The wrong bride의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 8

Chloe The heavy silk of my wedding gown felt like an anchor, pinning me to the plush velvet seat of the vanity chair. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my fingers trembling as I traced the delicate lace overlaying my collarbone. For twenty-three years, I had been the prize of the Sterling estate the sole heiress to a shipping empire that stretched across three continents. My grandfather had built it from the ground up, and upon his death, every single cent, every piece of real estate, and every share of stock fell into my hands.But to the world, I wasn't just an heiress. I was an anomaly.In a society where money bought everything and loyalty lasted until the next highest bidder came along, I held a strict, unwavering conviction. It was a vow I had made to myself the day my mother passed away, a promise whispered into the quiet corners of my lonely childhood bedroom: I will only ever give my body to the man I call my husband.In my circles, that vow made me a target of mocker

Chloe I stood frozen at the entrance of the grand parlour, my fingers gripping the doorframe so tightly my knuckles turned stark white. “My legs finally found their strength, fuelled by a raw, primal terror. I stumbled forward, my hands throwing open the heavy oak doors, desperately praying that what I was hearing was a nightmare, a sick joke, anything but reality. But as the doors swung wide, I stepped into the grand parlour, and my entire world collapsed into ashes.My head snapped toward the massive projector screen taking up the far wall. The air was sucked completely out of my lungs. My heart didn't just break; it shattered into a million jagged pieces that tore through my chest.It was a video recording of our wedding night. No. It was a recording of my wedding night. Because as the camera zoomed in on the dimly lit bed, catching the flickering amber glow of the fireplace, the truth hit me like a physical blow. The man pinning my wrists above my head, the man who had heavily a

CHLOE“Are you sure about this? Refuse me, Miss Sterling, and you walk back out with nothing.”The words still hung in the polished silence of the penthouse office when I forced the next ones past my lips.“I apologize for wasting your time, but I really can’t accept it.”Alexander Cross did not argue. He did not raise his voice or attempt to persuade me. He simply regarded me for one long, unreadable second, then inclined his head as though I had confirmed something he already knew.“Fine. Whatever you say.”His voice dropped into a low, terrifyingly calm murmur that slid down my spine like ice water. He turned on his heel with the same controlled precision he applied to everything else and walked toward the private executive exit. A sleek, armoured black sedan waited at the curb. The driver opened the rear door, but Alexander paused before stepping inside. From the inner pocket of his tailored coat he withdrew a heavy matte-black business card and extended it toward me.“Call me whe

My heart dropped straight into my stomach, leaving a cold, hollow void in its wake. “Why should I leave?” I demanded, desperately trying to anchor my heels to the faded carpet. “I paid for this room through the end of the week. You can’t just throw me out into the street. It’s illegal.” The manager swallowed hard, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing erratically against the frayed collar of his uniform shirt. He refused to look me in the eye, instead focusing somewhere over my left shoulder. “We’ve been instructed by upper management to terminate your stay immediately, Miss Sterling. Your reservation has been permanently cancelled. The funds… well, they were refunded to the primary account on file. An account that our system flags as no longer existing.”"You can’t do that!” My voice cracked, the sharp, desperate pitch echoing down the dingy, narrow hallway. “Look at the clock. It’s already late. Look at me! Where am I supposed to go at this hour?” The manager said nothing. He didn’t