Chapter 47

He remembered such a small detail, all because he was terrified she might get pregnant with his child.

"How thoughtful of you to remember to bring me medicine, busy as you are," Liliana said. She opened the bottle, shook out a pill, and swallowed it dry. Then she stood up and, right in front of him, began clearing the table, scraping the untouched food into the trash.

She hadn't eaten. She wasn't hungry because she was too full of anger.

Cedric watched her take the pill, then turned and headed upstairs. As he reached the landing, he heard the clatter of dishes from the dining room below.

His expression darkened. Her temper was getting worse.

He had an international video conference that night. Ignoring her mood, he showered and went into his study.

Timothy called to brief him on the meeting. Toward the end of the call, he brought up Sylvia. "Ms. Woods mentioned that you wanted her to choose one of your properties to stay in, but the one she selected is..."

"Whatever she wants, give it to her. You don't need to report these things to me," Cedric cut him off, his voice edged with impatience. Liliana's mood had soured his own, and now the mere mention of another woman irritated him.

"Understood, Mr. Forrest," Timothy replied respectfully.

The call ended. Cedric started his meeting, which lasted until three in the morning.

Liliana slept fitfully, dreaming of Cedric and Sylvia having dinner in his office. She even dreamed of them together in broad daylight, slipping into the private lounge— the same room where she and Cedric had so often made love. The image of their intimacy was suffocating.

She woke with a gasp, realizing the suffocating feeling wasn't from the dream, but from Cedric's fierce kiss. He had pushed aside the thin blanket separating them, his hard chest pressing against her soft body.

"I'm tired," she mumbled against his lips, her eyes barely open, as if she were still asleep.

Her drowsy, sweet voice and her warm, pliant body were a potent combination, tightening a cord deep inside him until he felt he was about to snap.

"That pill was expensive," he rasped, his voice low and hoarse. "You just took it, so it's still effective. Let's not waste it."

For a moment, her resolve softened, but then she remembered him with Sylvia, whispering in her ear just like this, and her heart hardened once more. The pill couldn't have been more expensive than the lavish gifts he bought for Sylvia, could it?

Her resistance was futile. She was still exhausted from the night before and couldn't bring herself to participate. She simply let him do as he pleased.

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The previous night, Cedric had been too caught up in the novelty of their new location to notice the subtle changes in her. But tonight, pale moonlight streamed through the window illuminating her small face Her cheeks were flushed, but her lips

were pressed into a firm¶ne,

refusing to make a sound.

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Liliana had an elegant, classic beauty. When she smiled, she was captivating; when she cried, she made it seem as if the whole world was at fault. But when she was defiant, a cool determination settled in her eyes that made you want to both protect her and break her Cedric couldn't quite understand the impulse. Maybe it was because she had been testing his patience lately. He wanted to see her yield, to hear her beg, to watch her lose control and have eyes only for him.

He didn't get what he wanted, but he wasn't disappointed.

Her little rebellion added a bit of spice to their routine. Perhaps she was even doing

it on purpose, some new game she'd learned.

Saturday was their day to visit the

Forrest Estate. In the morning,

Cedric went to the office first, while Liliana drove out to buy some pastries and fruit. Whatever hef issues with Cedric, the rest of the Forrests had always been kind to her er desire for a divorce was about him, not them, and she wouldn't be disrespectful to the elders. Besides, she knew she wouldn't be coming here much longer.

She had called Timothy earlier, and he'd told her they'd found the deceased's medical records. The man had been diagnosed with a terminal illness two months ago.