Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE BILLONIARE UNWANTED SUBSTITUTE BRIDE: Kabanata 201 - Kabanata 210

Damien hated leaving her.The steel door shut behind him with a quiet hiss, locking Aria inside the safehouse where no one but his men could reach her. Rationally, he knew it was the smartest move. She was out of sight, protected, guarded by walls no bullet could pierce.But rationality didn’t silence the gnawing unease in his chest.He climbed into the SUV waiting at the base of the driveway, the city lights spread far in the distance. The driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror, waiting for orders.“Pierce,” Damien said.The man nodded, starting the engine.Pierce wasn’t just his driver. He was one of the few men Damien trusted enough to keep close a former military officer who had followed him through more than one blood-soaked night.As they drove, Damien’s phone buzzed. A secure channel. He answered.“Boss,” Luca’s voice came through, tight with frustration. “We tracked the car that was outside the estate this morning. Plates were stolen, but the trail led back to the docks

Bullets chewed through the furniture like hungry beasts. The couch that shielded Aria shredded under the onslaught, feathers and fabric spilling into the air in a storm of chaos.Her lungs burned as she pressed herself low against the floor, every muscle trembling. The deafening roar of gunfire swallowed her heartbeat, swallowed her thoughts.And then fingers.Rough, gloved hands clamped around her arm, yanking her from her hiding place.Aria screamed, twisting violently, nails raking against fabric and skin. But the man was too strong, dragging her upright with brutal force. His mask covered everything but his eyes cold, merciless eyes that locked on hers with a predator’s focus.“Got her!” he barked over the chaos.Her world spun. Her back slammed into his chest, the sharp press of steel against her temple. A gun.The smell of gunpowder and sweat choked her throat.“No!” Damien’s voice thundered, sharp and furious, cutting through the storm.Aria’s heart lurched. She turned her he

The apartment felt emptier than usual. Scarlett sat on the edge of the sofa, the dim light from the city outside barely touching the polished floor. Sebastian was at the window, hands pressed to the glass, jaw tight, his silhouette rigid against the glow of the skyline.“You’ve been quiet,” he said without turning. His voice was low, steady but there was an edge to it, a question buried in the tone that he couldn’t quite voice.Scarlett didn’t answer immediately. Her fingers twisted the fabric of her sweater, knuckles white. “I’m just… thinking.”“Thinking?” he repeated, turning at last. His eyes, sharp and dark, softened slightly when they met hers. “About what?”Her gaze dropped. “About everything. About us… about what comes next. About Malcov.”He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “You shouldn’t let him dominate your thoughts.”“I can’t not think about him,” Scarlett admitted, her voice trembling. “Not after everything he’s done… the threats, the manipulations… the way he’s

The night air outside the city was sharp and cold, whipping against Scarlett’s face as she followed Sebastian and Damien through the deserted streets. Every step felt heavier than the last, each shadow seeming to stretch into something menacing, something that whispered of the dangers still to come.Scarlett’s mind replayed the events in the safe house over and over. Lena’s betrayal wasn’t just shocking it was personal. They had trusted her, believed in her loyalty, and yet she had sided with Malcov without hesitation. The thought twisted in Scarlett’s chest like a knife, and she struggled to suppress the tears that threatened to spill.Sebastian noticed her silence, the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands trembled despite the cold. He reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “Scarlett,” he said gently, his voice firm but tender, “you can’t carry all of this alone.”“I’m not… weak,” she said quickly, trying to mask the tremor in her voice. But Sebastian coul

The city at night seemed deceptively calm, a glittering illusion of peace over streets that had long witnessed betrayal, secrets, and blood. Scarlett leaned against the balcony of the safe house, the cool wind brushing against her face, but her mind was a storm. Every decision made, every step taken in the last weeks had brought them closer to this moment, closer to the confrontation they couldn’t avoid.Sebastian emerged from the dimly lit room behind her, silent as a shadow. His eyes, dark pools reflecting the city lights, studied her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he murmured.“I’m not afraid of the past, Sebastian,” Scarlett replied softly, though her hands clenched the railing. “I’m afraid of what we might lose if we don’t face it.”He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming yet comforting, a paradox she had grown to rely on. “The past is never gone,” he said, voice low and heavy. “It’s always there, waiting for the right momen