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Home / Romance / The Billion Dollar Wife / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of The Billion Dollar Wife: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

32 Chapters

#1.

The matte black Mercedes Benz S-Class pulled to a smooth halt, its engine humming with the quiet confidence of a predator. Before the wheels had even stopped spinning, a team of four security guards in charcoal suits flanked the doors, their movements synchronized and smart.Dominic Blackwood stepped out. He was the kind of man who didn’t just occupy space, he commanded it. Tall, sharp jawed, and wearing a tailored suit that cost more than most people’s annual rent, he was the city’s golden son and its most untouchable bachelor.Across the street, Ava adjusted the strap of her bag, her eyes narrowing as she watched the target. Right on time."Keep the change," Ava murmured, dropping a crumpled bill into the fruit seller’s hand without looking. The fruit was just a disguise for her, a splash of color to mask a woman who was currently hunting.Ava turned, her pace brisk, blending into the morning rush as Dominic disappeared into The coffee shop.The coffee shop was thick with the scent

#2.

Ava’s got back to her apartment. She slammed her bag onto the wooden kitchen table, the heavy thud echoing through the small space. With a groan that carried the weight of the morning’s adrenaline, she collapsed onto the couch, staring at the ceiling until her vision blurred.Her phone vibrated against her hip. She didn’t need to look at the screen to know who was calling."It’s done," she said, skipping the greeting as she pressed the phone to her ear."And?" the voice on the other end was calm, cultured, and devoid of warmth. "Did anything happen?"Ava shifted. "It didn’t exactly go according to the script. I might have pushed a little harder than we discussed. I called him an arrogant bastard and told him I’d rather date his father and threw money at him."A brief silence followed. Then, a low, dry chuckle. "Perfect. Dominic is used to being worshiped. He’s spent thirty years surrounded by people who treat his word like gospel. You didn’t just get noticed, Ava, you became a splint

#3.

Ava smoothed the silk of her dress, her reflection staring back with a confidence she hadn’t quite felt until this moment. “You’re going to be the only person in that room worth looking tonight, Ava,” Olivia whispered, her eyes bright with a mix of excitement and vicarious thrill. “I mean it. They won’t even know what hit them.”Ava caught her friend’s gaze in the glass, a slow, sharp smirk pulling at her lips. She didn’t just want to be noticed, she wanted to be the center of gravity. “Let them look. I didn’t spend three hours on my makeup to blend into the wallpaper.”Olivia laughed, grabbing a crystal bottle from the vanity. She spritzed a cloud of jasmine and sandalwood over Ava’s shoulders, the scent heavy and expensive. “Go out there and find someone who deserves to buy you a bottle of this every week. We’re done playing small, okay? It’s time to live a little.”“Living large requires a specific kind of partner, Liv,” Ava teased, checking her clutch one last time.“And what’s t

#4.

Ava didn't hesitate. She shoved Dominic’s chest, stumbling back as if she’d been struck, her breath coming in ragged, shallow hitches. By the time Dominic father stepped onto the balcony, a single, perfect tear was already tracking down her cheek.“He wouldn’t stop,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a fragility that made Dominic’s blood run cold. “I told him I wasn’t interested, sir. I told him to let me go.”The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the sharp, stinging crack of George’s, Dominic’s father palm connecting with Dominic’s cheek. The force snapped Dominic’s head to the side.“I raised you better than this,” George roared, his face mottled with a sudden, dark fury. “A man who doesn't understand the word ‘no’ is no son of mine.”Dominic’s jaw flexed, his nostrils flaring as he slowly turned his head back to face his father. The red mark on his skin was already darkening. “You’re choosing to believe a woman you’ve never met over me? Look at her, She’s a serp

#5.

The headquarters of the Blackwood empire rose above the city like a monolith of glass and cold ambition. Ava smoothed her skirt as she stepped into the lobby, Upstairs, the secretary didn’t bother with a polite smile, she offered a look that suggested Ava was something the janitor had failed to scrub off the floor."Mr. Blackwood is expecting you," the woman said, gesturing toward the door.Ava pushed them open. The office was cavernous, smelling of expensive tobacco and old money. Dominic was already there, pacing the length of the Persian rug like a caged animal. The moment he saw her, he stopped dead, his face contorting into a mask of pure anger."What the hell are you doing here?" he barked, his voice echoing off the high ceilings."Dominic, sit down and mind your manners," George said from behind his massive desk. He didn't look up from the file he was reading, but his tone brook no argument. He gestured to the empty chair beside Dominic. "Sit, Ava. Thank you for coming."Ava to

#6.

The memory of their last encounter still burned against Ava’s lips, a phantom pressure that refused to fade. It wasn’t just the audacity of the kiss itself, it was the way Dominic had claimed it, as if it were a debt she hadn’t known she owed. She had walked away then, her heels clicking in an angry rhythm against the floor, her heart hammering a frantic protest. To actually admit he had taken her first kiss would be to hand him a victory she wasn’t prepared to concede. So, she bottled the shame and the fury, letting it ferment into a cold resolve.Today, however, the anger had been replaced by a shimmering, restless tension.Ava stood before the floor to ceiling mirror, her reflection staring back with a defiance. Her fingers traced the delicate lace of her bodice, her pulse visible at the hollow of her throat."Oh, for heaven's sake, Ava. For the last time, you look breathtaking," Claire said, stepping into the frame. She reached out, adjusting a loose strand of hair with a flick of

#7.

The ride back from the chapel was defined by a silence. Dominic sat reclined in the leather seat, his attention fixed entirely on his phone. The blue light from the screen cast a cold hue over his features, making his expression unreadable, almost statuesque. He didn’t offer a single glance toward the woman sitting inches away from him.Ava, who had prided herself on her composure just an hour ago, felt that internal fortress beginning to crumble. The adrenaline of the black dress and the public defiance was draining away, leaving behind a cold anxiety. She looked out the window, but her heart was beating fast. Had she pushed the boundary too far? She had spent so much energy playing her part that she hadn't truly accounted for the man she had provoked.Dominic was a stranger in many ways, a man of power and reputation, and she began to wonder if the "real" side of him, the one hidden under the tailored suits and the stoic silence—was something she was prepared to face. Fear twisted i

#8.

Ava stiffened, her lungs seizing as she drew in a ragged, shallow breath. "You must be out of your mind!" she roared, the sound tearing from her throat in a rasp.She lunged for the door, her fingers clawing at the polished wood, desperate for the hallway, for the street, for anywhere that wasn't here. But the exit was a mile away in her mind, and Dominic was a shadow that moved faster than light. His hands, large and unyielding, clamped around her waist. He hoisted her off her feet with a grunt of exertion, ignoring her frantic squirming, and threw her onto the expansive silk duvet. He wasn't violent, the landing was cushioned but the indignity of it sparked a fire in her blood."You bastard!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she scrambled to find her footing on the shifting mattress.Dominic stood at the foot of the bed, a pillar of cold, hard certainty. He didn't flinch at the insult. Instead, he began to undo his tie with a slow grace that made Ava’s skin crawl. The silk slid

#9.

Ava stood frozen under the spray, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. Then, she heard it, the distinct, heavy click of the bedroom door settling into its frame.She reached out with a trembling hand and wrenched the handle, killing the flow of water instantly. The sudden silence was deafening, broken only by the frantic thrumming in her ears. She waited, lungs burning as she held her breath, listening for the sound of a footstep or the rustle of a heavy coat. When nothing came, she crept to the bathroom door and peeked into the bedroom.The room was empty. The air felt disturbed, as if someone had recently occupied the space, but the predator had moved on. Ava let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief that collapsed into a sob she quickly suppressed. She wrapped a plush towel tightly around her shivering frame, her skin still prickling from the adrenaline of their earlier confrontation.She reached for her phone, her fingers slick with moisture. With a shaky thu

#10.

The drive back home from the warehouse was a blur of rain-slicked pavement and the low hum of the Mercedes. Dominic gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white against the leather. The exhaustion was more than physical. The crisis at the docks had been handled with his usual ruthless way but the silence of the night allowed the image of Ava’s defiant face to seep back into his mind.He pulled into the garage of the estate, the engine cutting out with a final sigh. As he stepped out, the cool night air hit him hard. His security detail emerged from the perimeter, their movements synchronized and silent."Guard the gates," Dominic commanded, his voice raspy from a night of barking orders. He paused, his gaze flickering toward the darkened windows of the upper floor. "Keep a sharp eye on any movement. That includes my wife. If she so much as breathes like a threat, I want to know."The men exchanged a fleeting, puzzled look—a silent communication between partners. It was an unusual di

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