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THE STORM BEFORE DAWN

Author: D.N odunukwe
last update Last Updated: 2025-04-10 16:20:53

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
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  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE    UNMASKING THE LEGACY

    Sebastian stood at the tall windows of the penthouse, the city lights glittering below, mocking the storm brewing inside him.Scarlett sat silently on the couch, arms wrapped around herself as she tried to process the weight of what Dr. Harlow had confessed. Every breath felt heavy, every memory of her mother’s laughter tinged with the realization that it was stolen because of greed and the Carlyle name was tied to it.“Sebastian.” Her voice broke the silence, soft but unyielding.He turned, his jaw tense, eyes red-rimmed. “Scarlett, I didn’t know. I need you to believe that.”“I do,” she whispered. “But you need to understand what this means.”His hands clenched at his sides. “It means that everything I thought I knew about my father was a lie.”She rose, walking toward him until she was close enough to feel the warmth of him. “And it means that taking Vincent down will tear apart what’s left of your family’s empire.”His eyes met hers, dark and determined. “Then let it burn.”A knoc

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   THE CONFESSION THAT SHATTERED EVERYTHING

    The room was cold, but sweat still dripped down Dr. Harlow’s face as he sat tied to the chair, the harsh light above illuminating every tremble of his lips.Damien leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes sharp and unforgiving. Lena stood by with her tablet, recording everything.Scarlett paced slowly in front of Dr. Harlow, the sound of her boots on the concrete floor echoing with every step. Sebastian stood by the doorway, his gaze fixed on Scarlett, ready to intervene if she lost control.“Start talking,” Scarlett said, her voice calm, but her fingers twitched with restrained fury.Dr. Harlow swallowed hard, his eyes darting between them. “Your mother… she was investigating Vincent’s trafficking and laundering. She found out that some of the funds were being siphoned through accounts connected to your father’s associates, Miss Hayes.”Scarlett’s brows furrowed. “And?”Dr. Harlow’s voice cracked. “Those accounts were connected to the Carlyle family… Sebastian’s father. They w

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   THE BETRAYAL WITHIN

    Scarlett stood in the dimly lit room, her eyes fixed on the map pinned to the board. Red circles marked Vincent’s known warehouses, and a single blue pin marked Dr. Harlow’s last known location a private clinic in the outskirts of the city.Damien adjusted his watch, his face expressionless but his eyes sharp. “Tonight, we bring him in. Quietly.”Sebastian leaned against the table, arms folded, his gaze flickering to Scarlett every few seconds as if reassuring himself she was truly here, truly alive.Lena tapped on her tablet. “The clinic is guarded, but not like Vincent’s main base. Harlow feels untouchable. We’ll use that.”Scarlett’s jaw tightened. “He watched my mother die and lied to me about it for years. I want him alive, Damien. I want to look him in the eye when he confesses.”Damien glanced at her, nodding once. “Alive. But don’t hesitate if things go wrong.”She met his gaze, her green eyes hard. “I won’t.”The black SUVs rolled to a silent stop. The night air was cold, win

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   PLANS AND BETRAYALS

    Scarlett couldn’t sleep that night. She stood by the window in Damien’s study, the city lights glittering like shattered glass below, her reflection a ghost against the pane. Every breath she took felt heavy, each exhale laced with memories of her mother’s laughter and the empty ache of her absence.Behind her, Sebastian paced, his jaw clenched, anger simmering beneath his calm façade. Damien leaned against his desk, arms folded, eyes dark with calculation.“So, what’s the plan?” Scarlett finally asked, turning to face them, her hair loose around her shoulders like a dark halo.“We expose him,” Sebastian said simply. “Everything he’s done the embezzlement, the threats, the contracts he goes down.”Damien’s cold chuckle filled the room. “It won’t be that easy, boy. Vincent Hayes didn’t get this far by being careless. He has leverage everywhere politicians, law enforcement, and business allies who owe him favors.”Scarlett’s eyes narrowed. “Then we find a crack.”Damien pushed off the d

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   FACING THE SHADOW

    Damien leaned back in his leather chair, the weight of Scarlett’s voice still echoing through his mind.“We need to talk.”It wasn’t a request it was a declaration. And that, more than anything, intrigued him.He stood, slowly buttoning his suit jacket as a soft knock echoed on the door. One of his guards poked his head in.“Sir, Miss Hayes is here.”Damien’s lips curled into a calm, collected smile. “Send her in.”The moment Scarlett stepped into the room, the air thickened with tension. Her presence was no longer the vulnerable girl Damien once remembered. She moved with purpose, fire flashing behind her emerald eyes. Her hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, her posture rigid, unshaken. Sebastian was right behind her, his expression stone-cold, protective.Damien gestured to the seats in front of his desk. “To what do I owe this... intense visit?”Scarlett didn’t sit. Neither did Sebastian.“I know you were involved with my mother,” Scarlett said, her voice steady. “Emily remember

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

    Scarlett’s fingers fidgeted with the edge of her cup, the warm porcelain doing little to calm the icy fear crawling up her spine.Emily’s eyes were lowered, lashes trembling, as if the truth weighed heavily on her tongue. The café’s background noise blurred into a hum, each second stretching painfully between them.Sebastian placed a reassuring hand on Scarlett’s back, anchoring her as she whispered, “Emily… what is it?”Emily inhaled shakily, her eyes glistening when she finally looked up. “Scarlett, I never told you the whole truth about Mom.”Scarlett’s breath caught, her pulse hammering in her ears. “What truth?”Emily swallowed, her lips trembling. “The day she disappeared… it wasn’t because she wanted to abandon us. She… she was trying to protect you.”Scarlett’s brows furrowed. “Protect me? From what?”Emily’s eyes flickered to Sebastian before returning to Scarlett. “Mom was involved with people who wanted you, Scarlett. She used to get these calls, and she’d cry in her room a

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