Semua Bab Contract Marriage: The Heiress Returns: Bab 21 - Bab 25

The chandeliers blazed overhead, their crystal arms scattering light across the ballroom like fragments of a thousand watchful eyes. The air shimmered with perfume, polished laughter, and the sharp clink of champagne glasses. Behind every smile, Lisa could hear the whispers low, hissing currents that twisted through the crowd like smoke.“She won’t last the year, the board has already lost faith.”Lisa’s heels struck the marble floor with deliberate rhythm, her back straight, chin high, every step a silent battle cry against the doubts that trailed her. But still, her stomach tightened with every glance thrown her way, every subtle shake of the head among board members gathered in small, judging circles.At her side, Joseph matched her stride perfectly. Impeccable in his tailored suit, he was more than a shadow, he was a shield. When he quietly bent his arm toward her, offering it without a word, Lisa hesitated only a breath before taking it. His hand was steady, warm, unyielding, an

The first gulp of whiskey burned its way down her throat, searing her chest, but the second came easier too easily. Her hand shook as she lifted the glass for a third, desperate for the numbness it promised.But the glass never made it to her lips. A firm hand caught it, tugging it away.“You don’t need a drink, Lisa.” Joseph’s voice was low but unyielding. “You need to rest.”She looked up, startled, into his steady green eyes. He stood in front of her, glass still clutched in his hand, his jaw set with quiet authority.“You don’t know that.” The words flew out sharper than she meant, her voice trembling. “I need it. I need something to calm my nerves.”Her shoulders quaked under the weight of the night. She had survived the gala, she had stood her ground. She had silenced Dane at least for the moment. But victory felt hollow now, leaving only fear in its wake.“What do you think, Joseph?” she pressed, words tumbling out as her chest tightened. “Do you think Dane will stop after toni

The boardroom was an arena. Long glass walls reflected faces sharpened by suspicion, and the polished oak table gleamed like a stage light trained on the woman standing at its head. Lisa straightened her blazer, her file of reports in hand, but her palms were slick with sweat.It was the third meeting in a week, and the murmurs hadn’t stopped. Rumors, leaked numbers, whispers of mismanagement spread like fire, and today, she was the one expected to douse the flames.“I assure you,” Lisa began, forcing her voice to remain steady, “the numbers you’ve seen in the press are false. Our real projections remain strong. Revenues from the Greenstone Project have not collapsed. In fact….”A director with silver hair and narrowed eyes cut her off. “Then how do you explain the discrepancy? The press doesn’t invent figures out of thin air, Mrs. Hale.”Heat rose in her chest, but she pressed forward. “I have with me the authenticated data. The problem is not in the projects; it’s in the leaks.” She