All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTIQUE BRIDE: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

The night of the product launch had finally come. Zac adjusted the lapels of his black tuxedo, the refined fabric sitting perfectly against his well-sculpted body. Every one of his tuxedos had a slightly different edge to it—similar in style, but never identical. He stood beside the Rolls-Royce Phantom, checking his watch. Any other night, his focus would be on the event—on the press, the investors, or his competitors. But not tonight. Not when he was waiting for her. And then Mia’s door creaked open. She came out of the house dressed to kill. Her outfit had been chosen days in advance, planned to the last detail. When Zac saw her, he suddenly forgot how to breathe. She wore a white, form-fitting gown, its smooth fabric hugging her in all the right places. Her brown hair was styled in a classy updo, revealing a generous amount of skin on her neckline. A single diamond earring caught the light, and her bold red lipstick—God help her—was perfect. So flawless that it felt almost ille

Zac took another step back, glancing around. The air felt strange now—charged, tense, awkward. He shoved his hands into his pockets—partly to steady himself, but mostly to hide the bulge in his pants. A clear reaction his body had to Mia. Security had done their job well. They moved fast, blocking the paparazzi before they could fully swarm, but a few had already captured the moment—high-quality shots from sharp angles before being forced back. There was no undoing it now. It’s not as if they hoped to. By morning, this would be everywhere. A step away, Mia remained silent, lost in thought; Maybe she overdid it. She should have pulled away first. If this was all just an act, then why had Zac kissed her like that? She stole a glance at him. Zac looked fine—composed, as if nothing had happened. Like he was a master at this. But Mia? She couldn’t even look him in the eye right now. Zac cleared his throat. “Shall we?” Mia only nodded, lowering her head as she slipped inside the ca

In the outskirts of New York city, under the cold night sky, the river flowed dark and endless, its surface mirroring the glow of distant lights, shining like shattered glass. The wind carried the clean scent of water and earth, rustling the trees that lined the park. Two figures stood by the riverbank. They didn’t blend in with the blurred strangers strolling nearby. They weren’t regular men. One exuded authority, simply by his posture—Seth Cornell. His dark hair was neatly combed back, his tailored coat unwrinkled despite the wind. The other stood rigid, his breathing counted but heavy—Angelo. There was silence between them, broken only by the faint noise of the city and water lapping against the stone. Then Seth broke it. “Why did you bring me here?” His voice was tired, as if this meeting was merely an inevitable formality. Angelo exhaled and pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his pocket. His fingers worked stiffly as he unfolded it. “I needed to confirm something fr

Laura was the first to leave the house. Mia and Samantha shut the door after her, but just as they were about to follow, Laura suddenly stopped, pointing to the side of the doorstep.“Wait a minute. Are those roses?”Mia’s gaze followed Laura’s gesture. A perfectly arranged bouquet of deep red roses lay close to the doorstep, tied with a ribbon. A small card was attached to it.Samantha frowned. “We didn’t see that earlier.”Mia stepped closer, picking up the card.“Is it from Zac?” Samantha asked, watching her closely.Mia turned the card over and frowned. “No. It’s from Derrick.”Samantha’s irritation flared. “What’s his problem? Don’t you think it’s high time we reported him and get a restraining order? This is too much. Isn’t it obvious you’re getting married? What else is he trying to achieve? Mia rubbed her forehead. “I just don’t know. Do you think I should tell Zac about it?”“Perhaps, but we should definitely watch our backs,” Samantha replied, grabbing the bouquet from Mia’

“It’s wonderful to finally meet you.” Mia turned, meeting the kind smile of an older woman—one of Zac’s distant relatives.“The pleasure is all mine,” Mia said politely, returning the smile.As the women moved on, Mia took a slow sip of her champagne, turning her gaze toward Zac across the open-air courtyard. He stood at a distance, effortlessly confident, speaking with a group of older men—distant uncles and family friends, judging by their mannerisms.Unlike the others, Angelo wasn’t mingling. As a matter of fact, he hadn’t moved from his spot since he sat down.His expression was blank, like he was in a different world—one he had no interest in joining. A slight furrow formed in his brow as he stared at the floor, ignoring the people around him. Something about it made Mia pause.Part of her wanted to go to him and ask if he was okay. But the moment she took a step forward, she heard her name.She shifted her focus—and caught Seth Cornell’s stare. He was walking toward her.She s