Page 83 of Broken Bonds

I lift the sheet to go to the bathroom, it’s an emergency.

A gasp comes out of my mouth when I realize I’m naked. No, no. Please no.

A gasp and a moan come from deep within my chest, more pain. My soul is torn as a veil.

Wasn’t it enough with what he had already done?

Why come back and give me the final blow?

I’m in the middle of the crossfire. I don’t know who my enemy is and who’s on my side. I’m naked and unarmed in front of a gale. The two are fighting for a reason that I don’t know and I’m another piece. A pawn that they move at will.

And I’ve reached my limit.

One thing is for sure, I have to get out of here. I must find a place to hide from both of them. I can’t be here, otherwise, this will grow like a snowball. Soon my family will be involved too and I don’t want my mother to be in danger.

After taking a shower that feels like heaven, I get dressed as fast as my hands allow. I put a few things in a handbag. I take some money from my secret hiding place and the keys to my old truck.

As soon as I’m safe, I’ll notify Aunt Felicia, she will know how to deal with my mother.

The first thing on the agenda is to find a safe haven. At least for now.

One step at a time.

Chapter 26

Lionel

My mother’s words hit me like a punch to the gut. But I know she doesn’t understand, she can’t possibly comprehend what I’ve been through.

She has no idea who Stella truly is, but I do.

I take a deep breath and try to calm my racing heart before meeting her. I have a plan, carefully crafted, to free her from the impostor’s grip and claim her for myself. My rightful place is by her side, as her husband.

I want to see her in a white dress walking towards me down the aisle. From the moment I first saw her, with those piercing blue eyes filled with happiness at my awakening, I knew she was meant to be mine.

No one could ever replace her in my memories, even when they were hazy and unclear. Stella is an unforgettable woman.

And in the short time we’ve known each other, she has become my entire world. She is my lifeline.

I can’t wait to share my future with her.

But first, we have to clear the air between us. She deserves to know the truth about everything that’s happened. From the very beginning, she took care of me without hesitation or doubt.

And I’ll never forget that indescribable feeling when our hands first touched. It was then that I knew she was meant to be mine, forever and always.

Ethan didn’t have to insist too much that I keep her close to me. Instead of doing it because it was suggested to me, I decided to take the opportunity to woo the woman of my dreams.

It was a tough decision, but I knew it was the right one. Stella had been hurt by the lies she believed about me, yet she still showed her love in every moment.

Her unwavering devotion.

I saw the fierce pride in her eyes when she spoke of her family or business.

And despite my attempts to shower her with gifts and take care of her, she remained stubborn and independent. That’s what I admired about her—her drive, her ambition. She was smart, capable, and I was proud to have her by my side as we conquered the world together. There was nothing she couldn’t achieve.

Day by day, step by step, Stella earned my trust.

I knew deep down there had to be a reasonable explanation for those mysterious bank deposits. If she wanted money, I could have easily given it to her with a swipe of my unlimited credit card. But that’s not what this was about. It was never about money with Stella.

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