All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S RELUCTANT WIFE : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

LET THEM WHISPER...The invitation wasn’t really an invitation. It was an announcement.A thick cream envelope lay on Abigail’s vanity when she walked into the bedroom that morning, her name written in elegant calligraphy. She opened it, expecting something personal, but instead found the embossed seal of the Vandell Corporation at the top.Luke was adjusting his cufflinks in the mirror.“What’s this?” she asked, holding it up.He didn’t even glance at the card. “Annual Charity gala. I’m hosting.”“And I’m going,” she said, more a statement than a question.He met her gaze in the reflection, one brow raised. “Naturally.”She set the envelope down, leaning against the vanity. “Do you want me there because I’m your wife or because you want them to see me?”His hands stilled for a moment, then resumed their work. “Both.”It wasn’t a roma

NOTICING ISN'T CHOOSING...The rain had been falling since morning, a steady drizzle that turned the sky into a pale gray canvas. Abigail was curled up on the sofa in the main living room, a book in her lap, though she hadn’t turned a page in ten minutes. The rhythmic patter of rain on the wide windows was almost hypnotic.Luke had disappeared into his study earlier, saying he needed to make a few calls. She assumed it was business. When was it not? So she let him be, no distractions. Not like he would even let her.She was halfway through pouring herself another cup of tea when she heard the low rumble of an unfamiliar engine pulling into the driveway.Luke’s voice carried from the hall. “Abigail, we have company.”She stepped toward the entrance just as Luke opened the front door, and that was when she saw him.The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and striking in a way that was al

I LIKE BEING Stuck...The room still smelled faintly of rain and skin. Abigail lay curled into Luke’s chest, her hair spread across his shoulder like a dark veil. His fingers were idly stroking along her spine, tracing lazy patterns that made her hum softly.It was the kind of quiet that felt full, not empty the kind where every heartbeat, every breath was enough.“You’re warm,” she murmured sleepily.“That’s because you’re clinging to me like a koala,” he teased.She smiled without opening her eyes. “Maybe I’m afraid you’ll disappear.”“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, his voice low, almost solemn. “You’re stuck with me, like I mean forever with me alone”She tilted her head up and kissed his jaw. “Good. I like being stuck.”For a while, they didn’t talk. The world outside seemed to have melted away; the rain had finally stopped, leaving only the occasional drip fro

DON'T YOU DARE ME MRS ABIGAIL...The day began quietly enough. Luke had left early for a meeting, leaving Abigail to her own devices. The estate was peaceful in his absence, almost too peaceful. No sounds or noise. Seems the servants were already done for the day's work. Just the nature's sound drizzling.She wandered through the rooms aimlessly, sipping coffee, skimming through a book she wasn’t really reading. But her mind kept drifting to a message she’d received the night before.Maya.The last time they’d spoken, their conversation had been brief but warm, ending with a casual, "we should catch up soon". And this morning, Maya had sent a simple:I’m in town. Can we meet? Just us.Abigail hesitated. She knew Luke would insist on sending a driver, security layers of precautions she didn’t want to deal with. This wasn’t about safety; it was about normalcy. She wanted to see Maya as a friend, not as “Luke Vandell’s guarded partner.”So, she didn’t tell him.She dressed simply jeans,

I CAN LIVE WITH THAT...Abigail didn’t remember the exact moment her mind shifted.Maybe it was somewhere between her pacing the bedroom for the hundredth time that week and hearing Luke come home just long enough to change shirts before disappearing again.Maybe it was when she caught herself standing in the hallway like some desperate shadow, watching his back as he walked away without a word.Or maybe it was simpler than that.Maybe she had just reached the point where the silence hurt more than the fight ever could.Whatever the reason, that evening, she decided it was going to end.She waited until the house was quiet, the hum of late-night settling sounds filling the halls. The staff had retired to their quarters, and the only light on was in Luke’s study down the hall.Her heart thudded with each step she took.For ten days, she had let him control the rhythm of their distance. Tonight, she was going to break it.She didn’t knock. She opened the door.Luke was at his desk, jack