One night, One Empire
Zara Thomas is 23, broke, exhausted, and desperate. A waitress clinging to dead-end shifts and shattered dreams, her world collapses further when her mother is diagnosed with cancer.and the bills are more than she could ever afford. Out of options, out of time, and out of hope, Zara does the unthinkable: she sells one night of herself for money. She walks into a luxury hotel suite expecting shame. she meets Alexander Sterling a dangerously magnetic billionaire who strips her down with his eyes and undoes her with a single touch. One night. No names. No emotions. Just survival. Until fate twists cruelly. A week later, she lands a dream job… as his personal secretary. He’s cold, commanding, and acts like she’s invisible. But his gaze lingers. His touch remembers. And so does hers. What begins as tension spirals into a relationship laced with passion, pain, and everything neither of them expected. But just as Zara starts to believe in something more, a ghost from his past returns, lines blur between duty, desire, and something deeper, past secrets begin to surface, and one devastating truth could change everything. Will love be enough to rebuild the empire they lost or will the weight of their past destroy everything they almost had?
อ่าน
Chapter: Smoke and Mirrors Zara HarperFridays were usually my small slice of heaven.It meant the weekend was within reach, and for two glorious days,I get to really breathe, I always felt like this even when I worked with Bill, here, I didn’t have to pretend I wasn’t constantly on edge around a man I’d once moaned beneath. But this morning, as I walked into the sleek, glass-walled office of Sterling Holdings, humming under my breath and silently counting down the hours until freedom, I should’ve known peace wouldn’t last.“Miss Harper,” Alexander’s deep voice came from behind me, sharp and cold. “My office.”I turned, heart skipping. He wasn’t even looking at me, just walking past, expecting me to follow. I hope I haven't done anything wrong. He was dressed in navy again, tailored to perfection, his back straight, his pace unbothered. I glanced down at my modest beige dress and hurried after him.He was already seated by the time I entered. I shut the door gently behind me, keeping my hands folded in front of
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-19
Chapter: Family Alexander Sterling My shoes echoed against the marble floors as I stepped into the Sterling family estate, a sprawling, old money mansion in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. It stood like a palace amid the city’s chaos, all white columns, sweeping staircases, and shimmering chandeliers. I hadn't been here in weeks, but nothing ever changed. Even the scent, amber and lavender with a faint trace of aged leather, was exactly the same.The butler opened the door before I could knock. “Mr. Sterling,” he greeted with a slight bow.“Thank you, Harold,” I said, stepping inside. Harold has been working for my family since I was a child, he's practically a family member, and has been there when my family was passing through the worst.The scent of roses drifted from the fresh arrangements lining the foyer table. Everything was pristine, just as my mother liked it. My mum was waiting in the drawing room, her silver-blonde hair pinned back into a flawless twist, a silk robe tied around
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-18
Chapter: Bruised ComposureZara The next morning, I got to the office earlier than anyone else.I really needed the quiet.The sterile silence of the empty corridors gave me time to breathe, to focus on something other than the burning embarrassment that still clung to me like cheap perfume. I buried myself in paperwork and emails, printing out updated schedules, responding to vendor queries, and sorting through calendar invitations for meetings I’d only just begun to understand the relevance of. The company was vast, intimidating, and intricate. Every detail had to be right, and I was being very careful.Alexander Sterling’s schedule was so full it looked like a campaign trail, not the week of a corporate executive. Meetings, press briefings, investor calls. I arranged everything, triple checked it, and slipped the finalized version into the slim silver tray outside his office.Then I turned to my next battlefield: coffee.With trembling hands, I carefully brewed the blend I’d memorized from yesterday’s humil
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-16
Chapter: The CEOAlexander Sterling's povThe penthouse was quiet. It always is.High above the chaos of Manhattan, the glass walls of my living room offered a view of the city that never slept, but I often wished it would. I stood at the window, black coffee in one hand, phone in the other, watching the morning light filter through the skyline like blades.My apartment was clean. Spotless, in fact. Tastefully modern. Slate walls, dark hardwood floors, steel fixtures, and cold lighting. No clutter, no color. Everything had its place. Everything had its purpose.Except the photo on the console table near the wall.It was small silver-framed, subtle. A little girl with dark curls and light in her eyes. Frozen in time with a grin that made my throat tighten every time I looked at it.I turned away from it.Routine was the only thing that steadied me. Wake up at five. Cardio at six. Shower at six-forty-five. Out the door by seven-thirty. No distractions, no exceptions.At exactly 7:30, I stepped into the
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-15
Chapter: Coffee and the coldest man aliveZara HarperThe air in the office felt denser the moment I saw him. I felt like I was dreaming, or like I was seeing things.The Alexander Sterling.He walked past me like I didn’t exist, like he didn't even see me. But I felt him. His scent hit me first, crisp, clean, woodsy, then his presence washed over me like static. His shoulder brushed mine while passing to his office, and I swear to God, every nerve in my body lit up like firecrackers.My knees buckled. The hallway blurred. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, squeezing out all the air. A sharp breath caught in my throat and I had to steady myself against the wall.I was rooted to the marble-tiled floor, watching the man I gave my body to stride ahead of me in a tailored suit like the night we shared never even happened. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, a nauseating drumbeat in my ears. I'm utterly screwed.“Zara?” The voice snapped me out of it. I turned, startled, and found the kind-faced woman who had been show
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-15
Chapter: The Man Behind the DoorZara HarperI left the hotel room with shaking legs and a hollow feeling in my chest. My heels clicked against the marble hallway, mocking me with every step. I didn't know whether to cry or scream, so I did neither, I just walked. Fast. As though I could leave what happened behind me if I moved quickly enough.The elevator doors closed, sealing the night away. My reflection stared back at me, smudged lipstick, eyes tired but defiant. I’d done it. I’d slept with a stranger for money. For my mother’s medicine. My dignity was crumpled, but she was all I had. I had no choice.When I got home, I dropped my bag and collapsed onto the couch. My throat tightened. I couldn’t breathe properly. The room felt too quiet, like even the air was judging me. I pulled off the gown his hands had been on it just hours ago, and tossed it to the floor. I climbed into the shower and turned on the water, scrubbing at my skin until it turned red.Only after, when I wrapped a towel around myself and reached
ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-08-12
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