Chapter 89
Yolanda made such a commotion that Charles glanced over and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Her mouth was parched and her heart was pounding so fast that she ducked her head and drank some water.
“It’s nothing,” she said with a forced smile. “Just got a peppercorn stuck in my throat.”
“Be careful,” Charles replied.
He grabbed a napkin and gently dabbed at the corner of her mouth.
Charles always wore his best mask in front of others.
Yolanda smiled at him, her cheeks turning pink.
Charles’s eyes darkened with emotion. She’s still just like she always was. Had he really questioned her feelings for him this morning?
There’s no way Yolanda doesn’t love him.
He tossed the napkin aside and gave her cheek a gentle squeeze. “Eat slowly.”
“Mm–hmm,” Yolanda murmured, her cheeks still flushed as she nodded.
Her face still burning, she quietly took another sip of water.
Just thinking about that photo, about Ian Foster sneaking off to the bathroom just to take it, made her feel all hot and restless inside.
She’d never thought of herself as someone with much of a drive in that department, but ever since he introduced her to a whole new world, she couldn’t help but imagine going even further with him.
She looked up and caught Leo giving her a mocking look.
Yolanda frowned, thinking, ‘This guy is seriously messed up.‘
Leo let out a quiet scoff, thinking, “That shameless bitch is definitely flirting with her lover again.
Yolanda subtly drew her legs together, listening as the others kept chatting about the land and business deals. She got up and quietly told Charles, “I need to use the restroom.”
Charles nodded.
She kept her head down as she headed out, careful to keep her steps light.
Leo suddenly stood up, startling Xavier beside him.
Xavier took a deep breath, ready to scold him, but Leo was already heading out. “You guys are talking about
way over my head. I’m outta here to mess around.”
stuff
Xavier rubbed his temples, thinking, ‘This kid is hopeless.’
Charles found it amusing. Seeing Xavier so troubled, he said, “With you holding down the fort at the Lawson residence, Leo really doesn’t need to worry about understanding all this business talk.”
Xavier gave a wry smile. “It’s for his own good. Even if he’s not interested in business, he should at least get out and meet people. Besides the occasional drink with you guys, he just stays home gaming or goes off racing his car. Every time Mom hears he’s going racing, she gets so anxious she has to take her heart meds. Last time he got hurt, he was in the hospital for a whole month and didn’t let any of us know.”
It’s dangerous, you know. Honestly, I’d rather have Leo just sit around at the company–at least he’d be safe.
Samuel laughed too. “He’s just so genuine and true to himself.”
Xavier couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s such an idiot. Good thing you guys always include him–I’m honestly worried he’ll get played by some girl if he goes out on his own.”
Yolanda reached the restroom and was just about to splash some water on her face when someone knocked softly at the door.
She glanced up at the mirror–just as she expected, it was Ian Foster.
She frowned, quickly shut off the faucet, and wiped her fingertips with a paper towel.
“Don’t mess around like that next time,” she said.
Ian moved in close, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder as he met her gaze in the mirror. “When will you be finished eating?”
Yolanda was about to push his head off her shoulder when he said, “Ms. Sinclair sent me over. She said this director has another project and wanted me to try out for it.”
Her fingers paused. “So, how did it go?”
“He was really impressed,” Ian replied.
After saying that, he looked at her in the mirror, wrapped his arms around her waist, and grinned. “Aren’t I being good? I even went and talked to the director all by myself.”
Yolanda thought, ‘He really is being good. If only he didn’t act out so much!
His breath brushed against Yolanda’s ear, sending shivers down her spine and making her go weak at the
knees.
They’d already crossed that line, so there was no point pretending anymore. But with Charles’s private room just around the corner, she was too timid to risk getting caught.
She tried to push him away, but Ian just clung to her, nuzzling and kissing at her neck. “You weren’t scared last night, were you?” he whispered.
“Mm…” Yolanda murmured.
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Chapter 89
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She tried to dodge, but he pinned her against the wall, trailing kisses from her ear down to her chin.
Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the men’s room next door. Startled, she quickly shoved him away, her heart pounding in her chest.
Ian watched her, noticing her flushed cheeks as she fixed her clothes. With a teasing grin, he said, “I just gained a bunch of new fans, Yolanda. Shouldn’t you celebrate with me?”
“Maybe another time,” she replied, trying to sound casual. “I’m swamped these next couple of days.”
He just grunted, knowing there’s no way he could show his face out there right now.
Yolanda noticed too. She took a steadying breath and turned her back to him. “Ian, you’re nothing like the guy
I first met.”
Ian leaned against the wall, tilting his head back. “You don’t even realize how irresistible you are. Anyone in my shoes would feel the same.”
She’d never heard him say anything like that before, and she hurried out, mumbling, “Sort yourself out, will you?”
Plus, this was the ladies‘ room–someone could walk in any second.
“Yolanda, just give me a hand. I promise I’ll be quick,” Ian pleaded.
Yolanda thought he was crazy and jerked her hand free.
He lowered his head, his tone tight and barely restrained. “I swear, I’ll be done in five minutes.”
Yolanda looked up at him, her eyes skeptical.
Ian turned his head away, the tips of his ears flushing red. “Hey, that’s not what I’m really capable of.”
No man likes having his skills questioned, especially about something like that.
Yolanda lifted her hand, her fingertips drawing lazy circles on his chest. “Only five minutes?”
Ian lowered his lashes, his gaze growing darker. “If you want, I could last five hours.”
He dipped his head, his breath hot against her ear. “Or, if you’re up for it… five days?”
She pushed him away, shooting a look at the private room down the hall. “Five minutes. If you’re not done by then, you’ll have to deal with it yourself.”
The words were barely out of her mouth when lan grabbed her and dragged her into one of the stalls.
Leo thought, ‘I must be crazy! He knew there was something shady going on in that restroom, but he just couldn’t stay away–he had to see it for himself.
‘Maybe I should just drag Charles over here and let him see with his own eyes what his goody–two–shoes wife is really like behind that innocent act, Leo sneered to himself.
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.
Part 1: The Discovery of BetrayalYolanda Grant’s marriage was built on patience, sacrifice, and quiet endurance — but that illusion shattered in one night. It was late when she arrived at a dark, empty alley after receiving a mysterious message with an address. At first, she thought it was a misunderstanding. After all, her husband Charles Sinclair — a man of wealth, power, and refined taste — would never lower himself to something so vulgar. But when she saw him holding a young woman in his arms, kissing and touching her like a man possessed, every ounce of denial drained from her. Charles, the proud and disciplined businessman, was cheating — and in a filthy alleyway, no less.Part 2: The Scene of HumiliationFrom the safety of her car, Yolanda watched as the scene unfolded. The woman clinging to Charles was frail, trembling, and emotional, like a flower blooming in the mud. The surroundings — the stained floor, damp walls, and suffocating darkness — mocked everything Charles had always claimed to be. This wasn’t just infidelity; it was degradation. Yolanda’s mind swirled with disbelief. Her husband, who obsessed over class and perfection, had become a man of impulse and dirt. She didn’t confront him or make a scene; she didn’t even cry. Instead, she leaned back in her seat, numb, realizing that her marriage was already over in spirit.Part 3: Two Years of DevotionAs she sat there, flashes of the past flooded her mind. Two years of marriage — two years of her trying to please him in every way. She had known from the start that Charles didn’t love her. On their wedding day, he had made it painfully clear that his heart already belonged to another woman. Still, Yolanda married him out of hope, out of love, out of the foolish belief that devotion could melt even the coldest heart. She gave up her career, her ambitions, and her independence, just to prove she was worthy of him. She cared for him like a nurse for her patient — cooking his meals, planning his wardrobe, and tending to every detail of his life. And in return, she got nothing but distance and silence.Part 4: The Breaking PointNow, watching him entwined with another woman, everything she had built inside her — the patience, the sacrifice, the illusion — collapsed. The man she had once called her husband had become unrecognizable. He had torn off his noble mask and revealed himself as nothing more than a beast driven by desire. Yolanda felt like she’d been slapped, her dignity shattered into pieces. But instead of screaming or crying, she felt an eerie calm. Her pain was too deep to express. All she could think was: This marriage must end.Part 5: Charles’s UneaseWhile Yolanda drove home, Charles suddenly sensed that something was wrong. The headlights of a passing car illuminated his face, and a chill ran down his spine. He didn’t know whose car it was, but unease stirred in his chest. The girl in his arms whimpered for his attention, but his mind was already elsewhere. Straightening his clothes, he pulled away coldly. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said flatly. “The company’s got big projects. I can’t afford divorce rumors right now.” His words revealed not love, but calculation — every move guided by image and control. The girl, blinded by her feelings, agreed softly, claiming she would wait. But to Charles, it was just another temporary indulgence.Part 6: The Return HomeWhen Yolanda returned home, the villa felt colder than ever. She had just come out of the shower when Charles entered the bedroom, carrying his jacket. He looked as immaculate as always — tall, handsome, commanding — but tonight, his arrogance seemed cruel. On his pristine white shirt, Yolanda noticed a faint smear of pink lip gloss. She had never worn lip gloss; she hated its stickiness. That small, shiny mark told her everything she needed to know. As she dried her hair, she kept her expression neutral, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain.Part 7: The Cold ConversationCharles glanced at her and asked casually, “When did you get back?”“This afternoon,” she replied.He loosened his tie, unbuttoning his shirt as if nothing had happened. “I was out playing golf tonight,” he added. The lie rolled off his tongue effortlessly. Through the reflection in the window, Yolanda saw the dirt on his back — proof that golf wasn’t the only game he’d been playing. With quiet fury, she shot back, “Then I guess you scored plenty of holes. Congrats.”Her sarcasm caught him off guard. For the first time, he frowned, slightly unsettled. He wasn’t used to this tone from her — the woman who once worshiped him now sounded indifferent, almost mocking.Part 8: His Cruel ArroganceInstead of apologizing, Charles smirked and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Are you mad? I told you when we got married that I didn’t love you. If you’re that unhappy, find someone else to cheat with.” His words cut through her like a blade. It wasn’t just betrayal anymore — it was humiliation. He treated her heartbreak as an inconvenience, as if her pain were irrelevant. Inside, Yolanda’s chest felt like it was being strangled with wire, every breath searing. Yet she stayed silent. Her quietness, once a sign of love, now turned into armor.Part 9: The Memory of InnocenceIn that moment, Yolanda’s mind drifted back to when she first met Charles. She was young, freshly adopted into the Grant family, and he was already the picture of perfection — disciplined, confident, untouchable. Back then, she looked at him with admiration and love. To her, he was everything she aspired to be. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that this same man would someday make her feel worthless. All those years of love, of marriage, of giving — they now felt like a cruel joke.Part 10: A New Beginning Hidden in the Word “Fine”Charles chuckled when she finally said, “Fine.” To him, it was just another empty threat, another outburst that would fade with time. He kissed her cheek, confident that her love would keep her shackled to him forever. What he didn’t realize was that this time, “Fine” wasn’t surrender — it was goodbye. Behind her calm eyes, Yolanda had already made her decision. The love that once bound her had turned to ash, and from that ash, something new was forming — strength.Chapter 1 ends with Yolanda’s quiet determination to take back her life. She won’t cry or beg anymore. This time, she’ll walk away — not as a broken wife, but as a woman reborn through betrayal.
