All Chapters of The Bet That Ruined Us : Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

[MONICA'S MANSION] Monica slammed the door open so hard it bounced off the wall and nearly swung back into her face. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving, her hands shaking with rage. The perfectly composed mask she had worn at the hospital was completely gone now, replaced by raw fury. Her face was twisted, her eyes wild. "How dare he threaten me!" she shouted to the empty foyer, her voice echoing off the marble floors. "After all these years!" She threw her designer bag onto the couch with such force that it bounced and landed on the floor. She did not care. She was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, her heels clicking against the marble in a frantic rhythm. Ten years. Ten years she had waited for this moment. Ten years of planning and scheming and raising Angel alone. Ten years of watching Grayson from afar, seeing him build his empire, seeing him move on with his life like she had never existed. And now he had the audacity to threaten her, he was filing for cus

[GRANDMA MADONNA'S HOUSE] Grandma Madonna moved slowly through her kitchen, preparing breakfast with the careful deliberation of someone who had done this thousands of times. Scrambled eggs. Toast. Fresh fruit. A pot of herbal tea. The familiar motions were soothing, a small anchor in the chaos. She arranged everything on a wooden tray, adding a cloth napkin and a small vase with a single flower. Then she carried it down the hallway to the guest room. She knocked on the door. "I am coming in, dear." No response. Grandma Madonna pushed the door open anyway and walked to the nightstand, setting the tray down carefully. Then she turned to the bed where a figure was completely covered by the duvet, not even a glimpse of hair visible. "Wake up and eat something," Grandma Madonna said, her voice gentle but firm. "You are hurting yourself more by refusing food. You have not eaten anything in three days." The figure shifted slightly but did not respond. Grandma Madonna reached down and

The cab dropped Shayla off at the edge of the private estate. She paid the driver and stood outside the gates for a moment, looking at the house that had been her home for the past year. The iron gates were tall and imposing, the same as always. It still looked the same. Beautiful. Imposing. Perfect on the outside. But she knew what was broken on the inside. She did not have to wait long. Grayson's security team found her within minutes, just like she knew they would. They approached cautiously, clearly surprised to see her. "Mrs. Cross," one of them said. "We have been looking for you. Should I call Mr. Cross?" "No," Shayla said firmly. "Just take me to the house. I am here to see my son." They nodded and opened the door of one of the SUVs. Shayla climbed in and they drove her through the main gates, up the long driveway, right to the front door. She took a deep breath and walked inside. Matthew was coming down the stairs carrying a tray of untouched food. He looked tired and

The security guard at Ruby's mansion recognized Shayla immediately and let her through without question. She walked through the familiar hallways, her footsteps quiet on the plush carpet, until she reached Ruby's bedroom door. She knew her best friend would be in there and she knew Ruby would be crying her eyes out. And the guilt of that, the knowledge that she had caused Ruby this pain too, sat heavy in Shayla's chest. She opened the door without knocking. "I told you to go home, Chloe!" Ruby's voice came from the bed, muffled and hoarse. "Leave me alone!" "Chloe is probably home by now," Shayla replied, stepping fully into the room. Ruby's head snapped up so fast it had to hurt. She was off the bed in seconds, launching herself across the room. "Mama bear!" She crashed into Shayla with a bone-breaking hug, her arms wrapping around her so tight Shayla could barely breathe. Tears were already running down Ruby's cheeks like waterfalls. "Mama bear," Ruby said again, her voice br

Grayson entered his bedroom and Shayla's scent hit him like a physical blow. Gardenias and something else. Something uniquely her. It was everywhere. In the air. On the pillows. In the closet. The smell wrapped around him, suffocating and comforting at the same time. The controlled, strong appearance he had been maintaining all day shattered completely. He walked to her vanity where she kept her perfume collection. Picked up one of the bottles and opened it, bringing it to his nose. Tears started falling from his eyes before he could stop them. He remembered watching her get ready in the mornings. The ritual of it. The way she would spray perfume on her wrists and neck, then do that thing where she walked through the mist. The way she would catch his eye in the mirror and smile, that soft private smile that was just for him. He set down the perfume and walked to her closet. Her clothes were still there. Her shoes. Her jewelry. Everything exactly as she had left it. Her wedding dre