All Chapters of The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

The First Strike The lawsuit was filed at dawn. By noon, it was on every major news outlet. By evening, the world knew that Alexander Steele had declared war. I sat in the sleek black leather chair of Alexander’s office, scrolling through endless headlines. "Steele Enterprises Takes Luxor Industries to Court—Corporate War Begins!" "Damien King Accused of Corporate Espionage—Is Cassandra Knight the Puppet Master?" "Alexander Steele’s Billion-Dollar Lawsuit: The Fight That Could Reshape the Industry." Alexander stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his hands in his pockets, his stance deceptively relaxed. But I could see the tension in his shoulders. “They wanted a war,” he said, his voice smooth but razor-sharp. “Now they have one.” I exhaled, setting my phone on the table. “You really think Damien’s going to roll over because of a lawsuit?” His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “No. I expect him to fight. But he doesn’t have what I have.” “And what’s

The moment I stepped onto the stage, I knew something was wrong. It wasn’t the usual pre-speech jitters or the weight of a thousand eyes watching me. No, this was different. A tension hummed in the air, thick and heavy, pressing against my chest like an unseen force. I adjusted my mic, scanning the sea of faces. The audience was packed—CEOs, investors, and the most influential figures in the industry. The Global Business Women’s Summit was supposed to be a milestone for me, a defining moment where I solidified my presence in the corporate world without Alexander’s name acting as my shield. But something felt off. Then, the murmurs started. Quiet at first, barely noticeable over the rustle of programs and clinking glasses. But it spread like wildfire, a ripple of hushed voices and exchanged glances. I swallowed hard and gripped the podium. "Good afternoon, everyone," I started, my voice steady despite the unease curling in my gut. "I’m honored to stand here today as a woman in bu

The DiscoveryI paced Alexander’s office, my pulse pounding as I skimmed the documents again. The weight of the numbers—the sheer scale of what Damien had done—made my stomach churn.Alexander sat at his desk, eyes scanning the reports, but the growing darkness in his expression said everything before he spoke."Tell me this is a mistake." His voice was deadly quiet.I placed the last folder on his desk and met his unwavering gaze. "It’s not. Damien has been siphoning money for years. The audit confirms it. He set up shell corporations, fake accounts, and transferred over fifty million dollars out of Steele Industries."A long, thick silence settled between us before he exhaled sharply, pressing his palms flat against the desk. "And Cassandra?""She knew." I handed him another set of files. "Not just knew—she was in on it. She funneled money into offshore accounts and disguised it as ‘business investments.’ We have emails, wire transfers, everything."Alexander's grip tightened around

The ocean stretched endlessly before me, its waves calm, rhythmic, an illusion of peace. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with golden hues, but my mind refused to settle.Alexander and I had needed this—time away, a break from the chaos of our world.Yet, even as I sat on the private villa’s balcony, sipping a cocktail, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.I turned to Alexander, who sat beside me, his gaze locked on his phone. His jaw was tense, his fingers gripping the device too tightly."Work?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.He exhaled sharply, locking the screen and setting the phone on the table between us. "No. Just a feeling."I arched a brow. "A bad one?"His eyes met mine, dark and searching. "I don’t trust silence, Leila. Not in our world."I swallowed, a chill creeping down my spine despite the warm island air.Before I could respond, his phone buzzed.Alexander picked it up, his expression hardening as he read the screen.The

“I have a plan.”The words left my mouth before I had a chance to reconsider them. The moment they were spoken, the weight of what I was about to suggest settled in my chest.Alexander lifted his gaze from the financial reports spread across his desk. The room was dimly lit, his office feeling smaller than usual despite its vast space. He didn’t say anything immediately, but the sharpness in his eyes made it clear—he wasn’t in the mood for half-baked ideas.I stepped forward, closing the space between us. “It’s risky,” I admitted. “But it’s our best shot.”He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. “Define risky.”I swallowed, steadying myself. “We let Damien think he’s won.”Silence.Then, he let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “You can’t be serious.”“I am.”He pushed his chair back, standing with deliberate movements. His hands found his pockets, and for a long moment, he just studied me.“No,” he said finally.I braced myself. “Hear me out—”“No.” His tone was clipped and co