ry

tered through the phone speaker. She had obviously answered the call, but deliberately c

yfully, her voice laced with heavy pleasure. "There's

rough voice replied, sounding comple

more aggressive. Clara let out another soft, drawn-out moan of pleasure before finally speaki

ve been flashing brightly on Liam's screen-but she played dumb, deliberat

ain?" he asked, deliberately picking up the pace, making Clara gasp loudly. He was putting on a show,

disrespect-it was nauseating. The man I had loved for years was currently sweating over my worst en

to a frigid, unyielding rage. I quickly swiped my screen and hit the record button. I

shard of absolute ice, refusing to

t question. "Oh, my husband is right here next to me. Do you need him? He

ng table, hovering on the very edge of death, having my blood completely drained and replace

call without

Tears burned my eyes, hot and furious, but I fiercely swiped them away. You don't get

his manipulative mistress pay dearly. I would strip them of their dignity, their wealth, and their happiness. And above all

t thrown haphazardly over her pajamas. She was carrying a thermos. Her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, widened

he critical condition call in the middle of the night, she had driven at

all night! I thought you were dead!" She rushed to m

a fraction. I squeezed her trembling hand. "Delaney," I

en back to my face. Disbelief warred with shock. "You... what? But you're a mo

bracelet. The bleeding. The phone call he coldly ig

anic rage that made her entire body tremble. "That absolute bastard. And that filth

of the room and commit murder. I gra

is, Ave! You almost died!" Her eyes

nter storm. "He won't. But I have a much

lly Liam and his image-obsessed family, believe I was still pregnant.

g into a dawning, brilliant admiration. A slow, d

d to get you out of this hospital. The Sterling family can't find out you were ever here. I have a friend who

ter..." My vo

make sure that asshole never gets with

ra

ular hockey player physique slick with sweat. He pulled me possessively into

f yours want this time?" he asked,

spun earlier to make him jealous. "Oh, just begging

a single thing. He closed his eyes, a highly satisfied smile on his fac

een lit up, revealing not just the call I had just ended with Avery, but a long, frantic list of misse

Not Disturb" mode last night while he was distracted. Otherwise, our perfect, romantic birthday celebratio

last night and this morning. Every single missed call, every trace of her desperation, vanished into t

d and snuggled deeper into Liam's chest, wrapping my

d to me. He believed every single word I said. As for that pathetic loser Avery, she was probably cryi