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Chapter 27 - Unraveling Threads
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-15 11:57:11
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Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 28 - Questions & Questions
AriaEverything feels heavy. Limbs, eyelids, even thoughts. There’s a hum somewhere—soft, constant. A vent? Maybe. My eyes open slowly to a ceiling I don’t recognise. Smooth, white, untouched.This isn't my apartment.The bed is too soft. The sheets are too crisp. Light spills in through pale curtains, warm and golden. The room’s beautiful, like something out of a lifestyle magazine. Pale blue walls. A fancy headboard. Everything is perfectly arranged. Too perfect.A slow breath in. My throat is dry. My body aches like it’s been asleep for far too long. Maybe it has.What... happened?Pieces start to click into place, but they come slowly. Disconnected.Damon. His voice. The letter.God, the letter.Hey Aria, it’s been a minute.The words replay, dripping with familiarity and malice –the strange, almost intimate tone. I remember Damon reading it, and his expression hardening. My stomach turning. The blood draining from my face. Then—Darkness.I blink and sit up, head pounding. The we
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 29 - The Old Hand
AriaShe stands at the top of the stairs, arms gently crossed, with a look on her face like she’s stepped into a memory. Her smile stretches wide, full of warmth and some quiet amusement, like seeing me is the final piece of a puzzle she’s waited years to complete.I pause, one foot still on the step. Her presence feels out of place—like I walked into someone else’s story.“Who are you?” The words come out sharper than I mean them to.“Oh, my darling,” she says, voice light and familiar, “you wouldn’t know me.” She starts down the stairs, moving like the place still remembers her. “I’m Eunice. Just got back this morning.”I squint slightly. Nothing about her rings a bell.“I’m not following. Got back from where?”“I’ve served the Stone family for over twenty years,” she says with a kind of nostalgic pride. “Took a break to tend to my health. But now I’m back.”Something in her voice carries history. It pulls me in despite myself.“Nice to meet you,” I offer. “I’m Aria.”She touches my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 30 – To Have and to Hold... My Breath
AriaThe knock comes early. Soft, respectful. There's no room to pretend I'm still asleep.The maid enters, jumping straight to business, "Good morning, Miss. It’s time."In no time, the room is already buzzing. The dress hangs like a ghost near the window, perfectly pressed and waiting. Makeup brushes glide across palettes. A steamer hisses from the corner. The scent of roses and perfume lingers in the air.If only this were real. If only Ava didn't. If she didn't leave me here. The Ifs keep pouring.I sit still while hands flutter around me. Moisturizer. Foundation. Concealer. A little blush. Hair curled, pinned, twisted into shape. As my dress is zipped up slowly, none of it feels real. The girl in the mirror isn’t me. She looks flawless, but her eyes are someone else's. Someone trained to smile. Someone trapped. Someone without a choice. I noticed Eunice hovering nearby, watching with that unreadable expression of hers. When the stylists finish, she steps in and starts adjustin
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-16Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 1 - Awake
Aria It’s loud. Too loud. It sounds too far away and near at the same time. I squint my eyes open and close them back immediately. Too bright! I try again—slowly this time—and adjust my eyes to the bright light. I take in my surroundings. The white ceiling is filled with bright fluorescent light right above me, and my bedside is filled with machines and monitors plugged into my body on my right. I look to my left and — Is that a person? Standing with his hands in the pockets of his three-piece suit, while facing the window, his broad back fills most of the window overlooking the hospital view. The rays of the sunshine on his hair make it a colour blend of salt and pepper. It looks messy, like it’s been run through several times. He certainly looks attractive from the back. Who’s that? I try to make out how familiar that build is from the back. It’s not. As if he read my thoughts, he turns around and meets my eyes. “You’re awake.” His face remains expressionless as he stalks t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 2 - Freedom's Call
Aria My eyes open to darkness. I bolt up from the single bed I’m placed on and get hit with dizziness and a sharp pain in my head again. I lay back on the bed and try to adjust my eyes to the darkness, confusion still fogging my brain. There was absolute darkness, save for the ray of moonlight flooding the room through the tiny window left open by the upper side of the wall. The memories of today hit me; waking up, seeing Damon, getting dragged out of the hospital... It wasn’t a dream. Tears well up in my eyes as I shut them tightly as if to make this nightmare go away. I wish it would. Then I wouldn’t find myself in this hell. I wouldn’t have to face that bastard again. As if my thoughts conjure him, I hear the door creak open and reveal the silhouette of the devil himself. He’s still dressed in that attire from earlier, except the tie and suit are gone. I notice his white shirt glistening in the dark room. I shut my eyes and try to pretend like I’m asleep, ignoring the heavy t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 3 - A Rough Awakening
Aria A soft knock wakes me from my sleep. Bolting up from the bed, I take a look around, trying to remember where I am. Oh! Trapped. “Who’s there?” I answer groggily. All thanks to someone, I didn’t get enough sleep. I know it’s not Damon. Grumpy isn't that courteous. “Come in.” A petite and pretty lady comes in with her head bowed. She looks very young. Maybe a few years younger than I am. She stalks towards the table in the room and drops a bag on it. “Good morning, miss. Master Damon asked me to drop this off for you,” she said in a soft voice. “Oh, thank you.” I smile warmly at her. Her head remains bowed. “Not a problem, miss,” she turns to leave. I stand up from the bed and take a proper look at the room I’ve been in since yesterday. It’s beautiful. It turns out that there’s a curtain covering a window. I wonder why I didn’t see that yesterday. But then, I never really looked around. I walk towards the curtains and open them wide. “Oh my God!” I gasp. It’s a flo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 4 - A Repeat Performance
Damon “Hey, get back here!”“Get the fuck down from that car and get her!” My head snaps up from my laptop; that’s Leo’s voice. I have a sinking feeling that his shouts have to do with Ava. Not again. True to my thoughts, I catch sight of her long hair dancing behind her as she runs as fast as her legs can carry her. I bark out a bitter laugh. How could I be so stupid as to believe her again? I should have known this was just another way for her to wiggle her way out of the mess she created. Typical Ava. “Start the car and follow her!” I bark at Mark, my driver, who starts the car immediately and speeds off in the direction I saw her run. The car catches up with her in no time and slows right beside her. “Get in the car while I’m being nice,” I say with a calmness I don’t feel. She pretends like she can’t hear me and picks up her pace instead. Damn, for someone who just woke up from a coma, she’s fucking fast. “Step on the gas and block her way,” I tell Mark. I’m so done
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 5 - Tethered
Damon “There’s my baby!” I hear my Mother's voice the moment I enter the mansion. She rushes towards me and wraps me in a tight hug. “Hey, mum,” I return her hug, planting a peck on her cheek. “As fine as a mum can be when her son doesn’t check up on her,” she gives me a disapproving look. “If someone hears you, they would never believe we spoke on the phone yesterday, Mum,” I utter dryly. She’s so dramatic. “I was the one who called you, remember? And that’s even because of the dinner,” she sighs dramatically, “I just wish I could see my son more.” I stifle a groan. There she goes again with the emotional blackmail. I know the next thing that'll come out of her mouth. As if on cue, she says, "Why don’t you move back in? It’s just me in this big mansion! I’m surrounded by vultures. Do you want me to die alone with nobody who loves me by my side?” “Mum, I told you that’s not possible. I can’t move back here,” I roll my eyes at her dramatic words, “and you are just 50, you are
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12
Bab terbaru
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 30 – To Have and to Hold... My Breath
AriaThe knock comes early. Soft, respectful. There's no room to pretend I'm still asleep.The maid enters, jumping straight to business, "Good morning, Miss. It’s time."In no time, the room is already buzzing. The dress hangs like a ghost near the window, perfectly pressed and waiting. Makeup brushes glide across palettes. A steamer hisses from the corner. The scent of roses and perfume lingers in the air.If only this were real. If only Ava didn't. If she didn't leave me here. The Ifs keep pouring.I sit still while hands flutter around me. Moisturizer. Foundation. Concealer. A little blush. Hair curled, pinned, twisted into shape. As my dress is zipped up slowly, none of it feels real. The girl in the mirror isn’t me. She looks flawless, but her eyes are someone else's. Someone trained to smile. Someone trapped. Someone without a choice. I noticed Eunice hovering nearby, watching with that unreadable expression of hers. When the stylists finish, she steps in and starts adjustin
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 29 - The Old Hand
AriaShe stands at the top of the stairs, arms gently crossed, with a look on her face like she’s stepped into a memory. Her smile stretches wide, full of warmth and some quiet amusement, like seeing me is the final piece of a puzzle she’s waited years to complete.I pause, one foot still on the step. Her presence feels out of place—like I walked into someone else’s story.“Who are you?” The words come out sharper than I mean them to.“Oh, my darling,” she says, voice light and familiar, “you wouldn’t know me.” She starts down the stairs, moving like the place still remembers her. “I’m Eunice. Just got back this morning.”I squint slightly. Nothing about her rings a bell.“I’m not following. Got back from where?”“I’ve served the Stone family for over twenty years,” she says with a kind of nostalgic pride. “Took a break to tend to my health. But now I’m back.”Something in her voice carries history. It pulls me in despite myself.“Nice to meet you,” I offer. “I’m Aria.”She touches my
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 28 - Questions & Questions
AriaEverything feels heavy. Limbs, eyelids, even thoughts. There’s a hum somewhere—soft, constant. A vent? Maybe. My eyes open slowly to a ceiling I don’t recognise. Smooth, white, untouched.This isn't my apartment.The bed is too soft. The sheets are too crisp. Light spills in through pale curtains, warm and golden. The room’s beautiful, like something out of a lifestyle magazine. Pale blue walls. A fancy headboard. Everything is perfectly arranged. Too perfect.A slow breath in. My throat is dry. My body aches like it’s been asleep for far too long. Maybe it has.What... happened?Pieces start to click into place, but they come slowly. Disconnected.Damon. His voice. The letter.God, the letter.Hey Aria, it’s been a minute.The words replay, dripping with familiarity and malice –the strange, almost intimate tone. I remember Damon reading it, and his expression hardening. My stomach turning. The blood draining from my face. Then—Darkness.I blink and sit up, head pounding. The we
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 27 - Unraveling Threads
DamonLetter?Who the hell still writes a letter?It’s not the kind of thing that shows up in this house. Not with my systems, my protocols. Everything’s monitored, filtered, and controlled. That’s the point. So when the maid shoved the envelope into my hand earlier, it barely registered. Some PR stunt, probably. A thank-you from a client’s assistant. But now, standing in the dim hallway, my eyes catch the opening line, and every muscle in my body locks up.Hey Aria,It’s been a minute.How is he treating you?A low buzz floods my ears.I’m asking because it’s important. To me.I can always come to your rescue. I know you're trapped.The words turn razor-sharp.Now, don’t rack your head with thoughts, my darling.You don’t know who I am. Or do you? But, rest assured, I know you. I see you, and I know your struggles. Be good. I’ll keep in touch. Don’t ask how. I’ll see you before you see me.Till next time—whenever that is.The paper rustles in my hand as I lower it.What the act
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 26 - Feeding The Lie
AriaThe next few days pass faster than I expect. That might be because of the steady stream of pain meds, or maybe it’s the simple rhythm of hospital life—nurses in and out, vitals checked, food trays delivered like clockwork. Still, nothing distracts me quite like the fact that Damon keeps showing up.Every. Single. Day.He never says he’s coming, but he always does. Always around the same time, too—like he’s scheduled it between corporate meetings and brooding in penthouses. And he's always armed with something—food, water, a sarcastic comment.“You’re looking less like a corpse today,” he says one morning, dropping a bag of takeout onto my tray table.I narrow my eyes. “Charming.”“Not trying to charm you. I'm trying to make sure Mother doesn’t notice you’ve lost an ounce.” He unpacks the container like it were a normal part of his life. Like, feeding me was just one more business obligation. Well, it was.I watch him closely. There’s a twitch in his brow when he thinks I’m not pa
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 25 - Suture Suitor
Aria Light penetrates my eyes before I even open them.It's crisp and clinical, and everything smells like antiseptic and plastic. There’s a quiet hum beneath everything—machines, perhaps. The continuous beep of a monitor next to me confirms something I don't want to admit.Hospital. Again.I try to move, but my arms fail me. There's an IV in the back of my hand.I open my eyes.Fluorescent ceiling tiles hang above me. A hanging drape is drawn halfway around the bed, and a hard sheet covers me up to my chest. My body feels as if it has been dropped down a precipice and then regretfully sewn back together.My lips are dry, and my tongue tastes like metal. When I try to speak, all I manage to let out is a cracked, hollow rasp.The memories come in fragments.Running. The park. Barking dogs.Damon—shouting, furious.His tight grip on my arms. Me yelling.Then the ground. A jolt. Everything turning black.The monitor beside me spikes with my heartbeat.The door swings open, and Dr Jenna
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 24 - Controlled Chaos
AriaHow he manages to get under my skin is something that’ll probably take me a while to understand. He’s lucky I haven’t figured out a way to reach Ava. Contract or no contract, I’d have been long gone.Accusing me of seducing his brother? How low could he possibly go? I feel both satisfaction and regret from the way I acted—slapping him.Nobody should have the power to rile me up. Not like that. Not in public.I’ve always been the one to respond with indifference and calmness, rather than lashing out. But ever since I woke from the coma, I’ve been reactive. I never knew I had it in me—until the ill-fated day I met Grumpy.Time and time again, I surprised even myself.For the first time, Damon was at a loss for words. And why?A kiss.In that moment, as I waltzed over to him with a fake smile plastered across my face, I had no idea what I was doing.But the closer I got, the clearer it became.Shut him up with a kiss. And I did. Just lightly—but I did.I caught the look of surprise
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 23 - She Was Here
Damon“She’s gone.”What??!“What the hell do you mean by that, Leo? What happened? You were supposed to watch her, dammit,” I curse through the phone, barely keeping it together.“She was right here. I briefly stepped away from the door to check with the other assignment you gave me. The other guys were on their brea—”I cut him off before he can finish. “For fuck’s sake, Leo! This is more important than any other task I send your way. You better find her. NOW!”My voice booms through the line. “The freaking instruction was ‘Man her door at all times!’ I say one thing! One! And you all decide to do the opposite!” I end the call before I say something worse.Ava. Ava. Ava.I should’ve known. Should’ve predicted it. She’s always been like this—impulsive, unpredictable. But I didn’t think she’d actually do it. Not this time.Where do I even start? What kind of story can I manufacture to Father? Those vultures at home already think she’s a fake– just a pretty face I pulled in for appeara
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 22 - Off Script
Damon“Is everything alright here?”Mum. Of course.“Yes, Mum. Why wouldn’t it be?”“I just noticed you both weren’t in the sitting room and thought I’d check in,” she says.Just as I’m about to speak, Ava cuts in. “Yeah—I needed an escape from Grace’s endless questions. Is she always like that, or am I just lucky?”“Oh, dear. She’s always been a sour one. You’ve got to be careful around her,” Mum says, slipping into an easy rhythm with Ava as they walk off together.One minute she’s furious and throwing slaps, the next she’s in full character. I really did make the best choice for an actress.“Sweetheart, you’re just going to leave me standing here?” I call out, stopping them.“My love, quit whining. A few more hours and you’ll have my full attention,” Ava says, then ambles back over. With a soft smile, she brushes her lips against mine in a tender kiss, catching me completely off guard. It’s brief. Soft. But it sends a stupid, involuntary jolt through me, like my lips haven’t gotte
