All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

We stepped inside, the soft murmur of conversation floating down the long hallway.I kept my head down at first, still overwhelmed by the day, but the moment I looked up, I stopped dead in my tracks.Standing near the grand staircase, arms folded, was Leo’s mother and just a few steps behind her, Stella.I froze, my heart kicking up painfully, old instincts screaming at me to turn around, to run before history repeated itself.Leo noticed immediately, he slowed beside me, glancing once at the stiffness in my body, then following my gaze.Without missing a beat, he reached for my hand, threading his fingers tightly through mine.The simple gesture grounded me, but it also sent a jolt of heat straight to my chest.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stella stiffen, her hand flying to her mouth like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Leo’s mother narrowed her eyes, scanning the space between us like she was trying to rewrite the reality in front of her."What is going on here?" she

When I got home, I dropped my bag by the door and kicked my shoes off without thinking.The house was quiet, almost too quiet, but I didn’t let myself think about it.I went straight to the kitchen where the papers were waiting, the divorce papers.I pulled out a chair and sat down, flipping through the pages quickly. Ryan had already signed his side and all that was left was mine.I grabbed a pen from the counter, uncapped it, and signed my name where they had marked.It was fast, too fast for something that had been part of my life for so long.I pushed the papers aside and stood up, tying my hair back loosely as I made my way upstairs.There was no reason to drag it out.I grabbed my suitcase from under the bed, tossing it onto the mattress with a soft thud.One by one, I started folding my clothes and packing them neatly, shirts, jeans, a few jackets.I was halfway through pulling the zipper closed when I heard a soft knock on the door."Come in," I called, glancing over my should

Leo povThe low buzz of my phone yanked me out of a dead sleep.I slapped around the nightstand, finally grabbing it, squinting at the screen through half-lidded eyes.Mom.I groaned quietly, wiping my hand over my face, careful not to move too much.Next to me, Bella was curled up under the covers, her breathing soft and steady.I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, grabbing the sweatshirt tossed across the chair.Pulling the door halfway closed behind me, I finally answered."Mom?" My voice was rough with sleep."Leo, oh God, Leo," she sobbed immediately, her voice so loud and panicked it made my chest tighten. "Something happened. Please, I need you."I dragged my free hand down my face, forcing myself to wake up faster."What happened?" I asked, already moving toward the bathroom."I was meeting a client at a hotel," she cried. "It went wrong. I need you, please, Leo. Please come."I turned on the bathroom light, wincing at the harsh brightness, staring at myself in the mirr

Bella povI sat up in bed and reached for my phone without even thinking. The screen was empty, there were no calls, no texts. I blinked, checked again, then tapped Leo’s name and brought the phone to my ear.It rang once, twice, still nothing.Frowning, I pulled the blanket tighter around me and sat back against the headboard. Maybe he stepped out for something. But still, not a single message?I tried to shake the feeling off, tossing the blanket aside and walking over to where my suitcase had been left half-open near the closet. The floor was cool under my feet as I bent down to unzip it fully and started pulling out my clothes one by one.I needed to get my mind off him.Humming under my breath, I moved slowly through the motions, folding, hanging, organizing the little things I had brought with me but my eyes kept flicking toward my phone, half-expecting it to light up at any second.It didn’t.Once I was done unpacking, I sat at the little desk beside the window, pulling out my

The sunlight leaked in through the curtains, soft and warm, brushing across the bed.I shifted under the covers, blinking slowly, my body still heavy with sleep.The bed felt too good to leave.I stretched out a hand, finding warm skin instead of cold sheets.Before I could even think about moving, an arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me back down.I let out a breathless laugh as I tumbled against Leo’s chest, feeling his heartbeat steady and calm under my palm."Where do you think you’re going?" he muttered, his voice rough with sleep, muffled against my hair."I was going to make us breakfast," I said, smiling into his chest, pretending to struggle as he tightened his grip.He grunted in response, burying his face into the curve of my neck."Five more minutes," he mumbled, pulling the blanket higher over both of us."Leo," I said through a laugh, trying to wiggle free, "you can’t hold me hostage all day.""I can," he said simply, nipping lightly at my shoulder in warning. "And