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Escape to Mountain Shadows
Escape to Mountain Shadows

Escape to Mountain Shadows

Nouvel adulte

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The life of a schoolteacher Lucy Shepherd seems to be perfect: she has to marry the ambitious politician Jason Palmer, in such a way joining the wealthy and powerful Palmer clan. However, when she discovers that her fiancée has been cheated on her, she flees away on the other side of the world. She finds work at a small farm school in South Africa where falls in love with the estate’s owner Josh de Lange. And everything seems perfect again. But the long shadow of Lucy’s past threatens not only their love but their lives as well...

Passionné
Un livre à suspens
Célébrités
Nouvel adulte
Drame
PDG

Chapitre 1

Feb 3, 2025

I don’t know what was better, fucking you in the elevator or in the room next door to Lucy while she slept. God! We didn’t even try to keep it quiet. @ GingerBiscuit

Lucy Shepherd inhaled sharply and grabbed the desk with both hands to steady herself. The computer screen fell out of focus as a wave of nausea hit her. Her breath coming in gasps, she forced herself to scroll down. Post after post from Romeo182 didn’t merely confirm her worst suspicions, it was far, far worse. “Omigod. How many, Jason?” she asked out loud. This wasn’t just shock or hurt, but a lava-fall of horror.

My little teacher fiancée is out of town. Who wants to hook up? Bring your imagination, nothing vanilla please. I get that at home.

Another gut punch to the stomach. So many posts, each one seeming more traitorous than the last, going back for months. All the time she and Jason had dated, and during the last seven months of their engagement, his extra-curricular activities hadn’t slowed down. In fact, it was clear that Romeo182 had been accelerating his behavior in the last month or two.

Had it not been for that one text briefly displayed on his iPhone two days earlier, she never would’ve suspected, never would’ve installed the spyware on his laptop. Two nights ago, sitting comfortably cross-legged in an armchair in Jason’s apartment, watching TV, and a single word. Later? had appeared for only a few seconds across his phone’s screen. Since it was password-protected, she’d been unable to investigate further, and Jason had returned to the living room only moments later.

A tiny clue, but it had been just enough to rouse a near-dormant sense of self-protection. Five minutes ago, she’d thought herself silly, paranoid. It was just wedding nerves, she’d told herself. Only one week to go before she was to marry Jason Palmer, son of esteemed Senator Edward Palmer. A glittering society wedding and reception were scheduled in seven days’ time. Included in the guest list were scions of Chicago businesses and prominent political figures. No expense had been spared as Jason’s mother Victoria had steered the planning, crafting the ultimate society wedding. Victoria had insisted on carrying the exorbitant costs and so Lucy had gradually yielded to her future mother-in-law’s will, even though she would have preferred a far humbler affair.

For fourteen months, she had lived a fairy tale. She hadn’t questioned the gradual loss of autonomy as she was swept up in a whirlwind courtship and accepted into the wealthy, politically powerful Palmer family. Large salty tears now fell from her blue-green eyes, normally so clear as to look almost aquamarine, they were already red-rimmed. Strands of long hair a few shades lighter than copper stuck to her face, which was covered with sweat and tears. A weight on her chest pressed her down. In danger of fainting, she had to concentrate to breathe. Tiny breaths. She swallowed hard and forced herself to read more. How could Jason, the man she had until five minutes ago been wholeheartedly in love with, and Romeo182 be the same man?

Lucy scrutinized the date of the first comment she had read, May 5. Merely two weeks ago, she had spent the night at Jason’s lakeshore apartment and fallen dead asleep after an evening of lesson planning and grading. She’d been surprised the next morning that he had slept through his alarm.

“Couldn’t fall asleep,” he’d reassured her. “Watched TV and then I decided to sleep in the spare room so my reading wouldn’t keep you awake.”

The nausea hit her again as she realized that no doubt he was describing having sex with GingerBiscuit in the bedroom next door while she had slept. Images of all the time she’d spent with Jason: hiking, partying, sailing. She replayed every memory, realizing it had all been one cruel, stinking lie.

I did sometimes wonder what a handsome, wealthy young lawyer with political ambitions would want with a special education teacher.

It dawned on her that she had been successfully wooed not only by Jason but his family. Perhaps a young, hardworking teacher from a working-class background would play well with potential voters sick of elitist political dynasties.

Jason and Lucy had already planned their move to Washington DC. Soon after the honeymoon, they were to take up residence in the nation’s capital and Jason would begin work as a spokesman for an up-and-coming congressman. From there, he would craft his own political career. He had the money, charm, and thanks to his family, political connections to excel in the dog-eat-dog world of politics.

The sordid trail of Jason’s secret life now lay in front of her.

How did I not know?

Fiery by nature, and having lost her mother at the age of ten, Lucy had always prided herself on her intuition and street smarts. With a crushing sense of failure, she now understood that she had been totally outplayed. Smart she might be, but with the Palmers, she’d been out of her league.

She stared at the screen detailing one betrayal after another. With her body still shaking with sobs, she schooled herself to calm down. What did she always say to her pupils when they were overwhelmed? Fold your hands, take five breaths, and count to ten.

Lucy did all three and gradually, her breathing eased. Her body that had wracked with shuddering sobs began to lighten.

In place of the staggering hurt and shock, she could feel the stirrings of a plan. Jason had not only lied to her throughout the entire course of their relationship, but it was also clear from his gratuitous comments that he had enjoyed humiliating her. He’d luxuriated in the thrill of abusing her trust, playing her for a fool. If she hadn’t listened to her intuition, she would have been walking down the aisle on Saturday to God knows what fate.

The revelations still open in front of her had blown her world and dreams for the future to smithereens.

Lucy rested her delicate chin on folded hands. Her skin, normally clear ivory, was blotchy with the effects of her tears. Jason was out of town on his bachelor’s weekend. His friend Tony had rented a place out on Lake Michigan. He’s probably in bed with a floozy who jumped out of a cake right this minute, she thought bitterly.

The spyware she’d installed was straightforward to use, but it required huge concentration as Jason had been clever and the chatroom he had frequented, Godiva’s Cave, required multiple passwords. He had sent lurid selfies to various women, carefully leaving his face out of the shot.

It took another half an hour, but with patience, Lucy was able to enter an encrypted side conversation.

Her heart lurched as she stared in disbelief. Jason had taken a picture of himself and GingerBiscuit in the middle of the act, captioned While Lucy Slept.

And let’s do this again in a few days.

The spyware kept a record of keystrokes, and so for the next hour, driven by a dogged sense of resolve, she was able to find the passwords for his social media accounts. Focusing more intently than she ever had in her life, she pushed the pain aside and deftly began copying and pasting his disgusting selfies and his most vulgar comments to his Facebook page, his Twitter account, and perhaps most devastating for an up-and-coming politician, his LinkedIn profile. She copied and pasted an engagement picture taken on a beach in Mexico of herself and Jason next to the sex selfie with GingerBiscuit. It would make for an interesting contrast. Cleverly, she embedded links so that even if he discovered and erased the posts, they would pop up elsewhere.

Jason. He had blown her world apart and now she would do the same. Brought up in a tough neighborhood of Southwest Chicago, she had known from a tender age that she could, and always would, look after herself. Summoning the same courage that had an eleven-year-old her smacking the school bully straight in the chops, she stared at Jason’s Facebook page and pressed post.

Knowing Jason was miles away and probably in someone else’s arms, Lucy poured herself two fingers of Scotch and washed it down with a sleeping pill. Her overwrought mind and body craved oblivion, and soon, she fell into a dead and dreamless sleep.

While she slept and Jason likely partied in a Lakeside mansion, the posts gained traction, especially on his Twitter account. By the time the sun rose over Lake Michigan, the post had a total of 78,284 shares.

Escape to Mountain Shadows

Escape to Mountain Shadows

25 Chapitres

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Contenu

Passion Exclusives

I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship

J'ai toujours ete "la fille calme et intello". La fille qui a le nez plonge dans un livre, celle que les gens remarquent a peine. Mais mon monde est bien plus complique qu'il n'y parait. Voyez-vous, je suis absolument, desesperement amoureuse de mon meilleur ami, Logan Reyes-le mauvais garcon que tout le monde desire mais que personne n'arrive vraiment a garder. Et il n'en a aucune idee. Logan et moi sommes amis depuis toujours. On plaisante, on rit, et on est proches. Mais pour lui, je ne suis qu'Emma, la fille a qui il se confie pour tout-sauf pour ses nouvelles conquetes, comme Vanessa, la reine incontestee du lycee. Elle a jete son devolu sur Logan et tout le monde le sait. Pendant ce temps, Logan et moi partageons cette etrange alchimie tacite que je ne peux ignorer, meme si nous faisons comme si ce n'etait rien d'important. Mais tout change le soir ou je me retrouve embarquee dans un jeu de la bouteille a la soiree de Vanessa. Quand la bouteille s'arrete sur Logan, il m'embrasse devant tout le monde-et soudain, c'est comme si je voyais Logan sous un nouveau jour, et lui aussi me voit differemment. Maintenant, il me prete attention d'une maniere qui me destabilise, m'excite, et est absolument interdite. Et juste quand je pense pouvoir l'ignorer, Logan commence a me poursuivre-sans vergogne, contre toutes les regles qu'il s'est fixees et malgre les souhaits de sa soi-disant petite amie. Maintenant, je suis prise dans un tourbillon de commerages, de jalousie, et d'emotions que je peux a peine gerer. Logan brise ses propres regles pour moi, et plus j'essaie de lui resister, plus je me sens attiree. Mais quand nous marchons sur la ligne entre l'amitie et quelque chose de bien plus dangereux, mon coeur-et le sien-sont en jeu.

Nouvel adulte

I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship

The Rebirth of My Dead Billionaire Wife

Lorsque Tori Kane se reveille a l'hopital apres un accident suspect, elle decouvre qu'elle a eu une seconde chance dans la vie - avec tous ses souvenirs intacts. Il y a quelques semaines, elle a ete trahie et presque tuee par son mari, le PDG milliardaire Damian Blackwood, et sa maitresse - sa soeur adoptive Selena, qui a orchestre sa chute et pris le controle de l'entreprise familiale. Maintenant, avec de nouveaux allies et des informations choquantes laissees par sa defunte grand-mere, Tori elabore un plan complexe pour se venger. Mais alors qu'elle infiltre sa vie passee sous une nouvelle identite, elle decouvre des secrets plus sombres qui remettent en question tout ce qu'elle croyait savoir sur l'heritage de sa famille et son propre passe.

Amour

The Rebirth of My Dead Billionaire Wife

Never Just Friends

Hanna, agee de dix-sept ans, essaie de se frayer un chemin durant sa premiere annee de lycee tout en faisant face au deuil de ses parents. Avec son frere Jacob et ses meilleurs amis Emily et Elordi a ses cotes, elle est determinee a survivre aux pressions de s'integrer et de trouver sa place. Mais les choses se compliquent lorsque Ciara, la reine des abeilles du lycee, s'en prend a Hanna par jalousie, surtout a cause de Finn, le meilleur ami de Jacob, qui a attire l'attention de Hanna. Alors que le drame du lycee se deroule, Hanna doit apprendre a se defendre tout en preservant les personnes qui comptent le plus pour elle.

Nouvel adulte

Never Just Friends

Honey, Love Me One More Time

La vie d'Estelle etait autrefois un conte de fees, rempli d'amour et de promesses. Cependant, la tragedie a frappe le jour de leur mariage. Le pere d'Estelle et les parents de Cristofer ont ete impliques dans un accident de voiture qui a emporte leur vie instantanement. La perte a ete devastatrice pour Cristofer, le plongeant dans une profonde tristesse et une colere envers Estelle. Une tragedie en entraine une autre et elle se retrouve a lutter contre le cancer, le chagrin d'amour et la tromperie. Dans un monde ou tout semble perdu, Estelle doit puiser au plus profond d'elle-meme pour trouver la force de se battre pour ce qu'elle aime le plus. **** La voix magnetique mais froide de Cristofer lui ramena l'esprit a la realite, "Signe les papiers du divorce maintenant !" Estelle posa ses jambes, se redressa et demanda, "As-tu bu ?" "Cela ne te regarde pas." "Boire est mauvais pour l'estomac." "J'ai besoin de boire pour ne pas me sentir degoute quand je fais l'amour avec toi." "Tu ne pouvais pas attendre de me divorcer ?" Sa voix sonnait faible. Elle lui tourna le dos alors que la fumee l'etouffait presque et elle se mit a tousser de nouveau. "Tu le sais, n'est-ce pas ?" Cristofer expira deliberement un nuage de fumee dans sa direction et se sentit inexplicablement satisfait de la voir tousser et trembler.

Amour

Honey, Love Me One More Time

Between Four of Us

Elle demenage dans une nouvelle ville avec ses parents. Elle est contrariee par cela car c'est sa derniere annee de lycee. A l'aeroport, elle rencontre deux freres qui se ressemblent beaucoup, mais elle n'y prete pas beaucoup attention jusqu'a ce qu'elle realise qu'ils sont ses voisins et qu'ils ont un frere aine qui est tres discret. Au debut de sa scolarite, elle commence a trainer avec les trois freres et ils tombent tous amoureux d'elle. Les jumeaux sont explicites quant a leur competition, mais le troisieme frere ne le montre pas et agit tres froidement. Elle est dechiree car elle aime l'aine, mais ne veut pas blesser les deux autres.

Amour

Between Four of Us

Luna Aurora

Aurora, la fidele Luna de la Meute de l'Ombre, a passe des annees aux cotes de l'Alpha Fenrir, le soutenant et nourrissant leur meute en tant que compagne destinee. Mais lorsque son premier amour, Arianna, revient, le coeur de Fenrir vacille. Dans un moment de faiblesse, il renvoie Aurora et demande le divorce, brisant son monde. A son insu, Aurora porte son enfant - un secret qu'elle jure de proteger alors qu'elle se retire aupres de sa famille, le coeur brise mais resiliente. Alors que Fenrir renoue avec sa relation ravivee avec Arianna, il realise bientot qu'elle n'est plus la femme qu'il a autrefois aimee. Sa cruaute envers la meute et ses infidelites deviennent impossibles a ignorer, tandis que les souvenirs de la chaleur d'Aurora le hantent. Lorsque Fenrir decouvre la verite sur la grossesse d'Aurora, il est presque trop tard. Determine a reunir sa famille, Fenrir se lance dans un voyage pour retrouver Aurora, esperant qu'elle lui pardonnera et le laissera revenir dans sa vie. Mais pourra-t-il guerir les blessures qu'il a causees ? Ou perdra-t-il a jamais sa compagne destinee et leur enfant ?

Urbain surnaturel

Luna Aurora

Love by the Contract

Une assistante executive pragmatique accepte un mariage temporaire avec son patron milliardaire pour l'aider a securiser son heritage. Deux ans apres le debut de leur arrangement pratique, elle decouvre qu'elle est enceinte - juste au moment ou son ancienne flamme revient pour le recuperer. Maintenant, elle doit jongler entre les intrigues de bureau, la grossesse et son propre coeur tout en faisant face a un mari pret a mettre fin a leur mariage pour son premier amour.

Amour

Love by the Contract

Claimed by the Alpha Prince

Bullied by her own sister and cousin, Mira has always lived in the shadows, overshadowed by the expectations that come with being the second daughter of the Alpha's Beta. Seen as a weak wolf due to her small stature, she feels invisible—until a fateful moment changes everything. During the ceremony where the Alpha is set to mate with her step-sister, Liana, Mira bursts into the hall, only to discover that she is the Alpha's true mate. As Liana and Gareth conspire to convince her to reject the Alpha’s bond, Mira must confront her insecurities and embrace her destiny. Will she rise above the shadows and claim her rightful place, or will she succumb to the pressures of those who seek to keep her down?

Urbain surnaturel

Claimed by the Alpha Prince

The Barren Ex-Wife Gave Birth to Twins

Quand Amelia decouvrit qu'elle etait enceinte de l'enfant de son mari milliardaire Ryan, apres trois longues annees de desir et de chagrin, elle etait heureuse. Elle avait hate de partager cette joyeuse nouvelle avec lui et enfin donner naissance a un morceau de leur amour. Mais quand elle rentra chez elle, son excitation se transforma en une terreur glaciale en voyant les papiers de divorce que Ryan avait prepares pour qu'elle les signe, ignorant le miracle qui grandissait en elle. Cinq ans plus tard, le passe hantait les deux. Le monde de Ryan s'effondre lorsqu'il apprend que le fils qu'il a eleve avec Brenda pendant ces cinq dernieres annees n'est pas de son sang et qu'Amelia etait en realite enceinte de jumeaux il y a cinq ans. Ryan se presente inopinement a la porte d'Amelia, pousse par le desespoir et un desir tourmente de reconquerir sa famille perdue. Amelia permettra-t-elle a l'homme qui a brise son monde de revenir dans leur vie ? Et comment reagiront leurs enfants face a ce pere qu'ils connaissent a peine ?

Amour

The Barren Ex-Wife Gave Birth to Twins

The Heiress Strikes Back

Ashley pensait que son mariage avec le milliardaire Demitri Gonzales etait une bouee de sauvetage pour sa famille en difficulte, mais cela s'est rapidement transforme en cauchemar. Depuis la signature d'un mysterieux contrat lors de sa nuit de noces jusqu'a son utilisation en tant que donneuse d'ovules pour le veritable amour de Demitri, Elena, Ashley devient un pion dans un arrangement froid et calcule. Quatre ans plus tard, Ashley en a assez. Defiant le controle de Demitri et la manipulation d'Elena, elle quitte ce mariage factice pour reveler une revelation choquante : elle est l'heritiere secrete de la puissante famille Donaldson. Armee de richesse, d'influence et de preuves de leur trahison, Ashley se lance dans la reconquete de sa vie et dans la revelation de la verite.

Nouvel adulte

The Heiress Strikes Back

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