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Chapter Eight : Reckoning
Last Updated:
2025-02-25 18:52:17
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Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter Nine: Fever Pitch
The storm had passed, but its ghost lingered in the heavy air, thick with humidity and the distant scent of salt. Juniper sat by the massive four-poster bed, watching Adrian’s chest rise and fall in uneven breaths. His skin was pale, damp with sweat, his usually sharp features softened by exhaustion.The fever had taken hold quickly, one moment he’d been standing in the boardroom, defiant in the face of his ousting, and the next, he had collapsed, his body finally surrendering to the relentless pressure.Now, he was barely conscious.Juniper dipped a cloth into the cool water beside her, wrung it out, and pressed it against his forehead. He let out a quiet sigh, shifting slightly toward her touch.It was unsettling to see him like this. Adrian Blackwood was always in control, always commanding. Seeing him vulnerable and weak did something strange to her chest.He murmured something incoherent.She leaned in. “Adrian?”His lashes fluttered.“Stay,” he rasped.Juniper hesitated.She sho
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter Ten : Poison
The sharp click of Juniper’s heels echoed through the marble hallways of Blackwood Industries, each step a warning. A storm brewed inside her, seething beneath her composed exterior. She barely registered the passing employees, their hushed whispers a backdrop to the white-hot fury coursing through her veins. Her hands trembled as she clutched the printed research reports, the damning evidence of sabotage.Someone had tampered with her findings.Not just anyone—her.Charlotte Laurent.The ex-fiancée. The woman who had swept back into Adrian’s life like a hurricane, leaving destruction in her wake.Juniper’s chest tightened, fury and betrayal intertwining in a suffocating grip. The numbers in the reports didn’t lie. The funding allocations had been altered, the environmental impact data manipulated beyond recognition. What was once a promising, groundbreaking initiative had been twisted into a disaster on paper.She stormed into Adrian’s office without knocking.Adrian sat at his desk,
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter Eleven : Sacrifice
The lab's entrance was covered in streaks of paint, with red and blue flashing lights on the NYPD squad cars causing damage. Smoke drifted into the night sky, a somber image of the devastation that had occurred just minutes prior. The scene was grim. As an ambulance sat on the back, Juniper's hands were shaking and her ears persisted in ringing from the explosion. The wounded were being treated by medical personnel surrounding her. Despite bruises and coughing among her team members, no one had been killed. That was the only consolation. Then she saw Adrian. Standing near the wreckage, he spoke to a police officer with an incomprehensible look. He was confused. The blood streaks on his shirt were a blend of his and others. The reason for Juniper's breath being choppy was his determination to hold himself upright. The man was on the brink of entering a war zone, aware that his chances of winning were slim. She walked past the paramedics and ran towards him. "What's taking place wit
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 12 : The Truth
Docks stretched out in the background, with salt and moisture clinging to the surface.' Juniper's boots were covered in slick wooden planks, and the fog was curving around her ankles. But her heart sank in against her ribs, and she held on tightly to the phone. The reason for Adrian's imprisonment was her. Without the truth, she couldn't depart. A paused clap was heard in the background.? “Brave little Juniper.”. Juniper's stomach clenched. Victoria Langford. A slim black trench coat, blonde hair pinched in, and a face made of solidified ice as she stepped into the dimness of stifled dock lights. Juniper ingested the terror that was gripping her throat.'". “You sent the note.”. Victoria smirked. “You came alone. How noble.”. Juniper leaned back. "You have to give me something to say.". With her heels racing against the stump, Victoria circled around. Aren't you the hero of this tale, too? With her fingers clasped tightly around her phone, Juniper expressed:
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 13: Deadly Waters.
The knife was so close to Adrian's head that it appeared to be swinging towards him. Instinct took over. After a lung, he knocked off the weapon that Nathan had held by leaping. Its blade rippled across the wooden floor and then stopped just near the feet of Juniper. All things seemed to slow down for one breath.' Then Juniper moved. She swung the knife, her fingers barely touching the handle until—as in when she had to turn. Bang! The door slammed open. A man entered the building, his broad frame obscuring what little light was visible in the stormy area.' He didn't hesitate. As he lifted his arm, the metal flashed in front of him. Gun. “Drop it,” he barked. He spoke with a distinct, unwavering voice that had the aura of authority and the ability to kill in fewer seconds. Juniper collapsed and his fingers were clung to the blade. Then it fell apart. The body of Adrian responded before his mind could even process it. He stood in front of her, shielding her with his own.. A
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A loud scream interrupted the storm. Juniper. Her body fell deeply into the waves below, leaving Adrian gasping in despair. He moved when she'd lost her head beneath the surface. No hesitation. No second thoughts. He jumped. The world tilted. Wind roared in his ears. Like knives, rain smeared upon him. Then—impact. The ocean swallowed him whole. An icy stream of air was released from inside him. He was surrounded by darkness, dense and asphyxiating. He stooped with determination, breaking through the surface and taking a whiff of rain and salt. The storm engulfed his voice with the sound of a punch. The waves were relentless, bouncing and curling up, pulling him under the water before gently pushing him back out. Despite the pressure, Adrian persevered by twisting in the water. Where was she? He witnessed lightning glimmers across the sky and thundering through the chaos. Her head bounced up before disappearing under a new surge, just ahead. No. With arms slicing through
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 15: Lost
“Adrian!”. The fury of the storm was so intense that Juniper's scream could barely make sense. Then—the gunshot. The air was split like lightning by its cracking. Adrian's body jerked. He slipped while gripping the boat's railing.__ His gaze widened as she looked inexplicably startled, and then he fell. Straight into the waves. Her fingers grazed Juniper's skeleton until the sea swallowed him whole, as he said with a loud "No!". Dark water drenched her, a hunger for food.' Her breath hitched. She felt her pulse racing in her ears. Move. Now. She threw herself off the platform. The cold slammed in her chest, sucking up air from her lungs. Salt burned her throat. She flexed her arms against the current. “Adrian!” She gasped, kicking hard. No response. Like a ball of sand, she was torn by the waves. The boat's floodlight glimmered across the surface, but she was left with nothing but darkness. Her heart raced against her ribs.'... He was down there. Sinking. Find him. She
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The word lingered in Juniper's thoughts. Run. But she couldn't move. His face looked gray, and Adrian's lips parted slightly as if his desire to talk was more profound. He flopped against the stretcher, his body in an unrecognizable state with only a faint chest rising and falling. As the paramedics pumped through Juniper's pulse, they applied gauze to his gunshot wound, fastened him in, and monitored his vitals. The neck of Adrian was touched by a paramedic. “Although Pulse is weak, he’s still alive.”. Still with us. Juniper exhaled shakily. She had to accompany him. She turned and followed, but an arm suddenly appeared. Her actions were swift to stop.... A uniformed officer. We need your input, Mama. His tone was serene, like the most relaxed voice in the world. What could he say?' With a stoic demeanor, Juniper attempted to push him aside. "No, not at all!". He just told me—”. BOOM! The blast shattered the atmosphere.' The boat slid violently beneath Juniper's feet,
Last Updated : 2025-03-01
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Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 39: No Way Out
The Warning. “You shouldn't have come here.”. The voice swayed like smoke across the cave. Low. Rough. Hungry. Juniper's breath hitched. She felt the weight of those words shivering against her skin, colder than the damp air inundating around them. She ran around, scouting the dark as it changed. The chamber was spacious and staring out at them, the torchlight illuminating darkened stone walls. Its. They migrated like uncannible spirits, decomposing into hollows, turning shapes into nightmares. Somewhere in the gloom, movement. Subtle. Controlled. Her pulse pounding against her ribs. Adrian's arm protruded in front of her, creating a silent and instinctive barrier. His stance—wide, steady—was pure defense. A wall of quiet fury. When it came, his voice was composed. Too calm. “Show yourself.”. Silence. Then—footsteps. Slow. Measured. They resonated throughout the cave, filling the void between pulses. A person came out of hiding.. Tall. Scarred. Armed. Juniper's muscles
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 38: Nowhere to Run
ImpactPain.Juniper’s body slammed into the water like a stone thrown from a rooftop. The impact ripped through her, knocking the air from her lungs in a violent rush. Cold, unforgiving darkness swallowed her whole.The river closed over her head, pressing in from all sides. The weight of it was suffocating, the churning currents dragging her down, down, down into the abyss.Her body twisted violently, spun like a leaf in a hurricane. Her limbs flailed, her lungs screamed.Up. Where’s up?She had no sense of direction, no light to guide her—just the numbing cold and the thunderous roar of the waterfall above.She kicked hard, fighting against the relentless pull of the river. Her muscles burned, her chest tightened. She was running out of air.Then—a burst of light.She broke the surface with a desperate gasp, sucking in air so fast it burned.The waterfall roared behind her, monstrous and deafening. The river wasn’t done with her yet—it dragged her forward, shoving her downstream li
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 37: Into the Abyss
The Fall. Cold. Violent. Endless. Juniper slammed into the water. The impact was brutal, unforgiving. Her body was in agony as it dislodged the air from her lungs. She was being pulled down by the river, which had engulfed her like no other. She was suffocated and cold, with darkness covering her like a veil. Her body was twisted by the force of the current, which caused her to spin like a ragdoll in twilight. Despite her body hurtling with pain, the river's frozen texture tugged on her like a string of iron chains. Up. I need to get up. Her chest gashes, desperately seeking oxygen, yet she couldn't determine which direction to kick. Her sense of direction was lost to the river, leaving only chaos and panic. Wildly, Juniper's arms waving their wings as he held something. Then—a hand. Strong. Unyielding. Familiar. Her wrist was gripped by it, unyielding and relentless, lifting her upwards toward redemption. Adrian. They broke the surface together. Juniper gasped, heaving f
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 36 – Freefall
The Jeep plunged. Wind blew through the windshield, biting Juniper's hair and hitting her like a thousand tiny knives. Her stomach flipped violently, causing a sharp, nauseating lurch that sent her packing. Outside, the world shifted into a chaotic blur of trees, rock, and sky. The ground rose excessively quickly.? The Jeep fell to the ground as Juniper's hands searched for something to hold onto, but it was a free-falling metal coffin. The force of her seatbelt caused her to contract an almost fatal injury by biting her ribs. Then—a hard yank. The arm of Adrian was encircling her waist, his strength commensurate with his stiffness against hers. With a hot and ragged breath, he pulled her closer with his hand to touch her cheek. “Brace yourself!”. CRASH. The impact was akin to hitting the spine. Glass exploded. A metal scream came from behind the Jeep as it ran under the canopy, snapping branches like broken bones. The globe swayed in opposite directions, then changed directi
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 35: Under Siege
The ExplosionBOOM.The door exploded inward.Splinters shredded the air, slicing through the dimly lit cabin.Juniper barely had time to duck before the blast wave ripped past her, sending a storm of wood and dust flying.Adrian grabbed her, yanking her down. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her.Gunfire erupted.The walls shook as bullets ripped through the cabin. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and the air filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder.Ethan cursed, returning fire. His gun barked in rapid bursts, each shot precise. “They brought a damn arsenal!”Adrian’s grip on Juniper tightened. “We have to move.”Juniper’s breath came short, fast. Her ears rang from the blast.“They’ll see us,” she gasped.Then—a voice.Deep. Cold. Familiar.“Give it up, Blackwood.”Juniper’s chest seized.Damien.His voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Calm. Unshaken.He was here.Adrian’s jaw clenched. A muscle ticked in his cheek. “Like hell.”Ethan’s gun clicked empty. He m
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 34: The Crash
A Split Second Before ImpactThe SUV hurtled through the air.Juniper’s breath locked in her throat. Weightless.The world slowed.Adrian yanked the wheel, muscles straining, but there was nothing to control.Then—impact.Metal shrieked.Glass exploded.The SUV smashed down, nose-first, onto the pavement below. The force slammed Juniper forward into her seatbelt, knocking the air from her lungs.Adrian fought the wheel, but momentum was against them. The car spun.Juniper’s vision blurred as the world tilted sideways.BANG.They hit the guardrail.The sound was deafening—steel on steel, tires screeching as the car fishtailed out of control.Ethan shouted. “Hold on!”Too late.The SUV tipped.For a terrifying heartbeat, Juniper felt herself floating.Then—a drop.Her stomach plunged.The SUV pitched forward off the road, crashing down into a steep ditch.BOOM.Metal crunched. The impact whipped Juniper sideways, her skull smashing against the window.Pain exploded.Darkness threatened
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 33: Nowhere is Safe
Juniper’s fingers curled tightly around her phone as she stared at the message on the screen.Unknown Number: You think this is over?A chill prickled down her spine. Her stomach knotted.“Adrian,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended. “We have a problem.”Adrian’s focus stayed on the road, his hands gripping the wheel like a lifeline. “What now?”She turned the screen toward him. The glow of the text cast an eerie light over his face. His expression darkened instantly, jaw locking, eyes flashing with something cold.Ethan leaned forward from the back seat. “That Damien?”Juniper’s mouth felt dry. “Who else?”Adrian’s fingers flexed on the wheel. His knuckles were bone-white. “He never gives up.”Ethan scoffed. “Yeah, no shit. What does he want now?”Before Juniper could answer, her phone vibrated again. Another message.Unknown Number: See you soon.A shiver ran through her.Ethan let out a low curse. “That’s not ominous at all.”Juniper forced a breath through her nose, ste
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 32: No Way Out
“Adrian!”Juniper’s scream barely cut through the chaos.The SUV hurtled between two massive trucks, scraping so close that she swore she heard metal screeching against metal. The blinding headlights swallowed them whole, and for a fraction of a second, time seemed to freeze—her pulse hammering in her throat, her breath caught between terror and adrenaline.Then—BAM!The SUV shot out onto the open road. Behind them, the trucks blared their horns, slamming on their brakes to avoid crashing into Damien’s pursuing vehicles.Ethan clung to the headrest, his knuckles white. “Are you trying to get us killed?”Adrian’s grip on the wheel was a death vise. “If I stop, we’re dead anyway.”Behind them, Damien’s men weren’t letting up. Another blacked-out SUV tore through the intersection, plowing over the curb and speeding toward them like a missile.Juniper turned, her stomach twisting. “They’re gaining!”Adrian didn’t hesitate. “Hold on.”He yanked the wheel right—hard.The SUV skidded, tires
Stranded with the Billionaire Chapter 31: All or Nothing
“Go! Go! Go!”Adrian slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The SUV roared forward, weaving dangerously through the tight alleyway as bullets pinged off the metal frame.Juniper clutched the door handle, her knuckles white. “They’re still on us!”Ethan twisted in the back seat, his gun raised. “Yeah, no kidding! Hold this thing steady!”Adrian swerved hard left, nearly clipping a row of parked motorcycles. “Steady? Not an option right now.”Behind them, Damien’s black sedans were relentless, their headlights cutting through the darkness like hunting knives. More gunfire erupted, shattering the SUV’s back window.“Shit!” Juniper ducked. “That was way too close.”Ethan cursed, returning fire. A bullet struck the windshield of the nearest sedan, causing it to swerve. But the driver corrected fast. “They’re not backing off!”Adrian’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We need to lose them.”“You think?” Ethan snapped.Juniper’s heart pounded. The speed. The gunfire. The deafening roar of engines.
