Semua Bab Falling For His Forsaken Wife: Bab 41 - Bab 50

I sat in the back of the police cruiser, watching the city lights of Manhattan smear across the window like watercolor. Detective Morrison had insisted on driving me home himself after Janet’s arrest, and I didn’t have the strength to argue. The adrenaline that had carried me through the chaos was fading fast, leaving behind a heavy exhaustion that made every breath feel like effort.“You did good tonight,” Morrison said from the driver’s seat, catching my eyes in the rearview mirror. “Staying calm, keeping people safe—most don’t think straight when someone pulls a weapon.”I nodded, but my throat wouldn’t cooperate. My hands were still trembling, so I clasped them tightly in my lap. Janet’s face kept flashing through my mind—contorted with fury, her voice sharp as glass. She’d been Alex’s assistant for five years. Five years of access to his life, his files, his time.How many times had I called that office, hoping Alex would pick up, only to hear Janet’s polite voice? And all along,

The gallery meeting was scheduled for Thursday afternoon at three o'clock. I had spent the morning pacing my apartment, trying on and discarding at least six different outfits before Miguel finally intervened."You look beautiful in everything," he said, pulling me away from my closet. "Stop overthinking this."I settled on black trousers and a cream silk blouse, simple but professional. Miguel wore dark jeans and a button-down shirt, looking effortlessly put together in the way that always made me slightly jealous. We were both nervous, though for different reasons.This was my first major gallery meeting since the Whitney opening. The Cordova Gallery was one of the most prestigious contemporary art spaces in Manhattan, known for launching the careers of dozens of successful artists. Dr. Wong had arranged the introduction, and the gallery director, James Cordova himself, wanted to discuss representation.It should have been exciting. It should have felt like everything I had worked f

Alex left around nine, after his security team arrived and did a full sweep of the building. The two new guards, James and Rebecca, positioned themselves at the ground floor entrance while Marcus and Sarah took the third floor. I felt like I was living in a fortress, which I supposed was the point.Miguel and I decided to spend the night at the studio. Neither of us wanted to risk going back to my apartment, and honestly, I did not want to leave this space. Here, surrounded by paint and canvas and the smell of turpentine, I could almost pretend everything was normal.Miguel ordered pizza while I kept painting. The second canvas was coming together faster than the first, the image of the thorned doorway growing more detailed with each brushstroke. I added shadows in the corners of the room, suggesting figures lurking just out of sight. Watching. Waiting."You are thinking about Vanessa," Miguel said, setting a plate with two slices beside my easel.I stepped back from the canvas, wipin

Tomorrow came with gray skies and the kind of heavy air that promised rain. I woke before dawn, my body tense with anticipation of a threat I could not name. Miguel was still asleep beside me, his face peaceful in a way that made my chest ache. How could he sleep so soundly when everything felt like it was about to shatter? I slipped out of bed and pulled on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, then padded quietly through the penthouse. The guest wing was silent. The living areas were dark. But light spilled from under the door of Alex's office. I should not have been surprised. Alex never slept well even during the best of times, and these were far from the best of times. I knocked softly. "Alex? Are you awake?" The door opened immediately. Alex stood there in rumpled clothes that looked like he had been wearing them all night, his hair standing up like he had been running his hands through it repeatedly. Dark circles shadowed his eyes. "Could not sleep," he said unnecessarily. "I h

The morning came too quickly. I woke to find Miguel already dressed, packing paintings carefully into protective cases. Today we were taking my work to the Cordova Gallery. Today I was stepping back into the real world."Ready for this?" Miguel asked, catching me watching him from the bed."I do not know," I admitted. "It feels strange. Going out without looking over my shoulder. Without expecting danger around every corner.""That is what freedom feels like. You are allowed to find it strange." He crossed to me and kissed my forehead. "Get dressed. Alex already ordered breakfast. We leave in an hour."The three of us ate on the terrace one last time. Croissants and fruit and coffee that tasted like normalcy. The morning air was crisp, promising autumn was on its way. I could see the city stretching out below us, alive and indifferent to all the drama that had consumed my life for weeks."Marcus and Sarah will drive you," Alex said. "James is expecting you at eleven. I have arranged f