Chapter 10 Four weeks had passed since their mother’s funeral. The house was quieter now, but not as peaceful as Bella had hoped. It was the kind of quiet that pressed against her chest, suffocating in its stillness. She tried to keep busy—sorting through bills, handling paperwork, cooking meals Rachel
Chapter 9 The air drained from Bella’s lungs. She looked at her phone and that’s when she realized she’d gotten several missed calls from Rachel the night before. Immediately, her knees buckled, and she sank against the wall, her vision blurring as hot tears streamed down her face. The weight
Chapter 8 Time seemed to blur. She didn’t know when she stopped trembling. She didn’t know when she stopped fighting the thought of what she was doing. Although it was her first, it didn’t seem like what she’d imagined it would be like with Ethan. He wasn’t rough or desperate
Chapter 7 She straightened her back, forcing her gaze to remain impassive even though she was a bit shy she’d been caught gawking. “I told you, I don’t want anyone’s favor p> Jake’s lips twitched into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Then you can pay me back,” he said
Chapter 6 Bella stood before her mirror, staring at the reflection she barely recognized. Her face was heavily made up as though she was trying to conceal her face from the reality her life had now become. Her trembling hands smoothed down the black dress clinging to her frame. A
Chapter 5 There was a pause before Chloe hesitated, “Maybe… maybe I could talk to my boss p> “No.” Bella cut her off, shaking her head even though Chloe couldn’t see her. “Don’t bother. I understand you want to help but I have another idea. Hopefully, this would help me
Chapter 4 The following day, Bella stepped out of the last bank, her shoulders sagging under the weight of another no. The hot afternoon air felt thicker than usual, clinging to her skin as if mocking her for daring to hope. “Sorry, Miss Howells, there’s nothing we can do,” the
Chapter 3 Isabella stepped out of Ethan’s building, her legs carrying her forward though her mind felt stuck, trapped in a whirlwind she couldn’t escape. The streets of the city moved around her—cars honking, people talking, shopkeepers calling out to customers—but it all sounded muffled, like she was underwater. Her
Chapter 2 Rachel’s trembling hand tapped Isabella’s shoulder, snapping her back into the blindingly white hospital corridor. “Bella… what’s happening? What’s going on? We need to save mom.” Her voice was small, but the fear in it was suffocating. Isabella opened her mouth, ready to explain, to tell her sister
Chapter 1 The clink of cutlery against plates and the low murmur of customers filled the warm air of Morning Brew Café. The smell of fresh coffee and buttered biscuits lingered in the room, wrapping around Isabella Howells like a familiar blanket. She moved quickly between tables, balancing a tray
Chapter 202 Don’t Stop Althea held his face between her hands, her lips brushing his as she whispered, “I want it. All of it. Come inside me.” A low, guttural sound escaped him—raw and uncontrollable. He thrust into her once… twice… a final, deep stroke that pushed a sharp cry
Chapter 201 I’m Close Althea leaned in, kissing him slowly, deep, unhurried while her fingers sliding into his hair. Gavriel kissed her back with a hunger that made her body tremble, his hands roaming up her spine, pulling her closer as if he needed her warmth to stay sane. She
Chapter 200 : Stop Holding Back Gavriel chuckled softly. He was completely bare with her when it came to his emotions, and she felt the way his desire stirred beneath the surface even as he tried to suppress it. Shaking his head, he guided her back to the bed. “We’re
Chapter 199 Only With You As soon as Gavriel finished speaking with Zander and settling the remaining matters, he didn’t waste another second. He headed straight for the cottage where Althea was resting. Night had already settled over the land, and warm light spilled softly from the windows. When he
Chapter 198 This Ends Now The air rippled, and the portal opened in a clean, sharp flash of white. Gavriel stepped through first. But the moment Zander saw who followed behind him, his brows creased in shock. “Your Majesty… Queen Mother?” Zander blurted, unable to hide his confusion. “I thought
Chapter 358 Natalie couldn’t make out anything after that. The words faded into a blur as the world spun and then, just like that, everything went dark. When she finally came to, she had no idea where she was. It took a few moments before the familiar shapes of the
Chapter 357 Six months slipped away before Natalie even noticed. She’d been busy, throwing herself into work, growing Billy Firth’s business all across Asia. Most days, she barely had time to breathe, let alone rest. It felt like she was always in the air, one city blending into the next.
Chapter 356 “What’s Alexander doing down there?” Arianna’s voice was full of surprise as she peered out the window. Natalie watched Alexander standing in the rain, her face completely unreadable. “Just ignore him. Let’s finish eating p> Arianna shot her a worried look. “Natalie, are you really not going to
Chapter 355 Every dish on the table looked elegant and light, almost too beautiful to eat. Natalie glanced at them, her voice steady. “It was Alexander p> She ran her hand over the sideboard nearby, checking for dust. Not a speck. He hadn’t just made sure they had dinner. He’d
Chapter 354 Alexander paused for a moment, the disappointment in his eyes flickering before he quickly hid it. “Okay, you can do it yourself.” He placed the cup gently in Natalie’s hand. She took it and sipped, still looking down. The water was just right. She never glanced at Alexander,