All Chapters of Contract Marriage With The Cold Hearted Billionaire : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The Maverick Foundation headquarters was surrounded with a lot of reporters, their cameras flashing everywhere in the press room. The place was so crowded you could barely move. Evelyn stood quietly in one corner and watched everything going on. She was dressed in a designer outfit that had arrived this morning which is a cream colored Chanel suit. She kept looking at all the exits, feeling trapped. "Stop fidgeting," someone murmured beside her. She looked back to find Ethan watching her closely. "You look like you're about to run." "Maybe because I am," she whispered back and fought hard not to dash for the nearest door. Her eyes scanned the huge crowd of journalists - they were everywhere with their cameras and recorders. "There must be at least fifty reporters out there." "78 actually," Ethan said as he straightened his own tie. He wasn't nervous at all since he was used to crowds like this. It was just another day for him. "The Maverick heir announcing his engagement is big ne

The grand dining room of the Maverick mansion felt cavernous and intimidating in the soft glow of the evening. Evelyn stared down at the elaborate place setting in front of her, the china and silverware glinting under the chandelier's light. She barely recognized the woman staring back at her from the highly polished flatware - this poised, elegant figure was a far cry from the bartender she had been just yesterday.The silence between her and Ethan was deafening as they ate, the only sounds the occasional clink of a fork against a plate or the subtle rustle of napkins. Evelyn kept her eyes downcast, unsure of what to say to this man she had so hastily agreed to marry. Just this morning, they had stood before family, friends, and reporters, pledging their lives to one another. Yet here they were, strangers sharing a meal in uncomfortable silence.Finally, Ethan cleared his throat. "How is the food?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.Evelyn glanced up, meeting his cool gaze. "It's

Evelyn was restlessly wandering through the lavish mansion, unable to settle. As she mindlessly trailed her fingers along an intricate vase, a sudden knock at the door made her jump. She knew exactly who it was before even looking. Quickly, she hurried to the entrance and swung it open, revealing her best friend Mia standing there with the biggest smile."Evie!" Mia squealed, immediately pulling Evelyn into a tight hug. Evelyn hugged her back just as fiercely, all the tension leaving her body. It felt so good to see a familiar face in this strange new world."I've missed you so much!" Evelyn said, ushering Mia inside. The heiress looked around the foyer, her eyes wide with wonder."Wow, this place is incredible!" Mia gasped, spinning around slowly. "I knew Ethan Maverick was loaded, but this is next level." She reached out to touch an ornate vase, then glanced at Evelyn with a sheepish grin. "I'm not going to break anything, I promise."Evelyn chuckled. "It's not like this is new to

Evelyn's brow furrowed as she paced the length of her lavish bedroom, the opulent surroundings doing little to ease the turmoil swirling within. Her mind was consumed by the turbulent encounter with Ethan, the man she had reluctantly agreed to marry – a man who seemed to view every woman as a liability or inferior. "What could have possibly happened to make him so jaded, so distrustful of the world?" Evelyn muttered, pausing by the window to gaze out at the meticulously manicured grounds of the Maverick estate. Ethan's icy dismissal of her best friend, Mia, still stung. "Does he really think the world revolves around him?"Crossing the room, Evelyn flopped down onto the plush bed, burying her face in the soft, downy comforter. The familiar scent of lavender did little to calm her frayed nerves. Mia had been her rock, her constant companion through the darkest moments of Evelyn's life. How dare Ethan write her off as a liability, simply because of her family's wealth and influence?Si

Evelyn's fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she scrolled through page after page of search results. Beside her, Mia leaned in, her brow furrowed with equal determination."Okay, so far all I'm finding are the basics – Ethan's company, his reputation as a shrewd businessman, that kind of thing," Evelyn said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Nothing about his personal life."Mia chewed on her lower lip, her gaze darting to the screen. "Hmm, let's try a different approach. What about his name – any mention of that in the news or social media?"Nodding, Evelyn quickly typed Ethan's name into the search bar, her heart pounding as the results began to load. At first, it was more of the same – articles about his professional accomplishments, a few brief mentions in business magazines. But then, something caught her eye."Wait, look at this," she breathed, her fingers tapping the screen. "An engagement announcement from a few years ago – Ethan Maverick