MARRIED FOR TIME

Chapter 9

*Valerie’s POV*

A sharp ache in my neck dragged me back to consciousness. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the harsh morning light filtering through the window, only to realize I had spent the entire night slumped uncomfortably on my living room sofa.

My joints popped as I sat up, my hand instinctively reaching for the phone resting face-down on the cushion beside me. The lack of any response from Bastien hung over me like a dark cloud. Desperate for a solution, I quickly pulled up my contacts and dialed my assistant's number.

"Elena, thank goodness," I breathed out the moment the line connected. "Please tell me you're seeing these headlines. Is there any way our firm can put out a public statement? Can we leverage our connections to help offset the hit Sterling Enterprises is taking?"

There was a long, heavy pause on the other end. "Valerie... I'm sorry, but absolutely not," Elena said, her voice tight with professional anxiety. "Stepping into this mess right now would be corporate suicide. If our company tries to back him publicly during a media firestorm like this, it will only drag us down with him. You need to stay out of it."

"He was protecting me!" I shot back, a surge of frustration tightening my chest.

"The market doesn't care about chivalry, Valerie. It cares about stability. Just don't do anything reckless."

"Fine," I snapped, the anger boiling over as I disconnected the call before she could say another word.

I threw the phone down, gripping my hair in sheer vexation. I couldn't even help my own husband. The crushing guilt from my past threatened to swallow me whole, but I refused to sit around and watch another person's life crumble because of me.

Rushing into the bathroom, I quickly washed my face, threw on a presentable outfit, and snatched my car keys off the counter. If I couldn't do anything from my apartment, I would go to the office myself and dig through our portfolios until I found a loophole.

---

Ten minutes into my drive, the traffic crawled to a halt near a quiet downtown corner. As I idled by the curb, a familiar figure caught my eye on the sidewalk. It was Clara—the fiercely outspoken woman who had ruthlessly put Chloe and her snobbish friends in their place at the boutique.

I rolled down the passenger window, leaning across the seat. "Clara! What are you doing out here all alone this early in the morning?" I called out, forcing a bright smile to mask the exhausting stress weighing on my shoulders.

Clara stopped, turning her sharp gaze toward my car. She didn't answer my question. Instead, she stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she scanned my face. "Is everything okay with you?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Just a little bit stressed," I lied smoothly, leaning over to push the passenger door open. "Come on, hop in. Let me give you a ride."

Clara didn't hesitate. She slid into the leather seat, pulling the door shut and immediately turning to face me. "Queen, you are absolutely not fine. I can see it written all over your face. What happened? Did you get into a fight with your Romeo, or are you still wasting brain cells thinking about your pathetic ex?"

A genuine smile finally broke through my tense expression. "No, I am definitely not thinking about that son of a bitch."

As I navigated back into the flowing traffic, the dam broke. I found myself pouring everything out to her—how Bastien had completely leveled Tyler at the wedding, the viral videos capturing the chaos, and the brutal stock drops threatening his position as CEO. I even confessed, with a lump of regret in my throat, how horribly I had lashed out at him in the car simply because I was terrified of causing his downfall.

Clara listened intently, her usual playful demeanor shifting into a surprisingly serious expression. "I completely understand why you panicked, Valerie," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "But looking back won't fix the stock market. Maybe there's a different way to go about this."

"I'm open to anything at this point," I admitted, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Think about it," Clara said, a sudden spark of brilliance lighting up her eyes. "You two need a massive PR pivot. Go to a local orphanage together. Make a huge, high-profile donation to the kids. While the cameras are there, hold an official ceremony announcing a grand celebration of how incredibly successful your own wedding was. Rewrite the narrative." She finished with a knowing wink.

My face instantly lit up with hope. The sheer genius of the plan hit me like a wave of relief. "Clara, that's absolutely perfect! That’s going to work!" I exclaimed, my voice echoing with gratitude. "Oh my god, thank you so much. I completely blanked on a public relations pivot like that."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Clara laughed, pointing toward a subway station just ahead. "You can drop me right here, Queen. Go get your man."

I pulled the car smoothly against the curb. As Clara stepped out onto the sidewalk, I blew her a grateful kiss through the open window. The second her door slammed shut, I pulled a sharp U-turn, completely abandoning my route to the office. I pressed down on the gas pedal, heading straight toward Bastien's private estate.

---

When I arrived at the penthouse, my adrenaline was pumping too fast for manners. I bypassed the front security, unlocked the main doors, and marched straight into the master suite without bothering to knock.

The words froze in my throat.

Bastien had just stepped out of the adjoining bathroom. A single white towel was wrapped low around his waist, dripping wet. His thick, curly dark hair was beautifully disheveled, sending stray droplets of water cascading down his broad, sculpted shoulders and across the rigid, defined lines of his abs.

I stood completely paralyzed in the doorway, my eyes unceremoniously roaming over his frame. My heart hammered against my ribs, an electric jolt shooting straight through me,I could feel dampness down there. Looking at him, a sudden, desperate urge flared inside me—wishing he would just step forward, pull me into his arms, and make the entire chaotic world disappear by f*****g me.

“What are you thinking about vale!”my mind snapped

"Are you quite done looking?"

Bastien’s smooth, icy voice instantly shattered my trance.

"I—I wasn't staring!" I stammered defensively, my face burning with a sudden, intense heat. My mind scrambled to regain control as a deep blush crept up my neck. I quickly gulped down a dry breath and spun around, turning my back to him completely so he couldn't see how utterly flustered I was.

Through the quiet bedroom, the distinct sound of a low, amused chuckle echoed behind me. It only made my cheeks burn hotter.

"Meet me in the parlor when you're done getting dressed!" I managed to shout, practically tripping over my own feet as I bolted out of the bedroom in a half-run, desperately escaping the intoxicating tension of the room.

Reaching the downstairs kitchen, I finally released the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My heart was still racing. Needing to cool down, I grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filled it to the brim with ice-cold water, and practically inhaled it. I didn't even realize I had poured and completely gulped down five consecutive cups of water until a smooth voice cut through the silence of the kitchen.

"Are you actually that thirsty, or did the view of my abs leave you parched?"

I froze mid-swallow. Bastien was leaning against the kitchen threshold, fully dressed in a sharp, casual button-down, a thoroughly flirtatious, mocking smirk playing on his lips.

The sheer shock of his statement made me completely lose control. The water in my throat shot out in a sudden, undignified spray, and I broke into a violent fit of coughing.