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Chapter 324
Chapter 324:
Alycia moved toward the desk with deliberate, swaying steps. She bypassed the visitor chairs entirely and came directly to the side of his chair. She leaned over and placed the teacup on the only clear spot on his desk, the movement calculated to bring her chest into his line of sight.
“I made you some chamomile tea, Cole,” she cooed, her voice dripping with artificial warmth. “Your assistant said you haven’t slept. You need to take care of yourself. For us.” She extended her hand toward his shoulder, reaching to stroke the tense muscle at the base of his neck.
Cole reacted with violent speed.
He shoved his heavy leather chair backward. The wheels shrieked against the hardwood floor. He rose to his full height, towering over her, every line of his body radiating absolute, lethal rejection.
Alycia’s hand froze in mid-air. Her smile faltered.
“Who gave you permission to enter my office dressed like that?” Cole demanded. His voice was not loud. The freezing authority in it was far more terrifying than volume.
Alycia withdrew her hand and immediately adopted her victim expression, her eyes widening with manufactured hurt.
“Cole, I just wanted to comfort you,” she whispered, her lower lip trembling. “We are going to be married. I am going to be your wife p>
The word wife from her mouth made Cole’s stomach turn violently.
He leaned forward and placed both hands flat on his desk, staring down at her with eyes as cold as a morgue.
іn𝗍еո𝘴𝖾 ro𝗺𝖺𝗇𝗰𝖾 𝗼𝘯
“Listen to me very carefully, Alycia,” Cole said, enunciating every syllable. “I told you I would take responsibility for my mistake. I will provide for you. But do not ever confuse duty with affection.” He pointed a long finger toward the door. “You will stay in the guest room. You will not touch June’s things. And you will never walk into my place of business looking like that again. Do you understand me p>
Alycia’s face flushed a violent red. The humiliation burned through her veins. She saw the absolute disgust in his eyes — he hated her. He was only marrying her because of the blood on the sheets.
She swallowed her rage and forced a small, submissive nod.
“I understand, Cole. I’m sorry p>
She turned and walked quickly out of the office, the silk dress whispering around her legs. The heavy doors closed behind her.
Alycia stopped in the carpeted hallway outside the executive suite. The performance ended the instant the latch clicked. Her face twisted into a mask of pure, cold hatred.
The guilt of the first time was not enough to hold him. He was still consumed by June, and with Crawford’s two-month deadline closing in, he might find a way to break the engagement entirely before it could take root.
She needed a stronger chain. An unbreakable lock.
Alycia pulled her smartphone from her clutch and walked quickly toward the private elevators, dialing a heavily encrypted number acquired from a very dark corner of the internet. The line clicked open. A distorted voice answered.
“I need a document,” Alycia whispered, her eyes sweeping the empty hallway. “A medical report. From a top-tier Manhattan OB-GYN p>
She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.
“Make it completely flawless,” she ordered, a sick, triumphant smile spreading slowly across her face. “I need a rock-solid positive pregnancy confirmation, and the dates must align the conception window perfectly with last night p>
The ultimate trap was set.
The countdown to destruction accelerated.