Alle Kapitel von The CEO's Toxic Placeholder : Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 50

I barely slept that night. In the guest room at my own estate. My real bedroom still a crime scene down the hall. Every sound made me jump. Every creak of the old house. Even though I knew security was patrolling outside. Knew Jasper was in the room next door. I couldn't stop seeing my destroyed room. The message on the mirror. He'll never be yours The next morning, Jasper knocked softly at seven. "Ready?" he asked when I opened the door. I'd already packed. One suitcase. Everything I'd need for an extended stay. "As ready as I'll ever be." We went downstairs. Stevens was waiting in the entrance hall. "Take care, Miss Eleanor," he said as he loaded my bag into the car. "I'll look after everything here until your father returns." "Thank you, Stevens. Please tell him I'm safe when he gets back from Edinburgh." "Of course, miss." I looked back at the estate as we pulled away. My family home. Where I'd grown up. Where my mother had lived and died. Now I was leaving because

Clarissa. It was Clarissa. In the house. In the hallway. Right in front of me. "How—" I started. "Did I get in?" Her voice was pleasant. Conversational. "You'd be surprised what money and determination can accomplish." I pressed harder against the metal barrier behind me. "The security—" "Is very good. Very thorough. Very expensive." She laughed softly. "But everyone has a price. Even loyal security guards." My blood ran cold. "You bribed them." "One of them. That's all it takes. One person on the inside." I could hear the smile in her voice. "He cut the power. Disabled the backup generators. Triggered the lockdown protocols." "They'll catch you. There are cameras—" "All offline. No power, remember?" She moved closer. "And once the lockdown activated, everyone's trapped in their own little boxes. Unable to help each other. Unable to help you." I slid sideways along the barrier. Trying to put distance between us. "Jasper will come—" "Jasper is locked in the west wing. Beh

I held the knife. The weight of it solid in my grip. Real. Heavy. Clarissa was still struggling against the wall. Jasper restraining her. Barely. She was screaming. Incoherent. Wild. I could see the back of her head. Her exposed neck. Her vulnerable body. One strike. That's all it would take. End the threat. Permanently. My hand tightened on the handle. I'd taken self-defense classes in New York. Learned the basics. Including where to strike to disable. To kill. The knowledge was there. Available. Ready. And Clarissa was right there. The woman who'd stalked me. Destroyed my room. Attacked me in the dark. Who'd just tried to kill Jasper. Who'd sworn she'd never stop. I could end it. Right now. No more threats. No more fear. No more looking over my shoulder. Just one strike. My feet moved forward. Three steps. Two. Clarissa turned her head. Saw me approaching. Saw what I was holding. Her eyes widened. Then narrowed. "Do it," she hissed. "I dare you." I stopped. St

I couldn't sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Clarissa in the dark. Felt her hands around my throat. Heard her voice whispering threats. I lay in bed. Staring at the ceiling. Jasper's suite. He'd insisted I stay with him. He was beside me. Also awake. "Eleanor?" His voice was quiet. "I'm awake." He turned toward me. Pulled me closer. His arms felt safe. Solid. But the fear remained. We lay together in silence until dawn came. Pale light filtered through the curtains. I got up. Went to the bathroom. Showered. The water ran hot but I barely felt it. My mind kept replaying the attack. The darkness. The struggle. The knife. I got dressed without thinking. When I came out, Jasper was sitting up. Watching me with concern. "How are you?" he asked. "I don't know." We went downstairs. Victoria had breakfast ready. Everything laid out perfectly. Pancakes. Bacon. Fresh berries. Coffee. I sat down. Stared at the plate. My stomach felt tight. Jasper sat

"She's in Paris." Henry's words stayed with me. We left the facility. Got in the car. Jasper was quiet during the drive back. Thinking. Planning. We reached the hotel by evening. "We need to go to Paris," I said. "I know." "Tomorrow. As soon as possible." He nodded. "I'll arrange a private jet. We leave first thing in the morning." "A private jet?" "Commercial flights are too exposed. Too many people." His voice was firm. "We need to move carefully." "Alright." He made calls. Spoke to someone about security. About arrangements. I sat on the bed. Processing everything. Vivienne was in Paris. Planning something. Henry had given us the address. The location from the key he'd found years ago. A place Vivienne had kept secret. Hidden. If she was anywhere, she'd be there. That night, I barely slept. Every sound made me tense. Every shadow seemed threatening. I kept thinking about what we'd find. What Vivienne had planned. Jasper stayed in the room. On the couch. Watch