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Fallen 145

Fallen 145
Posted by Sara Lili, ? Views, Released on October 12, 2025
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CHAPTER 0145 

Alaric’s POV: 

‘I love you, Alaric.‘ 

Meadow loved me. The moment she said those words to me, I realized two things at once: 

One that I loved her too. 

And two–that while our fingers were linked together on top of my desk, I could feel it. 

I felt the desk; the hard, smooth mahogany that it was made of. I’d been feeling it for a while but I didn’t realize it until she said those words to me. 

I didn’t understand it, didn’t understand why and how… 

Or maybe I did understand, but I just didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe some random bullshit a fucking therapist had told me just because she was getting paid to do so. 

So much happened in so little time after she told me she loved me. It was like my brain couldn’t comprehend shit and I… 

Fuck. 

I hurt her. 

I’d hurt her before, but now I did it in the worst fucking way. She’d bared her heart to me and I’d ripped it out and sent her away. 

Yes, I was fucking aware of what I did. 

After I’d pulled out of her and got dressed, she was still bent over my desk, still trembling, still trying not to cry. I called her name again, and then it was like she finally realized what I just said—that I’d just asked her to leave. 

And when she rose to her full height, she turned to look at me, but I turned around before she could meet my eyes, walking over to the window. 

I would’ve rather looked outside than look at the expression on Meadow’s face. It would’ve broken 

  1. me. 

‘You mean just like the way you fucking broke her?‘ 

My jaw clenched. For the past two hours, my brain had been giving me a stern talking to. During the meeting, I was hardly able to concentrate. I made Dana take on the role of my assistant during the meeting, and she had some questions–especially after she and some other employees saw Tyler 

1/5 

CHAPTER 0145 

+25 BONUS 

Cross exit the building with injuries on his face. 

I told her nothing, of course. I didn’t owe anyone an explanation. I did, however, ask her to get a replacement. 

And now, it had been nearly an hour since everyone left, and I was still in the conference room, staring aimlessly at my laptop because I was fighting the urge to take my phone out of my pocket. 

And call her. 

No, not Meadow. My therapist. 

If I called her, that would mean I trusted her, that I was willing to tell a fucking stranger about what was going on in my life. It was all bullshit. She couldn’t fix it. She couldn’t fix anything. 

All therapists wanted was the paycheck. Nothing else. 

Curling my fists, I placed them on the conference table. Nothing. 

It was as though the moment I rejected Meadow’s feelings, my brain shut down again. I couldn’t feel anything, and fuck, I really wanted to feel my nails digging into my palm. 

I wanted to feel the pain. Wanted to feel all of it. 

And… maybe that was the reason I finally took my phone out of my pocket and found her number on my phone. The last time we spoke was a couple of years after I’d gone with my mother. I wanted to give it another shot, but eventually, it didn’t work out. 

But Dr. Jenkins had asked me to reach out when I was ready. 

And now, nearly thirteen years later, I was calling her–if this was still her phone number. 

The phone rang five times on my end before she picked up. “Hello?” Her voice was airy and calm. 

“Dr. Jenkins,” I said curtly, pausing for a second before continuing. “This is Alaric Ashford.” 

“I know,” she answered after a brief moment. “I have your number saved, this is just a bit of a shock, that’s all.” Dr. Jenkins was in her mid–fifties–if not even late fifties. I liked her because she wasn’t friends with my mother. What she used to have then with her was professional. Nothing more. 

I didn’t trust people who were friends with my mother. 

“Right,” I muttered, already regretting making this phone call. 

“Is everything alright?” she asked, unsure. “We haven’t spoken in such a 1-” 

“Do you still believe that I can’t feel touch because I forced my brain to shut off?” I cut in, leaning back into my seat as I put the device on speaker. 

2/5 

CHAPTER 0145 

+25 BONUS 

“Oh–uh–well,” she stuttered, probably caught off guard by the way I went straight in. “I believe you don’t want to let your guard down, and you keep holding on to-” 

“That’s not what I asked, Dr. Jenkins.” 

She took a breath, and when she spoke, her voice was still calm as ever. 

“I’m telling you what you need to hear, Alaric, not what you want to hear. And that’s my job.” My 

jaw ticked. She paused for a few seconds. “How about this? I don’t live in Seattle anymore, but I could make some arrangements for an emergency session as-” 

“Forget it,” I gritted out. 

I fucking knew it. Hell, I said it. All she wanted was the paycheck. 

“Alaric,” she said softly. “You couldn’t have called me just to say nothing. I know there’s a lot of baggage you’re still dealing with, but I can’t help you if you don’t let me.‘ 

I pinched the bridge of my nose, resisting the urge to slam my fist against the table. “Sorry to bother you,” I muttered. “Goodbye, Dr. Jenkins.” 

I knew what I needed right now, and it wasn’t fucking therapy. 

It was her. 

The woman I loved more than anything. The woman I couldn’t allow to love me. 

She wasn’t supposed to fall in love with me. And maybe I’d known all along how she felt, and the best thing I could’ve done for her was to ask her to leave me, but somehow, I couldn’t do even that. I was too selfish to ask her to leave me when leaving was the best option for her. 

I didn’t deserve her. And this wasn’t just coming from a place of insecurities. I had no insecurities. 

But I definitely did not deserve Meadow. 1 

That didn’t stop me from wanting her, though. 

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as I hurried over to my office to pack up. It was already getting late–the sun was setting. So much time had passed, time that I could’ve used to make things right. 

‘How?‘ the voice inside my head asked. 

Yeah, that was the fucking problem. I didn’t know how I was going to fix this without causing more hurt. There was no other way except to tell her how I felt about her. 

I ran a hand through my hair as I got in my car, my mind flashing back to when we were together in my office—my hand in hers, my hand touching the desk. Feeling the desk. 

3/5 

CHAPTER 0145 

+25 BONUS 

I had let my guard down around her so much that I was starting to feel. I didn’t think something like that could ever happen. And I wanted it, I wanted it so fucking bad it seemed ridiculous that I would be fighting to keep my guard up instead of letting it down. 

But 1… couldn’t. 

I was the monster she didn’t think I was. 

The moment I parked in the driveway, I paused. My brows drew together as I spotted a car that didn’t belong to me. 

“What the…” 

I got out of my car, slammed the door and hurried up the front steps. And when I opened the door, the first pair of eyes I saw belonged to Nova. 

Her gaze narrowed, lips pursed, but she didn’t say or do anything except walk past me… 

With one of Meadow’s boxes in her hands. 

“What are you doing?” I asked, feeling my throat tighten. 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she snapped, annoyance lacing her tone. “I’m helping my best friend move out of your ridiculously large house.” 

No. 

She wouldn’t. 

“Fuck.” The words were uttered under my breath as I hurried toward the stairs. However, before I could climb up, she was already descending them. 

She froze the moment her eyes meant mine, but she looked away quickly. 

“Meadow,” I started slowly. “What are you doing right now?” 

“I’m leaving, Alaric,” she answered softly. 

Every. 

Single. 

Thing inside of me… 

Shut. Down. 

Fallen

Fallen

Score 9.9
Status: Ongoing Type: Native Language: English
Fallen Summary & Review: Fallen

Meadow Russell arrives at an upscale hotel, heart fluttering with excitement and nerves. She’s about to marry the love of her life, Tyler, in a small, private ceremony — just the two of them. Clutching her bag, she approaches the front desk with a smile. “Hi, I have a reservation. Meadow Russell.”

But from the very first second, something feels off.

The receptionist’s red-painted lips curl into a mocking sneer, and her colleague exchanges a strange look with her. Meadow’s cheerful tone falters as confusion settles in. The woman scoffs, “You’re kidding, right?” The disbelief in her tone makes Meadow’s stomach twist. She frowns, insisting there must be a mistake, but both receptionists continue to look at her with something close to pity — and something else she can’t quite name.

Then comes the shocker.

According to the hotel records, she’s already checked in. Two hours ago. With a man. The receptionist even claims to have spoken with her — complimenting her “cute top.” The same white crop top with the word “BRIDE” written across it that she’s wearing now.

Meadow tries to rationalize it. Maybe Tyler had checked in under her name. Maybe it’s a simple mix-up. She laughs nervously and explains that her fiancé must have done it for convenience. But both receptionists seem unconvinced. One of them finally sighs and hands her a spare keycard, muttering, “I hope you get things sorted out.”

On her way up to the room, Meadow’s heart pounds in her chest. Something feels horribly wrong, but she refuses to believe it. Tyler would never do anything to hurt her. They’ve been planning this wedding for months — their dream elopement. She tries to calm herself, breathing in and out as the elevator ascends, but her hands won’t stop shaking.

When she finally reaches the room and swipes the keycard, her worst fears materialize before her eyes.

The moment the door opens, the sound hits her first — muffled moans, heavy breathing, the rhythmic creak of the bed. Then she sees them.

Her twin sister, Juniper, straddling Tyler, his hands gripping her hips as he thrusts into her without restraint.

The world stops. The bag slips from Meadow’s trembling hands and lands with a soft thud. The scene before her feels like a cruel joke — something ripped out of a nightmare. Her vision blurs with tears, her body frozen in disbelief.

For a full minute, she just stands there. Watching. Waiting. Hoping someone would scream “gotcha” and end this cruel trick.

But there’s no misunderstanding to clear up. No mistake. No illusion.

Her twin sister moans again, whispering, “Yes, that’s it, baby,” as if to drive the knife deeper into Meadow’s heart.

Something inside her shatters.

“Juniper…? Tyler?” she finally manages to whisper, her voice barely recognizable.

They both turn, startled. Tyler’s face twists in shock, then panic. He pushes Juniper off him, stammering, “Meadow, I swear, I thought she was you!”

It’s a pathetic excuse. One that doesn’t even make sense.

Juniper doesn’t even bother covering herself. She just smirks, tossing her messy hair over her shoulder like a queen enjoying the chaos she’s created. “Oh, please,” she scoffs. “It’s time we drop the act. This has been going on for a while.”

Meadow stumbles back, staring between them. “What are you talking about?”

Her twin rolls her eyes. “You really didn’t think he loved you, did you?”

It hits Meadow all at once — the hotel mix-up, the receptionist’s strange looks, the duplicate “Meadow Russell” check-in. Juniper had stolen her identity, her name, her wedding — and the man she loved.

Tyler tries to approach her again, naked and unashamed. He grabs her jaw gently, his expression hard. “You thought I loved you, Meadow? No. Juni’s the love of my life.”

The words pierce like knives.

Every memory — every kiss, every late-night conversation, every promise he made — turns to ash. She had believed in him completely, trusted him with her heart. And all along, he’d been sharing that same intimacy with her twin sister.

Meadow stares at Juniper, still unable to process it. The last time she saw her twin was two years ago. They’d grown apart after Juniper’s endless trail of lies and manipulation had driven a wedge between them. Juniper had always been the beautiful, daring, chaotic one — the one who got what she wanted, no matter who she hurt. But never, not in her darkest thoughts, had Meadow imagined she would do this.

Juniper laughs again, the sound sharp and cruel. “She’s in shock, baby. Maybe we should help her out of her misery,” she says mockingly, then pulls Tyler into another kiss right in front of her.

That’s when Meadow realizes this isn’t a mistake. This isn’t a sudden betrayal. It’s a plan.

Her sister had known exactly what she was doing. She had tracked Meadow down, learned about the wedding, and swooped in like a vulture to destroy what little happiness she had built. The matching outfit, the fake check-in — all of it was deliberate.

The pain turns into rage. Her tears blur her sight, her breath coming out in shaky bursts. Every muscle in her body screams at her to turn around, to run far away from the two people who’ve just ripped her soul apart.

But she doesn’t move.

She stands there, trembling, her heart breaking piece by piece as she watches her sister smirk and her fiancé — her almost-husband — stand there unashamed, not even offering a shred of remorse.

Tyler and Juniper exchange a look, and she realizes — they’re enjoying this. They want her to see. To suffer.

Meadow’s hands ball into fists. She feels like she’s watching her life crumble in real time, and there’s nothing she can do but breathe through the ache and pray she doesn’t collapse.

Every part of her screams that this is the moment she loses everything — her trust, her love, her family.

And yet, deep inside, a spark ignites — not of despair, but of something darker. A promise that this won’t be the end of her story.

Because betrayal that deep doesn’t fade. It carves itself into your bones. And Meadow Russell — heartbroken, humiliated, and hollow — walks out of that hotel room knowing one thing for certain.

She will never forgive them.

And one day, they will both pay for what they’ve done.

 

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