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Chapter 9
Last Updated:
2024-12-26 12:37:59
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The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 10
The room feels having comparatively little size than usual today, as though the walls are closing in around me. It’s one of those seldom occuring moments when the heaviness of this marriage seems too much to carry. At the far end of the couch Alexander is having his sit, his posture as stiff as ever, his eyes concentrated attention on the business report in his hands. The burden of his quietness presses against me, and I can’t bear it anymore.“Alexander,” I start, my voice quieter than I intend.I know he heard me but he doesn't look up at me,he’s always like this—distant and unreachable.I take a deep breath and try again. “Can we talk?”Finally, he looks up, his intent look cold but sharp. “About what?”I can feel the building of the kind of familiar tension that always lingers between us. The space he keeps is so vast and so impenetrable. But I’m determined to bridge that gap, even if it feels like I’m drowning completely in it.“About us,” I say. “About this marriage.”His jaw cl
Last Updated : 2024-12-27The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 11
The daylight streams through the enormous windows of the penthouse, however it doesn't feel warm. The room is colder than it ought to be. I sit on the edge of the couch, my fingers absentmindedly following the edge of my coffee cup, attempting to discover some similarity to calm. But, it's hard. All that feels like it's getting past me."Leila, we really need to talk."I take a quick look up to find Alexander standing in the doorway, his expression more strained than usual. His suit is perfectly tailored, his dark eyes shadowed, but there's something in his voice that cuts through the stiffness like a sharp dagger. The weight of his words lands heavily in the space between us."About what?" I ask, trying to keep my tone even. But even I can hear the frustration persist in staying beneath the surface.He steps forward, his jaw clenched. "You know damn well what." He makes a gesture slightly at the room, at the whole situation. "The business, the sabotage, the fact that we’re being atta
Last Updated : 2024-12-28The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 12
The boardroom is colder than I remember. Indeed, even the air feels more sterile today, like it's waiting for something to change. The sound of the door closing behind me echoes in the silence, and before stepping forward I hesitate for a moment.I don't know why in the world would I come here today. It wasn't simply the pile of administrative work sitting before me back at home, or the rising frustration with my failure to figure out everything. It was more than that—something deep inside pushing me forward. I need to do this. Alexander’s absence is like a shadow in this room, looming but not touching anything. He hasn't arrived, and I understand exactly the amount I've missed having his presence — if only to check how I should act.I sit at the enormous gathering table, crossing my hands before me, attempting to keep my nerves under control. I look at the files before me once more. Business, finance, systems, everything I've never genuinely needed to manage up to this point.I kno
Last Updated : 2024-12-29The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 13
The meeting room is chilly, the sort of cool that saturates your bones. The long, smooth table between Alexander and me feels like a tremendous gorge, one that is just getting more extensive the more we sit opposite one another."Leila, I don't think you completely figure out the circumstance," Alexander says, his voice low and cut. He's been talking like this throughout the previous ten minutes, his tone cool, legitimate — like he's attempting to address me instead of examine.I sit in my seat, my hands twisting into clenched hands on the table. His belittling tone is getting to me, and it takes all that I have not to snap."I see completely well," I say, keeping my voice as consistent as I can make due. "This choice will influence the workers and the fate of the organization. I'm not simply staying here since I'm your wife. I'm staying here since I have a stake in this, as well."He doesn't check me out. His eyes stay fixed on the financial report before him, as though he's, as of n
Last Updated : 2024-12-31The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 14
The morning air is cool, and for the first time in weeks, I don’t feel the weight of uncertainty on my chest. Alexander is away on a business trip, leaving me alone in the penthouse. It’s been quiet, almost too quiet. I find myself walking through the apartment, drawn to the places where we’ve spent the most time together—his office, the kitchen, the living room. It all feels so… distant now.But I’m not alone. Not really. His presence lingers in every corner of this place, in every piece of furniture, every object. I see reminders of him everywhere, even when he’s not here. I hear the soft chime of my phone ringing, pulling me out of my thoughts. It’s Kate, one of Alexander’s close associates. I haven’t spoken to her much, but I know she’s been around since before I came into the picture.“Leila,” her voice is warm, yet there's something tentative in it, as though she's unsure of how much to share. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”“No, not at all,” I reply, walking toward the window a
Last Updated : 2025-01-01The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 15
The morning started like any other, with the soft hum of the city outside our penthouse and the steady rhythm of life moving forward. But as I entered the living room, the first thing I noticed wasn’t the view—it was Alexander.He was standing near the window, phone in hand, eyes narrowing at something on the screen. I could feel the tension radiating off him, even from across the room.“Is everything okay?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended. He didn’t look up immediately, and for a second, I almost regretted asking. But then he finally turned, his expression hard, almost guarded.“It’s just the news,” he muttered, shoving the phone into his pocket. “Nothing for you to worry about.”I frowned, crossing the room toward him. “Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out.”His jaw tightened. “I’m not shutting you out. I just don’t want to drag you into this mess.”But I had already seen enough. I’d been living with Alexander long enough to know when something was off. His eyes, normally col
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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
Last Updated : 2025-01-02The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Chapter 17
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
Last Updated : 2025-01-02
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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
