All Chapters of TRAPPED BY MR CEO TO BE HIS FIANCÉE : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

CALII woke up feeling so good and refreshed that for a moment I forgot where I was. My body felt lighter, steadier, like something heavy had finally loosened its grip on me. I didn't need a soothsayer or a doctor hovering over my head to tell me I was recovering; I could feel it in the way my chest rose without pain and how my limbs responded when I stretched. The dull ache that had settled into my bones the previous day was gone, replaced with a calm warmth that spread through me as I lay there staring at the ceiling.If I hadn't known Bryan well-if I hadn't lived under the same roof with him long enough to understand the kind of man he was-I might have said he cared about me. I might have believed that everything he did care. But I knew better. Bryan didn't care in the way people usually meant it. He just didn't want anyone dying on his watch. That wasn't it. Responsibility, not affection. Duty, not emotion.Still, I had learned enough lessons in life to know when not to make mistak

CALII rehearsed Bryan's story over and over in my head, carefully, until every detail sat firmly in my head. I needed to get it right. I had to. At least, if nothing else, I wanted to make sure he won the contract-if only to prove him wrong about me. He always acted like I was careless, like I couldn't be relied on when things truly mattered. Tomorrow was my chance to show him otherwise.That I ws better even without a contract. After that, I turned my attention to my dress. I went through them one after the other, fingers brushing fabrics, eyes weighing colors and cuts, until I finally picked the one that felt perfect. It was a silver gown with delicate gold stones lining the hem. The design was stunning-elegant but not loud, refined without trying too hard. It honestly looked like it had been made for me. When I'd tried it on earlier at the boutique, it had fitted me perfectly, hugging my body where it should and flowing softly where it needed to. Even now, just looking at it hangin

CALIOnce it was evening, Bethel came over to help me for the party. The butterflies in my stomach that had been fluttering all day soon changed into a heavier, more nervous sort of fear. I had spent hours getting ready, picking out the perfect outfit, fussing over my hair until each strand felt like it was in exactly the right place. I looked so good that when I finally caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror, I almost didn't recognize the reflection staring back at me. I was dolled up, yes, but not too much-not overly flashy, not too loud. The silver of my gown shimmered softly under the light, catching the subtle gold embroidery on the hem. My shoes, delicate and understated, made my legs look longer than usual, and even the smallest details-the earrings, the bracelet-felt like they had been chosen just for me.Bethel gave me a look that was half teasing, half approving. "Wow, Cali. You actually look... breathtaking," she said, her voice low so she wouldn't alarm Bryan

CALISomehow, I started feeling strange, the kind of strange that crawls under your skin before you can name it. Heat rushed through my body in heavy waves, making my head spin until the room no longer felt steady. Sounds stretched and faded, voices drifting in and out like echoes underwater. I knew people were around me, I knew someone was calling my name, but it felt like they were miles away. I heard Bryan's voice again and again, urgent and sharp, yet my lips refused to move. I wanted to answer him. I tried to answer him. Nothing came out.Breathing became difficult, as if the air itself had thickened. My chest rose and fell unevenly, each breath a struggle. My thoughts were no longer lining up the way they should. Everything felt wrong, unfamiliar, and frightening. Sensations I could not understand rushed through me, making my body react without my permission. I felt disconnected from myself, like I was watching someone else move in my place.Images that had no business forming

CALII tried not to think of it, but there was no way my mind would let it go. The memory clung to me like a stubborn stain, no matter how much I tried to scrub it away."How did I change?" I asked, my voice sharp and accusing, and he groaned like I was the one stressing him out."How else, missy? I changed you, simple," he said, so casually it made my blood boil.For a second, I almost ran at him and skinned him alive. The nerve. The absolute nerve of that man."You changed me?" I asked again, pointing at myself as if maybe he would suddenly realize how insane that sounded. He nodded without even flinching."Although you were resistant at first, you later gave in," he replied, all seriousness, like we were discussing a business deal or some boring transaction.I bit my lower lip hard, swallowing down the anger that threatened to explode. If I let it out, I was sure I would do something regrettable, and the last thing I needed was to give him the satisfaction of seeing me lose control