed to stand still as we locked gazes, the world fading away until it was just


    the two of us. There was something undeniably electric in the air, a tension that crackled between us


    like a


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    live wire.


    But before I could even process what was happening, Luke¡¯s expression darkened, his grip on my arm


    turning punishingly tight as he pulled me towards him.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he snapped, his voice sharp with anger.


    I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat, my mind spinning with confusion


    and apprehension.


    Luke¡¯s eyes bore into mine with a ferocity that sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°You think you can just


    come here and ruin everything, huh?¡±


    I winced at the usation in his words, feeling the sting of his anger like a physical blow. What to say?


    Nothing actually.


    And Luke wasn¡¯t done yet. He tightened his grip on my arm even further, his voice dropping to a


    menacing growl. ¡°You have to change your mind, Ariel. You have to put an end to this marriage, or


    else..


    His threat hung in the air, unspoken yet palpable, and I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine. But


    despite. the fear coursing through me, there was a stubbornness rising up within me, a refusal to back


    down in the face of his intimidation.


    ¡°Or else what, Luke?¡± I shot back. My voice was steadier now and defiant. What are you going to do,


    huh?¡±


    Luke¡¯s jaw clenched, his eyes shing with frustration. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re getting yourself


    into, Ariel. This marriage will only bring you pain.¡±


    I shook my head, refusing to let his words sway me. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the pain, Luke. I¡¯m not afraid of


    whatever lies ahead.¡±


    ¡°You should be,¡± he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur. ¡°You should be terrified.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you, Luke, ont think you can make me shake with these threats of yours.¡± I looked


    him in the eyes.


    I wrenched my arm free from his grasp, the both of us still looking at each other. A staring contest,


    you¡¯d say. Luke¡¯s re spoke what was clearly on his mind, the shit he was thinking about me. And my


    gaze only showed how I was sick in the head, not letting him think he could just treat me like crap.


    But with the expression on my visage, there was still this feeling of fear. Trepidation building up towards


    385 FRYST WITH TAITH


    this situation. I could let myself be driven over by this hoped for the better, not the worse.


    Luke, tired of the staringpetition, drove his hands through his hair. He took his eyes elsewhere


    before he set them back on me. ¡°I tell you this, Ariel. This marriage is going to be hall for you.¡±


    I sighed, closing both of my eyes, and then I opened them, looking fixedly at the billionaire before me. ¡°I


    think I¡¯m already going through hell at the moment.¡±


    Heughed, fixing both of his hands on his waist as he looked in different directions, and right after


    that, he gave me his attention. ¡°You really have no idea what you¡¯re getting yourself into. I don¡¯t know


    why you¡¯re being so stubborn. You can just decide to walk away.¡±


    ¡°I already told you this, and seems like you want me to remind you again. This marriage is only for the


    better of my family. My father wants that, my mother wants that, even your grandfather wants that. He¡¯s


    actually the one who wants this the most. No need to be rude, but if you have the balls, I suggest you


    and meet him right now, and cancel this engagement. If you can¡¯t do that, don¡¯te here and start


    telling me shit. If you please excuse me, I have better things to be doing right now.¡±


    I walked away from him, leaving the force of our conversation hanging in the air.


    (End of shback)


    And that was it, how my life changed forever. I had the confidence at first, but turned out it all led to


    darkness. The light came out actually, but currently, we were overshadowed with murk.


    And just in case you were wondering, the n to get Mr. Kingston to sign those papers didn¡¯t work. I


    could go into the details, but I wouldn¡¯t do that.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>

 Chapter 386

    386: STAND BY YOU


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Here I was, in the hospital, still holding on to Luke, with the hope, with the belief that he would regain


    consciousness any time soon.


    Yes, the days of darkness were much, with the minutes passing, the seconds counting, and the hope


    not destroyed. I didn¡¯t wish for this to take too long, but even if it did, I¡¯d be here, by Luke¡¯s side. Every


    single second, Every single minute, every single hour, every single day.


    Life could throw terrible things at us, and the pain would make you want to give up that very moment.


    Everything you had worked for, for so many years, the stress, the pain, the sweat, the struggles, you


    would just feel like giving up.


    You wouldn¡¯t want to go further, the darkness had already discouraged you. Broken, shattered,


    hopeless, too much negativity, no longer being positive.


    I had passed through this in different ocassions, and trust me, I totally understood all the procedures.


    Crossed through the bridge of sorrow, the storm raging upon me. The rumbles of thunder went too


    intense.


    The chains had me for so long. I felt like a total failure and the all the fight was just in vain. I thought ice


    flew in my vain, the adrenaline, the passion. I was just wrong, cause in the end, the opposite Ariel was


    all


    that materialized.


    But even so, the fight wouldn¡¯t end. The journey would continue because out of every terrible situation,


    something goodes out. It¡¯s just about the confidence, the boldness, the courage. All mixed up,


    they would put me in the perfect ce. And I needed hope, hope to soldier on in this battle. Because


    there was no way I would be giving up.


    ¡°Miss, you should get some rest,¡± a nurse told me, stepping foot inside the room.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m okay,¡± I told her softly, still cleaving to Luke¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Do you need something to eat? You¡¯ve been here for hours, and I noticed you haven¡¯t eaten anything.


    Should I perhaps bring something for you?¡±


    I gave her a little smile. ¡°That would be nice, actually.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can just please hold on. Give me some minutes, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    She left the room after that.


    As I sat there, holding onto Luke¡¯s hand, lost in my thoughts, I felt a slight tremor in his hand. My heart


    leaped with hope, and a wide smile spread. Could it be? Was this a sign of life returning to him?


    I gently squeezed his hand, urging him to wake up. ¡°Luke,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling with


    emotion. Can you hear me? Can you feel my touch?¡±


    His hand twitched again, and I couldn¡¯t contain my joy. Tears welled up in my eyes as I leaned closer to


    STAND


    him, whispering words of encouragement and love.


    With newfound energy, I rushed out of the room to find a doctor. ¡°Excuse me!¡± I called the nearest


    medical staff member I could find urgently. He nced at me immediately.


    ¡°He moved his hand! He moved his hand!¡±


    The doctor gave me a surprised face. I¡¯m sorry, miss. What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Luke just moved his hand! Please, you have toe see him!¡±


    The doctor quickly followed me back to Luke¡¯s room, where I eagerly pointed out the subtle movements


    of his hand. The doctor examined him carefully, checking his vital signs and responsiveness.


    After what felt like an eternity, the doctor turned to me with a smile. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s showing signs of


    consciousness returning. We¡¯ll need to run some tests, but this is a very positive development.¡±


    Relief flooded over me, and I couldn¡¯t stop the tears of joy from streaming down my face. Luke was


    finally waking up, and I knew that together, we could ovee whatever challengesy ahead.


    The nurse retumed with the food, and I thanked her but declined, my attention entirely focused on


    Luke¡¯s


    subtle movements.


    ¡°Thank you, but I think I¡¯ll pass for now. I¡¯m just so happy to see him showing signs of waking up.


    The nurse looked at me with understanding in her eyes. ¡°Of course, miss. It¡¯s understandable. Just let


    me know if you need anything else, okay?¡±


    I nodded gratefully, my heart still racing with hope. ¡°I will, thank you.¡±


    She gave me a reassuring smile before quietly leaving the room again, leaving me alone with Luke. I


    turned back to him, feeling a surge of love and gratitude welling up inside me.


    ¡°Luke, can you hear me?¡± I whispered softly, leaning in closer. ¡°I know you¡¯re fighting, and I believe in


    you. You¡¯re going to make it through this, I know you will.¡±


    His hand twitched again, as if in response, and I felt a rush of happiness wash over me. I squeezed his


    hand gently, feeling the connection between us grow stronger with each passing moment.


    I love you, Luke,¡± I murmured, tears of joy streaming down my cheeks. ¡°And I¡¯ll be right here with you


    every step of the way.¡±


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m Dr. Stevens,¡± a middle¨Caged man said as he entered the room, followed by a couple of


    nurses with medical equipment. ¡°We¡¯ve heard about the movements Luke made. That¡¯s a positive sign,


    but we need to conduct some tests to assess his condition further.¡±


    I nodded eagerly, my heart still pounding with anticipation. ¡°Yes, please, do whatever you need to do.


    Just tell me he¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    Dr. Stevens smiled reassuringly. ¡°We¡¯re going to do our best, but I need you to step outside for a


    moment. We¡¯ll need some space to work.¡±


    Reluctantly, I released Luke¡¯s hand and stepped back, watching anxiously as the medical team


    surrounded him. They began attaching monitors and IV lines, their movements swift and efficient.


    286 STAND BY YOU


    As I paced outside the room, my mind raced with a million thoughts. What if something went wrong?


    What if Luke didn¡¯t wake up fully? But I pushed those doubts aside, clinging to the hope that had


    sustained me through the darkest hours.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doctor emerged from the room, a clipboard in hand. I rushed


    forward, my heart in my throat.


    ¡°How is he?¡± I asked, barely able to get the words out.


    ¡°He¡¯s stable for now. We¡¯ve conducted some preliminary tests, and everything looks promising. We¡¯ll


    need to keep monitoring him closely, but it seems like he¡¯s on the right track.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Relief flooded over me. ¡°Thank you, thank you


    much.¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°You¡¯re wee. But he¡¯s not out of the woods yet. We¡¯ll need to keep him under


    observation for the time being. In the meantime, you should try to get some rest yourself. You¡¯ve been


    through a lot.¡±


    I nodded, suddenly feeling the exhaustion seeping into my bones. ¡°I will. But please, keep me updated


    on


    his condition.¡±


    Dr. Stevens promised to do so before heading back into Luke¡¯s room. I lingered in the hallway for a


    moment, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. Luke was going to be okay, I could feel it in my


    bones.


    I made my way to the waiting area to finally get some rest, and all of a sudden, I felt someone tapping


    my shoulder. I turned around quickly.

 Chapter 387

    387: SHADOWED THOUGHTS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I made my way to the waiting area to finally get some rest, and all of a sudden, I felt someone tapping


    my shoulder. I turned around quickly.


    It was Andre.


    ¡°Oh, Andre. I never expected to see you here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, dipping his hands inside his pockets. ¡°I just came to check up on you. ¡°You know, since


    you¡¯ve been going to the hospital all day.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°You know Luke is in aa.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do. But I¡¯m also concerned about you, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I really appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°Have you eaten today?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No, not really. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Andre. There¡¯s no need for you to be worried about me.¡± I ced both of my hands on his


    shoulders.


    ¡°I know, but I just wanted to make sure you¡¯re taking care of yourself,¡± he murmured, his eyes


    searching


    mine for reassurance.


    ¡°I know, and I appreciate it more than I can say,¡± I replied, my voice soft with emotion. ¡°But right now, I


    just need to be here for Luke.¡±


    His hand found mine, squeezing it gently. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through this alone, Ariel. I¡¯m here for


    you, whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Andr¨¦. How¡¯s everyone?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re holding up as best as they can. Your mother is trying to stay strong for you and Luke, but I can


    tell


    she¡¯s worried sick.¡±


    My heart clenched at the thought of my mother grappling with Luke¡¯s condition; her pain mirrored in my


    own. ¡°I wish there was more I could do for her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already doing everything you can, Ariel,¡± Andre reassured me, tightening my hand. ¡°She knows


    that, and so do L¡®


    ¡°Thank you, Andr¨¦. You¡¯ve really helped me a lot. Thank you so much.¡±


    His lips curled into a gentle smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, Ariel. I¡¯ll always be here for you, no


    matter


    what.¡±


    We both stood in silence, our hands still together, but I took mine off his. He nc


    ¡°I forgot to tell you what happened not too long ago.¡±


    Andre gave me a curious look. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Luke. He¡¯s showing signs of waking up. The doctor said it¡¯s a positive sign, but they need to run


    more tests to be sure.¡± I blurted out, unable to control my lips. I couldn¡¯t help it; the joy was too much.


    Andre nodded, heeding my words. ¡°That¡¯s incredible news, Ariel. I¡¯m so d to hear it. How are you


    holding up?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    I shrugged, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ exhausted, I guess. But seeing him


    respond, even just a little bit, has given me hope. I know he¡¯s going to make it through this.¡±


    ¡°I believe that too. You¡¯ve been through so much together and never given up on each other. Luke¡¯s a


    fighter, just like you.¡±


    ¡°Aww, thank you so much, Andre.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you this already, Ariel. You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    ¡°I think I do.¡± I smiled at him.


    ¡°You just have to pray that Luke regains consciousness.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for that to happen


    Andre kept on with his warm smile. ¡°Excuse me, please ¡±


    I nodded, and he walked away after that. After a while, this was great news; it was what I wanted, after


    all


    Minutester, I found myself driving on the quiet road, heading back to the ce where Luke and I had


    spent a wonderful time before all that terrific sh*t happened. I wanted to go get the ne he had


    bought and disyed to me back then.


    It was recently that I realized it wasn¡¯t with me¨Cthat it was still at that cabin in the sprawling forest. And


    since it was special, that was where I was heading.


    The news that Luke was showing signs of waking up lifted a weight off my shoulders, but the


    exhaustion from the long day at the hospital still lingered.


    I was still driving, and suddenly, something caught my eye¨Ca figure in a hooded ck robe standing not


    too far from my car. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly mmed on the brakes, bringing the c halt.


    My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the mysterious figure.


    car to a


    With trembling hands, I reached for the door handle and stepped out of the car, my eyes scanning the


    surroundings frantically. But there was no one there. The road stretched out before me, empty and


    silent, with no sign of the hooded figure anywhere in sight.


    I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me. Was I just seeing


    387:SHADOWED THOUGHTS


    things? Or was there really someone there?


    Shaking my head, I walked around the car, checking every corner and peering into the darkness, but


    there was no trace of anyone lurking nearby. My heartbeat gradually slowed as I persuaded myself that


    the light or my fatigued mind was deceiving me.


    Running a hand through my hair, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Maybe it was just


    a figment of my imagination, I thought, trying to reassure myself. But deep down, a nagging feeling of


    unease lingered, making me wonder if there was more to it than meets the eye.


    With a sigh, I got back into the car and resumed driving, but the encounter weighed heavily on my


    mind, casting a shadow over the rest of the journey.


    As I drove on, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something strange was happening¨Csomething beyond


    my understanding. But for now, all I could do was keep moving forward and hope that everything would


    soon


    return to normal.


    I arrived at the forest, driving straight to the cabin. Of course, everywhere was dark, and I should have


    been terrified. I wasn¡¯t sure what had possessed me, but that was the expected oue. I just wanted


    to find this golden ne and get ahold of it as soon as possible.


    I slowly got out of my car, still thinking about what I had just seen. The figure in the hooded robe


    reminded me of the man I had seen at the hotel. Something didn¡¯t seem right; it was like that man was


    following us. It couldn¡¯t actually be my imagination.


    I stepped foot inside the dark cabin. The familiar scent of pine and cedar enveloped me, a stark


    contrast to the sterile hospital air I had grown ustomed to. The dim light filtering through the


    windows cast eerie shadows on the wooden walls, and every creak of the floorboards echoed through


    the silent room,


    I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the light switch. But something deep inside urged me


    to embrace the darkness and confront whatever awaited me in its depths.


    As I moved further, my footsteps echoed in the silence, my eyes scanning every corner in search of the


    golden ne that held so much significance. The cabin seemed unchanged since thest time we


    were here, yet an undeniable sense of foreboding lingered in the air.


    Finally, I reached the bedroom where Luke had surprised me with the ne, the memory still vivid


    in my mind. My heart skipped a beat as I approached the dresser, where he hadid out the delicate


    piece of jewelry.


    There it was, nestled among the trinkets and mementos. And as I reached out to take it, I heard some


    footsteps, causing me to cease my movements.


    With a silent gasp, I turned around and could hear the footsteps getting close.

 Chapter 388

    388: FRACTURED REALITY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    As I moved further, my footsteps echoed in the silence, my eyes scanning every corner in search of the


    golden ne that held so much significance. The cabin seemed unchanged since thest time we


    were here, yet an undeniable sense of foreboding lingered in the air.


    Finally, I reached the bedroom where Luke had surprised me with the ne, the memory still vivid


    in


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    my


    mind. My heart skipped a beat as I approached the dresser, where he hadid out the delicate piece


    of jewelry.


    There it was, nestled among the trinkets and mementos. And as I reached out to take it, I heard some


    footsteps, causing me to cease my movements.


    With a silent gasp, I turned around and could hear the footsteps getting close.


    What the hell is that? I could only ask myself in my head. Because, at the moment, I was too terrified to


    utter a word.


    My fingers closed around the golden ne, and the metal cooled against my skin as I lifted it from


    its resting ce. The soft light filtering through the curtains danced across its surface, casting


    shimmering


    reflections on the walls.


    But before I could fully grasp the weight of relief, the sound of footsteps echoed through the cabin once


    more, sending a shiver down my spine. My heart raced in my chest as I turned towards the door my


    senses on high alert.


    With cautious steps, I made my way out of the bedroom, the floorboards creaking beneath my feet with


    each movement. Every shadow seemed to morph and shift in the dim light, ying tricks on my mind


    as i scanned the room for any sign of intruders.


    But there was nothing. There was no looming figure in the darkness, no source for the mysterious


    footsteps that had sent me into a panic just moments before. I let out a shaky breath, the tension slowly


    seeping from my body as I realized I was alone.


    Yet, a nagging sense of unease still lingered in the air, a feeling that something was not quite right. Was


    it just my imagination, fueled by exhaustion and fear? Or was there truly something lurking in the


    shadows, waiting to reveal itself?


    I shook my head, trying to dispel the lingering sense of dread as I continued to make my way through


    the cabin. With each step, I forced myself to focus on the task at hand and push aside the creeping


    sense of paranoia that threatened to consume me.


    As I reached the door leading out of the cabin, I cast onest nce around the room, searching for


    any sign of movement or disturbance. But everything remained still and silent, the only sound being the


    faint


    rustle of leaves outside.


    I exhaled deeply as I stepped out into the cool night air, feeling theforting weight of the ne


    against my chest. Whatever had happened back there, I told myself it was nothing more than a trick of


    the


    308 FRACTURED REALITY,


    mind¨Ca fleeting moment of fear in the darkness.


    But a chill raced down my spine as I nced back at the cabin onest time, and I couldn¡¯t shake the


    feeling that someone was watching me. With a quickened pace, I hurried back to my car, eager to


    leave the eerie silence of the forest behind me and return to the familiarity of the hospital.


    I drove away, and the image of the hooded figure shed through my mind once more. I couldn¡¯t help


    but wonder if there was more to the encounter than I had initially thought. But for now, all I could do


    was focus on Luke and hope that he would soon awaken from hisa, bringing an end to the


    uncertainty


    that had gued us all.


    I drove back to the hospital, and the events at the cabin reyed in my mind like a haunting melody.


    The unease that had gripped me lingered, refusing to dissipate even in the harsh light of reality. But I


    pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the one thing, the one person that truly mattered¨CLuke.


    Arriving back at the hospital, I made my way to Luke¡¯s room. The familiar sights and sounds of the


    hospital corridor provided some semnce offort amidst the turmoil within me.


    Opening the door, I stepped inside, greeted once again by the sight of Luke lying motionless on the


    bed, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.


    DE DOD


    Sinking to the floor beside the bed, I cradled the golden ne in my hands, the cool metal a stark


    contrast to the warmth of my skin. The memories of happier times flooded my mind, each one a


    bittersweet reminder of what we had lost.


    I traced the delicate curves of the pendant, my fingers lingering over the inscription that spoke of Luke¡¯s


    love for me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I gazed at him, willing him to wake up and return to me.


    But as I sat there in the quiet of the hospital room, the weight of uncertainty pressed down upon me


    once more. The fear that Luke might never wake up and that our future together might be lost forever


    threatened to overwhelm me.


    Closing my eyes, I whispered a silent prayer, a plea to bring Luke back to me. I couldn¡¯t bear the


    thought of facing this alone, of losing him without ever getting the chance to say goodbye.


    But even as I prayed, a part of me couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something darker was at y, that the


    events of the night were more than just a figment of my imagination: The footsteps in the cabin and the


    hooded figure were too real to dismiss as mere tricks of the mind.


    With a heavy heart, I nestled the golden ne against Luke¡¯s bedside table, a silent promise to


    never give up hope. As I leaned back against the edge of the bed, I vowed to stay by his side, no


    matter what darkness awaited us in the days toe.


    Yes, and that was how I went to sleep.


    I opened my eyes, waking up in the middle of the night with a sense of unease in the air like a heavy


    fog. The soft hum of machines and the distant sounds of the hospital filled the room, with everywhere


    being


    dark.


    Gazing at Luke¡¯s still form, a wave of sadness washed over me, mingling with the ever¨Cpresent fear


    that


    398¨CFRACTURED REALITY


    threatened to consume me. Despite the darkness pressing in around me, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling


    that something was watching, lurking Just beyond the edges of my vision.


    With trembling hands, I reached out and grasped the golden ne, Its familiar weight aforting


    anchor in the darkness.


    I let out a deep sigh, closed my eyes, and let the gentle rhythm of Luke¡¯s breathing lull me back to


    sleep, th. Thought of uncertainty still was was heavy upon my shoulders but tempered by the glimmer


    of hope that burned bright within me.


    These few moments were really crazy, you know.


    I opened my eyes; since the day had gotten brighter. I was really exhausted. But you want to know


    something?


    I felt multiple taps on my shoulder, and I quickly turned around, my eyes widening at that very moment.


    ¡°Luke?¡±


    Luke opened his eyes partly, looking around. ¡°Where, where am I?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at the hospital, Luke. And I¡¯m finally d you¡¯ve regained consciousness.¡±


    He looked at me with confusion. ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 389

    389 ALONE IN DESPAIR


    389: ALONE IN DESPAIR


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I opened my eyes, since the day had gotten brig brighter. I was really exhausted. But you want to know


    something?


    I felt multiple taps on my shoulder, and I quickly turned around, my eyes widening at that very moment.


    ¡°Luke?¡±


    Luke opened his eyes partly, looking around. ¡°Where, where am 17¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at the hospital, Luke. And I¡¯m finally d you¡¯ve regained consciousness.¡±


    He looked at me with confusion. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I gave him a puzzled look in return. ¡°Who am I? What do you mean by that? ¡°I am Ariel, Luke, your


    wife.¡±


    ¡°Ariel?¡± He still had that confused expression. ¡°I can¡¯t remember you.¡±


    The sudden change in my face had worsened. ¡°I don¡¯t get you. What do you mean you can¡¯t remember


    me?¡±


    I stared at Luke in disbelief, my heart sinking with each passing moment. How could he not remember


    me, his wife, the woman he had vowed to spend the rest of his life with? It felt like a cruel twist of fate,


    a nightmare from which I couldn¡¯t wake up.


    Luke¡¯s head began to throb with pain as he shook it from side to side, screaming to a certain degree.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± I uttered the question, keeping my gaze fixed on him. He kept on shaking


    his head, and it seemed like every single second, the pain was getting worse.


    I felt a surge of panic grips me, my hands trembling as I reached for the call button beside the bed.


    With shaking fingers, I pressed it urgently, the sound echoing through the room like a desperate plea


    for help.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± I tried to calm him down, and then he lost


    consciousness. I still didn¡¯t take my eyes off him, and all I could only at him in wonder.


    Within moments, a doctor rushed into the room, his expression grave as he assessed the situation. I


    quickly exined what had happened, my voice trembling with emotion as I recounted Luke¡¯s sudden


    confusion and memory loss.


    The doctor nodded, his brow furrowing with concern as he examined Luke¡¯s vitals. With a sigh, he


    turned to me, his expression somber.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he has suffered memory loss as a result of the ident,¡± he exined gently. ¡°It¡¯s not


    umon in cases of severe head trauma.¡°We¡¯ll need to run some tests to determine the extent of the


    damage.¡±


    My heart sank at his words, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a leaden nket. I


    nodded numbly, my mind racing with a million questions and fears.


    The doctor assured me that he would do everything in hhe couldp Luke recover, but for now, I needed


    to leave the room so he could conduct his examination.


    With a heavy heart, I stepped outside, the corridor stretching out before me like a long, dark tunnel. I


    paced back and forth, my thoughts in turmoil, as I waited for news of Luke¡¯s condition.


    Minutes stretched into hours, each passing moment filled with uncertainty and fear. And Finally doctor


    emerged from the room, his expression grave.


    I rushed towards him, my heart pounding in my chest as I awalted his verdict. And when he spoke, his


    words were like a dagger through my heart.


    ¡°Luke has suffered significant memory loss,¡± he said softly. ¡°It¡¯s unclear how much he will be able to


    recover, but it will take time and patience.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say, doctor, that he doesn¡¯t remember me? That I¡¯m no longer a part of his life?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± I blurted out immeisbelief, as I fell on the bench.


    The doctor ced a gentle hand on my shoulder, offering a small measure offort in the midst of


    my


    turmoil.


    ¡°I know this is incredibly difficult to hear,¡± he said softly, his voice filled with empathy. ¡°But it¡¯s important


    to remain calm. Luke¡¯s memory loss doesn¡¯t mean he no longer cares for you. It¡¯s simply a result of the


    trauma he¡¯s experienced.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes, the weight of his words crashing down upon me like a tidal wave, I tried to


    hold back the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm me, but it was futile. The dam broke, and I


    found myself sobbing uncontrobly, the sound echoing through the empty corridor.


    The doctor pulled me into aforting embrace, allowing me to release the pent¨Cup anguish and fear


    that had been building inside me since Luke¡¯s ident. His presence was a lifeline in the midst of the


    storm, offering sce and support when I needed it most.


    After what felt like an eternity, my tears began to subside, leaving me¨Cdrained and exhausted. I looked


    up at the doctor, my eyes red and swollen from crying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to deal with this,¡± I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.


    The doctor gave me a reassuring smile, his gaze filled withpassion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to face this alone, Ariel,¡± he said gently. ¡°We¡¯ll do everything we can to help Luke


    recover his memories. In the meantime, it¡¯s important for you to take care of yourself as well.


    I nodded numbly, but I was still speechless because this came as a huge shock to me. I was drowning


    in despair, all my fears had finally shackled me. I never expected this, and I never wanted it to happen.


    Alone in the quiet of the hospital corridor, I found myself engulfed by a suffocating sense of despair.


    The weight of the news I had just received bore down on me like an insurmountable burden, crushing


    my spirit


    beneath its unrelenting grip.


    360 ALONE IN DESPAIR


    I sank onto the nearest bench, my hands trembling as I tried to process the enormity of what had just


    happened. Luke, my beloved husband, had lost his memory¨Clost his memory of me. The realization


    sent shockwaves of pain rippling through my already fragile heart, leaving me feeling hollow and


    broken.


    How could this be happening? How could the man I had shared my life with, the man I had loved with


    every fiber of my being, no longer remember me? It felt like a cruel turn of events, a nightmare from


    which


    I couldn¡¯t escape.


    Tears streamed down my cheeks unabated, the salty taste of anguish staining my lips. I felt adrift in a


    sea of uncertainty, my mind swirling with unanswered questions and unspoken fears.


    Would Luke ever regain his memories? Would he ever look at me with the same love and affection her


    once did? Or had our cruel twist of fate?


    Th irreparably shattered our lives uncertainty was agonizing¨Ca constant ache that gnawed at the very


    core of my being. I longed for reassurance, for some glimmer of hope to cling to in the darkness that


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    threatened to consume me.


    But as I sat there, alone with my thoughts, I realized that hope was a file thi¨Cflickering me in the


    midst of a howling storm. And yet, despite the overwhelming odds stacked against us, I refused to let it


    die.


    We would find a way to weather this storm and emerge on the other side stronger and more resilient


    than


    ever before.¡±


    But for


    w all I could do was wait¨Cwait for news of Luke¡¯s condition, wait for signs of progress, wait for the day


    when he would once again look at me with recognition in his eyes.

 Chapter 390

    390: YEARNING FOR YESTERDAY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    With leaden steps, I walked into the hospital, moving in the hall, feeling broken. All I could think of was


    Luke. The moment he tapped my shoulder, just when happiness had overshadowed me, he gave me a


    shocking response in return.


    I didn¡¯t even know what to say; I had no idea what to do. This was not what I wanted; I had been


    waiting. all this time for him to finally open his eyes. Life, my friend, was really messed up. And my


    journey all these days had been dark; we weren¡¯t going to lie about that.


    Different situations¨Cglee, destion, pain¨Cwere where the tears were shed. All these actually work out


    together, and my series has been the type that no one would wish to have, although I smiled in some


    moments. Not every time, because one way or another, the arrows were going to hit me strastraight


    away kept on wandering through the sterile corridors of the hospital; my mind felt like a tangled web of


    emotions, each strand pulling me deeper into solitude. Memories of happier times with Luke mingled


    with the harsh reality of his current condition, creating a whirlwind of conflicting feelings.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the image of his vacant expression when he delivered that shocking response. It felt


    like a betrayal, a punch to the gut after all the hope and anticipation I had built up during his recovery.


    1


    Every step I took echoed with the weight of uncertainty, each footfall a reminder of the unknown path


    ahead. It was a lonely journey, navigating the warren of my own thoughts and fears without anyone to


    lean on.


    But even in this pain and terrible situation, with a broken heart full of despair, I wouldn¡¯t let despair


    consume me entirely. I had to find a way to make sense of this chaos and generate light in this


    darkness.


    With a heavy heart and trembling hands, I pushed forward, clinging to the hope that somewhere along


    this solitary path, I would find the power to endure. And trust me, I would do everything in my power to


    bring those memories back into his head. The devil wouldn¡¯t dare to stop me.


    I treaded into Luke¡¯s room, my hand reaching to open the door, and a deep sigh was what escaped my


    lips. No lie, I was still hurt, but this is the present now. The only thing I hoped for currently was to put an


    end to this. I wanted this episode to pass away and let something bettere. Something that would


    always put a smile on my face. Because anyone in my shoes would wish for that.


    I finally opened the door, and there he was¨Csitting on the bed, a quiet expression on his face as he


    looked around. His eyes met mine; the gazested for quite a long time till he eventually took his face.


    away.


    Crossing my arms, I exhaled deeply and walked closer to him. I settled down next to him on the edge


    of the bed. The both of us sat down in silence, with my eyes narrowing. And Luke¨CI didn¡¯t know what


    he was thinking, but I hoped it was about me.


    Crazy right? Since he didn¡¯t remember me anymore, Why would he be thinking about me?


    ¡°Luke,¡± I said softly, breaking the silence.


    He slowly took a look at me, and I did the same.


    ¡°Please, you need to make everything clear to me. Who are you, and what am I doing in this hospital?¡±


    He Inquired.


    ¡°So you really don¡¯t remember?¡± I asked him in a calm tone.


    He shook his head. ¡°I do remember. My name is my business, but¡­I just don¡¯t know you. I haven¡¯t


    seen you before, and you¡¯re right here with me, sitting in this hospital with me. The look on your face


    says something.¡±


    ¡°The look on my face says something.¡± I interrupted him. ¡°What does it say?¡±


    He looked at me for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t actually tell. You know, I don¡¯t


    even know why I¡¯m at this hospital. I should probably be at work right now, carrying out a business


    meeting. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be in this room, putting on this, with all these things fixed on me.¡±


    He sighed again, taking his eyes elsewhere.


    ¡°I totally understand you. I know where you¡¯reing from,¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± He nced at me incontinently.


    ¡°Of course I do, Luke. I am your wife.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife?¡± He shot me a confused face.


    ¡°Yes, I am your wife, Luke. We are legally married.¡±


    After scanning me for some seconds, still with the puzzled face, he shook his head, clearly not


    agreeing


    to what I was bringing out to him. ¡°No, no,st time I checked, I¡¯m not married.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not married because you can¡¯t remember the part where we had to carry out our


    wedding. You lost your memory, Luke. You lost your memory.¡±


    ¡°I lost my memory.¡± He asked, and his tone was calm, slow, and filled with confusion.


    ¡°Yes, you did. And now you don¡¯t remember anything. You don¡¯t remember the part where your


    grandfather wanted you to marry me. You don¡¯t remember our first wedding night, which was kind of


    messed up and terrible. I¡¯m not going to talk too much about that. And crap, you don¡¯t remember


    anything at all. It¡¯s like you lost half of your memory.¡±


    E


    He gave me a show¨Cme face, and I had to limate my words.


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t lose half of your memory. Only the remarkable moments,¡± I stated, not looking at him.


    ¡°Remarkable moments.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I responded with a nod.


    ¡°And by remarkable moments, what do you mean?¡±


    I fixed my eyes on him. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve spent a lot of great times together. And I can¡¯t start mentioning


    them


    one by one.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡±


    I was suspended, and my tone became low as I took my eyes downward. ¡°There¡¯s been so much pain,


    honestly. A lot of years passed by, lots of time was wasted, and there were a lot of lives lost. Betrayals,.


    and¡­¡±


    I sighed again. ¡°Taking my mind back to those times?¡°It hurts.¡±


    Luke murmured, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s such a shame that I cannot even begin to visualize any of this.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts before continuing. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to grasp, Luke.


    But you have to trust me on this. We¡¯ve been through a lot together, both good and bad.¡±


    He furrowed his brows, a hint of frustration crossing his features. ¡°I wish I could remember, Ariel.¡°I


    really do.¡±


    ¡°And I wish I could do something to bring those memories back for you. ¡°But for now, we just have to


    take it one step at a time,¡± I replied, my voice tingling with sadness.


    He nodded slowly, a solemn expression settling over his face. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I wanted to talk, but then I noticed how he ced his hand on his head, making a pained face.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I blurted out promptly, fixing my eyes on him only. The painful expression on his countenance


    aggrandized me, and it had me really worried.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± I held his other hand.


    He screamed in pain immediately.

 Chapter 391

    391: THE ROAD TO HEALING


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke nodded slowly, a solemn expression settling over his face. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I wanted to say something to give an idea of how we were going to make this workout, I


    guess. But then I noticed how he ced his hand on his head, making a painful face.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I blurted out that very moment, settling my eyes on him and nothing else. The painful cast on


    his face went to a whole new level, and it had me really worried.


    ¡°Luke, what¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± I clutched his other hand.


    He let out a roar immediately, and it showed how pained he was.


    Panic surged through me as I cleaved to make Luke¡¯s hand tighter, his screams echoing in the sterile


    room.


    ¡°Luke, please, what¡¯s happening? Talk to me,¡± I pleaded.


    But he was writhing in agony; his face contorted with pain. I felt helpless, my heart racing, as I


    struggled


    to calm him down.


    Luke him


    ¡°Luke, listen to me; just breathe, okay? Everything will be alright,¡± I murmured, my words sounding


    feeble


    even to my own ears.


    But his screams only grew louder and more desperate, tearing through the stillness of the room like a


    two- edged sword.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to see him like this. So, I released his hand and dashed out of the room, my feet


    pounding against the hard floor as I raced to find help.


    ¡°Doctor! Please, someone, help!¡± I shouted frantically, and my voice echoed down the corridor.


    Finally, a nurse appeared, her eyes widening in rm at the sight of my distress.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± she asked urgently.


    ¡°It¡¯s Luke; he¡¯s in pain; something¡¯s wrong,¡± I gasped out, my chest heaving with panic.


    Without hesitation, the nurse hurried into the room, and I followed closely behind, my heart scuffling in


    my ears.


    I watched anxiously as the medical team surrounded Luke, their movements swift and determined as


    they worked to ease his suffering.


    I stood there, just watching them, feeling utterly powerless. I drove my hands through my hair, still


    panicking, hoping that he would be okay. But I tried to keep myself together.


    One of the nurses turned to me. ¡°Miss, can you please leave the room?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t leave my husband,¡± I responded.


    201 THE ROAD TO HEALING


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to.¡°We have something to work on right now, and you can¡¯t be here. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to move. I didn¡¯t even give a damn about her words. But the other individuals in the room


    all nced at me, and they didn¡¯t give me that friendly look.


    I turned around and slowly walked out of the room. After shutting the door, I leaned against it, closing


    both of my eyes really tight. I burst into tears immediately.


    But I drove my hands through my eyes, wiping them away. And right after that, I sniffled. This was me


    trying to be strong. I didn¡¯t want to let the asthenic side get the best of me.


    After some slow steps, I sat on the hard bench outside the room, and time seemed to stretch on


    endlessly. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, filled with worry and uncertainty. I couldn¡¯t shake


    the image of Luke writhing in pain from my mind, his screams still echoing in my ears.


    I hugged myself tightly, trying to ward off the chill that seemed to seep into my bones despite the


    warmth of the hospital hallway. Each passing moment felt like a lifetime, and I couldn¡¯t help but rey


    the events in my mind, wondering what could have caused Luke¡¯s sudden agony.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to Luke¡¯s room swung open, and a nurse stepped out.


    My heart leaped into my throat as I scrambled to my feet, my eyes searching desperately for any sign


    of hope.


    ¡°Is he okay? ¡°How is he?¡± I blurted out, my voice trembling with fear.


    The nurse offered me a reassuring smile, her eyes filled with kindness. ¡°He¡¯s going to be alright. He


    just


    needs some rest now.¡±


    Relief flooded through me like a tidal wave, washing away the fear and uncertainty that had gripped me


    for the past hour. I sank back onto the bench, tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered hoarsely, my voice choking with emotion.


    The nurse nodded, her smile never faltering. ¡°You¡¯re wee. If you need anything, just let us know.¡±


    She wanted to walk away, but I halted her, saying, ¡°Hold on.¡±


    She turned around, eyes fixed on me. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Will I be able to take him home today? ¡°You know, just to give him some rest.¡±


    After staring at me for seconds, she shook her head as she replied, ¡°No, not today. He¡¯s too weak to


    leave the hospital now. You can do that some other time.¡±


    ¡°Like when?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, whenever he¡¯s fit.¡±


    ¡°And what if he¡¯s fit today?¡±


    ¡°Please, miss, no questions. Just let the young man rest,¡± she answered. Her tone wasn¡¯t friendly, but it


    wasn¡¯t rude either. Well, sort of rude.


    I didn¡¯t give her a friendly face as well, and she noticed it.


    391: THE ROAD TO HEALING


    3/3


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t mean to be rude. But it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence as she sighed in frustration, lifting her hands. Kind of silly, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°Just ce, excuse me,¡± she told me and disappeared back into the room.


    I sat back on the bench, closing my eyes, and I didn¡¯t even know the time I drifted off to sleep.


    Minutester, or hours, or whatever, I felt someone tapping my arm. Dragged me from my sleep, and


    when I had opened my eyes, I saw the nurse who I had talked with before I went to sleepy town.


    ¡°Uhmm, miss,¡± she uttered softly.


    I looked up at her, cleaning my eyes. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I was just tired, so I¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay,¡± she cut me off. ¡°Your husband is alright now. He¡¯s awake, so¡­.you can go and see


    him.¡±


    ¡°Is there by any chance that he¡­¡± I gave her a knowing look.


    She grasped it quickly, and I didn¡¯t have to say much. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t actually tell. But I don¡¯t really think


    so.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I said with a nod.


    ¡°If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to let us know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll put that in mind,¡± I whispered, and then she walked away.


    Frose from the bench with a mix of relief and apprehension swirling inside me. The nurse¡¯s words


    echoed


    in my


    mind as I made my way back to Luke¡¯s room. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect when I entered, but I knew I


    had to be strong for both of us.


    Opening the door, I found Luke lying in the bed, his eyes open and gazing at the ceiling. I was really


    d and relieved to see him awake, seemingly lucid.


    I approached his bedside cautiously. ¡°Luke?¡± I called softly.


    He turned his head towards me, his gaze locking onto mine. ¡°You, you¡¯re back,¡± he murmured, his


    voice


    hoarse.


    I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back.¡±


    He frowned as if trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. ¡°What happened? Even if I could


    remember, I was in¡­¡±


    ¡°You were in pain,¡± I cut him off. ¡°But you¡¯re okay now. The nurse said you just need some rest.¡±

 Chapter 392

    392: TOWARDS CLARITY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I never knew life could get this twisted. Growing up, I always thought life was supposed to be a certain


    way. I had expectations of what my future would look like,


    than smooth sailing.


    But as I got older, I realized that thing doesn¡¯t alway and I never imagined it being anything other


    go


    of our


    live nn


    There are unexpected twists and


    turns that canpletely change the course And now, looking back, I can see that my life. turns that


    canpletely change the course o was always meant to be like this.


    These challenges and obstacles were meant to shape me into the person I am today. They taught me


    valuable lessons and have made me stronger and more resilient. I may not have chosen this path for


    myself, but I havee to ept it and embrace it. I never knew life could get this twisted, but I


    wouldn¡¯t could get this twisted, but I wouldn¡¯t


    change it for anything.


    For the two days prior, I had been at the hospital with Luke, refusing to leave his side. Seeing him in


    that vulnerable state, unable to remember anything, was heartbreaking.


    I did my best to help him regain his memories, constantly reminding him of our shared experiences and


    inside jokes. I told him stories of our adventures and showed him pictures of our happy moments


    together.


    It was a difficult and emotionally draining experience, but I was determined to help him remember the


    regain his memories, and we would be able to create new one¡¯s together. Until then, I would continue


    to stand by his side and be his support system through that challenging time.


    person he used to be. I knew that with time and patience, he would eventuall


    I approached Luke¡¯s room, and a whirlwind of emotions churned inside me. I took a deep breath to


    steady e. I took a deep breath to steady myself before pushing the door open. Luke was sitting up in


    bed, his gaze fixed on some distant point, lost in thought, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I said softly, stepping closer to him.


    He turned his head slowly, his eyes meeting mine. ¡°Hey,¡± he replied, his voice quiet.


    I took a seat beside him on the bed, and technically, my heart was pounding in my chest. ¡°Luke, I have


    some news,¡± I began, trying to keep my voice kinda steady. Yeah, steady.


    He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue.


    ¡°The doctor said you¡¯re physically fit to leave the hospital,¡± I said, watching his reaction carefully.


    An outburst of surprise crossed his face, followed by a hint of confusion. ¡°Leave the hospital? But why?


    I thought I was supposed to stay here until I remembered everything.¡±


    I reached out and took his hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Luke, staying here won¡¯t


    necessarily help you regain your memories faster. Sometimes, being in a familiar environment can


    trigger memories more effectively.¡±


    your house?¡±


    ¡°Our house.¡± I nodded, with a small smile ying on my lips. ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s time. Besides, I¡¯ve missed


    having you around the house. And the others have too.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    He gave me a thoughtful look, as if weighing his options. Finally, he let out a sigh and nodded. ¡°Alright


    then, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Relief flooded through me, and I couldn¡¯t help but wrap my arms around him in a tight hug. ¡°Thank you,


    honestly. This means so much to me, and I promise you won¡¯t regret this.¡±


    He held me close for a moment before pulling away. Yeah, he was still trying to get used to that with


    me,


    actually.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to trust you, right? I mean, there¡¯s no way you can lie in a situation like this, right?¡±


    I was just smiling at him, staring at his innocent face. I had been lost in his beauty.


    But then he brought me back to reality as he voiced this for the second time. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, right,¡± I responded immediately. ¡°But, Luke, I have to ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± he uttered lowly, looking at me. ¡°You can go on with¡­. whatever you have to say.¡±


    ¡°If you were told to marry ady you don¡¯t like, all for the sake of family, would you do that?¡±


    Luke became silent for a moment. But then he finally spoke, ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s just a question.¡±


    He gave me a skeptical look. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Why would you be asking if I¡¯m not sure?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just feel like¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something to that question?¡± I cut him off, staring into his eyes.


    He looked back at me as his hand slowly were, ¡°Well¡­I can¡¯t say anything. I can¡¯t cling to my


    thoughts.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I replied inaudibly, looking in a different direction.


    ¡°But honestly, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    I nced at him right away. ¡°Say what now?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t actually tell, but there¡¯s no way I would get married to someone I don¡¯t love.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What if your grandfather forces you?¡±


    Luke let out a deep sigh and looked at me. ¡°Why would he?¡±


    Oh shit. Does this man know that his grandfather, Sir Reynold, was no more? I didn¡¯t really think so.


    Since


    he didn¡¯t know me, he must be thinking that Sir Reynold was still alive, living the life.


    392. TOWARDS CLARITY


    373


    Where do I start now?


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Nothing, actually,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Hmm, I see. But why would you put my grandfather into this? Is there something you¡¯re not telling


    me?¡±


    ¡°Luke, there are a lot of things that I haven¡¯t told you. Bu, but not going to stress on tabout then yeah,


    don¡¯t do that,¡± he told me, and we became silent for about a minute.


    But the stillness was broken the moment Luke asked, ¡°When are we leaving?¡±


    ¡°Anytime you want,¡± I answered and looked at him. He raised an eyebrow at me with a knowing look.


    ¡°Anytime,¡± I told him, widening my eyes this time. He chuckled before turning his face away.


    So, he we were, both of us in my car, Luke had already changed his outfit, now putting on a grey shirt


    with


    a pair of jeans, which I brought for him. We had I


    * Our seatbelts on, and I was ready to hit to the road.


    ¡°So, I guess you¡¯re ready for this?¡± I brought out, fixing my hands on the steering wheel.


    ¡°Ready for what?¡± He asked, faking a confused face.


    ¡°Our journey. We have a lot of things to talk about, mister.¡±


    Luke breathed out deeply and closed his eyes. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t even want to talk. I just need to


    process


    this whole thing as soon as possible, and I need to know where I stand??


    It¡¯s reall


    fucked up, you know. I have no idea how I got married. You¡¯re right here, telling me this and that, and


    I¡¯m just here, confused, trying to get¡­. everything.¡±


    I nodded, understanding the weight of his words. ¡°I get it, Luke. It¡¯s a lot to take in all at once. But just


    know that I¡¯m here for you every step of the way. We¡¯ll figure this out together.¡±


    He nced at me briefly. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really know what to say, but thanks. I really appreciate your


    support.¡±


    I smiled at him. ¡°Anytime, Luke. Now, let¡¯s get you home and settled in.¡±

 Chapter 393

    393: SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    The minutes passed by, Luke and I were in the car, as I drove in silence, the rhythmic hum of the


    engine seemed to amplify the weight of the situation. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that settled


    in the pit of my stomach, a constant reminder of the skepticism thaty ahead.


    ncing at Luke from the corner of my eye, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of guilt. I was guilty of what


    he was going through, for the turmoil his mind was in, and for the things I had yet to reveal.


    Well, not that it was my fault or that I should be guilty, but it was just a thought, and it couldn¡¯t escape


    my


    head.


    Still gazing at Luke, his profile was illuminated by the soft glow of the dashboard lights, casting


    shadows across his features. He looked lost in thought, his brow furrowed in enthrallment, as if trying to


    piece together fragments of a puzzle that refused to fit.


    I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what was going through his mind, the confusion and frustration that must be


    paddling around inside him. And yet, despite it all, he remained remarkablyposed, a substantiation


    to his strength of character.


    Turning my attention back to the road, I focused on the rhythmic pattern of the passing streetlights,


    each one a fleeting reminder of the miles we had yet to travel. The silence stretched on, heavy and


    apprehensible, filling the car with an unspoken tension that seemed to hang in the air like a thick fog.


    But through the quiet, a sense of solidarity began to take root within me. Despite the doubt of our


    circumstances, I knew that we were in this together, bound by a shared history and a promise ofExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    And so, I drove on, the steady measure of the road beneath us aforting reminder that no matter


    how twisted life may seem, there was always a path forward, waiting to be discovered.


    Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed when Luke finally broke the silence, his voice soft and hesitant as


    he


    spoke.


    ¡°Ariel¡­¡±


    ÁÏ


    I turned to him, startled by the sound of my name on his lips. His eyes met mine, searching for


    something


    I couldn¡¯t quite name.


    ¡°I just want to say¡­ thank you,¡± he said, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°For everything.¡±


    His words caught me off guard, a swell of emotion rising within me at the sincerity of his


    acknowledgement. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I managed a small smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, Luke,¡± I replied, smiling ipletely at him. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what any


    person in this world would do.¡±


    He nodded a faint smile right at the corners of his lips. ¡°Still¡­ I appreciate it. Everything feels kind of


    strange, but I appreciate it. And once again, thank you.¡±


    393 SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES


    2/3


    My smile grew wider.


    At this moment, as the miles stretched out before us and the world outside faded into darkness, I knew


    that no matter what twists and turnsy ahead, we would face them together, bound by a bond that


    even the most twisted of paths could not break.


    Get a perfect view of it. A lot of terrible things hade right at us. Different viins in our story,


    heartbreaks that one could barely count. But still, the sun always shines brightly upon our lives, and the


    setting is in the positive sectors,ing out of the negative scenes that unfold.


    We continued our journey, and the heaviness of our shared silence seemed to press heavier upon us.


    The cadenced hum of the engine provided the only constant in the otherwise still atmosphere.


    The city lights began to fade behind us as we approached the gated entrance of our mansion, a


    chandelier of familiarity, right there, and we might still be clouded with gloom, but we would ovee


    this eventually.


    Pulling up to the imposing gates, I nced over at Luke, expectancy tingling in my veins as I awaited


    his reaction. But as his gaze swept over the grandeur of the estate, I noticed a change of perplexity in


    his eyes, a shadow of dubitation clouding his expression.


    ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t where I used to live, is it?¡± Luke¡¯s voice broke through the silence, his tone streaked


    with


    disbelief.


    ¡°No, Luke,¡± I replied softly, my heart aching at the realization of his lost memories. ¡°You¡­ moved here.


    Currently, this is our home. Not the normal mansion you used to live in.¡¯


    Luke¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion, his mind undoubtedly struggling to reconcile the reality before fin


    with the fragmented memories of his past.


    ¡°But¡­ what about my grandfather?¡± he asked, his voice vibrating with distrustfulness.


    I hesitated, my heart clenching with a load of unspoken words. I knew that revealing the fate of his


    grandfather could unleash a tidal wave of grief and pain, emotions that he may not be ready to confront


    in his current state of confusion.


    But at this point, as I met Luke¡¯s pleading gaze, I made a silent vow to protect him from unnecessary


    suffering, even if it meant withholding painful truths for the time being.


    ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s not here right now, Luke,¡± I replied carefully, choosing my words with deliberate caution.


    ¡°But let¡¯s focus on the present, okay? We¡¯re here together, and that¡¯s what matters.¡±


    Luke nodded, though the furrow in his brow remained, a silent voucher to the turmoil raging within his


    mind.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time we leave the car?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± He nodded and left. I burst out as well.


    ¡°So now you¡¯re telling me that this is my house,¡± Luke vocalized as the both of us moved forward.


    ¡°Yes, Luke. This is your house.¡±


    393: SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES


    3/3


    We passed through the gate, and there was Marcus in his usual position.


    ¡°Wassup, Marcus?¡± I greeted hirn.


    ¡°Evening, miss,¡± Marcus greeted back, standing upright immediately. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡±


    Luke made a puzzled cast, and he looked at me. ¡°Who is this man?¡±


    The look on Marcus¡® face showed that he was colossally stunned by Luke¡¯s words. But what could he


    say?


    I generated a smile that¡¯s sort of fake, reaching out to Luke¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We can talk


    about


    thatter.¡±


    After that, the two of us traipsed away, leaving Marcus alone. I could tell he was still going through the


    goddamn shock.


    And finally, we both entered the mansion. The familiar grandeur of the foyer weed us with its


    opulent


    furnishings.


    ¡°Wee home, Luke,¡± I said softly, guiding him further into the expansive hallway.


    Luke¡¯s gaze wandered, taking in the elegant surroundings with a mixture of awe and confusion. I could


    sense his struggle to reconcile the unfamiliar with the fragments of memory that danced just beyond his


    reach.


    But as we walked, a wave of warmth enveloped us as the familiar faces of the household staff greeted


    Luke with genuine delight. Their smiles were infectious, banishing the shadows of doubt that lingered in


    his


    yes.


    Mariam emerged from the sitting room, her face lighting up as she caught sight of her nephew.


    ¡°Luke, darling, you¡¯re back!¡± she eximed, rushing forward to envelop him in a warm embrace.


    And then, as if on cue, Celine appeared at the top of the staircase, her expression a mixture of relief


    and longing. ¡°Luke!¡±


    She went to hug him quickly, but Luke was just giving her a stupefied face.


    He kept on with the expression as he brought out, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re alive?¡±

 Chapter 394

    394: HOLDING ON TO HOPE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Finally, Luke and I entered the mansion. The foyer¡¯s familiar grandeur and opulent furnishings


    weed


    Us.


    ¡°Wee home, Luke,¡± I said softly, guiding him further into the expansive hallway.


    Luke¡¯s gaze wandered, taking in the elegant surroundings with a mixture of awe and confusion. I could


    sense his struggle to reconcile the unfamiliar with the fragments of memory that danced just beyond his


    reach.


    But as we walked, a wave of warmth enveloped us as the familiar faces of the household staff greeted


    Luke with genuine delight. Their smiles were infectious, banishing the shadows of doubt that lingered in


    his eyes.


    Mariam emerged from the sitting room, her face lighting up as she caught sight of her nephew.


    ¡°Luke, darling, you¡¯re back!¡± she eximed, rushing forward to warmly embrace him.


    And then, as if on cue, Celine appeared at the top of the staircase, her expression a mixture of relief


    and longing. ¡°Luke!¡±


    She went to hug him quickly, but Luke was just giving her a stupefied face.


    He kept on with the expression as he brought out, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re alive?¡±


    She gazed at him in confusion, and this was the part where I had to p my face and say, ¡®Oh my god.¡®


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Luke inquired, demanding an answer from me or his mother. His eyes are not


    leaving mine. ¡°My mother is dead. Why am I seeing her face around here?¡±


    Celine¡¯s eyes went to mine, and she, too, was confused. The look she was giving me could tell that she


    wanted an exnation for this whole drama.


    ¡°Ariel, what¡¯s going on?¡± She queried.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, people. There¡¯s no need for any of us to argue around here,¡± I said, trying to diffuse


    the


    situation.


    ¡°No one¡¯s arguing here; we¡¯re just asking questions,¡± Celine told me.


    ¡°Ariel, I asked you something.¡°Can you please give me an answer to my question?¡± Luke inquired,


    staring


    at me.


    ¡°Listen, Luke, you need to calm down.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Calm down? How in the world do you expect me to act when I¡¯m seeing my mother standing in front of


    me, who apparently is dead?¡±


    ¡°Well, things are a little bitplicated.¡± I answered in a low tone, taking my eyes in another direction.


    394 HOLDING ON TO HOPE


    2/3


    ¡°Complicated? How?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was starting to get high, and it was not good. ¡°My mother died when


    I was seven years old. Why am I seeing her standing?¡±


    He paused immediately, holding his head, and I could notice something.


    ¡°Luke? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, shifting closer to him.


    ¡°Oh my¡­ I don¡¯t know, my head¡­ hurts,¡± he responded, still fixing both of his hands around his head.


    Getting closer, I held both of his shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs. We¡¯ll discuss all thister.¡±


    With that, I walked Luke to his room upstairs, not wanting to get things heated. He might just lose


    consciousness, stressing himself, and I wasn¡¯t up for that.


    When I took him to his room, I could feel the tension


    diating off him like waves of heat. His confusion


    and frustration were clear, and I knew I needed to handle the situation delicately.


    ¡°Come on, Luke, let¡¯s get you settled,¡± I said softly, guiding him to sit on the edge of his bed.


    Heplied, still rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off the pain that lingered in his head.


    ¡°Take deep breaths, okay? In and out,¡± I coached gently, sitting beside him.


    He followed my lead, his breathing gradually evening out as he focused on the simple rhythm.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, just rx,¡± I encouraged, reassuringly touching his shoulder.


    I could sense the strain slowly melting away from Luke¡¯s body as the minutes passed. The lines of


    strain on his face began to soften, reced by a look of weary resignation.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± I asked softly, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.


    He nodded, albeit slightly, with his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the walls of his room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for snapping back there,¡± he murmured, his voice heavy with fatigue.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. This is all a lot to process,¡± I reassured him, offering a sympathetic smile.


    He sighed, leaning back against the pillows with a weary sigh. ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t understand any of this.


    How can my mom be here when she¡¯s supposed to be gone?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to wrap your head around,¡± I began, choosing my words carefully. ¡°But sometimes,


    things aren¡¯t always what they seem.¡±


    He looked at me, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. ¡°Do you¡­ do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Well, there are a lot of things to talk about. But not right now; you¡¯re still too weak


    for this. Not weak, though, but you know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    He furrowed his brows at me, his cast dispelling the bewilderment. ¡°I¡¯m


    I tapped his shoulder forthwith. ¡°You take care, hun. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    rry, what now?¡±


    I stood up


    and left the room forthwith. After closing the door, I was suspended. This situation was about to spiral


    out of control.


    394 HOLDING ON TO HOPE


    I treaded downstairs, and Celine was standing right there, crossing her arms like she was waiting for


    me.


    ¡°Ariel,¡± she called my name, taking her back off the wall and getting


    And indeed, she was waiting for me.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I uttered, looking at her.


    orvous.


    ¡°Now, you have to tell me what happened back there,¡± she told me in a hushed tone.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get a clue?¡± I asked in response, but my tone was still hushed.


    ¡°What the¡­how am I supposed to get a clue?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; you got brains, right?¡±


    She gave me a cold stare forthwith.


    I had topose myself, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. ¡°Okay, the thing here is that Luke


    lost his memory.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Celine was brought out immediately. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°We had an ident, remember? And it turns out that shit went ahead to mess with his brain.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, that is terrible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I stated, shaking my head. ¡°Right now, we can¡¯t put him through any stress. That¡¯s why I


    quickly took him to his room. I knew something terrible was going to happen. You know, he¡¯s going to


    start feeling some pain, and I don¡¯t want anything like that to start happening.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it.¡± She cut me off.


    ¡°Yeah, I know you do,¡± I muttered in annoyance.


    ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have topose ourselves. We can¡¯t afford to let anything bad happen to Luke,¡± I told her.


    Celine nodded, her expression softening with concern. ¡°Right. We need to be there for him, no matter


    what.¡±


    ¡°And we need to figure out how to handle this situation delicately. We have to be really careful.¡±


    Celine nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. ¡°I just really need to ask: how do we help Luke remember


    without causing him more pain?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the crucial question,¡± I whispered, my mind buzzing with potential solutions. ¡°For now, let¡¯s


    focus on keeping him calm andfortable. We¡¯ll figure out the r¨¦st as we go. But just the happy


    moments, please.¡±


    ¡°What about my presence?¡±

 Chapter 395

    395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°Luke lost his memory,¡± I brought out to Celine.


    ¡°What? How?¡± She blurted promptly.


    ¡°We had an ident, remember? And it turns out that shit went ahead to mess with his brain.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, that is terrible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I stated, shaking my head. ¡°Right now, we can¡¯t put him through any stress. That¡¯s why I


    quickly took him to his room. I knew something terrible was going to happen. You know, he¡¯s going to


    start feeling some pain, and I don¡¯t want anything like that to start happening.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it.¡± She cut me off.


    ¡°Yeah, I know you do,¡± I muttered in annoyance


    ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have topose ourselves. We can¡¯t afford to let anything bad happen to Luke,¡± I told her.


    Celine nodded, her expression softening with concern. ¡°Right. We need to be there for him, no matter


    what.¡±


    ¡°And we need to figure out how to handle this situation delicately. We have to be really careful.¡±


    Celine nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. ¡°I just really need to ask: how do we help Luke remember


    without causing him more pain?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the crucial question,¡± I whispered, my mind buzzing with potential solutions. ¡°For now, let¡¯s


    focus on keeping him calm andfortable. We¡¯ll figure out the rest as we go. But just the happy


    moments,


    please.¡±


    ¡°What about my presence?¡±


    JCelin


    Celine,¡± I began, meeting her gaze with a somber expression. ¡°We¡¯ll have to tell Luke everything


    eventually. But right now, he just got out of the hospital, and it¡¯s best we don¡¯t stress him for the next


    few


    hours.¡±


    Celine nodded, her eyes reflecting the weight of the situation. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t rush this. We


    need to give him time to process everything.¡±


    I let out a sigh of relief, grateful for her understanding. ¡°Exactly. And in the meantime, we¡¯ll just have to


    keep up the facade and support him as best we can.¡±


    She reached out, cing a reassuring hand on my arm. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, Ariel. We¡¯ll find a way


    to help Luke remember without overwhelming him.¡±


    I nodded, a sense of determination settling in my chest. ¡°We will. ¡°We just need to take it one step at a


    395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER


    time and be there for him every step of the way.¡±


    2/3


    Celine squeezed my arm gently, offering a small smile. ¡°Everything will be alright. We¡¯ll make sure of it.


    And you don¡¯t have to worry about anything; nothing terrible will happen to Luke.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I told her underneath my breath.


    ¡°Take care.¡± She patted my shoulder before walking away, and her words were echoing in my mind. I


    took a deep breath, steeling myself for the task ahead.


    Luke¡¯s condition weighed heavily on my mind, but I needed to focus on something tangible, something I


    could control for now. Dinner seemed like a good ce to start.


    I made my way to the kitchen, a spacious and elegantly designed room filled with high¨Cend appliances


    and gleaming countertops. Tonight, I decided to prepare a dish fit for royalty: lobster thermidor. It was a


    decadent choice, but I wanted to indulge Luke in something delicious andforting, even if just for a


    moment.


    I began by carefully selecting the freshest lobsters from the chilled disy in the corner of the kitchen. I


    swiftly dispatched them with practiced precision, ensuring their demise was as humane as possible.


    Then, I expertly removed the sulent meat from their shells, setting it aside while I prepared the rich,


    creamy sauce.


    I melted butter in a saucepan over low heat and added finely chopped shallots, allowing them to soften


    and release their fragrant aroma. Next, I sprinkled in a generous amount of flour, stirring constantly to


    form a smooth roux. Once the mixture had thickened to my satisfaction, I slowly poured in heavy


    cream, whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming.


    As the sauce simmered and thickened, I seasoned it with a dash of Dijon mustard, a ssh of brandy


    and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a subtle kick. Then, I folded the tender lobster meat into chunks,


    coating each morsel in the luscious sauce.


    With the filling prepared, I turned my attention to the lobster shells, carefully stuffing them with the


    creamy lobster mixture until they were brimming with decadence. I sprinkled a generous amount of


    grated Gruy¨¨re cheese over the top of each shell, then ced them under the broiler until the cheese


    was golden and bubbly and the lobster filling was heated through.


    As the aroma of buttery lobster and melted cheese filled the air, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of


    satisfaction wash over me. Despite the uncertainty and challenges ahead, for this brief moment, I had


    created something beautiful andforting for Luke to enjoy. And perhaps, by preparing a meal, I had


    found a small semnce of control in an otherwise chaotic situation.


    I bnced the tray of Lobster Thermidor, feeling quite proud of myself for conjuring up such a fancy


    meal, and then I strutted into Luke¡¯s room with all the grace of a waiter at a Michelin¨Cstarred restaurant.


    But just as I was about to announce my grand entrance, I collided headfirst with Luke, sending the tray


    flying and the Lobster Thermidor cascading to the floor in a dramatic, creamy mess.


    ¡°Whoa, watch it there,¡± Luke¡¯eximed, his eyes wide with surprise as he tried to steady both of us


    through the chaos.


    I blinked in disbelief at the disaster unfolding before me, feeling equal parts mortified and amused.


    395: RECIPE FOR DISASTER


    3/3


    ¡°Oops, my bad! It looks like dinner is served¡­ on the floor,¡± I quipped, unable to suppress a chuckle at


    the absurdity of the situation.


    Luke chuckled, too, shaking his head in disbelief as he surveyed the creamy wreckage at our feet.


    ¡°Well, I guess this is one way to make a grand entrance,¡± he joked, reaching down to help me clean up


    the


    mess.


    Together, we scooped up chunks of lobster and sauce stters; ourughter mingled with the rich


    aroma of melted cheese and brandy. Despite the mishap, there was something oddly delightful about


    being knee- deep in Lobster Thermidor with Luke by my side.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    We both worked to salvage what remained of my culinary masterpiece, and I was really grateful for the


    unexpected camaraderie that had blossomed between us in this moment of crisis.


    Honestly, I was actually d to see this smile at Luke¡¯s house. I¡¯m still surprised at how his mirth


    suddenly materialized, but I couldn¡¯t care less. I just wanted to enjoy the moment; the bliss moving in


    between us was all that mattered.


    Who knew a dinner disaster could turn into such a memorable bonding moment?


    ¡°So much for a fancy dinner,¡± I remarked, shaking my head at our mess.


    Luke chuckled. ¡°Who needs fancy when you¡¯ve got goodpany and a floor full of lobster?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back augh. ¡°Yeah, that is quite correct.¡±


    Still in the process of cleaning, I stood up and told Luke, ¡°I¡¯ll be back. I just need to get something to


    clean this mess up as soon as possible.¡±


    Luke nodded, not looking at me, and as I set out to open the door, I slipped. I didn¡¯t know what I


    stepped on, but I slipped.


    Luke quickly rose and caught me before Inded on the ground. At that moment, I wrapped my hands


    around his neck, and our eyes locked in.


    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Chapter 396

    396: Beyond Words


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Luke caught me before Inded on the ground, and I found myself enveloped in his strong, reassuring


    embrace. Our eyes locked in a moment of pure connection, the chaos of the spilled dinner forgotten as


    we gazed deeply into each other¡¯s souls.


    In the fleeting instant, time seemed to stand still as the world around us faded into the background,


    leaving only Luke and me suspended in a silent exchange of emotions. His warm breath brushed


    against my cheek, sending convulsions down my spine as I tightened my grip around his neck, feeling


    the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my chest.


    There was something undeniably maic about the way our gazes held as if we weremunicating


    without words, sharing our hopes, fears, and dreams with nothing but the unspokennguage of our


    hearts.


    In Luke¡¯s eyes, I saw a depth of understanding andpassion that spoke volumes, reassuring me


    that we would face challenges together no matter what challengesy ahead.


    The seconds ticked by, and I felt a sense of sangfroid wash over me as if I had finally found a


    sanctuary at the heart of the storm in Luke¡¯s arms. I felt safe, cherished, and utterly alive, each


    heartbeat echoing the unspoken truth of our bond.


    Luke released me from his embrace slowly, almost reluctantly, but the connection between us lingered


    in the air like an invisible thread binding our souls together.


    Without a word, we both knew that this moment had once again stirred something between us,


    deepening the bond that already existed in a hundred billion ways.


    So I stood there, still lost in the depths of Luke¡¯s gaze, wondering what the future held for us. But for


    now, in this precious moment of silentmunion, that was all I wanted.


    But I eventually tore my gaze away from Luke¡¯s, with a small smile tweaked at the corners of my lips.


    This moment was funny, lovely, and wonderful.


    It didn¡¯t take long before Luke slowly let go of me, and I stood upright.


    ¡°I should start going now,¡± I told him softly, gesturing toward the door.


    ¡°Yeah, you should.¡± He nodded, and I left the room with a smile on my face¨Cyes, a face filled with joy.


    Luke may have forgotten about me, but the spark and connection would still be there. Nothing would


    ever disappear. The lovely memories we shared would all return in just a


    matter of time. And yeah, the terrible ones.


    Fuck that!


    ****


    The day had gotten really dark, and Janice came home with my mother. Yes, she showed up with my


    mom, and they were both at the door. I was d Marcus had not fallen asleep.


    Janice approached me. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s so nice to see you.¡± She hugged me tightly, and my mother was


    standing behind her.


    Yes, I¡¯ve spent the past few days with Luke and haven¡¯t visited the house. Janice didn¡¯t visit the


    hospital since she was busy with school stuff, projects, and all that. What did I know?


    ¡°How have you been? I hope you are well all this time. And what about dad? Is he doing okay?¡±


    ¡°Well, your father has woken up. He¡¯s no longer in aa.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible news!¡± Janice eximed, her eyes bright with joy. ¡°Can I go see him? I


    want to tell him how much I missed him.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing with conflicting thoughts. ¡°Actually, Janice, Dad¡¯s resting right


    now. He¡¯s asleep,¡± I said gently, cing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I think it¡¯s


    best not to disturb him at the moment.¡±


    Her excitement dimmed slightly, but she nodded understandingly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait until he wakes up. But


    I¡¯m just so relieved to hear he¡¯s doing better.¡±


    I managed a small smile, grateful for her optimism. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a huge relief for all of us¡±


    She nced around, noticing the solemn atmosphere in the house. ¡°Everyone seems to be asleep.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and you should go to sleep. You have school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Mom, tomorrow¡¯s Saturday.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh,¡± was what I said. ¡°Yeah, but you should still go to sleep. You need to get some rest. You¡¯re


    exhausted from whatever you were doing today.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just go to my room then. Let me know if Dad wakes up, okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I assured her, watching as she made her way upstairs.


    Janice disappeared from view, and I let out a sigh, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. I didn¡¯t know


    how I was going to tell her that her father couldn¡¯t recognize her anymore.


    What was going to be her reaction when she found out that he had forgotten about her, thinking he


    didn¡¯t even have children?


    Wow, this was moreplicated than I thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Ariel?¡± My mother asked, walking closer to me.


    I had totally forgotten that she was still in this house.


    ¡°Mom? Oh, sorry, I can¡¯t actually get what you¡¯re saying.


    ¡°I know something¡¯s wrong, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I made a silly face. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. Nothing¡¯s wrong; it¡¯s all fine. You should get going now.


    Or it¡¯s toote; you¡¯ll have to spend the night here. Hold on, let me just find a room upstairs.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Ariel, you don¡¯t have to pull an act in front of me. Drop the fake face, alright?¡±


    ¡°Who said this is a fake face?¡±


    you


    She gave me a disbelieving look, crossing both of her arms. And staring at her, I suspired.


    ¡°Fine, fine. You got me. This is just my¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡± I spoke lowly, settling down on


    the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who gave birth to you. I know these things.¡±


    ¡°Great, you should get an award then.¡±


    My mother sat next to me. ¡°Ariel, I can tell that something is not right.¡°Your actions, your words, and


    your look. Everything¡¯s just off. So you tell me, honey, what is the problem?¡±


    After her calm words, I took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s about Luke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what about Luke?¡±


    ¡°He finally regained consciousness; that¡¯s great. But unfortunately, he lost his memory.¡±


    ¡°Luke lost his memory.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the doctor had to let me know that the car ident was serious, and it erased a lot of things from


    his head for a lot of people, including me and Janice.¡±


    My mother nodded at my words. ¡°Hold on. So now you¡¯re telling me that Luke doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re his


    wife.¡±


    ¡°I did tell him and try to make him recall things, but instead, his head just started hurting, and boom, he


    cked out. So now, I really need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really painful.¡±


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m trying my very best not to stress him at the moment, keeping him away from people so


    they don¡¯t start talking too much. I don¡¯t want him getting pains in his head anymore.¡±


    ¡°But you do know you¡¯ll have to tell him everything.¡±


    ¡°I know; that¡¯s why brought him to this mansion.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best you start telling him everything now,¡± my mother suggested.


    ¡°I will, but not tonight.¡°He might start feeling pain and lose consciousness. And I¡¯m not up for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a part of the process,¡± she said.


    ¡°And I need to take things carefully,¡± I responded.

 Chapter 397

    397: THE STRUGGLE WITHIN


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After my mother¡¯s calm words, I took a deep breath before I finally spoke, ¡°It¡¯s about Luke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what about Luke?¡± She inquired, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°He finally regained consciousness; that¡¯s great. But unfortunately, he lost his memory,¡± revealed.


    Hearing my words, her eyes widened. ¡°Luke lost his memory.¡±


    ¡°Yes,


    the doctor had to let me know that the car ident was serious, and it erased a lot of things from his


    head for a lot of people, including me and Janice.¡±


    §¯


    My mother nodded. ¡°Hold on. So now you¡¯re telling me that Luke doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re his wife.¡±


    ¡°I did tell him and try to make him recall things, but instead, his head just started hurting, and boom, he


    cked out. So now, I really need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really painful,¡± she stated, shaking her head.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m trying my very best not to stress him at the moment, keeping him away from people so


    they don¡¯t start talking too much. I don¡¯t want him to experience intense pain anymore.


    ¡°But you do know you¡¯ll have to tell him everything, right?¡± She arched her brow in


    response.


    ¡°I know; that¡¯s why I brought him to this mansion.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best you start telling him everything now.¡±


    ¡°I will, but not tonight.¡°He might start feeling some pain and lose consciousness. I¡¯m not up for that,


    trust me.


    ¡°It¡¯s all part of the process,¡± she said to me.


    a


    ¡°And I need to take things carefully,¡± I responded. I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing


    on me. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how to approach it, Mom. It¡¯s like walking on a tightrope, trying not to upset


    him but also knowing he needs to know everything.¡±


    My mother ced aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°I understand, Ariel. But sooner orter, he¡¯ll


    have to face reality. And it¡¯s better he hears it from you.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± I murmured, running a hand through my hair in frustration. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to


    overwhelm him. He¡¯s been through enough already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but he also deserves to know the truth,¡± she insisted gently.


    I nodded, acknowledging her words. ¡°You¡¯re right. ¡°I¡¯ll find the right time and approach to talk to him


    about it.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said with a supportive smile. ¡°And remember, I¡¯m here for you every step of the way. We¡¯ll


    get through this together.¡±


    I managed a weak smile and was grateful for her unwavering support. ¡°Thanks, Mom. I really


    appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re family, Ariel. We stick together, no matter what. And that¡¯s everything that matters. When you¡¯re


    down, I¡¯m down. And when you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy. I have a smile on my face. I see you with a smile


    on your face. I¡¯ll always stand by you.¡±


    Her words were really beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t hold back a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    My mother squeezed my shoulder affectionately. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep on thanking me, Ariel. I


    believe in you. You¡¯re stronger than you think. Don¡¯t ever let the doubts overshadow you. One thing I¡¯ve


    come to know so far is that you are a strong woman. You¡¯re not a coward, so don¡¯t let the fear take full


    control of you.¡±


    I was silent for a moment, simply processing the words. ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t know what to say. That was


    actually beautiful. Than¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, thank you,¡± she interrupted me.


    I chuckled, shaking my head.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± she said.


    ¡°Are you leaving? I thought you were going to spend the night here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll be going to my apartment now. There¡¯s no need for you to worry. Just take care of


    yourself and Luke. Okay?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I uttered in a whisper. ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    She smiled and walked away from me. I watched her as she left and buried myself on the couch. With


    my arms stretched wide, I let out a deep sigh. I didn¡¯t even know the time I drifted off to sleep.


    The lights in the living room were off when I opened my eyes.


    These helpers couldn¡¯t even inform me about it.


    I stood up from the couch, yawning, and with sleepy eyes, I walked upstairs. The mansion was really


    quiet, with everyone asleep, as I headed to my room. Finally, I got there.


    As I made my way to the door, I yawned again. I put my fingers on the doorknob, and I tried opening it,


    but I realized I couldn¡¯t. Luke had locked it from the Inside.


    Oh crap!


    I tried opening it several times to see if I could be lucky. But nope, it was locked. It was locked.


    I said, ¡°Luke,¡± and yawned for the third time. I did not like this at all.


    ¡°Luke,¡± I called out, my voice louder than the first, as I started knocking on the door. ¡°Are you asleep?


    Open the door.¡±


    With each call, I continued knocking on the door, my voice growing more urgent. ¡°Luke, are you there?


    Open the door, please.¡±


    But there was no response, no sound from inside the room. Frustration mixed with exhaustion as I


    leaned against the door, feeling the load of sleep pulling at my eyelids.


    With a heavy sigh, I sank down to the floor, resting my back against the door. My eyelids. drooped as I


    fought to stay awake, the fatigue of the day finally catching up with me.


    Just as I was about to sumb to sleep, the door suddenly creaked open, catching me off guard. I


    yelped in surprise as I tumbled backward into the room,nding in a heap on the floor.


    Before I could gather my bearings, I felt strong arms wrap around me, preventing me from falling


    further. My heart raced as I looked up, bleary¨Ceyed, to see Luke¡¯s concerned face. hovering above me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    I nodded slowly, still trying to shake off the grogginess of sleep. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just¡­ couldn¡¯t open


    the door.¡±


    He helped me get to my feet, steadying me as I wobbled unsteadily. ¡°You should have called out


    louder,¡± he said softly, his hand lingering on my arm.


    ¡°I did,¡± I mumbled, rubbing my eyes to clear away the sleepiness. ¡°Guess you were sound asleep,¡±


    He chuckled softly, a warm smile spreading across his face. ¡°Sorry about that. I must have


    dozed off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied. I dozed off, too, but I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. But thanks anyway for waking me from my sleep.¡±


    I gave him a tired smile. ¡°You¡¯re wee. And thank you for keeping me at the door for quite a long


    time.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me me. I was having a nice dream.¡±


    I leaned in closer as I whispered, ¡°What was the dream about?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, actually. I¡¯m just curious. ¡°You know, just to see if you were dreaming about¡­¡±


    ¡°You,¡± he cut me off. ¡°You wanted to know if I was dreaming about you.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you say so, I don¡¯t have a problem with that.¡± I yawned forthwith.


    ¡°You look really exhausted. You should go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I know, right?¡± I yawned again, stretching my arms.


    Luke quickly carried me in his arms, closed the door, and took me straight to the bed,

 Chapter 398

    398: INNER DEMONS


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that I was alone in the bed. I sat up, rubbed the sleep from my


    eyes, and looked around the room for Luke. However, rcouldn¡¯t find him anywhere.


    I frowned, feeling a sense of unease wash over me. Where could he have gone so early in the


    morning? I checked my phone for any missed calls or messages, but there was nothing. Panic started


    to rise in my chest as I got out of bed, threw on a robe, and rushed out of the


    room.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    I searched the whole mansion, calling out Luke¡¯s name, but there was no response. I was starting to


    get really worried. What if something happened to him? What if his memory had suddenly returned,


    and he had left without telling me?


    Just as I was about to call the police, I heard a noiseing from the backyard. I ran towards the back


    door and flung it open, my heart pounding.


    And there he was, standing in the middle of the backyard with his back to me. Relief washed over me


    as I ran towards him, my feet barely touching the ground.


    ¡°Luke!¡± I eximed, wrapping my arms around him from behind.


    He turned around a surprised expression on his face. ¡°Ariel? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? What am I doing here? I live here,¡± I said, slightly confused.


    He looked at me with a puzzled expression. ¡°But this is my house.¡°I live here alone.¡±


    My heart sank as I realized that he still didn¡¯t remember me or our life together. I tried to keep the


    disappointment off my face as I pulled away from him.


    ¡°Luke, it¡¯s me, Ariel.¡°Your wife,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°My wife?¡± he asked, clearly confused. ¡°I don¡¯t remember being married.¡±


    Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I struggled to keep myposure. ¡°You were in a car


    ident, and it caused you to lose your memory. I¡¯ve been taking care of you since then.¡±


    He looked at me in shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t remember any of that.¡±


    I felt a lump form in my throat as I tried to hold back my tears. This was not how I had imagined our


    reunion after he regained consciousness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you remember, Luke. I promise,¡± I said, determination filling my


    Voice.


    All of a sudden, he made an angry face. ¡°Get the hell out of my house.¡±


    ¡°Are you really being serious now?¡± I quizzed him.


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± His face said it all. ¡°Now, get the hell out of this mansion.¡±


    ¡°Luke, I can¡¯t leave you. What¡¯s wrong? ¡°Why are you being so rude to me?¡± I held both of his


    shoulders.


    My heart pounded in my chest as Luke¡¯s expression turned cold and hostile. Before I could do


    anything, he shoved me away with surprising force, causing me to stumble backward and fall to the


    ground.


    Pain shot through me as I hit the hard surface, and my breath knocked out of me. I looked up at Luke in


    shock, unable toprehend his sudden change in behavior.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I cried out, my voice trembling with fear and confusion.


    Ignoring my question, he grabbed me roughly by the arm and dragged me across the floor, his grip like


    a vice around my wrist. I struggled against him, but his strength was overpowering.


    He pulled me towards the front door, his movements swift and determined. Panic surged through me as


    I realized he was forcing me out of the house.


    ¡°Stop, Luke, please!¡± I pleaded, tears streaming down my cheeks.


    But he remained silent, his face a mask of anger. With one final push, he shoved me out of the door


    and into the cool morning air.


    I stumbled forward, my body aching from the rough treatment. As I tried to gather my bearings, I heard


    the sound of Luke¡¯s car engine starting up.


    And right after that, he appeared beside me, grabbing me roughly by the arm and hauling me towards


    the car. I struggled against him, but his grip was relentless.


    ¡°Let me go, Luke!¡± I screamed, my voice desperate.


    But he paid no heed to my pleas, throwing me into the passenger seat with a rough shove. Inded


    with a thud, the impact knocking the wind out of me.


    Before I could recover, he mmed the door shut and started the car, driving off with screeching tires.


    My heart raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening, the world spinning around me in a blur


    of confusion and fear.


    Suddenly, the car came to a halt, and Luke opened the door, pulling me out roughly. I stumbled as he


    dragged me across the muddy ground, my clothes bing soaked with dirt


    and grime.


    With one final shove, he pushed me into the mud, leaving me lying there, dazed and


    disoriented. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I struggled toprehend what had jus happened.


    But then, as if waking from a nightmare, I blinked to find myself lying in bed,


    Neves open safe and sound. I looked around, and after that, I exhaled deeply.


    It was all just a dream¨Ca terrifying, heart¨Cwrenching nightmare. Oh gosh, that was really horrible. For a


    moment, I felt like I was in hell.


    Relief flooded through me as I realized that Luke would never treat me that way. He may have lost his


    memory, but the love andpassion he had shown me in reality would never fade away.


    Taking a deep breath, I pushed aside the lingering fear and uncertainty, grateful to be back in the


    comforting embrace of reality. And as the morning light filtered through the curtains, I knew that


    whatever bullshity ahead, I would face them with courage and strength,   , knowing that love


    would always prevail in the end.


    Yeah, that¡¯s what I used to strengthen myself most of the time. I was a big fan of the saying, ¡®Love


    conquers all.¡® So, what did you expect?


    Shaken by the intensity of the nightmare, I slowly pushed myself up from the bed, my heart, still racing


    with residual fear. My hands trembled slightly as I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the lingering


    sense of dread.


    With unsteady steps, I made my way to the bathroom, the cool tiles soothing beneath my feet. Turning


    on the faucet, I sshed cold water onto my face, hoping to wash away the remnants of the nightmare


    that still clung to my mind.


    As the water dripped down my cheeks, I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm my racing


    heartbeat. The image of Luke¡¯s hostile demeanor lingered in my mind.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± I muttered to myself, trying to make sense of the jumbled. thoughts swirling


    in my head.


    The dream had felt so real and vivid that it had left me questioning everything. Was it just my


    subconscious ying tricks on me, or was there a deeper meaning behind it?


    I dried my face with a towel; I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me. The fear of


    losing Luke, of being cast aside and forgotten, gnawed at my insides, leaving me feeling vulnerable


    and exposed.

 Chapter 399

    399: IN SEARCH OF PEACE


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Feeling unsettled by the nightmare and still wondering about Luke¡¯s whereabouts, I made my way


    downstairs to the mansion, hoping to find some answers. As I descended the staircase, the early


    morning light filtered through the windows, bringing out a soft glow over the grand foyer.


    Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, I heard the faint sound ofughtering from the living room.


    Curious, I followed the sound and found Ethan and Randy engrossed in a video


    game.


    ¡°Hey guys,


    what are you up to so early in the morning?¡± I asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.


    They nced up at me; their faces lit up with excitement. ¡°Morning, Ariel! We¡¯re just ying this


    awesome game,¡± Ethan replied, setting his eyes back on the television.


    ¡°But Randy¡¯s cheating!¡± Ethan protested, ring yfully at his brother.


    Randy rolled his eyes, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. ¡°I am not! You just suck at this


    game, Ethan.¡±


    I chuckled at their banter, feeling a sense of warmth wash over me. Despite the chaos and bullshit of


    recent events, moments like these reminded me of the simple joys of life.


    ¡°Alright, alright, calm down, you two,¡± I said, stepping closer to them. ¡°Let¡¯s settle this like civilized


    people. Ethan, Randy, remember the rules we talked about? No cheating, and no fighting.¡±


    They exchanged sheepish looks before nodding in agreement. ¡°Sorry, Ariel,¡± Randy mumbled, his


    cheeks flushed with embarrassment.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, guys. Just remember to y fair, okay?¡± I said, ruffling their hair affectionately.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice Luke¡¯s absence as I looked around the room. ¡°Hey, have either of you seen


    Luke this morning?¡± I asked, my brows furrowing in concern.


    They exchanged puzzled nces before shaking their heads. ¡°Nope, we haven¡¯t seen him,¡± Ethan


    replied, his brow creased in confusion. ¡°Is he back from the hospital yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s back,¡± I confirmed, feeling a pang of worry gnaw at my insides. ¡°I just don¡¯t know where he


    could have gone.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    The boys exchanged excited looks, their eyes widening with anticipation. ¡°Luke¡¯s back?


    SEA


    That¡¯s awesome!¡± Randy eximed, a wide grin spreading across his face.


    ¡°Yeah, we missed him,¡± Ethan added, his eyes shining with tion.


    I really had to smile at their infectious enthusiasm. Despite everything that had happened, it was


    heartwarming to see their genuine joy at Luke¡¯s return.


    ¡°Alright, you two, let¡¯s save the celebration forter,¡± I said, trying to hide my own apprehension. ¡°You


    should get ready for school now. Oh wait, it¡¯s Saturday, right?¡±


    I totally remembered what Janice told mest night.


    They both nodded eagerly. ¡°Yep, no school today! Thanks, Ariel!¡± Randy blurted out, giving me a quick


    hug before rushing off to his room.¡±


    Ethan followed suit, shing me a grateful smile before disappearing down the hallway. Alone in the


    living room once more, I let out a heavy sigh, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within me.


    Where could Luke be? Why did he leave without telling me? The questions echoed in my mind,


    sending a wave of anxiety coursing through me.


    Still standing alone in the living room, lost in my thoughts, I heard the soft footsteps of the mansion¡¯s


    two maids entering the room. I turned to face them, hoping they might have some information about


    Luke¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°Good morning, miss,¡± one of the maids greeted me with a warm smile.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I replied, returning the smile. ¡°Have either of you seen Luke this.. morning?¡±


    The maids exchanged a quick nce before one of them spoke up. ¡°Yes, he went outside a little while


    ago. I believe he¡¯s near the gates with Marcus,¡± she informed me.


    I furrowed my brows in surprise. Luke had gone outside. That was unexpected. ¡°Thank you, I said to


    the maids, a mixture of curiosity and concern swirling within me.


    As I made my way outside, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Luke might be doing out there. Was he


    okay? Was he feeling overwhelmed by his lost memories?


    When I reached the gates, I saw Luke standing there, his gaze fixed on the horizon, seemingly lost in


    thought. Marcus, the gateman, stood nearby, watching over him with a concerned expression.


    Taking a deep breath, I approached them slowly, my footsteps echoing softly on the gravel path. Luke


    turned to look at me as I drew near, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted him softly, my voice running through with concern. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    Luke let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. ¡°Not really,¡± he admitted, his voice dyed with


    frustration. ¡°I¡¯m finding it so hard to remember anything. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a fog clouding my mind, and no


    matter how hard I try, I just can¡¯t seem to see through it.¡±


    I reached out and gently squeezed his hand, offering him a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luke. You don¡¯t


    have to stress yourself out trying to remember everything at once. It¡¯lle back to you in time.¡±


    But Luke shook his head right after I told him that. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to just sit around and wait for my


    memories toe back. I need to figure out the things that happened while I was still unconscious or


    whatever. I can¡¯t just be a dumb piece of crap wandering around without


    a clue.¡±


    His words tugged at my heartstrings, and I felt a surge of sympathy for him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a dumb piece of crap, Luke,¡± I said firmly, meeting his gaze. ¡°You¡¯re a strong, brave person


    who¡¯s been through a lot. And you have me. You¡¯re not alone in this.¡±


    Luke let out another sigh, his expression softening slightly. ¡°He reached up and gently removed my


    hand from his, his touch gentle yet firm.¡±


    Thanks, Ariel,¡± he murmured, his voice filled with gratitude. ¡°But right now, I just need to


    be alone.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked back towards the mansion, leaving me standing there, watching him


    go. As I watched him disappear inside, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sadness wash over me.


    Standing alone by the gates, a typhoon of emotions swirled within me. His words echoed in my mind,


    each one piercing my heart with its raw honesty and vulnerability.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to just sit around and wait for my memories toe back. I need to figure out the things


    that happened while I was still unconscious or whatever. I can¡¯t just be a dumb piece of crap wandering


    around without a clue.¡±


    The pain in his voice was self¨Cevident; his frustration and confusion were almost tangible. And yet,


    despite the turmoil raging within him, he still pushed me away, choosing to face his demons alone.


    As I stood there, lost in my thoughts and grappling with the ache in my chest, Marcus¡¯s voice broke


    through the silence, pulling me back to reality.


    ¡°Uhmm, miss, is everything alright with the boss?¡± He asked, his brow furrowed with


    concern.


    I nced at him, my mind still reeling from the encounter with Luke. Without saying anything, I simply


    shook my head, unable to find the words to articte the storm raging


    within me.


    With onest nce at Marcus, I turned and walked away.

 Chapter 400

    400: BUILDING BRIDGES


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°In the quiet stillness of dawn, as the first rays of sunlight gently kissed the world awake, I stood by the


    bedside of the man I loved. His once¨Cvibrant eyes, now clouded with confusion, gazed past me as if I


    were a stranger in a familiar guise. The pain that gripped my heart was like a relentless tide, pulling me


    into the depths of despair.


    I remembered the first time our eyes met and how his smile had ignited a spark in my soul, setting


    aze a love that I thought would transcend time itself. We had shared moments that were both


    terrible and beautiful, forged in the crucible of life¡¯s trials and triumphs. Ourughter had echoed


    through the halls of our shared memories, and our tears had mingled in the quiet darkness of our


    sorrows.


    But now, as I looked into his eyes and saw only emptiness staring back at me, it was as if a dagger had


    pierced my heart, leaving me breathless with a pain that words could not describe. How could he fail to


    recognize me, the one who had consistently stood by his side, the one who had held his hand during


    the darkest of nights and whispered words offort during the day?


    I knew that the battle ahead would be long and arduous, fraught with uncertainty and fear. But I also


    knew that I would not falter¨Cthat I would stand by his side and fight for him with every fiber of my being.


    For our love was a me that had weathered storms and zed brightly in the face of adversity, and I


    was determined to see it burn once more with the intensity of a thousand suns.


    As Ibed through the fragments of our shared past, piecing together the moments that had defined


    us as a couple, I felt a glimmer of hope ignite within me. Perhaps the key to unlocking the memories he


    had losty deep within the recesses of his mind. Perhaps, with patience and perseverance, I could


    help him rediscover the love that had once bound us together in an unbreakable bond.


    And SO,


    as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, I stood by his side like a steadfast sentinel,


    guiding him through thebyrinth of his forgotten memories with a steady hand and a heart filled with


    unwavering devotion. I showed him photographs of our past, yed his songs that had once been the


    soundtrack to our lives, and recounted stories of our adventures with a tenderness that bordered on


    reverence.


    Slowly but surely, like pieces of a shattered mirror being painstakingly reassembled, his memories


    began to resurface. He remembered the way we had danced in the rain on that fateful summer night,


    the taste of the first meal we had cooked together in our tiny apartment, and the sound of ourughter


    ringing through the hushed stillness of a moonlit


    beach.


    And as he looked into my eyes with a newfound recognition, a spark of joy flickering in the depths of his


    gaze, I knew that our love had weathered yet another storm and emerged stronger for it. For in the


    crucible of loss and rediscovery, we had found a love that was not bound by memory or time but by the


    unbreakable bond of two souls intertwined in a dance as old as the stars themselves..


    And so, as we stood on the threshold of a new beginning, hand in hand and heart in heart, I knew that


    no matter what trialsy ahead, we would face them together with courage and grace. For our love was


    a me that had been tested by fire and emerged unscathed, a beacon of hope in the darkest of nights,


    an indication of the enduring power of love that transcends all boundaries and conquers all fears.¡±


    Yup, I was done reading this article I found online. Just doing a little research, and I saw this written by


    ady concerning her love story. The same issue with mine, but the difference here was that these two


    were in love at the very start, and everything about them was


    beautiful.


    As for my rtionship with Luke? It wasn¡¯t like that.


    Oh right. By the way, I was at the park, sitting down and waiting for Andre to arrive. He had told me that


    we shoulde and meet here. He didn¡¯t tell me what he wanted to discuss with me, so I was kind of


    curious.


    Lost in thoughts about the article I had just read, I was suddenly jolted back to reality by the sound of a


    ball whizzing through the air. Before I could react, it struck me squarely in the face, causing me to let


    out a surprised yelp.


    Rubbing my nose, I looked up to see a little boy standing a few feet away,


    rm.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± He apologized.


    his eyes wide with


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I reassured him with a smile, trying to mask the slight sting of pain.


    idents happened, and I could tell he hadn¡¯t meant to hit me.


    However, before I could dismiss the incident, an elderlydy who had been sitting nearby suddenly


    stood up,


    her face contorted in anger


    ¡°You reckless child! Look what you¡¯ve done!¡± she scolded, her voice loud and grating.


    I felt a twinge of irritation at her harsh tone. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. It was just an ident,¡± I said, hoping to


    defuse the situation.


    But thedy seemed undeterred, her voice rising even louder as she continued to berate the


    poor boy. Fed up with her unnecessary yelling, I stood up from the bench and approached her, my


    patience wearing thin.


    ¡°Excuse me, but there¡¯s no need to shout at him like that. It was just a harmless ident,¡± I said firmly,


    my tone leaving no room for argument.


    Thedy turned her re towards me, her lips pursed in disapproval. ¡°Mind your own business, young


    lady.¡±


    I bristled at her condescending attitude. ¡°I am minding my own business. ¡°And my business. is telling


    you to stop yelling at this child.¡±


    With onest re, thedy huffed and turned away, muttering under her breath as she stomped off in


    a huff. I watched her go, shaking my head in disbelief at her unnecessary


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    outburst.


    Turning back to the little boy, I offered him a reassuring smile. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, squatting down


    to his level.


    He nodded, his eyes wide with relief. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry again,¡± he mumbled, his cheeks flushing with


    embarrassment.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright; idents happen,¡± I said gently, ruffling his hair affectionately. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The boy brightened up at the question. ¡°My name¡¯s Luke,¡± he replied, a hint of pride in his


    voice.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the coincidence. ¡°Luke, huh? That¡¯s a nice name,¡± I said, amused by the


    irony of the situation.


    He grinned at me. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Leaning in closer, I whispered conspiratorially, ¡°You know, my husband¡¯s name is Luke, too.


    The boy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Really?¡± he eximed, clearly impressed.


    ¡°Yep, really,¡± I confirmed with a smile. ¡°And you¡¯re just as cute and handsome as he is.


    The boy beamed at thepliment. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, alright?¡± My smile lingered on my face.


    Just then, the other children called out to him, beckoning him to join their game.


    ¡°Go on, go ahead and join them,¡± I told him.


    the ball already forgotten.


    And right after that, I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder.

 Chapter 401

    401: ASSERTING AUTONOMY


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    Feeling the tap on my shoulder, I turned to see a man standing there, his gaze fixed on me with a


    curious intensity. His demeanor was confident, almost bordering on cocky, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a


    twinge of unease at the way he was looking at me.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss. Can I have a word with you?¡± He asked, his voice smooth and persuasive.


    I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what he wanted, but eventually nodded in agreement.¡± Sure, what


    do you want to talk about?¡± I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.


    The man wasted no time inunching into his spiel, his words flowing effortlessly as he exined that


    he was a talent scout for a modeling agency. He went on to praise my appearance,plimenting my


    features and telling me that I had the potential to be a sessful model.


    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle at his ttery, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief at his audacity.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, but I¡¯m really not interested in all that,¡± I told him, shaking my head.


    But the man seemed undeterred by my refusal, continuing to extol the virtues of a career in modeling


    and how it could change my life for the better. He painted a picture of morous photo shoots, exotic


    locations, and lucrative contracts, all of which sounded enticing but ultimately not for me.


    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯m just not interested,¡± I insisted, hoping he would take the hint and leave


    me alone.


    However, this man persisted, his persistence bordering on annoyance as he pressed me to reconsider.


    I could feel my patience wearing thin and my irritation mounting with each passing moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem? I told you already, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m not interested. Please, just leave me. alone,¡± I


    said, my tone firmer this time.


    ove to walk


    But before I could make a away, the man suddenly seized my hand, his grip tight and unyielding. My


    heart began to race with a growing sense of trepidation as he pulled me closer to him, his eyes


    narrowing with strength of character right there.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, sweetheart?¡± he said, and there was a hint of menace in his voice


    right there, which was not good.


    2/4


    I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip only tightened, making the fear move within me.


    of me,¡± I demanded, my voice trembling with


    anger


    and fear.


    11


    ¡°Let go


    But the scumbag ignored my plea; his gaze locked on mine with a predatory intensity. You¡¯d be making


    a big mistake if you walked away from this opportunity,¡± he said, and that was actually menacing.


    Desperate to break free from his grasp, I tried to push him away, but he only pulled me closer, his grip


    like a vice around my wrist. The realization of my entrapment sparked a surge of panic within me. Well,


    sort of.


    To hell with this stranger who seemed intent on forcing me into something I didn¡¯t want.


    Just as I began to fear the worst, a voice suddenly cut through the tension like a knife, startling both me


    and the man holding me captive. I looked up to see Andre standing there, his expression dark with


    anger as he red at the man.


    ¡°Let go of her now,¡± Andr¨¦ demanded, his voice cold andmanding.


    The man hesitated for a moment, taken aback by Andre¡¯s sudden appearance, but then sneered


    dismissively. ¡°And who are you supposed to be?¡±


    Before I could respond, Andre lunged forward, his fist connecting with the man¡¯s jaw with a resounding


    thud. The man stumbled backward, releasing his grip on me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± he spat with so much venom, and then he turned, hurrying away, disappearing into


    the crowd.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned to Andr¨¦, gratitude shining in my eyes. ¡°Thank you.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    A


    Andre simply nodded, his expression tight with concern. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, stepping closer to


    me.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. All thanks to you,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Who the hell was that guy?¡± Andre was quizzed, looking into the crowd.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just a stranger who came and started telling me¡­¡± I paused and shook my head


    promptly as I grunted. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s not that important anyway. So, care to tell me why you wanted


    the both of us to meet here?¡±


    ¡°I will, but first, let¡¯s go somewhere morefortable.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this cefortable?¡± I asked him, gesturing all around the park.


    ¡°Well, this ce is filled with a kind of noise,¡± he answered. ¡°I want us to go somewhere


    T: ASSERTING AUTONOMY


    3/4


    with less noise and more rxation.¡± Perhaps any restaurant nearby.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think there¡¯s one not too far from here,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then.¡±


    I shrugged, and we both walked to our cars. I led the way, and Andr¨¦ drove behind me until we reached


    our destination. It didn¡¯t take us that long, so yeah, we were cool.


    We both stepped out of our cars and made our way into the restaurant. The air inside was warm and


    inviting, a stark contrast to the chilly breeze outside.


    Andre held the door open for me,


    and we both walked inside, greeted by the aroma of freshly cooked food and the gentle hum of


    conversation.


    Finding a table tucked away in a cozy corner, we settled down, the edginess from our earlier encounter


    slowly dissipating. Andre let out a deep sigh, his expression serious as he looked


    at me.


    ¡°How¡¯s Luke doing?¡± he asked me.


    ¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± I replied with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m just d to have him home.¡®


    Andre nodded, his gaze drifting away for a moment before returning to me. ¡°Ariel, there¡¯s something I


    need to tell you.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he had to say. ¡°What is it?¡±


    1


    Taking another deep breath, Andr¨¦ leaned forward, his voice lowering. ¡°I¡¯m going to Norway for a


    business trip.¡±


    ¡°Norway? That¡¯s quite a distance. When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°In a few days,¡± he replied, his expression solemn. ¡°Also, I want you toe with me.¡±


    I felt my heart skip a beat at his words, my mind racing with a million thoughts, ¡°Come with you? To


    Norway?¡±


    Andre nodded, his gaze steady. ¡°Yes. I think it would be good for both of us.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his suggestion. ¡°As much as I would love to, I can¡¯t just drop everything


    and fly to Norway. Luke just got out of the hospital, and Janice needs me.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but¡­¡± Andre trailed off, his expression conflicted.


    Before he could say anything else, a waiter approached our table, interrupting our conversation. He


    took our orders and, with a nod, disappeared into the kitchen.


    As the silence stretched between us, Andre sighed again, his shoulders slumping slightly.¡±


    401: ASSERTING AUTONOMY


    4/4


    Ariel, please reconsider. You can bring Luke and Janice along. It would be a great opportunity for all of


    you.¡±


    I shook my head, feeling a sense of frustration creeping in. ¡°I appreciate the offer, Andre, but it¡¯s just


    not feasible right now. ¡°Lucas needs time to recover, and Janice has school.¡±


    Andre didn¡¯t say anything in response, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes. When our food


    arrived, he picked up his fork and began to eat, his movements stiff and mechanical.


    We ate in silence, and I began to wonder why Andre was so insistent on me apanying him to


    Norway. Surely, he couldn¡¯t be that upset with my response. After all, I was just being realistic, right?


    When we finished our meal, he got up from the table and left without saying a word.


    Honestly, it was kind of surprising. Not the typical Andre.

 Chapter 402

    402: TUMULTUOUS REUNION


    ARIEL¡¯S POV


    After finishing thest bite of my meal, I reached for my purse, intending to pay for the food and leave


    the restaurant. However, a nearby table¡¯smotion caught my attention as I stood up.


    A heated argument was taking ce between two women, both of whom appeared quite angry. Their


    voices rose in volume, and soon their insults filled the air. I paused by the door, watching as the


    situation escted.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re so special with your designer handbag and fancy clothes, huh?¡± One of the women


    shouted, her face contorted with rage.


    The other woman scoffed, tossing her hair back. ¡°At least I don¡¯t dress like a cheap knockoff Barbie


    doll!¡±


    Their words were like daggers, cutting through the tense atmosphere of the restaurant. I could feel the


    tension building, and I knew I had to intervene before things got out of hand. Since everyone was just


    watching the scene, it was like some goddamn movie.


    Stepping forward, I positioned myself between the two women, hoping to diffuse the situation. ¡°Hey,


    ladies, let¡¯s calm down and talk this out, okay?¡±


    But they seemed oblivious to my presence; their focus was solely on each other. I watched in dismay


    as they both reached for bottles on the table, brandishing them like weapons.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I blurted out, my voice firm with authority. ¡°Put those down right now!¡±


    For a moment, it seemed like they might listen to reason, but then one of the women swung her bottle


    at the other, narrowly missing her head. Before I could react, the other woman retaliated, and chaos


    ensued.


    I moved quickly, trying to separate them, but in the heat of the moment, one of them identally struck


    me on the head with her bottle. Pain exploded behind my eyes, staggered backward, feeling blood


    trickling down my forehead.


    and I


    Security arrived just in time, dragging the women apart and escorting them out of the restaurant. I


    leaned against the wall, feeling dizzy and disoriented.


    The manager approached me, his expression filled with concern. ¡°Oh, miss, so sorry. Are you alright?


    We should get you to a hospital.¡®


    I shook my head, trying to steady my breathing. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    402: TUMULTUOUS REUNION


    2/4


    But before I could protest further, a nurse appeared at my side, her face kind and gentle. ¡± Let me take


    a look at that wound, dear.¡±


    She cleaned the gash on my forehead with a gentle touch, applying ice to reduce the swelling. I winced


    as she worked, grateful for her expertise.


    Once she was done, the manager apologized profusely for what had happened: ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the


    actions of those women. I never expected such a thing to happen around here.


    I waved away his concerns, trying to assure him that it wasn¡¯t his fault. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t


    do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re feeling better, right?¡± The nurse asked me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay, thank you,¡± I told her, almost in a whisper.


    She nodded, and then she ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You should get some rest. So for now, just


    sit down in this restaurant and don¡¯t move. You¡¯re going to have to wait for some minutes. Okay, dear?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I thanked her, closing my eyes for a few seconds before opening them


    back.


    She fixed her gaze on the manager, not giving him a friendly look. ¡°And you! You bet, make sure this


    shit doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to yell at him. It¡¯s not his fault.¡± I tried defending him in an inaudible tone.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But still, this is his building; he gets the praise, and he gets the criticism as well.¡± She


    turned back to him and said, ¡°Listen here, mister. Everything should be done in order. You should be


    grateful that I¡¯m not thisdy right here. Because if I were the one to whom this sh*t happened, I ain¡¯t


    going to take it likely with you!¡±


    The manager gazed at the nurse for a moment before he responded, ¡°Well then, I¡¯m d this didn¡¯t


    happen to you.¡± He adjusted his tie. ¡°Now, if you excuse me, I have some things


    to take care of.¡±


    After that, he turned to me and patted my shoulder. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±


    I nodded, and after that, he walked away.


    The nurse set her eyes on me. ¡°You¡¯re going to be alright, okay?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I uttered softly, nodding once again. She walked away. I noticed that some people in the


    restaurant were staring at me..


    After several minutes, I stood up and left the building. I was tired of sitting down, and I was


    402: TUMULTUOUS REUNION


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    3/4


    d those women didn¡¯t smack my brain out. Violence was never the answer.


    Well, not in all cases. Concerning the Harriet situation, violence should be the only thing that goes


    through your mind. That idiot deserved all the most terrible things in the world.


    I could only wonder where she was now. She is probably hiding somewhere, ready to carry out her evil


    schemes.


    I entered my car and started the engine, and my thoughts immediately drifted to Luke. I couldn¡¯t shake


    the worry gnawing at me, wondering if he was okay and if he was free from all the strain and stress


    from thinking. And this kept on moving in my head as I navigated through the bustling streets.


    However, the traffic jam ahead quickly overshadowed my concerns.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I blurted out, frustration bubbling within me as I sat behind the wheel, the minutes ticking by


    with agonizing slowness. The honking of horns and the distant sound of sirens added to the cacophony


    of the city.


    As I waited impatiently, the voices of two people arguing nearby caught my attention. I nced around,


    my gazending on the car next to mine. And to my astonishment, I saw her -yes, her. I couldn¡¯t


    believe this.


    It was Tessa, my long¨Clost friend who had vanished to Ennd years ago, leaving me


    behind when I needed her the most.


    ¡°Tessa!¡± I eximed, my voice barely audible over the din of traffic.


    She turned towards me, her eyes widening in surprise as they met mine. For a moment, we simply


    stared at each other, the weight of years of separation hanging between us like an unspoken barrier.


    Then, with a mixture of disbelief and relief, Tessa rolled down her window. ¡°Ariel? ¡°Is that really you?¡±


    She called out, her voice tinged with incredulity.


    I nodded vigorously, a rush of emotions flooding through me at the sight of her. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me! Oh my


    God, Tessa, where have you been all this time?¡±


    Her expression softened, her features reflecting the regret in my own.


    ¡°I¡­ I had to leave, Ariel. I couldn¡¯t stay here, not after what happened with you and that man.


    She was talking about Luke.


    My heart ached at the mention of that, the memories of that tumultuous time threatening to overwhelm


    me.


    402: TUMULTUOUS REUNION


    4/4


    ¡°I understand, Tessa,¡± I said softly, my voice filled with sadness. ¡°But you left without a word, without


    saying goodbye. You left me alone.¡±


    Tessa¡¯s gaze faltered, guilt flickering across her face. ¡°I know, Ariel. And I¡¯m sorry; I truly am. I should


    have been there for you, especially when you needed me the most.¡±


    Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I struggled to contain the surge of emotions threatening to


    consume me. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tessa,¡± I whispered, forcing a small smile. ¡°We can talk about itter. Right


    now, I¡¯m just d to see you.¡±


    She returned my smile, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, ¡°Me too, Ariel.¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Can you guys get going already? The traffic¡¯s gone!¡± A man shrieked from behind while Tessa and I


    were just staring at each other, still submerged in¡­ everything.

 Chapter ?403

    ?403: HEART-TO-HEART


    ARIEL''S POV


    The traffic was no more, and Tessa and I found ourselves at a cafe close by, with our cars parked outside.


    And there we were, settled at our table, eyes looking around, gazes going down to each other. After all these years, she was finally with me. My wonderful friend, the person who was always there to stand by me. I never expected this at all, but it was great.


    Now, let''s get everything really clear around here. Tessa left for Ennd without informing me about it. She was mad at me for marrying Luke. Honestly, I was kind of angry with her, too, for carrying out such an action.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    We were great friends. She could have told me if she was about to make such a move. But no, she didn''t.


    I know, I know. You must be wondering why I didn''t talk about her all this time. It''s this simple: I was mad. Well, I''m kind of mad. After what she did, I decided not to talk about her. And I couldn''t believe I was too dumb to go through with it. But it''s all in the past now, right?


    Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady the swirling emotions inside me. Across from me sat Tessa, her expression a mix of apprehension and remorse as she fidgeted with the napkin on the table.


    "Tessa," I began, my voice soft with a hint of sadness. "I was hurt when you left without saying goodbye. It felt like I''d lost a piece of myself."


    Tessa''s gaze dropped, and she spoke softly, her words heavy with regret. "I know, Ariel. And I''m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. It was a rash decision, fueled by anger and hurt."


    I nodded slowly, my eyes meeting hers. "I forgive you, Tessa. It''s taken me some time toe to terms with what happened, but holding onto that anger was only hurting me in the end."


    Tessa''s eyes filled with tears, and she reached across the table to grasp my hand. "Thank you, Ariel. You have no idea how much that means to me."


    I squeezed her hand gently, offering a small smile. "So, why did youe back? And why now?"


    Tessa sighed, wiping away a tear. "I came back for my cousin Troy''s wedding. He''s getting married next month, and I couldn''t miss it. But I also wanted to see you, Ariel. I missed you more than words can express."


    My heart warmed at her words, memories flooding back. "I missed you too, Tessa. More than I care to admit."


    I just said that, though. Honestly, I didn''t really talk about her all these years. And I knew the feeling was mutual. Let''s just go on with the act. But it was a great feeling, bringing the bond back together.


    Tessa grinned through her tears, relief evident in her expression. "I''m d to hear that, Ariel."And I would love for you toe to the wedding with me. It would mean the world to me to have you there."


    I furrowed my brow slightly. "I don''t think I''ve ever met Troy. Who is he exactly?"


    She chuckled softly. "Troy is my cousin from my mother''s side. He''s a bit of a goofball, but he''s got a heart of gold. I think you''ll like him."


    I considered her invitation, thoughts swirling in my mind. Finally, I nodded. "Alright, Tessa. I''ll go to the wedding with you. It''ll be nice to meet your family and catch up on old times."


    She beamed with excitement, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you, Ariel. You won''t regret it, I


    promise."


    Some men in suits stepped inside the cafe; a hush fell over the room, and all eyes turned towards them. Their confident strides and mischievous grins hinted at an impending spectacle. Tessa and I exchanged curious nces, and our interest piqued.


    Suddenly, the rhythmic beat of music filled the air, and without missing a beat, the men began to move with effortless grace. Their synchronized movements drew us in, mesmerizing us with their fluidity and charm. I found myself unable to tear my gaze away, captivated by the allure of their performance.


    Each step was executed with precision, and every twirl and dip was executed wlessly. Their energy was infectious, spreading through the room like wildfire. As we watched in awe, Tessa and I couldn''t help but smile, engulfed in the moment''s magic.


    As the dance reached its climax, one of the men broke away from the group, his eyes locking with mine. He extended his hand towards me, a yful glint in his eyes. I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to join in the spontaneous revelry.


    Before I could make a decision, Tessa nudged me with a grin, urging me to seize the moment. With augh, I relented, cing my hand in his and allowing him to lead me onto the makeshift stage that had formed in the center of the cafe.


    The music pulsed through my veins, drowning out all thoughts as I surrendered myself to the rhythm. The man guided me with skillful ease, his touch light yet firm as we moved in perfect harmony. It was as if we were in our own little world, lost in the joy of the dance.


    Around us, the other patrons cheered and pped, their enthusiasm fueling our exhration. I spun and twirled, lost in the euphoria of the moment, the cares of the world melting away with each graceful movement.


    As the music faded into a gentle melody, the dance came to an end, leaving us breathless and exhrated. "Wow, I never expected any of that. It was really nice. Thanks for the lovely moment."


    "You''re wee," he replied with a smile, shaking hands with me. "The name''s Samuel, and these are my fellow partners. We belong to a dance group called Terroisa."


    "Terroisa?"


    "Yeah."


    "That''s not a word, is it?"


    "No, it''s just a name we came up with. You see all of us around here; we''ve been friends since childhood."


    "That''s actually a record. You guys have a strong bond."


    "No doubt about that. A lot of people marvel at the rtionship."


    Iughed a little. "Yeah, of course. It''s just quite surprising, since there''s like ten of you."


    Heughed as well. "It''s just our bond. And we made a promise to always stand by each other. We can''t break that promise. "Do you leave around here?"


    "Me? Even though I reside in this city, my residence is somewhat distant from this location. And just so you know, I''m married," I answered,ughing at the end.


    "Hold on, you think I''m into you? I''m interested in you and want you to be my girlfriend."


    "Isn''t that what''s happening here? I mean, the dance and the whole conversation."


    "No, no, miss."That''s not it. I just want to be friends because it''s going to be really cool to be friends with


    a pretty woman like you."


    "You say all these things, and you don''t expect me to think otherwise." I gave him a slight smile, taking my brows up as I crossed my arms.


    "Don''t get things twisted. I have a girlfriend," he defended himself.


    "Oh really?" I gave him a disbelieving look.


    "Yeah, she''s right there." He pointed at ady sitting down.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!