Semua Bab Abandoned by my ex, Reclaimed by his boss: Bab 21 - Bab 28

Chapter Twenty- oneLIANAThe party ended and we soon headed home.The moment we stepped inside the penthouse, I didn’t wait. I turned immediately toward the hallway that led to the guest room—my room. The illusion might still linger in the outside world, but I needed space. Distance. Air. My feet ached from the heels, my back hurt from the posture, and my face throbbed from the fake smiles I had worn like armor.But I had barely taken two steps before his voice cut across the quiet."You're not sleeping there tonight."I froze. Slowly, I turned to face him. Ethan was standing by the console table, already unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt, as casual and composed as ever."Excuse me?" I asked, keeping my voice level even though my pulse jumped.He didn’t even glance up. "You're sleeping in my room. With me."I blinked. "That wasn't part of the agreement."His eyes lifted then, sharp and unreadable. "It was always part of the illusion. You think people aren’t watching? Everyone in thi

Chapter Twenty-ThreeLIANAThe click of the front door unlocking jolted me out of the haze I’d been drowning in for the past hour.I was curled up on the far end of Ethan’s leather sectional, arms wrapped around a pillow like it could shield me from everything spiraling out of control. A book lay open in my lap, unread. I hadn’t turned a page in over an hour. The only light came from the low amber glow of the lamp beside me and the glittering skyline stretching beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Manhattan sparkled, alive and detached, while the air inside the penthouse was thick with the kind of silence that waits for a storm.Ethan stepped in, his presence commanding even without a word. His tie was already loosened, the top two buttons of his dress shirt undone, sleeves rolled to his forearms. He looked tired, but not in the usual way. This wasn’t the fatigue of a long day at work—it was the weariness of fighting a battle behind closed doors.“You’re back late,” I said, rising slo

Chapter Twenty-Five DAMIAN The message arrived just after sunrise, slicing through the quiet of morning with cold finality. You’re expected in by 9. No more leave extensions. — E.W. No greeting. No signature beyond the initials I knew too well. Just Ethan Wolfe’s voice through the screen—clinical, sharp, and unmistakably controlling. I stared at the words for longer than necessary, not because I was caught off guard, but because I recognized the precision behind the timing. Ethan never did anything by chance. He’d let me have my silence, my temporary exile, but now—he was calling me back. Not because I was ready, but because he was. Behind me, the soft rustle of movement broke the silence. Audrey entered the room, her presence a quiet comfort I didn’t yet deserve. A plush robe hung from her shoulders, loosely knotted, and she carried a steaming mug of coffee in both hands. She paused by the dresser, gaze settling on me. She didn’t need to ask. Her eyes flicked to the phone

Chapter Twenty -SevenLIANAThe moment Mrs. Alden left my room, I stood up, my spine straightening as cold determination flooded my chest. Enough was enough. I couldn’t sit here, suffocating beneath the weight of everyone else’s decisions, pretending like I didn’t feel the walls of this house closing in. I wouldn’t let it become a cage. And I sure as hell wouldn’t let Ethan Wolfe decide what was best for my daughter without involving me. Not again.I grabbed my bag off the chair, shoved my phone into the side pocket, slipped on a pair of flats, and looped my scarf around my neck with jerky, determined movements.As I stepped into the hallway, the silence of the house pressed in around me. But this time, I wasn’t afraid of it. I welcomed the quiet—it gave weight to my footsteps as I descended the stairs, each step echoing sharply against the polished marble. There was no hesitation in my stride, no pause to reconsider.The driver was still waiting outside, standing rigid near the black