Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
BECKETT\u00a0<\/p>\n
I yanked my tie loose and threw it across the room, not caring where it landed. Anger still boiled in refusing to settle even after we got back home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0e0a\u0e25\u00a0<\/p>\n
430\u00a0<\/p>\n
my\u00a0<\/p>\n
veins,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it!\u201d I roared, raking a hand through my hair in frustration. I couldn\u2019t understand it\u2013her. Dylan, For years, she had been chasing after me, willing to do anything just to stay by my side. She even tried to tear me and Sarah apart once. And now? Now she was pushing me away like I meant nothing. Like everything we went through was just\u2026 forgotten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why? Why the sudden change of heart?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was it because of that man?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That Hunter Gage De Marco?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The name didn\u2019t even ring a bell, but the way he stood there, so sure, so confident\u2013it made my skin crawl.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was stewing in my anger when Sarah\u2019s voice broke through my thoughts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like me to order some takeout?\u201d she asked softly, almost timidly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned and looked at her\u2013really looked at her. Sarah. The woman I once thought I couldn\u2019t live without. The woman I lost when I was forced into a marriage with Dylan. I should be happy now. Things should be falling back into place, the way they were supposed to be. With Sarah by my side, no more obstacles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But something inside me twisted painfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something was\u2026 missing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook the feeling off and muttered, \u201cNo. I don\u2019t want takeout. Just go to the kitchen and make me something hot to eat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah\u2019s expression changed instantly. She crossed her arms and glared at me like I\u2019d slapped her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, I\u2019m not your maid, Beckett,\u201d she snapped. \u201cI don\u2019t appreciate you barking orders at me like I\u2019m on your payroll. And second, even if I wanted to, I don\u2019t know how to cook. That\u2019s what the staff are for, remember?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let out a heavy sigh and dropped onto the couch, pressing my hands against my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was so used to Dylan handling everything\u2013without complaining. No matter how tired she was after work, she\u2019d still come home, cook, clean, and make sure I was comfortable. She made it seem so easy\u2026 made me feel important,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, the house felt cold. Lifeless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Empty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:27 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hated to admit it, but I missed her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I missed her more than I wanted to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her soft smile, the way she hummed while cooking, the scent of her perfume lingering in the air\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
All of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She belonged here. With me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was mine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No matter what papers she signed\u2013or what new man she thought could protect her\u2013Dylan would always be\u00a0<\/p>\n
mine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But a nagging thought gnawed at the back of my mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter\u2019s words\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
He spoke with certainty, like he knew Dylan and I were divorced. Like he had seen proof.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But how could that be?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I never filed the divorce papers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A chill crept down my spine. Something was wrong. Very wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckett, are you alright?\u201d Sarah\u2019s voice broke through the silence, laced with concern. But I barely heard her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I dug my hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone, my fingers moving on their own as I dialed my lawyer\u2019s number. I needed answers. Now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckett-\u201d Sarah said again, stepping closer, but I lifted a hand, silencing her with a sharp gesture. I didn\u2019t even look at her. I couldn\u2019t. Not until I knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The phone rang twice before my lawyer, Mr. Harold Green, picked up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Sinclair,\u201d he greeted formally. \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHarold,\u201d I said tightly, fighting to keep my voice even, \u201cI need you to tell me something, and I need the truth. Right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d he answered, sounding slightly puzzled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sucked in a breath. \u201cDid you file my divorce from Dylan?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a pause on the other end. A heavy, telling pause that made my heart pound painfully against my\u00a0<\/p>\n
ribs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Mr. Sinclair. I filed it as soon as I received the papers. I was under the impression that you wanted it expedited as fast as possible. So, I did. I had a few friends in the court that made it possible.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:27 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
My world tilted. I gripped the back of the chair in front of me to steady myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t send you those papers,\u201d I said in a low, deadly voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another pause.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Harold hesitated. \u201cMiss Sarah Matthews brought the documents to my office. She said you had authorized her to handle it since you were\u2026 emotionally overwhelmed. She had everything in place\u2013your signatures were there. It was a straightforward process. I thought I was doing what you wanted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mouth went dry. My vision blurred at the edges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman is standing just a few feet away from me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman who now looked at me with wide, innocent eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had done this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had stolen my marriage right out from under me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Sinclair.\u201d Harold\u2019s voice came through the phone, sounding almost distant to my ears. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer. Instead, I ended the call with a heavy thumb, the sound of the disconnect final and sharp in the tense room. Slowly, almost mechanically, I turned to face Sarah.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckett?\u201d she said, her voice small, uncertain. She took a hesitant step closer, wringing her hands nervously in front of her. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at her for a long moment\u2013really seeing her, maybe for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not as the woman I had once loved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not as the woman I thought could fix all the broken pieces inside me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But as the woman who had betrayed me in the most unforgivable way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My voice was like ice when I finally spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou,\u201d I said, each word slow and biting. \u201cYou were the one who filed those divorce papers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah\u2019s face drained of color so fast it was like someone had pulled the life right out of her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2013I was just trying to help, Beckett,\u201d she stammered, her hands fluttering helplessly. \u201cI swear, I didn\u2019t mean to hurt you. I saw those papers lying on your desk\u2026 you must have forgotten about them. I thought you wanted it. I thought it was what you needed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head slowly, disbelief washing over me in sickening waves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou made a choice that wasn\u2019t yours to make.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:27 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tears welled up in Sarah\u2019s eyes. \u201cI was just trying to get it off your plate,\u201d she whispered. \u201cYou looked so tired, Beckett. So stressed. I thought\u2026 if I handled it, maybe you could finally be happy\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at her, my chest heaving with so many emotions that I couldn\u2019t even name them all. Anger, regret\u2026. and something softer, something that hurt even more\u2013guilt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah\u2019s tears spilled over, trailing down her flushed cheeks. She looked so small standing there, so desperate for my forgiveness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And despite everything, despite the wreckage now sitting between us\u2026 I couldn\u2019t completely blame her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t cruel. She wasn\u2019t trying to destroy me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was just trying to help in the only way she knew how.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed heavily, dragging a hand down my face, feeling the weight of everything pressing on my shoulders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSarah,\u201d I said, softer this time. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have yelled at you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked up at me, her lips trembling, hope flickering in her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI get it,\u201d I muttered. \u201cYou were trying to help. You thought you were doing the right thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded quickly, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand. \u201cI just wanted you to be happy, Beckett. That\u2019s all I ever wanted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I gave her a tired, sad smile. \u201cI know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But even as I said the words, the hollow feeling inside me grew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Good intentions or not, the truth remained:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because of that choice, Dylan was gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the ache of losing her was a thousand times worse than anything I had felt before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned my gaze out the window, staring blankly at the skyline. Somewhere out there, Dylan was starting a new life. Maybe with that man.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hands clenched into fists at my sides.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t sit here and wallow in guilt and anger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had to make things right\u2013before it was too late.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without another word, I grabbed my coat and stormed toward the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckett, where are you going?\u201d Sarah called out behind me, fear creeping into her voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I paused at the door, my hand gripping the handle so tightly it hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:27 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTo find my wife,\u201d I said without looking back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this time, I\u2019m not letting her go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u7530\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 20 Chapter 20\u00a0 BECKETT\u00a0 I yanked my tie loose and threw […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-alphas-golden-cage-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24371\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}