Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Betrayed Heiress: Chasing Her Back: Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

ALESSA’S POV The grand ballroom was full of workers moving around to make sure that everything was perfect. Because tonight was about more than just a party, it was about proving to everyone that JR Corps was stronger than ever. And it was about finally exposing Julien. I stood at the center of it all with my clipboard, checking items off my list. "Ms. James?" The event coordinator appeared at my elbow with her tablet. "The caterers are asking about the appetizer layout. Should they use the traditional circular pattern?" "Circular is fine," I said, not looking up from my checklist. "And make sure the champagne is chilled to exactly forty-two degrees.” "Got it." She scurried off, and I allowed myself a moment to breathe. My phone rang and I saw Lisa’s name on the screen. I answered immediately, putting it on loudspeaker. "Please tell me you're on your way," I said. "I'm literally ten minutes out," Lisa assured me. "I have your laptop with me. Did you bring the USB?

Alessa's POVThe first thing I became aware of was the throbbing ache at the base of my skull that pulsed with every heartbeat.The second thing was the bumping sensation of being in a moving vehicle.I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt heavy. And when I finally managed it, I was staring at the fabric ceiling of a car trunk.No, not a trunk but a back seat. I was lying across the back seat of a car, my hands bound behind me with something rough that bit into my wrists. Rope, maybe. Or zip ties.I tried to sit up and scream, but there was tape across my mouth, muffling any sound.The confrontation with Laura flooded back and then the pain at the back of my head. She must have hit me.The car slowed, then stopped. I heard doors opening, footsteps.Then hands grabbed me, hauling me out of the vehicle. I struggled, fighting against the restraints, trying to scream through the tape, but it was useless.I got my first look at my surroundings, we were in front of an abandoned hous

ALESSA’S POV"Julien?" My voice came out as barely a whisper.He stepped fully into the room, and his eyes swept over me."What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he snapped at Laura.Laura, to my surprise, didn't back down. "I'm doing what you paid me to do. Or are you getting cold feet now?"My mind reeled. Paid her? Julien had paid Laura to kidnap me?"I said grab her and bring her here," Julien said coldly. "Not start carving her up like some psychopath. Give me that."He reached for the knife, but Laura pulled it back. "I'm not done yet. She needs to understand-""Give. Me. The. Knife." He growled, his jaw tightening. They stared at each other for a long moment, and I watched this surreal standoff between two people who apparently both wanted to hurt me."This is insane!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "Both of you are insane! Julien, you're my brother!""And so?" Julien asked, finally wrenching the knife from Laura's hand. "Besides, you’ve never seen me as a brother anway.”Wh

JASON’S POV"Turn left here," Mayowa said, his eyes fixed on the laptop balanced on his knees. “The signal was strongest coming from this road."I turned hard, the tires screaming against the asphalt. The speedometer kissed a hundred and ten and I pushed it higher."Jason." Mayowa's voice was tight, the way it always got when he was about to say something he knew I didn't want to hear. "I need you to understand what we're doing right now."My jaw clenched tightly. "I know what we're doing.""Do you? Because the way I got this location is not exactly something I can explain to a judge.” He paused and sighed. “We bypassed two federal-level encryption protocols and piggy-backed off a private satellite network. If this goes sideways-""Mayowa." I snapped, interrupting him. He shook his head, still talking. "I'm serious. We could both be looking at-""Mayowa." I glanced at him. "Is she there or not?"He exhaled then glanced back at the screen. "She was but the signal dropped four minutes

Alessa's POVThe mirror on the wall told me things I wasn't ready to hear.The bruise along my jaw had faded to a sickly yellow-green. My wrists and head still ached with a low persistent throb that the painkillers did nothing to help. I looked at myself for a long time then I straightened my shoulders. I had a press conference to attend. I heard the knock before I could respond, the door opened. "Alessa." He stepped inside, and he actually looked concerned. "You look better. How are you feeling?""Strange," I said. "Everything still feels very far away. The doctors say that's normal."I lied to everyone and told them I lost my memory, pretending not to remember anything that happened three weeks ago. So now, they all saw me as fragile. It was working, I needed them to believe that for my plan to work. He sat on the chair beside my bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "The press conference today," he said, gently. "Are you sure about this? It's too soon."I need t