Semua Bab THE BILLIONAIRE HEIR: Bab 11 - Bab 20

It was seven in the evening when Duke finally returned, and Selene was practically fuming from hunger. Her arms were crossed, her face set in a deep scowl.“I’m starving to death. I really thought you weren’t coming back. If you plan on keeping me locked up, the least you could’ve done was feed me,” she snapped the moment he entered.“There’s plenty of food in the fridge. You could’ve made yourself a sandwich—or something. You didn’t even bother to eat lunch,” he replied, his tone sharp with irritation.“I would never touch anything that belongs to your woman. Never. I’d rather die of hunger,” she bit back.Duke narrowed his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching, as if he were suppressing a laugh.“Come on, let’s go downstairs. There’s a great restaurant below,” he said, clearly entertained by her indignation.He grabbed her hand and held it as they walked to the elevator. Inside, his arm wrapped around her waist, and he began to trail kisses along the curve of her neck.Oh, Lord. I

As soon as they stepped into the mansion, Duke’s phone rang.“Yes, Ingrid?” Selene heard him say, before he walked a few steps away, lowering his voice so she wouldn’t hear the rest of the conversation.She didn’t need to. She already knew that name.Ingrid. The brunette was always hanging onto his arm as she owned him.Her chest tightened. The irritation boiled in her veins, sharp and unforgiving.Fifteen minutes passed.Then came a knock on her bedroom door.When she opened it, Duke stood there looking completely unaffected. Meanwhile, she was still fuming.“We’ll have lunch,” he said, his voice casual, “Then I need to go back to SGC.”SGC—their corporate headquarters in Subic. Sandoval Group of Companies. Their real estate empire sprawled across malls and hotels in San Narciso, while the Sandoval Hacienda stood proudly in Santa Cruz.She crossed her arms, her brows drawn low.“You’re leaving me here? Alone?” Her voice rose, her anger bleeding through. “No way, Duke. Take me back.

“Come and join me at the pool,” Adeline called out to her the next morning, her voice light and carefree, echoing through the Hacienda’s open patio.Selene turned to look at her. Aside from Rosalia—Duke’s younger cousin who was still a student—Adeline was the only one she saw regularly in the house. Addison and Arrianne were already busy working in different departments of the Sandoval Group of Companies.“I’ll just stay here. I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” Selene replied politely, settling into the woven rattan hanging chair beside the pool, her fingers brushing over the armrest as if grounding herself.“Oh, c’mon. I’ve got tons. I’ll ask Manang to bring some out and you can pick one,” Adeline said, already calling a maid to fetch a few swimsuits from her room.Selene hesitated but eventually gave in—partly because of Adeline’s enthusiasm and partly because, if she was honest, she missed being in the water. The Hacienda’s pool was vast and serene, bordered by palms and fragrant bougain

She watched Duke as he continued swimming laps across the pool.She didn’t know what she was hoping to gain after all this pretending was over. What she did know was that her emotions were slipping—taking over her better judgment when it came to her former lover.When Duke reached her side of the pool, he suddenly pulled her close. Startled, she lost her balance and ended up leaning against his chest. His arm wrapped around her waist as he led them into the deeper part of the water.“You know,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine, “I’ve been dying to dive into this pool this morning… ever since I saw you swimming.”“B-but you left…” she stammered, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.Duke held her tighter, and she felt the heat of his body even in the cool water.“I had to walk away… or I would’ve taken you right here. With you, Adeline, it’s hard to control myself when you’re looking like this. Besides, Aunt Danica was waiting for me at the fields.”His lips br

Selene wore a plain black T-shirt and a pair of white shorts, giving herself a final once-over in the mirror before heading down to the garden where Duke was waiting. There was a lightness in her step, a strange kind of happiness swelling inside her chest because, for once, Duke didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave. Today, she would have him all to herself—or at least, that was what she hoped. As long as Ingrid didn’t call, she could pretend nothing else existed but the two of them.She wanted to believe the awkwardness between them had faded. She wanted to believe they were slowly rebuilding what had once been shattered. If someone were to ask her now, she would choose this quiet, imperfect day with Duke over all the glitz and noise of showbiz.Yes, being an actress was fulfilling, and yes, being adored by thousands came with a unique kind of thrill—but lately, it all just felt… hollow. Like she was a wind-up doll made to smile on cue, cry on demand, be whoever the world wanted her