āđāļāđāļēāļŠāļđāđāļĢāļ°āļāļāđāļāļĢāđ
CHAPTER 32
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ:
2025-03-14 09:24:50
āļāļāļāļĩāđāđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ§āļāđāļāļ
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 33
Derrick I left the hospital in a daze, My chest felt heavy, like a weight had settled deep inside me, pressing against my ribs with every breath. The image of Bridget leaning into Smith, his hand resting on her shoulder, played on a loop in my mind. *FiancÃĐ.* The word echoed in my head, a sharp, unrelenting reminder of what I had lost or maybe what I had never truly had.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I walked quickly to my car. The parking lot was quiet, the occasional sound of a distant siren or the hum of a passing car breaking the silence. But all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a drum.I slid into the driverâs seat, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. The engine roared to life, and I sat there for a moment, staring at the hospital through the windshield. Liam was in there. My son. And Bridget was with him, with *him*. Smith. The name felt like a punch to the gut every time I thought abo
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-15BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 34
The Weight of ChoicesBRIEIt was 6:22pm in the evening. The fluorescent lights of the emergency room buzzed faintly overhead, casting a sterile glow over the tense atmosphere. The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, a persistent reminder of where I was and why I was here. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. fear, guilt, exhaustion, all battling for dominance.âIâll be taking my leave now, Brie,â Smith muttered, his voice soft but firm. He rubbed his hand on my shoulder, the warmth of his touch offering a fleeting sense of comfort. âI have to be at a short meeting with some clients. I was headed there before I got your call and decided to rush here to meet up with you.âI looked up at him, forcing a smile that felt more like a frown. âItâs fine, Smith. Thanks for stopping by.âHe nodded, his kind eyes filled with concern. âMy pleasure, Brie. And get some rest, okay? Heâll be fine.â With that, he turned and walked toward the exit, his polished shoes clicking against the ti
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 35
A Deal with the DarknessDerrickI sat in my car, the engine off, the silence pressing against my ears like a weight. The parking lot was empty, save for a few scattered vehicles, and the faint glow of a street light flickering above. My hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, as if holding on tighter could somehow steady the storm inside me. Bridgetâs face flashed in my mind. Her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, the way she used to look at me before everything fell apart. And then there was Liam. My son. The boy Iâd barely known, the life Iâd missed out on. The guilt gnawed at me, a relentless ache that had only grown sharper since Iâd seen him again.Iâd spent years running from it, burying the regret under layers of denial and excuses. But seeing Liam at the hospital, really seeing him had shattered all of that. He was a bit older now, with Bridgetâs eyes and a quiet confidence that made my chest tighten.I wanted to be part of his life. I needed to be. B
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-19BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 36
A Glimmer of GraceBrieThe hum of the office was a distant buzz as I rested at my desk, my fingers hovering over the keyboard but not typing. My mind was elsewhere, replaying the image of Liam lying in that hospital bed, his small frame dwarfed by the machines and tubes surrounding him. The memory of his laboured breathing, the way his tiny hand had gripped mine, sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing over me. I should have been there sooner. I should have noticed he wasnât feeling well before it got that bad.âBrie?â Lisaâs voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. She stood in the doorway of my office, her expression a mix of concern and apology. âIâm so sorry I couldnât come see Liam at the hospital. I didnât even know he was sick until Mark told me. How is he doing now? Is he okay?âI forced a smile, though it felt brittle on my lips. âItâs fine, Lisa. You donât owe me an apology. And Liamâs doing better, thank God. The doctor said heâll be discharged today.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-19BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 37
âEy, Amigo, Iâve been waiting on you for the Smith guyâs details and the transfer. You waste more time, and itâll cost you double of that money, you understand?â Tyrellâs voice crackled through the phone, low and menacing, like the growl of a predator circling its prey.I clenched the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles whitening in the grip. The weight of his words pressed down on me, a reminder of the stakes I was playing with. These Gang members werenât the kind of people you play around with. They were the kind who made people disappear when they were disappointed. And right now, I was dangerously close to becoming one of those people.âHey, man, Iâm on my way to the location where Iâll get you what you want. Trust me, I wonât take long,â I replied, my voice shaky despite my efforts to sound calm. The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. I wasnât sure how much longer this would take, and every second felt like a ticking time bomb.Tyrell grunted, a sound that could have meant anything,
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-22BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 38
The Shadow of the past: A fight for Liam.It was my second day off. The director had given me some days off to go spend time with Liam, who had just been released from the hospital. I sat on the couch, my gaze fixed on Liam as he slept peacefully in his cradle. His tiny chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, a reminder of how fragile life could be. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotions. Fear, hope, and now, relief. Liam was finally home, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to breathe. Liam, He was my world, my everything. When I almost gave up on life, he was the only thing keeping me going. He was my lucky charm, and I was just so overwhelmed by joy to see that he was finally recovering well.As I stood up to go get the drugs the doctor had prescribed for Liam, my phone rang out, the screen flickering. I averted my gaze towards the phone, wondering who that might be calling me by this time of the night. I picked up the phone and saw an u
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-24BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 39
BrieShadow Of The Past: Continued. I hesitated, unsure of how much to share. Davis had always been my rock, the one person I could count on no matter what. But I just didn't want to talk about this. I was tired of bringing up Derrick, talking about a past I had tried so hard to leave behind.âItâs Derrick,â I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. âHe called. He wants to be a part of Liamâs life.âDavisâs eyes widened in surprise. âDerrick? After all this time? What did he say?âI recounted the conversation, my words tumbling out in a rush. As I spoke, I could see the concern written all over Davisâs face. She knew how much I had struggled after Derrick walked away, how hard I had fought to build a life for Liam and myself. âI donât know what to do,â I confessed. âI canât let him waltz back into our lives like nothing happened. But what if he tries to take Liam away from me? What if he goes to court?âDavis reached for my hand, her grip firm and reassuring. âListen to me
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-25BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 40
Derrick The Plan. The amber liquid in my glass swirled as I clenched my fist, the ice cubes clinking softlyâa pathetic symphony to match the storm in my head. Forget and move on? Bridgetâs words still burned in my ears, sharp as shattered glass. I exhaled hard, my grip tightening around the whiskey before taking a slow, bitter sip. The burn down my throat did nothing to dull the frustration. Frank sat beside me on the leather couch, his usual easy-going demeanour replaced by a rare, pensive silence. He swirled his own drink, watching me with that calculating gaze of hisâthe one that always made me feel like he was three steps ahead. âDude she told me straight up on the call that I should forget about Liam and move on. Isn't that absurd?â I asserted, my gaze slowly drifting to Frank, who was sitting next to me with a glass of whiskey in his hand. She actually said that?â Frank finally broke the silence, his voice low. Forget and move on? Like, you're not the father of her
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-28
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 50
GymDerrickAt the gym, the barbell moved in rhythm with my breathing. Each rep burned through my chest and arms, but the pain was a welcome distraction. The gym had always been my escape, a place to silence the noise in my head. Lately, though, no amount of weight could press away the burden I carried. There were too many moving pieces, too many loose ends.Smith had been a major problem, and for now, he was out of the way. But was it really over? I exhaled sharply and racked the barbell, my arms trembling slightly from exertion. Sitting up, I let the sweat drip down my face, wiping it off with the back of my hand. My heart was still racing, but it wasnât just from the workout. Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to meet up with Bridget and baby Liam at SYNLAB for the D.N.A test, but since Smith's disappearance, I became hesitant.I had lost the guts to call her to talk about it. I kept thinking, what if she thinks I did it? The last thing I wanted was getting in the cross hairs. If
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 49
The rescue mission. Brie"Madam?" I jerked my head up. Mr. Donald stood before me, holding the small briefcase I had brought with me. "Your withdrawal is ready." I nearly sobbed in relief, snatching the briefcase and clutching it to my chest. The weight of it. $300,000 in crisp bills felt like both salvation and condemnation. "Thank you so much," I whispered. He hesitated, then slipped a small piece of paper into my hand. "My direct line. If you need helpâĶ call me." I nodded numbly and rushed out, clutching onto the briefcase. Outside, the night air was thick with humidity. I walked over to where I had parked my car. Got in and said a few words of prayers before igniting the engine and hitting the road.The ride was a blur of fear. The road looked like a haunted ghost highway. All I could see was darkness as I sped ahead. The car's engine roared in my ears, matching the frantic rhythm of my heart. After a long ride, I finally arrived at the old and abandoned gas station. I sat
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 48
Desperate WithdrawalBrieThe bank was crowded, a sea of impatient faces and restless bodies shifting in slow-moving lines. The air hummed with hushed conversations, the rhythmic clicking of keyboards, and the occasional sharp ring of a telephone.My legs trembled as I stepped forward, clutching the withdrawal slip in my damp fingers. The pounding in my chest was so loud I could barely hear my own ragged breaths. The bank official, a middle-aged man with wire-rimmed reading glasses perched low on his nose, barely glanced up before taking the slip. His name tag read Mr. Donald. His expression was neutral and professional. The kind of man who followed procedure without question. My stomach twisted. "Madam," he said, adjusting his glasses, "youâre requesting to withdraw $300,000 in cash?" His voice was steady, but his eyes flickered with curiosity and suspicion. "Thatâs a substantial amount. May I see your identification, please?" I swallowed hard, my fingers clumsy as I pulled out
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 47
The Call Bridget It was 6pm in the evening. The fluorescent light filtered weakly through the kitchen as I sat hunched over the counter, my fingers wrapped tightly around my second cup of coffee. I have been stuck to the burner phone I had bought earlier, like my life depended on it. Waiting patiently for the next call since the last one, which came the day before yesterday, but nothing was coming through. The bitter warmth of the coffee in my mouth did little to soothe the restless knot in my stomach. After tonight would make it three days. Seventy two agonizing hours since Smith had vanished without a trace. The police had visited earlier to ask a few questions cause somehow they got to know Smith and I had something going on. I constructed a statement carefully, not giving out too much information that might end up putting Smith in jeopardy. The kidnapper from the phone earlier had warned me never to get the police involved, so I was super careful and selective with my words.A
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 46
The Wrong MoveDerrickThe sun was a merciless beast today, pounding down on the construction site like it had a personal vendetta against us. Sweat trickled down my temple as I bit into my turkey sandwich, the bread already soggy from the heat. The little cafÃĐ across the street was our only refuge. Air-conditioned, stocked with cold drinks, and, most importantly, far from the dust and noise of the site. Trevor, my foreman and the closest thing I had to a friend on the job, wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before taking a swig of his iced tea. "Man, if it gets any hotter, I swear I'm gonna start stripping layers right here," he joked, fanning himself with a napkin. I chuckled, but my mind wasnât really in it. Iâd been distracted all morning, ever since that call from Tyrell last night. The guy was unstable on a good day, and after what Iâd asked him to do, or rather, not to do, I wasnât sure if heâd actually listen. Then the TV above the counter caught my eye. The ne
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 45
The News of Smith's kidnap.It was Monday morning again. The office hummed with its usual morning inactivity. Keyboards clacking, hushed conversations, the occasional ring of a phone. I sipped my lukewarm coffee, scrolling through emails, my mind already drifting to the dinner plans Smith and I had made for tonight. He had promised to take me out to this new exquisite 5 star restaurant downtown. Somewhere low-key, away from prying eyes. Our secret had been held for months, and though sneaking around was exhausting, it was necessary. The last thing either of us needed was office gossip painting me as the woman who slept her way to the top. Suddenly came a shouting from the hallway. A sharp panicked voice sliced through the dull morning, followed by the heavy thud of the directorâs door slamming open. My head snapped up. Across the floor, clusters of employees had frozen mid-task, necks craning toward the commotion. Murmurs spreading like wildfire. âWhatâs going on?â I muttered, mo
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 44
TakenSmith The first thing I felt after hours was the cold splash of water hitting my face, shocking me awake. My body jerked instinctively, but my arms were bound tightly behind me, the rough bite of the rope cutting into my wrists. I gasped, blinking rapidly as droplets of the water splashed rolled down my cheeks, some slipping past my lips, salty, like sweat or seawater.My head throbbed, a dull ache pulsing behind my temples. Where the hell was I? The last thing I remembered was leaving the club. I had spotted those three weirdos at the club staring attentively at me, I got uncomfortable and decided to leave there. A few minutes drive into the highway and bang, we were Ambushed by a vehicle I think, gunshots fired. Then nothing. A sharp pain at the back of my skull, darkness swallowing me whole. Harsh sunlight burned through the fabric of the hood over my head. A hand yanked it off, and I winced as the glare stabbed at my eyes. I squeezed them shut, my pulse hammering in my thr
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 43
The AmbushSmith I rested my back against the soft Vip couch, A Cigar in-between my fingers. The deep, pounding bass of the clubâs sound system reverberated through the walls of the VIP section, drumming against my chest like a heartbeat. The low lighting cast long shadows across the leather booths, and the air was thick with the mingled scents of expensive liquor, cigar smoke, and the faint metallic tang of wealth I swirled the amber liquid in my glass absently, watching the ice cubes clink softly against the crystal, but my attention wasnât on the drink. It was on them. Three men sat across the dimly lit club, sitting in a shadowy booth near the back. They werenât laughing, werenât drinking, just staring. Their gazes were locked onto me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. The tallest of them had a face like chiseled stone, his cold eyes unblinking. The other two flanked him like sentinels, their postures rigid, their hands resting too casually on the table.Cold prickle wo
BETRAYED BUT MARRIED TO A BILLIONAIRE. Â Â Â CHAPTER 42
D.N.A TEST. BrieAt the office, I couldnât get my head to focus on the load of paperwork sitting on my desk. My fingers tapped restlessly against the mahogany surface, the rhythmic sound doing little to drown out the storm of thoughts raging in my mind. I couldnât focus.My mind kept drifting back to Derrick. I had a gut feeling that he wasn't going to stop, and it amplified my worry. I knew Derrick, I've been with him almost all through college, and he wasn't the type that gives up that easily. Once he set his mind on something, he pursued it with relentless determination. And now, that determination was fixated on Liam.A cold feeling of anxiety tightened in my stomach. What if this changes everything between Smith and I? Smith had been nothing but patient, understanding, but how long could that last? What if one day he woke up and decided this was too much..that I was too much? He hadnât called since Iâd told him about Derrickâs threats, and the silence was deafening. Was he pulli
