Semua Bab His Reluctant Bride: Contracted To My Enemy : Bab 101 - Bab 109

Tristan The car rolled to a stop in front of her small apartment. The rain had eased a little, but it was still falling, a steady drizzle that soaked through clothes if you lingered too long. I stepped out first, the cold air biting at my skin, then moved to her side. Opening the door, I helped her out carefully, her body felt weightless, fragile in my hands. She looked pale, and though Dante wasn’t in perfect shape either, he still seemed to be holding up better than I was.“Aren’t you coming in?” I asked him, glancing over my shoulder.He shook his head. “If I stay the night, my family’s going to worry themselves sick. I better get going.” He was already turning away as if determined, but I knew better. Out here, this late, he wouldn’t find a taxi. We’d both seen how deserted the roads were.“Take the car,” I told him firmly.He froze mid-step and turned back, stunned. “Boss…?”“Just make sure it’s back here early tomorrow. And… thank you. For tonight.” The words came quieter than

LioraThe next morning, I woke up feeling… different. A little tired, yes, but not weighed down like the other mornings. My head wasn’t pounding, my body wasn’t begging me to just stay under the blanket. For once, I actually managed to swing my legs out of bed without tripping over any empty beer bottles. That alone felt strange, almost suspicious.I rubbed my eyes and stood up, dragging myself to the bathroom. The cold water on my face woke me fully, the droplets sliding down and dripping from my chin. I leaned into the mirror, blinking at my reflection. Why does it feel different today? Lighter somehow… though I couldn’t place my finger on it.And then that weird dream from last night popped back into my head, making me frown. Tristan… as my maid? Scrubbing the floor, sweeping the corners, even yelling at the bottles like they personally offended him. I had to laugh under my breath, it was ridiculous, too ridiculous. No way in reality would Tristan Cole ever lower himself to that.S

Tristan’s POVI caught the look on her face as I left for the car, confused, annoyed, flustered. All the things she tries so hard to hide, but they spill through anyway.Truth is, I don’t even know why I came here tonight. Well, that’s a lie, I do know. She looked like hell yesterday, standing in the rain, shaking and stubbornly pretending she was fine. And the beer… God, the beer. She’s already drowning, and she doesn’t even see it.I could’ve walked away. maybe. But the thought of her alone in this wreck of a house, with no one to pull her back before she ruins herself… no, I can’t stomach that.When she told me she wasn’t going back with me, I almost laughed. As if she doesn’t know me by now. I don’t lose, and definitely not when it comes to her.I pop the trunk and pull out the bag I prepared. The faint chill of the night air brushes against me, but I’m warmer than I should be. Damn woman, she doesn’t even have to try, and she still manages to get under my skin.It’s not just abou

LioraHe didn’t come back that night.Not that I cared. Really, I didn’t. I wasn’t even supposed to feel disappointed in the first place. I wanted him gone, and he’s gone, so that should count as a win for me, right?So why did it feel like anything but it?***The next morning I got ready for work, kept glancing at the clock, waiting for my shift to crawl to its end. And the moment I returned to the apartment, the first thing I noticed was the empty space where he parked his car yesterday.My chest sank. A flicker of disappointment stirred before I could push it down. Don’t tell me I was actually expecting him to be here?What’s wrong with me?Shaking it off, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment felt oddly quiet. But then again, it usually was.I dropped into the chair, the creak of the old wood echoing in the silence, and just sat there for a while, staring at nothing.Then came the knock.I jumped to my feet instantly, my heart thudding as I marched to the door. In

LioraSo this is how we’re doing it tonight? He sits himself down on that chair like a king, while I do the cooking for him?Honestly, I wasn’t even the one who invited him here. He came looking for me, cooked for me yesterday, and now I’m… what? Returning the favor? A favor I’d rather not return at all.Maybe it’s pride, or maybe it’s just him, but something always stirs in me whenever he’s around. His absence lingers when he’s gone, but when he’s here… it almost feels like I’ve got him wrapped around my finger.I set the plate down in front of him, the chair creaking under his weight, and I couldn’t help the faint smirk tugging at my lips. “Never thought I’d see the day the almighty Tristan Cole would be having dinner in a cramped little space like this,” I said.There wasn’t anything fancy on the plate, just something simple.At least he wasn’t in his big, perfect house tonight. And it’s not like I forced him to come here. So if he’s going to eat, he better put up with it.“I’ve li