Chapter 2
Myra stiffened, a flush creeping up her neck.
She couldn’t deny the glimmer of hope that had sparked within her when Greta mentioned the bouquet of flowers.
I knew it was impossible for him to buy me flowers, so why do I keep finding myself in these situations?
Her throat felt parched as she hesitantly asked, “Then, why did you ask to see me?”
Sean strode over to the desk, opening a drawer without looking at her. His voice was cold when he finally spoke. “I expected you to behave, but you crossed the line anyway. Eris may have brushed off what happened tonight, but I don’t ever want to see you pull something like that again.”
His sideburns were neatly trimmed, framing his sharp, well-structured profile. Myra watched him in the full-length mirror across the room, her heart tightening at the familiar coldness in his expression. He had always been distant, but tonight, the distance felt more pronounced than ever.
Her eyes flicked to the bouquet of blue roses, sitting on the ottoman. The tension in the room seemed to thicken, the contrast between the beauty of the flowers and the cold air almost suffocating.
She struggled to steady her breath, pretending to hold her ground even as she trembled with unease. “It wasn’t me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
For a moment, she wondered if he even heard her. He stood tall, unaffected, as he took a red velvet box from the drawer.
Sean glanced at his watch before meeting her eyes, his face a mask of indifference. “Myra, don’t play these tricks with my woman. I’ve fulfilled your wish for a marriage—what more do you want from me? If you think you can claim me as your own, you’re mistaken. I don’t have those feelings for you. If you want my heart—”
“I told you I didn’t push Eris into the pond!” Myra interrupted him, her voice trembling with frustration and pain.
Her lips were pale, her body shaking so badly she feared she might collapse.
Sean’s expression darkened as he scowled at her. “Are you saying she lied?” He scoffed, turning away from her with visible disgust. “She can’t swim—did you know that? She could have drowned if I hadn’t gotten there in time. Do you think you’d still be standing here if that had happened?”
“Sean, do you really think I would do something like that?” The words burst from her, a flood of resentment and hurt that she had kept bottled up for so long. Her gaze, filled with bitterness, locked onto his. “I didn’t push Eris. She fell into the water herself. She came to me, tried to make me leave you by insulting me, but I never wanted to hurt her!”
Myra’s cheeks were hollowed, her eyes wide and vulnerable. Her pain was written all over her face, the anguish raw and undeniable.
Sean saw the storm brewing in her eyes, the sorrow and anger that clouded her once vibrant gaze. But rather than soften, his expression grew colder, more disdainful. He thought of Eris, shivering in his arms, advising him not to blame Myra. The anger surged within him, and before he could stop himself, he shoved Myra aside.
“You’re the most despicable woman I’ve ever met!” he spat, his words like ice. Myra staggered backward, her feet hitting the floor with a dull thud as she struggled to regain her balance. Her face drained of color, her eyes wide with shock.
But he didn’t spare her another glance. With a cold, bitter expression, he picked up the bouquet of roses and turned toward the door.
Myra didn’t know where the courage came from, but before she could think, she moved to block his path. “Where are you going at this hour?” she demanded, her voice breaking through the silence.
Sean’s gaze turned icy as he glared at her. “Move,” he ordered, his voice sharp.
Her eyes misted with tears, but she stood her ground, her gaze flickering to the silver ring on her finger.
It was just a simple band, bought from an unremarkable shop. Sean had given it to her before their relationship soured, and though he had long since stopped trying, she still cherished it. He never bought her a proper diamond ring, and over time, she had come to see the silver band as a symbol of something that once held meaning.
“You’re a married man now, Sean. What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Myra shouted, unable to keep the anger inside any longer.
For two years, she had woken up every day to see pictures of her husband with his arms around another woman. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt truly happy.
He shoved her arm away. The door slammed shut with a finality that sent a chill through her. Before it closed completely, his voice drifted back to her, cold and cruel. “You should have known what you were signing up for when you married into the Chase family.”
Myra froze, her body stiff with shock.
Greta didn’t enter the study until she heard the front door close. She looked at Myra with sympathy, her voice soft. “Young Mistress Myra, are you alright?”
Myra straightened up, her hand instinctively reaching for her face. She expected to feel the heat of tears, but her skin was dry, tight. In a daze, she shook her head and quietly left the study, heading toward her bedroom without a word.