All Chapters of the billonaires secretary : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

BiancaI woke up to the soft rustle of trees outside the open window, the wind carrying in the scent of pine and ocean air. For a second, I forgot everything until I shifted, and pain pulled at the edge of my ribs.I was alive.And I wasn’t alone.The room was cozy, washed in warm morning light, walls painted a pale moss green. i had never been here before but the scent was very familiar. There was a sleek tray on the side table with water, some pills, and a handwritten note in sharp cursive: Drink. Sleep. Repeat. — E.Massachusetts.That’s where Evelyn said we were going. Said I needed to be far from the noise and eyes of New York. Said I needed to breathe.I agreed.Not because I trusted her completely but because in the moment she pulled me out of hell, she became the only thing that felt solid.Later that afternoon, curled up on the couch in one of Evelyn’s oversized hoodies, I finally called Claire.Her voice broke the second she picked up.“Jesus, B. Where have you been? We’ve b

BiancaIt had been a full week since Evelyn brought me to her Massachusetts house, and somehow, I wasn’t ready to leave. She wasn’t overly nurturing, but she made sure I had everything I needed. Her presence was steady, almost comforting in a quiet way. We didn’t talk much about what happened or even anything, and even then, she kept her conversations respectful, never prodding. We had dinners in her glassy kitchen, watching the sky turn pink behind the trees. I found out she liked honey anr a bit of ginger in her tea and always folded her napkin in half before eating. And she laughed, not often, but when she did it made you want to say something funny just to hear it again. But today, I was heading back to the city. Dean had called that morning to say he’d found a buyer for my old apartment. Apparently, the guy wanted to move in ASAP, which was fine by me. The place never really felt like mine anyway. Dean also told me he had a surprise a new place in Brooklyn. The good side of

BiancaI barely noticed the time. Between back to back emails, a stubborn spreadsheet, and trying to troubleshoot a last minute vendor issue Dean tossed to me with a half apology and a caffeine bribe, the day had slipped through my fingers.It wasn’t until I stretched my neck and saw the golden tint of the setting sun bleeding through the glass windows that I remembered… dinner.Our dinner.The knock was soft. I looked up just in time to see Dean step into my office, his hand running through his hair the way he always did when he was either tired or guilty.“Hey,” he said quietly.I dropped my pen. “Hey. What time is it?”“Almost nine.”My heart sank. “Oh.”He took a step closer. “Bianca… I cancelled the reservation.”I blinked. “Oh.”“I didn’t want to rush it,” he said, eyes on mine. “Not after the kind of day we’ve had. You look exhausted.”I opened my mouth, then closed it again. It wasn’t what I expected him to say. And it wasn’t like I didn’t feel the weight of the day pressing b

BiancaDean drove me home in the early hours of the morning. The streets were quiet, and the air had that cold, still feeling that only came right before sunrise. I didn’t say much. I didn’t need to. He kept his hand on the steering wheel and stole glances at me like he was trying to figure out how to keep me from breaking again.I had told him everything last night. The parts I hadn’t even admitted to myself out loud before. And still, he looked at me like I was worth saving.Like I wasn’t the broken thing my mother and stepdad raised me to be.By the time we pulled up to my building, I was exhausted but too wired to sleep. Dean reached over, touched my hand softly, and just said, “If you need anything West I'm only a text away.”I nodded, stepped out of the car, and let the door shut behind me.My mom and Lily were still in the same postion as I left when I got in. My mom’s shoes were still by the door. Both of them were still asleep. Like the world hadn’t cracked open just a few ho

BiancaThe city still looked the same when we got back. Same buildings. Same streets. Same too bright lights. But I felt different. Hollowed out and full all at once. The office was quieter too, or maybe that was just me. I did my work. Smiled when necessary. Laughed in all the right places during meetings. But there was a slight tremor in me now, like my body couldn’t quite catch up to my mind. I caught myself tapping my pen against my notebook more than usual. Chewing my bottom lip. Zoning out while staring at Excel sheets that used to come easy. Dean noticed. Of course he did. I felt his eyes on me during meetings. During breaks. During those quiet in between moments where we didn’t speak but hovered near each other like gravity was involved. Still, he didn’t say anything. Not right away. And I was grateful. I didn’t want words. I wanted space. By the time Friday rolled around, I was surviving but barely. The office buzzed with end of week relief, but I was just trying not to f