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Chapter 20: The Predator’s Scent
publish date:
2026-09-01 13:26:56
Latest chapter
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 50: The Midnight Reckoning
Elena’s POVThe heavy white silk sheets of my bed feel cold against my skin as the clock on my bedside table clicks past midnight. I lie awake in the dark, staring up at the high stone ceiling of my West Wing suite. The silence of the fortress presses down on me, broken only by the faint tick of the clock and the distant hum of the estate’s generators. Outside, a soft London mist dampens the courtyard stones, burying the estate in a quiet, heavy calm that feels almost suffocating.My mind remains completely fixed on Alexander’s parting words in the hallway.You wore the Sterling name like a crown. You care about my life, girl.The echo of his voice refuses to fade. Each syllable feels carved into my chest, heavy and unshakable. A deep, painful ache twists inside my stomach, making it impossible to breathe evenly. I reach beneath my pillow and pull out my personal phone, my thumb trembling as I tap the screen to check the digital wallet balance for BrightPath Blooms.The screen lights
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 49: The Crown of Lies
Elena’s POV The three black limousines roll through the massive iron gates of the fortress, bringing us back to the heavy stone courtyard. The rain has stopped, leaving a cold gray fog hanging over the stone pillars. Harris opens the car door politely, and I slide out, my bright blue silk dress rustling against the wet gravel.Alexander steps out right behind me, his custom matte-black shield mask catching the dim afternoon light. He does not turn toward his private East Wing office today. Instead, his heavy leather boots click steadily against the marble floorboards as he walks side-by-side with me down the long West Wing corridor.He is walking me all the way back to my private bedroom suite.We stop in front of my white double doors. I turn around to face him, my heart clicking a fast, nervous rhythm against my ribs as I look up at his towering frame."You do not need to guard my door, Mr. Sterling," I say softly, forcing a tiny bit of Alyssa’s sharp, spoiled pout back onto my lip
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 48: The Silent Betrayal
Elena’s POVThe private executive elevator drops us back down to the dark basement garage in total silence. I keep my back straight, my fingers tightly interlaced inside Alyssa's white lace gloves as the bright blue silk of my dress brushes against my legs. My face feels hot, and my heart is still beating fast from screaming at Marcus.The heavy bulletproof door clicks open, and I slide onto the leather seat of the dark limousine. Alexander moves right behind me, his massive frame sliding into the carriage and filling the small space with his familiar aroma of cedarwood and rich tobacco.The door slams shut, locking us inside a silent, heavy cage as the engine roars to life. The car rolls out into the cold, rainy London streets.Alexander does not look out the tinted window this time. He turns his large body toward me, leaning his shoulder against the leather seat as he studies my face. His custom matte-black shield mask hides his eyes completely, but the rigid line of his jaw is rela
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 47: The Boardroom Defiance
Elena’s POVMarcus’s poisonous words ring through the silent room, but I do not let my emerald-green eyes blink. I lean back into my leather seat, letting the bright blue silk of my dress rustle loudly against the chair cushions. I force a loud, harsh laugh to leave my lips, mimicking Alyssa's classic tone of pure entitlement perfectly."Explain my lifestyle to you, Marcus?" I scoff, pitching my voice to sound high, sharp, and thoroughly annoyed. "I am a Vance, and I am now the mistress of the Sterling empire. I do not answer to a table of corporate employees who sit in boring meetings all day."A sharp gasp echoes from two female board members at the far end of the marble table. Marcus narrows his eyes, his knuckles turning white as he clenches his pen."Watch your mouth, girl," Marcus growls, his voice dropping to a low, angry threat. "You are standing inside a global headquarters, not a fashion boutique. Your father’s company was saved by our nephew’s pen, and this board has the le
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 46: The Boardroom Trial
Elena’s POVThe three black limousines pull up to the private basement entrance of the Sterling Global Tower, a massive structure of dark glass and steel that shoots straight into the London sky. A team of armed security guards steps forward, their heavy boots echoing against the concrete floors as they open our car doors.Alexander steps out first, his towering frame casting a long shadow under the bright fluorescent ceiling lamps. I slide out right behind him, the bright blue silk of my dress rustling softly against the concrete floor. I keep my chin high, forcing my emerald-green eyes to look cold, distant, and completely bored as I mimic Alyssa’s snobbish grace.We ride the private executive elevator in total silence, the digital screen tracking our ascent past fifty floors. When the silver doors finally slide open, we step directly into a massive, gold-trimmed boardroom surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows.Sitting around a twenty-foot marble conference table are twelve o
The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride Chapter 45: The Boardroom War
Elena’s POVThe next four days pass in a blur of quiet routine and growing tension. True to his word, Alexander does not return to his cold interrogations. Every evening, I walk down to the formal dining hall to join him for dinner, keeping my hands hidden under Alyssa's white lace gloves. We share quiet, late-night conversations about global history, corporate structures, and the state of the world. He listens to my thoughts with a deep, silent calculation that makes my skin prickle, but he never mentions the Swiss academy files again.By Friday afternoon, the quiet peace inside the fortress shatters.I am resting inside my suite after a hot afternoon bath, wearing a simple linen robe, when a sharp, demanding knock rattles my bedroom door."Come in," I call out, forcing Alyssa’s high, annoyed pitch into my throat as I tighten the belt of my robe.The heavy doors swing open, and Harris steps into the room, holding a thick cream-colored envelope with a dark gold wax seal stamped with t
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