Alle Kapitel von Contracted to My Ex's Cold Brother : Kapitel 21 – Kapitel 30

ELOISE "Are you hurt?" His deep baritone rolled again instead of answering my question.“I…” I blinked, my senses started kicking in. My eyes looked past him toward the street, where the car had finally skidded to a halt. My heart shuddered, recalling the scene just a moment earlier. “I-I'm fine.” I managed to choke out, trying to free myself from his firm grip. My eyes darted her way. Seeing her fine and in her parents' arms relaxed me.Once the tension eased, my body trembled, and Mr. Argos steadied me again.“Are you sure?” His brows arched, questioning my previous answer. I forced out a breathless chuckle. “Yeah… I’m just glad she’s okay.”"Oh God, thank you! Thank you so much!" the woman cried, her voice cracking as they rushed toward us.The father's hand reached out to shake my hand, though he stopped short when he caught sight of the man standing behind me."Are you okay? Please, let me take you to the hospital!" the car driver stammered, his eyes darting from Abraham to

ELOISE "Mr. Argos!" Selene’s voice changed instantly, dropping into that sweet, breathy tone she reserved for men she wanted things from. "What a pleasant surprise. You're here as well?" I peered through a slight gap in the curtain. Selene was standing there, flanked by two other socialites who were busy eyeing Abraham like he was a prize on a pedestal. She was playing the "meek and sweet" card, tilting her head and looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Mr. Argos," Selene continued, stepping closer to him, ignoring the fact that he was staring at his phone. "About this morning... I hope there’s no hard feelings, right? Family sticks together, after all." Abraham finally looked up. His gaze was the same: annoyed and indifferent. “Damien’s choices are his own, Miss Ricardo. I’m simply here on business." "Of course," she chirped, her smile faltered just a fraction. "Is Eloise here as well?" She looked around and instinctively I dropped the curtain more. "Elois

ELOISE The words hit me like a physical blow. The room seemed to tilt. Clearly, she had hit on my greatest weakness. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but the words felt like broken glass in my throat. Selene stood there, a smug, triumphant glint in her eyes, waiting for me to crumble. She wanted the room to see me as the heartless social climber who was careless about her son. I didn't give her the satisfaction, though. Instead, I let the icy calm settle over me. Slowly, I took a deliberate sip of my champagne, and my lips twitched distastefully. “It’s interesting you bring up ‘incompetence,’ Miss Ricardo,” I said, my voice enough to catch the ears of the surrounding people. “What about you? Where'd you live for five years, leaving your whole family and fiancé behind?” “You've come back after five years to claim a life I built from scratch. Who do you think is the real desperate one?” Selene’s smirk faltered; her eyes blazed. If looks could kill, I would have

ELOISE I stared at the defamation lawsuit on my screen until the words blurred into a mess of gray lines. The world around me was spinning too fast for me to catch my breath.For a moment, I was numb. I didn't know what to do until I received a call from Rox. The only person who had never given up on me. "Eloise? God, I just saw the headlines. Are you okay?" Her worried voice rang in my ear, but it didn't soothe me. "I…" I swallowed hard, my eyes still on the screen. "He's trying to bury me alive," I choked out. "Even my parents joined him… Dad just sent me a severance contract.”“What the f**k!” She cursed out. “Where are you now?” “In office… Because of me, Mr. Argos was also dragged into it.” A soft sigh escaped me. “When I left him and got this job, I thought life was going to change for the better… I was wrong.”“I don't even know how to face Mr. Argos at this point, nor do I have any idea if I'll have this job anymore.”“Listen to me,” Roxanne's tone snapped into that prote

ELOISE I stared at the man before me in a daze. My pulse was hammering against my throat so hard I was certain he could hear it."A… marriage?" I finally choked out, the words felt like sand in my mouth. Is this the right time to joke around, or did he take me for a fool? However, he didn't show any sign of joking. Instead, his eyes sharpened with a cold glint."Damien treated you like a possession he could neglect because he never understood your value," he said, his voice a deep, resonant hum, vibrating through the silence."I am not looking for a doll, Eloise. I am offering you a partnership that makes you untouchable. A seat at a table where the people currently trying to destroy you wouldn't even be allowed to serve the drinks.""It’s too much," I whispered, shaking my head. "It’s insane!” "It's the only choice you have." He countered, his expression long shifted back to that unreadable, professional mask. “Choice?” I couldn't help the bitter laugh that tore through me. “Whe