The CEO's Runaway Genius Surgeon Wife

ion-unrelated to desire, existing only to comply with the

lex Harvey kept her eyes closed and endured this violence from her husband, Damien. She

ed in name only, red

rist, on the Patek Philippe watch he never took off. The movement of the second hand seemed to record the passage of time with

bed, without kissing her again or even glancing at her. He picked up his phone and t

nterval while dialing, he turned to Alex and said, "Monitor it on sche

ent for a moment, then said, his voice clear and forceful:

nine-figure deal. To her, she was like a rag d

and. Then he walked toward the door without h

eper's voice came from down the hal

voice cold and curt. "I

revealing faint red marks left by his body pressing against hers. She limped into the huge adjoini

umiliation. Mechanically, she followed the post-intercourse cleansing routine recommended by the fertility spec

owel and stared at the pale, exp

notification. A strange impulse she had not felt in years drove her to p

sband adored and had once publicly declared his love for. In the photo, the

then herself left behind alone, Alex cou

m "Sera." The message read: "The stars miss you, an

y in them. Was having a child merely a task? A child should be

nder reply-a tenderness she had never experienced fr

She threw the phone back onto the

. At the top of the grand staircase, she met Mrs. Foster. A fl

ady, in the sunroom,"

Alex forced a faint smile,

but did not touch the tea, only gazing at the neatly manicured gardens. Her hand brushed lightly o

ugh; his family ne

. Five years. She had operated like a perfect mach

m. Time to take the medication

nt. Then, with a steady hand, she pressed "Off.