All Chapters of The CEO’s Wife Was Never Ordinary: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Claire walked out of the hotel on unsteady legs, cold sweat soaking through the back of her blouse.Before she'd even caught her breath, her phone started buzzing nonstop inside her bag.Nathaniel Cross lit up the screen.Her stomach dropped. Her hands shook so badly she nearly fumbled the phone onto the sidewalk.She forced a breath, swallowed the metallic taste climbing her throat, and picked up."Mr. Cross.""Miss Bennett." His voice came through low and even a tone she'd learned to dread, one that usually meant a storm was coming.But this time there was something else in it. Hesitation."You... weren't at the hotel last night?""Cough cough" Claire turned her head, covering the receiver, forcing out two rough coughs.Her voice, already wrecked from the night before, came out even hoarser than she intended."I'm sorry, sir. I had a fever last night I got you back to your room and left so I wouldn't get you sick too."Nathaniel's grip tightened on the phone, knuckles going white.H

Seven o'clock. They pulled up outside Highgate Residences.Claire parked, killed the engine, unbuckled her belt, and turned to the man dozing in the back seat."Sir, we're here."Nathaniel's eyes opened, red-rimmed with exhaustion."It's late. Drive the car home.""That's not necessary, sir I'll just take a cab. The company covers it, it's no trouble.""The car sits idle otherwise. You might as well use it for the commute.""Really, sir, I couldn't." Claire pushed her glasses up her nose. "There's nowhere to park where I live.""Then buy a spot.""...There aren't any spots to buy. The streets are narrow, cars everywhere it's genuinely impossible."Is he serious? A car worth millions, parked on a street where half the lamps don't even work? I'd have to sit up all night guarding it."I can just nap in the cab," she offered instead, steering the conversation away.Nathaniel exhaled. "...Fine. Get home safe.""You too, sir. Get some rest."Claire made it back to her neighborhood by eight.

Ethan looked faintly sheepish under Nathaniel's stare and waved it off with a grin."Hey, easy I only said that stuff earlier so you wouldn't feel bad about yourself. What happened between two consenting adults isn't a crime. It's done, so don't beat yourself up over it. Just chalk it up to experience.""Miss Bennett's got a boyfriend, and it's probably not... you know, serious. Does that bother you?""No," Nathaniel said, too fast.Ethan crossed his legs, satisfied. "Then it's settled. Nobody's disqualified here. As long as she's not married, you're still in the game. Stop wasting time keep stalling and her future kids will be old enough to fetch your coffee.""So what do I do?" Nathaniel asked, more earnest than he'd ever sounded discussing a billion-dollar merger.Ethan cleared his throat, feeling suddenly ten times more important."Chasing a decent girl takes strategy. Especially since she works for you she's probably complaining about you to her friends every single day."Nathani

Claire stepped through the morning dew and pushed open the wooden gate.The yard was quiet, save for the ivy climbing the corner wall, unusually green in the morning haze.A familiar hunched figure was hauling a half-full bucket from the well, steps unsteady.At the sound of the gate, the old man paused and slowly turned.The moment his eyes found her, Walter Bennett's weathered face broke into a smile.He dropped the bucket without a thought for the water splashing across his pant legs, voice cracking with surprise."Claire Claire's home!"Her throat tightened, tears threatening. She crossed the yard and threw her arms around the thin old man."Grandpa."Walter wiped his hands on his shirt and took her hand in his, thumb smoothing over her knuckles, his fingers rough as tree bark. His clouded eyes swept over her, worry written across every line of his face."You've lost more weight. Is the food up there no good? Or are they working you too hard?"Claire swallowed the tears rising in

Claire's phone rang the second she stepped off the platform. Zoe."It's right next to my building, second floor, so your grandpa won't have to deal with stairs. The landlord just listed it's brand new on the market.""It's an older complex, but it's converted military housing, so security's solid. There's a park right across the street perfect for walks, for chess, all of it."Something warm settled in Claire's chest. It sounded made for him."There's a young couple looking at it right now, seem pretty into it. You need to move.""Can you stall the landlord? I'm grabbing a cab fifteen minutes, tops."She hung up and ran, suitcase rattling behind her, flagging down a taxi. "Sunnyside Court, please, fast as you can."She arrived still catching her breath.The unit wasn't newly renovated, but it was clean, well-lit, good airflow.The young couple stood near the landlady. "Ma'am, we really do love it any chance on the price?""Sorry, dear, that's already rock bottom. Wouldn't even be rent