Thank you for reading these first few chapters of Resisting My Ex-Bully ❤️ To those who waited for the new story to begin... I apologize it took me so long 😅 I sincerely hope you'll enjoy this book. Be prepared for humor, romance, twists, and turns 😈 I'll do my best to add new chapters daily. Thank you for your support!!!😍
KILLIAN“It's open!” I called out through the corridor before entering my study.I heard the faint squeak as the door opened and closed, and I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know that Tony followed me, a bottle of scotch in hand. It was nearly our ritual to drink in my penthouse whenever things went bad, and tonight I had a perfect reason to drink.I stopped in front of my three-piece suite and gestured at him to sit on the sofa while I grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. When I returned, Tony had the bottle opened and ready to fill the glasses with amber liquor. I slumped onto the chair in front of him and pinched the bridge of my nose.“That bad?” Tony chuckled, handing me my glass.“My father is planning my slow and painful death as we speak,” I muttered before drawing a sip. “I promised him no more scandals.”Tony's lips formed a crooked smile. “Hugging a girl can hardly be called a scandal. I'd say it's your most decent picture I've seen in tabloids.”I gave him a look.
Josephine Clairmont. I should have never allowed myself to forget that name. I had never been the one who tormented the weak. I had made Josephine Clairmont my exception. Perhaps I should have been wiser, more mature, more lenient, but I just couldn't make myself forgive someone who had helped my mother get rid of my first love.If she hadn't turned out to be a greedy bitch and she had kept her mouth shut, maybe I would have grown up to be a different man. Not that cold and heartless. Would my relationship with Estelle have lasted? Well, that was something I would never be able to find out, and I had the innocent-looking Josie to blame for it.I still wondered how much my mother paid her for spying on me. Judging by her current financial situation, destroying my first relationship hadn't gotten her enough. The fact that she might have sold the information for a drastically low price infuriated me even more.As the years went by, I realized that the simple schoolgirl couldn't have know
JOSIE“He's a world-class jerk!” I roared before pouring the rest of the wine in my glass down my throat. It was my third glass, but I couldn't care less. I had no job interviews the next day, and I definitely shouldn't care whether I got drunk. Perhaps I even should get drunk. It might lessen the anger buzzing in my veins like a swarm of wasps. “Selfish, arrogant, bastard!”“Don't forget that he's a super-rich and hot as fuck bastard.” Aaron grinned, grabbing the bottle from the kitchen counter and refilling my glass.“Not funny.” Ashley shot her brother a meaningful glare.Aaron shrugged. “I'm only stating the facts. This guy IS rich and he IS hot.” He sat next to me by the kitchen table and fixed his eyes on me. “Frankly, if he wants to pay you for playing his girlfriend, I can't see the reason why you should refuse his offer.”I flipped him a bird, and Ashley snorted. “You so don't get it, brother. This guy thinks he can do whatever he wants, and Josie should just happily accept w
The van stopped in front of one of the high-end apartment buildings on Park Avenue. The door opened, and Mr. Colt extended his hand to help me out of the car. My heart thundered, and my body flooded with cold sweat, but I kept my expression blank. The last thing I wanted was for those men to know just how terrified I was.If Killian Blair wanted me to acknowledge just how powerful he was, he achieved it tenfold. I even began to debate whether I had made a mistake walking away from him last time. Certainly, that pondering lasted only until I recalled his words about my father. My resolution instantly formed in a blaze of rage. I would not let him threaten me and force me to do anything, and if he tried to… I would fight with all the skills I possessed.I was led through the elegant reception hall toward the elevators. “This way,” Mr. Colt said, gesturing at the one reserved for the penthouse. An apartment with a private elevator... How unsurprising.Grinding my teeth, I walked inside t
Was I doing the right thing? Probably not. Did the perspective of dealing with Killian Blair almost every day scare the holy crap out of me? Definitely yes. So why did I agree to all this? Well, I told myself that it was because I needed a job—and not just any job but a decent, well-paid one.I still had over fifty grand to pay to my father's creditors, and they were the people I certainly didn't want to mess with. I needed to keep my payments steady much more than I needed to eat three meals a day. In my situation, the director's salary was like a dream come true. Wouldn't I be an absolute fool to reject such an opportunity?The thoughts kept swirling in my head as I waited for Killian to finish talking with his lawyer over the phone. It was about the contract I was going to sign. Surely, it sounded more like I was about to sell my soul to the devil.“Patrick, my lawyer, will be here within an hour,” Killian informed me as he walked over to the sofa. He sat next to me, and I instantl
Killian had given me three days to say goodbye to my old life. After that, I would have to move into his penthouse and officially become his girlfriend. Of course, that change would also mean beginning my job in a shiny, brand-new position, and I couldn't wait for that to happen.It was two in the morning when I returned to Ashley's and Aaron's apartment. I assumed they would both be asleep by now. My plan was to quietly open the door and sneak into my bedroom. Well, I highly underestimated their curiosity and impatience…The second I opened the door, the lights in the corridor turned on. The twins stood at the opposite end of it, both giving me a meaningful look. A nervous chuckle escaped me. “Hi,” I muttered, awkwardly waving my hand.Aaron locked his eyes on me. “Beer, wine, whiskey, or vodka shots?”My lips twitched into a half-smile. “Um… I drank wine, so I'd rather—”“I'm asking, what should WE drink while listening to YOU?” He crossed his arms over his chest.I shrugged. “I'd s
KILLIAN“We've prepared the funds and all contracts just like you wanted, Mr. Blair,” Patrick informed me, and I could feel my muscles relax. It was the crucial part of the plan, and it was even more important for my father never to find out about it.“Excellent. Thank you for completing everything on such short notice.”“That's what you pay me for, Mr. Blair.” Patrick chuckled.I ended the call and leaned back in my chair. Tony watched me from a sofa, a cup of espresso in hand. I could never understand that guy's work schedule and how he could afford to sit in my office for hours while running a multi-billion-dollar company. He took a sip from his cup and narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you sure about this?”My brows knitted. “You have to be more specific.”“I don't mean the fake-girlfriend part; it was my idea anyway. I mean… Making her a director in a company on the verge of bankruptcy is a little…”“Dangerous? Ridiculous? Reckless as fuck?” I offered. “That's why I've taken precautio
JOSIE“Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip,” I muttered under my breath as I balanced on five-inch heels.The one-day high society survival camp Theresa had put me through paid off… or so I hoped. My hair had never looked more glamorous. My skin literally shone, and, for the first time in my life, everything within me seemed almost flawless. Of course, that was on the outside; my rattling insides were a completely different matter.Truthfully, I was terrified. I told Therese that going to Blair Digital during lunch hour was a terrible idea, but she only shook her head and laughed. “You'll be just fine, Josie,” she'd said then. “Besides, you need to practice. If you can't handle a few of your coworkers, how are you going to face a bunch of arrogant snobs?”She had a point. If I were to swim in the deep waters soon, I'd better start trying to float in the shallow waters first. So here I was—floating… sort of.My new appearance drew attention. I might not be dressed in screaming colors, b
Four Years LaterYan Hao, Estelle, and Isabelle had become nothing more than a bad memory. Lou Zichen had been quickly convicted and sent to prison. Estelle and Isabelle landed behind bars six months later. The remains of Yan Hao's army and all his collaborators had been caught one by one. Special Agent Brooks made sure they all ended where they belonged. As if sensing there was no more danger around us, Aria, our beautiful daughter, was born a day after the final trial ended.My once filled with dread and nightmares life had become nearly blissful. Certainly, large areas had needed to be rebuilt, but Killian and I had pieced it back together. I had never returned to Blair Digital. After a year, Blair Digital merged with Tony's company, becoming Blair & Melton Interactive. Killian and Kaiden had recreated the Blair Consortium, making it twice as profitable as before. Of course, they both had wanted me to work for the consortium, assuring me I would find a place there. I'd refused. Inst
Killian didn't like my decision. He'd spent hours trying to make me change my mind, but I knew that this was the only way to end this. Since my leading doctor refused to let me out of the hospital, my team moved into my room, computers and other tech gear included. Killian brought me a laptop table so I could work while lying in bed. Well, at least I wasn't breaking the doctor's orders, not entirely.In two days, we managed to add over fifty more locations to the Eye. We focused on private airports, harbors, and train stations. Then we slowly began to plug as many traffic cameras as we could. The area watched by the Eye extended its range with every second, but it still wasn't enough to find Yan Hao.“Ryuu should have helped us search for his former boss,” Ashley grunted, her eyes locked on the computer screen.I let out a long sigh. “Ryuu has done enough. I cannot blame him that he took his mother and left. Now they can be family again.”Ashley shook her head. “Still, he should have—
JOSIEHe had come for me. He had found me. I remembered his lips on mine. I remembered a vague smile curving his lips. I remembered my voice cracking. I remembered the tears mixed with laughter… Then the sounds and images became blurry. Killian's voice softened and faded.I must have fainted afterward.Returning to awareness was followed by the pain. It pulsed through different parts of my body, but it didn't bother me that much. Perhaps I owed it to painkillers, or perhaps I felt that way because I knew I was safe.Despite the ache, my lips curled up slightly as I opened my eyes. I was lying in bed—a hospital bed—covered with soft sheets. A drip was connected to my arm, most likely the reason the pain I felt was almost acceptable. But none of that put a smile on my face or filled my chest with warmth. Killian's touch did it.He was sitting by my bed, his hand holding mine. His head rested next to our joined hands, his eyes closed. I slowly rose to sit, carefully not to move my hand o
After carefully analyzing the route and comparing it with the plans Tony had found before, we continued through the woods according to Ryuu's instructions. We climbed a small hill and finally saw it—a ten-foot-tall barbed wire fence with watch towers.“Son of a bitch,” Kaiden breathed out as his eyes took in the ridiculously well-guarded facility. “I've seen prisons with less security.”My lips formed a thin line. “Well, now we know for sure that the tunnels are the only way in.”I contacted Gunner and the rest of the groups searching other areas, informing them of what we found. I looked at my watch, and my stomach churned. We had less than twenty minutes, and that was only if Yan Hao decided to stick to his own rules. A part of me knew he might choose to kill Josie sooner...My chest tightened at the thought. I needed to get inside. I needed to find her. Now. “How long until you get here?” A low growl rang in my tone.“Three minutes,” Gunner replied, panting. I knew that he was prob
KILLIANThree Hours EarlierThe Happy App, Josie's creation, no longer existed. Yan Hao must have gotten desperate to get money, and he most likely forced some poor bastard to hack the system, using all means necessary. As Ashley and Kei explained to me, the hacker had entered the system thanks to a small device planted in the server room. Of course, that meant someone from Yan Hao's army must have broken into Blair Digital... I made a mental note to fire the head of security upon hearing the news.This attack might have ended in a huge disaster. I didn't even want to imagine the chaos such a monstrous leak of data could have caused. Certainly, Josie had created a drastic solution in case everything went south. She anticipated the worst scenario. She might have sacrificed her dearest creation, but she sure as fuck saved the entire company.I loved her for it... and for many other reasons... and perhaps a few more I still couldn't remember. Now I could only hope the rest of my memories
My body began to rattle as I stared at Ryuu. Again, his expression was unreadable. Was it just a part of an act, an improvised solution, or did he decide not to respect the deal we made?“You bastard,” I breathed out.Ryuu responded with a cold smirk. “We both know Killian will do anything to have you both back... alive. Let's make him hope he'll get to see you again.”Yan Hao looked at me before bursting into cold, disgusting laughter. “Then should we let history repeat itself? Should I let him pay a generous amount of money before slitting your throat? It would be quite poetic, don't you think? Like father like son. Maxwell Blair thought he was saving his brother... I bet that his son will pay just as eagerly.”A shudder rushed through my body, and my eyes filled with tears. I didn't even know if Killian was conscious. They didn't know that either. Then again, this was a way to buy more time. If Yan Hao wanted Killian's money, he would need to wait for his answer, probably send proo
JOSIEI tried not to think about what was happening on the upper floors. I tried not to think about that arrogant hacker or that the Happy App might no longer exist had he decided to break into our system. Instead, I tried to make those hours count. I talked to Mrs. Satoh, slowly establishing her condition and if there was a chance either of us could escape her cell. The good news was that she wasn't cuffed or otherwise restrained; the bad news was that she had already tried everything, scaling the wall to find a single loose rock included. Well… shit.“So you've been talking to my son?” Mrs. Satoh's voice cracked slightly. “I haven't seen him for more than three years…”My chest tightened. “How long has Yan Hao held you captive?”“I lost track of time,” she murmured. “But I wasn't always locked in a cell like this. Sometimes, I was given a nice room. I was fed well too. My conditions changed depending on…” She trailed off, but I knew what she was about to say.“Depending on Ryuu's ob
KILLIANI stared at the large map displayed on the wall-size screen. The red dots marked the places where Yan Hao's men were recently seen—the possible places where they gathered. We had today's war meeting at Gunner's base, in his office. The base, seldom occupied by more than twenty people at a time, was currently filled with more than two hundred. We all could sense that Yan Hao had been preparing for his final strike, and we had to make sure we could respond to whatever he came up with.The door opened, and Samuel Brooks entered the room. The FBI agent gave Gunner, Kaiden, and me a tight smile before walking over to the map and stopping beside me. “Good to see you alive and well,” he muttered by way of greeting.“Good to be alive.” I smiled wryly.Gunner rose from his chair behind the desk and stepped toward us. “I hope you left your badge outside like I told you to, Brooks,” he warned, giving the agent a firm stare. “If you're not certain whether you'd like to be part of this, be
“What do we do now?” I choked out when Ryuu finally opened the bathroom to let me out.“We need to go.” He grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the door.Panic surged in an instant. “I can't! I don't even know if the encrypted message passed! I didn't find your mother either!”Ryuu grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. “We don't have more time. If I don't bring you to Yan Hao now, we're both as good as dead.”I sucked in an uneven breath, ineptly trying to calm down and failing. “So... what will happen now?” I finally managed.He exhaled slowly and looked me up and down. “You'll have to lie, and you'll have to be very convincing. You'll have to put on your best act, as if your life depends on it because it will.”I swallowed a thick knot in my throat. “Tell me what to do,” I breathed out.“First of all, you'll have to act like you're disoriented,” he said. “A few people saw me when I carried you here. You'll have to pretend as if you were unconscious most of the t