All Chapters of Contracts of Desire: The Billionaire Romance Collection: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Nova-Almost three weeks had passed since I became engaged to OmniCore’s CEO, Nicolai Moreau.We’d agreed to wait until his parents’ upcoming charity gala to announce it. Honestly, the delay worked in my favor. I wasn’t ready for my research team to find out I was marrying the owner of OmniCore. I was terrified it would make everything feel…different.Awkward.The Monday after our engagement, Nicolai announced that our nano-gear project had been selected to move forward.My team had been ecstatic.We’d poured everything into that research—long nights, endless revisions, moments where we thought we wouldn’t make it. They trusted me to take the lead since my thesis had laid the foundation for the software’s development. Being selected meant everything to them.And to me.That was exactly why I didn’t want them thinking the project had been approved because I was marrying the boss…when, in truth, it had happened the other way around.With the gala only a week away, Nicolai had suggested

Nicolai-We arrived at the estate just after one that afternoon. The moment we pulled into the driveway, the front doors swung open.“Nico!!!”Perra’s voice echoed across the entire courtyard. I glanced at Nova, offering a faint, almost apologetic smile.“Ready?”Her eyes shimmered with excitement as she nodded.“More than.”I stepped out first, then reached back to help her from the car, my fingers tightening around hers a second longer than necessary.“Nico! I missed you!”Perra lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a quick, suffocating hug.“Missed you too, Perr—”“Yeah, yeah, move.”She shoved me aside without hesitation, making a straight beeline for Nova.I exhaled slowly. This was already shaping up to be a long weekend.“O. M. G!” Perra gasped. “You’re Nova?”Nova smiled warmly, unfazed.“I am. And you must be Perra. I’m so happy to finally meet you.”Perra didn’t respond—she just pulled Nova into a tight hug. Nova stiffened for half a second. Then… softened. Somet

Nicolai-The conversation with my parents took longer than expected. By the time we finished, nearly two hours had passed.I had known they would be furious when they learned the truth about Nova’s family—but even I hadn’t anticipated just how enraged they would be.“What the hell kind of sick bastards are these people,” my father snapped, pacing, “to try and sell their daughter to Kirean Sinclair?”“Even an animal wouldn’t do something like this to their own child,” my mother added coldly, her voice filled with disgust.“I hope you have a good plan, Nico,” my father continued, his gaze sharp. “Because I want them all destroyed.”I met his eyes, my thoughts steady despite the storm inside me.“Not to worry, Father. They’ll all pay for what they’ve done to her.”“What about her grandmother?” my mother asked, her tone shifting with concern. “Does she need—”“I’ve already taken care of it,” I said gently. “I moved her to Springfield Retirement Community. She has her own condo now. Comfor

Nova—"Stand straight for me, Ms. Pierce."Dora Angles circled behind me, fastening the final buttons of my gown.I stood on the dressing platform inside Flaminga's Gallery, one of the most prestigious dress boutiques in South Bay. The floor-to-ceiling mirrors gleamed beneath crystal chandeliers, and every gown displayed around the room looked like something pulled from a fairy tale.The Imperial Foundation Gala was this Friday.When Nicolai and I had visited his family over the weekend, Patrice and Perra had practically insisted that my dress come from Flaminga's.The memory made me smile."You need something that makes a statement!"Perra had declared, dramatically waving her hands through the air."I agree," Jessica chimed in."This is your official debut as a couple. You need a dress that screams, 'love of his life.'"Everyone had burst into laughter while my face turned bright red. Even now, warmth spread through me as memories of that weekend resurfaced. Especially of the night

Nova-"Oh my gosh... Nova! You didn't!"Jessica's eyes sparkled like diamonds as she stared at the three boxes in my hands."Yup." I grinned. "Now, I couldn't make enough for every single guest, but all the immediate family members will get one. But this..."I set the two larger boxes down and handed her the smaller one."This one is just for you."Tears immediately filled her eyes."Really—"Her words broke off as she wrapped her arms around me. Her perfectly round belly pressed between us, and suddenly it shifted.We both glanced down."Oh my gosh!" Jessica laughed. "I think the baby is excited about Auntie Nova's cupcakes too!"We burst out laughing as she wiped away her tears."Thank you so much for this, Nova."Warmth spread through my chest."It was my pleasure, beautiful."Nicolai and I had arrived at the Moreau Estate early that morning to help with the final preparations. The baby shower was also a gender reveal, and between Patrice, Perra, and Jessica's mother, Carol, absolut