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Chapter 54: Rumors and Roses.
publish date:
2026-07-01 02:29:48
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THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter55 : The Day Everything Changes.
### (Elena's POV — Part 1)The first thing I heard that morning wasn't my alarm.It was knocking.Lots of knocking. I cursed who ever was on the other side of the door."Miss Elena!"Another knock."Miss Elena, please wake up!"I groaned, burying my face deeper into the pillow.Five more minutes.Just five.Another knock came, louder this time.I reluctantly opened one eye and squinted at the clock on my bedside table.Seven-thirty.Too early.Far too early."Come in," I called sleepily.The door swung open, revealing Maria and two women I had never seen before.Both carried garment bags almost as tall as they were.Behind them came another woman pushing a trolley filled with makeup cases. Then a fourth with boxes of shoes.I blinked."...Am I being kidnapped?"Maria laughed and the other two women with her just smiled."No, dear." She stepped aside dramatically."It's your engagement day."The words hit me like a bucket of cold water. I sat up on my bed slowly raked my hand through m
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 54: Rumors and Roses.
(Elena’s POV — Part 2)I stood in the guest room for another minute after Lana returned.She had resumed chatting about fabrics and jewelry as though nothing had happened.Maybe nothing had.Or maybe she was simply good at pretending.I hated that my mind immediately leaned toward suspicion.She hadn’t given me a real reason not to trust her.Not yet.Still…The anonymous articles.The company leaks.Margaret’s involvement.Too many loose ends remained.“Earth to Elena.”I blinked.“Hm?”“You disappeared again.”I forced a smile.“Sorry.”Lana folded her arms.“You’re hiding something.”My heart skipped.“Am I?”“Mhmm.”She tilted her head.“I just haven’t figured out what it is.”For one terrifying second, I thought she knew.About the baby.About my suspicions.About everything.Then she smiled.“It’s wedding nerves.”I let out a silent breath.“You think so?”“I know so.”She linked her arm through mine once more.“You’ve looked like someone walking toward an exam all morning.”“I
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 53: Rumors and Roses.
(Elena’s POV — Part 1)I had never imagined a house could become this chaotic.When I stepped into the hallway that morning, two men were carrying a grand piano toward the ballroom while three women argued over flower arrangements.“No, the white roses go by the staircase!”“They’ll clash with the orchids!”“The orchids aren’t staying there!”I stopped halfway down the stairs, blinking.Was this my home?Or had I accidentally wandered into the middle of a royal wedding?“Good morning, Miss Elena.”Maria appeared beside me carrying a tray of freshly baked pastries.She followed my gaze and smiled knowingly.“They’ve been at it since six.”“It’s not even eight.”“They insisted there wasn’t a moment to waste.”I laughed softly.“I can see that.”Everywhere I looked, someone was doing something.Electricians adjusted chandeliers.Florists filled towering crystal vases with white peonies and roses.A string quartet rehearsed in one corner of the ballroom, stopping every few minutes when th
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 52: Cracks in the Glass
(Xavier’s POV)The headline was still sitting on my desk.“CARRINGTON HEIR’S ENGAGEMENT GALA SET FOR NEXT SATURDAY.”I must have read it a dozen times since this morning.It hadn’t changed.Unfortunately. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a hand across my jaw, and the other hand raked my hair.“Sir?”My assistant stood hesitantly at the office door.“The board members are waiting.”“Five minutes,” I said as I stood up.She nodded and quietly left.The moment the door clicked shut, I picked up the newspaper again.Alaric.It was always Alaric.Every business magazine.Every financial report.Every interview.Every success story.As if the Carrington empire belonged to him alone.As if my father didn’t exist.As if I didn’t exist.I crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it across the office.It landed neatly inside the trash bin.At least something was listening to me today.A knock interrupted my thoughts.“Come in.”The door opened.Sabrina walked inside without waiting for permiss
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 51: A Different kind of Morning.
(Elena’s POV)Sleep refused to come easily.I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling, replaying the last ten minutes over and over again. His hand on my cheek. The way he’d looked at me.The way he’d apologized the moment I’d stopped him.I smiled into the darkness.Then immediately buried my face in my pillow.“Oh, God…”What was I doing?More importantly…What were we doing?A week ago, we were talking about contracts, obligations, and appearances.Now we were awkwardly standing outside my bedroom, almost kissing like two teenagers who had no idea what to do with their feelings.I turned onto my side.Then onto the other.Then back again.Hopeless.Absolutely hopeless.A knock came at my door.Three soft taps.I frowned.Who knocks at—Before I could finish the thought, the door opened just enough for Maria to peek inside.“Miss Elena?”I blinked at her.“Good morning?”She smiled knowingly.“It will be in about fifteen minutes.”I looked toward the clock.Five forty-eight.I groane
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 50: Almost.
(Alaric’s POV — Part 1)The library fell silent again.Not the uncomfortable kind.The kind that settled after two people had finally said something they had been carrying for far too long.Elena’s hand was still in mine.Neither of us seemed willing to be the first to let go.The warmth of her fingers grounded me in a way I couldn’t explain. For years, silence had been my refuge. It was where I hid from questions, from memories, from everything I didn’t want to feel.Tonight…Silence didn’t feel lonely.It felt shared.My eyes drifted toward the photograph resting on the shelf.The silver frame reflected the glow of the fireplace.I followed Elena’s gaze.She saw it too.“I almost hated her.”The words slipped out before I realized I’d spoken them aloud.Elena turned to me, surprise written across her face.“Hated her?”I gave a humorless smile.“Not because of what happened.”My eyes stayed on the photograph.“Because she reminded me of the man I used to be.”She didn’t interrupt.S
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 21: The Questions We can't Ignore
(Elena’s POV)I couldn’t stop staring at the screen.Lana’s image remained frozen there, grainy and distorted, but clear enough for me to recognize her instantly.The same Lana who had sat in my office only days ago.The same Lana who had hugged me after Xavier publicly humiliated me.The same Lana
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 20: The Things I Cannot Control.
(Alaric’s POV)For a long moment after Elena’s question, neither of us spoke.The city glowed beyond the windows, millions of lights scattered across the darkness like stars trapped beneath glass. Somewhere below, people continued their lives—unaware of the secrets buried beneath Carrington Holding
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) Chapter 19: When the strongest fall.
(Alaric’s POV)“Elena!” My voice echoed through the apartment as I rushed to grab her before she hit the floor—her face looked blood drained. I called out her name again, but there was no response.If I had been quick to catch her, she would have hit her hard, hard on the floor. My heart slammed a
THE CEO’S SURROGATE(WOMB CONTRACT) CHAPTER 17: THE GHOST MAYA LEFT BEHIND
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