Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Later that night, Phoebe sat on the balcony and read for a while. Just as she was about to turn in, she heard the sound of an approaching car engine,
She glanced down and found Declan come back. He had a chauffeur to drive his car home. His movements were slightly unsteady as he got out of the car. Obviously, he was típsy.
The driver parked the car and left, while Declan staggered toward the door.
Seeing Declan stumble multiple times, Phoebe remained expressionless. She withdrew her gaze, closed her book, and headed back to bed.
However, the noises from the room next door kept her awake. Frowning, she got up, walked to the master bedroom door, and knocked. With an impatient voice, she warned, “Can you keep it down? I can’t sleep with all that noise.”
The moment she finished speaking, the sounds inside ceased. Phoebe turned to leave, but before she could take a step, the door swung open.
She barely had time to react before a strong hand yanked her into the darkness.
“Ah-“Phoebe screamed out of sheer shock, but before she could resist, Declan had her pinned against the door. His hot breath brushed against her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
The scent of alcohol clung to him, thick and overwhelming. His body pressed tightly against hers, radiating an unbearable
heat.
Pheobe could feel the heat seeping into her skin, making her uneasy. She pushed against him, but he didn’t budge. Frustration flared in her eyes, and she snapped, “Declan, let me go.”
The moment the words left her lips, her lips were wrapped by his. His mouth was scorching, as if he was trying to consume her, and his hands roamed over her body with reckless heat.
Phoebe knew if this continued, things would spiral out of control. She reached for his hand and switched on the bedroom light with a sharp click.
The sudden brightness made Declan squint, and he was momentarily disoriented. In that instant, Phoebe’s furious expression came into clear view.
Pheobe and Jennifer looked alike. Their features had a strong resemblance. Yet Declan had never once mistaken them for each other.
Jennifer had always been fragile, the kind of woman who stirred a man’s instinct to protect her. But Phoebe? She was nothing like that. She never showed weakness and never sought him out for help like Jennifer did.
Just like now, the defiance in her gaze made something inside him twist, filling him with a strange sense of helplessness. He had no idea how to get past the walls she’d built around herself.
Phoebe’s face was ice–cold, and her tone was devoid of warmth. “Let go of me. I’ll get someone else here for you.”
Those words instantly ignited Declan’s anger. His grip on her tightened as he bit out each word. “Phoebe Richardson, you are MY WIFE
Declan couldn’t believe what he had heard. A voice screamed in his mind, ‘She’d rather find another woman for me than u with me? Does she even have a heart?’
Catching the meaning behind his words, Phoebe pressed her lips together before replying just as coldly, “Not for much longer.
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10:55 Sun, 6 Apr
Chapter 26
Declan let out a low, humorless laugh, his darkened gaze locking onto hers.
Ever since she brought up divorce, he had given in to her demands and compromised at every turn. Yet not once had she wavered, not once had she even considered changing her mind. And now, even at this moment, she was still thinking about leaving.
A wave of frustration surged through Declan. Without warning, he lowered his head and bit her lip hard. Before she could speak, he whispered, his voice as frigid as ice, “You want a divorce? Fine, I’ll give it to you,”
Phoebe’s head snapped up, disbelief flashing in her eyes. “You mean it?”
Declan clenched his jaw and forced down the storm of emotions raging inside him. His voice was eerily calm, but it carried a dangerous edge. “On one condition–you spend the night with me.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Phoebe’s face turned deathly pale.
AD
