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Chapter Forty: Restless Nights
Dernière mise à jour:
2025-03-16 17:36:38
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Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-one :Echoes of the Past
The morning light filtered through the grand penthouse windows, casting warm glimmers across the polished floors. Outside, the city buzzed with life, yet within these confines, tension loomed.For Adrian, Luca, and Connor, the new day didn't signify hope; it merely served as a stark reminder that their battle with Matteo Ricci was just beginning.Adrian occupied the head of the dining table, his fingers steepled under his chin as he contemplated. Opposite him, Luca sipped his black coffee, his other hand absentmindedly massaging his sore knuckles, while Connor stood rigidly by the window, arms crossed and lost in thought as he revisited the previous night’s turmoil.The ambush. The bloodshed. The fallen bodies.And Ricci’s voice resonated amidst the chaos.Adrian’s wound had scabbed over, yet the weariness in his eyes hadn't faded.And Leila saw it all.She lingered near the kitchen, gripping a glass of water and silently observing the men who had faced their worst fears and emerged a
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-16Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-two: Cracks in the Foundation
Beneath him, New York City thrummed with energy, blissfully completely unaware of the approaching turmoil. Standing silently by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, Adrian Blackwell's gaze was fixed on the bustling streets below.Life continued as usual. Crowds hurried to their destinations, traffic snaked through the sprawling city, and the skyline stretched high above the chaos.Yet, beneath this façade...A battle was raging.And Adrian had just lost one of his most valuable assets.Not merely lost—Matteo Ricci had burned it to the ground.The warehouse on the East Side lay in ruins, reduced to ashes. Smoke still rose from its remains, leaving a stark message scorched in its remnants.Ricci was no longer lurking in the shadows.And Adrian understood... this was merely the start.Leila observed him from across the room, her heart aching at the sight of the man she loved, as he succumbed to darkness.He hadn’t truly slept. Even beside her, his body remained rigid, his mind
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-17Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-three: Unraveling Threads
The city was alive, never truly at rest. An undercurrent of tension throbbed beneath the surface, perceptible only to individuals like Adrian Blackwell. Standing in silence on his penthouse balcony, he felt the distant traffic noise merging with a suffocating weight in his chest. The assault on the East Side warehouse was more than just a tactical strike—it was a declaration of hostilities. Matteo Ricci was no longer lurking in the shadows; he was escalating the conflict, compelling Adrian to respond. Yet Ricci had made one critical error. He had given Adrian a compelling reason to destroy everything he had built. The sliding sound of the glass door interrupted his thoughts. “Please tell me you have a plan,” Leila's voice cut through the stillness. Adrian didn’t look back. He sensed her presence; her energy was a steady anchor, preventing him from succumbing to the darkness that had haunted him for years. “I always have a plan,” he said, a slight smirk forming on his lips. Lei
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-17Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-four: The Ghost We Bury
The atmosphere in Adrian’s office was almost stifling, more oppressive than the city skyline looming beyond the glass walls.Leila stood by the door, her heart racing as she observed Adrian processing the revelation she had just shared.“Ethan Graves.”Just the mention of the name felt like a weapon.Adrian remained still and silent, but Leila noticed a spark of recognition in his eyes—the confirmation she needed.He knew him.He had always known him.“You do know him,” Leila whispered, inching closer.Adrian took a slow breath, his hands pressed against the sleek black table as if seeking stability.“I did.”His voice was soft yet restrained, laced with something darker—something raw and unrelenting.Leila's heart raced. “Who was he to you?”Adrian’s gaze met hers, sharp and frigid. “Someone I trusted.”Those words felt out of place coming from Adrian Blackwell.Because trust?That wasn’t something he gave easily.---The Past That Shaped HimAdrian turned away, pacing toward the win
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-17Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-five: No Turning Back
The discovery of Ethan Graves' true identity loomed over the penthouse like a dark, unavoidable storm cloud.Leila stood near the floor-to-ceiling window with her arms crossed, staring at the city lights twinkling below. Outside, the world vibrated with life, so full of potential, while inside the penthouse, stifling darkness pressed in, relentless.She recalled Adrian's reaction upon hearing her say that name—Ethan Graves. No, it was Matteo Ricci. The man who Adrian had reduced his life to nothing before vanishing without a trace. Until now.Adrian had vowed to complete what he had started.But at what cost?She turned, watching Adrian pull out his phone, she noticed that behind his composed surface lay a simmering rage, cold and calculated.He dialed a number.Luca answered instantly. “What’s up?”Adrian’s voice was sharp. “Get back here. Now.”There was a brief pause before Luca replied, “On my way.”When Adrian hung up, he put his hands on the desk, bowing his head slightly, prepa
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-17Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-six:Cracks in the Armor
The atmosphere outside Adrian Blackwell's penthouse was thick with tension, as though the city sensed the turmoil brewing inside him. He gazed out of the expansive window at the city skyline, but his thoughts were elsewhere—focused on the name Gwen had discovered.Grayson Holdings.Ethan Graves, or Matteo Ricci, had concealed himself behind layers of deception, but no empire was immune to scrutiny. Adrian had now identified the first crack in that armor.Leila sat on the leather couch behind him, still holding her phone from her previous conversation with Gwen.“She’s confident this isn’t just another shell company,” Leila noted quietly. “Grayson Holdings deals with substantial sums—real estate, offshore accounts. It’s how Ethan has been laundering his money.”Adrian's expression turned steely, his jaw tightening. “Then we make it bleed.”Connor leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “What’s the plan?”Adrian turned to face them, his gaze cold and calculating. “We take control of it.”
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-19Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-seven: Closing the Trap
Arthur Calloway had succumbed more quickly than Adrian had anticipated. The man, despite his wealth and influence, was a coward who crumbled under real pressure. For years, Calloway had been under Ethan Graves’s control, laundering illicit funds through Grayson Holdings while believing himself untouchable.But now?Now he was nothing more than a pawn, trembling under Adrian Blackwell's authority.Adrian sat in the dimly lit penthouse, with the city lights casting a faint glow through the expansive windows. In his hands were the documents Calloway had provided—comprehensive records of every transaction, offshore account, and asset associated with Grayson Holdings. It was more than Adrian had hoped for: proof, evidence, and leverage."This is a goldmine," Connor remarked while rifling through his own copy of the documents. His keen eyes absorbed every detail, every number, committing them to memory.Leila, seated on the couch beside Adrian, crossed her arms. "What’s the plan? If we take
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-19Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Forty-eight: No More Shadows
The bullet casing rested in the middle of Adrian’s desk, its dull metallic sheen catching the faint light from the city outside the penthouse’s glass walls. It was small and insignificant to most, but it resonated with Adrian Blackwell like a deafening gunshot. It was a message—a warning, a declaration of war.Ethan Graves was no longer in hiding.Adrian leaned back in his leather chair, fingers steepled under his chin as he examined the casing. Across the room, Connor and Luca stood in tense anticipation, their focus on Adrian, while Leila stood by the window, arms crossed, her expression hard as she watched the world outside as if expecting Ethan’s men to emerge from the shadows at any moment.“This wasn’t just a warning,” Connor said finally, breaking the heavy silence. "He’s openly challenging you."Luca exhaled slowly. “Means he knows something’s off.”Leila turned away from the window, her gaze piercing. “But how much does he know?”Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Enough.”That single
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-03-19
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Few days later, they navigated the renovated brownstone as if they were gliding through the pages of a story they'd once only dared to imagine.The floors, once scattered with splinters and gaps, had been replaced with reclaimed wood that hummed gracefully beneath their feet. The staircase—rebuilt, sanded, and stained—no longer creaked under their weight but instead welcomed them into their newly crafted existence. Each room exuded the lingering aroma of fresh paint, pine wood polish, and lavender oil—an unusual yet soothing blend that lingered in the air like a cherished memory.Leila paused in the entryway, running her fingers along the newly fitted doorframe. Her other hand rested on the slight curve of her belly, subtly hidden under her sweater but undeniable to her. She watched as Adrian moved through the living room, skillfully opening the windows to let in the gentle spring breeze.She smiled slightly. “It feels like it’s alive.”Adrian looked back at her, his gaze softening. “
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LeilaThe nausea didn't creep in-- it slammed into her suddenly, like a crashing wave.One moment, she was on the gallery floor, crouched in a patch of warm light, her hands buried in fabric samples she'd been collecting over the past week. She had midnight blue for the reading nook and a muted rose she hoped would work in the nursery—gentle and grounding. This task felt reassuring, providing a rare sense of control amidst the chaos.Then, without warning, everything shifted.The room spun violently, causing her stomach to turn with it. Her hands slipped off the pile of swatches, and she barely managed to get to her feet and rush to the bathroom, gripping the doorframe for support as her heart raced. She felt clammy and disoriented, as if her own body had betrayed her.Nausea struck in relentless waves while she leaned over the sink, gripping the cold porcelain and breathing shallowly through her nose. Her reflection revealed pale skin and heavy, shadowed eyes.By the time Adrian arri
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