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Chapter 46

Author: Kassy
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

CLAIRE

The ride home was quieter than before. Not the awkward kind of quiet, but more like that peaceful silence where neither of us needed to say anything. I could still feel the warmth of Asher’s hand lingering on mine from when he helped me into the car.

I turned my head slightly to look at him, stealing a glance while he kept his eyes on the road. His jaw was clenched in concentration, but there was this softness in his expression, a calmness that I wasn’t used to seeing in him.

I wondered if he felt the same way I did—like something between us had shifted tonight, like we were getting closer to whatever this was between us. And it was scaring me just a little.

My gaze fell back to my lap, and I fiddled with the hem of my dress, replaying the night in my head. He’d been... different. Not that he wasn’t always sweet, but tonight, it felt like he was going out of his way to show me how much he cared. Or maybe I was just finally starting to believe it. That thought made my stomach
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    CLAIREThe yellow flowery sundress I had on made my skin pop. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror as I tried to fasten the zip. “Hey, let me help you with that.” That deep baritone voice stirred something in me, my heart picking up its pace. “Hi,” I murmured back, a small smile touching my lips. He stood behind me, our gazes licking as we stared at each other from the mirror. I could feel my cheek heat up, burning up my ears. I averted my gaze from his. His hand grazed my bare back softly, his touch lingering there for a few seconds, before he proceeded to fasten my zip. “Uhm...thank you.” I said, stepping away from him before I gave into the urge to lean into his warmth. “You look beautiful, Mrs Gray.” He said with a smile that reached his eyes, tucking his hands into his pockets. For the first time since he entered the room, I took in his appearance. He had his blazer hung on his left arm, the sleeves of his crisp white shirts rolled up to his elbows, revealing his very ex

  • The Trillionaire's Contractual Bride   Chapter 48

    CLAIREI don't know how long I stretched; I only knew that I had no desire to go to work today or leave this bed. I turned to the other side of the bed and blinked in surprise as I stared at Asher's sleeping state. His chest rose up and down in slow motion, and he looked so peaceful that I didn't have the heart to wake him up. I was surprised to see him here. I hadn't audibly voiced out my need for him to stay here last night, but somehow it seems like he knew what I needed before I even asked. I stretched out my hand and then paused as I battled with the need to stroke the side of his face tenderly. With every moment that passed. I felt this insane hunger to touch him. My body instantly came alive with heat at the thought, and my cheeks flushed with color instantly. It was ridiculous that this was the first thing that I would be thinking about in the morning. No shame at all. My subconscious deemed it the perfect moment to mock me. I tried to ignore it. The room was shrouded in co

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    CLAIRE I couldn't help but smirk at Liah's reaction as Asher’s words sank in. Her eyes flicked between us, and the look on her face was priceless—a mix of thinly veiled disdain and something I couldn’t quite place.“Of course,” she said, forcing a tight-lipped smile. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your... family time.” Her voice oozed sarcasm, and she lingered on the last two words as if they were bitter to say.Asher’s hand rested on my thigh, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. I felt a surge of confidence as he held his ground, his stance making it clear where he stood with me. I shifted closer, leaning into his touch, and met Liah’s gaze, refusing to look away."Asher and I were actually discussing a potential stay-at-home day,” I said, letting the implication hang in the air. “You know, quiet mornings together are pretty rare for us.”Liah's jaw clenched ever so slightly before she masked it with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Well, isn’t that lovely?” she said, tilt

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    ASHER My heart raced as I walked past her and entered the condo. It was furnished to perfection just like I remembered me, and it scented of“I bought some cinnamon-scented candles. You used to like it, especially when we used to have sex on the couch,” she said as she closed the door behind her. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and I sighed.I was going to have to tolerate her antics for now, unfortunately. “Your father texted me. I was supposed to meet up with him for dinner to discuss the features of the contract. I thought he was showing to be here.” I shot her a look. She didn't hide the way her eyes traveled down the length of me.Her eyes darkened with hunger, which heightened my anxiety. What the hell was I still doing here, especially when she was dressed like that? I had no business here. I paused at the sudden urge to bolt. Unfortunately, I was going to have to endure this. There was nothing I could do, and it irritated the fuck out of me.“He called me at the last mi

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    CLAIRE I knew how scared I was. I tried to tell myself that there was no need to panic but for some reason. I was afraid. It was already two hours before Asher told me when he was going to return, and when he finally returned, he looked worn out and tired. I could tell that he wasn't in the mood to make conversation. I wondered if something went wrong during the meeting. His face was dark and gloomy, and I could tell that he was trying very hard to look normal. He was smiling in a way that didn't quite reach his eyes. I wanted to ask him what was wrong. I wanted to tell him that he could talk to me, but he looked dead on his feet, so I couldn't really say anything more. As he was about to enter the next room, I caught a glimpse of the red lipstick stain at the left corner of his shirt. My brows furrowed deeply because I didn't know what to do. We had just had a lengthy conversation about trust and honesty. I had told him that I had loved him. I had been beyond elated that he didn'

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    CLAIREI felt Asher’s arm tighten around me as he drifted back into a steady rhythm of breaths. My eyes stayed on his face, how they we're softer when he was asleep, free of the tension that seemed to cling to him like armor when he was awake. Seeing him this way—this close—brought a kind of warmth to my chest that left me craving every bit of him.Not that I hadn't had that already.My thoughts wandered back to last night, the tender and yet wild and uncontrolled way he touched me, as though I were something he couldn’t bear to go without. And yet, beneath all that passion, I sensed desperation. It was as if the intensity between us wasn’t only from our desire but also from his fear. Now, I understood why.The news of his father had thrown him, and even though he tried to brush it off, I could see that it settled like a shadow over his face. I turned in his arms, brushing my lips lightly against his shoulder. “Asher,” I murmured softly. His eyelids fluttered open, and a sleepy smil

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  • The Trillionaire's Contractual Bride   Chapter 67

    CLAIREThe proximity between us evaporated as he clutched my face tenderly in his hands. My breathing heightened. I was still trying to recover from the heat of his kiss. I was drowning in the heat that threatened to consume me. My hands were on fire as soon as I realized they were still placed across his torso. It was impossible to concentrate. “I've been waiting for you all day. I thought you were going to take forever to get back home. Get back home to me,” his voice drifted into a whisper as he placed his head against mine.I closed my eyes. My heart was threatening to give way from my body. I couldn't breathe, but it was a good kind of discomfort. “I've been thinking about you all day too. I-” I paused as my eyes watered with tears. I was terrified that Asher was going to see me in a more vulnerable state than he has ever seen me in his life. I wondered if it was the right time to be vulnerable with him. I closed my eyes. I needed to breathe. I need to pause every negative thou

  • The Trillionaire's Contractual Bride   Chapter 65

    CLAIREIt was a good thing that I had a very firm practice of keeping my temper on a leash. The sight of Liah seated comfortably on the chair from across made me want to lung out in frustration. I was exhausted from feeling so many intense emotions in a day. Everything about her irritated me, right from the sight of her perfect legs to the cold, sassy smile on her face. My headache intensified and I inhaled deeply to at least regain composure because my anger was already beginning to rise to the surface. “I'm not sure I'm going to need your forgiveness for anything. I'm also certain that you're imposing on my private time. So if you're done spewing your BS. You can as well leave my office,” I said. I gave myself a mental pat on the back for sounding unbothered.I could have almost sworn that I saw irritation flash through her eyes, and when I looked again, the same smug smile still remained on her face.When she remained on the chair, making no attempt to move, I raised an eyebrow a

  • The Trillionaire's Contractual Bride   Chapter 65

    CLAIREI couldn't stop thinking about the look in Asher's eyes. Every inch of my body awakened each time my mind went to it. It was impossible to do anything else. Every inch of my body awakened each time I thought about how he confessed that he couldn't keep his hands off me. I knew that the both of us were on a tough path, but at least it was another sign to stay hopeful.I closed my eye and got out of the car almost immediately. I needed to stop thinking about Asher for the time being. I wasn't going to be able to attend to all that I had to today if I kept on thinking about his bare torso.As I headed closer to my office, dread engulfed me. This was certainly not the day where I had the mental capacity to tolerate Asher. I closed my eyes and sighed, and I breathed with relief when I spotted no one waiting for me by the door. I closed my eyes and sighed. It was indeed a great relief. “Good morning, miss. I've been expecting you,” Ella smiled at me. I wasn't really in the best of

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