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58: HEY, STRANGER
Last Updated:
2025-01-09 23:55:12
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The Billionaire’s Regret 59: ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK
ELARA’S POV It felt like a million years before the waiter finally finished placing the food on the table. Nico had ordered way too much, more than we ever used to. But he’d picked all our favorites. Crystal’s had always been our place. A small, family owned restaurant tucked away in the city, serving some of the best dishes Vegas had to offer. Every time we came here, we’d order half the menu and laugh about how ridiculous it was. But today felt different. Off. And I couldn’t even tease him about the ridiculous amount of food because he was still giving me the cold shoulder. “Do you need anything else?” the waiter asked. “No, I think we’re good,” I replied with a small smile. Nico simply nodded and picked up his fork, quietly taking a bite of his salmon. I followed suit. The food tasted amazing, just like always, but it did little to settle the awkwardness hanging between us. We ate in silence. Bite after bite, I kept hoping Nico would say something, anything. Normally,
Last Updated : 2025-01-09The Billionaire’s Regret 60: A LIAR
ELARA’S POV “Not what I think’? Things happened so fast, Elara. So fast,” Nico said, his voice laced with disbelief.I felt trapped. I couldn’t lie to him, but I couldn’t risk telling him everything either.“I guess your husband is really something, then,” he added sarcastically.“He’s not my husband,” I snapped, the words escaping before I could stop myself.Nico froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. Shock washed over his face, and for a moment, I thought he might drop it entirely.That’s it. I said it.Now there was no going back.“What do you mean he’s not your husband?” he asked slowly, as though he didn’t quite trust what he was hearing.I bit my lip, debating whether I should even go down this road. But if I didn’t, this misunderstanding would only get worse.“It wasn’t real,” I said finally, lowering my gaze to the table. “The remarriage… it was just an act. A charade.”“For what?” His voice was sharp, demanding. “Why the hell would you do something like that?”I took a deep b
Last Updated : 2025-01-09The Billionaire’s Regret 61: MAKING AMENDS
ELARA'S POV“Nico,” I say, trying to keep my frustration at bay. “I know it’s hard to believe me after all you saw, but I want you to believe me when I say this: Nate and I are not together. What happened at the villa was just for the week, and it’s over. Nate and I were never an item, and we never will be.”Nico’s eyes lock onto mine. Even through the heat of his anger, I can tell he knows I’m not lying.He lets out a long, weary sigh. “If you say so, then…”The indifference in his tone stings, but I know it’s just the anger talking. Nico has every right to be upset. I’ve never seen him this mad before, but I also know him well enough to trust that once his temper cools, he’ll see things more clearly. At least, that’s what I hope.“Nico,” I whine, dragging out his name. “It was awful of me not to tell you, and I’m sorry. Can we please put this behind us and just pretend it never happened?” I pout dramatically, batting my lashes in a way I know looks absolutely ridiculous.I catch the
Last Updated : 2025-01-10The Billionaire’s Regret 62: LAST MINUTE DEMANDS
ELARA'S POV As expected, the ice cream truck was right there on the side of the park. Nico and I each grabbed a cone before strolling through the park, chatting about almost anything we could think of.The cool evening breeze and the soft orange hues of the setting sun made the atmosphere feel peaceful and carefree.“Nico,” I said, breaking the silence as we passed a fountain.“Yes?” He turned his head toward me, his expression curious.“Uhm… can we keep the whole villa thing between us? I don’t want Elliot to find out. You know how dramatic he can be.” I rolled my eyes just thinking about how over the top Elliot could get.“I understand,” Nico said with a small smile, nodding in agreement.“Thank you,” I replied, relieved that he wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it.Before he could respond, his phone began to ring. The slight furrow in his brows told me it was work related. After a quick glance at the screen, he answered, his tone immediately shifting to professional.A few mi
Last Updated : 2025-01-10The Billionaire’s Regret 63: YOU ARE NOT BREATHING
ELARA'S POV“Everything is set. I even have a cab ready for you when you get to New York,” Jenna smirked, handing me my suitcase.“You can cancel it. I know how to find my way when I get there,” I replied, brushing off her insistence.Unlike the last time I was headed to New York, my chest didn’t feel like it was caving in. There was still a small knot of unease, but it wasn’t unbearable. Maybe it was because Elliot hadn’t protested this trip, and I didn’t feel like I was sneaking off. Or maybe it was because I was looking forward to seeing Mom again.“I can’t cancel it,” Jenna said with a shrug. “It’s supposed to be a surprise. I don’t even know why I told you about it.” She slapped her forehead dramatically.“It better not be one of those cringy welcome signs with balloons,” I warned, narrowing my eyes at her.“It won’t be,” she promised, but the amused twinkle in her eye told me otherwise.“If it is, I’m throwing you into a shark tank,” I teased, though a small smile tugged at my l
Last Updated : 2025-01-10The Billionaire’s Regret 64: THE SURPRISE
NATE’S POVThe first thing I saw on my phone after landing from my trip to Tokyo was a string of texts from Valentina.I thought she’d gotten the message by now, but no. She kept finding new numbers to contact me after I blocked the old ones.With a sigh, I opened the most recent messages. They ranged from annoyingly invasive to desperate.But the latest one stopped me cold.VALENTINA: Did your wife like my surprise?My wife? Surprise And from Valentina. I don’t need anyone to tell it’s not even a good thing. My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. Marcus was calling.“What is it, Marcus?” I asked, trying to keep my irritation in check.“Dude, I just saw Elara is back in the city,” he said, his tone heavy with worry.Elara was supposed to come for the office renovations, but I hadn’t had time tell marcus, I have been in contact with her and Leslie wouldn’t have mentioned it either. So how the hell did he know?“Where did you get that from?” I asked sharply.“It’s on the n
Last Updated : 2025-01-11The Billionaire’s Regret 65: I DON’T THINK I CAN DO THIS
Elara’s POV I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up. The first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar room. The walls were painted a soft gray, and the curtains were drawn, letting in only a sliver of light. It was quiet except for the faint buzzing sound of a phone somewhere in the room. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes as I turned toward the sound. My phone. Reaching over to the nightstand, I picked it up and saw multiple notifications lighting up the screen. There were texts from unknown numbers, several voicemails from my mom and brother, and even a couple from Jenna. Then it all hit me, crashing down like a tidal wave. The reporters. The flashing cameras. The panic attack. And Nate. Nate, pulling me out of the chaos, taking me to the car. Shit. I knew it. He must have been the one to bring me here. I jumped out of bed, my heart racing as I clutched my phone. Just as I was trying to figure out what to do, the phone started ringing again. My mom. I hesitat
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ELARA’S POV“We are not rushing into clarifying anything, Elara,” Nate said, his tone soft but firm. “Like I told you, my team is taking care of the pictures and the articles. Once they’re done, it’ll be like none of this ever happened.”I let out a long, frustrated sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.He made it sound so simple, but nothing about this situation felt simple to me. Even if his team managed to scrub the internet clean and silence the public, how would I explain this to my family? To Nico?It wasn’t just one lie anymore. It was a growing web of them. And every time I tried to fix things, I ended up spinning more lies to cover the first one.Running my hands through my hair, I groaned, frustration bubbling up inside me. “How long is this going to take?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.Nate glanced at his watch before meeting my eyes. “A few hours, maybe longer. They promised to handle it quickly, but we can’t rush them if we want it done right.”“Can I have my
Last Updated : 2025-01-13
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The Billionaire’s Regret 171: I’LL CHANGE
ELARA’S POV He takes a breath, trying to reel in his temper. “If I leave, we leave. I’m not going unless you come with me. I can’t imagine you staying here all alone and no security” he states with finality in his tone. We? that just didn’t rub me the right way, he can’t come in here and demand that I leave with him. I arch a brow. “We? There is no we, Nathaniel. There never will be.” He messed up the ‘we’. Now there can never be one not again. He can’t be reliable, and I don’t think I can trust that he won’t try anything. It might all start with him staying over. Then he’d probably decide to make this an every night thing. Or come up with reason to stay close. I know Nate and this is how it starts with him. Then, I’d probably start making excuses for him. Then I might let my guard down. And I can’t let that happen. I still have the scars he left me with even though I’ve been shoving them far away, trying my best to forget they’re there. I can feel them. I remember them ev
The Billionaire’s Regret 170: PLAYING HERO
ELARA’S POV “What do you mean they were trying to bug my house?” The words tumble out of me in disbelief as I stare at the truth, the two tiny cameras in his hands. I don’t think I have any enemies. Well… maybe I’ve made a few along the way, but I don’t think they’d stoop as low as spying on me. why would someone even decided to spy on me? my life isnt that eventful. Nate’s jaw tightens as he turns to me from where he was surveying the area. “This is very obvious, El. Someone is trying to keep tabs on you.” “Okay, it might be a silly mistake. Maybe they were looking for another house—” “I don’t think so. That van has been out there since I got here.” “How long have you been here?” I couldn’t help but ask, did he stay long before he knocked? “A long time. A very long time. And they were here even before I was.” I think I also saw that black van when I came back from work. But I don’t want those thoughts to be true. It can’t be. “Still—” “These aren’t cheap knock-offs, El. T
The Billionaire’s Regret 169: THE ONE PERSON I CARE ABOUT
ELARA’S POV I don’t know what I’m doing as I reach for the doorknob and step out of the house. The cold air bites at my exposed skin. I shouldn’t open the door. I should leave him standing out there in the cold until he gets the message. But I open it anyway. And I see him, standing outside the gate. The moment the entrance creaks open, his eyes find mine. And for a second, we just stare at each other. He looks rough. Tired eyes. Ruffled hair. Wrinkled shirt like he’s been pacing for hours or didn’t even bother changing after work. “What do you want?” I ask flatly, not stepping aside to let him in. “I needed to see you,” he says. My grip on the door tightens. “Congratulations. You’ve seen me. Now leave.” “El…” he lets out a sigh. “I’m afraid I don’t have anyone for you to beat up today, Nate.” The street is quiet. No one’s out here except him and me. A black van is parked a few steps away. I think I saw it there earlier when I came home probably belongs to one
The Billionaire’s Regret 168: CAN I SPEAK WITH YOU?
ELARA’S POV The rest of Rob’s conversation fades into the background as a strange unease creeps up my spine. “Elara?” His voice tugs me back to the present. “Are you okay?” he asks again, eyes narrowing as he studies me. “You’ve been staring out there a lot.” I blink and take a quick sip of my drink, masking the sudden chill running down my arms. “Well…” I hesitate. Should I say it out loud? Would I sound crazy? "well..." he repreats leaning closer. Maybe I should ask... “Okay, this might sound weird, but… I think someone’s watching us.” His gaze follows my discreet point toward the glass wall of the café. The street is a little quiet, as the warm orange glow of the evening lights is in the distance. Rob frowns. “Where?” “I don’t know exactly. But it’s from that angle,” I say, motioning to it. “It’s like… I can feel it. And it’s making me really uncomfortable.” He’s quiet for a beat. Then, “I think I feel it too.” Relief washes over me. See? I’m not imagin
The Billionaire’s Regret 167: EYES ON ME.
ELARA’S POV “You finally decide to show up,” Rob said, turning to Kyle as he strolled into the elevator, his usual scowl etched on his face. Kyle hit the button and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Do I have a choice?” “Someone’s grumpy,” Rob muttered, nudging me with a smirk. I didn’t laugh. My gaze stayed a second too long on Kyle, his jaw clenched, shoulders seem tense. His eyes caught mine, and my chest tightened. I looked away quickly.As a deafening silence bang creeping in rob spoke. “Where’ve you been all weekend?” “Busy.” Kyle didn’t even open his eyes. My thoughts flashed to Saturday. To Nate. The tension. Kyle’s disappointed look in his eye before he left, it still weighed heavy. Rob’s voice faded into the back ground. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I stepped out like the hallway was on fire. “I don’t think we’ll manage that tour today,” Rob said, eyes glued to his phone. “Something’s up with my a project.” “What’s the issue?” Kyle ask. “the Italian
The Billionaire’s Regret 166: FIRST DAY
ELARA’S POV “Is that all we have to discuss?” I ask, to no one in particular. I’m currently in the conference room for the staff meeting. Normally, I’m good with it excited for it, even, sometimes. But today? Not so much. Even though it’s just, me the operations team, a few from sales, and finance. Plus the meetings never take long because well we have a small company. It’s a few minutes in and I’m already tired. For one, I’ve been staring at screens way too much lately, because all I’ve been doing after my very eventful Saturday is burying myself in work. I decided to forget everything that happened and just focus, but that came with consequences. Every time I glance at the screen in front of me, it feels like torture. And honestly, the last place I want to be is the office. But then again, I don’t have a choice. “Well, ma’am,” Olivia, who’s standing in front of the projector begins, “the reports are in order, and this is the rundown we have for last month’s operation
The Billionaire’s Regret 165: ROOM TO BREATHE
NATE’S POV As much as I wanted to believe he was bluffing, and this was just some twisted way of him trying to make me invest in his business, but then again, there was a high chance he wasn’t. That look in his eyes, the smug smile and the confidence he had as he spoke, its making me rethink it. I need to be sure for safety reasons I stood frozen in the middle of the room, Jake’s words replaying like a broken record in my head. “The records.” That was the hint he’d left me with. That smug bastard never played fair, and the fact that he wasn’t bluffing this time sent a chill down my spine. I looked around my penthouse, feeling more trapped than safe. It was silent, save for the ticking clock on the wall, and suddenly, even that sound felt too loud. My hand throbbed from the earlier injury, a dull ache pulsing through the bandage, but I couldn’t focus on the pain right now. I needed to get to a phone. Fast. My eyes scan the living area, then it lands on my office. I moved to
The Billionaire’s Regret 164: I PITY YOU
NATE’S POV “Took you long enough to finally get home, huh?” Jake turned to me, a smug smile on his face. “Jacob Hales,” I muttered. “What the heck are you doing in my house?” It had been a while since I laid eyes on my cousin. A while since he’d tried anything to ruin my image or take the company from me. And even though it meant fewer things to deal with, I always knew he hadn’t given up. I knew he’d try to pull something again. Whatever it was, though, I didn’t think I was interested at least, not right now. “How have you been, big brother?” he asked, completely ignoring my question as he dropped onto one of the couches. “Well, from that wrapped hand, I’d say… not very good, right?” he taunted. “Why are you here, Jake? I’ve had a long day, and you’re the last person I want to entertain right now.” “Oh, well, I came to congratulate you on the success of the branch.” “Oh, cut the crap. We both know that’s the last thing you want to do. Besides, Marcus is going to be
The Billionaire’s Regret 163: I DON’T FEEL ANY BETTER.
NATE’S POV I switched into a pair of grey sweatpants, and the whole time, it felt like the space around me was closing in. I needed to speak with Dave, but I didn’t have a phone. Then again, there might be one in the car. I never forget to keep one lying around. One important thing I completely forgot? This wasn’t my car. Apart from the perfume bottles, random documents, and candy wrappers, there was nothing close to a phone in here. And that only made my anger worse. I can’t believe I came down here for nothing, I slammed the car door shut and leaned against it, staring out into the dim parking lot. I needed to clear my head. But Even a glass of alcohol didn’t seem like the right thing. hell, I don’t even want to smell it right now. The last place I wanted to be was in that penthouse. It didn’t feel right anymore. Nothing did. Not when all I could think about was how much of a damn fool I’d been today. From the corner of my eye, I caught the sign for the i
