Semua Bab BOUND TO THE CRIPPLED CEO : Bab 41 - Bab 50

DANICAI watched Ivan from across the room, pretending to be engrossed in my champagne glass while tracking his movements. The way he commanded attention without even trying. As much as I hated to admit it, even in a room filled with wealthy business moguls, he stood out— the perfectly tailored Armani suit, hugging his body in all the right places.He was deep in conversation with a man. Maybe one of his business partners? Soon both of them were gesturing at the man's phone's screen. Knowing Ivan and his love for business, it was probably another multi-million dollar deal.Getting a bit bored, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, making the silk dress I had chosen slide against my skin. My attention shifted back to the present as I noticed someone walking towards him. A woman.The gown she wore looked as if it was painted on her and the way she swayed her hips as she moved screamed ‘seduction on heels’. My fingers tightened around my glass as she leaned in close to him, pra

DANICAAbout dropping the picture and silver bracelet back into the black box, I thought it best to give them to Valerie when she came back before putting it in my purse. As for the golden case, I threw it deep into my brown wardrobe.Today wasn't the day to dwell on bad emotions.Deciding it was best to send off everything we no longer needed in the black box to a charity home, I phoned them, letting them know I'd been dropping by.“Welcome ma'am. Mrs. Danica right?” An elderly lady greeted me in her office at the charity home.“Yes, I'm the one.” I smiled smoothly. “Am I to sign or?”“Oh, yes. We won't be taking much of your time,” she announced, as her hands moved quickly, pulling out a white form from one of the bulky files in front of her. “ Just sign here and here,” she said, pointing at the exact spots with her fingers.“And that's all?” My gaze flew back to hers as I handed over the form to her.“Yes. Thank you so much. We do appreciate your kind gesture.”“It's my pleasure, i

AMYStriking a deal with the other Clarkson brother was easier than I thought last night. His greed and my ambition made things move swiftly. No need for drawn-out manipulation— he’d practically walked into my trap with a smile.Not wasting another moment, I placed a call across to him.“Miss Bart,” Nolan’s voice drawled when he answered, lazy and smooth like he’d just woken up. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Couldn’t sleep without thinking about me?”I let out a light laugh, low and mocking. “You flatter yourself too much, Nolan. I’m calling because I like efficiency. You want what you want, I want what I want. Why wait?”He chuckled under his breath. “Mmm. And what exactly do you want?”“To remove an obstacle,” I replied smoothly. “Permanently, if I can help it.”There was a pause. I could hear the faint click of a lighter on his end. “You mean her, don’t you? Ivan’s pretty little thing. Wife I meant to say.”The way he said wife made my teeth clench. “Pretty?” I scoffed

DANICAMy legs were burning, but I didn’t dare stop. Valerie’s small arms clung around my neck, her tiny whimpers muffled against my shoulder as I pushed forward through the darkness. My heart hammered louder than my footsteps, drowning out every sound except the desperate thought: Run. Don’t look back. Just run.The night was thick, the kind that pressed down like a blanket suffocating the world. My breath came in ragged gasps, lungs aching as I sprinted down a gravel path that seemed endless, the sharp stones biting through the thin soles of my shoes.The air smelled of rust and damp earth, mingled with something fouler— like old trash left to rot. I gagged, clutching Valerie tighter as if holding her could erase the ugly memory of what the thug was about to do to me, alone in the room with Valerie. My stomach twisted. Bile rose in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I couldn’t break now. Not with Valerie watching.“Mummy…” her small voice cracked, fragile as glass. “Where are we go

IVANThe project for the day was done. At least, that’s what I told myself as I leaned back in the leather chair, staring at the last line of figures glowing across the screen. Numbers—orderly, obedient, bending to my will—should have satisfied me. They usually did. Today, they didn’t.“Congratulations, Sir,” Mia said softly beside me, her voice carrying that cool precision. Tapping one finger against the digital presentation documents. “We’ll roll this out to the board tomorrow. They’ll eat it up. Your projections are flawless.”Her words were right. Everything was flawless. And yet—Danica’s face flashed in my mind. That wide-eyed defiance that had met me the last time I opened my mouth and let my temper loose on her. The way her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something but held it back. The way I crushed her with words sharp enough to pierce bone, and then walked away, convincing myself it was necessary.I could hear her voice now, small but firm, as it echoed in my memo