The Billionaire Fell For The Widower のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 71 - チャプター 80

Vivienne and Lucas arrived at the small, quiet café Elizabeth had suggested — dim lighting, corner booth, nothing that would draw attention — and found her already waiting, hands wrapped tightly around a cup of tea she clearly hadn't touched.She looked up as they approached, fear flickering across her face before settling into something resigned."You came alone?" she asked Vivienne, eyes flicking briefly to Lucas."He stays," Vivienne said firmly, sliding into the booth beside him. "Whatever you have to tell me, he hears it too."Elizabeth studied Lucas for a long moment before nodding slowly, some of her guardedness easing."I worked your mother's case for the last three weeks of her life," she began, voice low and careful. "Private duty nursing, contracted directly through the family, which was unusual even then — most patients on that ward had hospital staff, not private hires. I didn't question it at first. Wealthy families do things differently.""What did you see?" Vivienne's

The gala was Kingston Holdings' first public event since the investigation concluded — a careful, deliberate show of stability for investors and board members alike, and Vivienne had spent the better part of an hour being pulled between conversations she barely had the energy for.Lucas stood near the bar, watching her work the room in a deep sapphire dress that had, in his professional opinion, no business existing, and found himself unable to look away for more than a few seconds at a time."She's remarkable, isn't she." A man's voice, warm and confident, settled beside him. Lucas glanced over to find one of the investment partners — Adebayo something, he thought, tall and expensively dressed — watching Vivienne with an appreciation that had nothing to do with quarterly earnings."She is," Lucas agreed evenly, though something tightened low in his chest."I've been trying to get five minutes alone with her all evening. Business, of course." Adebayo's smile suggested it wasn't entire

Vivienne woke to sunlight and the warm, solid weight of Lucas's arm draped over her waist, and for a long moment she simply lay there, memorizing the quiet, ordinary miracle of the night before — his breathing slow and even against her hair, the city finally gone quiet beyond the windows.Her phone buzzed softly on the nightstand. She reached for it reluctantly, careful not to wake him, and felt the previous night's warmth cool slightly as she read the message from her legal team again.Marcus is requesting to see you. In person. He says it's urgent, and that it involves your mother.She'd fallen asleep without responding. She read it a second time now, something heavy settling back into her chest."You're thinking loudly," Lucas murmured behind her, voice thick with sleep, his arm tightening slightly around her waist."Marcus wants to see me." She turned to face him, the phone still in her hand. "He's been asking since yesterday. Says it's about my mother."Lucas's expression sharpen

Morning came slow and golden, the same soft peace from the night before still lingering in the tangled sheets, Vivienne's head resting against Lucas's bare chest, his fingers moving lazily through her hair."I could stay right here forever," she murmured, pressing a slow kiss to his sternum. "Never leave this bed. Let Kingston Holdings run itself.""I'd be fine with that arrangement." Lucas's voice was warm, sleep-thick. "Though Zuri might have opinions about us abandoning breakfast duty indefinitely."Vivienne laughed softly, the sound vibrating against his skin, and for a while neither of them moved at all, simply existing in the quiet, unhurried peace of a morning that belonged entirely to them.Her phone, charging on the nightstand, buzzed insistently, breaking the spell. She reached for it reluctantly, already bracing for whatever the day intended to demand of her.The message was from her head of security, tone clipped and urgent even through text.Ms. Kingston, I need you to ca

Vivienne read the message twice, the words settling cold and sharp into her chest.Ms. Kingston, I've traced the call. Patience isn't hiding across the country like we assumed. She's here. In the city. And she's not alone."Lucas." She turned the phone toward him, watching his expression darken as he read it. "She's here. Somewhere close.""Not alone." Lucas's jaw tightened. "Meaning what? Meridian's dissolved, Marcus is in custody, Derek's on our side now, more or less. Who's left for her to still be working with?"Vivienne dialed the detective immediately, hands steady despite the fear coiling tight in her stomach. He picked up on the first ring."Ms. Kingston. I need you to hear the rest of this carefully.""Who's with her?""We traced the call to a residential building on the east side. When my team did a discreet drive-by, they identified a second vehicle parked outside — registered to Clara Nwosu."Vivienne's breath caught. "Patrick's assistant. The one who accessed the Helena f