Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 71 - Chapitre 80

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Chapter Seventy One

~Aliyah's Pov~“Dominic,” I managed to call out, my voice coming out softer than I intended, almost fragile.He turned toward me immediately, the movie forgotten, his attention fully on me now. There was that subtle, gentle smile again, the one that always seemed to put me at ease without trying too hard. “You need anything, Aliyah?” he asked calmly.I swallowed.“No… I just want to go home,” I said, the words slipping out far more abruptly than I had meant them to. The moment they left my mouth, regret followed. Sharp and immediate. I hadn’t meant to sound cold. Or distant. Or like I was pushing him away.For a split second, his expression shifted, not hurt, not offended, just surprised. Then he nodded lightly, understanding, settling over his features. “Alright,” he said easily. “I’ll drive you home.”Drive me home?My heart lurched.If he drove me home, it would be faster—yes—but that was exactly the problem. Too fast. Too visible. Ronald would definitely see his car in the compoun

Chapter Seventy Two

~Aliyah's Pov~The venue glittered like a jewel against the night sky.Golden lights washed over the grand entrance, reflecting off polished marble and glass as luxury cars lined up one after another. Valets moved with practiced precision, opening doors, greeting guests by name, ushering them into a world that smelled of wealth, perfume, and quiet power.Ronald stepped out first.He adjusted his cufflinks casually, already wearing the mask, calm, confident, untouchable. When he turned and offered me his hand, his expression softened just enough for public consumption.“Smile,” he murmured under his breath, so low only I could hear. “They’re watching.”I placed my hand in his, schooling my face into something graceful and composed. The moment our fingers intertwined, the shift was instant. Cameras flashed. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.“Ronald Voss and his beautiful wife,” someone whispered loudly enough to be heard.We walked forward together, perfectly in sync. His hand rested a

Chapter Seventy Four

~Aliyah's Pov~The moment his name left my lips, something shifted in Victor’s expression.Not surprise. Not denial.Satisfaction.That alone was enough to send a warning bell screaming through my head.I straightened immediately, forcing my shoulders back, forcing calm into my face. “Excuse me,” I said coolly, already stepping past him. “Enjoy the rest of the evening.”I didn’t wait for a response.I walked away with measured steps, reminding myself that running would only draw attention. The hall felt larger now, louder, the conversations sharper at the edges. I wove through clusters of guests, nodded politely at familiar faces, paused briefly near a table, anything to put distance between me and him.I reached another section of the hall and exhaled quietly.Get it together, Aliyah.I lifted my glass again, barely taking a sip this time, my eyes scanning the room instinctively. Ronald was still occupied, surrounded by people who clearly mattered more than I did at that moment. Good

Chapter Seventy Four

~Aliyah's Pov~The drive back was quieter than the one that brought us there.Ronald sat behind the wheel, one hand resting casually at the top, his posture relaxed in a way that suggested satisfaction. The city lights streaked past the windows, blurring into long lines of gold and white. I stared straight ahead, my reflection faintly visible in the glass, composed on the outside, unsettled beneath.“You handled yourself well tonight,” Ronald said at last. “The press loved you.”I nodded. “I’m glad.”He glanced at me briefly, then back to the road. “You seemed distracted toward the end.”My chest tightened. “Just tired.”A pause followed. Not an accusing one, measured, thoughtful. “These events can be draining,” he said finally. “You’ll get used to them.”I forced a small smile. “I’m sure.”I really could not tell what got into Ronald this evening, but I really didn't have the strength to bother. He was definitely tipsy. The rest of the drive passed in silence. When we pulled into the

Chapter Seventy Five

~Aliyah's Pov~The rest of the morning passed in a strange, stretched-out quiet.With Ronald gone, the house felt larger than usual, every corridor too long, every room too empty. I tried to occupy myself with small, ordinary things. I rearranged the flowers in the sitting room. Straightened cushions that didn’t need straightening. Flipped through channels on the television without settling on any of them.Nothing held my attention.Eventually, I went back upstairs and changed into something simpler, more comfortable. The elegant dresses from last night felt like they belonged to a different version of me, one who smiled easily, who knew exactly where she stood. This version felt softer. Exposed.I sat at the vanity and brushed my hair slowly, watching my reflection with a critical eye. I looked the same, yet something felt off, like a thread had been pulled loose somewhere inside me. I pressed my lips together and stood up.Get out of your head, I told myself.By midday, hunger final

Chapter Seventy Six

~Aliyah's Pov~I went back to my room without saying another word.The corridor felt longer than usual, each step echoing softly against the polished floor. By the time I closed the bedroom door behind me, the tight knot in my chest had finally loosened, just a little. This room was the only place in the house that felt remotely mine, even if that, too, was an illusion.I kicked off my heels and sank onto the edge of the bed, staring at nothing in particular. Ronald’s words replayed in my head, sharp and dismissive, like they always did when the performance ended. I shook my head, as if I could physically dislodge them.I reached for my phone, more out of habit than intention.The screen lit up.Dominic: Hey. Just checking in. How are you doing?My breath caught.Before I could stop myself, my lips curved upward, the smile blooming effortlessly, soft, genuine, unfamiliar. It startled me how quickly it came, how easily the heaviness in my chest lifted at the sight of his name.I sat up

Chapter Seventy Seven

Aliyah's PovI don’t know how long it took before he finally stepped back.Time felt warped, stretched thin, then compressed into a tight, suffocating knot in my chest. The moment his weight shifted away from me, I slid down the door until I was crouched on the floor, my knees pulled to my chest, my breath coming out in short, broken gasps. My lips burned. My hands trembled so badly I had to clench them into fists just to keep them still.I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.The room felt smaller than it ever had before, the walls closing in, the air heavy and stale. My heart was still racing, pounding so loudly in my ears that I barely registered the sound of his footsteps moving away. When the door finally clicked shut behind him, the silence that followed was almost worse.I pressed my forehead against my knees and squeezed my eyes shut.This was my life.A marriage that looked flawless under bright lights and flashing cameras, but rotted from the inside out. A man who knew exactly wh

Chapter Seventy Eight

~Aliyah's Pov~I came out of my room much later, the house wrapped in that familiar, deceptive calm.The lights in the hallway were dim, casting long shadows that stretched across the floor. I paused at the top of the stairs, listening. No voices. No movement. Just silence. The kind that usually made my shoulders tense, but this time, it felt different.I descended slowly, each step careful, almost cautious, as if the house itself might give me away.When I reached the living room, I knew.Ronald wasn’t around.His jacket was gone. His shoes weren’t by the door. The faint scent of his cologne that usually lingered in the air was absent. It was subtle, but after living with him for so long, I could tell immediately when he’d left for the night.Relief washed over me, pure and unfiltered.I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my shoulders relaxing as a strange lightness settled in my chest. For the first time all day, the house didn’t feel like a cage.That was when the th

Chapter Seventy Nine

~Aliyah's Pov~His lips lingered against mine long after the kiss should have ended.I felt it first in my chest, a slow, dizzy warmth spreading outward, loosening something I’d kept tightly locked away for far too long. My hand was still pressed against his bare chest, and only then did I fully register how warm his skin was beneath my palm. Solid. Real. Not imagined.I pulled back just slightly, enough to breathe.Dominic didn’t chase the kiss. He didn’t rush me. Instead, he rested his forehead against mine, his breath uneven, as if he were grounding himself just as much as I was.“You okay?” he asked softly.I nodded, though my voice came out barely above a whisper. “Yes.”And I meant it. More than I had meant anything in a long time.His hand was still at my waist, fingers splayed lightly, respectful, but the closeness, the heat between us, made my knees feel weak. I could feel my pulse everywhere. In my throat. In my fingertips. In the place where our bodies almost touched but di

Chapter Eighty

~Aliyah Pov~I pulled into the driveway with my heart still beating faster than normal.The house lights were on.That alone was enough to make my stomach drop.I parked quickly, cut the engine, and sat there for a second longer than necessary, gripping the steering wheel as reality rushed back in. Whatever calm Dominic’s house had given me dissolved the moment I looked at the familiar walls of this place. The air here always felt heavier, like it carried rules instead of warmth.I stepped out of the car and walked toward the door, mentally rehearsing excuses I hoped I wouldn’t need.The moment I stepped inside, I knew I was too late.Ronald was in the living room.He wasn’t sitting. He was standing, arms crossed, posture rigid, his sharp eyes locking onto me the instant the door closed behind me. The television was on but muted, forgotten. The room felt tense, charged.“Where are you coming from?” he asked.His voice was raised, not shouting, but sharp enough to make me flinch.My he

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