All Chapters of THE WIFE YOU LEFT: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

AXEL’S POV:"You missed a spot," Avery muttered, her audacity stretching as she reached up with her small, trembling hand. Before I could react, she brushed at the edge of my eyepatch, her fingers skimming the streak of egg that clung there. The slap came before I even registered my own movement, a crack that reverberated in the room. She staggered, clutching the edge of the bed for balance, her lip now split and bleeding. Crimson beads welled at the corner of her mouth, and she swiped at them with the back of her hand, glaring up at me with those fiery, rebellious eyes. Damn her. She knew exactly how to push me to the brink, poking at corners of my patience I didn’t even know existed. I wasn’t one to raise my hand to women—if punishment was needed, my men handled it. But Avery was different. Something about her grated against every carefully maintained wall I had, stripping away my control until all that remained was untethered rage. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. I hadn

AXEL’S POV: The moment my feet crossed the threshold, he began to shiver. A pitiful sight—pale, sweat-slicked skin clinging to brittle bones, his breathing uneven, like a man already teetering on the edge of the grave. The scent of rot clung to him, thick and sour, mixing with the iron tang of old blood that coated the dungeon walls. I walked toward him, slow and deliberate, like death itself had taken human form and decided to grant him a personal visit. Because, in many ways, that’s exactly what I was offering him. A final absolution. A reckoning long overdue. He whimpered, his wide eye darting between me and the door as if he still believed in the possibility of escape. "Please, don't hurt me," he begged, his voice cracking. "Forgive me. I'll do anything you ask me to do." They always did this—pleading, bargaining, desperate to claw their way out of damnation. But forgiveness wasn’t mine to give. And mercy? Mercy was a privilege reserved for men who still had something worth

AXEL’S POV: I never planned to show Avery the envelope. Never intended to let her see what was inside. It was supposed to be leverage, a weapon I could use when the time was right. But she had this way of getting under my skin, of unearthing something within me that even I couldn’t fully understand. Her defiance mirrored my own. Instead of subduing her, I had ignited an unquenchable fire. I had done my research. I always did. I knew everything I needed to about the people I allowed in my orbit. And yet, despite knowing what I knew, I hadn't planned to share any of it with her. It was supposed to remain tucked away, a tool to use when necessary. But I had shown her anyway. And seeing her reaction, watching the way she processed it, unsettled me. The way her expression had cracked—not just with pain, but with something deeper—had stirred something in me. Something I didn't like. Maybe she had seen that flicker of hesitation in me. Maybe she had sensed it. That pissed me off more

AVERY’S POV:At some point, I found myself joining in. Maybe it was the way the kids smiled at me, or maybe I just wanted—needed—a distraction from my own thoughts. Either way, I found myself playing hide-and-seek with a little girl in a lavender hospital gown, her giggles echoing through the halls. Then, pain shot through my feet. I winced, the nude Louboutins digging into my toes from standing too long. Before I could even think about taking them off, Devon appeared at my side, holding a small designer bag. I recalled the brief exchange I'd overheard earlier. Ryan's voice had carried across the room, "Devon, get the last set of gift boxes." The name had stuck in my mind, and now I mentally paired it with the face of the guard who stood before me - Devon. "Here," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "Boss sent me to get these." I frowned, taking the bag. Inside was a pair of flat designer slippers. I looked up, my gaze instinctively seeking Axel. He was still surround

AXEL’S POV:"Yes, I did," I answered Ryan nonchalantly. Baron grinned, stepping closer to Ryan with his arms wide, either for a handshake or a hug—I wasn’t sure which. Whatever it was, Ryan wasn’t having it. He took a step back, arms crossed, expression blank. Baron clicked his tongue. "Still stiff and unwelcoming as always," he joked. Then, without missing a beat, he turned to me, his usual grin in place. "Thank you for having me back, boss." I nodded. "You're welcome." Truth be told, it was good to have Baron back. Maybe he’d shake Ryan up a little. Ryan saw him as a challenge, and that was exactly what he needed. He was growing too... predictable. Baron was my third-in-command, the complete opposite of Ryan. Where Ryan was cold and disciplined, Baron was dangerous in a different way—rational, brutal, but somehow, annoyingly charismatic. He made friends easily, never raised suspicion, and had a charm that worked on both children and women alike. A deadly combination. "Ryan