{"id":508,"date":"2026-01-21T15:38:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/?p=508"},"modified":"2026-01-21T15:38:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:38:56","slug":"paper-vows-novel-chapter-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/paper-vows-novel-chapter-22\/","title":{"rendered":"PAPER VOWS Novel Chapter 22"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
PAPER VOWS<\/div>\n
CHAPTER 22<\/div>\n
ALARIC CLARK<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cAre you okay?\u201d Denzel asks, handing me an ice pack to put on my face. My lip is busted, and my nose is bleeding. Denzel is the only person who was near that I could call after Dante\u2019s security manhandled me. I don\u2019t understand why they would be so rough with me like this over a woman. I am a regular here, and they treat me like I’m not one of the reasons 4th Street is still in business. I have brought Dante many customers to Dante\u2019s club, and they treat me like this?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat happened for you to end up like this?\u201d Denzel asks. He should be giving me alcohol and not questioning me.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what I did. How can these people treat me like this? And where the hell is your brother?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThere is no way these people just attacked you for no reason. You have to have done something. Here, have a short,\u201d he says, handing me a bottle of Jack Daniels.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cYou know what, f*uck you and f*uck your brother.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat did I do? I wasn\u2019t there when they were beating you. These people know you, there is no way they just attacked you for no reason,\u201d says Denzel.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cHelp me up, I am leaving this place.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Denzel helps me get off my feet. My head is throbbing, not even the alcohol is helping, so I take another sip. Denzel says, \u201cGive me your keys, I will drive you home.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cDon\u2019t act as if you care.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care, but I am still offering to drive you home. Give me your keys before I change my mind. I left a cute babe in there to come help you. I am not about to beg you to accept my help,\u201d he says, seeming uninterested in being here.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I dig in my pockets and pull out my car keys, and toss them to Denzel. He helps me walk to my car and then drives me to my house. My house is about thirty-five minutes away from 4th Street Club. As Denzel is driving me there, I ring Dante Lyon. He has a lot of explaining to do.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: Clark.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: Don\u2019t Clark me, do you know what your people did to me?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: Only you can tell me that. I don\u2019t talk to those people.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: Your security handled me like I was some drunk who was trying to sneak out without paying.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: What did you do to be treated like that? There is no way they could just approach you and assault you for no reason.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: Dante, I have brought you so much money and clients to your club. Today you treat me like this.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: What are you saying, Clark?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: Your people manhandled me. I have a busted lip and bruised eye.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: Sorry.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: F*ck you Dante!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dante: Drink painkillers or something. I have other things to do.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
He hangs up, and Denzel bursts into laughter. Maybe I shouldn\u2019t have put the phone on speaker. Denzel says, \u201cHe kind of has a point. You have to have done something to earn that busted lip.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI swear it’d be your people turning on you. And f*ck you too.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t need someone to help you take that anger out? I know a lot of hot women,\u201d says Denzel and I turn up the radio. I am done listening to him talk. If we were not in business together, this would be the last time talking to him.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I turn the music down and say, \u201cI don\u2019t have the energy for a woman. I think these people broke my rib.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cYou will be fine, this is not your first time getting your ribs broken,\u201d Denzel answers, driving into my yard.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cAnd give me back my keys.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cStop being bitter, this is why you have busted lips. I am sure you were being stubborn and harassing people, that\u2019s why you are like this,\u201d he says, gets out of the car and comes to help me out too. I wish I could say I don\u2019t need his help, but I need it. I also need painkillers and more alcohol.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I wish I could take a shower, but I don\u2019t have the strength for it, so I go straight to my bedroom. Denzel gets me painkillers and says, \u201cAre you going to be good?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cYeah, you can go.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI will tell you how everything goes with the merchandise. Don\u2019t piss off Dante, leave him alone,\u201d says Denzel and leaves. I reach for my phone on the bed and dial Nicholas\u2019s number. I want to know who that woman is that I now have busted lips because of.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nicholas: Hey, I heard what happened. Are you good?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: I am not good. Who is that girl anyway? Why was she protected like she was the president\u2019s daughter?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nicholas: That\u2019s Dante\u2019s woman.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: No sh*t! That\u2019s Dante\u2019s woman? Now I get why she was so protected. What\u2019s her name?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nicholas: Jade Marshal.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Me: I see\u2026okay, man, take care!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jade Marshal! Here I was thinking no woman wants Dante Lyon, but I have just been proven wrong. I log into my Facebook and look for Jade Marshal. It seems I live under a rock because Dante and his woman are the talk of GoldenRock. I send Jade Marshal a friend request, then browse around looking at her photos. She is gorgeous.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u2018So Jade Marshal is the reason you are treating me like a stranger?\u2019 I send a text message to Dante Lyon.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I toss my phone on the bed and get off. I need more alcohol before I go to bed.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
ARIA WILLOW<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cCome on, Aria, why are you looking like you are carrying the whole of GoldenRock on your shoulders?\u201d Paula asks.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I am not sad or anything along those lines. I\u2019m just tired and ready to go home. Paula and I have been at the club since eight pm \u2013 it\u2019s now almost midnight. I am tired of dancing in heels. Maybe I am growing old – when the clock hits eleven, I want to be in my bed.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Paula and I decided to go out and forget about Dante and his woman. We usually go to 4th Street on the west side of GoldenRock, today we decided to go to the east side to avoid bumping into Dante. Everyone knows that Dante is more on the West side, and that\u2019s where more people hang out.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Paula and I decided to leave what we wanted to do about spreading speculations on Jade Marshal. Knowing Dante Lyon, he was going to make sure he silenced the rumours. If she is really pregnant, then time will tell. If Dante really loves her, then time will tell. Knowing Dante Lyon the way I do, he is just using her. I was with that man for two years. I know him very well, and all this showing her off is for show.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cDon\u2019t tell me you are thinking about Dante,\u201d Paula snaps her fingers in my face.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI have better things to think about. I told you that Dante can go to hell.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cDo you think you would be able to say that to his face?\u201d Paula asks.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I tell her that I would gladly say that to Dante. I am the price – Dante lost a diamond. As for what happened that day, with me driving to his place, that was just alcohol making me crazy. Paula holds me by my shoulder and makes me turn so I can look at what she wants to show me. There he is, Dante Lyon \u2013 he is wearing blue jeans and a white tee. This isn\u2019t like Dante; he is more of a formal guy, but he still looks good.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI need to get out of here,\u201d I say to Paula. I have had a lot of shots. The next thing I know, I will be going to Dante. That man is my past, and I have already embarrassed myself enough.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cSure, let me go to the bathroom first.\u201d Paula walks away, heading to the bathroom. I see Dante walking away as if going to his office. I was sleeping with that man. I know where his office is \u2013 we used to go there and do what lovers do. The thought of him doing the things he used to do to me to that woman pains me.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I gulp down the remaining of my alcohol and walk to Dante\u2019s office. I don\u2019t knock, I just barge in. He quickly lifts his head when he hears the door opening. \u201cHey Dante.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cHi, Aria.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cCan you please drive me home? I am failing to find an Uber,\u201d I say with my back against the closed door.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe both know that\u2019s not true.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
My phone vibrates in my purse. When I check it, it\u2019s Paula asking where I am. I tell her that I will be back in a few seconds. \u201cAre you driving me home or not?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cIn what universe would the answer to that question be yes?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
I walk towards him, stop when in front of him and say, \u201cYou and I didn\u2019t end on bad terms. I figured you could help out an old friend.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cCan you leave my office? I am busy.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cGive me a hug then, for old time\u2019s sake.\u201d I don\u2019t wait for his response; I launch myself into his arms.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cWhat the hell, Aria?\u201d he pushes me off him.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a hug, Dante, nothing we haven\u2019t done before. We have been here before, in this office and done things you and your new woman would never dream of doing.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PAPER VOWS CHAPTER 22 ALARIC CLARK \u201cAre you okay?\u201d Denzel asks, handing me an ice pack to put on my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paper-vows-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=508"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":522,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions\/522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}