Lahat ng Kabanata ng CONTRACT BRIDE FOR THE DEVIL: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

The sunlight that poured through the glass walls of Andrew’s penthouse was somehow… ruder than usual. I groaned, pulling the sheets over my face like they could shield me from the new reality I’d signed up for — living under the same roof as Andrew Walker. Technically in a room three hallways away, but still. It felt like I’d moved into the belly of a beast wearing a designer suit. A knock on the door came just as I sat up. “Miss Smith?” a crisp female voice called. “I’m here for your styling session.” Styling session. God help me. “I’m coming,” I called, pulling on the nearest robe I could find. Silk. Monogrammed with a golden “A.” Of course. When I opened the door, a tall woman in her early thirties gave me a tight-lipped smile. She wore all black, hair pulled into a sleek bun, and held a tablet like it was an extension of her arm. “I’m Isla. Mr. Walker sent me.” “Of course he did.” Within twenty minutes, the suite had transformed into a mini fashion house. Rack

The room was still thick with tension when the elevator doors slid open.Susan stepped in like she owned the place, perfectly poised in a crimson satin dress, a casual smirk playing on her lips. Her perfume arrived before she did—something floral, expensive, and far too invasive for someone who hadn’t been invited. I blinked, stunned. “Susan?” “Surprise!” she sang, stepping across the marble floor. “Hope I’m not crashing anything.”Andrew’s stare sharpened like a blade. “How did you get in here?”She waved it off like it was nothing. “Your security recognized me. Said I came by a few times to drop Maria off from the gym. I told him I had an important appointment with her tonight, and he waved me through. You might want to revisit your protocols.” She giggled.Andrew’s jaw tensed, but he didn’t respond. “Susan, you should’ve called,” I said, still trying to wrap my head around her sudden appearance. “You can’t just show up—” “I did call,” she cut in smoothly, digging into her clu

The ride to Mr. Denmark’s estate was filled with silence thick enough to choke on. Andrew sat beside me, scrolling through emails, jaw locked tight. Since the press conference, we’d been glued together in public. Smiling, hand-holding, whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears. But behind closed doors, we barely spoke unless necessary. That, too, was part of the performance. A lie we were both trying desperately not to believe. I kept my gaze on the passing trees, arms folded tightly. Every now and then, I caught him glancing at me through the window’s reflection, but neither of us said a word. When we arrived, the gates to Denmark’s estate opened like something out of a fairytale. A vast stretch of manicured lawns and symmetrical hedges led up to a glassy modern mansion that screamed wealth in the most understated way.Andrew adjusted his cuffs as we stepped out. “Let me do most of the talking.”I nodded, biting back the urge to snap. I wasn’t here for ego wars. I was here

The morning after Bryan’s shadowy appearance on the street, I barely slept. I kept hearing that message on repeat: He’s watching. He never stopped. It wasn’t just fear anymore. It was fury—cold and sharp. Someone was manipulating things behind the scenes, trying to paint me as a fraud, a liar, maybe even worse. And if Susan really was the one who sent me the link to that blog post, then she knew more than she let on. Maybe she even had a hand in it. But none of it added up—yet. I wrapped my robe tighter around my body and paced the guest room, then opened my phone. Still no new messages. Susan’s number rang once and went dead again. Blocked. That was all the confirmation I needed. She was hiding something. Or someone was keeping her silent. I’d waited long enough. By mid-morning, Claire arrived with a tray of tea and toast, smiling politely but offering nothing else. “Andrew said he’ll be home by noon,” she said, setting the tray down on the coffee table. “Did he say… anythi

Chapter 19: The Rooftop Secret The rooftop door groaned softly as I pushed it open. The night air hit me first—cool, heavy with the kind of stillness that warned something was about to break. The city lights flickered below, a web of gold and silver, stretching far beyond the edge of the building. From up here, everything looked calm. But my chest told a different story. I stepped onto the rooftop. Claire was already there, leaning against the railing like she’d been waiting for hours. Her blazer was off, sleeves rolled up, hair wind-tousled. She didn’t look like the perfectly polished assistant I’d come to know. She looked… tired. Worn. She didn’t say anything at first. Just watched me approach with eyes that had seen more than they should. “I didn’t know if you’d come,” she said finally. “I almost didn’t,” I replied. “But you left me no choice.” Claire nodded, like she understood. Like she would’ve done the same in my place. I moved closer, but kept a few steps between us.