Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire
Synopsis: Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire
Leila Carter never expected to find herself trapped in a fake engagement with the most ruthless man she’s ever met—Adrian Blackwell, a billionaire known for his cold efficiency and ruthless control over everything in his life. But when a shared enemy threatens both of them, Adrian offers her an irresistible deal: pretend to be his fiancée and in return, he’ll ensure her safety.
Adrian has built an empire by playing the long game, and this arrangement is just another calculated move. Leila is a means to an end, a pawn in a game of power and deception. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself. But the more time they spend together, the more she pushes back, challenges him, tempts him in ways he never saw coming.
As their dangerous charade drags them deeper into a web of lies, betrayal, and simmering tension, their biggest threat isn’t just their enemies—it’s the undeniable pull between them. Because pretending to love someone is easy.
Not falling for them? That’s the real challenge.
Basahin
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Sixteen – The Life We ChoseLeilaThe gallery was empty now.Not just cleared out—but tranquil and solemn, as if the space had finally exhaled after holding its breath throughout the night. The only sound was the faint hum of the ventilation, a muted whisper amid the quiet. A subtle scent of fresh paint lingered, mingled with traces of expensive perfume and champagne bubbles that had long gone flat. Bathed in light from the high windows, the hardwood floors showcased slanting rays that caught dust motes swirling like languorous stars—small, drifting thoughts yet to settle.Leila stood alone in the middle of it all.With her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her gaze fixated on a single photograph—the one of Adrian.It was the final piece of the exhibit. Not because it was the most visually captivating, but because it resonated most personally. A black-and-white shot of him in a moment of quiet vulnerability, trapped in the pause between an exhale and a confession. She had almost removed it from the show mu
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Fifteen – What Still LingersThe city greeted them not with warmth, but with a cacophony of sound and a brisk urgency that felt jarring after the tranquility of the forest. Horns echoed in the distance, a siren shrieked two blocks away, crosswalks flashed impatiently, and strangers hurried past, their brows furrowed and coffee cups held tightly like armor.It was still the same city they had left, yet they were somehow stepping into it as transformed individuals.Leila first noticed the change in Adrian's demeanor as they turned onto their street. He sat silently in the passenger seat, scanning the sidewalks and shadows with a tense jaw. When they passed a dim alley illuminated only by a flickering neon sign, she observed how his shoulders instinctively squared, as if a primal instinct had resurfaced before he could quell it.His gaze darted to every reflective surface they encountered—glass storefronts, car mirrors, bus windows—taking in more than just the passing sights.At first, she refrained from speaking. P
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Fourteen – The Place We FoundThe Weekend Trip The cabin was tucked away deep in a serene forest, bordered by tall pines that swayed gently in the morning breeze. Its roof slanted at unusual angles, softened by a thick layer of moss and the passage of time. Smoke lazily puffed from the chimney into the lightening dawn sky, and the windows emitted a soft glow from a fire that had kept the place warm throughout the night.For Leila, it felt like she had stepped back into a quieter era.Standing on the squeaky wooden porch wrapped in a blanket, her wool socks damp from taking a barefoot step outside with her coffee, she held a chipped mug—its rim worn from previous use. She appreciated items with a story—objects that had endured.There was no noise of traffic, no phone alerts disrupting the calm, no underlying tension.Just the songs of birds. Just the wind weaving through the trees. Just the simple act of breathing.Inside, the world she shared with Adrian was still slumbering. He lay curled under the quilted cover
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-16
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Thirteen – What We BuildThe Return to the CompanyEntering the office felt like revisiting a nostalgic moment that had become mismatched with his current self.The marble floors shone brightly under the harsh fluorescent lighting, and the familiar mix of wood polish and aged leather lingered in the air, just as it always had. His footsteps echoed softly on the familiar carpet, and the skyline stretched beyond the glass walls, unchanged in its towering indifference. But, everything seemed slightly off, like a song being played in a different key.It wasn't the office that had changed; it was him.Adrian sensed it in the subtle details—in the brief hesitation before pressing the elevator button, in the way his thumb hovered over the biometric scanner, feeling almost foreign. That scanner had once access to his empire. Now, it seemed like a reminder of a past he was unsure about reclaiming.As he entered, Claire—still composed, polished, and reliable—rose from her desk with an ingrained smile. She didn't flinch
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-16
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Twelve – Soft EdgesAdrian hadn’t realized just how overwhelming the quiet could be.Not the kind of quietness that brought peace, but the kind that made his skin crawl and amplified his thoughts. It settled over him like fog—light yet completely suffocating. He picked up on the smallest of sounds: the gentle clink of a second mug on the counter, Leila’s footsteps on the floor, the soft hum she made while brushing her hair. Even the bustling city outside felt muted.For weeks, they had been caught up in chaos—running, fighting, poised for deception. Now, the stillness resonated through every room like an unfamiliar tune.Initially, Adrian held fast to routine, attempting to impose structure on the quiet. He woke early, prepared breakfast, scrolled through news feeds with a sense of suspicion, and walked with Leila along cobbled streets, pretending life was normal.Yet, peace was not an act. And pretending only made the emptiness more obvious.For Adrian, peace didn’t feel liberating; it felt like an afte
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-15
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred Eleven – After the StormlLeilaThe rain had ceased before dawn.The world now lay in a peaceful silence that Leila had nearly forgotten existed. No gunfire pierced the night, no encrypted messages lit up their screens, and no looming threats haunted them with whispers of grudges.Only the steady tick of the wall clock in the kitchen, occasional sounds of life from the streets below, and the soothing aroma of coffee drifted through the house like a gentle sigh.Barefoot by the window, Leila found herself enveloped in Adrian’s oversized hoodie—its comforting smell of cedar and rain still lingering. Outside, the city slowly stirred back to life after the storm, the sky a muted gray with clouds hovering like bruises, but the danger had effortlessly passed. The wind had calmed, and the battered city had survived.Inside their apartment, for the first time in what felt like ages, they woke up without a mission—no target, no emergency plans, no sign of Camille or Ethan. Gone were the days of calculated hush and ur
Huling Na-update: 2025-04-15
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