All Chapters of Married At My Ex Husband's Burial: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

I couldn't get up.My knees felt like lead, stuck to the cold floor as my mind fought to catch up with the sheer momentum of his words. I hesitated, the terror and exhaustion from rushing all the way here and barely keeping my mind sane finally getting to me.So, like a dummy I knelt there...my eyes wide and trembling as I stared up at him.Cole didn't give me time to drown in it.Before I could sink any deeper, his large hands came down, his fingers wrapping firmly around my shoulders and pulled me straight up off the floor, placing me back onto my feet. Insteae pf finally letting go of my body, he stepped directly into my space, crowding my vision until there was nothing left to look at except him.He tilted his head down, his eyes staring straight into mine."You need to stop bowing," Cole growled, his voice a low, heavy vibration against my skin. "You need to stop fretting, and yeilding, and succumbing."His thumb pressed into the delicate bone of my shoulder, grounding me comple

I spent the entire next day trapped in my bed.I tossed and turned through the heavy heat of the afternoon, the sheets tangled around my legs as I constantly reached for my phone on the nightstand. Every time the screen lit up, my stomach dropped—but it was never him. No calls. No messages. No high-society invitations delivered to the front gate.Cole had completely gone dark on me.I didn't leave my room. I didn't open the curtains or even touch the doorknob. The only time the door moved was when Maya knocked softly, slipping a tray of food just inside the threshold before hovering nervously in the hallway."Celene, please," Maya’s voice filtered through the wood, frantic and laced with concern. "You haven't come down all day. Your father is asking questions, the staff is worried...what is going on? Just open the door and talk to me. Please!"I sat pulled tight into a ball on the edge of the mattress, staring at the unopened tray on the floor."I'm just tired, Maya," I called out, my

I shoved the heavy double doors open, the wood slamming against the interior walls.My father was sitting behind his wide mahogany desk, a stack of ledgers open before him. He looked better than he had last week...the color had returned to his skin...but I didn't miss the faint, hollow dark circles under his eyes or the slight tremble in his hand as he set his pen down. He was still frail, recovering, even if he tried to hide it under a tailored suit.The second we burst into the room, Daniel's furious face instantly smoothed over. The toxic, red-faced rage vanished, replaced by a subdued, respectful mask. He softened his shoulders, taking a subtle step back like a dutiful protégé caught off guard."Sir," Daniel said, his voice dropping into that fake, mellow tone he used to fool my family. "I apologize for the intrusion, we were just—""No, no, no, no," I interjected, stepping right into the middle of the room and pointing directly at Daniel's chest. "Don't change now! Don't stop fuc

Before anyone could open their mouth to speak, before my father could yell or Maya could gasp, I turned on my heel and walked out.I didn't run. I just kept walking—out of the study, past the foyer, and through the glass doors leading into the compound. I kept going until the cool night air hit my face, following the stone path all the way into the dark, secluded edges of the rear gardens.Cole’s voice echoed sharply in my head: You play my woman in front of the cameras...It really was starting now. There was no turning back, no undoing what I’d just thrown in their faces. My entire life was about to shift into something terrifying and unknown.The crunch of gravel snapped me out of my thoughts.I whipped around, my heart leaping into my throat.Standing at the entrance of the garden path was Daniel.The subdued posture, the humble smile, the practiced innocence...all of it had vanished. His face was twisted into a dark, feral rage, his jaw clenched so hard the muscles jumped beneath

Cole didn't move an inch away from me, even as Daniel growled and frowned. It was astonishing to see him do nothing...To see him weak, and low...it brought me so much wicked joy.Without looking back, Cole raised his left hand, flicking two fingers in a silent command to his men. One of them stepped forward carrying a garment bag. The man paused a respectful distance away, unzipping the top slightly to reveal the rich, emerald-green silk resting inside, before offering it to me with a slight nod.Cole’s hand stayed firmly planted on my hip, his grip possessive, his thumb rubbing slow circles against the fabric of my top...was he really just pretending or...?"Go inside and put this on, Celene," Cole said, his voice dropping into that smooth, quiet command that left no room for argument.I looked at the garment bag, then up into Cole's dark, unreadable eyes. "Here? Now?""Right now," Cole murmured, his lips brushing against my temple as he spoke. "You didn't think you'd wearold dress