Todos os capítulos de The Wife He Never Deserved : Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

ISABELLA’S POVThe woman behind the registry counter looked at me with pity before telling me that my marriage did not exist. I laughed because I thought she had made a mistake, but when she turned her computer screen toward me, my smile slowly disappeared. According to the official records, I had never been married to Alexander Vance.“Could you check again, please?” I asked, pushing my marriage certificate across the counter. “This is the original document. My husband and I got married two years ago.”The clerk, a middle-aged woman wearing thin glasses, examined the certificate before typing something into her computer.“Mrs. Vance, I understand what you’re saying, but there is no marriage registration under these names.”“That isn’t possible.”“I’ve checked the records twice.”I stared at her, waiting for her to laugh and admit that there had been a mistake. Instead, she picked up my certificate again and studied the seal at the bottom.“Where did you obtain this document?”“My hus

ISABELLA’S POV“Dominic Sterling?” I repeated, wondering whether I had heard Michael correctly.“Yes, Isabella. Your grandmother appointed him as the second trustee of Laurent Holdings.”I stood beside the bedroom window, watching the evening traffic move outside while trying to understand why my grandmother had connected my inheritance to one of the most powerful businessmen in the country.“Why would Grandma involve someone like him in our family business?”“She had her reasons, but I believe it would be better if you heard them from Mr. Sterling himself. There are documents I need you to sign before the inheritance can be transferred.”“How soon can we meet?”“Tomorrow morning. I’ll arrange everything.”After ending the call, I sat quietly on the edge of the bed, staring at the wedding photograph beside me.Alexander was smiling in it, his arm wrapped around my waist while I leaned against his chest. I remembered how happy I had been that day, believing I was beginning a new chapte

Dominic Sterling had never expected a woman to reject an offer that could make her one of the most powerful women in the country. Yet Isabella Laurent had pushed his marriage proposal across the desk without even considering what she stood to gain. What bothered him most was that he found her refusal more interesting than any acceptance he had ever received.“Are you always this difficult to negotiate with?” Dominic asked.Isabella looked up from the document she had been reading.“Only when someone expects me to exchange my freedom for financial security.”A faint smile touched his lips.“You’re assuming this arrangement is about money.”“Isn’t it?”Dominic walked toward the windows, slipping one hand into his pocket.“Your grandmother and my father established an agreement several years ago. Laurent Holdings was supposed to become a strategic partner of Sterling Global, but certain circumstances prevented that from happening.”“And now you want to use marriage to complete the agreem

Isabella had spent years believing her father abandoned the family before she was old enough to remember him. Now, her grandmother’s final message suggested he had been involved in the betrayal that destroyed the Laurent family.She stared at the photograph, unable to look away from the familiar face of Eleanor.“Who is the other man?” she asked.Dominic pulled out a chair and sat opposite her. “His name is Victor Vance.”Isabella’s head snapped up.“Alexander’s father?”“Yes.”Alexander immediately stepped forward. “That’s enough, Dominic.”Dominic didn’t even look at him. “Your father was involved in a failed acquisition attempt against Laurent Holdings. Eleanor rejected the deal, but Victor didn’t accept her decision.”“You’re making it sound like my father committed a crime,” Alexander said.“Did he?”The question hung in the room.Alexander’s silence was answer enough to make Isabella suspicious.She turned back to Dominic. “And what does my father have to do with this?”“That’s

“Michael Hayes has been moving money through my grandmother’s private account?”Isabella’s voice was steady, but her fingers betrayed her as she held the report. The man who had helped her reclaim her inheritance was now connected to the same mystery surrounding her father’s disappearance.Dominic watched her carefully.“We don’t know whether he acted alone or whether someone used his credentials.”“His name is on the authorization.”“That’s evidence, not a complete explanation.”Isabella pushed the report away. “You’re asking me to be patient with the same people who have kept me in the dark my entire life.”“I’m asking you not to accuse someone before we know what happened.”She looked at him sharply. “You seem very determined to defend Michael.”“I’m determined to keep you from making a decision that could destroy your position before you’ve secured it.”His words irritated her, but she knew he wasn’t entirely wrong.Dominic picked up the report.“I’ll arrange for an independent au