A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection
"Marriage was never meant to be a love story. It was simply a transaction. But the heart doesn’t follow the rules."
Eliza Foster thought she had no choice. With a sick mother and debts swallowing her family whole, she sees a marriage to Maximilian Grey, a ruthless billionaire, as the only way to survive. Cold, calculating, and emotionally closed off, Maximilian has no use for love. To him, Eliza is nothing more than a pawn in his high-stakes game, a tool to further his empire.
But as they begin to live under the same roof, something unexpected stirs between them. Eliza, initially weak and defeated, slowly uncovers a hidden strength that even Maximilian can’t ignore. He begins to see more in her than the fragile woman he thought she was—her tenderness, resilience, and the quiet love she offers without expecting anything in return.
As Eliza begins to understand the layers of pain Maximilian hides beneath his cold exterior, questioning everything. Can she continue loving a man who may never return her feelings? Or will Maximilian’s painful past shatter what they are beginning to build?
Their marriage was never meant to be about love—but sometimes, the heart has a way of rewriting the rules. Will Maximilian allow himself to love, or will his dark past destroy their chance at happiness?
Read now to discover whether love will win or if Eliza’s heart will be left broken.
Read
Chapter: Chapter 10: The Tipping Point
“I don’t know what’s worse,” I whisper, my voice cracking as I stare at the man standing in front of me. “The fear of what he’ll do to me… or the fear of what he’ll do to you.” Maximilian stands beside me, his jaw clenched tight, his muscles coiled like a spring. His eyes, usually cold and calculating, are now full of something I can’t name—something that makes my heart beat erratically in my chest. There’s a rawness in his gaze, an open vulnerability I’ve never seen before. He turns to me slowly, his lips pressing together in a hard line. “Eliza, I need you to understand something.” His voice is soft, but there’s a tremble in it that betrays the calm front he’s trying to maintain. “You are more than just a pawn in my game. You mean more to me than I ever thought I’d allow anyone to. I know I’ve been distant, and cold, but it’s because I didn’t want to feel this. Didn’t want to need anyone.” I swallow, my throat dry, and yet I feel the weight of his words pressing against me like a
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Chapter 9: The Heart’s Dilemma
"If you want her back, you’ll have to face me, Maximilian."The words cut through the air like a blade, sending a chill down my spine. The panic that rises in my chest threatens to choke me as I stand there, frozen, unable to move. Maximilian’s expression twists into something that I’ve never seen before—fear. It’s raw and palpable, and I can feel the weight of it pressing down on me, suffocating me with its intensity. His eyes dart around, frantic, as he takes a step forward, his fists clenched. "Eliza!" he shouts, his voice hoarse with panic. “No!”But it’s too late.Before either of us can react, the shadows shift, and I feel cold metal press against my neck. A sharp, icy edge digs into my skin, sending tremors through me. I don’t have to look to know it’s a knife. The coldness of it is unmistakable.I barely have time to take a breath before the voice in the shadows speaks again, low and menacing. “You don’t get to make demands, Maximilian. You’ve been playing games for too long.
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Chapter 8: A Fragile Truce
“I can’t trust you, Maximilian,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, as the weight of his confession bears down on me. The room feels smaller, the walls pressing in with every beat of my heart. “Then who are you?” I ask, my words trembling, unsure if I even want the answer. A part of me fears that the truth will shatter everything, that the man I thought I was beginning to understand is nothing like what I imagined.Maximilian’s eyes darken, and for a moment, I see the vulnerability he’s been hiding—something raw and unfamiliar. His lips tighten, and the silence between us feels suffocating as if the words hanging in the air are too dangerous to say. His gaze shifts to the floor, avoiding mine as if the very act of looking at me might expose him further.“You wouldn’t understand,” he finally says, his voice low and strained. “I’ve spent my entire life building walls—walls that kept me safe, protected me from a world that wanted to break me. I became someone you wouldn’t recogni
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Chapter 7: The Walls Come Down“I’ve made a grave mistake, Maximilian.”The words hang in the air like an echo that refuses to dissipate. I feel the tension in the room shift, the air thick with something far darker than I’ve ever felt between us. Maximilian’s face pales, his eyes narrowing as the figure from his past steps into the room. I don’t recognize the man, but there’s an undeniable weight to his presence, something about him that screams power—a dangerous kind of power that Maximilian must know all too well.The man looks at Maximilian like a predator sizing up its prey. And Maximilian? He stands motionless, his jaw clenched, his usually stoic demeanor cracking in the presence of this stranger.I take a step back, my pulse racing as I try to make sense of what’s happening. Who is this man? And why does Maximilian look like he’s seen a ghost?“Who is this?” I ask my voice barely a whisper. But Maximilian doesn’t answer. Instead, he keeps his gaze locked on the man, the walls of his emotional fortress instan
Last Updated: 2025-01-14
Chapter: Chapter 6: The Past Revealed
"The truth has a way of creeping up on you, even when you think you've buried it forever."I should have known that a night as perfect as the gala wouldn't last. I should have seen the signs—Maximilian's tense jawline, the way his gaze flickered to the mysterious man who spoke to me. But I didn’t. I was too caught up in the excitement of the evening, too wrapped in the moment of wearing that dress, my hand in his, feeling the weight of his world as we danced through the crowd.Now, I stood in the midst of that tension, the words of the man from the gala echoing in my mind. He had warned me—Maximilian was dangerous. He wasn’t the man I thought he was. I felt a chill crawl down my spine. Maximilian was supposed to be my ticket out, my way to fix everything, but now… now I was beginning to question it all. His grip on my wrist was tight, but not painful. It was possessive like he was afraid I might slip away from him. His voice was low, the words sharp. “Forget what he told you, Eliza.
Last Updated: 2025-01-14
Chapter: Chapter 5: A Dangerous Encounter“You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”The words echoed in my mind long after I heard them. That stranger’s warning, sharp and cryptic, clung to me like an invisible thread, tugging at my thoughts every time Maximilian’s attention wandered from me. It had been a day like no other—beautiful, grand, and yet, strangely suffocating.Tonight, we were attending one of the most exclusive charity galas in the city, an event where the world’s most powerful figures mingled like puppets in a grandiose theater of wealth, influence, and secrets. Maximilian had told me nothing about it in advance—just that I needed to look presentable and play my part. I was expected to be nothing more than an accessory to his wealth, his image, and his control over this world.And yet, despite everything, there was something about it all that unsettled me.As Maximilian guided me through the venue, his hand resting possessively on my lower back, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The
Last Updated: 2025-01-07
LOGIN
