Ties That Bind のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 91 - チャプター 100

ALEXA’S POV The moment Rowan turned toward me on that treadmill, surprise flashing in his eyes, I felt a rush of satisfaction. That look caught between guilt and confusion was exactly what I wanted.“Hi, Rowan,” I said, letting my tone drip casual sweetness, like this was the most natural encounter in the world.His jaw tightened. “Alexa… what are you doing here?”I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “Same as you. Trying to stay in shape. Or are gyms only reserved for you and your wife?”The mention of wife wasn’t accidental. I wanted to see his reaction, wanted to taste the tension in the air. And there it was—his eyes flickered to the empty treadmill where Piper had been just moments ago.“Where’s Piper?” I asked, scanning the room deliberately, as if I hadn’t already noticed she’d gone to the restroom.“She’s around,” Rowan said stiffly. “Probably stepped away for a minute.”“Ah,” I said lightly, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Good. I’d hate for her to think I was monopolizin

ROWAN’S POVI sat in the car, my hands holding the steering wheel so tightly that blood seemed to leave my knuckles. My chest felt heavy, weighed down with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. Piper’s voice still played in my head, every word hitting me hard, “Leave, Rowan.”She’d said it like she meant it. And instead of fighting back, instead of holding her like part of me wanted to, I walked away. I told myself I was tired, that I couldn’t keep fueling her tantrums. But as I sat there alone, the silence pressing in, I wondered if I’d made the biggest mistake of my life.With a deep sigh, I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person I knew would give it to me straight…my father.He picked up on the second ring. “Rowan. What is it?” His voice was calm, steady, the voice of a man who had been able to solve issues easily and I knew that he had the right things to say to keep me calm.I leaned back in the seat, running a hand through my hair. “Dad… it’s Piper. She blew up at me again.

PIPER’S POVWhen Rowan first told me about the meeting, it felt like someone had driven a pin straight through my heart. He said it so casually, as though it was the most ordinary thing in the world.“Alexa called,” he said, slipping his watch onto his wrist. “She’s seen the ads. She thinks we can expand the reach and push it onto our page, build some real traction. I told her I’d meet her tomorrow night at nine to talk about it.”His voice was calm, professional, detached. To him, this was business. To me? It was a wound I couldn’t stop pressing on.I forced a smile, gripping the mug in my hand a little tighter to stop myself from shaking. “If it’s business, then I trust you.”The words were smooth, but inside, I was anything but calm.The truth? It wasn’t Rowan I doubted.It was Alexa.From the moment I saw her, I knew she was dangerous. The way she moved, the confidence she carried like perfume, the sly smile that came whenever Rowan entered the room. She wasn’t just another collea

ROWAN’S POV“I told you already,” I said again, my voice rising this time, rough with frustration. “I am married, Alexa. I can’t do this. I won’t do this.”But she only smiled like she knew something I didn’t. That smile…was wrong, dangerous, like she had already decided the ending to this story, and I was the only one who hadn’t read it yet.“It’s only paper, Rowan,” she whispered, leaning in closer. Her perfume filled the space between us, sweet but suffocating. “You and her, it’s just contract. It’s not love. You don’t love her the way you could love me.”I felt anger rising, my jaw tight, my fists clenching on the table. “Don’t disrespect my wife like that. You don’t know anything about us.”Her lips curled in a mocking way. “Respect?” she asked softly, like the word was a joke to her. “Does Piper even respect you? Does she give you what I can?”I didn’t even let her finish. I shoved back my chair, the legs scraping the floor. I was done. I couldn’t sit here and listen anymore.Bu

PIPER’S POVThe man paused. For one long heartbeat, the entire world held its breath. Then, because my staff were there and because the situation would not favor a fight in broad daylight, the men released Rowan. They pulled back, mocking restraint in their faces.“You’re lucky,” the taller one said, menace coating his words. “This could have been messy.”Alexa laughed, a high, sharp sound. “Messy? For you? Please. I will make him see. You think your paper promises will hold when a man wants to break them?”“You’re delusional,” I said. I stepped closer until I felt the charge of her warmth against me, the way she used proximity to try to rattle me. “This is not a game. Leave him alone.”Her expression curdled. “You can’t tell me what to do,” she spat.“I just did,” I said. “And if you care at all for your future ..or the freedom you have left ..you will step away.”She looked at me like I’d struck her. “You’ll destroy me,” she whispered, but it held no real threat. She was a storm tha