One Night Stand with the Secret Billionaire のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 121 - チャプター 130

The morning sun bled through the floor to ceiling windows of the penthouse, but the light brought no warmth. Lucas had not slept. He sat at the center of a web of monitors, his eyes tracing the fluctuations of the global market. The Jameson Trust had acknowledged his bid. The silence that followed was heavy. To the Jamesons, a billion dollars was a piece of cake. They did not care about the money as much as they cared about who would stop the noise and bring stability back to the Yates name.“The Sterlings are moving,” James said. He stepped into the study with a fresh tablet. “Lord Sterling is liquidating his European accounts to buy those shares. He is trying to swallow the Yates name whole before the weekend.”Lucas did not blink. “He is fighting with old money. I am fighting with the future. Tell Harry Maxim to prepare the second wire transfer. We are going over the Sterling bid by five percent every time they move.”While Lucas was locked in the digital trenches, Selene was in t

The heavy doors of the study closed with a soft thud. The blue light of the monitors finally faded behind them. For the first time in days, the air felt light. Lucas did not let go of Selene’s hand. He led her down the long hallway of the penthouse. The soft carpet muffled their footsteps. The city lights outside the windows were like a million diamonds scattered on black velvet.When they reached the bedroom, Lucas turned to her. He didn’t say anything at first. He just looked at her. He took in the way the dim yellow light of the bedside lamps touched her hair. He saw the tired but happy glow in her hazel eyes. He reached out and traced the line of her jaw with his thumb. His touch was slow and lingering. It was as if he was making sure she was really there.Selene leaned into his palm. She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. In this moment, the weight of the world felt far away. The boardroom, the shares, and the billions of dollars did not matter. Only the warmth of his ski

The soft vibration of an iPhone on the nightstand was the first sound to break the morning silence. Lucas reached out and tapped the screen with his eyes still half closed. A notification was glowing in the dark room. It was the location for the meeting with the Maxims."Domino’s Pizza?" Lucas muttered. A small smile played on his lips.It was a classic move by Harry Maxim. In a world where every billionaire met in private clubs or high end hotels, Harry often chose the most normal and public places to discuss the biggest deals. It was his way of staying hidden in plain sight. No reporter would expect a thirty billion dollar decision to be made over a pepperoni pizza in a California eatery.Selene stirred beside him. Her hair was fanned across the pillow."Is it time?" she asked softly."It is time," Lucas said as he sat up. "The Maxims are ready to reveal their choice."Selene got out of bed and walked over to the closet. She did not say much but her movements were full of care. She

Clothes and hangers were scattered all over the bedroom. Three women from a fancy shop moved around Selene with quick, steady hands. One tucked a loose hair behind her ear while another pulled the zipper up the back of her emerald dress. The silk was freezing against her skin. It felt heavy and made her realize just how much money was hanging off her body. She looked at her hands. Her nails were clean and shiny. She smelled like expensive perfume and clean skin.She looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the girl staring back. The dress made her look taller and a lot more dangerous than she felt. She kept thinking about that email. Director. It was a big word for a girl who used to count pennies for bus fare. Her stomach felt like it was full of dry leaves when she thought about Sarah. Her stepmother was a liar and a snake. Even though she knew Jason was safe in a private hospital, the memory of Sarah’s voice made the hair on her arms stand up.Lucas was waiting for her in the lobb

He was walking toward the door, his hand firmly on Selene’s waist. He looked powerful and calm. He didn't look like a man in a scandal. He looked like a man who had everything he wanted. And Selene was right beside him, looking more beautiful and more expensive than Ophelia had ever seen her.The shock on Ophelia's face was so sharp it looked like physical pain. Her body went tense. She gripped the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white. She felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Her fantasy about the man sitting across from her shattered into a million pieces. The real thing was right there, and he wasn't looking at her.Leonard turned around to see what she was staring at. His face went dark when he saw Lucas. He started to stand up, his mouth opening to say something, but he stopped.Lucas and Selene kept their pace steady. They moved past the table with a cold, quiet indifference that was more cutting than any insult. They walked as if the space where the