THE PRICE OF A BILLIONAIRE’S LOVE

THE GIRL WHO DIDN’T FEAR THE BILLIONAIRE

Veridion City gleamed in the morning sun, the skyscrapers rising like golden towers piercing the clouds. To the untrained eye, it was a city of dreams, of opportunity. But Aria Donovan knew better. Wealth and power often hid shadows darker than any alley.

She adjusted her blazer, fingers gripping her leather briefcase. Today was her first day at Harrison & Cole—the law firm that could make or break her career. A place where she could finally rise above the struggles of her past, prove she belonged in a world that didn’t often welcome women like her.

Stay sharp, Aria. Don’t let anyone intimidate you.

The lobby was magnificent—marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and the faint scent of expensive coffee lingering in the air. Secretaries moved gracefully, tapping keyboards and answering calls, their eyes occasionally darting toward the elevators. Everyone here seemed to know their place. Everyone, that is, except Aria.

She stepped into the elevator, still focused on keeping her composure. Then, the doors slid open at the fifteenth floor—and she saw him.

Damon Reed.

The name alone could make lesser people falter. CEO of Reed Corporation, a man whose fortune was rumored to rival entire countries, whose temper was as legendary as his business acumen. Tall, broad-shouldered, impeccably dressed in black, with eyes that seemed to pierce straight through the soul.

He was speaking into a phone, his tone low and commanding, the kind of voice that made the room fall silent even before he noticed it. But the moment his gaze lifted, he saw her.

Locking eyes with a stranger in a crowded lobby might be normal. Locking eyes with Damon Reed? That was dangerous.

Aria’s pulse quickened, but she straightened her back, chin up, refusing to look away.

“You’re blocking my path,” he said, his voice smooth, deep, and cold, carrying the weight of authority.

Aria raised an eyebrow. “Then walk around.”

A flicker of surprise passed over his face. No one ever spoke to Damon Reed like that. The room seemed to hold its breath.

“You’re new,” he said, finally noticing her ID badge.

“Yes,” she replied evenly, meeting his gaze without flinching. “And I don’t care who you are.”

A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. “You will.”

With that, he brushed past her. Aria felt the heat of his presence—power, dominance, and an undeniable magnetism that made her heart skip. She hated that she felt anything at all.

“Are you insane?” whispered a senior associate behind her. “That was Damon Reed. He practically owns this firm!”

“I know exactly who he is,” Aria muttered under her breath. “I just don’t care.”

But as Damon disappeared toward the elevators, she felt it—a tension that didn’t fade, a pull she couldn’t explain.

She made her way to her office, trying to ignore the murmurs and curious glances from coworkers. Her mind, however, kept returning to him. Why did his stare feel like a challenge? Why did it feel like he had already marked her, even though they’d never spoken before?

Aria settled at her desk, unzipping her laptop. Her heart was still racing. Focus. This is your chance, Aria. Don’t let him distract you.

Minutes later, her phone buzzed. A message from her supervising partner:

Aria, Mr. Reed wants you assigned to his new corporate case. Meet him in his office at 10 a.m.

Her stomach sank. She had expected high-profile cases eventually, but not him. Not Damon Reed himself.

She spent the next hour reviewing files, mentally preparing herself. When the time came, she walked down the long corridor leading to the CEO’s office, heart pounding, mind racing.

The office door opened before she could knock. Damon Reed stood there, arms crossed, a faint smirk on his lips.

“You’re late,” he said, his tone more teasing than angry, though his dark eyes warned of consequences.

“Traffic,” she replied evenly, refusing to be intimidated.

He raised a brow. “Really? That’s the best excuse a lawyer can give me?”

“Better than cowering,” she muttered.

Damon’s smirk widened. “Bold. I like that.”

Her pulse jumped. Why does he make me feel like this?

He gestured for her to sit. As she complied, she noticed the panoramic view of Veridion City behind him, the empire he commanded. Wealth, power, and danger radiated from every inch of this room, but Aria refused to be awed.

Not fully, anyway.

“You’re going to work on this case, and I don’t want excuses. Understood?” he said, voice dropping to a low growl that made her skin tingle.

“Understood,” she replied.

But inside, she smiled. Challenge accepted.

Damon leaned back, studying her like a predator studying prey—but there was something else there, something unspoken, something dangerous. He could sense her strength, her unwillingness to bend. That would make this interesting…very interesting.

And as Aria left the office, trying to maintain her composure, she knew one thing with absolute certainty:

Damon Reed was a storm.

And storms, no matter how terrifying, had a way of changing everything.