Semua Bab Burning Desires (An Open Marriage With The Billionaire): Bab 51 - Bab 60

DANIEL HAWTHORNEThe ink was barely dry on the Yamamoto contract, and I already felt lighter.I watched Sophia disappear into the elevator bank, she was dramatic, acting as if I had held a gun to her head, when in reality, I had simply applied the necessary pressure to close a business deal."Congratulations, Daniel," one of the junior partners said, clapping me on the back. "Brilliant maneuvering.""Thank you," I said, smoothing my tie. "It was never in doubt."I left the celebration early, I needed air. I stepped out of the elevator, and the lobby of Lancaster Innovations was busy, the usual Monday rush, but the crowd seemed to part for me. I headed toward the revolving doors, checking my watch. I had a dinner reservation at Marea later, maybe I’d take Elena. Sophia would be too busy sulking in the guest room to appreciate a celebration.The automatic doors hissed open and I stopped. Walking in from the street was Julian Thorne. My stomach gave a jolt, what the hell was he doing her

SOPHIA LANCASTER The morning light in the penthouse was cold, it spilled across the floors and hit the glass walls with a sharpness that made my head ache.I stood in the kitchen, the hum of the high-end espresso machine the only sound in the space. I was dressed for work: a charcoal sheath dress, pearls, and my hair pulled back into a tight knot that felt like it was holding my skull together. Daniel walked into the kitchen, and he was whistling. It was a cheerful, grating sound that made my skin crawl. He came up behind me, his hand finding my back in that proprietary way he had perfected since the signing."Good morning, darling," he murmured, leaning in to brush a kiss against my cheek. I didn't move or lean in, but I didn't pull away either."Morning," I said, my voice as flat as the horizon.He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, surveying me with a look of profound satisfaction."You look sharp today," he noted, his eyes trailing over my outfit. "Goo

SOPHIA LANCASTER The first thing I registered was the scent of Ethan. I opened my eyes, the morning light filtering through the curtains. For a split second, I forgot everything. I was just a woman in a bed that wasn't hers, tangled in sheets that smelled like safety.Ethan was still asleep beside me. One of his arms was thrown carelessly over his head, the other resting heavily across my waist, anchoring me to the mattress. In sleep, he looked younger. He looked like someone who could actually be loved, not just feared.I allowed myself thirty seconds. Thirty seconds to just breathe him in, to pretend that I wasn't married to a monster and plotting the destruction of my own legacy.Then, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Ethan stirred, his arm tightening around me reflexively, but I was already moving. I grabbed the phone and slid out of bed, grabbing Ethan’s discarded dress shirt from the floor to cover myself.I walked into the hallway, closing the bedroom door softly behind me.

SOPHIA LANCASTERThe gala at the Plaza was a sea of silk, tuxedoes, and the heavy scent of old money and new desperation. For everyone else, it was the social event of the quarter—a celebration of the "Historic Alliance" between Lancaster Innovations and the Calder Group. For me, it was a funeral. I was the only one who knew whose body was in the casket.Daniel’s hand was a permanent fixture on my back, his fingers digging into the fabric of my vintage Dior gown."Smile, Sophia," he hissed under his breath as we approached the wall of photographers. "You look like you’re heading to a sentencing.""Maybe I’m just tired of the cameras, Daniel," I replied."Tired doesn't sell stock, brilliance sells stock. Now, look at the lens."The flashes were blinding, Daniel stepped forward, detaching himself from me just enough to command the center of the frame. He raised a hand, beckoning a group of tech reporters from the Journal and Wired like a king summoning his subjects."Mr. Hawthorne! Over

SOPHIA LANCASTER"Speak, Sophia," Julian murmured, his breath a ghost of a touch against the sensitive skin of my neck. "You need to use your mouth and let me know what you really think."The air in the study was stagnant, I was pinned between the edge of his desk and the solid, unyielding heat of Julian Thorne's chest. He didn't touch me with his hands, but his presence was caging me in, forcing me to confront the scale of the man I had previously only known through spreadsheets and headlines.I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Why?" I finally managed to whisper. The word felt small, inadequate. "Why me, Julian? You have empires to run, you have the world at your feet. Why would you risk your reputation for a woman whose life is currently a burning house?"Julian didn't flinch. He leaned in just an inch closer, until I could see the fine, "Because the house isn't what matters, Sophia. It's the Architect who built it," he said, his voice low, "I've told you… I don'