All Chapters of Embraced By The Billionaire: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The old-world dignity of Elias Houston’s office provided a contrast to the modern-day desperation settling over him like a shroud. He was a man accustomed to solvency, to the clean, predictable rhythm of honest enterprise.But now, at seventy-two, the stress of keeping Houston Petrochemicals afloat was visibly aging him, etching deep lines of worry around his eyes and slowing the steady rhythm of his breathing. The desk in front of him, a sturdy, worn testament to decades of hard work, now seemed to mock him, piled high with overdue invoices that threatened to swallow his family legacy whole."You look dreadful, Elias. You haven't slept, have you?" Martha, his trusted accountant and a woman whose loyalty had been as steadfast as his own business principles, remarked, her concern palpable in the quiet office.Elias waved a dismissive hand, the gesture weary. "Sleep is a luxury Oliver Reed has ensured I cannot afford, Martha. He treats our payments like mere suggestions, like pocket cha

Ashton arrived home long after midnight. The house was mostly dark; even the security lights seemed muted, perhaps out of respect for the sheer exhaustion radiating from him. He had missed dinner again. He didn't even bother to check the time; the past twenty-four hours had been a blur of encrypted calls, legal drafting, and aggressive financial maneuvering intended to exploit the chaos he’d just unleashed on Reed Corp.He walked into the large, modern kitchen, expecting only the cold glow of the stainless steel. But the dining nook, usually reserved for breakfast, was softly lit.Avery was sitting there, fully dressed in comfortable knitwear, a half-read book resting in her lap. A covered plate sat warming on a trivet beside her."I thought you wouldn't eat," Avery said, her voice soft but alert. She rose immediately, moving toward the warming plate. "I kept it covered. It's not the chef's best, but it's warm."Ashton stopped near the entrance to the nook, leaning heavily against the

Ashton returned home earlier than his usual schedule. The crushing weight that had been etched onto his shoulders for weeks seemed to have lifted, replaced by a visible weariness. He found Avery not in her usual quiet study, but in the conservatory, a space she was slowly transforming into a sanctuary filled with lush, green plants.She was sitting on a comfortable, oversized sofa, a book resting open in her lap, but her gaze was distant, fixed on the sunlight filtering through the leaves, a contemplative, almost melancholic look clouding her features."I hear the Beaumont contract is dead," Avery stated softly, her voice barely disturbing the quiet. She looked up from her book as Ashton entered the room, a gentle smile gracing her lips. It was a smile that held a new kind of peace, a peace hard-won through shared trauma and unexpected connection.Ashton walked over to join her on the plush sofa, the familiar comfort of her presence a grounding force against the lingering chill of the

The atmosphere in Ashton Knight’s study had almost permanently shifted from a place of intense, high-stakes finance to a more focused, almost conspiratorial planning session. The financial attack on Reed Corp, which had culminated in the Elysian Dynamics collapse, was complete. Now, Ashton and his team were preparing for another surprise that Rose and Oliver would never see coming.Ashton sat at the head of a long, minimalist conference table. Across from him sat Alistair, his chief legal counsel, and Marcus Thorne, head of security and intelligence. Avery sat beside Ashton, her presence now a regular fixture in these war room discussions, her insights often proving more valuable than any corporate data."The financial markets are in turmoil," Alistair began, adjusting his glasses. "Rose Reed has lost her leverage. But can’t underestimate her, she’s still dangerous. We need to control the narrative before she does.""She'll try to spin this as an act of corporate espionage by Knight C

The immediate aftermath of the Ariadne Holdings exposé was exactly what Ashton had predicted: denial from Rose Reed and chaos among the shareholders.Ashton, Avery, and Alistair were gathered in the study, reviewing the preliminary results. The financial damage was ongoing, but the PR strategy needed the next punch."Rose issued a full denial, claiming it's a standard offshore structure," Alistair reported, sounding tired but determined. "The denial is holding up, barely. But the public attention is fading. We need something big, Ashton. Another financial strike?"Ashton leaned forward, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. "No. We've hit their wallets enough. If we hit them again financially, Rose will simply double down on the 'corporate espionage' narrative. We need to shift the battlefield."Avery, who had been quietly watching the exchange, spoke up. "He's right. The public doesn't care about tax structures. They care about people."Ashton looked at her, his gaze intense. "Go