جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 130

"Are you expecting someone?" Rafael asked with a raised brow. Harlow scrambled off Rafael’s lap, nearly tripping over his own feet. “I'm not. Uh—I’ll get that!” Rafael frowned, watching him leave in a fluster. Something in his gut twisted. The second Harlow opened the door, his blood drained from his face. There stood his boyfriend, Jonathan. Tall, sharp-jawed, arms crossed, and eyes blazing with anger. “Harlow,” he said in a low and dangerous voice. “Who the hell is he?” Harlow’s throat went dry. He turned in panic. Rafael had already stood. His eyes narrowed, his body tense, and his fists curling at his sides. Jonathan's eyes flicked over Rafael. “What, you’ve got men over now? Is this why you never answer my calls?” Harlow shook his head frantically. “No, it’s not what it looks like, I...” But Rafael didn’t wait. His face was cold and unreadable, but his eyes burned with something raw. Jealousy. “Rafael, wait!” Harlow cried, reaching for him. His knees nearly buckled. Sh

“Cheating?” Harlow repeated, his voice trembling with rage and disbelief. “You’re seriously standing there, accusing me, after everything you’ve done?” Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t try to flip this on me. Answer the damn question.” The tears Harlow had been holding back dried up instantly, replaced with fire. He opened his mouth, and years of swallowed anger threatened to spill out. Harlow’s hands shook, but not from fear. From fury. The kind of fury that comes when someone you’ve tolerated for far too long dares to cross another line. Jonathan smirked at his silence, mistaking it for guilt. “I knew it,” he sneered. “You’ve been sneaking around, haven’t you? That explains everything... why you’ve been so cold lately, why you barely even look at me. You found someone else to spread your legs for...” “Shut up!” Harlow’s voice thundered through the apartment. Jonathan froze, startled. Harlow rarely yelled. He usually swallowed it and forced himself to endure the insults an

The morning sunlight filled the penthouse with warmth. Cassie stirred slowly before her eyes opened. The first thing she saw was Nikolai lying beside her, his strong arm draped lazily across her waist. His breathing was calm and steady, and his face so relaxed it almost softened the sharpness of his features. She smiled faintly, her heart swelling with warmth. Even in sleep, he looked like a king... powerful, untouchable... but here, in their bed. He was simply her husband. Her Nikolai. Cassie shifted slightly, brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead. He stirred, his lips curving into a sleepy smile. His voice was husky, still heavy with sleep. “Good morning, little soldier,” he murmured, pulling her closer until her head rested against his chest. “Good morning,” she whispered back, her voice soft but full of affection. For a moment, they lay there in silence, cocooned in the warmth of each other. But then, the sound of tiny footsteps pattering down the hallway

Cassie leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Nikolai tie Emily's shoelaces while pretending to fumble to make her giggle. Emily's laughter was bright, like the air Cassie needed every day, while Nikolai's smirk softened into something only Cassie ever saw. But under that surface warmth, yesterday's chaos still lingered. Cassie had already forgotten about Raymond’s scandal. She would leave all that to her husband for the time being. However, the memory of Emily crying in Nikolai's arms, of Cassie's knuckles stinging after every punch she landed on Janet, hovered at the back of Cassie's mind. He chewed her lip, not knowing how to ask her a question. "Do you think Janet will still show up to work today?" she asked finally, her voice quiet, as if she were afraid of the answer. Nikolai stood up, scooping Emily up into his arms. His eyes then met Cassie's, and he answered, casually, "No." Cassie frowned. "But she's been with your company for years. What if -" "She laid h

"You're jealous," Cassie deadpanned. It was obvious that he was jealous of Harlow’s boyfriend. Rafael's laughter lacked any humor. It was sharp and broken. "I'm furious. And I hate it. I don't like seeing him with anyone. Because I don't even know when it started. One second, I'm telling myself to stay the hell away, the next... I can't stop thinking about him. And the worst part?" His voice cracked. "He's not mine." Cassie's fingers squeezed his hand. "Then stop pretending. If you want him, claim him. Why are you hurting yourself like this?" Rafael turned to face her with eyes blazing. "You don't get it. Harlow deserves better. Someone who won't destroy him. Someone who isn't me." "And yet," Cassie whispered, her gaze holding his, "you want him." The silence that followed was deafening. Finally, Rafael exhaled, a sound that was half defeat, half confession. His voice was low and emotional. "I want him. God help me, Cassie, I want him. I've never wanted anyone like this in my en