From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 45

When my dad died, I cried so hard I could barely breathe. My mom was so devastated she ended up bedridden. Remy took care of the entire funeral on his own. He ran himself ragged, so tired he could fall asleep just leaning against the wall.

And when Mom passed away, he was there too—never leaving my side. By the time we finished her funeral, he looked like he’d lost weight overnight.

I’ve always believed in being grateful and paying back kindness. But I also know you can’t force love. I refuse to spend my whole life tied to someone else’s promises, or stuck in the shadow of my past.

Was it really fair to ask for a divorce right when he was at his lowest? I couldn’t decide.

“What are you thinking about?” Remy’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Nothing. Just getting some fresh air.”

He stepped up behind me, putting his hands on either side of the railing, caging me in. His breath was warm against the back of my neck, making me shiver.

Then his lips brushed the soft skin just below my hairline, gentle at first—kissing, nibbling—his breath getting heavier, his lips hot. One of his hands slid around my waist, fingers stroking over my shirt, kneading softly at my side.

The sudden closeness made my skin prickle. I ducked away on instinct, slipping out of his arms and pretending to fuss with a little succulent on the windowsill.

Ever since that night on the balcony, I just couldn’t handle his affection anymore. It was like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on a fire. No matter what, it just wouldn’t light back up.

He used to hug me like this, and I’d light up inside—turning to face him, begging for a kiss, playful and sweet. Even the smallest kiss would make me happy for days.

But now? None of it worked anymore. Not him, not his kisses. I just wanted to get away.

But Remy wouldn’t stop. He reached for me again, holding me tight, his voice low. “Avery, if I lost everything, would you still love me? Would you stay with me like before?”

His eyes were dark, unreadable, sharp and cold like I’d never seen before. “I remember perfectly well. You promised to forgive me. Why are you bringing up divorce again?”

“And you should remember, I gave you three conditions before I’d even think about it.”

“Julia’s already moved out. What else do you want?”

“Don’t twist my words. I said Julia had to move out and you and Cindy couldn’t see her privately anymore. But you set her up in a townhouse across town. You broke my first condition. And my promise to forgive you? That was only about the kiss with Julia. It had nothing to do with divorce.”

“Avery, you lied to me!”

“And another thing. I asked how you planned to handle Julia. You said you’d make her pay. But where is she now? Not at the police station. She’s out there, editing videos, making things worse. Since those videos went public, you only cared about your reputation and Thompson Corporation. Meanwhile, I’ve been trashed online, called every name in the book. Did you ever ask how I was? The whole internet thinks I’m the other woman. Did you ever clear things up for me? So you want to know if I’d stay with you through anything, Remy? Let me ask you this—if you were me, would you?”