All Chapters of Trade Breaker: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Jake’s call had left Dominic standing in the middle of his bedroom, staring unseeing at the wall. Solo was on her way to Italy. His heart pounded, his mind raced. He was too late—she was already gone. But this information, this jolt of reality, wasn’t enough to silence the storm of emotions swirling inside him.He had been haunted by regrets about the distance between them and how he had treated her. He had tried to push it aside, bury it, but the guilt had grown louder. Knowing she was slipping further out of his reach, this feeling threatened to overwhelm him.Should he chase her? Could he?He paced the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence of his apartment. What right did he have to go after her? She had left for a reason, and he was the reason. Dominic had kept her at arm’s length and treated her as though she meant nothing when, in reality, she had meant everything.His chest tightened, and his indecision grated on him.The phone in his hand trembled as Dominic redialed Jake

Sapphire sat at the desk in Dominic’s study. He was on a business trip, allowing her to rifle through his home. Scanning his phone records, which she found with the rest of his bills in his out tray, the name "Jake" appeared repeatedly."Who are you, Jake?" she muttered, tapping her manicured finger against her temple. Her disbelief was palpable. Could Dominic be involved with someone like Jake? She had known Dominic for most of her life.They went to the same schools and shared friends. She couldn't recall Jake being in their social circle, yet he called and received calls from this man more frequently than his calls to her.Judging from the dates, their relationship started a few days before her return. The record shows Dominic even calling Jake when she and Dominic are together, mainly during the night and after making love.She would get to the bottom of this. Even if Dominic was distant and showed a lack of interest in sex, she refused to believe that he would be emotionally and

After returning to the hotel, Dominic leaned back in his hotel chair and stared at the ceiling, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. He had rushed to Italy with a sense of urgency, a desperate need to find Solo. However, it had been days, and every lead had hit a dead end. The trail was cold, and time was running out.He grabbed his buzzing phone, hoping for anything that could bring him closer to her. It was his contact, and the familiar disappointment seeped into him before he answered. The cold plastic of the phone felt heavy in his hand, in contrast to the warmth of hope that had been dwindling with each passing day."Dominic," the voice on the other end said, tinny and distant, "I've searched every possible avenue, but there's no trace of a Solo Delaney in Italy. Are you sure Florence was her final destination?"Dominic rubbed his forehead, the weight of those words pressing down on him. The room seemed to close in, the air thick with disappointment. "I don't know—she n

Dominic looked at Sapphire and shook his head. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Sapphire, can we do this later? I’m—”“No.” She said, her voice was firm, cutting off any excuses. “We’re going to do this now.” She moved toward him, her arms folded across her chest, her expression unreadable. “You went to Italy,” she said, her voice calm but icy. “And you don’t have to lie to me—I know why.”Dominic’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t reply.“You went to look for her, didn’t you? Solo.” The name felt bitter on her tongue, like a betrayal.Dominic hesitated, but the look in Sapphire’s eyes told him she already knew. There was no reason to deny it.“Yes,” he admitted, his voice low. “I went to look for her.”Sapphire’s lips trembled, but she recovered, her voice rising with fury and heartbreak.“I endured for three years! So we could be together.” Her hand rose to pat her hair as though tidying imaginary loose strands. “I could only make this sacrifice because of our promise to each oth

Dominic paced his office, the city skyline stretching out behind the floor-to-ceiling windows. The crumpled paper clenched in his fist—was a lead that had seemed promising hours before."You're certain?" he spoke into the phone, his tone edged with frustration."Positive," Jake said on the other end. “The woman our contact identified as Solo Delaney isn't her. She has a different background, and she’s a different person."Dominic exhaled. "Keep looking.""Dom, maybe it's time to consider that she doesn't want to be found," Jake said."I can't accept that," Dominic said. "There's got to be something we've missed.""Alright. I'll keep digging."Ending the call, Dominic sank into his chair, running a hand through his hair. His gaze drifted to an invitation on his desk—for a charity gala he would attend with Sapphire.Recalling three years ago, Solo had nagged him. She wanted to accompany him to this gala. It was a charity close to her heart that she had sponsored, but she had never been