o longer in love) Chapter 1: The Arrest
Three years ago, I had an explosive argument with my husband, Lucian Thorne. The icy silence between us continued to this day.
Several days after that argument, my housband installed his ex–girlfriend Katherine “Kaite” Hayes as his personal assistant, a constant, stinging reminder of his betrayal. I didn’t cry or make any trouble. I disguised my happiness and maintained our nominal marriage. One day, a call from Katie came. She demanded I retrieve Lucian from the police station. He sat ère, with a bruised lip and rumpled suit. His usually confident gaze flickered nervously when our eyes met. Katie stayed by Lucian’s side, and her carefully applied makeup was smudged by
tears.
Ignoring them, I moved directly to the other man involved. A quick, hushed conversation, a discreet payment, and I was free to go.
When I was going to leave, the man’s lingered on me.
“Huh. Lucian has such a beautiful wife, how could he fall in love with that pretending woman?” Sympathetic glances cast at me all around. I walked out of the police station with a blank face.
As I turned, a hand snaked out, a steely grip on my wrist.
Lucian’s jaw was a rigid line, anger simmering beneath the surface. His voice, low and dangerous, cut through the air.
“Are you deaf? Say something!”
I met his gaze,
his gaze, my voice soft but
“What am I supposed to say, Lucian? Should I Or we’re happily married?”
firm enough to carry across the room.
say that you and Katie mean nothing to each other?
His grip tightened, his dark eyes boring into mine. A silent battle waged for what felt like án eternity. Then, with a sudden, brutal movement, he dragged me towards his waiting limousine, shoving me inside before Katie could utter a single protest.
“Lucian, are you going home?”
“I…I didn’t stop you from going home. I just want to remind you that there is a meeting this afternoon.”
“Cancel it.” Lucian said.
After saying that, he opened the car door and drove in the direction of home.
Five minutes later, the phone buzzed. Lucian frowned, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, Before answering. Katie’s voice, choked with sobs, filled the car.
“Lucian, I tumbled.”
“Uh–uh–uh, it realy hurts. It’s bleeding.”
Lucian slammed on the brakes, the sudden silence amplifying the tension between us. I opened. the door myself, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere, and stepped out into the cool night air. He didn’t hesitate. He drove back to Katie.
15.40
