After One Reckless Night; A Secret Binds Us のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 101 - チャプター 110

They hauled ass around a corner, flying past racks of clothes and startled assistants, heading straight for the VIP dressing wing. Kimberly tried to plant her feet. “Cindy, slow down—”“Nope.”"Cindy—"“Trust me.”“I can't trust you when you start acting crazy like this.”“Just shut up, and follow me, Kim! F*cking trust me.”That stopped Kimberly's protest mid-sentence. She went quiet for a beat. “Okay...” she whispered.Cindy glanced back, a little smirk playing on her lips. “Good. Because we’re about to pull off something a little crazy.”Outside, the music shifted again. It got even slower, and heavier, turning into something romantic. It was the kind of build-up that made the audience stop whispering and sit up straight. The house lights dimmed again into something warmer.People began to murmur to themselves, guessing if it was already time. Many of them had heard rumors about Bryce Harri

“Sophie's here too?”“Hi!” Sophie beamed up at him, completely proud of herself.For a man who had just handled a room full of elite industry sharks without blinking, Bryce looked genuinely stunned, and happy all at once.They were still carried away by the kids when a much more composed and familiar voice drifted from the crowd.“Well, I suppose the 'surprise' element of this trip didn't exactly survive the first thirty seconds, did it?”Both Bryce and Kimberly looked up.“Nana?” Kimberly’s jaw practically hit the floor. Bryce straightened up, his eyes widening as he shook off the shock of the toddler-tackle. Standing a few steps away was Nana Ellie, looking as composed and amused as ever, like she hadn’t just casually walked into one of the biggest nights of their lives. Someone who should probably be in bed right now resting. Or least, in a couch watching her favorite show, after she must have taken her meds.Beside her stood Ava, wearing a warm smile, one hand resting lightly o

Kimberly's gaze dropped to his tie, her voice losing its edge. “I didn't see you. After the walk… I thought you missed it. I thought you weren't watching.”The silence that followed was heavy. Then, his hand softened on her jaw, his thumb tracing the line of her throat with a tenderness that hurt more than the intensity. “Kimberly,” he exhaled, his voice thick. “I saw everything.”Completely shocked, Kimberly looked up, searching his face. The raw honesty in his expression made her throat go tight.“I was there before you even hit the lights,” he said, his voice steadying but still rough with emotion. “I didn't move. I couldn't. You think I’d miss a single second of you?” He brushed her cheek with his thumb, grounding her. “I was right there, watching you walk like you owned the damn world. And I hated every man in that room because they got to look at you too.”Kimberly was speechless for a few minutes.Here she was, thinking Bryce hadn't fulfilled his promise of watching her, but

**********The next morning, sunlight filtered softly through the curtains of the master bedroom, bathing the room and the rumple sheets with a warm glow. Kimberly was still buried deep in the quilt, her body deliciously sore in all the right places from the night before, when the bedroom door creaked open.Tiny footsteps walked across the floor, followed by the unmistakable sound of a five-year-old trying and failing to be quiet.Keira climbed onto the massive bed with surprising agility, her curly hair a wild halo around her face. She tugged at the edge of the duvet, pulling it down just enough to expose her mother’s face, then leaned in and began showering Kimberly with wet, enthusiastic kisses all over her cheeks, nose, and forehead.“Wake up, wake up, Mommy!” Keira sang in her high, sweet voice, bouncing slightly on her knees. “It’s a new day! The sun is saying good morning! Wake up, wake up, lazy Mommy!”Kimberly stirred, her eyes still heavy with sleep, but a soft chuckle escap

~~ A FEW DAYS LATER ~~Cindy sat on a plush velvet chaise nearby, her legs crossed, with a glass of champagne in hand and a huge grin on her face as she sipped from her glass, her eyes never leaving her best friend who stood on the raised platform in front of a three-way mirror, her hands smoothing over the delicate fabric of the dress she currently had on. It was a romantic off-the-shoulder A-line gown with intricate lace appliqués that looked like delicate vines and wildflowers climbing up the bodice and cascading gently down the skirt. The lightweight chiffon flowed effortlessly, moving with her like a soft breeze, ideal for an outdoor ceremony at the countryside estate that she and her “fiance” had agreed on. A subtle blush undertone in the lace gave it that whimsical garden feel without being overly sweet.“Oh my God, Kim,” Cindy breathed, fanning herself dramatically. “That’s the one. I’m calling it. You look like a literal garden fairy who decided to become a queen. Bryce is