The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

ARIA

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I kept walking. My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway. Each step pulled me further from that dining room. From him. The sound

reverberated off the high ceilings.

“Aria, stop.”

Heavy footsteps behind me. Getting closer.

“I said stop!” His hand closed around my wrist. Yanked me back hard.

I slammed against the wall. “Let go.”

“No.” He was too close. His breath hit my face. Those ice-blue eyes burned. “You don’t embarrass me and walk away.”

“Embarrass you?” Something hot and vicious rose in my throat. “That man had his hands inside my dress, Blake. But sure, I’m the

problem.”

“James was drunk. You escalated.”

I escalated?” I laughed. It sounded wrong. Broken. “He told me the deal. Emma gets her contract. He gets me. Everyone wins. Those were

his exact words.”

Blake’s face went blank. That carefully controlled mask he wore in boardrooms.

“So tell me.” I leaned closer. Met his eyes. “When did you decide? When you picked out this dress? When you told me to smile and look pretty? Or was it always the plan?”

“You don’t understand how-

“How business works?” I cut him off. “You’re right. I don’t understand how you trade your wife to secure modeling contracts for your ex- girlfriend.”

His grip tightened. Hard enough to leave marks. “Watch your mouth.”

“Why? Afraid of the truth?” Something reckless took over. Maybe I was done being careful. Done being small. You brought me here to sweeten the deal. Admit it.”

Silence stretched between us. Heavy. Damning.

“So what if I did?” His voice dropped low. Dangerous. “You knew what this marriage was. A business arrangement. Nothing more.”

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Chapter 34

The words hit harder than his hands ever could.

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“You’re right.” My voice came out steady. Cold. “I knew exactly what this was. What I didn’t know was how low you’d sink.”

‘Low?” He stepped closer. Pushed me harder against the wall. “You think you’re better than this? Better than me?”

“I think I deserve basic human respect. Apparently that’s too much to ask.”

“Respect?” He laughed. Sharp and cruel. “You want respect? Then act like you belong in this world instead of playing the victim every time

things get difficult.”

“Difficult?” The word tasted bitter. “Is that what you call watching your husband pimp you out?”

His hand moved to my throat. Not choking. Just there. A warning. “Careful.”

“Or what?” I met his eyes. Didn’t flinch. “You’ll do what, Blake? Push me down the stairs? Oh wait, you’re already pushing me somewhere

worse.”

“You have no idea what I’ve-

“What you’ve done for me?” I cut him off. “Please. Enlighten me. Tell me how lucky I am. How grateful I should be.”

His thumb pressed against my pulse. “I gave you everything. This life. This name. Protection from people who’d destroy you.”

“Protection?” The laugh that came out was ugly. “You can’t even protect me from your own business partners.”

‘James wouldn’t have touched you if you’d handled it properly.”

“Say that again.” My voice came out quiet. Deadly. “Say that again and look me in the eye.”

He did. No hesitation. “You should have managed the situation better. That’s what wives in our world do.”

Something inside me shattered. Not my heart. That broke months ago. This was different. Deeper. The last piece of hope that maybe, someday, he’d see me as human.

“Our world.” I repeated the words slowly. “You keep saying that. But it’s not my world, is it? It’s yours. And in your world, women are just

assets to trade.”

“Don’t twist my words.”

“I’m not twisting anything. I’m finally hearing them clearly.” I pushed against his chest. He didn’t budge. “Let me go.”

“Not until you calm down.”

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Chapter 34

‘Calm down?’ My voice rose. “You sold me, Blake! You dressed me up and offered me to close a deal! How exactly should I calm down?”

‘I didn’t sell you. Stop being hysterical.

‘Then what was I?’ The question came out raw. Desperate. “What was tonight if not that?”

He stared at me. For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Regret? Guilt? Then it was gone.

“You were doing your job. Being Mrs. Morgan. That’s what you signed up for.”

The casual cruelty of it knocked the air from my lungs.

‘My job. I repeated numbly. “Right. How could I forget?”

“Aria-

“No.” I shoved him. Hard. He stumbled back. “I’m done. With this conversation. With this marriage. With you.”

We’d moved during the fight. The grand staircase stretched behind Blake. Marble steps gleaming below.

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