uldn't es

ed, Cambria's presence loomed over him like a shadow. She had a way of settling into spaces, taking them over, and

e of affection or even interest. It was a reminder. A cold, unyielding reminder of his past mistakes. And yet, in the back of his mind, there was a part of

ere gone. Or so

the perfect husband: stoic, reserved, and focused on the future of Raye Media and his carefully built empire. But behind closed doors, the charade was harder to maintain. In pri

't show it.

t, not

ven when he lay in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, he could feel her presence as a ghost in the

ad rattled him with an anonymous tip that one of his competitors, Victor Harrington, was making moves to undermine Raye Media. But t

. The walls around him felt too close, the office too suffocating, as if it

and made his way toward the penthouse terrace. The cold night

e city. The soft, golden light from the penthouse cast a halo around her, making her look l

emed to hold the weight of something far heavier than the evening chill. He'd seen her this way before in her

thick rug beneath his feet. The sound of the wind betwee

mbr

she took a long, slow breath, almos

but there was a hint of something beneath it, a trace of weariness. "It'

d. "I've always been

ze was unreadable. She had mastered the art of maintaining that impenetrable wall around h

mpire I'm here to take. It's your pride. Your control. You've always thought

ed. "I haven't

Because I see a man who's crumbling. A man who's hanging onto what little power he has left with b

e him stir, something he hadn't felt in years. Anger, guilt, frust

is skin, but it did nothing to freeze the burning

for a moment. "Nothing tha

mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He wanted to challenge her. To demand answers. To

t terri

d occupied, the lingering presence of Cambria never left him. He found himself distracted, his thoughts constantly returning to the w

and Maddox was no longer sur

in. She was standing by the windows, looking out at the city. This time, she didn't turn around wh

he asked, his voice sof

she did speak, her voice was quiet, almost vulnerable. "I'm thinking about all the t

punch. Maddox opened his mouth

r cared to know. You left me to pick up the pieces on my own. And now, look

thumb gently tracing the line of her jaw. The touch was tentative, fragile an unspoken apology, a plea for forgiveness. But

ria..

door to his office opened, and his assistant, Lily, stepped inside with a stack of p

aid, her voice hesitant. "But there's

m and Cambria was broken, and the cold rea

voice tight. Lily nodded and quickl

ls clicking against the polished floor. "I'll be in my room," she said w

r her, his heart heavy with