All Chapters of Marrying the Tyrant: You Will Regret Killing Me, Ex-Husband!: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Lily’s POV.Rain slammed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the legal firm’s thirty-fifth-floor office.Outside, the city smeared into neon lights of gray and yellow. Inside, the office smelled like old paper, polished mahogany, and money.Lots of money.I sat in a leather armchair, my spine straight, fingers looped through the strap of my handbag.Fun fact: despite growing up learning every rule of this world, Diego still hired media consultants to drill me on the parts I’d forgotten. How to hold my ground, dodge a question, project authority through nothing but posture.Today I put it to use with my legs crossed, hands still and my face unreadable.On the desk in front of us sat three thick stacks of paper: backdated joint trusts, co-signed real estate deeds, offshore transfers designed to prove I’d been Diego’s silent partner long before we made our marriage public.Across from us sat Arthur Stephenson, one of the many people who danced on Diego's strings. Arthur had a slicked

Lily’s POV.The studio lights beamed down like sunshine on a very, very bright day. It was almost aching to watch.I sat on the plush velvet sofa in the studio, my legs crossed, and my spine rigid. The crew moved around us in a quiet, frantic dance as they checked the camera angles, did audio checks and the rest of their job to make sure the interview went well.Outside the windows, the skyline gleamed. Inside, the air felt thin.This interview hadn’t been part of the plan to survive the audit, but the moment the invitation came in, I decided it would double as a counter-strike against Richard’s tabloid cam

Lily's POV.The studio doors shut behind us, and the noise of the crew disappeared in an instant like someone had cut a wire. Diego's hand found the small of my back on the way to the car, out of habit now more than it was a performance because there were no cameras left to perform for. It was just a parking garage and the street lights.Neither of us said anything until the driver pulled out onto the street.I watched the city slide past the window. My reflection ghosted over the passing lights as I tried to figure out what had actually happened back there. 

Lily's POV.We parked half a mile out, in the gravel turnout where the old fire road met the highway, because we agreed it was best to walk the rest, lest we attracted any form of attention. Especially from Richard’s men.Diego cut the engine and neither of us moved right away, the dark pressing in against the windows."Once we're in," he said, "there's no version of this where I let you go anywhere alone. Whatever you find in that safe, you find it standing next to me.""I wasn't planning on ditching you in the woods, Diego.""I know how you p

Lily's POV.The penthouse was dark except for the single lamp over the kitchen table, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, nothing outside that small circle of light demanded anything from either of us.Diego set two glasses down — water, not wine, he'd decided we both needed our heads clear for this — and pulled a chair around to sit beside me.I opened the journal like it might bite.Her handwriting hit me like a punch to the gut. It was the same small, slanted and hurried scrawl she used to leave on to-do lists and birthday cards. I hadn't seen it in years. My chest tightened as I read a single sentence."Take your time," Diego said, quiet, and didn't touch me, didn't rush me. Just sat close enough that I could feel the solid warmth of him beside me if I needed it.I turned the first page.Date: Monday, 16th May, 2024.Weather: Gloomy.Board meeting ran long. R. pushed the Hendrick acquisition again. I still don't trust the numbers he's bringing me. Something's off in t