Home / Romance / The billionaire’s contract bride / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of The billionaire’s contract bride : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

53 Chapters

CHAPTER 21: HIS HOUSE, HIS RULES

Lena’s POVThe first thing I learned about Adrian Vale's house was that silence could be louder than noise.It followed me everywhere, through the long marble hallway and into the bedroom that had been prepared for me. Down the grand staircase and even into the dining room where food appeared every evening whether I was hungry or not.The mansion was beautiful, too beautiful and everything seemed carefully placed. The furniture was expensive, the walls were decorated with paintings that probably cost more than everything I had ever owned, and every room looked as if someone had spent hours making sure nothing was out of place.But it did not feel like a home, it felt like Adrian, controlled, perfect and cold. I stood in front of the enormous wardrobe in my new bedroom and stared at the clothes hanging inside.There were more dresses than I had ever owned in my life. I touched one of them, soft fabric slipped beneath my fingers and I quickly pulled my hand away. "This is ridiculous,"

Last Updated : 2026-11-09

CHAPTER 22: THE MAN WHO REMEMBERS

Lena’s POVI began noticing things after the night I found Adrian asleep on the couch, not because I was looking for them. Atleast, that was what I told myself.The truth was that once you lived inside someone else's world, you start seeing the things they never explained.Black suits appeared every morning, the same three men visited Adrian's study almost every afternoon, certain names made people lower their voices, certain questions were never answered and whenever I entered a room, conversations seemed to change.At first, I thought I was imagining it, I started paying attention and the Vale mansion had its own rhythm.Breakfast was usually quiet and Adrian rarely ate before leaving for work. His grandmother preferred breakfast in her private sitting room, where she spent hours reading newspapers and receiving visitors.Cassandra came and went whenever she pleased, Julian did the same but Victor Hale was different. He never arrived without an appointment, yet everyone seemed to kn

Last Updated : 2026-11-09

CHAPTER 23: THE HOSPITAL

Lena’s POVThe call came at 12:17 a.m in the morning. I was asleep when my phone rang, once, twice and the third ring pulled me out of a deep sleep. I reached for it without opening my eyes. “Hello?" I spoke on the phone, but nobody answered at first and then I heard a woman's shaky voice. “Lena?" The voice echoed.I sat up. “Yes, who is this?" I asked curiously. "It's Mrs. Carter. Your mother's nurse,” she responded calmly. Everything inside me went still. "Why are you calling?" I asked politely.There was a pause at the moment, that pause told me something was wrong. "Your mother collapsed,” she said quietly. My blanket fell from my hands. "What?" I said in a high tone."She couldn't breathe properly. She became unconscious for a few seconds. We've called an ambulance,” she added.I was already out of bed. “Which hospital?" I asked quickly. She gave me the name I knew. "I'll be there," I said. I ended the call.My feet barely touched the floor as I rushed toward the door, I didn't t

Last Updated : 2026-11-09

CHAPTER 24: THE FIRST CRACK

Lena’s POVThe hospital became quiet after two a.m in the morning and most of the chairs in the hallway were empty. The nurses spoke in low voices, machines beeped behind closed doors, outside the windows, the city had gone dark and my mother was sleeping.For the first time that night, I could breathe without feeling as though someone had placed a hand around my throat. I sat beside Adrian and he had not moved an inches since we arrived. His jacket was folded over the chair beside him, his sleeves were rolled to his elbows, and his eyes were fixed on the floor.I studied him very carefully. There was something different about him tonight, the usual wall was still there, but it had cracks, small ones and enough for me to see the man behind it. "You should go home," I said.He looked at me one more time. "So should you too,” he said. "My mother is here,” I said. "Then I'm staying,” he murmured.I frowned."You have work,” I reminded him. "It can wait,” he said. "You always say that,” I

Last Updated : 2026-11-09

CHAPTER 25: WHAT I FEAR

Lena’s POVI didn't sleep much after Adrian told me about his parents. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, not the Adrian everyone knew and not the billionaire who could silence a room with one look.I saw the fifteen-year-old boy he had once been. A boy who watched his family fall apart and learned the wrong lesson from it.Love makes people weak and I wondered how many years he had carried those words. By morning, my mother was still asleep and the doctors had decided to keep her for another day.I sat beside her bed, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, each breath brought relief. I had never been so grateful for something as simple as breathing, suddenly, my mother opened her eyes."You're still here,” she whispered. I smiled. "Where else would I be if not with you?" I asked quietly. "You have a life,” she replied softly. "So do you,” I said. She gave me a tired look. "Don't argue with your mother,” she murmured with a faint smile.I laughed softly. "I learned fr

Last Updated : 2026-11-09

CHAPTER 26: THE JEALOUS COUSIN

Lena's POVMy mother was discharged two days later, I should have felt completely relieved. Instead, another feeling followed me home.I could not stop thinking about Adrian's words and the words you're not disposable to me continue to echo in my head for a long moment.They had stayed in my mind during the long drive from the hospital, they followed me through the front door, they were still there when I lay awake that night and I didn't know what Adrian meant by them.Maybe he didn't know either, that was the problem, our arrangement had started with clear rules, now those rules seem to disappear a little more every day.When I entered the dining room the following morning, Adrian was already there, he looked up from his phone. "How is your mother?" He asked. "She is better now,” I said. “Did she sleep?" He asked. “Yes,” I responded softly. “Good one,” he said.I smiled. “You're becoming predictable,” I said. "How?" He asked calmly. "You always ask about my mother,” I said. He place

Last Updated : 2026-11-10

CHAPTER 27: NO JEALOUSY

Lena's POVThe house felt different the next morning, or maybe I was the one who had changed. I sat at the breakfast table with a cup of tea between my hands, staring at the same spot on the table for so long that the tea had gone cold.I could still see Adrian's face from the night before, the anger in his eyes when he saw Julian holding my wrist, it had not looked like the controlled anger I had seen before, it had been raw, immediate, protective and that scared me more than I wanted to admit because Adrian and I had rules.We had a contract and we were supposed to pretend, nothing more. So why had his reaction felt real?. The question could not leave my mind. "You're going to burn a hole through that table,” a voice whispered. I looked up.Adrian stood at the entrance to the dining room, dressed in a dark suit. His tie was loose around his neck, and his hair looked slightly untidy.He looked like he had not slept much and neither had I. "I wasn't staring at the table,” he said soft

Last Updated : 2026-11-10

CHAPTER 28: THE FIRST ARGUMENT

Lena’s POVAdrian did not answer me, he just stood there. For several seconds, the only sound in the library was the quiet ticking of the old clock on the wall.I looked from him to Evelyn, neither of them spoke, that silence told me enough and they were hiding something.My chest tightened. "What did my father do for your family?" I asked curiously. Evelyn looked at Adrian, he looked back at her and something passed between them. A silent conversation I wasn't part of and I hated it.I hated standing there and feeling like the only person in the room who didn't know the truth about my own family. "Adrian," I said. His eyes finally settled on me. "I don't know everything,” he whispered.I laughed once, but there was no humor in it. "That's convenient,” I said softly. His brows drew together. "It's the truth,” he murmured. "You expect me to believe that?" I asked. "Yes,” he responded quickly. "Why?" I dragged. "Because I wouldn't lie to you about something like this,” he replied gently

Last Updated : 2026-11-10

CHAPTER 29: NO CAMERAS

Lena’s POVI barely saw Adrian the next morning. After our argument, he disappeared into his office and stayed there until late hours. I told myself I didn't care. It was easier that way for me.The problem was that every time I heard footsteps in the hallway, I looked up. Every time a door opened, I expected to see him and every time it wasn't him, something inside me sank.I hated that, I hated how quickly he had become someone I noticed, someone I waited for, someone whose silence could affect my entire mood.By seven that evening, I had given up expecting him. I was sitting in my room, reading the same page of a book for the fourth time, when a knock came on my door. "Come in,” I whispered. The door opened, Adrian stood there, he had changed out of his suit and was wearing a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.He looked tired, but there was something different about him tonight, Less guarded. "What do you want?" I asked. His mouth twitched. "That's a warm welcome,” h

Last Updated : 2026-11-10

CHAPTER 30: HIS LAUGH

Lena's POVThe next morning, I avoided Adrian, not because I was angry but I avoided him because I didn't know how to look at him after last night.Every time I remembered the way his fingers had closed around mine, my stomach tightened. Every time I remembered what he had said, I felt a dangerous warmth return and the word “Because of us “ continued to echo in my head and even if neither of us had said it directly.I spent most of the morning with my mother on the phone. She was recovering well, but she had already started complaining about the doctor's instructions. “Your mother is trying to escape from the hospital without leaving in her house," I told Adrian's housekeeper when I came downstairs.The woman laughed. “That sounds like your mother,” she whispered. I smiled, then I heard footsteps behind me, I turned and that was Adrian, immediately my smile disappeared and his eyes met mine. Good morning,” I said softly. “Good morning,” he responded politely.The housekeeper looked b

Last Updated : 2026-11-10

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