All Chapters of No Longer His Convenient Wife: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The rooftop bar was loud enough that nobody cared what anyone was saying. Exactly why Cressida liked it. She was already lounging across the booth when Arabella arrived, one heel hooked on the seat, drink in hand, sunglasses pushed into her hair. Cressida leaned forward, studying her face for a second before her mouth curled. “You still look like you want to set something on fire.” Arabella took the drink the waiter set down and barely glanced at him before he left. “Maybe I do.” Cressida’s grin widened. “Oh good. I was hoping you weren’t over it.” Arabella took a slow sip. “Over it?” “Please,” Cressida said. “If some muddy farm girl thought she could play house with the man I picked out, I’d burn the entire countryside down.” “I genuinely cannot believe that Sebastian Hawthorne is choosing a farm girl over you.” She shuddered. “It’s giving peasant fantasy.” “She’s his wife.” “His ex wife. Who he won’t divorce, which is somehow worse.” Cressida pointed at her.

The machinery sat idle where the crew had left it when the officers finally packed up and drove out. Nobody had moved it. Nobody quite knew if they were allowed to. No hammering. No trucks reversing up the gravel drive. No River and Rain arguing about something ridiculous near the orchard while the rest of us pretended we weren’t entertained. Just wind moving through the trees. I stood near the barn staring at the yellow notice taped to the wood and tried to calculate how bad this actually was. Kai came out of the farmhouse and crossed the yard toward me. One look at the way he was walking told me it wasn’t good. He scratched the back of his neck. “Cruz and Theo pulled out,” he said. I nodded once. “I figured.” He paused. “Can’t blame them. They’ve got other jobs to go to.” “And the lighting company called,” he added. “They want to know if they should release the equipment to another booking.” I looked up at that. “Tell them to hold.” “Dahlia—” “Tell them t

Victor’s smile thinned and the friendliness vanished. Just like that. He walked back behind his desk, picked up a stamp and pressed it down hard on the document. REVIEW PENDING. He slid the folder across the desk without looking at me. “Good luck with your farm, Miss Miller.” His voice had gone completely neutral. Like the conversation never happened. I picked up the documents. My hands were steady. But inside something was burning, and it wasn’t embarrassment. I turned and walked out. *** Sienna was waiting near the elevator and she got up the second she saw me come through the door. She read my face in about two seconds and fell into step beside me without a word. “That bad?” I walked past her toward the truck. “Let’s go.” She fell into step beside me and didn’t push until we were both inside with the doors shut. “What happened?” she said. I started the engine and pulled out of the space. “He won’t approve the permit,” I said. “I figured that. What else?

“I’m not celebrating.” “Yes you are,” River said. “I’m really not—“ Rain popped the cork. Pop. “Too late,” he said, already pouring. “Celebration has started already. You missed the opt-out window.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Where did you even get that?” “Storage room.” He handed me a glass like that answered everything. “That’s from my parents’ vineyard—” “Which is exactly why it’s appropriate.” He looked completely unbothered. “They’d want you to drink it.” Sienna took the glass from him and shoved it into my hand. “You went into that assface’s office yesterday,” she said, “and came out without committing a felony. That alone deserves alcohol.” I gave the glass a long stare before sighing in resignation. “Fine. One only.” “Liar,” Sienna said cheerfully. Five minutes later— “Okay,” River said, pointing at me, “there it is.” “What?” “That,” he said. “You’re smiling. That’s progress.” “I am not smiling.” “You are. It’s just… shy and kinda…reluctant.”

Morning came in whether I wanted it to or not. I woke up still in yesterday’s clothes. The papers were on the bed beside me, slightly crumpled from where I’d fallen asleep on top of them. My face felt swollen. I knew without looking. I did what needed doing in the mirror…cold water, concealer, enough that a stranger wouldn’t know. Someone who knew me would know immediately but that wasn’t today’s problem. My mother had left for the vineyard offices before sunrise the way she always did. I was grateful for it. My mother’s version of comfort was complicated. She’d look at me and say nothing and somehow that would be worse than if she’d just asked. My dad was at the kitchen table though with his coffee and his newspaper. I poured coffee and sat across from him and we were quiet for a minute the way we could be quiet, him and me, without it being uncomfortable. “I will be meeting my lawyer to return the papers this morning,” I said. He wrapped both hands around his mug