Semua Bab The billionaire's secret vows : Bab 71 - Bab 80

The tunnel stretched on endlessly, winding through the cold earth like a forgotten secret. The only light came from Simon’s flashlight, flickering against the damp stone walls. Sophia kept her hand entwined with Adrian’s, though his grip had loosened—his steps slower, staggered. She could feel it now more than ever: his body was failing him.“Adrian,” she said softly, her voice barely rising above the echo of their footsteps. “You’re bleeding again.”“I’m fine.” His answer was mechanical, like it had been all night.She halted, refusing to move until he turned to face her. “No, you’re not.”He tried to tug her forward, but his strength faltered. The moment his weight shifted, he stumbled against the wall, groaning under his breath.Simon spun around. “That’s it. We’re stopping. He’s losing too much blood.”“I said I’m—” Adrian’s protest faded as his knees buckled.“Adrian!” Sophia caught him, her arms wrapping around his waist as he slumped into her.Simon moved fast, shrugging off hi

Rain fell softly.Not a downpour. Not a storm. Just a quiet drizzle, like the world was trying to wash away the blood and lies that had soaked too deep into their bones.Sophia sat by Adrian’s hospital bed, a thin blanket draped around her shoulders. Her clothes were still damp from the forest, her knuckles scraped, her body sore. But none of that mattered. Not when the man lying unconscious beside her had nearly died—for the second time in as many weeks.The machines around them beeped with steady rhythm, his chest rising and falling with every breath. Each one was a small victory. Proof that he was still here.Still hers.Her fingers hovered near his, close enough to feel his warmth but afraid to touch him, as if contact would shatter the fragile peace that hung between life and loss. The room was dimly lit, shadows cast by the blinking monitors. The sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the air, mixing with the faint aroma of rain from the window left slightly ajar.It reminded her

The city glimmered below like a thousand secrets, each light a whisper of stories no one dared tell.Lauren Evans stepped into the old Blackstone Warehouse at the pier—once a shell company for Adrian’s early holdings, now abandoned. Dust clung to the floor, and the silence hummed with memories. This was where she’d helped him fake the medical records. Where they’d first begun the charade.Now it felt like a graveyard.She didn’t flinch when Sophia emerged from the shadows.“I thought you’d bring security,” Lauren said flatly.“I figured if you were going to kill me, you wouldn’t have waited this long.”A beat of silence passed. Lauren smirked. “Fair enough.”Sophia crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. “Why did you come?”Lauren let out a slow breath. “Because I’m tired. Of Mercer. Of lies. Of pretending like I don’t know who I became.”“Then do something about it.”Lauren walked past her, stopping by the crates stacked like forgotten ghosts. “I gave everything to Adrian. Loyal

The rain had stopped, but the echoes lingered. In the heart of Blackwood Manor, the war room was quieter than it had been in weeks. The large screen walls—once flashing data, strategy maps, intercepted communications—now sat in standby mode, humming faintly like a sleeping beast. Adrian stood alone at the center, sleeves rolled up, knuckles white around the edge of the table. A thousand battles played across his mind. Legal victories. Public statements. Family betrayals. And silence. The kind of silence that came after a storm… or before another. Mercer had vanished. No final press conference. No last-minute smear campaign. No smug call to boast about his next move. He simply disappeared—leaving behind an empire in ruins and secrets that still hissed like embers beneath ash. Sophia entered without a word. Her heels barely made a sound against the stone floor, and yet he felt her presence before he saw her reflection on the screen. “You haven’t moved,” she said softly, coming t

Morning came softly, like a lullaby whispered through the leaves.Sophia woke in Adrian’s arms on the nursery floor. They had fallen asleep in the rocking chair, wrapped around each other like the last threads of something fragile and new. Neither of them had spoken again last night—words would have been too heavy. But in the hush between heartbeats, a promise had passed between them.This child would grow up surrounded by truth. And love. No matter who came knocking.She stirred first. The light crept in through the window, catching on the bare floorboards, illuminating dust motes that danced like lazy stars. Adrian’s arms didn’t loosen; he only sighed deeper, his hand resting instinctively over her belly.Sophia smiled, pressing her lips gently to his temple. “We should get a real crib soon.”He opened one eye. “You want practical now? I was thinking secret panic rooms and titanium shutters.”She laughed, the sound warm and real. “We can do both. Crib first. Panic room later.”Adria