Semua Bab The Billionaire’s Captive Bride: Bab 91 - Bab 100

They filed in, filling seats one by one, their voices hushed but expectant. I knew what they were waiting for… for me to leave, to excuse myself so they could talk business without the nuisance of a woman.Instead, I set my laptop on the table, walked to the head, and slid into Leo’s chair.The scraping of chairs, the coughs, the muttered surprise was almost comical.“You’re staying?” Antonio Rossi asked finally, arching a brow.“Yes,” I said flatly, opening the laptop. “Start whenever you’re ready.”Enzo laughed under his breath. “Leo’s seat, no less. Bold.”“Someone has to occupy it,” I replied, eyes on my screen.Their conversation began in stilted tones, arguments layered with sarcasm and arrogance. I let their words wash over me as my fingers flew across the keyboard. One by one, their systems bent to me, firewalls stripped, IP addresses traced, their private networks unfolding under my touch.Halfway through the discussion, Giovanni leaned forward. “You know, this would all be e

Marcello.The name alone felt wrong in my mouth, bitter as poison.“You’re telling me Marcello planned this?” My voice was thin, trembling, barely mine.Leo’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”I shook my head, shaking it harder when he didn’t blink. “No. No, Leo, you don’t understand. He was here with us. He fought alongside us. He…he helped protect me when…”“That’s why it worked.” His voice cut sharp enough to slice through bone. “That’s why I didn’t see it coming. He stayed close. He wanted me to trust him. And I did.”“No.” The denial tore out of me, desperate. “You’re wrong. You have to be. Marcello was like family…”“He was never family,” Leo growled. He raked a hand down his face, eyes burning with rage that wasn’t aimed at me but scorched me all the same. “He wanted me blind. And I was. He played the loyal ally while he built the trap under my feet.”I wrapped my arms around myself, my whole body trembling. “But why? Why would he do this to you? To us?”Leo’s laugh was sharp, hollow.

Leo’s grip on my wrist was iron, unyielding. His eyes burned like storms as he leaned closer, his voice low and commanding.“Go back to our room, Lena. Now.”My chest tightened. “No. I’m not leaving you to face this alone.”His jaw worked as he pulled me closer, his breath hot against my face. “You’re not leaving me. You’re trusting me. For once in your life, just trust me to handle this.”My throat burned. “I do trust you, but I’m not letting you disappear on me again. Not after what happened the last time.”“Lena…”“No!” My voice cracked, my fingers curling tight into his shirt. “You don’t get to tell me to sit in a room and wait while you bleed out somewhere! I can’t…”His mouth crushed mine before the sobs could spill. The kiss was fierce, punishing, and desperate. When he pulled back, his hands framed my face, and his voice dropped to a whisper.“I will always come back to you. Do you hear me? Always, Lena. I will not leave you. But if you don’t go now, if you make me worry about

They moved me again.The ropes dug deeper into my wrists as they dragged me down another set of unfamiliar corridors. The air was different here…colder, heavier, smelling faintly of damp stone and gun oil. Another compound. Another cage.They shoved me into a chair, the light above swaying in lazy arcs. Marcello was already there, perched casually on the edge of a desk like a king waiting for his entertainment.“You travel well, Lena,” he mocked, eyeing the bruises on my arms. “Maybe captivity suits you after all. Quiet. Controlled. That stubborn spark of yours looks dimmer every day.”I glared, refusing to give him the satisfaction of silence this time. “If I’m quiet, it’s because I’m saving my strength for when Leo puts an end to this circus.”His smirk wavered, just for a second, then his eyes darkened. “You really think he’ll get to you in time? Or at all?” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a mocking whisper. “What if I told you he’s already given up? That every hour you si

The sound of the front door opening was followed by a familiar, singsong voice.“Where is my niece?!” Luciana’s words boomed through the house like she owned the place.I turned, cheeks burning as Leo’s arms tightened around me. He stood behind me, chest pressed to my back, head resting against my shoulder. Every now and then, he pressed featherlight kisses against my neck just to see me squirm.Luciana froze in the doorway, eyes wide, then she smirked. “Oh, wow. You two can’t even stand three feet apart, huh? You’re practically glued together.”I shot her a glare, but it only made her laugh harder. My blush deepened as Leo chuckled lowly behind me, obviously enjoying my embarrassment.But then my eyes softened as they landed on my father. He sat on the couch, cradling my baby girl in his arms. My daughter. Her little fists were curled tight, lips parted in her sleep. My heart clenched.Papa stroked her tiny hand with his thumb, his own eyes shining with something that made me swallow