All Chapters of My Daughter Found Me A Billionaire Husband : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Ryan EdwardsI don’t know why it bothers me.Theo pulling out the chair for her. Theo carrying her files like she’s too fragile to hold them herself. Theo making her laugh under his breath when she’s nervous.It shouldn’t matter. He’s my best friend. He’s always been like this—steady, dependable. But when it’s Lily, I feel this heat rising in my chest. Like I want to tell him to back off.Which makes no sense.I keep telling myself it’s nothing. Just me being… protective. But when I watch them sitting side by side, leaning close over the case notes, something twists inside me. My hands ball into fists before I even realize it.So I sit closer. My shoulder brushes hers. My hand lingers on the table near hers. Little things. Nothing anyone else would notice. But I notice. She notices too, even if she pretends not to.Because that’s the one thing I’m sure of—she feels me.I know it when her breath hitches as I lean in. I know it when her eyes flicker to my mouth, just for a second, befor

Lily Thompson It started in small ways. He checked the locks twice before bed. He kept his phone face-up beside him at the table. He offered to drive me everywhere, even when it was just to campus. “Paranoid much?” I teased one morning as he leaned out the window, scanning the street before letting Isabella and me climb into the car. “Careful much,” he corrected. I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I was grateful. At college, though, he couldn’t hover. And that was when the feeling crept in—the prickling sensation that someone’s eyes were on me. It happened in the library first. I was shelving books for one of my classes when I caught the reflection of a figure in the glass. By the time I turned, no one was there. Later, in the courtyard, I felt it again. A weight on my back. I glanced around, saw nothing but students laughing and scrolling on their phones. Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe paranoia was contagious. I wasn’t expecting anything when I swung open my lock

Lily Thompson The warning note was still on my nightstand, staring at me like a curse. I had read it over and over again, waiting for it to convince me to give up. But every time my eyes reached the last word, anger replaced fear. Lose everything. I had already lost too much. I wasn’t losing myself again. Drop the case or else. That was all it said. No signature. No name. No face to blame. I held it so tight my fingers shook. My stomach twisted. For a second, I wanted to rip it apart, pretend it never came. Pretend I could just live my life, raise Isabella, and not stir ghosts that clearly wanted to stay buried. But I couldn’t breathe right. My chest felt heavy. The words looped in my head, louder than my own thoughts. Before I knew it, my phone was in my hand. My thumb found Theo’s number. He picked up on the second ring. “Lily?” His voice was warm, steady. Always steady. I swallowed hard. “Theo… I—I got something in the mail. Another warning.” A pause. Then,

Lily Thompson The session began. “Case of Lily Thompson versus Dante Evans,” the clerk announced. Hearing my name spoken like that, official, public sent a rush of nerves through me. My palms were sweating, and I kept rubbing them against my skirt under the table. My lawyer stood up. She adjusted her glasses, calm, firm, like she had done this a hundred times before. “Your Honor,” she began, her voice steady, “we are here today because my client, Lily Thompson, was denied her rightful inheritance after her father’s death. The estate was taken and controlled by her stepfather, Mr. Dante, under circumstances that were not only unfair, but unlawful.” I tried to sit still, but my knee bounced under the desk. I glanced sideways at Ryan. He gave me the smallest nod. Theo was right behind me, close enough that I could feel his presence. Anchors. She continued, “We will show that Mr. Dante manipulated documents, created false debts, and misrepresented the wishes of the decease

Lily Thompson When the gavel hit and the judge adjourned, I let out a shaky breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. My chest still felt tight. My hands were clammy against the folder I had been gripping all morning. It didn’t matter that the hearing was over for the day. My body still felt trapped in that courtroom, my stepfather’s smug face burned into my mind. I tried to stand as gracefully as I could, but my knees wobbled. Ryan was instantly at my side, steadying me with a hand at my elbow, his touch firm and grounding. “Easy,” he murmured low, just for me. The warmth in his voice almost undid me, but I forced my chin up. The last thing I wanted was for anyone, especially my stepfather to see me break. Theo came around on my other side, holding out a folder. “You were strong in there,” he said, his eyes searching mine with something gentler than I expected. “Don’t let him rattle you.” Strong. I didn’t feel strong. I felt like I’d just been cracked open and put on display.