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Chapter 50: Only the Strong Survive
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2022-06-23 14:04:48Related chapters
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 51: It's War
Emily felt like she had just declared war. It involved cute hair clips and dresses covered in ruche and lace, but it was war nonetheless. The next day, just as she expected, the reviews for the fashion show said practically nothing about her designs. The one person who mentioned it said it was too derivative of the 50s style and not unique enough. What she didn't completely expect was to see Ruby's so-called originals receive high praise from the critics. Emily was excited that the critics approved of 'Ruby's' work, which was basically her own work. The downside, of course, was that she basically had to start over. If she tried to use any of the original designs she had shown Ruby, she would now get accused of copying that lowly cheat.Those dresses had been reflective of all her work, so now she was faced with the formidable task of completely remaking her own style."At least I learned a valuable lesson," she said to Byron over drinks, "Never show my designs to someone I don'
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 52: The First Battle
Emily was startled when the phone rang. It was just as well since she had been sitting there for the last several minutes staring at her sketches but not doing much. Her mind had been distracted by the decision of whether to move in with her boyfriend, and now here he was calling.Byron was so immersed in his film project that he hadn't asked her to visit in several days. He did seem to miss her because he called every day. Emily hoped that no matter what her answer would be, he would still want to continue with their relationship."Are we ever going to see each other this week?" he asked when she picked up the phone."I'm a little busy," Emily said, "but maybe we could work something out.""You're not avoiding me, are you?" he queried."Of course not. It's just that you have your films, and I have the new clothing lines to make."She heard him take in a breath in preparation to say something..."Emily, if you're worried about moving in with me, you don't have to decide right aw
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 53: Evasive Maneuvers
Katie was startled at first, but quickly regained her composure and kept walking and smiling. She did some masterful turns to show off the outfit from all angles while the deafening music kept demolishing everyone's ear drums.Emily walked swiftly out of the hall to see what was happening. The room next door, a big hall just like the one she had rented, had a sign on it that said "Metal-head Convention: free beer and heavy metal."Just her luck! Emily entered the metal room, hoping to ask them to keep the volume down just a little.Inside, people were dancing and jumping about to the music. Operating the turntables in a Raging Horticulturalist hoodie was none other than her old friend Ruby. This explained everything. Now Emily knew who had stolen her signs. She called the front desk, asking them if anything could be done about the loud music. The reply was that the metal convention had a right to be there, although the receptionist would ask them to turn the volume down.Meanwhil
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 54: Fashion Cruise
Despite being soaked and chilled to the bone, Emily felt uplifted after the sailing trip. The evening provided the perfect antidote as she returned to Byron's place for a hot shower and a spicy dinner of Indian food.As they cuddled in their comfy robes, drinking hot milky tea, she felt more relaxed and happy than she had in a long time."I think this is a brilliant idea you had about the fashion show," Byron said, "If you let me help you, I could ensure only trustworthy people come on board.""How would you do that?" Emily wondered. "Have your security people search the boat?""For a start," he agreed. "I can also contact some members of the press and give them a personal invitation.""Oh, that would be amazing. Thank you!""If you want to keep the location of the boat undisclosed, what we could do is have all the guests picked up by limos and taken to the docks. It would make them feel exclusive, and everyone loves a secret rendezvous."Emily could picture it. The intrigue of
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 55: Glowing Reviews
Emily woke up at Byron's place to a grey morning with a gloomy, overcast sky. Usually Byron woke up earlier than her, but this time he was still asleep. She could tell it was one of those days when Byron was feeling out of sorts. He frowned as he awoke and responded somewhat listlessly to her good morning kiss.Since his treatment started, he still had days like this, but usually Emily didn't have time to stay with him throughout the whole day. She knew he was probably out of danger because he promised to call her if he ever had suicidal thoughts again."I'm going to bring you breakfast," Emily said, slipping out of bed.She had the whole day off following the busy run-up to the fashion show, and she was looking forward to taking care of Byron. The walker just returned with Rupert, having taking him on his early morning stroll and allowing them to sleep in. Emily opened the door so Rupert could go in the bedroom."No, Rupert, not the drool," Byron complained.Emily giggled and t
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 56: It's a Long Road Again
Snow crunched beneath car tires as the BMW made its way up and down mountain peaks. Emily drove the car, letting Byron take in the beautiful mountains and evergreen trees all shining with crowns of white.Emily believed more and more that his depression must have been made worse by the winter season and the repetitive strain of work. And since she didn't have time to go on a real vacation, they decided on a quick weekend getaway to the mountains. She knew the trip made a difference when Byron started singing along with her to "Marshmallow World." He had been in quite a dark mood earlier, but now he was enjoying the journey and cracking jokes.After a few hours' drive they pulled over before Byron's cabin located close to a ski resort. On the outside it had a Swiss chalet look with dark brown timbers and a balcony. Inside, there was a fireplace, and the furniture looked sleek and modern. They went to the nearby town for dinner and then lounged by the fireplace drinking hot chocol
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 57: A Multitude of Fashions
Returning to the city after the amazing weekend wasn't as disappointing as it seemed at first. Emily noticed a change in Byron; although he was back at work, and it was still the bleakest winter season, his heavy mood seemed to have lifted.It scared her a little that she admitted her love for him. Somehow she had pictured her life going differently. She had the idea of traveling the world and meeting many different men before falling in love with someone. But then who said she still couldn't travel the world?Emily felt refreshed and ready to attack her goals with new energy. She had been on the verge of giving up on her fashion venture, but she decided to keep fighting until she faced either absolute defeat or victory.There was one other thing she could do to get more publicity for her fashions: enter a competition. She discovered that there was a designer face-off planned for young designers under 30, and the winner would get their work featured in a national fashion magazine.
Last Updated : 2022-06-23The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 58: The Sting of Defeat
It was the final day of the competition. All the clothes would be judged, and only one person would emerge a winner.Emily arrived very early. Byron lent her his car, while Katie came along to help with the clothes. They unloaded everything swiftly and efficiently, hanging the clothes on a wheeled rack provided for the contestants. They took the elevator up, and then rolled the clothes into the big room where the models awaited.Inside, it was pure chaos. Everyone else seemed to have gotten there even earlier, and designers were running around making adjustments while the models were being fussed over by hair stylists.Emily saw there was a section assigned to her with mirrors and makeup tables. The models who gathered there seemed underwhelmed by the selection of clothes she brought. "Hi ladies," Emily said, "Please continued with your hair and makeup. There's no rush.""This is going to make me look like Raggedy Ann," one of them muttered under her breath.It was true that the
Last Updated : 2022-06-23
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The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 169: The First Chapter
Emily felt such a strong current of desire running throughout her frame. It was always the most overwhelming sensation, being engulfed in the torrent of his kisses. It was one of those times when she was reminded how fierce and powerful her love for him really was. Sometimes day-to-day life interfered and made her forget that there was a man by her side who would do anything for her. When he showed how much he loved her, whether it was with grand gestures and romantic trips or simply the way he kissed her, it felt like the rebirth of a love that was too beautiful for words.Holding him in her arms and knowing how much he desired her nearly made her faint every time. It enchanted every single cell of her being, making the rest of the world a mere blur compared to the hot passion coursing through her body."I love you," she murmured as they rested in the sumptuous bed. "Thanks for always being there for me.""You don't have to thank me," he said, gazing back at her with a look fi
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 168: Chopping Wood
A few days later, Emily woke up to a grey and rainy day, but she was eager to get out of bed. It was the day of their trip. Byron was already up, pulling a tight t-shirt over his muscular torso. He looked way too awake for the earliness of the hour."Today's dress code: motorcycle gear," he said, eyes shining eagerly."It's a road trip?" Emily exclaimed."Yes indeed!"They could have flown anywhere in the world on their private jet, but for some reason Emily was more excited about a trip to the nearby mountains, just like they had always done. It reminded her of the early days of their relationship when they swiftly fell in love, and she had fallen in love with everything about this landscape too. And in some ways, not that much had changed."It's going to be a rugged journey," Byron said, "but don't worry, I've prepared some amenities at our destination.""What is that supposed to mean?" she asked."You don't need to pack too much stuff, just your basic clothes."They left t
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 167: Choices
Byron poured a lot of funds into the construction of the wave pool, and a few months later, it was built and ready for use.The building looked sleek and contemporary on the outside, while inside it was a warm oasis away from the autumn chill.Mandy swam and frolicked in the waves with her friends, stopping only to sip a bit of juice, then she was back in the water for more splashing. The high ceiling allowed natural light to come in through its numerous skylights, giving the space the ambience of a warm beach. The wave pool was definitely a hit. Emily and Byron watched the kids, lounging on deck chairs by the water."It's not quite as relaxing as a real beach, but it'll do," Byron said as the echoes of children's voices bounced around the vast space. Ripples of sunlight reflected off the water and played over his face."The kids don't seem to care if it's relaxing or not," Emily said, observing them race each other in the waves. "But as long as they're happy…""Do you think Man
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 166: Making Waves
"Can I do it when I'm six?" Mandy asked, not letting go of the idea of being on television."No," Emily said firmly."Can I do it when I'm seven?""No.""Ten?""Maybe." Emily hoped the whole discussion would be forgotten after that many years. She never wanted her child on a so-called talent show which was probably rigged anyway.Luckily, Mandy was distracted by her friend, and the two girls went to play outside."She's so talented," Katie said, "You should take her to a music academy. I'll bet she's going to be a sensation."Emily shook her head. "She's way too young. Please don't get excited. I know it seems like showing her talent to the world is a good thing, but too many child stars have started out on brilliant careers only to burn out as teenagers. I definitely don't want that for Mandy.""You're right, Talent Quest is a bit of a freak show," Katie said, "but don't you want her to at least learn as much as she can to reach her full potential?""She's got all the time i
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 165: Big Purchases
Byron took a long breath. "Okay, don't be mad at me but… I bought Charmers. And now every single branch of Charmers will carry your brand of clothing.""Byron, you promised me you wouldn't do that!" Emily was so disappointed she was hardly even tempted by the creamy pasta."I promised I wouldn't destroy them," he said, a sly smile playing about his lips, "and I don't intend to. I've even kept Simone around, though in a slightly less senior role. She couldn't be induced to resign. The woman is very stubborn, but I know you don't like us to make enemies…""So you took over the company she was running, and you don't think she'd be mad?""Not as mad as I was when you told me she dropped your products," Byron retorted, "But believe it or not she's actually okay with the takeover. Charmers were struggling financially anyway. Believe me, I did them a favor.""Well you didn't do me a favor," Emily retorted. "I didn't want you to get involved.""But—""I'm capable of solving my own probl
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 164: Not so Lucky
"I pet a big white dog!" Mandy announced when they got home.The dogs spun around the new arrivals in a furry whirlwind, and Emily was relieved to be with her four-legged friends. She was glad she hadn't brought them to work that day to be despised by Simone."That's good," Byron said, greeting Mandy and Emily with kisses."I was not so lucky," Emily said."Mommy didn't have time to play with doggie," Mandy said sadly."And on top of that, I lost a really big client…" Emily added. She took off her shoes and collapsed on the living room couch."Lady said the 'f word'," Mandy recalled. Byron raised his eyebrows. "I know I'm not allowed to say it," Mandy continued, "but she didn't know that.""What the heck happened over there?" Byron asked."Ugh! I can't even go into right now," Emily lay back on the couch and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the stress of the day. "Simone made me so mad.""Lady was silly," Mandy said."Yes, she was very silly," Emily confirmed.Byron s
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 163: The Meeting
Emily was in a playful mood the next morning. She didn't want to get out of bed, even though she had an important meeting. The date night had ended in a rather passionate episode. Mandy was already asleep by the time they got back home, and they made the most of their time. It was not exactly rare for them to have alone time, but maybe it didn't happen as often as before."You're very giggly," Byron noted. "I thought you'd be tired after last night."He was a bit sleepy but didn't mind indulging her desires when she kissed his face and body all over."Thanks for helping me feel relaxed when I should be nervous," Emily said as she got up to get dressed. "Simone Cather is coming in for a meeting today. I've never worked with her before, but I hear she can be difficult. I'm going to bring Mandy with me to win her over with cuteness."Simone had just taken over leadership of Charmers, the biggest fashion retail store in the country. Emily had a good relationship with the previous CEO
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 162: Doing "Fairly Well"
Emily was able to run some errands while Sylvia gave Mandy her first piano lesson. She was glad to have a bit of time to shop, and Sylvia insisted on not having anyone interfere in her tutelage anyway. Emily wondered how Sylvia would cope being left alone with her granddaughter. She had been out a couple of hours, and she hoped they hadn't killed each other.Contrary to her expectations, the house was quiet when she entered. Sylvia and Mandy were deep in conversation over tea and cookies."Mommy! Mommy!" Mandy ran over to greet her."How was your lesson?" Emily asked."I learned to play piano!""She did fairly well," Sylvia said. This sounded like high praise from someone who was more used to criticizing.Mandy sat down at the piano with very good posture to show Emily what she'd learned. She played Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It was a simple piece that most kids started with, but Emily was amazed that Mandy played it so flawlessly. She kept up a steady rhythmic accompanimen
The Billionaire's Runaway Bride Chapter 161: Cave Explorer
Unschooling was a little harder to commit to than Emily had imagined. She knew that there were plenty of learning opportunities for Mandy at home, but sometimes work demands, or just wanting a bit of time to herself made her reluctant to teach the kid.It was early September, and the unschooling had been going on for a week. Emily was working on her sketches in her home office while Mandy watched an educational program in the cinema room. It didn't seem like too much time had passed, but when Emily looked up from her sketch, the house felt unusually quiet. She went into the cinema room and saw that Mandy must have finished her program and dutifully turned the screen off. She was an amazingly responsible child in some respects."Mandy!" Emily called, "Where are you, Mandikins?"An eerie silence filled the large house. Emily checked all the rooms, but her daughter was nowhere to be found. Surely she wouldn't have gone outside all by herself? For a chilling moment, she thought the
