Claimed By The Billionaire Ex のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 81 - チャプター 90

Chapter 80: Small BargainsAurora’s POVI held Jace’s gaze for a long moment after he finished speaking.There were a thousand things I could have said. A thousand sharp replies perched on the edge of my tongue, ready to be released if I let myself lean into habit instead of restraint. I did none of that though and no, it wasn't because I had nothing to say even if that was part of it, it was because my heart skipped a beat at the words and if I let myself speak, I'll betray my thoughts to him.He will know that he affected me and I did not want him to know that. He could not know that…at all.So instead, I gave him a small nod.“I’ll try,” I said quietly. “I’ll try not to be sad anymore.”The words felt strange in my mouth. Not because they weren’t true, but because sadness wasn’t something you could simply switch off like a light. Still, I owed Alex the attempt.And I should get my fucking family out of my head. I should get over the fact that my father didn't want anything to do w

Chapter 82: Clay and Quiet ThingsAurora’s POVThe inside of Jace's car was quiet.Alex sat in the back, buckled into his seat, his legs swinging slightly as he hummed to himself and clutched Renald tight against his chest. Jace drove with one hand on the wheel, relaxed in a way that felt deliberate, like he was trying not to crowd the space with words.I watched the road stretch ahead of us, unfamiliar and winding, trees blurring past the windows.“Where are we going?” I asked finally, breaking the silence.Jace glanced at me briefly, the corner of his mouth lifting. “It’s a surprise.”From the backseat came an excited gasp.“I love surpwisess!” Alex squealed. “Me and Renald love surpwisess too!”I turned slightly, smiling despite myself. “Oh really?”He nodded hard, curls bouncing. “Yes! We love them a lot.”Jace chuckled under his breath. “Sounds like I picked the right plan.”Alex leaned forward in his seat as much as the straps allowed. “Mommy surpwised me once too,” he announced

Chapter 84: Things That LingerAurora’s POVNone of us finished anything.Not really.By the end of the session, the studio looked like a small, enthusiastic disaster zone—splashes of clay on aprons, on stools, on the floor, on Alex’s curls, and somehow on Jace’s sleeve despite Tatiana’s repeated attempts to keep him contained. The pieces on our wheels were… abstract. If I was being generous. Mine had started out promising before Jace “accidentally” knocked my elbow for the third time. His had collapsed so spectacularly that Tatiana had laughed and called it “ambitious.”Alex’s wasn’t even on the wheel anymore.It was on him.On his hands, his arms, his cheeks. A little streak sat proudly across his nose like war paint. He beamed every time Jace pointed it out, laughing harder when Jace declared that Alex had clearly misunderstood the assignment and decided to become the pottery instead.“I think he nailed it,” Jace said, hoisting Alex up under the arms. “Very immersive. Ten out of te

Chapter 86: The Rooms We KeepAurora’s POVJace was the first to recover.“Devon,” he said slowly, evenly, the way he did when he was trying not to let irritation show, “what are you doing here?”Alex stayed very still beside me, his small hand slipping instinctively into mine before he seemed to realize it. His eyes stayed fixed on the man standing in the doorway like he’d walked into the wrong story.Devon, meanwhile, looked entirely unbothered.“I had a break,” he said, lifting the juice box to his mouth and taking a long, unapologetic sip. “Figured I’d swing by. I just didn’t know you’d have… visitors.”His gaze flicked to me, then down to Alex, curiosity lighting his face.“Oh,” he said, his expression changing instantly. A grin spread, bright and warm and entirely too confident. “Hey.”He crouched down to Alex’s height, setting the juice box aside like this was a sacred moment. He raised his hands, palms out. “Sup, nephew?”Alex didn’t move.He just stared at Devon.Then, with t

Chapter 88: What Still LingersAurora’s POVThe bathroom echoed with Alex’s laughter, bright and unfiltered, bouncing off tiled walls as steam curled lazily toward the ceiling.“I like Magic Man,” he announced loudly, splashing water with both hands, bubbles flying everywhere. “I like him a whole lot.”I smiled, using the washcloth to gently clean his arms. “You’ve told me that before.”He paused mid-splash and tilted his head, brown curls dripping water onto his forehead. “Weally?”“Yes,” I laughed. “Many times.”He considered this carefully, as if it were brand-new information, then shrugged. “Well. I still like him a lot.”“I understand,” I said softly.That seemed to satisfy him—at least for a moment. Then his eyes narrowed in concentration as he leaned closer to the tub, watching a single bubble wobble near the surface of the water.“Mommy,” he said suddenly, without looking at me, “do you like Magic Man?”The question landed with no warning. No buildup. Just a child’s innocent c