Anna’s POV
Emity was still saying something on the phone, but I couldn’t make out.
The phone slipped from my hand. Time seemed to slow down in an instant.
I walked to my study out of habit, staring at the various files and documents spread across the desk. A bitter feeling slowly crept into my heart.
All the research data from my sleepless nights of studying coastal pollution patterns. Now it was all meaningless. A week of work completely erased in one night.
I collapsed onto the floor, surrounded by papers that now felt like dead leaves. What was the point? Blake had systematically destroyed everything I’d built professionally. But why? What could be possibly gain?
The answer came with crystal clarity: Claire. It had always been about Claire.
Blake wanted me gone from public view. Discredited. So when I eventually spoke up about Claire and their relationship, no one would believe me. I’d just be the bitter, failed ex–wife making accusations against the powerful Wright family.
Why would he do this to me? What did Blake really want? Why go to such lengths?
The realization crashed over me like a wave: I had never mattered to him. Not really. Not compared to Claire. Our marriage was just a convenient arrangement, but Claire was his priority. Always had been.
I laughed bitterly at myself, the sound hollow in the apartment. I must be fucking insane. Completely insane to have ever believed he might have feelings for me.
I lay motionless on the floor, watching the ceiling change from dull yellow to pitch black as day turned to night. Someone knocked on my door at some point. I didn’t answer. My throat hurt too much to call out anyway, and what would be the point?
Nothing mattered anymore.
My eyelids grew heavy. I was so tired. So fucking tired of everything
There was knocking at the door. So annoying. I wanted to shout, “Stop knocking, nobody’s home!”
But when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. My throat burned like fire. It didn’t matter who was anything.
I didn’t know what else to do besides lie on the floor and rot. Better to be alone with my thoughts.
Someone outside was saying something, but I barely registered it.
there. Nobody could change
External stimuli were fading away, and my eyelids grew heavy… Until someone shouted, “Anna, open the door!”
My back tensed like someone had wound a spring inside me. My whole body jolted awake. I blinked, suddenly realizing it was Blake.
My body was cold and stiff. I could hear my joints gracking as I stood, but I didn’t care. Even though the floor seemed to ti shift beneath me, I stubbornly made my way to the door.
When I opened it, my empty gaze slowly focused. Blake stood rigidly at my doorstep. He’d been discharged from the hospital and looked well–his complexion healthy, his posture impeccable, making my doorframe seem shorter by comparison.
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His expression was haughty, as if he’d done me a great favor by coming here, Especially that furrowed brow, seemingly demanding why I’d taken so long to answer.
1 forced myself to swallow before finding a weak voice. “Are you here to gloat?
Blake calmly shook his head. “Anna, it’s time to come home.”
Home? What home did I have anymore?
He reached out his hand toward me—long, elegant fingers with perfectly shaped knuckles, adorned with a simple wedding band.
I raised my hand and took his. His palm was large enough to completely envelop mine.
Why are you so cold? You don’t look well either.” The severity in his expression softened, showing unprecedented concern.
He rubbed my palm between both his hands, transferring his warmth to me. My hands warmed up, but my heart remained cold.
stared at his falsely gentle face, smiled slightly, then suddenly bit down hard on the back of his hand.
My teeth sank into his skin until I tasted blood. He didn’t cry out, but I felt him trembling with pain. I only released when my jaw began to ache.
Blake withdrew his injured hand but kept hold of my other one. His thumb traced circles on my knuckles as his eyes harderted to
frøst.
“Anna, don’t fight me. Don’t fight the Wright family,” he said, his voide dangerously soft. “You need to understand something – without being Mrs. Wright, you’re nothing. You’ll have nothing.”
He stepped closer. “But stay with me, and you can have everything you want.”
“Come, I’ll take you home,” he continued, trying to pull me toward the door.
“Anna, I’ll be good to you.”
His gentleness terrified me more than his anger ever could. I couldn breathe. Had all his toss always been this calculated?
How had I never seen through it before?
My heart felt shredded. God, I wished I could trade it for one that couldn’t feel pain.
“Fuck you, you asshole!” I wrenched my hand free and shoved him hard in the chest.
Blake stumbled back, dark fire igniting in his eyes. “Not done yet?”
“Why don’t you just kill me then?” I said, my lips twisting into a mechanical smile.
“What did you say?” His voice dropped an octave.
“I’m worthless, alone. You don’t want me opposing you anymore, right? Just end me and be done with it. Claire would be happy, and my heart would finally stop hurting.”
Tears streamed down my face, my expression contorting with pain. Blake raised his hand, but it froze in midair. His fist and unclenched as he struggled with himself.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I could never hurt you,” he whispered, voice shaking.
ched
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He pulled me against his chest. The familiar scent of him, the warmth of his body they were achingly familiar. But the pain in my chest only intensified, sharp
knife.
“Blake, I’d rather you killed me han torture me with this gentleness
I pushed away from him, each inch of skin that had touched him buthing like fire.
Taking a steadying breath, I looked directly into his eyes and asked, Blake, just tell me one thing have you listened to that recording?”
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