MasukShare
Chapter 7 - Dressed In Deception
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-22 01:15:59
Bab terkait
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 8 - Dinner, Drama, and Dysfunction
DamonIt was time for dinner, and as usual, every single one in the family was seated around the large dining table. Usually, I would avoid our family dinner and just hook myself up with a quiet meal, after which I would retire to my office. But today, especially with the events of the day before, I was certain that I wasn’t getting any peace.Unfortunately for them, though, I'm prepared for every one of them tonight.Knowing my mum, I bet she was on the brink of announcing that I would be bringing home a wife soon.I'll soon be married. It all still feels new and unreal, but weirdly, I'm not put off in any way. I had always dreaded marriage- real or fake, but for some reason, there was a sense of calm in me. I slowly make my way over to the dining table, and as usual, I take my seat directly opposite my mother. Strangely, they wait for all the seats to be filled. We've always, always been a one-man squad type of family. We'd come in, exchange very curt pleasantries, eat together o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-23Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 9 - Bows On Lies
DamonThe dining remained quiet for a while as the sound of cutlery clinking on porcelain filled the atmosphere.“So, Damon…” Father starts, his voice towering over the loud sound of the cutlery. I suck my breath in, releasing an audible sigh.He has only just arrived. It wouldn't be bad to give Damon a break. He's just like the rest of them.Birds of a feather.“Yes, father,” I answer, raising my head to look at him. “Your mother just told me you’ve found a lady you intend to wed,” He said. In an instant, all eyes were on me. Grace and her minions stare in shock with their faces laced in utter disbelief.“Yes, father. I have,” I answer flatly, bringing food to my mouth. I notice my plate is almost empty and reach out for more. “That’s right. Our son is about to get married,” Mother chips in with a triumphant smile.She was beaming, her pride visible in the way that she sat straight in her chair and adjusted her sequined dress.I shake my head softly.She always enjoyed being the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-24Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 10 - Curated Lies
AriaThe days that followed were filled with a lot of modifications.“You need to look the part,” Damon would often remind me. It was upsetting, to say the least.“It’s either you suck it up and stop whining, or I can simply make the rest of your life a living hell, Aria,” he warned with a knowing smirk.I mentally applauded myself for having kept it together for this long.“Stop asking me silly questions and just do as I say.”Oh, how he could be insufferable.I was utterly exhausted by him. Yet, despite my efforts, there was nothing I could do to change my situation — no matter what I did or said, Damon was convinced I was someone else.Speaking of which, I still found it peculiar and somewhat suspicious that she never mentioned she was a twin, nor did she ever introduce him to me, or vice versa.Today, however, was different. For the first time, we were going out.Damon had arrived earlier with an entourage of stylists and makeup artists.He had arranged for me to be dressed accord
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-25Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 11 - Between Lies and Laughter
AriaAs the last words leave Damon’s mouth, I break into a bright smile.Action.“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” I say, extending my hand for a handshake. “Nonsense. What, ma’am?" She says in a warm tone.Like a robot on autopilot, the smile remains plastered on my face."Sweetie, I’m not that old, I promise. Please call me Josephine or whatever you feel comfortable with."This time, a genuine giggle escapes me. At least someone’s making this easy for me. "You can call me anything but ma’am.” She waves her hands dismissively before I find myself engulfed in the warmth of her embrace. I keep my hands to my sides, unsure of what to do with them.An instant sense of security settles over me, unexpected but welcome.She feels soft and warm. I peer over at Damon from over her shoulders, meeting his unreadable expression. My eyes gesture at him in confusion as if to say Is this normal? I expected her to be stuck up, like the wealthy women in movies. I had mentally prepared myself f
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 12 - Signatures of Surrender
DamonShe was such a natural.At lying, that is.I sat down, watching how she so easily lied to my mother, the words flowing out so easily from her lips as they chatted away.I watched as Mother ate up every single word she said without a doubt, falling deep into her charm.One down, next up was the proposal and family dinner.Everything had to be perfect.I would say like her, but the memory of the betrayal slaps me back to reality.She was beautiful, in an almost unbelievable way. She had a grace to her that was evident in the way she sat and conversed with my mother, a feat that very few women and men could achieve.Mother had a way of reading people and had always been very judgmental of the people who came around me. This was not the case here, not in any way. It was, in fact, the opposite.She welcomed her in a way I had never seen, which I noticed came as a surprise to Aria..Ava as well. I watched her go from uncertain to calm, before finally relaxing into their conversation.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 13 - Intrusions and Arrangements
Damon “You know you didn’t have to go haywire on her like that,” Kingsley's voice, always my much-needed moral compass, resonates through the hallway as we make our way out of the building. He's always called himself my lost conscience.“She's a fraud and needs to be taught a lesson," I say. I had just shipped Ava home with the guards. "Come on. I wouldn’t say that of her," he says. "Well, you know nobody gets away with playing funny games with Damon Stone,” I say, refusing to see things his way. "Well, that’s-" "She can’t eat her cake and have it, Kingsley. She owes me, big time, and you know this," I continue, cutting him off. There’s no way I would believe she wasn’t Ava - not in this life, not in the next. Not after she played with my head and heart, and left me high and dry. I’ll make sure she pays for the damages. “Don’t you think there’s a slim chance she isn’t Ava as she says and is her twin sister?" "What trash are you spewing, Kingsley? Don’t you know who Ava i
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-28Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 14 - Before 'I Will'
Aria If there was a way I could claw my fingers into that smug face of Damon’s, I’d do that in a heartbeat. I've lost count of the number of nights I've lain awake, tossing and turning, in deep thoughts of the best way to gather any information about the whereabouts of my parents and Ava. Somehow, I feel even more trapped in “my” apartment, especially with the number of men standing guard on the other side of my bedroom door, and the countless CCTV cameras. How Ava put me in this mess in her absence is beyond my understanding. She had always been trouble, and this was the umpteenth time I was suffering for her wrongdoings. It happened every other day, as we were very similar. One time, I narrowly escaped being raped by her boyfriend – he could have sworn I was Ava. From a distance, you’d never guess the contrast in our personalities. She has a lot of explaining to do. Does she even think of me? Are my parents somewhere out there, actively searching for me the way I search for th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 15 - Lights, Camera, Lies
Aria “Thank you,” I say as Mark opens my door. I’m greeted by two waiters immediately I enter the restaurant. “You’re welcome, ma’am. Mr Stone is waiting on the rooftop. Follow me, please,” the blonde waiter says.“Thank you,” I smile at the waiter as she retrieves my coat.I look around the restaurant while following the waiter. Dim lights are everywhere, giving it a romantic ambience. The slow music in the background gives it a sophisticated but homely feeling. I can see why it’s a five-star restaurant. I lean against the elevator as soon as it closes, slipping back into my thoughts. How the hell am I supposed to act surprised about something I already know about? I roll my eyes. What was I thinking agreeing to this? I should have fought and disagreed with this whole sham.'Sure, you should have. I’m sure you’ll enjoy life in prison more than here,' the voice in my head mocks me.Shut up, I silently snap at the voice, 'Do you think I’ll be here if Ava didn’t go AWOL? I’m so goin
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-10
Bab terbaru
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
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 21 - Feeding The Wolves
AriaThe lights inside the mansion are blinding after the dimness of the garden. I blink against them, pulse still raging, my breath catching with each step. The argument outside plays on a loop in my head—Damon’s cold accusation, the slap, his warning.I push open the doors to the dining room, and everything screeches back to life. Everyone’s still seated. Joshua walks in a moment after me, all too pleased with himself. He’s still smirking. I can feel Damon’s presence behind me—rigid, burning with restraint.I walk past Joshua without looking at him and take my seat beside Damon. His chair scrapes slightly as he sits last, his expression carved from stone. I don’t acknowledge him.Grace’s voice slices through the room like a knife. “So, Aria, tell us more about your family. You said they’re from Maryland? What kind of business did they run again?”My eyes widen in surprise. “Hardware. My—my father ran a chain of hardware stores.”“Really? What’s the company called? Maybe I’ve heard o
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 20 - Between Brothers
Aria"Yes. You."Joshua's smirk irritates me in a way that makes me want to both slap him and look away. Yet, I can’t seem to pull my eyes from his. The heat creeping up my cheeks is undeniable.I shoot him a glare, my disbelief evident. "Excuse me?" I snap. "Are you seriously hitting on me outside the bathroom?"He shrugs, completely unfazed by my reaction. "Relax, Aria. I'm joking. Sort of. You’re beautiful, though. And technically, you’re not married yet."I fold my arms, a wave of disgust washing over me. "You followed me out here just to say that?"He raises his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I’m just saying, if my brother ever messes up—and trust me, he will—you have options. Namely, me."My jaw clenches, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. I open my mouth to retort, but before I can say anything, a familiar voice cuts through the tension."Babe?"Damon.My heart skips a beat as I turn to see him striding towards me. His movements are deliberate, but I can sense the
Claimed By The Billionaire Chapter 19 - Under Watchful Eyes
AriaI plaster a wide smile on my face as Damon leads me to sit.“It’s nice to meet you all. I’ve heard so much,” I say, bowing slightly on my seat beside Damon. His mother is sat at the right, while his father is at the head of the table. She must be his favourite wife.There’s an awkward silence as I look around the dining table, scanning their faces to gauge their reactions to my presence. Michael Stone looks at me with an unreadable expression, studying me in an attempt to find something that gives me away. Damon has so much resemblance to his father, especially with his eyes.I smile at him and avert my eyes, shifting it to the person sitting by his left. It’s Damon’s stepmother, Grace Stone. I spent the past week familiarising myself with their names, looks, traits – you name it.She meets my eyes and shoots me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her son, James, is sitted beside her, gaping at me like he just saw a ghost. He averts his eyes from me quickly when I meet his
