All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET BRIDE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Aria Vale was lost in thought when something warm and wet brushed her palm. Startled, she looked down—Ghost had just licked her hand. Seeing she didn’t pull away, the giant Tibetan mastiff stepped closer, lifting a paw as if preparing to jump on her again, acting cute to win affection. A sharp command cut through the air. Ghost instantly shrank back with a wounded whimper, lifting his icy blue eyes toward Aria as though tattling on Damian. She nearly laughed. Was this really the terrifying “beast” the maids whispered about? Damian rested a hand on Ghost’s head, a softness flickering in his usually cold gaze. Even after all these years, Ghost still remembered Aria. Ghost was rarely friendly—aside from Damian and Aria, no one could approach him without being barked at, sometimes chased off. After Damian brought him from Aurelia City as a child, Ghost had grown more volatile whenever Aria wasn’t around, so Damian kept him on the mountainside. Rumours eventually painted Ghost as a kill

At Damian’s signal, several bodyguards moved instantly, seizing Mrs. Whitmore without hesitation. She panicked. “Young Master—what are you doing?!” Damian’s voice was cold enough to freeze bone. “Mrs. Whitmore, do I need to remind you? Aria is my wife—the sole mistress of this house. If she slaps you, you accept it. And you dare complain to me? Are you tired of living?” His eyes sharpened like a blade. “Take her out and throw her into the sea.” The bodyguards tightened their grip. In that moment, it became painfully clear—her life meant nothing to him. Only Aria did. Mrs. Whitmore shrieked, digging her nails into the floor as she was dragged. “Young Master, please! I’ve served your family for years—how can you treat me like this?!” “The whole staff saw your wife slap me and force me to my knees! And I’m the villain now?! The entire city will say you’ve lost your mind!” Her voice trembled with desperation, but her arrogance still clung stubbornly. Favoured for years by Mr. Cr

"Just stay calm—I’ll be right there!" Rowan Vale hung up in a rush. He had completely forgotten about questioning Aria’s finances; his only thought now was to get home and contain the disaster. "Mr. Cross, my deepest apologies—a family emergency. I must take my leave immediately. Rain check?" Without waiting for a reply, Rowan practically bolted out the door. Celeste had just called, her panicked voice saying reporters had surrounded their villa after receiving a tip about his tax evasion. Now, with every major outlet in Meridian City scrambling for a scoop, the Vale residence was under siege—journalists shouting questions nonstop. Rowan’s heart pounded. This was supposed to be airtight. No one should have known. So who talked? Aria watched Rowan’s hurried retreat, her gaze cold and sharp. Because he’d always thought she was a fool, Rowan never bothered hiding his dealings from her. But now—reborn and clear-minded—Aria remembered everything. She knew all his secrets. And this

“Mr. Cross, Caleb has returned from the Capital,” Nolan Drake reported. Damian Cross stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gaze lowered to the garden. A faint, unreadable smile tugged at his lips as he watched Aria Vale attempting—chaotically and joyfully—to bathe Little White, the massive Tibetan Mastiff. After days of mountain adventures, the dog was a walking dust cloud. Aria had dragged him outside after lunch, determined to restore his snowy coat. What others considered a beast obeyed her like a pampered child. But halfway through, she abandoned the bath entirely and launched into a water fight, laughing as Little White splashed her in return. The sight settled something inside Damian. His girl. Here. Within reach. And now that he had her, no one else ever would. “Let him walk straight into his own trap,” he murmured, still looking outside before turning to Nolan. The cool study light sharpened his features, making him look like danger shaped into a man. “Should I interven

Back at the island villa, after dinner together, Damian Cross retreated to his study to work, while Aria Vale bounded upstairs to bed. Once she was settled, she finally powered on her phone. As expected, a flood of missed calls—all from Victor Sloan. Victor—the same man who had once used his bright, sunny smile to completely wreck her heart. Beneath all that charm, though, he was nothing but trash. Back then, she had been naïve enough to believe he was the kindest person alive. She followed him around like a lovesick puppy, letting even a single smile from him brighten her entire day. She never realized she was being used—manipulated—while his real affection was reserved for Liana Vale. To Victor, she had been nothing more than a convenient admirer, a boost to his ego. But today, the girl who had once chased him so desperately had ignored his calls and shut off her phone entirely. He was probably losing his mind. Aria checked her messages. Sure enough, there were several texts from