All Chapters of RELUCTANT BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

AUTHOR'S POVBetween the brutal exchanges, Tessa managed to whisper, “Why did you bring me here, Pedro?” Her voice was a soft plea amidst the cacophony.Pedro paused in his watchful stance by the barricade. He gently took her by the shoulder, drawing her close, and spoke in a low voice meant only for her. “I want to tell you a story, Tessa. A story of how I became the man I am today.”Tessa looked up at him, her eyes filled with dread, yet she forced herself to listen. Pedro’s gaze turned distant as he began. “When I was a boy, my father—Don El Diablo Lorenzo—took me to a wrestling ring much like this one. It was dark, loud, and frightening. I remember the first time I saw men clash in battle. I saw blood spatter and heard the sound of bones breaking. I was terrified, but I also learnt something crucial that day. I learnt that life is cruel and unforgiving, and only those who can endure pain can survive. I learnt that strength is forged in fire and that fear must be faced head-on.”He

AUTHOR’S POVFranco did not show up last night and it took Regina several deep breaths to prevent her from ripping the roof of the Lorenzo mansion apart.Regina paced her room that early morning, she could not sleep art night even if she wanted to, turning this way and that in her bed. So once it was dawn, she jumped out of bed and all she could do was pace around, every step she took was piled with simmering anger. The clock read barely 8 a.m., yet her fury had been building since last night. She had called Franco’s number over and over, and when he did not pick, she scattered her flower vase and brushed the items on her drawer, including her bed lamp to the ground.Still, his phone never rang back. Not one bit.Last night’s endless waiting—without a single call or text—had driven her nearly mad or she was a few slippery steps from running mad and she could not help it. When she had arrived at the saloon yesterday evening, she had spent roughly almost three hours dolling herself up a

AUTHOR’S POV Tessa was wrapping up her work files and gathering her belongings at her desk when the clock neared lunchtime. She pulled out the melted bar of chocolate from her bag and trashed it; she had gotten it on her way to work a long time ago; she had forgotten it in her bag. It had been a busy morning, and for some unknown reason she looked forward to the lunch break; a short break away from the constant pressure those files mounted on her would not hurt, after all; self-care was health care. She had heard a female colleague talking about going on a lunch date with her boyfriend, and she felt jealous. She was jealous because she had forgotten what it felt like to be in love; the only man she ever loved was Sergio, and he was mostly away, probably with his gay lover, or not. She still found it hard to believe what Pedro had told her about Sergio, and sometimes, she missed him. As she neatly stacked the last of her files into a folder, she heard a soft knock at the door. She won

AUTHOR’S POV“Fuck!! You dumb bitch!! Don’t you knock!” Pedro barked, his voice as sharp as broken glass.Tessa’s eyes dilated in absolute shock. For a moment, she stood rooted in the doorway; her mouth opened but no sound emerged. It took her a few seconds to realise she did not knock before she came in — and his words slammed into her like a punch. Dumb bitch?“There is a reason why you fucking knock”Pedro’s loud rebuke echoed in her ears, and she could only stand, too stunned to move.Her mind raced; perhaps if she had knocked, she would saved herself the additional misfortune of catching Pedro, pants down, inside another woman.Adrianna struggled to set herself free from Pedro’s grasp and quickly scrambled. She leapt up from the table. In one frantic, desperate move, she yanked her skirt down and made a dash for the door. The sound of her whimpers, and rustle of fabric as she adjusted her skirt followed her flight.Pedro glanced between the space where Adrianna had just vani

AUTHORS POV Regina woke up to a damp pillow, the time on the table clock was an unmistakable evidence of a day spent crying, it was past 4pm. The sun was beginning no give way for darkness to take over as it’s golden beams slowly withdrew from drawn curtains, Regina did not notice the smudged tear stains on her cheeks. For hours, she had lain in bed, unaware of the numerous calls from Pablo, or the call from her masseuse. She recalled every word she’d overheard from Pedro and Franco—their conversation had cut deeper than any sharp object. In the midst of that agony, a disturbing thought crept into her mind: perhaps the Sabrina Franco mentioned in their discussion looked hotter than she did. Curiousity swelled within her, she dragged herself out of bed and strolled barefoot to the mirror. Staring at her reflection, Regina scrutinised herself: her hair was a dishevelled mess, her skin pale and lagged, and her eyes red-rimmed from endless tears. “Is this what it takes?” she