บททั้งหมดของ Terms and Temptations: The CEO spoils me silly: บทที่ 51 - บทที่ 60

Emma’s POV I was still tangled in Xander’s arms when my phone began to vibrate on the nightstand. I groaned, stretching slightly to reach for it, careful not to wake him. The screen was lit up with Danielle’s name flashing like a warning beacon. I answered with a sleepy hum. “Hmm?” Her voice came through in a scream. “Emma! Have you checked the news?! Check Peakstagram. Now!” I sat up instantly, heart pounding. “What are you talking about?” “Just check it!” I didn’t even say goodbye. I hung up and opened the app. Notifications exploded across my screen like a firestorm. Comments, tags, DMs—hundreds of them. I tapped the first trending post. There it was. My face. Crystal clear, unmistakable. Me. In a café. Sitting across from Robert. The angle made it look like we were holding hands. Another showed him leaning in close, like he was about to kiss me. In truth, he was whispering something I couldn’t even remember. But the photo? It looked damning. I gasped. “Oh my God.” X

Emma’s POV I hadn’t even had time to process the headlines when the knock came. Not at the front door, but my bedroom door—Xander’s door now. He stood there shirtless, sweatpants hanging low on his hips, his eyes still laced with sleep and confusion. “Emma?” I couldn’t speak. I just handed him the tablet. Let the images speak for themselves. The photos were everywhere. Me. Robert. A grainy shot from years ago, but cleverly edited beside a much more recent image—a hug at the charity gala. A smile exchanged outside the hotel. The article had no mercy. > “Billionaire CEO's Wife Caught Cheating? Mystery Man Identified as Emma’s Ex.” > “Two Days Into Marriage, Rumors Rock Blake Empire.” He scrolled through in silence. Each swipe made the air in the room colder. “Do you believe this?” I finally asked. His eyes snapped to mine, sharp. “Do you?” I blinked, stunned. “Of course not! You think I—?” “I don’t think anything. Yet.” His voice was clipped, his jaw tense. And just like th

Xander's POV I don’t know what came over me that morning. Maybe it was the way Emma had curled into my chest before dawn, like I was her safe place. Maybe it was the way her breath hitched when I kissed the top of her head or how she said my name in her sleep like it was a prayer. Or maybe—and most likely—I was just utterly, completely gone for her. So I called David. And Danielle. A very risky, very insane decision. I knew they barely tolerated each other—their tension could burn down an entire boardroom. But they were the two people I trusted most to plan something that would surprise Emma. Something that would make her forget the world for a while. They didn’t pick up on the first ring. Danielle texted me five minutes later: > Are you sure this is a good idea? I thought you were giving her space. I replied: > I want to give her the world. And then I called David again. He picked up this time. “Please don’t tell me this is another background check.” “Honeymoon,” I said

Emma's POV It had been three days since we arrived at the honeymoon resort, and I was still trying to process everything. The view from our private suite looked like a painting—all sun-kissed water, lush green cliffs, and sky that seemed to blush every evening as if it knew what we were doing behind closed doors. Every morning began with breakfast on the terrace. Xander would insist on feeding me a bite or two, his expression far too serious for someone holding a croissant. He was playful in ways I never expected, and it made me forget that all this started as a contract. It made me forget the mess waiting for us back home. Almost. "You keep looking over your shoulder like someone's going to jump out of the pool and serve you divorce papers," he teased, sipping his espresso. I rolled my eyes. "You saw the headlines." "And I handled it," he replied smoothly. "The press was fed a new story. We're on a romantic getaway, celebrating our whirlwind love story. Danielle even managed t

Xander's POV The morning after our dockside dinner, I woke up to the smell of jasmine and something sweet baking in the oven. The curtains swayed with the ocean breeze, and the woman beside me was still curled up like she'd fought a battle in her dreams and finally surrendered to rest. Emma. I had called her my wife a dozen times by now, but this morning it felt different. Real. Not because the cameras were watching. Not because it made sense on paper. But because when I looked at her—bare-faced, hair a halo of brown chaos, breathing softly into the pillow—I wanted the world to pause. Just so I could memorize her like this. I got out of bed quietly, made some calls to David and Danielle to give them the latest updates about our extended stay, and then ordered breakfast. I’d planned a full itinerary today—snorkeling, a private boat ride, and some ridiculous spa couples ritual that Emma would pretend to mock but secretly enjoy. While waiting, I glanced through my phone. And then