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CHAPTER 190
Last Updated:
2025-03-06 02:08:06
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Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 191
The Throne or FreedomMaya was sitting in the wreckage of a world she had destroyed.Her father was no more, not dead — but broken and bleeding, aware that he had lost.Zane had survived — but just, his flesh one step from death, his heart blazing like flame.Elara stood by the door, arms folded, watching like someone at the end of a war.And Maya?Maya had made her choice.She had defied her father.She had saved Zane.And now — she had to figure out what’s next.Because this war was never actually over.Not yet.Not until she made a choice about where she belonged.Her father’s voice resounded in her mind:“You aren’t a pawn in anyone’s game. You are the queen.”Then, right after came Zane’s words:“You don’t belong to them. You don’t belong to me. You belong to yourself.”Two men who attempted to take possession of her in their own ways.But only one remained by her side.And tonight, she had almost lost him.Her hands balled into fists.She would not let that happen again.No matt
Last Updated : 2025-03-06Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 192
The Aftermath of BetrayalMaya and Zane strolled the wrecked corridors of the estate, hand in hand, their bodies bruised but still standing.Gunpowder, blood, and smoke filled the air.Maya could still hear her father’s voice in her ears — the threat, the warning.He’d released her, but she understood not to believe it was finished.Her father never forgot anything.Zane limped next to her, his hold on her hand steady, despite his face being pale from blood loss.Maya squeezed his fingers. “You need medical attention.”Zane let out a rough breath. “I want you to stop worrying about me for five minutes.Maya glared. “Not happening.”Behind them, Elara snorted. “God, you two are exhausting. “Just tell each other that you love each other, and move on.”Maya shot her a look. “We literally just did.”Elara grinned. “Yeah, yeah. But I’m gonna need the full dramatic ‘I can’t live without you’ scene. “Preferably with more kissing.”Zane groaned, rubbing at his temple. “Why do we keep her arou
Last Updated : 2025-03-07Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 193
The Cost of VictoryHelena Moretti’s lifeless body sprawled on the ground, her blood pooling on the floors of cold marble.The woman who had wrought so much ruin, who had lied, connived and murdered without a second thought — was gone.Elara blew phantom smoke from the end of her gun. "Well, that was satisfying."No one responded.Because even though Helena Moretti was dead, the war wasn’t finished.Maya could feel it.A storm still hung in the air, a one which no blood could wash away.She glanced at Zane, whose face was a mask, his silver eyes fixed on his mother’s lifeless body.As for what he was thinking, she did not know.Did he feel relief?Pain?Or was he numbed to the weight of what had just happened?Maya reached for his hand; he flinched.Her chest tightened."Zane?"He finally looked at her.It wasn’t the man she loved looking back at her.It was someone else.Someone... lost.A Broken ManZane sucked in his breath, a hand dragging over his face as blood smeared across his
Last Updated : 2025-03-07Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 194
A Heart That Refuses to StopIt was relief like Zane had never known.The doctor’s words — “She’s alive” — ricocheted in his skull, over and over, melding into the crevices of his sanity.His knees almost buckled.But he didn’t move.Couldn’t.Because the fear still remained.To be alive wasn’t the same as to be safe.Being alive didn’t mean they were out of danger.Alive wasn’t enough.He needed her awake. He needed her talking. He had needed her at every stage to fight him as always she did.Zane’s voice was hoarse, raw. “Can I see her?”The doctor hesitated. “She’s still unconscious. We were able to stop the bleeding, but she bled a lot.”Zane clenched his fists. “How bad?”The doctor exhaled. “She’s stable. But she’s not out of the woods yet.”Not out of the woods.Not safe.Zane turned, shoving a hand through his hair. “What are her chances?”The doctor hesitated. “We will know more in the next 24 hours.”Zane’s pulse hammered.He had 24 hours to wait.24 hours to worry whether M
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 195
Betrayal in the BloodLaying eyes on Victor, Maya’s heart raced in her chest.Aaron.Her brother.Her blood.The one who'd always stood with her.And now?Now he was in charge of the very organization she had struggled to escape.They walked to her side, Zane’s body tense as he stared down Victor, silver eyes narrowed. “How long?”Victor’s expression was grim. “A week. Maybe less.”Maya swallowed hard. “Does he know where we are?”Victor exhaled sharply. “Not yet. But it won’t take him long.”Silence.Heavy. Suffocating.Maya’s mind raced.Aaron had always been ambitious, but ruthless?No.Not him.Not the brother who had guarded her countless nights.Not the boy who had once carried her home after she scraped her knee.Zane’s voice was low. “Maya.”She blinked, glancing up at him.His jaw was tight, his face inscrutable. “Say the words.”Maya frowned. “What words?”Zane’s silver eyes darkened. “Tell me to kill him.”Her heart stopped.“Zane—”His voice sharpened. “Maya, he won’t stop
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 196
The Aftermath of a War That Should Never Have HappenedMaya stood frozen with her heart still pounding in her chest, her head whirling.Aaron knelt, blood streaming from the gunshot wound in his shoulder, gasping for breath.Zane was next to her, tense, silent, his silver eyes fixed so securely on her brother that it was as if he were waiting for a reason to complete the job.The war was supposed to be over.And yet—It didn’t feel like victory.Maya gripped her gun tighter.She had been given a choice.And she had chosen mercy.Had she made the right call?Or had she merely postponed the inevitable?A Brother and an EnemyAaron laughed, gasping for breath, bitter.His hand pressed against the wound in his shoulder, blood pooling between his fingers.His voice was rough. “So that’s it? You’re just going to let me live?Maya swallowed. “Yes.”Aaron’s eyes darkened. “Then you’re a fool.”Zane exhaled sharply. “She’s not the stupid here, Aaron.”Aaron’s eyes flashed to him, doused with h
Last Updated : 2025-03-09Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 197
A War with No WinnersThe ballroom was silent.Too silent.The sort of silence before a storm.Maya was in the center, frozen, her green eyes fixed on her brother.Aaron’s mouth curved into a sneering grin.Donovan stood next to him, too cocky for a dead dude.Zane was close to her, as always, impassive.Victor and Elara stood to either side, weapons concealed but at the ready.This wasn’t a negotiation.This was a powder keg poised to detonate.And Maya?She was done waiting.Blood Doesn't Make a FamilyMaya stepped slowly forward and spoke in a cold voice. “Why are you here, Aaron?”Her brother tilted his head. “You invited me.”Maya exhaled. “I invited you to end this.”Aaron’s smirk faded. “And what does that mean to you?”Zane’s voice was sharp. “It looks like you and your pet rat exiting this city. Alive, if you’re lucky.”Donovan chuckled. “Ah, Moretti. Still as dramatic as ever.”Zane didn’t blink. “And you’re still alive. Unfortunately,”Maya’s stomach twisted. “How?”Donovan
Last Updated : 2025-03-09Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 198
A Mistake That Can’t Be UnmadeMaya stood in the center of the room, the letter still clutched in her hand.The words seared into her brain.You chose mercy, sister. A mistake you won’t have time to regret.Those words had been written by her own brother.The boy who had once squeezed her hand when she was scared.The man who had wanted her dead.Zane walked back and forth before her, his silver eyes cold, deadly. “This is a war declaration.”Maya inhaled sharply. “It always was.”Zane’s jaw clenched. “Not anymore, at first it was about control. Power. Now? It’s personal.”She swallowed. “It was always personal.”Zane exhaled sharply. “I could have stopped this when I had the opportunity.”Maya caught his eye, something in her chest hurting. “And I stopped you.”Zane’s eyes burned into hers. “Yes.”She exhaled shakily. “Then let me fix it.”Zane’s silver gaze hardened. “No.”Maya’s pulse spiked. “Zane—”His voice was steel. Maya, “You don’t get to do this alone.Her throat tightened.
Last Updated : 2025-03-10
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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
