The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 145

Junior beamed and ran inside.

The drop-off area filled with soft sounds of “Awww” from several of the mothers.

“Oh my God, that’s so sweet,” Amanda said as she dabbed the corner of her eye as though genuinely moved.

“A stepmother and a birth mother really are different,” Aurora repeated, shaking her head with a smile. “No matter how long they were apart, Junior still adores his birth mother. That’s a bond that can’t be replaced.”

“And as for Alina…” Viona lowered her voice again. “…I heard from a source fairly close to the Blackwood family that she couldn’t even handle Junior properly. Which is why Junior had the accident and isn’t really attached to her.

Clarissa said nothing to contradict it. She only smiled gently. Inside, she felt deeply satisfied that the public was now beginning to support and sympathize with her.

Clarissa chatted with them a little longer, then excused herself with the explanation that she needed to help manage the household while Alina was unwell.

Everyone who heard it immediately praised her for being so gracious about helping with her ex-husband’s wife’s affairs.

Clarissa let everyone think poorly of Alina. She walked back to her car with light steps.

The moment she got in and closed the door, the gentle smile transformed into a cruel smile of victory.

“Perfect,” she murmured as she checked the mirror. “Absolutely perfect.”

She picked up her phone and opened her I*******m account, which now had even more comments than before. Every comment was rallying behind her return to the position of Mrs. Blackwood.

Clarissa’s heart swelled with delight. She was certain it would not be long before it became reality.

“Your time is running out, Alina. You’d better start preparing to leave.” Clarissa spoke with a crooked smile. ” With the help of public pressure, Daniel will soon let you go from his side. No matter if you’re carrying his child, Daniel Blackwood will choose his reputation over a weak and unworthy wife like you.”

Meanwhile at the mansion, Daniel was still sitting beside Alina’s bed.

His phone had rung multiple times. Marcus calling again for what felt like the hundredth time.

Daniel answered in a weary tone. “What?”

“Sir, I’m sorry to disturb you. But there’s a development you need to know about.”

“Make it quick. I’m occupied.”

“Our surveillance has detected suspicious email activity from Ms. Emma Carter.”

Daniel straightened. “What is she doing?”

“She received a reply from someone named Adrian Lawson a few hours ago. And they have agreed to meet tomorrow at two in the afternoon.”

Daniel felt anger begin to boil. “Adrian Lawson? Who is he?”

“We’ve done a quick background check, Sir. Adrian Lawson is a high-profile lawyer. He handles major cases

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against corporations. A clean reputation. Independently wealthy. And what is concerning… he is known for being afraid of no one, including powerful companies.”

Daniel clenched his fist at his side. “Emma never stops.”

“What should we do, Sir?”

Daniel was quiet for a moment. He looked at Alina, who was lying still, having just taken her sedative.

“Investigate Adrian Lawson more thoroughly,” he ordered in a cold voice. “I want to know everything about him. Family, friends, business, clients, debts, any scandal. I need leverage.”

“Yes, Sir. Our team will get on it immediately.”

“And Marcus,” Daniel added in a dangerous tone. “Monitor their meeting. I want to know what they discuss and what their plans are.”

“Understood, Sir.”

Daniel ended the call with a sharp motion.

He stared at Alina with eyes full of a complex mixture of anger and worry.

“They will not stop trying to separate us,” he whispered as he touched Alina’s cheek. “But I will not allow it to happen. You will always be at my side. Whatever it takes.”

Alina stirred faintly in her sleep. But she did not wake. Her eyes remained closed with an expression of growing

unease.

Daniel stroked Alina’s head gently to soothe her. Without ever realizing it. That he himself was the source of every nightmare his wife was having.

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The Advocate

Emma stood in front of her apartment mirror. She straightened her neatly ironed white blouse.

Behind her, cardboard boxes held all the documentation she and Rachel had gathered together before Rachel was forced to withdraw – important contact addresses, a timeline of events, names of people who could serve as witnesses. Emma’s own notes about the dramatic changes in Alina’s condition over time based on their conversations. And several screenshots of the last messages from Mrs. Helen before all contact was cut off.

Everything organized neatly in labeled folders.

Emma stared at her reflection with glistening eyes.

“This is for Alina,” she whispered to herself. “This might be the last chance. I cannot waste it.”

Emma’s phone rang. Richard calling.

“Emma, I’m in the parking lot of your building,” Richard said in a tense voice. “Are you ready?”

Emma drew a deep breath. “Ready, Uncle. I’m coming down now.”

Emma picked up the bag containing all the documentation with still-trembling hands. She glanced around the messy apartment. But she didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to her right now was Alina.

Emma stepped out and locked the door quickly, ready to fight for Alina’s freedom.

Richard’s car moved smoothly along the road toward the city center.

Emma sat in the passenger seat with the documentation bag held tightly against her chest. Richard focused on driving but his hands trembled occasionally on the steering wheel.

“Are you nervous?” Emma asked quietly.

Richard nodded. “Very. This… might be our last chance, Emma. If Adrian Lawson turns down the case or can’t help, I don’t know what else we can do.”

Emma stared out the window. Tall buildings passed quickly by.

“He won’t turn it down,” she said with a forced conviction. “His email sounded serious. He wants to help.”

“But fighting Daniel Blackwood…” Richard shook his head slowly. “This is not a simple matter. Adrian must know the risks.”

“That’s exactly why I chose him,” Emma said as she looked at Richard. “His reputation is built on fighting powerful corporations. He isn’t afraid of people in high places. He also comes from a family that stands on equal footing with the Blackwoods. If there is anyone who can go up against Daniel, it’s Adrian Lawson.”

Richard wanted to believe. But fear still gnawed at his chest.

“What if Daniel already knows about this meeting?” he asked in a low voice. “You know he has people watching us. What if-”

“Then we move faster,” Emma cut in firmly. “Uncle, we have no other choice. This is the only hope for Alina. We cannot give up now.”

Richard drew a deep breath and nodded.

They continued the journey in a tense silence.

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Adrian Lawson’s office was in a high-rise building in the central business district.

Not the most lavish building, but impressive enough with marble lobbying and tight security.

Emma and Richard rode the lift to the twenty-third floor with hearts hammering.

The lift doors opened onto a corridor with glass walls and a sweeping view of the city.

The receptionist – a young woman with brown hair and slim glasses – welcomed them with a professional smile.

“Good afternoon. How can I help you?”

“We have an appointment with Mr. Adrian Lawson,” Emma said in a voice she worked to keep steady. “Emma Carter and Richard Hayes. Two o’clock.”

The receptionist checked her computer. “Ah yes, Mr. Lawson is expecting you. Please follow me, Ms. Carter.”

They were guided through the corridor to a room at the far end with “Adrian Lawson, Attorney at Law” engraved

on the dark wooden door.

The receptionist knocked softly then opened the door.

“Mr. Lawson, Ms. Carter and Mr. Hayes are here.”

“Thank you, Olivia. Please, come in.”

Emma and Richard stepped into a spacious room with bookshelves along one wall, a large window overlooking the city on the other, and a broad desk in the center.

Adrian Lawson rose from his chair.

A tall man in his thirties with an athletic build and a face that was firm but not cold. Neatly combed black hair. A dark grey suit with a white shirt and no tie – professional but not rigid.

But what drew Emma’s attention most was his eyes.

Sharp. Intelligent. But also warm.

The eyes of someone who could be trusted.

“Ms. Carter,” Adrian greeted as he extended his hand with a friendly smile. “It’s good to meet you again. It’s been a long time since Lincoln High.”

Emma shook his hand with fingers that trembled slightly. “Thank you for being willing to meet us, Mr. Lawson.”

“Please, just Adrian,” he said as he turned to Richard.

Adrian extended his hand. “Mr. Hayes, good to see you again.”

Richard looked at him with a flicker of surprise. “You… you still remember me?”

Adrian smiled faintly. “Of course. You used to pick Alina up from school. And I saw you at a few parent events.”

Richard nodded as he shook Adrian’s hand. “I never expected you’d still remember. Thank you for making the time, Adrian.”

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“Please, sit down.” Adrian gestured toward two chairs in front of his desk. “May I offer you coffee? Tea?”

“No, thank you,” Emma answered quickly. “We’d like to get straight to the case if you don’t mind.”

Adrian sat in his chair and picked up a notepad and pen. He looked at them with a serious, professional expression.

“Of course. In your email you mentioned that your friend is in a dangerous situation. An abusive marriage. Before we begin, may I have the full name of the victim?”

Emma drew a deep breath. “Alina Hayes. Now Alina Blackwood after her marriage.”

Silence.

For a moment, Adrian’s expression changed.

His eyes widened slightly. His jaw tightened. The hand holding the pen stopped in the air.

But in an instant the professional mask was back in place. Only someone paying very close attention would have caught the shift.

Emma did not notice. But Richard – who had been watching Adrian carefully – saw it and chose to say nothing.

“Alina Hayes,” Adrian repeated in a voice that was slightly lower. He wrote the name on his notepad with tightly controlled movement. “And her husband?”

“Daniel Blackwood. CEO of Blackwood Enterprises.”

Adrian gave a slow nod. His hand made several notes but his mind was clearly turning quickly.

Alina.

The quiet girl who sat at the back of biology class. Who always carried a sketchbook everywhere. Who smiled gently when he lent her the pencil she had dropped.

Who had never known that Adrian had been watching her for three years at Lincoln High.

Adrian drew a deep breath and looked at Emma and Richard with full focus.

“Tell me the brief chronology. When did the marriage begin and when did the abuse start?”

Emma opened the first folder. “Alina married Daniel five years ago. A contract marriage to become a mother to Junior – Daniel’s son from his first marriage. Those five years passed functionally without major problems. But three months ago, Junior had an accident and lost his memory. Daniel blamed Alina. Since then, he has been confining her to the house. Not allowing her to see anyone – including her own father.”

Adrian wrote quickly. “Daniel’s stated reason for confining Alina?”

“He claims Alina’s health is ‘unstable’ and she needs rest,” Richard answered with a bitter voice. “But that’s a lie. He has imprisoned my daughter. Her phone was confiscated. Her email was blocked. All contact with the outside world was severed.”

“Did you ever attempt to force access?”

Richard clenched his hands in his lap. “Daniel has leverage over me. My company – Hayes Corporation – has eight million dollars in debt to Blackwood Enterprises. He threatened to call in that debt within thirty days and destroy my business if I tried to reach Alina by force. He also threatened to blacklist my company across the entire industry.”

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Adrian wrote with a tightening jaw. “Financial coercion against the victim’s family. Classic but effective.” He looked at Richard. “Do you have any documentation of these threats? Emails? Messages?”

Richard shook his head with a pained expression. “All verbal. Over the phone or face to face. Daniel is too smart to leave a written trail.”

“But Uncle spoke with Alina by phone about three days ago,” Emma cut in. “Alina called to reassure Uncle Richard. She said she was fine and that she was pregnant.”

Adrian raised his head sharply. “Pregnant?”

Emma drew a slow breath. “Yes. A few days ago, Daniel claimed Alina is seven weeks pregnant.”

Adrian looked up. His eyes were sharp and intent.

“We don’t know if that’s true,” Emma said with some hesitation. “Daniel was the one who announced the pregnancy to the media. Alina only repeated what Daniel said during that call. He showed medical evidence. But for some reason we’re not fully convinced. Even though Alina confirmed it directly.”

“You suspect Daniel is lying about the pregnancy?” Adrian asked as he wrote.

Emma shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s lying to make Uncle Richard stop trying to rescue Alina. Or maybe… maybe it’s true and-” Emma stopped, not daring to continue.

Richard continued in a trembling voice. “And if the pregnancy is real, we don’t know whether it was consensual or not. Alina never said she wanted children with Daniel. Their marriage was a contract. There was no expectation of intimacy. But since she’s been confined, we have no idea what has been happening inside that house.”

Adrian regarded them with a serious expression. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Carter, I understand your concerns. But as a lawyer I have to be realistic – if Daniel has medical documentation confirming the pregnancy, we cannot accuse him of fabricating it without evidence. The examining doctor, the lab results, all of that will carry considerable weight in the eyes of the law.”

“But what if she was forced-” Emma began.

“Marital rape is extremely difficult to prove,” Adrian cut in with a tone that was blunt but honest. “Especially without direct testimony from Alina. Without physical evidence. Without witnesses. In the eyes of the law they are still lawfully married. And without Alina herself making a claim of coercion, we have only speculation.”

Emma and Richard fell silent with stricken expressions.

Adrian saw their faces and continued in a gentler but firm voice.

“But that does not mean we give up. Even if we cannot prove marital rape right now, we still have plenty of other grounds. Imprisonment. Financial coercion against the victim’s family. Systematic isolation from her support system. Intimidation of anyone who tries to help. And if Alina truly is pregnant – whether consensually or not – that makes the situation more urgent. A pregnant woman who has been confined and isolated from the outside world constitutes a medical emergency.”

Richard looked at Adrian with eyes full of hope. “So you can still help?”

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“I will help,” Adrian answered with determination. “We focus on what we can prove: false imprisonment, coercive control, and endangerment toward Alina. The pregnancy – if real – actually strengthens our argument that she requires access to proper medical care and must not be isolated. We will fight from that angle.”

Emma felt a measure of relief. “Thank you. I was afraid you’d say the case was too weak without direct evidence.”

“This case is not weak,” Adrian said as he tapped his notepad. “We have testimony from the victim’s father about the dramatic changes in Daniel’s behavior toward Alina. We have evidence of financial coercion. We have documentation of systematic isolation. We have a pattern of intimidation against her support system. That is enough to file for an emergency wellness check. And once we can access Alina directly and she speaks with authorities without Daniel present, we’ll have the full picture of what has actually been happening.”

“Before I continue, I understand the previous lawyer handling this case was Ms. Chen. Why did she withdraw?”

“Daniel threatened her daughter and husband,” Emma answered. “Rachel’s daughter is studying at Stanford on a scholarship. Daniel has connections on the university’s board. He also threatened to reopen an old malpractice case involving Rachel’s husband that had already been settled.”

Adrian wrote with increasing pressure on the pen. “The same pattern. Systematic intimidation of anyone who tries to help the victim.” He looked at Emma. “And you. I understand you recently lost your job. Is that connected to this case?”

Emma smiled bitterly. “Daniel called my boss-Martin- and threatened to withdraw every business recommendation he had ever given our firm. Martin had no choice. Our firm has a hundred employees. He couldn’t put all of them at risk for one person.”

“Daniel is deliberately dismantling Alina’s support system one piece at a time,” Adrian said as he wrote. “Her lawyer. Her best friend. Her father. Who else has he targeted?”

“Mrs. Helen – one of the servants in the mansion,” Emma answered. “She tried to help Alina quietly. She sent me several messages before all communication was cut off. Her last message said Daniel threatened to dismiss her entire family from any position connected to the Blackwood family if she continued helping Alina.”

Adrian looked at Emma sharply. “Do you still have the messages from Mrs. Helen?”

Emma took out her phone and opened the screenshots. “These are her last messages. Each one is date-stamped.”

Adrian read them with complete focus.

*”Ms. Emma, I’m worried about Mrs. Alina. She’s getting thinner. Not eating properly. She cries alone in her room often. Mr. Daniel won’t let me speak with her for too long. Please help her. But be careful – Mr. Daniel has eyes everywhere.”*

Adrian made notes. “She could be a key witness if we can protect her from Daniel’s retaliation.” He looked at Richard. “And regarding the phone call with Alina three days ago. What exactly did she say?”

Richard drew a slow breath. His voice trembled as he answered.

“Alina only mentioned the pregnancy. She told me not to worry because ‘everything is fine’. But I felt more convinced than ever that things were anything but.”

“Why did you feel that way?”

“It’s our code,” Richard said with glistening eyes. “Since Alina was small, every time she said ‘everything is fine’, it meant the situation was very much NOT fine. She only says that to protect me from worry. When her

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grandmother died and she was grief-stricken, she said ‘everything is fine’. When she was being bullied at school, she said ‘everything is fine’. It’s how she covers her pain.”

Adrian looked at Richard with genuine empathy in his eyes. “And in that call, how many times did she repeat that phrase?”

“Four or five times,” Richard answered in a broken voice. “In a conversation that lasted only five minutes. She was trying to give me a signal. But Daniel was probably there watching, so she couldn’t say it outright.”

“What did her voice sound like?”

Richard closed his eyes for a moment. “Flat. Empty. Like a machine reading from a script. No emotion. No warmth. That was not my daughter’s real voice.”

Adrian wrote quickly. Then he looked at Emma. “You said you have documentation from your investigation with Rachel. What did you collect?”

Emma opened a folder and drew out several pages. “A timeline of events since Junior’s accident. A record of the changes in Daniel’s behavior toward Alina based on Mrs. Helen’s observations. The names of staff at the mansion who might be able to serve as witnesses – although most are too afraid to speak. And these-”

Emma took out photos. Not photos of Alina directly, but screenshots of messages from Mrs. Helen describing Alina’s condition.

“Mrs. Helen sent these two weeks ago before her phone was confiscated. She said Alina was very thin, not sleeping well, and frequently seen crying.”

Adrian examined the screenshots. His face hardened.

“These indicate a deterioration in the victim’s mental and physical condition,” he said in a controlled voice, though the anger behind it was unmistakable. “Combined with financial coercion against the family, intimidation of the support system, and isolation from the outside world – this is textbook coercive control.”

Adrian looked at Emma and Richard with a sharp, steady gaze.

“Fighting Daniel Blackwood will not be easy. He has money, power, connections, and the best lawyers money can buy. He will attack Alina’s credibility. He will use her pregnancy as a weapon. He will try to destroy me the way he destroyed Rachel Chen and your career, Ms. Carter.”