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WHISPERS OF THE PAST

Author: D.N odunukwe
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-04-29 17:18:00

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
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  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-01
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-01
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-02
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-02
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-03
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-03
  • 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

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-04
  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE    A WEB OF DECEIT

    The wind howled through the corridors of the Carlyle estate like a restless spirit, echoing the storm brewing within its walls. The chandelier in the main hall swayed gently as Liam paced across the study, his phone clutched tightly in his hand.“Is she safe?” he asked Damien, who stood just a few steps away.“We’re not sure yet,” Damien replied. “Declan and two men from my security team are en route to the facility now. We need to move fast before Zoe catches wind.”Liam’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like feeling powerless—especially not when it came to Emily, a woman whose betrayal had once fractured him, but whose safety still stirred something in the locked chambers of his heart.“She was trying to protect something,” Liam muttered, almost to himself. “Maybe even me.”Damien gave a subtle nod. “And she may have just become our strongest piece in this game.”Meanwhile, in the secured facility Zoe had chosen for secrecy, Emily struggled against the ropes digging into her wrists. Her bod

    Huling Na-update : 2025-05-05

Pinakabagong kabanata

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE   THE HEIR AND THE TRAP

    Rain lashed against the windows of the Carlyle estate as the family gathered once again in the grand study. Tension clung to the air like a second skin. The fire crackled in the hearth, but no one felt its warmth.Elias stood near the shelves, staring blankly at the swirling storm outside. Inside him, a different storm raged of betrayal, identity, and the weight of every decision he was about to make.“So what now?” he asked without turning. “Do we expose her?”Liam folded his arms, his posture rigid. “Not yet. If Zoe’s planning to go public with your name as the heir, then we let her. We let her think she’s won.”“But won’t that mean you lose everything?” Elias turned, eyes searching Liam’s. “The company, the shares your position as CEO?”Liam gave a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I built this empire with my blood, not my last name. And I don’t intend to lose it. Zoe underestimates how deep this family goes.”Damien nodded in agreement. “If she wants to play dirty, we give h

  • THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE    A WEB OF DECEIT

    The wind howled through the corridors of the Carlyle estate like a restless spirit, echoing the storm brewing within its walls. The chandelier in the main hall swayed gently as Liam paced across the study, his phone clutched tightly in his hand.“Is she safe?” he asked Damien, who stood just a few steps away.“We’re not sure yet,” Damien replied. “Declan and two men from my security team are en route to the facility now. We need to move fast before Zoe catches wind.”Liam’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like feeling powerless—especially not when it came to Emily, a woman whose betrayal had once fractured him, but whose safety still stirred something in the locked chambers of his heart.“She was trying to protect something,” Liam muttered, almost to himself. “Maybe even me.”Damien gave a subtle nod. “And she may have just become our strongest piece in this game.”Meanwhile, in the secured facility Zoe had chosen for secrecy, Emily struggled against the ropes digging into her wrists. Her bod

  • 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

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