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Chapter 6 Shocking News
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2025-01-13 18:13:52(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 Montgomery exactly once, and that was enough to last a lifetime.” He mimicked Alexander’s stern voice. “‘Nicholas Baldwin, if you’re hoping to acquire shares in Montgomery Industries through my sister, you’re wasting your time.’”
I couldn’t help laughing. “He didn’t!”
“Oh, he did. Right after threatening to have me investigated by three different agencies.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I told him I was more interested in acquiring his sister’s smile than her shares.” Nick waggled his eyebrows. “He didn’t appreciate that one.”
Everything went blurry again, and I felt even dizzier this time. I had to stop walking as my head went fuzzy.
“Nick…”
“Lila? What’s wrong?”
“Everything’s spinning.”
His hand pressed against my forehead. “You’re burning up. That’s it, we’re going to the hospital.”
“No, I just need to lie down—”
“Not up for debate, sweetheart.” He scooped me up before I could protest. “Thompson!” he called to my head of security. “Change of plans. We’re heading to Mount Sinai.”
“Sir, we should take Ms. Montgomery’s car—”
“My Bentley’s closer, and I’m already carrying her.” I felt Nick’s voice through his shirt as he said, “Follow us there.”
Nothing felt solid anymore as he carried me to his car. I closed my eyes, trying to fight the nausea.
“Stay with me, Lila.” He settled me in the passenger seat, buckling me in. “Tell me more about how you and my nephew met.”
“Trying to distract me?”
“Is it working?”
“Maybe.” I kept my eyes closed as the car started moving. “I orchestrated our meeting at a bar.”
“Sneaky. I like it. Details, please.”
“Studied his habits for months. Learned his favorite whiskey, which nights he went out…”
“And they say I’m the scandalous Baldwin.” He laughed. “Though I have to admit, that’s amateur level compared to my time with the yacht.”
“You never actually told me how that ended.”
“She married my best friend, remember? Keep up, darling.”
“Right.” My stomach lurched as we turned a corner. “Nick?”
“Almost there. Just keep talking. Tell me why my nephew?”
“Something about him felt familiar. Like I knew him from somewhere.”
“Before you lost your memories?”
My eyes snapped open. “How did you—”
“Unlike Ethan, I actually do my research.” He glanced at me. “Eight years old, car accident, complete amnesia of everything before. Must have been terrifying.”
“I don’t remember being terrified. I don’t remember anything.”
“Nothing at all?”
“Sometimes…” I swallowed hard. “Sometimes I dream about cotton candy and someone holding my hand. But I can never see their face.”
We pulled up to the emergency entrance. Nick was out and around to my door before I could move.
“Can you walk?”
“I think so—nope.” My legs gave out as soon as I stood. Nick caught me again.
“What did I just say about not being up for debate?” He lifted me once more. “Thompson, handle the paperwork. I’ve got her.”
Nick argued with nurses about private rooms and immediate care. I drifted in and out until finally landing in a bed with monitors beeping around me.
“The doctor’s on their way,” Nick said, holding my hand. “Your brother’s been notified, but I convinced him not to storm the hospital.”
“My hero.”
“I do try. Though I have to ask—why me?”
“What?”
“At the gala. You could have grabbed any man there to make Ethan jealous. Why pick his black sheep uncle?”
“Because…my mother said so. And you were nice to me.”
“Careful there, Montgomery. Keep talking like that and I might start thinking this fake relationship is real.”
“Would that be so bad?”
His eyes widened slightly, but before he could answer, a doctor walked in.
“Ms. Montgomery? I’m Dr. Hendricks. We’ve run some tests…”
I gripped Nick’s hand tighter. “Is something wrong?”
“Not wrong, exactly.” She consulted her tablet. “Though your blood pressure is concerning, and you’re showing signs of dehydration. When was your last menstrual cycle?”
My mind raced, counting back weeks. “I…I don’t remember.”
“That’s what I thought. Congratulations, Ms. Montgomery. You’re pregnant.”
I froze. Nick’s hand tightened around mine as the room started spinning again.
Pregnant.
I was pregnant.
With Ethan’s baby.
“I’ll give you two a moment,” Dr. Hendricks said, backing out. “We’ll need to run more tests, but for now, try to stay calm.”
Calm?
I was pregnant with my ex-boyfriend’s baby while pretending to date his uncle.
Calm wasn’t even in the same universe as what I was feeling.
“Lila?” came Nick’s voice. “Talk to me.”
“I can’t be pregnant. I’m on birth control. I’ve been careful. I…”
“Breathe.” Nick pressed his forehead against our joined hands. “Just breathe. We’ll fix this.”
“We?”
“You don’t think I’m going to abandon my fake girlfriend in her hour of need, do you?”
I stared at him, this man I barely knew who already felt more dependable than anyone else in my life.
“It’s Ethan’s,” I whispered.
“I know.”
“He thinks I tried to trap him.”
“I know that too.”
“What am I going to do?”
Nick stood, still holding my hand, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “First, you’re going to rest.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Maybe I like playing hero.” He brushed my hair back from my face. “Or maybe I just like you.”
My heart threatened to burst while I tried to make sense of it all.
I was pregnant.
With Ethan’s baby.
And his uncle was the only one holding me together as my life fell apart.
Bab terkait
Billionaire, 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.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 13 Engagement Party
(Lila)The ballroom of Montgomery mansion looked amazing for the engagement party. My red dress—another one my mother insisted on—made me feel like a warning sign among all the pastels and neutrals.“You look beautiful,” Nick whispered in my ear as we greeted another group of well-wishers. His hand never left the small of my back.“You don’t look so bad yourself.”I smoothed his black tie, letting my fingers rest there. We’d been careful since that kiss, not wanting to risk getting close lest things got out of hand again.“Ms. Montgomery. A word?”Ethan stood behind us, looking dashing in his bespoke suit. The same one he’d worn the first night we met—I wondered if that was intentional.“Actually—” Nick started, but I squeezed his arm.“It’s okay.” I forced myself to smile. “I can handle this.”Nick tried to figure out what I was thinking. “You sure?”“Positive.” I stretched up to kiss his cheek, making sure everyone watching got a good show. “Save me a dance?”“Always.” He shot Ethan
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 14 Connecting the Dots
(Ethan)Caroline Montgomery’s words kept repeating in my head like an old nightmare I’d remembered again. Eight years old. An accident. Lost memories.My glass nearly slipped from my fingers as decades-old memories rushed back.“Are you alright?” Grace touched my arm, but I barely felt it. “You look pale.”“I need air.” I set the glass down harder than necessary, ignoring the champagne that spilled from it.“Ethan—”I ignored her. I was already moving, pushing through the crowd toward the terrace where I’d seen Nicholas lead Lila. My mind’s eye saw fragments of a past I’d tried so hard to forget.A summer fair. Cotton candy. A little girl’s laugh.And then…darkness.The dates matched. The age matched. Even the way Lila had always felt familiar somehow, from that first night at the bar...“It can’t be,” I muttered, gripping the stone railing. “It’s impossible.”But was it?I’d spent years searching for that little girl after it happened. I’d lost track of her completely afterwards. No
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13
Bab terbaru
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 120 Deep Cover
(Lila)The next several hours involved intense preparation. The FBI’s cyber team created an elaborate digital trap—a seemingly vulnerable server containing therapeutic records, family communications, and security protocols.Each document had been chosen to appear genuine while containing subtle markers that would help trace anyone who accessed them.“The honeypot is live,” the lead technician announced finally. “Already detecting preliminary probes of the security perimeter.”“That was fast,” Nick remarked.“They’ve been waiting for an opening,” Grace said, watching the technical displays. “This fits their established pattern—continuous surveillance for exploitable weaknesses.”Carter joined us, tablet in hand. “Now we wait for them to commit to the intrusion. Once they begin extracting data in earnest, we’ll have multiple tracing options.”“How long?” Alexander asked.“Depends on their caution level,” the technician replied. “Could be hours. Could be days.”But it wasn’t hours or day
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 119 The Honeypot
(Lila)Fleur’s laughter rang through the room as we all stared, bewildered, at the crib. I rushed over, scooping her into my arms, frantically checking for any sign of distress. She only giggled harder, reaching for my face.“What did he do?” I demanded, turning to the others.Nick was already beside us, his hands gently examining Fleur. “Nothing, as far as I can tell. She seems perfectly fine.”On the screen, Krane smiled. “Fascinating, isn’t it? The expectation of pain creates more fear than pain itself. You’ve just experienced the fundamental principle of fear architecture—the anticipation is the weapon, not the event.”“Shut it off,” I hissed at the technicians.“No, wait,” Carter countered, signaling them to continue tracing. “We need to keep him talking.”Krane continued as if he could hear our debate. “You believe you’ve reclaimed your narrative, Lila. That by confronting your trauma, you’ve disarmed it. But fear isn’t rational. It lives in the space between threat and action—t
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 118 Psychological Warfare
(Lila)“James is fine,” Ethan’s voice came through the phone, tight with fear. “We’ve tripled his security detail. Nobody’s getting near him.”“You’re sure?” I pressed, pacing the hotel suite.“I’m with him right now,” Ethan assured me. “Playing video games with two armed agents in the room.”After Krane’s message, we’d immediately verified everyone’s safety. Ethan and Cara had James at a separate secure location. Romy remained under Alexander’s protective detail at yet another facility. Nick and Ethan’s parents were overseas, surrounded by private security. My parents were downstairs.“They’re trying to destabilize us,” Carter explained as I ended the call. “Classic psychological warfare—implying vulnerability without actually demonstrating it.”“Like the basement,” I murmured, the memory rising unbidden.Nick looked up sharply. “What?”“In the basement, twenty years ago.” I sank into a chair, Fleur sleeping in my arms. “They never actually hurt us physically. They just made us belie
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 117 Counter-Surveillance
(Lila)I pressed my back against the headboard of the hotel bed, watching Fleur sleep in the portable crib the FBI had arranged. After three days in this new, supposedly secure hotel, I still jumped at every sound, checked every corner.The suite door opened as Nick and Alexander returned from their latest security briefing. Nick crossed immediately to Fleur’s crib, his shoulders finally relaxing when he saw her sleeping peacefully.“Any news?” I asked quietly.“We’ve identified three more Sterling operatives,” Nick replied, sinking onto the edge of the bed. “Two hotel employees at our previous location and a driver from my company.”“Grace confirmed all three,” Alexander added, loosening his tie. “Her intel has been solid.”The past seventy-two hours had transformed our situation. After Grace’s revelation, the FBI had moved us to a military-grade secure facility disguised as a boutique hotel. Grace had been debriefed continuously, identifying Sterling’s people and methodologies in de
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 116 Grace’s Insight
(Lila)Fleur’s screams tore through me as I clutched her against my chest. Her tiny body shook violently, her eyes wild with a terror no baby should ever know.“Make it stop!” I pleaded, rocking her desperately. “What’s happening to her?”The FBI agents swarmed around us, checking equipment, scanning for signals, searching for whatever had triggered my daughter’s sudden panic.“Sonic frequency,” Grace said suddenly from her corner of the hotel suite. She’d been so quiet I’d almost forgotten she was there. Now she stood, walking toward us. “Robert used it on his targets. Infrasound—you can’t hear it, but it creates terror, panic.”“Shut down all devices,” Agent Carter ordered the room sharply. “Now!”Nick yanked cords from walls while agents deactivated equipment. Fleur’s screams gradually subsided, replaced by hiccupping sobs against my shoulder.“How did you know?” I asked Grace shakily.“Robert loved psychological weapons,” she replied, watching Fleur with genuine concern. “Said inf
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 115 Walls of Silence
(Nick)Jonathan Montgomery froze at the accusation as its poison spread through the room. He sat on the hotel suite sofa, looking suddenly older and more vulnerable than I’d ever seen him.“Dad?” Lila prompted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is it true? Did you know Victor Krane before the kidnapping?”Jonathan stared at his hands. “Not as Krane. He used a different name then—Vincent Kemp. Security consultant specializing in executive protection.”I swore violently, turning away to control my rage. Ethan remained perfectly still, his face blank with disbelief.“You brought him into our lives?” Ethan asked finally, gritted his teeth between words.“He came highly recommended,” Jonathan replied weakly. “Multiple endorsements from colleagues in the industry. Impressive credentials.”“And he suggested Blackwood’s services,” Alexander stated flatly. “Connected you.”Jonathan nodded miserably. “Said Blackwood was the best in the business. Discrete, thorough. I had no idea they were work
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 114 Victor Krane
(Nick)The elevator descended to the hotel lobby in silence. I stood with Ethan, Carter and two armed agents, leaving Alexander to protect Lila and Fleur in the secure suite. The phone connection with Blackwood had ended abruptly after Malcolm Chambers’ arrival was announced.“This is obviously a trap,” Ethan muttered, adjusting his jacket nervously.“Of course it is,” I agreed tightly. “But if Chambers is here in person, it’s our best opportunity to end this.”Carter checked her sidearm discreetly. “Remember, we need him alive and talking. He’s our direct link to Blackwood and Krane.”The elevator doors opened to reveal a transformed hotel lobby. Most civilians had been evacuated, replaced by FBI agents positioned strategically throughout the space.In the center, sitting calmly in a leather armchair as if waiting for a business meeting, was a man in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair and expensive glasses.“Malcolm Chambers, I presume,” I said coldly as we approached.The ma
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 113 The Client List
(Nick)The voice on Lila’s phone continued smoothly. “Your father commissioned quite an elaborate project. ‘Generational intervention’ was the term he preferred.”“Who is this?” I demanded, moving to Lila’s side.“Ah, Nicholas Baldwin,” the voice acknowledged. “The man who built an empire on another man’s grave. How fitting that we should all converge now.”“Kenneth Blackwood,” Carter said into the phone, taking control of the situation. “This is Special Agent Carter, FBI. We’ve located your Connecticut property. Your archives are now in federal custody.”A pause, then a soft laugh. “Merely one of many repositories, Agent Carter. Though I’m impressed you found it. Your reputation is well-deserved.”Jonathan lunged for the phone. “Blackwood! Tell them the truth, damn you! I never hired you to take my daughter!”“Semantics, Jonathan,” Blackwood replied dismissively. “You paid for a comprehensive fear architecture program. The specific methodologies were left to our discretion.”“You’re
Billionaire, I'm No Longer Yours Chapter 112 Blackwood’s Shadow
(Nick)“They can’t possibly be watching us here,” Lila insisted, as FBI agents swept the hotel room for surveillance devices. “We’re under federal protection.”I paced the perimeter, checking every corner, every vent, every light fixture. “We thought our homes were secure too.”Grace huddled in an armchair, watching the activity. Since the coordinated attacks had begun, she’d remained mostly silent, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.“Grace,” Agent Carter approached her directly. “We need everything you know about Kenneth Blackwood.”Grace looked up, startled. “I told you what Robert said—”“Not enough,” I interrupted sharply. “They’re targeting our children. If you know anything else, anything at all…”“I-I might,” Grace admitted reluctantly. “I didn’t think it was important before.”Ethan moved closer, sitting across from his ex-wife. “What do you remember?”Grace twisted her fingers nervously. “Robert kept a box of mementos. Things that gave him power, he said. There was a photogr
