All Chapters of The Billionaire's Secret Marriage To His Enemy: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Maya had always imagined betrayal would announce itself.Perhaps through a confession, a cruel smile, or a moment when someone finally stopped pretending to care. She had never imagined it would begin with a warning from her mother, delivered through a phone connection that could disappear at any moment.If Julian is with you, don't trust him.The words followed her as she stood beside the window, watching rain streak down the glass. Behind her, Julian was speaking to Marcus about security arrangements and the latest developments involving Victor Hale. His voice was calm, his expression controlled, as though the situation remained within his power to manage.Maya no longer knew whether that confidence reassured her or frightened her.She turned from the window."How much have you been hiding from me?"Julian stopped speaking. Marcus glanced between them before quietly moving toward the adjoining room."What happened?" Julian asked."My mother called."His expression changed almost imp

The old Voss estate stood beyond the iron gates, its windows dark against the midnight sky. Maya watched the building through the windscreen as Julian brought the car to a stop beside a line of overgrown hedges.She had imagined this place countless times from the photographs she had seen among her father's belongings. In those pictures, the estate had looked almost grand, with its manicured gardens and bright windows. Now the grounds were neglected, the stone walls stained by years of rain, and the entrance swallowed by shadows.It looked less like a family home than a place people had deliberately abandoned.Julian switched off the engine but kept his hands on the steering wheel."Once we go inside, stay close to me," he said.Maya turned toward him. "You keep saying that as if standing beside you will make me untouchable.""It won't.""At least you're honest about something."His jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. The light from the dashboard caught the strain around his eyes, mak

The darkness lasted long enough for Maya to hear the lock turn on the other side of the basement door.Someone had trapped them inside.She reached for Julian, catching the sleeve of his jacket before he could move away. Dust filled her nose, and the stale air carried the metallic smell of the old pipes running along the ceiling.“Don't move,” she whispered.“I wasn't planning to.”His voice came from somewhere close to her left. She heard him feel along the wall, searching for a switch, but the lights remained dead. Beyond the door, footsteps retreated up the stairs. Neither of them spoke until the sound disappeared.Maya released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.“What if that man is still here?”“Then he'll have to explain why he locked us in.”“You say that as if people in this house make a habit of explaining themselves.”Julian didn't answer. His hand found hers in the darkness, his fingers closing around hers for a brief moment before he let go.“Stay close.”She ha

STOP LOOKING FOR THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.THE NEXT PERSON WHO DIES WON’T BE A STRANGER.Maya read the message twice, her thumb hovering over the screen. The number was unfamiliar, and the sender had offered no explanation. Whoever was behind it knew what they were searching for—and wanted them frightened enough to stop.Julian stood beside the window, watching the dark grounds beyond the glass. Behind him, Evelyn’s metal box rested on the table. The carved symbol on its lid resembled the one Maya had noticed on the scarred stranger’s ring.The resemblance was close, but she couldn't be certain the symbols were identical.“Who knows we're looking for the agreement?” she asked.“Anyone who's been watching us,” Julian replied. “The real question is how much they know.”Evelyn drew the box closer. “If they're threatening you over the original agreement, they believe it still exists.”“Does it?” Maya asked.“There was supposed to be only one original.”“Supposed to be?” Julian turned from t

Maya kept her eyes on Julian.“Tell me what you promised.”He stood beside the desk, one hand braced against its edge. The photograph from the hospital remained in Maya's mind, along with the silver ring on the man's finger and the threat that had arrived with it. At 11:32 p.m., they had received a message giving them until 11:59 to act. They had less than half an hour, and Julian was still choosing his words as if the truth might become less damaging if he revealed it slowly.“Your father and my family had an agreement,” he said. “I knew about it before I met you.”Maya's stomach tightened. “You knew my father was connected to your family, and you said nothing?”“I knew Daniel Reed's name. I knew there had been an agreement eighteen years ago. That was what I was told.”“But you knew enough to recognize my name.”“Yes.”The answer hurt more than she expected. For weeks, she had tried to understand why Julian had chosen her, why a man with his wealth and influence had offered marriage