All Chapters of Embraced By The Billionaire: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

150 Chapters

Part 21: The Perfect Candidate

The large, polished surface of Ashton’s desk was covered with three pristine folders, sent over from the city’s most exclusive nanny agency, represented the final candidates in their search for someone to help care for Adelia. For Avery, sitting in a plush leather chair opposite Ashton, these folders felt like a lifeline.He, Avery, and Sarah had been reviewing the files for about an hour. The first two candidates were impressive, their resumes filled with qualifications and experience. They were also reassuringly human.One had left a position after a year because of a personality clash with her employer, a detail the agency had dutifully noted. The other had a two-year gap in her employment history, explained as time taken off to care for an ailing parent. They were skilled professionals with normal, imperfect lives.Then there was the third file.“And this is Elena Vance,” Sarah said, sliding the final folder toward the center of the desk. “On paper, she’s in a league of her own.”

Part 22: The Interview

Avery and Sarah were utterly shocked. Both of them could only stare at each other without saying anything. Elena Vance was no longer just a perfect candidate. She was a ghost, a woman with a five-year past and a history that vanished into thin air.Ashton’s suspicion had solidified into a cold, hard certainty that this woman was a plant. The only question was, what game was she playing? He had agreed to the interview not to vet her but to study her. He needed to see his enemy up close.Elena Vance arrived at the Knight mansion precisely at the scheduled time. She was the picture of understated professionalism. Her attire was simple, a tailored navy-blue dress, sensible flat shoes, and her hair pulled back in a neat bun. There was no flashy jewelry, no heavy perfume. She was deliberately unremarkable, designed to blend into the background of a wealthy household.Avery and Sarah met her in the sunroom, a bright, airy space with comfortable sofas and a panoramic view of the gardens. They

Part 23: The Interrogation

The warmth that Elena had in the sunroom evaporated the moment Ashton began to speak. Sarah and Avery, who had been relaxed and impressed just moments before, now sat in tense silence, becoming spectators to a duel they didn't fully understand. Avery held the now-calm Adelia a little closer, a protective instinct kicking in as she sensed the shift in the room's dynamics.Ashton gestured to the chair opposite him. “Please, Miss Vance. Sit.” It was an invitation phrased as a command.Elena complied. She sat with her back straight, her hands folded calmly in her lap, a perfect portrait of professional poise. She met Ashton’s intense gaze without flinching, her expression a neutral mask of polite attentiveness.Ashton did not sit. He remained standing, a subtle power play that established his dominance in the room. He began to walk slowly, circling the seating area like a lawyer before a hostile witness.“My sister and Mrs. Reed have covered your professional qualifications, which are, by

Part 24: She’s Hired

The moment the door closed behind Elena Vance, the carefully constructed calm in the sunroom shattered. The silence she left in her wake was heavy with unspoken conflict, charged with the opposing conclusions of the three adults left in the room.Ashton was the first to speak, his voice hard and absolute. “She’s lying.”Avery, who was gently rocking Adelia’s bassinet, looked up, a frown creasing her brow. “Lying? Ashton, what are you talking about? She answered all of your questions.”“She had an answer for everything. That’s the problem,” he countered, his eyes dark with conviction. “It was a performance. A flawless, perfectly rehearsed performance. Did you not see it?”“See what?” Sarah asked, genuinely confused. “I saw a woman who handled your interrogation with grace. You were incredibly harsh with her, and she never lost her composure.”“It wasn’t grace, Sarah. It was training,” Ashton insisted, his frustration evident. “Her story about a family tragedy was a textbook maneuver to

Part 25: A Viper

The week-long trial period concluded not with a bang, but with a quiet, resounding success. For Avery, the seven days with Elena had been transformative. The constant anxiety that had been her companion for months had finally loosened its grip. The house was calmer, Adelia was thriving, and for the first time since leaving Oliver, Avery felt she could breathe.She sat in Ashton’s study for their follow-up meeting, a stark contrast to the nervous, exhausted woman who had argued for Elena’s trial a week prior. She was composed, rested, and resolute.“She’s perfect, Ashton,” Avery said, her voice clear and confident. There was no hesitation. “More than perfect. She’s thoughtful, she’s incredible with Adelia, and she’s given me a sense of peace I thought I’d never feel again. I want to hire her. Permanently.”Ashton listened, observing the new light in her eyes and the relaxed set of her shoulders. He saw that Elena had delivered exactly what Avery had so desperately needed, respite.His

Part 26: The Wrong Comfort

The report from Marcus Thorne was a silent alarm ringing only in Ashton’s ears. He now possessed a cold fact that Elena Vance, the perfect nanny, was connected to the Reeds. But he knew confronting Avery with a tangled web of corporate entities and financial ties would be a mistake. It was too abstract, too easy to dismiss as coincidence when weighed against the tangible peace Elena brought into the house every single day.He needed something more. He needed concrete, undeniable proof of malice, an act so clear it would shatter the illusion Elena had so carefully built. He decided to wait, to watch, and to let the snake in his house reveal its fangs. He didn't have to wait long.The attack came on a Tuesday night. The day had been calm, almost blissful. Adelia had been a cheerful, gurgling delight, and Avery, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, felt a genuine sense of maternal confidence. She was not just a survivor anymore. She was a mother, finding her rhythm.She put A

Part 27: Misplaced

The days following the late-night crying incident settled into a new, deceptively calm rhythm. Elena’s presence had become the quiet, steadying beat of the household. She was no longer just the nanny, she was the architect of Avery’s peace. Yet, almost imperceptibly, small, dissonant notes began to disrupt the harmony.It started with Avery’s reading glasses.“That’s odd,” Avery murmured to herself one afternoon, patting the surface of the desk in her suite’s study. “I could have sworn I left them right here next to my book.”Elena, who was quietly folding a basket of Adelia’s onesies nearby, looked up. “Your glasses, Mrs. Reed? Are you sure? I thought I saw you with them in the sunroom this morning.”“I was, but I’m certain I brought them back up with me,” Avery replied, a hint of frustration in her voice. She hated the feeling of chasing after her own belongings.She searched the desk again, then her pockets. Nothing. After another few minutes, Elena spoke up, her voice tinged with h

Part 28: The Vultures Circle

The polished conference table in the law offices of Sterling & Croft felt like a slab of ice. Oliver shifted uncomfortably in his leather chair, loosening a tie that suddenly felt too tight. Across from him, his mother, Rose, sat perfectly still, her posture regal, her expression unreadable. At the head of the table, their lead attorney, Mr. Davies, cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud in the tense room.“So, let me be frank,” Davies began, adjusting his glasses. “As things stand, our petition for custody is weak.”“Weak?” Oliver scoffed, leaning forward. “What are you talking about? My wife abandoned her home! She’s clearly unstable!”“An accusation for which we have no proof, Mr. Reed,” Davies countered, his tone dry. “In fact, Ashton Knight’s legal team has masterfully painted a counter-narrative: that of a distressed mother seeking refuge from a hostile environment. They have medical statements attesting to her exhaustion and stress. We, on the other hand, have nothing b

Part 29: A Mother's Doubt

The knock on Avery’s bedroom door was not soft or hesitant. It was a series of sharp, urgent raps that jolted her from a deep sleep. Her eyes flew open, her heart instantly pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs.“Mrs. Reed! Mrs. Reed, please, wake up!” Elena’s voice came through the door, tight with a panic that was utterly contrast to her usual calm demeanor.Avery was out of bed in a second, her own fear mirroring the urgency in Elena’s tone. She threw the door open. Elena was standing there, her face pale, her eyes wide with alarm.“It’s Adelia,” Elena said, her voice a rushed whisper. “There’s a rash. On her back. And her breathing, it sounds strange.”The words struck Avery like a physical blow. She didn’t wait for more. She sprinted down the hall to the nursery, her bare feet cold against the marble floor. She flicked on the soft lamp beside the crib. Adelia was stirring, a faint wheezing sound accompanying each small breath. With trembling hands, Avery gently turned her da

Part 30: The Initial

The ride back from the hospital was silent, but it was a different kind of silence than the frantic, fearful one on the way there. Adelia was sleeping peacefully in her car seat, her skin clear, her breathing even. The doctor’s words echoed in Avery’s mind “simple contact dermatitis, a new baby powder, perhaps.” Avery sat staring out the window, not seeing the blur of city lights. Beside her, Elena was the picture of relief. “Oh, I am just so thankful it was nothing serious,” Elena sighed, placing a hand over her heart. “My mind was imagining the worst. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her.” “Yes,” Avery replied, her voice flat. “Thank goodness.” She didn't look at Elena. She couldn't. From that night on, something inside Avery shifted. The unconditional trust she had placed in Elena, the foundation of her newfound peace, had deve

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