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Chapter 13: The Scandal Breaks
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2026-01-17 15:07:54
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Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 27: Close Call
The ER doctor is young. Calm. Probably sees pregnant women in crisis regularly.She does an ultrasound. Checks vitals. Asks questions about the "car accident" we definitely weren't in."Everything looks good," she finally says. "Baby's heartbeat is strong. No signs of placental abruption or distress. You got lucky."Lucky. Right."But you need to avoid stress," she continues. "I know that's hard given—" She gestures vaguely at us. At our whole situation. "—everything. But for the baby's sake, you need rest. Calm. Safety.""We're working on the safety part," Damien says.After she leaves, we sit in the ER bay. Curtain drawn. Both of us processing."Someone tried to kill you," Damien says. Voice hollow. "They shot at you. At our baby.""They shot at both of us.""The angle was wrong. They were aiming for you specifically. I saw the trajectory. If you'd been standing three inches to the left—" He can't finish."But I wasn't. We're alive. We're safe. We—""We're not safe!" He stands. Star
Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 26: Nights Eleven and Twelve - Investigation
We spend the next day investigating.James sends over files. Names. Locations. Everything Richard's been hiding for twenty years.Damien and I divide and conquer. Him on financial crimes. Me on the violence. Both of us building a timeline of destruction.It's tedious work. Exhausting. But working together—really together—feels right. Natural. Like we're finally doing what we were supposed to do all along."Look at this," Damien says around 4 PM. He shows me a transaction. "Richard paid $200,000 to a shell company three days before the journalist died. The same company that employed the mechanic who tampered with her car.""That's the connection." I'm making notes. "That's what the FBI needs.""There are a dozen more like it. Every time someone threatened him, money moved. Then that person had an accident.""He's been doing this for twenty years. How has nobody caught him?""Because he's careful. Methodical. And he owns enough people that even when someone notices, they look the other
Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 25: Night Ten - Partnership
The FBI meeting takes four hours.Agent Sarah Chen is thorough. Skeptical. But as she reviews James's evidence, her skepticism turns to shock, then to grim determination."This is—" She's flipping through documents. "This is the most comprehensive case I've seen in twenty years. If even half of this is true—""It's all true," James says. "I have witnesses willing to testify. Financial records. Communications. Everything.""We'll need to verify—""Verify quickly," I interrupt. "Richard Cross is dangerous. And he knows we're coming for him."Agent Chen looks at me. Really looks. "You're pregnant.""Yes.""And he's threatened you specifically?""He's threatened to kill me and make it look like an accident. To take my baby. To destroy everyone I love." I lean forward. "I need protection. We all do. Can you provide that?""If this case is as solid as it appears, yes. We can put you in protective custody. Safe house. Marshals. The works." She closes the folder. "But I need forty-eight hours
Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 24: The Watcher Revealed
We land in Vegas at 2 AM.The city's still awake—it's always awake—all neon and noise and people chasing dreams that'll cost them more than they can afford.Feels appropriate."You sure about this?" Damien asks as our car pulls up to the Venetian."No. But I'm doing it anyway." I grab his hand. "We're doing it anyway."The Presidential Suite looks exactly the same. Same view. Same ridiculously large bed. Same memories soaked into every surface."This is where it started," Damien says quietly."And maybe where it ends." I check my phone. 2:47 AM. "The Watcher said to meet at seven. We should try to sleep.""You think you can sleep?""No. But the baby needs rest even if I'm too wired to close my eyes."We lie down together. Fully clothed. Both staring at the ceiling."I'm scared," I admit."Me too.""If something happens to me—if Richard succeeds—promise me you'll protect our baby. Raise them. Tell them about—" My voice breaks. "Tell them their mother tried.""Nothing's going to happen
Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 23: Night Nine
I go back to Damien's penthouse with Victoria's folder.He's in his study. Working. Probably trying to find a legal loophole that doesn't exist."Aria?" He sees the folder. "What's that?""Victoria's gift. Evidence against your father. Everything we need to destroy him."His eyes widen. "She just gave it to you?""She's pregnant too. With your child. And she's leaving the country." I hand him the folder. "She wanted us to have a choice."He doesn't open it. Just stares at it like it might explode."I slept with her once," he says quietly. "Three months ago. I was drunk and miserable and trying to forget you. It didn't work. It never worked.""I don't care about that." And I don't. "I care about what we do with this.""We destroy him. Obviously. We take this to the authorities. We—""Or we don't."He looks up. "What?""Richard offered me an escape. A safe life for me and the baby. Away from New York. Away from all of this. If I take his deal and give him this evidence, he makes everyth
Billion Dollar Regrets: 21 Nights of Payback Chapter 22: Impossible Choices
I'm back at Damien's penthouse by two PM.He's waiting. Pacing. He grabs me the second I walk in."What did he say? What did he want? Are you okay? Is the baby—""I'm fine. The baby's fine." I pull away. Need space. "Your father made an offer.""What kind of offer?"I tell him. Everything. Richard's demands. The timeline. The threat.Damien's face goes from concerned to furious."Absolutely not. You're not doing it. We'll fight him. We'll—""Fight him how?" I'm so tired. "He has Victoria's evidence. He has the SEC investigation. He has everything, Damien. We have nothing.""We have the truth—""The truth is we committed crimes. The truth is I blackmailed you. The truth is—" My voice breaks. "The truth is we're fucked."He pulls me into his arms. I let him. Too exhausted to maintain distance."We'll figure this out," he says. "There's always a way.""Is there? Because I'm five weeks pregnant and facing federal prison and your father just offered me an escape route. A really tempting es
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