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The runaway.
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The Shadows of Love. prologue
All my life, I have faced nothing but pain and anguish. I have escaped death so many times, and I have seen the true meaning of suffering and poverty. I lost my parents when I was only a baby and I don't even know what had happened to them, the staff in the orphanage where I grew up refused to tell me anything. They hated me and treated me like trash. I was so little and I felt insecure about everything. All I wanted was a warm arm to lay my troubled head on. I wanted to love, and I wanted to be loved. I see other kids here every day getting adopted, but no one wanted to adopt me because I was very skinny and malnourished. I had rashes and my hair was scrawny and messy. In my little corner, I watched the other kids get adopted and I gave up hope. My life has no direction anyway…maybe I will eventually die one day. A young woman in her late thirties approached me in my corner, staring down at me with intense eyes. At first, I thought she wanted to dispose of me because of the vicious
The Shadows of Love. An unexpected fate.
Caitlin worked as a barista every evening at a bustling café in town, relying on her earnings to fund her college education. Her aunt Mariah, who was unkind and refused to offer any financial assistance, would not support her niece's academic pursuits.To stay at Mariah's home and cater to her needs, Caitlin had to toil day and night. Mariah had taken her in primarily to exploit her as a servant.Despite facing such challenges, Caitlin, a twenty-year-old young woman of remarkable beauty, exuded grace in every way. Mariah, consumed by jealousy over her niece's beauty, mistreated her in the hopes that the constant workload and lack of rest would mar her appearance. However, to Mariah's dismay, Caitlin only grew more radiant, much to her cruel aunt's displeasure.With a curvaceous and beautiful figure, her charming smile had the power to soften the most hardened hearts. She possessed stunning long, brown hair and a petite yet strong frame.Despite her petite stature, many mistakenly perce
The Shadows of Love. Pregnant
Days passed after the event, but Caitlin wasn't her normal self anymore. Seemed it wasn't as easy to move on after such a traumatic experience as she had thought it would. She couldn't stop crying at how unfortunate she was and her aunt, Mariah, wasn't helping matters either. She always scolded her for little or no mistakes at all, forcing her to do very difficult tasks around the house. She also had to cope with her job as a barista at the Cafe and it wasn't easy on her either. She dared not to tell her aunt about the awful experience for fear of having accusing fingers pointed at her, so she decided to bear it all alone. She couldn't eat and every night after work, she would cry so long in her bedroom and sleep so late after long hours of trying to cope with insomnia and overthinking. She soon developed anxiety and depression, coupled with stress and emotional disorder. She had several nightmares where she was being abused and that man's evil grin kept playing over and over in h
The Shadows of Love. New dawn
Caitlin moved to Allensouth with Grace. That was where she had lived, before coming to Middleton for an important surgery operation. She also fulfilled her promise to Caitlin, she got her a nice apartment in a beautiful estate and assured her of a job after she had given birth. She was so happy and couldn't stop thanking her for her kindness. It turned out that Grace was a very wealthy obstetrician and she was very famous in Allensouth, so money was the least of her problems. Caitlin couldn't believe how well things turned out for her. The pregnancy wasn't easy on her the first few months and she always fell ill and suffered several emotional issues. Grace always kept her company and tried to make her happy. For some unknown reason, she had taken a great liking to Caitlin. She was a strong young girl who had survived several misfortunes and her determination to survive made her love her even more. Caitlin loved her new home. It was very comfortable and the view from the balcony was
The Shadows of Love. A new job.
It was a radiant and beautiful day. Caitlin awoke early and bathed Sultan, dressed him smartly, fed him a wholesome breakfast, and accompanied him to his kindergarten class at the preschool."Now, Sultan, you be a good boy for mommy, okay?" she said with a smile, and he responded with a cute smile and a slow nod. Despite not yet being completely fluent, he was incredibly adorable and had picked up speaking quite quickly."That's my little one," she said, kissing him on the forehead. "What would you like me to get for you?""Cho...colate!" he said with a cute grin, and she smiled back. "Of course! I'll get you just that, my dear."The teachers at the preschool smiled warmly. They all had a soft spot for Sultan. Not only was he charming, but he also showed exceptional intelligence for his age."Don't worry. We'll take good care of him. He's very bright," one of the teachers said with a big smile as she took him from Caitlin's arms.Afterward, Caitlin headed to the job interview. Grace h
The Shadows of Love. Fated to meet.
On that evening, Kane sat down to dinner, accompanied by his assistant who sat by his side. He ate slowly, seemingly unenthusiastic about the meal, pausing to sip water from his glass now and then."Sir... You won't believe what I'm about to tell you," he began."What is it?""Do you remember that waitress from the café over two years ago, the one you took an immediate interest in?"After a moment of reflection, Kane finally recalled. It was not easy to forget the young woman he had deceived and mistreated. Following that incident, he lost all desire to pursue women for his gratification. The compassion and guilt he felt that night seemed to have turned over a new leaf within him. He couldn't bear the idea of deceiving and using another woman, only to abandon her."Yes... What's the matter with her?""Well... she's now working for your company as one of the cleaners," he revealed, causing Kane to halt his eating, attempting to absorb Darian's words."What?""It's true, sir. She's empl
The Shadows of Love. Resigned.
After a long day at the office, Kane found himself on his way home with Darian behind the wheel. Lost in his thoughts, he couldn't shake the image of the young woman he had encountered earlier that day. Her lovely voice and the look of recognition on her face replayed in his mind, bringing back memories he had hoped to escape.As he grappled with his guilt over his past actions towards her, Kane realized that the first step towards finding peace was to offer an apology. Though uncertain of whether she would forgive him, he knew he had to try. Perhaps by seeking her forgiveness, he could finally lay his past to rest and silence the judgment of his conscience.At home, Caitlin gently placed Sultan on the sofa to rest before heading to the kitchen to prepare the meal he had requested. Seeing him looking so worn out and hungry, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. Knowing that he had to spend the entire day at daycare because of her job, Caitlin was filled with regret.
The Shadows of Love. Regrets.
Caitlin was resolute in her decision. She requested a resignation form, much to the surprise of her colleagues with whom she had grown close."But... Why are you leaving?! You just started, dear!" Matilda exclaimed in disbelief."I meant what I said! I have made up my mind to leave this job, and that's final!" Caitlin declared as she grabbed her purse and departed.Her coworkers attempted to dissuade her and offer explanations, but she remained steadfast, signing the resignation letter and leaving despite their efforts. Kane was still pondering the incident when Matilda entered with the letter in hand."Miss Caitlin has resigned, Sir," Matilda informed him.He simply sighed, accepted the letter, and nodded slowly, signaling for her to leave without providing any explanation. She gazed at him briefly before departing.Caitlin swiftly hailed a taxi and made her way to the preschool to collect Sultan. Inside, she found him engrossed in playing with building blocks and toy soldiers. Upon
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