Chapter 276 We can fight for three hundred rounds!

Chapter 276 We can fight for three hundred rounds!


Ariana chuckled softly, poking Lucas in the chest. "Feeling suffocated, aren't you?"
Lucas was straightforward. "What do you think?"
He kissed her a couple more times. "And you?"
"I'm doing just fine!"
"We'll see how tough you are in a bit," Lucas teased, kissing her passionately as they moved from the living room to the bedroom.
As clothes were shed one by one, the room's temperature rose steadily.
It had been too long since they last saw each other, too long since they fell asleep in each other's arms every night.
The longing was almost unbearable.
Just as things were about to heat up, Lucas suddenly paused.
"What's wrong?" Ariana asked, breathless.
"No condoms," Lucas panted, taking a couple of deep breaths. "I'll go get some."
As he moved to get up, Ariana grabbed his arm. "No need."
"Hmm?"
"I can't conceive naturally anyway, so it's not necessary."
For a moment, Lucas was taken aback. He could sense the sadness in Ariana's voice.
He leaned down again, planting kisses on Ariana's cheeks.
"You're the one who truly cares for me. It's like a blessing from above."
He rubbed his stubbly chin against her cheek, and Ariana pushed him away. "You're so annoying!"
...
After their passionate moment, Lucas was still not fully satisfied.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
"Ariana."
Ariana was slowly getting dressed.
"On our wedding night, I bet we could go for 300 rounds."
"Get lost!"
"After we're married, you might spend a lot of time in bed."
Ariana kicked him playfully. "Stop joking around, I need to get home."
"After the eighth day of the new year, this will be our home."
Ariana gave Lucas a quick peck on the lips. She was secretly a little excited too.
Her brother, James, had been sending reminders non-stop.
At 2:30 in the morning, James and Ariana finally headed back, and by then, everyone at home was already asleep.
James and Ariana tiptoed back to their rooms.
Stella heard a noise, sat up for a moment, then lay back down.
Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes.
Ariana was so lucky!
She envied her—no, she was jealous!
Yes, jealous!
She typed out an email on her phone, double-checking the content. She stared at the word "send" for a long time before finally gathering the courage to press it.
Lucas was a wonderful partner, and she wished he loved her, wished he was marrying her.
But unfortunately...
On New Year's Day, everyone wore new clothes, and the Bluefield family visited their grandparents at the old house.
The next day, they went to visit their maternal grandparents.
On the third day, Ariana and Lucas visited the Foster family.
After that, there were no specific plans, just a lot of family noise and laughter.
It was the happiest New Year Ariana had ever had.
And soon, her wedding was just around the corner.
Every day was so busy, leaving no time to think about anything else.
Rosalind had been insisting on being a bridesmaid. Originally, that spot was reserved for Stella, but with Rosalind's constant pleading, Ariana finally agreed.
On the seventh day of the new year, Ariana received a call from Chuck. He had arrived.
Ariana had to carve out some time to visit the hotel.
Meeting again felt like a lifetime had passed. It had been so long since they last saw each other, and there was a noticeable awkwardness between them.
"Chuck, thank you for coming to my wedding."
"Of course I'd come to your wedding, even if I'm not the groom."
Ariana's smile was a bit forced.
They sat in the hotel room, the familiarity they once shared seemed to have faded.
Chuck suddenly stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The hotel had a great view, and he squinted slightly as he looked at the bustling world outside.
Ariana joined him, "This hotel has a nice environment. It's quiet at night, so you can get some good rest."
Chuck turned his head to look at her, "Are you sure you want to marry him?"
Ariana's smile froze on her face at the question.
Was he still holding onto hope?
"Chuck, you're joking, right? The wedding is tomorrow."
"As long as the wedding hasn't happened, even if it's a day, a minute, or a second away, you can still change your mind."
Chuck's face was tense, lacking the warmth and composure it usually had.
Ariana was a bit confused by what he meant.
"I haven't thought about changing my mind."
"If you don't want to marry him, I can take you away anytime."
Ariana stared at Chuck, noticing a seriousness in his eyes she hadn't seen before.
It was an expression unfamiliar to her.
"Chuck, what's wrong?"
Chuck pulled his gaze away and looked out the window. "Nothing, just kidding."
Ariana didn't think he was joking.
But she had to pretend he was.
"Chuck, my wedding is tomorrow. I have a lot to do, so if I seem neglectful, I hope you'll understand."
"Go ahead and take care of your things. I'm fine here."
Ariana nodded. "Alright, if you need anything, just let me know. I'm heading out."
Ariana had just reached the door when she heard Chuck's voice behind her.
"I always keep my promises."
She furrowed her brow, watching his back. There was something odd about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Without saying anything, she opened the door and left.
As soon as she was gone, one of Chuck's men approached him. "Chuck, you're not having second thoughts, are you?"
The man had been scared to death just now, breaking out in a cold sweat. Their big plan was about to be set in motion. If the wedding was called off, everything would be for nothing.
Chuck, however, kept staring out the window, silent.

On her way back, Ariana couldn't shake the feeling that Chuck was hiding something from her. But what could it be?
She pondered this all the way home, but couldn't figure it out. As soon as she stepped inside, she was hit by the lively atmosphere.
Her house was filled with relatives, aunts and uncles from every corner.
Her mother Autumn was busy introducing her to everyone, her mind racing to remember names and faces, matching the right titles to the right people.
Ariana's mind was a complete jumble.
For the first time, she thought maybe getting married wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It was such a hassle!
The hustle and bustle continued into the evening.
Finally, after ten o'clock, the house quieted down a bit.
Autumn called Ariana over for a chat, expressing how much she'd miss her. After all, Ariana had only been home for a few days.
Autumn handed Ariana a luxurious necklace, an exquisite piece adorned with large, vibrant purple gemstones.
"This is my wedding gift to you. It was the token of love your father bought for me when we got engaged."
"Mom, this is too precious. Maybe... you should save it for Stella."
Such a unique piece was surely one of a kind. If Ariana took it, Stella wouldn't get it, and Ariana knew Stella would feel hurt.