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Chapter Twenty-Five
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2025-03-21 23:36:51
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The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Twenty-Six
A few minutes later, Crystal drifted off to sleep, her head tilting to one side. Her exhaustion was evident.Meanwhile, Adrian's fingers twitched slightly. Slowly, he was regaining consciousness. His eyelids fluttered before he finally opened them, adjusting to the sterile white ceiling above him. The beeping of the monitors was faint, but enough to remind him where he was.Turning his head, he saw Crystal fast asleep beside him. A small, tired smile formed on his lips.Then, out of nowhere, Crystal jolted awake. She blinked at him in surprise before realizing he was watching her."You're up?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "How are you feeling?"Adrian gave a small nod.Then, with an amused glint in his tired eyes, he murmured, "WaitâĶ if we were both asleep, who was supposed to watch over me? What if a nurse tried to smuggle me out? Or worse, what if the hospital ghosts decided to take me instead?"Crystal stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. "Hospital ghosts? Adri
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-21The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Twenty-Seven
"What do you mean she's not your mother?" Crystal asked, confusion written all over her face.âSheâs just the woman my father married after my real mother died. Silence settled between them like a suffocating fog before he continued.My dad told me she passed away when I was a babyâsome illness, he said. And then he brought Evelyn into our lives.â He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. âShe had Betty for himâĶ and that was the greatest mistake of his life.â His voice cracked slightly, but he forced himself to continue. âEvelyn never treated me like family. I was justâĶ an obligation. A reminder of the woman she could never replace.â His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. âShe made sure I knew I didnât belong.âCrystalâs lips parted slightly, her heart pounding in her chest. âAdrianâĶâ she whispered, unsure of what to say.Adrian lay still on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if the weight of his own words had finally settled in. His chest rose and fell in a slow, controlled rhythm
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-21The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Twenty-Eight
The soft hum of music played in the background as Olivia gracefully walked through the supermarket aisles. Her sharp features remained composed, but her eyes, dark and piercing, held an edge of impatience as she picked out a few items.Just as she handed her shopping bag to a staff member for packing, her phone rang. She barely glanced at the screen before answering.âWhatâs the update?â she asked smoothly, stepping toward a quieter corner.The voice on the other end was shaky, almost frantic. âMaâam, you need to be very careful with Ilda. Sheâs very dangerous.âOliviaâs brows furrowed slightly. There was something off about his tone. âI donât understand. How?â she asked, gripping her phone tighter.Suddenly, there was a scuffle on the other end. A muffled cry. Then the manâs voice rose in distress.âLeave me alone!â he shouted, the sound of a struggle in the background.Oliviaâs heartbeat quickened. âHello? I canât hear you properly. Whatâs going on?â she raised her voice, steppin
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-23The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Twenty-Nine
Evelynâs eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing her face before it was replaced with fury.âAdrian!â Evelynâs voice sliced through the tension, sharp and demanding. She stepped forward, eyes blazing with anger. âHave you lost your mind? You raised your hand on your sister because of this outsider?âBut Adrian didnât even glance at her. His jaw was locked tight, his broad shoulders tense, as though he were holding himself back from doing something worse. His chest rose and fell with slow, controlled breaths, but his dark eyes burned with something dangerous.His attention remained fixed on Betty, who was still sprawled on the floor, her stunned expression quickly shifting to something more venomous.âHow dare you, Betty?â Adrianâs voice was dangerously low, each word measured and heavy with meaning. âYou tried to hurt Crystal. Do you even realize the condition sheâs in?âA flicker of unease crossed Bettyâs face, her lips parting slightly as if she had been caught off guard. She
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-24The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Thirty
The door clicked shut behind them, sealing them away from the chaos downstairs.Adrian lowered Crystal gently onto the edge of the bed, his touch surprisingly careful. Crystal tried to focus on anything but the pain searing through her leg, but it was impossible. The burn throbbed, and she bit down on her lip to keep from wincing too much.Adrian crouched in front of her, reaching for the small medical kit he had pulled from the drawer. Unlike before, his face wasnât unreadableâit was softer now, the tension in his features replaced by something else. Guilt.âIâm sorry,â he murmured, unscrewing a bottle of antiseptic.Crystal blinked, startled by his tone.âIâm sorry I had to put you in all of this,â Adrian continued, dipping a piece of cotton into the liquid. âBut itâll be over soon.âThere was determination in his voice, firm yet gentle.Crystalâs brows furrowed. âWhat do you mean?âAdrian hesitated. âWhen the time is rightâĶ Iâll tell you.âSomething about the way he said it sent a
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-25The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Thirty-One
The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across Oliviaâs room, but she hardly noticed. Her grip tightened around her phone as she dialed the investigatorâs number again.Ring.No answer.Her nails tapped impatiently against the nightstand. She had called at least five times already, and stillânothing.Ring.No answer.A deep scowl settled on her face as she inhaled sharply, frustration bubbling in her chest. How dare he ignore her? She paid him well, expected results, and now he was nowhere to be found?Ring.Still nothing.With a sharp growl, she threw her phone onto the bed, pacing furiously. This wasnât like him. He had always been efficient, reliable. But ever since that strange phone call, ever since she heard the fear in his voice, something had shifted.She raked a hand through her hair, trying to suppress the anger rising in her throat."This is ridiculous," she muttered, snatching up her phone once more.One last time.She dialed again, her jaw clenched, her foot ta
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-27The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Thirty-Two
The air in the grand living room remained heavy with an eerie silence. The only sound was the faint ticking of the antique clock on the wall.The tall man adjusted his suit before clearing his throat. âChristian, I presume?âChristian gave a small nod, his expression unreadable.The man extended a firm hand. âIâm RobertâĶ Ildaâs father.âChristian shook his hand, his mind quickly piecing things together. So, this was the man who had abandoned Ilda all those years ago. His eyes flickered toward Olivia, but she had already looked away, avoiding Robertâs gaze as if the mere sight of him was unbearable.Ilda let out a low chuckle, arms still folded. âWhat brings you here if I may ask?â Her smile was sharp, edged with something dangerously close to amusement, but her eyes carried none.Robert sighed and pulled out a small stack of papers from his jacket. âLook at these,â he said, handing them to her. âIâve been ill for years. I didnât run away, Ilda. I could never leave my family behind. Yo
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-28The Price of His Betrayal    Chapter Thirty-three
The morning light filtered through the grand windows of the mansion, casting long, golden rays across the polished floors. The faint hum of activity could be heard from the kitchen as the chefs prepared breakfast.Ilda stood by the mirror in the hallway, adjusting the collar of her fitted dress. A triumphant smile curved on her lips. Today was the beginning of something new.Downstairs, Olivia sat at the dining table, scrolling through her phone, her other hand idly stirring a cup of tea. The soft clinking of the spoon against the porcelain was the only sound until footsteps echoed from the staircase.Christian appeared, neatly dressed in a tailored suit, his expression calm as he approached the table. He greeted Olivia with a brief nod. âGood morning, Mom.âOlivia glanced up and gave a half-hearted smile. âMorning, Christian.âIlda entered right after, looking effortlessly stylish yet professional. Christianâs gaze softened as he saw her. As Christian sat down, he called one of the
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-30
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The Price of His Betrayal    Sixty
The clock chimed softly from the corner of the Blake mansionâs expansive hallway as the evening shadows crept longer against the marble floor. The soft glow from the crystal chandelier bounced off the glassware neatly arranged on the dining table, where Robert and Ilda sat, casually picking at their dinner. A few maids shuffled quietly in the background, pouring drinks and ensuring everything was in perfect order.Ilda, dressed in a sleek satin wrap dress that shimmered under the light, twirled her fork with a distant smirk playing at the corner of her lips. She leaned in closer to Robert, who was telling her something in a hushed tone, a glass of wine in his hand.Just thenâSLAM!The front door burst open with a thunderous bang, echoing like a gunshot across the hall.Everyone froze.Robertâs hand paused mid-air, his fork hovering just above his plate. Ilda sat up straight instantly, the smirk on her face vanishing. Even the maids stilled, casting each other uncertain glances.Heavy
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Nine
The evening sun cast a golden hue across the Blake residence, but inside, the atmosphere was far from warm.Olivia sat stiffly on the edge of the living room couch, her eyes scanning the floor as if searching for answers buried in the tile. A cup of untouched tea rested on the table before her, steam long gone cold.Robert walked in quietly, his shirt sleeves rolled up, a calm look plastered across his face. He took a deep breath and sat beside her.âI spoke to Ilda,â he began, gently, almost too gently. âShe promised she won't do anything with that footage. She said she only wanted to scare you.âOliviaâs eyes didnât move from the floor. Her lips tightened slightly, then parted. âYou believe her?âRobert exhaled. âOlivia, sheâs carrying Christianâs child. She's just... emotional. All that energyâshe doesnât know how to control it. But she gave me her word.âThat was the wrong thing to say.Oliviaâs head snapped toward him, her eyes suddenly sharp, searching his face for any hint of d
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Eight
The sun barely pierced through the cloudy sky as Christianâs black car rolled into the private company garage. The tires came to a silent halt, and the door opened smoothly with the help of a security guard. Christian stepped outâhis face carved in stone. The sharp cut of his black suit echoed authority, but his eyes were dim, as if weighed down by something heavier than fatigue.He adjusted the cuff of his shirt mechanically, his gold wristwatch flashing briefly under the dull morning light. His walk was brisk and deliberate. The moment he entered the building, the atmosphere changed."Good morning, sir," a few employees greeted with half-smiles and nervous nods.He didnât respond, just a stiff nod of acknowledgment. The elevator ride up was silent, the digital floor numbers blinking one by one until he arrived at the top.His secretary rose immediately from her desk. "Mr. John is waiting for you inside, sir."Christian gave a slight nod and walked into his office.John stood by the
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Seven
The sky had already started to turn amber as evening rolled in. Crystal had spent nearly the whole day quietly in the house, replaying childhood memories in her mind like soft music. The moment she whispered, âCanât believe Iâm one year older today,â she had no idea her words would set something in motion.Now, the house was unusually quiet. She had spent most of the afternoon alone, her eyes occasionally drifting to the clock. Adrian hadnât returned since morning. Even the workers seemed oddly silent. A part of her had tried to shake off the earlier disappointment, but it lingered. Maybe he really forgot, she thought.Just as she stood up to go upstairs and call it a day, there was a gentle knock on her room door.âMaâam,â one of the housekeepers said with a warm smile, âplease, come with me.âCrystal blinked, confused. âWhere to?ââPlease, maâam. Just follow.âWith hesitant steps, Crystal followed the woman out of the house and into the garage. But the moment the large doors slowly
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Six
The morning sunlight spilled through the tall curtains, casting golden beams over the room as Crystal slowly blinked herself awake. The sheets felt warm, and the air held a rare kind of peace. For a moment, she lay still, listening to the birds chirping just outside the window and the faint swish of tree branches swaying in the wind.Then, memories began to surfaceâsoft, delicate ones wrapped in laughter and love.Her motherâs voice, singing in the kitchen while baking her favorite cakeâĶHer fatherâs off-key birthday song every single year, just to make her laughâĶThe handmade birthday cards with little drawingsâĶThe feeling of being home.A faint smile curved Crystalâs lips as her fingers brushed against her small baby bump. She whispered gently to herself, her voice light as air, âI canât believe Iâm one year older todayâĶâShe let out a soft sigh, blinking away the sting that threatened to cloud her eyes. Just as she turned her face to the window again, the door clicked open. She tu
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Five
Christianâs heart dropped. âMy motherâs?âJohn nodded, eyes narrowing. âBut it doesnât make sense. The IP address was rerouted. Someone used a cloaked protocol to imitate her clearance. These arenât random hacks. They were executed from within your companyâs network. Someone with access... and knowledge of your system.âChristianâs fists tightened. âWho was the last person to log in under that clearance?ââHere,â John pointed, eyes scanning the string of data on his screen. âThis transactionâĶ it was executed using Oliviaâs executive clearance.âChristianâs heart pounded. âMy motherâs?âJohn gave a tight nod, his brows drawn together in concern. âYes. But somethingâs not adding up. The IP address was rerouted. There was a cloaking protocol that used advanced stuff. It made it appear like Olivia logged in herself, but the location pinged internally from your companyâs main server.âChristianâs fists balled at his sides. âSo youâre saying itâs someone inside.ââExactly. Someone with both
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Four
The soft glow from the vanity mirror lit Ildaâs room in a warm hue as she gently brushed her hair. She ran her hand down the sides of her body, her eyes locking on her slightly rounded belly reflected in the mirror. A quiet sigh escaped her lips.âI canât believe Iâm looking all big already,â she muttered, pulling back slightly and examining her figure. âThis child is really putting on some weight on me.â She smiled a little to herself.Just then, two soft knocks came at her door.She blinked, rolling her eyes. âOh, this chef in this houseâalways making me eat more because Iâm pregnant. I just donât understand them.â She muttered under her breath, standing from the stool with a reluctant stretch.She walked over to the door, flipping a strand of hair behind her ear just as she opened itâand froze.Standing there was Robert.His face was unreadable. Not angry, not cold, just... tight. Quietly serious.Ildaâs hand instinctively moved to close the door, but he placed his palm gently agai
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Three
The soft rays of the morning sun filtered through the sheer white curtains of the spacious bedroom. The room was wrapped in quiet warmth, touched by the scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling eggs. Crystal stirred gently beneath the plush duvet, the satin sheets brushing against her skin. She opened her eyes slowlyâjust in time to see Adrian walk in with a large silver tray in his hands.âGood morning, sunshine,â he said with a smile, his voice thick with warmth.Crystal blinked at the tray in surprise. âAdrianâĶ?âOn the tray was an exotic breakfastâperfectly poached eggs, warm croissants, crispy bacon, a bowl of mixed berries, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and a side of honey-drizzled pancakes. The meal was arranged so beautifully it could have been served in a five-star hotel.âYou didnât have to do all this,â she murmured, sitting up as he placed the tray gently on her lap.âI wanted to,â he replied softly, sitting beside her on the bed. âYou deserve to be pampered,
The Price of His Betrayal    Fifty-Two
The house was eerily quiet as Olivia stormed down the hallway, her heels clicking against the polished marble floors, each step echoing in the emptiness. Her mind was racing, the fury inside her growing with every thought of Ildaâs audacity. She had just witnessed that woman mocking her, mocking her family, and she couldnât take it anymore. Her fingers curled into fists, and she gritted her teeth as she walked faster, her breath sharp with anger.Just as she rounded the corner, her mind still clouded with rage, she suddenly collided with someone hard.âUgh!â Olivia gasped, stumbling backward, but strong hands caught her, pulling her back before she could fall. She looked up, her face flushed with frustration, only to be met with a calm, unreadable gaze.âRobertâĶâ she muttered, irritated, not even realizing it was him she had run into.His grip loosened, but he didnât let go entirely. âOlivia, are you alright?â he asked, his voice low and surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to her bu
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