Chapter 18

The narrator's POV Just as Nicole was about to drift into sleep, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Annoyed, she reached for it, but the irritation quickly turned to intrigue when she saw the sender's number—it was familiar. Tapping the screen, a photograph appeared before her eyes. Her grip on the phone tightened as she took in the image: Declan, holding out a cup of coffee toward Anna. "What the hell is he doing with that bitch?" she muttered, her brows knitting in frustration. But when her gaze shifted to the man standing beside Declan, a sharp pang of unease twisted in her stomach. "Lucian Grey?" Her eyes widened. She had known him from her time abroad—Lucian was everything a woman could want: powerful, wealthy, and devastatingly handsome. Many had desired him, and Nicole had been no exception. She had longed to be close to him, to have his attention. Yet here he was, standing beside Anna, treating her with an ease and warmth that made Nicole's blood boil. "This wretched woman," s