Cruel Lies – Grace Bell

Cooking was beneath her. “Then I’ll cook for you.” He didn’t give up. He knelt, forcing his gaze to meet hers, capturing it no matter how she tried to look away. Though Evelyn feigned annoyance, she was inwardly stunned. Alain Rivers could cook? And he wanted to cook for her? She said nothing, so he pressed his advantage. “Come back with me. I’ll cook for you for the rest of our lives.” The words were so moving they snapped Evelyn back to reality.

Her racing heart turned to ice. “President Nash, don’t forget, we’re already divorced.” OceanofPDF.com “I tore up the divorce papers. They were never filed.” At the mention of their agreement, Alain’s face filled with remorse. “I’m sorry. I regret it. I’m sorry, Evelyn.” He knew how pathetic his apology sounded, but it was all he could offer. Evelyn, however, was completely unmoved. As if she were a different person entirely, she rose from the bed and glided to the far side of the room, putting distance between them.

Even in her silk pajamas, she carried herself like a queen. She leveled a cold, unfamiliar gaze at him, her lips twisting into a mocking smile. “President Nash, you’re only regretting it now because you found out I’m not some helpless orphan, aren’t you?” She knew, deep down, that he wasn’t that kind of man, but the bitter words spilled out anyway. “No!” Alain shot to his feet, reaching for her, but she slipped away as nimbly as a fish through water. He could only stand his ground and plead his case.

“The divorce… it was to protect you. I never meant to actually leave you.” “Protect me?” Evelyn laughed, a hollow, bitter sound. “Was your protection letting Grace Square mock me and walk all over me? Was your protection letting me lose our child? Was your protection having me thrown out of the Nash family home with nothing to my name?”

The words tumbled out, faster and faster, each one a knife twisting in her own heart as much as it tortured his. Her eyes were red, her voice sharper than he’d ever heard it. She was filled with a searing hatred—for him, but mostly for herself and her inability to let him go. Alain’s heart ached so fiercely he could barely breathe, but he knew her pain was a thousand times worse. He lunged forward to pull her into his arms, to offer what little comfort he could, but she dodged him again.

“Evelyn, I’m sorry. It’s complicated. Just… come back with me. I’ll explain everything.” He would tell her his reasons. He would tell her he had never stopped loving her. “Go back?” Evelyn swiped at a tear escaping the corner of her eye and sneered. “If I go back, what about Grace Square?” A murderous glint flickered in Alain’s eyes.

“My dealings with her and the Square family were just business. But she hurt you. The Square family is finished.” Evelyn’s expression barely changed.

Evelyn Forrest kicked restlessly at the covers, sweat beading on her flushed face as she mumbled, “Alain, it’s so hot…” The next moment, her eyes flew open. The bed felt wrong. The room was all wrong. This wasn’t her home. “Well, well, look who’s awake,” a greasy voice slurred from somewhere nearby.

Fighting a wave of dizzying discomfort, she forced her eyes to focus. An unfamiliar man stood a few feet away, his obese, slick-skinned form instantly repulsive. He had nothing on but a small towel wrapped precariously around his waist, the rolls of fat on his torso making him look like a lumpy, upright potato.

“Who are you? Do you have any idea who I am?” Despite the fog clouding her mind, Evelyn tried to keep her voice sharp, commanding. But she had no strength. The words, meant to be a threat, came out as a weak, almost barely audible whine. “Tch. Your man sent you to me. You think I don’t know who you are?” Without another word, the man rubbed his hands together and lunged for the bed.

“Better that you’re awake, anyway. Makes it more exciting, beautiful…” His words stunned her for a heartbeat, but the sight of him pouncing snapped her back to reality. She kicked out hard. She didn’t believe a word of it. Alain would never, ever do this to her. “Ooh, what a perfect little foot.

Looks like I hit the jackpot tonight!” The man easily caught her ankle, pressing his leering face against her skin. “Help!” Evelyn finally screamed, raw terror ripping through her. Bang! Just in time, the door shuddered with a deafening crash and was kicked clean off its hinges. A tall, imposing figure filled the doorway.

Deep-set eyes, thin, unforgiving lips—it was Alain. In that instant, just like so many times before, he was a god descending to save her. “Alain…” Tears streamed down her face. A sudden burst of strength surged from nowhere, and she shoved the fat man off her. “Who the hell are you?”

The man scrambled up from the bed, his bulk making him turn with difficulty. Alain’s face darkened, the very air around him seeming to drop twenty degrees. A single word escaped his lips, low and deadly. “Out.” Sensing the murderous intent crackling in the air, the man finally scurried away. Evelyn was in nothing but her underwear. She clutched the thin blanket to her chest, a pitiful shield.

As Alain walked toward her, the blanket slipped, revealing the smooth, delicate curve of her shoulder.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: dc62cc2e5f27bcc6
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 2,788,606 bytes (2.659 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 138
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 144.74 minutes
• Total Words: 28,948
• Total Characters: 163,113
• Average Words per Page: 209.77
• Average Characters per Page: 1181.98

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