All Chapters of The CEO’s Contract Bride: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

LUCIA’S POVThe emergency board meeting notice arrived at nine in the morning. I was in the ISMARA building reviewing final lighting adjustments when my phone buzzed with the alert.Emergency Board Meeting - Moretti Luxe GroupTime: 2:00 PM TodayPurpose: Discussion of Executive Authority and Operational OversightI stared at the screen. Samuel. It had to be Samuel.I forwarded the notice to Isabella immediately with a text: He's making another move. I'll handle the prep.She responded quickly: What do you need from me?Nothing. Stay focused on the launch. I've got this.I spent the next four hours in my office pulling files. Every decision Samuel had made in the past three years. Every initiative he'd championed. Every budget he'd overseen.I compiled it into a presentation. Clean. Professional. Devastating.By one-thirty, I was in the boardroom.The chairman called the meeting to order at exactly two."Thank you all for coming on short notice," he said. "Samuel has raised concerns a

LUCIA’S POVThe offshore account transfers were completed at two in the morning.I sat in my home office watching the confirmations populate across three different screens. Shell companies in Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands, and Delaware.Perfectly legal.Questionably ethical.Absolutely necessary.I'd crossed lines before, but this felt different.This was about protecting someone who'd become more than a client. Someone who'd become a friend.That made it both easier and harder. Easier to justify. Harder to stomach if it went wrong.Each one holding Moretti Luxe shares purchased through private sales and secondary markets.Isabella sat across from me, reviewing the updated ownership breakdown."How close are we?" she asked."Closer. You now control thirty-eight percent through various entities. Ethan controls twenty-two percent. Samuel has twelve percent. The rest is distributed among smaller shareholders."Isabella's fingers paused on the keyboard when I mentioned Ethan's shares. Ju

ETHAN’S POV I heard about the board meeting before I even reached the office.Caleb was already waiting when I walked into my office. He stood near the window with his phone in his hand, scrolling through something.“You missed quite a show,” he said.I set my briefcase on the desk. “What show?”“The emergency board meeting this afternoon.”I paused.“What about it?”Caleb looked up. His expression carried a mix of surprise and something close to admiration.“Your wife just tore Samuel apart in front of the entire board.”I leaned back in my chair slowly. “Explain.”Caleb walked across the room and dropped into the chair opposite my desk.“Samuel contacted several of Isabella’s suppliers. Claimed there were irregularities in their contracts. Tried to scare them into backing out of the ISMARA launch.”I felt irritation settle in my chest.“That sounds like Samuel.”“It was worse than that,” Caleb continued. “He bypassed legal. Went directly to the suppliers. Threatened litigation.”“A

ETHAN’S POVThe front doors opened again.A tall man stepped inside wearing a gray suit. Silver hair. Late fifties perhaps. Calm presence. His eyes scanned the almost empty hall until they fell on Isabella then his face broke into a warm smile.Laurent Beaumont.I recognized him from the photos my investigator had sent weeks ago. He walked towards Isabella. Isabella’s face transformed when she saw him. It was the first genuine warmth I had seen from her all evening.“Laurent.”She walked toward him quickly.“Isabella.”They embraced.It was brief but genuine.When they stepped apart the man held her shoulders and looked at her carefully.“You look exactly like your mother.”Isabella smiled softly.Lucia approached them.“Monsieur Beaumont, Welcome.”“I'm sorry I'm late.” “We are honored you could come.” Lucia answered Laurent nodded politely.His attention returned to Isabella. He looked at her with obvious affection “You have built something remarkable here.”“Thank you. That m

ISABELLA’S POVI walked up the stairs to my office, ensuring my back was turned to Ethan. I didn't want him to see my face.The door closed behind me, and I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding.I slumped into my chair.My heels came off immediately. I placed them beside the chair and leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment.The launch had gone exactly as planned. Every detail had worked. The collection had been received with enthusiasm. Investors had stayed longer than expected. The press had asked thoughtful questions.It should have felt like a victory.Instead, there was a strange emptiness settling inside me.Ethan had almost found out about Brahms.A knock sounded on the door.“Come in.”Lucia stepped inside holding her phone and a tablet. Her eyes moved over the room quickly before resting on me.“There you are. I wondered where you disappeared to.”“I needed a minute.”Lucia walked further into the office and placed the tablet on my desk.“Well, you picked