All Chapters of The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride : Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

"You can't be serious."Alexander's voice sliced through the tension in the room, his eyes fixed on the proposal before us.I met his gaze, frustration bubbling beneath my calm exterior. "I am serious. This is the opportunity we've been waiting for."He raked a hand through his hair—a telltale sign of his inner turmoil. "Merging into the renewable energy sector is one thing, but partnering with Calloway Industries? After everything?"I inhaled deeply, steadying myself. "I know our history with Calloway isn't exactly spotless, but this isn't about them. It's about the future of Steele Industries. Diversifying into renewables could secure our legacy."Alexander's jaw tightened, conflict evident in his eyes. "And if they decide to pull something? Undermine us from within?""We'll have safeguards in place—ironclad legal protections. Besides, not everyone at Calloway is against us. Some of their board members are eager for this collaboration."He shook his head, pacing the length of the co

“You’re not going to believe who just emailed me.”Alexander barely looked up from his screen. “If it’s Calloway again, I swear to—”“It’s not Calloway.”I paused, still standing in the doorway of his office, phone in hand.“It’s—get this—Eli Navarro.”That got his attention.His head lifted slowly, the corner of his mouth twitching like he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or break something.“Navarro?” he repeated, tone dry. “As in, the Eli Navarro who once said, and I quote, ‘Over my dead body will I ever share a table with Alexander Steele’?”I nodded. “The very same.”Alexander pushed his laptop aside and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “Well. Is he dead?”“Nope. But he’s definitely eating his words.” I walked in, holding out the phone for him to read.The message was short, almost suspiciously polite:> Leila,If you're open to it, I'd like to sit down and talk. No catch. Just business.Let me know.–E. NavarroAlexander read it twice, then handed my phone back like i

"We need to get away."Alexander's voice cut through the ambient hum of our penthouse, his tone resolute.I glanced up from my laptop, fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Away? Now?""Yes, now." He crossed the room, his movements deliberate, and gently closed my laptop. "We've been running on fumes for months, Leila. It's time to hit pause."I leaned back, studying his face—the tension etched in the lines around his eyes, the tight set of his jaw. "And you think a getaway will fix everything?""Not everything," he admitted, perching on the edge of the coffee table opposite me. "But it's a start."I sighed, the weight of unending responsibilities pressing down. "Where would we even go?"A slow smile curved his lips. "Leave that to me."---Two days later, we were airborne on his private jet, destination undisclosed. Alexander reveled in the mystery, his eyerevelledling with unspoken secrets."You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I teased, nudging his shoulder.He chuckled, a rich sound

“Grief doesn’t ask permission. It just shows up, wrecks everything, and dares you to clean it up.”It started with silence.Not the peaceful kind. Not the kind where two people sit next to each other and don’t need to fill the space. This was the heavy kind. The kind that sat between us at the dinner table while Alexander pushed food around his plate and pretended to be somewhere else.He hadn’t touched the roasted chicken. I made it from scratch. It used to be his favorite.“You haven’t eaten all day,” I said, not looking up from my own plate. I’d barely taken a bite myself.“I’m not hungry.”"You said that yesterday."He finally looked up. His eyes were dull, rimmed red from nights I knew he wasn’t sleeping through.“Leila,” he said flatly. “Please. Not tonight.”I set my fork down. “It’s been nine nights.”He exhaled sharply and shoved his chair back. “I can't do this right now.”And just like that, he was gone—down the hall, the door to his study clicking shut behind him.At first

"Just when you think you've buried your past, it has a way of knocking on your front door."The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of our penthouse, casting a golden glow over the minimalist decor. I stood at the kitchen island, nursing a cup of coffee, its rich aroma filling the air. Alexander sat across from me, engrossed in the financial section of the newspaper, his brow furrowed in concentration."Anything interesting?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence.He looked up, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just the usual market fluctuations. Nothing that can't wait."I nodded, taking another sip of my coffee. The tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sharp chime of the doorbell. Alexander and I exchanged puzzled glances; we weren't expecting anyone."I'll get it," I offered, setting my mug down and moving toward the door.As I opened it, my breath caught in my throat. Standing before me was a ghost from my past—Daniel. His once-boyish face was