Semua Bab Burning Desires (An Open Marriage With The Billionaire): Bab 81 - Bab 90

DANIEL HAWTHORNEThe penthouse had never felt this warm. I sat across from Sophia at the small, linen-draped table I had arranged by the floor-to-ceiling windows. The scent of roasted rosemary and the rich, heavy notes of the vintage Bordeaux filled the space between us.I watched her take a delicate sip of her wine. The soft, golden candlelight caught the elegant curve of her neck and the dark depths of her eyes. She looked breathtaking, but it wasn't just her physical beauty that had my blood humming with an intoxicating high; it was the staggering magnitude of what she had done for me that day.When she had walked into that boardroom and dropped her twenty percent proxy on the table, she hadn't just saved my CEO title. She had chosen me over her own power, she had looked at a room full of billionaires who were ready to hand her my head on a silver platter, and she had stood in front of the blade instead.Beneath all her anger, beneath the icy exterior she had perfected, she was sti

SOPHIA LANCASTERI woke up before the sun even started to rise. The bedroom was completely quiet, I lay in the massive bed and listened to the soft sound of the ocean waves crashing against the cliffs far below our window.My heart was beating a little fast, I looked across the dark room at my black travel bag. It was sitting exactly where I left it. The zipper was closed, and my encrypted laptop was safely hidden deep inside.I turned my head and looked at Daniel. He was still fast asleep next to me, his chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm. His heavy arm was draped across my waist. I carefully slid out from under his arm. I did not make a single sound, I walked into the huge bathroom and splashed cold water on my face.When I walked back into the bedroom, the sun was starting to peek through the curtains. Daniel was awake, he stretched his arms over his head and smiled a big, lazy smile when he saw me. He looked so incredibly happy."Good morning," Daniel said. His voice wa

DANIEL HAWTHORNEThe rain hit the dark windows of the black SUV like tiny, angry bullets. The storm had completely swallowed the city. The streets were wet and shiny, reflecting the harsh red and white lights of the traffic.I stared out the window, but I did not really see the city. My mind was moving a million miles a minute.Ten percent.Someone out there held ten percent of my life. Someone out there was sitting in the dark, watching me panic, and laughing. I hated it. I hated feeling out of control. I looked down. I was squeezing Sophia’s hand so hard my knuckles were turning white. I quickly loosened my grip."Sorry," I muttered.Sophia did not pull her hand away. She just moved closer to me on the leather seat. "It is okay, Daniel. You are stressed. Just breathe."Her voice was so calm. It was the only quiet thing in my entire world right now. I looked at her beautiful face in the dark car. She looked tired, but she was still here. She did not run away when the trip got ruined.

SOPHIA LANCASTERThe doors of Daniel’s private office clicked shut behind me. completely cut off the sound of his panicked, desperate voice calling my name.I did not stop walking. I did not look back.I walked straight down the long hallway with my head held high. I passed two security guards. I kept my face perfectly blank, and I reached the private executive elevator. I pressed the silver button. The doors slid open instantly. I stepped inside the empty metal box and pressed the button for the underground parking garage.The doors finally slid shut. I was completely alone. The second the elevator started moving down, my mask dropped. The fake shock vanished from my eyes. The tight, stressed line of my jaw completely relaxed. A slow, genuine, cold smile spread across my face.I threw my head back and let out a loud, ringing laugh. Elena thought she had destroyed my world tonight. She stood in that office, dripping wet and screaming, thinking she was breaking my heart. She wanted me

DANIEL HAWTHORNEI did not sleep not even for a single second.I just walked back and forth across the massive living room of our penthouse. I walked until my feet actually hurt. I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday. My expensive shirt was wrinkled and stuck to my back with cold sweat. My tie hung loosely around my neck. I felt like garbage. I looked like garbage.I stopped pacing and looked down at my phone on the glass coffee table. The screen was black. It had been black for hours.I had called Sophia over fifty times. I lost count of how many text messages I sent her. I begged her. I apologized. I pleaded with her to just tell me she was safe. She never answered. Not once.I walked over to the huge windows and looked down at the street far below.Every single time I saw a car with flashing lights, my heart stopped. I kept waiting for the police to pull up to the building. I kept waiting for heavy boots to kick my front door down.Elena’s screaming voice kept playing in my