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Chapter Ninety-Seven – Fault Lines, Part VI
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2025-04-07 19:23:02
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Trapped 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
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-07Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter Ninety-Nine – Fault Lines, Part VIII
AdrianAs Adrian stepped inside the Ashford suite, the door clicked quietly behind him, the sound absorbed by the soft ambiance of the room. The air carried the scent of chamomile tea mixed with something distinctly reminiscent of her. He paused at the entrance, allowing the tranquility to envelop him like a gentle shroud over something fragile.Leila remained silent, instinctively retreating a step when he entered, placing a barrier between them despite the emotional distance that had already settled. Her arms were tightly crossed over her chest, sleeves pulled down over her hands, a gesture he interpreted not as anger but as self-defense.She was barefoot, dressed in one of those oversized sweaters she favored when she wanted to disappear into herself. He recalled the first time he saw her wearing it, curled up on his couch with a book on her lap, frowning in frustration over misplaced reading glasses. That memory felt painfully distant.His heart ached.She was there. Safe.Yet sti
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-08Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred – Fault Lines, Part IX
LeilaThe message on her phone screen was like a knife pressed against her skin.Did you really think he loves you? If yes, then why did he allow you to stay there instead of persuading you to leave with him?Leila stared at it, the words burning into her mind, imprinting themselves like a brand. Her breathing became shallow as she tightened her grip on the phone, her knuckles turning white from the strain. The cool surface of the device dug into her palm, yet it wasn’t enough to ground her. Nothing was.She recognized that tone, even though it was associated with an anonymous number.Camille.She could almost sense the smirk in her tone, the casual malice hidden within a harsh reality. Camille had always known how to distort the truth so it could inflict the deepest wounds. And worst of all—Leila felt herself bleeding from it.Because the part of her that had fought fiercely to reclaim her voice now trembled under the weight of that simple claim.Still owns you.Leila exhaled sharply
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-08Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred One – Fault Lines, Part X
AdrianThe silence that filled the lounge after Adrian spoke was not just heavy; it felt suffocating. The kind of silence that wrapped itself around the room like smoke and making each breath a challenge.Graham Sterling’s complexion lightened, just a fraction, enough to reveal the truth hidden beneath his polished facade.Adrian maintained his composure without raising his voice or shifting his stance. His stillness alone was a statement, a force in itself. Every inch of him radiated control—a chilling control that made the dimly lit lounge seem colder. Shadows warped around him, and the overhead light cast sharp shadows on his cheekbones. Yet, his eyes seemed even darker than the room itself, deeper than the accusations that hung around them.Leila remained frozen nearby, her face unreadable. Her gaze fixed on him, but he didn't meet her eyes. Not yet.This moment was not about her.At least, not right now.It was directed towards those who thought they could use her as a weapon aga
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-09Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Two – Illusions and Deceptions
CamilleIt was almost amusingly simple.Camille Thornton settled back in her plush velvet armchair, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, a half-full glass of red wine shimmering in the dim light beside her. The glow from her tablet flickered across the crystal surface as she browsed through one sensational headline after another, each one more provocative than the last. Her timing had been exquisite—strategic, even surgical. Just one anonymous email, one attachment, and a handful of media contacts she had nurtured for years had ignited the fire.The document she leaked was deceptively straightforward: a scanned contract with Adrian Blackwell' signature on one side and Leila Carter' on the other. It was embossed and legitimized, complete with official letterhead.“Engagement Agreement Between Parties – Exclusively For the Purpose of Public Image Management and Investor Assurance.”The wording was calculated, cold, devoid of any romance. It stripped their love story down to its cor
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-09Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Three – War of Shadows
AdrianMinutes after the press conference ended, its repercussions were already causing shockwaves across the fault lines they had been trying to mend for a while. Calls and messages flooded in through personal channels, encrypted threads, and secure communication apps. Some were congratulatory notes from loyal partners and long-standing allies, while others were cautious inquiries from stakeholders assessing whether the turmoil was truly subsiding or if they were merely sheltered in the calm before another storm.Yet, what captured Adrian’s focus wasn’t the influx of communication.It was the silence.A noticeable absence of immediate reaction 1111from the more politically adept board members. The deliberate stillness from institutional investors known for backing whichever side promised higher returns. The friends who had not reached out—those always quick to respond after a public announcement.In Adrian’s realm, silence signified strategy—not neutrality. And strategy often conceal
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-10Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Four: The Structure of a Narrative
LeilaThe penthouse had transformed from a home into a strategy room. Once representative of modern elegance and tranquility, the walls now felt charged with an unspoken tension, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Every edge seemed too sharp, every inhale too shallow. Leila's heels echoed on the polished floor like gunfire, her chest constricted by an unnamed tempest brewing inside her. This wasn’t simple anxiety; it was a simmering rage—cold and calculated, rooted deeply in her core, pressing against her consciousness as she scrutinized the encrypted files Gwen had just sent over: the audio, the metadata, the spectral breakdown. “It’s fake,” Gwen asserted over the secure call, her tone unwavering despite the static from the international connection. Fatigue clouded her eyes, while her voice betrayed a sense of conflict. “Or rather, it’s real pieces rearranged—spliced together like a monstrous confession.” Leila’s brow knitted together. “What makes you think that?” “I ran mu
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-10Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Chapter One Hundred Five – The Back Door
LleilaThe silence in the penthouse was stifling, not calming.It felt heavy, as if the entire world was holding its breath, poised for something to shatter.Leila walked purposefully through the space. The expansive dining table, usually reserved for quiet meals or occasional strategy discussions, was now a disorderly array of tablets, graphs, Gwen’s notes, and encrypted flash drives. Each item hinted at a chilling truth.Camille was far from finished.Not even close.And this time, her attack was from within.Leila hovered over Gwen’s latest data stream, meticulously examining lines of code, financial transactions, and metadata with intense scrutiny. Even after hours of analysis, she kept uncovering fresh details that made her uneasy.They had narrowly withstood Camille’s last offensive. The manipulated audio intended to undermine Adrian's credibility was countered by their own leak. The media had bitten, and analysts were already dismantling Camille’s alleged “smoking gun,” reveali
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2025-04-11
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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
