Romans de Chidinma library

THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT BRIDEChapter Seventeen The Truth About Daniel Blackwood.The silence inside Jacobs Manor was suffocating.Martin stood beside the library desk, staring at the photograph.His father.Isabella.Claire's grandfather.And a third person whose face had been deliberately destroyed.Claire watched him carefully."Martin."He didn't answer.She stepped closer."Are you okay?"His jaw tightened."My father knew.""Knew what?""Whatever happened to my mother."Claire reached for his hand.Martin looked at her.For a moment, the cold billionaire disappeared."I spent years believing my father simply couldn't save her."His voice dropped."But what if he knew the truth and chose to keep it from me?"Claire squeezed his hand."Then we'll find out why."Martin looked at her."Together?""Together."Something softened in his eyes."All right."Ethan interrupted."Sir, there's something else."He placed a document on the table."This came from the envelope."Martin unfold

The Billionaire's Contract BrideChapter Sixteen: The Woman in the PhotographRain fell heavily over Los Angeles that night.Claire stood beside the enormous window of Martin's study, watching droplets race down the glass.She couldn't stop thinking about the photograph.Isabella.Daniel Blackwood.And the mysterious woman standing beside them.The woman looked familiar.Too familiar.Claire turned toward Martin."Who is she?"Martin studied the photograph again."I don't know.""But you've seen her before."He shook his head."No."Claire pointed at the woman."Look at her."Martin did.Then his expression changed."Wait.""What?""I've seen her.""Where?"Martin searched his memory."At my father's funeral."Claire's eyes widened."Who was she?""I don't remember her name.""But she was standing beside my grandfather."Claire looked at the photograph again."And now she's connected to Ivy."Martin nodded."Which means we need to find out who she was."The next morningMartin summone

The Billionaire's Contract BrideChapter Fifteen: The Sin of the Father.Claire stared at her phone long after the call ended.The words continued to echo inside her head."It's what Martin's father did to her."She didn't want to believe it.Martin's father had been dead for years.And yet, somehow, his name kept appearing every time they uncovered another piece of the mystery.She slipped the phone into her pocket."Claire?"Martin's voice came from behind her.She turned quickly.He stood at the doorway of his study, his expression questioning."Who called you?""No one."Martin's eyes narrowed."Claire."She sighed."An unknown number.""What did they say?"She hesitated.Then decided to tell him."They mentioned your father."Martin's expression immediately changed."What exactly did they say?"Claire looked away."They said I should stop trusting you."A long silence followed.Martin's jaw tightened."Anything else?""They said the real secret is what your father did to Isabella

The Billionaire's Contract BrideChapter Fourteen: The Lie Behind the Photograph.The room was completely dark.Claire could hear her own breathing.Martin stood in front of her, his body tense.The man's voice came again from somewhere beyond the door."You were never supposed to find this."Claire's fingers tightened around Martin's sleeve."Who are you?"No answer.Martin reached for his phone.The screen illuminated his face for a brief second.Then—CRASH!The window shattered.Claire screamed.Martin pulled her down just as a bullet tore through the wall behind them."Get down!"Another shot rang out.Martin grabbed Claire and dragged her behind the heavy wooden desk."Are you hurt?""No.""Stay here.""Martin—""I said stay here."He moved toward the broken window.But there was nobody outside.Only darkness.Martin looked down.A small object lay on the floor beneath the window.A black USB drive.He picked it up.There was a single word written on it.ISABELLA.Five minutes l

The Billionaire's Contract BrideChapter Thirteen: Isabella's Last SecretThe hospital room was quiet.Too quiet.Martin lay beneath the white sheets, his injured shoulder heavily bandaged. The bullet had passed through without damaging any major organs, but the doctor had insisted he remain under observation.Claire sat beside his bed.She had been there for hours.Her wedding dress had finally been replaced with a simple cream-colored dress, but a faint red stain remained on the sleeve where Martin's blood had soaked into the fabric.She kept staring at it.The wedding had been interrupted.The assassin had escaped.And Martin had almost died.Yet there was another thought that refused to leave her mind.Isabella.The mysterious locket.The photograph.The memory card.The warning.Everything seemed connected.Claire reached into her handbag and removed the silver locket.She stared at the photograph inside.The beautiful woman had soft features and gentle eyes.There was something

The Billionaire's Contract BrideThe chapel erupted into panic.Guests screamed as security agents rushed toward the altar. Some ducked beneath the pews while others hurried toward the exits."Nobody leaves!" Ethan Cole shouted."Lock every gate!"Within seconds, Blackwood Estate was sealed.Claire remained frozen on the floor.Warm blood stained her white wedding gown.Her trembling hands pressed against Martin's injured shoulder."No..."Her voice broke."No, Martin... please..."Martin tried to sit up."It's only my shoulder."The effort sent another wave of pain through him.Claire's eyes filled with tears."You call this 'only'?"She tore a strip from the edge of her veil and pressed it firmly against the wound."You've lost a lot of blood."Martin looked at her instead of the wound."You're safe."Claire stared at him.Even now...His first concern wasn't himself.It was her.Moments later...Paramedics rushed into the chapel."Move back!"They placed Martin onto a stretcher.As