Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

Kim had barely taken off her heels and sat on the edge of the bed when the bedroom door opened slowly.Lucas stood in the doorway. He walked over and knelt in front of her, reaching out to take her hands into his own. Kim pulled away immediately like hot coals touched her."Kim," Lucas began softly, "I'm sorry about what happened at the office today. I really am."Kim simply watched him with a straight face."You have to understand the position I'm in," Lucas continued. "Denise is pregnant. Her hormones are all over the place, and she's highly emotional right now. She just wanted the title to feel secure. Kimmy, you know what you mean to me."He looked up at her, waiting for a softening in her posture or the familiar teary nod she always gave whenever he explained himself."I just need you to play along for now," Lucas continued. "Make Denise happy while she's carrying my child. I need you to keep the peace. Go to Denise, apologize for causing a scene at the office, and let's put this

Kim was buried in work that afternoon on the executive floor of Orchids Group headquarters, carefully tweaking the baseline formulas for the upcoming winter collection.Her desk phone rang, breaking her concentration.Kim picked up the receiver, keeping her voice neutral. "Kimberly speaking.""Mrs Jordan," a deep voice echoed through the line.Kim's heart skipped a beat as she instantly recognized the voice. "Saul? How did you get this direct line?""I have my ways," Saul replied softly. "Are you available for dinner tonight? There's an opening at a place I think you'll like."Kim swallowed hard, remembering the sheer danger of being seen with Lucas's brother. "No, Saul. You shouldn't be calling me here. Please... stay away from me."Before he could answer, she hung up the phone.By six o'clock, the office began to empty. Denise glided out of Lucas's private suite, wearing a smug, triumphant smirk as she linked her arm tightly through his. Lucas didn't even look in Kim's direction as

The heavy outer doors click open in the lobby, Saul seamlessly disengaged, stepping back just as Kim caught her breath and smoothed her skirt.Lucas strode into the office a second later, stopping dead in his tracks when his eyes landed on Kim."Kimmy?" Lucas asked, his voice sharp. "What the hell are you doing here?"Kim swallowed hard, forcing her voice to sound steady. "A friend needed legal advice, so I came to consult Saul."Lucas narrowed his eyes, a mocking sneer curling his lip. "A friend? You don't have friends, Kim. I'm the only family you have."Before Lucas could press further, Saul stepped forward with a smile. "She was just leaving, Lucas. We were actually discussing the new tax compliance structuring for Orchids Group's offshore accounts. Sit down, let's look over the numbers."As Saul pulled up the files, Lucas kept his cold gaze fixed on Kim as she quickly gathered her bag and exited the office. What exactly is she doing? Is she really moving forward with the divorce

The air inside the Manhattan penthouse was filled with tension. Saul couldn't sleep. The thought of her trapped in that house with Lucas made his blood boil.Saul paced the length of his rooftop terrace, the glowing light of his cigarette cutting through the dark. Down below, the city glows with different colours, but up here, it was just him, his racing thoughts, and a phone that kept giving him the exact response: “The subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.”A week. Seven agonizing days of silence. Her phone was completely switched off, no voicemail replies, no text delivery receipts. Nothing.‎Stick after thick stick, he kept on smoking, savoring those fat Maduro Gordo, but no amount of nicotine could drown out the silence.‎Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he took one last drag and crushed the smoldering ash into the tray. He tried telling himself she just needed space. He tried convincing himself she was busy, or dealing with a deadline, or just cooli

Saul’s gaze snapped from Kim straight to the Jordan family heirloom on Denise’s hand. He recognized that ring immediately."That is the Jordan family heirloom," he said harshly. "How the fuck did it end up on your hand?".His tone made Denise flinch. The smirk on her face vanished, and her eyes instantly welled with tears. She shrank back seeking cover behind Lucas's shoulder."I gave it to her." Lucas answered casually."You gave the family heirloom to your mistress?" Saul queried angrily."That is not right," Aunt Victoria said as she looked between the brothers. "Lucas, what on earth is going on here? Who is your wife, really? Denise or Kim?""Denise is carrying my child," Lucas declared, placing a protective hand over Denise's trembling shoulder. "It is only proper that she wears it."Saul’s face turned red with anger "Take it off," he ordered."Saul, you are my brother," Lucas snapped, leaning forward with frustration. "You should be supporting me!""If you desperately want Denis