Rejected By My Billionaire Husband,He Chased Me Back After D의 모든 챕터: 챕터 71 - 챕터 77

Adrian was at his desk, nursing a brutal hangover and an even more brutal regret, when his office door burst open.Cassian strode in like a thunderstorm. His gray eyes were blazing. His jaw was set. He did not bother with pleasantries."Get out," he said to James, who was standing frozen in the corner with a tablet in his hands.James looked at Adrian. Adrian nodded wearily. James fled.Cassian slammed the door behind him and crossed the room until he was standing directly in front of Adrian's desk. The tension between them was palpable—two predators circling each other, neither willing to back down."You knew her," Cassian said. His voice was low and dangerous. "Before Brisbane. Before the accident. Before all of it."Adrian leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes unreadable. He had been expecting this. Maybe not today, maybe not so soon, but he had known it was coming. "I don't know what you're talking about.""Don't lie to me." Cassian placed both hands on the edge of the desk and

Cassian found Emory in the garden, sitting under the old oak tree with her dolls arranged in a semicircle around her. She was dressed in her favorite overalls, her dark curls wild from a morning of playing outside."Can I sit with you?" he asked."Of course, Daddy. You can be the prince." She handed him a doll with a plastic crown. "The prince has to protect the kingdom from the dragon.""What dragon?""Pretend dragon. Use your imagination."Cassian sat down on the grass, the doll looking absurdly small in his large hands. "Emory, I need to talk to you about something. Something important."Emory looked up, her honey-colored eyes suddenly serious. "Is it about Auntie Vanessa?""How did you know?""You get a certain face when you're going to talk about Auntie Vanessa. It's like this." She scrunched up her features in a surprisingly accurate imitation of his tense expression.Cassian almost laughed. "Yes. It's about Vanessa." He set the doll down carefully. "Emory, you know how much Van

The party continued around Clara like a current around a stone. Laughter echoed from the ballroom. Champagne glasses clinked. The string quartet had been replaced by a jazz ensemble, and couples were beginning to drift toward the dance floor. But Clara needed air. The confrontation with Vanessa by the dessert table, the sweet interaction with Emory, the weight of Cassian's kiss—all of it had left her breathless and overwhelmed.She slipped through the French doors and into the garden.The night was cool and clear, the stars scattered across the sky like diamonds on black velvet. The fountain sparkled under the fairy lights. The roses—Vanessa's roses, Clara thought with a pang of irritation—were in full bloom, their fragrance heavy in the air. She walked along the stone path, her emerald dress brushing against the hedges, and found a quiet bench near the old oak tree where Emory had told her she played with her dolls.She sat down and closed her eyes. The silence was a relief. The part