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CHAPTER EIGHT.
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-03 16:22:32
Bab terkait
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER NINE.
Sophie heard the faint creak of the bathroom door and turned to see Drake emerging, his hair damp and pushed back, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He looked refreshed, like a man who had reclaimed control after losing it entirely. But the moment their eyes met, she knew something was different.Gone was the faint vulnerability she had glimpsed last night. His expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and distant.“Feeling better?” she asked hesitantly, her voice softer than she intended.“Fine,” he replied curtly, moving past her without a second glance.The distance in his tone caught her off guard. She had spent the entire night nursing him back to health, watching over him when he was at his weakest. Now, it was as though none of it had ever happened.Sophie forced herself to breathe, brushing off the unease creeping into her chest. It’s just the fever, she told herself. He’s probably still recovering.“I made breakfast,” she said, trying to bridge the gap forming between th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-03BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER TEN.
The next morning, Sophie woke up to the soft knock of the maid on her door. Her body felt heavier than usual, her mind clouded with lingering exhaustion. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table—it was past ten. Strange. She hadn’t slept in this late in years.“Ma’am?” the maid called again, her voice was hesitant.Sophie sighed, dragging herself out of bed and opening the door. The maid stood there, holding a sleek black card in her gloved hand.“This is from Mr. Hazelwood,” she said, her eyes fixed on the floor, as though afraid to meet Sophie’s gaze.Sophie’s brows furrowed. “What is it?”“A black card, ma’am,” the maid said softly. “He asked me to deliver it to you this morning before he left yesterday .”Sophie stared at the card, her heart was a mixture of irritation and curiosity. So, this was his version of an apology? No explanation. No effort to actually address what had happened. Just a shiny piece of plastic with a limitless balance. Typical Drake Hazelwood.She took
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-14BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER ELEVEN.
When Sophia woke, her body screamed in protest. A sharp, radiating ache started at her wrists, tied so tightly that the rope burned into her skin. Her head throbbed, each pulse sending a wave of nausea through her. Blinking against the dim light, she tried to take in her surroundings. The room was bare with cold concrete walls, and a single dangling bulb casting long, shifting shadows, and silence so heavy it pressed down on her chest.Her breath hitched as the events leading to this moment began to claw their way back to her consciousness. The black card. The shopping spree. The silence in the house. And then the chloroform.She tried to shift, only to realize her ankles were bound to the legs of the chair. Panic surged in her chest, but she forced herself to stay still. Panic never helped anyone escape.The door creaked open, the sound slicing through the silence like a blade. A man stepped in, he was tall, broad-shouldered, and shrouded in shadow. The dim light barely touched his f
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-25BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER TWELVE.
The man stood, pacing the room with deliberate slowness. The sound of his footsteps echoed like a countdown to her inevitable breaking point. “You think this will end without you talking? You think silence buys you freedom?” He let out a low chuckle, one that sent shivers crawling up her spine. “No. Silence buys you more pain.”He pulled a small leather bag from the corner of the room and placed it on the table. He unzipped it slowly, the sound cutting through the air. One by one, he pulled out tools—pliers, a scalpel, and something that looked disturbingly like a branding iron.Sophia’s heart thundered in her chest. She fought to keep her face neutral, but her body betrayed her. Her hands, though bound, trembled. Her breath quickened.He noticed.“There it is,” he murmured, a smile tugging at his lips. “Fear.”Sophia clenched her jaw, anger flaring briefly beneath her terror. She wanted to spit at him, to lash out, but she was helpless. Bound. At his mercy.He picked up the scalpel,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-26BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
Sophie’s heart raced in her chest, her mind was spinning as she sat tied to the chair, her wrists burning from the coarse rope that cut into her skin. The room was dim. She didn’t need to look around, she had been in this place long enough to memorize every detail, every crack in the walls. But it was the door that she focused on now, the door through which they would come for her, just like they always did. How predictable.She wasn’t sure how long it had been since they’d captured her, weeks? Months? Time had become a blur in this hellhole, but she knew one thing for sure, she had to escape. It was the only thing that kept her from breaking. She had to leave the Godforsaken place at anycost.The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall outside the room. Her stomach dropped instantly. It was him. She could feel it, the tension that came with it, the malevolent presence. He had come to deliver the news, or maybe worse, to gloat, to mock and to act stupid.Sophie took a deep breath,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-08BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
Her eyes fluttered slowly as she began to wake up. A dull ache settled in her muscles, making her wince, and when the bright light from the window hit her face, she squeezed her eyes shut again. Everything felt hazy, her mind struggling to piece things together. She took a slow, measured breath before forcing her eyes open again. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar, soft cream with intricate moldings that looked expensive. Slowly, she turned her head, taking in her surroundings. The room was beautiful, almost unreal. The furniture was modern yet elegant, like something out of a luxury hotel. The air smelled of fresh linen, mixed with something warm, something unmistakably him. Her fingers curled around the sheets, her heart pounding harder. Where was she? Then, like a dam breaking, the memories from the night before crashed down on her all at once. The running. The fear. The exhaustion. And then… him. Drake. She had turned and seen him standing there. The shock had hit her so
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
Sophie stirred, the warmth of the bed unfamiliar yet oddly comforting. A weight pressed against her, something firm and solid. Her breath hitched as her senses slowly returned, and reality settled in.She blinked, her vision adjusting to the dim lighting of the hotel room. Her body ached, the events of the past days crashing down on her like a tidal wave. She turned her head slightly—and froze.Drake.He was lying beside her, his arm draped over her waist as if shielding her even in sleep. His breathing was slow, steady, and far too close. She barely had time to process before she realized just how entangled they were.Her leg was hooked around his. Their bodies pressed together, his warmth seeping into her skin through the thin fabric of the clothes she didn’t even remember changing into. Her heart pounded against her ribs.Carefully, she shifted, trying to ease herself out of his hold without waking him. But as soon as she moved, his grip tightened slightly, fingers twitching agains
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
Sophie didn’t say a word for the rest of the ride. Her fingers curled around the fabric of her dress, gripping it tightly as she stared straight ahead. His words kept ringing in her head. No, Sophie. She’s not. Her mind was running through every possible explanation, but none of them made sense. If Althea wasn’t Drake’s sister, then—She swallowed. The little girl had his eyes. His smile. His everything. She turned her head slightly, sneaking a glance at him. Drake’s expression was unreadable as he drove, his jaw tight, his hands gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing grounding him. Why didn’t he tell her? Sophie knew she wasn’t entitled to anything. But still, it stung. She turned back toward the window, her mind spinning with questions. By the time they pulled up at the hotel, her thoughts were still a mess. Drake killed the engine, leaning back slightly. He finally turned to her, his voice softer than usual. “Sophie—” “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12
Bab terbaru
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.
The morning light crept in slowly, but Sophie was already awake, sitting by the window, legs pulled up to her chest, eyes far away. She hadn’t said much after watching the video the night before, just went quiet, her thoughts clearly louder than anything else. Drake had stayed, close enough to make sure she was okay, far enough not to smother her.She turned her head slightly when he walked in, fresh from a shower, towel around his neck, shirt damp near the collar.“We’re going somewhere,” he said.Her voice was hoarse. “Where?”He paused, met her eyes. “Where it all started.”And for a moment, she didn’t even need him to say it—she already knew.Edward’s mansion.Her heart sank a little. That place used to be her entire world. Not just brick and glass and luxury, but memories, laughter, screams behind closed doors, and love too—yes, love that somehow still lingered in the echoes of those walls. It had been home. It had been heartbreak. And Edward… Edward had once loved her so deeply,
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY SIX.
The screen flickered to life, the shaky camera showing Edward’s study dimly lit, the light from the desk lamp casting long shadows on the walls, Edward looked like he hadn’t slept in days, his eyes were bloodshot, there was sweat on his forehead, and his hands trembled as he reached forward and adjusted the camera.“If you’re watching this,” his voice cracked, barely steady, “then I’m probably already dead… or missing.”Sophie froze, her breath caught in her throat, Drake moved closer behind her, staring over her shoulder, both their eyes glued to the screen, not a single sound passed between them except the buzz of electricity and Edward’s shaking voice.“I need you to know… I was never the real target,” Edward said, glancing behind him like someone might burst in any second, “they made me believe I had something they wanted, but this—this is bigger than me, Sophie, bigger than anything I thought I was involved in.”Her heart thumped against her chest like it wanted to escape, she tu
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.
Being in this world alone sucks, but being in this world around people who think you’re a fool is the worst.Sophie was on the verge of insanity, her mind was going in circles, and she trying to make sense of everything in her life. First, there was Lucas, then, definitely not Drake, but he was the only hope she had left, so she couldn’t quite count him out.She huffed out a resolute sigh and walked into his bedroom, finding him sitting and working on his laptop.She sat down next to him.“Drake?” she called softly.He replied with a distracted hum, his eyes still glued to the screen.“Could you keep the laptop aside, please?” she muttered, her tone mockingly sweet.He nodded, closed the laptop, and turned fully to her.Being in this world alone sucks, but being in this world surrounded by people who think you’re a fool? That’s worse.Sophie was on the verge of insanity. Her mind kept going in circles, trying to make sense of everything happening in her life. First, there was Lucas. A
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
The mansion felt suffocating. Sophie had spent hours trying to find something—anything—that could tell her where Lucas had gone. But the security system was useless. The footage was gone, wiped clean like the night had never happened. Whoever had taken Lucas had planned this too well. She tried again, typing commands into the security system’s console, digging through the data logs. Nothing. The last recorded footage had been from the previous evening. After that? Blackness. Drake was leaning against the wall, watching her with his usual unreadable expression. “You’re wasting your time.” Sophie clenched her jaw. “So we just do nothing?” Drake exhaled through his nose. “There are other ways to find him.” She turned in her chair. “Like what?” Drake didn’t answer. Instead, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and swore under his breath. Without a word, he walked out of the room. Sophie let out a frustrated sigh. She knew one thing—Drake was kee
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
The mansion felt wrong. Sophie had spent enough time there to recognize the subtle shifts in the air, the way silence could stretch too thin, the way emptiness could settle in like a living thing. But this? This was different. She knew it the second she stepped into Lucas’s room. The bed was empty. The blankets had been tossed aside, the pillows slightly dented, as if someone had left in a hurry. The lamp beside the bed was still on, casting weak light across the dark wooden floors. Sophie’s pulse spiked. “Lucas?” Silence. She moved deeper into the room, scanning for anything—any sign of where he might have gone. The window was shut. The closet door was slightly ajar, clothes hanging haphazardly. His shoes were still there. But his jacket? Gone. A sick feeling twisted in her gut. Lucas had barely been able to sit up on his own earlier. There was no way in hell he could have just—walked out. Not without help. Or not without being forced. Sophie’s st
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
Sophie knew she should stop.She should leave it alone.Lucas was healing, albeit slowly, and she had done more than enough by bringing him back to the mansion, making sure he had everything he needed. But something didn’t sit right with her.It wasn’t just about Lucas anymore.It was about the way things didn’t add up.The way everyone around her kept acting like she was being irrational for questioning things.Drake had told her to stop.Lucas had avoided answering anything directly, even when she had pressed.And the more they tried to push her away from the truth, the more she felt the urge to dig deeper.She wasn’t a fool.Something was going on.And she wasn’t going to stop until she figured out what it was.“You’re being reckless.”Drake’s voice cut through the thick tension in the room.Sophie barely spared him a glance as she placed a glass of water on the nightstand beside Lucas’s bed. The man in question was half-asleep, his injuries still keeping him weak.“I’m taking care
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY ONE.
Sophie hadn’t expected Lucas’s condo to be this… tidy.She had envisioned something far less put together—clothes scattered on the floor, unwashed dishes in the sink, maybe even an unmade bed covered in evidence of his reckless habits. But as she stepped inside, she was met with dark wood flooring, neatly arranged furniture, and a modern, minimalist aesthetic.The place smelled like expensive cologne, leather, and something faintly smoky, like a lingering trace of old whiskey. The walls were a cool shade of charcoal, and the massive floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of the city skyline.She shouldn’t be surprised.Lucas was chaos, but it was a controlled kind of chaos. He didn’t do messes—at least not the kind you could see.Shaking off her thoughts, Sophie made her way toward his bedroom. It was just as put together as the rest of the condo. The sheets were smooth, the bed perfectly made, and there wasn’t a single thing out of place.She had never been here before, and
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER FORTY.
The sun had begun its slow descent, staining the sky with streaks of amber and gold. The air had cooled just enough to be pleasant, but Sophie still felt the lingering heat, not just from the weather but from the exchange that had just taken place. Drake had walked away, but the weight of his presence still pressed down on her, heavy and unavoidable. He had indulged her, yes, but not in the way she had expected. Instead of snapping, instead of pushing back with his usual sharp-edged control, he had let her play her game. Let her push. Let her test. And that was what unsettled her the most. She turned her head toward Lucas, who was still lounging comfortably in his chair, swirling the drink in his hand with a smug little smirk on his lips. He knew something. Sophie narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this too much.” Lucas chuckled, tilting his head toward her. “Can you blame me? You’ve been dancing around each other for so long, it’s about time the music changed.” She ignore
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE LAWYER. CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
The sun hung high over the mansion, casting golden streaks across the marble floors. Sophie stretched lazily, glancing out at the shimmering blue of the pool. A break was long overdue. Her body ached from the tension of the past few days—the divorce proceedings, Lucas’s injury, the weight of secrets pressing down on her shoulders. She needed a distraction.Something thrilling.Slipping into her room, she reached for the newest addition to her collection—a sheer, black lingerie set that left little to the imagination. Lace hugged her curves, delicate straps resting against her skin, teasingly thin. It was a reckless choice, but maybe reckless was exactly what she needed right now.She stepped outside, walking toward the pool with an air of indifference, as if she wasn’t aware of the way the silk clung to her body. As if she didn’t notice the way Lucas’s gaze flickered toward her before he let out a low whistle.“Well, well. Someone’s feeling bold today,” he mused, leaning back against
