All Chapters of ECHOES OF DECEPTION: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

In the lavish library of the Peterson mansion, Alexander Steele was sitting down, skillfully swirling the amber-coloured liquid in his glass. The gathering continued in the large ballroom, while Alexander found solace in the calm library, away from the excessive presence of guess. His image as the merciless head of Steele Enterprises came before him, and tonight was no exception. Everywhere he looked, he sensed insincere smiles, the tactful strategies of people trying to win his approval or form alliances. His needs were far greater and far more desperate.The terms of his late father’s will were clear: to secure control of Steele Enterprises, Alexander had to be married within three months. Failure to comply meant the company would fall to his cunning and manipulative uncle, Richard Steele, a man Alexander despised. Richard had spent years scheming to undermine Alexander’s authority, waiting for this moment to seize power.Alexander refused to let that happen. The company was his lif

Alexander Steele stared down the reporters, his mind racing as the unexpected question hung in the air: “Is your marriage a pretence?” He felt a sudden surge of anger, but his face stayed emotionless. He was skilled at concealing his feelings, but this was a unique situation where one mistake could undo all his efforts.The cameras snapped continuously, with the lights flashing as fast as lightning bolts. Isabella stood next to him, her hand shaking slightly as he held it. Alexander glanced at her, searching for a clue to her thoughts, but her face was a mask of defiance.“The only thing shameless here,” Alexander said finally, his voice steady and cold, “is Richard Steele’s desperation. My wife and I have nothing to prove.”Before the reporters could throw another question, Alexander’s security team moved in, creating a path through the chaos. He tugged Isabella’s hand, leading her toward the waiting car. She followed, her chin held high, but Alexander could feel the tension burning

Alexander Steele stared out of his penthouse window, at the wonderful city below with its radiant early morning sun. His reflection glared back at him, a stark reminder of how unsafely close he stood to losing everything. The image, the message, and the recollection of Isabella's shaky refusals echoed in his thoughts like a skipping record.He couldn't rid himself of the feeling that his life was falling apart uncontrollably. Alexander Steele was completely reliant on control.Meanwhile, Isabella sat in the guest room, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t slept all night. The memories of her past with Greg haunted her like unwelcome ghosts. The café meeting captured in the photograph which she was innocent, but the timing of its resurfacing was deliberate. Someone wanted to destroy her marriage.The question remains who really could be responsible for this?Her thoughts shifted to Clara, Alexander’s vulture-like business rival. Clara had always been ruthless, but Isabella doubted she wa

The envelope fell from Alexander's grasp, its contents falling to the ground like pieces of a broken truth. His thoughts moved quickly, each part of the mystery swirling in chaos while Isabella's trembling figure faced him.He repeated, his voice low and tense, asking for something darker. "What the heck is Isabella even trying to say?"She mouthed words but remained silent. Her silence was heavy and overwhelming, bearing down on him like a strong grip. Alexander's patience, already worn thin, gave way."Speak!" he snarled, holding her shoulders tightly.” No more playing around, no more withholding information. I require full knowledge.”However, just as Isabella was about to respond, the ballroom lights flickered, casting the room into temporary darkness. The crowd let out a series of gasps, causing the tension in the air to intensify. After the lights settled, Victor Kane had disappeared."Where has he disappeared to?" Alexander whispered while he looked around the room."I don’t kn

The walls of Steele Enterprises felt colder than ever as Alexander paced the executive suite, the headline still seared into his mind. His enemies weren’t just attacking his reputation. They were dismantling his empire from the inside out. And the most damning part, they were using are his most trusted people to achieve their goals.Mason stood silently in the corner, his jaw clenched, watching Alexander like a coiled spring ready to strike. Isabella sat across from them, her face pale, and her hands trembling in her lap. She tried to explain, to absolve herself, but her words felt like smoke.“You’re telling me someone is framing you, Isabella,” Alexander said, his voice low and dangerous. “But everything I’ve seen says otherwise.”“I’m telling you the truth,” she whispered, her eyes darting to the folder on the desk, the folder she’d taken from Victor. “it isn’t what you think. It’s not about betraying you. I'm only trying to play along to gather more information. It’s about protect