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Chapter 33: Shattered Rhythm

Author: Clare Cathy
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-12-06 20:55:22

One week.

Seven nights of glitter, music, and dim lights. Of fake smiles and heavy trays. Of short catnaps in the morning and a body that never quite felt rested.

This had become Lucia’s routine.

She’d wake up late in the afternoon, drink two cups of coffee with no sugar, pull her hair into a messy bun, and head back to work as the sun dipped behind Valemont’s skyline. The rhythm was mechanical now. Auto-pilot. Wake, walk, serve, smile, sleep. Repeat.

The downtown lounge was decent enough. High-end in its own way. Chic lighting, velvet seats, and just enough class to draw the attention of the nouveau riche—those with money, but not quite taste. Flashy watches. Loud laughter. Tips that were generous if you played your cards right.

But it was nothing like Ember Lounge.

That place had been elite—quiet, refined, dripping with old money and restraint. A place where men arrived in tailored suits and women sipped martinis without staining their lipstick. Here… it was a touch louder. Less cu
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  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 38 : Back Here Again

    The ride to Adrian’s estate was painfully silent. Lucia sat beside the window in the backseat, arms folded, eyes fixed on the passing scenery, though she saw none of it. Her heart still thudded in the echo of her reluctant words: “I’ll go with you.” They hadn’t even made it to the elevator before the nurses returned with a wheelchair—which Adrian insisted on, despite her protests. He didn’t push it himself. Of course not. One of his guards did, while he walked a few paces behind them, silent, brooding, and calm in a way that irritated her. Mia and Sarah had trailed behind, unsure whether to look angry or worried. Their goodbyes at the hospital entrance had been quiet, awkward. Mia clung to her hand a second longer, whispering, “Call us the moment you’re settled. We’ll come with knives if we have to.” Lucia managed a dry smile. “Please don’t. He’ll sue you for breathing.” Adrian didn’t comment.

  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 37: Caught in the Net

    Adrian finally returned to work. He wasn’t thrilled about it, but he had to sort a few things out, attend to some unavoidable meetings, and he had to make up for suddenly disappearing during an important meeting . Still, his mind had stayed behind—right there in that VIP hospital suite with her. So he left strict instructions with the bodyguards stationed outside her room. They were to ensure Lucia had everything she needed and report any unusual movement, even a whisper out of place. Over the next 32 hours, Mia and Sarah never left Lucia’s side. Not once. Even after Lucia had begged them to go home, at least to rest a little, they refused. Sarah only left once—to bring back food from her house along with soft flannel pajamas and a tote of essentials. Together, the three girls turned the sterile hospital room into their version of a sleepover. There were no movies or snacks, but there was laughter. Comfort. A strange sense of safety Lucia

  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 36: Unspoken Realization

    There was silence in the private hospital room—a thick, padded kind of quiet that seemed to absorb all her thoughts. Now that Adrian had stopped teasing her and her heartbeat wasn’t trying to leap into her throat anymore, Lucia had a moment to look around. The polished, high ceilings. The sleek monitor humming softly. The soft, white linens that felt like they belonged in a five-star hotel rather than a hospital. The large TV screen on the wall. The touch-screen remote for adjusting her bed. Everything screamed VIP. And all Lucia could think was: Debit. Debit. Debit. She began sweating instantly, despite the cool air conditioning. How much would all this cost? Were the walls air-conditioned too? Maybe even the water? Would they bill her for breathing this expensive air? Debit alert. Debit alert. She was practically drowning in the mental flood of imaginary messages from her bank. Her panicked thoughts were interrupted as th

  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 35: Blurred Edges, Teasing Moments

    The whiteness pierced first. Then came the sterile scent—antiseptic and cold. Lucia’s lashes trembled against the sharp lighting as she tried to peel open her eyes. Everything felt heavy. Her throat was dry, her body sore, her mind disoriented. “Mia…” she croaked, barely more than a whisper. Her hand fumbled weakly to the side, searching the air in blind desperation for the small, familiar warmth of her best friend’s touch. But instead of Mia’s small, soft hand, her fingers were swallowed by something larger. Warmer. Smooth, but calloused. Masculine. Her brows furrowed slowly, her head dragging itself over the pillow to face the direction of the touch. Adrian. Her dry lips parted slightly, breath catching in her throat at the sight of him—rumpled and unshaven, his white shirt half-unbuttoned, eyes sharp with fatigue but sharper with something else. Relief? “W-Where’s Mia?” she ma

  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 34: Shattered Rhythm (2)

    Adrian didn’t wait. The moment he saw her on the floor—still, crumpled, her towel askew and blood darkening her temple—his chest clenched with something brutal and terrifying. “Lucia,” he breathed, voice sharp with panic. Her skin was cold to the touch. Her lips slightly parted, her breath coming in tiny, uneven gasps like each inhale was a war she was losing. He knelt beside her, brushing her damp hair back with trembling fingers. His tailored suit was getting wet, the blood beginning to soak into his white shirt. But he didn’t care. “Alex!” he thundered. His voice echoed like a storm through the hallway. Luckily,the whole school save for a few students were on holiday else this would have blown up. Alex was at the door seconds later. His face paled the moment he saw Lucia. “Don’t just stand there!” Adrian growled. “Open the car—now!” “Yes, sir!” Adrian didn’t wait. He slip

  • The Billionaire's Distraction    Chapter 33: Shattered Rhythm

    One week.Seven nights of glitter, music, and dim lights. Of fake smiles and heavy trays. Of short catnaps in the morning and a body that never quite felt rested.This had become Lucia’s routine.She’d wake up late in the afternoon, drink two cups of coffee with no sugar, pull her hair into a messy bun, and head back to work as the sun dipped behind Valemont’s skyline. The rhythm was mechanical now. Auto-pilot. Wake, walk, serve, smile, sleep. Repeat.The downtown lounge was decent enough. High-end in its own way. Chic lighting, velvet seats, and just enough class to draw the attention of the nouveau riche—those with money, but not quite taste. Flashy watches. Loud laughter. Tips that were generous if you played your cards right.But it was nothing like Ember Lounge.That place had been elite—quiet, refined, dripping with old money and restraint. A place where men arrived in tailored suits and women sipped martinis without staining their lipstick. Here… it was a touch louder. Less cu

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