AliceI glanced at my phone, noticing a message from Xavier. I sighed, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. He had apologized again for not being able to take me to the hospital himself, explaining that the driver would be delayed due to traffic. He had emphasized that I shouldn't go out on my own, reassuring me that the driver would pick me up and take me to the hospital safely.I rolled my eyes, feeling a twinge of annoyance. But as I read through the message again, I couldn't help but smile at Xavier's concern for me. I set the phone aside and stood up, deciding to pass the time by watching TV.I settled into the plush armchair in the living room, flipping through channels until I landed on my favorite series. As I watched, I found myself becoming completely absorbed in the story, laughing and crying along with the characters. Time flew by, and before I knew it, I had been watching for hours.Just as I was getting to the climax of the episode, I heard the sound of the front doo
Xavier(Flashback to last night)I studied Alice's face, trying to read her expression. She seemed distant, her eyes clouded with thoughts. I wondered what Wendy had told her."Alice?" I pressed, my voice gentle. "What's going on? You can tell me."Alice's gaze dropped, her shoulders sagging slightly. I sensed a hesitation in her, a reluctance to share something."Is everything okay with Wendy?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.Alice's eyes flickered up to mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of concern. But it was quickly replaced by a neutral expression."Yeah, everything's fine," Alice said, her voice measured.I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. Alice wasn't exactly the best liar. I knew she was hiding something, but I decided not to push the issue...for now."I'll go to bed now. Good night," she murmured, before sliding under the sheets and turning away from me.I watched her, a mix of concern and curiosity still lingering in my mind. But as the silence stretched, I realized
XavierI ignored Phoebe's attempt to divert her gaze, and she gave a small smile. "I guess I'll just drink without clinking glasses even if it hurts."Phoebe took a sip from her glass, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Hmm! Tastes strong and so nice.My irritation grew with each passing moment, and I couldn't help but feel like she was toying with me."What the hell are you doing here?" I asked again, my voice low and even.Phoebe smiled, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrent of anger in my tone. "You haven't answered my question yet," she said, her voice dripping with nonchalance. "What are you doing, drinking like this? You know it's not good for your health."My frown deepened, my eyes flashing with annoyance. "That's none of your business," I growled. "What I want to know is, what the hell are you doing here? And how did you find out that I was here?"Phoebe's smile never wavered. "Oh, it was easy," she said, her voice light and airy. "I follow your secretary's postings on Ins
Xavier"Stop the car!" I screamed at the driver, my heart racing with fear. "Fucking stop!"The driver slammed on the brakes, and I leapt out of the car, sprinting towards Phoebe. She was still standing in the middle of the road, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her, as if waiting for the inevitable.I ran as fast as I could, my legs pumping furiously as I desperately tried to reach her before the truck did. Memories of our past flooded my mind, memories of our laughter, our tears, our kisses.We were lying on the bed, our lips locked in a passionate kiss. I laughed and asked her, "So, I guess you're trying to do the battle of kisses, huh?"She laughed and said, "Yeah, come get it!" Her lips pouted, inviting me to kiss her again. And I did.As I ran, tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. I didn't even realize I was crying. All I knew was that I had to save Phoebe.Just as the truck was about to hit her, I launched myself at her, wrapping my arms around her waist and
AliceAs the night wore on, I paced around my room, tears brimming in my eyes. The doctor's words echoed in my mind: "Mrs. Alice Brown, I'm afraid your baby's growth is restricted. The ultrasound shows the baby's not developing at a normal rate. We need to run more tests to determine the cause and the best course of action."Before I knew it, I burst into tears again. Wendy entered my room, concern etched on her face, and tried to comfort me. "Everything will be fine, Alice," she said. "Please stop crying already."I glared at her, frustration and fear simmering inside me. "You've said that for the umpteenth time already, and I don't think everything will be fine. What's going to happen to my baby?"She sighed deeply and hugged me, calming me down. "When my brother comes, you need to tell him everything, okay? I'm certain you two will be able to talk it out."I swallowed hard and nodded. "I will. I just need to think about it first. I'm actually scared of telling him just yet.""Okay,
XavierAs I lay beside Alice, I didn't want to wake her up. She needed her rest, especially with the baby on the way. I cared about her, and the thought of causing her or the baby any discomfort was unbearable.I carefully got out of bed, trying not to disturb her. I headed to the shower, letting the warm water wash away the fatigue. After dressing, I grabbed my wallet and phone and headed downstairs.The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as I entered the dining room. Wendy and Lexi were laughing and chatting over breakfast. I walked over to the table, poured myself a cup of coffee, and took a sip.Wendy looked up at me, concern etched on her face. "You came home late yesterday?""Yeah," I nodded, taking another sip of my coffee."Why, though?" she asked."You don't need to know," I replied, noticing the coldness in my tone which I didn't quite care about.Wendy's eyes sparkled with curiosity, but she didn't press the issue. Lexi, on the other hand, looked like he was burs
XavierI took a deep breath, my eyes locked on Lily's. "I want to apologize for treating you poorly back then," I said, my voice laced with remorse. "I gave you a cigarette and then rejected you because of it. I'm truly sorry about that."Lily's face scrunched up, and she shook her head. "No, I think I deserved it," she whispered, her voice cracking.I shook my head firmly. "No, you didn't. If I hadn't done that to you, you wouldn't have been triggered to seek revenge. I'm sorry, once again." My eyes pleaded for forgiveness. "I just came to unburden myself, to pour out my feelings. I acted like shit back then, and I'm deeply sorry."Lily's gaze met mine, her eyes brimming with tears. She searched my face, as if seeking the truth behind my words."Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why did you reject me when you gave me the cigarette? Why did you do that? It still confuses me to this day." Her eyes welled up with tears, and her voice cracked with emotion.I felt a pang
AliceI slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. The room was quiet, except for the soft hum of the air conditioner. I reached for my phone on the bedside table and dialed Wendy's number, but she didn't pick up.I sighed and tried Lexi's number instead. He answered on the first ring."Hey, where are you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.There was a pause on the other end, and then Lexi whispered back, "What's going on? Why are you whispering, sis?""Never mind," I replied, rolling my eyes. "Has Xavier gone to work yet?""Yeah, he left some minutes ago," he replied.I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "I just woke up."Lexi's tone turned curious. "Why does it seem like you're trying to hide from Xavier?"I sighed, feeling a pang of frustration."I'm not hiding from Xavier, actually. I just wanted to stay off him for some days."Lexi's voice turned skeptical. "Why?"I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I'm mad at him."Lexi's tone turned firm. "I
XavierI narrowed my eyes, and slowly softened the look on my face before letting a smirked crawl over my lips."Did you really think I'd forget you, Alice? Once bitten, twice shy, don't you think?"Alice looked taken aback. "What? You… you remember?""I remember everything, I chuckled, nodding my head. "I was only trying to pull your leg. You know, like those cliché movie scenes."As I spoke, I winced in pain, clutching my chest. Alice had slammed her hand against there, and I could see the anger and grief in her eyes. She was about to hit me again when the doctor intervened, gently prying Alice away. "Ma, please calm down. He's still recovering "She resisted, her eyes flashing with emotion. "No, I won't calm down! Did you see what he just did? He pretended not to know me!"I shook my head, a hint of a smile on my lips. "I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean to scare you.""How could you act like you don't know me?" Alice demanded, her voice trembling. "I was worried sick about you. I tho
AliceA WEEK LATERAs I gazed lovingly at my baby, I couldn't help but smile. She was so peaceful, breastfeeding and moving softly in my arms. I saw Xavier's features in her tiny face, and my heart swelled with love.Just then, the door opened, and Xavier's parents walked in, beaming with smiles. "Oh my goodness!" Xavier's mother exclaimed, rushing towards me. "Look at her! She looks just like Xavier!"I smiled warmly, feeling a pang of sadness. "Yes, she does."Xavier's mother cooed over the baby, admiring her tiny features."What about Wendy and her husband?" I asked. "They also promised to see me today.""They'll be here soon," Xavier's father replied. "They just stopped to...visit Xavier first."My eyes clouded with sadness, and I nodded silently. Xavier's father asked gently, "Don't you miss him?"Did he even need to ask? My face showed how much I missed him. It's been a weak already!"I miss him so much…" I replied, my voice trailing off. "But there's nothing we can do now, can
AliceI slowly opened my eyes, wincing in pain. My head throbbed, and my body ached all over. As my gaze cleared, I realized I was in a familiar room - my ex-husband Ethan's bedroom. I sat up with a start, my heart racing.What was I doing here? I looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings. Even the bed was the same one where I'd caught Ethan and my step-sister Kate together. The memory still stung.I tried to piece together how I'd ended up here. Then, it hit me - Ethan had kidnapped me from the shopping mall. I'd been so scared, and now I was trapped.Determined to escape, I stood up, holding my stomach. I was still getting used to my pregnant body. I made my way to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. I tried again, but it wouldn't budge.Panic set in. I started banging on the door, shouting, "Let me out now! Let me out before you regret bringing me here! Ethan, Let me go!"But soon, I gave up because he wasn't even answering me and as I stood there, frozen in
XavierI sat in the meeting, surrounded by CEOs and billionaires, discussing business deals and strategies. But my mind kept wandering, my heart skipping a beat for no apparent reason. I rubbed my chest, trying to shake off the odd feeling.Lumber, sitting beside me, noticed my discomfort. "Is everything alright, sir?" he asked, concern etched on his face.I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit...off," I replied, unsure of what was wrong."Maybe you should get some rest, sir?" he suggested. "You've been working non-stop for weeks."But I shook my head, determined to push through. "Let's just finish this up, and then I'll take a break."The meeting finally came to a close, and I stood up, shaking hands with the other executives. As I walked out of the conference room, my secretary handed me a bottle of water. "Here, sir, drink this. It'll help calm your nerves."I took a sip, feeling a bit more centered. Then, I remembered my wife, and how I'd promis
MariaAs I sat in my favorite armchair, reflecting on my life, I couldn't help but think about my son, Xavier. Had I truly given him the best possible life? The answer, I realized with a pang of guilt, was no.I had been a distant, uninvolved mother, never taking the time to understand my son's desires or dreams. Instead, I had dictated his path, choosing his career and making decisions on his behalf, right from a young age.A few years ago, Xavier had brought Phoebe to meet me, telling me about his plans to marry her and how much he loved her. But I had refused to accept her. In my mind, I would choose the perfect woman for my son, and Phoebe didn't fit the bill.So, behind the scenes, I had manipulated events to sabotage Xavier's business, watching with a sense of satisfaction as it crumbled. My son was devastated, unable to understand why his company was failing. Little did he know, it was his own mother who was responsible.I recalled the conversation I had with Phoebe, telling he
AliceI walked slowly down the staircase, gripping a large, brown envelope containing the divorce finalization papers. Reaching the bottom step, I paused, looking up to see Xavier descending towards me. His polished shoes clicked against the stairs, echoing through the hallway.As he approached, he extended a hand, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, this is it. I can officially call you my ex-wife, right?"I smiled, inhaling the scent of his cologne as I took his hand. "Not for long, Xavier," I replied, our handshake brief but firm.We broke apart, and together, we walked towards the car waiting for us outside. The driver stood by the door, tipping his hat as we slid into the backseat.As the car glided smoothly into motion, Xavier turned to me, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Divorce has never tasted so sweet," he whispered, his eyes crinkling at the corners.I smiled, my heart skipping a beat. "I can't help but agree," I replied, our lips meeting in a tender, s
AliceBefore I could even process my emotions, Xavier dropped to his knees, his eyes locked on mine. He pulled out a small jewelry box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a stunning diamond ring. His voice trembled as he whispered, "Alice, please... divorce me. Let's divorce from this contractual marriage of ours and marry right. Please marry me."I felt like I couldn't breathe for a second there. We were married, yes, but it was a contractual arrangement, a business deal between us. But now, Xavier was asking me to break free from that contract and marry him for real.I stared at him, my mind reeling. His eyes were glassy with tears, and his voice was laced with emotion. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.And then, like a dam breaking, tears flooded my eyes. My voice shook as I whispered, "Y-yes... I'll marry you."Xavier's face lit up with joy, and he slid the ring onto my finger. He stood up, his eyes never leaving mine, and kissed me like he never had before. I reciprocat
AliceWe sat on the sofa, holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. I felt a sense of relief wash over me. We were finally home, finally together again! I couldn't ask for more."Shouldn't we call your parents, at least?" I asked, thinking of Wendy and how worried she must be. I remembered how much she used to call me, crying and bawling all night to my ears.Now, Xavier telling me not to reach out to anyone yet was something strange."Not now," he whispered, his eyes locked on mine. "Right now, I just want to ease the tension, look at you, talk to you, and feel our baby."I smiled, my hand instinctively going to my swollen belly. Next month, our little one would arrive, and I couldn't wait to see Xavier hold our child in his arms.He kissed my lips gently, his eyes filled with adoration. "I love you so much, wifey.""I love you too," I replied, my heart full.Xavier's expression suddenly turned serious, and he swallowed hard. "Alice?" he called, his voice low and gentle."Yes,
XavierI finally told the police I wanted to return to the US, but there was a problem - Phoebe had seized all my documents. The policemen offered to search her place again, and after a thorough search, they recovered my belongings.Relieved, I checked into a hotel for the night. However, my phone was still missing, and I suspected Phoebe had hidden it. I decided to purchase a new phone that same night and thankfully remembered Alice's phone number.I tried calling her, but she didn't answer. I tried again and again, but still, no response. Growing concerned, I decided to check her social media profiles. But when I reached her Instagram page, I found it had been deactivated.Confused and worried, I began searching for news about Alice. That's when I stumbled upon shocking headlines - my wife had been charged with plagiarism for a book she had written. I knew Alice was the original author of that book, and the accusations made no sense. Why would they do this to her? What the hell happ