Semua Bab A Deal With Desire: Bab 21 - Bab 30

ADELE'S POVI slipped on my way out of the shower.My foot skidded on the wet tiles, and I caught myself against the sink.I'm still getting the hang of walking without the chair. I shouldn't be in such a hurry, but my phone has been ringing non stop and I'm getting worried.I stood in the middle of the room dripping water all over the floors. “Girl where have you been? Everyone's worried”Ronnie's voice blasted through my speaker. I hadn't called her ever since the scandal, ever since Julian came home looking several years older. The rumors spread like wildfire. I didn't want to believe them, but I couldn't shake the eerie feeling in my gut. Something was off.“Don't worry about me, Ron. I'm fine” I lied. My nights were ridden with nightmares. It's always the same. I'm trying to escape my burning room and someone shoves me out the window.Ronnie wasn't buying it.“Did he actually hurt you, Adele? I need you to answer me honestly” “No. Julian will never hurt me” but that sounded

JULIAN'S POVThe boardroom was still reeling.I stood frozen at the head of the table, the echo of Adele’s declaration ricocheting off the walls. Her perfume still lingered in the air, daring anyone to speak out of turn. But nobody did.The board members exchanged cautious glances. Alexander leaned forward, clearing his throat."Julian, I wasn’t aware you had made such a…dramatic decision. Co-CEO? That’s quite the surprise."I forced a smile while my insides turned to lava. "We were discussing her involvement more deeply. Adele is well-qualified. She has an MBA, a Master's in Accounting, and a solid track record at Lustré Interiors before her... hiatus."He arched his brow. "And the appointment? It wasn’t cleared with us."I could feel the storm building."We’ll arrange a formal vote next week. For now, treat it as a transitional leadership role. She’s here to help navigate the Satoshi merger."Adele stood tall, chin raised, smile polite but razor-sharp. She wasn’t intimidated. Not a

ADELE'S POV The day I lost my father and brother, my world paused. The days bled into nights. But I had my mother. There was hope.Today I lost her too. Where do I go from here? Something inside me is dead. I sat rigid in the doctor's office, Julian by my side. I gripped his fingers so tight, desperate to feel something. The room was cold, like it had moved on. The doctor was saying something. My ears struggled to tune in. It doesn't matter anymore anyway. Nothing matters.But I just saw her. My nerves tingled with a strange feeling. My gut twisted. I had to know.“What exactly happened to her? Because I was with her just before…” Just before she died. The words hung in my throat.“We performed the autopsy, and erm…there were some anomalies”I sat up straight. Julian rested a tentative hand on my back. What anomalies? Julian echoed my question.The doctor shifted uncomfortably and adjusted his glasses on his round nose.“Well erm… your mother died of a heart attack, but it wasn

JULIAN'S POV Pain radiates up my arm, but it’s nothing compared to the ache in my chest.Adele’s been gone a week, yet I still hear her footsteps in the hallway, her laugh echoing down the stairs, the sound of her teacup clinking against porcelain.My wife.My Adele.Gone.The doctors called it a psychotic break.I call it a scream.One I didn't hear until it was too damn late.I pace the kitchen like a madman. The smell of stale coffee clings to the air, but all I can smell is her lavender and honey and the ghost of everything I didn’t say.She used to sit at the counter, curled into the end stool, humming songs I never bothered to learn the names of. Always adding too much sugar to her tea. My phone buzzes. A text. My heart stutters.“Found her. Call me in five”My breath catches. Nurse Shirley. Finally.My hand tightens around the phone. I set a timer. Five minutes. No room for error.I lean on the counter, vision blurring.God, Adele… how did this happen?How the hell did she

CELESTE'S POV I watch his fingers curl around the glass. That's an entire bottle, gone. When did Julian start drinking this much? Probably after his trophy wife went cuckoo in the head. Watching her scream and cry satisfied me more than I expected. I hope she rots in that ward.Now that she's out of the way, I can have my man back. And this time, everything will go according to plan. But life has a habit of laughing at me.Julian was so goddamn lucky. If Maria had pulled that trigger, he'd be ashes by now.He had a penchant for playing saviour to the damsels. I always told him that one day he'll go barking up the wrong tree and get cut. It almost happened. Thank God I trailed him. I had my own agenda, sure, but keeping Julian alive always comes first.I want to take care of him like old times, but he just has to make it so hard. The son of a bitch got stitches and still insisted on walking himself to the bathroom. He won't even let me sleep in his room. Adele is gone, Julian. Ge