Home / Romance / THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride / Chapter 9 Love and War

Share

Chapter 9 Love and War

Author: Sofia
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-13 05:23:30

Callum’s words sliced through the air like a blade, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

Isabella’s breath caught.

If Adrian Costa wasn’t after her, then who?

Alexander’s grip on his gun tightened, his voice razor-sharp. “Talk.”

Callum smirked, rolling his shoulders despite the blood caked on his face. “Now, Kingston, you know me better than that. I never give something for nothing.”

Jason cocked his gun and pressed it hard against Callum’s skull. “Then let’s make it nothing.”

Callum chuckled, completely unfazed. “Please. If you were going to kill me, you’d have done it already.” His bruised gaze flickered toward Isabella, his lips curling slightly.

That look.

Like he knew something she didn’t.

She hated it.

Alexander moved swiftly, dangerously, his presence thick with warning. “Who is Adrian going after?”

Callum sighed, dragging it out before his smirk deepened.

“He’s after your brother.”

The world shifted.

Alexander froze.

His expression was unreadable,
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 10 The Truth That Shatters

    The air in Alexander’s office was suffocating. Isabella stood motionless, every muscle in her body wound tight as Callum leaned back in his chair, a lazy smirk stretching across his face. He was enjoying this, dragging out every second of the truth that was about to destroy her. Alexander stood beside her, silent and unreadable. But Isabella wasn’t blind—his fists were clenched, his breathing was controlled but heavier than usual. And that silence told her everything. Her heart pounded. “What are you talking about?” Callum sighed, tilting his head as if considering how best to break her. “I’m talking about the fact that you were never meant to be your father’s daughter.” A sick chill crept down Isabella’s spine. “That’s a lie,” she whispered, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. Callum’s smirk deepened. “Oh, but it’s not. You see, your father’s wife—the woman who raised you—fell into a coma after giving birth. And the baby she carried?” He tilted his head, drawing

    Last Updated : 2025-03-14
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 11 The Art of War

    The air in Alexander’s office was suffocating. Elias Moretti sat tied to a chair, his once-impeccable suit stained with blood, his breathing heavy. He should have been terrified, but instead, that damned smirk still lingered on his lips. Across from him, Isabella stood tall, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. The woman who had once hesitated was gone. And Moretti could see it. "You think you have control here, don’t you?" His voice was hoarse, but the amusement remained. Isabella leaned in slightly, her eyes locked onto his. "No, Moretti. I know I do." The smirk faltered. From the corner, Callum chuckled, still handcuffed but looking far too entertained. "I have to admit, sweetheart, this is a good look on you." She didn’t even spare him a glance. "Shut up, Callum." Jason snickered. "That’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to him." Damien flicked open a knife, his grin lazy. "Shame he never takes the hint." Alexander stood near the doorway, arms c

    Last Updated : 2025-03-15
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 12 The War Room

    The war room felt suffocating despite its size. The air was thick with tension, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on them like an iron grip. Isabella stood at the head of the table, her fingers splayed against the blueprint of Vasquez’s airstrip. A fortress. Steel gates. Surveillance cameras. Armed guards stationed at every vulnerable entry point. A single mistake could cost them everything. But hesitation? That would cost them even more. "We strike at 0200," she said, her voice sharp, decisive. "Vasquez is overseeing a weapons deal in the hangar. That’s our window." Jason leaned back in his chair, flipping his knife between his fingers. A smirk played at his lips. "Love the confidence, Princess, but Vasquez has numbers. We don’t." "We don’t need numbers," Isabella shot back. "We need precision." Alexander stood near the window, arms crossed, his blue eyes unreadable. "And if this goes wrong?" She met his gaze, unwavering. "Then we don’t come back." A

    Last Updated : 2025-03-18
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 13 THE ESCAPE THAT NEVER HAPPENED

    The air inside the ballroom was thick with tension, a suffocating weight pressing against Isabella’s chest. The chandeliers above cast golden light over the opulent hall, their crystals shimmering like fragile stars. Laughter and music filled the space, but beneath the illusion of elegance, danger lurked. She could feel him watching her. Vargas. His gaze seared into her back, a silent challenge, a taunt that sent a ripple of unease through her spine. He knew. But she didn’t react—not yet. Instead, she let her fingers trail along the stem of her champagne flute, the picture of poised indifference. She had already mapped out the exits, counted the guards, memorized every possible escape route. The plan was simple. In and out. No complications. Then Alexander’s voice came low through her earpiece. “We need to move now.” Her grip on the glass tightened slightly. Across the room, Dante stood near the grand staircase, his stance too rigid, too controlled. He sensed it, too.

    Last Updated : 2025-03-20
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 14 – The Ghost of the Past

    The hum of the jet engines filled the cabin, steady and unbroken, but the silence inside was anything but peaceful. It was heavy. Suffocating. A silence that wasn’t relief, but exhaustion—the kind that followed a battle, not because it was over, but because they knew another one was coming. Isabella sat by the window, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her jacket as if grounding herself, as if she could squeeze out the tension that had wrapped around her spine. She should have felt something. Relief, perhaps. Moretti was dead. Vargas was nothing more than a forgotten corpse in Madrid. Charlotte was safe. And yet, her stomach was twisted in knots, because she knew—some wars didn’t end when the last bullet was fired. Some wars were just beginning. Across from her, Charlotte sat wrapped in a blanket, her pale fingers barely visible beneath the folds. Her face was gaunt, exhaustion clear in the shadows beneath her eyes. She hadn’t spoken much

    Last Updated : 2025-03-23
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 15 – A Warning in Blood

    The jet’s wheels screeched against the tarmac, the landing smooth but offering no sense of relief. The silence that had clung to them in the air remained thick even as the engines whined down. The cabin was dimly lit, but there was no mistaking the tension carved into each of their faces. Isabella’s nails dug into her palms as she stared at the floor, willing the unease in her stomach to settle. It didn’t. Something felt off. Alexander was the first to move, his gaze hard and calculating as he glanced at each of them before standing. “We don’t waste time. Get ready.” His voice was calm, but there was a distinct sharpness beneath it—a warning unspoken yet understood. Jason, usually the one to crack a joke, remained uncharacteristically silent, his green eyes glinting with an unreadable emotion. He rolled his shoulders, the tension never leaving. Dante was much the same, though his fingers twitched against his knee, a sure sign of restrained frustration. Charlotte, small and fragil

    Last Updated : 2025-03-24
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 16 – Relocation and Retaliation

    The night air inside the ruined safe house was suffocating. The metallic scent of blood clung to the walls, seeping into everything like a sickness that refused to fade. The once-secure hideout was now a battlefield marked by bullet holes, shattered glass, and bodies left as a warning. The dim lighting flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows across the destruction. Alexander stood in the center of the wreckage, his fingers curled into fists at his sides. His blue eyes, normally alight with sharp intelligence, were cold and unreadable. He surveyed the carnage left in Vincent Blackwell’s wake—the blood staining the wooden floor, the overturned furniture, the unmistakable signs of a struggle that had ended in death. This wasn’t just an attack. It was a message. And Alexander had received it loud and clear. A slow exhale escaped him, controlled but lethal in its quietness. This was an act of war. And he wasn’t going to wait for another ambush. “We’re leaving.” His voice cut

    Last Updated : 2025-03-25
  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 17 – "shortly after dawn"

    The city lay in eerie silence, the glow of streetlights casting long shadows over the empty roads. A convoy of black SUVs moved like specters through the darkness, headlights off, engines humming low. The air inside the lead vehicle was thick with tension, the kind that settled deep in the bones before a storm. Alexander’s hands gripped the steering wheel with quiet intensity, his jaw clenched as he stared ahead. Tonight, it ended. No more chasing shadows, no more whispers leading to dead ends. Vincent was within reach. Jason sat in the passenger seat, methodically checking his gun for the third time in ten minutes. The soft click of the magazine sliding into place barely registered over the pounding in Alexander’s head. “We can’t afford any mistakes,” Jason muttered, eyes scanning the darkened streets. “If Vincent slips away again—” “He won’t.” Alexander’s voice was razor-sharp, his certainty unshaken. He didn’t need to look at Jason to know they shared the same unspoken vow—fa

    Last Updated : 2025-03-30

Latest chapter

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 26 THE RESCUE

    The warehouse reeked of gasoline, sweat, and something more sinister—fear.Marcus kicked down the reinforced door just as the last of his six men gunned down a guard in the hallway. The silence that followed was not peace, but a lull before the storm. They moved like shadows—swift, precise, unrelenting.Marcus trailed at the rear, his jaw tight, pulse pounding in his ears. He wasn’t just here on a mission. He was here for Erik. No more delays. No more mercy. “Lower east room,” Caleb's voice crackled through the comms. “Thermal scan shows one heat signature—still.” Marcus didn’t respond. He was already moving. The corridors were a blur, each footstep a hammer to the cold concrete. His grip tightened around his weapon. Every second Erik remained in that place was an insult Marcus could not forgive. He reached the door. One hard kick. It crashed open. There—slumped in a chair, wrists bound, shirt bloodied and torn—was Erik. Bruises darkened his ribs, and his face was

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    chapter 25 The Blood Oath

    2:09 PM – Emergency Recovery Unit. The room was quiet again. Too quiet. Jason sat stiffly on the edge of the hospital bed, sterile sheets twisted around his legs like chains. One hand pressed against the blood-soaked gauze on his side, the other trembling from more than just pain. It was something deeper. More dangerous. Love. He hadn’t meant to fall for her. In his world, love was a vulnerability—one that could get you killed. It dulled instincts. Blurred lines. Made monsters look human.And yet, the first time he saw her—fragile, scared, defiant—something inside him cracked. He buried it fast. Compartmentalized it. Pretended it was nothing. Because he was too dangerous for someone like her. She deserved peace. He only knew war. But the feeling didn’t die. It waited. Waited through long nights in the war room. Through missions gone sideways. Through cold coffee and heated arguments and moments when her silence said more than words ever could. And somewhere betw

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 24 The Devil’s Table

    9:04 AM – Undisclosed Location: Blackwell Command Bunker, Milan The silence wasn’t ordinary. It throbbed—alive, almost sentient—twisting through steel panels and every muted pulse of embedded light. There was no comfort here. No warmth. Just cold, calculated control. And Charlotte stood at the center of it all—poised like a queen in exile. Her wrists were bound in silk—a mockery of captivity. A message. To anyone else, she might have looked like a prisoner. But Charlotte was no one’s captive. Not today. Not ever. She was here by design. Every step that had brought her to this moment had been orchestrated with precision. She had studied him—Vincent Blackwell—the way a predator stalks its prey. But unlike the others who had fallen to his shadow, Charlotte hadn’t come to beg, or plead, or run. She had come to end it. The bunker’s reinforced doors hissed open. And with them, the temperature dropped. Vincent Blackwell entered like an omen—silent, dangerous, deliber

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 23 A Line Crossed

    4:36 AM – Codename Location: The Quadrilatero NetworkCodename: “Safe House 7 – Via Gesù”The world outside was still in slumber, but inside Safe House 7, war had already begun.The dim overhead lights flickered, casting long, angular shadows across the steel-paneled walls. The silence wasn’t peaceful—it was the kind that screamed. Tense. Breathless. Ticking like a bomb on the verge of detonation. Alexander stood at the center of the command room, rigid as stone, eyes fixed on the encrypted message glowing from his tablet screen. The words burned brighter than the harsh white light illuminating them:“He can have his brother back… when I have my son’s loyalty.”No name. No signature. But the venom was unmistakable.Vincent.That name alone could curdle blood. The man didn’t speak threats; he delivered them like verdicts. Always personal. Always precise.Alexander’s fingers curled around the edge of the steel table until the metal groaned under the pressure. His knuckles turned ghost-

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 22 Beneath the Ashes

    3:06 Am The north wing was a graveyard. Smoke thickened with every breath, curling through shattered corridors like ghosts fleeing the blast. Sparks rained from broken fixtures. The scent of molten metal, blood, and burning insulation clung to every surface, choking out reason and hope. Alexander and Isabella moved fast—too fast for the damage around them, too slow for the fear inside them. Each step felt like a betrayal. Each breath, a countdown. Charlotte had been there. Then gone. Isabella’s lungs burned, but she didn’t stop. Couldn’t. Her sister had looked into that camera. Looked at her. And then— Silence. Black smoke. Nothing. Her boots skidded across tiles shattered like glass, dragging her forward until her knees buckled at the edge of a collapsed wall. She couldn’t move. Not one step more. “Charlotte…” Her voice came out cracked, barely there—like the girl herself had already vanished into dust. Alexander caught her from behind, gripping her shoulders as she sa

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 21 Collateral Hearts

    Milan, 2:13 AM – Rooftop Staging Point The rain had come in sheets—savage and unrelenting—hammering the fuselage of the modified Gulfstream as it cut through the thunder-laced skies over northern Italy. The storm howled with purpose, thunder rolling like a divine warning through the clouds. It was the kind of night that dared fate to blink first. Charlotte never blinked. The plane descended. Altitude dropped. Bay doors yawned open. One by one, the team vanished into the storm. She jumped last. For a heartbeat, gravity clutched her breath—long enough for every failure, every regret to tear through her ribs. Then instinct surged. The wind grabbed at her limbs, and Milan sprawled below—fractured light and jagged shadows spinning into view. A silent SUV waited, its engine purring as its tires kissed rain-slick cobblestones, gliding them deeper into a sleeping city where secrets wore suits and power was currency. Now, six stories above the crumbling outskirts near Blackwell’s Villa

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 20 The Weight of the Choice

    The elevator’s hum filled the silence like a heartbeat in the dark, low and steady, echoing off cold steel walls. Charlotte clutched the file tightly to her chest. But it wasn’t just a folder—it was a confession. A lifeline. A plea wrapped in vulnerability and love. The kind of love that dared to be exposed. The kind that lingered in the air long after the words had faded.With a soft chime, the elevator doors parted, spilling her into the corridor. It felt colder than before—longer, emptier. Each step forward was deliberate, echoing off the pristine tiles like a countdown she couldn’t pause. She wasn’t just making a decision.She was crossing a line.Isabella hadn’t handed her the file just to inform her. It was a desperate gesture. A surrender. A hope that Charlotte would turn away.And Charlotte knew all too well what it meant to be left behind.The operations room loomed at the end of the corridor, a beacon of murmured voices and rustling pages. Strategies being born in real time.

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 19 Shadows of Doubt

    Shadows of Doubt The silence in Alexander’s office was suffocating. Even with Isabella gone, her presence lingered—like the ghost of a touch, the echo of unspoken words. He exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. He needed to get his head straight. There was no room for distraction. No time for emotions. And yet, she had a way of slipping past his carefully built defenses, leaving behind cracks he couldn’t ignore. A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. “What?” The door swung open, and Jason stepped inside. His posture was tense, his face drawn with exhaustion and something else—guilt. “I know you don’t want to see me right now,” Jason said, voice quieter than usual. “But we need to talk.” Alexander sat back in his chair, arms folding across his chest. His expression was unreadable, but the coldness in his gaze was unmistakable. “You have two minutes.” Jason hesitated, but only for a second. “I didn’t let him go because I was weak.” His voice was steady,

  • THE Billionaire's Hidden Bride    Chapter 18 Blood and Loyalties

    Jason sat in the passenger seat, his muscles coiled with tension as Alexander tore through the streets, the car’s tires screeching against the asphalt. The city lights blurred past them in streaks of neon, but neither man was paying attention to the outside world. Inside the car, the air was thick with unspoken accusations, the weight of failure pressing down on them both. Alexander’s grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles turning white. His jaw was set, his eyes dark with barely restrained fury. The cold glow from the dashboard illuminated the sharp angles of his face, making him look even more dangerous than usual. Jason knew better than to speak first. But Alexander wasn’t the type to let things go. “You want to tell me what the hell happened back there?” His voice was low, deceptively calm, the kind of calm that came before a storm. Jason exhaled through his nose, keeping his gaze fixed on the road ahead. “I already told you. He escaped.” A muscle ticked in Alexa

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status