01

In the embrace of the night's shadows, Allora Bryant took a deep breath to steady her racing heart as she made her way to the room, the soft silk nightgown clinging to her curves with a gentle caress. The delicate fabric felt like a second skin, and the absence of underwear heightened her senses, sending thrilling shivers down her spine with every step.

The cool breeze whispered against her bare skin, making her tremble, but it also carried a promise of something enchanting.

With a determined spirit, Allora urged herself forward, pushing aside any fears that threatened to dampen her excitement. After all, the man waiting inside the room was none other than her beloved husband, Mason Bryant, the man she had pledged her heart to three magical years ago.

This nightgown, chosen with care, was meant for intimate moments like these, to ignite the spark of their love anew.

As she stood outside the door, Allora gently touched her flushed cheeks, trying to soothe her nerves. Inhaling the fragrant scent of roses that adorned the room, she knocked softly, her heart fluttering with anticipation.

The door opened, revealing Mason's tall and powerful figure, but there was a hint of distance in his eyes, an unfamiliarity that saddened her. Yet, the sight of him, as handsome as a deity from an ancient Greek masterpiece, made her heart skip a beat.

"It is late. What's up?" Mason's voice was cool and distant, leaving Allora feeling a pang of uncertainty, as if she was facing a stranger instead of her husband.

Summoning her inner strength, Allora held his gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of longing and hope. "Mason, my love, do you remember what day it is?" Her voice quivered slightly, betraying the vulnerability she felt.

Mason's brow furrowed, his guarded expression softening just a fraction. "Get to the point," he replied, his tone still distant, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

Despite her disappointment at his initial response, Allora refused to let it overshadow her plan.

With a brave smile, she continued, "It is our third wedding anniversary. You have been so busy lately, but that doesn't matter now. I prepared a surprise for you!"

As she spoke, Allora's voice grew softer, the words carrying a touch of invitation. She stepped closer, feeling the magnetic pull between them, and reached out to gently touch his hand. "I want to remind us both of the passion that brought us together"

With each word, her fingers traced a delicate path along his skin. She longed for the warmth of his touch, the closeness they had shared.

No sooner had she finished speaking than a woman suddenly stepped out from behind Mason. She stood comfortably by his side and greeted Allora with a smile.

"Allora, I have heard so much about you from Mason. We haven't been introduced, have we?"

The woman was beautiful. Her voice was gentle, and her eyes were lively. It made people want to protect her.

But the sight of the woman shocked Allora. She froze, feeling the warmth drain from her hands and feet.

"Kylie? Why are you here?"

Though they had never met, Kylie Haywood's existence had always overshadowed Allora's marriage like a dark cloud.

The house was full of traces of Kylie. All the members of the Bryant family had reminded Allora that Kylie was Mason's woman of choice and that Allora was just the titular Mrs. Bryant.

Noticing Allora's sexy nightgown, Kylie lowered her eyes with embarrassment.

"Mason, am I disturbing you?"

Allora unleashed her hostility. "Yes, obviously."

The color drained from Kylie's face. "I am sorry. Please do not be angry. I'll leave right away."

As Kylie spoke, she moved as though she were about to leave.

Frowning, Mason looked at Allora and said, "Kylie is our guest, Allora. Watch your attitude."

Standing at the door, Allora felt a heavy weight in her chest, a crushing sense of humiliation that left her feeling utterly exposed and vulnerable. It was as though her heart had been laid bare, and all her hopes and dreams were shattered before her.

Legally bound as his wife, Allora had endured three years of neglect and disrespect from Mason and his family. The loneliness that haunted her days and haunted her nights was a constant reminder of the emotional distance that had grown between them.

Mason was always immersed in his work, leaving Allora yearning for his presence, but even when he did return, he seemed like a distant stranger.

The realization that they no longer slept in the same room felt like a knife to her heart, a cruel reminder of the emotional chasm that now separated them.

And now, standing at the threshold of Mason's room, she was confronted with a scene that shattered her soul. Another woman, brazenly occupying the space that was meant for her, was a heart-wrenching sight.

The betrayal and hurt struck her like a tidal wave, leaving her gasping for breath, struggling to comprehend what she was witnessing.

Anger and pain swirled within her, but she felt powerless to react. Her efforts to be patient and understanding had been in vain, her expectations of a loving and devoted husband now nothing more than a cruel joke. The pain of abandonment and the emptiness in her heart threatened to consume her entirely.

What had happened to the promises they made on their wedding day, the vows they exchanged with such hope and love?

Allora looked into Mason's eyes. "What about me?" she asked, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"Do not complicate things," Mason replied impatiently. "Kylie is recovering and needs rest. Which do you want, money or a gift? I'll make it up to you."

Allora watched as Kylie's eyes shone smugly. Before she knew it, she lost her temper.

"Mason, how do you not understand that it is never your money I want?"

Allora then spun around and left, dejected.

Mason watched her leave, pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyebrows.

Kylie blinked and said gently, "She should be angry with me. I'll go apologize to her."

Allora walked back into her room, changed out of her nightgown, and lay on the bed.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Allora's eyes lit up.

Did Mason come to see her?

The moment Allora swung open the door, her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened in shock. There stood Kylie, an ethereal beauty that seemed to outshine everything around her. The air seemed to grow thinner, and Allora felt as though she was drowning in a sea of emotions she could not comprehend.

Her voice trembled as she managed to utter, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Kylie's expression was cold and resolute, as if she had rehearsed this confrontation in her mind countless times. Her words struck Allora like a dagger to the heart, and the light in her eyes began to flicker, the warmth of her soul dimming with each passing second.

"You and Mason might have been married for three years, but I am the only one he loves. Up until recently, I was receiving treatment overseas. I did not think I had much time left, so I let Mason leave me and marry you. But now I have recovered. I hope you'll respect our love and divorce him."

With a mix of confusion and desperation, Allora pleaded, "But we've been married for three years. Mason and I..."

Kylie cut her off, her tone sharp and unyielding. "Married or not, it doesn't change the truth. You were nothing more than a placeholder while I was away, fighting for my life. Mason's heart belongs to me, and now that I have recovered, I want him back."

Allora's world was crumbling around her. She felt like a puppet in some cruel, twisted play where her happiness and love were being torn apart by forces beyond her control.

The raw pain and vulnerability in Allora's voice were palpable as she asked, "Did he know you were going to come back?"

Kylie's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Of course not. I wanted him to have a taste of life without me, to realize what he was missing. And now that I am back, he'll come to his senses, and we can finally be together again."

Allora's heart ached, but she was too dignified to let Kylie see her squirm.

"You, a mistress, are asking a wife to divorce her husband? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"

The smile on Kylie's face disappeared. "Watch your mouth, Allora. I am not a mistress. When it comes to love, the one who isn't loved is the mistress!"

As the tension in the room escalated, Allora's voice took on a newfound strength, her eyes flashing with defiance. "As long as I do not divorce, I am Mason's wife, and you are nothing more than a mistress," she retorted, refusing to let Kylie's cruel words break her spirit.

But Kylie was not one to be dismissed easily. Her face contorted with rage and desperation as she snapped back, "Do not get complacent, Allora. Let's see what Mason does when something happens to me."

Those words sent a chill down Allora's spine, and an unsettling feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. There was a hidden threat in Kylie's words, a sinister implication that she was not just going to step aside quietly.

Feeling a mix of fear and anger, Allora demanded, "What do you want, Kylie?"

Kylie's expression twisted into a malevolent grin, and before Allora could react, she lunged forward, grabbing Allora's arm with an iron grip. In a shocking turn of events, Kylie dragged Allora towards the stairs, her strength surprising and overpowering.

Panic surged through Allora's veins as she struggled to break free from Kylie's hold, but the woman's determination was relentless. Allora's heart pounded loudly in her ears.

"You can't do this!" Allora cried, her voice desperate and tinged with fear. "Let go of me!"

But Kylie seemed possessed by a dark force, fueled by jealousy and a fierce desire to reclaim what she believed was rightfully hers. The scene played out like a twisted dance of power and dominance, with Allora at the mercy of Kylie's wrath.

Allora's heart was in her throat. Fear and anger mingled within her, and a desperate plea escaped Allora's lips. "Please, Kylie, do not do this."

But Kylie's grip remained unyielding, and her eyes burned with an intensity that chilled Allora to the core. "You had your chance," she hissed, "Now it is my turn to be with Mason."

As they reached the top of the stairs, Allora's heart pounded erratically, her body trembling with fear and adrenaline. She knew she had to act quickly to escape Kylie's grip, but before she could even react, Kylie's voice pierced the air, laced with deceitful desperation:

"Mason! Help! Allora is trying to kill me!" Kylie screamed, her words like venomous daggers meant to manipulate Mason's emotions.

In her wild frenzy, Kylie threw herself down the stairs, still clinging onto Allora with a malicious grip.

Desperately trying to break free, Allora felt herself being pulled down the stairs in a horrifying descent. With each step she collided with, the world around her seemed to blur, and a sense of helplessness consumed her.

Bang!

Bang!