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CHAPTER 24
Last Updated:
2025-03-27 16:59:02
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BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 25
Chapter 25:Caroline’s POV"Caroline," he muttered. "What the hell is this?"I swallowed hard. Oh shit, Gina, what's with the timing? How do I explain to Kane now?I calmed myself. If I panicked then Kane would really know what's going on. If he found out the truth now, everything could change. Come on, Caro. Come up with something. Then it hit me.I forced a laugh, snatching the phone back. “Relax, Kane. It's not what you think.”He raised a brow. “Then explain.” I rolled my eyes, pretending to be amused. "It’s my cousin. She just got into town a few weeks ago, and she’s… well, let’s just say she’s been panicking about her pregnancy. She was craving fruits the other day, and Gina assumed it was for me. Typical Gina.”I forced another chuckle, hoping he’d buy it.Kane didn’t move. His eyes stayed locked on mine, studying me closely."Your cousin?" His voice was skeptical.I nodded quickly. "Yeah! Amelia, that's her name. You haven’t met her, but trust me, she can be a handful.”A
Last Updated : 2025-03-27BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 26
Chapter 26:Caroline's POVKelly Brown. Kane's brother.Of course….. The other thorn in my side had to be a Brown. It just seems like the Brown family were fond of trying to mess my life. I swallowed hard, shifting my gaze between Kane and Jayson. “This doesn't make sense,” Kane said, his voice full of disbelief. Jayson’s tone was firm. “I double-checked. It’s him.”Kane exhaled sharply. “He hates me, but not enough to do this.”Silence. Then my phone buzzed.Unknown Number.> Careful Caroline. We don't want your secret in the hands of Kane now, do we?“Who is it?”“Nothing,” I lied.Jayson scoffed. “Yeah, right.”Kane didn’t wait. He grabbed the phone from my hand. His face darkened as he read the message.“Trace it,” he ordered Jayson.Jayson got to work. Kane turned to me. “You’re staying here.”I didn't argue. It wasn't like I had a choice in the first place.Jayson started working in silence. I folded my arms watching the screen. I
Last Updated : 2025-03-28BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 27
Chapter 27:Kane’s POVKelly let out a fake cough. “Well, we can't talk over the phone.”I exhaled. “Where? And when?”“Fairmount Park. Tomorrow. 6 p.m.”A public place. Of course. He wasn’t stupid enough to meet me anywhere private.“Fine, but I’ve got a question for you.”Kelly chuckled. “Feel free to ask me tomorrow.Beep. He cut the call.I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at the screen for a moment before shoving it into my pocket.He didn’t even give me a chance to argue. He knew I’d show up regardless.And he was right.I turned to Jayson.“We don’t have to track him down anymore.”Jayson sighed, then stood up and reached for his jacket“You’re going somewhere?”He nodded as he put on the jacket.“I’m already late for an appointment with a client,” he said, checking his watch. “I’d love to stay, but you get the gist.”I narrowed my eyes. What was so important that he had to leave immediately?“Something wrong?” he asked, his gaze sharp.I hesitated. “Nah, it’s nothing
Last Updated : 2025-03-28BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 28
Chapter 28: Kane's POVBy the time I got home, the sun had already set. Kelly had proven his point. He'd be back and when he did, he'd take everything from me.Well at least he would try. I sighed, draping my jacket over the couch. Immediately I walked to the bar, pouring myself a glass of champagne. I gulped it down in one go. I needed something to keep my mind off what had happened. Kelly wasn't bluffing. I dropped the glass on the counter. My fingers curled around the edge of the bar as I exhaled slowly.Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone move in. I turned sharply, my hand moving straight to my gun's holster but then realized it was no longer there. I looked up, ready to face whoever it was. But it was just Caroline standing near the couch watching me. Shit… I forgot that I made Caroline stay here.I had been so tense about Kelly's words, I didn't even remember to check on her. “You’re late,” she said.“Didn’t realize I had a curfew.”Her eyes narrowed sli
Last Updated : 2025-03-29BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 29
Chapter 29:Diane's POVThe world has a cruel sense of humor.I had always been the best. The most intelligent. The most worthy.Until she appeared. I didn't even want to look at it. The damn poster. But there it was, plastered on the side of the building like a goddamn trophy.>Caroline Hayes: A Visionary in Modern Art.… I would never admit it.She was supposed to be small, insignificant. A bug that could be crushed at anytime.Yet, somehow, she excelled.Every exhibit, every review, every mention of her name was a reminder that she had taken something that should have been mine.My nails dug into my palm as I turned away from the poster, bile rising in my throat.No, not anymore. I wouldn’t sit back and watch her bask in the limelight while I faded into the background.I
Last Updated : 2025-03-29BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 30
Chapter 30:Kane's POV I opened my eyes, feeling a certain warmth beneath me. Where was I? I turned around only to see Caroline's sleeping face above me. For a moment, I didn't move. I just stayed there watching her.What happened last night? Did I ……No, if I did, we'd be on the bed. Not on the couch. I let out a slow breath, running a hand over my face. My head was still foggy. What had happened last night?How did I end up on Caroline's lap?I squinted as if trying to force the memories to take shape. Yeah, I came back from seeing Kane. Then the gun….. but I remembered telling Caroline to go to bed.Then I dreamt that Caroline came in, hugged me from behind then laid my head on her lap. I groaned, slapping myself on the forehead.Oh God, I wasn't dreaming.Carefully, I lifted my head, the movement making her stir slightly. My breath hitched, waiting to see if she’d wake up, but she didn’t. Her face was relaxed, peaceful in a way I wasn’t used to seeing.I should move, I tol
Last Updated : 2025-03-30BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 31
Chapter 31:Kane's POVI remained quiet all through the drive to the club. Why would Jayson call me at this hour?He wouldn't have called if it wasn't serious. And considering the shitstorm I've been dealing with, I wasn't in the mood for another problem.I pulled up at the parking lot. I cut off the engine and stepped out.Whatever this was, it better be worth my time.The bouncer at the door nodded as I passed, and I headed straight for the VIP lounge where Jayson was waiting.He was leaning against the bar, a glass of whiskey in hand. At this hour? Yeah, this wasn’t good.“Finally,” he muttered as I stepped in. “Took you long enough.”“Next time, try calling at a reasonable hour,” I shot back, moving to pour myself a drink. “What’s going on?”Jayson downed the rest of his whiskey before setting the glass down with a thud. “Robertson Perez.”The name alone was enough to put me on edge.I turned to him fully. “What about him?”“He’s been making moves,” Jayson said, crossing his arms
Last Updated : 2025-03-30BENEATH THE COLD CONTRACT CHAPTER 32
Chapter 32:Kane's POV I sat across Jayson in my office. I couldn't stop thinking about what Robertson could be planning.He had been quiet for ages but now he was making moves. But why? Was it a coincidence?Jayson leaned forward. "He's definitely up to something. I can feel it. Robertson doesn't make a move unless he knows he can win."I exhaled, tapping my fingers against the desk. "And what does he think he's winning? I've shut him out of every major deal he's tried to steal from me. He knows I won't go down without a fight.”"That’s exactly why he’s not coming at you directly. He’s going after the things you don’t see coming. He plays the long game."I leaned back, my jaw tightening. "Then I’ll have to cut him off before he gets any closer."“Exactly but…..”A knock at the door interrupted us. My assistant poked her head in, her expression carefully neutral. "Mr. Kane, Robertson Perez is here to see you."Jayson and I exchanged a glance. It was rare for the man to confront me h
Last Updated : 2025-03-31
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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
