Free Web NovelChapter 282: Chapter 282 The Cycle Continues
Christina’s POV
"Where’s your boyfriend?" I asked, settling into my chair at the upscale restaurant.
"Shopping. He heard about the famous Passage du Désir and couldn’t wait to check out their adult merchandise." Ysolde slid into her seat, scanning the restaurant with an appreciative glance. "Fancy place. Must be asking for a huge favor if you’re splurging on a three-star restaurant." freewebnovel.cσ๓
"Only the best for my bestie." I didn’t tell her how relieved I was to see her. Her presence alone anchored me in this foreign city. I didn’t need advice so much as her company.
She looked fantastic, her cheeks glowing from all that skiing. I waited until after dessert, when she was pleasantly full and riding a sugar high, to bring up my dilemma.
"You absolute idiot," she said, but her tone was soft and contented, nothing like the screeching judgment she’d hurled at me over the phone days ago.
I spread my hands. "Care to elaborate?"
"Have you talked to Hudson?"
"No."
"Why not? Still avoiding him?"
"No, I just..." I couldn’t face him. "He’s not answering his phone."
Ysolde rolled her eyes. "What is this, a competition to see who can ignore each other the longest? That’s pathetic."
I traced the stem of my wineglass. "Forget him. I want your opinion."
"I’d say take it."
"You mean I should buy Valmont & Cie?"
"Obviously. Even I’ve heard of them. Major name in jewelry. It’d be criminal to let them fold just because their boss is an idiot."
"If I buy Valmont, I’d have to stay in Paris."
"And? Paris is gorgeous if you look past the drugs, the pickpockets, and the stink from the sewers."
"Then I’d be away from Highrise City. From you."
"Don’t be stupid. I’ll visit every other week. I love Domaine de Primard, and Cade’s always up for a trip."
"I’d be away from Hudson."
"Ha!" Ysolde jabbed her dessert spoon at me. "Finally. So it’s career or mate, is it?"
I flinched at the word "mate." After Niall’s betrayal, that word left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"What would you choose?"
"Career, without blinking. But that’s me. I love my cake shops, and Cade isn’t Hudson."
I knew what she meant. Cade was a boyfriend, one in a string before him and, knowing Ysolde, a string after.
Hudson was different. He was my husband, the Alpha I’d committed myself to, the man my wolf recognized as her mate.
The bond we shared wasn’t just a relationship—it was a sacred connection.
"I’d be sad for a couple of days if Cade and I broke up, then I’d move on. Can you say the same about Hudson?" Ysolde’s eyes gleamed with challenge.
I looked away. She always knew exactly where to strike.
"You don’t love him, do you?" she asked.
That one landed harder than I expected. My chest tightened painfully.
"Of course I do," I wanted to say, but the words caught in my throat. Loving Hudson terrified me. After Niall and Beatrice’s betrayal, trusting anyone felt like walking barefoot on broken glass.
Ysolde sighed. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you should have stayed with Niall. You’re two of a kind."
I frowned. "I don’t have feelings for Niall. Not anymore."
"I mean you two share the same twisted view on relationships. You only want what you can’t have. Once you’ve got it, you lose interest."
"I disagree." The words came out sharper than intended.
"You were all in when you and Hudson were fake married. Once it became real, you froze. You’ve dragged your feet on moving forward, and now Valmont is the perfect excuse to run. Don’t bother arguing." She raised a finger to cut me off. "Niall and Beatrice are having problems. Did you know?"
I didn’t, though it hardly surprised me.
"Remember how he obsessed over her when you two were engaged?" Ysolde’s tone dripped with disdain. "He lost his mind over that framed photo of them you broke, as if she were the only woman in the world. Then they got together, her halo slipped, and his rose-tinted glasses shattered. Now he’s got you in his sights again. Mark my words, once you’re back in Highrise City, expect the full romantic onslaught."
"I won’t—"
"Excuse me." A waiter appeared with two glasses of Château Cheval Blanc. "Compliments of the gentleman at table twelve."
I followed his gaze to a man in a tuxedo, glass raised, smile loaded with invitation. One nod and he’d be at our table.
"Time to go," I said.
Ysolde stood too.
I paid, and we stepped outside.
Cade was leaning against the wall as if he’d been waiting.
"Hello, Christina." His smile was perfect as always, but something was definitely off.
Ysolde noticed it instantly. "What’s wrong?"
He gave me an apologetic glance, then steered her out of earshot.
A muffled curse from Ysolde later, she was marching back, dragging Cade with her. "Of course you should tell her."
"Tell me what?"
Cade shifted uncomfortably.
Ysolde jabbed him in the ribs. "Go on."
"Cade?" I prompted, my stomach already knotting with dread.
"Hudson was having dinner in a restaurant nearby," he said, eyes still avoiding mine.
My heart skipped. "And?"
"He wasn’t alone. There was a middle-aged couple, a woman... and a man who might be part of the group, but I can’t be sure."
"The woman... blonde, blue eyes, stunning, built like a Roman goddess?" I felt my body go cold.
He nodded. "The couple left first. Hudson and the woman came out together as I was walking past."
"And?" My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.
"Then the guy came out after them. Looked furious, maybe drunk. He shook his fist. I couldn’t hear what they said. The woman said something, he got angrier. Then she..." Cade trailed off.
"Say it," Ysolde insisted. "She needs to know."
Cade finally met my eyes. "She kissed Hudson."
Ysolde twisted the knife. "On the lips, not the cheek."
My hands started trembling. The pain was immediate and physical, like someone had punched through my chest.
My stomach dropped as vivid images flashed through my mind—Niall and Beatrice’s passionate kiss when I’d caught them together, the way they’d looked at each other with such intensity.
"No, no, no." Akira whimpered inside me. "Our mate wouldn’t betray us."
But hadn’t I heard those words before? Hadn’t I convinced myself that Niall couldn’t possibly betray me because we were engaged, because we were supposed to be mates?
"Christina?" Ysolde’s voice sounded distant.
I struggled to keep my expression cool even as my insides twisted.
"Well, that’s interesting," I said with a shrug.
"Are you okay?" Cade asked, looking concerned.
"Of course," I lied, years of practice hiding my pain coming in handy. "Hudson is free to do whatever he wants. We’re... taking a break."
Ysolde wasn’t buying it. She knew me too well. "Bullshit."
"It’s fine," I insisted, even as Akira howled in distress inside me. "Really."
"Should we go back to the hotel?" Cade suggested, clearly uncomfortable with the emotional tension.
I nodded, grateful for the suggestion. "Great idea."
