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CHAPTER 192
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-07 02:01:34
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Bound 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-10Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 199
The Weight of His BloodMaya was sitting on the floor, her knees soaked with Aaron’s blood.It was still warm.Still fresh.Still real.Her hands shook, pushing against his still chest, as if she could will his heart to start again.)But it wouldn’t.Aaron was gone.And she had let it happen.Zane was behind her, his silver eyes unreadable. “Maya.”She didn’t look at him.Couldn’t.Her breath came fast and short, her pulse wild, her thoughts tumbling.She had wasted so much time trying to save him.And now?Now, nothing was left to save.The Sound of SilenceThe world felt too quiet.The gunfire had stopped.The screaming had faded.And there remained only the crushing, implacable force of mortality.Victor stood by the door without his trademark smirk.Elara watched from a distance, arms crossed, expression flat.Maya had to force herself to breathe.Then another.And another.She finally looked at Zane.His jaw was set, his shoulders stiff, but he wasn’t looking at Aaron.He was loo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-10Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 200
Maya’s breath hitched in her throat and her chest constricted as Luca reclined in his seat, looking way too chill for a guy who had just dropped a bomb. Aaron was alive, and worse, he was with Helena. The air in the room was thick; suffocating, and she could feel Zane’s tension beside her, the sort of restrained rage that guaranteed blood. Victor and Elara went silent, each processing the gravity of Luca’s words, but Maya couldn’t afford the time to sit dumbfounded. She looked at him, her tone icier than she’d meant to be. “Tell me everything. Now.”Luca grinned, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement as he exhaled slowly. “Patience, my dear sister-in-law. You’re treating me like I’m the enemy here.”Once, twice, Zane’s fingers drummed against the table before he leaned forward, silver eyes blazing with unfiltered rage. “You have five seconds to start talking, Luca, or I put a round in your brain. His voice was even, flat, no-pitch, and Maya didn’t doubt it for a second that he meant
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-11
Bab terbaru
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
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 225
Maya couldn’t sleep.She lay in bed, watching the ceiling, hearing the tick-tock of the clock up on the wall. And it was late — too late — but all that had transpired kept her awake.Her father was gone, at least from the world. For now, the Order had been fooled. But Gabriel’s warning was still ringing in her ears.“If I discover that you are lying, I will put a bullet between your eyes myself.”Maya sucked breath between her teeth, rolling onto her side. They were playing with fire. One wrong move and not just her life would be at stake — Zane’s, Victor’s, Elara’s.How the hell had these gotten here?A knock at the door roused her from her thoughts.She sat up, heart beating a little fast. “Come in.”The door creaked open; Zane stepped through a moment later, his silver eyes bright even in the pallid gloom. He was still wearing his dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, tie looser. Also, he looked like he hadn’t slept.Maya sighed. “You too?”Zane smirked slightly, shutting the door behind
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 224
Zane twisted through the empty roads, the lights of the city twinkling in the distance, their brilliance brought into contrast by the blackness of the sky. Sitting next to him, Maya’s thoughts were full of what they had just gone through. Her father was dead — dead to the world but still somewhere breathing in the mountains.It should have been a relief. It wasn’t.Zane’s silver eyes glanced at her momentarily. “You’re thinking too much.”Maya rolled her eyes, studying the view through the window. “And you’re under thinking simultaneously.”Zane smirked. “On the contrary. I am thinking the right amount.”Maya breathed out, pushing her fingers against her forehead. “This was the easy part, right?”Zane waved his hand, eyes on the road ahead. “Now comes the part where we sell The Order on the idea things went according to plan.”Maya sighed. That was the piece that made her terrified.Neither spoke for a moment, silence echoed in the space between them. At last, Zane spoke up. “How long
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 223
The deal with Charles should have brought relief, but didn’t. Maya felt weighed down with what they were going to do heavy as a vice, tightening every second. There was no going back at this point.She took a slow breath, her eyes fixed on her father’s. “We have less than a twelve hours to make this work.”Charles turned his head, and something unreadable filled his sharp blue eyes. “And if it doesn’t work?”Zane leaned on the desk, silver eyes placid but stern. “Then you’re dead. Either way.”Charles laughed, but it was dry, humorless. “Comforting.” He turned to Maya. “And you? What do you think?”Maya took a deep breath and crossed her arms. “I think if we don’t do this right, The Order isn’t just going to kill you — they’re going to come for me, too.”Charles watched her closely, his face unreadable. “And Moretti? Do you trust him?”Zane smirked, responding before she had a chance. “She don’t gotta trust me. She just has to know I’m better at this than you are.”There was a subdued
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 222
The name on the paper stared back at her, clipped and brutal. Charles Davis.Maya sensed time slow around her, the meeting buzzing with a dull range that faded into the background. Her father.She wasn’t that close to him — not really. Charles Davis was a cold man, a man who saw business as a series of transactions, one after another, with no loss and no emotion, and he had used that machine to build his empire. He was never the warm, doting type. But he was still her blood.And The Order was out to kill him.She fought her body to be still, to keep her face blank while Zane peeled back the paper, reading it with the same dead cold calculation he applied to every kill order that came before this. But Maya knew him too well.He wasn’t unaffected.His jaw was slightly too tight. He flexed his fingers to see their utility and set the paper back down. And when his silver eyes darted to her? It was a knowledge there.Gabriel smirked, taking both of them in with interest. “I expect this won
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 221
The weight of the death of Julian Devereaux still hung in the air, heavy and oppressive. His body crumpled on the cold marble, a propensity for bloods to trickle in slow, measured tendrils around him. The man who thought himself above the law was down, not in a blaze of glory, but with a single shot and a round thud.Maya looked at the body a second too long, not of regret but calculation. What they had done at that moment altered everything.Zane was now sitting upon the throne that Julian had abandoned, and that made him next目标.Gabriel Laurent straightened his cufflinks, strolling over Julian’s corpse like stepping over a fallen tree branch. “Well,” he drawled, his voice smooth and untroubled, “that was cleaner than I expected.”Victor let out a low whistle. “Yeah? What were you expecting? Some Shakespearean monologue before he dropped dead?”Gabriel smirked. “I was expecting begging.” A narrow-eyed look was cast to Zane. “And now, Moretti, it’s the time for the real work.”“Zane h
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 220
For his entire life, Julian Devereaux had thought he was untouchable. A king in a world of pawns. He had gone through life pulling power plays, making people jiggle like puppets on some invisible string. Until now.She could see this in his eyes: the flicker of doubt, the unspeakable fear. This was not how things were supposed to turn out for him. He was the one in control, the one moving the pieces, but now? He was the piece now, and Zane Moretti was about to remove him from the board.Zane smoothed the cuffs of his suit, silver eyes alight with what seemed to be boredom. “You seem uncomfortable, Julian.”Julian’s jaw set, his shoulders went tight. “You think this will all end with me?Zane smirked. “No, but it starts with you.”Camille, still tied to the chair, released a shaky breath, but her eyes blazed. “For once in your life, Julian, just stop pretending you’re invincible.”Julian gave her a hard look, but this time Maya saw something else in his eyes. Not anger. Not calculation
