Chapter 47

Angela POV

The moment I shut the bedroom door behind me, I headed straight for the bathroom. My hands gripped the edge of the sink as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

I looked exhausted.

Christina's pitiful expression from earlier flashed in my mind, making my stomach twist. I clenched my jaw, forcing the feeling down. I wouldn't let her get to me. She wasn't worth it.

They say a mother's emotions can affect her unborn child. I needed to stay calm.

A sudden sound broke my thoughts.

The bathroom door swung open without warning.

Sean.

His tall frame filled the doorway, making the already spacious bathroom feel small and suffocating.

I turned my gaze back to the mirror, my fingers tightening against the cool porcelain. "What do you want?"

"What did you mean by what you said just now?" Sean's voice was low, edged with frustration.

I let out a short, humorless laugh. "What do you think? I was just giving you what you wanted. Don't you want to share a room with Christina?"

His frown deepened, his silence stretching between us like a drawn bowstring.

I had no interest in whatever excuse he was about to throw my way. I turned to leave, but he didn't move. He was blocking the doorway.

"Excuse me," I said flatly.

Sean stood firm, unmoving.

I shifted to his left, trying to squeeze past, but just as I was about to get through, he stepped in my way again.

I exhaled sharply, biting back my irritation. "Move."

He didn't.

I tried the other side. Same result.

Annoyance flared, hot and sharp. "Sean, what is your problem? If you're so free, why don't you go find your little lover?"

I barely got the words out before his hands were on me, grabbing my shoulders and pushing me back against the cold tile wall.

My breath hitched.

His grip was firm, unyielding, his body close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him.

I glared up at him, refusing to look away. "What the hell are you doing? Did I hit a nerve?"

Sean didn't answer. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable.

Then, without warning, he leaned down, his lips crashing against mine.

I gasped, but he didn't give me a chance to protest. His kiss was rough, almost desperate, his breath warm and familiar against my skin.

A bitter pang twisted in my chest.

I used to crave this.

Back then, his rare kisses had felt like stolen moments, something I had secretly treasured. But this-this wasn't like before. This was frustration, anger, something deeper he refused to say aloud.

I pushed against his chest, shoving him back with all my strength. The moment I broke free, I didn't hesitate-I slapped him, hard.

The sharp crack echoed in the bathroom.

Sean stilled.

A red mark bloomed across his cheek, but he didn't flinch. He just stood there, his gaze dark and unreadable.

My chest rose and fell, my lips tingling from his kiss. I wiped them furiously before brushing past him toward the door.

But before I could take more than two steps, his hand wrapped around my wrist, yanking me back.

"Let me go," I snapped, struggling against his grip.

Sean held on tighter.

I glared up at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? If you're so horny, go to Christina. Don't touch me."

Something in his expression shifted-his eyes darkened, sharp as a blade. "What did you just say?"

I lifted my chin, refusing to back down. "I said, if you're horny, go find the person you should be with. Don't take it out on me."

I smirked. "It's not like this is your first time sleeping together, right? Relax. You helped me when my family went bankrupt-if you need me to, I can cover for you. Elizabeth will never find out. Sound good?"

Sean's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean we've already slept together? Are you misunderstanding something?"

"Misunderstanding?"

Seriously? He had the nerve to call this a misunderstanding?

Sean let out a slow breath. "It's not what you think. That night, she twisted her ankle, and I took her to the hospital. But I didn't-"

"I don't care what happened that night," I cut in, my tone flat. "You don't need to explain."

What, did he think as long as I hadn't caught them in bed with my own eyes, it didn't count as cheating?

What a joke. Ever since Christina came back, he'd been staying out late almost every night. Who knew what they were really up to?

I reminded myself-stay calm, don't let this get to me.

After a few deep breaths, I looked at Sean again, my gaze now cool and unreadable.

He noticed.

For a long moment, he just stared at me. Then, he let out a short, humorless laugh.

"I wouldn't stoop so low as to sleep with another woman before finalizing my divorce. Do you really think that little of me?"

"I don't care."

His fingers twitched against my wrist. "Am I really that terrible in your eyes?"

I let out a slow breath. "Does it matter?"

His gaze flickered, like he wanted to say something, but the words never came.

I reached up and brushed the corner of his mouth where my slap had split his lip. My touch was light, almost absentminded.

"Sorry about that," I murmured. "Does it hurt? If you want to stay with Christina tonight，I can help you."

His grip on me tightened, his patience wearing thin. "Do you have to keep bringing this up?"

"Let go," I said quietly.

He didn't.

For a long moment, neither of us moved. The bathroom felt suffocatingly silent.

Then-

A knock at the bedroom door.

Sean didn't move.

Another knock.

His jaw ticked. "What?" he barked, voice sharp.

A brief pause, then a soft, hesitant voice.

"It's it's me."

Christina.

I let out a short, amused chuckle and glanced up at him, shaking my trapped wrist lightly.

"Are you still not letting go?" I murmured. "If you don't go out soon, your little lover is going to get anxious."