Chapter 2 - The Widowed Bride's Performance"Nathan?"
Isabella’s voice drifted through the corridor, laced with an artificial, honeyed sweetness that made my skin crawl. She emerged from the bedroom wearing a silk robe, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked the picture of innocence, a blushing bride waking up to her first morning of forever.
Then, her eyes landed on the nightstand.
The glass of whiskey was gone.
For a fraction of a second, the mask slipped. Her eyes widened, darting toward the bathroom door, searching for a body, a sign of distress, anything.
I stepped out from the study, holding a newspaper in one hand.
"Good morning, my love," I said, my voice rich with warmth.
Isabella physically recoiled, her face turning as pale as marble. She grabbed the edge of the doorframe to steady herself, her breath catching in her throat.
"N-Nathan?" she stammered, her voice trembling in genuine, unadulterated shock. "You're... you're awake?"
"Of course I'm awake," I smiled, walking slowly toward her. "Though I have to admit, I slept surprisingly well. Though I can't say the same for you. You look like you've seen a ghost."
Isabella swallowed hard, desperately scrambling to regain her composure. She forced a shaky, breathless laugh, pressing a hand to her chest.
"You scared me to death!" she gasped, rushing forward to throw her arms around my neck. Her body was trembling—not from love, but from sheer, creeping terror. "I woke up and saw the empty glass... I thought... I didn't know where you were!"
I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close enough to feel the rapid, frantic beating of her heart.
"Worried about me, Isabella?" I whispered directly into her ear, my tone dropping an octave. "How sweet. But you don't need to worry. I’m much harder to kill than you think."
May you like
She stiffened instantly in my arms, pulling back with wide, terrified eyes. But I didn't let her speak.
"By the way," I continued smoothly, "Adrian is coming over for an emergency board meeting this morning. We have a lot to discuss about the future of Carter Global. I think you should be there to hear every single word."
