บททั้งหมดของ Runaway Heiress: The Billionaire’s Forgotten Bride: บทที่ 161 - บทที่ 170

The "Happy Family" honeymoon phase had a dangerous side effect: it made the world want a piece of them. Specifically, it made the world want a piece of Liam. The "Redemption of Liam Cross" was the hottest story in New York. He wasn't just the billionaire CEO anymore. He was the "Hot Dad." He was the "Romantic Hero" who had won back his runaway bride. The press loved him. The public loved him. And, as Aurora noticed with a growing, cold knot in her stomach, women loved him. It was a Tuesday night. A charity auction at Christie's. A necessary evil for two CEOs of their stature. Aurora wore red. The "Phoenix" red. It was a statement of confidence. But as she stood by the bar, watching Liam across the room, the confidence felt thin. He was surrounded. A group of women—socialites, models, the kind of women who looked like they were born in couture—had formed a tight, laughing circle around him. Liam was charming them. He wasn't flirting—not overtly. But he was smiling. He was eng

The contract with LVMH was a thick, glossy document that smelled of legal toner and global domination. It sat on the table of the conference room at the Cross Empire tower. Liam and Aurora sat on one side. The LVMH executives—a team of impeccably dressed French men and women—sat on the other. "We are delighted," the lead executive, a man named Pierre, said, his accent smooth as butter. "The 'Alliance' line will be the centerpiece of our Spring campaign. But there is... one condition." Aurora stiffened. "We agreed on the terms, Pierre. Creative control stays with us." "Creative control, yes," Pierre said. "But... branding. Marketing." He leaned forward. "The world is fascinated by you two. The 'Rival CEOs'. The 'Power Couple'. We want to lean into that. We want the campaign to tell the story of... a merger." "We are not merging," Liam said, his voice cool. "Not corporately," Pierre said. "Romantically. The public... they want a happy ending. They want to see you two... united

The design meeting had been a battlefield, but the ceasefire that followed was even more complex.Aurora and Liam sat in the penthouse living room, the "Alliance" contract spread out on the coffee table between them. Ethan was asleep, exhausted from a day of "saving the alphabet" at school.The contract was signed. The design—the flowing gown with the structured belt—was finalized.But there was one more clause to negotiate."The launch," Liam said, tapping a paragraph on the last page."What about it?" Aurora asked, sipping her tea."LVMH wants a joint appearance," Liam said. "Not just a photo shoot. A press tour. Paris. Milan. Tokyo. Together."Aurora felt a familiar tightening in her chest. A press tour meant weeks of travel. Weeks of cameras. Weeks of being "The Power Couple" for the world to consume."And Ethan?" she asked."Ethan comes with us," Liam said immediately. "We hire a tutor. We bring Sylvie. He sees the world.""He's six, Liam. He needs stability. School. Friends.""H

The design studio at 2 AM was a pressure cooker.The "Alliance" collection was eighty percent complete. The sketches were finalized. The fabrics were sourced (from Italy and Portugal). The "Fog" silk had arrived, shimmering like captured moonlight on the cutting table.But the final piece—the "Showstopper"—was missing.Aurora stood in front of a blank dress form, a piece of charcoal in her hand. She was wearing her work uniform—black leggings, an oversized cashmere sweater, her hair pulled back in a messy bun held together by a pencil.Liam was sitting on the floor, surrounded by technical drawings for the runway set. He had discarded his jacket hours ago. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, his sleeves rolled up to reveal forearms dusted with graphite.They were exhausted. They were wired. They were running on espresso and the electric current that had been crackling between them for weeks."It needs a spine," Aurora muttered, sketching a line on the air. "It's too... fluid

The penthouse was quiet, suspended in the amber light of a New York sunset. Ethan was at a sleepover—his first one, with a school friend—leaving the apartment feeling both spacious and strangely empty.Liam stood at the kitchen island, chopping vegetables with a precision that bordered on aggressive. He wasn't cooking because he was hungry; he was cooking because he was nervous.The ring was in his pocket.The custom, kite-shaped diamond he had commissioned. It burned against his hip like a brand.Aurora was in the living room, reviewing the final RSVP list for the "Alliance" launch party. She was wearing a silk robe, her hair loose, her feet bare. She looked comfortable. She looked like she belonged there.But Liam knew that "belonging" was a fragile state."You're chopping those carrots like they owe you money," Aurora said, walking into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter, stealing a slice of cucumber."I'm focused," Liam said, not looking up."You're tense," she corrected.