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Author: S.J. Rowland
last update publish date: 2026-02-16 23:51:44

VALERIA

Elena thought she was alone that night. But she wasn’t.

The small hidden camera in the corner of her room had been installed the day she arrived. Very discreet and invisible unless you knew where to look. I always knew what happened inside my house. Every corridor, every door, every room.

Including hers.

When she had stormed into my bedroom the night before pretending to be bold, pretending control. I knew it wasn’t just desire that brought her there. Elena wasn’t that stupid. She was j
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  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    16

    ELENA“She looks like the type you’d bring home.”The words hung in the air. I wasn’t sure whether to take them as a compliment or an insult.I looked from the woman to Valeria, waiting for someone to explain what was going on.The woman simply smiled, completely pleased with herself. Who was she?Another business associate?An old friend? No. Valeria didn’t seem like someone who kept friends.Or….I quickly pushed the thought aside. I didn’t care.“Sit,” Valeria said, in a low but commanding tone.I sat still, my gaze lowered to my plate. Whatever this was, I wanted no part of it.Dinner was painfully quiet for me.The woman didn’t seem to believe in silence. She talked with her hands, laughed loudly, interrupted herself halfway through stories and switched between English and Spanish so often that I could barely keep up.Valeria, on the other hand, remained….Valeria.Calm, collected and elegant.It was hard to believe they knew each other.I kept eating, pretending not to notice th

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    15

    VALERIAAfter the meeting had ended, the office felt quieter.Those men had left satisfied. Their shipment would move through my ports in three days. Another clean business deal on paper. Another dirty one in reality.I closed the files on my desk and leaned back in my chair.Some people believed that power came only from violence.That’s where they all got it wrong. It didn’t come from violence.Power came from systems. From networks, from making illegal things look perfectly legal.I spent the next few hours inspecting some of my other businesses across the city. The wine distribution company and the private security firm. Two restaurants that doubled as meeting points for certain kinds of operations.Everything looked normal. Very profitable.Normal was good. It meant invisible.By the time I finished, it was already dark. Silas was waiting by the car when I stepped outside.He opened the door for me without saying a word as usual.We drove in silence. Silas wasn’t one to fill the

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    14

    VALERIAWhen I stepped out of my room, I closed the door gently behind me.Only when I was alone in the hallway did I finally exhale.Desire they say is dangerous. Not because it makes you weak, but because it tempts you to move too fast.And I do not move without a strategy.I wanted her. That was no longer something I could deny. The way her breath shook any time I came close. The way her body reacted even when her mouth said no. The way her eyes fought emotions she didn’t want to name.But I would not touch her fully until she stepped toward me willingly. Control meant knowing when to stop.A week. It had already been a week since I brought Elena into my home.A few more to go before Marcus could reclaim what he owed. If he survived that long.The next morning, Elena refused to leave her room. The maid had informed me that she had asked for breakfast to be sent upstairs.I said nothing.Let her hide all she wants. Isolation can be louder than confrontation.I ate alone in the dini

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    13

    ELENAThe moment the guard said Marcus was gone, my heart stopped.Gone. They knew he was there. They must’ve seen him talk to me and now wanted to get hold of him.Valeria didn’t panic. She didn’t raise her voice. She simply said, “Find him.”That was worse.We stood outside the venue, the cold night air against my skin. The city lights felt distant. My thoughts were loud and messy. Marcus had tried to convince me to leave with him. I had refused. I stayed.Now he was missing. And Valeria was calm.Too calm.I turned to her, my chest tight. “Please,” I said. “Let him go. I’ll do anything. Just don’t hurt him.”She looked at me slowly. That small, cruel smile curved on her lips.“Aww,” she said softly. “Lover girl.”I hated that tone.“Your boyfriend tried to break our contract,” she continued. ‘He tried to convince you to leave with him. That comes with consequences.”“But I didn’t go,” I said quickly. “I refused. I chose to stay.”The words tasted strange coming out of my mouth.I

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    12

    VALERIA I watched everything before she even knew I was there.. That was the advantage of having power. Of planning. Of never walking into a room blind. I had already arrived at the exhibition centre long before she did. I sat in a private lounge upstairs where I could see the main hall through tinted glass. The suit I gave her carried more than just fine stitching and expensive fabric. There was a tracker and a listening device small enough to hide inside the lining. To gain control wasn’t loud. It was quiet and precise. When she stepped into the venue, I felt her presence before I saw her. She looked so alive. Her shoulders were straighter. Her eyes brighter. She moved through the room as if she belonged there. She loved her job. And that was useful. Through the device, I listened to her as she greeted guests. Her voice was calm and professional with a hint of pride. She forgot about me for a moment. And that was alright. Then I saw him. Marcus. Standing at the far end of

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    11

    ELENAI woke up before the sun was fully set, wide awake, my heart racing with excitement. For the first time since I arrived at this mansion, I didn’t feel trapped.I felt so alive.Today was the exhibition day. My first taste of freedom after a short while.I took my time in the shower, letting the water run over my skin, steadying my nerves. When I stepped out, I wrapped myself in my bathrobe and stood in front of the mirror.Today, I would step outside those walls.Today, I would breathe.I had just tied my hair back when the door opened without warning.Valeria walked in.Of course. Behind her, a maid followed her, holding a garment bag.I stiffened but didn’t say anything. Complaining would be useless. This was Valeria’s house. Her rules.“Wear this,” Valeria said calmly, sitting on the chair across the room. Her eyes never left me.The maid placed the outfit neatly on the bed and left.I forced myself not to react. “Thank you,’ I murmured.Valeris tilted her head slightly. “How

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    4

    ELENAWhy did she give me the art piece? What did Valeria Moretti want from me?These questions followed me everywhere I went like a shadow. It sat in the back of my mind during the drive home. I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. My boss’s words echoed in my head. Take the rest of the day off

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    3

    ELENAI was busy at work that day that I didn’t notice Marcus’s sudden absence.Deadlines sure had a way of swallowing time. My head was full, rearranging schedules, shuffling between emails and phone calls. By the time I finally got home, the sun had settled, painting the living room windows in or

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    2

    VALERIAI noticed her the moment she walked into the hall. Not because she tried to be seen or because she was loud. But she didn’t.She entered the room beside a man who wore confidence like a borrowed suit, comfortable enough, but never quite his. Her hand rested lightly on his arm. The kind of

  • The Billionaire Queen's Collateral    1

    ELENA“You need to leave. You’ve become my weakness.”Valeris’s voice was low, steady, but her eyes betrayed her. They were darker than I had ever seen them. I saw the fear she tried to dress as control. She stood a few feet away from me, her hands clasped behind her back like she was holding herse

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