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Chapter 23

Penulis: Quin Gee
last update Tanggal publikasi: 2026-04-28 20:41:58

ELYRA.

By the time I found my way back to the second floor, the party was almost over.

The loud music from earlier had faded into soft background jazz, and the crowd had thinned out a lot. It was close to midnight. A few guests still stood in small groups, laughing quietly, holding half-empty glasses. The bright energy that had filled the hall earlier was now dull, like a candle almost burned out.

I wrapped my arms around myself and walked slowly across the hall, my heels clicking against the s
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  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 85

    ELYRAI gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my fingers hurt.This had to be a lie.It simply had to be.My mother’s voice still echoed inside my head, sharp and painful, refusing to leave me alone.“Your father’s condition wasn’t just bad luck.” she said. “He also had a hand in everything.”The words replayed over and over until they became unbearable.“No…” I whispered to myself, shaking my head as I sped through traffic. “No, that can’t be true.”But the worst part was not knowing. The worst part was the tiny voice inside me that had already begun to believe it.I felt sick. Ashamed. Angry.Mostly angry at myself.Because if my mother was right, then I had been living in the same house with the man connected to my father’s suffering.Sleeping under the same roof.Caring for him.And even currently, I was beginning to soften a bit for him, especially since he got into the accident.The thought made my stomach twist violently.I pressed harder on the accelerator.Cars honked as

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 84

    ELYRAThe drive to my parents’ apartment felt longer than it actually was.I had made the trip enough times to know every turn, every familiar streetlight, every little roadside shop that came into view before disappearing behind me again, but today everything felt stretched, as though time itself had decided to punish me.The guilt sat heavily in my chest.I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and swallowed hard.How could I have forgotten them?The question kept repeating in my mind like a cruel echo I could not silence.After everything that had happened in the past few weeks, after the chaos with Nick, the scandals, the threats, the mess surrounding my marriage, and everything else piling up around me, somehow I had completely forgotten the two people who mattered most.My parents.The worst part was that it had not even been intentional. I genuinely forgot, and that truth hurt more than anything.I let out a shaky breath as I stopped at a red light.What kind of daughter forg

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 83

    NICKI had barely stepped out of the elevator when my secretary fell into step beside me, moving quickly to keep up.“Good morning, sir,” she greeted politely as she took my bag from my hand with the ease of someone who had done it a hundred times.“Morning,” I replied without slowing down.The polished floors of the company building reflected the morning light pouring in through the tall windows, and employees immediately straightened when they noticed me walking past. Some greeted me nervously while others quickly lowered their heads and returned to whatever they had been pretending to do before I arrived.As always. Fear worked better than respect. People behaved properly when they feared losing something—their jobs, status or comfort.My secretary opened her tablet and immediately began the morning briefing while we walked toward my office.“You have a strategy meeting at ten with the board regarding the expansion proposal,” she said smoothly. “At eleven thirty, there’s a schedule

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 82

    ELYRAAfter giving Mike every piece of information I had, I slowly leaned back in my chair and watched as he processed every single thing I had just told him.The serious look on his face had not disappeared once since I began speaking, and now that I was done, the seriousness had faded into a mix of shock and disbelief.Honestly, seeing his reaction made me nervous.I had known the records were suspicious when I first stumbled upon them months ago while I was still with Nick, but back then, I never imagined they could become this important someday.At that time, I had decided not to dwell so much on it.Now, sitting across from Mike and seeing the look in his eyes, I realized the files I had asked him to dig into were far more valuable than I thought.Dangerously valuable.Finally, I cleared my throat softly and stood up.“I should get going now,” I said.Mike looked up immediately, almost like he had forgotten I was still there.“Oh,” he said quickly before standing as well. “Right.

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 81

    ELYRA.The moment the IRS official introduced himself, I naturally became suspicious. Nothing about this week had been normal, and at this point, I no longer believed in coincidences.Still, I kept my expression calm as my eyes moved from him to a puzzled-looking Jane, then back to him. My mind raced as I continued to stare silently.What could I have done to warrant an IRS questioning?The whole thing smelled wrong. But then I remembered Radiel’s words from the previous day.“When you feel cornered, don’t panic immediately. Listen first. Watch carefully.”At the time, I thought he was simply trying to be protective. Now, I realized he may have sensed something coming.So instead of reacting emotionally, I forced myself to stay composed.Deep down, I already had a guess that someone was trying to cause trouble for me. There were only a few people desperate enough to stoop that low.Nick. Or Star.Honestly, I could picture both of them sitting somewhere and smiling proudly while tryin

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 80

    ELYRAThe sharp sound of my alarm bell dragged me out of sleep so suddenly that I almost rolled off the bed.I groaned loudly and slapped my hand around the bedside table until my fingers finally found the annoying device. The moment the alarm stopped ringing, silence filled the room again, but the damage had already been done because my sleep was completely gone.“Whoever invented alarm clocks deserves jail,” I muttered with a tired hiss.My voice sounded rough from sleep.For a few seconds, I simply sat there on the edge of the bed, staring blankly ahead while trying to gather enough strength to stand up. My body still felt heavy from the long drive home the previous night. Every part of me ached slightly, especially my shoulders.I stretched lazily before dragging myself toward the bathroom.The cold tiles under my feet immediately woke me up a little more.I turned on the tap and splashed water against my face, sighing softly as the coolness settled against my skin. After brushing

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 22

    RADIEL.I left the gala before the applause faded.The auditorium was still buzzing when I stepped out—people laughing too loudly, glasses clinking, investors shaking hands like they had just discovered gold. My team had done their part, and they had done a good job. The presentation went better th

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 21

    ELYRA.I should have known it before the light caught her face fully. I had noticed that smug tilt of the chin and that slow, dramatic pause like the whole world was a stage built just for her.It was Star.And she looked like she had come dressed for war.Her dress clung to her body like it had be

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 20

    ELYRA.The moment the photographer finished snapping the last picture, I forced a smile, stepped back from him, and exhaled slowly. My cheeks already hurt from pretending.“I need some fresh air,” I told him quietly. “And some time alone.”I expected a protest. A tease. Maybe even a dramatic sigh a

  • Claimed By My Ex’s Rival   Chapter 19

    ELYRA.I felt my blood go cold, my body stiffening under the pressure of their eyes. Every single person in the hall was now looking at me.Every single one of them.I could feel the curiosity in their eyes. I heard the whispers, saw the phones shifting subtly..I swallowed.These were not ordinary

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