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Shadows beneath the vow

Shadows beneath the vow

Richeal Gigs

5.0
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53
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Ivy Summers thought she could handle the storms life threw her way until one foolish choice turned her world upside down. A quiet night of weakness leads to a memorable one-night stand with Griffin Blackwell, a man who oozes power and control. When she learns that her mysterious lover is not only her boss but the cruel rich CEO of Blackwell Enterprises, her life becomes even more confusing. Griffin, hurt by betrayal and determined never to let anyone close again, views Ivy as a problem he can't afford but can't resist. When a high-stakes deal demands a fake marriage, Griffin offers a contract Ivy cannot refuse. Bound by the rules of their sham union, their twisted web of desire and mistrust gets tighter, revealing dangerous secrets that could destroy them both. As enemies close in and their feelings spin out of control, will Ivy find her strength and Griffin learn to trust again? Or will their love be crushed by the ghosts of their past?

Chapter 1 A NIGHT OF WEAKNESS

Ivy's POV

My heels clattered on the wooden floor as I pulled the door open, making a creaking sound. "I'm home, Nathan!" With a voice tinged with fatigue, I called. I was met with silence. Normal. Most likely, my younger brother was once more lost in his books.

Nathan took his goal of getting into a prestigious university very seriously, and he had finals coming up.

I opened the mail after dropping my luggage on the kitchen counter. Bills. Bills. Additionally, there are more bills. Staring at the stack, each package a harsh reminder of how close we were to drowning, made my stomach turn. Even without Nathan's tuition, my salary as a secretary hardly covered the necessities. He had enough things to worry about, so I couldn't tell him how horrible it was.

"Ivy?" My thoughts were disrupted by Nathan's voice. His face was marked with worry, and his hair was disheveled as he stood in the doorway.

"Hey. How did your day go? Sliding the money under a magazine, I feigned a smile.

"All right. You appear worn out. He took a step toward me and gave me a suspicious look.

I said, "Long day at work," and brushed past him in the direction of the refrigerator. "I'm preparing pasta. Do you want some?

He folded his arms and remarked, "You're avoiding the question."

With a groan, I shut the refrigerator door. "I'm all right, Nathan. Please don't worry about me. Just concentrate on your study.

"You're overdoing it," he said. Perhaps I ought to take a year off. Put in some work-"

"Definitely not." I didn't mean for my tone to be so sharp. Nathan, you're attending college. The conversation is over.

He gave me a long look, concern shining in his eyes. "You know you're stubborn?"

"Comes from a family." I smiled weakly at him and returned my attention to the stove.

But, I was unable to get rid of the weight in my chest while I stirred the spaghetti. For the sake of both of us, I had to figure out how to make things work.

All week, the invitation to the gala sat tauntingly on my desk at work. I lacked the enthusiasm and time for a high-profile event. My best friend and office gossip queen, Sophia, But, had other ideas.

"You're leaving," she said, settling into my cubicle.

I objected, saying, "Sophia, I don't even have a dress."

"Excuses." She dismissedively waved her hand. "I have a gorgeous black number that will fit you like a glove. Ivy, hurry up. One evening. You must have this.

I whispered, "I need to sleep."

"No. For the first time in your life, you will let loose. Daring me to dispute, she crossed her arms.

So there I was, drinking champagne and trying not to feel totally out of place at the Blackwell Enterprises charity dinner. With the air heavy with wealth and influence, the room was a sea of glistening dresses and well-tailored suits.

Sophia nudged me and murmured, "Smile." "You look fantastic."

"I feel like a fake," I said as I pulled at the borrowed dress's hem.

"Well, pretend until you succeed." After giving a wink, she vanished into the throng.

In the hopes that a drink might help me relax, I strolled up to the bar. I sensed someone standing next to me while I waited for the bartender. I turned to look into the intense eyes of a man who made the room disappear.

"First time here?" he said in a rich, silky voice.

"That clear?" My cheeks flushed as I answered.

"Not at all." A little smile curved his lips. "You simply don't seem to be making an effort to win people over."

"Should I be?" I raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"No. It is revitalizing. He held out his hand. "Griffin."

I shook his hand and said, "Ivy." He held me tightly, and I felt a weird warmth from his touch.

"So, Ivy, what has led you to this point?"

Peer pressure, I acknowledged. "You?"

"Business. Always on the job. His brown eyes met mine as he leaned in closer. "But I'm willing to make an exception tonight."

His words lingered in the air, making my pulse skip a beat. If only for a brief instant, his mesmerizing presence helped me forget the seriousness of my obligations.

A cloud of stolen looks and muttered words engulfed the night. I was drawn in like a riptide by Griffin's irresistible presence. I immediately agreed with his suggestion that we leave the gala.

We finally arrived at his penthouse, a sleek, contemporary apartment that exuded wealth. My body had different thoughts than my intellect, which advised me to halt and consider this. My doubts were silenced by the way he gazed at me, as if I were the only person in the world.

"Are you certain?" he inquired in a quiet, reserved tone.

"Yes," I said in a tremulous but confident murmur.

A moment of vulnerability that felt liberating followed, a tornado of emotion. I let go of everything that was preventing me from moving forward for the first time in years.

The morning arrived too soon. It was almost painful, the sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I blinked as I attempted to reconstruct what had happened the previous evening. Panic set in as reality set in.

Being cautious not to wake Griffin, I crept out of bed. I gathered my garments as quietly as I could. When I got to the door and put my hand on the knob, my heart was pounding.

"Going out without bidding farewell?" I was halted in my tracks by his voice.

He was resting against the doorway with a sheet loosely wrapped around his waist as I turned around. His hair was ruffled and his eyes were full of laughter, making him appear incredibly attractive.

Under his staring eyes, I stumbled, "I didn't want to... wake you."

His tone was informal when he offered, "Stay for breakfast," yet there was an intensity in his gaze that made it difficult to say no.

I retreated to the door and murmured, "I really can't."

After examining me for a while, he nodded. "All right. Be careful, Ivy.

His pronunciation of my name chilled me to the bone. I gave a brief nod and walked away with a disorganized mass of ideas.

The ride down in the elevator was a blur. I was already late for work by the time I got to the street. I secretly prayed that I would arrive on time when I called a cab.

I hardly had time to recover my breath when I got to the office before Sophia jumped in.

She looked at me suspiciously and remarked, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I grumbled as I made my way to my desk, "Rough morning." A silence descended over the office before she could ask for more information. When I looked up, I saw the reason: Blackwell Enterprises CEO Griffin Blackwell strode across the room.

My heart stopped pounding. No. It isn't possible. But, the little smirk on his lips as our eyes locked validated my worst suspicion.

Last night, Griffin Blackwell was more than just a stranger.

My employer was him.

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Chapters
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Shadows beneath the vow
1

Chapter 1 A NIGHT OF WEAKNESS

22/01/2025

2

Chapter 2 THE COLD CEO

22/01/2025

3

Chapter 3 A DEAL SHE CAN'T REFUSE

22/01/2025

4

Chapter 4 SIGNING THE CONTRACT

22/01/2025

5

Chapter 5 PUBLIC APPEARANCES

22/01/2025

6

Chapter 6 A FRAGILE BOND

22/01/2025

7

Chapter 7 VICTOR'S INTEREST

22/01/2025

8

Chapter 8 MARISSA'S RETURN

22/01/2025

9

Chapter 9 MARISSA'S INTRUSION

24/01/2025

10

Chapter 10 VICTOR'S WARNING

24/01/2025

11

Chapter 11 THE BETRAYAL OF THE BOARD

24/01/2025

12

Chapter 12 NATHAN'S MISTAKE

10/02/2025

13

Chapter 13 GRIFFIN'S FRUSTRATION

12/02/2025

14

Chapter 14 MARISSA'S BLACKMAIL

13/02/2025

15

Chapter 15 A GROWING RIFT

15/02/2025

16

Chapter 16 VICTOR'S NEXT MOVE

15/02/2025

17

Chapter 17 GRIFFIN'S CONFLICT

17/02/2025

18

Chapter 18 A DANGEROUS ALLIANCE

18/02/2025

19

Chapter 19 A LAST-DITCH SCHEME

19/02/2025

20

Chapter 20 SHATTERED TRUTHS

20/02/2025

21

Chapter 21 THE BREAKING POINT

20/02/2025

22

Chapter 22 SHATTERED TRUST

21/02/2025

23

Chapter 23 DANGEROUS ALLIANCES

23/02/2025

24

Chapter 24 CRUSHED FAITH

24/02/2025

25

Chapter 25 THE EDGE OF THE DEEP

24/02/2025

26

Chapter 26 ALL OR NOTHING

26/02/2025

27

Chapter 27 UNRAVELING THE TRUTH

27/02/2025

28

Chapter 28 BETRAYAL CONFIRMED

28/02/2025

29

Chapter 29 THE ARGUMENT

01/03/2025

30

Chapter 30 BREAKING POINT

03/03/2025

31

Chapter 31 SHATTERED BONDS

03/03/2025

32

Chapter 32 SHADOWS CLOSING IN

05/03/2025

33

Chapter 33 WEB OF DECEIT

06/03/2025

34

Chapter 34 SHADOWS OF DECEPTION

06/03/2025

35

Chapter 35 INTO THE LION'S DEN

08/03/2025

36

Chapter 36 THE TRAP

13/03/2025

37

Chapter 37 GRIFFIN'S REALIZATION

14/03/2025

38

Chapter 38 RESCUE MISSION

14/03/2025

39

Chapter 39 THE FINAL CONFRONTATION

16/03/2025

40

Chapter 40 A NEW BEGINNING

17/03/2025