Fallen 158

Posted by Sara Lili, ? Views, Released on November 4, 2025

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CHAPTER 0158

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CHAPTER 0158

Meadow’s POV:

My throat felt dry all of a sudden and I couldn’t even swallow. Nova’s eyes widened, and I didn’t have to look at Camilla to know that she had a similar expression on her face.

“My husband?” I choked out.

“Y–yes, ma’am,” Tom stuttered. My pulse spiked and the room suddenly felt hot despite the air conditioning. I pressed the button to turn the intercom off, immediately running my fingers through my hair and stepping back.

“Um, what are you doing?” Nova asked. “That is obviously Alaric-”

“I know,” I breathed as something twisted in my chest. “I know it’s him, I just wasn’t… I didn’t expect him to show up here. I was supposed to see him at the party, I…” I was rambling, but I couldn’t stop.

“Hey, hey,” Nova murmured, walking over to me. “Breathe, okay? I need you to breathe. It’s just Alaric.”

I nodded, biting down on my bottom lip.

Just Alaric–whom I hadn’t seen in a whole month.

She sighed. “Well, do you want to see him?” she asked. “If you don’t, I can go down and just—”

“No,” I cut in, ignoring the ringing in my ears. “No, um, that won’t be necessary.” Without another word, I stepped forward again, reaching for the button. And when I pressed it down, I spoke quietly. “Let him up.”

“Well, I guess that’s our cue, then,” Cami said, giving me a little smile as she swung her bag over her shoulder. Want me to give him a stern warning if I run into him?”

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it casual even though my heart was beating faster than it ever had.

Why was he here? What did he want to say to me?

Something deep inside of me hoped that he was here to tell me how he felt about me. That he was here to take me home and officially make me his. I would never say it out loud, but I had been dreaming about that. Waiting. Hoping.

Not long after Camilla and Nova left, the elevator dinged softly down the hall. My breath hitched.

I didn’t walk to the door. I stood a few feet away, my hands curled at my sides, breathing too loud for my liking, while I waited for him to knock

And then he did.

I counted ten whole seconds before walking to the door, my heels clicking against the floor.

The moment I pulled the door open, my world went completely still. Frozen.

Alaric stood there.

He wasn’t in one of his immaculate suits tonight. He had on a black t–shirt and a pair of black pants. His hair

((

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CHAPTER 0158

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wasn’t combed, but disheveled, as if he had been running his hands through it all day.

Something flashed in his eyes as he slowly raked them over my body, and all of a sudden, I felt overdressed and naked at the same time. When his gaze landed on my hair, he did a double–take.

I bit on the inside of my cheek, trying to force my brain to remember that I was upset with him.

“You cut your hair.”

Those were the first words he had said to me in a month. It was hard to believe, but I had almost forgotten the sound of his voice–the deep baritone, the smoothness, calmness. Something inside me stirred, ached to just throw my arms around him.

“I like it,” he finished, throat bobbing as his eyes met mine again.

My gaze fell to his hands, and my heart dropped into my stomach. I swallowed, eyes burning as I stared at the healing injuries on his fists. When he noticed that I was looking, he tucked his hands into his pockets.

“You’ve been busy,” I said, voice cracking.

“So have you,” he replied, and then softly: “You look gorgeous tonight, doe.”

I didn’t respond. That was a compliment, but it still felt like he was driving a knife into my heart. He’d been hurting himself because he wanted to feel something.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, even though I suspected that he would do it. It only made me feel all the more guilty.

“Weak moment,” he muttered. It was only after I dragged my gaze back to his that I realized he was referring to his fists. “It looks better than it did before, I promise.”

I forced a nod, pursing my lips. I nearly said I didn’t care, but then that would be a blatant fucking lie.

“Were you headed somewhere?” he asked. “You got all dressed up.”

I wasn’t going to tell him I wanted to go to Clarissa’s event all because I wanted to see him, so my best bet right now was to lie.

And I knew the perfect lie to tell.

“I have a date,” I said firmly, crossing my arms in front of my chest and lifting my chin. I honestly had no idea why that was the only thing that popped up in my head, but maybe it was because I wanted to make him jealous.

Or see if I could make him jealous.

I nearly let out a sigh of relief when Alaric’s gaze hardened. Something fluttered in my chest. “A… date?” His voice was tight, his tone annoyed.

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation. “A date. With a man.”

Alaric’s eyes narrowed, jaw clenching as his gaze darted to my hand. “With a wedding ring on your finger?”

Shit.

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CHAPTER 0158

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“Well, it’s not real, is it?” I tried to keep my voice as casual as possible. “Our marriage?”

His nostrils flared, and I could tell his fists were clenched in the pockets of his pants. He pulled one out and ran it through his hair. “Well, I’m not letting you…” He caught himself, shoving out a breath. My brows arched. I wondered what he was about to say. “Who is it?” he asked instead. “The man you’re going out with.”

With a scoff, I replied: “It’s none of your business, Alaric-”

“It is if you still have my wedding ring on your finger, Meadow,” he said simply.

He was so calm. Why was he so calm? I hated it. “Oh I’m sorry, is the ring the problem?” I started to pull off the diamond ring. “Here, it’s yours now.”

Alaric instantly reached for my hand before I could completely take off the ring. “Don’t take it off,” he breathed as his large hand covered my dainty ones.

A shiver ran down my spine from the contact of our hands.

His breath visibly hitched, and then he squeezed my hand like he couldn’t believe he was touching me and was trying to make sure. But then, he backed away, letting my hand drop. “Please,” he continued. “Just keep it on. I didn’t come here to argue. I came here to talk to you.”

Something hot and red threatened to burst out of my chest. I recognized that feeling as anger.

“You don’t get to show up here and talk to me whenever you want, Alaric,” I snapped.

“I know,” he murmured. “And I know I’m the last person who deserves to be standing here right now. But I couldn’t-” He exhaled shakily, running a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t let another entire day go by without you knowing the truth.”

“The truth?” I asked.

Was this it? The secret his mother was talking about, the one that had been holding him back. Holding us back.

Alaric nodded. His gaze held mine, blue eyes soft as ever. “About my father. And yours.”

My lips parted but no words came out. Alaric took a step forward, finally stepping into the apartment. His jaw was clenched, brows drawn together as he continued. “And after you hear it, you can decide if you ever want to see me again.”

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Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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Fallen

Score 9.9

Status: Ongoing Type: Alpha 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.