All Chapters of The Disgraced Husband Is the Septamillionaire Heir: Chapter 161
- Chapter 170
199 chapters
CHAPTER 106
Helen collapsed against Patricia's shoulder, her sobs quieter now but no less anguished, her entire body trembling with the force of her grief and fear.The matriarch stood near the doorway, watching the scene unfold with a carefully controlled expression that masked the turmoil beneath. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, knuckles white with tension, her usual regal composure maintained through sheer force of will.Slowly, with measured steps that spoke of both age and reluctance, she approached the bed where her eldest grandson lay fighting for his life.Brandon had always been trouble from the moment he could walk and talk. Gambling, drinking, making reckless decisions that reflected poorly on the family name. She'd scolded him countless times over the years, threatened to cut him off, lectured him about responsibility and honor and the Montgomery legacy.But he was still her grandson. Still her blood. Still the baby boy she'd held the day he was born, when hope and pot
CHAPTER 107
Helen groaned in pain, stumbling backward several steps as the burning sensation spread across her shoulders. Her hand flew to her back, feeling the tender spot where the walking staff had connected with brutal precision. She steadied herself against the wall, breathing hard, then slowly lifted her head to see who had struck her.The patriarch stood before her, his mahogany staff still raised slightly, his face carved from stone and fury. His aged hands gripped the ornate walking stick with surprising strength, and his eyes—those sharp, intelligent eyes that had built and maintained the Montgomery empire for decades—blazed with disappointment and rage.Helen stared at her father, and despite the pain radiating from her back, despite the shock of being physically struck, she found herself unsurprised. A bitter, broken smile crossed her tear-stained face as understanding dawned."Of course," she said, her voice hollow with dark amusement and resignation. "Of course it was you, Father. W
CHAPTER 108
"Because he made a deal with the devil!" The patriarch's voice rose sharply, his control slipping for the first time. "Because he gambled away fifty million dollars of Vincent Accardi's money! Because he chose to associate with criminals instead of coming to his family for help!"He slammed his walking staff against the floor, the sound echoing through the room like a gavel."Those were his choices, Helen. His decisions. His responsibility! And if we're going to count blame—if we're really going to assign fault for this situation—then Brandon should be blamed for what happened. Not your mother. Not Caden. Not anyone else but Brandon himself!"The brutal honesty of the statement hung in the air like a physical weight.Helen's face crumpled, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks as her father's words struck deeper than any physical blow could have."It was Brandon who first betrayed this family," the patriarch continued, his voice growing colder with each word. "Brandon who went behind o
CHAPTER 109
"But," the patriarch's voice hardened again, "Dr. Warren was very clear about something else. If Brandon is exposed to this toxin again—if whoever did this makes a second attempt—the outcome will likely be fatal. The damage to his organs from the first exposure means his body won't be able to fight it off a second time."The room went deathly silent as everyone processed this information."That's why," the patriarch continued, his gaze sweeping across his family, "I immediately sent this information to Caden. Because this confirms what he suspected—Brandon is being actively targeted. This wasn't a warning. This wasn't intimidation. This was an assassination attempt that only failed because of quick medical intervention."He turned to look directly at Helen, his expression grave."Your son is being hunted, Helen. And the people hunting him have the resources and connections to reach him even in maximum security facilities. That's the reality we're facing. That's the truth you need to a
CHAPTER 110
The sleek black Mercedes glided smoothly through Los Angeles traffic, weaving between slower vehicles with practiced ease. Morning sunlight streamed through the tinted windows, casting shifting patterns across the leather interior as palm trees and towering glass buildings passed by in a blur.Caden sat behind the wheel, his posture relaxed but alert, his eyes constantly scanning the road and mirrors with the awareness of someone trained to spot threats. His hands rested lightly on the steering wheel, his expression calm and controlled despite the chaos of the morning.Beside him in the passenger seat, Vivian sat with perfect posture, her glacial blue eyes fixed on the passing cityscape. She'd been silent since they left the Montgomery estate, processing everything that had happened—the accusations against Caden, her mother's hostility, her father's unexpected support, and her own decision to investigate alongside her husband rather than join the family at the hospital.The silence be
CHAPTER 111
"It'll be in your secure inbox within five minutes," Sebastian said reluctantly. "And Caden? For what it's worth, I hope you know what you're doing.""I always do," Caden replied, then ended the call.The silence that fell over the car after the call disconnected was even heavier than before, charged with tension and unspoken danger.Vivian stared at Caden with wide eyes, her usual glacial composure completely shattered by what she'd just heard. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap, though she clasped them together to hide the visible sign of fear."The underground masters have contracts on me?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "They're trying to kidnap me to use as leverage?""Yes," Caden said simply, seeing no point in sugarcoating the truth. "But I won't let that happen.""How can you be so sure?" Vivian's voice rose slightly, fear bleeding through despite her attempts at control. "You heard what Sebastian said—these people are professionals. They have resourc
CHAPTER 112
Vivian stood on the sidewalk in front of Montgomery Luxe headquarters, her hand still resting on the car door handle as she stared at Caden through the window. For the first time since he'd known her, the glacial composure that defined her had completely cracked, revealing raw vulnerability beneath.Her glacial blue eyes—usually so cold and controlled—now shimmered with worry and fear. Not for herself, despite knowing she was a target, but for him. For the husband she'd only begun to truly accept, who was now preparing to walk alone into deadly danger.She shook her head slowly, her dark hair catching the morning sunlight as it swayed with the motion. Words seemed to fail her completely. What could she say? How could she express the tangle of emotions she didn't fully understand herself?Caden saw the conflict playing across her face and felt something tighten in his chest—an unfamiliar sensation of genuine care for someone beyond professional duty.He sighed softly, then did somethin
CHAPTER 113
Her hand was on the door handle, half-turned, her body already shifting to exit the vehicle. But something stopped her. Some impulse she didn't fully understand, some need she couldn't quite articulate.Before rational thought could intervene, before her usual cold control could reassert itself, Vivian turned back toward Caden.Without warning, without preamble, without giving herself time to second-guess the action, she leaned through the window and crashed her lips against his.The kiss was brief—barely more than a few seconds of contact—but it was real, genuine, charged with all the emotions Vivian had been struggling to express with words.Fear for his safety. Gratitude for his protection. Trust that he would return. And something else, something deeper that she wasn't quite ready to name yet.Caden's eyes widened with shock, his entire body going rigid with surprise. He'd expected many things from this conversation, but this—this spontaneous, unguarded display of affection from t
CHAPTER 114
Sebastian was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice carried genuine concern beneath the professional veneer."Caden, I need to say this one more time. What you're about to do is extremely dangerous. The underground masters have been operating in Los Angeles for over two decades. They've survived multiple law enforcement crackdowns, gang wars, and attempts by other criminal organizations to eliminate them. They're not amateurs who'll fold when you show up at their door.""I know," Caden said simply."Do you?" Sebastian pressed. "Because knowing intellectually and understanding viscerally are two different things. These people are ruthless. They've killed federal agents, witnesses under protection, even rival crime bosses who had entire organizations backing them. Going to their compound alone is—""Is exactly what I'm trained for," Caden interrupted gently but firmly. "Sebastian, I appreciate your concern. I do. But this is happening. The only question is whether you'r
CHAPTER 115
The exclusive elevator to the executive floor of Montgomery Luxe headquarters was designed for privacy and luxury—polished brass fixtures, mirrored walls, and soft ambient lighting that complemented rather than illuminated. Vivian stood alone in that gilded box, watching her reflection in the mirrors as the numbers climbed steadily upward.Her fingers rose unconsciously to touch her lips where moments ago they had pressed against Caden's. The memory sent a fresh wave of heat flooding her cheeks, turning them a delicate pink that contrasted sharply with her usual pale, composed complexion.What had she been thinking? Kissing him like that, so impulsively, so completely out of character for someone who prided herself on control and rational decision-making?Yet even as embarrassment washed over her, Vivian couldn't bring herself to regret it. The kiss had been brief, spontaneous, probably awkward from a technical standpoint—but it had been real. Genuine. A physical expression of emotion