When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 55

**Silent Roads Remember by Sawyer**

**Chapter 55**

Titus observed Chiara closely, noting the way her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and he felt the heat of his anger dissipate like mist in the morning sun. With a tender touch, he reached out and delicately wiped a tear from her cheek, his finger brushing lightly against her skin. “If those tears fall, I might just have to kiss you right here,” he teased, a playful sparkle dancing in his eyes.

Chiara’s eyes widened in surprise, her lashes fluttering like the wings of a startled bird. The innocent shock on her face made Titus’s heart race, skipping a beat in response to her adorableness.

He had spent the entire night wrestling with his thoughts. His family had been relentless in their pursuit of him to find a suitable partner, urging him to settle down. Yet, none of the women they suggested had ever ignited any spark of interest within him. That was until Chiara walked into his life, taking matters into her own hands and changing everything.

Why her? That question lingered in his mind like a haunting melody. Perhaps it was because, out of all the women he had encountered, only Chiara felt like she truly belonged by his side, as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together.

He realized that his willingness to marry her and indulge her whims stemmed from genuine affection. He liked her—more than he had anticipated.

Without hesitation, Titus leaned forward, presenting her with a bowl of food. “Open up,” he instructed gently.

Chiara turned her head away, still resisting his offer. “I have to go to work. You can’t just keep me locked up like this. There’s no way you can keep me here forever,” she protested.

With a cool, unwavering gaze, Titus replied, “How about we start with six months of living like a prisoner?”

“Titus,” Chiara snapped, exasperation lacing her voice. “Since when did you become so shameless?”

He paused for a moment, allowing a teasing chuckle to escape his lips. “Shameless, huh? That’s a new one.”

Chiara bit her lip, her eyes searching his. It was unlikely anyone else would ever dare to call him shameless.

Their eyes locked, and Titus’s tone softened as he asked, “Eunice and Heather are outside. Do you want to see them?”

Chiara’s body tensed, and she instinctively tried to stand, only for Titus to gently hold her in place.

“Just sit tight. Answer me—do you want to see them or not?” he pressed.

She shot him a skeptical look. “Are you actually going to let me?”

“Eat your food first,” he insisted.

Knowing Eunice and Heather were waiting just beyond the door, Chiara felt the urgency of the moment. She quickly grabbed the spoon from Titus’s hand. “Let me down. I want to eat by myself.”

“Just eat like this,” Titus replied, resolute in his refusal to let her go.

With a determined grip on the utensils, Chiara ultimately surrendered to the situation, settling into his lap to eat. Titus watched her in silence, his brows furrowing slightly in annoyance as he observed her hastily devouring the food.

He brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek, murmuring softly, “You’ll choke if you eat like that.”

Chiara rolled her eyes internally but continued to eat without slowing down. Only when her bowl was empty did she declare, “I’m done. Let them in now.”

At last, Titus released her and exchanged a knowing glance with his bodyguard.

Five minutes later, Chiara was finally reunited with Eunice and Heather.

“Chiara, are you okay?” Eunice exclaimed, rushing to her side with concern etched across her features. She circled Chiara like a protective hawk, scrutinizing her for any signs of distress, clearly worried that Titus had done something to harm her.

“I’m fine,” Chiara reassured her, then turned her gaze to Heather, her tone shifting to one of discontent. “Heather.”

Seeing that Chiara was alright, Heather nodded, her focus shifting to Titus. “Mr. Goodman, may we have a word?”

“Heather,” Chiara murmured anxiously, a hint of dread creeping into her voice.

Titus regarded the two women with a measured look before he began to ascend the stairs. “To the study,” he instructed.

Heather started to follow him, but Chiara called out, her voice thick with worry, “Heather?”

Heather gave Chiara’s hand a reassuring pat. “Relax, Chiara. It’s just a quick talk. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Heather paused, contemplating her next words. “Is it because you actually have feelings for Chiara, and that’s why you can’t let her go?”

Titus hesitated, their eyes locking in a moment of unspoken understanding. Something unreadable flickered between them before a subtle, ironic smile curled his lips. “I won’t deny it. If I didn’t, she wouldn’t be Mrs. Goodman right now, would she?”

Heather frowned, catching the nuance in his words. “So, you like her—you don’t truly love her.”

For people like them, born into privilege, liking someone was easy, but true love remained an elusive concept.

Titus raised an eyebrow, as if he found her remark amusing. “Ms. Lynch, I thought you were smarter than your sister. Surely, you’re not that naive, are you?” he teased.

Heather offered a light smile. “You’re not wrong. Love isn’t rational. But if that’s the case, why not just let her go? Finding someone more suited to be Mrs. Goodman wouldn’t be a challenge for you. It’s not like you need Chiara to survive, right?”

Titus fixed her with a steady gaze, his words deliberate. “You’re correct, but the Goodman family doesn’t divorce, and I’m not about to change that—for anyone.”

Heather’s brows knitted together in surprise. She hadn’t anticipated that reasoning. For a moment, she nearly laughed. “You hardly seem like someone who adheres to tradition, Mr. Goodman,” she replied.

Titus was not one to follow rules—he did what he wanted when he wanted. Leaning back in his chair, one leg casually crossed over the other, he presented an image of relaxed authority.

“Ms. Lynch, instead of trying to convince me, why not talk some sense into Chiara? That would be the most sensible move for both our families, don’t you think?”

Heather lowered her gaze, remaining silent. Now that she had responsibilities, she had countless factors to consider—every decision bore significant consequences.

Chiara mattered deeply to her, but she couldn’t afford to make decisions based solely on one person. She bore her own burdens as well.

Finally, Heather rose from her seat, locking eyes with Titus. “Mr. Goodman, I have just one piece of advice. If you truly want things to last with Chiara, you’d better keep your distance from other women—or you two are headed straight for divorce.”

Titus didn’t let Heather’s warning affect him. When it came to matters within his control, he always emerged victorious. Ultimately, whatever decision he made would be the one that came to pass.

Yet, in that moment, he remained blissfully unaware that a single careless action could be the very thing that unraveled his marriage.