Lahat ng Kabanata ng Blood Ties and Billionaire Lies: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

The office was almost unrecognizable at night. The humming of printers and footsteps that filled the air during the day were gone, replaced by a silence so heavy it seemed to press against the walls. Only a few lights remained on, pools of gold against the endless glass windows overlooking the city. Richard and I were the only ones left. I had told myself I’d stay late to finish paperwork, but deep down, I knew it was more than that. Something about him pulled me in not just his authority or presence, but the fragments of vulnerability I’d seen cracking through his usual control. “He was… an alcoholic. The kind that leaves scars you can’t see. He’d come home drunk and… lash out. Sometimes words, sometimes worse.” My throat tightened. “Cassandra took the worst of it. She always stood between us. She became my shield. She worked herself raw just to make sure I could be more than just another broken piece of that house.” Richard’s brow furrowed, but before I could go on, he interrupte

The laughter cut sharper than glass. Maria Couger’s voice rose above the hum of the café, dripping with mockery.“Look at her little Miss Monroe, pretending she belongs here.” Her friends cackled, tossing cruel glances at me. Heat rose to my face, my chest tightening. I’d thought I could ignore them, thought I could walk away. But then Maria leaned closer, her smirk venomous.“Your sister parades around like she owns Damien Roth, but you? You’re just a charity case. The company should’ve thrown you out the minute you walked in.” My throat locked. Every instinct screamed to fight back, but my voice wouldn’t work. I stood frozen, trembling, fighting the tears that threatened to break free. That’s when Alia rose. Her chair scraped hard against the floor, silencing the café for a beat. She stood tall, her eyes fixed on Maria and her crew. Calm. Cold. Dangerous.“You really don’t want to test me,” Alia said, her tone like steel. One of the girls sneered, stepping forward. “Or what? Yo

The doors to the boardroom loomed before us, heavy and polished like gates to an execution chamber. My palms were slick, my heartbeat a drum in my throat. Alia’s hand tightened around mine, her grip steady despite the faint tremor in her body. “Whatever happens,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, “we don’t break.” I nodded, though the knot in my stomach threatened to undo me. When we pushed the doors open, the weight of the room hit us like a wall. Every seat was filled. The long mahogany table gleamed under harsh white lights, lined with the faces of the board and stakeholders. At the far end sat Richard, his posture stiff, his expression carved in stone. His eyes flicked to me once, just once, before he looked away. Maria was there too, seated with her mother at her side. Mrs. Couger radiated fury, her sharp suit as immaculate as her posture, her eyes burning with venom. But the seat beside her was empty. Mr. Couger was nowhere to be seen. And neither Damien nor Cassandr

The heavy silence that followed Richard’s defense of me and Alia was shattered by the sound of the double doors opening. Every head in the room turned as Dr. El Frenando Dapienes, the company’s top investor, entered with an air of authority that silenced even the whispers. Beside him walked Mr. Couger, his face grave, his presence weighted with disappointment. The tension in the boardroom thickened. The board members rose slightly as a sign of respect, then quickly settled as Dr. El Frenando gestured for them to remain seated. His sharp gaze swept across the table, lingering briefly on Maria and her mother before fixing on Richard, then finally on me. “Let us continue,” Dr. Smith said, attempting to maintain composure, though even his voice wavered under the pressure of this sudden presence. El Frenando took his seat at the head of the table, his aura commanding immediate attention. “I’ve been briefed,” he said calmly. “But I want to hear it myself. Miss Monroe”, his eyes fixed firm

My chest still burned from the argument with Cassandra. My eyes ached from tears I swore I'd never not again, but the anger, the betrayal, the raw ache of it all left me restless, untethered. I couldn’t go home. Not now. The night air pressed cool against my skin as I walked through the familiar streets, searching for somewhere, anywhere, that would drown out the echo of Cassandra’s slap, the coldness in her sister’s eyes. I found myself outside the little bar I always went to when life pressed too heavily. The neon sign hummed above me, spilling soft light into the street. I hesitated for only a breath before pushing the door open. The sound of soft music, glasses clinking, and muted laughter washed over me.And then i aaw him. Richard Morgan. He sat alone at the bar, a glass in front of him, untouched now but clearly not his first. His posture was composed, but there was something in the way his shoulders carried a quiet weight, something that told me he wasn’t here to enjoy him