LOGINCamille's POVShe left as dramatically as she'd arrived, leaving destruction in her wake. Nikolai and I stood in silence, both processing what had just happened."Is it true?" I finally asked after almost 2 minutes. "About her affair?""Yes." He sank back into his chair. "I came home early from a business trip and found them together. We fought, I left. That was six months ago.""Why didn't you tell me you were married?" The betrayal felt layered now. Vincent, Kieran, and now Nikolai, all keeping secrets."Because it's complicated." He looked up at me, his expression tortured. "Rachel and I, we weren't some love story. Our marriage was arranged by our families for business purposes. I thought I could make it work, but she never loved me. And I never loved her.""That doesn't excuse lying to me." I moved toward the door, needing space."Wait." Nikolai grabbed my wrist. "There's more you need to know. About why I'm really here. About my connection to Vincent.""I don't want to hear it."
Camille's POV"We need a plan."Kieran's words from yesterday still echoed in my mind as I sat at breakfast the next morning. Vincent had left early for a "business meeting," which probably meant he was with Jessica. The thought made my coffee taste bitter.Nikolai appeared in the dining room, looking tired. "Morning.""Morning." I kept my voice neutral. After what I'd overheard about Vincent's true feelings toward his "friends," I wasn't sure who to trust anymore."Can we talk?" He poured himself coffee and sat across from me. "Privately?""About what?""About why I'm really here." He glanced toward the hallway, checking we were alone. "There's something you need to know about Vincent and me."Before he could continue, the doorbell rang. We both looked toward the entrance, confused. Vincent had a key. Kieran was still upstairs. Who would be visiting at nine in the morning?Maria, our housekeeper, appeared in the dining room doorway. "Mrs. Jasper, there's a woman here asking for Mr. R
Camille's POVKieran lifted me onto the desk, papers scattering as he positioned himself between my thighs. His hands slid under my dress while mine worked at his belt. This was insane, doing this in Vincent's study, but maybe that was the point. Maybe I was finally taking control of something in this mess."Camille." Kieran broke the kiss, breathing hard. "Are you sure?""Shut up." I pulled him back down, tired of talking, tired of thinking.His hands were everywhere, and I arched into his touch. We were seconds from going too far when voices echoed from the hallway. Kieran froze, his eyes meeting mine in panic."—just need to grab something from the study." Vincent's voice, getting closer.We scrambled off the desk. Kieran shoved papers back into drawers while I straightened my dress and tried to look casual. There was a coat closet in the corner of the study. I grabbed Kieran's hand and pulled him inside just as the door handle turned.The closet was tiny, barely enough room for bo
Camille's POVI returned to the penthouse three hours later, calmer but no less confused. Vincent was out, according to the housekeeper. Perfect. I needed answers, and I wasn't above snooping to find them.His study door was unlocked, surprisingly. Vincent usually kept it secured, especially lately. I slipped inside and closed the door behind me, my heart racing with equal parts guilt and determination.Medical records. That's what I needed. Proof of when his recovery actually started, what the doctors really said about his prognosis. The filing cabinet was locked, naturally. But his desk drawers weren't.I rifled through papers, trying to distinguish relevant documents from business contracts. Most of it was company related, boring financial projections and acquisition proposals. Nothing about his health, nothing about physical therapy schedules.Then I found his calendar. A leather-bound planner, the kind Vincent insisted on using despite having a digital calendar on his phone. Old
Camille's POVI didn't sleep. How could I after watching Vincent stand, after hearing him confess this entire nightmare was some twisted loyalty test? Morning light filtered through the bedroom curtains, and I'd spent the entire night replaying every moment since Kieran and Nikolai arrived. Vincent wheeled into the bedroom around eight, his face carefully neutral. "We need to talk.""You think?" I stayed on the bed, refusing to make this easier for him. "About which part? The part where you've been lying about your recovery, or the part where you pimped me out to test my devotion?" "Don't use that word." His jaw tightened. "I gave you permission to find happiness since I couldn't provide it." "Permission." I laughed bitterly. "You gave me permission to betray my vows so you could what, collect evidence? Feel morally superior when you divorce me?""That's not what this was about." He wheeled closer, and I noticed how easily he maneuvered. How strong his arms looked. "I needed to know
Camille's POV"Pass the salt, please." Vincent requested casually, as if we weren't all sitting at dinner pretending the last twenty-four hours hadn't happened.I handed him the shaker, avoiding eye contact with both Kieran and Nikolai across the table."How was everyone's day?" Vincent asked, as he picked his meat."Fine," I muttered, pushing my food around my plate."Productive," Kieran said, his eyes finding mine. The heat in his gaze made my stomach flip with the memories.Nikolai stayed silent. He'd barely looked at me since the argument where I didn't give him an answer. After he asked me to choose, I just brushed past him and went to Vincent's room.Vincent smiled like he knew exactly what was happening. "I'm glad everyone's settling in. This arrangement is working better than I hoped."My fork clattered against the plate. "Is it? Because from where I'm sitting, it feels like a disaster.""You guys will adjust." Vincent's hand found mine on the table, squeezing gently.Before I







