Dear Wife, I Hate You (by Josephine Mbanefo) novel Chapter 22

Killian’s Pov

The moment Lilith left, I stared at the door for a second longer than I should have.

What exactly was she trying to do?

This sudden change… the soft voice, the playful eyes, the unwanted closeness–what was her endgame?

Was she trying to make me fall for her?

I almost laughed.

If that’s her plan, then she’s wasting her time. I don’t fall. I don’t bend. I don’t feel.

Let’s see who gets tired first.

I unbuttoned the rest of my shirt and walked into the bathroom. Not because I was shy around her…I have no reason to be. I just needed the cold water to silence my thoughts. My body was tired. My mind is more so.

Business was getting more aggressive lately. Too many mouths speaking where they shouldn’t. I needed clarity.

After the shower, I stepped out, fresh and calm. The room was still empty.

The same Lilith who said she’d be right back.

Was she shopping for an army of skincare?

Not that I cared.

I needed the quiet anyway.

There were files waiting. Contracts, proposals, reports. I didn’t trust anyone else with them. If mistakes happened, they wouldn’t fall on anyone else but me. And I hate cleaning up other people’s messes.

I sat by the desk in my room. I didn’t want to go to the office tonight. I just needed to be here.

The laptop screen lit up. My fingers moved fast, typing, editing, scanning. Time passed without warning.

Hours, maybe.

At some point, I glanced at the clock.

She still wasn’t back.

So much for her dramatic exit.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling.

If she’s already tired of playing games, then good for her.

I wasn’t in the mood to entertain anyone anyway.

I didn’t even realize it was night until Rose knocked gently and said, “Dinner is ready, sir.”

Night?

I glanced at the time. I had come back in the afternoon.

Damn.

I shut the laptop with a quiet click and stood up. My shoulders were stiff, my head buzzing with numbers and decisions. I thought food might clear that.

Downstairs, the dining room was dimly lit. I sat.

Rose served me silently and Just how I liked it.

Lilith wasn’t there. Not like I was looking for her, but… she did say she was coming back.

Only Nolan sat across from me. Our eyes met. We both nodded–just enough. That was our language.

We ate in silence.

He left first after eating, while I stayed a few more minutes, then headed back to my room.

As I approached the door, a thick wave of perfume hit me. Sharp. Floral. Overwhelming.

What the hell?

I opened the door.

She was spinning in the center of the room, spraying bottles like she was marking territory. The air was saturated with layers of scents, clashing and thick.

I stared at her.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She turned with a grin. “Oh, husband, you’re back.”

I didn’t miss the sarcasm in her tone.

“You can just call me by my name,” I said flatly. “You don’t have to call me that.”

“But aren’t you my husband?” she said, tilting her head. “I prefer it.”

She placed the spray down and walked to the other side of the room. “To answer your question, this room felt cold. It needed a little… feminine energy. Since we’re staying together now, I thought I’d make it feel more like home.”

I turned sharply. “Are you trying to piss me off?”

She didn’t even blink. “You’re always pissed off. So if there’s a word worse than pissed off, that’s probably what you should be using right now. And no–I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m just trying to stay entertained.”

I exhaled slowly. “Well, I’m trying to work.”

She groaned but eventually turned it down. Then she muttered, “You’re such a boring person,” as she shifted under the covers. “I’m going to sleep.”

She switched the TV off and burrowed into the blankets, twisting and turning like she was trying to claim every inch of comfort from the bed.

I just watched.

I could have continued working. I should have.

But instead, I found myself watching her settle in–watching how her breathing slowed, how she hugged the blanket, how her presence suddenly made the room feel… less hollow.

I shook the thought off and got back to work.

After another hour or two, I closed the laptop. I had to be up early, even if I didn’t have to. I was the boss, sure. But I believed in setting the tone.

I switched the lights off and walked to the bed.

She was already asleep or at least pretending to be.

I lay down carefully, giving her more than enough space. The bed felt… strange. It wasn’t Kate beside me. It wasn’t the usual hotel–fling stranger.

It was someone real.

Someone unexpected.

It felt wrong. And unfamiliar,

I closed my eyes, determined to sleep.

But then–her voice, soft and smug, slipped through the darkness.

“Now that you’re going to sleep, I can finally watch my show.”

My eyes snapped open.

Oh God.