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Sympathy Or Manipulation?
Last Updated:
2025-01-29 18:06:10
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Billionaire's Choice "I Hope You Let Her"
I didn’t know what to say. The words wouldn’t come. All I could think about was how much I had loved her, and how every time she’d left, every time she’d hurt me, I’d promised myself I’d moved on. But hearing her say all of that… it felt like I was shattering into pieces all over again.She was silent for a moment, and I could see her struggling to hold it together. But I wasn’t sure I could.“Do you understand what you’ve done to me?” I finally muttered. “All that time, I gave you everything. I loved you without holding back, and this… this is what you’ve done?”Her eyes filled with tears, and she lowered her gaze. She looked so small, so fragile now, and it made the anger inside of me feel even more confusing.“I never wanted to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice cracking.“But you did!” I yelled at her.“Yes, I did. And I’m so sorry. I just… I can’t live like this anymore. I need your forgiveness, Gabriel. I need to be free of the guilt of everything. That's all I have left.”Her
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"You can fix him." That was all Grandma said.I wanted to believe her. I really did. But how do you fix someone who doesn’t want to be fixed? Who doesn’t even look at you like you matter?Gabriel had shown me, days leading up to the wedding, over and over again, that I was nothing more than an obligation to him. A formality. A name beside his on paper. Not once had he treated me like someone who could reach him, let alone someone he wanted to.And today… today had drained me more than I could put into words.From the moment the wedding started, I had been walking on eggshells, trying to navigate the tension in the air. Gabriel’s coldness was expected, but then Ethan showed up and shattered whatever illusion of control I had left. If I thought Gabriel was distant, his brother was something else entirely. He was terrifying. There was something about the way he carried himself, the way his sharp eyes scanned the room like he owned it. If Gabriel was cold, Ethan was ice. He didn’t just pu
Last Updated : 2025-01-31Billionaire's Choice The Dinner
The wedding was over. The ceremony, the guests, the endless speeches and toasts—it was all behind me now. It felt surreal, like I’d stepped into a completely different world. And here I was, in the Deveraux mansion, still trying to wrap my head around it all.I hadn’t expected any of this. One minute, I was working my usual shifts at La Mer, barely keeping up with the long hours and demanding customers. And the next, I’m standing here, married to Gabriel Deveraux, the heir to the largest real estate company in America.It felt like my life had taken a sharp turn, but in some strange way, I was glad for it. I had to quit my job at La Mer, something I’d been dreading for years, but oddly enough, I wasn’t upset about it. If anything, I felt relieved. No more pretending to be okay when I wasn’t. No more struggling to meet the expectations of a job that never felt like it was mine to begin with.Dinner was as awkward as I’d expected. Gabriel sat at the far end of the table, his focus solel
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I glanced at the bathroom door. Using his bathroom felt wrong. But what was I supposed to do? Grandma had made it clear. I was staying in this room, and we had to act like a couple.I swallowed and grabbed my pajamas. I took a deep breath and pushed the bathroom door open, my body stiff with hesitation. I half-expected him to snap at me, to tell me I was taking too long or that I shouldn’t have used his bathroom at all. But to my surprise, he didn’t say anything.When I looked back, he was still standing by the window, his back to me, staring out into the night. The bathroom was huge. Everything was sleek, black marble and glass, with a shower big enough to fit three people. The scent of his cologne lingered in the air, and for some reason, that made me even more uncomfortable.I shook it off and turned on the shower, stepping under the hot water. My muscles instantly relaxed, but my mind wouldn’t. I finished up quickly, not wanting to push my luck by taking too long. Instead of ste
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I woke up before the sun. My back ached from sleeping on the couch, but I pushed past it and sat up, rubbing my eyes. The blanket had slipped to the floor sometime during the night, leaving me cold, but I wasn’t about to complain. I already knew Gabriel would rather throw me out than let me have a spot on his precious bed.I glanced over at him. He was still asleep, his back turned to me, the blanket covering him completely. He slept like nothing in the world could bother him, while I had spent half the night curled up, trying to get comfortable on the stiff couch.I sighed and got up quietly. I wasn’t going to let last night’s humiliation ruin today. Grandma had said I’d be starting at the company immediately, and if I was going to prove myself in this marriage and at work, I needed to start with something simple.All I could think of was breakfast. It was stupid, really. He obviously hated me, but making breakfast felt like something a wife should do. And since we were supposed to b
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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
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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
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