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Chapter Nineteen
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-14 04:57:40
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty
The room was quiet, except for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. The events of the previous night came flooding back—the alcohol, the fight, the suffocating anger.Crystal noticed his discomfort and instinctively reached out, but he shifted away from her touch."You don’t have to do this," he muttered."You always say that," she replied, her voice calm but firm. "You push everyone away like it doesn’t matter, like you don’t matter."Adrian’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then, he smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "In what way can you help me? You can’t even help yourself."Crystal’s stomach twisted at his words, but she kept her expression neutral. She swallowed hard and steadied her voice. "Maybe I can’t fix everything, but I can listen. I can be here."A tense silence filled the space between them.Adrian shut his eyes, inhaling deeply before releasing a slow, shaky breath. When he opened them again, his mask had cracked—his expression was no longer
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-17The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-one
Olivia’s fingers trembled slightly as she stared at the laptop screen. The image before her was unmistakable—that man. The past she had desperately tried to bury was now staring back at her.Her breath hitched, her heart pounding against her ribs as memories she had long locked away began to claw their way back.No. It couldn’t be.She clicked on the image, enlarging it as if to confirm that her eyes weren’t deceiving her. But the more she looked, the more undeniable it became.Her grip on the desk tightened, her perfectly manicured nails pressing into the wood. What was his picture doing here? And more importantly… what did this mean for her?A sudden knock on the door made her jolt. She quickly slammed the laptop shut, her breath uneven.“Come in,” she called out, forcing her voice to remain steady.The door opened, and Christian stepped inside. His gaze swept over her, immediately noticing her rigid posture.“Mother?” His brows furrowed. “Are you alright?”Olivia exhaled sl
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-17The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Two
Christian stepped into the room, his eyes immediately landing on Ilda, who was lounging on the bed, her laptop casting a soft glow on her face. As soon as she noticed him, she quickly clicked something away before offering a warm smile.He shut the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment before moving closer. "We need to talk," he said softly. "My mom isn’t too comfortable with you."Ilda’s smile faltered, and she let out a quiet sigh, closing the laptop. "I figured," she murmured, lowering her gaze.Christian crossed his arms, watching her carefully. "She thinks you’re hiding something."A soft chuckle escaped Ilda’s lips as she shook her head. "Of course she does," she muttered, rubbing her temples like the conversation was already exhausting her. "Christian, I’ve tried. No matter what I do, she still sees me as an outsider." She lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "And it hurts. I love you, but she makes me feel like I don’t belong here."Ch
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-18The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Three
Adrian lifted his spoon, about to take his first bite, when the sharp sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor made both him and Crystal freeze.Evelyn.She stood at the entrance of the kitchen, her arms crossed, her piercing gaze sweeping over the scene. The warmth that had filled the room just moments ago was replaced by an icy tension.Her eyes settled on Crystal, dark with disdain. “Look at you,” she sneered. “Acting like you belong here. Like you’re some lady of the house instead of the pathetic little thing you are.”Crystal lowered her gaze, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress.Adrian set his spoon down, his expression immediately hardening.Evelyn stepped further into the kitchen, her lips curling into a smirk. “What’s next? Are you going to sit at the dining table with us? Maybe I should prepare a seat for you beside me.” She let out a dry chuckle. “How disgusting.”Crystal didn’t move, didn’t respond. She had learned long ago that words only made things wors
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-18The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Four
The tires screeched as Crystal pulled up in front of Westbridge City Hospital, the best medical facility in the area. Crystal threw the car door open, rushing to the passenger side where Adrian slumped, barely conscious. His skin was ghostly pale, sweat glistening on his forehead, and his breathing was labored.“Somebody help!” she screamed, her voice cracking as she tried to support his weight. A few nurses and a security guard rushed over, a stretcher rolling behind them.A nurse, dressed in blue scrubs, knelt beside Adrian, quickly checking his pulse. “He’s burning up! What happened?”“He—he has a brain tumor,” Crystal stammered, her hands trembling. “He was receiving treatment here before… before he stopped.”At the mention of his previous treatment, the nurse’s brows furrowed. “Dr. Collins, page Dr. Benson immediately!” she called out to another staff member before looking at Crystal. “We need to get him inside now!”Crystal stepped back as they carefully lifted Adrian onto t
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-19The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Five
Ilda tilted her head slightly, a small, knowing smile playing at the corner of her lips."Who are you trying so hard to find, Mom?" She repeated.Her voice was light, almost teasing, but Olivia caught the challenge hidden beneath it.For a moment, Olivia didn’t respond. She merely lifted her coffee cup, her movements graceful and unhurried, and took a slow sip. Her gaze drifted toward the open sky, as if Ilda’s words had been nothing more than an insignificant breeze.She placed the cup back on the saucer with a soft clink and finally glanced at Ilda—but only briefly. Her expression remained unreadable. "It’s a beautiful morning, don’t you think?"She had ignored the question completely.Ilda took a step closer, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes mom. You're up early. Busy with something important?"Olivia stirred her coffee gently, watching the liquid swirl before taking a slow sip. Her gaze didn’t leave Ilda’s face. "I was just thinking… How about that brother of yours? The
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Six
A few minutes later, Crystal drifted off to sleep, her head tilting to one side. Her exhaustion was evident.Meanwhile, Adrian's fingers twitched slightly. Slowly, he was regaining consciousness. His eyelids fluttered before he finally opened them, adjusting to the sterile white ceiling above him. The beeping of the monitors was faint, but enough to remind him where he was.Turning his head, he saw Crystal fast asleep beside him. A small, tired smile formed on his lips.Then, out of nowhere, Crystal jolted awake. She blinked at him in surprise before realizing he was watching her."You're up?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "How are you feeling?"Adrian gave a small nod.Then, with an amused glint in his tired eyes, he murmured, "Wait… if we were both asleep, who was supposed to watch over me? What if a nurse tried to smuggle me out? Or worse, what if the hospital ghosts decided to take me instead?"Crystal stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. "Hospital ghosts? Adri
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21The Price of His Betrayal Chapter Twenty-Seven
"What do you mean she's not your mother?" Crystal asked, confusion written all over her face.“She’s just the woman my father married after my real mother died. Silence settled between them like a suffocating fog before he continued.My dad told me she passed away when I was a baby—some illness, he said. And then he brought Evelyn into our lives.” He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “She had Betty for him… and that was the greatest mistake of his life.” His voice cracked slightly, but he forced himself to continue. “Evelyn never treated me like family. I was just… an obligation. A reminder of the woman she could never replace.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “She made sure I knew I didn’t belong.”Crystal’s lips parted slightly, her heart pounding in her chest. “Adrian…” she whispered, unsure of what to say.Adrian lay still on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if the weight of his own words had finally settled in. His chest rose and fell in a slow, controlled rhythm
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy Eight
The grand hall of the Blake mansion was filled with urgent footsteps and low murmurs. Within minutes of Olivia’s collapse, the family’s private doctor, Dr. Halden, arrived, his medical kit in hand and concern etched deeply into his brow. He was led swiftly upstairs to Olivia’s room, where she had been laid gently on the bed by Christian and the house staff.Olivia looked pale, her skin clammy, and her breath came in slow, shallow waves. Though her eyes had opened faintly, she remained still and mute, her lips barely twitching as if she were trying to form words that simply wouldn’t come. Her once fierce gaze was now vacant — distant, trapped in a fog.Dr. Halden moved quickly and with practiced hands, checking her pulse, taking her temperature, and examining her eyes. “She’s stable, but barely,” he said gravely. “She’s regained consciousness, but she’s currently unable to speak or communicate properly. Her nervous system seems to be under a kind of strain — possibly induced by strong
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Seven
“Any news?” Christian asked without turning.John sighed, walking further in. “I spoke with our guys. All airport security stations have been notified — private hangars, commercial lines, even border patrol. His name, face, and passport numbers have been circulated. They’re all on high alert. If he tries to leave the country, he’ll be stopped.”Christian slowly turned, his eyes blazing.“So you’re telling me he hasn’t left yet.” He stepped closer, each word heavier than the last. “That means that bastard is still walking around… breathing my air… after everything he’s done to my family.”John nodded cautiously. “It’s very likely, yes.”Christian slammed his palm on the table, making a stack of files tremble. “Good! That means I still have time. I’m going to make sure he pays for every damn thing he’s done.”He started pacing, fists clenched at his sides.“He stole from my mother. He used her… betrayed her trust. And the nerve — the nerve — to use her private codes to drain her shares,
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Six
The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor flickered slightly, humming in the sterile silence that blanketed the space. Crystal sat stiffly on the metal bench, her hands clutched tightly together in her lap, her knuckles pale from the pressure. Her eyes, red and swollen from silent crying, remained glued to the double doors of the surgical theater.Each second that passed felt like a dagger to her chest.She kept whispering under her breath, "Please God… please… just let him be okay."The wall clock above ticked mockingly — its sound loud and hollow in the hallway. Crystal had no idea how long she had been sitting there. Time had lost all meaning the moment they wheeled Adrian away on that cold metal stretcher.She had begged to see him, just once, before the surgery…But they had refused.Now all she could do was wait…And hope.Suddenly, the doors burst open. Her heart skipped.A doctor in scrubs emerged — his mask lowered, sweat lining his brow. He pulled off his gloves slowly
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Five
Before Ilda could form a response, heavy footsteps echoed down the grand staircase.Olivia descended slowly, dressed in a dark silk gown, her face lined with exhaustion and worry."What’s going on here?" Olivia asked, her voice tight, her eyes narrowing into suspicious slits.Christian didn’t answer directly.Instead, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit with a slow, deliberate motion, his jaw tight and a storm flickering in his eyes.With a sharp flick of his wrist, he threw a thick bundle of papers at Olivia’s feet.They scattered across the floor like fallen leaves, rustling against the marble tiles.Olivia bent down, her hands trembling as she picked up the papers, her perfectly manicured fingers struggling to grasp them. Her face paled, and a deep frown etched itself between her brows as her chest rose and fell in uneven, shallow breaths.Her eyes scanned the top sheet and her face slowly drained of all color.A deafening silence filled the room.Only the faint ticking o
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Four
The heavy front door swung open with a deep, resonant groan, and Ilda stepped inside, her arms burdened with shopping bags and a small piece of luggage. A gust of cold, stale air greeted her, stirring a faint shiver down her spine. The workers, clad in crisp uniforms, rushed toward her, their footsteps tapping sharply against the marble floors.They wore polite smiles—too polite, too rehearsed—as they relieved her of her bags, their movements practiced and mechanical.The mansion swallowed her whole.It felt different.Too cold.Too empty.The grand hall stretched out before her, a cavern of gleaming marble and shadow. The once-warm chandeliers that used to bathe the entrance in soft gold light now flickered weakly, casting long, distorted.Ilda hesitated on the threshold, her heels clicking softly as she shifted her weight. She could hear the distant ticking of the grand clock in the main parlor, each second stretching out with painful slowness. The echoes of the workers’ footsteps r
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Three
The late afternoon sun dipped lazily behind the hills, casting long shadows over the winding streets. Inside the luxurious midnight-black Rolls Royce, Ilda sat like a queen basking in her triumph.The car's interior smelled of rich leather and the faintest hint of her expensive perfume.Next to her, several luxury shopping bags, bearing logos of high-end brands, rustled softly as the car glided smoothly along the quiet road.Her fingers absentmindedly brushed over a bag of delicate pastries she had picked up, her lips curling into a slow, wicked smile.Victory tastes sweeter than anything money could buy.Today, she felt invincible — like she had the world spinning in the palm of her hand.Christian Blake — the once untouchable, arrogant businessman — was now no better than the dust under her feet.The memory of his shattered face at the boardroom replayed in her mind like a cherished melody, and she let out a small, satisfied laugh, low and dangerous.The driver, a muscular man dres
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-Two
The morning sun streamed softly through the large windows of Ethan's luxury penthouse, painting golden patterns across the marble floors.It was a new day — a victorious day.The air inside was sweet with the scent of fresh flowers and the richer, almost tangible scent of triumph.Ethan sat on the couch, a glass of wine in one hand, watching the morning news that recapped the disastrous collapse of Christian Blake’s business empire.The headline flashed boldly:"CHRISTIAN BLAKE: FROM BUSINESS KING TO FALLEN TYCOON"Ethan chuckled darkly under his breath.He leaned back, running a hand through his hair in sheer satisfaction.From the hallway, Ilda emerged, her silk robe trailing behind her like a queen making her entrance.Her face wore a victorious smile — a smile of someone who had waited so long for this moment.As she approached, Ethan’s eyes softened, and he set his glass aside, opening his arms wide."Come here, my queen," he said warmly.Ilda laughed — a rich, soft laugh — and s
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy-One
His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening with rage.Near the door, Ilda stylishly rushed forward, pretending to be horrified.She placed a gentle hand on Christian’s arm, her voice a perfect melody of fake concern."Christian, please... calm down," she whispered softly."You're going to make yourself sick. Please, let’s sit down. It’s not the end. We can fix this..."Christian wrenched his arm free, eyes burning with frustration.He glared at the remaining workers in the room — the ones who had failed to shut off the footage in time."You’re all useless!" Christian roared, his voice tearing through the heavy tension like a blade.It wasn't just anger in his tone — it was betrayal, humiliation, a man desperately trying to claw back his crumbling world.He stood there, fists trembling, chest heaving with rage.The echoes of his shout bounced off the cold boardroom walls, leaving a deadly silence in its wake.The workers shrank back like scolded children, their heads bowed low
The Price of His Betrayal Seventy
70Christian entered the boardroom with his usual commanding presence, his expensive watch glinting under the light, his polished shoes clicking softly against the tiled floor.John followed close behind, carrying the folders for the meeting.Around the long oak table, the Chinese investors were already seated, their faces stoic, professional, their eyes sharp and evaluating.Christian offered a polite smile, inclining his head respectfully as he greeted them."Good morning, gentlemen. It’s an honor to finally have you here at Blake Enterprises," he began, his voice strong, confident."We’ve been preparing for this partnership for months, and I believe today marks the beginning of a mutually profitable relationship."The investors murmured polite greetings in return, nodding slightly.The translator sitting at the side repeated Christian’s words in Mandarin, ensuring everyone was on the same page.Christian felt the usual rhythm of business flowing through him.This was what he was go
