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Fractured Reflections
Last Updated:
2024-09-27 16:17:48Related chapters
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Unsettling Reunions
Ivy’s POV“What do you know about the Sterlings?” my mother asked suddenly. We were sitting around the large dining table.I exhaled and glanced at the door nervously, checking my watch for the umpteenth time. I was a nervous wreck, and rightfully so. I hadn’t seen Asher in weeks, and I was about to introduce our families at our home.“Aside from the fact that they own a huge company? Nothing,” my dad answered. He turned to look at me. “Usually, this part of the introduction happens before my daughter gets married to their son.”My mother gripped his hand to stop him.I let out a huge sigh. “Dad, we’re already married.”“And I’m still pissed about it!” he blurted out.I tucked my hair behind my ears. I had sent Asher a long email describing my parents, hoping he had read it and prepared for this. I needed this evening to go well. So much between us already wasn’t, but this had to.You’d think I would have called off the wedding—it was a joke, after all—but no. For reasons I couldn’t f
Last Updated : 2024-09-27Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge The Unexpected Kiss
Asher’s POVI called home three hours before it was time. My father picked up on the second ring, and it was a video call.“Asher.”“Dad,” I answered.“What is it?”“You remember we have that...”“Yes, of course, he does,” Marcus interjected, his annoying face covering the whole screen, “We all remember, we wouldn’t miss it for the world.”I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face. “You’re at home, Marcus?”“Yes, I am. Dad and I made a little bet. Do you want to know what it’s about?”I rolled my eyes. I didn’t, but I knew Marcus, and I knew he would tell me anyway.“I’ve bet that by the end of the night, I’ll unravel whatever scheme you’ve planned and how you managed to entrap your new wife. Dad, for some reason, thinks she might actually find you likable enough to want to be married to you...” He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t know, though, it seems highly unlikely.”“Marcus, I don’t care. I hope Dad can at least get good money out of you. You’re unfortunately my brother, and m
Last Updated : 2024-10-03Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Asher
Asher’s POV“We are so delighted to have you at our home,” Mr. Whitfield said cheerfully. “It’s our pleasure...”The waiters served the food. The main course was grilled filet mignon with roasted vegetables and truffle sauce.“It was a rather unlikely situation that brought us together,” my dad responded.“A beautiful one, nonetheless,” Mrs. Whitfield chimed in, smiling warmly at me.I leaned closer to Ivy, who was sitting beside me. “Why is your mom staring at me?” I asked quietly.She glanced at her mother for a moment before replying, “I think they’re starting to like you…”My eyes widened in alarm. “What? They hated me before?” My voice was louder than expected, and everyone’s eyes turned towards me at the table.Ivy’s mother reached for my hand. “Are you okay, son? Is the food to your liking? Do you need anything else?”Now everyone’s attention was on her. My mom gave her a quizzical look.Son? I was too shocked by the term of endearment to respond properly. It was so affectionat
Last Updated : 2024-10-04Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge The Price of Marriage
Ivy’s POVHis request for Sterling Winery. Responsible... Choice to be married. The words hung in the air between us. My body grew rigid. Thankfully, my parents were too preoccupied with whatever they were whispering to themselves. In that moment, I was glad for their obsession.“Thank you, father,” Asher answered. His voice lacked all the excitement it had before.Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me; it was clear as day. He had made it obvious in his words and actions that our marriage was just a joke. It meant nothing. Yet, there was some delusional part of me that kept holding on, hoping for something more. He didn’t make it any easier when he walked in and kissed me with so much passion, like we were actually lovers. It didn’t help that, in barely an hour, he had managed to convince my parents that we had somehow found love, which was absurd. I hadn’t spoken to him in weeks.I stole a glance at him, and when I did, he was looking right back at me with an apologetic ex
Last Updated : 2024-10-04Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Unavoidable Tensions
Ivy’s POVI sat upright, scrolling through the news feed. “What did it say, Marsha?” I asked, biting my fingernails anxiously.Marsha, my personal assistant for years, replied, “It’s been generally positive. I think fans are truly fascinated with the idea of you two being a couple…”I looked up from my phone to her. Marsha was a fiery redhead with striking green eyes.“I can’t tell if you’re serious right now or just pulling my leg…” I said skeptically.She smiled at me. “I am serious…”We had announced our marriage. Well, technically Asher had—without my input. I knew it was bound to happen at some point, but I was still unprepared. Not him, though. He showed up at an event wearing his ring, making sure to flash it for the cameras. It didn’t take long for the media to piece it all together, with pictures of us in public flying around.“You and Asher are loved by the fans. They think it’s beautiful that you’re married, though some also think it’s kind of crazy…”“Finally! You’ve spoke
Last Updated : 2024-10-05Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Flirting with Innocence
Asher’s POVI was standing at the airport just beside the jet when I saw her car come to a halt. She was accompanied by two other vehicles, one in front and one behind. Men in black suits and shades stepped out.One of them opened her door and helped her out, while the other man rushed to bring out her luggage.I sucked in a deep breath when she stepped out of the car. I’d always been captivated by her beauty. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She was wearing a pretty white sundress that stopped mid-thigh, paired with heels that accentuated her long legs. Her blue eyes lit up when she saw me, and although she looked away, I had already caught a glimpse of it.I turned to see Miles, my assistant, blushing profusely beside me. “She’s gorgeous...” he muttered.I frowned, then turned to her and back at him in confusion. He seemed to notice and straightened up.As she approached where we were standing, I pulled her into a warm hug and whispered in her ear, “You’re gorgeo
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Shared Spaces, Hidden Desires
Asher’s POVShe walked into the beach house, her eyes staring admiringly at the breathtaking view of the beach. She turned her gaze to me; I was standing by the doorway, watching her adoringly.“Wow, this is stunning,” she commented. As she spun around, I took out my camera and snapped a few pictures of her. She didn’t seem bothered by it and even posed for a few.I smiled at her and extended a hand. “Come on.” She slipped her hand into mine. The beach house was cozy and private, a one-bedroom apartment with a small living room and a kitchen. It was the only house within the large area of the beach, so aside from the workers on the property, we had it all to ourselves.As I led her into the room, her eyes widened in surprise. She turned around to peer at me. “There’s only one bed,” she noted. “No couch?”I shrugged nonchalantly. “Ivy, I didn’t come on vacation to sleep on a couch.”She sighed in defeat and walked past me. “You’re exhausting, Asher,” she said as she crashed on the bed.
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Unspoken Longings
Ivy’s POVMy eyelids fluttered open, and the first sight that greeted me was Asher’s sleeping face. A small smile crept onto my lips as I watched him. His hair fell over his face, and he looked peaceful in his sleep and handsome, too.I reached forward and gently pushed his hair away from his face. My mind wandered to the night before when I had to change in front of him. A blush crept onto my cheeks as I thought about it. I wanted to act unbothered, so I had changed in front of him, even though I could have easily walked away. I was acutely aware of his eyes on me as I did.I sighed in exasperation. It would be so easy to just let go. He already made it so hard to resist him. Every day, I felt my resolve weaken further. I could barely fight against his charm. If only it were that easy. If only it were easy to believe Asher was truly down for me.I shook the thought away. I couldn’t weigh myself down with thoughts like that. I rushed into the bathroom with a change of clothes, remembe
Last Updated : 2024-10-10
Latest chapter
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge News
Asher’s POVMy heart leapt the moment Ivy sauntered into my room, wrapped in a pale pink robe. Though we were still officially sleeping apart - her decision, not mine - I had asked her countless times to move in.Something was holding her back, but that didn’t stop us from spending nearly every other night together. I always looked forward to those evenings. I rushed home early every day, eager for our routine: a movie before bed or simply talking until we fell asleep.Tonight was no different.She beamed as she entered; her smile lighting up the room. Slowly, she slipped off her robe, revealing the flimsy nightdress underneath.“I had quite the day…” she began, climbing into bed.My gaze locked onto hers. “Tell me all about it,” I encouraged, my voice low and eager.She tucked her hair behind her ear, leaning closer. “It was Taylor,” she said, her tone exasperated.I rolled my eyes and sighed deeply. “What did that bitch do this time?” I muttered under my breath.Ivy laid back, resti
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge I hate her
Taylor’s POVI had a grin on my face as I walked into the dressing area. It had been there since the moment I woke up that morning. My mind danced back to the week’s events.It wasn’t every day that I pulled off something as spectacular as blackmailing Asher Sterling. Of course, it had taken a whole week of careful planning and luck.Luck had been on my side that evening at the formal dinner. Walking up to Marcus Sterling had been a gamble, but it paid off. Luck was what made him listen to me. Not that I had to say much.The dick fucker was sold the moment I told him I was a friend of Ivy’s. Odd, wasn’t it? Did he like his brother’s wife?I shook my head. None of that mattered now, though it had been my golden ticket to the Sterling event. Sure, it meant enduring Marcus’s endless chatter, but it was a small price to pay for the look on Asher’s face when he saw me on his brother’s arm.I could still see it - his pale expression, his eyes desperately trying to piece me together and figu
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Shadows at the Table
Asher’s POVI sat absentmindedly at the table, the faint sounds of silverware clicking and the low hum of conversation filling the grand dining room. I forced a polite smile, nodding at something one of the guests said, though I wasn’t paying attention.I wasn’t even sure if I was expected to respond. Thankfully, the man who had spoken to me turned back to his plate.Across the table, Taylor was smiling, her expression tinged with amusement. She was clearly enjoying this - watching me struggle to focus on anything.Then I felt it— a nudge against my foot. Subtle at first, then firmer.I stiffened, glancing up. Taylor was looking directly at me, her expression as innocent as ever. When no one else was watching, she winked, her lips curling into a smug grin.I pulled my foot back, forcing myself to focus as Marcus, seated next to me, leaned in.“Asher,” Marcus said, his tone light but probing, “what’s the progress on Sterling Winery? Any new wines in the works?”I blinked, realizing I h
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Plus one
Asher’s POVI tried to walk away, but Marcus stopped me. “How’s Ivy?” he asked.I had a smartass reply at the tip of my tongue, but I decided against it. “What is it, Marcus?” I didn’t want to deal with him any longer than I had to.He shrugged. “A lot of people would love to see her. I, for one, would love to see her. If she doesn’t show up for important family events like this, then it has me thinking, is something up?”I couldn’t help but grin. “Marcus, Ivy and I are fantastic. If you would like to know, there’s nothing…”He turned around. “Meet my plus one, Asher. Isn’t she a beauty?”I looked up and stared in the direction he was pointing at. It was Taylor. She was wearing a shimmery black halter neck dress, her hair tied back in a slick bun, with a wide smile on her face as she sashayed towards us.What the heck? I cursed under my breath. How? How was she with Marcus? Where did they even meet? Wasn’t she just with Luca the other time? My eyes widened. Could she have told him?Ta
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Her scent
Asher’s POVIvy leaned closer to me on her tiptoes as she tried to fix my black bow tie. She was so close I couldn’t help but inhale her scent. She smelled of the loveliest flowers, her scent was intoxicating. I brought my nose to the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply.She inched away, giggling uncontrollably. “That tickles…”“You really can’t come?” I asked for the umpteenth time, giving her the puppy dog eyes.She smoothed my dress and pulled back. “I told you I can’t. I have a shoot in the city in a few hours,” she glanced at her wristwatch, “2, 3 hours. It’s a simple shoot, and also Janine and I have a coffee date for later in the evening. So yes, I have quite the commitment.”He exhaled and shook his head. “You know Janine is hanging out with you as an excuse to get out of a family event?”She flashed me a wide grin. “Is she now? I’m flattered she’s picking me over family?”“Hey,” I knew she was joking, but I still needed her to know it. “You know I’d ditch them in a heartbeat
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Her taste
Asher’s POVI hesitated, then turned to her fully. “I want you to be proud of me.”She paused, her hands resting lightly on my arm. “Asher, I am proud of you and of what you’ve done so far. You are a good man, and you’re going to do great things with this,” she gestured around. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”Her words, so simple and sincere, unraveled something in me. I didn’t deserve her faith, not with the secrets I was keeping, but in that moment, I wanted to believe her.We stood there in the quiet, her gaze locked with mine, until the weight of it gave way to a shared grin. Moments later, we were giggling uncontrollably, slipping on the juice-slick floor as we tried to balance.Once the grapes were pressed, we poured a small glass of the fresh wine and tasted it. Ivy made a face. “You know what would make this better?” she asked, tilting her head thoughtfully.“What?”Her grin widened as she leaned in. “What if we added this to the wine from our dinner in the garden—th
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Asher’s pov
Asher’s POVI held out a hand to her. “Are you ready?”She grinned at me. “What’s this? Take your spouse to work day?” she teased.I smiled at her as she slipped her hands into mine, and I shrugged. “Something like that.”Ivy was the one who had offered to follow me to the company today. I had woken up to breakfast already set at the table. It was a gesture that warmed my heart, but nothing compared to when she told me she would call in sick from work and follow me to the office.I led her through those glass doors, and as soon as we walked into the reception area, all eyes turned in our direction. Well, they were mostly looking at her. It wasn’t every day a hot model strode into work. And by God, she looked hot today.She wore a simple white dress that clung to her in all the right ways. It stopped mid-thigh and made her legs look longer. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She had light makeup on and a simple piece of jewelry. It was minimal effort, and yet she looked the most
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Secrets in the Shadows
Luca’s POVI stared at her, my eyes twinkling with admiration. “You look...”“What?” she asked, blinking rapidly.I pulled her closer until she was pressed up against me, tucking her hair away from her face and cupping her cheeks. “You look like a snack, Janine, and I want to eat you up.”She giggled. “Okay then?”“Okay?” I asked, unsure. With Janine, I always took my time. She wasn’t like the other girls. She meant so much more to me. I was afraid to hurt her, afraid to do anything she didn’t like.She nodded, her eyes shining brightly.I gripped her jaw and drew her in. I kissed her tenderly at first, savoring the feeling of her soft lips against mine. My hands slipped around her waist.Then, before I knew it, she stood on her tiptoes, her hands wrapping around me as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue probed my lips, and I let her, surrendering to her. With the other women in my life, I was always in charge. Not with Janine. She was like an enigma to me. Apparently, Janine didn’t fee
Billionaire's Bounty: Cost Of Love And Revenge Unspoken Desires
Asher’s POVThe table was set perfectly. Candlelight flickered softly in the cool evening breeze, casting shadows on the ivory tablecloth and the bunch of roses I had picked out earlier for her. The garden was quiet except for the soft sounds of the night breeze.I sat, trying to seem relaxed, nursing a glass of red wine that tasted bitter in my dry mouth. It was a wine from Sterling Winery. We were trying to perfect a new wine. I was not satisfied with the results yet; there was something missing, and I couldn’t quite figure out what it was, neither could the rest of my team.But I wasn’t relaxed.Taylor’s words echoed in my head. “There’s so much pressure with this. You’re a billionaire; there are many things I could want, but I can’t make up my mind.” Her voice had been soft, almost pitying, as if she hadn’t just threatened the happiness I had just found in my life, like she wasn’t enjoying this. And those photos.God, the photos. Every time I blinked, I saw them, burned into the b
