All Chapters of A Billionaire's Bargain: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Zayn's POV Ultra texted earlier. Cryptic as ever, he claimed he had leads on the media circus surrounding Araceli, insisting it had to be discussed in person. Typical. Instead of sending an email or making a simple phone call, he wanted me to drive halfway across the city. But Ultra wasn’t normal. Brilliant? Yes. Strange? Absolutely. And exactly the kind of person I needed in my corner right now. The café was quiet when I arrived. Dim lighting, soft jazz playing in the background, a perfect cover for a discreet meeting. Black shades shielded my face. The media was still buzzing with my name, and I wasn’t in the mood to give them more fodder. Ultra sat at a corner table, his laptop open, blue light illuminating his sharp, almost hawkish features. Surrounding him was an array of gadgets and wires that made his table look like a tech shrine. He didn’t even glance up when I approached. “Mr. Vanderbilt,” he greeted, fingers flying across the keyboard. His voice carried that usual d

Zayn's Pov I nudged the bedroom door open with my shoulder, carefully balancing the tray in my hand. The scent of basil and tomatoes filled the air as I stepped inside, where Araceli sat propped against the headboard, her laptop on her thighs, her eyes puffy and tired. “Special delivery,” I said, setting the tray down on the nightstand. She glanced at the bowl, her lips quirking into a faint smile. “What’s this?” “Minestrone,” I said, straightening up. “Made it myself. Every chop and stir done with love.” Her eyebrows shot up, and for the first time all day, a teasing glint appeared in her eyes. “With love, huh? Are you sure it wasn’t the chef who made it? Because this looks too perfect to be yours.” I smirked, grabbing the spoon and holding it out to her. “You wound me, mi amor. After all the effort I put in preparing this master delicacy, this is the thanks I get?” She chuckled softly, the sound a little raspy from her earlier vomiting. “I will believe you when

Zayn's Pov I stood by my home office window, starring out in the dark. I could see the whole of the estate, the soft glow of the garden lights flickered against the marble pathways, gently lighting up the area. The trees gently swayed as it was not so windy tonight. I ran a hand over my face, exhaling slowly. My jaw clenched as I replayed the conversation from earlier. As much as I would love to turn my back on it, I couldn’t. If that man is serious, Caleb's life might just be hanging on a thin rope. This isn’t the first time I am being dragged into my brother’s mess. It sure as hell wouldn’t be the last. But this time, I was done letting him get it easy. He is a grown up and will be treated as such. A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts. I turned as Araceli stepped inside, already looking at me with that knowing expression. “You are overthinking again,” she murmured, closing the door behind her. You are overthinking again,” she murmured, closing the door behind her. I

Araceli's Pov I opened my eyes slowly. The sun was just rising, painting the room in a soft orange glow. Zayn’s arm was wrapped around my waist, and I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. I didn’t move. I didn’t want to. This moment felt peaceful, like nothing else in the world mattered. He shifted behind me and kissed my shoulder. “You awake?” “Yeah,” I whispered, smiling. “Mmm. Good. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.” I turned to face him. “You are still going?” He nodded. “Yeah, the flight is in a few hours. I have to be at the airport soon.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Can’t you cancel it?” He chuckled. “Business doesn’t wait, baby.” I sighed. “Fine. But let me help you pack.” We both got up slowly. I pulled on a robe and tied it around my waist. He walked to the closet, pulling out a few shirts and slacks. I joined him, folding things into his suitcase on the bed. “How many days will you be gone?” “Just four days, mi amor.” “Four days is

Zayn's Pov (Lengthy chapter) After the call, I could not sit still. Araceli's voice stayed in my head. She was scared. The sound of her yelling replayed in my head on loop. She had scream something along the line of her father before the call ended and that's all the clue I needed. That was it, no more guessing. It was not Freya or Caleb. It was Victor, her father. The one she feared and never wanted to speak about. I can still remember the night she woke up after having a nightmare about him. I left my office and walked fast to the security room. My heart was beating hard, and fast. A lingering feeling of fear tried to crawl up my spine but I pushed it back down. When I got there, three men were watching the cameras. "Pull up all security footage from the last three weeks," I said, walking straight in. They all looked up from their monitors. "Right away, sir," said Jerry, the one with the medicated glasses. He always wore them because he had a bad eye from an ol