All Chapters of THE CEO'S HIRED WIFE : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

A moment of stillness fell over the room, and then Jace cleared his throat. "We'll have to work quickly to devise a plan. Elena, could you please collect all pertinent data about Liam Arstor and his company's movements in the last few weeks?" Jace asked.Elena nodded, her posture rigid. "Yes, Sir. I'll have the report completed by tomorrow morning."Jace's gaze softened as he turned to see Avalyn. "And you, Avalynn, will join Elena on her rounds. It's critical that we keep an eye on Liam's next move.Avalynn gulped hard.The conference room was suddenly their war room, complete with documents, laptops, and a giant whiteboard covered in notes and diagrams.Elena and Avalynn sat across from each other, with a fragile ceasefire in the air. Both ladies understood that, for the time being, they needed to put their disagreements aside.Elena shattered the silence, her voice clipped. "We need to cross-reference these files with the information we know about Liam. If we identify any inconsis

Elena's jealousy grew more intense, causing her eyes to narrow. A knot of envy knotted in her stomach as she stared at the two of them, standing so close to each other, the bond between them obvious.Not only did Jace stand close to Avalynn in protective manner, but he had never before looked at Elena with such love and affection. Her blood boiled at the thought.With each passing moment, Elena's façade of professionalism began to crumble and her anger beneath it began to bubble. She clenched her jaw and her eyes glowed with barely contained rage.Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Jace stepped in Elena's direction, his expression falling to regret."Elena...He started, "I know how hard you've worked and I appreciate everything you've done.However, it was already too late. Elena could take no more. She gave a guttural scream and threw back her head. Then she made a lunge.With her nails curled into talone-like points, Elena lunged at Jace with alarming speed, as Avalynn watched in

With her heart pounding in her chest, Elena ended her call with Liam. Although the conversation had been risky, there was potential for payoff. After putting her phone in her desk drawer, she inhaled deeply to help her relax. She had little time to make errors.She was starting to relax when her office door opened. With a look of both confusion and anxiety on his face, Jace entered. Elena had a heart palpitation. Did he hear her talking to Liam?Jace said, "Elena," in a cool but curious tone. "Do you have a moment?"She mustered a grin and answered, "Of course. What's on your mind?"Jace walked over to her desk and never took his eyes off of hers. "I had a question for you. How did you find out that Liam received those things from Avalynn?"Elena saw a cold sweat appear on her forehead. She had to keep Jace from suspecting her. She had to get her thoughts together immediately. Playing with a pen on her desk, she tried to buy herself a little extra time.Her voice steady, she consid

Elena went back to her office, her head a disarray of feelings and ideas.Although she was able to get Liam's cooperation, she was still afraid of being found out. The feeling that Jace was observing her and waiting for her to make a mistake persisted in her mind.Staring at the empty folder, she sat at her desk. Now that Liam had the documentation, the following step was crucial. She needed to remain concentrated and do her role well.She was startled out of her reverie as the phone on her desk rang. With her heart racing, she picked it up."Elena, it's Jace," the recognizable voice said. "You must come to my office. Right now."Elena felt her stomach fall. Had he made any discoveries? Taking a deep breath, she attempted to regain her balance. Calmly, "I'll be right there," was her response.She had a sense of impending dread as she made her way to Jace's office. She needed to exercise caution and keep her cool. Jace had nothing to suspect.After knocking and going inside, she discov

Clearing his throat, Jace tried to gather himself. "I fail to see how any of this is your concern, Aunt Linda. All that counts is that Avalynn and I are married. We courted each other through common friends, and our relationship wasn't so smooth. Since we are both fairly private individuals, we didn't see the need to make a big deal out of our relationship."Under Aunt Linda's gaze, Jace stayed calm even though he felt the lie land awkwardly on his tongue. Her knowing stare unnerved him, but he prayed she couldn't see right through his façade."Oh, my dear nephew," Aunt Linda grinned, as though reading his thoughts. I'm not deaf. I can see the fissures in the facade you constructed. Though you and Avalynn may believe you're being shrewd, I assure you that the truth will eventually out."Jace felt her words as hard as a slap. He compelled himself to maintain his indifferent demeanor, using it as a shield against the mounting discomfort in his abdomen. How could she look past him with s