Chapter 12: Strings Attached

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• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 35: Why are you here?

  A week passed like a fleeting breeze. Each day, Janine woke with a strange sense of balance—visiting her mother in the hospital during the day, then returning before seven in the evening to Theo’s penthouse, just as he asked. It was odd how it no longer felt suffocating. Maybe it was because, for now, he didn’t push her, didn’t cross the line she had drawn around herself. Maybe because every time she stood in front of her mother’s hospital bed, she knew she’d made the right sacrifice.She found herself wondering what went on in Theo’s head. Why this sudden freedom to see her mother? Why did he come home earlier these days and eat the meals she cooked without complaint? What game was he playing now? And why did she feel oddly safe when he pulled the strings—as if all she had to do was follow, and everything would be fine?It was confusing, unsettling… yet it was a relief, too.On a warm Friday morning, Janine packed her mother’s favorite fruits along with some freshly baked bread she m

• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 34: Quiet Gestures

  Janine arrived back at the penthouse a little later than she intended. The soft click of the front door echoed into the quiet. She thought she might find Theo in his study, perhaps busy with work or simply ignoring her again. But to her surprise, he was in the living room, sitting on the couch with a drink in hand.He looked at her—no frown, no sarcasm, not even a mocking raise of his brow. Just a glance. Then he stood up, set his glass on the side table, and walked away without a single word.It was...strange.Janine blinked. No cruel remarks, no interrogations, no possessive accusations. Just silence. And oddly, it felt heavier than all the words he’d thrown at her before.With a tired sigh, she went to her room, slipped out of her clothes, and changed into her soft cotton pajamas. The silence lingered in the air like an unanswered question.When she stepped out of her room again, she was surprised to see Theo still awake, this time sitting at the dining table. The maids were gone f

• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 33: A Mother's Questions, A Daughter's Lies

  Janine visited her mother again that day. She had asked Theo for permission, and to her surprise, he agreed with only a brief nod. His driver was waiting for her in the parking lot, patient and quiet as ever. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the anxious energy running through her body. She had one goal today: to spend peaceful time with her mother without letting anything else interfere. When she arrived at the hospital, her mother’s eyes lit up like the sun. “How are you, Ma?” Janine greeted her warmly, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. Her mother’s fragile smile sent a wave of relief and tenderness washing over Janine. “Better, thank you, Janine,” her mother said, her voice soft but steady. The smile on her face was a balm for Janine’s weary soul, easing some of the weight she carried in her heart. Janine smiled back and pulled up a chair closer to the bed. She started to peel a crisp apple, cutting the slices thin and neat. The small, simple gesture made her feel l

• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 32: Chains and Choices

  Janine was still angry. Her chest was tight with resentment from their last confrontation—Theo’s possessive outburst, the harsh words that left her feeling small. She wanted to leave, to be far away from the suffocating hold he had over her life. But she knew she couldn’t—not now, not yet. Every time she thought of packing her bags and disappearing, she was reminded of her mother, still weak in the hospital, and her siblings, who relied on her to make sure they had a chance at a future. If she left Theo now, she would break the contract she had agreed to—no money for her mother’s medicine, no money for her siblings’ school fees. She knew she could work herself to exhaustion in some other job, but there was no guarantee she’d earn enough to cover everything. That was the reality she faced. Some would say she was stupid for staying, that she should fight for her dignity. But dignity didn’t fill stomachs or pay hospital bills. For Janine, staying was the only choice she could live with

• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 31: Tangled Hearts and Tempers

  After leaving the bar, Theo drove around the city in a haze. The alcohol had numbed some of the anger swirling inside him, but not all of it. Mark’s teasing had only reminded him of the mess he’d made with Janine. She was in his penthouse, behind a closed door, probably crying. And he was the reason why.He parked outside the building and sat in the car for a while, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. In his mind, all he could see was Janine’s face when she’d looked at that man—Javier. Theo didn’t want to think about what they’d been talking about or how she’d smiled at him.Stay away from him, he thought. Stay the fuck away from him.When he finally made it up to the penthouse, the place was silent except for the pounding in his head. He went straight to his office, pouring himself another drink, the burn doing nothing to dull the unreasonable jealousy raging in his chest. He couldn’t let it go. Couldn’t let her go.Meanwhile, Janine sat on the edge of h

• That Night With The Billionaire    Chapter 30: Blunt Words and Bitter Realities

  Theo’s mind was a mess. It was such a tangled knot of jealousy, rage, and something he didn’t want to name—something softer, something that felt too close to fear. He took a breath and forced himself to calm down, stepping away from Janine’s door because he knew if he didn’t, he might say something he couldn’t take back—or worse, he might do something he’d regret.He needed space. He needed to breathe.So he grabbed his keys and left the penthouse, his footsteps echoing in the hallways. He drove without thinking, the city lights blurring around him. He didn’t care where he was going—he just needed to be away from her, from the way she looked at him with those hurt, accusing eyes.He found himself pulling up to the bar his friend Mark owned, a place he’d gone to countless times before. Tonight, though, it felt different—like even the familiar neon lights couldn’t chase away the storm in his head.He walked in like he owned the place, ignoring the curious glances and the way the music s