In the name of vows のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 51 - チャプター 60

CHAPTER FIFTY TWOCHRISTINES POVTwo months could pass quickly when a person barely had time to breathe.Christine had learned that the hard way.She stood in front of her bedroom window on Monday morning, coffee mug in hand, just thinking hard to herself as she watched the morning sun come up.. There had been a time, not long ago, when Mondays felt like the start of another battle. A new week meant new board conflicts, press drama, and subtle digs from people waiting for her to fail.Now, while the work was still heavy, there was less of that crushing dread. The board issues had calmed. The media storms had quieted. She and Adrian well, they weren’t friends, but they weren’t at war either. Since everyone was able to maintain their own space it has not been so bad after all.The truth was, they’d found something like rhythm.She wouldn’t call it trust. Not yet. But there was a professional steadiness between them now, and that was something.Christine set her mug down and straightened

CHAPTER FIFTY FOURADRIANS POVAdrian heard the door open before he saw her.The sound was small in the wide, quiet space, but he noticed it instantly. He didn’t need to look up from the quarterly report glowing on his laptop to know it was Christine there was a certain rhythm to her steps, quick but slightly uneven, as if she was shaking off the weight of the day before she reached the living room.She came into view a few seconds later. The late sunlight pouring through the tall windows caught in her hair, turning a few strands gold. She paused in the entryway, scanning the room, and he had the sudden, vivid image of her weighing whether to speak first.Adrian kept his eyes on the report in front of him, deliberately reading the same line twice. He didn’t want it to be too obvious that he’d been listening for her. Waiting for her to come and say something to him He was home earlier than usual, and he knew she’d notice. In truth, he had been finding reasons to leave the office sooner

CHAPTER FITTY SIXCHRISTINES POVThe house felt too quiet without him. At first, Christine told herself it was a blessing. Adrian had left two weeks ago on a business trip, flying out with Mark to Asia for some deal with investors. She thought she would finally have room to breathe without his teasing eyes, without his sudden appearances in the office that made her chest tighten with both annoyance and something else she didn’t want to name. But the truth was, the silence followed her around like a shadow. She found herself wanting his talks, even craving the bits of their small conversations in the house.Most nights she came home late after long hours at DreamSpace. The company had begun to face a new trouble. A rival firm pressing hard, rumors spreading in the media like fire. It was one meeting after another, daily. The board questioned every decision she made, and though she tried to keep her chin up, her confidence chipped away little by little. Adrian had always been good at si

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHTCHRISTINES POVThe silence that fell after Adrian’s voice was sharp enough to cut through the night. Christine felt the weight of it pressing against her chest, making it hard to breathe. Adrian stood only a few feet away, his coat still on, as though he had come straight from the airport. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark and steady.Brian’s smile widened as if the entire moment were a game. “Back earlier than I expected,” he said smoothly, as though welcoming an old friend instead of facing an enemy.Christine froze between them, her pulse hammering in her ears. She was scared on what might happen next.Adrian’s gaze flicked briefly to her, then back to Brian. His voice was low, controlled. “What are you doing here?”Brian lifted his shoulders in an easy shrug. “Catching up with Christine. We were in the middle of a conversation.”“Conversation,” Adrian repeated, his tone sharper.Brian’s smile didn’t falter. “Yes. About business. About the future. About you, actu

CHAPTER SIXTYCHRISTINES POVThe storm had passed by morning, but the quiet it left behind seemed heavier than the thunder had been. Christine moved through the day on autopilot, answering calls, sitting in meetings, smiling where she needed to smile. But her mind wasn’t on the numbers in front of her or the endless chatter from the team. It was back in the penthouse, in the candlelight, with Adrian’s voice low and raw as he confessed his jealousy.The memory of it stayed with her like a pulse under her skin. The way his eyes had burned into hers, unguarded and sharp. The way her chest had fluttered, betraying her with feelings she wasn’t ready to name. She didn’t realize how thoughts of him had consumed her mind of recent how she always looked forward to seeing him.She should have been angry. She should have been angry that he admitted something so selfish, angry that she let herself feel warmth instead of resentment. But all she could think about was the truth in his voice, the hon