All Chapters of One Night With the Arrogant Billionaire: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Aria’s P.O.VI couldn't move. I couldn't even blink. Amara’s words had acted like a physical weight, pinning me to the spot, stripping away every layer of defense I had spent years building.I felt like a ghost in my own body, watching the wreckage of my self-esteem scatter around me. I was waiting for the final blow, for the moment Amara would laugh in my face and walk away, leaving me to drown in the silence of my own insignificance.But the silence didn't last.Before I could even draw a breath to speak, before I could even attempt to wipe the tears from my cheeks, a sudden, violent force surged behind me. A pair of strong, possessive arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me backward with such intensity that my back slammed firmly against a broad, hard chest.The scent of him—sandalwood, expensive cologne, and raw power—enveloped me instantly.I gasped, my heart leaping, as Damien pulled me flush a

Sophia’s P.O.VI have always prided myself on my ability to read people. It is a skill honed by years of Ivy League education, high-society galas, and the ruthless environment of the Powell Corporation.I can spot a lie by the slight tremor in a lip, a hidden agenda by the way a man shifts his weight, and a weakness by the silence between words.I thought I had Damien Henderson mapped out. I had known him since we were children—two heirs to two empires, groomed to be the perfect pair.The Damien I knew was a masterpiece of control. He was polished, refined, and strategically cold. We had mirrored each other for years, moving through the world with a synchronized, businesslike grace.Even when we fought, it was a war of abrasions, a battle of intellects where neither of us dared to break the surface of our composure.I had always admired that about him; we were the same. We were the elite, the untouchable, the one

Aria’s P.O.VThe clock beside my bed ticked loudly in the quiet room.12:14 AM.I had been lying there for hours, unable to sleep. One minute, I would convince myself Damien was coming home soon. The next, that awful feeling in my chest would return.Every time I heard a car slow down outside, my heart jumped. For a second, I would think it was him. Then the car would drive away, and the hope would disappear with it.I knew Damien had a family dinner tonight. I knew the Powells would be there. And I knew Sophia would be there too.I tried to tell myself I was being stupid. Damien had reassured me. He had told me I was the only woman he wanted. I wanted to believe him…but it wasn't that easy.Too many times in my life, I had been the second choice. The girl someone settled for until they found someone better. The person who was loved only until the person they really wanted came along.Those memories didn't disappear just because Damien told me he loved me.They waited.They whispered

Aria’s P.O.VThe mood between us changed.The restaurant suddenly felt too quiet as we stared at each other. I noticed Sophia’s eyes widen slightly, and her fingers stopped against the stem of her wine glass for just a second.She hadn't expected that.Ever since she had shown up at my desk that morning, she had treated me like someone who would be intimidated by her name and her family.But I hadn't looked away.For the first time, she seemed unsure of what to say. She had expected a nervous secretary who would know her place.Instead, she had someone sitting across from her who wasn't afraid to meet her eyes.This was no longer a lunch; it was a psychological duel.Sophia didn't lash out. She didn't raise her voice or resort to the crude insults Amara used to weaponize against me. That wasn't her way.Sophia Powell operated in the shadows of politeness, using kindness as a shroud for

Aria’s P.O.VThe rest of the afternoon felt like a fever dream. I sat at my desk, staring at the computer screen, but the words were just blurring into gray streaks.My mind was still trapped in that restaurant with Sophia Powell. Every word she had said, every calculated tilt of her head, and that soft, knowing smile—it all felt like a puzzle I couldn't solve.Sophia wasn't like Amara. Amara was a storm—loud, obvious, and destructive. Sophia was a tide; she pulled you under so slowly you didn't realize you were drowning until the water was already in your lungs. She hadn't screamed or called me names, but she had managed to make me feel small in a way that felt permanent.I kept telling myself that Damien loved me. He had told me. He had shown me in ways that left me breathless and shaking. But the world we lived in—the world of the Henderson’s and the Powells—didn't seem to have room for someone like