Chapter 20
Taylor tactfully ushered the styling team out.
In the spacious room, only Fabian and Chesca remained. He turned Chesca towards him, his palm resting against her cheek, caressing it with deliberate slowness. For the first time,
he truly looked at her this way.
“Are you cold?”
His dark eyes bore into hers, filled with unmistakable desire.
Chesca smiled serenely. “I’ll wear a coat when we go out.”
Fabian didn’t let her go. His hands moving to her waist, feeling the texture of the gown
against her body.
Tonight Chesca looked so breathtakingly beautiful that Fabian didn’t even want her to leave
the house, especially not to meet other men.
Chesca had been back for a week.
They still hadn’t properly made love, and Fabian had been holding back for too long. Now
he could barely contain himself.
But Chesca resisted, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. “It’ll dirty the dress.”
Fabian’s patience was wearing thin.
Gripping her wrist, he pressed her against the cool mirror and kissed her forcefully.
At first, Chesca resisted, but Fabian’s intensity quickly overpowered her. She gave in, her delicate fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt as he kissed her deeply, her body responding against her will.
Just as Chesca began to lose herself in the moment, something cool slipped onto her finger…
Chapter 20
Breathing heavily, she looked down. On her ring finger, her wedding band gleamed brilliantly under the crystal lights.
Fabian’s forehead pressed against hers, his voice thick with longing. “Just tonight… I can’t hold back anymore.”
The night wind howled.
Mr. Richmond’s estate looked magnificent against the night sky, grandiose and elegant. The courtyard was filled with luxury cars of every description, while impeccably dressed guests moved about with grace and style.
A sleek black limousine rolled up to the Richmond estate. Fabian stepped out, taking
Chesca’s hand.
Returning to high society, Chesca’s position was notably different from before.
She now owned five percent of Leshine in her own name. Her husband Fabian treated her
with profound respect. She was no longer a woman looking up to her husband–she had
complete autonomy.
Tonight, all eyes were on Chesca.
Fabian was equally striking–crisp white shirt, black bespoke suit perfectly framing his tall figure, and those chiseled features that captured countless admiring glances.
Hand in hand with Chesca, he cut through the perfumed crowd straight toward their hosts.
The rumors about their troubled relationship were quickly dispelled by their affectionate
display.
Across the room, Mr. and Mrs. Richmond were greeting guests.
The Arnault family, leveraging Draxion’s prior acquaintance with Mrs. Richmond, were making determined efforts to introduce Veronica to the couple.
Chapter 20
Veronica had been doing her research–The Richmonds had no children.
If she could win their favor, she might become the princess of Yolo Export Corporation, which would naturally smooth her path with Fabian.
With a charming smile, she approached Mrs. Richmond. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Richmond. I’m Veronica Arnault, Mr. Draxion Arnault’s daughter.”
Mrs. Richmond’s attitude remained cold. “I’m sorry, I’m not well acquainted with Mr. Arnault.”
Veronica’s face froze, then flushed crimson with embarrassment.
Mrs. Richmond showed not a hint of discomfort as she maintained her chilly demeanor toward the Arnaults.
Veronica assumed this was simply how the ultra–wealthy behaved–looking down on everyone equally, even when her father was a renowned painter.
Veronica couldn’t detect the genuine disgust in Mrs. Richmond’s eyes.
Just then, Fabian approached with Chesca, the striking couple drawing every eye in the
room.
Veronica tried to approach, but Mrs. Arnault held her back.
“This isn’t the place for you to fight for attention. Veronica, you need to understand the situation,” she whispered sharply.
Veronica froze, tears welling in her eyes.
She desperately craved Fabian’s attention, but he barely spared her a glance. Instead, he guided his wife toward the Richmonds with practiced ease. “Mr. and Mrs. Richmond.”
Mr. Richmond, a distinguished man in his fifties, exuded grace and charm. “Fabian, you’re certainly a lucky man.”
His wife’s beauty–his glory.
Chapter 20
Even Fabian couldn’t help glancing at Chesca with a slight smile.
Mrs. Richmond took Chesca’s hand with warmth. “I heard you two reconciled. I’ve been so happy for you, though I didn’t want to intrude.”
Mr. Richmond wrapped an arm around his wife, laughing good–naturedly. “The honeymoon phase after a short separation. Don’t you get too sentimental now.”
His affection for his wife was evident, which translated into warmth toward Chesca. To please his wife, he blurted out, “It’s wonderful you two connected so well. Looking closely, you actually share similar features! Don’t you think so, Fabian?”
Fabian never bothered with details about women’s appearances.
But business pleasantries came naturally to him. “Yes, there is some resemblance.”
Mrs. Richmond gazed at Chesca, her expression almost dreamlike.
She adored Fabian’s wife. If only she could be her daughter–how perfect that would be!
But that was impossible.
In this vast world, and such coincidences didn’t happen.
Mr. Richmond squeezed his wife protectively. “My fault. I’ll make it up to you later.”
Mrs. Richmond weakly leaned her head on his shoulder.
Nearby, Draxion’s face looked forlorn.
Watching his former lover with her new husband brought an undeniable pang of sorrow. His usually composed face cracked slightly, revealing hidden pain.
Later, Draxion finally found an opportunity to speak with Mrs. Richmond alone on the
terrace.
Chapter 20
“Iris,” he called softly.
Mrs. Richmond turned, typically fragile but now cold as ice. “Mr. Arnault, there’s no need
for such familiarity. We have nothing left between us. Address me as Mrs. Richmond.”
Draxion’s face contorted with pain. “Why push me away like this? We shared something
special once.”
“Something special?”
Mrs. Richmond let out a bitter laugh before hissing, “You dirty the word and offends my
ears.”
Draxion, knowing full well that whatever they had was long gone, changed the subject to their lost daughter. “Have you found the child?”
The mention of their daughter brought tears to Mrs. Richmond’s eyes.
That stormy night so many years ago, her child was only five when she disappeared while Mrs. Richmond lay unconscious from illness.
After all these years, was her child still alive? If so, where?
Remembering the past, Mrs. Richmond’s eyes filled with hatred. “That was my child alone!
You have no claim to her!”
“I know. I failed you back then.” Draxion admitted, his voice breaking.
After a moment’s hesitation, he somehow found the nerve to continue. “What’s done is done. We’ve both moved on, and our lives aren’t too bad now. My daughter, Veronica… she
wants-”
What’s done is done?
Their lives aren’t too bad?
His daughter?
Chapter 20
Mrs. Richmond shook her head in disbelief. She had underestimated Draxion’s
shamelessness.
Even now, he could ask favors for his daughter while their own child remained lost
somewhere in the world.
Just as Mrs. Richmond was about to lose control, the glass terrace door opened. Chesca
walked in.
