MARRIED TO MY EX-FATHER IN LAW. のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

The invitation arrives on heavy cream cardstock with gold embossing. Vincent Romano is hosting a gathering of the families. A formal event at his estate to discuss territories, alliances, and the current state of affairs in London's underworld. Attendance is mandatory for all family heads. And spouses. Ocean reads the invitation in his office, already dreading it. These events are always political nightmares. Everyone watching everyone else. Alliances being tested. Respect being measured. One wrong move, one perceived slight, and tensions escalate. And now he has to bring Lola. She's been to one event before. The one where those women cornered her and said vicious things until Ocean intervened. She barely made it through that night. This will be worse. This is the Romano estate. This is formal. This is every major player in London's underworld gathering in one place with their spouses. This is Lola's official debut as the First Lady of the Moretti family. Ocean picks up his p

The Romano estate is beautiful in a way that makes me feel small. Crystal chandeliers hang from impossibly high ceilings. The floors are marble. The walls are covered in what I'm pretty sure is actual gold leaf. Everything is expensive and elegant and far beyond anything I've ever experienced. And the people. God, the people are even more intimidating than the house. Women in designer gowns that probably cost more than a car. Men in perfectly tailored suits. Everyone looks like they belong in a magazine spread. Everyone looks powerful. Confident. Everyone except me. I stay close to Ocean like he told me to. His hand is on the small of my back, warm and steady. It's the only thing keeping me grounded right now. Vincent and Sophia Romano greet us warmly. Sophia kisses my cheeks and tells me I look beautiful. She's kind. Genuine. I'm grateful for her. But then other people start approaching. "Ocea

I'm in the middle of a conversation with Vincent about territory boundaries when I realize I haven't seen Lola in at least twenty minutes. I glance around the room. She's not by the windows where I last saw her. Not near the bar. Not with Sophia or any of the other women. She's just gone. Something cold settles in my chest. "Excuse me," I say to Vincent, cutting off mid-sentence. "I need to find my wife." I move through the room scanning faces. Looking for that emerald green dress. For her dark hair. For any sign of her. Nothing. I find Sophia near the entrance. "Have you seen Lola?" "Not for a little while. She said she was going to the restroom about twenty minutes ago. I assumed she came back." Twenty minutes is too long. I head toward the hallway where the restrooms are. It's quieter here. Fewer people. That's when I hear them. Four women standing in a cluster, laughing.

I can't stop staring at him. Ocean is sitting next to me in the car, his profile illuminated by the passing streetlights. His jaw is set. His hands are relaxed on his lap but I can still feel the tension radiating from him. The controlled fury that was so visible back at the estate is still there, just beneath the surface. He just destroyed four families in front of everyone. For me. He didn't raise his voice. Didn't get emotional. Didn't make a scene in the way people usually think of making scenes. He just stood there calm and controlled and absolutely terrifying while he cut them off from his organization. While he made it clear to an entire room full of the most powerful people in London's underworld that I'm his wife and anyone who hurts me will face consequences. No one has ever defended me like that. Not ever. Ethan certainly never did. When people said cruel things about me during our marriage, he either laughed along or told me I was being too sensitive. Told me to tou

Ocean's forehead is resting against mine. We're so close I can feel his breath on my lips. His hand is cupping my face, thumb gently stroking my cheek. "It's real," he just said. "At least for me." At least for me. My heart is racing so fast I think it might explode. "You love me?" I whisper. Needing to hear him say it clearly. Needing to know I didn't misunderstand. "Yes." His voice is rough. Raw. "God help me, yes. I love you." The words crash over me like a wave. Ocean Moretti loves me. This powerful, incredible man who just destroyed four families without blinking, who commands respect from everyone he meets, who could have anyone he wants. He loves me. "I love you too," I say. "I've loved you for so long. Even when you pushed me away. Even when I thought I shouldn't. Even when it hurt." "Lola..." I don't let him finish. I close the tiny distance between us and kiss him. For a second, he freezes. Like he's surprised. Like he didn't expect me to do this. Then his hand t