Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 232

Chapter 232

AUTHOR’S POV

:

€55

10 vouchers

The house was quiet when Alina finally pulled away from her sketchbook and shut the leather–bound cover. She had been doodling mindlessly for over an hour, the pencil lines going nowhere, her mind caught in that heavy fog of unease she couldn’t seem to shake.

The bed lamp on the side table glowed warm, but even that felt too sharp, too bright against her restless state. She set the book down and rubbed her hands over her face, pressing her palms against her eyes as though she could press away the knot forming in her chest.

Lucian had been watching her for a while from the opposite couch, silent but not absent. He never was. His sharp eyes caught everything…the way she sighed without realizing, the way she twirled her engagement ring around her finger, the way her gaze drifted off and unfocused like she was somewhere else entirely.

Finally, he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his voice low and steady. “You’ve been a thousand miles away all evening, Doll, what’s the problem?”

Her hands dropped from her face, and she forced a small smile, the kind she hoped looked convincing. “I’m just tired. Long day at the store.”

Lucian tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. That wasn’t an answer he would easily believe. “I know the difference between tired and… this.” He gestured vaguely toward her, his hand curling before falling back onto his knee. “Something’s gnawing at you. Talk to me.”

Alina drew in a breath, slow and shaky, before exhaling it just as carefully. She hated when he saw through her, hated and loved it all at once. “It’s nothing.” She murmured, though her voice betrayed her with the faintest quiver.

He rose, crossing the small space between them until he was standing in front of her, towering in that way that always made her feel both safe and exposed. His hand reached down, brushing her chin lightly to tilt her gaze up to him. His eyes searched hers, dark and probing. “Don’t do that,” he said softly. “Don’t lock me out. Not now. Especially not now.”

Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. For a moment she considered insisting again that it was nothing, that she was fine. But the weight pressing down on her chest was too much and the words too heavy to keep inside. She let out another breath, this one breaking at the end.

“I keep feeling…” She hesitated, trying to put it into words. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress at her thighs, clutching it tightly. “I keep feeling like something’s coming. Like something terrible is waiting just out of sight, and I can’t shake it.” Her voice cracked as she admitted it, shame lacing her tone as though she was weak for saying it out loud. “And it’s been worse these past few days. Like there’s a storm I can’t see but I can feel it, and it’s sitting in my chest.”

Lucian listened in silence, his expression unreadable at first. Then, slowly, he lowered himself to his knees in front of her so they were eye level. His hands reached for hers, prying her tight grip loose and enveloping them in his warmth. His thumbs brushed along her knuckles, grounding her.

“Are you having second thoughts?” He asked carefully, his tone neutral, but the faint tension in his jaw betrayed him.

13:10 Wed, Oct 1 d…

Chapter 232

零四

10 vouchers

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly, almost frantically. “No. God, no, Lucian.” She leaned forward, gripping his hands now like a lifeline. “I’m not..this isn’t cold feet. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I want to marry you, I want to be your wife. That’s the one thing I’m sure of, even when everything else feels… off,”

Some of the tightness in his face cased, replaced by something softer, though still laced with concern. His thumb brushed along her ring finger, where the diamond caught the lamplight. “Then what is it?”

Alina dropped her gaze to their hands, her lips pressing into a thin line before she whispered, “It’s just this feeling I can’t name. Like if I let myself be too happy, the world will find a way to rip it away from me. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?”

Lucian was quiet for a long moment, so long she almost dared to look up at him again. When she did, she found him watching her with an intensity that made her chest ache.

“It doesn’t sound ridiculous,” he said finally. His voice was rougher now, like gravel but it was filled with warmth. “You’ve been through too much to ever trust happiness blindly. I understand that.” His hand slid up from hers, cupping her cheek gently. “But listen to me, Doll. Whatever storm is out there, whatever shadows are waiting…you won’t be facing them alone. Not anymore. Do you understand?”

Her lips trembled, and she closed her eyes against the burn gathering behind them. She leaned into his touch, nodding faintly. “I know,” she whispered, though the knot in her stomach didn’t loosen completely. “I just… I can’t explain it, Lucian. It’s like dread. It’s like…” She paused, struggling to find the words. “…like my heart is warning me of something I can’t see.”

Lucian pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he breathed her in. His voice dropped low, nearly a vow. “Then let it warn both of us. We’ll meet it together. Whatever it is, whoever it is, it won’t touch you. I’ll burn the world to the ground before I let it.”

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify