Chapter 88
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088
ADRIAN’S hand, still resting on the doorknob, stiffened. His eyes narrowed, scanning the stranger who now sat confidently behind the desk that should have belonged to Amelia.
The man leaned back slightly, composed, almost annoyingly unbothered.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice calm and measured.
Adrian stepped inside, his tall frame radiating dominance, his tone sharp.
“Who are you p>
The man closed the tablet in front of him with deliberate slowness before responding.
“Ryan. Ryan Ellis. And who are you p>
The casual way he had asked sent a spark of irritation through Adrian’s chest.
“I asked a question,” Adrian said firmly, ignoring the chair Ryan gestured toward. “Why are you in my wife’s office? Where is Amelia p>
Oh! Adrian? Ryan’s lips curved faintly, not quite a smile.
“Your wife is… occupied at the moment. And this isn’t your office, Mr. Adrian. This is Amelia’s office. Which means, while she is unavailable, you speak to me p>
Adrian’s jaw tightened, fists curling at his sides. The calm in Ryan’s tone was like gasoline poured over the fire already burning inside him.
“You are her assistant,” Adrian stated flatly.
“Yes p>
,” Ryan said without hesitation. “Her personal assistant. I handle her schedules, her businesses, her meetings everything she entrusts me with.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, eyes steady. “And she trusts me. Entirely p>
The word ‘trust’ stung Adrian like a blade. His pulse quickened, but he masked it with a cold chuckle.
“You seem to forget yourself,” Adrian said, his voice low, dangerous. “You are an employee. Don’t mistake responsibility for importance. Where is my wife p>
Ryan didn’t flinch.
“At the moment, she doesn’t want to see you p>
The words sliced through the silence like glass shattering. Adrian’s chest heaved once, the air in the room thick with unspoken fury.
“Careful,” Adrian warned, his voice dropping even lower. “Don’t presume to speak for her p>
Ryan rose from his seat, slowly, deliberately. He wasn’t as tall as Adrian, but he met his glare head-on, unyielding.
“With all due respect, sir,” Ryan said, voice steady as steel, “I don’t presume. Amelia made it very clear. If you want to see her, it will be on her terms. Until then- you will deal with me p>
The room fell silent. Both men locked in a stare so sharp it could have split glass.
Adrian’s fingers twitched at his side, aching to break something, anything, if only to release the tension surging
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in him.
But instead, he stepped closer, lowering his voice so that it was no longer sharp but cutting, lethal.
“This isn’t over p>
And with that, he turned sharply and stormed out, the sound of the door slamming reverberating through the office.
Ryan exhaled slowly, steadying himself, but there was a flicker in his eyes, something between nerves and triumph. He sank back into the chair, jaw set.
Adrian was back.
And everything was about to get messy.
The evening was quiet, the ticking of the old wall clock filling the sitting room. Claire sat curled at the far end of the couch, her arms folded across her chest, eyes fixed on the floor. Her mother sat opposite her, watching her daughter’s restless posture.
Finally, Claire broke the silence, her voice low, heavy.
eyes.
“Mom… I have waited. For months now, I have waited for Amelia to forgive me. I thought maybe time would heal, maybe she would soften, but it hasn’t happened.” She swallowed hard, blinking against the sting in her And honestly? I understand. What I did was terrible. I tore my sister’s home apart. I wronged her in ways no apology can ever fix. I deserve everything I’m getting from her now p>
Her voice cracked. She buried her face in her palms for a moment before letting out a sharp breath.
“So, I have decided. I can’t keep hanging on to this. I will leave, Mom. Relocate. Change location, start life over again. Somewhere she doesn’t have to see my face and remember the pain I caused her p>
Mrs. Harlow’s lips trembled as she reached forward, her hands wrapping around Claire’s cold fingers.
“Oh, my daughter…” she whispered, pulling her into a hug. She rocked her gently, like she used to when Claire was small, when family was complete. “Don’t say that. Don’t punish yourself that way. Yes, what you did was wrong, very wrong, but running away won’t heal anything. It will only deepen the wound. Just try, go to her and try again p>
“Mom,” Claire protested softly, leaning back to look at her. “You don’t understand. The last time I went to Amelia’s house, she almost called the cops on me. The cops, Mom! She doesn’t want me near her. She doesn’t even want to hear my voice. Do you want me to keep troubling her p>
Mrs. Harlow shook her head, her grip firm on Claire’s shoulders.
“No, not troubling her. But trying again. Please, Claire. One more time. Just one more. Go to her, speak to her, not to argue, not to justify yourself, but to plead. From your heart. If she doesn’t listen, then… then we will think of what next. But don’t give up yet. Don’t p>
Claire pressed her lips together, torn, her eyes shimmering.
“But Mom p>
“Please, my daughter,” Mrs. Harlow whispered, her arms tightening around her child. “Please. For me. For us. Try again p>
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Claire exhaled shakily, her forehead resting against her mother’s shoulder. Her silence said what words could not: she was terrified of trying again, but her mother’s plea was tugging at her heart.
The dining room was quiet except for the faint hum of the laptop sitting open before Amelia. A half-finished cup of tea sat untouched by her side, steam long gone cold. Her eyes were locked on the screen as the surveillance feed from her chain of stores and resorts flickered across. Cameras caught staff folding linens, guests laughing by a poolside, a cashier arranging bills into neat stacks.
Her hand hovered over the trackpad, clicking idly, skipping from one footage to another. Then, her fingers froze. Her breath hitched in her throat.
There he was.
The frame seemed to tighten around the figure on the screen, as though the universe itself had slowed to mock her. Adrian. Tall, composed, familiar. Walking right into Satin and Sage.
Her heart dropped.
For a long moment, Amelia didn’t move. Her tea rattled slightly on the saucer as her hand trembled. She leaned closer, staring at the footage like she had just seen a ghost, like the screen itself had betrayed her.
“Amelia p>
She flinched as her mother’s voice cut through the silence. Mrs. Harlow was already by her side, her eyes narrowing at her daughter’s pale face. “What is it?” she asked quickly, her voice sharp with alarm. Her gaze darted to the laptop screen as though answers might leap out at her. “What is going on? You look like you have seen death itself p>
Amelia swallowed hard, her lips parting, voice shaky.
“Adrian p>
Her mother leaned closer, tense.
“Okay. What happened p>
“Adrian was at Satin and Sage today p>
Mrs. Harlow gasped audibly, a hand flying to her mouth.
“Oh my p>
The silence that followed was heavy, pressing down between them like an unwelcome intruder.
P
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.