All Chapters of THE HUSBAND THEY BULLIED, THE KING THEY FEARED: Chapter 61
- Chapter 70
138 chapters
CHAPTER 61: CRACKS IN CONTROL
CRACKS IN CONTROL“Good day, sir," the receptionist greeted from our desk as we walked past. Vanessa flashes her a sharp glare before strutting toward the elevator. I sighed, giving a short wave before going after her. The ride to the top was silent, disturbed only by the constant talking of Vanessa's shoe against the metal floor. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Since the meeting, she'd been restless–murmuring and jittery like she was about to explode. Unable to handle the silent tension anymore, Sebastian turned to her. “Vanessa–” He began but she raised a hand, shutting him instantly. Running a hand through his hair, he turned back to the door. The elevator came to a halt as it reached their floor, and the doors slid open with a low hum. With Vanessa in front, they both walked to their room, their steps hushed by the lush carpet under them. As they approached their room, Vanessa, still mumbling, pulled their key card from her purse and slid it over the slot. The door clicked sof
CHAPTER 62: RIPPLES IN STILL WATER
RIPPLES IN STILL WATERThe evening had already begun to take over the sky, painting everything below in a muted pink-gray haze. The park was nearly empty now, dotted only with a few scattered figures walking dogs or sitting alone on distant benches. An old man sat before the pond, feeding the ducks that waddled toward him. Dusk was descending peacefully. A black car rolled to a quiet stop outside the park gates, the low growl of the engine pulling a few attention. Damien turned it off, stepped out and shut the door softly behind him. A soft sigh slipped out his lips as he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. He looked around, taking the place in before walking through the iron gate. His shoes crunched lightly against the dry leaves littered across the ground as he approached a lone figure sitting on one of the beaches. Ryan Chen. He was exactly where he said he'd be–seated on a stone bench near the pond. He had one leg crossed over the other and his eyes remained glued to his phone,
CHAPTER 63: A DANGEROUS TAIL
A DANGEROUS TAILRyan stilled, watching the conversation ensuing between Damien and the man. But as they spoke, he felt the shift between them. It was subtle, but he caught it immediately. The air between Damien and the man suddenly felt thicker–tightened. What had started as a casual exchange between the two now carried a weight so palpable he could feel it. The stranger's tone was sharper now as he asked his last question. And the way his eyes lingered too long between him and Damien made his instincts flare. He wasn't just trying to make conversation. He was connecting dots–dots that would reveal the relationship between them. The worst thing that could happen right now was for anyone to publicly tie him to Damien. Especially one who knew about the banquet. False stories could pop up, claiming Ryan had intentionally brought Damien up and had a hand in Elara's rise. And then there was the still unresolved kidnapping, and the shadows already circling their operation. The momen
CHAPTER 64: CAUGHT IN THE ACT
CAUGHT IN THE ACTThe black sedan’s headlights dimmed as it took a sharp right turn, tyres spraying loose stone into the air. Looming before them was the docks–just as Damien had predicted. Massive shipping containers filled the space ahead, reaching the dark sky like silent sentinels. The cranes worked, swinging side to side as they loaded more boxes off an anchored ship. Waves crashed like thunder and the scent of saltwater and oil drifted faintly through the vents of his car. Ahead, the sedan had finally slowed down, easing into the concrete parking lot of the dock. Ryan parked his car behind a stack of the mangled remains of rusted containers. He made sure he was far enough away to remain unseen, but close to still keep his eye on them. The engine went off and the muffled sound of waves crashing into each other immediately swallowed the space.He could still hear Damien's faint breathing come through the speaker. “They've stopped, sir," Ryan murmured, resting against the seat
CHAPTER 65: A CONFRONTATION WITH DEATH
A CONFRONTATION WITH DEATHHis steps slow, Ryan walked out from behind the rusted crate. He lifted his hands in surrender, clutching his phone tightly on the right. More red laser dots appeared on his chest, trembling faintly as he moved out of the dark and into the clearer view of the dock lights. Masked men stood behind Brooks Jackman with fingers wrapped around the foregrip of their high-spec rifles. The three men stood in front, each holding a Glock steady, fingers resting too comfortable before their triggers. Ryan swallowed deliberately as he lifted his hands fully above his shoulders. With a low cough, he turned his hands slightly to the side, keeping his phone from their view as he tapped the side button three times. The screen darkened and flashed with a soft ding. He could already tell what was written glass without looking–location transmitted, distress signal activated, microphone recording. A few months back, he had asked Damien to install the emergency protocol he'd
CHAPTER 66: THE DOCKS RUN RED
THE DOCKS RUN REDRegaining his balance, Ryan shook his head once, hard, and snapped his head up–Just in time to see Brooks lifting the gun again, aiming directly at him.“Fuck," he muttered under his breath as Brooks’ finger tightened in the trigger again. Fully aware now, Ryan moved first. The second the muzzle touched his forehead again, he dove sharply to the right. The shot rang out and the bullet missed him by a hair’s breath, exploding the gravel where his head had been. The moment Brooks turned to aim at him again, Ryan lunged forward. His sudden movement caught the men off guard and they retreated from Brooks’ gunfire. With quickened steps, he closed the distance, grabbed Brooks by his wrist mid-aim, and twisted violently. His bone gave a sickening pop as the gun discharged again, the bullet ripping through the neck of one of the masked men behind him. Brooks yelled in pain as the man dropped instantly. Blood poured into the night air, staining the concrete floor as he c
CHAPTER 67: PROMISES AT BREAKFAST
PROMISES AT BREAKFASTThe morning sunlight poured in through the wide glass windows, cascading over the polished floors of the restaurant and casting soft golden streaks across waxed wooden tables. Outside, the city was already awake. Cars honked impatiently in the growing traffic, barking dogs yanked their owners around and a delivery truck rumbled past.Inside the restaurant, the air was filled with the sweet smell of ground coffee beans, buttered toast and something sweet–vanilla, perhaps. The soft clinks of cutleries against plates came from every table. A waiter weaved through the space with quiet efficiency. Elara sat opposite Damien in one of the tables. She wore her usual warm smile as she stirred her coffee with her spoon. “Oh, you saw their faces, right, Damien?" Her smile widened, satisfaction etched on her features. “Sebastian looked like he'd swallowed a lemon whole. But Vanessa?" She laughed softly, shaking her head. “I literally thought she was going to rip her eyes o
CHAPTER 68: A MAN'S BEST FOE
A MAN'S BEST FOE The night slowly descended over the city as Damien drove toward the police station. The moment he pulled into the parking lot, he found Commissioner Jim walking toward the door. “Jim," he called from the window. “Wait up." He came down from the car and walked up to Jim who'd stood now, waiting. Upon reaching him, the two headed toward the large building, discussing in low voices. The police station buzzed with life under bright floodlights that lit the curbs harshly. The place still carried it's usual hum of activity even at this hour. Officers strode in and out of the main hall, some holding case files, other clutching steaming paper cups that smelled faintly of burnt coffee. Commissioner Jim pushed the double doors, he and Damien walking through as it swung to the side. The florescent lights etched over them gleamed slightly on his bald head and his thick bushy moustache twitched everytime he spoke. A quiet air of authority surrounded him and he made it palpab
CHAPTER 69: THREE HOURS TOO LONG
THREE HOURS TOO LONGThe sound of soft jazz filled the apartment, drifting low and warm. It wrapped around the dining room like a quiet embrace, its gentle trumpet and faint brush of drums softening the silence that felt too loud. It mingled with the sweet scent that lingered in the air, and at the center of it all–at the head of the dining table–sat Elara.She leaned forward against the table, her deep emerald silk dress pulling her laps together. The soft fabric caught the candlelight each time she moved. She turned to the worn grandfather clock at the corner, staring at her reflection on the glass, studying the way the dress hugged her figure. The neckline was modest, revealing only a little cleavage. Her hair, usually left loose, had been pulled into a clean bun with a few stands cascading over her shoulders in soft waves. Her face held a touch of makeup that highlighted her features–subtle eyeliner, warm blush, muted red lipstick. She had chosen this look carefully for the nigh
CHAPTER 70: LOVE LONG WAITED
LOVE LONG WAITEDDamien found Elara sitting behind the table, one leg crossed over the other as she swirled the wine glass balanced between her fingers. The candlelights surrounding the dining area caught beautifully against the emerald silk dress hugging her skin. A few strands of her had slipped loose from the hairband she'd used to hold them in place, framing her face. Her lipstick had softened from the wine, smearing slightly across her cheeks. Her makeup looked ruined now… but she still looked as breathtaking as ever. A little undone, but breathtaking. Her gaze lifted slowly from the glass when she heard the door click shut. Her eyes settled on him, holding his stare for about a second before rolling lightly. “Oh,” she said, setting the glass down on the table. “You finally decided to come, huh.” She glanced toward the clock before returning her gaze to him. "Only three hours after our decided time. That's really early.”The words weren't sharp, but they definitely weren't li