All Chapters of THE HUSBAND THEY BULLIED, THE KING THEY FEARED: Chapter 51
- Chapter 60
138 chapters
CHAPTER 51: AFTER THE SILENCE
AFTER THE SILENCEThe hospital room was filled with the steady beep of the monitor, the walls reverberating with its low hum. Damien sat in the seat beside Elara bed, elbows resting on the armrest, fingers loosely intertwined. His eyes hadn't left her face since he'd stepped in. He couldn't bring himself to. The world outside the room had faded into something distant, irrelevant, and all that mattered at that moment was… her. She looked smaller now. Fragile. The thick bandage wrapped around her head where her skin had split from the blunt force trauma had reddened again. The faint bloom of crimson has begun to seep through, staining the white gauze even after being changed twice. Her pale lips twitched with every breath she took and the bruises along her jaw and collarbone were starting to fade now. He swallowed slowly as his mind replayed everything that had happened. They came slowly–the kidnapping attempt, the moment he'd seen them dragging her to the car, the way rage had bl
CHAPTER 52: KILLER IN PLAIN SIGHT
KILLER IN PLAIN SIGHTThe fluorescent bulb above the interrogation room buzzed softly, reflecting off the polished floor and the one-way mirror etched on one of the walls. A faint smell of disinfectant and stale coffee filled the place. Sebastian sat calmly on one side of a metal table, one leg crossed over the other, arms resting on his lap as though he was at a business meeting instead of an interrogation. On the other side sat two officers. One of them–skinny, quiet–leaned against the edge of the table with a tablet in hand. The other sat directly opposite Sebastian, his gaze sharp and assessing. Commissioner Jim Harper.“Roll it again,” Jim said as he turned to the officer beside him. The tablet's screen flickered to life and a grainy surveillance footage immediately filled the display. The timestamp blinked in the corner as the video revealed the exterior of the hotel from the night before. But the angle caught only the entrance and part of the side alley. Then Sebastian app
CHAPTER 53: RAIN OVER THE DEAD
RAIN OVER THE DEADThe rain fell in soft pattering sounds, the steady drizzle soaking into the dark soil, washing over the cemetery paths with slick ribbons of mud. Damien stood beneath a black umbrella, his grip loose around the handle while his other hand rested on Elara's shoulder. Elara stood beside him, her fingers gripping the sleeve of his leather jacket as though it anchored her to reality. They were back here again–to the same cemetery. He remembered the exact day he'd met her, right at the cemetery gate–where he had pulled her from the clutch of robbers and nursed her back to health. It felt like another lifetime now. But they were back here again… but this time, they came to bury someone. Lina. Her open grace was surrounded by a few people despite the rain. Some stood under umbrellas, others let the drizzle wash over their black clothing, soaking them to the skin. A priest stood in front under a small canopy, flipping through a worn book as he murmured quiet preparati
CHAPTER 54: THE ARREST
THE ARREST“Wait. What's… what's happening?” Maya shouted, her voice cracking as she struggled against the cold metal snapped around her wrists. The sharp clicks of the handcuffs echoed too loudly in the open office lobby, like a final statement to her sentence. Employees were already gathering nearby, their conversations stopping mid-sentence, face squeezed with confusion. Two officers stood on either side of her, fingers digging into the fabric of her jacket as they gripped her arm and pulled them behind her back. “I didn't do what you're accusing me of!" she shouted, panic flooding her features as she writhed against their hold. “You're really making a mistake. Please, I'm innocent." Her eyes darted wildly around the room, searching for Elara's eyes. When she finally did, she pulled herself forward toward her, voice breaking as she pleaded. “Please," she whispered, voice breaking, “tell them I'm innocent. Tell… tell them I would never do what they're accusing me of.”Elara sto
CHAPTER 55: A BARREL TO THE HEAD
A BARREL TO THE HEAD“Naomi Kade.”Sebastian looked down at the picture slid toward him. He picked it up, his thumb grazing the glossy surface as he studied the features of the girl in the photograph. Dark skinned, calm smile, soft features–she looked… professional. Easily trustable. Sebastian lifted his eyes to the man sitting opposite him–Don Rafael Moreno. They were seated in a dim room, lit only by a single hanging bulb that cast a dull amber glow over the concrete floor and metal walls. Shadows surrounding them moved occasionally, adjusting the rifles slung over their shoulder. The Don's men. Sebastian tried to loosen his posture but his shoulders were tense beneath the tailored suit. After hearing his summon from Brooks that morning, he'd put on the velvet suit only to be manhandled, blindfolded and shoved into a truck. That could only mean one thing–The Don was angry. But upon arriving, he was just brought to that room with Don already seated behind the wooden table etched
CHAPTER 56: SCREENING
SCREENING The afternoon breeze blew through the company's compound, causing Damien's suit to billow in response. The trees lining the stone path rustled and a sleek black car pulled from the driveway, it's polished surface reflecting the overcast sky. But Damien barely noticed any of it. His attention remained on the slim folder open in his hands, eyes scanning it's contents as he flipped through the pages. The name at the top–Naomi Kade–was printed in bold, black lettering. Her other informations followed after, displaying her age, education and other credentials. “Naomi Kade," he whispered, the glossy papers rustling as he turned them. “Twenty-eight, first-class degree in Corporate Administration and Intelligence Management, been employed in three multinational firms…” He paused, glancing briefly at the young girl standing before him. Naomi stood a few steps away, hands clasped calmly behind her. She had on a simple fitted suit–professional without trying too hard. He
CHAPTER 57: THE CALL FOR A PARTNERSHIP
THE CALL FOR A PARTNERSHIPThe entire room was silent, the quiet filled only with the faint hum of the central air conditioner and the soft clinks of glass against polished wood. A round mahogany table dominated the space at the center, surrounded by seven figures. Damien sat on one side, his posture relaxed. He rested one arm lightly against the armrest of his chair as he stared down at the file opened in front of him. By his side sat Elara, composed too, and elegant in her fitted charcoal suit. The file before her rustled as she flipped through them neatly. At the head of the table sat three representatives of Helios Global Holdings–three individuals clothed in tailored business attire. Their accents were crisp and foreign. On their left sat Vanessa. Her legs were crossed sharply, a soft click resounding from beneath her as she bounced her heel against the marble floor in impatience. Beside her was Sebastian, dressed in a perfectly tailored blue suit, his fingers loosely clasped
CHAPTER 58: A TABLE OF PREDATORS
A TABLE OF PREDATORSVanessa frowned, her jaw tightening as she leaned back slowly in her chair, folding her arms. Sebastian watched her for a long moment, gaze narrowed as he studied her expression. She looked like she was holding down boiling rage that threatened to blow up. His hand reached for hers but she tugged it away , flashing him a glare. Sighing, he returned his attention forward again. Damien and Elara sat calmly opposite him, listening to the Helios representatives as they spoke. Neither of them interrupted. Neither seemed particularly eager to impress. And they both didn't seem to even acknowledge his and Vanessa's presence. They simply kept their gaze on the woman, listening. Sebastian's fist tightened as his gaze drifted, moving from Damien to Elara. Her hair was let down and not tied in the sleek ponytail she normally adorned. Her bangs at the front barely covered the side of her face and there, just near her hairline, barely visible beneath the short strands, he
CHAPTER 59: AFTERTASTE
AFTERTASTE“Sebastian.”Sebastian had just reached the glass door, his hands on the handle when Damien's voice reached him. He swallowed, pausing as he looked out the glass. Vanessa’s steps came muffled as she walked down the corridor. Without even looking to see if he was coming, she turned and disappeared around the corner. He scoffed. That was just typical of her. She never waited when she was angry. Storm out first, demand explanations later–that was how she operated. And it was going to cost her his money if she continued this way. His fingers tightened briefly around the contract file in his hand as he took in a deep breath. Releasing his grip from the doors handle, he turned around to Damien. The suited man stood near the round table, one hand resting lightly against the waxed surface, the other tucked casually in his pocket. Elara hadn't moved beside him. Her expression was as calm as ever and her demeanor remained unreadable. The representatives from Helios Global Holdi
CHAPTER 60: A SUSPECT IN SUIT
A SUSPECT IN SUITThe door closed shut behind Sebastian just as his calm demeanor shattered. The polite smile he'd worn before vanished from his lips as if it had never even existed. Fingers curling faintly at his sides, he tightened his jaw as he walked down the quiet corridor. Had he said too much?The question slid in as he recalled Damien's cold face as he'd turned to leave. He replayed every word he'd said inside that room. Damien's eyes had been on him the entire time and everything he said was aimed to provoke him–to make him talk. The bastard was smart but… did he succeed?Had he slipped?Sebastian let out a quiet scoff and kept on walking. No, he hadn't slipped. He wasn't a fool. He'd picked his words carefully. And besides, there was nothing the fool could use. Nothing concrete or that tied him to the kidnapping. Suspicion was one thing but proof was another. And Sebastian had made sure that proof never existed. He always tied his loose ends. “I really hadn’t said anyth