Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Billionaire’s Betrayed Bride: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

RILEY'S POV The figure became awfully familiar as he got closer.Aiden.I froze, shocked beyond words.The moment the kidnapper turned, Aiden was already on him.The sound of the first punch echoed like a crack of thunder in the concrete chamber. His head snapped sideways and blood spluttered from the side of his mask. He stumbled but didn't fall, Aiden didn't give him that chance.He grabbed him by the collar and continued punching him, each blow landing harder than the last, fueled by something I couldn't explain.Was it rage, fear, or perhaps protectiveness?I wasn't sure, everything twisted into a single brutal force.“You tried to touch her?” Aiden snarled, “You dare put your hands on my woman?!”Hearing these words made my heart flutter, having someone stand up for me for the first time ever.A man that had been standing at the corner walked over to me, draping his leather jacket on my shoulders. I hadn't met him before, but he had a sweet smile that made me feel I was safe

ETHAN'S POV I had never been good at managing my temper, but tonight, it was a different beast entirely. Rage sat in my veins like molten metal, hot and blistering, carving its way through every rational thought. My hands trembled where I gripped the edge of the bar in my study, knuckles pale, jaw tight enough to crack.Riley.The image wouldn’t leave his head, her clinging to Aiden, face buried in his chest, her fingers curled into his shirt. The way she had looked at him with those love eyes... She'd never looked at me that way, not even once.I knocked back another glass of whiskey, the burn doing nothing to settle the storm inside me. I paced back and forth in my office, agitated as her words played back in my head. She dared to reject me?She was even bold enough to move on when it was barely six months since our divorce.We had a long history together, she swore her loyalty to me despite all our fights, so how could she love someone else that wasn't me? To make me jealous?

CLAIRE'S POV I had never been good at sitting still, especially when something gnawed at my chest, refusing to leave me alone. And for the last three days, something had been gnawing, something tall, brooding, annoyingly protective, and named Aiden.Or rather, the way he hovered around Riley without actually doing anything.Riley had been quieter since the rescue, more withdrawn, more skittish. I saw it in the way she avoided eye contact, the way she flinched when footsteps approached from behind, the way she forced herself to smile when Aiden was near, then found excuses to leave the moment he tried to talk to her.And Aiden… good God.He watched her like she was a wounded animal he didn’t know how to approach. He always stood too far to offer comfort but too close to pretend he didn’t care. And whenever Riley pulled away, something dark flickered in his eyes, something frustrated, confused, almost… hurt.I’d somehow managed to tolerate it for exactly seventy-two hours.On the se

RILEY'S POV At the close of work, I immediately stacked my documents together and shut my system before rushing out of the hospital.After what had happened to me, I wasn't foolish enough to work overtime again. Not at the risk of my babies.I was exhausted, completely drained by Ethan, that madman. He wouldn't stop trying to force his presence on me, following me like a shadow even after i’d dumped his ridiculous bouquet into the trashI took the elevator down slowly, every movement deliberate, every breath a silent promise to myself that I would do one thing for myself tonight. One small, indulgent thing. Just cheesecake. I didn’t even care if I sat alone, I just deserved this.I drove down to the small confectionery store down the street. They sold the best cheesecake I've ever had, which was precisely what I was craving right now.The creamy, silky richness, soft yet firm crust, with a touch of sweetness to numb my overworked mind. All day, I’d imagined the moment I would finall

RILEY'S POV I woke up with an unusual heaviness behind my eyes, the kind that made blinking feel like a full-body workout. Claire had already left for work as usual, she was really diligent about work compared to me.My alarm showed I had exactly forty minutes to get dressed, pack my bag, and hurry out if I didn't want to get stuck in traffic.My mood still hadn’t recovered from last night’s embarrassment, the more I thought of it, the more pathetic I felt.I groaned loudly, dragging myself out of bed.There was work, I needed to focus on it and nothing else.By the time I showered, dressed, and took one last look at myself in the mirror, I had almost convinced myself today would be peaceful.Almost.The office was already buzzing when I walked in. Phones ringing, heels clicking, interns literally sprinting down the hallway, normal chaos. I moved toward my desk, clutching my coffee like a lifeline. I didn’t even get to sit before I sensed a pair of eyes on me.Of course. Ethan.He