LOGINShare
Chapter One Hundred and Five: Countdown
publish date:
2026-07-15 22:04:51
Latest chapter
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen: The Unknown Leak
The arrival of the international task force transformed the quiet estate into a fortress within minutes. Officers established a perimeter around Ashcroft House with practiced efficiency, sealing every road leading into the property while others disappeared into the surrounding woodland. Their movements were disciplined and coordinated, yet noticeably different from those of the masked operatives beneath Hawthorne. These men wore official insignia, announced their authority openly, and followed procedures rather than intimidation.Marcus remained on the front steps, studying the unfolding scene. Peter Lawson had not attempted to flee. Instead, he stood with his cane resting lightly against one shoulder, watching the officers with an expression that suggested mild curiosity rather than alarm."They're here for Jonathan," Peter said quietly. "At least, that's what they believe."Marcus turned toward him. "You don't.""No.""Then why are they really here?"Peter's gaze shifted toward the
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen: Before the Beginning
Marcus remained motionless on the manor steps, the faded photograph trembling almost imperceptibly between his fingers. He studied the image again, searching for some sign that it had been altered or misinterpreted. There was none. The boy standing beside Daniel Mercer wore a shy smile, his shoulders slightly hunched in the awkward way of adolescence. Even after all the passing years, Marcus recognized himself.Behind the drawing-room curtains, Lena watched every movement through a narrow gap in the fabric. The tiny earpiece she had insisted Marcus wear transmitted every word, but no one inside interrupted. They understood that whatever Peter Lawson had come to reveal was meant for Marcus first."You expect me to believe this?" Marcus asked at last."I expect you to question it," Peter replied calmly. "Daniel taught people to question everything. It's one of the few lessons of his I never disagreed with."Marcus lowered the photograph without taking his eyes off the older man."I neve
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: Invitation
For several long moments, no one in the study moved. Peter Lawson remained standing at the foot of the manor's stone steps, one gloved hand resting lightly on the handle of his walking cane while the other hung comfortably at his side. Behind him, six men spread quietly across the courtyard, watching the windows without raising their weapons. Their discipline was unmistakable. They had not come to storm the house. They had come expecting a conversation.Marcus studied the scene through the window. Peter's posture carried none of the aggression that had characterized the ambush at Hawthorne. Instead, it reflected the confidence of a man who believed he no longer needed force to achieve his objective."He isn't attacking," Lena observed."No," Jonathan Vale replied. "That was never Peter's preferred method."Margaret's expression hardened as she looked down at the courtyard. "He persuades first. Violence is simply what follows when persuasion fails."Peter glanced at his watch before lo
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: The Last Disciple
The leather folder lay unopened on Margaret Ellwood's desk, its worn edges and faded ribbon bearing the marks of decades of careful preservation. No one reached for it immediately. The revelation that Peter Lawson had survived had already shifted the ground beneath everything they thought they understood. Every clue they had uncovered pointed toward hidden archives, forgotten alliances, and buried truths, yet Peter's survival introduced a far more unsettling possibility. If he had remained alive all these years, then someone else had been pursuing Daniel's work long before Marcus ever found the first clue.Margaret untied the ribbon completely and opened the folder with surprising care. Inside were newspaper clippings, handwritten correspondence, surveillance photographs, and several maps marked with circles and dates. The documents had been arranged chronologically, creating a silent record of one man's movements across three decades."I began collecting these shortly after Peter dis
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: The Woman Upstairs
The sound of footsteps continued across the second floor, unhurried and deliberate, as though the unseen visitor had been expecting them all along. Every instinct told Marcus to draw his weapon, yet something about the measured pace gave him pause. It lacked the urgency of an ambush and the caution of someone trying to remain hidden. Whoever was upstairs wanted them to know they were not alone.Lena moved silently to one side of the staircase while Charles covered the hallway leading toward the rear of the manor. Richard remained near the drawing room entrance with Amelia and Dr. Ellwood, whose attention had not left the photograph of her supposed grandmother. Jonathan Vale stood perfectly still, his eyes fixed on the upper landing. For the first time since Marcus had met him, genuine apprehension crossed his face."Stay together," Marcus said quietly before beginning the climb.The staircase curved toward a long corridor lined with portraits of the Ashcroft family. Dust covered the f
The Bride Who Walked Away Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: Ashes from the Past
Cool morning air greeted the group as they emerged from the hidden passage onto a wooded hillside overlooking Hawthorne Nature Reserve. Behind them, the concealed stone doorway blended seamlessly into the rock face, disappearing so completely that no one would have believed it had ever existed. Below, the reserve appeared strangely peaceful. Birds circled above the trees, sunlight shimmered across the lake, and the frantic pursuit that had driven them underground had vanished without a trace. It was as though the forest had quietly reclaimed every secret buried beneath it.No one spoke for several moments. The events beneath the reserve had left each of them with more questions than answers. Daniel Mercer had not hidden a revolutionary invention or a forgotten fortune. Instead, he had concealed a philosophy, one that judged character above brilliance and integrity above ambition. Yet the revelations surrounding Project Lilac had only deepened the mystery. If there had been a fifth fou
You may also like
My Best Friend's Father
Thorns633.1K viewsDear Ex-Wife, You Are MINE!
Cerise R. Wood652.5K viewsShe Accepted Divorce, He Panicked
Nyx Rai722.0K viewsPregnant and Favored: See You in the Morning, Young Master
Miss Yu922.6K viewsFalling For My Secret Billionaire
Lovely ❤️27 viewsHer Empire, His Terms.
Drava_Don21 viewsChasing The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Piper page28 viewsTHE BILLIONAIRE’S UNWANTED HEIR.
Anita Cole 53 views
