All Chapters of Claimed by the Ruthless CEO: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter OneI used to believe that hard work could fix anything.That belief began to break on the morning I stood beside my father's coffin.Rain fell without stopping. The cold wind pushed against my black dress as people offered quiet words that I barely heard. I smiled when I had to. I thanked everyone who came. But inside, I felt empty.My father had always been my safe place. He built Vale Industries with nothing except determination and honesty. He often told me, “Money comes and goes, Neria. Your name is what stays.”Now he was gone.When the last guest left, I remained alone beside his grave.“I'll protect everything you built,” I whispered. “I promise.”I believed those words.I had no idea how impossible that promise would become....The next morning, I walked into my father's office for the first time without him waiting behind the desk.Everything looked the same. His coffee cup was still there. His reading glasses rested on a stack of papers.Our lawyer, Mr. Harris, stood near the

I couldn't sleep. The pen rested on my table like it was waiting for me... I kept staring at my father's photograph, asking myself what he would do. Pride wouldn't save Vale Industries. My employees needed salaries, not promises. Before sunrise I made my decision.I returned to Ashford Group with the signed contract tucked inside my bag. My hands were cold, but my steps were steady. This wasn't love. It was survival.Caelan was already waiting when I entered his office. He looked at me for a long moment before his eyes dropped to the contract in my hands. 'You've decided,' he said.'I have.' My voice barely shook. 'I'll marry you.'He didn't smile. He simply nodded, as though he had expected that answer all along. Somehow that annoyed me. 'You're not even surprised?' I asked.'I was hoping you would choose your company,' he replied calmly. 'You did.'I placed the signed contract on his desk. 'Don't make me regret this.''I'll keep every promise in that agreement, Mrs... Miss Vale.' He correc

Chapter Five:Neria’s POVI had imagined what a billionaire’s home would look like, but nothing prepared me for Ashford Mansion.The gates slowly opened, and the car drove through a long driveway lined with perfectly trimmed hedges and fountains. The mansion stood proudly in the distance, surrounded by beautiful gardens. It looked less like a house and more like a palace.I suddenly felt underdressed.“This is your home?” I asked quietly.Caelan looked out of the window.“Yes.”That was all he said.The car stopped in front of the entrance. Before I could reach for the door, one of the security guards opened it for me.I stepped out, looking around carefully.Several housekeepers stood in two neat lines. A middle-aged man in a black suit walked forward with a warm smile.“Welcome home, Mr. Ashford.”His eyes moved to me.“And welcome home, Mrs. Ashford.”The title made me uncomfortable.“I’m not really—”“You are,” Caelan interrupted calmly. “From today onward.”The butler gave a poli

I stared at the paper in Caelan's hand. The five words burned into my mind: Leave before it's too late. The room was cold, but sweat lined my forehead. The security team was running down the wide corridors of Ashford Mansion, checking every closet, every window, and every door. But I already knew they would find nothing. Whoever put that note on my bed walked in like they belonged here.Caelan looked at the note for a long time. His fingers pressed tightly against the edges of the paper until his knuckles turned white. His face did not show fear. It showed a cold, sharp anger that made him look completely unapproachable.'Pack your clothes,' he said softly. His voice was dangerously quiet.I blinked. 'What? I'm not running away.''You are moving into my suite,' he said, turning his gray eyes toward me. 'I am not asking for your permission, Neria. This floor is compromised. My master suite has independent security locks and isolated security feeds. You stay with me where I can see

We left the gala immediately. There was no time to change clothes. I sat in the back of the SUV in my emerald gown while Caelan barked orders over his phone to emergency services and private security. My hands were shaking so hard I had to press them against my knees.The warehouse on the eastern docks was Vale Industries' primary distribution hub. If that building burned, our reopening on Monday would be impossible. Worse, three of my father's oldest employees—men who had worked for our family for twenty years—were scheduled to do night inventory there.When our vehicle pulled up near the docks, the night sky was painted a terrifying bright orange. Plumes of thick black smoke rolled into the air. Fire engines were already on the scene, sirens blaring as firefighters sprayed massive streams of water against the blazing structure.I opened the car door and stepped out before Caelan could stop me. The heat hit my face like an oven.'Neria, stay back!' Caelan yelled, jumping out righ