All Chapters of Claiming His Plus Size Contract Wife: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The morning breeze rustled through the green trees outside the tall kitchen windows, bringing a cool, clean scent into the bright room.Alessia sat across from Lucien at the small wooden table, finishing her warm coffee. The heavy panic of the past was gone, replaced by the easy rhythm of a quiet life."We need to check the delivery schedule for the baby's dresser," Alessia said, setting her ceramic mug down. "And I want to look at those curtains we talked about yesterday."Lucien reached across the table, his fingers gently brushing against her hand. "Done. I already told Marcus to confirm the delivery for this afternoon. And as for the curtains, we can pick them out together right after breakfast."Alessia smiled, feeling a deep, steady warmth in her chest. "You really have an answer for everything, don't you?""Only when it comes to keeping you happy," Lucien replied softly.After they finished eating, they walked hand-in-hand out through the glass doors into the estate gardens. Th

The morning air outside the Vance Estate was crisp and cool, carrying the fresh scent of damp earth and blooming white jasmine.Inside the master bedroom, the heavy velvet curtains were pulled halfway across the tall glass windows, letting soft, pale bars of morning light stripe across the plush white carpet. The room was utterly silent, save for the slow, rhythmic breathing of two people who had finally found an absolute harbor after a lifetime of storms.Lucien woke up slowly. For the first few minutes, he did not open his eyes. He simply lay very still against the soft mattress, cataloging the physical sensations around him. The steady, comforting weight resting against his side; the faint, sweet scent of vanilla and lavender in the air; and the warm, reassuring rhythm of Alessia’s breath against his shoulder.For thirty-odd years, Lucien’s waking moments had been a violent jolt. His brain had been hardwired like an automated defense system—instantly firing up security protocols, s

"I was thinking about pickles," Alessia confessed, her dark eyes shining with amusement and slight embarrassment. "Specifically, those spicy dill pickles Avery bought yesterday. And maybe a little piece of toasted sourdough bread with sharp cheddar cheese."Lucien stared at her for three seconds. Then, a slow, incredibly tender smile spread across his face—the kind of smile he reserved exclusively for her, melting away every trace of the cold, intimidating billionaire the world outside knew."Pickles and cheddar cheese at two in the morning," Lucien repeated softly. "If someone told me a year ago that my primary responsibility at this hour would be sourcing fermented cucumbers for my wife, I would have had them fired.""You can fire me tomorrow," Alessia teased lightly, shifting so she was sitting up against the headboard, pulling the sheet up over her shoulders. "But right now, my stomach thinks we are starving.""You are not starving on my watch," Lucien said instantly, throwing bac

The evening air grew cooler as the sun dipped completely below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of violet and dark indigo. The tall oak trees on the Vance Estate cast long, quiet shadows across the stone patio.Inside the house, Avery had left a warm, simple dinner covered on the dining table—roasted chicken, soft buttered potatoes, and a bowl of fresh greens. But neither Lucien nor Alessia had moved inside yet. They remained seated side by side on the long cushioned outdoor sofa, wrapped in a large cashmere blanket that Lucien had pulled from the indoor armchairs to drape over her shoulders.The garden was quiet. The only sound was the soft rustle of the leaves in the night breeze and the distant chirping of crickets hiding in the tall grass.Alessia held a warm mug of chamomile tea between both hands, staring down at the swirling steam rising from the ceramic rim. Her mind, usually so peaceful in the sanctuary of the estate, was suddenly snagged on a sharp, old memory. I

While the Vance Estate was wrapped in the warm, quiet embrace of family and autumn rain, miles away in the heart of the city, a very different kind of weather was brewing.High above the wet, crowded streets, on the top floor of a sleek steel-and-glass skyscraper, Evander sat alone in his executive office.The room was dark. The overhead lights were turned off, and the only illumination came from the grey, overcast city light pressing through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside, the rain beat a sharp, aggressive rhythm against the glass. Inside, the air smelled of stale coffee, expensive cologne, and a heavy, suffocating tension.Evander stared down at the polished mahogany surface of his massive desk. Spread out before him were three separate documents, printed on crisp white paper bearing the letterhead of the city’s top corporate law firms.His eyes scanned the words over and over, though he already knew every single syllable by heart.Asset freeze.Breach of contract.Insolvency