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"I may not know what you want or what you like or whatnot but you have shown me that you want out of this marriage and that's one thing that I know I'm going to help you with it" Callum replied and Athaliah smiled mirthlessly. "That is what you want. That's what you've always wanted. You are the one who went to work on our wedding night without saying a word to me. You are the one who leaves the house before I wake up and come back when I'm asleep. You are the one who treats me like a plague, someone you can't stand for a long time, and you've done that for two years Callum and now you dare to stand in front of me and tell me I showed you I wanted out of this marriage" Athaliah said shaking her head. "How dare you?" she shot at him. **************************** Bound by a marriage forged in the crucible of misunderstanding, Athaliah and Callum found themselves tethered to a union neither of them wanted. Athaliah' compelled by familial duty and Callum, driven by his grandfather's desire. The union was doomed to crumble and fail. Within a mere two years, after his grandfather's death, the ties that bond them together snapped, and with two signatures, their paths were set separate and different from each other. Fate, that fickle mistress, intervened years later, bringing them back to each other's orbit igniting the spark and electric connection anew and the both of them dared to grasp at the second chance fate had offered. But then again, history began to repeat itself, patterns began to replay, and Athaliah and Callum are faced with their shared past, forced to confront the ghosts of their past. With new revelations and unfolding layers of complexity, the fabric of their relationship was stretching thin, and Athaliah's perception is shattered after unearthing a scared truth.
In the whole Sinclair family, Athaliah's favorite was the old man and she knew he adored her too. He didn't allow any of the members to bully her or talk her down, including her husband. He always supported her whatever she did at all, invited her to his secret tea parties, where he gossiped about his old days and told her stories of his dead wife.
Athaliah had never found a more interesting old man, her own grandfather was boring and only knew how to fish. So when he had first slumped at home and rushed to the hospital, Athaliah had felt a bad premonition, that his time was limited and that she would soon lose HIM and the support and pillar she had always rested on would soon vanish without a trace.
Her fears were further affirmed when the old man always wanted her around him. He would reminisce about times when he was younger and make her laugh with him and with each passing day, Athaliah knew his time was getting near and then it came. She was there peeling apples for him.
"You know your sliced apples are the best right?" He asked delivering a slice of apple to his mouth and smiling widely.
"You said your wife's own was the best" Athaliah countered with a playful laugh.
"I get happy eating your sliced apples, I get really happy. But he gets even more happier than me" he muttered and Athaliah shook her head bending to pick up the fallen knife.
"Who's the other he you are talking about?" She asked with a smile but she received no answer. By the time she turned to look at the old man, his eyes were closed with a smile on his face.
Alarm bells went off in her head as she screamed for the doctor.
Athaliah had chosen not to speak at the burial much to her husband's parents' disapproval. Everyone spoke, telling the sweet and happy memories with the old man and how amazing he was when he was alive. People came up talking about how he had offered them assistance and help when he was alive and Athaliah knew they weren't lying, the old man was one sweet and happy fellow even till his last moments. He was indeed amazing and was very empathetic and would help anyone in need at least that was how she got to marry into the almighty Sinclair family.
The hall was swimming with people from all walks of the world, after it was Adam Sinclair that died, the owner and founder of the Sinclair Corporation, one of the biggest and largest Corporations in the world. Everyone wanted to celebrate him, even news outlets and bloggers kept writing blog spots and talking about his death as if they knew him.
Athaliah glanced at her husband who was standing beside her. His face had been blank since the start of the ceremony and she couldn't decipher what exactly was going on in his head. Her husband was one unpredictable person. One could never guess what he was thinking.
After her, he was the old's man favorite. They spent time with each other and everyone knew that at the old man's death, he would take over the corporation but Athaliah knew they had a bond that went beyond the father and heir bond. A bond that only reminded her that he was humanly to everyone else except her.
She sighed softly shifting uncomfortably in her heels. She didn't realise she had outgrown those heels and now her toes were in for some pain.
"Why don't you find someone to seat down? Silas would bring you slippers" he muttered and Athaliah glanced up at him.
His face was still expressionless but she could see and hear the irritation in his voice, in the way his eyebrows wrinkled. He didn't care about her, he didn't care whether her toes were hurting or not, all he wanted was to get the weird stares they had been receiving from people off him.
She chose not to reply to him and immediately walked towards a secluded table. She was even quicker to remove her shoes and wriggle her toes to try and relieve them of the pain they had been feeling. She watched as a couple walked up to Callum talking to him about something she couldn't hear. A slight chuckle escaped lips as she watched the wife of the couple stare at Callum like he was some kind of eye candy.
And in all honestly, Athaliah admitted that her husband was indeed an eye candy, especially in those suits that seem to perfectly accentuate his muscle and firm body. A body that never laid beside her or came near her in their two years of marriage.
"Ma'am" a voice brought her back and Athaliah immediately offered her husband's secretary a smile.
"Thank you Silas" she muttered slipping her feet into the leather slippers he had brought. This was the part of their marriage that Athaliah couldn't deny, Callum was creepily responsible. He made sure he provided everything and anything that would make her life easy well except making himself available as a husband.
She rolled her shoulders tired and sighed softly. The burial preparations had taken a toll on her than she thought it would. She hadn't even done anything that stand and take care of the old man's belongings. No one had been surprised when the butler had told the family that only she and her husband could touch his belongings.
She rested her back in the chair and yawned a little, she turned to check if Callum was still standing and she realized that he was still standing and talking to another set of people, she knew it would take him a while to be done considering the number of guests that were still around. She placed her head on the table hoping to catch a few minutes of sleep. But she was wrong.
The next minute Athaliah was opening her eyes, the large hall was empty and there was no single soul in sight, she blinked her eyes rapidly trying to adjust to the environment, and chuckled the moment she turned her face and found Silas standing behind her.
"When did everyone leave?" she asked quietly.
"About two hours ago" Silas replied and Athaliah pursed her lips.
"How long did I sleep?" she asked again.
"Over five hours" Silas replied and Athaliah wanted to smack herself across the face. She had fallen asleep at the burial. She winced imagining the amount of weird looks she must have been receiving while she slept.
She slowly rose to her feet "Let's go" she muttered. She wasn't in the least surprised that Callum had left her in the hall. It was better than waking her up in the most ungentlemanly way possible.
Silas peered at the woman seating at the back of the car with confused eyes. He just never seemed to understand his boss and his wife. He had been Callum's assistant for over five years now but some of his actions never made sense to him. Silas hadn't even noticed that Athaliah had fallen asleep even though he was standing behind her.
It wasn't until Callum had walked towards him and blocked the guest's view of her that he realized that Athaliah had fallen asleep. He had immediately asked some of the bodyguards to rush inside the hall and made them form a barrier around her allowing her to sleep peacefully while blocking her from the guests' view and preventing weird looks and rumors.
Athaliah woke up and didn't ask for her husband. Her chuckle when she woke up had sent chills down his spine. Something told him another misunderstanding had been formed and there was nothing he could do about it. He swallowed his saliva and opened his mouth to talk when his phone buzzed. It was a text from Callum.
Athaliah nodded her head at him "You can go back to work, I'm okay" she muttered and Silas realized that they had gotten home already. He nodded at her and got down from the car watching as the car drove into the compound. He scrolled his phone open and sighed softly rubbing his forehead. He couldn't deal with this couple one minute longer.
Is she awake yet? Ask the nanny to prepare her food and some fruits.
Athaliah laughed mirthlessly as she got down from the car, it had been happening for over two years now and nothing seem to catch her off guard no more. They just made her amused and made her laugh. She knew that since the old man had died now, it was only a matter of time, that it would only a matter of time before he served her diovrce papers, before he asked her to get out of his life, before he asked her to leave. She had no idea how soon it would be, maybe two months or maybe a year but she knew that she would get home one day and find the envelope lying somewhere.
Her phone started ringing and a soft smile crawled up her lips as she picked up the call.
"Heyy girl" Athaliah greeted.
"I just got your text. Your husband does live up to his reputation. How could he let you sleep in front of some many people? He has always been a jerk and just lives up to that reality every single time" the latter on the phone complained and Athaliah laughed.
"Good news, I got enough sleep"
Samantha McCartney is turned into the laughing stock of her family when her childhood crush and soon-to-be husband a wedding ring on her younger sister's instead of her on their wedding day. Devastated and heartbroken, Samantha gets drunk and ends up having a one-night stand with someone she had only seen on TV and more; happened to be the estranged stepbrother of her childhood crush.
"What if I don't fall in love with you?" she asked apprehensively. Instead, his lips curved into a small smile that messed with her chest. "You will" he replied confidently and she knew at that moment that she already had. --------------------------------------------- A loveless marriage. Her parents' mysterious death. Dangerous secrets. Zaria Williams would do anything to find out who caused her parents' death and why. Taking over their company and ending her loveless marriage after disappearing for one year was the first step. With her two brothers as the last of her family, Zaria is further pulled into a web of dangerous secrets and dangerous territories even without having any idea of it. And there was only one reason, he protected her without question, without a word, without she even having an idea of it.
THE MONTELLE FAMILY SERIES (BOOK ONE) âJulian?â the latter called out in shock and surprise as Julian sucked in a breadth and turned to face the latter maintaining his flat expression. âWhen did you come back?â the latter asked again. The question instantly made a plethora of memories wash over Julian. He discovered he could remember everything that happened that day clearly as if it had happened the previous day. He remembered every word and everything that had happened and they seemed to suck the air of his lungs and as his legs almost turned to powder. His trust was broken and his so called loved ones betrayed him. Not even one of them remained; they had all taken his side and left him stranded and all alone. With his father's threat of giving his company to charity if he didnât come home; Julian Montelle is forced to abandon the life he had built for himself in Hong Kong. Coming back to the place that held the worst and horrid memories for him wasnât an option but for some unknown reason. Julian found himself getting on a plane and getting back to take back his rightful heritage and property. This time around, he came back to take revenge on everyone who had something to do with what happened back then and who had abandoned him. And as well this time around, he wasn't alone and had someone who stood beside him without any questions.
When Gianna Emerson best friend gets dumped by her boyfriend; Gianna is determined to make him go through the same pain and hurt he made her best friend go through. Get close to him, make him fall in love with her and then mercilessly dump him. It was the most perfect and flawless plan except that it didnât involve Gianna falling helplessly in love with him. Whatâs more, her Favourite rule of friend is âthough shall not fall in love with your friendâs exâ
Since when they were little, Gabriella Armani had developed a huge crush on her elder brotherâs best friend but the latter had never given her attention or even treated her like her a girl, he had always treated her like a younger sister; much to Gabriellaâs annoyance. After severally promising to marry him when she grew up, she left the country or her studies. Never in his life did Kiley imagine that a point in his life, he would start to see Gabriella Armani as woman and not as the younger sister who followed him everywhere.
Despite being an easy target for bullies; Tessa OâBailey never got bullied. The bullies werenât scared of her but they never touched her either. And Tessa had no idea why but she was glad, at least she could now do whatever she wanted but when she somehow got into detention with the schoolâs bad boy, it didnât take long for her to realize why.
After five years of marriage, my husband is always absent on my birthday. No gifts, no blessings. He said, "I've given you the money, buy whatever you want." But he started preparing for Fiona's birthday half a month in advance. He said, "She's different, she only has me." As the sole survivor of a unexpected fire, he has been heartbroken for over a decade. Watching Fiona in Moments holding a cake and kissing his face. I slowly commented. ăJust this useless person, I'm giving him to you.ă
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
During her three years of marriage with Brendan, Adeline had become as humble as dust itself. However, what she got in return wasn't love and affection, but endless indifference and disdain. Worse yet, when the woman in Brendan's heart suddenly showed up, he further distanced himself from her. Finally, Adeline couldn't stand it anymore and asked for a divorce. After all, why should she stay with such a cold, distant man? The next one would surely be better. Brendan watched as his ex-wife left with her luggage in tow. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he made a bet with his friends. "She'll definitely regret leaving and will come crawling back to me in no time." After hearing about this bet, Adeline sneered. "Dream on!" A few days later, Brendan ran into his ex-wife in a bar. It turned out she was celebrating her divorce. Not long after, he noticed that the damned woman seemed to have a new suitor. Brendan was starting to panic. The woman who had clung to him for three years suddenly didn't seem to give a damn about him. What was he going to do?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, âWho will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.â
On her wedding day, Khloeâs sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didnât commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrikâs cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.