Amelia POVThe house was too quiet.I sat in the dimly lit living room, hands clasped tightly around a mug of cold tea I hadn’t touched in hours. Outside, the sky had long since surrendered to night, cloaking everything in a velvet darkness broken only by the occasional flash of headlights passing by.But not his.Maxwell still hadn’t returned.I didn’t know what I was waiting for anymore—an apology, an explanation… or just the damn divorce papers. Something final. Something that would stop this endless waiting, this sick feeling of limbo that had stolen the air from my lungs since the moment he walked back through the door and shattered me all over again.I couldn’t take it anymore. I wouldn’t.The second he came through that door, I’d tell him—no more silence. No more tiptoeing. I’d demand the divorce and end this sick game before it broke me for good.The clock ticked past midnight.And then it happened—the harsh screech of tires on gravel, the unmistakable sound of a door slamming
Amelia POVThe morning sunlight filtered in lazily through the half-drawn curtains, warm against my skin but not enough to ease the stiffness in my bones. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep—I hadn’t even changed out of yesterday’s clothes. I’d just closed my eyes for a moment, wrapped in thoughts I couldn’t escape, and somehow, exhaustion had pulled me under.When I stirred, the world felt disoriented. My limbs were heavy, my mouth dry. I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling above me, frowning as confusion settled over me like fog. This wasn’t… my room?I sat up slowly, a knot forming in my stomach. The bedding beneath me felt smoother, colder—luxurious in a way mine wasn’t. And then it hit me.This was the master bedroom.What the hell?I must’ve wandered here in a half-asleep haze last night. Maybe I’d gone looking for comfort. Maybe some part of me, in that vulnerable moment, wanted to be close to him even if he wasn’t home.I ran a hand down my face, groaning softly. Perfect. Now I had to
Amelia POVThe cab ride felt longer than it was. Maybe it was the silence, or perhaps it was the churning anxiety twisting tighter in my chest with every mile. I sat stiffly, fingers laced in my lap, staring out the window like the passing city lights could offer answers I hadn’t found in Nate’s eyes.I wasn’t ready to go home.I wasn’t ready to face what waited on the other side of that front door.Maxwell might be there—or worse, he might not. And somehow, both possibilities felt like a punch.When the cab finally pulled into the long driveway, my stomach dropped. The mansion loomed ahead, dark and still. My eyes darted across the windows, searching for any flicker of light, movement, or him. But nothing. Just shadows.I paid the driver with shaky fingers and stepped out into the cold night air. My heels clicked against the stone path, too loud in the silence. The weight of the front door pressed against me before I even touched it.What if he was there, waiting, angry?What if he w
Amelia POVI didn’t move at first. I couldn’t.The rooftop felt like it had caved in around me, suffocating and loud despite the sudden silence. I stood frozen, hand clenched around the strap of my purse, as Maxwell turned and walked away—slowly, wordlessly, like he’d left a part of himself behind but couldn’t bear to face it.He didn’t look back.But I did.Watching the man who has always neglected my feelings leave with nothing but the consequences of his pride. And yet… it hurt. It hurt like hell because no matter how much I wanted to hate him I found myself loving him. “Amelia,” Nate said softly beside me, but I couldn’t face him yet. My throat burned. My heart throbbed in a twisted mix of guilt, anger, and something dangerously close to heartbreak.“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, voice hoarse as I bent to pick up my purse from where it had fallen. “I should’ve told you. About Maxwell. About everything. This, this wasn’t supposed to happen.”“You don’t have to explain anything,” Nat
Maxwell povThe house was quiet, but my mind wasn’t.I’d barely slept a wink since the confrontation that happened minutes ago. Amelia’s words played on repeat, echoing in every corner of my brain. Her voice, the tremble of it when she said I used her… when she said I never cared. That look in her eyes—part pain, part defiance—haunted me. She wasn’t the same girl I brought into this house.She was changing, slipping through my fingers like smoke.And I hated it but deep down her anger was justified. The staff had been whispering for weeks. At first, I dismissed it—house gossip, a way to pass the time in this tomb of a home. But when my mother said the same thing… when Victoria chimed in, all smug and certain…Doubt took root.What if they were right?What if Amelia had found someone else?What if I were truly losing her?The idea clawed at my insides like a beast, ugly and loud. I wasn’t supposed to care. This marriage was convenient—calculated. But when I heard the accusations thro
Amelia POVThe house was dim and silent when I crept in through the side door. I padded softly through the hallway, shoes in hand, coat pulled tightly around me like armor. I was halfway to the stairs when a sharp voice pierced the quiet.“Where do you think you are coming from?”I froze.Rebecca stepped out from the shadows at the base of the stairs, arms folded tightly across her chest, her eyes glinting with cold accusation. Beside her stood Victoria, leaning against the banister like she’d been waiting for a show.“I asked you a question,” Rebecca said, her voice louder now. “Where have you been, Amelia?”“I—” I started, my throat instantly dry.She took a step closer. “You always leave this house like a thief at dawn and return even later at night. Who do you think you are? The new owner of the house? I blinked, stunned. “I’m just— I went out for some air. That’s all.”Rebecca let out a harsh, humorless laugh. “Air? Do you think we’re fools? Or are you so desperate for attention