All Chapters of BROKEN BILLIONAIRES: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

21 Chapters

11. TICK TOCK, ADRIAN

LOLETTE."I'll start making calls," Sev said, already pulling out his phone. "We have investigators on retainer. The best in the country."Adrian nodded, moving behind his desk and pulling up something on his computer. "Get them on this immediately. I want a full team assembled within the hour."I stood near the window, watching the three brothers work in synchronized efficiency. Even Igor, despite his obvious disdain for me, was typing something rapidly on his phone.It was strange, seeing them like this.Five years ago, I'd been around the Emporio family enough to know how they operated. Sev was the financial genius, always calculating risks and numbers. Sasha was the legal mind, quiet but ruthless when it came to contracts and litigation.And Adrian...Adrian was the leader. The one everyone looked to when things fell apart.Watching him now, barking orders and making decisions with absolute authority, I could see why. There was something about him that commanded attention. Demande

Last Updated : 2025-12-12

12: HOT SHOT LITIGATOR

ADRIAN.The police station smelled like stale coffee and industrial cleaner.I hated everything about it.The fluorescent lights. The linoleum floors. The way every sound echoed off the walls.But mostly, I hated the waiting.We'd been here for over an hour, shuttled from one desk to another, filling out forms and answering the same questions over and over again."And you're certain the children are yours?" Detective Morris asked for what felt like the hundredth time.I bit back the urge to reach across the table and strangle him. "Yes. I'm certain.""But you've never met them?""No.""And the mother kept them from you for five years without your knowledge?""Yes."He scribbled something in his notepad, his expression skeptical. "That's going to complicate things, Mr. Emporio.""What's complicated about it?" I asked, my patience hanging by a thread. "Two children were kidnapped. There's a ransom note. My children. What else do you need?""DNA evidence, for one," he said, looking up fr

Last Updated : 2025-12-13

13: PUSH TO SHOVE

LOLETTE.The tension between Adrian and the man in front of us was thick enough to cut with a knife.I'd seen Adrian angry before—God knows I'd been on the receiving end of it five years ago—but this was different.This was personal."Tor," Adrian said, and the way he said the name made it sound like a curse.The man—Tor—didn't seem fazed. If anything, his smile widened slightly, like he was enjoying Adrian's reaction."It's good to see you too, Adrian," Tor said smoothly. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances.""What the hell are you doing here?" Adrian demanded, his voice low and dangerous."I could ask you the same thing," Tor replied. Then he turned to me, extending his hand with that practiced charm. "Tor Huntzburger. Criminal defense attorney."I looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his face. Something about him felt... safe. Which was ridiculous considering I'd just met him.But after hours of being interrogated by detectives who looked at me like I was lyi

Last Updated : 2025-12-13

FROM THE BEGINNING

LOLETTE.I felt my stomach twist because he was right.The detective in there had been looking at me like I was lying. Like I'd made everything up."That's why she needs good legal representation," Tor continued, pulling a business card from his pocket.He held it out to me. "I'm not trying to get between whatever history you two have. I'm just trying to help."I hesitated, looking at Adrian.His expression was thunderous. "Don't."But something in Tor's words resonated with me.I was tired of being treated like I was nothing. Like my pain didn't matter. Like my children didn't matter.And right now, Adrian was standing here fighting with his ex friend instead of focusing on finding Ruslan and Ivan.I reached out and took the card.Adrian's eyes went wide. "Lolette—""Thank you," I said to Tor, cutting Adrian off.Tor gave me a small nod. "Call me if you need anything. I mean it."He looked at Adrian one last time, and something unreadable passed between them."For what it's worth," T

Last Updated : 2025-12-13

15: YOU CALLED?

LOLETTE.I looked at Adrian.He looked back at me.And for the first time since I'd walked into his office this morning, I saw something in his eyes that looked like fear.Not for himself.But for what we were about to have to relive.Adrian's jaw worked. "We were... friends. Close friends.""For how long?" Morris asked."Five years," Adrian said. "Since she was adopted by the Eastwood family."I kept my eyes on the table in front of me, my hands folded in my lap."And what happened?" Morris pressed.Adrian was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was careful. Measured."Five years ago, we... we spent a night together."My chest tightened.A night together.Like it was just some casual thing. Like it hadn't meant everything to me."And then?" Morris asked."And then I got engaged," Adrian said. "To her sister. Mabel Eastwood.""I see," Morris said finally. "And you didn't know about the children until today, Mr. Emporio?""No," Adrian said, his voice rough. "I had no idea."Mo

Last Updated : 2025-12-15

16: PROMISES YOU CAN'T KEEP

ADRIAN.My phone rang as I drove, Sasha's name flashed across the screen.I answered immediately. "Yeah?""Where are you?" he asked, his voice brisk and businesslike."Just leaving the station with Lolette. Why?""I need you at the estate. Now. I've got my team coming in—private investigators, the best in the country. And I managed to get Detective Morris to agree to a joint meeting."I felt a flicker of surprise. Sasha had ridiculous connections, but getting the police to coordinate with private investigators this quickly was impressive."How'd you manage that?" I asked."I have my ways," Sasha said. "Just get here. We need to move on this fast.""We're on our way," I said, then added, "Thank you. For pulling all this together.""Just get here," he hung up.I turned to Lolette. "Sasha's arranged a meeting at my estate. Private investigators and Detective Morris."Her eyes lit up—the first spark of energy I'd seen since we left the interrogation room. "When?""Now. They're already on

Last Updated : 2025-12-15

17: THE STRENGTH TO FALL APART

LOLETTE.The hotel room door clicked shut behind me.I stood there, hand still on the handle, like if I didn't move, if I didn't acknowledge where I was, maybe I could pretend this wasn't happening.But the silence was deafening.I let go of the handle.The room was nice. Probably expensive—Adrian had arranged it, so of course it was. Cream walls. Soft lighting. A massive bed with decorative pillows arranged just so. Floor-to-ceiling windows showing off Manhattan like it was something to celebrate.I hated it.Hated how clean it was. How untouched. How completely wrong it felt to be standing here in luxury while my children were God knows where, terrified and alone.My purse slipped off my shoulder and hit the floor with a dull thud.I didn't pick it up.I just stood there in the middle of the room, my arms hanging at my sides, staring at nothing.What was I supposed to do now?The question sat in my chest like a stone.What was I supposed to do?Go to sleep? Eat? Watch TV? Pretend li

Last Updated : 2025-12-16

18: A THOUSAND TIMES YES

ADRIAN.I left the office earlier this morning.Richard had called. They had news and wanted to meet at the estate within the hour.I didn't ask what kind of news. His tone told me enough.My hands wouldn't stop gripping the steering wheel as I drove toward Lolette's hotel. Something sat heavy in my chest—dread, maybe. Fear.What if they'd found something terrible? What if the boys were—No.I cut the thought off before it could finish.Couldn't go there. Not yet.The hotel appeared through the windshield, and I pulled up to the entrance, reaching for my phone to text her.She was already walking out.Christ.She looked like she'd been hit by a truck. Then backed over for good measure.Her eyes were swollen and red, dark circles underneath so pronounced they looked like bruises. Skin pale and drawn, almost gray in the afternoon light. Hair yanked back in a messy ponytail that looked like she'd done it without a mirror. Same clothes as yesterday—wrinkled now, like she'd slept in them.

Last Updated : 2025-12-18

19: BITE THE BULLET

ADRIAN.I gestured down the hall. Kaitlyn followed, her heels clicking sharp and angry against the marble floor.I shut the door behind us, and she immediately turned on me."Well?" Her arms were crossed again, chin lifted. Defiant.I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. There weren't any.Best I bit the fucking bullet."Lolette and I... we have children together."Her face went completely blank. "What?""Twins. They're four years old."She just stared at me. Like she was waiting for the punchline. Like I'd just told her a joke she didn't understand."They were kidnapped a few days ago," I continued, forcing the words out. "That's why she's here. That's why we need to postpone."For a long moment, she didn't move. Didn't speak.Then her expression twisted into something ugly—disbelief mixed with fury mixed with hurt."You have children?" She hissed the words. "Children? With her?""Kaitlyn—""And you didn't think to tell me?" Her voice rose again. "We're suppose

Last Updated : 2025-12-18

20: JUST AS RUTHLESS

LOLETTE.Richard's words hung in the air.I stood there, trying to make sense of it. Trying to connect the dots."They went after the security company directly," My hands clenched at my sides. "That's not just covering tracks. That's—""Calculated," He finished. "They knew exactly what to hit and when."The implications settled over me like ice water.Whoever had my children wasn't some desperate criminal who'd gotten in over their head. This was organized. Professional. Planned down to the last detail."How did they know?" I asked, my voice sharper now. "How did they know you were trying to get the footage? That we'd even contacted the company?"The investigators looked at each other.No one wanted to say it."They're watching," Adrian said finally, his voice coming out liek steel.I turned toward him, "You think they have someone on the inside?""I think they knew exactly when to strike." His jaw was tight. "That's not luck."A chill ran through me."This is ridiculous," Kaitlyn's v

Last Updated : 2025-12-22

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