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CHAPTER 39 : The Hunt Begins

Author: Samuel Chikwado
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-19 22:21:57

The address was in the old industrial area of the city. There were streets that smelled of rust and decay concrete warehouses and broken windows.

There was a damp chill in the air. It had an acrid taste and tasted like metallic dust.

The buildings loose siding rattled with each wind gust. There was a mist of my breath. With a slight tremble I grasped my phone.

My heart pounded my ribs. This was a big risk. I couldn't go back now though.

The earpiece carried Carson's voice. “Annabel please speak with me. Are you certain about this?” he inquired.

“I'm sure.” I said steadily. “This is the only option.”

Across the line he sighed. “I don't like this. Not in the slightest. Everything about this feels wrong.”

“I know.”I replied. “Keep your phone on the line.”

I rounded a corner. The building was ancient and the brick walls had faded graffiti. A broken and rusted chain-link fence drooped in front of it.

A single flickering lightbulb was suspended above a door made of rusted metal. The l
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  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 50 : lcy winds

    The silence was broken by a soft knock on the door. A beat skipped in my chest. With the phone still warm against my ear I froze for a second. In the deafening silence of the room the tentative gentle knock sounded like a thunderclap. Since Fred was on the other end of the line it couldn't be him. Carson had already made his spectacular departure so it couldn't be him. Only one person remained. Not even a second knock was necessary before the door swung open. It was Victoria. With a mask of icy rage covering her face she stood there as a picture of flawless elegance. As soon as I fumbled with the phone I hung up before she could hear Fred's voice. I blurted out my voice shaky but defiant “You can’t just barge in here!”With my legs still feeling weak and a towel still loosely wrapped around my wet hair I got out of bed. Victoria didn't pay attention. Glancing over the sterile décor as though she were examining a piece of trash she strode into the room. My already frayed nerve

  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 49 : Making a call

    The silence was a heavy thick blanket. It choked me. I felt alone once more just as I had before Carson came but this time the loneliness was a searing painful ache. The cold impersonal room was a reflection of my own heart. I had lost the hope I had held onto. It had gone with Carson and now all that was left was an empty wide ache. My body was still curled up on itself when I sat up on the bed. When the tears finally stopped my eyes were raw and burning. I desperately wanted to talk to anyone who wasnt in this house. I reached for my phone a tiny well-known lifeline in this strange place but my hand shook. After looking through my contacts I came across his name: Fred. The first ring was his answer. “Annabel?” His voice was a welcome relief from the cold air surrounding me. “I was just thinking about you. Is everything alright?” Tears came and went again. I tried not to break my voice as I sniffed. “No. No Fred I'm not fine.”“ You seem to have been crying. What happened?”I

  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 48 : The Apology

    I continued until I got to my room. With my body shaking from a new wave of embarrassment I had dashed up the grand staircase. The elegant hallway seemed to go on forever. After locating the door I slammed it behind me. A loud defiant punctuation to the stiflingly quiet dinner the sound reverberated throughout the quiet house. My chest heaved as I leaned against the door. I finally shed the tears I had so desperately suppressed. They were stinging and hot as they ran down my face. I moved to the bed after pushing myself away from the door. My legs felt weak. I slumped onto the plush mattress and covered my face with my hands. Now I let the tears fall freely and let out a soft sob. It was a cry of complete defeat grief and rage. I had made a mistake by coming here. I was familiar with Victoria's personality. I had anticipated this. However a tiny optimistic part of me had thought that Carson's presence would suffice. This had been my mistake. I had been foolish. I had let mys

  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 47 :The Dining Table

    The chilly balcony air pricked my skin. Even after I closed the glass doors the cold persisted when I returned inside I could sense it in my bones. In the silence of the room I sensed it. The temperature had nothing to do with the cold. In order to melt the ice inside of me I had to move to the bathroom and feel the warmth of the shower. It felt good to have a hot bath. For a while, I stood beneath the stream allowing it to cleanse me of the dirt from the lengthy trip and the uneasiness that had been holding me back. After stepping out, I wrapped a soft white towel around my body and used a second one to gently massage my damp hair. The sterile immaculate bathroom was immaculate. It didn't feel like home but rather like a hotel. There was a gentle knock on the door. I went icy. I was reluctant to speak to anyone. I hoped they would simply disappear. This time the knock was a bit louder. With a sigh I approached the door. With the towel still wrapped around my hair. I cracked

  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 46 : Blur of reflections

    The drive was a silent blur. I sat in the backseat of the limousine, staring out the window. The city lights faded into the endless black of the countryside. Carson was beside me. He tried to reach for my hand, but I pulled away. My eyes stayed fixed on the reflection of the car in front of us. Victoria’s car. It was a sleek black sedan, just like ours. A perfect match.A few hours later, we pulled up to a grand estate. It was bigger than I remembered. A huge iron gate stood at the entrance. The gate swung open silently, and we drove in. The mansion was a monstrous thing of brick and stone. It was a dark, brooding presence against the moonlit sky. It felt less like a home and more like a tomb. A cold dread settled in my stomach.The car stopped. The driver got out and opened the door for us. I stepped out, my feet sinking into the soft gravel. The air was cold and still. The only sound was the crunch of our shoes on the path. Victoria stepped out of her car. She looked at me, her e

  • The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE    Chapter 45 : shards of trust

    The shards of my trust in Carson were sharp. They dug into my skin with every breath I took. My stomach clenched.A familiar voice came from behind me. “Annabel.”I didn't turn around. “Go away.”He came closer. “Please, just listen to me.”“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said, my voice thin, a whisper of a broken thing.“There is. I had no other choice. It was the only way I could get close to them. The only way I could protect you.”I finally turned around. He looked so desperate. His eyes, once so bright and full of life, were now shadowed with a familiar fear that I had known so well. “Protect me? You chose them over me,” I said. My voice was no longer a whisper. It was a roar.He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit I knew well. “No, I didn’t. I swear. I did it for you. I know how this looks, but you have to trust me.”I laughed, a harsh, brittle sound. “Trust you? Carson, you’ve shattered every last piece of trust I had. You are a fool if you think I would ever tru

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