Semua Bab A Pawn in Your Game: Bab 1 - Bab 9

The day the Labarres declared bankruptcy, everyone assumed I would break off my engagement to Zach Labarre.In the middle of a torrential downpour, I abandoned my umbrella and helped the disheveled Zach into the car."I'll give you ten million dollars. If you succeed, come back and marry me. If you fail, I'll marry you instead."Five years later, Zach returned, leading three publicly listed companies.In front of all the media, he announced, "Leah Chandler and I ended our engagement five years ago."-For the past five years, there had been another woman by his side.She offered him her shoulder when he was tired, comforted him when he was down, and celebrated his successes.They supported each other through thick and thin, sharing their triumphs and sorrows. Their relationship was harmonious, a bond formed in adversity and strengthened by mutual affection.And me? The woman who had invested ten million to help him rebuild his life? I had become a joke."This is 30 million,"

The day the Labarres went bankrupt, he spent over a million dollars setting off fireworks all night in Breskland. He had said, "It wasn't for you. I just can't stand Zach." That was how the two of us ended up as partners in crime, with no romantic affection for each other. That night, he invited me to a bar to relax and even thoughtfully arranged for eight male hosts. A few glasses of wine later, my true nature emerged. With one macho man in my left hand and a pretty boy in my right, I was having the time of my life. The door to the private room swung open, and through my drunken haze, I thought I saw Zach's annoying face. Sure enough, it was him. "Who invited him to ruin the mood?" I asked irritably. Colton, ever so considerate, tugged at the hem of my dress, which was dangerously close to riding up my thighs, and smugly said, "It was me. We needed someone to pour drinks." I glanced at Colton, who looked as pleased as a cat that just caught a mouse, and didn't quite

"Let me in. I need to see how Zach is doing." The bodyguard answered in a low voice, "Mr. Labarre ordered no one is allowed inside." Wynona snapped, clearly unhappy, "Don't you know who I am? I'm his fiancée." The apple in my hand instantly lost its appeal. I tossed it into the trash without a second thought. I turned my gaze toward the door, regaining my usual indifference. "The person you hired... seems to be lost in her character now."Zach put down his phone, his expression neutral. "I'll take care of it."On the surface, the more chaotic my relationship with Zach appeared, the more the public would believe he was truly alone in Breskland. When the Labarres' situation had turned for the worse, the ripple effects spread far and wide, with members of the Chandlers implicated as well. Zach, daring to venture into enemy territory alone, was gambling everything. In order to uncover who had betrayed his family years ago, he had to walk straight into a trap set by his hunt

At last, my fingers flew across the screen, sending a message into the night.Staring at the white walls above me, a sudden flash of clarity swept through my mind. It was as if a weight had lifted. Born into a family like mine, with a father like him, I had always tried to save as many people as I could. What more could I expect in return? Maybe I was simply born to pay back the Chandlers.Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the scars on my body faded, my skin as smooth and pale as it had been before. I slipped into a gown, my chestnut hair cascading in waves down my back. I had on a thick layer of blush to cover the paleness of my face, making me look healthy enough. At the engagement party, the atmosphere was stiff with formality, the most influential figures in society gathered around. Outside, the security was tight, a net cast to catch anyone who might slip through. My father watched me closely, and though I knew he was doing it, I didn't care one bit. As the daugh

I instinctively tried to push him away, but when I couldn't, I slapped him out of frustration. The sound of the slap echoed, halting his movements. My expression shifted, and I couldn't stop the anger from creeping into my voice. "Stop bothering me."I had heard the news, even from overseas—Zach was engaged to Wynona.His voice was rough, tinged with bitterness. "I'm sorry. I can't help it... I think about you all the time."I looked at him, helpless. "You're engaged now. You have to take responsibility for your fiancée. If you're thinking about another woman, in the end, you'll end up letting down both of us."His eyes reddened, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. "Leah, I've broken off the engagement with Wynona. Let's start over, okay?"A shiver ran through me, and a voice inside urged me to agree.But logic won out. "I'm sorry. I love my fiancé.""What about our son?" His voice was urgent, his gaze fixed on me, pleading.I looked down at my feet, unsure of how to ans