The Sweetest Temptation
Chapter 266: Heartbroken

Chapter 266: Heartbroken

"For what?" he asked, the strain in his voice much more evident than the last. She smiled knowingly to herself, because from his subtle reactions, it was clear that he was struggling not to give in to her touches and the brushing of her body against his.

"I’ve missed you, and I’d like us to get back together again." She whispered, trailing her palms up, toward his chest. She slid her hand underneath his suit jacket and trailed her index finger on his nipple in languid strokes that stoked his lust. In a sudden swift motion, he jerked her hand out of his jacket and turned to face her. Her eyes widened and her face went flush as she beheld his intense stare.

This was the look that used to cause him to lose his control, that caused him to do lustful things in ways that Stella was yet to identify. The look that had once been her trump card whenever she was at the wrong and did not want to apologize. He brought his face toward hers, peering deep into her depths that now posed a silent challenge.

"And what makes you think I would be able to fall for your cheap tricks once again?" He asked daringly. She brought her face even closer to his, her breath brushing against the stubble on his chin.

"Because, Mat," While she spoke, she trailed an upward path on his thigh, brushing against his bulge. "You already did the moment you let me into your office."

In the haze of their locked eyes and meshing breaths, every part of Matteo became oblivious to the environment around them. However, in spite of his lustful state, his mind still recorded the fact that he already had Stella, and he was not about to ruin that relationship by letting himself fall for the cheap tricks of the manipulator who stood before him.

He reached for her hands, swiftly restraining them behind her back, while his other hand grasped her neck firmly, their bodies entangled in a compromising position. Their seemingly illicit encounter was abruptly interrupted as the office door swung open, shattering the charged atmosphere into a haunting silence.

Matteo’s eyes snapped up, locking onto a pair of piercing blue orbs. Stella stood in the doorway, her expression a delicate blend of shock and heartbreak. The weight of her presence filled the room, suffocating the forbidden affair that had unfolded before her. The gift bag she had been carrying slipped from her trembling fingers, crashing onto the floor with an echoing thud, its content scattering haphazardly.

As his gaze fell upon the spilled contents, his heart sank. The carefully wrapped boxes spilled from the bag, revealing tokens of affection and the length she had taken to make him smile. The weight of his betrayal bore heavily upon his conscience, mixing with the rush of other pointless emotions coursing through him.

He turned his gaze back to Stella, desperate to find solace or forgiveness in her eyes, but she had vanished. Like a ghost, she had disappeared, leaving him with a hollow ache of remorse.

***

Stella stumbled onto the sidewalk just outside her workplace, her cheeks stained with a steady stream of tears that seemed unstoppable. She frantically brushed them away, her trembling hand unable to halt the flow. It felt as if her heart was being wrenched apart with every sob that escaped her lips.

Turning her gaze back to the entrance of the building, a glimmer of hope still flickered in her, yearning for the sight of Matteo chasing after her. She longed for him to reach out, to reassure her that what she had seen was a cruel illusion, a figment of her imagination. But reality was unforgiving, and there was only emptiness behind her.

Oh, but it was very real. She thought to herself, acknowledging the painful truth. The betrayal, the intimacy shared between them—it seared into her memory, etching a scar that would not easily fade. Lost in her anguish, she surveyed her surroundings, her gaze wandering aimlessly.

The pain in her chest intensified, desperate to find solace, she pressed her hand against her chest as if hoping to mend the shattered pieces of her heart. But the hollowness persisted, deepening to become a void.

What am I going to do? She thought to herself, turning her gaze towards a nearby path, charging forward without a clear destination in sight.

She had walked a seemingly long distance, that much was evident from the dull ache in her feet that now pierced through her toes and into her bones. In the chill air of the night, she had no extra materials to shield her from the cold. She hugged herself in an attempt for warmth, while she darted her gaze around, in search of the area for a place to take shelter. From the look of it, she would not be able to return home in one piece if she allowed herself to remain in the cold.

To her left, was a luxurious bar teeming with people who seemed to be having the fun of their lives. For a Wednesday night, the place was full of activity. In her current state, she needed anything but to be alone. With that thought, she made her way through the entrance.

On her way toward the bar table, a bunch of people charged their way into her path, pushing her along with them until they got into a secret pathway. In spite of it not being so secret-y, she noted that it was not a place that was easy to locate. This only meant the people that had pushed her into this place unconsciously, were most likely invited guests—that were high out of their mind and did not realize they had brought an extra body.

On getting into the private space, she was met with a team of dancers, spinning on poles which were hoisted on a spinning platform. There were fairly many people in the room, possibly because it was a weekday. However, that was not her care. What had taken her to the lower room, was a need to drink herself to stupor, and she would do just that, and maybe get herself someone that could satiate her need afterwards.

She made her way toward the bar table and settled into her seat, ordering two vodka shots and downing them both almost immediately. She pressed the heels of her palm against her eyes while she fought against the searing heat sensation that coursed through her throat, threatening to leave a scar.

A/N please don’t forget to add my new book to your library thank you

Title : Contract Marriage: The Devil’s Bride