Married To My Ex-Husband’s Rival by Jobet GraySon

Chapter Thirty Four

Amber's POV.

Finally freed from the confines of the bustling wedding hall, Richard and | settled into the comfort of the car.

A wave of relief washed overas | let out a long, calming sigh. Escaping the prying eyes and endless scrutiny

that cwith such an elaborate affair was a welcomed retreat, and | just couldn't help the sense of ease |

strangely felt.

As the silence enveloped the car, a profound awkwardness settled between Richard and me. | becuncertain

of how to go about everything that had happened that day, and because of this, | found myself at a loss for

words.

Feeling Richard's gaze fixed on me, | couldn't bring myself to face him. Instead, | averted my eyes, pretending to

be engrossed in the passing scenery outside the car window.

The minutes stretched on, the silence becoming an uncomfortable weight in the car. | anticipated Richard's next

move, hoping that he would discern my desire for a moment of peace before engaging in conversation. But true

to his nature, he broke the silence with a question that pierced through my carefully constructed facade of

peace.

“Amber, are you trying to avoid me?” Richard's voice cut through the air, an undercurrent of amusement lacing

his words. | panicked, my mind racing to find the right response, desperate to avoid any further awkwardness.

Denying my avoidance, | mustered up an indignant tone, countering his question with one of my own. “Avoid

you? Why on earth would | be avoiding you?” | said.

Still refusing to meet his gaze, | busied myself with adjusting the hem of my dress, feigning distraction.

A low chuckle escaped Richard's lips, filled with an almost playful amusement. “It's just amusing to see that one

simple kiss has you avoiding even looking at me,” he said.

My cheeks burned, a flush of embarrassment threatening to give away my true feelings. Richard's observation

hit close to home, remindingof the spontaneity that had propelledto kiss him at

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Chapter Thirty Four

the wedding. The memory played like a broken record in my mind, floodingwith a mix of nervousness,

confusion, and a strange feeling of perfection.

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| quickly denied Richard's accusation, determined to maintain a facade of composure amidst the confusion that

swirled in me.

Desperately grasping for a reason to justify my impulsive kiss, | explained to him that it was merely a means to

make our marriage seem more realistic. After all, he had advisedto be less bothered,

and more serious.

Surely, he couldn't be stuck on a simple kiss that was nothing more than a spur-of-the-moment act.

As the words cout, a realization washed over me, tainting my cheeks with a deep flush of embarrassment.

The absurdity of my explanation hitwith full force, and I could do nothing but bite my lip in frustration at the

nonsensical nature of my own words. Still stubbornly avoiding Richard's gaze, | focused my attention on the

passing scenery outside the car window, trying to escape the awkwardness that threatened to suffocate me.

Richard chuckled once again, adding another layer to my discomfort. His laughter carried an

unmistakable edge of amusement, taunting my weak attempt to brush off the significance of what had

transpired between us.

“Amber, if you're so sure that it was just a simple kiss, why don’t you look atand say that with confidence?”

he challenged, his voice filled with playful yet probing curiosity.

My breath caught in my throat as his words echoed in my mind. | dreaded the vulnerability that would cwith

meeting his gaze, knowing that it would betray the extent of my embarrassment.

However, refusing his challenge would only confirm the discomfort | was trying so desperately to hide. Steeling

myself, | slowly turned to face him.

The moment my eyes met his, my resolve crumbled, and | immediately buried my face in my palm, my cheeks

aflwith embarrassment. Why had | agreed to look at him when I clearly couldn’t handle the intensity of his

gaze?

| berated myself silently, the weight of my humiliation crushing me.

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Chapter Thirty Four

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With my face still concealed, | mustered the courage to admit my true emotions, my voice muffled through my

palm. “Okay, fine. You're not wrong, and I'm really embarrassed right now,” | confessed, my words laced with a

mix of frustration and self-consciousness. “I'm not exactly sure how to start a conversation with you after...

everything.”

Richard's response was unexpected, his voice gentle and reassuring as he spoke. “Amber, there's no need to be

embarrassed,” he said, his tone soothing. “In fact, you should be proud of yourself because I'm impressed by

you. | didn’t expect you to push your nervousness aside and take such decisive action. You painted a clearer

picture to our guests that our marriage is real.”

His words washed over me, offering comfort amidst the mess of emotions | felt inside me.

“Thank you for your kind words,” | said.

Richard nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. Suddenly, his expression turned serious. He leaned in closer.

“Amber, | have a question, if that’s alright with you,” he began, his eyes searching mine for

permission.

| sighed, my weariness seeping through every word. “Alright, Richard. This will be the only question I

Il let you ask.” | replied, offering him a tired smile. “I'm exhausted, and | need srest before

we arrive at my new home.”

Richard nodded in understanding, his gaze never leaving mine. “Did you have a particular reason for not wanting

to kiss me?” he asked, his voice gentle yet probing. “Before you finally did, | noticed

how you were trembling like a leaf. It seemed like the thought of kissingwas repulsive to you.”

| shrugged lightly, contemplating how to phrase my answer without revealing too much. “To be honest,

Richard, the thought of kissing you was... not exactly appealing,” | admitted quietly, careful not to

hurt him with my words

| couldn't afford to let my guard down, even for a moment. “But I've cto understand that our

marriage is a business arrangement, and my personal feelings shouldn't interfere with our plans to

make our marriage as realistic as possible.”

A fleeting flicker of hurt passed through Richard's eyes, but it vanished almost as quickly as it

appeared, replaced by his signature neutral expression. “I understand, Amber, he responded. “Our

agreement did not include any romantic expectations. Oh well, get srest,” he urged.

Sensing that our conversation had reached its end. Richard turned away fromand stared out of the

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appeared, replaced by his signature neutral expression. “I understand, Amber” he responded. “Our agreement

did not include any romantic expectations. Oh well, get srest,” he urged.

Sensing that our conversation had reached its end, Richard turned away fromand stared out of the window

in silence. His sudden quietness filled the space between us, and | took it as a cue to retreat to our separate

thoughts.

It was another reminder that we were now husband and wife, but it was in nonly,

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Chapter Thirty Five

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