CHASING HIS BARREN EX WIFE のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

CHAPTER 041 (WHAT WAS I THINKING?)POV (FREYA)The car ride was quiet.Too quiet.Alan sat behind the wheel, one hand on the steering, the other resting loosely on his knee. I sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with my necklace, trying not to think too hard about the night ahead. Eliza was in the backseat, her reflection occasionally catching in the rearview mirror, her lips painted that signature scarlet.No one spoke for a while.The silence had weight.Alan cleared his throat. "We won’t stay too long. Just a quick dinner, a few smiles. Then we leave.""I like dinner," Eliza said lightly, tapping her nails against the glass. "Especially when there are sharp knives nearby."My gaze snapped to the mirror. She was smiling. But there was nothing kind about it.Alan glanced at her briefly, his jaw tight. "Behave.""I always do, darling," she purred.The drive stretched on, the city lights blinking like secrets outside the window.When we pulled up in front of the grand estate, music sp

CHAPTER 043(THE MAN AT THE DOOR)POV (FREYA)The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting delicate lines across the bed where Eliza lay curled under layers of sheets. For once, her expression was peaceful. Almost childlike.I stood by the doorway with a tray of breakfast, unsure why my hands were trembling. Maybe it was the dream she’d had the night before the one that made her cry in her sleep, whispering something about a fox and someone taking it.“My little fox…” she had murmured.I didn’t wake her. I just sat there and watched her breathe.Now, as the steam from the tea drifted up toward my face, I forced a smile and stepped inside. “Good morning, Eliza.”Her lashes fluttered open slowly, eyes searching the room before landing on me. For a second, there was hesitation… then confusion… and then something close to joy.“Freya?”I set the tray down and moved to fluff her pillows. “You’re awake. I made breakfast.”She blinked. “You made me breakfast?”“Is that so

CHAPTER 045POV (FREYA)The balcony wind was cold, too cold for summer. I should have known something was wrong when I heard Alan scream.I raced upstairs, my heart slamming in my ribs like a drum of dread. When I reached the balcony, Alan had her. His arms were wrapped around Eliza, pulling her away from the edge, her legs limp, her hand still clutching the knife.She was sobbing, trembling violently.“He was at the door,” she kept whispering. “He’s going to take me. Don’t let him take me…”Alan’s voice cracked as he held her tighter. “You’re safe. You’re safe, Eliza. No one’s taking you.”I knelt beside them, my hands shaking as I gently pried the blade from her fingers. A thin line of blood trickled from her palm. She didn’t even flinch.We moved her to the bedroom. Alan tucked her beneath the soft sheets, brushing her damp hair back from her face while I cleaned the small cut on her hand. She’d stopped crying by then, but her eyes were vacant. Far away.Alan turned to get water. I

CHAPTER 047THE WEIGHT OF WHAT I HELDPOV ( FREYA)The sky was pale with the blush of early light as we stepped into the garden behind the villa. The grass was still damp, and the leaves glistened with dew. Eliza wore one of my cardigans, sleeves rolled, hair tied in a messy braid that still somehow made her look ethereal. I trailed beside her with a small wicker basket tucked under one arm, brushing past the rosemary and mint.“This,” she said, crouching by a patch of lemon balm, “is the secret to surviving Russian winters. You boil it with chamomile and honey, add a little ginger. Clears the lungs, calms the demons.”I smiled. “Sounds powerful.”“It has to be. You ever try calming a Russian grandmother with a cold?” she teased.I laughed softly, kneeling beside her as we began snipping at the leaves in quiet tandem. Birds sang above us, and for once, the world felt... still.Then her voice cut through it, unexpected and feather-light.“Can I ask something?”I glanced at her. “Of cou

CHAPTER 050HOME SWEET.... HOME!POV(FREYA)She didn’t hesitate. She kicked the door open with both feet and lunged.The man staggered backward with a grunt, hands flying to his face as Eliza’s fist connected with his jaw,hard. His back hit the corridor wall, and he let out a strangled yell.“What the hell. Elizaveta?! It’s me!”Lucien.My stomach dropped.Eliza froze mid swing, eyes wide as if waking from a fever dream. Her fists were still clenched, her breathing sharp and ragged. The adrenaline that had surged through her veins now made her legs tremble.Lucien cupped his face with one hand, wincing. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve been running around this damn train trying to find you, and I get sucker punched for my efforts?”Eliza blinked, confused. “I… I thought…”Alan appeared behind him, eyes sweeping over both of us, then Eliza. His shoulders sagged with obvious relief.“I thought I lost you,” he said, his voice tight and low. “What happened?”“She thought I was someone e