All Chapters of Bound By The CEO's Contract : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

(NATALIE POV)The summon to my boss, Alexander Hayes’s office came through Mark, his assistant, and I felt this instant ache in my stomach. Alexander rarely called anyone to his office during working hours unless he wanted to address something really serious.And the minute after I got the call, my mind started reeling with possibilities. I knew I had been fumbling a lot lately, distracted by my father’s illness and the crushing burden of his mounting medical bills.And just like I feared Alexander must have finally taken notice of my shortcoming and that was not an update to take likely.So as I walked down the corridor, I felt my heartbeat thundering in my ears. Each step closer to his front door doubled my anxiety. And when I eventually reached, I smoothed my skirt and wiped my sweaty palms before knocking softly.“Come in,” Alexander’s deep voice called from the other side.I pushed the door open, and there he was, seated behind his dark imposing desk, his blue piercing eye

(NATALIE POV)The taxi pulled up to the towering wrought-iron gates of Alexander’s mansion. I dipped my hand in my handbag for cash, taking out the fare and passing it to the driver. He gave me a curious glance but said nothing as I climbed out.I turned to face the mansion, holding my breath and widening my eyes. God, the house was enormous, a sprawling estate with tall, glassy windows, literally the largest piece of residential architecture I have ever seen.It loomed before me like a palace, making me feel utterly small, I started to feel common and out of place again.What was I doing here? I reasoned afresh.Would they even let me in? And if they did, how would I navigate such a labyrinth?I hung around the gate awkwardly, debating whether to call Mark and tell him I couldn’t go through with this. Just as I was about to reach for my phone, a voice called out, sharp and direct.“Hey Miss! Over here.”Startled, I looked up to see a man dressed in a security uniform standing ins

(Alexander’s POV) I stepped out of the building, looking as confident and in control as possible. But as much as I tried to keep this up, I knew deep down that my mind was anything but steady. Thoughts of Natalie Harper, My supposed contract wife-to-be had filled up my head since the previous night. I ground my teeth and held my ground doing my best to push those thoughts aside as I strode toward my car. “Good evening, Mr. President,” A voice greeted, polite, precise. It was one of my employees. I barely registered who it was. I lifted a hand in an absent wave, a practiced gesture that required no thought. That had become some sort of a routine now since I took up this position as CEO. The worker bowed their head slightly, stepping out of my way as I passed. The parking lot was nearly empty at this hour. And as for my car, it was standing where it always did, at the rear. I reached for the door handle and pulled it open the moment I got there. I slid inside, and ex

(NATALIE POV) We arrived at the hospital my father had been admitted first thing the following Saturday morning, I stepped out of the car measuredly, my heart a tight fist in my chest. Behind me, was Sophie trailing behind, her presence a quiet pillar of support. Alexander had ensured that I arrived as early as possible , his instructions had been delivered through Mark as usual, the same person who had brought us here. The moment we started making our entrance through the first hallway that led directly into the building, the air smelled of antiseptic and faint traces of coffee from the nurses' station. My mother was already waiting by the payment counter, her forehead filled up with worried lines. The transaction was swift. The half a million dollars Alexander had transferred had been more than enough. Out of the $600,000 he sent, only $300,000 had been required to cover my father’s entire medical bill. The remaining half now sat untouched in my account, a silent re

(ALEXANDER POV) The moment Lila threw out those words, I didn’t need to look at Natalie to know she had frozen beside me. The sharp intake of breath I heard from the corner of my ear was enough. But I couldn’t let her respond couldn’t allow this situation to spiral any further. Before Natalie could even open her lips, I stepped forward, smoothly placing myself between them, a controlled smile settling onto my face. The same kind of smile I used during business negotiations when the other party was being particularly insufferable. "Lila," I half whispered with a tone that was effortlessly composed. "Didn't expect to see you here." Her blue eyes narrowed, the corners of her lips curled upwards in a smile that held nothing but malice. "I can see that" She sneered. I ignored her bait, reaching for Natalie’s hand with smooth ease. Then with a mechanical nod I murmured. "Excuse us," The voice was just loud enough for Lila to hear but not the others. "We have things to