Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Substitute Bride: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

No one said anything for a long moment. Eleanor's eyes filled with tears. "We never meant to erase you, Claire. That's not what happened." "Then what did happen?" "We were scared," Eleanor said. "So scared of losing you again." "That's not an answer either." Claire's voice stayed hard. "You could have visited. You could have written back. You could have done anything except pretend I didn't exist. Why didn't you come for me?" "Claire, please," Richard said. "It's more complicated than you understand." "Then explain it to me. I'm right here. Explain it." Richard opened his mouth, then closed it again. He looked at Eleanor, and something passed between them, some old, tired agreement neither of them seemed willing to break. "There are things about what happened after the kidnapping," Richard said slowly, "that you don't know. Things we've never told you." "Then tell me now." "We can't," Eleanor said. "Not yet." Claire felt something in her chest crack wide open. "If you loved

Claire hadn't slept much. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the footage again, Sophia on the bridge, the shot, the fall. She found Adrian in the kitchen the next morning, already dressed for work. "I can't keep sitting in this house doing nothing," she said. "I need something to occupy my mind, or I'm going to fall apart." "What did you have in mind." "My old design work. I could pick up freelance projects again. Something to focus on." Adrian shook his head before she'd even finished. "That's not a good idea right now." "Why not." "Because the second you post anything publicly under your own name, or under Sophia's, reporters will be all over it. Our stock already dipped this week over the wedding coverage. Anything that draws more attention could make it worse." "This marriage isn't even real, Adrian. I don't see why my job should have to answer to your board." "I know it's not real," he said, "but the world doesn't know that. To everyone outside this house, y

Adrian walked into the boardroom expecting a routine update on quarterly numbers. Instead, he found Nigel Ashworth already seated, a folder squared neatly in front of him, waiting. Nigel had sat on the Knight Holdings board for over a decade, and he was also, as it happened, Victoria's father, a fact that made whatever he was about to say considerably more personal than it would first appear. "Adrian. Good, you're here." Nigel's tone was even, professional, the kind of calm that usually meant trouble. "I'd like to raise something before we move on to the agenda." "Go ahead." "Victoria's reassignment. I think the board deserves a proper explanation." Adrian's jaw tightened. "Victoria was reassigned to a role better suited to her skills. That's a staffing decision, Nigel, not a board matter." "Normally I'd agree." Nigel opened the folder without looking down at it, like he already knew every word inside. "But given everything else surrounding your personal life this month, the wedd

The boardroom was already full by the time Adrian arrived, every seat occupied, the air tight with the kind of silence that meant people had been talking before he walked in. "Thank you for joining us," Nigel said, folder open in front of him again. "We won't waste time. This meeting concerns your continued leadership of this company." Adrian took his seat at the head of the table, keeping his face carefully blank. "Then let's not waste time. Say what you called me here to say." "Over the past month, this board has watched a series of decisions unfold that raise real concerns. A sudden marriage under circumstances still not fully explained. Police activity connected to this company and its investors. And now a personal staffing decision that has directly affected company operations." Nigel folded his hands. "I'd like to formally raise the question of whether you remain fit to serve as CEO." A murmur moved around the table. Adrian kept his eyes steady on Nigel. "That's a serious a

"Why," Claire had said. "Was I supposed to?" Adrian looked at her. "You saw us. At the restaurant." "I told you already, I don't know what you're talking about." "Claire." "I'm not jealous, if that's what you're getting at." "I didn't say jealous." "You were thinking it." Adrian crossed the small distance between his office door and her desk, close enough now that she couldn't easily look away from him. "Victoria asked me to divorce you," he said. "She wanted to marry me instead." Claire's mouth fell open. "She asked you what." "I said no. Right away." Adrian held her eyes. "I'm not interested in her offer, Claire. I never was." "You don't owe me an explanation," Claire said, looking away. "I think I do." Adrian didn't look away. "You've been treating me like a stranger since lunch. I want to know why." "Nothing happened." "Then why did you change the second you walked into that restaurant." Claire crossed her arms and said nothing. "Were you jealous?" A