All Chapters of Her Return : The Billionaire's Contract Wife: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The simple, stark statement hung in the air. His reason for blind loyalty and respect for his grandmother was that she was his constant, his actual parent. That explained everything about his coldness and obedience.He finished the last piece of salmon. He put his plate down and looked at me, no calculation in his eyes now, just a heavy weariness."Your turn again," he said, the words a challenge and a surrender all at once. "Tell me one more thing that is only true right now, in this moment."I stared into the fire. "I'm not thinking about my mother's treatment right now," I admitted, my voice low and honest. "I haven't thought about the bills, the doctors, or the contract in the last hour. I'm just warm, fed, and watching a fire."He stared at me, his eyes dark with a mix of exhaustion and something completely new. "I'm not thinking about my phone," he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly."Good," I replied, sinking further into the sofa. "Me neither."I closed my eye

KillianShe was the only person I trusted to give me that kind of straight talk. She was my ride-or-die."I know," I admitted, finally feeling grounded. "I needed this check. You’re the best."She smiled a practiced, calm, society smile that smoothed over the rough edges of the world. "I know, sweetie. Now, go shower. I'll get the fire stoked, and I'll lay out these files on the table so they’re ready when you come down. Two hours. That's all I need you to give me."I nodded, utterly relieved to be given a simple, controllable task. I could handle a shower. I could handle a merger file. I couldn't handle the memory of Nova's lips melting under mine, followed by her instant, brutal rejection."I'll be down," I told her, grabbing a dry robe from the cabinet. "You don't have to wait, T."She shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to organize. Now go."I didn't press it. I didn't have to. She was my anchor.As I walked up the wide, dark staircase, I felt a heavy knot sett

I pulled my laptop onto my lap. I opened the file for my business law class and forced my eyes to track the words. Breach of contract. Fiduciary duty. Temporary assignment of assets. The legal terms were fitting. I was the temporary asset, and I was dangerously close to breaching my own survival contract.I could see their faint reflections in the glass. Tanya occasionally leaned forward, murmuring something to him, her posture solicitous and supportive. Killian's head, bent low over the papers, was completely focused. The contrast was stark: the shared intimacy of the professional world versus my isolated, desperate survival.The cold air kept me sharp. The distance kept me safe.I had to stick to the plan. He is off-limits. I was going to finish my work, collect my money, and get out of his life before I drowned both of us in chaos. The tension was almost unbearable, a silent, heavy pressure against my chest, but I wouldn't be the one to break. I just had to be invisible until the c

We were barely seated at the ridiculously long dining table when the games began. Killian was quiet, just staring down at his plate, consumed by his own shame and the manufactured anger Tanya had fed him.Tanya, however, was having a great time. She sat across from me, smiling sweetly."It must be nice, having a break from your little studies," she whispered, her voice a poisonous velvet. She pushed a piece of expensive salad around her plate. "I mean, it's not like you have to worry about the future, right? When you land a prize like Killian."I kept my fork steady. "I'm working on my business degree, Tanya. I don't 'worry' about the future; I plan for it."Her smile didn't falter, but her eyes went cold. "Oh, you plan for it. Like, planning to drop all your morals and sign a contract to marry a stranger? Let's be real, honey. You didn't plan this. You bought this. Everyone in this house knows what you are."I finally looked up. "What exactly am I?"She leaned forward, her voice drop

The threat was absolute, and it was the breaking point. The hypocrisy, the control, the fact that she was punishing Tanya, my only true connection, for a fight she'd just witnessed. All the years of biting my tongue, enduring the cold demands, and sacrificing everything for the company—it all came roaring out.I took a step toward her, my hands clenched into fists. For the first time in my adult life, I raised my voice to her."Why?!" I demanded, my voice cracking with years of suppressed anger. "Why her? Why did you force me into that marriage? Tanya is my friend. Her parents died! She is not some social climber; she's family! Why do you hate her so much?! Why did you bring that girl..Nova …into my life just to tear down the one stable thing I have?"The silence that followed was terrifying. She simply absorbed my rage, unblinking. She waited until I was finished, then spoke, her voice deadly calm, stripped of all emotion."You have confused