All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Deaf Wife: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Elias’s POV I grabbed Maria by the wrist, not roughly, but firmly enough for her to know I wasn’t in the mood to be pacified or ignored. Her footsteps echoed behind me, those damn heels clicking on the marble with every step, each one grating against my nerves like nails on glass. She followed me silently, dumbly, offering no resistance, just like always. That silence used to be peaceful. Now it was maddening. When we reached the living room, I all but tossed her onto the couch. A small, breathy huff escaped her lips, and I froze for a moment. It was the first sound I’d heard from her in what felt like years. Not even a cough or a sneeze. Her eyes went wide, confused, but she stayed seated. That only pissed me off more. And for the first time in my life, I resented that she was deaf. I had never held it against her. Not once. Her silence never made her less of a woman to me, never less of a wife. But right now, this version of Maria… God, I hated that I couldn’t scream a

Maria’s POV “What’s he doing here, pet?” Ana asked, nodding subtly toward one of the tables at the far end of the restaurant. I didn’t need to follow her gaze. I already knew who she meant. Travis. He’d been true to his word, if stalking someone could be considered truth. He showed up everywhere I went, especially here. Sometimes he’d order food and then refuse to pay, telling my boss to deduct it from my wages like I owed him something. Other times, he’d show up at my apartment, always asking first, sticking to our twisted little agreement, but I never had the courage to say no. I dared not. Last night, he tried to kiss me. I bit his lip so hard he nearly cried. He retaliated with a slap, hurling a storm of curses at me before storming off. I locked the door behind him, and cried myself to sleep. Again. That had been my life for the past five months, endless crying, then crying harder, then crying until nothing came out. Ana and some of my coworkers had noticed the change

Elias’ POV The lighting in the club was dim, shadows dancing across velvet walls. Prominent men cloaked in darkness lurked among the crowd, each one chasing his own twisted desire. Women clad in lingerie moved across the stage, their faces concealed behind elaborate masks. They danced with a practiced rhythm, swaying fluidly to the pulsing beat of the music. Cheers erupted from the crowd as cash rained onto the stage. The men hollered, some standing on their feet as though the performance was more spiritual than erotic. Even in my dark jeans and tight-fitting black shirt, blending in was a myth. I drew attention from the moment I stepped in, unwanted eyes trailed me, some filled with curiosity, others with boldness. Women approached, offering lap dances with suggestive grins. A few men whispered offers for a massage or more. I dismissed them all with a glance. I wasn’t here for that. Neither was Kola, who, with his larger build, drew even more attention, though he wore indiffere

Maria’s POV “Elias Moreno. You must be Lucia.” I stared at his outstretched hand, frozen in place, my body refusing to move, my mind refusing to believe. This couldn’t be real. Elias couldn’t possibly be standing in front of me right now. I had to be hallucinating, or dreaming, maybe. Maybe I missed him so much that I’d started seeing things. But none of that was true. He was right here, standing in front of me. And the worst part? He didn’t even know it was me. “Hi. Yeah, she’s Lucia. I’m Anna,” Anna said brightly, stepping forward to shake his hand. Elias shifted his gaze to her, his eyes flicking between their joined hands and her beaming face. Anna held his hand for far too long, and I could feel my irritation bubbling. I almost laughed at myself, Elias didn’t even recognize me as his wife, and here I was, getting jealous over my overly friendly, overly flirtatious friend. He pulled his hand away from hers quickly and turned back to me. Our eyes met. His expression

Maria’s POV Elias walked me up to my door, a thick silence wrapping around us like smoke, tangible and tense. I’d completely forgotten that Travis might show up tonight. My mind had been too distracted by Elias, by the way he appeared at the restaurant like a question I wasn’t ready to answer. The way he stared, the pointed things he said. The way he gave up his car for me, just to walk. Elias Moreno never walked. His garage was a museum of luxury, cars, bikes, machines that purred like predators. And yet tonight, he walked. But what burned into my memory the most was watching Elias face off with Travis. It was a study in contrast, a elephant addressing a lizard. Elias towered above him, calm and deadly, while Travis sputtered and hissed like a snake without venom. The whole thing felt almost surreal. If Anna had been there, she would’ve grabbed popcorn, thinking it was a front-row seat to some dark, thrilling drama. Still, I couldn’t relax. Elias was unraveling me. He was bei