Mr. Fake-Mute's Love Game Ended When I Stopped Playing the Fool novel Chapter 104

Chapter 1

That day was my mom’s birthday. Dad brought home his mistress and her bastard daughter, who held a single red rose.

Mom took the rose, smiled through dinner, and slit her wrists that night. She was thirty–nine.

So on my wedding day, I told Harry Thorne exactly how this would end.

“You want out? Just give me red roses. That’s all it takes.”

He pulled me close and kissed me. “Sloane, I swear–no flowers in this house. Not ever.”

Five years later, some exec walked into a pitch meeting with a red rose on his lapel. Harry had him thrown out and blacklisted the entire company by noon.

That’s when I thought, Maybe I actually married the right guy.

Then six months ago, I cracked it. Three years, one breakthrough–autoimmune treatment would never be the same.

stumbled out of the research wing at 2 a.m., dead on my feet but still buzzing.

The entire hallway was drowning in red roses.

And standing next to Harry was Bianca Valois–the woman he’d thrown out five years ago–smiling like she’d already won.

Harry didn’t even blink. “Bianca set this up for you. She’s your sister, Sloane. She came to fix things.”

stared at him for two seconds, then turned and walked away.

never had a sister.

And starting tonight, I don’t need a husband either.

spent three hours alone at Mom’s grave. Her birthday. The same day she died.

led roses were supposed to be their love story–Dad’s and Mom’s.

Ten years ago today, he stood there and watched Bianca hand Mom that rose. Watched her break.

Red roses became my line in the sand.

And ten years later, my husband crossed it. He brought the woman who destroyed my mother. He brought those goddamn roses. And he shattered me with hem.

in the distance, fireworks exploded across the sky–Harry’s celebration for the drug launch. My drug. My team. Six months of hell, 180 days of no sleep, no life. nothing but work.

And tonight, it felt like Bianca’s victory lap.

I said goodbye to Mom and stood to leave. That’s when Harry called.

His voice was slurred, soaked in alcohol. “The party’s almost over. Where the hell are you? You’re the lead researcher–how does it look if you’re not even

here?”

I said nothing.

Any other night, I’d have teased him, played along. But tonight, I didn’t know what to say to him anymore,

His voice sharpened. “Sloane. I’m talking to you. Where are you?!”

“The cemetery.”

10:30

Chapter 1

Silence.

It hit him then–everything I’d canceled: Mom’s anniversary, my own birthday, even our anniversary dinner–all for one simple thing: for him to come with me

to see her.

Two seconds passed before he finally spoke.

“I… I got caught up. I forgot.”

“Stay there. I’m coming.”

I hung up. Turned toward the parking lot.

Then my phone buzzed.

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