All Chapters of HIS SECRET DESIRE (MxM): Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

"Sophie's POV"The gala had been beautiful and exhausting in the way these events always were, but something about that night stayed with me longer than it should have.Christopher had been distracted the entire evening, his smile a little too forced, his attention wandering even when we were dancing. I'd chalked it up to work stress or maybe fatigue from the long week, but then I'd caught him checking his phone in the hallway and the look on his face had been different. Not frustrated or annoyed but worried, almost desperate.When I'd asked if everything was okay he'd said yes and slipped the phone back in his pocket, but his jaw had been tight for the rest of the night and he'd barely said two words on the drive home.That was a week ago and he still seemed off, like he was carrying something heavy that he couldn't quite set down.I watched him now across the breakfast table, coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, scrolling through something that made the corner of his mouth

"Christopher's POV"The call from my father came on a Monday morning while I was reviewing the divorce papers my lawyer had sent over the weekend.We need to talk. My office. This afternoon.Not a request. Never a request with him.I'll be there at three.Two o'clock. Don't be late.He hung up before I could respond and I sat there already exhausted by a conversation that hadn't even happened yet.I texted Robin that I might be late tonight and he sent back a simple okay with a heart emoji that made some of the tension ease.At two o'clock I walked into my father's office, the entire twentieth floor dedicated to the company's founder even though he'd officially retired five years ago. Retired but still controlling everything because Richard Hall didn't know how to let go of power.Christopher. He didn't look up from whatever document he was reading. Sit.I sat across from his massive desk and waited because trying to rush my father was pointless.He finally set down the papers and loo

"Robin's POV"I'd been staring at my phone for twenty minutes trying to figure out how to say what I needed to say when Christopher texted that he was on his way to the cabin, and suddenly I had an hour to prepare for a conversation I didn't know how to have.The divorce papers were supposed to be filed this week, that's what he'd told me three weeks ago when we'd agreed to keep meeting in secret until everything was finalized, but here we were still hiding and still waiting and I was starting to wonder if we'd ever stop.I heard his car pull up and watched through the window as he got out looking exhausted, his tie already loosened and his hair messed up like he'd been running his hands through it all day.Hey, he said when he walked in and tried to kiss me but I stepped back because if he kissed me I'd lose my nerve and we needed to have this conversation.We need to talk.His face fell and he set down his briefcase. That's never a good way to start.When are you filing the papers?

"Robin's POV"We were still lying in bed at the cabin the next morning when Christopher asked me about my life outside of us, and I realized we'd been so focused on navigating our own complicated situation that we'd barely talked about the people who mattered to both of us.Tell me about your friends, he said, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my shoulder. I want to know more about your life when you're not with me.There's not much to tell, most of my friendships faded after Adam because I stopped trusting people, but there's Mitchell.Mitchell, he repeated. You've mentioned her before.Yeah, she's been my best friend since high school, stuck with me through all my shit even when I was being impossible. I shifted to look at him. She's an interior designer, brilliant at what she does, funny as hell, and she doesn't take any of my bullshit.She sounds important to you.She is, she's probably the only person besides you who actually knows me and still chooses to be around.Christophe

"Victor's POV"I'd stayed late at the office again on a Thursday night, partly because I had actual work to finish but mostly because I'd noticed Christopher Hall tended to let his guard down after hours when he thought the building was empty.Three weeks of careful observation had taught me his patterns and the most interesting thing I'd learned was that Thursday nights around eight o'clock his entire demeanor changed, he'd close his office door and take a phone call that lasted anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour.Not a business call because those he took on speaker while reviewing documents, and not a call with his wife because I'd heard him talk to Sophie before and his tone was always polite but distant.These Thursday calls were different, his voice softer and more animated, and whatever was happening on the other end of that line made Christopher Hall smile in a way I'd never seen during business hours.Tonight I'd positioned myself in the conference room across from his of