Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss

Chapter 127

The fallout from Kylan and Katrina's marital woes had put Ross Corporation in a precarious position. Stocks wavered, public perception wavered, and the company seemed on the verge of spiraling into scandal-driven chaos. But Isabella had stepped in at the perfect

moment, turning disaster into opportunity with her calm demeanor and sharp public relations acumen.

Her press conference had been masterful. The carefully chosen words and polished responses had not only deflected attention from the personal drama but also positioned the company as resilient and forward-looking. Isabella's handling of the crisis sparked admiration among stakeholders and the media alike. Her ability to shield Kylan and the business from further scrutiny led to a surprising outcome: the company's stock prices, which had dipped at the peak of the scandal, rebounded to new highs within weeks. Kylan called Isabella into his office late one evening. The office was quiet, the hum of the city below the only sound breaking the silence. Isabella entered, her usual composed expression tinged with a hint of anticipation. She had been waiting for this moment, knowing that her efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.

Kylan leaned against his desk, his tie loosened and a rare smile on his face. "Isabella, I've been meaning to talk to you. What you did during the fallout, it was extraordinary. You saved this company, and, honestly, you saved me."

Isabella's heart skipped a beat at his words, though she maintained her outward calm. "I was just doing my job, Kylan," she replied smoothly. "You've built something incredible here, and I wasn't about to let it fall apart."

He shook his head. "You went above and beyond. The media is calling you a 'PR prodigy.' Investors are thrilled. Our employees are more confident than ever. I owe you, Isabella. If there's anything you want a bonus, a vacation-name it." Isabella's eyes lit up, but not for the reasons Kylan might have expected. She saw this as her chance. Her opportunity to turn his gratitude into something deeper. Taking a breath, she stepped closer, her gaze unwavering.

"There is one thing," she said, her voice soft yet firm.

Kylan tilted his head, intrigued. "Anything. Just ask."

She smiled, her eyes locking onto his. "A date. One evening. Just the two of us."

For a moment, silence hung in the air, and Kylan's smile faltered. He straightened, the easy warmth in his demeanor replaced with a guarded expression. "Isabella..." he began, his tone measured. "I appreciate everything you've done, and I value you immensely. But I can't do that. It wouldn't be right."

Her smile stiffened, though she quickly masked her disappointment. "I see," she said, her voice calm despite the sting of rejection. "Well, I had to try, didn't I?" Kylan chuckled awkwardly, hoping to ease the tension. "You're incredible, Isabella, but I'm still working things out with Katrina. My focus needs to be on my family."

"Of course," Isabella replied smoothly, though her clenched fists behind her back told a different story. "I completely understand."

Despite the rejection, Isabella's star continued to rise. Articles began to circulate about the woman behind the man, lauding her as the unsung hero of Ross Corporation. Journalists painted her as the backbone of the company, someone who rivaled the contributions Katrina had once made as Kylan's secretary. Some even suggested she was the secret to Kylan's recent success, a sentiment Isabella subtly encouraged in interviews and social media posts.

The media frenzy brought her newfound fame, and she embraced it with gusto. Photos of her leaving the office in designer outfits began to surface, accompanied by headlines like "The Powerhouse Assistant: Isabella Stone" and "Kylan Ross' Right-Hand Woman is a PR Genius." She was invited to speak at industry events, where she dazzled with her eloquence and sharp wit.

Internally, employees began to see her in a different light. While Katrina had once been the heart of the office, Isabella was now its mind... cold, calculating, and fiercely efficient. Some admired her, while others feared her growing influence. ~0~0~0~

Later that evening, Ryan was at his desk as he sifted through documents, his brow furrowed in concentration. As a former police investigator, old habits died hard. He had a hunch, and he wasn't one to let things go until he had the answers.

Over the past few weeks, he had quietly been looking into the media leak about Kylan and Katrina's marital issues. Something about it didn't sit right with him. The timing, the precision, and the way it had exploded into a full-blown PR nightmare... it all felt too orchestrated to be a random leak.

Finally, a breakthrough.

his trained eye. The leak had come from someone inside Ross Corporation, and not just anyone. It had come from someone with

tied to subtle

his office. Max was one of the few people Ryan trusted implicitly, and he knew he

easygoing demeanor replaced by a more serious one when

his gaze sharp. "I've been digging into the leak about Kylan and Katrina. It wasn't

place. His eyes widened as he read further, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Are

who fits. She had access to all the information that went public. The media didn't just stumble onto this-they were fed, Max. And she's the one who's been profiting from

of it," he said, his tone dark.

all to elevate her position. And it worked. Kylan trusts her, the media adores her, and now she's more powerful

how we approach this. If we go in without solid proof, Isabella will deny everything and spin it in her favor. She's too good

need to handle this carefully. Kylan's already been through enough. If he finds out someone this close to him betrayed him, it'll hit

act, Max. If we let this slide, she'll keep manipulating him and the company. And the next time she strikes, it could be

the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. "Alright. Let's gather more proof. Something irrefutable. And when the time comes, we'll make sure Kylan sees

groundwork for her next move. She had noticed the subtle shifts in Kylan's demeanor-his gratitude, his occasional smiles of appreciation. While he had turned her down for a date, she saw it as a temporary setback rather than a defeat. Sitting in her office, she scrolled through her phone, reading the latest headlines about herself. "The Woman Behind Hayes Enterprises'

her chair. "One

intention of stopping now. In her mind, the company-and Kylan-were hers for the taking. All she had to do was wait for

wind off

the scent of salt and pine deep into Katrina's chest. She had lived here as a child, but now, each creak of the floorboards and the quiet rustle of the trees outside felt foreign, as if the house itself had become a place of grief, a place where time itself seemed suspended

watching the fog roll in from the bay. Clarence, her bright-eyed daughter, was coloring at the small table by the kitchen, humming quietly as she filled in the edges of her drawings. Despite

AC

since

She spoke less, played less, always seemed to be waiting for something to

hadn't smiled in

had hoped that coming back to

reprieve, some distance from the pain. But the grief had followed her like a shadow, fingering in every corner of the house, in every room where memories of her life with Kylan once lived. She tried to tell herself that it was the right decision to leave. She had caught him, after all. She heard the voice of the woman, Isabella, the sound of betrayal, the echo

beneath her feet.

now, every night, she dreamed of

forgive him, to understand. And each morning, when she woke, the guilt gnawed at her. Could she have misunderstood? Was there another

soft knock at the door, followed

her father, Alois,