The Ruthless CEO's Revenge Wife
Chapter 96: Good Morning... Mrs. Kingsley

Chapter 96: Good Morning... Mrs. Kingsley

The private hospital room reeked of antiseptic and tension. Alex sat on the edge of the bed, one arm cradling his ribs, a dark bruise spreading across his jaw. The door burst open.

"Alex!" Darla Adams rushed in first, her heels clacking sharply on the tile. Her eyes brimmed with worry as she clasped his face, ignoring the cuts and swelling. "My poor boy, what did they do to you?"

Behind her, Derek Adams walked in with none of her concern... only cold fury in his stride.

"Good job, son," Derek said, his voice laced with disdain. "You’ve really outdone yourself this time."

Alex scoffed bitterly. "Nice to see you too, father."

"Don’t play the victim," Derek snapped. "Because of your impulsive, idiotic stunt, Jean slipped through our fingers! She’s married to Kingsley now. You ruined everything!"

Darla turned sharply to her husband. "Derek, stop it! He’s in pain!"

"Pain?" Derek seethed. "We’re all in pain, Darla. Our plan to secure the Adams legacy is gone! Because your precious son decided brute force was the solution."

Alex glared at him. "You should’ve tamed her when you had the chance! You let her run wild... gave her power, independence. She was always going to run away from us."

"You wanted me to cage her?" Derek snapped. "And make headlines for locking up my own daughter? The media would have crucified me. She’s smart, capable... too dangerous to be kept quiet without consequences."

Darla, still holding Alex’s hand, muttered darkly, "She’s lucky we even gave her our name."

Derek’s eyes narrowed. "Darla."

She didn’t stop. "We never should’ve taken her in. That girl was a mistake from the beginning. She’s not even ours, and now she’s ruined us."

"Darla, lower your voice!" Derek hissed, stepping closer. "Do you want someone to hear that? If word gets out that Jean isn’t our blood..." His voice dropped into a cold whisper, "...we won’t just lose half of our fortune. We’ll be destroyed."

Darla’s lips trembled. "I know... I know." She looked away, shame flooding her face. "But after everything we did for her... she still chose to leave us."

Derek pinched the bridge of his nose, pacing in frustration. "It doesn’t matter anymore. She’s married into Kingsley now. Which means we just handed our greatest enemy a permanent seat in our company."

Alex clenched his fists. "This isn’t over. I’ll bring her back."

Derek turned to him with a bitter smile. "No, Alex. You won’t. You’ve done enough."

Alex gritted his teeth as he felt the full weight of failure settle in.

_____________________________

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon drifted into the bedroom, stirring Jean from her restless sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, met by soft morning light seeping through unfamiliar curtains.

For a moment, she forgot.

Then reality clicked.

This wasn’t her room. These weren’t her linens, nor the subtle scent of lavender her old pillow used to hold. Her chest tightened. The familiar four walls of her old life... however cruel... were gone.

She sat up slowly, pressing her palm to her temple. The dull ache still throbbed behind her eyes, a recall of the chaos from yesterday. Her fingers gripped the silk sheets.

This is just another cage, her mind whispered.

But at least... she chose this one.

Her stomach growled, snapping her from the spiral. "Okay... coffee and bacon, here I come," she muttered, standing and adjusting the oversized shirt she’d thrown on last night.

She padded out of the room and followed the scent down the grand staircase. The morning light made the house seem less intimidating than it had last night... less like a trap, more like a silent witness to a beginning she still couldn’t accept.

In the dining area, a staff member was laying out plates with robotic efficiency. Jean wasn’t surprised... this was Logan Kingsley’s world after all. Clean. Controlled. Polished.

But it was nothing like the stillness of the night before.

Then...

"Morning," came a low voice.

Jean’s eyes snapped to the kitchen doorway and her breath caught in her throat.

There he was.

Logan.

Barefoot, sweatpants hanging low on his hips, a steaming mug of coffee in one hand, and absolutely shirtless.

"Coffee?" he offered casually, raising the mug slightly with a smirk.

Jean blinked, trying very hard to focus on not staring. "I... can get mine," she muttered, walking past him.

"You sure?" he asked, stepping closer. His voice dropped. "You look like you need it."

Jean snatched a cup from the counter without looking at him, trying to hide the heat crawling up her neck. "I’m fine."

"You didn’t sleep well."

She turned, finally meeting his eyes. "That’s none of your business."

Logan didn’t flinch. He stepped closer, the lazy morning sunlight catching the sculpt of his chest. "You’re my wife now, Jean," he said evenly. "Everything about you is my business."

She stared at him, heart skipping... but not from romance. From the dangerous pull she felt around this man.

This wasn’t safety.

But it was her choice.

Jean’s steps froze the moment Logan leaned too close. "Back off," she snapped, placing a hand on his chest and shoving him lightly.

Logan didn’t budge. In fact, he smiled... clearly enjoying her irritation. "Feisty already?" he murmured, then stepped in again, forcing her back.

She tried to move, but within seconds, her back hit the wall. Logan’s arms came up, caging her in.

Her eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing? Step back!"

He leaned in, voice low and breath hot against her skin. "Act like you’re in love with me."

Jean blinked. "What? Why? This is your home!"

"Exactly," he said, smirking. "My home. My staff. And right now, we’ve got a dozen eyes watching us."

Jean glanced around... and cursed under her breath. The staff were clearly eavesdropping while pretending to set the table.

She groaned. "So I don’t even get a break from this charade?"

"You’ll get a break," Logan said, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, voice dropping. "Tonight. When we’re alone."

Jean rolled her eyes. "Wow. The only decent thing you’ve said all morning."

He grinned. "Then prove you love me."

Her eyes narrowed. "How about I slap you?"

Logan laughed. "Do something that doesn’t involve hitting. Maybe... a kiss?"

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