“Charles” Ynda velled.
DOD
Charles <b>paused</b>, realizing she could hear him. He sighed, Darling, you know the rule. It’s a Grant family policy–anyone who stays out overnight has to get checked. It’s nothing personal”
Ynda’s face went pale. Her eyshes fluttered as she fought back emotion. If he was so afraid of her getting pregnant, it made no sense that he would still seek intimacy. “Is it true?” she asked, her voice trembling “About the birth control?”
Charles went quiet with a <b>frown</b>. He figured Renee had spilled everything. There was no use hiding it now. “The pills aren’t harmful,” he <b>said </b>calmly. “They just prevent pregnancy
Ynda slowly balled her hand into a fist. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t say another word.
May ended the call and directed the driver to head to the Sinir–funded hospital. The examination was deeply humiliating–they used instruments to check for any physical traces left by a man.
Ynday on the cold bed, listening to the hushed whispers of the nurses, burning with shame. After a moment, one of them looked up at the monitor and reported to May, “No signs of recent sexual activity!
Which meant not even with Charles. It appeared Ynda really wasn’t pleasing him. May waved her <b>hand </b>dismissively, and the nurses finally let go.
Ynda slowly sat up, trembling, as May remarked coldly, “You should learn how to keep your husband interested. You’re not good enough, so he messes with other women. I thought you knew how to please a man
as <b>a </b>Grant.”
May’s tone dripped with disdain for any Grants. Without another word, she turned and walked out.
Nearby, those two nurses exchanged quiet words.
“Typical rich families… It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. You get used and still have to put up with inspections like this.”
“Shh, keep your voice down.”
Ynda kept her eyes down, quietly pulling her <b>clothes </b>back on.
Outside the hospital, Jack was <b>waiting</b>. He stepped forward and handed her a neatly wrapped gift box. “From Mr. Sinir, ma’am.
<b>ssic </b>love bombing after a blow–up. Without a word, Ynda walked <b>past </b><b>him </b>and hailed a cab.
Jack immediately phoned Charles, who was away on business. On the other end, Charles massaged his temples and let out a tired sigh.
7:43 Thu, Sep 11
Charles didn’t get back until seven the following evening. When he found the downstairs empty. Charles headed straight up to Ynda’s room. Shrugging off his suit jacket, he leaned against the doorframe and let the <b>word </b>slip out softly. “<b>Babe</b>.”
Ynda didn’t so much as nce up, her attention nailed to the documents spread <b>across </b>her desk.
A faint smirk touched his lips. There wasn’t a woman alive he couldn’t win <b>over</b>, and Ynda was the easiest of them all. <fnc34c> The rightful source is find(?)ovel</fnc34c>
He tossed his coat onto a nearby armchair. “Jack told me you refused the gift. I cut my trip short, you know Let’s go to <b>dinner</b>.”
Ynda still didn’t respond.
He moved behind her, bracing a hand <b>on </b>the desk to look over her shoulder. Then she noticed a fresh, thin scratch from some woman’s nail trailing across the back of his otherwise well–groomed hand. Clearly, even two days <b>away </b>hadn’t left him lonely.
His eyes fell on the renovation ns for the studio spread out before her. “Renovating the studio?” he asked, his voice close to her ear. “Do you <b>need </b>more funding?”
He then lowered his chin to rest against her shoulder, his voice a low murmur near her ear. “It’s been too long since we went out for dinner. Come on, change.”
Ynda kept her eyes fixed on the screen. After a long moment, she finally spoke, “Tessa is paying a visit to Starlight Entertainment <b>soon</b>. Your new premium coffee line is picking a spokesperson, no? Just choose one of Tessa’s talents, okay?”
Charles turned his head, brushing a kiss into her hair. “It’s just a coffee endorsement. Of course, if that’s what you want. Feel better now? Let’s eat”
She nced down and nodded.
As they were getting ready to leave, the maid handed Charles his coat with a warm, knowing smile. “You must have rushed back to celebrate your anniversary with Mrs. Sinir, Mr. Sinir. How thoughtful.”
Charles froze for a fraction of a second, his eyes cutting toward Ynda.
A flicker of cold irony showed in Ynda’s gaze before she bent down to fasten her shoe, saying nothing. ‘Of course he’s forgotten, <b>she </b>sneered inwardly.
He recovered instantly, slipping into <b>his </b>own shoes and sliding an arm around her waist, his voice dripping <b>with </b>practiced charm. There’s a ce nearby with a fantastic fireworks disy tonight. We’ll go after dinner.”
Ynda’s mind went straight to Sophie’s post. His ybook was so predictable.
Silent, she let him lead her to the car and got in, buckling her seatbelt with a quiet click. She looked down at her phone and typed a message ton: [Landed you the coffee endorsement. Come back sometime this week for the shoot.]
His reply <b>was </b>almost immediate: [Okay.]
7:43 Thu, Sep 11
One word, and she was back there: Ian’s clumsy kiss, the nervous jump of his Adam’s apple, and his slender fingers.
A sudden thirst parched her throat. She gulped water from the bottle in the cupholder, but the warped stic, still marked from where he’d gripped it, brought the memory crashing back with the water’s taste.
She rolled the window down, sucking in a sharp breath of cool air to douse the heat on her skin. Fifteen years as Charles’s perfect partner and fifteen years of impableposure, all undone by one reckless night with a young man.
“Ynda?” Charles called.
His voice broke through her thoughts. She blinked, her cheeks warming. “Are we here?”
He turned toward her, leaning in slowly. She instinctively drew back.
His fingers caught her chin, turning her face toward his as he studied her. “What’s on your mind?”
She swallowed, her throat tight. “I, uh-”
He suddenly released her, clicking his own seatbelt open with a low, knowing chuckle. “Must be something dirty if you can’t say it out loud.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she pushed the car door open and stepped out into the evening air.
But she had only taken a few steps when a woman in her thirties rounded the corner. nked by a cluster of executives who hovered with attentive deference, she clearly held a position of power. They, too, were headed. for the restaurant.
The woman’s eyesnded on Charles, and a knowing eyebrow arched upward. After murmuring a quick word to her entourage, she strode toward him. She reached out as if to touch his face, but he smoothly sidestepped the gesture. “Mr. Sinir,” she said.
Charles nced back at Ynda, a faint, almost mocking smile ying on his lips. “Honey,e meet Rachael Owens. She’s Sinir Group’s most proactive new partner.”
Rachael adjusted her sses, a flicker of surprise in her eyes as her hand fell back to her side.
Her gaze swept over Ynda, and a polished, professional smile appeared. “I didn’t expect to see you two out for a romantic evening. Please, don’t let me interrupt. My team has a dinner to get to. We’ll talk more on Tuesday, Mr. Sinir?”
Charles dipped his head, his attention seemingly absorbed by the cuff of his sleeve as he straightened it. “Naturally.”
With a final, almost imperceptible nce, Rachael tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and rejoined her waiting group, disappearing into the lobby.
Ynda watched it all with icy rity. With the unspoken intimacy and the casual familiarity, this might be the female CEO Max had hinted about.
7:43 Thu, Sep 11
She took a slow, deep breath. A year ago, the sight might have sent a pang of humiliation and hurt through her. Now, she felt nothing but a vast, hollow calm.
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