Library
Search
Home / Romance / CEO's Dare Bride / Chapter 10 - Marked Territory

Share

Chapter 10 - Marked Territory

Author: JAYNE
last update Last Updated: 2025-07-26 13:14:42

Ace

The burnt photo in the fireplace did not make the feeling in my chest any lighter. Even burnt, it held the weight of the trouble Rafael was bringing. Him coming to the penthouse was not a mistake or chance. It was a message. He wanted to disturb Emma and me. He wanted to cause problems. And I could not let that happen.

I could not wait or hope that this problem would fix itself. Not when Emma is involved. I know this marriage was a lie from the very beginning, but I had liked Emma since college, and I was unable to do anything about my feelings then because I respected her relationship with Rafael. Even though Rafael was my enemy, I stayed back and watched. Hating Emma for being with him. So now he has to stay back and watch, because that is all he will be doing from now on.

I picked up my phone and called Brian. My voice was calm but full of purpose. “Find everything you can about Rafael’s travels in the last two months: flights, hotels, and car rentals. I want to know all of
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 46 – Behind Closed Door

    Emma sat at her desk, her laptop open; she was going through her mailbox. After checking, she opened her spam folder to empty it, and then she caught sight of an email without a subject, and the sender’s address was very strange. Her spam always contains several emails from marketers and people advertising or trying to sell one thing or another. This one is from an unknown sender, with no subject line, only an attachment. She rubbed her temple and hesitated. For a second, she considered whether to delete it or not, but something in her gut told her to open it. She clicked. Inside was a set of files, fragmented, incomplete, like pieces of a puzzle. She scrolled through them quickly. Her pulse began to rise. There were numbers, transactions, and hidden accounts. Some of them looked familiar. Some of them looked like secrets that were never supposed to see daylight.She sat back, her heart thudding. Whoever sent this knew something. Whoever sent this wanted her to see it. This has Oceani

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 45 – Nathan’s Breaking Point

    Nathan sat at the table. The flash drive lay in front of him. He poked it with one finger. He has refused to send half of the mystery caller's request from earlier because he was scared of losing part of his leverage to an unknown person.“You again,” he muttered to the flash drive. “Always staring back at me. You don’t blink. You don’t help. You just sit there looking guilty.”His phone buzzed. He flinched and grabbed it.Message: Send part of the files to Emma. Anonymous. Do it tonight. Do not fail.Nathan blinked at the words and screamed out. “No… no, no, no, no, no. Not me. Not this. Are you working for Emma? I knew Emma was behind this unknown caller. Emma! You sneaky one.”He read it again. Send part of the files to Emma.He laughed weakly. “Part of the files? What does that even mean? Half? A quarter? What is this, a pizza order? ‘I’ll take one slice of fraud with one slice of money deposit and some extra fake supplier approvals. Please.’”He dropped his phone on the table, pr

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 44 – What He Lost

    Rafael sat in his office. He had been drinking and thinking about it. He leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed. The office was quiet, and the quietness stretched until he started remembering a time when his life was simpler and happier.And then the years were gone.He was back at the university, standing near the library. Emma was there, waiting for him.“You’re late,” Emma said.Rafael dropped his bag and rubbed his neck. “Basketball practice took longer than expected,” Rafael said. “Coach was angry again. I think his wife did not feed him, and he used it on us.”“I waited for you,” Emma said. “Ace offered me a ride.”The name hit Rafael fast. He stood straight. “Why would he offer you a ride? Has he been talking to you?” Rafael asked.Her eyes narrowed. “Of course not,” she said. “I always ignore his stare. Whenever he offers me a ride, I always tell him, “No, thank you, I will wait for my boyfriend.”He stepped closer. “Good,” Rafael said. “Don’t ever let him drive you.”

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 43 – The Family Table

    The Blacke family dining room was set across the long table. Plates of fruit, bread, and tea were neatly arranged. The maids were busy going up and down to make sure everything was perfect.Edward sat at the head, reading his folded newspaper without looking up. Eleanor was beside him. Lilian moved carefully, pouring tea into cups, her eyes flicking toward the door now and then.The door opened. Ace walked in with Emma by his side.Eleanor looked up first. “At last. I thought we’d eat without you.”Ace leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You wouldn’t dare, Grandma.”Edward lowered the paper slowly. “Busy morning?”Ace pulled out a chair for Emma. “Busy week.”Emma smiled politely, though her eyes were tired. “Good morning.”Lilian gave her a soft smile. “Morning, dear. You don’t look like you’ve rested.”Emma slid into her chair. “Rest hasn’t been in the plan.”Eleanor took a sip of tea and said, “We heard you froze Rafael’s accounts. That was quite bold.”Emma nodded once. “It was the

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 42 – Half the Truth

    The restaurant was quiet. A long table stood in the back room. Six board members sat down. Emma was not among them. They were dining alone without the knowledge of the other board members.Mr. Shaw spoke first. “We cannot keep hiding Nathan’s name. The audit is done. His tracks are clear. The longer Emma delays, the weaker we look.”Mrs. Cole lifted her hand. “Emma is right. Rushing to the police will hand Rafael his freedom. He will vanish before we even pin him.”Mr. Elliot, who was sitting across the table, leaned forward. “And what if Rafael does not exist in this? What if Emma is chasing shadows while dragging Oceanic down with her obsession?”Shaw tapped the table. “You mean to say Nathan did everything by himself? That is a fantasy. But even if it is true, hiding it makes us fools. The audit report already showed us that Nathan worked independently and that there was no Rafael or any other outsider, for that matter. I don’t understand why Emma is hiding it from the world.”Mrs.

  • CEO's Dare Bride    Chapter 41 – Shadow Meeting

    Nathan sat in his apartment, staring at the flash drive like it might explode. He muttered, “The most dangerous piece of plastic I’ve ever owned.”He flipped it in his fingers. “If I lose you, I’m dead. If I keep you, I’ll be dead slower.” He set it down. “What a choice.”He pressed record on his phone.“Emma,” he began in a pleading tone. “You know me. I only signed papers. Rafael ordered. Patricia confirmed. I…” He stopped and groaned. “No, no. Too whiny. She’ll think I’m begging.”He tried again, this time sharper.“Emma. I have leverage. I have every file. If you don’t shield me, I’ll burn the company to the ground. You know how hard your dad worked to bring this company to life.” He replayed it and grimaced. “Great. Now I sound like a Bond villain with no budget.”He deleted it. He pressed record again.“Emma. Help me. Save me. In return, I’ll hand you Rafael and Patricia.” He paused, nodded. “Okay, that almost sounds reasonable.” He replayed it and tilted his head. “But also des

More Chapters

You may also like

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status