บททั้งหมดของ Married to the cold CEO: บทที่ 161 - บทที่ 170

A sharp crack of thunder echoed outside Cross Industries as Elena stood in the boardroom’s shadowed corner, her pulse steady but fierce. The glass walls reflected a battlefield of power—rows of executives seated stiffly, eyes darting between Damian Cross and Julian Crane, the rival who had spent years waiting for this exact day.The air was thick with tension. Damian stood at the head of the long marble table, his suit immaculate but his expression carved from granite. He looked every inch the CEO he had built himself to be—commanding, untouchable, unreadable. Yet Elena could see it—the faint tremor in his jaw, the heaviness in his eyes. He wasn’t made of steel anymore. He was human now.Julian Crane leaned back in his chair with smug ease, a shark in designer clothing. “Gentlemen,” he began, his voice smooth as silk, “Cross Industries deserves transparency. We’ve tolerated Damian’s… unconventional leadership long enough. Secret accounts, shadow mergers, disappearing funds—it’s time f

Wind coiled through the open balcony doors of the Cross Tower penthouse, carrying the scent of rain-soaked steel and city smoke. Damian stood alone, watching the skyline darken. The empire below still glittered, but for the first time, it looked distant—like something built by another man entirely.He hadn’t moved since Elena walked out. The echo of her heels still haunted the back of his mind, sharp and final.Adrian’s voice came from behind him. “You didn’t show up at the emergency meeting. Crane’s been suspended pending investigation, but the board’s nervous. They’re asking questions.”“I expected them to,” Damian said quietly. “Julian was just a pawn. There’s someone else pulling strings.”Adrian hesitated. “You think it’s Marcus.”Damian’s jaw tightened. “It feels like him. I thought he was gone for good. Clearly, I underestimated his hatred.”Adrian stepped closer, lowering his tone. “If Marcus really resurfaced, he won’t stop at business sabotage. He’ll go for Elena too.”That

Flickers of emergency lights painted the mansion in streaks of red as shadows swallowed the hallways. Elena could hear the alarm’s distant pulse, echoing like a heartbeat against her ribs. Her heels clicked across the marble, too loud in the suffocating silence. Damian’s words still echoed in her mind — “He’s here.”Her instincts screamed to run faster, but her heart whispered something else: Go back.Every step away from him felt wrong, like abandoning someone she wasn’t supposed to lose.At the far end of the hallway, she spotted Adrian sprinting toward her. His usually calm face was pale, urgency written in every line.“Mrs. Cross!” he called, grabbing her arm as she reached the south exit. “He said you’d come this way. The security systems are down. Marcus must’ve cut power from the main grid.”“Damian’s still inside,” she said breathlessly. “He won’t leave.”Adrian’s expression tightened. “Then neither will we.”Before she could protest, a low rumble shook the walls. The chandeli

A single spotlight cut through the glass ceiling of the Cross Enterprises boardroom, falling directly on Elena Harper as she stood before twelve of the most powerful shareholders in the country. The air was sharp with tension, the scent of expensive perfume, ink, and fear mingling into one suffocating cloud. Cameras flashed. Reporters waited outside the door. Inside, the empire hung by a thread.She could feel every eye on her—some suspicious, others sympathetic. Her husband, Damian Cross, sat at the far end of the table, a figure carved from shadows. His face was unreadable, yet his gaze burned through her like fire and ice all at once.Elena straightened her shoulders. You can do this, she told herself. This isn’t just his company anymore—it’s ours to protect.“Mrs. Cross,” began Chairman Everett, his silver hair glinting under the lights. “Given the recent accusations, this meeting’s purpose is clear—to determine whether Cross Enterprises can still be led by your husband. As you re

Golden chandeliers shimmered above the grand ballroom like constellations trapped in crystal. The city’s elite had gathered beneath them—CEOs, politicians, and socialites draped in diamonds, their laughter sharp as glass. But beneath the glitter, tension pulsed like an undercurrent ready to burst.Elena Harper stood at the top of the marble staircase, her emerald gown flowing like liquid silk around her. Every camera turned as she descended, but her eyes searched for only one person. Damian Cross stood near the center of the room, surrounded by men in tailored suits and women who whispered his name like a warning.He looked devastating in black. Controlled. Dangerous. Cold as ever.But when his gaze found her across the room, something unguarded flickered there—brief, but real.Bella, who had accompanied her, leaned close. “If looks could burn, Elena, the ice king would be ash by now.”Elena gave a nervous smile. “Let’s hope he remembers that tonight isn’t about war—it’s about surviva