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Chapter 033
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The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 034
Fractures and FacadesAt the top of the grand staircase, shimmering in her gown, like starlight itself, stood Isabelle. As she started down, every eyes turned toward her, and collectively, the crowd gasped in admiration.At the bottom stood Carlos, all dressed up and smiling, his teeth glinting like diamonds in the ballroom lights; his tight eyes spoke of some winding up tightly inside of him that Isabelle couldn't place. He took her hand as she came down to him and brought it to his lips for a kiss a little too long. "You look breathtaking," he said, low-pitched for her ears alone. "Ready to face the wolves?"Nervously, Isabelle laughed as her eyes raked around the sea of faces that seemed to pack in on them. "As ready as I'll ever be," she returned, squeezing his hand.They wedged their way through the sea of congratulations and questions relating to wedding plans. She couldn't help making an involuntary shake each time that really creepy feeling bit at her that he was wrong. It was
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 035
Shattered IllusionsIsabelle recoiled inwardly as she remained frozen between the battered form of Morris and the cold smile coming from Carlos. The warehouse spun on its axis around her, like reality had tilted into some macabre sceneboard that she could hardly make sense of."Carlos?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What. .. what is this?"Carlos moved out into the open. His polished shoes reechoed ominously on the concrete floor. She could no longer feel the warmth she does felt around the man she fell in love with. This time was different; it was replaced by a calculating gleam that chilled her to the bone."This, my dear," he said, expansively gesturing, "is the moment where all of the pieces fall finally into place."Her eyes flickered from Carlos, to Jacob, onto Morris himself, slumped in the chair, but with eyes wide open, in a mixture of fear and anger."I don't understand," Isabelle said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Why are you doing this? What do you want?
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 036
AftermathAcross the police station, overhead fluorescent lights pulsed steadily, a very sharp contrast to the violent storm raging within Isabelle. She sat stiffly on an uncomfortable plastic chair, hands protectively cradling her swollen belly, playing in her head events of the last couple of hours—a nightmarish cycle that she just simply could not break out of.Morris preened back and forth across the room; his countenance darkened to barely restrained fury. His eyes met Isabelle's from time to time, and he would soften his hard features in concern. Whatever be, he just could not help but feel for her and the unborn child she carried within.Detective Sarah Chen was a petite, no-nonsense woman in a sharp pantsuit. Clicking across the linoleum floor in practical heels, she held two cups of steaming coffee. She offered one to Isabelle with a sympathetic smile."How're you holding up?" Detective Chen asked, her tone softening her professional voice.Isabelle took the proffered cup in
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 037
Co-Parenting ChallengesThe morning sunlight was streaming across the living room through the blinds, casting an extended shadow on the floor where Morris was sitting in his apartment. He sat at a table in the kitchen with a cup of coffee that had gone cold quite a while ago. A custody agreement lay before him. The words bled into a flow of legalese that mocked him in every single line.A soft knock at the door jolted him from his reverie. He looked at his watch – 7:30 AM. Right on time. With a deep sigh, he shoved himself up from the table and walked toward the door.Allison stood on the other side, with Tyler clutching her hand. The little boy's eyes sparkled at the sight of Morris. "Daddy!" he exclaimed, launching himself forward.Morris caught him in his arms, holding him tight with a forced grin. "Hey, buddy. Ready for our big day?"Tyler nodded, all vigor, and Morris's eyes met Allison's. The air between them was thick with tension, part familiar history, part new, awkward truth
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 038
Rebuilding TrustCarlos came out of the bedroom, sleekly neat once more. He advanced on her warily, as if she might whirl and flee if he took any sudden moves."Thanks for coming," he said, his voice low and full of relief and trepidation.This penthouse suite of the luxurious Belmont Hotel stood in marked contrast to the dingy police station where Isabelle had last seen Carlos. Soft light glowed over the opulent furnishings, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of exotic flowers from the balcony. Isabelle stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her reflection ghostly against the glittering cityscape beyond.She turned to him, her hand rising instinctively to cradle her swollen belly. "I'm here because I need answers, Carlos. Real ones this time."Carlos nodded toward the plush sofa and they both sat down, careful to keep some space between them. He turned to her then, his eyes never leaving hers."I know that you have every right to doubt me," he began, "but everything I've done, eve
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 039
Shifting LoyaltiesIsabelle's heart raced as she hustled down the sterile hospital corridor, heels echoing off the linoleum. Just a moment ago, she had been hit with an urgent call from Detective Chen: development in the case of Carlos. Now closer to the detective's improvised office, through the glass, she saw the silhouette of a familiar person - Morris.Her heart did a tumble. She hadn't expected him to be there, and their last few meetings had, emotionally, been downright draining. Gathering breath, she pushed open the door."Isabelle, thanks for coming so fast," Detective Chen greeted—normally flat face animated. "We have some critical evidence that really can change everything."Morris spun around, his eyes flashing. "Isabelle, you're not going to believe this."Detective Chen elaborated the investigation over the next hour, detailing financial records, encrypted communications, testimony from a key witness—everything hung together in such a way as to point unmistakably to one s
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 040
The Puppet Master RevealedShe gripped the steering wheel in shaking hands as her mind whirled with thoughts faster than the car racing to the police station. Life's wringer had wrung her pretty well during those past days. Now, she was emotionally spent, teetering on the brink. She swung into the parking lot, Morris standing there with that look on his face that said he was worried."You didn't have to come," she whispered softly.Morris gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I wanted to. You shouldn't face this alone."They entered the station together. The atmosphere was thick with tension. Detective Chen ushered them into a private room. She appeared much rattled than usual."Thank you both for coming so quickly," Chen said, her voice very low and urgent. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room. Understood?"Isabelle and Morris nodded worriedly at each other before returning their regards to the detective.Chen sucked in a deep breath. "We know who's been behind Carlos.
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 041
Betrayal UnmaskedWith the shot, the first echo rumbled through the restaurant, and the rest of the world fell away from Isabelle. The screams that suddenly filled the air—what had once been an elegant dining room turned into panic, pure and absolute chaos. She felt a vice grip on her arm, tugging her in the direction of the kitchen."Move!" Morris's voice was a knife through all the noise—knife-edged, sharp, commanding.Instinct wrestled through Isabelle. Trust Morris? Run? Her gaze darted to Hawthorne. His face was twisted masquerade of rage. In that half second, she made her choice, allowing Morris to drag her through the panicked crowd.The doors of the kitchen burst open when they stumbled inside. Staff who had been huddled in fear scattered from their paths. Morris didn't slow, tugging Isabelle toward the back exit."Morris, what's going on?" she panted, as she struggled to keep up with him."The operation's been blown," he panted back. "Somebody tipped Hawthorne. We aren't safe
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The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 86
The End Morris sighed and looked at the floor, “Carlos, I. . . I owe you an apology.” He was feeling regretful standing in front of the Fernandez family’s large living room. ”I’ve been wrong about you for far too long. ” The man, who once was called the ruthless billionaire Carlos Fernandez, stared at Morris in surprise. The passage of time had made him bitter and a little less cruel; the man had a glimmer of humanity in his gaze. "Morris, we have both sinned, and maybe it is time that we let that go, and start afresh." ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Two days later, there was a tense atmosphere in the Fernandez mansion as the family got ready for the last day in court. Isabelle walked around the room, her twins, Sophia and Alex watched their mother with concern. They were teenagers, still they were not dumb enough not to feel the gravity of the situation although not wise enough to understand it fully. “Mommy, are we going to be okay?” Sophia asked, her face registered with concer
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 85
Price of Redemption In the airport lounge as they waited for their flight back home, Carlos turned to Isabelle, out of the blue it seemed, deadly serious."We need to talk, Isabelle," he said, with the voice just loud enough despite the background noise of the terminal.Isabelle put down her magazine, knowing whatever he would say next carried weight. "What is it, Carlos?"He paused again and looked over to the kids, who were all busy with their phones and snacks, apparently noticing nothing of the tension palpably drawn between their parents. Then he turned back to Isabelle, his fierce gaze softening. "This trip. I realize now more than ever how much we have run away from facing things. I mean, we have been so ensnared with the trial, that we paid no heed to how much we needed each other."Slowly, Isabelle nodded and put the magazine aside. Of course they would have had to discuss it sometime. This vacation had been an escape route for the time being, but they had not been able to
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 84
Isabelle's POV A Change of SceneryCarlos had grown distant and busy, and Isabelle could barely remember the last time that they had really spoken.The children were affected by this too—reportedly. Alex, who was otherwise so cheerful and full of life, grew into a quiet individual who spent more time in his room compared to before. Sophia watched her parents with a worried look in her eyes, which seemed to pick up on an air of tension.She knew something had to give. They couldn't go on much longer this way, dancing around each other and barely holding together as a family unit. One evening while they sat around the dinner table almost in complete silence, Isabelle cleared her throat to speak."I think we need a break," she said, her voice slicing through the tension. "A real break. I've booked us a vacation; just the four of us. We leave tomorrow." Carlos's head jerked up from over his plate, his eyes flashing with surprise. "A vacation? Now? Isabelle, with the trial coming up, I d
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 83
Double CrossIsabelle's POV While Carlos and I pretty much were picking our way carefully through a brittle truce, truth got entangled—an undercurrents of mistrust and suspicion run too deep underneath.Morris was back in our lives, busy with Carlos, planning an appeal that hung over us all like the sword of Damocles. I played the supportive wife, but my stomach twisted with each glimpse of the two of them huddled together in strategy sessions. Not to forget Allison—always there to remind me things were not just as they seemed.Somehow, Allison had wormed her way back into Carlos's favor. Now, she just made herself useful in ways that left me wondering at her motives. There wasn't much I could do, though, I didn't have a lot to argue with results for. We needed all the help we could get.Yet something in the way she smiled at Morris, maybe something about it, in her eyes' glitter, when she thought herself unobserved jarred on me. I could see that she was plotting something. I only wo
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 82
Unlikely AlliesIsabelle's POV As I came home after the trial, the silence was palpable. Carlos and I had sort of reached a compromise to work things out, but the chasm of distance between us now seemed larger than before. We tiptoed around each other, trying not to detonate the fights that had become all too frequent. The weight of everything that had happened hung over us like a dark cloud, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to give.It was late in the day, but I found Carlos in his study, nursing a glass of whiskey. His face seemed to hold more etchings of worry lines than even a few days ago. Hesitating at the door, unsure if I should intrude, before I could retreat he looked up and caught my gaze."Isabelle," he said, his voice soft, almost vulnerable. "Come in."I walked into the room and sensed the tension in the air. "What's on your mind?" I inquired, attempting to keep my tone light.Carlos let out a sigh and raked a hand over his hair. "It's everythin
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 81
Hidden AgendasIsabelle's POV The silence was so thick, so palpable, you could cut it with a knife in that courtroom. Then the voice of the judge finally broke the quiet, reading the verdict. It was almost as though time had slowed down—draggy, very long words. There it was, folks; the last words: "Not guilty." The disbelief was hard to digest. Wave upon wave of relief washed over me, and then I was numb the next moment.We had finally won, and we were clean for sure this time. But something didn't feel quite right in this wave of relief. What was wrong?Carlos turned to me with a mix of victory and exhaustion on his face. "We did it," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.I nodded to him with a try at a smile. "Yeah, we did."In a flash, Morris was beaming reassuringly upon Carlos, shaking his hand, and at my side. "That is a victory for all of us," he declared, quite assured and composed in voice but with eyes that gave a flicker, the very doubt which was gnawing at me.As
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 80
Courtroom DramaIsabelle's POV Carlos had already been downstairs in his suit, impeccable, with an artfully done-up tie, sitting at the kitchen table with an empty, long stare into his coffee. His suit was impeccable, the tie artfully neat, but in his eyes, I could feel the tension. This trial was getting to all of us, I thought, but with Carlos, it felt like it was bearing down on him the most."Ready?" I asked softly, trying to sound surer than I was.He looked up at me then, his expression a mix of determination and exhaustion. "As ready as I'll ever be."We rode to the courthouse in dangerous, silent words. I felt there was some unseen poison spreading between the two of us. The pressure of our relationship overworked by the months tugged tighter and tighter until finally, the impending trial was just enough. Across the chasm in my mind, stretching between us, I could feel the impossible divide to bridge; at least that was what I felt right now.By the time we got there, the cou
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 79
Race Against TimeIsabelle's POV Among other things, this document we just received was something game -changing, this last bit of evidence, which would finally shift the tide in our favor. But as much as it brought hope, it also put an immense sense of urgency into the situation. We knew our opponents—all those dark figures who had set this whole scandal up in the first place would move heaven and earth to discredit or suppress it. Every second counted.That evening, we all sat in the living room. The air was heavy with tension; the fear was unsaid. I could see the worry etched on everyone's faces: Carlos, Jack, Sophia, Alex, even Morris, who had rapidly turned into an indispensable part of our efforts."We have to authenticate this evidence now," Morris said, his voice steady, but urgent. "If we don't, they'll find a way to discredit it before we can ever present it." Carlos leaned forward, his elbows propped on his knees, and deep stress lines etched on his face. "Do we have the
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 78
Damage ControlIsabelle's POVHere I was in my old familiar role as the squall of accusation and scandal reared its ugly head all over again, trying to hold everything together. An apparent impulsive act on the part of Carlos to issue a press statement without consulting any of us boomeranged. Far from quietening the rumors, it stirred the embers and set them even higher in the public perception of our family.Early the next day, the dawn was breaking right after the news along with a hundred calls, emails, and messages. In my mind, a thousand thoughts raced, but then I realized that I really had no time to panic; I needed to act."Carlos, we need to talk. I almost bumped into each of his study doors. His eyes were black with fatigue, his features etched with stress. The weight of the world seemed to be sitting on his shoulders."What's there to talk about, Isabelle? The damage is done."I took the deep breath of courage to say, "Yes, but we can still manage the narrative. We can't le
