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Chapter 23
Last Updated:
2025-04-30 04:21:35
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While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter One
Amelia“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, Amelia. Do you realize how much this could boost your career?”, Dr. Marks leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen against the desk like he had all the time in the world.I did not. What I saw was the flashing neon sign of regret associated with Ethan Steele's work.“No, I'm not listening," I stated decidedly as I grabbed my tote bag. “Let’s be honest, I care about my peace of mind and from what I’ve been told, Ethan Steele doesn't come across as a piece of cake to find serenity.”I knew I should have sent him over to someone else the moment Estelle told me she'd be transferring her patients to me, since she was resigning, but I hadn't.I thought I could handle it. Handle him…And I was wrong. I dreaded our sessions more than I dreaded working overtime.Dr. Marks sighed, his eyes narrowing in that patronizing way senior doctors often did when they felt superior. “Amelia, Ethan Steele isn’t just any patient. He’s the Ethan Steele. If you succe
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Two
Ethan“Are you asking me to thank you for this brilliant suggestion, Jared?” My voice sliced through the quiet of the study like a knife.Jared stood near the window, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding his usual air of calm efficiency. And somehow that irritated me even more. “I expect you to consider it, Ethan. Your employment at Steele Industries is in jeopardy. The easiest way to shut a board shut is to hang a stable, domestic picture over it.”“Those unfaithful bastards. After everything I have done for them. This is how they repay me?”I hit the fingers against the leather side of my wheelchair armrest, eyes fixed on the papers on top of the mahogany desk before me. Marriage. Therapy. An engineered fairytale to placate the mockeries that surrounded my kingdom.“She’s a therapist,” I said more to myself than Jared. Estelle had told me about the freelance therapist that they'd hired on a contract, whom she'd be transferring me to, right after she told me about her resi
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Three
Amelia“It's huge," I mumbled to myself as I got out of the black SUV that had just dropped me off at Ethan Steele's home.But then again, what was I expecting? The man was a billionaire.The driver, a tall, salt and peppered haired guy, had kept himself mostly to himself throughout the trip. Jared had offered to make me, but I had turned the offer down, so Ethan had sent his personal driver.“Yes it is." he kept the door open with a blank expression as I looked at the impressive element standing before me.The mansion was a modern fortress, all sharp lines and dark glass. It exuded wealth and power, much like the man who owned it. But despite its grandeur, it felt... cold. Lifeless.“Welcome to the Steele residence, madam," the driver said, his tone courteous yet impersonal.I swallowed hard, clutching the handle of my suitcase. “Thanks,” I replied, trying to sound confident.When I went through the door, the temperature in the room became even more frigid. The interior was sleek a
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Four
EthanThe morning light filtered through the floor to ceiling windows, casting soft, golden streaks across the walls. My body felt heavier than usual, the familiar ache in my legs, those useless, lifeless limbs was a dull reminder of everything I’d lost.My headache, and for just a second I forgot why. The train wreck of memories from last night came rushing at me and I frowned. The nightmares. The thrashing. The whispered voice.Amelia. She'd been here last night.I swung around and there she was, seated in a chair by the side of my bed. Her legs were crossed, and her arms were flat against her thighs, her fingertips absentmindedly batting against the edge of her blouse.Her hair, the soft chestnut brown with hints of auburn was pulled into a low ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face. She wasn’t wearing makeup, and yet her high cheekbones and wide, almond shaped eyes made her look effortlessly composed. She had that understated look of beauty that stopped ordinary wome
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Five
Amelia“You’re not even trying,” I complained, folding my arms across my chest as I stood a few feet away from Ethan in his private gym.State-of-the-art equipment remained there, shining in the fluorescent lights, clean and unworn. Ethan sat in his wheelchair, glaring at me like I’d just insulted his very existence. His dark eyes, framed by thick lashes, burned with barely restrained irritation.“Trying won’t change the fact that my legs don’t work, " he bit out, his deep baritone voice laced with anger.His jaw tensed, and the scar on his temple, partially concealed by a neat, jetblack hairline, appeared to be visible as he tensed.I held my breath, not letting my anger and frustration get out. Why was everything hard with this man? We've been at this for an hour now.“This isn’t about whether your legs work right now. It’s about building strength, even if it’s incremental. Progress starts somewhere, Ethan.”He laughed, but it wasn’t the kind of laugh that brought joy. It was bitt
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Six
EthanThe boardroom was stifling, and it felt like going to the hangman.I wheeled myself to the head of the table, forcing myself to sit taller, to exude the power that my body no longer carried. The polished mahogany table mirrored the faces on the board members' chair who stared at me and Veronica in the manner of vultures circling a wounded animal.Fuck this. I cursed under my breath. Veronica sat smugly near the other end, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the table. She wore a sharp crimson dress, the kind designed to command attention, and her green eyes gleamed with calculated malice.“Ethan”, she began, her voice syrupy sweet, “We’re all here because we care deeply about the future of Steele Enterprises. But we have to face reality, leadership requires certain... capabilities.”She glanced at my legs and smiled. I held my fists beneath the table, trying, unsuccessfully, to maintain composure. “I can't be doubted, Veronica," I told her, in a deadpan manner. X
Last Updated : 2024-12-12While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Seven
AmeliaThe moment I stepped into my room, I leaned against the door, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. My fingers pressed against my lips, as if trying to erase—or maybe preserve—the memory of Ethan's kiss.Why was I trying to do that? I wondered.What was that? The sound of my heart going wild in my chest as I replayed the moment in my mind. His lips firm, and demanding, had caught me so out of guard. For one second, I'd kissed him back, forgetting everything-the terms of our marriage, therapy, the reason I was even here.But why had he kissed me? Impulse? Frustration? Or worse, was it part of this whole act, this elaborate farce we were playing for the world?I shook my head, trying to push the questions away. They were dangerous. They had no place in this arrangement, and I couldn't afford to let them fester.Sliding off my heels, I padded over to the window and pulled the curtains back. The Steele estate stretched beneath the moonlight, so vast it was bot
Last Updated : 2025-04-28While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Eight
Ethan"You call that progress?" My voice came out sharper than I intended, echoing in the therapy room.Amelia froze mid-step, the resistance band in her hand trembling slightly. Her normally calm expression faltered, and I caught a flicker of something behind her eyes-doubt, or maybe fear.She slowly blew out her breath, setting the band neatly on the table while turning to face me. "Progress doesn't happen overnight, Ethan. You know that.""What I know," I snapped, clamping the armrests of my wheelchair, "is that you've been distracted all morning. If you're not focused, how the hell am I supposed to be?"Her lips parted as if to retort, but then she closed them, shaking her head. "This isn't about me.""Isn't it?" I challenged, wheeling closer. "You've been lost in your thoughts all session. If you're not up for this, just say it. I don't need half-hearted attempts to fix what can't be fixed.”Amelia's eyes flashed then, the mask cracking for a split second. "Don't you dare try put
Last Updated : 2025-04-28
Latest chapter
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 23
Amelia's Pov I rose to the sweet, earthy scent of coffee wafting down the corridor, a warm embrace enfolding me. I let myself linger in bed for an instant, enjoying the stillness as the aroma crept onto my lips in the form of a soft smile.It was calming, comforting—one of life's small pleasures I used to take for granted in my old life, but now presented to me, it felt so indulgent.I fell out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen, still wiping the slumber from my eyes. The sun streamed through the windows, lighting the room in warm, glowing light, and there at the counter sat Ethan. His wheelchair was positioned in front of him with perfect precision, a tray on his lap, and a mischievous crinkle at the corner of his mouth.“Good morning,” he whispered, his voice soft and low. “I made breakfast.”I stared in disbelief. "You didn't."He gestured proudly at the tray. "Scrambled eggs, toast, and a bit of bacon that may be a bit overcooked. Don't examine it too closely, please; I had to
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 22
(Amelia, First Person, Past Tense)The house felt heavier without him.His silence bore down on me like heavy mist that clung to my chest as I went by his empty room.I was awake. Not quite. I'd spent the day at the hospital after the surgery, but the physicians had released me to rest while he recovered. Rest—a harsh word.I sat in front of my vanity, brushing my hair with slow, rhythmic strokes, looking at my reflection but not seeing it. My thoughts wandered repeatedly to Ethan, who lay in that sterile hospital bed, as white as a ghost, lips parched, hand bound tightly where Veronica had cut him.He had rescued me. With his body. And before he lost consciousness, he told me that he loved me. That he didn't need a contract anymore. That he needed me.I should have agreed.I should've yelled it.But I had frozen. And now I had no idea what that silence cost.I sighed, pinning on the brush when some aspect induced hairs on my neck to bristle.A shadow. Movement. I turned to face the d
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 21
(Ethan's Pov)Time stood still the instant Veronica charged."Amelia, return!" I cried, trying to propel the wheels on my chair to move more quickly.She was frozen stiff, unable to move, inches from the thin strip of metal that was hidden in Veronica's jacket. The knife glinted in fluorescent light, gliding through air with lethal precision. My heart seemed to be working overtime.Without hesitation, I pushed ahead. A stinging, burning agony ran down my back as I forced my legs to support more weight than their unaccustomed frames could bear. But I showed no weakness.Amelia let out an anguished cry. I caught her in time, shoving her back. At that moment, searing agony pierced my wrist. Hot blood gushed out in an instant. My breath stuck in my constricted throat.Rather, the blade had found me.“Ethan!” Amelia fell to her knees next to him, seizing his wrist in alarm. “You’re bleeding—God, you’re bleeding!”I gritted my teeth, doing my best to keep my pain from blinding my eyes. “I’m
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 20
– Amelia's Pov I hadn't told Ethan about the kiss.Not because I was confused, not because I was covering for Jared. I wasn't. Jared's behavior was inappropriate and uncalled for. But I didn't want to sabotage what Ethan and I had started to develop, not when he was finally being open with me. Not when he was working so hard.I avoided Jared. I avoided him in messages. I avoided letting our paths cross. I went so far as to switch where I ate lunch, just to be safe. But still, I couldn’t shake this nagging sensation that he was still there. Watching.I tried to brush it aside as I strode down the hallway of the hospital. The walls were too white, the lighting too harsh. My clothes carried with them a faint whiff of the disinfectant. My feet felt leaden as I went towards my mother's door, and I inhaled before entering.She slept, her face tilted to one side, an oxygen tube resting across her cheek. Her face was more gaunt than I remembered. Fragile. I sat next to her, watching her ches
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 19
Ethan's POV"Are you sure about this?" Amelia asked softly, clenching the folder in her fingers as if it could possibly burn them."Because you told me Veronica was being quiet, I've been observing it more," I whispered. "She's quieter than that woman is when she's cooking breakfast."She threw a furtive look around the office hallway before softly pushing the door. We both entered the boardroom.I moved my chair to the front of the table. "Close the door and lock it," I said.She did.With a determined motion, she pushed the folder in my direction. “I found these in finance's archive files—three levels down from the main server backups.”I opened it.A silence fell over the room as I read page after page of forged documents. Money transfers. Shell companies. Deals with suppliers who were nothing more than imaginary."She's been withdrawing small amounts from the money," Amelia whispered. "Just enough not to arouse suspicion.""Who approved these approvals?"It might not suit your ta
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 18
Amelia's PovI stood in her hospital room, cradling this sheaf of white lilies in my hands too tightly. I was hit by the acrid smell typical in hospitals first, followed by the gentle humming of machines, before I spotted her—my mother—lying still between too many pillows. Her face was whiter than usual. Her hair that she so lovingly styled was flat on her face and disheveled. A nurse nodded courteously at me before she quietly disappeared, leaving us alone."Hello, Mum," I whispered, trying to keep my tone even as I set down the flowers on the window.She lay still. Her eyes were closed, but even though machines told me she was still alive, it still unsettled me that she appeared so vulnerable. As if she could disappear in an instant if I blinked.I sat next to her bed, holding her hand in mine and curling my fingers over her own. She didn't squeeze back. She never did now."I've been all right," I answered quietly, gazing at her face. "I'm doing my best. The job's been tough. Ethan
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter 17
Ethan's Pov"You're ignoring me."“I'm not.”"You're. You've not even glanced at me all morning.""I'm simply exhausted, Ethan."“No. You're angry.”“I’m not—”“Talk to me, Amelia.”She stood by the hall window, arms across her chest, attempting to look outside at the garden. I wheeled in towards her, making sure to narrow the distance between us to make her look at me."Was this troubling last night?" I asked, trailing a finger up her legs. “Did you hate it when I touched you?”"No," she answered too rapidly.“Do You regret it.”“I never mentioned that.”"Yes, you do.""Don't!" she snapped, drawing in sharply to face me. "Ethan. Can you not automatically assume for one second?""Now assist me here. I don't read minds, damn it!"She glared at me for an instant, her jaw clenched. "Somebody threatened my mother."I stiffened. "What”“I was awakened by an incoming message. In the dead of night.”"Why didn't you wake me?"“I had not wanted to distract you.”"You're living in my home."“An
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Sixteen
“I didn’t expect you to stay,” Ethan said, voice low as the faint morning light crept into the room.“I didn’t expect you to ask me,” I replied, fingers drawing idle circles on his chest..He made a soft noise, a tune that hovered halfway between a sigh and laughter. “You're making it sound like I don't have one.”"I think so," I answered. "You've just stashed it away somewhere in here."“Maybe I did.” His hand shifted slightly, brushing mine. “Last night… I didn’t plan it.”Neither did I.He was quiet for a while. I didn't pressure him to talk. I knew that silence from Ethan wasn't nothing; it was his defense."I keep thinking about Ryan every day," he eventually admitted.I blinked. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard his name. But it was the first time Ethan had brought him up voluntarily."What's been on your mind?" I asked quietly."That I should be the one to die," he went on, his tone unshakeable. "He had such a promising future ahead. I was responsible for all of the unrest."“
While Marrying Mr. Steele Chapter Fifteen
Ethan's pov"Your request has been approved by the board, Mr. Blackwood," she informed me when she came into my office. "The signed forms are on your desk."I didn't even look up from the computer. "Anything else?"She paused. "The office in Tokyo requested a final confirmation prior to proceeding. They need your authorization by tomorrow.""Carry on. I'll take care of that later." I was brusque and curt in attitude. I should have been relieved at last that finally the day was over, but only tension brewed in my gut. Rather, tension ran through my veins. I needed to get home. Not home, I reminded myself—home to her. Amelia.It was a jarring realization. I exhaled a deep sigh, rubbing my temples. When had I ever needed comfort from a human being? When had I wanted her around after a bad day? I needed to shake this, and fast."I'm going to leave now. Reschedule any further calls," I replied, rising from my chair.My assistant blinked but gave a consenting nod. "Yes, sir."I remember ste
