THE BILLIONAIRE’S BELLA

(Tessa’s pov)

I swear on my last functioning brain cell, kissing a billionaire was not on my 2025 Bingo card.

I had a bucket list—a wild, chaotic, post-breakup checklist of things to do before I gave romance another shot.

Cliff jumping? Yes.

Drunken karaoke? Absolutely.

But kissing a billionaire with abs sculpted by Greek gods? Yeah, definitely not on that list.

And yet, here I am.

After my ex-boyfriend Roman ghosted me like a coward in a N*****x thriller, I fell into what experts call “emotional hibernation.” Translation: I wore the same hoodie for a week, binged trash TV, and lived off Nutella and vibes.

Sophia, my ride or die best friend, dragged me out of bed after weeks of me rotting in heartbreak over Roman (my ex, not the empire). It took a lot of persuasion from Sophia to get me out of bed…

She yanked the covers off my bed and announced I needed to get back out there.

“This isn’t a rom-com, Soph,” I told her. “There’s no hot rebound waiting for me at a coffee shop.”

But she insisted I get dressed because apparently, we were going to a “chill party.” Her words.

So imagine my surprise when “chill party” turned out to be a club so exclusive it had bodyguards, velvet ropes, and a guest list longer than my student loan statement.

She said it was just a “low key elite gathering,” probably full of uptight rich people. I didn’t expect to be standing in front of a thumping nightclub with neon lights and a line of Lamborghinis outside.

Apparently, there was a last minute venue change so everyone could “let loose.”

This doesn’t look chill,” I muttered.

She waved me off. “You look hot. You’re glowing.”

“ I’m sweating. That’s not the same thing.”

I was grateful for my choice of clothing and i wasn’t even mad at the choice of location, I might be needing a drink after all Or three. (Who’s counting?)

Anyway, fast forward through the panic attack and a series of awkward stares, I headed straight to the bar while Sophia disappeared to look for someone. The bartender was cute and totally flirting, which gave me a little ego boost. A few drinks later, I hit the dance floor. I just wanted to feel something anything other than heartbreak.

The alcohol had begun to kick in. I danced, letting my body move freely to the rhythm. Suddenly, I felt someone behind me, trying to dance with me. I wasn’t in the mood to accept a dance partner, so I told him off. He smelt like expired cologne and poor decisions. I tried the polite smile. Then the firm no. Then the full-body pivot. But the man was adamant refusing to listen, still insisting on dancing with me. I hated men who couldn’t take no for an answer.

“Carry the rest of your bruised ego and run along,” I snapped.

I turned, maybe to signal to Sophia to come help me out, but she was nowhere in sight. Then I stumbled back a bit and collided with something or other, someone. I felt a hard wall behind me, giving me the sense that the person worked out a lot to be that solid.

The lights in the bar were dim, and I could barely see the face of the stranger. But from the outline I managed to catch, he wasn’t ugly.

I proceeded to engage him in a conversation.

“Where have you been, babbbbyy?” I dragged out the words, hoping the other man would take the hint and leave. He paused his phone call mid sentence and looked at me.

Correction: looked through my soul.

This man… had the audacity to be hotter than every fictional character I’ve ever simped for.

The stranger glanced at me, then said something to the person on the other end of his call before giving me his full attention.

Ohhh, his voice… I could have his babies, I thought.

I quickly snapped myself out of it. Focus, I told myself. I gave him my best “play along” eyes. He raised an eyebrow. “Trouble?”

“Yep. Five o’clock. Smells like Axe body spray and desperation.”

He chuckled and somehow, that stupid sound made something flutter in my chest. I think I could listen to him chuckling forever.

He let out a low laugh and played along.

“I left you for a few minutes to take a call, and you’re already attracting trouble?”

I leaned in and whispered, “Is he gone?”

He glanced over. “Not yet,” he replied, then added with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “Want to give him a show?”

Before i could ask what he meant, his lips were already on mine.

Not just a fake peck. Oh no.

This was a full on, slow burn, knee melting, tongue-tangling, movie worthy kiss. I should’ve pulled away. I didn’t.

Then he pulled me close and kissed me like we were the final scene of a K-drama soft, slow, and far too intimate for two strangers who hadn’t even exchanged names.

What is wrong with me tonight? I asked myself, internally spiraling. Is it the drinks? The heartbreak? Or am I just hopelessly broken at this point?

At first, i tensed tried to resist but then i gave in, my mouth parting, granting him full access in a kiss that was far too convincing for a fake.

When he finally broke the kiss, he turned to the drunk man, wore a smug smile, and asked coolly, “Do you need something?”

The man mumbled an apology and scrambled off.

With a sigh, her savior muttered, “They really need to work on security. Just letting anyone into the club these days.”

When he stepped into the light and she got a full look at his face, she instinctively took a step back. It wasn’t just that he was breathtaking it was that she recognized him.

But before any of that hit her, he looked at her with genuine concern.

“Hey… are you okay?” he asked, voice low and steady. “That guy didn’t touch you, did he?”

His kindness caught her off guard. She nodded, still stunned, her heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with fear anymore.

And then it clicked.

The sharp jawline. The disarming smile. The kind of presence that made the room feel smaller.

She knew that face.

The most eligible billionaire bachelor.

Of course she recognized him. Who wouldn’t?

She stammered as she tried to say his name, but he chuckled.

“I guess my reputation announces my presence before I do.”

He stepped in closer, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

“Cat got your tongue, Bella? This is usually the part where you introduce yourself since you already know my name, it’s only fair I get yours.”

But she wasn’t listening.

In her head, she was screaming:

I JUST KISSED JACE FREAKING CARTER

He kept watching her, waiting for a response. But before she could recover, a friend of his walked up and whispered something in his ear.

He turned back to her with a shrug.

“I’ve got to go. And since you never gave me your name… I’m still calling you Bella.”

He smirked, already walking away.

“Next time we meet, you owe me for saving you and for stealing that kiss. For free, I might add.”

After what felt like forever, Sophia finally found me and gave me a little shake.

“Where have you been?” she asked. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I was starting to think you ditched me to go wallow in bed.”

When I didn’t respond, she turned to face me fully, her expression shifting.

“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost? And… why are your cheeks red?”

I blinked, still dazed. I thought I was drunk until that encounter with Jace sobered me up real fast.

She eventually ordered us a ride and glanced at me again.

“You okay? You haven’t said a single word since we left.”

I just nodded and stared out the window.

All I wanted was for the night to end, to wake up and find out it had all been some wild, ridiculous dream.

But deep down, I knew it wasn’t.