After She She Stopped Loving Him

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

“Charles” Yolanda velled.

DOD

Charles paused, realizing she could hear him. He sighed, Darling, you know the rule. It's a Grant family policy-

anyone who stays out overnight has to get checked. It’s nothing personal”

Yolanda’s face went pale. Her eyelashes fluttered as she fought back emotion. If he was so afraid of her getting

pregnant, it made no sense that he would still seek intimacy. “Is it true?” she asked, her voice trembling “About

the birth control?”

Charles went quiet with a frown. He figured Renee had spilled everything. There was no use hiding it now. “The

pills aren't harmful,” he said calmly. “They just prevent pregnancy

Yolanda slowly balled her hand into a fist. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t say another word.

May ended the call and directed the driver to head to the Sinclair-funded hospital. The examination was deeply

humiliating-they used instruments to check for any physical traces left by a man.

Yolanda lay on the cold bed, listening to the hushed whispers of the nurses, burning with shame. After a moment,

one of them looked up at the monitor and reported to May, “No signs of recent sexual activity!

Which meant not even with Charles. It appeared Yolanda really wasn’t pleasing him. May waved her hand

dismissively, and the nurses finally let go.

Yolanda slowly sat up, trembling, as May remarked coldly, “You should learn how to keep your husband

interested. You're not good enough, so he messes with other women. | thought you knew how to please a man

as a Grant.”

May's tone dripped with disdain for any Grants. Without another word, she turned and walked out.

Nearby, those two nurses exchanged quiet words.

“Typical rich families... It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. You get used and still have to put up with inspections like

this.”

“Shh, keep your voice down.”

Yolanda kept her eyes down, quietly pulling her clothes back on.

Outside the hospital, Jack was waiting. He stepped forward and handed her a neatly wrapped gift box. “From Mr.

Sinclair, ma'am.

Classic love bombing after a blow-up. Without a word, Yolanda walked past him and hailed a cab.

Jack immediately phoned Charles, who was away on business. On the other end, Charles massaged his temples

and let out a tired sigh.

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Chapter 33

Charles didn’t get back until seven the following evening. When he found the downstairs empty. Charles headed

straight up to Yolanda’s room. Shrugging off his suit jacket, he leaned against the doorfrand let the word slip

out softly. “Babe.”

Yolanda didn’t so much as glance up, her attention nailed to the documents spread across her desk.

A faint smirk touched his lips. There wasn’t a woman alive he couldn't win over, and Yolanda was the easiest of

them all.

He tossed his coat onto a nearby armchair. “Jack toldyou refused the gift. | cut my trip short, you know Let's

go to dinner.”

Yolanda still didn’t respond.

He moved behind her, bracing a hand on the desk to look over her shoulder. Then she noticed a fresh, thin

scratch from swoman's nail trailing across the back of his otherwise well-groomed hand. Clearly, even two

days away hadn't left him lonely.

His eyes fell on the renovation plans for the stuspread out before her. “Renovating the studio?” he asked, his

voice close to her ear. “Do you need more funding?”

He then lowered his chin to rest against her shoulder, his voice a low murmur near her ear. “It’s been too long

since we went out for dinner. Con, change.”

Yolanda kept her eyes fixed on the screen. After a long moment, she finally spoke, “Tessa is paying a visit to

Starlight Entertainment soon. Your new premium coffee line is picking a spokesperson, no? Just choose one of

Tessa'’s talents, okay?”

Charles turned his head, brushing a kiss into her hair. “It’s just a coffee endorsement. Of course, if that’s what

you want. Feel better now? Let's eat”

She glanced down and nodded.

As they were getting ready to leave, the maid handed Charles his coat with a warm, knowing smile. “You must

have rushed back to celebrate your anniversary with Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair. How thoughtful.”

Charles froze for a fraction of a second, his eyes cutting toward Yolanda.

A flicker of cold irony showed in Yolanda’s gaze before she bent down to fasten her shoe, saying nothing. ‘Of

course he’s forgotten, she sneered inwardly.

He recovered instantly, slipping into his own shoes and sliding an arm around her waist, his voice dripping with

practiced charm. There's a place nearby with a fantastic fireworks display tonight. We'll go after dinner.”

Yolanda’s mind went straight to Sophie's post. His playbook was so predictable.

Silent, she let him lead her to the car and got in, buckling her seatbelt with a quiet click. She looked down at her

phone and typed a message to lan: [Landed you the coffee endorsement. Cback sometthis week for the

shoot.]

His reply was almost immediate: [Okay.]

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Chapter 33

One word, and she was back there: lan’s clumsy kiss, the nervous jump of his Adam's apple, and his slender

fingers.

A sudden thirst parched her throat. She gulped water from the bottle in the cupholder, but the warped plastic,

still marked from where he'd gripped it, brought the memory crashing back with the water's taste.

She rolled the window down, sucking in a sharp breath of cool air to douse the heat on her skin. Fifteen years as

Charles's perfect partner and fifteen years of impeccable composure, all undone by one reckless night with a

young man.

“Yolanda?” Charles called.

His voice broke through her thoughts. She blinked, her cheeks warming. “Are we here?”

He turned toward her, leaning in slowly. She instinctively drew back.

His fingers caught her chin, turning her face toward his as he studied her. “What's on your mind?”

She swallowed, her throat tight. “I, uh-"

He suddenly released her, clicking his own seatbelt open with a low, knowing chuckle. “Must be something dirty

if you can’t say it out loud.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she pushed the car door open and stepped out into the evening air.

But she had only taken a few steps when a woman in her thirties rounded the corner. Flanked by a cluster of

executives who hovered with attentive deference, she clearly held a position of power. They, too, were headed.

for the restaurant.

The woman's eyes landed on Charles, and a knowing eyebrow arched upward. After murmuring a quick word to

her entourage, she strode toward him. She reached out as if to touch his face, but he smoothly sidestepped the

gesture. “Mr. Sinclair,” she said.

Charles glanced back at Yolanda, a faint, almost mocking smile playing on his lips. “Honey, cmeet Rachael

Owens. She's Sinclair Group’s most proactive new partner.”

Rachael adjusted her glasses, a flicker of surprise in her eyes as her hand fell back to her side.

Her gaze swept over Yolanda, and a polished, professional smile appeared. “I didn’t expect to see you two out for

a romantic evening. Please, don’t letinterrupt. My team has a dinner to get to. We'll talk more on Tuesday,

Mr. Sinclair?”

Charles dipped his head, his attention seemingly absorbed by the cuff of his sleeve as he straightened it.

“Naturally.”

With a final, almost imperceptible glance, Rachael tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and rejoined her

waiting group, disappearing into the lobby.

Yolanda watched it all with icy clarity. With the unspoken intimacy and the casual familiarity, this might be the

female CEO Max had hinted about.

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Chapter 33

She took a slow, deep breath. A year ago, the sight might have sent a pang of humiliation and hurt through her.

Now, she felt nothing but a vast, hollow calm.