icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Sign out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

Ruthless Desires

Chapter 3 Secrets

Word Count: 1317    |    Released on: 01/04/2025

the space between them like an inv

d as Celeste's words

last person who tri

ound the folder, as if it were a shiel

k, her gaze drilling into Liana with

fused to

ction-denial, amusement, anything-but he simply l

y, he

ng dramatic

she knew more than she let on. She crossed her arms, her bl

to Liana. "Did he tell you a

accepting the job. Killian Vaughn was notoriousl

writer before her, th

last writer

ad. "No one knows. Is

m felt

im to refute the claim. But Vaughn didn't r

ply wa

nnerving than anyth

was an answe

s calm,. "Celeste,

"Of course. I wouldn't want to

d out, the faint scent of expens

t with an ee

easing the breath she hadn

n, her pulse still racing

vaguely irritated. "Celeste Laurent," h

s. "And who exactly

then sighed.

"Fiancée? Didn't take y

g the cuffs of his black dress shirt. "It was...

ear

hift in his tone. He wa

i

he wouldn't. .If he wanted to keep his secret

ick folder. "You said eve

t reading. We'll

walked out, leaving he

t, his ver

room that night, staring

t, the kind of silence t

tened-and now, she was locked inside a billionaire's estate, ta

ered if she should

that needed answers-was alre

, it was

thplace. Education. Ea

nt, the more the deta

o childhood records

tarted with private capital-

nts. No siblings. No relatives

onships, excep

s too

st a man guard

n who had era

question

ouldn't

the ceiling, the weight of the

out this fel

self. Her bare feet barely made a sound against the ha

he sanitized version o

to see th

ss-strategic security c

h of it c

by an off

r door

reached

lightly on

ope

kened as she s

or-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vast, moonlit estate

tention was the safe h

its kic

tive journalist. She knew how to find

gers grazing the edges.

-a stack of o

ed-then pic

e dulled by years of handling. It had once been a pristine memory, but now it

olled-as if he had already learned to mask his emotions. He wore a sharp black suit, tailored despite his still-growing frame. His hair, sligh

ncertain. Like they should have been doing something e

d another man-t

owerful men wore, the silk tie perfectly knotted, the cufflinks gleam

his

een burned out

ched. Not

rn

jagged black hole where his features should have been. The burn marks s

ted to simply remove the man. Th

ulder-a grip that seemed too firm, possessive-and the expensive signet ring

re you

a fr

rway, arms crossed. His

h

om, his presence suddenly i

voice was calm, but the

efusing to look guilt

ed to the phot

ift she barely saw it

ng the picture into his pocket. "Som

hard. "Who was

dn't

he turn

y private affa

osed to write

, but it

the version

his gaze, u

sn't s

n't just some self

ething beneat

ing to find ou

it kil

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open
1 Chapter 1 The Scandal2 Chapter 2 The Mysterious Offer3 Chapter 3 Secrets4 Chapter 4 Checkmate5 Chapter 5 Competitor6 Chapter 6 Unfinished Business7 Chapter 7 The Reckoning8 Chapter 8 Crossed Lines9 Chapter 9 The Firestorm10 Chapter 10 The Wedding Gambit11 Chapter 11 Heated Moment12 Chapter 12 Aftermath13 Chapter 13 Vincent's Play14 Chapter 14 Dangerous Meeting15 Chapter 15 Paris16 Chapter 16 Boundaries and Betrayals17 Chapter 17 Fractured Edges18 Chapter 18 Lines19 Chapter 19 Changed Rules20 Chapter 20 Veil of Deception21 Chapter 21 The Lie22 Chapter 22 Fire and Fallout23 Chapter 23 Suspicion24 Chapter 24 The Discovery25 Chapter 25 The Probe26 Chapter 26 Pressure Points27 Chapter 27 The Tail28 Chapter 28 Pieces Falling29 Chapter 29 Loopholes30 Chapter 30 The Reveal31 Chapter 31 Silence32 Chapter 32 The Resolve33 Chapter 33 Amber and Ashes34 Chapter 34 Timing35 Chapter 35 Digging Deep36 Chapter 36 Just Business37 Chapter 37 The Event38 Chapter 38 The Auction39 Chapter 39 The Crack40 Chapter 40 The Breakdowm41 Chapter 41 The Departure42 Chapter 42 The Converation43 Chapter 43 The Breakup44 Chapter 44 The Reunion45 Chapter 45 The Edge of The Wreckage46 Chapter 46 The Night47 Chapter 47 This Time48 Chapter 48 The Favour49 Chapter 49 Shadow Between Us50 Chapter 50 The Gamble51 Chapter 51 The Test52 Chapter 52 The Brunch53 Chapter 53 The Truth54 Chapter 54 The Infiltration55 Chapter 55 The Damage Report56 Chapter 56 The Ember57 Chapter 57 Rebuilding Trust58 Chapter 58 The Investor59 Chapter 59 The Private Moment60 Chapter 60 The Leak61 Chapter 61 The Exposure62 Chapter 62 Strategic Separation63 Chapter 63 The Fall-Back64 Chapter 64 The Unraveling65 Chapter 65 The Bait66 Chapter 66 The Unmasking67 Chapter 67 Isabel68 Chapter 68 The Resurfacing69 Chapter 69 Ghost in a Vault70 Chapter 70 The Firestarter71 Chapter 71 Ghost in the System72 Chapter 72 Breaking Protocol73 Chapter 73 The False Collapse74 Chapter 74 Serena's Past Revealed75 Chapter 75 Inside the Enemy's Lair76 Chapter 76 Killian's Confession77 Chapter 77 Celeste's Ultimatum78 Chapter 78 The Boardroom Coup79 Chapter 79 Serena's Counterattack80 Chapter 80 The Web Tightens81 Chapter 81 The Mole Within82 Chapter 82 The Legacy Journal83 Chapter 83 Serena's True Plan84 Chapter 84 The Rescue85 Chapter 85 The Unexpected Ally