All Chapters of The Hybrid’s Forced Bond: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Margot POVThe more I listened, the more the pieces fell into place.  The Hargraves had made a major strategic mistake years ago.They’d missed several key developments in mining technology and gradually lost their edge in the international market.Now their stock had taken a beating, their debt had piled up, and the company was nowhere near where it used to be.  But the Hargrave family was hardly broken.  Years of accumulation had left them with valuable mineral reserves, experienced people, technology, equipment, and, most importantly, permits that other companies couldn’t simply buy their way into.  That was what made them worth fighting for.  Because of the Pack Alliance’s restrictions on strategic resources, the Hargraves couldn’t sell the company to a foreign buyer.And there were only a handful of companies with enough money and reach to take o

 Margot POVI was shaking with rage.  “Wasn’t I clear enough on the phone? What exactly are you trying to do?”“Margot, Mom just wants to see her mother. I’m not trying to do anything.” Simone’s eyes were red-rimmed as she shook her head.“How is Ellen? How long will the surgery take?”“So now you remember you have a mother? Were you mindful of your elderly parents' financial security after your actions?I had thought enough time had passed that I could face her feeling nothing.  I was wrong.  She was supposed to be the person closest to me, the person I loved most. Instead, she had become the person I resented more than anyone else, the one I least wanted to see.There was a particular pain in that, one you couldn’t understand unless you had lived through it yourself.“I’

Margot POVThat night, after we got home, I was the one who pulled Rhett into my room. For the first time, I didn’t hesitate.He seemed more than pleased by my sudden initiative. He shrugged off his suit jacket, scooped me up, and tossed me onto the bed.Our scents mingled in the air, slowly losing their separate edges. The cool, woody note of his scent blended with the sweet softness of mine, creating something heady enough to make every nerve in my body come alive.That night, neither of us held back.Thereafter, I went to the hospital every evening after work to see Ellen. The hospital wasn’t far from my office, and it was easy to get there. Rhett had arranged for one of the best surgeons from the public hospital to perform the procedure and then moved Ellen to a private hospital with better facilities and nursing care.He had thought of everything. How was I supposed not to be moved by that?Ellen was awake the next day, but visitors still weren’t allowed into the monitoring

Margot POVNora’s eyes suddenly brightened.  “Take Elena Brooks, for example. I asked around. Her parents had already bought her a house. She’s got everything going for her. She’s young, smart, and has a grand future ahead of her.”“Elena and I will not happen.”  I said it seriously.  “Really.”Nora sighed, then leaned closer and lowered her voice mysteriously.  “Okay, then. What about the Prince?”My heart gave a sharp little jolt.  I kept my expression neutral.  “Not possible either.”“Oh, come on. I really want to hit you. What do you mean, ‘not possible’? You’re a scientist, for God’s sake. Isn’t our complete job turning impossible things into possible ones? What’s the point of doing research if you don’t have that kind of

Margot POV“But this scent really is nice. I just wanted Ellen to be more comfortable.”Ellen sighed quietly beside her. Nora rolled her eyes when no one was looking.I would rather not start an argument in Ellen’s hospital room. I kept my voice low. “Don’t buy expensive things that aren’t necessary. I already told you to keep track of every dollar you spend. I guess I gave you too much at once.”Simone looked reluctant. “Okay. I understand.”That weekend I spent half my time at the hospital with Ellen and the other half getting the new house ready. If her recovery continued at this rate, she should be able to leave the following week.I wanted her to move straight into a home that was ours. But Ellen and I had already agreed not to tell Simone that we’d bought it.We’d only tell her we were renting. We’d both learned enough from the past to know better. Besides, Simone had been casually fishing for information about whether I’d started dating some wealthy man, which m