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CHAPTER 164
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-19 00:55:31
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Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 165
The room was dead silent.Maya was panting as she stared at the black screen, her father’s face an imprint in her mind — bloodied and bound, half-conscious.The last thing they’d heard was that voice. Smooth. Confident. Threatening.“Don’t worry. We’ll come to you.”Maya felt a chill run down her spine.The Syndicate was done with playing games.They were coming.Zane stood next to her, his silver eyes riveted to the empty screen, his jaw so tight a vein pulsed in his neck.“They want a war,” he said, voice a lethal thing. “So we give them one.”Breaking the SilenceCamilla typed furiously on the keyboard. “I’m tracing where the feed comes from, but they cloaked their location — whoever did this is an expert.”“Of course they do,” muttered Lena, pacing. “They’re setting us up. Again.”Victor put his elbows on his desk and rubbed his temples. “We can’t just sit back and wait for them to do whatever next.”Zane turned to Alex. “Security measures?”“Or it’s already in place,” Alex confir
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 166
The safe house was in ruins.Smoke curled from bullet-ridden walls. The scent of blood and gunpowder clung to the air. Broken glass crunched under Maya’s heels as she stood frozen, her body still trembling from the fight, from Alexander’s words.“You were never supposed to exist.”Her mind kept replaying it, over and over, like a poisoned whisper clawing into her thoughts.Zane’s voice pulled her back.“Maya.”She turned, locking onto his silver eyes. His expression was unreadable—but his grip on her waist was firm, grounding. “I’m fine,” she whispered. It wasn’t entirely a lie.Zane studied her. “No, you’re not.”She wasn’t. But she didn’t have time to fall apart.Not when her father was still missing.Not when the Syndicate was still out there.Not when Alexander had escaped.Maya exhaled shakily, forcing herself to stay upright. “We need to move.”Zane nodded. “We end this.”---The Aftermath of WarAlex groaned, wiping blood from his forehead. “Well, that went to hell fast.”Reese
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 167
The warehouse was in ruins.Smoke curled into the night sky, flames licking at crumbling walls. Sirens wailed in the distance, but Maya could barely hear them over the roar of her own rage.Her father was still missing.Evelyn and Alexander had escaped — again.And now?Now they were hunting her.Maya curled her fingers around the black card that had been left in the wreckage. Urban warfare and fighting in the city was promised.“Run.”Her grip tightened.No more running.Zane joined her, silver eyes bright with cold resolve.“They want a fight,” he said softly. “We’ll give them one.”Maya exhaled. “Then let’s burn them down.”Regrouping at the Safe HouseThe team barely escaped the Capital Region before the authorities put the area on lockdown.They met at a new safe house — an underground bunker buried under heavy woods, well away from the Syndicate’s radar.Lena strode the room, tension spidering out of her every move. “That wasn’t just a trap. That was a warning.”“They didn’t hav
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-21Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 168
The room felt suffocating.Maya froze, her father’s words a bomb ticking in her skull.“You’re the answer to everything.”The key?To what?Zane’s silver eyes narrowed again, as he stared at Charles, his patience running thin. “Explain. Now.”Charles let out a breath, rubbed his temples. “I never wanted you to find out like this, Maya.”She clenched her fists. “Find out what?”The next words out of her father’s mouth crumbled her world.“You were a subject in an experiment.”The Truth UnraveledThe room was suddenly filled with silence.Maya’s chest tightened. “What… what do you mean?”Charles paused, guilt lining his face.Zane’s voice was cold. “Start talking.”Charles swallowed hard. “Decades ago, the Syndicate possessed a top-secret genetic program. A project intended to produce individuals with… heightened cognitive and physical abilities.”Maya’s pulse pounded. “You’re saying I was—built?”Charles shook his head. “Not entirely. That was the project your mother was a part of. But
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-22Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 169
Zane’s body hit the ground.Blood collected beneath him, dark and unforgiving.Maya’s world tilted.Her heart thumped like a sledgehammer inside her rib cage, her vision narrowing on a man who’d always been unstoppable. Always one step ahead.But now—He wasn’t moving.A scream scratched its way up her throat, but no sound came out.She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.And then—Everything went red.Maya turned, slowly; her green eyes flared as they met Alexander’s.Her so-called brother.The man who had just gunned down Zane.A Sister’s WrathAlexander studied her closely.He still had the gun, but he didn’t shoot again. Didn’t move.“Maya,” he began, his voice level. “Don’t—”She shot first.A bullet skimmed his cheek, leaving a thin red line across his perfect skin.He barely flinched.But she wasn’t done.Maya charged.Alexander evaded her first attack, though — this time, she was quicker.His jaw had been struck by her fist and he reared back.She didn’t stop.Didn’t hold back.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 170
Maya’s breath hitched in her throat.Her mother—alive.The words still echoed in the sterile room, sending a violent shiver through Maya’s spine.“They took me. Just like they took you.”Eleanor Laurent stood in front of her, a phantom from the past.Maya’s fingers twitched, instinct howling for her to pull a weapon. To fight.But she couldn’t move.Couldn’t breathe.This is real? No one could believe it.Her mother stepped back and the two of them locked eyes, which were both the same piercing green, eyes Maya had seen every morning, when she looked in the mirror.“It’s been a while, right?” Eleanor said softly.Maya’s stomach twisted.“Long time?” she whispered. “I thought you were dead.”Eleanor’s face darkened. “That’s what they wanted you to believe.”The ones all over Maya’s body locked up.Who is ‘they’?Before she could speak, the steel doors behind them slammed open.Evelyn Monroe stepped in.The high heels she clicked to where they were sitting, her face inscrutable.But May
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 171
The rooftop was quiet, save for the distant hum of the waking city.Maya clutched the railing, gazing out at the Paris skyline, her mind a typhoon of noise.And Zane stood behind her then, watching, waiting.Finally, he spoke. “You regret it.”She didn’t turn. “Regret what?”“Letting him go.”Maya let out a sharp breath. “I really don't know, Zane."Zane's eyes became darker. " You have known “At last Maya turned to him. “I should hate him, right? I should have just let you kill him?”Zane’s voice was cold. “Yes.”Maya searched his face. “You don’t understand.”“I understand perfectly.” He stepped closer. “You believe that your blood is worth saving because he’s your blood. But he’s not. He’s a liability. A loose end.”“He’s my brother, Zane.”“He’s a traitor, Maya.”She flinched. “You barely know who he was."Zane’s jaw tightening. “And you do?”A bitter laugh left her lips. “No. But I know what it is to be raised in a lie. To be formed into something that is forced upon you.”Zane’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 172
Maya and Zane hopped off the roof to make their way down. They hadn’t entirely moved beyond the tension between them, but something unspoken has passed between them — an understanding, a fragile truce.Zane usher back into the penthouse, movements purposeful, measured. Maya walked behind her, her mind churning.She hardly paid attention when he poured himself a drink, swirling amber liquid in his glass.“You think he’s coming back, don’t you?” Zane said suddenly, his voice steady but tinted with something darker.Maya paused before responding. “I don’t know.”Zane scoffed. “That’s not an answer.”She sighed and walked over to him. “I think Luca is a survivor. He won’t go down easily.”Zane studied her carefully. “And you’re scared of what that means.”Maya didn’t respond. She didn’t need to.Zane set down his glass. “Luca doesn’t matter anymore. He made his choice.”She turned to face him fully. “People always have a choice, Zane. You of all people should know that.”His jaw tightened
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24
Bab terbaru
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 234
Maya paced her Moretti Corp. office as the weight of the impending war hung heavy on her shoulders. The early-morning sun poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the sleek interior in a golden light, but she hardly noticed. The papers on her desk began to fade together and her mind raced through the alternatives.Gabriel had made his move. He had gone after her history, her marriage, the life she had built so painstakingly. And yet she was unafraid — just seething with determination.Her phone buzzed again. Another message from Zane.Zane: We need to talk. Now.Maya let out a sharp breath, suppressing a rising irritation just under the skin. She took her phone and answered.Maya: Meet me in my office. Bring Victor.Nine minutes later, the door opened and Zane came walking in with Victor hot on his heels. Zane’s face was hard to read, but his shoulders were tense. He was angry — but not at her.Victor, always a cool mastermind, tossed a file onto her desk with an air of
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 233
The day arrived too soon, dragging Maya back into the ice-well of their war with Gabriel. She paced the window at her penthouse, coffee clutched in hand, watching the city below her stir. The weight of last night’s meeting with Philip Marquez was still heavy in her mind. They had won a skirmish, but the war was still in its early stages.Next, her phone vibrated on the marble counter. A message from Zane.Zane: Victor got the first buyouts. Gabriel will be feeling the squeeze soon. Meet me at the office.Maya drank the rest of her coffee and replied by text.Maya: On my way.Her husband, Adrian, had already left for the day. Their marriage was a matter of practicality rather than of love. It was a strategic maneuver — a winning of alliances and of power. Love had never been in the contract.But still, she couldn’t help but ache at the thought of the what-ifs.Brushing the thought aside, she got dressed, putting on the armor of the woman she had become.Moretti Corp – War RoomZane was
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 232
Maya sat across from Zane in his office, eyes fixed on the latest reports spread across his desk. The tension between them was palpable, though unspoken. She knew that tight-jawed look—something wasn't right. Breaking the thick silence, she said, "Well? Are you going to tell me what has you so troubled, or must we sit here all evening stewing in uncertainty?"Zane didn't look up from the pages. "We lost three major investors this morning. Gabriel is sabotaging us financially just as he tried through his connections in The Order."Maya sighed heavily. "Do you have proof it's him pulling the strings?"Zane tossed the folder aside and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't need proof when I know his methods. He wants to crush Moretti Corp and he won't stop until he succeeds."Her eyes narrowed with steely resolve. "Then two can play at his game. If he aims to strangle us through our funds, we'll retaliate in kind."A trace of a smirk crossed Zane's stern features. "Spoken like a true p
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 231
The tension hanging over the room was palpable, with the weight of their impending choice bearing down on everyone. No turning back now—every action going forward could fortify their authority or shatter it completely.Maya placed her glass down deliberately against the polished table, her keen green eyes locking onto Zane’s. “If we’re moving ahead, it has to be flawless. No errors. No vulnerabilities.”Leaning in, Zane returned her gaze with calculated intensity glowing in his silver eyes. “I agree. We strike where they least anticipate financially, strategically. We take control before they realize what’s transpiring.”Sprawled casually in one of the leather chairs, Victor let out a low chuckle. “You two truly have a way of making corporate warfare sound sexier than shootouts.”Maya arched a brow. “Because it is.”Luca smirked from across the room. “I have to admit, witnessing this side of you, Maya, is unexpected. You appear to be genuinely enjoying the challenge.”Maya exhaled, cr
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 230
Maya perched at the head of a long glass conference table in Moretti Corp’s executive suite, tightening her grip on the edge of the financial report before her. The numbers did not seem to be adding up. Billions were on the move — just not where they were meant to be.She let out a breath through gritted teeth, forcing the unsettled feeling in her gut to subside. If this was what she suspected it was, they had a much bigger problem then The Order’s politics.Zane wore the endless scruff of a day’s stubble, and as he stood facing the skyline through the floor-to-ceiling window, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. That was how he’d been all morning — still, methodical, his mind racing a hundred moves ahead. But Maya knew him too well.He was waiting. For confirmation. For proof. For the moment he was able to flip the game on its head.Maya broke the silence. “We have a leak.”Zane didn’t turn around. “How bad?”Maya swallowed. “Bad. Money is being siphoned off in dribs and
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 229
In the conference room, everything was polished elegance. In the center was a long, dark wooden table with high-backed leather chairs surrounding it. The quiet hum of brief conversations and the sound of footsteps down the hall indicated the weight that had become almost palpable in the air of the building itself. Helena tapped her fingers lightly on the table as she stared through the window. She was not thinking of the view, or of the empire to which she belonged; she was thinking about the invisible chessboard before her. Today, it wasn’t bloodshed or conquest; today, it was about manipulation, persuasion and control.Her thoughts are broken by the sound of heels snapping against the marble floor. She gazed upward, her frigid eyes meeting the silhouette that walked in.“You’re late,” she said, her tone smooth, though with a sharp edge.“I had some… business to take care of,” Elena said, the smile on her face a little tight, insufficient. She stepped toward the table, each step long
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 228
“Well I tried.” Maya said calmly, drumming her fingers on the sleek, polished surface of the table. Tall windows poured in the morning light, bathed the skyline in gold. It was nearly serene — if not for the storm brewing deep down.This was an alternate type of battlefield. No guns. No explosions. Only power, strategy and control. And in many respects, it was more perilous than any of the wars they had fought.Zane worked his cufflinks and his cool silver eyes drifted around the room as executives filed in, all advancing a few steps like cats on concrete, gripped by a primal instinct not to step on toes. They’d all heard Curator General’s whispers — about Gabriel, about the fall of The Order’s inner circle, about the man who had scratched and clawed his way to the top with his trademark ruthlessness.Now? They were wondering if he could hold it.Victor stretched lazily in his seat next to Maya, his smirk curling as he leaned in. “Tell me, princess, are you ready to watch your husband
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 227
It was dark in her study, Maya realized, as she sat at the mahogany desk with her fingers hooked over the side, going in circles. The weight of their decision sat heavy in her ribs, smothering, but also electric. They were heading into a war they had no guarantee of winning. And yet, there they were, opting to attack first.His face unreadable, Zane stood at the window, his silver eyes riveted to the line of the city skyline. He was like a soldier prepped for the fight, his body still, his mind a flurry of adjustments.Maya exhaled. “You really think this is going to work?Zane didn’t turn around. “It has to.”Maya leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. “That’s not an answer.”Zane finally looked, and his eyes were keen. “Doubting it before we even get started isn’t either.Maya clenched her jaw. “I’m not doubting it. I’m being realistic. Gabriel isn’t Julian. He’s smarter. More connected. If we falter if we allow even a split in this plan he’ll rip us apart before we can eve
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 226
Maya’s pulse raced as Luca’s words hung above the group like a heavy smoke. Gabriel Laurent.It wasn’t one of those surprises that should have caught her off guard. The Order was not about cleanliness. There was nothing trustworthy about its leaders. But to hear Luca say it so casually—as if it were the most natural thing in the world—knotted her stomach.Zane reclined in his seat, his silver eyes shrewd, calculating. He wasn’t responding, which meant he was getting creative.Luca smirked. “You look like a man trying to ascertain if I’m lying.”Zane exhaled. “That’s because I am.”Luca let out a low chuckle. “And?”Zane’s fingers rapped the table slowly and deliberately. “And you’re great at misdirection.”Luca clutched a hand to his chest, mock-offended. “That hurts, brother. Truly.”Maya clenched her fists. She hated this. The games, the deceits, the endless mind games where everyone was deceiving, and the only way to live was by out-lying everyone else.She exhaled sharply. “If Gab
