Semua Bab Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak: Bab 171 - Bab 180

Amelia's POVMy hands trembled on the steering wheel as I sped through the darkened streets, constantly checking the rearview mirror. Arielle slept peacefully in her car seat, blissfully unaware that her entire world had just imploded."Where are we going, Mommy?" she mumbled sleepily at one point, rubbing her eyes with tiny fists."Just a little trip, baby," I whispered, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Go back to sleep."My phone buzzed. Ethan."I've got a place," he said when I answered. "One of my properties on Serrano Street. It's furnished, secure, and no one knows about it.""Thank you," I breathed, relief washing over me. "Send me the address.""I'll meet you there with the keys."I ended the call, guilt gnawing at me. I was dragging Ethan into this mess—whatever this mess was. A mess that apparently involved a powerful man who claimed to be my husband. A man who was apparently my daughter's father.My husband. Arielle's father.The words felt foreign, impossible. Yet the DNA

Alejandro strode toward me, his face unreadable. He wore a simple black shirt that highlighted his powerful build, dark jeans that fit perfectly. Not the formal businessman, but somehow more intimidating in his casual clothes.He sat across from me without a word, studying my face with an intensity that made my skin prickle."You came," he finally said, his voice low."I said I would didn’t I?" I fought the urge to roll my eyes.A server approached, clearly flustered by Alejandro's presence. He ordered an espresso without looking at her, his eyes never leaving my face.When we were alone again, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a slim folder, placing it on the table between us."What's this?" I asked warily."The truth," he replied simply. "Since you seem to have trouble believing my words."I opened it slowly, finding more documentation inside—marriage certificates, property deeds, photographs, newspaper clippings."These could be fake," I said weakly, but I knew they weren't

That first meeting established a pattern. Alejandro kept showing up, exactly when and where he said he would. Sometimes at the park. Sometimes at the children's bookstore, where he read to Arielle for hours, his deep voice giving life to stories about princesses and dragons. Sometimes at a small café where Arielle got hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and Alejandro drank espresso, watching her with hungry eyes that never seemed to get enough.I kept my distance, always present but separate, a guardian maintaining the fragile boundaries I'd set.Yet with each visit, those boundaries blurred. Arielle didn't just accept Alejandro—she adored him. She began talking about him constantly, weaving him into our daily life."Mama, Rumbly Man knows EVERYTHING about swans!" she declared one evening as I tucked her into bed. "He says they pick one person to love forever and ever."I swallowed hard. "Is that so?""Uh-huh. And he's gonna come to my recital! He promised!""Arielle," I hedged, "we

I couldn't sleep. My lips still burned from Alejandro's kiss, the memory of his hands on my body making my skin tingle even now. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt Alejandro's lips on mine, his hands in my hair, his body pressed against me. I'd tossed and turned all night, reliving that moment in the driveway over and over again."Fuck," I muttered, throwing the covers off. The digital clock on my nightstand read 5:47 AM. Too early to be up, but too late to try sleeping again.I padded to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. I didn't want to see the woman who'd melted into Alejandro's arms. The woman who, for a split second, had forgotten everything except the feel of him.After a scalding shower, I dressed and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. The house was quiet, Arielle still asleep in her room.My phone buzzed on the counter.We need to talk about yesterday.I stared at the screen, my pulse quickening. What was there to talk a

I sagged against the doorframe, suddenly exhausted."I should go," Ethan said quietly."No." I made a split-second decision, grabbing his arm. "Stay. Please."I needed something normal. Something that wasn't complicated by a past I couldn't remember or feelings I couldn't control. I needed to prove to myself that I could move on from whatever hold Alejandro had on me."Are you sure?"I nodded, taking the grocery bags from him. "I need a friend right now."Alejandro emerged from Arielle's room a few minutes later, his expression cold when he saw Ethan still there."She's asleep," he said curtly. "I'll pick her up from school tomorrow.""I have to work—""I'll bring her here after." He walked to the door, pausing to glance back at Ethan. "I don't know what Estella has told you, but make no mistake—I'm not going anywhere." Then he was gone, the door closing behind him with a click.I exhaled, feeling like I'd been holding my breath for hours."Want to tell me what that was about?" Ethan