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CHAPTER 27
Last Updated:
2024-12-05 01:58:41
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Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 28
The next morning dawned gray and foreboding, the sky heavy with clouds that seemed to mirror Maya’s unease. She sat by the window in Zane’s suite, her hand resting protectively on her stomach as she watched the estate grounds come alive with activity. Security guards moved in coordinated patterns, their presence more visible than ever before.Zane had ordered the heightened measures after last night’s revelations, and while Maya appreciated the effort, it did little to soothe her nerves. The knowledge that Donovan Scott was using her father as a pawn left her feeling more vulnerable than ever.She turned as Zane entered the room, already dressed in a sharp suit that exuded authority. His silver eyes softened when they met hers, but there was an undercurrent of tension in his movements.“Alex is coordinating with a team to keep your father under surveillance,” Zane said, crossing the room to her. “We’ll make sure Donovan can’t use him against us.”Maya nodded, her heart heavy. “Do you
Last Updated : 2024-12-06Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 29
The storm outside had abated by morning, but the tension within the Moretti estate had not. Maya woke to find Zane already gone, his side of the bed cold and undisturbed. She sat up, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach as she tried to calm the persistent knot of anxiety that had taken residence there.She knew the safe house arrangements for her father were already in motion. Zane was meticulous, and Alex’s efficiency was unmatched. Still, a part of her couldn’t shake the image of Charles’s pale, drawn face from the night before.“Everything’s falling apart,” she whispered to herself.Maya hesitated before joining breakfast in the grand dining hall. As she stepped inside, she was greeted by the sight of Helena seated at the head of the table, her expression as cold and composed as ever. Luca sat nearby, casually sipping his coffee with an air of disinterest.“Maya,” Helena said with a thin smile. “You look well-rested.”Maya ignored the comment, taking a seat at the far end
Last Updated : 2024-12-06Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 30
The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the Moretti estate, painting the elegant corridors with a deceptive warmth. But Maya’s world was far from serene. Each passing hour tightened the noose around her, the weight of the notes, threats, and the looming shadow of Donovan growing heavier.She knew Zane was working tirelessly to dismantle the web of schemes threatening them, but she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that their enemies were always one step ahead.As she stepped into the dining hall for breakfast, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension. Helena sat at her usual place at the head of the table, her sharp gaze flicking to Maya as she entered. Luca lounged nearby, a smug grin playing on his lips as though he knew something no one else did.“Maya,” Helena said with a smile as thin as glass, “you’re looking… thoughtful this morning. I trust you’ve been sleeping well?”Maya didn’t bother with pretense. “As well as anyone can under these circumstances.”Luca
Last Updated : 2024-12-07Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 31
The following day began under the weight of unspoken tension. The air in the Moretti estate felt heavy, as if the walls themselves were bracing for the storm ahead. Maya found herself in the dining room again, seated across from Helena, who sipped her tea with an infuriating calmness.“Have you resolved the little… security matters?” Helena asked, her tone light but laced with condescension.Maya’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup. “We’re handling it.”Helena’s lips curved into a thin smile. “I do hope so. A lapse in security reflects poorly on the entire family. It’s not the sort of thing we can afford, especially now.”Maya’s chest tightened, but before she could respond, Zane entered the room, his presence commanding as always. He strode to Maya’s side, pressing a brief kiss to her temple before addressing his mother.“Helena,” he said coolly, “if you’re so concerned about security, perhaps you should direct your efforts toward supporting the investigation instead of critici
Last Updated : 2024-12-07Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 32
The tension in the Moretti estate was palpable the next morning, a storm brewing just beneath the surface of every interaction. Maya awoke to find Zane already gone again, leaving behind a terse note:“Meeting with Alex. Updates soon. Stay in the suite.”The walls of the suite felt suffocating, the silence amplifying her unease. But staying put wasn’t an option anymore. She couldn’t ignore the gnawing fear that her father’s safety was precarious, or that Donovan was closing in on all sides.Determined to gather her own answers, Maya dressed quickly and made her way to the security wing.The security wing was quiet when Maya arrived, the hum of monitors filling the air. Alex was nowhere to be found, likely with Zane, but Maya knew her way around well enough by now.She bypassed the main surveillance room and entered the archives, a smaller, dimly lit room where old files and recordings were stored. If Donovan’s reach extended deeper into the estate, there might be something here to con
Last Updated : 2024-12-08Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 33
The morning after Luca’s arrest dawned heavy with silence. The Moretti estate seemed to hold its breath, as though the walls themselves were bracing for the fallout. Maya sat in the library, staring blankly at a book she wasn’t reading. Her mind churned with questions that wouldn’t settle.Zane had been gone since before dawn, meeting with Alex and the rest of his inner circle to discuss the next steps. With Luca detained, there was a brief window of control, but Maya knew it wouldn’t last. Donovan wasn’t the kind of man to leave his plans unfinished.The door to the library creaked open, and Maya looked up to see Reese slipping inside, her expression filled with concern.“I just heard about Luca,” Reese said, taking a seat beside her. “Are you okay?”Maya hesitated, unsure how to answer. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Every time I think we’re making progress, something else happens. And now… with Luca…”“Zane’s handling it, right?” Reese asked.Maya nodded, though her stomach twisted
Last Updated : 2024-12-08Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 34
The Moretti estate had never felt more dangerous. Every shadow seemed to carry a threat, every whispered conversation a plot waiting to unravel. Maya sat in the nursery, her hands resting on her rounded stomach as she tried to calm the storm of emotions inside her.She had promised Zane she wouldn’t take unnecessary risks, but the maid’s death weighed heavily on her. The girl had been trying to warn her, and now her silence was another mark on Donovan’s ever-growing list of crimes.But Maya was done playing the victim.Down in the study, Zane stood with Alex and a few of his most trusted men. The room buzzed with tension as they reviewed the latest intelligence gathered from Luca and other sources.“The ambush on the transfer was just the beginning,” Alex said, pointing to a map of the city marked with red pins. “Donovan is tightening his grip. He’s positioning himself for a major strike—possibly here, at the estate.”Zane’s silver eyes darkened. “He won’t get that chance. I want surv
Last Updated : 2024-12-09Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 35
The Moretti estate was alive with its usual elegance, but beneath its polished surface, tension simmered. Maya could feel it in the air—the sharp glances, the veiled comments, the way conversations seemed to stop when she entered a room.At breakfast, Helena sat across from Maya, her expression cool and unreadable. Zane was absent, caught up in yet another meeting to handle the fallout of Luca’s betrayal. The table felt far too large and quiet for two people.“Maya,” Helena began, her voice smooth. “You’ve adjusted well to life here, considering the circumstances.”Maya set her coffee cup down carefully, already bracing herself for whatever was coming. “I’m doing my best.”Helena’s lips curved into a faint smile. “It’s admirable, truly. But I wonder if you’ve considered how… tenuous your position here is.”Maya frowned. “What do you mean?”Helena tilted her head, her eyes sharp. “This family requires strength, resilience, and loyalty. And while Zane may be… infatuated, those feelings
Last Updated : 2024-12-09
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Bound 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
Bound 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
Bound 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
Bound 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
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
Bound 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
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
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 190
The Decision That Can Alter EverythingMaya touched her father’s holster, the gun inside, her mind whirling.In this moment, she could feel everything.The weight of the decision.The oppressive stillness of the room.Zane’s heavy breathing behind her.Elara’s piercing, entertained scrutiny, monitoring her as if this were some kind of game.Her father’s serene, steady smile.Like he already knew what she would say.As if this were always the plan.Tick tock, daughter.Her breath hitched.She could end this.Right here. Right now.She could take the gun. Pull the trigger.Kill the man who had lured her, created her, destroyed her world, hole by hole, and jagged edge.Zane was dying on the floor.She had to do something.She had to act.Maya gripped the gun.Her father’s smile widened.And then—She turned.And aimed it at Zane.The World StoppedThe room froze.Zane’s silver gaze met hers, hot with agony, disbelief — betrayal.Her father’s expression did not change. “Smart girl.”Elara
Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 189
The Fall of Zane MorettiOnce Maya stopped holding Zane’s hand, the world changed.It wasn’t just a decision.It was a death sentence.Not for her.For him.Zane Moretti — the man who set fire to empires for her, who never lost a fight, who survived the worst in men — was standing alone.And she had made it happen.The weight of it crushed her.Her father clutched her fingers even tighter.“You’ve made the correct choice.”But had she?Had she really?Because as she turned, as she made herself look at Zane, she saw it—When his heart turned to stone.The moment when the love he felt for her died.Or maybe not died.Perhaps it turned into something else.Something colder.Darker.Something she may never fix.The Silence Before the StormNo one spoke.The guards encircled Zane, their weapons drawn, eyes keen, awaiting an order.He didn’t move.Didn’t blink.Didn’t fight.And that scared Maya worse than anything.Surrendering was not something Zane would do.He was not the sort of man to
