Novels by Pearl Designs

6:03 AM. My phone wouldn’t stop vibrating. I reached for it on Damian’s nightstand. 17 missed calls. Mom. My best friend. A number I didn’t know. Then I saw the notifications. **BREAKING: BILLIONAIRE DAMIAN COLE’S SECRET MARRIAGE EXPOSED** **EXCLUSIVE: $300,000 CONTRACT LEAKED ONLINE** **WHO IS ALI CARTER? GOLD DIGGER OR VICTIM?** Attached was a photo. Our contract. My shaky signature on page 4. Damian’s signature on page 5. The amount circled in red. My stomach dropped. "Damian?" My voice cracked. He wasn’t in bed. I found him in the living room. Suit on. Hair messy. Three phones on the coffee table, all ringing. "Find her," he said into one phone, voice like ice. "I don’t care what it takes. Find who leaked this." He hung up and saw me. "Don’t read the comments," he said. "It’s too late." I held up my phone. "Everyone has read them." He crossed the room in two steps and pulled me into his arms. "I’m sorry. This is my fault." "Whose fault is it really?" His jaw tigh

9AM. Cole Enterprises. 50th Floor.The boardroom was freezing.12 men and women in $5000 suits. All staring at me.Because I was sitting next to Damian.At the head of the table.With his ring on my finger.Whispers."Who is she?""Is that the waitress?""His wife??"Damian squeezed my hand under the table."Good morning," he said, voice calm but deadly. "Let’s get started."The CFO cleared his throat. "Mr. Cole, before we begin quarterly reports... care to explain the headlines?"He projected the photo on the big screen.Me + Damian. Holding hands leaving the cafe.Headline: **BILLIONAIRE ANNOUNCES SECRET MARRIAGE**The room went silent.Damian stood up."Yes. I got married." He looked at me. "To Ali Carter."Gasps."She’s my wife. Legally. And she will be attending all future company events as Mrs. Cole."Mr. Peterson, the oldest board member, slammed his hand on the table."This is outrageous! We approved Sophia! She’s good for the brand!""Sophia is my ex." Damian’s eyes were ice.

The next morning I woke up alone.Damian’s side of the bed was cold.There was a note on the nightstand:[Meeting at 8AM. Don’t wait up. - D]My heart sank. Was last night just... a moment?My phone buzzed. Again.[Unknown]: Meet me at La Rose Cafe. 2PM. We need to talk.- SSophia.---2PM. La Rose Cafe.She was already there. Perfect blonde hair. Red dress. $10K bag.Sophia Cole. Damian’s ex-fiancée."Ali Carter," she said, sipping wine at 2PM. "The charity case."I sat down. "What do you want, Sophia?""To warn you." She leaned in. "Damian doesn’t do love. He does contracts. Deals. And you? You’re just his latest PR stunt."My hands shook under the table."He paid me $5 million for my brother’s surgery.""Exactly." She laughed. "See? Transaction. In 6 months he’ll get bored and pay you to leave.""Why do you care?""Because I was supposed to be Mrs. Cole." Her eyes were cold. "Not some broke waitress."Before I could answer, the cafe door opened.Damian.In a suit. Looking furious.

7AM. Cole Tower.I woke up to sunlight and... an arm around my waist.Damian.In MY bed.No suit. No CEO mask. Just black t-shirt and messy hair.My heart stopped. Rule #2 was officially shattered."Morning," he murmured, voice rough from sleep. His face was in my hair."What are you doing here?" I whispered."Checking on my wife." He pulled me closer. "Is that allowed?"I should've pushed him away. I didn’t.My phone buzzed. Hospital."Miss Carter, Leo is awake. He’s asking for you."I shot up. "I have to go.""I’ll drive you." Damian was already getting up."You don’t have to--""I want to." He looked at me. "Let me."---Hospital.Leo’s eyes lit up when he saw me. Then they got BIG when he saw Damian behind me."Whoa. Are you the billionaire?"Damian actually smiled. A real one. "I’m Damian. You must be Leo.""You’re married to my sister!""Guilty." Damian ruffled his hair. "Heard you’re a superhero. Beat cancer."Leo grinned. "Trying to."They talked for 20 minutes. About video g

9AM. St. Michael’s Hospital.I couldn’t breathe.Leo was in the OR. Lights on. "Surgery in Progress" sign.Mom was praying in the corner. Dad was holding her hand. And me? I was staring at the doors like if I blinked, something would go wrong.The elevator dinged.Damian walked in.In a suit. At a hospital. With coffee.He didn’t say anything. Just sat in the chair next to me."You didn’t have to come.""I know." He set the coffee in my lap. "Drink."We sat in silence for 3 hours.His phone buzzed 20 times. He ignored all of them."Are you scared?" he asked suddenly."Terrified.""Me too."I looked at him. "You? What are you scared of?""Losing control." He ran a hand through his hair. "I don’t do... this. Waiting. Hoping."The doors opened. The surgeon walked out.My heart stopped."Family of Leo Carter?"We all stood."Surgery was successful. He’s in recovery. He did great."I collapsed. Sobbing.Mom screamed. Dad cried.And Damian? His hand found mine. Squeezed. Hard.For real. N

Two days after the gala.I was avoiding him.He was avoiding me.Perfect.I spent the day at the hospital with my brother, Leo. He’s 9. Bald from chemo. But he smiled when he saw me."Sissy! You’re wearing a ring!""It’s... nothing, baby." I squeezed his hand. "You’re gonna be okay. The surgery is tomorrow.""Promise?""Promise."Security waited outside. Damian’s orders.---7PM. Cole Tower.I came home exhausted and found Damian in the living room.But he wasn’t alone.Sophia was on his couch. In MY house. In yoga pants and his hoodie.Like she lived here."Oh," she said when she saw me. Fake surprise. "Hi Ali. Damian was just helping me with some documents.""At 7PM?" I dropped my bag."He’s such a gentleman." She smiled at him. He didn’t smile back.Damian finally looked at me. "This is business.""Right." My chest hurt. "I’ll be in my room.""Wait." He stood. "We have dinner with clients tomorrow. 8PM. Don’t be late.""Noted." I walked away before my voice cracked.Rule #1: Don’t