Sold as a Substitute Bride, Claimed by the Ruthless CEO

Chapter 4

Word Count: 763 | Released on: Today at 10:24

uxurious hallway. Eliana's heart pounded

r gamble had failed, the lock finally

ey assumed this was Julian Holloway's room, so they q

from the panoramic city skyline glittering thro

ith the sharp sting of whiskey, hit her l

was certain; the danger ahead was unknown. She slipped

of a man's voice. A tall, broad-shouldered silhouette stood wi

The man from

y winter night, swept t

man, his voice sharp as broken glass. "...Get rid

light, his icy blue eyes locked onto her, filled

his voice, only a cold, weary certainty. "Is th

ng it difficult to breathe. She opened her mouth, wanting to expl

. One arm clamped around her neck, cutting off her air

, screamed, his voice twisted by fe

e against her skin was the only thing t

y sharp. He looked at Eliana in Vic's gr

ow the price

need a hostage!" Vic shrieke

he fresh, sharp scent of cedar clinging to his suit, mixe

e pressed harder against her skin.

ver-his lighter-flew from his hand, stri

floor. Before he could react, Branson was already on h

to the floor,

way. She fell backward, expecting to hit the floor, but in

n caug

falling to her exposed left wr

r pale skin, was

d his eyes. He reached out, his fingers tracing the s

reality. She shoved him away and stumbled backward until he

e knife had grazed her. Against the vivid red of her dress, i

For one fleeting moment, the image of the stubborn girl from the

d up the intercom phone, his voice retur

up and take

he trembling g

able. His eyes dropped to her wrist again-then fl

Chapter End

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Sold as a Substitute Bride, Claimed by the Ruthless CEO

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“To pay for my grandmother's medical bills, my stepmother forced me to be a substitute bride for a notorious, ugly old man from the wealthy Holloway family. When I tried to escape, my stepsister deliberately tricked me into entering the wrong hotel suite. Instead of the old man, I stumbled into a hostage situation and was saved by a terrifying, icy billionaire-Branson Holloway, the king of New York. He didn't let me go. Instead, he pinned me down, his cold eyes locked onto a hidden childhood scar on my wrist as if he recognized me. Back home, my stepmother showed me photos of a hired thug standing over my frail grandmother's hospital bed, warning me to obey. I was completely trapped, a pawn in their cruel game. Then, Branson unexpectedly demanded that I attend his birthday banquet as his personal date. Insanely jealous, my stepmother and stepsister conspired to drug my wine at dinner, hoping to ruin me so my stepsister could take my place in Branson's bed. I didn't understand why this dangerous, powerful man was suddenly so fixated on me. Why did he know about my secret scar? What did he want from a pawn like me? I secretly swapped the drugged glasses, watching my stepsister make a complete fool of herself. But my small victory vanished when Branson cornered me in a private study, declaring that the marriage deal had changed. He wasn't just a powerful stranger; he was my new groom. Trapped beside him in a dark, empty movie theater later that night, I slowly pulled out my phone, ready to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse to escape the devil himself.”