NEVER MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 36

The love I had imagined, the connection I had longed for, seemed to have vanished in a few hours. The reality was far from the dream I had held onto so tightly.

With a heavy heart, I mustered the strength to respond, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I thought... I thought we could talk, Alexander," I managed to say, my voice betraying both vulnerability and determination.

He let out a sigh, his gaze shifting away from me. "There's nothing to talk about," he replied curtly, his words cutting through the air like a knife. "We both know what this marriage is, Emma. Let's not pretend otherwise."

His dismissal stung, and I felt a lump form in my throat. The realization that he no longer desired me, that our union had become a mere facade, tore at my heart. But even in the face of his coldness, I refused to let go of the hope that flickered within me.

Summoning every ounce of courage, I met his gaze, my eyes filled with a mix of determination