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Chapter 61 - False Harmony
Huling Na-update:
2025-04-27 11:14:42
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Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 62 - Recoil
AriaThe door clicks shut behind me. A small, satisfying sound. Like drawing a boundary no one else can cross.Crossing to my dresser, I kneel, unlock the drawer, and pull out my phone.The last message blinks up at me:"You're getting warmer."My fingers hover, and instinct wins over caution.Who are you? I type.The reply is almost instant:"I know you. That's all that matters."Another ping:"Ava. I know where she is."I barely breathe.Another:"I could help you find her. I know you're trapped in that arrangement, for the wrong reasons."My fingers move again, sharp and frantic:How did you get this number?Then another reply comes:"Gotta run. Reach out when you're serious about helping yourself."The phone screen dims, and I shove it back into the drawer and lock it, the tiny key cold between my fingers.Panic grows low and hot in my chest. It could be a trap. It probably is.But even traps can lead to truth.I can’t keep doing nothing.Tomorrow. Or the day after. I’ll find a wa
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-27Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 63 – Whispers
DamonShe walks away without a word, and I just stand there, the silence she leaves behind slamming harder than anything she said tonight.For a moment, the house feels like it tilts under the weight of it. The tension. The things we won't say.I rake a hand through my hair, breathing out slowly.Good. Let her walk away. Let her be pissed. Let her stay mad enough to forget whatever stupid weakness still tugs between us like a frayed wire.Before I can even turn toward the stairs, my phone vibrates against my palm. I glance down. The security company.Great. Exactly what I need right now.“Stone,” I answer, voice flat.“Good evening, sir. Sorry for the late call. We’ve flagged some new risks on your perimeter. We’ve done a system update—new access codes, cameras, exit protocols,” the man says in that clipped professional tone.“And?”“Well, seeing the unique... circumstances of your household," —he clears his throat— "both registered residents need to complete the walkthrough and sign
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-27Claimed 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
Huling Na-update : 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
Huling Na-update : 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
Huling Na-update : 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
Huling Na-update : 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
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-12Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 6 - Chained In Silk
Aria The air is so tense that a knife could cut through it. I stare at Damon in disbelief. I can’t believe he just uttered the words I think I just heard. I take a step back before doubling over and letting out a burst of laughter that seems to aggravate Damon further. I can’t believe he just told me, no.... He just commanded me to marry him. He must be joking. I look around the room - the beauty appears so fleeting. To any other person, this place would seem luxurious, but all I could see was a gilded cage. It was a prison that I was stuck in for nothing, totally unable to escape from. All because of Ava, assuming he wasn't lying about getting swindled. I look up at his face to see it unhinged, with his jaw clenched. He was serious, deadly serious about this. My laugh dies down. He was serious. He couldn't possibly be serious. “This has got to be some sort of joke. Point me to the cameras, please,” I say, looking around in disbelief. “I believe, at this point, you would
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21
Pinakabagong kabanata
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 63 – Whispers
DamonShe walks away without a word, and I just stand there, the silence she leaves behind slamming harder than anything she said tonight.For a moment, the house feels like it tilts under the weight of it. The tension. The things we won't say.I rake a hand through my hair, breathing out slowly.Good. Let her walk away. Let her be pissed. Let her stay mad enough to forget whatever stupid weakness still tugs between us like a frayed wire.Before I can even turn toward the stairs, my phone vibrates against my palm. I glance down. The security company.Great. Exactly what I need right now.“Stone,” I answer, voice flat.“Good evening, sir. Sorry for the late call. We’ve flagged some new risks on your perimeter. We’ve done a system update—new access codes, cameras, exit protocols,” the man says in that clipped professional tone.“And?”“Well, seeing the unique... circumstances of your household," —he clears his throat— "both registered residents need to complete the walkthrough and sign
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 62 - Recoil
AriaThe door clicks shut behind me. A small, satisfying sound. Like drawing a boundary no one else can cross.Crossing to my dresser, I kneel, unlock the drawer, and pull out my phone.The last message blinks up at me:"You're getting warmer."My fingers hover, and instinct wins over caution.Who are you? I type.The reply is almost instant:"I know you. That's all that matters."Another ping:"Ava. I know where she is."I barely breathe.Another:"I could help you find her. I know you're trapped in that arrangement, for the wrong reasons."My fingers move again, sharp and frantic:How did you get this number?Then another reply comes:"Gotta run. Reach out when you're serious about helping yourself."The phone screen dims, and I shove it back into the drawer and lock it, the tiny key cold between my fingers.Panic grows low and hot in my chest. It could be a trap. It probably is.But even traps can lead to truth.I can’t keep doing nothing.Tomorrow. Or the day after. I’ll find a wa
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 61 - False Harmony
Damon"Mr. Stone. There's someone looking for you. They say it's urgent."The server's voice cuts through the growing headache at the base of my skull. Perfect. Just in time to save me from myself."Stay here. I won't be long," I say to Ava, lowering my voice so only she hears.Her face gives nothing away, but something in the way she folds her arms across her chest says she’s fine with me disappearing.I follow the server, my steps quick but controlled. "What's the problem?" I ask, keeping my tone sharp enough that he gets that I’m not in the mood for games."They said a VIP guest was missing, Sir.""Missing? What the hell does that even mean?""I don't know, Sir. That’s all they told me."Just as my patience starts wearing thin, a man in a black suit—one of the gala's coordinators—approaches. "He's been found, Sir. Sorry to have disturbed your evening."Figures.I wave them off and make a sharp turn back toward the balcony. Waste of my damn time.But as I get closer, something clenc
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 60 - What We Don’t Say
AriaIt starts with a knock. Soft, respectful, but firm enough to ruin any illusion of quiet."Ma'am," the maid says from behind the door. "Miss Eunice requests your presence in the studio. It’s for the gala preparations."Right. The gala. Damon mentioned it weeks ago in that clipped tone of his, like it was just another box on our never-ending list of lies to check off, and I hadn't thought about it since.I roll out of bed slowly, still a little groggy, and make my way across the room. The house is too quiet, which means Damon’s not around. Not that it changes anything. The silence in our fake-marriage mansion has started to feel like a third presence. Watching. Waiting.The studio is alive with movement the second I step in. From the fabrics draped over racks, to sequins catching the light from the high windows. Stylists buzz around me before I even get a word out. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, Eunice appears, hands folded neatly."Don’t look so scared, darling. We’re just
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 59 - Heavier Than Before
AriaThe morning unfolds slowly, like it already knows the weight it carries. Light spills into the room in hazy lines, brushing over the untouched side of my bed. I glance through the slightly open adjoining door to his room. Again, he's not here.Not that I expected him to be. He’s mastered the art of disappearing before dawn, especially when things get too quiet between us. Quiet, not in the peaceful way, but the kind that fills every corner with questions and the ghosts of things left unsaid.Slipping out of bed, I pad toward the bathroom, moving slowly, almost carefully, like I might bump into another memory. The shower is quick, my mind already racing ahead, trying not to land on him—on the dresser, on the way his breath caught when our bodies met, on how fast he walked away.Everything in this house reminds me of him. Of us. Of the performance. The pretence.Downstairs, the dining room is still and clean, the scent of fresh bread and eggs warming the air. Eunice sits at the fa
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 58 – “Whatever Happened in Paris…”
Damon"So, firstly, background check, then a not-so-crazy fuck buddy. What else? What am I missing?" Kingsley's voice cuts clean through my thoughts, snapping me back into the room.He’s been watching me with that sharp, knowing look—the one he saves for when he’s on the verge of prying something out of me, like a detective cornering his only suspect."I think that’s about it," I reply, running a hand over my jaw, trying not to sound as worn out as I feel. "I'll let you know if something else comes up."His eyes stay fixed on me for a second too long. I already know what’s coming. He leans back into his seat, arms crossed like he’s settling in for a movie. Great."Alright. So…" he drags the word out like a fishing line, and I shake my head."Go on, Kingsley," I say, already regretting ever coming here. The man lives for this."I was just wondering…" he starts, eyes lighting up with a kind of devilish glee, "what happened in Paris? And what did you do afterwards? Because I’m certain th
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 57 - Damage Control
DamonI retire back into the adjoining suite, get off my clothes, and freshen up. In no time, I sleep off, my thoughts still running wild from all that happened today.Morning comes and the light pouring in through the slits in the blinds forces me awake. The house is quiet, too quiet for everything spinning in my head. A part of me wants to stay buried under the covers, just to delay facing the shit storm that’s coming. But I can't. I get up, splash water on my face, and throw on my running gear.The run is short but feels long. The air is crisp, cold enough to sting a little, but that’s the point. Pain distracts. Pain clears.With every step pounding against the pavement, I try to outrun the image of her curled up under the duvet, the way she pulled back from me yesterday, that damn look in her eyes. Something like disappointment. Something worse.I step back into the house, towel at my neck, sweat drying fast. My feet take me automatically to the adjoining suite, and I shut the doo
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 56 - Losing the Lead
DamonI watch her walk off.Something is definitely up with her. In all the weeks she’s spent here, in this house, she’s never wandered out to this part of the estate. She’s always either locked up in her room, quiet as a shadow, or bickering with Eunice over which vase belongs in which hallway. Never this.But tonight, she walked with purpose. Not angry. Not storming off. Just quiet. Deliberate. It throws me off.The second I caught sight of her slipping through the glass doors that lead to the garden, something in me reacted. Instinct, maybe. Habit, maybe worse. My legs moved before my brain finished forming the question: What the hell is she doing out there?She didn’t answer me. Not really. The usual retorts, the pushbacks. But this time, it didn’t feel like she was pushing me away just for sport. Something else is sitting beneath the surface.She’s hiding something.And the maddening part?I can’t tell what.But, how hard could it be to spill?'Spill? To you?' the voice in my hea
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 55 - Nineteen
AriaThe note sits at the bottom of the drawer like it owns the damn room.A small, folded piece of paper—simple, stupid, and ordinary. Except, it isn’t ordinary. It shouldn’t be here. No one should have touched this drawer. No one should have access to this room. And yet—here it is. Crisp edges. Smooth texture. Same paper. Same weight. Same fucking handwriting.No message this time. Just a number.19. I stare at it like it might change if I blink enough. It doesn’t. The black ink remains bold, unmoving, certain of its own mystery.What does this mean? Is it a date? A countdown? A room number? A threat? My mind runs wild, fingers clutching the note like it might disappear if I let go. Every possibility flashes through like a horror reel.And that’s the part that terrifies me most—not knowing.I slip it into the pages of a book and slide the book deep inside the drawer, then I lock the drawer with a key I didn’t think I’d need.Back in New York. Same surveillance, new format. These pe
