The Ruthless CEO's Revenge Wife
Chapter 124: JARED’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Chapter 124: JARED’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Last night they were holding hands.

Just hands!

Not limbs tangled like a messy romance novel cover.

She tried to shift away as quietly as possible, prying his arm off her waist like a bomb squad disarming an explosive.

But fate had a wicked sense of humor.

In her frantic movement, her knee jabbed into something under the sheets... firm and undeniably his manhood.

Logan gasped.

His body arched slightly, breath catching hard in his throat. "Shit... Jean...!"

Jean froze. Her entire face flamed red.

Her gaze snapped to his face.

Eyes wide open now. Very much awake.

And very much aware.

She scrambled back, nearly falling off the bed. "I... I didn’t mean to! That was an accident!"

Logan, still gasping, squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. "Yeah, no kidding."

Jean sat at the edge of the bed, covering her face with both hands. "God... Kill me."

He chuckled weakly, voice hoarse with sleep. "Well, if that’s how you wake your husband up every morning, I could get used to it."

She turned her head to glare at him, mortified. "Don’t flatter yourself. Your... thing attacked me first."

That made Logan laugh harder.

"Thing?" he teased. "That’s what we’re calling it now?"

Jean picked up a pillow and smacked him. "Shut up!"

But even as she stomped off to the bathroom, Logan couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.

And somewhere deep inside, neither could she.

Because despite the embarrassment... it didn’t feel entirely horrible to wake up in his arms.

Not anymore.

__________________________

Jean stood under the hot stream of water, her palms flat against the cool marble tiles of the shower wall, trying to scrub away not just the sleep but the memory of this morning’s... situation.

Why? Why did she have to drool on his chest? Why did her leg have to land there of all places? Why did he have to react with a moan that would haunt her forever?

Her cheeks burned as she leaned her head forward, letting the water cascade down her back.

And then there was his smile.

That smug, lopsided grin he had thrown at her as she fled into the bathroom. Like he enjoyed watching her combust.

Well... he probably did.

"Ugh," she groaned, hitting her forehead gently against the tile.

But what unsettled her more was the lack of disgust. Why didn’t his embrace feel wrong? Why didn’t his touch make her flinch?

Why... Did it feel natural?

She shook the thought away and finished her shower in record time.

_________________________

Jean descended the stairs cautiously, her damp hair still tucked in a towel wrap. She had thrown on a neutral toned loungewear set that said ’I’m calm,’ though her flushed face betrayed her inner chaos.

The smell of coffee and fresh toast filled the air.

And of course, sitting at the head of the breakfast table like a king was Logan Kingsley, sipping his black coffee and reading the day’s business section.

He looked up the moment he saw her.

One corner of his mouth twitched. "Morning, sunshine."

Jean gave him a death glare before walking past him, grabbing a piece of toast like it was a lifeline.

Then the clearing of the throat came from behind them.

Jared Kingsley strolled in, newspaper in hand and a far too pleased glint in his eyes. "Good morning, lovebirds."

Jean almost choked on the toast.

Logan didn’t miss a beat. "Good morning, Dad."

"You two slept well, I hope?" Jared asked, taking a seat opposite them, very pointedly glancing between their shared side of the table. "Heard a scream this morning."

Jean coughed. "I... I mean... yeah. I guess."

"Guess?" Logan tilted his head, clearly enjoying her squirming. "That’s not what your position said this morning."

Jean kicked him under the table.

Hard.

Jared raised an eyebrow.

Jean smiled sweetly. "I was just... sleepwalking."

Logan grinned wider. "Right into my arms?"

She kicked him again.

Jared chuckled. "Ah, young love. Brings back memories."

Jean narrowed her eyes at Logan, her voice low and threatening. "Say one more word and I swear..."

He leaned in with that infuriating smirk. "You’ll accidentally kick me again? I think I’m developing a kink for that."

Jean looked like she was about to stab him with a butter knife. And yet, when her eyes met his, there was a flicker of something else. Something warm. Confused. An unknown emotion.

Jared, sipping his tea, looked amused but not surprised.

Jean was already regretting coming downstairs.

Between Logan’s smug grins, Jared’s amused glances, and her own traumatizing morning wake up, she barely had the appetite to eat. And now... Martha arrived, dressed in soft lavender and pearls, radiating that impossible air of calm and elegance.

"Good morning, everyone," she chirped, sliding into her seat beside Jared and patting his shoulder gently. "What a lovely day."

Logan leaned back in his chair slightly, raising an eyebrow at his mother. "You look... unusually rested, Mother."

Martha smiled, picking up her cup. "Well, it is nice to stay in a home where young love is blooming."

Jean nearly dropped her fork.

Jared cleared his throat, setting down the business page of the paper. "Actually... speaking of love."

Both Jean and Logan froze.

Logan’s gaze narrowed. "Dad."

Jean leaned forward a little, warily. "Mr. Kingsley?"

Jared didn’t immediately respond. He folded the paper with care, placed it aside, and looked straight at Jean, his eyes twinkling with something unreadable.

"Now that Jean is officially a part of the Kingsley family," he began, his voice steady but firm, "I’ve decided it’s time to make things right."

Jean blinked. Logan sat straighter.

Jared simply tapped the file beside him and pushed it across the table toward Jean.

"As of this morning," he said calmly, "30% of Kingsley Corporation’s shares will be registered under Jean Kingsley’s name."

A fork clattered.

Logan stared at his father, brows furrowed. "What?"

Jean sat frozen, the folder untouched in front of her.

This can’t be happening right? This has to be another test of Jared Kingsley.