All Chapters of Bound By A Billion-Dollar Lie: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

73 Chapters

Working Together

Nikolai’s POVI was seated in my office, reviewing documents, when Elias knocked and entered."Sir, I have the reports on Reed & Associates you requested.""Leave them on my desk."Elias hesitated. "There's something you should see. Some... irregularities.He got my attention as soon as he said that, I looked up at him. "What kind of irregularities?"Elias set a folder on the desk, flipping it open to reveal a series of financial statements. "The company is struggling more than we anticipated. Damon Pierce's moves have put additional pressure on the merger but that's not the concerning part."He pointed to a highlighted section. "There have been strange transactions coming from Miss Anastasia's accounts. Large sums, unexplained and unaccounted for. It doesn't make sense with her usual patterns."I studied the documents, my brow furrowing. The transactions were significant, seemingly random, and they didn't align with anything I knew about Anastasia's business practices.It looked like

An Engagement built on a lie

Anastasia’s POVThe days went by so quickly, Nikolai and I worked side by side, our days filled with endless meetings and strategy sessions. We reviewed contracts, made calls, built plans to counter every possible move of Damon Pierce. The work was exhausting, consuming, and I hated how much I enjoyed it.I hated how easily we fell into rhythm together and how he pushed me to think beyond my usual limits, challenging my assumptions, forcing me to see angles I'd missed. He was brilliant, sharp, intuitive, relentless and I hated that fact too.I hated that I looked forward to our sessions towards bringing down Damon Pierce. Hated that I found myself having to seek his approval. Hated that when he praised my work, a small thrill ran through me like a little girl praised by her father.This is dangerous, I told myself. You're getting too comfortable, too attached.With my workload increasing, Nikolai had released Elias to help me at my company. His assistant was efficient, organized, and

Facing the truth

Anastasia's POVI didn't go back to the penthouse, I couldn't bring myself to do that. The thought of being in that space, surrounded by anything that belongs to him, suffocated me and I needed space right now..I went to Zara's instead. She opened the door on the second knock, her expression shifting from surprise to concern the moment she saw my face."Ana? What happened? What's wrong?"I pushed past her into the apartment, my legs were barely holding me up."He lied to me," I said, my voice hollow. "From the very beginning. He lied."Zara closed the door, guiding me to the couch. "Slow down. Who lied? Nikolai?"I nodded, unable to speak."Tell me everything."I told her everything from start to finish about the meeting with my father in Monaco, the Obsidian club, the photograph, nikolai's recognition and the blackmail. By the time I had finished telling her everything, I was shaking.Zara was silent for a long moment. Then she said, quietly, "That's... a lot.""I know.""So what ar

A prize to be won

Nikolai’s POVI paced around the penthouse like a caged animal.My phone tightly clutched in my hand, the screen glowing with missed calls and unanswered messages. I'd called Anastasia a thousand times or at least it felt like a thousand and each time, it went straight to voicemail.She's ignoring me deliberately, I understood why she would do that but I just wished she'd answer the damn phone.I ran a hand through my hair, my jaw tight. Never in a million years had I thought my actions could come back to bite me like this. I'd been so careful, so calculated and every move had been planned, every detail was accounted for.Except this.Except her.I dialed her number again and it led me straight to voicemail just like every other call."Damn it."I called Elias instead."Track her location," I ordered. "Now."Elias was quiet for a moment, then, hesitantly, he said, "Sir, Miss Anastasia is currently at your residence."I stopped pacing. "What?""She's at the penthouse, sir, from the tra

Let's go for Dinner

Anastasia’s POVI avoided talking to Nikolai the entire morning.When I woke up, he was already in the kitchen, coffee in hand, his eyes following me as I moved around the penthouse. I pretended like he didn't exist. I dressed without acknowledging him and ate my breakfast without meeting his gaze. I walked past him like he was invisible.He tried to speak to me once. I walked away before he could say anything further.By the time I left for work, I was exhausted from the effort of ignoring him, but I couldn't face him. Not yet, not when everything I'd believed had been turned upside down.I buried myself in work the moment I arrived at the office. Spreadsheets, reports, contracts, anything to keep my mind from wandering to him.It didn't work. He occupied everywhere in the back of my mind, in the corners of my vision, in the way my skin still tingled from his touch but I refused to think about him, refused to let him consume me.I was deep in a financial report when my secretary buzz

Just a trophy?

Nikolai POVI sat in my office, staring at the same document in my hand for the past hour without reading a single wordMy mind was elsewhere. It had been elsewhere since Anastasia said those words to me with her eyes cold, her voice hollow. I couldn't focus on anything or think properly and I couldn't do anything other than replay the conversation over and over in my head.Was I just a trophy to you? Something to acquire, to possess, to show off?I'd tried to apologize, I tried to explain but every word that came out of my mouth just seemed to make things worse.I was still trying to figure out how to fix things when Elias returned.He walked into my office, his expression carefully neutral but I knew him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders."Sir," he said. "I have a report.""About Anastasia?""Yes." He hesitated. "Damon Pierce visited her at Reed & Associates today."I was on my feet before he finished the sentence. "What?""Sir, please……""I need to go there, now.""Si

A Shadow Of Her

Nikolai's POVI had lots of questions I needed answers to, so I brought her back in. I needed some answers and I could only get it from her. I watched Bianca as she settled back into her seat, She was bold, unapologetic, utterly unafraid of me. It was almost impressive.Almost.The longer I sat across from her, the more irritated I became and it wasn't just because of her attitude, but because of the simple, infuriating fact that I'd mistaken her for Anastasia. She was a copy—a cheap, hollow imitation of the woman I'd come to know. They shared the same face, but that was where the similarities ended.“Why did you bring me back? I thought we were done here?”I didn't respond. Instead, I reached into my briefcase and pulled out a thick file, slid it across the table toward her."What's this?" She glanced at it, her expression curious."Open it."She did, I watched her eyes scan the contents, and I watched her expression shift from curiosity to confusion to shock."This is a lawsuit," s

You’re Mine

Anastasia’s POVI was on a video call with Zara, my phone leaning against the vanity mirror as I held up two dresses, waiting for her verdict.Zara was still at her office, handling some late-night job, but she'd insisted on helping me decide. Her face filled the screen, her expression amused as she watched me model the options."The red one," she said firmly. "Definitely the red one. It's giving bold and confident. It says, 'I'm here to take what I want.'"I held up the black one. "What about this?""Boring, you wear black every day. Tonight, you need to make a statement." She paused, a sly grin spreading across her face. "So, have you and Nikolai made up already? Or is this a 'make him jealous' kind of thing?"I set the black dress aside. "I haven't made up with Nikolai."Zara's grin faltered. "Wait, what?""I'm going out with someone else.""Someone else?" She blinked, clearly confused. "Who?""Damon Pierce."Zara's face went pale. "Damon Pierce? As in, the guy who's trying to dest

An Invitation

Nikolai POVIt had taken every ounce of self-control I possessed not to go after Damon Pierce the moment Elias told me about his visit to Anastasia's office and the thought of him near her or even within her breathing space made my blood boil.But I held back and told myself to trust her, to give her space and let her come to me when she was ready.Then I saw her in that dress.The red dress. The heels. The hair styled perfectly, her lips painted a shade that made my mouth go dry. She was stunning, devastatingly stunning and she was dressed for another man.In that moment all my self-control evaporated. I walked towards her and pulled her into my arms, my body pressed against hers, my hand wrapped around her lower back. She was warm, soft, smelled extremely nice and so impossibly beautiful that it hurt to look at her.I couldn't lose her, not to Damon or to anyone else."You're mine, Anastasia and I do not share what is mine."The words had come out rough, raw, possessive in a way I'd

Confronting Damon Pierce

Nikolai POVI was totally taken by surprise.Her lips on mine, soft and hesitant at first, then growing bolder, more demanding. I'd expected her to pull away, to push me aside, to walk out that door and never look back. Instead, she kissed me like all she ever needed was me.When she finally pulled back, her eyes were dark, her breath uneven. She was still in my arms, her body pressed against mine, her hands fisted in my shirt."Since you ruined my date plans," she said, her voice low and daring, "you'll have to make up for it."I stared at her, momentarily speechless. Then a slow, predatory smile spread across my face."I'm more than willing to comply," I murmured.I kissed her again.This time, there was no hesitation. No uncertainty. She kissed me back with a hunger that matched my own, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer. I lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist as I carried her toward the bedroom.I laid her down on the bed, the red dress poolin

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