All Chapters of ALMS TO LOVE: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Charles watched her carefully as she walked toward the chair across from him, her movements deliberate but stiff. He hadn’t expected a flood of emotions or an outpouring of vulnerability; Fiona had never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve. But there was something about her something distant in her eyes that made him uneasy.“I know this wedding feels…” he began, hesitating, searching for the right words, “…like it's all happening too fast. I can feel it, too.”Fiona settled into the chair, her gaze focused on the polished desk between them, but her mind was elsewhere. "I don’t think it’s just the speed of it, Charles," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "It’s everything else. All of it. I’m being swept into a life I didn’t choose, a life that wasn’t mine to begin with." She looked up at him then, the edge of her words cutting through the thick tension in the room. “I don’t even know who I am in this anymore.”Charles’s face tightened. “I didn’t mean for you to feel that way

“It wasn’t one moment,” he said, his voice quiet but unwavering. “It wasn’t just one thing that happened. It’s been a slow burn. From the very first time I saw you—the real you, Fiona. Not the one trying to fit into this world, or the one trying to pretend for others. But the you that cared about Liza. That looked out for her. The way you took on everything that came your way, no matter how hard. I couldn’t ignore that.”He paused, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her hand, the touch so soft it felt like he was caressing her soul.“As time went on,” he continued, “I saw the cracks, the hurt you were hiding. But you never let it stop you from doing what was right. You always put others first. And I admired that. But it wasn’t until the storm started getting worse that I realized I couldn’t just stand by and watch anymore. I couldn’t let you keep fighting this alone.”Fiona’s breath caught in her throat. The way he spoke, as if he had always known her, had always seen her not

Marie took a slow breath, walking over to where Candy sat. She crouched down so they were eye level, her eyes softening, but her tone still calculated. "Candy, listen to me. This is important. The wedding Charles and Fiona’s wedding is coming up. Everything’s changing. This is our chance to get close to the Billion family. It’s our way in."Candy bit her lip, a little frown playing on her face. "But why do we need to get close to them? We have you, Mom. You’re the best."Marie’s heart twisted. She didn’t want to break her daughter’s spirit, but she needed Candy to understand. The world they had been living in was crumbling, and the Billion family was the only chance at redemption, at reclaiming what they had lost."Sweetheart," Marie began, her voice softening, "it’s not about us being enough. This is about power. You’ll understand when you’re older, but for now, just know this: when you’re part of the Billion family, no one can touch you. Everything changes. And I want you to be safe

Marie Drams was seated in the comfortable leather chair of the private airplane, the whir of the motors hardly filtering into her mind. At her side, Candy.Charles's niece, her sole daughter sat silently, her big eyes staring out the window as the aircraft rolled along the runway. The turbulence of the flight ahead was nothing at all like the storm that was raging in Marie's soul.Her fingers tapped out a rhythm against the armrest, her mind filled with visions of the life that could have been hers. The Billion legacy, Charles's inheritance had always been attainable. She had lived among them, yet she had never been a part of it. Not like Fiona. Not like that woman who had somehow managed to insinuate herself into Charles's life.Charles.Marie's chest compressed at the mere mention of him. She loved him for years, more than she had ever really allowed herself to confess. But love was never enough, was it? Not where the Billion family was concerned. Not where Fiona Generys was concerned

Charles's gaze gentled as he dropped down to catch her, arms going around her in a comforting hug. For a moment, the rest of the world just disappeared. Innocent and alive, his niece was a reminder of what truly counted. His heart felt lighter as he kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "Hey, sweetheart. I missed you."Candy laughed, her tinkle sounding like the peal of a bell. "I missed you too, Daddy!" she answered, the pure sweetness in her tone making it almost impossible to sense the tension that hung like a palpable thing in the air.But the moment didn't last.While the two shared those few oppressive moments, Marie remained standing near by, observing the reunion with a tempestuous stare. Her hands were fists at her sides, but she restrained herself. Charles was diverted by his niece, and her triumph was not at that time. But.The gentle ring of heels clicking resounded through the marble floors as Madam Jamaica Billion, Charles's dominant grandmother, came down from