Semua Bab MARRIED UNTIL MONDAY: Bab 121 - Bab 130

KANEI didn't even wait to get to the car. I grabbed Henderson by the shoulder and hauled him into the small security alcove off the main foyer.He stumbled, his eyes wide, but he didn't protest. I kicked the door shut. The space was cramped, smelling of stale coffee and industrial cleaner, but it was private."You said you saw someone, Henderson," I growled, crowding his space. "The morning I went for the emergency board meeting. Someone who came to see Aria. A 'cousin,' you called him."Henderson swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Yes, sir. That's what he told the security at the gate. Said he was family and needed to give her something important.”"I don't care what he said. I want to know what he looked like." I was vibrating with a restless, ugly energy. "Every detail. Don't leave anything out.""He was tall," Henderson started, his voice shaky. "Broad shoulders. Wore a dark overcoat, real expensive-looking. Had light-colored hair, maybe sandy or dirty blonde. He kept hi

KANEThe house felt like a tomb, and I was tired of being the undertaker. The silence between Aria and me had become so dense I could practically lean against it. Every time we shared a room, the air felt like it was being sucked out through the vents. I couldn't take another night of watching her pretend to sleep or seeing her flinch when I reached for the salt. I needed to see a spark of the woman I’d married before the world—or my own family—extinguished it for good.I told the staff to take the night off. I didn't want eyes on us. No servants hovering with wine refills, no guards lingering by the kitchen door. I spent an hour in the kitchen myself, which was a rarity. I wasn't much of a cook, but I knew how to put together a decent steak and open a bottle of wine that cost more than most people's cars. I set the table in the small sunroom instead of the cavernous dining hall. I lit a few candles, dimmed the overheads, and waited.When Aria walked in, she stopped dead in the doorwa

KANEThe air in the cemetery turned electric the second the word scavenger left Kingston’s mouth. I felt a red haze bleed into the edges of my vision. It wasn't just an insult; it was a public execution of Aria’s character in front of the very people who held our future in their hands. I didn't think. I didn't calculate. I just moved.I stepped into Kingston’s personal space, my hand grabbing the lapel of his expensive wool coat and jerking him forward until our noses were inches apart. I heard the collective gasp of the board members behind me, the sound of a hundred people holding their breath at once."You will apologize," I said, my voice vibrating with a rage that felt like it was going to tear my throat open. "Right now. You will open your mouth and you will apologize to my wife for every disgusting word that just came out of it."Kingston didn't even flinch. He was an old snake, used to dealing with hotheads. He actually had the nerve to look amused, his eyes flickering toward

KANEThe wind was whipping across the outdoor plaza of the cafe, scattering dry leaves across the pavement. I sat at a corner table, my coat buttoned to my chin, watching Detective Miller weave through the midday crowd.She looked annoyed, her shoulders stiff and her jaw set. I didn't blame her. I had summoned her here like an errand girl after trying to shut down her life’s work over a phone call."This is a public place for a conversation you wanted to keep so quiet, Mr. Callahan," Miller said, pulling out the chair opposite me. She didn't order anything. She just folded her arms and stared. She was so predictable, always playing the principled cop. It was getting old."Look, I don't want to be in a recorded room at the precinct, Detective," I said, leaning forward. "I was serious on the phone. I want the investigation into Rhea Callahan’s death dropped. Immediately."Miller let out a short, dry laugh. Ugh, that sound. "You think this is a subscription service? You don't just hit 'c

ARIAThe flash drive felt like a hot coal in my pocket, burning through the fabric of my dress. I stood in that rotting office, the stench of decay thick in my throat, staring at Ross with every ounce of loathing I possessed.I couldn't do it. I looked at the silver drive and then at the man who had ruined my life, and I realized that if I gave him Project Apex, I wasn't just destroying Kane. I was handing Ross the keys to an empire he’d use to crush everyone else."No," I said, my voice cracking but firm. "I won't do it. I won't betray him, Ross. Not for you."Ross didn't scream. He didn't even look surprised. He just sighed, a sound of weary disappointment, and checked his watch. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, Aria. Truly. I thought you’d grown past this stubborn streak.""You won't kill him," I challenged, stepping forward. "He's your only leverage. If he's dead, I have no reason to help you.""Who said anything about killing him?" Ross asked, a slow, terrifying smile spre