Trace of Ink

Trace of Ink

Zale_Valrez

5.0
Comment(s)
112
View
29
Chapters

Would you love something that is broken or admire something that had fell into pieces? Would you hold it close to your heart and accept it, even if it means you'll get cuts? She was broken yet bravely collected herself together. She started a new life and decided to forget everything in the past by creating a fabricated image of herself. Would you dare look beyond the facade she made to get to know her more?" But getting closer means hurting her; digging for more from her past would destroy her. Would you gamble all the chance of helping her fix everything up, even though you'd break her more and make her feel worse? Or would you only admire her from afar and maintain your distance, to keep everything in place that she had built. Would you fight for her even if it means fighting against her?

Trace of Ink Chapter 1 Prologue

On a cold, lonely night, on the street filled with silence, a girl stood firmly right beside a rusty lamppost, unmoved. A soft wind blew her pale cheeks, some hair strands danced with its calm beat, she loosened the tight grip of her hands as a tear escaped, which she wiped violently.

A silent fury was suffocating her, the cold breeze of the wind had nothing to aid her aching lungs. As she held her balled fist into a firm grip, her nails dug into her palm. When a sound of a vehicle entered her ears, she slid both of her hands inside the pocket of her jacket, hadn't paid attention to how red it was. And took a huge breath to calm down her horses.

She raised her right hand three o'clock angle and a bus stopped, someone went down. Too distracted with her flooded emotion to the point that she forgot she was actually at a bus stop. She hurriedly slid her hand in again and disregarded her burning cheeks. She was embarrassed and bit her inner cheek.

She silently took the only vacant seat between a pregnant woman and an old man. The old man was snoring irritatingly while the pregnant woman was looking at her intently. Soon the man right beside the window reached his destination and she took his seat at once.

As she zoned out, a strong thunder startled everyone except her. She seemed hypnotized by the multiple drops of rain sliding down the window glass. All her attention was on the single drop of rain that was slowly tracing its path down as her tears slowly ran down her cheeks. No one noticed it since everyone was half asleep. Soon the rain stopped falling, she immediately wiped her tears.

The next stop was an unknown place to her, yet she decided to go down after paying. A girl with a slender body in a denim jacket was carrying bags. Her theory was, that girl with baggage would rent a new apartment. She took a vehicle with three wheels, so as she is.

She silently followed her, secretly praying that her theory was right. Fortunately, her theory came into being possible. They stopped in front of a small building. A three-story building with three rooms for rent on each floor. Painted with dirty white with a red roof.

"Good evening, madame. I didn't expect to be this late heavy traffic caught me. I deeply apologize, " the girl spoke.

"Not a problem, my dear. Here's your key, number five. Peter will help you out with that baggage." She lively answered and handed her the key. 'She must be the landlady', she thought. Before the landlady could get in, she hurriedly approached her. "Excuse me, madame." Her voice broke since her throat was awfully dry.

"Yes, my dear." Answered by the landlady with a full smile on her lips, revealing her perfect teeth.

"Do you still have....uhm a vacant apartment?"

"Lucky you! Of course, come on in. Let's talk about it in my office," she exclaimed. And held her duster to lift it a bit so she could take a huge step. "Sorry for this, we'll fix this as soon as we can." Pertaining to the broken bricks of their stair. As they entered her room the landlady started talking about everything.

"It's obvious that my apartment wasn't big or ideal for families so I only accept alone tenants as much as possible. For a small town, my Apartment was barely rented, not until now. You got the last vacant." She offered her water and a chair, and the girl gratefully accept the water. Then hesitantly took the green plastic chair, it was uncomfortably cold.

"Thank you." Yet she thanked her while checking the whole place, she almost jump off when her eyes fell on the lady's curious face.

"I've never seen you before, are you moving for good?" Asked the lady and she put her glasses on. She nodded shortly and looked away.

"Can I see your ID?" She asked while flipping the pages of her book, she lift her gaze to the girl when she didn't hear any response. The timid girl shook her head and her smile immediately faded. "And why is that?"

"I don't have an ID with me." She looked down at her black hooded jacket and her denim jeans.

"How about tomorrow, can you bring it tomorrow? I'm sorry dear, I don't just accept random tenants. I hope you understand."

The girl took a few blinks and slid her hand into her pocket. "I need the apartment now, I hope you can give this to me. Here's my down payment." She placed the thick blue cash on the table.

The lady eyed them like a hawk, grabbed and counted them. "Well, we can talk about it." She carefully slid the fifteen thousand pesos inside her pocket. "What's your name, may I ask, honey?" Her sweet smile and graceful movement instantly lift the tension.

"Fera Luzares."

"What a pleasant name, sounds like Pera a Tagalog(Filipino Language) word that means money. " The landlady spoke. "And how old are you?"

"Sixteen,"

"Such a fine young lady-" she was cut off by Fera's loud yawn. "Your sleepy and tired, I presume."

"Pardon me."

"No worries, here's your key. But never forget to drop your ID next time, alright?"

"Thank you so much."

"Ahm, I forgot something."

Continue Reading

You'll also like

Inferno Heiress: Freed From Hell To Reclaim My Empire

Inferno Heiress: Freed From Hell To Reclaim My Empire

Clara Voss
5.0

Hayley was betrayed by those who should have loved her most. To save their precious adopted daughter from a punishment she deserved, her own parents sent Hayley straight into a living hell—an infamous prison where survival demanded cruelty, and weakness meant death. Four years later, the girl who had entered those iron gates no longer existed. She emerged with a single, unbreakable rule carved into her soul: Every betrayal would be repaid tenfold. The day she walked free, the world trembled. A convoy of luxury cars lined the road. A legion of loyal followers awaited her triumphant return. Her father tried to buy her silence with money. But money had long lost its power over her. Her adopted sister hid behind sweet words and false kindness. But empty smiles no longer fooled her. Everything that had once been stolen would be reclaimed—piece by piece. When her parents attempted to tie themselves to the city's most feared man by offering their adopted daughter, Hayley's lips curved into a cold smirk. "Not on my watch." Backed by a legendary hacker, shadowy allies, and an entire prison willing to burn the world for her, Hayley dismantled her enemies with terrifying precision. Then the tyrant noticed her. "You're interesting," he said. "Be my woman, and the city is yours." Hayley raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You want to own me? Survive me first." High society became their battlefield. Power collided with desire. Ambition clashed with obsession. In this ruthless game of dominance and temptation, only one would kneel first. The girl once abandoned in hell rose from its ashes, crowned by fire and vengeance—And in the end, even the most feared ruler in the city would bow, offering his empire to the woman who had conquered both hell… and him.

The Billionaire's Secret Triplets: Mom's Revenge

The Billionaire's Secret Triplets: Mom's Revenge

HONEY MULLINS
5.0

Six years ago, I was a naive girl sold by my father to the powerful Sanders estate, only to be tossed onto the streets after a brutal assault they labeled "marital infidelity." I fled the country pregnant and broken, hiding from the shadow of a husband I had never even met. Now, I’ve returned to New York with my triplets to sign the final divorce papers and disappear forever. But Archibald Sanders—the man I was told was a crippled recluse—intercepted us with the cold precision of a predator. He didn't see the woman his family destroyed; he saw a gold-digger who had shamed his name. His security team hunted us to a grimy motel, using tactical force to snatch my children away and drag me to his glass-walled empire. In his office, he loomed over me, demanding a DNA test and threatening to throw me in prison while my babies were lost to the foster system. He was convinced I’d cheated, yet he stared at my sons with a haunting confusion, unable to ignore the stormy blue eyes that were a perfect mirror of his own. I stood there, paralyzed by his scent—the sharp tang of rain and expensive leather that triggered the icy dread of my worst nightmares. How could he accuse me of betrayal when he felt exactly like the monster who had shattered my life in that dark hotel room? "I'll sign anything," I sobbed, "just give me my kids." But the game changed when my five-year-old son hacked the tower’s security, holding the skyscraper hostage to save me. In the chaos, a fragile, silent boy—Archibald’s secret son—wandered into the room and reached for me as if I were his missing soul. Archibald’s face turned to stone as he tore up the agreement and locked the doors. "Until I find out why my son is looking at you like that," he growled, "you aren't going anywhere."

Secret Triplets: The Billionaire's Second Chance

Secret Triplets: The Billionaire's Second Chance

Roderic Penn
4.5

I stood at my mother’s open grave in the freezing rain, my heels sinking into the mud. The space beside me was empty. My husband, Hilliard Holloway, had promised to cherish me in bad times, but apparently, burying my mother didn't fit into his busy schedule. While the priest’s voice droned on, a news alert lit up my phone. It was a livestream of the Metropolitan Charity Gala. There was Hilliard, looking impeccable in a custom tuxedo, with his ex-girlfriend Charla English draped over his arm. The headline read: "Holloway & English: A Power Couple Reunited?" When he finally returned to our penthouse at 2 AM, he didn't come alone—he brought Charla with him. He claimed she’d had a "medical emergency" at the gala and couldn't be left alone. I found a Tiffany diamond necklace on our coffee table meant for her birthday, and a smudge of her signature red lipstick on his collar. When I confronted him, he simply told me to stop being "hysterical" and "acting like a child." He had no idea I was seven months pregnant with his child. He thought so little of my grief that he didn't even bother to craft a convincing lie, laughing with his mistress in our home while I sat in the dark with a shattered heart and a secret life growing inside me. "He doesn't deserve us," I whispered to the darkness. I didn't scream or beg. I simply left a folder on his desk containing signed divorce papers and a forged medical report for a terminated pregnancy. I disappeared into the night, letting him believe he had successfully killed his own legacy through his neglect. Five years later, Hilliard walked into "The Vault," the city's most exclusive underground auction, looking for a broker to manage his estate. He didn't recognize me behind my Venetian mask, but he couldn't ignore the neon pink graffiti on his armored Maybach that read "DEADBEAT." He had no clue that the three brilliant triplets currently hacking his security system were the very children he thought had been erased years ago. This time, I wasn't just a wife in the way; I was the one holding all the cards.

The Placeholder Bride's Secret Billionaire Revenge

The Placeholder Bride's Secret Billionaire Revenge

Luo Ye
5.0

For two years, I was the invisible force behind tech billionaire Kieran Douglas, convinced that our "private" romance was his way of protecting us from the tabloid spotlight. I managed his mergers, warmed his bed, and waited for a future that didn't exist. The illusion shattered at 6:00 AM when a Page Six alert debuted Kieran’s "real" romance with socialite Aspen Schneider. Before I could even process the betrayal, Kieran sent me a cold, professional text: "Order flowers for Aspen. Pink peonies. Her favorite." When I tried to walk away, my own mother called me a disgrace and threatened to lock my inheritance forever unless I married a sixty-year-old businessman to save her failing estate. At a high-society gala that same night, Aspen intentionally crushed my burned hand in front of the cameras, while Kieran stood by and dismissed me as a "mediocre assistant" who had overstayed her welcome. I stood in the cold New York rain, drenched in champagne and humiliation, realizing that every sacrifice I made for Kieran was a joke. I was a ghost in a penthouse that was never mine, discarded the moment his "soulmate" returned. To the world, I was just a placeholder whose time had run out. But Kieran forgot one thing: my father’s multi-million dollar trust fund unlocks the moment I legally marry. I didn't need love; I needed a signature and a shield. I walked into a discreet law firm and signed a marriage contract with a man I believed was the city’s most notorious, scandal-ridden playboy. I thought I was marrying a degenerate "beard" to buy my freedom and secure my revenge. I didn't realize the man who signed that paper wasn't a playboy at all, but Gaston Collins—the most powerful and dangerous man on Wall Street—and he had no intention of letting our fake marriage stay fake.

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

SHANA GRAY
4.5

The sterile white of the operating room blurred, then sharpened, as Skye Sterling felt the cold clawing its way up her body. The heart monitor flatlined, a steady, high-pitched whine announcing her end. Her uterus had been removed, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't clot. It just kept flowing, warm and sticky, pooling beneath her. Through heavy eyes, she saw a trembling nurse holding a phone on speaker. "Mr. Kensington," the nurse's voice cracked, "your wife... she's critical." A pause, then a sweet, poisonous giggle. Seraphina Miller. "Liam is in the shower," Seraphina's voice purred. "Stop calling, Skye. It's pathetic. Faking a medical emergency on our anniversary? Even for you, that's low." Then, Liam's bored voice: "If she dies, call the funeral home. I have a meeting in the morning." Click. The line went dead. A second later, so did Skye. The darkness that followed was absolute, suffocating, a black ocean crushing her lungs. She screamed into the void, a silent, agonizing wail of regret for loving a man who saw her as a nuisance, for dying without ever truly living. Until she died, she didn't understand. Why was her life so tragically wasted? Why did her husband, the man she loved, abandon her so cruelly? The injustice of it all burned hotter than the fever in her body. Then, the air rushed back in. Skye gasped, her body convulsing violently on the mattress. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified, staring blindly into the darkness. Her trembling hand reached for her phone. May 12th. Five years ago. She was back.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
Trace of Ink Trace of Ink Zale_Valrez Others
“Would you love something that is broken or admire something that had fell into pieces? Would you hold it close to your heart and accept it, even if it means you'll get cuts? She was broken yet bravely collected herself together. She started a new life and decided to forget everything in the past by creating a fabricated image of herself. Would you dare look beyond the facade she made to get to know her more?" But getting closer means hurting her; digging for more from her past would destroy her. Would you gamble all the chance of helping her fix everything up, even though you'd break her more and make her feel worse? Or would you only admire her from afar and maintain your distance, to keep everything in place that she had built. Would you fight for her even if it means fighting against her?”
1

Chapter 1 Prologue

07/05/2022

2

Chapter 2 Drowning in Loneliness

07/05/2022

3

Chapter 3 Phone Call

07/05/2022

4

Chapter 4 Uninvited Visitor

07/05/2022

5

Chapter 5 Perfect Crime Gone Wrong

07/05/2022

6

Chapter 6 Good Cook

07/05/2022

7

Chapter 7 Solved Puzzle

07/05/2022

8

Chapter 8 Motorcycle Ride

07/05/2022

9

Chapter 9 An Issue

07/05/2022

10

Chapter 10 Got into Trouble

07/05/2022

11

Chapter 11 Meeting his Grandparents

07/05/2022

12

Chapter 12 False Alarm

07/05/2022

13

Chapter 13 I Don't Like Her

09/05/2022

14

Chapter 14 Cheese Burger

09/05/2022

15

Chapter 15 Nicknames

09/05/2022

16

Chapter 16 Drain Drops

09/05/2022

17

Chapter 17 Fever

09/05/2022

18

Chapter 18 Taking Care of Her

09/05/2022

19

Chapter 19 Somewhat a Deep Talks

09/05/2022

20

Chapter 20 Her Nanny

09/05/2022

21

Chapter 21 The Bully

13/05/2022

22

Chapter 22 The Principal

13/05/2022

23

Chapter 23 I Hate You

16/05/2022

24

Chapter 24 Permission

16/05/2022

25

Chapter 25 The Party Preparation

16/05/2022

26

Chapter 26 His Birthday Party

22/05/2022

27

Chapter 27 Surprise Performance

22/05/2022

28

Chapter 28 Birthday

22/05/2022

29

Chapter 29 His Birthday Gift

22/05/2022