All Chapters of Billionaire’s Hidden Heir: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

The storm had passed, but the clouds hadn’t cleared.Dominic stood at the window of his private office, the city skyline stretching beyond the glass, his thoughts racing. Every piece was nearly in place. With the documents Lila had provided, and the momentum from the press conference, he had enough to bring Maddox to his knees.But something didn’t sit right.“Everything’s going too smoothly,” he muttered.Behind him, Ava looked up from her laptop. “You think he’s planning something?”Dominic turned to face her, nodding. “He always plans something. And he’s quiet now. That’s worse than when he’s loud.”Ava closed the laptop. “You said the European branch was the weak point. What if that’s where he’ll hit?”“He’s already hit it. Yesterday, our Swiss bank account was flagged. All of our assets overseas are frozen—again.” He sighed, rubbing his temples. “It’s like he’s always one step ahead.”Ava rose and walked to him, sliding her arms around his waist. “Then we jump two steps forward.”

The air smelled different now.Fresher. Calmer.It had been three weeks since Maddox’s empire had crumbled and his name had become synonymous with greed, corruption, and cruelty. Three weeks since Veronica's testimony sealed the last of the legal proceedings. Three weeks since Dominic and Ava brought Liam home safe.But to Ava, it felt like she was still learning how to breathe again.“I can’t believe how fast it all happened,” she said as she sipped her coffee, leaning on the railing of their balcony. The Manhattan skyline shimmered under the morning sun.Dominic wrapped his arms around her from behind. “It didn’t feel fast while we were in it.”“No.” She leaned her head back against his chest. “It felt like a lifetime.”“And now?” he asked.“Now it feels… like a second chance.”They watched the sun climb higher.Inside, Liam’s laughter rang out from the living room where he played with Lila, who had unofficially become a regular fixture in their home. She was different now, too—ligh

The photo wouldn’t leave Dominic’s mind.Even as the laughter of Ava and Liam echoed through the apartment, even as the nursery walls were painted soft cream and lined with plush toys, the grainy image haunted him.Someone had been close.Close enough to capture them mid-laugh, hand in hand, right outside their home.And they weren’t just watching—they wanted him to know it.“I need answers,” Dominic muttered as he paced his office, fingers curling around the armrest of his leather chair. “Whoever this is… they’re playing a game.”Lila stood across from him, arms folded, sharp as ever in her black turtleneck and slacks. “I've enhanced the building security. Cameras, motion sensors, plainclothes guards in the lobby. No one’s getting in or out without us knowing.”“It’s not enough,” Dominic said. “If they were bold enough to photograph us that close, they’ve already breached our space.”Lila hesitated. “I ran the photo through forensic analysis. It came from an older model camera. No me

Ava stared at the burner phone in her hand, scrolling through old messages that had once made her skin crawl. Years ago, she hadn’t had the courage—or the resources—to dig into them. But now she had Dominic. She had backup. And she had something to fight for.Dominic sat beside her at the dining table, laptop open, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he cross-referenced phone numbers, email domains, and digital breadcrumbs. Lila had sent in a list of known associates from Dominic’s past, Maddox’s underworld contacts, and even a few rogue employees with a grudge.Ava’s phone buzzed suddenly in her palm.She looked down.Unknown Number.A new message appeared.“You’re still so easy to find, Ava.”Her stomach turned to ice.Dominic grabbed the phone, scanning it. “Same encryption signature as the last threat. It’s him—or someone working with him.”“How did they get my number again? This isn’t even my current phone,” she whispered.“They were tracking it before. Lying dormant in the

The fire crackled quietly in the hearth of the safehouse, casting flickers of orange across the wooden walls. Dominic had secured every door, reset the perimeter code, and activated a low-frequency jammer. They were safe—for now.Ava stood near the mantle, holding the old photograph Dominic had retrieved from Ezra’s digital trace. It was recovered after they hacked into a temporary backup server Ezra had unknowingly pinged when accessing the brownstone's network.The image was sharp.Dominic. Ava. And… her.Ava's eyes locked on the face she hadn’t seen in nearly five years.A woman with auburn hair, a sharp jawline, and cool gray eyes.Her name was Isla Raye.Ava swallowed hard, her chest tightening. “It can’t be her.”Dominic glanced up from the table where he and Lila were analyzing new intel. “You recognize her?”“I knew her,” Ava said, sitting slowly. “We were roommates. Back in LA. Before I met you.”Dominic's brows pulled together. “Roommates?”“She was more than that,” Ava said