Chapter 359: Twisted love

Raphael’s POV

I watched her run to Lucien without hesitation. That was what broke something in me, not the gun, not the threats, not even his words. It was the way she didn’t look back. There was no pause, no doubt, no second thought. She chose him as if it had always been him.

I stood there watching like a fool. The cold air settled into my bones, but I barely felt it. My eyes followed her every step as she reached him and collapsed into his arms, as she belonged there.

My jaw tightened as I watched him hold her, his arms wrapped around her like she was something fragile. The same woman who had been fighting me moments ago now clung to him without fear. There was a time she ran to me without hesitation. When she was my Lynn.

Snow began to fall again, the soft flakes landing on my coat and shoulders, melting slowly. I didn’t move. I didn’t even blink.

I watched him carry her like she weighed nothing. Watched him place her gently into the car. Watched the way she didn’t resist, didn’t argue, didn’t even glance my way even once.

Something in my chest tightened, this hollow feeling that made it hard to breathe. When I found out she was pregnant at first I was consumed by rage but there was a twisted sense of relief. Was I a psycho to be happy my wife carried another man’s child?

I know how much she wanted one and how I couldn’t be the one to make her a mother. As twisted as it sounded I was happy.

The door shut and the engine started, just like that, she was gone.

I don’t know how long I stood there after the car disappeared. Time felt strange. The distant noise of the party echoed somewhere behind me, but it felt like it belonged to another world.

Eventually, my body moved on its own..I got into my car and drove.

I don’t remember the route. The city blurred past me in streaks of light until even that disappeared. I drove longer than necessary, as if I could outrun what just happened but there was only one place I could go after circling around

Home. What used to be our home? The villa she had personally chosen.

The gates opened, and the driveway stretched ahead longer than I remembered. When I stepped out into the cold, the feeling hit me. The feeling of being absolutely alone. Without her, this house was a hollow shell filled with memories of her.

The door opened before I reached it. Joseph stood there, composed as always, but I caught the flicker of concern in his eyes as he took me in.

“Welcome back, sir,” he said, offering to take my coat then stepped aside. I shrugged off the heavy coat before walking past him without a word.

“Will you be having dinner immediately, sir?” he asked carefully chasing after me

I exhaled slowly. “No. I will be in my study. If anything important comes up, inform me.” I simply said in a calm tone

“Yes, sir.” His voice rang behind me.

My footsteps echoed through the corridor as I walked further inside upstairs. Each step sounded louder than it should have. I stopped in front of our room.

For a moment, I just stood there, staring at the door. I hadn’t gone in properly in a long time. Not since everything started falling apart.

Memories crept in anyway.

The day I told her about the open marriage. The way she looked at me was shocked, confused, hurt, yet still trying to understand. I ignored it even though my heart ached seeing her wrecked.

I remembered bringing Amelia home. The deliberate way I made sure Braelyn knew. The way I crossed every line and convinced myself it was necessary.

The way I shamelessly fucked Amelia openly then. I hated every second of it. Told myself, I was doing it to fool Amelia.

I told myself I was protecting her. That if I became the villain, she would stay safe. Now it all felt ridiculous.

A quiet breath left me as I turned away. I couldn’t go in there. Maybe not ever. I walked into my study instead. The lights flickered on, filling the room with a cold familiarity.

I didn’t go to my desk. I went straight to the minibar.

My fingers moved to my tie, loosening it before undoing the top buttons of my shirt. It felt suffocating.

I grabbed a bottle and poured a drink, filling the glass without thinking. I downed it in one go. The alcohol burned my throat, but it did nothing. It didn’t touch the ache in my chest.

I poured another. Then another.

Each glass went down just as fast, like I could drown something that refused to stay under. Like the alcohol could fill the void in my heart but nothing could. I loved her. My eyes stung slightly, but no tears came.

I had already cried them out the day she disappeared. Whatever was left inside me now wasn’t something tears could fix. A knock sounded at the door. “Sir are you in there?” I heard Joseph call politely from the door.

I didn’t respond at first, I just stared at my half-filled glass. When it came again, I finally spoke. “Come in.” irritation hidden in my tone.

Joseph stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. His gaze flickered to the glasses on the counter, then back to me, but he said nothing.

“What is it?” I asked, annoyed that I was interrupted.

He hesitated. “A parcel arrived for you, sir.” showing an envelope

My gaze locked on it. “If that is all, leave it,” I said dryly. He nodded then moved forward. He placed the envelope in front of me.

“I will take my leave. .” he said his gaze flickering with something complicated. He nodded and left. Silence settled again.

I stared at the envelope for a long moment before reaching for it. Something about it already felt wrong. I flipped it over and saw the sender’s details glued on top. Lucien Volkov. A smile curled up my lips

The bastard didn’t want to give me a break

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