All Chapters of Too Late, Mr. Billionaire : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

ANYTA’S POV“Teddy…”I was running. Each breath was a laboured effort as my lungs tightened and burned.My feet pounded against cold marble, my lungs burning as I chased the sound of my son's voice through endless corridors that kept stretching the farther I went.My dress snagged on something unseen and pain flared from the spot where it snaggrd my flesh. But I didn’t stop, not while it felt like my whole life was dangling by a cliff end.“Mama!”Teddy's voice cracked through the thick air and and my heart lurched painfully in my chest at the terror I heard in it.I burst into a room the room and almost crashed down on the concrete floors from both relief and raw, cold, fear.Low lights created shadows that clung to the corners. Sienna stood near the first first, immaculately dressed as always. Her lips curved in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she stepped forward, and behind her was her husband, Leonard, in his chair.It was all too familiar. So familiar, I felt tears spring t

CLAY’S POVShe'd called me first.In a moment of desperation and fear, I was the first one on her mind.I have no idea why that thought excited me so much. Gave me a strong sense of purpose I'd never felt better. And made me want to do more for her, to protect her from everything thing that could possibly harm her and Teddy.Her obvious trust in me was far more satisfying than I imagined it'd be.The single fact of her contacting me even before the authorities, warmly lodged itself in my chest, even as fear chased right after it.Through the haze of dedication to my friend, I remembered that she hadn’t called me to share good news or complain about a bad day.Someone had broken into her house and tried to harm her. Probably harmed her, to an extent.That thought lit a fire in my chest, a fire that burned and grew into a furnace of fear and pain as I rushed to my car, slid in and immediately pulled out of the garage.My hands clenched so tight around the steering wheel my knuckles ache

ANYTA’S POV“Okay, be honest…”I felt a small smile tug at my lips as I stared up at Laura. Then nodded, “sure.”“Do you really think we could be close friends, maybe even bestfriends in the future?”I stirred my coffee and took a tiny sip. “Why? I thought we'd be something more,” I winked over the rim of my mug and Laura flushed.And I found myself chuckling at her reaction. “I'm just joking, don't mind me.”“Well, you're too much of my type to be joking like that,” she replied, smiling brightly.I couldn't tell if she was joking, it looked like she was, but at the same time, it didn't.“Do you only date girls?”She shrugged, popping a grape into her mouth. “I date whoever I find attractive, male, female, non-binary, etc.”“That must be freeing,” I took another sip as I thought better about it, my head tilted to the side. “Your dating pool is pretty much everyone.”Laura scoffed, “trust me, that doesn't make people less shitty. In fact, it just makes you seem the bad in all genders.”

ANYTA’S POVThe house felt all wrong the next night.Nothing was out of place when I returned from work to meet a comfy Alice lounging in the living room.Nothing was missing either. And yet every slight sound landed too loud in my chest. It all started after Alice left.My paranoia grew so much, I began regretting not taking her up on her offer to stay for the night.I checked the front door twice before dinner.Then again after. I tested the lock on the balcony even though I it had been reinforced yesterday.My fingers lingered on the handle longer than necessary, my pulse thudding against my throat as if I expected it to turn on its own.“Mommy?” Teddy’s small voice drifted down the hallway.“I’m here,” I answered quickly, forcing brightness into my tone as I turned away from the door. “Are you okay honey? Go back to bed.”Rubbing his eyes, his curls bobbing as he shook his head. “I'm not sleepy.”“Are you sure?” I smiled.“Yeah,” he nodded, carefully padding down the stairs and in

EVERETT’S POV“Mr. Ashbourne…Mr Ashbourne?”I looked up slowly, irritation already coiling tight in my chest. Twelve faces stared back at me, varying degrees of discomfort and expectation etched into them.The quarterly projections glowed on the screen behind them, numbers I’d reviewed a hundred times before this meeting even began.“Yes?” I muttered flatly.One of the older board members cleared his throat as he tapped his fingers on the desk. “If we could have your attention, this deal is crucial to Ashbourne Enterprises’ expansion into…”“I know exactly how important the deal is,” I snapped, cutting him off. The room grew tense, and I could almost taste their discomfort. “I don’t need it spoon-fed to me like I’m new here.”“You just seemed a little distracted,” one of the three women around the table, pointed out.“And that warrants disrespect? Orlando just spoke to me like I'm retarded.”A beat of stunned silence followed. Then Orlando cleared his throat as he flushed a bit.“My a