All Chapters of The Billionaire's Woman: Diane & Luca: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

DianeI woke up to bright light piercing into my eyes through my eyelids. I could hear the beeping of a monitor and the faint murmur of voices, tugging at my consciousness. My body felt very heavy like I was trying to move underwater, and every part of me ached like crazy. I opened my eyes, blinking slowly as I tried to make sense of where I was.“Diane? Diane, can you hear me?”A familiar voice cut through my hazy mind. I turned my head slowly, winging as the movement sent a sharp pain through my skull.There she was. My best friend, Julia, sat beside me, her face filled with a mix of worry and relief.“Julia,” I said, my voice was barely above a whisper and it sounded hoarse. My throat felt drier than sandpaper.“Oh, Thank God.” She leaned forward, wrapping her hand around mine. Her hand was warm and soft as it grounded me in a reality I wasn't sure I was ready to face.I glanced around the room, noticing and taking in the plain white walls and the smell of disinfectant that clung

DianeFIVE YEARS LATERThe AC was blasting fully, but it couldn’t quite ease the nervous heat simmering in my chest. I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom, staring at my reflection. The light cast a soft glow on my golden dress making it shimmer like molten gold as it hugged my curves in all the right places. The soft silk fabric felt smooth against my skin, but my mind was anything but calm.Tonight was the night. My night.I took a shaky breath, smoothing the fabric over my hips as I tried to gather my scattered thoughts. The board had decided months ago, but it was only now, at the charity gala, that the world would know I was officially the new CEO of Hope Horizons—the largest charity organization in the country. It was a dream I had fought tooth and nail for, a culmination of years of hard work, sacrifices, and tears. And yet, my nerves felt as fragile as glass.My hand trembled slightly as I reached for my shoes, a pair of gold stilettos that matched my d

Luca I stood there for a moment, watching the man display his affection towards Diane on the podium—he hugged her, and even offered her a bouquet. My fingers curled tightly around the glass of champagne in my hand, almost cracking the glass as jealousy surged through my veins. I couldn't stand this. I couldn't bear watching another man be with her that way. If only I wasn't stupid enough to let her go, then that would have been me on the podium with her, not another man. Still seething, I turned around, heading back to where I’d left Diego, and I wasn't surprised to see him flirting with a slim lady, who I was certain was a model. I ignored them both, respecting their privacy as I sipped on my drink quietly with thoughts of Diane clouding my mind. I watched her attentively as she gave her speech. I noticed the movement of her body, her hands, and the occasional smiles she threw at the audience. I was mesmerized, and captivated even, by her growth and progress. Although I was

LucaAfter a while, driving at normal speed wasn't doing much to calm the thoughts that swirled in my head. If anything, it only made me more angry at myself and the world at large. My fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard that my knuckles began to turn white from the pressure. The only sound that could be heard in the car was from the engine and the occasional curses I spat at myself under my breath.Five years.Five years of grinding, bleeding, and pushing myself past exhaustion till I finally did what I promised myself.I became a wealthy hotelier. A man of influence and power. My name made it to Forbes Under thirty-five list. I built an empire from the ground up, stacking achievements like bricks until I stood taller than anyone who doubted me. I have obtained everything I wanted and more in half a decade—which is a short period for most people my age, but not for me.I had always laughed whenever I read on blogs that it was either luck, joining some secret organization, or

DianeMy eyes blinked open as the first rays of sunlight flooded into my room. I groaned, rolling to my side and hugging my snow-white pillow as I forced myself to go back to sleep, even though I knew that was impossible.But regardless, I smiled into my pillow, feeling contented and grateful for a new day. Mornings like this were rare and it to last just a moment longer.Being CEO came with a lot of privileges, one of them being that I didn't have to work full day all week, plus I have the most competent PA that I could ever ask for. I would have loved it, more than anything else, if I had woken up later than 6am, but that has never worked for me. Unfortunately, my body wakes up as soon as the sun rises, not minding if I had slept late the previous night or not. And then, there was Anika. My little hurricane of joy needed her mummy to take her to school, but before she came storming into my room, I wanted to enjoy the serenity that the morning brought just a little longer.I closed