Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Suzanne turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Connor glaring after her with a face like thunder. Once she was out, the air between her and Desmond turned electric with tension.

"Suzanne, what's gotten into you today?" Desmond demanded.

She shot him a frosty smirk. "Oh, feeling sorry for your ex-wife, are we?"

"What are you even talking about?" Desmond fired back, bewildered.noveldrama

With a shrug, Suzanne said coolly, "Desmond, if you're still stuck on your ex, maybe it's time we called it quits."

Desmond's expression turned grim. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"Look, people think I'm with you just for the Gilbert fortune. Fine, I'll walk away with nothing. I just want to take Diana to the States for her treatment. After that, let's just go our separate ways."

Desmond was at a loss. Why was she suddenly saying all this? It made no sense.

He moved closer, holding her hand. "I only said a few things, and you're this upset? We've been together for twenty years, and I'm not giving up on Diana. We'll get her the best care, together. Suzanne, don't throw us away over this."

His voice softened, confusion etched on his face. Why had his normally gentle wife become so distant?

Truth was, Suzanne hadn't changed overnight. Lately, she'd been elusive, off doing who-knows-what. Desmond figured the stress around Diana's health had changed her.

Then Suzanne turned to him, eyes steady. "I'm not just blowing off steam. Let me level with you-when I got with you, it was to get back at Claire She took the man I loved, so I couldn't just let her be happy.Now that Claire's gone, I don't need to keep up the act of being Mrs. Gilbert."

Desmond reeled from her confession, but Suzanne's face was an unbothered mask.

"You're saying two decades were just about Claire?" Desmond asked, staggered.

"Exactly. I'm the Sartori family's

performer, but Hank and I were

engaged. Claire stole him from me. I

couldn't let that slide. I stuck

out,

waiting for her downfall."

Desmond was crushed. "So all these years, you were just pretending. You've

been fooling me this whole time."

He couldn't wrap his head around it. Both women he loved had been tangled up with Hank. He had been genuine with Suzanne, only to find out he was a pawn in her revenge plot. Now, with Claire out of the picture, Suzanne wanted out.

What did that make their twenty years together? Was it all for nothing?

"Suzanne, I never loved you, but we have a daughter, so let's not make this ugly. Let's part on good terms."

Desmond's hand shook as he pointed at her, his voice trembling. "You won't get away with this."

And with that, he stormed out, leaving Suzanne unruffled. She walked over to a quiet spot in the garden, lit a cigarette, and took a long drag.