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Chapter 47
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2024-10-18 19:04:25Related chapters
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 48
ZARA'S P.O.V.The sunlight streaming through the large dining room windows was too warm, too bright. I sat across from Kai, my eyes fixed on the breakfast laid out before us, but unable to eat a single thing. My head still reeled from the conversation I'd overheard the night before, that dark and horrifying truth about the way my mother had been murdered. The man opposite me, my husband, the man I've grown to love, had been a part of her death. And Jacob was next.I took a deep, hard breath and fought hard to go numb, push all my anger, my sadness, my fear inside. Kai didn't know what I'd heard. Not yet. I wasn't ready for that kind of confrontation.“Zara," Kai's voice pulled me back to reality. He was smiling at me, that disarming smile he always seemed to hold up as his defense. My skin crawled now. How could he even look at me like that, as if he hasn't ripped my world in two?"Hm?" I muttered, barely able to lift my gaze to his."You've been going out quite frequently lately," he
Last Updated : 2024-10-18MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 49
ZARA'S POV"Zara," Jacob whispered, his voice low, serious, taking another step closer to me. "I knew it would come to this. I knew your dad along with Kai would do anything to get rid of me." His eyes bored into mine, serious, unblinking. "They covered their tracks for years. And they would do anything to keep it buried.”I blinked, still having a heart overbeating in my chest from the drive-terror of being caught. "I didn't want to believe it at first," I whispered, shaking my head. "But you were right. I overheard them last night… everything." My voice shook because the memory was still too fresh. "I heard them through the bug recorder you gave me."Jacob nodded, his jaws tight. "I thought maybe you might have found out by now. The pieces always fall into place together, sooner or later. You have been living in a cage of lies, Zara. Deceit, betrayal, monsters, all of them."The word monsters swirled in my mind. How was I ever so blinded for so long? I laid my hand on my chest in th
Last Updated : 2024-10-19MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 50
ZARA'S POV I sat on the bed and stared into the report that I just received from the hospital. It was it. Jacob was my biological father. Not that this was news to me anymore, for everything that I had heard over the past two weeks had pointed in that direction. Yet, I had spent the better part of my life in a lie amalgamating with those very people I was supposed to trust. Now, I know the truth.I had recordings, evidence of every whispered conversation, every shady deal between Kai and my so-called father, Mr. Klein, even Mrs. Adler, Kai's mother; they were all involved, deeper than I could have ever imagined. My mother's murder, the illegal operations running beneath Kai's company, it all connected. And I was right in the middle of it.Kai, though. Kai had been sweet. Too sweet. More presents, more cuddles. Each touch of his hand, each kiss only seemed to pull that knot in my stomach tighter. He was trying to make me feel secure, trying to make me to believe nothing was wrong. I
Last Updated : 2024-10-21MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 51
ZARA'S POV.I pulled up to my father's mansion, the mansion that once seemed so much like home, but now was the heart of everything dark and twisted in my life. Stepping from the car, my pulse quickened. I wasn't ready for what was about to go down, but at this point, I had no other choice. The sleek cars lined up against the driveway, soft murmurs of music bleeding from the house, it just felt all so wrong.I grasped the door handle, fighting for my head to clear from these racing thoughts. Why would Lena lie to me? And Liam… why was his voice mixed with hers? But only for a minute, because the questions in my head were drowned by the scene that greeted me upon entering through the front door.A lavish party.It wasn't a "little gathering" as Lena had so innocently put it. No, this was big-grandiose-something of a celebration of sorts. Heavy, expensive perfume wafted through the air, together with laughter and chinking glasses high to toast champagne. I swallowed hard and moved throu
Last Updated : 2024-10-22MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 52
LIAM'S POVI watched Zara disappear into the crowd, stiff-shouldered, her feet hurrying for a pace. The bottom had fallen out of my world and the realization was heavy on me as to what I had done, the betrayal out in the open, and I was standing right in the wreckage."Liam."I jerked at Lena's voice, her nails digging into my arm as she stepped in front of me, hard in her expression. "Don't even think about going after her."I gritted my teeth and yanked my arm out of her grasp. "You don't control me, Lena."She smiled coldly. "Oh, but I do. You agreed to this Liam. You made the choice. Just like I did."Anger flared, my skin prickling, but I didn't have time for games with Lena. Not now. I had to find Zara. "This isn't what I wanted," I growled, shifting around her in a bid to push through the crowd."You think she's going to forgive you?" Lena's voice was razorlike, slicing through the chatter surrounding us. "After everything, after how you've betrayed her?"I froze. My fists clen
Last Updated : 2024-10-22MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 53
KAI'S POVI was not supposed to be in that mansion anymore. The party was just another formality for the sake of making an appearance, after which silently I could leave. I did not want her to know where I was, knowing full well that once she found out about Lena's marriage arrangement with Liam and my involvement in it, she was going to hate me for it. It was already raining heavily. As I finally turned toward my car to make my exit, My eyes caught something and I couldn't move. Zara's car stood in the driveway.My heart hit the floor. What in the world was her car doing here?That was most definitely not supposed to happen. I hadn't told her anything about this party, much less that I would attend it.I was already getting drenched but I didn't care; I ran up to the car and knocked on the driver's window. He rolled down the window immediately "Why are you here?" I insisted, "Where is Zara?"The driver got down from the car looking startled; he was dumbfounded by my sudden appearan
Last Updated : 2024-10-22MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 54
ZARA'S POV. The rain was relentless, it pounded against my skin, soaking my clothes and skin, I barely felt any of it. The only sensation filling my head was that crushing hold of betrayal against my chest. I needed to be away - away from them, away from everyone. Kai, the one person i thought was reliable, and it now turns out he, too, was in on all of this tonight. How could he lie to me? He stood there at a party I wasn't supposed to know anything about, pretending that everything was alright, knowing full well about this marital arrangement between Lena and Liam, and he was involved. My legs seemed to take me of their own volition, walking me along, farther and farther from that mansion. I didn't know where I was going and didn't much care; rain was only coming down in sheets now, making it impossible to see much in front of me, anyway. And I didn't stop. I couldn't. My father, well,my step father didn't even care about how I'll feel about this, he only cared about what his
Last Updated : 2024-10-23MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 55
KAI'S POV It had barely stopped raining since nighttime. The droplets lashed against the panes of this mansion, mirroring the storm inside me. I couldn't breathe properly. My hands shook as I dialed Zara's number for the twentieth time, same lifeless, hollow ring Voicemail again.I slumped back against the couch, my eyes pinned on that door, hoping, praying, she'd walk through it. But the house was dead and silent. I'd been sitting here for hours, just waiting. Waiting for some kind of sign that she was okay.Where in the hell was she?It's all my fault.I massaged my hands through my hair, pulling on it as the frustration pulsed a little harder in my veins. God, I shouldn't have lied to her about that party, let alone agree to be part of Lena's damned marriage arrangement. At the time, I'd thought that was saving our relationship, keeping Liam away from her, and keeping her away from it all. Now though, I saw how wrong it had been. She finds everything out from them and it's what
Last Updated : 2024-10-23
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MARRIAGE PACT 87
Zara's POVThe world contracted, and I breathed shallowly; all the little noises around me sounded muffled. And then, in the eye of my brain was Kai's smirk, the cruel confidence etched in his features-because it reminded me just what futile position I find myself in with him: he has my son, and he knows that.Teeming with warmth from the multitude of members, with facial masks of confusion and curiosity while the room filled in, my stepfather Mr. Klein finally reached an upright pose, his mask of control mixed with charm upon his face, though it was faintly shaded over by some unease which danced through his eyes.Kai let out this calm, yet strong and clear voice from the back: "Now that is off our back, let us resume."He turned to Mr. Klein, who gave him less than a nod of acknowledgement. My stepfather moved forward; his voice was like silk-slow, cultured, calculated. "Ladies and gentlemen, please-I do apologize for this misunderstanding just now. It was about something very perso
MARRIAGE PACT chapter 86
Zara's POV Thick as the air you breathe, tension lay heavy in the room with all the threats flying around. Michael stood firm beside me, his very presence of us against them. Mr. Klein and Kai sat before us, the sharp glint in their eyes keen and calculating. Here's the deal," Michael said, even but icy. "You come clean about everything-illegal deals, murder, cover-ups-or we take it to the press." Klein let out a low, insidious chuckle that succeeded in raising the hairs on the back of my neck. "You've got a lot of nerve, boy. You have any idea what you're up against? "Don't test us," I said, cutting in-the edge of my resolve, lacing my tone. "We have all the evidence against you: documents, recordings, eyewitnesses. Your empire will fall, and for the first time, you will pay for your crimes." Kai leaned back in his chair, curling his lips a little. "And you are above the law, is that it? You just think nothing's going to come your way due to your little crusade?" I met his gaze
MARRIAGE PACT chapter 85
Zara’s POV The thick silence of the room, after all the board members had been dismissed, made the air almost unbearable. Those who remained were those that counted toward this confrontation: Kai, Michael, Jacob, Mr. Klein, Lena, and me. I felt the weight of their gazes upon me-Lena in her confusion, Jacob in his calm resoluteness, Michael in steadfast support, Mr. Klein in feigned nonchalance, and Kai piercingly amused. Kai was the first to speak, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “Well, Zara, it seems you’ve set quite the stage. What now?” I took a step forward, my pulse racing but my expression calm. “Now, the truth comes out—every last piece of it.” Mr. Klein leaned back in his chair, the smirk concealing something more unease in his eyes. "Truth is such a subjective concept, don't you think?" I turned my back to him, turning to Lena instead. She looked just so lost, so totally bewildered by everything that had happened. My heart was out for her, but this wa
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 84
Zara's POV Thick with tension, suffocating, the room slowly filled with members, reporters, and the unmistakable weight of anticipation. Michael sat beside me, calm and collected as expected, yet practically humming with energy. This was it—today was the day. Across the room, Mr. Klein's smug confidence had fallen to a more guarded expression. Kai sat beside him, leaning back in his chair with an unsettling calm, his calculating gaze flicking between Michael and me. But it wasn't Kai or Klein that unsettled me the most. It was Lena. She stood beside her father, a mask of confusion etched upon her face, her eyes darting in my direction for some sort of explanation-one that for now was impossible for me to provide. Whispers of reporters murmured their questions, as cameras poised for a shot of every moment in action. I pulled the folder laid across my lap just a little tighter. It was heavy-heavier than the words of my mother. Michael leaned closer into me; his voice low, "You ready
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 83
Kai's POV I sat in my study-the soft glow of the lamp on my desk, the only light in the room. It was dead silent, with only the irregular tick of the clock on the wall breaking the stillness. My eyes flickered toward the envelope that lay on the desk, its edges slightly shaking under the weight it carried. Madam Tess entered quietly, carrying a tray with a glass of scotch. "The envelope from Ethan arrived earlier today," she said in that still, calm tone of hers; though her eyes told a whole different story. "Leave it there," I said, nodding toward the desk. I sounded colder than I knew, but the disposition to soften it just wasn't there. I nodded, setting down the drink and envelope, before beating a retreat for the door. A glance over my shoulder before I went did seem in order. "Whatever it is, sir, I hope it brings you clarity." Clarity. A commodity I hadn't enjoyed for years. It glowered at me, a silently hurled challenge. My hand moved to it much more slowly, sliding the kn
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 82
Zara’s POV "We’re almost there," Michael said, his voice steady, yet laced with determination. He leaned forward, spreading the documents across the table in his study. "This evidence alone could take Klein down, but combined with yours, Zara, it’s irrefutable." I nodded, my eyes scanning the papers in front of me. My fingers danced over the old recorder on the table-the same one that had captured a truth I wished I could forget. "It's been three years, but hearing it again." I trailed off, shaking my head. "It still feels unreal." Jacob leaned forward, his voice finally coming deep into the corner, a frown on his face. "Whatever the pain, that recording is the nail to the coffin, Zara. It blindsides both Klein and Kai. I looked toward him with those grooved lines on his features. Years of unjust accusations the world had thrown at this man, my source of strength, and yet some window of ache in the eyes reminded me of exactly what this was all about:. "They silenced her," I whispe
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 81
Kai's POV "Say that again, Ethan," I growled, my fingers clamping onto the edge of my desk. My jaw clenched as I waited for him to repeat words that had already set my pulse racing wildly. The silence had stretched long, but when the words did come, Ethan sounded distinctly uncomfortable. "The boy. He was born in New Zealand two years ago. His birth certificate lists Michael Hartmann as the father." My fist came up onto the desk before I could catch it. It made a resounding thud that bounced back into the silent room. "You're telling me Zara gave birth to a boy and didn't feel that was something important enough to mention to me?" "That's exactly what I'm saying," Ethan replied evenly, though I could hear the hesitation in his voice. "The child is with Michael's cousin. I have the address." I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply, trying to restrain the storm inside me. She lied to me. She told me he was dead. My mind coursed through the possibilities. What kind of twisted game was
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 80
Michael's POVThe glow from my laptop screen cast faint shadows across the darkened study. I leaned back in my chair, the weight of the discoveries pressing hard upon my chest.How deep does this go?For weeks, I had tracked every transaction with Mr. Klein's name on it, using his business partnership as cover in investigating his accounts. And what I'd found wasn't illegal; it was explosive: shell companies, offshore accounts, bribed officials-a web of corruption. And right at the center of it? Kai.A knock on the door yanked me from my reverie. Zara stepped inside, her expression grim."Any luck?" she asked, her voice soft yet urgent.I gestured toward the screen. "More than I bargained for."She closed the door behind her and went closer, crossing her arms. "What did you find?"I turned the laptop toward her. "See for yourself."Her eyes moved down the documents, while her furrowed eyebrows deepened further with each passing second.“Offshore accounts in dummy names,” I began, “Tra
MARRIAGE PACT Chapter 79
Zara's POVMichael’s voice was low, but the tension in his words cut through the air like a blade. “I don’t care what your agenda is, Kai. Whatever game you’re playing with Zara, it stops now.”I stood frozen, unseen by either of them, near the door of the conference room. Neither had noticed me step back inside after fetching my file. I pressed my back against the wall, angling for the confrontation without a sound.Kai was annoyingly calm, the arrogance dripping from every pore. "Game? I don't think you understand, Michael. This is no game to me. I have unfinished business with Zara. You're in my way."Michael let out a harsh snort foreign in nature. "Whatever unfinished business you think you have with her is of no relevance. She moved on. You should know how to respect that.”“Moved on?" Kai's laughter was low and cold. "That's what she told you? You really are a kidder, Michael. Zara is a master of concealing the truth. If you think you know her, you're living in dreamland."With
