Semua Bab Married To His Secrets: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Edward sat behind his office desk—mahogany, imported, the kind that cost more than most people's cars—reviewing quarterly performance reports with the mechanical precision of someone who'd done this a thousand times. His phone buzzed.He ignored it at first. Probably another memo from Corporate Communications about "synergy" or some other buzzword designed to make people feel productive without actually doing anything.But it buzzed again. Insistent.With an irritated sigh, Edward swiped up the notification.Subject: URGENT – Internal Announcement – Regal EnterprisesHis thumb hovered over the screen. Something in his gut twisted—an instinct telling him this wasn't routine.He opened it.The words hit him like a punch to the sternum."Effective immediately, Regal Enterprises has been acquired by Apex Strategic Holdings. Ownership has been transferred. Press release pending. All personnel are to remain at their current positions until further notice."Edward's breath caught.He read

Sophia stared at her phone screen, reading the email for the third time."Thank you for your interest in the Marketing Coordinator position at Rue & Co. While we were impressed with your qualifications, we have decided to move forward with another candidate who more closely aligns with our current needs..."The words blurred together.She set the phone down on the coffee table, carefully, like it might shatter if she moved too quickly.Another rejection.She'd known it was coming. Had felt it in her gut when she'd left the interview, despite Liam's reassurances. But knowing didn't make it hurt any less.The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.Sophia pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She stared at the blank TV screen, her reflection ghostly and distorted in the black glass.Maybe I should start up a business, she told herself. I can't remain like this.But the words felt hollow.The front door opened.Sophia straightened quickly, swiping at her eyes even thou

The apartment was quiet, wrapped in the kind of Sunday night silence that made thoughts feel too loud.Liam sat in his dimly-lit room, the glow of his laptop painting shadows across his bare chest. Grey sweatpants hung low on his hips, his fingers moving absently across the trackpad as he scrolled through reports from the office. Numbers. Projections. Acquisitions.Nothing that required his full attention, but enough to keep his mind occupied.Across the hall, Sophia lay sprawled on her bed, phone propped against her bent knees, the screen casting a pale blue light across her tired face.Her search history told a story she'd never admit out loud.How to get rich quick.How to make money online.Ten ways to become a millionaire before thirty.Quick jobs that pay in 24 hours.Fast income, no job needed.How to go from broke to rich overnight.She scrolled, her thumb moving mechanically, her expression growing more bitter with every click.Clickbait. Scams. Pyramid schemes disguised as "

The evening light filtered through the living room windows, soft and golden, casting long shadows across the small dining table where Sophia sat hunched over her notepad.Her pencil moved in quick, confident strokes, sketching the outline of a dress—something elegant, flowing, with structured shoulders and a draped neckline. She paused, tilting her head, then added a few more lines to refine the silhouette.Fashion design had always been her escape. Even when everything else felt like it was falling apart, she could lose herself in the lines and shapes, imagining fabric and movement and the way light would catch on silk or linen.She was so absorbed she didn't hear the front door open.Liam stepped inside, his keys jingling softly as he set them on the counter. He loosened his tie with one hand, his shoulders sagging slightly with exhaustion.Then he saw her.She was sitting at the table, barefoot, her legs tucked beneath her, wearing an oversized white shirt that hung loosely off one

The next morning, Sophia woke early.Too early.The pale gray light of dawn filtered through her curtains, casting long shadows across her room. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying the previous night on an endless loop.His face so close to hers. His hand on her cheek. The way he'd looked at her like—She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the memory away.It didn't mean anything. It was just a moment. A mistake.But her racing heart suggested otherwise.The problem was, she could still feel it. The warmth of his palm against her skin. The way her breath had caught when his eyes had dropped to her lips. The electric charge that had hummed in the air between them.Stop. Stop thinking about it.But she couldn't.With a frustrated groan, she threw off the covers and got up, her feet hitting the cold hardwood floor.She needed coffee. Needed to move. Needed to do *something* other than lie here obsessing over something that didn't—couldn't—mean anything.She padded to h