All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S MIDNIGHT QUEEN: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

(Gabriel POV)I stand by the floor to ceiling windows in my Paris office, staring at the glittering city lights below. My shoulders feel tight, Leo had informed me earlier about my parents’ sudden visit. I already know why my parents flew in without warning.The door swings open and my mother walks in first, wrapped in her usual elegant coat, followed by my father. Their faces say it all.“Gabriel,” my mother starts, skipping any hello. She drops her bag on the chair and looks straight at me. “We need to talk about this strange woman who has suddenly taken your attention from important matters. The rumors have reached us all the way in London. She’s still married to Damien for God's sake. This is dangerous for the family name.”I stay standing, arms crossed. “Her name is Claire, Mom. And she’s excellent at her job.”My father sits down, glaring at me like I just said the most ridiculous thing. “Excellent or not, she’s a walking risk. Damien is out for blood, if she’s feeding him inf

(Claire POV)I stand before the full length mirror in my apartment, carefully running my hands over the sleek black evening gown that hugs every curve of my body. The luxurious fabric feels smooth against my skin, catching the light with a subtle sheen as I turn from side to side. A daring slit runs up one leg, revealing just enough to draw attention without appearing too much. My hair cascades in soft waves over my shoulders, and the bold red lipstick I applied gives me a striking look of confidence I do not entirely feel. Inside, a turbulent mix of nerves, anger, and unwanted desire swirls through me. Tonight is meant to be another step in my plan against Damien, yet the thought of spending the entire evening beside Gabriel makes my heart race in ways I keep trying to ignore.When I step outside, a sleek black car waits at the curb, Gabriel opens the door for me personally. He looks incredibly handsome in his tailored tuxedo, the sharp lines emphasizing his broad shoulders and po

(Damien POV)Rage burns through every inch of my body like uncontrollable wildfire as I stand frozen in the middle of the grand ballroom. The huge screens that were supposed to display elegant business promotions have now become weapons aimed directly at me. My own voice echoes loudly through the speakers, exposing every single harsh and cruel word I said to Claire during our private confrontation. The video plays in sharp undeniable clarity, and I feel hundreds of eyes from the city’s most powerful people turning toward me in shock, disgust, and open judgment.“Stop the video!” I shout at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking with fury. I wave my hands frantically toward the technical team near the stage. “Turn that damn thing off right now! Shut it down!”My face feels unbearably hot with a mixture of humiliation and blinding anger. Sweat begins to form on my forehead as I push aggressively through clusters of guests, nearly knocking over a young waiter carrying a tray of champa

(Damien POV)I storm out of the ballroom through the back exit with two of my staff members hurrying close behind me.My blood feels like it is boiling in my veins, the humiliation from those giant screens still plays over and over in my head. I refuse to walk out the front door and face the swarm of reporters like some broken man on display.“Use the back exit, now!” I snap at them. “I don’t want to see a single camera!”The cool night air hits my face the second we step outside, but it does nothing to calm the burning rage inside me. Before I can even take a proper breath, bright camera flashes explode all around us. I stop dead in my tracks, blinded for a moment.“How the hell did they get back here?” I yell furiously at my men. “I told you the back was supposed to be clear! Are you all useless?”Reporters surge forward from the darkness like hungry wolves, shouting questions from every direction. My security tries to push them back, creating a small path but the crowd presses cl

(Claire POV)I chuckle softly to myself as I read Damien’s angry text message on my phone. The words feel almost pathetic now after everything that happened tonight. I had ignored his call earlier because speaking to him feels like a complete waste of my time and energy. The man is still making empty threats even after the massive humiliation he suffered in front of all those important people. Well, he is the one who needs to watch his back, not me. I sigh deeply and sink further into the soft cushions of my couch, feeling a fresh wave of excitement bubble up inside my chest.I had landed a punch on Damien exactly where he least expected it, the video, the public exposure, and the way his own words came back to destroy his reputation, it all played out better than I could have planned. That idiot will finally stay in his lane for a while. If he refuses to stop bothering me and continues with his games, I will make his life even more miserable than it already is. I have only just be