Todos os capítulos de The contracted heart : Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

Vanessa didn’t remember climbing the stairs.She didn’t remember pushing open the door to the east wing, didn’t remember the sound of her own heartbeat roaring in her ears, or the way her breath stuttered out of her chest like she’d run miles. All she remembered was the image burned into her mind, Alexander in the dim hallway of the gala, another woman pressed against him, their silhouettes too close, too intimate, too damning.The world had tilted in that instant. Something sharp and cold had sliced through her chest, leaving her hollow and painfully aware of the truth she had been trying so hard not to acknowledge.She cared. Too much. More than the contract allowed, more than logic allowed, more than she had ever intended to.And now it felt like he had taken that growing, fragile thing inside her and crushed it between his hands.She reached her room and shut the door quietly, even though her entire body trembled with the urge to slam it. Her hands were shaking as she braced them

Vanessa didn’t sleep.She tried, God, she tried but her mind wouldn’t quiet. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the photo again. Elise’s hand reaching toward Alexander’s chest. His face too close to hers. The dark hallway. The tension. The doubt.And then the message.If you want to know the truth about your husband… come alone tomorrow.Her heart had been banging around inside her ribcage ever since.By morning, she felt the weight of everything, fear, confusion, anger, longing like bruises pressed deep under her skin. She dragged herself into the shower, letting the hot water beat over her shoulders, grounding her the way Alexander’s voice had almost done last night.Almost.She dressed simply black jeans, a fitted top, her hair pulled back in a low, steadying style. Something functional. Something that didn’t remind her of the gala or of Elise.She stepped out of her room and froze.Alexander was waiting in the hallway.He wore a black shirt, rolled sleeves, buttons undone at

Vanessa didn’t remember falling asleep.One moment Alexander was guiding her through the front door, his hand warm and firm around hers, his voice low and steady as he whispered things like “Careful,” and “I’ve got you.” The next moment she was waking up in his bed.Wrapped in blankets. Wrapped in the soft scent of cedar and expensive cologne. Wrapped in a stillness that didn’t feel like fear for the first time in days.For a few seconds, she just breathed.Her body ached. Her head throbbed. Her heart… felt too full.She blinked up at the ceiling.And then she realized Alexander was sitting a few feet away, in the chair by the window, elbows on his knees, head bowed into his hands.Still in the same clothes from last night.Still awake.Still watching over her.Her heart twisted painfully.“Alexander?” Vanessa whispered.He lifted his head.And she had never seen him l

The city lay under the quiet shroud of night, streets glinting wet under scattered lamplight. Vanessa clutched Alexander’s hand as they stepped from the car, her pulse still thrumming from the chaos at the warehouse. The adrenaline hadn’t faded, and yet, she could feel a different tension rising now a tension neither gunfire nor screams could break.Alexander’s grip was firm, protective, guiding her as they entered the sleek apartment he’d insisted on securing for the night. “Safe,” he said softly, almost a whisper, but the word vibrated through her like a promise. He released her hand, but only enough to step close, his shadow falling over her like a shield. The storm outside mirrored the storm she felt inside one she couldn’t yet name.Vanessa let out a shaky breath. “I… I thought we were safe when Collins and the team had her. But… the Order… they won’t stop.”Alexander’s g

The city’s night skyline glittered like distant stars, but Vanessa barely noticed. Her gaze was fixed on the penthouse windows across the street, the same ones they had barely secured hours ago. The adrenaline from the warehouse ambush had barely faded, and yet her heart refused to settle. Every shadow seemed alive, every sound amplified, every breath a reminder that danger still lurked close.Alexander stood beside her, tall, dark, and lethal. His hand enveloped hers, fingers entwined, thumbs brushing in a constant, grounding rhythm. She had wanted to stay brave. She had wanted to hold herself together. But tonight, the weight of their enemies pressed down like a vice.“They’re not going to stop,” Alexander murmured, his voice low, almost a growl. “The Order doesn’t forgive. They escalate. Always.”Vanessa swallowed, her pulse spiking. “We’ve faced them before. We survived. Tonight... ” Her voice faltered, the words stuck in her throat.“Tonight is different,” he said, eyes scanning