Chapter 107 The Hunger That Lingers

Chapter 107 The Hunger That Lingers
ROSEMARY

The expansion project was scaling new heights on the daily.

New contracts were pouring in like spring rain after a long drought - they were partnerships in Asia, logistics hubs in the Middle East, and tech collaborations that would redefine the Laurent footprint for the next decade.

The headlines labelled me as unstoppable. Analysts labeled the growth as historic. Invitations to speak at global forums flooded my inbox, each one acting as a glittering testament to the empire I was expanding from pressure and fire.

I should have been soaring.

But instead, I felt like a hollow monument ... beautiful on the outside, but empty within.

The victory felt incomplete without Julian there to share it. My mind started spinning with thoughts of him.

I thought of his arrogant smile when a deal closed, the way he would pull me close afterwards and whisper congratulations along with dirty promises against my skin and the quiet pride in his eyes that had once made me feel like the most complete woman in any room.

I missed him in a way that bordered on physical pain.

That evening, after another long day of meetings and accolades, I found myself standing in the empty penthouse, the silence pressing against my ribs like an unwelcome guest. I picked up the phone and called Nyra before I could talk myself out of it.

She answered on the second ring, her voice warm and knowing.

“You sound like someone who just conquered the world but forgot why she wanted it.”

I laughed, but it came out shaky.

“The expansion is succeeding beyond anything I imagined. But it feels… empty. Like I’m celebrating alone in a room full of echoes.”

Nyra was quiet for a beat. Then she replied with her signature blunt affection:

“Girl, what you need is Julian inside of you, not to talk to me about nothing right now.”

The words hit me like a spark on dry tinder. I felt my cheeks burn, a flustered heat spreading through my chest.

“Nyra...”

“No, Rosie. Listen,” she cut in gently but firmly.

“You’re angry. You’re hurt. And you have every right to be. But you’re also human. And right now, your body and your heart both know what they want. Go to him. Even if it’s just for tonight. Get it out of your system or let it remind you why you’re fighting so hard.”

I didn’t argue after that. The truth in her words settled deep into my soul.

Maybe that was exactly what I needed.

________________________________

The hotel hallway felt endless.

I stood outside his door for a long moment, my heart hammering again and again.

I was just about to walk away when the door opened. Julian was escorting a woman who was dressed like the hotel staff out. His expression showed surprise, but I could not pick out any guilt.

"Rosemary?"

"I ... Sorry, I came at a wrong time. Nyra just wanted me to come see how you were holding up. I'd excuse myself now."

I tried to hurry away, but Julian gently caught my wrist. I tried to wiggle free, but he jokingly tightened his grip in response.

"Anthonia, meet my wife, Rosemary," he said to the maid, before turning me to face them fully.

"And Rosemary, meet Anthonia. She's a kind staff here who comes to make sure I don't kill myself since my mental state is bad because my pretty wife and I aren't on the best of terms at the moment."

I couldn't help but blush in embarrassment but I quickly covered it up. I paid closer attention to her now, and realizing I felt a hit of jealousy because I thought she was quite pretty.

"Such a honor to meet you, Mrs Dale," she said, extending her hand.

"I've heard a lot about you in the press and also from Mr Dale."

I offered her a polite but firm handshake in response but could not shake off my feeling of discomfort at her being around Julian.

I wasn't ready to get my heart broken so I didn't push for more details and insisted on leaving, much to Julian's chagrin.

I wasn't about to lose my mind over a hotel staff who may or may not be fucking my soon to be ex husband.

JULIAN

It felt like the Universe had decided to reward my good decision making for one time.

Anthonia had taken special interest in me from the moment I had first lodged in the hotel.

Granted, I probably was responsible for her interest since I made a playfully flirty remark at her when she first came with a change of toiletries for my room.

Either way, I had done it absent mindedly and with no real intention of having any affair with her. She, on the other hand, had slowly seeped into my space, engaging me in revealing conversations before I even realized it.

That evening, she had seemed in an especially sultry mood, even going as far as to make comments about how she knows I would be amazing in bed.

I would have taken the hint on a normal day - she was drop dead gorgeous with an amazing set of tits that seemed to call my name - but I decided against it. I was already into too much drama and chaos and for some reason, it felt like sleeping with her would add to that.

Little did I know Rosemary would show up as soon as she was leaving. I tried to be as charming as I could and I could tell that Rosemary melted a bit but the discomfort in her expression was visible to me.

It didn't help that she didn't trust me either.

She left soon after, even with my protests, saying she needed to clear her head and would check on me again soon.

The two weeks was now practically up and rolling into one week, and I was losing at winning Rosemary back, even when I was making the right choices.