Lahat ng Kabanata ng Kneel Before Me, Ex-husband: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

And then my breath catches in my throat. "What?" I barely whispered the word. The words seemed to hang there like a threat, sharp-edged and pointing the way into the unknown.Lucas's face smoothed into an emotion I couldn't find a label for, but more like sorrow and bitterness. He straightened up again to let the heaviness of his revelation settle in before continuing on. “Yes. My mom, Sarah died, because of your mom. She committed suicide and it was not an accident,”I stepped back, my heart pounding in disbelief. My whole life, my mother was nothing more than a mystery—a ghost I never knew, defined by the fragments Eleanor had shared. Now, to hear she had been responsible for someone's death? It couldn't be right.That was Eleanor, silent, her composure broken. For the first time what felt like a lifetime, she appeared fragile, fragile to the point where it was as if the truth Lucas introduced to the room would snap everything."Why would my mom be involved in something like that?"

I leave for home around 8 PM spent and drained by the events of the day. As soon as I enter, I smell that familiar perfume -my grandmother- and I realize I'm actually home. I see her climbing the stairs, her silver hair glinting in the faint light."Goodnight dear! Good luck for the party tomorrow!" she called up warmly, encouragingly.“Thanks, Grandma! I said with a smiling back at her, feeling appreciated by my persistence.That night, I spent a long time in the hot shower in my room wrapped by clouds of steam and washing away the tension that built inside me during the whole day. The water pounded on every part of me like a balm against the whirlwind of emotions inside. Emerged from the shower and finally put on a warm towel wrapped around the body and gazed in the mirror at myself with a thrill beginning to build inside me for what this night was to hold.Soft crepuscular rays from the sun woke me up gently, directed right at my curtains, which softly stirred me up the next mornin

I stumbled into the house, slamming the door behind me harder than I intended. The echo reverberated through the foyer, but I didn’t care. My head throbbed from too much alcohol, but it wasn't the whiskey swirling in my system that had me boiling inside—it was her. Amy. Or, as she had the audacity to introduce herself tonight, Amethyst Amadeus. The name twisted in my gut like a knife, sharp and unfamiliar.I tugged at my tie, the pressure around my neck adding to the suffocation I felt. My chest was tight, seething with irritation, humiliation even. How could she stand there with him? Nicolai Montero—my investor, grinning like the smug bastard he was, with his hand on her back like he owned her.“She’s mine,” my mind screamed. But, she wasn’t anymore, was she?My fists clenched at my sides as the scene replayed over and over in my head. Amy, or Amethyst, laughing with Nicolai Montero like she didn’t have a care in

Amethyst POVSitting at The Aurora, I absently fiddled with my glass of sparkling water, my heart racing with excitement and a hint of nerves. The upscale ambiance enveloped me, filled with low lights and soft music—perfect for the evening I had anticipated. I checked my watch again—Nicolai was running late.Just as I was about to text him, I spotted him striding toward me, his tall frame cutting through the crowd with undeniable charisma. A smile broke across my face, but I noted a slight flush of annoyance in his expression.“Sorry I’m late,” he said, sliding into the chair across from me. “I had a visit from your ex-husband.”The name sparked my interest. “Gideon Grayson? What was he doing there?”Nicolai leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. “He came to talk about the contract with Robert Ford. Seems he’s worried about losing it. I couldn’t resist keeping him on edge a little longer.”I laughed, the sound bubbling up without restraint. “Good! He deserves every ounce of stress.

I gripped the phone, the voice sending waves of anger and terror rippling through me. "What do you want?" I snapped, my voice steadier than I felt."Amy, we need to talk," she said, her tone laced with a familiarity that made my skin crawl. "I know you're mad, and I want to explain—""Explain what?" I interjected, my pulse rising. "How you and Dad just neglected me while I’m in prison? How you support Alexa and Gideon’s betrayal?There was a thick silence, as if I could almost hear her scrambling for something to say. "You don't understand—""Understand what?" I bit back, feeling the sharp edge of my words with anger building inside of me."Amy, please. You're not thinking clearly. But you can't just shut me out like this. You need to hear my side.""Your side?" I repeated incredulously. "What could you possibly say that would change anything? I'm busy right now and will tell you when I'm free.""Amy, this is important—""Is it, though?" I interrupted. “I just can't deal with this now