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CHAPTER 22: THE FIRST ATTACK
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2026-11-09 12:56:49
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MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 23: AN INTRUDER
POV: XAVIERXavier woke to the sound of glass.It was soft, almost careful, but in a penthouse this high and this secure, any unexpected sound was a problem. He was on his feet before the second noise came — a faint scrape from the direction of the living room.Audrey was still asleep in the guest room. He did not wake her.He moved through the dark hallway without turning on lights. The security panel at the end of the corridor showed a single breach alert on the east balcony door. The system had not triggered a full alarm yet, which meant whoever was inside knew how to move carefully.Xavier opened the drawer of the console table and took out the compact pistol he kept there. He did not raise it yet. He only held it low and continued forward.The living room was empty at first glance. Then he saw the figure near the far window — black clothing, hood pulled up, gloved hands working quickly at the side table where Audrey kept a small leather folder of printed documents.Xavier stepped
MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 22: THE FIRST ATTACK
POV: AUDREYThe call came at 6:17 a.m.Audrey was already awake when her phone lit up with the name of the Bridgerton subsidiary director in Hamburg. His voice was tight and carefully controlled.“We lost the Nordic logistics contract,” he said. “They terminated effective immediately. No negotiation window. No explanation beyond ‘revised strategic priorities.’”Audrey sat up. “That contract was stable. It had two years left.”“I know. We just received confirmation that a Cross Enterprises affiliate stepped into the gap last night with better terms and faster capacity.”The words landed like a clean blow.She ended the call and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Carter had stopped testing boundaries. He had chosen a direct hit.By the time she reached the kitchen, Xavier was already there, coffee in hand, watching her face.“What happened?”“Carter took the Nordic contract from our Hamburg subsidiary. One of his affiliates moved in overnight.”Xavier’s expression did not change, but t
MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 21: THE RULES
POV:AUDREYThe morning light in Sag Harbor felt different from Manhattan.Audrey woke alone. Xavier’s side of the bed was already empty, the sheets cool. For a moment she lay still, remembering the weight of his arm around her waist and the dangerous quiet of the night before. Then she pushed the memory down and got up.She found him on the back deck with coffee, looking out at the water. He did not turn when she stepped outside.“We need clearer rules,” she said.Xavier glanced at her over the rim of his cup. “We already have rules.”“Those were about surviving the public. These need to be about surviving each other.”He set the cup down and waited.Audrey folded her arms. “No controlling each other. No making decisions that affect both of us without talking first. No pretending when we’re alone. And we don’t use this marriage as a weapon against one another, no matter how ugly the war with Carter becomes.”Xavier studied her for a long moment. “Agreed.”“Just like that?”“I told you
MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 20: NIGHT OF HONESTY
POV: AUDREYThe city finally released them.Xavier had said very little when he told her to pack a small bag. He only said they needed distance from the noise. Audrey did not argue. She was exhausted from the constant performance and the cameras. When the car left Manhattan behind, something in her shoulders finally loosened.The house in Sag Harbor was quiet, all glass and pale wood, sitting above the water. Xavier unlocked the door and stepped aside. The air smelled of salt and cedar.“No one knows we’re here,” he said. “No press. No family. No one who needs a version of us.”Audrey walked to the windows and stared at the black water. “You didn’t have to bring me this far.”“I did.” He dropped his keys on the counter. “Both of us are carrying things we haven’t said out loud.”He made coffee. They sat on the long sofa with a careful distance between them, mugs warm in their hands. The only light came from a single lamp and the moon.Audrey spoke first.“I married you because I needed
MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 19: CHLOE’S GAME
POV: CHLOEChloe Belmont had always known how to read a room.Tonight the room was Carter’s penthouse, and the only thing she could read was obsession.He sat on the edge of the sofa with his laptop open, replaying the same thirty-second clip of Audrey and Xavier at the charity gala. The moment Xavier pulled Audrey into that slow dance. The way her body had fitted against his. The extra seconds he had held her hand after the music stopped. Carter watched it again and again, jaw locked, eyes flat.Chloe stood in the doorway holding two glasses of wine and felt something cold settle under her ribs.“You’ve watched that six times,” she said.Carter did not look up. “She looked at him like she forgot the cameras were there.”“She’s performing. That’s all it is.”“No.” He paused the video on Audrey’s face. “That wasn’t performance.”Chloe walked over and set the glasses down harder than necessary. “You’re doing it again.”“Doing what?”“Choosing her even when she’s gone.”Carter finally li
MARRYING MY FIANCÉ’S BROTHER CHAPTER 18: A JEALOUS HUSBAND
POV:AUDREYThe gala was already too loud when the investor found her.His name was Julian Rowe. Young, wealthy, and loud enough about both that most people in the room already knew his net worth before he opened his mouth. He had been watching Audrey for most of the evening. She had noticed. She had also chosen to ignore it.Xavier was across the room speaking with a group of older board members when Julian finally approached.“Mrs. Cross,” he said, smiling too widely. “Or do you prefer Audrey? The second one feels more accurate for a woman who rewrote her own story so publicly.”Audrey kept her expression polite. “Mr. Rowe.”“Julian. Please.” He stepped closer than necessary. “I’ve been following your recent moves. The way you handled the board last week was impressive. Most people in your position would have hidden behind their husband’s name. You didn’t.”“I don’t hide.”“I can see that.” His eyes dropped briefly, then returned to her face. “If you ever get tired of playing corpora
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