Lahat ng Kabanata ng Billionaire's Choice: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

Aria’s POV The first thing I became aware of was warmth. The sheets were soft, the air cool against my skin, but it was the lingering heat on the pillow beside me that made my heart clench. My fingers brushed over the space where Gabriel had been, but it was empty now, and cold. How long had I been asleep? The last thing I remembered was his arms around me, his body against mine, the deep rumble of his voice before I drifted off. Now, he was gone. Something in my chest tightened. But then my eyes caught on a folded piece of paper sitting on the pillow where his head had been. I pushed myself up, sore in a way that made my face heat, and reached for it. Aria, Didn’t want to wake you. You needed the rest. I had to step out for a while, but I’ll be back. Text or call me when you’re up. If you need anything, there are guards outside. But you’re safe here. Sleep a little longer. Eat something. And if you miss me… just know I miss you more. —G I stared at the

Gabriel’s POVThe second the doctor stepped inside, I was on him. “Fix her.” The words came out like a threat. Because they were. He barely had time to kneel beside her before I was crouching next to him, watching his every fucking move. His hands pressed against her throat, checking her pulse. He peeled back her eyelids, his face unreadable. The stethoscope came next. Each second that passed felt like a blade against my throat. “Why the fuck isn’t she waking up?” My voice was sharp. Too sharp. But I didn’t give a damn. The doctor looked at me. “She’s alive, but her condition is critical.” I held onto that word. Alive. Barely. “She needs proper medical equipment. A hospital.” “No.” The word was automatic. Final. A hospital meant attention. Questions. Cameras. I wasn’t about to let the entire fucking world speculate over Aria’s unconscious body. The doctor didn’t look surprised. “If she doesn’t get professional care, she might not make it.” I stilled. The air in the room chan

Aria’s POV It had been weeks since the hospital. Weeks since I opened my eyes to find Gabriel staring at me like he had been holding his breath for days. Since then, everything had changed. He had been there for me—every single day. I didn’t have to ask. I didn’t have to reach for him. He was just there. Always watching, always making sure I was okay. I had never seen this side of him before. Not like this. At first, I thought maybe it was just guilt. Maybe he felt responsible for what had happened. But guilt didn’t explain the way he looked at me now. Or how he touched me—soft, careful, like I was something fragile. Something his. We had gone back to the office a few times, but mostly, we worked from home. It felt… intimate. The space we shared, the moments in between. He made sure I ate. He made sure I rested. He made sure I knew—without saying a single word—that I wasn’t alone. And somehow, somewhere between all of it, I fell in love with him. I wasn’t even sure when it happe

Gabriel’s POV Her breathing was still uneven, her body still warm beneath mine, the aftermath of what we’d just done lingering in the air like a secret. I should’ve moved first. I should’ve given her space—helped her straighten up, helped her fix herself. But I didn’t. I stayed. My hands flattened against the desk on either side of her, caging her in even though the moment was already over. My chest was still pressed against her back, my heartbeat still heavy against her skin. I wanted to stay inside her. Hell, I wanted to ruin her for the rest of the day. But I felt her shift, her breath steadying, the way her fingers slowly reached for the fabric of her dress, pulling it down to cover herself. It was the only signal I needed. Reluctantly, I pulled back. Just enough. Just to let her stand, to give her room to fix her dress properly, to smooth down her hair. And then, as she straightened, I saw it. The way her brows knit together for a fraction of a second. The hesitation.

The call came late at night. Gabriel had just stepped out of the shower when his phone rang, and the moment he answered, I knew. I saw it in his eyes. How the color drained from his face, how his grip tightened around the device as if holding onto it could somehow change what he was hearing.His grandmother was gone.He didn’t say a word. Just stood there, towel slung low on his hips, water still dripping from his hair. I barely had time to react before he turned on his heel and left the room, walking out as if the walls were caving in on him.I followed him to the balcony, where he stood, hands braced against the railing, head bowed. The city lights stretched endlessly before us, but I knew he wasn’t seeing any of it. His shoulders were trembling slightly, his breath uneven. Gabriel never let his guard down—not in public, not in private. But in that moment, I saw the cracks in the armor.“Gabriel…” I whispered, stepping closer.He didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge me at first. Then, af