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Chapter Seventeen

Author: Faithful Ink
last update publish date: 2026-08-21 21:55:15
The gates of the Vance estate opened with a smooth mechanical hum.

Cathy pulled her gray cloth mask higher over her nose and stepped through. Two security guards stood near the gatehouse, watching her approach. Neither stopped her.

She kept walking.

Her father’s condition was all she could think about. The four-thousand-dollar deposit had to be paid by Monday morning, and Garrison Vance was still holding the money she had earned. She couldn't leave without getting it.

Cathy climbed the polis
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  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    Chapter 23

    The dress was a cage.Cathy stood in front of the gilded mirror in the Vance mansion's bridal suite, staring at a stranger. Ivory silk. Delicate lace. A gown that cost more than her father's medical bills. It fit perfectly because Garrison's people had measured every inch of her, and she hated every thread.Her mother had left ten minutes ago to call the hospital. Her father was stable, but he was still waiting for the treatment that might save his life.And Cathy was about to marry the man who had made her life miserable.She stared at her reflection, barely recognizing the girl in the mirror.A knock sounded at the door.She didn't turn. "It's open."The door clicked shut behind her.She saw him in the mirror. Alex stood in his black suit, his hair uncombed and his tie hanging loose around his neck. He looked as though he'd been pacing for hours."You're not supposed to see me," she said."I know."He stared at her reflection."You look gorgeous, Cathy."She hadn't expected him to s

  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    Chapter Twenty -two

    "If I marry Alex, my father will live. If I refuse, my father might die."Cathy sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the darkness beyond her window. The two choices kept circling her mind, leaving her with no room to breathe.There had to be another way. There had to be something she could do that wouldn't require her to marry the one person she was supposed to forget.But every time she searched for another solution, she saw her father's face.She remembered the way he had smiled when she told him about Westbrook, how proudly he had called her his brilliant girl. He had believed in her dreams.Now he was lying in a hospital bed, waiting for a transplant they couldn't afford.And she was sitting in her room, trying to decide whether to sacrifice her future to save his life.A tear slipped down her cheek.She wiped it away quickly when the bedroom door opened.Her mother stepped inside and stopped when she saw her."Cathy? Why are you still awake?"Cathy lowered her head. "I can't sl

  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    Chapter Twenty -One

    It was a silver locket, beside it was the handwritten note Alex had left with it."I'm sorry for everything, Cathy. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I want to become someone who does."She read the words again before folding the note and placing it inside her drawer.She wasn't ready to forgive him. His gift didn't erase the humiliation, the insults, or the countless times he'd made her feel worthless in front of their classmates.Yet she couldn't bring herself to throw the locket away.A knock on her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts.“Cathy, come downstairs. We need to leave for the hospital.”Her mother's anxious voice made her stand immediately.“Is something wrong with Dad?”“I don't know yet. The hospital called and asked us to come as soon as possible.”Cathy grabbed her bag and hurried downstairs.Throughout the journey, she tried to convince herself that the hospital simply needed to discuss her father's treatment. But the worry on her mother's face made it di

  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    chapter Twenty

    Three months later.The courtyard of Elite Academy was filled with graduates dressed in black caps and gowns. Parents crowded the rows of chairs, holding phones and cameras as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Some waved proudly whenever they spotted their children. Others called their names, already preparing to take pictures.Cathy stood among her classmates, adjusting the sleeve of her gown. She looked toward the audience, her eyes moving from one parent to another. Mothers beside their daughters. Fathers beside their sons. Families smiling together.Her parents' seats were empty.Her mother couldn't leave her father's side. His condition had worsened over the past few months, and most of her mother's time was now spent caring for him at home and taking him for medical appointments.Cathy understood. She knew her parents weren't staying away because they didn't care. But understanding didn't make the empty seats hurt any less.She looked down quickly before the tears gathering

  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    Chapter Nineteen

    The moment Cathy stepped through the gates of Elite Academy, she noticed something was different. Students were gathered in small groups around the courtyard, talking more loudly than usual.Cathy kept walking. She had spent most of the night worrying about her father. The doctor's words kept returning to her: A transplant. Another bill. Another amount of money she didn't have. The last thing she wanted was to become the center of another school discussion. When she entered the main building, the whispers continued around her, but she ignored them, reaching her classroom and heading straight for her seat.A few seconds later, Alex walked in. The room quieted, and several students watched him. Usually, Alex entered the classroom surrounded by his friends, laughing loudly and making enough noise to draw everyone's attention.Not today.He walked straight to his desk. No jokes. No insults. No careless comments.The students exchanged confused looks. One of the boys near the window leaned

  • Contract Marriage With My School Bully    Chapter Eighteen

    “Now that we’ve dealt with that,” Garrison said, “we can discuss why you’re really here.”Cathy tightened her grip on the bottle. She had already spent too much time at the Vance mansion. Her father was waiting at home, and the money for his treatment was still sitting in someone else’s hands.“Sir, I came for my salary. You haven’t transferred it, and I need it urgently.”“I know.” Garrison studied her for a moment. “ But before we discuss your payment, there’s something I want to understand.”Cathy frowned. “What sir?”“Your background.”“My background?”“Sit down.”Cathy lowered herself onto the edge of the sofa. Alex remained nearby, but she kept her attention on Garrison.“I’ve worked with cybersecurity experts for years,” Garrison said. “Some have degrees from the best universities. Others have spent decades in the industry.” He leaned forward. “Yet you managed to stop attacks that could have cost my company billions.”Cathy said nothing.“You did it remotely, without a team, w

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