CHAPTER 2 – Zara’s POV
When I found out I was pregnant, I was very scared. Lucas Blackwood's family was powerful and owned many businesses in Claybourne City. I was confused and didn't know what to do, especially because Lucas had threatened to ruin my life after we spent the night together.
I wanted to keep my situation a secret, but my family found out. Even though I tried to hide who the father was, my grandfather got the truth out of me.
The idea of raising a baby by myself was scary, but knowing that Lucas Blackwood was involved made it even worse. He had threatened me the day he came to see me. I wanted to keep everything a secret because I thought having Lucas involved would be a disaster.
I was desperate and tried to act like everything was normal. I didn't know if I should hide or tell the truth about who the baby's father was. But my grandfather didn't let me keep the secret forever.
Even though I tried to hide who the father was, the truth came out. My secret was out and it felt like a bomb was about to go off and blow up my life. After my grandfather found out that Lucas Blackwood was the father, he set up a meeting with him right away. I don't know what they talked about in their meeting, but it led to me seeing Lucas again.
My grandfather set up a meeting with Lucas and a few days later, I was standing in front of him again. He was just as strong and confident as before, and he looked at me like he was trying to figure out what I was thinking. The room felt smaller and the air was heavy with feelings that weren't being said.
“Zara,” Lucas's voice cut through the silence, pulling my attention to him.
“Yes, Lucas,” I responded.
“Is it true? Are you carrying my child?” he asked. I nodded, confirming his fears. “Damn!” he cursed, startling my grandfather.
“Don't worry, Lucas. I won't bother you about the baby,” I assured him.
“Really? Then why is your grandfather trying to force me to marry you?” he retorted, raising his voice.
“That's not true,” I defended, but my grandfather nodded, confirming Lucas's claim. “I don't want to marry him, Grandfather,” I insisted.
“Quiet, child. I'll handle this,” my grandfather interjected.
My dream of a beautiful wedding, with a loving groom and surrounded by friends, was shattered. Instead, a rushed wedding was being negotiated. The fairytale image I had envisioned was fading fast.
Lucas's threats echoed in my mind, making me shiver. He reminded my grandfather of their previous meeting, revealing that he had threatened to sue us for ruining his life.
I felt like a pawn in their game, powerless against Lucas's influence and threats. The idea of facing a public lawsuit was terrifying. Thankfully, Lucas realized the damage it would cause to his reputation and decided against it. I suggested forgetting about our encounter and letting me raise the child alone, but he was adamant. He refused to let his child be born out of wedlock.
Despite my grandfather's objections, Lucas made it clear we had no choice. He blamed me for everything and didn't hesitate to humiliate me in front of my family.
“Take it or leave it,” Lucas challenged, proposing a secret wedding. I didn't like the idea, but when I looked at Lucas, I found myself nodding in agreement.
“Zara! Have you lost your mind?” my grandfather exclaimed.
The room was filled with tension as Lucas's proposal of a secret wedding hung in the air. As my grandfather and Lucas argued, it was clear we had lost control of the situation. Lucas spoke with authority, and his words cut deep. He shifted the blame onto me, and the humiliation was overwhelming.
How could he blame me for everything? But then, he wasn't wrong. It was my fault!
“See you in three days for the wedding, Zara. Don't be late,” he said before leaving us. My grandfather was too stunned to speak.
“What a jerk!”
“I told you not to bother him, Grandfather, but you insisted,” I blamed him for the embarrassment we experienced in front of Lucas Blackwood.
“I'm sorry, child. I just didn't want you to end up like your mother. Do you know how society judged her? She fell in love and gave herself to a man willingly, and she was judged as a loose woman. Can you imagine that?”
“You're overthinking, Grandfather. In this day and age, who would dare to judge a single mom? Besides, I earn well enough to raise my child. But you insisted on meeting Lucas,” I continued to blame him.
“Let's go home,” he said.
Three days later, I met Lucas in the Judge's office for our wedding. He knew the judge personally, and Lucas ordered to keep our marriage a secret. After the papers were signed, he didn't even bother to treat us to a meal. He just took me from my family and brought me to a new house he bought in the heart of Claybourne City.
As soon as we entered, Lucas took me to the bedroom. My eyes widened in fear at the thought of being forced but it didn't happen. When we were inside the room, his demeanor changed completely. He was gentle with me as he led me to our bed.
“I want to kiss you,” he whispered, and my heart skipped a beat as his warm breath brushed against my cheek. Before I could react to what he said, Lucas leaned down and kissed my lips gently.
My body trembled from his touch. It wasn't the first time he kissed me, but this time it felt different. Was it because we were now officially married? I wanted to resist and push him away, but it was too late.
He deepened the kiss, and I willingly followed his lead. I savored every movement he made, especially when he gently nibbled on my lower lip. But then, he suddenly stopped and stood up.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
Instead of answering, he just smiled, the kind of smile that could make any girl's heart race. I tried to get up because I felt like I had exposed myself too much to him, but he stopped me.
“Oh my goodness!”
I was surprised when he suddenly kissed my belly, just a few inches away from my intimate area. I pushed his head away and crossed my legs, but Lucas insisted and forcibly spread my legs apart. Before I knew it, he was pleasuring me.
“Ohhhh,” I moaned as he continued his actions. I was losing myself, and I couldn't stop him as he took control of my body. It felt like I was on fire, and I let myself give in to his desires.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
I wondered why he suddenly apologized to me, but I didn't get a chance to ask him because he continued. He undressed me until we were both naked. I couldn't bear to look at him.
Again, he kissed me deeply and passionately, moving down to my neck and then lower, until he reached my breasts. I whimpered as he gently sucked on my nipples. We were both gasping for breath when he finally positioned himself and entered me.
I winced as he moved inside me. I tried to call his name, but he didn't listen. When I looked at his face, our eyes locked. His gaze was intense, and I couldn't look away. His touch was hot, and it overwhelmed me.
“Lucas...” I moaned as I reached my peak, and he followed soon after, collapsing next to me.
His eyes seemed to change color, or maybe it was just my imagination. “I love you,” I said without thinking, but he didn't respond.
He kissed me again, moving from my lips to my neck, and then he gently touched my body. When he reached my intimate area, I tried to resist, but he convinced me to trust him.
I lay down to sleep, a smile on my face. I was so happy!
But my happiness didn't last. He stood up and glared at me. I was confused. I thought we were okay because he had been gentle with me.
“At least your body can make up for the sins you committed against me,” he said, leaving me speechless.
CHAPTER 3 – Zara’s POV He continued to blame me for everything. I felt bad for my family because of how Lucas ignored them. I also felt bad for myself because when we got home, Lucas threw a maid's uniform at me! As he kept blaming me, I started to believe that it was my fault. I blamed myself for getting drunk that night, for letting him have me. I had been paying for that mistake for six years. Every day, he blamed me. It had been six years since our secret wedding. After enduring our unhappy marriage, I wanted to free myself. He couldn't keep me as his secret forever! How could he keep me but not love me properly? I felt bad for our son who never felt love from his father. It had been six years, but I still remembered how harsh he was on our wedding night. He knew I was pregnant, but he claimed my body again and again. He didn't let me sleep that night. Since then, he treated me terribly. For six years, he was always cruel. He constantly blamed me for ruining his life, and he
CHAPTER 4 – Zara’s POV Antoinette and I shared a love for coffee, so I suggested we grab a cup at the coffee shop nearest to the school. She went to order our usual favorites while I found a free table. “Are you still with that jerk, Zara?” she asked bluntly as soon as she returned with our drinks. I let out a sigh before responding, “Yes, I'm still with Lucas Blackwood.” Antoinette gave a sarcastic round of applause, then examined my face. I knew she was worried; she was the first one to know about the way Lucas treated me and our son. “Tell me honestly, Zara. Are you trying to be a martyr? It's been six years since that damned wedding. I thought you'd have realized by now that living with that man is like living in hell. I feel guilty every day for what you're going through. It's my fault,” Antoinette confessed. “Don't blame yourself, Antoinette. It was never your fault. You didn't force me into his bed that night. I was willing,” I admitted, attempting to ease my friend's guil
CHAPTER 5 – Zara’s POV When Enrique asked if he was adopted, I couldn't hold back my tears. I didn't care about crying in front of him anymore. I was heartbroken that he felt this way because of how Lucas treated him. All he wanted was his father's love, but Lucas couldn't provide that. I despised him for it! “Are you crying because of me?” Enrique asked. “No, something just got in my eye,” I lied quickly, seeing the sadness in his expression. “You have school tomorrow, my love. It's time for bed,” I told him. Thankfully, Enrique was a good boy and didn't protest. A few moments later, I watched him sleeping peacefully in his bed. He was such a lovely boy who deserved nothing but pure love from his parents. Silently, I pledged to love him every day, regardless of my situation with Lucas. After leaving Enrique's room, I headed downstairs to grab something to drink. I was feeling overwhelmed and thought a drink might help me relax. But I wasn't prepared for Lucas to show up, seemingl
CHAPTER 6 – Zara’s POV My body was accustomed to waking up at five in the morning. My eyes were wide open, but my mind was a blank slate. The last thing I remembered was telling Lucas I needed to use the bathroom. Then he walked me back to the living room and gave me some hot water. After that... he carried me upstairs... into my room. Oh my! I touched myself because something felt off. I was indeed naked! My suspicions were confirmed. “You're awake, good morning,” a voice said close to me. His hair was still damp, and a few droplets of water were trickling down his neck. “Lucas? What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised. Even though we were married, we usually slept in separate rooms. “I spent the night here, don't you remember?” he responded, leaving me stunned. Who wouldn't be taken aback by his revelation? “Why? I mean, why did you sleep here?” I questioned him. “Because you asked me to,” he replied. “You're lying!” I retorted. What he was suggesting was impossible; I d
CHAPTER 7 – Zara’s POV After their chat, Enrique ended the call and handed the phone back to me without saying a word. He then excused himself to continue watching his television show. I was about to start washing the dishes when Nick called again. For a moment, I was tempted to ignore the call, but in the end, I couldn't. “Wazzup, Nick? You called again,” I said. “Did you know that Giselle is one of my clothing models, right? Your husband is here supporting her,” he informed me. I wished he hadn't. A new wave of pain washed over me, a pain I thought I was immune to. “It's fine... he told me about it,” I lied, trying to save face. But Nick's anger flared. “No, it is not fine, Zara! Are you crazy? I just told you that your husband is cheating on you, and you tell me it's fine. What’s wrong with you?” As Nick's voice raised in anger, the tears I had been holding back began to flow freely. Through the video call, I saw a mix of confusion and pity in Nick's eyes. “Hey, Zara. Listen
CHAPTER 8 – Zara’s POV I had fallen asleep lost in my thoughts and would have continued to sleep if it weren't for the knocking on my door. Quickly, I got up and went to the door. “Enrique, it's you.” “Are you sick?” he asked. “No, I'm not. Why do you ask?” I responded, fixing my hair. “Daddy told me to ask if you're okay.” I had to suppress a laugh at Enrique's statement. “I see, so where is he now?” “Cooking breakfast.” “I see.” “But I think he needs your help!” Enrique said, sounding worried. “Really?” I replied, trying to make myself look presentable. “Yes, Mom.” “Alright, let's go and see your dad,” I said, and we both headed downstairs to the kitchen. What the hell? I couldn't help but curse silently when I saw the mess in my kitchen. “Enrique, I'll help your dad with cooking. Just go to your room,” I ordered. As soon as Enrique left, I confronted Lucas. “You knew you can't cook a proper meal, so why?” I mean, I'm asking why he dared to intervene in my kitchen whe
CHAPTER 9 – Zara’s POV I wanted to confront them or even slap the woman, but my conscience stopped me. Besides, I wasn't a scandalous person. So, I lied to Enrique that Lucas received an emergency call from the office, and he couldn't join us. Enrique pouted but understood there was nothing we could do. I took him to a fast-food restaurant popular with kids and ordered a kiddie meal for him. He seemed contented, but as I watched him eat, I felt a pang of guilt. I wanted to drag Lucas away from that woman, but Giselle had no idea he was married. We then went to a toy store, but Enrique lost the drive to shop and asked if we could just go home. I knew he was sad, and at that moment, I felt a deep resentment towards Lucas. When we got home, Enrique went to his room, saying he was tired, but I knew better. I took a deep breath before going downstairs to prepare his favorite snacks. But while cooking, I couldn't focus because I kept thinking about Lucas and Giselle. That evening, Lucas
CHAPTER 10 – Zara’s POV My surprise at finding Lucas at home was short-lived when he suddenly complained of a stomachache and excused himself to rest. His dramatic display seemed unnecessary, especially after spending so much time with his girlfriend. Despite my initial reluctance, concern got the better of me, and I found myself knocking on his door. When I entered, I found him lying on his bed, looking genuinely unwell. “Why don't you want to see a doctor?” I asked. “I don't need to. I'll be fine with some rest. Why do you insist on seeing a doctor? Are you concerned about me?” he retorted, eliciting an eye roll from me. “If you don't want to see a doctor, then that's your problem!” I snapped, leaving his room in a huff. His words had a way of getting under my skin, making me uncomfortable. We lived under the same roof, but I had long stopped paying attention to him. However, now, even fully clothed, I found myself imagining his body underneath. The desire was undeniable, but I