Chapter 415

“I met with Richard without telling you.” Zavian’s deep voice finally cut through the kitchen’s silence.

His fathomless eyes remained focused on the task at hand, avoiding her gaze as he continued. “Made a simple deal to free you from him. Told him his secret would stay safe if he agreed to the divorce.”

Emmeline froze with the decorating knife hovering over the half-finished cake.

She turned slowly to face him as she processed his words.

“Those papers Brody had you sign at his office?” Zavian continued, his attention seemingly absorbed in filling the cream bag rather than meeting her increasingly troubled expression.

His tattooed forearms flexed beneath rolled-up sleeves as he worked, revealing a map of veins that Emmeline had always found inexplicably attractive. “They were about your agreement with Richard.”

“You had me sign papers without telling me what they were?” Emmeline pressed her hand dramatically against her chest as voice rose with in