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Chapter 10: The Hunter’s Game

ผู้เขียน: Ally pens
last update ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2024-12-12 05:33:51

Dan sat comfortably on his worn leather couch, a self-satisfied grin on his face as he sipped whiskey from a crystal glass. Outside his home, the muffled voices of the townspeople grew louder, their determined footsteps heading straight for his door, just like he had expected... or heard from Clara.

He barely flinched when the knock came—a loud, insistent pounding that echoed through the small house.

With deliberate slowness, Dan rose from his couch and strolled to the door. He opened it just enough to lean against the frame, his smirk widening when he saw Mrs. Aldric standing at the forefront of the group. Her face was lined with worry and anger, a combination that only fueled his amusement.

“Well, if it isn’t the town’s matron saint,” Dan uttered, dully. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Aldric? And the others?”

Her eyes narrowed. “We’re looking for Isabelle. Where is she?”

Dan raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Isabelle? You mean your little stray? Haven’t seen her.”

“Don’t lie to
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  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 11: The Hunter’s Hunter

    Flashback: Hours AgoLiam Anderson leaned back in his chair, the weight of the boardroom’s discussions pressing heavily on him. The sleek conference room was filled with sharply dressed executives, their voices droning on about projections, prices and market trends. Normally, this would be his domain—strategic, controlled, predictable.But today, his mind was elsewhere.The vibration of his phone against the brown polished table snapped him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw the name flash: Marcus.Marcus was his man on the ground, the one he’d hired to keep tabs on Isabelle from the moment he found her in that hospital and left her to go her own way. He didn’t trust the world enough to leave her alone, not with the shadows of her past looming all around her.“Excuse me,” Liam said abruptly, interrupting the executive that was speaking. He stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. The murmurs in the room reduced as all eyes turned to him.“Mr. Anderson, this is a crucial

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-12
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 12: Shattered Trust

    The police station was colder than Isabelle expected, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow on the tired faces of the officers and suspects alike. Isabelle clutched her arms tightly around herself as she walked in beside Liam, her steps hesitant. She had a lot on her mind at that moment.Dan was being held in a separate room, but Liam had arranged for her to see him once she felt ready. For now, Isabelle sat in the waiting area just outside the room, trying to piece together her scattered emotions and waiting for Liam to come with a police officer escort.She barely noticed the sound of hurried footsteps and people walking about in front of until a familiar voice cut through the air. It was from inside the room where Dan was kept. “I thought you were better than this?” Clara demanded, her voice tight with worry.Isabelle looked up sharply, her breath catching in her throat. She recognized that voice. It was the voice of someone from the town. It was Clara's voice. What was she

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-13
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 13: The Proposal

    The police station was quiet now, the chaos of the evening finally going down. Isabelle sat beside Liam on a bench, her arms wrapped around her body as if trying to shield herself against the cold reality of her life. Mrs. Aldric had insisted on staying until Isabelle was finished giving her statement, but eventually, the older woman had to leave.Before she left, Mrs. Aldric gripped Liam’s arm firmly. “Take care of her,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “And bring her back safely.”“I promise,” Liam replied, his voice steady.When they were alone, Liam turned to Isabelle, the expression on his face, filled with concern. “Are you alright?”“No,” Isabelle said simply, her voice devoid of emotion. “I don’t think I’ll ever be alright again. That man, Richard is so scary. He would go to the length of killing me just to keep his abusive nature under wraps.”He sighed, his expression softening. “I know this feels impossible, but I’m going to make sure Richard never comes nea

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-14
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 14: Stepping Into The Spotlight

    Isabelle followed Liam out of his office, she was nervous from the whirlwind of the past few days and the decision she had made that day. It was going to be a long and hard journey, no doubt, but she had Liam and Mrs Aldric on her side now. “Isabelle,” Liam said, gesturing toward a man waiting by the window. “Meet my secretary, Frank Payne.”Frank turned with an exaggerated flourish, his bright smile instantly lighting up the room. He was a tall, lanky, young man with an easy charm, dressed in a sharp suit that somehow still looked casual.“Ah, the infamous Miss Isabelle,” Frank said dramatically, taking her hand and shaking it enthusiastically. “You’re even more beautiful than the pictures I saw you in. I caught Mr Anderson staring at pictures from time to time. Pleasure to meet you!”Isabelle couldn’t help but laugh, her earlier tension easing slightly. “Nice to meet you too, Frank.”“You’re too kind,” Frank said, shooting a grin at Liam. “How did someone as stiff as you convince h

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-15
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 15: The Wedding Interrupted

    The grand ballroom of the Anderson Companies owned building was transformed into a vision of luxury for the wedding of the year. Glittering chandeliers cast warm light over the elegantly dressed guests, a sea of billionaires, politicians, and socialites filled the space. Outside, the media clamored for any glimpse of the bride and groom, their cameras flashing as black-tie guests arrived in luxury cars.In a private dressing room upstairs, Isabelle sat before a decorated mirror as a team of makeup artists worked on her. The room smelled faintly of perfume and flowers, the hum of whispered compliments filling the air.“You’re so stunning, Miss Isabelle,” one of the artists gushed, stepping back to admire her work. “Liam Anderson is a lucky man. You're so lucky too. Half the country would kill to be in your shoes right now.”Another nodded enthusiastically, adjusting the hem of Isabelle’s white wedding dress. “The most eligible bachelor in the country, and now he’s yours.”Isabelle mana

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-16
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 16: A Message from Richard

    Isabelle groaned as her eyes fluttered open, her head pounded hard and her body felt heavy like she got hit by a truck. She was back in the bedroom of the home she and Liam shared, the soft, muted tones of the room doing little to ease the ache in her chest. Her gaze landed on Mary Jane sitting beside her, she had a worried expression on her face.“You’re awake,” Mary Jane said softly, relief washing over her face. She handed Isabelle a glass of water. “Here, drink this. You need it.”Isabelle obeyed, the cool water soothing her dry throat. “What happened?” she asked, her voice hoarse.“You fainted at the wedding. We were all worried about you. Mrs Aldric didn't want to leave but Mr Anderson convinced her that you'll be okay so she left after cooking some meals.” Mary Jane said, her voice laced with concern. “Mr Anderson brought you back here. Are you feeling okay? Are you feeling hurt anywhere?”Isabelle set the glass down, her hands trembling. “I’m fine.” But her thoughts were far f

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-17
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 17: An Uncertain Sense of Peace

    FlashbackMary Jane paced the kitchen, her brow furrowed. Isabelle hadn’t come down since, and the house was very quiet. Mary Jane looked at the clock and hurried with the meal she was serving for Isabelle. Something didn’t feel right.Grabbing a tray with the meal Mrs Aldric had prepared and tea, she headed upstairs, her instincts warning her that something was wrong. She knocked softly on Isabelle’s door, but there was no answer.“Isabelle?” Mary Jane called, her voice laced with concern.When there was still no response, she pushed the door open, only to be met with an empty room. The sight made her freeze for a moment. Isabelle’s bed was unmade, her closet doors were left ajar, and her clothes were in disarray, as if someone had left in a hurry.Mary Jane’s heart sank. “No, no, no… this isn’t right.”She dropped the tray by the bedside table and rushed to her phone, her hands trembling as she dialed Liam’s number.“Mary Jane?” Liam’s voice came through, calm but tired.“She’s gone

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-18
  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 18: Just A Puppet

    Ashley's small apartment was dimly lit, different toys were scattered across the floor and a half-folded blanket was put over the couch. Richard paced the living room like a caged, deranged animal, his face was twisted in frustration and anger. His sharp, expensive shoes clacked against the worn wooden floor as he paced around in unrest. Ashley entered quietly, wiping her hands on her black jeans after tucking Junior into bed. She froze when she saw Richard pacing, his movements were unsteady and his expression was dark.Richard started. “What the hell were you thi...”“Keep your voice down,” Ashley interrupted harshly, her eyes darting toward the room in hallway where Junior slept. “The baby’s finally asleep.”But Richard didn’t care. “What the hell were you thinking?” he hissed, turning to face her. “You were supposed to handle things! I told you to humiliate Isabelle and get her out of Liam’s life, I asked you to just simply ruin the wedding. Instead, you’ve turned me into the head

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2024-12-19

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  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 155 – The Room of Forgotten Memories

    The air was warm, the scent of lavender faint and lingering. Isabelle stirred slowly, her lashes fluttering as she blinked her eyes open. A ceiling she didn’t recognize greeted her—a smooth white expanse with subtle carvings, the kind of detail that hinted at elegance and time. Her body was nestled into soft sheets, and as she shifted slightly, a faint sense of déjà vu pricked at her.She sat up slowly, confusion painting her face. This place—where was she?It wasn’t familiar… but it didn’t feel strange either.Her eyes scanned the room. Cream-colored walls, soft curtains swaying by the windows, a dresser lined with photos turned away, a full-length mirror positioned directly in front of the bed. Something about the mirror pulled her in. Her heartbeat quickened as a flicker of a memory danced through her mind—sitting in front of that mirror, smiling at her reflection. Then, a man’s reflection appeared behind her in the memory, lying on the bed, gazing at her with love in his eyes.Her

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 154: Finding Out The Truth 1.

    Sunlight filtered through the curtains of the unfamiliar room, warming the side of Isabelle's face as she slowly opened her eyes. Her lashes fluttered, then her eyes fully opened, and she stared at the pale blue ceiling above her. The sheets wrapped around her were crisp and smelled faintly of lavender. Her gaze swept across the room—white walls, minimal décor, a large mirror on one end, and a single framed photo on the nightstand. A wedding photo of her and Richard.That was the only photo in the room. In fact, now that she thought of it, the whole house seemed bare, emotionless, like a showpiece rather than a lived-in home.Isabelle sat up slowly, confusion clouding her expression. If I’ve really lived here for four years… why doesn’t it feel like home? She hadn’t even figured out where the toilet was without exploring yesterday. The bed, the furniture, even the scent of the room—it all felt foreign.Her eyes dropped to the handbag on the armchair beside the bed. She reached for it,

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 153: Living in the Past

    Isabelle looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at her wore soft blue jeans and a cream-colored blouse—finally something other than a hospital gown after weeks. It should’ve made her feel better. It didn’t.She forced a small smile and stepped out of the bathroom. Richard was seated on the couch in the hospital room, scrolling through his phone. He immediately stood up when he saw her."Hey, shall we go?" he asked, eyes lighting up.Isabelle hesitated. "Uhm, are you done with my whole discharge process?"Richard nodded confidently. "Yeah, I am. Why?"She frowned, feigning a pained expression. "Babe, I think I'm still having headaches. Can you tell the doctor and see if I can get some medicine from the pharmacy?"Richard's smile didn't falter. "Pain? I can't allow that. Let's go together, so you can explain to him well."She shook her head, pressing her fingers to her temple. "I'm a bit tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night. Can you go alone? I’ll wait here. J

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 152 : Suspicions

    Richard and Isabelle returned to the room, Richard still holding her protectively, like she would disappeare into Liam's arms if he doesn't hold her that way. Estella was in the room, pacing around, waiting for them. As soon as they entered, she sighed." When did you go out?! Do you have any idea how hard it was to look for you? I almost made a fool out of myself with the nurses." Estella shouted.Isabelle smiled slightly. " I told you I was stepped out for some air, you probably didn't hear me because you were so focused on your phone."Estella rolled her eyes. " If I didn't give you permission, you weren't supposed to step out! Isn't that how it works?"" Hey!" Richard shouted at Estella. " Don't talk to her that way. Because she's sick and you're watching over her for a while doesn't mean you're older or better. Know your place." He said with a stern expression on his face.Estella went quiet for a while before apologizing to Isabelle for speaking to her harshly, not that she me

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 151: The First Step

    Liam left Anderson Corporation the moment he got the information from Sarah. His heart pounded as he drove, thoughts racing. He had to see it with his own eyes—was Isabelle really there? Was she alive? Was she okay?He parked his car hastily and rushed into the hospital, bypassing the reception area entirely. There was no point in stopping there. Richard must have already instructed the staff to give no information about Isabelle and to deny her any visitors. So, instead of asking the nurses, Liam decided to observe. If he had to search every floor, every hallway, he would. But deep down, he had a feeling—something told him he would find her soon.He stood in front of the elevator, eyes fixed on the numbers descending. The doors slid open with a soft ding. Inside, a woman stood. She wore a hospital gown, her hair flowing freely over her shoulders, her face pale but serene. She walked past him without even a glance.Liam froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. That was her. Isabelle. The

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 150: Isabelle, finally.

    One Week Later. Sarah moved around nervously in the living room. She had heard Estella on the call with someone, telling that person that she'd be there soon and will make it there quietly. Sarah had been talking to Liam the past week. He informed her that he couldn't find Isabelle and that she has left Meadow Central Hospital for Richard's home and Sarah promised to try and get the address from Estella, whether by following her or putting a tracker on her. Isabelle must be found by all means. She also heard that tracking Marcus didn't give them any leads on Isabelle's whereabouts. Marcus just went from Polaris Tech to his house. They also found out that it was only Marcus staying in the house. They had no choice but to trust Sarah to get information from Estella, no matter the method she would use. An idea crossed Sarah's head and she quickly acted on it. She brought out her phone and called an Uber. Estella was wary of her so she couldn't follow behind her. The taxi driver arr

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 149: Bound To Remember.

    Marcus walked cooly to the receptionist, he placed a hand on the counter and asked." Hi, there. Is Isabelle and her husband still around here?" The nurse looked at him and smiled. " Yes, they are. In fact, Miss Isabelle's friends just left here after asking about her."Marcus's eyes widened in shock. " Friends? What friends?" He shouted.The nurse started getting nervous as he raised his voice. "Uhm... Two men. They said they could not reach her and I..." " You gave them her room number?" Marcus interrupted. " Are you just stupid or do you not like your job? Is this how you all behave here? Sharing a patient information to strangers." " I'm so sorry sir. They said they were her friends and they seemed desperate so I helped them. I didn't know... I'm so sorry." The nurse trembled in fear." Shut your mouth and call the room real quick. Ask him to pull Isabelle out of that room quickly. Tell him that someone is here for her."The nurse scrambled to the telephone and quickly dialed t

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 148 : His Last Chance

    Liam parked the car and got out quickly without hesitation. Ethan followed, trying hard to keep up with him. They entered the big hospital and went to the reception area." Good morning. I'm here to see a patient that was brought here on the day of the mass accident." Liam said immediately to the lady on duty.She looked at Liam and hesitated before answering. "Is this person related to you?" Liam nodded quickly. "Yes, she is. I've been looking for her for a while now." "Alright. Name please?" The lady said, her fingers on the keyboard, ready to type in her name."Isabelle Rivers" Liam replied impatiently.The nurse looked up at the mention of her name. It was a familiar name. " Ah... The lady that was in the major accident? I see why you haven't been able to reach her. She just woke up after surgery. But she's getting special treatment in the VIP ward. All thanks to her husband." Liam and Ethan looked at each other. " Husband?" They chorused." But I'm her hus...." Ethan hit Liam

  • Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend    Chapter 147 : I Need You.

    Sarah returned to her room quietly. When she reached, she quickly locked the door. Her legs felt weak after and she fell to the floor. "Isabelle got into an accident." She repeated the words she heard Estella saying while she was on a call.Sarah was going to the kitchen when she overheard Estella on the call talking about something important. She didn't expect it'll be news about Isabelle's accident. Sarah was extremely worried. She had received calls from Liam, he asked if she had any idea where she was or where she could have gone or if Estella was being suspicious and all but she couldn't give him the answer he wanted. Isabelle didn't come back to him, not because of their break up but because she couldn't." But who was on the other side of the line and why did the person want Estella to keep it from me? Should I just ask Estella straight. What if they're harming Isabelle somewhere." Sarah muttered to herself, her worry and concern growing by the second.She continued. "I shoul

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