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Chapter 8 - Recovery, but dramatic
Last Updated:
2025-03-18 03:00:00(Gloria)
I refuse to open my eyes.The office is dead silent, the air thick with tension. I can feel the stares drilling into me, and the uncertainty radiating off the employees. Someone shifts their weight, another person clears their throat.Good. Let them stew in panic. Let them think I’ve been pushed to my absolute limit.Then…“She’s faking,” Gabriel’s voice cuts through the silence, deadpan and utterly unimpressed.Oh, come on.“Obviously,” Kate adds, her tone dripping with irritation.Rude.A hushed whisper rises from somewhere nearby. “Should we… call someone?”Yes! Call someone. Give me more time!Gabriel lets out a sharp breath, and I hear the frustration in his voice. “Get up.” His voice is low and irritated.I let my eyelids flutter open, as weakly as possible, as if I’m barely clinging to consciousness. “Wh… what happened?” My voice is a breathy whisper, just a touch dazed.Gabriel stares at me, his sharp blue eyes fil
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Contracted to Deceive Chapter 59 - Wedding bells
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Contracted to Deceive Chapter 56 - The plot thickens
(Gloria)My phone rings and I almost drop it. Eleanor Montclair.Her name stares back at me like it’s been branded on my screen. I freeze, every one of my muscles tightening. Suddenly, the idea of crying over a documentary feels like a warm up for the real horror show to come .Because if there’s one person who’s probably angrier than Gabriel right now, it’s his mother.I imagine her standing in a designer robe, swirling a glass of wine like a villain from a movie, already drafting the legal papers to sue me into poverty. I picture myself back on Elena’s couch begging for space, struggling to afford groceries, and eating cheap ramen in bulk while I try to pay back…The phone buzzes again in my palm demanding an answer.Shit. Okay.I swipe. “Hello?”No greeting and no hesitation.“I’ll pay it back,” I blurt. “Please. Just give me a payment plan or something. I… I know the contract’s over, but I swear I’ll find a way. You don’t have to take me to court or ruin my life or… ”“Gloria,” El
Contracted to Deceive Chapter 55 - Welp
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Contracted to Deceive Chapter 53 - Upheaval
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Contracted to Deceive Chapter 52 - Chinese Takeout
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Contracted to Deceive Chapter 51 - Making an effort
(Gloria)I walk through the office doors with my face set in a grim expression. The air feels thicker and heavier today as the weight of everything is dragging me down. My mind’s a mess, and no matter how hard I try to push it away, the blackmail message keeps circling back and I can’t shake it.I’m almost at my desk when I hear footsteps behind me. Gabriel. I can feel his gaze on me before he even speaks.“Gloria,” he says, his voice low and concerned. “I told you to take the day off. Why are you here?”I try to keep my voice steady, but there’s a tightness in my chest. “I feel better. Besides, I’d just be bored at home.”The words come out before I even think about them. But as I look at him, really look at him, I feel the guilt hit me. He’s genuinely worried and I can see it in the way his brow furrows, in the way his eyes search mine like he’s trying to figure out if I’m lying.I swallow hard. “I’m fine.”He doesn’t seem convinced, but he doesn’t press me. Instead, he gives me a s
