Wife You Discarded is a Billionaire's Crush novel Chapter 74

Again and again, he took her. A flicker of pity moved him, and he kissed the sweat from her brow as his movements shifted from rough to gentle. He wanted to shatter her facade; she was enjoying this, he was sure of it. But her expression, a heartbreaking mix of defiance and sorrow, only fueled his desire. He wanted more.

It was her fault. If she had just been obedient, he wouldn't have been so starved, so ravenous tonight.

It did go on for a long time. It was five in the morning before it was finally over. He carried her to the bathroom to clean her up, but she remained cold and distant. A sudden emptiness hollowed out his chest, an uncomfortable feeling he couldn't name. He didn't offer any explanation. After they were clean, he brought her back to bed and pulled her into his arms.

It was the first time he had ever held her so intimately while they slept. He fell asleep almost instantly.

Liliana was exhausted, but sleep wouldn't come. She stared out the window with empty eyes as the sky began to lighten, the first rays of dawn piercing the darkness. His arm was draped over her slender waist, the blanket pulled up to her chest. Her collarbones and shoulders were a canvas of dark, angry marks.

What had been a night of satisfaction for him had been torture for her.

A single tear slid from the corner of her eye. She sniffled, carefully removed his arm, and slipped out of bed. Last night's clothes were ruined. She went into the walk-in closet, chose a new outfit, and left without a backward glance.

It was still early. She planned to go back to Polaris Court, change, and then head to work at Cyan. The events of the past night replayed in her mind, making her flush with a toxic mix of shame and rage. She felt numb, her mind clear on what she had to do next, but her thoughts were scattered and unfocused.

When the elevator doors opened on her floor, she froze. Juniper was standing outside her apartment door, holding a bag of breakfast.

"Liliana, I would rather believe you were assaulted by a stranger than think you went back to messing around with Cedric!"

"Timothy called me last night. He said Cedric was drunk and coughing up blood. I was worried, so I went over." Liliana couldn't bring herself to admit the truth: that Cedric had her completely under his thumb. He knew exactly what to do to make her come running.

Juniper looked like her head was about to explode. "The only reason you should have anything to do with Cedric right now is if he dies and you have to bury him before inheriting all his money!" Otherwise, his life or death was none of her business.

Liliana was slowly, painfully, starting to understand that. A deep-seated helplessness rose within her. "Junie, have you ever been truly in love with someone?"