Chapter 166
Amber blinked, stunned at the venom in his tone. The absurdity of it hit er uddenly, and for for, de a go He looked so affronted, like a middle–aged woman who’d been denied are has finger after yes of devotion and raising fear. But expression was too dark, too raw, to mock
“Don’t be ridiculous, Luca. This was never about the sex,” she said, her e rising “We’ve been with and her because we d each other–three years ago, and again now. You know the reason for our marriage wasn’t
“Wasn’t what?” he snapped, cutting her off. “Wasn’t love? It was lowe, Auer. It still in I married you because i led you then, and I kid yo to marry me now because I realized I still love you. I know you can’t say the sam
His voice broke slightly on the last words, and he turned away from her, staring off like sulking child whereas fond to edit aseething they didn’t want to.
Amber’s chest tightened at his admission, but she pushed it aside. She code’t let herself go there–t now. “I don’t know who you‘ egling to kid, Luca,” she said, has tome sharp, but we both know you married because I was pregnant with his
“No! No–you think I married you because you were pregnant with my the Laca’s voice rose, ryw with frustration and ange. His eyes burned into hers as he pushed him up from the couch, paring the rootke a caged animal. “I loved you, Amber! I loved you moer than anything. But you’ve been protecting your insecurities onto me for years, testing everything weed it turned into this this thing that consumed us both. And in the and, in destroyed one lide, as massage,
thing”
Amber stood frozen, taken aback by the internally in his voice
Laca stopped pacing and turned to face her, his jaw tight, his hands fisted his sides. “Tell me, Amber, what did I do to deserve being dutiged like that? To come home and fad you game—no nota, no masnags, nothing just up and disappeared, taking my son with you.”
Amber opened has mouth to sragend, but he didn’t let her.
“Yes, I had my faults. I won’t deny that,” he crashed, his tone now quite but just as biting “My family? Toxic as hell. I’ve known that but years. But you know what? i was rated to be family comes first, no matter what. Maybe that sounds like an excuse to you. Maybe it is. But I’m not here to make excuses. F’ base because I am trying to figure out how to fix the mistakes I made. What I won’t stand for is being blamed for something that wasn’t my fault. I have always loved you, Am And Nestor.”
Amber’s bewath hitched at his words. She wasted to respond, to say something, but the words tangled in her throat.
Luca’s voice dropped, becoming almost pleading, though anges still simmered beneath the surface. “Whatever problems we had–whatever they were–we could have worked through them. We could have tried counseling or… or anything else before taking the nuclear option. But you didn’t even give us a chance. You just ”
His voice cracked, and for assent, Amber saw the tax pain is his eyesore it hardened again. “Sure, my family played their part in what happened. I won’t deny that. But you left because of you, Amber Because of the seed of insecurity you planted is yourself–the belief that ! matted you only because of Nics. That was the reason it was so easy for you to brave me behind.”
Amber’s chest tightened, his words cutting through her like a blade. She in’t expected this, badi’t expected him to lay his
this. ” stammeren struggling to find the words.
But before she end speak, the sharp brand of the doorbell out through the tension That sudden noise paited both of them, and Lara let Bustrated gross turned on his heel and strode toward the dr
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Chapter 166
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When he opened it, the watchman from downstairs stood there, holding & mall parcel in his hands. He offered it to Lacs with a polite smile.
“Good evening, sir. Someone left this for Ms. Amber.”
Luca took the package without a word, his frustration barely contained. The watchman, seemingly oblivious to the storm brewing in the apartment, studied him curiously. “Ah, you must be the husband!” he said cheerfully. “Everyone in the building’s been talking about 14s. Amber
bringing her husband back home. Nice to meet you, sir.”
Luca froze for a moment, his expression darkening. Then he laughed–a hatch, bitter sound that sent a chill down Amber’s spine.
“Husband?” he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh no, not me wouldn’t dare claim such a title.” He shoved the parcel under his arm, his eyes flashing dangerously. “I’m just the kept man,” he said, his toge biting. “The gigolo. The toyboy. You know, whatever the term is
nowadays.”
Amber gasped audibly, her heart pounding in her chest. The watchman’s face turned beet red, his eyes wide as he tried to process Luca’s words. But before he could stammer out a response, Luca slammed the door shut with a resounding bang, his jaw clenched tight.
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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.
