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CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด:
2025-04-19 03:29:07
บทที่เกี่ยวข้อง
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FORTY
I looked up slowly.My eyes meeting my mother's own squarely and for a moment, everything else, including from my now fallen phone faded into the background.Mom was still standing just a few feet away, arms folded tight,Her brows were furrowed, not in anger, but in that subtle way that mothers do when they’re trying to read your soul. She was trying to reach the part of me I wasn’t saying out loud, She was searching for something in my expression.And I knew exactly what she thought she was seeing.Something around the threshold of guilt.And from her side of the picture, it probably made sense. I was looking like a mess, and to her, that was probably enough clue to fix her puzzle.I felt my chest tighten, as a new wave of frustration found its way to my throat.“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head like I could toss the very thought out of the room “It’s not” I repeated..I saw her lean forward slightly, instinctively, like she didn’t want to miss a word.And that almost made
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-23Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FORTY ONE
(NATALIE'S POV)My mind went blank for a second or maybe more, I couldn’t feel anything. Not even the sharp, sterile chill of the air conditioning that had been bothering me since I entered.Everything froze.Just moments ago, Alexander had blurted those words, “You’ll be moving in with me.”They bounced around in my skull like broken glass, slicing into everything I thought I had resolved back home barely an hour ago.I had made up my mind.I was going to end this contract.End it tonight.Now here was I sitting, blinking at him, as he just… casually flipped the script on me like none of it mattered. Like my feelings were nothing but some irrelevant footnote in his bigger picture.“Live with him?”I swallowed hard.Like he and I under the same roof? Waking up to his face every morning?Having to deal with the sharp glances of his sister who clearly wanted me out the second I walked in?Having to smile and pretend to his parents whom I was sure must have seen the news already and
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-24Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER ONE
(NATALIE POV)The summon to my boss, Alexander Hayes’s office came through Mark, his assistant, and I felt this instant ache in my stomach. Alexander rarely called anyone to his office during working hours unless he wanted to address something really serious.And the minute after I got the call, my mind started reeling with possibilities. I knew I had been fumbling a lot lately, distracted by my father’s illness and the crushing burden of his mounting medical bills.And just like I feared Alexander must have finally taken notice of my shortcoming and that was not an update to take likely.So as I walked down the corridor, I felt my heartbeat thundering in my ears. Each step closer to his front door doubled my anxiety. And when I eventually reached, I smoothed my skirt and wiped my sweaty palms before knocking softly.“Come in,” Alexander’s deep voice called from the other side.I pushed the door open, and there he was, seated behind his dark imposing desk, his blue piercing eye
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-01-16Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER TWO
(NATALIE POV)About three days had passed now since Alexander made the contract offer to me. It was a Thursday evening and I was still in my office.Most of my colleagues had left for the day, but I remained at my desk, hunched over a project that seemed more insurmountable with each passing second. The numbers on the spreadsheet were refusing to align, no matter how many formulas I tried. The frustration was killing as I clenched my jaw really hard, willing my brain to cooperate.I was still hanging here when my phone suddenly started to vibrate against the desk, the lit-up screen displaying a name that my fingers stiffen...it was my mother I froze as I started to withdraw from the work,Letting out a slow, shaky breath, before reaching for the phone. I picked it up, stared at the screen for way too long Then with a frustrated huff, I dropped the phone back onto the desk without answering.I pressed my palms against my face, dragging them down slowly until they fell back onto
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-01-16Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THREE
(NATALIE POV)The taxi pulled up to the towering wrought-iron gates of Alexander’s mansion. I dipped my hand in my handbag for cash, taking out the fare and passing it to the driver. He gave me a curious glance but said nothing as I climbed out.I turned to face the mansion, holding my breath and widening my eyes. God, the house was enormous, a sprawling estate with tall, glassy windows, literally the largest piece of residential architecture I have ever seen.It loomed before me like a palace, making me feel utterly small, I started to feel common and out of place again.What was I doing here? I reasoned afresh.Would they even let me in? And if they did, how would I navigate such a labyrinth?I hung around the gate awkwardly, debating whether to call Mark and tell him I couldn’t go through with this. Just as I was about to reach for my phone, a voice called out, sharp and direct.“Hey Miss! Over here.”Startled, I looked up to see a man dressed in a security uniform standing ins
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-01-16Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning which was Friday came with the weight of unresolved emotions. I had since woken and was now standing before my mirror back at home, everyone else was in the hospital. My reflection offered no solace as I remembered the total chaos yesterday was. My eyes were weary. How had it come to this? The kiss flashed once more in my mind. My cheeks heated as I lifted my index finger to touch my lips, as though trying to relive the sensation. “What were you thinking, Eleanor?” I muttered to myself, my voice low and sharp. I had kissed Alexander. My very own boss? The relaxation hit me again, twisting my stomach. This was a man who had made it abundantly clear that any form of intimacy between us would lead to an immediate termination of our contract. And yet, here I was, replaying the moment in my head like a fool. Where did we even go from here? We still had the contract hanging over us, a project that needed to be completed. But how could I face him now? What
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-01-16Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FIVE
(Alexander’s POV) I stepped out of the building, looking as confident and in control as possible. But as much as I tried to keep this up, I knew deep down that my mind was anything but steady. Thoughts of Natalie Harper, My supposed contract wife-to-be had filled up my head since the previous night. I ground my teeth and held my ground doing my best to push those thoughts aside as I strode toward my car. “Good evening, Mr. President,” A voice greeted, polite, precise. It was one of my employees. I barely registered who it was. I lifted a hand in an absent wave, a practiced gesture that required no thought. That had become some sort of a routine now since I took up this position as CEO. The worker bowed their head slightly, stepping out of my way as I passed. The parking lot was nearly empty at this hour. And as for my car, it was standing where it always did, at the rear. I reached for the door handle and pulled it open the moment I got there. I slid inside, and ex
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-02-10Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER SIX
(NATALIE POV)I moved around my office in endless circles as the closing time was only a few minutes away.My mind was still disturbed by what Mark had revealed to me earlier. It wasn’t as bad as I had expected it to be. Yet, somehow, it had left me uncomfortable nonetheless.From what he said, Alexander had informed him, as well as his domestic workers, that they were to start addressing me as his wife in public. “His wife.”As if that wasn’t enough, Mark’s role in all of this had been reinforced: it would be his exclusive job now to put me through the ropes of what that entailed; begining from my new mannerisms, the attitude, the decorum. Every single detail to absorb once in public.Then to crown it all up, Mark had delivered the final blow; our next public appearance had been moved even closer.“Literally, Tomorrow night. 6 PM on the dot”When the anxiety was growing too much, I stopped mid-motion, my fingers now trembling around the stack of papers I had been arranging.
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-02-10
บทล่าสุด
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FORTY ONE
(NATALIE'S POV)My mind went blank for a second or maybe more, I couldn’t feel anything. Not even the sharp, sterile chill of the air conditioning that had been bothering me since I entered.Everything froze.Just moments ago, Alexander had blurted those words, “You’ll be moving in with me.”They bounced around in my skull like broken glass, slicing into everything I thought I had resolved back home barely an hour ago.I had made up my mind.I was going to end this contract.End it tonight.Now here was I sitting, blinking at him, as he just… casually flipped the script on me like none of it mattered. Like my feelings were nothing but some irrelevant footnote in his bigger picture.“Live with him?”I swallowed hard.Like he and I under the same roof? Waking up to his face every morning?Having to deal with the sharp glances of his sister who clearly wanted me out the second I walked in?Having to smile and pretend to his parents whom I was sure must have seen the news already and
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER FORTY
I looked up slowly.My eyes meeting my mother's own squarely and for a moment, everything else, including from my now fallen phone faded into the background.Mom was still standing just a few feet away, arms folded tight,Her brows were furrowed, not in anger, but in that subtle way that mothers do when they’re trying to read your soul. She was trying to reach the part of me I wasn’t saying out loud, She was searching for something in my expression.And I knew exactly what she thought she was seeing.Something around the threshold of guilt.And from her side of the picture, it probably made sense. I was looking like a mess, and to her, that was probably enough clue to fix her puzzle.I felt my chest tighten, as a new wave of frustration found its way to my throat.“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head like I could toss the very thought out of the room “It’s not” I repeated..I saw her lean forward slightly, instinctively, like she didn’t want to miss a word.And that almost made
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
(Natalie's POV)My feet could not stand on one spot.Back and forth, I paced the length of my room, i was trying to be reasonable. But my face…God, my face was telling on me.There was a quiet fury rising inside in me.My reflection in the mirror caught my eye, and for a moment I just stared at her. “At me” Eyes wide with disbelief, I looked like a kettle seconds before a whistle. My fingers lifted on their own accord and palmed my forehead..All night I hadn’t slept. Not a single wink. I had laid on my bed, tossing from one side to the next and all the while, my heart had been in knots.I had been so worried, so worried about him, about Alexander.About how he was taking all the garbage being spewed online, the media twisting everything into a circus act. The lies had been wild, ruthless. But they weren’t just about me. No, he was actually at the forefront of everything. And because of this, I had not been able to rest knowing what he might’ve been feeling, also knowing
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
The silence between us stretched even more.It wasn’t the kind of interval that lingered lightly, this one was beginning to grow heavy and awkward, coiling itself around my ears in a way I did not like. I could hear Natalie breathing faintly, the intake of air that spoke volumes, it was making my doubt grow by twice.Then finally, Natalie’s voice returned, almost as if she hadn’t realized the call was still connected. Then it picked up, carrying something…a strange. tone that bore a hint of surprise. Not the innocent kind, but something thinner, calculated… or maybe not. Maybe I was just reading too much into it. But how could I be sure?“I….I don’t even know who that is,” she said. “I’m just…hearing the name now, same as you.”I swallowed, hard. My Adam’s apple bobbed oncel as I forced out my next words, “Swear,”. I began with a voice that scraped low. “Swear on everything you hold dear that you’re just hearing the name… right now.”There was another inhale from Natalie but
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
(ALEXANDER POV)I kept my eyes fixed on Jordan as I started to rise slowly.“What the hell could be so urgent?” I muttered under my breath, narrowing my eyes as I observed him further, his shoulders were twitching with the kind of tension that didn’t sit well with me.Jordan didn’t speak. He didn’t even have to. His face was saying all that needed to be said.Those tight jaws of his and his nervous eyes was enough to tell me that this wasn’t some sort of scare tactics.He wouldn't even dare try that with me ordinarily.I blinked and started to move past him with a purposeful gait now, as far as I knew, Victor and that dirty stooge of his had nothing….not a shred of truth, not even a damn photo worth being scared of. Their antics had always been smoke and mirrors, bluffing through power plays they could never follow through on.But if that were really the case, then what were the reporters here for? What where they doing at my gate and at this time of the day?What the hell was ac
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
The morning light filtered in gently through the curtains, I stirred beneath my sheets, blinking as my eyes opened into the calmness of the new day. My hand, still half-asleep, fumbled along the side of the bed as it brushed against my phone, which was still lying face down gainst the mattress. Right where I had dropped it last night before sleeping off.I lay still for a second, breathing in the fresh air.The ceiling above my head was still faintly blurred by the remnant of sleep in my eye, but I wasn’t groggy. Not really. All I felt was this rare stillness, the kind that made me realize I hadn’t tossed or turned during my unconscious state.It was even unbelievable that my sleep had not come with the usual nightmares and that alone was almost unsettling.I stretched out my limbs slowly, the joints of my shoulders and spine cracking with a satisfying pop, letting out a yawn that nearly unhinged my jaw. My chest was steadily rising and falling as I let the quietness settle in
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
(NATALIE POV)I didn’t stop moving until I was as close to the end of the hallway as possible, my pulse a repeatitive thud against my ribs. The hallway was dim, shadows from the sconces spread across the wooden floors.I moved quickly past the framed portraits, wound tightly around my phone, the vibration still humming against my palm.Finally I slipped into my room, shut the door and leaned against the door for a second, holding the phone to my ear as my eyes dimmed.“Alex.” I whispered.His voice came at once with neither pleasantry nor preamble.“Like I said earlier I know who it was.”I straightened up feeling my breath becoming shallow, the anticipation was making my heart beat faster.Alexander was still speaking,“I had one of my private investigators follow the trail of the man on the screen. That’s how we found out it was Victor Lawson.”I blinked.Victor Lawson? For real the same Victor Lawson?I knew the man.Even before the contract, in my first few months as Alexand
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
(NATALIE POV)The car had barely stopped before Sophie leaned over with her fingers lightly drumming on the wheel."See you tomorrow Babe"I nodded, reaching for the door handle. "First thing.""And don’t overthink it tonight, Ellie." Her voice was softer now, heavy with a knowing kind of concern.I forced a small smile, pushing the door open. "I won’t."Sophie didn’t look convinced, but she let it go with a small shake of her head. "Alright. Just go inside before your mom decides to send a search party."With a final wave, I stepped out, feeling the caress of the late evening breeze as Sophie started to pull away. The front yard was soon before me, but I wasn’t quite ready to go in just yet.I exhaled slowly, wandering toward the stone bench beneath the large sycamore tree at the far left. On getting there, I lowered myself onto the bench, tilting my head back to stare at the dark sky. Alexander’s voice on the phone about an hour ago was still ringing in my ears, edged with u
Bound By The CEO's Contract CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
(GENERAL POV)The room was very dim, it's walls had shadows stretching ominously along the paneled walls. A haze of smoke coiled through the air, the smoke was coming from a long, polished pipe held between the fingers of the man seated behind the massive desk. One of his fingers had an oversized ring, and it kept tapping against the desk’s surface. The sound was the only thing that filled the silence apart from the occasional creak of the leather chair as the man shifted slightly.Two men in dark suits were standing by him, their expressions unbelievably serious.Their hands folded before them, but their presence alone was a warning. Standing in front of the boss, was a man whose body seemed to shrink with every passing second.The cowering man also wore a suit like the others, but it didn’t fit him as perfectly. His knees were bent slightly, his head lowered, as though he wished the ground would swallow him up.The boss inhaled deeply from his pipe as his dark eyes bored in
