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2025-02-09 23:55:12
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The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 26
As soon as I got to the boutique, I ran my fingers over a silk gown, considering it, when a sharp, familiar laugh made me pause. “I still can’t believe it,” a voice drawled behind me. “After all those years, and she ended up with nothing, still shopping off the racks like some loser, I see.” I didn’t turn around. I didn’t need to. Stella. “Oh, come on,” another voice joined in, dripping with false pity. “She didn’t end up with nothing. She married some nobody. That counts for something, right?” Laughter. My grip on the fabric tightened. “She thought she could do better than Leo.” Stella’s voice was laced with amusement. “And now look at her. No power, no name, no future. Honestly, it’s a little pathetic.” More laughter. Whispered comments. They wanted me to hear them. They wanted a reaction. Slowly, I turned, letting my eyes settle on Stella. She was standing with two other women, both of them holding fancy bags in their hands. “Oh, Bella!” she greeted with fake laughter. “
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-10The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 27
I stopped right in front of Leo, folding my arms across my chest, a smirk curling at the corner of my lips. “Ms Deon wants to be part of the collaboration,” I said, my voice calm but firm, “and in exchange,” I pulled out a printed image of my grandmother’s heirloom, “she wants this priceless Ruby Arch necklace, it’s a rare find and she wants you to be the one to get it.” A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. Stella’s face twisted in shock, then fury. Her eyes darted to Leo, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. “No!” she nearly screamed. “No way! That necklace is mine! You can’t take it from me!” Her voice echoed through the hall, her carefully polished image cracking right in front of everyone. The flashes kept coming, reporters whispering, trying to get every word. Leo didn’t move or say anything at first, still staring at me like he wasn’t sure if this was real. “Leo!” Stella’s voice shook. “Tell her! Tell her she can’t have it!” His eyes finally
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-11The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 28
Leo slammed the door shut behind him pinning me to the wall both his hands by the sides of my head. “What is this?” he demanded, his voice low and intense, his face only inches from mine. “What are you playing at?” I tilted my chin up, meeting his gaze without a hint of fear. “And what is this?" I frowned, staring at him in irritation. His eyes searched mine, still in shock. “Why?” His voice cracked just slightly. “Why are you doing this?” I pushed against his chest, slipping out from under his arm. “If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave.” He grabbed my wrist, his grip tightening just enough to stop me but not hurt. “Bella.” His tone softened for a brief second. I yanked my hand away, my eyes cold. “I think I made myself clear, if you have anything to say, speak with my team." Without waiting for a response, I walked to the door. But just as I stepped into the hallway, Stella was there, her face twisted in rage. She stormed toward me, her heels clicking s
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 29
The floor shook beneath me as the explosion echoed through the walls. My ears rang, and for a second, all I could hear was that awful, deafening silence that came right after the blast. Then the alarms started blaring, sharp and panicked, filling the house with a blinding red glow.“what was that?!”Ryan was already on his feet, his face pale. “Jack!” he shouted, his voice hoarse. He turned and sprinted toward the hallway before I could even move.I forced myself to run after him, my bare feet slapping against the cold floor. Smoke seeped in through the cracks of the front door, thick and dark. A burning smell filled the air, sharp and suffocating. My chest tightened as I coughed, but I pushed forward.Ryan reached Jack’s room first, throwing the door open so hard it slammed against the wall. Jack was still asleep, curled up under his blankets, completely unaware of the chaos happening around us.“Jack!” Ryan rushed to the bed and scooped him up, cradling him in his arms. Jack stirred
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-14The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 30
Leo pov I walked out of the venue, my steps slow, my mind clouded. The flashes, the voices, the whispersthey all blended into background noise. None of it mattered. What mattered was that she was there. Bella. I thought I was in a dream. She looked so fucking beautiful I just wanted to keep her in my arms there and then. I was going crazy at this point. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. Dennis. “Did you know?” I asked, my voice quiet but firm as I pressed the phone to my ear. Dennis hesitated. “Sir, I didn’t,” he said quickly. “I swear, I had no idea she was coming.” I looked up at the night sky, still trying to make sense of it. “She wasn’t on the guest list.” “No, sir. She wasn’t.” “Then why was she there?” Dennis was silent for a moment. “I think it had something to do with Deon.” “We’ll, obviously, she’s claiming to be her assistant but how come we never found that out,” “No one knows what Le Deon looks like si
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-15The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 31
“What?” Stella blinked in confusion. I sighed, “I’m tired and I need to rest, today was stressful,” I got to my feet, heading to my room. I walked into my bedroom, rolling my shoulders, trying to ease the tension in my muscles. My conversation with Stella still lingered in my head, but I was too drained to think about it any longer. Bella had been there. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. I ran a hand down my face and walked into the bathroom. The cold tiles against my feet sent a shiver up my spine. I turned on the shower, letting the water heat up as I pulled off my clothes. As soon as I stepped under the spray, I exhaled sharply. The hot water rushed down my back, washing away some of the tension, but my thoughts refused to quiet down. I wasn’t angry at Bella. No—I wasn’t even close to being angry. I was just… stuck. She just walked in as the assistant of some famous woman and she didn’t even blink at the fact that I was there. I hated that she wasn’t fucking phased by
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 32
I sat on the hospital bed, my hands resting on my lap as the doctor checked Ryan’s forehead. He winced when the doctor pressed a little too hard but stayed quiet. The nurse stood beside him, writing something down on her clipboard. “You both will be fine,” the doctor said after a moment. “Just a little exhaustion. Some bruising, but nothing serious.” Ryan nodded, rubbing his temple. “Thanks, doc.” The doctor turned to me. “You need to take it easy. Your body has been through a lot.” I nodded. I knew that. I felt it. My arms were sore, my head was still pounding, and my body felt weak, but I was alive. That was enough. After the doctor gave us some instructions and the nurse handed Ryan a small packet of painkillers, we finally left the room. Ryan sighed as we walked down the hallway. “It’s a good thing my father isn’t home. He’d lose his mind if he saw me like this.” I glanced at him. “So… where are we going?” Ryan ran a hand through his hair. “A hotel. Just for now. We’ll figu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-17The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 33
I stared at Leo, my heart pounding, my hands clenched so tight my nails dug into my skin. He looked at me, waiting, like he had just said something that should change my whole world. I took a step closer. “What is wrong with you?” Leo’s jaw tightened. “Bella—” I didn’t let him finish. “You think you can just stand here and tell me that like it matters? Like it changes anything?” His eyes darkened. “It does.” “No,” I snapped. “It doesn’t.” My breath was heavy. “You have no right to stand in my way, Leo. None.” He exhaled sharply. “Bella, listen—” “No,” I cut in again. I pointed a finger at him. “You listen to me. If you don’t get out of my way right now, I will call the police, and I will get you arrested. Do you hear me?” Leo stared at me like he couldn’t believe what I had just said. His lips parted, but no words came out. I didn’t wait for him to respond. I turned on my heels, walked straight to the car, and got in. Ryan shut the door behind me and slid into th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-18
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The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 67
The airport buzzed with quiet tension. The kind of tired that settles in your chest after too many days of pretending everything is fine. We had said our goodbyes to the client hours ago. We’d packed up, handed off the last of the materials, and smiled for one final photo. The trip was over.Leo didn’t speak much. He just walked beside me. He carried my bag through the terminal without offering or asking. He simply reached for it when I shifted my weight, like he already knew it was getting too heavy.He was calm. Collected. Gentle in all the ways that used to make me suspicious. Now I just let it be what it was.We got through security without much delay. He kept checking the signs like he wasn’t used to waiting in lines. I stayed close, quiet. We didn’t talk about what would happen once we landed. We didn’t talk about what we were now. We just moved.At the gate, I sat by the window. He sat next to me. He didn’t scroll through his phone. He didn’t check his email. He just sat back,
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 66
The papers were already on the table when I walked in. A pale folder, two pens, and silence.Ryan was sitting on the other side, dressed neatly, the same calm expression he always wore when things got heavy. His tie was slightly loose, like he’d taken a deep breath before I arrived. He looked up when I stepped in.“Hey,” he said quietly.“Hey.”I sat down across from him. The room was private, not too cold. Neutral tones, thick carpet, tall windows. A space designed to make final things feel manageable.We didn’t rush.The lawyer explained everything, but we barely listened. We already knew. There was no fight over assets, no long arguments over rights or blame. There had never been any mess between us—just a quiet arrangement, born from need.I flipped through the pages slowly. It felt strange, how easy it was. How quickly things ended when there was no damage to undo.I reached the signature line.He’d already signed.I picked up the pen.My fingers hesitated for just a second. Not
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 65
knew something was different the moment the client pulled me aside. He looked like he had something to say that couldn’t be said in front of cameras. He waited until the end of the panel, after the last flash faded and Bella had stepped aside to speak with one of the stylists.“Mr. Rathore,” he said quietly, hand on my shoulder. “Can we talk for a moment?”“Of course.”We stepped into the shade beneath one of the trees lining the venue courtyard. The crowd was still buzzing behind us, photographers packing up, reporters chatting among themselves. Bella stood in the center of it all—tall, calm, a little flushed from the attention but holding her own effortlessly.He gestured toward her. “You didn’t know, did you?”“Know what?” I asked, my attention snapping back.“That the woman you and Miss Delano helped last week—the one in the parking lot—was my daughter.”I stilled.He nodded slowly. “She never told the hospital who she was. She’s stubborn. Wanted to keep things quiet while she sor
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 64
he call came just after midnight. I was sitting alone at the small desk in our suite, answering emails, pretending I wasn’t listening for her soft footsteps from the other room. I didn’t expect to see her tonight. She had been quieter than usual during dinner, not cold—but pensive. I didn’t push.My phone lit up with her name. Mother. I stared at the screen for a moment before answering. I knew what this was.“Leo.”Her voice was sharp, not angry yet, but on the edge. Controlled. Intentional.“Mother.”“I don’t like what I’m hearing.”I didn’t say anything.“People are talking,” she continued. “The board, the press, your aunt, your uncle—do you know how many calls I’ve taken in the last two days?”“I can imagine.”“You’re embarrassing yourself,” she said. “You’re embarrassing this family.”The words didn’t hit like they used to. There was a time I would’ve flinched. Not anymore.“Is that what you think I’m doing?”“I think you’re letting emotion cloud your judgment. Again. You’re atta
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 63
We were back on the couch again, wine glasses half-full, legs curled loosely beneath us, the dim lamplight softening everything around us. There was something about the way Leo sat—relaxed, patient, dangerously close—that made the air between us buzz, even when we weren’t saying anything important.“Are you ever going to stop looking at me like that?”“Like what?”“Like you’re trying to memorize me.”“Maybe I am.”“You already know what I look like, Leo.”“Not like this. Not after everything. Not when you’re actually letting me near you again.”“I’m not letting you near me. You just keep showing up.”“And you’re letting me stay.”“I didn’t say you could stay.”“You didn’t say I couldn’t.”“…You’re impossible.”“And you’re not saying no.”“Don’t push it.”“I’m not. I’m just sitting here. Drinking wine. Staring at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”I rolled my eyes, but my lips fought a smile. He leaned forward just slightly, resting his elbow on the back of the couch like he ha
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 62
T he next few days passed like a quiet breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding for years. There were no confessions. No apologies repeated. No grand displays of love. Just small, careful gestures that lingered longer than they should have.Leo didn’t crowd me. He didn’t follow me too closely or fill the air with words just to hear himself speak. He simply stayed close. In step. In sync.When we walked to meetings or down quiet hallways with our clients, he carried my samples without needing to be asked. Not in a way that said he thought I couldn’t, but in a way that said he noticed the way my ankle still bent awkwardly if I put too much pressure on it. He reached for the heavier bags with ease, his hand brushing mine only briefly, and then let the moment pass without making it more than what it was.When we stood beside each other at tables or inside crowded booths, he never touched me first. But if my fingers grazed his, he didn’t move away. Sometimes, without thinking, his hand wo
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 61
The air was cooler by the time I stepped out of bed. The curtains swayed gently from the breeze sneaking in through the open balcony door. I didn’t hear him, but I could feel that I wasn’t alone. The night had that charged stillness, like something was waiting to be said.I walked across the room, barefoot, careful not to put weight on my sore ankle. The ache had dulled to a throb. I reached the doorway and saw him.Leo stood with his back to me, leaning slightly on the railing, one hand resting flat on the cold metal, the other holding a glass he hadn’t taken a sip from. His sleeves were rolled up. His shirt clung gently to his back, just loose enough to move with the breeze.He didn’t turn when I stepped onto the balcony. I think he knew I was there the whole time.“You don’t sleep much, do you?” I asked.His shoulders lifted in a quiet shrug. “Not when I feel like I missed something.”The stars were brighter out here. The sky stretched above us, open and wide, but his voice pulled
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 60
H e came quickly, like he hadn’t hesitated for a second. I didn’t even remember what I sounded like on the phone. Maybe I hadn’t said anything clearly. Maybe all he heard was my voice breaking. But it was enough.The door opened and closed gently behind him. He didn’t ask questions. He just walked to where I stood near the window, eyes red, the necklace still resting against my collarbone.He didn’t say a word.He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, slow and careful, like he was afraid I might fall apart if he moved too fast.I melted into him. For once, I didn’t pull away.His hand slid up my back, the other resting lightly on the back of my head. He didn’t press me or kiss me or try to fix it all in one moment. He just held me like he was making space for the sadness I couldn’t carry alone anymore.We stayed that way for a long time.Eventually, he guided me toward the bed, pulled back the covers, and helped me lie down.He didn’t leave.He slid in beside me, fully cloth
The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride 59
He didn’t say anything else after placing it in my palm. He just stepped back quietly, giving me room to breathe. My fingers had curled around the necklace before I even realized it. It was instinct. Muscle memory. The second I felt the shape of it the weight, the smooth stone, I couldn’t let go.I couldn’t look up at him either.The box sat open on the table, the air between us still. He didn’t speak, didn’t ask, didn’t reach for me again. He just waited. For what, I didn’t know.But I couldn’t hold it in anymore.“Can you… give me a moment?” I asked softly, my voice tighter than I meant.He nodded. There was no hesitation, no look of confusion or hurt. Just a quiet understanding in the way he stepped out of the room and closed the door gently behind him.The second it clicked shut, something in me broke.I turned away from the door, walked to the far corner of the room with the necklace still in my hand, and sank to the floor. My back hit the side of the bed, my knees folded to my c
