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Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 88
Bella’s POV“Get in, Bella,” Jesse said again, voice low and strained, his eyes dark with emotion.I stood frozen beside the car, the heat of his words still searing through me.“Huh? What do you—”“I said get in,” he repeated, this time softer, but with more urgency. “I don’t want to lose control here. I need you right now.”Something in the way he said it made my heart stammer.Without another word, I slid into the passenger seat. Jesse closed the door behind me, circled to his side, and started the car in silence. The ride to his penthouse was quiet, but the tension between us—thick, heavy, unspoken—buzzed in the air like static.I glanced at him. His hands were gripping the wheel tighter than necessary, jaw set, eyes fixed ahead. Like he was battling something inside himself.We hadn’t even made it into the bedroom.The moment the door to the penthouse clicked shut behind us, he turned. One step and I was in his arms again—his hands cupping my face, his lips on mine, fierce and se
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 89
"Where did you stay these past few days, Bella?" Jesse asked, his voice gentle but edged with something I couldn't quite place.I hesitated. "Um… a hotel."He didn’t respond right away. Just watched me."What?" I asked softly."I thought you went to Julius’s place."My brows furrowed. "No. No, I didn’t. Why would I?"He shrugged slightly, looking away for a second. "I don’t know."I stepped closer, placing my hand over his. "Jesse… you say you believe me, but when it comes to anything involving Julius, you don’t trust me—not fully."He met my eyes then. I saw the conflict there, the wounds that hadn’t quite healed."I love you," I said firmly. "You. And only you. I promise, okay?"A beat passed before he finally nodded. "Okay. I believe you, baby."My cheeks heated instantly. "So… you’re calling me that again?"He smirked faintly. "Yes, I am. You never stopped being mine."Before I could respond, he added, more serious now, "The police will be arresting Julius today. And once his gran
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 90
He brought the red gown closer, letting it spill like liquid fire across his hands. His gaze lingered on me, not with lust—but something deeper. Reverent. Possessive. Almost awed.“Stand up for me,” he said softly.I obeyed, still wrapped in the towel, heart pounding. His hands reached up, brushing the damp strands of hair from my neck, trailing down my arms as he slowly undid the towel and let it fall.I stood there, bare under his gaze, but I didn’t feel shy. Not with him. Not anymore.He didn’t rush.He let his fingertips graze my skin as he unfolded the gown, lifting it gently. “Arms up,” he whispered.The fabric slipped over me, cool and smooth, brushing against my hips and falling into place like it had been made just for me.He smoothed it down slowly, fingers gliding over my waist, my stomach, my hips. His palms lingered on my back as he adjusted the zipper, zipping it halfway—then stopping.“You’re breathtaking,” he murmured, voice hoarse.“Jesse…” I turned slowly in his arms
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 91
Julius’s POVThe call came just after sunrise, and for a moment, I thought I was dreaming. But the dread in the voice on the other end was real.“Mr. Julius… I’m sorry. Your grandfather… he’s gone.”Gone.The word echoed through my head like a scream I couldn’t silence.I rushed to the hospital, driving so fast I nearly collided with two cars on the expressway. My chest was pounding before I even stepped out of the car, and when I burst through the double doors of the emergency wing, I didn’t wait for anyone to stop me.I grabbed the first doctor I could find, my hands trembling as I yanked at his coat. “Tell me this is a mistake. Tell me my grandfather is okay.”The doctor’s face said it all, but he still spoke, quiet and solemn. “I’m sorry… we tried, but there was nothing else we could do. He was recovering, but then he suddenly deteriorated.”My knees gave out. I dropped right there, right in the middle of the white-tiled hallway. My world wilted, collapsed, imploded.No. No, no, n
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 92
Julius’s POVThe air in my prison cell felt heavier after the interrogation. I sat on the cold, unforgiving bench, my elbows resting on my knees, my fingers woven through my hair. My world had crumbled in less than a week—and there was no one left to blame but myself.I had just closed my eyes when the guard called out.“You’ve got a visitor.”My heart jolted.For a brief second, I thought—no, I hoped—it would be Bella.Maybe, just maybe, she’d come to see me one last time. To tell me she hated me to my face. Or maybe not say anything at all. Just her presence would’ve meant something.I stood slowly, brushing off my jumpsuit, trying to steady the whirlwind in my chest.But when I walked into the visitation room, it wasn’t Bella.It was Paul.My breath caught. I stared at him, stunned, barely registering the fact that he wasn’t supposed to be here. Last I knew, Jesse had taken him. He’d vanished without a trace.“Paul?” I said, blinking as I stepped closer. “What are you doing here? H
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 93
Bella had barely finished her last bite when I looked up from my phone.“There’s an auction happening tonight,” I said casually, setting the phone aside and giving her my full attention. “Daniel just sent me an invite. He wants us there.”She glanced up, licking a bit of dressing from her lower lip before reaching for her water. “An auction?” Her eyes lit with a flicker of curiosity. “What kind?”“Charity, mostly. But you know how those events go—wealth, politics, a few priceless artifacts no one really needs, and more camera flashes than a runway.” I smirked slightly. “But Daniel’s attending. Said he wouldn’t forgive us if we didn’t show up.”Bella tilted her head slightly, as though weighing the idea, then gave me a soft smile. “Then I’m totally in.”I leaned forward, watching her with amusement. “You sure?”She nodded. “Yeah. Sounds like fun.”“Good.” I brushed my thumb over the back of her hand. “Finish eating, then. Once you’re done, we’ll get ready and head out.”She glanced dow
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 94
Jesse’s POV"$1,000,000," I said, slow and final, lifting my paddle one last time.The room held its breath.Every eye flicked toward the bidder who had been antagonizing me for the past fifteen minutes—bit by bit, pushing up the price like it was a damn game. The masked man leaned back in his chair, silent. Then, with an almost theatrical shrug, he lowered his paddle.“Sold!” the announcer declared, a mix of relief and disbelief in his voice. “To Mr. Jesse Styles!”The audience burst into scattered applause, not for the necklace, but for the spectacle. The tension dissolved, but not in me.Bella turned to me, still gripping my arm. “You didn’t have to—”“I know,” I said, scanning the room. “But I wanted to.”Daniel whistled low. “That’s one hell of a statement piece.”“Wasn’t about the piece,” I muttered.He nodded. “Yeah. I figured.”We returned to mingling, but I stayed alert. My instincts were never wrong. Whoever that man was, he hadn’t come for diamonds. He’d come for disruption
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 95
Jesse’s POV Just as Daniel launched into another exaggerated tale about his game exploits, my phone buzzed on the coffee table. I picked it up, eyes narrowing when I saw the name flashing across the screen—Lucas. I answered immediately, standing and stepping away from the living room noise. “Talk to me.” Lucas sounded rattled, his voice lower than usual. “Sir… I don’t know how else to put this. We’ve got nothing.” I frowned. “Nothing?” “Not even a trace,” he said. “The masked man from the auction—there’s no identity, no digital footprint, not even a false alias to work with. It’s like he doesn’t exist.” My jaw clenched. Lucas continued, clearly frustrated. “I’ve got three of our best black-hat contractors running deep scans. They’re scraping hidden databases, encrypted networks, old syndicate files—even digging through the dark web. But everything’s either been wiped clean or it was never there to begin with.” “That’s not possible,” I growled. “Everyone leaves a trail.” “Exa
Last Updated : 2025-04-23
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Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 140
Jesse didn’t wait.He didn’t have time.He stood tall, voice cutting through the confusion like a sword:"You were lied to," he said..""Anna drugged me. Stole my memories. Tried to turn me into a pawn."Gasps.Shouts."But I remember now," Jesse said, voice rising."I remember everything."He looked at each of them in turn, letting them see it."Bella saved me," he said.Jesse swallowed hard.Emotion strangled him for a moment.But there was no time for sentiment now.He pointed toward the battlefield beyond the walls."Anna’s forces are tearing Dominion apart," he barked."We have to join the battle and subdue Anna"A roar answered him."To the gates!" Jesse bellowed.And they moved—like a storm unleashed.The eastern gate flew open.Jesse led his forces through it, armor gleaming under the sun, sword blazing in his hand.Dominion's soldiers—nearly overwhelmed—saw him charge into the fray and rallied like men rising from the dead.Bella—fighting atop the crumbling battlements—turned
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 139
Bella drew her own sword then—long, silver-edged, a gift from her late father.It gleamed in her hand like a promise.She turned to Kael."Stay at the walls," she said. "Command from here."Kael frowned, catching the dangerous light in her eyes."My lady—""I'm going down there."She didn’t give him a chance to argue.She descended the inner stairs two at a time, the battle raging louder with every step, until she burst into the courtyard where fresh soldiers were rushing to reinforce the lines.They parted instinctively as she passed—eyes wide, faces awed.Bella didn’t stop.She charged through the outer gate just as another battering ram crashed uselessly against the thick stone, and then she was in the heart of it.Sword raised.The first enemy soldier lunged toward her.Bella sidestepped easily, driving her blade into his ribs with clean precision.Another swung a heavy axe at her head.She ducked low, slicing across his knee, sending him crumpling to the dirt.Her training kick
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She met Marcus’s hard gaze head-on."Stand aside when Anna attacks. Protect Jesse if he’s targeted. That’s all.""And what about Anna?" someone called from the back.Bella’s smile was cold and sharp."I’ll handle her."Marcus was silent for a long moment.The entire clearing seemed to hold its breath.Finally—he nodded once.Hard."If Jesse fights for you," he said,"Then so will we."Bella's breath caught.Not relief.Not yet.There would be no real relief until Jesse stood beside her, whole again.But it was something."Swear it," she said quietly.Marcus drew his sword.Pointed it to the sky."I swear it," he said.One by one, the soldiers behind him echoed the oath—hands raised, fists pounding against chests.Bella closed her eyes for half a second. Dominion would not fall today.Kael stepped closer."My lady," he said urgently,"we must return. Anna's forces will reach the outer walls within the hour."Bella nodded.She gave Marcus one last hard look."Stay true," she said."Or
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 137
She glanced to her left where Rovan rode beside her, his horse’s breath steaming in the frozen air."The eastern watchposts have fallen?" she asked calmly.Rovan nodded."Yes, my lady. Minimal casualties. Dominion forces are stretched thin defending the outlying trade routes, just as you predicted."Anna smiled faintly.Bella thought she was clever—moving silently, rebuilding her little empire in the shadows.But she had grown soft.Love. Loyalty. Sentiment.All the weaknesses Anna had carved out of herself years ago.Bella had them in abundance.And Anna would use every one of them to crush her.The estate was visible now in the distance.Even from here, its silver towers and iron gates gleamed under the pale moonlight like a fortress carved from a dream.Anna narrowed her eyes.Soon, it would be hers.She raised her hand, signaling a halt.The army stopped instantly—trained, disciplined.She turned in the saddle to face them, her voice cutting through the cold air like a blade."Ton
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 136
And soon—she would pay for it with everything she loved.Anna stood above the valley cliffs, her black-gloved hands gripping the stone railing as she watched her forces disappear into the misty hills.Her smile was razor-sharp now.Because the truth was—This was never about Jesse alone.No.This was about Dominion.About power.About taking everything Bella had rebuilt after her fall — and grinding it beneath Anna’s heel.She wanted Dominion for herself.The empire.The resources.The power it held over every shadowed trade route and underworld contract on the continent.Jesse had just been the bait.The excuse.And Bella, foolish in her sentimentality, had handed her the perfect justification by kidnapping him.Anna turned to Rovan, her second-in-command."We won’t just retrieve Jesse," she said, her voice smooth and deadly."We’ll seize Dominion itself."Rovan’s brows furrowed slightly. "But my lady, Dominion’s forces—""Will be fractured," Anna interrupted coolly. "Once the borde
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 135
Small at first.Barely noticeable.Then it grew worse.His entire body tensed, muscles locking, breaths becoming shallow and fast like he was fighting something.His hands gripped the blanket tightly, knuckles white.I sat up immediately."Jesse," I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm.He flinched violently at the contact, a sharp cry tearing from his throat—a sound so broken, so full of fear, it shattered something inside me.He wasn’t awake.Not fully.He was trapped somewhere deep inside himself."Jesse," I said again, firmer this time. "It's me. Bella. You're safe."He thrashed once, fists clenching like he was trying to fight invisible enemies.Sweat beaded on his forehead.I caught his wrists carefully, not restraining him, just anchoring him to something real."Shh..." I whispered, leaning closer. "You're safe. No one’s hurting you. I'm here."Slowly, his breathing hitched—sharp, jagged gasps breaking through the fog.His eyes snapped open, wild, unfocused.He looked right
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 134
I brought him his tea, just like every other morning since he returned.But this time, when I placed it in his hands, he didn’t immediately drink it.He just... stared at me.Longer than usual.Long enough that the hairs on my arms prickled.Like he was trying to see something inside me.Something he couldn't quite remember.I sat beside him, keeping a careful distance.“How are you feeling?” I asked gently.He tilted his head slightly, confusion flickering across his face.“I feel like... I should know you,” he said finally, his voice rough from sleep and something deeper.My throat tightened.“You do,” I whispered. “You will.”He frowned, as if struggling inside his own mind.“I keep seeing... flashes. A hand reaching for mine. Laughter. A... necklace?”He pressed his fingers to his temple, frustrated.“It’s all broken. Like... like pieces of glass.”I reached out slowly, letting my hand rest lightly over his.“You're remembering,” I said, voice trembling with hope. “Even if it’s sm
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 133
His eyes locked on mine.No memories.But something shone there.He stepped closer, holding the tiny flower out to me.“You’re beautiful,” he said softly. “Just like this.”My throat tightened painfully.Tears pricked the corners of my eyes.I took the flower carefully, cradling it between my fingers like it was the most precious thing I’d ever been given.“Thank you, Jesse,” I whispered.He smiled.Really smiled.For the first time since I brought him back.Jesse’s smile.The one I’d fallen in love with once before.The one I was falling for all over again.We spent the rest of the afternoon in the gardens.I told him small, harmless things—stories about the flowers, about the diffMarcust statues scattered around the estate.He listened closely, his attention sharp whenever I spoke.At one point, he reached out and brushed a leaf from my hair, his fingers lingering near my cheek longer than necessary.He didn’t understand why he wanted to touch me.Didn’t remember.But he still did.
Sold Myself to My Husband’s Rival 132
Down the maintenance shaft.Through the hidden door.Into the cold breath of the night.We made it to the transport just as the first alarm howled through the estate.I shoved Jesse inside, climbed in after him, and Kael slammed the door shut.The vehicle peeled into the tunnels like a bullet, shields cloaking us from heat sensors.Behind us, the estate lit up with searchlights and shouting guards.Too late.I held Jesse close against me as we sped away.His breathing was shallow.His body stiff.But he was here.Alive.Mine again.I looked down at him—this man who had fought so many battles for me without ever asking for anything back.And I whispered the words I should have said a long time ago.“I’m never letting you go again.”We made it back to Dominion just before sunrise.The sky was still dark, bleeding into deep violet as we pulled through the hidden tunnels beneath the estate.Kael handled the security re-entry codes.Justin coordinated the sweeps to make sure no foreign tra
