THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26

His eyes dropped to her lips. He didn’t hide it, he let his gaze linger with a slow, deliberate hunger that made her pulse skip. Then, almost lazily, his hand moved from her cheek, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth, Light, like it was barely there, but her breath hitched all the same.

His eyes followed every twitch, every parting of her lips as though they were whispering secrets only he could

hear.

She wanted to say something, anything, but her mouth disobeyed her, betraying her with silence. Her lips parted slightly, like they were waiting… inviting.

And for one breathless moment, she truly believed he would kiss her, and she wanted.

Oh God help her, she wanted really him to.

The thought struck her like a slap. What was wrong with her? No man had ever come this close without consequences. Her boundaries had always been clear. Unshakable. But Stefan had crossed into her space, her air, her heat, and she was doing nothing. She was fucking letting him.

“I thought your mouth was running,” Stefan said, voice thick with amusement. “Why are you speechless now?” His thumb lingered for one last second… then dropped. Without another word, he stepped back, the spell shattering like glass.

“Don’t talk to me that way again,” he added coolly, already turning from her. “This is just a warning.”

Then he walked off ever so calmly, cold, and controlled. Leaving Mia in stunned silence. She blinked rapidly, coming back to herself like someone waking from a dream.

Did he just…..

Her face burned, her hands clenched tightly behind her. Her chest heaved with a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

He walked away? Like that?

She cleared her throat, still tasting the heat of him in the air. “Bastard,” she muttered under her breath, storming off in the opposite direction, but not before stealing one last glance at the closed door he disappeared behind.

And cursing herself all over again for wanting him to come back.

Stefan shut the door behind him and leaned against it, his palm pressed flat against the cool wood as if that alone could steady him.

What the hell just happened?

He exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he dragged a hand down his face.

He had almost kissed her, he had wanted to kiss her.

Her lips had been right there, parted, soft, trembling with unsaid words. When his thumb brushed her mouth,

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the sensation shot through him like a live current. Silken warmth, barely a touch and it had nearly undone him.

Stefan Sterling, the man known for control, composure, calculation… almost lost himself over one woman’s lips.

He had leaned in, inches away, one second longer and he would’ve ruined everything. What the hell was wrong with him?

He pushed away from the door, pacing. His long strides echoed softly through the penthouse. His mind was chaos, filled with the scent of her, the sound of her breath catching, the stubborn fire in her eyes.

Mia.

That infuriating, sharp-tongued, fearless woman. She made him feel, feel, in ways he didn’t permit.

He clenched his fists.

He’d touched her without thinking, acted on instinct, something he’d never allowed himself to do. That was the kind of weakness men like him couldn’t afford, especially not with a woman who challenged him at every turn.

It wouldn’t happen again, it couldn’t happen again.

“That was a mistake,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. “A stupid, reckless mistake.”

He glanced at his reflection in the darkened window, and the man staring back looked far too affected.

His eyes dropped to his hand, he could still feel the ghost of her skin against his fingers.

Damn it.

No more slipping, no more losing control. Tomorrow, they had a role to play, and he would make sure he remembered exactly what this was. A contract, a performance, nothing more.

And next time, when she looked at him with those soft eyes and that stubborn chin, he’d remember that his job wasn’t to want her. It was to keep his distance, at any cost.

Few minutes later, Stefan sat at the edge of his bed, fresh out of the shower, the towel still hanging around his neck. His laptop rested on his thighs, the glow of the screen casting a faint blue light over his sharp features. He scrolled through a set of reports, forcing his mind to focus on the contracts, numbers, projections, but all he could think about was her.

A knock interrupted him.

“Dinner is ready, sir,” came the quiet voice of one of the staff.

“I’ll be down soon,” Stefan replied, eyes still on his screen. The knock faded, and silence returned.

The kitchen had finally been completed, sleek, everything just the way he knew she would liked it. He’d, brought back an old face: Margaret, the cook who had been with him and his mother for years. But she wasn’t going to be living with them, she’ll come in, do her job, and leave. None of his staffs ever lived with him, that was the way he liked his world.

Quiet and controlled. But now… peace? He scoffed under his breath. Peace was a thing of the past, now, penthouse was a circus.

his

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First, Mia. All sharp wit and warm eyes and far too much presence for someone so small.

Then her chatterbox of a friend, Elena, who didn’t seem to understand the meaning of silence and had a mouth that ran like an overfed engine.

Then there was Mose, who suddenly couldn’t take his eyes off Elena, though he hadn’t realized it yet.

And now Sienna, he was sure Sienna would be added to the number. He saw the way Mia and Elena looks at her, like they can’t wait to have the whole day to themselves.

Sienna was the sister he never wanted to acknowledge, the one who’d chased him around like a lost puppy years ago, making a fool of herself. Their father had sent her abroad to fix the problem, but apparently, that didn’t work.

Stefan clenched his jaw. He didn’t care for her, not when her mom is the reason his mom was like this. But Mia liked her, so he’d have to be more accommodating.

With a low sigh, he shut the laptop and stood. Straightened his shirt, he ran a hand through his still-damp hair.

He walked out of the room, footsteps slow and deliberate as he descended the stairs. He could already hear murmurs of conversation, Elena’s voice rising above as usual.

The dining room was warm, the table set, the plates steaming, and everyone was already seated.

Mia glanced up at him, something unreadable in her eyes. Elena turned her head and immediately scowled.

She looked like she wanted to throw a fork at his head.

Good.

He took his time walking to his seat, not missing the irritated huff Elena gave. Mose tried to suppress a chuckle.

Stefan pulled out his chair and sat, entirely unbothered, stretching his legs out beneath the table like he had all the time in the world.

Mia pushed her fork around the plate, lost in her thoughts, barely tasting the food. Her pace was unusually slow, almost mechanical.

Elena noticed, she frowned subtly, glancing at the spread. Everything looked fine, steamed vegetables, grilled chicken just the way Mia liked it. So why did she look like she’d rather be anywhere else?

“Mia?” she called gently, but no response. Elena’s eyes narrowed, she leaned forward and tried again, louder this time. “Mia!”

Mia jolted, blinking rapidly as though she’d just been yanked from a dream. “Huh?” Everyone at the table paused, eyes shifting to her.

“Is everything okay?” Elena asked, brow raised with concern. “You’ve been zoning out. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Mia opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her mind betrayed her, dragging her back to earlier… Stefan’s hand brushing her lips, the sound of his voice far too close to her skin.

Her cheeks turned crimson. She looked up to find everyone watching her.

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