Semua Bab The Broken Heiress Meets the Billionaire Detective : Bab 1 - Bab 10

Silence swallowed the living room.It was heavy. Crushing. The kind of silence that pressed against Elowen’s ears until her own heartbeat became too loud, too painful. It felt like the walls were closing in on her, slowly, without mercy.Scarlett’s lips were still curved in a satisfied smile, her fingers wrapped possessively around Adrian’s arm. Adrian did not pull away. He stood there calmly, looking at Elowen—not with guilt, not with love, but with pity.That look broke something inside her.That was the moment Elowen understood.This was not a dream.Her fingers trembled as they tightened around the wheels of her wheelchair. She wanted to move. She wanted to stand up, to step back, to turn around and run away from this scene.But her body betrayed her.The same way it always did.Her legs stayed still.Useless.“How… when…?” Elowen stammered. Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears, thin and shaking. None of this made sense. “How is this possible?”She and Adrian were still toget

“Careful, young lady.”The words came low and sharp, right behind her.A powerful hand clamped onto the back of Elowen’s wheelchair, stopping it mid-tilt. The sudden jerk made her gasp as the world lurched. Her heart slammed violently against her ribs, panic bursting through her chest.For a second, she couldn’t breathe.She felt it then—the strength in that grip. Solid. Unyielding. Protective. It wasn’t careless or rough. It was firm, controlled, as if the hand had stopped danger before it could fully reach her.Slowly, with trembling fingers gripping the armrest, Elowen turned her head.The man standing behind her was tall—much taller than she had expected. His presence alone felt heavy, commanding the space around him without effort. He stood straight, alert, as if the world around him was something he constantly watched and measured.He looked to be about twenty-eight. His hair was shaved clean, giving him a bold, striking appearance. His features were sharp and handsome, the kind

“I know the request sounds ridiculous, but I have no place to stay,” Elowen hurriedly added when Lucien said nothing. “Please,” she pleaded, her voice low.Her heart was beating fast with nervousness, mixed with deep embarrassment. This was something she had never asked of anyone before. She had always endured things quietly. But what other option did she have now? She had no friends. And she would never have asked this of him if her mother hadn’t done what she did at the hospital.Lucien still didn’t answer.He studied her in silence, blue eyes sharp and assessing. Years of interrogation had taught him how to read people—when they were lying, manipulating, or acting out of desperation. And the woman sitting in front of him didn’t look calculating.She looked cornered.But still…“Absolutely not,” he said at last, his voice firm. He didn’t even bother asking what her problem was. He didn’t know her, and he couldn’t let emotions cloud his judgment. He had to be cautious.Elowen’s shoul

Elowen woke slowly, her consciousness drifting in and out. Her head felt heavy, her body weak, as though she had been pulled back from a deep, endless sleep. The smell of antiseptic filled her senses—sharp and unfamiliar. She frowned slightly, trying to understand where she was. “Are you awake?” A soft voice broke the silence. Elowen blinked. Her lashes fluttered as she turned her eyes toward the sound. The white ceiling came into focus first. Confusion settled in—until her gaze landed on the man sitting quietly at the end of the room. Lucien. He was watching her intently, his expression calm but alert, as if he had been waiting for her to wake up. Elowen breathed out slowly. Relief washed over her chest, easing the tight knot she hadn’t realized she was holding. The fear faded, replaced by a sense of safety. She tried to speak, but her throat was dry. Lucien noticed immediately. He stood up, walked to the table beside the bed, and poured water into a glass. He returned

The ride to Lucien’s apartment was filled with silence.Elowen sat stiffly in the passenger seat, holding her breath as if she was afraid to make a sound. She stared out of the window, watching the streetlights blur past. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. Lucien hadn’t said a single word since they left the hospital.“What would you like to have for dinner?”Lucien’s voice broke the silence for the first time.Elowen turned to look at him. He gave her a brief glance before returning his eyes to the road.She didn’t reply immediately. She was still staring at him.“Is there something on my face?” Lucien asked, his eyes still focused ahead.“No… I—” Elowen stammered and quickly looked away.She didn’t know why she had been staring. Maybe everything that was happening still felt unreal to her.“I don’t know,” she finally said softly. “I’ll eat anything.”“Alright,” Lucien replied calmly.He turned the steering wheel and soon parked in front of a supermarket. He switched off the engine