Semua Bab The Billionaire's Bride: Our Vows Do Not Matter: Bab 71 - Bab 80

The keys clattered onto the mahogany desk, signaling the end of another victorious battle in the courtroom. Cathleen's heels clicked a definitive rhythm as she strode out of the law firm, her shoulders squared against the weight of her reputation—undefeated, unyielding. The evening sky was a canvas of dusky blues and purples, with shadows playing across the parking lot where Xavier's sleek car sat unattended. It felt like an act of defiance just to slide into the driver's seat and claim something of his or hers, even temporarily.She maneuvered through the city streets with precision, her lips set in a thin line. Each stoplight was a momentary pause in her tightly wound existence, each green light, a silent permission to continue on this path she had been shackled to. The vehicle hummed to a stop in the familiar driveway, and her hand reached for the walking stick, a necessary tool since the accident that Xavier never asked about. She braced herself against its solid support, each ste

Raindrops drummed a steady rhythm on the canvas above as Cathleen and Xavier stood shoulder-to-shoulder, ensnared in an uneasy truce beneath their shared umbrella. The water fountain before them, a marble spectacle, gushed obliviously to the tension that coiled tighter with each heartbeat."I'm sure your girlfriend would love this place," Cathleen ventured, her voice cutting through the pelting rain with genuine curiosity.Xavier's response was swift, with a sharpened edge to his words. "I bought this house for you, Cathleen." His insistence bore the weight of possession, of claims staked, and of expectations set.Her gaze fixed upon the relentless cascade of the fountain, Cathleen tilted her chin up, meeting his stare with cool detachment. The gravity of his declaration failed to stir her; instead, it solidified her resolve. "Xavier, this whole marriage thing isn't going to work." Her words were scalpel-precise, severing illusions with surgical clarity. "I don't like you, and you don

Water drummed against Xavier's skin, the heat searing away the remnants of sleep. His thoughts churned as he thought of Cathleen’s cooking. She was creative and good at it. The thought of her butternut soup made him hasten his movements in the shower. With swift efficiency, he dried off, dressed in tailored attire, and descended the staircase with purpose.As he reached the bottom, his gaze cut through the morning light toward Olivia. Draped across an armchair, she was a disheveled vision of lace—yesterday's lingerie clinging to her like a second skin. His frown was immediate, a silent condemnation. She might as well have hoisted a flag, declaring war on Cathleen's dignity—an affront he couldn't ignore despite the void where love should reside.Without a word, he took his place at the head of the dining table, the chair scraping the floor with a harsh sound that echoed his mood. The helpers entered a ballet of practiced motions delivering breakfast—a feast that underlined the absence

Cathleen's eyelids fluttered against the sterile white light that invaded her vision. Agony pulsed through her skull, a relentless drumbeat that seemed to echo off the walls of the hospital room. She tried to piece together the events that led to this moment but found only fragments in the void."Let me call your husband," the doctor's voice cut through the fog in her mind, his silhouette blurred as he pivoted on his heel and hurried out.Downstairs, Xavier was jolted from his brooding by the doctor's announcement. "Mr. Knight, your wife is awake." The words propelled him upward, each step a march toward confrontation.But as he ascended, Olivia descended, her presence an unwanted obstacle. "Xavier, can you please give me some cash? I didn't drive here. I used Uber," she pleaded, her voice a blend of hope and desperation.Xavier halted, the air between them crackling with tension. "Where were you going without money?" His tone was icy and accusatory. "Don't you think you should not ha

Cathleen's grip slackened, her resolve wavering in the gilded foyer of their grandiose home. The weighty click of her luggage clasped shut echoed, a symbol of her intent to depart. Doctor West, stern as ever, approached with outstretched hands, firm and sure, seizing the handles that she couldn't bear. His arms tensed as he lifted, his eyes not unkind, guiding the heavy burdens away from her trembling form."Nothing that belongs to my wife will leave this premises. Including her," Xavier's voice sliced through the air, a razor-edged decree that halted everyone in their tracks. It was laced with an authority that bordered on the primitive, a claim staked deep into the ground of his estate.Doctor West's movement ceased, his spine stiffening and the wheels of the suitcase coming to a standstill against the marble floor. He turned, searching Xavier's eyes for any trace of Jest, only to find none. Even Old Mr. Knight, who stood a silent sentinel by the doorway, furrowed his brow in ponder