《GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO》


 Chapter 1

    Lindsey Girt Rose is a young woman of just 19 years old, standing at 1. 75 cm tall. She has hair as blonde as the sun, skin as white as snow, and striking greenish-gray eyes-a enviable beauty hidden behind thick ck sses and loose-fitting clothes.


    For the past 11 years, her life has been a torment. Shortly after her mother¡¯s death, her father remarried, and her stepmother always treated her as inferior. At the age of 8, she was forced to prepare her own meals and do chores in a spacious two-story house. Her stepmother threatened to fire the employees if they helped her. Being a year younger than her stepsister, Lindsey wore worn-out and discarded clothes. Courtney made her life miserable, crying in front of her father, using Lindsey of hitting her, pulling her hair, ruining her homework. All Lindsey could do was wait for shouts, punishments, and confinement to her room with no rights. That room became her refuge in a house where she had neither voice nor vote.


    Her so-called father rarely spoke to her, and whatever little affection he had disappeared when her mother died. Lindsey initially couldn¡¯t understand.


    An incident that marked her life and made her realize the martyrdom she had to endure was when, as a child, she entered the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took the only slice of cake. Innocently, she started eating it, but her stepsister saw her, ran to use her father, iming Lindsey had snatched the cake from her hands, making a face and saying she had no right to what was in their house. John arrived, stood in front of the girl without saying a word, took the cake from her hand, and without warning shoved the piece of cake into her mouth, causing the poor girl to swallow and choke on it. Her eyes widened, and tears of desperation welled up.


    ¡°Water, please, water,¡± came out of the girl¡¯s irritated throat as she regained her breath.


    What she received was a tug on the ear and being dragged to her room. The girlined of pain, and when they arrived, her father knelt her down and stood behind her, took off his leather belt, and gave her a fewshes. The girl¡¯s body suffered and trembled; only the sound of leather impacting her back and Lindsey¡¯s sobs could be heard.


    ¡°Never humiliate Courney again. She has righter than you in this house. If I find out you take anything from the fridge without Kathen¡¯s or my permission, you¡¯ll regret it,¡± were the words of resentment the girl heard from her father before leaving the room.


    She spent two weeks unable to move from the bed. A hidden employee took care of her, and the pain gradually disappeared, just like the marks on her back.


    From that incident, she learned to obey and remain silent about the events that unfolded.


    ¡°Lindsey, I won¡¯t repeat it. I expect you in the living room in half an hour,¡± her stepmother shouted with bitterness.


    ¡°Why do I have to attend? I don¡¯t like those boring events.¡±


    ¡°Because I say so! Your stepsister is representing one of the country¡¯s most exclusive designers, and she must appear with her family. I want to see you dressed in a decent dress. Don¡¯t make me lose my patience,¡± scolded Kathen, turning her back and mming the door as she left the room.


    Furious, Lindsey goes to her closet, takes out a wide ck dress with sleeves, without any details, ck t boots, ties her hair in a ponytail, and wears her unfailing ck sses that make her look indifferent.


    ¡®They only consider me when they need me, like in these moments when the Girt family has to pose before society as the happy family that doesn¡¯t exist,¡¯ she muttered discontentedly.


    Lindsey descends the stairs with all the patience in the world when she hears Kathen say, ¡°You truly are the shame of the family. Look at yourself, you look like a beggar instead of a Girt.¡± Rolling her eyes and making a disgusted face, she continues, ¡°Come on, it¡¯ste.¡±


    Her father, as usual, has a gloomy expression and doesn¡¯t even bother to look at her. He follows his wife¡¯s steps.


    Lindsey walks behind them with her head down, gets into the back of the car while her father drives, and her stepmother sits in the front seat.


    At the Lennox Hotel, a fashion event is taking ce, attended by representatives from different brands and the fashion industry, as well as high society, investors, and the media.


    As the event begins, Lindsey observes the ce, filled with luxury, tables of food that few touch. She watches people exuding hypocrisy,peting to see who is the best dressed in designer outfits.


    Due to her social status, she is obligated to attend such events. Refusing results in punishment, being confined to her room. At the moment, she cannot be confined when there are people who need her.


    ¡°Besides being ugly, you look pathetic in that dress. Always trying to embarrass the family with your appearance,¡± grumbles Courtney.


    Courtney Girt, at 20 years old, is a model, tall at 1. 73 cm, blonde with brown eyes like her mother, capricious, and superficial. Ever since she found out she had a sister, she has despised her for living like a princess while she has shorings. Since her mother married her father and acknowledged Lindsey as her daughter, she has made her sister¡¯s life difficult.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like being here. Ie out of obligation,¡± Lindsey rolls her eyes in annoyance. It¡¯s always the same.


    ¡°Look, ill-mannered girl, keep your mouth shut. This is not the ce for tantrums,¡± her stepmother snaps.


    A waiter approaches and offers them wine.


    ¡°No, thanks, I don¡¯t want any,¡± Lindsey recites.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take that ss and put on your best smile. We need to toast to your sister¡¯s debut on the runway,¡± her father shouts, keeping his distance.


    Lindsey sighs several times, resigned, takes the wine ss offered by the waiter. Kathen, excited for her daughter, raises her wine ss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s toast to the excellent performance of our beloved Courtney.¡±


    They clink sses. Lindsey hypocritically forces a smile and brings the wine ss to her mouth, tasting a bitter vor that makes her grimace. She thinks it¡¯s just a new taste and doesn¡¯t pay much attention. Secondster, she feels dizzy. A heaviness courses through her body. She tries to maintain bnce and take a few steps, but her legs feel like jelly.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°I told you; wine is meant to be sipped slowly. Look at yourself, you look like a drunkard,¡±mented her sister, noticing the effects of the liquid.


    ¡°But I only had one drink, I don¡¯t understand. Why is everything spinning?¡± Lindsey replied.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll apany you to the bathroom,¡± her sister said, trying to grab her arm.


    ¡°Leave me alone, I can go by myself,¡± Lindsey resisted being touched.


    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. Let your sister help you,¡± whispered Kathen.


    ¡°But I¡­¡± Lindsey didn¡¯t finish speaking as her father interrupted coldly.


    ¡°Get her out of here before she makes a fool of herself.¡±


    Her sister walked with her to the bathroom, but on the way, two young men intercepted them, diverting into a hallway.


    ¡°Help me, this prude has passed out.¡±


    Each guy took her by an arm and led her to the elevator. They entered and pressed the 9th floor button.


    Lindsey peeked out to check; the hallway was empty.


    ¡°Hurry, guys, someone might see us,¡± Courney said, almost running. She exited the elevator to room 09-02, swiped the card on the maic screen on the left side of the door.


    The guys entered and tossed Lindsey onto the bed. Courney straddled her and started removing her dress, bra, and boots.


    ¡°Sister, you have terrible taste in clothes,¡± she murmured with a disgusted look, throwing the clothes on the floor and undressing.


    The guys began undressing, leaving only their boxers.


    With a malicious smile, Courney positioned herself on the right side of the bed for a better angle. One guy slipped under the sheets and positioned himself in front of her, while the other put a hand on her face and pretended to kiss her.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, guys, make it look realistic,¡± Courney took 10 photos from different angles.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Done! Now, guys, get dressed,¡± she said with a sly smile, starting tough.


    ¡°You have provocative lips; we can¡¯t leave her like this,¡± one of the guys said.


    ¡°No! The idea is for my parents to find her alone and naked. Then, I¡¯ll show my dad the photos as if they were on the inte.¡±


    The guys got off the bed. The one on top of Lindsey said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the deal. After this show, you have to satisfy us.¡±


    ¡°Of course, guys. Tonight, I¡¯ll give you your reward,¡± she said, biting her lip and giving them ascivious look.


    While this was happening in the room, in the grand event hall, Kyle Pratt, a frivolous and arrogant man, 32 years old and CEO of one of the country¡¯s leading fashionpanies, stood with furrowed brows, holding a ss of Scotch whiskey.


    ¡°Stop drinking so much; people are noticing your anger,¡± Freed, Kyle¡¯s assistant and best friend, whispered softly.


    ¡°How dare she show up with that guy, making a fool out of me,¡± Kyle muttered, taking another sip of whiskey.


    ¡°Catrina is doing it to make you jealous,¡± Freed eximed, looking at the table where Grandpa Hugo was sitting. ¡°Grandpa will kill you if you cause a scene.¡±


    Freed¡¯s phone vibrated in his pants pocket. He reached in, took out the mobile, brought it to his ear, and answered, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Get my grandson out of there and take him to rest in the assigned room. I see him staggering from here, and I don¡¯t want any drunk scandals,¡± shouted Hugo, the patriarch of the Pratt family, a 75-year-old man.


    ¡°Okay, Grandpa Hugo,¡± Freed hung up the call.


    ¡°Come on, champion, let¡¯s walk. I¡¯ll apany you to your room.¡±


    ¡°I know who called you, always giving orders,¡± Kyle said. At that moment, he felt his vision blur, a sign that he needed to leave. He began to take clumsy steps, leaving his friend behind.


    ¡°Sometimes I don¡¯t know who¡¯s more arrogant, you or your grandfather,¡± Freed said, catching up and walking towards the elevator. ¡°Better give me the key to your room.¡±


    Kyle reached into the back pocket of his pants, took out his wallet, and searched for the card. He handed it to Freed. As he took it, the elevator opened, and three guys rushed out.


    Courney had her card in hand, and as she exited, she collided with Freed, causing both cards to fall to the floor.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re walking!¡± shouted an angry Kyle.


    Upon recognizing who it was, Courtney got nervous and quickly bent down to pick up one of the cards.


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Pratt,¡± she hurriedly apologized, disappearing down the hallway.


    ¡°Come on, champ, nothing happened. Just get into the elevator,¡± Freed said as he bent down to pick up the card.


    Freed dialed the floor number indicated on the card, and when they arrived, the two walked briskly out of the elevator. Freed swiped the card through the maic device. As Kyle was about to enter, he stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to undress me and tuck me in too,¡± he grumbled, stumbling over his words. He pushed Kyle aside to enter and closed the door behind him.


    Freed chuckled. Seeing the door close, he turned around, walked towards the elevator, and sat next to Hugo in the lounge.


    ¡°The lion should be snoring now,¡± hemented.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± the old man expressed.


    Kyle entered the room, not turning on the light. He sat on the edge of the bed and began to undress, then threw himself onto the bed face down.


    An hourter, three people entered the room. One of them turned on the light.


    ¡°You foolish girl, what are you doing rolling around with this man?¡± John said, annoyed.


    Upon hearing him, Kyle turned around and shouted like a demon:


    ¡°Who dares to interrupt my sleep? Get out of my room!¡± He hadn¡¯t noticed he had a guest next to him; he just wanted to keep sleeping.


    The three people, realizing who it was, were petrified. Courtney swallowed hard, remembering the incident in the elevator. She backed away and ran down the stairs to avoid being recognized.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Pratt, but we came to look for our shameless daughter,¡± Kathen grumbled. She was furious about how things turned out. The idea was for her to be alone, not apanied, and certainly not with Kyle Pratt. How would she exin bringing this man to her bed?


    Kyle turned his head and was startled to see the woman lying next to him, on her back, with tousled hair and horrible ck-framed sses.


    He immediately searched his pants and pulled out his phone.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Freed answered on the other end.


    ¡°Come to the room immediately,¡± Kyle grunted with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What happened now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, juste now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± he hung up the call.


    The grandfather, who had heard everything, dered, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Kyle is confused; his head is spinning, and he has no exnation to offer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s here in my room.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for what I¡¯m about to say, Mr. Pratt. That girl lying there is our daughter. From what I see, her dress is on the floor, and you were without pants, being the mature man you are. What do you think I can assume? Besides, our daughter is a decent youngdy.¡± With greedy, shining eyes, he mentally wondered, ¡®How does my daughter know this man? I can take advantage of this situation.¡¯


    Kathen was infuriated by the luck of the girl being in bed with Kyle Pratt himself. She approaches Lindsey and shakes her.


    ¡°Lindsey, get up! You have a lot of exining to do.¡±


    Lindsey moves on the bed, opens her eyeszily, and the first person she sees is her father. She blinks several times, clings more to the sheets.


    ¡°What happened to me? I don¡¯t remember anything, just that I was dizzy and going to the bathroom,¡± she mumbles sleepily, feeling her body heavy and a slight headache.


    ¡°The dizziness was an excuse toe here and fool around with this man,¡± Kathen reproaches indignantly.


    ¡°This man has a name; don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Apologize, Mr. Pratt. She¡¯s upset to find our daughter in this situation, and she¡¯s not measuring her words,¡± John says, signaling his wife to keep quiet with his eyes.


    Grumbling, Kathen approaches her husband, thinking to herself, ¡°This girl will pay for this.¡±


    Lindsey startles upon hearing that rough, masculine voiceing from her side. Dazed by the sedative and her family, she hadn¡¯t noticed she hadpany. She turns to herpanion, unable to believe how handsome he is. Her heart starts racing, her breathing elerates, and her mouth dries up seeing his naked, broad, and tan chest. Those intense sapphires leave her stunned, and she panics, her back tensing; she can¡¯t utter a word.


    ¡°Miss, can you exin what you¡¯re doing in my room?¡± protests Kyle.


    At that moment, Freed enters rmed by the situation, and the grandfather, seeing the scene, smiles amused.


    Lindsey is blushing, finding herself in this state, naked next to a handsome man, and worse, with her family in front of the bed. ¡®I don¡¯t know why I suspect that I¡¯m really in trouble now,¡¯ her subconscious speaks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I just remember being dizzy from having a ss of wine and heading to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°The point is, you¡¯re here in this bed, and I don¡¯t understand how you got in.¡±


    One of the employees who was around approaches due to themotion and asks,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Their voices echo in the hallway.


    ¡°I wonder the same thing. This room is assigned to Mr. Kyle Pratt, and apparently, there was a young woman in the room.¡±


    The employee, upon seeing who it is, responds with a stutter,


    ¡°Mr. Pratt, I think you¡¯re mistaken. The rooms assigned to the presidents of the participatingpanies in the event are in the penthouse area.¡±


    The grandfather realizes what happened; Freed had informed him of his grandson¡¯s journey to the room and the collision with that young girl. With a firm voice, he intervenes,


    ¡°Let¡¯s calm down and leave the room so they can get dressed, and we¡¯ll talk about what happened.¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened here. No matter how drunk I was, I wouldn¡¯ty a hand on this youngdy,¡± Kyle says disdainfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, and just get dressed. We¡¯ll wait for you in the hallway,¡± the grandfather leaves the room followed by the others.


    Each person who left the room was thoughtful: Karen, upset about the girl¡¯s luck; John, anxious because he knows he can take advantage of this situation; Grandfather Hugo, amused because it¡¯s an opportunity to teach his grandson a lesson; Freed knows his friend is now in trouble, and his grandfather won¡¯t make it easy for him.


    Lindsey, upon hearing those derogatory words, felt scorned. Summoning courage, she got off the bed with the sheet around her, picked up her dress, and walked to the bathroom to get dressed. ¡®Don¡¯t get your hopes up; that man is too perfect for you, out of your league,¡¯ she thought, looking at herself in the mirror. ¡®Now, how do I get out of this mess?¡¯


    Kyle, showing no emotion, couldn¡¯t exin how he ended up in this situation. As everyone gathered in the hallway, John was the first to speak.


    ¡°How will we resolve this? Poor my daughter, she¡¯s the most aggrieved!¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s head was a mess. ¡®Could something have happened between them? I don¡¯t think so! As far as I can tell, I should feel pain in my intimate parts, some difort from my body, besides the headache, but I don¡¯t feel anything strange. So, nothing happened!¡¯ She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the elderly man speak.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°The best thing we can do is withdraw. My daughter willmunicate with you, sir. We will look for the best option so that our surnames are not harmed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what worries you, our surnames. It seems absurd that¡­¡± John couldn¡¯t finish speaking because he was interrupted.


    ¡°Lindsey, keep your mouth shut,¡± her mother approached her, grabbed her arm, and gave her a deadly look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Pratt, we are leaving.¡±


    John took his daughter by the arm, and with his wife, they left the ce.


    It¡¯s Monday, and Kyle is staring at theputer when he hears,


    ¡°You have to take responsibility for what happened. I met with the youngdy¡¯s parents, and they demand that you marry her,¡± Kyle¡¯s mother shouted, furious about the potential scandal that could arise if the media found out about what happened in that room.


    ¡°Offer them money, you know that¡¯s what that family is after, or leave it to me. If I can¡¯t resolve it with money and sink them, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can fix everything with money? Or threaten people? Well, this time you won¡¯t be able to because your grandfather has reached an agreement with them-a marriage contract for a year is the best option. You know that a scandal involving the Pratt name would bring your grandfather to the grave,¡± Susan expressed, annoyed on the other side of the desk. She wanted to throw the paperweight on her right.


    Kyle chuckled ironically without taking his eyes off theputer, pointing with authority.


    ¡°If you and grandpa think that forcing me to marry will change my life, you¡¯re wrong. Let me know the day and time I should go to the registry.


    Susan knew her stubborn and proud son. She hoped this youngdy wouldn¡¯t be intimidated and would manage to get Catrina out of her son¡¯s life. She gracefully stood up, circled the desk, and bid her son farewell with a kiss on the forehead.

 Chapter 4

    In the Girt Rose household, a heated argument erupted during dinner.


    ¡°They can¡¯t force me to marry an arrogant man who thinks he¡¯s superior to others,¡± Lindsey dered.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely marrying that man. Who do you think you are, acting like a slut like your mother? Where did we find you? In a church praying or in a room rolling around with none other than Kyle Pratt? Besides, your father¡¯spany is bankrupt, and right now, you¡¯re the best option,¡± Kathen stated sarcastically.


    Lindsey burst intoughter, stood up from the table, and shouted hysterically,


    ¡°You mean my mother¡¯spany. She was ady, not a woman who marries a man whose wife passed away just two weeks ago.¡±


    John rose from the table with bloodshot eyes, approached his daughter, and delivered a strong p as he spoke, ¡°You¡¯re a spoiled brat, insolent, little thing. I thought you had learned to respect Kathen. You know, youngdy, this time you used your head and rolled in the right bed. You¡¯re getting married in a week.¡±


    She ran her hand over her cheek, feeling the burn on her face. Tears welled up, and she blinked several times to hold back the urge to cry.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re selling me off like a piece of meat to a man I don¡¯t even know. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m not your daughter, Dad, because you always let them insult my mom.¡±


    Her father pped her again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to speak to me like that. You¡¯re nobody here. As for your mother, she was just a foolish old woman who believed everything a young man said because she didn¡¯t want to lose him. Now she¡¯s dead, and you¡¯re just a burden in this house. If it weren¡¯t for that use in the will, I swear I would have kicked you out long ago.¡±


    Hearing these words from her own father made her feel miserable. Her mind still couldn¡¯tprehend how the man who brought her into this world and was supposed to protect her hated her just for being born.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me, Dad? What have I done to you?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your mother sought you out; I never wanted you. You should be grateful I kept thepany afloat, and you didn¡¯t starve to death,¡± he shouted furiously. ¡°You¡¯ll get married willingly, or I¡¯ll beat you until you obey.¡±


    Lindsey felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to scream, cry, run away, hit him, but she knew that wouldn¡¯t achieve anything. On the contrary, the burning in her cheeks would be nothingpared to what awaited her if she continued to protest. She knew the cruelty of her family and the physical abuse from her father. She nced at Courney and Kathen, seeing satisfaction in their faces. Her blood boiled, but all she could do was lower her head.


    ¡°Fine, as you wish, Dad.¡± She turned to leave when she heard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand thement. You¡¯re a stupid slut who¡¯s going to marry the most sought-after man in the country, and you¡¯re ying hard to get,¡± Courney said in frustration. ¡°It should have been me marrying him, not you.¡±


    Lindsey resisted the urge to lunge at her and scream that Courney was to me for what happened that day. There was something in that drink that made her dizzy with just a sip, and she was sure Courney had something to do with it. She sighed and quickly walked to her room.


    The next day, she woke up to the sun¡¯s rays streaming through the window. She reached for the bedside table, checked the time, and got up, rubbing her still-sore cheeks. Looking at herself in the mirror, one cheek more swollen than the other, her face reddened, she sighed and headed to the bathroom.


    As she dressed in a checkered shirt and a long skirt, she felt a pang of sadness, remembering the happy moments she shared with her mother. ¡®If you were alive, Mom, you wouldn¡¯t have allowed Dad to mistreat me so cruelly. With you, my destiny would have been different.¡¯


    I nce at the time and quickly leave the house to avoid being seen. When I arrive at the sewing workshop I share with my friend Janna, she exims, ¡°Lin, you¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve advanced Mrs. Maria¡¯s orders.¡±


    Janna sensed my arrival; she was sitting next to a sewing machine. Not hearing me speak, she turned around and saw my disheveled appearance. She approached, hugged me, and whispered in my ear, ¡°Tell me! What did those leeches do to you this time? Look at your pretty face and how they left it.¡±


    Lindsey pulled away from my friend, walked to a table, and began organizing some fabric pieces that were there. ¡°My dear father was the one who pped me twice,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Now, why did that wretch hit you?¡± Janna asked with sadness. I told my friend everything that had happened from the day of the event to what my father had said.


    Janna covered her mouth, horrified by what she heard. Anger boiled in her veins for what my friend had to endure. She approached and took my hands. ¡°I¡¯m sure Courtney has something to do with what happened in that room. That bastard of a father, how could he say those things to you? Soon, he¡¯ll face the consequences, whether here on earth or in hell. Are you sure that man didn¡¯t touch you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost sure. I didn¡¯t feel anything, and I had underwear on with no fluids,¡± I replied.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter; he could have used a condom. Let¡¯s go to the doctor and check.¡±


    ¡°For what? Regardless of what happened or didn¡¯t happen, my father will force me to marry, or it could get worse,¡± I sighed bitterly about my impending fate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how a father can be so cruel to his daughter. I get those witches; they¡¯re not rted to you by blood. But that damned man is your progenitor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason. He never wanted me to be born; that¡¯s why he hates me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my friend, I wish I could help you. If only you could escape. But we know what happenedst time you tried.¡±

 Chapter 5

    A shiver ran down Lindsey¡¯s spine as she recalled a year ago when, at the age of 18, tired of the abuse and humiliation from those three people, she stealthily left the house with her morale on her back and a few bills she had managed to gather for the fare. She took a taxi to the airport, bought a ticket to a foreign country where her maternal grandmother lived. It was strange when the person at the ticket counter looked at her passport for a while, stared at her, and asked.


    ¡°Are you Miss Lindsey Girt Rose?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me! Why?¡±


    The only response she got was,


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    The person made a phone call that Lindsey couldn¡¯t hear, and after a few minutes, two security guards appeared and escorted her to a cubicle.


    ¡°Miss, wait here,¡± said one of the guards, closing the door behind her.


    She started looking around; it was a white room with a square table and two chairs, one at each end. She sat and waited; nerves took hold of her. She didn¡¯t know what was happening. Why were they keeping her in this room? An hourter, the door opened, and a cold sweat ran down every part of her body, and unease appeared.


    ¡°You foolish girl, you thought you could escape without me finding out,¡± her father shouted, tracing a malevolent smile on his mouth, approaching her, pressing her arm, dragging her through the airport hallway. Then he threw her in the back of the car and drove.


    Lindsey expressed terror as she looked at him through the rearview mirror, her father¡¯s face cold and distant.


    Upon arriving home, he forcibly pulled her out of the car; she just cried her eyes out. He opened the basement door, gave her a p so hard that she rolled down a few steps, in pain, she got up.


    ¡°What is your purpose? Driving me crazy, always causing problems. I¡¯ll teach you to obey. Tell me, brat, why did you try to escape?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand living in this house anymore. I¡¯m the only one who bears your frustrations. I¡¯m always humiliated by Kathen, Courtney does things and mes me, and you only believe her. What you do is punish me.¡±


    Anger took over him. He descended the stairs quickly and pped her again, breaking her lower lip.


    ¡°You ungrateful girl! Kathen tries to be like a mother, and you reject her. Courtney wants to get along with you, but you always make her feel inferior. Thank your mother for putting in the will that you can only leave here when you turn 21 or get married. No man would be willing to marry such a tasteless and rebellious woman like you. I¡¯m not willing to lose this house because of you,¡± he turned his back, went up the stairs, disappearing from the ce.


    A week passed locked in the basement, sleeping on a mat, the light entering through a small window, sobbing, hugging herself for the cold in that damp ce. They gave her water and food once a day. From there, she stopped crying and did what they told her to survive.


    Back to reality, Lindsey shook her head and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my friends, with what I¡¯ve been through, being away from that man can¡¯t be worse. Let¡¯s get to work; we have two hours left before sses.¡±


    The two friends study fashion design and are in their final year of graduation.


    On the other side of the city, two women are talking.


    ¡°Mom! Why did you let her marry Kyle instead of me?¡± Courtney screamed hysterically, throwing a tantrum.


    ¡°Remember, it was her we found in that room, not you. That man¡¯s grandfather proposed the marriage, and your father, taking advantage, dly epted.¡±


    ¡°But Mom, she¡¯ll have more prestige than me if she marries him, that millionaire, and I can¡¯t allow that.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, daughter! That marriage will benefit us. They are going to invest in thepany, and our businesses will grow. Soon we¡¯ll be at their level.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I wanted that man for myself. He¡¯s young, handsome, and powerful. I deserve him more than she does. Are we going to stop that marriage?¡±


    -Daughter! That man is a womanizer, who discards women like trash. He may be very attractive, but he shows no feelings; on the contrary, he is a cruel and arrogant person. You don¡¯t deserve to be treated poorly! You are a princess! He will marry Lindsey, use her, and then discard her like she¡¯s nothing. A zero to the left!


    -I hope her married life is hell, and when he discards her, she¡¯s useless and good for nothing.


    -That¡¯s how it will be, princess! The important thing is that he¡¯s leaving this house, and you will inherit everything. I¡¯ll convince your father to put thepany in your name, and we can enjoy his fortune.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Courtney jumped for joy; soon she would enjoy her sister¡¯s fortune, which should have been hers from the beginning.


    The wedding day has arrived.


    Lindsey panicked, not knowing what awaits her with that man. She sighed several times before opening the door, controlled her breathing not to show fear, descended the stairs with a neutral expression, wearing a loose white dress with long sleeves, a high ponytail, her favorite white Converse, and ck sses.


    Everyone looked at her with disdain. Her father rolled his eyes before opening the door of the house. The women were happy because soon they would be rid of her, and another would make her suffer.


    The wedding was at the civil registry.


    Kyle didn¡¯t want a party, just to sign at the registry, wait a year, get divorced, and continue with his life as usual.


    At the registry were Grandpa Hugo, Sussan, the bride¡¯s parents, the sister, and the bride who was sitting in a chair in front of the judge¡¯s desk. Everyone was impatient because the groom had not arrived.


    ¡°This boy likes to see me upset. Look at the time, and he hasn¡¯t arrived,¡± protested the old man, looking at his watch.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon. He knows that if he doesn¡¯t marry, you¡¯ll take away the presidency¡±, -Sussan said, looking at the bride with displeasure.


    The old man observed his daughter, looked at the girl, and giving her a small touch on the arm, he said:


    ¡°Don¡¯t let appearances deceive you, daughter. I have faith in this girl.¡±


    At that moment, an imposing figure entered the registry, followed by his assistant.


    ¡°See, Dad? I told you he woulde.¡±


    Lindsey, upon hearing them talk, turned and swallowed hard at the sight of a tall, dark-haired man in a tailored ck suit, approximately 6 feet 3 inches tall. He wore ck sses, approached the desk, took off his sses to reveal his cold blue eyes, and she could only settle into her chair.


    ¡°Here I am! Where do I need to sign?¡± Kyle expressed without emotion.

 Chapter 6

    The bride¡¯s family just watched in silence, anticipating the marriage that would bring them the benefits of being sponsored by the Prattpanies.


    ¡°You are very ill-mannered, young man. This is the education we have given you,¡± shouted the old man in response to his grandson¡¯s arrogant attitude.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone. Grandfather, I have a tight schedule. Judge, let¡¯s get this over with quickly,¡± he said, sitting in the chair next to the girl.


    The wedding was swift. Lindsey¡¯s heart raced; she felt a cold sweat running down her back. Not because of her husband, but because she had once dreamed of marrying the love of her life in a church, and now that dream had gone off a cliff.


    Kyle signed the document, ncing at the girl who evoked no feelings in him. He was neutral. He stood up, adjusting his suit.


    With a malicious smile, Kathen whispered in her daughter¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I told you, this man is going to ruin her.¡±


    Courtney only looked at the handsome man flirtatiously.


    ¡°Well, gentlemen, I bid farewell. I have things to attend to,¡± he looked at his mom and continued, ¡°Mother, would you be so kind as to take the youngdy home? I¡¯m expected for a business meeting.¡±


    Resignedly sighing, Sussan replied, ¡°Of course, son. I¡¯ll settle her in at your house.¡±


    Kyle left the judge¡¯s office without looking at anyone.


    Minutester, everyone left the registry. The bride¡¯s family bid her farewell with hypocrisy.


    The grandfather¡¯s chauffeur appeared, and the three people got into the limousine.


    ¡°Girl! I know my grandson seems a bit frivolous and arrogant, but he¡¯s not a bad person,¡± the old manmented with affectionate eyes, taking her hands.


    ¡°I understand, Mr. Pratt,¡± she looked at him sweetly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a polite and shy girl. We¡¯ll be family, so call me Grandpa Hugo.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Sussan, no Mrs. or mother-inw, just Sussan. As for my son, just be patient with him. He¡¯s an only child, and since he left the family home, he¡¯s been living with his nanny Emilia, who spoils him like another mother,¡± Sussan assured, smiling.


    Lindsey nodded nervously. Her life was about to change, and she didn¡¯t know what awaited her in her new home with the ice-cold man. She remained silent for the rest of the journey, observing mansions passing by the car window. The car stopped at arge gate, which opened wide. It continued on a path lined with rows of trees, and she admired, wide-eyed, the enormous mansion in the center.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She got out of the car slowly, facing the facade of her new home. It was a huge white house with two massive stone-carved columns at the front. The lower part of the facade was covered in limestone.


    The main door was painted ck, opened, and a middle-aged woman, not very tall but robust, with a pleasant smile, appeared.


    ¡°Wee, sirs! It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again.¡±


    ¡°My dear Emilia, this is my granddaughter Lindsey, Kyle¡¯s wife,¡± the old man rified.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am! I¡¯m Emilia, and I help my boy keep the mansion in harmony.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me ma¡¯am, just call me Lin.¡±


    Emilia immediately liked her boy¡¯s wife at first sight, even though there was sadness in her eyes. She seemed timid and angelic. However, Emilia couldn¡¯t understand why a girl her age dressed like that.


    Sussan, holding Lindsey¡¯s hands, said her goodbyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving. You¡¯re in good hands. If you need anything, feel free to ask Emilia, or ask for my phone number and call me whenever you want,¡± she offered a supportive smile, ced her hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders, and hugged her.


    Lindsey was stunned by the affection shown by her new family, only able to nod in response.


    The driver approached with her suitcase, handed it over, and she received it dly, thanking him with a smile.


    ¡°Dear granddaughter! I¡¯lle to visit you soon,¡± assured the old man, turned his back, and walked toward the limousine, followed by his daughter.


    Upon entering, Lindsey was amazed by the elegance and luxury emanating from the mansion, although she felt it cold with the white, gray, and ck colors that peeked into every corner of the house.


    ¡°Come, my girl, I¡¯ll take you to your room, you must be tired.¡±


    When she heard the word ¡°room,¡± Lindsey startled, blinked several times, her body shuddered at the thought of sleeping with Kyle.


    Emilia, seeing her reaction, smiled affectionately, ced a hand on her back, and started pushing her forward.


    ¡°Come, my girl, let¡¯s go upstairs, your room is in front of my boy, he told me you¡¯ll be sleeping in separate rooms.¡±


    Lindsey sighed in relief, followed Emilia¡¯s steps until they reached the second-floor corridor. Emilia pointed out Kyle¡¯s room and then opened the one in front, encouraging her to enter.


    Upon entering, she felt the door close behind her, observed a huge bed in the center covered with white sheets and two pillows. She walked toward a door, opened it, and was astonished to see a massive closet with spaces on the sides, drawers above, and aplete wall with divisions for shoes. She grabbed her suitcase and quickly arranged her clothes, feeling tiny in that enormous space.


    Then she closed the closet, threw herself back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering, ¡®God, what more tests do you have for me? Why did you ce an ogre in my path? Although I won¡¯t deny that I like him a lot, he¡¯s very attractive and desirable. He must have women who cater to his every whim. As he eyed me, I know I¡¯m not to his liking,¡¯ she brought her hands to her face, shaking her head. ¡®Forget it; you won¡¯t have a chance with that ogre. He¡¯s not for you.¡¯


    She felt like crying, but the tears wouldn¡¯te. Now, she truly felt alone in that cold and spacious room.

 Chapter 7

    In a luxurious apartment was a couple enjoying sex.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Kyle grabbed Catrina¡¯s hands roughly, threw her on her back on the bed and prated her wildly, she moaned in pleasure, he was frustrated at being forced to marry a petty girl.


    When he was done, he withdrew from her, went into the bathroom and threw the condom in the wastebasket, then untied her and began to dress.


    ¡°Are you leaving? I thought we were going to spend the night together!¡±


    ¡°Remember that from today I am a married man, and I have to maintain my image.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of your grandfather wanting to control your life; I¡¯m about to lose control.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t cooperate. I told you that you couldn¡¯t attend that event with her, and the girl shows up, of all ces, with thepetition.¡±


    Catrina pouts as she positions herself behind him, caressing his hair, speaking flirtatiously.


    ¡°Forgive me already! I only went with him to that event to make you jealous because you won¡¯t confront your grandfather and im your inheritance.¡±


    ¡°As if it were that easy. Pratt Enterprises are a family legacy from my mother¡¯s side, and I haven¡¯t left the presidency because I promised my grandfather to continue his legacy; otherwise, I would have my own business. I have to stay a year to get divorced, then return to my life,¡± he finished dressing and left the apartment.


    Catrina was furious, grumbling in anger. She had been in a rtionship with Kyle for five years, and he always ended it because of her nonsense. She sought ways to get him into bed and win him back. ¡°I fought so hard to get Kyle into my bed and please him in everything, only to lose him because of that damn old man. I¡¯ll show him he can¡¯t defeat me!¡± she shouted in frustration.


    Catrina remembered the incident from five months ago when she convinced Kyle that getting married was the best option. They announced it to the Pratt family, and the old man immediatelymented.


    ¡°I give you my blessing to marry, but the moment my grandson signs the marriage certificate, he ceases to be the CEO of mypanies.¡±


    After thinking it over, Catrina gave up on that idea and proposed to wait. Her dream is to be thedy of Pratt Enterprises. ¡®If the old man thinks that marrying someone else will make me give up, he¡¯s wrong!¡¯


    A few hourster, Lindsey felt someone knocking on the door. She got up from bed to say,


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°I came to get you for dinner. Young Kyle is already at the dining table,¡± Emilia said.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lindsey descended the stairs in silence, sat at the other end of the table where Kyle was, and managed to mutter,


    ¡°Enjoy your meal!¡± She waited for a response that never came, lowered her head, and began to eat. Only the sound of utensils and sses moving could be heard.


    Kyle stood up from the table as if she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°No wonder he has a reputation for being arrogant. He¡¯s a sourpuss. He didn¡¯t even dare to respond, the audacious one,¡± she muttered under her breath as she saw his broad back disappear from the dining room.


    The next day she woke up, did her personal hygiene, dressed as she normally did with a loose shirt and wide pants. She went downstairs and headed to the kitchen to have breakfast, greeting two people who were there.


    ¡°Good morning, my girl! Sit down; they are about to serve you breakfast,¡± Emilia recited as she entered the kitchen.


    ¡°Good morning, Emilia! Has Kyle already left?¡±


    ¡°Yes! He went to thepany early.¡±


    Lindsey felt relieved knowing she wouldn¡¯t have to face the ogre. She sat down and had breakfast in silence, then went upstairs to her room, grabbed her bag, and headed downstairs. On her way, she met Emilia and inquired, ¡°Is there a bus or taxi stop around here?¡±


    ¡°Robert can take you wherever you want!¡± Emilia suggested, surprised by thedy of the house asking about public transportation.


    ¡°Who is Robert? Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m used to taking public transport. Just tell me where I can catch it.¡±


    ¡°Robert is the designated driver for us, the mansion staff. When dys, the cook, goes to the market or when I need to pay a service or deal with any issues, he¡¯ll dly take you if you want.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Emilia! But no, I can manage on my own.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I don¡¯t think there will be any problems. Come on, I¡¯ll apany you to the entrance.¡±


    The two women left the mansion and walked to therge gate. Emilia exined, ¡°You¡¯ll walk until the end of this street, then, when you reach the main street, walk two blocks on the right side, and there you¡¯ll see the transit stop, where both buses and taxis stop.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for being so kind to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, my girl. I¡¯m here to serve you.¡±


    With an effusive smile, Lindsey bid farewell. She walked and took the bus to her workshop, where an eager Janna awaited. As usual, after work, she headed to the university.


    In the evening, upon arriving at the mansion, she went straight to her room, avoiding her husband. Two months passed, with each going about their lives without knowing about the other.


    Kyle left the mansion early to avoid his wife. He didn¡¯t know what she did every day but noticed she wasn¡¯t at home on weekends. Not knowing about her life was starting to bother him. He was furious that she hadn¡¯t called, messaged, or asked for money; it was as if she didn¡¯t exist.


    One Sunday, he stayed in bed, wondering, ¡±What is that girl doing when I¡¯m not at home? Who is financing her whims? As far as I know, her family disowned her. Could she have a lover as tasteless as her? That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t bother me.¡¯


    His eyes narrowed, and his gaze grew colder at the thought of his wife. That day, he came downte for breakfast and asked Emilia, ¡°What does that girl do when I¡¯m not at home?¡±


    ¡°My boy! She leaves early every day andes back at night.¡±


    Kyle got angry upon learning that Lindsey didn¡¯t spend the day at home. Various thoughts crossed his mind, and the theory of a lover solidified in his head-not out of jealousy, but because if there was a betrayal, even though their marriage hadn¡¯t been revealed to the media, it would be a mockery for him.


    Enraged, he retreated to his office. In the afternoon, he came out and sat on a piece of furniture near the stairs.

 Chapter 8

    Lindsey arrived at the mansion as usual. As she took a few steps on the stairs, she heard an intimidating voice.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    Lindsey rolled her eyes and turned to look at him. ¡°Good evening, Kyle! How are you?¡±


    ¡°I am the master of the house to you. You should address me as Mr. Kyle.¡±


    Lindsey didn¡¯t like how he was talking to her. His dark gaze scared her, and she felt the fear of being mistreated again. Her hands started to sweat as she clenched them together, tired of being trampled on.


    She raised her eyebrows and replied with a sarcastic tone, ¡®Even if I don¡¯t make it out of that house alive, I won¡¯t let anyone else continue humiliating me.¡¯


    ¡± Excuse me, Your Majesty. Even if it¡¯s just on paper, I don¡¯t see the need for so much formality as my husband,¡± she replied with a raised eyebrow and a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he shouted, angered by her sarcastic tone and defiant look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout at me! We are not animals! We are two civilized people!¡±


    ¡°Why are you arriving at this hour? A married woman should dedicate herself to her home. I thought you were from a good family. How is it possible that the morning after getting married, you leave in the morning ande back at night? I don¡¯t care if you have a lover; what infuriates me is that you have no shame. What do you think the media will say when they find out that the wife of the president of Pratt Enterprises is sleeping with other men?¡±


    Lindsey widened her beautiful gray eyes, astonished by what she heard. She had a lover too, and with a defiant look and a firm voice, she replied.


    ¡°Dear husband! Now you¡¯re interested in what I do! I work, and as for the lover, if I have one, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem. You keep your little friends secret, and I can do the same.¡±


    Kyle stared at her, not expecting that response. Seeing her so timid in the registry, he thought she was a submissive girl, not a challenger. He approached her to be face to face, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°Who do you think you are to speak to me like that? From tomorrow, you will stay in the house. Do you want money? Tomorrow, I¡¯ll give you a bank ount number where a sum of money will be deposited regrly and an unlimited credit card in your name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the money and the card. I like to rely on my own resources, and I won¡¯t stay locked in this house.¡±


    ¡°You will stay because I order you to. You won¡¯t go out to cavort with your lover, and my name won¡¯t be involved in a scandal.¡±


    Lindsey felt humiliated by the insult from this man. Without thinking, she raised a hand to p him, but he grabbed it instantly. Trying to pull her, she managed to slip away. Kyle, seeing her defiant, approached her until they were just a few millimeters apart. Seeing her agitated amused him for some reason. His mouth formed a smile, and a serene gleam appeared in his blue eyes.


    ¡°Let me go, idiot! Why are youughing? Do I look like a clown?¡±


    He burst intoughter; the way she said those words seemed funny to him.


    ¡°With that attire, you certainly do.¡±


    She got upset and tried to free herself, but his reaction left her confused. Kyle held her firmly as she moved, and impulsively, he kissed her. His lips met hers, feeling them soft and full, savoring them intensely for a few seconds.


    Lindsey tried to push him away, but her instincts didn¡¯t allow it. She closed her eyes, perceiving the sensations of that kiss that left her breathless.


    Kyle felt a small current run through his body, which scared him, so he immediately let her go and shouted at her.


    ¡°Disappear from my sight!¡±


    She was startled by the shout, emitting a small whimper. Ashamed of her reaction, she turned around and quickly went up the stairs, threw herself on the bed, and grumbled.


    ¡°That man took advantage of me, kissed me without my permission,¡± she blushed, remembering that she had responded to that kiss.


    At 19, it was her first kiss. Due to her attire, very few guys approached her, but she didn¡¯t care. In her mind, there was only the idea of freeing herself from people who mistreated her and made her feel worthless.


    Unable to sleep, in her innocence, she smiled as her mind raced.


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome, although he¡¯s a damn despot, I can¡¯t deny, he¡¯s sensually attractive and sexy,¡± she shook her head from side to side. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, a man like him wouldn¡¯t develop feelings for you.¡±


    Kyle went to his office and poured himself a ss of whiskey, downing it in one gulp as he wondered, ¡®Why did you kiss her? Why does she have to be so defiant? I don¡¯t believe that work story; I¡¯m going to find out what she does on weekends or who she¡¯s cheating on me with.


    To clear his anger, he began reviewing some documents. He was terribly confused, telling himself, ¡®She should be obedient, her duty is to spend time in her room and not cause problems in the remaining 10 months of cohabitation.¡¯


    The next day, Lindsey woke up, having dreamt all night about that kiss. She felt nervous in her stomach, excited, and went downstairs for breakfast. She didn¡¯t understand why, but she wanted to see him.


    ¡°Emilia! Has Kyle had breakfast yet?¡± she inquired a bit unsure.


    ¡°Yes, my girl, Kyle already left for work.¡±


    Pouting, she finished breakfast, grabbed her things, and went to the workshop.


    When Lindsey got married, Courney begged her dad to get her a job at Pratt Company as a model. Because she was the sister of thepany president¡¯s wife, they offered her a contract. She always found ways to flirt with Kyle, but he never paid attention to her; she repulsed him. Kyle rejected the women offered to him; he didn¡¯t pay attention to them because, for him, they were just after his wealth. Catrina managed to reach his heart, and he feels guilty for what happened to her parents. As an orphan, he promised to protect her.


    ¡°Love! I was waiting for your visit yesterday,¡± Catrina whispered flirtatiously, sitting on hisp.


    ¡°A family matter came up that I had to attend to,¡± he replied absentmindedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your wife put you in a bad mood,¡± she murmured in his ear while running her hand over his masculinity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your concern, my family matters.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t say that before,¡± she pouted.


    He kissed her fiercely, then separated from her. For some strange reason, he wanted to be alone. He sighed several times before telling her, ¡°Can you leave? I have a meeting and need to prepare some documents.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Catrina was surprised by his words; it was the first time he kicked her out of his office. She stood up, swaying her hips, and with a flirtatious voice, said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re tense; you seem strange. If you want, after work, you cane to my apartment to rx.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± he didn¡¯t look at her; his gaze was fixed on some documents in his hand. Catrina left the office, and he threw the documents on the desk, upset with himself.

 Chapter 9

    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Kyle looked up.


    ¡°Come in!¡± he demanded with a disgusted expression.


    ¡°Permission, brother-inw, can we talk?¡± entered a distressed Courney.


    ¡°Where is Rebeca? Why didn¡¯t she announce you?¡± he shouted with a somber look.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I saw her go into the bathroom. I hope you don¡¯t mind me being here in your office,¡± she replied with a delicate tone.


    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, brother-inw,¡± she approached his desk and sat in front of him.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, just spit it out.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to tell you that my sister is not the good girl she makes everyone believe with her clothing.¡±


    ¡°Courney! If you¡¯re here to speak ill of your sister, I ask you to leave my office. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Brother-inw, don¡¯t treat me like that. To show you I¡¯m not lying, these photos were given to me by one of her lovers,¡± she handed him an envelope she had in her hand.


    Kyle took the envelope with one hand, leaned back in his chair, took out the contents, and began to look at them one by one, while a fury was growing inside him.


    ¡°How did you get these photos?¡±


    As if crying, Courney let out.


    ¡°One of the guys in the photos proposed that I sleep with him. I told him, ¡®No! I¡¯m a decent girl!¡¯ Heughed in my face and told me I¡¯m a slut just like my sister. I yelled at him not to speak ill of her,¡± she paused to pretend she was wiping her face. ¡°That¡¯s when he gave me these photos. At first, I couldn¡¯t believe it, but after thinking about it, I decided to show them to you. As her husband, you should know who your sister is, also to be aware that there are photos of her out there.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the information, you can leave.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take reprisals against my sister. I would feel guilty for being the cause of discord between you. I tell you this so you can see that not all of us are like her,¡± she said sadly.


    ¡°Okay! Leave!¡± he replied firmly, while looking at the photos of his wife with two guys in bed.


    Courney left the office triumphantly. It had been a month since her sister got married, and she hadn¡¯t heard any unfavorable news about her. On the contrary, an acquaintance told her that she had seen her very calm at the university. Courney decided to show the photos to her brother-inw to get her sister thrown out like trash so she could get closer to him. As she walked towards the elevator, she whispered in a low voice without anyone hearing,


    ¡°If only you would give me a chance, brother-inw, I would show you that I am more of a woman than my sister and that Catrina, how I hate her.¡±


    Kyle couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of that woman. The photos increased his suspicions about the lovers, thinking that his wife, who was cheating on him, made him furious, not because he loved her but out of pride.


    He turned off theputer, grabbed his briefcase, and stormed out of the office at a fast pace.


    Upon arriving home, he went to look for Emilia.


    ¡°Emilia, where is my wife?¡±


    ¡°My boy hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With arrogance, Kyle went to his office, headed to the small bar he had there, and poured himself a ss of neat whiskey. He was keeping an eye on the time and when his wife would arrive.


    Lindsey was super excited because she had passed all her subjects with honors and would soon receive her fashion designer degree.


    She arrived home as usual, went straight to her room excited, and headed into the shower.


    Kyle didn¡¯t feel her arrival; with eyes filled with rage, he couldn¡¯t understand why that insignificant woman dared to deceive him. He took thest drop of whiskey left in the bottle and walked out of the office straight to his room.


    As he was about to enter his room, he turned, took a few steps, and turned the doorknob abruptly just as Lindsey came out of the bathroom with only a towel.


    Lindsey, upon hearing the door, thought it was Emilia. She came out, wrapping herself in a towel, and upon seeing Kyle standing at the door with a grim expression, her heart constricted. Nervousness took hold of her to such an extent that she was almost trembling. Gathering strength, she rushed to the table to grab her sses, but he was faster, grabbing her by one hand and dragging her to the wall. Then, with his hand, he took both of her hands and ced them above her head, while the other hand positioned itself on her neck. For a few seconds, he was captivated by those beautiful gray-green eyes that matched her elongated eyshes, framing her angelic face. Shaking his head from side to side, he eximed:


    ¡°Damn, how dare you mock me? You go out every week, including weekends, to meet your lovers.¡±


    He removed his hand from her neck, put it in the pocket of his jacket, took out a notebook and a ck card, and threw them on the bed.


    ¡°There¡¯s your new bank ount with a sum of money for your expenses and a credit card that you can use however you want. But you don¡¯t leave the house unless it¡¯s with Emilia.


    Lindsey felt as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown at her. She couldn¡¯t believe how cruel life could be-first her family, and now this man who despises her.


    ¡®Here he is insulting me again, stealing my first kiss with a myriad of emotions. It was the most beautiful thing I had felt in a long time, and then he shows up treating me like the worst, she thought. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to shed a single tear. She exhaled several times, feeling as if she werecking air. Summoning courage from where she didn¡¯t have it, she spoke out:


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re my husband doesn¡¯t give you the right to control me. Do you think I want your money? You¡¯re wrong! You can¡¯t forbid me from leaving this house.¡±


    Kyleughed and sarcastically spat out:


    ¡°Drop the good girl act; it doesn¡¯t suit you. You should be more careful and not let them take pictures of you.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? What men?¡±


    Kyle reached into the other pocket of his jacket and shoved the photos in Lindsey¡¯s face.


    ¡°Exin this to me.¡±


    Stunned by what she saw, not knowing what those photos were or how they were taken-she hadn¡¯t been with anyone-memories of the event day shed in her mind. Stuttering, she whispered:


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know about those photos. Who gave them to you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a cynic. Are you going to tell me it¡¯s not you?¡±


    ¡°I asked, who gave them to you?¡±


    ¡°Your sister! She¡¯s being ckmailed because of your promiscuity.¡±


    Lindsey couldn¡¯t believe how low her sister had stooped to discredit her.

 Chapter 10

    Immobile under that hand, he whispered to her.


    ¡°Would it make a difference if I told you that what those photos show isn¡¯t true? No, right! So believe what you want, and please let me go.¡±


    Kyle, lowering his gaze to those full lips, kissed her fiercely, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, unsure if it was out of anger or desire, but he wanted more of that rich vor emanating from her mouth.


    Lindsey filled with fear as she felt her mouth devoured, knowing he did it out of anger. She struggled to break free as her towel fell off.


    Kyle¡¯s mind clouded; he wanted more of her. He threw her onto the bed with hands pinned above her head. With a lustful gaze, he explored her body, observing her beautiful round breasts.


    Lindsey panicked and stammered with a thread of voice.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt me!¡±


    Kyle snapped out of it, quickly stood up, seeing the terror in her eyes.


    ¡®What the hell am I doing?¡¯ he questioned himself.


    ¡°Forgive me! I didn¡¯t mean to!¡± He turned his back and left the room.


    That night was bitter for Lindsey; her prince charming turned into her worst nightmare.


    ¡°Oh God, help me be strong and not falter. What did I do to deserve so much hatred? I¡¯d never betray him to be humiliated like this,¡± she screamed with a crushed heart. ¡°I won¡¯t ept your insults anymore; you¡¯ll only get my indifference.¡±


    While Kyle locked himself in his room, he cursed what he was about to do, unable to exin his actions. He ran a finger over his lips, recalling the exquisite taste of her mouth that had stirred his manhood, wondering,


    ¡°Why does she hide behind those sses and baggy clothes? What my eyes managed to see is perfect.¡±


    The next morning, Lindsey woke up with tumultuous emotions, wanting to confront her ogre of a husband and her sister. ¡®They¡¯re going to pay,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    Unwilling to argue with Kyle, she decided to stay at home. University sses were over, and all that remained was to pick up her degree. Lying down, she called her friend, reaching for her phone on the bedside table.


    ¡°Hello! Is everything okay?¡± Her friend answered, always on alert.


    ¡°Calm down! I¡¯m calling to let you know I can¡¯t make it to the workshop today,¡± she sighed resignedly.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m literally fine, but emotionally I¡¯m furious. Yesterday, the ogre came into my room. I thought he was going to do something, but Courtney handed him photos of me naked with two men.¡±


    ¡°With two men? You¡¯ve only been with one, and now you¡¯ve brought two men to bed,¡± her friend expressed.


    ¡°ording to those photos, yes. The issue is he forbade me from leaving the house. What he thinks of me doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± She looked at the notebook and the card still in a corner of the bed, picked them up, and continued, ¡°He also gave me a bankbook and a credit card so that I wouldn¡¯t go out to meet my lovers.¡± She let out a bitterugh. ¡°ording to him, my lovers support me.¡±


    ¡°What an idiot! Didn¡¯t you tell him you earn your own money with the sewing workshop?¡± Janna grumbled almost shouting.


    ¡°Yes, on the day of our encounter on the stairs. But he doesn¡¯t believe me, and with those photos, even less. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to stay at home today to think about what to do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the photos. You¡¯re always alert, unless that day at the event, Courtney set you up with that ss of wine.¡±


    ¡°Yes! There¡¯s no doubt everything that happened that day was nned by my dear sister. My mistake was that the waiter offered me the ss of wine.¡±


    ¡°What do you n to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll make them pay, I¡¯ll make them pay.¡±


    ¡°Friend, you know you have my help.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll leave you; I need to upy my mind.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be here if you need me.¡± She hung up the phone.


    With sadness in her eyes, she went to the bathroom and then left her room to go to the kitchen to prepare her breakfast. On the way, she crossed paths with Emilia, who greeted her warmly.


    ¡°Good morning! Did you rest, my dear?¡± She could see the nostalgia in the girl¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Emilia! Today, I won¡¯t go out; I¡¯ll stay at home.¡± She looked around, feeling the coldness emanating from the ce.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°If you need anything, I¡¯ll be here to serve you. A piece of advice: be patient with the boy Kyle. He may seem arrogant, but he¡¯s a good man,¡± Lindsey said.


    Lindsey looked at her, thinking, ¡®If that¡¯s a good man, what will he be like when he turns bad? She continued on her way, and with the cook, prepared her breakfast. With nothing else to do, she started exploring the house. In a low voice, shemented, ¡®I¡¯m going to add some color to this house. During my time here, I want to bring it to life so that it doesn¡¯t devour me alive.


    She sought out Emilia and shared her ns, expressing a desire to buy more colorful curtains, change some decorations, and purchase flowers. Emilia, along with two cleaning staff, offered their assistance. dys, the cook, upon hearing the conversation, joined in, removing her apron and saying she would also help.


    The employees took down the curtains and other items Lindsey pointed out to be moved to the basement. Emilia, dys, and Lindsey went to the mall to buy things for the house. dys was excited about the positive energying from her mistress.


    Entering a store, the three women explored the ce. Their eyes lit up with the sight of beautiful curtains, shelves, vases, wall decorations, and flowers of all colors. Lindsey paid with her credit card.


    Even the security personnel were helping that day. Everyone pitched in to move furniture, remove dark carpets, and set up a central table with white ceramic, adorned with a crystallized ss vase and orange and yellow flowers. The curtains were white with colorful flower details, bringing brightness to the mansion.


    Meanwhile, in the office, Kyle couldn¡¯t concentrate on his work. He could only think of the girl with gray-green eyes, grumbling when he remembered her mouth, challenging gaze, and the photos.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re treating my granddaughter well,¡± the old man said, entering the office with a stern look.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine! What are you doing here?¡± Kyle eximed, looking at his grandfather approaching his desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget this is also mypany. I¡¯vee to meet with the events coordinator to check on the preparations for thepany anniversary.¡±


    ¡°Freed is handling that with the events department. Contracts have been established with up-anding fashion designers and models debuting our designs. Clothing boutiques are eagerly awaiting the new collection to be presented that day.¡±


    ¡°I hope there are no mishaps. Remember, the media will be present. It¡¯s already leaked that you¡¯re married. Don¡¯t even think about appearing without my daughter-inw.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Grandpa,¡± Kyle sighed several times, knowing he would have to find a way to convince her after what happened the night before.

 Chapter 11

    Upon arriving home, he opened the door and stood there, paralyzed, gazing coldly at the interior of his house. The expansive living room space had beenpletely remodeled. The furniture had been rearranged, and the ck cushions were reced with turquoise ones that matched the vibrant flower-patterned curtains. In each corner of therge window, there were two tall white ceramic vases with textured surfaces, holding golden spikes with yellow and orange flowers, creating a fresh and cheerful atmosphere. He walked towards the kitchen and found Emilia, who eximed upon seeing him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the house beautiful? My girl brought it to life.¡±


    ¡°Um, did she do it alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Well, we all pitched in, but it was her idea,¡± she expressed, enchanted by the kind-hearted girl who came to the mansion and treated everyone equally.


    ¡°Has Lindsey had dinner?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my boy! She must be tired. In the morning, we went shopping, and then, as you can see, she breathed life into this home. I¡¯ll prepare something light for you to eat. dys didn¡¯t cook today either because she also helped. Lin bought food for everyone, and there¡¯s only pizza.¡±


    ¡°Serve me pizza,¡± he said, sitting on one of the chairs in the kitchen, his gaze lost, unsure of how to approach that girl.


    ¡°My boy, if you want, you can sit at the dining table. I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡±


    ¡°No, Nana, I¡¯ll eat here.¡±


    Lindsey felt that her whole body ached. Lying on the bed with a cushion on her back, she took a book and started reading. She was focused when she felt someone knocking on the door and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Upon raising her gaze, she furrowed her brow, closed the book, sat up, and crossed her legs. She grumbled, ¡®thest person I wanted to see.¡¯


    ¡°How are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why do you ask if you don¡¯t care? If you¡¯re here to insult me, it¡¯s better that you turn around and leave. I¡¯m not in the mood to argue.¡±


    Kyle felt his blood boil hearing her speak like that. He wanted to shout that nobody treats him with insolence. With his dark gaze, he vociferated, ¡°Can you stop being rude and listen to me?¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± she spoke indifferently, looking at him steadily.


    ¡°Thanks for the change you made to our home environment.¡±


    ¡°Okay, if that¡¯s all, you can leave.¡±


    ¡°Another thing, thepany anniversary is in two months, and you must apany me,¡± he asserted with authority.


    ¡°Are you asking or ordering?¡± she asked, her narrowed eyes fixed on him.


    ¡°Take it however you want. I¡¯m a married man, and I must attend with my wife, whether you like it or not, you¡¯ll apany me.¡±


    ¡°With one condition,¡± she quickly replied.


    He studied her with his gaze, knowing that the girl was challenging him and almost seeded in getting under his skin.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That His Majesty lifts my punishment and allows me to leave the castle.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far with your sarcasm. You can go out; I hope you¡¯ve put an end to your romantic encounters, or I¡¯ll lock you up for being promiscuous.¡±


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m not in the mood to argue, and I hope you realize how unfair you are to me before it¡¯s toote. If you have nothing else to say, you can leave,¡± she averted her gaze from Kyle,y back on the bed, opened the book, and started reading.


    Kyle wanted to approach that girl and spank her for being bold. He swallowed his pride, turned around, and closed the door behind him. As Lindsey saw him leave, she closed the book and put her hands to her heart, which was racing. Since the man entered the room, her heartbeats gradually returned to normal. A thought popped into her mind, ¡®this man is so handsome, even when he¡¯s angry.¡¯


    It¡¯s been over a month since Lindsey returned to the workshop. She had to perfect her creations, sometimes losing track of time and having to run to catch the bus, hoping not to be seen by the ogre.


    Kyle arrived early at the house, not knowing why he wanted to see that girl. From his office window, he watched her arrive, open the door, cross the hallway, and climb the stairs.


    It¡¯s Thursday. After watching her disappear down the stairs, he approached his chair, sat down, and leaned back. The idea of knowing what that girl was doing with her life always lingered in his mind. He tried not to give it importance, repeating to himself over and over, ¡®What she does is not your problem.¡¯Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He decided to reconcile his bank statements, first checking his ount and credit cards. Then he checked Catrina¡¯s and shook his head.


    ¡°This woman is hopeless. She took the credit card to its limit, and it¡¯s not the end of the month. I don¡¯t understand where she spends so much money. I¡¯ll have to talk to her again.¡±


    He remembered Lindsey, opened her statement, and thought, ¡®This girl hasn¡¯t touched a penny, no activity.¡± He then checked her credit card; it also showed zero consumption.


    He leaned back in his chair again; his blue eyes turned almost ck, and scratching his temple, he muttered.


    ¡°Could it be that this woman has someone else providing for her more than I do? I¡¯m going to find out who is covering her expenses.¡±


    Specting on what to do, he called his assistant after half an hour.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re calling me for something important.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, I won¡¯t go to thepany. Take care of my schedule with Rebeca. I don¡¯t want to be bothered unless it¡¯s something extremely important.¡±


    ¡°The workaholic taking a day off tomorrow. It is worrying, tell me! Did something happen to you?¡±


    ¡°Stick to your work and stop asking.¡±


    Freedughed.


    ¡°What a character. I remind you we¡¯re off working hours, and as your friend, I¡¯m concerned about this change of ns.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out tomorrow what mischief my wife is up to. If I catch her with her lover, I¡¯ll have the evidence to annul this marriage and sink her for what she is.¡±


    Freed worries, knowing how cruel his friend can be.


    ¡°Friend, don¡¯t do something you might regret. Think things through before acting. I¡¯ll coordinate with Rebeca to handle the office, and I¡¯ll apany you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going alone, no need for bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°If you do something crazy, your grandfather will take me to the guillotine. So, I¡¯ming with you. We¡¯ll leave in my car so she won¡¯t notice we¡¯re following her.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. I¡¯ll wait for you at six in the morning at my house. If you¡¯re not there by that time, forget about apanying me.¡±


    He hung up after saying thest word and retired to his room.

 Chapter 12

    It was Friday, and Lindsey left without having breakfast. She walked to the transit stop, caught her urban bus, and after a 30-minute ride, she reached her destination.


    ¡°Hey, you made it,¡± Jannamented as she saw her friend getting off the public transport.


    ¡°You know how traffic is at this hour,¡± Lindsey replied, walking towards her friend and giving her a hug with a wide smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast; today is going to be a special day,¡± Janna said excitedly, grabbing her friend¡¯s arm. They walked distractedly towards a street food stall.


    ¡°Wee, youngdies! What can I get you today?¡± said a cheerful, plumpdy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have arge coffee with milk and 2 pastries, one with meat and the other with chicken,¡± Lindsey quickly said.


    ¡°For me, arge coffee, 3 pastries with meat, chicken, and cheese. Don¡¯t forget the guasacaca;st time you denied it to me,¡± Janna requested with puppy eyes.


    ¡°How can you say that when you left the container empty?¡± Lindsey rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Friend, she only gave us one for both, and that¡¯s not fair. Besides, you have to support me in protesting,¡± Janna eximed, pouting and crossing her arms.


    Thedy and Lindsey looked at each other, burst into loudughter, catching the attention of those around.


    ¡°Alright, dear, a double portion of guasacaca for you,¡± she whispered to Janna. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, or they¡¯ll run out of guasacaca before noon.¡±


    ¡°And my little hot sauce too, thanks, Gloria, you¡¯re the best,¡± Janna said gratefully, winking. The two friends sat at an outdoor table.


    On the other side of the street, there was a dark blue Mazda with two men keeping watch.


    ¡°I see your wife is humble,ing to have breakfast in a ce like this, having a cook in your mansion.¡±


    ¡°Ummm,¡± he didn¡¯t know what to say, just focused on the scene since he saw her get off that bus. That contagious smile that brightens people¡¯s day, and he hadn¡¯t had the privilege of seeing it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but watching them eat made me hungry. I left my apartment without eating because my grumpy friend got up early.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t force you toe,¡± he replied sharply without taking his eyes off his wife.


    Freed turned his head in all directions and spotted a bakery on the side where his car was parked.


    ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m going to buy my breakfast,¡± he said, pointing, but his friend didn¡¯t bother to look, keeping his gaze fixed on his target. ¡°Alright, keep watching. I¡¯ll be right back. Do you want anything?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want.¡±


    Ten minutester, Freed appeared with two cups of coffee with lids, one in each hand, two sugar packets, two straws, and two paper bags. He settled into the driver¡¯s seat and handed his friend one of each.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring Splenda? Couldn¡¯t they provide containers for the food?¡± Kyle grumbled, looking at what his friend handed him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be picky; that¡¯s what you¡¯ll find in this area unless you want to go to a restaurant in yourfort zone.¡± Freed resisted the urge tough at his friend¡¯s expression. He opened the bag and pulled out a mini ham and cheese lunch, took a bite, savoring the fast food. ¡°This is good; try it.¡±


    Kyle did the same, and as he felt the bread in his mouth, he made a satisfied expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s good! It tastes great!¡±


    The girls got up, paid, and said goodbye to thedy. They walked a block along the same street, reached a store, and lifted the shutter between them. Janna opened the door, they entered, and closed it at once, ready to work on their designs.


    Freed, seeing them walk away, drove a few meters and parked. Four hours passed without any movement. They had only seen a fewdies enter, and one came out with boxes.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting. Should we leave? Those girls haven¡¯te out of that store since they entered. After several hours, we¡¯ve only seen women knocking on the door, and they let them in,¡± Freed was bored, not understanding why his friend was doing this. He regretted insisting on apanying him.


    ¡°No!¡± he argued with his significant aura.


    ¡°Alright! But when adyes out, I¡¯m going to approach her to find out what your wife is doing there.¡±


    Freed was alert; he watched as the door opened, and ady emerged with a package in hand. In one swift motion, he leaped out of the car, followed by Kyle, who was curious about what his wife was doing there. They crossed the street, and when they were face to face with thedy, Freed approached her.


    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am, would you be so kind as to tell me what this store is? I¡¯ve always passed by it and seen it closed. By chance, I see youing out of there, and I got curious,¡± he said, disying calmness and kindness with his charming smile.


    ¡°Hello, young man, it¡¯s a sewing workshop.¡±


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it open to the public? Could it be that they¡¯re not very good?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, young man, their designs are unique and delicate. Those two girls are excellent; their work is impable.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re as good as you say, shouldn¡¯t they let the public see their work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that several months ago, that ce served the public. They couldn¡¯t keep up with the orders people made, so they decided to close and work on a made-to-order basis.¡±


    ¡°Why not hire staff to help them?¡±


    ¡°I asked that question too. They told me they¡¯re just perfecting their styles and want to offer designs crafted by themselves.¡±


    ¡°Do they work tomorrow?¡± asked Kyle, who had remained silent.


    ¡°No, young man, only on weekdays, from Monday to Friday.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help; you¡¯re very kind. Have a great afternoon,¡± Freed said, bidding farewell with his framed smile.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kyle managed to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, young ones,¡± thedy gave them a kind smile and continued on her way. Freed looked around; the heat of the environment was suffocating him. Annoyed, he affirmed, ¡°Now we know what your wife is up to; we can leave. I need to cool off.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Kyle retorted sharply and walked towards the car. Freed followed him and stood by the passenger side, surveying the surroundings. He spotted an outdoor food ce and knew his friend wouldn¡¯t look away from it. With a resigned look, he said, ¡°There¡¯s a restaurant here. It¡¯s not like the ones you¡¯re used to, but at least we can use the bathroom, eat, and get supplies because the evening, from what I can see, will be long.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    Kyle opened the passenger door, directed his gaze towards his friend, and urged, ¡°Come on! Move! What are you waiting for?¡± Taking long strides, he headed to the small restaurant, and Freed rolled his eyes but followed along.

 Chapter 13

    The girls had lunch at the restaurant, and Gloria sent them the food. At 5 in the afternoon, they left the ce. Janna locked the gate with a padlock, Lindsey hailed a taxi with a package in her hand, and both of them got in. A car followed them to the university.


    Freed parked and stepped out, positioning himself at the front of his car. Kyle did the same, crossing his arms.


    -Did you know what she was studying? -Freed eximed, followed by augh as he saw his friend¡¯s bewildered look.


    -Shut up.


    -Now what do we do? We¡¯ve been watching them all day, and my sister-inw is full of surprises.


    Kyle was surprised by the things he had discovered about his wife. Resigned to withdraw, he overheard a group of young people saying,


    -Finally, today we graduate, we¡¯re going to receive our degrees. -shouted a young girl.


    -I¡¯ll be a great fashion designer. -another girl intervened with a joyful sparkle in her eyes.


    With a dark look, he observed his surroundings. Cars were arriving, people were getting out, apanying young graduates with gowns and caps. Others held them in their hands. He approached one of the girls he had heard before and asked in his cold yet masculine voice,


    -Are there sses going on, or is there a celebration happening here?


    The girl swallowed hard upon seeing the handsome and desirable tall man standing in front of her. With a flirtatious tone, she said,


    -sses endedst week! Today is my graduation ceremony. If you want, you can join me.


    Without responding, he turned away, hearing,


    -What an arrogant man.


    Kyle wanted to know more about his wife. He stood next to his friend, adjusting his suit, and with a haughty look, began to walk directly to the entrance of the building while muttering,


    -Follow me! Let¡¯s see what my wife is doing in this ce.


    Freed said nothing; he followed in silence.


    Kyle asked one of the security guards where the graduation ceremony would take ce. They were informed to head to the university auditorium. They entered the grand hall; Kyle searched the entire ce like a radar until he saw her dressed in a gown and cap, surrounded by people. He walked to the back of the hall, sitting in a corner where he could observe everything.


    After a grand speech by the university director, Lindsey Girt Rose, Janna Risso, and other young talents were named as the most gifted and talented students who graduated with honors. Lindsey was excited; her heart beat frantically. In that moment, she realized that working with her designs was the escape from thinking about her unfortunate life. She would finally have the title of fashion designer she had longed for. Her eyes saddened as she saw some parents hugging their children with love. How she wished her father was there with her, giving her a smile and celebrating her achievements, paying attention to her friend who carried a downcast expression. She could only hold her friend¡¯s hand and offer a reassuring smile.


    After the ceremonies, everyone started to leave the hall. The two friends walked towards the exit. Lindsey stopped and turned when she heard,


    -Lin! Congrattions! -said Derex Yedte.


    -Thanks, and goodbye -annoyed by his presence. She was turning away when someone spoke again.


    -Lin, are you still mad at me?


    She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes.


    -Can you just leave me alone?


    Just as Dexter was about to speak, Helen, a former ssmate, approached, hugging him around the waist and eximed with disdain,


    -Honey, why are you talking to the ugly one? By the way, your sister told me they married you off to an arrogant man because they found you rolling around with him in a hotel bed. I imagine he must be blind not to notice someone as insignificant and tasteless as you.


    Dexter, upon hearing what his girlfriend said, was surprised. He had known Lin since childhood and knew she wasn¡¯t that kind of woman, even though she hated him for what he had done.


    ¡°Helen, enough already,¡± Dexter shouted, annoyed by the situation. Lindsey frowned and clenched her fist. Janna signaled her to calm down, nodding toward the teachers.


    ¡°I have to go. Enjoy your title, Helen. We¡¯ll see each other again,¡± Lin said, turning around and walking toward the exit, followed by Janna. Dexter watched her leave, freeing himself from his girlfriend.


    ¡°You picked the worst time to create one of your scenes.¡±


    ¡°What were you doing talking to her? I¡¯ve told you to stay away from her.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I regret losing her friendship for getting involved with you,¡± he rified with a sad look, taking a few steps toward a group of people joining the conversation.


    Helen became furious, throwing a tantrum with her hands. ¡°Calm down; this is not the best ce to argue. Let¡¯s go to the club to celebrate with the guys. Besides, you have a way to have Dexter in your hands,¡± her friend whispered, pulling her away.


    At the end of the benches, a man with a somber look observed every move of his wife. He was surprised not to see any of her rtives with her, noticing the sadness in her eyes. He wanted to approach and hold her hand, then saw her reaction when that young man spoke to her.


    ¡°Now what do we do, friends?¡±


    ¡°We leave. Tomorrow I¡¯ll find out more.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to follow her like today.¡±


    ¡°She goes out on weekends. Do I have to know what she¡¯s doing?¡± he said, walking toward the exit.


    ¡°She might be spending time at her parents¡¯ house.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot! Can¡¯t you see her parents didn¡¯t show up at her graduation today?¡±


    ¡°True. Tomorrow, at the same time, at your ce,¡± he said, starting the car, and they left.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it alone.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll apany you in this madness.¡±


    As Kyle got out of the car, he saw her arriving in a taxi. He moved toward the house¡¯s door and opened it, standing there motionless, waiting for her.


    Freed, noticing his friend¡¯s reaction, smiled mischievously and left. Lindsey was busy paying the taxi, and when she looked up, nerves attacked her. ¡°Not today, God, don¡¯t let her start with her insults.¡± She took a deep breath and walked calmly. Passing by, she kept her gaze straight toward the mansion¡¯s interior when she heard, ¡°How was your day?¡± he inquired calmly.

 Chapter 14

    Lindsey raised an eyebrow, surprised by the strange expression on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°It was a calm day.¡±


    ¡°Should I assign you a car?¡± He didn¡¯t take his eyes off his prey.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary,¡± she replied, heading towards the stairs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. You¡¯re my wife, and you can¡¯t take public transportation,¡± he indicated behind her.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about what people will say about Mr. Pratt¡¯s wife, don¡¯t fret. It hasn¡¯t been made public who he is. They only know you¡¯re married,¡± she affirmed without turning to look at him and continued on her way.


    Kyle watched her disappear from his sight, annoyed by her response. He went up the stairs straight to his room, pacing back and forth, bewildered. He didn¡¯t understand what was happening with this young woman.


    He entered the bathroom and took a shower, feeling every drop of water rolling down his body. He was confused, distressed, and suffocated by the things he was discovering about his wife. He tried to control his breathing, refusing to believe he had made a mistake with her.


    ¡®What does she do on weekends? Is that when she meets her lovers?¡¯ These were the questions swirling in his head.


    It was Saturday. Lindsey woke up as usual, got ready, and went downstairs for breakfast. On her way to the kitchen, she was surprised to see Kyle sitting in the kitchen area with a coffee in hand. On a te, there was a turkey ham and cheese sandwich, and next to it, a ss of orange juice.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Pratt! Enjoy your meal!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Lindsey! None of that ¡®Mr.,¡¯ call me by my name.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Yesterday it was ¡®Mr.,¡¯ today it¡¯s Kyle. It¡¯s like he¡¯s bipr. Lindsey smiled mischievously, walked past the coffee maker, avoiding eye contact, and poured herself a cup of coffee.


    Leaning against the kitchen counter, she took a sip of her coffee while ncing at him, watching as he brought the cup to his mouth. The sensuality with which he did it fascinated her.


    ¡°Madam, please sit; I¡¯ll serve your breakfast.¡±


    Lindsey snapped out of her thoughts and sighed slowly, speaking affectionately.


    ¡°Enough of ¡®madam.¡¯ I¡¯ve told you to call me Lin.¡±


    dys blushed, feeling embarrassed for addressing her that way in front of Mr. Pratt.


    Lindsey sat down to eat in silence, unsure of what to say or how to act in front of the neutral man next to her. She chose to remain silent until she finished eating.


    ¡°Thanks for breakfast, dys. As always, delicious,¡± she interrupted the silence, looking at dys, who returned the smile, then shifted her gaze to Kyle. ¡°Excuse me, Kyle, I¡¯m going to retire.¡±


    He simply nodded.


    She hurriedly climbed the stairs, entered her room, and gradually regained control of her heart rate.


    ¡®Oh God, why does this ogre make me so nervous? Poor heart of mine, every time he¡¯s near, it wants to leap out of my chest.¡¯


    Seeing her go up the stairs, Kyle stood up from his seat and strode to his office. He approached the window, waiting for his prey to leave the house.


    Lindsey grabbed her purse, went down the stairs silently, praying not to encounter him on the way. She quickened her pace, got on a bus to a passenger terminal, took another public transport, traveled for an hour until she reached her destination, got off, and greeted a group of three people.


    ¡°Finally, you arrived, friend,¡± greeted Janna.


    ¡°Congrattions, Lin. Sorry I couldn¡¯t apany you yesterday on your big day. I had amitment with my sweetheart.¡± With a wide grin, Luan kissed her on the cheek and hugged her tightly from side to side.


    ¡°Step aside, sweetie,¡± Stefany said, pulling Lindsey into a yful hug. Amidstughter, the four friends entered through a door to the exterior of a house. Kyle watched as the guy flirted with Lindsey.


    ¡°Now what do we do?¡± Without answering, he got out of the car and, with broad steps, reached the entrance of a wall. He read a small sign on the right side of the door, [A GRAIN OF SAND MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.]


    ¡°Shall we go in?¡± he whispered to Freed, who was already by his side. The main door was ajar, he pushed it open, and as he peered inside, he was puzzled. It was a humble ce, like an old duplex. At first nce, he saw a hallway. Taking quick steps, he walked down the corridor, and upon emerging, he saw a spacious courtyard surrounded by nature. His wife wasughing heartily, rolling a ball with some children-a scene so tender he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. He decided to stay in the shadows, and with long leaps, positioned himself on the side of the house by arge column. There, the two friends remained unseen.


    ¡°Pass me the ball, Lis!¡± Luan shouted, surrounded by children.


    ¡°Better to me? Luan, they¡¯re cornering me!¡± Stefani ran back and forth, waiting for the ball.


    ¡°Pass it to them because I¡¯m already caught,¡± Jannaughed with two children holding hands.


    Seeing herself pursued by about five children between 5 and 8 years old, Lis threw the ball to Stefany, and the game continued.


    Minutes earlier, as the young people entered the back of the house, they encountered a group of children with a ball waiting to y. Joyfully, they ran towards them.


    ¡°Can I help you with something, gentlemen?¡± The men were startled to see a middle-aged woman in front of them with a stern look. Freed felt embarrassed for hiding like a pervert. In a hesitant voice, he was about to respond when Kyle stepped forward.


    ¡°Good morning! Would you be so kind as to tell me, what are these young people doing here?¡± The woman¡¯s expression reflected distrust at seeing two well-dressed men in her premises. She thought about the children and asked again with suspicion.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m Freed Gregen, and this gentleman here is my friend Kyle Pratt. We¡¯re here to get to know the ce. Some young people came in, and we decided to visit. Could you tell us what this ce is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jimena Hoston, the director of this shelter for homeless children. I take care of approximately 20 children of different ages.¡±


    ¡°What are these young people doing here?¡± Kyle asked, curious and intrigued.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°They provide support to the children; the ce doesn¡¯t have much staff or resources. Those four young people are their guardian angels; on weekends, they assist us with recreation and teaching¡±, pointing with a finger, she continued. ¡°That young man is Luan, and that youngdy is Stefany. They created a foundation in the name of these little ones to raise funds for food. The other two youngdies, Lindsey and Janna, support us with their designs for the children¡¯s clothing. Sometimes, the resources from the public entity arrivete or only cover a portion of the expenses. These angels havee to support me with these little ones. Now, will you tell me why he¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°I am Lindsey¡¯s husband,¡± Kyle blurted out, not taking his eyes off the young woman who had him distracted. His heart was pounding, and he felt embarrassed for acting in that way.


    Jimena softened; her fears had disappeared. She noticed how this man couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the blonde. Without knowing the men¡¯s reactions, she approached and with a huge smile, grabbed each one by the arm and pulled them towards the patio.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go so you can share this beautiful day that God has given us.¡±


    Freed and Kyle looked at each other, embarrassed to be discovered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us; we won¡¯t withdraw!¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, you should share with these little ones,¡± thedy didn¡¯t let them escape her grip and encouraged them to walk.


    The resigned men let themselves be guided.


    ¡°Kids! Look who came to visit you? They are new friends.¡±


    Lindsey, looking at her husband, turned pale. She felt as if the air had been sucked out of her. She was upset, murmuring to herself, ¡®What is he doing here? Is he spying on me? I can¡¯t believe the audacity of this man.¡¯


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she managed to articte with a thread of voice.


    Luan and Stefany looked at her, puzzled about who he was. Janna knew him from photos Lindsey had shown her on the inte.


    Kyle didn¡¯t know what excuse to give; he was caught red-handed spying.


    ¡°Do you know Lin? Who is he?¡± a 6-year-old asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m her husband,¡± Kyle spat out bluntly.


    Lindsey swallowed hard. Very few knew she was married, only Jimena and Janna. She eximed in her mind, ¡°Swallow me, Earth.¡±


    ¡°When were you nning to tell me you were married, Lin?¡± Luan expressed with confusion.


    ¡°Who are you? Why are you talking to my wife like that?¡± a deep voice was heard.


    Luan choked on his own saliva; the man intimidated him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lin¡¯s friend,¡± he stammered.


    Freed, seeing the terror in the boy¡¯s eyes and to break the tension, intervened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of this big guy.¡±


    Stefany and Janna looked at each other and smiled. They noticed their friend was panicking, not eyeing that man as he usually did when they encountered a man of simr appearance.


    ¡°Are you the Prince of Darkness?¡± one of the children said.


    Kyle, bewildered, softened his tone.


    ¡°No! Why would you say that?¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If you¡¯re Lin¡¯s husband, then you¡¯re the Prince of Darkness,¡± another child jumped in.


    Lindsey was as red as a tomato, remembering that a month ago, Luan and Stefany left early, and Janna and she stayed talking with Jimena. She told them she had married a cold and despotic man.


    ¡°Did you marry the prince charming?¡± a little voice dreamt.


    The three women hadn¡¯t noticed the presence of three girls listening to the conversation.


    ¡°What have I told you about not eavesdropping on adult conversations?¡± scolded Jimena.


    The embarrassed girls lowered their heads.


    ¡°No, Lucia! He¡¯s not the prince charming, he looks more like the prince of darkness who wants to keep me locked in his castle,¡± she joked in a yful voice.


    The girls apologized and ran off to tell the other kids that Lin was married to a prince.


    Janna, seeing the desperation on her friend¡¯s face, intervened.


    ¡°Hey, guys, let¡¯s have cookies and drinks. Luan and Stefany, can you organize the kids toe into the dining room?¡±


    Kyle nced at Lindsey, who was blushing and uneasy, sparking his curiosity. With a rxed and amused voice, he looked at the boy who spoke, crouched down to his level, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Liam, sir,¡± he said, trembling, a blond boy sping his little hands.


    ¡°From today, we¡¯re friends, so call me Kyle,¡± he tousled the boy¡¯s hair with a half-smile.


    The other kids, witnessing the scene, left the line and approached him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucia, can I also call you Kyle?¡± a 5-year-old brte jumped in.


    ¡°Yes, princess, everyone can call me Kyle,¡± and the children startedughing.


    ¡°Now, tell me, why am I the prince of darkness?¡±


    ¡°Because Lin is Snow White, and we are her dwarfs. One day, I heard she got married, and I thought it was with the prince charming. But she told us it was with the prince of darkness who wants to keep her locked in his castle,¡± Lucia recounted innocently.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want her to leave the castle?¡± This time it was Liam.


    Jimena enjoyed the antics of her little ones. Understanding how Kyle interacted with the kids, she knew that beneath that tough exterior was a noble heart. Seeing her beloved Lin blushing like a tomato and emanating embarrassment, she decided to intervene. She pped her hands to get the kids¡¯ attention.


    ¡°Children, to the dining room! Snacks are waiting for you.¡±


    Freed couldn¡¯t stopughing. He was sure that this youngdy had sparked an interest in his friend. He now understood why Kyle investigated her himself instead of hiring a private investigator. ¡®He¡¯s a fool if he lets that girl slip away from his grasp,¡¯ he whispered in his mind.


    Freed had been Kyle¡¯s friend for six years since he worked as a security guard in a restaurant. Kyle was leaving the ce with two bodyguards when a ck van intercepted him. Five men got out and shot his bodyguards, leaving them lying on the ground. One pointed a gun at Kyle to make him get into the van. Freed noticed what was happening, stealthily positioned himself behind the van, disarmed one of the men, took his weapon, and twisted his neck. With another, he engaged in hand-to-handbat, knowing martial arts and self-defense. The remaining three started shooting at him, and Freed ran behind the van and shot them, killing two. The third, seeing the situation, ran to get in the car and drove off, colliding with another car passing by at that moment. Freed was agile and immobilized the man on foot before he could escape. Kyle witnessed how this young man saved his life. Shortly after, he proposed to be his bodyguard, and their friendship was born from that moment. Now, Freed is his assistant and right-hand man.

 Chapter 16

    Kyle wanted to burst outughing; he wasn¡¯t used to being around kids. Lindsey never thought he would find out about her antics from those rascals¡¯ mouths. She took a deep breath and approached the children, grabbing two of them by the hands.


    ¡°Come on, kids! Nana Julia is waiting for us with snacks.¡±


    Everyone started walking towards the interior of the house, where an olderdy was waiting for them in the dining room. Kyle and Freed stood still, watching everyone enter the house.


    Jimena, a few steps from entering the house, turned around and shouted,


    ¡°You two stay there,e join us for a snack.¡±


    ¡°Your wife is a gem, and now I see why you¡¯re in love,¡± she patted him on the back twice and walked away with a victorious smile.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, folks! I¡¯m Julia, the cook,¡± an elderlydy introduced herself, shaking hands with each of them warmly.


    Kyle scanned the room for his wife, who was sitting with Luan, arranging the children in their seats. Luan felt a piercing gaze, looked up, and saw threatening eyes and a seriousness that sent shivers down his spine. He whispered to his friend,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to help Stefany because if I stay by your side, they¡¯ll carry me out of here dead, and I can¡¯t leave Ebel a widower,¡± and he headed towards the kitchen.


    ¡°Rx, buddy. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve noticed; your opponent is gay, and look how terrified he is seeing your grumpy face. Find a seat because I¡¯m going to join those twodies,¡± he walked away towards the kitchen and approached Janna and Stefany, who were organizing cookies.


    ¡°Ladies, can I help?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Take this tray to the table and put cookies on the kids¡¯ tes while we serve the drinks. Does that sound good, handsome?¡± Stefany said with a flirtatious smile.


    The cheerful man took the tray and, with his back to the girls, disappeared.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the blonde handsome? Too bad I love Eber, or else I wouldn¡¯t waste time flirting with him,¡± Luan said, standing next to the girls.


    ¡°You took a while to notice,¡± Stefany said, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Stefany! Kyle has him nervous; can¡¯t you see he¡¯s scared to death?¡± Janna affirmed.


    Luan kept an eye on Kyle, who was approaching Lindsey. He sighed, cing his hands on the counter.


    ¡°Kyle, with that body and those blue eyes, is desirable for anyone, but it seems like he wants to kill me with that cold look.¡±


    ¡°What a shameless guy! You just said you love Eber, and now you desire another man. He¡¯s lucky because you¡¯re suspicious of him.¡±


    The girlsughed and walked to the table with the drinks while hearing him say,


    ¡°Oh, friend, I¡¯m just expressing what I see. The man is handsome, but that expression takes away my desire to look at him. Poor Lin, who has to put up with him.¡±


    Lindsey nced sideways at Kyle, who was standing beside her. She felt ufortable in his presence and whispered quietly,


    ¡°What are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you came to check how many lovers I have. As you can see, there are many.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just making sure my wife wasn¡¯t up to anything inappropriate,¡± he said bluntly.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you. As you¡¯ve seen, I spend my weekends here to help these kids in any way I can. You decide whether to believe me or not. I also don¡¯t sell myself for money; I work to cover my expenses.¡±


    She was furious. Without waiting for a response, she moved to empty chairs; her legs were trembling. She delicately sat next to some children.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Kyle felt agony in his chest, realizing he was wrong. He considered himself aplete idiot for thinking horrible things about her, but he still had doubts about the photos.


    ¡®I have to find out the origin of those photos,¡¯ he whispered in his mind.


    He followed her, pulled a chair, and sat beside her without uttering a word. Lucia winked at him and engaged him in conversation, and he responded willingly.


    Later, everyone went to the patio to continue ying with the children. The girls, along with Luan, dragged Freed to join them.


    Kyle asked Jimena to show him the facilities, and she dly walked alongside him. Jimena showed him the six-bedroom house, with four bathrooms, two ssrooms, a kitchen with a spacious dining area, and the patio. They sat on a bench while watching the kids y.


    ¡°Jimena, tell me, how did you establish this shelter for homeless children?¡±


    ¡°This house is a family heritage. At one point, I was married, and unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t have children. It was one of the reasons for my divorce. Shortly after, I found out that my ex-husband had remarried and was expecting his first child. That depressed me a lot. I spent two years locked away. I have a friend who works in a child protection center. He always called me and told me about children who weren¡¯t adopted because of their age. I asked myself, ¡®Why live alone in such a big house when it could be a shelter for homeless children?''¡±


    Kyle listened carefully


    ¡°One day, I got up and decided to give love. With the support of a study and shelter for older children, I started this work and created ¡®A GRAIN OF SAND MAKES A DIFFERENCE.¡¯ My little ones are from around five to eleven years old. When they enter secondary school, they go to an educational institute and shelter at the same time-a convent school that helps them integrate into society. They stay there until they turn 18.¡±


    ¡°How did my wife and the three kids end up in this shelter?¡±


    ¡°Through Janna. She is one of the girls who has left this shelter.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Janna was the first to step into this house at the age of five. Her parents died tragically, and no rtives appeared. At eleven, she left the shelter to start secondary school. When Janna was fifteen, she showed up with a friend, Lin, who lost her mom at the age of eight and has been through a lot. They came to y with the kids and help me with them.¡±


    Kyle felt miserable for judging his wife without knowing what had happened in her life. Curiosity overwhelmed him, and he asked about the other kids.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°What about the other two young ones?¡±


    ¡°One day, I went shopping and came across a young man, crying and disheveled, with no desire to live due to his family¡¯s disdain for not understanding his sexuality. I encouraged Luan toe here to share with the children, and since then, he hasn¡¯t stoppeding. Stefany is a brave young girl, was sexually abused by her stepfather, by fate, she crossed paths with Lin and Janna, who brought her here, and she lived with us for a while. She and Luan had be very close. One day, she went to live with Luan, who takes care of her like a sister. These four angels appear on weekends to bring joy to these little ones.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s hardened heart trembled at what he heard. He watched the children y for a while. Lucia greeted him with waves, and he felt a connection with them. He decided.


    ¡°I want to sponsor this ce. I want to create a recreational area for the children. On Monday, I¡¯ll send someone to talk to you and assess the most urgent needs of the house. I noticed that there are roomscking beds, with only mattresses. I need you to take inventory of how many children you shelter here and give that information to that person. She will be in charge of furnishing the rooms ording to the number of children. I¡¯ll also talk to my grandfather about this shelter, so thepany can make a monthly donation to cover some of the children¡¯s needs. I know he won¡¯t refuse to help these little ones.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kyle. I don¡¯t know how to thank you for your help,¡± Jimena said, with tears in her eyes, excited, hugging him.


    ¡°Thank Lin for that. It¡¯s because of her that I¡¯m here.¡±


    Jimena stood up with teary eyes and called everyone.


    ¡°Come here, kids. I want you all to know that Mr. Kyle is another angel that God ced in our path, and from now on, he will help us financially with our home. Soon, you will have beds to sleep in. I cry with excitement,¡± she wiped her face with her fingers.


    All the children shouted for joy because they were going to sleep in beds.


    ¡°Kyle! Can I have a bed just for myself? Or do I have to sleep with Teresa? She moves a lot,¡± Lucia innocently asked.


    ¡°If it¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t let me sleep, you kick me in your sleep,¡± Teresa reacted annoyed.


    All the adultsughed heartily at the girls¡¯ antics.


    ¡°Yes, princess, I¡¯ll make sure everyone has their own bed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you,¡± Lucia hugged him, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and nestled between his legs.


    They returned to the dining room to eat happily with the good news.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for us to leave,¡± Stefanymented.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m leaving too,¡± Luan began to hug everyone. When he approached Kyle, he stopped. ¡°Not you!¡± He turned around, grabbed Stefany¡¯s arm, and left.


    Each one left the ce. When Kyle was leaving the house, Lucia arrived, out of breath, with a drawing in her hand.


    ¡°Take this, Kyle. It¡¯s for you, to thank you for letting me sleep in a little bed.¡±


    Kyle bent down and took the drawing. Vaguely visible were straight and curved lines forming a figure of a man, a woman, and a girl with a smile covering her face. In the middle of the little body was a big heart with a happy face.


    ¡°Look, here¡¯s you, this is Lin, and this is me, with my happy heart,¡± she exined, pointing with her little finger, and suddenly hugged him.


    Kyle responded to the hug, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left the ce.


    ¡°Come on, friend, let¡¯s take a taxi,¡± Lindsey took Janna¡¯s arm and began to walk out of the facilities.


    ¡°They¡¯reing with me,¡± a rough voice indicated behind them.


    Lindsey turned around, and their gazes intertwined. She was the first to look away so he wouldn¡¯t notice her nervousness.


    ¡°No! Kyle, we¡¯re taking a taxi, we don¡¯t want to inconvenience you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you alone out there. Get in the car,¡± he pointed to the blue Magda parked beside them, Freed already at the wheel.


    ¡°No!¡± She turned her back to continue walking when she felt herself lifted in the air.


    ¡°Yes! You¡¯re not going to wander around on your own while being married¡± he warned with an authoritative tone. He turns her around and tosses her over his shoulder.


    ¡°Why do you care? We¡¯re only married on paper for a few months,¡± she shouted furiously, squirming in the strong but gentle arms that held her.


    Kyle didn¡¯t respond. He set her down on her feet, took her by the arm, and guided her to enter. He mmed the door shut, circled around the car, and got in through the other door.


    ¡°Join me as a co-pilot, or do you want me to do the same?¡± Freed mumbled with a mischievous smile and sparkling emerald eyes.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get in by myself,¡± Janna said, circling the car and getting in.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Lindsey eximed, arms crossed.


    Kyle avoided looking at her, lost in his thoughts. When he lifted her, some unruly hair passed by his nose, emitting a truly delicious scent-it wasn¡¯t perfume but a mix of chamomile and vani. When he pressed her legs, a refreshing vani scent filled his nostrils, unsettling his senses.


    The journey back home was silent and fast.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°See you tomorrow, friend,¡± Janna said, getting out of the car.


    Lindsey hurried into the house and climbed the stairs quickly. As she reached for the doorknob, he noticed arge hand resting on hers, causing a small spark that turned into an electric shock, running through her entire body as she heard him exhale deeply near her ear. She saw the doorknob turn, making her enter, and behind her, she heard the door close.


    In panic, Lindsey turned around and saw her provocateur, his dark gaze fixed on her.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing in my room? I¡¯d appreciate it if you leave,¡± she managed to articte with a thread of a voice.

 Chapter 18

    She attentively waited for a response, receiving nothing but the intense gaze of two sapphires analyzing her as if they were microscopic lenses. Her heart raced in her chest, and her pulse quickened as he began to stealthily walk towards her.


    He was just a few centimeters away, his scent of citrus and something mannish wafted through Lindsey¡¯s nose, causing her body to unconsciously tense. In front of her, Kyle brushed two of his fingers across her cheek, making her shiver. She took a step back, but an agile hand stopped her from retreating and rested on her waist. He stopped touching her face, removed the hair tie, and golden, rebellious strands cascaded like a waterfall down her back. Another hand took off her sses, and she felt a shiver run down her skin, her legs beginning to wobble as if she had no control over her body.


    ¡°Please¡­ Please leave my room,¡± she expelled with a lump in her throat.


    ¡°Why do you hide your beautiful gray-green eyes behind those horrendous sses? You have an angelic face.¡±


    With a predatory look, Kyle gently kissed her, grazing his tongue on her lower lip, seeking entry into her mouth. She parted her lips, weing their tongues in a duel of sensations.


    Lindsey felt a fire growing inside her, pulsations in the walls of her intimate area. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pressed her closer, his hardness like a stone against her belly. A soft moan escaped her as Kyle caressed her back with one hand and grasped the back of her neck with the other to deepen the kiss.


    Kyle pulled away, his breath heavy. He rested his forehead against hers and began to loosen his tie.


    ¡°I can¡¯t control my desire to possess you.¡±


    He slid a hand behind her back, slipping it under her shirt, his fingers grazing her velvety skin as he moved upward. The same hand traveled down her back, reaching the lower part. Apanied by the other hand, he unbuttoned her skirt, lowered the zipper, and it fell to the floor.


    He lifted her with his strong arms and let her fall onto the bed, swiftly tying her small hands and cing them above her head.


    She blushed, for some reason not frightened by being tied up; her instinct didn¡¯t attempt to defend herself.


    As a predator positioned himself over her, kissing her again with greater intensity, nibbling on her lower lip, making her open her mouth. His tongue invaded, exploring every corner, and a soft moan shamelessly escaped her mouth. He interrupted the kiss to give her some air and took the opportunity to kiss and nibble on her beautiful neck.


    Kyle full of lust, ced his hands on each breast and presses them over the bra.


    She gasped with desire, felt her nipples bristle from the contact, watched a wicked little smile y across his lips, causing her breasts to throb and transform into stiff, eager mountains.


    Kyle slipped a hand behind her back and unsped her bra, which flew across the room, at the sight of those round, natural breasts, his eyes transmitting a perverted light, his mouth took hold of one of her pink nipples devouring it with fervor.


    Lindsey experienced a volcano growing inside her, she was clouded by the sensations of that mouth sucking, licking and nibbling her nipples, a tingling took over her crotch causing a harmonious moan.


    Kyle exchanged breasts, then moved down her t abdomen, spread her legs with his hands, and continued his tongue¡¯s journey until he found her cleft, whispering excitedly.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How divine! She is so wet.¡±


    He gently devoured her sensitive spot.


    Lindsey arched and gasped with pleasure as she felt his tongue ying with her intimacy, like a fool she moaned several times, she couldn¡¯t help it, she felt something hot trying to rush out of her body, when she least expected it it exploded, creating an apotheosic moan. Her body shook in Kyle¡¯s hands.


    He braced himself and sucked on her warm nectar, the taste was delicious, causing her to jerk, she could no longer stand to feel his member, squeezing his pants, with a single movement she pulled a condom out of her purse, then her shoes, pants and boxer shorts flew out.


    He attacked her mouth again as he put on the condom, he entered her hastily and without mercy, he stopped when he heard a scream and saw tears rolling down her cheeks.


    A shudder runs through his body as he feels his manhood being squeezed, he quickly pulls out of her and looks at her in amazement, brushing the tears from her face with his fingertips and murmuring excitedly.


    ¡°Why, you can¡¯t be a virgin, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Lindsey told him, shy and trembling.


    ¡°The night you threw the pictures in my face, if I told you it wasn¡¯t me or that I wasn¡¯t conscious when they were taken, you wouldn¡¯t believe me, let alone that I hadn¡¯t been physically with a man,¡± another tear unconsciously rolled down her cheeks.


    Kyle untied her hands and held her for a moment while he babbled to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, beautiful doll.¡±


    Kyle kissed her softly, ying with her lips, his desire growing again and she let out involuntary moans that stunned him.


    ¡°Lin¡­ Let me make love to you, please, I want you so much.¡±


    She expressed with shining eyes between whispers.


    ¡°I want to be yours.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll be mine, only mine, Lin.¡±


    With ascivious smile he kissed her passionately, one hand reached for his member and removed the condom, throwing it on the floor to position himself at her entrance.


    ¡°I will enter slowly until our bodies are coupled, if I get rough at any point you will stop me.¡±


    She wrapped her legs around his waist and he entered her again, this time gently.


    Lindsey felt a little pain, but it was nothing like the previous one, she wiggled her hips and asked for more with a libidinous expression on her face.

 Chapter 19

    Kyle did not restrain himself in his thrusts and rammed her wildly, she moaned overflowing with enjoyment, he saw her arch her back and convulse sensually, he felt a strong pressure on his member, causing him to spill his hot liquid inside her without being able to help it, he let out a manly grunt from inside her, she had a most apotheosis orgasm, he threw himself on his side to calm her breathing.


    Cloudy with sensations, she was catching her breath, nerves overtook her and she tried to rise.


    Kyle sensed her restlessness, and in one movement he positioned himself on top of her again.


    ¡°Where are you going, baby doll? This is not over.¡±


    Without letting her answer, he kissed her with devotion, their bodies warmed up again, in a rough way he turned her over, putting her on all fours and entering without warning.


    Lindsey rejoiced in pleasure, she dly did the positions in which he guided her, both are in the same tune andbine to perfection.


    After several rounds she exhaustedly fell asleep and he doesn¡¯t know how many times he took her that night, he cuddled her to his chest and fell asleep.


    Kyle woke up and looked at her sweetly, he touched some golden hairs that rolled over his face and positioned them behind his ear, his mind is a chaos of emotions, he doesn¡¯t know what he feels for the blonde, but the desire to be close to her takes over him.


    He lifted the sheet and delighted in her naked skin, the marks of his hands on her hips reflect the most beautiful night of passion he had ever experienced, he had never been with a virgin and he didn¡¯t know how to treat her either, his sexual encounters are rough and without feelings.


    Kyle got out of bed, prepared the bathtub, dressed silently, and went straight to the kitchen.


    ¡°Nana, can you prepare a breakfast tray for two? And bring it up to Lin¡¯s room in an hour,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, my child, I¡¯ll prepare breakfast for both of you and take it up,¡± his nanny replied, moved by the tranquility radiating from him.


    ¡°Thank you, Nana.¡±


    Lindsey woke up sore, and as she tried to get up, her legs failed her. Kyle entered, hurried towards her, and caught her in his arms, sitting down with her and caressing her.


    ¡°I think I need a painkiller; everything hurts. It feels like my hips want to split in two,¡± she whispered, pouting.


    Kyle¡¯s heart raced upon hearing her sweet voice, and he couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Why are youughing? You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m dying.¡±


    ¡°Lin, forgive me! I couldn¡¯t stop the need to possess you, and since you didn¡¯t refuse, I satisfied my desires.¡±


    Lindsey blushed, realizing she enjoyed everything that happened, and she had no regrets.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hide behind those awful sses and baggy clothes? You have an angelic face and a perfect body,¡± he looked at her intently, ¡°you¡¯re beautiful!¡±


    Lindsey swallowed, bit her lower lip, sighed, and began to exin.


    ¡°When I turned fifteen, I managed to convince my dad to let me celebrate with friends. When I entered my room to get ready, my dress was shredded on the bed. Frustrated, I went to my sister¡¯s room to confront her, and she said, ¡®You can¡¯t be more beautiful than me. I¡¯m the one who should shine in beauty, not you.¡¯ Then, she went out crying to tell my dad that I mistreated her. I was punished, and the party was canceled.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe your sister could be so cruel to you.¡±


    ¡°Let me finish. Two dayster, I found my sister kissing the boy I liked at school. Courtney knew about it and ruined my life again. From that point, I decided to change my appearance and stay invisible. I was tired of her tantrums and paying for them.¡±


    Kyle held her tightly, narrowed his eyes, couldn¡¯t believe what he heard, and felt the rage consuming him. He felt the need to protect her.


    ¡°Your sister gave me the pictures. Do you think she¡¯s involved? I¡¯ll investigate what happened, and the culprits will answer for it.¡±


    Lindsey lifted her head and looked at him squarely.


    ¡°Hey, bad boy, let me handle it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯m your husband, and my duty is to protect you.¡±


    Lindsey tried to free herself from his grip.


    ¡°Remember, we got married reluctantly, and I know how to take care of myself.¡±


    Kyle got furious, wanted to spank that woman for her insolence, sighed several times, and eximed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get you cleaned up; you¡¯re all sticky.¡±


    Lindsey widened her eyes, and timidly murmured.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to take me; I can do it alone.¡±


    Kyleughed, got up, heading to the bathroom, and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, doll, I won¡¯t eat you again. I really want to, but you¡¯re in too much pain, and you need to eat.¡±


    Lindsey protested because she wanted to go to the orphanage with the children, but Kyle didn¡¯t let her. He called his friend to inform her that Lindsey wasn¡¯t feeling well. He escorted him out of the room, and she spent that Sunday locked in.


    A week has passed, and the anniversary of thepany has arrived.


    She descended the stairs slowly. For Kyle, it was impossible to hide his admiration for the womaning towards him. He couldn¡¯t believe that the ordinary girl who wore horrible sses was the angelic and beautiful woman he saw in his eyes.


    Lindsey wore a ck dress with silver sparkles, ankle-length with a mid-thigh slit, off-the-shoulder, heart-shaped in the front, with a deep V-shaped open back that ended in the lumbar area. The dress emphasized her waist and highlighted her delicate white skin.


    ¡°Close your mouth, or flies will get in,¡± she said mockingly, seeing her husband¡¯s dumbfounded expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. If it weren¡¯t for thismitment, I swear I¡¯d take you to my room and tear that dress to pieces. There, I¡¯d show you what you¡¯ve provoked in me.¡±


    Lindsey swallowed and bit her lower lip. Since they¡¯d been together for a week, she hadn¡¯t allowed him into her room, avoiding him. Today, at the g, she wants to confirm a rumor about her husband that has been lingering in her mind, to see how true it is.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 20

    Kyle took her hand, and they headed to the event.


    The anniversary was celebrated at one of the city¡¯s most exclusive hotels, owned by the Pratts, one of their many properties in the country.


    As guests arrived, cameras quickly snapped photos. When a ck Ferrari arrived, journalists surrounded it. Seeing Kyle emerge, they prepared to take photos but were surprised when he turned right to open the car door.


    ¡°Is his wife hispanion?¡±


    ¡°He always shows up alone at events.¡±


    ¡°We need to take the best photos of hispanion, get ready.¡±


    ¡°Did you see his expression?¡±


    Journalists were astonished by Kyle¡¯s rxed look. ¡°Where was the somber man who always arrived alone?¡± wondered another journalist.


    When the door opened, a delicate hand emerged, and Kyle held it to help her out. The angelic beauty caught everyone¡¯s attention, and camera shes began. Kyle ced his right hand on Lindsey¡¯s waist, and they started moving towards the venue¡¯s interior.


    Journalists were amazed by the stunning beauty walking beside the president of Pratt Enterprises. The couple exuded elegance.


    Kyle noticed the journalists¡¯ reactions.


    ¡°Even the journalists are dazzled by my charming wife.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous; I didn¡¯t pay attention to them.¡±


    After walking down the hallway, everyone saw another couple arriving. Somemented on how radiant they looked, and other women envied being the ones holding onto handsome Kyle¡¯s arm.


    From afar, a woman was furious, ¡®I can¡¯t believe he arrived with that opportunist.¡¯


    The couple approached the table where Grandpa Hugo and Sussan were sitting.


    Grandpa Hugo smiled at them. ¡°Kyle, you¡¯ve brought your lovely wife.¡± He extended his hand to Lindsey, and she gave it to him; he nted a tender kiss on it and looked up. ¡°Lin, you look beautiful, like a doll.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa. Congrattions on thepany anniversary!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I knew behind that facade was a lovely girl.¡±


    ¡°Dear, where were you hiding that beauty? When I saw you enter arm in arm with my son, I couldn¡¯t believe you were the same person I saw in the records,¡± Sussan interjected.


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Sussan. I like to keep a low profile.¡±


    ¡°No ¡®Mrs.,¡¯ I told you, just Sussan,¡± she stood up, approached, and kissed Lindsey on the cheek. ¡°How are you, my dear son?¡± She also greeted him with a kiss on the forehead.


    Catrina then approached, flirting and swaying her hips, giving Kyle a kiss on the corner of his mouth, getting very close to him.


    ¡°How are you, darling? d to see you,¡± she said sweetly.


    ¡°Catrina, can you keep your distance in front of thepany president?¡± Sussan protested, annoyed by the little woman.


    ¡°Sorry, Sussan, but I¡¯m just saying hello to Kyle,¡± she replied yfully.


    Kyle was losing patience, knowing that his ¡°doll¡± matters more to him than he thinks.


    ¡°Catrina!¡± he continued, irritated. ¡°I ask for a little respect in front of my wife.¡±


    ¡°I hope my presence isn¡¯t a problem for you, ma¡¯am,¡± she said, looking at Lindsey with irony.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I see that my husband and you are well acquainted.¡±


    Lindsey wanted to run away; mentally she whispered, ¡®The rumors on social media must be true. This is the famous model they¡¯ve seen him with in public.¡¯


    She tried to wriggle out of his grip, but he had her pressed against the waist. She could only dig her nails into his arm to make him let go, but he didn¡¯t give in.


    ¡°We know each other very well; everyone here knows that Kyle got married out of obligation. So, we can keep pretending,¡± she said.


    ¡°Catrina, shut up, unless you want me to forcibly remove you from this ce,¡± Kyle shouted, annoyed. He wanted to escort her out himself, but looking at people around chatting calmly, he sighed and maintainedposure.


    ¡°I better go get a drink.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not moving from my side. You¡¯re my wife, and I¡¯ll exin everything about her at home.¡±


    ¡°Enough! Catrina, show some respect, leave my sight, or I¡¯ll drag you out of here myself,¡± the grandfather eximed, indignant.


    Catrina huffed, turned around, and walked away, swaying her hips as if nothing happened. She knew she would lose if she caused a scene; she nned to find a way to have him back in her bed. Since they got married, he hadn¡¯t set foot in her apartment and was always busy with thepany.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you to put a stop to that woman, and you don¡¯t listen,¡± the grandfather grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that soon, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Kyle, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to greet a friend.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to move from my side.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t give me orders. I¡¯m going to greet Stefany and Luan here,¡± she asserted confidently, broke free, and turned her back, sensually walking to the side of the venue.


    ¡°If I lose my granddaughter, you¡¯ll deal with me,¡± the grandfather warned.


    Kyle didn¡¯t respond. A waiter passing by offered him a drink; he took it, sipped while watching his wife¡¯s moves.


    ¡°I came to greet quickly. Is everything ready?¡± Lindsey asked Stefany with a mocking smile.


    ¡°Better go, when the parade starts, you need to be close to your husband.¡±


    Back at the Pratt family table, she heard someone talking.


    ¡°The caterpir turned into a butterfly,¡± Kathen grumbled.


    Lindsey looked at the woman, noting the hatred she held.


    ¡°Just to show that I can shine too.¡±


    ¡°My daughter will shine on the runway, and everyone will admire her beauty. Just because you married Kyle and dress like a model doesn¡¯t make you better than her. You¡¯re as naive as your mother, only good for men to use and discard.¡±


    ¡°You have no right to insult my mother¡¯s memory. You were the one who married my father for status and money. Before that, you and your daughter were nobody.¡±

 Chapter 21

    John is arriving at that moment.


    ¡°How dare you speak to the woman who raised you like that, you¡¯re a disgrace,¡± he said, raising his hand to p his daughter. He felt a strong hand pressing down, and he let out a groan of pain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my wife,¡± Kyle growled with a dark look.


    ¡°Mr. Pratt, my daughter just insulted the woman who protected her like a mother. I don¡¯t know where the education we instilled in her went,¡± John asserted angrily.


    ¡°Is hitting her the best solution?¡± Kyle released John and positioned himself next to his wife, putting an arm around her waist to continue. ¡°Now she is my wife, and no one¡­¡± he fixed a murderous gaze on the people in front of him, ¡°I mean, no oneys a finger on her. Anyone who dares to touch her will get to know me.¡±


    John felt ufortable and swallowed hard; now he understands that he can¡¯t mess with that brat, or hispany¡¯s actions could be affected.


    Karen was fuming, unable to believe the luck of that brat for marrying that tyrant, she mentally whispered. ¡®At some point, I¡¯ll make her pay for this humiliation.¡¯


    ¡°Sorry, sir, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± John said, frightened.


    Lindsey smiled bitterly, unable to believe that these wretches feared the power of a man. With elegance, she let herself be guided.


    Kyle turned his back with his wife; he suppressed the anger, making their way through the guests and chatting with the hosts.


    In a room, several models were getting ready to showcase exclusive dresses from new fashion designers. Courney threw a tantrum because she wanted to choose the dress for the finale. When told that Hugo Pratt himself determined the final dress, she stopped protesting.


    ¡°Miss, here¡¯s water for you to hydrate. Remember, you have to shine tonight,¡± Luan smiled gently with a tray containing a water bottle and a ss. When he went to serve the water, Courney snatched the tray from his hands with ill will.


    ¡°Get your disgusting hands off my ss. I¡¯ll serve myself. Disappear from my sight. I can¡¯t stand weirdos near me,¡± she uncapped the bottle, poured the liquid into the ss, and made a disgusted face as she watched the colorful Luan disappear.


    Courney took another sip of water and stood up for Stefany to help her put on the dress.


    ¡°You better not sit again. You are the star of the night, the one who closes the show, and you have to look perfect.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, dears,¡± she was excited. That night was hers, and nothing could overshadow it.


    ¡°Remember not to open your arms until the end of the runway. The audience must appreciate the subtlety of thece.¡±


    Courney said nothing, walking to the entrance, waiting to be called.


    Each of the models elegantly walked the runway. It was Courney¡¯s turn. She came out radiant with a modeled smile, wearing a sleeveless whitece dress. When she reached the edge of the stage, she opened her arms. Thece pulled, the magical sp at the back of the dress and a ribbon in the front connecting the two parts of the dress, it fell like a waterfall, without giving her time to react.


    Some present were left with their mouths open; others started gossiping. The camera shes kept blinking, and the young ones took out their mobile phones.


    Courney waspletely naked, only in her underwear. Her reaction was to cover her breasts with her hands, and she began to sob while screaming.


    ¡°This is your fault, you wretch. You¡¯ll pay for this. Turn off the damn cameras.¡±


    People didn¡¯t know who she was talking about; they just looked at each other embarrassed. There were also those who felt sorry for the girl.


    A man who was a guest quickly got on stage and put his coat around her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with your dirty perverted hands,¡± she screamed hysterically.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to cover you so they won¡¯t keep staring,¡± the man shouted.


    ¡°Who asked for your help, idiot?¡±


    The man of sorrow turned around, leaving her alone on the stage, and immediately stepped down. Courtney, nervous, threw a tantrum. Her stomach growled, and spontaneously, unable to control it, she released some foul-smelling intestinal gases. Those nearby had to move a few meters away due to the unpleasant odor.


    John and Kathen managed to reach her and took her out from the backstage. Freed kept his distance,ughing as he calcted who was the perpetrator of that misdeed.


    ¡®Poor friend of mine, if he ys a trick on my sister-inw, I¡¯d rather have her as a friend.¡¯


    An hour earlier, he observed a red-haired woman with wavy hair and green eyes that caught his attention. She headed to the dressing room assigned to the models. Later, a young man in colorful clothing and sses entered.


    Lindsey found amusement in watching the spectacle. Courtney owed her several punishments, and she was collecting on one of them, for all the times Courtney had humiliated her since she was eight. Lindsey shuddered with remorse because that wasn¡¯t her nature, but she knew that if she didn¡¯t teach her a lesson and show her what she was capable of, Courtney would continue to humiliate her.


    ¡®I hope, sister, that with this punishment, you understand that you can¡¯t keep trampling on me; otherwise, I¡¯ll make you pay dearly,¡¯ she murmured under her breath.


    Kyle studied every gesture in his wife¡¯s expression and, with a mischievous smile, said, ¡°Do you have anything to do with this?¡±


    Lindsey startled, lowered her gaze a bit, and with a sweet voice replied, ¡°No! Why would it have to be me? Knowing her, she must have more enemies.¡±


    Nervousness betrayed her. Kyle, with a deep and sensual voice, spoke close to her ear, ¡°Your nose is going to grow like Pinhio, you little trickster. I already have your punishment in mind.¡±


    Lindsey was paralyzed, trying to stammer something, but she didn¡¯t know what to say.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Grandpa Hugo, recovering fromughter, intervened, ¡°Dear granddaughter, you nailed it with that revenge. Remember that in this type of event, nothing happens that I don¡¯t know about.¡± He looked at his grandson. ¡°You apany me for a moment; Sussan will stay with my granddaughter for a second.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Sussan observed her son with a special sparkle in her eyes that highlighted his masculine features, making him appear more rxed. She deduced that it was because of the woman in front of him, who also had his father excited with her actions.


    ¡°Lin! Would you like a ss of wine? You seem very tense,¡± Sussan eximed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin replied, downing the ss of wine in one go. She knows she needs it; nerves are consuming her.


    ¡°Rx! I don¡¯t know what happened there and why it happened, but for my dad to say that andugh like that means he supports you. I¡¯m not using you of anything because I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Sussan reassured, taking a sip of wine and ncing at her blushing daughter-inw.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need another ss of wine,¡± Lindsey called a waiter and took two more sses of wine.


    Meanwhile, Kyle and Grandpa Hugo walked to an office in the venue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to interrupt us,¡± the old man told one of his bodyguards.


    ¡°Did you know that little troublemaker was going to make this scene in front of our clients, and you let her?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°Freed noticed the movements of Lin¡¯s friends, and I let her take revenge on her sister. Freed took care of erasing the images of those two young men and any traces they left in that room where the models are. We have to protect my granddaughter¡¯s integrity,¡± Grandpa Hugo exined.


    ¡°Why did you allow it?¡± Kyle inquired.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± the old man sat in front of a desk. ¡°The night of the event at the Lennox Hotel was very confusing. I saw the hatred in her family¡¯s expression towards that girl, so I decided to investigate.¡± The old man turned on theputer and yed a video.


    ¡°Watch it for yourself.¡±


    Kyle clenched his fists, and his blue eyes turned almost ck as he watched the video. It showed Lindsey being dragged into a room by two young men, with her sister following, and all threeughing as they left five minutester.


    ¡°I want the names of those young men. They will pay for what they did to Lin,¡± Kyle demanded.


    ¡°Calm down and listen to me. The young men confessed that they didn¡¯t touch Lin. Courney had deceived them, saying that Lin dressed like that as a facade, pretending to be a good girl, and had been involved with an ex-boyfriend out of envy. The photos were intended for posting on the inte. I met with the parents of the boys, and they were punished and sent abroad.¡±


    ¡°What else do you know?¡± Kyle asked.


    The old man yed another video in the elevator, showing the card switch, and it was Courney who took the wrong one.


    ¡°There you can see why you entered the wrong room. I investigated and found out that Courney had leaked a supposed waiter into the event and had a room reserved at the hotel.¡±


    ¡°How did she do it? The hotel was avable to the event executives, and security was monitoring the ascent of the event staff and guests.¡±


    ¡°Courney seduced the hotel manager and requested a room for that event night. She also convinced the man by saying that the waiter was a rtive who needed a job. She sweet-talked him, and my idiot fell for her charms.¡±


    ¡°I want that guy ruined,¡± Kyle was outraged by what he heard.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of that. He won¡¯t manage or get a simr job in his life. He¡¯s in the process of divorce; his wife found out how he repays favors.¡±


    ¡°If you knew all this, why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡± Kyle questioned.


    ¡°Because I wanted them to develop feelings beyond being forced into marriage. Now I can see that you understand each other. I don¡¯t want you to ruin it for Catrina.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, you know Catrina is an orphan. Her parents died in the car that collided with the ck truck on the day of my failed kidnapping. Since then, I swore to protect her. I won¡¯t deny that I was excited about her, and I wanted to marry her. But now, my feelings have changed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you a thousand times that what happened to that couple wasn¡¯t your fault. They were in the wrong ce at the wrong time. As for Catrina, she¡¯s an ambitious person with you for your money. I¡¯ve told you this repeatedly, provided evidence, but you¡¯re blind to it. I just want you to rify your feelings and not hurt Lin because she¡¯s a smart girl who worked her way through college. At 19, she¡¯s a fashion designer.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Grandpa. I¡¯ll talk to Catrina. I¡¯ll remove her from thepany and support her financially until she finds a stable job.¡±


    Kyle sighed, thinking about Catrina and what she¡¯s been through after losing her parents. He has supported her through moments of depression, feeling responsible for their deaths. However, Lin has entered his mind, and he can¡¯t stop thinking about her. He wanted to sneak into her room at night, but she cleverly ced a lock on the door. Under his breath, he whispered, ¡®I have to let Catrina go her own way.¡¯


    The grandfather was silent, analyzing his grandson¡¯s face. He smiled and stood up, moving towards the door as he said, ¡°I hope so. If I see Lin suffering because of that woman, you¡¯ll get to know me.¡±


    They both left the office in silence.


    The handsome man approached his wife with tenderness in his eyes. His heart shook to see her distressed. He extended his hand, and as she took it, their fingers intertwined with tenderness.


    ¡°Little troublemaker, it¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    ¡®Oh God, I think I¡¯m in trouble,¡¯ she eximed mentally.


    ¡°Yes, son, take her. She¡¯s tense, and she¡¯s had four sses of wine in a row.¡±


    ¡°Sweetheart, can I give you a kiss?¡± Kyle asked, wrapping his strong arms around her petite waist.


    Lindsey melted at his words. Unable to resist the attraction, she sighed and pouted.


    Kyle interpreted her silence as a yes and kissed her gently, not caring about the onlookers. He pulled her arm, and they left.

 Chapter 23

    Inside the car, Kyle seated Lindsey on hisp, raised the window separating them from the driver, and began kissing her with sweetness and possession. He couldn¡¯t resist the desire to have her; her beauty had him captivated.


    Lindsey wanted to get off hisp; he held onto her like an octopus. The driver crossed her mind.


    ¡°Kyle, don¡¯t be a pervert. Let go; Maximo can hear us.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? You¡¯re my wife, and I desire you now.¡± He ran his tongue along the edge of her lips.


    Lindsey felt a heat rising in her body. She didn¡¯t resist, wrapping her arms around the irresistible man in front of her. She hiked up her dress, straddled him, and positioned herself facing him, cing a leg on each side of his waist, pressing against his groin, and began kissing him passionately.


    Kyle couldn¡¯t believe how sensual she looked while trying to control his impulses.


    ¡°Lin, stop, or I won¡¯t be able to make it home. I¡¯m going to make love to you so intensely that even the guards following us will know I¡¯m giving you a good tumble.¡±


    Kyle lowered the partition window and growled, ¡°Maximo, speed up the car; I urgently need to get home.¡±


    Maximo nodded and smiled, happy for his grumpy boss. Lindsey nestled her head on his neck to conceal how flushed and embarrassed she felt. She felt the dampness between her legs. Upon reaching the mansion, she wanted to get off on her own, but he didn¡¯t allow it, carrying her in his strong arms.


    ¡°Let me go; I can walk on my own.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    Kyle, with a sly smile, walked straight to his room without saying a word. Upon reaching it, he threw her on the bed and positioned himself in front of her.


    ¡°Why did you retaliate like that?¡±


    He said it with a sexual and tremendously serious tone that quickened her heartbeat.


    ¡°I just avenged one of the many things she owed me. I did what she dreamed of-having fame and being seen by everyone. I fulfilled her dream.¡±


    ¡°Lin, do you know how risky what you and your friends didst night was? Don¡¯t do something like that again without informing me. You left a lot of evidence. Freed had to take care of covering their tracks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what she did against me was too much, and the guys just helped me. I don¡¯t want to get them into trouble.¡±


    Kyle sighed deeply. Today, he understood the battle his little one faces with her family. He sees her strong and spirited, but he can¡¯t help but support her.


    ¡°Little one, I worry about you. This can¡¯t happen again without me knowing. Now, little coquette, I¡¯m going to make you pay for what you did at the party.¡±


    Lindsey reluctantly sat up, remembering that woman. She stood in front of him and protested.


    ¡°Speaking of the party, why don¡¯t you go find Catrina? She knows you better than I do.¡±


    Kyle widened his eyes.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jealous?¡± He took a step forward.


    ¡°Well, I have no reason to be.¡±


    He caught her hands and bent down until his eyes were at her level.


    ¡°Lin, that woman is just a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend? Friends with benefits, you mean.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a simple friend.¡±


    ¡®A friend who knows perfectly well what she¡¯s doing! It¡¯s clear she doesn¡¯t settle for just being your friend,¡¯ she recited in her mind.


    Kyle gently caressed her cheek with his fingers.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve rified the ce this woman holds in my life, can we talk about yours?¡±


    ¡®What?¡¯ She stepped back.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she managed to articte with a thread of voice.


    He smiled mischievously.


    -I mean you in my bed, beneath me, uttering my name.


    Lindsey,pletely flushed, let herself be carried away by the man who was giving her heated kisses on her neck and pressing her against his body. She had no strength, neither physically nor mentally, to stop him.


    Kyle gently grabbed her chin and moved closer to her lips, capturing them. His eager tongue made its way into her mouth, exploring and savoring its surroundings. She felt a shiver run through her entire body and a moist warmth between her legs as he grabbed her buttocks and pushed her forward, allowing her to feel the hard bulge that brushed her sensitive area.


    He pulled away from her to catch his breath, resting his forehead against hers.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re mine, Lin.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± She was desperate to feel him inside her again, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved her hips.


    Kyle didn¡¯t waste any time and turned her around to unzip her dress, which fell to the floor. The unbearable heat between her legs was driving him crazy.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to possess every inch of your body.¡± He leaned in and kissed her exposed neck. The cool breath and warmth of his tongue caused a delightful shiver in her. She tilted her head back and shrugged her shoulders to relieve the chills on her skin.


    He lifted her like a feather and ced her on the bed, delicately removing her sandals. Standing beside the bed, he gazed at her, smiled, and began unbuttoning his shirt. When he finally reached thest button, he threw his shoulders back and took it off.


    He removed his ck shoes and socks, freed himself from his pants, and his immense erection was evident in his boxer briefs. She focused her gaze on his perfect chest, moved down to his t and sculpted abdomen, and fixed her eyes on his crotch. Her mouth watered at the sight of that evident bulge struggling to break free from the confinement.


    ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡±


    Her mind felt curious, unable to control her impulses, she nodded.


    He approached the edge of the bed, reached for her hand, gently pulled her to sit at the edge, and ced her hand on his boxer briefs. Feeling that contact, her desire overflowed, and she let out a moan of satisfaction.

 Chapter 24

    She shamelessly ced a hand on each side of his boxer briefs and lowered them to the end of his feet. He finished taking them off and rolled them aside. Her gaze was filled with lust as she grabbed his firm member with one hand and used the other to caress it with the tips of her fingers.


    ¡°Caress it with your mouth?¡± he sensually eximed.


    Lindsey lowered her head and licked its tip. Sensing a viscous, not unpleasant but rather enticing liquid, like a spring, she took it into her mouth, feeling his pulsating red veins dance as he groaned.


    Kyle emitted a pleasure-filled snore, immersed in a memorable sensation. He lifted her by the shoulders, and she flew lightly through the air tond on white sheets. He positioned himself between her legs, his erection pressing against her entrance. He grabbed her wrists and brought both hands to each side of her head. His arms were fully stretched, supported by the privileged part of his body.


    She felt his erect member, stimting the entrance of her intimacy, and her heart began to gallop in her chest as she concentrated on lustful sapphires.


    He moved his hips and desperately sank into her. He couldn¡¯t hold back any longer; he needed to possess herpletely. The way she moved her mouth on his member drove him insane.


    Both emitted sounds of pleasure at the same time.


    Kyle devoured her mouth while entering and exiting her at a rapid and forceful pace. He suddenly interrupted the kiss and, panting, said, ¡°Does it drive you crazy, little one?¡±


    She wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips, letting him prate her intensely. His persistent thrusts created waves of ecstasy in her.


    Their sweaty bodies collided, and they were breathless. She tried to control the pressure building between her legs, hoping she would climax.


    ¡°Kyle, I can¡¯t hold on-ahh¡­ anymore.¡± She shamelessly climaxed; her back arched, emitting a celestial moan.


    He dly climaxed as he felt her interior squeezing his member eagerly, letting out a victorious growl.


    He rested his forearms on each side of her head, caught his breath as thest drop of his ejaction came out. He ced his forehead next to hers, closing his eyes.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Unable to resist, he felt ready for a second round. In one swift motion, he lifted her and ced her on all fours. The sight was magnificent-her curves and that fair skin activated him. He entered her in one thrust and thrust with the same enthusiasm as before.


    She moaned uncontrobly, lowered her arms, and rested her head on the sheets, giving him more depth to sink into her.


    He pulled out of her,y on the bed in one movement, and pulled her onto him.


    ¡°Beautiful little one, move your hips, sink all the way, I want to hear your belly hitting my testicles.¡±


    She began moving shamelessly. He grabbed her breasts with his hands, kneaded them, nibbled them gently, licked and sucked them at his leisure, making her moan pleasurably.


    ¡°It feels so good, Kyle, I love you,¡± she whispered to convulse with ecstasy.


    Upon hearing her, he smiled, pulled her tremblingly, captured her lips, and pressing her to his body, gave her a few strong thrusts. He let out a charming growl, with elerated breathing, embraced her, and cuddled her to his chest. Regaining strength, he murmured.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done to me, little one. I can¡¯t tell you that I love you, but I can tell you that I love your angelic face, your body, your vani scent, your golden hair, your way of giving love to others, your personality. I love everything about you. You¡¯ve entered my heart little by little, and the moment I made you mine, you have no idea about the wet dreams I¡¯ve had and the urge to break down the door of your room. Now you¡¯re a part of my life, and I¡¯m not going to let you go.¡±


    Lindsey was happy to hear his words, even if he didn¡¯t love her the way she did, she liked knowing that she held a ce in his heart.


    Kyle closed his eyes as shey on his chest. He listened to her snore, which made himugh. He adjusted her beside him, embracing her and resting his jaw beneath her head.


    The next day, Lindsey woke up with the most pleasant sensation she had ever felt in her life. She snuggled into the warmth that fascinated her until she heard the gentle voice of the man holding her close to his chest.


    ¡°Mischievous little one! Did you sleep well?¡± he whisperedzily, observing her close to his body, more rxed this time, grateful to have her near.


    ¡°Everything hurts. I don¡¯t want to get up. You left me without energy,¡± sheined with a pout.


    Kyle burst intoughter, bringing his mouth close to the entrance of her ear, he whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t get up, I won¡¯t go to thepany to resolve the mess fromst night, and you¡¯ll stay in bed doing something more productive.¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s eyes widened, and she sprang up.


    ¡°You¡¯re a pervert, trying to tie me down. I better go shower.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t you dare. My private area hurts; you¡¯re a lustful man.¡±


    As Lindsey got up abruptly, she noticed that her legs were trembling. He lifted her in his armszily, entered the bathroom as she protested, helped her settle into the tub, and prepared water with vani fragrances. They bathed together.


    Both got ready and went downstairs for breakfast. Emilia saw them descend the stairs calmly, with an intoxicating aura that pleased her. ¡®It seems like these two are meant to be together.¡¯


    In the dining room, Kyle announced, ¡°Starting today, you¡¯ll have two bodyguards with you at all times.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up for discussion! Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± He grabbed her hand, and they left the house, heading to the parking lot. They stood in front of a four-door, red Mercedes Benz Gle-ss.


    Kyle took out keys from his pocket and handed them to her.


    ¡°This is your car. I don¡¯t want you taking buses and searching for danger. You¡¯ll ept it without protesting.¡±


    Lindsey was amazed by the car. She never dreamed of having a car like that in her life. Excited, she hugged him and gave him a soft kiss.


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s beautiful. I promise to take care of it. I love the color.¡±


    Kyle, excited for her, mentioned, ¡°Now, little one, I¡¯m off to thepany. See youter.¡± He said goodbye with a tender kiss.


    Maximo was waiting for him in the ck Magdad.


    ¡°Can I invite Janna, Stefany, and Luan to the house?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is your home, and you can do whatever you want.¡±


    Kyle turned his back and got into the car. She entered the house enthusiastically.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Friend, Lindsey went all out; she gave a tremendous lesson to Courtney in front of the cameras. This is a trigger for her family to retaliate against her. They know she¡¯s changed and won¡¯t let herself be trampled on,¡± Freed expressed, sitting on the other side of the desk.


    ¡°I¡¯ve assigned two bodyguards to watch her every move. Take care of our cameramen and the recordings they made of the models. Ensure that Pratt Company, the fashion house, and our designers don¡¯t suffer any harm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ready. The cameras on-site didn¡¯t record anything, and I cleaned up the ce where those two pests were. There¡¯s no evidence they were at the event.¡±


    ¡°I want you to get the photos Courtney has of my wife with those two guys and make them disappear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that. The hacker will check all of Courtney¡¯s devices and digital storage and do his job. I¡¯ve also infiltrated someone into her house to check every corner and look for physical photos,¡± Freed calmly exined.


    ¡°We need to keep an eye on every move that family makes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you want to protect her.¡±


    While the two friends were talking, three young people arrived at the mansion.


    ¡°Lin, we should have been more cautious. Luckily, your husband supports us,¡± Luan said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they recognized us with our disguises. I¡¯m thrilled to be a redhead with green eyes,¡± Lindsey replied.


    ¡°Courtney doesn¡¯t know you guys; she knows me,¡± Janna said, taking a bite of a cookie.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I insisted you not get involved. If she recognized you, the whole n would have been ruined,¡± Lindsey pointed out.


    Luan burst into excitedughter. ¡°Lin, have you seen social media? Your sister is controversial.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had time.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s theughingstock for some, others pity her, and some criticize her actions on camera,¡± Stefany expressed.


    ¡°Theybel her as spoiled, conceited, and ill-mannered, based on how she treated the poor man who went on stage to help her,¡± Luan argued.


    ¡°What can we expect from a person without scruples?¡±


    ¡°Now you have to be alert. That family won¡¯t stay idle,¡± a concerned Janna stated, knowing in detail how malicious they could be.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be surprised if they try to attack me.¡±


    After chatting for a few hours, the friends said their goodbyes. Lindsey was reading a book on the living room sofa when she felt someone approaching. She didn¡¯t have time to react when the man was devouring her mouth.


    ¡°Mischievous little one, did you miss me?¡± he interrupted the kiss and straightened up again.


    She stood up coquettishly, ced her elbows on his shoulders, and gave him another passionate kiss.


    Kyle, with a lustful smile, gave her a once-over. ¡°You¡¯re very affectionate.¡±


    ¡°I feel like it,¡± she traced a sweet smile on his lips.


    ¡°I feel like something else.¡± He lifted her in his arms and quickly ascended the stairs, entered the room, and undressed. Together, they prepared the tub and entered. Kyle cleaned her body, and she did the same. While touching each other, they made intense and passionate love. Afterward, they continued in the bedroom and fell asleep.


    Lindsey woke up and tried to get up quietly, but an agile hand stopped her.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to my room to change, and I¡¯m also hungry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have things brought to our room.¡± He ced her in front of him. ¡°Why do I have to sleep alone? I have someone to embrace.¡±


    Lindsey nodded with a smile from ear to ear and sighed as she left the room. They had dinner together, and she told him about how she came to the foster home, her friends, and her ns to be a recognized designer. Heughed at her antics.


    Kyle came out of the bathroom, entered the bed, and hugged her around the waist.


    ¡®How can I not be in love with this man? He¡¯s so handsome, sexy, and in his muscles, I feel protected,¡¯ she whispered to herself.


    The next day, Kyle was caressing her cheeks.


    ¡°Let me sleep; it¡¯s Sunday,¡± she expressed without opening her eyes.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Come on, sleepyhead. It¡¯s already 11 in the morning, and you haven¡¯t had breakfast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your fault. You steal my energy,¡± she replied, pouting.


    Kyle burst intoughter, and she slowly opened her eyes, swallowing hard as she saw him jovial without a shirt.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± he inquired, calming hisughter.


    ¡°I like yourugh; it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    He dangerously climbed on top of her, gave her a breath-stealing kiss, and sensually whispered, ¡°Yours is even more beautiful, my little one.¡± He kissed her again and got off her. ¡°If you keep teasing me, we won¡¯t leave the bed. Come on, get up. Let¡¯s have breakfast; I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    She got out of bed, entered the bathroom, and freshened up. When she came out wrapped in a towel, he wasn¡¯t there anymore. She dressed and went downstairs. She found him in the kitchen, serving breakfast on two tes.


    ¡°I hope you like the food; I made it myself,¡± he said, wearing an apron with a spat in his hands.


    ¡°It looks delicious. My coffee is missing,¡± she remarked, seeing a te with an arepa, scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you made this too?¡± He ced a cup of coffee on the table.


    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m also good in the kitchen.¡±


    She felt embarrassed by herment and, not knowing what to say, asked, ¡°Where are Emilia and dys?¡±


    ¡°I gave them the day off. We¡¯re alone in the house, so you can take advantage of me as much as you want,¡± he said with a yful smile, seeing her cheeks turn as red as a tomato. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, and then we can go to the cinema to watch a movie. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sounds like a good idea.¡± ¡®Oh God, this man wants to kill me, but not with hunger,¡¯ she verbalized mentally.


    On Monday morning, Kyle was reviewing hisputer when he heard amotion. He got up, opened the door, and heard,


    ¡°You¡¯re nobody to stop me. I¡¯m going to get you fired.¡±


    ¡°Catrina! Here in thispany, I¡¯m the one who decides who stays and who goes,¡± he asserted threateningly.


    ¡°She treated me badly,¡± Catrina approached flirtatiously, attempting to kiss him, but Kyle dodged her.


    Rebeca rolled her eyes, ¡®This woman is starting her drama again. I¡¯ll never understand what the young man saw in her.¡¯


    ¡°Bettere in. We need to talk.¡±


    Catrina walked past Rebeca, making a triumphant expression with her eyes.

 Chapter 26

    Kyle circled his desk and sat in hisrge chair; she followed him coquettishly, intending to sit on hisp, but he stopped her with a hand.


    ¡°Catrina, you better sit down,¡± he eximed, cold as ice.


    Catrina, taken aback, opened her eyes wide. For the first time since she¡¯s known him, she feels fear in the words of the man before her. She turned away, taking sensual steps, swaying her hips to appear attractive. She sat in front of the desk, crossing one leg over the other, partially opening them. She lifted her dress to reveal a part of her intimate clothing, pushed her chest forward to emphasize her voluptuous breasts, ran a hand through her hair, delicately cing it forward. Then, she moistened her lower lip with her tongue and bit it with a lustful smile.


    ¡°Catrina, lower your dress and sit properly,¡± he rified in a threatening tone.


    ¡°Tell me you don¡¯t like what you see.¡±


    ¡°Catrina, we need to keep our distance. Starting today, you will not work in thepany, and I¡¯ll continue helping you until you can find a job and rebuild your life.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t do this to me, Kyle. You can¡¯t just throw me out of thispany like a dog. Remember that I love you. I¡¯ve been proving my love for five years, devoting myself to you,¡± she began to shed tears, desperate, shouting sarcastically, ¡°This is how you repay me? What happened to ¡®I¡¯ll never leave you alone, and I¡¯ll always protect you¡¯?¡±


    She never thought the day woulde when he would reject her. She always dreamed of being Mrs. Pratt.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll help you financially. I¡¯ll cancel the credit cards under my name, and you¡¯ll receive a monthly sum for your expenses. You decide how to distribute it. This will continue until you establish yourself as a model in anotherpany. You¡¯re a beautiful model who can find work based on your talent.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re throwing away what we had. We had ns. After the time of your damn marriage passed, we were going to get married. Your grandfather was going to let you live your life without the threat of removing you from the presidency.¡± Victimizing herself, she continued, ¡°A few months ago, you wanted to marry me. Where¡¯s that affectionate man who made me happy?¡±


    Kyle stared at her, feelingpassion. Five years of knowing her, memories shed in his mind.


    She came to thepany helpless, seeking a job. She convinced him by saying she was an orphan with no family, her parents having died on the day of her kidnapping attempt. They gradually developed a rtionship. She was the only one he went out with publicly, entered his office without permission, and spent nights at his luxurious apartment. She sought him out to relieve his stress, and as a reward, he covered her expenses. It was she who insisted on marriage. Kyle thought what he felt was love and agreed, but his grandfather set a condition. When Catrina found out, she proposed canceling the wedding and waiting. After being with Lindsey, he discovered what real love was-thinking and wishing to be with someone. That¡¯s when he realized his feelings for Catrina were not love but pity. He needed to let her make her life away from him. Returning to reality, he growled.


    ¡°Things have changed. Back then, we didn¡¯t get married for you. When you found out I wouldn¡¯t continue with the presidency, you said it was better to wait until my grandfather came to his senses.¡±


    ¡°I reconsidered for both of us. Thispany is your legacy, and if I took it from you, what would happen to your financial status? How would we survive?¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Always thinking about money. I don¡¯t want to argue anymore. Please leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of your wife, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t tell me you fell in love with that insignificant woman.¡± Rage was consuming her, and control was slipping through her fingers.


    ¡°Thank you for not dragging my wife into this,¡± he scolded angrily. For some reason, he didn¡¯t like it when people spoke ill of his wife. ¡°Leave my office, please.¡±


    ¡°I love you, I love you, don¡¯t leave me, my love,¡± she screamed hysterically, tears streaming down her face.


    Kyle, annoyed by the drama, leaned forward, narrowed his eyes, and with a harsh tone repeated, ¡°If you don¡¯t leave my office now, I¡¯ll have to have you escorted out by one of my men.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m leaving, but I swear I¡¯ll get back at you for this,¡± she wiped the tears from her face, regained herposure, stood up, turned her back, and walked out as if nothing had happened.


    That evening, Kyle felt the need to be with his wife. Without thinking, he shut down theputer and left the office. As he passed by his secretary, hemented, ¡°Rebeca, you can go home, see you tomorrow.¡± With his briefcase in hand, he turned around and disappeared from his secretary¡¯s view without waiting for a response.


    Rebeca smiled; she has been working with her boss for years, knows his character, and knows that behind that facade of a cold and calcting man is someone who cares about his employees. For the past three weeks, she has noticed a change in him. His gaze is no longer harsh; on the contrary, it seems more rxed. Before, he would spend hours in his office and leavete at night. Now, he leaves the office early and has a better expression on his face.


    Lindsey was arriving home, parked the car, grabbed her purse from the passenger seat, and got out. As she walked towards the entrance of the house, she heard a rude voice just before entering.


    ¡°You damn wretch, we know it was you who damaged our daughter¡¯s reputation. How could you harm your sister like that?¡± Kathen spat venomously, and Courney¡¯s integrity was on the ground. She hadn¡¯t left her room since Friday.


    Lindsey squinted, turned around, and observed them. She couldn¡¯t believe they were so cynical to show up at her house. They knew all the wrongs that her stepsister did to her, yet they said nothing. They punished her, and now that she retaliated, they appeared offended like the vermin they are.

 Chapter 27

    ¡°Gentlemen, I would appreciate it if you leave my house and spare us the insults. Who knows who might be seeking retribution for the ones your daughter has caused,¡± Lindsey dered firmly.


    ¡°What do you mean, gentlemen? We raised you. You ungrateful wretch,¡± Kathen retorted, arrogant and haughty.


    ¡°What should I be grateful for? For the beatings I endured in that house that belonged to my mother? For being held captive because my so-called father could lose her? For the times I went to bed hungry as a child because I couldn¡¯t prepare my own food? For the humiliations you subjected me to whenever our paths crossed? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. After years of contempt and insults, do you really think I owe you anything?¡± Lindsey spoke with strength, trying to appear brave even though she was trembling with fear inside.


    Kathen was outraged by Lindsey¡¯s defiance and decided to teach her a lesson. She took a step forward, raising her hand.


    ¡°You insignificant wretch, I¡¯ll teach you respect!¡± she shouted, lifting her hand high.


    Witnessing Kathen¡¯s intentions, Lindsey summoned courage and grabbed her by the wrist, forcefully pushing her and causing the woman to fall. Her backside made a painful sound as it hit the floor.


    ¡°Never again in your life will youy a hand on me,¡± Lindsey dered, showing resilience.


    However, Lindsey didn¡¯t anticipate her father¡¯s move.


    ¡°How dare you hit your mother? I will teach you respect,¡± John yelled, delivering a furious p to Lindsey¡¯s face, causing her mouth to bleed.


    Lindsey, rubbing her cheek with bloodshot eyes, eximed, ¡°How dare you touch me! This is thest time I allow you to touch me. I disown you as my father. You never were one. It took me too long to realize that the love you showed was for my mother. After she died, you revealed the monster you are.¡±


    Before Lindsey could stop him, John pped him in the face. Nimbly, Jackson jumped on John, pinning him to the ground while bending his arm. He knew he could face termination for failing to stop the assault on the Chief¡¯s wife.


    As John screamed in pain, Kathen struck Jackson¡¯s back, demanding he release her husband and threatening to get him fired.


    Kyle arrived at that moment, noticing his wife¡¯s swollen cheek and bloody mouth. Enraged, he red disapprovingly at Jackson and Pither, his wife¡¯s bodyguards, who lowered their heads.


    ¡°You should fire this bastard for twisting your father-inw¡¯s arm,¡± Kathen suggested proudly, thinking Kyle was upset with him for mistreating them.


    Lindsey, understanding why her husband looked at the men as if wanting to kill them, approached and looked into his beautiful sapphires.


    ¡°My love, Kathen tried to hit me, but I stopped her. However, that man iming to be my father caught me off guard. The guys didn¡¯t have time to protect me. It¡¯s not their fault for the actions of those vermin.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re here to prevent these actions. Look at your beautiful mouth, how he left it,¡± Kathen argued.


    Kathen couldn¡¯t believe what she saw in Kyle¡¯s eyes. This man genuinely cared for that illegitimate child. She was terrified when she saw him turn his head, his eyes shooting mes. In her defense, she added, ¡°Kyle, we came here to talk to our daughter. We know she masterminded harming her sister, who loves her so much. Courtney hasn¡¯t stopped crying because of the maliciousments people make. Her morale is shattered due to the misfortune caused by Lindsey¡¯s malice. That woman is a danger; she has always been envious of her sister, and what happened at the event is proof of that.¡±


    ¡°Is there proof that it was my wife?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of that woman.


    ¡°She took care to erase the evidence, but we¡¯re sure it was her because it¡¯s not the first time she¡¯s attacked her sister. You should be careful; that woman is cunning. We just came to ask for justice for Courtney and for you to punish her for what she¡¯s done,¡± she put on a victimized look, almost shedding tears.


    ¡°I will take care of sanctioning her. Tonight, I will punish her severely and very harshly.¡±


    Kyle emphasized thest two words, Lindsey swallowed nervously, and her face turned red. She immediately understood what kind of punishment he was referring to.


    Kyle looked at Jackson without remorse, pointing.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Destroy the hand she used to hit my wife and send him straight to the hospital,¡± he turned his gaze to John. ¡°Next time, think beforeying a finger on my wife. If you do it again, I¡¯ll pull out my shares from yourpany, bankrupt it, and you won¡¯t have a ce to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Jackson responded.


    John, in pain, panicked, and when he tried to speak, he was dragged away by two men.


    ¡°As for you, madam, if you have nothing else to say, disappear from my sight.¡±


    ¡°What will happen with the scandal and humiliation that my daughter suffered?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, because we have nothing to do with it. Tell your daughter that she is fired. If she tries toe to thepany, she will be forcibly removed by security. Also, let her know to stay away from my wife. If she doesn¡¯t want to go to jail for drugging and defaming Lin with some pictures, and I have proof of that, keep her there for a long time,¡± he growled menacingly.


    Kyle signaled to his bodyguards, who escorted Kathen out. He embraced his wife, feeling a pang in his heart seeing her so battered.


    ¡°Look at how they left your beautiful cheek,¡± he entered the house with her,id her on the sofa, and went to the kitchen. He searched the fridge for a cold pack, grabbed it, turned around, and returned to his wife. He tilted her head forward, sat in that space, and gently rested her head on his legs while cing the cold pack on her cheek.


    Lindsey was amazed at how he defended her, looking at him with admiration.


    ¡°Thank you for standing up for me. I don¡¯t want to cause you trouble because of me.¡±


    ¡°You are my priority, and I won¡¯t let them hurt you. The next one from that family who messes with you, I will destroy,¡± he whispered, giving her a kiss on the forehead. ¡°Come, let¡¯s have dinner.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Kyle got up with her, and they headed to the kitchen. dys saw her with the swollen cheek, surprised, but didn¡¯t want to ask to avoid being intrusive.


    ¡°What happened, my girl? Oh God, who did this to you?¡± Emilia was entering the kitchen at that moment, and when she saw her face, she covered her mouth.


    Lindsey began to tell her what had happened.


    ¡°I wish I could have been there to put those two in their ce. They have no scruples to mistreat a sweet and kind girl like you. I¡¯m sorry that you have such people as family in your life.¡±


    Lindsey shrugged, dys served them the food, and they began to eat together.


    After finishing dinner, Kyle took her by the hand and led her towards the stairs. Once in the bedroom,


    ¡°Lin, I have to punish you. I promised that woman, and today you caused chaos. You need to be more careful.¡±


    ¡°But I was the one wronged. Look at my swollen cheek. You¡¯re a pervert, lustful¡­¡± she grumbled discontentedly and began to protest.


    ¡°Your cheek is better than when I found you, and I am a man of my word.¡±


    Kyle lifted her in his arms and ced her on the bed. Between kisses and caresses, they undressed. He whispered to her as he prated.


    ¡°You could put up a bit of resistance to make me believe you¡¯re upset.¡±


    ¡®Who could resist the kisses and desires of this man?¡¯ She didn¡¯t answer, just let herself be carried away by the passion and lust filling the room.


    A week passed, and a person with a deep cut on the arm appeared at the hospital, admitted urgently. The on-call doctor stopped the bleeding and sutured the wound, which was not as deep as initially thought.


    ¡°Family of Mrs. Catrina Cooper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an acquaintance. Tell me, doctor, how is she?¡± Kyle asked anxiously.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°She is stable, nothing serious. When the effects of anesthesia wear off, she will be discharged,¡± the doctor approached Kyle. ¡°Here are the prescriptions and instructions for the medications. Bring her back in 5 days to remove the stitches.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    An hour earlier, Kyle had received a call from Catrina, crying desperately.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be in your life anymore. I won¡¯t be a burden to you. Soon, I¡¯ll be reunited with my parents. If you don¡¯t love me, I have no reason to keep living,¡± she hung up without waiting for a response.


    Terrified, he rushed out of the office, called his driver to wait at the building¡¯s entrance, and hurriedly got into the car.


    ¡°Max, elerate, take me to my apartment.¡±


    Upon arrival, he saw Catrina in the tub, unconscious. Her head rested on the tub¡¯s edge, with an arm outside, and drops of blood sttered on the floor next to a de. He approached in horror, took her in his arms, and left the ce.


    Within minutes, they reached the hospital, and Kyle entered running with Catrina in his arms, shouting for a doctor. A nurse received the patient¡¯s information, while the doctor carried her in his arms.


    Kyle waited impatiently in the waiting room, feeling very irritated and unsure of what to do.


    ¡®For Catrina, I feel nothing, not even attraction, and for my wife, I feel everything. I will do everything to make this marriage work.¡¯


    He snapped out of his thoughts abruptly when a nurse approached and spoke to him.


    ¡°You are Mrs. Catrina¡¯s husband.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m a friend, but tell me, can I take her?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Catrina has already reacted. You can go to the administration to pay, and then you can take her home.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he went to the cashier and paid the medical expenses.


    Catrina was awake, waiting for Kyle to enter. When she woke up, she asked the nurse who brought her, and she responded that it was a young man. She smiled knowing who it was, then put on a sad face when she saw him enter.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Why did you save me? You should have let me die,¡± she started crying uncontrobly.


    ¡°You need to calm down. Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die than live without your affection.¡±


    ¡°Catrina, understand, I don¡¯t love you, and taking your life is not the solution. Do you think that by doing this, you will make me be with you again?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I can ept that you don¡¯t love me, but please don¡¯t leave me alone. At least let¡¯s be friends. I promise not to interfere in your marriage.¡±


    He scratched his head, unsure if it was a good idea, but he agreed.


    ¡°Fine, we can be friends. Come on, I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    He helped her get out of bed; she hooked onto his arm, and they slowly walked out of the hospital. The journey was silent. Upon arrival, he helped her out of the car and apanied her to the room. He settled her in bed, ced some medicines with the prescriptions on a small table next to the bed, went to the kitchen, and found a pitcher of water with a ss, cing them on the table as well.


    ¡°Catrina, I have to leave. Here are the instructions with the times you should take the medicines. Please don¡¯t make things more difficult and take them on time.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to leave me alone? I feel bad. Please don¡¯t leave me alone. Just for today, stay,¡± she pleaded with the need to be with him.


    ¡°Catrina, don¡¯t start. If I agreed to be your friend, it¡¯s because I care about you, but don¡¯t take advantage. Tomorrow a nurse wille to take care of you until they remove the stitches. Maria will take care of cleaning the apartment and preparing your meals.¡±


    ¡°Will youe to see me?¡± she begged with her eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything. I disappeared from the office today, and when I show up tomorrow, it¡¯s going to be aplicated day. If I have a chance, I¡¯lle to see you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, friend. I hope to see you tomorrow.¡±


    He said goodbye to her with a kiss on the forehead, turned his back, and disappeared from the apartment.


    With a triumphant smile, Catrina settled into bed. Things had turned out better than she nned. ¡®I know it won¡¯t be easy to have you in my bed again, but I will find a way to earn your trust. That insipid woman will soon know what I am capable of doing for my man.¡¯

 Chapter 29

    ¡°Are you still with Catrina? That woman won¡¯t make it easy for you,¡± Freed added.


    ¡°I just left the apartment.¡±


    ¡°How did you leave her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. I need a drink. I¡¯ll wait for you at the club.¡±


    Lindsey was keeping an eye on her husband; he hadn¡¯t arrived yet. She fell asleep for a while until she woke up thinking about him. Seeing the empty space beside her, she got up and went down to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she took out a pitcher and poured herself a ss of water, not realizing when someone entered the house.


    Kyle saw her in the kitchen, wearing a two-piece pajama, a tank top, and shorts, showcasing her beautiful figure. He approached immediately; his head was a mess, not to mention the sses of whiskey he had while talking to Freed. She was his calm, and he wanted to devour her right there.


    Lindsey ced a ss in the sink when she felt strong and possessive arms hugging her from behind. She startled, but before she could scream, a whisper reached her ear.


    ¡°Calm down, sweetheart. It¡¯s me. Why are you awake?¡±


    Lindsey blushed as she felt a bulging pants pressing at the lower part of her waist, making her shiver. She tried to turn around, but he had her cornered. His liquor-scented breath made her nervous, and his way of hugging her was demanding and erotic, to the point of making her blush.


    ¡°Kyle, why are you sote? You had me worried.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for worrying you. Let me love you, yes,¡± he said, giving her a kiss on the neck, making her legs feel weak.


    ¡°Not here, please. Someone mighte and see or hear us.¡±


    ¡°I want to make love to you here. Doesn¡¯t the idea of doing it in silence excite you, with the fear of being discovered?¡± he murmured with a husky and seductive voice, biting around her ear.


    He turned her to face him and slid a hand behind her head to give her a most lustful and needed kiss. He had his eyes closed while shamelessly devouring her.


    Lindsey opened her eyes wide; the fear of being discovered was killing her.


    His free hand slipped under her shirt, caressing her back while she gasped inside his mouth.


    ¡°Ky¡­ Kyle, what are you doing? Let me go. Someone might see us,¡± she said too softly to be taken seriously. She wanted to resist, but what she was experiencing with this man was too erotic.


    ¡°No! Let¡¯s make love in silence. Later, I¡¯ll take you to the bedroom, and you can let it all out as much as you want.¡± She just nodded; she didn¡¯t have the strength to refuse the passionate sex emanating from him.


    He lifted her onto the kitchen counter and removed her shorts, to his surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have underwear? You¡¯re a naughty girl, and you¡¯re very wet. Tell me, do you want me to do it to you, right?¡± He moistened her cleft even more as he inserted two fingers into her intimacy.


    ¡°Yes, please, Kyle,¡± she answered with a trembling voice, trying to suppress the moans.


    When he heard her he pulled down his pants and boxer shorts in one movement he pulled her close to the end of the counter, he helped her to rest her arms on it and put her legs around his waist, he wanted her too much, he was hard as a rock, without permission he rammed her hard and his moments were getting wilder, he smiled panting when he saw her eyes screaming lust, she was enjoying it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    He saw her throw her head back and about to let out a moan he covered her mouth to stifle a little, he cum inside her without being able to send it, she rested her head on his chest to catch her breath, she stroked his hair.


    Kyle, after a few seconds, pulled her down from the counter, pulled up her boxers and pants, and helped her put on her shorts.


    ¡°Kyle, that was really exciting,¡± she said breathlessly, trying to regte her breathing.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it because there¡¯s more toe,¡± without letting her respond, he pulled her towards the bedroom.


    Ten months have passed since they got married, and the couple¡¯s coexistence has been lustful. Kathen has tried to harm Lindsey, but his attempts have failed. Although he keeps her under surveince, Lindsey¡¯s bodyguards have not allowed anyone to get close to her.


    The Prattpany is in turmoil. In a month, the fashion week in Paris will be celebrated, and designers are stressed with the designs for the fall-winter season representing the Pratt fashion houses.


    Kyle has been trying to convince Lindsey to work with him, but she refused. She was perfecting her technique in what she loved-wedding dresses. Her dream was to be a renowned designer in that genre.


    Sussan and Grandpa Hugo had an ident. A car came out of nowhere and rammed into the back of their vehicle, pushing them off the road.


    Kyle was at thepany with Freed when he received the news. They rushed to the hospital where they were taken.


    Lindsey was notified by her husband and hurried to the hospital. Upon seeing him, she hugged him, unable to let go. When they separated, she asked,


    ¡°How are they? What have they told you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I haven¡¯t heard any news about them, just that they arrived alive and were attended to immediately. Lin, what would be of me if I had lost them?¡± He was emotionally shaken.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about that. They will be fine. What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s under investigation. The bodyguards following them stated that a car appeared out of nowhere, hit them, and fled. Thanks to the driver¡¯s maneuvers, it didn¡¯t lead to more serious injuries. The road they were on has cliffs.¡±


    ¡°Oh God! Who wanted to harm them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The police are investigating. The strangest thing is that the car had no license te.¡±


    A doctor approached them with two files in hand.


    ¡°Family of the Pratt family?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s us, doctor,¡± rmed, Kyle held his wife¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I inform you that Mr. Hugo has awakened. He didn¡¯t suffer serious injuries, just bruises and a rise in blood pressure. He received treatment and is stable. You can go see him whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°And my mother, Mrs. Sussan Pratt?¡±


    ¡°She underwent emergency surgery. She suffered a fracture of the tibia and fib in her left leg. At the moment, she is being transferred to a room. When the anesthesia wears off, a nurse will notify you so you can see her.¡±


    ¡°Will she be able to walk, doctor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she will have to undergo rehabilitation to walk normally.¡±


    The doctor bid farewell, and they sought out a nurse to lead them to Grandpa¡¯s room.

 Chapter 30

    They entered and found Grandpa awake, happy to see them. Kyle approached, hugging him with emotion.


    ¡°You¡¯re squeezing me too hard, boy. Look at my poor bones; they can¡¯t take much more.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Grandpa. When they told me about the ident, I thought the worst. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Kids, I¡¯m d to see you together. Has Sussan woken up?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa. We¡¯re going to see her now.¡±


    ¡°What have you found out about the ident?¡±


    ¡°Nothing new. Let the police handle it.¡±


    ¡°Here, I can¡¯t do anything,¡± the old manmented, distressed.


    The elderly man, who had always been in control of everything, felt powerless for not being able to intervene. Due to the rise in his blood pressure, his grandson forbade his people from approaching and doing anything that could affect his health.


    The couple left that room and headed to the next room where Sussan was waiting for them.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s good to see you awake,¡± Kyle gave her a warm hug, and a smile of happiness.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how happy I am to be alive. I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you again,¡± she replied with a broken voice, tears escaping.


    Lindsey approached tofort her; Sussan¡¯s nerves were overwhelmed.


    ¡°The important thing is that you¡¯re alive, and it¡¯s not serious.¡±


    Sussan looked at her with affection and nodded. After calming down, she eximed,


    ¡°Son, I¡¯m worried about the fashion show in Paris, not being able to attend. This ident happened just when the designers need me.¡±


    ¡°Leave that to me; I¡¯ll take care of it with Freed,¡± he stroked his mother¡¯s hand. Kyle was not a man who showed affection to others, but the thought of losing them kept him mncholic.


    ¡°I can help with the designers. Kyle, give me the information I need. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll get on that.¡±


    ¡°Daughter, you¡¯re a blessing. Note down Trebol¡¯s phone number; he¡¯s my assistant. Inform him about what happened; he¡¯s very cooperative, and you can rely on him for everything.¡±


    Lindsey took out her mobile and noted the phone number dictated by Sussan.


    ¡°You rx; I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, daughter.¡±


    Days passed, but they haven¡¯t discovered who was driving the car that appeared out of nowhere on the day of the ident. The location has no cameras and is deste.


    ¡°Love, in two days, I have to travel to Paris. I want you to apany me.¡±


    ¡°What? I decline, love; I¡¯m exhausted. Getting the collection ready for the models had me on the verge of madness. Trebol didn¡¯t give me a break, and I¡¯ve neglected my small workshop. Janna is on the verge of copse with some orders.¡±


    ¡°Love, work with me. You¡¯ve shown that you¡¯re dedicated to what you do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already given my reasons why I won¡¯t work with you, sir. I don¡¯t want to argue about it again.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll miss you that week. I¡¯ve be addicted to sleeping while hugging your body,¡± he said as he passionately kissed her and immersed himself in her.


    The Pratt fashion house, being the most prestigious in the international market, participates in the Paris Fashion Week every year. Sussan, along with the fashion designers, is responsible for organizing and participating in these types of events. Due to the ident and rehabilitation, she couldn¡¯t attend, and in her ce, Kyle had to travel to Paris with the team. At the event, he ran into a familiar face. The fall-winter collection runway was a great sess, and as always, Kyle received many praises from prominent fashion industry entrepreneurs and investors.


    Kyle was talking with some businessmen when a woman in a sensual outfit approached.


    ¡°Hello, Kyle. It¡¯s good to see you,¡± she said flirtatiously, giving him a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Catrina, I didn¡¯t expect to find you here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m one of the exclusive models for Moet Hennessy.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, it¡¯s an excellent fashion house here in Paris.¡±


    The businessmen around them excused themselves, leaving them alone.


    ¡°Just to show you that I¡¯m still a recognized model in this world. I heard about what happened to your family. Thank God it wasn¡¯t serious.¡±


    ¡°It was just a scare. As you can see, I¡¯m here representing my mother.¡±


    ¡°I know. She¡¯s the one in charge of these events that you hate,¡± she said with a teasing smile. ¡°How about inviting me for a ss of wine?¡±


    ¡°No, Catrina. To avoid misunderstandings, it¡¯s better for me to leave.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯re abandoning me even as a friend. The least I expect from you is to share a drink. What do you think could happen?¡± She continued mischievously. ¡°I know, you think I¡¯m going to put something in your drink and kidnap you to my room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m a married man, and as I said, distance is the best thing that can happen.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not here. It¡¯s just a drink.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll apany you to the table.¡±


    The two walked to an empty table. As they drank, Catrina shared details of her life in Paris. Kyle found the conversation boring, but he didn¡¯t want to be impolite. He was relieved that she was making a life in another country. Months before, he had stopped visiting her apartment, caught up as he was between his wife and the business.


    ¡°Catrina, it was a pleasure to see you, but I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯m leaving,¡± he said as he stood up and adjusted his suit.


    ¡°I was also thrilled to meet you again. I¡¯m leaving too. I¡¯m staying at Maison Favart, and you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying there too.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take a taxi.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ll take you. We¡¯re heading to the same ce.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, always so kind and courteous. Something I liked about you.¡±


    They left the ce, and Kyle¡¯s hired driver was waiting at the door. The journey was in silence. The revtion was that their rooms were on the same floor.


    ¡°Well, here I say goodbye. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll return to Manhattan.¡±


    ¡°I invite you to a ss of wine as a farewell. I won¡¯t see you again for a long time. As I told you, I¡¯ve signed a contract with Moet Hennessy, and I¡¯m staying here until they assign me my new apartment.¡±


    Kyle scratched his head. His mind told him it wasn¡¯t a good idea, but he knew that if he worked in that country, he wouldn¡¯t see her again. He agreed to that ss of wine.

 Chapter 31

    ¡°Now I really have to go. Our farewell ends here,¡± Kyle was already quite drunk.


    Since they entered the apartment, Catrina encouraged him to toast. Given the time they had known each other, she knew he wasn¡¯t a good drinker. The alcohol had a quick effect on him, especially whenbined, as it was in his case. Catrina sat on hisp and started kissing him.


    ¡°Stay with me tonight? Yes, tomorrow you¡¯ll go back to Manhattan to y happy family. Let me say goodbye properly to the one who was my love, because I did fall in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start, Catrina. Get off. I told you I feel nothing for you. Just get up; I need to go to my room,¡± he slurred, feeling dizzy. He cursed himself for not taking precautions; he knew he couldn¡¯t mix drinks, yet he had whisky at the meeting and mixed it with wine here.


    Upon hearing him speak, Catrina grinned maliciously and quickly got off. She pulled him by the hand, dragging him into the bedroom, threw him on the bed, took off his shoes, and climbed on top of him, starting to kiss him.


    Kyle wanted to push her away instantly, but his control was failing, and he ended up falling asleep on the bed.


    Catrina was furious; she knew this could happen. In their five years of rtionship, she had already experienced his moments of intoxication. Although he was reluctant, she thought he might resist a bit more this time. As best as she could, she undressed him, threw the clothes on the floor, undressed herself,y down beside him, and started taking pictures.


    After finishing, she looked at the man sleeping next to her. Carefully, she got up not to wake him, dressed, took her suitcase from the closet, and left a note next to his wallet. Mentally, she whispered, ¡®We¡¯ll meet again soon, my love. It won¡¯t be easy to get rid of me. I do love you, and you¡¯ll be mine again.¡¯


    Kyle woke up startled, feeling his head pounding. Vague images of what had happened the night before came to him. He couldn¡¯t remember what happened after getting into bed and seeing himself naked in a room that wasn¡¯t his. It terrified him. Fury grew within him. He got out of bed, searched for Catrina in the bathroom and every corner of the room, but she wasn¡¯t there. He dressed like a demon, approached the nightstand to grab his belongings, saw a note, took it and began to read.


    It said:


    ¡®My beloved Kyle, we had a wonderful night. For a moment, I felt like the happiest and most loved woman in the world, being in your arms again. I sincerely wish you happiness. I will always love you, Catrina.¡¯


    ¡°Cursed, I fell into your trap,¡± he crumpled the paper and threw it in the wastebasket.


    He left that room and headed to his, undressed, started rubbing his body with a sponge, then began punching the wall until his knuckles bled. He was disappointed with himself. How would he face his sweetheart now? He cursed himself, furious with his own actions. He left, dressed quickly, grabbed his luggage, and left the hotel for the airport. He didn¡¯t want to know anything more about that ce.


    Upon reaching the private tform, he boarded the ne without wanting to talk to anyone. The people around him could sense his bad mood.


    Lindsey was worried about her husband in the morning. She called him constantly, but he didn¡¯t answer her calls. He didn¡¯t go to work that day, staying at home waiting for him. She was in the living room when she heard the door open. She sprang up, and upon seeing who it was, she ran towards him, throwing herself into his arms.


    Kyle, feeling her, rxed and ced his head on her neck. When she tried to pull away, he didn¡¯t allow it. ¡°Let me feel your warmth,¡± he said.


    She sensed that something was wrong but didn¡¯t ask; she justplied. With his suitcase in one hand, he gently separated from her, took her hand, and they went up to the bedroom.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    In silence, they undressed and put on pajamas, lying down. He started watching a movie. She was irritated, missing the intense man, his touch, his kisses, and his caresses. Her head was resting on his chest, and impulsively, she ced her hand on his pants, gently pressing against him.


    Kyle¡¯s muscles tensed; he turned his head and looked at her. She took advantage and kissed his lips. Without separating, she straddled him.


    Kyle broke the kiss, sighed, and looking at her seriously whispered, ¡°Love, not now. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Why are you rejecting me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not rejecting you, love.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. I called and messaged you all day without getting a response. Youe home all agitated, pretending to be focused on a boring movie. Tell me, what happened on the trip to Paris? Don¡¯t give me any excuses because I know you, Kyle,¡± she said, annoyed, staring directly into his eyes.


    Kyle didn¡¯t know what to say. The remorse of entering that room was killing him. He wondered, ¡®Will what I did have consequences?¡¯ The worst part was that he didn¡¯t remember anything after copsing on the bed. He gently took her off his body with both hands andid her next to him, hugging her tightly.


    ¡°I see you know your naughty man! Truly, I¡¯m not rejecting you. You have to understand it was an exhausting trip. I¡¯m worn out. I could hardly rest, and investors wouldn¡¯t stop bothering me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± She nestled against his chest and fell asleep. She had also spent a week without sleeping well. In almost a year, she had gotten used to the warmth of her man.


    He turned off the movie and ced her on hisp. The remorse of conscience was killing him.


    In the morning, Kyle woke up his wife with a tender kiss. ¡°Sleepyhead, it¡¯s time to wake up. I have to go to the office,¡± he said. He got up, walked to the bathroom, undressed, and let the artificial rain fall over him, hoping it would wash away his negative thoughts. He came out, smiling when he saw hiszy wifeining about sleep and entering the bathroom.


    They dressed and went down to the dining room where dys awaited them with breakfast. Lindsey dealt with the children¡¯s antics in the foster home, while he listened silently, marveling at her good deeds.


    Each of them prepared to leave the house. As always, Kyle apanied her to the parking lot and watched her leave, followed by another vehicle with bodyguards.


    ¡°That woman is crazy. Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s as she said, a goodbye,¡± murmured Freed, amazed at his friend¡¯s story.


    ¡°Catrina has changed. She¡¯s not the tender and affectionate woman I knew five years ago. I thought she understood that I don¡¯t love her. After her depression, she disappeared, made her life in Paris, and works for a renowned brand. There, I let my guard down and had those drinks,¡± Kyle exined.


    ¡°That woman is obsessed with you. Let¡¯s hope her next move isn¡¯t too extreme. I can sense she changed the name that¡¯s going to show up soon,¡± mumbled Freed, analyzing what his friend was telling him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about that. I also don¡¯t want to lose my marriage because of her craziness. I won¡¯t allow it,¡± replied Kyle, scratching his head and pacing back and forth.

 Chapter 32

    Four weeks passed, and Kyle prepared a surprise for his wife.


    ¡°Love, can we go tomorrow night or early Saturday? I have a gynecological checkup tomorrow,¡± she pleaded yfully while they were having dinner.


    ¡°No! Pack a suitcase for three days and four nights at the beach.¡±


    ¡°But if you had it nned, why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy with the surprise? If you want to cancel the trip.¡±


    ¡°Noooo¡­! You¡¯re crazy! Of course, I¡¯m happy to spend a weekend with my husband away from everything. I¡¯m just saying you could have told me earlier so I could start getting my things ready, and you would have our bags ready.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going toin, the medical appointment can wait until Monday. As for your work, you¡¯ll only miss a day, and you can fix that by calling Janna. Today, I managed to arrange for Freed to take charge of thepany. Eat up; we¡¯re leaving in two hours,¡± he said, cutting a piece of meat and bringing it to his mouth.


    ¡°Alright! But you pack your suitcase! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to do it,¡± she said, pouting.


    Kyle burst intoughter, took a sip of juice, then stood up from the table, turning his back to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll have it ready in two seconds. Hurry up; two hours pass quickly.¡±


    She suddenly got up, and like a child, she ran ahead, disappearing down the stairs, leaving him amused behind her.


    Kyle preferred to drive and left the chauffeur behind. He was always followed by bodyguards who kept their distance. After an hour, they arrived at the destination.


    Lindsey was amazed by the ce. The smell of the sea filled her nostrils, and the warmth made itself felt.


    Kyle parked the car in front of the house overlooking the sea, helped her out of the car, then took out the suitcases and ced them at the entrance of the house. He opened the door and encouraged her to enter, while he crouched to pick up the suitcases and left them in the living room.


    ¡°Whose house is this?¡± she asked, looking around. It was small, cozy, and fresh.


    ¡°Ours!¡± hemented as he approached and stood behind her.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked in astonishment.


    ¡°Yes! I hope you like it, love,¡± he replied, embracing her from behind and turning her towards the stairs. Her eyes lit up when she saw each step covered with red flower petals.


    ¡°Oh, my God! What a beautiful detail, Kyle!¡± she eximed, excited, bringing her hands to her mouth.


    ¡°Happy anniversary, my love! The first of many,¡± he said, kissing her shoulder while keeping her embraced from behind.


    She turned around and kissed his lips sweetly.


    ¡°My love, what do you think if we go upstairs?¡± she suggested, leading him towards the stairs. She climbed like a princess, and taking quick steps, he carried her until they reached the entrance of the bedroom. He put her down, and she opened the door, making a surprised cry at what she saw.


    There were red roses scattered in the room, and on the bed, there was a red heart made with flower petals.


    He stepped forward, sat on the edge of the bed, and was enchanted by his wife¡¯s silly face. Seeing her, he smiled, and she approached, sitting on hisp with one leg on each side of his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently.


    ¡°Thank you for making me the happiest woman in the world. I¡¯m surprised, moved. I didn¡¯t think you were so romantic. You¡¯re the love of my life. Happy anniversary, my love!¡± she said, pouting. ¡°Since you have everything, my surprise was to prepare a romantic dinner with my own hands tomorrow at the mansion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you liked it. I want to make you happy for the rest of my days,¡± he said, giving her a tender kiss. ¡°We can solve the dinner situation. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll tell one of my men to get the provisions you need. I want you to prepare the most delicious dinner your beautiful hands have ever made.¡±


    ¡°You melt me. You¡¯re perfect, love. Thank you foring into my life.¡±


    He took hold of her mouth and invaded her with desire, got up with her in his arms, ced her on her feet and helping her undress whispered to her.


    ¡°You are beautiful, today let me take control? Please.¡±


    She felt his warm hands run over her skin, making her bristle wherever he went.


    ¡°Help me take off my clothes.¡±


    She smiles and began to undo the buttons of his shirt, with her eyes fixed on him she let out a moan as she saw his sapphires loaded with unabashed eagerness; their eyes looked at each other in the same way. When he finally reached thest button, he threw his shoulders back and finished removing his shirt.  She lowered her gaze to moisten her lips, admiring his masculine body intoxicating her with desire, she was dazzled when she heard.


    ¡°You can¡¯t touch me yet.¡±


    She was startled and moved to take off his pants, he pushed her hands away and finished taking them off with his underwear, shoes and socks.


    ¡°Now lie down on the rose petals and start touching yourself, I want to see how you do it,¡± the naked man sat down on a chair in front of the bed.


    ¡°What?¡± she eximed nervously, she had never masturbated before.


    ¡°What you heard,e on, doll, you¡¯ll like it,¡± he replied mischievously.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Shey down on the rose petals facing him, then began to touch one nipple with the fingers of her right hand, while she gently massaged the other breast with her left hand, as she heard him speak she emitted short, high-pitched moans.


    ¡°Are they mine?¡± he asked, full of lust, he watched her with arched eyebrows, that was the most sensual image he had seen in a long time.


    With a little voice she whispered, it was hard to control her breathing.


    ¡°Yessssss.¡±


    Then she moved one hand down to her belly until she reached her intimate area and began to make circles on her sensitive part.


    He said, ¡°Put two fingers in. Do you want me Lin?


    ¡°I want you,¡± she slipped both fingers in and began to move them rapidly.


    She let out a gasp of pleasure and he gave a grunt of satisfaction.


    Lindsey pulled her head back and began to stir among the rose petals, he stood up and in two long strides mounted her, ramming her without warning causing her to let out a glorious moan.


    ¡°You drive me crazy my love.¡±


    Their sweaty bodies collide violently and his gruff grunts hypnotize her.


    Kyle continued to pick up the pace with his movements, when he sees her arch her back he whispered to her.


    ¡°Nowe with me love!¡± They came almost at the same time, he let himself fall on top of her, he was stunned with pleasure.

 Chapter 33

    The next day, Lindsey woke up and saw her husband looking at her.


    ¡°Good morning, sleepyhead,¡± he said, running his fingers gently over her cheeks.


    ¡°Good morning, love,¡± she yawnedzily, not wanting to get out of bed.


    ¡°How long have you been awake?¡±


    ¡°Just a little while.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, watching me sleep?¡±


    ¡°You looked like an angel sleeping, so I stayed admiring your beautiful face.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re silly. Today is our first anniversary.¡±


    Kyle grabbed her chin and gave her a soft kiss.


    ¡°Now I can truly tell you that I love you. You¡¯re a wonderful woman who slowly entered my heart and gave birth to my life.¡±


    ¡°I liked you from the first day I saw you shirtless in that bed,¡± she covered her face, trying to hide her blushing cheeks due to the embarrassment caused by her confession.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re a pervert who devoured me that day with your eyes.¡±


    ¡°You looked handsome that day, but changing the subject, Love, do you like seafood? Or are you allergic to any?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have allergies, and whatever you prepare for me will be as exquisite as you,¡± he gave her another tender kiss.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful. Who would have thought that the ogre would turn into a tender prince?¡±


    He started tickling her ribs, and she squirmed withughter.


    ¡°Please, love, don¡¯t stop. No more,¡± she couldn¡¯t contain herughter.


    Kyle pulled her towards him and sat her on hisp, lifting her in his arms.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take a bath. Breakfast is ready, and then we can take a walk on the beach.¡±


    Thedy in charge of the house offered to buy things for dinner, and Lindsey gave her a list of things she might need. She also offered to stay after work to help with dinner, but Lindsey declined, thanking her but wanting to take care of it herself.


    After breakfast, they went for a walk on the beach. The day was sunny, and they walked hand in hand, eventually sitting on the sand.


    She got up happily and pulled him by the hands.


    ¡°Love, let¡¯s go for a swim. The water is calling us.¡±


    ¡°Sweetheart, you go ahead, and I¡¯ll wait here.¡±


    yfully, she turned her back and slowly entered the water, starting to swim. There weren¡¯t many people on the beach. It was a private area.


    Kyle was enchanted watching his wife when two women approached.


    ¡°Hi handsome! Can we join you?¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I already havepany.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re alone right now. If I were yourpany, I wouldn¡¯t leave your side.¡±


    Kyle didn¡¯t look at the women next to him; he responded without taking his eyes off the water, drawing a half-smile when he saw his mischievous wife arching her eyebrows anding out of the water.


    Lindsey, who had seen the flirting, approached them and sat next to her husband, and he shamelessly kissed her.


    The girls frowned and left, swaying their hips.


    ¡°Kyle, not here, there are people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m showing you that you have no reason to be jealous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that when you saw the women near me, you ran out of the water. Otherwise, you would have let me keep talking to them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t annoy me with yourments, and yes, I¡¯m jealous. Do you think I didn¡¯t see how the one in the red bikini was eyeing you?¡± she made a yful face.


    Kyle burst intoughter and stood up with her, shaking off the sand from his shorts.


    ¡°I confess, I didn¡¯t even look at them because my eyes were fixed on a jealous mermaid,¡± grabbing her hand, he continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the house, eat, and see what Sonia brought from the market.¡±


    They both walked back home, the distance was five minutes.


    ¡°Senores, lunch is ready. Can I serve you?¡± Soniamented, cing some things in the pantry.


    ¡°Call me Lin; being called ¡®senora¡¯ makes me feel old. Yes, we¡¯re starving.¡±


    ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll take care of you. Lin, I¡¯ve arranged everything you asked for from the market in the fridge; it¡¯s all fresh.¡±


    With a lively smile, she responded, ¡°That¡¯s great, thank you.¡±


    They had lunch amidst stories andughter, finishing their meal. Lindsey began checking things for dinner.


    ¡°Love, how can I help you?¡± he whispered, standing behind her.


    ¡°No, love, I¡¯ll take care of everything for dinner; it¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, mischievous one, but first, let¡¯s get that salty water off you.¡± He took her hands and led her upstairs.


    ¡°Sonia went down to prepare the food.¡±


    ¡°Can I help you, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sonia, you¡¯re so kind. I want to cook as a gift for my husband. If you want to help, you can set the table on the terrace.¡± She said, being dragged towards the stairs, entering the bathroom.


    ¡°Love! What will Sonia think of my perverted husband?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, because I just want you to get rid of the salty water. Or do you want something else?¡± He said, passing a sponge over her back with a yful smile.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nothing will happen because I have a lot of things to do. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    After bathing, he stayed checking his emails, and she went down to prepare the food.


    As Sonia set the table on the terrace with candles and flowers, Lindsey got distracted with dessert. After finishing, she checked the time; she was stressed, had to go upstairs, get ready.


    ¡°Everything is ready. I¡¯m so excited. I hope everything goes well; it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m doing this, Sonia.¡±


    Sonia was amazed at how beautiful the ce turned out.


    ¡°Lin, everything looks beautiful. Rx, go upstairs and make yourself beautiful. I¡¯ll stay cleaning and then leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sonia.¡± She gave her a smile and ran upstairs.


    Kyle was annoyed because she grabbed the dress she was going to wear, among other things, and went to the next room to get ready.


    After two hours, he came out of his room and knocked on the door next to him.


    She opened the door, wearing a white strap dress with red flowers, looking fresh and youthful, with t sandals and her hair down.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, my little doll.¡± His eyes lit up at the sight of her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look bad either.¡± He wore a ck shirt with beige shorts and beach sandals.


    Kyle burst intoughter; he knew he wasn¡¯t dressed for the asion, but he wanted to be asfortable as possible with her, without too much formality.


    He took her arm and led her to the terrace; she went to the kitchen to set the table while he prepared the champagne sses.


    ¡°Thanks, little doll, you surprise me every day. The food looks elegant.¡±


    ¡°I hope you like it. It¡¯s tuna and shrimp tartare with mustard and honey vinaigrette.¡±


    She cut a piece of fish and brought it to her mouth, savoring it eagerly.


    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s sulent and delicious.¡±


    ¡°Good, love. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve made this dish. I¡¯m not bad in the kitchen, so I took a risk.¡± She murmured happily watching him enjoy the food.


    ¡°You have a good taste. I want to taste your cooking more often; from now on, you¡¯ll cook for me on Sundays.¡±


    ¡°Of course, love. It¡¯s my pleasure to spoil the man who makes me happy.¡±


    For dessert, she served a mango and pineapple sweet that they enjoyed while looking at the stars.


    Suddenly, the sky lit up with fireworks. She stood up in astonishment, cing her hands on the railing. When it stopped shining, he stood behind her, grabbing her waist, turning her head down so she could see a lit-up phrase in the sand.


    ¡°LIN, I LOVE YOU, YOU ARE THE WOMAN WHO BRINGS LIFE TO MY SOUL.¡±

 Chapter 34

    She jumped for joy; her heart raced at full speed. She turned around and hung onto his neck, with a grin from ear to ear, she passionately kissed him, then they separated forck of air.


    Kyle looked at her excitedly. Many women had been in his apartment¡¯s bed, but none surpassed Lin. She brought him peace.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most attentive, affectionate, and passionate man I know. I love you too, adore you, and LOVE YOU¡­¡± she shouted, emphasizing thest word.


    ¡°You probably mean the only man you know and will have in your life. You¡¯ll always be mine.¡±


    He kissed her, gently caressing her tongue with his. He lifted her in his arms and walked toward arge counter that divided the living room from the kitchen. He sat her there, moved away from her, and cleared everything from the counter. He spread her legs and positioned himself between them. The atmosphere heated up, between wet and exuberant kisses, he whispered in a sexual and immensely deep tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to possess every inch of your body. There won¡¯t be a single millimeter of you that I haven¡¯t imed for myself.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    He lowered the straps of her dress and pulled them down her shoulders. He lifted the dress halfway and finished pulling it down her body, throwing it to the floor. She wasn¡¯t wearing a bra. Then he removed her panties and sandals, leaving herpletely naked.


    Kyle¡¯s fingers traced her velvety skin; he kissed her exposed neck. The warmth of his fingers and tongue caused a pleasant excitement in her. She tilted her neck and shrugged her shoulders back to relieve the spasms that ran through her entire body.


    ¡°Do you want me to take off my clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered softly.


    Fascinated, she watched him sensually remove his shirt over his head, then his shorts, leaving him only in boxers. Her mouth watered, and she let out a small moan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He leaned her back, reminding her of the counter.


    ¡°Where should I start? How about here?¡± He spread her legs at the edge of the counter, ran his index finger over her sensitive part, and began making gentle circles.


    She expelled some agitated sounds to alleviate the tremendous spasms that invaded her.


    ¡°Or maybe here?¡± He inserted two fingers into her intimacy and began giving her soft and sensual movements, while his other hand massaged one of her breasts. Then he withdrew his finger from her intimacy and circled it with his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯re exquisite and very wet.¡±


    She looked at him; the image reflected filled her with more lust. Controlling her breathing became more difficult.


    He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to the edge, with each leg raised on his shoulders and her buttocks on the edge of the counter. She ced her hands under her buttocks, grabbed her cheeks, and whispered,


    ¡°Also here.¡±


    She reacted to the touch and became tense.


    Noticing her resistance, he looked at her with eyes full of lust.


    ¡°Love, trust me. Rx. I said every inch of your body belongs to me.¡± He whispered with a deep voice as he inserted two fingers into her again. ¡°Do you want me? Tell me you want it, my little doll.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I want it so much.¡± She replied with a convulsive moan.


    He let out a satisfied growl, withdrew, and spread all the moisture over the opening of her anus, starting to y with it.


    Her muscles tensed around him immediately.


    Seeing her, he stretched out his hands and pulled her towards him, cing her on the floor. He ran a hand behind her head and began kissing her with ambition, moving down to her neck. She was panting with closed eyes. He continued down to her breasts, sucking, licking, and teasing each one, then turned her so she faced the counter.


    Kyle leaned her forward, with his warm and wet tongue, he caressed her back and ran along the line of her spine, ending with a soft kiss on her neck, while his hands kneaded her breasts.


    She trembled with pleasure, causing waves of desire in her intimacy.


    Kyle took off his boxers, whispering in her ear, ¡°I desire you so much, my doll. I want youpletely.¡±


    He pushed her forward, with half of his body lying on the counter. He positioned himself between her legs, holding onto her hips, prating her with energy, leaving barely any space between his strong thrusts.


    Lindsey let out a grunt, breathless, trying to hold onto the edge of the counter. The porcin was slippery, and her hands were sweaty. Her man thrust forcefully with each pration. Intoxicated with desire, she was on the brink of pleasure when she felt him suddenly pull out. She turned her head to see him. ¡°What¡¯s he doing? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t climax yet, my little doll. Don¡¯t move,¡± he grunted, pleased to see her unsatisfied.


    When she tried to speak, she felt him ce a finger in the center of her anus, sending a shiver through her delicate body from head to toe. ¡°Oh no!¡±


    ¡°Rx your body a bit, doll. I know it¡¯s your first time, and we¡¯ll take it slow.¡±


    He passed two fingers over her intimacy, inserted them inside her, gathered the moisture, and dragged it toward her anus. With care, he began to trace circles around its opening.


    She shuddered, and the muscles in her backside tightened. ¡°Rx? Is he crazy? I don¡¯t think I can do that!¡±


    ¡°Rx, doll,¡± he said excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying. I know it¡¯s going to hurt,¡± she said, terrified. ¡°You don¡¯t need lubricant; your member is too big for such a small opening.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really wet, and that will make it easier to enter. Let¡¯s try, please. If you don¡¯t like it or feel ufortable, we won¡¯t try it again,¡± he inserted his middle finger into the opening, reaching for moisture. She shook and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Trust me,¡± he said, panting and sweating. He ced his hands on her buttocks and spread them apart, positioned his manhood at the opening, and pushed gently.


    ¡°Calm down, let it happen,¡± he murmured, breathless, as his member slowly made its way inside her. She breathed deeply; he leaned over her, leaning slightly forward, enveloped her with his body, and entwined his hands with hers, advancing little by little.


    The pressure and pain increased each time for her as he advanced.


    ¡°It¡¯s in, love. Let your body get used to me. You¡¯re very tight; it¡¯s glorious to be like this with you.¡±


    ¡°It hurts! It hurts!¡± she felt him reach the bottom.


    ¡°Do you want to stop here?¡±


    The pain is bearable. Automatically, she replied, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Try to enjoy it. I¡¯ll move slowly. If at any moment you can¡¯t bear it, tell me.¡±


    She immersed herself in pain and pleasure. The pain was intense, but her body was warm.


    ¡°You¡¯re exquisite.¡± He tried to enter and exit at a slow and controlled pace.


    Lindsey never imagined enjoying anal sex. She couldn¡¯t control her breaths.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, doll. I¡¯ll never get tired of you,¡± he grunted with a hoarse voice as he heard her moan, inviting him to speed up the pace. ¡°Yes, love, as youmand.¡± He released her hands, ced one hand on her shoulder, and the other on her intimacy, ying with her clitoris. He entered and exited faster and faster; he couldn¡¯t control his movements; she drove him crazy.


    She threw her head back, and her body shook.


    Kyle continued elerating his thrusts; some convulsions urred, depositing all his seed inside her. Regaining strength, he leaned on her back.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he whispered in her ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°It was incredible. Let me regain strength, and we¡¯ll go take a bath.¡±


    Theyy recovering their breath. She felt her body heavy, pressing against the ceramic, but she didn¡¯t care. She was immersed in new sensations that she liked.


    After a few minutes, he picked her up and took her to the bathtub. They rxed in the hot water for a while. Then he took her out of the bath and settled her in bed. He couldn¡¯t stop invading her mouth with longing. That¡¯s how their passionate night continued.

 Chapter 35

    On Sunday, they walked along the beach, ying and caressing each other. They didn¡¯t return that day; they wanted to appreciate the sunrise from the shore.


    In the early morning, they left the house hand in hand and returned to the beach. Sitting on arge rock, they witnessed the first visible lights before the sunrise on the horizon.


    Exhausted, they returned to the mansion. Lindsey, upon entering the house, went straight to the bedroom and threw herself on the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to thepany. Freed will take care of it. My wife left me exhausted,¡± Kyle whispered ironically, lying down beside her.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m to me for my insatiable husband. Just let me sleep,¡± she nestled on his chest, closing her eyes.


    After several hours of rest, they woke up hungry. They left the room and went straight to the kitchen in search of food. As they were in the dining room, they heard a woman speaking. They got up from the table and walked toward the entrance.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Kyle. I¡¯m sorry toe here and disturb you at your home, but I need to talk to you about something important,¡± Catrina had an offended expression. She was approaching Kyle to greet him with a kiss, but he stopped her with his hand and then let her go.


    Kyle wondered, ¡®Why is this woman here? Am I in trouble now? I know it¡¯s not something good.¡¯ With a murderous look, he growled, ¡°Catrina, who the hell do you think you are toe to my house? Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t kick me out of your house without talking to you about a delicate matter. I arrived from Paris a few days ago, tried to locate you without sess. I spent the day at thepany on Friday, and you didn¡¯t show up. Today was the same. I dared toe to your house to see if you were okay, and what I have to tell you is genuinely important,¡± embarrassment was evident on her face.


    ¡°Catrina, you and I have nothing to talk about. It¡¯s better for you to leave. Whatever you have to tell me can wait,¡± Kyle said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave until you hear me. Can we talk in private, please?¡±


    Upon hearing the word Paris, rms went off in Lindsey¡¯s head. She remembered when Kyle returned uneasy from the trip to that country.


    ¡°Whatever you have to tell my husband, you can say it in front of me.¡±


    ¡°What? I want to talk to Kyle, not you!¡± she eximed arrogantly.


    ¡°I am his wife and thedy of this house. If you don¡¯t want to talk, it¡¯s better that you turn around and leave my house,¡± Lindsey growled angrily. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but one thing was certain: her husband had deceived her!


    Kyle wanted to take Catrina to the office when he heard his wife say, ¡°Kyle! Tell this woman that she can say whatever she has to in my presence, unless you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡±


    ¡°Catrina, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything importanting from you. It¡¯s better if you leave my house.¡±


    ¡°Kyle, why are you treating me like this? Let me tell you that what happened between us during the week in Paris has consequences.¡±


    Lindsey opened her eyes wide, processing what she heard. So it¡¯s true; he cheated on me during that trip!


    At that moment, Kyle became furious and growled threateningly, ¡°You¡¯re despicable, Catrina, and you¡¯ll pay for this. Get out; I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± He tried to grab his wife¡¯s hands, and she rejected him, ufortable with the situation.


    ¡°How can you humiliate the mother of your child?¡± Forced tears began to roll down her cheeks.


    ¡°What child?¡± Lindsey shouted.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, one month pregnant. I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, for what I¡¯m about to say. I¡¯m pregnant with your husband.¡±


    Kyle grabbed Catrina¡¯s arm tightly to pull her out of the house.


    ¡°Get out of my house. You thought I would fall for your lies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. You can check it; I have a delicate pregnancy. I left modeling, and here I am looking for the father of my child because he needs you. Let me go; you¡¯re mistreating me.¡±


    Kyle reluctantly let her go and rubbed his hands over his face, ¡°This couldn¡¯t be happening to me, especially at this moment in my life.¡±


    Unable to bear hearing that woman any longer, Lindsey, enraged and disappointed, ran to her room and locked the door. She copsed on the bed, hugging a pillow, and began to cry as loudly as she could.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m so stupid to believe you?¡± Kyle eximed, terrified by his wife¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, let¡¯s take pregnancy tests, and you can calcte the time. My pregnancy is high-risk, and I have nowhere else to go.¡±


    Kyle was paralyzed; the possibility of being a father lingered in his mind. Regardless of his mother being a wretched woman, the child was not to me for his mistake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to verify it. I fell into your trap, Catrina, but if what you say is true, I¡¯ll take responsibility for that child who is not at fault for having such a wicked mother like you,¡± he shouted, his eyes filled with anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me with your words. You¡¯re hurting our baby. I already humiliated myself bying here to ensure our baby¡¯s well-being. I have a high-risk pregnancy, and he needs you. Besides, what happened between us was because you wanted to enter my room. I didn¡¯t put a gun to your head. Now I¡¯m staying in a hotel while I figure out where to live,¡± she whispered, affected by the situation.


    ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll go to the doctor to confirm the pregnancy, and then I¡¯ll figure out where you¡¯ll stay because I sold the apartment.¡±


    Catrina, with teary eyes, turned around and left the house triumphantly, running her hand over her belly. She thought, ¡°Things turned out better than I expected. That tasteless woman found out once and for all. Better this way. Baby, misbehave a little so that your dad brings us to live in this house. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll have to act to get the doctor¡¯s support.¡±


    Kyle looked at Emilia, who had heard everything. She looked sad, knowing that the harmony in the house had vanished. With quick steps, he went to his office and smashed everything in his path.

 Chapter 36

    Lindsey was in her room, crying her eyes out, reminiscent of thest time she cried so deeply. ¡®It was when she experienced evil at the hands of her father as a child.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t believe that the man who made her forget her past and taught her to love was the same one who destroyed that love in a day. ¡®How could he cheat on me with Catrina and even have a child involved?¡¯ She was angry with herself for being deeply in love with him, wanted to stop crying and be strong, but her tears flowed uncontrobly like waterfalls in an endless river. Sadness took over her heart, and she wondered.


    ¡®Now what do I do? Where do I turn? My happy marriagested so little. You¡¯re pathetic, Lin! Now I¡¯m going to join the club of cheated, divorced, and lonely women.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Kyle continued in his office with his head in his hands, pondering. ¡®I saw the disappointment in her eyes. I can¡¯t lose her. Oh God! What do I tell Lin now? Catrina! Why did you ruin my life? If it turns out she¡¯s really pregnant, how do I prevent that child from suffering?¡¯


    Several hours had passed. Emilia was worried about her children, one locked in his room, and the other in his office. She sighed several times before climbing the stairs, went to the master bedroom, but didn¡¯t find Lin there, so she knocked on the front door.


    ¡°Lin, sweetheart, you haven¡¯t eaten properly. Please,e with me for dinner. I know you¡¯re hurt and don¡¯t want to see anyone, but if you don¡¯t eat, you won¡¯t have the strength to face this problem.¡±


    ¡°Emilia, I¡¯m not hungry! Besides, I don¡¯t want to see your husband.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my girl! You don¡¯t know how my heart aches hearing your lifeless voice because of that witch. If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to find me.¡±


    With a queasy stomach and sobbing, she replied in a dejected voice, ¡°Thank you, Emilia.¡±


    Emilia turned around, went downstairs, and knocked on the office door.


    ¡°My boy, I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but you need to eat something. You haven¡¯t tasted a bite because of the visitor.¡±


    Kyle was lying on the couch with his head bowed between his arms, running his hands through his hair with a lost look. Upon hearing Emilia, he raised his head and asked, ¡°Has Lin eaten anything? How is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s locked in her room. How do you think my boy is? She didn¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Emilia. When I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll find something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, my boy,¡± she said, retiring to her room, depressed.


    Kyle left his office, went to his room, didn¡¯t find Lindsey, stepped out, and stood at the door opposite his room. He wanted to knock but resisted the urge, wondering, ¡®What am I going to tell her?¡¯ He leaned his head against the door for a long time and then withdrew. He tried to sleep but spent the night without finding any rest.


    Kyle left the mansion early, called Catrina to inform her that he was picking her up to go to the hospital. She left the hotel without a hint of makeup, looking exhausted. When she got into the car, she tried to kiss Kyle. He reacted in time and shouted at her, ¡°Don¡¯t overstep, Catrina. Don¡¯t you know how much I hate you right now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for ruining your perfect life. You entered my room all on your own. Out of love for you, I want this baby, and if you think I¡¯ll consider an abortion, I won¡¯t.¡± She lowered her head and caressed her belly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s telling you I want this baby not to be born? Just keep quiet while we get to the hospital.¡± He felt the urge to strangle her; he couldn¡¯t stand having her close, only thinking about how hurt his little doll might be.


    Upon reaching the hospital, Kyle requested a gynecological appointment. Routine pregnancy tests were performed on Catrina.


    Sitting in the waiting room, Catrina felt nauseous. She asked Kyle to apany her, and he agreed. As they left the bathroom, he held her arm because she looked pale.


    Kyle, the more he nced at Catrina from the corner of his eye, the more his sadness deepened.


    ¡°Thedy Catrina Cooper can go to room 18 at the end of the hallway,¡± the doctor¡¯s secretary informed them. She asked for Kyle¡¯s arm to support herself, and they entered the examination room.


    ¡°Good morning, gentlemen! I am Dr. Anais Ramos. Please take a seat.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello, Dr. Anais. I¡¯m Catrina, the future mom of this baby,¡± she responded cheerfully.


    ¡°Good morning! We¡¯re here to confirm Catrina¡¯s pregnancy, and if it¡¯s positive, I want you to give her a checkup.¡±


    The doctor looked at the handsome man in front of her with a somber expression, indicating that she didn¡¯t want to be there. She took a sheet in her hands and replied.


    ¡°I already have the results of the tests. It¡¯s confirmed; Mrs. Catrina is four weeks pregnant. Blood tests show that she has some altered values; she has anemia. At this stage of her pregnancy, she must take care of her health and eat properly for the baby to be born healthy.¡±


    ¡°I live feeling unwell, dizzy, and everything that reaches my stomach I vomit. The doctor who checked me before told me that my pregnancy was delicate,¡± she handed over a folder that the doctor took to review.


    ¡°Can we do a DNA test?¡± Kyle interjected with a cold voice.


    Both women looked at him, and before the doctor could respond, Catrina intervened.


    ¡°You can understand that I have aplicated pregnancy, and my previous doctor rmended that such a procedure could affect the fetus.¡± She nced at the doctor, pleading with her eyes, and asked, ¡°Right, doctor?¡±


    ¡°Non-invasive fetal DNA tests have no risk for the fetus or for you, ma¡¯am. It involves taking a blood sample from the mother and a simple cheek swab from the potential father. However, this test is done from the tenth week of gestation, and I must warn you that it can give inurate or inconclusive results in some cases.¡±


    ¡°I know you have doubts, but I want the best for my baby.¡± Catrina began to cry.


    The doctor observed her with pity, imagining how difficult it must be for this woman to have the potential father deny their child.


    ¡°Mrs. Catrina, calm down. Don¡¯t cry. Try not to get agitated or stressed; your emotional state can also affect the fetus. And you, sir, if you are the father of the fetus, try not to cause any difort to thedy. As I mentioned, it will disturb the baby¡¯s development.¡± Looking at Catrina and pointing to a door, she continued, ¡°Please go to the bathroom, put on a gown that you¡¯ll find there, and when youe out, lie down on the examination table for an ultrasound.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Kyle was silent, with no expression on his face. He had no idea of the storm that was brewing with his wife and grandfather.


    Catrina emerged from the bathroom,id back on the examination table, and the doctor applied gel to her belly before activating the ultrasound machine.


    ¡°What you hear is the sound of the heartbeat,¡± pointing to the screen, the doctor exined. ¡°This point here is the baby, confirmed by the tests. It¡¯s four weeks and two days into gestation.¡±


    ¡°See, my love, there¡¯s our baby. It¡¯s beautiful to know that soon, they¡¯ll be with us.¡±


    Kyle looked at the screen, and his heart raced. He couldn¡¯t believe he would soon be a father. It should be the best news of his life, but right now, it¡¯s the worst his mind can process. Inside, he thought, ¡®Forgive me, baby, for not feeling excitement about your arrival.¡¯


    The doctor took a soft paper roll and passed it over Catrina¡¯s belly, indicating.


    ¡°You can get changed, ma¡¯am. While I note down the instructions and the vitamins you need to take.¡±


    Catrina sat in front of the doctor and asked.


    ¡°Doctor! During this stage of pregnancy, is it good for the baby to feel the warmth of its dad and spend time with him?¡±


    Kyle became uneasy; he wanted to kill Catrina.


    ¡°It¡¯s highly rmended that the father be present at all stages of pregnancy. They sense their mother¡¯s moods. For now, I suggest consuming fruits, nutrient-rich foods, taking the prescribed medications, avoiding any physical exertion. The first three months of pregnancy are the most delicate; any health issue can affect the fetus¡¯s development.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor. As parents, we will ensure the baby¡¯s well-being.¡±


    Lindsey was keeping an eye on the front room¡¯s door. When she felt it open, she estimated an hour had passed. She opened her room door, entered Kyle¡¯s room, packed all her things, and moved back to her old room. Then, she took her purse, silently headed to her car, and left the mansion.


    Arriving at the workshop, she saw her friend and hugged her.


    ¡°Oh God, what happened? Don¡¯t tell me those vermin did something to you?¡±


    She stepped back, approached a chair, and sat down.


    ¡°No, friend, this time it wasn¡¯t my family; it was Kyle. My happinesssted only a few months.¡±


    Janna was surprised to hear what she said, sat next to her, and holding her hands, asked.


    ¡°Kyle? Tell me, friend, why are you like this? Look at those dark circles. Pour your heart out to me.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, Catrina showed up at the house, said she¡¯s pregnant with Kyle¡¯s child, conceived when he traveled to Paris.¡±


    Janna¡¯s mouth dropped open; she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He cheated on you? But he loves you; you can see it in his eyes. That¡¯s a bombshell.¡±


    ¡°Yes, friend. As you hear, he¡¯ll soon be a dad. I¡¯ve wondered if they never really ended their rtionship. She¡¯s the one he loves, and I¡¯m just an extra in his life.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s the father of that child?¡±


    ¡°When she confessed about the pregnancy, his face showed confusion. He never denied it. I was fooled like a fool.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s hard for me to believe what you¡¯re telling me. He turned out to be a disaster, my dear. Look at how broken you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m terrified, friend. Kyle never loved me, and I, like a fool, fell for him. The worst part is that this weekend, we celebrated our first year of marriage like a fairy tale, and yesterday, I had to wake up to the worst reality.¡±


    Janna asked with regret.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Why stay there? I¡¯ll help you pack your things.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to talk to you about. I¡¯ve been thinking all night. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the best decision, but I¡¯m going to talk to Luan to help me with awyer and prepare for a divorce. I¡¯ll leave signed documents. Also, since my dad doesn¡¯t know anything, I¡¯ll go and find my grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll agree to a divorce so easily?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? He¡¯s going to have a new family, and there¡¯s enough evidence of his infidelity.¡±


    ¡°True, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m here for whatever you need. I¡¯ll support you in whatever decision you make.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, friend. Let¡¯s call Luan.¡±


    After discussing with her friends and sorting out matters at the workshop, Lindsey returned home in the evening. She opened the door to enter and couldn¡¯t process the surprise her husband had for her.


    ¡°Love, I¡­¡±


    Catrina didn¡¯t let him finish speaking; she was approaching at that moment.


    ¡°Love, what time is dinner served? The baby is hungry. Hi, Lin.¡± she shed a victorious smile.


    Lindsey wanted the ground to swallow her, taking deep breaths to avoid crying in front of them.


    ¡°For you, Lindsey, Kyle, I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing. At least you could have waited until I left your house.¡±


    ¡°Love, we need to talk, forgive me, I know I¡¯ve caused you a lot of pain. She had nowhere to go, and the pregnancy is delicate. Shall we go to the office to talk?¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about; everything is clear. Or do you n on having your two women under the same roof? How shameless you are, a weak man,¡± she didn¡¯t want to stay there, almost running, she quickly went to her room.


    Kyle turned to Catrina like a demon and shouted.


    ¡°I told you to stay in the room. I want you away from my wife; you¡¯re here until I find you an apartment to move out,¡± he turned his back and followed his wife.


    Upon reaching the room, he knocked on the door several times without getting a response. Desperately, he whispered with a dejected voice.


    ¡°Love! Please, open the door! We need to talk. I won¡¯t move from here until we talk,¡± he leaned against the door, an hourter, he knocked again. ¡°Love, if you don¡¯t open the door, I¡¯ll get the spare key and enter without your permission.¡±


    Kyle, not getting a response, turned around, and with giant steps, went to his office. He searched in a drawer for the keys, returned to the room, opened the door, didn¡¯t see anyone, got terrified, and entered the bathroom. His heart stopped when he saw her sitting on the floor under the shower, sobbing, with a in look of sadness. Without thinking, he sat beside her, getting his clothes wet with the artificial rain.


    ¡°Forgive me, please. It hurts my soul to see you like this. Don¡¯t cry for me; I don¡¯t deserve your tears. I love you, Lin, and your suffering is torture for my heart. I know I disappointed you as a man,¡± with anguish, he swallowed and continued. ¡°When I went to Paris, I met her at the fashion event, we had a few drinks, and I got drunk. I don¡¯t remember what happened with her. Today we went to confirm what you already know; it seems I¡¯m going to be a dad. I¡¯m trapped, love. She has anemia and aplicated pregnancy. Since she lived in Paris, she has nowhere to stay here, no family, and she¡¯s weak. I couldn¡¯t leave her alone in a hotel. Tomorrow I¡¯ll find her an apartment and someone to take care of her during the pregnancy. You won¡¯t see her in our house anymore.¡±


    Lindsey got up as best she could, closed the shower, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her body, went to the closet, found pajamas, put them on, then sat in front of the mirror to brush her hair.

 Chapter 38

    Kyle, drenched, observed every move she made. She was ignoring him, so he positioned himself behind her and shouted.


    ¡°Love! Please talk to me, yell at me, say something. I can¡¯t stand you ignoring me.¡±


    Lindsey stood in front of him and calmly stated.


    ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m leaving your house. Awyer will bring you the divorce papers for you to sign.¡±


    Kyle ran his hands through his head, desperate, started pacing back and forth. His greatest fear wasing true. He eximed disturbed.


    ¡°No, my love! We can¡¯t get divorced, please, don¡¯t. I won¡¯t give you a divorce; you are mine.¡±


    ¡°On the table are the proofs of your infidelity. I imagine your lover sent them as a gift to my workce. With just those photos, a judge will grant us the divorce. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t want anything from you, just my things.¡±


    Kyle approached the table and took the photos, trembling, he looked at each one. In the photos, he was with Catrina from the event until he entered his room. ¡°Damn woman,¡± he eximed mentally.


    ¡°Love, what do you want me to do to forgive me? I¡¯ll do anything; I just ask you not to push me away until I earn your forgiveness. Even if you don¡¯t believe it, I learned what it means to love and desire a wonderful person.¡± He dragged the words with difort.


    ¡°You love me so much that you bring your lover to your wife¡¯s house. You desire me so much that you don¡¯t care about my feelings, to trample on them in front of her.¡±


    ¡°I told you why I did it! Just for the baby, but tomorrow I¡¯ll figure it out and find a ce to take her.¡±


    ¡°Why look for an apartment when you have this big house where you can be happy with your new family?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Lin, understand where my conscience is. If anything happens to that child, the doctor said the first few months are delicate.¡±


    ¡°Poor Catrina, and where do I fit in? My feelings mean nothing to you. You disgust me; you¡¯re a damn, I don¡¯t want to be tied to you anymore. Get out of this room!¡± She shouted with rage-filled eyes.


    Kyle heard every word she said; her words were a strong blow to his heart.


    ¡°I know you love me, and everything you say is because of the harm I¡¯ve caused you, but we¡¯re not going to separate. You are mine, Lin, and I won¡¯t let you leave the house until you forgive me.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Lindsey couldn¡¯t bear such audacity and pped him twice with all her strength on each cheek.


    Kyle stood still, unmoving, his mind clouded. Agitated, he eximed.


    ¡°Unload all your rage on me however you want, but I won¡¯t set you free. You are forbidden to leave the house until you love me again.¡±


    He began walking towards the door, frustrated, and left the room to talk to his men.


    Lindsey was petrified; she couldn¡¯t believe her husband¡¯s cynicism. She shouted furiously as she watched him disappear through the door. ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t let me go? You¡¯re a miserable, wretched man. I have to be strong; he can¡¯t keep trampling on my pride. I swear I won¡¯t shed another tear for Kyle. I have to find a way to escape this hell.¡± She searched for a backpack and packed her most important things and documents.


    At that moment, Emilia entered, looking distressed. She looked at Lindsey with affection, approached her, and hugged her. Then she let go of her and, holding her hands, informed her.


    ¡°My girl, I¡¯m sorry for what you¡¯re going through. Mr. Hugo is about to arrive; pack your things; he¡¯sing for you. He won¡¯t leave you alone in this house with that harpy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too. My happiness didn¡¯tst long,¡± she replied with a deste look.


    Freed was calling Kyle like crazy; he was already aware of what had happened.


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic, son! Who would think of bringing the lover to his wife¡¯s house?¡± Susan shouted as she entered the office.


    Kyle had a ss of whiskey in hand and responded like a demon.


    ¡°Catrina stopped being a part of my life a long time ago. I know I made a mistake by entering that room, but what do you want me to do? Leave Catrina alone with a high-risk pregnancy? If something happens to that child, where does my conscience stand? Now Lin wants to leave me, but I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°You easily fell into Catrina¡¯s web; I thought you were smarter. Now, face the consequences. Whether you like it or not, you can¡¯t keep Lin by your side. Your grandfather doesn¡¯t want to see your face, at least for now! He¡¯s talking to Lin, and whatever she decides, her decision will be respected.¡±


    Kyle became desperate and threw the ss against the wall. He felt his heartpress in his chest. It was the first time he developed such strong feelings for another person. He took a risk with Lin and showed her his emotions. Due to one mistake, his life went to hell. He wants to go and grab Catrina by the neck, but just thinking about the harm it could cause to his child makes him hesitate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can live without Lin, Mom. It hurts that she hates me, but my childes first. If only she could understand that I love her, and Catrina is not a part of my life. I did everything for my child. It¡¯s so hard for her to understand.¡± He lowered his head and ran his hand through his hair, thinking, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go on without Lin.¡±


    Susan approached her son, and he embraced her while tears rolled down his cheeks. His mom is surprised and hurt to see her son broken down. He truly fell in love, and all she can do now is support him, even though he made a mistake. He¡¯s her son, and she¡¯ll be there to console him.


    ¡°Of course, you can move on without Lin! You know I¡¯ve always stayed out of your life, but that girl is suffering, and keeping her in this house will only make her despise you even more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a jerk, and I¡¯ve lost the only woman I¡¯ve loved. I ruined my life. From all this suffering, I only have that child left.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the room, Grandfather Hugo arrives, takes a nce at his granddaughter, and sees her lifeless gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll support whatever decision you make.¡±


    Lindsey ran to hug him, then sat on the bed and looked him in the eyes.


    ¡°Tomorrow, they¡¯ll deliver the divorce papers to your grandson. I can¡¯t continue living with a man who is going to have a child with another woman. Grandpa, take me away from here. I want to go find my grandmother in Italy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you. Pack your things, and let¡¯s go to the airport. My private ne is waiting to take you wherever you want. Just keep me informed about your life, or I¡¯lle to wherever you are.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Grandpa! Can I ask for another favor?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want, my girl.¡±


    ¡°A friend and I had a small sewing workshop where we experimented with our designs. Now that she¡¯s alone, she¡¯s looking for a job as a designer. Can you take her into one of your fashion houses?¡±


    ¡°Susan will take care of her. Now, grab your things; we¡¯re leaving.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Months earlier, Lindsey had found out where her maternal grandmother was living. She was nning to visit her, but the trip got expedited.


    Upon arriving at Peret Airport, she took a taxi on the outskirts of Florence. The driver dropped her off at the address she provided-a 75-year-old woman was waiting for her at the entrance of the vi.


    ¡°Grandma! Is it you?¡± she recognized thedy with white hair.


    ¡°My beloved granddaughter, aren¡¯t you going to give a hug to this poor olddy?¡±


    Lindsey ran into her grandmother¡¯s arms, excited to see her after many years. She could feel her grandmother¡¯s caresses in her hair, and the scent of jasmine filled her nostrils, reminding her of her mother.


    ¡°Granny! I thought you had forgotten me.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, my child. I missed you as much as your mom. How many times I longed to caress your hair.¡±


    ¡°I missed you so much, Granny. You have no idea howforting it is to be in your arms like when I was a child,¡± she whispered while shedding tears on the olddy¡¯s dress.


    Antone sensed that something bad had happened to her granddaughter because she noticed the deep circles under her eyes and the sadness in her gaze.


    ¡°I know, my child. Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±


    Lindsey told her grandmother the reasons she was running away from an unrequited love.


    Two monthster, Kyle experienced morning sickness and asional dizziness. He was going through a tough time. Catrina found it strange; these were the same symptoms she had in the early months of her pregnancy. She used this to her advantage to emphasize to Kyle that the baby she believed was in her womb was of his blood.


    Kyle couldn¡¯t stop missing his doll. He didn¡¯t eat well and slept little. Living with Catrina was a hell; she demanded even to sleep with him, all for the sake of the baby.


    At Pratt Enterprises, employees tried not to cross paths with the arrogant CEO. He vented his frustrations on work, and Freed kicked him out of thepany several times because, buried in paperwork, he wouldn¡¯t eat anything all day.


    Meanwhile, Lindsey was in a doctor¡¯s office with her grandmother.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be; you must be mistaken. There must be an error,¡± she swallowed hard when her brain projected the trimester contraceptive injection that she forgot to get during the events of her failed marriage. She froze, bringing her hands to her mouth. ¡°What am I going to do with a baby without its father?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Girt, the blood test shows that you are 10 weeks pregnant,¡± the doctormented, ncing at the captivating young woman who caught his attention when she entered his office. He checked the values on the paper he held in his hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s the best news you could give us, doctor. I¡¯m going to be a great-grandmother,¡± Antone dered with joy sparkling in her eyes. With a hug, she lifted her granddaughter from her worries.


    The doctor professionally instructed her to lie down on the examination table. Lindsey did it, trembling from the shock. She felt the cold gel spread on her abdomen and fixed her eyes on arge screen in front of her.


    ¡°Mrs. Girt, I know you were rmed when you heard the news that you are pregnant, but what I¡¯m about to tell you, you must take calmly.¡±


    ¡°Call me Lin! Doctor! Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lin; I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. On the contrary, congrattions.¡± He activated the machine¡¯s sound. ¡°What you hear is the beating of three little hearts.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she eximed in surprise.


    ¡°As you heard, Lin,¡± he said, pointing to the machine¡¯s screen. ¡°These three circles you see here are your babies.¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s face transformed into tenderness, and she automatically drew a smile, finding the strength to emerge from the emotional abyss she was drowning in. She took her grandmother¡¯s hand and whispered.


    ¡°Look, Granny, there are three lives inside me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my granddaughter, three beautiful reasons that God sent you to give us love and happiness.¡±


    The doctor cleaned her belly and informed her that the fetuses were at term with the expected gestation date. He told her to attend a medical checkup the following month and handed her a prescription with instructions for the vitamins she needed to take.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Months passed. Catrina went intobor, and the nurse attending her couldn¡¯t bear the screams and curses pouring out of her mouth. Kyle was with her, holding her hand throughout the process. A low-weight baby boy was born, immediately taken to the neonatal area and ced in an incubator.


    In the hospital room, an elderly man with a cane walked in, taking slow steps. With a yful smile, he said.


    ¡°Hello, Catrina. How are you feeling?¡±


    Catrina studied the old man¡¯s face; a shiver ran down her spine. She knew that the presence of the old man would bring nothing good. She shouted angrily.


    ¡°Mr. Hugo! What are you doing here? You know you¡¯re not wee in this room.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Catrina? Don¡¯t talk to my grandfather like that. He just came to meet his great-grandson,¡± Kyle grumbled, getting up from his seat and giving the old man a hug. ¡°Sorry, Grandpa, she had aplicated delivery.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear grandson. I¡¯m here for the DNA test of the child.¡±


    ¡°What? You have no right to do that,¡± Catrina leaned in, frightened and ncing at Kyle. She continued, ¡°Love, you can¡¯t let our son suffer because of your grandfather¡¯s malice.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, this child is my son, and I won¡¯t allow you to take blood from him just to satisfy yourself.¡±


    ¡°Do you affirm that he is my grandson? With that right, I had a paternity test done, and here in my hands, I have the results,¡± the old man took a step toward his grandson and handed him a paper. ¡°Take it to check for yourself.¡± Then, he rolled a chair and sat near the door.


    Kyle took the paper in his hands, and as he read, his gaze fixed on the words. A gic test was conducted, and the result was negative. There was no possibility that Kyle Pratt was the biological father of the child, with a 100% reliability of the result stating he is not the father.


    Kyle felt his heart tearing apart; his breathing started to fail. He had to sit for a few seconds. Mentally whispering, ¡°My life went to hell because of lies and the whim of a woman.¡±


    Like a demon, he got up suddenly, and in two steps, he reached Catrina. He raised his hand, delivering a p that split her lip.


    ¡°I will never forgive you for ruining my life. I curse the day I met you.¡±

 Chapter 40

    Catrina is petrified; it¡¯s the first time he has mistreated her. Sobbing, she shouts,


    ¡°How can you believe your grandfather? Our baby is only a day old; DNA tests take weeks to deliver results. Your grandfather never wanted me in his family, and he¡¯ll find a way to discredit me.¡±


    With narrowed eyes, the old man watches the scene.


    ¡°Catrina! With money, things can be expedited. Kyle, if you want, you can redo the DNA test here or at anyboratory. Before doing this test, my dear grandson, I conducted a series of investigations. You¡¯d be surprised to know who the father of that child is.¡±


    Enraged, Kyle nces at his grandfather.


    ¡°Spit it out already.¡±


    ¡°The father of that child is your cousin Maximiliano. That week in Paris, he stayed at the same hotel as you. After this harpy left your room, she went to the hotel bar and met womanizer Maximiliano. The time he spent in Paris, she spent it with him. Your cousin is already on his way. That heartless one has already received my insults for getting involved with a stranger without protection, seeking disease.¡±


    Catrina res at him with hatred and spits.


    ¡°Damn old man, you respect me.¡±


    Kyle looks at her with contempt and shouts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you once, and if you tell me the truth, I¡¯ll let you leave the country withoutplications. But if you lie to me, I swear I¡¯ll put you in jail, and I¡¯ll make your life hell there. What happened that night in your room?¡± -his eyes as dark as the night.


    ¡°Loove, I love you,¡± she whispers with a trembling voice.


    ¡°Stop calling me love and answer, damn it,¡± he shouts coldly.


    ¡°I knew you had bad drink and offered you spiked wine. When I noticed you speaking incoherently, I took you to my room. The idea was to make love; I was in my ovtion days, but you fell asleep as you threw yourself on the bed. I managed to undress you, and you know the rest,¡± she cries -¡°But I did it all for love. You know I¡¯m alone in this life, and you¡¯re all I have.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trash, Catrina. I hope never to see your face again, or you¡¯ll see the worst of me,¡± he turns to his grandfather. ¡°I leave her to you, Grandpa. Send her far away from the country.¡± He leaves the room at a brisk pace without looking around.


    ¡°Kyle, don¡¯t leave me, please. I need you. I love youuu¡­¡± Catrina remains stunned on the bed, watching the man she loves disappear through the door. The pain in her heart is as great as the love she feels; she feels like an abandoned and despised woman. She couldn¡¯t make him feel the slightest desire for her in months.


    A few minutester, a handsome man, tall, dark, with blue eyes, enters the room.


    ¡°Hello, uncle! I¡¯ve taken the paternity test,¡± he sighs bitterly, continuing, ¡°and indeed, the test showed 99% highly probable paternity. I¡¯m the father of that child.¡±


    ¡°Now, what do you n to do?¡±


    ¡°Outside, there¡¯s an ambnce waiting for the baby. I¡¯m taking him to my mother¡¯s house. Aunt Sussan has a nurse who will take care of the child until he¡¯s out of danger.¡±


    Upon hearing that they were taking the baby away, Catrina reacts.


    ¡°He¡¯s my son, and you can¡¯t take him away.¡±


    ¡°It turns out you used me to get pregnant and deceive my cousin. But that won¡¯t stand. Now you¡¯re going to sign some documents and give me custody and guardianship of my child,¡± he responds coldly and apathetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my son,¡± she replied with a melodramatic tone.


    Maximiliano took a few steps towards the door and let in a man who had been waiting for a while.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Catrina Cooper. My name is Rn Smith, and I¡¯m here as Mr. Maximiliano Miller¡¯swyer,¡± he said, extending some documents. ¡°You must sign these documents where you transfer all rights of the child Max Miller to his father. If you don¡¯t sign, you could go to jail.¡±


    ¡°Kyle said he wouldn¡¯t do anything against me. Why would I go to jail?¡±


    ¡°Not him! But I would! As the child¡¯s father, I can report you for using my son to destroy a family. You could get 2 to 4 years in prison. Do you think a judge will grant custody of my son to an ex-convict?¡±


    Sobbing, she signed; she had no choice. If she protests, she could go to jail, and they were going to take away her rights to her baby anyway.


    ¡°I want to see him before you take him away.¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯ve stopped being his mother,¡± he said, taking the papers and turning his back to leave the room, followed by the other two men.


    Grandfather Hugo spoke to the doctor and gave Catrina clearance. Two of his men put her on the family¡¯s private ne bound for Paris. He knew that there, as a model, she could rebuild her life.


    Kyle left the hospital and asked the driver to take him home. The journey was silent and gloomy. Upon arrival, he got out of the car, elerated his steps toward his room, broke everything of Catrina¡¯s that he found there, then undressed and stepped into the shower. Tears rolled down his cheeks, mixing with the artificial rain. He punched the wall until his knuckles bled. He was furious for falling for Catrina¡¯s lies, for bringing her into his house, and for letting his marriage end. He fell to his knees, remembering that a few months ago, he had hired a private investigator to find Lindsey. Without sess, they haven¡¯t been able to locate her. ¡®I know, Grandpa, that you have something to do with not finding her. I hope one day my little doll can forgive me for all the harm I used you of.¡¯


    The next morning, Kyle woke up, told his nanny what had happened, ordered everything that belonged to Catrina to be thrown away, and Emilia, surprised and tearful, hugged andforted him.


    Kyle had breakfast alone, reminiscing about his life before marriage. Many thoughts and changes went through his mind the night before, and his life was about to take a different turn.


    After breakfast, he bid farewell to his nanny, asked his driver to take him to a hospital, where he scheduled an appointment with a urologist and underwent a vasectomy. In pain, he walked back to his car, whispering to himself, ¡®Now no woman will take advantage of me. I¡¯ll be the one to be their executioner.¡¯Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 41

    In a short period, Lindsey had be a renowned designer in the city, sought after by brides in the region to design their wedding dresses and those of the bridesmaids. Two monthster, Lindsey was in her workshop putting the finishing touches on a wedding dress that was to be sent to one of the most recognized fashion houses in Florence.


    ¡°Did you see what time it is, and you haven¡¯t had lunch?¡± grumbled her assistant, arms crossed.


    ¡°Isa, just finish up thest touches on the dress that needs to be sent to Mrs. Magnolia today,¡± Lindsey smiled, rising with difficulty due to her pronounced belly barely allowing her to work. ¡°I was waiting for you to join me for lunch. I¡¯m in the mood for a delicious carbonara spaghetti with a chocte milkshake.¡±


    Taking short steps, Isa approached her boss and offered her arm, scolding her, ¡°Lin! You have to eat well; you can¡¯t skip lunch.¡±


    Pouting, Lindsey clung to her assistant¡¯s arm and mischievously whispered, ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go; I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t with you, Boss,¡± Isa rolled her eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The two walked to a restaurant a few meters from the workshop, Lindsey¡¯s favorite, as she said every time she set foot there.


    While waiting for the food, Lindsey enjoyed a chocte milkshake when suddenly she felt a pang in her intimate area, causing her to grimace.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Isa asked, concerned.


    ¡°Nothing, just a¡­,¡± Lindsey couldn¡¯t finish the word, experiencing the same pain again.


    Isa called a waiter who knew them and asked for help to transport Lindsey to the car. Theyid her down in the back of the vehicle and rushed to the hospital.


    In the car, Lindsey felt a liquid running down her legs. Panicking, she shouted, ¡°Isa, I stained your car.¡±


    Worried, Isa nced in the rearview mirror, seeing a mixture of liquid and blood. She elerated the car, teasing Lindsey, ¡°This little race is going to cost you, Boss. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t charge you for the car wash, and it¡¯s going to be the most luxurious in the city.¡±


    Lindsey wanted to smile, but the pain wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    Ten minutester, they were parking in front of the hospital. Terrified, Isa honked and shouted for help like crazy.


    ¡°Help! A doctor! Help!¡±


    Two nurses ran to them, helped get Lindsey out of the car, and another nurse approached with a wheelchair and sat her down.


    ¡°Please call my obstetrician, Dr. Samuel Ferrer,¡± she whispered, scared due to contractions.


    Upon arriving at the doctor¡¯s office, theyid her on a bed. Samuel examined her; she was three centimeters dted.


    ¡°Lin, a nurse wille in a while; she¡¯ll take you to the delivery room. These little troublemakers will be in your arms soon.¡±


    In the waiting room, Isa was a bundle of nerves. Antone approached her, asking, ¡°How is she? What did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! Just that we have to wait a few hours. She hasn¡¯t enteredbor yet; he mentioned something about dtions, but I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡±


    The old woman smiled and sat with her, excited.


    Meanwhile, in Manhattan, three people are boarding a private ne headed straight to Florence.


    Several hourster, they took Lindsey to the delivery room. Lindsey had sessfully delivered two babies, but the third had the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. They removed it immediately; the baby was purple, and they tried to resuscitate it. Seeing the scene, Lindsey became agitated, and her blood pressure rose, causing her to faint. The pediatrician took care of the baby.


    ¡°Come on, Lin, react!¡± the doctor shouted. ¡°Nurse, administer 250 mg of injectable methyldopa.¡±


    The delivery room was chaotic, and soon the cry of the third baby was heard. The doctor sighed in relief; he had managed to revive the girl. Lindsey, upon hearing the cry, opened her eyes.


    ¡°Lin, your girl is safe. Both of them really knew how to give me a scare,¡± the doctor said, catching his breath.


    The babies were taken to the Neonatal area, while the mother was transferred to a room. The doctor approached the waiting room, and Antone stood up and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is my granddaughter and the babies?¡±


    ¡°We had someplications. The girl was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, and Lin¡¯s blood pressure spiked. Thank God we were able to revive the girl and normalize the mother¡¯s values.¡±


    ¡°But will they be okay, doctor?¡± Grandfather Hugo asked as he arrived with his daughter and Janna.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ve passed the danger.¡±


    ¡°Can we see Lin and the children?¡± Sussan asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let Lin rest for a while. It¡¯s not easy to bring three children into the world. A nurse wille to get you to take you to her room. As for the babies, they¡¯re in the Neonatal area. When the pediatrician finishes checking them and informs me that everything is fine, they will be transferred with their mother.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Antone said, hugging Isa. A nurse approached them to collect the babies¡¯ clothing, and Antone handed over the diaper bag.


    ¡°In ten minutes, I¡¯lle to get you so you can see Mrs. Lindsey,¡± the nurse informed them. Grandfather Hugo shed tears of emotion mixed with sadness. He felt sorry for his grandson, who was unaware of the existence of his children. How much he would give to share this joy with him, but he had to respect Lindsey¡¯s decision. Seeing him distressed, Sussan approached.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯ll see that Kyle will soon meet his children. I also have a heavy heart knowing that our little treasures will be far from us, but let¡¯s have faith that we¡¯ll be together soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, daughter, I¡¯ll find a way to convince that stubborn Lin to return to Manhattan soon.¡±


    Antone, who overheard the conversation, interrupted.


    ¡°Right now, she needs to regain strength and consciousness. Soon, she¡¯ll return to Manhattan to reim what¡¯s rightfully hers.¡±


    A nurse appeared and guided them to Lindsey¡¯s room. Amidughter, they met the new members of the Pratt Girt family. Reluctantly, Lindsey had to ept that the children would carry the Pratt surname.

 Chapter 42

    Lindsey was watching the triplets sleep in the crib; three months had passed since their birth.


    ¡°Lin, let¡¯s go to the break room. It¡¯s time for you and me to have a conversation about Lina.¡±


    Lindsey became uneasy. Months ago, she had wanted to talk to her grandmother about her mother, but with the pregnancy, that topic had been forgotten. She took the old woman¡¯s hand, and they headed to the break room, sitting face to face.


    ¡°My dear, what I¡¯m about to tell you, take it calmly. Some parts were told to me by your mother, and others are investigations I did at that time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I was about to ask you about my mother and why my father hates me so much.¡±


    ¡°I want you to know that your mother didn¡¯t die from an illness; she was murdered. The Rose S. A. textilepany and the mansion that belonged to your mother are now yours.¡±


    Lindsey, upon hearing that her mother was murdered, immediately froze, not fullyprehending what she had just heard. Only one word could escape her mouth.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As you heard, my dear! I¡¯ll tell you everything from the beginning. Lina was a warrior who took control of the Rose S. A. textilepany at the age of 25 when your grandfather passed away. During that time, Lina met a businessman, and they fell in love. Lina dedicated so much to thepany that she neglected her rtionship. When she tried to save it, it was toote; this man had fallen in love with another woman, and theysted six years together.


    Disappointed, your mother clung to her work. When she turned 38, her greatest desire was to be a mother. She was nning to undergo artificial insemination when your father appeared in her life. He was just a 22-year-old ounting intern who charmed your mother until she fell into his web. Soon they became a couple. Your mom saw the opportunity to fulfill her dream, and your father saw a chance to climb the socialdder. I didn¡¯t like him as a person, but I saw my daughter so excited that I ended up epting their rtionship,¡± the old woman took a deep breath.


    ¡°Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°They got married, your mother got pregnant, and John was furious when he found out. After a few weeks, he started to change; he wanted control over all your mother¡¯s assets. She transferred them to him due to her pregnancy. When you were born, you were the happiness of your mother and mine. As you grew up, Lina tried to hide all the problems with your father. John was never in love with your mother; he only married her for the money and fortune of the Roses. Later, my daughter discovered embezzlement in the family andpany ounts,¡± she squeezed her granddaughter¡¯s hands to gather strength.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s tough, Granny, but I want to know it all.¡±


    ¡°When your mother asked him about the money in the family ount, he shouted at her and hit her. Once, she came to my house with a bruised face, crying in my arms. I told her to leave that man, but Lina was masochistic. Your father treated her very badly, to the point that one day he sent her to the hospital, but the doctors didn¡¯t intervene because at that moment, she justified the beatings with an ident.¡±


    ¡°Oh God! I can¡¯t believe my mother also suffered at the hands of my father.¡±


    ¡°I investigated John and found out he had a lover and a daughter.¡±


    ¡°Like a daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my love. Your father was always unfaithful to Lena with Kathen, who was his secretary at that time. I didn¡¯t tell your mother because I knew what she was going through, and even if I told her, she wouldn¡¯t believe me. She was always blind with love.¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s eyes widened, she swallowed hard, starting to understand her painful past.


    ¡°The saddest part cameter. Your mother decided to get involved in thepany¡¯s affairs and returned to work. Soon after, my Lina looked unwell, but it seemed like flu symptoms that wouldn¡¯t go away. Your father didn¡¯t want her to see a doctor. I hadn¡¯t seen her in days, so I decided to visit her. The scene I found terrified me. She was pale, suffering from diarrhea, nausea, body aches, headaches, and had convulsed several times.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God! My poor mother. I didn¡¯t notice anything.¡±


    ¡°I called one of my men, and they helped me get her into the car. Before reaching the hospital, she told me, ¡®Mom, if something happens to me, take care of my daughter. She is the sole owner of the Rose S. A. textilepany, and the mansion my grandparents left me belongs to Lin. She¡¯s the only one who can live there; otherwise, it will be donated to a shelter.¡¯ That¡¯s why they never let you escape from that house because, if they did, they would lose it, unless you got married, as stated in the will.


    We arrived at the hospital, and she was treated in the emergency room. After a while, a doctor exined to me that she had aplicated clinical picture, with her kidneyspromised and cerebral hemorrhage. The doctors tried to stabilize her and save her life, but unfortunately, she died.


    I was sure that my daughter didn¡¯t die from a simple illness. With the money I had, I had her death investigated. A known doctor performed more in-depth blood tests, determining that the results were positive for ethylene glycol poisoning, an ingredient present in antifreeze products, in other words, car antifreeze. What makes ethylene glycol potentially deadly is that just a few sips can damage the central nervous system, and these symptoms also coincide with flu-like symptoms.


    The shock of knowing the truth gave me a heart attack, and they managed to stabilize me. Your father took advantage of what happened to me. Two dayster, he inherited everything from your mother and tookplete control over the family assets. I fought for your custody, but a judge wouldn¡¯t give it to a sick old woman. Shortly after, he married his lover and took her daughter to live with him in your mother¡¯s mansion, which rightfully belongs to you.


    Lindsey felt her heart beating strongly, making it difficult to breathe. Tears flooded her cheeks; she couldn¡¯t believe that her mother had tolerated so much cruelty.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°So, Courtney is my half-sister. Granny, do you think my father poisoned my mother?¡±


    ¡°I conducted my investigations, and yes, John and Kathen are the murderers of Lina. They were giving her antifreeze in her juice. I reported your father for her death, but he left me without resources, and John, with money, interfered in the investigations, leaving her death forgotten. They wouldn¡¯t let me see you, my child; they smeared my reputation in society. Without resources and after all that had happened, my heart was failing. I decided toe and live in this vi where your grandfather, your mother, and I used toe for vacations. We were happy here. I hoped that one day you would find me, and I could tell you the truth.


    Lindsey sobbed and growled, ¡°I promise, Grandma, I will make them pay for my mother¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my dear. That¡¯s why you have to be strong, study how to lead and manage apany so that they can¡¯t intimidate you. You¡¯re a woman, and in a world of sharks, you have to learn to swim among them. I heard from an acquaintance that your mother¡¯spany is afloat thanks to the help of your ex-husband.¡±


    ¡°Cursed individuals! They¡¯ve destroyed everything my mother had in life, but I¡¯ll get through this. I swear, Grandma, I will avenge her death and reim what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Four yearster.


    At LaGuardia Airport on the east side of Manhattan, a private ne wasnding. A beautiful woman descended from it, apanied by an olderdy and three four-year-old children-a princess and two mini knights.


    Lindsey moved with elegance towards the exit, where a luxurious car was waiting for them. Sussan disembarked from the inside before she could react; three little whirlwinds came running and jumped on her.


    ¡°Granny¡­ Elita, we missed you,¡± the children stammered as they hugged their grandmother around the waist.


    ¡°How you¡¯ve grown, my treasures! I barely recognize you from thest time I saw you. How big you¡¯ve be!¡± Sussan was delighted; she would finally spend more time with her grandchildren.


    ¡°Yeah! And you won¡¯t give me a sloppy kiss,¡± protested Janna with crossed arms.


    Seeing her, the children came to greet her. Leno was the first to arrive, while Luna and Lucas shouted, ¡°Aunt Janna!¡±


    The women warmly greeted each other, and everyone got into the car, which set off.


    ¡°How is Grandpa Hugo?¡± Lindsey asked with concern.


    ¡°He¡¯s stable. He has heart problems, and due to his age, the doctor says there¡¯s not much to do. The arteries and veins arepromised, so a heart transnt isn¡¯t an option. We try to keep him away from troubles, but you know that old stubborn man,¡± replied Sussan, caressing Luna¡¯s little head. She looked distressed; her father has been the family¡¯s pir, and she knows he¡¯s getting older and won¡¯t be with them for long.


    Lindsey noticed Sussan¡¯s subdued voice and responded, ¡°If you promise that your son won¡¯t show up at your house, I can take the kids tomorrow to spend the day with Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Really? My dad will be thrilled with his great-grandchildren, and Luna, with her chatter, will cheer him up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandma, I can¡¯t wait to see Grandpa. I have a lot of things to tell him,¡± Luna spoke excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Grandpa that I want a real puppy. My mom doesn¡¯t want to give me one.¡±


    ¡°Luna, stop insisting. You¡¯re still a baby to take care of a pet,¡± replied the most serious of the three, Leno.


    ¡°I¡¯m a big girl; I¡¯m not a baby,¡± protested Luna, furrowing her brow and crossing her arms.


    ¡°My loves, stop fighting, and Luna, when you¡¯re older, we can have that puppy you desire,¡± Antone, their grandmother, confessed.


    The car parked in front of a mansion. Everyone exited the vehicle; the children ran towards a water fountain in front of the house, followed by their grandmothers. Lindsey and Janna approached thewyer standing at the main door. He handed Lindsey the keys to her mother¡¯s mansion, which had been recovered along with thepany.


    ¡°Thank you, Dexter. I never thought it would be you who would help me recover the assets my mother had inherited.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Lin,¡± he took a step and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then he stepped back and continued, ¡°I wanted to be the one to help you remodel it and hand you the keys aspensation for being a foolish immature guy.¡±


    The three of themughed, and Dexter continued.


    ¡°When Isa contacted me to request my services as awyer and exined your case, I didn¡¯t hesitate to help. It wasn¡¯t easy; your dad put up a fight. Thewyer your mother hired had his entire legal office stolen from him years ago. Luckily, the guy used to make copies of all his documents and had a locker where he kept all his cases. We were able to prove that this mansion belongs to you and sessfully evicted them. As for thepany, your dad showed a document where you supposedly transferred the rights to manage thepany as he pleased.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s despicable. I don¡¯t know when he made me sign that paper. I don¡¯t remember signing anything,¡± anger projected on her face.


    ¡°ording to the date on the document, it was more than nine years ago.¡±


    ¡°When I was 15?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was cunning about it. You already had knowledge of your actions, so you supposedly transferred all the rights of yourpany to him.¡±


    Lindsey tried to recall and only remembered signing some documents for the rental and decoration of the party hall where she was going to have her birthday celebration, which never happened. She remembered that it was one of the employees who asked her to sign, as her father wasn¡¯t around, and she was leaving for school. At that moment, she didn¡¯t read; she just signed.


    ¡°Crafty old man,¡± she growled furiously, shaking her head from side to side.


    ¡°Exactly. Thanks to the skills I¡¯ve learned from the Devil¡¯swyer, I was able to prove that at that age, you weren¡¯t fit to carry out legal transactions.¡±


    ¡°How could my father sell off my heritage? The good thing is that Isa was able to recover 20%, so I now have 55% of the shares. She hasn¡¯t been able to contact the majority buyer who holds the remaining 45%.¡±


    ¡°Lin, regarding the job offer you made me, I decline. If you want, I can help you with theplicated cases of thepany. Right now, I want to create my ownw firm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d for you, Dexter, that you¡¯vee so far in such a short time. Thanks for your support.¡±


    ¡°I owed you that, my Lin. I should never have put good sex before our friendship. Thanks to Jonas, I¡¯m a shark in the courts, and I rarely lose a case.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How¡¯s your rtionship with Helen?¡±


    ¡°My formal rtionship with that crazy woman ended years ago. She won¡¯t leave me alone; I¡¯ve tried to move on with my love life, but she appears and ruins everything. I¡¯ve given her chances, but she hasn¡¯t stopped being toxic. You could say she¡¯s my cross to bear. By the way, where¡¯s that stubborn assistant of yours? She¡¯s a gem at demanding things.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like Isa?¡± Janna teased mockingly.


    ¡°Not at all! I don¡¯t know her, only through calls and the time she came to Manhattan for the mansion renovation, but if she¡¯s that rude in demanding things, I can imagine what she¡¯s like. Probably doesn¡¯t even have a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Isa will be here on the weekend; she stayed to finish my work in Florence. She¡¯s excellent at what she does; don¡¯tin.¡±


    ¡°You have to give her a ss on how to treat men; poor thing must not have a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember how Lindsey used to dress? She¡¯s just like that. The poor thing is ugly from birth, chases after men, and they don¡¯t even look at her. So, I appreciate it when you see her, don¡¯t make any disparaging remarks about her appearance.¡±


    Lindsey, surprised by her friend¡¯sment, said, ¡°Janna! What are you saying? Isa is a¡­¡±


    ¡°Mild! Don¡¯t say it, Lin. We love her just the way she is,¡± Janna winked at her friend, suppressing augh.


    ¡°No wonder she¡¯s bitter,¡± confirmed Dexter with irony.


    ¡°As a friendly advice, don¡¯t even look at her, because she might think you¡¯re flirting, and then, to get rid of her, she¡¯ll create a problem. Despite her rudeness, I don¡¯t want you to treat her with contempt,¡± Janna studied every gesture of her friend, who continued to be a flirt.


    ¡°Thanks for the advice; I won¡¯t even look at her. I¡¯ll try to keep my distance. Well, I¡¯ll leave now. Lin, see you on Monday at thepany as we agreed.¡±


    The three friends said their goodbyes.


    ¡°Why did you say those nasty things about Isa?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Lin! That fool hasn¡¯t changed at all. If you could see how heined when Isa confronted him for answers. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t be at yourpany on Monday; I want to see the face of that fool when he sees the woman he¡¯s been insulting.¡±


    The two burst intoughter, approached the children, and entered the mansion.


    Lindsey entered the house with mncholy; it seemed like a replica of how she remembered it before her mom passed away. Her grandmother grabbed her around the waist.


    ¡°Atst, my girl, you¡¯ve recovered what your grandparents left you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Abu, Isa took care of changing all the passwords and froze all the bank ounts linked to thepany. She didn¡¯t give them a chance to withdraw money,¡± she chuckled. ¡°How I would love to see the faces of those vermin right now. Now, I just need to uncover the truth about who killed my mom.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my girl, soon the real culprits will pay.¡±


    On the other hand, Kyle was in his mansion, standing on the stairs, desperate. He nced at the time and grunted.


    ¡°Lucia! We¡¯re going to bete for the ballet presentation.¡±


    ¡°Dad! Don¡¯t shout; I¡¯m ready,¡± descended a brte with brown eyes.


    ¡°Move it, Lucia! Dad, I don¡¯t know why we always have to wait for her,¡± grumbled the green-eyed blond.


    ¡°Don¡¯tin, Liam; no one is forcing you to apany us, right, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Lucia, remember you need reinforcement; Liam and I are your support.¡±


    The three hurriedly left and got into the car. Maximo watched in the rearview mirror as the two chatterboxes told their dad about their school antics.

 Chapter 44

    Lindsey arrived at Rose Textile Company, S. A., with Isa. She knew that what awaited her inside would not be easy. Thepany was almost bankrupt-one of the things she would never forgive her father for. Lindsey would take the reins of herpany to get it back on track and continue her grandfather¡¯s legacy. She walked confidently with her head held high through the hallway, guided by bodyguards. They entered the private executive elevator, and employees looked at her, unaware of what awaited them with the new CEO.


    Upon reaching her office, Janna and Dexter were waiting. Isa headed to the conference room to organize the meeting. Inside were 12 people-9 men and 3 women. Most were department heads, and the other partner was present with his assistant.


    Isa entered the office to organize the documents to be handed to the executives.


    ¡°Lin! All the executives and partners are in the conference room; we can start the meeting,¡± Dexter said, upied with Janna.


    Isa entered the conference room confidently to order the documents to be handed over to the executives.


    ¡°Lin! All the executives and partners are in the conference room; we can start the meeting,¡± Dexter said, upied with Janna.


    Dexter, focused on Janna, heard Isa¡¯s voice, looked up, and was surprised to see the blonde with a beautiful figure standing there in her executive suit. When she lifted her gaze, all he could remember were those captivating cat-like eyes. He remained motionless, not knowing what to say. He swallowed hard, and his throat could only utter, ¡°Are you Isa?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Hello, Dexter. Nice to see you again,¡± she greeted with a warm smile.


    ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Lindsey asked, surprised.


    ¡°Lin! The day I went to deliver the keys to Dexter in his office, there were too many people in the public elevator. I peeked to see if I could use the private one. While waiting, the elevator doors opened, and there was your friend engaged in inappropriate activities with a woman. With a look of astonishment, I turned my back and contacted Janna to give the keys to her because that same day, I was returning to Florence.¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t indecent things; I was just getting rid of my ex-crazy girlfriend,¡± he stammered, recalling that day. Helen intercepted him in the office, and not wanting to argue with her, he decided to head to court. In the elevator, Helen approached trying to kiss him. Dexter held her hands to push her away, but when the elevator doors opened, she was gone.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go to the meeting; they¡¯re waiting for us,¡± she cut off the conversation indifferently and walked toward the exit, followed by Lindsey.


    ¡°Did she surprise you, Dex?¡± Janna whispered in his ear, then took steps toward the conference room with a mocking smile.


    ¡°Did you know she knew me? Is that why you made fun of me?¡± he asked, reaching her side.


    ¡°Oh, dear friend, you haven¡¯t changed at all. You¡¯re still the same fool from high school.¡±


    Kyle was impatient, checking his Rolex for the time. His mood worsened; he didn¡¯t understand why his grandfather bought shares in thatpany. He practically forced him to be present at that meeting. Distractedly checking his phone, he heard Freed say, ¡°Your grandfather gave you quite a surprise.¡± Kyle didn¡¯t finish the sentence upon recognizing the woman entering the meeting room.


    ¡®What the hell, my¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t finish the word as he noticed the woman walking to one side of the table. He whispered to himself, ¡°How beautiful she is.¡± She was more beautiful than he remembered. This was the same woman who had shared his wet dreams on many nights. He watched her greet the executives, settle into her chair, and with him as an observer, she looked like a wolf hunting its prey. She appeared so confident, and what she was saying made sense. So many times, he longed to hear her voice. She was no longer the same girl he married; she looked incredibly well. She seemed like a true CEO, and he was captivated by what he saw.


    ¡°Take care of remodeling my office in the presidency. Tomorrow, I will takemand of thispany as vice president,¡± she whispered in a moderate tone to Freed.¡±


    ¡°How did you say before getting here?¡± He whispered with irony. ¡°I remembered, ¡®I¡¯ll give away the shares of thispany if my grandfather insists on my presence in it.''¡± He was dying ofughter inside, seeing his friend¡¯s illuminated face.


    ¡°Shut up! And don¡¯t distract me from my goal.¡±


    Lindsey greeted those present with cordiality and a bit of sympathy. She tried to trust herself and the knowledge she had gained in recent years. She talked to the executives about thepany¡¯s financials and the search for new suppliers. She hadn¡¯t noticed the man at the end of the room. Suddenly, she felt a prating gaze following her every move. Discreetly moving her head in all directions, she encountered a familiar face. She froze at that moment, and her heart raced. She took several breaths to regainposure and whispered to Isa.


    ¡°What is Kyle doing here?¡±


    ¡°Who, Lin? Her ex-husband. Where are you?¡±


    ¡°That man who can¡¯t stop staring at me,¡± she replied, ufortable with Kyle¡¯s audacity to show her a smile.


    Isa looked at where her boss was pointing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that man was your husband. They introduced him to me as one of thepany¡¯s partners.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Let¡¯s continue!¡± Lindsey was scared inside, but she pretended to be strong.


    The meeting continued smoothly, and after it ended, each of those present said their goodbyes and left.


    Seeing that only acquaintances remained in the room, Kyle got up from his chair, elegantly adjusted his suit, and approached his prey with moderate steps. When he reached her, he expressed, ¡°Lin! You look beautiful; time has allowed your beauty to bloom.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pratt, save the gantry for your conquests and show some respect. To you, I am Lindsey Girt. Tell me what you want.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Girt, I would like to talk to you about my participation in thispany.¡±


    ¡°Okay. My assistant, Miss Isa Mancini, will meet with you,¡± she said, looking at Isa, who was positioned to her right.


    ¡°As vice president of thispany, I would like to have a direct conversation with you, Mrs. Girt.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she shouted, her jaw tense.


    Kyle looked at Freed, who handed Lindsey a folder containing documents about the acquisition of 45% of the shares of Rose Textile Company, S. A. Lindsey took it and started reading its contents. She was stunned. She knew she would eventuallye face to face with her ex-husband, but she never imagined that the partner she had been searching for was him. She was displeased, and although she didn¡¯t want to talk to him, she had to.


    ¡°Would your assistant be so kind as to apany mine to agree on the remodeling of my office?¡± Kyle continued calmly.


    Lindsey was furious. She narrowed her eyes, thinking, ¡°This man is shameless.¡± She sighed resignedly and replied, ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s go to my office.¡±


    She turned to where Janna and Dexter were andmented.


    ¡°After the meeting with Mr. Pratt, we can go to lunch.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    They nodded. Janna had Dexter¡¯s arm pressed, and with a nce, she warned him not to intervene. She knew this conversation was necessary. Lindsey hadn¡¯t wanted anyone to talk to her about Kyle since she left Manhattan.

 Chapter 45

    Lindsey marched into her office unexpectedly, circling her desk. As she sat down, she caught a glimpse, out of the corner of her eye, of Kyle drawing a satisfied smile on his lips. She scowled at him.


    Without averting his gaze from his prey, Kyle sat down in front of her and, with a cold but animated voice,mented, ¡°Congrattions! I see you were able to recover your mother¡¯spany.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± With raised eyebrows and self-assured, she inquired, ¡°Would you like to sell me the 45% of the shares you hold?¡±


    ¡°These shares are not for sale. I¡¯m interested in doing business with thispany.¡±


    ¡°You have your advertising and fashionpanies. Thispany means nothing to you; it¡¯s bankrupt, and I don¡¯t see the interest,¡± she tried to persuade him.


    ¡°With my help, we can form a team, and you¡¯ll see that in no time, yourpany will be a major yer in the market. Besides, I¡¯ll be the main buyer of raw materials.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Pratt, I don¡¯t want to have any dealings with you, and I don¡¯t want you in my life. I don¡¯t need you for thispany to thrive. With my skills, it will soon be one of the most important in the country.¡±


    Kyle was dumbfounded by the firmness of her voice. He saw her more womanly, but with the same aura of sweetness and intelligence that he had always remembered. During the meeting, he found out that she was still single. From that moment on, he resolved to win back his wife at all costs.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re capable of achieving that and much more, but our deal ismercial.¡±


    ¡°As I perceive that you won¡¯t agree to sell the shares, I will appreciate it if you try to keep minimal contact with me. My assistant will be at your disposal to provide you with the strategic n that is being evaluated for implementation. Since we have nothing else to discuss, please leave my office.¡±


    Kyle got up from the chair, adjusting his suit and giving her a once-over. He couldn¡¯t stand having her so close and not being able to taste those full lips that called to him. He watched her grab some documents and apply the cold shoulder. Without thinking, he agilely took a few steps and circled the desk.


    Suddenly, Lindsey felt a hand lifting her and pulling her against the wall. Due to the impact, she didn¡¯t have time to react; she could only perceive that familiar scent of citrus she inhaled with delight. She lifted her head and only saw intense sapphires that wanted to pierce her. There, she could detail his features. She had to admit that the years had treated him very well. She swallowed, seeing how sexy he looked. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip. Realizing it, she mentally reprimanded herself, trying to free herself while shouting.


    ¡°Let me go, idiot! Don¡¯t touch yourself! I just told you that I don¡¯t want any contact with you, and it¡¯s the first thing you do.¡± She wriggled trying to free herself, but the more she did, the more entangled she became in his arms.


    ¡°Lin! You look so beautiful,¡± he whispered gently as he looked at her with tenderness. Many times, he missed having her in his arms. She was the only woman who had pierced his heart and mind. He even believed he was obsessed and crazy to think about her for 5 years.


    ¡°Let me go! Or I¡¯ll scream. My bodyguards will beat you up, and I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re my partner,¡± she shouted angrily.


    ¡°Scream if you want, little doll.¡± He brought his nose to her hair to inhale her scent. ¡°I missed your fragrance so much. Your bodyguards can beat me, you can despise me, but I won¡¯t let you go. You don¡¯t know how much I dreamed of being like this with you. Since I saw you, you awakened in me the desire to love the same woman again. Now that I¡¯ve found you, I won¡¯t let you go. Tell me, little doll, haven¡¯t you missed me?¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s skin tingled as she heard him speak. Suddenly, she felt him kiss her softly, sucking on her lower lip. She tried to push him away, but he pressed even harder. She tightly closed her mouth, denying ess to his tongue that sought entry. Unable to resist any longer, she let desperation invade her mouth.


    Kyle was thrilled as he felt her rx. He could tell that she wasn¡¯t indifferent and was enjoying it. He pulled away from her due to ack of air.


    She had closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was met with bright sapphires and a yful smile. She squirmed to free herself and, ring at him, shouted, ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Let me go! Are youughing at me? You¡¯ll see when I break free from your grip.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notughing at you but at how good it feels to taste your lips again. You needed it, little doll. Your kisses are still as delicious and desired as before.¡± He let her go.


    Lindsey, feeling liberated, delivered a strong p, making Kyle bring his right hand to his cheek to soothe it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your toy for you to kiss whenever you feel like it.¡± She felt powerless, not wanting to hear him. She approached her desk, grabbed her purse, and quickened her pace to leave her office. She walked almost trembling down the hallway until she reached the conference room where her friends were.


    ¡°Lin! Are you okay?¡± Isa asked, noticing her restlessness.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine! Let¡¯s go eat.¡± She tried to stay calm, not wanting to give exnations.


    The four of them left the building,ughing, heading towards the parking lot. Dexter went to his car, just like Janna. A bodyguard opened the back door of the car for Isa and Lin. As Isa was getting in, several shots were fired in Lin¡¯s direction. Oscar, as best as he could, covered her with his body while the other bodyguard began shooting in the direction of the gunfire.


    Kyle was already in his car when he heard the shots. He got scared when he saw who they were aimed at. He quickly got out of his car, told his people to provide support, and walked firmly towards Lin¡¯s car, embracing her tightly. When he managed to pull away from her, he began checking her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The gunfire had stopped, and he was exasperated.


    She, trembling, heard the sound of tires screeching and a car engine decreasing as it drove away.


    ¡°Talk to me, my love. Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your love! And you didn¡¯t check me; you could have verified that I¡¯m fine. Was it necessary to grope me?¡± She shouted, raising an eyebrow.


    Kyle became furious, not understanding why she spoke to him like that in the middle of such a situation. In a deep voice, he responded, ¡°I made sure you weren¡¯t hurt.¡±

 Chapter 46

    The bodyguards approached as the situation was under control. Mario, one of Lindsey¡¯s bodyguards, approached alongside Oscar, who was injured in the shoulder. When Kyle hugged Lindsey, the injured Oscar went to support hispanion.


    ¡°Lin! We couldn¡¯t catch them; they shot from a car and fled. We need to take Oscar to the hospital; he got shot while protecting you,¡± Mario exined with a pounding voice. Lindsey nced at Oscar¡¯s bleeding shoulder and covered her mouth.


    ¡°Oh, God! Let¡¯s get to the hospital quickly.¡±


    Oscar disyed a pained expression on his face. Isa approached him to check on his injuries.


    ¡°Lin! It¡¯s better if you go home, and I¡¯ll go with Oscar to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Isa! Janna, go with Lin to the mansion!¡± Dexter said, grabbing Oscar¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯ll take my car so that your other bodyguard can apany you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you. I won¡¯t take ¡®NO¡¯ for an answer. Before you say anything, check the rear tires of your car; they¡¯re shot,¡± Kyle said.


    Lindsey, frightened, was analyzing who could want to kill her. ¡®Could my father be capable of ordering my death? Or is it Kathen?¡¯


    ¡°Friend, Kyle is right. We¡¯re going with him,¡± Janna said.


    Lindsey snapped back to reality and, with a sad look, turned to Kyle and said, ¡°Okay, Kyle, this time I¡¯ll agree with you. We¡¯re going with you.¡± She then nced at the others and added, ¡°Isa, keep me informed. Jose and Mario, call a tow truck and take the car to the mechanic; see you at the mansion.¡±


    Kyle guided them to his car, and just as they were about to get in, they heard Freed mutter, ¡°Janna! You¡¯reing with me,¡± leaning against Kyle¡¯s car.


    ¡°This is an ambush from both of you,¡± Lindsey protested with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Without Janna, I won¡¯t get in your car, Kyle. You know I¡¯m capable of taking the bus just to avoid being alone with you.¡±


    ¡°Such aplicated woman you¡¯ve be,¡± Kyle observed, resigned. He looked at Freed and said, ¡°Janna ising with us. Go ahead to the office and find out who is behind this attack.¡±


    Despite the tension from the recent events, Lindsey sighed with relief. She didn¡¯t want to share a seat with that man, knowing he might try something if they were alone. Getting into the car, she whispered, ¡°Thanks. You keep your driverpany. I want to befortable.¡±


    Kyle didn¡¯t respond, just entered the car as the co-pilot. They all rode in silence, and upon reaching the mansion, Lindsey got out without looking at him.


    ¡°Thanks, Kyle,¡± Janna said, only managing a nod before running after her friend.


    Kyle only nodded and watched them disappear through the door of the house. While getting into the back of his car, he whispered to himself, ¡®Little doll, soon you¡¯ll be in my arms, and we¡¯ll see if you¡¯ll continue to be so haughty.¡¯


    Lindsey entered the house, saw the children ying with the nanny, and as they saw her, they ran to hug and kiss her. The three of them were sweet with their mom, but with others, Leno and Lucas were serious and less outgoing.


    ¡°Mommy! I like my school. My ssroom is nice, and I made friends with Cam and Alicia,¡± Lunamented with her sweet voice.


    ¡°Bravo, my princess! I¡¯m d you adapted quickly,¡± she looked at her other two children, who were engrossed with their tablets. ¡°You two won¡¯t tell me how your day was at school?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; we made new friends,¡± Leno replied indifferently.


    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary,¡± Lucas added, engrossed in his tablet.


    ¡°Mommy! The kids here also have moms and dads. Cam told me about her family and asked about my dad. I told her I only have a mom,¡± Luna said, putting on a sad face. ¡°When are we going to meet our dad?¡±


    Lindsey was startled to see her affectionate daughter pouting.


    ¡°Yes, Mom! When will we meet our dad? Our friends have dads; where is ours?¡± Leno chattered.


    Lucas is the quietest of the three but the most protective of his siblings. He doesn¡¯t participate much unless necessary, just watching his mother, awaiting an answer.


    Forcing a smile, Lindsey searched for the right words in her mind to respond to her children.


    ¡°My loves, I¡¯ve already told you he can¡¯t be with us right now. Some things happened between Mom and Dad that you can¡¯t understand at your age. I just ask you to wait a little to meet him. He¡¯s not a bad person, and I know he¡¯ll love you as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy, we¡¯ll be waiting for that moment. I really want to meet my dad,¡± Luna said, making another pout.


    The other two children nodded.


    Lindsey yed with the kids for a while, then sat with her grandmother and Janna, talking about what happened in thepany¡¯s parking lot.


    In a small apartment in a poor neighborhood, some people are arguing.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool! How could you let your daughter freeze our bank ounts? So many years of livingfortably off Lina¡¯s fortune, and now look where we ended up,¡± Kathen yelled like a demon, looking around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t yell at me! I¡¯m the most affected in all this. I lost mypany and money. Today, I tried to enter thepany to talk to her, but they denied me ess,¡± he walked back and forth, thinking about how to reach his daughter and convince her to forgive him. ¡®As her father, she¡¯s obligated to forgive me and give me her support.¡¯


    ¡°Call your acquaintances to see if they can help us or give you a job while we figure out how to get back what belongs to us.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t done that? Those who imed to be my friends turned their backs on me when they found out what happened in court. Those idiots criticized me for stealing my daughter¡¯s inheritance.¡±


    Courney was crying, not knowing what to do now that she was without money. What she had in her bank ount, her mother took away.


    ¡°Mom! I need the money you took from my bank ount to pay the person I hired six years ago to y a prank on my sister.¡±


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t pay for that job?¡± She red at him angrily, realizing that she had handed over that money to her daughter.


    ¡°Mama! I gave him half, we agreed that I would give him the rest the next day in a park, but he never showed up, and I spent that money. Today he appeared and told me that after he did what I asked, he was sent to jail. He turned out to be a criminal, and now that he¡¯s out, he¡¯s looking for his money and threatened me that something bad will happen if I don¡¯t give it to him in two days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a useless one who can¡¯t do things right. Now, figure out how to solve it because I¡¯m not going to give you that money.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mom, please give it to me; my life is in danger.¡±


    ¡°I regret to tell you that we¡¯re poor, daughter. This money is to survive until your father finds a job and tries to recover what belongs to us. Figure out how to solve it.¡±


    John watched the two women argue, didn¡¯t want to listen any further, and retreated to one of the rooms. His mind was in chaos.

 Chapter 47

    A month had passed since Lindsey took control of thepany. Every morning, Kyle had tried to find a way to talk to her without sess. He sent her a bouquet of red roses every day for two weeks, seeing some employees happily leaving the office with a bouquet from their boss. However, he eventually gave up on that idea.


    He was in his office, immersed in papers, when he lifted his head upon hearing a familiar voice.


    ¡°Good to see your face, Kyle! I¡¯ve been trying to contact you for days,¡± Maximilian said with a friendly tone as he settled into the chair in front of his cousin¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Hi, Max! My life isplicated right now. My obsession has resurfaced.¡±


    Maximilian raised his eyebrows, thinking, ¡°Could he be seduced by Catrina again?¡±


    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t tell me you fell back into Catrina¡¯s clutches.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Catrina was the worst thing I let into my life,¡± and at the mention of her name, his gaze darkened.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Over a month ago, my mom called me crying because a woman went to her house, causing a scene, wanting to take the child, iming he was her mother. Of course, Dona Sophia and Stefany didn¡¯t allow it. Since that incident, I¡¯ve settled here in Manhattan.¡±


    ¡°Is she back? I haven¡¯t heard anything about her since my grandfather kicked her out of the country. Catrina won¡¯t make it easy for you, but at least you have full custody of Max.¡±


    ¡°Catrina has money; I had her investigated. Apparently, she married an old millionaire with no children. The man died recently, leaving her a fortune, including apany. The issue is that she returned to the country and recently filed awsuit against me, iming I¡¯m not involved in my son¡¯s life. Also, she wants me to force her to sign that document where she gave up custody of Max, stripping her of her rights as a mother. Mywyer says that even though I have that document, a judge could return Max to Catrina because I haven¡¯t been present in his upbringing.¡±


    Kyle looked at his cousin withpassion; as a father, he couldn¡¯t imagine his life without Lucia and Liam.


    ¡°What do you n to do now? Because your life and yourpany are in Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°On mywyer¡¯s advice, if I want to win custody of Max through the court, I have to be present in his life. That child is my son, and I want him my way. My mom is also a factor; she¡¯ll die if I separate her from Max. For that reason, I sold the nightclub I had in Los Angeles and am moving mypany to Chicago.¡±


    ¡°That woman will use all her tricks to take him away. Look at what she did with my life; she destroyed my marriage,¡± he said with mncholy.


    ¡°I know that, which is why I try to spend more time with my son. Yesterday, I got married,¡± he blurted out without preamble.


    Kyle was surprised by the news. He couldn¡¯t believe that the most sought-after yboy in society and the one who took advantage of women who offered themselves to him was now married.


    ¡°You got married? Who¡¯s the unfortunate one?¡±


    ¡°Stefany! Before you say anything, she doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Kyle asked, visibly upset.


    ¡°I¡¯m terrified at the thought of them taking Max away from me. If I had proposed it to her, I know she wouldn¡¯t have epted. That¡¯s why I made her sign some documents supposedly from the child¡¯s school, and what she signed was our marriage certificate. I don¡¯t want my son with that heartless woman, and being married gives me more leverage. Besides, Stefany has been with him since birth and calls her mom.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t judge you for what you did. You know what I find wrong about this? You¡¯ll be tied to a woman you don¡¯t love, and she doesn¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem! I like that woman more than you think. She has awakened in me the desire to take care of her, to want to know more about her. She makes me smile. I¡¯ve flirted several times, but she puts up barriers and avoids me. Something tells me she likes me because I¡¯ve caught her looking at me mischievously. But the most important thing here is not to lose my son, even if my Angel kills me.


    ¡°I advise you to talk to her for the sake of all three,¡± he said, fixing his eyes with a warning. ¡°I just ask you not to hurt her. That girl had to go through terrible things in her life for a scoundrel like you to take advantage of her, so make things clear to her.¡±


    Maximiliano didn¡¯t know much about Stefany. He started working with him on his aunt¡¯s rmendation. She was a nurse in the children¡¯s ward, so he hired her immediately. When his son recovered, he proposed that she be Max¡¯s nanny, and she dly epted because she had grown fond of him since she held him in her arms.


    ¡°What do you know about Stefany?¡± he inquired curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who should tell you; it¡¯s better to wait for her to tell you herself.¡±


    Maximiliano pondered, ¡°Do I have to find out what happened to my Angel?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Since Max was born, and my Angel entered our lives, I haven¡¯t been the same as before. I no longer sleep with the first one who flirts with me. Changing the subject, tell me, who is your obsession?¡±


    Kyle leaned back in his chair and replied, ¡°My wife has returned. I¡¯m a partner in herpany, and every morning, I pass by there, even though I see her little because she hides from me. Just by looking at her when she arrives, I¡¯m satisfied. I have to find a way to get closer.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with her, cousin. How are the kids?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fine, causing trouble but good kids.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d! I¡¯ll soon be opening a nightclub, and I want you there.¡± He got up from his office and left.


    Courney was in her room, desperate, not knowing what to do. Her mother kicked her out of the house and refused to return her money. Her father treated her with indifference, and her friends, upon learning she had no money, turned their backs on her. She regretted letting herself be psychologically manipted by Kathen since childhood and being part of his ambition for her sister¡¯s fortune.


    She had considered seeking out her sister and humbling herself to borrow the money, but just the idea of exining what it¡¯s for would likely earn her more disdain because she had more responsibility in everything that happened. After her unfortunate incident on the runway and being fired by Pratt¡¯spany, Courney didn¡¯t get many contracts, and she didn¡¯t bother to clean up her name. Since she had money her dad deposited monthly, she didn¡¯t live a bad life, spending her time partying and shopping. Now her image as a model was forgotten, and she had no profession.


    She sold all her things and jewelry at a popr market but didn¡¯t manage to raise theplete amount. She took a risk and went to the outskirts of the city in hiding, hoping not to be found by that criminal.


    It was Saturday, and the kids wanted to see their grandparents. Lindsey called Sussan to ask if they coulde, and she dly told her they were wee for lunch together.


    The kids were excited. Lindsey dressed and packed their things, then drove to her car with them straight to Grandpa Hugo¡¯s mansion.


    Meanwhile, Kyle dropped off his two kids at a children¡¯s party near his grandfather¡¯s house.

 Chapter 48

    Upon reaching the entrance of Grandpa Hugo¡¯s mansion, Lindsey informed her bodyguards that they were safe there and would call them when they were ready to return to their mansion. Sussan weed them gently, and upon seeing their grandmother, the kids didn¡¯t hesitate to run to her.


    Outside the mansion, someone observed them from a distance. ¡°So, the prude had three kids. Interesting!¡±


    Inside the mansion, people were joyous with the children. Grandpa Hugo was captivated by his great-grandchildren, looking at Lucas and Leno with devotion, as they resembled his son Kyle. He listened to Lucas speak, feeling like he had his young Kyle back. Luna stuck to her grandmother Sussan, who spoiled her, and Lindsey watched the scene with joy.


    The atmosphere was interrupted when Kyle entered. He couldn¡¯t believe what his eyes saw-Lindsey with them confirmed his discovery. He stood still as his heart tried to escape his chest from the shock. He scrutinized each child, the boys identical to him at that age. The girl was the one who stole his heart, with her mother¡¯s facial features but his eye color and hair. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt happy to be there. His eyes welled up with emotion, and he took a few steps towards them, softly pronouncing,


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re a traitor!¡±


    Everyone turned to look at him; they were so engrossed that they hadn¡¯t noticed the man in front of them. Kyle approached the children and bent down. Luna looked him in the eyes and sweetly smiled, a gesture that broke down the barriers around his heart. Tears rolled down his cheeks.


    ¡°Why cry, handsome boy?¡± Luna said with a tender voice.


    ¡°Because I have a beautifuldy in front of me,¡± he mumbled, wiping his face with his fingers.


    Lindsey was impressed, unsure of what to do. At some point, she had to tell Kyle about the existence of their children, but not like this, especially not in front of the kids. She sighed deeply to gather strength, stood up.


    ¡°My beloved grandson, it wasn¡¯t my ce to tell you. Tell me, what are you doing here? Why didn¡¯t you let us know you wereing?¡± Grandpa asked.


    He was about to respond but was interrupted by Lindsey.


    ¡°Kyle, can we talk privately?¡±


    He smiled gently, stood up, and walked towards her, embracing her delicately, whispering in her ear,


    ¡°Thank you, my love, for this beautiful gift. I know I deceived you, and I had to face the consequences.¡± He sighed several times and continued, ¡°Do you tell our children who I am, or do I tell them?¡±


    Lindsey was startled, not expecting this reaction, let alone what he expressed. She anticipatedints and shouts.


    Kyle pulled away from her, running two fingers down her cheek, looking at her intently, waiting for an answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell them! I thought you were going to kill me,¡± she whispered softly.


    He brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to kill you, but in a different way.¡±


    The grandfather cleared his throat, not hearing anything but observing the expressions of his great-grandchildren fixed on the couple. Kyle, with a smile, positioned himself next to Lindsey.


    ¡°Children! Do you remember what we talked about your dad?¡± she kept an eye on her children¡¯s reactions. All three nodded.


    ¡°This man beside me is Kyle Pratt-your dad!¡± Lindsey felt like a weight had been lifted off her, more so than she had imagined.


    Kyle sat on the sofa without taking his eyes off his children. Luna was the first to take a few steps and stood in front of him. She got emotional upon hearing he was her dad, whispering with a sweet smile,


    ¡°I¡¯m Luna Pratt! We have the samest name. Finally, I have a dad like my friends.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my princess, I¡¯m your dad.¡± He stretched his strong arms and pulled the girl toward him, cuddling her against his chest while looking at his grandfather. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa,¡± he expressed his gratitude, suspecting that the children having hisst name was the old man¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Yes, you are our father! You have to exin. Where were you all this time?¡± Leno asked, crossing his arms.


    Kyle was even more surprised to see Lucas with his chin raised, gazing at him with cold and distant blue eyes. He arched an eyebrow, feeling like he was seeing himself.


    Grandpa Hugo burst intoughter, knowing that his two great-grandsons wouldn¡¯t make things easy for his stupid grandson.


    ¡°Oh, Kyle! Leno and Lucas are your mini versions.¡±


    ¡°Children! There are things that adults do that are not right. I can only tell you that I¡¯m your dad, and I apologize for not being in your lives since you were born.¡±


    ¡°I forgive you, Dad,¡± whispered Luna softly, passing her little fingers over Kyle¡¯s face to wipe away some silent tears rolling down his cheeks.


    ¡°I forgive you too, but don¡¯t leave again,¡± responded Leno with a firm voice, happy to know about his dad. He approached and leaned against his side.


    Kyle wasted no time and hugged him to his chest, looking up to see Lucas. A sadness started to invade his heart due to the rejection of his other son.


    ¡°Alright! I hope you take care of us and Mom, or I¡¯ll make sure to do it and be the man who takes care of my family.¡±


    Everyone was surprised by the boy¡¯s response. Anotherugh echoed in the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s my Lucas. Kyle, they didn¡¯t make it easy for you,¡± Grandpa Hugo enjoyed the situation.


    ¡°Yes, my children, from today on, I¡¯ll take care of you and watch over you. Your siblings will be happy to know they have little brothers. Come and give me a hug.¡± The boy walked toward him and allowed himself to be pampered.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lindsey was startled when she heard the word ¡®siblings.¡¯ During her time in Florence, she prohibited her family and friends from mentioning anything about Kyle¡¯s life. The only thing she learned from her grandfather was how he unmasked Catrina and that his grandson didn¡¯t sleep with her; it was just a trap. A shiver ran down her spine as she mentally spected, ¡®Did he get married? Does he have children with another woman? Why did he tell me those things in the office if he has a family?¡¯ She felt her chest tighten.


    Kyle observed Lindsey¡¯s expressions, gesturing with his eyes to his grandfather and his mom not to say anything. He took out his mobile phone and called Max.


    ¡°Max! Take the kids out of the party and bring them urgently to Grandpa¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°As youmand, boss.¡±


    ¡°When the kids arrive, we¡¯ll move to the dining room for lunch,¡± Sussan said.


    Lindsey just sat in a chair, wanting to confront Kyle. If he has another family, why did he take advantage of her? For the sake of her children, she held back the urge to protest.

 Chapter 49

    The kids shared their adventures in Florence with Kyle, with Luna being particrly talkative. After a few minutes, two cheerful children around 10 years old entered the room, saying in unison:


    ¡°Good afternoon!¡±


    Every child¡¯s eyes focused on the blonde sitting on the sofa. They looked at each other and smiled before running to hug her. Lindsey didn¡¯t recognize the children and was startled by the warm embrace from each one. Nheless, she epted it dly while ncing at Kyle, seeking an exnation.


    ¡°Do you remember me, Lin? Or can I call you Mom?¡± said a yful Lucia, separating from the hug.


    ¡°Oh, my God, you¡¯ve grown, Lucia, and changed. Those mischievous eyes give you away,¡± Lindsey whispered as she observed the girl with brown eyes, then shifted her gaze to the blonde.


    ¡°Liam! You¡¯re quite the charmer,¡± her eyes reflected the emotion of seeing the children, and any doubts in her mind disappeared. A smile adorned her face.


    ¡°Of course, you can call her Mom! She¡¯s the only one you¡¯re going to meet,¡± intervened Kyle, who didn¡¯t lose sight of the scene.


    Lindsey red at Kyle. Then, she turned her gaze back to the children and responded.


    ¡°You can call me whatever you want. If you want me to be your mom, I will be. Now, go and meet your little siblings.¡±


    ¡°What siblings?¡± Liam eximed, not having noticed the presence of three children on his father.


    ¡°The ones I have in my arms,¡± Kyle proudly replied.


    The two children walked toward their father, and Lucia was the first to speak.


    ¡°They are so cute! They look like you, Dad!¡± She kissed and hugged Lucas affectionately, who tried to shake her off. ¡°Hello beautiful, I¡¯m Lucia, your older sister.¡±


    ¡°Can you stop being so sweet?¡± replied Lucas, trying to push her away.


    The adults exchanged nces and suppressed theirughter. Liam had already greeted the other two children.


    ¡°He¡¯s a grump. Don¡¯t mind him, Lucia,¡± he continued with a sweet voice. ¡°I¡¯m Luna, the eldest of the three.¡±


    ¡°For a few seconds, little sister! My name is Leno,¡± he allowed Lucia to pamper him.


    ¡°And my handsome boy, what¡¯s your name?¡± she asked, looking at Lucas, who had freed himself and run to his mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucas! And I don¡¯t like those overly sweet gestures,¡± he said with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to get used to that and much more with me because I¡¯m going to spoil you, little brother,¡± she said yfully and excitedly. Now, she would finally have aplete family.


    ¡°Grandparents! Can you stay with the kids while I go to the office with Lin? We have a lot to talk about,¡± Kyle asked calmly.


    ¡°Of course, dear. I¡¯ll go ahead with the children to feed them; they must be hungry,¡± Sussan replied.


    ¡°Yes, Grandma, I¡¯m hungry!¡± Leno eximed.


    ¡°Thank you, Sussan. Luna is the most difficult one when ites to eating. If she gives you trouble, you cane and get me, and I¡¯ll help you with them,¡± Lindsey said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. The staff will assist me with them.¡±


    Lindsey approached her little ones and bent down.


    ¡°Behave well with your grandparents. Mom and Dad have to talk,¡± she gave a kiss on the forehead to each of them, as well as to Lucia and Liam.


    ¡°Follow me, Lin,¡± Kyle said calmly, looking at her gently. The look of the arrogant and cruel man disappeared when he was with her and now with his children. He led her to the office, then took her hand to settle her on the couch.


    Lindsey was insecure, nerves were consuming her; she didn¡¯t know what would happen to her and her children. Everything had happened so quickly that there hadn¡¯t been time to analyze the situation.


    ¡°Lin, I¡¯m going to talk to you honestly from the depths of my soul. Please don¡¯t interrupt me; just listen to me,¡± he positioned himself in front of her, looking into her eyes.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Since you left the mansion, my life was a mess. You¡¯re right; I shouldn¡¯t have entered that room and mixed those drinks. Since that moment, I haven¡¯t touched even a hint of alcohol. I never imagined that this decision would change my life, and I would fall into a trap, leading me to lose the most beautiful thing that has entered my life. I don¡¯t me you for not telling me about the existence of my children. When I found out that everything was a lie and fell into Catrina¡¯s trap, I questioned myself. How could a man with a good nose for business and distrustful of people be deceived by a woman? As punishment to myself, I went to a hospital and had a vasectomy. Then, I hired a detective to find you, but it was unsessful. I always knew that my grandfather¡¯s hands were involved in your disappearance.¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t their fault, and neither was it Sussan¡¯s. I asked them to keep the children away from you if you found out about them; I was hurt by what happened. Despite the resentment I had towards the man in front of me, I can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m still in love with him, just like the first time I saw him in that hotel room.¡±


    ¡°I ask you to give me a chance to make amends for the damage I caused you and to regain my family. As you can see, you won¡¯t have a family of four anymore but one of seven.¡±


    ¡°How did Lucia and Liame into your hands? It¡¯s a beautiful gesture that you¡¯ve provided a family home for those children.¡±


    ¡°One Saturday, I was thinking about you. I grabbed my car keys and drove without direction. When I realized it, I was in front of the orphanage. I got out and entered, observing the children ying happily, oblivious to their problems. Lucia approached me; you know how intelligent that girl is, and along with Liam, they brought a few smiles to my face. From that moment, I began the adoption process, and for the past three years, they¡¯ve been part of my life.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    Lindsey was moved by what she heard; tears rolled down her cheeks. She threw her arms around Kyle¡¯s shoulders and buried her head in his neck. He sat her on hisp, enveloping her with his strong arms.


    They stayed like that for a few seconds until she pulled away and kissed him tenderly.


    ¡°Thank you foring back to me and not putting up too many obstacles. Now let¡¯s go get your things and the children¡¯s to take to the mansion. Emilia is going to go crazy seeing the kids! Do Lucas and Leno sleep together or in separate rooms? Tomorrow, I¡¯ll call the interior designer to decorate the kids¡¯ rooms. Tell me what preferences they have?¡± Kyle spoke non-stop, leaving Lindsey surprised.


    ¡°Stop, Kyle! I know you¡¯re excited, but we can¡¯t move in with you.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You are my family, and I want you by my side,¡± he objected with eagerness in his words.

 Chapter 50

    Seeing his sapphires shine with emotion, Lindsey¡¯s spirit shook. Many nights she cried for him, and she missed every sensation lived by his side. In her mind, her grandmother appeared.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Kyle! How do you expect me to move in with you overnight? Besides, there¡¯s my grandmother. I can¡¯t leave her alone in that mansion.¡±


    He stood up with her and took her hands.


    ¡°Lin, your grandmother can move in with us. We¡¯re going to need help; there are already 5 children we have to protect.¡± A satisfied smirk appeared on his face as he thought of the lively dinners and the reasons toe home early. ¡°Also, just a few meters from the mansion, there¡¯s a spacious three-bedroom house that can be used for your bodyguards or anyone you want to live there.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to propose to me, or do you n to have me as your lover and the mother of your children?¡± She eyed him yfully, seizing the moment to get married, to have the church wedding she had dreamed of.


    ¡°What are you saying? You will never be my mistress because you¡¯re the woman of my life. If you want, we can get married tomorrow, by civil or church ceremony, wherever you want. I just want you to give me the opportunity to make you happy.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I want you at the mansion tomorrow to ask for my hand. Until we get married, you can¡¯t cross any boundaries with me, no being with the bride before the wedding,¡± she pointed out yfully.


    Kyle yed along, gently caressing her cheeks with his finger.


    ¡°Tomorrow, prepare everything. I¡¯ll ask for your hand, my beloved. In two days, we¡¯ll get married wherever you want. I¡¯m thinking about the honeymoon. What do we do about the children?¡±


    ¡°What? In two days? No, love, it¡¯s too soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, in two days, or I¡¯ll vite the bride before the wedding. You decide,¡± he dered confidently.


    ¡°Give me a week? I don¡¯t have the dress, there¡¯s the church, the banquet preparations,¡± nerves were creeping in again. The thought crossed her mind, ¡®It¡¯s crazy to get married in a hurry, and what if my dream day goes wrong?¡¯ ¡°Although I want something intimate, only family, you know that takes time.¡±


    Kyle lifted her chin, gently brushing his lips with hers. He started with a tender kiss, and with each movement of his jaw, he devoured her mouth with passion. Then he interrupted the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers.


    ¡°See why I won¡¯t give you one more day. You can get the most expensive dress and the model you want from one of our fashion houses. For safety, we¡¯ll do it at the mansion, and Sussan will take care of bringing the priest. As for the banquet, it¡¯s Freed¡¯s task, and Janna will support us with the decoration. You just have to choose your dresses and our children¡¯s clothes.¡±


    Lindsey looked at him as if he had two heads. ¡®You say it so easily.¡¯


    ¡°Love, trust me, and you¡¯ll see that everything will go well,¡± he whispered while running his fingers along her right leg, trying to move up under the dress.


    Realizing his intentions, Lindsey recoiled like a spring and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Alright, let it be as God wills. Now that we¡¯ve rified our doubts, let¡¯s go see the children.¡±


    Kyle let out a displeased growl, and for a few seconds, he stood still, trying to calm his manhood.


    ¡°Love, on our wedding night, you¡¯re going to pay for the almost 5 years of your absence.¡±


    Lindsey swallowed hard; she had always missed that passionate side of her husband.


    As the couple left the office, they spread the news of the wedding in two days. Realizing she didn¡¯t have much time, Lindsey sent for her grandmother for the proposal. Sussan wanted to kill her son for putting her in a tight spot. Grandpa Hugo handed over to his grandson the wedding rings that were a symbol of love across generations in the Pratt family.


    In the small town of Cold Spring, Courtney rented a small room with four walls, a single bed, a two-burner electric stove, a mini-fridge, and a stic table with four chairs. At the boarding house, she met a girl and, through her, got a job as a waitress in a dive bar where the girls engaged in prostitution.


    The bar owner tried to convince her to sleep with some men who wanted to be with her, promising she would earn five times more than her current sry for cleaning tables and serving drinks. She immediately refused; the idea of selling her body never crossed her mind. While she had had men in her life, she had chosen them carefully. She looked at the men who came there and felt repulsed.


    For Courtney, adapting to that kind of life was horrible, but she had no other option. At least that job provided for her basic needs. She lived a hellish existence alone without anyone to support her. In the process of adaptation, she had learned to appreciate things.


    Courtney headed to work as usual; it was Saturday, one of the busiest days at the bar. Her shift progressed normally until the cause of her nightmares walked into the bar with two men. She watched him, following him with her eyes as they sat at a table towards the back of the ce. A cold sweat ran down her body, and her legs started to shake. Her heart felt like it wanted to jump out of her chest. She never thought he would find her in that town.


    ¡°Courtney, what are you waiting for? Go serve the new customers,¡± her boss shouted from the bar.


    ¡°Mr. Samuel, please ask Melisa to take care of that table,¡± she pleaded with fear in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m ordering you! You¡¯re going to that table, and you¡¯ll serve those customers with the same smile you use with the others. Or would you prefer to grab your purse and leave right now?¡± her boss yelled with a furrowed brow.


    Courtney panicked, torn between running away and losing her job or facing her debt. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose that source of ie. She had scoured every corner of that town, and due tock of experience, she hadn¡¯t been able to find a better job. She gathered courage and forced her legs to move, deciding to confront her reality.

 Chapter 51

    Courney took slow steps, wishing they wouldst forever; her heart raced with each approach to the table. With her gaze lowered, she positioned herself in front of the men who were engaged in conversation.


    ¡°Wee, gentlemen. What would you like to drink?¡±


    ¡°Friends, let me introduce you to the little chick I mentioned,¡± Cesar leered at her, while the other two men eyed her hungrily. ¡°Life is funny. I met you with an air of superiority, and now I have you in front of me with your gaze lowered, working to attend to men.¡±


    ¡°Cesar! I promise to pay the money I owe you. Give me a few months to gather it, and I¡¯ll hand it over in full. As I mentioned before, my family lost everything, and this is the only job I could find.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in promises! Don¡¯t worry, I know a better way for you to pay. Come and please me.¡±


    A chill ran down Courney¡¯s spine.


    ¡°I won¡¯t sell my body! If you¡¯re looking for pleasure, I can send some girls who will dly satisfy your needs,¡± she said with fear in her eyes, ncing at the man who disgusted her. She took several deep breaths to hold herself together. ¡°Cesar, you cane for the money in two months.¡±


    ¡°Now I don¡¯t want that money! Now, I want you!¡± The man reached out, pulled her onto hisp, and forcefully kissed her. Courney felt disgusted; she struggled and bit his lip. Sensing that he loosened his grip, she took the opportunity to stand up and delivered a powerful p without hesitation. She ran to the bathroom, locked herself in a stall, and tears of disillusionment rolled down her cheeks.


    ¡®What am I going to do? I¡¯m done for! I never thought my life would end like this.¡¯


    After a few minutes, she gathered strength from the depths of her soul, washed her face to remove the excess tears, and left the bathroom. She nced at the table where Cesar and those men were seated; he had already left. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued working as usual until all the customers had left.


    It was already early in the morning, Courney left the bar and looked everywhere, so as not to walk alone, she waited at the entrance for the girl who lives in the same residence as her. They were walking alone down the street near her home, when a van stopped and two men got out, they ran, but the guys managed to catch Courney and put her in the car, she was crying and screaming to be let go, one of the men put a gun to her head, while the other drove, she only had to sob in silence.


    After a few minutes they arrived at an abandoned store, the men took her by force out of the car and dragged her into the ce.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cesar was waiting for her with a depraved smile.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re going to be mine,¡± he took a few steps towards her and gave her a blow in the face that broke her mouth. ¡°You and I are going to have fun, then my friends will y with you.¡±


    Cesar grabbed her by the hair and threw her on a mat, jumped on top of her and tore her dress.


    ¡°Noooo¡­! Please don¡¯t hurt me,¡± she screamed in agitation, trying to get him off her but she was pinned down.


    Caesar took hold of her mouth and kissed her hard, he lowered his mouth to her breasts and bit each one, he reached down and ripped off her blouse, unbuttoned his pants, pulled out his erect member and thrust it into her in one thrust, savagely outraging her in several positions.


    Courney felt disgust, his whole body ached, when she saw him stop, he paid attention to his movements, he adjusts his clothes looking at hispanions.


    ¡°Now, boys! Here I leave that candy for you to enjoy it,¡± then he stared at her. ¡°Your debt is paid, if you go to the police or tell anyone what happened here, I¡¯ll look for you wherever you are and I¡¯ll torture you until you ask me to kill you,¡± he turned his back and left the ce.


    She cried in anguish, she felt her body begging for mercy.


    The men abused her, leaving her limp, totally torn. Courney didn¡¯t utter a word, tears of pain ran down her cheeks non-stop, she just wanted to die.


    When the men finished, they loaded her into the van and dumped her near a dumpster.


    On Sunday, Jimena went out early to a local market to buy fruits and vegetables. As she walked down a street, her gaze fixed on a body lying near an alley, seemingly lifeless. She tried to continue her way, but upon reflection, she took out her mobile phone from her purse, called 911, and informed them of her discovery. As she put away her phone, she took a few steps to get a closer look at the girl. She gasped when she noticed the poor condition of her naked body with blood between her legs. She saw the young girl open her eyes, and Jimena stood by her.


    ¡°Help is on the way, don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°Pleeease don¡¯t leave me aloooone,¡± Courney whispered with an intermittent voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you. Just hang in there,¡± Jimena couldn¡¯t leave that poor soul alone, so she decided to apany her and called Julia to take care of the children in her absence.


    Courney woke up disoriented, wishing it was all a nightmare. She realized she was lying in a hospital bed, connected to a machine. She tried to move, and a terrible pain in her intimate area became apparent.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you woke up, dear. What¡¯s your name?¡± Jimena said, arriving at her side.


    Courney followed the voice, and there was the person she thought was an angeling to get her. Now, in the hospital, she realizes she didn¡¯t die.


    ¡°My name is Courney. Thank you for not leaving me alone,¡± tears appeared in her eyes as she remembered what she went through at the hands of those men.


    ¡°Give me your family¡¯s information so I can call them. They must be worried.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a family.¡±


    Jimena felt sorry for the poor girl. When she heard that she had been vited in the worst way and was devastated in her intimate parts, she couldn¡¯t bear to leave her alone. Now that she knows Courney has no rtives, she won¡¯t leave her in these moments.


    ¡°If you agree, can I stay with you until you get better?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m going to inform the doctors that you¡¯ve woken up, and the police are outside waiting for your statement.¡±


    Panic overcame Courney again, her body trembling with fear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t cry! It breaks my heart to see you like this,¡± Jimena approached and hugged her.


    Courney clung to her with all her strength, not wanting to let go. She didn¡¯t want to cry, but she couldn¡¯t stop her tears. She wants to be strong but doesn¡¯t know how.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here for you, Courney. Cry as much as you want; soon, what happened to you will be just a memory.¡±


    The doctors examined her, and the police came in to speak with her. Out of fear of reprisals and the possibility of something worse happening to her, she chose to remain silent, only affirming, ¡®I don¡¯t know what happened! I don¡¯t know anything!¡¯


    On Monday morning, Jimena visited her and brought some things. She didn¡¯t stay for long because she had to attend a wedding.

 Chapter 52

    The long-awaited day arrived for Lindsey and Kyle. She was happy, even though they had already been married, it wasn¡¯t as pleasant for both of them; now, it felt like they could truly celebrate out of love.


    She had asked her grandfather Hugo if he could walk her down the aisle. Since she didn¡¯t have a father to represent her, who better than the man who had shown her affection that she never experienced in her family.


    Grandpa Hugo was excited about giving his granddaughter away at the altar. Lindsey was ready, and her friends were there with her.


    ¡°Stop crying, Luan, you¡¯re going to make me cry on my wedding day,¡± Lindsey eximed while looking at herself in the mirror.


    ¡°But you look so beautiful. I have so many mixed emotions. I love weddings, and I know it¡¯s challenging for someone like me,¡± Luan said through tears.


    Stefany hugged him from behind. This extroverted and demanding friend of theirs never hesitated when it came to supporting the couples.


    ¡°The right one wille, brother. We should be happy for the bride, so stop crying; you¡¯ll look terrible for our friend¡¯s most important day. Besides, we, the bridesmaids, have to look impable.¡±


    Lindsey chose Janna as the matron of honor, and Luan, Stefany, and Isa were the bridesmaids. The girls wore red dresses with white details, halfway fitted to the body and knee-length. Luan wore a suit with a shirt and pants with the same details as the dresses.


    Lindsey looked like a princess in a white dress off the shoulders with a sweetheart neckline, fitted to the waist, and a long skirt withce.


    The girls¡¯ dresses were almost simr to their mother¡¯s, but theirs had sleeves and frames.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready; now let¡¯s go. The groom is waiting for us,¡± Janna said to snap their friends out of nostalgia.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go; the limousine is waiting for us. The grandmother and the kids have arrived at Kyle¡¯s mansion,¡± Isa said, ushering the women out of the room.


    Antone went ahead with the children to coordinate with Sussan the bride¡¯s entrance.


    The wedding would take ce in the garden, decorated with white and red flowers. The celebration would be held inside the mansion, and with the help of employees and hired personnel, they managed to set everything up in a day.


    Sussan and Emilia were proud of the result. In the end, they took charge of the decoration and the banquet.


    Kyle found a tuxedo simr to the suits his three children would wear.


    ¡°Kyle! Can you keep your nerves calm? It seems like it¡¯s the first time you¡¯re getting married. This is your second marriage; you should be used to it,¡± Freed joked behind the groom in front of the altar.


    ¡°This woman still hasn¡¯t arrived. She should have already started.¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence when the bridal march started ying.


    Their five children acted as flower girls, marching while spreading flower petals on the red carpet, followed by the bride, who was hanging onto her grandfather¡¯s arm.


    As they approached, Kyle gave the bride a smile from ear to ear. To him, she looked like the most beautiful fairy his eyes had ever seen.


    Lindsey walked toward the altar where the man she loved from the first day her eyes evaluated him stood.


    Upon reaching the altar, Grandpa Hugo handed her over to his grandson.


    ¡°I give you my granddaughter, and this time, you¡¯ve done things right. Take care of her and value her as the precious gem she is.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s eyes showed emotion, he took his wife¡¯s hands, and nodded to his grandfather.


    The priest began the ceremony, and the godfather handed the rings to Kyle. They exchanged their wedding vows and were finally dered husband and wife. Kyle approached his wife and gave her a tender kiss amid the apuse. Grandma Antone was the first toe and congratte them.


    After the congrattions, they walked towards the celebration area and raised a toast to their union. Kyle, with a satisfied expression, whispered to his wife, ¡°Now I am your husband, as it should have been from the beginning of our love, when I fell in love with a noble and kind soul. I am captivated by your presence.¡±


    ¡°I love you, my love. You are perfect!¡± She replied with a big smile.


    Suddenly, Kyle took away the ss she was holding, ced it on a nearby table, and led her to the dance floor. The music began, and they had their first dance to the rhythm of Sin Bandera¡¯s song ¡°Que Me Alcance Vida¡± (¡°May Life Reach Me¡±).


    Lindsey, with her head on his shoulder, shed a few tears upon hearing him stammer.


    ¡®I ask God to grant me enough life and time toe back, even if it¡¯s just a little of what you give me. I ask God to grant me enough life to tell you everything I feel thanks to your love.¡¯


    Their children interrupted this magical moment for them, joining withughter to dance together.


    The party continued with drinks, dances, and excitement. Several couples took advantage of the moment to exchange meaningful nces. Jimena told the others about the girl she found in the alley who had no family.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of taking her to the foster home if she wants.¡±


    ¡°You can count on me if you need me to talk to her. That¡¯s very tough; you devalue yourself as a person, thinking you¡¯re worth nothing,¡± Stefany sighed, feeling sorry for the poor girl. ¡°I, more than anyone, know what she must be going through right now, and she¡¯s going to need people to lift her spirits and boost her self-esteem. I was lucky to have you all.¡±


    Janna and Luan looked at each other withpassion.


    ¡°You can count on us too,¡± Luan expressed.


    ¡°With me as well! I want to help her get out of that confinement because now she has to face the memories, and we¡¯ll all be there to support her. Right, guys?¡± Lindsey interrupted as she joined them.


    Jimena, touched by the good hearts of her friends, said, ¡°Thank you, my loves. I know I can count on you. Well, now let¡¯s enjoy the party.¡±


    ¡°Guys, shall we change? It¡¯s time to getfortable,¡± Lindsey suggested, and they went upstairs to the rooms that Sussan had assigned them.From N?velDrama.Org.


    The four women had already changed when someone knocked on the door. Janna opened it, thinking it was Luan.


    ¡°Hey, girls, I¡¯m here to steal the bride!¡± Kyle entered the room with big strides.


    ¡°No, Kyle! The party is not over! I want to enjoy it with my friends, and besides, the kids are here,¡± Lindsey protested confidently, cing her hands on her hips.


    Kyle looked at Janna to inform her, ¡°Janna, take care of letting the guests know that the party is over for the newlyweds.¡± ncing at his wife, he continued, ¡°The kids are in charge of Sussan, Emilia, and your grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Well, I decline; I want to keep enjoying¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence when she felt herself being lifted in the air. Kyle ced her over his shoulder and exited the room.

 Chapter 53

    Kyle rushed into the room and threw his beloved wife onto the bed. He observed her white dress, snug to her body with a structured cut.


    ¡°Love! Is that dress you¡¯re wearing too daring?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not going to tell me how to dress. It¡¯s better that you let me go. I want to enjoy my wedding,¡± she said, getting up and taking firm steps past him to leave the room.


    Kyle blinked several times; it seemed like a big fight was approaching. However, he was content; after every fight, reconciliation is more exciting.


    ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s our wedding night, and I want to enjoy my wife,¡± he said with a dangerous tone, startling Lindsey.


    She had one hand on the doorknob, removed it upon hearing that voice, turned, and opened her mouth to respond. However, plump lips pressed against hers dominantly, enveloping her like a volcano in eruption.


    Excitement was building inside her, causing waves of pleasure throughout her body. Her intimate part throbbed with desire as he savored her tongue. Her will to resist hadpletely slipped away, even if she wanted to y it tough; under those conditions, she couldn¡¯t.


    She felt his fingers slowly move from the end of her back to the center of her spine, making her shiver. When he reached the top of her dress, he felt the zipper, lowered it slowly with one hand, never stopping the kiss. He slid his hands under the fabric, stopping at her bare shoulders, flexed his fingers, and dragged the fabric forward, sensually dropping it to the floor.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    He interrupted the kiss, sighed at the sight of her naked skin; it was better than he imagined in his dreams. He left her in a bra, panties, and heels.


    ¡°I¡¯ve married the most sensual and beautiful woman that could exist. I am captivated by you,¡± he whispered with a weak and sensual voice.


    The vibrations in his voice excited Lindsey; her body was eager to feel him inside.


    He turned her around, cing her back to him, scattered small kisses on her neck, ran his tongue slowly over her shoulder, while one hand massaged a breast over the bra, and the other traced circles around her nipple above it.


    Her skin tingledpletely; an involuntary moan forcefully came out of her throat. The sensations of his movements were fascinating.


    While one hand yed with a breast, the other went down until it met her panties. He brushed his fingers over the thin fabric from top to bottom; Kyle drew an eager smile on his lips, while his ears enjoyed beautiful moansing from her.


    ¡°Kyleee¡­ I want to feel you,¡± she mumbled with a thread of voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    He turned her back while he began to undress until he waspletely naked. He circled around to position himself in front of her, captured her lips again, kissing them fervently. He passed one hand behind her back and unhooked the bra, throwing it to the ground. He brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered erotically.


    ¡°Stay still; I¡¯m going to lose myself in you.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    He began to descend, ran his yful tongue from her chin to her neck, gently ced each of her nipples in his mouth for a few moments, wet. Then he lowered his head, settling between her legs and parted the muscles.


    Lindsey tried to maintain bnce; her legs seemed like jelly. She forced herself to control her breathing; her moans were bing louder. She ced her hands on his shoulders, if she didn¡¯t, she spected that she would fall.


    ¡°You¡¯re soaked,¡± he muttered in a husky voice, plunging two fingers into her, moving them in and out with each moan she released, while he ran his tongue over her clit.


    ¡°This is more delicious than I remembered. Did you desire me during the time you weren¡¯t by my side, Lin?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she managed to say with a breathy voice, thoroughly enjoying the pleasure. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold on much longer.¡±


    Seeing her almost convulsing, and her femininity pulsating with desire, he stood up, grabbed her hand, and in two steps, he sat on the edge of the bed, helping her to climb onto him. He ced each of her legs on either side of his waist. He put one hand behind her head, tilted it towards his mouth, and kissed her wildly.


    While Lindsey moved her hips, sinkingpletely, reaching an incredible point for her, her muscles clung to every inch of him.


    She entered and exited at an exasperating pace; these movements made them moan at the same time, and their intimate parts collided gloriously. She tried to control the pressure building between her legs, couldn¡¯t hold back, and convulsed, squeezing his member.


    ¡°You drive me crazy, little doll,¡± Kyle squeezed her tightly in his arms, ced his head on her neck, inhaling her scent. He prated her a few more times with long and calcted thrusts, releasing his warm liquid and letting out a hoarse and audible grunt as he closed his exhausted eyes.


    Satisfied, exhausted, and panting, she separated from him, bringing her forehead to his. She moved a bit on top of him to get his attention and felt his erection recede, giving a jolt inside her.


    Kyle looked directly into her eyes, drew a mischievous smile, and with normalized breathing, he stood up with her wrapped around his waist and positioned her on the bed, lying down beside her.


    ¡°Little doll! My love, we belong to each other now. Don¡¯t even think about escaping, or I¡¯lle for you myself and bring you back with a spanking.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave your side. Promise me there won¡¯t be any more secrets between us?¡±


    ¡°I promise, my love,¡± he whispered with his gaze fixed on her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to solve things together. Now we can¡¯t just think about ourselves but also about our children. And about the spankings, you can give them without me having to escape from your clutches,¡± she said yfully, straddling himfortably.


    Kyle burst intoughter and prepared for a second round.


    In the celebration, the children ran around, and the grandparents chased after them. Some guests kept a close eye on their prey.


    A group of women went to the bathroom. As they were leaving, one of them had her mouth covered, surrounded by energetic arms, and pulled into one of the guest rooms.

 Chapter 54

    ¡°Let me go!¡± she shouted, nerves on edge. At first, Stefany was terrified, but when she perceived that slight and fresh citrus aroma, her legs trembled.


    ¡°Calm down! Since you¡¯re avoiding me, this is the only way I found for us to talk,¡± he entered the room and locked the door. The handsome, dark-haired man in front of him had an intoxicating aura. Since he started living in the same house as her, those honey-colored eyes had enchanted him.


    ¡°You are my boss! I don¡¯t understand why the audacity to bring me here?¡± she said, timid and a bit flushed, by the handsome man with intense blue eyes like the ocean.


    Maximiliano couldn¡¯t find a way to exin to Stefany that he tricked her into signing a marriage certificate. Besides, he was going crazy every time he encountered her in the same environment. He wondered what her moans would sound like during sex and had been like a damn pervert dreaming about her. After he discovered her past, a fury grew in him. He couldn¡¯t believe so much malice against such a sweet and tender soul. He had been pulling strings with his contacts to make her stepfather rot in jail.


    ¡°Sit down! I need you to listen to me. I brought you here for two reasons that are driving me crazy: you and Max. Let me exin the situation,¡± he sighed several times to gather courage.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Stefany, with rmed eyes and sping her hands, asked, ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to talk about Max first. It¡¯s okay to start with you. I like you-or you could say I¡¯ve been in love with you for a long time. Now that we live in the same house, I¡¯m drawn to you.¡±


    Augh echoed in the room, leaving Maximiliano astonished. She didn¡¯t know if it was the drinks, but she let it out.


    ¡°How can you say you¡¯re in love with me? As far as I know, you¡¯ve slept with every woman in Los Angeles and half of Manhattan, or maybe more. Go tell that to your conquests, not me. Oh, thinking about it, if you¡¯re telling me this to get between my legs, you wasted your time! I value my job. I know that if I sleep with you, you¡¯ll discard me in a few days, and I¡¯ll have to resign.¡±


    Maximiliano was left speechless by everything she said. His heart shrank, and he felt a small sting. The woman who couldn¡¯t get out of his head had a bad opinion of him, and he couldn¡¯t deny it because she was right. But that was his past. Since they started living under the same roof, he hasn¡¯t felt attracted to another woman.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t say anything, Stefany got off the bed.


    ¡°If that was all, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°Stefany, I know you¡¯re right about everything you¡¯re saying. I¡¯ve been a womanizer who, at some point in my life, didn¡¯t value women. But I have my reasons. Give me a chance to prove that I can be the man you want.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m fine as it is! I¡¯m not going to get into trouble because of you. Changing the subject, what¡¯s going on with Max? Does he have custody problems?¡±


    For the past five years, her boss has been her tonic love. At first, it hurt to discover all the things about him, such as how Max was conceived, seeing Mrs. Cecilia cry because her son had be a womanizer. There¡¯s also that little Angel who has needed his dad. Those things made her question her bad luck in love with men. She hadn¡¯t developed that feeling for anyone until she saw him for the first time. She resigned herself to believe that love wasn¡¯t for her in this life.


    Maximiliano, upon hearing those words, didn¡¯t know how to tell her that they are bound by some documents.


    ¡°Stefany! You know I¡¯m going through a legal situation for Max¡¯s custody. Mywyer has some documents that will be presented in court in three days, where my son¡¯s custody will be determined.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d, now I can leave,¡± with a smile, she took a few steps towards the door, feeling a hand stop her.


    ¡°Wait! I have something else to tell you, and it¡¯s the mostplicated thing for me to say.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Let me go, and I¡¯ll listen,¡± feeling released from the grip, she sat back on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Two weeks ago, I was desperate because I didn¡¯t know what to do to keep my son. Mywyer informed me that if I were married, things would be different. I can only tell you that I thought about the woman I love and my son. The fact is, I got married, but she doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Stefany didn¡¯t process everything he said well; the only word echoing in her head was ¡°married.¡± Her heartpressed, and her pulse quickened.


    ¡°You are the worst, Mr. Maximiliano. You make it clear that you are a married man and bring me to this room to dere your love. Damn my bad luck, but let me tell you that nobody turns me into a mistress. I will never be one, no matter how much I¡¯m dying for you. I will never be your mistress,¡± she stood up from the bed again, chin lifted, and proudly stood in front of him.


    Maximiliano was fascinated by the strong, challenging, and haughty woman she was. He controlled his impulses; he was about to jump on her and make love until he was exhausted with pleasure. However, he had to restrain himself; he couldn¡¯t make things worse.


    ¡°I would never have you as a mistress. You are a brave, beautiful, tender woman, and above all, the best mother my son could have,¡± he sighed to let her go. ¡°You are my wife and the woman I married.¡±


    Stefany was confused; she didn¡¯t understand anything. She mentally articted, ¡°This has to be a joke.¡±


    ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re doing this to get me into bed, we better end things here. For my job, I¡¯ll forget this conversation ever happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to prove it to you,¡± he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a certificate and another document. ¡°Take it! I want you to read on the marriage certificate the name of my beautiful wife and on this document, who is the mother of my son.¡±


    She extended her hand, grabbed the documents while wanting to murder him. She was furious. She took a breath and opened the certificate first. She started reading and was startled to see the name ¡°Wife: Stefany Dani Gutierrez de Miller¡± and her identification number. She took a few steps back and sat on the bed, feeling like she was about to fall. She had an expression of amazement mixed with fear.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°What kind of game is this, Maximiliano? I want an exnation! Why am I married to you? When did I get married? I haven¡¯t signed anything,¡± she quickly grabbed the other paper and also started reading. Her gaze focused on the part that said: ¡°Stefany Dani Gutierrez de Miller, mother of the minor Max Miller Gutierrez.¡± The documents fell from their hands due to the shock.


    Maximiliano approached, picked up the documents, and put them away. He sat beside her and began to exin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start from the beginning. Since I arrived in Manhattan, I haven¡¯t slept with any woman because, believe it or not, I fell in love with you. Have I been promiscuous? Yes, I have! When I was 23, I was about to get married, but my fiancee left me standing at the altar. She never showed up, andter, I found out she was seeing two men at the same time. At that moment, I didn¡¯t hate her for leaving me for someone else; I hated her for not telling me before the wedding and for leaving me standing there like the cuckold of the year.¡±


    Stefany feltpassion for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to go through that with a heartless woman. I think she must have had second thoughts at thest moment. It¡¯s better that she left you standing there than being married to her while she sleeps with other men behind your back; that would have been worse.¡±


    ¡°Since then, I don¡¯t believe in marriage, and I started going out with women whom I used to satisfy my manly needs. I¡¯ve always taken precautions to avoid diseases by using protection.¡±


    ¡°How do you justify Max? Because, as far as I understand, you didn¡¯t know the mother,¡± she observed him with reproach.


    ¡°I apply the same reasoning as Kyle, with the difference that I was semi-conscious that we were having sex. The next day, I regretted not taking precautions, but she swore to me that she was a famous model, showed me evidence, and imed she was careful. I won¡¯t deny that she is a beautiful woman, but it was just sex. We spent a week together until I returned to Los Angeles, and the rest, you already know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another bad woman who used a baby to end a marriage,¡± she shouted furiously, recalling what her friend went through because of that trap.


    ¡°The only good thing about that trap is my son, and since then, I don¡¯t believe in a pretty face.¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me ugly?¡±


    ¡°You are a special woman, with many qualities that have captivated me.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me how I ended up married to you.¡±


    Maximiliano lowered his head, looked at her from the corner of his eye, remembered the first time he saw her, found her sweet and naive, and watched her care for and pamper his son with a motherly warmth. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t let her go.


    ¡°The day I had you sign the authorization for Max¡¯s school, you also signed the marriage contract and the paperwork to be Max¡¯s official mother. I did it all for Max because if I didn¡¯t justify that he lived in a family home, that woman might have won custody.¡±


    Tears rolled down Stefany¡¯s cheeks. The man beside her had put her in a big mess. She didn¡¯t know whether to kill him at that moment. Fury was growing inside her. She red at him with her head down, about to unleash her anger, but then she closed her mouth. Someone came to her mind, and her aura changed.


    That child has suffered a lot. Since birth, he hasn¡¯t had his parents by his side. There were days when he asked, ¡®Why isn¡¯t Mom with me? Why doesn¡¯t she love me?¡¯ She had no answer; she just hugged him and tried to make himugh. Other days were filled with questions like, ¡®Why doesn¡¯t Dad live with us? Why doesn¡¯t hee to visit me? Doesn¡¯t he love me either?¡¯ These were the words of a nearly 5-year-old child, breaking her heart. For that child, she stayed as a nanny, giving up her job as a nurse and her dream of bing a doctor. That child didn¡¯t ask to be born to irresponsible and heartless parents.


    ¡°You know, if it weren¡¯t for Max, I would kill you right now. I never understood how you, being his father, would leave him abandoned, visiting him only two or three times a year, with few phone calls. There were days when that child cried for his parents, and it broke my heart not to have an answer for him. His grandmother was there, but you know the health condition of your mother. I guess that¡¯s the fear you have, right? That they¡¯ll take custody away from you for being an irresponsible father.


    ¡°I¡­,¡± she interrupted him, tears rolling down her cheeks.


    ¡°Let me finish. I gave up my medical career for that child, and I¡¯ll continue to be connected to you for him. I ept being his mother because I held him in my arms two days after he was born, and I feel like his mother. But with you, things will stay the same until you win the heart of that angel. We can¡¯t talk about us until then,¡± she stood up from the bed. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. My feelings are all mixed up, and I don¡¯t want to keep listening to you.¡±


    Stefany took quick steps towards the door, unlocked it, and left the room. She found her friend Luan, without exining or saying goodbye to anyone; they left the mansion. In the car, she was distraught, telling Luan everything that had happened.


    Maximiliano, upon seeing her leave the room, cried like a little child. He didn¡¯t realize that his son was suffering so much due to his own bad behavior and immaturity. He loved his son in his way, thinking that the love of his grandmother and the care of the woman he desired were enough. He decided to turn his life around and be a better father. He has been living with his son for almost two months and still doesn¡¯t know his likes, fears, and joys. Additionally, it torments him that his now-wife has the worst opinion of him as a man.


    ¡°Now I have to do things right and regain my two loves.¡±


    After a few minutes, he wiped away his tears, left the room in search of his mother.


    Cecilia, upon seeing Stefany leaving almost running and the expression on her son¡¯s face, guessed that things between them were not going well.


    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m taking Max home because I want to be with my son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you. I think you and I need a mother-son conversation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom, let¡¯s go. First, I¡¯ll take care of my son, and then I¡¯ll tell you many things because I¡¯m going to need your help.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Of course, my love. You know you can count on me. Let me say goodbye to the people, and we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Maximiliano watched his mother walk with a cane, and his heart shrank even more, knowing that she suffered from arthritis and paresthesia.

 Chapter 56

    After the celebration, a couple found themselves in an apartment, engaging in wild sex. They called themselves friends with benefits; in front of others, they pretended to be indifferent, but when one of them wanted to be used in bed, the other woulde to their encounter.


    That night, Lindsey slept curled up to Kyle¡¯s body, not untangling even though she was deeply asleep. She was exhausted from the marathon of sex the day before. Kyle, on the other hand, woke up only to admire her and adjust her on his chest, watching how she clung to his body when he moved, intending to make her morefortable.


    The next day, Kyle felt the door opening, and he quickly covered his wife. A small figure entered.


    ¡°Hello, Dad! Why haven¡¯t youe down for breakfast with us?¡± a confident little voice babbled.


    Two little heads peeked through the door.


    Lindsey, upon hearing Lucas, opened her eyes abruptly and felt embarrassed, separating from Kyle.


    ¡°Kids! How did you sleep in your new rooms? Dad and Mom are tired, remember that we got married yesterday to live together as a family,¡± Kyle said, unsure how to start a conversation with his son, especially with all three of them standing in front of them naked in bed.


    ¡°I slept well, thanks, Dad. I liked my Sofia the First princess room,¡± Luna replied with a smile from behind the door.


    ¡°Mom, are you sick? Why are you covering yourself with that sheet?¡± Leno intervened, finding it strange that his mom was still in bed.


    At that moment, Sussan was arriving. She had left the children in the yroom and hadn¡¯t noticed when they left the living room. Taking three little hands, she pulled them away, ncing at her son with sympathy.


    ¡°Come on, kids, we¡¯ll let your parents sort things out, and then you can go to the yroom with Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll join youter. Go with Grandma,¡± she was embarrassed by how their children discovered them. In the future, she would take precautions not to wake up without clothes.


    In another part of the city, Isa woke up, bringing her hands to her head. She felt like she was going to explode, nced around, blinked several times, unable to remember how she ended up in that bed. She noticed she was naked and, covering her face with a pillow, screamed.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening to me. How could I sleep with that idiot? I could kill you, Isa.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t a drinking expert, encouraged by her new friends, she had several sses of wine, and each of them disappeared from her view. When she realized she was alone and dizzy, she said goodbye to Antone and decided to go to Lindsey¡¯s mission. Dexter, seeing her condition, offered to take her, took advantage of kissing her in the car before setting off. The kisses escted, and she let him touch her. He was so excited and desired that woman that he headed to his apartment, where a sexual war between them unfolded.


    ¡°Good morning, beautiful. It¡¯s time for breakfast,¡± Dexter entered the room with a tray of food and ced it on the bedside table.


    ¡°Did you take advantage of my drunkenness? This shouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± she shouted angrily, clinging to the sheet.


    Dexter furrowed his brow; it seemed like Isa was creating a storm without rifying things.


    ¡°Isa, listen to me. I didn¡¯t force you; what happenedst night, you wanted it too, and I confess you left me dumbfounded with how sensual and passionate you are in bed. I know I pounced on you like a hungry wolf, and I¡¯m d you were a sweet Little Red Riding Hood.¡±


    Isa blushed all over, shes of the passionate night where that man provoked the wildest orgasms crossed her mind. She sprung up with the sheet covering her body, picked up her underwear and dress from a piece of furniture and ran to the bathroom. Minutester, she appeared.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re right; it was a wonderful night,¡± she searched for her purse and, before turning her back, continued, ¡°And what happened between us was just sex, nothing will change.¡± Without waiting for a response, she left the room, went down the stairs, and opened the front door to meet a woman who screamed.


    ¡°Who are you, whore? Why are you in my man¡¯s apartment?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter followed Isa¡¯s steps, and when he saw Helen, he positioned himself behind Isa, wrapping his arms around her waist.


    ¡°Helen! What are you doing here? Get out of my house! She is the woman I want and holds a ce in my heart. I don¡¯t know what else to do with you. Leave me alone.¡±


    Three years ago, he cut all ties with her; he can¡¯t deny that he loved her and that, at the time, the fire emanating from their bodies consumed them. He left his friends, and she used him as she pleased. Still, he got tired of how clingy and toxic Helen had be. They were engaged, and after contemting it, he decided to end their years-long rtionship.


    Isa noticed the disappointment in his voice, imagined how he felt being harassed by that woman. She ced her hands on the arms that enveloped her body, sighed several times to say,


    ¡°Miss! Give up your role as a woman; your time with my man is over. Don¡¯t degrade yourself to a man who doesn¡¯t desire you. Now, his heart doesn¡¯t belong to you but to me. What more humiliation do you want for you to open your eyes? I advise you to find someone who values you.¡±


    ¡°Look, little slut, you don¡¯t give me advice. Dexter is mine, and no woman will bring him down. Dexter, you¡¯ve changed since I don¡¯t know what to do with you? Why don¡¯t you leave me alone?¡±


    Helen hasn¡¯t epted that he no longer belongs to her and has scared off all his conquests. She has reached the point of throwing tantrums at business meetings. Enraged, she threw herself at Isa. Dexter pulled her and ced himself between the two. Isa, knowledgeable in self-defense, pushed her away, and when Helen went to p her, she caught her hand and twisted it.


    ¡°Let me go, damn it, you¡¯re hurting me!¡± she protested from the pain.


    ¡°Stop bothering my man, or you¡¯ll see what I¡¯m capable of,¡± furious, she let go, grabbed her by the hair, and, taking quick steps, dragged her out of the apartment, forcefully throwing her onto the floor.


    Helen started crying with anger.


    ¡°Dexter! Have you seen how this savage hurt me? How you¡¯ve changed me for this animal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of you! Out of respect for your father, who supported me at the beginning of my career, I didn¡¯t report you for harassment and let things pass. But everything has a limit; you¡¯ll know about it soon,¡± he clenched his jaw; he was tired of that damn woman.


    Helen almost fainted, clenched her fist indignantly; now she feels she¡¯s losing the battle. He had never dared to threaten her.


    ¡°Derek, I love you! I¡¯ve apologized for acting like a fool, but are you the one to me for me being like this?¡± Helen sobbed, pitiful.


    Dexter, tired of the same thing, took out his phone and called one of the security guards to remove the woman from the building. Then, he took Isa by the arm gently and made her enter his apartment.


    They talked for a while about what happened, and then Isa left for the mansion.

 Chapter 57

    Jimena arrived at the hospital, and when she entered the room, she found Courtney lost in her thoughts and in tears. She approached and hugged her tightly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s tough, but I¡¯m here to support you.¡±


    Courtney had pronounced dark circles under her eyes; she hadn¡¯t slept at all. Every time she closed her eyes, the nightmare repeated itself like a video ying on a loop.


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Jimena,¡± a weak voice struggled toe out of her throat.


    ¡°Just call me Jimena, dear. The doctor informed me that they¡¯ll discharge you in three days. I want to suggest that youe with me to a children¡¯s home. I¡¯m the director there, and those kids can help you cope with your pain unless you have another ce to go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a burden there. I am nothing now. I don¡¯t know what to do with what¡¯s left of me.¡± She hadn¡¯t stopped crying since the assault; her heart was shattered by pain, and her body still showed signs of her misfortune.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You are a strong girl, and you¡¯ll get through this. You know, I have four boys who are like angels, and they help me with the foundation. Each of them, in their own way, has gone through tragedies that marked their lives. One of them, for example, was broken by her stepfather for several years until one day she decided to leave the hell where she lived. She came to us emotionally shattered, just like you, and now she¡¯s a strong and kind-hearted woman.¡±


    ¡°When I saw you, Jimena, I thought you were an angeling to rescue me. Now I know you¡¯re an angel who wants to help me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t support you alone. In the children¡¯s home, you¡¯ll have many people who will help you ovee what you experienced.¡±


    In another location, Maximiliano had talked with his mother, telling her everything that happened, apologizing for abandoning them, and seeking her support to win back his wife.


    Cecilia was moved by her son¡¯s words, advising him as a mother. Her happiness was evident; she began to recover the Maximiliano he was before moving to Los Angeles.


    A month had passed, and the friends decided to visit the children¡¯s home, bringing gifts for the kids.


    Luan and Stefany had gone a couple of times, but they hadn¡¯t been able to see Cony, as Jimena fondly called her. The times they went, the girl was in a depressive state and didn¡¯t want to see anyone.


    The four friends entered the ce, and the kids screamed with joy upon seeing them.


    ¡°My kids, I¡¯m so d to see you. I missed you so much,¡± Jimena greeted them warmly.


    ¡°How is the girl, Jime?¡± Stefany asked with mncholy.


    ¡°There are days she leaves her room and helps Julia in the kitchen. On other days, she stays locked up, crying. She sleeps very little, and if she does, she wakes up screaming. In the early mornings, I¡¯ve seen her from my room window going to the backyard, sitting on the bench, and sobbing.¡±


    ¡°Can we meet her?¡± Luan blurted out.


    ¡°At the moment, she¡¯s in the kitchen with Julia. Come, join me.¡±


    Jimena led them inside the house and headed to the kitchen. Cony had her back turned.


    ¡°Cony, some friends came to visit you.¡±


    Cony turned around, and her expression was one of astonishment. There stood her sister, the woman who had caused her so much harm. Tears began to flow down her pale cheeks.


    The friends looked at each other in surprise. Lindsey couldn¡¯t believe she was in front of her sister; she didn¡¯t recognize her immediately. The model was no more; her eyes were lifeless, she looked like a walking corpse. The hatred she felt for her disappeared. Seeing her in that condition broke her heart. She was no longer the cheerful and outgoing girl who used to annoy her.


    -What¡¯s going on? Do you all know each other?¡± Jimena asked, noticing the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces.


    ¡°She is my sister, Courtney.¡±


    Courtney didn¡¯t speak; she just cried in anguish. Every night, she repeated to herself, ¡°What happened to me is punishment for all the evil I did to my sister.¡±


    Jimena knew Courtney¡¯s life story because she had shared it herself, and now was the time for them to talk.


    ¡°Walk to your room, Courtney, so you can open up to your sister.¡±


    With her head bowed, Courtney made her way through them and walked, with Lindsey silently following.


    Upon reaching the room, Courtney sat at the edge of the bed, her gaze lowered, fingers intertwined. She didn¡¯t know how to begin.


    Lindsey approached and hugged her tightly. Despite everything, they were sisters. Lindsey¡¯s heart bled at the sight of Courtney in this deplorable state and knowing what she had endured at the hands of those soulless monsters. The charismatic girl was nowhere to be found. Both cried for a long time.


    ¡°Lindsey, forgive me for all the harm I¡¯ve done to you. What happened to me is punishment for not doing things right in the past,¡± Courtney expressed with a fragile and trembling voice.


    ¡°Courtney, dear, I have nothing to forgive you for. On the contrary, forgive me for taking everything away from you without caring about what would happen to your life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not to me for what happened to me. I brought this upon myself. It¡¯s the result of my mistake, of wanting to hurt you. I didn¡¯t pay a debt, and this is the price I had to pay. I deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who harmed you here? He has to pay. Now, are you going to tell me who it was?¡± Lindsey stood up from the bed with eyes filled with fury. She was going to search for that guy under every rock, and he had to pay for what he did to her sister.


    Courtney began to tremble, remembering thest words he said to her. Tears overflowed uncontrobly on her gaunt face; it was a heartbreaking cry.


    Lindsey, seeing her like that, felt every fiber of her being shake. She rushed to hug her and whispered, ¡°Calm down, dear, don¡¯t get upset. I¡¯m with you, and I promise not to leave you. Come with me; there are 5 nieces and nephews you have to meet,¡± she confessed, stroking Courtney¡¯s hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t leave this house. Here, I feel safe.¡±


    ¡°You will also be safe with me. I give you my word.¡± Lindsey lifted her and helped her settle on the bed. She began to caress her hair again to calm her, eventually managing to make her fall asleep. She looked so fragile, like a little mouse cornered with no way out.


    Lindsey left the room, and there were the guys who hugged her when they saw her. Later, she made some calls.

 Chapter 58

    Catrina arrived at Pratt Enterprises with an air of superiority, not bothering to greet anyone. She stood in front of the president¡¯s secretary and stated:


    ¡°I have an appointment with Mr. Kyle. Can you let him know I¡¯m here?¡±


    Rebeca rolled her eyes upon seeing her and, without wasting time, called her boss. After receiving confirmation, she said:


    ¡°Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Kyle will see you. You may go in.¡±


    Catrina entered the room with elegance and approached therge desk, sitting in front of the man who was looking at hisputer screen.


    ¡°Dear Kyle, still as handsome as ever,¡± her voice was sensual and enticing to any man.


    Upon hearing her speak, Kyle narrowed his eyes in annoyance. This woman was trouble. He spoke with a harsh tone:


    ¡°Speak! What have youe for?¡±


    ¡°Kyle, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. I¡¯m here for business. Ourpanies in coboration can dominate the global market.¡±


    Kyle raised his gaze with a warning look.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being part of your business. If you have nothing else to say, you can leave my office.¡±


    ¡°You know, in the world of fashion, it¡¯s better to have allies than enemies. Besides, what happened between us is in the past. Ie in peace,¡± Catrina sought a way to enter Kyle¡¯s life, but it seemed he wasn¡¯t going to make it easy.


    Kyle burst into a heartyugh. He found it amusing that this woman had the audacity toe into his office and even try to make threats.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m interested in forming alliances with you? Well, I¡¯m not! I told you once, and I won¡¯t repeat it. I want you far away from my sight. Now, leave my office.¡±


    Catrina was indignant at how he was treating her. She had spected that, with her power in the world of luxury fashion marketing and some shares in well-known fashion houses, she would be treated better. She calmly took out a business card from her purse and ced it on his desk.


    ¡°Watch your words, darling. You¡¯re not talking to just anyone. I¡¯ll leave you my contact information. Think about it; it¡¯s in your best interest to be on my side. We¡¯ll be seeing each other, Kyle,¡± she stood up with grace and left his office like a goddess, without acknowledging anyone. A couple of bodyguards were already waiting to escort her.


    Kyle tried to calm his anxiety, contemting the visit of that woman. ¡°This doesn¡¯t bode well. I have to keep my eyes wide open and warn Lin.¡±


    Catrina left the building, and a ck car was waiting for her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, how did it go with Mr. Kyle?¡± her assistant asked.


    ¡°He refused to listen to me or even look at me, that arrogant fool. It¡¯s going to be harder to get close to him. But soon, he¡¯ll know about me in a way he won¡¯t like. Now, take me to the meeting with my second target.¡±


    Catrina arrived at Maximiliano¡¯s office, entered with coquetry, swaying her hips seductively as she walked to the chair in front of his desk, where she sat.


    Maximiliano nced at every step Catrina took. The day before, his assistant had requested a private meeting with him. Seeing her enter in such a vain manner made him imagine what her trick might be. ¡®She thinks I¡¯m stupid enough to fall into her web again.¡¯


    ¡°Straight to the point. What have youe for?¡±


    ¡°Love, you don¡¯t have to be defensive. Remember, we have a son together. Tomorrow is the custody hearing for Max. After much thought and for the well-being of our son, I¡¯vee to propose a deal.¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯m not your love. I¡¯d appreciate it if you addressed me by my name. Second, I¡¯m not interested in anything thates from you. My son doesn¡¯t deserve a mother who used him for her own benefit,¡± he dered with confidence, his displeasure evident in his gaze toward the woman.


    ¡°Maximiliano, I don¡¯t deserve to be treated like this. I have changed. Since you took my son away, I¡¯ve suffered for him. I didn¡¯te back earlier because I was afraid I couldn¡¯t provide thefort he has with you. But now, I have the means to give him the life he deserves,¡± she articted with mncholy. Despite her life of resentment and dominance, in her heart, she longs to have her son. She wants him by her side at any cost.


    ¡°My son doesn¡¯t needfort; he needs a mother¡¯s love, and he won¡¯t find that in you.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about love? You haven¡¯t been the best father in the world. Max needs to grow up in a family. I¡¯m proposing that we get married for the emotional well-being of our son.¡±


    Maximiliano burst intoughter, leaving her surprised.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d fall for such stupidity? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting entangled with you again.¡±


    ¡°You think a judge will grant custody of a child to a womanizer who has rarely been with him since he was born? He¡¯s practically been raised by a nanny. I have the upper hand. Remember, dear, you stripped me of my motherhood rights under threat.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a detail you missed, Catrina. I can¡¯t marry you because I¡¯m already married, and my son has a mother who has raised him since he came into our lives.¡±


    ¡°What? That can¡¯t be,¡± she stood up furiously. ¡°You¡¯re not taking my son away. Who is that woman?¡± She was on high alert now. She married an old man for power, and one of her goals was to reim her son. She nned to marry Maximiliano to use him in her aspirations.


    ¡°Who is she? It¡¯s not your concern. I can only tell you that she¡¯s a noble woman with a better heart than yours. She has loved Max since she first held him, and my son is happy with her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s that stupid girl who works as a nanny. How could you make such an insignificant woman the mother of my son?¡±


    ¡°You sound ridiculous. I wouldn¡¯t let a woman without feelings stay with Max. This conversation isn¡¯t leading us anywhere. It¡¯s better if you leave.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t end here. I want my son, and he¡¯ll be with me,¡± she shouted, full of anger, as she turned her back.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± he eximed, watching her disappear through the door.


    Catrina stormed out of the office like a wild beast. Now, she would lose the battle in court, but she wants her son no matter what. She¡¯s going to find a way to have him by her side, whether it¡¯s by peaceful means or forceful ones.

 Chapter 59

    Lindsey, with the help of her friends, located a psychologist. When they arrived, Jimena exined the situation to the poor girl. Carlota entered to assess Courtney¡¯s mental state, but she didn¡¯t stay asleep for long.


    ¡°The diagnosis is acute depressive disorder, a result of post-traumatic stress,¡± exined Carlota to Lindsey, handing her a prescription. ¡°Buy this sedative; it will help her rx a bit. She¡¯ll need therapy.¡±


    ¡°What will the therapy be like?¡± Lindsey responded with nostalgia.


    ¡°Once a week, I¡¯m avable on Thursdays at 2 pm. I cane to attend to her personally until she improves and cane to my office.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, that sounds perfect. I¡¯ll contact you to arrange your fees. I leave my sister in your hands. Thank you, Doctor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to help. That girl went through something terrible. The best medicine is time, support, and the love you can give her.¡±


    Jimena rmended leaving her at the orphanage. Lindsey peeked into the room and saw her lying on the bed. She entered, kissed her on the forehead.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Sister! Are you sure you want to stay here? Grandma wants to take care of you. I promise you¡¯ll be safe with her. We¡¯ll be close, and no one will disturb you there. We need to talk when you feel better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a bother to you. I¡¯m not goodpany for anyone. I¡¯ll only cause you problems.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, my dear! If youe with me, I¡¯ll be happy,¡± she said with warmth, offering a warm smile.


    Without waiting for a response, Lindsey helped her up, took her arm, and walked out of the room. Courtney tearfully said goodbye to everyone.


    Oscar and Mario, who were waiting outside, were surprised to see the pitiful girling out, holding onto her boss¡¯s arm.


    Oscar approached to help, but Courtney had one of her episodes. Clinging to her sister¡¯s arm, she dug her nails in and, hiding her face, screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, don¡¯t hurt me anymore. Noooo¡­¡± She seemed almost in a trance.


    ¡°Okay, my love, I¡¯m here,¡± she ordered Oscar with a look to stay away.


    Oscar imagined the situation, and his eyes turned dark. He despised such acts. He was a former soldier who requested discharge after his wife¡¯s death while giving birth to their little daughter.


    ¡°Lin! We¡¯re going in my car. It¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t see any male figures for now,¡± Janna intervened with teary eyes, reflecting, ¡®No matter how bad Courtney has been to my friend, she didn¡¯t deserve to go through that monstrosity.¡¯


    Lindsey dragged her sister and settled her in the back seat of the car. Then she walked towards her bodyguards, who looked somber.


    ¡°Guys, she¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s going through a situation of sexual abuse, and as you saw, she can¡¯t tolerate the presence of a man. I¡¯ll ask you to try not to get too close until she regains trust. I¡¯m going with Janna; you follow us.¡±


    When they arrived, they went to the house on one side of the mansion. Antone had already prepared one of the rooms. She lived there alone. When her granddaughter suggested living with them in the mansion, she refused, not wanting to interfere in their marriage. Lindsey mentioned this house, and she dly epted.


    Among the three women, theyid Courtney on the bed and administered a sedative. It took her a long time to fall asleep; she was very anxious.


    Lindsey said goodbye to her grandmother and went to attend to her family.


    At the Miller mansion, Maximiliano told Stefany about his encounter with Catrina.


    In the Miller mansion, Maximiliano told Stefany about his encounter with Catrina.


    ¡°Maxi! I don¡¯t want a man who is constantly watching over me. I can take care of myself,¡± Stefany protested, pouting.


    Maximiliano was excited to hear her call him that; it was progress between the two.


    ¡°As my wife, you need to be protected. That woman is dangerous, and I¡¯m afraid she might do something to you.¡±


    ¡°Wife only on paper! Fine! If there¡¯s no other choice,¡± she replied reluctantly.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s tell our son that you¡¯re his real mom,¡± he happilymented. She no longer avoided him and joined in the games he yed with his son. They didn¡¯t talk about themselves, only things rted to Max.


    They left the office, climbed the stairs, and entered the child¡¯s room, where he eagerly awaited his dad for their nightly storytelling ritual.


    ¡°Champ! Dad¡¯s got something to ask you,¡± he said gently.


    ¡°Yeah, Dad,¡± he replied with a little gruff voice.


    ¡°Do you want Stefany as your mom?¡± His eyes stayed fixed on his son¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Yes!¡± he shouted with joy. ¡°She¡¯s like a mom to me, I love her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your real mom; Dad and Mom got married, and you¡¯re already her son.¡±


    The child was sitting on the bed. Upon hearing the news, he jumped up and started jumping for joy. In one leap, he jumped onto Stefany, who was beside the bed, eagerly awaiting the oue.


    ¡°Thanks for wanting to be my mom. I won¡¯t be alone anymore. I can tell my friends I have a mom.¡± Clinging to her neck, he stammered, ¡°I love you, Mom!¡±


    ¡°My son, I love you too.¡± She began to give him little kisses on his face as tears of joy spilled down her cheeks.


    Maximiano felt a twinge of envy towards his son, wishing he were the one receiving kisses and affection from her.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, champ, and where do I stand? I told you I¡¯ll never leave you alone again.¡±


    ¡°Mom! I like this dad who¡¯s living with us,¡± the child said, pressing his forehead against hers.


    ¡°I love you too, my prince,¡± she expressed innocently.


    ¡°See, Dad! I told you my mom likes him. Can I sleep with you tonight?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Stefany eximed, annoyed. That kid was putting her in a situation she didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°Come on, Mom! Just for today, please!¡± he insisted with his big, pleading blue eyes.


    ¡°Yes, son,e to sleep with us,¡± Maximiliano said. It seemed like a great idea; his fears of losing her were disappearing.


    Stefany squinted her eyes, and with a re, she wished he would disappear. She sighed resignedly, ced the child in bed.


    ¡°Come on, champ, to my room.¡± He opened his arms and carried the child. Leaving the room, he shouted, ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you in the room, my love.¡±


    Stefany was blushing and nervous. Even though she despised that man, she couldn¡¯t deny that her heart skipped with excitement every time she sensed his presence.

 Chapter 60

    In the Pratt mansion¡¯s room, Lindsey nestled into her husband¡¯s chest, sobbing. She began recounting her reunion with her sister and the deplorable state she found her in.


    ¡°My little doll, we¡¯re all here to support you. You know you can count on me for anything you need,¡± he reassured her.


    ¡°Yes, dear, I know that,¡± she lifted her face, and he captured her lips. A passion war had begun, and both were in the peak of their marriage.


    A month passed. A woman was perplexed in her apartment, holding a pregnancy test in her hand. She didn¡¯t know what to do, and tears started flowing freely.


    Janna had no partner, only a person who turned to her when either of them needed the warmth of the other. She didn¡¯t know how to define their rtionship; there were no rules or jealousy. In the outside world, they were like strangers, but within the intimacy of four walls, they shared even their deepest secrets.


    She threw herself on the bed, reminiscing about how her sexual life started two years ago.


    Janna took the private elevator at Pratt Enterprises, heading to the president¡¯s office to deliver some documents to Kyle. When the elevator was about to close, Freed stuck his hand in and entered with his charming smile.


    ¡°Hello, Janna! You look great,¡± he, a solitary yboy who only lived in the moment with passing women, was happy withoutmitments.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯m here to bring some documents to your boss. How¡¯s the headache of some women?¡± she whispered teasingly.


    Freed burst intoughter. ¡°You know me; I¡¯m not a one-woman man. Janna, since I¡¯ve known you, I haven¡¯t seen you with a partner.¡±


    ¡°The right one hasn¡¯te yet, but before that happens, I decided to gain some experience.¡±


    Freed squinted his eyes, with an animated smile, he said, ¡°If you want, I can be your teacher. When your true love arrives, you¡¯ll know how to seduce him.¡±


    ¡°Funny! I don¡¯t need the services of an offered pick-up artist,¡± she yfully pushed him.


    The elevator was reaching the president¡¯s floor when the lights went out. Suddenly it stopped, and they were in the dark. Janna panicked; she felt like she was running out of air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, woman! They¡¯ll get us out of here soon,¡± he touched the emergency button.


    Janna started moving around, annoying him with her movements. Fed up, he impulsively took her hand and pressed her against the wall.


    ¡°Can you stay still? Your attitude is bothering me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one afraid of the dark?¡±


    He held her in his arms, staring into those scared puppy eyes. Without thinking, he kissed her. She tried to push that mass of muscle that seemed like a statue.


    Freed was captivated, devouring her mouth like the most delicious dessert he had ever tasted. She let herself go until her lips swelled. With his breath ragged, he whispered to her.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If your mouth is this exquisite, your body must be heavenly.¡±


    Janna was blushing; this man caused palpitations in her intimate parts while her heart pumped rapidly.


    Suddenly, they heard a noise, bringing them back to reality. The elevator lights turned on, and the doors opened.


    Ignoring him, she escaped his clutches. With trembling legs, she walked out of the elevator, disappearing from Freed¡¯s view.


    Janna walked at an elerated pace until she reached Reba; she felt her underwear soaked, gathering strength to speak.


    ¡°Hello, Reba! Is your boss in?¡±


    Reba noticed her startled with red cheeks.


    ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Do me a favor, deliver these documents to him, and tell him they¡¯re from Sussan. Anyments he has to add, ask him tomunicate with her.¡±


    Reba reached out and took the document without taking her eyes off the girl.


    ¡°What happened, Janna? You look pale.¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. I got scared when the lights went out, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Janna smiled at her, turned, and didn¡¯t see anyone in the hallway. She sighed in relief, not encountering the cause of her nerves.


    She bid farewell to Reba, walked back to the elevator, went straight to the parking lot, searched for the car keys in her purse. As she was taking a few steps, she heard,


    ¡°In your apartment or mine?¡±


    She turned her head to see Freed behind her. A shiver ran through every hair on her body, and from her throat came out like a chorus.


    ¡°In mine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you!¡± Freed was burning with desire for this woman; he wasn¡¯t going to let her escape so easily.


    Janna turned towards her car, got in, regret filled her mind.


    ¡®If I tell him no, oh God! What mess have I gotten into?¡¯ She started her car straight to her apartment. Upon arrival, she parked in her spot, noticed that he had already parked. She waited for him to appear, and nothing. She looked for him with her eyes and didn¡¯t see him. She decided to go up to her apartment. When the elevator doors opened on her floor, there he was with a huge smile, waiting for her. She walked in his direction.


    ¡°Freed, I think this is a mis¡­,¡± she couldn¡¯t finish the word because her mouth was assaulted, leaving her breathless.


    She opened the door as best as she could; this man had her wrapped in his strong arms. Without stopping invading her mouth with his tongue, Freed eagerly devoured his prey, lifted her in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. Janna was immersed in the pleasure that this mouth was giving her and the uncontrolled thrusts of this man. Sweaty and exhausted, theyy down next to each other.


    ¡°Freed, that was truly wonderful. Thanks for being my teacher. I now know how to handle a man in bed,¡± she said yfully, aware that it was just pure sex.


    Freed looked at her naked body with tenderness.


    ¡°Janna, this was just the beginning. I still have to teach you many things. Your first time was gentle; for our next encounter, I¡¯ll give you an intensive course.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect. Teach me whatever you want. I¡¯ll be your student in bed. When the man of my lifees, I¡¯ll please him like a goddess in bed.¡±


    Freed didn¡¯t say anything; he didn¡¯t like hearing that she would enjoy his teachings with someone else in bed. From that moment, a friendship of four walls grew between them, without attachments, where games and eroticism consumed them in bed.

 Chapter 61

    Janna, after much thought, decided to call Freed. She reached out and grabbed the phone from the nightstand, dialed his number, and after three rings, she heard,


    ¡°Miss me?¡± he answered with a sensual voice as he was arriving at his apartment.


    ¡°Freed! Are you busy? We need to talk,¡± she whispered uncertainly; he noticed it in her tone of voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ming over,¡± he didn¡¯t let her respond, hung up the phone, grabbed his car keys, and left.


    After 10 minutes, the doorbell rang. Janna jumped, nerves attacking her. Touching her belly, she said,


    ¡°I love you, baby. Now let¡¯s go tell Dad the news. Let¡¯s see if he wants us in his life. If not, I¡¯m here to give you lots of cuddles and love.¡±


    She got up and headed to the door, opened it, and there was the blonde with green eyes, his gaze fixed on her.


    ¡°Freed,e in and take a seat.¡±


    He could see the distress in her eyes. Without saying anything, he passed by and sat on the couch. She did the same, sitting beside him. Looking at their joined hands, she expressed,


    ¡°Freed! I don¡¯t know how this happened. I¡¯ve been careful. I don¡¯t know if it was the change of contraceptives. The truth is,¡± lifting her face, she nced at his expectant green eyes, ¡°better wait here.¡±


    She walked quickly to the bathroom. The man was desperate to know what was happening, shouted from his seat,


    ¡°Janna! What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re keeping me in suspense.¡±


    She returned, stood in front of him, and handed him three pregnancy tests. He took them in his hands, checked each one-different brands. One said positive, two lines, and the third read pregnant.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. I don¡¯t know how it happened, but a baby is growing inside me. I¡¯m going to have it. If you don¡¯t want to be a father, no problem. I can raise it on my own.¡±


    Tears rolled down the man¡¯s cheeks. He couldn¡¯t believe that at 37, he was going to be a father. ¡®A child, my first child,¡¯ crossed his mind. He put the pregnancy tests aside, stretched his arms, ced his hands on each side of Janna¡¯s waist, and pulled her towards him, resting his head on her belly.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful baby. Daddy is very, very happy because you¡¯ll be with us soon. I love you so much.¡± He lifted Janna¡¯s shirt and gave small scattered kisses on her abdomen.


    Janna was in shock, expecting a different response. They had never discussed having children, and he always said he loved his life as it was.


    Freed stood up, cupped her face in his hands, and excitedly kissed her slowly. It was a soft kiss full of feelings. He pulled away and with a happy smile, said,


    ¡°I love you, Janna. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.¡±


    ¡°But I thought you didn¡¯t want to be a father. You never mentioned it, and you always said you liked your life as it was.¡±


    ¡°Janna! That¡¯s why I adore you. You¡¯re so innocent. Of course, I like my life as it is, with you, my love. Besides, now I¡¯m the luckiest man on the because I¡¯m going to have a child with the woman I love.¡±


    ¡°But how can you love me? We¡¯re just friends. If it¡¯s because of the baby, don¡¯t feel obligated to me. We can raise it separately.¡±


    ¡°Janna! Are you hearing what I said? I¡¯ve loved you for a long time, and since I¡¯ve been with you, I haven¡¯t touched another woman.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You take advantage of women who like you,¡± she protested, pouting.


    ¡°Janna Risso! I¡¯m a man who¡¯s clear about what I do. If I didn¡¯t care for you or if you weren¡¯t on my mind for a long time, I would have let you go. Remember, if we¡¯re still in the shadows, it¡¯s because of your decision and insecurities. Why do you think it¡¯s always me insisting on seeing each other? I¡¯m going to ask you something, and I want you to speak the truth because our future depends on your answer.¡±


    Janna swallowed hard, bit her lower lip, realizing she¡¯s in trouble.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°What do you feel for me?¡± he indicated, looking into her amber eyes while touching her cheeks and wiping away a few tears with his thumbs.


    ¡°I¡­ I love you,¡± she said softly.


    Although he already knew, he smiled satisfied because she finally admitted it so sincerely. He hadn¡¯t been wrong to let her into his heart.


    ¡°My beloved! When are we getting married?¡±


    ¡°What? Get married.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Choose the date; it has to be before our baby starts to show,¡± he gave her another soft kiss. ¡°Let me find a house for the three of us.¡±


    Janna ced her hands on his neck, crying with excitement. She always doubted that he loved her, avoiding discussing the topic to not tarnish the moments of lust they shared.


    Freed took out his phone from his pants pocket and called his friend; he had to share his happiness with the man who is like family to him.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Kyle answered with a deep voice whilebing his daughter¡¯s hair.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Guess who¡¯s going to be a dad?¡± he announced excitedly.


    Janna paled; now she would have to figure out how to tell her friends and organize a wedding.


    Augh echoed on the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m going to be an uncle.¡± Kyle looked at his daughter and said, -Soon you¡¯re going to have a cousin, princess.


    ¡°Yay! I¡¯m going to have a cousin,¡± a little voice shouted, raising her hands- to y dolls with.


    ¡°You heard Luna! She¡¯s happy because she¡¯s going to have a cousin. If it¡¯s a boy, you better hurry to give my daughter a cousin.¡±


    ¡°Count on it, brother,¡± he whispered almost crying.


    ¡°Congratte Janna on our behalf.¡±


    At that moment, Lindsey was entering. Upon hearing Janna¡¯s name, she asked.


    ¡°Why are you congratting her?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s going to give me a cousin to y dolls with,¡± the girl blurted out.


    Lindsey couldn¡¯t believe what she heard and snatched the phone from her husband.


    ¡°Hello, Lindsey.¡± Freed nced at Janna, who was ring at him.


    ¡°Exin to me! How am I going to be an aunt?¡±


    ¡°As Lunita exined, I¡¯m going to be a dad! Aren¡¯t you going to congratte me?¡±


    ¡°Congrattions! I¡¯m excited about my new nephew or niece,¡± she softened her voice. ¡°But now, seriously. Who is the mother?¡±


    You should tell her that, not me, sister-inw. I¡¯ll leave you; I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to get to know my child. ¡°He ended the call, with an apologetic look at Janna.¡±


    ¡°Freed! Couldn¡¯t you wait for me to be honest with my friends? Baby! It seems we chose the wrong father for you.¡±


    ¡°Love, I got so excited that I wanted to share my joy with my brother. I didn¡¯t consider the consequences. Let¡¯s go out for dinner; I didn¡¯t have a good lunch, and the food disgusted me.¡±


    Janna smiled and nodded.


    Freed took her to a luxurious restaurant, entering hand in hand. Some women who knew him were surprised by the affection he showed the young woman in public.

 Chapter 62

    ¡°Catrina, we have to wait for the best moment to execute our n. Calm down! Don¡¯t do something crazy that ruins your most desired moment with your son. He¡¯ll be with you soon,¡± the other person on the phone expressed emotionlessly.


    ¡°How do you expect me to calm down? That damn Maximiliano won custody of my son because of that judge. He couldn¡¯t be bought or pleased with my body,¡± Catrina yelled hysterically.


    ¡°Use your head and think, we can¡¯t expose ourselves. You have more reasons than I do to get revenge on the Pratt family. My main goal is Lindsey and the fortune that belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°Kyle and Maximiliano are the ones responsible for my misfortunes. Because of them, I¡¯m alone; they¡¯ve taken away my family.¡±


    ¡°I know! With Kyle, you have to hit where it hurts the most. For that, we have to wait for them to lower their guard. I¡¯m finding out which event they¡¯ll all be gathered at, and that¡¯s where we can act. Our hour of revenge ising,¡± the unscrupulous person deliberated, caring only about the money and power that was taken from them.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she hung up the call.


    Catrina sits alone on the lifeless sofa in a grand mansion. She can¡¯t stop the tears rolling down her cheek. In her gaze, you can see the hatred and resentment emanating from her; her mind only cries out for her son.


    On the day of the trial,


    Evidence was presented about the minor Max Miller, demonstrating that he lives in a stable family. Additionally, Maximiano, along with Grandfather Hugo, provided evidence about the child¡¯s biological mother, revealing that he was conceived through deception and intended for inappropriate purposes for a minor.


    She longs to touch, kiss, and hug her son-the only living family she has. From a distance, she has seen Max leaving school with Stefany. She wants to approach, but the judge prohibited contact with the child, as she is not an active contributor to the child¡¯s upbringing.


    Elsewhere in the city, Courney had her head resting on Lindsey¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Think about it, sister. That baby deserves to live. I¡¯ll help you raise it, or you can put it up for adoption, but don¡¯t take away its hope to be born,¡± Lindsey tried to convince her sister not to end the life of the unborn baby.


    ¡°No, Lin, I can¡¯t bring a child into the world without knowing who the father is. Every time I see it, it will remind me of how it was conceived or might have the same face as one of those vermin who ruined my life,¡± she eximed with a voice filled with rage.


    ¡°Sister! That child is not to me for what happened. It could bring joy to your broken heart. Who knows if he or she might be the one to heal your wounded soul with their cries and joys. There¡¯s also the possibility of finding a family for them. If you don¡¯t want to see them after they¡¯re born, I¡¯ll take care of taking them to a foster home to find parents who will give them the love they need,¡± Lindsey couldn¡¯t suppress the tears, thinking about that little life forming in Courney¡¯s womb. She could only continue insisting.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to the clinic to have the abortion. Since I found out I¡¯m pregnant, I feel disgust for my body. All I do is think about what happened with those men. I¡¯m scared,¡± she hasn¡¯t been able to have feelings or emotions for the baby on the way.


    Lindsey felt a bit upset by her sister¡¯s determination, but she also understood her. She didn¡¯t take her eyes off Courney, noticing how restless she was. All she could say was, ¡°I¡¯ll respect your decision. If that¡¯s what you want, we¡¯ll do it. You know I¡¯m with you on this.¡±


    Courney lifted her head, wiped the tears from her face, sighed several times with her head down to gather courage, and whispered mentally, ¡®The time hase to face the truth and be honest with her.¡¯


    Since she repented of all the wrong she had done, her mind has not been at peace. She needs to free herself from that burden that also sneaks into her nights, remembering that she must tell her sister the truth and close that chapter that prevents her from moving forward. That secret she heard and has kept buried deep in her soul. She thought she was happy at that time, causing her sister suffering over an inheritance and a life that didn¡¯t belong to her. She never imagined that the person she had harmed so much would be the one to help her out of the bottomless pit she had plunged into.


    Courney raised her gaze, fixed her eyes on her sister, and began with a trembling voice, ¡°Sister, we need to talk. It¡¯s time for me to tell you many things about our past and why I hurt you so much.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful, if you¡¯re not ready to talk yet, we can leave it forter.¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s better to get out what¡¯s weighing on my chest and has kept me from sleeping on some asions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, Beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with Kathen¡¯s past so that you know where it all began and how our father came into your mom¡¯s life.¡±


    Lindsey felt a bitter feeling realizing that Courney knows they are blood sisters.


    ¡°Do you know that we share the same blood?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Since when have you known?¡± she eximed fearfully.


    ¡°Since I have consciousness. That¡¯s why I need you to listen to me so you can understand.¡±


    Lindsey took a deep breath and remained still. She wanted to hear what her heart had longed to know for a long time-why so much hatred toward her? She knows her sister has the answer.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Lin, I hope you won¡¯t hate me and cut me out of your life after I tell you this secret that¡¯s eating away at my heart. Even though Kathen kicked me out of her house and left me with nothing, she was my mother. It took me a while to realize that she used me for her wickedness, and I was another victim of hers. With everything I¡¯ve been through, I¡¯ve reflected a lot, and I can¡¯t take it anymore. You need to know the truth.


    Lindsey knows it has something to do with her mother. She was still gathering evidence to find out who poisoned her. Her death urred 16 years ago, and they haven¡¯t been able to make progress in the investigation. She has no proof of who the real culprit is. The anguish of knowing the truth was killing her at that moment. She eximed, stunned, ¡°Speak up already.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 63

    ¡°Kathen started working at Lina¡¯spany when she was 20 years old and was a receptionist. Two years passed, and she saw others getting promoted while she didn¡¯t. She always saw Lina arrive every day with a smile, and that frustrated my mother. She thought your mother had it out for her. Several events happened between them, but they are not relevant to tell. Once, Kathen entered the bathroom and noticed Lina depressed. She overheard her talking on the phone, saying she found her boyfriend in bed with another woman. Kathen and John were a couple living in a poor neighborhood, struggling. Unfortunately, she got pregnant with a daughter she didn¡¯t want, and that¡¯s me,¡± she paused, trying to control her tears.


    ¡°However painful it is for you, I can stop if you don¡¯t want to continue. But I desperately want to know everything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! It¡¯s a long story, but I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± replied Courney, distressed.


    ¡°How do you know everything you¡¯re going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I overheard part of it when they argued, and I found out the rest by chance.¡±


    Lindsey knows it¡¯s not easy for her. She held her hand as a sign of trust and reassurance, and that seemed to achieve its purpose.


    ¡°Kathen devised a n to enjoy Lina¡¯s money. She found out that your mother wanted a child. She told John about her n, which involved him getting a job as an assistant ountant in thepany, falling in love with Lina, marrying her, and they wouldn¡¯t have to get pregnant. Instead, John would show up with me, and they would adopt me. Later, he would divorce her after a year. With half of everything, John and Kathen lived like kings, and I would be raised by Lina, inheriting the rest of the fortune.¡±


    ¡°All for the damn money,¡± Lindsey eximed.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the story of my family. Kathen got John a job and informed him about Lina¡¯sings and goings to make their encounters seem casual. In no time, he charmed her, and they got married. I had already been born. He took care and made her believe that he couldn¡¯t have children. When everything was ready to take me to Lina, she gave him the news that she was pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I imagine she didn¡¯t like the news! How did it happen? He was supposed to be careful,¡± Lindsey wanted to know every detail.


    ¡°I overheard them arguing one day. My mother confronted him, asking why he came home drunk that night and had rtions with Lina without protection. That¡¯s when you were conceived.¡±


    ¡°So, I was the product of John¡¯s drunkenness. No wonder she hated me since I was born. I ruined their ns,¡± Lindsey replied with sarcasm mixed with mncholy.


    ¡°Yes! And mine too, because my mother always told me from a young age that you took away what belonged to me and that you shouldn¡¯t have been born. I grew up with that resentment and hatred toward you. Forgive me, sister,¡± her eyes were filled with remorse.


    ¡°Continue,¡± a rage was growing inside her again; her eyes turned dark.


    Courney choked on her own saliva, seeing her sister¡¯s gaze. She knows she will have her contempt.


    ¡°My mother, upon receiving the news of Lina¡¯s pregnancy, became furious. She wanted to kill our father. On the other hand, there were my mother¡¯s demands for John to divorce, but as you know, he was greedy and ambitious. He didn¡¯t want to give up his life of luxury. He was happy with thefort of managing all of Lina¡¯s assets. Herees the most horrifying part of this story. I found out by chance when I overheard my mother talking on the phone and celebrating her death,¡± she sped her hands nervously and bowed her head.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, speak! Don¡¯t stay silent! Continue,¡± Lindsey was moved by everything she heard about her mother¡¯s suffering told from another perspective.


    ¡°Kathen was already tired of being John¡¯s secretary, of living in a rented apartment, and receiving the crumbs he gave her, as she put it. She wanted to be Mrs. Girt and be part of high society.¡± Courney paused again, unsure of how to continue, feeling her throat dry. ¡°May I have a ss of water to continue?¡±


    Lindsey said nothing, got up, poured two sses of water, and offered one to her sister. She could see that Courney was making her best effort to speak, observing how her hands trembled. Lindsey took a sip of her water as well, and when she saw Courney finishing all of hers, she took the ss from her hand, sat back down without saying a word, her gaze reflecting her desire to know more.


    ¡°During the time that your mother¡¯s death urred, Lina visited thepany more often. Kathen always offered her water. Your mom didn¡¯t die from a simple virus; Kathen poisoned her. I can¡¯t remember the name of the poison right now, but it was something used as antifreeze for cars.¡±


    Lindsey¡¯s tears began to flow uncontrobly. She felt her heart shatter, almost hearing the crash, as if it were made of ss and falling to the floor. She hadn¡¯t prepared herself to hear everything her sister had just revealed, and thoughts raced through her mind.


    ¡®My mother died for a damn fortune, and I lived 11 years in the hands of the woman who killed her. Now I understand why those two unscrupulous bastards resent me. Finding out all of this gives a twist to my life. Kathen and John are going to see the worst side of me.¡¯


    ¡°Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me, little sister!¡± Courney shouted with a choked voice, kneeling at Lindsey¡¯s feet. Her hands trembled, and her eyes were swollen from crying.


    Lindsey grabbed her sister¡¯s face with her hands and with a restrained smile said. ¡°Courney, I have nothing to forgive you for. You¡¯ve also been a victim of the malice and ambition of the monster you have as a mother.¡±


    Courney stood up and clung to Lindsey¡¯s neck. The two began to cry like little girls. They separated, and without saying anything, Lindsey left the room. She walked without looking at anyone to the mansion, rushed up the stairs, and locked herself in her room. She grabbed her phone and dialed.


    ¡°Hello, my love.¡± Kyle answered; he was in the middle of a meeting, but when it came to his wife and he heard that tone on his phone, he didn¡¯t care what he was doing, he always answered.


    ¡°Love, I need you!¡± She whispered, a mixture of sobbing and hups.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± he cut the call, worried.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I have to leave. Freed will continue the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Freed asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter,¡± he grabbed his things and left the office in a hurry.


    Upon reaching his wife¡¯s side and seeing her crying, hugging a pillow, he didn¡¯t ask anything. He just sat beside her, pulled her towards him, and hugged her tightly, the two of them merging into one.

 Chapter 64

    In a city restaurant, Isa finds herself getting to know the qualities of a man she met on a dating app. They were in the midst ofmon questions when they were interrupted.


    ¡°Hello, good evening!¡±


    Dexter was in a meeting with a client when he saw the couple arriving. He quickly concluded his business terms with the gentleman, bid farewell, and hurriedly approached the table where the woman who couldn¡¯t get out of his head was.


    ¡°Hi Dexter! How are you?¡± Isa responded with a friendly smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m good! I see you¡¯re in goodpany,¡± he looked at her with narrowed eyebrows and clenched teeth.


    ¡°Oh yes! Dexter, meet udio. A friend,¡± she shifted her gaze away from Dexter and focused on herpanion. ¡°udio, this is Dexter, thewyer who works at my friend¡¯spany,¡± she said so casually that Dexter clenched his fists.


    ¡°Nice to meet you! udio Fridrex,¡± he extended his hand but had to retract it because he only received a hostile look.


    ¡°How rude you¡¯ve be, Dexter. Don¡¯t mind him, udio, you know how squarewyers can be,¡± Isa said mockingly.


    ¡°udio, I apologize for the interaction, but could you leave us alone for a moment? I need to talk to her about her audacity to be with another man.¡±


    udio looked at Isa seeking a response. She just remained silent and feigned embarrassment.


    Isa just wanted to test how far his macho ego would go.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir! I didn¡¯t know thedy had a partner. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re just getting to know each other. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll leave,¡± the man said with embarrassment, stood up, and left.


    Dexter took the opportunity to sit, never taking his eyes off her.


    ¡°Do you know what you just did? This date was my night of fun. You show up, and you ruin it for me. Now tell me, why did you do that?¡± she said, raising both eyebrows.


    ¡°Because I like you, and I want something with you. But it boils my blood that I look for you at thepany, and you treat me indifferently. I invite you out, and you make up excuses. Now how do I find you? With another man,¡± Dexter acted with jealousy oozing from his pores.


    Isa found that attitude amusing. With a sarcastic smile, she said, ¡°That person who just left was a blind date I got on an app, and today I was going to use him as my sex ve. But since you scared him away, you¡¯ll have to take his ce.¡±


    Dexter swallowed hard, his eyes confused, not understanding anything. He reached out, grabbed an unopened water bottle, poured it into a ss, brought it to his mouth, and drank until thest drop.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb, ande with me.¡±


    Isa called a waiter and paid while Dexter looked at her excitedly. Since he tasted that woman, he hasn¡¯t stopped thinking about her. He spent a month looking for her, and she always rejected him. He¡¯s going to take advantage of this encounter not to let her escape.


    ¡°Are you going to stay there, or are youing with me?¡± Isa asked, standing up from her seat.


    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Follow me! We¡¯re going to the mansion to drop off my car, then we¡¯ll go in yours.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡±


    Isa looked at him before getting into her car. Although his face was serious, she thought it would be good to y with him for a while. When they arrived at the mansion, Isa parked her car, approached Dexter, and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She turned her back, went up to her room, changed her outfit, and put on a trench coat.


    Dexter was confused, now reying what she had told him in the restaurant. Isa reached the car, opened the passenger door, and got in. As she closed the door with a huge smile, she handed him a piece of paper.


    ¡°I¡¯m new in this city, let¡¯s go to this address.¡±


    ¡°Why are we going there?¡± he asked again, puzzled.


    ¡°How willing are you to let yourself be carried away by me?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Isa, I adore you! I want everything with you, I want to know everything about you.¡±


    ¡°But the question was, how willing are you to let yourself be carried away by me? Let¡¯s do something. I¡¯ll show you what I like, and then we¡¯ll see if we¡¯repatible. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he started the car.


    The journey was silent, making Dexter feel tense. He was desperate to know what she meant by her words. He drove for an hour until they reached the other side of the city. They entered through a gate, and the journey was long. They arrived at a building, and he parked in a private spot.


    ¡°Dexter, put on this mask. Tonight, you¡¯ll be my ve.¡±


    He was about to protest, but he stayed silent. He took the ck leather mask and put it on. He was surprised when she put a pet-like cor with a long leash around his neck. At that moment, he knew what it was about, and the idea seemed crazy because he wanted to be the dominant, not the submissive. Still, he was willing to go with the flow.


    He turned to look at her and noticed she was wearing a white mask that only revealed her cat-like eyes. She got out of the car and took off the trench coat she was wearing, leaving it on the seat.


    Dexter also got out of the car and approached her. He swallowed hard when he saw her; she was a full-fledged dominatrix. His gazended on long ck boots that reached above the knee. She wore ck fis stockings and a short leather shorts that clung to her body, revealing her beautiful behind. However, what captivated him was the top  a short ck leather piece with intertwined straps on the back, exposing her abdomen and waist. He was stunned, but his attention was caught by a whip she held in her right hand. He liked the dominant image and stood frozen, unsure of what to do.


    Isa noticed how nervous and frightened he was, finding it endearing. In a reassuring voice, she whispered, ¡°Dexter, rx. We¡¯re just here to show you around and let you see what I like. Later, we¡¯ll go to a private ce, just you and me. We won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t like. Tonight, I want to see if we have chemistry and if we can enjoy these kinds of games together.¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to be your ve? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to dominate you?¡±


    Isa startedughing at how upset he was. In a yful tone, she said, ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t get angry. This is for fun, not for you to be tense or insecure. We won¡¯t be able to enjoy it like this. Besides, tonight, I want you to see your role as a ve. Next time, I¡¯ll be your submissive.¡±


    He rxed and gave her a delicate smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this square crazy for you will try to be open-minded and please you in whatever you say.¡±


    Isa blushed at those words, and her heart skipped with joy. She took a few steps forward, removed the mask, and kissed him gently. He deepened the kiss, and their tongues yed with each other.

 Chapter 65

    After they separated, Isa gave him a smile and put the mask back on. She grabbed the leash and walked toward a door in front of the car. Next to the door was a small card reader that said, ¡®Please ce your ess card on the reader, thank you.¡¯


    Isa took out the invitation card and held it near the screen. She then read it, ¡®Wee Miss Isa Santoro, we are pleased to wee you for the first time to this private BDSM Club, we hope you enjoy your visit.¡¯


    The door opened, and they began to walk down a corridor. Upon exiting, they found a room with shing red lights and a ssical melody that filled the entire ce. Dexter was surprised; there were people like them, all dressed in various attires. But what caught his attention the most was that no one had their faces uncovered, and no one paid attention to others; they only focused on their own affairs. This made him feel morefortable, especially since he was the least conspicuous among all those present.


    Isa walked confidently. She approached the bar and ordered two drinks. They enjoyed them while she exined to Dexter how the rules in that ce worked.


    ¡°Dexter, I want to show you what the rooms are like in this kind of ce. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    ¡°Isa! I trust you.¡±


    ¡°You know, Dexter, I can only tell you that I like this kind of fun. I¡¯m not a fan of pain, and I don¡¯t like causing pain if the person doesn¡¯t want it. I prefer seduction, giving orders, something soft.¡±


    He gave her a big smile; he wanted to kiss her but couldn¡¯t break the rules.


    ¡°Now, let me show you a room, and then we¡¯ll go to your apartment. Just for tonight, we¡¯ll leave it at that.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    She pulled the leash, and he willingly followed her steps. The hallway was illuminated by the same red light. He observed how she opened a door, letting him enter.


    Upon entering the room, it lit up with a warm light, not too intense but enough to see its contents. In the middle of the room was a bed, at the back, on the right side, there was a sort of cross next to a cage. On the left side, there was a mural with various tools to be used, and from the ceiling hung thick chains.


    ¡°Isa! How did you get into this world?¡± he asked, amazed at what his eyes were seeing. It didn¡¯t displease him.


    Isa sighed deeply, removed the mask, sat at the edge of the bed, and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to answer you honestly, but what you¡¯ve seen today and what I tell you has to stay here.¡±


    Dexter also removed the mask, bowtie, and leash. Then he approached her and took her hands.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry; I¡¯m not interested in others knowing about my private preferences.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been very liberal in my thoughts; I have no taboos. I like to experiment and enjoy some things that are considered bad by many. In college, I liked a guy, we started dating, and he told me he had different tastes in sex. He invited me to a ce simr to this, and I went with an open mind. Before entering, we put on masks, and inside, I was enchanted, I began to feel free. I met several married couples, and they were happy. I felt like a pervert, but I didn¡¯t care because I was happy. That night, n exined many things to me that I didn¡¯t know and answered my doubts.¡±


    ¡°Was your first time in this with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That same night, he invited me to his house. I won¡¯t deny that I was scared at first, but I liked him, and I epted. When we got to his house, I was with him. It was my first experience as a master and submissive. He made me feel incredible things and let me experience everything I wanted. Between us, there were more games of seduction.¡±


    ¡°What happened with him? Did you stay together?¡±


    ¡°Yes! He was four semesters ahead of me. Wested two years as a couple; he finished university and went to London to run his father¡¯spany. We agreed that I would finish my degree and move in with him, but the distance separated us. Later, I found out he married a woman who is like his world, and he¡¯s happy.¡±


    ¡°Do you still love him?¡±


    ¡°No! At first, it hurt because we had the same tastes.¡±


    Dexter listened to her calmly and liked learning about her life.


    ¡°How did you find this ce here in Manhattan? Has he been the only one, or have you been with others?¡±


    ¡°I worked with Lin when she was still n¡¯s girlfriend. He told me about this ce, and during one of his vacations, he visited it. Later, he gave me the contact in case I ever came to the United States, and yes, n was my first man before you. He was my only master. You know, I would like to y both roles with you, be a mistress, and on another asion, a submissive. I¡¯ll ask you a question, would you like to be with me in this?¡±


    Dexter sighed several times and looked at her intently to respond calmly.


    ¡°Yes, I would like that. I just hope that we can both please each other in our tastes and desires. Now tell me, why were you with that man in the restaurant?¡±


    Isa burst intoughter; she liked his role as the alpha male.


    ¡°When I lived in Florence, I joined a dating app, and that¡¯s where I met udio. Ourmunication was always by phone. He insisted so much that I decided to meet him in person. That¡¯s when you saw us at the restaurant, and the joke about using him as a sex ve was just that; I wanted to see your reaction.¡±


    ¡°Why did you reject my invitations before? And now, why did you choose me to be with you in this?¡±


    ¡°First, I rejected you because I thought you wouldn¡¯t like my fetishes, and second, because you¡¯re a very handsome man, and I liked how you asserted yourself in front of udio and then followed me like a littlemb. Dexter, I really like you, especially now that we¡¯re going to explore our preferences together.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to be my partner?¡±


    Isa without hesitation shouted, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s eyes lit up; excited, he took her hand. She stood up, and they embraced in a long, deep kiss. They separated to quench their desires.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s go to your apartment because I want to tie you to a chair and teach you some seduction games I know,¡± Isa said yfully.


    Dexterughed, and both put on their masks again before leaving the ce.

 Chapter 66

    Courney stepped out into the night, unable to sleep. She walked towards a garden behind the house, where a lush oak tree stood. Seating herself, as she did every night, on its roots, she poured out her thoughts. The tree became her confidant in times of depression, providing a space to freely express her emotions.


    ¡°Here I am again, sharing my sorrows with you. I¡¯ve finally rid myself of a mental burden that was eating away at me. My weary heart is disheartened by being the cause of my sister¡¯s suffering right now.¡± Crystal-clear drops fought to roll down her saddened face, and she ran her hand across her stomach.


    ¡°Even though I harbor a feeling of love for you, if I decide to bring this life into the world, I wouldn¡¯t want to burden you with the pai	n every time you see me, reminding you of one of those men. Or if Cesar learns of your existence, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d take you away with him, and I don¡¯t want that life for you. God, help me do what¡¯s right.¡±


    She lowered her head onto her folded legs, embracing them, when suddenly, someone opened up, leaving her stunned.


    ¡°I promise you that this guy Cesar and his friends won¡¯t harm you again. If you decide to bring this baby into the world, I¡¯m here to support you in raising it and anything else you need. I¡¯m a father to a beautiful girl; my work keeps me away from her most of the time, but in my free moments, I dedicate myself to her. I left the armed forces for my beloved Oriana; she¡¯s my pir. I can assure you that this baby could be yours.¡±


    Courney lifted her head and saw Oscar a few steps away from her. She didn¡¯t feel fear; she just stared at him for a while with her teary eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I swear on everything sacred, especially my daughter, that I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear me?¡± she asked with a weak voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied firmly. Despite his serious demeanor, he was moved by the misfortune of this girl.


    ¡°How long have you been hearing me?¡±


    ¡°Since you starteding out at night to seek refuge in the arms of this old oak tree.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it? Why were you spying on me?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention. One night, I left my room to look at some photos of my daughter in the moonlight. That was the same day you arrived here. I saw you sobbing, and it broke my heart. I wanted to approach you to console you, but considering your reaction when I first met you, I held back and hid behind this tree. You came here and sat down, starting to pour your heart out, and I just listened.¡±


    ¡°Oh, God! You know my whole life? I thought I was alone.¡± She covered her mouth in a gesture of shame.


    ¡°Yes, I know many things about you,¡± he said, offering a half-smile.


    ¡°Have you noticed that I haven¡¯t been a very good person?¡± Sadness reflected in her words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to judge you. From everything I¡¯ve heard, I know you¡¯re remorseful for your past actions. What happened to you wasn¡¯t your fault. In that world, there are cruel people who exist to inflict harm. Unfortunately, you were a victim. You must understand that nothing that happened to you was your fault.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t sought out that man to harm my sister, he wouldn¡¯t have entered my life, and my suffering could have been avoided. Now, this baby is going to pay for my bad decisions.¡±


    ¡°Courney, that baby is an innocent soul who¡¯s not to me for others¡¯ mistakes. It can help you be a better person. Oriana changed my perspective and the way I see things.¡± Oscar put his hands in his pants pocket, took out his mobile phone, unlocked it, and searched for some photos in his gallery. He brought the device closer to her and showed her pictures of his daughter. ¡°Let me introduce you to my daughter, Oriana Sanchez. She¡¯s two years old. Look, she¡¯s doing cute things in this one.¡±


    Courney lifted her face and observed the man beside her, captivated by the warmth he exuded as he spoke about his daughter. His happiness touched her heart, and for a moment, she felt like a monster for contemting the idea of ending her baby¡¯s life. Once again, tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°What happened, little one? I showed you those pictures to share my joy, not to make you cry. You¡¯re going to make me feel bad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bad, Oscar. You shouldn¡¯t be here with someone like me, someone who wants to kill her baby.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not bad. You¡¯re a beautiful mother with feelings for her baby. If you didn¡¯t have those feelings, you wouldn¡¯t cry every time you think about it. Your sister and I will support you in whatever decision you make.¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±


    ¡°Because since I saw you, you shook my heart. At first, I felt pity for you, then anger for what happened to you, and now I want to be there for you in whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Your wife must have been a lucky woman to be with a man like you.¡±


    ¡°My wife died two years ago giving birth to my daughter. I wasn¡¯t here to say goodbye; I was on a mission in Afghanistan. When I returned, I found out she had passed away two weeks earlier. I wasn¡¯t at her funeral, and I failed as a husband.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Anna¡¯s parents asked to raise the child; due to my work, I wouldn¡¯t be there for her. I hesitated a lot, and for a moment, I agreed. I shouldn¡¯t raise a girl alone and far from her, but when I held her, Courney!¡± He affirmed thosest words with emotion, tilting his head to the side, showing a gesture of affection. ¡°It was wonderful! Seeing how fragile she was, those little eyes and her smile melted my soul. That alone was enough for me to request a discharge and dedicate myself to her for a year. Later, I got this job; with a heavy heart, I left her in the care of my mom, and in my free moments, I¡¯m with her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good man,¡± she said, looking at him with admiration. The thought crossed her mind, ¡°Can I be a good mother without dwelling on the past?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been that good. Much blood has been shed by this hand, and my job is to kill people if necessary.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t do it out of cruelty but to protect others.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to step out, little one. I¡¯ll protect you and that baby if you choose to give it life.¡±


    Courney liked how he called her, though she didn¡¯t know why. But she felt a sense of peace talking to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid those men will find me and do worse things than what I¡¯ve been through.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, those men have already be worm food, and they¡¯re burning in hell.¡±


    She jumped in surprise, and with an exasperated voice, she asked, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you details, but I can tell you that with the help of some friends in the FBI, we tried to capture them, but they refused to surrender and responded with bullets. They died in the confrontation with the police.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she eximed, agitated.


    ¡°Yes, I told you I would protect you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you.¡±


    Courney felt joy in her chest from excitement, and without realizing it, she hugged Oscar for a second. Realizing what she had done, she immediately pulled away, blushed, looked at him, then turned around and ran back to the house.

 Chapter 67

    The next day, Lindsey woke up sluggishly next to her husband, who had been attentive to her sleep.


    ¡°Thank you, my love, for listening to me,forting me, and being there for me,¡± she said with heavy eyes. She had cried so much that the tears formed a kind of crust.


    ¡°I¡¯m your man, don¡¯t forget,¡± he said, giving her a tender kiss. He got up and pulled her along with him to the bathroom. While they showered, he soaped her back and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Lin! Let me make love to you? Please?¡± He nibbled on her earlobe.


    Lindsey felt a shiver run down her body, but her mind reacted.


    ¡°Love, it¡¯ste. I have to apany Courney to the clinic. I hope she¡¯s given up on that damn decision she made. Then I have to dig up evidence at thepany to put John Girt behind bars for all the harm he caused my mother in nine years.¡±


    Kyle embraced her from behind and rested his head on her neck.


    ¡°If you need my help, you know I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! But this war, I have to fight alone,¡± she turned around and gave him a tender kiss. ¡°I love you, never forget.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he pressed his forehead against hers. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here because if I stay 5 more minutes, I swear I¡¯ll forget about your sister and her whole generation.¡±


    Lindseyughed, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her body, and left, leaving Kyle armed and turning on the cold water tap.


    They both got dressed and went down to have breakfast with the children.


    ¡°Mom, are you feeling better?¡± a sweet voice asked.


    ¡°Yesterday, Grandma Sussan said you were sick, and we shouldn¡¯t bother you,¡± another voice, deeper, chimed in from the dining room.


    Lindsey smiled at her children, and her gaze shifted to Luna and Leno to answer them.


    ¡°Yes, my loves, Mom is better. I caught a cold, but Dad cured me, and I¡¯m better now.¡±


    ¡°Dad is not a doctor to cure you,¡± Lucas said with seriousness in his gaze.


    ¡°For your information, my beloved children, I am the remedy for your mom,¡± he said with amusement in his eyes.


    ¡°How so?¡± Lucia asked, not understanding her dad¡¯s sarcasm.


    ¡°Kids, don¡¯t mind your dad, and let¡¯s have breakfast because you¡¯re going to bete for school.¡±


    After saying goodbye to her five children and her husband, Lindsey went to her grandmother¡¯s house, greeted Antone, and headed to Courney¡¯s room. She knocked on the door.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Courney replied, brushing her hair at the dresser. When she saw Lindsey enter, she asked, ¡°How are you?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Good,¡± Lindsey showed a warm smile. ¡°What have you decided to do? Are we going to the clinic?¡±


    ¡°You know, sister, I know I¡¯ve been bad, and what happened to me is the result of my bad actions-¡± she was interrupted.


    ¡°Courney, I¡¯ve already-¡±


    ¡°Let me speak, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lindsey sat on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°What happened to me was partly my fault, for not paying a debt I brought upon myself. But God had mercy on me; He ced an angel to rescue me, made me reunite with you, and ced another guardian angel to take care of me and this child. I¡¯ve decided to have this baby,¡± she said, staring directly at her sister.


    Lindsey jumped up and hugged her.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best news you¡¯ve given me. But now you¡¯re going to tell me, who is this guardian angel?¡± she asked, furrowing her brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s Oscar. When I went outside during my sleepless nights, I would tell my problems to that old oak tree. By chance, Oscar overheard me. He knows my entire life. You know,st night, he approached and sat beside me. I wasn¡¯t afraid; on the contrary, he brought me peace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d, little sister. Oscar is a good man,¡± her eyes sparkled with excitement.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. He¡¯s just a friend. He helped put an end to my tormentors.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± she eximed, confused.


    ¡°He, with the help of some friends he has in the FBI, tracked down those who harmed me and killed them.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a hero then.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more than that; he¡¯s my guardian angel until he finds someone else to protect.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with the negativity. Oscar is an excellent man, and who knows, maybe he¡¯ll be my brother-inw.¡±


    Courney blushed; in her mind, she only saw him as the person who had freed her from many of her nightmares.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see him as a man; I see him as the person who has helped me see the good in my mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Fine, as you say! I¡¯m leaving! My brother-inw and Mario must be waiting for me. Sorry, Oscar and Mario,¡± she said with a yfulugh.


    Courney squinted her eyes, and before Lindsey turned away, she said.


    ¡°I want to meet your family; it¡¯s time you introduced me to my nieces and nephews.¡±


    Lindsey shed a big smile and replied.


    ¡°Tonight at seven, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at my house for dinner. Just be prepared for the craziness, stories not from one but from five nosy ones, well, four because Lucas is more reserved,¡± she continued on her way and left the room.


    Lindsey arrived at the parking lot and looked for Oscar with her gaze, then approached him.


    ¡°Oscar, can we talk for 5 minutes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, Lin,¡± in his mind, he resigned himself to being scolded or fired for his daring approach to Courney.


    Lindsey walked into the house and entered the office, followed by a tense Oscar. Both entered.


    ¡°Lin, I know I shouldn¡¯t have approached your si¡­¡± he didn¡¯t continue because he was interrupted by a hug that left him more confused than he already was.


    ¡°Thanks for being there for Courney. You can count on me for whatever you need and for whatever you have in mind for her future,¡± she looked at him gratefully. ¡°You¡¯re a great person.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I apologize for what I¡¯m about to say, but your sister means a lot to me. I know it¡¯s too early to say it, but listening to her talk every night has be a part of me.¡±


    Lindsey drew a smile, passed by his side, saying.


    ¡°Come on, brother-inw, it¡¯s time to work.¡±


    Lindsey and Isa started their investigations into the embezzlement she found in her mother¡¯spany when she took control.

 Chapter 68

    Maximiliano doesn¡¯t know what to do to reach Stefany¡¯s heart. He¡¯s confused. He has caught her many times looking at him and biting her lower lip, but whenever he gets close, she runs away. He was in his office, gazing out of the window, unsure of what to do with his beloved wife.


    Stefany is in the garden, ying with Max when one of the employees approaches her.


    ¡°Stefany! There¡¯s ady looking for you, insisting on talking to you.¡±


    ¡°Me? Who could it be? Where is she?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yes! She asked for you. She¡¯s at the main entrance. Marco didn¡¯t give her ess to the mansion until you give permission to let her in.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go see who it is,¡± she walked toward Max, leaned down with a smile. ¡°Prince, wait for me here. Mom will be right back.¡±


    Stefany straightened up and left the garden, heading towards the entrance of the mansion. The closer she got to the woman whose back was turned, the more familiar she seemed. Her steps quickened until she was just a few inches away.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    The woman turned, looked at Stefany with longing, and said,


    ¡°Daughter! Aren¡¯t you going to greet your mother?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I didn¡¯t know it was your mother. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t grant her ess,¡± exined Marco, the guard at the main entrance.


    Stefany was paralyzed. Her heart stirred, and she began to palpitate rapidly. Her mind was in chaos. Her past was there in the form of a woman, the one who should have been her mother when she needed her the most, the one who got drunk and allowed her stepfather to molest her. Many times she asked for help, and her mother just told her to cooperate and enjoy it. The woman who saw her cry many times andughed at her, the one she asked for help when she bled and writhed in pain from the spontaneous abortion.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am! Are you okay?¡± Marco asked.


    Stefany reacted and turned to Marco. She heard a whisper but didn¡¯t process the information.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What if she¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Marco.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, do I let thedy in?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you have to let her in. Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s my mother?¡±


    Stefany was surprised by Fabiana¡¯s attitude. In her mind, she thought, ¡°So many years without seeing her, and she¡¯s still as arrogant as ever.¡± She took several breaths to control herself.


    ¡°Marco, thedy will enter for a moment, and then she¡¯ll leave. Follow me.¡±


    Stefany led her mother to a bench on the side of the mansion, and they sat down.


    ¡°Why have youe?¡±


    Thedy sat next to her, sped her hands, and with sadness said,


    ¡°I¡¯vee to see you. These years without seeing you, I wondered what had be of my daughter. I want to reconcile with you and ask for your forgiveness for not being there when you needed me the most.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that after more than seven years, you can just appear in my life as if nothing happened?¡±


    ¡°Daughter! I know I failed as a mother, but understand me. Francisco had me threatened. That man was obsessed with you. You know he was dangerous. Since you left, and he was imprisoned, my life has been a Calvary. I¡¯ve been looking for you, and finally, I¡¯ve reached you to ask for forgiveness for everything I did to you.¡±


    Stefany started to cry, and Fabiana took advantage of her weakness, embracing her and passing her hand over her back.


    ¡°Forgive me! Please, my daughter.¡±


    Stefany desires to free herself from the past that torments her at night and aspires to forgive to move on. She had learned that one cannot live with resentment. She reciprocated her mother¡¯s embrace. When they separated, she stammered with a fragile voice.


    ¡°I forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, God. You¡¯ve heard my prayers. My little girl is with me again.¡±


    Stefany nced at her mother and gave her a half-smile.


    ¡°Tell me, daughter! What has be of your life?¡±


    She hesitated for a while, debating whether or not to make her part of her life. She took a deep breath for a few seconds and decided to give her mother a vote of confidence.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°After I left that hell, my life changed for the better. I lived in a foster home where I healed my wounds. I met some kids who are my family, Luan is my life brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so d, daughter. At least you¡¯re happy after freeing yourself from Francisco¡¯s clutches.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I found peace. Here, I am a nanny for a beautiful child.¡±


    ¡°God is great, daughter. He ced good people on your path.¡± She paused. ¡°Haven¡¯t you married? Haven¡¯t you found love?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m married, but I¡¯m soon getting divorced. It¡¯splicated to exin.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re getting divorced? Don¡¯t be crazy enough to lose yourfort.¡±


    ¡°I already told you it¡¯splicated. And you! How are you?¡±


    ¡°After you left, I missed you a lot. I live in our house, work when I can cleaning houses. Some days I don¡¯t have enough to eat, but thanks to God, I found you.¡±


    Stefany was surprised by her response, and doubts about her mother¡¯s sincerity arose. She stood up from the bench and observed her from her height.


    ¡°I was d to reunite with you and seal part of my past. Now, I have to go to work.¡±


    ¡°Are you firing me? Aren¡¯t you going to invite me to your house and introduce me to your new family?


    ¡°This is not my house, and I work here. I have to take care of a little one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Stefany. You are the wife of the owner of this house, as such, you are thedy. It¡¯s only fair that I also enjoy with you as your mother.¡±


    Stefany confirmed her suspicion. She wasn¡¯t there to ask for forgiveness. She¡¯s the same mother from her past.


    ¡°I imagine you heard about my new life. You came to take advantage. Let me tell you that I was fine without you, and I will continue to be so. If what you wanted was my forgiveness, I already forgave you.¡±


    Fabiana was upset by this attitude. She also stood up and positioned herself in front of her daughter, shouting.


    ¡°How can you be so heartless to your poor mother?¡±


    ¡°Think whatever you want, but I can¡¯t give you more than my forgiveness right now. I¡¯m leaving. ¡±


    As Stefany was turning to take her first step, she felt a strong grip on her arm.


    ¡°How dare you speak to me like that? I¡¯m your mother, and by right, you owe me respect. Your duty is to take care of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you as my heart dictates. At the moment, all you can receive from me is my forgiveness. I don¡¯t want to hold onto resentment.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the sentimentality. I¡¯m old, and you should be attentive to me.¡±


    ¡°Fabiana! If you want money, wait for me here, and I¡¯ll give you something. But then I want you to leave my life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to give me alms. You¡¯re going to give me what I deserve for being the mother who gave birth to you and had to endure your father until his death.¡±


    Fabiana became furious and was about to p her daughter, but she was stopped by a hand.

 Chapter 69

    Cecilia had heard themotion and went out to see what was happening. When she noticed a woman holding Stefany with her cane in one hand, she elerated her pace. Upon reaching them, she clung to the cane and with her free hand, she grasped Fabiana¡¯s wrist forcefully.


    ¡°Respect my girl.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me! Lady, I don¡¯t know who you are, but I am this ungrateful girl¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°How can you call yourself a mother when you allow the impurities of your children to be harmed?¡±


    ¡°Who are you to judge me?¡±


    ¡°No! But anything rted to Stefany concerns me. I won¡¯t allow you toe to my house and mistreat her.¡±


    Fabiana, upon hearing ¡°my house,¡± realized that it was Stefany¡¯s mother-inw. She loosened her grip and let go.


    ¡°Nor do I. So, I would appreciate it if you disappeared from my wife¡¯s life.¡±


    Maximiliano was in his office when he was called by Marco to inform him that Stefany was arguing outside the mansion with a woman who imed to be her mother.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir. Stefany is my daughter, she came to ask for her forgiveness, and she is mistreating me, not respecting that I am her mother.¡±


    Stefany was still in shock at the audacity of this woman. When she tried to speak, she felt a hand sping hers and, looking at that person, she received a look of affection that melted her heart, and she began to sob.


    ¡°Maximiliano! You know what to do. I¡¯ll take your wife to her room; she¡¯s waiting for you there.¡±


    Stefany walked, holding Cecilia¡¯s hand, toward the mansion.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Daughter, I¡¯m suffering. I¡¯m your mom, don¡¯t abandon me,¡± Fabiana started to scream, watching her daughter walk away.


    Maximiliano¡¯s eyes transformed into two balls of fire. With a demonized face, he shouted, ¡°Lady! Nicely, I hope you don¡¯t cross paths with my wife again. Otherwise, you will experience the worst of me. If you still have contact with the pig who harmed my Stefany, ask him how he¡¯s doing in jail.¡±


    ¡°Did you reverse his release from jail?¡±


    ¡°Yes! And he received several ¡®gifts¡¯ from me. Now he is where he should have been from the beginning, with the worst criminals,¡± he nced at his two bodyguards waiting for orders, ¡°Take this trash out of here,¡± he turned his back and entered the house at a fast pace.


    Fabiana was forcibly taken out of the mansion and thrown onto the street. She got up as best as she could, started to throw a tantrum, and left while saying, ¡°Damn you a thousand times, Stefany. You ruined my life by sending Francisco to jail. If only you had stayed pleasing him, my life would be different. Now I understand why they denied his release from jail, and they don¡¯t allow me to see him wherever they transferred him.¡±


    As sheined about her failed reunion, she began to remember what her life was like with her daughter.


    From a young age, that girl obeyed her in everything. When her father died, Francisco arrived shortly afterward, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to want to live with them. Later, she discovered that he was obsessed with Stefany. That man sustained her vices for drinking and indulged her whims. She pretended not to notice and didn¡¯t give importance to her daughter¡¯s suffering. After Stefany had a spontaneous abortion, her life fell apart. Her daughter escaped one night and didn¡¯t return. Her husband was taken to jail, and she lived off what other men gave her for sleeping with her. She was getting old, and those who gave her money simply found a younger woman.


    Her hope was Francisco, when they granted him parole. He had to serve a 15-year sentence, but he applied to reduce it for good behavior. Everything was set for his release, but a day before the judge signed his freedom, they rejected his request and sent him to a maximum-security prison. No one exined what happened, and Fabiana has tried to see him, but ess has been denied.


    One Saturday, by chance, she saw her daughter entering an amusement park. She followed her, took photos, and observed every move of the three people. They seemed like a united family, and that pleased her. When she saw them getting into a luxurious car, she thought, ¡®Luck is back in my life again. I¡¯m going to find you, and as your mother, you have to give me what I deserve.¡¯


    Through the photos, she investigated who the man with her daughter was. That¡¯s how she ended up at her house, but she never imagined that Stefany wouldn¡¯t let herself be manipted and now faced the threat from her husband.


    Maximiliano climbed the stairs in long strides, opened the door to his wife¡¯s room without knocking, and saw her curled up hugging a pillow while her mother caressed her hair.


    Cecilia, upon seeing him enter, whispered in Stefany¡¯s ear, ¡°My girl, I¡¯ll leave you with my son; don¡¯t push him away. He loves you.¡±


    She left the room, giving her son a pat on the shoulder.


    Maximiliano approached the bed slowly,y down beside her, expecting her rejection. He stretched his strong arms and pulled her to his chest.


    Feeling what he did, Stefany let herself go. Her emotions were in turmoil, and she needed that warmth she resisted for so long. She didn¡¯t have the strength to fight against her heart and mind. She clung to that chest and sobbed for a long while.


    He caressed her rebellious curls with one hand and gently grazed her back with the other. Several times, he saw her tense up, and his heart ached to see her in that state. He didn¡¯t know what to do to erase that past from his wife¡¯s mind. Now he understood why she acted that way towards him.


    She lifted her head with her reddened eyes and stammered, ¡°Forgive me because that woman came to your house?¡±


    ¡°Little one, this house is yours, and everything I have is yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why, after so many years, shees to disturb me again.¡±


    ¡°I promise you that woman won¡¯t appear in your life again, and that man won¡¯t leave prison. Let me share your suffering with you. I¡¯m here for you, Stefany.¡±


    ¡°Maxi, I¡¯m a broken woman. I¡¯m not the ideal woman for you. You¡¯re a man who likes intimacy, and after that disgusting man vited me, and many things happened with him, my mind hasn¡¯t let another man touch me.¡±

 Chapter 70

    Maximiliano softened his gaze, fixed his eyes on her, and searched his mind for the best way to express his feelings. He was going to take a chance, believing it to be the way she could free herself from those repugnant memories.


    ¡°Stefany, I love you. You know my history of why I took advantage of women. I¡¯ll tell you again, since I fell in love with you, I haven¡¯t been able to touch another woman. You upy my mind entirely. You and Max are the reasons I left my life in Los Angeles, the reasons I sold my nightclubs. That night you shouted all my truths, I gave up on opening a club here. Haven¡¯t you noticed that Ie home early, and on weekends, I dedicate myself to my family?¡±


    She bit her lower lip and blushed. Her heart jumped with excitement at each of his changes, and her mind repeated that she wasn¡¯t the woman who could please him in bed.


    ¡°Yes, little Max is happy to have a new dad, and so am I. But understand, I can¡¯t satisfy you as a woman, and I can¡¯t give you children.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that? Let me propose something. I just ask that we try.¡±


    ¡°What? Having children? When I was 17, I got pregnant and didn¡¯t know anything about it. One day, I had a strong pain in my stomach. I told my mom that I couldn¡¯t bear it and to take me to a doctor. She just looked at me with disdain andughed at my suffering. The next day, I bled a lot and had a fever. Those wretches, seeing me almost dying, left me in the hospital alone. The doctor told me I was 5 months pregnant, and the fetus had been dead inside me for days. He also said I had an infection in my uterus, and it was likely I couldn¡¯t be a mother in the future. That¡¯s when I escaped from the hospital and came to the foster home.¡±


    The blood boiled in Maximiliano¡¯s body. He sighed several times to calm his anger. Seeing those tears rolling down her sad face, he took a risk.


    ¡°Little one, can I hug you? It willst as long as you want it to.¡±


    Her heart said ¡°YES,¡± and her mind screamed ¡°NO.¡± She was in that battle. She closed her eyes, and from her lips came, ¡°Yes!¡±


    He sat up on the bed, pulled her towards him, and hugged her tightly, almost sitting her on hisp, resting his head on her neck.


    Once again, she didn¡¯t feel the urge to push him away. She decided to listen to her heart, clung to his neck with strength. Maximiliano drew a smile and whispered almost in her ear.


    ¡°I want everything with you. We already have little Max as our son. Let¡¯s leave everything to destiny. Thank you, little one, for being in my life and making me change. I love you with your traumas, your insecurities. You are perfect for me. Get out of your head that you¡¯re broken because you¡¯re not. You¡¯ve pleased me more than you think, Stefany. Let me erase all the bad memories you have in your body.¡±


    ¡°Max! I¡­¡±


    ¡°Say yes, please. Let me teach you to love and be loved.¡± Stefany didn¡¯t respond, just clung to his neck.


    ¡°Keep your eyes closed.¡± He removed his hands from her waist and took her hands off his neck. He could feel her heart beating rapidly, but he had to take the risk; it was the only way for her to ovee the fear of experiencing this. He positioned himself in front of her and traced two fingers along her lips. ¡°If you feel ufortable, let me know.¡±


    She nodded.


    He continued tracing the corners of her lips for a few seconds, then brought his mouth closer and pressed his lips against hers, caressing them gently. He felt her trembling.


    ¡°Should I stop?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Although fear was taking over her body, she wanted to know what it felt like to kiss and if the man she had loved for years could erase that disgusting feeling from her body.


    ¡°Can I see you kiss?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never kissed before. That man used to take me by force, but I always turned my face away and waited in silence for it to end, even if it meant getting a few hard ps sometimes. I didn¡¯t care; I just wanted it to be over.¡±


    Maximiliano cursed inwardly. He began to kiss her gently, a feeling of happiness engulfing his heart as he saw that she didn¡¯t reject him. He dly epted those clumsy movements of her jaw, delicately introduced his tongue, and yed with hers. He didn¡¯t know how long they stayed like that; he didn¡¯t want to stop, but theck of air and their breaths prevented him from continuing. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers to catch his breath.


    Stefany was eager, she liked what she had experienced, especially when her mind pleaded for it not to end.


    ¡°Maxi¡­,¡± she whispered with a faint voice.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°I liked it a lot. I feel something,¡± she took his hand and ced it on her chest, ¡°here inside, and inside me, I felt tingling and warmth, but I don¡¯t know how to exin it.¡±


    Maximiliano grabbed one of her hands and did the same.


    ¡°Now feel my heart that wants to jump out of my chest for you.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maxi, I want you to know something.¡±


    ¡°What, my treasure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent years thinking about you; you¡¯ve upied a ce in my being. But with your history and my past, I repressed epting that I loved you and that I wasn¡¯t the woman you deserved¡­¡±


    ¡°Little one¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me finish. I gathered the courage to tell you what I wanted to do so many times,¡± she stared into his eyes, ¡°and that I wasn¡¯t the woman you deserve in your life. But today, you¡¯ve shown me that I can be happy. I liked this closeness between us, and if you let me, I promise to leave my insecurities behind and try to be the woman you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Maximiliano burst intoughter with happiness.


    ¡°I love you just as you are. Let¡¯s take it slow, okay? Today, we start with kisses. If you want, we can sleep together. I promise to respect you and gradually teach you to discover sensations that you¡¯ll see you¡¯ll like.¡±


    Stefany smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Sweetie, go wash your face, so we can go down for lunch. Our son is waiting for us, and then we¡¯ll go to the movies, the three of us.¡±


    She got up and rushed to the bathroom; she wants to put an end to her past and create a new story with the new Maximiliano.

 Chapter 71

    Lindsey conducted an audit in each department, uncovering the evidence she needed to sink her father in jail for fraud and embezzlement of thepany¡¯s funds. Dexter took charge of presenting all the evidence to a judge, and an arrest warrant was issued.


    From a distance, Lindsey observed how they took John out of the house in handcuffs and put him into a police car. A cold and sad expression appeared on her face, recalling the days of despair she had lived with her father. At that moment, she couldn¡¯t remember a single happy moment. After witnessing that scene, she asked her driver to take her home.


    Days passed, and the trial against John Girt took ce. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but Lindsey was dissatisfied with the lenient sentence. It seemed insufficient for all the harm he had caused. His misdeeds wouldn¡¯t bring her mother back, and they couldn¡¯t erase the suffering she endured with him.


    After the trial, Dexter requested a visit to the prison.


    John Girt was brought to a room, not knowing who wasing to visit. He looked haggard and pale, his gaze distant. He never imagined that his daughter would be the one to bring him to jail.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. John! How¡¯s prison treating you?¡± Lindsey entered with an air of superiority.


    John looked at his daughter with rage, with suppressed anger. At that moment, he wished he could lunge at her.


    ¡°Why have youe to unt your joy at seeing me in jail?¡±


    For a brief moment, Lindsey felt fear at the sinister look he disyed. Sheposed herself and spoke casually.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing. I can¡¯t understand how Lina could be with and love a man like you.¡±


    ¡°She was the one who loved. I just used her as I pleased. Now that I think about it, it was quite satisfying.¡± A mocking smile appeared on his face.


    Lindsey shot him a cold look; her body trembled with resentment. She hoped to find some remorse in him, being alone and in prison, but it was the opposite. He remained the same cruel man.


    ¡°You¡¯re despicable! You and Kathen killed my mom for your damn money. Your heart is rotten. You thought you could get away with it. I renounce being your daughter.¡±


    John widened his eyes in surprise. To his shock, Lindsey seemed to know the truth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill your mother. It was Kathen. She-¡±


    ¡°You and she are of the same kind. You allied to manipte my mother¡¯s noble heart. I¡¯ll make sure that the little time you spend here is a living hell. If you ever get out, I¡¯ll make sure no one lends you a helping hand.¡±


    Lindsey turned her back on her father, nced at the security guard, who gestured for her to leave.


    John gritted his teeth and cursed as he was dragged by a security guard to one of the prison¡¯s most problematic wings.


    Lindsey left the ce calmly. Once inside her car, her heart raced, seemingly wanting to escape her chest. Tears of pain rolled down her cheeks. She had hoped to see some remorse in that man, but after hearing what he said, it became clear to her that he was never a father.


    Now, the task was to find Kathen. Her people had been searching for her, but they hadn¡¯t been able to locate her.


    She returned to the mansion and went to her room, lying down for a while. It had been emotionally exhausting to confront her father. Her mind was clear that the man was not born to love.


    After a couple of hours locked in her room, Lindsey headed to her grandmother¡¯s house. She shared the conversation she had with her father with Courtney and Antone.


    Courtney didn¡¯t say anything; her heart was overwhelmed. She just sobbed and hugged her sister. At the moment, she didn¡¯t have the courage to go to the prison to confront her father. From Lindsey¡¯s ount, it was clear that this man wasn¡¯t going to change. It hurt that her family was a failure, but she felt happy for her sister¡¯s noble heart, capable of forgiveness despite her mistakes.


    A month passed, and the friends gathered at Lindsey¡¯s mansion to prepare Janna¡¯s wedding. At first, they were upset with her for keeping her rtionship a secret, but the news of the baby brought them joy.


    ¡°It has to be in a luxurious hotel ballroom, with many guests, food and drinks, morous decorations, and flowers of all kinds,¡± Luan blurted out from the sofa.


    ¡°We can do that in your mouth. I want something simple, just with my family, which is you guys,¡± Janna whispered excitedly.


    The four friends pounced on Janna to shower her with affection.


    ¡°Friend, tell me. Where do you n to have the ceremony?¡± Luan intervened again.


    ¡°Janna! We can do it at my mansion. If you want, we can make your wedding like mine,¡± Lindsey smiled with a sparkle in her eyes, ¡°but better.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lin.¡± Mischievous tears spilled on Janna¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, guys, for helping me with my mouth. I never thought I¡¯d have a family, and look at me, three months pregnant, and in two weeks, I¡¯ll be a married woman.¡±


    She nced at each of her friends. ¡°I love you guys; you are the best brothers life could give me.¡±


    ¡°Was I forced out of what they¡¯re talking about?¡± interrupted Courtney, who arrived at that moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re adopted. It¡¯s your turn to catch the bouquet so you can be the next one to marry Oscar, too bad he only likes women,¡± Luan said, sighing several times.


    Courtney turned red, and the girls burst intoughter.


    Lindsey stood up, took her sister¡¯s hand, and sat her beside her.


    ¡°If you pay attention to Luan¡¯s craziness, you¡¯ll blush for the rest of your life,¡± Isa said from her seat.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The pregnantdies, when will I know the gender of my two nephews?¡± Luan asked.


    ¡°Freed and I are going for our second medical checkup tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to know the gender, but the dad has days when he can¡¯t sleep because he already wants to know.¡±


    ¡°I want to find out when I have it in my arms. The important thing is for the baby to be healthy and to have the love of the family,¡± she said, passing her hand over her five-month belly, her eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Of course, sister, you know you have the support of all of us.¡±


    Luan started to sob.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop me; you know these things excite me. I was going to take care of the gender reveal, but your impatient husband ruined everything for me,¡± he looked at Janna making a pout, then turned to Courtney. ¡°And I respect your decision, but now I¡¯m the one organizing both baby showers. Envious ones, don¡¯t protest.¡±


    Stefany rolled her eyes; her brother would never mature. They continued their afternoon chat while the children yed in the game room.

 Chapter 72

    The next day, a couple attended a gynecological appointment. Freed had a smile that lit up his face, and they sat in the waiting room. He couldn¡¯t stop gently passing his right hand over Janna¡¯s belly.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Gregen, you can go to Dr. Maritza Wilson¡¯s examination room.¡±


    Freed took Janna¡¯s hand, they started walking together, and entered the examination room.


    ¡°Good morning, how¡¯s that belly doing?¡±


    ¡°Fine, doctor. I haven¡¯t had any diforts. It¡¯s the dad who experiences nausea in the mornings, some foods don¡¯t sit well with him, and I think he¡¯s having cravings too because I¡¯ve seen him eating sweets, and he¡¯s not a fan of them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that they suffer a bit for what we, as women, have to face. Now, let¡¯s find out the gender of this baby.¡±


    Freed helped Janna lie down on the examination table, and he lifted her shirt. The doctor turned on the ultrasound machine, applied gel to Janna¡¯s belly, and started pressing the device in her hand, sliding it back and forth. The sound of a little heartbeat filled the room.


    ¡°Are you ready to know the baby¡¯s gender?¡±


    Only the dad¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions! You¡¯ll be parents to a girl.¡±


    Freed shed a grin from ear to ear. Tears started flowing uncontrobly from his eyes, and in excitement, he embraced Janna.


    ¡°Thank you, my love, for this long-awaited gift. Soon, Fernanda will be with us.¡±


    Janna was astonished by the news of being a mom to a little princess. She tried to calm her racing pulse, and upon hearing the name Freed mentioned, she nced at him and mumbled quietly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early to choose the name? Besides, we haven¡¯t talked about it yet.¡±


    ¡°I like Fernanda; it¡¯s a strong and beautiful name for our girl.¡±


    Janna rolled her eyes; she knew she lost the battle with this man.


    Freed helped her to her feet and seated her in front of the doctor¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Everything is fine with the girl. She¡¯s on track with the time. Keep taking the vitamins as you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor!¡± Freed shouted euphorically.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you next month.¡±


    Freed approached Janna, helped her stand, held her hand, and directed her toward the door. Once at the exit, with a yful voice, he said.


    ¡°Shall we go to the mall, to a baby store? I want to buy the first gift for my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Love! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early to buy things for the baby?¡±


    ¡°No, love. Months pass quickly, and we don¡¯t have anything for her yet.¡± He pulled her hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    When they reached the mall, they entered arge baby clothing store. Janna was engrossed in looking at the nkets, and Freed had a cart full of pink clothes. He approached.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s too little clothing?¡±


    Janna turned and took a look at the cart full of clothes of the same color. She stretched out her hands, marveling at how beautiful they were, but she examined several pieces, and all were size 0, besides being simr to each other.


    ¡°I think this is an exaggeration; it¡¯s too much small clothing. They grow quickly, some she won¡¯t even get to wear. So, let¡¯s choose a few, and leave the rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her dad, and I want my daughter always to be like a princess.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Janna reached out and grabbed a miniature dress with a pink tutu skirt.


    ¡°Do you think your newborn daughter will wear this?¡± She stretched her hand and grabbed another almost identical dress. ¡°Or this one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better for her to have too much clothing than not enough. I¡¯ll make sure to spoil my daughter like a princess.¡±


    Janna rolled her eyes with an annoyed expression. She knows it¡¯s better not to argue with him because she¡¯ll pay for it anyway. She returned the two little dresses to the cart and turned around to pick up the nket she liked.


    Freed stood there looking at her with a smile. He was in love with the princess on the way and wanted nothing to becking for her. He hugged her from behind, ran his hands over her waist, resting them on her slightly bulging belly, gave her a tender kiss on the neck, and sweetly expressed.


    ¡°I love you, Janna. You don¡¯t know the joy I feel knowing I¡¯m going to be a father to a girl. You know, I grew up with deficiencies. My dad had to go out every morning in his old car ande back at night, day by day. When my mother got sick, shadows became present. I had to drop out of high school and work as a security guard at a restaurant to help with my mother¡¯s medical expenses. Unfortunately, the cancer my mom suffered slowly consumed her until one day she stopped breathing.¡± He sighed with mncholy against Janna¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Freed, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She ced her hands over his.


    ¡°My father was consumed by depression, and shortly after, he started drinking alcohol. One day, I got the news that he had had a traffic ident. He was drunk driving and crashed into a retaining wall.¡±


    Janna felt saddened by his story. She knew he didn¡¯t have a family, but she didn¡¯t have the details.


    ¡°Since they passed away, I¡¯ve been lonely. My parents¡¯ family is in Italy; they never looked for me, and I had no interest in knowing about them. Then I saved Kyle from a kidnapping, and since then, Grandpa Hugo, Sussan, and Kyle have be my family. Now it¡¯s you and that baby.¡±


    ¡°Love, I understand because I¡¯m in the same situation as you, but buying several unnecessary things for the baby seems excessive.¡±


    ¡°Okay, love, let¡¯s choose what you think Fernanda can use, but don¡¯t deprive me of this excitement that grows for my princess. I love both of you. You are the ideal woman for this crazy man.¡±


    Janna smiled with satisfaction at his words, turned to face him, and gave him a tender kiss.


    ¡°I love you too, and I thank God for cing you in my path. Now, let¡¯s choose what we¡¯re going to take with us.¡±

 Chapter 73

    Two weekster, Lindsey¡¯s mansion was prepared for Janna and Freed¡¯s wedding. It was spring, and the weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony. Three colors predominated in the venue. The decoration was in gold, giving an air of elegance, adorned with pure white roses from the arch at the entrance to the altar. The red color only influenced the carpet indicating the path to the altar.


    Freedined about a penguin suit that Janna made him wear.


    ¡°You look like a proper gentleman,¡± Kyleughed at his friend¡¯s poetic expression.


    Then, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°Sir, everything is ready for the ceremony. You can head straight to the tent,¡± one of the staff members indicated.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kyle said, then nced at his friend. ¡°It never crossed my mind to see you married. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve created your own family. I assure you; it will be the best stage of your life.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, brother,¡± tears of anticipation appeared. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m calm. Panic has also attacked me several times, not knowing if I¡¯ll be a good husband or father to Fernanda.¡±


    Kyle approached and gave him a fraternal hug. Then he pulled away and said, ¡°I can only tell you that this stage you¡¯re about to face will be the best you¡¯ll live in your existence. Now, let¡¯s stop being mncholic and wait for the bride at the altar.¡±


    ¡°You, as always, cutting our romance,¡± Freed said, wiping his face and following his friend¡¯s steps.


    They walked outside where the wedding was taking ce. Freed looked around, momentarily scared not to see people sitting and waiting, and the priest hadn¡¯t arrived. Angrily checking his watch, he saw it was 2:15 in the afternoon and shouted, ¡°Is this some kind of joke? Seriously! Where is the priest and the people? We¡¯re 15 minuteste; it should have started by now.¡±


    Kyle had the same surprised expression as his friend, wondering why the ce was empty. ¡°I¡¯m just as shocked as you are. Let¡¯s get closer to wait for someone to show up.¡±


    They walked on the red carpet until they reached the altar.


    ¡°Really, Kyle, we look like a couple of gay grooms before getting married. Where the hell is everyone?¡±


    ¡°But you would be the bride.¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    They both burst intoughter.


    Suddenly, Freed saw the grandmothers with the children appearing on the red carpet, taking their seats. Other familiar faces followed, led by the priest who was going to marry them. The bridesmaids also appeared, and when a romantic melody began to y, Lucia and Liam walked down the aisle with baskets, throwing white rose petals.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Freed was amazed to see Janna walking down the aisle on Grandpa Hugo¡¯s arm. He covered his mouth with happiness, realizing that everything was a gift for him. He watched her approach in a white dress with bare shoulders, arms covered withce flowers, the front shaped like a tight sweetheart, noticing her small belly matching her beautiful body. Her face was covered with a white veil matching the dress.


    Janna was trembling with nerves, feeling like she was dragging her legs. She was going to marry the man who awakened love in her, and most importantly, he showed her that he loved her. In a few months, they would have the fruit of that passion that filled them.


    Grandpa Hugo was ttered to be able to give away this young girl to his other grandson, something he had been doing since he became the guardian of his beloved Kyle.


    ¡°Freed, I give you my new granddaughter so that together, you can offer a family to the baby you will soon have in your arms.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa,¡± Freed smiled and lifted Janna¡¯s veil. He was hypnotized by how radiant she looked, restraining the urge to hug her, snapping out of his trance when he felt someone take his hand.


    ¡°I give you my crazy brother. Once you marry him, no returns epted,¡± Kyle said, and everyone presentughed.


    ¡°I dly ept him,¡± Janna replied with sparkling eyes and an intoxicating smile.


    Freed couldn¡¯t resist and kissed the bride ahead of time.


    The priest cleared his throat, starting the ceremony. Janna showed embarrassment from the yful antics of her future husband.


    As they listened to the priest¡¯s words, she looked at him with indescribable emotion that filled Freed¡¯s heart. When the priest said, ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride,¡± regardless of the audience, he kissed her passionately.


    Sussan had to intervene because of Freed¡¯s audacity. ¡°Young man, you can wait until you get to your room,¡± she said, hugging him with amusement.


    The witnesses approached to congratte them. Everything was perfect until the sound of gunshots paralyzed most of the people.


    Kyle jumped to his wife¡¯s side, who, trembling, clung to Lucia and Luna. Sussan and Emilia were with the other three children.


    Grandpa Hugo felt helpless, and anger was killing him. He felt a huge pain in his chest, and his breathing began to falter.


    Kyle ran to him as he saw his pale face, shouting in fear, ¡°Grandpa! What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Maritza, who was among the guests, went to help him. She took his blood pressure and examined him. When she finished, in a calm voice, she eximed, ¡°Grandpa, control those nerves. You just had an anxiety attack. In the situation we¡¯re in, if a heart attack urs, we won¡¯t be able to take you to a hospital.¡±


    Grandpa Hugo tried to stay calm, breathing several times to control his heartbeat. Anxiously, he responded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Janna fainted in Freed¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Love, wake up, don¡¯t scare me,¡± he was furious because her most important day would be remembered as a nightmare. Maritza arrived to help her.


    In front of them, a group of men and three women had taken control and disarmed most of Kyle¡¯s men.


    Kathen, Catrina, and Fabiana wore sinister smiles. Each had their own target.


    Kathen knew the mansion inside out. Hours before, with the help of her lover and the promise of delivering Lindsey and Stefany as toys, she had infiltrated the mansion.


    Catrina was there for her son and to witness the disappearance of the two women she hated so much.


    Fabiana was there for the money. She had to help capture Stefany and Max.

 Chapter 74

    Lindsey heard the children sobbing; her soul was hanging by a thread. Her mind couldn¡¯t believe that the woman she had been searching for was more cunning than her. She nced at her friend Janna, who was being attended to by her doctor. Kyle, holding his grandfather¡¯s hand, had dark eyes reflecting both coldness and concern. Lindsey was petrified, unsure of what to do. From her position, she nced at the security men who were kneeling on the side of the house. Hatred started to rule her, and she wanted to murder those three women with her own hands.


    ¡°Daughters! Aren¡¯t you going to greet your mother? Sorry for arriving uninvited, but my ungrateful daughters haven¡¯t given me the chance to visit them,¡± Kathen shouted loudly from a few meters away.


    ¡°Kathen! Are we going to negotiate? If you want money, give me the amount you¡¯re asking for. I¡¯ll transfer it to the bank ount you provide right away, and leave my family alone,¡± Kyle yelled, realizing he had no other option. All his security was blocked, and no one moved because men were pointing guns in all different directions.


    Kathen was unhinged, wanting only to see dead the woman who took away the fortune she had fought for many years. She made a deal with an old gangster who controlled various areas in Los Angeles. She would hand over two women for him to do as he pleased and kill afterward. She also promised her grandson once he was born. Then, along with Courney, they would leave the country.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your money. I came for my two daughters, and I¡¯m taking them unless you want to see bloodshed at this celebration,¡± Kathen dered.


    Lindsey remained calm, trying not to show the fear that engulfed her; otherwise, she would endanger her family. She knelt down and kissed each of her children, whispering softly with a forced smile.


    ¡°Mama will be with you soon. Stay still and quiet with your grandmas.¡±


    The tearful children nodded in agreement.


    She stood up, and when she took a few steps, Kyle held her back with a hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Lin. I won¡¯t allow you to go with that woman. We don¡¯t know what craziness she has nned for you.¡±


    ¡°Kyle! My love, let me go. Haven¡¯t you seen how surrounded we are, and our men are disarmed? I prefer to go with her than witness a massacre. That woman is very cunning, and she won¡¯t hesitate to order killings. It breaks my heart to see how everything was perfect one moment, and without warning, everything changed,¡± she nced at Janna, clinging to her husband¡¯s arms. ¡°It pains me how Janna¡¯s ns and dreams for her wedding day shattered because of Kathen¡¯s disturbed mind. I couldn¡¯t live knowing that people died because of me.¡±


    Kathen watched the scene with amusement, gesturing to Catrina to calm down.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Catrina only looked at her son crying in his father¡¯s arms, a feeling of annoyance engulfing her heart. She wanted to go and snatch her son; her eagerness was killing her. She had everything prepared to take a private ne away from the United States.


    Kyle released his wife and controlled the little sanity left in him. He caressed her cheekbones with the tips of his fingers, the fear of losing her echoing in his mind. He breathed deeply and whispered to her.


    ¡°Just hold on; I¡¯lle for you.¡±


    She forced a smile and nodded. She raised her hands, sping his, separating them from her face. She turned her back, sighed several times to gather the courage to continue her path.


    Courney was familiar with her mother¡¯s insanity. She held Oriana in her arms, took two steps toward Oscar, and offered him the child.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Courney, don¡¯t do something crazy. I love you; stay with me. I won¡¯t let you get close to that woman,¡± he grasped her arm desperately, cursing himself internally for leaving his firearm in the room. He was there as a guest.


    She cradled his face in her hands and gave him a gentle kiss, suppressing the urge to cry. She whispered obediently, ¡°Take care of the princess.¡± As she turned away, she heard,


    ¡°Courney! Bring that brat here!¡± Kathen observed the interaction between the couple and connected the dots about the man. She mentally whispered, ¡°That girl will be a good gift for Fabricio.¡±


    Courney widened her eyes and swallowed hard. Anguish gripped her body as she tried to decipher what was going through her mother¡¯s mind. She knew what this woman was capable of.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Courney,¡± Oscar whispered with a heart-wrenching voice.


    One of Kathen¡¯s men approached them, cing a firearm to Oscar¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, walk; they¡¯re waiting for you.¡±


    Courney burst into tears and clutched Oriana in her arms. The little one happily went with her, clinging to her neck. She turned her back on Oscar and walked slowly toward her mother.


    Oscar, still with a gun to his head, watched the two women he loved walk away. The pain in his heart surfaced, and the rage to kill intensified within him.


    ¡°Cursed woman, don¡¯t you dare harm us, because you¡¯ll face the wrath of my husband. He¡¯ll search for you under every rock and kill you slowly,¡± Lindsey yelled, filled with pure hatred and resentment, like radiation burning from the inside out.


    Kathen had lost her sanity. Her thirst to see Lindsey tortured and dead knew no bounds. She let out a cruelugh that echoed in the ce, leaving those present with their mouths agape.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in a position to threaten me? Besides, I¡¯ll die with the satisfaction that you¡¯ll die first.¡±


    ¡°I hope that when you die, you burn in purgatory, and yourmentations are the most painful for all the harm you¡¯ve caused.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll relish seeing you suffer at the hands of Fabricio,¡± Lindsey fixed her hate-filled eyes on Kathen.


    ¡°You should have never been born. Now, you¡¯re going to get what you deserve for taking everything that was mine. This mansion belongs to me,¡± she looked at one of the men at her side. ¡°You! Take this wretch to the van. Your boss is waiting.¡±

 Chapter 75

    ¡°Mom! Let the baby go. This girl is innocent and has nothing to do with all this,¡± Courney eximed, reaching the front of her mother with Oriana in her arms.


    ¡°Dear daughter!¡± She eximed with a big smile. ¡°Look at you, carrying Fabricio¡¯s grandchild. He¡¯s thrilled to be a grandfather and is eagerly awaiting your arrival. Once that baby is born, we¡¯ll hand him over, and we can leave this country together. As for that brat, she¡¯ll be my gift so I can do whatever I want with the daughter of the man who killed my son.¡±


    Courney received an emotional shock, stunned by this news. She felt the ground move beneath her, unable toprehend how her mother knew the man who made her live through her nightmare. Worse yet, her mother was narrating it calmly, indifferent to the suffering Courney had endured. She couldn¡¯t understand how her mother could be so cruel to her, sharing the same blood and having obediently followed her everymand. She clung to the little girl in her arms and, with disappointment in her voice, replied, ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want, but don¡¯t harm this child.¡±


    Karen let out a wickedugh. ¡°That¡¯s not up to me; Fabricio will take care of her.¡± After a brief pause, she looked at her aplice and said, ¡°Catrina! Go fetch your son and that little girl.¡±


    Catrina nced at two of the men. She wanted to snatch the boy from Maximiliano¡¯s arms herself. With an authoritative voice, she ordered, ¡°You two,e with me. If you see any suspicious movement, don¡¯t hesitate to shoot.¡±


    The men exchanged smiles, reveling in the prospect of spilled blood.


    These women were a bit away from the hostages. Catrina took elegant steps toward her opponent, with Fabiana following her. Thetter had the order to hand her daughter over to Fabricio to receive her reward.


    Onlookers stared in astonishment at the beautiful woman striding confidently with an icy gaze capable of freezing hell.


    ¡°Look who we have here, the little fox who sleeps with forbidden men. You disgust me, just like your stepfather. And the womanizer who likes trash as wives, what parents my son got stuck with. I¡¯m here to take him away to give him a life away from corrupt people like you.¡±


    Maximiliano knew the intentions of that woman. Clenching his jaw, he dered, ¡°Catrina, if you take my son away, and he suffers, I swear I¡¯ll kill you with my own hands.¡±


    ¡°Be careful with your words and me; it might cost you dearly,¡± she approached him while one of the men ced a gun to his forehead.


    Max clung to his father¡¯s neck when he felt someone pulling him from his little belly. He didn¡¯t have enough strength to resist, and he began to let out heartbreaking screams as he was separated from his dad.


    Stefany¡¯s heart shattered as she heard her son¡¯s cries. She gritted her teeth, and her gaze darkened. She couldn¡¯tprehend the cruelty of these women.


    Catrina grabbed the child from behind and pressed him against her arms. Tears overflowed from her cold face; she was flooded with emotions. For the first time, she had her son in her arms, and her heart rejoiced with happiness. She whispered softly into the child¡¯s ear, ¡°Be calm, my prince. You¡¯re with your mom now. Don¡¯t cry, my boy; soon you¡¯ll love me as I¡¯ve always loved you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your real mom,¡± he pointed with his little hand in Stefany¡¯s direction and, with his voice choked, said, ¡°She¡¯s my mom, the one who has taken care of me since I was born. Please don¡¯t take me with you.¡±


    ¡°I am your true mom. They kept you away from me, and now we¡¯re together, my love,¡± she turned around and began to walk with her son struggling in herp. She held him tightly to her chest but without causing him harm.


    Fabiana approached her daughter with a malicious smile, grabbed her tightly by her left arm, and tried to force her to walk.


    ¡°Come on, someone is waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Why did you never love me? Do I produce so much hatred in you that you always treat me like trash?¡±


    ¡°You brought it upon yourself when you caught Francisco¡¯s eye. If you hadn¡¯t flirted with him, he wouldn¡¯t have be obsessed with you.¡±


    ¡°In what universe does it make sense that an 11-year-old girl would seduce a 40-year-old man? I was scared of him from the first day he looked at me with those depraved eyes. I told you so you would protect me,¡± she nced at her with sarcasm and continued with a gruff voice. ¡°What did you do? You threw me into that man¡¯s arms for your vice.¡±


    ¡°Stopining. Anyone would think you didn¡¯t like what he did to you. Just walk; Fabricio is waiting for you. Since I know you like old men, I¡¯ll hand you over to one.¡±


    Maximiliano clenched his fists, and his teeth ground in his mouth with frustration for not being able to move. He still had the gun pressed to his forehead.


    Stefany felt clouded; she felt like an object her mother could take and use at her whim. Tears collided with each other to be the first to pass through that sad face. She didn¡¯t measure the consequences and began to struggle with her mother.


    ¡°This time I won¡¯t do your will. I¡¯d rather be killed than go with you.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, either walk willingly, or you¡¯ll see what these men are capable of when they¡¯re forced.¡±


    The man who had aimed at Maximiano approached her and said, ¡°You better cooperate, or I¡¯ll shoot you right here.¡±


    At that moment, gunshots rang out, followed by a loud exmation from the center of the event.


    ¡°Everyone down, and don¡¯t lift your heads.¡±


    The man who threatened Stefany was shot down by Oscar. Maximiliano took the gun from that man and hid, starting to shoot at those aiming at his wife.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Stefany pushed her mom with all her strength and ran after Catrina, who walked hugging her son. When she got close, she turned her and began to struggle to take Max away. Max also fought to break free from the woman. Catrina, at a disadvantage, let the child go.


    Stefany grabbed him, wasted no time in cing him on the ground, whispering firmly, ¡°Max, lie down on the ground and cover your beautiful face with your little hands, like when we y hide and seek. No matter what you hear, don¡¯t look or lift your face.¡±


    He nodded and crawled under some nearby chairs, doing as his mom asked.

 Chapter 76

    Stefany had years of pent-up rage. She grabbed Catrina by the hair, threw her to the ground, straddled her, and delivered ps and punches to her face, unleashing all her anger.


    Catrina tried to defend herself, but the woman on top of her was stronger. She began screaming for help from her men, but they were busy dealing with the chaos.


    Stefany continued to beat her opponent, leaving her face bloody and swollen.


    Freed was on the ground behind some chairs with his wife. He watched his brother run with a firearm in his hands, feeling impotent for not being able to help. However, he was also unsure about leaving his scared wife. After deliberating for a few seconds, he whispered,


    ¡°Love, stay here! Don¡¯t move! For our princess, don¡¯t even think about getting up or lifting your head. My brother needs me; I¡¯ll help restore order here.¡±


    Janna, realizing the danger she was in, began crying uncontrobly. She fixed her gaze on him and pleaded with a pleading voice,


    ¡°Freed, don¡¯t leave me! I¡¯ll die if something happens to you. Here, you¡¯re safe with me and our Fernanda.¡±


    He showed her a sweet look and gave her a tender kiss. After pulling away, he spoke in a gentle and caring voice,


    ¡°Nothing will happen to me. You¡¯ll see. Our princess needs me, and I¡¯ll be with you through all her stages. Please trust me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just make sure nothing happens to you. I swear, if something happens, I¡¯ll find a lover the day of your funeral and go back to the days of wild sex,¡± she pouted.


    Those words excited him so much that, with a yful voice, he said his goodbye,


    ¡°After this is over, I¡¯ll take the liberty of leaving you sore. You won¡¯t want to leave the room.¡±


    He got up carefully and added, ¡°Wait for me here; I¡¯ll be back for you in a bit.¡±


    Freed ran in the direction of his friend. When he reached Oscar, he was offered a firearm, and the three of them hurried toward Kathen¡¯s direction. However, they didn¡¯t arrive in time; they only saw some cars disappearing down the road.


    Upon hearing the first gunshots, Kathen became enraged. She watched Catrina being beaten and the other woman lying on the ground. Without wasting time, she grabbed her daughter¡¯s arm tightly and dragged her toward one of the cars. They got in, and she told the driver to start. The other car transporting Lindsey followed.


    The men rushed to their cars to pursue them but were in for a surprise.


    ¡°Damn it, all the tires were t.¡±


    Oscar inspected each guest¡¯s vehicle, and all were in the same condition.


    ¡°Not a single car was untouched. Damn it, what do we do now?¡±


    The grandfather, Hugo, squinted his eyes and regained his senses, paying attention to the ce being restored. He thought to himself, ¡°These men must be led by some city mob boss.¡±


    He walked toward the two women covering their grandchildren with their bodies.


    ¡°Sussan and Emilia, go inside the mansion and take care of the children.¡±


    ¡°I want to see my mom! Did they let that woman take her away?¡± The most serious of the triplets spoke.


    ¡°My dear boy, I know you¡¯re upset about all this, but as a man, I give you my word that she¡¯ll be with you soon.¡±


    ¡°I hope so! Because if she doesn¡¯t show up, I won¡¯t talk to your grandfather or my dad.¡±


    Sussan, surprised by Lucas¡¯s words, looked at him with sadness. Her heartpressed seeing him so rigid with furrowed brows. She took his little hand and understood his anger, walking with him and Luna, who was a sea of tears.


    Stefany continued pping Catrina until she fell unconscious. She stood up, wiping her hands on her sides to control her heavy breathing. While doing that, she looked around for her mother.


    Fabiana grumbled several times, rubbing her sore buttocks, cursing the money she didn¡¯t get her hands on. She started crawling toward the exit, hoping no one would notice her escape amid the chaos.


    Stefany spotted her, detailed that she was heading towards the entrance of the mansion, took a leap, and ran behind the chairs to reach her. This time, she was going to make her pay.


    Fabiana sighed in relief, seeing herself outside the mansion. She stood up,ughing in satisfaction. When she was crossing the gate toward the street, she felt a sharp pain from her hair being grabbed. Her expression changed to consternation and fear.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? This time, I won¡¯t allow you to get away with it,¡± Stefany held onto that tangle of hair with force and pulled her back into the event.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Fabiana felt her feet scraping against the hard ground, causing pain, and desperation invaded her as she saw, for the first time, her daughter¡¯s eyes bloodshot.


    ¡°I beg you, daughter, have mercy on your mother, let me go, and I promise to disappear from your life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused a lot of harm, Fabiana, and it¡¯s time for you to pay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sick, please, daughter, I don¡¯t want to die in jail,¡± the exasperated woman struggled to break free from her daughter¡¯s grip.


    Stefany no longer listened. When she reached where Mario was, she threw her at his feet with force, making the contract Fabiana had with the floor emit a sound.


    ¡°This woman is another ringleader of what happened and my failed kidnapping.¡±


    Mario called one of the security guards to take the woman away.


    Fabiana, with a pained expression and anxiety on her face, pleaded for mercy.


    ¡°Daughter! I¡¯m your mother, help me, don¡¯t let me die in jail.¡±


    Stefany looked at her with abhorrence and spat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a mother! Not even a bitch treats her puppies the way you treated me. I never knew it was an act of love from you; I only obeyed you out of fear of being beaten. I loathe havinge out of your womb,¡± she turned her back and, with her legs almost trembling, walked out briskly to find her son. As she walked, she harbored a release within, a peace that engulfed her, realizing that she was sealing a chapter of her life.

 Chapter 77

    Maximiano, upon seeing his wife approaching with a lost look, kissed his son on the forehead and lifted him from hisp. He looked at his mother who was beside him and eximed, ¡°Mom! Take Max with his cousins and stay with them. I need to provide support for the rescue of Lin and her sister.¡±


    Cecilia, with nerves on edge from what happened, grabbed her grandson by one hand and with the other clung to her cane, starting to walk towards the interior of the mansion.


    Maximino took strides until he reached his wife, hugged her with emotion, and gave her a tender kiss. ¡°My brave little one, thanks for saving our son. There¡¯s no doubt that God had mercy on me and sent me the best mother and wife in the world. Everything is over, my love. Leave the fate of your mother in my hands; she will only be a bad memory in your mind.¡±


    Stefany was enchanted by his words and lifted her face, drawing a confident smile. ¡°Maxi, now I feel like my past has vanished. I want to be happy with my new family.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my little one,¡± he turned to where Janna and a mncholic Luan were. ¡°Now go with Janna and her friend to support them. You are strong, and they need you. I¡¯ll see how the search for the sisters is going.¡±


    Stefany gave him a rough kiss and passed by his side, reaching where her friends were. Jimena, still in shock from what happened, was trying to convince Janna to go and rest.


    ¡°Stefany, my dear, I¡¯m sorry for what you had to go through,¡± Jimena expressed with mncholy.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Jimena. I¡¯ve freed myself from a burden. Now, let¡¯s take this woman to one of the rooms.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to convince her for a while, and nothing,¡± Luan said.


    ¡°I want to know what was happening with Lin. They¡¯re not saying anything.¡±


    ¡°Janna, the men will take care of her search. We can¡¯t do anything; we¡¯ll only get in the way. Let¡¯s go to the room, change into something morefortable, and wait for news. Fernanda must be worse than us. Also, think about your princess.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the foster home. Guys, I¡¯ll be in touch with you to know about my girls.¡±


    The three young ones nodded, walking towards the mansion, huddled together in the mud. Janna met her husband¡¯s gaze, and they exchanged warm smiles.


    Mario approached Isa, who was overflowing with adrenaline. ¡°We made a good team. Thanks for helping me control the situation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now it¡¯s our turn to look for Lin, Courney, and Oriana.¡±


    An hour earlier, Isa and Mario left the celebration for the newlyweds¡¯ new mansion. They were responsible for taking photos and ensuring everything was ready for their arrival. Lindsey and Kyle bought a mansion for Janna and Freed a few kilometers away from theirs. They considered each other as siblings, and that was their wedding gift-dreaming that the children would grow up together.


    Isa and Mario were on their way back when they noticed three strange men at the entrance of the mansion. Isa covered her mouth in surprise at the appearance of each man and the firearms they carried. Mario continued without stopping, ncing at what he could see from his car inside the property.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do we do? Should we call the police? There are so many men,¡± Isa¡¯s voice was shaky, revealing the nerves that had already taken over her body.


    ¡°By the time the police arrive, everything will be over, and who knows if there¡¯ll be a massacre included,¡± Mario continued driving to get out of that street and take the detour. ¡°From what we saw, those men won¡¯t hesitate to kill. Do you know how to use firearms?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve practiced at the shooting range, but I¡¯ve never killed anyone.¡±


    ¡°I advise you to keep a cool head; we have something to do, and we need to do it quickly.¡± He searched under his seat and pulled out an extra firearm hidden there, handing it to Isa. ¡°It¡¯s better if you tighten that dress of yours to make it easier to defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°I have an idea. Can you handle those three?¡± Isa asked, eagerly awaiting his response.


    Mario burst intoughter, and with a deep, firm voice, he replied. ¡°You¡¯re dealing with a former soldier from the United States Army.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you my n. I¡¯ll drive the car and approach the mansion¡¯s entrance, acting as if I¡¯m distracted and arrivingte. While I engage them in conversation, you exit from the other side of the car, surround them, and disarm them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Mario stopped the car, got out, and moved to the back seat. Isa did the same, taking the driver¡¯s seat.


    That¡¯s how, little by little, they managed to disarm some men and sneak in, handing firearms to their friends, and sessfully restoring order without any casualties.


    Back at the mansion, two hours had passed since the kidnapping. Oscar contacted his FBI friend, Damian, who took charge of the case. Catrina and Fabiana were detained for interrogation, hoping that one of them would provide information about the kidnappers.


    The women, however, remained tight-lipped, revealing only their connection to Kathen. He had sought them out, offering help to one in recovering her son and to the other in obtaining money.


    Kyle¡¯s anxiety grew as each minute passed without news of his wife. Grandpa Hugo made a couple of calls to his underworld contacts, leveraging owed favors. Upon learning details about the attackers, including the man behind the operation, he approached his grandson and Oscar, who seemed like caged lions.


    ¡°Kid! The one who assisted Kathen in his madness is a poor mobster named Fabricio Reyes. ording to my contact, he runs a gang of criminals in the west of Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Grandpa Hugo. I¡¯ll pass the information to Damian,¡± Oscar said, taking out his mobile phone to ry the details.

 Chapter 78

    The cars drove for more than two hours, reaching a cabin nestled in a wooded area, guarded by several armed men. Kathen pulled his daughter out of the car, while Courney tenderly held the sleeping baby with a pacifier in her mouth, blissfully unaware of everything.


    Kathen signaled one of the men, instructing, ¡°Bring down the woman from the other car and lock her up in one of the rooms.¡± He nudged his daughter to walk inside the house.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The journey felt endless for Lindsey. She had no idea where they were taking her, staying silent, realizing that protesting would be futile. The car finally stopped, and she observed the surroundings-a rustic house far from civilization. A man grabbed her arm and led her inside. She didn¡¯t resist; this man was just following orders, dragging her along.


    He opened a door and pushed her into the room. It was a wooden space with only a bed. She sat at the edge of the bed, hugging herself for strength, nerves on edge. With trembling hands, she murmured, ¡°God, give me strength! Guide Kyle to find me soon.¡±


    Meanwhile, Kathen led his daughter to a small lounge on the left side of the cabin, where a man in his fifties, slightly overweight, sat on the sofa with a sinister smile, smoking a cigarette.


    ¡°Fabricio!¡± Kathen eximed with a sinister grin. ¡°Here is your grandson, as promised, and my other Lindsey awaits you in one of the rooms.¡±


    Fabricio¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Courney¡¯s visible belly. His heart rejoiced in anticipation of moments of joy in a life filled with evil and death.


    ¡°Hello, Courney. I¡¯m the grandfather of the baby you carry. Is it a boy or a girl? How many months are you?¡±


    Courney felt her world shatter in a second. Now she was face to face with the father of the monster haunting her nightmares. This man who wanted to take her baby away. Her face turned pale, and her hands started to tremble. She whispered to herself, ¡°Stay strong, Courney. You can¡¯t faint now. Do it for Oriana,¡± cradling the little one in her arms, feeling her slipping away.


    ¡°Are you mute?¡± he shouted with a rough and resonant voice. ¡°Speak up!¡±


    ¡°Daughter! Answer Fabricio,¡± Kathen whispered, moving her daughter¡¯s arm to prompt a reaction.


    ¡°Five months, and I still don¡¯t know the baby¡¯s gender,¡± she forced the words out.


    ¡°Do you remind me of Cesar¡¯s belly? Surely, it¡¯s a boy!¡± the man eximed enthusiastically. ¡°A doctor wille soon to examine you and confirm my suspicions. If it¡¯s true, he will be named after his father, Cesar Augusto Reyes,¡± he proudly dered.


    Courney started to feel dizzy. She focused her gaze on the sofa and approached it with Oriana to sit down, unable to control the panic that overwhelmed her.


    ¡°Who is this girl?¡± the man asked, curious.


    Kathen, triumphant and proud of her gift, replied with malice, ¡°This girl is the daughter of the man who killed your son with the police. I brought her as a gift to demonstrate my loyalty to you.¡±


    Fabricio¡¯s eyes turned dark as he reminisced about his son with mncholy. He took a few steps toward Courney, intending to snatch the baby.


    ¡°If youy a finger on the girl, I swear you won¡¯t see your grandson born,¡± Courney snapped like a furious cat. In her mind, she repeated, ¡®You owe your life to Oscar; this time, you must do things right and protect his daughter with your life.¡¯


    The man burst intoughter, echoing through the room. ¡°You¡¯ve got guts to challenge me. I like that. I¡¯ll keep the girl in my possession, and then I¡¯ll decide what to do with her,¡± he fixed his sharp eyes on Courney. ¡°You! If you dare to harm my grandson, I swear I¡¯ll make yourst days a living hell.¡±


    Kathen, startled, widened her eyes. Deep down, she did have feelings for her daughter. She approached the man, took his hand, and whispered softly, ¡°Fabricio, pay no mind to that girl. She¡¯s scared. Let¡¯s go, and I¡¯ll show you the other little gift I promised you.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t there two women you had to bring? I only saw one passing by,¡± the man murmured, his face serious and eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°The n didn¡¯t go as expected. Some people showed up, robbed our men, and I fled with my daughters and your gift. Come on! Let¡¯s go so you can enjoy Lindsey, the fox,¡± she pulled the man towards one of the rooms.


    At the police station, Damian¡¯s team reviewed the surveince cameras on the central highway, searching for two ck vans. One of his men spotted the target and called his boss to show what he found.


    Damian took a few steps to his subordinate¡¯s desk and stood behind him to watch the yback. ¡°This camera shows two vans heading to the outskirts of the city, matching the time of the kidnapping,¡± the man reported.


    ¡°Thanks, get ready to move out,¡± Damian instructed.


    He headed to his office, sat at his desk, and called his friend to update him on the investigation. Oscar listened in silence and ended the call, ncing at those present.


    ¡°We have a lead; two vans were heading towards the outskirts of the city,¡± he said.


    Grandpa Hugo was attentive to everything. Upon hearing the information, he made a call. ¡°What information do you have about any property of Fabricio¡¯s on the outskirts of the city?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, he doesn¡¯t have any,¡± the person on the other end replied, pondering. ¡°Wait, I once heard him mention that his mom had a small cabin on the outskirts of the city, towards Avalon, but I don¡¯t know the coordinates.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, you¡¯ll have your reward soon.¡±


    The old man hung up and made another call. Within five minutes, he received the exact address of the cabin.


    Kyle was expectant, watching every move his grandfather made.


    The old man looked at the five men who couldn¡¯t take their eyes off him. ¡°This is where I help you. They¡¯re in Avalon, towards the wooded area. I¡¯ve sent the coordinates to Oscar to organize the men and inform his friend so they can catch up there,¡± he looked at his grandson. ¡°Kyle, bring my granddaughter back alive.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Grandpa,¡± tears rolled down his cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do the day you¡¯re not with me.¡±


    ¡°Cut the drama! Go get your women and that little one.¡±


    Kyle, Maximiliano, Oscar, Mario, Freed, and Dexter went out to organize the men to embark on the rescue. Isa wanted to go, but Dexter didn¡¯t let her get into the car. He made her promise to keep Antone informed and assured her that he would update her at all times.


    The men got into armored cars and sped away, but they were still far from their destination.

 Chapter 79

    Lindsey looked up as she felt the doorknob turning, watching from her position as two people entered the room.


    ¡°Look, Fabricio, let me introduce you to my other daughter. She¡¯s Lindsey,¡± Kathen said with sarcasm in her voice. ¡°See how beautiful she is? She¡¯ll fulfill all your needs,¡± she patted the man on the shoulder.


    The man stared at the girl, captivated. His eyes showed eagerness, and a depraved smile formed on his mouth. With a deep voice, he said, ¡°Your daughter is quite a treat. Are you ready, Lindsey, to please me?¡±


    Lindsey was disgusted by the pig in front of her. She shot a hateful look at Kathen.


    ¡°They¡¯lle for me soon, Kathen, and I swear I¡¯ll avenge my mother¡¯s death. I¡¯ll kill you with my own hands for your rotten soul, for your wickedness, and for being a murderer.¡±


    ¡°  , stop saying stupid things. You¡¯ll leave here in a stic bag, thrown in the trash, if your husband even finds you whole before the worms eat you first.¡±


    ¡°I hate you with all my being,¡± she stood up and lunged at Kathen but was stopped by the robust Fabricio, who mmed her onto the bed.


    Kathen let out a piercingugh and fixed her gaze on Lindsey. ¡°Enjoy, daughter! If you behave, Fabricio might keep you as his toy,¡± she turned her back and locked the door.


    Fabricio showed a lustful look, his eyes revealing wickedness. ¡°Now you and I are going to have some fun,¡± he approached the bed and grabbed Lindsey by the feet, pulling her towards him.


    ¡°You¡¯re a repulsive pig, a damn sicko. If you think I¡¯ll let you touch me, you¡¯re wrong. Let me go. If my husband arrives and finds out you intended to touch me, I can assure you, you¡¯ll be a dead man.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful, you¡¯re never leaving here. You¡¯ll serve me until you die locked up. You¡¯ll be mine willingly or unwillingly. Now, you belong to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never be with you! I¡¯d prefer to be dead than let your filthy hands touch me.¡±


    Lindsey struggled, kicking to make the man release her feet. ¡°Damn bitch, I¡¯ll teach you what a man is.¡±


    Fabricio let her go, took quick steps to the side of the bed, and grabbed her hands. She struggled to free herself, but the burly manid her down, mounting her fragile body.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near, you bastard. Don¡¯t touch me; you disgust me,¡± she screamed while trying to get the heavy man off her.


    ¡°I like them feisty, like wild animals between my legs.¡±


    He lowered his head and started kissing her delicate neck. She summoned strength from where she had none and tilted her head forward, biting the man¡¯s chest forcefully until she saw blood on his shirt.


    Fabricio, a coward, stopped kissing her when he felt the pain, and he got off abruptly. ¡°Damn you! I¡¯ll take you by force, and then I¡¯ll kill you myself,¡± he sounded like a wounded animal.


    In that moment, Lindsey felt her heart wanting to escape through her throat; fear took over her.


    Fabricio was approaching Lindsey when someone knocked on the door. He turned and took a few steps towards it, opening it to see why they were being interrupted.


    ¡°Sir! Some ck cars are approaching from a distance.¡±


    ¡°Damn it! Get ready! If we don¡¯te out of this alive, neither will these women. Spray the cabin with gasoline. You know what to do if we¡¯re defeated.¡±


    The man swallowed hard and sighed resignedly. In their world, they preferred to die than be captured by the police.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Fabricio directed his cruel gaze at Lindsey, took her forcefully by her hair, lifted her face, raised his right hand, and delivered a resounding p that turned her face, breaking her mouth.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t make it out of this alive, you all are going to hell with me.¡±


    He dragged Lindsey out of the room, taking her to the living room where the other women were. Upon arrival, he threw her forcefully to the floor. One of his men handed him a firearm, which he dly took. He looked at Kathen with fury.


    ¡°For letting myself be influenced by you, now I have to fight for my life. When did I let myself be influenced by a crazy person like you?¡±


    For the first time, Kathen felt fear from the man in front of her.


    ¡°Fabricio, give me a firearm. Let¡¯s kill those bastards together,¡± Kathen¡¯s eyes expressed cruelty. In her mind, she thought, ¡®First, I kill Lindsey, and then I find a way to escape.¡¯


    ¡°Do you want a firearm? I¡¯ll give you something better,¡± without giving her time to react, he shot her in the chest.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Lindsey and Courney screamed, and Oriana started crying.


    Kathen never imagined that her life would end at the hands of Fabricio, the man she shared part of her childhood with in the neighborhood where they grew up, the one with whom she experienced mischief and learned bad habits.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± she asked, agonizing.


    ¡°I know you very well. A rat like you was going to end up betraying me.¡±


    Fabricio looked at Lindsey.


    ¡°I¡¯ve avenged your mother¡¯s death for you! Watch her slowly die until our turnes. If anyone moves, I¡¯ll kill them.¡±


    Fabricio walked towards one of the windows upon hearing gunshots.


    Courney was trembling. Lindsey ran to hug her and calm Oriana, who wouldn¡¯t stop crying.


    Courney felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and began to bleed. With wide and fearful eyes, she nced at her sister.


    ¡°Lin! My baby.¡±


    Lindsey had Oriana in herp, now calmed. She nced at her sister¡¯s legs, which were dripping blood. Her body shook, and with anguish in her voice, she shouted, ¡°Courney! Hold on! They¡¯reing for us.¡±


    The trucks arrived at the location, followed by the police. They surrounded the cabin, and the confrontation began. The men outside, firing, were falling one by one.


    Dexter was shooting near one of the trucks when a bullet hit his shoulder. Freed, seeing him fall, ran to his side and dragged him behind the truck, pressing the wound with his hands and encouraging him.


    ¡°Hold on, friend. Help is on the way.¡±


    A few meters away, several ambnces were waiting for orders. A police officer spotted the wounded and called for a paramedic. Two paramedics arrived crouched with a stretcher, escorted by some policemen.


    ¡°Sir, leave him in our hands,¡± one of the paramedics said.


    Freed stepped away from them and walked toward Kyle, who was also behind another truck.


    ¡°How¡¯s Dexter?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°He took a bullet in the shoulder. The paramedics are taking him out of here.¡±

 Chapter 80

    Gradually, they finished off the men outside. Feeling cornered, Fabricio searched his pocket for a lighter and set fire to the curtains. Then, he took giant steps toward the women, his eyes vacant. When he reached them, a sinisterugh escaped his mouth, followed by terrifying words.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be married to the mes in here.¡±


    At that moment, the door was knocked down. Oscar entered, apanied by Damian.


    ¡°Surrender, Fabricio. Your men have been captured,¡± shouted Oscar from the entrance, knowing that any wrong move could endanger the lives of the women and his daughter.


    Fabricio was very close to Lindsey. He pushed her, taking the girl from her and using her as a shield. The baby cried desperately in his tight grip.


    ¡°Are you the murderer of my son?¡± he expressed with a cold look. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you what it feels like to see your child dead.¡± He aimed the gun at the baby¡¯s head.


    Courney felt a sharp pang in her belly, sending a shiver through her body. Her mind clouded, and she whispered to herself, ¡®I will never hold my own child in my arms. What more suffering can I experience?¡¯ Then she nced at Fabricio, observed the expression on his face, the same as her son¡¯s when he showed no mercy to her. She felt that pain in the soul where you think your life is not worth living. With all the effort her body could muster, she stood up. Another thought came to her mind, ¡®If my son is no longer here, that girl has the chance to have a better life than me. For the first time in your life, Courney, do something good.¡¯ She calcted her move and jumped onto Fabricio, making him release the girl and shot at her.


    Oscar, seeing Courney¡¯s move, shouted, ¡°No¡­!¡± Running at the same time that Fabricio let go of the girl, but he didn¡¯t have time to prevent the shot.


    Oscar quickly handed the girl to a paralyzed Lindsey and crouched down to take Courney in his arms. Tears appeared on his face, and with a broken voice, he whispered, ¡°Why did you do it, my love?¡±


    ¡°For Oriana,¡± she mumbled very slowly.


    Damian also ran towards them and managed to disarm Fabricio. He turned him around, cing his head towards the floor, handcuffed him, coughed a bit, and with an irritated throat shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here; the fire is gaining strength.¡±


    Kyle was anxious outside the cabin. A police officer didn¡¯t let him in. He heard a gunshot and saw mes peeking through the window of the house. His heart started pounding with apprehension. Regardless of the uniformed officer, he forcefully pushed him aside. Striding quickly, he found his wife with worry on her face, approached, and hugged her with Oriana in hisp. Then he separated from her and led her outside with the others.


    Oscar, holding Courney in his arms, shouted in fear, ¡°Lin! Stay with Oriana; I¡¯m going to the hospital with your sister.¡±


    ¡°Courney, don¡¯t die, little sister, don¡¯t leave me,¡± Lindsey screamed desperately with the child in her arms.


    A paramedic approached Lindsey and took the girl to check on her. Kyle held her from behind.


    ¡°Calm down, my love; your sister will be fine.¡±


    Freed approached them and asked puzzled, ¡°And where is Kathen?¡±


    Lindsey wiped tears from her cheeks and answered with a muted voice, ¡°Fabricio shot her; she¡¯s still inside.¡±


    Everyone stared at the house burning, knowing there was nothing they could do for her.


    ¡°She¡¯s burning in hell; I hope her screams were agonizing,¡± Lindsey expressed with anger.


    Everyone got into the cars. Lindsey handed the girl to Freed to be taken care of at the mansion. She asked Kyle to take her straight to the hospital.


    The ambnce carrying Courney was speeding. She had been shot in the stomach.


    Upon reaching the hospital, they were already waiting; the doctors rushed towards her and admitted her directly to the operating room. Oscar¡¯s gaze was lost; in a short time, Courney had found her way into his heart. He didn¡¯t care about her past; she had already shown that she could be a good mother to Oriana and that she had changed. He was on edge, his hands trembling, murmuring to himself. ¡°God, don¡¯t take her like you did with Anna, please, not again. Allow me to give Oriana a family. Please, God, let Courney withstand the surgery.¡±


    Lindsey rushed into the hospital and found Oscar sitting in a chair with a distraught expression.


    ¡°How is Courney? What have they told you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! She¡¯s still in the operating room, and Oriana¡­¡±


    ¡°Oriana is at the mansion, don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯ll be well taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied with a thin voice.


    Lindsey sat down beside her husband, resting her head on his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair to offerfort. Kyle felt like his soul was leaving his body


    Kyle felt his soul leaving his body as he saw his wife so depressed. He couldn¡¯t believe that a day that promised happiness had turned into a tragedy.


    Meanwhile, in the same hospital, Isa entered anxiously, inquiring about Dexter. They informed her that he was also in the operating room, having the bullet removed, and she would soon receive news about him. She approached her friend and sat down to wait.


    Two hourster, a doctor came out of one of the operating rooms and approached the waiting area.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you family of Mr. Dexter Grade?¡±


    Isa stood up immediately and took two steps toward the doctor. With anguish in her voice, she asked, ¡°I am his partner. How is he, doctor?¡±


    ¡°We removed the bullet from the man; the wound is not too severe. He will be fine. At the moment, they are transferring him to a room, and he is sedated.¡±


    ¡°Can I see him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,e with me.¡±


    Isa nced back at her friend. ¡°I¡¯m going to see how Dexter is, and then I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Stay with him, my friend. Don¡¯t leave him alone. Courney has us. I¡¯ll send you any information I get about her.¡±


    Isa nodded and followed the doctor¡¯s steps. She entered a cold room. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw him there, asleep, covered by a white sheet. She approached, gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, and then sat in a chair, waiting for him to wake up.

 Chapter 81

    In the operating room, four doctors fought to keep Courney alive. She was in critical condition, and they struggled to control the bleeding. She had lost a significant amount of blood, and an immediate blood transfusion was administered. During the operation, as two doctors were removing the bullet, the machine connected to Courney started beeping; she was experiencing cardiac arrest. A third cardiologist applied chestpression maneuvers while shouting to one of the assistants in the operation room.


    ¡°Prepare the cardiac defibritor.¡±


    When the device was ready, it delivered electric shocks until the heart rhythm normalized. The doctors breathed a sigh of relief and continued with the operation. After extracting the bullet, which had not damaged any organs, they sewed up the wound.


    A medical obstetrician proceeded to perform a cesarean section to remove the fetus that had already died, confirmed during an ultrasound examination.


    After five hours of surgery, one of the four doctors emerged to deliver the news. Oscar and Lindsey, seeing a doctor approaching, stood up simultaneously, their eyes filled with anxiety.


    The doctor, recognizing Lindsey¡¯s distressed expression, didn¡¯t need to ask if they were family.


    ¡°Gentlemen, Mrs. Courney Girt is in critical condition. She suffered a cardiac arrest during the operation, which we managed to stabilize. We removed the bullet, which caused no organ damage, but she has lost a considerable amount of blood due totent bleeding. Despite multiple blood transfusions, we must wait for her to wake up.¡±


    ¡°And the baby, doctor?¡± Lindsey asked with a choked voice.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the fetus did not survive. We performed a cesarean section. Mrs. Girt was in her 23rd week of pregnancy, and it was a boy.¡±


    Lindsey burst into tears and embraced her husband tightly. Thoughts raced through her mind, ¡®Poor little nephew, he suffered before even being born.¡¯


    ¡°Can we see her, doctor?¡± Oscar inquired anxiously.


    ¡°She is currently being cleaned up, and then she will be transferred to the intensive care unit. We will keep her in an induceda for 72 hours. Her body has endured a lot, and we need to keep herpletely unconscious during this time, monitoring for anyplications arising from blood loss. When she¡¯s in a regr room, a nurse wille to fetch you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Kyle responded, holding onto his wife.


    Lindsey separated from her husband and began to wipe away the excess liquid from her eyes. She nced at Oscar¡¯s appearance; his shirt was covered in her sister¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Oscar, should you go home and change?¡± she suggested.


    ¡°I won¡¯t move from here!¡± he asserted firmly.


    ¡°The doctor said she¡¯ll wake up in three days. She¡¯s strong, I know it. You should have seen how she defended your daughter to prevent that man from hurting her,¡± Lindsey said with mncholy in her words.


    ¡°I know! If it weren¡¯t for her, I don¡¯t know what would have happened to Oriana. I hope he rots in jail.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that; that man won¡¯t leave jail. He has too much blood on his hands. He¡¯ll receive the worst punishment,¡± Kyle expressed with resentment in his voice.


    ¡°Go home, be with your daughter, freshen up and rest. Thene back so I can do the same,¡± Lindsey said with a lump in her throat.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With sorrow, Oscar left the hospital. Upon arriving at the mansion, everyone was in the living room, anxiously waiting for news about the two wounded. Oscar informed them of each one¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Where is Oriana?¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Sussan guided him to one of the rooms and let him in.


    Oriana was peacefully asleep with a pacifier in her mouth. Next to her was her grandmother, who, upon seeing Oscar, embraced him tightly and offered words of encouragement to her son. After talking with his mom, he went to his room, showered, and copsed onto the bed.


    After a few hours, Oscar woke up, got dressed, and Sussan wouldn¡¯t let him leave the house until he had eaten. Reluctantly, he sat at the table and devoured the food, then left in his car towards the hospital.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Freed was trying to convince Janna to go to their new home, where she would be morefortable for the baby. Still, she refused to leave the mansion until Courney was out of danger.


    Lindsey cautiously entered her sister¡¯s room. Before turning the handle, she sighed several times. Pushing the door open, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart squeeze, and tears fought to escape. Hugging herself, she observed Courney¡¯s motionless body, pale as paper, connected to two devices. One had two hoses attached to a mask over Courney¡¯s mouth, and the other had various cables monitoring her heart. A line ran through her hand, delivering treatment. Lindsey approached slowly and touched Courney¡¯s right hand.


    ¡°Sister, react soon. Your family is waiting for you. In this tragedy, your baby couldn¡¯t make it, but you have to be strong. You have a man who loves you by your side, and you have me to support you in everything. We were dealt a cruel fate with heartless parents. Your mom can¡¯t hurt us anymore, and as for our father, I¡¯ll make sure he never appears in our lives. Fight, little sister. There are people who love you by force. You are a part of our lives.¡±


    In every word she spoke, Lindsey swallowed hard, and tears rolled down her saddened face. Kyle silently observed the sisters¡¯ pain from the doorway, clenching his fists. At that moment, he vowed, ¡°I promise that the three vermin in jail will never see the light of day, no matter the cost. Even if I have to leverage old Hugo¡¯s contacts.¡± His eyebrows furrowed, and his expression turned somber.


    Seeing his wife tremble, he approached her, taking her by the waist, guiding her to sit on a sofa in the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. It breaks my heart to see you like this. The doctor said she¡¯s stable; she¡¯s strong. You¡¯ll see, in three days, she¡¯ll wake up, and what she went through will be just a memory in her mind and yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to control myself! The strong woman in me is nowhere to be found. Seeing her like this with those machines and without her belly, I can¡¯t help but cry and feel a weight on my heart. Tell me, how do I do this? Help me not to feel what I¡¯m feeling.¡±


    Kyle pulled her into his chest, gently caressing her back, unsure of how to console her.


    Oscar arrived to spend the night with Courney. Kyle carried his wife because she didn¡¯t want to leave the room.


    The two sisters, after reuniting and forgiving each other, formed a strong bond of affection.

 Chapter 82

    Oscar rolled a chair and ced it next to Courney¡¯s bed. He sat down, holding Courney¡¯s hands, and began recounting his military exploits,ughing as he remembered the pranks yed on neers and the escapades they had to go to clubs.


    The day they removed Courney¡¯s medical devices, the whole family and friends were present. Dexter was in a wheelchair, and Janna, who had been prescribed rest, insisted so much that poor Freed had no choice but to bring her.


    The doctor, along with two nurses, proceeded to remove the devices. Courney was examined: she had regained her color, was breathing well, and the stitches were healing. However, she still didn¡¯t wake up. Hours passed, and nothing happened. The doctor informed them that her recovery was going well, but it depended on Courney waking up.


    That day, she showed no signs of response, and everyone left the hospital with sadness in their eyes.


    A week passed, then a month. Lindsey and Oscar took turns caring for her. Physically, Courney was fine, but every day, doctors entered to conduct tests, always with the same response: ¡®It¡¯s in Mrs. Courney¡¯s hands to wake up.¡¯


    One morning, Oscar woke up depressed and tired of sleeping on the hard sofa. He sat down, stared at Courney without any expression, tears welling up in his eyes. Frustrated and tired of speaking kindly to her, he stood up, approached her, and decided to express what was on his mind at that moment.


    ¡°Courney, you¡¯re wicked! You enjoy making people suffer for you. Your sister and I have been stuck to this damn bed for over a month,¡± he sighed from the depths of his being. ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up before I leave through that door, I swear I won¡¯t let your sister enter this room, and I¡¯ll stop loving you. I¡¯ll speak ill of you to our daughter, and I promise you that I¡¯ll hate you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Oscar¡¯s words were filled with resentment linked with sadness. He paced around the room for a few minutes, then approached and gave her a tender kiss on her lips, whispering, ¡°Goodbye, Courney.¡± As he was about to turn the doorknob to leave the room, he heard:


    ¡°Are you really going to let me be Oriana¡¯s mom?¡±


    She spoke weakly, dragging out each word. Oscar felt a shiver run through his body. Unable to hold back more tears, this time of joy, he turned around and wasted no time in rushing towards Courney.


    ¡°My love, you woke up.¡±


    Courney, with a pained expression, said, ¡°Thank you for being here and taking care of me all this time, but don¡¯t hug me so hard; my body hurts.¡±


    ¡°So, you heard myments and stories and did nothing to wake up,¡± he expressed with reproach in his words as he pulled away from her.


    ¡°I could hear them. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, preventing me from doing so. I wanted to move my hands, but my body wouldn¡¯t react. Just now, I heard you, but I don¡¯t know how to exin it. I felt your kiss and tried again,¡± she felt her throat dry, and her voice was weak and almost in a mumble. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    At that moment, the door opened, and it was Lindsey. Seeing Courney with her eyes open, she covered her mouth and approached the bed, hugging her with affection. Although Courney felt her body sore, she dly let herself be embraced by her sister.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get a doctor and some water for you, my love,¡± Oscar said, leaving the room.


    Five minutester, several doctors entered, took them out of the room, and examined the patient.


    Lindsey started calling everyone and telling them that her sister had finally woken up. Later, the two of them entered, and Oscar exined to Courney what happened after she was shot, about their baby, and that Fabricio had been sentenced to death for all the crimes he hadmitted-no longer there to torment them.


    Courney sobbed with emotion at the thought of her poor baby. Lindsey held her hands as a form of support. When she stopped crying, she fell asleep.


    Two dayster, Courney was discharged and returned home. Everyone was there waiting for her.


    ¡°My girl, you can¡¯t imagine the joy this old heart feels to see you recovered,¡± expressed Antone with teary eyes, embracing her.


    ¡°Grandma, thank you for the love you showed me from the day I set foot in your house.¡±


    Each person present greeted her warmly.


    ¡°Thank you all for the love you have shown me. Now I know what it¡¯s like to be in a real family,¡± she expressed with deep emotion in every word.


    Oscar appeared with Oriana in his arms, who recognized Courney and reached out her arms for her to pick her up.


    She happily received her and showered her with kisses.


    ¡°Before you all, I want to make a request,¡± Oscar stood in front of Courney with a special sparkle in his eyes and asked, ¡°Courney, would you ept being Oriana¡¯s mother and my wife?¡±


    Courney juggled Oriana from side to side and replied, ¡°Yes! I am in love with this little girl.¡±


    Everyone burst intoughter at the stunned look on Oscar¡¯s face; that wasn¡¯t the answer he expected.


    Courney turned and handed the child to Grandma Gabri, then gave a big smile and approached Oscar, giving him a tender kiss without caring about the stares of those present.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll marry you, my hero. You¡¯re the most perfect man in the world; no onepares to you.¡±


    ¡°There you are wrong because Kyle is the only Adonis on this earth, and there is no one more perfect than him,¡± she said, pouting, her cheeks turning red from the embarrassment she felt as she saw the amused faces of the people looking at her.


    ¡°No! Her husband can¡¯t bepared to my passionate Freed; I have the evidence,¡± Janna interrupted, rubbing her pronounced belly.


    Everyone burst intoughter and enjoyed the moment.

 Chapter 83

    The Miller family returned to their mansion, and Maximiliano took his sleeping son to his room. Stefany went ahead to the room she shared with her husband. She had thought a lot about it but didn¡¯t know how to take the step to be his woman in bed. She shared her thoughts with the lively Luan, who insisted she buy a red set-a transparent strap nightgown with matching lingerie.


    Stefany was in the bathroom, blushing like a tomato, uncertain whether toe out in that outfit or tell Maximiliano to take her as his woman.


    She sensed when he opened the bedroom door. ¡°My love, where are you?¡± Maximiliano asked, looking around.


    Biting her lower lip, she responded insecurely, ¡°In the bathroom. Change and wait for me lying on the bed.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    He found it strange but didn¡¯t pay much attention. Maximiliano searched the closet for his pajamas, changed, and sat on the bed, waiting for her toe out.


    Stefany gathered her courage, sighed several times, and finally emerged. She took a few shy steps and stood in front of him.


    Maximiliano observed her carefully. She looked incredibly sensual, and the thought crossed his mind, ¡°My wife is truly beautiful.¡± His blue eyes lit up, and he stood up from the bed, releasing a smallugh.


    Stefany felt like he wasughing at her and protested with a pout, ¡°Don¡¯t you like what you see? I wanted to surprise you. Your face tells me you¡¯re making fun of me.¡±


    Maximiliano narrowed his eyes, took a step toward her, and in a masculine voice whispered, ¡°Stop asking Luan for advice, little one! Not only do I like you, but I also adore you. You fascinate me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it was Luan? Besides, this is my way of showing you that I want to be all yours,¡± she said shyly, blushing. In reality, she had no idea how to express it.


    Maximiliano lifted her chin with his right hand, raising her face to meet his lustful gaze. ¡°My little one, I¡¯ve learned to understand you. I can tell by your look that this is just an idea from Luan.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes! He helped me because I didn¡¯t know how to tell you that I want to be with the man I love.¡±


    Maximiliano ced his hands on her small waist, pressed his lips gently to hers, deepening the kiss with his yful tongue exploring every corner of her jaw.


    Stefany felt a warmth inside her, causing her to let out a moan. The warmth invading her was exquisite.


    Hearing that moan, Maximiliano grunted in satisfaction, separated from her, breathless, and ran his thumb over her beautiful lips. ¡°I will never tire of kissing your perfect lips. You are beautiful.¡± He lifted her by the waist andid her on the bed, positioned himself sideways, and ran his knuckles over her left cheek, whispering, ¡°I desire you, my little one! But I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Are you ready?¡±


    Confident, Stefany responded, ¡°I desire you, Maxi. My body reacted to that kiss. I want to be only yours.¡±


    He eagerly kissed her again, positioning himself over her, then moved down to her neck, giving small kisses, savoring her delicate skin.


    Stefany felt small vibrations in her intimate parts, and that sensation made her forget all the bad things. In that moment, she let herself be guided by her internal desires.


    Excited by every moan that escaped her lips, Maximiliano, without stopping kissing her neck, slid a hand under that tiny fabric. He caressed her skin until reaching one of her breasts, gently squeezing it. Then, he stopped kissing her to observe her face, thrilled by just that small touch on her breasts. With his other hand, he finished taking off the dress over her head.


    He observed those small, erect mounds, and his desire to possess her increased. He brought his tongue to one of her breasts while massaging the other.


    Without thinking and carried away by her basest desires, she whispered with a trembling voice, ¡°Can I see you naked?¡±


    Maximiliano heard those words, and his manhood throbbed, wanting to be released. He dly got off her and quickly removed his pajamas, standing naked. He then mounted her again, pressing his manhood against the thin fabric, kissing her again, invading every space of her mouth with his tongue. He stopped kissing her and looked directly into her eyes, listening to her breathing heavily and feeling her body trembling beneath him.


    ¡°Little one, I want to be inside you now,¡± he said, lowering his right hand, tearing off that thin fabric, and positioning himself between her legs, waiting for approval.


    ¡°I want to be all yours,¡± she moaned as she felt pulsations in her intimacy.


    Maximiliano was so hard that he couldn¡¯t wait a second longer. He entered her slowly, feeling the urge to thrust wildly. He felt her tightness, which increased his desire. Hearing her release a delicious moan, he took her wrists and ced them above her head. He started moving faster, seeing her in total lust.


    Stefany enjoyed what he was doing. She didn¡¯t know how, but she lifted her legs and wrapped them around Maximiliano¡¯s waist, pressing her fold to feel him deeper.


    ¡°Maxi, it feels so good. My body wants more,¡± she breathed unevenly.


    Her coquettish and sensual voice aroused him even more, and he thrust with more energetic strokes. When he was about to release inside her, he observed how she shamelessly climaxed, arching her beautiful back.


    ¡°Maxi!¡± she screamed his name followed by a lustful moan. She felt a delicious release, causing a pleasurable convulsion.


    That drove him crazy, and he came feeling her interior squeezing him. A satisfied growl escaped his throat. He watched her, delighting in her beauty like a work of art. Regaining his breath, he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re a goddess. I love you madly.¡±


    Stefany remained with her eyes closed, still panting, and smiled. ¡°That was amazing. I loved what we did. I won¡¯t stop doing it with you.¡±


    Maximiliano, hearing those words and unable to resist, felt ready again. Without wasting time, he turned her around, cing her on all fours, ran his hands over her back, bent even more, entered her with a single thrust, and prated her with the same passion as before.


    She moaned uncontrobly, with her face and arms resting on the bed. She felt him deeper, and she loved it. ¡°Maxi, it feels so delicious that I don¡¯t want you to stop,¡± she babbled with a thin voice.


    He gave her two spanks, put his hands on her hips, intensified the pace, and felt his release colliding with her buttocks.


    ¡°Maxi, I love you so much. You¡¯re perfect,¡± she whispered, feeling a glorious sensation from within.


    Maximiliano, hearing those words and feeling her warm interior, had a libidinous orgasm. He rested his head on her back and let out a masculine growl. With uneven breath, he confessed, ¡°My little one, I love you with all my being. I changed for you. I¡¯m all yours, and I¡¯ll never let you go.¡± Hey down beside her and cuddled her against his chest. After a few minutes, he watched her fall asleep.

 Chapter 84

    The family was once again gathered at Janna¡¯s baby shower, children running around joyfully. While the adults conversed, Janna winced, prompting everyone to look at her in surprise as liquid trickled down, wetting her shoes.


    ¡°I think my water broke,¡± Janna eximed in panic.


    Faces exchanged uncertain nces; Stefany fainted, and Maximiliano, rmed, scooped her up, sitting with her while Cecilia fanned her.


    ¡°Freed, where¡¯s the diaper bag?¡± Lindsey shouted, seeing him standing without reacting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find it. It must be in the baby¡¯s room,¡± Luan said, rushing inside.


    Kyle searched for his car keys in vain. ¡°Lin! Help me with her. These men are scared,¡± Isa said, lifting Janna. She took her right hand, and Lindsey took the other, slowly helping her walk. They led her to one of the cars.


    ¡°Courney, when Luan brings the bag, meet us at the hospital,¡± Isa instructed, settling Janna in the back of the car and speeding off to the hospital.


    Freed and Kyle looked at each other, shouting simultaneously, ¡°What about us?¡±


    ¡°You can go in another car,¡± Lindsey responded from the front seat.


    Grandmothers offered to care for the grandchildren, and Grandpa Hugo, along with Antone, took charge of the guests, apologizing that the baby came earlier than expected.


    Guests understood, pped, weing the news, and left the venue.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, Lindsey started yelling as she opened the car door.


    ¡°Help! A woman is about to give birth.¡±


    Two nurses rushed over, pulling Janna out of the back seat, their voices raised. They sat her in a wheelchair and wheeled her into the delivery room.


    At that moment, Kyle, Dexter, and Freed arrived, followed by Courney, Luan, and Oscar.


    Freed ran after the nurses. The others walked to the waiting room.


    Five minutester, Maximiano arrived with a pale Stefany. A nurse passed by and noticed Stefany¡¯s haggard face.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you look very pale. Come with me for some tests.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling unwell for days, with a queasy stomach, and no appetite,¡± Stefany said weakly. As she finished thest word, everything went ck.


    Maximiliano grabbed her tightly, following the nurse. Heid her on a bed and went to do the paperwork for her care. When he returned to the emergency room, he asked the nurse.


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡±


    ¡°She was transferred to room 10-01 on the second floor, soon to be seen by a doctor.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, leaving at a brisk pace.


    He reached the room and saw her lying with an IV in her right arm.


    ¡°Love, how are you feeling?¡± he asked, standing by the bed.


    ¡°Better. It must be some virus; I¡¯ve been feeling unwell for days,¡± she said calmly.


    ¡°Love, let¡¯s wait for the blood test results; a doctor wille to check on you,¡± he said gently, giving her a kiss on the forehead.


    In the waiting room, a nurse approached the family to deliver the news.


    ¡°Mrs. Gregen gave birth to a girl. You can meet her soon; they¡¯re transferring her to a room.¡±


    ¡°And the dad?¡± Kyle asked, surprised not to have seen Freed.


    ¡°Mr. Gregen is regaining consciousness; he fainted when he saw his daughter¡¯s head,¡± the nurse said.


    Everyone burst intoughter at the sight of a pale Freed appearing after the nurse delivered the news.


    In room 10-01, a doctor entered with the test results.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. I¡¯m Dr. Frank Smile, and I have the results of the tests.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my wife, doctor?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Miller is pregnant. Congrattions to the future parents.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Stefany blinked several times, unbelieving of what she heard. She was sure she couldn¡¯t have children.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a baby!¡± Maximiliano eximed excitedly, hugging and giving his wife a gentle kiss.


    ¡°Really, doctor? Am I going to have a child?¡± she asked, tears welling up.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. We¡¯ll do an ultrasound to determine how many weeks of gestation you are.¡±


    ¡°Maxi, I had lost hope of being the mother of a baby born from me. Thank you for making me happy,¡± she sobbed, clinging to her husband¡¯s arms.


    An orderly entered the room with a machine. When Stefany was settled, the doctor lifted her shirt, applying cold gel to her belly. Stefany and Maximiliano were nervous, watching the screen attentively but unable to see anything. Then, they focused on the doctor.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re seven weeks pregnant, and¡­¡± The doctor paused for a moment to confirm what he saw with his own eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something amiss?¡± Stefany asked anxiously, thoughts racing. ¡®My happiness was short-lived.¡¯


    ¡°Calm down; everything is fine. I¡¯m double-checking the results.¡± The doctor activated the sound, and rapid heartbeats could be heard.


    Stefany pressed herself against her husband, distressed. ¡°Doctor, speak up! What¡¯s wrong with the baby? Look at my wife, she¡¯s anxious.¡±


    ¡°Calm down; what you¡¯re hearing is the sound of three babies.¡±


    Stefany blinked several times, unable to believe what she heard. A myriad of emotions overwhelmed her.


    Maximiano smiled like a fool, surprising both the doctor and Stefany. ¡°Little one, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Maximiliano walked out straight to the waiting room, arriving and standing in front of his friends and family. He smiled like a fool, ovee with emotion. With Max, he hadn¡¯t experienced this before, but this time, he nned to enjoy it threefold.


    ¡°Cousin, why do you have that goofy look?¡± Kyle asked, noticing his strange demeanor.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a dad; we¡¯re having triplets.¡±


    The room fell into absolute silence for a few seconds until Luan shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going to be an uncle to three little troublemakers. The red outfit worked.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at him, not understanding thement.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t look at me like that. I helped them make those babies. How exciting, my little sister is pregnant,¡± he cheered.


    Everyone burst intoughter and rushed to congratte the future dad. A security guard approached them, asking them to lower their voices.


    In the evening at the Miller house, a family and friends¡¯ dinner was held to announce the arrival of the triplets. Everyone was excited.


    ¡°My grandfather was a triplet from Cecilia¡¯s grandfather. That¡¯s gics!¡± proudly dered the family patriarch.


    Max got off his chair, walked toward Stefany, knelt beside her, and, with his tiny hands on her face, sobbing, said, ¡°Mom! Are you going to stop loving me now that you¡¯re going to have your own kids?¡±


    Stefany felt her heart squeeze. This boy had stolen her heart the first time sheid eyes on him. Tears rolled down her cheek as she replied, ¡°My prince! Tell me, have I done something wrong for you to think that?¡±


    ¡°No! But when my little siblings are born, you won¡¯t love me anymore.¡±


    She lifted his face to look into those mesmerizing blue eyes. ¡°Never forget what I¡¯m about to tell you. You are my first love. With you, I knew what love is and how to protect someone. You will never, ever cease to be my first child because from the moment I held you in my arms as a beautiful baby, I fell in love with you. So, don¡¯t think that. Besides, you¡¯re going to be the older brother who will take care of, protect, and love these babies just like I love you.¡± She lifted him and ced him on herp, giving him a tight hug. The onlookers felt a rollercoaster of emotions.

 Chapter 85

    Five monthster, Courney was overwhelmed with nerves. The day of her wedding had arrived, and she would be getting married in the church. Her insecurities always attacked her; she still attended psychological counseling.


    Lindsey helped her put on the wedding dress she had designed herself. It was a beigece dress with floral motifs, with sensual V-neck and a delicate back covered in very finece, subtly revealing the skin through floral-patterned transparencies. It was designed in a mermaid style that highlighted her beautiful figure.


    Stefany was sittingfortably on the bed, enjoying spoonfuls of creamy chocte ice cream, savoring the indulgence.


    ¡°Stefany! For God¡¯s sake, stop eating so much. Look at how chubby you¡¯ve be, and you¡¯re only seven months pregnant,¡±ined Luan. Every time he saw his sister, she was eating, and it infuriated him.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t know that every pregnant woman is round. What do I do if these three troublemakers demand food all the time? Besides, my husband adores me just the way I am,¡± she said energetically, devouring her container of ice cream.


    ¡°Maximiliano is going to hear about this. How is it possible that he¡¯s the culprit of this?¡± Luan held in his hands some chocte bars he took from Stefany¡¯s purse.


    ¡°Look, Luan, if you say anything to him, I swear I¡¯ll stop being your sister. You don¡¯t know how these kids get to me when I don¡¯t give them their snacks.¡±


    Lindsey burst intoughter, recalling her enormous belly and the difort she had to face if she didn¡¯t indulge her triplets.


    ¡°Oh, Luan! It¡¯s better not to mess with those triplets because if you deny them their cravings, their poor mom will be in a bad mood, and those around her will pay the consequences. I tell you this from experience; isn¡¯t that right, Isa?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I had to run to any ce that sold dulce de arequipe or coconut candies so that this woman could work in peace. Otherwise, she would be in a terrible mood.¡±


    ¡°My kids will hate you if you don¡¯t put those provisions back where they were,¡± Stefany threatened.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Luan swallowed hard and returned the choctes where he found them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up. Courney, the groom is already in the church waiting,¡± intervened Lindsey, her eyes sparkling at the sight of her beautiful sister. Courney chose not to wear a veil; she had her golden hair tied up in a high bun.


    The five descended the stairs of the Pratt mansion. Grandpa Hugo eagerly awaited the bride inside a ck limousine parked at the mansion¡¯s entrance. They all got into the vehicle; the other guests were already in the church waiting for the bride.


    When they arrived at the church, Grandpa Hugo was the first to step out of the limousine. He offered his hand to the bride and clung to her arm, once again feeling proud to walk and give away one of his granddaughters at the altar. Because that¡¯s what these women were to him.


    The triplets were at the church entrance, each carrying a basket filled with flower petals of different colors.


    Oscar is very excited, waiting at the foot of the altar. The bridal music started to begin the ceremony, and the guests turned to see the bride¡¯s entrance. Courney was immensely happy, she couldn¡¯t believe she was going to marry the man who gave her freedom in her life. With each step toward the altar, her heart skipped with uncertainty about the new stage of being a mother and a wife that she was about to face.


    ¡°Thank you for entrusting me with my future wife. I promise to take care of her and love her until thest day of my life,¡± Oscar recited in front of Grandpa Hugo.


    When the old man was about to speak, Lindsey appeared next to her sister and said, ¡°I hope, dear brother-inw, you never change your essence, and I pray that you manage to erase the past that still haunts my sister.¡±


    Oscar shed a beautiful smile and took his future wife¡¯s hand, standing in front of her. The priest began the celebration, they said their marriage vows, and then the father proceeded.


    ¡°I dere you husband and wife; you may kiss the bride. God bless this marriage.¡±


    Oscar gave Courney a tender kiss, and the attendees approached to congratte them.


    They left the church hand in hand, filled with happiness. As they crossed the door, rice was thrown at them, and the limousine awaited them at the entrance to take them to the prestigious hotel¡¯s banquet hall, where the family gathering would take ce.


    At the celebration, the girls danced empowered to the rhythm of Miley Cyrus¡¯s song ¡°Flowers.¡± The men shook their heads from side to side, not understanding why their wives were singing that song.


    ¡°Courney, ept my gift; that house also belongs to you,¡± Lindsey tried to convince her sister to move to the mansion that belonged to their mother.


    ¡°No, sister, Oscar and I have talked. We are going to live in a small apartment with Oriana. I love this life he is offering me; I want to take care of Oriana and study psychology. After I graduate, I want to support women like Stefany and me so that they can move forward and not sink into their fears as I once did.¡±


    ¡°You know you can count on me. When you graduate, we¡¯ll talk about that.¡±


    Courney hugged her brother with much affection. She always wondered what would have happened to her if that angel hadn¡¯t appeared in that alley, reconnecting her with her sister.


    ¡°Thank you; you are a noble soul. So many things have happened, and you¡¯re still there, providing support to those who need it.¡±


    ¡°To those who deserve it, sister. Not everyone has a pure heart. I have been lucky to cross paths with people who have shown me that not all people are the same. Now let¡¯s enjoy your day.¡±


    The two sisters were in a changing room, changing into different clothes, then went outside the party to continue the celebration.


    Everything was beautiful; the spouses left for a reserved room in the hotel itself. They didn¡¯t want to go far or have a honeymoon.


    Oscar led Courney to a private elevator that took them directly to the Penthouse; he held her by the waist.


    ¡°My love, I want you to know that I won¡¯t force you into anything,¡± he whispered tenderly near her ear. Courney, feeling his warm breath on her ear, felt her skin tingle. Before the wedding, she had talked several times with Stefany about her sex life and also worked on that topic with her psychologist.


    ¡°You know I love you. Only you can help me erase my past from my skin.¡±


    The elevator opened at that moment, and he delicately took her hands and led her down a corridor until they stood in front of a door. Oscar ced her in front of him and turned the handle for her to enter.


    Courney¡¯s eyes widened, her heart began to race at full speed, and her astonishment was so great that she remained momentarily paralyzed by the beauty of the room. The entire room was adorned with various shades of red and pink. In one corner, there was a cart with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, two crystal sses, and heart-shaped strawberries. Her gaze fixated on a queen-sized bed in the middle of the room, decorated with a message made of red rose petals. Upon reading it, she couldn¡¯t contain the urge to cry with excitement.


    ¡®Since I first saw you, you pierced my heart. First out ofpassion, then out of the desire to protect you, and now because I love you. You are the perfect woman for me.¡¯


    ¡°What a beautiful gesture. They say after the stormes the calm, but Oscar, you are my peace. I don¡¯t know how to express this overwhelming feeling right now. I can only say thank you foring into my life,¡± she turned around and kissed him slowly, gradually increasing the pace until they fell into a passionate kiss.


    Oscar stopped the kiss forck of air, realizing that if they continued at that pace, he might not be able to stop.


    ¡°My hero, I want to try being with you. I want us to take it slow and gentle, to erase all the bad in me.¡±


    Oscar looked at her intensely, not wanting to hurt her.


    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m not forcing you to make love. I am willing to wait forever if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t force me into anything. I want to be strong and face my fears with you. I want to make love to you,¡± Courney took the initiative and kissed him again, cing her hands on his neck to intensify the kiss, letting their tongues intertwine.


    He lifted her in his arms and gently ced her on the bed, thus beginning their night of love where they both showed their feelings for each other.

 Chapter 86

    Two monthster.


    ¡°AY! AY! AY! UFF UFF UFF,¡± Stefany cried out.


    ¡°You can do it, love, push, push.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh, I can¡¯t take it anymore,¡± she eximed, sweaty.


    ¡°Just a bit more, Stefany, here ites, here it is,¡± the doctormented.


    The spouses heard the first cry and smiled with happiness, but that smile on Stefany¡¯s face didn¡¯tst long; another strong pain made itself known.


    ¡°It¡¯s a girl,¡± the doctor passed the baby to the pediatrician for examination.


    ¡°Once again, I pushed hard, Stefany, here I see the head,¡± the doctor repeated.


    ¡°Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh.¡±


    Another cry echoed in the delivery room.


    ¡°Here it is! It¡¯s another girl, once again, Stefany,¡± the doctor handed the other baby to the pediatrician.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I can¡¯t¡­ Ahhh Ahhh.¡± -You can do it, love, our prince is still toe.¡±


    ¡°Stefany,e on, he needs you, strong push, push,¡± the doctor shouted.


    ¡°Ahhh Ahhh Ahhh.¡±


    The third cry made its presence, and the doctor showed the baby to the pediatrician for cleaning.


    ¡°Congrattions! You have three healthy children-a boy and two girls. Stefany, you are a strong woman. Rest for a moment, and once they clean you up, they¡¯ll transfer you to a room,¡± said the attending doctor.


    Maximiliano, still holding his wife¡¯s hand, kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°Our babies are beautiful. Thank you. I¡¯ll go share the news with the family. I love you, my love.¡±


    He left the room with a wide smile, and in front of his family, he eximed, ¡°I¡¯m a dad to two girls and a boy.¡±


    Cecilia, the second in the family, was the first to hug him.


    On Saturday, the Girt sisters went to the foster home to visit the children and give them a gift.


    Jimena couldn¡¯t believe what the girls were telling her.


    ¡°Really? Are you giving that house to the children?¡± She was impressed by the news her girls were giving her.


    Courney hugged her from the side and rubbed her arm on the other side.


    ¡°We experienced many good and bad things in that house. We want it to be useful for those who need it, especially you, my angel, and your children.¡±


    Lindsey was facing her, holding her hands.


    ¡°Jime, you are a part of us, and thanks to your love, we didn¡¯t lose our way. That¡¯s why we want you and the kids to move into that house. It¡¯s renovated, with 10 rooms on the second floor and four on the ground floor that were for service staff, but we can adapt them for the older children. Most rooms have bathrooms, and the outside is spacious.¡± She squeezed her hand. ¡°The best part, Jime, is that all of us-Kyle, Maximiliano, Freed, Oscar, Dexter, Isa, Janna, Stefany, Luan, and us-will build an area outside with several ssrooms so that the children can have separate sses based on their knowledge and ages. And we will take care of the expenses for their education.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my girls. I don¡¯t know how to thank you all for this wonderful news,¡± Jimena started crying with joy.


    Don¡¯t cry! You¡¯re going to make us cry too.¡±


    ¡°Where are the others to thank them for their kindness?¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t make it, but don¡¯t worry about that. When they move, we¡¯ll all be there to wee them,¡± Lindsey stated.


    Jimena hugged her two girls, and they discussed how the move to the new foster home would be.


    One yearter.


    Kyle wanted to spend a weekend alone with his wife at the beach house. But he couldn¡¯t convince her, so he resigned himself to go with the kids.


    The family of seven arrived at the beach house, which Kyle had expanded so that each family member had their own space.


    ¡°Kids, we¡¯re here,¡± Kyle announced, parking in front of the house.


    ¡°Yay! I want to go to the beach already,¡± a cheerful Lucia eximed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s first unpack our luggage, settle in, and then we can take a stroll on the beach.¡±


    ¡°Can I wear my new swimsuit?¡±


    ¡°Of course, princess,¡± Lindsey replied to Luna.


    So, the family carried their belongings and entered the house.


    Kyle was preparing a refreshing drink for the kids when someone knocked on the door. Perplexed, he opened it, only to find a group of intruders-couples with their kids.


    ¡°What are you all doing here?¡±


    ¡°What do you think we came to do? We¡¯re here to enjoy the beach,¡± Freed dered, holding Fernanda.


    ¡°Wee!¡± Lindsey appeared behind Kyle.


    ¡°Did you know they wereing?¡± Kyle frowned.


    Lindsey shrugged and with a shy smile replied, ¡°Kyle, it was something that came up from ament I made. Well, one thing led to another. You know how our friends are.¡±


    Kyle sighed and reluctantly let Freed with Janna and Fernanda, Oscar with Courney and Oriana, Dexter and Isa inside.


    As he was about to close the door, he heard Maximiano say, ¡°We brought everything for a barbecue.¡± He had arrived with Stefany, Max, and the triplets, Sara, Samara, and Marlon.


    ¡°The barbecue is the men¡¯s job because the women came to enjoy,¡± Luan intervened at that moment.


    The couples settled in their respective rooms.


    Kyle was annoyed because, in the end, he had to sleep with his kids on arge bed.


    At the end of the day, friends made a bonfire outside the house while the kids yed. They watched the sun set into the sea, disying a beautiful sunset, and all the couples were huddled around the bonfire.


    Freed stood up, raised the drink in his hand.


    ¡°I want to toast to each and every one of you, first for the friendship. I love and appreciate each one of you, for the family we¡¯ve managed to build, for our children, and for all the others who are part of our brotherhood.¡±


    Everyone toasted with emotion and mixed feelings, then hugged each other.


    Kyle asked Isa to watch his kids for a while. He took his wife¡¯s hand and led her for a walk along the beach. He helped her climb onto arge rock and sit, then positioned himself behind her, embraced her, and, looking at the ocean, whispered.


    ¡°Thank you, my love, for the great family you gave me. I have to thank your sister for sedating you and changing the keys to the rooms. If that hadn¡¯t happened, believe me, I wouldn¡¯t be a happy man. With you, I discovered love as a couple, love for the children, and now love for the intruders.¡±


    Lindsey burst intoughter and, clinging to his arms, replied, ¡°I¡¯ve loved you since the day I saw you shirtless in that hotel room. Never forget that, my ogre.¡±


    The two stayed embraced, gazing at the sunset over the sea.


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