Lahat ng Kabanata ng She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

The plastic chair in the maternity ward is a special kind of hell. I’m fairly certain the chair was designed by someone who hates pregnant women.I remember sitting there with both hands pressed against the heavy curve of my stomach, trying to breathe through the pressure in my ribs when the baby kicked again.Sharp little jabs. Like it already had opinions about the world.But at that moment, this baby is the only thing I had left of the woman I used to be.That Natasha could outmaneuver CEOs in a boardroom and negotiate million-dollar mergers before finishing her first espresso.This Natasha is swollen, exhausted, and sitting alone in a hospital hallway.I’m just a body.A vessel.A stain on the Warren legacy, if you ask my husband.The air in the hallway shifts suddenly.It’s strange, but when you spend years around someone like Chase Warren, you start to recognize the disturbance he causes when he enters a space.He doesn’t just walk into a room.He annexes it.I look up, already

(Natasha)Every step through the towering glass doors of Warren Global feels like a dull blade sawing straight through bone.At least that’s how it made me feel that day.The swelling in my knee stretches the fabric of my trousers so tight it almost pulses. Heat radiates from the joint in slow, sickening waves, the kind that makes you hyperaware of every movement.Behind the massive crescent reception desk sits the girl whose résumé I personally pulled from a stack of hundreds.She barely glances up when I approach.She definitely doesn’t stand.A small nod—dismissive and quick—is the only greeting offered to the woman who used to sign her paychecks.Funny how quickly the corporate ecosystem adapts when it smells weakness.Crossing this bright, sprawling lobby used to be a victory lap. Employees part like the Red Sea. Once, it was respect. Now it feels more like contamination.The polished marble floor feels like an executioner’s block. And apparently I volunteered to walk across it.

(Chase)When I hang up the phone, a faint echo of satisfaction settles over the office.Good. That's done. Surprisingly easy.Tossing the phone onto the table, I shift my attention back to the man sitting across from me.Nathaniel Morton. My new business partner—and more importantly, the capital injection that will push Warren Global ahead in the upcoming acquisition.“She’ll be there,” I say easily.The assurance comes out smooth. The way statements of fact should sound.Nathaniel leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers. His eyes move around the room like he’s mapping invisible angles.“Natasha has always been a formidable force in this sector,” he says slowly. “If she speaks on behalf of your acquisition tonight, Jeffrey Bauer might finally stop dragging his feet. He respects her.”A pause.“But her recent absence is making people nervous.”“She’s been prioritizing her health.” The lie comes out automatically.Nathaniel’s eyes narrow.“She also recently discovered you’re havi

(Natasha)All the color drains from Sonia’s face, leaving her looking terrified.A choked sound escapes her throat.She spins around on her high heels and runs away from our dark corner as fast as she can.Nathanial turns his cold stare toward Chase. The unspoken order in his look is very clear.Fix this. Or else.Cursing under his breath, Chase shoots one last angry glare at me before running after his lover.A heavy silence falls over the quiet space.Stepping out from behind the velvet curtain, Nathanial smoothly fixes his suit jacket.Mason stays firmly by my side like a menacing bodyguard, but Nathanial completely ignores him."I apologize for the drama," Nathanial says.His tone is polite but completely lacks warmth."My sister is very sensitive."Meeting his eyes, a fake, polite smile crosses my face."There’s no need to apologize for Sonia, Nathanial. Her reaction is quite normal for someone who just realized her perfect man is actually a lying asshole."His sharp eyes sweep o

(Natasha)Adrenaline from the Blackwood Gala still keeps me buzzing the next morning.Accepting Chase’s bet was not an impulsive choice. It was a call to war, and wars need an army.Because I’m not allowed to get anywhere near Mason, he immediately sends someone to help.Early in the morning, a loud knock sounds through my hotel room."Natasha, meet Gloria Osborn," Mason's voice comes through the phone pressed to my ear.He sounds very pleased with himself.Opening the door reveals a woman who looks like she eats business rivals for breakfast.Gloria is a few years older than me. She has a sharp haircut, dark eyes, and a no-nonsense personality.She doesn't smile or shake my hand.Stepping right into the room, she drops a heavy briefcase onto the table and pulls out a stack of non-disclosure agreements.We work well together immediately.Finding a good business partner is rare, but working with Gloria is easy.There are no fights over who’s in charge. We’re just two women speaking the