Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE WIFE YOU LEFT: Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

AXEL’S POV:The ride back home was lonely, but my mind wasn’t. It never was. There was always a thought keeping me company.Hurting that boy should’ve given me something. Relief. Satisfaction. Closure. Something.But all it left behind was a bitter taste in my mouth and red stains on my knuckles.He wasn’t Altherio’s son. Not one of the Dons’ inner circle. Just some random twenty-something year old kid—beaten into mush, barely breathing, manipulated into trying to wipe my family off the map for a paycheck.What the hell was going on?Did I grow a conscience? Before now, I wouldn't care about things like that.But what bothered me most was the awkward occurrence. I thought I lost it due to the incident with Altherio's son and others. I thought I couldn't stand blood or killing someone. Yet, I saw the boy's blood. I heard his bones crack. Yet, I wasn’t shaken. Apart from the guilt on my conscience, nothing more.Not knowing what the heck was going on with me terrified me more than anyth

AXEL’S POV:When Avery’s happy, I’m happy. That’s just how it’s always been.I had this planned since the day we left Orion. I made a promise to rebuild the ruins—and I kept it. Watching her eyes take it all in, glowing with wonder and pride, gave me a kind of satisfaction I rarely allowed myself to feel. Not just because I delivered on my word, but because I did it for her.Akira didn’t hold back as she led us to the complex she’d arranged for our stay. And damn, she outdid herself.The rooms smelled like citrus and ocean breeze. The space was laced with bamboo and white linen, soft ceiling fans spinning lazily above us. Open-air shutters brought in sunlight and the scent of orchids. Our room had a canopy bed draped in light fabric that swayed in the wind. There were handcrafted wooden lamps shaped like pineapples on nightstands and a woven rug that felt warm underfoot. Sea’s room was right next to ours, equally breezy, her bed smaller but just as elegant, with seashell carvings on t

AVERY’S POV:Orion shimmered.Not the old, broken-down version we left behind. This was something else entirely—new, impossibly vibrant. The sky looked bluer. The trees greener. The air cleaner, like it had never tasted bitterness or war.Children ran barefoot along the pathways, laughter trailing behind them like ribbons in the wind. Colorful stalls lined the roads, bursting with bright fruits, handmade jewelry, and baskets full of fresh herbs. The people waved as we passed, most of them directing their joy toward Akira like she was the sun itself. Some clasped their hands and bowed. Others simply smiled with teary eyes, whispering her name as if it were holy.Akira smiled at them all with patient kindness, never once letting go of her graceful posture. “Thank you,” she kept saying, over and over. “Thank you for waiting. For staying.”She turned to me and Axel. “You have no idea what you’ve done for this place. For me.” Her voice softened. “You brought the heart back.”As we walked,

AVERY’S POV:I blinked hard, trying to piece together what had just happened—if it had really happened."What do you mean?" I asked, voice low, confused, my heart still thudding in my chest.The man’s eyes darted nervously, his entire body taut like a rubber band about to snap. His breath was uneven, his mouth trembling as he whispered rapidly."She’s dangerous. I’m the only one not under her spell. Everyone else in Orion... they’ve been hypnotized by her. If you’re not—she’ll kill you."My lips parted, a chill crawling up my spine. “Hypnotized? What are you talking about?”"I’ve been following you for a long time—waiting for the right moment to talk to you. The burial ground, the hospital, the gates of your home... I was always there. You just didn’t see me.""You’ve been following me?" My voice cracked a little, not from fear of him, but from the fear of everything he was implying. Also, I knew that I've been getting that feeling of being followed for a long time."Yes!" he hissed.

AVERY’S POV:We were back in Miami. It wasn’t a choice I made lightly, but I didn’t trust Akira—not anymore. Not with Sea. Not with us.Axel didn’t argue, and that said enough.Now, with the bags unpacked and Axel gone to attend the Dons’ emergency meeting, I was left with a silence that pressed against my chest.Sea had fallen asleep not long after we arrived—curled up, a seashell tucked beneath her arm, her breath steady. I sat beside her for a long moment, just watching. She looked so peaceful. So untouched by the chaos that had swallowed our lives.I leaned down, kissed her forehead, and tucked the covers a little tighter around her.Then I left a note on the nightstand:"Sweetheart, I had to step out for a while. Be good, and I’ll be back before you know it. I love you more than chocolate chip pancakes. —Mom."The sun was barely rising. A soft, burnt-orange hue stretched across the horizon. It was the beginning of the day that could change everything.I’d been trying to ignore th