My best friend is marrying my husband novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Maria arched a brow. “So you’ve been investigating me?”

That little design studio?” Stephen gritted out. “If I lift a finger, it’s gone in a day.”

He took a step toward her, jaw tight.

“Maria, what do you think he can give you? You really think he can protect you?”

Maria looked at him for a long moment, quiet, steady, and unreadable. Then she shook her head. Not angrily. Not

mockingly. But with a soft, heartbreaking kind of pity.

“Stephen,” she said, her voice calm. “If your love requires the destruction of my world to exist, then I’d rather be hated by

you.”

She stepped past him.

“Do whatever you want to Carl’s company. If you crush him, I’ll fall with him. If that’s your definition of ‘love,‘ then I’m

grateful I left you long ago.”

She turned to go.

“Maria!” Stephen grabbed her wrist. That’s not what I meant–I just-

“Just what?” Maria shook him off, eyes burning cold.

“Just unwilling to lose? Just furious that something you once owned slipped out of your hands? Stephen, I’m not your

trophy. I’m a human being. I have feelings. I hurt. I get tired.”

She reached for the door. “Let go. For you. For me. For everyone.”

The door opened. Outside stood Carl and her daughter. The little girl held an ice cream cone, and the moment she saw Stephen, her small body shrank behind Carl’s leg, hiding.

she whispered. Maria walked over and took her daughter’s hand. She gave Carl a small nod.

Carl’s eyes flickered briefly toward the man inside the room. He didn’t speak.

He simply placed a gentle arm around Maria’s shoulders and shielded her and the child as they walked down the

hallway.

Stephen stood alone in the empty hospital room, listening to their footsteps fade. After a long time, he walked to the

window.

Chapter 22

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Down in the parking lot, he watched Maria buckle their daughter into the white SUV. Carl closed the door carefully.

circled to the driver’s side, and got in.

The car pulled out of the lot and merged into traffic, until it was nothing but a disappearing blur of headlights.

Stephen reached into his suit jacket and pulled out another document. Greyson Group’s acquisition plan for Maria &

Carl’s Design. Signed. Stamped. Ready to execute.

One call, and Carl’s company would change ownership within three days.

He stared at the papers. Maria’s eyes flashed through his mind, cold, resolute, utterly devoid of the gentleness she once

had for him.

Her voice echoed too. “If that’s your way of expressing love, then I’m glad I left you.”

Stephen’s hand trembled. Slowly, piece by piece, he shredded the documents, the final physical manifestation of his need

to own her, letting the white scraps bury the man he used to be.

When he finished, he picked up his phone and dialed Ms. Wilson.

“Ms. Wilson… I’m sorry.” His voice was exhausted. “I saw her. She’s doing well… better than she ever did with me.”

He closed his eyes. “Please rest and recover. I’ll cover every expense. And from now on… I won’t look for her again.”

*Head back to the hotel?” Carl asked softly.

Maria looked up at him, her eyes meeting his in the rearview mirror. “No. Let’s go to that restaurant. She’s been craving

their grilled fish.”

Dinner was warm and lively. The grilled fish was crisp and golden, drizzled with sweet and tangy sauce. The steak

glistened under the lights. The corn chowder was thick and fragrant.

Carl gently ladled a small bowl of chowder for the little girl, then carefully picked out the bones from the grilled fish and

placed soft pieces in her bowl.

“Careful, it’s hot,” he reminded her. She nodded and ate.

Halfway through, she suddenly looked up. “Daddy Carl, can you take me to play tomorrow?”

“Of course.” Carl smiled. “We’ll go on the Ferris wheel. How about that?”

Then can you wear the blue shirt?” she asked, eyes round and bright. “Mommy and I think you look super cool in blue.”

Carl laughed. “All right. I’ll wear it.”

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