Chapter 14

Julian's car shot down the road, weaving between vehicles at breakneck speed. Yvonne gripped the grab handle with white knuckles, her face drained of all color.

Inside the car, silence stretched between them.Julian's fury simmered just beneath the surface, a storm he barely kept contained.

Despite the chaos on the road, he maneuvered with flawless control, slipping through traffic at reckless speeds and skimming past several near collisions.

After narrowly missing another car, Yvonne's restraint broke, and her voice shook as she pleaded, "Please,slow down."

But the wind rushing past the windows drowned her out completely.

Fear mingled wit hurt, and Yvonne's composure finally broke. Tears streamed down her face as she crumpled into the seat, feeling lost and defenseless.

The sight of her curled up and sobbing snapped Julian back to reality. The car screeched to a sudden stop as he slammed on the brakes. He started to say something, but Yvonne was already brushing away her tears and firmly pushing the door open to get out.

A new wave of frustration surged through Julian. He rarely let his emotions get the better of him, yet today they kept slipping through his grasp. Without even realizing it, he had already seized Yvonne and pulled her back, pinning her against the seat.

"Is that it? You can't wait to run off and see your new man?" His voice was harsh.

Yvonne froze, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her anger flared, and she let out a cold laugh. "And what does it matter to you?"

Julian stared at her, caught off guard by the defiance in her voice. She felt like a stranger now. Gone was the softness in her gaze; only mockery remained.

Her voice was sharper than ever as she threw his words back at him. "Let's not forget, Julian, our marriage is just a front for Rodger's sake. If I have someone else, it's none of your concern!"

He remembered his own promise from before, the freedom he'd granted her as long as appearances were kept for Rodger's sake.

Now, hearing those words thrown in his face,a wave of displeasure washed over him. A chill settled in his gaze as he clenched his lips in silence.

Watching him unravel like that, Yvonne's expression shifted ever so slightly, touched by a trace of satisfaction, as if his frustration gave her some twisted sense of pleasure.

She suddenly looped her arms around his neck,drawing close. Julian could feel her breath at his ear,his own breath catching as tension crackled in the small space between them.

But her next words were as cold as ice. "I'm done playing this game, Julian. I want adivorce."

Her closeness vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Julian reeling-he couldn't tell if it was from rage or something deeper. All he knew was that his self-control unraveled.

Without thinking, he caught her by the neck, dragging her back and crushing her lips with his in a rough,desperate kiss.

Watching her recoil in shock, wiping her lips with shaking hands, Julian felt a twisted satisfaction.

She glared. "Have you lost your mind?"

He absentmindedly touched his lips, surprised at how soft hers had been; how had he never noticed that before? As Yvonne bristled, Julian pulled himself together, his voice cool and steady. "You want to call it quits now?Let's not rewrite history. You cornered me into this marriage with Grandpa's help. And now..."

Julian tilted Yvonne's chin upward, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "I'm the one steering this game," he said coldly. "You don't get to decide when it stops."