Flash Marriage To The Predatory CEO

y was the steady, rhythmic be

ng windows of her bedroom at Sutton Manor, illuminating th

blood pressure cuff from Elsie's arm. Her movements were practice

elly chirped, her voice bright and jarring in the

tired smile. Her vita

nd. He was a tall, severe-looking man in his forties, but his han

your presence in the

ey'd adopted years ago. A small rebellion o

eavier than any physical ailment. She kept her exp

berries, and a glass of nutrient-dense, tasteless sludge. Elsie ate mechanically, the food

ut who was seen with whom in the Hamptons. Elsie listened, a silent

e followed Niam down the long, echoing hallway. The polished wood floors reflected their images l

as cold and impos

power suit. Her posture was ramrod straight, her expression devoid of any matern

d, gesturing to the lea

ie

hed surface of the desk. The name embossed on th

were discussing a stock acquisition. "The Sutton family requires t

ch in her chest. But on the outside, she remained perfectl

h slender fingers a

e page, his eyes sharp, piercing, as if they could see right through the paper and into her. He

l, stirred in her stomach. She found herse

te empire built with ruthless precision. Mergers and acquisitions, global assets, a

voice cutting through Elsie's thoughts. "Before then,

word 'feelings,' coming from her mother's

soft thud of the cover ec

voice a soft, dutiful whisper. The pe

ed Hermina's face. "Do what a S

ting wa

lowed, his silent presence a small comfort, his eyes filled with a worry he

cked shut behind her, the mask

s the first crack. It wasn't fear that seeped through, but a chilling, unfamiliar thrill. The thrill of a worthy opponent. The vacant, placi

detail, every reported weakness, every rumored preference of Duke Blake. She was

r from the file. The paper was thick, glossy. Sh

d a small key she wore on a chain arou

jewels inside.

lry designs, and a collection of carefully cut-out advertisements from Agent Provocate

image of a model in a black lace corset. The star

hed Elsie's lips. It was a sm

oto, a man who thought he was a

room, her voice no longer soft, but lace

wasn't the e

beginning o

rawer, beneath a swatch of velvet, she walked to the window and looked out at the perfectl

t feel suffocating. It felt like a

illed her lungs felt different. It tasted