Chapter 43 Forty Three

Chapter 43 Forty Three
VALERIE

I’d just walked in through the front door, after a long day with Sofia, which had been a breath of fresh air—exactly what I needed.

As soon as I shut the door behind me, the lights clicked on, startling me.

I crouched to slip off my shoes and froze when I heard his voice.

“ I’m guessing you had a lot of fun.”

My hand shot to my chest, and I let out a shaky breath. “ That was quite a scare, Lucas,” I said, voice trembling slightly.

He didn’t reply immediately. He simply released his folded arms, the black fitted t-shirt clinging to every muscle, grey sweatpants loose at the waist.

Slowly, deliberately, he trudged down the stairs, hands clasped behind him, each step measured and heavy.

“ You didn’t mention Adrian would be there too, did you?” His voice was calm, flat, but there was an edge beneath it that made my stomach tighten.

“ I—I wasn’t expecting him either,” I said, my voice low and tired. I took a step past him, hoping to slip into my room and finally rest.

My body ached from the day, and all I wanted was to collapse into bed.

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “ You weren’t expecting him either… or should I be worried about something simmering behind the scenes between the two of you?”

I froze mid-step and turned to face him.
“ Excuse me?”

“ Oh, now you’re going to act oblivious?”
His voice was calm but sharp. “ News flash—I called Sofia earlier today. Heard him there over the phone. And he had the nerve to say you stopped texting and calling… and you guys talk over the phone now.”

I stared at him, stunned, trying to process what he was saying. “ Lucas… I—” I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

“ Oh, cat caught your tongue now?” His tone was mocking. “ You didn’t seem to mind spending an entire day with him, coming back looking this exhausted. Tell me, Valerie… did you fuck him?”

I snapped my head up at him, disbelief and hurt struck like a blow.

“ Was I not enough for you that you had to—”

I didn’t let him finish. That was the final straw. My hand shot up and connected hard with his cheek. The sharp sound echoed across the room, and his head jerked back from the force.

I stood there, chest heaving, exhausted, hurt, and furious, the words he had just said burning in my mind. My body trembled slightly, but I refused to let him see me break.

“ You truly have a lot of nerve, don’t you, Lucas Castillo?” I said, my voice trembling but sharp.

He slowly turned his head toward me, eyes narrowed, but said nothing.

“ Last I checked,” I continued, my words gaining strength despite the exhaustion pulling at me, “ this marriage isn’t built on normalcy. And despite all of this, I’ve never once given you a reason to doubt me. I’ve had to put up with your vile words, but not anymore. How cruel and contradictory of you… to have been the one who stole my virginity, and still have the effrontery to call me a cheat, when I have never done such a thing.”

I took a shaky breath, tears threatening to spill, but I pressed on. “ You yourself called that night a mistake. You said it didn’t mean anything. And you know what? I agree with you now, because that night turned into my worst nightmare. And I feel nothing more than foolish—foolish to have trusted my body with a monster like you.”

My chest rose and fell rapidly as I looked at him, my exhaustion making my limbs heavy, but my anger sharper than ever.
“ From now on, I don’t care what you think about Adrian and me. Even if I had been with him, it is none of your goddamn business. It is my life. And when all of this is over, I will find myself a partner who actually respects me.”

I paused for a moment, voice catching on the last words, and let the sting in my heart surface. “ And I do hope… when Vanessa comes back, she makes your life miserable.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond. My body shook as tears finally fell freely, hot and angry, as I spun on my heel and ran up the stairs, the sound of my sobs echoing behind me.

I didn’t stop until I reached my room, slammed the door, and collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow.
Exhausted, hurt, and furious.

I lay there, the sound of my heartbeat filled the silence, trying to make sense of the man I had loved and the monster he had become in that moment.

…

The following morning, I had cried myself to sleep, my pillow damp and my body sore from the night’s fury and tears.

I had taken a long shower, trying to wash away the ache in my chest, and wrapped myself in a towel. My hair was damp, still dripping, and my skin tingled from the sudden chill as I stepped into my room.

I froze.

Right in front of me, sitting on my bed, was Lucas.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. My heart thudded painfully, a mix of fear, exhaustion, and lingering anger pulsing through me. I tried to tear my eyes away, but I couldn’t.

Finally, I managed to speak, my voice small and shaky. “ What are you doing here?”

Lucas didn’t answer. He didn’t move. He just sat there, quiet and calm, but there was a tension about him that made my chest tighten further.

I dared to lift my eyes and caught his gaze trailing downward. Heat flushed my cheeks, mortified and self-conscious. I had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable, so utterly drained.

He finally stood. Each step was deliberate and slow, and I instinctively took a step back. He stopped, not advancing further, and clasped his hands behind his back.

“ Dinner by eight at the parents’,” he said flatly. “ That’s all I came for.”

I didn’t respond. My throat felt tight, my mind numb, and I couldn’t find words to acknowledge him.

I heard him inhale deeply, the sound sharp in the quiet room. Then he turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

A single tear rolled down my cheek.