Share

64: Never Leaving

Author: Wordsmith91
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-05 23:30:28

Emily's POV.

Warm hands. A steady touch. The scent of him all around me.

Cole.

I should’ve known he wouldn’t leave my side.

My eyes were open, but I wasn’t fully here. Everything felt distant, like I was floating between reality and something else. Something darker. My body ached, my throat raw, my mind trapped in an endless loop of what had happened.

Vanessa.

The gun.

She had pulled the trigger.

But there was no bullet.

I had been strong. Strong enough that Leon let me go.

I could still hear the echo of the shot, feel the coldness of the floor, the way my body had braced for pain that never came. It was like I had left a part of myself in that room. A part I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back.

A shudder ran through me, my fingers twitching slightly under the heavy weight of exhaustion. My body felt foreign, as if I wasn’t fully connected to it, like I was trapped in the space between past and present. The memories were still too fresh, pressing against the edges of my mind, threatening to
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   65: The Whole World Knows

    Emily’s POV.The morning air was still, thick with an eerie quiet that made my skin prickle. The scent of something warm drifted in from the kitchen, faint but noticeable…eggs, maybe toast. I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t really paying attention. My mind was elsewhere, caught in the endless storm that refused to die down in my head.The television was on, its dull glow the only source of movement in the slightly dark living room. The low voices of the newscasters filled the space, the sound blending into the silence like background noise.I sat curled up on the couch, a thick duvet wrapped tightly around me. My fingers gripped the soft fabric, knuckles turning white as I held onto it like it was the only thing tethering me to reality. It was warm, comforting, but it did nothing to ease the tightness in my chest.Cole had left me here, just for a moment, after dismissing the servants for the day. He had been fussing over me since last night, refusing to let anyone else take care of me. He was

    Last Updated : 2025-03-05
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   66: The Truth

    Cole's POV.My entire body burned with fury. Vanessa had done this. She had sent men to kidnap my wife. She had starved her, tied her up, held her captive for days. And then she had stood there with a gun aimed at Emily’s head, ready to end her life without a second thought.I had known Vanessa was ruthless, but this? This was beyond anything I could have imagined.My breathing was harsh, uneven. My fists clenched so tight that my nails dug into my skin. The thought of Emily, tied up and helpless, her body weak from hunger, her throat dry from thirst…rage shot through me like wildfire. I wanted to find Vanessa and destroy her with my own two hands. No court, no police, no trials. Just me and her, and all the pain she deserved.I had sent men after Vanessa the second Emily told me everything. Every single one of my resources had been mobilized. I had contacts all over the world…private investigators, ex-military men, underground connections. I wasn’t just some businessman; I had power,

    Last Updated : 2025-03-05
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   67: Fall From Grace

    Vanessa's POV.The room smelled of stale cigarette smoke and artificial air freshener, the kind that barely masked the stench of cheap liquor and desperation. The fluctuating light above me buzzed faintly, with an ugly yellow glow over the peeling wallpaper. The walls felt like they were closing in, suffocating me, making it impossible to think straight. The mattress beneath me was stiff, the sheets rough against my skin, but I hadn’t moved in hours.My fingers gripped the cracked edges of my phone so tightly that my knuckles turned bone white. My breath was uneven, my pulse hammering violently in my throat.Emily was free.The news was everywhere…blaring from TV screens, flooding social media, plastered across every major headline.Emily Greyson has been rescued.Emily Greyson speaks out for the first time.Cole Greyson’s wife has returned.It felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me, like I was free-falling into an abyss with no way to stop. My chest tightened, my hear

    Last Updated : 2025-03-05
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   68: No Safe Haven

    Vanessa's POV.I needed food. Toiletries. Something to keep me going.The hunger gnawed at my stomach, a sharp, unrelenting ache that had been growing for hours. My body felt weak, my limbs heavy, but my mind was sharp…too sharp. Every noise made my skin crawl. Every shadow felt like a threat. I couldn't stay locked up in this room forever.I pulled the hoodie over my head, adjusting it low enough to hide most of my face. Dark shades, a black cap, and a scarf wrapped loosely around my neck…it wasn’t a perfect disguise, but it would have to do. I stared at myself in the dusty motel mirror, tightening the strings of my hoodie. It was strange seeing myself like this…hiding like a fugitive. But then again, that’s exactly what I was now.My fingers trembled as I grabbed my small bag, shoving the last of my stolen cash into my pocket. I took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped toward the door, pressing my ear again

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   69: Culprit On The Run

    Vanessa's POV.The cold night air burned my lungs as I sprinted down the sidewalk, weaving through the scattered groups of pedestrians. My legs ached, my pulse hammered, and a sharp stitch stabbed at my ribs, but I didn’t slow down.I couldn’t.I had to keep moving.The neon lights of a convenience store fluctuated up ahead…a dull, buzzing glow against the darkened street. My stomach twisted painfully. Food. Water. Toiletries. I needed them if I was going to survive the next twenty-four hours.I pushed open the glass door, and the sharp chime of the bell above rang out, cutting through the pounding in my ears.Inside, the store was okay, the air stale with the scent of floor cleaner and cheap snacks. A few customers milled about, their footsteps soft against the linoleum. I kept my head low, tugging my hoodie down further, adjusting my shades.In and out.That was the plan.I grabbed a small basket and moved toward the shelves, forcing myself to breathe evenly, to ignore the way my ha

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   70: Reckless And Raw (Mature)

    Vanessa's POV.The car ride was suffocatingly silent, except for the low hum of the engine and the faint sound of my own breath, coming out unsteady. I could still feel the weight of people's stares, the shock of recognition flashing in their eyes as I fled from the store. My pulse was still erratic, the adrenaline refusing to leave my system.I clutched the sleeves of my hoodie, my knuckles white as I kept myself pressed against the door. The man beside me, my so-called savior, hadn’t spoken a word. His jaw was tense, and the sharp cut of his profile flickered in and out of the streetlights as we sped through the city. He had saved me. But I had no idea why.When he finally pulled into a small, dark garage, the unease coiled tighter in my stomach. I turned to him as he shut off the engine, my voice sharp and hoarse.“Why the fuck are you helping me?”His fingers flexed on the steering wheel before he finally turned his head toward me, his expression unreadable.“I saw the news,” he a

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   71: A Divorce?

    Emily’s POVDaniel’s voice was steady as he delivered the report. “Vanessa was spotted at a motel in Denver last night. Someone recognized her and tipped off the authorities, but by the time they got there, she was gone. Surveillance footage shows her running down the alley behind the motel. She changed clothes, went into a convenience store, and tried to blend in, but another customer recognized her.”I sat up straighter, my fingers tightening around the armrest of the couch. “And?”“She ran again,” Daniel continued. “She stole a car and ditched it outside the city. Her photos are everywhere now. Even in disguise, people are recognizing her. She’s desperate, and she’s running out of places to hide.”I exhaled slowly, my jaw locking. My pulse thudded in my ears. Vanessa was slipping through the cracks, but not for long. She was panicked, making mistakes. It was only a matter of time before she got caught, and when she did, I wanted to be the first to watch them put her behind bars.I

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   72: Yours, Always (Mature)

    Cole’s POVMidnight.Rain lashed against the windows, hard and relentless, filling the silence of the room. The faint glow of the bedside lamp barely reached the corners, but I didn’t care. I sat on the edge of the bed, my elbows resting on my knees, my fingers interlocked. My mind wasn’t here. It was trapped in the events of the past few days, running in circles, chasing answers I didn’t have.Emily was back. Safe. But that didn’t erase the fact that she had been taken in the first place.She had been kidnapped.And I hadn’t been the one to save her.She had come back on her own.I tightened my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The idea of her alone, fighting her way back, made something sharp twist inside me.I had failed her.I wasn’t there when she needed me. I hadn’t ripped those bastards apart with my own hands. I hadn’t been the one to drag Vanessa out of whatever hole she was hiding in and make her pay for what she did.And now, Emily’s father wanted me to divorce her.He

    Last Updated : 2025-03-06

Latest chapter

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   131: The Dance That Stopped Time

    Smith’s POVThe Hart Enterprise 50th Anniversary Gala was perfect.Every inch of the ballroom screamed success. The walls, lined with art and gold accents, reflected the soft shimmer of crystal chandeliers. The air smelled faintly of expensive perfume and fresh flowers, the latter arranged in massive, white-topped vases at every corner. I surveyed it all…took it in from the balcony before stepping down to join the crowd below.It was a night that I had meticulously planned. Years of hard work, of seeing opportunities and risks like no one else, and now, it all led here. Every seat in the room was occupied. Every person invited was a mover, a shaker, an influencer. The type of people who understood what it meant to be at the top.I adjusted the cuffs of my black tuxedo…custom-made, obviously. Not a thread out of place. My watch gleamed under the soft lighting as I looked out at the sea of faces below. The night was unfolding as I had imagined. Every detail was perfect. Every piece in p

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   130: The Seduction Strategy

    Stevie-Lou’s POVThree days.It had been three days since we lowered my father into the ground.Three days since I stood beside his casket, dressed in black, staring down at the man who raised me…silent and still beneath a polished wooden lid. Three days of hearing strangers murmur things like “He was a good man” and “So sorry for your loss,” as if their condolences could glue together the splintered mess inside my chest.They couldn’t. Nothing could.The grief was a living thing. It clung to me like a second skin, heavy and suffocating, curling around my lungs every time I tried to breathe. I sat curled up on the sagging couch in my apartment, wrapped in my father’s old flannel shirt, my knees tucked under me like a scared little girl. A single candle burned on the coffee table. Sandalwood…his favorite scent. The flame danced, throwing shadows against the walls, soft and flickering. It was the only light I could stand. The overhead bulbs were too harsh, too alive.Jeremy, my boyfrien

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   129: The Cost Of Detachment

    Smith's POV.I leaned back in my chair slowly, the leather squeaking. I didn’t speak. Just stared at James.His hands were twitchy. Fidgety. Like he didn’t know what to do with them."Is that all?" I finally asked.He blinked. Like he expected me to say something else. Anything else."Yes, sir. I just thought... you should know."I scoffed. "Why?"He flinched. "Well, he worked here since before you were born.""Exactly," I said, cutting him off. "Which means he had years to prepare. Retirement fund. Family. Friends. A damn GoFundMe if he wanted."James didn’t speak."You think it was my job to save him?" I asked, eyes narrowing.He shook his head quickly. "No, sir. Of course not.""Good. Because it wasn’t. This isn’t a charity."The silence in the room tightened. James looked at the floor."He was desperate," he mumbled.I stood up slowly. Walked around the desk until I was a few steps from him."Let me ask you something, James. If I give 1.3 million to a dying man with a bad heart, h

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   128: Deadlines And Dead Men

    Smith POV.I was 27. Young. Cold. Successful. Ruthless.CEO of the Hart Enterprise.People feared me. And that was fine. Fear keeps people in check. I didn’t have time for emotions or second chances. Not in this world. Not in business. One mistake could bring it all crashing down.I sat behind my office desk…black, clean…just like everything else in my life. The skyline of New York stood outside my glass window. Everyone out there had a dream. I was already living mine. But it didn’t come easy.I wasn’t even supposed to be here. I wasn’t meant to exist.My father, Richard Hart, never wanted me. He wasn’t married when he met my mother, Lena. His first wife…Emily’s mother…had already left him. Walked away. No cheating involved. That chapter had ended.Eight years later, he met my mother. It was just a one-night stand. Nothing more. A stupid decision. When she found out she was pregnant and told him, he turned into a monster.He tortured her. Pressured her. Told her to get rid of me.But

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   127: Part 2

    Married To The Billionaire I Hate Part 2Synopsis:Stevie-Lou Parker’s world shattered the day her father, a loyal employee of Smith Hart, died after being denied a loan for his treatment. Smith Hart, the ruthless billionaire, refused to help, and her father paid the price. Consumed with rage, Stevie-Lou swore revenge on the man who caused her family’s downfall.To get close to him, Stevie-Lou went undercover, hiding her true identity. She lied about her name and used a disguise so Smith would never suspect she was the daughter of the man whose death he had caused. Using her beauty and talent as a skilled dancer, Stevie-Lou captivated Smith with a performance that left him wanting more. He fell in love, believing she was just another woman to add to his collection.But for Stevie-Lou, this was never about love…it was about revenge. She married him, planning to strip him of everything he held dear: his wealth, his power, his empire. What Smith didn’t know was that Stevie-Lou wasn’t alo

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   126: Epilogue

    Emily's POV.Six years later.I couldn't believe how much everything had changedm..and how much I had changed. I used to be a woman who could take on anything with a smile, fighting tooth and nail for what I wanted, getting my way, keeping my guard up. Now, I was a wife, a mother to two wild kids who were way too much like me for comfort, and I was somehow still trying to find the balance. Cole and I had two little monsters. I meant that in the most loving way, of course. A five-year-old girl who thought she knew everything, and a three-year-old boy who was already calm enough to be mistaken for a mini version of his father.I looked over at Mia, our daughter, as she flipped through her book on the couch, muttering to herself. “Mom, you know you can’t just say things like that. The truth is like…” She paused, squinting up at me, “...it’s like a key. It opens doors. And if you don’t have the key, well, you’re locked out. Simple logic. Honestly.”I blinked, my fork halfway to my mouth

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   125: The Endgame

    Emily's POV.I could feel the tightness in my chest as I walked into the hospital room. The usual weird smell of the hospital hit me instantly, but it didn’t matter. My feet were heavy, like each step took more out of me than it should. I didn’t know what I expected walking in here, but seeing him like this…injured, bruised, bandaged…was almost too much.Cole was sitting upright in the bed, his broad shoulders hunched slightly as he adjusted the position of the IV that was attached to his arm. His face, though familiar, looked a little different. His skin was pale, almost sickly, and his hair was messy, falling loosely across his forehead. His eyes…those eyes that could melt anyone with a single glance…were narrowed at the screen in front of him. His left hand was holding a small tablet, and I saw the footage of the trial. It was the video of what happened in court …Vanessa, shackled, dragged in like she was nothing. I saw the shot of her standing in the courtroom, struggling to keep

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   124: Five Life Sentences

    Vanessa's POV.They brought me in through the back. Shackled. Dressed in orange. I could feel every damn eye in that courtroom the moment the doors opened.Phones were out. Cameras. People whispering. Judging. Hating.I used to walk through halls with power in my step, people hanging onto my words, afraid to cross me. Now, the guards shoved me forward like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t the Vanessa Monroe.The courtroom was colder than I remembered. The lights too bright. Too many people. Too many eyes. My throat was dry, and not a soul here gave a damn.The judge didn’t look up as I was led to the defendant’s table. He was flipping through a file…my file…thicker than a Bible.I sat. Hands cuffed. Ankles chained. Heart racing. Face burning.And then I saw her.Emily.Sitting there in the front row like she owned the damn place. Like she wasn’t two months pregnant with the child I tried to erase along with her.Her head was high. Shoulders back. Lips painted blood red. Her arms crossed l

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   123: A Good Sign

    Emily's POV.Hours passed. Again.The ICU lights didn’t dim. Nurses kept coming in and out. Adjusting tubes. Checking monitors. Writing things down without saying a word to me. One of them offered me a blanket. Another brought me water I didn’t touch. I couldn’t drink. Couldn’t eat. My stomach was twisted into a hundred knots.Cole hadn’t moved.Not even a twitch.I kept waiting for something. A flick of his fingers. A twitch of an eyelid. A miracle.But the machines kept beeping the same way. Monotonous. Cold. Consistent.My fingers stayed laced with his. Even though he couldn’t squeeze back.The door creaked open again.Footsteps. Not rushed. Not hesitant. Just... steady.I turned, and there she was.Lena.Smith's mom.She looked like she’d driven straight from hell to get here. Hair in a bun that had long since given up. Dark circles under her eyes. Clothes wrinkled, boots dusty. Her eyes locked on me, then flicked to Cole. Her jaw clenched."Is he…?" she didn’t finish the question

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status