Chapter: Chapter 2: My BodyguardThe Ice Queen Valentina's POV People think I wake up happy. If only they knew. I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror while Sofia fastened the zipper of my ivory silk dress. A diamond necklace rested against my collarbone, and matching earrings sparkled beneath my dark hair. I looked exactly like the woman every magazine loved to write about. Russia's Most Beautiful First Lady-to-Be. The Billionaire's Perfect Wife. The Ice Queen. I hated every one of those titles. "You're squeezing my waist too tight," I muttered. Sofia immediately loosened her grip. "I'm sorry, Madam." I glanced at her through the mirror. "You apologize too much." She lowered her head. "Old habits." In this house, everyone apologized. Even when they had done nothing wrong. Especially when they had done nothing wrong. I reached for a tube of lipstick and applied another coat. Perfect. Everything had to be perfect. Perfect women didn't cry. Perfect wives didn't co
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-31
Chapter: Chapter 1: My BodyguardThe Devil's HouseRoman's POV One month. It had been exactly one month since I buried my father. Thirty-one days since the only man I had ever feared was lowered into the frozen earth beneath a gray Moscow sky. Thirty-one days since I stood beside his grave wearing a black suit. I didn't cry. I couldn't. Not after twenty years apart. Not after spending two decades convincing myself he had chosen his principles over me. All I felt was regret. Regret that I never called him more than twice a year. Regret that our conversations always ended the same way. *"How are you, Roman?"* *"I'm fine."** *"Take care of yourself."** *"You too."* Neither of us ever said the words we wanted to say. I miss you. Come home. I'm sorry. Now one of us never would. A knock interrupted my thoughts. The study door opened before I could answer. "Still staring at the same file?" I looked up and couldn't stop the faint smile tugging at my lips. Nikolai. The only brother I had ever known.
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-31
Chapter: Chapter 13: My Ex-Best Friend's SonMarilyn’s POV I stopped going to work after the restaurant incident. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t face Liam. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept hearing Carina’s voice over and over again. *What the hell are you doing with my son?* The humiliation of that moment still burned inside me. Not because Liam was younger than me—I already knew that. But because somehow fate had decided to tie us together in the most complicated way possible. Out of everyone in New York… I had fallen in love with the son of the woman who destroyed my marriage. Sometimes life truly had a cruel sense of humor. The first day I stayed home, I told myself I just needed space to think. The second day, I realized I was hiding. By the third day, my apartment already felt suffocating. I barely ate. Barely slept. My thoughts kept returning to Liam no matter how hard I tried pushing him away. His smile. His voice. The way he always looked at me like I was the most important woman in th
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-30
Chapter: Chapter 12: My Ex-Best Friend's SonMarilyn’s POV Dinner with Liam was supposed to help define whatever strange relationship existed between us. Instead, it became the night my entire world exploded again. After work, Liam drove us to one of the most luxurious restaurants in Manhattan. The building itself looked expensive from outside, glowing with golden lights while expensive cars lined the entrance. “You really like dramatic places,” I muttered while stepping out of the car. Liam smirked immediately. “You deserve dramatic places.” God. That man flirted like breathing came naturally to him. The restaurant inside was even more beautiful. Crystal chandeliers. Soft piano music. Elegant candlelit tables. People dressed in designer clothing speaking quietly over expensive wine. Definitely not somewhere I usually came anymore. The hostess smiled politely the moment she saw Liam. “Good evening, Mr. Hayes. Your reservation is ready.” Of course they knew him personally. Liam placed his hand lightly against my
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-30
Chapter: Chapter 11: My Ex-Best Friend's SonMarilyn’s POV Three weeks into working at Hayes Muse, I finally started feeling like myself again. Not Anthony’s ex-wife. Not the woman the internet pitied. Not the betrayed best friend. Just Marilyn. And honestly? It felt amazing. Every morning I woke up excited to go to work again. I loved training the models, helping them perfect their runway walks, teaching them confidence and posture. Some of the girls reminded me of myself years ago. Young. Nervous. Desperate to succeed. The fashion industry could be brutal, especially to insecure girls, so I made sure my training sessions felt safe instead of toxic. And slowly, the models started trusting me. Respecting me. Even the difficult ones listened when I spoke. For the first time in years, I finally had something that belonged completely to me again. Well… Almost completely. Because Liam Hayes refused to let me breathe peacefully for more than five minutes. “Your posture is terrible today.” I
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-30
Chapter: Chapter 10: My Ex-Best Friend's SonMarilyn’s POV I immediately straightened the moment Richard Hayes stopped in front of us. Up close, he looked even more intimidating. Not because he was harsh. Because he carried power naturally. The kind of quiet confidence only successful men had. He didn’t need to raise his voice or demand attention for people to respect him. And suddenly I understood why Hayes Muse was becoming one of the biggest agencies in New York so quickly. “Mr. Hayes,” I said politely, forcing myself not to sound nervous. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Marilyn Car—” “I already know who you are, Marilyn Carter,” he interrupted with a small smile. That immediately eased some of my tension. At least he sounded warm. Not judgmental. Not cold. Just calm. His eyes studied me carefully for a second before he nodded toward the hallway. “Come with me. Let’s do this interview properly.” I picked up my bag quickly and followed him toward the executive offices. Unfortunately, Liam followed
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-30
Chapter: Epilogue: Happily Ever After I was heavily pregnant, my belly swollen with our third child. The room was filled with the sound of laughter and chaos, as Eva and Alex, played in the living room, chasing each other around the furniture. I took a break from work since I was already in my third trimester, although I still do some work from home. Don't blame me; I love to work and hate staying idle. I only took the break because the doctor said I needed to rest. And also, I have nothing to worry about. Windsor Properties has been doing great; we are back on our feet, and I can't help but be proud of myself. It wasn't easy, but we are where we should be, which is on top. We are now among the best real estate firms in New York.My dad was so proud of me “Avery I never doubted you once I know you would make me proud” he had said with a proud smile on his face.I am home waiting for my dear husband, he is working late, but I know he will be home soon. As if on cue, the front door opened, and Ethan walked in, looking
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Chapter 58: The Wedding The sun was shining bright, casting a warm glow over the beautiful beach where our wedding was taking place. The waves crashed against the shore, creating a soothing melody that seemed to match the beat of my heart. I stood in front of the mirror, my heart racing with excitement, as I got ready to walk down the aisle. I couldn't help but think about how far I had come, from being a naive girl to a strong, confident woman, and now, I was about to marry the love of my life. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile at the beautiful bride staring back at me. My dress was a stunning white gown, with intricate lace details and a beautiful round neckline. The dress hugged my curves perfectly, accentuating my figure in all the right places. My hair was styled in a beautiful updo, with a few loose strands framing my face. I looked like a princess, and I felt like one too. Emily, my sister-in-law, was beaming in her bridesmaid dress, helping me get into my wedding go
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Chapter 57: Closure And New BeginningsWe left the hospital after a week, and Ethan was recovering well. The doctor said he needed to come back for a final checkup in a week to make sure everything was fine. As we drove to the police station, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. I had convinced Ethan to come with me to see Emma, but I wasn't sure what to expect. Ethan kept asking me if I was okay, but I was lost in my thoughts. When we arrived at the police station, I spotted my stepmother, Vivian, standing in the office talking to my dad, looking smug. But her expression quickly changed when she saw Ethan and me walking in together. Her eyes narrowed, and she sneered at me. "You need to get my kids and me out of this place," she said to my dad, her voice venomous. "All this was your fault. If you hadn't brought that witch and treated her better than our kids, I wouldn't have done this. I had to fight for what actually belongs to my kids and me." My dad looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Are you done?
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Chapter 56: The RecoveryI woke up with a jolt, screaming Avery’s name. The pain in my shoulder was intense, but it was nothing compared to the fear that gripped my heart. I had to make sure she was okay. Then I heard her voice, soft and soothing. “Ethan, calm down, I’m okay.” I opened my eyes to see her face, bruised and battered, but smiling at me. A wave of relief washed over me, thank God she was okay. I looked her up and down, taking in her injuries. She had been treated, but I could see the pain in her eyes—a pain that went beyond physical hurt. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my shoulder, and I winced. “Easy, love,” Avery said, gently pushing me back onto the bed. “You’re okay” I said looking at her in shock. “I would sworn I saw you got shot before I lost consciousness” I said looking at confused and waiting for explanation. “Okay Ethan calm down you just woke up you need to rest” she said looking at me with love. “No I am fine I want to get all the details now” I said firmly “ok
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-28
Chapter: Chapter 55: The RescueMy eyes widened in fear as I jumped out of the window of the warehouse, my heart racing with adrenaline. I landed on the wrong foot, and a searing pain shot through my ankle, like a hot knife cutting through my flesh. I bit back a cry, knowing I had no time to indulge in the pain. I scrambled to my feet, my eyes scanning the surroundings, my breath coming in short gasps. Two of the men burst out of the warehouse, their guns drawn, their faces twisted with anger. My heart skipped a beat as the men pointed their guns at me. I took off, and I ran for my life not caring about the pain in my ankle, the sound of my own ragged breathing filling my ears. As I sprinted towards the gate, I was about to run out when a figure burst from the shadows, rushing towards me with a fierce determination. Ethan. My heart skipped a beat as he lunged at me, his body blocking the bullet meant for me. We hit the ground hard, Ethan was shot in the shoulder, and he was bleeding but he kept trying to tell m
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-28
Chapter: Chapter 54: Saving AveryI sat in my car, my mind racing with thoughts of Avery. Where was she? Who had taken her? I had been trying to track her phone, but it was still switched off. I was feeling desperate and tired of waiting. I have two suspects: her step-mum and her daughters, I noticed they never liked Avery but since she never discussed anything with me about them treating her badly, I chose to ignore whatever it's is I observed. Then her friend Emma, something just felt off about her, I just can't point a finger at it. One thing is for sure, Anyone who hurts Avery I would make them regret coming to this life. My phone rang I thought it was Taylor the private investigator but it was Avery’s dad, I decided to act calm and not tell him what was going on “Good afternoon sir” I said into the phone my heart beating fast “Ethan how are you doing, sorry to disturb you, I know you and Avery are both tired from yesterdays Stress but I really need speak to her, I have been trying her line it's not going th
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-04-28
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