All Chapters of Discarded By The Billionaire: His Biggest Mistake: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

**Leylie's POV**I stared at Finnian, my ears ringing as if a bomb had gone off in the small room. I honestly thought I had misheard him. I thought the grief and lack of sleep were finally making me hallucinate."What did you just say?" He stepped closer, too close. I could smell the mint on his breath, sharp and expensive, the same way everything about him always screamed money and control. “Be my mistress,” he repeated, softer this time, intimate. “I don’t think I can live without you, Ley. I’ve tried. This whole week I’ve tried to focus on Blair, on the life I’m supposed to have now. It isn’t working. I need you back. Not as my wife. I need Blair for the family name, but I need you in my bed. Every night.”The sheer audacity of it snapped something inside me. Before I could even think, my hand shot up and smacked his face. The sound of my palm hitting his cheek was the loudest thing in the apartment. His head snapped to the side, and for a second, the only sound was our heavy brea

**Leylie’s POV**I rushed out of the bedroom. “Urgh! I’m so late!” I shrieked, scrambling to shove my red costume into my backpack without even bothering to fold it properly. “Sheila’s gonna murder me."Maya sprawled on the couch, her lower lip in a pout that usually worked on Mom. “Can I come watch you tonight? Just once? I’m literally dying of boredom here.”Grace, leaning against the kitchen counter with her tea mug halfway to her mouth, choked on a laugh at the absurdity of Maya's request.I shot Maya my best big-sister death glare. “Hell no. Never. You’re not setting foot in that club, Maya. End of discussion.”“But I’m basically an adult! I’m nineteen!”“Still no. You’re staying home. You can watch Netflix or whatever and go to bed at a normal hour. I mean it.”“Ugh, this sucks,” she grumbled, flopping back onto the cushions.I ignored the guilt twisting in my stomach and swung the backpack onto my shoulder, checking my watch. “Shit. Ten minutes late already. Sheila’s gonna have

**Leylie’s POV**“Hey, you still up?” I muttered as I kicked off my sneakers by the door and stepped into the living room.Grace was curled on the couch, the phone’s glow lighting her face in the dark. It was past eleven, and I felt like I’d been run over by a truck; my muscles ached from the set, and my feet throbbed in those heels. She looked up, and I saw her shoulders relax like she’d been holding her breath the whole time I was gone. “Girl, finally! I couldn’t even think about sleeping until I knew you were back safe. You know how I get when you’re at that damn place.”"Aww, G, you’re too good to me,” I said, dropping my backpack by the coffee table and collapsing next to her.She didn't say anything for a second. She just squinted at me, leaning in closer until she was practically in my face. "Something is different about you. I can’t figure it out, but you’ve got this grin on your face that definitely wasn't there when you left. So, spill. What went down tonight?”“What? Nothi

**Leylie’s POV**I made sure I was on time today. No way was I risking another snap from Sheila, and honestly, I couldn’t afford to lose even one shift’s worth of pay. I pushed through the dressing-room door, the thick scent of hairspray and vanilla body spray hitting me full force. Sheila glanced up from her clipboard, one eyebrow raised.“Congrats, Red,” she said, voice dry but almost impressed. “You’re actually early, and perfect timing, too; you’ve already got a request for a private dance. Room four. Get ready.”Relief flooded through me so fast my knees almost buckled. A private dance meant a guaranteed big tip, and right now, I was desperate. I started changing immediately, fingers flying over zippers and buttons.I kicked off my jeans, tossed my polo onto the bench, and pulled on my costume. It was a red mesh teddy bodysuit with a plunging neckline that barely held my breasts, high-cut legs that left my hips and most of my ass exposed. I slipped a red chiffon cover-up over it,

**Hayes’ POV**I haven’t been myself since that private dance with Red. Every time I close my eyes, I feel the heat of her skin under my palms again, the way her body arched into my touch when I finally let my hands settle on her waist. The memory plays on repeat: the slow grind of her hips, the soft moan that slipped out when I tightened my grip, the way her breath hitched against my neck. Why was I so affected by a girl from a strip club? She shouldn't have been anything more than a beautiful distraction, but she was stuck in my head like a song I couldn't stop humming.She was beautiful in a way that didn't seem to require effort. Those deep blue eyes behind the mask, the full curve of her lips painted red, looked soft and inviting. The way her body moved—confident, unhurried, like she knew exactly what she was doing to me.Shit. I shifted in my chair at the restaurant table, suddenly aware of how tight my pants felt just from thinking about that half-hour in the dim room. “Hey!