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CHAPTER TEN: A father’s shadow
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2024-12-11 20:59:09Related chapters
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER ONE: I’m only a mole…not a stripper
Mia’s POV“Get your hands off my butt Sir! I’m warning you.” I demanded, yanking myself free from his grip, disgust flooding my chest as I grabbed one of the nearby tables for support.“What are you going to do if I don’t, Cupcakes?” He teased, pulling me towards his shoulder, his eyes crawling over my waistline like a hawk.The charity event buzzed with lively chatter and rich laughter, as elegant guests mingled under sparkling chandeliers, oblivious to the chaos I was in. Soft jazz played in the background, adding to the vibrant, joyous atmosphere,“Let…go!” I resisted, struggle reflected on my face, my eyes constantly breaking contact with the men seated around him; whose eyes gleamed in amusement, their laughter dripping with mockery as I managed to break free for the second time.“I craved to feel this body the moment I stepped in here,” he growled, his voice low and strained. “What’s your price? I want to have you tonight.”Without a second thought, my fist united with his chin
Last Updated : 2024-11-27THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER TWO: Marry me, Tiffany
Zac’s POV It was just past noon, but the throbbing headache from three consecutive all-nighters still weighed on me. I sat at my neatly organized desk, staring blankly at the city skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The silence was broken by the sudden ring of my phone. It was Martini, an old business partner my late father trusted. “Hey Martini, what’s up?” I answered, trying to mask the exhaustion in my voice. “Zac, I need you at The Red Room tonight. I’ve managed to sway the investors for Project Rainbow. Are you game?” “The Red Room… a strip club?” I frowned, disbelief creeping into my tone. “You know that’s not my style, Martini.” “I know, but this is the only chance we’ve got with Mr. Suarez and Lorenzo.” His voice grew firm. “We need to move this project forward.” “Can’t we find a more conventional setting?” I rubbed my temples, feeling the frustration mounting. “I know it’s not ideal for you.” His tone softened but remained resolute. “But the s
Last Updated : 2024-11-27THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER THREE: What happened last night?
Mia’s povI turned, tilting my head to meet his deep-set, smokey grey eyes. His gaze lingered—very predatory as if he wasn’t done with me yet."Are you serious right now? This can’t be real." He sighed, running his fingers through his silky black hair, the rest of the strands falling back into place effortlessly. “Look …I’m sorry if that came off kind of weird. The thing is… I’m… really attracted to you.”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Oh, please. Don’t start. You’re just like the rest.”“No…it’s not like that, I promise. My intentions are clear,” he spoke, his voice softening but his eyes unwavering. “I want you to be with me, Tiffany. Not just— here, but for real. By my side.”My mind spun, struggling to process his words.How did I end up in this situation? Drawn to this man—who is a distraction from my mission.“I know this sounds crazy, but when our eyes met back there… you felt it too, right?” His voice dropped, and his hand reached out for mine.I wanted to oppose it, but I coul
Last Updated : 2024-11-27THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER FOUR: From Russia, with Love
Mia’s POV “I’m so sorry about that, Mia.” Samantha’s voice was soft, her face etched with sympathy. “I guess this is where we say goodbye again, my cyber bestie.” My voice cracked, tears pricking at my eyes. “Just hang in there a little longer,” Samantha placed a hand on mine. “Besides, we're so close to finding Father.” “What intel do we have on him?” She turned her laptop toward me, the glow illuminating a familiar face—my father. He sat in a cafe in New Jersey, looking just as vibrant as I remembered. “Looks like he’s relocating back to New York,” Samantha said, her tone cautious, as if she was afraid of my reaction. I nodded, swallowing hard. “Secure his address as soon as possible. I’ll confront him when I return.” “What about mom?” “Don't say a word to her until I handle this,” I hesitated, my voice firm but tinged with worry. “I don’t want her getting overwhelmed—she’s been through enough since he left.” Samantha's eyes softened, concern evident in her voi
Last Updated : 2024-11-27THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER FIVE: Familiar Strangers
Mia adjusted her gown slightly, standing before an imposing penthouse. No amount of preparation could steady her nerves—Zac Cornell was just beyond the walls, and she wasn’t sure how to face him. She stood before the gates of Zac Cornell’s estate, her breath catching at the sight of it. It was larger than she’d imagined—a fortress of steel and glass, framed by precisely maintained gardens. The high walls weren’t just physical barriers; they represented the gulf between Zac’s world and hers. Her palms felt sticky as she adjusted her bag, the weight of her mission pressing heavily on her shoulders. The role she was stepping into—that of Tiffany, the assistant cook—had taken weeks of preparation. Yet, now standing on the verge of her mission, buried doubts resurfaced. She had come for answers, but the emotions tangled with them threatened to overwhelm her. The chief of staff greeted her with a professional smile. He was tall, seamlessly dressed in a crisp suit, with an air of quiet
Last Updated : 2024-12-06THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER SIX: Shadows beneath the surface
Three months earlier, Zac sat in his study, the soft hum of a late evening wrapping the room. His tie hung loose around his neck, and the whiskey in his glass had gone cold. The silence was broken by the soft clink of Angelo’s glass against the edge of the desk. “Let me guess… it’s about her again.” Angelo said, his voice low, carrying a note of amusement. Zac didn’t respond immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, tracing faint cracks as though they held the answers he sought. “I told you she wouldn’t show,” Angelo continued, his tone too casual for the weight of the conversation. Zac swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his knuckles tight around the stem. “You said it. Yeah, you were right.” Angelo smirked, leaning back in his chair. “I tried to warn you. You were setting yourself up for disappointment. Did you honestly think she’d come through?” Zac exhaled heavily, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “It wasn’t supposed to go like that.” He fell
Last Updated : 2024-12-06THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER SEVEN: Crossing boundaries
Mia sat in front of her mirror while Samantha sat beside her, watching, as she applied her lightweight lipstick. Then her phone rang. She saw it was her mom’s number, and a smile spread across her face. But the smile quickly vanished as she heard her mom sobbing on the other end.“Mom, what’s wrong?” Mia asked apprehensively.“Mia, I-I got evicted from my apartment!” Her voice cracked, tears spilling through the receiver. “I was robbed last night, and my landlord refused to give me an extension.”Mia gave a sigh, her voice shaking.“What? Mom, calm down. I’ll figure this out. Just give me a few hours, alright?”“Thank you, baby,” her mom said through sobs.Mia hung up, her fingers clenching tightly on her phone as her mind whirled. She needed to act fast, but there was only one person she knew who could supply the cash—and the thought of him made her stomach twist.“What’s going on?” Samantha asked, her head tilting in interest.“I need to pay a visit to Derrick right now,” Mia sai
Last Updated : 2024-12-08THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER EIGHT: Under Zac’s control
The room suddenly lit up and Mia gasped, breaking the silence. “Zac?” she whispered, her voice trembling.Now fully exposed, Mia fought against his strong grip. Despite her smaller frame, her strength surprised him.“Let me go! You’ve got this all wrong. I swear, I won’t cause any trouble!” she begged, panic clear in her eyes.“This show ends now, Mia Williams,” Zac growled, his tone low and venomous. “Stop resisting.”Mia froze, her wide eyes betraying her growing fear. “How—how do you know my name?”Zac leaned closer, his gaze unflinching. “Mia Williams. Twenty-three years old. High school graduate. Your mother lives in Colony Town, three hours outside New York City. Your father’s currently in Princeton. Last but not the least—your best friend, Samantha, lives just an hour away. Ring a bell?”Mia had always been resourceful, but desperation had blinded her to Zac’s true nature—far more dangerous than she’d ever imagined.To the world, Zac was known as a quiet heir and “grandpa’s boy
Last Updated : 2024-12-09
Latest chapter
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER TEN: A father’s shadow
Mia stood still for one minute, clutching the form so tightly her fingers throbbed. She might have rehearsed this a thousand times in her head, but now that it was real, her nerves threatened to unravel all resolve. She knew Xiang would not want to hear what she was about to say. He thrived on control, and any deviation from his precisely crafted plans was met with sharp disapproval.Xiang’s voice sliced through the stillness, crisp and focused. “I don’t have all day, Mia. Go on.”Mia’s heart skipped a beat, but she steadied her breath and met his gaze. “I wanted to talk to you about my position as it currently stands.” She stepped forward and put the form on his desk.Xiang picked it up with a quick flick of his wrist and stared at it, frowning. “What is this?”“It’s a form. A new opening—for a personal assistant,” Mia said, trying to keep her voice even. “I got it from a friend of Zac’s.”Xiang did not change his expression, but his voice was colder than before. “And how does this r
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER NINE: Unspoken Truths
Zac’s gaze lingered on Mia longer than he intended, a flicker of something real crossing his eyes. Deep down, he recognized the feelings he once had for her—it was undeniable. But acknowledging them, saying it aloud, felt impossible. His ego—and Bella, his fiancée—held him captive.Voicing his true feelings wouldn’t change anything. In fact, it would only complicate the already tangled mess between them.“No, it wasn’t.” Zac finally said, his tone carefully controlled. “I said what I felt at the time.” His jaw tightened. “But what do you expect? I’m just a man.”Mia studied his face, searching for sincerity. The way he looked then… It was as though he was no longer the person she had fallen for at first glance.“Obviously,” Zac continued, his tone shifting, “ things change. I did exactly what any other man would have done in that situation, seeing you in ‘that’ state.”Her brows furrowed, frustration boiling beneath her skin. “So, it meant nothing? All those promises, all those words…
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER EIGHT: Under Zac’s control
The room suddenly lit up and Mia gasped, breaking the silence. “Zac?” she whispered, her voice trembling.Now fully exposed, Mia fought against his strong grip. Despite her smaller frame, her strength surprised him.“Let me go! You’ve got this all wrong. I swear, I won’t cause any trouble!” she begged, panic clear in her eyes.“This show ends now, Mia Williams,” Zac growled, his tone low and venomous. “Stop resisting.”Mia froze, her wide eyes betraying her growing fear. “How—how do you know my name?”Zac leaned closer, his gaze unflinching. “Mia Williams. Twenty-three years old. High school graduate. Your mother lives in Colony Town, three hours outside New York City. Your father’s currently in Princeton. Last but not the least—your best friend, Samantha, lives just an hour away. Ring a bell?”Mia had always been resourceful, but desperation had blinded her to Zac’s true nature—far more dangerous than she’d ever imagined.To the world, Zac was known as a quiet heir and “grandpa’s boy
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER SEVEN: Crossing boundaries
Mia sat in front of her mirror while Samantha sat beside her, watching, as she applied her lightweight lipstick. Then her phone rang. She saw it was her mom’s number, and a smile spread across her face. But the smile quickly vanished as she heard her mom sobbing on the other end.“Mom, what’s wrong?” Mia asked apprehensively.“Mia, I-I got evicted from my apartment!” Her voice cracked, tears spilling through the receiver. “I was robbed last night, and my landlord refused to give me an extension.”Mia gave a sigh, her voice shaking.“What? Mom, calm down. I’ll figure this out. Just give me a few hours, alright?”“Thank you, baby,” her mom said through sobs.Mia hung up, her fingers clenching tightly on her phone as her mind whirled. She needed to act fast, but there was only one person she knew who could supply the cash—and the thought of him made her stomach twist.“What’s going on?” Samantha asked, her head tilting in interest.“I need to pay a visit to Derrick right now,” Mia sai
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER SIX: Shadows beneath the surface
Three months earlier, Zac sat in his study, the soft hum of a late evening wrapping the room. His tie hung loose around his neck, and the whiskey in his glass had gone cold. The silence was broken by the soft clink of Angelo’s glass against the edge of the desk. “Let me guess… it’s about her again.” Angelo said, his voice low, carrying a note of amusement. Zac didn’t respond immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, tracing faint cracks as though they held the answers he sought. “I told you she wouldn’t show,” Angelo continued, his tone too casual for the weight of the conversation. Zac swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his knuckles tight around the stem. “You said it. Yeah, you were right.” Angelo smirked, leaning back in his chair. “I tried to warn you. You were setting yourself up for disappointment. Did you honestly think she’d come through?” Zac exhaled heavily, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “It wasn’t supposed to go like that.” He fell
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER FIVE: Familiar Strangers
Mia adjusted her gown slightly, standing before an imposing penthouse. No amount of preparation could steady her nerves—Zac Cornell was just beyond the walls, and she wasn’t sure how to face him. She stood before the gates of Zac Cornell’s estate, her breath catching at the sight of it. It was larger than she’d imagined—a fortress of steel and glass, framed by precisely maintained gardens. The high walls weren’t just physical barriers; they represented the gulf between Zac’s world and hers. Her palms felt sticky as she adjusted her bag, the weight of her mission pressing heavily on her shoulders. The role she was stepping into—that of Tiffany, the assistant cook—had taken weeks of preparation. Yet, now standing on the verge of her mission, buried doubts resurfaced. She had come for answers, but the emotions tangled with them threatened to overwhelm her. The chief of staff greeted her with a professional smile. He was tall, seamlessly dressed in a crisp suit, with an air of quiet
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER FOUR: From Russia, with Love
Mia’s POV “I’m so sorry about that, Mia.” Samantha’s voice was soft, her face etched with sympathy. “I guess this is where we say goodbye again, my cyber bestie.” My voice cracked, tears pricking at my eyes. “Just hang in there a little longer,” Samantha placed a hand on mine. “Besides, we're so close to finding Father.” “What intel do we have on him?” She turned her laptop toward me, the glow illuminating a familiar face—my father. He sat in a cafe in New Jersey, looking just as vibrant as I remembered. “Looks like he’s relocating back to New York,” Samantha said, her tone cautious, as if she was afraid of my reaction. I nodded, swallowing hard. “Secure his address as soon as possible. I’ll confront him when I return.” “What about mom?” “Don't say a word to her until I handle this,” I hesitated, my voice firm but tinged with worry. “I don’t want her getting overwhelmed—she’s been through enough since he left.” Samantha's eyes softened, concern evident in her voi
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER THREE: What happened last night?
Mia’s povI turned, tilting my head to meet his deep-set, smokey grey eyes. His gaze lingered—very predatory as if he wasn’t done with me yet."Are you serious right now? This can’t be real." He sighed, running his fingers through his silky black hair, the rest of the strands falling back into place effortlessly. “Look …I’m sorry if that came off kind of weird. The thing is… I’m… really attracted to you.”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Oh, please. Don’t start. You’re just like the rest.”“No…it’s not like that, I promise. My intentions are clear,” he spoke, his voice softening but his eyes unwavering. “I want you to be with me, Tiffany. Not just— here, but for real. By my side.”My mind spun, struggling to process his words.How did I end up in this situation? Drawn to this man—who is a distraction from my mission.“I know this sounds crazy, but when our eyes met back there… you felt it too, right?” His voice dropped, and his hand reached out for mine.I wanted to oppose it, but I coul
THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE CHAPTER TWO: Marry me, Tiffany
Zac’s POV It was just past noon, but the throbbing headache from three consecutive all-nighters still weighed on me. I sat at my neatly organized desk, staring blankly at the city skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The silence was broken by the sudden ring of my phone. It was Martini, an old business partner my late father trusted. “Hey Martini, what’s up?” I answered, trying to mask the exhaustion in my voice. “Zac, I need you at The Red Room tonight. I’ve managed to sway the investors for Project Rainbow. Are you game?” “The Red Room… a strip club?” I frowned, disbelief creeping into my tone. “You know that’s not my style, Martini.” “I know, but this is the only chance we’ve got with Mr. Suarez and Lorenzo.” His voice grew firm. “We need to move this project forward.” “Can’t we find a more conventional setting?” I rubbed my temples, feeling the frustration mounting. “I know it’s not ideal for you.” His tone softened but remained resolute. “But the s
