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Ana sat beside him at the big indoor pool, .
Her arms folded as her gaze drifted from the water to his face.
She looked at him for a moment before she spoke.
“So… are you going to tell me the truth now?” she asked.
Mr. King glanced at her briefly before he replied, his tone calm but unreadable.
“Come and sit on my lap.”
Her lips parted in surprise, but no words came out.
“I…” she started, but then closed her mouth.
“I won’t do anything to you,” he said softly. “I just want you to sit on my lap, that’s it. I won’t hurt you. I won’t do whatever it is you’re thinking.”
Ana bit her lower lip, hesitant, then gave a small nod.
This was such a bad idea.
Sitting on top of him,was she really going to behave? Oh God.
She shook her head quickly, mentally cursing herself, but before she could move, Mr. King gently lifted her and settled her on his lap.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, resting his hand behind her back, his warmth sinking into her skin.
“Don’t try to distract me,” Ana said sharply, her voice low but firm.
“Now be honest. Start talking.”
“Fine, baby doll,” he sighed. “I’ll tell you everything.”
He inhaled deeply. “First of all… I’m sorry. For everything. For how I’ve treated you. I haven’t been honest. I’ve been unfair. I’ve always done things my way, thinking it was right,for me and for you. That’s who I am. And I know that’s not how love works. I know you hate it. And I’m sorry for that, baby doll.”
Ana just sat there, listening, her expression unreadable.
“I promise… if you choose to leave or stay, that’s your choice. I won’t stop you. But I can’t promise I’ll stay away forever. That’s something I won’t lie about.”
“So you’re saying… even if I go, you’ll chase me again?”
Mr. King smirked, his hand tracing lightly behind her back.
“Yes. I can give you months. I can back off for a while. But not forever. If it’s you… I’ll always come back.”
Ana let out a dry chuckle. “Okay. I hate you. Now go ahead. Say it all.”
“Alright,” he said, nodding.
“First of all, I was a jerk. A complete bastard. An asshole. Everything people called me, I deserved it. I mean, trying to marry Fatima? And doing it in front of you? Putting that ring on her? It was low. That time, when we came back from Paris, I meant it when I said I wanted the world to know about us. I was ready. Truly.”
He paused.
“But then I saw my mom. The state she was in… she was broken, Ana. Just lying there. Still. Empty. And she wouldn’t wake up. Wouldn’t look at me. It was like she had already left this world. I was scared.”
“So, what,you wanted married Fatima because of your mom?” Ana asked.
She scoffed.
“But your mom was in a coma, wasn’t she? She didn’t even know what was happening around her.”
Mr. Kings nodded slowly. “Yes… but I believed some part of me believed she could hear me. That if I showed her I was doing what she wanted, maybe she’d come back. Maybe she’d fight.”
Ana stared at him, trying to find the truth in his eyes.
“So you used me. Threw me aside, made me watch you put a ring on someone else, just because of what you thought might wake her up?”
“I didn’t think it through,” he said, pain flickering in his voice. “I was desperate. I thought I was losing everything. You, her, myself…”
“Well, congratulations,”
Ana cut in bitterly. “You did lose me.”
He flinched.
She looked away, blinking back the sting in her eyes. “You humiliated me. You didn’t just break my heart, you crushed it in front of everyone.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“And I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Mr. Kings ran a hand through his hair, then spoke again.
“But I need you to know… I never loved Fatima. It was never her. Not even once.”
“Then why kiss her like that? Why look at her the way you used to look at me?” she asked, her voice cracking.
He looked straight into her eyes.
“Because I was acting. Trying to sell the lie. Trying to convince my mother… and maybe myself, that I could live without you. But I can’t, Ana. I can’t.”
Her breath hitched at the rawness in his voice.
“I look at you and I still see the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. The woman who drives me crazy, makes me insane, but also keeps me alive.”
Her voice dropped. “You can’t just hurt people because you love them, Charlie. That’s not love.”
“I know. And I’m trying to change. For you.”
“Then prove it. Not just with words. Not with locked doors or rings or dragging me to some penthouse like a prisoner.”
“I will,” he whispered.
“But don’t ever think I’ll stop wanting you. I’ll wait… but I’ll never stop loving you.”
She looked away quickly, blinking back the storm rising in her chest.
“So now… are you going to give me a chance? Are you going to stay with me?” Mr. Kings asked, his voice soft but tense.
“Or do you still want to walk away?”
Ana stared at him for a moment, her hands trembling gently against his chest.
Then, slowly, she leaned in and kissed him.
Deep, lingering, her tongue brushing his as they melted into each other.
She pulled back, her breath unsteady, and stared into his eyes.
Her hands cupped his cheeks, holding him like something fragile, something precious.
She searched his gaze,looking for love, for sincerity, for hope, and she saw it.
All of it.
He did love her.
That was clear.
But he was also afraid.
Afraid of what?
Was it fear of losing her… or fear of not being enough?
She kissed his cheek softly and smiled,really smiled,for the first time since he had dragged her here.
Not that forced, polite smile.
This was the smile he always longed to see on her face.
“I don’t know if I want to stay or walk away,” she whispered.
“I want to give you a chance… but I also want to give myself one.”
Mr. Kings’ brow furrowed.
“What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“I mean… you have to let me go. Just,...just let me go for a while. Give me years to stay away from you.”
“F**k you are crazy years,” he snapped, suddenly, cutting her off. “I’m not doing that,shit Ana. I can give you months,weeks even,but not years. I can’t promise you that.”
His grip around her waist tightened.
“Then what do you want?” she asked.
“I want you to give me space,” she said firmly. “You said you were willing to do that. If you can give me the space I need, I’ll know you’re serious, Charlie. But if you’re not… then I’ll never see you the same again. So please, let me go. Just for a little while.”
“Ana, come on, you can’t do this to me,” he said, his voice cracking.
“I can’t give you years! What do you think I’ll do in that time? I’m not young. This marriage you keep saying is fake,it's real to me! We are married. You are my wife, and I am your husband. We didn’t stand in a church, no one watched us say vows, but it’s done, baby. We’re married. Do you think you can walk away from that?”
“I was married through a robbery, Charlie,” Ana cut in, her voice rising.
“Not properly. If you had done it the right way,if you had married me willingly, with love, not with manipulation and pressure,I would be here by your side. I told you I loved you. I meant it. None of it was a lie. But you… you did everything wrong, Charlie. You hurt me. You hurt Fatima. You broke me.”
Mr. Kings sank, his voice hoarse.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I hurt you like that. But please, just give me a chance. You can leave. You can go. But not to China or wherever you’re planning. Please.”
His voice cracked again as he stepped closer. “I’ll fall on my knees if that’s what it takes. Just don’t walk away from me. Don’t leave me like this.”
He swallowed hard, emotion thick in his throat.
“I can’t live without you. I can’t stand it, Ana. Please… don’t go.”
Ana swallowed hard, looking at the pain on his face.
Somehow, she felt sorry for him… but another part of her wanted him to feel the pain she’d endured all this time,the pain he caused when he played her.
"I... I..." she stammered. "You said... You said you were going to let me go, Did you not?" she asked.
Mr. Kings looked at her and gently pulled her body closer as he bit his lip.
"Yes, I said that. I said I’d give you space and..." He sighed.
"But baby, don’t you think you’re being unfair to me? Imagine years without you. Just imagine, I can’t even live a day without seeing your face. It will Just kill me, then. what about years? What would I be doing? And what would you be doing all those years without me?"
"I'll be finding myself," Ana replied.
"And you’ll be finding yourself also."
"So I’m asking," she continued, her voice steadier,
"Just give me this chance. Then I’ll come back to you. And when I do, I hope you’ll be a better person. You’ll be changed. You’ll be the man I want you to be, not this obsessed and manipulative bastard you are right now."
"F**k," he muttered.
"Fine. I’ll give you just three months," Mr. Kings said after a moment.
"But first... can you come with me to my parents’ house today?" he asked.
"To do what?" Ana asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I just want to tell everyone that I’m married," he said.
"No," Ana said firmly.
"We cannot do that. That’s going to cause trouble. And... didn’t your mom want you to marry Fatima?"
"No, my mom never wanted me to marry Fatima," Mr. Kings replied quickly.
"I believed she did. I convinced myself she did. But that wasn’t the truth."
"So please, come with me," he pleaded. "I’ll tell everyone you’re my wife. I’ll let them know about us."
Ana opened her lips to speak,but stopped when she saw Joy walking toward them,.
Alison right behind her.
She quickly got off Mr. Kings’ lap and ran to Joy, screaming her name like crazy.
"My God! I missed you!" she said, her voice trembling.
"I thought you were in China right now," Joy replied, her voice mockingly playful.
Ana giggled, then pulled back to look at her.
Her hand moved gently to Joy’s belly.
"How’s the little one?" she asked.
"Well, this little one’s fine... because now it’s growing," Joy said with a grin.
Ana smiled as her eyes briefly fell on her belly.
It was starting to show but only slightly.
"I missed you," Ana said again softly.
"And I missed you too. I’m so sorry for what Charlie did. And I promise, Ana, I didn’t tell him that you were leaving. Maybe Alison did, or someone else. I don’t know. But it wasn’t me," Joy said.
"I know, Joy. It’s fine. I never blamed you anyway."
"So... what now?" Joy asked as they walked toward the pool, where Mr. Kings was still standing with his hands in his pockets, watching them.
Alison stood beside him.
"So, you kidnapped her and brought her here?" Alison asked.
Mr. Kings chuckled softly, then looked up at him and replied, "Well... did you think I had a choice?"
"Well.. is she’s going to forgive you for that?"
Mr. Kings smirked, “Well, she’s my wife. She has no choice but to forgive her husband,” he said, his voice laced with arrogant pride.
Alison chuckled and shook his head.
“You’re a crazy bastard, Charlie. I’ve never met someone like you. The way you do things… it confuses everyone. You create chaos and then expect peace.”
Mr. Kings looked at him for a second, then glanced at Ana, who was laughing softly at something Joy had said.
His gaze softened just a little.
“Well, I know I can be extreme sometimes,” he muttered, “but that’s who I am. I can’t change that.”
" Are you coming with me to my parents 's house?"
“I’ll come with you,” Alison said.
“No way I’m missing the drama about to explode at your parents’ house.”
They both turned, walking toward Ana and Joy.
Mr Kings paused in front of them, clearing his throat.
“Can I talk to her for a minute?” he asked.
Before Joy could even respond, she swung her fist connected squarely with his jaw.
Ana gasped.
Alison doubled over laughing.
“You motherfucker!” Joy spat.
“How could you do this to my friend?!”
“Damn, that hurt,” Mr. Kings muttered, blinking and biting his tongue.
“Joy, I didn’t know you punch like that.”
Ana burst out laughing.
Mr. Kings narrowed his eyes at her.
“Are you laughing at me, baby doll?”
She smirked. “No. But you deserved that.” She turned to Joy.
“Thank you.”
Joy shook her head, grinning. “I wish I could’ve punched him harder. He really is an asshole. Locking you up like that in his penthouse? Who the hell does he think he is?”
Mr. Kings brushed his shirt, unfazed. “She’s my wife. I have every right.”
Joy scoffed. “She can also leave you, you know that? What are you gonna do, keep kidnapping her? You think that’s love?”
Alison stepped forward, placing a hand on Joy’s waist and pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Easy, baby,” he whispered. “Don’t let him get to you.This between husband and wife ”
Joy folded her arms, eyes still blazing. “Whatever. You defend him because you’ve always covered for his shit. But he better know… he messes with Ana again, he’ll be answering to me.”
“Relax, Joyce. You’re gonna upset the baby,” he said, his voice calm but heavy.
“I promise… I won’t hurt her again. That was a mistake. One I swear I won’t repeat. If she wants to walk away from me, I won’t stop her this time. But just know..” his eyes shifted to Ana
“I love your friend. And I’ll never hurt her again. I promise.”
Joyce folded her arms tightly across her chest, her eyes narrow.
“Whatever,” she muttered.
“I don’t trust you. I don’t even recognize who you are anymore. You used to be good. Kind. Now? You think you're some damn king who gets to control everything.” Her voice was sharp, mocking.
Mr. Kings chuckled lowly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as his eyes slowly returned to Ana.
“Now you’re mocking me?” he asked.
“No,” Joyce snapped. “Just telling it like it is. You’re an asshole. Try changing.”
Then, turning to Alison, she said,
“Come on, let’s get food. Let the husband and wife talk.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.
Alison gently nodded, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. “Alright, baby. Let’s go.”
Ana watched them disappear inside with a soft smile on her face, warmth blooming in her chest at the sight of her friend so protective.
She turned back to face him, her man,who now stepped closer, heat burning in his eyes.
He didn’t speak.
He just wrapped his arms around her waist, drew her in, and kissed her.
Slowly.
Deeply.
Possessively.
His lips moved against hers like he had been starving for her.
She melted into it for a moment,until the kiss grew too intense,and she pulled back with a breathless laugh.
“What do you want?” she asked, lips swollen, cheeks flushed.
“I want you to come with me to my parents’ house,” he said, brushing his thumb across her lower lip, still breathless.
Ana blinked. “For what, Charlie? I don't think you should tell them we’re married. That’s a bad idea.”
“I want them to know about you,” he said softly.
“You, the woman I love. Okay, baby doll? When we come back, you decide,stay or go. I won’t stop you. Not this time.”
She swallowed hard, staring into his eyes.
“You… want me to go?”
“No,” he whispered.
“God, no. But if it’s what you need… I’ll let you.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes.
Then she suddenly threw herself into his arms, wrapping around him tightly.
“I love you,” she whispered against his chest.
Mr. King froze for a second, then gently pushed her back just enough to see her face.
“You love me?” he asked, voice rough.
“Yes. I do.”
He exhaled sharply. “Say it again.”
“I love you, Charlie.”
He cupped her face, then whispered, voice thick with emotion, “I love you, woman. Fuck, I love you.”
Then he began kissing her face, her cheeks, her jaw, her nose, her forehead,like a man who had nearly lost everything.
Ana giggled, breathless. “Stop… you’re literally eating my face.”
He paused, smiling like a boy in love, holding her tight.
“God, I love you so damn much. If we can make this work, Ana… I’ll give you everything. I’ll spend my life making up for what I’ve done.”
Ana looked up at him, her heart pounding. “I know. But I don’t trust you yet, Charlie. You broke it. And it’s not easy to fix. Maybe… if you prove it to me, show me, again and again... maybe then I’ll believe you.”
He nodded slowly, pulling her into him once more, his lips pressing against her hair.
“I’ll show you, woman. Every damn day. Just don’t leave me.”
*********
At Mr. Kings's parents' house, Mr. Kings opened the door for Ana.
She hesitated, her hands already trembling with fear.
He looked at her for a moment, then gently placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer before kissing her forehead.
“Can you calm down for me?” he asked, his voice low and soft.
Ana looked up at him, her chest rising with each nervous breath.
“I don’t think this is a good idea… I’m so scared. I mean… what is everyone going to say?”
Mr. Kings let out a soft chuckle, brushing her cheek with his thumb.
“Relax for me, baby. Please,” he said.
Ana nodded slowly.
“I’m here. Your husband is here with you. No one is going to blame you or say anything. I just want my parents to know about you. Okay? You are my wife. They have a right to know.”
Joyce and Alison walked up to them.
“You okay, Ana?” Joyce asked.
Ana turned to her, managing a small smile.
“I think I am now. We can go,” she said, taking Mr. Kings’s hand as they approached the massive front door.
She remembered this place too well how she stood out here crying the night he gave Fatima a ring.
Clinging to the walls of this mansion as if they could hold her together.
But that was the past. Right?
Mr. King glanced at her, sensing the shift in her energy.
He could see it the tension gripping her, the storm in her eyes.
He swallowed hard, then whispered:
“Relax, baby girl. It’s us against the world. I don’t give a fuck what anyone says. We’re walking through that door. And from now on, that’s our door. Be strong for me, okay?” he said, leaning in to kiss her earlobe.
Ana nodded and gave him a brave smile.
The huge doors slid open.
Inside, the grand living room buzzed with conversation,voices, footsteps, clinking glasses.
Her heart pounded.
Then… her eyes locked on Fatima, seated elegantly on the couch.
Samantha was beside her.
Both of them snapped their heads toward the entrance the moment Ana and Mr. Kings appeared.
Samantha's expression twisted in instant disgust.
“What the f*ck is she doing here?” she barked.
Ana rolled her eyes internally.
The woman already started, she thought.
Then Fatima rose.
Her face was pale, lips trembling, dark circles under her eyes like she hadn’t slept,or had been crying.
“So he left his wedding… to go to her?” Fatima said, her voice cracking.
“And now you bring her here?”
Mr. Kings didn’t look at her.
He stared ahead, cold and unfazed.
“Where’s Mom?” he asked.
Clara was already hurrying to Ana.
She threw her arms around her tightly.
“My God, I missed you! I thought you were going to leave us. I missed you so much,” Clara whispered.
“I’m here. I missed you too,” Ana said softly, hugging her back.
Clara kissed her cheek.
“You’re glowing. You look beautiful,” she added.
Ana smiled, looking down. “Thank you.”
“Can you stop this nonsense and tell us what she’s doing here?!” Samantha snapped, stepping forward, her face twisted with rage.
Her glare locked on Ana, eyes like daggers.
“You b*tch. You just don’t learn, do you? What the f*ck are you doing with my brother?”
Ana didn’t flinch.
Her voice came out bold,stronger than she even expected from herself.
“Here we go again. Just insulting others, as always,” she replied, her tone calm but cutting.
Everyone went quiet.
Ana took a breath, stepped forward, and met Samantha’s glare with a smirk.
“Look, Sam. I’m here. And I’m not leaving this time. So keep your voice down…” she paused, eyes sharp and unbothered “...sister-in-law.”
Samantha swallowed hard, stunned into silence.
“Sister-in…”
Fatima’s voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
“…law what?”
Her eyes dropped to Ana’s hand.
And froze.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
No. No…
No, it can’t be.
That ring.
That damn ring.
The gold glinted under the chandelier,elegant, old, royal.
The family ring.
The one Mrs. Kings Sr. had worn with pride.
The one meant for Charlie’s wife.
His real wife.
Fatima’s breathing hitched.
Her throat dried up.
Her knees buckled beneath her.
And before anyone could react.
THUD.
She collapsed, crumpling to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
Gasps echoed across the room.
“Tima!” Samantha cried out, rushing to her side in panic, hands shaking as she tried to lift her.
A beat of silence.
Then
Joyce burst out laughing.
Like, full-on laughing.
Cackling.
Everyone stared at her like she’d lost her damn mind.
Alison elbowed her lightly. “Babe… come on…” he scolded, struggling to hold back his own grin.
Joyce slapped her hand over her mouth, still wheezing.
“I’m sorry...I’m sorry! But I can’t believe the b*tch actually fainted,” she said between giggles.
“And did y’all see her face? She looked like she’d been dragged through a storm”
Ana shook her head, a small smile tugging on her lips.
She didn’t need to say anything.
Because the ring said it all.
And that floor? It had just caught Fatima’s last shred of hope.
T......
....B
.....C
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Ana sat beside him at the big indoor pool, .
Her arms folded as her gaze drifted from the water to his face.
She looked at him for a moment before she spoke.
“So… are you going to tell me the truth now?” she asked.
Mr. King glanced at her briefly before he replied, his tone calm but unreadable.
“Come and sit on my lap.”
Her lips parted in surprise, but no words came out.
“I…” she started, but then closed her mouth.
“I won’t do anything to you,” he said softly. “I just want you to sit on my lap, that’s it. I won’t hurt you. I won’t do whatever it is you’re thinking.”
Ana bit her lower lip, hesitant, then gave a small nod.
This was such a bad idea.
Sitting on top of him,was she really going to behave? Oh God.
She shook her head quickly, mentally cursing herself, but before she could move, Mr. King gently lifted her and settled her on his lap.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, resting his hand behind her back, his warmth sinking into her skin.
“Don’t try to distract me,” Ana said sharply, her voice low but firm.
“Now be honest. Start talking.”
“Fine, baby doll,” he sighed. “I’ll tell you everything.”
He inhaled deeply. “First of all… I’m sorry. For everything. For how I’ve treated you. I haven’t been honest. I’ve been unfair. I’ve always done things my way, thinking it was right,for me and for you. That’s who I am. And I know that’s not how love works. I know you hate it. And I’m sorry for that, baby doll.”
Ana just sat there, listening, her expression unreadable.
“I promise… if you choose to leave or stay, that’s your choice. I won’t stop you. But I can’t promise I’ll stay away forever. That’s something I won’t lie about.”
“So you’re saying… even if I go, you’ll chase me again?”
Mr. King smirked, his hand tracing lightly behind her back.
“Yes. I can give you months. I can back off for a while. But not forever. If it’s you… I’ll always come back.”
Ana let out a dry chuckle. “Okay. I hate you. Now go ahead. Say it all.”
“Alright,” he said, nodding.
“First of all, I was a jerk. A complete bastard. An asshole. Everything people called me, I deserved it. I mean, trying to marry Fatima? And doing it in front of you? Putting that ring on her? It was low. That time, when we came back from Paris, I meant it when I said I wanted the world to know about us. I was ready. Truly.”
He paused.
“But then I saw my mom. The state she was in… she was broken, Ana. Just lying there. Still. Empty. And she wouldn’t wake up. Wouldn’t look at me. It was like she had already left this world. I was scared.”
“So, what,you wanted married Fatima because of your mom?” Ana asked.
She scoffed.
“But your mom was in a coma, wasn’t she? She didn’t even know what was happening around her.”
Mr. Kings nodded slowly. “Yes… but I believed some part of me believed she could hear me. That if I showed her I was doing what she wanted, maybe she’d come back. Maybe she’d fight.”
Ana stared at him, trying to find the truth in his eyes.
“So you used me. Threw me aside, made me watch you put a ring on someone else, just because of what you thought might wake her up?”
“I didn’t think it through,” he said, pain flickering in his voice. “I was desperate. I thought I was losing everything. You, her, myself…”
“Well, congratulations,”
Ana cut in bitterly. “You did lose me.”
He flinched.
She looked away, blinking back the sting in her eyes. “You humiliated me. You didn’t just break my heart, you crushed it in front of everyone.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“And I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Mr. Kings ran a hand through his hair, then spoke again.
“But I need you to know… I never loved Fatima. It was never her. Not even once.”
“Then why kiss her like that? Why look at her the way you used to look at me?” she asked, her voice cracking.
He looked straight into her eyes.
“Because I was acting. Trying to sell the lie. Trying to convince my mother… and maybe myself, that I could live without you. But I can’t, Ana. I can’t.”
Her breath hitched at the rawness in his voice.
“I look at you and I still see the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. The woman who drives me crazy, makes me insane, but also keeps me alive.”
Her voice dropped. “You can’t just hurt people because you love them, Charlie. That’s not love.”
“I know. And I’m trying to change. For you.”
“Then prove it. Not just with words. Not with locked doors or rings or dragging me to some penthouse like a prisoner.”
“I will,” he whispered.
“But don’t ever think I’ll stop wanting you. I’ll wait… but I’ll never stop loving you.”
She looked away quickly, blinking back the storm rising in her chest.
“So now… are you going to give me a chance? Are you going to stay with me?” Mr. Kings asked, his voice soft but tense.
“Or do you still want to walk away?”
Ana stared at him for a moment, her hands trembling gently against his chest.
Then, slowly, she leaned in and kissed him.
Deep, lingering, her tongue brushing his as they melted into each other.
She pulled back, her breath unsteady, and stared into his eyes.
Her hands cupped his cheeks, holding him like something fragile, something precious.
She searched his gaze,looking for love, for sincerity, for hope, and she saw it.
All of it.
He did love her.
That was clear.
But he was also afraid.
Afraid of what?
Was it fear of losing her… or fear of not being enough?
She kissed his cheek softly and smiled,really smiled,for the first time since he had dragged her here.
Not that forced, polite smile.
This was the smile he always longed to see on her face.
“I don’t know if I want to stay or walk away,” she whispered.
“I want to give you a chance… but I also want to give myself one.”
Mr. Kings’ brow furrowed.
“What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“I mean… you have to let me go. Just,...just let me go for a while. Give me years to stay away from you.”
“F**k you are crazy years,” he snapped, suddenly, cutting her off. “I’m not doing that,shit Ana. I can give you months,weeks even,but not years. I can’t promise you that.”
His grip around her waist tightened.
“Then what do you want?” she asked.
“I want you to give me space,” she said firmly. “You said you were willing to do that. If you can give me the space I need, I’ll know you’re serious, Charlie. But if you’re not… then I’ll never see you the same again. So please, let me go. Just for a little while.”
“Ana, come on, you can’t do this to me,” he said, his voice cracking.
“I can’t give you years! What do you think I’ll do in that time? I’m not young. This marriage you keep saying is fake,it's real to me! We are married. You are my wife, and I am your husband. We didn’t stand in a church, no one watched us say vows, but it’s done, baby. We’re married. Do you think you can walk away from that?”
“I was married through a robbery, Charlie,” Ana cut in, her voice rising.
“Not properly. If you had done it the right way,if you had married me willingly, with love, not with manipulation and pressure,I would be here by your side. I told you I loved you. I meant it. None of it was a lie. But you… you did everything wrong, Charlie. You hurt me. You hurt Fatima. You broke me.”
Mr. Kings sank, his voice hoarse.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I hurt you like that. But please, just give me a chance. You can leave. You can go. But not to China or wherever you’re planning. Please.”
His voice cracked again as he stepped closer. “I’ll fall on my knees if that’s what it takes. Just don’t walk away from me. Don’t leave me like this.”
He swallowed hard, emotion thick in his throat.
“I can’t live without you. I can’t stand it, Ana. Please… don’t go.”
Ana swallowed hard, looking at the pain on his face.
Somehow, she felt sorry for him… but another part of her wanted him to feel the pain she’d endured all this time,the pain he caused when he played her.
"I... I..." she stammered. "You said... You said you were going to let me go, Did you not?" she asked.
Mr. Kings looked at her and gently pulled her body closer as he bit his lip.
"Yes, I said that. I said I’d give you space and..." He sighed.
"But baby, don’t you think you’re being unfair to me? Imagine years without you. Just imagine, I can’t even live a day without seeing your face. It will Just kill me, then. what about years? What would I be doing? And what would you be doing all those years without me?"
"I'll be finding myself," Ana replied.
"And you’ll be finding yourself also."
"So I’m asking," she continued, her voice steadier,
"Just give me this chance. Then I’ll come back to you. And when I do, I hope you’ll be a better person. You’ll be changed. You’ll be the man I want you to be, not this obsessed and manipulative bastard you are right now."
"F**k," he muttered.
"Fine. I’ll give you just three months," Mr. Kings said after a moment.
"But first... can you come with me to my parents’ house today?" he asked.
"To do what?" Ana asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I just want to tell everyone that I’m married," he said.
"No," Ana said firmly.
"We cannot do that. That’s going to cause trouble. And... didn’t your mom want you to marry Fatima?"
"No, my mom never wanted me to marry Fatima," Mr. Kings replied quickly.
"I believed she did. I convinced myself she did. But that wasn’t the truth."
"So please, come with me," he pleaded. "I’ll tell everyone you’re my wife. I’ll let them know about us."
Ana opened her lips to speak,but stopped when she saw Joy walking toward them,.
Alison right behind her.
She quickly got off Mr. Kings’ lap and ran to Joy, screaming her name like crazy.
"My God! I missed you!" she said, her voice trembling.
"I thought you were in China right now," Joy replied, her voice mockingly playful.
Ana giggled, then pulled back to look at her.
Her hand moved gently to Joy’s belly.
"How’s the little one?" she asked.
"Well, this little one’s fine... because now it’s growing," Joy said with a grin.
Ana smiled as her eyes briefly fell on her belly.
It was starting to show but only slightly.
"I missed you," Ana said again softly.
"And I missed you too. I’m so sorry for what Charlie did. And I promise, Ana, I didn’t tell him that you were leaving. Maybe Alison did, or someone else. I don’t know. But it wasn’t me," Joy said.
"I know, Joy. It’s fine. I never blamed you anyway."
"So... what now?" Joy asked as they walked toward the pool, where Mr. Kings was still standing with his hands in his pockets, watching them.
Alison stood beside him.
"So, you kidnapped her and brought her here?" Alison asked.
Mr. Kings chuckled softly, then looked up at him and replied, "Well... did you think I had a choice?"
"Well.. is she’s going to forgive you for that?"
Mr. Kings smirked, “Well, she’s my wife. She has no choice but to forgive her husband,” he said, his voice laced with arrogant pride.
Alison chuckled and shook his head.
“You’re a crazy bastard, Charlie. I’ve never met someone like you. The way you do things… it confuses everyone. You create chaos and then expect peace.”
Mr. Kings looked at him for a second, then glanced at Ana, who was laughing softly at something Joy had said.
His gaze softened just a little.
“Well, I know I can be extreme sometimes,” he muttered, “but that’s who I am. I can’t change that.”
" Are you coming with me to my parents 's house?"
“I’ll come with you,” Alison said.
“No way I’m missing the drama about to explode at your parents’ house.”
They both turned, walking toward Ana and Joy.
Mr Kings paused in front of them, clearing his throat.
“Can I talk to her for a minute?” he asked.
Before Joy could even respond, she swung her fist connected squarely with his jaw.
Ana gasped.
Alison doubled over laughing.
“You motherfucker!” Joy spat.
“How could you do this to my friend?!”
“Damn, that hurt,” Mr. Kings muttered, blinking and biting his tongue.
“Joy, I didn’t know you punch like that.”
Ana burst out laughing.
Mr. Kings narrowed his eyes at her.
“Are you laughing at me, baby doll?”
She smirked. “No. But you deserved that.” She turned to Joy.
“Thank you.”
Joy shook her head, grinning. “I wish I could’ve punched him harder. He really is an asshole. Locking you up like that in his penthouse? Who the hell does he think he is?”
Mr. Kings brushed his shirt, unfazed. “She’s my wife. I have every right.”
Joy scoffed. “She can also leave you, you know that? What are you gonna do, keep kidnapping her? You think that’s love?”
Alison stepped forward, placing a hand on Joy’s waist and pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Easy, baby,” he whispered. “Don’t let him get to you.This between husband and wife ”
Joy folded her arms, eyes still blazing. “Whatever. You defend him because you’ve always covered for his shit. But he better know… he messes with Ana again, he’ll be answering to me.”
“Relax, Joyce. You’re gonna upset the baby,” he said, his voice calm but heavy.
“I promise… I won’t hurt her again. That was a mistake. One I swear I won’t repeat. If she wants to walk away from me, I won’t stop her this time. But just know..” his eyes shifted to Ana
“I love your friend. And I’ll never hurt her again. I promise.”
Joyce folded her arms tightly across her chest, her eyes narrow.
“Whatever,” she muttered.
“I don’t trust you. I don’t even recognize who you are anymore. You used to be good. Kind. Now? You think you're some damn king who gets to control everything.” Her voice was sharp, mocking.
Mr. Kings chuckled lowly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as his eyes slowly returned to Ana.
“Now you’re mocking me?” he asked.
“No,” Joyce snapped. “Just telling it like it is. You’re an asshole. Try changing.”
Then, turning to Alison, she said,
“Come on, let’s get food. Let the husband and wife talk.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.
Alison gently nodded, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. “Alright, baby. Let’s go.”
Ana watched them disappear inside with a soft smile on her face, warmth blooming in her chest at the sight of her friend so protective.
She turned back to face him, her man,who now stepped closer, heat burning in his eyes.
He didn’t speak.
He just wrapped his arms around her waist, drew her in, and kissed her.
Slowly.
Deeply.
Possessively.
His lips moved against hers like he had been starving for her.
She melted into it for a moment,until the kiss grew too intense,and she pulled back with a breathless laugh.
“What do you want?” she asked, lips swollen, cheeks flushed.
“I want you to come with me to my parents’ house,” he said, brushing his thumb across her lower lip, still breathless.
Ana blinked. “For what, Charlie? I don't think you should tell them we’re married. That’s a bad idea.”
“I want them to know about you,” he said softly.
“You, the woman I love. Okay, baby doll? When we come back, you decide,stay or go. I won’t stop you. Not this time.”
She swallowed hard, staring into his eyes.
“You… want me to go?”
“No,” he whispered.
“God, no. But if it’s what you need… I’ll let you.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes.
Then she suddenly threw herself into his arms, wrapping around him tightly.
“I love you,” she whispered against his chest.
Mr. King froze for a second, then gently pushed her back just enough to see her face.
“You love me?” he asked, voice rough.
“Yes. I do.”
He exhaled sharply. “Say it again.”
“I love you, Charlie.”
He cupped her face, then whispered, voice thick with emotion, “I love you, woman. Fuck, I love you.”
Then he began kissing her face, her cheeks, her jaw, her nose, her forehead,like a man who had nearly lost everything.
Ana giggled, breathless. “Stop… you’re literally eating my face.”
He paused, smiling like a boy in love, holding her tight.
“God, I love you so damn much. If we can make this work, Ana… I’ll give you everything. I’ll spend my life making up for what I’ve done.”
Ana looked up at him, her heart pounding. “I know. But I don’t trust you yet, Charlie. You broke it. And it’s not easy to fix. Maybe… if you prove it to me, show me, again and again... maybe then I’ll believe you.”
He nodded slowly, pulling her into him once more, his lips pressing against her hair.
“I’ll show you, woman. Every damn day. Just don’t leave me.”
*********
At Mr. Kings's parents' house, Mr. Kings opened the door for Ana.
She hesitated, her hands already trembling with fear.
He looked at her for a moment, then gently placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer before kissing her forehead.
“Can you calm down for me?” he asked, his voice low and soft.
Ana looked up at him, her chest rising with each nervous breath.
“I don’t think this is a good idea… I’m so scared. I mean… what is everyone going to say?”
Mr. Kings let out a soft chuckle, brushing her cheek with his thumb.
“Relax for me, baby. Please,” he said.
Ana nodded slowly.
“I’m here. Your husband is here with you. No one is going to blame you or say anything. I just want my parents to know about you. Okay? You are my wife. They have a right to know.”
Joyce and Alison walked up to them.
“You okay, Ana?” Joyce asked.
Ana turned to her, managing a small smile.
“I think I am now. We can go,” she said, taking Mr. Kings’s hand as they approached the massive front door.
She remembered this place too well how she stood out here crying the night he gave Fatima a ring.
Clinging to the walls of this mansion as if they could hold her together.
But that was the past. Right?
Mr. King glanced at her, sensing the shift in her energy.
He could see it the tension gripping her, the storm in her eyes.
He swallowed hard, then whispered:
“Relax, baby girl. It’s us against the world. I don’t give a fuck what anyone says. We’re walking through that door. And from now on, that’s our door. Be strong for me, okay?” he said, leaning in to kiss her earlobe.
Ana nodded and gave him a brave smile.
The huge doors slid open.
Inside, the grand living room buzzed with conversation,voices, footsteps, clinking glasses.
Her heart pounded.
Then… her eyes locked on Fatima, seated elegantly on the couch.
Samantha was beside her.
Both of them snapped their heads toward the entrance the moment Ana and Mr. Kings appeared.
Samantha's expression twisted in instant disgust.
“What the f*ck is she doing here?” she barked.
Ana rolled her eyes internally.
The woman already started, she thought.
Then Fatima rose.
Her face was pale, lips trembling, dark circles under her eyes like she hadn’t slept,or had been crying.
“So he left his wedding… to go to her?” Fatima said, her voice cracking.
“And now you bring her here?”
Mr. Kings didn’t look at her.
He stared ahead, cold and unfazed.
“Where’s Mom?” he asked.
Clara was already hurrying to Ana.
She threw her arms around her tightly.
“My God, I missed you! I thought you were going to leave us. I missed you so much,” Clara whispered.
“I’m here. I missed you too,” Ana said softly, hugging her back.
Clara kissed her cheek.
“You’re glowing. You look beautiful,” she added.
Ana smiled, looking down. “Thank you.”
“Can you stop this nonsense and tell us what she’s doing here?!” Samantha snapped, stepping forward, her face twisted with rage.
Her glare locked on Ana, eyes like daggers.
“You b*tch. You just don’t learn, do you? What the f*ck are you doing with my brother?”
Ana didn’t flinch.
Her voice came out bold,stronger than she even expected from herself.
“Here we go again. Just insulting others, as always,” she replied, her tone calm but cutting.
Everyone went quiet.
Ana took a breath, stepped forward, and met Samantha’s glare with a smirk.
“Look, Sam. I’m here. And I’m not leaving this time. So keep your voice down…” she paused, eyes sharp and unbothered “...sister-in-law.”
Samantha swallowed hard, stunned into silence.
“Sister-in…”
Fatima’s voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
“…law what?”
Her eyes dropped to Ana’s hand.
And froze.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
No. No…
No, it can’t be.
That ring.
That damn ring.
The gold glinted under the chandelier,elegant, old, royal.
The family ring.
The one Mrs. Kings Sr. had worn with pride.
The one meant for Charlie’s wife.
His real wife.
Fatima’s breathing hitched.
Her throat dried up.
Her knees buckled beneath her.
And before anyone could react.
THUD.
She collapsed, crumpling to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
Gasps echoed across the room.
“Tima!” Samantha cried out, rushing to her side in panic, hands shaking as she tried to lift her.
A beat of silence.
Then
Joyce burst out laughing.
Like, full-on laughing.
Cackling.
Everyone stared at her like she’d lost her damn mind.
Alison elbowed her lightly. “Babe… come on…” he scolded, struggling to hold back his own grin.
Joyce slapped her hand over her mouth, still wheezing.
“I’m sorry...I’m sorry! But I can’t believe the b*tch actually fainted,” she said between giggles.
“And did y’all see her face? She looked like she’d been dragged through a storm”
Ana shook her head, a small smile tugging on her lips.
She didn’t need to say anything.
Because the ring said it all.
And that floor? It had just caught Fatima’s last shred of hope.
T......
....B
.....C
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