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68: No Safe Haven

Author: Wordsmith91
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-03-06 00:38:58

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
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  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 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

    Huling Na-update : 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

    Huling Na-update : 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   73: A Stranger's Mercy

    Vanessa’s POVThe rain hadn’t stopped since I got here. It was like the sky was weeping for me…pouring and howling through the night, drowning out the thoughts I couldn’t escape. Two days in this house, hiding like a fugitive, because that’s exactly what I was now.A wanted woman.And all because of her.Emily.That name burned through my skull like acid, but I couldn’t let him see it. I couldn’t let Ronan…yes, that was his name…see the hatred simmering inside me.He had told me his name the first morning after I woke up in his bed, my body sore, my head heavy with exhaustion.“Ronan,” he had said, standing by the window, his voice deep, calm, like none of this fazed him. “You should know the name of the man risking everything to keep you here.”I had stared at him, waiting for something else. Some threat, some demand. But there was nothing. Just a name and a steady gaze.Ronan. Irish. Strong. A name that carried weight, like he had seen things, done things.And now, he was helping me

    Huling Na-update : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   74: On The Run Again

    Vanessa’s POV.The following day.The room felt too quiet without Ronan.He had left not long ago, saying he needed to get some things for me. Clothes, food, whatever. He didn’t tell me exactly where he was going, but he assured me he wouldn’t take long. The way he looked at me before leaving…like he actually gave a damn…was unsettling. No one had ever looked at me like that before. Not Cole. Not anyone.I pulled Ronan’s hoodie tighter around me. It smelled like him, like cedarwood and the faintest trace of cigarettes. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it. My fingers absently played with the hem as I paced the small space, restless.The rain was still coming down outside, steady and relentless. Water streaked down the windows, blurring the view beyond. I didn’t know where exactly we were, some house on the outskirts of the city, away from prying eyes. Ronan had made sure of that. No one came in or out. No visitors. No risks.I should’ve been grateful. But gratitude wasn’t something

    Huling Na-update : 2025-03-06
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   75: Letting Him In

    Emily's POV.The first thing I felt was warmth. Solid, steady warmth wrapped around me like a shield. My head was pressed against something firm, something that rose and fell in a slow, even rhythm. I blinked slowly, my mind sluggish, taking its time to catch up. The scent of fresh soap and something uniquely Cole filled my nose.Cole’s arms were wrapped around me, his body a solid presence against mine. His grip wasn’t tight, but it wasn’t loose either. Like he was holding on without really thinking about it.I tensed for a second. I wasn’t used to this. Waking up next to someone. Feeling their body heat seep into mine. Feeling... safe.Cole stirred, his hand shifting slightly against my back, fingers trailing lazily against my skin. His chest rose with a deep inhale, then he let out a slow, content sigh.I stayed still, watching him. His face was completely relaxed in sleep, the sharp lines of his jaw softer, his dark lashes casting shadows against his cheekbones. He looked differen

    Huling Na-update : 2025-03-07
  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   76: Sweet, Sweet Husband

    Emily's POV.I woke up to silence.Not the peaceful kind.The kind that told me something wasn’t right.I turned, my fingers brushing against Cole’s side of the bed. Cold. Empty. He was up already.I sighed, pushing the sheets off me, stretching out my arms. It had been two weeks since I had set foot in my office at Hart Enterprise. A week since Cole decided I should work from home. His excuse? Safety.I called it overprotective nonsense.I pulled on my robe, tying it lazily as I stepped out of the bedroom. The smell of fresh coffee hit me first. Then I heard the low murmur of Cole’s voice.I followed the sound to the kitchen.And there he was.Standing by the counter, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone to his ear. His suit was already on…black, neat, ironed to perfection. His sleeves were rolled up, his watch catching the light.He was intimidating and effortless all at once.I leaned against the doorway, watching him."…No, Dad. We wait," Cole said, voice calm but f

    Huling Na-update : 2025-03-07

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  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   89: No Turning Back

    Cole’s POVThe water was still now. Calm, undisturbed.A few hours ago, Emily had been swimming in that pool, her hair slicked back, droplets sliding down her skin. I was absent when she went out to swim but I knew exactly what she looked like. Now, the pool was empty. Just like the house. Just like me.I leaned against the balcony railing, gripping it tight. The clock on my phone read 11:07 PM. Four hours since she left. Four hours since her father had forced her to go.And I had done nothing.I exhaled sharply, running a hand down my face. The weight in my chest had been growing, pressing harder with every passing minute. Just standing here, waiting, doing nothing…it was killing me.Then…SCREECH!The violent sound of tires skidding against the ground snapped my head toward the gates. My entire body locked up.A car.A black Camry, speeding toward the estate like it had been chased by the devil himself.The guards rushed to block it, guns drawn…Then, suddenly, the passenger-side wi

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   88: Definitely Not A Damsel In Distress

    Emily’s POVThe drive felt like a funeral procession, only I was the corpse being dragged to my own execution. The two female bodyguards sat on either side of me, their presence suffocating. I didn’t fight them anymore…not because I had given up, but because I refused to give my father the satisfaction of watching me struggle.But my hate? That was alive. Burning.I stared out the tinted window as the city blurred past, my nails digging into my palms. My father’s men drove in silence, the car’s engine the only sound in the stifling air. I could still feel the rough grip of those women on my arms, the way they had dragged me through the house, down the grand staircase, and into the car like I was a damn piece of luggage.My father had finally resorted to brute force.Typical.The car pulled up in front of an expensive restaurant…one of those exclusive places where rich men made dirty deals over overpriced steak and wine. The entire building screamed wealth, from the polished black exte

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   87: Glided Chains

    Emily’s POVI sat on the edge of my old bed, my arms wrapped around myself, my nails digging into my skin. My body was still wet from the pool, my swimsuit clinging to me like a second skin, but I didn’t care. The cold air in the room did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me.Everything about this place made my skin crawl.The walls were the same dull beige, the curtains the same expensive silk my father insisted on. The chandelier overhead glowed too bright, the same way it had when I was a teenager locked in this house, suffocating under his rules.Four months.That was how long it had been since I left this place. Since I married Cole and walked out of here.And now I was back.Dragged here like a puppet in my father’s twisted game.I clenched my teeth, my jaw tight, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might break through my ribs. The fury inside me was a living thing, coiled and waiting to explode.I should have fought harder.I should have screamed louder, clawed at him,

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   86: Ripped Away

    Cole’s POVI couldn’t breathe.She was gone.I stood there, fists clenched so tight my nails cut into my palms, staring at the empty driveway where the car had disappeared. My mind couldn’t process what had just happened. It felt like someone had reached inside my chest and ripped my heart out while I was still alive.Emily had walked away.Not because she wanted to. Not because she stopped loving me. But because she was trying to protect me.That thought made it worse.I ran a hand through my hair, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. My men were still there, waiting for my command. The tension in the air was thick, like it hadn’t settled even after Richard Hart had taken her. My own bodyguards had their hands on their guns, still on high alert.I should have stopped her. I should have grabbed her, thrown her over my shoulder, and locked every door in this damn house. But I knew Emily. She wasn’t someone I could cage, no matter how much I wanted to.I let out a sharp breath and

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   85: Left With No Choice

    Emily’s POV“If Cole tries to stop me, there will be bullets in the air.”My father’s words still rang in my ears, making completely unsettled.And then, it happened.A gunshot.Loud. Sharp.My heart nearly leaped out of my chest as the sound tore through the tense silence, echoing across the courtyard. One of my father’s men had fired into the air, his grip steady, his face blank.For a second, everything froze.Then, chaos erupted.Cole’s bodyguards moved instantly, pulling their weapons with the precision of trained professionals. The men my father had brought with him did the same, their guns raised, their fingers twitching near the triggers.The air became charged, electric with the promise of violence. My breath hitched as I stared at the two groups facing each other, weapons drawn, ready to fire at the slightest provocation.One wrong move, and people would die."STOP!" I screamed, my voice cracking with panic.No one moved.My father stood tall, his expression blank, unmoved b

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   84: Father Vs Husband

    Emily’s POVThe cool water wrapped around me like silk as I drifted on my back, staring up at the evening sky. The pool lights had blue shimmer, reflecting against the marble tiles of the mansion’s courtyard. It was quiet…peaceful even. For the first time in days, my mind wasn’t racing. No thoughts about Mateo Vasquez, my father’s ridiculous attempts at controlling my life, or Vanessa’s insanity. Just silence and the soft ripple of water.Then, I heard it.A commotion. Raised voices.I blinked, lowering my body into the water. My fingers clenched into a fist as I turned my head toward the mansion’s entrance. Something was happening.I swam to the edge of the pool, pulling myself up. My wet hair clung to my back as I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around myself. The voices grew louder, and I caught sight of multiple black SUVs parked in the driveway. The headlights were still on, casting long shadows over the garden.Men in suits. Guns strapped to their sides.My father’s men.And the

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   83: Mateo Vasquez

    Cole’s POVMateo was about to learn that power meant nothing when you had no control.I sat in the backseat of my car, parked a block away from his hotel, scrolling through the latest report on Vanessa. She was still on the run, slipping through every crack like a damn ghost.This morning, I’d gotten an update…Vanessa had killed a police officer. Slit his throat right there on the road, like it meant nothing. But what caught my attention more? She wasn’t alone.A man was with her.Ronan.From what I’d gathered, he wasn’t some criminal mastermind or hired gun. Just a guy who had made the mistake of getting tangled up in Vanessa’s mess. Maybe he thought he was helping her. Maybe he had no idea who she really was.Didn’t matter. He was shielding her now, and that made him a problem.But Vanessa could wait. Tonight, I had something else to handle.Mateo.…7:00 PM.Mateo walked into the hotel like he owned the city.Four bodyguards surrounded him as he strode across the marble floors of t

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   82: A Murderer

    Vanessa’s POVThe rain pelted against the windshield as we sped down the empty highway. The motel was miles behind us, swallowed by the darkness, but my pulse was still racing. Ronan’s hands gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. The only sound was the tires skidding slightly on the wet pavement and the low hum of the engine.I sat in the passenger seat, my hoodie pulled low over my face, my fingers drumming against my knee. The air inside the car was thick, tense. I could tell Ronan was pissed.He hadn’t said a word since we left.Fine. I didn’t care.I stared out the window, my mind still burning with the same rage. Emily. Cole. They were all that mattered now. I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life running like some helpless little girl. No. I was going to take back control.Then…Flashing lights.Blue and red, dancing in the rearview mirror.Ronan cursed under his breath.“Shit.”I turned my head sharply, my heartbeat picking up.A cop.His patrol car was righ

  • Married To The Billionaire I Hate   81: Moving Again

    Vanessa’s POVThe motel was a dump.Peeling wallpaper curled at the edges, revealing dark stains underneath. The carpet was stained with things I didn’t want to think about. The whole place reeked of old cigarettes, mildew, and cheap beer, the kind of filth that clung to your skin no matter how hard you scrubbed. The bed creaked under me as I shifted, the springs groaning in protest.Ronan had made me disguise myself before we even got close to this hellhole. He had taken scissors to my hair, hacking off just enough to make me look different. I had nearly clawed his eyes out for that. Then he shoved an oversized hoodie at me, one that drowned my frame, and told me to wear it along with a pair of cheap sunglasses. The final insult was a baseball cap he tossed at me like I was some runaway teenager instead of Vanessa Kings.I used to wear couture. Silk, cashmere, the kind of fabrics people only dreamed of touching. Now I was drowning in polyester and denim that didn’t fit. My nails dug

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