Todos os capítulos de The CEO’s Forgotten Bride: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 7

The penthouse was quiet in the late hours of the night, broken only by the baby monitors on the side table.Ivy Callahan rested her head against the frame of the nursery door, her eyes strained with the kind of exhaustion that sleep could no longer cure.For two long years, she had balanced her life on a razor edge. She had raised her twin children, Leo and Lily, while managing the crumbling remnants of Ross Enterprises after the tragic loss of her husband in an accident overseas. Every single day was a fight against predatory board members and attorneys who kept insisting that she sign the papers, declare her husband legally dead, and accept a modest cash settlement. Ivy had refused every single offer. She had kept the faith because she loved Nathaniel Ross with every breath in her body. She had promised him on their wedding day that she would stand by him through everything, and she had kept that vow even when the rest of the world moved on.A chime rang through the expansive foy

By six o'clock in the morning, the light rising over the city was pale and gray. Ivy stood in the center of the vast living room beside two medium suitcases and a double stroller where Leo and Lily were sleeping peacefully under soft grey blankets.She wore a black pantsuit, her long dark hair swept up into a tight, flawless bun. Her face was calm, her skin pale, and her eyes completely clear of tears.Nathaniel stepped out of the master suite, wearing a fresh white shirt and dark trousers. He stopped when he saw her standing by the door, surprised by her composed posture."I expected you to cause a scene with the staff," Nathaniel said, stepping into the living room. "Most people looking for a payout do not leave quietly."Ivy reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a white envelope, placing it on the side table. "That is my formal resignation from Ross Enterprises. As of this moment, I no longer hold any position within your company."Nathaniel walked over and picked up the en

Six months later.The grand ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel in New York was lit by dozens of massive crystal chandeliers, shedding a warm, golden glow over the gathered crowd of international investors, political figures, and media executives.Camera flashes went off in continuous bursts near the entrance, capturing the arrival of the elite class.Nathaniel Ross stood on the secondary VIP balcony, holding a glass of water. He looked completely different from the man who had walked into his penthouse seven months ago. He was noticeably thinner, his cheekbones sharp, his dark eyes hollowed by months of sleepless nights and relentless grief. He wore his black wedding ring on a chain beneath his dress shirt, pressed directly against his skin over his heart.For six agonizing months, Nathaniel had hired every top private investigation agency in the country. He had tracked flight records, bank transfers, and international real estate purchases, searching for his wife, but Ivy had erased her

The next morning Nathaniel stood in the empty penthouse that had once been their home. The nursery still smelled faintly of the lotion Ivy used on the twins. He had ordered the staff not to change anything. The silver frame that had shattered the night he returned still sat in a drawer, the broken glass carefully removed, the photo of their honeymoon intact. He opened the drawer and stared at the image for a long time.Julian entered with a folder. "I have the preliminary report on Astraea Global. Ivy built it from the ground up. No investors from old money. She has already taken three major accounts that used to belong to us.""I do not care about the accounts," Nathaniel said. "Tell me about the man."Julian hesitated. "Adrian Sterling. Founder of Sterling Capital. He met Ivy four months after she left. They began working together on a joint project. The partnership turned personal three months ago. The ring appeared around the same time. No public announcement of an engagement, but