جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 85

Chapter 81 Emily The Carter residence had always looked intimidating to me. Tonight it looked like a battlefield. Crystal chandeliers hung above the long dining table, casting warm golden light across polished wood and delicate porcelain. The room smelled faintly of roasted meat and expensive wine, but beneath that there was another scent—something sharp and uncomfortable. Tension. I sat quietly in my chair, my fingers lightly resting against the stem of my wine glass. Across the table sat Nathan. Beside him… Lily. My stepsister wore a soft pink dress that made her look fragile and innocent. She lowered her gaze shyly whenever someone looked her way, playing the role perfectly. If I hadn’t known her for years, I might have believed it. Nathan leaned toward her slightly. “Are you sure you don’t want more?” he asked, gesturing toward her plate. “I’m fine,” Lily replied softly. Nathan frowned. “You barely ate.” “I’m really okay.” He pushed the dish closer to her anyway.

Emily The kiss left me breathless. It wasn’t gentle or hesitant the way I had expected it might be after everything that had happened between us. It was desperate. Hungry. As if Adrian had been starving. I barely had time to catch my breath before his hand tightened around my waist again, pulling me closer. I tried to shift away slightly, my mind still spinning from everything that had just happened at the dinner table. But Adrian didn’t let me go. Instead, he lifted me easily and drew me fully onto his lap. “Adrian—” My protest faded when he buried his face in the curve of my neck. His arms tightened around me, holding me against him like he was afraid I might disappear if he loosened his grip. “I missed this,” he murmured against my skin. His voice was low. Rough. For a moment, I didn’t reply. The car moved smoothly through the quiet night streets, the dim lights from outside flickering across the dark interior. Daniel was driving in front, wisely pretending he coul

Emily The word wife lingered in my mind long after Adrian said it. My wife. It felt strange. Stranger than the marriage certificate I was still holding in my hands. Stranger than the fact that just a few hours ago I had been sitting at a dinner table breaking off an engagement. And now… Now I was standing outside a courthouse as Adrian Carter’s wife. The night air was cool against my skin, but Adrian’s hand resting at my waist was warm and steady, grounding me in a reality that still felt slightly surreal. He kissed me again before I could think too much about it. His lips were firm and certain, like the rest of him had been all night. When he finally pulled away, his gaze searched my face. “You’re thinking too much.” I raised an eyebrow. “I just got married three hours after agreeing to it. I think thinking about it is reasonable.” Adrian’s lips curved faintly. “You agreed.” “Yes.” “And you didn’t try to escape.” “Adrian, we were inside a courthouse.” “That doesn’