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105: Bonding
Last Updated:
2025-03-24 03:50:22
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Married To The Billionaire I Hate 1: Humiliated
Emily. 7 years ago. The roar of the crowd sounded around the field, but I barely heard it. All I could focus on was him…Cole Grayson. He stood in the center of the field, the late afternoon sun had a golden halo over his dark hair. His movements were without effort, calculated, as he dodged past opposing players. The ball seemed like an extension of him, and every time he scored, the crowd erupted in cheerslike a storm. From my spot on the bleachers, tucked away in the furthest corner, I watched through the safety of my thick-rimmed glasses. My cheeks burned, though I told myself it was just the sun. Who was I kidding? I was completely smitten. Damn. The cheerleaders screamed his name, waving banners with Cole scrawled in bold letters. Even the guys who pretended not to care shot him envious glances. Cole wasn’t just the star player; he was the star of the entire school. I sighed, hugging my knees. It had been four months since I joined Westbridge, and ever since that rainy d
Last Updated : 2024-12-04Married To The Billionaire I Hate 2: Broken Beyond Repair
Emily's POV. My heart hammered in my chest as I watched Cole laugh. It wasn't a light chuckle or a half-hearted grin. No, this was the kind of laugh that made you feel like something deep inside you was being crushed into dust. His friends started laughing too, the sound of their mocking, high-pitched giggles echoing through the hallway. And then, even a few students nearby joined in. I could feel my face burn, my pulse pounding in my ears. I stood there, frozen, helpless, every ounce of courage I had drained in an instant. “Are you serious?” Cole asked, wiping tears from his eyes as he took a step toward me. He looked me up and down with the kind of scrutiny that made me want to crawl into a hole and hide forever. “You think you can just... tell me you like me? You think I’m going to be interested in some girl like you?” His voice was dripping with venom, each word cutting deeper than the last. I felt smaller and smaller, like the floor was swallowing me whole. He poked at my
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Emily's POV 7 years later. Present. The moment I stepped out of the sleek black Rolls-Royce, a wave of flashing lights blinded me. The cameras clicked furiously, each one trying to capture the perfect shot. The air buzzed with the sound of reporters shouting my name, their questions tumbling over one another in a chaotic mess. “Miss Hart! Over here!” “Emily, are you planning to expand the company this year?” “Can we get a comment on your rise to success at such a young age?” I adjusted the lapel of my tailored cream pantsuit, my favorite pair of Louboutin heels clicking against the pavement as I strode forward. My face remained poised, composed—a faint smile playing on my lips as my bodyguards flanked me, creating a barrier between me and the overzealous crowd. I didn’t answer their questions. Not yet. I let the confidence radiate from me, my chin held high as I walked toward the entrance of the grand event hall. The paparazzi were relentless, their lenses tracking my
Last Updated : 2024-12-04Married To The Billionaire I Hate 4: The Ultimatum From A Father
Cole's POV I leaned against the sleek black car parked outside the industrial event hall, watching the last of the guests trickle out. The evening had gone as expected, with handshakes and back-patting from the old guard, a few promising discussions about potential mergers, and, of course, the usual fawning admiration. Everyone wanted a piece of Cole Grayson. Everyone, that is, except Emily Hart. I shoved my hands into my pockets and let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head. Emily Hart. She hadn’t just ignored my handshake…she’d downright dismissed me, as though I were some insignificant pest. No one had ever treated me like that, not in all my thirty years. “Too full of herself,” I muttered under my breath. “That’s what she is.” But there was something else about her, something that gnawed at the edges of my mind. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but she seemed familiar. The curve of her face, the fire in her eyes when she looked at me…it wasn’t just confidence. It was somethin
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Emily's POV. The air in my father’s study was thick with tension, and my voice rose so high that I thought the walls might actually crack. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I yelled, pacing back and forth across the hardwood floor, my heels clicking like gunfire. “You expect me to marry Cole Grayson? That arrogant, self-absorbed…” I stopped mid-rant, my chest heaving, and pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You can’t be serious!” My father, ever the picture of calmness, sat in his leather chair, his elbows resting on the armrests, his hands folded neatly in front of him. He regarded me with the same infuriating neutrality he used in board meetings. It was like yelling at a wall. “Yes, Emily,” he said, his voice maddeningly steady. “I mean it. You’re going to marry Cole Grayson.” My jaw dropped. I felt like I’d just been punched in the gut. “You’re actually serious?” I demanded, the disbelief clear in my voice. “You want me to marry him? Today, I meet him for the first time in ye
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Emily's POV. The tension in the air was suffocating. My hands were still clenched into fists, nails biting into my palms, but it didn’t make the fury any easier to hold back. I had spent my entire life thinking I had control over my destiny, but now? Now I felt like I was just a pawn in some cruel game between two powerful men. My father, the one person I thought I could trust, was willing to trade me like a commodity. And for what? For him. For Cole. Cole sat across from me, a wall of cold indifference between us. His jaw was tight, his eyes never meeting mine, his posture stiff and uncomfortable. The silence between us was heavy, but it wasn’t the kind of silence that made you think there was still something left to say. No, this silence was suffocating, each passing moment a reminder that this…this situation was happening, and there was nothing I could do about it. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and strained. "I can’t do this, Emily," he said, as if forcing the words out of
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Emily's POV. A week ago, I thought the world couldn’t get any worse. I was wrong. The chaos of that evening was nothing compared to the slow suffocation I’d been enduring since. Every second of every day had been a reminder of my entrapment, and now, here I was…sitting in the room of Cole’s father’s house, being painted and polished for a wedding I wanted no part of. “Hold still,” the makeup artist scolded, her tone sharp as she grabbed my chin and angled my face. “Stop frowning, or the eyeliner will smudge.” I clenched my fists in my lap, resisting the urge to shove her hand away. My jaw ached from how tightly I’d been clenching it, and my shoulders were stiff from the tension I couldn’t seem to shake. The more she worked, the more I felt like I was being turned into someone else…someone I didn’t recognize and certainly didn’t want to be. “There, perfect,” she said finally, stepping back with a satisfied smile. I didn’t look at her. I didn’t thank her. I didn’t care. The s
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Emily's POV. The church bells had chimed, their hollow sound echoing in my ears as I stepped into the grand space. My stomach churned with every step I took, my heart pounding violently against my ribs. The air smelled of roses and incense, a sickening combination that made my throat tighten. My hands clenched the bouquet of white roses so tightly I felt the thorns pressing into my palms. Around me, people beamed with joy, their eyes glittering with excitement. They didn’t see the farce unfolding before them. They didn’t see the hatred. At the altar, Cole stood tall, his posture rigid, his expression a mask of cold detachment. He was maddeningly perfect in his suit, his dark hair flawlessly styled. I hated him for it. I hated him for everything. My fingers dug deeper into the bouquet, the pain grounding me as I forced myself forward. He didn’t look at me. Not once. Good. I didn’t want him to. The ceremony began, the priest’s voice echoing through the towering stone walls. Th
Last Updated : 2025-01-04
Latest chapter
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 105: Bonding
Emily’s POVIt had been a few days since Smith came into my life, and I was already starting to realize something…being a big sister was hard. Like, really hard.I had no idea what I was doing.I was used to handling powerful men in business meetings, shutting down corporate sharks who thought they could intimidate me, and standing my ground in rooms full of people waiting for me to fail. But a four-year-old? That was an entirely different battlefield.Smith was quiet, too quiet. He hardly spoke, and when he did, it was short, simple sentences that left me scrambling to figure out what he was thinking. He wasn’t scared of me, not exactly, but he watched me like I was an unpredictable storm…like I could do something crazy at any moment, and he needed to be prepared.Which, fair. I was unpredictable.And I had no idea how to be soft.I never had siblings growing up. I didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like. Was there some kind of switch that flipped inside you? Some natural insti
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 104: Little Smith
Cole’s POVThe post-funeral reception was held at Richard Hart’s estate…a massive, sprawling mansion that screamed wealth and power.The kind of place where every corner had been meticulously designed to impress.Expensive art lined the walls. Crystal chandeliers hung from high ceilings, their lights low to match the somber mood. Waiters in black suits moved silently through the crowd, offering glasses of aged whiskey and champagne.But no one was here to drink.They were here to watch.Richard Hart was dead. And now, the question that lingered in the air, unspoken but loud, was…what happens next?I kept my eyes on Emily.She stood near the grand staircase, her posture rigid, her hands clasped together. The funeral had drained the color from her face, but there was still a fire in her eyes. A sharp, unyielding fire that dared anyone to challenge her.She wasn’t grieving like a daughter who lost a father.She was calculating.Because Emily Hart knew better than anyone that grief wasn’t
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 103: The Funeral
Cole’s POVThe church was packed.Rows of people, all dressed in black. The men in expensive suits, the women in elegant dresses that screamed wealth and power. It wasn’t just a funeral…it was an event. The kind only reserved for men like Richard Hart.Billionaire. Business mogul. Ruthless strategist.And now, a dead man.White lilies surrounded the altar, their scent thick in the air, almost suffocating. The coffin sat in the center, gleaming under the dim lights of the church. A masterpiece of craftsmanship, polished to perfection. Everything about this funeral was excessive, grand, like Richard had planned it himself.I kept my eyes on Emily.She stood at the front, beside her mother, her back straight, her jaw tight. She wasn’t crying. She hadn’t cried once since her father died. Not at the wake. Not today. Not in the days leading up to this.But I knew her.I knew what restraint looked like.She was holding it all in.She wore a long, black dress, the fabric hugging her figure in
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 102: The Cliff
Emily’s POVThe rain was everywhere. In my hair, in my eyes, soaking through my clothes like a second skin. The wind howled so loud it felt like the whole world was screaming, but nothing was louder than the storm inside me. My pulse pounded in my ears, my breathing was uneven, and my body ached from the bruises and cuts Mateo had left on me.But none of that mattered.Because right now, all I saw was my father’s blood on Mateo’s hands.His grip on my arm was tight, his fingers pressing into my already sore skin as he dragged me toward the edge of the cliff. My boots struggled against the wet ground, slipping on the mud, but he yanked me forward without care.“Fucking hell, you are the most difficult young woman I’ve ever dealt with,” Mateo growled, his voice strained with frustration. His grip tightened painfully, his breath ragged. “Never in my life have I gone through this much shit just for a pussy.”I saw red.I twisted in his grip, my free hand swinging up. Slap. The sound crack
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 101: To End It All
Cole’s POVFew hours earlier.The second my phone rang, I knew something was wrong.I was already on edge, my gut telling me that something didn’t sit right. Emily was supposed to be safe at the cabin. It wasn’t a permanent place, just a temporary stop while we figured out our next move. But the second I saw the name flashing on my screen…one of my men guarding her…something inside me tensed.I swiped to answer. “Talk.”Heavy breathing. Then a voice, rushed and strained. “Boss, we’ve got a problem.”My grip tightened around the phone. “What kind of problem?”A pause. Then, “Two of our guys are dead. Execution style. Emily was taken.”Everything around me blurred. The chatter in the car, the hum of the engine, even the weight of my gun resting on my thigh…it all faded.“What?” My voice was low, deadly.“We didn’t see them coming. It was clean, professional. They hit fast and hard. Emily’s gone, and we’ve got no idea where they took her.”I exhaled through my nose, trying to keep my ang
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 100: The Death Of Richard Hart
Emily’s POVThe sound of the gunshot still rang in my ears, but my brain struggled to process what had just happened.My father…Richard Hart…lay sprawled on the cold concrete floor. Blood spread from his chest, soaking into his once-neat suit. His eyes were open, but there was no life left in them.He was dead.I stared at his body, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. My chest felt tight, like something heavy had settled on top of it, making it impossible to breathe.A strange, choking noise left my throat before I realized it was me.Mateo chuckled, spinning the gun on his finger before handing it back to one of his men. "Well, that was dramatic," he muttered, wiping his hands on his pants like Richard’s death had somehow dirtied them.My head snapped up."You…" My voice cracked, raw with fury. "You son of a bitch!"Mateo barely spared me a glance. "Oh, don’t act like you cared, Emily. The man treated you like trash your whole life."I jerked forward, but the ropes held me back.
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 99: Meeting With Mateo
Emily’s POVThe van lurched to a stop, jerking my body forward. My hands, still bound behind my back, strained against the rough rope cutting into my wrists. My shoulders ached from being in the same position for too long, and my head was still foggy from whatever they had drugged me with earlier. I clenched my fists, flexing my fingers to get some blood flow back.The back doors creaked open, and the sharp scent of gasoline and damp concrete hit me. It was dark outside, the only light coming from flickering streetlamps and the glow of a distant neon sign. Warehouse. Predictable. These kinds of men always picked the same dingy, abandoned places, like they had some unspoken rule about keeping things as cliché as possible.A voice cut through the silence. "Get her out."A pair of rough hands grabbed my arm, yanking me forward. My feet hit the ground hard, knees buckling slightly before I steadied myself. The men surrounding me were armed, their fingers twitching near their weapons. Thei
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 98: Taken Away
Emily's POVThe second Cole left, the room felt different. It wasn’t anything obvious…nothing in the cabin had actually changed. The furniture was still where it was. The fire still crackled in the small fireplace. The faint scent of burning wood and old pine still hung in the air. But the energy? That had shifted completely.It felt heavier. Tighter. Like the walls had moved in just a little, enough to make my skin itch.Cole’s men weren’t exactly making it any better. They weren’t talking. Hell, they weren’t even looking at me unless they had to. One of them stood stiff by the door, arms crossed over his chest like he was guarding something priceless. The other, leaner but just as intense, kept glancing out the window every few seconds, his fingers twitching near his gun.I exhaled, dragging my fingers through my hair, then leaned back into the worn-out couch. "You guys always this fun, or is this just special treatment for me?"Silence.Buzz-cut guy at the door didn’t even blink. H
Married To The Billionaire I Hate 97: Change Of Plan
Cole’s POV.I couldn't get any sleep after being intimate with Emily. I was still up, staring at my phone, the screen glowing in the cabin light. A message. Just two words."He knows."My jaw clenched.For a second, I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. My mind ran through every possibility. Every way this could have happened. We’d been careful…meticulous, even. No leaks, no loose ends. And yet, somehow, Mateo was a step ahead.I shut my eyes briefly, forcing my pulse to slow. I needed to think. Fast.The air in the cabin suddenly felt too thick, the walls too close. I pushed up from the chair, grabbing my jacket off the back of it and stepping outside. The cold night air hit me instantly, sharp and unforgiving, but I welcomed it. It kept me grounded. Kept my mind from spiraling.The trees around the cabin swayed slightly in the breeze, their branches casting long shadows under the moonlight. It was dead quiet out here, the kind of silence that felt unnatural…like the whole forest was holdin
