Anika Downs, a 25-year-old billionaire heiress, has faced betrayal from those she trusted most, making her wary of love. After discovering her boyfriend’s affair with her best friend and losing her father, she returns to take over her family’s business. As she navigates the challenges of a male-dominated industry, she must also deal with internal corruption, family issues, and the weight of her past. Then Kelvin Anderson, a 27-year-old with a link to Anika’s past, enters the picture. After accidentally wrecking her car, he walks into her office for a job interview, sparking immediate tension. Neither realizes that they share a deeper connection—Kelvin is the man from a one-night stand Anika had a year ago, who vanished without a word. Forced to work together to uncover corporate theft and betrayal, buried feelings between Anika and Kelvin begin to surface. Just as Anika starts to trust again, her ex-boyfriend, Richard, reappears with plans to take over her company, revealing shocking secrets about her father’s death and his own devious plans. Anika now faces a choice: can she let go of her past pain and trust Kelvin, or will betrayal take everything from her once more? CEO’s Second Chance is a billionaire romance full of enemies-to-lovers tension, corporate drama, and a journey of healing and forgiveness. Will Anika regain control of her heart and her company, or will betrayal be her downfall?
Lihat lebih banyakAnika let out a sigh as she exited the office room after a recent meeting. The board members of her late father's company had informed her that she was to take over the company shortly, leaving her unsure of what steps to take next.
Reflecting on the words of a highly-ranked member of the company, she felt trapped. Throughout her life, Anika had always felt like a solitary figure, lost in a daunting world and her father's passing had intensified that feeling.
She struggled to find a sense of purpose, a reason to keep moving forward. However, she found solace and support in her boyfriend, Richard.
From the moment they met, Richard had a way of comforting and uplifting her. His words were like a warm embrace, providing a welcome respite from the cold and indifferent world around her.
Feeling uncertain about herself and her abilities, Anika decided to turn to Richard for guidance, hoping that he would offer some direction. She picked up her phone and called him, but after a long silence, the line went dead; he wasn't answering.
Unable to reach him, she decided to go to his house, knowing that he didn't appreciate unexpected visits but she was going to apologize later.
Fidgeting along the way, she drove to Richard's house and rang the doorbell repeatedly. Despite her attempts, he wasn't answering which led her to enter his house using his passcode and as she did, voices from his bedroom caught her attention.
Intrigued and puzzled, she cautiously walked towards the sound as the voices grew louder and clearer, revealing a conversation that seemed far from innocent.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen. "I enjoyed spending time with you. You're the best partner I've ever had," she heard Richard's voice, filled with affection.
She was confused as she as she absorbed his words but before she could process it, she heard a response that made her blood turn cold.
"Shut up. You only say that because you need me for sex," a voice, familiar to Anika's ears, spat out with bitter resentment.
Recognition struck her like a bolt of lightning. She knew that voice all too well. It was her best friend, Victoria.
"That's not the only reason, sweetheart. You know I love you and your irresistible body," Richard's voice carried a hint of mischief.
Disgust washed over Anika as their words pierced her heart, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. How could they do this to her?
"Then why don't you break up with that bitch if you love me? What's stopping you?" Victoria's voice trembled with urgency and desperation.
"You know I can't love. She is my cash cow. Leaving her would mean no more luxury for you," Richard said.
Anika's mind spun in a whirlwind of emotions -
betrayal and disbelief. At that moment, she could no longer contain her rage. With a burst of strength, she barged into the bedroom, flinging open the door with a resounding bang.
Both Richard and Victoria froze, their eyes widening in shock and horror at her sudden appearance. Anika's heart sank as she took in the scene before her.
It was true. Her suspicions had been confirmed. The two people she trusted most had betrayed her in the cruelest way imaginable.
The weight of their betrayal settled heavily upon her shoulder. She looked at Victoria, her best friend- now ex-best friend, who couldn't meet her gaze, her guilt and remorse evident in her trembling form.
"F*ck!" Richard cursed, moving to cover himself with a nearby blanket as he stumbled off the bed.
Anika's chest rose and fell with each ragged breath, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and anger. "How could you do this to me? After everything I've done for you?"
Richard attempted to approach her, his voice pleading, "Babe, I can explain. It's not what you think. She-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Anika's hand swung through the air, connecting with a resounding slap against his cheek. Richard staggered backward, shock etched across his face. He couldn't believe she was capable of such a display of strength.
"How could you do this to me after all that I've done for you?" she whispered, her voice laced with restrained fury, tears glistening in her eyes. She refused to let him see her pain. He wasn't worth it.
"It's not what it looks like, I swear. I was seduced," he pleaded, attempting to come closer, but she stepped back, sternly warning him.
"Don't," she warned, her eyes filled with hatred. At that moment, Richard knew better than to challenge her.
"Anika, I'm sorry. I never meant it like that. I love you, you know that. I didn't mean any of what I said, I..." Richard tried to reason, but Anika interrupted him.
"You don't know the first thing about love, Richard. You were just using me for your gain. Now I see you for who you truly are. We are over, and I never want to see your face again. If you do, you'll pay for what you've done." she seethed.
"Have a nice life" She gave Victoria a stern look before she turned on her heel and drove straight to the bar where she contemplated her next move.
~*~
Anika walked into the bar and made herself comfortable on a stool then she told the bartender to make her a strong drink. She wasn’t a fan of alcohol but tonight, she wanted to get drunk and forget everything that she had seen or heard earlier.
She took a huge gulp of the alcohol handed to her and her face twisted immediately but she didn't care, she kept drinking.
Anika couldn’t help but reminisce about her and Richard’s relationship. She didn't know why he would do that to her, she had been nothing but nice and faithful to him for the past two years of their relationship.
She didn’t discriminate against him when he wasn’t able to get a job after they graduated from college. Instead, she helped him and tried to provide for his needs as much as she could.
She should have seen the darker side to him when he became more possessive, more controlling towards her, insisting on knowing every detail of her life. He would criticize her for the things she wore and the people she talked to. He would often get angry or manipulative when she tried to assert her independence. He would also ask her for money openly and she gave him it without complaint.
Despite all of this, she remained submissive to Richard, feeling like she needed him to survive and would always want his opinion on every little thing in her life.
Like a fool, she would take his advice and do as he pleased, not knowing that he had been cheating on her all along with her best friend and using her for her money.
That wasn't going to happen. She was done with love.
“You should stop drinking; it's getting too much” she heard a voice beside her.
It was a tall young man; a good-looking man at that and it didn’t help that he had hazel eyes that contrasted with his skin.
“And what if I don’t” she asked but her tone came out flirtatious. The man smirked and sat beside her.
“Then I’ll do this” He collected the drink from her and gulped it at once while staring deep into her eyes.
“Hey, that's mine!” she protested but the handsome man just chuckled in response.
“You should be careful, pretty girls like you shouldn’t get drunk alone, especially in a place like this,” the fine man said and she looked around. She cringed as some men stared hungrily at her body without bothering to hide it.
“I am not drunk” She faced the godly angel beside her. The man arched his brows.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine I am drunk but slightly, that doesn't mean I don't know how to defend myself though, I'm a tough girl,” she said making the man chuckle again, his dimples visible as he did so. She didn’t know he had one but she wasn’t complaining.
"Just be careful princess," A smile was still plastered on the man's face and at that moment, she forgot about everything and stared at the man.
“So mind telling me why you are here in the first place?” he asked and just like that, she remembered her sorrows. Her smile vanished, this didn’t go unnoticed by the handsome stranger.
“I am just here to clear my head,” she lied, motioning for the bartender to pour her a drink but the man waved him back. She frowned at him and he gave her a wink in return.
“It doesn’t look like it,” he said, making her sigh.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Even though she was drunk, she knew better than to spill out all her secrets to a mere stranger.
“Let me guess, you got cheated on,” Her mouth was agape.
“How did you-”
“It’s a common thing.” he chuckled while she just stared at him with an unknown feeling in her heart.
Before she knew it, they locked lips and began kissing.
***
The hotel door was slammed shut as both the stranger and Anika kissed.
They were in a hotel room, he suggested it when the kiss at the bar was getting intense and immediately carried her and her belongings to his car then drove to a nearby hotel.
She tried unbuttoning his shirt but she couldn’t, not with her shaky hands. She groaned at this and the man chuckled before taking his lips off her and stripped out of his shirt.
Her lips parted as her gaze swept through his perfectly chiseled chest; tattoos mostly covering his hard muscular torso down to his defined arbs, going down and tracing the V-shaped line leading beneath his white underwear just above his pants.
He looked perfect.
“My face is over here,” the man said with a knowing smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes and shut him up with a kiss.
His fingers wrapped around the hem of her dress and pulled it off. Within seconds they were both naked on the hotel bed, skin to skin as their tongues frantically moved against one another. His lips lay light torturous kisses down her neck, chest, and every other part of her body.
“Are you sure you want this?” the man asked, his eyes holding eye contact with hers, asking for permission.
She nodded her head in consent and only then did he enter her, causing a series of moans to leave her mouth. She gave herself fully to him that night as they both reached ecstasy.
The next morning came and Anika woke up to an empty bed naked, she remembered everything that occurred between her and the man.
“What have I done?” she asked herself in disbelief and began to change back into her clothes quickly. Luckily the man was in the shower so he couldn’t hear her scuffling around.
Once she was done dressing, she grabbed a check that contained a large amount from her bag and placed it on the bed before walking out of the hotel room quietly.
She entered her car and placed her head on the steering wheels, still grasping what she had just done. She wasn’t like that; she was never a one-night stand person so she couldn’t understand why she slept with a stranger.
She wanted to get away from everything, from Richard and Victoria, her sister, and the recent occurrence. The only choice she had was to take the offer given to her by the board members so she picked up her phone and punched in a contact.
“Hello Miss Downs.” the voice said with a formal tone.
“I accept,” she said to him, taking a deep breath before continuing.
“I accept the position of CEO,” she said.
“That’s great ma’am, I'll inform the board members of your decision and we will begin to make preparations for your departure.” the man said.
T.B.C
Noeline.
Her life had been going exceptionally well, surpassing even her expectations, and she couldn't be more thankful. The current chapter of her life had spread out just as she had hoped, bringing her happiness that had been elusive for a long time. She found herself in a state of peace with no drama surrounding her, and she couldn’t be more grateful to the man above. As she reflected on these thoughts, her phone rang, and a smile lit up her face as she saw her sister's name on the screen. Answering the call, she was greeted by the melodious, high-pitched voice of her sister on the other end. "Hey, Anni," Andrea's voice conveyed happiness over the phone, and at that moment, she sensed that something significant had happened. Andrea wasn't always in such a jubilant mood. "Spill the tea. What's got you so excited?" Anika inquired. "How did you know I was about to share something interesting?" Andrea responded. "Because I'm your sister, and I can sense when exciting things happen to you
Anika’s P.O.V My face lit up with happiness, surprise, and curiosity as I attempted to stand. "What are you guys doing here?" I managed to utter, my voice cracking from inactivity. "Anika…" Kelvin said, his voice filled with emotion as he looked at me, tears welling up in his eyes. He rushed forward to hug me, and I couldn't help but cry in response. My eyes then met Andrea, who stood at the entrance with sadness in her eyes. I knew she wanted to hug me but was unsure how. "How did you guys find me?" I asked as Kelvin and I disengaged from the hug. "We'll discuss that later, but now, we have to get out of here before whoever did this to you returns," Kelvin said, helping me stand. I wobbled because I hadn't stood in a long time, and just as I was about to fall due to weak legs, Kelvin steadied me, his hands on my waist, guiding me toward the door. "I swear to god, whoever did this to you is going to pay, I promise," he muttered with anger in his voice as he led me down the sta
Anika’s P.O.V My eyes fluttered open, and I realized I was on the floor. I sat upright, only to be hit with a pounding headache that made me squirm in pain. I cradled my head, attempting to numb the ache until it subsided, which it eventually did. After calming myself, I surveyed my surroundings, furrowing my brows in confusion. I didn't recognize where I was. As I tried to piece together how I ended up in the room, memories flooded back—from being chased to the moment I was drugged, leading to my blackout. Panic set in, and I glanced around the dimly lit, small room. The only light filtered in from a tiny window far from me. I stood up and walked to the door, banging on it desperately. "Help!" I yelled, close to tears, terrified by the unknown kidnapper. "Somebody, please help me! If you're hearing this, help!" I continued, relentlessly pounding on the door, trying to open it in vain. Despite minutes passing with me still banging, I refused to give up. I hit the door with all my
Anika’s P.O.V "I'll be heading to YOLE's for the partnership meeting now, ma'am," Greg informed me as we walked out of the boardroom after we met with the executives. He was about to represent us at another company for a meeting I wouldn't be available for. "Alright then, when will it end?" I asked him. "In four to five hours, I'm not sure, but I'll let you know once I'm done and about the outcome of the meeting. So, adios," he said with a salute as he left, making me chuckle. He was a funny man. As I entered the elevator, about to go to my floor, someone stuck his hand to stop the elevator from closing. It was Kelvin. "Hey," he flashed me a grin as he entered inside and stood next to me. The elevator closed and began to head up. "Sup, I can see you are smiling from ear to ear, and I can assume that your little date last night went well," I raised an eyebrow at him. "You are certainly right, it went well. Vivian is a great person, and I'm happy I went on that date with her becau
Anika’s P.O.V I was thrilled to be back in the city after months away on a business trip. returning I was back early and I decided to surprise Kelvin at work since he had been expressing how much he missed me. I couldn't deny missing him too so I would see him and also check on the company's progress. As I entered the office, I received warm greetings from colleagues. I reciprocated the greetings and could hear the murmurs spreading about the news of my arrival. I rode the elevator to Kelvin’s floor alone without my assistant Greg since I kept my return a secret from him too. I approached Kelvin's secretary after stepping out of the elevator. "Welcome back, ma'am," she greeted and I replied with a smile and asked about Kelvin, hoping he was in his office. "Yes, he is, but—" "Alright, thanks," I interjected and proceeded to Kelvin’s office. Upon entering, my intention to shout 'Surprise' shifted dramatically when I discovered a girl lying on top of him on his office couch. My
Kelvin’s P.O.V "What should we do with the document for the TOPAX project?" my assistant asked. "Just delete it. They're not a reliable company to work with. We don't work with people we can't trust or who won't agree to our terms," I told him. "Okay, I'll let them know we're not interested," he said. I nodded before sending him off. As he closed the door, I sighed. I was tired from the day's work but I was used to it since it had become my routine for a long time. With a good salary, I couldn't complain. I found myself in a new role at the company—I had become the manager, a position previously held by Hart before he was fired and sued by Anika for betraying her by aligning with Richard. Despite his years of service before Anika became the CEO. It serves as a reminder to be cautious about whom to trust; not everyone is truly a friend. Taking on this new responsibility was challenging, even though I had been in the position for nearly two years. However, I still felt drained afte
Anika’s P.O.V "The court thoroughly reviewed the evidence M.s Downs submitted about Mr. Hale's deceptive acquisition of ADOWNS. After careful consideration, it's clear Mr Hales manipulated M.s Downs into signing ownership transfer documents under false pretenses. He presented these documents to her as approval forms for a donation to an orphanage, and she signed them. Later, M.s Downs discovered that she unwillingly gave him ownership and control of her company." "The court examined the evidence, including witness testimonies. Ms. Downs, you brought forward Francis Addams, who was coerced into acting as M. Downs's assistant. She provided information about ADOWNS Limited through illegal means in exchange for money, which she used to pay for her mother's hospital bills. This has been proven through a recording of the conversation between both parties submitted to the court." "This confirms Ms. Downs' claims of deceit and manipulation. Additionally, Ms. Downs presented a witness who wo
Anika’s P.O.V "The current trending news revolves around the lawsuit filed by Anika Rebecca Downs, the former owner and ex-heiress of ADOWNS, against the new owner, her ex-boyfriend of over four years, Richard Hale. This topic is making waves across various media platforms, with social media users actively sharing and discussing the information, creating a buzz in the country. We managed to obtain the court date, scheduled for next month, and many are eagerly anticipating the outcome to see if the case will be messy or not and-" Fed up with the continuous coverage, I turned off my television, choosing not to listen any further, and casually tossed the remote behind me. I still couldn't believe I filed a lawsuit against Richard that morning. It required a lot of courage, but I finally took the step. Once the media caught wind of it, they kept the story alive and spread the news far and wide. Since that morning, they had been bombarding my lawyers with calls, eager for more informa
Kelvin’s P.O.V There she was – the lady we'd been searching for emerged from the mart, wearing a cap to conceal her identity. She swiftly exited the store but before she could get away from our sight, Anika tugged at me, and we discreetly trailed her from a distance so we could remain unnoticed by her. “This wasn't my plan; we were supposed to approach her and talk,” I remarked as we followed Anika. “And do you really think she'd willingly talk? She'd bolt the moment she saw me, considering the way she wronged me. Plus, with the news of Richard's takeover of my company, there's no chance she'd agree to a conversation. We need to corner her – who knows if she's still connected to Richard. He might be buying her silence or threatening her. Either way, we have to follow her to her hideout rather than attempting to talk, as you suggested,” Anika explained, making a convincing case as we continued tailing the girl. "That's clever," I complimented. "I know," she replied with a slight
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Komen