Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Billionaires Blind Reckoning: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Clover’s POVI sit at the small dining table, slowly picking at a massive wedge salad from a local eatery here in Orange County. The plate is oversized, the portions are ridiculous, but my appetite comes and goes lately. My phone rests beside my fork, the screen glowing with the same email I’ve reread at least five times now.Tracy’s email.The one where she casually mentions that my husband reached out, declaring his love for me, begging for me not to go through with the divorce.I let out a soft chuckle, shaking my head.How convenient.How come he didn’t think about all of this before? Before waking up in another woman’s bed. Before detonating our marriage with and atomic bomb, before deciding that loyalty was optional.“Oh, now you’re in love with me,” I mutter to myself. “Now you can’t live without me.”I stab a piece of lettuce and sigh.Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you cheated on your wife, the one you claim to love so damn much.I swallow, take another sip of

Clover’s POVI wake up knowing this arbitration and this divorce, are going to be a long, exhausting battle.From the way Tracy explained it, Zade is planning to contest the divorce. That alone tells me this isn’t going to be quick or clean, and once he finds out I’m pregnant, whenever that happens, it’s only going to get worse.We’re not mentioning that today.I let out a slow breath as I finish getting dressed. My suit fits perfectly. I’ve gained a little weight, but not much, but I’m still early in the pregnancy. My face is fuller, my hips are softer and more rounded, my ass rounder. My boobs… well, those were always big. That was always Zade’s favorite.I chuckle softly to myself.He loved them a lot.I straighten my hair into long, sleek strands, carefully repeating what the stylist showed me the other day. I’m not perfect at it yet, but it looks good, clean, polished, and professional. Good enough.I finish my makeup, grab my sunglasses, my walking stick, my purse, and my phone,

Clover POVAs I turn to leave, I can practically feel Zayd’s eyes burning into my back. He’s standing there with his lawyer, mouth slightly open, staring like he can’t help himself. I chuckle softly to myself as Grandma continues to guide me away, her arm firm and protective around mine.Good. Let him stare.Tracy walks alongside us until we reach the elevator bank. She stops suddenly and exhales, rubbing her temple.“I’m going to be honest with you both,” she says. “This is going to be a long battle. He’s not going to let this divorce go easily. He’ll file motions, request subpoenas, drag things out. He has money, and he’s going to use it.”I nod slowly.“So once you’re announced at the company,” Tracy continues, “use that moment. Push yourself forward. Make yourself visible. Do not disappear.”I open my mouth to respond when I hear a voice that makes my spine stiffen.Shrill, sharp, and unwanted.“Come over here guys. Please come and follow me over here.”My mother-in-law.Janine Sm

Flashback Continued Third Person POVThe mixer hums with low music, overlapping conversations, and the clink of glasses as Braylee and Clover move through the room together like they belong there... because they do.They don’t just look like they belong.They are the room.People turn their heads when they pass. Men linger too long, eyes tracking their movement. Women whisper, scoff, or offer tight smiles that don’t quite reach their eyes. The jealousy is almost tangible, a sharp undercurrent beneath the polite networking chatter.What no one here realizes, what no one expects, is that these two women aren’t just beautiful.They’re brilliant.Both Braylee and Clover hold flawless 4.0 GPAs, both on full scholarships, both already miles ahead of most people in this room. Hot geniuses. Academic powerhouses wrapped in beauty that disarms and distracts.Braylee moves with confidence born from self-awareness. Her dark auburn hair falls sleek down her back, highlighting her long neck and st

Clover POVFlashback ContinuedAfter a few weeks of dating, Zade and I were having a ball.He was taking me places I never thought I’d even go. We went to the beach and went surfing. We went to see the grunion run. He took me to Seattle, and we had such a good time there exploring the markets. And through all of it, we were really just dating with no sex involved. Just getting to know each other organically.Not just for show at frat parties. Or just dating only on campus.We were out there actually living.We visited small bistros, hole in the wall restaurants, hot dog stands, and ice cream trucks. Nothing obscene or overly upscale. Just simple, genuine fun, and that, that version of Zade, that was the Zade I fell in love with. The normal Zade. Not the one raised with money or a silver spoon in his mouth.It was a particular Thursday when he texted me.Zade: Hey, I’m a little busy, but I really need to meet you in the library. I want to run something by you for software engineering