His Regret Arrived Three Days Late novel Chapter 51

Annika stopped crying, allowing Conrad’s rough hands to remove her clothes. She remained as still and lifeless as a doll while he bathed her. Halfway through, a troubling thought must have crossed his mind, because he slammed the towel into the tub, sending a wave of water splashing into the air before storming out of the room.

Finally, a sense of calm settled over Annika. Worried about catching a chill if she stayed in the cooling water for too long, she picked up the sopping towel and began to wash herself.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she found Conrad leaning against the window blinds, a cigarette between his fingers. The moment he saw her, he extinguished it and grabbed a hairdryer, intending to dry her hair for her.

Annika lowered her gaze. "I'll do it myself," she said softly.

She took the hairdryer from him, plugged it in, and the room filled with a low hum.

Even after her hair was completely dry, Conrad made no move to leave, remaining frozen in the same spot by the window.

She switched off the dryer, and in the sudden silence, his voice broke through. "Annika, tell me what you want me to do. Just say it."

*I want to leave you. I want to get out of here,* she desperately wanted to scream, but the words caught in her throat. She didn't have the courage.

"You don't have to do anything."

A heart that has died feels no more grief. A marriage, a ten-year crush, had ended in her family's ruin. What energy did Annika have left for hate or resentment?

Conrad’s pride wouldn’t allow him to say more; he had already humbled himself enough for one day. His tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek where she had scratched him, a stinging reminder that she’d fought him off just to run to Tyler.

"Fine," Conrad finally agreed. He knew she didn't want to see him. "As long as you don't see Tyler again, I'll leave you alone. I won't even come back to Scent Haven. Not until…" His gaze drifted down to her flat stomach. "Not until you've had the baby."

The moment he'd seen Annika in Tyler's car, he regretted not destroying the man. Tyler's startup had just started to find its footing, and now he was brazenly challenging him again. Trying to steal his woman was a death wish!