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Chapter 108
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2025-02-25 14:31:20
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 109
"It ends today."Alexander’s voice was sharp, a blade of finality slicing through the tension in the room.We stood in Steele Industries’ boardroom, the city skyline stretching behind us, glowing with the morning light. The air was thick with anger, expectation, and something dangerously close to satisfaction.Across from us, Cassandra sat with her usual poise, her red lips curving into a mocking smirk, while Damien leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, exuding false confidence.They thought they were untouchable.They were about to learn otherwise.The Weight of the MomentFor months, I had imagined this moment. The takedown. The reckoning. The day Cassandra and Damien would finally face the consequences of their greed, their lies, and the wreckage they had left in their wake.And yet, standing here now, with evidence stacked against them and the press waiting outside, something inside me still twisted painfully.Maybe it was the scars they left behind.Or maybe it was the realizat
Last Updated : 2025-03-01The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 110
"It's over, Alexander. We won."I whispered the words into the quiet night, standing on the penthouse balcony, the city stretching below us. The skyline glittered, a silent witness to the war we fought, the empire we reclaimed, and the future we built from the ashes.Behind me, Alexander stood motionless, his glass of scotch untouched on the table.For months, he’d been locked in battle—not just with Cassandra and Damien, but with his own past. With his father’s legacy.And now, it was over.Steele Industries stood tall.We had survived.And yet…His silence gnawed at me.I turned, stepping closer. “Alexander?”His gaze lifted, stormy as he took me in, his jaw tight. “I thought it would feel different.”I frowned. “What do you mean?”His fingers curled around the edge of the table. “I thought that once they were gone—once Cassandra and Damien were destroyed—I’d feel… lighter.”I exhaled, stepping into his space and pressing a hand against his chest. “You thought revenge would set you
Last Updated : 2025-03-02The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 111
"They see me now, Alexander. But I was always meant to be here."The applause was thunderous, a wave of approval crashing over me. My name was on their lips, their smiles were bright, and yet, deep in my chest, a familiar weight lingered.Had I truly won? Or had I simply arrived at another battlefield?I stood at the podium, the award cool and heavy in my hands. It should’ve felt satisfying. It should’ve been the culmination of every fight I had endured, every battle I had won.But as my gaze swept across the room—past the executives with their polished grins, past the journalists eager for their next headline, past the industry titans who had once dismissed me—my eyes found him.Alexander.Standing at the edge of the room, watching me. His face was unreadable, his hair tucked into the pockets of his perfectly tailored suit.For the first time, I wasn’t sure if he was proud of me. Or if he was afraid of what I had become.Power Always Has a PriceAfter the ceremony, I was swallowed by
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“What if we create something entirely our own?”Alexander’s words hung between us, weighted with possibilities. His tone was casual, but I knew better. Nothing about Alexander Steele was casual.I set my wine glass down, studying him across the dimly lit balcony. The city stretched below us, a kingdom he had fought to maintain. A world I had clawed my way into. And now, here he was, offering something new.Something ours.I leaned back against my chair, arms crossed. “You don’t do ‘new,’ Alexander. You do calculated, strategic, and legacy-driven.”His lips twitched. “Maybe my strategy is changing.”I scoffed, but my pulse quickened. “What exactly are you suggesting?”He exhaled, setting his own glass aside. “Steele Industries will always be my responsibility, but it doesn’t have to be my entire identity. Or yours.”I stiffened. “I never said I wanted out.”His gaze locked onto mine, unwavering. “And I’d never ask you to be.”Silence.And then—he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. Th
Last Updated : 2025-03-03The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 113
"Leila, it’s time."Alexander’s voice was steady, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the woman in the reflection—the one who had fought through storms burned bridges and rebuilt an empire from its ruins.The woman who had once been just a daughter, just a sister.Now, I was so much more.But as I prepared to return home, I wondered if they would still see me the same way.The Weight of TimeThe drive back to my family’s house was silent. Alexander's hand rested on my knee, his thumb brushing absentmindedly against my skin. A small comfort, but my pulse still raced."It’s just your family, Leila," he murmured, eyes flicking to mine briefly. "Not a boardroom. Not a press conference. You’ve faced worse."I exhaled sharply. "Exactly. That’s the problem. I don’t know how to be just their daughter anymore."His grip tightened. "Then don’t be. Be who you are now. If they love you, they’ll see that’s enough."My throat tightened. But what if it wasn’t
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"What if we don’t make it?"The words tumbled out before I could stop them, raw and unfiltered. They hung between us, weighty and dangerous, a confession I hadn't meant to say out loud.Alexander’s grip on my waist tightened. “We will.”His voice carried the same unshakable confidence he always had, but something about it felt different. Maybe because we had both been through too much to believe in guarantees anymore.I wanted to trust him, to trust us, but doubt coiled in my chest. It wasn’t that I didn’t love him—I did. Fiercely. Desperately. But love had never been our problem. It was everything else. The ghosts of the past, the scars of betrayal, the war we had just barely crawled out of.I searched his face. “And what if we don’t?”His jaw clenched. “Then I’ll fight for us. Even if you stop believing, even if you push me away, I’ll keep fighting.”The certainty in his words made my throat tighten. How did he always know exactly what to say to pull me back from the edge?I took a
Last Updated : 2025-03-04The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 115
This isn’t just a business move. It’s a statement."The weight of the moment pressed against my chest as I sat at the long glass conference table, my fingers locked together, pulse steady but charged. The past months had been brutal—corporate warfare, betrayals, and the fight to keep Steele Industries from crumbling. We had clawed our way back, piece by piece, battle by battle.But now, it was time to show the world exactly who we were.Alexander stood beside me, a controlled force of nature, his tailored suit sharp as ever. He wasn’t just here as Steele Industries’ CEO. He was here as my partner. As the man who had risked everything—his company, his reputation, and in some ways, even himself—to rebuild from the ashes.I met his gaze, a silent exchange of understanding, of unspoken words.We had one final hurdle left.The board.I turned to face them, levelling my voice. “This initiative isn’t up for discussion. It’s happening.”A few sceptical glances. A shifting of weight in chairs.
Last Updated : 2025-03-04The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 116
Every move has a consequence. And now, it’s their turn to pay."The courtroom felt suffocating. Too many bodies pressed into the gallery, too many murmurs floating beneath the surface. Cameras flashed, pens scratched against the paper, the press ready to devour whatever blood spilt first.But all I could focus on was the two people sitting at the defendant's table.Damien. Cassandra.The architects of so much destruction. The reason I’d spent months waking up drenched in sweat, wondering if my world was about to collapse.They looked different now—Damien’s tailored arrogance slipping at the edges, Cassandra’s composed elegance starting to crack. But even now, sitting in the face of their ruin, they held themselves like people who still believed they could win.That was the thing about people like them. They never believed in endings until they were standing at the edge of one.Alexander sat beside me, his body rigid, his fingers laced together like he was holding himself together thro
Last Updated : 2025-03-04
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 172
You’d think after everything we’ve been through, we’d know how to keep our promises.I stood in the middle of our kitchen, barefoot, wrapped in one of Alexander’s oversized shirts. The silence in the penthouse was loud—only broken by the hum of the refrigerator and the dull buzz of my phone on the counter. Again.Work messages. At nearly midnight.The trip had ended three days ago. Three perfect, disconnected, sun-drenched days where we remembered what we were without the world pulling us in opposite directions. But the second we landed, the floodgates opened.He’d already broken our no-work-after-seven rule twice. I’d ignored it the first time. Justified the second. But now?Now I was pissed.I didn’t hear him walk in until his voice cut through the quiet like a wire snapping.“You’re still up?”I turned, crossing my arms. “That’s your opening line?”Alexander stilled, already sensing the storm brewing in me. He looked tired—no, wrecked—but I didn’t let it soften me this time.“I had
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 171
"Just when we thought we had it all figured out, life threw us a curveball wrapped in dollar signs."The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of our penthouse, casting a deceptive calm over the chaos brewing beneath. Alexander sat at the dining table, a thick dossier open before him, his brow furrowed in concentration. The sight was both familiar and unsettling."Leila," he began, his voice measured but tinged with an undercurrent I couldn't quite place. "We need to discuss this proposal."I set down my coffee, the rich aroma suddenly nauseating. "Another one? Didn't we agree to take a step back after the last project nearly consumed us?"He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know. But this... this is different. It's a partnership offer from Global Innovations. The potential here is massive."I approached, glancing over his shoulder at the documents. The figures were staggering, the kind that could solidify our company's position at the pinnacle of the industry. But
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 170
"Love isn't tested in the calm; it's forged in the storm."I stood at the edge of our penthouse balcony, the city lights stretching out like a sea of stars beneath me. The cool breeze did little to calm the storm brewing inside.Alexander's voice broke through my thoughts. "Leila, what's going on?"I turned to see him leaning against the doorway, concern etched on his face. His presence, usually so grounding, now felt like a lifeline."It's Daniel," I began, my voice barely steady. "He's back, and with him, all the memories I've tried to forget."Alexander's eyes narrowed. "What does he want?""He says he's in trouble," I replied, wrapping my arms around myself. "But his return has stirred up doubts about who I was... and who I am now."Alexander crossed the space between us, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Your past doesn't define you, Leila. We all have shadows. It's how we move forward that matters."Tears welled up, blurring my vision. "But what if those shadows catch up? What
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 169
"Just when you think you've buried your past, it has a way of knocking on your front door."The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of our penthouse, casting a golden glow over the minimalist decor. I stood at the kitchen island, nursing a cup of coffee, its rich aroma filling the air. Alexander sat across from me, engrossed in the financial section of the newspaper, his brow furrowed in concentration."Anything interesting?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence.He looked up, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just the usual market fluctuations. Nothing that can't wait."I nodded, taking another sip of my coffee. The tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sharp chime of the doorbell. Alexander and I exchanged puzzled glances; we weren't expecting anyone."I'll get it," I offered, setting my mug down and moving toward the door.As I opened it, my breath caught in my throat. Standing before me was a ghost from my past—Daniel. His once-boyish face was
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 168
“Success had always been my compass, but lately, it felt like I was navigating without a map.”I stared at the half-empty espresso cup on the kitchen island. The crema had gone flat, the kind of detail I usually wouldn’t notice. But now it felt like the perfect metaphor for everything that had gone dull lately—even the parts of life that were supposed to taste rich.Leila padded in barefoot, wearing my faded CalTech hoodie and holding a mug of tea. Her hair was a mess, and her cheeks were still pink from sleep, but damn if she didn’t still stop me cold.“You didn’t sleep again,” she said.I gave a non-answer shrug and kept my eyes on the city outside the window.She set her mug down and leaned on the counter, not pressing yet. Just... waiting. That was something she’d learned recently. How to wait for me to come to her instead of dragging it out of me.“I’ve been thinking,” I finally said.“Uh-oh,” she said, smiling a little. “That’s your ‘change the company overnight’ voice.”“No. No
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 167
“Grief doesn’t ask permission. It just shows up, wrecks everything, and dares you to clean it up.”It started with silence.Not the peaceful kind. Not the kind where two people sit next to each other and don’t need to fill the space. This was the heavy kind. The kind that sat between us at the dinner table while Alexander pushed food around his plate and pretended to be somewhere else.He hadn’t touched the roasted chicken. I made it from scratch. It used to be his favorite.“You haven’t eaten all day,” I said, not looking up from my own plate. I’d barely taken a bite myself.“I’m not hungry.”"You said that yesterday."He finally looked up. His eyes were dull, rimmed red from nights I knew he wasn’t sleeping through.“Leila,” he said flatly. “Please. Not tonight.”I set my fork down. “It’s been nine nights.”He exhaled sharply and shoved his chair back. “I can't do this right now.”And just like that, he was gone—down the hall, the door to his study clicking shut behind him.At first
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 166
"Alex, it's your dad."I heard the change in his voice before I heard the words. He'd just picked up a call—early, too early for it to be anything good. His body stiffened. His shoulders pulled back like someone punched him from behind.I was halfway down the stairs in a T-shirt and one sock when I saw his face.“What’s wrong?” I asked, breath catching.He lowered the phone slowly like it weighed fifty pounds. “It’s my father,” he said. “He’s had a heart attack.”---We didn’t talk much on the drive to the hospital. He gripped the steering wheel like he needed it to keep breathing. I sat there, silent, staring out the window, trying to do something—anything—but think about what it would mean if this went badly.He didn’t need me to talk. Not yet.He just needed me there.---When we got to the hospital, we found Emily pacing outside the ICU. Her face was blotchy. Her hands shook.“They rushed him into surgery two hours ago,” she said, and when Alex hugged her, her voice cracked. “They
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 165
"We need to get away."Alexander's voice cut through the ambient hum of our penthouse, his tone resolute.I glanced up from my laptop, fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Away? Now?""Yes, now." He crossed the room, his movements deliberate, and gently closed my laptop. "We've been running on fumes for months, Leila. It's time to hit pause."I leaned back, studying his face—the tension etched in the lines around his eyes, the tight set of his jaw. "And you think a getaway will fix everything?""Not everything," he admitted, perching on the edge of the coffee table opposite me. "But it's a start."I sighed, the weight of unending responsibilities pressing down. "Where would we even go?"A slow smile curved his lips. "Leave that to me."---Two days later, we were airborne on his private jet, destination undisclosed. Alexander reveled in the mystery, his eyerevelledling with unspoken secrets."You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I teased, nudging his shoulder.He chuckled, a rich sound
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 164
"You can't be serious, Leila."Alexander's voice echoed through our expansive living room, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration.I stood my ground, meeting his intense gaze. "I am serious. This is my project, and I need to do this on my own."He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I knew all too well. "Why now? Why this?""Because I need to prove to myself that I can," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.Alexander sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I just don't want to see you get hurt.""I know," I said softly. "But I have to take this risk."---The opportunity had come unexpectedly—a chance to lead a project without Alexander's influence overshadowing me. It was a small tech startup looking for investors, and I saw potential where others saw risk."You're sure about this?" Jessica, my closest confidante and our company's CFO, asked as we reviewed the proposal.I nodded. "Absolutely. This could be the breakthrough I've been waiting for."She raise
