Chapter 121 [ 494 words ] Chapter 121: A guttural, animalistic growl ripped from his throat. He dropped Caroline’s hand and lunged forward, his massive fists clenching, fully prepared to physically destroy Harper in front of two hundred people. Caroline reacted with blinding speed. She stepped sideways, throwing her own
Chapter 120 [ 500 words ] Chapter 120: General Augustus slowly leaned forward. He pressed the burning cherry of his cigar into the crystal ashtray. The heavy clack of the glass instantly silenced the whispering crowd. The General grabbed his heavy ebony cane. He pushed himself up from the sofa.
Chapter 119 [ 539 words ] Chapter 119: Jarrod’s left hand was tightly intertwined with Caroline’s, his injured right arm held still at his side. She stood tall and breathtaking in the midnight-blue velvet gown, her skin glowing under the chandelier light. She didn’t look terrified. She looked out at
Chapter 118 [ 484 words ] Chapter 118: Finch physically flinched. He quickly snapped his eyes back to the front, a cold bead of sweat forming on his brow. The butler realized instantly that the Colonel had not brought a lamb into the house; he had brought a loaded weapon.
Chapter 117 [ 465 words ] Chapter 117: She didn’t offer him empty, polite words. She moved. Caroline stepped directly into his personal space. She raised both arms and wrapped them tightly around his thick waist, pressing her cheek flat against the center of his chest, right over his heart.
Chapter 116 [ 494 words ] Chapter 116: “The element of surprise is gone. She’s running to tell Cornelia right now,” Jarrod stated, his tactical brain taking over. He reached down and grabbed Caroline’s hand, lacing his thick fingers through hers and squeezing her hand so tightly her knuckles ached.
Chapter 115 [ 507 words ] Chapter 115: “The security in this house is getting pathetic,” Harper sneered loudly, making sure every word echoed in the room. “They’re letting cheap, low-class nobodies wander in off the street to steal our food.” Caroline’s face turned to stone. The insult didn’t hurt
Chapter 114 [ 480 words ] Chapter 114: Neither of them noticed the heavy wooden door crack open an inch. Standing in the dark hallway, peering through the narrow gap, was Harper Romero. Harper’s eyes widened in absolute horror as she watched her cold, untouchable brother passionately devouring a woman
Chapter 113 [ 516 words ] Chapter 113: Caroline felt a wave of pure, burning humiliation wash over her. Jarrod was using their legal contract as a weapon to publicly brand her like cattle. Her chest heaved. She wanted to scream, but she couldn’t deny a federal legal document. She
Chapter 112 [ 473 words ] Chapter 112: Alston, sensing the lethal threat, immediately straightened his posture and stepped slightly in front of Caroline, adopting his aggressive courtroom stance. “Excuse me, sir,” Alston started, his voice firm. “Can I help you?” Jarrod didn’t even look at Alston’s face. He treated
Chapter 111 [ 498 words ] Chapter 111: “Did Washington United suddenly start paying their intern nurses a million dollars a year?” Alston joked, though his eyes were sharp with genuine curiosity. “This is the most exclusive, locked-down event in the city.” Caroline’s smile tightened. She couldn’t breathe a word
Chapter 110 [ 467 words ] Chapter 110: He turned around and walked out. The heavy wooden door clicked shut behind him. The oppressive, terrifying aura of his protection vanished with him. Caroline was completely alone in the silent parlor. She let out a long, shaky breath and walked over
Chapter 109 [ 506 words ] Chapter 109: Caroline sucked in a sharp breath. She forced her tactical training to override her panic, locked her jaw, and gave a single, stiff nod. Jarrod let go of her hands and stepped out of the SUV first, then turned and offered his
Chapter 108 [ 492 words ] Chapter 108: Cornelia’s stomach dropped. She grabbed Harper’s arm, her fingernails digging brutally into her daughter’s flesh. “I apologize, Marcy,” Cornelia said quickly, her heart racing. “Jarrod has spoiled her rotten since she was a child. She has no filter.” To desperately break the
Chapter 107 [ 506 words ] Chapter 107: Sitting on the antique sofa was Marcy Vance, the wife of a powerful Maryland senator, and her young, beautiful daughter, Eleanor Vance. Marcy saw Cornelia approaching and instantly jumped to her feet. A desperate, flattering smile stretched across her face. She leaned
Chapter 106 [ 536 words ] Chapter 106: But Jarrod’s reflexes were inhuman. He didn’t even flinch. His left arm shot out, the only limb capable of such speed. He caught her with a grunt of effort, the sudden strain pulling at the healing injury in his right shoulder, and
Chapter 105 [ 512 words ] Chapter 105: Caroline stood in the center of the room. The midnight-blue velvet clung perfectly to every curve of her body. The deep, backless cut exposed the smooth, pale skin of her spine, making her look like a dark, dangerous rose blooming in the
Chapter 104 [ 486 words ] Chapter 104: He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together. “My team is packing your apartment right now,” Jarrod stated, pulling her toward the door. “Now, Mrs. Romero, it’s time to go meet the family that wants to eat us alive.” They walked
Chapter 103 [ 518 words ] Chapter 103: The brutal reality of his words hit her like a sledgehammer. Her meager savings account was absolutely nothing against his limitless capital. He had used his wealth to completely annihilate her independence. Tears of pure frustration burned in her eyes. “Why are
Chapter 102 [ 490 words ] Chapter 102: Caroline’s eyes darted across the text. She saw the bold, black words: Deed of Trust and Transfer of Commercial Ownership. “Jarrod, what is this?” Caroline asked, her voice rising in panic. “What does this have to do with me?” Jarrod reached into