Billionaire's Bounty Cost Of Love And Revenge novel Chapter 150

Chapter 150

Chapter 150

Asher’s POV

The news was everywhere.

Every time I turned on the TV, there it was. Every time I scrolled through my phone, there was another headline. It wasn’t just about Marcus anymore. It was about Sterling Industries, about the board, about the future of the company.

“Sterling Industries Faces Uncertain Future After CEO’s Tragic Death.”

“Who Will Inherit Marcus Sterling’s Empire?”

“With Marcus Gone, Can Asher Sterling Step Up?”

I wanted to smash the screen every time I saw my name in those headlines. As if I wasn’t already drowning in grief, they wanted to throw expectations on my shoulders, shove a legacy into my hands like I was supposed to carry it without stumbling.

I wasn’t Marcus. I never would be.

The funeral preparations were already in motion, but none of it felt reat. The calls, the arrangements, the condolences, they blurred together in a haze of exhaustion and pain. The house was filled with people coming and going, making decisions about flowers and speeches and seating arrangements while I sat there, struggling to breathe through the weight of it all.

I wasn’t alone, though.

Ivy was there. She had been there since the moment I broke down in her arms, since the moment I finally let myself stop pretending I could handle this on my own. She didn’t try to fix things, didn’t try to tell me it would be okay. She just stayed. And that was enough.

I sat on the couch, elbows on my knees, staring blankly at the untouched glass of water on the coffee table. My phone buzzed beside me, another notification flashing across the screen. Probably another article, another reminder that the world wasn’t going to stop just because Marcus was gone.

Ivy sat beside me, quiet, watching me with that careful gaze of hers. She had barely left my side since–since everything.

“You should drink some water,” she said softly.

I exhaled through my nose, rubbing a hand down my face. “I’m fine!”

She didn’t argue, but she didn’t look away either.

There was a knock at the door before she could say anything else.

I didn’t move.

Ivy got up instead, opening the door just enough to see who it was. I could hear murmurs, then she turned back to me. “It’s someone from the funeral

home.”

I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the stiffness in my limbs, the exhaustion pressing down on me like a lead weight. I opened the door fully, facing the man on the other side.

He introduced himself, but I barely registered his name. Something about arrangements, finalizing details. I nodded, pretending I was listening, pretending I had the energy to care about which casket would be best, what kind of flowers would suit the service.

Ivy stepped in when I faltered, asking the questions I couldn’t, making sure nothing was missed.

I was grateful.

I hated that I needed her to do it.

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Chapter 150

The media wasn’t backing off.

Cameras flashed whenever I stepped outside. Reporters tried to push microphones in my face, demanding statements, wanting to know if I would take over the company, if I was ready to fill Marcus’s shoes.

I wasn’t.

But I said nothing.

I let security handle them, let them push back the vultures circling our grief, let them keep the world at bay while I struggled to keep myself together,

Inside the house, it was quieter, but not much better.

People kept calling, offering condolences, but I could hear the curiosity in their voices, the unspoken questions about the future of Sterling Industries. Even family friends, even business associates who had known Marcus for years, they all wanted to know.

What happens next?

Would Marcus have wanted me to take over?

Could I even handle it?

I didn’t know.

And I hated that I had to think about it when I could barely get through the day without breaking.

Ivy sat with me in the living room that evening, the TV on low. The news was still covering Marcus’s death, analyzing every angle, speculating about the company’s future. I kept my eyes on the floor, fingers digging into my palms.

Ivy picked up the remote and turned it off.

“You don’t have to watch it,” she said gently.

“I’m not,” I muttered. But it didn’t matter. It was still in my head.

She didn’t say anything for a while. Then, quietly, “You don’t have to make any decisions right now, Asher.”

I let out a sharp breath. “Everyone thinks I do.”

She reached for my hand, her fingers threading through mine. “They don’t matter.”

I looked at her, at the warmth in her eyes, the steadiness of her presence, and something in me loosened just a little.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of voices downstairs.

Ivy was already awake, her side of the bed empty but still warm. I forced myself up, rubbing at my eyes before pulling on a hoodie and heading

downstairs.

Janine was in the living room, talking to a few people I didn’t recognize. When she saw me, she excused herself and walked over.

“The funeral director came by again,” she said. “Wanted to confirm a few things.”

I nodded stiffly. “Alright.”

She hesitated. “How are you holding up?”

I wanted to lie. To say I was fine, that I was handling it. But I didn’t have it in me.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

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Chapter 150

Janine sighed, squeezing my arm. “If you need anything”

“I know,” I said. And I did. But nothing anyone could offer would make this easier.

After she left, Ivy walked over, slipping her arms around my waist. I leaned into her, closing my eyes for just a second.

“You should eat something,” she murmured.

“I’m not hungry.”

She sighed, but didn’t push.

Instead, she just held on.

The day dragged on, each hour heavier than the last.

Calls kept coming. Messages kept pouring in. People stopped by with flowers, with condolences, with whispers about what would happen next.

I kept waiting for it to stop.

It didn’t.

By the time evening rolled around, I felt like I had been running on empty for days. I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on my knees, staring at the floor.

Ivy sat beside me.

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