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THE ARRANGED BRIDE 79
KELLAN’S POVI knitted my fists tighter into the steering wheel as my knuckles turned white. It just wouldn't budge, despite my inner speech rationalizing the facts any number of times inside my brain. Amanda- or Olivia, I should better say, was still living with him, locked inside that bloody castle. Carl was making sure nobody even had a chance to reach her side. This was holding a lady hostage by any definition of the word, and I just could not take it anymore."Darn," I muttered softly, slamming my open hand on the steering wheel.I wasn't about to do nothing, not while Olivia was getting manipulated and lied to. I reached for my cell phone and dialed Thomas's number. He had been tailing Carl for a couple of days now, doing research on whatever he could find on him.He answered on the second ring. "Kellan," Thomas said-all smooth and professional, like always-"I was just about to call you.”"I don't have time for formalities, Thomas. Did you find anything? Why is Carl keeping her
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 80
Kellan's POVThe clock on my desk was churning on with no end in sight, each second rubbing across my nerves like sandpaper. Before me lay a montage of notes and photos that Thomas had put together, pieces of a jigsaw that I just couldn't seem to work out fast enough. Amanda was trapped with Carl and I was running out of time. It's like every day was another person striking a dagger right through my chest. That was because knowing it and yet being helpless over it drove me crazy over time.I leaned back in my chair, scrubbing my hands down my face. The last time he'd seen her, her smile had been warm, radiant-a light in the middle of the chaos I'd called my life. Now, all I could think about was the fear in her eyes, the possibility that she'd lost that light because of him.It whirred crystal clear on my desk. In an instant, it had reached my ears, and I could hear my heart start to whoop. It was Thomas."Kellan," he plunged right into it, dispensing with the hellos and goodbyes. "I
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 81
Amanda's P.O.V.The room was stifling. Dead air, deadening the silence, weighed upon me, like some unshed tear inside of me which refused to come out. I sat at my window, looking out into the sprawling gardens of Carl's mansion. My mind, however, had flown elsewhere.Disjointed pieces of something that were at the same time so strange and yet so familiar started as flashes sometime back: a sound, a woman's voice calling my name; the echo of laughter with this feeling of warmth and welcome that just didn't fit into this cold, calculated life Carl said was mine.My fingers dug in and scratched the nail deep across the skin. Would not those flashes let me be, hanging onto the edges of my mind tenaciously-never to let go and believe this version that Carl tried to sell so desperately as my life.I abruptly got on my feet-my chair scratching the floor with me. The unease inside had brimmed; I wanted answers.Carl's voice carried out to the hall outside my room, and I took a deep breath, pu
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 82
Kellan's POVI was pacing around in the living room when it came. The incessant buzzing on the table; I reached to snatch it up with not a lot of thought on whom it would be; it was Eliza."Tell me you have something," I pressed, an edge to my tone, though tension in my voice belied a composure."Mr. Easton," Eliza started, but just then, an inflection of the tone that began to rise her voice sent my alarm bells ringing. "There's been an accident.”"What's wrong?" My stomach twisting into a tight knot, I clutched the phone in my hand."Olivia, she's been admitted to the hospital. She is unconscious."The world had stopped. I just blanked for a second until pure surging panic and anger took over my head. "What do you mean she's unconscious? What happened?""I don't have all the details yet," said Eliza, "but yes, she was rushed out of the house today, some type of head injury, and she's at Memorial Hospital."I didn't say a word either; took my car keys and ran out of the house, full o
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 83
Kellan's POVMorning light filtered through my window, but it was barely noticed. In front of me, on the desk, my laptop sat with its screen full of all the documents and reports Thomas sent over in the last days: copies of bank accounts, police records, cameras at important junctions. The jigsaw of grains formed one enormous confusing puzzle.My phone rang right next to my head. I lifted it-the name across the screen glowed. It was Thomas.“What have you got?" I said, cutting to the chase.“We need to act fast, Carl is growing paranoid,” Thomas said. “We’ve noticed him destroying files, moving assets around. He knows someone’s digging into his business, but he doesn’t know it’s us.”Good. That gave us an edge, but not much of one. Carl was too calculating to let his guard down for long.*****I later met Thomas and the rest of the team that afternoon in a nondescript café on the outskirts of town: functional in as much as it was well out of the way of prying eyes, and even farther ou
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 84
Olivia's POVI slowly came awake, the pungent antiseptic smell of the hospital stinging my nose. It was like trying to blink the world into focus-my eyelids just felt so heavy. The pale, white ceiling above me came into view, but it wasn't the sterile room that caught my attention-it was the flood of memories crashing through my head.Kellan.It surged back, with such force-so visceral-taking the breath from my lungs: his face, his voice, his touch. I remembered it all-the life they shared, the love they shared, the despair I felt because it was torn from me.Carl had lied.My heart racing, I swallowed hard, my eyes flying from one side of the room to the other. There was no sign of Carl anywhere, but I knew that he wouldn't have wandered very far away. I couldn't tell him I remembered-not yet.I shifted slightly, wincing as a dull ache coursed through the back of my head. The flash of Carl's anger, his hand shoving me, and the wall rushing toward me replayed in my mind. Stupid to con
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 85
Olivia's POVCarl's eyes, boring into my skin, his jaw snapped shut; fists bunched at his sides, unreachable and menacing, he stood between me and the door. I had been so very careful with feigned ignorance, and yet somehow he knew."You've been lying to me, Olivia," Carl said ominously in a quiet tone.I glowered back with puzzlement, but inside my heart had started going crazy, pounding loudly inside my ears. "What's it? I don't-""Enough," he snapped-the word whistling through the air like a whip. "You think I do not see the way you are looking at me now? The reluctant one, the defiance in your eyes? You are remembering who you are.”Instinctively I moved one foot backward, but behind my back was no place to go. "Even if I did," I said, and for some reason my voice wasn't shaking. "What does that matter? You have lied about everything to me, Carl-who I am, about my past-“Because you needed protection!" he cut in, voice rising. That manic edge gleamed once more in his eyes and my h
Last Updated : 2024-12-20THE ARRANGED BRIDE 86
KELLAN’S POV It was 10:27, and my phone vibrated on the bed-side table, breaching the silence in my hotel room. All I could think of was who on earth would ring at such an ungodly hour, and by the time Eliza flashed across the screen right in the next second, my stomach started to growl. She never called for nothing whatsoever, and I think something inside my stomach had told me this time it was serious.“Eliza?" I returned, trying to keep my voice as neutral as possible, though the edges of my mind tickled with dread."Kellan," she said in a near whisper and barely holding in her shakes. "Something happened, Carl and Amanda, they had this huge fight.”My heart did a somersault, skipped a beat in me. "What kind of fight?" I was upright in bed.“A bad one,” she whispered. "Carl locked her in her room. He's furious. I think-" The words seemed to break off as if the weight of what she was saying hung in silence between them. "I think Amanda might be remembering."My mind just went compl
Last Updated : 2024-12-21
Latest chapter
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 89
CARL'S POVI walked around the lounge with Amanda slumped on the couch in front of me, lifeless as a doll. My pursuit of reason was after a wriggle away while the noise of the sirens was growing outside-no less shrill to herald an empire crumbling away.It would have had to have been Kellan-that self-righteous jerk-just couldn't leave well enough alone, could he? I built it with my own hands, he had no right to take it away from me.A loud crash, and my thoughts are rent asunder by the flying open front door. First to storm in is a tidesurge of river-backed, armed officer, hard on the heels of Hardhead, the head of Security-firm as unshakeable granite."Carl Martins," he yelled, as if his voice should have carried around the estate. "It's time to know what's left of you. Back away from Amanda now and surrender yourself to authority."I raised my hands, and a smirk curled my lips. "Surrender? To what, precisely? Baseless accusations? You have nothing on me."Out came the head of Securi
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 88
CARL'S POVMy ringing phone dragged me out of my sleep. Already, my chest was getting tighter while I read on-screen the name Marcus, one of my most trusted men. Swiping to answer, already my voice was a low growl. "What is it?‘We have a problem," Marcus said, the tight urgency laced into his voice. "The head of Security has mobilized a team. They're coming for you, Carl. They're going to raid the estate within the hour."I almost lost my grasp on the phone as that icy panic clutched my chest. "How the hell could this have happened?”"It's Kellan Easton," Marcus spat. "That bastard's been gathering evidence, and he gave it to them. They've got enough to tear you apart."I clenched my jaw so tight I thought my teeth were going to crack. Should have killed Kellan Easton when I had him. That smug, self-righteous fool actually thought to take everything from me, power, my empire, Amanda."Listen now," I said, my voice razor-sharp. "Delay them. I don't care how you do it--cause a diversi
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 87
KELLAN’S POV The next morning, I sat on the edge of Alex's couch, my phone clutched in the firm grasp of my hand as if the strength of the hold could balance my thoughts spiraling out of order. The room, apart from the soft light coming from the table lamp, was shrouded in darkness. The creeping shadows at each corner were a reflection of unease crawling in my chest.What was left now was the riskiest of them all, and frankly speaking, I couldn't afford to waste more time. So I dialed the number that Brian had sent me - London head of Security - a man who, per Brian, had ties in with the Brooke family and who would deal in high stake situations.It rang a couple of times until I heard this firm, deep voice respond, "This is Gerald Mitchell.”‘Mr. Mitchell, my name is Kellan Easton," I started off hopefully-my voice wasn't breaking, "I'm calling because I have evidence regarding Carl Martins’ involvement in some illegal activities including but not limited to fraud, bribery, and unlaw
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 86
KELLAN’S POV It was 10:27, and my phone vibrated on the bed-side table, breaching the silence in my hotel room. All I could think of was who on earth would ring at such an ungodly hour, and by the time Eliza flashed across the screen right in the next second, my stomach started to growl. She never called for nothing whatsoever, and I think something inside my stomach had told me this time it was serious.“Eliza?" I returned, trying to keep my voice as neutral as possible, though the edges of my mind tickled with dread."Kellan," she said in a near whisper and barely holding in her shakes. "Something happened, Carl and Amanda, they had this huge fight.”My heart did a somersault, skipped a beat in me. "What kind of fight?" I was upright in bed.“A bad one,” she whispered. "Carl locked her in her room. He's furious. I think-" The words seemed to break off as if the weight of what she was saying hung in silence between them. "I think Amanda might be remembering."My mind just went compl
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 85
Olivia's POVCarl's eyes, boring into my skin, his jaw snapped shut; fists bunched at his sides, unreachable and menacing, he stood between me and the door. I had been so very careful with feigned ignorance, and yet somehow he knew."You've been lying to me, Olivia," Carl said ominously in a quiet tone.I glowered back with puzzlement, but inside my heart had started going crazy, pounding loudly inside my ears. "What's it? I don't-""Enough," he snapped-the word whistling through the air like a whip. "You think I do not see the way you are looking at me now? The reluctant one, the defiance in your eyes? You are remembering who you are.”Instinctively I moved one foot backward, but behind my back was no place to go. "Even if I did," I said, and for some reason my voice wasn't shaking. "What does that matter? You have lied about everything to me, Carl-who I am, about my past-“Because you needed protection!" he cut in, voice rising. That manic edge gleamed once more in his eyes and my h
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 84
Olivia's POVI slowly came awake, the pungent antiseptic smell of the hospital stinging my nose. It was like trying to blink the world into focus-my eyelids just felt so heavy. The pale, white ceiling above me came into view, but it wasn't the sterile room that caught my attention-it was the flood of memories crashing through my head.Kellan.It surged back, with such force-so visceral-taking the breath from my lungs: his face, his voice, his touch. I remembered it all-the life they shared, the love they shared, the despair I felt because it was torn from me.Carl had lied.My heart racing, I swallowed hard, my eyes flying from one side of the room to the other. There was no sign of Carl anywhere, but I knew that he wouldn't have wandered very far away. I couldn't tell him I remembered-not yet.I shifted slightly, wincing as a dull ache coursed through the back of my head. The flash of Carl's anger, his hand shoving me, and the wall rushing toward me replayed in my mind. Stupid to con
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 83
Kellan's POVMorning light filtered through my window, but it was barely noticed. In front of me, on the desk, my laptop sat with its screen full of all the documents and reports Thomas sent over in the last days: copies of bank accounts, police records, cameras at important junctions. The jigsaw of grains formed one enormous confusing puzzle.My phone rang right next to my head. I lifted it-the name across the screen glowed. It was Thomas.“What have you got?" I said, cutting to the chase.“We need to act fast, Carl is growing paranoid,” Thomas said. “We’ve noticed him destroying files, moving assets around. He knows someone’s digging into his business, but he doesn’t know it’s us.”Good. That gave us an edge, but not much of one. Carl was too calculating to let his guard down for long.*****I later met Thomas and the rest of the team that afternoon in a nondescript café on the outskirts of town: functional in as much as it was well out of the way of prying eyes, and even farther ou
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 82
Kellan's POVI was pacing around in the living room when it came. The incessant buzzing on the table; I reached to snatch it up with not a lot of thought on whom it would be; it was Eliza."Tell me you have something," I pressed, an edge to my tone, though tension in my voice belied a composure."Mr. Easton," Eliza started, but just then, an inflection of the tone that began to rise her voice sent my alarm bells ringing. "There's been an accident.”"What's wrong?" My stomach twisting into a tight knot, I clutched the phone in my hand."Olivia, she's been admitted to the hospital. She is unconscious."The world had stopped. I just blanked for a second until pure surging panic and anger took over my head. "What do you mean she's unconscious? What happened?""I don't have all the details yet," said Eliza, "but yes, she was rushed out of the house today, some type of head injury, and she's at Memorial Hospital."I didn't say a word either; took my car keys and ran out of the house, full o
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 81
Amanda's P.O.V.The room was stifling. Dead air, deadening the silence, weighed upon me, like some unshed tear inside of me which refused to come out. I sat at my window, looking out into the sprawling gardens of Carl's mansion. My mind, however, had flown elsewhere.Disjointed pieces of something that were at the same time so strange and yet so familiar started as flashes sometime back: a sound, a woman's voice calling my name; the echo of laughter with this feeling of warmth and welcome that just didn't fit into this cold, calculated life Carl said was mine.My fingers dug in and scratched the nail deep across the skin. Would not those flashes let me be, hanging onto the edges of my mind tenaciously-never to let go and believe this version that Carl tried to sell so desperately as my life.I abruptly got on my feet-my chair scratching the floor with me. The unease inside had brimmed; I wanted answers.Carl's voice carried out to the hall outside my room, and I took a deep breath, pu
