Alle Kapitel von Owned by the Man I Rejected : Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

Paris, FranceAt thirteen years old, Adrian Wolfe already knew what it meant to carry a name that belonged to generations before him.The Wolfe family was respected across world. Their influence reached across industries, governments, and financial institutions. People spoke the name with admiration, envy, and sometimes fear.Inside the Wolfe household, however, the name felt less like a privilege and more like a duty.Every action mattered.Every decision reflected the family.Every mistake carried consequences.Richard Wolfe never needed to raise his voice to make his expectations clear.His presence alone was enough.“Discipline creates freedom,” he often told Adrian.He had said the words so many times that Adrian could recite them in his sleep.At school, he was expected to excel.At home, he was expected to behave.At family events, he was expected to represent the Wolfe legacy with dignity.For as long as Adrian could remember, there had always been expectations.There was neve

New York CityThe smell of burnt toast filled the small apartment.“Mom!”Elena Hart rushed into the kitchen almost slipping on the tiled floor.“Oh no…”She grabbed the smoking pan from the stove.Her mother sat at the dining table looking guilty.“I only looked away for a second.”Elena laughed.“You say that every time.”“It was a very important second.”“Of course it was.”Shaking her head, Elena carried the ruined toast to the sink.The tiny apartment wasn’t much.Two bedrooms.A small living room.A kitchen that barely fit two people at once.Old furniture.Peeling paint near one corner of the ceiling.Nothing luxurious.Nothing impressive.But it was home.And after everything their family had experienced, Elena had learned to appreciate what they had instead of mourning what they didn’t.“Is breakfast dead?” a voice called.Elena looked up just as her younger brother, Liam, walked in from his room.His hair was messy.One shoelace was untied.And he looked like he’d rolled out

Elena stared at the email three times before finally believing it.Congratulations.We are pleased to offer you a position at Wolfe Global.The words remained exactly the same every time she read them.And yet they still felt unreal.For a moment, she just sat at the small dining table in silence.Then she screamed.Not too loud.Just enough to startle her mother.“What happened?” her mother shouted from the living room.Elena jumped to her feet.“We did it!” she said, barely containing her excitement.A second later she was running toward her.Her mother looked alarmed until Elena shoved the phone into her hands.The older woman adjusted her glasses.Read the email.Then read it again.Tears immediately filled her eyes.“Oh, Elena…”The pride in her voice nearly broke Elena.They hugged tightly.For a few seconds, neither spoke.They simply stood there.Holding onto the moment.After years of sacrifice.Years of worrying.Years of wondering if all the hard work would ever be enough.

By Friday morning, Elena had reached a conclusion.Working for Adrian Wolfe was not normal.The man had impossible standards.Impossible expectations.And somehow, impossibly high confidence in her ability to meet them.She wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or concerned.Mostly concerned.Elena stepped out of the elevator balancing a coffee cup, her handbag, and a folder she’d reviewed twice on the subway.The moment she reached her desk, Maya looked up.“You look exhausted.”“I had a dream about spreadsheets.”Maya winced.“That’s serious.”“I know.”“Should I be worried?”“Probably.”Both women laughed.For the first time since joining Wolfe Global, Elena felt herself settling into a routine.The building no longer felt intimidating.The employees no longer felt like strangers.Even the executive floor felt less terrifying.Well…Except for Adrian.That part hadn’t changed.At exactly nine o’clock, her phone rang.She stared at the caller ID.Adrian Wolfe.Of course.“Good morning

If there was one thing Elena had learned since joining Wolfe Global, it was this:Adrian Wolfe commanded attention.Ethan Cole attracted it.The difference was subtle but obvious once she noticed it.People respected Adrian.People liked Ethan.And somehow, despite being cousins, the two men couldn’t have been more different.The realization struck Elena again on Tuesday morning.She had barely settled into her desk when a small box appeared in front of her.She frowned.“What is this?”Maya immediately leaned forward.“Oh my God.”“What?”“Oh my God.”Elena looked inside the box.A blueberry muffin.A coffee.And a handwritten note.You looked like you were losing a battle with spreadsheets yesterday. Consider this a peace offering.— EthanElena laughed.Maya gasped dramatically.“He brought you breakfast.”“It’s a muffin.”“It’s not a muffin.”“It literally is.”“It’s attention.”Elena rolled her eyes.“You’re impossible.”Maya pointed at the note.“He likes you.”“He doesn’t.”“He