Alle Kapitel von The Reclusive CEO’s Substitute Bride: Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 50

Elena’s POVThe heavy wood of the study doors clicks shut behind me, and I instantly sprint down the East Wing hallway. The moment I cross the black marble line back into the West Wing, my legs lose all their strength. I slump against the cold stone wall, clutching the fabric of my yellow dress tightly over my racing heart.My breath comes in short, ragged gasps. A private tutor.I forced that lie out of my mouth to survive his desk interrogation, but my stomach knots up with a fresh wave of pure terror. Alexander is a hyper-observant billionaire with an elite global security team. He explicitly told me he will verify my tutor story by tomorrow morning. If his investigators contact the Swiss academy or check my father's bank trails, they will find zero records of a private contract. The whole fraud will blow up right in my face."I need to fix this," I whisper into the empty corridor, my voice shaking.I rush down the hallway, push open my bedroom door, and lock it secure behind me. I

Elena’s POVThe crackle of the dying fire is the only sound left in the massive study. Alexander’s dark eyes remain fixed on my face through the lenses of his mask, waiting for me to say something. The intense heat from the fireplace hits my cheeks, but my blood feels completely frozen inside my veins.The heavy weight of his trauma pulls at my chest like an anchor."I... I am so sorry that happened to you, Alexander," I whisper, my real, soft voice shaking so much that I cannot even try to mimic Alyssa’s screechy pitch. I stand up from the velvet sofa, my limbs feeling incredibly heavy under my grey dress. "The night is getting late, and your tea is getting cold. I should go back to my wing."Alexander does not move to stop me. He simply leans his head back against his leather chair, his square jaw remaining tight as his dark eyes follow my movement into the shadows of the office."Go get some rest, Alyssa," he murmurs, his low, rough baritone dropping to a quiet, exhausted murmur. "

Elena’s POVThe three black limousines pull up to the private basement entrance of the Sterling Global Tower, a massive structure of dark glass and steel that shoots straight into the London sky. A team of armed security guards steps forward, their heavy boots echoing against the concrete floors as they open our car doors.Alexander steps out first, his towering frame casting a long shadow under the bright fluorescent ceiling lamps. I slide out right behind him, the bright blue silk of my dress rustling softly against the concrete floor. I keep my chin high, forcing my emerald-green eyes to look cold, distant, and completely bored as I mimic Alyssa’s snobbish grace.We ride the private executive elevator in total silence, the digital screen tracking our ascent past fifty floors. When the silver doors finally slide open, we step directly into a massive, gold-trimmed boardroom surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows.Sitting around a twenty-foot marble conference table are twelve o

Elena’s POVThe private executive elevator drops us back down to the dark basement garage in total silence. I keep my back straight, my fingers tightly interlaced inside Alyssa's white lace gloves as the bright blue silk of my dress brushes against my legs. My face feels hot, and my heart is still beating fast from screaming at Marcus.The heavy bulletproof door clicks open, and I slide onto the leather seat of the dark limousine. Alexander moves right behind me, his massive frame sliding into the carriage and filling the small space with his familiar aroma of cedarwood and rich tobacco.The door slams shut, locking us inside a silent, heavy cage as the engine roars to life. The car rolls out into the cold, rainy London streets.Alexander does not look out the tinted window this time. He turns his large body toward me, leaning his shoulder against the leather seat as he studies my face. His custom matte-black shield mask hides his eyes completely, but the rigid line of his jaw is rela

Elena’s POVThe heavy white silk sheets of my bed feel cold against my skin as the clock on my bedside table clicks past midnight. I lie awake in the dark, staring up at the high stone ceiling of my West Wing suite. The silence of the fortress presses down on me, broken only by the faint tick of the clock and the distant hum of the estate’s generators. Outside, a soft London mist dampens the courtyard stones, burying the estate in a quiet, heavy calm that feels almost suffocating.My mind remains completely fixed on Alexander’s parting words in the hallway.You wore the Sterling name like a crown. You care about my life, girl.The echo of his voice refuses to fade. Each syllable feels carved into my chest, heavy and unshakable. A deep, painful ache twists inside my stomach, making it impossible to breathe evenly. I reach beneath my pillow and pull out my personal phone, my thumb trembling as I tap the screen to check the digital wallet balance for BrightPath Blooms.The screen lights