Semua Bab Burning Desire: A Tale of Love and Betrayal : Bab 1 - Bab 10

Jacqueline’s POVMorning came faster than I wanted it too.The silence after Derek’s departure sat heavy on my shoulders. The hum of the ceiling fan above seemed louder than ever, like a lonely song echoing through the room. I looked at the necklace he’d just given me, gold, delicate, beautiful. But it felt like a bandage over a deep, invisible wound.Why was it always gifts and silence instead of presence and passion?I moved toward the mirror and studied myself, my reflection staring back with tired eyes and lips that hadn’t smiled for real in weeks. I was still the woman he said he loved, still the one who waited for his return, still the one he kissed like a habit. So why did I feel like a placeholder?I touched my lips absentmindedly, remembering the faceless man from my dream. How strange, that a ghost made of fantasy could leave me feeling more desired than the man I shared my bed with every night.Maybe I was losing myself, slowly, painfully, like a house whose foundation was

Jacqueline's POVStill in the club, my vision blurred. The music faded into a distant throb, interlaced with scattered echoes of laughter and conversation. Everything felt hazy. I could barely keep my balance when I felt Allison’s arm wrap around me, steadying me.“You had too much to drink,” she said, her voice slurred but still more composed than mine. Somehow, despite drinking more than I did, she was still standing barely and seemed far more in control than I could hope to be.The ride was a blur. I wasn’t sure where we were headed, but even in my drunk, disoriented state, I felt safe knowing Allison was by my side.Allison and I had been friends for a long time, though we often had clashing views, especially about men. She was blunt, never one to sugarcoat anything. Sometimes, I wondered if she realized people had feelings.I still remember the time she told a random guy on the street to brush his teeth because his breath stank. Sure, she wasn’t wrong, but did she really have to

Jacqueline’s POVI pulled myself together and got dressed, forcing my mind into work mode even though my heart felt heavy. I couldn’t let myself spiral, not now, not with everything piling up.By the time I was ready, Calvin’s car was already waiting outside, sleek and spotless as always. He called it his “baby,” and he was borderline obsessed with it. He paid more attention to that car than he did to himself; if ever torn between using his last bucket of water to shower or to wash the car, Calvin would happily go unbathed for as long as it took. His devotion to it was almost comical, and it was one of the many things that icked Allison beyond words.He gave me a polite nod when I slid into the back seat.“Good morning, Ms. McCall,” he greeted, his eyes fixed on the road. My choice to sit in the back seat had already signaled to him that I was having a bad morning. The formal “Ms.” was his way of teasing me… sarcasm he knew would land.“Morning, Calvin,” I murmured, my eyes glued to m

Derek’s POVI stood by the bed as I buttoned my shirt, my eyes lingering on her sleeping form. Jacqueline looked so peaceful, her hair spilling across the pillow, lips slightly parted as she breathed softly.For a moment, I almost let myself crawl back into bed, wrap my arms around her and bury my face in the warmth of her neck. Almost.But I couldn’t afford that today.I turned away, running a hand through my hair, my mind already spiraling with numbers, reports, and the content of Trisha's message.I stepped cautiously into the study, grabbing my briefcase and checking that all the documents were in place. The weight of it felt heavier than usual, as if it carried not just papers but my entire future.I exhaled sharply.“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath.I didn’t want her to see me like this. Restless. Cornered. Weak.The last thing Jacqueline needed was to wake up to my frantic pacing and sharp edges. She deserved the illusion of calm, at least for a few more hours.I glanced a

Jacqueline’s POVThe rumors and the thought of Derek cheating had already begun to grow tentacles in my head. I tried not to think about it, but the woman’s voice, her certainty and sharpness, echoed relentlessly in my mind as though it was meant to haunt me.I always chose to believe it was just idle gossip, baseless accusations that would never become reality. But today felt longer than usual, weighed down by a sadness that clung to every breath.Closing time finally came, creeping in like a chameleon changing colors. I was packing up my things when Jeron walked in.“Hello, ma’am,” he greeted.“Hello, Jeron. How are you?” I asked, my voice weary and thin.“I’m fine, thank you,” he replied, handing me a small wrapped gift box.“What’s this for?” I asked, tossing the box gently onto the desk.“Mr. Derek asked me to drop this with you. It’s a gift from him,” he explained.At the sound of those words, the heaviness in my chest began to melt, doubt slipping away like mist at sunrise.A s