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Chapter 1: Tragedy Strikes
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 2: She Is Mine
Maryanne now sits in a small meeting room, anxiety causing her to pick at her sleeves made of fleece. She refuses to look up, as a set of brooding, harsh eyes burns a hole into her. She gulps, heat biting at her neck.Why does she have to be here with him? Just his gaze causes her unease. "Is there a reason why you are even here, Mary?" Maxwell Ryder's voice is deep and causes a shiver to roll through Maryanne's spine.He is the epitome of a rich playboy. She would know, as they had grown close years ago. He was kind, yes, but she knew that he was not a one-woman kind of man. He is Greg's cousin on his mother's side. They weren't very close, as far as Maryanne knew, but they were around the same age. Max also lent Greg some money when they were expecting Riley so that he could pay off his debts. He is kind enough to not ask for the money back, or hold it over his cousin's head, but that does not mean he is the right fit for Riley.There is no way that he could possibly take care o
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 3: Shared Custody
"How is this even possible," Maryanne questions under her breath. Her hands shake as she stares at the woman across the courtroom. Her dark hair is tied back while a scowl contorts her features."I didn't even know that Greg had a sister." She says this a little louder to Max as he sits next to her, with his lawyer."They didn't get along. Caroline has gotten into a lot of trouble in the past for her drug addiction. She was charged for aggravated assault. If I remember correctly, she went through rehab." Max speaks softly as the judge walks in.The entire room stands, waiting for the judge to reach his chair."What if they really give Riley to her?" Maryanne bites her lip, her mind racing. Would she ever see Riley again? How will Caroline raise her?"Don't worry, that won't happen." Max grasps her quivering hand and squeezes.She looks into his emerald gaze, her heart swaying. Why does he have to be so kind?The judge clears his throat, "I have reviewed the documents and statement
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 4: All For Me?
Shuffling around so that Riley stops falling down her side, Maryanne grunts. She stares up at the mansion in front of her. It is three stories with columns lining the entrance. The driveway loops in on a cobblestone road and Maryanne tries to navigate her way across the large rocks with Riley fidgeting in her arms."Miss Maryanne!" A woman, in her early thirties, exits the building, rushing down to her. "I have been waiting for your arrival." She grins, wiping her hands on a pale apron around her waist. Her blond hair is tied up in a bun."Oh, hello. Aren't you a bit cold," Maryanne questions, noticing that the woman only had on a thin windbreaker. "Oh, I was in a rush to greet you," she laughs, leading the way into the house.Maryanne allows Riley to slide down, her arms outstretched as she runs in circles around the large foyer."Did Max really buy this," she questions without thinking, her mouth gaping. She looks up at the large chandelier and painted ceiling. There is a grand
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 5: Oops, Wrong Room!
Waking up in her excessively large bedroom, Maryanne barely wants to move. She had never experienced such luxury, even when she was going on dates with Max before. She had only gone to his penthouse once, and didn't stay the night. It did not end well.Rubbing her brow, trying hard to wake up, Maryanne glances around her room. The decorations on the wall are all themed, travel and books. There are canvas paintings of Italy and Paris. A large clock adorns the wall across from her canopied bed, the Eiffel tower displayed behind the moving hands. There are two large bookcases near the door. One has dozens of titles on the topic of traveling and cooking, while the other one has random romance and fantasy genres. Maryanne swallows passed the lump of emotion. Why is Max doing such nice things for her? The house, the library, and her room. Is he trying to apologize for the past? Until recently he always gave her the cold shoulder, or snapped at her with callous comments. One time, right af
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 6: Parenting Methods
Max leans in, his lips mere inches from her own, and Maryanne's mind is hazy. Memories try to force their way through the fog, reminding her why this is a bad idea, but her heart thunders over them all. All that matters is the immense pull on her body as she stares into his gaze.Maryanne drags in a breath as Max smirks.The movement causes her mind to clear and her body to lock up. She blinks, pain twisting her chest into a knot. This is the Max she knows all too well.Shoving against his still damp chest, Maryanne slips away, but pauses in the doorway.Max takes a step back, shock rippling through his expression. It only takes a moment for him to realize what happened and to compose himself. He slicks his hair back and grins, "Is the temptation too much for you?"Irritation builds in Maryanne's chest and she clenches her fists at her side. "I see you have not changed, Maxwell."She pivots around as she hears a small cry from downstairs. Holding her emotions in check, she finds
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 7: Back At It Again
"Maryanne, how was your time off," Jessica inquires, stacking some of her paperwork on her desk.She tries to smile, but the stress and pain of the last week has almost been unbearable and the idea of explaining it all has a headache forming. She even experienced a nightmare last night that Riley got out of her bedroom and fell down the flights of stairs. She shudders even imagining it now."It was, um, eventful," she says softly. She avoids eye contact as she unzips her jacket and places it around her chair."Did you party too hard," another librarian chuckles from across the room.Maryanne looks up, cocking her brow, "Not really, Shelley."There is a soft silence spanning throughout the library as Maryanne sits down and sighs, staring at her desk.She didn't have a chance to talk to Max any further on the subject of Riley. He locked himself in his study, telling Geneva that he was working and that no one was to bother him. She got the hint that it was mainly because of her. H
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 8: It's A Disaster!
As Maryanne says goodbye to her coworkers and runs to her warm car, she can't help but to feel anxious. Her chest is tight, her throat closing up as she imagines all of the things that could go wrong back at the house."Why did I let him stay home with her," she grumbles aloud, gripping the steering wheel tighter. As her mind goes off on a tangent, Maryanne's chest is pulled. Her legs ache from walking up and down the aisles and standing on the ladder to reach books that were higher up. All she wanted was to relax and sit with Max and Riley as they enjoy the evening.She blinks the thoughts away, "That's odd." Her brow twitches at the new emotions running through her.Maryanne finds herself pulling up to Max's mansion quickly, her thoughts clearing. She grabs her purse and enters into the bitter cold New York air. Biting a shiver, she runs into the front entryway, her eyes scanning for any signs of life.No sounds drift toward her as she stands quietly.There is an eerie silence
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 9: Bring Your Child To Work Day
Waking up the next day is a nightmare. Riley had not wanted to go to sleep. She continuously got out of bed and played with her toys. She laughed and screamed, waking Maryanne several times during the night. With Max still not home, she is forced to do everything for the child.Now, with three consecutive hours of sleep, Maryanne is trying to wake Riley up to get ready. Although Geneva is gone, there is a drop-in daycare three blocks over that usually has room for a few extra children a day."Come on Riley, I have to get to work." Drying her hair with her towel, Maryanne wanders over to Riley's closet and sifts through her clothes. "Alright, let's see here."She pulls out a pink long sleeve shirt and a pair of blue jeans. "Do you want your hair braided today?""Yes!" Riley jumps on top of the bed before bouncing off the edge. She doesn't stick her landing though, and falls on her butt, giggling."Okay, come on, let's hurry. I can't be late for work."Riley climbs back up on the
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Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 50: The Final Decision
Sitting in the pristine courtroom, Maryanne tries to remain calm. For the last year she has been dreaming of this day. For the chance to fight for Riley and gain custody.It is different now. Maryanne glances to her side and looks at Max who sits tensely, talking with his lawyer. She wonders if what she is going to do will be the best for Riley.The judge leans forward from his seat, "From what I have understood, this has been quite a year for the both of you, as I am sure it has been for Riley. I had my reoccurring doubts about how you two would manage the time spent together in one house, but I can see it has worked very well for you. I understand that you each want sole custody, and I am willing to grant it to one of you, but I would like to hear your testimonies on why you deem yourself fit for sole guardianship."Maryanne nods and organizes the paperwork she has in front of her. Taking a sip of her water and then taking a deep breath in, Maryanne clears her throat. "Thank you,
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 49: Confrontation
Maryanne grips her phone tightly, her body trembling as they pull into the parking lot of the old house. It isn't far from where their house is. Caroline was this close all along.Max puts the car into park and turns the ignition off, "Maryanne, you shouldn't've come. Stay in the car." He glances at her for only a second before opening his door.Maryanne bites out, "I am not staying in here when Riley is in there." She swings open her own door, fighting the tingle in her legs causing her muscles to be weak. She takes a sharp breath in and tries to reorient herself before fear causes her to panic."Maryanne," Max warns as he quickly moves towards the front door.Maryanne refuses to back down and is right behind him, her eyes wide with terror.Max glances back toward her before huffing, "Fine, just call the cops while we're here. We can't wait for them to arrive but having them here will help.""Okay," she nods and swipes open her phone.It takes a few rings before the call is answ
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 48: The True Culprit
It has been several hours since Maryanne stood before the reporters and spoke about Riley. Nothing has come of her speech except more phone calls with strangers' saying how sorry they were and that they hope that Riley is found quickly.Maryanne can't help but think it is odd that the kidnapper has not called them yet. If it was related to Max's work, then it would be about a ransom. Max has enough money. So why not call and blackmail him into giving them an insane amount of untraceable cash? What else could be a motivator?Max paces back and forth across the living room. Neither have been able to go back to their rooms. It is too close to Riley's for comfort. Maryanne has barely slept. The exhaustion is taking its hold on her, but she is fighting it. She shouldn't be sleeping while everyone else is still awake and searching for Riley. Max has barely shown any sign of exhaustion. He is grim and alert at the same time.He grumbles, pausing at the main window and watching the reporters,
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 47: Optimistic
"Max, are you sure that this will work?"They both sit within the living room, printing off pictures of Riley that read 'Missing: Riley Ryder' at the top and the bottom says 'Reward: $1,000,000'. Maryanne sits and stares at the picture, wondering if they will ever see her again.Max shrugs, "I can only hope. If nothing comes of it, then I'll raise the amount. I'll use this house if I have to.""What if they aren't able to find her?""They will, don't worry." He pauses as he stacks some of the paperwork. Geneva rushes about around them, grabbing papers and heading out the door with them.One of the detectives enters the living room, his cellphone in hand. "My men are searching the entire town and into the city to find Riley."Max straightens, facing the man, "Do you have any leads?"He cringes softly, "Not at this moment, no." he turns to Maryanne, his voice gentler, "We wanted to ask a favor of you, Maryanne, if that is alright?"She frowns as confusion lines her features, "Me?
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 46: Waiting Game
Maryanne is huddled on the main couch of the living room; her body still not calm. Her hands tremble as she worries about Riley. There still has been no new updates regarding the case and it has been hours. The head detective has been telling Maryanne and Max to remain in the house. They have set up a trace on their phones in case the kidnapper calls with a ransom. They need the both of them within the house in case they get that call, so that they can talk to the culprit. Although Maryanne is petrified of talking to anyone remotely close to a suspect, she only wants Riley home, safe. She will do anything she can to make sure that happens. Max enters the living room, hanging up on a call, but Maryanne isn't able to hear who it was with. He sighs and stands quietly for a moment, just watching Maryanne as she stares off across the room, her eyes wide and bloodshot. Her knees are up by her chest, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders for warmth. She tries to tune out the aggravating voi
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 45: CRISIS!
Maryanne frowns when she picks up her phone that is vibrating against her desk, echoing within the library. Geneva? Why would she be calling her right now?"Hello," she answers after bringing the phone to her ear.The maid sounds like a whimpering mess. Maryanne can hear through the phone that she has been crying by the wilt in her tone, "Oh Miss, I am so sorry. I don't know what to do. I called the police, they're on their way. I haven't told Mister Ryder yet. I don't know what to do."Tension tightens its grip around Maryanne's heart." Geneva, slow down. What are you talking about?"It takes a moment before Geneva is able to compose herself, "It's Riley, Miss. She's gone."Dread causes Maryanne's entire complexion to pale and her chest to fall into her stomach, "What do you mean, she's gone?""I can't find her anywhere. The back door is broken, the window shattered, and her room is a wreck. I just cleaned it before she took a nap, so it shouldn't have been so messy." Geneva stops
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 44: Happy Ending?
"Why won't you make what we have official?"Maryanne doesn't have enough time to process what Max has said before he ambushes her with the question. She channels everything in her power into not choking on her own saliva.Once she has composed herself, she says, "Because, Max, I'm not sure what this even is.""Maryanne, you have feelings for me, right?""Yes." Although she doesn't want to admit it, there is no way around it.Max shrugs, his brow wrinkling, "Then what's the problem?""It's not just as simple as going out with you." Maryanne's body is tightening with frustration. How can he not see it?"Why not?"Working hard not to release her irritation, Maryanne breathes in deeply. "Because we have history Max."He scoffs and waves his hand as though he is brushing off their previous interactions, "I don't care about the past."Maryanne wants to scream at him. She was crushed by what he had done. Although she now knows that Daniel sent her the pictures, she is still not cert
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 43: Awkward. . .
As the sun shines into the bedroom, slowly rousing Maryanne, she groans. Stretching, the blanket shifts against her bare skin and causes a cold shiver to wrap around her body. Releasing a short breath, tension explodes in her chest when the memories from the night prior wash over her. She holds down a gasp lodged in her throat as she turns her head and see's Max lying next to her. She tries to push herself to the edge of the bed, her mind racing with what to do. As she remembers each moment of their night together, a heat thickens in the pit of her abdomen, her body fighting against her mind.Checking once more to make sure he is asleep, Maryanne slips from under the covers, pushing away the cold biting at her neck, and grabs a t-shirt from her closet. Once on, she grabs a clean pair of underwear and some sweatpants. "Good morning." As Max's gravelly, half-asleep voice rumbles through the room and shakes Maryanne's chest, she freezes.Hiding her embarrassment, she tries to say conf
Her Billionaire and Her Baby Chapter 42: Night Of Passion
It was probably a very bad idea to drink at dinner. With only three glasses of wine in her system, Maryanne was very tipsy. Her vision is blurred around the edges, while her head is light. Although their ride home is for the most part smooth, Maryanne finds herself shifting back and forth, unable to keep herself steady. Max eyes her, concerned, and places his arm around her shoulder in order to hold her upright."Are you drunk," his voice is deep and intense as his hot breath hits her ear. Maryanne holds back the soft moan that fights its way up into her throat. This is not good. Her willpower to hold back is starting to weaken. She places a hand on Max's knee in order to help steady herself, but it only causes Max to jump with the sudden movement."Maryanne," he says cautiously.She is unable to create a coherent sentence so she just hums, "hm?""Are you alright?"Maryanne nods, her head lolling back. She can see the lights of the house down the street. She closes her eyes and
