All Chapters of The CEO’s Contract Bride: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

ISABELLA’S POVThe ride home was quiet. The heavy kind that pressed against my chest and made every movement feel louder than it should have.Ethan sat beside me in the back of the SUV, his posture composed, one arm resting against the door, the other holding his phone. His attention was fixed on the screen, his expression unreadable.I noticed he had angled his body slightly toward the door, creating space without saying a word. I stared straight ahead, my hands clasped together on my lap, replaying the evening in my head, every conversation, every glance.The exhibition, the cameras…the kissThen my phone vibrated. Lucia.Before I could open the message, Ethan’s phone buzzed too.Once. Twice. Then again.I unlocked my screen.The first image that appeared made my stomach drop.Ethan and me.Standing inside the gallery, his hand at my waist, my face tilted toward his with my hands on his jaw as we kissed. It had only lasted seconds but the pictures looked otherwiseMy chest tight

ISABELLA’S POVI woke before my alarm, the room still felt unfamiliar.I lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, replaying Lucia’s voice from the night before.I got out of bed and dressed carefully, choosing neutral colors, nothing that could be read as indulgent or defensive.I wanted to look competent, not polished for cameras.Downstairs, the dining room was empty.Ethan’s chair sat untouched. No tablet. No coffee. No sign he had been there at all.For a brief moment, irritation flared. Then I pushed it aside. He was avoiding me. Either because Sophia had been humiliated or because he did not know how to face me after last night. It did not matter. Not today.I ate quickly, barely tasting the food, then reviewed my notes one last time before leaving.The boardroom was already half full when I arrived.Low conversations cut off as I entered. A few nods followed. Some were polite. Some weren't . Samuel sat near the center, hands folded neatly on the table.Ethan was already

ISABELLA’S POVMy phone buzzed on the table.Once.Twice.Then again.Lucia glanced at it.“Do not answer it.”I picked it up anyway.An email notification sat at the top of the screen.Emergency Board Session Scheduled. Attendance Mandatory.Beneath it was another message from an unknown number.“You wanted to earn respect. Let’s see how you handle this.”I read it again, slower this time.Whoever sent it knew about the projections before they surfaced publicly. They knew how the board would react.I stared at the screen for a moment longer than necessary, then locked it and set the phone down.Someone wanted to see whether I would break under pressure.Someone had decided to test me by making me look like the villain in my own fight.I looked at Lucia. “Someone is trying to break me.”“Then do not give them the satisfaction.”I pressed my fingers into the table, grounding myself.“The projections were approved under restricted access. They were not final. Without context, they look

ETHAN'S POV The office was quiet in a way that felt intentional.I sat alone at my desk, jacket draped over the chair, sleeves rolled to my forearms. The building’s lights were dimmed to night mode, but my floor remained lit. I had asked for it that way. Silence helped me think. Or at least it used to.I scrolled through Dexter’s holdings reports again, but my mind wouldn’t stop wandering.Moretti Luxe Group.I changed the screen on my tablet and began scrolling through reports from the Moretti company. I went through the access logs. Time stamps. Internal flags raised and resolved.I noticed something.Samuel’s notes were threaded through the documents, neat and precise, almost too precise. Certain concerns were highlighted. Others were barely acknowledged.Samuel had pushed for urgency. Hard. Immediately.That was what bothered me.I leaned back slightly and reread one line, then another. Samuel had flagged instability within hours of the projections leaking. Not after review. Not

ISABELLA’S POV I returned home feeling lighter than I had felt in days. A small smile was plastered on my face.The board meeting had gone better than expected. I was still under scrutiny, but I was no longer isolated. Today, I had not been dismissed. That mattered. And more importantly, I had been heard.I went straight upstairs without stopping, leaving my bag on the console table. I changed into a soft blouse and trousers, washed my hands, and tied my hair back. Lunch would be quiet. I needed the pause before the afternoon calls began.When I came downstairs, I heard voices.One of them was not supposed to be there.Sophia sat at the dining table, legs crossed, a teacup cradled between her hands. She wore cream and gold, understated but deliberate. She looked entirely at ease, as if she belonged.Ethan sat across from her. His posture was looser than usual. He looked pale.He glanced up when he saw me, but said nothing.Sophia smiled when she saw me.“Isabella. I hope you don’t mi