The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride (Elara and Victor) novel Chapter 13

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Shattered Composure

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Shattered Composure

“Who is he?” he asked, moving closer to her. He needed to find out what was really going on. The Elara in his memories was a strong woman who never bent to the will of others, but seeing her like this left him stunned.” Who?” he asked again. She wanted to open her mouth to speak, but words failed her. Fear had overtaken her as she shook uncontrollably.

“Elara.” He touched her shoulders gently. “I think you need to calm down.”

Damian tried to calm her down, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t control her feelings. Her fear and the memories she had tried hard to bury were crashing down on her. The weight was becoming unbearable as she struggled to breathe. Noticing this, Damian carried her out of his study,

“Mr. Blackwood!” his butler called when he saw him rushing her out. “What’s wrong?”

“Aiden, call the doctor!” he shouted. “Call Jack now.”

“Yes sir,” Aiden said, pulling out his phone. He followed Damian and dialed the doctor’s number. “Hello, Mr. Jackson. Your attention is needed immediately. Please hurry.”

Damian kicked his room door open and gently laid her on his bed.

“You will be fine,” he whispered. Minutes went by.

“Aiden, I remember asking you to call the doctor,” he snapped. “Where is he?”

“He should be on his way, sir.”

He started pacing the room, shoving his hand through his hair. Damian felt a crushing sense of helplessness wash over him as he watched Elara struggle. He was used to being in control, always knowing what to do, but now he felt utterly powerless. He turned around when he heard a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Aiden said, opening the door.

“We have no time, Jack,” Damian stated as soon as the doctor stepped in. Jackson was Damian’s long–time friend. He was the only friend he truly had and the only one who truly understood him.

“What’s going on, Damian?” Jackson asked, setting down his medical box.

“I want you to check on her,” Damian responded.

Without asking further, Jackson started checking on Elara, who was unconscious now. Several minutes went by, and he was still attending to her.

“Can you stop moving around?” Jackson snapped at him. “You’re disturbing me.” Damian stared at him coldly. That won’t help, Damian. Your stares.”

Without replying, he walked to a sofa placed in the corner of the room and sat down. After Jackson was finally done, he stood up.

“How is she?” Damian asked, feeling frustrated. He wondered why he was feeling like this. Elara was just his wife on paper. Everything wasn’t real, but the way he felt made him question if he truly wasn’t possessed.

“What happened?” Jackson asked. “What did she see that made her panic like that?”

“I don’t know what is wrong, either. I wish I did.”

His friend stared at him for a long time before speaking. “Are you sure you don’t know anything about this?”

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Shattered Composure

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“Yes, I asked her, but she isn’t in a state to respond to my questions. I wonder why everything is such a mess.”

They both walked back to the sofa and took their seats.

“She is in shock,” Jackson responded. “I can tell she might have gone through some trauma, and something might have triggered it.”

He sighed as he tried to process Jackson’s words. He dug his hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone but couldn’t find it.

“Aiden,” he called.

“Yes sir. Do you need something, Mr. Blackwood?” Aiden asked politely.

“Yes, please get me my phone from my study.”

“Yes, sir. I will be right back.” Aiden bowed slightly before walking to the door. He opened it and walked out, leaving Damian and Jackson alone.

“What do you need your phone for?” Jackson asked.

“I need to show you what I think might have caused this,” Damian began, his tone calm and collected.

Jackson stared at him in a new light. This wasn’t the Damian he knew. The Damian in front of him was caring, instead of the cold and caluclting one he once knew.

“What is wrong, Jackson?”

“Everything,” he muttered. “Your behavior. You are not the Damian I once knew.”

“Nothing has changed about me,” he said, but his tone betrayed him.

“Really?” Jackson smirked. “You think so?”

“Yes. We should stop talking about this and focus on her health first.”

Jackson suddenly stood up. “I knew it,” he teased, childishly dragging his hand across his cheek. “You’re in love.” “Enough of this, Jackson. I think you should stop reading your romance novels,” he advised. “No one is in love here.”

“Then why are you suddenly caring about someone? If this isn’t love, then what is it?”

“Is it a crime to care about my wife?” he asked.

“Your wife,” Jackson repeated. “Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Why did you get married without telling me? As your best friend, I should have been the first to know.” He jokingly grabbed the hem of his clothing, pretending to be hurt. ” I was shocked when I read it in the news. I’m so sad.”

“Stop acting like this. As if you know nothing about my grandfather’s will,” he announced.

“What?” Jackson was shocked at his revelation. “You mean you married her just to receive the properties?”

“What did you expect? Do you think I would allow my rights to go to my uncle’s hands?” he smirked. “You know who he is, don’t you?”

“Hmmm! So you’re saying you trapped this beautiful girl here because of your selfishness? I thought you had changed.”

“Selfishness?” he scoffed. “We are both adults. We both know how to use each other. I didn’t even force her to

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marry me.”

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Jackson knew his friend as someone who didn’t care about how others felt as long as he could use them. His gaze roamed back to the beautiful Elara, who was unconscious. He stared at her pityingly. If only she knew who she was dealing with. If only she knew the devil she married.

“Quit that stare,” he mocked. “And stop the emotional blackmail. I won’t fall for it.”

“Hmmm.”

“Don’t you know her?” Pamian asked, and Jackson nodded his head.

“No, but looking at her, she seems familiar.”

“She is that lawyer I told you about. The same girl who refused to bow to me.” Jackson gasped as he dropped the bombshell.

“You mean the proud lawyer who stood against you then?”

“Yes,” Damian answered before crossing his legs. “That same girl is now my wife.” A mocking smile played on his lips.

“But how?” Jackson asked, stunned. “How did you win her over?”

“You know who I am, Jackson,” he said with a hint of pride. “I target my enemies‘ weak points.”

“I know. But tell me how you managed to get that headstrong girl.”

“Well, did you see the news about her and how citizens were reacting?” he began.

“Well, no. I was too busy operating on my patients.” Damian stared at his friend, who was only interested in his work apart from reading.

“So, how did you see the news about my wedding?”

“A nurse showed it to me.” He came clean.

“Ah! Reading the news should be a part of you.”

“As a doctor, should I abandon my patients just for the news?” he smiled, and Damian could feel the anger behind the smile. “Just tell me.”

“She was accused of—”

“Mr. Blackwood,” Aiden interrupted. “I’m so sorry for interrupting your conversation with Mr. Jackson.”

“It’s okay. Bring the phone.”

Aiden gave him the phone before excusing himself. He began scrolling, searching for the news about Elara.

“Check this,” he said before handing the phone to Jackson. Jackson took the phone. His eyes widened as he read the news.

“How is this possible?” he inquired.

“She’s being framed,” Damian responded.

“The comments about her are disgusting,” he announced. “Why would people do this based on an anonymous post?”

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“I’m glad this all happened. If not, how would I have been able to get her to marry me, and secure my inheritance?”

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Jackson looked up from the phone screen, his gaze meeting Damian’s. “Don’t tell me you preyed on this just to get her to marry you.”

“What method do you think I used to get her if not this?” he smirked. “She married me, and I helped her get rid of this.”

“Unbelievable, Damian. You always surprise me every fucking day.”

“That is how I was taught, Jack. Don’t be too surprised. We both come from noble families.”

“Crazy,” he fired. “I am not like you.”

“Well, who cares as long as you are my friend.” He knew he could never do anything since they were both married. “Just treat her right,” he muttered.

“Our marriage isn’t based on love or feelings. No strings attached. It’s just a one–year marriage contract,” he announced. “And everything will be back to normal after the divorce.”

“And you think you are not in love with her, considering the way you acted earlier?”

“Quit spilling nonsense, Jack. No one is in love with each other. I didn’t love her, and she doesn’t love me.”

“Okay, it’s your choice, man. I won’t press further since she agreed as well.”

“Good. Now, about how she became like this.” Damian collected his phone back before clicking on the information about the man she had shown Elara.

“I shared this information with her as part of my investigation into her situation.”

“Nothing is wrong with this picture,” Jack said, looking carefully at the information. “She should be happy instead.”

“Wrong. Everything is wrong about it. She was like this as soon as she saw his face. I think there must be a past between them.”

“Yes. Something like that,” Jack uttered, giving back the phone to him. “We should wait until she is willing to say it. If she doesn’t, you should never pressure her into confessing because of the trauma.”

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