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Accueil / Romance / The Billionaire's Binding Proposal / Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

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~ 31

Chapter 31 ~ Niklaus ~I watched her squirm in her seat, her eyes darting everywhere except at my face, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.She was trying to find words. Any words. Some explanation for why comparing me to a small African rodent had seemed like a reasonable course of action.But there were no words that could make this better. No explanation that would undo the humiliation I'd suffered."I could sue you," I said calmly, watching her face pale even further. "For fraud. For defamation. For intentional infliction of emotional distress.""What? You can't…""Can't I? You took money to impersonate someone else and deceive me. That's fraud. Clear-cut, textbook fraud." I ticked off the charges on my fingers, each one landing like a blow. "You called me ugly and compared me to an animal. That's defamation of character. And you did it all deliberately, knowing it would cause harm." I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "I have excellent lawyers. The best in the city

~ 32

Chapter 32~ Kesley ~The moment Niklaus walked away, leaving me sitting alone at that restaurant table with my crooked wig and my scattered dignity, I wanted to disappear into the floor.I gathered my remaining belongings with shaking hands, shoved everything into my purse, and practically ran out of the restaurant before anyone could see me cry.Before the other diners could get a good look at the disaster sitting in the corner booth. Before the waiter could come back and ask if I needed anything else.The taxi ride home was a blur of streetlights and silent tears.I kept my face turned toward the window, watching the city pass by in streaks of neon and shadow. The driver didn't ask questions, didn't make small talk, for which I was grateful. I probably looked like a mess—makeup smudged, wig askew, eyes red and puffy.By the time I got back to my apartment, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Drained. Hollowed out. Like someone had scooped out everything inside me and left j

~ 33

Chapter 33 ~ Niklaus ~I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face.The imposter. The actress. Aria.I saw her scrambling on the floor for those ridiculous pork shop coupons, her dress riding up, her hair slightly crooked. Saw the fear in her eyes when I'd taken her phone, the way they'd widened like a cornered animal. Saw the way she'd bitten her lip when I'd told her I'd be in touch, that small gesture of nervousness that was probably genuine for once.And I was furious.Furious that she'd fooled me so completely. Furious that I'd been stupid enough to fall for it, to believe in the chaos and the boldness and the authenticity that had all been carefully manufactured. Furious that some random woman had taken a thousand dollars to make me look like an idiot.But mostly—and this was the part that kept me awake at 2 AM, staring at my ceiling in the dark—I was furious that she was probably sleeping peacefully right now while I was lying here stewing in rage and humilia

~ 34

Chapter 34 ~ Niklaus ~Grandfather's eyes lit up in a way I hadn't seen in months. He actually set down his newspaper completely, folding it carefully and setting it aside, giving me his full attention."An ex?" he said, leaning forward with genuine interest. "Klaus, what do you mean you got back together with an ex? You've never mentioned anyone."I could feel the trap closing around me, but I was already committed. No turning back now. The lie was out there, hovering in the air between us, and I had to either commit to it fully or admit I'd just made it up."I had a relationship back in Hemres City," I said, forcing my voice to stay calm and confident even as my brain screamed at me to stop talking. "Before I took over operations here. We were together for a while, but the long distance and the demands of the company... we broke up.""Hemres City?" Father's eyebrows rose. "When you were overseeing the expansion there?""Yes." The lie was building itself now, details appearing from

~ 35

Chapter 35 ~ Taraji ~I sat at the dining table, pushing my food around my plate without actually eating anything. My stomach was in knots, had been since I got home last night.The eggs were getting cold. The toast was going stale. I didn't care about either.Across from me, Mom was quietly sipping her tea, her eyes darting between me and Dad with that nervous energy she always had when she knew a storm was coming. She'd been like this my whole life—caught between her husband's iron will and her daughter's stubborn independence.And Dad was reading the newspaper like he did every Saturday morning, his face unreadable behind the business section. The Financial Times, always the Financial Times. Like even at breakfast he couldn't stop thinking about money and power and business strategies.The silence was suffocating.The only sounds were the clink of Mom's teacup against her saucer, the rustle of Dad's newspaper.Finally, he cleared his throat and set down the paper with deliberate p

~ 36

Chapter 36 ~ Kesley ~"I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY!"Whitney Houston blasted through my apartment speakers as I sang along at the top of my lungs, wielding my mop like a microphone.This was exactly what I needed. A perfect Saturday morning. No work. No stress. No billionaire CEOs ambushing me at restaurants or calling me at 2 AM to ruin my sleep.Just me, my cleaning playlist, and the therapeutic process of scrubbing away a week's worth of chaos.I twirled with my mop, nearly knocking over a lamp, and didn't even care. My hair was piled on top of my head in a messy bun that defied gravity. I was wearing my rattiest tank top—the one with the faded college logo that was so old the letters were barely visible—and shorts that had more holes than fabric. My face was makeup-free and probably still had pillow creases on it.I looked like a disaster.And I loved it.This was freedom. This was authenticity. This was me in my natural habitat, not pretending to be Taraji Gilbert or professiona

~ 37

Chapter 37 ~ Kesley ~I stood outside 1142 Harbor Boulevard, staring up at the sleek glass building that screamed "expensive" and "exclusive" in every architectural line.The ground floor had luxury boutiques with window displays featuring single handbags. A high-end restaurant with a name in French that I couldn't pronounce. A private art gallery with pieces displayed behind floor-to-ceiling windows.And according to the directory, Suite 3000 was on the top floor.Penthouse level.Of course it was.Because Niklaus Specter wouldn't summon me to some normal office or coffee shop. No, he had to make it as intimidating and power-imbalanced as possible.I checked my reflection in the building's glass doors one more time. The heavy makeup was in place — foundation three shades too dark, dramatic eyeshadow that made my eyes look almost sultry, bright red lips. The black wig sat securely on my head, styled in those loose waves that made me look like a completely different person.This was

~ 38

Chapter 38 ~ Kesley ~"Six months."I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "What?""We stay married for six months," Niklaus said, as if he were discussing a business contract and not a legally binding union between two human beings. "After that, we get divorced. Clean break. You go your way, I go mine.""Six months," I repeated numbly, the words feeling foreign in my mouth."By then I'll have secured my position and inheritance. The marriage requirement will be fulfilled. You'll be free to return to your life."I stared at him. He was completely serious. No hint of a joke, no suggestion this was some elaborate prank. His expression was the same one he probably used in boardrooms when negotiating multi-million dollar deals.He actually wanted me to marry him. For six months. Like it was a job contract. Like I was just another business transaction to be completed and filed away."If only you knew,"I muttered under my breath."Knew what?""Nothing." I shook my head, trying to clear the fog o

~ 39

Chapter 39 ~ Niklaus ~I stood there watching the elevator doors close, shutting Aria away from me.She'd said no.Again.For the third time, this woman had rejected me.The realization hit like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from my lungs.First as "Taraji," telling me she never wanted to see me again. Then running away from the restaurant while shouting that I was nothing to her. And now this—refusing fifty million dollars to marry me for six months.Fifty. Million. Dollars.I'd offered her more money than most people saw in a lifetime. More money than she could ever earn if she worked for fifty years straight. Life-changing, family-saving, future-securing money.The kind of money that could solve every problem she'd ever had and every problem she'd ever have.She wouldn't have to sabotage blind dates anymore. Wouldn't have to struggle with rent in that questionable neighborhood. Wouldn't have to worry about money ever again.And she'd looked at me like I'd asked her to jump

~ 40

Chapter 40 ~ Kesley ~I was still shaking from the confrontation with Niklaus when I turned onto my street.Fifty million dollars.The number kept echoing in my head like a curse. Or maybe a temptation. I couldn't tell which anymore.My hands were still trembling from the subway ride, from gripping the pole too tightly, from replaying his words over and over. Six months. Fifty million dollars. Think about it.I just needed to get home, lock my door, maybe scream into a pillow for an hour or twelve, and figure out what the hell I was going to do.But as I approached my apartment building, I stopped dead.Two figures were sitting on the steps outside my door.My heart sank.No.Not today. Not now. Not after everything else that had happened in the past hours.But there was no mistaking them. Even from a distance, I'd recognize those silhouettes anywhere.My mother, sitting upright with that ramrod-straight posture she'd developed from years of waitressing, always proper, always dignifi

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