Chapter 15
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I wanted to refuse, but the intimacy of the request made my heart race, hammering against my ribs..
Quinn sat in the chair, picking up his fork with that calm, composed air of his, like nothing was out of the ordinary. He lowered his gaze, quietly eating the tomato pasta I’d made him.
I grabbed the hairdryer and stood behind him, letting the warm air flow through his damp brown hair. My fingers brushed against the soft strands, and for a moment, I got lost in the sensation.
How long had it been since we’d shared such a quiet, calm moment like this? It felt like forever–so long, in fact, that I was seriously thinking about walking away from him for good.
By the time he finished the pasta, his hair was dry. Just
wrapping his arm around my waist. In one swift mot I was about to put the dryer away, Quinn suddenly reached out,
he pulled me onto his lap.
Startled. I looked up–right into his deep, brown eyes. His handsome face leaned closer, his cool fingers trailing up my back. from my waist, igniting a shiver that ran through me.
“Quinn…” I murmured, my voice trembling, confused by his sudden intensity.
“Didn’t you want me to leave?” His voice was rough, thick with something that made it hard for me to breathe, let alone
resist.
I bit my lip, my heart tightening. He wasn’t wrong–I didn’t want him to go. Even if we were meant to were beyond repair, I wanted to leave some mark on him.
part, even if things
Whether it was hate, love, or something in between, I wanted Quinn to never forget me, not for a single day of his life.
Without thinking, I reached out, wrapping my arms around his neck, and kissed him hard, desperate for something to hold,
Onto
For a second, his body stiffened, but then his eyes narrowed with something darker. He pulled me closer, his grip tightening as he lifted me effortlessly, deepening the kiss.
Our breaths mingled, and the kiss went on, each second filled with a heat neither of us could deny.
Hours later, the room was still. The only sound was the steady rise and fall of our chests as we lay in silence on the bed.
But this time, Quinn didn’t leave right away. He stayed there, his back to me, quiet and still.
The soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow across his broad back. For a fleeting second, I felt an overwhelming urge to curl up against him, to let his warmth pull me into sleep. To let myself rest in his arms, even if only for this one night
But the sound of Diana’s phone ringing sliced through the fragile calm. The ringtone barely rang for three seconds before Quinn picked up. “Diana, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice tight with concern.
I couldn’t make out what she said, but the moment Quinn hung up, he grabbed a random set of clothes from the couch and tossed them on. “Wait there. I’ll be right down,” he said quickly before rushing out the door.
1 froze for a moment, the knot in my stomach tightening. Then quickly threw on some clothes and made my way toward the stairs, only to see Quinn ushering Diana inside.
She stood in the living room, chutching a thermal food contain her face blotchy from tears. Her voice was soft and shaky, like a frightened kitten begging for help. “Quinn, I don’t have anyone else. Please don’t leave me.”
Her words cracked, pitiful and desperate, as though she were some wounded animal pleading for kindness. “Don’t be mad at
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- me. I didn’t mean to disturb you… I just–I was worried you’d be hungry. You promised we’d have a late–night snack together…
Quinn didn’t seem to have the heart to snap at her. Gently, he took the thermos from her hands, his voice softening as he murmured, “Alright, stop crying now.”
Diana burst into tears again, throwing herself into his arms like he was her lifeline.
From the top of the stairs, I watched it all unfold. Diana was so dramatic, she could’ve won an Oscar for “Best Performance by a Damsel in Distress.
Never in a million years would I have imagined her showing up uninvited in the middle of the night–and for Quinn to actually let her stay,
“Quinn.” I called out, unable to hold it in any longer. “Don’t forget what your grandfather said tonight.” I frowned, gripping the only leverage I had left. My voice was sharp as I descended the stairs. “Even if you want her to move in, you’ll have to wait until after we’re divorced!”
Quinn shot me a look that could freeze water. His tone was colder than the winter air. “This is my house. You don’t get to make demands here”
With that, he wrapped his arm around Diana and walked past me without so much as a glance, taking her straight to the
I stood frozen, the weight
of his words pressing down on me like a ton of bricks. I felt… ridiculous. Pathetic, even
A sharp pain throbbed at my temples, and for a split second, I considered heading back to my family’s house.
But then Jenna’s words echoed in my head–The Hinton family isn’t your home anymore..
I had nowhere else to go. So, swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat, I turned and trudged back to the bedroom, forcing myself to sleep.
When I finally woke up, it was nearly nine in the morning, and the exhaustion from the night before still clung to me like a fog-
I went through the motions of washing up, then headed downstairs. Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Quinn stepping out of the guest room. He was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, his hair neatly combed, but his face was slightly drawn, like he hadn’t slept much.
Did he and Diana… not do anything last night? The thought flitted through my mind, but I quickly pushed it away. It didn’t
matter anymore.
I turned my gaze away and walked into the kitchen, trying to keep my face neutral as I busied myself with making breakfast. “Quinn, let me make you breakfast, Diana’s bright, cheery voice rang out from behind me. She bounced into the kitchem with that easy smile of hers. “We can eat together before heading to work!”
I didn’t even glance her way as I cracked an egg into the pan and poured myself a glass of milk. I was planning to just grab my food and leave, but as I passed her, Diana suddenly stepped into my path.
“Move,” I said, irritation bubbling up.
She didn’t budge, her lips curling into a smug little smirk as she leaned in, her voice low enough for only the two of us to hear. “Natalia, you’re parlictic. If I were you, I would’ve packed my bags and bounced by now. How do you still have the guts to stick around in someone else’s house?”
I shot her a cold, dismissive look. “Too bad you’re not me. Otherwise, you’d be the one married to Quinn right now.”
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Her eyes flashed, and she saçered. “Stop kidding yourself. What’s the point of your marriage? Quinn doesn’t love you. Have you ever even fallen asleep in his arms while he whispered sweet nothings in your car?”
Her words had a bite, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, so nothing happened between you two last night? Sorry to burst your little fantasy bubble, but before you came barging in, Quinn was already… busy with me.
“Maybe that’s why he had to whisper sweet nothings‘ to you afterward.”
Diana’s face went bright red, her mouth opening and closing like she couldn’t find the words. “You… shameless-”
I grabbed my glass of milk and walked out, leaving her fuming in the kitchen like a kettle about to blow its top.
I’d barely taken a sip of my milk when Quinn came rushing down the stairs, his face etched with urgency, a look I’d never seen before. “Get in the car,” he ordered, his usual calm demeanor gone, replaced by something close to panic.
“What’s going on?” Diana asked, poking her head out of the kitchen.
Quinn didn’t even glance at her. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward the door. The hospital just called,” he said tightly. “There’s been an emergency with the baby. We need to get there now.”
My heart dropped like a stone, a cold chill spreading through my body. Every nerve on high alert, I followed him outside. hardly able to breathe..
Quinn slammed his foot on the gas, the car screeching down the road.
“What did they say? Is the baby okay?” I asked, my voice shaky, panic starting to claw at my throat.
He didn’t answer. His jaw was set, and his brow furrowed in worry as he drove, his silence only deepening my fear.
At the hospital, the tension was palpable. Outside the emergency room, the hospital director stood by the door, his face pale, eyes wide with unease,
Alex sat nearby on a bench, his expression grim, leaning heavily on his cane.
“What happened? Quinn demanded, his voice sharp.
The director opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, the doors to the emergency room suddenly swung open.
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