Semua Bab The Replacement Bride : Bab 11 - Bab 20

Bennett LandonAfter dropping Hilary off at Liam’s apartment, I didn’t drive off right away. I sat there for a moment, engine running, watching the building across the street.I didn’t like letting her go in alone not after everything she’d just told me.Her voice still echoed in my mind. Calm, but filled with pain. She’d told me about growing up in a house where love came with conditions. About Vivian’s control. Emily’s betrayal. And how Liam broke her like she didn’t matter.She'd carried all that for years, quietly. Still standing. Still fighting.That kind of strength doesn’t come from luck. It comes from surviving hell.I didn’t want to crowd her. She said she could handle it but my hands tightened on the steering wheel anyway.Then I noticed the ring box sitting in the center console.“Of course,” I muttered, exhaling. She’d left it behind.I reached for the car handle, thinking I’d catch her before she got too far. But just then, I saw her car pull out of the lot and take a sha

Hilary WindsorThe elevator doors opened with a soft chime. I stepped onto the top floor of Landon Global Market, heels clicking lightly against the floor.My blazer was fitted, my silk blouse tucked perfectly into high-waisted pants. I looked powerful.Heads turned. Conversations paused. The moment I walked past the reception desk, the whispers began.“She’s the one… the girl from the wedding.“Didn’t she crash it?”“I heard she betrayed her sister”“She’s working here now?I kept walking. My eyes ahead. Shoulders high.Let them talk. I wasn’t here for them.I followed the map I'd studied last night, all the way to the executive wing. The place smelled of polished wood, money, and control.Regina’s name was on the frosted glass door. I knocked once, then opened it.She was standing behind her desk, reviewing files. She looked up, confused for half a second then her confusion turned to fire.“Can I help you?” she asked, her tone sharp.“Yes.” I stepped inside. “I’m your newest employe

Bennett LandonI got to the office earlier than usual, but the work in front of me barely registered. My mind had been stuck on that damn parcel since I woke up. The threat. The photo. The look on Hilary’s face when she opened it.The way Hilary had gone pale right before she nearly collapsed in my arms.I’d promised to handle it. So I would.I unlocked my phone and scrolled to the name I hadn’t dialed in months.Nate Calloway. It had been about a month since I last called him. The time I’d been trying to find Hilary that night.I scrolled to his name in my contacts and dialled his number.He answered on the second ring.“Well, well,” Nate drawled. “Bennett Landon calls me frequently? Should I be worried or impressed?”“I don’t call unless I need something.”“Which means you need something. Again.” He sounded like he was grinning. “Let me guess… trouble in paradise? The engagement’s all over the media. I gotta say, your new girl is… something.”“Don’t,” I warned, already annoyed.H

Hilary WindsorThe moment I got home, I couldn’t sit still.I paced the living room with my arms folded tightly across my chest. The memory of that message burned behind my eyes: “I’m watching you.” Three words that sent chills down spine.Bennett was at the kitchen counter, looking up from his tablet as I circled past him again.“Hilary,” he said calmly. “Talk to me.”I turned to him, trying to keep my voice steady. “Someone sent me a message today. A text. No name, no context. Just… I’m watching you.”His brow furrowed instantly. He set his tablet aside and crossed over to me. “When?”“Earlier this afternoon. Right after I got back to work.” I ran a hand through my hair. “It was from an unknown number.”He put his hands on my shoulders. “Did you tell security?”“Not yet.” My voice cracked slightly. “I- I didn’t know how seriously to take it. But after the parcel… I don’t know. I just can’t shake this feeling.”“You think it’s Emily again?” he asked.“I think she’s working with someo

Bennett Landon“Text me the address now” I said with urgency in my tone.Nate didn't ask questions. Then seconds later, the text came in short and direct.“He’s in Notting Hill. Private townhouse. 27 Westbourne Terrace.”I stared at the address, my jaw tightening. I didn’t reply. I just grabbed my keys, wallet, and coat, and headed straight to my car and left the Landon building without a word.The drive to Notting Hill felt longer than it should have. The rain started, and with it came the kind of silence that let every thought crawl back in.I didn’t know what I expected, maybe some cryptic setup or a game of phone tag. But what I didn’t expect was the call I got just as I turned onto the street.An unknown number called. I answered.“Mr. Landon,” the voice said, low, calm, clearly rehearsed. “If you’d like to speak with Mr. Windsor… the price is £10,000. Cash. No receipt.”There was a long pause before I said anything. I was stunned by the audacity “He wants me to pay to talk to hi