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Chapter 62
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2025-02-01 18:58:53
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 63
“I thought it was over.” My voice was barely a whisper, but the weight of my words filled the quiet space of Alexander’s office. The room felt suffocating, as though the walls were closing in on us.Alexander sat behind his desk, his grey eyes stormy as he read the printed email in his hand. His jaw clenched, his grip on the paper tightening until I thought it might tear.“It should be over,” he said, his tone low and dangerous. “But clearly, someone didn’t get the memo.”The email had arrived that morning, unsigned and sent from an untraceable account. Its contents were brief but chilling:“Not everyone’s playing nice. Be careful where you look—or where you don’t.”I crossed my arms, pacing the length of the room. “What does it even mean? Is it a threat? A warning? Or just someone trying to mess with us?”“Could be any of those,” Alexander said, setting the email down and leaning back in his chair. “But one thing’s clear—it’s not random. Someone wants us to keep looking over our shou
Last Updated : 2025-02-02The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 64
“Perception is everything,” I said, pacing the conference room as Alexander leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching me. “We can’t just rebuild Steele Industries from the inside. We need the world to see the company for what it truly is—a force for good.”“Sounds like a PR move,” Richard Laughton said, his tone sceptical as always. The senior board member leaned forward, his piercing gaze fixed on me. “How do you plan to make this more than just another publicity stunt?”“It’s not PR,” I replied firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. “It’s about creating tangible, visible change. Steele Industries doesn’t just recover from challenges—we rise above them. And this time, we’ll take the community with us.”The room fell silent, all eyes on me as I outlined the project. The idea was ambitious: a multi-million-dollar initiative focusing on community redevelopment, education, and sustainable innovation. It wasn’t just about repairing the company’s reputation; it was about provin
Last Updated : 2025-02-02The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 65
“I’m not him.” Alexander’s voice was sharp, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed the weight behind those words. He was sitting at the edge of our bed, his tie already discarded and his sleeves rolled up. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast long shadows across his face, making him look both powerful and vulnerable.I leaned against the doorway, watching him. “No one said you were.”“You don’t have to,” he said, staring down at his hands. “It’s always there. That voice in the back of my head, reminding me of everything he was… and everything I’m not.”I walked over, sitting beside him. His silence wasn’t new; Alexander didn’t often talk about his father, and when he did, it was usually because the pressure had built too high to ignore. But this time, something was different. This wasn’t just guilt—it was fear.“You’re not your father, Alexander,” I said softly. “And you never will be.”He let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his dark hair. “That’s what I tell myself.
Last Updated : 2025-02-03The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 66
I stared at the glittering skyline from the penthouse balcony, the city buzzing below with an energy that never seemed to sleep. It should have felt exhilarating. Instead, I felt like an imposter.“You’ve been quiet,” Alexander said, stepping outside with two glasses of wine. His presence, always so steady, should have grounded me, but tonight it only made the knot in my chest tighten.I accepted the glass, avoiding his gaze. “Just thinking.”“Dangerous pastime,” he teased, sitting beside me. But when I didn’t respond, his teasing tone shifted to concern. “Leila, what’s going on?”For a moment, I considered brushing it off. But the weight of my insecurities, the unspoken doubts that had been festering for months, refused to stay buried.“I don’t belong here,” I said finally, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.Alexander frowned, his glass hovering midair. “What are you talking about?”“This,” I said, gesturing to the sprawling cityscape, the penthouse, the life we’d built
Last Updated : 2025-02-03The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 67
“There’s no way this is a coincidence.” Alexander’s voice was tight, his fingers drumming on the edge of his desk as he stared at the document in front of us.I leaned over his shoulder, my pulse quickening as I read the details again. It wasn’t just a harmless oversight—it was deliberate. The numbers in the latest financial report had been subtly manipulated, discrepancies small enough to avoid immediate suspicion but glaring to anyone paying close attention.“It has to be Cassandra,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.Alexander glanced at me, his jaw clenched. “She’s gone, Leila. Out of the picture.”“But what if she’s not?” I countered, straightening. “What if she’s still pulling strings from the outside?”He stood, running a hand through his hair. The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with the weight of unspoken fears. “If she still has allies inside the company, this isn’t just sabotage—it’s a ticking time bomb.”The discovery had come unexpectedly, buried
Last Updated : 2025-02-04The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 68
“Leila Steele,” a smooth, deep voice said as I turned around at the edge of the gala’s bustling crowd. The man before me was impeccably dressed, his tailored suit sharp enough to cut glass. His confident smile exuded power and familiarity, though I couldn’t quite place him.“Yes?” I replied cautiously, gripping my champagne flute tighter.He extended a hand. “Elliot Harrington. A private investor with an eye for potential—and a knack for spotting it in others.”I hesitated, glancing around the room to see if Alexander was nearby. He wasn’t. I shook his hand, keeping my expression neutral. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Harrington. What can I do for you?”“It’s not what you can do for me,” he said with a charming smile. “It’s what I can do for you. I’ve been following Steele Industries closely—your recent initiatives, your leadership, your vision. It’s all very… compelling.”Compelling? That word hung in the air, unsettling. “I appreciate the interest,” I said, keeping my tone polite. “But Ste
Last Updated : 2025-02-04The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 69
The chandelier above glimmered like a galaxy of stars, casting a soft, golden glow over the sea of evening gowns and tailored tuxedos. The high-profile gala was an annual event, a convergence of power, wealth, and influence that Alexander and I had become accustomed to attending. But tonight, the air felt heavier, the whispers sharper, the stakes higher.“You’ve been quiet,” Alexander said, his low voice cutting through the hum of conversation as we made our way through the crowd. His hand rested lightly on the small of my back, a grounding presence amid the chaos.“I’m just observing,” I replied, my gaze scanning the room. Faces turned as we passed, their smiles too polished, their eyes too curious. It wasn’t admiration I saw—it was scrutiny.“Observing what?” he asked, his tone casual, though I could hear the edge beneath it.“Everything,” I said simply.The tension started before we even walked into the gala.“I don’t see why we need to go,” I said earlier that evening, standing i
Last Updated : 2025-02-05The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 70
“I don’t like the way this feels,” Alexander said, his voice low and clipped as he stared at the laptop screen in front of him. His sharp, gray eyes darkened with frustration, and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of his desk.I leaned over his shoulder, my heart sinking as I read the email thread he had pulled up. It was brief, almost innocuous on the surface, but the implications beneath it were chilling. The messages were between a key investor—Jonathan Grayson—and an untraceable account we’d now confirmed belonged to Cassandra.“What do we know?” I asked, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.Alexander clicked through a few more documents, his jaw tightening. “Grayson’s been receiving instructions for months. She’s been feeding him information, influencing his decisions, and, from the looks of it, trying to turn him against Steele Industries.”I sank into the chair across from him, my mind racing. “Why now? Why would she go after an investor this late in
Last Updated : 2025-02-05
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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
