All Chapters of FORBIDDEN AFFECTION : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Lara’s POV I sat in class, staring at the board, but nothing the professor said made sense to me. My pen hovered over my notebook, but I hadn’t written a single word. My mind was somewhere else—back in that house, in Aiden’s arms, feeling the heat of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the way his lips had claimed mine like he had been starving for me. I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat as the memory replayed in my head. He hadn’t just kissed me—he had wanted me. I saw it in his eyes, felt it in the way he held me, the way his hands trembled slightly when they touched my skin. But then he pulled back, like he was fighting against something, like he was trying to convince himself it was wrong. I pressed my fingers against my lips, still able to feel the ghost of his kiss. Aiden didn’t want to admit it, but I knew the truth now—he felt it too. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. He just didn’t want to accept it. The realization made my heart pound. If he truly didn’t

Aiden’s POV I had made up my mind. No more pretending. No more pushing down the feelings I had buried for so long. I was done acting like she didn’t affect me — like her soft voice, her curious eyes, her damn innocence didn’t light a fire inside me I had no business feeling. That’s why I went to pick her up today. I could’ve sent the driver. Hell, I should have. But I wanted to see her. I needed to. And the moment I saw her walking toward me, laughing with her friend, something inside me clicked into place. I wasn’t holding back anymore. The way she waved at me with that soft smile — completely unaware of what she does to me — it took everything in me to stay still and composed. And yet, a part of me didn’t want to be composed anymore. Tonight, I used the city view as an excuse to have her close. But I couldn’t even focus on the views. All I could think about was last night. The way she kissed me back. The way her lips trembled under mine. The way she moaned be

Elena’s POV The sun had barely risen when I wheeled my suitcase to the front porch, the morning air cool against my skin. A quiet calm hung in the atmosphere, but my chest buzzed with a strange mix of anxiety and excitement. My phone buzzed. Jessica: Outside. Let’s go, queen. I didn’t reply. I didn’t need to. I took one last look at the house—my home, my father’s empire. I stepped into the black car Jessica had brought. She was in the backseat, still in pajamas, holding two iced coffees and a wide grin on her face. “Paris, bitch!” she cheered, handing me one. “I still can’t believe you’re doing this.” I smirked. “Believe it. I left a note too. Just in case.” She snorted. “You’re such a drama queen. But I love it.” The driver pulled away from the curb, and my heart gave a small, traitorous pang. No one came running out to stop me. No lights flicked on. Just silence behind me as we drove off into my future. I leaned my head against the window, watching the quiet stree

Elena’s POV I sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, the letter still in my hand, the words Private Review Meeting looping in my head. My eyes drifted to the envelope again. Formal dress code. Seven o’clock. Salon Noir. It felt… important. Too important. The other girls had joked earlier in the lounge that their meetings weren’t until the end of the week. So why was mine less than twenty-four hours away? My gaze slid to my phone on the nightstand. That missed call from my father was still there, the voicemail sitting like a stone in my stomach. I picked it up and pressed play. His voice came through, low and controlled, the way it always was when he was masking frustration. > “Elena, it’s your father. I trust you’ve arrived… wherever you said you were going. I’ve already spoken to Aiden today, and he didn’t seem to know you were traveling. We will discuss that later. The wedding arrangements are in place. Your absence at this point could invite… unnecessary speculation

Aiden’s POV The last two days had been hell. Ever since I took Lara out that night… ever since I stood with her under the city lights, feeling her warmth against me, seeing the way her eyes searched mine — it had been impossible to breathe without thinking of her. She had no idea what she was doing to me. Or maybe she did. Maybe she felt it too, the way her gaze lingered just a little too long, the way her voice softened when she spoke to me. And tomorrow… Tomorrow, I was supposed to stand in front of a crowd, smile like I was the happiest man alive, and marry Elena. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to. For two days, I’d been searching for a way out — a way to stop the wedding without destroying my family’s reputation, without dragging Lara into the firestorm. But every path felt like a dead end. Every thought hurt. Every decision seemed impossible. And in the middle of it all, there was her. Always her. Before stepping into the bathroom tonight, I’d been sitting on the