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Diana was speaking with so much emotion, she almost seemed like she was about to bow before me.
But before she could, Quinn stepped in, pulling her upright in one smooth motion, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders.
His brow furrowed, and his voice was firm. “You didn’t do anything wrong. There’s no need to apologize to anyone.”
In the chill of the winter night, Diana huddled against him like a frightened kitten, her frame trembling against his chest. Without a second thought, Quinn shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
To anyone watching, they must have looked like the perfect couple.
A bitter ache settled in my chest, but I forced a smile, raising an eyebrow as I threw a jab. “They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Miss Terell, did you inherit your talent for playing the other woman from your mom?”
Diana visibly flinched, her body shaking as fresh tears spilled down her face.
In that moment, I understood why people always say the woman who knows how to play the victim gets everything she
Wants.
“Shut up!” Quinn snapped, his brown eyes flashing with disgust as they met mine, his tone as cold as the winter air.
I stood there, helpless, watching as he cradled Diana like she was the most delicate thing on earth. He even opened the passenger door for her, fastening her seatbelt with a tenderness that made my stomach turn.
In this little scene, I was the odd one out–the outsider.
For three years, I’d loved Quinn with everything I had, enduring his indifference and his commands without a word of complaint. But now, standing before Diana–the woman who’d caused me to give birth prematurely–I couldn’t choke down my anger anymore.
Quinn acted like I didn’t even exist and headed straight for the driver’s seat. Not on my watch. I stepped in front of him, blocking his path with no intention of moving..
“What are you trying to pull now?” he asked, his tone cold and his eyes sharp enough to cut.
My chest felt tight, like the pain might crush me, but I forced a calm smile. “It’s simple,” I said lightly. “You’ve got two options: either you drive me home, or I march back inside and ask Alex to lend me a car.”
“Natalia!” His voice snapped like a whip, his face darkening with irritation.
I met his icy stare head–on, not backing down. Even if he hit me right now, I wasn’t about to flinch.
After a long, charged silence, I tilted my head, still holding my ground. “So? What’s it gonna be?”
His jaw tightened, his face thunderous as he growled, “Natalia, you’ve got guts!”
For someone as stubborn as Quinn, giving in wasn’t his style. But this small victory? It didn’t bring me the slightest bit of satisfaction.
Not waiting for Ins answer, I walked over to the passenger side, yanked the door open, and leveled a cold stare at Diana.
Our
“What? Why should I?” Diana froze, her hand instinctively clutching the seatbelt, her wide, tear–filled eyes darting to Quinn. silently pleading for help.
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Chapter 14
Quinn gave me a long, unreadable look before turning to her. ” have Finn come pick you
“d drive you home.”
“No!” Diana’s face drained of color as she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt. She shot me a glare, then softened her voice toward Quinn. “Quinn, I’ll sit in the back. We can drop Natalia off first, then go home together. Okay?”
I had to hand it to her–the sheer audacity was impressive. The way she spoke, it was like she was the one married to Quinn.
Quinn’s expression remained impassive. He gave her a curt nod and muttered. “Fine,” before starting the car.
With Diana safe and sound. Quinn finally seemed to relax. The drive went unusually smoothly, the tension lifting ever so slightly.
I thought he’d drop me off at my family’s house, but to my surprise, the car pulled up in front of a swanky apartment complex instead. Quinn turned to Diana in the back seat, his voice soft. “We’re here. Go inside and get some rest.” That’s when it hit me–Quinn had set her up with a new place. No wonder I hadn’t seen her stuff in his villa.
Diana blinked, clearly just as surprised. She hesitated, then asked, “Aren’t you dropping her off first?*
You’re closer.” Quinn replied, his tone flat and to the point.
She opened her mouth, probably to argue, but then seemed to think better of it. Instead, she threw me a glance–something between smugness and pity–before turning back to Quinn with a sugary smile. “Alright, I’ll whip up some late–night snacks. for us when you get home.”
With that, she stepped out of the car, though she lingered on the sidewalk, casting Quinn one last longing look.
Quinn didn’t even glance back as he restarted the engine.
The frustration that had been bubbling inside me all night was finally spent, leaving nothing but exhaustion. I didn’t even. want to deal with his frosty attitude anymore.
“You know,” I said, managing a faint, self–deprecating smile, “you could just lend me the car. I’ll drive myself home.
Trying to play considerate now?” he sneered, his tone ice–cold–completely different from how he spoke to Diana. “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?”
I shrugged, too used to his jabs to let them sting anymore, Honestly, the idea of him being kind to me seemed almost laughable now. If he ever spoke to me nicely, I’d probably assume he’d lost his mind.
“Think what you want, I muttered with a sigh, too drained to argue. Leaning back in my seat, I closed my eyes and let the silence take over.
Twenty minutes later, the car came to a stop. When I opened my eyes, I realized we were parked at his villa–not my family’s house.
Before I could ask why, Quinn was already out of the car and heading inside, Left with no other choice, I followed.
As soon as we stepped through the door, my stomach betrayed me, letting out a loud, obnoxious growl.
I hadn’t eaten anything all evening, and the hunger was finally catching up with me. Without muchi thought, I wandered into the kitchen to see if there was anything edible left.
Quinn stood by the floor–to–ceiling windows in the living room, his tall frame outlined against the soft glow of the city lights
outside.
Out of habit, the words slipped out before I could stop them. “An you hungry? I could throw something together.”
As soon as I said it, I regretted it. Diana’s apartment was stocked with snacks she’d probably made just for him. The thought
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Chapter 14
made my chest tighten a wave of self–loathing washing over me
Even now,
I couldn’t seem to stop myself from caring about him.
“Yeah,” he said unexpectedly.
I froze, caught off guard. “You’re… not heading back tonight?”
Π
Quinn turned, his face unreadable. “What, you want me gone?” His voice was cold, his sharp gaze pinning me in place. “So you can run to Grandpa and spill everything?”
I was silent for a moment, not sure how to respond. If I’d really wanted to tattle to Alex, I wouldn’t have spent the last three years biting my tongue.
This couldn’t possibly be about him caring for Diana, could it? I didn’t buy that for a second.
Quinn was sharp–he knew as well as I did that Alex was only playing nice because Diana mattered to him. I couldn’t make sense of what was going through his mind.
“Well!” he said, his tone clipped. “Are you going to cook, or was that just for show?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned and headed upstairs, tossing over his shoulder. “Bring it up when it’s ready.”
Seriously? The guy had bossy down to an art form.
Since Quinn hated having too many people around, we’d never hired a maid or butler. Whenever he decided to eat at home. it was always me in the kitchen cooking for him.
Lately, though, he hadn’t been around much, and the fridge was almost bare. There were just two tomatoes and a half- empty box of spaghetti
I quickly whipped up two plates of tomato pasta and carried one upstairs. Quinn was in the shower when I walked into the bedroom. “Til leave it on the table. Eat it while it’s hot, I called out toward the bathroom.
But just as I set the plate down and turned to leave, the bathroom door swung open. Quinn stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his damp hair, tracing the sharp lines of his muscles.
The sight caught me off guard, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away
Noticing my stare, he smirked and said in that low, commanding voice of his, “Come here. Dry my hair.”
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