Free At Last, Untouchable Now

Free At Last, Untouchable Now

Cora Wells

Modern | 1  Chap./Day
5.0
Comment(s)
225.3K
View
229
Chapters

For three years, Natalie gave everything to be the perfect wife and mother, believing her love and effort could finally earn her a place in their hearts. Yet her sacrifices were met with betrayal from her husband and cold rejection from her son. In their eyes, she was nothing but a manipulator, using vulnerability to get her way. Her husband turned his back, her son misunderstood her, and she never truly belonged. Heartbroken yet determined, Natalie left her old life behind. When her family finally begged for a second chance, she looked at them and said, "It's too late."

Chapter 1 Let's End This

On their third wedding anniversary, Natalie Reed spent hours in the kitchen, putting together a feast and waiting the entire day for her husband to come home.

She checked her phone repeatedly, seeing the unanswered messages she sent to Lucas Thorpe that afternoon.

"The food's ready. When are you coming home? Weren't you off work today?"

"Are you still stuck in the office?"

"If lunch isn't possible, will you make it for dinner?"

Every message sat there, unread.

Natalie let out another quiet sigh. Right as she thought about texting him again, his name popped up with a new message.

"I'll come home. There's something I want to talk about."

That one line sent a jolt of excitement through Natalie. She sprang out of her seat, and her smile was too big to hide.

Was he going to say something about their anniversary?

Just the thought that Lucas might remember left her hopeful in a way she hadn't felt in years. Maybe, for the first time, he'd bring her a present.

Holding on to that hope, Natalie warmed up the meal again, this time in much better spirits.

When the clock chimed eight, the sound of her son's happy laughter drifted through the hallway.

Natalie couldn't help but smile as she hurried to open the door.

"How come you're just getting home, Cole?"

Colin Thorpe didn't bother to look her way. He rushed past Natalie and took the stairs two at a time.

Taken aback, Natalie reached out to catch him. "You haven't had dinner yet. What's the rush upstairs?"

That was when Colin finally seemed to notice her waiting by the door. He barely paused, brushing off her hand.

"Mom, just let me be! There's something I have to do right now!"

The sharpness in his voice stung more than she cared to admit.

Trying not to show her disappointment, Natalie forced herself to smile. "I made all your favorites tonight. There's even blueberry cake for dessert."

"I said I'm not hungry!"

Halfway up the stairs, Colin stopped short, turning to face her, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

"Don't touch the cake. I want to take it to Ella tomorrow. Blueberry's her favorite."

Ella?

Could it be Ella Wheeler-Lucas' first love, the woman he never quite got over?

Natalie's chest tightened at the possibility. She started toward the stairs, ready to ask more, but Colin had already disappeared, bounding up to his room, not caring about her questions.

"Julissa!" Natalie's voice wavered as she stopped the housekeeper, who had hoped to slip away quietly. "You've known about this for a while, haven't you? When did Cole first start spending time with Ella?"

Knowing she couldn't hide it anymore, Julissa Rowe let out a weary sigh and came clean.

"It was about three months ago. Miss Wheeler moved back here and ran into Cole a couple of times. They seemed to click right away. Since then, they've been meeting up often."

The news landed hard. Natalie shut her eyes, trying to steady herself as the truth settled in. "So he didn't stay late at school today. He was with Ella instead, wasn't he?"

Julissa hesitated, then nodded. "He was meant to come home after class, but Miss Wheeler picked him up straight from school. I was going to tell you, but..."

Her words trailed off, and she glanced at Natalie, her expression tinged with sympathy.

A sudden suspicion flashed through Natalie's mind, and she spoke before she could stop herself. "Was it Lucas? Did he ask you to keep this from me?"

After a pause, Julissa replied in a gentle voice, "He just didn't want you to worry."

Natalie brushed her off with a tired gesture. Her voice was thin, nearly defeated. "It's alright. You can go."

Drained of all energy, she dropped down on the couch and let herself sink into the cushions, feeling as if every last bit of strength had left her.

Ella wouldn't have crossed paths with Colin on her own. He was just a kid, with no way to find her unless someone brought him along.

There was no doubt in Natalie's mind-only Lucas could have made that happen.

An uncomfortable sense of irony crept in. For three months, her son had been growing closer to Lucas' old flame while she remained completely in the dark. The knowledge left her feeling both foolish and heartbroken.

Time seemed to blur as she sat lost in thought, until the familiar sound of the front door broke the silence.

Lucas appeared, looking every bit as tired as the day must have made him. He dropped his briefcase and took off his coat.

Normally, Natalie would be at his side, ready to help him settle in. Tonight, she couldn't bring herself to move from the couch.

Lucas' eyes swept over the untouched dinner spread across the table. His wife's quiet figure caught his attention, and a crease appeared between his brows.

"Is there a reason for all this food? Did I forget something?"

Since Natalie didn't bother to help him with the coat, Lucas hung it up and loosened his tie.

"I already had dinner," he added.

Natalie gave no reply. She wanted to ask if he'd had dinner with Ella, but the words stayed trapped behind her lips. She was afraid of sounding petty.

Lucas and Ella had known each other since they were kids. It made sense for him to have dinner with her.

"Today is..."

Just as she was about to mention their anniversary, Lucas placed a folder on the coffee table.

"Go ahead and sign it. We've put this off long enough."

Two stark words in heavy print stared back from the cover-Divorce Agreement.

Natalie's heart raced, and a ringing filled her ears. The world seemed to tilt as her vision clouded over.

This wasn't the first time Lucas had talked about ending their marriage.

Three years together, and each time they fought, Lucas' answer was always the same-divorce. He'd toss out the word like it meant nothing, and she would plead with him, hoping he'd give her another chance out of pity.

That pattern became their life, stretching on and on. Natalie convinced herself that if she kept loving him enough, one day he'd finally come to appreciate her and love her back.

Tonight, she realized she'd been chasing a fantasy.

Her hand trembled as she reached for the pen.

Lucas' eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, but his voice stayed calm and steady. "I won't leave you with nothing. The money I gave you is yours to keep. Bayshore Villa, the cars, and you'll keep five percent of the company's shares."

Natalie hesitated, her fingers loosening around the pen. She placed it on the table and looked up.

"And Cole?" She searched his face, desperate for a sign of kindness. "Does he get to stay with me?"

Her question wiped away whatever softness was left in Lucas' eyes. He grew cold, his words sharp.

"Are you really going to use our son to get what you want again?"

A wave of icy dread swept through Natalie, freezing her where she sat.

A heavy silence hung between them before she managed to speak, her voice thin and shaky. "What are you talking about?"

Lucas let out a bitter laugh, his words dripping with scorn. "You really think you can play the same game forever? You used Cole to trap me into this marriage, and you're still at it?"

Stunned, Natalie stared at him, struggling to form the words. "That's not true. I never planned any of this. I was framed..."

"Don't bother." Lucas settled onto the couch and lit a cigarette, the curl of smoke softening his expression into something unreadable. "Three years of living in luxury, and you're still not satisfied?"

Smoke drifted between them, masking the anger on his face.

Tears burned in Natalie's eyes as she forced herself to speak. "All right. Let's end this. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Continue Reading

You'll also like

The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

Huo Wuer
5.0

Today is October 14th, my birthday. I returned to New York after months away, dragging my suitcase through the biting wind, but the VIP pickup zone where my husband’s Maybach usually idled was empty. When I finally let myself into our Upper East Side penthouse, I didn’t find a cake or a "welcome home" banner. Instead, I found my husband, Caden, kneeling on the floor, helping our five-year-old daughter wrap a massive gift for my half-sister, Adalynn. Caden didn’t even look up when I walked in; he was too busy laughing with the girl who had already stolen my father’s legacy and was now moving in on my family. "Auntie Addie is a million times better than Mommy," my daughter Elara chirped, clutching a plush toy Caden had once forbidden me from buying for her. "Mommy is mean," she whispered loudly, while Caden just smirked, calling me a "drill sergeant" before whisking her off to Adalynn’s party without a second glance. Later that night, I saw a video Adalynn posted online where my husband and child laughed while mocking my "sensitive" nature, treating me like an inconvenient ghost in my own home. I had spent five years researching nutrition for Elara’s health and managing every detail of Caden’s empire, only to be discarded the moment I wasn't in the room. How could the man who set his safe combination to my birthday completely forget I even existed? The realization didn't break me; it turned me into ice. I didn't scream or beg for an explanation. I simply walked into the study, pulled out the divorce papers I’d drafted months ago, and took a black marker to the terms. I crossed out the alimony, the mansion, and even the custody clause—if they wanted a life without me, I would give them exactly what they asked for. I left my four-carat diamond ring on the console table and walked out into the rain with nothing but a heavily encrypted hard drive. The submissive Mrs. Holloway was gone, and "Ghost," the most lethal architect in the tech world, was finally back online to take back everything they thought I’d forgotten.

The Sterling Scandal: Married To The Uncle

The Sterling Scandal: Married To The Uncle

C.D
4.5

I was at my own engagement party at the Sterling estate when the world started tilting. Victoria Sterling, my future mother-in-law, smiled coldly as she watched me struggle with a cup of tea that had been drugged to ruin me. Before I could find my fiancé, Ryan, a waiter dragged me into the forbidden West Wing and locked me in a room with Julian Sterling, the family’s "fallen titan" who had been confined to a wheelchair for years. The door burst open to a frenzy of camera flashes and theatrical screams. Victoria framed me as a seductress caught in the act, and Ryan didn't even try to listen to my pleas, calling me "cheap leftovers" before walking away with his pregnant mistress. When I turned to my own family for help, my father signed a document severing our relationship for a five-million-dollar payout from Julian. They traded me like a commodity without a second thought. I didn't understand why my own parents were so eager to sell me, or how Ryan could look at me with such disgust after promising me forever. I was a sacrifice, a pawn used to protect the family's offshore accounts, and I couldn't fathom how every person I loved had a price tag for my destruction. With nowhere left to go, I married Julian in a bleak ceremony at City Hall. He slid a heavy diamond onto my finger and whispered, "We have a war to start." That night, inside his secret penthouse, I watched the paralyzed man stand up from his wheelchair and activate a screen filled with the Sterling family's darkest secrets. The execution had officially begun.

The $300 Husband Is A Zillionaire

The $300 Husband Is A Zillionaire

Nap Regazzini
4.6

I woke up in a blindingly white hotel penthouse with a throbbing headache and the taste of betrayal in my mouth. The last thing I remembered was my stepsister, Cathie, handing me a flute of champagne at the charity gala with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Now, a tall, dangerously handsome man walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his hips. On the nightstand sat a stack of hundred-dollar bills. My stepmother had finally done it—she drugged me and staged a scandal with a hired escort to destroy my reputation and my future. "Aisha! Is it true you spent the night with a gigolo?" The shouts of a dozen reporters echoed through the heavy oak door as camera flashes exploded through the peephole. My phone lit up with messages showing my bank accounts were already frozen. My father was invoking the 'morality clause' in my mother’s trust fund, and my fiancé had already released a statement dumping me to marry my stepsister instead. I was trapped, penniless, and being hunted by the press for a scandal I hadn't even participated in. My own family had sold me out for a payday, and the man standing in front of me was the only witness who could prove I was innocent—or finish me off for good. I didn't have time to cry. According to the fine print of the trust, I had thirty days to prove my "rehabilitation" through a legal marriage or I would lose everything. I tracked the man down to a coffee shop the next morning, watching him take a thick envelope of cash from a wealthy older woman. I sat across from him and slid a napkin with a $50,000 figure written on it. "I need a husband. Legal, paper-signed, and convincing." He looked at the number, then at me, a slow, crooked smile spreading across his face. I thought I was hiring a desperate gigolo to save my inheritance. I had no idea I was actually proposing to Dominic Fields, the reclusive billionaire shark who was currently planning a hostile takeover of my father’s entire empire.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
Free At Last, Untouchable Now
1

Chapter 1 Let's End This

21/10/2025

2

Chapter 2 I Wish Ella Were My Mother

22/10/2025

3

Chapter 3 I Don't Stoop To The Levels You Imagine

22/10/2025

4

Chapter 4 I've Actually Been Thinking Of Returning

22/10/2025

5

Chapter 5 I'm Not Available

22/10/2025

6

Chapter 6 I Have My Own Life Now

22/10/2025

7

Chapter 7 Their Anniversary

22/10/2025

8

Chapter 8 I Don't Want Her To Come Back Ever Again

22/10/2025

9

Chapter 9 You've Lost Your Mind

22/10/2025

10

Chapter 10 He Wanted To See Her Paired Up With Darrion

22/10/2025

11

Chapter 11 Maybe You Mistook Someone Else For Her

22/10/2025

12

Chapter 12 The Auction

22/10/2025

13

Chapter 13 Keep Your Distance

22/10/2025

14

Chapter 14 You Can Think Of Me As Your Mom

22/10/2025

15

Chapter 15 Why Don't You Stay And Eat With Us

22/10/2025

16

Chapter 16 An Exquisite Set Of Jewelry

22/10/2025

17

Chapter 17 The Jewelry's Gone

22/10/2025

18

Chapter 18 It Wasn't Me

22/10/2025

19

Chapter 19 Reminder

22/10/2025

20

Chapter 20 What Did You Say To My Grandma

22/10/2025

21

Chapter 21 I'm Not Leaving

22/10/2025

22

Chapter 22 My Whole Life's Ruined

22/10/2025

23

Chapter 23 You Sure Lucas Isn't Bad Luck

22/10/2025

24

Chapter 24 Her Mother's Death Anniversary

22/10/2025

25

Chapter 25 You Spend So Much Time In Your Head

22/10/2025

26

Chapter 26 When Are You Coming Home

22/10/2025

27

Chapter 27 Martha Would Take A Liking To You

22/10/2025

28

Chapter 28 I've Got A Plan

22/10/2025

29

Chapter 29 You Really Don't Know What Happened

22/10/2025

30

Chapter 30 She's Turning Heads Everywhere

22/10/2025

31

Chapter 31 The Reed Family Might End Up Bankrupt

22/10/2025

32

Chapter 32 I Missed You So Much

22/10/2025

33

Chapter 33 That's Not Polite

22/10/2025

34

Chapter 34 Cole Can't Stay With Ella Anymore

22/10/2025

35

Chapter 35 Fire

22/10/2025

36

Chapter 36 The Chance To Win Your Heart

22/10/2025

37

Chapter 37 I Hate You

22/10/2025

38

Chapter 38 Angry Red Graffiti

22/10/2025

39

Chapter 39 You'll Go To Prison

23/10/2025

40

Chapter 40 Choose For Himself

24/10/2025