All Chapters of A Wife For Him (Hearts Under Contract): Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

Irene lay on her bed, eyes wide open, the dim light from the window casting soft shadows on the wall. She had not slept a wink. All through the night, her mind had been a restless reel, playing and replaying the moments from the trip with Mr. Blackwood. The hotel. His voice. His gaze. Each time she tried to shake the memories away, they returned stronger—clearer. And every time, she found herself blushing like a schoolgirl. She tossed on the bed, tangled in her sheets, her cheeks warm from embarrassment. “Ugh, stop it,” she mumbled into her pillow. “He probably doesn’t even think about you. Get a grip, Irene.” Just then—beep! beep! beep! The sharp sound of the alarm pierced the silence. She jolted upright, heart pounding, momentarily dazed. “What?” She reached for her phone, blinking at the time. “Did I really stay up all night thinking about a man who might not even care about me?” she muttered, dragging a hand down her face. With a groan, she threw off the covers and s

“Elias, are you sure this is a good idea?” Ethan asked, tightening the straps of his tiny backpack as they walked side by side. Elias grinned mischievously, hugging his little hoodie closer. “Of course it is. Don’t you want to see where Mama works?” “I do,” Ethan muttered, then glanced around. “But we’re gonna get in so much trouble. You know she’s gonna be mad when she finds out we left after school!” “She won’t be mad if we surprise her,” Elias said confidently. “It’ll make her happy.” Ethan shot him a skeptical look. “You sure about that?” “Very sure.” There was a beat of silence before Ethan mumbled, “Do we even know how to get there?” Elias smirked and patted his chest proudly. “I took it for myself.” “Took what?” “The card. Mama’s card. It has the name of her company on it. BIC Enterprises.” Ethan’s eyes widened. “You stole her business card?” “I didn’t steal it! I borrowed it. I’m gonna give it back.” They reached the sidewalk where a few cabs were parked

The old front door creaked open and banged softly against the chipped wall behind it. Irene walked in first, her lips pressed into a tight line. . She didn’t say a word she didn’t need to as her silence screamed louder than anything the boys had ever heard. She still had her hand wrapped firmly around Elias’s wrist, not yanking him forward, but holding him just tight enough to make sure he wouldn’t drift away. Ethan shuffled behind them, his backpack sliding off one shoulder, his shoes scuffing against the floor. The apartment was hot, cramped, and smelled faintly of fried stew. The fan in the corner was doing its best to fight the stale heat, whirring loudly and shaking a little with every turn. One small couch, an old center table, a folded mattress against the wall, a bucket of clean clothes waiting to be folded everything was squeezed tightly into the tiny room. Levi came out from the bedroom just as the door closed behind them. Her scarf had fallen halfway off

The house was still as, Daniel sat cross-legged on the edge of his dining table, a newspaper open in front of him, one hand holding his usual morning cup of coffee. His hair was still messy from sleep, and he hadn’t bothered changing out of the navy T-shirt and sweatpants he’d thrown on after his shower. The article he was reading had nothing to do with work but everything to do with escaping it. Then, the front door flew open. “Dano!” a familiar voice roared from the hallway. “Dano! Dano!” Daniel sighed, setting his mug down. “I’m right here,” he called out, loud enough for his voice to travel. “God, what now?” he asked himself, Just as Henry his father stormed into the room, nearly tripping over the rug at the doorway. His eyes were wild, his blazer was half-off one shoulder, and in his hand was a white envelope he clutched like a winning lottery ticket. “I told you!” Henry said breathlessly, waving the envelope in the air. “I said it, didn’t I? I told you there was a pos