All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE SECRET TWIN HEIR : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The first day of the official merger felt like walking into a lion's den wearing meat-scented perfume. My heels clicked against the marble lobby of Halgate Tower, each step echoing my heartbeat. Employees from both companies lined the atrium—Michael's team on one side, mine on the other—like opposing armies at a truce signing.Nobody seemed to know where to look. Or maybe they were all looking too much."You ready for this?" Michael asked quietly, his hand hovering near the small of my back but not quite touching me.I smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from my navy power suit. "I've been preparing for eight years."Not for this exact scenario, of course. When I'd built my company from nothing, I never imagined standing here as a partner rather than a conqueror. The irony wasn't lost on me.Tina approached, tablet in hand, her usual calm facade slightly cracked around the edges. "The boardroom is set up, and people are... mingling.""By 'mingling,' you mean sizing each other up like heavyw

The twins' bedroom door clicked shut as I tucked the last blanket around Austin's shoulders. His breathing had already deepened into sleep, exhausted from our day of snorkeling along the reef. Alex had crashed twenty minutes earlier, mid-sentence about the sea turtle we'd spotted.I lingered in the hallway, suddenly aware of the quiet house and what it meant—Aria and I, alone, with no business calls, no lawyers, no past hovering between us like a specter. Just us and the endless Caribbean night.The sliding door to the deck stood partially open, and through the gap, I caught sight of her. Silhouetted against the moonlight, Aria stood at the railing, her hair lifted by the breeze. She'd changed into a simple white sundress that glowed almost blue in the darkness.My throat tightened. How many nights had I dreamed of her like this? Standing at the edge of something vast and unknowable, somehow both fragile and indestructible at once.I stepped onto the deck, my bare feet silent against

"Morning, beautiful."Michael's voice pulled me from sleep, husky and warm near my ear. I blinked against the sunlight streaming through the beach house windows, momentarily disoriented before the memories of last night flooded back. His hands on my skin. My name on his lips. The way we'd fallen back into each other as if eight years hadn't stretched between us like an ocean.I turned to find him propped on one elbow, watching me with those eyes that still made my stomach flip. He'd aged well—better than well. The silver threading his temples only made him look more distinguished, more powerful. The billionaire CEO look suited him."How long have you been awake?" I asked, self-consciously tugging the sheet higher.His fingers caught mine, stopping me. "Long enough to remember why waking up next to you was always my favorite part of the day."Heat crawled up my neck. "Smooth talker.""I mean it." His expression turned serious. "I've missed this. Missed you."The sincerity in his voice

The gardens looked magical at dusk. I'd always loved this place—the winding paths, the hidden alcoves, the scent of jasmine and night-blooming cereus hanging heavy in the air. This was where Michael had first asked me to dinner, nervously stammering through a request that made the powerful CEO seem endearingly human.Now I walked these same paths with purpose, my heart hammering against my ribs. Michael waited by the stone fountain, just as we'd arranged. He stood with his back to me, shoulders tense beneath his tailored jacket. Even from behind, I could read his anxiety in the set of his spine, the way he kept checking his watch.For a moment, I allowed myself to simply look at him. The fading sunlight caught in his dark hair, highlighting the threads of silver at his temples that hadn't been there before. New lines marked the corners of his eyes when he turned—lines of worry, of regret, perhaps of wisdom."Aria." My name on his lips still carried that same reverence it always had.

I barked out a laugh. "Already handled. Tina's sister is the best family lawyer in three states."Sam raised her cup in a toast. "That's my girl."As we clinked our cups together, my phone buzzed. A text from Michael: *Meeting with the wedding planner at 3. Austin says no bow ties. Alex insists on bow ties. Send help.*A warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the coffee. I showed Sam the message.She read it and looked up at me. "So this is really happening."I nodded, the certainty I'd felt when accepting his proposal returning. "It really is.""Then I guess I better start shopping for a maid of honor dress." She sighed dramatically, but her smile was genuine. "Who else is going to make sure you don't fall for any Walton tricks on your wedding day?"The question was meant as a joke, but as I looked down at the engagement ring sparkling on my finger, I couldn't help wondering: was I making the biggest mistake of my life, or finally claiming the happiness I deserved