Semua Bab Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging: Bab 241 - Bab 250

Black umbrellas dotted the cemetery like ravens, business Manhattan gathered to pay respects to one of its kings. I stood at the head of Giuseppe's casket, playing a role I'd only inherited just few months ago: the grieving granddaughter-in-law. The primary mourner. The heir.Rain spattered against the mahogany casket, beading on its surface before sliding off like tears. I felt the stares of the crowd burning into my back—the outsider who'd somehow usurped the rightful heir. Daniel should've been standing where I was. The blood grandson. The one who'd grown up in Giuseppe's shadow, who'd spent his life waiting for this moment.Instead, he stood fifteen feet away, jaw tight, eyes fixed on the casket."We gather today to celebrate the life of Giuseppe Antonio Russo," the priest intoned, his voice carrying over the patter of rain against umbrellas. "A man who built empires from nothing but determination and vision."Vincent stood at my right, a black umbrella held steadily over both of

MayaMy apartment felt unnaturally quiet when I got back from Giuseppe's funeral. The silence pressed against my ears like cotton, broken only by the click of my heels against hardwood and the soft thud of my purse hitting the counter.Fuck, I needed a drink.I kicked off my shoes, not caring where they landed, and made straight for the cabinet where I kept the expensive whiskey Alex had brought over weeks ago. The amber liquid burned satisfyingly on its way down, a welcome distraction from the weight of tomorrow's board meeting.Everyone at the funeral had looked at me with the same expression—calculating how Giuseppe's death affected their position. Even the fucking priest had managed to throw a glance at Daniel during the service, probably wondering if he should hedge his bets.I carried my glass to the desk where my laptop waited. Giuseppe's flash drive had been sitting in my drawer since the night he died, its contents only partially explored in my shock and grief. I'd skimmed eno

TroyHarrison swiped through his phone again. Turned it toward me. Same beach. Same couple. But now there was sound.Maya's soft gasps. Alex whispering something I couldn't make out. The unmistakable sounds of—Christ. The quality was crystal clear. How was that even possible?"Daniel has the Henderson files." Harrison said it like he was ordering coffee. "The ones stolen from your foundation offices."The room tilted. "It was you? You broke into—""Not personally. I have people for that." He set the phone down, screen still glowing with that damning image. "Here's what's going to happen, Troy. You're going to take responsibility for the theft."A laugh burst out of me. Harsh. Bitter. "Why the fuck would I do that?""Because if you don't, these photos and videos get released." His voice stayed level, almost gentle. Like he was explaining something obvious to a child. "To the board at Russo. Design community. Every industry blog and gossip rag from here to Milan. Maya's career? Over bef

FionaJust the night before.I made all my choices.That's what people don't understand. Nobody forced my hand. Nobody twisted my arm. Every step that led me here—stealing my mother's precious SUV, the flask of vodka burning a hole in my purse, the strange girl with the spiral tattoos sitting beside me—all of it came from decisions I made with my eyes wide open.I made all my choices. But in all of them, I never accounted for my own stupidity.The vodka burned going down, a familiar sting that no longer made me wince. Through the windshield, city lights blurred into streaks of neon and shadow. I shouldn't be driving. Another bad choice to add to the collection."You okay?"I glanced at the girl beside me—Zara? Tara? Her name escaped me. Something with an 'a' at the end. She leaned forward, braids swinging as she adjusted the air vent. The spiral tattoos on her arm caught the passing streetlights."You've been quiet for like, ten minutes," she added.I forced a smile, the kind I'd perfe

FionaTo be broken is to be sad.I blinked, trying to bring the world back into focus. The harsh fluorescent light of the bathroom made everything too sharp, too real. I turned to face the figure in the doorway, my vision swimming.Troy. Of course it was Troy.He stood there, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. The contrast between his crisp button-down and the grungy bathroom was almost comical."Why are you everywhere?" The words came out slurred from my mouth.Behind me, Jackson straightened, tugging his pants back up. "Who the fuck are you?"Troy didn't even look at him. His eyes remained fixed on me, something like disgust flickering across hi