All Chapters of Claiming the billionaire ceo genius baby: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Alistair broke the quiet with a cold voice, "You must be wondering why you're here." "Belle is scheduled to be here for this meeting. She has a part to play going forward for Kensington Enterprises. Though no one ventured to speak aloud, a murmur permeated the room. Belle lowered her head to escape the men's stinging looks all around her. She was not experienced in board meetings, which showed. She lacked option, nevertheless. Her here was a quiet, subdued reminder of her relationship to Alistair. She transcended mere pawn in his game. She was his wife; her coming here was deliberate. "Belle, could you perhaps add something to the financial report?" One of the guys asked, his voice tinged with contempt. Belle felt her tummy turn over. His speech carried clear expectations: she was here to appear beautiful, not to help. She would not allow them, though, prevail. She leaned forward slightly, swallowing her discomfort, her voice calm despite the thumping in her chest. She started, "t

She said, "Alistair...," her voice almost audible over the storm. Her heart hammered in her chest, each instinct urging her to approach and submit. He answered no. His breath was a languid caress across her skin, his body so near she could feel the heat emanating from him. Closing her eyes, she got ready for anything, anything that would at last bring them closer. Then he withdrew, his visage stiffening, as if he were going to close the distance between them and felt the earth change. "No," he said, his voice taut with control. Belle opened her eyes, perplexity and annoyance building in her chest. What,? "Stay away from me, Belle," he said with a sharp and definitive tone. You are not sure what you are doing. She back off; the words stinging more than she had anticipated. She had felt it too, the draw between them, the unspoken tension, but suddenly it felt as though the air had thickened, forcing her away from him with a power she couldn’s comprehend. Though his words were in l

Sitting around the table, the board members watched her; some were curious, some dubious. Seated at the head of the table, Alistair looked not upward. His expression as impenetrable as always, his posture was stiff. She was not here for him though. She was here to convince herself she belonged. She could go above the murmurs that trailed after her every stride, the uncertainty hovering over her action. She offered her idea, a creative approach to increase the online portfolio of the business. Belle spoke with assurance, every statement deliberates, every concept more interesting than the next. Except for the sporadic tapping of pens against paper as the board members took down notes, the room was quiet. There was a moment of astonished quiet just before she finished. The board members then turned one by one, their expressions moving from incredulity to appreciation. Belle's suggestion was wise. The concepts were original, audacious, exactly what Kensington Enterprises needed to keep

"Miss Madrigal," he said softly but urgently. "You shouldn't depart yet." Belle stopped dead still, glancing about naturally. "why? What do you imply?" The butler's gaze flicked uncomfortably over his shoulder then he moved forward. "The Kensingtons cover things. Events darker than you are aware of." Her pulse accelerated and a cold crawled down her spine. Her voice tight with discomfort, she questioned, "What are you talking about?" He bent in, his breath hardly audible as he whispered. "Do you find out what happened to Alistair's sister?" Her heart skipped. Such a person was unheard of to her. Isla Alistair's mother had always seemed to be the matriarch; her influence was overwhelming. A sister, though? The riddle grew more complex, and the butler's eyes clearly showed worry. "What happened to her??" Belle pressed, now driven by a terrible curiosity. The butler hesitated even though his lips parted as if he wanted to speak more. Then he replied, in a voice hardly above a whis

Alistair, you ought never to have kissed her. With narrowed eyes and a deadly smile curling her lips, Evangeline stood at the threshold. Her voice clearly carried malice, and the strain between them was strong enough to cut right through. When Belle saw Evangeline, her stomach turned like a sharp knife pressed to the incision Alistair had just opened in her heart. "You'll regret this," Evangeline said in a whisper but with great force. Alistair stiffly stood; his jaw tightened. "It's not your concern, Evangeline," he shot, his voice slicing across the room like a razor. You never will and you do not own me. Alistair's voice was frigid, meant for Evangeline rather than Belle at this point, yet the words hung thick in the air, as though he were attempting to persuade himself more than anybody else. Anger, uncertainty, frustration, a tsunami of feeling, pounded Belle through. She had never felt this exposed, this vulnerable in front of anyone, and most definitely not in front of Alis