Page 46 of Breaking the Annulment

She ended the call, her hands shaking. The conversation had left her feeling raw, her earlier excitement about the party now tainted by unease.

The rest of the evening passed in a haze. Aurelia couldn’t shake the conversation with David from her mind. His sharp words and the anger replayed in her head, filling her with doubt. Was he right? Had she changed so much that she no longer recognized herself?

She wandered aimlessly through the house, her thoughts chaotic. By the time she found herself in the library, she was physically drained, as though she was sinking under the burden of her decisions. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d made a mistake, but she wasn’t sure what the mistake was, or how to fix it.

Michalis closedthe library door behind him, the quiet click reverberating through the room like a warning shot. Aurelia stood by the window, her arms crossed, her silhouette outlined by the faint glow of the estate lights outside. She hadn’t noticed him yet—or was pretending she hadn’t. Either way, the tension in her posture set his teeth on edge.

“You’re distracted,” he said, his voice low and cutting through the silence.

Aurelia turned, her eyes widening briefly before narrowing again. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, her tone clipped. Too clipped.

“Liar,” he said without hesitation, the word leaving his mouth sharper than he intended. He crossed the room slowly, his steps measured, deliberate. “What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing,” she said, retreating a step as he advanced. Her arms tightened around herself, her gaze darting away.

Michalis stopped just short of her, his height and presence filling the space between them. She’d called David; he didn’tneed to go watch the video feed to know. Her guilt was written all over her face. The change in her behavior spoke volumes.

He’d told himself he was in control. That this was what he wanted. He needed her to invite David, to bring the man into his territory so he could observe, manipulate, and destroy if necessary. It was a calculated move. He’d planned for it.

But now, seeing her here—so distant, so distracted—the plan seemed more and more like he’d lit the fuse of an explosive and thrown it between them.

He should have found another way to get to David. This one was unacceptable. The very thought of another man coming anywhere near his wife had him ready to hunt down and kill the bastard, even if there was no connection to Khomenko.

Aurelia was hiding what she’d done. Was she was still in love with David? Was she planning to run again? Rage and pain tore through him at the thought.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against her arm, testing her reaction. “Don’t lie to me, Aurelia,” he murmured, his voice soft but unyielding. “I can see it in your face. What are you hiding?”

Her lips parted, her breath hitching, but she said nothing. The silence grated against him, each second winding his tension tighter. “Aurelia,” he said again, his tone sharper now. “Don’t make me force it out of you.”

She looked up at him then, her expression guarded, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. “I invited David to the party.”

Michalis froze. For a moment, all he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears. His mind screamed at him again that this was what he’d wanted, what he’d planned for, yet hearing the words directly from her mouth ripped all reason from him. The possessive fire igniting in his chest didn’t care about plans. Hisneed to dominate, force her compliance, rid himself of the threat David represented roared out of control.

“You did what?” he said, his voice low, dangerous.

“I invited him,” she repeated, her voice faltering. “I thought it would be…a good way to...to explain things.”

“To explain what?” he demanded, his voice lowering ominously. “Why do you need to explain anything to him? He’s not your husband. I am.”

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve answers,” Aurelia shot back, her own frustration flaring. “I never got to explain anything to him after I left. He wanted to marry me, and I thought I wanted that, too. I came here to get an annulment from you, not…not…I just think he deserves to know the truth.”

The truth. The word slammed into him like a blow, his mind conjuring images he couldn’t suppress—images of her with David, of whispered promises and lingering touches. His jaw tightened, his fists curling at his sides. “And what truth is that?” he asked coldly. “That you’re married now? That you belong to someone else? Or are you planning to run? To tell him you still want a divorce? Something I should know?”

Her glare sharpened, her hands balling into fists. “I’m not planning anything,” she snapped. “But I need to do this for myself, Michalis. For closure.”

“Closure,” he repeated, the word bitter on his tongue. He took another step closer, his voice dropping lower. “Is that what you call it? Inviting your lover to our home?”

Her breath hitched, her anger flashing like lightning. “He’s not my lover,” she spat. “How dare you?—”

“How dareI?” Michalis interrupted, his voice rising. “You’re my wife, Aurelia. And yet you’re still thinking about another man. Why? Are you hoping to rekindle something? Are you planning to sneak away with him at the party?”

Her silence was deafening, her refusal to deny it slicing through him like a blade. His jealousy surged, drowning out any speck of reason. “Did you let him touch you?” he demanded, his voice raw, harsh. “Did he ever make you feel the way I do? Did he ever make you scream his name the way you scream mine?”

The words tumbled out before he could stop them, his own fury and desperation driving them. Aurelia’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked stunned. Then her own anger ignited.

“Youknowhe didn’t,” she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. “You know I was a virgin. You were the first, Michalis, or did you forget? Maybe I’m just one more notch in a long string of forgettable women? Is that all we are? Licensed fuck buddies?”

Her words hit him like a slap, but they did nothing to cool the fire raging inside him. He couldn’t see past the thought of David—of another man occupying her thoughts, her time, heraffections. His mind whispered cruel possibilities, and he hated himself for it, but he couldn’t stop.

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