All Chapters of It Lies In The Heart : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Shayla's eyes fluttered open, though still blurry from sleep. She stared at the file lying on the bed across from her, then slowly lifted her gaze to Alice. Her fists clenched tightly."What's the matter? Are you waiting for an invitation to sign it?" Alice asked, her gaze falling on the file."I don't want to do this," Shayla muttered through clenched jaws, her eyes squeezed shut.Alice's face curled into a sneer. "I believe you heard your father last night." Her gaze shifted to Tega, who bared his teeth at her and let out a bark.Shayla's eyes snapped open instantly. She reached over and pulled Tega close, stroking his fur as if that would calm him down. He stopped barking. She had barely slept the previous night. Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered her father's words and the threat he'd made against Tega. Tega was her life, and she would protect him at all costs. And now Alice was standing in her room, acting like she was asking her to sign an ordinary document."Have yo

Shayla blinked, her eyebrow lifting as she stared at Mrs. Hart.Bought? The insult stung.Yes, she had been sold to the Hart family. But she was not a commodity. She didn't come here on her own — she was forced, threatened. She had survived every insult under Alice and her father's roof, but not anymore. Even if being thrown out meant freedom. Her parents would think she was still in the Hart mansion while she was somewhere else starting her life over.Her fingers tightened around Tega. "I wasn't aware your family was selling anyone," she replied quietly.Mrs. Hart's teacup stopped halfway to her lips. She clearly hadn't expected a comeback. Her expression faltered for a second before she quickly composed herself, returning to her cold face. Her gaze swept from Shayla's simple gown to her worn sneakers shoes even a maid in this house wouldn't wear then to the mask on her face."Morgan Wilson, owner of a famous fashion brand, came to her in-laws' home for the first time dressed in tha

The door clicked shut behind him before she could draw a breath. She didn't move. She simply stared at the door, a cold reminder of the life she had signed a contract on. She released the blanket covering her, brought her knee to her face, then rested her chin on it. She had been deceived. She came expecting to marry a man everyone described as crippled, but the man who stood before her was nothing like the rumors. He was arrogant, cold, and full of himself. If he wasn't disabled, why impose a marriage on him? And why hadn't he discarded the false rumors about himself? He was a billionaire and it would only take a matter of seconds to put the false news to rest. A wave of nostalgia washed over her. Morgan had denied the contract marriage for this exact reason. She imagined the surprised look on Morgan's face when she found out the truth. Maybe her family could try to convince her to swap places again, but this time, she wasn't going to agree. Even though she had no idea how the Harts

Shayla lifted her chin, a look of defiance crossing her eyes as she held Cassie's gaze, Tega firmly in her arms. The maid had just called the lady Cassie. She wondered who Cassie was and how important she was to the family. She looked at the trembling maid, then back at Cassie. The woman had a terrifying aura that made people around her squirm. But Shayla wasn't going to let herself become a victim or bow down. Cassie had started it by stomping her foot on poor Tega. The quiet, mocking smile never left Cassie's lips. She had seemed shocked for a second when the maid introduced Shayla as Warren Hart's wife earlier, and now she wore this smile. Cassie's mouth curved into something that wasn't quite a smile, her arms folded across her chest. "Ooh! Miss Morgan, nice to meet you." A trace of sarcasm laced her voice. "I wasn't aware you were the contract wife." Shayla kept Tega pressed against her chest. His small body was still shaking, and every shallow breath he took made her own th

Warren's brow creased slightly. He didn't look up. He kept his eyes on his laptop, his fingers still on the keyboard, like the man standing in his doorway wasn't even there. Patrick stepped farther into the office and closed the door behind him. Soft click. He looked around once, like he was just here for a friendly visit, then pulled out the chair opposite the desk and sat down. "Good morning and congratulations on your contract marriage." he said, resting one arm on the chair. Warren's expression didn't change. "Why are you here?" Patrick gave a small laugh. "Straight to the point, as usual." "How did you hear about the marriage contract?" Warren asked. His fingers rested beside the documents on his desk, still. "Come on, Warren." Patrick chuckled, shaking his head. "You know nothing stays hidden under the moon in this family." Warren leaned back carefully. The movement tugged at the graze beneath his shirt. His jaw tightened for a second, just a second, then he force