All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S RELUCTANT BRIDE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

EVANGELINEI made my way to the dining room, trying to compose myself before facing the family.The cheerful atmosphere felt surreal, like stepping into a play where everyone knew their lines except me.Arthur presided over the table. To his right sat Richard with his wife, Margaret, Sebastian and Seraphina. To his left sat Mrs. Dettling.Cordelia pulled me to sit beside her, leaving one vacant seat I knew belonged to Gael.My breathing became shallow when I felt his presence as he entered the room and settled into the chair next to me.The scent of his cologne mixed with the unfamiliar perfume I'd smelled in the car made my stomach turn.I tried to keep my features rigid, showing no reaction to his proximity, but I failed miserably.My body seemed to have a mind of its own when he was near, responding to him in ways I didn't understand or want.I could feel my hands trembling beneath the table, my heart racing despite my best efforts to remain calm.He affected me in ways that made n

EVANGELINEHis words were like poison that attacked my heart and left me struggling with scattered thoughts. Each word was designed to cause maximum damage.Sometimes we make hasty decisions to please others. We don't realize how harmful these decisions are until it's too late. Until when regret becomes useless.I left the house with a heavy heart. His words still echoed in my ears, replaying like a broken record.For a moment, I considered refusing this trip and going to my Dad's house. But I didn't want to follow my angry impulses and regret it later.Cordelia's insistence that I would have fun and that the change of scenery would help clear my mind made me surrender and accept.The car ride to the private airfield was a study in uncomfortable silence.Gael sat as far from me as possible, his body angled toward the window as if even looking in my direction would contaminate him. The space between us felt like an ocean of coldness.He wore expensive sunglasses despite the overcast da

EVANGELINE"I'm sorry." The words were barely audible above the engine noise. They came out as a whisper because my throat felt tight with unshed tears.I couldn't look at either of them. My eyes stayed fixed on my hands folded in my lap.But Gael wasn't done with his performance. He turned to Sarah and I watched his expression change instantly."I'll have whiskey." The anger was completely gone, replaced by something that sounded almost seductive. "Top shelf, if you have it."He paused and let his eyes travel deliberately down Sarah's body and back up again.It lingered on her curves in a way that made the air in the cabin feel thick and charged.“Show me private bedrooms. I need somewhere quiet to... handle some business." His voice dropped even lower, becoming intimate and private.The hint was subtle yet clear to anyone paying attention. The words 'handle some business' carried implications that had nothing to do with work calls or paperwork.Sarah's breath caught audibly and her

EVANGELINEThe rest of the descent passed while I sat with perfect stillness, every muscle in my body coiled tight with suppressed emotion.My face revealed nothing of the devastation within. Years of social training had taught me to hide pain behind a mask of serene indifference. Beneath the surface, I was drowning in a sea of anguish so deep I wondered if I would ever find my way back.When Sarah finally emerged from the cabin room nearly an hour later, she had transformed back into the picture of professional perfection.Her hair was styled flawlessly once again. Her makeup was pristine. Her uniform was immaculate, nothing had happened.I saw everything she tried to hide. The secret smile that played at the corners of her mouth spoke of conquest. The way she touched her lips absently, she could still feel his kisses lingering there. The flush that colored her skin with the afterglow of passion.She wore her victory with obvious satisfaction, devastating to anyone who knew how to lo

EVANGELINEEvening approached and I found myself growing increasingly anxious.Where was Gael? What was he doing?The silence in the house felt suffocating. I caught myself listening for his footsteps, for any sign of his presence, even though I dreaded running into him.I tossed and turned for probably the hundredth time. Sleep wouldn't come, and I didn't know why. Maybe it was all the overthinking.I told myself I wasn't worried about someone who hadn't left his room all day and hadn't eaten anything. No, of course not. Let him starve.But even as I tried to convince myself I didn't care, I couldn't stop wondering if he was hungry, if he was as miserable as I was, if he was lying awake in his own bed thinking about this mess we were in.What was wrong with me?"Damn my soft heart!" I groaned in frustration, sitting up and adjusting the strap of my night gown that had slipped off my shoulder.It was a wine-colored silk dress that barely reached mid-thigh, held up by thin straps. It w