Chapter 3
Aurelia didn’t think twice. She bolted toward the parking garage, her pulse racing.
The elevator doors slid open on B2, and there they were–Cassian had Verena pressed up against a silver Mercedes, their mouths kissed hardly.
She clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying.
Cassian was breathing hard, obviously aroused, and the next second he had her pinned against the car hood.]
“Ah…Goddamn,fuck, you drive me crazy…“]]
Verena wrapped her legs around his waist, eyes smoldering.
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“Jesus, you’re like a horny teenager. Mrs. Thornwell literally just walked out! And I didn’t come here to fuck you–I came to talk about your other kid…”
“Baby, after I’m inside you.” Before Verena could finish her sentence, Cassian was already yanking her dress up, his hands roaming over her exposed thighs.
Verena deliberately glanced toward where Aurelia was hiding, a wicked smile playing on her lips. [
“You’re such a bastard, you know that? That’s still your baby we’re talking about! He’shaving a rough time at school every day because he doesn’t have parents. . Don’t you want to bring him home?“]
Cassian paused for a few seconds, then slumped back against the car, rubbing his temples. “Look, it’s been four years. If Aurelia found out Caleb isn’t really hers, it would fucking break her!”
“Right, because you still give a shit about your precious wife!” Verena turned away with exaggerated anger. “What about me and our son? Where do we fit into your perfect life?“]
Cassian pulled her back against him, chuckling. []
“Don’t be ridiculous. You and Caleb are everything to me. Why do you think I went through all this trouble switching the babies? I wanted our son to have the Thornwell name, to inherit everything.“]]
“Aurelia… she’s been my childhood friend, and she gave birth to a child. I can’t just toss her aside like garbage.”
Verena shot another calculated look toward Aurelia’s hiding spot, making direct eye contact for a split second. “So you’re really never bringing that other kid home? You’re gonna keep lying to her forever?”
himera
Cassian let out a heavy sigh. “It’s better this way. Caleb’s enough for her. As for the other one… just check on him once in a while. Send some money.“]
Verena ran her fingers along the inside of his thigh, tugging at his belt. []
“Look, I know I’ll never measure up to your perfect wife, but every mother his whole life as a bastard. So I’m sorry, but I had to…”
what’s best for her kid. Caleb shouldn’t have to live
Cassian’s whole expression melted. He cupped her face in his hands. “Sorry for what? This the shitty luck of being born to the wrong woman.“[]
all my choice. That other kid just had
He brushed away her fake tears with his thumb, looking at her with such tenderness that Aurelia felt like someone was carving out
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Chapter 3
her heart with a rusty knife.[]
She dug her nails so deep into her palms that blood dripped between her fingers, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in her chest.
When Aurelia finally stumbled out of the hospital, she was completely lost it.]
She wandered into the scorching Manhattan heat, walking down the middle of busy streets.
Sweat and tears streamed down her face, soaking through her clothes, but she didn’t feel any of it. She just kept walking with no destination in mind.[]
Somewhere along the way, she lost her heels. Her bare feet were
cut
up
Hey this is d bleeding from the hot pavement.
A taxi had clipped her at an intersection, opening up a gash on her forehead that wouldn’t stop bleeding.]
Starked for hours before het autopilot finally brought her back
to thell mansion in the Hamptons.
Miles, their housekeeper, nearly dropped his tray when he saw her condition.[]
“Jesus Christ, Mrs. Thornwell! What the hell happened to you? Mr. Thornwell’s been calling everyone looking for you–he’s been going out of his mind! Did you find him?“[]
Aurelia let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob.[]
Yeah, everyone thought Cassian was desperately in love with her.[]
If only they knew.
She shook her head, her voice completely shot. “I’m fine, Miles. Just need some rest.“]]
She dragged herself upstairs and locked herself in
the te
bathroom.
Sitting on the cold marble floor, images of Cassian and Verena going at it kept flashing through her mind. She couldn’t hold it back
anymore–she lurched toward the toilet and puked her guts out.
She’d thought she was prepared for this, that knowing the truth would somehow make it easier.[]
But actually seeing her husband with his mistress, watching him touch her the way he used to touch
relia–it was still hurt.
Her sobs echoed off the bathroom walls. Even with the shower running full blast, she couldn’t muffle the sound of her heart breaking.[]
She wanted to march downstairs and confront the lying piece of shit, to ask him how he could kiss her goodbye every morning and then go fuck his baby mom in parking garages.
the chimning orting by bolo ument dress
She stayed curled up on that bathroom floor all night, crying until she was completely hollowed out.]
By sunrise, she’d managed to pull herself together enough to function. She had a visa appointment at the Swiss consulate–she couldn’t afford to miss it.
After carefully cleaning her wounds and covering them with heavy concealer, she put a designed dress and went out.[]
Cassian blew up her phone all day–calls, texts, voicemails. She ignored every single one.[]
It was past noon when she finally finished at the consulate and dragged herself back to the house.[]
Chapter 3
But when she walked into the living room, there was Verena sitting cross–legged on the Persian rug, playing with Caleb…]
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