Billionaire's Captive Heiress: Love Under His Rule

"Oh, Zach… That's the spot…"This is not how I thought my long-awaited job interview would go. Being stuck in this bathroom with my hurt hand and hearing the clear sounds of kissing and a zipper coming undone makes my heart want to burst.How did I even end up in this situation? IJust yesterday, I was overjoyed when I received a call from the prominent company inviting me for an interview. Now all I can think of is how to gracefully leave this embarrassing scenario without causing a scene.I press myself against the bathroom counter, hoping they won’t notice me. But my clumsiness strikes again. My elbow knocks over a perfume bottle, and it clatters loudly.Now, I’m so dead.“Did you hear that?”“What do you mean?”“I heard something. Someone’s here, Zach.”“It’s just us. No one else is on this floor.”“I’m certain of it. Hold on, I’ll check it out.”The sound of heels clicking closer makes me pace back and forth like a headless chicken. Oh God, please save me. I promise I’ll be bette

I sit on the edge of the couch, feeling completely out of place. Mr. Grumpy paces the room while his sharp gaze flicks between Ella and the floor. Ella curls up on the opposite couch, hugging her knees tightly. She insisted I stay, so here I am—an unwelcome witness to their family drama, frozen and unsure of what to do or say.“I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand. I just wanted to spend time with my friends and let loose for a bit.”Zachary pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “And for that, I canceled an important meeting because I was worried sick about you. Do you even realize what you’re doing to yourself and to me?”Ella’s shoulders tense. “You and everyone else in this family are always too busy with work. No one asks how I feel or what I want. You all treat me like a child but expect me to act like an adult. How is that fair?”"Newsflash—life isn’t fair, princess. It’s not supposed to be. We’re trying to protect you, to keep you safe, because you clearly can’t m

I've decided to go home instead of continuing my duty at the bar. This has been a long night, and even though I know I should stay and finish my shift, I just can't bring myself to do it. My mind is exhausted, and I need some rest before facing another day of work tomorrow. Besides, Mom has no one to take care of her at home. When I finally burst through the door, I’m hit by a cold silence. The air feels thick, too still, like something’s terribly wrong. “Mom?” I call, stepping further into the living room. But then my blood turns to ice as I see her lying unconscious on the floor. She's crumpled like a rag doll, and her face is pale. “Mom!” I cry out, rushing to her side. I kneel beside her, trembling, my hands shaking as I press them to her cold skin. There’s no movement. I scramble for my phone, hoping to call for help, but when I swipe it on, my stomach drops. The screen is black. Completely dead. "No, no, no!" I push myself up and rush to the door, my eyes darting around t

The flashing red and blue lights from the police cars make everything feel surreal. I stand frozen near the car, hugging myself against the chill that seems to seep into my bones. My gaze keeps drifting to Zachary, who's talking to the officers a few feet away.The officers seem uncomfortable in his presence, even though Zachary's voice remains calm. One of them hesitates before nodding at something he says, scribbling notes furiously on a pad. The exchange feels more like an order being issued than a report being taken.A sign is being nailed to the club's front door: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Regardless, the relief I expect doesn't come.Zachary steps back toward me. "Okay?"I nod quickly. "I'm good now. Thanks to you."His eyes narrow at me, and he lets out a frustrated sigh. "Good? You call that good? You insisted on returning alone to a cheap nightclub with a pervert manager. What happens if I didn’t come with you?""I'm sorry," I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself tighter

Just yesterday, I visited Mother. And even if I hid it, she insisted on knowing who was helping us pay the hospital bills. When I mentioned Zachary Langston's name, she seemed to get worried.“Families like them have their own rules. Promise me you’ll be careful," she had told me.Although I clarified to her that if not for Zachary, perhaps we were not chatting at that moment. I cannot blame her for being dubious, though.“My brother Zachary is the golden child. Always so serious, so perfect. Grandma Cecilia adores him, probably because he actually listens to her.”I'm brought back to reality when Ella continues her story. We are in the car now, heading to the Langston estate. I actually thought that I would be working in the penthouse, but Zachary insisted Ella return to their home.“Then there’s Oliver. He’s the smooth one, always calm, always knowing the right thing to say. He’s like the family diplomat.” She leans back in her seat, twirling a strand of hair. “And don’t even get me