Semua Bab Under the Mistletoe with my Ex's Brother : Bab 61 - Bab 70

ScarletI sat up in bed, my entire body trembling. This was a bad idea. A terrible idea.But my feet were already moving.I crossed the room, and unlocked the door, my heart beating heavily against my chest. I opened it.Damian stood in the hallway. He was shirtless. His pajama pants were hanging low on his hips , so low I could see that dangerous v-line. His dark hair was messy like he'd been running his hands through it.He looked at me with eyes so full of hunger it made my knees weak.He wanted me. I could see every word his eyes were trying to say."I can't do this anymore," he started, his voice rough. "I can't sleep, Scarlet. I can't think, and I certainly can't function like this. All I do is want you and not have you and it's driving me insane."I opened my mouth, but closed it back. I had no idea what to say."Tell me to leave," Damian said. "Tell me you don't want this and I'll go. I'll go back to my room and we'll keep doing this awful dance. But if there's any part of y

The community center smells like pine cleaner and stale coffee. I sit in the observation room, separated from the main playroom by a two-way mirror. The court-appointed monitor, Mrs. Pacheco, sits beside me with a clipboard, making notes in neat handwriting.Through the glass, Lucas kneels on the floor with Jace. He's dressed down today—jeans and a sweater instead of his usual designer suits. It makes him look approachable. Normal."Look what I brought you, buddy." Lucas pulls a large box from behind his back.Jace's eyes go wide. "No way! Is that—""The Turbo Racer 3000? Sure is." Lucas grins, already tearing open the packaging. "I know you've been wanting this for months."My stomach tightens. I mentioned that car exactly once, three weeks ago, when Jace saw a commercial and begged for it. I told him maybe for his birthday. How does Lucas know?Jace hesitates for just a moment, glancing toward the mirror where he knows I'm watching. Then the excitement wins out. He bounces on his to

ScarletDamian turns off the light and walks out of the room. He nearly runs into me in the hallway.We stare at each other. And I don't miss how his eyes are dark. Hollow.To anyone else, he's just neutral. But I see it— the effect of Jace words on him."Damian—""Let's not talk about it." He brushes past me, heading toward his room.I follow after him without even thinking about it."Damian, please wait... You know he doesn't really mean that."He stops at his door, his hand on the knob. His shoulders are rigid, and his spine straight as steel."Go to bed, Scarlet.""We need to talk about this. I know you're hurt," my voice comes out softer than I intended."There's nothing to talk about." He twists the knob.I put my hand on the door, holding it closed. "Yes, there is.""Scarlet—""Please....just— just one minute. I know you don't want to talk to anyone...but just hear me out."My words hangs between us. Soft. Desperate.He exhales slowly, his forehead dropping against the door. Fo

The hospital is quieter at night.I'm stuck doing paperwork in my office—endless forms, patient files, administrative nonsense that piled up during my suspension. I've been prohibited from doing any surgeries ever since the suspension. Nog even OR time. I'm just stuck with endless bureaucracy while the investigation drags on.The suspension feels like a noose tightening around my neck. Two weeks of sitting on the sidelines while Victoria operates, while my skills gather dust, while my reputation crumbles under the weight of sabotaged instruments and whispered accusations.I glance at the clock. Nine-thirty.I sigh and press my back into the chair and look up. I can't recignise my life anymore. Within the space iof a month I've gone from an accomplished surgeon and mother yo a nobody and a woman who is scared to.llde her child to her ex husband.I should have known. I should have known this was how it would end up the moment I signed the marriage contract with Damian and agreed to li

His jaw tightens. "God, Scarlet ...You're being irrational," he groaned in exasperation as if the thought alone seemed stupid.But it wasn't. Because I had seen everything with my very own eyes.I scoffed."Irrational?" The word ignited something feral inside me. "I'm being irrational? I saw you with another woman and I'm irrational for being upset?""We're not—" He stopped himself, his eyes flashing. "You're the one who wanted separate bedrooms. You're the one who said we needed boundaries. You're the one who walked away."Of course he was going to bring that up. He was going to make me feel like I was the one who pushed Victoria to him. Like I was the one who made him chest on him!Classic player boy move!Buy I won't fall for such this time."So what? You decided to move on? Find someone easier? Someone who won't question your stalker tendencies?""That's not fair.""Fair?" I'm shouting now, because I can't help it. "You want to talk about fair? You lied to me from the beginning.