Lahat ng Kabanata ng Condemned Wife's Compliance: Kabanata 191 - Kabanata 200

Felix arrived a touch earlier than usual. The company car park was still half empty, mist clinging stubbornly to the edges of the pavement. He stepped out of his car, straightened his jacket, and headed into the glass building that bore his family name.There was a smirk on his face as he entered the lobby. His shoes clicked sharply against the polished marble floor, echoing in the quiet of the early hour. He liked that sound. Precise. Intentional. A reminder that he was here with purpose.And today, he was laying another brick in Rafael’s destruction.He took the lift to the executive floor, his fingers tapping lightly against the little plastic stick in his pocket.The lift chimed softly as it opened, and he stepped out, smoothing his hair. It was annoyingly empty this early in the morning. Only one office light was on down the hall. Good. Quiet meant fewer questions.He walked straight to Rafael’s assistant’s desk. She sat there, a neat and organised young woman with a bright smile

Adrea was in the shower and Aris had barely finished tying his shoelaces when his phone buzzed on the coffee table. He glanced at the screen. It was one of his main PA team members and probably the only one who had the courage to bother him this early in the day.Aris groaned, rubbing his face. He had barely slept the night before. He reached for the phone.“Talk. Quickly. I am not awake enough for stress.”Leo exhaled in a rush. “Boss, we heard back from the people from Social Pulse.”Aris stilled.Social Pulse. The tabloid that had blasted Sofia’s name across the city.The one that accused her of sneaking around with William Smith for months, painting her as predatory and immoral. The one that had thrown her reputation to the wolves with gleeful recklessness.Aris had spent days hunting every editor, junior writer and photographer involved, filing the suit himself, ensuring every person who touched that article regretted it.“What about them?”“The editor-in-chief wants a meeting.”

Adrea woke up slowly and the first thought she decided was she was better off going back to sleep. She lay still, letting herself exist in that soft space between sleep and consciousness, cocooned in the gentle scent of coffee and something buttery and sweet. That scent did nothing to put her to sleep… She blinked slowly, shifting beneath the covers, and realised two things at once: first, it was her birthday, and second, someone was standing beside her bed.Aris.He balanced a tray in one hand and a mug in the other, looking absurdly pleased with himself. His hair was still slightly damp from a shower, pushed back carelessly, and there was a faint smear of flour on his wrist. He wore a simple T-shirt and grey joggers. Even in that rather casual outfit, he managed to appear more handsome than ever.When he saw her eyes open, he grinned.“Good morning, birthday girl.”Adrea pushed herself up on her elbows, still groggy, her voice husky with sleep. “Aris... what in the world are you doin

Adrea paused outside the familiar door, her palm resting lightly against the wood. She took a steadying breath. The faint scent of lavender drifted through the small gap beneath the door. That gentle fragrance reminded her of times growing up when she visited her grandmother. She remembered the woman’s arms around her in a hug from when she had been little, growing up with her father, at her father’s funeral, and when she had missed her as she dealt with being a wife and daughter-in-law. It grounded her, softened the lingering unease twisting in her stomach.She lifted her hand and knocked softly.A frail but warm voice floated through. “Come in, my darling girl.”Adrea pushed the door open and stepped inside.“Grandmama,” she breathed as she shut the door behind her and looked at the older woman.Her grandmother sat propped up against a mountain of pillows, wrapped in a knitted shawl of faded lilac. Her silver hair was pulled back neatly, her posture proud despite the years weighing h

Hunter barely had the car in park before Adrea pushed the door open and climbed out. Her legs felt unsteady, weak in a way she could not remember feeling since the night on the balcony. Her breath came in sharp, shallow bursts as she hurried through the casino to the elevator. She was grateful when the doors opened up immediately and she got in.Alone and not moving anymore, everything seemed to crash into her. She lost the energy in her legs and sunk onto the ground. She did not register as the elevator’s speaker chimed and the doors slid open.Aris was already rising from the large sectional sofa, eyes widening with concern the moment he saw her. She shakily got to her feet and walked into the apartment.“Adrea?” He reached her quickly, his voice soft but urgent. “What happened? You are shaking.”She tried to speak, but her voice cracked. The shock still clung to her skin like frost. Her mind had not caught up with everything she had seen and heard. Her uncles. Felix. Her own feet c