BILLIONAIRES: Father or Son

Chapter Twenty-Three

FLORA'S POV

I took a step back, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would leap right out of my chest. I needed to think, and I needed to think fast. There had to be a way out of this mess—a way that didn't involve being manhandled out of here by Jayden's goons. An idea hit me like a lightning bolt. It was risky, but if I pulled it off, it just might work.

As one of the bodyguards closed the distance between us, I did the most unexpected thing—I laughed. Loud and clear. The sound echoed through the office, making everyone freeze in confusion. The guards stopped, their expressions a comical mix of shock and suspicion. Even Jayden blinked at me like I had suddenly sprouted a second head. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and tapped on it frantically while still laughing.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, his voice a mixture of irritation and bewilderment.

"Oh, Jay," I said, shaking my head like I was talking to a misbehaving child. I held up my phone for them to see. "I knew you'd try to pull something like this, so I took some... precautions."

Jayden's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "See, my phone has been recording our entire conversation. And just now," I waved the phone a little. "I sent a copy to Sasha and my mother. So go ahead, Jay, kidnap me if you want. But just know that the second I go missing, your precious family name is going to be dragged through the mud."

I could see the shift in his eyes—the moment when my words hit home. His face paled slightly, and I watched as the panic crept in. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but the hint of nervousness was unmistakable.

"Flora, I wasn't trying to kidnap you. You're my wife," he argued, though his voice had lost some of its earlier confidence.

I could almost laugh at the irony of it. Jayden Kensington, the man who thought he could control everything, was being thrown off by a simple recording. "That's not what the tape says, Jayden. It clearly captures you threatening to take me home against my will. I'm no longer a part of your world. I served you divorce papers, remember? But you still refuse to sign them."

He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off, holding my ground. "If Sasha or my mother don't hear from me by the end of the day, they'll send this to the police. Or maybe," I added with a mocking smile, "I should just call them now and save them the trouble?"

I tapped at my phone again, pretending to pull up my contacts. One of the guards shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Jayden for instructions. They were clearly uncertain now, caught between doing their job and avoiding a potential media disaster.

"Let her be!" Jayden snapped at them, his voice sharp and commanding.

The guards immediately stepped back, looking visibly relieved. I could feel my heart slowing down, the tension in my muscles loosening slightly. He turned back to me, a flash of betrayal in his eyes that almost made me pity him.

Almost.

"Leave us alone," Jayden ordered. The guards exchanged a look before nodding and quietly leaving the office, shutting the door behind them. As soon as they were gone, I let out a long, shaky breath. But I didn't let my guard down. Not yet.

Jayden's gaze fixed on me, a mixture of frustration and something else I couldn't quite place. "What happened to you, Flora?" he asked softly. "You've changed so much."

I stared at him, willing myself to stay strong. "No, Jay. I haven't changed. This is who I've always been. You just never gave me the chance to show it because you were too busy trying to keep me in a little box. I'm not willing to go back there."