A Billionaire's Bargain

Freya's Pov The first light of dawn pierced through the curtains, stirring me awake. The soft wind played with the curtains but my focus stayed on the man beside me. Caleb’s face looked peaceful, his features relaxed in a way I rarely saw during the day. For a fleeting moment, I let myself enjoy this quiet, his steady breathing the only sound in the room. Slipping out of bed, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand as I moved gently, careful not to wake him from his sleep. In the kitchen, I got started with making coffee, the rich aroma quickly filling the space. As the coffee brewed, I put a call across to my PA. She picked on the first ring, “Tiana, has my dress been delivered?” “Yes ma'am,” Her calm voice spoke from the other end of the phone, “Your photo shoot is scheduled for twelve noon today ma'am, and we also have the board of…” “Cancel it.” The line went quiet for a few seconds. “Ma'am, we are already behind on the agreeded day for the shoot, the contract states that it

Araceli's Pov My kitchen felt suffocating as I slurped down the last of my instant noodles. Hunger had won the war against dignity tonight. I dropped the empty bowl into the sink, ignoring the pile of dishes that had accumulated. My body was too drained to care, I can sort it out later. Sinking into my couch, I tried to distract myself with another episode of Love*****d, but my mind had other plans. His face, Mr. Stranger, kept creeping into my thoughts. His piercing gaze, the way he carried himself, his confidence, the air of authority that seemed to be flowing out of him, even in a dingy club like that... Who is he? What was he doing in a place that is clearly out of standard for him? His presence had done something to me, flipping a switch I didn’t know existed. On stage, his eyes had locked onto mine, and for a moment, I had felt like the only person in the room. I can't deny the little part of me that hoped he was pleased with my move. And then he had walked up on stage. That

Zayn's Pov I drove home, my grip on the steering wheel tighter than it needed to be. My jaw clenched involuntarily as I replayed the events of the day. Seeing Araceli through my office window at lunch, smiling at David like that... it shouldn’t have gotten under my skin. But it did. Why? That was the question that burned at me. I have seen her smiling a thousand times, the way her brown eyes sparkle, the slight tilt of her head, her cute lips spreading slightly as she did. But watching her with someone else, someone who wasn’t me, was almost unbearable. I want to be the one she smiles at like that. I tried to focus on Freya instead. My wife. The woman I had vowed to love, honor, and protect. The woman who, for years now, had felt like a stranger. I couldn’t remember the last time we had a conversation that wasn’t filled with tension. Still, the guilt lingered in my chest. There should be no excuse for almost cheating on my wife. Pulling into the driveway, I cut the engine and sat f

Zayn's Pov Zayn's Pov I stood, flexing my fingers to test the wrap. "Let’s go for a drive." Her brows lifted, surprise flickering across her features. "A drive?" "Yes, a drive," I said, already heading toward the door. "Unless you have something more pressing to do?" She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I guess not." The drive was quiet at first, until Araceli’s voice broke the silence as she tilted her head toward me, inspecting my knuckles with a mock-serious expression. "You know, for someone who probably signs agreements about safety standards, you are pretty reckless with your hands." I glanced at her briefly, "It wasn’t planned." I muttered, memories of why I had punched the glass coming back to mind. Her lips twitched, that familiar glint of amusement lighting up her eyes. "Right. I’m sure the glass frame just threw itself at your fist." I snorted, turning my gaze back to the empty road ahead. My morning had started pretty chill until my p

Zayn’s Pov “My man, where you at?” Caleb’s voice boomed from the other end of the phone, carrying an unusual excitement. I glanced at Araceli before responding. “I’m out. Why?” “Nothing, just that I stopped by your house, and you ain’t home. It’s been a while. I wanted to catch up with my brother.” I sighed heavily. It had been months since I last saw Caleb. He had left after our family meeting some months ago, claiming he was going on a business trip. The timing of his sudden return was odd, but I can’t deny that I have missed him, his jokes, his recklessness, his ability to make things feel lighter even when they weren’t. But right now, I was enjoying my time with Araceli, and I didn’t want to cut it short. She stood in front of me, her gaze fixed on the window as she chewed slowly on a croissant, completely lost in thought. I let my eyes linger on her for a moment before answering Caleb. “Wait for me, bro. I will be home soon.” “No problem. I will make myself comfortable.”