Chapter 128: Let's Start Over

Let's Start Over

Blake’s POV:

I stood at the corner, my fingers clenched into fists. I'd planned to talk to Anna about Claire, but instead overheard this conversation.

"I can find women for Blake to have children with, but Claire is still a threat. And will Blake actually follow your orders to have kids with someone else? To be honest, Blake seems pretty attached to Claire. Why not let them try? You might get a grandchild sooner than you think."

Her tone was so casual, like she was discussing weekend brunch options instead of bartering away her own husband.

Pain crashed through my chest like I'd been sucker-punched. I'd convinced myself our marriage was just going through a rough patch, but hearing those words, I realized she didn't give a damn about me. What was I to her? Some stock to be traded? A problem she could pawn off to someone else?

When she hung up and prepared to leave, I couldn't control myself anymore. Anger surged through me like a tidal wave as I stepped toward her, towering over her.

I grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Well, well. Look what I just overheard. Anna, how dare you try to destroy my reputation like this!"

Her eyes flashed with fear before quickly becoming cold and distant. That coldness cut deep.

The pain and anger of betrayal exploded inside me.

I noticed Anna biting her lip, a habit when she's nervous or hurting. I thought I no longer cared about anything she did, but my body was more honest than my mind.

My thumb unconsciously pressed against the soft corner of her mouth, rescuing her lower lip from between her teeth.

"Since you heard everything, let me save my breath. Don't make me play matchmaker for you. If you want your father to stick around longer, handle it yourself and don't piss him off!" She slapped my hand away, her voice dripping with scorn.

I felt the sting, not just from her smacking my hand away, but from her words cutting deep. In her eyes, was I just my father's errand boy? Did our marriage mean absolutely nothing?

"You're right." I gripped her shoulders, forcing my lips into a cold smile. "It's just what men do, isn't it? Find women."

"Though I might not like your picks," I heard my voice turning to ice. "But I'm curious what your type is. Help me out - if you approve of someone, my dad probably will too."

I saw the shock in her eyes. Good, at least she still reacted. I didn't want her to know how much her words hurt, how my heart was being torn apart by her indifference. Instead of showing weakness, I attacked.

I pulled her along, giving her no chance to refuse. I wanted her to see what kind of "women" she wanted me to find. I wanted her to witness it firsthand, to feel the pain of betrayal. I directly took her to Elysium—a high-end nightclub I rarely visited.

At the club entrance, she was visibly uncomfortable, stopping in her tracks. This noisy environment clearly disturbed her, but my anger and wounded pride had robbed me of my reason.

"The women here are perfect for hookups. I can get straight to business, and you won't need to plot with my father behind my back!" I draped my arm over her shoulders, my voice razor-sharp with sarcasm.

The doorman recognized us and approached enthusiastically. "What brings you here? What a rare guest! Please come in!"

Anna still didn't want to enter. I leaned close to her ear, "What's wrong? Weren't you going to find women for me? Jealous already?"

Her eyes were tense as she defiantly met my gaze. I looked into those amber eyes that once were full of love, now containing only coldness and resistance.

"Sorry, I forgot you don't have feelings for me anymore. How could you possibly be jealous?" I heard the bitterness in my own voice.

The attendant sensed the tension between us but misunderstood the situation. "Oh, I get it now. You and your wife are looking for someone? Just tell me who, and I'll find them for you."

"No," I straightened up and smiled at the attendant with mock politeness. "My wife and I are just here to see what it's like. She's a bit shy." I put my arm around Anna's shoulders and guided her inside. "Get a few girls to join my wife for drinks."

The attendant gave me a knowing smile. "I understand, Mr. Wright."

I was blindsided when Anna suddenly spoke up, "Not your staff. Get girls who are here partying. They won't turn down the perks!"

Her words stunned me. Was she seriously trying to help me find women, or just trying to make me angry? Either way, it worked - I was furious.

I quickened my pace, almost dragging her into a private room. As soon as the door closed, I pinned her against it and kissed her hard.

"How considerate of you," I said sarcastically, my voice filled with pain and anger.

In the strange lighting, I could see the shock and resistance on her face.

She tried to push me away, but I grabbed her hands. I kissed her forcefully until she was almost breathless.

"You want me doing this with someone else?" My eyes burned, voice raw.

I gripped her face, challenging her: "I'll kiss other women exactly like this. That doesn't bother you?"

My hand moved to her chest, pushing further: "I'll touch other women just like this. That really doesn't get to you?"

I knew my behavior was despicable, but I couldn't control myself.

"Enough! Let me go! Don't touch me!" She finally broke down, choking back sobs.

Seeing her wet lashes, I felt a pang of guilt.

"Anna," my voice unconsciously softened, "once this door opens, we can't go back."

"Where... could we go back to?" Her voice was full of confusion and disbelief.

I felt my eyes gradually darken. Yes, where could we go back to? Back to when I didn't know she was plotting against me? Back to when she loved me? Or was that love just my wishful thinking?

"We never had a past worth going back to," she said, each word deliberate, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Her words gutted me like a knife. My arms dropped uselessly to my sides. I'd thought we at least had some good memories worth salvaging, but apparently to her, none of it mattered.

As she turned to leave, a profound sense of loss washed over me.

Beyond that door were those young, beautiful women—the type my father wanted me to produce heirs with. But all I wanted was this stubborn woman standing in front of me.

I caught her from behind, my hand covering hers on the doorknob. I kissed her cheek, my voice breaking with a desperation I'd never shown before. "Anna, let's start over!"

"What are you talking about?" she shot back with a bitter laugh.

"We do have somewhere to go back to," I murmured against her ear, trailing kisses down her neck. "Back to when we first returned to Boston after our honeymoon. I'll pretend I never knew about your plotting, and none of this would have happened. Clean slate."

I felt her body stiffen in my arms.

"Clean slate? How is that possible?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "You'd still ditch me for Claire. We could never start fresh!"