All Chapters of THE ACCIDENTAL BRIDE: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The war room at Vaughn Industries had never lived up to its name until tonight. What had once been a sleek conference room was now command central, filled with laptops, monitors, and the quiet intensity of a dozen specialists working against time.Grayson sat at the head of the table, his usual composure replaced by barely controlled urgency. The authorization codes were ready—embedded with enough tracking technology to pinpoint a location within seconds of access. But first, they needed to buy time."Dr. Ashford's flight landed in Geneva four hours ago," Marcus reported, sliding a tablet across the table. "Private jet, paid for in cash. He's disappeared into the banking district.""Smart man," Grayson muttered, his fingers drumming against the mahogany surface. "Gets his granddaughter back and vanishes where extradition is... complicated.""Sir, we could still—""No." Grayson's voice was flat. "He made his choice. Right now, Luna is all that matters."Tessa Morgan, their head of digi

The war room at Vaughn Industries was a fortress of steel and glass, its sleek walls lined with screens that now mocked Grayson Vaughn with their silence. Luna’s tracking signal—a fragile lifeline to his wife—had vanished forty-seven minutes ago. The warehouse in Long Island City was a dead end.Grayson stood at the head of the conference table, gray eyes burning into the blank central monitor. His hands gripped the polished oak so tightly the wood groaned beneath his fingers. The memory of Luna’s voice—Don’t give them anything—from that chilling call echoed in his mind, her defiance both a comfort and a torment. Every second without her carved a deeper wound, threatening to unravel the iron control he had built over years as a CEO.Sarah, the tech analyst, sat hunched over three laptops, her fingers a blur as she sifted through data streams. Her dark hair was twisted into a messy bun, her eyes bloodshot from sleepless hours. “They made us,” she said tightly. “The authorization codes

Grayson’s SUV screeched to a halt in the Marina District, the rusted silhouette of Building 12 looming against the night sky like a forgotten relic. The text—Come alone, or she dies—burned in his mind. Luna’s bruised face and defiant plea replayed like a relentless nightmare. Trap or not, he’d walk through fire to bring her home.His fingers brushed the concealed Glock at his waist, its cold weight a reminder of the stakes. He wasn’t a soldier, wasn’t trained for this, but for Luna—the woman who’d crashed into his world and stolen his heart—he’d become anything.Marcus’s voice crackled through his earpiece, urgent and low. “Thermal scans show six hostiles inside—armed, spread out across the lower level. You’re walking into a kill zone.”“Stay back,” Grayson said, his voice steady despite the storm raging in his chest. “No one moves without my signal. Understood?”“Grayson,” Marcus replied, his tone pleading, professionalism cracking. “Let us go in first. You’re not trained for this, a

The safe house penthouse felt different tonight—quieter, as if the city itself was holding its breath. Luna stood before the bathroom mirror, watching steam dissipate from the glass like ghosts of the day's terrors. The hot water had washed away the grime and blood from Building 12, but the phantom weight of the zip ties still pressed against her wrists, the echo of Damien's voice still whispered in her ears.She touched the bruise along her collarbone, wincing not from pain but from memory. How many times had she replayed those moments? The cold metal chair, the harsh fluorescent lights, the way Roberts had looked at her with such calculated cruelty. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the crescent moon keychain on the marble counter, its silver surface catching the light like tears.Your mother's secrets, she thought, turning the delicate piece over in her palm.The weight of it all pressed down on her chest—not just the conspiracy, but the realization of how close she'd come to

The peaceful morning shattered at eleven thirty-seven when Luna's phone rang.She and Grayson were curled together on the living room sofa, her head on his shoulder as they watched some mindless romantic comedy—her choice, his amused tolerance. His fingers traced lazy patterns on her arm while she critiqued the heroine's terrible decision-making skills."She's going to pick the wrong guy," Luna muttered, stealing a piece of chocolate from the box balanced on Grayson's chest."How can you tell?""Because she's not listening to her instincts. She's letting other people's opinions cloud her judgment." Luna popped the chocolate in her mouth, savoring the dark sweetness. "Trust me, I'm an expert on making romantic mistakes.""Present company excluded, I hope."She tilted her head to look at him, noting the teasing smile that made her heart flip. "You weren't a mistake. You were... an unexpected blessing.""I'll take it." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Though I'm still not sure