All Chapters of Married by Mistake, Loved by Fate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Austin’s mother’s lips trembled, but she forced a radiant smile for the crowd. “Of course, darling,” she whispered, her words sweet, almost like sugar coating steel, as she moved back to her seat beside her husband. Behind her calm demeanor, Lucy sensed a heartbeat racing, a mind calculating, already testing her without words.The towering doors of the mansion swung open, and Austin took her hand firmly. Lucy’s fingers tightened around his, almost unconsciously, as they stepped inside. Marble floors gleamed beneath crystal chandeliers, but the brilliance did little to soften the scrutiny in the eyes surrounding her. Every relative, every business partner, every ally in attendance seemed to weigh her, measure her, assess her. She was no longer just a bride, she was a performance.Austin’s thumb brushed gently over her knuckles, sending a shiver through her. Every so often, he leaned in, brushing her hair behind her ear, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth, whispering things too

Austin shut the door behind him with a slam, his back hitting the wall like he needed it to hold him upright. The folder cut into his palm, but it wasn’t the weight of paper making his hands shake, it was her.Lucy.She had stood in that room like a forbidden painting come to life, bare skin kissed by golden lamplight, curves soft and maddening. The image was carved into his mind, seared there like a brand he couldn’t erase.He squeezed his eyes shut, but that only made it worse. The memory replayed in cruel detail, sharper than any dream. He saw it again, the delicate sway of her body as she turned, the smooth arch of her spine leading down to the curve of her hips, a sight so perfect it felt like a sin to witness. Her bra dangled from her fingers, careless, as if even gravity had slowed to savor her.His mind lingered on the slow rise of her chest, the perfect swell of her breasts, the soft peaks that caught the golden glow of the lamp before she clutched the sheet to hide them. Tha

“Lucy,” Austin’s voice was low, lethal, dragging her name like a warning through his teeth. His eyes burned into her, dark as midnight storms. “Explain. Now.”Her fingers hovered inches from the phone, trembling but defiant. “It’s not what you think.”“Not what I think?” His laugh was harsh, broken at the edges. “Greg is messaging you, the night before my board meeting, telling you he’ll see you tomorrow? Do you take me for a fool, Lucy?”She straightened, fire flashing in her gaze even though her heart hammered against her ribs. “Don’t twist this. I told you last night, Greg is my past. He’s not my present. And he sure as hell won’t be my future.”Austin stepped closer, closing the gap between them. His presence was suffocating, but her chin lifted higher. His hand came down on the phone, pinning it against the nightstand. “Then why is he so bold? Why does he think he can still claim space in your life?”Her voice dropped, sharp and unwavering. “Maybe because men like Greg never let

Austin’s eyes never left Lucy’s, sharp and steady as he asked, “Who sent the text?”Lucy’s fingers tightened around her clutch, hiding the tremor that ran through her. She lifted her gaze, heart hammering, and met his eyes. “No one important,” she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.A slow, amused smile curved his lips. “Are you always this mysterious?” he asked, stepping closer. The heat from his body brushed against hers, a magnetic pull she couldn’t ignore. His hand hovered near hers, a heartbeat too long, sending electricity dancing along her nerves.Lucy swallowed, pulse racing. “Maybe,” she whispered, her voice catching unexpectedly.Austin leaned just slightly closer, gaze dropping to her lips before flicking back to her eyes. “You know, I don’t like it when you’re tense.”Her cheeks flushed. “I’m not tense,” she said, though her racing heartbeat betrayed her.He laughed softly, a low, rich sound that wrapped around her like velvet. “Not tense, huh?” His thumb brushed l

“What do you mean she’s back?” Austin's voice was a low growl, each word carved with steel. His thumb pressed harder into the counter, as if holding himself together by force alone.“Boss… I’m sorry,” Caleb stammered on the other end. “The woman I arranged before, the one for the contract marriage, she’s in the city. She’s demanding what she thinks she’s owed. If you don’t act fast”Austin cut him off, voice like a whip. “You’re the one who arranged her. Pay her off. She’s not needed anymore. We have someone else now.” His tone darkened, cold and final. “Did you hear me, Caleb? I don’t want noise. I don’t want whispers. Give her whatever amount she asks for because I will not have a scandal.”Silence. Then Caleb’s meek reply: “Yes, sir.” The line went dead.Austin’s chest rose and fell sharply, the weight of the words pressing like chains.Behind him, a voice rang clear, soft yet cutting straight into him.“Who was that?”Lucy stood watching him as he answered the call, arms folded ti