Michelle’s heart pounded as she forced herself to look away from Eleanor. The fury in her cold, calculating eyes was unmistakable. But Michelle had no time to dwell on it—because Raymond’s words were still ringing in her ears.My real wife.Not a contract wife. Real.Had he meant it? Or was it simply part of the act to maintain their cover?Before Michelle could process it, Raymond’s grip on her waist tightened, subtly pulling her closer as the investors continued their conversation. His touch was warm, grounding—but also sent a jolt through her. She forced herself to focus.The rest of the evening was a blur of polite conversation, flashing cameras, and champagne glasses clinking together. But Eleanor’s presence lingered at the edge of Michelle’s mind like thunder waiting to strike.The Next Morning, Eleanor’s fingers clenched around her phone as she paced across the lavish sitting room, her jaw tight with frustration.The deal she had spent months crafting had collapsed overnight. T
The man who visited Eleanor was Noah Sinclair, a powerful businessman with a personal vendetta against Raymond and. He is a former rival of Raymond's in both business and personal matters. Years ago, Noah lost a major deal to Raymond, and since then, he has harbored resentment toward him. However, his grudge deepened when he realized that Michelle, the woman now standing beside Raymond, was someone he once had his eye on. He had asked Michelle out once and she had rejected him, and since then , he vowed to make her regret turning him down.Their ultimate goal is to strip Michelle of everything and force Raymond into a position where he has no choice but to abandon her. Eleanor wants to get rid of Michelle, while Noah wants to see Raymond ruined and Michelle in his grasp.But what they don’t realize is that Raymond is already ten steps ahead. He knew everything that was going on. He was watching their every step.Michelle’s heart pounded as she stood frozen outside Eleanor’s study, hid
The warmth of Raymond’s embrace lingered on Michelle’s skin, her body still humming from the intensity of their shared moment. As exhaustion weighed heavily on her, she barely registered the way he carefully pulled the sheets over her or the way he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She felt safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel like a pawn in someone else’s game. Here, in Raymond’s arms, she wasn’t the neglected daughter, the unwanted sister, or the woman caught in a whirlwind of betrayal and greed. She was simply *his* wife. And that realization was both thrilling and terrifying. The morning after, sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. Michelle stirred, stretching slightly—only to wince at the dull ache in her body. A deep blush crept onto her cheeks as last night’s events came rushing back. She turned her head slightly and found Raymond sitting at the edge of the bed, he was already dressed
The warmth of Raymond’s embrace lingered on Michelle’s skin, her body still humming from the intensity of their shared moment. As exhaustion weighed heavily on her, she barely registered the way he carefully pulled the sheets over her or the way he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She felt safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel like a pawn in someone else’s game. Here, in Raymond’s arms, she wasn’t the neglected daughter, the unwanted sister, or the woman caught in a whirlwind of betrayal and greed. She was simply *his* wife. And that realization was both thrilling and terrifying. The morning after, sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. Michelle stirred, stretching slightly—only to wince at the dull ache in her body. A deep blush crept onto her cheeks as last night’s events came rushing back. She turned her head slightly and found Raymond sitting at the edge of the bed, he was already dressed
A heavy silence fell over the grand ballroom. Eyes flickered between Raymond, Michelle, and Noah, the anticipation of a drama about to unfold was thick in the air. Michelle’s heartbeat quickened. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her gown as she turned to face Noah. There was something about the smug way he looked at Raymond—like he held a weapon, ready to strike. Raymond, however, remained composed, his face was blank, unreadable. His posture was relaxed, but Michelle could feel the tension coiled beneath his calm exterior. “Noah,” Raymond said, his voice smooth yet edged with warning. “You always did enjoy putting on a show.” You know me too well , Noah smirked, taking a deliberate sip from the glass of whiskey in his hand before he continued. “And you always did enjoy keeping secrets.” Michelle’s stomach twisted. What did that mean? She wondered. Raymond’s grip on her waist tightened. He didn’t turn to her, but she could sense it—the silent reassurance in his touch, as if
Michelle’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Raymond’s words echoed over and over in her head. “I want this marriage to be real. Stay with me, Michelle. For real this time." She couldn’t ignore the way her heart clenched at his confession. The sincerity in his voice, the intensity in his gaze—it felt real. But why now? Why after all this time? Her fingers trembled slightly as she pressed them against her temple. She needed to think carefully. Raymond had always been unreadable, guarded, and calculating. He was a man who never did anything without reason. So what had changed? Was this about her, or was this just another strategic move? She wondered. The logical part of her warned her to be careful. To not let herself be swept away by the idea of love when it could all be another transaction to him. But the part of her that had been slowly falling for him—the part that had felt safe in his arms, had melted beneath his touch—wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that this tim
Millie’s parting words lingered in the air like a thick, suffocating fog. Michelle stared at the empty space where her sister had stood minutes ago, her heart hammering hard against her ribs. *"Because soon enough, I’ll be the one sitting in your place."* A shiver ran down her spine. She had always known Millie was competitive and would go to extreme lengths to get anything she wanted, but this wasn’t just about outshining her anymore. Millie wanted to take everything from her. Her stomach twisted painfully. She turned to Raymond, expecting… something. Maybe a reaction. A sign that he was just as unsettled and bothered by Millie’s words as she was. But instead, he looked completely unfazed. He was calm, too calm for Michelle's liking. To him, it was as if Millie’s intrusion hadn’t meant anything at all. Michelle frowned. “Aren’t you even a little bit concerned?” Raymond exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “Millie is desperate for attention. She’ll do whatever it takes to
The grand ballroom of the Davenport estate glittered under the soft glow of the golden chandeliers, filled with the chatter of New York’s elite, swirling champagne glasses, and the lingering scent of expensive cologne and designer perfumes. Michelle Davenport stood at the far end of the hall, her delicate fingers tightening around the stem of her untouched champagne flute as she observed the extravagant event unfold before her.It was yet another social gathering thrown by her parents, an evening where deals were disguised as pleasantries, alliances were built over expensive wine, and where she, as always, was nothing more than a decorative afterthought. The perfect, obedient daughter, unseen yet expected to exist only when needed. She was only needed whenever it was beneficial to them.Her gaze flickered across the room, scanning all the guests in the room until her eyes landed on the golden child of the Davenport family—her twin sister, Millie. Dressed in a shimmering red gown that
Millie’s parting words lingered in the air like a thick, suffocating fog. Michelle stared at the empty space where her sister had stood minutes ago, her heart hammering hard against her ribs. *"Because soon enough, I’ll be the one sitting in your place."* A shiver ran down her spine. She had always known Millie was competitive and would go to extreme lengths to get anything she wanted, but this wasn’t just about outshining her anymore. Millie wanted to take everything from her. Her stomach twisted painfully. She turned to Raymond, expecting… something. Maybe a reaction. A sign that he was just as unsettled and bothered by Millie’s words as she was. But instead, he looked completely unfazed. He was calm, too calm for Michelle's liking. To him, it was as if Millie’s intrusion hadn’t meant anything at all. Michelle frowned. “Aren’t you even a little bit concerned?” Raymond exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “Millie is desperate for attention. She’ll do whatever it takes to
Michelle’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Raymond’s words echoed over and over in her head. “I want this marriage to be real. Stay with me, Michelle. For real this time." She couldn’t ignore the way her heart clenched at his confession. The sincerity in his voice, the intensity in his gaze—it felt real. But why now? Why after all this time? Her fingers trembled slightly as she pressed them against her temple. She needed to think carefully. Raymond had always been unreadable, guarded, and calculating. He was a man who never did anything without reason. So what had changed? Was this about her, or was this just another strategic move? She wondered. The logical part of her warned her to be careful. To not let herself be swept away by the idea of love when it could all be another transaction to him. But the part of her that had been slowly falling for him—the part that had felt safe in his arms, had melted beneath his touch—wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that this tim
A heavy silence fell over the grand ballroom. Eyes flickered between Raymond, Michelle, and Noah, the anticipation of a drama about to unfold was thick in the air. Michelle’s heartbeat quickened. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her gown as she turned to face Noah. There was something about the smug way he looked at Raymond—like he held a weapon, ready to strike. Raymond, however, remained composed, his face was blank, unreadable. His posture was relaxed, but Michelle could feel the tension coiled beneath his calm exterior. “Noah,” Raymond said, his voice smooth yet edged with warning. “You always did enjoy putting on a show.” You know me too well , Noah smirked, taking a deliberate sip from the glass of whiskey in his hand before he continued. “And you always did enjoy keeping secrets.” Michelle’s stomach twisted. What did that mean? She wondered. Raymond’s grip on her waist tightened. He didn’t turn to her, but she could sense it—the silent reassurance in his touch, as if
The warmth of Raymond’s embrace lingered on Michelle’s skin, her body still humming from the intensity of their shared moment. As exhaustion weighed heavily on her, she barely registered the way he carefully pulled the sheets over her or the way he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She felt safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel like a pawn in someone else’s game. Here, in Raymond’s arms, she wasn’t the neglected daughter, the unwanted sister, or the woman caught in a whirlwind of betrayal and greed. She was simply *his* wife. And that realization was both thrilling and terrifying. The morning after, sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. Michelle stirred, stretching slightly—only to wince at the dull ache in her body. A deep blush crept onto her cheeks as last night’s events came rushing back. She turned her head slightly and found Raymond sitting at the edge of the bed, he was already dressed
The warmth of Raymond’s embrace lingered on Michelle’s skin, her body still humming from the intensity of their shared moment. As exhaustion weighed heavily on her, she barely registered the way he carefully pulled the sheets over her or the way he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She felt safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel like a pawn in someone else’s game. Here, in Raymond’s arms, she wasn’t the neglected daughter, the unwanted sister, or the woman caught in a whirlwind of betrayal and greed. She was simply *his* wife. And that realization was both thrilling and terrifying. The morning after, sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. Michelle stirred, stretching slightly—only to wince at the dull ache in her body. A deep blush crept onto her cheeks as last night’s events came rushing back. She turned her head slightly and found Raymond sitting at the edge of the bed, he was already dressed
The man who visited Eleanor was Noah Sinclair, a powerful businessman with a personal vendetta against Raymond and. He is a former rival of Raymond's in both business and personal matters. Years ago, Noah lost a major deal to Raymond, and since then, he has harbored resentment toward him. However, his grudge deepened when he realized that Michelle, the woman now standing beside Raymond, was someone he once had his eye on. He had asked Michelle out once and she had rejected him, and since then , he vowed to make her regret turning him down.Their ultimate goal is to strip Michelle of everything and force Raymond into a position where he has no choice but to abandon her. Eleanor wants to get rid of Michelle, while Noah wants to see Raymond ruined and Michelle in his grasp.But what they don’t realize is that Raymond is already ten steps ahead. He knew everything that was going on. He was watching their every step.Michelle’s heart pounded as she stood frozen outside Eleanor’s study, hid
Michelle’s heart pounded as she forced herself to look away from Eleanor. The fury in her cold, calculating eyes was unmistakable. But Michelle had no time to dwell on it—because Raymond’s words were still ringing in her ears.My real wife.Not a contract wife. Real.Had he meant it? Or was it simply part of the act to maintain their cover?Before Michelle could process it, Raymond’s grip on her waist tightened, subtly pulling her closer as the investors continued their conversation. His touch was warm, grounding—but also sent a jolt through her. She forced herself to focus.The rest of the evening was a blur of polite conversation, flashing cameras, and champagne glasses clinking together. But Eleanor’s presence lingered at the edge of Michelle’s mind like thunder waiting to strike.The Next Morning, Eleanor’s fingers clenched around her phone as she paced across the lavish sitting room, her jaw tight with frustration.The deal she had spent months crafting had collapsed overnight. T
The drive to the Hawthorne estate was eerily quiet. Michelle sat beside Raymond in the backseat of his sleek black car, her hands folded tightly in her lap. She had met Jonathan Hawthorne once before—at their engagement dinner—but back then, she had been too overwhelmed to process much. Now, after everything that had happened, meeting him again felt different. Because this time, he was asking to see her.Michelle stole a glance at Raymond. He was unreadable as ever, his sharp profile illuminated by the glow of the city lights. His fingers drummed lightly against his thigh, a sign that he was deep in thought. She wondered what he was thinking about.Michelle swallowed. “Is he going to interrogate me?” Raymond’s lips twitched. “Most likely.” “Fantastic.” She exhaled slowly. “Any tips?” “Yes.” He turned his gaze to her, his eyes darkening just slightly. “Don’t let him intimidate you.” Michelle let out a humorless chuckle. “Right. Because that’ll be so easy.” Raymond reached o
The next morning, Michelle woke up to chaos. Not the usual one, but a full-blown, media-frenzy, trending-on-every-social-platform type of chaos. The entire world had lost its collective mind over Raymond’s declaration the previous day. Her phone had exploded with so many messages. Some from Chloe, who had sent no fewer than thirty texts in a go. Some from Hailey, a friend of hers, who had sent, OMG and bombarded her with questions. And a handful from people she hadn’t spoken to in years, suddenly acting like they had always been best friends. The top headline? RAYMOND HAWTHORNE CLAIMS MICHELLE AS HIS EVERYTHING—IS THIS THE LOVE STORY OF THE CENTURY?Michelle groaned and buried her face in her pillow. What even is my life right now?She barely had time to process before the door swung open. “Good morning, wifey,” Raymond said like it was the most natural thing to do, his voice dripping with amusement. Michelle peeked out from under the blanket to find him standing there,