LOGINShare
CHAPTER 37: THE SCENT OF RAIN AND NIGHT
publish date:
2026-10-08 00:04:27
Latest chapter
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 60: THE BEACH OF TRUTHS
ELARA'S POVThe cold wind whipped across the white-sand cove of Vespera Isle, carrying the bitter salt of the open sea. My brothers stood a hundred yards back near the base of the stone stairs, watching our every move like armed sentinels, but their presence felt miles away.There was only Lucien and me, standing on the damp, grey sand where the tide met the shore.Water still dripped from his dark hair, clinging to the sharp angles of his jaw, and his soaked white shirt clung tightly to the broad span of his chest. His pale gray eyes were bloodshot, burning with an intense, frantic desperation that made the air between us crackle with raw emotion."You have five minutes, Lucien," I repeated, my voice dropping into an icy register that cut through the sound of the crashing waves. "Start talking."Lucien didn't flinch. He took a heavy step forward, closing the distance between us until I could feel the chill radiating off his wet clothes."The photo," he rasped, his voice tight and sha
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 59: THE UNINVITED GUEST
ELARA'S POVThe cool sea breeze whipped across the manicured lawns of Vespera Isle, but the sudden tension in the cliffside villa made the air feel like thin ice.Rafael’s jaw clenched so tightly a muscle twitched along his cheek. Without a word, he turned on his heel and strode toward the stone pathway leading down to the private harbor, his broad shoulders squared for combat. Matteo and Julian immediately set down their cameras and piano scores, following close behind him like protective sentinels."Wait," I commanded, my voice cutting cleanly through the terrace.My brothers stopped, turning back to look at me. I stood tall beside the glass balustrade, wrapped in a flowing emerald beach wrap over my silk dress, my dark hair blowing across my shoulders in the coastal gale."Don't go down there as a firing squad," I said quietly, though my eyes burned with sharp resolve. "Let him come up the beach. I want to see what kind of man crosses private waters just to demand an audience."Wit
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 58: THE VESPERA RETREAT
ELARA'S POVThe morning after the tabloids hit the newsstands, the front gates of Villa Seraphine were practically blockaded by a swarm of media vans, photographers, and invasive reporters shouting questions about Nikolai and me. The flashbulbs and shutter clicks felt like an intrusive invasion of the peace I had fought so hard to build."They're relentless," Mara noted, sliding a tablet across the kitchen island. "Social media is blowing up, and every gossip column in Europe is trying to trace the provenance of that photo from Bellmere."Before I could answer, my brother Rafael strode into the kitchen. He wore a casual linen shirt, his sleeves rolled up, looking like the seasoned marine architect and island lord he was. He took one look at the tablet screen and let out a sharp, dry laugh."Enough is enough," Rafael announced, his gray eyes flashing with protective Vespera fire. "You aren't going to sit here and let vultures circle your atelier while you drink your morning tea, Elara.
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 57: HEADLINES AND FURY
LUCIEN’S POVThe early morning sunlight cutting across my penthouse living room did nothing to warm the heavy, suffocating silence.I stood by floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking Aurelia, holding a heavy crystal tumbler of amber whiskey. My eyes were burning from another sleepless night. Every time I closed them, I could still feel the phantom ghost of Elara’s presence in the hospital lab, the fierce resistance in her voice when she reminded me of the eight agonizing years she had starved in our marriage.A sharp, hurried knock sounded at the penthouse door.Before I could answer, the heavy wood clicked open, and Mrs. Gable, our longtime housekeeper, stepped into the foyer. Her expression was pale, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched a folded morning newspaper."Dr. Vale," she said, her voice tight with hesitation. "You... you need to see this."I didn't turn around, keeping my gaze locked on the harbor below. "Leave it on the table, Mrs. Gable.""Sir, it's the front p
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 56: THE KISS IN THE GARDEN
ELARA'S POVThe ocean breeze swept up from the cliffs of Bellmere, rustling the heavy, fragrant blooms of night-blooming jasmine that framed Nikolai’s terrace garden.Let me show you what it feels like to be worshipped, not just regretted.His low, velvet words lingered in the midnight air, settling over my heart like a warm, soothing balm. For three years, I had built my existence out of cold armor, steeling myself against the lingering scars of my past. But standing on this moonlit stone terrace, wrapped in the quiet, indulgent warmth of Nikolai’s gaze, the walls around my chest began to soften.Nikolai didn't pull me aggressively toward him. His long fingers remained light beneath my chin, giving me every opportunity to step back, to raise my guard, to return to the safe, icy distance I kept from the rest of the world.Instead, I took a slow breath, letting the tension melt out of my shoulders. I was no longer the lonely, desperate wife sitting in a silent penthouse waiting for a h
Too Late, Mr. Vale CHAPTER 55: THE RIVAL’S COUNTERMOVE
ELARA'S POVThe double glass doors of the medical center auto-locked behind me as I stepped into the cool, damp night air. My heart was still hammering against my ribs, the ghost of Lucien’s warmth lingering against my skin like a phantom burn. Eight years of marriage had trained my body to recognize his touch, but three years of freedom had given me the strength to walk away before it consumed me again."You look as though you've just wrestled with a storm, Elara," a smooth, cultured voice called out from the curb.I looked up. Idling by the private hospital entrance was a sleek, vintage silver convertible. Nikolai Laurent leaned against the leather driver's seat, wearing an ivory linen shirt unbuttoned at the collar, a soft, knowing smile playing on his lips.I took a slow breath, adjusting my coat. "It was just a long evening in the lab, Nikolai.""Then let me rescue you from it," Nikolai said gently, pushing the passenger door open for me. "No clinical trials, no medical boards, a
You May Also Like
HIRED AS A BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE
Rossy694.1K viewsOn Her Daddy’s Bed!
Xee write687.2K viewsPursuing My Ex-Wife Isn't Easy
Inked Snow3.3M viewsCraving The Wrong Brother
Elysian Sparrow605.4K viewsThe Wife He Couldn't Keep
Priscilla G105 viewsMy Wife Is My Secret Mistress
Faith Odulesi 194 viewsStepdaddy Diaries
Johnsgirl47 viewsTHE ARROGANT CEO'S CURVY CONTRACT
Jocelyne 139 views
