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Chapter Twenty Four

last update Last Updated: 2024-12-10 18:45:35

Love rather than Leverage

"Well, that's certainly a headline," Darren whistled, tossing the magazine onto the penthouse coffee table. *'From Contract to Covenant: The Vanderbilt Love Story That Reshaped an Empire'* blazed across the cover, accompanied by the now-iconic photo of Lucas and Sophia with the twins in the morning light.

"The stock's up twelve percent," Susan reported, not looking up from her tablet. At three months old, Cat was dozing in her arms while she worked, a common sight these days. "And the wedding planning inquiries have tripled."

"Wedding?" Sophia looked up from where she was burping Eddie. "Whose wedding?"

Susan's cheeks flushed. Darren suddenly found the city skyline fascinating.

"Finally!" Sophia exclaimed, causing Eddie to startle. "Sorry, baby," she soothed, then turned back to her friends. "When were you going to tell us?"

"We were waiting for the right moment," Susan admitted, unconsciously twisting the elegant diamond ring on her finger. "With the articl
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  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty six

    Empire of Love"No," Susan said firmly, brandishing a seating chart like a weapon. "Absolutely not. The Singapore investors cannot sit with the venture capital team. Last time they argued about cryptocurrency for two hours.""But the London office—" Darren began."Will be fine at table seven." She softened, touching his cheek. "Trust me. I've planned enough corporate events to know how to prevent international incidents at our wedding."From her perch on the penthouse sofa, Sophia hid a smile. At six months old, the twins were fascinated by their honorary aunt's wedding preparations, especially Cat, who kept trying to eat the sample ribbons."Speaking of international incidents," Lucas entered, Eddie propped expertly on his hip, "the foundation's first board meeting is scheduled for next week. Father wants both sets of grandparents there.""Bold move," Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Though Sandra and Claudia have been getting along better since they joined forces on the nursery renovatio

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  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter one

    The Wedding Day.The Grand Regent Hotel buzzed with the kind of frenzied excitement that only came with events so grand they felt unreal. The ballroom was being transformed into a floral paradise, and the anticipation in the air was thick enough to taste. But inside the bridal suite, things felt different—quieter, almost still, as if the world had pulled back for just a moment.Sophia stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. The woman looking back at her was dressed in a gown worth more than some people’s homes, her hair an intricate twist of curls, her makeup flawless. And yet, she barely recognized herself."Pinch me," Sophia whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "This all feels like a dream.""More like a fairy tale," Susan said, her tone light as she fluffed out the layers of Sophia’s gown. "Come on, you’re about to marry the perfect guy in the wedding of the century. What more could anyone ask for?"But instead of smiling, Sophia's hands tightened on the ed

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  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Two

    The Wedding ExposedSophia’s breath was ragged as she slipped out of the bridal suite, her knuckles white as they gripped her phone, the weight of her decision nearly suffocating. But there was no turning back now. Her heart thundered in her chest, but her expression was carved in stone—cold, unflinching. This was the moment everything would change. The lies, the betrayal—it all came down to this.She could still hear the murmur of guests from the hallway, the soft music lulling everyone into a false sense of serenity. Little did they know that within minutes, the entire illusion would be shattered.As Sophia reached the dimly lit corridor, Susan grabbed her arm, her face pale with worry. "Sophia, what the hell is going on? You’re acting so strange. Please talk to me."For a moment, Sophia’s gaze softened, the weight of Susan’s friendship tugging at her. But the moment passed, and she hardened again, her eyes now distant, cold. "I can’t explain, Susan. Not now. You need to trust me.

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    Searching for AnswersThe cold, rushing water was mere inches away when Sophia felt a strong hand clamp around her arm, yanking her back from the abyss. She gasped, her heart slamming against her chest, and spun around, breathless.It was him—the stranger from the club. Lucas.His grip on her was firm yet gentle, his dark eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief. He pulled her back from the railing, holding her close as she trembled against him, her breath coming in ragged sobs.“It’s okay,” Lucas whispered, his voice low and calming, “you’re safe now.”Safe. The word echoed mockingly in her mind. She didn’t feel safe. She didn’t want to be safe. Sophia’s body shook violently, her hands clutching his jacket as if he were the last thing tethering her to reality. She didn’t know why he was here—why he had come after her—but she hated him for it."Why... why did you do that?" Sophia’s voice cracked between sobs, her words trembling with anger and anguish.Lucas’s expression softened as he

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    Dangerous AttractionsThe tension in Lucas's office crackled like static electricity. Bella's red-lacquered nails drummed against the doorframe as her gaze slid between Lucas and Sophia with predatory interest."I can come back later," Bella said, though she made no move to leave. "Unless this is about business? The Muller Corporation has been quite... newsworthy lately."Lucas's jaw tightened. "This is a private meeting, Bella. I'm sure Mark is wondering where you are.""Oh, I doubt that." Bella's laugh tinkled like broken glass. "He's far too busy with his... secretary."Sophia watched the exchange, her mind racing. The way Bella looked at Lucas – there was history there, or at least desire. Before she could process this new complication, Lucas's hand settled at the small of her back."We'll have to reschedule this discussion," he said quietly, steering her toward a private door behind his desk. "My office, tomorrow, same time.""I'm not coming back," Sophia hissed, even as her skin

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  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty six

    Empire of Love"No," Susan said firmly, brandishing a seating chart like a weapon. "Absolutely not. The Singapore investors cannot sit with the venture capital team. Last time they argued about cryptocurrency for two hours.""But the London office—" Darren began."Will be fine at table seven." She softened, touching his cheek. "Trust me. I've planned enough corporate events to know how to prevent international incidents at our wedding."From her perch on the penthouse sofa, Sophia hid a smile. At six months old, the twins were fascinated by their honorary aunt's wedding preparations, especially Cat, who kept trying to eat the sample ribbons."Speaking of international incidents," Lucas entered, Eddie propped expertly on his hip, "the foundation's first board meeting is scheduled for next week. Father wants both sets of grandparents there.""Bold move," Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Though Sandra and Claudia have been getting along better since they joined forces on the nursery renovatio

  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty five

    Singapore Deal"Well, that's certainly a headline," Darren whistled, tossing the magazine onto the penthouse coffee table. *'From Contract to Covenant: The Vanderbilt Love Story That Reshaped an Empire'* blazed across the cover, accompanied by the now-iconic photo of Lucas and Sophia with the twins in the morning light."The stock's up twelve percent," Susan reported, not looking up from her tablet. At three months old, Cat was dozing in her arms while she worked, a common sight these days. "And the wedding planning inquiries have tripled.""Wedding?" Sophia looked up from where she was burping Eddie. "Whose wedding?"Susan's cheeks flushed. Darren suddenly found the city skyline fascinating."Finally!" Sophia exclaimed, causing Eddie to startle. "Sorry, baby," she soothed, then turned back to her friends. "When were you going to tell us?""We were waiting for the right moment," Susan admitted, unconsciously twisting the elegant diamond ring on her finger. "With the article release a

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  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty Three

    Perfect Chaos, Perfect peace. The penthouse's morning quiet was broken by Cat's determined cries, followed inevitably by Eddie's solidarity wails. At two weeks old, the twins had mastered the art of synchronized demands."My turn," Lucas murmured, already moving before Sophia could fully wake. She watched through heavy eyes as he scooped up both babies with practiced ease. The sight of her ruthless corporate husband cooing softly to their children still made her heart flutter."The magazine team will be here at ten," she reminded him, glancing at the clock. 7 AM. "Sure you don't want to reschedule?""And risk Susan's wrath? She's already threatened to revoke my godfather status if we postpone again." He settled into the nursing chair, a twin in each arm. "Besides, your father's right. It's time to tell our story."The 'story' had grown beyond their control in the past two weeks. Speculation about the Vanderbilt twins filled business blogs and society columns. Yesterday, someone had

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    Grand welcomingThe first rays of dawn painted the hospital room in gentle gold, a stark contrast to the storm that had announced the twins' arrival. At four days old, Catherine and Edward were already showing distinct personalities – Cat demanding attention with imperious cries, Eddie observing the world with his father's thoughtful gray eyes."She gets that from you," Lucas murmured, watching Cat wave her tiny fists at the morning light. He sat in the hospital's most comfortable chair, holding Eddie while Sophia fed their daughter."The dramatic timing? Pretty sure that's all Vanderbilt." Sophia adjusted Cat's position, still marveling at how natural it felt. "Though the stubbornness might be genetic on both sides."A soft knock interrupted them. Susan peeked in, her expression suspiciously innocent. "Are you decent? Because there's a small army of grandparents in the waiting room, and I can only distract them with baby photos for so long.""Let them in," Sophia laughed. "Before Cla

  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty one

    Arrival of OverachieversAt thirty-two weeks, the first real storm of the season rolled across the lake. Rain lashed against the windows as Sophia tried to focus on the quarterly reports spread across her home office desk. The twins were restless, perhaps sensing the atmospheric pressure change."That's the third time you've read that page," Chris observed from the video call screen. "Maybe we should reschedule.""I'm fine," Sophia insisted, though her back arched fiercely. "The merger transition won't wait just because your future bosses are doing somersaults."Thunder cracked overhead. The lights flickered ominously."Ma'am," Chris's voice took on that careful tone everyone seemed to use lately, "Mr. Vanderbilt specifically said—""Lucas is in Singapore dealing with Emma's mess. These reports need to be—" She stopped, a sharp pain making her gasp."I'm calling Dr. Chen," Chris said firmly. "And Mr. Vanderbilt. And probably God.""It's just Braxton Hicks," Sophia started, but another

  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Twenty

    Better Beginings"It's like they're having a dance party in there," Sophia groaned, shifting uncomfortably on her office couch at twenty weeks. Both twins had chosen the board meeting hour for their daily acrobatics."Or a boxing match," Lucas suggested, adjusting the laptop so the board members couldn't see her rubbing her expanding belly. Virtual meetings had become a necessity as her pregnancy progressed – twin pregnancies were notoriously demanding."Settle down, little ones," she whispered. "Mommy's trying to run an empire here."The merger was proceeding smoothly, despite the aftermath of Mark's attempted sabotage. He and Bella had disappeared to Europe, their resignation letters arriving via expensive lawyers. The press had dubbed it the "corporate cleanup of the year," though Sophia preferred Susan's term: "karma's double knockout.""Mrs. Vanderbilt," the CFO's voice crackled through the speakers, "about the Singapore restructuring—"A sharp kick interrupted her thoughts. "Sor

  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Nineteen

    Toast to BabiesThe ultrasound screen flickered in the dimly lit room, and Sophia held her breath. At sixteen weeks, they might finally learn if little Catherine or Edward was on the way. Lucas's hand tightened around hers as the technician moved the wand."Well," the technician smiled, "would you like to know?"Before either could answer, a commotion erupted in the hallway. Chris burst in, face pale. "Mr. Vanderbilt, I'm sorry, but—""Not now," Lucas growled, eyes fixed on the screen."Sir, it's Mark. He's calling an emergency board meeting. He's claiming... evidence of fraud in the merger documentation."The baby's heartbeat filled the sudden silence, strong and steady."Go," Sophia squeezed Lucas's hand. "I've got this.""But—""The baby will still be here in an hour." She managed a smile. "Besides, Susan's in the waiting room. Go deal with your brother."Lucas kissed her forehead, his jaw tight. "Chris, get Darren on the line. I want to know how Mark got those documents."After th

  • The Billionaire's Bargain   Chapter Eighteen

    New Merge"I can't button these anymore," Sophia grumbled, struggling with her favorite work pants. At twelve weeks, her barely-there bump was just enough to make her regular clothes uncomfortable."Wear the dress," Susan suggested from the video call propped on the dresser. "The navy one with the stretch.""I wore that yesterday." Sophia flopped onto the bed, still in her underwear. "Everything either screams 'trying to hide it' or 'look at my bump.'""Then let them look," Lucas called from the bathroom. "The announcement's going out today anyway."Right. The official V Corp press release about their pregnancy, followed by dinner with both sets of parents. Sophia's stomach churned, and not just from morning sickness.Her phone buzzed – a text from her father: *Your mother craved spicy food when she was pregnant with you. The restaurant tonight has excellent curry.*These little fragments of her mother had been coming more frequently since the press conference. Each one a small bridge

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