Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 304 - 42

Chapter 304: Chapter 42

Winter was approaching, and the sky was a steel-gray expanse that hung low over the city, casting a cold, somber light on everything below.

The towering skyscraper complex stood tall and proud, a symbol of luxury and wealth. Its glass facade reflected the bleak sky, and at the top floor, the most luxurious apartment remained shrouded in darkness, despite the fact that it was mid-afternoon.

Thick curtains were drawn together, giving the room a gloomy, almost oppressive touch. The only source of light in the room was the lamp on the nightstand, illuminating the figure curled up on the bed, with a thick blanket pulled over her head.

The insistent ringing of her phone in the living room pierced the silence, waking Rayne from her uneasy slumber. Her eyes opened slowly, heavy with fatigue.

She wanted to ignore the ringing, to stay cocooned in the darkness, but the persistence of the sound was relentless. She knew she had to get up. She had probably left her phone in the living room last night after returning from the restaurant, utterly drained.

Rayne pushed herself off the bed and kicked the blanket aside. She slipped her socked feet into her slippers and stretched her arms above her head, feeling the stiffness in her muscles.

As she looked down at the side of her bed, she remembered sending Eric to the Galverra estate a week ago to his new family. His absence made her already lonely, boring condo seem even more empty. The dog’s presence in the house made her feel less alone.

But then she couldn’t keep him. The dog’s presence reminded her of all the memories she wanted to erase forever. She wanted to delete her vacation at the island completely, to forget she had ever had an affair with that despicable Casanova.

The thought of Liam Thompson alone made her blood boil with anger. If she could turn back time, she would have made sure to douse his handsome face with hot coffee instead of that drink at the restaurant. Liam was a monster, a heartless jerk who had used her and even turned her friends against her.

The look Neil had given her on the night of that banquet still haunted her. Remembering it made her heart knot in her chest. Though Neil hadn’t stopped Mia from being friends with her, she could tell she had lost his trust and friendship, all because of Liam Thompson.

That devil, that ugly two-faced manipulator, deserved to be struck down by the wrath of the heavens!

He had used her and yet treated her at the banquet like some woman chasing wealthy men to climb the social ladder. He had looked down on her with disgust and hate, as if he hadn’t once gazed at her as though she was the only woman that ever mattered to him.

Liam had broken her in the worst way possible, and she would never forgive him for that. She would heal very soon and forget about his existence, and once she healed, he would not be worthy enough for her to even think about, unlike she had been doing for the past month since the banquet.

Rayne clenched her fists and didn’t bother drawing her curtains as she walked out of the bedroom. She wasn’t going anywhere today anyway; she might as well laze around the house.

She walked into her spacious living room, which was as dark as the bedroom, and then headed to the kitchen to make herself a quick coffee, momentarily forgetting she had come to get her phone.

She was in the process of lifting the coffee to her lips when her phone began ringing again. Sighing, she carried the mug with her and walked wearily to the sofa where her phone lay. Seeing that the caller was Mia, she dropped onto the sofa and picked up the call immediately, relief washing over her.

She hadn’t heard from Mia in weeks, and she had been starting to believe she had lost her as well.

"Why haven’t you been picking up my calls?" Mia said the moment Rayne answered. "I called the restaurant, and they told me you’re off today."

"Sorry, I was sleeping so soundly I didn’t hear the ringing," Rayne replied with a smile in her voice, her first smile in a while now.

"Sleeping? Don’t tell me you’re just waking up now!" Mia exclaimed. "It’s almost twelve in the afternoon. If I remember correctly, you are an early morning person. Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I’m fine..."

"You don’t sound fine. Are you still thinking about Liam—"

"Don’t mention that devil’s name. I don’t ever want to hear his name or speak of him!" Rayne exclaimed.

"Rayne, you—"

"Please, Mia. Don’t. Let’s not talk about him," she pleaded softly, wanting to put everything of the past behind her and focus on her future. He was a past that should never be remembered or kept in any of her memories.

She hated that her heart still bled, and the thought and mere mention of his name still caused her pain. It was as if a void had been carved into her soul, a gaping wound that refused to heal, tearing open with every fleeting thought of him. The agony was relentless, a cruel reminder of his wickedness.

Mia understood immediately and didn’t push the topic further. She changed to a lighter subject. "By the way, the boys are getting along quite well with Eric, and they asked me to thank you for giving them such a wonderful, obedient dog."

Rayne smiled, grateful that Mia had dropped the topic of Liam and that Eric had finally found a home. "Tell them they are more than welcome."

The two talked about casual things for a while, avoiding deeper topics, until Mia remembered something.

"Have you set a date yet?" Mia asked, referring to her marriage to Max Everett.

Rayne shook her head. "We haven’t even had any intimate moments yet."

"Why not? You’ve been back for a month now. What’s wrong with him?"

"We both agreed it was going to take us some time to get over what I did in Maranta and make a fresh start."

Mia couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief. "Are you telling me he hasn’t made any attempt to take you to bed since then?"

"You’re making it sound like a big deal," Rayne said, rolling her eyes. She took a sip of hot coffee, swallowed, and put the mug down on the coffee table beside her sofa.

"Of course it’s a big deal. I’m speaking from experience. When I got engaged to Neil, he never allowed me a moment of rest at night. He was always trying to seduce me into doing something fun," she said. "Are you sure Max isn’t punishing you a little by staying away from you?"

"No, he isn’t. In fact, last night he took me out to dinner after I left the office, and he told me he wanted to come back here afterward and spend the night with me. But—"

"But?"

"But partway through dinner, I started feeling really nauseated. In fact, I’m feeling sort of queasy now. I’ve been feeling that way for days, and I’m exhausted all the time. All I want to do is sleep or stay in bed."

"Stress can really weaken your immune system and screw up your body. By the way, how are things going at the restaurant?"

"The restaurant is killing my energy with each passing day, but as you know, I’m not so easily defeated. I will work hard until I reach my goal. Other than that, everything else is fine."