All Chapters of It’s Your Loss, Ex, Your Uncle Is Mine: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Maximo’s POV The bedroom was quiet, save for the soft, rhythmic sound of Bella’s steady breathing against my chest. Shadows stretched across the ceiling as the pale morning light began to creep through the slatted blinds. I lay there on my back, my arm wrapped firmly around her bare waist, holding her close to my side.I looked down at her. Her dark hair was spread across my arm in a soft, messy tangle, her skin still flushed from the night we had spent together. In her sleep, she looked peaceful, almost fragile—a stark contrast to the fierce, lethal woman who had brought my sister-in-law to her knees over the phone just hours ago.Every time I looked at Bella, something dangerous shifted inside my chest. I had spent years detached, cold, and entirely focused on my corporate empire, convinced that love was a foolish liability. But Bella Ross had wrecked every wall I built. She was reckless, proud, and far too headstrong for her own good, yet I found myself completely consumed by her.

Bella’s POV The warm glow of the fairy lights reflected off the glass walls of the conservatory, wrapping us in a quiet cocoon that felt millions of miles away from Ohio. I set my champagne glass down on the mahogany table, looking across at Maximo.In the soft morning light, stripped of his usual sharp corporate armor, he looked strikingly handsome. The top buttons of his white shirt were undone, his dark eyes fixed entirely on me with an intensity that always made my heart race."You really outdid yourself," I said softly, tracing the stem of my glass with my finger. The platinum promise ring on my left hand caught the flickering candlelight, throwing little beams of light across the white linen tablecloth. "I don't think I've taken a breath this peaceful in months."Maximo leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, a low, smooth smile touching his lips. "That was the point, my sweet. You carry the weight of that entire mill on your shoulders every single day. I wanted to g

Bella’s POVThe heavy oak door of my private office shut quietly, cutting off the rhythmic, distant hum of the mill's iron looms below. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, looking down at the floor operators loading spools of fresh white cotton onto transport pallets.Everything on the surface looked calm, efficient, and profitable. The eastern transport gate was open, the Chicago order was being loaded onto our reinforced trucks, and the company’s bank accounts were finally operating without interference. But the quiet only made my instincts sharper.In my line of work, peace was never permanent—it was just the quiet lull before a storm.A firm, double knock sounded at my door."Come in," I called out without turning around.Garvin stepped inside, carrying a thick yellow folder under his arm, followed closely by Lucille. Lucille had her dark hair pulled back into a slick ponytail, wearing her black leather jacket and dark trouser. She locked the office door behind her with

Bella’s POV Three days before the summit, the air in the city felt charged, like the quiet before a heavy storm. Garvin had the mill running seamlessly, but Lucille insisted that my wardrobe needed an overhaul before I set foot in the Grand Azure Estate."You are going there to take territory, Bella," Lucille had declared that morning, grabbing my modern blue SUV keys. "And you cannot conquer an empire wearing off-the-rack blazers."We spent the entire afternoon moving through the high-end boutique district downtown. Lucille took total control of the expedition, filling luxury fitting rooms with tailored silk blouses, sharp power suits, designer heels, formal gala gowns, and elegant swimsuits for the estate's private coastal deck. She pulled pieces that complemented my skin and highlighted the sharp, commanding presence I had built over the past few months.I sat on a velvet plush chair near the back of an exclusive boutique, watching Lucille debate a sales associate over two differ

Bella’s POVThe morning sun spilled across my bedroom floor, illuminating the open leather luggage resting on the bench at the foot of my bed. I moved deliberately around the room, folding sharp tailored suits, elegant blouses, and the designer dresses Lucille and I had picked out days ago. Every item packed was another piece of armor for the upcoming Executive Summit at the Grand Azure Estate.I double-checked my documents, ensuring Garvin’s financial reports, market projections, and our mill’s secondary supplier contracts were safely filed in my leather briefcase. Everything was aligned. My operation at the mill was fortified under Lucille’s watch, and the logistics for the trip were set.As I zipped up the main compartment of my suitcase, my phone on the nightstand chimed with an incoming video call.I picked it up and tapped the screen. Maximo’s striking face appeared on the display. He was sitting in his high-backed leather chair at his corporate office, dressed in a sharp dark s