Chapter 47 Just Spoil Your Wife, Why Don't You
Paige, with an assertive air, tore the divorce papers to shreds and flung them at Raymond.
Raymond was totally blindsided by Paige's outright refusal to divorce, let alone the fact she tore up the papers and threw them his way.
As Paige spun around to leave, Raymond reached out to grab her.
Paige deftly dodged, avoiding his outstretched hand.
But Raymond, unable to halt in time, ended up grabbing the belt of Paige's bathrobe.
As Paige moved forward and Raymond pulled in the opposite direction, the belt came undone, and her oversized bathrobe slipped off...
Beneath the robe, she wore a scarcely-there lingerie of black lace, which hinted at Paige's fair skin. It clung to her perfect figure, highlighting a slender waist and curved hips with not an ounce of extra flesh; instead, her toned muscles were a testament to her well-defined beauty.
Paige turned to look at Raymond and then down at her 'battle dress', embarrassment and anger nearly driving her underground.
If Raymond hadn't brought out that divorce paper, perhaps this moment might have naturally evolved into something more fitting.
But with the shredded papers lying between them, and her robe unceremoniously yanked off, Paige was thrown into extreme awkwardness.
They were both adults, and her wear, or lack thereof, clearly meant something.
Yet, the true awkwardness lay in the fact that while she had envisioned a life together, Raymond was fixed on getting a divorce.
In an instant, Paige turned beet red with embarrassment, mixed with anger and annoyance.
Raymond, after inadvertently disrobing her, was also stunned. He'd never imagined what lay beneath her robe was...
Involuntarily, his Adam's apple bobbed, and the strain inside him abruptly gave way.
Before Paige could react, Raymond deftly grabbed her hand, pulling her forcefully into his embrace. His long arms encircled her, a large palm cradling the back of her head as his lips claimed hers.
She had come home early to freshen up, even though she'd smoked in the office and already rinsed out her mouth.
Now, as their lips met, all that lingered was sweetness.
Though Raymond had a reputation for being a man with self-restraint, Paige proved to be his undoing. In her company, his composure completely fell apart.
Not only was his body ensnared by her gentle allure, but thoughts of heeding Heller's advice for a speedy divorce had also evaporated from his mind.
When Raymond finally brought Paige down onto the bed, she didn’t resist; instead, she responded with eager participation.
Raymond was undeniably skilled, leaving her effortlessly melted into submission under his touch.
Their first time as a married couple felt as if they were perfectly in sync, a mysterious harmony embodied in passion.
That night, they seemed to lose track of time. And finally, Paige fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.
Raymond watched over her as she slept peacefully beside him, propping himself up and gazing down. It struck him then; he had intended to come home to discuss divorce!
He looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time, brushing back the fine hairs from her forehead. Her long lashes fanned across the slightly curled corners of her closed eyes, giving her an unquestionable attractiveness. If not for her enchanting beauty, he would not have given in to temptation.
Yet, Raymond couldn't figure her out.
At home, she could play the wife and mother, so mild and tender. Yet, the same hands that demonstrated top-notch skills like a master thief worked as a humble florist.
No, she didn’t even hold a florist's certificate. She intended to be a maid, humbly accepting any job without complaints.
Had it not been for the email from the prison, Raymond would have truly believed she was just a regular person in the crowd.
But it was this very woman, Paige, from whom he found it impossible to extricate himself.
Why hadn't he been able to resist her a moment ago?
Lost in a fierce battle of passion, the drowsy Paige moved closer to Raymond to escape the glare of the light, snuggling into him and burrowing into the warmth of their covers.
In the cocoon of the covers, she moved languidly, her body rubbing against Raymond's. The two were already close, their touch producing a warmth similar to the igniting of flames.
Raymond instinctively wanted to inch away, but before he could, Paige's arms suddenly wrapped around him, holding him tight.
"Don't leave me..."
Her words were a murmur, almost as if she were speaking in a dream, her grip on Raymond poised between desperation and desire.
Raymond found Paige's body irresistible, her vulnerability, mixed with that soft, pleading tone, was too much for him to withstand.
But just as a fire began to stir within him, Paige's legs entwined with his, "Don't leave me. Dad is gone, Mom won't wake up, I can't hold onto anyone, I just can't... please don't leave..."
She was delving into the fears of her subconscious, perhaps exhausted and replaying some past dread.
It was only when Raymond leaned in close that he heard her words clearly.
He knew about Paige's background: the father she lost too early; the mother who hadn’t been seen for years. Raymond had tried to uncover more but it was a Sackler family affair, and the Sacklers preferred silence to disclosure.
It was clear from looking at Paige that her story was tragic. It seemed like she had no family left in her life; those Sacklers, who were supposed to be kin, treated her like strangers.
In the end, Raymond's heart softened. He gently embraced Paige, tenderly responding to her sleep-talked fears, "I'm here, I won't leave. Paige, what kind of spell have you cast that I've fallen for you?"
Raymond took a deep breath, recalling the day Bradley insisted he marry her, and he hadn't said no.
He couldn't refuse now either.
The other concerns didn't matter to him at the moment. After all, the woman in his arms was his, Raymond Carnegie's.
Cherish her, he thought.
What's done is done. After all, they'd been together over and over again.
Gently patting Paige's back to lull her back to sleep, Raymond grabbed his cell phone.
She wanted a hint about that secret fund, didn't she? Well, give it to her already!
After all, she had gone out of her way to wear those... those clothes for him, what's a little secret fund in comparison?
Even Heller had said to him, without a prenup, everything Raymond owned was to be shared with her!
Message texted, and Raymond reviewed it one more time.
It was brief, "Tomorrow, nobody but my wife sets foot on the third floor!"
