All Chapters of The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The air in Alexander's office was thick with pressure. The weak murmur of the city underneath scarcely arrived at the glass fortification where we sat, encompassed by mahogany work areas and racks fixed with leather-bound books. The morning sunlight filtered in through the windows, casting sharp lines across the room, but it did little to warm the chill that had settled between us.Alexander was seated at his desk, his elbows resting on the dark wood, his hands steepled under his chin. His jaw was clenched, his look fixed on the reports spread before him. It wasn't the typical controlled certainty I had generally expected from him. This was unique. He looked... cornered.I moved in my seat opposite him, the heaviness of implicit words pushing on my chest. I had gone through the whole evening sorting out an arrangement — a strong one — and presently, as I arranged to lay everything out, the questions started to sneak in. Could he try and pay attention to me?"Alexander," I started relu

“Secrets don’t stay buried forever.” The words hovered in my mind as I stared at the manila folder on Alexander’s desk, my heart racing like it was in a sprint I’d never prepared for.I knew better than to pry. I wasn’t some naïve girl stumbling into unknown territory anymore. But curiosity? It was a dangerous thing—one I couldn’t shake no matter how tightly I gripped the desk to steady myself.“What are you hiding, Alexander?” I whispered, the question barely audible over the roaring in my ears.The answer lay in my hands. And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.The folder was full of damning evidence: emails, contracts, financial statements—all of them pointing to one conclusion. Samuel Grayson wasn’t just another competitor. He was a man with a vendetta, a grudge so deep it bled through every single page.My fingers trembled as I flipped to a grainy photo paperclipped to a sheet. It was of Alexander and Grayson, standing side by side, years younger, smiles painted on their faces.

“You want me to sit in a room full of sharks and pretend I belong there?”Alexander glanced at me from across the kitchen island, his brow arched in that infuriating way that made me feel small and challenged all at once. He stirred his coffee with the precision of a man who controlled empires, as though the fate of the world depended on the perfect swirl of cream.“You don’t have to pretend, Leila,” he said coolly, his voice a low rumble. “You already belong there.”I snorted, leaning against the counter for support. “Oh, is that why half your board can’t stop staring at me like I’m an intruder every time I walk into a room?”His hand froze mid-stir, the subtle tightening of his jaw the only indication that my words had landed. “They stare because they’re curious,” he said, setting his spoon down with deliberate care. “You’re a wildcard. Unpredictable. That’s what makes you valuable.”“Valuable?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes. “I feel more like a liability.”He rounded the island in

“Get down!”Alexander’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade, sharp and unyielding. I barely had time to process his words before he yanked me behind him, his body shielding mine as the deafening crack of shattering glass echoed through the penthouse.“What’s happening?” My voice trembled, panic rising like a tidal wave in my chest.“Stay here,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. He moved swiftly, his movements precise, controlled.I didn’t listen.“Alexander, wait!” I grabbed his arm, my nails digging into the fabric of his suit. “You can’t go out there alone.”His dark eyes bore into mine, filled with a mix of frustration and something far more tender—fear. “Leila, I need you to trust me. Please.”The word hung between us, rare and raw, cutting through the noise in my head. I nodded, even as every instinct screamed at me to follow him.He slipped out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me in suffocating silence.I pressed my back against the w

“You need to see this.”Alexander’s voice was sharp, clipped, and was like a blade slicing through the quiet morning. I barely had time to set my coffee cup down before he tossed his phone onto the kitchen counter in front of me.The screen glared up at me, displaying a headline that sent a chill down my spine, and what I saw was:“Hawke Industries Under Fire: Confidential Documents Expose Questionable Business Practices.”My heart sank as I scanned the article; each word was like a hammering blow on my head. It wasn’t just an attack on his company it was personal. The details were too precise, too intimate to be anything but a deliberate attempt to dismantle and eliminate everything Alexander had built.“Alexander,” I breathed, looking up at him.He stood across from me, his jaw tight, his hands braced against the counter. His usual composed exterior was cracking, the tension in his shoulders betraying the storm raging beneath the surface.“This isn’t just a leak,” he said, his voice