Chapter 4
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His voice was hoarse, pain barely masked by impatience. "Do you still have my stomach medicine?"
I fell silent.
I did.
Years of skipping meals for work had left Harvey with chronic stomach issues.
His medication wasn't available at regular pharmacies, only specialty ones. He always forgot to refill it, so I'd buy extra whenever I went.
I'd accidentally packed it when I left.
"Can you bring me some?" His voice tightened with pain.
Once, my heart would have clenched at the sound of his suffering.
Now I just sneered. "How is that my problem?"
"Why don't you ask Lucia to handle it?"
Harvey fell silent.
I found it ridiculous that he'd tossed aside our marriage for Lucia without hesitation.
I thought they had some grand love affair.
Turns out it wasn't much at all.
"Bella, I regret everything," he said through gritted teeth. "Could you—"
"Buckle up." Axel suddenly leaned over, pulling my seatbelt across me.
The distance between us vanished. I could see the shadows cast by his long eyelashes.
Harvey's voice caught. "Bella, it's late. Who's with you? Is that a man?"
"Is that the guy from the party—"
I cut him off coldly. "We're divorced."
"It's none of your business."
"Don't call me again."
I hung up.
Beside me, Axel kept his eyes on the road. "Ex-husband?"
"Did I interrupt something?"
I smiled faintly, studying his profile without answering. Axel seemed proper in public, but he had a playful side in private.
When we reached my building, Axel killed the engine. The temperature in the car seemed to rise. His cologne—green notes with woody undertones—filled the space between us.
Axel leaned toward me, hesitant yet determined.
Moonlight caught his dark eyes, making them bottomless. His open collar revealed sharp collarbones.
His warm breath caressed my ear as his hand slid behind my head. "Won't you consider me?"
"I'm good-looking, wealthy, young, capable—"
I silenced him with a kiss.
Axel froze momentarily.
Then he took control, deepening the kiss.
We barely made it through my door.
He pinned me against the wall, one hand cushioning my head as he kissed me hungrily.
He lifted me effortlessly, strong arms supporting me as he tilted his head to kiss me.
What followed came naturally.
I woke in Axel's arms the next morning.
The first thing I saw was his sculpted chest.
My body ached as I tried to sit up.
A wry smile crossed my lips. So this was what being with a younger man felt like. No wonder Harvey had strayed.
It was passionate, captivating.
My first meeting with Axel had been dramatically accidental.
Fresh from my divorce, drowning in self-doubt,
I'd gone to the beach to clear my head. Suddenly, I was yanked backward, falling onto the sand.
I looked up, furious, only to see a face that made my heart stutter.
An exquisitely sculpted face filled my vision.
I was so dazzled I couldn't speak.
Later I learned he'd mistaken my sobbing for suicidal intentions.
I thought our meeting was just chance, until I reported to my new job and discovered he was my boss.
I stood awkwardly, speechless, but Axel just smiled and greeted me naturally.
After work, he caught me at the elevator. "Aren't you going to buy me dinner to thank me?"
Axel wore a perfectly tailored suit, his dark hair styled to reveal his forehead, looking effortlessly elegant.
Looking at that face, I nodded without thinking. "Sure."
To my surprise, he actually meant it.
Sitting across from him at dinner, I thought wryly: Attractive people really are misleading.
What surprised me was Axel's lack of boss-like arrogance. He matched me conversation for conversation.
Gradually, I discovered our shared interests—sci-fi movies, detective novels, spicy food.
Soon, Axel was asking me to dinner regularly.
I refused at first, but couldn't resist when he looked at me with those eager eyes.
We ate at every good restaurant in the area and watched every new movie release.
Slowly, I realized I'd gone days without thinking of Harvey. When I did, it hurt less.
I wasn't blind—I could see Axel was interested in me.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted, but I'd been burned once. I couldn't risk it again.
But seeing Harvey at that party changed something. I realized I couldn't stay imprisoned by my past.
I couldn't fear love forever.
I turned to find Axel already awake. Sunlight streamed through the curtains onto his face. He groaned softly and pulled me close.
"Hey," he murmured, his voice morning-rough and tender.
Just as he leaned in to kiss me, the doorbell rang.
I smiled, pushed him away, and shuffled to answer it.
I froze the moment I opened the door.
Harvey stood there, his face ashen.
"How did you find my place?" I blurted.
"I asked around," he said quietly. "Our friends—"
His eyes fixed on my neck, darkening dangerously. He grabbed my wrist. "Did you sleep with him?"
As I struggled to break free, Harvey was suddenly shoved backward.
Axel emerged shirtless, sliding his arm around my shoulders. "The ex-husband, right? Heard all about you."
"I heard you found someone younger?"
He pulled me closer. "Well, who doesn't prefer youth? Bella certainly does."
He extended his hand. "I'm Bella's current partner."
Harvey's face darkened as he stared at Axel's hand on my waist. Without warning, he threw a punch that caught Axel square in the face.
Axel stumbled back, then lunged forward, driving his fist into Harvey's stomach.
They fought like animals, trading vicious blows as if intent on murder.
Both were bloodied by the time I managed to separate them.
I stood protectively in front of Axel. "Get out," I told Harvey.
Then I turned to Axel.
"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.
"I'm hurt too," Harvey said, his voice wounded. "Worse than him."
"Ten years together, and you care about him?!"
I looked at him coldly. "You brought this on yourself."
Harvey's lips trembled, his face pale and miserable.
I turned away, helping Axel back inside.
As the door closed, I caught a glimpse of Harvey standing dazed in the flickering hallway light.
He looked like an abandoned dog.
I led Axel to the sofa, dabbing iodine on his split lip.
As I finished, Axel wrapped his arm around my waist, looking up with puppy-dog eyes. "Look what he did to my handsome face."
He blinked dramatically. "You won't leave me for someone else, will you?"
I smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "I won't."
