No Longer His Ugly Wife のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 71 - チャプター 80

Lucy’s POVHis lips were soft and his kiss was fierce and aggressive, as if he was releasing all the pent-up anger and resentment that he’d been holding in for the past years.His warm tongue teased against my lips, searching for interest into my mouth. And I almost let him in. Almost.It was an act of aggression, sure, but my body didn’t understand that, as my heart thrummed in my breast and a throbbing heat ignited in my core.I hadn’t been touched like this in years, and now my body was suffering from the prolonged lack of exposure to a man’s touch. My body spoke of desire. A need to let this continue, but my mind screamed out the truth. That these feelings…this kiss… it wasn’t real.With weak legs, and an almost weaker resolve, I shoved away from him with every ounce of strength I had. “What are you doing?!” I hissed, glowering at him.Alaric’s lips were swollen and stained with my lipstick, his eyes once stoic and almost dazed, turned cold when he finally snapped out of it“You’

Alaric’s POVThe ride home was silent.It was still clear that Lucy was angry with me for how I’d acted earlier. And the bitter part of me didn't give a damn. But that other part, the lingering love-sick guy that once counted the seconds till he was her husband three years ago…did.She’d fallen asleep not too long after the car took off, her face directed towards the window where she’d been staring the entire time to avoid looking at me. When we finally arrived home, a frustrated piece of me wanted to wake her up, interrupt her sleep and force her to walk to the house.But I couldn’t.She was injured after all. It would have been cruel to do such a thing. Besides, I’d never admit this aloud, but I wanted to carry her.“Thank you, Lenny,” I said to the driver as he held the door open for me while I scooted Lucy out of the seat and scooped her into my arms. She let out a sleepy moan against my chest as she stirred a little and then settled back into a comfortable sleep.I carried her

Lucy’s POV“Alaric?” Niki continuously pressed after he ignored her question. All the while, all I could feel was flushed embarrassment concerning a conversation that was about me. “You can put me down, Aric,” I murmured. “I can get the rest of the way myself.” I felt the vibration of his grunt through his broad, solid chest. “Nonsense, I offered to carry you to the table, and that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t want to hear another word about it.” He cut the conversation off with finality.And I was forced to sit there in his arms in silence. I mean…what else was I to say?Niki, however, refused to be ignored, as she continuously pressed him further on the subject of me.“Tell me,” she insisted. “Are you really starting to like her or something?”Alaric sat me down as the maid served us. “She’s my wife Niki,” he finally answered dismissively. “It’s my duty to take care of her.” He pushed the plate of breakfast closer to me, pressing me to eat. “I’m not that hungry,” I muttered.

Lucy’s POVThe glass doors floated shut, muffling the receding sounds of the FBI agents and the final, irritating metallic click of handcuffs. Tom and Matthew were gone. Just like that.I sat perfectly still at the head of the polished mahogany table, watching the last echo of chaos settle and then recede into business conversation.Around me, the remaining executives shuffled papers, but their attention was fixed on Alaric, who had immediately seized control, his jaw set and his eyes gleaming with ruthless focus.“With all the shareholders in agreement to move forward, we’ll proceed with the acquisition,” Alaric stated, his voice cutting through the tension. “We expedite the regulatory approval and have the press release ready by noon. I want absolute silence on the arrests. Our main focus from here on out is moving ahead with combining Whitmore and Kingsley Group. No tabloid dramas.”He laid out plans and timelines, speaking in a language of stocks and solvency-partnerships, and tak

Alaric’s POVLivia Simmons, the leggy bombshell, billionaire dollar heiress of the Simmons Corp. And, well, my ex fiance.“Liv!” I said, clearly caught off guard. “What-” I was so stunned to see her, that for a moment, I’d forgotten how to even speak. I didn’t even realize that I had been walking towards her until we were hardly five inches from each other. “Hi,” I finally decided to say. Livia smiled brightly-that alluring smile that I remembered. Before another word could be spoken she jumped into my arms, wrapping hers around my neck. Immediately, I glared at Niki, a silent scolding as she shrugged with an excited smile.“Oh, Lari!” she exclaimed with the nickname she’d given me while we were dating.I always hated that name. “I’ve so totally missed you!” she said. I wish I could say the same, but I couldn't. Livia was everything one could possibly desire in a woman. In terms of physical aspects, and even her socialite standing. She was sexy, independent-or as independent as a