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Chapter 30: Hidden Agendas
Last Updated:
2025-01-03 00:15:18
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Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 31: Breaking Points
The soft glow of the bedside lamp filled Isabelle’s room as she sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the suitcase in front of her. Her thoughts went back and forth relentlessly, circling back to the image of Liam and Allison together at the restaurant.“What could they be doing now?” she muttered under her breath. The thought made her chest tighten, but she shook her head firmly. “No. Stop this, Isabelle. It doesn’t matter. Focus on work. Allison is your boss and she probably doesn't know that I'm married to Liam.”Her mind shifted to Ethan’s earlier suggestion. He had proposed they travel to the campaign site together the next morning since the location was a little bit far and they’d be staying there for several days for the shoots.She pushed herself up from the bed, Isabelle grabbed her suitcase and began packing. She carefully folded clothes and packed essentials, trying to focus on the task at hand instead of the storm of emotions and questions swirling inside her.The
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“Are you lost?” he asked, his voice calm but unsettling.Isabelle’s hand tightened on her phone, her instincts screaming at her to stay alert. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, her voice firm. “I’m waiting for someone.”The man tilted his head, rain dripping from his hat. “Are you sure? It’s dangerous to sit here alone in the dark.”Panic bubbled in Isabelle’s chest as she tried to think of what to do. Her phone buzzed in her hand—Ethan was calling back.She glanced at the man, his unsettling smile sending a shiver down her spine.“Ethan, please get here soon,” she whispered."Miss, i'm talking to you. Do you have car issues? I'm sure I can fix that right up for you" He continued."I'm okay, really. Thank you for your concern." Isabelle said and turned around to enter back into her car but the man was faster. He held the door down with his hand, stooping her from opening it.The rain poured relentlessly, and Isabelle shivered, trying to stay calm as the man outside her car leaned closer t
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The PR Horizon office buzzed with quiet chatter as employees discussed the success of the Elle Luxe Rebirth Campaign. Isabelle sat next to Ethan, flipping through her notes absentmindedly as Ethan recounted a funny moment during the campaign.“You should’ve seen MIA’s face when the makeup artist handed her that sponsored lipstick, she went on and on about the brand she was influencing but Isabelle here schooled her. As a celebrity, she should know that she would use sponsored products but she just wanted to delay the shoot. Isabelle did well teaching her her place” Ethan said with a laugh.Isabelle smiled faintly, but her mind was elsewhere. Thinking back on the events that happened made her remember the accident and the strange man. She was almost assaulted and she didn't even tell Liam about it. Well, he wouldn't come again, so he doesn't need to know all the details.Before she could reply, the glass doors swung open, and Allison entered, her heels clicking sharply against the tile
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THREE WEEKS AGO.The man stumbled into his dimly lit apartment, rainwater dripping from the hem of his long coat. His hood shadowed his face as he muttered curses under his breath. He had just been fired from his workplace after weeks of warning. The female employees at his workplace all complained about him and petitioned for him to be sacked for his creepy behavior, the employers couldn't take it anymore so they fired him. He tossed the soaked coat over a chair, he kicked off his boots and slumped into the tattered armchair in the corner. He had always lived a miserable life, from when he was young till he was married. He was an abuser and his wife left him and took their son. It even escalated into a lawsuit and he was declared unfit to be a parent. He was told to stay away from his family forever. Since then, he never became alright, every and any chance he got, he would abuse women and go unpunished. The room was cluttered with scattered papers, empty bottles, and a small, flic
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Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 121– A Hidden Past
The city lights flickered past in a blur as Frank maneuvered the car through the streets. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was tense, filled only with the steady hum of the engine and the faint tapping of Liam’s fingers against his iPad. His gaze was locked onto the screen, scanning through endless articles, reports, and anything remotely connected to the name Marcus Carter.Frank, who had been watching his boss out of the corner of his eye, finally spoke. “Alright, boss, where exactly are we headed?”Liam didn’t respond immediately. His brows furrowed deeper as he scrolled, his jaw tightening.Frank sighed. “And what are you looking at so damn intensely? I swear, you’ve been at it since we left the office. Did we get a project that I don't know about?”Liam let out a slow breath, lowering the device slightly. “I’m going through everything online that has Marcus Carter’s name on it.”Frank frowned. “Marcus Carter?” He repeated the name, searching his memory. “Can’t say it rings a bel
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 120– The Confrontation at Westford University
The drive to Westford University was tense. Isabelle gripped the steering wheel firmly, her mind racing through possible ways to handle the situation. Next to her, Selena sat with her arms crossed, tapping her nails against her knee impatiently.“I still don’t see why we have to be nice about this,” Selena muttered, shifting in her seat.Isabelle sighed, keeping her eyes on the road. “Because we need them to trust us. If we go in there guns blazing, they’ll only become more defensive.”Selena scoffed. “That’s assuming they deserve any respect after what they pulled. They didn’t just reject our partnership—they publicly trashed Polaris Tech. If they had doubts, they could’ve kept it internal.”Isabelle nodded. “I agree. What they did was irresponsible. But think about it—did they say anything false?”Selena frowned. “Well—no, but—”“They didn’t outright lie,” Isabelle continued. “They didn’t fabricate anything. They just repeated what they thought was true. And whether we like it or no
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 119 – Liam Anderson Never Makes Empty Threats
By the time Isabelle finally walked through the doors of the house, exhaustion weighed down on her shoulders. The day had been long—Crestview’s success, Westford’s betrayal, and the revelation that Laura and Estella were behind the attack on Polaris Tech.And worse, the growing suspicion that Marcus had been orchestrating this entire thing from the start.She barely had time to gather her thoughts before she heard the deep, familiar voice from across the living room.“You’re late. Again, Isabelle.”She looked up to see Liam standing by the bar, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, and a glass of whiskey in his hand. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unreadable.Isabelle sighed, setting her bag down by the couch. “I know. I'm sorry.”Liam placed his glass down and crossed the room in three long strides. Before she could react, he cupped her face, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.“Are you alright?” His voice was low, laced with concern.She swa
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The next morning, Isabelle and Selena sat in Isabelle’s office, scanning an email from Professor Langston.Crestview University had officially agreed to host the Polaris AI demonstration next week.Selena grinned as she leaned back in her chair. “We finally got a big one. This could set off a domino effect for other universities.”Isabelle nodded, feeling a rare sense of accomplishment. “If Crestview endorses us, others will follow.”But before they could fully celebrate, another email arrived—one that wiped the smiles off their faces.Westford University, another top university on their list that they visited and pitched their ideas too had rejected their proposal outright. Worse, they had publicly warned students against using Polaris AI, citing “concerns over long-term data privacy.”Selena’s expression darkened as she slammed her hand onto Isabelle’s desk. “This is bad. If one university publicly doubts us, others will hesitate too.”Isabelle scanned the content of the email showi
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 117 – Winning Over the Universities
Isabelle arrived at Polaris Tech that morning, fully prepared for a long day. The student discount marketing plan was in motion, and she had no room for mistakes. The moment she stepped into her office, a member of the PR team handed her a thick folder filled with reports and updates. She barely had time to flip through it before her phone buzzed with a meeting reminder.Taking a deep breath, she headed toward the conference room. Inside, the marketing and PR teams were already gathered, with Marcus seated at the head of the table. Greg, the head of marketing, was going over the discount structures they had decided on—tiered percentages for students based on their courses and subscription plans.After some final adjustments, Marcus turned to Isabelle and Selena. "Your job is to make sure students actually know about this. Partnerships, ads, outreach—whatever it takes."Selena crossed her arms. "Universities would be the best way to go. If we get academic institutions to endorse Polari
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 116 – Rivalries and Revelations
Isabelle took a deep breath before stepping out of her office. It was time for the meeting with the marketing team, and she had already put together a few ideas on how to boost Polaris AI’s public image. As she made her way toward the meeting room, she spotted Selena walking ahead of her, her posture stiff, her steps quick and purposeful."Selena," Isa called out.Selena didn’t stop.Isa frowned but quickened her pace until she caught up and gently grabbed Selena’s arm. The woman turned sharply, her eyes flashing with irritation."What do you want?" Selena asked coldly.Isa let go of her arm and met her gaze with calm confidence. "Look, I know you don’t like me here. You think I’m here to take your position, but you don’t have to worry about that. I have no intention of staying in Polaris Tech permanently."Selena’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes."I’ll be gone in three weeks," Isa continued, her voice steady. "I was brought in temporarily,
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 115 – Walking into the Lion’s Den
The towering glass building of Polaris Technologies loomed before Isabelle as she stepped out of the car. The sleek, modern exterior was almost like Anderson Corp’s, yet there was no sense of familiarity—this wasn’t her first time here. But today, everything was different. Today, she was not a visitor or a negotiator. She was an employee. Even if temporary.With a deep breath, she adjusted her blouse and made her way through the entrance. The moment she stepped inside, the air changed. Whispers rippled through the lobby like a wave, eyes discreetly flicking in her direction. Some employees murmured with excitement, others with skepticism."So that’s Isabelle Rivers? Liam Anderson's wife?""I heard she’s brilliant.""I heard she played a big role in the security breach scandal. She even held a press conference. What’s she doing here?"" Has she been hired permanently by Mr Carter?"Isabelle kept her head high, ignoring the murmurs as she reached the reception desk. The receptionist, a
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 114 – Marked and Claimed
Isabelle stood in front of the mirror, absently gathering her hair to tie it up. But the moment she lifted it, she froze.Hickeys.Deep, reddish-purple bruises littered the pale skin of her neck and collarbone, evidence of last night’s passion. She inhaled sharply, her fingers grazing over them.Her cheeks flushed.She should be annoyed—it was inconvenient to go around with these marks. But instead, a small, traitorous smile tugged at her lips.Liam was insatiable.She bit her lower lip, caught between amusement and frustration. There was no way she could wear her hair up today.Behind her, the door to the walk-in closet opened, and Liam stepped out, dressed in a sharp navy-blue suit. His hair was neatly styled, and he was adjusting his tie with practiced ease. The sight of him, so effortlessly put together, made last night’s memory even more vivid.Liam glanced at her reflection in the mirror and smirked. “What’s got you so happy this early in the morning?”Isa snapped out of her daze
Contract Marriage With My Childhood Best Friend Chapter 113: The Answers To The Questions
Isabelle gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she maneuvered through the dimly lit streets. She wasn’t supposed to be doing this.Both Allison and Ethan had warned her—stay away.But how could she?The way Vivian had been dragged away, the panic in her eyes, the sheer weight of what had happened—it wouldn’t leave Isa’s mind. And Marcus... she had never trusted him completely. Something about him had always felt off.Now, more than ever, she needed answers.She arrived at the detention center, her heart pounding as she stepped out of the car. It was a grim-looking building, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded heavily. What the hell am I doing? she wondered. But it was too late to turn back now.After going through security and the necessary formalities, she sat in the visitation area, waiting. The fluorescent lights flickered above her, making the dull gray walls feel even colder.The door on the other side of the glass partition buzzed open.Vivian stepped in.I
