Semua Bab The Billionaire’s Betrayed Bride: Bab 11 - Bab 18

Riley’s POVThe scent of roasted beans and something sweet, maybe cinnamon, smelled faintly around the café, but it didn’t lift my mood. I sat there staring at the folder in front of me, the one with the divorce papers, the final end to what used to be my marriage. The folder looked plain, harmless, simple and white….but it felt heavier than a stone sitting on my chest.Across from me was my lawyer, Mrs. Carter, folded her arms and studied me quietly. She was kind, mid-forties maybe, she was the kind of woman who always wore soft colors and spoke like she firmly understood more than she said.“Mrs. Spears, before we go through with this, I just want to be sure. Divorces…they don’t just destroy marriages. They change people. You’re emotional right now. Maybe you should take a day or two to think this through.”I smiled faintly, “I’ve been thinking for months, Mrs. Carter. Every night I’ve had to convince myself to stay when everything inside me was screaming at me to leave. I’ve thoug

Claire’s POVIt’s been over a week since Riley last came around, and every day since, something inside me itched with unease. She always kept saying she was fine, her voice soft and small over the phone. But I knew her too well to believe that. Riley never says much when she’s hurting; she just goes quiet, shutting everyone out, and drowns herself into silence until it becomes unbearable.This morning, I called again.“Riley?”Her faint and dry voice came after a few rings. “Hey, Claire.”“Where are you? I haven’t seen you all week.” I asked, pacing around my living room.“I’m home,” There was a pause, and then, “I’m fine.”She sounded anything but fine right now.“Are you sure? You sound very weak, Riley.”“I’m okay, just tired.”I hesitated, listening to the way her breath hitched on the other end. It didn’t sound like the kind of tiredness that came from lack of sleep. It was heavier, like something deeper and it was eating her up inside.“Alright, just… call me if you need anyth

Adrian’s POVI wasn’t supposed to be at the hospital this morning. If the board meeting hadn’t been pushed back an hour, I would have been on my way to the office, not rushing through the hospital parking lot, juggling my phone and car keys.But life always had a funny way of throwing you off.I had just gotten off the phone with my secretary when I spotted them… two women by a silver car, one of them clearly struggling to walk properly. The other was trying to help her into the passenger seat, speaking softly and steadying her by the arm.It took me a while to recognize who it was.Riley.My hand froze on the car door handle. For a second, everything around me just blurred.I hadn’t seen her since that day in the parking lot. The day we both pretended not to know what the other was thinking. The day she looked me in the eyes and walked away without saying a single word.And now here she was… I didn’t know why it hit me that hard, but it did. Something about the way she moved or didn

RILEY'S POVThe glass doors of C&A incorporation reflected my thin frame. My face still pale and dripping with exhaustion, but I managed to maintain my calm and composure.I adjusted the edges of my black neatly pressed suit and forced a smile, before pushing the door open and walking inside.It had taken me every courage I could muster to walk through those doors.My sole purpose here was business, to represent my company. I was here as a shareholder, and not Ethan Spears's ex wife.I belonged here, I had every right to be. Our private lives had nothing to do with work after all.There were low and indistinct murmurs when I walked in. The sound of low laughter and clicking mugs. A perfectly normal day it was, except the thick smell of the coffee made me nauseous.The boardroom was a large office, a long table stretching across from the beginning to the end. Sunlight slipped in from the large windows, and about a dozen men in suits sat across each other, discussing what the meeting w