Page 127 of Unleashed

Slade’s jaw tightened, and he mumbled under his breath, “If I knew then…”

My heart dropped, my pulse quickening. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he slammed the terrace door behind him, stepping outside and shutting me out, leaving me alone with the distant hum of the city. I stood frozen for a moment, the sound of the glass rattling echoing in my ears. I knew exactly what he meant—he regretted marrying me. He wished he’d known what kind of wife I would be before he put that ring on my finger.

Tears pricked my eyes as I watched his tense silhouette through the glass, staring out at the park across the street. His shoulders were hunched, his body radiating frustration and distance. We were standing mere feet from each other but might as well have been miles apart. The longer it took for me to get pregnant, the more distant and hostile he became.

I swiped at my eyes, shaking with a mixture of anger and sadness. The stress of our strained marriage weighed heavily on me, making it harder to believe that I could conceive at all. It wasn’t just the constant fighting or his frequent absences—it was the nagging suspicion that Slade wasn’t being faithful. Six months into our marriage, and my husband had become someone I didn’t recognize, someone I didn’t even like.

Sighing, I grabbed my phone and retreated into the bedroom, closing the door behind me to muffle the sound of the city and Slade’s brooding presence. I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands trembling as I scrolled through my contacts. I needed to talk to someone, to hear a friendly voice.

I dialed Erika, praying she’d answer. It rang twice before her familiar, melodic voice filled the line. “Hey, girl,” she greeted, her tone light and cheerful, lifting some of the weight off my chest.

A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. “Hi.”

Her voice immediately sharpened with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lied, my voice faltering. “Everything is fine.”

“Fucking liar,” Erika shot back, without missing a beat. “I know it’s not. Is asshole at it again?”

“At what again?” I asked, though we both knew the answer.

“Some of it, all of it,” she said, her voice filled with frustration. “You should leave him. He doesn’t deserve you.”

“Who does?” I muttered, bitterness seeping into my tone.

“Michael,” she answered bluntly.

I felt a pang in my chest at the mention of his name. “Don’t bring him up. He’s my past, and I made my bed.”

Erika sighed, exasperated. “He loves you, and as far as making your bed, you didn’t sign up for Slade Abbott’s ever-changing moods. For Christ’s sake, he’s fucking other women. Why can’t you cut the cord? What does he have to do—fuck them in your bed?”

I gripped the phone tighter, my breath catching. “I told you I suspect he’s cheating. I don’t know if he actually has.”

“I promised myself I wouldn’t say anything,” she muttered, her voice growing tense. “I hoped you’d figure it out on your own.”

A cold wave of dread washed over me. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw Slade,” she blurted, the words tumbling out too quickly.

My heart pounded. “Saw him what?”

“With another woman.”

The room spun, my fingers gripping the edge of the bed. “When? Doing what?”

“A few days ago at The Diamond Square. He was coming out of a hotel room... with a girl. She couldn’t be older than twenty.”

My pulse roared in my ears. “Dammit, Erika, why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?” I yelled, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and betrayal.

“I didn’t know how to approach it,” she admitted, her voice softening. “I’m torn over this—just ask Lincoln.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to process the bombshell she’d dropped. “Slade’s going to deny it,” I muttered, my voice flat.

“Check his credit card statements,” Erika suggested, the edge returning to her voice.

“He handles all the bills. The statements go straight to his email.”

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