All Chapters of Embraced By The Billionaire: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Avery and Sarah were utterly shocked. Both of them could only stare at each other without saying anything. Elena Vance was no longer just a perfect candidate. She was a ghost, a woman with a five-year past and a history that vanished into thin air.Ashton’s suspicion had solidified into a cold, hard certainty that this woman was a plant. The only question was, what game was she playing? He had agreed to the interview not to vet her but to study her. He needed to see his enemy up close.Elena Vance arrived at the Knight mansion precisely at the scheduled time. She was the picture of understated professionalism. Her attire was simple, a tailored navy-blue dress, sensible flat shoes, and her hair pulled back in a neat bun. There was no flashy jewelry, no heavy perfume. She was deliberately unremarkable, designed to blend into the background of a wealthy household.Avery and Sarah met her in the sunroom, a bright, airy space with comfortable sofas and a panoramic view of the gardens. They

The moment the door closed behind Elena Vance, the carefully constructed calm in the sunroom shattered. The silence she left in her wake was heavy with unspoken conflict, charged with the opposing conclusions of the three adults left in the room.Ashton was the first to speak, his voice hard and absolute. “She’s lying.”Avery, who was gently rocking Adelia’s bassinet, looked up, a frown creasing her brow. “Lying? Ashton, what are you talking about? She answered all of your questions.”“She had an answer for everything. That’s the problem,” he countered, his eyes dark with conviction. “It was a performance. A flawless, perfectly rehearsed performance. Did you not see it?”“See what?” Sarah asked, genuinely confused. “I saw a woman who handled your interrogation with grace. You were incredibly harsh with her, and she never lost her composure.”“It wasn’t grace, Sarah. It was training,” Ashton insisted, his frustration evident. “Her story about a family tragedy was a textbook maneuver to

The report from Marcus Thorne was a silent alarm ringing only in Ashton’s ears. He now possessed a cold fact that Elena Vance, the perfect nanny, was connected to the Reeds. But he knew confronting Avery with a tangled web of corporate entities and financial ties would be a mistake. It was too abstract, too easy to dismiss as coincidence when weighed against the tangible peace Elena brought into the house every single day.He needed something more. He needed concrete, undeniable proof of malice, an act so clear it would shatter the illusion Elena had so carefully built. He decided to wait, to watch, and to let the snake in his house reveal its fangs. He didn't have to wait long.The attack came on a Tuesday night. The day had been calm, almost blissful. Adelia had been a cheerful, gurgling delight, and Avery, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, felt a genuine sense of maternal confidence. She was not just a survivor anymore. She was a mother, finding her rhythm.She put A

The polished conference table in the law offices of Sterling & Croft felt like a slab of ice. Oliver shifted uncomfortably in his leather chair, loosening a tie that suddenly felt too tight. Across from him, his mother, Rose, sat perfectly still, her posture regal, her expression unreadable. At the head of the table, their lead attorney, Mr. Davies, cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud in the tense room.“So, let me be frank,” Davies began, adjusting his glasses. “As things stand, our petition for custody is weak.”“Weak?” Oliver scoffed, leaning forward. “What are you talking about? My wife abandoned her home! She’s clearly unstable!”“An accusation for which we have no proof, Mr. Reed,” Davies countered, his tone dry. “In fact, Ashton Knight’s legal team has masterfully painted a counter-narrative: that of a distressed mother seeking refuge from a hostile environment. They have medical statements attesting to her exhaustion and stress. We, on the other hand, have nothing b

The ride back from the hospital was silent, but it was a different kind of silence than the frantic, fearful one on the way there. Adelia was sleeping peacefully in her car seat, her skin clear, her breathing even. The doctor’s words echoed in Avery’s mind “simple contact dermatitis, a new baby powder, perhaps.” Avery sat staring out the window, not seeing the blur of city lights. Beside her, Elena was the picture of relief. “Oh, I am just so thankful it was nothing serious,” Elena sighed, placing a hand over her heart. “My mind was imagining the worst. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her.” “Yes,” Avery replied, her voice flat. “Thank goodness.” She didn't look at Elena. She couldn't. From that night on, something inside Avery shifted. The unconditional trust she had placed in Elena, the foundation of her newfound peace, had deve