تسجيل الدخولELENAThree weeks had passed since that night.Lilian had finally been discharged from the hospital. Her condition had improved for a while, but the doctors still reminded us that she needed a heart donor. I couldn’t calmly stay by her side through the search for a donor. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to, but because everything felt impossible. Besides not wanting to trouble Cedric any further, I was also painfully aware that my relationship with Edward had grown colder—right up to this very moment.Meanwhile, my connection with Cedric had started to strain. Not because I no longer wanted it, but because Edward’s threat still echoed clearly in my mind. I was afraid. Afraid that one wrong step would drag Cedric into even greater ruin.This morning, I sat in the waiting room of the obstetrics clinic with my hands tightly clasped in my lap. The ultrasound appointment had been scheduled since last week. Dr. Lucy had said that today the baby’s gender would most likely be visible.A few m
ELENAMy cheek was burning. I hadn’t even processed what was happening when a sharp stinging pain spread across the side of my face. My body staggered, my knees gave out, and before I realized it, I was already on the floor. My ears rang. My breath came in short gasps.I slowly lifted my face, still half in disbelief. Edward stood in the doorway, his jaw tight and his eyes ice-cold. There was no other emotion except restrained fury.“You shameless bitch,” he said in a low voice, yet every word cut deep. “So you dare ignore my message, huh?”I pressed a hand to my still-throbbing cheek. Tears welled up immediately—not only from the pain, but from the way he looked at me, as if I weren’t his wife but something disgusting.“Edward…” My voice cracked. “I—”“Shut your mouth.”He stepped inside and closed the door behind him with deliberate slowness. The soft click of the lock was quiet, yet it was enough to make my entire body tense. Now it was just the two of us in the room. And from the
ELENAA loud noise suddenly shattered the silence.The sharp clang of metal being kicked and skidding far away made both Cedric and me jolt. I immediately pulled my shirt down, covering my still-exposed chest, while Cedric straightened up quickly. Our breathing was still uneven, but now it was mixed with a different kind of tension.I turned to look out the window, eyes scanning the dark parking lot. Cedric did the same, his jaw tightening.“What was that?” I whispered, my voice still hoarse.Cedric didn’t answer right away. He narrowed his eyes toward the row of plants and the parking pillars, as if trying to catch any movement.“A bottle,” he muttered at last. “Someone kicked a bottle.”My heart pounded harder. I swallowed, fingers gripping the edge of the seat.“What if…” my voice came out soft, almost inaudible, “someone saw us?”Cedric turned to look at me. His eyes were dark under the dim parking lights. He didn’t immediately reassure me, and that only made the tightness in my c
EDWARDI walked back into the hospital corridor with steps that were still tense. The argument I’d just had with Elena in the parking lot kept replaying in my head. That woman truly had no sense of shame. Bringing her family problems to my younger brother, letting Cedric get involved, as if I weren’t enough.I exhaled harshly, about to head toward the waiting area, when a nurse stepped out of one of the rooms on the right and stopped me.“Excuse me, sir…” The nurse looked at me hesitantly. “Are you Mrs. Lilian’s son?”I frowned. “No. I’m her son-in-law.”The nurse’s expression eased slightly. “Oh, I see. I’ve been looking for her family. Mrs. Lilian just regained consciousness, sir. She’s a bit restless and keeps asking for her daughter. She said she wants to see her child.”I fell silent for a moment. I remembered leaving Elena alone in the parking lot. She was probably still crying like a fool right now.“Or perhaps you’d like to visit Mrs. Lilian in her daughter’s place?” the nurse
CEDRICThe kiss hadn’t stopped.I tilted my head deeper, my tongue slipping inside to meet hers. Elena flinched slightly at first, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she kissed me back, even if her movements were still a little hesitant. I growled low into her mouth, my hand tightening at the back of her neck to keep her from retreating.The air inside the car grew hotter. I could feel her uneven breath mixing with mine. Her lips were soft, slightly wet, and the taste of them was driving me further out of my mind.Slowly, I broke the kiss only to trail my mouth along her jaw. I kissed downward, following the line of her jaw to the spot beneath her ear, then lower to the pale, warm skin of her neck. Elena tilted her head to the side, giving me more access, as if her body was being more honest than her words.I pressed a kiss to her neck, then sucked gently on one spot. A soft moan immediately slipped from her lips. The sound made my blood surge hotter.“Cedric…” Her voice was hoarse, al
CEDRICI leaned against the corridor wall, staring at the phone screen where I had just sent a message. It had been read, but there was no reply. Honestly, I hadn’t expected one right away. Still, Elena’s silence only made the tightness in my chest worse. She was probably hurting and anxious right now.I roughly rubbed my face and let out a long breath. Brian and Erika had already regained consciousness, yet for some reason my thoughts kept drifting back to Elena. My instincts told me Edward had already intimidated her, saying things that only made her more afraid.Sitting alone on the corridor bench, the smell of antiseptic and the sound of footsteps around me felt increasingly oppressive. The knowledge that Edward was still wandering around on the same floor only added to the weight in my head. I clearly needed air.I pushed myself up from the bench and walked toward the nearest exit. The moment the automatic doors opened, the night air swept across my face. I inhaled deeply, trying
ELENAThe next morning, the Ashford mansion felt far livelier than usual.Several maids moved back and forth through the dining room, placing dishes one after another onto the long table. The rich aroma of food filled the air, yet somehow it only made my stomach turn again.I took a slow breath bef
ELENAI wasn’t sure if I had truly woken up or if part of me was still trapped in the night I desperately wanted to forget.All I knew was that my body felt unfamiliar the moment I opened my eyes. When I turned my head, Cedric was sleeping soundly beside me. For a few seconds, I could only stare at
ELENAIt was already six in the evening when I finally returned from the hospital.The moment I stepped into the bedroom, the first thing I saw was that dress. I picked it up slowly. The fabric was thin and light, revealing far more skin than I was ever comfortable showing.Edward hadn’t only given
ELENA“There are only two choices, Elena. We either get divorced… or you sleep with another man and give me an heir.”Edward didn’t even look at me when he said it. His eyes remained fixed on the documents in his hands, as though he were discussing an ordinary business meeting instead of destroying







