Semua Bab THE BILLIONAIRE WHO STOLE MY FIRST NIGHT: Bab 31 - Bab 40

I stared at the message until the words blurred, my mother's letter still clutched in my other hand, two impossible truths warring in my mind: she'd given me freedom, and someone had taken her life."Evelyn?" Liam's voice cut through my shock. He'd crossed the room while I stood frozen, his hand gentle on my elbow. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."I should have shown him the message immediately. Should have told him about the murder accusation, the toxicology report, the suggestion that my mother's death wasn't the tragic consequence of stress but something far more sinister.But before I could speak, Natasha appeared at his other side, her hand sliding possessively onto his arm."Liam, Marcus Chen just arrived. He's asking about the merger proposal—says the board wants to hear details before next week's meeting." Her blue eyes were all professional concern. "I know the timing is terrible, but if we don't move quickly, Sterling Capital's offer might go to your compet

The Singapore police released me after exactly forty-seven minutes."There's been a mistake," the lead officer said, his expression carefully neutral as he removed the handcuffs. "The warrant in question was issued but immediately stayed pending appeal. Our office received outdated information. My apologies for the confusion, Mrs. Hawthorne."Confusion. As if being arrested in front of my husband and his ex-girlfriend was simply an administrative error.I watched Natasha's triumphant smile falter, watched her attempt to hide her disappointment behind professional concern, and knew with absolute certainty: this hadn't been a mistake. This had been a power play that had somehow backfired."Someone's playing games," Liam said quietly as we returned to our suite, his hand never leaving mine. "Bennett doesn't make mistakes like this. Someone fed false information to the Singapore authorities.""Natasha." I said it with conviction now, exhaustion and anger finally burning through my uncerta

I made it exactly three blocks from the hotel before realizing I had nowhere to go.No passport—I'd left it in the hotel safe. No credit cards that weren't linked to accounts Liam could track. No friends in Singapore, no family who'd take my calls, no plan beyond blind flight from the man who'd systematically destroyed my life while claiming to protect it.The morning heat was already oppressive, humidity pressing down like a physical weight. I found myself in a small park, sinking onto a bench while my mind raced through impossible options.Go back to Liam and what—forgive him for fraud? Trust him after he'd proven trust was a weapon he'd use against me? Stay married to a man who'd framed me for murder, however unintentionally?Or stay here, alone and pregna

"We're already married, Liam."I said it flatly, exhausted, as the plane descended through turbulence toward JFK, both of us knowing that in less than an hour we'd be walking into the arms of US authorities ready to arrest us for crimes we didn't commit."Not properly." His voice was hard, determined, the CEO tone that brooked no argument. "Not in a way that protects you and our baby legally. Not in a way that makes it impossible for them to force you to testify against me or vice versa.""We had a ceremony. We signed papers. We're legally married in every sense—""We had a hasty courthouse wedding during a crisis. What I'm talking about is different." He turned to face me fully, his expression carved from stone. "I'm talking about a prenuptial agreement that's bee

Liam showed up at Rebecca's office at midnight, bypassing security with the kind of money and influence that made locks irrelevant.I was still there, had been for fifteen hours straight, going through evidence with Rebecca's investigative team, trying to find the thread that would unravel Natasha's frame job. My eyes burned, my back ached, and the nausea that should have eased by now was relentless—stress compounding morning sickness into something that made eating nearly impossible."You need to leave," Rebecca said immediately, stepping between Liam and me. "My client doesn't want to see you.""Then she can tell me that herself." His eyes found mine over Rebecca's shoulder. "Five minutes, Evelyn. That's all I'm asking.""You heard her," Rebecca insisted. "You need—""It's fine." I was too exhausted to fight, too worn down to maintain walls. "Five minutes. Rebecca, give us the room?"She looked reluctant but nodded, leaving with a pointed reminder: "I'll be right outside. One word a