All Chapters of Trade Breaker: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The day Aralise returned with Daryl, her mother met them at the airport. On the drive home, she said, “You have the child, good…good.” She nodded her head in the affirmative. “What did you find out?”“Nothing. That place is guarded tighter than Fort Knox. Doors are locked, and they never leave anyone alone in the house. The mail doesn’t get delivered to the house but arrives by carrier in a strong box. To make matters worse, it's never the same carrier service—they switch it up often. They have no visitors except for one time. I saw a handsome Italian man talking about solar power…I think because he kept saying solar, solar now and then. But that’s all I understood, as everything else was said in Italian. I was the only one left out of the conversation.” Aralise’s hands fidgeted in her lap as she spoke, afraid of her mother's reaction after what she told her.“I suspect that was deliberate. God, how I hate that family. They make me sick.” Her mother said, then spat.Aralise sighed with

Dominic swiped his arm across his desk, sending its contents onto the ground. The movement startled his assistant, whose mouth had been open to say something. Then, his mouth snapped shut as he stopped, turned, and walked back out of the open door, closing it behind him.The simmering rage within him that had been lying dormant during his interaction with the mother and daughter erupted like an exploding volcano. Dominic grabbed his hair with both hands and screamed, but the sound didn’t carry due to the room’s soundproofing.How did he let something like this happen?He was sure he had neither met nor slept with Aralise, but the duo appeared confident that the child was his. Impossible, it was fucking impossible.He remembered being drugged at the Hotel Lé Vista, and the timeline seemed to match up. But wasn’t the woman he slept with that night Solo?Wasn’t Solo the one he called for help that time? He stood and began to pace the room like a caged animal. Why couldn’t he remember the

“Okay, so what’s the ‘D’ on the baby mama? Why is her identity an issue for you?”“I was getting to that when you jumped in with your less-than-necessary recap.” Dominic expelled a breath, strolled over to the mini-bar in his room, and poured himself a drink. “Aralise is the woman from back then’s cousin.”“Cousin?” There was a pause on the other end, a chuckle, and the rustling of material and paper.“Yeah, Cousin,” Dominic nodded as if Miles could see him.“Cousin—huh…distant or like you and me?”“Like you and me, I think. I remember Solo saying her mother was a twin.”“Did you say, Solo? Is that the name of your fuck buddy?”“Don’t call her that. That is not how I think of her anymore. But yeah, her name is Solo—but you already know this.”“That name does sound familiar, but I didn’t hear it from you. You have never told me her name. It’ll come back to me. Keep going, although this does sound a little fucked up.”“I know it does.” Dominic combed his fingers through his hair and too

Solo leaned back on the couch, what felt like a rare moment of peace settling over her as she cradled a warm mug of tea in her hands. Across from her, Kirael stretched out lazily, her bare feet resting on the edge of the coffee table.The bassinets holding the babies were arranged nearby. The gentle rise and fall of their tiny chests reassured the two women. The living room was bathed in soft, golden light from the setting sun. The faint chirping of birds outside added to the serene ambiance.There was no Aralise to disrupt the harmony. Her absence left the house quieter but also... emptier. Solo hated to admit it, but part of her missed the constant background noise of Aralise’s antics. Most of all, she missed Daryl. The house felt soulless without her.She glanced at Kirael, noting the slight furrow in her friend’s brow as she stared at the ceiling.“Penny, for your thoughts,” Solo said, her voice light but curious.Kirael turned her head, smirking. “Not sure they’re worth that much

Solo shook off the bitter thoughts and focused on packing. She grabbed a large suitcase from her closet and began packing clothes, toiletries, and other essentials. As she packed, she could hear muffled voices from the living room—her father's rumble and an unfamiliar female's refined tone—her grandmother, no doubt.Kirael appeared in the doorway, arms full of baby supplies."I've grabbed some more of the boys' things," she said. "How are you doing?""Almost done," Solo said, zipping up her suitcase. "I just need to grab the diaper bag."Kirael nodded. "Good. Your grandmother's here. She seems...intense."Solo snorted. "I bet. I've never met the woman, and now we're fleeing the country together.""Life's funny that way," Kirael said with a wry smile. "Come on, finish up, and let's go meet her."They made their way to the living room, where Ralph stood next to an elegant older woman. Her silver hair was styled in an intricate updo, and she was dressed in an expensive-looking pantsuit.