All Chapters of Bound by paper : Chapter 81 - Chapter 88

88 Chapters

Legal Matters

CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: Jade’s POV I woke up at 5:00 AM, the room bathed in the pre-dawn blue of a Boston morning. Killian was still asleep, his arm draped possessively over my hip, pulling me flush against his back. For a long moment, I just lay there, listening to his slow, deep breathing. He looked so different when he was asleep. The sharp lines of his face were softened, the CEO armor stripped away. But I knew the moment those eyes opened, the war would resume. The tenderness of last night, the bath, the feeding, the whispered apologies felt like a dream I was terrified to wake up from. Was it real, or was he just stabilizing his "asset" before the big day? The doubt tasted like ash in my mouth. I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and walked to the window. Below, the estate was quiet, but the air felt charged. Today wasn't about media companies or office spaces. Today was about the little girl sleeping down the hall. I spent an hour in the dressing room, choosing my a

Hidden Truth

CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: Jade’s POV The air in the courtroom shifted the moment Caleb stood up. If Henderson was a vulture, Caleb was a shark in a five thousand dollar suit. He didn't look nervous. He looked bored, as if the destruction he was about to unleash was merely a formality. He adjusted his silver cufflinks, flashed a quick, arrogant smirk at the gallery, and then turned his attention to the stand. "Miss Vivienne," Caleb began, his voice smooth and projecting to every corner of the room. "You’ve painted a very touching picture today. The reformed mother, back from the brink, fighting for the child she tragically had to leave behind. But let’s talk about the nature of that departure." Vivienne sat up straighter, her eyes wide and watery. "I was sick, Caleb. I had an addiction. I did what was best for Aurelia by leaving her in Killian’s care while I sought help." "Help," Caleb repeated, the word sounding like a slur. "Killian Montclair has spent five years funneling mill

When War Knocks

CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE: Jade’s POV The air in the private conference room Caleb had led us to, was stale, smelling of floor wax and cold coffee. The moment the heavy oak door clicked shut, the roar of the media outside became a dull, distant thrum. I stood in the center of the room, my hands still trembling. Killian was pacing, a restless, predatory movement that reminded me of a caged lion. He hadn't loosened his tie. He hadn't sat down. He looked like he was vibrating with enough energy to level the entire building. Inside, I was a wreck. My mind kept replaying that moment on the stand. My heart chose her. The words had felt like a lifeline when he said them, but now, in the cold light of this small room, they felt like a clever legal maneuver. Did he mean it, or was he just the world's most convincing actor? I was terrified that I was falling in love with a mask, a beautiful, powerful mask designed to win a war I was only a soldier in. "Jade," he said, stopping suddenly. He look

Fixation

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR: Killian’s POV The door clicked shut behind Jade, leaving me in a room that suddenly felt too small, the oxygen stripped away the moment she vanished. I stared at the wood of the door as if I could see through it, as if my sheer will could protect her from the judge’s scrutiny. "What was that, Killian?" Caleb’s voice broke through the silence, sharp and probing. "You two looked like you were about to implode when I walked in. What’s going on?" I didn't turn around. I couldn't let him see the hairline fractures in my composure. "It’s nothing. The stress of the hearing. She’s overwhelmed." Caleb didn't say anything for a long moment. I could feel his gaze on the back of my neck, heavy with years of knowing my secrets. He wasn't buying the lie, but he was smart enough to know that pushing me right now was like poking a landmine. "If you say so," Caleb muttered, though his tone was skeptical. He moved to the table, tapping his pen rhythmically. "The judge i

Winning Team

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE: Jade’s POV The judge’s chambers were smaller than I expected, lined with heavy law books and smelling of peppermint and old paper. It felt like a confessional. Judge Miller didn't sit behind her desk; she sat in a leather armchair across from me, her spectacles perched on the end of her nose, watching me with eyes that had seen every lie a human being could invent. "Sit down, Jade," she said, her voice softer than it had been in the courtroom. "I’m going to be blunt. I’ve seen a lot of 'strategic marriages' in this building. I see the way Mr. Montclair operates. He’s a man who wins at any cost. My concern is whether you are a trophy he’s collected to win this case, or if there is a real mother in that chair. Because if this is an act, the only person who loses is a six-year-old girl." My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic rhythm that made me feel lightheaded. My mind raced through the secrets I was keeping. I thought about the contract locked in Killian

Legal

Chapter Eighty FiveJade’s POVThe courtroom smelled like polished wood and quiet cruelty.Everything looked clean, organized, and official, but the air felt heavy. Like the walls had absorbed every ugly truth ever spoken inside them and never let it go.I sat beside Killian, my spine straight, my hands folded in my lap like I belonged here.Like I was calm.Like I wasn’t seconds away from shaking.Killian’s presence beside me was steady, unmoving. His face held that same controlled expression he wore when he was negotiating deals worth billions, but I could feel the tension in him anyway.It was in his jaw.In the way his fingers tapped his knee once, then stopped, as if he’d caught himself showing weakness.In the way his shoulders stayed too stiff, like he was bracing for impact.I hated this place.Not because it was intimidating, but because it was unfair.Because we weren’t here discussing contracts or money.We were here because a woman who abandoned her child had decided she w

Damage Control

Chapter Eighty-Six Jade’s POV By the time we got home, my body felt like it had been dragged through something I didn’t understand. Not physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Like my mind had been forced to grow up in a single day. Killian didn’t speak much on the drive back. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on my thigh, steady and firm, like he was anchoring me to reality. Like if he let go, something might snap. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past. Everything looked normal outside. People walking. Cars moving. Life continuing. Meanwhile, my entire world had shifted into a courtroom where a woman in a white suit tried to rewrite the past like it never happened. I swallowed hard. “You did well today,” Killian said quietly. I turned to him. His eyes were still forward, but his voice held something I hadn’t heard much from him before. Warmth. Pride. The kind that made my chest tighten. “I didn’t mean to say it like that,” I adm

Daddy's Queen

Chapter Eighty-SevenJade’s POVThe morning light crept through the curtains as I woke up, still tangled in a cocoon of soft sheets and the faint scent of Killian’s cologne. I stretched slowly, glancing at the clock—barely seven. Today felt different. The air was thick with anticipation, like something was shifting, and I wasn’t sure if I liked it.I dragged myself out of bed, my feet hitting the cool floor as I stood and walked toward the bathroom. I stared at my reflection in the mirror for a moment. A woman with a title but no clear place to call home. No one could tell just by looking that I was balancing between a war and a fragile peace, trying to keep myself intact while everything I knew about my life continued to unravel.I quickly showered, dressed in a simple blouse and skirt, and ran a hand through my hair, not bothering with the usual primping. The woman in the mirror didn’t need perfection today. She needed clarity.As I stepped out of the bathroom, the house was unusual

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