CHAPTER 9

Kimberly POV

As quickly as Leonardo caught me, he steadied me, his hands firm but detached. His dark gaze pinned me in place, searching my expression with a flicker of something unreadable—confusion, maybe, or indifference.

I shifted uneasily under his scrutiny. Before I could think, I blurted out, “I came to... check on you.”

His brow lifted, but his tone was flat. “For what?”

The words I had rehearsed vanished like smoke. “I, uh... wanted to thank you for yesterday.”

Leonardo leaned back slightly, the shadow of boredom crossing his face. “You’re welcome. You can leave now.”

Frustration boiled up inside me. His coldness was suffocating. “Why are you so cold? What kind of husband are you?”

His eyes sharpened, as if I’d crossed a line. “Husband?” He repeated the word, a loaded question. “That’s just for appearances. Remember?”

I flinched, though I tried not to let it show. His words stung, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. “You didn’t have to remind me,” I muttered under my breath