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Checkmate in Motion

Author: Jasmin
last update Last Updated: 2025-10-05 13:25:49

Richard Barton had always been a man of control, a master strategist — and this time, he was done playing nice.

Standing near the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, his sharp gaze cut through the glittering city lights below. One hand rested in his pocket, while the other gripped his phone tightly, his deep voice laced with authority.

“I don’t care how you pull it off,” Richard said coldly into the receiver, his voice laced with quiet authority. “Everything needs to be in place within the next seventy-two hours. No delays. No excuses.”

He paused, listening for a response, his gaze fixed on the glittering skyline.

“Once I give the signal, we move. I want Abigail Hamilton exactly where I want her — no room for error. Make sure every loose end is tied up before then.”

There was another pause, then a clipped, “Good.”

Richard ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket, his expression unreadable, but the storm brewing in his dark eyes spoke volumes. Staring out at the skyline, hi
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  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   The Edge of Control

    After barking orders left and right, Richard still couldn't sit still. His world - normally measured, controlled, ruthless - felt like it was slipping through his fingers. A man who once ruled chaos now stood swallowed by it. For years, people called him heartless, a machine in human skin. They weren't wrong. But every wall, every ounce of cold logic he'd built around himself, had one crack - and that crack had a name.Annabelle.And tonight, she'd shattered him completely.He stormed down the corridor, the echo of his boots cutting through the silence like gunfire. His shoulders were tight, jaw locked, eyes hard enough to slice through glass. Staff scattered at the sight of him - no one dared meet his gaze. Rage burned beneath his skin, but it wasn't the kind he could aim at anyone. It was helpless, clawing, unbearable.By the time he reached their room, his pulse was a war drum in his chest. He shoved the door open.The room still smelled like her.That soft scent of vanilla and lav

  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   The Hunt Begins

    Richard pressed his palm to his forehead until stars exploded. “Who was she calling?”“I’m on it.” Alvarez had already anticipated it. “Tagging communications. I’ll have the number.”Marc lingered near the monitors, jaw tight, as the last seconds of footage replayed—Annabelle slipping through the door, Julia on the balcony with that damn phone. The silence stretched until it was unbearable. Finally, Marc cleared his throat, his voice low and careful.“Boss… do you want us to start looking for Julia first?”Richard’s gaze didn’t move from the frozen screen, the image of Annabelle vanishing through the foyer door burned into his mind. His hand tightened on the edge of the desk, knuckles whitening. “No,” he said, voice gravel-deep. “She’s smart—too smart. If she’s not already gone, she will be soon. Let her run for now. My first priority is Annabelle.”He turned sharply, pacing once, the floor creaking beneath his boots. “Call Jordan,” he ordered. “Ask him to check on Hazel. If anyone kn

  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   Vanished in the Night

    Richard came awake like he'd been yanked from the bottom of a pool — lungs burning, head full of static. For a dizzy second the room was a blur of white linens and moonlight, the aftertaste of cold water and something metallic on his tongue. He sat up too fast; the world tilted and a thin line of panic skittered across his spine.The bed beside him was empty.He blinked, trying to stitch the night back together. Julia’s voice — a syrup of poison. Her smirk. The spray at his face. The fight. The shove. The cold slam of the bathroom tile under his feet. The shower that felt like ice. He should have expected the sheets to smell like her — Annabelle always left a hint of citrus and rose on them — but they were simply… cold, unmarked. The small copper weight of unease hardened into a knot.“Anna?” His voice scraped the quiet.No answer. Only the house settling, distant footsteps in the staff wing, the muffled hum of the city below. He swung his legs off the bed and nearly hit the floor. Th

  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   The Poisoned Calm

    A little while before.Richard entered his room, tugging at his cufflinks as fatigue settled in his bones. The lights were dim, soft moonlight spilling through the glass panes. Near the window, a familiar silhouette stood — slender, still, gazing into the night.A small smile touched his lips. She must be lost in thought again.He stepped closer, his voice gentle. “Hey, sweetheart… you’ve been standing here all this while?”There was no reply — only silence. Assuming she was spaced out after the evening’s chaos, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.“Babe, are you upset?” he murmured, resting his chin on her shoulder. “I know tonight’s been rough. I’m sorry… about Julia, about everything. I swear—”The scent hit him first — not Annabelle’s soft floral perfume, but something sharper. Too sweet. Too foreign.His muscles tensed.In an instant, he pulled away, eyes narrowing. “Wait a damn second—who are you?”The woman turned slowly.A smirk painted her crimson lips. “Took you long

  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   The Unseen Threat

    Julia tilted her head, her voice soft but taunting. “Tell me, Richard… didn’t anything feel off the next morning? When you woke up after that celebration?”His jaw tightened. For a moment, he didn’t reply. The memory flickered in the back of his mind — the blur of that drunken night, the heavy fog when he’d opened his eyes, and the faint sense that someone had been in his suite. But no face, no voice, nothing he could place. Just a strange emptiness that made his stomach twist.He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “Even if something felt wrong, it doesn’t mean you were there. I passed out before I could make it to bed properly. I don’t remember a damn thing that proves what you’re claiming.”Julia’s lips curved into a smug smile as she rested a hand on her slightly rounded stomach. “Then maybe this will remind you,” she said coolly. “You can’t ignore what’s already showing.”Richard’s eyes followed the gesture, then snapped back up to her face, cold and unyielding. “That proves nothin

  • The Billionaire's Forgotten Night   Shadows on the Wedding Night

    For a heartbeat, no one moved. The air seemed to freeze around them, thick with disbelief.Julia stood at the garden entrance — radiant, confident, and disturbingly familiar. Gasps rippled through the small crowd as the soft glow from the chandeliers caught the shimmer of her gown — Annabelle’s gown.Same delicate lace. Same sapphire jewelry. Same jeweled sandals that had been custom-made for Annabelle just days ago.It was like staring into a distorted reflection.Hazel’s eyes widened in sheer outrage. “What the actual hell is this supposed to be?” she demanded, rising from her seat.Julia twirled slightly, her crimson lips curving into a satisfied smirk. “Surprise,” she said, voice dripping with mock sweetness. “Don’t I look stunning? Practically her twin, right? I just thought—if Annabelle can play bride, why shouldn’t I?”“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jordan muttered under his breath, pushing up from his chair. “Julia, have you lost your damn mind? This is their wedding night, fo

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