Page 5 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

“Oh my God,” she whispers. “We thought you were dead.”

We.

The word lands like poison.

Dante’s grip on my wrist tightens slightly. The pressure grounds me more than it should.

Even now, some traitorous part of me still feels safer when he’s touching me.

I hate that. I hate that after everything, my body still remembers him as home.

Bianca finally pulls back, eyes wet and shining.

“How are you here?” she asks shakily. “Where have you been?”

I look at her, trying to find some trace of guilt beneath the flawless grief on her face.

I find nothing.

Dante speaks before I can answer.

“Move.”

Bianca blinks at him in surprise.

He never looks away from me.

“I need to speak to my wife.”

The word slices straight through me.

Judging by the flicker in Bianca’s expression, it affects her too.

Hugo steps closer immediately.

“I said move.”

Quietly spoken. Somehow, that makes it worse.

The tension surrounding him shifts, turning heavier, darker. Several people nearby instinctively step back.

Bianca recovers first.

“Of course,” she says softly, touching Dante’s arm.

He doesn’t react to her touch at all, not even a glance.

That tiny detail shouldn’t matter.

Somehow, it does.

Hugo turns to me, concern etched across his face. I nod once.

He steps back, jaw tight, his eyes locked on Dante.

Dante starts walking, taking me with him.

I should pull away. I don’t.