Share

186 The Choice

Author: Anney GW
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-09 14:46:39

(Margot)

The knock comes just after eight.

I’m still in the drawing room, staring into a glass of wine.

Charles sits in the opposite armchair, flicking through papers. He’s avoiding talking to me.

I haven’t asked him about the alone time with Nico.

He is not telling me anything of course. So I sip my wine and plan my next move.

If I move fast I should be able to secure James enough board support to keep him at the helm despite his personal dalliances.

This is what happens when emotions get involved. People can step in and blindside you.

The AI announces Theo is waiting outside the door.

“Let him in,” Charles says without looking up.

Theo steps inside. His face tells me this isn’t a social call. Not that it would be.

“Mr. Hale. Mrs. Hale.”

Charles sets his papers aside. “You look like hell, Theo. What now?”

“I’ve just come from the office. I need to update you both on a few matters.”

“Couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” Charles asks, leaning back in his chair.

“No.” Theo looks at me first.
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Latest chapter

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   194 I Got This

    (Serena)For a second I think he’s gone.I scream out his name and launch myself towards him. “James!”His head is bowed, chin tucked into his chest. A dark bruise visible along his cheekbone.“Careful, don’t move him, spinal injuries.” Rick warns from behind me.I squat down in front of him. His face is white. Oh God, please… let him be alive.He’s bundled in a snow jacket, a beanie pulled low inside the hood, gloves on his hands.A foil safety blanket covers his legs, tucked in snug against his sides.“Told you he was smart. He never panicked he got the gear on.” Rick says as he kneels in front of James and feels for a pulse.“Is he…?” I can’t bring myself to say the words out loud.The James gives the flicker of his eyelids.“James! James it’s me… you’re okay. Hang on for me.”“Hey buddy. You’ve saved my neck countless times, not I can repay the favor.” Rick says as he fishes in his backpack.He pulls out a neck brace and carefully puts it in place. “This is just in case. How do yo

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   193 Fighting Our Way Through

    (Serena)“You not done before. Out there. Like this.” Sven tells me.“Neither has James.” My voice rises again. “And if he’s out there, freezing or bleeding or worse, he’s not going to see your face first. He’s going to see mine.”Rick tries to cut in. “Serena—”“No,” I snap, turning on him too. “You told me Pete landed that way to give James a chance. I am not sitting here waiting. And we’re just wasting time talking about it.”I go to head out the door.There’s no way to call Theo. No way to tell him what I’ve seen and what I’m doing.Rick grabs my arm and pulls me back.He looks me in the eye. “You understand what you might see out there?”“Yes.”“The pilot couldn’t survive that,” he says again. “So we’ll have one dead body.”“Pete deserves to be brought back and get home,” I tell him. “I’m ready.”Rick nods and heads out first. I follow and Sven is behind me.The moment I step outside, the cold bites deep, but the dogs are already barking and lunging against their traces, eager.I

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   192 I’m not Waiting Behind

    (Serena)Rick’s voice cuts through the headset as we bank toward the strip.“Serena, listen to me—if we set down at that wreck without knowing what’s inside, we put ourselves in danger.”“I hate just leaving them there.”“Weather’s already whipping back up. We land, get Sven to go in from the ground.”It feels like ice water in my veins. “But if we wait too long, they might freeze to death…”“But if we can’t get back out, we freeze too. And no one close knows we are there. There will be no search party.”I close my eyes briefly knowing he’s right.James isn’t dead. He can’t be.“Betty,” he says into the comms, “you pick up any life signs in that wreck?”Her voice sounds. “Negative. This was not a situation where sensors could detect internal movement or body heat at range. The wreckage angle, environmental masking, and structural shielding prevent accurate scan results. That does not mean no one is alive.”It’s like a punch of hope and dread at the same time. “So… it’s possible?” I as

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   191 Just Go back

    (Serena)By the time the lights of Ivalo glimmer ahead, my whole body is tense from holding myself steady.We touch down rough but alive. My legs are shaky when I step onto the icy tarmac.Rick kills the engine, pops his door. “I’m refueling now. I’ll keep a close eye on the weather tech. You got time for a hotel, hot shower, hot meal. I’ll send word when there’s a window to head north.”“No.” My voice is sharp. “I’ll stay close. Where are you staying?”His brows lift. “Bunkhouse at the depot over there.” He nods in the direction of a large blue shed. “Washroom, heat, bad coffee. But it’s always clean and there’s soup.”“That’ll do me.”He studies me. “You’re not like any rich person I’ve ever met.”“Thank God for that. If they’re anything like the ones I know, I’d rather not be like them.”That earns the faintest twitch of a grin before he engages the refueling pump into Black Betty.Once he’s done he heads to the depot.I follow him into the building. The warmth hits me and the smel

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   190 Windows

    (Serena)The huge black helicopter kicks off the pad.I’m ready. Headset on, belt tight, knees braced.Oulu falls away in a smear of orange sodium light and we’re in it… gray on gray. Fast turning to black. The wind cross-checking us from the left.“Welcome to the fun part,” Rick voice sounds in my ears. “Chopper’s name is Black Betty.”Before I can say anything to that I hear a female voice say, “Bam a Lam.”Chopper Rick grins and I’m just staring at him.“Black Betty…”Again, I hear Bam a Lam.“Meet Serena Hale. Wife of James Hale who literally invented you. She is the reason that I’m still your Daddy. Well, technically James Hale is I suppose…”“Nice to meet you, Serena.”“Ahhh… Nice to meet you too… Black Betty.” Okay that feels weird.Bam a Lam.“Okay, does that happen every time?” I ask Chopper Rick.“Every time,” he says with a chuckle. “But if I’m serious I just say Betty.”“And they say women are hard to understand…” I shake my head.A hit of turbulence slaps us sideways. I g

  • The Billionaire Married Me, Then Forgot How to Love Me   189 When a Door Closes Go Through a Window

    (Savannah)The clink of crystal and the hum of lunchtime chatter fill the air, bouncing off the whitewashed walls and spilling out to the terrace. The Skyview isn’t the kind of place that needs a sign; if you don’t already know it’s here, you don’t belong.We’re seated at a long table on the covered deck, the harbour glittering just beyond the glass balustrade. Moët flows in icy buckets, lobster salads glisten with lemon oil, and handbags worth more than is sensible sit on the spare chairs like trophies.The scent around me is a heady mix of Chanel and La Mer.I’m here because I sent out invitations none of my girls could refuse. And because, if I’m honest, I’m curious. And I need to get back out there.My circle has been buzzing for the last forty-eight hours about Charles Hale’s other son.I cross my legs, smoothing the pale silk of my skirt, and sip my champagne. The women to my left, Lana and Marissa… are deep in postmortem of last week’s charity gala, which apparently was a d

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status