All Chapters of Contracted: Love In The Shadow: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

~~~~As I stepped into my childhood home after four long years away, a quiet sigh escaped my lips.To avoid any awkwardness over my sudden return, I had called my parents a few nights earlier. Still, the moment I saw them pacing the living room, I knew… I had made the biggest mistake of my life… again.I had imagined this reunion differently… smiles, laughter, maybe even pride when I told them I had been promoted to CEO of a prestigious interior company, a dream come true.But that dream dissolved the second I walked in.I pushed the door open fully and stepped inside. My parents froze when they saw me. Their expressions were tense, uneasy.Huh.“Mom? Dad?” I asked, my voice already losing patience. “What’s wrong?”My father, Nicolas Dolman, reacted first. He rushed toward me and pulled me into a tight embrace.“Oh, thank God you’re home,” he said, his voice filled with relief.I didn’t hug him back immediately. In fact, my smile died the moment he touched me.“…Hi, Dad,” I said after

~~~~After what felt like an eternity, the limo finally stopped in front of a grand estate, guarded by imposing figures.I stepped out of the car, and then out of nowhere a group of maids hurried toward me, trying to usher me inside; it was as if they had waited for me.“Wait a second,” I protested. “What’s the hurry?”The maids exchanged glances but offered no explanation, as they pushed me forward. “Hey!” I objected again, but they didn’t listen.My father tried to reassure me. “It’s alright, dear. We’ll wait for you inside,” he said as we passed through the door.Inside the mansion, I expected to find myself in a dark room or some hidden corner, but instead, I was led into a lavishly decorated space.The bed alone was twice the size of mine, and the closet was enormous, filled with exquisite gowns and shoes. “Oh,” I murmured, taking it all in.My attention went to a golden standing mirror adorned with jewelry and more wedding gowns. It was clear they intended to dress me for the occ

~~~As I woke up that morning, the bright rays of sunlight hit my face, almost blinding me. I couldn’t even tell if I had actually slept or if I had just been lying there all night, thinking. Everything felt restless, like my mind never really shut down.“Oh, my God… what am I going to do? My life is ruined,” I whispered to myself, turning on the bed again, feeling frustrated and uneasy.The more I thought about it, the worse it got.How was I even going to explain this?To my boss… who was also my lover.To the few friends I had just managed to connect with after all these years.“I can’t believe this,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “First time coming back home in four years… and I end up married?”The thought alone made me irritated.But then something crossed my mind. “Maybe… if I talk to him, he might let me leave London,” I said out loud, trying to convince myself.At this point, I was just saying anything to feel better.There was no point in keeping everything insi

~~~“Damn this bitch,” I cursed as I kept slamming blows into her face.“Jesus!” Josie exclaimed in horror when she saw the mess Lisa was in. “Madam Creed, enough!” she yelled, urging me to stop. “If you continue like that, you’ll kill her for real,” she added.I sighed and raised my head. “Did you just yell at me? I mean, you literally just gave me an order?” I asked, irritated by her interference. “Seriously? The nerve.”Josie hesitated. “My apologies, Madam, but if I didn’t intervene... that last hit would probably kill her,” she explained.I looked down at Lisa’s face. She was still breathing, but her face was completely messed up. “Fine, I’ll let it pass for today. But the next time you speak to me like that... I’ll murder you. I’ll cut your head off your body, and no one will ever know,” I spat, watching her squirm in horror. “Good. I like that expression. Keep it, and you might live to see another day, bitch,” I said coldly before storming upstairs.Mary rushed to Lisa, scolding

~~~As Lucian Creed stepped into the mansion, a strange urge pushed him to find his so-called wife, Mira Dolman.He didn’t understand it.The whole marriage was ridiculous, forced, meaningless… yet he still found himself drawn to her.He had knocked on her door once. Then again. And a third time.No response.His jaw tightened slightly before he pushed the door open.He wondered why she wasn’t answering him, but it turns out she was on the phone.But as he stepped inside the room, something she said to the other person on the phone stopped him dead in his tracks.‘Her man’The words echoed in his head.For a moment, Lucian stood still, watching her. Yes, he had no feelings for her. None. She was unstable, rude, and completely out of control. Not his type in any way.But still… he felt pissed.A sharp, irritating anger. How dare she?How dare she belong to another man while carrying his name?He tried to brush it off, to act like it didn’t matter, but the thought refused to leave.No.