Not just a billionaire
She thought he was a spoiled, cold billionaire. He thought she was just a waitress. Neither of them expected the chaos that would follow.
When tough, independent Lena Carter crosses paths with Rafael Blackthorne—an infuriatingly arrogant billionaire known for his playboy reputation—sparks fly, tempers flare… and everything changes. After offering her a job that pulls her into his elite world, Rafael quickly realizes Lena is unlike anyone he’s ever met. She challenges him, grounds him, and sees through the walls he’s built.
But behind his wealth and power lies a man scarred by a distant family and buried secrets. And behind her strength, Lena hides a past that refuses to stay buried—especially when a dangerous ex resurfaces, watching from the shadows.
As the two fall into a whirlwind of passion, luxury, and vulnerability, they’ll have to decide: will love be enough to protect them from what’s coming?
Because in Rafael’s world, trust is currency…
And someone’s about to cash it in.
Baca
Chapter: Chapter 14Lily didn’t sleep much after Jaxon left that night—not because of anxiety, but because of hope. A soft, reckless, terrifying hope that bloomed beneath her ribs and refused to be quiet.She replayed his words over and over.“If anyone forgets you’re enough, including you, I’ll remind you every damn day.”The next morning, she packed her suitcase for Aspen.Red.Because she’d promised.“Okay, you’re officially dangerous,” Clarissa whispered as they waited for the company car. “Red suitcase, red lips, and that hair? You look like the poster girl for corporate seduction.”Lily laughed. “It’s a retreat. Not a seduction tour.”“Sure, sure. And I wear heels for comfort.” Clarissa wiggled her eyebrows. “Seriously, what are you planning on doing in Aspen?”“Mostly… working. Maybe skiing. Definitely ignoring any surprise exes who try to crash the mountain.”Clarissa rolled her eyes. “If Sienna shows up, I volunteer as tribute to push her down a slope.”Lily grinned. “You’re a menace.”“I’m a lo
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-08-01
Chapter: Chapter 13The envelope sat between them like a curse.Lena stared at it, her hands cold, even as Rafael crumpled the photo and tossed it into the fireplace. Flames curled around the glossy paper, eating away the image of them kissing. But the feeling lingered.She wasn’t just uneasy—she was watched.Rafael paced, his shirt half-buttoned, dark eyes flashing with fury. “I’m calling Ethan. He’ll track who dropped this off.”“What if they didn’t drop it?” Lena’s voice was quiet but firm. “What if they got in?”He froze. His jaw clenched.“No one gets into this penthouse without a clearance code.”“Then someone has it.”He didn’t argue. He grabbed his phone, dialed fast. “Ethan. Code red. I want every second of security footage reviewed. Check for cloned access cards. And send someone to guard Lena 24/7.”Her eyes widened. “That’s extreme.”“That’s protection.”He ended the call and turned to her, softer now. “You’re not going anywhere alone.”For once, she didn’t want to argue.The envelope had sha
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-29
Chapter: Chapter 12Lena Carter never thought she’d wake up twice in the same week in a billionaire’s arms, let alone wrapped in Rafael Blackthorne’s arms like he was her personal heater.But there she was—curled against him, tangled in crisp sheets, his fingers lazily stroking the small of her back.“Morning,” she mumbled sleepily.“Good morning, gorgeous,” he murmured into her hair. “Still think I need to impress you with dinosaur-shaped pancakes?”“Hmm… maybe.”“Fine,” he said with mock defeat. “I’ll call the chef.”She giggled, stretching like a satisfied cat. But before she could fully savor the moment, a loud chime echoed through the penthouse.Rafael groaned. “That’s the private elevator.”He got up, throwing on a shirt and muttering something about “uninvited madness” as he disappeared down the hallway.Lena sat up, heart thudding a little too fast. She wasn’t exactly ready to meet anyone who used a private elevator to drop in.From the hallway, voices rose.A woman’s voice.Sharp. Confident. Fam
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-29
Chapter: Chapter 11Lena Carter wasn’t used to being spoiled.She was used to tips tucked under greasy plates, shoes that pinched her feet by hour four of a shift, and nights spent counting every dollar in her checking account before committing to a latte.So, waking up in Rafael Blackthorne’s bed to the sound of a string quartet playing softly from hidden speakers?Yeah. That was new.She blinked up at the ceiling, still drowsy, still warm under the sheets. Then—“Good morning, sunshine,” Rafael said, leaning against the doorframe, wearing nothing but a pair of tailored slacks and a sinfully smug smile. “Hope you slept well.”Lena sat up, pulling the sheets with her. “Are you… playing live music right now?”He shrugged like it was nothing. “I thought you deserved something elegant to wake up to.”“Okay, but a quartet?”“Just a string duo, technically. The other two got stuck in traffic.”She stared at him.He grinned wider.“Rafael,” she said slowly, “this is insane.”“Correction,” he said, walking towa
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-29
Chapter: Chapter 10Lena couldn’t sleep.Not with a flash drive full of betrayal burning in the drawer next to her. Not with Tyson’s face flashing behind her eyelids, the smug way he used to talk, like he owned the world and everyone in it.And not with Rafael pacing the living room like a caged lion, shirt half-buttoned, tie hanging around his neck, hair a mess from running his hands through it a thousand times.“They forged everything,” he muttered. “Emails. Contracts. Digital signatures. It’s clean work—too clean. Tyson has someone inside the system.”“Which means?” Lena asked, curled up on the couch in one of Rafael’s hoodies.He looked at her, eyes sharp but tired. “It means we need to move fast before this hits the boardroom.”“And if it already has?”“Then we cut them off at the knees.”The clock ticked.The city lights glittered outside the windows like a thousand little secrets.“You ever notice,” Lena said quietly, “how drama follows me around like a bad smell?”Rafael walked over and sat besid
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-28
Chapter: Chapter 9Lena hadn’t expected the world to implode over one photo.But by morning, her name was everywhere. News sites, gossip blogs, even business headlines were plastered with a single story:“Rafael Blackthorne’s fiancée has a record?”The picture was from years ago, taken during the worst week of her life. She had been nineteen, broke, scared, and trying to get her brother out of trouble after he got mixed up with the wrong people. No charges had ever been filed. No wrongdoing. But to the public? It didn’t matter.Because the world didn’t want facts. It wanted scandal.She sat on the floor of Rafael’s penthouse, laptop open, scrolling through headlines that made her stomach churn.“From waitress to wildcard fiancée, who is Lena Carter?”“Blackthorne heir blindsided by girlfriend’s criminal past?”“Is this a love story or a long con?”Lena slammed the laptop shut.Rafael walked in just in time to hear it snap.“You shouldn’t be reading those.”“I wanted to know how bad it is.”He knelt in f
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-28
Masuk
