Billionaire Alpha's 99 Deadly Games

Chapter 20

Staring at the man before her, his expression hovering between devotion and derangement, Aria felt nothing but bitter irony.

"You stand there claiming you love me," she said, each word razor-sharp, "but where was this love when Leila accused me? Where was it during those ninety- eight humiliations? Where was it when you literally left me to burn alive?"

Her voice remained controlled despite the fury building beneath. "Don't bother with excuses. I gave you a chance that night in the fire when I asked if you were coming back for me. I thought, 'If you turns around right now-if you pulls me out-l could forgive everything.' Every single thing you did to me."

She held his gaze unflinchingly. "But what did you choose, Lucas?"

Her accusations were met with uncomfortable silence. The fire had happened so long ago that Lucas struggled to recall the specifics.

Yet one memory remained crystal clear-that critical moment when he'd hesitated at the door, then walked away without looking back.

"You left me in the flames without a second thought," Aria concluded quietly. "So explain to me why you think I'd stay with you now?"

She attempted to step around him, but this time Lucas's reflexes were faster.

"Block the gates," he instructed the guards, his voice unnervingly calm.

Aria spun back toward him, genuine shock registering on her face. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

She had actually believed that some vestige of basic decency might prevent him from physically forcing her to stay.

Lucas approached slowly, his fingers finally making contact with her cheek in a gentle caress that

made her skin crawl.

all," he said softly, as though speaking to a frightened rabbit. "I've spent a year in hell without you. Why can't we move forward together? I know you're angry-you have every right to be. Just give me the

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Chapter 20

"No."

away from his touch as if burned, disgust and

Are you really so self-absorbed that you want a

directly. "Do I need to actually die before you

into unnerving resolve. "I will never let you go again. Not in this

held captive, albeit in the most opulent

her sudden reappearance to The Thornwood Pack, Lucas orchestrated an

assembled media that Aria had never

perspective. After more

this performance, Aria sat beside him on the stage, wearing a designer dress she hadn't

watched with clinical detachment as he delivered his romantic fiction with Oscar-worthy emotion, the

grabbing the microphone and exposing everything-the calculated revenge plot,

the futility. After a year's absence, her credibility was microscopic compared to the Thornwood pack's influence. The press would interpret any outburst as evidence of their tumultuous passion, further proof of their

the press conference, Lucas seemed determined to rewrite their narrative through public displays of devotion. For the next month, she accompanied

cost more than most

houses, he casually outbid collectors for items she had once

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Billionaire Alphate 00 Doodluc

Chapter 20

eight figures