Chapter 101
Grace's POV
The kitchen was bathed in soft moonlight as I moved quietly around the marble countertops, preparing snacks for Alex. He'd been working in his study for hours, and I could hear the occasional rustle of papers and the soft click of his laptop keys.
I was arranging some cheese and crackers on a tray when I felt warm hands slide around my waist from behind. Alex's breath was warm against my neck as he pressed a gentle kiss just below my ear.
"You didn't have to do this," he murmured, his voice low and husky.
"I wanted to," I replied, leaning back against his chest. "You've been working late these past two days."
His fingers traced along my neckline, and I felt him pause. "What's this?" he asked softly.
"What's what?" I turned slightly in his arms, confused.
His thumb gently brushed over a red birthmark under my arm. It was something I was born with. And it was in a very concealed location.
"This little mark," Alex said, his voice dropping to that dangerous whisper that made my knees weak. "It's in such a hidden spot, but it's... captivating. Makes me want to explore every inch of you more carefully."
Heat flooded my cheeks. I turned in his arms, and we began kissing, deep and hungry. He backed me gently against the counter, his hands bracing on either side of me, trapping me between the cool marble and his warm chest.
The shrill ring of a phone cut through the moment like a knife.
I reached for my phone on the counter. The caller ID showed an unknown number.
"Wilson," I answered curtly.
The voice that came through the speaker made my blood run cold.
"Grace? Why did you block my number?"
Richard's voice was shaking. I felt Alex's entire body tense beside me, his jaw clenching as a vein pulsed dangerously at his temple.
"Grace... I haven't seen you in so long, and I realize I really miss you."
Alex pulled me closer with more force, but he didn't grab the phone. Instead, he watched me carefully, waiting to see how I would handle this.
My voice was steady and cold. "Richard! Stop calling me. I've made myself perfectly clear – there's nothing between us anymore. And I'm married now."
Alex's lips curved into a slight smile at my words. He leaned down and began trailing soft kisses along my neck, deliberately making soft sounds that would carry through the phone.
Richard's voice exploded through the speaker. "Grace? What are you talking about? You're my wife! How could you possibly be married to someone else?"
He kept roaring into the phone, but all he got in return were increasingly intense gasps from my end. Alex had been gentle as honey before, but now that he was angry, he was overwhelming. His kisses were so fierce, almost as if he wanted to devour me. I couldn't focus on what Richard was saying anymore, even breathing became difficult.
Then, I felt his body's reaction – hard and unmistakable, pressing against me with primitive intent.
"Grace, what the hell are you doing? Just to spite me, do you really need to go this far?" Richard's voice lowered, trying to suppress his rage.
Alex took the phone back, his voice ice-cold and threatening. "She's not trying to hurt you, Harrison. She's just being intimate with her husband. Call my woman again, and I'll make sure both you and your company pay the price."
He hung up and tossed the phone aside, turning to face me fully.
"Yes, I'm jealous," he admitted without hesitation. "I won't pretend otherwise."
I reached up to touch his face. "Alex, I blocked all of Richard's contacts two months ago. There's no space left in my heart for him – not even a corner."
His expression softened, but there was still something vulnerable in his eyes. "I'm a possessive man, Grace. The more I care about someone, the more I risk losing my rationality. I'm afraid I might do something extreme, and I don't want you to ever grow tired of me because of it."
The raw honesty in his voice made my chest tight. I pulled him down for a gentle kiss.
"As long as you're always honest with me, I'll never grow tired of you," I whispered against his lips. "I love you too, Alex."
"Grace..." Alex's heart seemed to soften at my words, an impulse surging through him. He lifted me directly and walked straight toward the bed.
The room was filled with night, moonlight like frost streaming through the window, casting shimmering light that reflected on our bodies. My body was incredibly sensitive, barely able to handle even his slightest teasing. I gripped his hand tightly, both nervous and expectant.
Alex gently placed me on the bed, his eyes appearing even more profound in the moonlight, filled with uncontrollable desire. He leaned down, his kiss falling on my lips again, this time without any restraint. His hands slid across my skin, igniting every place he touched, and I couldn't help but tremble softly, calling his name in a low voice.
"Grace..." his voice was husky, filled with intense emotion, each word like a brand on my heart. His movements were gentle yet firm. Our breaths intertwined, our bodies fitting together without any gaps.
Each of his touches carried reverence, as if telling me I was his most precious existence. My heartbeat was like a drum, my body completely melting in the heat, all emotions exploding in this moment. I held his shoulders tightly, feeling his powerful heartbeat, as we lost ourselves in each other's embrace, time seeming to stand still.
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Richard's POV
I sat in my study, staring at my phone, feeling like my brain and chest were about to explode. Grace said she was married, and there was a man's voice in the background – none of this could be real.
She had never truly belonged to me, and now she might belong to another man.
The thought made me so miserable I wanted to destroy myself. I thought about how I'd never truly possessed Grace, never made her completely mine, and now another man might be enjoying everything I'd dreamed of.
I picked up my phone and dialed my private investigator.
"At any cost," my voice was hoarse, "find out Grace's current address and identity. I need to know who she's with, I need to know everything."