The Billionaire's Second Endeavour

JOY I looked at the door with the signboard ‘Bridal Suite’ on it. Usually, I stayed far away from the drama that went on inside, with a bunch of people storming around, pestering the bride and all that. But today was different. The bride behind the door wasn’t just anybody. Taking a deep breath, I twisted the knob with my shaking hands and pushed the door open. The room was large, with comparatively less furniture than I had expected—everything clustered in one corner of the room. Aubrey was standing in front of the mirror and constantly stroking her belly with her hands—something she often did when nervous. There should’ve been hoards of people helping her. But here she was all alone, in the sheath wedding dress that clung to her slender body, skimming down and falling straight to the floor below her hips. “Don’t tell me you need to shit right now.” A smile tugged at her lips as she noticed me. I closed the door behind me while teasing, “Do you know how hard it’ll be to lift your

[FIVE YEARS AGO] VINCE I was eager to get out of the office doors—the white walls and the cream marble floors. So, when my childhood friend offered to take me up for some drinks, I couldn’t say no. "You have no idea what you’ve saved me from," I said as we walked past the massive line outside the club. "Humour me." Cole ran a hand through his coffee-coloured hair. "On second thoughts, please don't. Your job is the very reason I ran from home." "Not everyone's as lucky as you. I had no option," I huffed. Cole shook his head and raised a brow at me. "That's where you're wrong, man. You had a choice. It's your fault you didn't take it. You were too busy mending what your mother left behind." I knew damn well Cole was right. There was always an option. But I was the practical one. No matter which option I would’ve chosen, someone would’ve got hurt. The streets of Paris had something about them I could never understand. I wanted to know why this place was called the city of love, no

JOY   I heard a loud slam of the door and turned to look. It was Vince. His jaw tightened and his eyes focused on mine as he made his way around the car and toward me. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, his hands slipped to the back of my neck and he pulled me toward him, connecting his lips to mine. With his other hand, he gripped my waist to keep our bodies pressed tightly together. I stood still for a fraction of seconds, my mind processing what was happening, but soon after, I complied, allowing our lips to dance in a perfect rhythm. His towering height was making me bend back a little. The kiss was demanding and sensual, enough to ignite a searing feeling down the pit of my stomach. I’d never been kissed this way before—a kiss filled with so much need. So much desire. My entire body hummed with pleasure and my nipples peaked, painfully straining against the fabric of my strapless bra, underneat

JOY I wanted to ask Vince many questions, but yet again, my fear of ruining the moment took the chance away. I gulped, gripped the coffee cup and kept walking through the long pathway that led into the park of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. The place was enormous and crowded with people, clicking pictures of each other and the trees that were aligned by the sidewalk, their long branches providing a perfect shade for the pathway. The sounds of children laughing, birds chirping and people talking were mixing into a rhythmic symphony. I noticed Vince twisting and turning in hesitation, as if he was battling with his own mind. Stop fidgeting and start talking—I felt the inner Aubrey in me scolding me. She was the only one who could push me to do things, no matter how stupid, and sometimes it was definitely worth it. "You eat a lot of sugar," I blurted out in a breath and looked away, cursing myself. I was meaning to say something el

VINCE I didn't want to feel this way. I hated to be so weak. I’d been claustrophobic since childhood. Whenever the fear haunted me, I was alone. Without Mum and Dad to comfort me. My pride hadn't allowed me to seek help from my caretakers, either. I used to cower down and rub my hands on my chest until my breathing returned to normal and the fear faded. I had no idea what caused this fear. Whether it was really a closed room, I feared or the thoughts and nightmares about being alone and left in a room with no escape, I couldn’t understand. When Joy had pressed her delicate hands on my chest, fear was the last thing on my mind. No one had ever made me feel this way. I couldn't push past the reverie of emotions I was feeling after that, so much that I ended up acting upon them. I’d kissed her. And before I knew it, I had unintentionally pulled back, reminding myself that I didn't deserve her. I couldn't even accept the fact th