Lahat ng Kabanata ng A contract with the ruthless mafia billionaire : Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

Kade’s POVGuests left the ballroom one by one, their murmurs fading like dying echoes when they walked out. But I could still feel their glare burning into my skin as I stood there with my jaws clenched tightly.All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat—and Selene’s cries somewhere in the distance which did nothing but echo in my ears like a broken record.The silence that came afterwards was worse, because that was when the truth pressed down on me — I’d told Lia to leave. Fuck! I could still see the look on her face when I said it, the confusion in her eyes before she turned away.That wasn’t supposed to happen. But I had no choice because if I’d pulled her close or even showed a flicker of my feelings for her, Selene would’ve torn her apart.So I’d done the only thing that could keep her safe — made it look like I didn’t care, like she didn’t mean a damn thing to me. I walked to the bar to grab myself a bottle of whiskey, gulping the liquid down my throat even though it d

Lia’s POVJulian still stood across the street holding that ridiculous bouquet like it could somehow fix how he had treated me that night. My phone was still pressed to my ear, “Lia ... .look at me.” His voice came out soft but certain.I was already staring at him through my window, and I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. My brother had just threatened to kill the man I love, and now someone else was standing in the rain confessing his love for me. This had to be the most confusing night of my life…Maybe even a little tragic. “Julian, this isn’t the right time,” I said quietly. “You don’t even know what—”“I know enough,” he cut me off before I could finish, his voice low and almost pleading. “Come downstairs, please. Just talk to me.”For a moment, I wanted to tell him to go to hell and end the call. After all, there was no difference between him and Kade. Then I’d curl up on the floor and let the world pass me by, but something just wouldn’t let me—dragged me toward the door.

Kade’s POVI’d walked out on Selene, left her standing there—half-naked, humiliated, and screaming my name like a curse. And for the first time in months, I felt free.I didn’t care about the consequences waiting for me when I would come back, I only cared about one thing. Lia.The one woman I couldn’t stay away from no matter how much I have tried, but I was done pretending. Done letting Selene control me like a damn puppet while she dictates what I could or couldn’t have.I’m Kade Freaking Valen. And I was going to fight for the only thing that ever made me feel human again. My hand hesitated on the door as I stood at the front of Lia’s apartment door.KNOCKThere was no answer from her, so I knocked again harder this time. “Lia,” I said quietly, my chest rising and falling heavily, “It’s me.”But still no response. Rain dripped on the floor, my clothes clinging like a second skin as I opened my mouth to call her name again when the door clicked.“Lia, I—“The words stuck in my thr

Lia’s POVI paced outside the emergency room, my shoes squeaking softly against the marble floor as every step echoed louder than the other. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking even though my clothes were still streaked with Julian’s blood.And yet my mind was in chaos— flashes of Kade’s voice kept ringing over and over in my head. “Miss, you can relax.” A nurse’s voice drifted me off my thoughts, “He’s stable now, but he suffered a concussion and a mild head injury. He needs a lot of rest.”The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my knees gave way. I pressed my palm to the wall to steady myself, closing my eyes as relief and guilt washed over me.If I had just stopped them sooner… or maybe if I hadn’t slapped him—Every word felt like a blade cutting deeper as I took a deep breath and moved toward Julian’s room, but before I could reach the door, two men in dark suits blocked my path. They looked like detectives with those sharp eyes, the kind that missed nothing.“Miss Lia?” One of

Selene’s POVThe beeping of hospital machines was the first thing I heard when I stepped into Julian’s hospital room. That, and the faint hiss of rain pouring outside the window, everything else smelled like antiseptic.Julian lay on the bed with an IV line attached to his arm, his face pale under the harsh fluorescent light. His eyes were closed but I knew that he wasn’t asleep, Julian was never the type to rest when he knew someone like Kade was coming for him.“I see you’re still alive,” I hissed, shutting the door softly behind me as it clicked shut and I walked closer to the bed. “That’s good. It would have been such a waste if Kade had killed you before you finished your job.”My heels clicked against the floor with each step I took closer and closer to him. His eyes opened slowly and were accompanied by a mocking smile that tugged at his lips. “Selene,” he said, voice low and tired. “You really have a way of greeting old friends.”I ignored the sarcasm and stopped beside his be