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The Calm Before the Storm
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride You won’t be claiming that anytime soon.
Damian stood outside Elara’s room, listening to her quiet breathing as she rested. The weight of everything that had transpired in the last few days bore down on him, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of relief. Charles was in police custody, Asher would never pose a threat again, and Elara was safe.His phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was Jackson.“Damian, there’s something you need to know,” Jackson said, his voice urgent.Damian’s brow furrowed as he stepped away from the door, his heart sinking. “What is it?”“They’re not going to hold Charles for long. His lawyers are already working on getting him out on bail, and it looks like they’re going to succeed.”“What are you saying?” Damian asked. “Did you not give the documents to the officer?”Jackson sighed over the phone. “Yes, I did, but…”Damian yelled, his frustration clear. “But what?”“They said it wasn’t enough,” Jackson replied.A surge of anger flared within Damian, his hands balling into fists.
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Divorce
She smirked. “My husband? You won’t be that soon.” Anita knew he could try hard to deny it, given how he was speaking yesterday when she was there. After she left, she went back to his firm to find James, and she had asked for the footage. She shoved her hand into her bag and pulled out her phone. She swiped and clicked on the footage, playing it. She turned it over and showed him how he was enjoying and moaning while she was sucking him. Charles’s eyes widened even more. He tried to process it.“How?” he asked, shock lacing his voice. “How did you get it?”She laughed, her laugh dry. “I was a fool. I was worried and couldn’t sleep, thinking something bad must have happened to you.” She paused, trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall. “But who could have imagined that you were enjoying yourself, and you dared to tell me you loved me, you son of a bitch?”“How did you fucking get that footage of me?”“So, you were the one?” Anita asked. “In it. With her.”“Answer my question!
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Nina
Each step she took felt heavier, her chest tightening with the weight of emotions she had tried so hard to suppress. Betrayal, anger, sadness—it all swirled inside her like a storm ready to break loose. Charles’s pleas echoed in her ears, but they only fueled the fire burning inside her. How could he even dare to ask for forgiveness after what he had done?As she reached her car, she paused. Her hands shook as she fumbled for the keys in her bag. She pressed her palms against the car’s cool surface, trying to regain her composure, but the tears continued to spill. “I loved him,” she whispered to herself, her voice thick with emotion. “I really loved him.” And yet, here she was, standing on the edge of her marriage, staring at the wreckage of what once was.But love wasn’t enough. Not anymore.She wiped her tears and steeled herself, her resolve hardening. There was no turning back. The divorce papers were already in the works, and soon, she would be free. Free from the lies, free from
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Clash of Power
She staggered back, still clutching her cheek. “You don’t know who you’re messing with,” Nina hissed, her eyes burning with fury. “You think you’re something, don’t you? Just because you’re Damian’s little plaything.”Elara didn’t flinch. Her gaze remained steady as she took a step closer, her voice low but laced with warning. “I am Damian’s wife. And as long as you are under this roof, you will respect me and everyone who works here.”Nina’s lips twisted into a sneer, but she said nothing, her hand still pressed against the cheek that Elara had struck. She was clearly not used to being put in her place, especially not by someone she saw as beneath her. But Elara had no intention of letting her walk over her or anyone in her household. Not after everything she had been through.Before Nina could make another move, Anita, still trembling from the earlier altercation, stepped forward. “Ma’am,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “Please... I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”Elara turned
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Shadows of Consequences
Elara finished her breakfast in deliberate calm, but her mind was racing. Nina’s venomous threats echoed in her ears, but she wasn’t rattled. She knew Nina wouldn’t stop, especially with her mother in the picture. She sighed, brushing off the tension. Damian would be back soon, and things needed to be in order before his return.Just as she was about to stand, Joy entered the sitting room once again, her face tight with worry.“Ma’am, there’s a call for you. It’s from Mrs. Blackwood.”Her grip tightened around her spoon. Of course. Nina’s mother. She should have expected this. “Put it through.”“Okay, ma’am.” Joy did as she was instructed.The moment she lifted the phone to her ear, Damian’s mother’s icy voice cut through the air.“Elara,” she began, her tone dripping with disdain, “what do you think you’re doing, throwing my daughter out of her own brother’s house? Are you crazy?”She didn’t miss a beat. “Your daughter crossed a line, Mrs. Blackwood. I won’t tolerate disrespect in my
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Court hearing
“Are you not done?” Damian called. She could hear his voice from downstairs, reaching all the way to her room. She quickly took one last look at herself before running out of her room.“I’m here,” she said, gasping as soon as her eyes landed on Damian. He looked so handsome. Too hot. Ever since the time of her kidnapping and how Damian had handled the case, taking such good care of her, she’d started seeing him in a new light. Her coldness toward him was melting away. She wanted more. More than just being his contracted wife. She had feelings for him but chose to stay silent. She feared rejection—sometimes he could be so kind, but other times, he turned cold, as if he didn’t care.“You look beautiful,” he complimented. She blushed. Before, she might have thought he was lying.“Thank you,” she muttered. “You don’t look bad either.”Damian chuckled, though it felt forced. She stared at him, wondering what he might look like if he ever gave a real smile.“Shall we go?” he asked, holding
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride The Game Begins
The drive home from the courthouse was quiet, but not uncomfortable. She stared out the window, her mind replaying Charles’s wife’s words, while Damian’s thumb absently stroked the back of her hand. The gesture was small, but it made her heart flutter.“You handled that well,” Damian said finally, breaking the silence.She turned to look at him. “Charles’s wife, you mean?”He nodded. “Most people wouldn’t have been so forgiving.”“I meant what I said.” She sighed, looking down at their joined hands. “Holding onto anger... it doesn’t help anyone.”His eyes studied her face with an intensity that made her cheeks warm. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his phone buzzed. His expression hardened as he checked the message.“What is it?” she asked.“Mother is hosting a dinner tonight. She’s insisting we attend.” His jaw tightened. “To celebrate the closure of the case.”Elara’s stomach knotted. After the confrontation with Nina and that phone call with Serena, she knew this wasn’t a simp
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride The Blackwood name
The room fell into a stunned silence at Elara’s words. Even Nina’s exaggerated sobs momentarily stop as she processed the unexpected response.Damian’s eyes darted between his sister and his wife, his jaw clenched tight. The business associates shifted uncomfortably in their seats while Serena watched the scene unfold with barely concealed satisfaction.“What an awful thing to say,” Nina whimpered, but Elara noticed her mask slipping slightly. “See how cruel she is?”“Cruel?” Elara let out a short, bitter laugh. “Like sending me threatening notes?” She reached into her clutch and pulled out the invitation card, holding it up. “Or should we discuss your other schemes, sister-in-law?”Nina’s eyes widened fractionally at the sight of the note. Serena stepped forward quickly, her smile sharp. “Now, now, let’s not ruin dinner with such dramatics. Nina, darling, get up from the floor. You’re making a scene.”“But Mother—”“Up," Serena commanded, her voice firm yet smooth as silk. She turned
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The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Vera
The tension in the room intensified as Vera broke away from the kiss, her gaze fixed on Jackson’s face. His expression was gentle and vulnerable, just as she had hoped. She reached out to touch his cheek, a deliberate move to draw him further into her grasp.“I’ve been so lost without you,” she whispered. “There’s something I need to tell you, something important.” She led him to sit beside her on the plush sofa, her movements deliberately hesitant. “It’s about Elara.”Jackson stiffened at the name. “What about her?”“I’ve heard... troubling things.” Vera’s voice trembled perfectly. “About her connection to certain criminal elements. People who’ve been released from prison recently.” She watched his expression shift, doubt creeping in like a shadow.“She isn’t the type.”“Are you accusing me of lying, Jack?" she interrupted, cutting him off. “You’ve known me since we were kids.”“Vera.”“You don’t trust me, do you?” She stopped. “Or do you still believe I have feelings for Damian and
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Out
Daniel Regars stood outside the towering iron gates, a free man for the first time in years. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the crisp air of freedom, but it did little to soothe the rage simmering beneath his calm facade. Freedom meant nothing to him, not when his family was shattered, his father dead behind prison walls.He didn’t know why he was released so soon, but he could take this opportunity to destroy both of them.Daniel clenched his fists, a dark smile flickering at the corners of his mouth. “They’ll pay,” he murmured to himself. “For my father, for my family. They will both pay.”He didn’t know when or how, but vengeance had been his only thought, the one idea keeping him alive in that cell, counting down the days to his release. Who knew he could be released sooner? Now he was out, and nothing would stand between him and retribution.Daniel didn’t waste time. He knew he would need allies, someone who shared his hatred for Elara and Damian. His mind circled back
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Elizabeth
Elizabeth’s living room settled into a delicate quiet, broken only by the baby’s soft coos and the gentle tick of an antique clock on the mantel. Her hands trembled slightly as she smoothed her skirt, decades of stolen life weighing heavily in the air between them.“You must have so many questions,” Elizabeth said, her voice carrying the weight of unbearable loss. “About what really happened. About her.”Damian sat on the couch beside Elara, who was still cradling their son. His eyes hadn’t left the baby’s face, as if memorizing every detail he’d missed. “Start from the beginning,” he said, his voice tight. “Start with how Serena stole everything.”Elizabeth’s composed demeanor cracked, revealing raw pain beneath. “She was Father’s illegitimate daughter. My half-sister. But being Father’s secret child wasn’t enough for her – she wanted everything. My life. My identity.” She paused, struggling with the memories. “The day you were born, son... the happiest day of my life became my worst
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Mother
Damian’s car wound through the quiet streets of the suburban neighborhood, each turn bringing them closer to the address Ghost had provided.Elara’s fingers drummed restlessly against her thigh, her heart pounding in her chest with each passing moment. The sun cast long shadows across the pavement, a reminder of how their world had shifted since Nina’s revelation just days ago.“It’s just around this corner,” Damian said, his voice tight with an emotion Elara couldn’t quite place. He had been unusually quiet since they’d left the house, lost in thoughts he seemed reluctant to share. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel, betraying the tension coursing through him.The car slowed to a stop before a modest two-story home, its white exterior pristine against the backdrop of a well-maintained garden. Rose bushes lined the walkway, their blooms adding splashes of color to the serene setting. Elara reached for the door handle, but Damian’s hand caught her wrist, stopping her.“
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride My child
Elara felt Damian tense beside her, his hand tightening around hers.“The baby,” Nina said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The one my mother had killed... he’s alive.”The words hung in the air, seeming to suck the breath from Elara’s lungs. Alive? How could that be possible? She had mourned that child, had borne the devastating grief of his loss for months.“What are you saying?” Damian asked, his voice tinged with a desperate hope that Elara dared not give in to.“I overheard her,” Nina explained, her gaze fixed on the ground. “Giving instructions to the assassin, Ghost... she wanted the baby dead, to sever the last tie between you and Elara. But I... I couldn’t let him do it. I begged him, pleaded with him, until he agreed to spare the child’s life.”Elara felt the world tilt on its axis, her heart racing as the implications of Nina’s words sank in. Their child, the one they had been robbed of, was alive. Alive and out there, somewhere, all this time.“Where is he?” she demande
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride The truth
“Nina, my daughter,” Serena called as she spoke softly to her. “Thank you for coming.”Nina smirked, studying the frail woman before her with cold eyes. She hadn’t come out of concern or love. The only reason she was here was her mother’s manipulative threat of self-harm. The text message still burned in her mind: Come see me, or I’ll end it all. Another one of her mother’s desperate plays for attention.A bitter smirk twisted Nina’s lips. She may have been forced here, but that didn’t mean she had to pretend this was a happy reunion.“What do you want?” she asked, her tone sharp and irritable.“I know you must be angry with me, my dear daughter,” Serena said.She cut her off. “What do you want?”Serena drew a theatrical sigh, her shoulders slumping. “Please forgive me,” she whispered, her voice honeyed with practiced remorse. Her fingers clutched at the fabric of her sleeve. “You need to get me out of this place. I don’t belong here.” Her eyes darted around the stark walls before fix
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Healing the Blackwood name
After the trial, the city of Blackwood experienced a sense of relief, as if it had finally escaped the shadow of the Blackwood dynasty. The streets, once under the family’s influence, were now vibrant with a renewed energy and hope for a brighter future.Damian, driven by his own painful past, assumed leadership at Blackwood Industries, spearheading a transformation with Elara and their loyal allies. Together, they tackled the challenging mission of rooting out the long-standing corruption within the company.“It’s going to take time, but we’re committed to making this right,” Damian told a gathering of employees, his voice steady and resolute. “Serena’s crimes may have shattered the Blackwood name, but we’re going to rebuild it - piece by piece, if necessary - into something this city can be proud of once more.”The road ahead was not an easy one. Restoring the company’s reputation, repairing the damage done to its financial standing, and regaining the trust of both customers and sha
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride Ashes of the Empire
In the days following Serena Blackwood’s arrest, the city seemed to hold its breath, awaiting each new revelation that would shake the Blackwood empire to its core. The carefully crafted public image Serena had cultivated for decades had crumbled, and now the full extent of her crimes was being laid bare.At the center of the unfolding scandal was Detective Morrison, the man who had worked tirelessly to bring Serena down. As the FBI sifted through the trove of evidence seized from Blackwood Tower, Morrison began piecing together the connections that would ultimately unravel Serena’s web of deceit.One name kept surfacing in the financial records and encrypted files— Travis Blackwood, Richard’s younger brother. “We always suspected there was more to Travis’s role than simply being Richard’s brother,” Morrison told reporters, his stern expression betraying none of the triumph he surely felt. “But the depth of his involvement in the Blackwood family’s downfall is staggering.”According to
The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride The truth
The morning dawned cold and gray over the city, a fitting backdrop for the day that would shatter the foundations of one of its most powerful dynasties. The first news alert came at 6:47 AM: “BREAKING: FBI RAIDS BLACKWOOD TOWER.” By 7:15, every major network had camera crews positioned around the gleaming skyscraper that had long stood as a monument to Serena Blackwood’s power.They were all there to witness her fall.Inside her penthouse office, Serena stood perfectly still as federal agents swept through the room, methodically dismantling the careful façade she’d maintained for thirty-one years. Her signature pearls – Elizabeth’s pearls, really – lay in an evidence bag, along with the contents of her private safe: passports, birth certificates, and a single, faded photograph of two sisters smiling on a Swiss mountainside.“Sarah Winters,” the lead FBI agent read from her warrant, “you are under arrest for identity theft, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud...”The list continued, but
