جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

The clock ticked louder with every passing minute. Nine o’clock. The hands on the wall mocked me with their steady rhythm. He said he’d be home before evening. Evening had bled into night, and still, I sat alone. I had dressed for him. A soft dress he always liked, the one that hugged me just enough to make his eyes darken. I had even slipped on lipstick, something I hadn’t done in weeks. The table was set, candles flickering, and in the oven, his favorite lasagna with extra meat, just the way he loved it. The bell had rung, and I had opened the door with my heart racing, only for my smile to die the instant I saw her standing beside him. Natalie. She carried herself with easy grace, her perfume filling the air as if she belonged here. I let them in, silent, cold. The candles still burned on the table, the lasagna sat waiting, but the sight of her at his side stole away all the hunger I had. Reid noticed the food and gave me a smile. “You even made lasagna? Karline, you spoi

I couldn’t sit in that empty house another second. The silence pressed against me like a cage, every tick of the clock mocking the fact that Reid had left me again. For her. When the driver looked up in surprise as I came down the stairs in a fitted black dress and heels, I didn’t even give him the chance to ask. “Take me to a club,” I ordered. “Madam… at this hour?” he hesitated. “Yes. And wait outside for me. Don’t follow me in,” I said sharply, sliding into the car. The city lights blurred past the window, neon signs glowing against the dark sky. By the time we pulled up to the club, the music was already pulsing from inside, bass vibrating through the pavement. I stepped out, the night air brushing against my bare shoulders, and walked straight in without looking back. Inside, it was chaos in the most intoxicating way, flashing lights, bodies pressed together, the smell of alcohol and perfume thick in the air. For the first time that night, I felt alive. I made my wa

Reid POV The car felt like a coffin the moment I left the club, Natalie’s presence beside me suffocating. She spoke softly, her voice like syrup. “Reid, I warned you… I told you she was getting too close to Adrian. You deserve better than this.” “Stop.” My voice was hoarse. “But..” “Stop!” I snapped, my hand tightening on the wheel. “Not another word, Natalie.” She flinched and went quiet. By the time I pulled up at the lake on the edge of the city, I couldn’t stand her silence either. “Get out.” Her eyes widened. “Reid, it’s dark..” “I said get out!” My tone was sharp, final. She scrambled from the car, and I slammed the door, leaving her behind as I walked down toward the water. The night air was cold, biting at my skin. I sat on the damp grass near the edge of the lake, staring at the rippling water that reflected the moon. My hands trembled as I raked them through my hair. Karline’s face wouldn’t leave me. Her laughter. Her warmth when she curled into my arms

Adrian's POV The night was buzzing with energy. Music pounded from the club’s walls, neon lights painted the street in red and blue, and the air was thick with smoke, perfume, and sin. I sat on the patio with a few of my boys, cigarette glowing between my fingers, watching the world go by. Then I saw her. Karline.Her. The wife who had stolen everything from Natalie. The reason Natalie drank herself sick some nights. The reason Reid Carter never looked at anyone else.Natalie hated her like poison. And honestly? I didn’t blame her. Natalie had been by Reid’s side since they were kids, picking him up whenever he fell, supporting him through med school bills, paying rent when his father’s company nearly collapsed. And what did she get? Nothing. Not even a glance. Reid gave all his love to Karline, the pretty wife who played the perfect angel.And now here Karline was, walking into a club. Alone.I leaned forward in my chair, smoke curling out of my mouth as I narrowed my eyes.Wha

Karline’s POV That night, I couldn’t take it anymore. The silence. The distance. The unanswered questions that ate at me like fire. I heard the front door click open past ten, his familiar footsteps echoing through the hallway. My heart raced as I stood from the couch, the sonogram reports clutched tightly in my hand. “Reid,” I called softly. He stopped, turning his head slightly. His face was unreadable, shadowed by exhaustion. I took a step closer, my throat tight. “I went to the doctor today. For a checkup.” His eyes flickered, the faintest shift in his expression. I quickly held out the papers, my hands trembling. “These are the reports. Everything is fine. The baby is healthy.” For a long moment, he didn’t move. Just stared at me, at the reports I was holding out like some fragile offering. Then, slowly, he reached for them. His fingers brushed mine—brief, cold, but real. He looked down at the papers in silence, his lips pressed into a thin line. I searched his face despe