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131: Need To Kill
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2025-02-19 23:54:23
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 132: Memories Are Back
[Arella] Vivian is the first to notice me. Her eyes widen, not just from the sting of Deric’s slap but from the fact that I saw it happen. Despite the firestorm raging inside me, a self-satisfied smirk tugs at my lips. Trouble in paradise? I wonder what woman is strong enough to break these two apart. I ignore her. She’s insignificant. My gaze zeroes in on Deric, and he’s already looking at me. His eyes also wide but hold something foreign—something sickening. Like I’m the light in his dark world. Like… how he used to look at me. Disgust coils in my stomach. He steps closer, his fingers twitching as if reaching for me. But, all I see is him, drenched in a drunken haze, tossing money at my foster mother’s dying body like she was some disposable trash. “Arella…” His voice cracks. “It’s… you. I’m not dreaming, am I?” My hand moves before I even think. The sharp crack echoes through the room, my palm meeting his cheek with enough force to tilt his head to the side. But I don’t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 133: The Truth Unleashed
[Arella]“My memories are back.”The words sound in my head like a bad omen, curling around me like smoke, thick and suffocating. For a moment, my heart stops.There was a time when I dreamed of this—of him remembering, of him looking at me the way he used to, of the boy I fell in love with in my sophomore year coming back to me.But things change.People change.And Deric? He became something else entirely.Apart from the small, fleeting shock that zips across my skin, I feel nothing now. Nothing but pure, numbing apathy.But beside me, there’s something else—something sharp, electric.Lincoln.The energy radiating from him is different, dangerous. A nervous, explosive energy, coiled tight like a wire about to snap. I can feel his restraint, the way his muscles lock in place, his breathing steady but tense.He’s waiting. Holding back.For me.For my move.Keeping my face blank, I yank my hands away with force, stepping back a few inches. My voice comes out steady, deceptively cold.“
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-21The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 134: Comfort Of His Love
[Arella]The door to the bathroom pushes open, and I can feel the urgency radiating off my husband before I even see him."Arella."His voice snaps me out of the haze of nothingness in my head."Huh?" I reply absentmindedly, barely registering him, my toes peeking above the surface of the water in the tub."You've been in here for more than an hour, love.""I have?" The answer slips out automatically, my voice distant.Today has dragged on forever. From Ava—her confession—to Deric and his memories… it all feels like too much. Like a storm swallowing me whole. My brain feels numb, detached, floating somewhere outside my body.After storming off with Lincoln in hand, I had barely registered coming home, nor the process of stepping into the bath. I don’t even recall undressing. The only real thing is the ice-cold bite of the water against my skin—sharp, unforgiving.That’s it. That’s the only sensation I feel.I barely register my naked body being lifted from the tub. My head swings slig
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-22The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 135: Trouble Brewing
[Arella]It’s still bright and early in the morning, but the relentless flashes of their cameras grate on my nerves. The sharp clicks echo in the air, merging with the low murmur of voices, a steady hum of chaos swirling around me.It’s been a week since the whole saga with Deric, and Zach and his crew have been fighting a losing battle against the paparazzi, who seem determined to hound me at every chance they get lately. Their persistence is almost admirable—if it weren’t so damn irritating.Who knew being in the limelight could be so suffocating?I steel my shoulders, inhaling deeply as I walk toward the chaotic crowd of reporters, their expectant eyes locking onto me the second I move. A tiny part of me regrets not just heading straight inside, avoiding the spectacle entirely, but I push that thought away. I refuse to cower.My gaze sweeps across the swarm of flashing lenses, scanning the faces in the crowd until it lands on the older man at the center of it all. My steps slow, a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 136: Play dirty
[Lincoln]"Man, you look like shit."Benson barely gets the words out before my glare cuts him off. He raises his hands in surrender, slumping into the chair across from me with a loud sigh before tossing a thick file onto my desk."I'm just saying, sheesh. Look at your eye bags. How does sister-in-law even look at you with all this stress written all over your face?"I ignore him, rubbing the bridge of my nose before pinching the aching space between my brows. Sleep had been a luxury I couldn’t afford lately. My nights were consumed with crisis control, strategizing, and putting out fires that just kept sparking back up, worse each time. The weight of it all pressed down on me, but breaking wasn’t an option."Not in the mood, Ben" I bite out, voice rougher than intended.Benson exhales sharply but doesn’t push. Instead, he gestures to the file. I pick it up, flipping it open, my eyes scanning the contents. The deeper I read, the tighter my grip becomes.I stiffen."More damage?" M
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 137: Their New President
[Arella]"Aren't you going to give your grandpa a hug?"A smile blooms on my lips at the familiar warmth in his voice, the deep timbre laced with a fondness that tugs at something deep inside me. I let the door close behind me with a soft click, stepping further into the vast expanse of his office. The room is grand—polished mahogany, shelves lined with leather-bound books, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a breathtaking view of the city skyline. But none of it commands my attention as much as the man sitting behind the imposing desk.His suit is sharp, crisp, and perfectly tailored, the deep navy fabric accentuating his formidable presence. Even with age tracing fine lines across his features, he remains a force of nature—unyielding, powerful, the kind of man who could silence a room with just a glance."Grandpa," I say softly, the word holding emotion.He stands, his movements steady, though my eyes catch on the walking stick propped beside his chair. He doesn’t lean on it t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 138: Tension Between Brothers
[Arella]The soft hum of chatter fades the moment we step into the vast conference room, the shift in atmosphere almost tangible. The air is thick with a mix of expensive colognes, fresh paper, and the faintest hint of coffee, a testament to long hours spent behind these polished oak tables. Rows of leather-bound chairs line the glossy mahogany surface, the gleaming crystal chandelier overhead casting fractured light across the vast space.As we move further inside, I feel their eyes on me—sharp, assessing, some curious, others downright hostile. Their scrutiny presses against my skin, heavy and probing, like invisible fingers tracing every inch of my face. It all feels eerily familiar, yet foreign at the same time, as if I’ve walked into a place I should remember but don’t quite belong."Welcome, President Harold," a chorus of voices greets my grandfather, their reverence clear in the way they address him. His presence commands the room effortlessly, decades of power and authority w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 139: Impending Face-off
[Arella]A ripple of murmurs spreads through the room, like the distant rumble of an approaching storm. Some board members nod, their wary gazes flicking between my grandfather and me, uncertainty evident in their furrowed brows."Second Master Silas is right, President Harold," one of them finally speaks, his voice hesitant but firm. He adjusts his cufflinks, eyes darting around as if seeking approval. "She needs training to be qualified for this job. How do we know—""With all due respect," I cut in smoothly, my voice slicing clean through the air, commanding enough to draw every eye back to me.Silence.I let it linger for just a breath, allowing the weight of my words to settle before continuing, my posture straight, my expression unwavering."As for experience," I state firmly, "I have spent years in Ames Finances, actively involved in its rise, and more recently, I contributed to the success of Chanax Enterprise. These are not mere words—they are verifiable facts." My voice rema
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 196
[Arella]We pass through the back, and the stench immediately assaults my senses—an overwhelming mix of stale alcohol, damp wood, and rotting garbage. Dirty bottles are strewn everywhere, some stacked haphazardly in corners, others being washed with a half-hearted effort. The entire place reeks of neglect. Dust clings to every surface, thick enough that I can practically taste it in the air. A few workers loiter around, loading crates onto a rusty truck that looks like it's one pothole away from falling apart.The sight of it all makes my skin crawl. My fingers twitch at my sides, an instinctive reaction to the unease curling in my stomach. This place feels wrong. Like a trap waiting to be sprung.A man with decayed teeth—yellowed and jagged, a testament to years of neglect—flashes me a grin as we draw closer. The smile is anything but friendly; it's lecherous, the kind that makes my skin prickle in revulsion. "Who's this fine little birdie, Isla?" His eyes drag over me from head to t
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 195
[Arella]“How may I help you?" The bartender slurs his words, his bleary eyes raking over me. So much for being insecure—he doesn’t even attempt to hide his once-over. His gaze lingers too long, his lips quirking up like he’s amused by something. But then, something shifts. He must have noticed Zach’s piercing gaze because he suddenly straightens, feigning a sense of professionalism, shoulders squaring as he averts his gaze. My lips twitch in amusement, but I don’t let it show too much."I'm looking for the owner of this number." I thrust a crumpled piece of paper into his hand, unwilling to risk handing over my phone. My fingers tighten slightly as I pull back, watching his face carefully. His brows furrow as he glances at it, then at me, before letting out a dry chuckle."You're looking for the owner of this number... in a bar?" He shoots me an incredulous look, the kind that makes me feel every bit as ridiculous as I probably seem right now.I nod anyway, knowing full well how absu
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 194
[Arella]The private jet hummed softly beneath my feet as I approached, Zach and his men flanking me on either side like silent sentinels. My heart hammered a little harder than usual, but I ignored it, my focus locked on the mission ahead. I knew I should probably wait for Benson and Jordan to return from Florida—playing it safe would be the smart thing to do. But what if this lead went cold? What if this person changed their mind?The IP address traced back to a woman’s phone—a bartender. She ran a shady little dive bar, the kind of place where secrets slipped out between shots of cheap whiskey and whispered conversations in the dark. Maybe she’d seen Lincoln with Lisa or Thompson? Maybe she knew something crucial? Or maybe… something about that desperate message didn’t sit right. If she was just giving me information, why did it feel like a cry for help?I’d responded, asking for a time to meet. No response. Nothing. Just silence.I exhaled sharply, shoving those nagging doubts asi
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 193: A Trap Or A Lead?
[Arella] "Clement came back seven years later," Father in law continues, his voice calm, but there’s an edge to it—something bitter, something restrained. "By then, I had married Gladys. I had everything I wanted—a wife, my son, a growing empire, a future laid out exactly as it should be. And Clement already had a wife of his own. Lisa’s mother." He scoffs, shaking his head. "He claimed he wanted to make amends. That the past was behind us. That friendship meant more than old grudges. I should have known better. I did know better. But I let him in anyway, like a fool." A slow exhale, his fingers tightening around his glass. "He didn’t ask for money. Didn’t come with some grand business proposal wrapped in false generosity. No, he played it smarter this time. Said he only wanted to invest in my company, that he believed in my latest vision. And like a fool, I let him buy in. Gave him a seat at my table. Trusted that maybe, just maybe, he had changed." He shakes his head, his jaw
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 192: A Father's Regret
[Arella]Have you ever longed for something so deeply, only to be denied it over and over again? And then, when you finally get it, you feel... nothing?Because tell me why I’m sitting across from my father-in-law and grandmother-in-law in the dimly lit study of the Sawyer estate, their faces grim and pale, like they’re afraid to speak in my presence. The heavy scent of old books and polished wood lingers in the air, wrapping around us like a suffocating blanket. My father-in-law clears his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing with unease."How have you been, Arella?" he asks, his voice measured, like he's trying to sound casual.I raise an eyebrow. "How have I been?" I repeat, the bitterness curling around my words before I can stop it.Seven months. Seven months of silence. Not a word from either of them. Every single family gathering between our families—declined. No messages, no explanations, nothing. And now, my father-in-law suddenly shows up at work, requesting my presence, expect
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 191: Boardroom War II
[Arella]"N-not yet, President," one of them stammers, shoulders hunched in defeat. "But we can assure you, with our budget handed over to us, we can—"I tsk, shaking my head. "Greedy, greedy, greedy—just like Deric. You won’t see a single cent from me. And if you dare make another move to disrupt my peace like this, I won’t just cut you off—I’ll reduce Ames Finances to nothing more than scraps in a flea market bargain bin."A stunned silence settles over the room. The weight of my words crushes any lingering defiance."If accountability is truly what you seek, then start by holding yourselves responsible for your own failures. I have no time for empty demands or misplaced outrage. So do us all a favor—take your so-called accountability and escort yourselves out of my conference room immediately before I make that decision for you."The man in the brown suit reddens with anger, jabbing an accusing finger in my direction. "You… you—"But no words come. I watch as they all file out, dej
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 190: Boardroom War
[Arella]I don't think we can afford to waste any more time. "Sister-in-law, give us permission. Benson and I will go in your stead." Jordan states worriedly.Pacing my office, overlooking the bright San Diego skyline, I press my fingers to my temple, exhaling sharply. Why now, of all times? Why does everything seem to be unraveling all at once?"You know what? Yes. Let's do that," I say decisively, straightening my posture. "I'll send the location and details to you. Please do a thorough search—anything, no matter how small, might help us. Don’t leave any stone unturned."I meet both their gazes, ensuring they understand the weight of my words. They nod in unison, standing up, their expressions determined."Zach will be with you also," I add.Benson shakes his head. "I'd feel better if he could stick by your side for now, Arella. We don’t know what troubles might arise in today’s meeting."I nod, conceding the point. I should be en route to Florida by now, chasing Grandfather’s lates
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 189: Heartbreak And Longing
PRESENT DAY[Lincoln]"Lincoln, could you please help me with my towel, honey?" Chloe calls from the bathroom, her voice carrying a sweet lilt."Okay," I say simply, standing from the bed and grabbing the towel before walking to the bathroom door. As soon as she opens it, her eyes gleam with something sultry, a slow, teasing smile curling her lips. She reaches out, wrapping her fingers around my wrist, attempting to pull me inside with her. Her bare skin glistens with moisture, steam curling around her in a thick haze, the scent of shampoo and body wash clinging to the air inside.I stand firm, my grip tightening slightly on the towel as I push it toward her instead. "I need to, uh... take my meds," I say awkwardly, retracting my hand swiftly and shutting the door before she can say anything else.My heart pounds slightly as I retreat to the bed, rubbing my temple before grabbing the small pill bottle on the nightstand. The little capsules spill into my palm, and with a resigned sigh,
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife 188: Nothing Feels Real
[Lincoln]"Lincoln, stop! Please don't go!"The words echo like a haunting melody, looping endlessly in the depths of my mind. A voice—soft, desperate—pleading with me. I try to latch onto it, but it's slippery, dissolving before I can grasp its meaning. My head feels submerged, like I’m trapped underwater. The weightlessness is suffocating, yet everything around me is unbearably heavy. Distantly, I’m aware of movement, of muffled voices cutting through the thick fog clouding my thoughts. Floating and drowning. Light and heavy. Here and not."It’s been two days already! I thought you said the injection only required twenty-four hours, you quack doctor! I told my father you were incompetent. Listen to me, if he doesn’t wake up soon—"I try to focus, to make sense of the words, but they twist and blur before I can piece them together. My thoughts feel sluggish, stuck in the mud of my own mind. The voice from before lingers, like a whisper against my ear. Don’t go."I did my job diligen
