Lahat ng Kabanata ng BILLIONAIRES: Father or Son: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

ALEX’S POV I crossed a line I never should have crossed with Flora, and now I wasn’t sure if I could come back from it. After finding out Flora was married to my son, Jayden, I told myself she was strictly off-limits. But here I was, barely two weeks into trying to keep things professional, and I went ahead and ruined it all last night with one kiss. My original plan was to get Flora and Jayden back together. I had convinced myself it was the right thing to do. The position of my assistant was so that I would always be reminded that things needed to remain professional between us. Also, it was part of the plan to always get her to “bump into” Jayden—maybe rekindle whatever they had. She would accompany me everywhere—business trips, seminars, galas, socialite parties, and all the rest of those high-class events. I knew Jayden and Lisette would be at those same events. We always bumped into each other at those events, although we stayed clear of each other’s paths. I figured if Flo

MELISSA’S POV I sat on the bed, tears silently rolling down my cheeks, my head bowed like a child caught breaking a precious vase. And just like a child, I was being scolded—but for something far worse than a clumsy mistake. My father was standing before me, and I could practically feel his anger radiating off him like heat from a furnace. He had always been disappointed in me, and, once again, I was proving him right. “I’m so disappointed,” he bit out, his voice like a whip. “You had one job, Melissa. Just one!” His words were sharp enough to cut glass. “But what did you do? You messed it up again, as you always do.” “I’m sorry,” I muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear. “Sorry? Is ‘sorry’ going to fix this?” He gestured toward my stomach, where the weight of my effort rested. "Is that going to take out that child from your womb? You couldn’t even keep him with a pregnancy, and now, you’re hiding in this hotel like a coward!” “I tried!” My voice cracked, desperate. “Bu

FLORA’S POV "Are you okay?" Alex’s voice pulled me back, gentle and with an edge of concern. I forced a smile, swallowing hard. "Ye… yes, I’m fine," I managed, though my voice betrayed me, trembling slightly. Before I knew it, I had downed the rest of my wine. I caught Alex glancing behind him. I didn't look up to know who it was—Jayden and Melissa were making their way toward us. My heart pounded like it was trying to escape my chest. Please, don’t let Jayden ruin this night. I focused on the champagne bottle, keeping my eyes fixed, hoping they would pass by without stopping. And they did. Jayden and Melissa walked right by, not sparing me even a glance, as if I were a stranger, taking their seats two tables away. I breathed a sigh of relief, releasing the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. When I looked at Alex, he was watching me carefully, eyes narrowed like he could see through every last defense I had put up. “You seem tense, Ms. Roberts. Are you sure you’re alrig

ALEX’S POV We were both silent for a while as we got into my car. Flora looked down at her fingers. I knew she was fighting to keep the tears in check, which made me want to hold her and tell her it was alright to let go. Instead, I reached for a handkerchief in the glove compartment and handed it to her quietly. She took it and gave me a grateful look. “Thank you,” she murmured, dabbing at her eyes carefully. I was grateful that I had given Homer the evening off and had driven to Le Jardin myself because of this situation. Now, driving us both home, I would have ample time to think—and unfortunately, all I could think about was what a mess I had created. I deserved a slap on the face for causing her such sadness and embarrassment. I now realized that my whole plan of reuniting Flora with Jayden was not only stupid but impossible, and sitting here with her beside me, I saw how deeply I had miscalculated. I had heard everything Jayden and Flora said in the restroom, and I coul

FLORA’S POV I sat there frozen as Alex and Sasha made their way into the living room. My mother’s gaze darted between Alex and me, her eyes wide and questioning. “Isn’t that Alexander Bennett?” she mouthed, her face clouded with disbelief and curiosity. Before I could even react, Alex was at the table, flashing that million-dollar smile that had my heart stumbling over itself. “Hi,” he said, locking eyes with me in a way that was way too casual for the way he was looking at me. My heart raced, but I managed to snap out of my daze, getting up from my seat. I couldn’t believe he had come all the way here for my birthday. I didn’t know that whatever we had had progressed to this. Sasha took the gift boxes from him and dropped them on the couch, while he extended the bouquet of flowers toward me. “Happy birthday,” he said softly, still smiling, his gaze unwavering. I took the flowers, feeling a little lost for words. Alex looked polished, as always, but there was something abou