Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 71

To keep his daughter happy,

Alaric finally wrapped up his work and joined them for some photos.

Ivy held up her phone, leaning in close to Stella to snap a picture with Alaric.

But the framing was totally off.

Stella wasn't thrilled either. Spotting a teenage girl walking by, she eagerly flagged her down.

"Excuse me! Could you help take a family photo for my mommy and daddy?"

The girl smiled, stepping back to get a wide shot of them.

Blown away by how incredibly gorgeous the trio looked,

she couldn't help but gush,

"Your parents are stunning! Your mom looks so young and pretty."

She easily looked like a college student, making it hard to believe she had a four- or five-year-old.

"I know, right? My mommy is the prettiest," Stella boasted.

Once the picture was done, Stella grabbed the phone, chirped a loud thank you, and handed the girl a small candy as a gift.

Ivy unconsciously glanced at Alaric.

He looked as aloof as ever. Seeing Stella run ahead, leaving them alone for a moment,

she murmured softly to him.

"I'm sorry about last night. If it really bothered you, I... I..."

In truth, she had no idea what to do.

She just wanted to explain herself to him.

But the moment she opened her mouth, her nerves got the better of her, and her mind went blank.

Alaric looked at her. "Do you find me that repulsive?"

"Huh?"

Ivy froze, meeting his gaze with total confusion.

"No, not at all! Why would you ask that?"

Alaric looked away, his expression stormy. He pressed his lips into a tight line before finally speaking.

"Then why did you run the second it was over? You avoid me like the plague."

Hearing her explanation, the knot in Alaric's chest instantly loosened.

He fixed his gaze on her again. "So I was just overthinking?"

Ivy nodded vigorously. Fighting the frantic pounding of her heart, she couldn't help but compliment him.

"Yeah, you really were. I think you're great. You're handsome, tall, incredibly built, and you dress so well. More than that, you're a true gentleman—mature, reliable, and decent. We've been married for a while now, and you've never once crossed a line."

"Honestly, you're the best man I've ever met in my entire life. I've never once thought badly of you, let alone found you repulsive."

The second the words left her mouth, Ivy wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

Even if every word of it was true.

She should have just kept those thoughts to herself. Why on earth did she blurt it all out in a moment of panic?

Now he was definitely going to think she was only after him for his looks.

He would probably distance himself even more, assuming she was plotting to climb the social ladder.

But she couldn't have been more wrong.

Far from being repulsed, Alaric felt a triumphant thrill ripple through him.

A faint, genuine smile actually graced his perpetually stoic face.