The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 24

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No Limits

Ten minutes later, Alina’s bedroom door opened without a knock.

Daniel entered with posture still rigid from the confrontation with Emma. He closed the door, standing there for a moment if gathering thoughts.

Alina was still sitting on the floor, not looking at him. Red eyes, face wet with tears.

“You heard that,” Daniel said. Not a question. A statement.

Alina didn’t answer.

“Alina, I’m talking to you.”

Still silence.

Daniel stepped closer, standing in front of Alina who sat on the floor–towering, intimidating.

“Emma shouldn’t have come here. She shouldn’t have interfered in our family matters.”

Alina finally looked up–eyes that once were full of love for Daniel now held only emptiness and disgust.

“You threatened her job,” Alina said in a voice hoarse from crying. “You threatened to destroy her career just because she was

worried about me.”

“I’m protecting our family from outside interference-”

“NO!” Alina suddenly stood a movement so sudden it made Daniel step back. “You’re protecting YOUR CONTROL! You don’t want anyone else to care about me because that means there’s someone who could help me escape from the prison you created!”

Tears flowed again, but Alina didn’t care. “Emma is the only friend I have left! The only person who still cares whether I live or die! And you–you threatened to destroy her!”

“I gave her a warning-

”

“Warning?” Alina laughed–a hysterical sound. “You said you’d blacklist her from every company in this city! You’d make her

unemployable! That’s not a warninbat’s a THREAT!”

Daniel’s jaw hardened. “If she stays away, nothing will happen-”

“And if she doesn’t?” Alina stepped closer, looking at Daniel with eyes burning with finally unleashed anger. “If she keeps trying to contact me? If she still cares? You’ll destroy her? Just like you destroyed me?”

“I didn’t-

“YOU DESTROYED ME!” Alina screamed now, all emotions from the past week exploding. “You locked me up! You threatened my family! You separated me from Junior! You stripped all my rights! And now you’re threatening the only friend who still cares!

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Alina’s chest heaving, breath short, body trembling with mixed rage and despair.

“What else will you do, Daniel? What else will you take from me? Because I have nothing left! You’ve taken everything!”

Daniel stood there–frozen–looking at Alina with a torn expression. There was guilt in his eyes, conflict, but also stubbornness that refused to back down.

“I’m doing all this for Junior-

“DON’T!” Alina raised her hand, stopping him. “Don’t you dare use Junior as an excuse! Junior cries every day! Junior is traumatized! Junior said he HATES you! What you’re doing isn’t for Junior–it’s for your ego! For your control! To prove that you’re the most powerful!”

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Alina wiped tears roughly. “You know what’s the difference between you and a real monster? Monsters don’t pretend they’re doing the right thing. But you–you wrap every cruelty with ‘for the family’s good.‘ You justify every abuse with ‘protecting Junior.‘ But in the end, you’re just a man so insecure that you have to control every aspect of other people’s lives to feel powerful!

17

Emma’s words–the exact same words–now came from Alina’s mouth.

And hearing it from his wife somehow hit harder.

Daniel’s hands clenched. “You don’t understand the situation

“I understand perfectly!” Alina cut in. “I understand that you’re so obsessed with bringing Clarissa back that you’ll sacrifice anything–including Junior’s happiness, my sanity, even basic human decency–to achieve it!”

Alina stepped even closer, now inches from Daniel, looking into eyes the same as Junior’s but without the warmth in that child.

“But you know what’s most pathetic? Clarissa doesn’t care about Junior. She cares about status. About being Mrs. Blackwood again. About lifestyle. And you’re too blind–or too desperate to see it.”

Daniel looked at Alina with tight jaw, but didn’t argue. Because there was a part of him–small, buried deep–that knew Alina might be right.

But his pride wouldn’t allow admission.

“I’m just doing what’s necessary to protect this family,” Daniel finally said.

“Then you’re worse than a monster,” Alina whispered with clear disgust. “Because at least monsters don’t pretend they’re good people.”

Tense silence filled the room.

Daniel looked at Alina–his wife who no longer had love in her eyes, only hatred and disappointment.

And for the first time, Daniel felt something crack in the armor he built around himself.

But he pushed it aside. Refused to acknowledge it.

“There’s another reason I came here,” Daniel said, voice returning to businesslike tone. “Your father is coming today. After Junior leaves for school. Around ten o’clock.”

“What?”

Alina froze. ”

“Mr. Hayes is coming to discuss our situation.”

Something cold crept up Alina’s spine. “Why is my father coming? What did you do to him?”

Daniel didn’t answer directly. Just looked at Alina with an unreadable expression.

“You’ll know after you meet him.”

“Daniel, ANSWER ME!” Alina stepped forward, grabbing Daniel’s arm desperately. “What did you do to my father? What did you tell him?”

Daniel looked at Alina’s hand on his arm–the first physical contact initiated by Alina in days. But not from affection. From desperation.

“I already said–you’ll know when he comes.” Daniel released Alina’s grip gently but firmly. “And I expect you to behave. To listen to what your father says. To understand the consequences of non–cooperation.”

Alina looked at Daniel with wide eyes– realization dawning.

“You threatened him,” Alina whispered. “You threatened my father with debt. Did you say you’d accelerate the loan if I don’t

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cooperate?”

Daniel didn’t confirm or deny. Just looked at Alina with a neutral expression.

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