All Chapters of The Rich Man's Proxy Marriage: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The corridors of the Golden Pine Club were unusually silent, as if the entire building was holding its breath. Elena walked quickly, heels tapping with a rhythm that matched the disquiet in her chest. Yuna’s confession still echoed in her mind—President Wang wasn’t after her… he was after Elena.He had simply mistaken the girl hiding behind her in the dim room.This is getting dangerous.She needed to get Yuna out first. Everything else—Holden, President Wang, the fake marriage contract, the jealousy she kept pretending not to notice—could wait.But as she approached the private lounge, she halted.Holden was standing inside, one hand braced against the back of a leather sofa, the other gripping President Wang’s collar. The businessman’s usually arrogant face was pale. Holden didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t need to. His silence carried enough threat to make the air vibrate.“Mr. Lu,” Elena said, stepping in quickly, “I told you I’d handle this—”Holden didn’t even glance back.“He t

The Xia family mansion stood tall in the pale morning light, its stone pillars shadowed against the dull sky.To anyone else, it looked dignified—majestic even.To Elena, it felt like a coffin.Her steps across the marble driveway were slow, deliberate, controlled. Yet every footfall sent a tremor up her spine. She hadn’t returned here in months, and even then, it had been merely for formal obligations.This place was not a home.It was a stage built for pretense, cruelty, and the performance of a “family” that had never included her.A maid opened the door.“Young Miss Elena,” she greeted stiffly. “They are waiting in the study.”They.Not her parents.Not her family.Just they.Elena nodded and entered.The study was dim, the curtains drawn tight. Dust hung in the air like forgotten secrets.Her father, Xia Zhengnan, sat on the leather sofa. His shoulders sagged—older, weaker, guiltier than she remembered.Beside him sat her stepmother.Madam Xia, Lin Wei.Elegant. Composed. Eyes sh

The Xia mansion had never felt smaller.Elena stepped outside into the cold afternoon air, drawing in a steady breath. The conversation with Madam Xia echoed inside her skull, every word sharp as broken glass.Adopted.Dangerous family.Secret identity.And now—Someone out there knows.Her phone vibrated again. A message this time.Holden:Stay at the gate. Don’t move.Elena looked at the towering iron fence and exhaled slowly. It wasn’t fear that twisted in her stomach—it was the strange mixture of anger, betrayal, and the dawning realization that she had just stepped into a much bigger game.A game she had never been told she was a part of.Footsteps rushed from behind her.“Elena!”Xia Mother appeared at the door, breathless, eyes wide with panic. “Please, wait—don’t leave like this. I need to explain more.”Elena tightened her grip on her bag. “I don’t think there’s anything left to explain.”“Yes, there is.” Madam Xia approached her slowly, her voice trembling. “You have to unde

The scent of blood and broken glass lingered long after the intruder vanished into the storm-drenched night.Elena sat on the edge of the couch in Holden’s private lounge, hands trembling faintly as she stared at her palm—the palm that had thrown a needle she didn’t remember aiming.Her pulse beat fast and unsteady.Holden stood at the far side of the room, speaking quietly to someone through an encrypted earpiece. His silhouette was tall, rigid, controlled, but the tension radiating from his posture told a different story.He was furious.Not at her.At whoever had dared to come for her.The moment he ended the call and turned toward her, Elena instinctively straightened. She hated the way her body reacted to him—how safe she felt when she shouldn’t. How warm she became without meaning to.Holden walked toward her and knelt so they were at eye level.“Elena,” he said softly, “look at me.”She lifted her gaze.“Are you hurt?”“No.”“Anywhere?”“No.”Only her mind.Only her memories.H

The air in the basement thickened, almost vibrating with the echo of the alarm that had started blaring somewhere above them. Elena felt every thump of her heartbeat in her throat. Holden grabbed her wrist—firm, steady, grounding.“Stay with me,” he said, low but sharp enough to slice through the panic.The metal door behind them shook again. Someone was trying to break in. Not the guards. Not the staff. The rhythm was too controlled. Too purposeful.Holden pulled Elena toward the narrow maintenance corridor he’d spotted earlier. Pipes lined the ceiling, dripping occasionally, the smell of rust and cold concrete filling their lungs.Elena swallowed hard. “Do you even know where this leads?”“No,” Holden answered without hesitation. “But it’s away from that door.”A loud crack exploded behind them. Elena didn’t look back. She couldn’t.Holden pushed her forward. They ran.The corridor twisted like a serpent, every corner darker than the last. Their footsteps echoed—their breaths even l