All Chapters of Married To The Ruthless Billionaire : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ethan guided her away from the reporters’ flashing cameras, his hand resting firmly at the small of her back. The gesture was protective, but also claiming. For once, Amara didn’t shrug him off. The heat of the lights outside, the weight of the headlines—all of it pressed too heavily on her shoulders.They slipped into a quieter wing of the hospital. The hum of machines replaced the chaos from outside, though the storm still churned in her chest.Ethan stopped, turning her gently to face him. “Look at me.”She hesitated, then lifted her gaze. His eyes were sharp, but there was a warmth in them she hadn’t expected, a steady kind of focus that made it impossible to look away.“You don’t deserve this,” he said firmly. “Not the whispers, not the headlines, not the way he treats you like you’re nothing but a contract.”Amara’s throat tightened. “It’s not that simple, Ethan.”“It is.” His voice was low, cutting, certain. “You’ve been surviving in his world, playing by his rules. But y

The hospital ward was unusually quiet that afternoon. Amara had just finished helping her mother sip water when the door opened. She expected a nurse.Instead, Ethan stepped inside again, carrying a book under his arm.Amara’s eyes narrowed. “Ethan—”But before she could finish, her mother’s face lit up. “Mr. Blake. What a nice surprise.”Ethan smiled, his charm effortless. “I thought I’d come read to you both for a while. Amara deserves a rest.”Amara’s chest tightened. “You don’t need to—”Her mother cut her off, patting the chair beside the bed. “Let him, my girl. It will be nice to have company.”Amara’s reply crumbled in silence. If it gave her mother comfort, how could she argue? But unease gnawed at her as Ethan settled in and opened the book, his voice low and steady as he began to read.Her mother’s expression softened, her eyes fluttering closed as she listened. For a moment, Amara simply watched—her heart torn between gratitude and suspicion.That was when the door opened

Amara’s footsteps echoed through the marble hall as she climbed the stairs, her chest tight, her pulse still racing from the confrontation. She didn’t stop until she reached the sanctuary of her room. Once the door clicked shut, she pressed her back against it, her breath coming in shallow bursts.Her cheek still burned where his thumb had brushed, the memory of his touch stubbornly clinging to her skin. She hated it. Hated how easily her body betrayed her when her mind screamed otherwise.He drove her mad.Every word, every glance, every silence—Lucian Hale was a storm that left nothing untouched. And tonight, she had been swept up in it again, dragged under by the fire in his eyes and the desperation in his grip.Amara walked to the mirror, her reflection staring back at her. She barely recognized the woman looking back—eyes wide, lips trembling, cheeks flushed with a mixture of anger and something far more dangerous.She touched her face lightly, her whisper breaking in the qui

Lucian looked down at the bed, his expression softening for the briefest moment. Then he turned back to Amara, his voice quieter but no less intense. “Don’t read the papers. Don’t watch the reports. I’ve already buried it.”And with that, he moved to the door, his back rigid, his silence carrying the weight of everything he refused to say.When he was gone, Amara sat frozen in the chair, her heart pounding.He had fought for her. Defended her. Protected her name before the world.But not once had he said what she truly needed to hear.Amara sat in the dim hospital room long after Lucian left, the silence pressing on her like a weight. Her mother slept peacefully beside her, but inside, Amara’s thoughts churned.She had watched the clip of him at the press conference earlier. The way he had stood before the world, immovable and merciless, shielding her name as if no one dared touch it. Then he had come here, standing in front of her with the same fire, claiming she was under his pr

The space felt tighter, the steady beeps and her mother’s breathing filling the quiet after Lucian’s words.“I believe you were just leaving, Ethan.”Lucian’s voice was calm, too calm. The kind of calm that promised fire beneath.Ethan didn’t flinch. Instead, he slid his hands into his pockets, his easy smile never faltering. “Funny. I was just thinking the same thing about you.”Amara’s heart stumbled in her chest. She moved instinctively between them, her palms brushing the cold edge of the chair as if it could anchor her. “Stop it,” she hissed under her breath, her eyes darting to her mother. “Not here.”Lucian’s gaze flicked toward her briefly, softening just enough to sting. Then it sharpened again, locking on Ethan. “You’ve had your fun circling what doesn’t belong to you. Time’s up.”Ethan chuckled, low and mocking. “Belong? She’s not a company you can buy, Lucian. She’s not another asset on your books. You can stand in front of cameras and call her your wife all you want,