Semua Bab DIVORCED MORNING AND REMARRIED TO HIS BROTHER BY NIGHT: Bab 31 - Bab 40

As I turned back toward the room, I caught Mrs. Bennett watching me.Not just watching. Studying. Dissecting me like I was a puzzle she couldn’t quite solve. It made me feel suddenly small, like my skin was too thin and she could see right through it.“What?” I asked, trying to sound casual.“Monique,” she said gently, her voice lined with false sympathy, “I know you and Lydia have never really gotten along. And I’ve tried to talk to that girl, God knows I have. But you know how stubborn she can be. She never listens.”She let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head like she was exhausted from trying.“I tell her to stay away from that woman, that girl she’s been fooled by… but you have to understand, Lydia and Ariana have been best friends since they were little. It’s hard to break that kind of bond. But I have tried.”I nodded slowly. What was I supposed to say? Sorry, your daughter’s best friend is my husband’s mistress? That didn’t quite sound right, did it?“I get it,” I murmured,

We reached the gazebo, and before I could even sit down, Ryan launched into this whole performance of wiping the bench, brushing off invisible dust, straightening things that didn’t need straightening. I stood there, arms folded, waiting as he cleaned the seat like it was some royal throne.With a small huff, I finally sat. He gave me a look, half exasperated, half hopeful before lowering himself beside me.We were quiet for a moment. The kind of silence that doesn’t feel peaceful. It felt like a storm was coming. And then, he spoke.“Monique, I want you to think about all the years we’ve been married,” he began. His voice was soft, too measured. “I want you to remember how we met. How we felt... I want you to remember why you said yes to me. Why you chose me.”He paused. I didn’t say a word.“I want you to remember how I never left your side. How I always gave you everything you wanted. How I supported you. How my family welcomed you. We were there when you lost your father. I never

I stared at him.For a moment, I wasn’t even breathing. Then the fury rose, slow and deadly like lava.“You planned this?” I asked, voice shaking but sharp. “You actually sat down and mapped out a life where another woman births your children, nurses them, and then what? You dispose of her like trash?”He blinked. “I didn’t mean it like that....”“No! Don’t you dare backtrack now,” I snapped. “You meant every word. You opened your mouth and told me that my pain, my body, my womanhood, is an inconvenience to your fantasy. You’re disgusting.”I stood up, chest heaving.“You said you were protecting me. What a joke. No, Ryan. You weren’t protecting me. You were preserving your lie. Your image. Your selfish, controlling fantasy where everyone just plays their part so you can have your perfect life.”His mouth opened. I raised my hand.“Don’t. Speak.” I said taking a deep breath,“You know what hurts the most?” I whispered. “It’s not the cheating. It’s not even the children.”His eyes sear

The Bennett's HouseRyan walked swiftly through the front doors of his parent's home, his pace unrelenting as he headed straight toward his father’s study, his father’s office.Mr. and Mrs. Bennett were already waiting there, anticipating the outcome of the evening’s plan. They had placed their hopes high on tonight’s late-night stroll, believing it would be the one that bent Monique back into their control. Mrs. Bennett, especially, was nearly giddy with expectation, certain that her little plan had worked.But the moment Ryan entered the house, the look on his face stopped her short.Without saying a word, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett exchanged a silent, knowing glance, then followed their son down the hallway. The heavy door to the office closed behind them with a quiet thud.Ryan made no effort to acknowledge them. He went straight for the drinks cabinet, poured himself a generous glass of whiskey, and tossed it back like water.Mr. Bennett took a seat in front of the desk, watching his s

MONIQUEAs I stood there watching Ryan’s retreat, I felt cold… and lonely… and scared.I didn’t know why I was having this feeling. I had never felt this way. Not with Ryan. Never with Ryan.I had always felt safe. Taken care of. But now… there was an edge. There was something in the way he looked at me. In the way his hand slid through my hair and he told me I was addictive.It seemed almost like a promise.Because what did addicts do?What happens when someone is addicted to something?They never let go. Was that a promise?Was that a threat?What did he mean?Should I be scared?I shook my head... No. He cannot get to me.Not this easily. Not this way.I won’t stop. My plan is still in motion, and I won’t stop until I get everything back.I stood there... I didn’t know for how long until I couldn’t handle the cold anymore and finally decided to go back into the house.At first, I was planning to go back into my room and lock myself in there… but I just—I felt so lonely. So cold.An