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Chapter 232

Penulis: Gregory Ellington
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-12-15 04:08:10

Olivia

"That's insane," I breathed.

"That's the contract you signed." Alexander's eyes were hard. "Early termination requires full reimbursement plus penalties."

My mind raced as I tried to calculate. The initial payment, the wedding day transfer, and the monthly stipend. Ten times that amount would be astronomical.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious." He crossed his arms. "The clause exists for a reason. To prevent exactly this kind of impulsive decision."

"Impulsive?" I felt my temper flare again. "You just accused me of being indiscreet, of not understanding what's at stake. How is that not grounds for ending this?"

"I didn't accuse you of anything. I asked questions."

"Questions that implied I was doing something wrong."

Alexander picked up his glass again, taking a slow sip. "The photos exist, Olivia. Someone is using them to blackmail me. That's a fact, not an accusation."

"And instead of talking to me like a partner, you dragged me home and interrogated me
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  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 233

    Olivia"I know what I signed." I took a long sip of coffee. "Doesn't make it any less insulting that you felt the need to remind me." "You threatened to end the arrangement." "I was angry. People say things when they're angry." He leaned forward. "And people also need to remember what they agreed to. Until you pay me back and we terminate this contract, you're still my wife. That means living here, appearing in public with me, maintaining the image we've built." I laughed, the sound bitter. "So I'm contractually obligated to play the devoted wife even when you treat me like a liability?" "That's not what I said." "It's exactly what you said." I pushed my plate away. "You want me to smile for the cameras and act like everything's perfect while you question every interaction I have." Alexander set down his fork carefully. "I wasn't questioning every interaction. Just the ones with my competitor." "James was being nice. That's it. But you've already decided there's something susp

  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 232

    Olivia"That's insane," I breathed. "That's the contract you signed." Alexander's eyes were hard. "Early termination requires full reimbursement plus penalties." My mind raced as I tried to calculate. The initial payment, the wedding day transfer, and the monthly stipend. Ten times that amount would be astronomical. "You can't be serious." "I'm completely serious." He crossed his arms. "The clause exists for a reason. To prevent exactly this kind of impulsive decision." "Impulsive?" I felt my temper flare again. "You just accused me of being indiscreet, of not understanding what's at stake. How is that not grounds for ending this?" "I didn't accuse you of anything. I asked questions." "Questions that implied I was doing something wrong." Alexander picked up his glass again, taking a slow sip. "The photos exist, Olivia. Someone is using them to blackmail me. That's a fact, not an accusation." "And instead of talking to me like a partner, you dragged me home and interrogated me

  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 231

    OliviaThe question hung between us, heavy with implications neither of us seemed ready to explore. "These photos," he continued, his voice dropping lower, "they make it look like you're leaking information to James. Like you're using your position at Carter Enterprises to help my competitor." "That's insane. I would never—" "I know that." He cut me off. "But the board doesn't know you like I do. They see the CEO's wife having secret meetings with James Westbrook, and they're going to draw conclusions." "They weren't secret! We were in public places!" I threw my hands up. "And since when do I need your permission to have coffee with people?" "When those people are actively competing against everything I've built." "So what, I'm supposed to avoid him? Cross the street if I see him coming?" I laughed bitterly. "That's not how this works." "That's exactly how this works when my inheritance is on the line." His voice rose slightly. "When everything I've worked for depends on this a

  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 230

    OliviaHe glanced around the restaurant, as if checking for eavesdroppers, before meeting my eyes again. "We can talk about it after dinner." "Okay," I said slowly, trying to read his face. But Alexander had perfected the corporate poker face years ago. We continued our meal, but the conversation had lost some of its easy flow. I found myself wondering what he wanted to discuss. Work? The arrangement? Something else entirely? The appetizer arrived, burrata drizzled with olive oil and garnished with fresh basil. Normally, I'd have savored every bite, but my mind kept circling back to Alexander's words. "This is incredible," I said, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. Alexander nodded, breaking off a piece of bread. "Giuseppe sources the burrata locally. Makes it fresh every morning." "It shows." We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. The restaurant hummed with quiet conversation from other tables, the soft clink of silverware on china creating a soothing rhythm. Our e

  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 229

    OliviaThe dashboard clock read 5:03 PM, late enough that most people would call it a day, but I wanted to upload the photos and organize my notes while everything was fresh in my mind. I made it back to the office in twenty minutes, pulling into the underground parking garage and finding a spot near the elevators. The building was quieter than usual, and most employees were already gone for the weekend. My heels echoed in the marble lobby as I crossed to the elevators, nodding at the security guard stationed at the front desk. "Working late, Mrs. Carter?" "Just wrapping up some things," I replied, pressing the button for my floor. The elevator climbed smoothly. When the doors opened, I found the marketing department mostly empty. A few lights still burned in distant offices, but the main workspace sat dark and silent. I unlocked my office and flipped on the lights, settling into my chair with a satisfied sigh. The leather was cool against my back after the warm car ride. My co

  • The CEO's Contractual Wife   Chapter 228

    OliviaI studied him over the rim of my cup. "Everyone in LA has ulterior motives." "Cynical. I like it." He grinned. "But fair enough. You're married to one of the most powerful men in the city. I'm sure people are constantly trying to leverage that connection." "You have no idea." "Actually, I might have some idea." James leaned back in his chair. "Alexander and I run in similar circles. I've watched people try to use me to get to clients or investors. It's exhausting." "Then why coffee with me? Aren't you worried I'll think you're trying to use my connection to Alexander?" "Are you?" he challenged. I considered the question. "I don't know yet." "Honest answer." James nodded approvingly. "I can work with that. For what it's worth, I asked you for coffee because you seem like an interesting person. Smart, accomplished, and refreshingly direct. Those qualities are rare in our world." I set my cappuccino down, studying him carefully. "You seem to pop up wherever I am lately. Sh

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