Claimed By The Billionaire At The Altar 의 모든 챕터: 챕터 51 - 챕터 59

KIMANI The soft notes of a piano drifted through the air — slow, melodic, almost shy — like it, too, was trying not to interrupt the moment. The glow of the lanterns reflected off the lake, turning the still water into a moving painting of gold and violet. It was so perfect, it almost didn’t feel real. I took my seat across from Alaric, still half–stunned that this was really happening. The gazebo had been transformed into something out of a dream — tulips, candles, and string lights weaved around the wooden beams, their soft glow catching on the folds of his navy suit. He sat down opposite me, and for the first time in a while, I didn’t see the CEO, the man who commanded boardrooms or signed deals with a flick of his pen. I saw the man beneath — quiet, intense, and for once, a little nervous. A worker turned waiter for the night, appeared briefly, pouring wine and retreating with silent efficiency. It was just the two of us now, the faint rustle of leaves and the distant chir

Kimani Monday mornings have never been my favorite, but today was on a whole new level of I don’t want to do this. The thought of stepping into the office, pretending to care about reports and endless chatter after the weekend I’d had—it felt almost cruel. My mind kept replaying the image of Alaric’s smile under the soft glow of the gazebo lights, the sound of his voice when he whispered my name like it was something precious. Now, sitting across from him at the breakfast table, I could barely muster the energy to fake enthusiasm. The smell of pancakes and coffee filled the air, yet I just poked at my food with a fork, dragging syrup around the plate without really eating. Alaric looked up from his coffee cup, watching me like a hawk. I could feel his eyes on me, warm but heavy with concern. “You look like you’re about to run away,” he said finally, his tone calm but teasing. “I’m not,” I replied, stabbing a piece of pancake half-heartedly. “Just… not feeling the whole ‘corporate

Kimani’s POVBy the time our department meeting ended, I felt like my brain had melted into mush. My supervisor had spent thirty minutes explaining something that could’ve easily been summarized in two PowerPoint slides, and half the room had either zoned out or silently prayed for escape. I was one of them.The moment the meeting concluded, I sank into my chair with a sigh of relief, rolling my shoulders. My phone buzzed on the desk, screen lighting up with three notifications.Three names appeared — Malik, Adrian, and Alaric.I blinked. “What in the world…”It wasn’t every day that all three men decided to message me at once.First came Malik.I hadn’t talked to him properly in a while—not intentionally, just… life. Work. Everything else. He’d always been the easygoing friend who checked in randomly with voice notes full of laughter and ridiculous stories. I felt a pang of guilt as I unlocked my phone and read his message.Malik: Did you suddenly go to space? Because I swear, you’v

KIMANI The moment Alaric pulled away from the kiss, my knees felt like they were made of warm jelly. His hands were still resting on my waist, steadying me as if he knew I might actually crumble if he let go too quickly. His forehead rested lightly against mine. “Go freshen up,” he said softly, his thumb brushing my waist before he finally released me. “Then come to the dining room.” I nodded, still breathless. “O-okay.” He gave me that look—soft, warm, almost tender—before he turned toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. For a man who was usually all power and calculation, he was surprisingly gentle with me. So much gentler than I ever expected the first day I met him. I watched him disappear around the corner, then exhaled a shaky laugh and hurried upstairs. My reflection in the bathroom mirror told the full story— Cheeks flushed. Eyes soft. Lips slightly swollen. “Ohhh my God,” I muttered to myself, splashing cool water on my face. “Get it together.” I