Inside the master bedroom, Madelyn rummaged through the closet, pulling clothes from the shelves and tossing them into the luggage. The tears that had been threatening at the corners of her eyes finally fell, streaming down her cheeks as her heart ached, breaking under the weight of it all.
How did this happen?
Could there be a mistake elsewhere?
Madelyn thought, hoping this was a lie yet she couldn't bring herself to deny what had happened.
When the door creaked open and footsteps approached, she quickly wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
Before she could reach for more clothes, a firm hand grabbed the wardrobe door and slammed it shut.
"Madelyn, what are you doing?" Rafael's voice, cold and sharp, demanded.
"It's none of your business," Madelyn uttered, refusing to look at him.
The harshness of her words sent an unexpected jolt through Rafael's chest, stirring emotions.
"What do you mean it's none of my business? Are you planning to just walk away?" His voice rose with anger, his chest heaving, eyes blazing with frustration.
Madelyn stared at him, confused. Why was he so upset, so furious, by what she said? It was the first time she saw him react this way—unsettled and angry.
Locking eyes with him, Madelyn tried to understand, but she couldn't. "Stop pretending like you care that I'm living with you as your wife when you've never treated me like one."
Rafael rubbed his neck, his gaze dropping as he struggled to find the right words. "It's about Erica…"
"And what about her? Were you sneaking around with my half-sister behind my back?" Madelyn's voice was sharp with accusation.
Rafael's expression twisted with remorse, his face contorting as he spoke. "What happened between Erica and me... It's not what you think, Maddy. I can't even explain how it got to this point. Please, just trust me. Let me handle it. Everything will go back to normal, I promise. Just don't do anything rash."
Madelyn let out a bitter laugh, turning away from him to mask the pain that clenched her heart. Emotions tangled inside her, unnameable and impossible to untangle.
She wanted to believe him. But did he not understand how exhausting it was to keep loving someone who never gave any sign of hope?
To the world, she was just his wife. But to him? She had never been more than a placeholder.
She had endured sharing his affection and devotion with other women lurking around him, but now it was enough. Especially now that Erica carried his child.
She was the one who was supposed to have his children. She was supposed to be the one who was enough.
Madelyn sighed, struggling against the storm rising in her chest.
"I need rest. You should do all you want but…" she muttered. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
She moved to walk away, but Rafael reached out, gripping her arm and pulling her back against his chest. The unexpected closeness caught her off guard, her heart racing from the sudden intimacy after their heated words.
She grabbed his wrist, the unease creeping up her spine, but when his fingers gently brushed her stomach, a softness bloomed within her. Her tension faded, replaced by the flutter of a fragile hope she couldn't suppress.
His touch was a quiet promise, a gentle offering for something unspoken between them.
"Please don't leave, Maddy," Rafael begged in a whisper. "Wait for me. I'm trying."
Stunned, Madelyn's eyes widened, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. She wondered what had caused this shift in him, so unlike his usual self. Her lips twisted into a faint, tentative smile as the smell of alcohol on his breath filled the space between them.
Rafael buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent. The warmth of his breath made her pulse race.
He had missed this. Her proximity, the scent of her skin, the curve of her body—all of it. Exhausted though he was, there was never a moment when he was too tired for her.
"You're drunk, Rafael. Let go of me," she whispered, her voice trembling with the need to break free.
"I'm not drunk," he muttered, trying to deny the haze of alcohol clouding his mind after discovering Erica's pregnancy. "I'm not keeping Erica, and I don't want anything to do with her. We shouldn't let anyone come between us. We still have so much time ahead."
Ten years? Twenty years? More than that.
But how long could she wait for love that might never come? Could she endure the longing for that long?
Madelyn broke free from his embrace, turning to face him. His gaze was unreadable, a storm of emotions swirling in his eyes. She found her resolve slipping under the intensity of that look.
"I don't know if I can keep waiting," she said softly, her voice trembling with the weight of her uncertainty.
Without a word, Rafael leaned in, capturing her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. Their mouths met in a fiery clash, their tongues dancing, igniting passion, buried love, and the echoes of old resentment. The tension between them dissolved into something raw, something that had long been buried but never forgotten.
The air in the room thickened, laden with desire and the unspoken words between them. Their moans, soft and desperate, filled the silence, heightening the intimacy of the moment.
Rafael's hand slid beneath her nightgown, gently cupping her breast, sending a shiver through her body. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more fervent.
Madelyn let out a soft moan, her body responding to the heat flooding her veins. His touch felt like a spark, igniting something deep inside her that she hadn't realized was there.
She wanted to resist to keep her dignity intact. She wanted to stay angry about the situation, about everything. But her body betrayed her, succumbing to the need pulsing through her.
Rafael could feel the heat between them, the undeniable desire blazing through him. "I want to feel you, Little Bunny," he murmured against her lips, his fingers brushing teasingly against her lower lips.
At the sound of her nickname, Madelyn snapped into her senses. She knew this moment was spiraling beyond her control. Her heart raced, and she broke the kiss, flustered and flushed.
Her hand gripped his, stopping him as he reached for her bra.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, the sting of shame crawling up her neck.
She glared at him, her tone defensive. "I'm not in the mood for this," she snapped, daring him to challenge her.
Rafael's mischievous smile never faded when he caught her denial, as he could feel the heat radiating from her skin. But she played willfully because she was hurting from the desires she wanted, which he struggled to come to terms with yet.
"I can get you in the mood. Can I?" His voice was low, a quiet plea. He wasn't trying to push her, only to coax her.
Madelyn's resolve cracked, her eyes locking with his. She couldn't fight him any longer, knowing this might be the last time.
Let her be foolish for this once.
"Yes," Madelyn whispered, her voice barely audible. "Let's do this."
Rafael slowly removed her corporate dress, revealing the soft, silky skin beneath.
She was breathtaking. Fucking stunning as always.
He lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the bed. Her heart raced, unsure if this tenderness was just another layer of the complexity between them—or a true, soft moment.
Rafael kissed her again, slow and deep, as his hands explored her body, claiming every inch. He kissed her neck, grazing his teeth along her skin, his breath warm against her flushed flesh.
Madelyn arched her back, her chest pressing against his as his hands continued their path over her, teasing and exploring. Every touch, every kiss lit her nerves on fire. She lost herself in the sensation. Her breath quickened, heart pounding as heat pooled between her legs.
"Oh, Rafael," she moaned, the words trembling from her lips.
Rafael spread her legs and positioned himself between them, his body sinking into hers. The sensation of him inside made her gasp.
"Rafael..." she moaned his name, her body arching as his unrelenting thrusts sent waves of pleasure and pain through her.
"Fuck, Maddy!" Rafael groaned, his movements growing more frantic, faster. Their bodies collided in a rhythm that was both desperate and familiar—until, with a final thrust, he released deep inside her.
Madelyn clutched the blanket tightly, her body trembling beneath him from the intensity of it all. Their breaths—shallow and desperate—filled the room as the aftermath of their passion lingered in the air.