Semua Bab THE BILLIONAIRE SECRET TWIN HEIR : Bab 41 - Bab 50

The morning light spilled through my office windows, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floor. I scrolled through the third email that week from a nervous investor, my stomach clenching as I read their concerns."...rumors about the stability of Collins Designs...""...unable to commit at this time...""...will reconsider when the situation clarifies..."I slammed my laptop shut. Three major investors backing out in one week wasn't a coincidence.My phone buzzed. Tina."Your sister's in the lobby," she said, voice tight with disapproval. "Says she won't leave until she speaks with you."My blood turned to ice. "Jessica is here?""Want me to call security?"I pictured Jessica's face—my face but sharper, colder—making a scene in my company lobby. "No. Send her up."I stood, smoothing my skirt and squaring my shoulders. Eight years had passed since I'd fled New Jersey with nothing, built this company from scratch while raising the twins alone. I wouldn't let her see a hint

~ MICHAEL POV ~My office felt like a tomb—silent, cold, suffocating. Daniel stood across from me, his face grim as he slid the manila folder across my polished mahogany desk. The folder seemed to pulse with a life of its own, threatening everything I thought I knew."This is everything, Mr. Walton." Daniel's voice was steady, professional. "Took some digging, but it's all there."I stared at the folder, my hand hovering over it. "And you're certain?""One hundred percent. Digital footprints don't lie." He tapped the folder. "Emails. Bank transfers. Text messages. Jessica and Miller have been working together for years. Long before your divorce."My throat tightened as I finally opened it. Each page hit like a physical blow. Screenshots of text messages between Jessica and Miller dating back nine years ago. Email exchanges plotting how to get closer to me. Bank statements showing suspicious deposits into Jessica's offshore account every time Halgate had a major deal."Jesus Christ," I

My heart hammered against my ribs as Michael and I waited in the sleek black Bentley outside Halgate Group's headquarters. The towering glass building reflected the morning sunlight, almost blinding in its intensity. Eight years ago, I'd stood in this same spot as Michael's wife. Now I returned as his ally against the very people who'd torn us apart. "They're already inside." Michael's voice was tight, his knuckles white as he gripped his leather portfolio. "Jessica and Miller have been meeting with board members individually for weeks." I smoothed the lapel of my crimson power suit—a deliberate choice. Blood red. War colors. "Austin's fever broke completely last night," I said, needing to ground myself in what mattered most. "He asked if we were going to 'take down the bad guys' today." Michael's face softened, the worry lines around his eyes crinkling. "What did you tell him?" "That his mom and dad were working together to protect what belongs to him and Alex." I met his ga

My stomach coiled into a tight knot as I watched the sea of reporters surge forward, microphones thrust like weapons toward the podium. The air in the Halgate Group conference room felt electric, charged with anticipation and the acrid smell of fresh coffee and designer perfumes.I smoothed down my navy silk blouse, grateful Tina had insisted on the power suit this morning. "For the cameras," she'd said, as if she'd somehow known what today would bring.Michael stepped up to the podium, his shoulders squared beneath his tailored charcoal suit. His jaw tightened—that familiar tell when he was steeling himself. Eight years apart, and I could still read him like a well-worn novel."Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice." His voice—deeper than I remembered from our marriage—filled the room. Cameras clicked in rapid succession, the flashes momentarily blinding. Behind the curtained partition, I felt Alex's small hand slip into mine. "Mom, are you okay? You're sh

The hospital waiting room smelled like desperation and antiseptic. I'd been sitting in the same uncomfortable chair for three hours, my back aching, while Alex and Austin played games on my phone in the corner. Michael had gone to get coffee twenty minutes ago and hadn't returned.My life had become this strange dance—navigating between my independence and the gravitational pull of the Walton family. Never in a million years did I imagine I'd be here, waiting for news about Elizabeth's condition.A nurse pushed through the double doors. "Family of Elizabeth Walton?"I stood, smoothing my skirt. Part of me wanted to correct her—I wasn't family, not anymore—but the boys looked up, concern etched on their little faces that looked so much like Michael's."That's us," I said."She's stable now. The doctor's with her, but she's asking for..." The nurse checked her clipboard. "Aria Campbell?"My stomach clenched. "That's me.""Mom?" Austin appeared at my side, gripping my hand. "Is Grandma o