Todos los capítulos de A Wild Marriage: From Contract to Craving : Capítulo 31 - Capítulo 40

Vladimir's POVThe rain had returned by evening. I sat back on the sofa, swirling two fingers of scotch in my glass while watching Iris. She was sitting at the opposite end of the couch, her knees pulled up toward her chest as she held a warm mug of tea with both hands.She was trying to look relaxed, trying to play the part of a woman who was completely unaffected by our arrangement, but I could see the slight tension in her shoulders. I could feel the invisible thread stretching between us, pulling her closer to me every time she took a breath.We hadn't touched since our morning argument, but the air in the room was thick with restless energy, making every quiet second feel heavy."You're quiet tonight," I murmured, taking a slow sip of my drink. "Are you still trying to convince yourself that last night was a mistake?"Iris didn't look away this time. She set her mug down on the table in front of us and took a slow, deep breath. Her eyes met mine directly, stripped of the defensiv

Iris's POV The drunk woman swayed in the middle of the foyer, her bloodshot eyes scanning the grand living space before finally stopping on me. She took an unsteady step forward, her slurred laughter ringing unpleasantly through the quiet penthouse. "Oh, look at this," she sneered, pointing a shaky finger straight at my face. "You're the new gold-digger wife I've been seeing all over the news! Darling, I'm Lily's mum. You're the little charity case Vladimir decided to parade around town." She scoffed and took another stumbling step toward us. "Well, from one gold-digger to another, tell Vasily to send me my money! I know he has billions sitting in his account." My heart pounded as I stared at her, but I stood my ground, instinctively positioning myself to shield the space behind me. Suddenly, tiny footsteps pattered down the hallway behind the parlor. Lily and Hope had woken up because of the shouting. Lily peeked around the corner, her tiny hand clutching Hope's arm, her blu

I woke up alone in the massive bed, the morning sun streaming through the windows.My body felt light, stripped of the suffocating knot of anxiety I had been carrying in my chest for months. The hours we had spent in the Red Room had wiped my mind completely clear.There had been no room for panic, no room to worry about my father. There had only been Vladimir's voice, his hands, and the relief of surrendering my control to someone strong enough to hold it.I sat up, pulling the soft duvet over my chest, and took a long, slow breath.Don't mistake this for something it isn't, Iris, I warned myself sternly, keeping my inner voice grounded.What happened last night wasn't a sudden fairytale turn. It wasn't love, and it wasn't the start of a sweet, gentle romance. It was a stress release, a lesson in trust between two people locked in a war against the world. Vladimir was a powerful, dangerous man who lived by rules of total command.I couldn't afford to let a night of intense surrender

Iris's POV Clara took a slow step toward our table. She folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head as she looked down at me with a fake, pitying smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Look at you," Clara sneered, her voice dropping into that cruel tone she always used when she wanted to hurt me. "Sitting out here trying to play the elegant billionaire's wife. Do you really think anyone in this city takes you seriously, Iris?" She let out a hiss. "Everyone knows you're just his bed warmer, there to fill his dark side." "You are not welcome here, Clara," Chloe said, coming to my defense. "Stay out of this!" Clara snapped at Chloe. She turned to me, her face filled with mockery. "You can never mean anything to Mr. Vasily." I looked up at my sister. Months ago, her words would have sent a wave of cold panic through my chest. I would have looked away, swallowed my hurt, and tried to find a quick way to leave the table before she could draw a crowd. But standing in the shadow

A week had passed since the night Vladimir first took control of my body. Seven days of ordinary hours that somehow never felt ordinary again. The memory of his hand guiding mine, the slow circles, the way he had held me through the climax he pulled from me, lived under my skin like a second heartbeat. Tonight he brought me back to the same room. Today at his office. When he had asked, I couldn't even say no. My mind screamed no but my lips couldn't say it. I couldn't lie to myself. I wanted it too. I wanted to feel him again. The soft red lights glowed low. Vladimir stood in the open space near the center of the floor, already watching me with that quiet, unreadable intensity that always made my stomach tighten. “Come here, Sweetheart.” I walked to him. My pulse was already too fast. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering. “A week,” he said softly. “Have you thought about what we did?” “Yes,” I answered. My voice came out quieter than