บททั้งหมดของ Claimed By My Father-In-Law: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

~AlexI stood shirtless on the balcony, the cold night air brushing hard against my skin while a cigarette rested between my fingers, its orange tip glowing brightly each time I took a slow drag. I released it upward into the dark sky where thick clouds had swallowed the moon whole.Tonight, even the heavens looked angry. Or maybe that was just me.I leaned both hands against the balcony rail and stared into the darkness stretching endlessly beyond my estate, my jaw tight, my chest rising slowly with controlled breaths that hid the storm raging inside me.But no matter how much I tried to bury it… pain remained deep inside me.My eyes burned, and for a brief second tears threatened to gather.It was regret from the cruel realization that the ghost I buried years ago had clawed his way back into the world stronger than ever.Freddy.The ve

~AlexSilence ruled in the room after Freddy finished speaking. The bastard stood there looking calm, too calm with that same crooked smile resting lazily on his face, his expensive shoes planted firmly on my polished floor as though this was his house and I was the guest standing before him begging for permission to breathe.My blood boiled.Every vein in my body felt swollen with rage.My jaw was locked so tightly that a sharp ache had begun spreading from my cheekbone down into my neck.Yet somehow I still managed to stare him in the eye, managed to keep some little shred of pride standing inside me after everything he had just done, after kneeling me down like a servant, after threatening my life, after humiliating me before Bianca, after walking into my fortress and making it feel like paper walls.I slowly straightened my back and let out a dry laugh that tasted bitter in my mouth.

~KhiraI folded my arms tightly across my chest and glared at Adrien, trying very hard to look offended by that smug smile sitting proudly on his face, but the more I looked at him, the harder it became to maintain my seriousness. There was something annoyingly attractive about the way confidence rested on him so naturally, like arrogance had been tailor made for his body and somehow still looked elegant.He knew he had shocked me. He knew I was moved. Worst of all, he knew my heart had softened.That was what irritated me most.I walked slowly toward the giant window stretching from floor to ceiling and stared down at the city below. Cars looked like little toys from up here. People looked like tiny moving dots. Buildings I once thought were huge suddenly looked small beneath this towering empire.And somehow, this empire had my name on it. My fingertips slowly to

~AlexI stood in front of the giant mirror inside my dressing room while Bianca moved carefully around me, making the final touches to my suit with the patience of a woman trying to prepare a king for battle even though she knew that king was already walking toward a war he might never return from. Her fingers were gentle as they adjusted the collar of my black shirt, smoothed invisible creases from my expensive jacket, and straightened the silver pin resting proudly near my chest pocket.The room smelled faintly of cologne, polished leather, and Bianca’s perfume, but beneath all of that expensive calmness sat something heavier in the air, fear, quiet and stubborn, sitting between both of us like an unwanted guest neither of us wanted to acknowledge openly.My eyes stayed on my reflection, but truthfully, I was not seeing myself.I was seeing Freddy’s smile, that calm mocking smile.That s

~KhiraThe long black limousine glided smoothly through the city roads while soft jazz music played quietly inside. I sat beside Adrien with my legs crossed carefully, trying not to wrinkle the expensive black gown hugging my body like a second skin. Every few seconds my eyes drifted toward the tinted window, watching the city lights blur past us beautifully, but somehow they always found their way back to him.Adrien looked unfairly attractive tonight.His black suit rested perfectly against his body, the first few buttons of his shirt slightly open, exposing just enough skin to become distracting. His watch glittered faintly whenever light touched it, and the dangerous calmness resting naturally on his face somehow made him even more handsome.“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes,” he suddenly said without looking at me.I quickly frowned. “I