Raphael’s POV
"She’s not my wife!!"
They all froze at my outburst. They all froze. The broken glass shards fell on the ground. It was a miracle I didn’t hurt myself, but I was sick of everything.
I just didn’t understand why public opinion was so against Braelyn and . They were scrutinising every little thing we did.
Seeing the severity of the situation, the woman stamred an apology before running away on her heels, as my rage would destroy her. I felt like laughing watching her figure slowly disappear in the crowd. She got the reaction she wanted but couldn’t wait for the consequences.
Alia’s smile faltered, eyes flashing with sothing ugly, hurt or anger, I didn’t care which. I really didn’t give a fuck.
"Forgive for my outburst. I need to take a break." I apologised to the investors. He had complex emotions running across his face. His hand patted my shoulders.
"It’s fine, don’t let the pressure destroy you." He gave a fleeting piece of advice. I just nodded, then walked away, not bothering to give Alia a glance. Right now I don’t want to be anywhere close to her
I left her standing there, practically breathless and humiliated, lost in her head. I didn’t look back.
I mingled through the floor about to step out to the balcony when I found another client, desperate to redirect my focus to business, to numbers and contracts and anything that wasn’t this suffocating ss at the mont
Unfortunately, so people didn’t know when to take a bloody hint. Alia followed after .
The mont I spotted her closing in from the crowd, my already grim mood turned worse. Her heels clicked like fire. She ca with champagne and a flirtatious smile that had the client in her palm imdiately. He could not send her off.
She inserted herself into the conversation, chirping comnts that derailed the discussion until the client got clearly uncomfortable and because she was good-looking, he couldn’t send her off either. That was when irritation tipped into sothing darker.
I wanted to leave. "It was nice talking to you. " I chid in to the client having no mood to continue this. I had barely walked a few steps when she grabbed my hand. Panic was vividly written in her eyes.
"I am sorry Raph, I didn’t an any harm...." She finally apologised, grabbing my arm like she could pull back into place. There was no sincerity in her eyes, instead a subtle hint of irritation.
I shrugged her off. "I don’t need your apology.." I spat. She hissed her fingers curling into a ball.
"What is so special about that scheming bitch?" She hissed in a low tone loud enough for to hear. I froze then slowly turned to her.
"What did you just say?" I asked, barely containing my rage. Alia stepped up facing head-on
.
"Yes, I said what I said..." she sneered. My fingers twitched.
"I guess I had tolerated you too much, you don’t know where to draw the line... " Dear lord, I prayed at that mont not to kill soone.
Alia scoffed, not bothered by the storm in my eyes." Contain your rage and listen. It is happening right under your nose." She said, I was still seething in anger, but my ears perked up.
And that was when I heard it. They were talking in low whispers up ahead. It was sothing I wasn’t ant to hear but I did anyway.
A group of senior staff stood near the terrace doors, their voices were lowered, but they were careless and spoke a bit too confidently for it to be a random lie.
Their laughs blended with their words and the clinging of glass.
" Braelyn works late a lot, doesn’t she? She didn’t even co tonight. " one chid with a grin. Another smiled, jumping right into the conversation.
"It’s been 3 years and it seems the little Volkov isn’t working for her. She is probably paranoid that she will have the sa challenges as her mother.." soone drawled. My fist clenched, I was sick of those rumours, but the next allegations knocked the air from my lungs.
"Apparently she’s seeing soone from her departnt. So I heard. Richard, I think that’s his na."
Richard the na rang in my head. I knew that na; he and Braelyn were apparently close, but I knew it was innocent. Braelyn would never do such a thing, but for whatever reason, they thought otherwise...
An affair. My Lynn can never...
The whisper continued, and I stood in the shadows listening. They said Braelyn was using overti as an excuse. That she had a lover. That my wife was seeking elsewhere what I couldn’t give her.
I stood there, motionless, as the world narrowed to that single, devastating rumour.
That was the first ti I heard it.
"Who knows she might even be with Richard tonight?" One laughed and that was it. I couldn’t stay still, I stord away leaving the hall.
I kept on repeating in my head that it wasn’t possible. It was just a rumour.
Braelyn couldn’t co because the rumours about infertility were affecting her, and not because of an affair.
The night air hit . I just wanted to go ho at this point.
"Raphael..." Alia scread, her sharp voice sliced through the night. She had pulled off her heels and was running towards.
I stopped and glanced at her." Please, I don’t want to hear whatever you have to say." I said coldly.
"What if it is true? What if Braelyn is cheating on you?" She quietly asked. I snapped without even thinking
"She would never do that."
Alia froze, then she slowly asked, "How sure are you? You never know, and it would not hurt to check. " Her words were tempting. I wanted to ignore them but Sothing urged not to. The devil may be...
So I called Braelyn...the call rang shortly after she picked up. " Babe, are you asleep now? I just wanted to know how you are doing?" Her sleepy voice ca through the speaker, loosening a knot in my chest. I heard the shift in bed.
"I am about to sleep. Do you want to wait for you?" She asked softly.
I released a breath of relief. "No need, go to bed, I will be ho soon. Love you.. " she purred
"I love you too, Raphael. " The call hung up, and I glanced at Alia with a smug expression.
"I told you she would never do such a thing. "
Alia laughed, hugging her stomach. "You are really head over heels for her. Just a phone call, and you believe her. How naive are you Raphael?"
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