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Chapter 28: The Line Crossed.
Last Updated:
2025-04-22 19:44:38
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The CEO’s Temptation chapter 29: The Enemies Meet Up.
**********************Aliana's POV*************************"I didn't think, you'd come," I said. My tone was calm and calculated."You said it was about Claire. Of course I'd come and the part about Mack? That heightened my interest." She said as she smirked. Stirred her iced cold coffee lazily."So. What's your angle? " Sadie asked.She was dressed in a designer coat, her designer handbag carefully placed on the table. Inside the coat lay a black up gown that clung to her curves like it was just made for her. Her crimson hair, perfectinally packed up in a pony tail.Her red lipstick matched the colour of her eyes. Damn_ she's a 10/10.No wonder Liam married her_ that fool. I thought to myself "I need your help. I can't take Claire down alone." I said as I leaned closer, my voice barely a whisper."Claire's in the way to my plan. And Mack? _ he could like me if Claire disappeared." I said. My voice cold "Disappear? Like how? Her eyebrows arched."Are we talking mean girl sabotage o
Last Updated : 2025-04-22The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 30: The Hike.
******************************Aliana's POV******************"Tell me again, why we're doing this?" I asked no one in particular.I stared out the tinted van window, my lips pressed into a line as trees blurred past. Pine, pine, pine, more pine.Endless green like the whole world was in green."Team bonding, nature clears the mind. Helps with vision and nature. Helps with vision and strategy." Claire said from the front view as she slightly turned from her seat."I get the strategy. But couldn't we have bonded at a rooftop bar?" I asked."Bars don't reveal people. Forests do." Claire said as she smiled.I stared at her for a while. Something about the way she said it_ it wasn't Casual. It wasn't about work.It was a warning.___By the time we arrived, my mood has gone from irritated to openly hostile.The retreat centre was buried deep into the woods, all log cabins and moss-covered stone paths. A light most hung in the air, thick enough to ruin my hair and mood because my boots had
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 31: Exposed 1
Few Days After The Trip.**************************Mack's POV***********************"Can I come in?" A familiar voice asked. I looked to see Aliana as she stood at the door. Her lips curled into a triumphant smirk as she me. In her hands, she clutched her phone, the screen lit."Yes, Aliana." I said as I continued with my tablet."Mr. Allister." She said sweetly, her voice laced with faux concern.I didn't look up, my gaze was glued to my tablet."What is it Aliana?" I asked. My voice calm."Okay? I didn't want to bring this up....but I think you deserve to know." She said.My fingers instantly froze only tablet, my gaze met hers. After the incidence at the filed trip, she's been of a good behaviour which is very scary, I know she's plotting something."Go on Aliana." I said as I paid rapt attention to her.She moved closer to my desk and turned her phone towards me. The image on her phone displayed Liam and Claire in what appeared to be an Intimate embrace. Put of
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 32: Vows and Promises.
After a few Days.**************************Claire's POV**********************As the time ticked,e d I couldn't help but think about this event_ the wedding that was about to unfold.My wedding with Mack Allister, is an event the city would talk about for years.I stood inside the bridal suite, staring at my reflection.My gown was a masterpiece. A fitted silhouette with hand sewn beading that caught the light with every breath I took. The bodice hugged my frame, cinched with a satin bow tie at the waist, and the veil_ cathedral Length_spilled behind me like a second train. Diamonds adorned my ears, delicate and cruel in their sparkle.There was a knock."Claire?" A familiar voice called. It was Liz."Come in," I said as I turned. I smiled softly at her.Liz entered in a floor-length navy gown, hugging a cream clutch in her hand. Her eyes were already glassy."Don't cry yet." I teased"We haven't even made it to the vows." I said."I'm not crying_ I'm ju
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 33: After The Vows.
**********************Claire's POV**************************The reception hall buzzed with leftover energy from the wedding, laughter echoed through the chandeliers, and the champagne glasses clicked against a backdrop of soft jazz. But at one corner of the room, tension pulsed thick and heavy.Mack's father, Henry Allister, stood with the poise of maa n who'd made empires bend at his will. His grey eyes steel_hard_fixed on Mack and me, like a judge awaiting a confession."So," Henry said, voice low but pointed."Now that the music's dulled and the ceremony's done...shall we talk about the whole reason this wedding happened?Mack's jaw clenched. I instinctively moved closer to him, our fingers brushed slightly."What exactly are you insinuating Dad?" Mack asked though the warning in his voice made the answer clear.Henry chuckled without humour. "Oh, don't insult my intelligence, Mackenzie, you're my son, I know how your mind works. You marry Claire, conveniently get the CEO positio
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 34: The Weeding Night 1
*****************************Claire's POV******************The night air cooled against my skin as I stepped onto the balcony; the distant sounds of the party still echoed faintly behind me. Below the garden lights shimmered like fallen stars. It felt _ surreal. I was no longer just Claire. I was Claire Allister. A wife. I glanced down at the ring on my finger. Elegant, subtle, perfectly mine. Mack had chosen it himself.The door behind creaked softly, then clicked shut."There you're." Mack's voice was warm, steady. He walked up beside me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "You disappeared on me." "Just needed some air. Tonight's been _ intense." I said.He leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss to my temple."Liam?" He asked"Henry too". I replied."I know." He signed."I hate that they tried to taint it." He said. I turned in his arm, as I faced him fully."They didn't. We didn't let them."His hands cupped my cheeks. "You were incredible back there. You handled both of th
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 35: The Morning After(The Wedding Night)
*****************************Claire's POV*******************I stirred before the sun did, my body hummed with memories of the night before. My limbs ached in the most delicious way, a quite reminder of how Mack had touched me, claimed me _ how I had given myself to him, not just as his wife, but as his equal, his lover and his home.The sheets were a mess. Rose petals clung to my skin, crushed and scattered like the remains of a celebration.My wedding dress lay draped over the chair in the corner, and Mack's shirt was still halfway to the floor, buttons hung by threads.I turned my head slowly.Mack was beside me, half covered by the sheet, one arm thrown over his forehead, lips parted in sleep. The faintest smile curled his mouth, like he was still dreaming about me.His hair was tossled in that perfect way_ wild and soft, as i ran my fingers through it all night.I couldn't help but watch him. My husband. The word still felt foreign. But warm. Safe.Real. My fingers trailed acros
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 36: Performance and Paparazzi.
********************Claire's POV*************************"You married her for the company." Mack's father said coldly, as he stood beneath the towering chandelier in the Mack's Penthouse living room."And you think dressing it up in flowers and a string quartet changes that?" He asked.I stood beside Mack, our fingers interlocked. I tried to keep my expression neutral. But, inside my stomach churned.Mack's jaw tightened."This isn't your business Father. The board approved the merger. The wedding happened. It's done.""Not if I say otherwise." His father snapped. "You forget the byelaws. The marriage must be genuine. The board only agreed on the clause because they'd assumed you will go with it.I stepped forward. "So what? You want us to perform for you? Prove that we're in love like some really contestants?"Mack's father smirked. "If you're truly in love. You won't mind showing it. Publicly consistent.With that he turned to his heels. My gaze locked with Mack's._____That afte
Last Updated : 2025-04-23
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The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 70: The Architect.
************************Liam's POV*************************The scent of cedar and the rain drifted through the half-cracked window, but I barely noticed. My study was quite__ too quiet. The kind of quiet that comes after the storm, when you're sure if it's over or just waiting to return.I stood by the fireplace, swirling a glass of bourbon I hadn't touched. The logs hissed softly, flames curling like whispers. On the table behind me, a black duffel bag waited.They were late.I checked my watch for the third time. 12:47 AM. The city below was asleep—or pretending to be. But not me. Not tonight. Not until this final piece slid into place.A soft buzz echoed from the elevator.Finally.I turned just as the elevator door opened with a muffled chime. Three men stepped out __ all dressed in black, soaked from the rain. The one in front__ Roger__tossed the bag on the table with a dull thud."Everything's intact." He said."Phone, USB. Notes. He had backups, but we scrubbed his cloud befor
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 69: Morgan Arizona.
********************Morgan's POV*************************The news hit like a hammer—Etian had been attacked.Rowe isn't safe if Etian had been attacked.I stood by the tall windows of my office, the early morning light bled through the blinds, castung long shadows across the floor. My knuckles were white against the mahogany desk as i gripped the edge tightly, stared blankly at the city skyline. My jaw clenched and unclenched."I should've seen this coming." I muttered under my breath.My aide delivered the report minutes ago. Detective Etian had been found near an abandoned district on the outskirts of the city, bruised, bloodies, his phone and any evidence he had gathered completely destroyed. No cameras. No witnesses. It had been deliberate ___ too clean to be random.My thoughts spun like a storm. "It wasn't an accident Abba. " The exact words Rowe said to me.Someone was trying up loose ends and if Etian had gotten that close to the truth, then we're running out of time.I did
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 68: His Resolve.
****************************Etian's POV*********************The bruises on my ribs ached with every breath I took as I walked. I was still shaken from the ambush. My body felt like it had been seen through a war zone__ my ribs were sore, my lips split, and my shoulders ached deeply from where one of them had kicked me as I tried to crawl away. They didn't say anything. Just left me on the cold gravel like I was trash. Whoever they were, I would dig out what they wanted to be buried.And they took everything I had—my phone, the USB drive, even the photo I was analyzing, they thought they were smart.But they didn’t take what I remembered.My mind kept circling back to that image. That single frame. A woman, half-shadowed, slipped through the side entrance of Sadie’s building. Slender build. Dark hair. Long coat. Her face was turned away, but it was enough to start digging.Enough to point me back to Aliana.Rowe had picked me up that night, finding me bloodied and half-frozen in the
The CEO’s Temptation chapter 67: Stripped To Silence.
************************Etian's POV*************************The van growled as it rattled over broken pavement, the engine muffled by the chaos thumping in my head. My wrists were tied behind my back, my ankles bound, and a strip of thick cloth was cinched tight around my eyes, making everywhere dark as the darkness clung to me like smoke. I could hear their voices__ gruff, low, calculated __ but the words were indistinct, distant like a bad memory.They took a sharp turn which flung me into the van's metal wall. Pain bloomed across my shoulder, but I barely flinched. My ribs ached from the blows I'd received earlier, and the taste of blood still lingered on my tongue. The bastards had taken everything __ my phone, the USB, the photo, even my watch. Every piece of evidence I'd managed to secure had vanished in a whirlwind of fits and black cloth.I had no idea where we were going or where they were taking me.I gritted my teeth as I focused on the rhythm of the van's movement. Rough
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 66: Behind Closed Doors.
**********************Claire's POV**************************The drive back to our main house was far quieter than it had any right to be. The city's light blurred past us, a collection of neon lights and faded shadows, as if it were trying to forget the chaos of the e last few hours. I sat in the passenger seat, my mind still churning over the cryptic message and the cold dread that had followed it.Mack's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched tight. He didn't even glance at me nor did he speak, but his presence was a constant force beside me. It was a comfort in a way that it was just us, but it also felt like he was carrying something heavy__ something he wasn't ready to share.When we reached the main house, the feeling of danger intensified in the air. The property was large and _ expansive; even__ but tonight, it looked more like a fortress than a home. The light was dim, casting long shadows over the carefully manicured grounds. Security cameras were visible at e
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 65: A warning in the Dark.
*****************************Claire's POV*******************The air in the warehouse grew colder as the minutes dragged by.I tugged my sleeves down over my wrists as I leaned back against Mack's truck, watching the alley stretch into endless shadows. The tech guy was late, and something about it doesn't sit right in my gut.Mack stood nearby, his arms crossed, eyes sharp and restless. He hadn't said much since we parked, he kept scanning the street like he expected trouble to come walking out of the darkness.I shifted, as I pulled my phone put my phone to check the time__ and saw a new message blinking at me from an unknown number.My heart gave a quick, stuttering thud as i clicked it open.**You think it’s that easy?**That was it. Just that. No name. No threat spelled out. But it hit me harder than if they had screamed it in my face.I stared at the screen for a second longer than I should have.”Claire?" Mack's voice was low, rough with warning. He stepped closer, already picki
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 64: Unearthed Lie.
*************************Etian's POV************************The city never really slept. It just toned itself down at night, humming low like it was trying to act innocent. I wasn’t buying it. I knew exactly what was hidden underneath.Pulling my jacket tighter, I headed up the broken sidewalk toward an old rundown building off 7th Avenue — the kind of place that reeked of mildew and bad choices.But it was where my contact said the package would be.Inside, a single overhead bulb flickered and buzzed like it was on its last legs.The guy behind the counter didn’t even bother glancing up from his beat-up laptop."Name?" the guy asked, his voice dull and bored."Etian," I said.Without lifting his eyes, he slid a small manila envelope across the counter.Cash passed between us — fast, no fuss.I didn’t hang around.Out in the alley, I ripped the envelope open with stiff, impatient fingers.Inside: a lone USB drive, a few blurry copies of what looked like security access logs... and on
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 65: The Art of Deception.
********************Liam's POV****************************The warehouse smelled like old metal and secrets.I stood at the centre of it all, my hands tucked inside my pockets, watching the glow of a dozen monitors flickering against the dark wall. Each screen showed a different feed: traffic cams, security systems, building blueprints, and access logs. Information flowed around me, a current I controlled with a surgeon's precision.In a corner, hunched over keyboards and monitors, three of my best techs worked in near silence, the rapid tapping of keys the only sound besides the occasional hum of cooling fans. They were young — barely out of college — but hungry for money and direction. I gave them both.I walked past them slowly, scanning the lines of code being written and the files being manipulated. They were almost done. Another hour, maybe two, and the narrative i needed would be perfect.Evidence was a funny thing. It didn’t have to be true — it only had to be convincing.I s
The CEO’s Temptation Chapter 62: Quiet Before The Storm.
*****************************Mack''s POV*******************The morning sunlight slanted through the apartment’s windows, casting pale stripes across the floorboards. Dust floated in the air, catching the light like the place had been holding its breath all night long.Claire sat curled up on the worn couch, my hoodie swallowing her frame. Her hair was messy, her face bare of any makeup, and still — even like this — there was something quietly fierce about her. A fighter’s stubbornness simmered just under the surface.I leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping from a chipped mug. My eyes never really left Claire's, even when I told myself they should. Watching Claire had become a habit, the kind I didn’t even notice forming until it was too late to stop."You don't have to hover," Claire said, breaking the silence without looking at me. Her voice carried a dry, teasing lilt."I'm not hovering," I lied easily, shifting my weight and crossing my arms. "I'm strategically supervising,
