My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 389

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Jabco turned slightly, watching her walk away. His hand lifted as if he wanted to stop her, say something, explain more.

But he didn’t.

Cristo was standing nearby. Jabco glanced at him and gestured silently.

Cristo nodded immediately and followed Riyana.

She didn’t look back.

Inside the elevator, she stood facing forward, her reflection staring back at her from the polished doors. Her face was blank, unreadable. She didn’t even raise her eyes when the doors closed.

Outside, Jabco remained where he was.

As soon as the elevator doors slid shut, cutting her from view, he closed his eyes.

His hands came up to cover his face.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

The word came out heavy, filled with frustration and self loathing.

He dragged his hands down his face slowly, feeling the weight of everything press down on him at once.

Things had finally started getting better between them.

And he had ruined it again.

The guilt sat deep in his chest, refusing to ease.

Meanwhile, inside the car, Riyana sat quietly in the back seat.

Cristo drove in silence, respectful enough not to speak unless spoken to.

She stared out the window, watching the city blur past.

Her thoughts drifted back to Jabco’s face his tired eyes.

The way he looked like someone who hadn’t slept, hadn’t rested, hadn’t breathed properly in hours.

She wanted to ask.

What happened?

Why did you look like you just came back from hell?

But she didn’t.

She pressed her lips together and looked away from the mirror when she caught Cristo’s eyes in the rearview.

The car stopped in front of the gallery.

“Thank you,” she said quietly as she stepped out.

Cristo nodded and drove off.

Inside the gallery, the familiar smell of paint and canvas wrapped around her. It grounded her instantly.

She moved through the space slowly, letting her fingers brush against frames, her eyes scanning the walls.

Time passed.

The noise in her head softened.

It was afternoon suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed behind her.

“Riyana!”

She turned just in time to see one of her colleagues rushing toward her, eyes wide with excitement.

“There’s someone here to see you,” the woman said, slightly out of breath.

Riyana frowned.

“Who is it?” she asked.

Her colleague shook her head.

“I don’t know. But she looks… damn hot.”

Riyana blinked.

“And dangerous,” the woman added dramatically. “Like, seriously dangerous aura.”

That made Riyana pause.

“Alright,” she said after a moment. “Take her to my office. I’ll be there.”

Her colleague nodded eagerly and ran off.

Riyana stood there for a second longer, her curiosity slowly replacing her exhaustion.

Dangerous aura?

She straightened her posture and headed toward her office, unaware that whatever waited behind that door was about to disrupt her already fragile calm even further.