Pustaka
Cari
Beranda / Romance / The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride / 106

Share

106

Penulis: Insertwritername
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-05-20 23:48:07

As soon as I stepped inside, I locked the door behind me and pulled out my phone again. My finger hovered over Leo’s number for a second before I pressed call. It rang once, then twice, but he didn’t pick up. My brows drew together as I waited. It went to voicemail.

I sighed, lowering the phone slowly. Before I could even think about trying again, a text popped onto my screen. My eyes flicked down to it quickly.

Did you get my flowers?

I stared at the message, feeling my chest tighten. My heart beat a little faster. It clearly wasn’t from Leo. The number wasn’t saved in my phone, and Leo’s texts were never this vague.

My fingers moved quickly to type back.

Who is this?

I held my breath, waiting for a reply. But the message stayed unread.

With a frustrated breath, I turned back toward the door and headed downstairs. The flowers that had made me smile just a few minutes ago now had a completely different feeling. I stopped at the bottom step, staring at them with my arms crossed. Anger
Lanjutkan membaca buku ini secara gratis
Pindai kode untuk mengunduh Aplikasi
Bab Terkunci
Bab sebelumnya Bab selanjutnya

Bab terbaru

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   146

    The courtroom smelled faintly of old wood and paper. Rows of benches were filled with reporters, company staff, and curious spectators. The air buzzed with low whispers until the bailiff called for order.Vincent sat at the defense table, leaning back in his chair like this was a business meeting and not a trial that could end his career and his freedom. His suit was sharp, his expression smug, and when his eyes met mine across the room, he smirked.The judge entered, and everyone rose. We sat again when instructed.The prosecutor, a tall woman with sharp glasses, stood. “Your Honor, the state will prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the defendant, Vincent Rathore, engaged in a calculated scheme to take control of his cousin’s company by illegal means. This includes manipulating employees, bribing media outlets, and orchestrating the abduction of CEO Leo Rathore.”The defense attorney rose, muttering about “unsubstantiated claims” and “corporate rivalry,” but the judge waved for th

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   145

    The cameras were already flashing before I even reached the podium. The press room was packed wall to wall, journalists standing shoulder to shoulder, microphones lined up in a tangled mess at the front. The sound of murmurs and camera shutters filled the air.Leo stood just behind me, his hand resting firmly on my back as I adjusted the microphone. My pulse was fast, but my voice needed to be steady. This was my moment to stop hiding.“Good afternoon,” I began, letting the noise in the room settle. “My name is Bella… and I am the rightful heir to the Le Deon legacy.”Gasps rippled through the room. Heads turned, journalists leaned forward, pens scratching over notepads. I kept my eyes forward.“For years, my identity has been buried under lies, manipulation, and deliberate cover-ups. I have remained silent—not because I didn’t know the truth—but because timing mattered. Today, that silence ends.”I could see Carla from the corner of my eye, sitting stiff in the front row of the reser

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   144

    I was standing in the kitchen when my phone buzzed. I barely glanced at it, expecting another irrelevant update from the news, but my eyes caught the name at the top of the screen: Dennis. I answered fast.“Talk to me.”His voice came in low, cautious. “We traced a flagged withdrawal, Bella. One of the fake accounts Julie used to route Terrence’s hush payments was accessed this morning. Border town. She’s moving.”I gripped the countertop. “Where?”“A small town near the coast. She’s heading south. Possibly trying to cross by sea this time. I sent you the coordinates.”I opened the text he forwarded. A surveillance shot was attached. Blurry but clear enough to recognize Julie’s frame, head low, scarf pulled tight, glasses too big for her face. She looked like a ghost.“She’s with someone,” I said.Dennis sighed. “We confirmed it. It’s Terrence. He’s been helping her from the inside. That’s how she knew when to run.”I stared down at the image for a long second. My hands were starting

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   144

    Isaac’s hands slid up Isabel’s sides, fingers curling into the silk at her waist as his mouth moved desperately against hers. His hips pressed forward, body trembling with need. She tugged at the waistband of his pants, trying to pull him even closer, but his body went rigid. He pulled back suddenly, eyes wide, breath ragged.She blinked at him, confusion swirling in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” she whispered, voice cracking.He stepped back, running a hand through his hair. His eyes darted around the room before landing back on her. “My memory… it’s fuzzy. Everything feels wrong. The doctors said it was a miracle I can even walk after the accident, and I don’t remember… I don’t remember you.” His voice grew hoarse. “Vera told me you’re just a worker here. And this… this obsession you have with me… it doesn’t make sense.”Her chest caved inward. Her lips parted but no words came out.Isaac’s eyes hardened as he looked at her, his breath coming in shallow bursts. “The only thing I do rem

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   143

    We didn’t talk much on the walk back. The night air had turned colder, and I could feel Leo’s arm tense every few minutes like he was still sorting through everything I’d said. I didn’t push. I was still trying to sort it out myself.The streets were quiet. Most of the shops were closed, and the glow from the streetlights cast long, stretched shadows across the sidewalk. Our footsteps echoed lightly between buildings. Leo walked a little closer to me than before, his arm brushing mine every few steps.When we reached the suite, he opened the door for me, then followed behind, locking it with a quiet click. I slipped off my shoes and hung up my jacket. He did the same.I turned to head toward the bathroom, but he stopped me gently with a hand on my wrist.“Hey,” he said softly.I looked up.He didn’t speak right away. Just stepped closer, brushing my hair back from my face with his fingers. His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, the silence between us felt fuller than any words coul

  • The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride   142

    The voice hit me before the recognition did. Bella?? Is that you?? I turned toward it instinctively, my hand tightening around Leo’s. My eyes landed on the woman across the street. She was older, white hair cut into a neat bob, dressed in a long coat. Her face looked frozen—somewhere between disbelief and fear.At first, I wasn’t sure. I blinked. Tried to place her.Then something clicked. Something deep in my chest.I knew that face."Oh my god," I whispered."Who is that?" Leo asked, his voice low, cautious.Before I could answer, the woman turned. She bolted. Just took off down the sidewalk like she hadn’t spoken at all.Leo started to move after her, but I stopped him."No," I said, grabbing his arm. "Let her go.""What the hell was that? Who was she?"I stood there, staring at the empty stretch of sidewalk where she’d vanished."She’s the woman who took me in. Right after my parents died."He turned to me fully, eyes searching my face. "You never told me anyone took you in."I sh

Bab Lainnya

Anda juga akan menyukai

Jelajahi dan baca novel bagus secara gratis
Akses gratis ke berbagai novel bagus di aplikasi GoodNovel. Unduh buku yang kamu suka dan baca di mana saja & kapan saja.
Baca buku gratis di Aplikasi
Pindai kode untuk membaca di Aplikasi
DMCA.com Protection Status