Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 231

Chapter 231 Flames of Truth

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The kindness in both Riley and the girl who saved him years ago shone like a beacon to Sebastian.

The deeper someone dwelt in darkness, the more they yearned for that light.

As a child, he’d been curious, even baffled, by that girl’s kindness.

He couldn’t fathom why she’d go to such lengths to save a stranger, why she didn’t demand anything in return, or why she didn’t use him for her own gain. He didn’t understand how someone could act so selflessly.

But now, with Riley, that kindness stirred a greed in him.

A greed to keep that light by his side, to hold on to her and never let go.

Even if her kindness made him feel unworthy, even if it left him anxious, willing to hand over his joys, sorrows, and very life to her, he couldn’t bear to be apart from her.

This feeling was so intense it felt foreign, yet somehow inevitable.

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Outsiders called the Torres family mad. obsessive in matters of

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the heart.

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It seemed the blood of the Torres family truly ran through his veins.

“So, Riley,” Sebastian murmured, his gaze burning into hers, “this idea of me falling for someone else—it’ll never happen. And you… You can’t leave me. You’ve saved me, too. More than

once.”

He’d told her before–if she chose to save him, she had to see it through. She couldn’t abandon him to that dark, meaningless world again.

With those words, his lips pressed against hers, pouring all his love into the kiss, as if to seal his vow.

*****

When Bryce woke the next morning, his head throbbed painfully.

What had happened last night? He couldn’t remember a thing.

“Bryce!” Bella called, approaching the bed with a smile. “You’re awake. You got so drunk last night, it took everything I had to get you into bed.”

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“Really?” Bryce said, rubbing his temples. He vaguely recalled

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having a few drinks, but everything after that was a blank.

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“When did your tolerance get so bad?” Bella teased. “You used to hold your liquor better than that.”

“Maybe I was just too excited yesterday,” Bryce said, forcing a smile. “Letting my guard down, you know.”

“By the way, are you free today?” Bella asked. “I’d like you to come with me to the hospital.”

“Is something wrong?” Bryce asked, concern creasing his brow. “Are you feeling okay?”

Bella smiled lightly. “Just a routine check–up, nothing to worry about.”

At the hospital, Bella registered for the gynecology department. When her number was called, she turned to Bryce with a soft smile. “I’m going in. Wait here for me.”

“Sure,” Bryce said, nodding, though a flicker of unease stirred in him.

Bella going for a check–up usually meant something was wrong. So why was she smiling like that? Was he overthinking it?

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Soon, Bella emerged from the consultation room and headed

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for a blood test.

Meanwhile, Riley sat at her computer, painstakingly restoring the video footage.

With each adjustment, the blurry image grew sharper.

Finally, the silhouette in the frame took shape–a woman’s figure.

The dim light obscured her face, leaving only the outline of her features.

But for Riley, that was enough.

The woman struck a pose as if smoking, a spark flaring briefly before fading.

Riley’s eyes narrowed sharply, locked on the enlarged figure on

her screen.

It was Bella.

Even though the face wasn’t clear, the outline of those features was enough for Riley to be certain–the woman smoking in the footage was Bella.

Moments later, another figure approached—a man, likely Jaxon, who was now deceased.

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In the footage, Bella made a distinct tossing motion, likely discarding an unextinguished cigarette.

And then, a flicker of flame appeared in the video, but the drone’s camera soon shifted away.

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That was all the footage showed of Bella, Jaxon, and the fire’s origin.

But for Riley, it was more than enough.

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