Chapter 86 Roses and Lies
Chapter 86 Roses and Lies
‘Bombshell Claude’s on a date with Shaw?!
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‘Shaw’s pulling out the big guns–cartloads of roses. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, buddy.
Before Jonathan even replied, Zane jumped in. ‘Fullbuster, you’re slipping. A man who can soar that high shouldn’t lose ground over a stolen wife.’
Carter chimed in. ‘Joey, drop a pin for Fullbuster so he can save his neck.‘
Location sent.’
‘I give Fullbuster twenty minutes before he shows.‘”
‘Ten minutes. No more than that.’
By the time Jonathan saw the messages, ten minutes had already passed. He tapped open the photo, his gaze turning cold.
So, she rushed off to see her cheating husband? Huh!
Zacharias‘ private dining room was tucked away at the farthest end of the second floor. A plaque hung above the door: Clauderias Suite, carved by the two of them together when the restaurant first opened.
Back then, she had thought of it as a gesture of his devotion. Now, standing before the door, Anneliese found it unbearable to look at. She tore the plaque down, tossed it into the trash, and only then pushed the door open.
A heavy fragrance of roses swept over her. The entire room was filled with blooms, arranged to look warm and romantic.
Zacharias had changed into a light khaki suit, less severe than his usual dark ones, and the color gave him a rakish, almost princely air–well–matched with the sea of roses.
The moment he saw her, he stood and stepped forward, arms already reaching for her. “Babe.”
“Please call me Ms. Claude, Mr. Shaw.”
She sidestepped smoothly, pulled out a chair, and sat with her arms crossed.
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Chapter 86 Roses and Lies
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Zacharias faltered at her coldness, though he quickly tried to soften it with a helpless smile. “Alright, Ms. Claude. Have some water, calm your temper.” He poured it himself.
Anneliese stared at him, marveling at how he could act so unbothered. “Zacharias, how did I never realize you had such a talent for performance?”
While he tried to make light of it, her gaze was nothing but scorn.
He slid a large jewelry box across the table, smiling. “I bought this for you at the auction in Agylac. Open it, see if you like it.”
Her eyes didn’t even flicker toward the box. Instead, she pulled the divorce papers from her bag and tossed them in front of him. “Sign it.”
Without even glancing at the papers, Zacharias threw them into the trash. “Don’t be ridiculous! I will never divorce you. Calm down and hear me out, will you?”
She wasn’t surprised in the least. Fortunately, she had planned ahead, registering the divorce already. If she hadn’t, his defiance might have driven her to madness on the spot.
All she needed now was to keep him from finding out, get through the cooling–off period, and then force him to pick up the divorce certificate with her.
Her lips curled. “You went to Agylae just to buy me jewelry?”
She knew full well he had gone to celebrate another woman’s birthday.
“Look. It suits you.” He ignored her jab and opened the box himself. Inside gleamed a full set of diamond jewelry, dazzling enough to make it clear he had spared no expense.
Anneliese hooked the diamond necklace with one finger. Zacharias‘ gaze wavered as he asked softly, “Do you like it? Let me put it on you.”
He was about to rise when-
Clink.
With a flick of her hand, the necklace dropped into the decanter, sinking into the deep red wine as if soaked in blood.
“Roses, purses, jewelry–the standard three–piece apology set of cheating men. You learned quickly, Mr. Shaw. What’s next, a house in my name if this doesn’t work?
“Your so–called guilt and regret are nothing but cheap and false. You’re no different from those greasy, middle–aged men in our circles who can’t keep their pants on. With a price that low, no
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…
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Chapter 86 Roses and Lies
wonder you feel so free to cheat.”
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His face shifted, the smile freezing on his lips as his brows furrowed. “Anne, must you twist my intentions like this? I prepared all this with sincerity. I know the Coral incident enraged you. But I’ve already sent her away for good. I swear I’ll never see her again!”
He moved closer, clutching her hand, his expression steeped in remorse. “Babe, she was the one who seduced me. I never wanted her. I only let her take advantage of me that night because I was drunk at a banquet.
“You weren’t well enough, and I couldn’t risk you conceiving and miscarrying, just to satisfy my own desires. I couldn’t bear it. But I’m a man, a normal man–it’s too hard to go back to celibacy once you’ve known a woman’s body. She was nothing more than a release, like a game or a hand of cards. I never felt a shred of affection for her!”
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