All Chapters of FORBIDDEN AFFECTION : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Aiden’s POV I woke up to the shrill sound of my phone ringing. My eyes drifted to Lara, curled up against me like she belonged there, her head tucked into my chest, her breath warm on my skin. She looked too peaceful, too perfect for this moment to be disturbed. Gently, I shifted her away, careful not to wake her. My hand reached for my phone, and my gaze caught the time—almost 5 a.m. On my wedding day. Richard. My soon to be father-in-law. His name glared at me from the screen for the sixth time. I cursed under my breath. The last thing I wanted was to deal with him right now. My thumb hovered over the reject button when the phone rang again. I sighed. Maybe it was important. “Hello,” I muttered, my voice still thick with sleep. He sounded urgent—too urgent. Something in his tone told me I wouldn’t be able to ignore this. I swung my legs off the bed, already grabbing whatever clothes were in reach, shoving them on even though I still had no idea what had happened. I di

Elena’s POV The training ended just before noon. My head was pounding from the endless corrections about posture, the reminders about grace and expression. Everyone was eager to get to lunch, to laugh and gossip over trays of food. I just wanted a shower and ten minutes to breathe.I slipped my notebook under my arm and walked down the long corridor toward my room. My phone buzzed in my bag, and when I pulled it out, the caller ID flashed a familiar name.“Jessica,” I whispered, already bracing myself.The moment I answered, a deafening shriek nearly burst my eardrum.“Elenaaa!”I jerked the phone away, holding it at a distance. “Jess, calm down—what is wrong with you?”“You’re famous!” she shouted, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Already famous and you haven’t even walked the real runway yet!”I frowned. “What are you talking about?”She laughed, half hysterical. “Don’t play dumb with me. The internet is burning with your name right now. Go check for yourself. Social media, int

Aiden’s POV By the time I returned home, every bone in my body ached with exhaustion. The press, the board members, Richard’s endless scheming—it had drained me. But beneath the fatigue, a strange sense of relief pulsed quietly. The wedding hadn’t happened. Elena’s letter was still folded in my pocket, its words burned into my mind. Three months. That’s what she wrote. Three months before anything could be pushed again. Three months. Enough time. Enough time to find a way to end this engagement completely, to crush it before it chained me forever. Because the truth was, I didn’t want Elena. I never did. And as for Lara… I already knew what I felt. I didn’t need time to figure that out. What I needed was time to free myself from Richard’s grip, from this ridiculous alliance he was forcing me into. For once, I felt like I could breathe. I pushed the door to my room open and flicked the lights on. Empty. But not completely. Her scent was there—faint but unmistakable. Th

Aiden’s POV Her tears soaked through my shirt, warm and aching against my skin. Every drop felt like it was carving me open. I couldn’t let her believe this. Not tonight. Not when every damn thing I’d done since morning was for her. “Lara…” My voice came out rough, strained. I tipped her chin up with my fingers, forcing her to look at me. Her eyes were glassy, red from crying, but damn, she was still so painfully beautiful it almost broke me. “You’re wrong,” I said firmly. She blinked at me, lips trembling. “Wrong? About what? That you’re married now? That I’ve already lost you?” I swallowed hard, brushing my thumb across her cheek, lingering longer than I should have. Her skin was warm, soft, addictive. “I didn’t marry her.” Lara’s breath hitched, but instead of relief, a bitter, shaky laugh left her lips. “Don’t… don’t play with me like that, Uncle. Not now. You left before dawn. You didn’t even look back. Do you know how that felt?” My chest tightened. “I swear to you

Lara’s POV My head was pounding. A dull, throbbing ache that made me groan as I slowly blinked awake. For a moment, everything felt heavy, confusing. The sheets were softer than I remembered, the warmth around me steadier than a blanket. Then I realized—an arm was wrapped around me. Strong, firm, protective. I turned my head, and my breath caught. Aiden. His face was so close, too close. His lashes rested against his skin, dark and thick, his lips slightly parted as he breathed evenly. He looked… peaceful. Younger somehow, without the weight he usually carried on his shoulders. For a few heartbeats, I just lay there, staring. Admiring. Memorizing. My chest tightened with something I didn’t want to name. But then it hit me like ice water. Yesterday. The wedding. He had left home before dawn, not even looking at me, not even saying a word. He had gone to marry Elena. And here I was, lying in his arms like some foolish dreamer. The jealousy burned so hot it stung my th