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A Very Stiff Start
Last Updated:
2025-02-03 19:40:34
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When the car pulled up in front of the Deveraux Group’s headquarters, Gabriel didn’t wait for me. The company was a towering skyscraper in the heart of San Francisco, shaped like a sleek, modern rectangle with sharp edges and reflective glass panels that mirrored the sky. At the very top, the gold company logo stood proudly against the dark glass, visible from blocks away.He stepped out first, adjusting his cufflinks as if he had somewhere far more important to be. I sighed, tightening my grip on my purse before following him.The moment his shoes hit the pavement, I saw the shift. Employees outside immediately straightened up. Conversations died, and people hurried to adjust their posture as they spotted their CEO walking in. Even the doorman, who had been chatting with a receptionist, quickly stood at attention, bowing his head slightly as Gabriel strode past.I sighed and followed, gripping my purse.The moment I stepped inside, all eyes were on me.The sleek, modern lobby—its ma
Last Updated : 2025-02-05Billionaire's Choice Gabriel’s POV
Sleeping in the same room as her was the last thing I ever wanted.But I wasn’t about to disrespect Grandma—not when she had the power to ruin everything I’d built.She had made it clear. If I didn’t play along, she’d donate everything to charity. Everything I had sacrificed for, every late night I had spent working, every deal I had closed, wouldn’t it all be for nothing. I wasn’t going to let that happen.So, I kept my mouth shut through dinner, even when that fraud’s voice irritated the hell out of me. I nodded when necessary, pretended to listen, and the second it was over, I left.I didn’t wait for that fraud. I didn’t even look at her.I just went straight to my room.By the time she walked in, I was already standing by the window, dressed in nothing but my shorts. I didn’t acknowledge her. I didn’t have to.I knew she was staring.I could feel it, the weight of her presence lingering by the bed, watching me like she was waiting for something.I clenched my jaw, keeping my back
Last Updated : 2025-02-05Billionaire's Choice You're My Enemy
I looked at the laptop Jonathan handed me and was shocked. With all due respect, had Grandma completely lost it? Giving Aria shares from the company? I was taken so aback.I scrolled through the document, rereading every line, hoping I had misunderstood. But there it was - clear as day. 25% of the company’s shares, transferred to Aria’s name. My jaw tightened.I closed the laptop, exhaling slowly through my nose. “When did this happen?” I finally asked, my voice tighter than I intended.Jonathan shifted slightly. “The paperwork was finalized yesterday.”She really thought she could force this into something real. That by giving Aria shares, by tying her to the company, she could make this marriage mean something.The most annoying part is they all kept me in the dark. I turned to Jonathan, my voice clipped. “Summon her.”Jonathan gave a small nod and stepped out without another word.I leaned back in my chair, my fingers laced together as I waited. That witch had some explaining to d
Last Updated : 2025-02-06Billionaire's Choice The Battle Begins
The tension in Gabriel’s office was suffocating as the clock neared the end of the workday. He barely glanced up from his laptop, his fingers tapping impatiently against the desk. His mind was consumed with unfinished business. Contracts, negotiations, and the mess from his so-called wife.Jonathan stood near the door, waiting for instructions. The moment Gabriel signed off on his last call, he exhaled sharply and shut his laptop.“Tell the chauffeur to leave the keys. I’ll drive myself home,” Gabriel ordered without looking up.Jonathan hesitated for a second. “Sir, are you sure? The roads are…”“Did I stutter?” Gabriel snapped, rubbing his temples. “I don’t need a damn chauffeur breathing down my neck today.”Jonathan nodded quickly and left to relay the message.By the time Gabriel reached the parking lot, the sleek black Mercedes-Maybach S-Class was waiting for him. He yanked the door open and slid into the driver’s seat, resting his hands on the wheel. His jaw clenched as he let
Last Updated : 2025-02-07Billionaire's Choice Kitchen Gossip
I licked a crumb off my thumb as I leaned forward, my elbows now resting on the kitchen counter. The last bite of my sandwich sat comfortably in my stomach. Not the most exciting meal, but enough to keep me going until dinner.Across the kitchen, two women moved around with an ease that came from routine. I’d seen them before, chatted with them in passing. But I hadn’t really sat with them like this. They were older than me, both dressed in crisp white aprons, their sleeves rolled up as they handled the quiet tasks that came before cooking actually started. One was at the sink, rinsing a cutting board, while the other sorted through a basket of fresh vegetables.Maria and Elise. That was their names. I hadn’t asked directly, but I’d picked them up from listening. Maria, the shorter one with a round face and a smile that always seemed ready to appear, was the chattier of the two. Elise, taller and leaner, had a sharper look about her, like someone who noticed everything but only spoke
Last Updated : 2025-02-08Billionaire's Choice Married in Name Only
Gabriel’s POVThe tension at dinner was heavy and unsettling, because Ethan was back. I spotted him the moment I stepped into the dining area. He was already seated, leaning back with one arm draped lazily over the chair. A glass of red wine swirled between his fingers, and he watched it like there was something more interesting in the liquid than the people around him.I didn’t react. He wanted me to.Instead, I pulled out my chair and sat down, ignoring the way his gaze lingered on me, waiting for a response. Grandma sat at the head of the table, stiff and composed. The staff moved around quietly, setting down plates, but there was an unmistakable heaviness in the air.No one welcomed Ethan back.He smirked as I picked up my fork. “Didn’t think I’d miss a family dinner, did you?”I didn’t look at him. “Didn’t think you’d be back at all.”He laughed, deep and amused. “Well, you know me. Full of surprises.”No, I knew him. And surprises weren’t his thing. If Ethan was here, it wasn’t
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Gabriel’s POVYesterday, after dinner, when everybody had gone. I wasn’t in a rush to leave the dining room. Grandma also was still there, she sat across from me, her fingers lightly tapping against the wooden table, a habit she had whenever she was deep in thought. The house was quiet now, the air thick with the remnants of an earlier tension that hadn’t quite settled.Then she spoke.“I wasn’t surprised to see him today,” she said, almost absently.I didn’t need to ask who she was talking about.I scoffed, leaning back in my chair. “Of course you weren’t. He always comes back.”“He’s still my son.”“He’s still a problem,” I countered. “Let me guess. He’s broke again, and now he’s come running back to his safety net.”Grandma gave me a sharp look, the kind that used to send fear down my spine as a kid. But I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was a grown man who had spent years cleaning up after my older brother’s messes, and I wasn’t about to start again.“Gabriel, I know your brother has made
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Aria’s POVAdjusting to this job, and this life was still a work in progress.I sat behind my desk, sipping my morning coffee, staring at the view from my floor-to-ceiling windows. The city skyline stretched before me, glittering under the morning sun, a reminder of just how far I had come… and how much further I had to go.The office had started to feel a little less intimidating, though. The first few days had been overwhelming. Whispers, stares, the occasional polite-but-not-really-friendly smiles. I knew what people thought. That I didn’t belong here. That I was just the CEO’s wife, placed in an executive role as a formality.Honestly? I would’ve thought the same if I were them.But I was determined to prove them wrong.I glanced at the time. 8:45 AM. A little earlier than I usually started, but I needed the extra time to breathe before the chaos of the day began. My office, at least, was my safe space. Sleek, spacious, and surprisingly cozy. Gabriel, or rather, the company, had s
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ARIA’S POVI needed air. Space. Sanity. Something.The second I stormed out of that office, I didn’t stop walking. I just kept going. Past the hallway, past the fake smiles and curious stares, until I hit the rooftop door and shoved it open.Cold wind rushed against my skin like it knew I was seconds from losing it. I walked to the edge, gripped the metal railing, and let out a breath that trembled against the fury in my chest.What the hell was he doing here?Of all the damn places on earth. Colorado. My job. My world.And now he was standing there like a ghost that refused to stay buried.I heard footsteps behind me, and my stomach sank.“Ari…”Of course.I didn’t turn. “Don’t come near me.”“I just want to talk.”I turned then, slow, sharp. “You’ve done enough talking, Gabriel. You did all your talking with that divorce paper.”He flinched, just slightly, but I didn’t stop.“You made me leave, without a word. No explanation. Nothing. And now what? You show up here, what? You buy th
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Aria’s POVSofia leaned in, her voice just above a whisper. “I mean… I can’t speak on that. But apparently, the new CEO is holding private meetings with all the department heads today before he meets everyone officially. There’s no official memo or calendar update, but people are talking.”I blinked, a sudden unease crawling up my spine. “Talking how?”She tapped her phone. “From what I heard, he’s already met with Marketing and Sales. PR is in there now. Editorial is next.”“What?” I froze.Editorial. That’s my department.How am I just hearing about this now? Why didn’t I get any sort of information?I forced a smile, mumbled a quick thank-you, and nodded before heading to my desk. My chest was heavy with nerves. I really hoped I wouldn’t have to start from scratch again. I’d just begun to find my rhythm here. It finally felt like I was getting a foothold—finally stepping into the future I’d envisioned for myself. Event planning wasn’t just a job to me; it was my second chance. A wa
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Aria's POVWe’d been sitting here for a while now, settled into our booth, chatting like it was just any other evening. Dylan was easy to talk to, surprisingly so. Maybe I’d been wrong about him. He wasn’t exactly my type, but he wasn’t a bad guy. Actually, he had a way of making me laugh without trying too hard. Maybe that was a nice change.I couldn’t help but smile as he raised an eyebrow at the wine list. “How do you choose between something like this and something more... adventurous?” He gave me a teasing look, like he knew what I was thinking.“Well, you have to be in the mood for it,” I replied, leaning back in the booth, still looking at my menu. “But sometimes, it’s about taking a risk. You know?”He chuckled, the sound warm and easy. “Taking risks, huh? Yeah, I can get behind that. I’ve had my share of those.” He shrugged casually, almost nonchalantly. “Started my own company with almost no money. Almost lost it all, but it worked out. Sometimes you just have to take the le
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Gabriel’s POV“Make sure they have the revised proposal by tomorrow morning,” I said, my voice firm as I scanned the papers in front of me, focusing on the numbers that would determine the next phase.Jonathan didn’t need reminding. He was already typing on his laptop, his eyes fixed on the screen, furiously going through the details. “Already on it. They’ll have it. Anything else before we call it a day?”I leaned back, dragging a hand through my hair, and checked my pocket watch. Her pretty face stared back at me through the glass, and it took me a moment to remember why I’d pulled it out in the first place, but my gaze quickly shifted to the time: past 8 p.m. I’d been at this for hours, but the job wasn’t done yet. There was no ‘normal’ workday when you were closing deals that would change the face of a city.I hadn’t wanted to be in DC. To be honest, I hadn’t wanted to be anywhere but in the comfort of familiar things, and by familiar things, I mean being in Colorado right now. Bu
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Aria’s POV"Ugh, I swear," Jenna groaned, tugging her hair into a messy bun on screen. "If one more designer tries to sell me a ‘reinvention of classic minimalism’ that’s just a white shirt with a pocket, I’m quitting.""You’ve said that three times this year," Liv teased, propped up against a stack of pillows in what looked like a dreamy Airbnb. “Also, that white shirt is probably $700.”"Don’t remind me," Jenna rolled her eyes. “God forbid minimalism be affordable.”Nicole gave a small laugh as she scrolled through something on her iPad. “Meanwhile, I had to convince a luxury skincare brand today that launching a ‘gritty street-style’ campaign with models in couture was not... the vibe.”Liv made a face. "What does that even mean?"“Exactly,” Nicole said. “I think they just throw buzzwords into a blender and hope for the best.”I smiled quietly, watching them talk. I didn’t say much at first; I just listened. It had been a while since we were all on a call like this together, and so
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Gabriel’s POV “You’ve got some nerve, Gabriel, coming all the way to Mexico to call for a truce. Do you really think you can reason with a man like me?” Diego’s voice dripped with venom, each word hanging in the air like a challenge. His eyes were cold, unblinking as they locked onto mine. I met his gaze with the same intensity, my voice calm and controlled. “I’m not here to fight, Diego. I’m here to talk. Nothing more, nothing less.” Diego’s sneer deepened, but I held my ground, my mind already retracing the events of the past two weeks. The eye-opening conversation I’d had with my father. The family dynamics. Diego’s past. My father had spoken of the years of bitterness Diego carried, the resentment born from how my grandfather had abandoned him and the death of his mother, a death he believed we were responsible for. But that conversation had been only the beginning. A week later, Andrew had dropped the real bombshell: documents that could bring Diego down. These weren’t
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Gabriel's POVI didn’t say a word as the jet took off. The conversation with my father sat heavily in my mind, but I forced it aside. For now.I leaned back in my seat, exhaling slowly. The cabin lights were dim, casting a muted glow over the polished wood and leather. The hum of the engines was steady, almost soothing.Then, almost instinctively, I reached into my pocket.The familiar weight of the pocket watch pressed against my palm, cool and solid. I flicked it open with my thumb. The soft click echoed louder than it should have in the silence.And there she was, her pretty face staring back at me. My Ari, my angel. The picture was taken in our bedroom, a moment I’d stolen when she had no idea. She was in her natural state, completely unaware of the camera in my hand. Her hair was a little wild from sleep, and her eyes had that soft, distant look that made her so damn beautiful. It was a simple shot, but I loved it, because it was her, in the most authentic and unguarded way. I ha
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Gabriel's POVThe silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. The air in my father's living room felt heavier than before, like the walls had closed in around us.I forced myself to breathe. To stay still. To absorb what I had just heard.Diego was family.I sat down, my body moving before my mind could fully catch up. “Explain,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.Andrew didn’t speak immediately. He reached for the bottle of whiskey on the table, poured himself another glass, and stared into the amber liquid like it held the past itself. “You think you know the Deveraux family,” he said. “But you don’t. Not really.”I said nothing.He let out a slow breath. “This goes back to Richard,” he began. “My father. Your grandfather.”I knew that name well. The man who built the Deveraux empire. The man everyone claimed was ruthless, brilliant, untouchable.Andrew continued, “Richard had an affair while on a business trip to Mexico. A woman, who wasn’t just some mist
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Gabriel's POVTCA wasn’t new to me. I had trained here for years, stepping into the ring whenever I needed an outlet. Back then, it was about control, about reminding myself that power wasn’t just about wealth or influence, it was about knowing I could end a fight before it even started.But now, it wasn’t about control.It was about survival.I adjusted my stance, muscles coiled with tension as Cole, my personal trainer, circled me. His gaze was sharp, unreadable, assessing, calculating. There was no sympathy in his eyes, no wasted words. Just the demand for perfection."You’re too slow," he said flatly. "Again."TCA wasn’t a regular gym. It was where professionals trained; fighters, bodyguards, men who understood that losing wasn’t an option.There were no influencers shadowboxing in front of mirrors, no weekend warriors pretending to be something they weren’t. This was a place for men who needed to be ready for war.I wasn’t new to combat, but this wasn’t about street fights or bru
