Free me, Lucien Volkov のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

The last words faded softly into the air, his voice dissolving into silence as if the night itself was holding its breath. For a moment, no one moved, no glasses clinked, no whispers followed. Even the wind seemed to pause, suspended between our heartbeats.I stood there, frozen, looking shocked and surprised, my heart aching in a way that was almost too full to bear.My eyes burned with tears in them.I hadn’t realized I was crying until a tear slipped down my cheek, warm and unashamed. Then another followed. And another, another and another another another...The tears didn't come from pain, but the quiet, it came from the overwhelming feelings, like when something reaches a place inside you that has been untouched for far too long.I lifted my gaze to Ethan.There was no pride in his eyes. No expectation. Just vulnerability, like he had laid his entire heart bare and was standing there, waiting to see if I would hold it or drop it.My hands trembled as I reached for him.“Ethan…” M

Ethan’s POV I let out a shaky breath the moment I was alone, the maids and securities already left after giving them strict instructions not to let anyone in without me or Aria's or Devi's permission. The house felt different after he left, too quiet, like the walls themselves were holding their breath after the storm.The broken glass had already been cleared away by the maids but the damage lingered. My chest tightened as I turned toward the stairs. I couldn’t stop thinking about the look on Aria’s face when Lucien said those words. “If I can’t have you, no one else will.”To me that wasn’t love. That was possession. And I hated that she had once belonged to someone who could say something so cruel and mean it. Today was supposed to be the beginning of us. It was supposed to be our first real step forward. And instead, her past had barged in like it still had the right to. I clenched my jaw and started going upstairs. I wondered what was going on in her head r

Lucien’s POV The house was loud not with noise, no music, no laughter, but with my mother's yelling. She didn't even care if it was too early in the morning to start yelling. Every television screen in the living room was tuned to the same channel. My name on the bottom of the screen headlines, photos, old wedding pictures of Aria and me side by side, smiling like people who didn’t know how badly things would end. BUSINESS TYCOON LUCIEN VOLKOV EXPOSED FOR CHEATING ON HIS WIFE, ARIA BEAUNOT. EX-WIFE MOVES ON AND EX-HUSBAND LOSES CONTROL. My mother stood in front of the screen, arms crossed tightly against her chest, lips pressed into a thin line of disgust. She hadn’t looked at me once since I walked in. “You’ve embarrassed this family,” she said in anger. Her voice was calm but it was worse than shouting. I dropped my keys on the table, the sound too loud in the tense silence. “I didn’t ask for the media circus.” She turned to face me, her eyes sharp and old. “Y

Aria’s POV He drove straight to the venue. The ride there was quiet, not awkward, just heavy with anticipation. London glowed outside the car window—golden streetlights reflecting on wet roads, skyscrapers standing tall,the city always felt alive, but tonight it felt like it was holding its breath. The venue came into view almost too suddenly. He reached The Royal Halcyon Pavilion, where the party was held. A grand architectural masterpiece sitting proudly along the Thames—its glass façade glowing softly, chandeliers visible from the outside like suspended constellations. Black luxury cars lined the driveway, security positioned neatly at every corner. This wasn’t just a party. It was a gathering of power, influence, money, and reputation. And the moment Ethan’s car rolled through the iron gates, it became clear that they had been waiting for him because camera flashes erupted instantly, and relentlessly, like lightning strikes. Reporters surged forward behind barricades, their

The kiss started slowly, each movement unhurried. His mouth was warm against mine, his hands cupping my cheeks, his thumbs brushing softly against my skin, stabilizing himself or maybe stabilizing me. My hands tightened into the fabric of his jacket, clinging to him, needing to touch him, desperate for more, and he responded by pressing closer, deepening the kiss like he’d been waiting all night for this exact moment, our lips and tongues glided together, a dance that was both gentle and consuming. I felt my body melt into his, the friction of his chest against mine, the heat of him radiating through me, the way he held me so securely it was almost impossible to think of leaving. He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping perfectly around his waist, my heels fell and he placed me gently on the edge of the sink. His hands were calm and controlled, as if he knew the exact moment he could push and the exact moment he had to pull back. His forehead rested against mine for a heartb