Semua Bab Bound By The CEO's Contract : Bab 11 - Bab 20

(NATALIE POV)My bag hung loosely from my shoulder as I stepped inside the room Alexander later showed to.It was exquisite and undeniably luxurious but my mind barely took in any of these details. The anger and bewilderment that I still had on my face made it hard to appreciate anything other than what I had just witnessed this evening.Alexander had walked away just moments ago, leaving behind the scent of his perfume.His voice still played in my head calm, composed, as if he was literally a different person from the one I saw before we entered this room."Would you like to take anything? The maids must have retired, but I can call them to make you dinner."He had talked like I intended to come. Like this was some sort of casual visit.Without hesitation I had shrugged to refuse. "I have no appetite."That was it. He had made a small sound, something between acknowledgment and dismissal, before walking off, leaving me here.I sighed and reached for the strap of my bag, pullin

(Natalie’s POV)The blare of the car kept reverberating from the gate side.And from where I stood I saw how the continuous sound made Alexander's whole body stiffen to his chair. His fork had since dropped to his plate.Across the room, I barely suppressed my own jolt,And for a moment, neither of us could move.After a few seconds had passed, Alexander finally exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face as though breaking away from a trance.He clapped with a sudden urgency, making the maid beside him half jump at the sound, her head jerking toward him.“Go now,” Alexander ordered huskily, stretching his hands towards the door.“Find out who it is before the guards lets them in. If it's family, stall them. Find a way to make him take his time. If it’s not…” He ground his teeth.“ Then let them through.”The maid hesitated for only a second before nodding and scurrying off, her apron swaying with each hurried step.Alexander let out another deep breath, shaking his head as his attention

Alexander’s POV Later that afternoon, after dropping Natalie off at her place and after returning back to my residence. I stood before the mirror, adjusting the cuffs of my shirt, staring back at the full length mirror in my room with a blank expression. The room was quiet except for the sound of the air conditioner. I shrugged on my suit jacket. I had a few more things on my list to take care off today. The first, was a quick stop at the office to retrieve the file I needed. Then the second and the most difficult was the visit. The visit I had been dreading. I blinked and exhaled at once. This wasn’t just another formality it was a moment that would demand every element of control I could summon. It was another performance. Another carefully curated illusion. For a very long time now, I have developed this wariness, this constant need to avoid situations that will bring me in contact with my father. I have tried to reduce the number of times I see him i

(ALEXANDER’S POV) After my father's question Isabella started to lean forward, her elbows on the table. Then, with a sharp exhale, she broke the silence. "I must’ve misheard you too. Like, did you just say engage?" I didn’t answer. Instead, I held her gaze, keeping my expression blank. But that only made her go further, "If yes, To whom, Alex? Because I just saw Lila not too long ago. She looked perfectly single and didn’t mention anything about a wedding." At the mention of Lila’s name I tightened my fist. Exhaling slowly, controlling my reaction. And the more my quietness persisted the more Isabella took it as an invitation to continue. "You can't possibly mean to tell me you ran off and proposed to someone else just like that. Who is she? What’s her name? Where did she come from? And more importantly, how did this even happen so quickly?" Her words came sharp and fast, hitting their mark. I spread my legs under the desk thinking of the best way to shut her

(NATALIE POV) It was finally Friday, the doctor said my father was fit for discharge. Something was different about the hospital room this time Although the scent of antiseptic still remained in the air the relief I felt watching my father sit upright dressed in the dark blue T-shirt I had brought for him was more than enough to make up for the smell. there was this glow to his face now, and for the first time in a long time, his eyes did not carry the dull burden of sickness. I sat beside him, reassuring myself that he was really here, really alive. The reality of how close I had come to losing him kept coming up, but it only helped me appreciate his recovery even more. Sophie was standing near the window and my mother had positioned herself at the foot of the bed, hands joined in front of her. The doctor was also here with us, carrying that affectionate but cautious smile. "Mr. Thompson I’m pleased to say you’re in good shape for discharge," he began, "Howev