Too Late For Regret, Mr. Sterling

Chapter 3

Word Count: 905 | Released on: Today at 10:12

ith a dull, resonant thud. The sound ripped through the of

eather sofa in front of the fireplace, Sloane Kensington was leaning against Julian, her head nestled int

f she'd been burned. She scrambled to sit up straight, smoothin

mask of cold fury. His eyes, the color of a stormy sea, narrowed as he stare

ch clicked into place with a sound of finality, sealing the three

the hardwood floor as she advanced towards them. Each ste

igned innocence. "We were just discussing the jewelry pairings for the ex

ion. She was a ghost, a non-entity. Her entire focu

e guest list down on its polished surface. The

"On what authority do you override my project team and

e of arrogant nonchalance. "On the authority that my name is on the front of thi

as breathtaking. "A shrew? You bring your mistress i

s' hung in the ai

es, threatening to fall but never quite spilling over. A masterful performance. She bit h

s all i

enough!" he roared, surging to his feet. His sheer size was intimidating, cast

without flinching. Her own eyes were chips of ice. "I will not. This is n

cked up her designer handbag, her voice trembling.

e said nothing, his eyes locked on Arden's d

voice flat. "We'll

She recovered instantly, her expression melting back into wounded grace. Without another word, she walked past

ehind was heavier than

s predatory, backing her up until her hips hit the sharp edge of the credenza behin

r. "Don't forget how you got this position, Arden. Don'

curity. The carefully constructed walls around her heart crumbled. The color dra

placed her hands on Julian's chest and shoved. Hard. The unexpected move caught h

"Three years, Julian. Three years of being punished for someth

adable, the storm in his eyes flicker

turned and walked towards the doo

Chapter End

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Too Late For Regret, Mr. Sterling

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“For three years, Arden endured a cold, loveless marriage with Julian Sterling, punished daily for a paparazzi trap she never planned. On the night of their third anniversary, she saw the trending news. Julian was photographed tenderly shielding his mistress, Sloane, from the rain. He had bought Sloane a breathtaking diamond necklace, while sending his assistant to hand Arden a cheap, tacky replica as an afterthought. The humiliation got worse the next morning when Julian hijacked Arden's work project, making Sloane the guest of honor at an exhibition Arden had spent six months planning. When Arden confronted him, he shielded his weeping mistress and delivered the ultimate insult. "Sloane will be the highlight of the evening. She'll be wearing The Midnight Gala." That legendary sapphire heirloom was strictly reserved for the wife of the Sterling family. When a heartbroken Arden calmly handed him a signed divorce agreement, giving up her rights to every single penny, Julian completely lost his mind. He dragged her up the stairs by her wrist, threw her onto the bed, and violently pinned her down, snarling that his family only had widows, not ex-wives. Arden couldn't understand it. He despised her, treated her like a scheming gold-digger, and gave all his love to another woman. So why did he go completely insane and refuse to let go when she finally stepped aside? After slapping him hard across the face to snap him out of his violent frenzy, Arden watched him flee the room in horror. She calmly pulled out her old suitcase and packed her encrypted laptop-the secret vault of her true identity as the famous anonymous designer, 'Elinor'. Leaving the grand estate behind in the pouring rain, Arden chose to finally reclaim her life.”