Cassian did not say a single word as he drove them home. She could see from his face; tense, dark, and brooding. He was furious. His silence was louder than any shouting, and the grip on the steering wheel told her he was holding something in. The moment they stepped inside the house, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her straight to their bedroom. She winced at his grip but said nothing, only following as he dragged her along.
Without warning, he shoved her onto the bed and hovered over her. His lips crashed into hers, hungry and forceful. She pushed him with all her strength, but he did not move an inch. His eyes met hers, cold and intense, like a wild animal about to attack. She gasped when he tore her gown.
"You are out of your mind! That was expensive!" she shouted, breathless with shock. "That was a designer gown!"
But he was not listening. Instead, he yanked off her bra and ripped her black underwear.
In frustration, she slapped his chest. "Is this because you saw me kissing someone earlier? You're unbelievable, Cassian! That was Victoria's Secret!"
Still, he said nothing. He seized her lips again, more fiercely this time. His mouth moved with aggression, claiming every part of her, his tongue exploring her as if it were punishment.
She knew exactly why he was acting this way. He had seen her earlier, locked in a kiss with another man. She did not even bother pretending innocence, he had every right to be angry. But somewhere inside, she smirked. Because this rage, this passion, it meant he still cared. It meant she still had a chance.
"You want to play, Cassian?" she whispered near his ear. "Then let's play a game you'll never forget."
With sudden force, she flipped him onto his back and straddled him. His eyes widened in surprise. This time, she took control. She tore open his shirt without hesitation and kissed him deeply, pouring every ounce of desire and defiance into it.
Her hands found their way down to his belt, teasing his hardened body until he let out a low, guttural moan.
"Damn it…" he breathed as she touched him, her mouth trailing kisses down his chest.
He sat up and pulled her close, his hands now desperate to feel every part of her. Together, they shed what remained of their clothes, tangled in a storm of tension, lust, and something far deeper that neither of them dared to name.
For that moment, they were not husband and wife torn by betrayal, they were two people clinging to what little fire was left. And it was burning fast.
"Cassian, what the hell!" Arielle cried out as he suddenly entered her, rough and relentless.
She gasped, her breath catching in her throat, when he pulled out only to thrust back in again with no care or rhythm. The heat between them was blinding, but the lack of tenderness stung.
"Damn it, Cassian…" she moaned, aching for more as he teased her, withdrawing from her wetness too soon. Frustrated, she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pulling him deeper into her.
"Ugh, Arielle... You're so damn tight, baby. Just like that…" he groaned, letting her take control as she moved beneath him. His hands clutched the sheets, overwhelmed by the intensity.
Caught in the wave of desire, Arielle bit his arm, not to hurt him, but to ground herself in the reality of what they were doing. Together, they reached their peak in a storm of folded limbs and heavy breathing, both drunk on the pleasure only they could give each other.
Cassian held her tight afterward, possessive as ever. "Arielle, you're mine. No one touches you, no one kisses you. As long as you're mine, no one else gets to have you."
"And when I am not yours anymore?" she asked teasingly, a smirk playing on her lips. "What then?"
"Will you just shut up, Arielle?"
She stared up at him, unbothered. "Cassian, I'm Delacroix and Marquez. You know what that means. When I love, I give everything. I fight for the people I love. But when I'm tired? I drop them and walk away like they never existed. And trust me, if that happens, you'll cry blood. But lucky for you, I'm not giving up on you. I'll fight for us."
"Oh, so you're acting bold now? Is it because of that guy?"
"What guy? I don't have anyone else."
"Come on, Mr. Rafael!"
"Seriously? That's Venessa's friend! We call him Mr. Well-endowed."
"What the hell is Mr. Well-endowed supposed to mean?"
"Google it."
She rolled over and playfully kissed his neck. "Anyway, where's Tessa? That flirty woman."
"Sh*t…Tessa!" Cassian scrambled to grab his phone and rushed out of the room in a panic.
Curious, Arielle quietly followed him, tiptoeing like a spy.
"Honey? Where are you? I'm sorry, please forgive me. I promise I'll make it up to you," Cassian pleaded into the phone. His voice shook a little.
Arielle heard the faint sound of a woman sobbing on the other end, and a mischievous grin tugged at her lips. At least now she knew Tessa was mad…Good.
"I love you, okay? Please forgive me," Cassian begged sweetly. That was it. Her blood boiled.
She marched straight to him and pressed her lips against his neck. "Baby, how about round two?" she whispered in a flirty voice.
"Fck… fck…" was all he could say when he realized the call had just ended, and she had heard everything.
He turned to her with a glare, but she just smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Oops! I thought I was the one you were talking to. Silly me."
"You're insane, Arielle."
"Yes, Cassian. Crazy for you. Who else should I be crazy for if not my husband?" she replied with a wink before strutting back into the bedroom.
The fire in her was coming back, her old self. Back in high school and college, Arielle was known as a wild and dominant girl. A true spoiled brat. But when she met Cassian, everything changed. He tamed her. For him, she became softer, calmer, even choosing to live quietly as a housewife.
Nobody dared to challenge her back then. Her classmates feared her, even the school officials knew better than to cross her family. Her mother, Delacroix, was one of the top billionaires on the Forbes list. Her father, Marquez, held enormous political power.
Still, even with all that privilege, Arielle chose humility when she fell in love with Cassian. No one around him even knew who she truly was. To them, she was just a simple housewife. But beneath that simple image was a fire that never died. And tonight, it had been reignited. But now… fate was mocking her again. Tessa. That woman was really pushing her limits.
Maybe it was because she grew up in America, too bold, too loud, too unaware of who she was messing with. She had no idea what Arielle was capable of. Did she really think she could get away with stealing Cassian, and not pay the price? Did she truly want to wake the sleeping giant inside Arielle?
Every day, Arielle held herself back. She chose peace, not because she was weak, but because she still respected the man she married. And because she knew… once her father found out, everything could fall apart.
If her father, Don Roman Marquez Delacroix, knew that Cassian's mistress was trying to humiliate his daughter, he would burn everything down without hesitation. Cassian's entire company could collapse like a house of cards, with just one call. Her father was ruthless like that. That was where she got it from, her strength, her fire, her refusal to be stepped on. So she swallowed the pain again.
Later that night, when Cassian entered their bedroom, she met him at the door and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest.
"Cassian… just let me love you tonight," she said in a soft voice. "Let me hold you. I want to feel you near me. You will always be enough for me…"
For a moment, he did not say a word. Then he hugged her back and pulled her into the room. She looked up at him, heart breaking all over again.
"Tell me," she whispered, "what does she have that I don't? What is it about her that makes you keep thinking of her even when I'm right here, doing everything for you? Why, Cassian?" Tears welled in her eyes, but she kept her voice calm.
"Why can't you choose me? Why can't I be enough? I've always been here," she continued. "Always. You do not even have to look far. I love you. I still do. So why… Why her, Cassian? Why not me?"
She clung to him, hoping for answers. But in the silence, she already knew the most painful truth; she was slowly losing the man she had given everything to. But if Tessa thought she had already won, she was wrong. This wasn't over yet.