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Chapter 15
Last Updated:
2025-01-01 20:06:41
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 16
The day feels different, almost as if the air has shifted around me. When I wake up, there’s a sense of purpose that wasn’t there before, a quiet but undeniable energy inside me. It’s not like the nervous excitement of a child on their first day of school, but rather the steely calm of someone who’s decided to stop letting life happen to them.I glance at the mirror, surprised by the reflection staring back at me. My hair is a mess, as always, but it’s the eyes that hold my attention. There’s something in them now. Something I didn’t notice before. A quiet resolve that wasn’t there a week ago.“You’re not just a pawn in someone else’s game anymore,” I murmur to myself.The house is quiet when I step out of our bedroom. Alexander is already gone for the day, leaving only a faint scent of his cologne behind. I’m used to his early mornings, but today, for some reason, I’m restless. I should have stayed in bed. But I can’t. I need to do something. For myself. For us.I move through the gr
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The phone rings, its shrill tone cutting through the silence of our apartment. I glance at the clock. It’s late, but the call isn’t unexpected. The moment I press accept, my father’s voice comes through, strained, far more panicked than usual.“Leila, we need to talk. It’s urgent.”I sit up straighter, the weight of his words pressing down on my chest. “What is it, Dad?”There’s a pause on the other end like he's gathering his courage before speaking.“The financial situation… it’s worse than I thought. The debts have piled up even more than we anticipated. I don’t know how long we can keep this up.”My stomach churns, and I rub my temples, trying to steady myself. “But we were supposed to have more time… We were managing everything slowly, little by little.”“I thought so too,” my father says, his voice tight, “but things have escalated. We might lose everything, Leila.”I close my eyes, feeling the weight of his words sink in. The pressure in my chest feels suffocating. I glance at
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The day extends on in a blur of meetings, calls, and vast reports. I sit in the extensive front room of our penthouse, the quietness weighty in the air.Alexander hasn't spoken a lot today, and when he does, everything,without a ddoubtt, revolves around business. His psyche is consumed by the domain he's endeavoured to work in while I sit on the outskirts, a mere observer of a life I’m no longer sure I’m a part of.“Leila, did you get the numbers from the New York team?” Alexander asks, not looking up from his phone as he paces the room, his face etched in concentration.I look up, alarmed by his abrupt inquiry. I've developed used to his distraction with work, but the distance between us feels more articulated today. "Yes, I have them," I express, standing from the lounge chair to recover the files. I hand them over to him, feeling the cold air between us deepen.He barely acknowledges the gesture, scanning the papers quickly, then tossing them aside without a second thought. “We nee
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The weight of everything presses down on me like a stone sitting on my chest. I wake up in the morning, gazing at the roof, and briefly, I keep thinking about whether any of this — the wedding, the commitments, the moving tides of my new life — are genuine.Alexander's side of the bed is cold once more, and the space between us feels more critical now than it did even only a couple of days prior.I swing my legs off the bed and press my palms against the cool surface of the end table, steadied by the quietness of the room. The calm is frightening. I long for when quietness felt consoling, not choking. Maybe the quietness has turned into a wall between us, a barrier I’m unsure how to break through anymore.I hear the soft sound of footsteps outside our bedroom door, and a moment later, it creaks open. I don’t even have to look up to know it’s him—Alexander. He’s standing there, a shadow in the doorway, his expression unreadable. He’s dressed for another day at the office, but the lin
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The apartment is silent, the main sound being the far-off murmur of the city underneath. I stand by the huge window, watching the lights gleam somewhere far off, a sign of how far I am from the existence I once knew. All that feels like it's changing, but, nothing appears to change by any means. Alexander hasn't spoken a lot throughout the night. The pressure between us has developed thick, more unmistakable than at any other time in recent memory.The heaviness of his quiet lingers palpably, making it harder to relax.I turn around and find him standing by the bar, gazing at the glass in his grasp as though the main thing sounds good to him at this moment. His jaw is tight, his shoulders firm. I realize something's wrong. However, he's never been great at sharing what's inside."Alexander," I say, my voice milder than expected, attempting to overcome any barrier between us. "We want to talk."He doesn’t look up, just swirls the amber liquid in his glass. The movement is almost mechan
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I never imagined I’d find myself standing in the middle of Alexander’s sleek, glass-walled conference room. The air buzzes with anticipation, voices murmuring in clipped tones as his team files in, carrying laptops and notepads, ready for another high-stakes meeting. I’m not here to watch anymore. Today, I’m stepping in.The moment I push open the door, every conversation halts. Heads turn. Eyes widen. I can feel the weight of their gazes pressing down on me, a mix of surprise and thinly veiled scepticism.“Mrs. Hawke,” one of the assistants says, her voice hesitant but polite. “We weren’t expecting you.”I hold my chin high, willing my nerves to steady. “I’m here to help,” I say simply, my tone firm enough to leave no room for debate.Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Alexander standing near the head of the table. His expression is unreadable, his dark eyes locked on me as if trying to decipher my intentions. His usual cool, detached demeanour is intact, but I don’t miss the fain
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The sharp hum of the elevator fills the silence as I ascend to the top floor of Alexander’s corporate fortress. My palms are clammy, clutching a leather-bound notebook like a shield. The glassy walls of Hawke Enterprises loom around me, their sheer perfection a stark contrast to the tangle of nerves inside me.I’ve spent the morning studying—scrutinizing reports, Googling business jargon I barely understood a week ago, and reviewing every word Alexander let slip in his cold, clipped tones. Now, as I stand on the precipice of something new, I feel a strange mixture of dread and determination. I refuse to be invisible anymore, not here, not to him.When the elevator dings and the doors slide open, I step into the executive suite. The air is heavy with the scent of polished wood and faint cologne, a space meticulously crafted to reflect Alexander’s precision and power. Heads turn as I walk past, employees exchanging subtle glances. I pretend not to notice.“Mrs. Hawke,” a young assistant
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The tension in the boardroom is palpable, a storm brewing just below the polished surface of smiles and tailored suits. I sit at the long glass table, my notebook open in front of me, pen poised to jot down notes. But it’s not the data on the projection screen that’s got my attention. It’s the subtle shift in the room—the glances exchanged, the murmurs behind cupped hands. I’m not supposed to be here. At least, that’s what the board members seem to believe. Alexander’s seat at the head of the table is empty. He’s running late—something about a last-minute call—but his absence feels strategic and deliberate. Maybe he wants to see how I’ll handle this without him.The murmuring grows louder. One of the older men at the table, James Troughton, clears his throat and leans forward, his salt-and-pepper hair slicked back to perfection.“Mrs. Hawke,” he begins, his tone polite but dripping with condescension. “I must admit, it’s... unexpected to see you here. I wasn’t aware Alexander had de
Last Updated : 2025-01-06
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 81
The First Strike The lawsuit was filed at dawn. By noon, it was on every major news outlet. By evening, the world knew that Alexander Steele had declared war. I sat in the sleek black leather chair of Alexander’s office, scrolling through endless headlines. "Steele Enterprises Takes Luxor Industries to Court—Corporate War Begins!" "Damien King Accused of Corporate Espionage—Is Cassandra Knight the Puppet Master?" "Alexander Steele’s Billion-Dollar Lawsuit: The Fight That Could Reshape the Industry." Alexander stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his hands in his pockets, his stance deceptively relaxed. But I could see the tension in his shoulders. “They wanted a war,” he said, his voice smooth but razor-sharp. “Now they have one.” I exhaled, setting my phone on the table. “You really think Damien’s going to roll over because of a lawsuit?” His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “No. I expect him to fight. But he doesn’t have what I have.” “And what’s
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 80
The Return to ChaosThe moment we stepped off the jet, I knew something was wrong.Alexander’s phone vibrated. Once. Twice. Then mine. The sudden onslaught of calls and texts wasn’t normal. My stomach clenched as I glanced at the notifications stacking up like bricks.Alexander barely had time to check his screen before his face hardened, his grip tightening around his phone.“Leila.” His voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.I looked up, my own phone buzzing in my hand. “What?”He turned the screen toward me.BREAKING NEWS: DAMIEN KING AND CASSANDRA KNIGHT UNVEIL LUXOR INDUSTRIES, A DIRECT COMPETITOR TO STEELE ENTERPRISES.My breath left my lungs. No.“Impossible,” I whispered. “He wouldn’t—”Alexander was already dialing.The second Liam answered, his voice was tight. “Boss, it’s bad.”Alexander clenched his jaw. “Tell me.”“Damien launched a direct competitor overnight. Luxor Industries. Cassandra’s funding it. They’ve already poached several of our people—incl
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 79
The RetreatThe rhythmic crash of waves against the shore was the only sound that filled the silence between us. The villa—perched on the edge of the Mediterranean, isolated from the chaos we had just left behind—was a stark contrast to the storm raging between me and Alexander.I stood at the open balcony, watching the moonlight cast a silver glow over the endless stretch of water. The air smelled of salt and jasmine, but I barely noticed it. My thoughts were tangled in the tension still hanging in the space between us.I heard the door close softly behind me, followed by the sound of Alexander’s footsteps.“We needed this,” he said, his voice low, rough.I didn’t turn around. “Did we?”A beat of silence. Then—“Yes.”I closed my eyes for a second, exhaling slowly. “Running away won’t fix what’s broken between us, Alexander.”“We’re not running.” His voice was closer now. “We’re breathing.”I turned then, meeting his gaze. There was something vulnerable in the way he looked at me—lik
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 78
"You shouldn’t have gotten involved."The words sent an icy chill through me.I stared down at the unmarked envelope that had been slipped under my office door, my fingers gripping the letter inside a little too tightly. The words were typed, no signature, no clues, but the message was clear.This wasn’t a warning.It was a threat.A direct hit meant to rattle me, to shake me into submission.I swallowed, forcing down the unease curling in my stomach as I read the letter again.Stay in your lane, Mrs. Hawke. Or next time, we won’t just be watching.The air in my office felt heavy, closing in around me. The logical side of my brain told me to breathe, to think. But the other part—the one ruled by instinct—was screaming at me to run.I wasn’t naïve. I knew the kind of world I had stepped into when I married Alexander.But this?This was different.I grabbed my phone, my fingers hovering over Alexander’s contact. I hesitated.He was already on edge. Already carrying too much.And I hated
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 77
This isn’t over until we cut out the rot."Alexander’s voice was steel, each word carrying the weight of a war that had dragged on too long. I watched him from across the room, the tension in his jaw tightening with every second that passed.It wasn’t just business anymore.It was personal.For months, we had been dismantling Cassandra’s empire, unraveling the chaos she had left behind, piece by piece. But now, the last thread had revealed itself—someone inside Steele Industries, someone still loyal to her, pulling strings in the shadows.And they weren’t going down without a fight.Alexander’s fingers drummed against the table, his eyes locked on the confidential report in front of him."Who is it?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm brewing in my chest.He exhaled sharply, flipping the report shut before looking up. "Jameson Hale."I felt the impact of that name like a physical blow."Hale?" My stomach twisted. "But he’s been with the company for years—long before Cassandra.
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 76
You need to make a decision, Alexander."The weight of those words hung in the air, thick and unrelenting.I sat stiffly in the boardroom, my fingers tightening around the armrests of my chair as I watched Alexander across the table. His posture was as rigid as steel, his face an unreadable mask, but the sharp tick of his jaw gave him away.They were cornering him.And I was the reason why.The men seated around us—billionaire investors, executives who prided themselves on running the empire with an iron fist—didn’t even bother to hide their distaste for me."She’s become a liability," Charles Weaver said, his voice smooth, cutting. "The press is running wild with stories about her influence, and investors are questioning your judgment."Another man, Richard Caldwell, nodded. "The company cannot afford more instability. The most strategic move would be to separate personal affairs from business."Separate.Like I was just another mistake he needed to erase.I swallowed hard, willing m
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 75
"What are you not telling me?"The question escaped before I could stop it. My voice trembled, it was a quiet demand that sliced through the charged silence between us.Alexander’s fingers tightened around the glass in his hand, his knuckles whitening. The city skyline stretched behind him, but he wasn’t looking at it. He was looking at me.And I knew.Something had shifted.Something had been kept from me.And the moment I opened that file earlier today, my entire world tilted on its axis.He set his drink down, exhaling slowly, measuredly. "Leila, you don’t—""Don’t say I don’t understand," I cut him off, stepping forward, my heart pounding so hard I felt it in my fingertips. "Because I do. I just don’t know why."His jaw flexed. He ran a hand through his hair, a rare sign of unease. Alexander Hawke didn’t fidget. He didn’t hesitate. But right now, he was a man at war with himself."Tell me the truth," I whispered. "No more secrets. No more half-truths. I deserve to know."His silen
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 74
"This isn’t a disaster—it’s a dumpster fire with a VIP ticket to hell." The words hit like a wrecking ball, shattering the last fragile hope I had that we could control this mess. I sat stiffly at the long mahogany table, my fingers curled around my pen so tightly my knuckles ached. The air in the boardroom felt thick, suffocating, charged with the kind of energy that came when billions of dollars were at stake. Across from me, Alexander leaned forward, his hands flat on the table, his expression carved from stone. His suit was crisp, his presence as commanding as ever, but I could see the tension rippling beneath his skin. He was holding on by a thread, his patience dangerously close to snapping. “Fix this, Leila,”* he growled, his voice a low rumble of impending thunder. *“Or I’ll start burying bodies instead of problems.” I exhaled slowly. *Stay calm. Stay in control.“We can fix this.” My voice was steady, though my pulse was anything but. Alexander’s gaze locked onto mi
The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 73
The Breaking Point“I’m not asking for permission, Alexander.”The words hung in the air, thick and unyielding, daring him to challenge them.Alexander sat behind his desk, his fingers interlocked, his expression unreadable—except for the tension that gripped his frame, stretching taut like a wire about to snap.His gaze locked onto mine, sharp as ever, but something else lurked beneath it—something wary, something he was trying to hide.“You think this is about permission?” His voice was low, controlled, but I knew better than to mistake that calm for anything other than barely contained frustration.I crossed my arms, forcing myself to hold my ground. “That’s exactly what this is about. Every time I take a step forward, you pull me back. Every time I try to take control of my own life, you remind me why I shouldn’t.”His jaw clenched, and for a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, deliberately, he stood. His presence filled the room, but I didn’t let myself shrink beneath it.“Lei
