Semua Bab The contract Bride of The Ruthless CEO : Bab 11 - Bab 20

Adrian strode into his office with his grandfather and Ethan close behind him. Without a word, he shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the couch before loosening his tie. His movements were hurried, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. Not on the meeting. Not on Aria. On Chloe. The name echoed in his head like a song he couldn't stop hearing. "Chloe... Chloe Bennett," he murmured under his breath. His grandfather watched him carefully before breaking the silence. "Adrian." He looked up. "Are you really going to marry Aria?" The question was firm, carrying the weight of genuine concern. Adrian barely heard it. His thoughts were still occupied by the mysterious woman he had just met in the elevator. Instead of answering, he walked to his desk, switched on his computer, and logged into NovaCare's employee database. Ethan exchanged a confused glance with the chairman. "What are you doing, sir?" Adrian ignored him. His fingers flew across the keyboard until a

Chloe stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the wrinkles on her blouse for the third time. She wasn't nervous because she liked Adrian. She was nervous because this meeting had to end everything. Today, she would make him give up on the arranged marriage. After taking a deep breath, she grabbed her handbag, hailed a cab, and headed to the café Adrian had chosen. She arrived nearly fifteen minutes early. The café was warm and quiet, filled with the smell of coffee and soft music. Chloe sat near the window, her eyes constantly drifting toward the entrance. She checked the time on her phone again and sighed. "Why is he taking so long?" she muttered, tapping her foot against the floor. Just then, Adrian walked through the entrance. His phone was pressed against his ear as he tried calling Aria one more time. The call went unanswered. He frowned slightly before slipping the phone back into his pocket. The moment he saw Chloe, his expression softened. "You came." Chloe folded he

Morning sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Blake mansion, bathing the dining room in a warm golden glow. Adrian sat quietly at the long dining table, dressed in a crisp white shirt, calmly finishing his breakfast. A moment later, William Blake walked in with his usual commanding presence. “Good morning, Adrian.” “Good morning, Grandpa.” The old man took his seat and unfolded his napkin as though something important had been on his mind all morning. “About the wedding,” William began casually, lifting his teacup. “I think we should hold it at the Blake Grand Hotel. It’s the perfect venue.” Adrian nearly choked on his coffee. “The... wedding?” William frowned. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already.” Adrian stared at him in silence. He hadn’t told his grandfather how disastrously the last blind date had ended. “I was planning to discuss the arrangements with Chairman Victor Stone—Aria’s father,” William continued. “Unfortunately, he’s away on a busine

Adrian dressed with unusual care that evening. He told himself it was simply respect for the occasion — a date deserved effort — but the truth was closer to nerves. This time, at least, he would be meeting the real Aria. Not Chloe. Aria arrived at the restaurant with minutes to spare, only to discover that every space along the curb was taken. She circled the block twice before easing into a narrow gap between two cars, and it was only as she cut the engine that she felt the soft, unmistakable jolt of metal meeting metal. "Oh, for heaven's sake." She stepped out to inspect the damage, already composing her opening line to whoever owned the car behind her — and then stopped short. The man climbing out of the other vehicle was familiar: broad-shouldered, sharply dressed, faintly apologetic even before he'd said a word. It took her only a second to place him. "Wait — aren't you the man from the convenience store?" she asked, delighted despite herself. "You remembered me?" Ethan aske

Chloe and Aria arrived at the restaurant and were shown to their seats. Chloe still didn't know why she'd been dragged along, but she'd learned not to ask. She pulled out her phone. "Hey, look this way." They leaned in and struck a pose for the camera. "Are you sure that salon is really the one all the celebrities use?" Chloe asked, studying the photo. "Look how heavy this makeup is." Aria winced. "That's because I asked them to do it that way." She didn't mention that she'd planned all along to bring Chloe to Adrian without telling her. "What's that supposed to mean?" Chloe asked warily. Aria's phone buzzed. She snatched it up before the sound had even finished. "Chloe. Listen to me carefully. President Adrian is on his way here." "What? Who's coming?" Chloe's voice cracked. "I didn't have a choice. He found out we were friends and insisted on meeting you," Aria said. "Then you should have pretended you didn't know me!" "He said he'd find out on his own eventual