The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 205

Aveline

The morning had dragged by in a haze of restless anxiety. I found myself pacing between the floor-to-ceiling windows of Orion's penthouse, occasionally glancing down at the street where his security team maintained their vigilant watch. Black-suited figures were positioned at strategic points around the building, their presence both reassuring and unsettling.

I shook my head at the obvious display of protection. While I understood the necessity—Dwayne's return to New York meant he clearly had backup and resources we didn't fully understand—the sight of armed guards reminded me just how dangerous our situation had become.

My thoughts kept drifting to Vivian. Logic told me that whatever happened to her was the direct result of her own choices, her own betrayals. She'd made her bed with dangerous people, and now she was lying in it. But despite every rational argument I made to myself, I couldn't shake an inexplicable sympathy for her predicament.

The sound of the front door opening broke through my brooding. Orion strode into the living room carrying several bags from what looked like an upscale fruit market.

"Guess what I spotted at the Chelsea Market this morning," he said with forced cheerfulness, setting the bags on the coffee table. "Mangosteen fruit, fresh from Thailand. The vendor said they only get them twice a year, and most people have never even tried them."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You went fruit shopping? Please tell me you have news about the situation."

Orion's smile faltered slightly as he set down the exotic fruit. "I thought you might... enjoy trying something new." He cleared his throat, clearly realizing how tone-deaf his gesture seemed. "But yes, I have an update. We confirmed that Vivian was definitely kidnapped."

Relief and dread washed over me simultaneously. "I knew it. My instincts were right."

"Don't worry," Orion continued quickly. "I've put Victor on it. He guarantees she'll be safe within twelve hours."

My arms crossed defensively. "Victor? The same Victor whose idea of 'discreet protection' involves stationing an army of obvious bodyguards around your building? You trust him with something this delicate?"

Orion's smile turned genuine for the first time since he'd walked in. "Relax. His family controls significant territory throughout New York and the entire East Coast. And trust me—this time he's personally invested in making this work."

I settled onto the sofa, feeling marginally better about Vivian's chances. But before I could fully process this information, the front door opened again and Bryce burst in, his face etched with worry and frustration.

"Grandfather, what are you doing here?" Orion asked, surprised.

Bryce's expression was thunderous. "Orion! Do you remember that tomorrow is our final presentation for the most important contract in our company's history? Why aren't you at the office? And could you make your association with organized crime any more obvious?" He gestured toward the window where the security detail was clearly visible.

Orion quickly grabbed one of the exotic fruits and popped it into Bryce's mouth before he could continue his tirade. "Tomorrow's presentation is going to be flawless. Our environmental impact assessments are revolutionary, our cost projections are thirty percent below our competitors, and our timeline is both aggressive and realistic. I'm handling some personal business today, but it won't interfere with tomorrow."

Bryce chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. "Flawless isn't good enough. We need absolute certainty of victory."

I stood up, moving to stand beside Orion. "I'll be there tomorrow too. I have complete confidence in Orion's presentation. This contract is already ours—we just need to make it official."

Bryce seemed to notice me for the first time, and his entire demeanor shifted. "Oh! Aveline, my dear, I didn't see you there. Of course you'll be attending—I wouldn't dream of proceeding without you. You're my grandson's lucky charm!" His eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm. "Your performance at that government building was absolutely extraordinary. Commanding, brilliant, completely unexpected!"

Orion laughed. "So you have more faith in her than in me? The moment you see Aveline, suddenly everything's guaranteed?"

"Don't be petty," Bryce replied with a grin. "I have complete confidence in both of you. Although..." His expression grew puzzled. "It's strange that Devan isn't at the office today either. Given how much tomorrow means to him, I would have expected him to be working around the clock."

Orion's smile turned predatory. "Oh, he's probably busy trying to sabotage our presentation. Tomorrow decides our little wager, after all. Nothing matters more to him than seeing me fail."

The casual mention of Devan's absence hit me like ice water. If he wasn't at the office the day before the most crucial presentation of his corporate coup attempt, where was he? And what was he doing?

The answer seemed obvious and terrifying.

I tugged at Orion's sleeve, lowering my voice to an urgent whisper. "You need to tell Victor to move faster. I think Vivian is running out of time."

Orion immediately understood the implications. He nodded grimly and headed toward the door. "Let me make a call."

As he disappeared into his office, I stared out at the city skyline, wondering if somewhere out there, Vivian was counting down her final hours while Devan personally oversaw her punishment for betraying his son.

Tomorrow would determine the future of Blackwell Industries, but today might determine whether Vivian lived to see it.