บททั้งหมดของ Burning Desire: A Tale of Love and Betrayal : บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 79

Jacqueline’s POVI felt like the world tilted on its axis.“You ruined my life,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “All this time, you pretended to be my friend, but you were pulling the strings. You betrayed me.”Calvin’s expression hardened, and with a chilling calm, he extended the gun, towards Derek. “Then prove you’re still worth something. Do it. Shoot her.”My blood froze as Derek’s fingers curled around the weapon. The man I once promised forever to, now standing before me with the weight of my death in his hands.His gaze flickered from me to Calvin, and for a fleeting second, I saw something, hesitation, conflict, maybe even regret. His lips trembled as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t.Then, with a sudden, trembling breath, Derek lifted the gun, not at me, but at Calvin. His voice cracked with fury. “You’ve been playing me too. Haven’t you? This was never about us, it was always about you.”And before I could even breathe, he pulled the trigger.The click of th

Jacqueline's POV I woke to the soft glow of morning light creeping through the curtains, brushing across my face like a gentle hand. My body ached lightly, a lingering reminder of the hospital stay, but it was a comfortable ache, nothing like the sharp fear I’d felt weeks ago. As I stretched beneath the sheets, I realized I wasn’t alone.Blackwood was there, sitting cross-legged on the floor, notebook in hand, scribbling notes with quiet concentration. His presence made the space feel warmer, safer, a bubble that shut out the harshness of the world outside.“Morning,” I whispered, careful not to startle him.He looked up, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Morning. Sleep well?”“I did… better than I expected,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks warm slightly. I wasn’t used to waking up beside him after so much chaos, and yet, it felt natural, grounding.He handed me a steaming cup of coffee, the rich aroma curling around my senses. “Thought you might need this.”I took it with both hand

Jacqueline's POVThe drive to Allison’s place was quiet. I let the city blur past the windshield, each red light and honking horn echoing the chaos in my chest. By the time I pulled up in front of her building, my emotions had settled into a tense, simmering mix. I wasn’t crying, not yet, but I felt fragile, like a vase just narrowly held together by thin threads.Allison opened the door before I even knocked, a knowing look on her face. “Hey,” she said softly, pulling me inside. “Coffee? You look like you need it.”I nodded, handing her my bag. “Yeah… thanks.” My voice sounded foreign even to me, hushed and uncertain.We settled into the kitchen, steaming mugs in hand. The aroma of roasted coffee beans and the quiet hum of her apartment were grounding. I wanted to tell her everything, to spill out the whirlwind of emotions, but even as I started, the words felt heavy. I finally exhaled, leaning back in my chair.“Alli… Blackwood…” I began, swallowing hard. “He… he has a son.”Her eye

Jacqueline's POV Allison raised an eyebrow, reading the flicker of determination on my face. “You’re going back to work?”“Yes,” I said, grabbing the phone and scrolling through the email like it was a lifeline. “I have to. This… this changes everything.”“Jac,” Allison said, her tone heavy with caution, “don’t use work as a way to avoid dealing with this.”I paused, fingers trembling over the glass screen. She wasn’t wrong, but what choice did I have? Sitting here drowning in questions about Blackwood wouldn’t give me answers. Facing Monday, facing the Phoenix president, at least that was something I could control.“I’m not avoiding it,” I lied, forcing a tight smile. “I just… I need a distraction.”Her gaze softened with sympathy, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she glanced toward the untouched mug of coffee on my table, then back at me. “Fine. But promise me you’ll think about what I said.”I nodded, though the weight of her words sat heavy on my chest. Eight months. A baby

Jacqueline’s POVAbout a month later, the door swung open and Allison walked in, luggage in one hand and sunglasses perched dramatically on her head like some Hollywood diva. Only Allison could pull off airport chic with that level of arrogance and charm.“My God, Jac,” she said, dropping her bag and striding toward me. “I leave you for two weeks and you don’t even look like a heartbroken woman anymore. What did I miss?”I laughed, standing to hug her, inhaling the faint trace of her perfume mixed with airplane scent. God, I missed her. She’d been gone for what felt like forever, off being the face of a luxury brand campaign in Milan while my life flipped upside down in the best way possible.“You missed… everything,” I said with a grin, tugging her into the living room. “Sit. We need to talk.”She raised a brow and flopped on the couch like a queen returning to her throne. “Well, spill. Judging by the smile on your face, I’m guessing this has something to do with a certain broody jud