All Chapters of The CEO'S SECRET BRIDE : Chapter 191 - Chapter 200

Annabelle didn’t sleep that night. The flash drive burned like a live coal in her pocket. Every shadow in the small motel room looked like a watcher. Every sound made her heart jump. She sat by the window, eyes on the empty street, mind racing through plans.She had learned her lesson the hard way. Trust was poison now. If Carson wanted to meet again, it would be on her terms.By morning, she was ready. She dressed in dark clothes, tied her hair back, and packed only what she needed—a burner phone, a recorder hidden in her coat, and a second device tracking her own signal.At the small café near the river, she found an old contact—Danny, a private investigator she had once worked with years ago. He looked rougher now, with more wrinkles and a heavy frown, but his eyes were still sharp.“Annabelle?” he said, surprised when she sat down. “You shouldn’t be out in the open.”“I don’t have a choice,” she said quietly. “I need your help again. Just one last job.”He leaned closer. “What ki

Fred stood outside Annabelle’s apartment door, his hands trembling. The corridor was silent except for the faint hum of the ceiling lights. He had been standing there for several minutes, rehearsing words that refused to come together. When he finally raised his hand and knocked, his heart pounded so hard he could barely breathe.Inside, Annabelle froze. She had been staring at her laptop, the screen filled with reports, evidence, and the names of the people who had ruined her life. That voice on the other side of the door—she recognized it instantly when he whispered her name.“Annabelle… please. It’s Fred.”Her grip on the laptop tightened. She closed it slowly and stood up. Her face was calm, but her eyes were distant, unreadable. When she opened the door, Fred almost stumbled back.He looked terrible. His hair was messy, his eyes red from crying, his clothes wrinkled. The man who once walked into courtrooms with confidence and a charming smile was now a shadow.“Please, Annabelle

The courtroom was packed once again, but this time, the air was different. The fear that had once followed Annabelle like a shadow was gone. In its place stood a quiet strength. She had won her father’s freedom, but now came the next battle — the one that would strip Victoria Carson of everything she had built through deceit.Annabelle arrived early, dressed in a simple black suit. She didn’t wear jewelry, didn’t smile for the cameras. This wasn’t about fame or triumph; it was about justice. Her lawyer, Mr. Graham, walked beside her, his voice calm but steady. “Today we finished it,” he said.“I know,” Annabelle answered softly. “No mercy.”Inside, Victoria Carson sat at the defendant’s table. Her once-perfect posture was gone. Her hair, once styled with precision, was loosely tied back. The woman who had commanded boardrooms and manipulated empires now looked smaller, thinner, and pale. Even her expensive clothes couldn’t hide the tremor in her hands.Her lawyers whispered urgently

The sea was calm that morning, its soft rhythm brushing against the shore like a gentle whisper. Annabelle stood barefoot on the sand, the cool water curling around her toes. The salty breeze lifted her hair, and for the first time in a long while, she breathed without pain.The villa she rented sat high on a small hill overlooking the ocean. It was simple—white walls, wooden floors, wide windows that welcomed the sun. Every corner of it felt peaceful, untouched by the noise of the world she had left behind.Each morning, she rose early, long before the sun had fully claimed the sky. She would wrap a shawl around her shoulders, step outside, and listen. The waves. The birds. The silence. It was the kind of quiet that didn’t ask anything of her, the kind that allowed her to just exist.Her first few days there were spent doing nothing at all. She ate when she was hungry, slept when she was tired, and watched the horizon until the sun melted into the sea. Sometimes, tears came without w

The morning sun filtered gently through the tall windows of Annabelle’s office. The city outside was already awake—cars moving, people hurrying—but inside her space, everything felt calm and steady. She liked it that way. Her desk was neatly arranged: a vase of white lilies, a stack of reports, and her favorite pen resting beside her planner. It was her little world, quiet and full of purpose.Annabelle had built a new routine—one that balanced work with peace. She worked hard during the day, meeting clients, reviewing projects, and checking on her teams. But when the sun went down, she made sure to leave it all behind. The woman who once carried the weight of every burden had learned how to breathe again.That morning, Clara entered with two cups of coffee. “Good morning, Annabelle,” she said cheerfully.“Good morning,” Annabelle replied, smiling as she took one of the cups. “You’re early today.”“I wanted to go over the partnership proposal before the meeting,” Clara said, taking a