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홈 / Romance / The Billionaire's Binding Proposal / ~ 48

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~ 48

작가: Johnel
last update 최신 업데이트: 2026-02-21 15:01:13

Chapter 48

~ Niklaus ~

I watched Aria settle into her chair across from me, her movements careful and precise, like she was afraid of taking up too much space.

She was beautiful.

I'd noticed it before, of course—even under all that makeup and the slightly ridiculous styling, there was something striking about her. But looking at her now, in the morning light streaming through the penthouse windows, knowing that this was the woman I was going to present to my family, the woman I was going to ma
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  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 64

    Chapter 64 ~ Niklaus ~I stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close, cutting off the view of the Data Analytics department.Cutting off the view of Kesley Bellamy, who was now probably collapsed at her desk trying to recover from the awkwardness of that interaction. I could picture her there, head down, mortified, replaying every word she'd said and cringing at each one.The moment I was alone, I caught my reflection in the polished metal doors.I was smiling.Actually smiling. Like an idiot. Like someone who'd just had the best conversation of his life instead of a thirty-second professional exchange in a department I had no business visiting.What the hell was wrong with me?I wiped the expression off my face immediately, forcing my features back into neutral CEO mode. But it was too late. I'd seen it. That stupid, unguarded smile that had appeared the moment Kesley had looked up at me.She'd known I was staring and was shy about it, pretending to focus on her phone whil

  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 63

    Chapter 63 ~ Kesley ~I was literally the only one using the female restroom on the entire departmental restroom, which was both convenient and deeply awkward.Convenient because I never had to wait in line. Never had to deal with those passive-aggressive notes women left about toilet seat etiquette or borrowed tampons. Never had to make small talk while washing my hands or pretend I didn't notice someone having a minor breakdown in the stall next to me.The female restroom was my private sanctuary since I started working in SpecterTech. Just me and the industrial hand soap and the fluorescent lighting that made everyone look vaguely ill. My own little kingdom where I could check my phone in peace, fix my hair without judgment, or just take a moment to breathe when the testosterone levels in the department got overwhelming.But it was also a stark reminder that I was the only woman in the entire Data Analytics department. The only one who needed this bathroom. The only one who didn't

  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 62

    Chapter 62 ~ Niklaus ~The moment I stepped into the Data Analytics department, Dante Jerome practically jumped out of his chair."Mr. Specter!" His voice came out higher than normal, startled. The surprise was evident in every syllable. "Sir! We weren't expecting you!"He was holding a burger — halfway to his mouth and he immediately set it down on his desk like I'd caught him stealing office supplies instead of eating lunch at 8:30 in the morning. A bit of lettuce fell out and landed on some papers, but he didn't seem to notice.The entire department had gone silent. The usual hum of conversation and clicking keyboards had ceased abruptly, replaced by an almost oppressive quiet. I could feel eyes on me from every cubicle, could sense the shift in atmosphere that always happened when the CEO made an unexpected appearance. Derek was frozen mid-bite of his own burger, his jaw slack. Marcus had emerged from the restroom, looking confused and slightly alarmed, his hand still on the doo

  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 61

    Chapter 61~ Niklaus ~"I'm sorry, I was just..." I trailed off, realizing how ridiculous it would sound to explain to Helen that I'd been distracted by an employee staring at me through the restaurant glass. That said employee had then fled like she'd been caught committing a crime.It wouldn't make sense. So I just stopped talking.Helen was looking at me with those eyes — the same eyes that had once made me lose my train of thought in university seminars. Now they just made me uncomfortable. She was waiting for me to finish the sentence. Waiting for me to say something that would make this easier, that would give her hope, that would validate her decision to come all this way to Kleetford after seven years.But I couldn't give her that.I shifted in my seat, aware of the weight of the silence between us. The coffee in front of me was still steaming, untouched. Helen's hands were now wrapped around her cup as if trying to draw warmth from it, but she hadn't taken a sip either.I too

  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 60

    Chapter 60 ~ Kesley ~The elevator climbed toward the 7th floor, and I stood there clutching the bag of burgers, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.I was panting. Actually panting like I'd just run a marathon instead of speed-walking twenty feet to an elevator.My reflection stared back at me from the polished metal doors. Hair slightly disheveled from where I'd run my hands through it nervously. Cheeks flushed pink. Eyes wide and slightly wild.I looked like a mess.I looked like someone who'd just seen something that hurt them.Which was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.Why did it hurt? Why did seeing Niklaus sitting with that beautiful woman make my chest feel tight and my stomach twist into knots?He wasn't mine. We weren't dating. We weren't anything except two people negotiating a business arrangement that I kept running away from.A business arrangement I hadn't even officially agreed to yet.So why did it feel like betrayal?Because he asked you to marry

  • The Billionaire's Binding Proposal   ~ 59

    Chapter 59 ~ Niklaus ~Helen was still talking, her voice soft and earnest, filled with pain she'd been carrying for seven years."When you left, Klaus, it hurt more than I thought possible." Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "I felt like you'd chosen money and power over me. Over us. Over everything we'd built together."I wanted to argue. To defend myself. To explain that it hadn't been about money—it had been about legacy, responsibility, duty.That leaving her had been one of the hardest decisions I'd ever made.But I stayed quiet, because maybe she was right. Maybe I had chosen those things over her.Maybe that's exactly what I'd done, and no amount of rationalization could change it."That's why I changed my number," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "Why I deleted all my social media. Why I cut you off completely. Not because I didn't care, but because I cared too much. Every time I saw your name on my phone, every time I got a notification, it was like ri

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