Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Trillionaire's Contractual Bride: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

CLAIREThe drive to Asher’s father’s house felt way too short, like the universe was speeding things up just to mess with us. The closer we got, the heavier the air seemed to get. I glanced over at Asher. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles pale, and every so often, I could see his jaw tighten and then relax, like he was trying—and failing woefully—to keep it together.Neither of us had said much since we got in the car, and the silence was almost worse than any awkward small talk we could’ve tried. The tension between us wasn’t the kind you could ignore. It just sat there, heavy and obvious, like a third passenger we couldn’t throw out of the car.Outside, the scenery blurred past, but I barely noticed. My stomach was in knots, and my hands were clenched in my lap, fiddling with the edge of my sleeve just to give myself something to do.“You okay over there?” I asked cautiously, though I already knew the answer.“Absolutely not,” he muttered. “Going to see my dad i

CLAIREAsher held my hand the whole ride back home. We didn't even bother telling anyone goodbye. They didn't even know that we had left. Not to be a vindictive bitch, but I didn't care what anyone thought about me now. I wasn't bothered about what Gregory thought about me. I was simply relieved that I got the opportunity to get out of that place.Being around Regal and Annabelle made me choke with so many sensitive memories that there was a high possibility that I might explode on the spot. “You're tired,” Asher said the moment he got into the house. He crouched and undid the buckles of my shoes, and I automatically slipped out of the shoes. My legs felt relieved almost instantly. A small laugh escaped me when he automatically hoisted me up into his arms, bridal style. “What are you doing?” I asked, breathless with laughter. There was no need to ask any questions. I trusted him, but that didn't mean that I wasn't curious; I was curious to know what he was planning to do. “Just gi

ASHER I walked into the house later than I’d intended. Dealing with Liah had drained me more than usual, her sharp comments and endless dramatics playing on repeat in my head. But the moment I stepped through the door, the scent of something warm and inviting wrapped around me, chasing away the irritation.It smelled like...rosemary and garlic. Claire was cooking. That wasn’t something I came home to often—she usually let the chef handle dinners. Curious, I dropped my briefcase by the door and headed toward the kitchen.When I stepped into the room, I froze.Claire stood at the counter, her back to me, carefully stirring something in a pot. Her hair, now a golden blonde, caught the light in soft waves that cascaded down her shoulders. She wore a fitted sweater and jeans that hugged her figure just right—casual but striking in a way that made my chest tighten."Hey," I said, leaning against the doorframe. I watched her turn toward me, and the look on her face was all kinds of surprise

CLAIRE“You can't just come waltzing up in here, acting like you own the place. You're late,” Liah raised an eyebrow at me. She was usually one to cover her emotions, hiding her irritation with a smirk, but something was different about this time.Irritation, anger, and maybe if I look even more closely to identify the emotions in her eyes, then maybe even envy. I was loving the way she found it difficult to contain all of this. I was going to enjoy watching her squirm. Since when did you become so devious? I don't know. But I knew something about me was changing. I wasn't sure I felt the pressing need to please anyone anymore. “I'm not sure anyone made you the judge of that, Liah. Suffocate with your unnecessary observation,” the corners of my lips tilted a bit, and every inch of my words dripped with icy sarcasm like I intended. She looked stupefied but said nothing. Her face flushed a bright red as she looked away. Well, it looks like I won the first round. I resisted the urge

CLAIREThe soft light of the early morning crept through the cracks in the blinds, spilling over the bed where Asher and I lay tangled in the sheets. The warmth of his body next to mine was a comfort I didn’t want to leave, not yet. I could hear his steady, calm breath that matched mine, but he was a bit rough. But that was the sound I needed to hear to be alright. I could stay locked in his arms for as long as I could. Suddenly, Asher stirred beside me, his hand gently running through my hair. A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I adjusted my position, tucking myself deeper into his side. Asher chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through my nerves and sending a pleasant shiver through me, settling on my clit. This man effortlessly did things to me. “Good morning,” he murmured, his voice still rough from sleep, as he shifted, pulling me closer, if that was even possible. I hummed in response, nuzzling my face into his chest, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. I wasn’t q