Chapter 58
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(Amelia’s POV)
The elevator doors slid shut, muffling the noise of the lobby. My heart was still pounding against my ribs as I leaned back against the mirrored wall, trying to steady my breathing. The image of Vikki and Edmund was still burned into my mind.
I told myself I didn’t care. That it didn’t matter. That this was just work. But the tremor in my hands said otherwise.
The elevator stopped, and I walked down the hallway toward the suite. My heels clicked on the floor in a rhythm that matched the racing thoughts in my head. I shouldn’t let this get to me. It’s none of my business.
But it was. Because for the first time in a long time, Edmund had managed to break through the walls I’d spent years building, and now, standing in the shadow of his wife’s flawless smile, I felt stupid for ever letting that happen.
I entered the suite,and headed straight to my bedroom.
I dropped my bag on the couch, and sank onto the edge of the bed. The silence was heavy. Too heavy.
Fifteen minutes later, I still hadn’t moved. My phone buzzed twice, messages from the team about tomorrow’s schedule, but I ignored them. I didn’t want to think about work. Or Vikki. Or Edmund.
Except that’s all I could think about.
I replayed the moment over and over. the way he’d looked at her, the flicker of shock in his eyes,
and the way he’d said, You should’ve called first. It wasn’t affection. It was surprise, frustration, maybe even guilt. But that didn’t change what everyone else saw, Vikki, the wife, standing beside him like they belonged.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Once. Twice.
I froze.
Another knock.
“Amelia,” Edmund’s voice came, low, tentative.
My pulse jumped.
For a second, I thought about pretending not to be here. But then I sighed and stood up, walking slowly toward the door. When I opened it, he was standing there, tie loosened, jacket off, eyes tired.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
I hesitated, my hand still on the doorknob. “What are you doing here?” I asked, ” shouldn’t you be with your wife?”
His jaw tightened. “Please, Amelia.”
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Chapter 58
Something in his voice made me step aside. He entered quietly, shutting the door behind him.
“I don’t know why you’re asking me anyways, this is your suite,” I said, settling back on the couch.
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For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt thick, like every word we hadn’t said since the lobby was pressing against the walls.
“She shouldn’t have done that,” he said finally, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t know she was still around.”
“I figured,” I replied, folding my arms. “Still, it didn’t stop her from calling you husband in front of everyone.”
He winced. “I’m sorry about that. I should’ve handled it better.”
“Handled what exactly? She is your wife, Edmund.” I let out a small, bitter laugh. “You do realize how humiliating that was, right? The things she said to me-”
for a
“Like I didn’t want to make a public scene,” he cut in gently. “You know how these things work. The press was everywhere. One wrong move and the headlines tomorrow would twist everything Like I stood up volunteer because we are fucking or something.”
“Maybe,” I muttered, turning away. “But it doesn’t change how it looked.”
He sighed, stepping closer. “Vikki and I… we’ve been living separate lives for months now. We’ve just refused to go see that because it would ruin her image and well, the company could suffer the hit as well. The board’s been pressuring me to keep things quiet so our stock doesn’t drop.”
I looked away. “I don’t know why you’re telling me all this, Edmund. We are not together.”
He stared at me for a moment, and then sighed. “You know what? You’re right. It’s not your business.” he said,
honestly, I didn’t think she’d ever bother to show up here, and I’m sorry she embarrassed you that way.”
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“That’s not the point,” I said, my voice rising despite myself. “You had me working beside you, traveling with you, sharing a suite with you as a married man.”
His frowned “You’re right. I shouldn’t have made you share a suite with me,” he said, ” even though it was due to limited room. But it’s fine.”
For a long moment, silence filled the room. The only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioner. Then he took a step closer, his tone lower now.
“I didn’t mean for this to get complicated,” he said quietly. “But it did. And not because of Vikki.”
My breath hitched. “Then because of what?”
His gaze met mine, steady, unflinching. “Because of you.”
I froze, the words hanging in the air between us.
He moved closer until he was standing just a breath away. “You walk into a room and everything else disappears, Amelia. You’ve been driving me insane for weeks, pretending this doesn’t affect you too.”
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Chapter 58
I swallowed hard, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Why?” he asked softly. “Because I’m married on paper? Because you’re afraid of what it means?”
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I turned away, gripping the edge of the dresser. “Because it’s wrong, Edmund. Whatever this is, whatever we think we’re feeling,it’s wrong.”
He didn’t reply right away. I could feel his eyes on my back, feel the weight of everything neither of us dared
to say.
Then, slowly, his voice came again, calmer this time. “I understand. But I need you to know one thing before you shut me out again.”
I turned halfway, meeting his eyes.
“My marriage with Vikki ended a long time ago,” he said. “We stopped being anything real the moment we started pretending for everyone else. The only reason I haven’t made it official is because I wanted to protect my conglomerate, the board, and well now this outreach program. She still holds shares. A messy divorce right now could put everything at risk.”
He took a deep breath. “But don’t ever think she has a place in my life anymore. She doesn’t.”
Something in his tone cracked open the tightness in my chest. I wanted to believe him, God, I did, but the image of Vikki’s smirk still lingered in my mind.
“Edmund…” I started, then stopped.
He stepped back slightly, giving me space. “You don’t have to say anything. I just needed you to hear it from me, not the headlines.”
I nodded slowly. “I appreciate that.”
For a moment, the tension softened. He gave me a small, tired smile, the kind that barely reached his eyes. “We’ll get through tomorrow. I’ll make sure she doesn’t interfere again.”
I tried to return the smile. “You can’t control her, Edmund.”
“No,” he said quietly, “but I can control how I handle it.”
He turned to leave, his hand on the door, then paused. “Get some rest, Amelia. It’s going to be another long day.”
And with that, he walked out.
The moment the door clicked shut, I sat back on the bed, my heart still racing. His scent lingered faintly in the room, a mix of cedarwood and something warm that always seemed to follow him.
I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm myself.
It should’ve ended there, the conversation, the feelings, the tension. But it didn’t. Because now, for the first time, I wasn’t angry. I was afraid.
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Chapter 58
Afraid of how much I wanted to believe him.
Afraid of how much I already did.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
