Chapter 97

In two years, Cedric had never once asked for her opinion. This was the first time, and the sincerity in his dark eyes was disarming. Liliana's own eyes fluttered as she felt her heart pound against her ribs.

Her silence was his answer. He knew she couldn't resist him when he was like this. A few whispered words, a tender touch, and she would melt. It was still the same.

A smile touched the corners of his eyes. He leaned in and pressed a light kiss to her eyelids. The gesture was soft, his breath hot against her skin.

Liliana kept her eyes downcast, her gaze falling on his strong neck and collarbone. She bit her lip. Just as he was about to kiss her mouth, she spoke.

"Cedric, you just want to sleep with me, don't you?"

Now that she had accepted he didn't love her, it was suddenly easy to see through his seductions. There was no heart in it, only physical desire.

"Are you offering?"

He wasn't angry at being called out. He didn't see it as a transgression. They were a legally married couple. She could pursue her divorce, and he could pursue his pleasure. He wouldn't deny his physical attraction to her. In fact, she should be grateful for it. Without it, he wouldn't have bothered with this charade for so long.

"No, I'm not." Liliana's reply was crisp. "But if you force me, I won't be able to re-"

She couldn't finish. The physical disparity between them was too great. If he insisted, she couldn't stop him.

Her bluntness irritated him. He cut her off by capturing her lips. When had that soft mouth become so defiant? He wanted her, she should give in. They would both enjoy it. What was the problem?

Cedric was perfectly capable of separating sex from the ongoing divorce battle. But perhaps her words had struck a nerve. He whispered in her ear, "Don't you enjoy it?"

"No," she replied, her body rigid, determined not to give him any satisfaction.

Her complete lack of cooperation quickly extinguished his desire. His initial excitement faded into annoyance. In the dim light, his face was obscured in shadow, but his hawk-like eyes grew sharp and clear. The woman beneath him had a delicate, beautiful face, but her expression was cold and distant. He couldn't find a trace of the old

Liliana, the one who would moan his name, her face flushed with passion. Where had that woman gone?

Cedric was a man of immense pride, and Liliana knew it well. The last time, he had been drinking and thought she had dressed to seduce, him. Her resistance had only fueled his excitement. This time, he knew she was unwilling, and it bruised his ego. He wouldn't force her, but he would be angry.

"Stop pretending. You should be grateful I'm still interested in you at all." His fingers

dug into her jaw, his grip painfully tight.

A sarcastic smile touched Liliana's lips. "Cedric, you are so full of yourself."

A fire ignited in his eyes. She was

Inet?

the one being ungrateful. He thought that maybe he had been too proactive since the divorce talk started putting himself in a passive position and emboldening her to challenge him. He shouldn't have been the one chasing herdown. He should have made her come back to him obediently. She might be too foolish to realize what a privilege it was to be by his side, but he

wouldn't let her turn his life upside

down.

If he wanted things to go back to the way they were, he wasn't above using other

means.