Chapter 100 Bubble Burst
Chapter 100 Bubble Burst
It was a stormy night, the weather was freezing, harsh rain hitting the windows. But inside, our home was warm, filled with the aroma of the vanilla cake.
I was standing at the counter, humming a random melody to myself, carefully placing my cake on a cooling tray, when two strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
“Huh?”
Vince hugged me tightly, placing his chin on my shoulder with a joyous expression plastered on his features.
“Something smells incredible,” He mumbled delightfully, kissing my cheek.
“It’s just a cake,” I couldn’t help but to chuckle at his sweet gesture.
Leaning back into his embrace, my hands resting over his forearms.
“You're home early. I thought you had a late board meeting.”
“Postponed it. I mean, how couldn’t I? In this amazing weather.” Vince smirked, his hand reaching out and inspecting the cake.
“Looks like you love storms.”
“Oh, I do and besides,” He turned me around in his arms.
“The paperwork wasn't nearly as interesting as coming home and finding my bride baking a cake.”
“You can't just postpone multi-million dollar meetings for this, Vince.” Yet I laughed, poking his chest with my index finger.
“Watch me,” he smirked, tightening his grip possessively. “I am the boss, after all.”
I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head, finding my life at the peak of exhilaration.
His dark eyes were soft, completely stripped of the cold façade he wore for the outside world.
He looked so relaxed, so entirely mine, that my heart did a familiar, happy beat.
Reaching up, I noticed a tiny smudge of something on his beard, causing me to narrow my eyes.
“You've got... wait, did you steal a piece of the chocolate frosting I left in the fridge?”
Vince didn't look even guilty, giving me an eager nod.
“I had to do a quality check. To ensure it's yummy, of course.”
“Stealing in a bad habit, Mr. Lysander.” I scolded playfully, tapping his nose with a flour-dusted finger.
He blinked, a speck of white landing right on the tip of his nose.
He looked down at it, then back at me, his eyes darkening with a sudden, playful mischief.
“Oh, is that how we're playing?”
“Vince, no—”
Before I could escape, his hand swiped a bit of excess frosting from the bowl on the counter. With quick reflexes, he dabbed it right onto my cheek.
“Vince!” I gasped, swatting at his chest as I burst into giggles.
“What? This is payback.”
“We might use our frosting while playing.”
He caught both of my wrists in one hand, trapping them gently against his chest, while his other hand came up to cup my jaw.
“I don’t mind, I will have the simple sponge cake if baked by your lovely hands.”
He leaned down, but instead of kissing my lips, he softly licked the smudge of frosting off my cheek.
The sensation made me shiver, my laughter dying down into a breathless, heated sound watching his thumb clean my cheek.
“Perfect,” He whispered against my lips, his gaze locked onto mine with a depth of affection that made me feel blessed.
“The chef outdid herself.”
“You're completely ridiculous,” I mumbled as I looked up at him, entirely captivated.
“Only for you, my missus.” he winked.
He finally released my wrists, wrapping his arms fully around me to pull me into a deep, warm, and beautiful kiss right there in the middle of our kitchen between the thunder.
But, just as they say, every felicity had its end. Whenever I started believing my life had taken a perfect turn and I was inexplicably blessed to have a husband like Vince.
That was when my dreams shattered.
One day, I decided to surprise my husband by arriving at his office unannounced. Holding his favourite chocolates and biscuits, well aware how much he preferred snacks over actual means.
I was walking through the corridor, grinning to myself and almost pushed the door open, only to hear the most unexpected voice.
“Vince, please. What is wrong with you?” Arden? What was he doing there? Why?
“Everything.” Vince gave a harsh reply that made Arden more desperate.
“Don’t do this. This is wrong… This lie won’t only ruin you but Alyssa too.”
“I don’t think I need your concern regarding my marriage, Mr. Stone.” He sounded too cold, too distant, like he wasn’t the man I knew.
“She…” Arden swallowed, “She loves you, Vince,” Arden choked out, a bitter sob coming from his throat.
I say, so what? The wife loves husband. What was so agonizing about it?
"The poor girl thinks you're her savior. She thinks you protected her from Ken.” And he did. Vince had saved me—
“She has no idea you orchestrated her entire misery just to play the hero.”
I stepped back. What?
I must have misheard or misunderstood.
“And she never will,” Vince let out, low, wicked chuckle that sent a chill straight down my spine.
“Every tragedy she survived, every crisis that drove her into my arms... I built the stage, Arden.”
“You hired Ken to be the monster, ensuring she would have nowhere else to run but straight to you– Do you realize how fuck up it sounds?”
The corridor seemed to tilt. The air left my lungs that I barely managed to maintain my posture.
My hands covered my mouth, my knees trembling, draining my energy that I had to lean against the wall to keep from collapsing.
“And how will you prove it? Alyssa trusts me blindly. No one is above me. What can you or your word do?”
“Vince, please….”
What the fuck were they talking about? It… it couldn’t be. He hadn't saved me from the wreckage of my life but had caused it?
Absolutely ridiculous!
“You're a psychotic monster,” Arden whispered, staring up at him in sheer horror.
“I am a winner, Arden.” Vince corrected coldly, throwing the cigarette butt onto the floor and crushing it with his shoe.
“Her grief, her vulnerability, and her absolute trust helped me get what I wanted. She isn't my wife, Arden. She’s the pawn I turned into a queen just to take your entire world.”
Standing in the shadows of the hallway, looking at the torn scraps of the life I thought I built, the terrifying truth finally settled into my chest.
My oh-so-sweet, devoted husband– a manipulative monster I had encountered?
And the worst part? I had handed him the match to burn me alive.