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“He never meant to abandon you! Why won’t you even talk to him?”
“Because he would say anything to try to hurt me. And, at the moment, so would you.”
That made Hallie gasp. “Do you really believe that?”
“You’re either with me or against me.”
Searching his gaze, she choked out, “Are you trying to make me hate you?”
“Perhaps. At least hate,” Cristiano said softly, tucking back a tendril of her hair, “is an emotion I believe in.”
They were so close, facing each other in the luxurious bedroom, next to the enormous four-poster bed. Beyond that, the French doors opened to the terrace on the edge of the sea.
Hallie looked up at her husband. The powerful, sexy billionaire that every other woman wanted. To the outside world, she knew it seemed as if she had everything any woman could ever want.
But he was so damaged inside, the truth was she had nothing at all.
She said, “I won’t let you take my baby away.”
“I won’t have to.” He gave her a hard smile. “Because you’re not going anywhere. We will remain one big happy family. You will remain at my side. In my bed. Bearing my children.”
“Children?” Her voice was strangled.
He lifted an eyebrow. “We will have other children,” he said mildly. “Surely you would not want Jack to be alone?”
It was the final straw. Closing her eyes, Hallie took a deep breath.
She knew what she had to do. The thought turned her heart to ice. It wasn’t what she wanted.
But he’d left her no choice.
“I’m done arguing about this,” Cristiano said. “You will be happy, as you were before. You will appreciate what I can give you and ignore what I cannot.” Reaching out, he cupped her cheek.
Opening her eyes, she spoke, her voice clear and unflinching. “You missed dinner with us this week.”
He frowned. “What?”
“Twice. You were gone from dawn till midnight. You didn’t share a single meal with us on those days, as Agata and other staff members can attest.”
His shoulders were suddenly tense. He knew what she meant. Dropping his hand, he said defensively, “I was working at the hotel—”
“It doesn’t matter. You failed to uphold my rules. So you’re in breach of our agreement,” she said, stepping back.
Her husband stared at her, his dark eyes wide. His lips parted to speak and closed again.
He looked vulnerable. Shaken.
Hallie forced herself not to care, to treat him exactly as he’d treated her.
“As you’re in breach of the prenup, I will get primary custody. So I’m taking Jack with me to New York. Please feel free,” she added lightly, in the same tone he’d used, “to visit whenever you want.”
Cristiano stared at her in shock, not moving.
No. Hallie blocked the pain from her heart. She wasn’t going to feel anything. She wasn’t going to let him push her around ever again.
She turned away, dragging the suitcase behind her. Stopping at the door, she faced him one last time across the shadowy bedroom where they’d once set the world on fire.
“Thank you, Cristiano.” Her voice echoed between them as she said flatly, “Thank you for teaching me how the world really is.”
