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Chapter 179 Forced Smiles
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2025-04-02 14:16:17
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THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 180 The Secrets
ZeldaLilian Wenger's red eyes and embarrassed flush were hard to ignore. She’s a dancer of some renown, and those in the arts often possess a certain nobility. But the comfortable life she was accustomed to was clearly weighing on her, the thought of losing it all outweighing any sense of shame.I never expected Susan to still be lying to her parents, still clinging to the fiction that James is her child’s father. My brow furrowed.“Please?” I prompted.“James has stopped investing in the Wenger family. It was agreed upon, but he’s cut us off without warning. Our funding has dried up…” This was news to me.James hadn’t breathed a word of it.“Zee, for your grandmother’s sake, you can’t just stand by and watch the Wenger family crumble. Grandma and Grandpa built that business.”Grandmother Wenger passed away when I was five. My memories are hazy, but I remember her warmth and her adoration. It’s undeniable that my adoption by the Fergusons was tied to my connection to the Wenger famil
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-02THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 181 The Substitute
My good mood vanished, replaced by a chilling premonition. Even though the number was unknown, I knew it was Susan. I frowned, ready to block it, but another photo arrived. Annoyed, I almost swiped it away, but my finger slipped, enlarging the image. My heart lurchedIt was a surreptitious shot, clearly taken on a plane. The man, only half his face visible, sat with a sleeping woman leaning against his shoulder. The woman’s face was obscured, but her long, thick, curly hair suggested youth and beauty. She was nestled against him, asleep, while he gazed at her with… tenderness.The picture was beautiful, and evocative. If the man wasn’t my husband, the man who’d promised to be home for lunch, I might have even called it romantic.My fingers went numb. I could feel the blood draining from my face as I swiped the photo away. Then, more texts from Susan:[You should recognize that this is James Ferguson's private plane. Idiot, this woman is the one he really brought back to the country an
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-03THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 182 Love birds
ZeldaI watched Susan’s mouth move, the words blurring into a meaningless drone. My mind was reeling, a montage of memories flashing before my eyes. Yes, a small voice whispered, nothing in this world is free.I remembered that snowy night, the young James carrying me into the Ferguson mansion. He’d personally coaxed me that night, cleaned the grime from my body, and tended to my wounds. He’d spoken softly and offered me a piece of orange candy. I’d thought I was lucky, that I’d somehow caught his eye, and earned his favour.But I’d forgotten… James wasn’t compassionate.He was aloof, cold, unapproachable. And he had mysophobia! Why would he, of all people, lower himself to care for a filthy, bloodied child unless… unless there was a reason?And now, the reason was staring me in the face, cruel and devastating. I closed my eyes, trying to shield myself from the wave of bitterness and pain threatening to engulf me. I wouldn’t give Susan the satisfaction of seeing me break.“Are you fin
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-03THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 183 Fake Husband
ZeldaThe phone screen mocked me, a digital window into a reality I desperately didn't want to see.Susan's words, laced with venomous glee, echoed in my ears."Is that your husband?" As if she had any right to speak his name.My hands trembled, a mix of rage and a bone-deep dread. I couldn't answer. I wouldn't. Not with her watching, her eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction."Sister, are you afraid to answer it?" Her voice was a saccharine mockery.I snapped. The phone went dark, and the scalding coffee followed, a desperate, futile attempt to silence the truth she was trying to force down my throat."Zelda Liamson, you are mad!" She screamed, the hot liquid dripping down her face.Mad? I was beyond mad. I was unravelling."Don't be ungrateful and repay kindness with hatred!" She spat her words with a bitter, ironic twist.Kindness? Did she call this kindness? This tearing apart of my life, this shattering o
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-04THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 184 The dream
JamesThe abrupt silence of the phone call echoed in the sterile hospital corridor, a small, yet jarring disruption to the otherwise clinical atmosphere.I stared at the dark screen, a faint frown creasing my brow.From the window beside me, the emergency entrance was visible, a flurry of activity. A moment ago, I could have sworn I saw a familiar figure being carried inside. A woman, her face obscured, but something about her…Zelda.But no, it couldn't be. She was at the old house, safe. She wouldn't be here. She wouldn't… hang up on me.Why wouldn't she answer? Was she still angry about lunch? I’d been detained at the office, an urgent matter that couldn’t be postponed. She knew I hated breaking promises, especially to her."James, my mother has woken up and asked me to come out and call you."The sound of my given name, rarely used, snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to see my cousin, her expr
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-04THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 185 A Lie
ZeldaThe sight of them, walking side by side, was a painful echo of the past. A chilling reminder of the wedding anniversary when I'd seen him with Susan. The same casual intimacy, the same dismissive air.A wave of nausea washed over me, a sickening blend of sadness and betrayal. My fingers trembled, the phone a cold, hard weight in my hand.I couldn't face him. Not yet. I slipped behind a nearby tree, a silent observer in my own life.He answered the call, his voice, deep and familiar, cutting through the silence."Why didn't you answer the phone just now?"No greeting, no endearment. Just a question, sharp and accusatory. Was it because Bai Luoqi was there? Was he afraid to address me properly in front of her?"James, where are you? Why didn't you come back at noon?" I asked, my voice strained.A desperate plea for honesty. If he could just tell me the truth, explain his relationship with Bai Luoqi, then maybe, just maybe,
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-05THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 186 The Scars
ZeldaIt was them. Him and Bai Luoxing. Together. In the sterile, white hallway of the hospital. My heart, already fragile, felt like it shattered into a million tiny pieces.I couldn't face him then. Couldn't bear to see the truth reflected in his eyes. So I retreated, a coward in my own story.The darkness of our bedroom offered a false sense of courage. A foolish hope that maybe, just maybe, I was wrong. That I was imagining things. I needed to ask him. Needed to hear it from his own lips. To understand. But when I tried, the words caught in my throat, choked by the lump of despair that had formed there."Let's talk tomorrow, go to sleep..." he mumbled, pulling me into his arms.His embrace, once a sanctuary, now felt like a cage. His brow was furrowed, his voice distant. Was it guilt? Avoidance? Or simply indifference? Was he already giving his attention to someone else?I used to love his embrace. The familiar scent, the steady beat of
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-05THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 187 A Substitute
ZeldaTiny sobs escaped me, a pathetic, leaking sound I couldn't contain. I pressed my fingers to my lips, trying to silence the tremors, but they wouldn't stop.He turned, his eyes widening as he saw my tears. Stunned, he pulled me into his arms."Why are you suddenly crying?"I couldn't speak. My throat was tight, choked with unspoken words, with the weight of everything I knew now.He remembered. He remembered the little girl who cried for him, even when he wouldn't cry for himself. A small, sad smile touched his lips. He pulled my hands away, kissed my wet cheek, and coaxed me,"Are you heartbroken? Is Queeny a little fool? The pain has healed a long time ago, and it doesn't hurt anymore. It's okay, it's not worth crying about."His gentle words, his familiar touch, almost broke me. I clenched my fists, fighting back the fresh wave of tears that threatened to overwhelm me."You're right," I managed, my voice trembling.
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-06
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THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 265 Swift Justice
ZeldaAs the door shut, James exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His body was tense, his fists clenched at his sides.James stood motionless, staring at the door, his jaw clenched so tightly that I thought he might break.Mr Ferguson was the first to speak, his voice firm but not unkind.“James, I know you’re angry, but she’s still your mother.”James let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Still my mother?” His voice wavered. “What kind of mother does this to her child? What kind of mother lets him suffer for years and then—then when the truth comes out, she refuses to even acknowledge it?”His father sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “She’s scared, James. Scared of losing everything she’s built, scared of what the truth means.”James turned on him, pained.“And what about me? Does she care how scared I was? How much I lost? How I spent years believing I was the mistake, that everything that went wrong was somehow my fault?”Helen’s voice trembled from the doorw
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 264 I Have Proof
ZeldaI sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the divorce papers I had once been so ready to sign. My hands rest over my stomach, where our child—my child—grows.I told myself I wouldn't cry over James Ferguson again. But here I am, my heart still aching in ways I wish it wouldn't.He had always been my saviour. When I was just a scared thirteen-year-old girl, lost and alone, James had taken me in. I admired him, idolized him. But then admiration turned into something else. Love. The kind that consumed me, that I could never shake off, no matter how hard I tried.But James had never seen me that way.First, it was Susan Wenger... I watched as he gave everything to Susan, how he smiled at her the way I had always wished he would look at me. And when Susan was gone, I thought—maybe—just maybe, James would see me.But then came Luoxing.And that had been the final proof I needed to know the truth. I was never going to be James's first choice.That was why I decided to leave. I refused t
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 263 Showing Mercy
JamesThe Bai estate was as grand as ever, standing as a symbol of power, wealth, and the history that bound our families together.Or so I thought.I stepped inside without hesitation. No one stopped me. They never would. For years, I had been welcomed here like a son.I had thought I was.But tonight, the weight of betrayal clung to me like a second skin, suffocating, inescapable and true.As I entered the main hall, I found them all gathered—Mr. Bai, Mrs. Bai, and their daughter, Bai Luoxing.The moment they saw me, Luoxing was the first to react. She stood up, her eyes filled with something between relief and hesitation."James!"I lifted a hand to my head, stopping her in her tracks.She hesitated, then slowly sat back down, casting a quick glance toward her mother.Mrs Bai, ever composed, sat calmly at the head of the table, an air of relaxed control around her. She didn’t look surprised to see me.She probably didn’t know that I knew everything.Mr. Bai, on the other hand, was
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 262 I Need to Know
JamesA slow, numbing realization crept over me, drowning out everything else.The Bai family hadn’t just manipulated me.They had shaped my entire life."They couldn’t just bring Luoxing back," Dom continued, his voice low. "Not when the whole world was looking for her. Not when they hadn't gotten anything from their attempt. So they kept her hidden, cared for her, made sure no one found her."I barely heard him. My mind was already racing ahead, connecting pieces I had never thought to question before."But the Ferguson family—" My voice caught. "We never stopped searching for her.""And that’s exactly what they wanted."I snapped my gaze to him."Think about it, James." Dom leaned forward, the dim light casting sharp shadows on his face."Your parents. Your grandmother. You. You were all drowning in guilt, haunted by the loss of a little girl you thought you failed to protect. You clung to Madame Bai and saw her as a second mother because she was grieving too. She played her role p
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 261 Start Talking
JamesThe air in the car was filled with tension, Zelda's rigid posture and clenched phone screaming her silent fury at me. I deserved it—every bit of her anger, every cold shoulder. But damn if it didn't carve a hollow ache in my chest.Then my phone buzzed, slicing through the suffocating quiet.I answered, and within seconds, the tension in my shoulders eased."We found Dom."The words sent a rush of grim satisfaction through me. Finally. After all the hunting, all the dead ends—we had him.My grip tightened on the phone. "Alive?""Barely. He's talking."Good.I glanced at Zelda, still stubbornly turned away from me, her reflection faint in the window. This changed everything. With Dom's testimony, the Bai family's carefully constructed lies would crumble.But first—"Keep him secure. I'll be there soon."Hanging up, I studied Zelda's profile. She thought this was about the divorce. About me stalling.She had no idea the storm that was coming.And for once, I'd be the one to shield
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 260 I am sorry
JamesMadam Bai’s fingers combed through Bai Luoxing’s hair with practised tenderness, her voice saccharine."Don’t cry. Mom knows your heart is too soft—you would have stopped me if you knew."Then she lifted her chin, her blind eyes fixed in my direction with eerie precision."James, I only helped your wife leave because she wanted to. I didn’t want you two to become bitter enemies. You may not understand my intentions, but the truth is, this all started with her desire to run. Luoxing is innocent."Innocent.The word tasted like ash."So sending men to hunt her down—was that also a favour?" My voice was lethally quiet.Madam Bai’s wrinkled face twisted in feigned confusion."Hunt her? James, I only sent people to find her after she disappeared! For her safety! And my nephew—where is Dom? Did you see him?"Zelda stiffened beside me. I could almost hear the furious drum of her heartbeat.I stared at the woman who had once been like a second mother to me.Even now, faced with the trut
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 259 All Of It
JamesMy lashes lowered, hiding the smug satisfaction in my gaze as I buried my face against her again. Good. She didn’t push me away this time.Then— Thump.Something struck the side of my face.I froze.Before I could process it, another hit—this time square on the bridge of my nose. Not painful, but sharp, like a tiny jolt of electricity.My head snapped up, eyes wide."Was that… Littleton?"Zelda’s lips curled, amusement flickering in her gaze before she pressed them flat again."Littleton’s here to teach you some manners," she said dryly.Of course, it was Littleton.Even in the womb, my kid couldn’t stand watching their shameless father grovelling like this and decided to intervene.A stunned laugh caught in my throat.I stared at the slight swell of her belly, then slowly raised my hand, pressing my fingers where I’d been kicked. The impact had been soft, muted by layers of flesh and fluid, but it sent a current straight through my chest.My heart hammered—not from fever, but s
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 258 Faking It
JamesThe pain in my chest was sharp, unrelenting, as I watched her smile—so effortless, so free. As if I meant nothing.If it were up to me, I’d never let her go.Especially not now, with those men hovering around her like vultures, waiting for their chance. But I couldn’t do anything. Not anymore.I didn’t dare to force her, didn’t dare to manipulate things behind her back like I used to. One wrong move, and she’d slip even further from my grasp.And then there was Dom. Until he was dealt with, she wasn’t safe here."Don’t worry," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "I’ll fulfil your wish this time. Consider it… compensation for the wedding."That damned wedding. My fault. All of it.Maybe ending this marriage was the only way to truly start over. She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine, and for the first time, she saw it—my resolve. No tricks, no games. This was real.Her lashes fluttered, her grip on my collar loosening as she whispered,"So after we land…
THE BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET, CHASING AFTER ME Chapter 257 The Cousin
ZeldaOf course I couldn't bear it.I never wanted to compete with Bai Luoxing for anything. She was the one who forced her way into my marriage. Even then, I retreated—step by step, until I'd put an ocean between us.Yet the Bai family still wouldn't let me go. They wanted me dead. How vicious could they be?But Leiy hadn't said much earlier. Even I was only guessing. Did James... already know it was them?My eyes widened in shock. "You knew? Bai Luoxing helped me leave the country, and the Bai family has been hunting me since I landed—"His face darkened at the mention of my escape. "How else do you think I found you?"I pressed my lips together, then let out a cold laugh."Well, color me surprised. I thought even if I accused the Bai family, you'd assume I was just smearing their name out of spite."The pain that flashed across his face was sharp enough to almost make me regret my words. Almost.His chest heaved, and before I could react, his hand shot out, gripping the back of my
