Zara’s POVThe silence had stretched into something that made my heart burn. But this silence was different. It’s the kind caused by a lovers’ quarrel. The kind that happens before great sex to make up. Why was this similar to what Leo and I had been going through since he saw me on a date with Zane?He hadn’t said more than a few words to me since then. He came home later than usual. Had not had breakfast or dinner with me, nor had he driven with me to work. And worst of all, he avoided my eyes like they’d burn him. I wondered why it felt like one betrayed the other when we were clearly not in a romantic relationship. Or was he just trying to make our relationship strictly businesslike? Well, I had given the rules. What did I expect?I lay there on my bed, arms folded tightly, staring at the ceiling, and feeling like the most lonely person in the world. I didn’t know why I was pathetic enough to care that he hadn’t looked at me or spoken to me all day.I picked up my phone weakly, ha
Zane’s POVThe taste of bourbon burned my throat harder than Elora’s words did, but I welcomed it anyway. It was better to have a drink sting than have Elora’s voice linger in my head any longer. I couldn’t stop drinking. The strong liquid was the only thing numbing the terror tearing through my chest like shattered glass. It was barely noon, but the bottle on my office desk was almost empty, just like how I was on the inside.I sat carefree in my chair, tie loosened like one who could no longer fight, shirt unbuttoned halfway, and my eyes still bloodshot from the previous night. I stared out the window at the city I once ruled, but it now mocked me. I swirled my glass and brought it close to my lips to take one more gulp, but it progressed to three more gulps. I let out a bitter laugh as I remembered Elora’s words again. It haunted me like a song on repeat. A song filled with sorrow and regret, and of all the goddamn decisions I shouldn’t have made. God, what the hell was I thinki
Elora’s POVI bit my lower lip as tears came rushing down my face in torrents.“You think I’m stupid? You thought you could keep this going on for long without me finding out?” he barked in a high-pitched tone.“What am I even saying?” his hands ran across his face like he was trying to unsee things. “I should be asking how you summoned the guts to forge my signature to authorize your fucking embezzlement!” he roared.I sucked in a sharp breath when I remembered that I had intentionally forged his signature as my insurance if I ever got caught.My nerves calmed down immediately as I lay there on the floor, laughing dryly.He stared at me with wide, unblinking eyes. “What the fuck is making you laugh? How can you even laugh right now? Aren’t you supposed to keep begging me to spare your life?” he asked, his brows furrowed.I wiped my sweaty, hot face and forced myself up from the ground slowly. Then I held his gaze, unwavering. “Because I know you can’t do shit to me,” I said, my voice
Elora’s POVThe elevator ride felt longer than usual. I could still feel Mason’s warm touch all over my body. I had told him not to escort me out to prevent any scandal. No one in this building or outside could know what I had been up to. The last thing I needed was Zane finding a ground for divorce.I got to the lobby, bowed my head, and hurried over to the parking lot. I got into my car and drove off without wasting any more time. The lights of the front door of our house were surprisingly still dim. I had instructed the caretaker to call the electrician to fix the light that morning, but apparently, no one listens to me in this house. When my husband won’t even listen to me, how would my workers do so?I entered inside to meet an unfamiliar silence for that time of the night. It meant Lucas was asleep. Thank God I hid his toy. I knew that was a good decision. Because the last thing I needed was to put up with his bedtime tantrums, all I needed now was a hot bath and some silence.
Zane’s POVThe look on Leo’s face from yesterday kept replaying in my head. I was so sure I had unconsciously let out a wicked laugh to myself during working hours. How could he think he was worthy competition strong enough to come between me and Zara? I’ve never seen such a pathetic loser. Everything was coming together, but that Leo had to show up and ruin the moment.I didn’t know what infuriated me more—Zara going after Leo and cutting our date short, or Leo looking at her like she belonged to him. She doesn’t. She was mine first, and I would do anything to make her mine again. My mind became calmer when Zara’s smile flashed through my mind when she saw the decor. I had no idea who set that up, but I was very grateful to whoever did. She seemed pleased with the food, too. She responded to me more beautifully than when she just got back, and that gave me a shred of hope. Relaxing in my office chair, I rubbed my palms together like I was preparing to take on the world. Then I pau
Elora’s POV I stormed out of the company with my heels striking the floor so hard that every step sent a sharp pang to my ribs. I made my way hurriedly to the parking lot, ignoring every greeting and murmur around me. To hell with them. To hell with everyone who allows that witch to remain here! I flung my car door open with so much force, entered, and hit the steering wheel with my palm over and over again, screaming my lungs out. But it did nothing to cool the volcano erupting inside of me. A co-worker had sent me a picture of Zane helping Zara get into his car the other day, having no idea where they were going. And it was during working hours! How dare they humiliate me like that? He never paused his work for me, his wife, to take me out or ease off the stress that work brought, but his ex-wife came back, and all of a sudden, he became the sweetest, caring man. My head hurt anytime I tried to guess where they went together. Did they go to a hotel to fuck themselves? Did they g