All Chapters of Contract with the Cold CEO: Terms of Possession: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Maddox Sterling traces his long fingers over Maribel Westbrook’s waist, pulling her flush against his chest as the soft glow of dawn cuts through the heavy blinds of the Sterling Estate. He presses his face into the curve of her neck, his breath warm and steady against her skin. The private executive suite remains dead silent, isolated from the corporate politics churning five floors below. Nobody dared to disturb them throughout the night, but Maribel knows this high-end sanctuary is just a temporary fortress. Leaving the Sterling Group's main stronghold means stepping right back into a war zone, yet staying under Maddox’s shadow makes her a target for the board. If Keaton Waverly decides to enforce his contractual claims on her family’s assets, she will have no safe haven left in the entire corporate district.Maddox tightens his arm around her ribs, letting out a dark, satisfied exhale."I could stay right here with you forever," Maddox murmurs against her collarbone, his voice low

Everyone in the room was dressed in bespoke tailored suits, except for Maribel, who wore the simple black shirt that marked her status as a lower-tier intern. The surrounding heirs stared at her with open disdain, making her feel incredibly small. Maddox reached out, taking her hand and giving it a warm, firm squeeze."Sit down," he urged gently.Maribel slowly lowered herself onto the chair. Someone across the room gasped loudly before trying to cover it up with a fake cough. Maddox placed his hand on her thigh, running his thumb in small, comforting circles. She could feel Keaton's intense gaze burning into her side, but she refused to look in his direction.A massive silver plate was set in front of her, filled with poached eggs, smoked sausage, grilled tomatoes, and toasted brioche."I can't possibly eat all of this," Maribel murmured."You've been skipping meals because of the stress," Maddox countered firmly. "If you want us to step out and talk strategy, you're going to eat at

Maddox Sterling sits completely silent on the edge of the deep whirlpool bath in his private executive suite, his large hands carefully tracing the small of Maribel Westbrook’s back as she rests against his bare chest. Water splashes gently against the polished porcelain, but his dark gaze remains fixed on the marble floor across the room. His mind is clearly spinning at a relentless pace. His muscular frame feels impossibly tense, yet Maribel cannot begin to decipher the exact threat weighing on him. Is he obsessing over the unknown assailant who attacked the junior associate near the estate wall? Is he calculating the devastating corporate consequences of her upcoming hearing before the board? Or is he hiding a far more dangerous secret behind those quiet, guarded eyes?Later, they end up tangled together under the high-thread-count sheets of his massive king-sized bed. Maddox pulls her flush against his side, his strong arms wrapping around her waist with a desperate, suffocating in

Eva hands Maribel Westbrook a fresh, sealed pack of daily corporate contraceptive pills, her eyes filled with genuine concern as they stand near the quiet administrative corridor of the Sterling Business Academy. Maribel accepts the foil strip with a quiet, breathless nod, slipping it safely inside the inner pocket of her tailored jacket."Why did you handle the health center check entirely on your own?" Eva asks softly, her tone laced with uncharacteristic warmth for a high-society heiress. "If you don't mind me asking, Belle.""I really didn't want to drag anyone else into my mess," Maribel admits, her fingers clutching the edge of her jacket. "Ever since Maddox Sterling publicly declared me his chosen corporate partner at the gala, every executive associate in this district has been staring at me like I'm a complete target."Eva pouts slightly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry you're going through that. You should definitely reach out to me next time."Maribel blinks, surprised by the

"I don't understand," Maribel says, her voice trembling slightly as she steps back onto the smooth bedroom floorboards."Neither do I," Maddox replies, his dark eyes fixed on her face."Then why did you say that to me, Maddox?""Because the chemical markers recovered from both perimeter attack scenes match your family's blacklisted fragrance formula," Maddox states firmly, his tone laced with raw, possessive tension. "The security sensors reek of your exact profile."A deep flush of heat rushes to Maribel’s face. She steps away from him, stopping safely near the edge of the plush king-sized bed. She runs her trembling fingers through her thick red hair. Maddox has always loathed synthetic floral scents on the corporate heiresses of the district, but her natural fragrance is an addictive anchor he can never tear himself away from."I wasn't near the perimeter fence last night," Maribel insists, her chest heaving under her simple intern blouse. "I swear to you, Maddox.""This looks terr