18-year-old Michelle Agrilla's world came crashing down when she discovered she was pregnant. She should have been happy, she had her life all planned out with Luis, her childhood sweetheart. But she didn't even know the whereabouts of the father of her child. His family told her he left on a high-risk undercover mission in another country, but he didn't even tell her before he left her alone and with no means to reach him. In the midst of heartache and uncertainty, she found herself agreeing to marry her professor, despite not having any real feelings for him. Three years later, she is kidnapped by Luis after he returns, disrupting her life and her plans for the future. Shockingly, he leaves behind their two-year-old son, disclaiming any responsibility for him. Will Michelle forgive Luis for abandoning her in the past and stay with him? Or will she keep her marriage? *** Following his impromptu departure, Luis returned two months later, eager to catch a glimpse of his woman, even if it meant admiring her from a distance. His longing to see her overshadowed the fear of endangering her life. However, his longings came to an abrupt halt when he witnessed her marrying another man and discovered she was a month pregnant. The revelation left him broken, he couldn't believe Michelle cheated on him after all the love she professed to him. Three years later, upon his return from his mission, he thought he was over his love for her, however seeing her again reignited his desire for. So he abducted her, unable to bear the thought of living without her again. This book is a sequel to 'You Belong to Me! Ex-wife.' But can be read as a stand-alone.
As soon as the school bell chimed, signaling the end of class, students swiftly gathered their books and personal belongings, eager to vacate the classroom as if they were sitting on pins and needles and couldn't wait to get off. Michelle, as usual, was the last to exit the class.
After gathering all her items, she made her way out of the class, her thoughts consumed with one person, Ryan Luis Collins. She had been counting down every second until now. Not that thinking about him hindered her studies, though.
'What was going to happen when she got home? She was now 18, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer from Luis. He had promised to make her his woman when she turned 18. Now she couldn't wait to meet him, the love of her life.
She hurriedly made her way to her hostel, as she had already packed her stuff. All that was left was for her to say goodbye to Alan before she left for the airport.
Alan is Michelle's professor and friend. He had approached her when he first arrived at the school, and it sparked a flurry of rumors suggesting an inappropriate relationship between the two. Rumors spread that she was warming his bed, and she couldn't blame them.
Alan's charm, manly qualities, and young age made him the center of attention, leaving all the girls vying for his attention; they all wanted him for themselves. So they couldn't come to terms with the fact that Alan approached Michelle, a girl who tends to keep to herself and has rarely made friends.
Alan walked out of his office when his eyes caught a glimpse of a distracted Michelle approaching from the opposite direction. With a sly glint in his eye, he deliberately walked into her.
"Hey, watch it, damn it!" Michelle exclaimed when a figure suddenly crossed her, and she collided into the person's firm chest, causing her to almost lose her balance and fall.
However, the person was quick to wrap his hands around her waist, holding her in place.
'Damn it, Luis would kill whoever it is if he had seen this,' Michelle thought. But she immediately pulled away upon hearing Alan's masculine voice.
"I'm sorry, Michelle; I was checking something on the phone and didn't see you," Alan said, holding her gaze. 'Damn, she is fucking pretty,' he thought as he released his grip on her and slipped his phone into his pocket. Luckily, he was holding his phone, so he used the excuse of looking on his phone. And judging by the way Michelle gaze shifted to his phone, if she had doubted him, she believed him now.
"Professor... I... I didn't realize it was you," Michelle stuttered, feeling embarrassed for doubting Alan, and also for cursing at him earlier. 'Of all people, why did I have to bump into him?' She cursed internally, looking down.
"Hey, I told you to call me Alan; aren't we friends?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, Profe... I mean Alan." Michelle murmured, still avoiding eye contact. Alan smirked at her action. He gazed longingly at her, his longing palpable in his voice.
"Michelle, look at me," he urged, his fingers itching to reach for her chin and make her glance back at him with her clear, captivating eyes that seemed to suck him in. Michelle looked up with a forced smile, and Alan said,
"There, that is the smile I have come to admire so much," even though he could see her effort to conceal her true feelings by forcing a smile at him.
His eyes darted over to the wine colored suitcase next to her, and a pang of anger and jealousy surged through him as he realized she was all set to leave already. 'What had this mysterious boy done to her that made her oblivious to his deep-seated affection for her?' These thoughts swirled in Alan's mind, creating a storm of emotions within him, but he quickly concealed it.
Michelle could swear she saw Alan's jaw tense when he shifted his gaze to her luggage, but he was quick to conceal it and asked in a teasing tone,
"Already packed, huh?" Michelle, acting ignorant, smiled and nodded with a small,
"Yes," and added, "I was actually on my way to see you before I left."
"Do you need a ride to the airport? I can take you," Alan offered, already reaching for her suitcase. But she pulled it back and quickly said,
"I already booked an Uber, thanks." Michelle knew of Alan's romantic feelings for her but decided to feign ignorance. She appreciated their friendship and was determined to avoid any situation that might urge him to declare his love to her. She knew if Alan were to propose, it would create an uncomfortable and awkward aura between them. Hence, she made sure to avoid being alone with him.
"Okay," Alan replied with a forceful smile. He fucking needed to vent his anger; she was rejecting him once again.
Michelle could sense the sudden change in his demeanor. He wasn't pleased with her action, and she felt bad. But it wasn't her fault; she loved Luis and didn't want to give Alan high hopes, and she didn't want rumors to spread again. She bumping into him earlier might have sparked rumors already, and to mention riding in his car. She smiled awkwardly and said,
"See you after spring, Professor." Intentionally emphasizing the 'Professor' so the many girls who were eavesdropping on them would hear.
After Michelle walked away, Alan followed her at a distance, making sure to remain unseen. As he watched her vanish into the distance, a chilling expression appeared on his face, and in a hushed, eerie voice, he whispered,
"Soon, Michelle, you will belong to me."
***
Two hours later, the plane arrived at Pearl City Airport...
"Did you enjoy your flight, Miss?" the air hostess inquired as Michelle exited the plane.
"Yes, I did, thank you," she replied with a small smile, making her way toward the airport's underground private parking lot. She hadn't informed Luis about her return, but if it were true he had someone keeping watch over her at school like Clara had informed her, then he would definitely be waiting for her at the parking lot.
On reaching the gate, Michelle took a deep breath and gently pushed it, her eyes closed as doubts raced through her mind. 'What if he isn't there?'
"Open your eyes," Luis's familiar husky voice commanded. That voice that always sent shivers down her spine. A happy smile spread across her face as she obeyed his request.
And there he stood, dressed in his signature attire, black jeans trousers, matched with a black T-shirt, a black leather jacket, and black boots. Damn! He's fucking handsome, and tonight she was his to claim.
Leaving her suitcase behind, she sprinted as fast as she could and jumped into his open, strong arms. With her arms encircling his neck, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and wrapped her legs around his lean waist.
"Did you miss me, Michelle?" Luis asked, wrapping his arms around her and placing a soft kiss on her hair. He has missed his little tigress.
"You wish," she teased.
"Oh, really?" Luis asked, and she smiled and nodded in his arms. "Fine, I'm also keeping my gift then." He threatened, and he got the reaction he wanted from her.
"You got me a gift? Where is it? Is it inside the car?" She asked eagerly, but he just smirked at her childish behavior. "Let me down." He gently placed her on the ground, and she hurried into the car, but she found nothing out of the ordinary, just his laptop, phone, and some documents.
"You liar," Michelle said, feigning anger when Luis joined her in the backseat.
"I didn't lie. Give me your hand," Luis said, reaching for her left hand, and she looked up at him puzzled.
"I know it's been a week since your birthday, but I didn't lie when I told you I would make you mine when you turned 18. I had planned for us to go to the city hall and get married, but I found out you hadn't eaten lunch yet. So let's go home, and I'll prepare you dinner. Tomorrow, we will go to the city hall, okay?" he explained.
Meanwhile, Michelle's expression deepened as she took in every word Luis spoke. So, when Luis said, 'I will make you mine,' he meant marry her? She questioned herself. She had thought otherwise. She had thought he would finally make love to her.
She opened her mouth to respond, but her words caught in her throat when he slid a delicate ring with an enormous diamond onto her finger, rendering her completely speechless. Michelle gazed into Luis' eyes, feeling a rush of emotions well up inside me.
"Luis..., thank you," she finally managed to say, her heart overflowing with emotion. "I love you very much."
"Likewise," Luis replied, his voice filled with tenderness as he pulled her into a passionate kiss, his hands doing their best not to roam her body. Michelle wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to him, matching his intensity. They only parted when they both were breathless.
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