THE BILLIONAIRE’S EXCHANGED BRIDE

Ariana ~

The heavy oak door clicked shut, locking my mother's near-disaster out in the hallway.

I let out a long breath, my legs shaking as I walked toward the bed. But before I could sit, heavy footsteps stopped me.

Ethan walked straight past me toward the walk-in closet. A moment later, he came back holding several luxury shopping bags tied with satin ribbons. He set them down on the velvet bench at the foot of the bed.

"What is all this?" I asked, keeping my distance.

Ethan turned to me, his dark eyes calm. "An apology. For earlier. I shouldn't have interrogated you in the foyer."

I blinked in shock. Ethan Vance was apologizing?

He reached into the first bag and pulled out a rare bottle of French perfume, setting it on the dresser. Then he opened a velvet case to reveal a flawless diamond tennis bracelet.

"And since you canceled your boutique trip today," Ethan continued softly, "I had my personal shoppers bring these to you."

He reached into the last bag and pulled out a stunning, deep-emerald lace lingerie set.

My breath caught.

He genuinely believed I had just skipped shopping. Instead of punishing me, he had quietly spoiled me with expensive gifts. The sheer weight of his devotion hit me hard.

"Ethan, you didn't have to do this," I whispered.

"I wanted to," he said.

He closed the distance between us in two strides. His warm hand cupped my jaw, his thumb brushing right over my racing pulse.

My heart hammered against my ribs. Not from fear this time—and that terrified me.

"Your heart is racing," Ethan murmured, a dark smirk touching his lips as he felt my pulse beat against his thumb. He leaned down, brushing his lips against the sensitive skin just below my ear. "Is it because you're still mad... or because you like what I got you?"

"I'm just overwhelmed," I breathed, my fingers grabbing his shirt as he pressed me gently back against the mattress.

"Good," Ethan whispered, his voice dropping low. "Because I'm done being patient for today. Come here."

☆

Third person pov

Miles away, inside the sterile corporate office of Vance Global Logistics, senior executive Marcus leaned back in his leather chair, tossing a stack of shipment manifests onto the mahogany desk.

Across from him, Julian paced frantically near the floor-to-ceiling windows, running a hand through his messy hair for the hundredth time that evening.

"I'm telling you, Marcus, it's falling apart," Julian snapped, his voice tight with panic. "Her mother showed up at the estate today. If Margaret opened her mouth and let slip that Ariana isn't Aria, Vaughn is going to execute everyone involved before the sun comes up."

Marcus sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave his friend a cold, pragmatic look. "Relax. Margaret Vance is too selfish to blow her own cover. She cares more about her husband's bank accounts than saving her daughter. If she caused a scene, she patched it up fast enough to keep the billionaire from turning her into dust."

"You don't know Vaughn," Julian shot back, his jaw working furiously as he stared out at the glittering Manhattan skyline. "He doesn't miss a thing. If he even suspects she's lying, he's going to tear that mansion apart—and Ariana is right in the crosshairs."

"Then pray she's smarter than you are," Marcus muttered, picking up his pen.