Page 118 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

“Sir, this data is useless—”

“Never question my orders.”

I end the call.

My secretary, silent until now, finally risks looking up at me.

“Why are you so obsessed with this? There are plenty of other promising projects.”

I slowly turn my head toward her.

“Be quiet. I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

She immediately lowers her gaze.

I stand and walk toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Paris stretches out beneath my feet.

I’ve spent my entire life getting what I wanted.

That isn’t about to change today.

No matter the cost.

31. NRX-889

Valeria

Friday, December 23

Even before I open my eyes, I know he’s there.

His warmth surrounds me. His breath brushes through my hair, slow and steady—but something tells me he isn’t asleep.

I open my eyes.

Dante is watching me. Not like a man in love. Like someone making sure I’m still here.

And suddenly, I understand what my death did to him.

Until now, I’d been too focused on Bianca, on their wedding, on the place she occupied in his life to see the other side of the story.

What my disappearance had done to him.

The man lying beside me isn’t whole.

He’s someone who survived losing half of himself and somehow learned to keep breathing despite the emptiness.

I wish I knew how to heal his wounds and mine.

But where would I even begin?

Then an intrusive thought slips in.

He found someone to comfort him.

A stab of jealousy cuts through me despite myself.