LOGINShare
Chapter 4 The Tables Turn
Last Updated:
2025-01-13 18:12:15(Lila)
I stood in the powder room, gripping the marble counter as I tried to steady my nerves. Nick had excused himself to take a business call, leaving me alone for the first time since our dance.
My reflection stared back at me, red dress striking against my pale skin, diamonds glittering at my ears like tears.
The door opened behind me. I saw him in the mirror before I heard him—Ethan. He locked the door behind him.
“This is the ladies’ room.”
“Cut the act, Lila.” He stepped closer, and his reflection grew larger in the mirror as he did. “Or should I say, Ms. Montgomery?”
My heart stopped. “How—”
“How long have I known?” He barked out a laugh. “That you’re Jonathan Montgomery’s daughter? That you’re the heiress to the empire that’s been trying to take over my company for years?”
I turned to face him, lifting my chin. “Does it matter?”
“Does it matter?” He slammed his hand against the counter, making me jump. “You played me for a fool for an entire year!”
“Played you?” My voice rose. “I never lied about who I am. I just didn’t tell you my last name.”
“While watching me reject your father’s takeover attempts again and again. Was that fun for you? Laughing behind my back while I—” He cut himself off, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“While you what, Ethan?” I stepped closer, anger making me bold. “While you compared me to Grace? While you called her name in your sleep?”
He flinched. “That’s different.”
“Is it? At least I was honest about my feelings. Everything I felt for you was real.”
“Real?” He growled. “Like those tampered condoms? Was that part of daddy’s plan too? Trap me with a baby so Montgomery Industries could finally get their hands on Baldwin Corp?”
The slap rang off in the marble room before I even realized I’d moved. His head snapped to the side, a red mark forming on his cheek. My hand was stinging.
“How dare you,” I whispered. “I loved you. God help me, I loved you enough to hide who I was, to live a double life, just so you would see me for me and not my family name.”
He grabbed my wrist as I tried to move past him, pulling me flush against him. “And now you’re with my uncle? Nicholas Baldwin?”
“Let go of me.”
“Answer the question.” His grip tightened. “How long have you been seeing him?”
I laughed. It was pain disguised as laughter. “Jealous, Ethan? Worried I might actually be happy with someone else?”
“He’s my uncle,” he spat. “My grandfather’s dirty little secret—”
“At least he sees me,” I cut him off. “The real me. Not some replacement for his long-lost love.”
His other hand came up to cup my face, finding its old place. “Lila—”
“No.” I jerked away. “You don’t get to do this. Not anymore. You made your choice when you ran straight to Grace. Now I’m making mine.”
“By dating my uncle? Is this revenge?”
“Not everything is about you.” I straightened my spine, channeling every bit of the pride I’d inherited. “Nick makes me laugh. He listens when I talk. And unlike you, he doesn’t see me as someone’s replacement.”
“You barely know him.”
“I barely knew you when we started, but that didn’t stop you from taking me to your bed.” The words were meant to hurt, and I saw them land. “Remember that night, Ethan? When you whispered how beautiful I was? Were you seeing me, or were you seeing her?”
He moved so fast I barely had time to gasp. One moment I was backing away, the next I was pressed against the wall, his body caging mine in.
“I don’t know…I don’t even fucking know anymore!”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” His breath fanned across my lips. “Then why am I here, cornering you in a bathroom instead of out there with Grace?”
“Because you can’t stand losing control. Because you’re used to having everything your way, and for once, someone chose someone else over you.”
“Is that what this is? You’re choosing Nicholas?”
“Yes,” I said, trying to appear stronger than I felt. “I’m choosing him. I’m choosing myself. And I’m done pretending to be less than I am to make you comfortable.”
“Lila—”
The door rattled, followed by a knock. “Darling? You in there?”
Nick’s voice broke whatever spell had fallen over us. Ethan’s grip loosened, and I slipped away from him, fixing my dress with shaking hands.
“Just a minute!” I called out, hating how shaky my voice sounded.
“Everything okay? The door’s locked.”
I moved to unlock it, but Ethan caught my arm. “This isn’t over.”
“Yes, it is.” I pulled free. “Go back to Grace. She’s probably wondering where you are.”
I opened the door to find Nick leaning against the frame, looking devastatingly handsome in his tuxedo. His smile faded when he saw Ethan behind me.
“Are you alright?” He wrapped an arm around my waist. I let myself lean into him
“Perfect,” I said. “Ethan was just leaving.”
Nick’s grip tightened slightly. “Were you? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you were harassing my girlfriend in the ladies’ room.”
Neither of them backed down—uncle and nephew, so close in age they could have been brothers. Both powerful, both dangerous in their own ways.
“Your girlfriend?” Ethan laughed coldly. “How long have you truly known her, Nicholas?”
Nick ignored him and turned to me. Pleasant smile, deadly gaze. “Come on, darling. I believe they’re about to announce dinner.”
As Nick led me away, I couldn’t resist looking back. Ethan stood in the doorway of the powder room, snarling with pure rage until that last second, when something shattered behind his eyes.
“You know,” Nick murmured in my ear as we walked, “when your mommie dearest suggested I meet you tonight, she forgot to mention one tiny detail.”
“What’s that?”
He smiled wickedly. “That you’d be so much fun.”
Related chapters
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 5 A Bombshell
(Ethan)I couldn’t sit still, moving from my desk to the door and back. I finally stopped at my office window, shutting my eyes while my mind replayed the scene at the gala.Lila in that red dress, pressed against my uncle’s side like she belonged there. The memory kept hitting me, over and over. My fingers tightened around the whiskey glass.“You’re going to break that if you grip it any harder,” Grace said from her perch on my leather couch. She’d followed me here after the gala, claiming we needed to talk.“Why are you really here, Grace?” I turned to face her. The woman I’d once thought was the love of my life sat there, looking exactly like she had ten years ago. Yet all I could see was Lila’s face when I’d cornered her in that bathroom.“Can’t I check on an old friend?” She smiled that perfect smile that used to make my heart race. Now it just reminded me of everything that wasn’t real. “You seemed…upset at the gala.”I laughed harshly. “Upset? My girlfriend of one year turned
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 6 Shocking News
(Lila)“You really didn’t have to walk me to my car,” I said, fumbling with my clutch as Nick and I made our way through the parking garage.“And miss the chance to spend more time with my fake girlfriend? Besides, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you wander around a dark garage alone?”“The kind who knows I have three security guards within shouting distance?”He glanced at the men in black suits pretending to be invisible but watching from the corners.“Fair point. Though I have to say, being your pretend boyfriend comes with some interesting perks. Did you see Ethan’s face when we were dancing?”“Nick…” I blinked but couldn’t see straight, and I grabbed his arm to steady myself.“Whoa, careful there. You okay?”“Just dizzy. Probably shouldn’t have skipped dinner.”“And whose fault is that?” He kept his arm around my waist as we walked. “I distinctly remember trying to get you to eat something besides champagne.”“You sound like my brother.”“God forbid. I’ve met Alexander
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 7 An Arrangement
(Lila)I sat on Nick’s penthouse balcony. He’d insisted I stay at his place after being discharged from the hospital, claiming my family’s mansion would be the first place anyone would look for me.“Here.” Nick handed me a steaming mug. “Ginger tea. Good for morning sickness, or so G****e tells me.”“It’s evening.”“Tell that to your stomach.” He settled into the chair beside me. “You’ve thrown up three times today.”“Are you keeping count?”“Someone has to.” He propped his feet up on the railing. “So, ready to talk about it?”I wrapped my hands around the warm mug. “About which part? The pregnancy? Ethan? The fact that I’m hiding in your penthouse like some scandalous secret?”“Let’s start with Ethan.” Nick turned to face me. “Tell me everything.”“Everything?”“From the beginning. The real beginning.”I took a sip of tea. “I saw him first in my father’s office. He was rejecting another takeover attempt.”“And?”“And something about him felt…familiar.” I closed my eyes, remembering.
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 8 A Happy Family
(Nick)“You’re staring again,” Lila said without looking up from her tablet. She sat cross-legged on my couch, reviewing merger documents, completely unaware of how she’d turned my world upside down in less than two weeks.“Can’t help it.” I watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re distracting.”“I’m working.”“In my shirt.”She glanced down at the oversized dress shirt she’d borrowed after spending another night in my guest room. “It’s comfortable.”“It’s mine.”“Planning to take it back?”“Depends.” I moved closer. “Are you wearing anything under it?”She threw a pillow at my head. “Behave. We have to tell our parents today.”Right. Our engagement. The fake one that felt more real every time she smiled at me.“Father wants to meet at the Baldwin estate,” I said, catching the pillow. “Apparently, news of us dating has already reached him.”“Nervous?”“About facing the great Jonathan Montgomery? Terrified.”She finally looked up. “I meant about seeing your father.”“A
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 9 Torn
(Lila)I couldn’t stop staring at James across the dining table. He picked at his food exactly like Ethan did—pushing things around, making little piles.Nine years old. That’s what Grace had said.“So tell us,” Grace gushed, breaking the silence, “how did you two meet?”Nick put his hand on my knee under the table. “At the charity gala last month. One look at her in that red dress and I was done for.”“Really? Just like that?”“Yes, and I’ve never been surer,” said Nick as he tickled my knee. “Right, darling?”I forced myself to smile. “Right.”The room spun slightly. Morning sickness—or afternoon sickness now—was getting worse. I hadn’t been able to keep anything down all day.“I hear congratulations are in order,” Grace said sweetly, and my breath caught. Did she know I was pregnant? “The merger between your companies will be quite the event.”“We haven’t discussed business yet,” Nick replied easily and I exhaled with relief.“No?” Old man Baldwin raised an eyebrow. “That’s not lik
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 10 Power Play
(Lila)I drifted in and out of consciousness, aware of being carried upstairs but unable to protest. Ethan’s arms were too familiar, too comfortable. I could feel his heart beating right there against my ear just like it used to during our lazy Sunday mornings.“I’ve got her,” Ethan said.“Like hell you do.” Nick snapped me back to reality. “Give her to me.”“She needs to lie down.”“Then I’ll take her to lie down.” Nick’s footsteps followed us up the grand staircase. “She’s my fiancée!”Ethan’s arms tightened. “And she just fainted in my hallway.”“Your hallway?” Nick laughed harshly. “Last I checked, this was Father’s house.”My stomach lurched again as we reached the landing. I tried to open my eyes, but everything was too bright.“The blue room’s closest,” Ethan said, and he changed his direction.“I know where the damn blue room is.” Nick’s voice got closer. “I grew up here too, remember?”They led me into what looked like a bedroom. Ethan laid me on something soft—a bed, probabl
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 11 A Warning
(Lila)Nick had barely driven us off the Baldwin estate when my phone started ringing. Grace’s name flashed on the screen.“Don’t answer it,” Nick said with his eyes fixed on the road.“She’ll just keep calling.”“Let her. After what she pulled back there—”“I have to know what she wants.” I hit accept before he could stop me. “Hello?”“Meet me at Le Café Rouge in thirty minutes,” Grace said without preamble. “Come alone.”“Or what?”“Or I start making calls to every gossip columnist in the city. I’m sure they’d love to hear about the Montgomery heiress’s…complicated relationship with both Baldwin men.”My hand instinctively went to my stomach. “Fine. Thirty minutes.”“Lila,” Nick protested as I hung up. “You can’t seriously be considering—”“Take me to Le Café Rouge.”“No way in hell am I leaving you alone with her.”“Nick.” I touched his arm. “Please. I need to handle this.”He cursed under his breath but made the turn toward the café. “I’ll wait in the car.”“She’ll see you.”“Good
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 12 Carried Away
(Lila)I was still shaking when Nick’s car pulled up to the café. He took one look at my face and was out of the driver’s seat in seconds.“What happened?” He cupped my face in his hands, thumbs brushing my cheeks. “Did she hurt you?”“Not physically.” I leaned into his touch without meaning to. “Can we go home?”His hands stilled. “Your home or mine?”“Yours.” I couldn’t face the Montgomery mansion right now. “Please.”The drive was quiet, but Nick’s hand found mine across the console. He didn’t let go until we reached his penthouse.“Want to talk about it?” he asked as we rode the elevator up.“She knows. About the baby.”The elevator dinged. Nick pulled me into his arms as soon as the doors closed behind us.“I’ll handle it,” he said into my hair.“You can’t.” I pushed away enough to look at him. “She’s threatening to expose everything—the pregnancy, my relationship with Ethan, this engagement…”“Let her. We’ll survive the scandal.”“It’s not just about the scandal.” I broke away,
Last Updated : 2025-01-13
Latest chapter
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 100 Fear
(Ethan)Nick was already pulling emergency gear from the trunk—flashlights, rain ponchos, a first aid kit. “Call your security team,” he told the driver. “Have them continue monitoring from their position, but tell them we’re approaching on foot from the south ridge.”We set off into the storm-whipped forest, rain soaking through our inadequate protection almost immediately. The beam of my flashlight wavered and danced across the sodden ground as we picked our way along the ridge trail.“Still think this was a good idea?” Nick shouted over the wind after we’d been walking for about twenty minutes.“Better than sitting in that car,” I called back. “We should be getting close to the valley viewpoint. The cabin’s visible from there in daylight.”We pressed on, slipping occasionally on mud-slicked rocks, helping each other across washed-out sections of trail. Despite our business animosity, we coordinated our movements.Two men united by a singular goal.Finally, we reached the viewpoint,
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 99 The Cabin
(Ethan)“Is it still in her family?”“Yes, but it’s closed for the season. No one’s been there in months.”Nick was already on his phone, pulling up a map. “Address?”I remembered Grace telling me about it, so I gave him the details, watching as he relayed them to his security team. “Have someone drive by, but don’t approach yet. If he’s there, we don’t want to spook him.”The police arrived, taking statements and photos of James. An Amber Alert was issued despite his voluntary departure—at eleven years old, he was considered at serious risk alone.Hours passed in panic as we did interviews and made phone calls. By evening, the police had confirmed a bus driver remembered James boarding a northbound bus around 1:15 PM. The cabin was looking more and more likely.“We should go,” I told Nick as we huddled in the school conference room. “Now. If he’s headed to the cabin, it’s at least a four-hour trip. He could already be there, alone in the dark.”“Agreed,” Nick said. “My team has a car
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 98 Desperate Measures
(Ethan)I sat at my desk, reviewing the latest filing in our legal battle against Nicholas Baldwin Shipping. Jonathan had outdone himself this time—the injunction was airtight, backed by connections that even Nick’s considerable influence couldn’t easily overcome.Victory should have tasted sweeter. Instead, I felt hollow, Cara’s words echoing in my mind: “Neither of you is willing to be the bigger person.”My phone rang—the school. I answered immediately, expecting another incident with James being bullied about our family’s public drama.“Mr. Baldwin? This is Principal Watkins. I’m calling because James didn’t report to his afternoon classes.”My blood ran cold. “What do you mean? He was there this morning.”“Yes, he attended his morning sessions, but after lunch, he didn’t return to class. His teacher marked him absent, and when we checked, he wasn’t on campus.”“Did you check everywhere? The library, the nurse’s office?”“We’ve conducted a thorough search,” the principal assured m
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 97 Escalation
(Ethan)“Sorry I’m late,” I said. “Work crisis.”“The injunction,” she nodded. “It’s all over the business news.”I followed her inside, noticing the apartment looked different—some of her things had been packed into boxes by the door.“You’re moving?” I asked, heart sinking.“Just organizing,” she said, settling onto the couch. “I needed something to do with all this nervousness.”I sat opposite her, unsure how to begin. “Cara, about what Grace said—”“Let me go first,” she interrupted gently. “I’ve had time to think, and I want to be clear about where I stand.”I nodded, bracing myself.“I love you, Ethan,” she said simply. “I believe you love me too, but I also believe Grace was right—you haven’t fully processed your feelings for Lila.”“I’m trying to,” I assured her.“I know. But trying isn’t the same as succeeding.” Cara folded her hands in her lap. “And here’s the thing—I can’t compete with a ghost. I won’t compete with her.”“You’re not competing—”“Let me finish,” she said fir
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 96 Family Feud
(Ethan)I hung up the phone, satisfaction coursing through me. The Singapore Trade Commission had just approved our joint venture’s licensing application—the same application Nick had spent months trying to block.“Good news?” Jonathan asked, entering my office without knocking.“The best,” I confirmed. “We’re cleared for operations. Nicholas Baldwin’s redirect strategy failed.”Jonathan smiled thinly. “Nicholas always underestimates the value of personal relationships. My connections in Singapore go back three decades.”“He’ll retaliate,” I warned. “This isn’t over.”“Let him.” Jonathan settled into the chair opposite my desk. “He’s run out of legal options. Anything more would cross into actionable territory, and Nicholas is too smart for that.”My phone rang with an incoming text from Cara: “Can we talk today? Important.”We hadn’t spoken much since she’d left my home three days ago. Both of us needed space to process Grace’s revelations and their implications for our relationship.
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 95 The Breaking
(Lila)I paced the hospital corridor, counting tiles to keep my anxiety at bay. Fleur’s latest treatment had gone well, the doctors reported, but I couldn’t breathe easy. Couldn’t leave. Couldn’t trust anyone else to watch over her.“Mrs. Baldwin?” A nurse approached me. “Your daughter’s vitals are stable. Perhaps you’d like to get some rest? There’s a family lounge with comfortable couches…”“I’m fine here,” I said tersely. “I can see her door from this spot.”The nurse exchanged a glance with her colleague—the same look I’d been getting for days. Concern. Pity. Judgment.Nick appeared from the elevator, carrying a change of clothes and toiletries. “Hey. Brought your things.”“Thanks.” I took the bag without moving from my post.“The doctor called me,” Nick said carefully. “Fleur’s responding excellently to the treatment. Her numbers are improving faster than expected.”“That’s what they say,” I acknowledged. “But we need to be vigilant.”Nick’s hand settled on my shoulder. “Lila, wh
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 94 Uncomfortable Truths
(Ethan)I sat in my car for nearly twenty minutes, unable to join Cara and James where sat eating in a restaurant. Grace’s words still rang in my ears, stripping away the comfortable lies I’d told myself.“The way you still look at Lila…You haven’t fully let go, Ethan.”Was she right? Had I been fooling myself all this time?Cara approached my window, tapping lightly. She’d said the same thing to me the night I’d proposed, and I hadn’t even noticed her leaving the restaurant with James.“Everything okay?” she asked as I rolled down the window. “We’ve been waiting.”“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Got lost in thought.”The drive home was mostly silent, with James occasionally sharing observations about his mother’s changed appearance or demeanor. Cara kept glancing my way, clearly sensing my internal turmoil.When we arrived home, James ran inside to call Lila and tell her about the visit. I lingered in the driveway, dreading the conversation I knew Cara wanted to have.“Are you going to tell me
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 93 Healing Damage
(Ethan)Grace glanced at Cara gratefully. “Your therapist is very wise.”“She helps me when I have bad dreams about the closet,” James said.I tensed, waiting for Grace’s reaction to this direct reference to her abuse. Her face crumpled momentarily before she regained control.“I am so sorry about the closet, James. Whenever I think about putting you in there, I feel sick with shame. No child should ever be treated that way.”“It was dark,” James said softly. “And I cried for you, but you didn’t come.”A tear escaped down Grace’s cheek. “I know. And I will regret that for the rest of my life.”The conversation continued, James gradually asking more questions about their past—each one like a small knife slicing into Grace. She answered everything honestly, never minimizing her actions or making excuses.After about twenty minutes, Dr. Frey suggested a short break. Grace excused herself while James stayed with us.“You’re doing really well,” Cara told James. “How are you feeling?”“Okay
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 92 Difficult Reunions
(Ethan)I gripped the steering wheel tightly as we approached Pine Grove Rehabilitation Center.James sat silently in the backseat, dressed in his nicest clothes as if for a special occasion. Cara rode beside me, her presence both professional and personal support.“Remember what we discussed,” she said quietly. “The first few minutes will set the tone. Stay neutral, watch James’s cues, and be prepared to end the meeting if necessary.”I nodded tensely. We’d spent the week preparing for this moment—consulting other therapists, establishing ground rules, designing a safe environment for the reunion.Still, my stomach twisted with anxiety.“Is Lila coming?” James asked from the backseat.“No, buddy,” I replied. “Just us today.”“Because she doesn’t want me to see Mom?”The perceptiveness of children never ceased to amaze me. “She’s concerned, that’s all, but she respects that this is important to you.”The facility looked more like a resort than a psychiatric center, with trimmed ground
