All Chapters of THE CEO AND THE APPRENTICE: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The training days with Greg were intense, especially when I managed to escape from the plastic handcuffs. He taught me self-defense techniques, like unlocking doors and freeing oneself from cloth and tape bindings, and he constantly reminded me:“You don’t need to be stronger than your enemy, just smarter and faster!”Greg repeated this while taking me to the floor of the mat several times, insisting that I get up and try again.“I’m starting to think you’re the one who wants to kill me.” I clenched my fists, bringing my broken nail to my mouth. “Dignity? We don’t have that anymore.”He laughed at my comment and replied, “Better a broken nail than a broken bone, don’t you think?” He extended his hand to help me up. “Does the chip in your skin bother you?”“No, I actually forgot it’s there.” I smiled awkwardly. “Are you sure it’s working perfectly?”“Yes, my team has been monitoring your every move and sending me detailed reports.” Greg nodded, indicating it was time for us to step back

“And how exactly do you plan to do that?” I clenched my jaw nervously, watching her enjoy my reactions. “Oh, my love, I own 50% of the shares, remember?” she hissed, amused. “40% are yours; your brat has 10%.” I gritted my teeth, enraged, restraining the urge to lunge at her neck and snap it. “Didn't your secretary inform you this morning?” Putting her hand to her mouth, feigning surprise, she walked over to the desk and sat on the edge, subtly spreading her legs, letting the business skirt ride up a bit, revealing her thighs. “Celdric transferred his part to me!” “That changes nothing; I don’t need to accept your presence in the merger. We have professional mediators for that.” I ignored her, feeling my phone vibrate. Seeing a message from my sweet Lis, I smiled slightly. “I see, there's someone

POV: ELISABETH“Several reports continued to appear in the newspapers, along with notifications on my phone. I increased the TV volume upon hearing Patrick's name: “The renowned and youngest CEO, Patrick Morgan, a businessman and owner of Seattle's most respected publisher, SoundStory Press, became embroiled in controversy that divided opinions. An intimate photo surfaced showing him with his ex-wife, skirts lifted, depicting an act clearly not consensual. Miss Heloise Forbs gave statements to the press to clarify the events, shocking the public with her words: 'Patrick has always been domineering and possessive; unfortunately, his obsession with me didn't end after our separation. He tried to take control of the Forbs industry, forcing me to unlink my name to protect my dear brothers.' She paused, crying, waving her hand to hold back tears. 'My brother Celdric and I went to SoundStory Press to confront Patrick Morgan, who

I walked towards the pool with a bottle of wine in hand, the warm night contrasting with the heavy load of thoughts on my mind. Where could he be? Why wasn't he responding? Had Patrick not realized his empire was crumbling? I nervously bit my lip, sitting at the edge of the pool as I sipped the wine, lost in my thoughts. That bastard had returned, bringing all my traumas and fears with him. “Patrick, you said you would protect me. Where are you?” I whispered to the stars, staring at the sky. Setting the bottle aside, I decided to dive in to relax the tension in my body, my anxious mind racing through various scenarios that quickened my heartbeat. I floated with closed eyes, immersed in my chaotic thoughts. There are so many unanswered questions. Who was Gabriel? Why was Heloise involved in all of this? Could it be true? Conflict after conflict. Why hadn't that damn man tried to kidnap me?

POV: ELISABETHI stroked Patrick's hair as I absorbed his whole story. How could someone wish such harm to their own child? What level of mental problems did Heloise have? Tears streamed down my face, overwhelmed by the pain of the man who smiled so much, never showing the suffering he lived with. I sighed, looking again at Biel's photo and then at the starry sky. “Patrick?” I called in a whisper, still staring at the vast blue sky. “When I was with my ex, I got pregnant. I ran upstairs to tell him, hoping he’d be happy and stop hurting me.It was a thread of hope, you know?” He lifted his head, wiped his eyes, and looked at me intensely. “What happened?” Morgan asked, his voice trembling. “It didn’t go as expected. He thought the child would take up my time, my love. Then he pushed me down the stairs. I remember waking