Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Shawn scoffed, his voice laced with menace. "Linda, I've played along with your little acts for so long-what, you think you can just treat me like a dog? You really believe you can marry into money, play the perfect rich wife? Dream on. You come from nothing-a shabby alley, a mom with mental illness, a dad who can't even walk. Look around you, Linda. Who else would want you, besides me? I'm letting Chloe go right now, then I'm telling the Harrisons everything. Let's see how people react when they find out who you really are—"

He didn't get to finish.

On the recording, Shawn suddenly cried out.

Then came the rush of water-fast, chaotic-and his angry, broken curses. The water swallowed up his voice, and then everything went silent. The recording ended for good.

Chloe didn't need to guess what happened next.

Just as she suspected, Shawn died at Linda's hands. And even in the end, he never figured out what Linda was really after.

By the time Chloe finished listening, the storm of emotions inside her had finally calmed. Years of questions and old mysteries quietly unraveled in her mind. But the truth didn't matter as much to her anymore.

She had already made peace with her past.noveldrama

She didn't feel dirty because of what happened, and she didn't feel magically pure knowing that nothing had. She was still herself, her conscience clear. She finally understood-none of it was her fault. There was nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to celebrate, either.

Sometimes, you have to step outside yourself and look at your life the way an outsider, or even a higher power, might see it. That's how you find the strength to pull yourself out of the darkness.

And at the end of that lifeline, the only person waiting for you is yourself.

She had saved herself so many times before. Now, looking back, all those

struggles just made her cherish her happiness even more.

The next day, Chloe went to the police with Connor at her side, handing over the phone.

With what was on it, they could finally close Shawn's case.

But the phone held even more evidence about an underground surrogacy ring, illegal clinics, a whole web of crime.

Shawn and Linda were gone, but their secrets weren't. The information Chloe brought in was a game-changer, helping the police shut down the entire operation.

Connor learned everything, too. His reaction was just like Chloe's. He had never judged her for her past-if anything, he was just happy she'd never have to relive those

nightmares.

Soon enough, they were back in Eldridge City.

Life felt peaceful and steady.

Connor threw himself into work and

physical therapy. He was making progress able to take a few steps with help. More than once, Chloe woke up in the middle of the night to find him practicing, determined to walk again.

She'd tease him, "You know recovery takes time, right? You don't have to push so hard."

Chloe was busy, too.

Besides her job, Isaac's wedding had

her running in circles. She

technically didn't have to do

much-there was a whole team net

handling the details. But Taylor kept pulling her in, asking her to help pick out dresses, look at rings, even weigh in on the decorations. Every little thing seemed to need her

opinion.

It was a lot, but every time she remembered how Isaac had proposed again and

again just to finally win Taylor over, she couldn't say no. She wanted to help.

Time flew by, and just like that, a whole month slipped away.

Finally, Isaac and Taylor's wedding day arrived.