All Chapters of The Unexpected Proposal: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Chapter 41: The Slow BurnApart from the slight hum of the city outside, the flat is quiet. With his back to Elizabeth, Simeon stands by the window gazing out at the horizon. The air between them is dense with unspoken words neither of them dare utter.Sitting on the edge of the couch, arms wrapped around herself, she seems to be struggling to hold together the fragments of her heart. Though she doesn't come closer, her eyes stay on him.Simeon's stance is stiff, as though he were trying to maintain some emotional distance. However, Elizabeth is aware of the tension. Even without touching him, Elizabeth can sense the tension crackling in the space between them.She is aware that he also experiences it.The suffering.That's what I want.But now there is something bigger in the air— something darker.They both understand it.Neither of them knows how to cross the gap between them, which seems like an ocean.Finally, he says, "I didn't mean to hurt you," in a quiet, almost hesitant voic

Chapter 43: Lines CrossedStaring at the screen, Simeon grips the edge of his phone tighter. His jaw is so tightly gripped that it seems about to crack. Still fresh in the headlines, the scandalous pictures of Elizabeth created by Alex hang over him like a smothering fog. His first impulse is to kill Alex, but he realises that violence won't solve the problem. He has to deliver a message, one that will stick with Alex forever.The idea strikes him swiftly and intensely, akin to a sudden burst of energy. He quickly messages his PR team, instructing them to reveal Alex's personal scandals to the media. All the things Alex had been concealing behind the cover of charm and riches: a network of affairs, dubious business transactions, and a years-long trail of deception.Simeon reclines in his chair, eyes narrowing, as the news breaks. One by one, he sees the headlines flash across the screen. The sensational tales about Alex's personal life, about the falsehoods and betrayals he's been con

Chapter 45: Surrendering to Love As Elizabeth walks outside, the night is heavy with the scent of rain. The streets glimmer under the glow of streetlights, reflecting the dampened world around her; the air is chilly and crisp. Walking with her coat wrapped tightly around her, she creates visible clouds. She's been considering everything, the decisions, the worries, especially Simeon.A conflict between wanting to run and needing to stay fills her thoughts with a tornado of emotions. The weight of her hesitation crashing down like the gloomy clouds hanging above had never made her heart so heavy.She doesn't understand why she's out here or walking toward him—toward the one guy who can make her feel alive and afraid all at once.Then she spots him.Under the faint light of a nearby streetlamp, Simeon stands with his figure cut out against the darker sky and the rain pouring in sheets all about him. Standing motionless, his black coat clings to him, and his gaze is lost somewhere far a

CHAPTER 47: The Media Frenzy Ringing in the hectic newsroom, the phone slices through the low hum of typing keyboards and fast discussions. The senior editor, a lady in her forties with short, pointed hair, picks up the phone, her fingers stopping mid-type. Listening closely, her brow creases as the speaker on the other end offers her the tip. The voice is a touch too silky, low, and cryptic.Elizabeth Carter has something about her. The caller, a breathless voice on the line, advises you to investigate. She is concealing something significant. Something that might ruin her profession.The editor's eyes narrow as she looks over the rows of live news feeds and headlines on screens. Elizabeth Carter, the name by itself, draws notice. Beloved by investors, consumers, and the public, she is the darling of the corporate world. But like all favorites, she has secrets; everyone has.With her fingers drumming the table, the editor sits up taller. Do you have evidence?" she enquires, attempti

CHAPTER 49: The Final Choice Begins Standing in front of Simeon, Elizabeth makes the room seem excruciatingly minor. The faint chandelier light highlights the distance between them by casting long shadows on the walls. Louder than the gentle hum of the air conditioning, every beat thundering in her chest makes her heart race. The silence's weight presses down on her; every breath she takes seems more complex than the previous.She knows what she must do—this is the last stage in a war that has been inside her for weeks. Still, the words choke her in the back of her throat. Fear of vulnerability, of throwing herself out there and hoping Simeon would catch her, twists in her gut.His eyes unreadable, he observes her. He has always been the strong one in charge; tonight, for the first time, she feels as though she is the one who controls. Fighting back the tears threatening to escape, she swallows hard. Not now; she cannot let them fall."Simeon," she begins, her voice quivering, but sh