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CHAPTER 15
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2025-03-21 16:06:08
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BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 16
Chapter 16:Kane's POVDiane's words had never left my mind since she walked away. Ask her about Muse Art CollegeDiane wouldn't know but Caroline had told me about the scandal. But who knew the culprit would be my ex-girl friend.No Kane, don't make assumptions. It could be a whole different story.I sat at my desk, focusing on the city-skyline through the glass. I swirled the glass of whiskey in my hand. The pieces weren't adding up. Caroline had been framed at Muse. I knew that much. But Diane's presence here just when Caroline was about to reach her peak in the art world. It didn't sit right with me. I had known Diane long enough, to recognize her games. She never did anything without reason or a plan. And from what I've observed, she wants me to question Caroline and probably sow a seed of doubt in me.No, that wasn't it. That motive was too dumb for Diane, there is definitely something more to it than simply breaking my trust for Caroline. Was she hoping to destroy Caro
Last Updated : 2025-03-22BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 17
Chapter 17Caroline's POVHaving dinner with Kane is like having a sit-in with the devil. I know firsthand what it can be like—especially considering how frustrating and overbearing he can be, always asking questions I don’t want to answer. Gina had tried to doll me up, and I can’t say she didn’t succeed. She really did, because now I look like a frigging ballerina—except with an above-the-knee-length gown and flowing hair. Even though I had opted for ponytails.Now, sitting on our parlor sofa, I’m beginning to rethink my decision. Maybe I really am ready to lose my job rather than have an actual sit-down with the overbearing bastard. Or maybe I’m just being too hard on him because I don’t want to fall for him. The problem? That battle is already proving to be a losing one. Things are happening too fast. I don’t know how much longer I can keep denying that there’s something between us—and that irritates me even more.I’m deep in thought when Gina walks in. With zero warning, she jumps
Last Updated : 2025-03-23BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 18
Caroline’s POVStepping into Kane's house, I feel like I'm walking into a fortress—an expensive one. The luxury chandeliers, high-end sofas, and polished fireplace exude wealth. It’s comfortable. Too comfortable. It almost feels like home.I shake my head at the thought. On the way here, I had battled with myself over how to face him, how to avoid questions he hadn’t even asked yet. I had a whole speech prepared. But now, standing in front of him, staring into those beautiful eyes that could make a girl’s heart melt, I fall completely silent. And then he looks at me in that way—like I’m the most beautiful thing he has ever seen—and I feel my knees go weak.Maybe I’m overthinking this. Reading too much into his actions.Or maybe… I’m not.Either way, I’m here now, and we need to talk.Kane gestures for me to sit, waiting until I’ve had my fill of admiring his home before he moves. The dining table is already set, a variety of dishes laid out before me. As I take my seat, he reaches for
Last Updated : 2025-03-23BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 19
Chapter 19:Caroline's POVI could barely sleep that night.Everytime I close my eyes, I relive the kiss. The way his lips moved against mine, the way his warm hands. The way I didn't want him to stop…. Until he did.Then he had the audacity to apologize like it was a mistake.Like I was a mistake. I groaned, burying my face in the pillow.This is why I shouldn't have gone to that dinner. At least he didn't find out about the pregnancy.But everything feels different.And I didn't know if I liked it.I arrived at the gallery early, hoping to distract myself with work. I needed to avoid Kane and let things cool down. Maybe if I acted like nothing happened, we can go back to our usual banter… before things get too real. But Gina had other plans.She took one look at me, sips of her coffee and smirked. “Didn’t sleep, did you?” I glared at her. “Shut up,” Kane had hired her to work with me and now she'd disturb any moment she had.Her smirk widened. “I didn't expect this Caro. First
Last Updated : 2025-03-24BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 20
Chapter 20:Kane's POVDestroying Diane would have been easy.Too easy.A single call, and she’d be exiled from every elite social circle she had clawed her way into.But that wasn’t enough.Diane thrived on control and in being the one who pulled the strings. If I took that from her all at once, she’d simply rebuild it elsewhere.No.I wanted her to unravel.To feel the loss before she even realized it was happening.I leaned back in my office chair, phone pressed to my ear.“Release a statement,” I told my PR manager.She hesitated. “What should it say?”I smirked. “That the article is baseless. That Caroline Parker is an artist I personally support because of her talent and hard work.”“But sir? That would …”“That would what, Miss Harper?”There was a pause. Then, “Understood, Mr. Brown.”I hung up.Diane had expected me to distance myself from Caroline, to protect my reputation.Well, she was going to see how wrong she was.The media would eat it up—why was Kane Brown defending t
Last Updated : 2025-03-24BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 21
Chapter 21:Caroline POV The next morning, I walked into the gallery trying to hold myself together.I was surprised to find Larkin, our gallery director, waiting for me.He urged me to follow him to his office.I hesitated at first, but something felt off. So I followed.The moment we stepped into his office, he looked around as if to check for anyone who'd be spying on us then closed the door.“Caroline, I need you to be honest with me.” he started, rubbing his temple. “Did you plagiarize anyone's work?”I stiffened. “I told you, I didn't plagiarize anyone's work.”“I believe you,” he said, his tone firm but his expression was tight. Like he wasn't sure whether he actually believed me. “What's the problem sir?” I asked, nervously. He looked up at me and let out a breath. “We just got another complaint,” he replied. “This time, from a collector. Someone who claims you stole a concept from a private portfolio.” My chest tightened. “But that's impossible.”Larkin gave me a look.
Last Updated : 2025-03-25BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 22
Chapter 22:Caroline POVThe next morning, I woke up feeling like I barely slept.The caller’s words kept replaying in my head."Did you like my little gift?"I didn’t recognize the voice. That scared me the most.Diane was predictable. Diane had a motive. She wouldn't hide herself in such mannerBut this? This was something else.I should tell Kane.I should.But I didn’t.Instead, I went about my day, pretending I wasn’t falling apart on the inside.By the time seven o’clock rolled around, I wasn’t ready for dinner with Kane.But when my doorbell rang, right on time, I knew I didn’t have a choice.Kane’s POVThe moment I saw Caroline, I knew something was wrong.She was trying too hard.Her makeup was flawless. Her dress was stunning. But her hands trembled when she reached for the car door.She was hiding something. What was it this time?Did Diane do something again?I didn’t say anything, yet.Instead, I opened the door for her. “Let’s go.”She hesitated. Then nodded.She thought
Last Updated : 2025-03-26BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 23
Chapter 23:Caroline's POV>You look nervous, Caroline. Tell him the truth or I will.“I need to go to the bathroom.” I muttered, my voice unsteady.But before I could move, Kane's hand shot out, firmly holding on to me. “Parker.” He said, calmly. “Where do you think you're going?”I forced myself to meet his gaze, struggling to steady my breathing. “I just need a minute,” I said, trying to pull my hand away. His grip tightened.“Then I'll come with you.” I shook my head quickly. “Kane, I just….”Ding.The sound of another message was not what I wanted to hear right now. I
Last Updated : 2025-03-26
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BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 59
Chapter 59:Caroline's POVThe clock ticked steadily in the background, a quiet rhythm that did nothing to calm my nerves. I sat curled in Kane’s leather armchair, one of his shirts draped over me, his scent still clinging faintly to the fabric. It brought a small comfort in the vast silence that now filled the house.My hands rested on my belly, fingers tracing slow, absent circles over the place where life stirred, three little heartbeats, three little souls waiting to meet the world.He said he wouldn’t be long.But minutes had stretched into hours.The fire had burned low in the hearth, casting long shadows that danced along the walls, and outside, the sky had begun to darken with early evening clouds. I had barely touched the tea that had gone cold beside me.I hated waiting.Every time Kane left, I worried.Not just because of the enemies circling like vultures, or the scandals surfacing at the Art Company. But because I knew the weight he carried. And I knew how much more he’d
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 58
Chapter 58:Raymond’s POVThe heavy gates creaked open, letting me into the estate that once belonged to my brother.No, it still belongs to him, technically.In the eyes of the world, I was Jayson Reynolds.My boots echoed sharply against the polished marble floors as I stepped into the mansion, the air rich with the scent of old wood and lies.Everything looked the same.Almost.Except now, I walked these halls as a ghost wearing another man's face.I moved past the grand staircases and glittering chandeliers, heading straight for the west wing…To the door no one else dared open.I keyed in the code.The wall gave a soft hiss before sliding open, revealing the hidden staircase winding downward into the earth.The deeper I descended, the colder it grew and…. the heavier the truth weighed on my chest.No one knew that Jayson Reynolds was already dead.That I had been the one to put him down.I hadn't planned it at first. But when Jayson appeared that night, running from his past from
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 57
Chapter 57: Caroline's POVI didn’t think the world could feel so still.The sunlight slanted in through the chapel windows, soft and golden, washing everything in a surreal glow. Kane stood at the end of the aisle, wearing a sharp black suit, no tie, the top button of his shirt undone like he refused to be anything but himself even on our wedding day.My heart thundered wildly against my ribs as I walked toward him.There were no crowds. No grand spectacle. Just a few people we trusted or as close to trust as we could afford.And somehow, despite everything... Kelly was here.He stood off to the side, hands shoved in his pockets, watching with a strange, unreadable expression. His presence was heavy, complicated but for once, it didn't feel like a threat.I tightened my grip around the small bouquet in my hands.This wasn’t the wedding little girls dreamed about. It wasn’t laced in glitter and fantasy.It was bruised. Battered. Raw.When I reached him, Kane took my hands in his roug
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 56
Chapter 56Caroline's POVThe next morning broke quietly, light slipping through the windows like cautious hope. I sat by the edge of the bed, running a hand over my slowly rising belly. The triplets were calm, but I knew that wouldn’t last. They always moved more when Kane was near, like they could sense him.Kane was still asleep behind me, one arm stretched lazily across the bed, the faintest frown creasing his brow even in rest. I’d watched him sleep for hours, memorizing the lines on his face, the way his chest rose and fell. Last night had changed everything. He had let me in completely. And I had decided I wasn’t going anywhere.I stood up, careful not to wake him, and padded over to the window. The city looked different somehow, like it knew we were at the edge of war. But I didn’t feel fear anymore. I felt ready.Let them come.Let Diane Ross try and twist her poison again. Let Robertson scheme and try to tear Kane down. Let Jayson act like the ghost of yesterday, and Reynold
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 55
Chapter 55:Caroline's POVI lay there in Kane’s arms, his breath still warm against my skin, his heartbeat steady beneath my palm. But my mind was far from calm.I wanted to freeze this moment, to trap it between my fingers like glass and never let it shatter. But that was the thing about peace in this world… it never lasted. At least not for me.I tilted my head slightly, watching him sleep, his jaw finally unclenched, brows relaxed, the weight he always carried no longer etched into his face.He looked human like this. Vulnerable. But that didn’t make the storm behind his eyes any less real.And still… I loved him. Damn me for it, but I did.I curled my fingers into the sheet and let out a slow breath, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest. The babies had kicked earlier, right before everything melted into heat. A reminder that everything had changed.I was no longer just Caroline Parker.I was a woman caught between the past and the future. Between heartbreak and healing. Bet
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 54
Chapter 54: Caroline's POV I moaned as his tongue brushed against mine.It had been too long, too many sleepless nights tangled in fear, betrayal, and the weight of what-ifs. But now, with his hands on my waist and his mouth moving against mine, something inside me broke loose.Something raw. Something hungry.I needed this. Needed him.His lips were warm and firm. He kissed me like he’d been holding back for far too long. Like I was something he’d kept behind glass, and tonight, he’d finally shattered it.My hands found his shirt, clutching the fabric, pulling him closer until our bodies touched fully, chest to chest. The heat of him soaked through my skin, making me more aware of his presence.I could feel my pulse everywhere, in my neck, my fingertips, the swell of my stomach.The babies shifted lightly, a gentle flutter like a reminder… but my body didn’t shy away. If anything, the hormones intensified everything. I was burning from the inside out.Kane’s hand slid up my spine,
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 53
Chapter 53Kane's POV“Jayson?” she whispered.He smiled faintly. “I guess no one told you I was back from the dead.”Gina stepped protectively closer to Caroline. “What the hell is he doing here?” Caroline snapped at me.“I was just about to ask the same thing,” I said, my voice low.Jayson raised both hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t come to start a fight.”Caroline's expression hardened. “You were missing. Everyone thought you were….”“Dead,” he finished for her. “Yeah. I figured as much.”“And now you just show up here?” she demanded, her voice shaking. “After everything you did? After leaving without a word?”“It wasn’t by choice,” he said quietly. “But I get it. You don’t trust me. None of you should.”Kelly appeared from around the corner, leaning casually against the wall like he’d been watching the whole time. “That might be the smartest thing you’ve said all night.”I was shocked at his appearance, I thought he had left. But I didn't have the time to attend to him.Jayson
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 52
Chapter 52Kane's POVImmediately, my hand reached to the back of my pocket for my gun.Kelly raised both hands in mock surrender, that smug, infuriating smirk still on his face. “Easy, Kane. I’m not here to crash your little contract celebration. Just stopping by to say hello.”“You picked the worst possible moment,” I said coldly.He glanced toward Caroline, then back at me with a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “Yeah, I noticed. Poolside proposals. So unlike you.”“Get to the point.”His smirk slipped, just a little. “Alright. I came to deliver some news. Something you should hear from me before it spreads.”I folded my arms, tension pulsing behind my eyes. “Then talk.”He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Jayson’s back.”The world tilted. For a second, I wasn’t sure I heard right.“What?”“He’s alive,” Kelly confirmed, his tone now laced with gravity. “Walked into Robertson’s penthouse like a ghost rising from the grave.”My mind stuttered. “That’s impossible. He w
BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 51
Chapter 51Kane's POV The silence that followed was deafening.Caroline blinked, caught between confusion and disbelief. "Excuse me?""A contract marriage," I clarified, voice even. "No pressure, no wedding gowns, no roses. Just a paper. A binding legal agreement.""For… what exactly?" Caroline asked, her voice tight now, more cautious."Protection," I said. "Legal rights over you means I can move you, protect you, act instantly if anything happens again. It gives me leverage in a way bodyguards can’t."Caroline’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Gina, on the other hand, looked like I’d sucker-punched her in the gut."That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?" Gina said, trying and failing to sound light about it."It’s the safest option." I looked back at Caroline. "You don’t have to give me an answer now. But the longer you think about it, the more danger you stay in. So it should be just a contract for now and if you think I'm worthy then we can do a proper marriage.”Gina’s eyes
