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Chapter Ninety- Fractured Foundations
최신 업데이트:
2025-04-03 18:10:14
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Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-One: Shadows of Doubt
The city was constantly alive, never truly at rest.Even now, long past midnight, lights shone from skyscraper windows, their artificial glow pooling on the wet streets below. The distant sound of traffic created a soft backdrop—a reminder that the world outside the turmoil within her continued. As Leila sat in her parked car, gripping the steering wheel as if it were a lifeline, it felt as if time had frozen around her. The burden of the last few hours weighed heavily on her, leaving her breathless, her mind tangled in a web of doubt and betrayal.She had switched off the engine over an hour ago but she hadn't moved. Not physically, at least. But mentally, emotionally, she had drifted about in a storm, battered by the waves of uncertainty. She spent years navigating Adrian’s world, understanding its rules, and mastering the art of survival in a game where trust was a currency often counterfeited. And yet, nothing had prepared her for this turmoil.The harrowing realization struck
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-04Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Two - Faulty Lines
Leila didn’t return home.She wasn’t even sure what home meant anymore.The city loomed around her, indifferent, its neon lights flickering against the dark sky. The streets were never truly deserted, yet amidst the ongoing hustle and bustle, she felt increasingly alone and unmoored, as if the ground had disappeared beneath her.Camille’s words had dug deep into her mind, sharp and insidious, pressing against wounds she hadn’t realized existed. After Camille has left the parking lot, those words reverberated persistently in her head.“Do you think you’re just another carefully controlled piece on his board?”It was a question she had never asked herself. Adrian had always made her feel valued, never like a mere pawn. But the more she replayed their time together—the way he had pulled her into his world, protected her, guided her, shaped her decisions—the more she began to doubt.Had everything been predetermined? Had he been steering her toward this life long before she recognized how
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-04Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Three—Fault Lines, Part II
Leila awoke to a profound stillness.There were no distant gunshots or whispers from Adrian’s men outside the penthouse. The usual tumult of her life was absent.And so was Adrian.That choice had been hers.She had checked into a high-end hotel room that offered not just luxury but also privacy. There were no digital footprints, no paper trails, and certainly no inquiries to deal with. If Adrian, Connor or Camille attempted to locate her, they would struggle to do so.Not that she was hiding. Not from Adrian.She simply needed space.Space to think. Space to breathe.Recent events had unraveled something vital within her, pulling apart her understanding of her life. Camille’s words had only force her to face the realities she had long ignored.Adrian’s hold over her life was deeper than she had recognized.And even worse—she had allowed it.Leila sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. She had barely slept, and her mind spiraled through endless memories and half-formed doubt
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-05Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Four—Fault Lines, Part III
AdrianThe city was constantly alive.And so was Adrian.He stood in front of the towering floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, gazing out at the dazzling skyline. The city pulsed with activity—cars navigated the streets below, their headlights casting fleeting golden glimmers on the wet road. Pedestrians drifted beneath the soft glow of streetlights, becoming shadows in the night. It all felt so ordinary.Yet, his life had come to a standstill.Leila was gone.Not lost. Not taken.She had chosen to leave.And that was so much worse.Adrian’s grip tightened around the glass of whiskey he held, though the amber liquid remained untouched. He had poured it out of habit, but drinking felt pointless. No amount of alcohol could ease the ache in his chest or the gnawing realization that, for the first time in years, he was powerless.Twenty-four hours had passed.That was how long it had been since she walked out.In that time, he had come to understand what true silence felt like.His
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-05Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Five - Fault Lines, Part IV
AdrianThe city had lost its brightness.Adrian had always perceived life in black and white—order or chaos, strength or weakness, success or failure. Now, however, everything appeared gray, dull. The lively world outside his penthouse window felt remote, as if it belonged to a realm untouched by him.Leila had taken something with her when she left, but he didn’t know if it was gone for good.He sat in his office, elbows resting on the polished mahogany desk, he stared blankly at the screen of his laptop, displaying a financial report. The words blurred into a jumble of meaningless text that held no weight against the storm in his mind. He hadn’t slept and had barely eaten. The void left by her absence gnawed at him, carving out an emptiness he hadn’t realized he could feel.Connor entered quietly, placing a steaming cup of coffee on the desk with an uncharacteristic quietness.Adrian didn’t look up right away. “Any news?” His voice was raw and strained from fatigue.Connor hesitated
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-06Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Six – Fault Lines, Part V
AdrianThe city glowed with neon lights through the rain, every streetlight and car headlight smearing across the windshield in shades of red, gold, and stark white. The storm had persisted all night—the heavy raindrops hit the car's roof like clockwork, rhythmic and relentless. It softened the city's outlines, transforming distinct corners and straight edges into a hazy watercolor filled with tension.Adrian occupied the backseat of his black Maserati, one leg crossed over the other as the leather shifted quietly beneath his stillness. He gazed outside as fragments of the city rushed by. The world moved on without him paying any mind to the frenzy outside.He wasn’t in a hurry.Not tonight.Camille believed she had the upper hand. She thought he was scrambling to catch up. She thought he was desperate.She was wrong.His fingers drummed a slow, deliberate beat against his thigh, the only visible sign of the storm brewing beneath his composed facade. He knew her too well—the games, th
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-06Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Seven – Fault Lines, Part VI
AdrianRain slithered down the windows in thin silver streams, painting the world outside in long, wavering streaks of neon and shadow. The city pulsed with restless energy, its lights fractured by the downpour into flickering, distorted fragments. Adrian sat motionless in the back seat of the car, the hum of the engine and the rhythmic patter of water against glass the only sound around him.But his mind was anything but quiet.Camille’s words echoed there like a low drumbeat—steady, taunting, unrelenting.“Leila’s gone. And you don’t know where she is. But I do.”He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to breathe slowly through his nose. The emotional response was useless. Uncontrolled reactions were a liability, and Camille was counting on that.Across from him, Connor shifted, his body tense with frustration. He didn’t like this situation—hadn’t liked it since the moment Adrian said they were meeting with Camille. And now that they’d left the café, he was practically vibrating with u
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-07Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Eight – Fault Lines, Part VII
AdrianRain ran down the windows in shiny streams as the car navigated the city's main streets. The roads twinkled with the remnants of daylight, now replaced by a rhythmic dance of red taillights and illuminated signs reflected in the puddles below. Adrian remained still in the rear seat, one elbow resting on the door, his fingers lightly brushing the leather armrest. Outside, the city pulsed with bursts of neon, each reflection twisting like a mirage on the glass.But his mind wasn't on the view.It was on Camille.And more specifically—what she had given him.The Ashford Hotel.He replayed the moment she mentioned it, the calm confidence in her gaze as if she were handing him a winning card. But it had come too easily. Too smooth. Which meant Camille believed she had the upper hand.Which also meant she was wrong.“She gave you what you wanted,” Connor said from the other side of the seat, suspicion lacing his words. “But it’s Camille. She never does anything without having her own
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-07
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Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine – The World, and Ours
After The DischargeThey left the hospital on a crisp Tuesday morning, the kind where the sky looked freshly blue, and the air tinged with the scent of rain, brick, and the first hints of greenery breaking through the earth. While spring hadn’t fully arrived, its presence was felt—curling at the edges of the winter cold, whispering promises in the wind. The world was on the brink of renewal, and so, it appeared, were they.Leila stood just outside the hospital room, holding Elias snugly against her chest in the soft wrap she and Adrian had diligently practiced tying for weeks. The fabric enveloped him securely, holding his tiny body close to her heartbeat. He was so light that she could almost forget he was there—until she felt his warmth against her, the gentle rise and fall of his breath, and the occasional flutter of his tiny fingers brushing against her ribs like a fleeting dream.In her mind, she had imagined being overwhelmed with fear as she left the clinical environment filled
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight– A Name Yet to be Spoken
On a quiet Thursday afternoon, they prepared the hospital bag, the kind of day that felt like the breath held between seasons. Sunlight streamed through the nursery windows in fractured, amber beams, creating dynamic patterns on the light walls and wooden floor. The room carried a faint lavender fragrance from the sachets she'd tucked into the dresser drawers, blending harmoniously with the soft scent of baby powder and an essence of comfort.Leila perched on the edge of the rocker, carefully folding tiny onesies with trembling fingers. A persistent ache in her back felt like a pressure that came and went like the tide, making her pause frequently—not just to stretch, but to breathe deeply, to steadying herself against the looming arrival.“Almost there,” Adrian said, crouching beside the open suitcase. He handed her a pair of impossibly small white socks with pale blue trim, and the sight of them sent a new wave of emotion through her chest.She smiled, though her heart felt too tig
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven – The Weight of Light
LeilaThe first real morning of spring arrived quietly, with a hush so tender it made her ache.The sunlight streamed in through the kitchen windows in rich, golden beams, draping the stone countertops like honey flowing from above. It flowed across the hardwood floors they had chosen together months earlier, every board selected after deliberation and laughter. Now, those very floors gleamed under the morning light, imbued with memories. The windows were cracked open just enough to let in the refreshing morning breeze, carrying the scents of moist earth, budding flowers, and something vibrantly green.Leila stood barefoot at the cooker, wrapped in one of Adrian’s old flannel shirts with sleeves rolled up past her elbows. She stirred a pot of oatmeal slowly, savoring the slower pace. Her body felt differently now—more balanced, a daily reminder of their shared journey. She moved with a newfound grace, as if the earth itself had become a part of her. Every step was intentional, each br
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six – In The Quiet That Follows
AdrianHe woke before the sun breached the horizon.The brownstone was enveloped in a stillness that felt almost sacred. Outside, the city seemed to hang in that fleeting, fragile moment between night and day—a time when the world itself hesitated to breathe. Shadows stretched across the ceiling, and the silence felt heavy, like the calm that follows a storm after it has finally burned itself out.Adrian didn't move at first. He remained still beneath the blanket, one arm cradling Leila's as she curled against him, her head resting just above his heart. Her breath came slow and even, rising and falling with the rhythm of sleep, one hand splayed softly over the steady thrum of his chest like she was anchoring herself to his steady pulse.He closed his eyes and absorbed the moment.Not just the sensation of her presence or the warmth of the sheets, but the simple, unassuming peace that accompanied it. A tranquility that didn’t seek recognition but merely existed. For the first time in
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five — When Familiar Comes Home
Gwen's Arrival Gwen arrived on a cloud-covered afternoon, when the world seemed to hold its breath. Leila stood on the sacred-feeling brownstone steps, her pale wool scarf wrapped around her, her coat partially zipped over her gently rounded stomach. The air was infused with the scent of wet stone and lavender, faint traces of the cleaning oil lingering around the house's edges.When the cab arrived, Leila remained still, watching Gwen emerge, carrying a worn canvas bag. Gwen's thin coat appeared more appropriate for warmer weather, and her hair was pulled up in a messy knot, strands flying loose in the breeze.They exchanged silent glances across the distance for a moment.Then Gwen dropped the bag and bounded up the stairs in two swift strides.Leila stepped forward just in time to catch her, and they embraced—tight and sudden, yet utterly right. Gwen's arms wrapped around Leila's back, her breath hitching against Leila's shoulder."You look like spring," Gwen murmured, her voice t
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four — The Spaces We Fill
Few days later, they navigated the renovated brownstone as if they were gliding through the pages of a story they'd once only dared to imagine.The floors, once scattered with splinters and gaps, had been replaced with reclaimed wood that hummed gracefully beneath their feet. The staircase—rebuilt, sanded, and stained—no longer creaked under their weight but instead welcomed them into their newly crafted existence. Each room exuded the lingering aroma of fresh paint, pine wood polish, and lavender oil—an unusual yet soothing blend that lingered in the air like a cherished memory.Leila paused in the entryway, running her fingers along the newly fitted doorframe. Her other hand rested on the slight curve of her belly, subtly hidden under her sweater but undeniable to her. She watched as Adrian moved through the living room, skillfully opening the windows to let in the gentle spring breeze.She smiled slightly. “It feels like it’s alive.”Adrian looked back at her, his gaze softening. “
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three — What we're Building
LeilaThe nausea didn't creep in-- it slammed into her suddenly, like a crashing wave.One moment, she was on the gallery floor, crouched in a patch of warm light, her hands buried in fabric samples she'd been collecting over the past week. She had midnight blue for the reading nook and a muted rose she hoped would work in the nursery—gentle and grounding. This task felt reassuring, providing a rare sense of control amidst the chaos.Then, without warning, everything shifted.The room spun violently, causing her stomach to turn with it. Her hands slipped off the pile of swatches, and she barely managed to get to her feet and rush to the bathroom, gripping the doorframe for support as her heart raced. She felt clammy and disoriented, as if her own body had betrayed her.Nausea struck in relentless waves while she leaned over the sink, gripping the cold porcelain and breathing shallowly through her nose. Her reflection revealed pale skin and heavy, shadowed eyes.By the time Adrian arri
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two: Told in Gentle Light
Pregnancy RevealLeila dialed Gwen from the gallery, her fingers quivering slightly as she made the call.The space was empty that morning, still resonating with the echoes of laughter and footsteps from the other night’s opening. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, creating long, golden lines on the smooth concrete floor. Her latest collection adorned the walls—images that felt like fragments of her heart captured in ink and shadow. Yet none of these works, not even the proudest or most vulnerable work she'd hung there, compared to what she felt within her now.Gwen picked up on the third ring, her voice thick with sleep and that familiar, dry-edged affection.“Hello?” came the croaky murmur.“I didn’t wake you, did I?” Leila asked, slowly pacing between two canvases. She paused in front of one featuring Adrian at the lake, wind tousling his hair and vulnerability etched in every feature. It was one of the few photos she had been unable to let go of.“You did,” Gwen replied w
Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One-Laying the Foundation
----LeilaThat morning, their conversation was sparse—not due to avoidance or a lack of topics, but because the weight of what had just shifted between them made words feel.....too small.Silence wrapped around them like a comforting blanket—not chilly or distant, but respectful. It felt as if speaking too soon might shatter the delicate truth lingering between them.Leila retreated to the window seat, captivated by the view even though she barely noticed it. She curled her knees beneath her, a throw blanket resting on her legs, while an untouched cup of tea—over-steeped and cold—sat on the windowsill. Thirst was not her concern; she wasn’t even sure what she felt. Just that something within her was in flux, rearranging.Across the room, Adrian quietly moved around the kitchen, the sounds of a mug clinking, water boiling, and his soft footsteps creating a soothing background. He didn’t press her with questions or attempt to fill the silence, but every so often, she sensed his gaze on
