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Chapter 112 : The Drive Back to Paris
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 113 : Handing Out Promotions
*Michael*“Billionaire Playboy Settles for a Nobody”I shook my head at the recent headline that Reggie had dropped off on my desk. We’d been seen in Paris the night before we flew home, and in the three days following our return, the magazines and gossip tabloids were having a field day with the news of our engagement. Under the headline was the picture of us at dinner. My hand was reaching out and brushing Shelby’s lip. I had to admit that she looked incredibly stunning in the picture. Of all of the pictures that could’ve leaked, this was the best one. I couldn’t help but stare at the way her lips closed in a perfect cupid’s bow.She had to fly back to Cambridge for the start of her classes after our spring break vacation. I’d been cooped up in my office since returning, trying my best to catch up on the work I missed while we were gone. Also, a larger part of me liked being in the office and away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. With the leaked story
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 114 : Big News
*Michael*“It seems he knows where to find your half-brother,” Lou Carmine said.Lou’s voice seemed to echo through the phone as the wheels in my brain appeared to slow as if they were running through peanut butter. I sucked in a breath. I thought that Blaine would stay on the run now that he was wanted for murder, but if the Carmine family knew where he was, he must not have stayed away for long.“That is big news,” I answered.“Leon wants to know if we should… take care of Blaine for you,” Lou said.Being responsible for Blaine’s arrest was one thing, but being responsible for his murder was a completely different ball game. A part of myself, a dark and deeply hidden part of myself, wanted to say yes, and wash my hands of it all entirely. However, that small part of me scared me more than the thought of spending my life in prison, which I almost did for this exact situation. If I let that part of myself take hold, I feared I’d turn into someone just lik
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 115 : Click Bait
*Shelby*“How did you find all of these articles?” I asked Lin. “I searched Michael’s name instead of yours. Not all of the articles list you by name, probably so they won’t get sued for slander, but you know the internet. If people want to find out who you are, they will,” Lin answered.I scanned over the pages and pages of search results that popped up. All of which didn’t sound as though they were painting me in a very positive light. I clicked on an article titled “Astor's Secret Mistress Goes on a Drunken Ride.”The article had a picture of me right after I’d fallen off of my bike and was wandering into the little village below the castle rental. I was clearly bleeding in the photos, which were followed by a picture of me in the small cafe drinking wine. They painted a picture of me getting drunk on purpose, which caused the bike wreck. When in reality, I fell and then had a drink to calm my nerves. The entire article portrayed me as someone who was comm
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 116 : Moral Fiber
*Shelby*The cold plastic chair pressed into my back as I waited anxiously to be called into my academic advisor’s office. Ms. Smith sent me an email the day before, alluding to the fact that there was something that needed to be discussed in person. I already knew that it had something to do with the horrible slander pieces being written about me since it came out that Michael and I were dating. “Miss Hatton, please come in,” Ms. Smith said, standing in front of her door to hold it open for me.I walked past her giving her a feeble smile, as I took a seat in the chair in front of her desk. She gently closed the door behind her and took her seat back in her office chair. She stared at me for a long time, creating an awkward amount of silence in the room. I knew she was waiting for me to bring up the articles, but I stayed quiet. Finally, she cleared her throat.“I’ve heard that you’ve become somewhat of an overnight celebrity. I just wanted to check in with y
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 117 : This is Now a Crime Scene
*Shelby*With trembling hands, I reached for my phone and started to call Lin. She didn’t answer, and I remembered she was thankfully still in class. A sigh of relief washed over me once I realized she wasn’t home.That meant someone had broken into our house, which wasn’t an ideal situation either. Whatever happened had to have been recent. Surely someone would’ve stopped by if the door was left open for hours. Something was very wrong. My first instinct was to call Michael, but Bruce was the one who handled all security matters, so I rang him instead. I edged closer to the house, trying to hear if someone might still be inside.A feeling of absolute dread washed over me when I heard a phone ringing, the same one I was calling. Before I realized what I was doing, I rushed inside, stepping on broken glass and stumbling over a broken chair leg. Then I saw him.Bruce was on the floor, face down, blood pooling around him. An anguished cry escaped my l
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 118 : Once in a Lifetime
*Michael*“I’m really sorry,” I said for the hundredth time. “I can assure you that Bruce is receiving the best medical care available. When he gets out, he’ll be given all the time he needs to recover and spend time with his family.”“Thank you, Mr. Astor. I was so worried, and I had no idea something had even happened to him. No one even called me! I’ll head down to the hospital now,” his wife said, her voice cracking. “I’ll send a car down for you immediately,” I said. “Text me the address, and they’ll be there as soon as possible.”“Thank you, sir,” she said and hung up on me.Yet another of the police department’s failures. What were they thinking, not alerting her to what had happened? If it wasn’t for my phone asking me if I wanted to start a workout session, I wouldn’t have realized that I’d just spent ten minutes pacing around my office. I was still thinking of the call with Bruce’s wife. Having to break the news of what had happened to her husb
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 119 : Who’s Next
*Shelby*The Express Air building was completely empty by the time I got there. It felt almost eerie to hear the sound of my own footsteps on the marble tile, echoing off the high ceilings. I pushed the button for the elevator, and the doors automatically opened, as if it was waiting there just for me. The lights were still on when I got out of the elevator on the top floor, and I could see Michael sitting alone in his office, staring across the empty room at nothing. Bruce being attacked had clearly upset him deeply.Michael took a slow sip of the whiskey in his hand as I walked through the glass doors that separated him from the rest of the office space.“Hey, Michael. Are you doing okay? Have you had any news about Bruce?” I asked.Michael flinched a little as I spoke; he had been so lost in thought that he did not see me come in. “Shelby? I’m so sorry I didn’t hear the elevator. I’m just trying to put the pieces together in my head. I don’t know ho
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 120 : Summer Vacation
*Shelby***Two Months Later**“Honey, I’m home,” I called as I shifted sideways through the townhouse doors, my arms loaded with shopping bags.“I’m in the kitchen,” Michael called back to me, and I could hear him chuckling to himself at my endearment.I’d finally finished my last term paper that very morning and went shopping to celebrate. I’d been living at the townhouse as much as physically possible, only going back to Cambridge when absolutely necessary. For the last week, the house with Michael was where I’d called home. I walked into the kitchen where he was finishing up some last-minute work on his laptop. I unloaded the shopping bags off of my arms and onto the open countertop. Michael smiled, and with a small shake of his head, he clicked the top of his laptop closed.“What’s all this?” Michael asked.“It’s some stuff for our vacation. I needed a few more things for the warm weather,” I said, leaning in to kiss him. We were getting re
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Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 150 : The New Associate
*Shelby**Five Months later*I sat staring out the small window in my office. It was nowhere near as impressive a view as Michael's top-floor CEO office, but I liked the fact that it was mine. I’d been an attorney at Stockton and Associates for five months now, and just last month, I was promoted from my tiny cubicle in the corner to my very own office.I’d framed photographs of Michael and me at our wedding, at a castle in Ireland on our honeymoon, and of us in Greece from our most recent vacation. I couldn't help but imagine another picture frame of a beautiful little baby, swaddled up tight in a hospital bassinet sitting next to the rest. Michael and I had taken a more active approach to try to have a baby. I took my temperature every morning to track my fertility window, and our bathroom was littered with boxes and boxes of ovulation tests. It seemed like the majority of my free time I now spent thinking of our future family. I even had an entire nursery planne
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 149 : The Test
*Shelby***One Year Later**“To you, my amazingly talented, intelligent, and beautiful wife,” Michael said, holding a glass of wine in the air over our cozy two-person table.I clinked my glass on his and took a small sip of the wine as I looked out over the dark blue sky littered with thousands of tiny bits of starlight. The lights of the city shone brightly below, illuminating the blue dome roofs over the buildings. The waves crashed against the cliff faces below, sending bits of seawater into the air, making everything smell like salt.We’d been in Greece for the last few days and were currently eating dinner in a quaint little restaurant toward the top of the city, with an amazing view. For the past month, we’d been touring Italy and Greece on our yacht. I’d recently graduated from NYU with my law degree, and Michael planned the trip as a way to celebrate. I’d been interning at a law firm called Stockton and Associates, and I was surprised by their o
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 148 : The Wedding Day
*Shelby*I woke up and stretched across the king-size bed. It felt so strange to be in such a large bed all by myself. I lay there, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings of the hotel room. Then the realization hit me; it was my wedding day. The day I was going to become Mrs. Shelby Astor.I sat bolt upright, and let my feet hit the floor. In one swift motion, I was up and taking leaps across the room with a little squeal. I swung open the door and rushed into the main room of the hotel suite.“Aubs! Lin! Get up! I’m getting married today!” I squealed.Within a few seconds, Aubrey was up, rubbing her eyes as she opened the door to her private room. All we heard from Lin’s room was a sleepy moan, which made me laugh loudly.“I know that some brides get cold feet on their wedding day, but something tells me we don’t have to worry about that with you,” Aubrey said, yawning a little.“I can’t believe it’s actually here, Aubs. I mean, after all that we’ve gone t
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 147 : Wedding Plans
*Shelby*After a hasty breakfast, Lauren’s words still lingered in my mind. The click of the coffee pot being pulled off of the warmer snapped me back to reality. I set my phone down on the counter and flashed Michael a soft smile. He grabbed a travel mug from the cupboard and poured the remainder of the dark liquid into his cup. While he screwed the lid into place, he leaned over and kissed me quickly on the lips.“I’m so sorry I don’t have time to say much in the way of a goodbye, but thank you for breakfast. I had an emergency meeting with investors pop up last minute,” Michael said, slipping his arms through his sport coat.“That’s okay, I understand. Will I see you for dinner?” I asked.“Yes, you will. I’ll make sure I’m home by five at the latest. What are your plans for the day?” Michael asked.“I’m going to the country club to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow,” I answered.A huge smile took over Michael’s face, “Well, that sounds like a great way to spend
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 146 : Irredeemable
*Shelby*Lauren looked… humbled.Even her clothes were telling. She wore a long, demure skirt and a blouse that didn’t show a hint of cleavage and covered her arms down to her elbows. No big brand names or luxurious accessories. Her hair also needed a wash.I’d never seen her dress so modestly or look so run-down, and I had an inkling of what she was trying to accomplish by coming here. I stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do. I wasn’t sure Michael would want to see her, and part of me didn’t want Michael’s day to start off with a fight. On the other hand, I couldn’t make those decisions for him.“Come in,” I said, stepping aside to let her pass. I closed the door and gestured for her to sit in the adjacent living room, just as I heard Michael’s quick steps running down the stairs. “What smells so good? My mouth is watering! Shelby, honey—” He froze when he saw Lauren sitting on the couch. She gave him a smile and a quick wave.Michael’s eyes focused on me,
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 145 : An Unexpected Visit
*Shelby*Ever since that kiss in the elevator, my body ached for Michael. When he whispered into my ear, a shudder ran down my spine, turning me on.He gave me a taunting look, and his eyes wandered around the park. “Michael…” I said, “what’s going on in your head?”He chuckled and leaned closer to me. “It wouldn’t be the first time we made love out in the open,” he said in a low voice.I almost spit out the coffee I’d just sipped.“But we were alone on the beach! Well, the second time, anyway. This place is full of people.”“There are some dark places…” He smiled mischievously at me. “And you’re not making it easier for me.”His eyes wandered to my chest, where my dress hung really low and gave him a great view of my breasts thanks to the way I was leaning toward him.I felt his leg caressing mine under the table, and I pretended to scowl at him.“You aren’t making it easier either,” I said. He took his phone out of his pocket and grinned, informing me that the
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 144 : The Prenup
*Michael*When Shelby walked into the office, I could tell she was dying to tell me something. Her excitement was written all over her face.“I suppose the hunt for a dress went well?” I said, and she immediately ran around the desk and gave me a kiss. “I’ll take that as a yes,” smiling at the joy on her face.“I found the perfect one,” she said as she sat in the chair across from me. “I just wish I could show you or tell you about it, but you know how that goes.” “You could wear a T-shirt and jeans, and you’d still be the most beautiful bride to walk this earth,” I said dramatically, eliciting a giggle from Shelby. I would never tire of hearing her laugh.“I thought your lawyer would be here already,” she said, looking at her watch.“Aren’t we going home?” I had no idea what she was talking about.“Did you really forget?” Shelby laughed. “Only you could forget that we’re going to sign our prenup today.”The truth was that it had completely slipped my mind. Shelby was
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 143 : Wedding Dress Shopping
*Shelby**One Month Later*“I can’t believe it’s the end of the summer already,” Lin said with a sigh.I pushed open the door to the salon and was instantly enveloped with the smell of cucumbers and ocean salt.“I know. It seems like it went so fast, but I’m so glad we get to spend more time together before you have to go back to Cambridge,” I said.“Damn, this place is so posh,” Lin said rather loudly.I chuckled, “Shush, Lin. Just pretend that we come to places like this all the time.”“Oh, right,” she responded, a small smirk on her lips.We walked up to the front desk where a woman with purple hair greeted us. Once she found our appointments, she took us back to a private room to get our pedicures. The lights were dimmed and soft piano music played from an indistinguishable place in the room. She handed us each a glass of champagne before leaving us to wait for the nail artists.“So what are we having done today?” Lin asked me as we slip
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 142 : Good Dad or Bad Dad?
*Shelby*I’d just slid the baking tray, with two salmon filets and vegetables, into the oven when I heard the front door open. It abruptly closed with a shutter that echoed through the house.“Michael?” I called down the hallway.“It’s me, Shelby,” he called back, and my heartbeat slowed at the sound of his voice.“You’re just in time. I just put dinner in the oven, and it should be ready soon,” I said as Michael walked into the kitchen.I looked up to see him wearing a very serious expression on his face. The corners of his mouth were tugged down in concern, and there was a strange expression in his eyes—a mix of sadness and anger.“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I asked, my heartbeat speeding up again. “Is Bruce okay? Lucille?”“Everyone’s fine. I just had a very unpleasant conversation is all,” Michael said, sliding onto one of the barstools.“With who?” I asked, picking up and folding a dish towel with nervous anticipation.“I went
