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CHAPTER 107: INTERVIEW
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Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 108: AWKWARD EX ENCOUNTER
"Isabella," Ksenija greeted me warmly with a hug, "and thank you for joining us on such short notice!""Well," I replied honestly as I pulled away from her embrace, "between my recent barista scandal and my publicist's constant nagging, I really didn't have a choice." Fortunately, Ksenija and the audience took my words as a light-hearted joke, sparing me from having to explain my surprise appearance any further."Regardless, we're delighted to have you," she responded as we both took our seats. Unfortunately, I ended up sitting next to the uncomfortable couple on my left. To make things even more awkward, Ksenija dove right into the juicy stuff."For those who may not know, Isabella and Max dated for quite some time before abruptly ending things three years ago," Ksenija revealed, eliciting audible gasps from the audience, as if this hadn't been headline news once upon a time. "So, Isabella, how did it feel seeing Max yesterday after all this time?""Honestly?" I asked, briefly meetin
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 109: HIS APOLOGY
"Hey," he was the first to break the silence, casually sliding his hands into his dress pants' front pockets."Hello," I thought, sarcastically noting the lack of originality in his greeting."So," he exhaled, his words coming out in a rush. "You're probably wondering why I'm still here, but..." He trailed off when he noticed the Yin and Yang ring on my finger. Surprisingly, he hadn't noticed it during the interview or yesterday, but it seemed to catch his attention now. Our eyes met again almost instantly. "You, uh," he added a classic behind-the-head scratch, a move favored by guys, "you still wear it?""Not really," I found myself lying, as I often did. "It just complements my dress really well.""Right," he chuckled, looking somewhat flustered. I had to admit it was clever of him not to press further. Maybe he'd learned something since the cake incident."So, you were saying?" I inquired, crossing my arms over my chest, genuinely curious why he had waited for me. He hadn't been so
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 110: DAY THREE
Sometimes, we're fortunate enough to find kindred spirits who resonate with our souls. There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends who become like family. I consider myself lucky to have encountered six such souls: Avery, Caleb, William, Henry, Noah, and Samuel. Nothing in this world could compel me to part ways with them, and nothing in this world could ever replace their presence.My recent reunion with them after that disastrous interview only reinforced this truth...."For what it's worth," Noah remarks as he seizes the chance to rest his head on my lap, while the rest of the gang snuggles up beside me in bed, "this is your second time this week looking stunning on camera." A chuckle escapes my lips, echoing the laughter of everyone in the room. Even though two of our members are currently on the other side of the world in a different time zone, I know they'd be chuckling too if they were here."Thanks, Curly.""Don't mention it," he replies, making himself eve
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 111: TICKET GIFT
Even when I'm grown up, I can't resist doing a happy dance when I win something. My friend Justin joins in by giving me a fist bump to say congrats. We get our prize and gather our stuff before going back to the lobby.In the lobby, Justin tells me, "You're really good at laser tag."I grin and say, "You're not bad yourself," giving him a playful nudge. But he seems a bit off, looking at his ticket and then at me.Before I can ask what's up, he hands me his ticket and says, "You won, so you should have both."I try to give it back, saying, "That wasn't the deal."He insists, "I changed my mind," wanting me to have the ticket he earned.Confused, I start to ask why, but then I see a girl Justin's age nearby. It clicks – he entered the game to win tickets for both of them.Smirking, I tease him, "You wanted to go on the ride twice, huh?"He denies it, looking puzzled. "No way! I just wanted to ride it again!"I raise an eyebrow, teasing, "So you gave up the extra ticket just because you
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 112: FINAL DAY
I didn't get how much it hurts until I found myself lying on the bathroom floor, tears rolling down my face, struggling to breathe, and crying a lot. It was like all those people who felt heartbroken before me. And you know what's worse? It wasn't Max who broke my heart; it was me, myself, and I. I didn't understand myself, didn't get what was going on, and, most importantly, didn't trust myself.... —FLASHBACK—My Last Day on Hayman IslandThad met up with Justin as planned, and I enjoyed every moment of him talking about his date with Ariel. They met during the laser tag game. But after that, things went downhill.Why, you ask?Because I'm just dumb, that's why. I'd soon realize I didn't deserve someone like Max Blackwell."So, this is it, huh?" Beth said as I packed. "The book's almost done, so you're ready to go.""That's why you brought me here, right?" I said with a smirk, even though my chest hurt a bit. I realized that tomorrow, Max would start a new life with the same woman
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 113: FAMILY SECRETS
In the next half-hour, Max becomes completely unconscious, and Vivien takes advantage of this time to undress and lie down next to him. My anger flares up, especially as the footage shows a devastated Isabella entering the room and fleeing at the sight of the staged scene.Now, my anger is directed at myself.I said harsh things to Max that he didn't deserve.I never gave him a chance to explain his side.All I did was blindly accept what I saw, and that was my biggest mistake.Throughout our relationship, I worried about his lack of trust in me, but in reality, I never trusted him as he deserved.I've been a hypocrite and a coward all this time, and I'm completely sure of it now.The footage ends with Vivien getting dressed, taking the camera, and leaving. The screen goes black as soon as she steps outside our bedroom.I let go of Max's hand when Christian closes the MacBook, and we finally look up at him, eager for the rest of the details he promised."They used Rohypnol, a common d
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 114: COMPLICATED LOVE
—FLASHBACK—During the time when Christian chose to leave us for some alone time, I didn't expect that Max and I would fall into a prolonged silence.But now, here we are, still holding hands, without saying a single word.Initially, I made my decision without much hesitation, thinking it was the right thing to do. However, as his strong fingers hold onto mine, it suddenly feels like an impossible task.I know I must let him go. I understand that very well. Maybe that's why it hurts even more this time. When I first broke up with Max, I believed that he was the reason for our downfall. Now, I realize that it was my fault all along. I didn't fight as hard as he did, and I will always have to face the consequences of my actions."I guess I owe you an apology," I finally break the silence after a long pause. But he doesn't respond. I can't blame him, though. I give him a few more moments alone before reluctantly releasing his hand. Then, I ask, "Do you remember the morning after our firs
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 115: LASTING IMPACT
So, here we all are.The past eight years have shaped my love life, or the lack of it. Sitting in my office, eagerly waiting for Beth and my editor's thoughts on my final book draft, I take a deep breath.Especially the last three years have been like a crazy roller coaster. A lot happened—hearts got broken and patched up. But looking into his deep chocolate brown eyes one last time made every tear worth it. He'll always have a special place in my heart.I smile, checking out the matching ring he gave me years ago. I hold onto the journal of his writings he gifted me that same year. Surprisingly, Max's words became the true inspiration for the rest of my book.Like the ring I kiss, these things remind me that I once dared to trust another man after the one who should have protected me let me down. Max Blackwell will always be a part of me. Although my tears flowed freely on my way back to the States yesterday, I hope the pain will lessen with time.That's what I've been telling myself
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