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Chapter 24

Penulis: Lizeesilver
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-12-19 19:42:36

The kiss in the Malibu basement had been a mistake.

Maeve realized this three weeks later as she stood in Carter's penthouse closet, surrounded by gowns she hadn't chosen, staring at her reflection in a full-length mirror. The woman looking back was polished, expensive, unrecognizable. Hair professionally styled. Makeup applied by Carter's personal aesthetician. A midnight blue Valentino gown that cost more than her mother's monthly treatment bills.

She looked like Elizabeth Langston. Carter's dead mother.

The realization made her skin crawl.

"The car is waiting," Carter called from the bedroom. "We need to leave in five minutes."

Another gala. Another performance. Another night of smiling while Carter's hand rested possessively on her lower back, steering her through conversations like she was a chess piece he was moving across a board.

Since that night in Malibu, since she'd stupidly suggested they "make something real," Carter had become something worse than the calculating busines
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  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 25

    "I'm building something with you. A partnership. A future." His voice dropped dangerously low. "But partnerships require both people to actually participate, Maeve. Not just go through the motions while secretly resenting every moment.""Then let me actually participate. Let me look at the Model X designs. If there's a safety flaw, I can help fix it.""You're not an engineer anymore. You're VP of Product Development. That means strategy, not technical work.""I have a master's degree in mechanical engineering. I think I can handle some schematics."Carter studied her in the dim car light, calculating something. "Fine. Monday, you can review the designs with the engineering team. But right now, tonight, can you just be with me? Not fighting. Not analyzing. Just present."The vulnerability in his voice was probably manufactured. But Maeve was so tired of fighting, so worn down by weeks of performance, that she let herself lean into him."Okay," she whispered. "I'm here."His arms came a

  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 24

    The kiss in the Malibu basement had been a mistake.Maeve realized this three weeks later as she stood in Carter's penthouse closet, surrounded by gowns she hadn't chosen, staring at her reflection in a full-length mirror. The woman looking back was polished, expensive, unrecognizable. Hair professionally styled. Makeup applied by Carter's personal aesthetician. A midnight blue Valentino gown that cost more than her mother's monthly treatment bills.She looked like Elizabeth Langston. Carter's dead mother.The realization made her skin crawl."The car is waiting," Carter called from the bedroom. "We need to leave in five minutes."Another gala. Another performance. Another night of smiling while Carter's hand rested possessively on her lower back, steering her through conversations like she was a chess piece he was moving across a board.Since that night in Malibu, since she'd stupidly suggested they "make something real," Carter had become something worse than the calculating busines

  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 23

    Inside were files. Medical records, therapy notes, hospital admissions. Maeve pulled the first one, Miranda Welch's psychiatric history. Diagnoses, medications, hospitalizations dating back years before she'd met Carter.The second file, Sophia Reeves. Similar pattern. Mental illness, suicide attempts, years of treatment.The third, Annika Patel. Also mentally ill, with a restraining order against her own father for abuse."They were all sick before they met me," Carter said, voice rough. "I didn't break them. They were already broken. I just... couldn't fix them. No matter how hard I tried."Maeve flipped through the files, looking for something, anything that suggested Carter had caused their conditions. But there was nothing. Just documentation of troubled women who'd happened into Carter's life."Why keep these?" she asked."Because people like Miranda don't just give up. They keep coming back, making accusations, threatening lawsuits. These files protect me. Prove I was the victi

  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 22

    Maeve's pulse spiked. But Carter reached over, took her hand in his, the touch warm, steady, betraying none of the tension between them."It's both," he said simply. "We met when Maeve consulted on a product redesign. I was... difficult. Demanding. I pushed her harder than anyone I'd worked with. And instead of breaking, she pushed back. Made me think differently about everything I'd taken for granted." His thumb traced circles on her palm, an intimate gesture that felt both calculated and strangely genuine. "I fell for her intelligence first. Her integrity second. The fact that she's beautiful was just fortunate coincidence."Maeve's breath caught. The words were pretty, practiced. But his eyes, when they met hers, held something raw underneath."And you, Miss Wells?" Hiroshi prompted. "Why marry Carter Langston?"The truthful answer, because he's blackmailing me with my family's welfare, would destroy everything.The diplomatic answer, because I love him, would feel like choking on

  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 21

    Maeve burst into Carter's office at 8:59 AM, breathless and disheveled. Carter looked up from his desk, took in her appearance with one sharp glance, and his expression went glacial."You're late.""I'm here, aren't I?" She smoothed her hair, tried to look composed."Where were you?""Getting coffee with Cameron. Is that a crime?"Carter stood slowly, moved around the desk with predatory grace. "Don't lie to me, Maeve. You were at Cedars-Sinai. Room 4012. With Miranda."Her blood turned to ice. "How did you…""I have security monitoring Miranda's room. For her protection and mine." He stopped inches from her, close enough that she could smell his cologne, expensive, subtle, suffocating. "Did you really think I wouldn't know? That I'd just let you waltz into enemy territory without consequences?""Miranda is not your enemy. She's a victim.""She's a liar and a manipulator who's convinced you she's sympathetic." Carter's voice dropped to something dangerous. "What did she tell you?""Th

  • MY WAY TO THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEART    Chapter 20

    "Because underneath everything, he's still the kid who cried when his hamster died. Who sent his entire allowance to disaster relief funds. Who..." Cameron paused, choosing words carefully. "Who's so terrified of becoming his father that he overcompensates with control. But he's not evil, Maeve. Just scared.""Scared people can be dangerous.""True." Cameron took a sip of his coffee. "But they can also be saved. If someone's willing to try."Maeve studied his face, earnest, hopeful, everything Carter pretended not to be. "Why do you defend him? After everything his family did to yours? Your father died working for Langston Appliances."Pain flickered across Cameron's features. "Because Carter isn't Reginald. And because someone has to believe he can be better. Otherwise, what's the point? We all just become our worst impulses." He reached across the table, covered her hand with his. "I know this situation is impossible. I know he's asking too much. But if there's any part of you that

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