All Chapters of Protecting the Billionaire’s Daughter: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

86 Chapters

The Day He Played Good Husband

Aria’s POVCarl was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.That was the first sign something was wrong — Carl Sterling didn’t wait for anyone. People waited for him. People adjusted for him. People scattered when they heard his footsteps.But there he was, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed, smiling like a man who had no reason to question anything.A performance.Or a threat wrapped in silk.“Good morning, darling,” he said, voice smooth enough to cut glass. “Get dressed. You’re coming to the office with me today.”I blinked, stunned. “The office?”“Yes.” His smile didn’t falter. “I want to show you where I spend my days. Give you a sense of the empire you’ll be tied to. Especially now that we’re considering an heir.”The word lodged itself in my throat.I managed a nod. “Of course.”He stepped closer — too close — fixing the collar of my robe with a gentleness so deliberate it felt like mockery.“Oh, and one more thing,” he murmured. “Damon will drive us.”My stomach dropped.

Last Updated : 2025-11-20

Oh No!

Aria’s POVThe mansion was dark when we returned, quiet except for the soft echo of our footsteps on marble. I expected to go straight to the bedroom, maybe shower, maybe pretend to sleep beside a man I barely understood.But as we reached the hallway, the maid — Lina appeared out of nowhere.“Madam,” she said gently, “there’s something you should see.”Something in her tone made my pulse jump.I followed her down the corridor, toward one of the guest rooms — one I never used. She opened the door, and I froze on the threshold.The room wasn’t a room anymore.It was a boutique.A full-blown luxury boutique.Designer bags — Fendi, Dior, Chanel — lined up on shelves.Wigs in every style and length arranged like they were in a showroom.Shoes, silk dresses, perfumes, jewelry, cosmetics I’d only ever seen online.And on the bed — dozens of gift boxes wrapped with black bows.I stepped in slowly, stunned. “Lina… who did all this?”She clasped her hands. “Mr. Sterling, ma’am.”My breath shoo

Last Updated : 2025-11-20

Caught in the Act

Our lips were flames under silk shadows, burning wildly but with restraint. His hand—warm, strong—pressed against my back, pulling me in closer. My entire body trembled, alive and trembling with a need I had tried so hard to hide.Carl’s mouth moved against mine, slow, almost reverent at first—but his urgency grew. It was a man rediscovering me as more than a wife, more than a trophy; as someone he wanted. Something in his eyes flickered with confusion, longing, and a shadow of regret.I parted from him for a breath, chest heaving. “Carl…” I whispered, words thick with emotion.He didn’t answer. He dipped his head and kissed me again, harder, deeper. His hand twisted in my hair, the fingers tight, careful. My hands fell to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart through the fabric of his shirt.There was no rush. No sound except our breathing. In that moment, I forgot about the empire, the lies, the power struggles. I forgot about Damon, about secrets, about betrayal. All that

Last Updated : 2025-11-20

Drama, Desire, and a Twisted Ankle

Carl didn’t even look back as he rushed down the steps to meet his mother. She was already waving her arms like a hurricane, calling his name as if the world depended on it. Damon lingered by the door, still frozen in place, his expression dumbstruck. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him standing there.I adjusted my silk robe, the fabric sliding softly over my skin. My hand lingered at the sash for a moment longer than necessary, and I felt Damon’s gaze burn into my back as I passed him. Our eyes met briefly — sharp, electric — but neither of us spoke. I could feel the weight of everything unsaid pressing between us, a storm waiting to break.“Quickly, get in!” Carl’s mother commanded as we approached the car. Her voice carried the kind of urgency reserved for disasters that were actually minor. “My ankle, it’s a tragedy! You’ll see! The swelling alone! Oh, why did I even try these shoes?”Damon’s jaw flexed, and I caught the way his hand tightened over the steering wheel. He

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

Between Want and Fear

I couldn’t breathe when we got home.The entire ride back from the hospital left my nerves twisted so tightly I thought they’d snap. Carl’s mother talked nonstop about her ankle—how it “nearly fell off” and how the doctor “clearly didn’t know brilliance when he saw her”—but all I heard was Damon’s words echoing inside me.You belong to me.I replayed it again and again as we stepped into the mansion. Carl walked his mother to her room, fussing, and Damon disappeared down the hall like a shadow cutting itself away from light.And me?I stood in the middle of the living room, frozen, shaking, because I had no idea what to do.If I didn’t go to Damon tonight… God knows what he might do. What he might say. Who he might say it to.But at the same time…A part of me—one I pretended didn’t exist—wanted to walk into Carl’s room instead. To feel the warmth of his hands, the confusion in his breath, the sincerity in the way he kissed me earlier. There was something soft about him now, something

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

His Fire, Her Betrayal

Damon’s POVI knew the second I opened that door that something was wrong.I’d knocked, called Carl’s name, even said it was an emergency, but the silence on the other side of that office door was strange—thick, loaded, suspicious. I didn’t expect to walk in on anything. I didn’t expect to see what I saw.I didn’t expect to see her like that.Aria.Pressed against Carl.His mouth on hers.Her robe half open.His hand gripping her ass like it belonged to him.For a split second, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. The world went silent, even though I knew I’d just barged in. It went dark, even though the lights were on.All I saw was them.His hand.Her lips.Their bodies too close for innocence.My chest twisted so hard it felt like something snapped.Then Aria’s eyes lifted and met mine.She froze. Carl froze.And I—I died a little.I didn’t wait for an explanation. I didn’t want one. Carl brushed past me instantly to get to his mother—of course he did, because she was apparently “

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

The Proposition

Aria’s POVI had barely finished brushing my hair when I sensed someone behind me.“I’d like a word with you, Aria.”My heart nearly jumped out of my body.Carl’s mother stood in the doorway, dressed in a silk robe, arms folded gracefully, her expression calm… too calm. The type of calm that meant someone was about to ruin your entire peace with a single sentence.I swallowed. “Of course, ma’am.”She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her with a soft click that somehow felt like a gunshot.“I’ll get straight to it,” she said, walking toward me. “I saw you leave your room the other night.”My blood froze.“I saw you leave to meet Damon.”……No air. No movement. No life.“And I don’t judge you for it,” she continued smoothly, adjusting her robe like she was preparing for a tea party conversation instead of the verbal grenade she’d just dropped. “Damon is… attractive.”She actually sighed. A soft, knowing, feminine sigh.I blinked, confused and embarrassed and horrified all at once

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

The Pregnancy

Aria’s POVDinner had barely started when a wave of dizziness swept over me. I set down my fork, trying to steady myself, but the room seemed to tilt. The crystal glasses glimmered and blurred; the candlelight danced like flames on water.“Aria?” Carl’s voice, soft but laced with concern, cut through the haze. His hand grazed mine, gentle, grounding. “Are you alright?”“I… I think I need some air,” I whispered, but my words were swallowed by the spinning room. My knees buckled, and I felt myself falling.Carl’s reflexes were faster than my senses could register. He caught me before I hit the floor, his arms steady, eyes wide with alarm. “Aria!”“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, embarrassed and weak. I tried to compose myself, but my body betrayed me. Before I could even protest, I blacked out.The next thing I knew, Carl’s concerned face was hovering over me. The maids had rushed in, and someone—Carl, I assumed—was calling for a doctor. My pulse raced, but not from the fainting.

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

The Night I Let Myself Feel

Aria’s POVCarl had been acting strange all day—sweet, attentive, almost… excited. I didn’t understand why until he appeared in the doorway of my room, smiling like he was hiding something behind his back.“Aria,” he said softly, “get dressed. Nothing too fancy. I’m taking you somewhere.”I blinked. “Somewhere… where?”“You’ll see.”He winked and disappeared before I could protest.Thirty minutes later, when he led me outside, I actually froze.He’d turned the small back garden into something out of a romantic movie—golden fairy lights strung above, a table set for two, candles flickering in the warm evening breeze, soft music playing somewhere in the background.“Carl…” I whispered, breath catching. “You did all this?”“For us,” he said simply.Not “for you.”For us.My heart did something strange in my chest—like it skipped and doubled back.He pulled out my chair for me with a soft smile. “I wanted to do something special. You deserve that. And more.”The warmth in his voice made m

Last Updated : 2025-11-21

Flirting Here and There

Aria's POVI didn't wake up in a panic.I didn't wake up confused.And I didn't wake up regretting a single thing.The first thing I felt was warmth-a gentle, steady kind, the kind that made my heart melt before my eyes even opened. Carl's arm was wrapped securely around my waist, his chest pressed against my back, his breath brushing the crook of my neck like a soft whisper.For a few seconds, I just lay there, soaking it in, feeling wanted, cherished, safe.His hand splayed protectively over my stomach, and the memory of his lips trailing kisses there last night made a blush rise up my cheeks.God.I actually liked everything that happened.No-liked was too small a word. I loved it. The gentleness. The way he made me feel beautiful without trying. The care in his hands. The way he whispered my name like it meant something.I turned slightly, and his grip tightened like his body sensed the movement even in sleep. His face was relaxed, peaceful, lips parted, hair messy against the pil

Last Updated : 2025-11-26

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