Yen found out that she had been into a traumatic incident five years ago that caused her to forget a huge part of her past. And that past included her marriage to Kim, the CEO of the company she was working for. She may not have recognized him right away, but there was something about Kim that drew her emotionally to him. But having already married Zed, an almost perfect husband to her except for his sexual flaw, Yen found it hard to let him go. She tried to convince her boss to move on and let her live in peace with Zed, but Kim wasn't the kind to concede. What would happen then? Who would win the fight? And who would she choose in the end?
"Yen!"
Kim's voice was low but loud enough to echo his silent frustration. I got frightened. I knew I was confusing him. Just a few minutes ago, I hooked my arms around him like a lost child who just found comfort and security. That move awakened a mutual longing deep within us, prompting a simple gesture to progress into an intimate action.
I danced along with him to the rhythm of sexual passion. Our moves even flowed out naturally and unrestrained. I felt profound pleasure and satisfaction with him, but it was something I had never experienced with Zed. I momentarily forget about reality. Everything felt so real and tangible. But after the powerful emotion subsided, the truth dawned on me.
Hell, I sinned against my husband!
I sinned against the man who put me on a pedestal. The man who did nothing but loved and took care of me like I was the most fragile thing on earth. I could never believe that there would come a day that I would destroy our sacred bond. We were still in our early months of marriage. Yet there I was, hooking up with a married person. The very thought of this made me feel I was swimming in a pool of dark and slick filth. And I couldn't dare to look at myself in the mirror.
I quickened my pace until I was already running. My light footsteps echoed against the eerie silence of the hall. But before I could open the door that separated Door 13 from the rest of the units, a powerful pair of arms caught my waist.
"Yen, I won't hold you back, but please hear me out first. Take it easy."
I struggled to get free from Kim, but his arms tightened around me. Then, feeling that somewhat familiar warmth of his body against me, I broke into a sob. Because I felt Kim wasn't just a stranger or my boss, but someone related to my past.
Thinking that whatever it was in the past that linked him to me had nothing to do in the present, I begged.
"Kim, let me go. My conscience is already killing me. Look, I'm a married woman. I don't want to go on sinning against my husband!"
I heard his heavy sigh on top of my head, his breathing even tickling my scalp.
"Take it easy, Yen. I'm sorry I got carried on. It's all my fault."
Sorry. My mind was jeering at this. But, that simple word was never enough to put back the pieces of dignity I had broken out.
After a moment, my soft sobs turned into loud wailing.
"Why did you take advantage of my weakness? You know I have a husband, and I'm even carrying his baby in my womb." I knew I sounded foolish to say this since I was the one who started the act. And I just couldn't pin my sin on him.
"I'm sorry, Yen. I'm really sorry." Kim didn't let me go yet. He placed his chin instead of on top of my shoulder.
"But please, don't mind it so much. We are only human."
I forcefully separated his hands, which were interlaced in front of my navel. And then I turned and faced him, looking straight into his eyes.
"Why are you here? Are you stalking me?"
I surprised myself with the courage I got in confronting him. However, I couldn't help myself from voicing out the suspicion that was raging in my mind.
He may have planned all these. But, everything that happened to me was not a mere coincidence. His business partner misconstruing me as Jakara Blue. The consistent dreams I had about him. The outer structure of the apartelle. The interior design of the room. The furniture and appliances inside Door 13. Thinking about all these sent shivers down my spine.
"I followed you because I saw you coming out of the taxi while I was at the office."
I raised my head subconsciously, and my eyes fell on the glass wall along the corridor. Kim Yuan Microelectronics' signage that was attached to the beam of the second level greeted my eyes. Below the signage was indeed the glass wall of his office. It may be dark from the outside, but it gave off an unrestricted view of its surroundings from the inside.
A few hours ago, we were there attending the board meeting. We went back to the hotel together after the session. But why was he there again?
Reading through my mind perhaps, his voice cut into my confusion. "Vic and I went back to the office because of an important matter. And it so happened that I saw you as I looked out from my desk."
I may be half-convinced, but he had a point. His office was facing this apartelle, and he could view the front area of the building through his glass walls. There was nothing else I could argue about, except because his business partners misconstrued me as Jakara Blue.
My thoughts then went back to the passport I saw on the table. And that was how I discovered he got married to Jakara Blue five years ago. Although I knew him as the husband of Maezy, my best friend Ara's friend, Trish had also told me that there was no marriage between them.
I almost got tempted to ask why his business partners had mistaken me for Jakara Blue, but then I lost the courage. I couldn't dare. What would he think if I would? Even if I hadn't known who really Jakara was, I wouldn't want him to think I was assuming I could be on Jakara's level, worthy enough to become his woman.
I could never stand by his side as his equal. He was the man behind the fame and success of Kim Yuan Microelectronics, while I was just an ordinary woman. I was just lucky enough that he offered me a job because of Ara. If it were not for her, who first invited me to join them on their team-building outing, I wouldn't have known him personally. I could have just remained watching him on social media or magazines.
"But why have you followed me here?" I still couldn't help expressing my suspicion.
"Because I am staying here. This is my home."
My gaze froze on him, my mouth hanging open. Did it mean he's still with Jakara? The apartelle's receptionist confirmed it to me that Jakara was the occupant of the unit. But what about Maezy?
Oh, dear! My head really ached.
His lips lifted into an amused smile. "This place used to be Jakara's home. Unfortunately, I lost her six years ago. But I still choose to live here because of the memories. I'm a one-woman type of man, and I don't easily fall in love with another."
Oh, my goodness! Why do I also dream about the place?
Feeling the weight of frustration and confusion in my heart, I swore to find out the truth from now on.
"Kim, that thing that happened between us-" I stopped. It's too hard to bring up that shameful subject with him.
He broke into a pursed smile, but his eyes sparkled as they glued on me. I may just be assuming, but there was a tenderness in the way he looked at me.
"Don't worry. That would just be between the two of us."
I smiled weakly, but drops of tears already pooled at the corners of my eyes. Staring into his face made the silent scream of my mind got louder. Scream of guilt, regret, and shame.
"But Yen, I want you to know that I will treasure it for a lifetime."
I furrowed my brows. What happened between us was some uncontrolled and unexpected human madness. And that's what most people defined as lust.
"What do you mean by that? It was just plain s*x."
He scoffed, but he reached out for my hands, holding them tight.
"Because I love you."
I got stunned for a moment.
"Are you crazy?" I snapped after his words sank into my mind, shaking my head. I couldn't believe my ears in this nonsense.
"I am."
Left with no choice, I gave in to the enemy's demand. I agreed to dance with the alpha's daughter from Midwinter's pack on the night of my mating ceremony. I swayed with her. Spin her gracefully around the dance floor. The horrified eyes of my entire pack burn on me, demanding an explanation. I didn't just break the sacred rule we held on to for generations. I also ripped my mate's heart apart. Not giving her the honor of that last dance could mean one thing – it's over between us. .
We're both heartbroken. Ella lost a fiancé, and I lost a wife. Our paths crossed when I was trying to move on, and she in her denial stage. I thought we could help each other heal our broken hearts, so I tried to remove the guards I had been trying to secure around myself. And before I knew who she really was, I found myself falling in love again. However, fate always slaps me with its irony. Because I found out that all along, she was the secret enemy that had set out to destroy me. All because I was the one who caused her heartaches — the one who killed her fiancé.
Indebted to Jim who accepted and loved her unconditionally despite her dark past, Jia vowed to forever give her life to him. She had no reason not to; Jim loved her and her son like his own. She thought she was over with Anthon, the man who caused her so much pain. Yet one day, their paths crossed again, and her heart began beating for him again. Torn between the sense of indebtedness and her own heart's desire, choosing then became so complicated. As both men were fighting for her love, who would she choose? Would she listen to her heart's desire, or would she keep her gratitude?
I stepped out of the prison doors towards the road of freedom. I should be happy because I had been here for five wretched years. All the pieces of evidence that my fiancee's lover set up to drive me out of her life pointed to me as the murderer. Little did I know that behind those bars inside the cell, my heart remained trapped. I stopped and turned to take a final glimpse of the building that had been my home for a long time. My lips twisted into a bitter smile, mocking at life's irony. All because of the truth that I no longer wanted to be free.
After marrying Zed, Yen soon realized that her perfect life was not what she expected. Zed harbored a dark flaw, a disorder that impacted their lives, creating insecurities and emotional turmoil. Committed to her marriage, Yen set about trying to solve their issues but this was soon challenged when she found herself having recurring dreams about another man. This man in her dreams was her boss but to Yen, they seemed more like memories than actual dreams, causing her to question her life and her very marriage to Zed. Did Yen have a forgotten past with her boss? If she were to search for answers, could they cause conflict or could it lead to happiness?
I learned about his secret, and my revenge began. I didn't care anymore about the consequences of my decision; I was too blinded by all the lies. I thought I'd laugh hard to see him crawling on the ground, but to my surprise, I didn't. Perhaps because the truth prevailed that this stubborn heart of mine still loved this man that I now despised. I lied to myself, denying this feeling for him. All because of my stupid revenge. Just when I thought I couldn't fool myself anymore, I realized I was too late. And I just couldn't cry hard enough.
After a devastating divorce with the man she had been married to for over three years, Rachel thought her life was over. Her family disowned her, they wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't blame them. She had just divorced David Hart, one of the top successful bachelors in the country and heir to the Hart industries. But they would never understand that she didn't divorce him, he divorced her after she caught him cheating on her with her god-damned best friend! Rachel was just about to end everything by jumping off a bridge when she was saved by the most unexpected person. The boy she once bullied severally in highschool because he always wore ugly glass and was from a poor background, how come that glass make him so hot now? Why was he helping her get revenge on ex-husband who is trying to make her life even more miserable? And most important how did he get so handsome? What exactly does he want from her? ... No, you must want something, anything. If you can really help me get revenge on David and Lana, I can't just let you do it for free". Ethan went quiet for a while. I held my breath waiting for what his request might be. If it was something money could buy, I'll try my best to get it for him even though I was somehow broke right now. "You're right I do want something". He said after thinking for few minutes "What?" I asked slowly. " Until you get your revenge on David, Lana and every other person you want, you will live here". Live here as in...? " Wha... What are you saying? ". I stammered hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying. I tried to step back but I missed a step and almost fell on the bed but Ethan caught me holding me in his muscular arms. Ethan moved his face closer to mine be was so close, our nose almost touched. " I want you to be with me! ".
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"