All Chapters of CHASING HIS RUNAWAY MATE: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Beatrice’s POVA New Journey Begins.... I slept thinking about everything yesterday but I was woken up by the loud hum of my alarm.The alarm buzzed at exactly 5:30 AM, pulling me from a restless sleep.I blinked against the dim light filtering through my bedroom curtains, my body sluggish with the weight of exhaustion. A part of me wanted to roll over, to steal a few more moments of comfort before the chaos of the day began or as I always said; the troubles of the day.But I couldn’t.Today was different.Today, I was leaving my babies for two weeks.Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced myself up, stretching slightly before padding toward the bathroom. The cold tile sent a shiver up my spine, but I welcomed the sharp sensation. It kept me present, grounded.By the time I finished showering, I felt a little more awake. I needed to pack some useful materials, so I just shoved all necessary materials into my bag. I stepped into the triplets' shared bedroom, smiling softly at the

Beatrice’s POVThe sun sank, slow and lazy, a thick brush of gold and orange melting into the horizon. It was the kind of sky that looked like a painting, soft and hazy, like something from a dream. But I wasn’t dreaming.I was standing outside of a boutique so fancy, I still couldn’t believe they had let me in. My arms ached from pulling on dress after dress, my skin still tingling from the sensation of silk and lace, of materials that weren’t intended for someone like me.And yet, here I was.Xander was a few steps ahead, his tall frame slicing through the city as if he owned it — and in many ways, he did. His walk was easy and effortless, casual, as if he was engineered for brute force, made to command. One didn’t even look at him as they stepped from his path, as if they could feel it. That raw dominance. That calm, steady authority.And then there was me.Following behind him like a shadow, my heartbeat still uneven from all that had happened in the past hour.The boutique was a

Xander's POVDestined Moments. As I stepped off the plane, I breathed out in relief, allowing the welcoming warmth of Cape Town air to hit my skin. The inky smell of the sea blended with the warm sun-baked smell of earth, filling my lungs as I looked out over the sprawling city ahead.This trip was meant to be purely business. Meetings, negotiations, expansion strategies — every detail had been meticulously plotted with brutal precision.And yet I felt deep inside that there was more on my mind than business.I had another goal.Beatrice.I wasn’t blind. I noticed how she became when I was around—the little reluctance in her posture, the subdued but resolute rejection that would shimmer in her eyes when I came too close, the way she had never quite lowered her guard. For years I had been cruel, pushing her away, keeping her at an arm’s length for reasons I wasn’t even sure I could justify any longer.But something had changed between us.Something I couldn’t name. Couldn’t ignore.An

Beatrice’s POVHis Secrets in the DarkAfter the uncomfortable silence that had pervaded the room minutes before, both Xander and I had an unspoken agreement.“I’ll take the couch,” I said, heading toward it with as much confidence as I could muster.Xander’s eyes darted to the plush king-sized bed and then back to me. His jaw clenched, as if he wanted to argue. “Suit yourself.”His tone was inscrutable, but I noticed the minute change in the angle of his body — how his fingers twitched at his sides, the infinitesimal drumroll between him and the world he was about to leave. He didn’t like the idea. But he let it go, for now.I shunted aside the way my chest tightened at the idea of him arguing further, of him insisting I take the bed. It would have almost been easier if he had stayed cold, detached, how he once was. This new version, the version of him who lingered too close, who looked at me the way you’d look at something soft and precious, was so much more dangerous.Xander reache

Beatrice’s POVNight of MasksAfter the meeting I had to go out for some air.All the weight—of all the hushes, all the looks, the things I didn’t say to Xander, and the things he didn’t say to me—seemed stoppering my breath. So I started to head back to the hotel suite the minute I could.Xander attend to some urgent business matters this morning so I had the perfect excuse to get a much needed breather.I walked inside, kicked off my heels, flopped down on the couch and rubbed my temples. Everything was happening too quickly.” First, I was forced to stay, and now, I was heading to a masquerade party with Xander.I sighed, grabbed my phone, and after scrolling through my contacts, found the one name that could if only vaguely, help me relax—Sarah.The second ring, she picked up.“B, what’s up?” Her voice was airy, though I could hear the fatigue underneath.I smiled faintly. “I just needed to hear something familiar.”Sarah exhaled. “I figured. “How’s Cape Town treating you?”I lean