THE BILLIONAIRE'S CINDERELLA

The faint clinking of wine glasses mingled with the soft hum of jazz music, floating through the grand dining hall of Sapphire Luxe, Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurant. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above the well-dressed elite as servers in crisp uniforms glided between tables, balancing silver trays with precision.

In the midst of this polished chaos stood Emily Monroe, her chestnut-brown hair pulled back into a messy bun that betrayed her rushed morning. Dressed in the plain black attire of a waitress, she moved swiftly between the tables, her heart racing against the oppressive weight of expectations.

“Table five needs a refill,” her manager hissed under his breath as he passed her. “And smile, for God’s sake. This isn't a diner.”

Emily bit back a retort, forcing a polite smile onto her face as she hurried toward the table in question. A lifetime of serving entitled customers had taught her one thing—grit your teeth and endure.

Balancing a tray with a bottle of vintage red wine, Emily approached the table, where a small group of men in tailored suits sat discussing business deals worth more than she’d earn in a decade. One man in particular stood out, his presence magnetic despite his silence.

Liam Westbrook.

The name was practically synonymous with power in New York City. Billionaire CEO of Westbrook Enterprises, heir to one of the largest real estate empires in the country, and a man rumored to be as cold as the steel skyscrapers he built.

Emily had seen his face on countless magazine covers, but seeing him in person was something else entirely. His dark hair was neatly combed back, accentuating sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline. Piercing blue eyes flickered with disinterest as he swirled the wine in his glass.

“Careful now,” she whispered to herself as she uncorked the bottle.

Her hands trembled slightly—not from nerves but exhaustion. It had been a grueling double shift, and she hadn’t had a chance to sit down all day.

As she poured the wine, the world seemed to slow down. One moment, everything was perfectly balanced. The next, disaster struck.

The tray wobbled. Her grip faltered. And before she could react, a crimson wave of wine cascaded from the bottle, splattering across Liam Westbrook’s pristine white shirt.

Gasps rippled through the room like wildfire.

Emily’s heart plummeted to her stomach.

“Oh my God,” she breathed, frozen in place.

Liam’s expression shifted from surprise to icy calm, which was somehow even more terrifying than outright rage. He stood slowly, brushing futilely at the stain spreading across his shirt. The rich aroma of red wine clung to the air between them.

“I—I am so sorry,” Emily stammered, heat flooding her face. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Obviously,” Liam said coolly, his voice smooth but cutting.

Emily wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. She could already hear her manager's furious footsteps approaching from behind.

“Mr. Westbrook, I assure you, this is not how we conduct ourselves here,” the manager blustered, bowing apologetically. “Miss Monroe will be dealt with immediately.”

Emily’s throat tightened. Dealt with? Great. As if losing her job was the cherry on top of this disaster of a day.

Liam held up a hand, silencing the manager with a single gesture.

“That won’t be necessary,” he said, his gaze never leaving Emily.

The manager blinked, clearly caught off guard. “But sir—”

“I said it’s fine.” Liam’s tone brooked no argument.

Emily’s pulse raced as conflicting emotions surged through her—relief at avoiding immediate termination and bewilderment at Liam’s unexpected intervention.

“You,” Liam said, addressing her directly. “What’s your name?”

“Emily,” she managed to choke out.

“Well, Emily, accidents happen.” His lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. “Though I imagine you’ll be more careful next time.”

She nodded mutely, too stunned to form a coherent response.

“Send the cleaning bill to my office,” Liam told the manager before turning back to Emily. “And perhaps consider taking a break before you collapse.”

With that, he walked away, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.

The manager glared daggers at Emily. “Clean up this mess. Now.”

Emily swallowed hard, grabbing a cloth from her apron pocket. As she wiped at the spill on the polished wood floor, her mind raced.

Why hadn’t Liam demanded her firing? Billionaires like him didn’t tolerate mistakes, let alone public embarrassments.

And why did his parting words feel more like a challenge than simple advice?

As the night wore on, Emily couldn’t shake the strange encounter. The weight of Liam Westbrook’s gaze lingered long after he’d left the restaurant, sparking questions she couldn’t yet answer.

The rest of the shift dragged on painfully slow. Whispers followed Emily as she moved through the restaurant, the tale of “the girl who spilled wine on Liam Westbrook” already taking on a life of its own.

By the time the last customer left and the doors were locked, Emily was beyond exhausted. She changed out of her uniform in the cramped employee locker room, her mind replaying the incident over and over.

As she stepped outside into the crisp night air, the city buzzed around her, indifferent to her personal disaster. Neon lights flickered, and yellow cabs honked impatiently as they weaved through traffic.

Emily pulled her coat tighter around herself and started walking toward the subway station. The weight of the day pressed heavily on her shoulders, but a spark of curiosity lingered beneath the exhaustion.

Liam Westbrook.

Why had he intervened on her behalf? What kind of man calmly brushed off a public embarrassment like that?

She shook her head, dismissing the questions as ridiculous. Billionaires didn’t care about people like her. He had probably forgotten about her the moment he walked out of the restaurant.

And yet, as Emily descended the steps to the subway, she couldn’t shake the feeling that their paths had crossed for a reason—and that this was only the beginning.