บททั้งหมดของ THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT WIFE : บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

CHAPTER 11 — THE NIGHT WE DID NOT SLEEP

Clock: 10:03 PM. Leo ate two bites and slept. Just like that. Pasta half, mouth open, head on table. Three-year-old tired after long day of boardrooms, police, white cars. Lorenzo lifted him. No asking. He just lifted him like he had done it before, one arm under, one hand behind head. Leo did not wake. Grey eyes closed. "Where does he sleep," Lorenzo whispered. "Small room," I said, pointed. Lorenzo carried him to small bedroom. I followed. He placed Leo on bed, took shoes off, small shoes, covered him with blanket. Leo turned, hugged blanket, mumbled "mama." "He calls you mama," Lorenzo said. "Yes." "He calls me dad today. First time." "Yes." We stood there, both watching small chest breathe up down. Rhys was still at door, sitting on floor, back to wall, phone in hand, typing fast.

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-09

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CHAPTER 12 — THE PIERRE

At 5:58 AM, my alarm rang.I didn't snooze.In London, I woke up at 6 AM every day for three years because Leo woke up at 6 AM every day. In New York, Leo was still asleep in Rhys's loft, his small hand curled around his toy car.I was already dressed.Black. Not mourning black. Power black. A wool coat from Atelier S Archive — the first coat I ever made on that cracked floor in Shoreditch. Sharp shoulders. No diamonds. No softness.Rhys stood in the doorway holding coffee. He didn't say anything at first."You don't have to do this," he finally said."I do," I said. "If I stay here, I'm still the girl who ran."I zipped my suitcase. Same cheap suitcase. I kept it on purpose."Blackwood booked you The Pierre," he said. "Top floor. They think S is a man who likes penthouses. They don't know it's you.""Good," I said. "Let them wait for a man. Let them meet a queen instead."Le

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-10

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CHAPTER 13 — THE FIRST CUT

At 9:59 AM, twelve men in suits were staring at me.At 10:00 AM, one woman walked in late and stared only at me.Seraphina Vale.She was not in jail. She was free. In a white dress. Hair perfect. Lips red. The police had only taken her for questions yesterday. Now she walked like nothing had happened."Sorry I'm late," she said, smiling at the board. "Traffic. You know how it is."No one laughed.Lorenzo stood up. "You are not on this board.""But I am still Mrs. Blackwood," she said sweetly. "Until that annulment paper you keep talking about. Which I have not signed. So legally, I have the right to be here when my husband's company decides to hire his ex-wife."She said ex-wife and looked at me.I did not stand. I was S. CEO of Atelier S."Ms. Vale," I said, my voice cold, not rude. Cold is more expensive. "This is a closed meeting between Blackwood Global and Atelier S. You are not

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-10

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CHAPTER 14 — THE BLOGGER WAR

The elevator dinged.Lorenzo did not knock. Marcus was with him, two men in private suits ,no uniform, exactly like he promised for 68 Greene Street."What happened?" Lorenzo said. He saw the dresses first.Three dresses cut. Clean, from shoulder to waist. The opening looks for Paris.He saw my scissors in my hand. "Aria""S cut them," I said. "Or someone who brushed my coat this morning in your boardroom."His jaw tightened. He knew who.Rhys stepped forward. "We have two more problems."He showed Lorenzo his phone. The blogger post. 1,000 comments now.*BAD MOM? Aria Sinclair left her son alone in London council flat for 6 months to chase Vogue.*Then the second phone. The Daily Mail draft photo. Leo in the park, grey eyes clear, red toy car t-shirt.Lorenzo looked at Leo sleeping on the bed, clutching his car, then at the photo.His face changed. That cold CEO fac

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-10

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CHAPTER 15 — THE GREY EYES GALA

The invitation came at 4 PM.Black velvet envelope. Gold letters.Blackwood Children's Charity Gala - Tonight The Plaza 8 PMTable One: Mr. Lorenzo Blackwood + Guest + Atelier S Founder SNot requested. Forced."Board says if Atelier S wants the 40% upfront for Paris, S appears tonight," Marcus said on the phone. "One hour only."I looked at the three dresses on the rack. The pearl slit still needed 20 more hours."One hour," I said. "And Leo stays here. No press.""He stays with me," Rhys said.At 7:45 PM, we arrived at The Plaza. Me in black — the first dress I sewed in Shoreditch and sold. Rhys in his gallery blazer. Lorenzo in a black suit at Table One.He did not look at me first. He looked at the empty chair next to Rhys."Leo is not here," I said before he could ask. "He has a cold."His jaw tightened.The charity video started. Children in hospitals. Do

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-11

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CHAPTER 16 — THE FLASH

The flash blinded Leo first.He flinched in my arms, his small hands grabbing my black dress."Mama, lightning!"It was not lightning. White car. Window down. Long lens.Rhys moved first. His gallery blazer opened wide like a shield."No photos of the child!" he shouted.Second flash. Third.Lorenzo did not shout. He walked straight to the white car in the rain. Three steps. Calm.He knocked on the window. The driver rolled it down, scared.Lorenzo said something low. I could not hear. He took the camera from the man's hands, removed the memory card, put the camera back. He gave the man cash. A lot.The car drove away fast.He walked back to us, the memory card in his fist, and snapped it.Leo was still in my arms, watching him. Grey eyes to grey eyes."Dad broke the lightning?" Leo whispered."Yes," Lorenzo said. Not CEO voice. Dad voice. "No more

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-11

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CHAPTER 17 — THE BOARD WAKES UP

The photo went viral at 5:17 AM.I did not sleep. I sewed.Lorenzo slept on the couch. One arm over his eyes. Suit jacket on the floor. White shirt wrinkled.Leo slept in the small room. Two red cars under his pillow. Breathing hard because of his cold.My phone started buzzing at 5:17 AM. Not one buzz. Many.Vogue PR: Aria, are you seeing this?Rhys: Do not look at comments. I am coming.Marcus: Board emergency call 6 AM. They saw photo.Same photo as last night. Leo in red car t-shirt, Lorenzo holding Lightning's brother. Grey eyes clear.New caption: *Blackwood Heir Confirmed? Atelier S Founder's Secret Son at Table One Gala — Same Grey Eyes.*3,000 comments."That's his son.""Atelier S lied about being anonymous?""Who is the father — Blackwood or the gallery guy?"I turned the phone off.At 6:00 AM, knock.Rhys. Gallery blazer again. E

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-11

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CHAPTER 18 — THE PEARL STITCH

The pearls needed 40 hours.I had 36 hours before Paris flight.Three dresses on the rack. One-shoulder with pearl slit — the one she cut. Two others still needing hand stitching.Lorenzo did not leave for Blackwood Tower. He stayed in the loft kitchen, on laptop, CEO calls on mute.Rhys left at 7 AM. "Gallery opening. If board troubles you, call safe choice."Safe choice. He kept saying it.At 9 AM, Mrs. Patel video-called. Not for soup. For pearls."My girl, you are doing pearl stitch wrong!" she shouted from London kitchen. "You learned in Shoreditch, you forgot!"She held up her own needle. "Loop, pull, not too tight! Like when Leo was on your back and you sewed bedsheet!"I smiled first time since 5:17 AM viral photo.Leo sat on the floor, two red cars, watching Mrs. Patel on my phone."Grandma Patel!" he said."My prince! You have cold? I bring soup on plane?"

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-11

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CHAPTER 19 — THE GREY EYES

The flight to Paris was delayed.Seraphina stared at the notification on her phone. DELAYED — NEXT AVAILABLE 6AM TOMORROW.Then the second notification right beneath it.Blackwood Children's Charity Gala — Tonight 8PM. As Atelier S founder, you're on the guest list. — VanessaShe had planned to be in the air by now. After last night — after the pearl dress, after Lorenzo had looked at her like she was a stranger he wanted to memorize — she needed distance.Distance was not happening.A soft knock hit her bedroom door."Mama?"Leo stood there in his pajamas, holding his two red cars. One in each hand, like always."Mrs. Patel is sick," he whispered. "She has a cold and can't come."Seraphina knelt. "I know, love.""So can I come with you to the work party?"She wanted to say no. The Blackwood Gala was full of cameras, full of people who knew Lorenzo Blackwood. The las

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-12

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CHAPTER 20 — THE PRESCHOOL

Lorenzo didn't sleep.Marcus watched him at 2 AM still in the tuxedo shirt from the gala, holding a small red toy car.It was Leo's fast one. The one Leo had left on the balcony table last night after Lorenzo gave it back. On purpose."Run it," Lorenzo said.Marcus frowned. "Sir?""Run the boy. Leo S. Age four and a half. Mother Aria Sinclair, Atelier S. I want everything.""That's— sir, that's Aria's son."Lorenzo looked up. His grey eyes were bloodshot."I know."He put the car down carefully."And don't tell her I asked."At 8:30 AM, Aria was late.Paris flight was 6 AM tomorrow. Last fitting before Paris was 9 AM. Leo's preschool started at 8 AM and Mrs. Patel was still sick.She ran into Little Acorns on 72nd, Leo's hand in hers. He was in his little blue uniform, backpack bigger than him, only one red car inside. The strong one."Mis

ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2026-10-12

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