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Chapter 12
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2025-05-02 23:22:29
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The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 13
I lingered in the hall longer than necessary. The air outside her door was too still, like the eye of the storm. My fingers fluttered just inches from the doorframe, as it clenched and unclenched in slow tempo. I hated this feeling, this tight, coiled anxiety crawling through my gut. I was a man who planned well, and when those plans failed, I improvised. I always had it together. But I wasn't holding it together tonight, I was breaking down.She looked so small in that bed; too frail yet too brave. Even when her eyes were wide and pleading, she hadn't screamed. She had looked at me as if I was the villain of her story. Well, maybe I was.I moved away from the door, forcing myself to walk slowly down the hall, but every goddam instinct was screaming at me to break into a sprint and disappear into the night. Not that I was afraid of her. No, I was afraid of what I had seen in her eyes.Fear. Distrust.. and something else. She looked at me as if I had betrayed her. That was the part
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-05-05The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 1
The air in the hospital smelled of antiseptic and desperation. I had spent too many nights here, listening to the whirl of fluorescent lights, and the hushed tones of nurses as they made their way from room to room, checking on patients with their last hours in front of them. The walls were beige, meant to calm, but all they could do was remind me of cold winters and empty pockets.I clutched my bag tightly, my heart racing like a madman in my chest as I ran down the corridor. The bleach odor mixed with the acrid odor of medicine as I passed by the wards where the dying and the ill lay. I hated hospitals. I hated how they stole the people from you, bit by bit, until all that was left was a memory.But I couldn't hate this one. Not when my brother was inside.I made it to 304, pushing a hand over my stomach as I slowly opened the door.Oliver lay in bed, his scrawny body barely even pressed into the mattress. His bright green eyes, once so bright a green, were hazy now, dull. His face
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 2
I followed him to a room in the corner, my heart pounding. The man there was dressed in a tight black suit, slouching over as he sipped his whiskey. Older than me, but not quite, early thirties I guessed.Those ice-blue eyes drilled into mine, piercing, searching."Sit," he said casually.I remained standing for a second before sitting down.He stared at me for a moment. "You don't belong here."I swallowed hard. "I needed the money.""For what?"I panted unsteadily. "My brother. He needs to have a surgery done."His gaze clouded marginally. "And you figured this was how?""I have no other options." I said in my defence."I need a wife.""What?""Just for one year. No strings. You'll receive the money you need and after a year, we part ways."“Excuse me, what?” I asked again,totally confused.“I don't like repeating myself woman.”I stared at him. "Who are you?"He took a deep breath, looked me ib the eye and spoke with undaunting confidence."I am Adrian Sebastian."My heart came clo
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Her eyebrows arched slightly, as if the question was amusing her. "No, ma'am. Mr. Sebastian has his own room."Relief and shame hit me at the same time. He was my husband, we were supposed to share a room but I didn't mind. Actually, I was happy we weren't doing that."Thank you," I whispered.She nodded and left, closing the doors behind her. Trembling from so many emotions, I finally allowed myself to sink onto the bed. My hands were shaking as I clutched my phone.I had one missed call from Dr. Patel and a message from Oliver.Ollie: Did you get the money?I swallowed hard before answering.Me: Yes. The procedure is scheduled.His response was swift.Ollie: Val… What did you do?I stared at the screen, fingers ready to fly on the keyboard.How would I explain to him that I was married to a man who considered me nothing but a contract?Me: I did what I had to do.I threw my phone aside before he could say anything, hiding my face in my hands.One year. One year of being Valentine Se
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Margaret took me to a high-end boutique in the heart of London, and the staff literally fell over themselves as I walked in."MRS. SEBASTIAN," one of them shouted. "We're delighted to have you with us."I barely restrained myself from jumping. How did she know I was Adrian's wife? I wasn't used to people behaving as if I was somebody important. It didn't sit right. As if they were seeing me through another person's eyes.Margaret spoke in a hushed tone to the store manager, and soon I was being escorted to a dressing room. Designer dresses, stilettos, and handbags were shown to me in waves, each more extravagant than the previous one.I looked at the sea of fabric in front of me and was bewildered."This is insane," I muttered.Margaret arched an eyebrow. "Mr. Sebastian requested that you choose a new wardrobe.""I'm sure he did," I growled.She smiled knowingly. "I know this is an adjustment. But you are Mrs. Sebastian now. You may as well enjoy the perks."I sighed, knowing I wasn't
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 5
"You'll have to make an appearance," he said, fastening his cufflinks. "Everyone's already asking questions about our marriage. This will calm the rumors."I crossed my arms. "So I'm just going to smile and pretend to be a happy wife?"His sparkling blue eyes met mine. "Exactly."I had a dry, humorless laugh. "You're unbelievable Adrian.""You’re adaptable," he countered. "You’ll manage."The words shouldn’t have felt like a compliment, but they did.I stood in front of the bedroom mirror, wearing a gown so beautiful it seemed like it belonged to someone else. The midnight blue material was tightly hugging my body, with a slit running up the side of my leg. I wasn't completely at ease with it but I couldn't complain. Adrian's present, a diamond necklace, lay across my collarbone, a visible token of privilege and ownership.I belonged in his universe. But in the real sense, I didn't."You look good," Adrian said behind me.I turned to find him standing in the doorway, his black tuxedo
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I curled onto my side, staring at the empty space imagining that if we were living in the same room, this was where my husband would have stretched out.He had withdrawn into his study after we arrived back home, and I knew that he was sitting there drowning in whiskey and work.It wasn't supposed to matter. And yet it did and that wasn't good because I couldn't afford to care.Not when I had sold out myself for a price.Not when this marriage was only contracted.Not when Adrian Sebastian did not believe in love.……….After I cleaned up, I went into the closet..if a closet could even be described. It was larger than my whole apartment in my old neighborhood, full of designer outfits that I had never thought of owning.I lingered in hesitation before selecting a simple cream-colored shirt and black trousers. The last thing I wanted to do was draw more attention to myself than I already was.As I descended the grand staircase, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and new pastries filled
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I woke up the following morning to a pounding knock on the door. I groaned and threw an arm over my eyes. "What?"The knocking on the door grew louder. I grumbled, throwing a hand over my eyes. "What is it?" I growled, my voice thick with sleep.The door slammed open, and Margaret, the epitome of calm competence, stood in the doorway. "I am sorry, ma'am, but Mr. Sebastian needs you downstairs. Now."I rubbed my eyes, blinking. "At this hour?"Margaret's expression didn't falter but I caught a glint of laughter in her eyes."It's nearly noon, ma'am."What?" I sprang out of bed, dazed. Adrian never called me before. Not like this, anyway, but I never slept in late in the morning either.Grasping for a silk robe to throw over my nightgown, I ran downstairs.The moment I stepped into the study, I could tell something was amiss. Adrian stood near the fireplace, his shoulders slumped, his jaw clenched. His phone was flung onto the desk, its screen still lit with an unread message."You're l
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-22
Bab terbaru
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 13
I lingered in the hall longer than necessary. The air outside her door was too still, like the eye of the storm. My fingers fluttered just inches from the doorframe, as it clenched and unclenched in slow tempo. I hated this feeling, this tight, coiled anxiety crawling through my gut. I was a man who planned well, and when those plans failed, I improvised. I always had it together. But I wasn't holding it together tonight, I was breaking down.She looked so small in that bed; too frail yet too brave. Even when her eyes were wide and pleading, she hadn't screamed. She had looked at me as if I was the villain of her story. Well, maybe I was.I moved away from the door, forcing myself to walk slowly down the hall, but every goddam instinct was screaming at me to break into a sprint and disappear into the night. Not that I was afraid of her. No, I was afraid of what I had seen in her eyes.Fear. Distrust.. and something else. She looked at me as if I had betrayed her. That was the part
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 12
I returned to my room in a fog, my duffel clutched against my chest, Margaret's words echoing in my head like a warning bell: “Watch. Listen. Be smart.”The hall behind me felt like it loomed as a silent threat, every shadow now under suspicion. I slipped in and shut the door softly behind me, the click of the lock echoing way too loudly in the quiet.The bed was exactly as I had left it, the pillows still shaped beneath the blanket to take the form of a sleeping body. The illusion of safety. I hesitated, straining to hear any footsteps that might be heading in my direction, then carefully hid the bag behind the closet door and crawled back over to the bed, attempting not to disturb the setup too much. Every move was now calculated — deliberate. I climbed beneath the blankets and drew the blanket up to my chin, arranging the pillows just so that it looked exactly the same.My heart was still racing from the encounter in the hall. I wasn't certain what scared me more — Adrian, Margare
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 11
I looked at the cup in Adrian's hand, the rich scent of coffee mingling with something else I couldn't detect — something with a slightly chemical flavor.My fingers tightened around the blanket, nails digging into the soft fabric."I told you, drink up," Adrian repeated, voice gentle but with an unmistakable undercurrent of steel.My head spun. I had two options: drink and risk whatever he had put in there, or not drink and give away that I didn't trust him.But just as I was about to give up and take it, a scene for Moana which I had just watched a few days ago flashed through my mind. Who would have thought a cartoon could help me out?“There's always a way.” The voice echoed in my mind.A third possibility flashed through my mind, one that took courage.Gradually, I took the cup away from him. His gaze never faltered. I brought it to my lips, letting the steam waft over my face. Then, holding the cup at a mere angle, I let the liquid just graze my mouth without drinking. I licked
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 10
A chill prickle ran up my spine as I looked at my own face, frozen in place. I could see myself sitting across from Damian, the dancing candlelight casting shadows on my face. My face was tense, suspicious.Who took this? And why did they want me to look at it?I spun around and glanced over my shoulder as if half-hoping to see someone there, but I was alone in the hallway.The quiet of the Sebastian home hung in all directions of me, heavy and suffocating.I retreated into my own room and closed the door, turning the lock behind me.My head spun. Tell Adrian? Would he even care? What if he was the sender?I knew I couldn't talk to Adrian about this, not when I was yet to know of this weird war that Damian had been vaguely talking about.I sat on my bed, the envelope clutched in my hand. The message had been clear.This is only the beginning. But the beginning of what? And the picture? What was it's significance?Sleep had not been easy to find. Every creak of the house, every blow of
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 9
While I was trying to process the first message, another came through.I swallowed hard. Now I was quite sure it was the same person sending these messages and there was only one person who could send a message like that. Damian.I locked my phone and put it on the bedside table, allowing myself to catch a breath. The day had worn me out.Oliver's surgery, waiting, the shuddering relief of realizing his new heart was healthy. All of it.But we weren't done yet,there was Damian to contend with.There was a knock on the door and it startled me."Valentine." Adrian's voice was gentle yet commanding. I huddled the blanket closer around me."Come in."The door creaked open, and he entered.Even at this late hour, he was perfectly dressed, his tie loosened a notch, his sleeves rolled up. And he looked as exhausted as I was.He showed me his phone. "Damian texted me a time and place."I braced myself. "When?""Tomorrow night. Seven o'clock. His penthouse."The idea of being alone with Damian
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 8
"Mrs Valentine!"I groaned, rubbing my temples as I sat up. My entire body hurt with exhaustion, my mind cloudy from a night of restless sleep.The door opened before I could respond, and Margaret came in, her face tense like I'd never witnessed."It's Oliver," she said. "The hospital phoned. He collapsed."My stomach dropped. "What?" I sat up with a start, nearly toppling over as I grabbed my robe. "Collapsed? How? He was fine yesterday!"Margaret hesitated. "Dr. Patel said it's an emergency. They need you there immediately."I didn't hear anything else. I hurried down the stairs, my heart pounding harder than my hurrying feet. Adrian was standing by the front door, already dressed in his impeccable suit, his jaw set in granite."I'll drive you," he said curtly.I nodded, too worried to muse on how handsome he looked even under tension.The ride to the hospital took forever and I barely held myself together throughout the ride.When we arrived, chaos was waiting. Doctors dashed aroun
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 7
I woke up the following morning to a pounding knock on the door. I groaned and threw an arm over my eyes. "What?"The knocking on the door grew louder. I grumbled, throwing a hand over my eyes. "What is it?" I growled, my voice thick with sleep.The door slammed open, and Margaret, the epitome of calm competence, stood in the doorway. "I am sorry, ma'am, but Mr. Sebastian needs you downstairs. Now."I rubbed my eyes, blinking. "At this hour?"Margaret's expression didn't falter but I caught a glint of laughter in her eyes."It's nearly noon, ma'am."What?" I sprang out of bed, dazed. Adrian never called me before. Not like this, anyway, but I never slept in late in the morning either.Grasping for a silk robe to throw over my nightgown, I ran downstairs.The moment I stepped into the study, I could tell something was amiss. Adrian stood near the fireplace, his shoulders slumped, his jaw clenched. His phone was flung onto the desk, its screen still lit with an unread message."You're l
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 6
I curled onto my side, staring at the empty space imagining that if we were living in the same room, this was where my husband would have stretched out.He had withdrawn into his study after we arrived back home, and I knew that he was sitting there drowning in whiskey and work.It wasn't supposed to matter. And yet it did and that wasn't good because I couldn't afford to care.Not when I had sold out myself for a price.Not when this marriage was only contracted.Not when Adrian Sebastian did not believe in love.……….After I cleaned up, I went into the closet..if a closet could even be described. It was larger than my whole apartment in my old neighborhood, full of designer outfits that I had never thought of owning.I lingered in hesitation before selecting a simple cream-colored shirt and black trousers. The last thing I wanted to do was draw more attention to myself than I already was.As I descended the grand staircase, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and new pastries filled
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride Chapter 5
"You'll have to make an appearance," he said, fastening his cufflinks. "Everyone's already asking questions about our marriage. This will calm the rumors."I crossed my arms. "So I'm just going to smile and pretend to be a happy wife?"His sparkling blue eyes met mine. "Exactly."I had a dry, humorless laugh. "You're unbelievable Adrian.""You’re adaptable," he countered. "You’ll manage."The words shouldn’t have felt like a compliment, but they did.I stood in front of the bedroom mirror, wearing a gown so beautiful it seemed like it belonged to someone else. The midnight blue material was tightly hugging my body, with a slit running up the side of my leg. I wasn't completely at ease with it but I couldn't complain. Adrian's present, a diamond necklace, lay across my collarbone, a visible token of privilege and ownership.I belonged in his universe. But in the real sense, I didn't."You look good," Adrian said behind me.I turned to find him standing in the doorway, his black tuxedo
