All Chapters of Forced to marry a Ruthless Billionaire : Chapter 31 - Chapter 39

39 Chapters

"Behind Locked Doors”

Leaving the heavy tension of the seaside behind, James returned to his house. The moment he stepped through the front door, he found his sister, Joy, standing rigidly in the hallway, looking exactly like a sentinel waiting for a hammer to drop. "Welcome back, brother," Joy greeted, her voice tight, lacking its usual warmth. James closed the door behind him with a soft, deliberate click that echoed ominously in the quiet foyer. He didn't take off his coat. He just stared at her, his eyes cutting right through her defensive posture. "Are you waiting by the door for me? Or did your little friend tip you off that I was coming?” Joy flinched, her eyes widening in a flash of pure panic. "Which friend?" James stepped closer, invading her space, his shadow completely engulfing her. "Irene. Irene of Royal Holdings." "I swear I didn't tell her anything!" Joy stammered, her hands flying up in a desperate gesture of innocence. "I didn't tell her you were back, brother, I swear to God! I ran

“The illusion of Victory”

The atmosphere inside the grand auditorium of the state energy board was thick with unspoken hostility. Both Andrew and James had arrived exceptionally early, staking out opposite sides of the room like generals preparing for a bloodbath. The ambient hum of whispers died down instantly as the chief adjudicator took the podium, adjusting his glasses before unsealing a stack of heavy manila envelopes. "Distinguished guests, welcome to the financial opening for the Kentucky Crude Oil Extraction License and the Windflower Power Station Partnership," the adjudicator announced, his voice echoing through the sterile room. "We will now read the sealed, blind baseline proposals.” A suffocating silence gripped the room. Andrew sat with his hands clasped tightly over his knee, his foot tapping a rhythmic, anxious beat. Across the aisle, James sat perfectly still, his eyes narrowed, tracking every movement of the judge’s hands. "Kit Energy... ten million dollars," the judge read aloud. "Famou

“A Dangerous Acquaintance”

Andrew stormed back to the corporate headquarters of Royal Holdings, his blood boiling. He threw open the heavy double doors of his private office, only to stop dead in his tracks. Sitting comfortably in his leather executive chair was his father. Andrew closed the door behind him with a sharp, echoing snap. "Are you even remotely aware of what you are doing, Andrew?" his father asked, his deep voice dripping with disappointment and quiet authority. Andrew scoffed, walking over to the bar to pour himself a drink. "The same thing I always do, Father. Bringing unpredictable people into line. It's not like I have anything better to do with my time." He threw himself onto the leather sofa across from the desk. His father let out a low, cynical chuckle. "Be very careful, son. Otherwise, I’m going to start thinking that you consider me one of those unpredictable people you need to tame." "I can't force you to do anything, Father," Andrew replied coldly, swirling the amber liquid in his

"Dancing with the Devil I Knew"

My breath hitched. If I was surprised, Andrew looked downright blindsided. My pulse drummed a frantic, terrifying rhythm against my ribs as I waited for the stranger…no, not a stranger, James..to speak."I know your wife," James repeated, his smooth voice plunging the knife of suspense deeper. A beat of suffocating silence passed before he smoothly corrected course. "I'm a fan... a fan of her paintings, I mean.""Ah, yes. Irene of Royal Holdings, she goes by now," Andrew replied, a tremor of anxious tension bleeding into his normally composed tone."Right," James murmured, his gaze flicking to me with an unreadable intensity. "It’s your seventh anniversary party tonight, isn't it?"Before anyone could answer, a waiter materialised beside us, shattering the thick tension. "Sir, would you care for a drink?"Suddenly, a man I recognised as James's representative stepped in. He pressed a glass into James's hand, a barely concealed warning muttered under his breath. "Take this. You need to

" The Price of Silence”

The docks were entirely deserted, wrapped in a suffocating, heavy quiet. I stepped onto the weathered wood of the small boat…our old boat. The memories hit me like a physical blow: the gentle sway of the hull, the cold night air, the way the moonlight had caught the ring the night he proposed. Hot tears spilt over my eyelashes, burning my cold cheeks. I crawled into the cramped cabin, lying in the dark, letting the ghosts of our past wash over me. Miles away, James was drowning his own ghosts. He had spent the evening at a dim bar, obsessively dissecting the party he had just witnessed. He was still hopelessly in love with me, driven mad by the sight of my life. She is living a happy marriage, he had muttered to himself over a glass of scotch, and I am just working my fingers to the bone, trying to stand on my own two feet. Drunk and overwhelmed, he had dismissed his driver and wandered off into the night, his feet unknowingly carrying him to the same spot. Heavy footsteps suddenly

"What the Shadow Kept”

James strode into the glittering glass lobby of Royal Holdings with lethal confidence. Directed to the executive boardroom, he took his seat at the sprawling mahogany table. Andrew sat at the head, flanked by his father, Richard, and the rest of the board. The air in the room was suffocatingly tense. "Since everyone is finally here," Andrew began, a smug, predatory smile playing on his lips, "let's discuss the real business. My proposal is simple: we buy them completely out of this project." "No. We will do no such thing," James countered, his voice smooth but unyielding. "There is a legal, ethical route to take. You might think people are just assets to be bought and sold, Andrew, but they are human beings. We will treat them with respect." A muscle feathered in Andrew's jaw. It had been years since anyone dared defy him in his own boardroom. The insult burned behind his eyes, his annoyance palpable. Sensing the explosive tension, James calmly stood and buttoned his tailored suit

"Lured By Tide”

The house was suffocatingly quiet when I finally arrived home. Charles was already asleep, but a single lamp burned in the study. My father was sitting in the leather armchair, waiting in the shadows. "Irene. Where have you been?" he asked, his voice a low rumble of suspicion. "I went to see a friend," I lied smoothly, avoiding his piercing gaze. "Really?" His brow arched in disbelief. "I am exhausted, Father," I snapped, rubbing my temples. "We will talk about this later." I hurried upstairs before he could press further. Andrew wasn't home, which offered a fleeting, desperate mercy. As I lay in the dark, my chest tightened with anxiety. Tomorrow was the weekend family gathering. Tomorrow, James will be coming to our home. At 9:00 AM the next morning, James was adjusting his tie when his phone buzzed. It was Kate, a close associate. "Kate, how are you doing?" James answered smoothly. "I was told you aren't returning to Kentucky. You want to stay in Los Angeles and supervise

"No Room For The Past"

The gentle hum of the yacht’s engine vibrated beneath my feet, but it did nothing to settle the violent churning in my stomach. James stood mere feet away. The initial shock on his face mirrored my own, quickly hardening into something cold and unrecognisable. He closed the distance between us, his footsteps heavy against the polished teak deck.“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice a low, abrasive gravel.“Your friend called me,” I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly as I searched his eyes for a flicker of familiarity. “I assume she did the same to you.”He scoffed, a bitter, hollow sound. “She is cunning. Don't even let her name poison your mouth.”Miles away, the salty ocean breeze did nothing to cool the flush of rage creeping up Andrew’s neck. He stood on the pier, eyes narrowed as he watched the distant silhouette of the island yacht cutting through the waves. He pulled out his phone, his grip white-knuckled, and dialled his representative.“Yes, sir?”“The isla

" The Edge of Control"

He stood utterly motionless, his silence heavier than any accusation."Are you okay? What happened?" I asked, my voice barely steady."Are you bothered?" Andrew replied, his tone chillingly flat.I searched his face. His eyes were dark, unreadable, yet violently intense. He wanted something from me a confession, a reaction, a slip-of-the-tongue but I couldn't decipher what he already knew."No," I managed to say, forcing a defensive edge into my voice. "I only want to work. If you hadn't forced me to stay for the barbecue earlier, I would have already handled my affairs."A muscle feathered in his jaw. "In that case, I will leave you alone with your destiny."He turned on his heel and stalked out of my studio, his footsteps echoing like a threat.An hour later, the studio door swung open again. It was my friend, her face flushed with annoyance. I immediately launched into an apology, but she cut me off."Irene, you are becoming so distracted lately," she said, studying me closely."No

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