All Chapters of Bound by paper : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Jade’s POV My mind refused to take a break. I was trying hard to settle into the calm of the evening, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the relentless momentum of the day. The pre-wedding shoot. Camille’s dramatic announcement about my father. Aurelia’s laughter echoing through the garden. The wedding was happening in less than forty-eight hours. The reality of it sat in my stomach like a stone. I sighed softly as I stepped into the walk-in closet. The space was absurdly large: a room designed for a level of vanity I didn't possess. Killian had a wardrobe in the main bedroom that could easily fit his entire life, but this closet existed as a stage. It was mostly empty, though my few new belongings had begun to colonize the mahogany shelves and decorative cabinets. It was a beautiful, hollow aesthetic. The lighting was soft and warm, reflecting against the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that lined the walls. I turned toward my reflection, staring at the woman in

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: Jade’s POV The church wedding had gone smoother than I dared to expect. I walked down the aisle alone, surprisingly avoiding a trip on my heavy skirts, yet I still felt the weight of Killian's piercing gaze. The way he watched me until I reached him at the altar felt so intense, so intimate. And then that kiss. His firm lips against mine had made the world tilt on its axis. “There you are,” Killian's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked around at the sheer scale of the ballroom. “This is a lot for a wedding planned on such short notice.” “The name is Killian Montclair, just in case you were forgetting,” he replied with a cocky, effortless smile. I rolled my eyes but could not help but smile back. The reception looked less like a celebration and more like a scene from a royal ball. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, scattering soft golden light across the enormous hall. Tall arrangements of white roses and orchids decorated every table, and t

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Jade’s POV The night air on the terrace had turned cooler. The soft music from the reception had been shut off completely, leaving only the muffled, unclear voices of decorators and catering staff moving the remains of the castle-like cake. For the first time all day, everything felt quiet. Killian had just stepped away to take a call, leaving me alone beside the stone railing overlooking the gardens. I rested my hands lightly on the cold edge, letting the breeze calm the lingering tension in my chest. The wedding was over. The ceremony. The reception. The endless, hollow congratulations. Everything. I was married now. The thought still felt unreal, like a dream I hadn't quite agreed to have. A few weeks ago, my life had been falling apart piece by piece. Now, I was standing on a private terrace wearing a gown that probably cost more than my old apartment. And I was married to Killian Montclair: a man I barely understood. Footsteps sounded behind me. I

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: Jade’s POV I woke up warm. Too warm. For a moment, I did not open my eyes. I just lay there, half-asleep, trying to understand why my body felt different. Then I felt it. An arm around me. It was firm, heavy, and terrifyingly secure. My breath caught. Slowly, my senses began to sharpen. My back was pressed against something solid. My head rested on something soft but strong. And my fingers... my fingers were wrapped tightly around a hand that definitely was not mine. Oh. My. God. Killian. My eyes flew open, but I did not move. I did not even breathe. I just stayed there, trying to process the layout of our limbs. His arm was around my waist, pulling me back into the heat of his chest. His other hand, the one I was holding, was trapped in my grip as if I had claimed it like a prize in my sleep. My head was resting on his bicep like it belonged there. My heart started racing. How had I even ended up here? I was sure I had fallen asleep on my side of the bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: Killian’s POV The room was silent now. Too silent. The call had ended minutes ago, but the tension it brought with it had not left. It lingered in the air, in my chest, and in the way I had not moved from where I stood. I rarely lost control of situations. It was not just discipline for me; it was survival. Control meant predictability. Predictability meant stability. And stability was the only thing that mattered now. For Aurelia. For the case. For the legacy I was building. That was why this marriage existed. That was why Jade was here. That was why I chose her. It was not because of how she looked in that dress, though she had been breathtaking. It was not because of the way she stood her ground in front of her father. It was not because of the way she looked at me as if she were still trying to solve a puzzle I had spent years locking away. None of that mattered. It could not. This was strategy. Nothing more. Nothing less. So why was I still thinking ab