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Paper Cuts Deeper Than Knives
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-29 03:16:08
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One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Fire in Her Name
Damian's Point of View It started with flames. Not flames in the literal sense, though my blood was hot enough for that, but the fire of determination. About justice. Of knowing that someone had attempted to destroy everything I had ever loved and believed they would get away with it. Not this time. Ava sat with me at the kitchen island, going through legal contacts. Her hair was pushed back, her face naked, and she appeared like a warrior queen planning a siege. And I? I was her blade. "We can't go public yet," Ava explained, tapping the screen. "Rachel's lies have already gone viral. If we rush this, it will appear that we are scurrying. "We need to strike hard, smart, and once."I nodded, setting my coffee aside untouched. “We’ll leak it anonymously. Let the world do what it does best, let them eat her alive.” She glanced up, a flicker of amusement breaking through the fog in her eyes. “You’ve changed.” I held her gaze. “You changed me.” Her lips part
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-30One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Skeletons in Silk
Ava’s Point of View The past has a scent. Not perfume or flowers — no, it smells like old smoke and velvet. Like secrets kept behind silk curtains in boardrooms you don’t speak of in daylight. When Damian showed me the photo, my breath stilled. London. Five years ago. The Kingston Hotel.And the men beside me? One was his father. The other was Arthur Vance the hedge fund billionaire who “disappeared” after an SEC investigation imploded without warning. Rachel had unearthed it. Of course she had. My hand trembled as I set the photo down on the table between us. Damian’s stare never left me."What is the Kingston deal, Ava?" I never wanted to lie. But I had decided not to tell. There is a distinction. I assumed I had buried that part of myself with the old Ava, the girl who donned silk blouses and weaponized her smile to outwit guys who underestimated her. But perhaps... I had merely concealed her under Liam’s lullabies. And now she was being held accountable. Dam
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-30One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Vault Beneath Lies
Damian's Point of View Throughout the night, I kept hearing the same message: "I haven't even opened the vault yet." Rachel didn't lie. Not like this. If she had a vault, it was not a metaphor. She meant something real. Something buried literally, digitally, or legally was designed to withstand even her own demise. And knowing her, it wasn't merely a threat. It was a well-timed landmine. I stood in the war room, a glass-walled corner office that we had transformed into a strategy hub, peering at the security feeds and evidence boards adorned with red threads, photographs, and timestamps.Ava joined me moments later, her face pallid but composed. She wore a navy dress and braided her hair, yet her eyes burned like steel. "She's forcing us into the final move," she told us. I nodded. "We need to find that vault before she uses it." She met my eyes. "And we need to be ready for what's inside." Because we both understood that if Rachel was saving it for last
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-30One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Return to the City
Ava’s Point of ViewThe city looked the same, yet it felt different. Or maybe I was the one who had changed.As the car rolled to a stop in front of Phoenix Enterprises, I took a slow breath, steadying my pulse. The tinted windows shielded me from the outside world for now, but I knew what waited beyond them—curious eyes, murmured whispers, and cameras poised, ready to capture my return.I lifted my chin. I had prepared for this. Five years away, and I was no longer the woman who had once let this city chew her up and spit her out.I stepped out, the sharp click of my heels against the pavement cutting through the morning air. The weight of dozens of stares pressed against me, but I ignored them, adjusting the cuff of my blazer as if I didn’t notice.People whispered as I walked past.“Is that Ava Reynolds?”“She’s back?”“After five years?”I didn’t stop. I didn’t acknowledge them. I moved forward, head high, my posture poised.Inside, the familiar scent of polished wood and fresh es
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Awkward Encounter
Damian’s Point of ViewI didn’t believe in fate. I believed in logic, control, and carefully calculated decisions. But the second I stepped into that gala, something inside me shifted—like an unseen force had changed the air around me. It was a familiar venue, filled with familiar people, yet suddenly, I felt… off-balance.I ignored it, brushing imaginary dust off my cuff as I walked inside, flashing the occasional nod or polite smirk. This was routine. These events meant nothing. A place where egos clashed, power was measured by the price of a suit, and fake smiles stretched under crystal chandeliers.And yet, in that sea of wealth and vanity, my eyes landed on her.She was standing near the grand piano, a half-empty champagne flute in her hand, her posture tense—too tense. She was stunning, but it wasn’t her beauty that caught me. It was something else. It was either a pull or a warning, but it was like my body knew something my mind didn’t.Her deep green eyes locked onto mine, and
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Proposal
Ava’s Point of ViewThe city was still asleep when I woke up, but my mind had been restless all night. The events of the gala played on repeat in my head—the way Damian’s cold, unfamiliar gaze had landed on me, the way he had looked at me like I was just another stranger in the crowd. It had taken everything in me to keep my composure, to not let the storm raging inside me show on my face.I was still trying to push those thoughts away when my phone buzzed on my nightstand. Groaning, I reached for it and saw Olivia’s name flashing on the screen.“Why are you calling so early?” I muttered, rubbing my temple as I answered.“Have you seen the news?” Olivia’s voice was sharp, urgent. “You need to check it right now.”Frowning, I pulled my laptop onto my lap and clicked on the first trending article. My breath hitched. There, splashed across the screen, was a photo of me and Damian from last night—our eyes locked in a stare that, to an outsider, probably looked intense, intimate even. But
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Secret we Keep
Damian’s Point of ViewI had been restless since that night I saw that boy. Something about him had burrowed into my mind, refusing to leave. I couldn’t explain it, but the moment I had looked at him, a strange feeling had settled deep in my chest—familiarity. Like I had seen him before, somewhere, in a dream, in a past I couldn't quite grasp.I had told myself it was nothing. That it was just my mind playing tricks on me. But the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. Neither would Ava.I had spent the past few weeks carefully studying her, searching for cracks in her carefully curated facade. I had seen how she smiled for the cameras, how she clung to me when the press was near—yet, behind closed doors, she was distant. Cold. Angry.But there were moments—fleeting moments—where I caught something else in her eyes. Pain. Regret. Longing.And then, there were the flashes.They started small. A scent, a sound, a fleeting touch. Then came the images—fragments of a past that didn’t quite fit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Amnesia Secret
Ava’s point of viewDamian had been watching me all evening. I felt his eyes on me even when I wasn’t looking. There was an intensity to it, a silent question burning in his gaze, as though he was trying to solve a puzzle I didn’t want him to complete.I took a sip of my wine, trying to focus on the meaningless conversation around me. The restaurant was elegant, the soft hum of conversation blending with the clinking of glasses and silverware. A violinist played in the background, but I barely heard it over the pounding of my heart.He knew something.I wasn’t sure how much, but the way he had pulled me aside earlier, the way he kept staring at me like he was peeling back my layers—it was only a matter of time before he confronted me.And I wasn’t ready for that.I forced myself to smile at one of the socialites sitting beside me, but my fingers clenched around my fork as I felt a presence behind me. A shadow loomed over the table, and then—“Ava.”Damian’s deep voice cut through the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27
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One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Vault Beneath Lies
Damian's Point of View Throughout the night, I kept hearing the same message: "I haven't even opened the vault yet." Rachel didn't lie. Not like this. If she had a vault, it was not a metaphor. She meant something real. Something buried literally, digitally, or legally was designed to withstand even her own demise. And knowing her, it wasn't merely a threat. It was a well-timed landmine. I stood in the war room, a glass-walled corner office that we had transformed into a strategy hub, peering at the security feeds and evidence boards adorned with red threads, photographs, and timestamps.Ava joined me moments later, her face pallid but composed. She wore a navy dress and braided her hair, yet her eyes burned like steel. "She's forcing us into the final move," she told us. I nodded. "We need to find that vault before she uses it." She met my eyes. "And we need to be ready for what's inside." Because we both understood that if Rachel was saving it for last
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Skeletons in Silk
Ava’s Point of View The past has a scent. Not perfume or flowers — no, it smells like old smoke and velvet. Like secrets kept behind silk curtains in boardrooms you don’t speak of in daylight. When Damian showed me the photo, my breath stilled. London. Five years ago. The Kingston Hotel.And the men beside me? One was his father. The other was Arthur Vance the hedge fund billionaire who “disappeared” after an SEC investigation imploded without warning. Rachel had unearthed it. Of course she had. My hand trembled as I set the photo down on the table between us. Damian’s stare never left me."What is the Kingston deal, Ava?" I never wanted to lie. But I had decided not to tell. There is a distinction. I assumed I had buried that part of myself with the old Ava, the girl who donned silk blouses and weaponized her smile to outwit guys who underestimated her. But perhaps... I had merely concealed her under Liam’s lullabies. And now she was being held accountable. Dam
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Fire in Her Name
Damian's Point of View It started with flames. Not flames in the literal sense, though my blood was hot enough for that, but the fire of determination. About justice. Of knowing that someone had attempted to destroy everything I had ever loved and believed they would get away with it. Not this time. Ava sat with me at the kitchen island, going through legal contacts. Her hair was pushed back, her face naked, and she appeared like a warrior queen planning a siege. And I? I was her blade. "We can't go public yet," Ava explained, tapping the screen. "Rachel's lies have already gone viral. If we rush this, it will appear that we are scurrying. "We need to strike hard, smart, and once."I nodded, setting my coffee aside untouched. “We’ll leak it anonymously. Let the world do what it does best, let them eat her alive.” She glanced up, a flicker of amusement breaking through the fog in her eyes. “You’ve changed.” I held her gaze. “You changed me.” Her lips part
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Paper Cuts Deeper Than Knives
. Damien's Point of View The knock on the door came shortly after midnight. Sharp and urgent. Like a sword cutting through the skin of silence. I was not expecting anyone. Ava was upstairs, finally sleeping after days of anxiety and stress that had stretched her thin. I spent the last hour pacing the dark penthouse, my thoughts racing, chasing shadows that wouldn't settle into answers. Now I was staring at the huge envelope on the porch. No address. There's no sender. Nothing wonderful ever come packaged in so much silence. I ripped it open with numb fingers. A single sheet of paper dropped into my hand, heavier than it should be. This was a paternity test.My heart is racing like a war horse.I blinked once, twice, and felt the ground move beneath me as the words clicked into place. Damian Cross is the father. Child: Liam Reynolds. Paternity probability: 0%. And under it, wrote in a hand that smelled of smug satisfaction: "He was never yours to love."
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Thorn Beneath the Rose
Damien's Point of View For the first time in days, I fell asleep. Not the shallow, restless snoozing that troubled me after the tabloids exploded, but actual slumber. Deep. Bone-heavy.Ava cuddled up with me, her breathing calm across my chest, our boy safe in the nursery downstairs. That should have been enough. It should have felt like victory. But serenity, I was discovering, was an illusion. And dawn would always break it apart. The banging on the door began just after daybreak. I sprang awake suddenly, muscles strained, grabbing for the bat I kept beside the bed a habit I no longer considered. Ava stirred and looked up at me. "What is it?" "Stay here," I answered sternly, already changing into jeans and a shirt. The knocking became louder. Urgent. Relentless. My intuition sounded a warning. Something wasn't right. I rushed down the corridor, my pulse pounding, and wrenched the door open.Sophia was standing there with wild hair and a pale face, cl
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Memory That Was Not Chosen
Ava's POV The nursery floated about me, the beautiful blue background with silver stars fading into meaningless forms. My breath was hitched, shallow, and harsh. Two cradles. Two babies. Two cries. Both boys looked very similar. Curly, black hair. Fair skin. Tiny fists were waving aimlessly in the air. They both reached for me. Both called me "Mommy" in the only language a newborn understood: the searing, desperate howl of yearning. I took back a step, thudding against the dresser behind me. My legs threatened to give up. This was not possible. This was not real. But it was.Rachel's twisted reality, including drugs, hypnosis, and fabricated memories, had deeply rooted within me. I couldn't tell which child was truly mine. I reached for the first baby, "Liam," and he grasped my finger, strong and sure. The other baby sobbed louder, kicking his tiny legs as if begging me not to forget him. Tears blinded me. I was choosing a memory, a life.I could feel him, the magnetic pull
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Choice Between Two Cries
Ava's perspective The stillness in the room was louder than any cry. Two babies. One cradle. One memory. My hands trembled. "Say it again," I whispered. "You left me," the child repeated. His voice, ancient and resonant with agony, jarred something loose within me. I caught glimpses of terror. Blood on the hospital bed. Caleb's name was whispered once. Not Liam. Caleb. Damian Point of ViewThe air in the room felt dense, like if you were trying to breathe underwater. Ava stood frozen in place, her gaze fixed on the child that wasn't ours—or was supposed to be. The other baby, Liam, slept soundly in Rachel's arms on the threshold. What about the baby in the crib? He was awake. And he knew things. Things he shouldn't know. "You made a deal," the boy said softly, turning to face me. I froze. "What deal?" He tilted his head. "Forget her." "To forget me." Rachel Point of View The silence between Ava and Damian felt unsettling. "You need to take a step
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess The Room She Forgot
Ava Point of View The door groaned as I pulled it open. It smelt of lavender and death. My old room is stuck in time. The wallpaper had not peeled. My childhood books were still arranged on the shelf. The ballerina lamp on the nightstand gleamed dimly, as if it had just been turned off. I stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind me. Rachel Point of View "Ava!" I hammered on the door, attempting the handle. It would not budge. "Open the door!" No response. Then I heard her voice: garbled, muttering something. But she was not speaking to me. Ava Point of ViewShe stood in a far corner. A woman wrapped in gloom, her face obscured by smoke and memory twisted together. But I knew who she was. My Mother. But she didn't look right. Too tall. Too still. "Hello, Ava." Her voice like mine. Except that they are older. Sharper. Worn down by ages of secrecy. "I've missed you," she said. "I've missed you, too," I said quietly. "But you're not real."
One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess Shattered Glass and Shattered Truths
Damian's POV I didn't think; I just moved. Swept Liam into my arms and rolled us to the floor behind the sofa, heart pounding like a war drum. The broken glass crunched under heavy boots. Whoever was inside was not there to steal. They came for something different. "Ava!" My voice was drowned out by the silence. Then—bang—a lamp fell to the floor. Ava appeared at the hallway door, pallid, her eyes wide with rage and terror. She held Liam's iPad like it was a weapon. And behind her. A woman. Tall, elegant, blonde.And for a split second, I believed it was Rachel. But it wasn't. It was someone far worse. Ava Point of Views I could not breathe. The woman standing in the doorway was actually a mirror. Not only similar. Identical. She looked at me with the same brown eyes I saw in the mirror every day, but hers were colder. Sharper. "Who are you?" I whispered. She smiled. "Don't you recognize your other half, Ava?" My world shifted. "Adrian
