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Chapter 79: The Inheritance Gambit
Last Updated:
2025-05-10 08:45:47
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LENA'S POV The next morning, I arrived at Whitmore Enterprises earlier than usual, hoping that immersing myself in work would silence the thoughts that had plagued me all night. It didn’t. I stood in my office, overlooking the skyline of Hudsonville, the city stretching out before me in a sprawling maze of glass and steel. This empire, built over generations, was mine now. I had inherited it—the power, the responsibility, the expectations. Well not total inheritance. Let say the rest is for “my husband” after marriage, as dad stated in his will, an attempt to protect his heir and secure his linage. And yet, despite everything I had achieved, the only thing my family cared about was whether I would marry a man I didn’t love to "secure our legacy." I sighed, rubbing my temples. I should have been thinking about today’s board meeting, or the upcoming merger deal that would expand our influence across international markets. Instead, all I could think about was Kian. I turned
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Latest chapter
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 79: The Inheritance Gambit
Mr. Clementine sat beneath the golden glow of a library chandelier, his fingers tapping against a bound ledger, the pages stiff with age and power. Around him, the scent of old leather and ink hung thick, but his eyes were sharp, modern—cold as a blade. In front of him, spread out like the blueprints of a coup, were documents: Alcante’s estate portfolios, stock movement summaries, board member profiles, and most importantly, the unsigned inheritance contract that would’ve officially transferred majority ownership of Alcante Enterprises and Kiander Group to Kian Ravenna. It had never been signed. Clementine’s lips curled slightly. “So close,” he muttered. “So foolishly close.” Footsteps echoed against the polished wood. Harlin Kane entered without ceremony, his dark coat dripping rainwater onto the ornate rug. He tossed a folder onto the table. “Routine’s tight. Kian’s always got someone watching him now,” Harlin said. “But there’s one window. Thursday night. He has a solo trip p
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 78: A Whispered Warning
Clara stirred her coffee slowly, her brow furrowed as she watched the caramel swirl into the black. They sat in a quiet, sunlit corner of Lena’s favorite café—neutral ground, where warmth and conversation usually flowed freely. But today, Clara’s voice was low, her words sharp under the gentle hum of background music and clinking cups.“You’re not listening to me, Lena.”Lena took a sip of her latte and gave a light, tired smile. “I am listening, Clara. I just don’t agree.”Clara leaned in, elbows on the table, her eyes serious. “You think because the headlines are praising him, the world has suddenly become a safer place for Kian? You really believe Harlin’s going to sit back and watch as the man who stole everything from him becomes a media darling?”Lena’s smile faded. “Kian didn’t steal anything. He reclaimed his life. His name.”“And that threatens everything Harlin built off Kian’s disappearance,” Clara snapped. “He built that empire on smoke and mirrors—on the assumption that K
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 77: A Toast to Truth
Kian stared at the newspaper article sprawled across the mahogany table, the bold headlines catching the fading golden light that streamed through the restaurant's high arched windows. "KIANDER REVEALED: BRILLIANCE BEHIND THE SHADOWS OF SUCCESS" "KIAN RAVENNA—THE MAN WHO NEVER STOPPED LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH" His name—his name—finally stood on its own, no longer clouded by the mystery of his past, no longer reduced to a whisper or a rumor or a name mentioned in tabloid footnotes. Now, it was declared with clarity, strength, and above all—respect. The world knew him again, not as the enigma from a forgotten scandal, but as a man who had rebuilt himself with nothing but grit, vision, and unwavering integrity. Lena reached across the table and touched his hand. “They’re finally seeing you, Kian. The way I always did.” The candlelight flickered gently, casting soft shadows across her face, and Kian found himself studying her eyes as if they were the only truth he needed to believe in.
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 76: Celebrate
KIAN'S POV The morning sun sliced through the blinds in Lena’s office, casting long golden beams across the desks and chairs still cluttered from the night before. I blinked slowly, adjusting to the light, and realized Lena was no longer curled next to me on the couch. Her scent still lingered on the blanket draped over my lap. Vanilla, with something soft and floral beneath. I sat up, stretching the stiffness from my limbs. The quiet hum of conversation and movement outside the office signaled the company was already coming alive for the day. I checked my watch and winced. I was late. Not catastrophically, but enough to make me curse under my breath. I tossed on my jacket, ran a hand through my hair, and stepped into the hallway. The air felt different. There was a strange stillness to the usual buzz of Whitmore Enterprises. People whispered in corners, and when I passed them, they nodded quickly, avoiding my eyes. A few even smiled like they knew something I didn’t. I caught si
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 75: More Intimate
The air in Lena's office was cooler at night. Not because of the temperature, but because the noise had died down, and we could finally hear our own thoughts. The lights dimmed to a soft glow, casting golden halos around the stacks of paperwork and open laptops. Her desk was littered with coffee cups and highlighters, but somehow, it still looked elegant—just like her.She sat across from me, her blazer folded neatly on the back of her chair, sleeves rolled up. The top buttons of her blouse were undone, not out of seduction, but exhaustion. Her eyes still sparkled with the kind of determination I knew could move mountains. And yet, she looked at the spreadsheet in front of her as if it had personally offended her."You okay?" I asked, watching her rub her temples.She gave me a small, tired smile. "Yeah. Just... tired. We’re almost there, though. This proposal has to be airtight. No room for weakness."I nodded and stood, walking over to her side of the table. I crouched beside her ch
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 74- LENA'S Day
LENA'S POV The scent of roses and warm lighting greeted me the moment I stepped through the restaurant doors. I paused, stunned. The place looked like something out of a dream—glass chandeliers sparkled above us, the wine glasses caught the candlelight like tiny stars, and the air held the delicate hum of a violin playing somewhere out of sight. Kian stood by the entrance, a soft smile playing on his lips, his hair brushed back neatly, dressed in a navy-blue suit that hugged his frame like it had been stitched just for him. I blinked twice. This wasn’t the man I dropped off at a wooden shack days ago. This wasn’t the man who barely remembered who he was. This man was... composed, radiant. Familiar. "You did this?" I asked, stepping closer, still in disbelief. He offered his arm. "Thought you deserved a night without stress. Besides, I’ve been saving." My heart ached at his sincerity. He wasn’t a billionaire anymore. Not officially. But he still treated me like royalty. We sat in
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 73: Games we play
After the race, we drove a short distance to a small roadside ice cream stand—the kind that never changes, with hand-painted signs and sticky counters. I parked the truck under a tree, and we both got out, our legs still buzzing from the race."Two vanilla cones," I said to the kid behind the stand.Mr. Alcante took his with both hands, as if it were the prize. He sat on a nearby bench and I joined him.We ate quietly at first, the cool sweetness cutting through the dry heat of the afternoon.Then he turned to me and said, "You're like the son I never had, Kian."The words landed softly, but heavily. I looked at him, seeing past the roughness to the warmth beneath."You sure about that? Because I'm pretty high-maintenance."He chuckled, but his eyes glistened. "Still worth it."I bumped his elbow with mine. "You're not getting all emotional on me now, are you?""No," he said, wiping his eye. "Just got ice cream in my eye. Happens."We laughed. We always laughed.That’s when the men ap
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 72- Race of life.
KIAN'S POV The morning sun glared off the windshield of the old rust-touched truck as I turned the ignition. The engine grumbled before letting out a reluctant growl, just like Mr. Alcante every time I suggested we replace it. He sat beside me, leaning against the passenger door, sunglasses on, wearing a weathered fishing cap that had more stories than half the folks in Hudsonville."You ready for this?" I asked, glancing over as the engine finally settled into a steady rhythm.He cracked a grin. "Been ready since '74. Back when gas cost less than a loaf of bread."I chuckled and pulled onto the dirt road that led away from our cottage. The town receded behind us, slowly swallowed by the trees and long stretch of highway that coiled along the coast like a silver snake. The sea shimmered in the distance, but today wasn't about the water. Today was about breathing, and giving the man who once saved my life a reason to smile."This truck has character," I said as the window rattled with
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 71: Work date
The morning sunlight filtered through the tall glass windows of Whitmore Enterprises, casting streaks of golden light across the boardroom table. Kian stood beside Lena, a file in his hand and a fire in his eyes that hadn’t dulled since they entered the office. Across the table, a legal representative from a competing firm sat with a tight-lipped expression and a stack of documents nearly as thick as the tension in the room.The legal battle had been brewing for weeks. A competitor had filed a lawsuit claiming that a recent design prototype launched under Lena’s firm bore similarities to one of their unreleased concepts. Lena had kept her cool in front of the press, but inside, she was burning."We both know this is fabricated," Kian said, his voice low but strong."You’ll need more than intuition in court, Mr. Davenport," the rep responded with a smug smile.Lena tapped her pen against the notepad in front of her. "And you’ll need more than recycled arguments and coincidence to win.
