All Chapters of Married To My Best Friend; Her Blood, My Passion : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Evans' POVI jerked awake, my heart was slamming against my ribs like it was trying to escape.The boardroom, Valarie's accusations, those photos of Nancy and Hailey side by side, it was all a dream, just a terrible, vivid nightmare that left me drenched in sweat.I sat up at my desk, my shirt was clinging to my back, my hands were shaking as I tried to make my breathing stable, the office was dark except for the dim glow of my laptop screen, I checked my watch, it was just past midnight.I needed to wash my face, clear my head, and convince myself it was just a dream.I stumbled to my private bathroom, turned on the cold water and splashed it over my face. The shock of it helped me a little but my heart was still racing, I could still see Valarie's triumphant smile, and still hear the gasps from the board members.Then the bathroom door opened.I looked up, water was dripping from my face, and saw her.Valarie.She walked in like she owned the place, and locked the door behind her wit

Hailey's POVI opened the door slowly, my hand was trembling on the handle.Valarie stood there in that tight red dress, her lips curved into a smile that made my skin crawl, she looked like a predator who'd cornered her prey, confident and dangerous."Good evening, Hailey," she said sweetly, too sweetly, "is Evans home? I need to discuss some business with him."My fingers tightened on the door, "Business is handled at the office, this is his home, family only.""Oh, but Evans and I have such history," she stepped closer, her perfume was overwhelming, "that practically makes me family, don't you think? We shared so many intimate moments, late night conversations, private dinners and weekends in the countryside.""That was years ago," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "things change and people move on.""Do they though?" she tilted her head, examining me like I was something under a microscope, "because from what I saw at the hospital, Evans hasn't moved on at all, his lips reme

Hailey's POVI must have fallen asleep on the couch because I woke up to sunlight streaming through the windows and the sound of footsteps upstairs.Evans was finally moving around.I sat up, my neck stiff from sleeping in an awkward position, my phone showed missed calls from my mother and three texts from Mabel asking if I was okay.I ignored them all and waited.Ten minutes later, Evans came down the stairs, he was dressed in a crisp suit, his hair perfectly styled, his face carefully blank like he'd put on a mask before leaving his room."Good morning," he said, not quite meeting my eyes."Is it?" I stood up, crossing my arms, "nothing about last night felt good.""I'm sorry about that," he moved toward the kitchen, "I needed space.""From her? Or from me?"He stopped walking, his shoulders tensing, "from everything, I'm drowning, Hailey, work stress, family pressure, Valarie's games, I just needed a moment to breathe.""I could help you," I followed him into the kitchen, "if you'

Hailey's POVI sat in the back of the taxi, watching the cars crawl forward at a pace that made me want to scream.Two hours, I'd been stuck in this traffic for two hours, the phone repair shop was only fifteen minutes from the mansion but Paris traffic had other plans.My broken phone sat in my purse, useless and silent, no way to call Evans, no way to tell him where I was, and no way to check if Calix had tried to reach me again. I thought about his call this morning, the urgency in his voice when he asked if I was safe, like he knew something I didn't, like danger was closer than I realized.I needed to talk to Calix face to face, needed answers without Evans listening in, and without him shutting down the conversation before it even started.The taxi finally inched forward, I could see the repair shop ahead, its faded blue sign barely visible through the late afternoon sun."Here is fine," I told the driver, handing him cash, "thank you."I got out and pushed through the crowded

Evans' POVI slipped out of bed before dawn, careful not to wake Hailey, she looked peaceful in sleep, her face soft and unguarded, not twisted with the confusion and hurt I'd been putting there.I left a note on the nightstand, "Early breakfast meeting, be back soon, love you," another lie to add to the growing mountain.The drive to Valarie's apartment felt like driving to my own execution, every red light was a chance to turn back, every turn was an opportunity to choose differently, but the threats echoed in my head, Hailey's life, Nancy's secret, the recording that could destroy everything.I parked in the underground garage, took the elevator to the fifteenth floor, my finger hesitated over the doorbell before finally pressing it.Valarie opened the door in a silk robe, her hair loose around her shoulders, her smile predatory and satisfied."Finally," she stepped aside to let me in, "I thought you'd never get here.""I'm here," I walked past her into the pristine apartment, all