Semua Bab Burning Desires (An Open Marriage With The Billionaire): Bab 41 - Bab 50

SOPHIA LANCASTER The silence in the room was heavy, pressing against my eardrums like the pressure drop before a storm.I was sitting on the floor, my back pressed against the door, legs drawn up to my chest. I had dragged the heavy armchair over to wedge it under the handle.My heart was still hammering against my ribs, fueled by the adrenaline of screaming at Beatrice. For five years, I had played the role of a quiet wife. The supportive partner, the hidden genius. I had let them take the credit, let them preen in the spotlight while I sat in the dark fixing their mistakes and for what? To be called a "prop"? To be assaulted in my own bed?I looked at my hands. They were trembling with rage. The doorknob rattled.I didn't move. I stared at the handle as it twisted violently, then stopped when the lock held. "Sophia," Daniel's voice came through muffled but laced with frustration. "Open the door."I didn't answer. I rested my chin on my knees, watching the door, "Sophia, don't be ch

SOPHIA LANCASTER The lock on the room door clicked shut, but the sound didn't make me feel safe. I leaned against the wood, sliding down until I hit the floor. My body was vibrating with adrenaline and exhaustion. I was heavy, and my skin felt too tight for my body. My head was full of noise.I needed it to stop, my phone was still in my hand. My thumb moved automatically, bypassing the logic of my brain and going straight to the need in my blood.I pressed the contact.It rang once."Sophia?" Ethan's voice was deep and rough."I'm drained," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. I didn't have the energy to say hello or explain. "I feel... heavy. Ethan, I feel like I'm drowning, I need relief."There was no hesitation on the other end. No "What happened?" or "Are you okay?" Just immediate, decisive action. "Come home," he commanded softly. I hung up.I stood up, grabbed my purse and my keys. I walked out of the room, down the hallway, and passed the living room where Daniel was likely

SOPHIA LANCASTER “I have to go, I can’t stay here anymore,” I mumbled, the flash of the camera was still burned into my retinas."Sophia, wait!"Ethan's voice was rough reaching for me from the shadows of the balcony. He grabbed for my wrist, and I jerked away as if his skin were made of fire."No!" I gasped, stumbling back, clutching the front of the silver dress. "Don't touch me.""I'm getting you out of here," Ethan insisted, stepping into the light, though his mask was still firmly in place. "I'm not letting you run out there alone.""If we leave together, the person may get what they want!" I muttered, "Don't you get it? If they get a shot of us walking out that door, it's over. I can’t be seen with you."I couldn't even say Ethan's name. In my panic, he had become the evidence."Sophia…""Stay here!" I ordered, my voice cracking. "Do not follow me. Do not call me, just... stay."I didn't wait for his response. I turned and sprinted through the heavy curtains, back into the pound

SOPHIA LANCASTERFive Days Later.The private dining room at Le Bernardin was a study in hushed opulence. The walls were lined with textured silk, the lighting was dim and golden, and the center of the long table was dominated by a floral arrangement.I sat at the center of the table, flanked by Mr. Yamamoto on my left and Daniel on my right.For the last five days, I had been a ghost. I hadn't returned to Tribeca. I hadn't answered Ethan's calls, though my phone buzzed with his name every few hours like a heartbeat I was trying to ignore. I had buried myself in the server room, sleeping on the leather couch in my office, driven by a single, manic purpose: finish the project. Secure the deal. Get the leverage.And now, we were here."To the future," Mr. Yamamoto said, raising his crystal flute of champagne. His English was precise, "And to a partnership that will redefine the sector.""To the future," the table chorused.I raised my glass, sipping the dry, cold liquid. It tasted like

SOPHIA LANCASTER Morning didn't break, it crashed down on me. I woke up, my body tangled in the duvet I had pulled over my head hours ago. My head felt like it had been filled with concrete, my eyes were swollen shut, the skin around them tight and raw from the salt of dried tears.I lay there for a long time, staring at the sliver of light peeking through the blackout curtains. For a split second, that merciful, brief moment between sleep and consciousness I forgot. I forgot the flash of the camera, the smirk on Daniel's face. I forgot that my life, as I knew it, was over.I groaned, rolling onto my side, burying my face in the pillow. I wanted to stay here, wanted to sink into the mattress and dissolve. I wanted to never see his face again but the clock on the nightstand read 8:30 AM. Sunday.If I stayed in bed, Daniel would come in. He would bring coffee, would play the role of the concerned husband, and if I rejected him, he would flash that shark-like smile and remind me of the