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184: Steel & Softness
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2025-03-29 17:16:02
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    185: Hope And Dead Ends
[Arella]âI knew Iâd find you here.âThe sound of hurried footsteps echoes through the open-air space, and I donât need to turn around to know who it is. Bridgetâs voice carries with its usual warmth, laced with the slight breathlessness of someone who should not be rushing anywhereâespecially not in her condition.I finally glance over my shoulder, and sure enough, sheâs striding toward me, her baby bump leading the way, a radiant contrast to the sharp concern flickering across her face. Behind her, Jordan follows, looking both exasperated and helpless, like a man who has long given up trying to slow her down.âCongratulations, Ella!â Bridget beams as she reaches me, wasting no time in pulling Theodore from my arms.A delighted squeal erupts from my son as he claps his tiny hands, his chubby legs kicking excitedly. âThereâs my favorite godson!â Bridget coos, spinning him in her arms.Jordanâs face drains of color. âBridget! Donât twirl like thatâyouâll affect the baby! And Theo!â He
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-30The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    186: Not Giving Up
[Arella]Dinner with my family was warm, filled with laughter and soft murmurs of love. Everyone gushed over Theodore, passing him from one set of eager arms to another until, eventually, his tiny body gave in to exhaustion. He fell asleep, his soft, steady breaths a comforting presence against my chest. The familiar warmth of having people who truly look out for me wrapped around my heart like a long-lost embrace.Later that night, as I tuck Bambam into her bed, I find myself marveling at her resilience. Spinal cord issues after the attack at Grandfatherâs birthday party should have left her bedridden, but not her. Not Bambam. Sheâs made of something unbreakable, a true spine of steel, pun intended.âStop looking at me like Iâm made of glass, child.â She rolls her eyes, swatting my hands playfully away.I scoff, shaking my head. âNever. Youâre probably made of hardwood if anything.âShe chuckles, a soft, knowing sound, and I canât help but smile along with her. But then it comesâthat
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-30The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    187: Mine To Keep
ONE MONTH AGO[Lisa]Polishing the last bits of dust off the pictures, my grin stretches wider, satisfaction curling in my chest as I admire my collection. Normally, I wouldn't lower myself to something as trivial as housework, but times arenât exactly in our favor. With that old dog, Harold Walcott, tracking us like bloodhounds at every turn, we canât exactly hire help now, can we? It's still baffling to think we're on the wanted list! Me? The famous lady L? Unacceptable!My thoughts drift, dark and sharp, to the moment that nearly cost me everything three months ago. All because of a single phone call. Just one slip, and Arellaâs goons were on my trail like rabid dogs. They're all so relentless, so blind. How long before Arella finally accepts that Lincoln is âdeadâ and stops chasing ghosts?The musty stench of mold clings to the walls of our pathetic rented hideout, making my nose scrunch in disgust. I deserve better than this filth. But as my gaze lands back on the pictures Iâve b
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31The 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 voiceâsoft, desperateâpleading with me. I try to latch onto it, but it's slippery, dissolving before I can grasp its meaning. My head feels submerged, like Iâm trapped underwater. The weightlessness is suffocating, yet everything around me is unbearably heavy. Distantly, Iâm aware of movement, of muffled voices cutting through the thick fog clouding my thoughts. Floating and drowning. Light and heavy. Here and not."Itâs 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 doesnât wake up soonâ"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. Donât go."I did my job diligen
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31The 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,
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31The 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 searchâanything, no matter how small, might help us. Donât 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 donât know what troubles might arise in todayâs meeting."I nod, conceding the point. I should be en route to Florida by now, chasing Grandfatherâs lates
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31The 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 canâ"I tsk, shaking my head. "Greedy, greedy, greedyâjust like Deric. You wonât see a single cent from me. And if you dare make another move to disrupt my peace like this, I wonât just cut you offâIâll 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 favorâtake 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. "YouâĶ youâ"But no words come. I watch as they all file out, dej
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31The 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 Iâm 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 theyâre 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 Adamâs 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 familiesâdeclined. No messages, no explanations, nothing. And now, my father-in-law suddenly shows up at work, requesting my presence, expect
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-31
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The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    199
[Arella]Vivian ran like the devil himself was on her heels.Her bare feet slapped against the filthy concrete, the sharp sting of debris cutting into her skin. The air was thick with the scent of rotting dough and mildew, the remnants of a bakery long abandoned, its glory days buried under dust and decay. Her breath came in ragged gasps, each one hitching in her throat as she weaved through the narrow corridors, her frantic movements sending old flour sacks tumbling to the ground.She was fast, Iâd give her that. Desperation had a way of making people move like cornered rats, a blend of terror and pure survival instinct. But I wasnât about to let her scurry away. Not this time.I chased after her, vaulting over overturned crates, my boots thudding heavily against the grimy floor. My pulse thundered in my ears, my lungs burning with exertion, but the fire only fueled me. Every step I took, every inch I gained, I thought about what this woman had done to me seven months ago.Seven. Fuc
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    198
[Arella]Two days later, we finally located the only bakery in Backwater Alley.True to the cityâs name, the place was utterly demented. The snarls and sneers we received from passersby sent a chill slithering down my spine, despite the heavy security flanking me. It wasnât just the people that made this place hellâit was everything. The very air felt wrong, thick with the scent of rot and dampness, like misery had been ground into the pavement for generations. The streets reeked of filth and desperation, a choking combination of decay and stale piss, and even with the promise of protection, a thick wave of unease clung to my skin like a second layer.Deric, on the other hand, was visibly cowering, his head ducked so low I half-expected him to burrow into the ground. He flinched at every sound, his breath coming in shallow gasps as we passed through each âcheckpointââclusters of men loitering with sharp eyes and even sharper knives, their silent appraisal as damning as a blade against
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    197
[Arella] Deric leads us to a restaurant that's just as rundown as that bar, but at least the air inside isn't nauseating. The dim lighting does little to hide the grime-streaked walls, and the wooden chairs creak ominously as we settle down. The stench of stale grease lingers in the air, but itâs a small mercy compared to the overwhelming stench of alcohol from before.I speak first, my voice sharp. "Where have you been? What are you doing all the way in Chicago?"He clears his throat, his eyes locked onto mine with an emotion I can't quite placeâadoration, maybe? Like he can't believe I'm sitting right in front of him. That only makes my patience thinner."You're going to have to start talking, Deric, because trust me, I have other ways to make you talk.""Water... please," he croaks out, his voice dry and weak. Zach signals to one of his men, never leaving my side for a single second. The moment the bottle is placed in front of him, Deric chugs it down like a man starved, gulping i
The Billionaire's Forgotten Ex-wife    196
[Arella]We pass through the back, and the stench immediately assaults my sensesâan 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 teethâyellowed and jagged, a testament to years of neglectâflashes 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]âHow may I help you?" The bartender slurs his words, his bleary eyes raking over me. So much for being insecureâhe doesnât even attempt to hide his once-over. His gaze lingers too long, his lips quirking up like heâs amused by something. But then, something shifts. He must have noticed Zachâs 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 donât 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 Floridaâplaying 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 womanâs phoneâa 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 sheâd seen Lincoln with Lisa or Thompson? Maybe she knew something crucial? Or maybeâĶ something about that desperate message didnât sit right. If she was just giving me information, why did it feel like a cry for help?Iâd 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 thereâs an edge to itâsomething bitter, something restrained. "By then, I had married Gladys. I had everything I wantedâa wife, my son, a growing empire, a future laid out exactly as it should be. And Clement already had a wife of his own. Lisaâs 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 didnât ask for money. Didnât 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 Iâm 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 theyâre 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 Adamâs 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 familiesâdeclined. 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 canâ"I tsk, shaking my head. "Greedy, greedy, greedyâjust like Deric. You wonât see a single cent from me. And if you dare make another move to disrupt my peace like this, I wonât just cut you offâIâll 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 favorâtake 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. "YouâĶ youâ"But no words come. I watch as they all file out, dej
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