All Chapters of Belonging to Lockhart: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Amaris POVDinner crawled by, thick with awkward tension. I played my part like a pro the uncomfortable one while Theron perfected the art of silent torment. I tried to keep my eyes on my plate, pushing ravioli around as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. But his burning stare clung to me like a second skin. I abandoned my food halfway through, switching to wine instead. Maybe this was his newest form of punishment, and if it was, I had to admit he’d outdone himself. Bravo, Theron.The car ride back to the penthouse was no better. We exchanged a few words bland, surface-level exchanges that meant nothing. Just like at dinner, the tension between us said more than any syllable spoken aloud.By the time we stepped into the elevator, the pressure between us was unbearable. My chest grew tighter with every passing floor. I could feel his gaze skimming over me my face, my clothes, the dip of my waist. My palms turned clammy, and my heartbeat thundered in my ears. I forced

Surprisingly, I managed to get some sleep.Maybe Theron's kiss had short-circuited something in my brain, because the moment my head hit the pillow, my entire system decided to shut down. But as morning crept in well, a few hours later, technically restlessness came clawing back, ready to swallow me whole.I already knew the morning would be laced with tension. There was no pretending nothing had happened. Lines had been crossed, and I still hadn’t figured out how to deal with it. Worse, I might owe him some kind of explanation, and I had absolutely no idea what to say.There were no feelings between Theron and me at least none I was ready to acknowledge. We were on a path headed somewhere clear, and it had a big bold sign reading: fuck buddies. There were no exits, no crossroads, and definitely no romantic detours.I envied his brutal honesty.He always seemed so sure of himself what he wanted, who he wanted and he had no hesitation reaching for it. He could read me like a damn instr

I inhaled slowly, letting Manny’s words settle in my mind. I had never met Twila or Jareth Lockhart, but I’d certainly heard of them. Theron’s father had a reputation that preceded him ruthless in business, sharp as a blade. He was known to devour smaller companies to expand his empire, often with no hint of remorse. A true titan, feared and revered.His mother, on the other hand, had always been a mystery. I hadn’t even known her name until I signed the contract with Theron and did a bit of digging into the Lockhart family. Eventually, I stumbled across a few old magazine spreads elegant galas, velvet gowns, diamond smiles. Twila Lockhart, standing poised beside her husband, looked like she belonged in a timeless painting. She was the kind of woman who wore secrets like perfume ageless, refined, and always hiding a hint of something behind that delicate, unreadable smile.“Is Jareth Lockhart as terrifying as people say?” I asked.Manny gave a low chuckle. “Yes… and no. He doesn’t suf

I always envied those people who claimed stress killed their appetite. The ones who raved about shedding pounds during difficult times, too anxious to eat. I’d heard those urban legends shrinking stomachs, food aversions, miraculous weight loss from nerves. But me? No such luck.So naturally, when Theron casually mentioned we’d be visiting his intimidating parents, my stomach decided it was dinner time.In a misguided attempt to manage the inevitable spiral into stress-eating, I loaded up on rice cakes and low-fat cookies. It felt like choosing the least dangerous poison. But by the time I stopped, I’d eaten enough to seriously question whether I’d still fit into the dress Theron and Indira had picked out for me.“Relax,” Indira said with a soft laugh, eyeing my pale face. “Theron’s parents aren’t going to kill you. They might try to scare the hell out of you, sure, but your job is just to make this relationship look real. They don’t need to like you they just need to believe it.”She

My pulse thundered in my ears as Theron and I trailed behind Twila down the corridor to her study. She glided ahead of us with effortless poise, her ginger waves swaying with each confident step on four-inch heels. Her fitted black dress hugged every curve like it had been sewn onto her body, radiating sophistication and power. She was elegance incarnate, and I--I was a jittery mess in her wake, barely keeping up without tripping over my own uncertainty.Had I made a mistake agreeing to this meeting?I drew in a shaky breath. Theron was supposed to be the one doing the talking. I was meant to play the role of silent support smiling, nodding, agreeing. But now it looked like I’d have to be the one telling the story. A story I hadn’t quite figured out yet.I glanced up at Theron. His expression was carved from stone, his jaw locked tight, eyes locked on his mother’s back like a predator watching prey. The fury radiating from him was palpable.Twila stopped at the study door, hand restin