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CHAPTER 66
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2024-12-24 00:10:08
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Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 67
The next morning, the atmosphere in the suite was tense but focused. Zane, Alex, Maya, and Reese gathered around the table, reviewing the evidence they’d retrieved and planning their next steps.Zane’s silver eyes scanned the documents in front of him, his jaw tight. “We have enough to prove Helena’s connection to the DeLucas and the smuggling operation. But Luca’s involvement complicates things. He’s not just running errands for her—he’s building his own game.”Maya frowned, her fingers tracing the edge of the table. “What could he possibly gain from this? If Helena goes down, won’t he go down with her?”Alex leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “Not if he’s planning to betray her. Luca’s always resented Zane for being named the head of Moretti Corps. Aligning with Helena might be his way of destabilizing Zane’s position, but turning on her at the right moment could give him the leverage to take control himself.”Reese scoffed. “So, he’s playing both sides. Typical sn
Last Updated : 2024-12-24Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 68
Helena sat in her villa, the golden light of sunset streaming through the large windows. A glass of wine sat untouched on the table in front of her as she stared at the screen of her tablet, rage flickering across her face.The news was everywhere. Zane Moretti had released a damning report, complete with financial records and internal memos, exposing her connections to the DeLucas and the smuggling operation. It was a masterpiece of strategy—precise, detailed, and impossible to dismiss.“Helena Moretti Exposed: Smuggling and Corporate Espionage Tied to the DeLuca Family.”“Zane Moretti’s Counterattack: A Crushing Blow to the Former Matriarch.”Helena’s phone buzzed, and she snatched it up, answering without looking at the caller ID.“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Alessandro DeLuca’s voice was cold, his fury barely contained. “This report ties my family to your incompetence. Do you realize what this means for us?”“Calm down,” Helena said, though her voice trembled slightly.
Last Updated : 2024-12-25Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 69
The Moretti boardroom was a place Zane had come to command with authority, but today, the air was different. Tension crackled like static, each board member shifting uneasily in their chairs as they waited for the meeting to begin.Maya watched from a private viewing room just outside, her green eyes narrowing as she took in the anxious faces of the people who held Zane’s fate in their hands. Beside her, Alex and Reese monitored the live feed, their expressions grim.“She timed this perfectly,” Alex muttered, his jaw tight. “The board was already uneasy with the fallout from her smuggling operation. Now she’s trying to tip them over the edge.”Maya glanced at him. “What’s in the envelope she sent them?”Reese snorted. “Probably another pile of lies. The woman’s entire strategy is built on fabricating evidence and creating chaos.”Maya clenched her fists, her chest tightening with frustration. “Zane can handle this. He has to.”Helena’s BombshellInside the boardroom, Zane stood at the
Last Updated : 2024-12-25Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 70
The streets of Naples were quiet as Maya and Zane left the Moretti board meeting. Their private car wove through the city, the distant hum of the city’s nightlife a backdrop to the tense silence between them.Maya sat close to Zane, their fingers intertwined, but the weight of what had just transpired lingered heavily in the air. She broke the silence first.“They’ll come around,” she said softly, glancing at Zane.He stared out the window, his silver eyes reflecting the city lights. “They’ll have no choice once the audit proves our case. But Helena’s playing a different game now. She’s going to escalate.”Maya’s grip on his hand tightened. “Then we escalate too.”Zane turned to her, his gaze softening. “You’re starting to sound like me.”She smirked faintly. “Maybe I’ve been spending too much time with you.”Reese’s RevelationBack at the hotel, Reese was pacing the living room when they returned, her phone pressed to her ear. She ended the call abruptly when she saw them, her expres
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 71
The tension in the suite was electric as the team returned to the hotel. Alex immediately secured the files in an encrypted drive, ensuring Helena’s men couldn’t undo what they had fought so hard to achieve.Maya paced the room, her nerves frayed after the ambush. “She’s getting more desperate. This was a direct attack. She’s not just playing games anymore—she’s trying to eliminate us.”Zane leaned against the table, his silver eyes fixed on her. “That desperation is her weakness. Helena doesn’t know how to handle losing control.”“She’ll come back harder,” Alex said, his tone grim as he poured himself a drink. “And we need to be ready for whatever she throws next.”Reese, sitting cross-legged on the couch, flipped through her phone. “The media’s still buzzing about the audit, but we need to hit her with something big before she has time to recover.”Zane nodded, his jaw tightening. “We’ll release the decrypted files tomorrow. This ends now.”A Tense NightLater that evening, Maya sat
Last Updated : 2024-12-26Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 72
The fallout from Helena’s latest move hit the team like a tidal wave. The accusations against Zane spread rapidly, dominating headlines and fueling speculation across the business world.“Zane Moretti: Mastermind or Scapegoat?”“Allegations Mount as Helena Moretti Strikes Back.”In the suite, tension ran high as the team scrambled to counter the narrative. Reese typed furiously on her laptop, crafting statements for the media, while Alex worked the phones, contacting key allies in the corporate world.“We need to act fast,” Alex said, his voice tight with urgency. “If we let this narrative take hold, it’ll be almost impossible to undo the damage.”Zane stood by the window, his silver eyes scanning the city below. His face was a mask of calm, but Maya could see the tension in his shoulders.“We’ll fight this,” Zane said firmly. “Helena’s lies won’t hold up against the truth. We just need to keep pushing.”A Meeting with the LawyersLater that morning, Zane and Maya met with his legal t
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 73
The fallout from Helena’s latest move hit the team like a tidal wave. The accusations against Zane spread rapidly, dominating headlines and fueling speculation across the business world.“Zane Moretti: Mastermind or Scapegoat?”“Allegations Mount as Helena Moretti Strikes Back.”In the suite, tension ran high as the team scrambled to counter the narrative. Reese typed furiously on her laptop, crafting statements for the media, while Alex worked the phones, contacting key allies in the corporate world.“We need to act fast,” Alex said, his voice tight with urgency. “If we let this narrative take hold, it’ll be almost impossible to undo the damage.”Zane stood by the window, his silver eyes scanning the city below. His face was a mask of calm, but Maya could see the tension in his shoulders.“We’ll fight this,” Zane said firmly. “Helena’s lies won’t hold up against the truth. We just need to keep pushing.”A Meeting with the LawyersLater that morning, Zane and Maya met with his legal t
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Bound by the Billionaire's Claim CHAPTER 74
The boardroom victory was a significant blow to Helena, but the reprieve was short-lived. As Zane, Maya, and the team returned to the suite, the tension was palpable. Helena’s retreat didn’t feel like an ending—it felt like the calm before a storm.Alex was already at his laptop, scanning incoming reports and updates. “Helena’s quiet. Too quiet,” he said, his brow furrowed. “I don’t like it.”“She’ll strike again,” Zane said, his silver eyes cold. “But this time, we’ll be ready.”Maya sat beside Zane, her hand resting on his arm. “We need to anticipate her next move. If she’s desperate, she’ll be more reckless.”“That makes her dangerous,” Alex said. “But it also makes her sloppy.”Reese walked in, holding her phone aloft. “Speaking of sloppiness, Carl just sent me something interesting. Helena’s been spotted meeting with DeLuca operatives at a private estate outside the city.”Maya frowned. “What could she be planning with them?”Zane’s jaw tightened. “Something big. We need eyes on
Last Updated : 2024-12-27
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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
