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SHADOWS AND SECRET
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-07 21:43:48
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THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE A WAR IN HER BLOOD
The sound of her mother’s voice echoed in Lily’s mind long after she’d left the room. “I was trying to protect you.” The words clung to her skin like smoke, familiar yet suffocating. She sat on the edge of her bed, fingers digging into the soft duvet, her mind a whirlwind of grief, disbelief, and rising fury.The woman who raised her who stood at her side during Emily’s illness, who taught her how to braid her hair, who whispered bedtime stories on stormy nights was the same woman who had been working against her all along.Liam entered the room quietly, not saying anything at first. His presence was a calm force, but Lily could sense the storm beneath his stillness.“She admitted it,” Lily said flatly.“I know,” he replied. “Marco heard everything.”Lily looked up, her eyes tired. “How do you deal with it? Betrayal from your own blood?”Liam exhaled, jaw tightening. “You don’t. Not really. You survive it. And if you’re smart, you turn the pain into power.”She nodded slowly, swallowi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-08THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE THE WHISPER OF VENGEANCE
The following days passed like whispers in a storm quiet on the surface, yet beneath them, chaos brewed. Lily barely slept, her mind consumed by questions that clawed at her sanity. Every conversation her mother had ever had with her now felt like a riddle laced with hidden meanings. Every hug, every word of advice it was all tainted.She sat alone in the study, staring at the photo of her, Emily, and their mother taken years ago. They were all smiling so bright, so innocent. Her chest tightened with a grief that felt like betrayal wrapped in sorrow.Liam entered without knocking. “He’s moved,” he said.Lily looked up. “Cartwright?”Liam nodded. “He’s pulled his money from two offshore accounts. That kind of movement means he’s preparing to disappear or strike. My guess? Both.”Her fingers curled into fists. “He’s getting desperate.”“Desperate people are dangerous,” Liam warned. “He’s not done.”She stood, her eyes burning with purpose. “Neither are we.”Later that evening, Lily met
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-08THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE THE ENEMY WITHIN
Silence settled over the estate like a thick, suffocating fog. After Uncle Daniel's departure, the atmosphere had shifted tense, uncertain, as though the walls themselves were bracing for the next blow. Lily stood in the foyer, watching the black SUV disappear through the gates. Her heartbeat echoed like thunder in her ears.“I don’t know how many more betrayals I can take,” she whispered.Liam stood behind her, his hand gently resting on her lower back. “Each one brings us closer to the truth. Don’t let them break you.”She turned to him, eyes red but sharp. “I won’t. Not again.”Later that day, she sat alone in her father’s old study. The room had remained untouched since his death. Dark oak shelves lined the walls, filled with books he used to read, some of them still marked with yellowing notes. The scent of tobacco and old paper lingered in the air like a ghost of the man he was.She sat at his desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a worn leather journal her father's. She hadn’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-09THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the estate, casting golden streaks across the marble floors. But for Lily, there was no warmth in its glow. Sleep had eluded her once again. Her thoughts spun like a carousel Sandra’s veiled threats, Cartwright’s shadowy games, and Uncle Daniel’s betrayal.She stood by the window in the library, arms wrapped around herself, her silk robe billowing lightly with the breeze. Everything had changed so fast. Just weeks ago, she was preparing to become Liam Carlyle’s bride. Now, she was preparing for war.A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.“Come in,” she said without turning.Liam entered, looking composed as always, though the shadows under his eyes betrayed his sleepless night too.“She took the bait,” he said, his voice low. “Our team tracked Sandra to a warehouse on the east side. She's not runningshe's organizing something.”Lily finally turned to him. “She’s bold. Or desperate.”“Both,” Liam replied. “But desperation
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-09THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE UNLOCKING TRUTH
Lily stared at the flash drive resting on the polished wooden desk like it was a live wire. Every instinct in her body told her to pick it up, slot it into her laptop, and uncover the secrets it held but fear held her frozen. Not the kind of fear that made you run, but the kind that paralyzed. The kind that whispered, Once you know, there’s no going back.Beside her, Liam was as still as a statue, eyes fixed on Seraphina Lane. His grip on the gun hadn’t eased, though his trigger finger had relaxed. He was waiting for something anything to justify trusting this woman. And so was Lily.“You said my mother gave that to you?” Lily asked, voice low and trembling. “Why you? Who are you?”Seraphina met her gaze with the quiet calm of someone who had lived too many lives. “I was your mother’s closest friend. We met long before she married into your father’s empire. She trusted me with things she couldn’t entrust to anyone else—not even your father.”“She never mentioned you,” Lily said quietl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-09THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE THE STORM BEFORE DAWN
The morning after Lily's explosive revelation was anything but calm. The sun barely rose before the media frenzy exploded like a tidal wave. News anchors scrambled for updates, headlines screamed with words like Scandal, Betrayal, and Empire Crumbling.Lily sat in the backseat of Liam’s bulletproof car, fingers clenched tightly around her phone as she scrolled through the latest reports. Every major news outlet was broadcasting the footage her father, Cartwright, the forged contracts, the accounts. She had done it. She had exposed him.But it didn’t feel like victory.Not yet.Her stomach twisted with unease. Cartwright was a man who had thrived in shadows for decades. One press release wouldn’t be enough to bring him down completely. Not when he had power, connections, and no shame in using them.Beside her, Liam glanced at her. “You don’t have to say it out loud,” he murmured, reading her thoughts. “You’re waiting for him to strike back.”“He always does,” she replied, her voice bar
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-10THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE SHADOWS THAT LINGER
The rain returned that night not in violent storms, but in soft drizzles that tapped against the windows of the penthouse like forgotten whispers. Lily stood in front of the tall glass wall, staring out into the city that never really slept. The flashing lights of traffic below reminded her that life had continued, even while hers had been turned upside down.Cartwright was behind bars. The news had exploded across social media, television, and finance networks. Lily’s name was on every tongue from coffee shop gossip to boardroom speculation. Some hailed her as a hero, the woman who dared to expose a titan. Others questioned her motives, casting her as a spoiled heiress fighting for revenge.But none of them knew the truth.They didn’t know what it felt like to carry that name, to bear the shame of a family built on lies. They didn’t know the weight of betrayal from a father she once admired.And they didn’t know how deeply that pain still lingered.Liam entered quietly behind her, fr
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-12THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE FACES BEHIND THE MASK
The morning was quiet, unusually so. Lily woke to the hum of birdsong outside the window, the smell of fresh coffee drifting into the room. It had been a long night another restless one. Her dreams had been plagued with faceless shadows and the echo of her father’s voice, always distorted, always cold.She turned her head to see Liam, still asleep, one arm draped lazily across her waist. He looked peaceful, the hard lines on his face softened in sleep. It amazed her, sometimes, how different he was now less guarded, more vulnerable, but still just as protective. He never said much about how all of this affected him, but she knew. The burden didn’t belong to her alone anymore.She slipped out of bed quietly and padded barefoot to the kitchen. As she poured herself a cup of coffee, her phone buzzed with a notification.One message.From an unknown number.She stared at it for a long moment before opening it.“Your father was only the beginning.”Her heart stuttered in her chest. The wor
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-14
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THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE TANGLED LOYALTIES
The private jet coasted across the Atlantic, leaving the stormy skies of London behind. Liam sat by the window, his eyes unfocused as the clouds drifted below. Across from him, Elias sat in silence, earbuds in, pretending to be engrossed in the music on his phone. But Liam could feel the tension thick and undeniable settling between them like an invisible wall.It was one thing to discover a long-lost half-brother. It was another entirely to trust him.Liam had grown up in a world where loyalty was transactional and trust, a weapon that could turn into a blade. Elias, on the other hand, had lived a life stripped of luxury but anchored in truth or so he thought. Now both stood at a crossroads, each unsure whether they were about to gain an ally or invite in another enemy.“You ever been to New York before?” Liam finally asked.Elias glanced up, removed one earbud, and shook his head. “No. Just seen it in movies. Looks… loud.”A dry chuckle escaped Liam. “That’s one word for it.”There
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE THE HIDDEN BLOODLINE
The silence in the office was thunderous. Liam stood rooted, his mind reeling from the revelations Damien had just laid before him. A hidden heir. A forged will. And a father who had manipulated everything..even Lily. The room felt colder, the walls tighter. Damien leaned against the glass table, arms folded. “I didn’t want to believe it either. But the documents we decrypted… they don’t lie.” Liam slowly sat down, fingers steepled beneath his chin. “So what you’re saying is, my father had a second family?” Damien nodded. “Or at least a child he kept hidden. There are bank transactions brecurring ones made to an unlisted name. And some travel records that suggest he flew to London frequently, always to the same address.” “Do we have a name?” Lily asked, her voice laced with disbelief. Damien opened the tablet again. “Elias Thorn. Born nineteen years ago. His mother, Marianne Thorn, was once Marcus Carlyle’s personal assistant. She resigned under suspicious circumstances and mov
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The storm outside mirrored the one brewing inside Liam’s mind. Rain hammered against the windows of the Carlyle estate as thunder cracked through the sky like a warning. But Liam paid no attention to the weather. All he could focus on was the photograph of his father and Emily.It haunted him.He stared at the fire dancing in the fireplace, his jaw clenched, mind racing. How had Emily ended up beside Marcus Carlyle? What did she know? What had she done? More importantly what had his father done?Behind him, Lily emerged from the hallway, wrapped in a silk robe. She hadn’t said much after the revelation. They were both stunned. But the silence between them wasn’t distant. It was heavy with thought and concern.“Liam?” she said softly, approaching him. “I’ve been thinking… if my sister worked with your father, it must’ve been before the wedding was even arranged. Before you and I ever crossed paths.”“That means your sister didn’t just disappear for no reason,” Liam said darkly. “She va
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE BENEATH THE SURFACE
The following day began with a heavy air at Carlyle Holdings. Everyone walked on eggshells, their movements hushed, eyes filled with nervous curiosity. The tension had become a permanent resident in the sleek hallways, following Liam wherever he went.He entered the boardroom early, before any of the executives arrived. The footage had been secured, and Damien was working on getting a strategic release to the media. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. He needed to know the truth and it started with Emily Grant.She arrived minutes later, perfectly punctual as always. Her ash-blonde hair was tied in a neat bun, and her dark navy suit was unwrinkled despite the storm swirling around the company. Her calm demeanor hadn't changed.“You wanted to see me, sir?” she asked, setting down her briefcase.“Yes. Please sit,” Liam gestured, motioning toward the seat across from him.Emily took her seat, watching him closely. “Is this about the leak?”“It is,” he said, folding his hands. “Our
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE Shadows of the Past
The following morning, the mansion was unnaturally quiet, despite the chaos unfolding beyond its walls. Liam sat in his private study, poring over the leaked documents for the third time. Lines of numbers and names danced in front of him like ghosts from a time he had tried so hard to forget. Somewhere in these files, someone had planted the seeds meant to destroy him.There was a knock.“Come in,” he said, not looking up.Lily stepped in, a cup of coffee in her hand. “You need to eat something.”He offered a faint smile, taking the cup. “Thanks. I didn’t sleep much.”“Neither did I,” she murmured, sitting beside him. “You’ve been quiet since last night. You okay?”“No,” he answered honestly. “But I will be. Once I find out who’s doing this.”They sat in silence for a moment, the hum of the city beyond the windows muffled by thick glass.“I’ve been thinking,” Lily said softly. “About that photo they leaked… the one of you and your father.”“What about it?”“You said you didn’t go insi
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE LEAKS AND LIES
The morning light filtered through the bedroom curtains, casting golden streaks across the wooden floors. Liam sat at the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, staring at the unread message Damien had forwarded to him at dawn.The headline was bold and damning: “Carlyle Legacy Tied to Financial Crimes: Leaked Documents Surface.”Though the article didn’t mention Liam by name, it danced dangerously close. The Carlyle estate. The offshore accounts. The shell corporations. The web of it all threaded neatly back to the past he had barely survived.He looked at Lily. She was still sleeping, her brow relaxed for once, the faint trace of peace softening her usually guarded face. He hated that this peace would be shattered soon.Liam slid his phone into his pocket and left the room.Downstairs, the house was already abuzz. Sofia, his long-time housekeeper, handed him a tablet. “It’s everywhere, sir. Social media. Business news. Blogs.”He took the tablet and skimmed headlines, each one more s
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE CRACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE
The following days were quieter, not because of tension, but a newfound softness that grew between them. Lily had not yet given her heart fully back, but she had let down the thick walls she’d built around it. Liam, for the first time in years, was learning to speak the language of vulnerability.They spent their mornings in the garden and their evenings at the dinner table not in stiff silence, but with small conversations, shy smiles, and cautious laughter. It wasn’t a return to what they were, but the first steps toward something new.But even as the pieces began to align, something restless stirred beneath the surface.It started with a phone call.Liam had been in his office when the private line rang. Only a few people had that number his lawyer, his assistant, and Damien.He picked it up.“What is it?” Liam asked, expecting routine business.But Damien’s voice came in low and urgent. “I need to see you. It’s important.”Liam leaned back in his chair. “Can’t it wait?”“No. It’s
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE WHISPERS OF THE PAST
The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the Carlyle estate, casting long golden beams across the marble floor. The warmth of the day contrasted sharply with the coldness Lily felt inside. Though she’d asked for time and space, the emptiness it brought felt like a burden she wasn’t prepared for.For days, Liam respected her boundaries. He kept to his study, engaged with work or perhaps simply brooding in solitude. Meals were often quiet. If they crossed paths, they did so silently, a nod or a fleeting glance the only acknowledgment of each other’s presence. Lily wasn’t sure if it was what she truly wanted, but she feared that if they spoke, the rawness of her heart would take control.But life continued outside their strained cocoon.Lily found herself drawn to the garden, the only place where her thoughts could roam free. The blooming orchids and gentle rustle of the trees provided her with a strange sort of peace. She would sit for hours, sketching idly or journaling her
THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE THE WEIGHT OF TRUTH
The days following their confrontation were heavy with silence, each passing moment a reminder of the vast chasm that now existed between Lily and Liam. The house, once filled with the soft hum of daily life and whispered conversations, had become a quiet prison. Every corner seemed to hold an unspoken truth, every glance between them a question left unanswered.Lily spent her days walking the halls aimlessly, her mind a maze of conflicting emotions. She hadn’t expected forgiveness to come so easily, nor had she expected the weight of it to feel so suffocating. Each time she tried to think of a way forward, the shadow of Liam’s secrets loomed larger, clouding any hope she had left for their future.She had known from the start that love wasn’t simple, that the path they had chosen would be fraught with challenges. But this... this betrayal was something she hadn’t prepared for. To think that Liam, the man she had trusted with her heart, had kept so much from her, had hidden so many tr
