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Chapter 29 (1)
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2024-12-26 16:45:57Abigail
My chest heaved with panic as I struggled against the firm grasp of the person who had grabbed me. My body thrashed, still locked in survival mode, as the arms holding me tightened just enough to keep me from slipping to the floor. I clawed and kicked, my breaths ragged and sharp.
“Abigail, stop,” a voice commanded, firm but quiet.
I froze. That voice. It couldn’t be.
Alexander.
“It’s me. Calm down. You’re safe now.”
The words registered slowly in my mind, as if they were coming through a fog. My heart pounded so loudly in my ears that it nearly drowned them out. His voice sent a jolt
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Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 29 (2)
AbigailI turned to him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. His expression was tight, almost pained. My hands tightened on the piece of tissue as I braced myself for whatever was coming.“When I heard you were in danger…” He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion. He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenched. “I can’t even describe what it felt like. I thought—” His voice broke, and he shook his head. “I thought I was going to lose you.”“Conrad…” I started, my voice trembling, but he held up a hand.“Please,” he said, his tone pleading. “Just let me finish.”I closed my mouth
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-27Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 30
AbigailAlexander had planned the kidnapping? It couldn’t be true—could it? Conrad was sure, but doubt clawed at me.The idea alone felt impossible. Alexander, even though he was reserved, and the rest of the family seemed to fear him as much as they respected him, did not seem like he could ever hurt me. He was my family by marriage. And if he wanted to harm me, why would he have saved me?My thoughts circled back to the figure who had wrapped me in safety for one fleeting moment. Could it have been Alexander? No—he was confined to a wheelchair. But then why did that voice, that presence, feel so familiar?I didn’t know what to believe. None of it made sense.“Abigail.” Conrad’s voice broke the spell of my thoughts. His hand reached out, brushing against mine, his tone softening. “I know this is a lot to process. If you need time, we don’t have to talk about it now.”I stayed silent, my gaze fixed out the window.Conrad sighed but didn’t push. Instead, his fingers entwined with mine,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 31
AbigailThe muffled knock on the front door early the next morning startled me, reminding me that even in Conrad’s secure hideaway, the kidnapping had really affected my nerves.I moved towards the door quickly and unlocked it. Conrad stood on the other side, holding two paper bags of takeout, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and buttery pastries wafting into the air.“Good morning,” he greeted me with a soft smile, his voice careful. His eyes swept over me, searching for any visible wounds that might have escaped his eyes the night before. “Did you sleep well?”I leaned against the doorframe, looking at the bags in his hands. “I think anyone who could sleep peacefully after what happened might be more terrifying than the kidnappers,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-05Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 32 (1)
AbigailThe nylon bag in my hand felt heavier than it should have, even though all it contained was a simple change of clothes and my phone which was all I had to pack here. As I stepped out of the bedroom, I almost collided with Conrad.“Abigail,” he said, his voice happy. His face was lit up as if he had just won some prize. Before I could step back, he wrapped me in a hug, his arms firm around me. “Are you ready to leave?”I nodded, the gesture small and noncommittal, but it was enough for him.“I can’t tell you how glad I am to have you coming back home,” he said, stepping back but keeping a hand lightly on my shoulder. “The house has been… empty without you. It’s lost
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Abigail“I’m not saying Susanna is lying,” I added quickly. “But you can’t expect me to believe something so... so extreme without any kind of proof. This is Alexander we’re talking about, Conrad. He’s been nothing but kind to us.” I shook my head in confusion. “Why would he go from that to… this? It doesn’t make sense. Right now, without any evidence, it feels like you’re asking me to take a leap of faith without a net.”Conrad sighed heavily, releasing my hand as he leaned back in his seat. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, a nervous tick he probably didn’t realize he had. “I want to let you in on what I know, Abby. Believe me, I do. But I never wanted you to be dragged into this. Telling you would feel like the whole purpose of protecting you has been defeated. You were supposed to remain untouched by this mess.”I leaned into my seat, unable to stop myself from snorting in a way that was not ladylike. “Conrad, I was dragged into this from the moment those men knocked
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Abigail“No,” I said immediately. “I’d like to see it now. You promised me, remember?”“Yes, I remember,” he shook his head playfully, as if he had expected I would say that. “This way,” he said, leading me toward his study.We reached the study, and Conrad unlocked the door with a small key he pulled from his pocket. He stepped inside first, turning on the lights, and I didn’t hesitate before following him in.What caught my attention was the safe in the corner. Conrad led me to the far corner, where the imposing safe was built into the wall.Conrad stood in front of the safe, his broad frame blocking my view as he quickly keyed in a combination. His movements were deliberate, his fingers moving so fast I couldn’t catch the sequence.With a faint beep, the safe clicked open. Inside, stacks of documents lay neatly arranged in labeled envelopes. To one side, bundles of crisp foreign currency were stacked like bricks, their colorful bands contrasting against the muted tones of paper and
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AbigailI pulled away from Conrad’s embrace, the lingering heat of his body feeling like a brand to me. “This is… a lot to take in,” I said, making sure my voice felt fragile.He nodded, looking at me with concern. “I’m glad you insisted on seeing it for yourself, Abby. Now you understand why I’ve been doing all this. It’s all for you. To protect you.”I offered him what I hoped looked like a grateful smile. “I’m exhausted,” I murmured. “I think I’ll go to my room.”“Of course,” he replied, his smile much brighter than mine. “Rest as long as you need. I’ll tell the cook to make your favorite for dinner.”
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-07Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 35
AbigailThe sharp trill of my phone startled me, pulling me out of my unhappy thoughts. For one irrational moment, I thought it might be Conrad, calling from the study even though we were in the same house.But the name on the screen made my breath catch for an entirely different reason. Liam.I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the green button. Liam, my baby brother, with his easy smile and constant chatter, always so full of life. He didn’t call often—our lives had taken us in such different directions—but when he did, it was never without good reason.What reason could he have to call me now?I shook off the thought, forcing myself to press the button. “Liam,” I said, injecting a lightness into my tone that I didn’t feel. “Hey! It’s been a while.”“Bee,” he said, and my chest tightened at the familiar nickname. He was the only one who still called me that. His voice was warm, but there was an undercurrent of something else there—something worried. “Are you okay?”The question hit m
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-08
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Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 149
AbigailThe smell of the food filled the entire room, and something about the presence of Alexander beside me dulled the tightness I’d been carrying all day. The tension behind my eyes had started to fade as I picked at the grilled fish, letting the flavors roll across my tongue, my limbs slowly unknotting with every bite.“I’ve been getting calls from Liam,” I said, my voice tired but audible. I didn’t know why I chose now to bring it up; maybe because I finally felt safe enough to say it out loud.Alexander’s hand stilled mid-motion, his chopsticks hovering above the container of scallops. “Liam?” His eyes flicked to mine, sharp. “How long?”I nodded and swallowed. “It’s been a few times now. He says he’s changed and keeps asking to see me.”His brows drew together, and I could see him piecing something together. “He’s been coming to me too and asking to see you.” He paused. “He’s not been released from Ridgewell officially, but this is part of the treatment program; they release so
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 148
Abigail I didn’t know where I was going, I just kept driving. One street turned into another and headlights flashed past me in a blur. The city was quietly winding down while something restless stirred in my chest. My fingers were clenched so tight around the steering wheel, they ached. I told myself I would find a hotel. Or maybe I would go to Roxy’s, even though it was too late and she’d worry. But the truth was, I wasn’t thinking clearly at all. I wasn’t thinking at all.I just didn’t want to go home.And somehow, without meaning to, I ended up here. The car rolled to a slow stop in front of the tall, glittering building before I fully realized where I was. I blinked up at it, dazed and slightly breathless, my stomach twisting into an uncomfortable knot. I knew this place; it was the high rise I had met Alexander before we went to Ridgewell to see Liam. The lights shimmered against the glass like stars in a city that forgot what the real ones looked like. But I wasn’t looking at
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 147
AbigailAfter work, I found myself walking to the park instead of driving straight home.I told Roxy I’d leave early today, mostly because she looked ready to duct-tape me to my chair if I didn’t. But now that I had, I didn’t know what to do with myself. My body wasn’t worn down enough, and that small sliver of energy still lingering in me made me restless. If I’d had my way, I would’ve stayed in the office till one a.m., working until even my thoughts couldn’t keep up with me anymore. But Roxy had been especially worried lately. So, I’d smiled, packed up, and walked out like someone who had a life waiting for her outside those walls.I didn’t.So, here I was, wandering through the park with my coat still buttoned, my shoes making soft sounds against the path. The air was crisp but not cold, and the faint scent of blooming grass and wet earth filled my lungs. It was peaceful, in a way that made the ache in my chest feel sharper.To my left, I noticed a picnic spread out on a checkered
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 146
RoxyAnd yet he always asked as if he had nothing to do with it. As if it wasn’t his driver who opened the door for me, or his expense account that covered the seafood platter I’d been daydreaming about since 3 p.m.I settled in, crossing one leg over the other. What I couldn’t quite wrap my head around what I never could was how a man like Alexander could share even a single drop of blood with someone like Conrad.Conrad Remington, the walking ego. The emotional toddler. Every time I thought about him, it made me want to demand a DNA test on Alexander’s behalf. Maybe they swapped cribs at the hospital. Maybe one of them was adopted. Maybe God just wanted to play a particularly cruel practical joke.Still, why was I thinking about Conrad with what was in front of me?Sitting beside Alexander was one of the most delicious motivations I’d ever had for showing up anywhere on time; Daniel Woods, his secretary. The tall drink of sin I’d been lowkey thirsting over since the first moment I l
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 145
RoxyI yawned so hard I swore my jaw cracked. My screen dimmed in front of me, signaling the finality of another day. With a satisfying click, I shut down my computer and sat back in my chair, allowing myself a tiny internal cheer.Done. All of it. Not only had I cleared every task on my to-do list—emails, reports, that ridiculous revision James from Marketing demanded this morning—I had also accomplished the almost-impossible: I’d managed to convince Abigail to leave on time. No 11 p.m. grind, no haunting the office like a lonely ghost with the cleaning crew. She actually packed up and went home like a normal person. That was a victory in itself.I stretched my arms above my head and yawned again, this one longer. All I wanted now was to kick off my heels, boil water for some scandalously sodium rich ramen, and fall asleep in the middle of an episode of Love & Lies: Southside Edition. It was my guilty pleasure, that trashy little reality series with way too many slow motion breakups
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 144
AbigailI told myself not to let that reflection haunt me. It was just a slip. I had slept poorly last night and barely remembered to eat breakfast this morning. I was tired, yes. A little thinner? maybe. But I wasn’t broken. I wouldn’t let my own reflection, however unfamiliar it seemed, get to me.By the time I returned to the office, the feelings of listlessness still clung to me like damp clothes, but I pushed through. I had too much to do to afford even a second of moping. The artificial white lights overhead buzzed softly as I walked through the open-plan floor, sandwich bag in hand, ignoring the curious glance Elle shot me from her desk.She didn’t say anything. But the slight furrow in her brow and the tight purse of her lips told me exactly what she was thinking.She didn’t like that the small bag in my hand was far too small for the elaborate meal she had wanted me to return with. I sat down without acknowledging her and unwrapped the sandwich like it was the key to world pe
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 143
“You don’t have to stress yourself over me,” I said quietly, watching Elle storm around like a small, angry thundercloud. She spun around sharply, her eyes flashing. Before she could say anything, Roxy stepped forward. Without a word, she pulled her credit card from her pocket and thrust it toward me. “Go get lunch,” she said, her voice firm. “Anything you want. Expensive, greasy, complicated, I don’t care. But when you get back, I better see a substantial charge on that card, or I swear I’ll put you on forced vacation.” I opened my mouth to protest, but Roxy narrowed her eyes at me like a predator eyeing its prey. And Elle looked like she’d physically drag me to the nearest restaurant and force feed me if I dared say no. So I just nodded, accepting the card with quiet obedience, even though I felt like a child being scolded by two very determined mothers. I grabbed my bag and left the office, their combined gazes hot on my back, daring me to come back empty-stomached. As I stepp
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 142
AbigailI stared at the list for a few moments longer, letting my thoughts drift. Allan would be the last one I would target for a while. Things were heating up too fast. Conrad was furious with how successful I was; Elle often gossiped about how her old coworkers were walking on eggshells around him, flinching at his temper and avoiding his gaze. And he’d threatened me two more times since that embarrassing outburst in the hallway, his words carrying warning. Ha, all bark, no bite.He didn’t scare me. What did I have to lose? There was a meeting coming up in a few days and something about the way the internal memo had been worded told me there was going to be a vote. I wasn’t totally off guard, I had heard things from the talk making its way around the company. It had to be about that risky new project Conrad proposed a while back. On paper, it looked promising and bold. But the risk was astronomical, and I knew most of the board members were hesitant to sign off on it.This was my
Abandoned by Ex, Married to His CEO Brother Chapter 141
AbigailAfter Conrad dragged me into that conference room and tried to intimidate me, I walked away with my heart steady and my head high. Trying to rattle me and drag me back into the little box he once kept me in had failed. If anything, it only lit the fire under me.Ross Delaney had only been the beginning.Elle submitted her transfer request the very same day. I’d barely finished going over a few client files when she popped her head into my cubicle and asked, “Still want me?”I nodded, smiling. “More than ever.”By the time the sun dipped below the skyline that evening, Roxy strolled by my desk, leaned against the frame of my door with her usual languid elegance, and quipped, “You work fast.” Her mouth lifted in a smile. “I saw the transfer request from Acquisitions a while ago. Mr. Hayes already processed it. Elle’s yours.”“Thank you,” I said, smiling back at her. I liked the way Roxy often looked at me these days. I had always seen respect there, but now, there seemed to be mo
