All Chapters of The Woman He Never Chose: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

He released her and turned away. Rita pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat under her palm, and leaned against the wall for support. The room suddenly felt too warm. She watched the broad lines of his back as he reached for his night robe and shrugged it on. The towel dropped to the floor without ceremony. The soft sound of fabric hitting wood was loud in the quiet room.She could not stay. Not with the air this charged. Her legs felt unsteady. In all the years they had shared a bed, they had never touched beyond the most accidental brush of an arm. No kisses. No shared warmth. Nothing. The memory of that empty space between them made the heat still lingering on her skin feel even stranger.Rita slipped back out of the room and went downstairs, one hand tight on the railing. Each step felt slower than the last. The cool air of the hallway brushed her face, but it did nothing to settle the tremor still running through her fingers.She opened the refrigerator, took out a c

"Blair Montgomery is Anthony's widow," Rita explained.Cassie's face twisted into something far more dangerous. "What is that bitch doing in your marriage?" She ground her teeth as she spoke.Rita understood the anger. She knew about Cassie and Anthony. Cassie had spent months circling him. She had gone to every gathering, every dinner, every event where he might show up, hoping he would notice her. He never did. He chose Blair. That wound had never fully closed."Philip moved her in," Rita said."What?" Cassie's voice shot up. The high pitch cut through the bar and several heads turned in their direction.Rita shrank slightly in her seat. "Sorry, everyone," she said, offering a nervous smile to the nearby tables. She turned back to Cassie. "Can you calm down and stop screaming like a banshee? People are staring."Cassie did not look remotely fazed. "Why? Why did Philip bring her into your home?""She's pregnant. He says she needs someone to take care of her."The waiter arrived at th

Rita's jaw fell. "What? That's not true.""Keep deceiving yourself," Cassie said. She picked up her glass and took a calm sip, watching Rita over the rim."Stop blurting rubbish, Cass." Rita's voice rose slightly. "Kingsley and I were friends in high school. That's all.""He was my friend too," Cassie said. She set her glass down and tilted her head. "But he doesn't look at me the way he looks at you."Rita's mouth opened and closed. She reached for her champagne and drank. The bubbles no longer felt smooth. They felt sharp. "I'm married, Cass. Stop putting ideas in my head.""I'm not trying to lead you astray, dear," Cassie said. Her voice softened. "I only want you to make Philip see that you are a treasure. With or without him."Rita stared at the table. Her fingers traced the base of her glass in slow circles. The thought sat heavy in her chest. Taking advantage of Kingsley's feelings, if he even had any, felt wrong. It felt like the kind of thing Blair would do. Calculated. Selfi

A heavy frown tore from Rita's lips as she tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt like they had been weighted with stones. Inside her head was a warzone. The skull smacking headache threatened to give her brain a factory reset with every pulse. She groaned. The sound came out low and rough and felt like it belonged to someone else.The heavy sunlight spilling through the open curtains almost blinded her when she finally managed to open her eyes. She covered her face with one hand and held her head with the other as she sat up slowly. Her back pressed against the headboard. The wood was cool against her spine. She stayed there for a moment, breathing through her mouth, waiting for the room to stop spinning."You are finally awake."Philip's deep voice came from somewhere near the window. Rita's hands dropped to her sides. Her eyes found his familiar face and she blinked. Once. Twice.Philip.In the bedroom with her on a sunny morning. This was new. This was strange. In all their year

For the rest of the week, Philip became increasingly irritable and withdrawn.Work was taking a toll on him. Meetings stretched late into the evening, phone calls followed him everywhere, and whatever patience he possessed seemed to disappear with every passing hour.Rita barely saw him during the day.He would leave early in the morning, often before she had finished breakfast, and return home long after dinner. By then, exhaustion would have settled heavily over his broad shoulders. He rarely said more than a few words before heading upstairs and going straight to bed.They were living under the same roof, yet somehow, they felt farther apart than ever.Then came the morning of their flight to Monaco.Rita stood before the mirror in their bedroom, studying her reflection.She wore a sophisticated two-piece set that hugged her figure without trying too hard. Dark Dior sunglasses rested elegantly over her face, their oversized frames giving her an air of effortless luxury. Her hair wa