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CHAPTER 41
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-22 13:04:39
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'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 42
The neon lights of the nightclub flickered against the dark city streets as Lena pushed through the doors, the cool night air hitting her flushed skin.She adjusted her bag over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the sidewalk until they landed on Abby, leaning casually against a lamppost.Abby grinned as soon as she spotted her. “Well, well. If it isn’t my favorite overworked bartender.”Lena rolled her eyes. “You say that like I have a choice.”“You don’t,” Abby said, linking her arm with Lena’s as they started down the street. “That’s why I’m here to make sure you don’t drop dead from exhaustion before we even reach the bus stop.”Lena huffed a tired laugh, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.Abby must have noticed, because her playful demeanor shifted. “Okay, what’s up with you? You’ve been weirdly quiet all night.”Lena hesitated, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag.She wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk about it—hell, she wasn’t sure if she could. The last few hours h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-22'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 43
The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass as Matteo pulled the sleek bronze Tesla out of the driveway. Vincent sat in the backseat, staring out the window with a hard expression, his school backpack slung lazily over one shoulder.Just as Matteo was about to accelerate, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed across the driveway."Wait!" Lena’s voice rang out.Vincent turned his head just in time to see her sprinting toward the car, her messy ponytail bouncing as she waved one arm frantically. Matteo sighed, already rolling down the passenger window."Mrs. Josh?" he asked, hidden amusement flickering in his dark eyes."Don’t call me that, call me Lena" Lena huffed, gripping the door handle. "I need a ride to the preschool."Matteo arched a brow. "You do realize this is not a taxi service, right?"Lena ignored him and yanked the back door open, sliding in next to Vincent. She barely had time to close it before Matteo pulled out of the driveway. She mouthed a foul
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 44
Vincent hopped out of the car, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. He didn’t say goodbye, just gave Lena a brief glance before disappearing into the sea of students.Lena sighed, sinking back into the seat as Matteo pulled away from the curb.The car was silent for a few moments before Matteo cleared his throat."I—uh—" he hesitated, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. "I heard what you said to Asher, the other day. About Phillip. It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop."Lena turned to him, surprised. Matteo had never spoken to her before, and his voice was deeper than she expected—calm, steady, with just the slightest hint of hesitation."You were listening?"Matteo kept his eyes on the road. "Not on purpose."Lena studied him, noting the slight stiffness in his posture. "And?"A muscle in his jaw twitched. "You’re not wrong to be concerned."Her breath hitched, in bewilderment. She leaned forward and whispered, "You think he’s hurting Pamela too?"Matteo hesitated. "I do
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 45
Lena stormed into her bedroom after another long day at the club, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had spent all night replaying the conversation with Vincent, trying to figure out how to convince Asher of the truth.Asher sat behind his average-sized steel desk situated by the left corner of the room, fingers steepled beneath his chin. His sharp brown eyes flickered to her, then back to the documents in front of him. He didn’t acknowledge her presence beyond that.Lena clenched her jaw. Of course, he was going to make this difficult.“Asher, we need to talk.”“Busy.”She stalked toward him, placing both hands flat on his desk. “Well, too bad. Because this isn’t something you can ignore.”Asher sighed and leaned back, rubbing his temples. “If this is about what happened last night—”“It is,” she interrupted, tersely. “Pamela is being abused.”His entire body tensed, but he kept his expression blank. “Drop it, Lena.”“No.”His jaw tightened, anger tightening in his chiseled j
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 46
Asher leaned against the cold metal railing of the balcony, staring out into the night. The city lights flickered in the distance, but his mind was somewhere else.Lena’s words echoed in his head."You’re being a coward."His fingers curled into fists.Coward? He had fought battles in boardrooms, crushed competitors, and built an empire from the ground up. He had never backed down from anything.Yet, when it came to Pamela… he had avoided it. Why? Because he was scared to believe it was true. He was scared to believe a middle-class woman had discovered what had been right under his nose before him.And no matter how much he denied it, that was the truth.A heavy sigh left his lips. If what Lena said was true, if Vincent had known all along…He straightened.There was only one way to find out.______________Asher stood outside Vincent’s room, his hand hovering over the doorknob. He didn’t knock. He simply opened it and walked in.Vincent was sitting at his desk, staring blankly at his
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 47
Phillip straightened his shirt, forcing a casual smile onto his face as if nothing had happened. “Ah, Asher,” he said smoothly, “I was just asking Lena to grab something from the fridge—”He never got to finish his sentence when Asher lunged at him.The first punch landed square on Phillip’s jaw, sending him stumbling back against the counter.“Bastard!” Asher roared, grabbing Phillip by the collar and slamming him into the refrigerator. “You abused my sister? Threatened her? Do you think you’ll get away with it?”Phillip barely had time to react before another punch crashed into his ribs. He gasped, doubling over in pain, but Asher wasn’t done. His fists rained down with relentless fury, fueled by years of oblivion and the weight of Vincent’s words.He had overheard the conversation between Lena and Phillip. Asher couldn't help but blame himself for everything. How couldn't he have noticed it? How could he have let his sister go through all these things for years?Lena backed away, h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 48
The flashing red and blue lights disappeared down the driveway as the police car carrying Phillip drove away. His protests had faded into the night, drowned by the heavy silence that settled over the household.Pamela sat curled up on the couch, her hands trembling as she wiped away the last remnants of her tears.Jade tucked a warm blanket around her shoulders. “You don’t have to say anything, dear. Just rest.”Annabelle crouched beside her, her usual playful demeanor replaced by quiet concern. “We’re here for you, Pamela,” she whispered.Danielle brushed Pamela’s hair from her face, her touch gentle. “You’re safe now,” she murmured. “No one will hurt you again.”Lena, who had been sitting close by, squeezed Pamela’s hand.Pamela looked at her with gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.Lena smiled softly. “You don’t have to thank me.”Jade turned to Lena. “You’ve had a long day, sweetheart. Go upstairs and get some rest.”Lena hesitated, glancin
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-24'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 49
Abby walked down the sidewalk, the cool evening breeze tugging at her jacket as she clutched her purse close. Work had been exhausting, and all she wanted was to get home, throw herself onto her bed, and binge-watch some terrible reality TV.But just as she turned the corner, the low purr of an engine crept up behind her.She craned her head backwards to look at the car, just to see Josiah in it waving a hand at her with his million dollars smile in check.She rolled her eyes ignoring him and continued working but he didn't back down.Her brows furrowed as she caught a glimpse of the sleek black car rolling beside her from the corner of her eye.Then came Josiah’s frivolous voice. “Hey, gorgeous. You’re really gonna pretend you don’t see a sexy man like me waving at you?”Abby sighed and kept walking.Josiah’s car slowed to match her pace.He rolled down the window down and stuck out his head slightly. “Abby, don’t do me like this, baby. You’re hurting my heart.”She stopped in her tr
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-03
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'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 65
Asher sat in the backseat of his Porsche, the engine humming as they cruised through the city. The night was dark, with street lights flashing by, and he looked out the window, his thoughts in disarray, a lot going on his mind. Matteo stayed silent in the front seat, hands firmly on the wheel, while Josiah was next to Asher, chattering away like a wind-up toy.“Hey, picture this, right?” Josiah exclaimed, his voice loud and playful. “We arrive, and Abby's there in that red dress boom! I trip over my own feet trying to impress her! I’d look like a total fool, right?” He laughed, slapping his knee, grinning like a kid telling a bad joke.Asher clenched his fist, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. He hated himself for expecting any more from Lena. Last time, she forgot about their date and went on a ride with that bastard; now, she had called him to say Abby would take her place since she had a terrible headache.Asher barely registered Josiah, his eyes on the streaks of
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 64
The next day, Asher sank into the driver’s seat of his silver. He rubbed his face, restless, his thoughts consumed by the dinner Lena had convinced him to attend tonight.Not wanting to be alone with his thoughts, he picked up his phone, found Josiah’s contact, and called before he could second-guess himself.“ Well, well, well, have dogs begun to fly?” Josiah greeted him, his voice lanky and absurd as usual, as though he’d just tripped on something amusing. “What’s going on? Are you actually calling me?”Asher frowned and leaned back in his seat. “Cut it out, you clown,” he replied, trying to maintain a gruff demeanor but failing. “Want to go out tonight for a pint or something? Your call.” He played it cool.There was a moment of silence from Josiah before he burst into laughter. “Ha! Is this a setup? You, wanting to hang out with little ol’ me?” he said, sounding as if Asher had just told him a funny story. “You alright, pal? Hit your head or something?” He cackled before lowerin
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 63
As dawn broke slowly, Asher was already awake, restless in the small room he had slept in. The bed was uncomfortable, and the quiet ambiance, interrupted only by the occasional creak or birdcall, kept him anxious. He packed his belongings into a bag, eager to leave this cramped, middle-class setting and return to his own life. He could hear Lena shuffling around downstairs, likely also packing.He made his way down the stairs with his bag slung over his shoulder and found Lena in the kitchen with her mother. Lena was hastily packing a sweater into her backpack, her hair tousled, while her mum fussed by the kettle, steam rising in the dim light. The aroma of toast and tea filled the air, a cozy scent that made Asher uncomfortable. He dropped his bag by the door, gave a brief nod to both of them and said, “Ready when you are,” his voice gruff, already mentally distancing himself from the room.Lena’s mum turned around, wiping her hands on her apron, and gave them a look, sharp yet w
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 62
Asher leaned against the small window in the cramped room Lena had arranged for him, the dark and silent night surrounding him. He heard the stairs creak slowly, and his head whipped around. The door opened slightly, revealing Lena, arms crossed, her expression a blend of irritation and an unrecognizable softness.Seeing her was like a breath of fresh air, a comforting surprise he didn’t anticipate. His shoulders relaxed a little, and the tightness in his chest eased, though he would never confess it to her or anyone else. She caught his gaze and smirked, a cheeky sparkle in her eyes. “What’s this?” she teased lightly. “Mum thinks you’re up here missing me. Cute, isn’t it? Tough guy, pining for my company?”He scoffed, sharply turning from the window to face her fully. “Pining? You’re dreaming, Lena. I’ve been perfectly fine without your chatter every five minutes.” He crossed his arms, mirroring her stance, though a twitch at the corner of his mouth threatened a grin.Lena walked
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 61
Asher stood alone in the tiny and unkempt room Lena had prepared for him. It was a tight space with barely enough room for the single bed in it, a crippled chair, and a scratched-up dresser in it. He didn’t sit, didn’t unpack, just moved to the small window, pushing the thin curtain aside. The street outside was dark and void of life, just a few shining lamps casting shadows on the Broken pavement. He looked out, hands in his pockets, and his mind filled with so many thoughts, dragging him back to places he didn’t want to go, lucid and uncalled thought.Flashbacks hit him hard on the rain-soaked nights, the smells of blood on his knuckles, shouts echoing down narrow alleys, hovering on his mind. He saw his old life, rough friends, dodgy deals, the kind of stuff that left scars inside and out him. A younger Asher, angry and lost, running through streets not much different from this one. His breath caught, chest tight,breath unsteady, as he remembered the cold, the fear, the mess
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE CHAPTER 60
Asher was standing on the rickety, dirty porch of Lena’s parents’ home, when his phone buzzed in his hand, and Angelica’s name glared at him from the screen. He thought, "What the hell is going on? Why is she suddenly calling him?" He sighed deeply, frustrated, his thumb scrolling over the end call button. He didn't want to hear her voice, not now, not ever, not after the chaotic and stressful day he’d had, with his mind still filled with old memories and the view of the street. The phone continued to ring again and again, so he reluctantly pressed it to his ear. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone sharp and steady.“Where are you, Asher?” Angelica’s voice came through the air, filled with accusations and fury, as if she were looking for a confrontation.He rested against the porch railing, which creaked under his weight. “Why does it matter to you?” he answered coldly. He wasn’t in the mood for her drama today.She persisted. “Don’t play dumb with me,” she hissed. “I heard y
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE Chapter 59
Asher parked the silver Porsche in front of Lena’s parents' house. The gravel driveway crunched beneath the tires as he sat for a moment, looking at the worn-down place; it was really pathetic. It was a small, unstructured house, with peeling and fading paint, a sagging and leaking roof that needed repair, and a front garden overrun with weeds choking any flowers that once grew there. By the steps lay a rusty and condemned old bike, and the cracked windows let in cold drafts. The sight hit him hard like a plague, bringing back heavy, dark memories. Blood, rain, and shouts from a past he had buried a long time ago. He held the steering wheel of the car, his knuckles turning white, almost tasting the metal and mud of those memories he wished to forget.Next to him, Lena shifted and grabbed her bag softly, her eyes looking slightly down as she looked at him. “You okay?” she asked quietly, her tone sharp as if sensing something was off about him.He forced a quick, strong nonchalant l
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE Chapter 58
That morning, Luca was up to no good. The night before, he had been sneaking around the house and overheard Asher talking to Jade about taking Lena to visit her parents because her father was seriously ill. It was a minor detail, but Luca quickly twisted it into something bigger and more interesting. He saw an opportunity to create a problem and intended to seize it immediately. With a wicked smile on his face, he grabbed his phone and called Angelica. She answered quickly, her tone already sharp with annoyance. “What do you want now, Luca?”He got straight to the point. “Just thought you’d want to know Asher's moved on with a new girl, more beautiful than you. He’s really happy and taking her to her parents today like a hero. Looks like he’s over you.” He threw in some embellishments about Asher being all lovey-dovey with Lena and making future plans with her—complete nonsense, but it sounded enticing to the ear.Angelica went silent for a moment before her anger erupted. “What
'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE Chapter 57
The next morning arrived quickly, almost like lightning, with the sun just beginning to rise and casting a beautiful gray light through the curtains of the house.Asher rolled off the couch, his back aching from the stiff cushions he had slept on, and rubbed his eyes awake to see clearly. Lena remained asleep on the bed, covered under the duvet he'd wrapped around her the night before. He stole only a brief glance at her before standing up, unable to concentrate due to the worry and thoughts in his mind. It was time to get moving and prepare for the drive he had promised her.He quickly grabbed a clean shirt and pants from the wardrobe, dressed swiftly without delay, and ran his fingers through his hair to make sure it looked presentable as always .He didn’t have time for a proper shave, though he really needed one, but he was eager to get the day started.He quietly moved out of the room, carrying his shoes gently to avoid waking her, and made his way down the hall. He could hea
