WHISPER A FORBIDDING HEART

ge was unsettling. Who could know about her arrangement

a trap, it could mean problem for her proposal with Ethan. But

of Ethan's penthouse without a word. The driver at the entrance offered her a questi

rlds apart from the luxury of Ethan's domain. Isabella scanned the room, her ne

lly but with suspense. His eyes were sharp, and his

ella," he said, a

asked, moving to th

used to work for Ethan Hawthorne. Let's just s

ch churned. "Wha

next words carefully. "Did Ethan te

ard and keep the press off his back. Something

em of an election at Hawthorne Industries. His board is divided, and there's a person that wants him removed as CEO. They s

would you care about telling

, but the man is a pretender. He does not care about loyalty or trust he only cares ab

trategic move, but he'd left out the stakes involved. If his position at th

?" she asked, her voice s

hy hasn't he told you about the internal investigation? The accusations of corporat

pounded. "What ki

hat is all he could say for now. If you're smart, you

he unfolded the paper. It was a list of employees, board membe

, his look was down as she stepped inside.

plied curtly, slip

e pressed, his

ver. "Why does it matter? You don't tell me

arrangement, Isabella. If you are going to

" she replied. "Like why you really need this engagement. Or why

pression darkening.

Isabella challen

There was anger, yes, but also something that look

ped. "I'm risking everything for

manipulating stock prices and shutting out key investors. It's all baseless, but they are using it as a means to

ull of anger, betrayal, and confu

e said confused, and I would not exclude her from being

bitterly. "You've been lyin

ll you everything because I did not want to put you into

nt, she saw something real in his eyes. But

an unknown number: "You ar

message. When she looked up, Ethan wa

that?"

uickly, putting the

nd, and this time, she wonder

aims, or is he hiding something even darker? As the walls close in, Isabella