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Chapter 16 : Charity Gala
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-23 01:48:20
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The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 17 : Second Thoughts
Raphael’s POV The moment I entered the house, I could hear the baby crying. Katie’s cry sounded sharp and restless. She was agitated and maybe whatever was wrong with her was serious. I rushed towards the living room and found Kristine pacing the room, she was barefooted and her hair looked a mess. Her one hand bounced the baby gently while the other one had a damp cloth that she used to wipe at her face. Her eyes snapped up when she saw me. “I googled some stuff, I don’t know which one to do, her fever dropped a bit though,” she said quickly, in one breath. “She's still fussing a lot and crying and I think we need to take her to the hospital as fast as possible.” I moved closer to her, I had no idea what to do, I had only been a father for less than a week. “Let me feel her.” She shifted the head of the baby towards me, her skin was still warm but it didn’t seem like a fever but I didn’t know the temperature that could be called a fever for kids. “Let’s get to the car,” I sai
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-25The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 18 : A Girl's Girl
Henrietta’s POV It was already past noon and the aroma from the muffins I had made earlier still filled the house. Kristine and I sat in the dining area for lunch. Thankfully, the baby was asleep in her bassinet, her tiny chest rising and falling. Her entire wardrobe was color matched, it was mostly pinks, whites, pastel and every other joyful color one could think of. We weren’t speaking so the only sound in the room was the clinks of our cutlery against our plates. The room was quiet but I could already feel the weird shift in the air like there was a pressure to speak and I knew she would strike up a conversation soon. She finally spoke up, quicker than I anticipated. “I just wanted to say thank you, for last night.” I wasn’t surprised but I tried to sound nice. “You don't need to thank me.” “Actually I do,” she insisted, her voice soft. “You don’t need to help me, you could have watched us scamper up and down and stood back but you knew what to do and you jumped in and hel
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-25The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 1 : One Night Stand
Henrietta’s POV*"I don't love you."* Those four words shattered everything I thought I knew about love, about loyalty—about Jason. I could still see it, the way his lips curled as he said it. The way he didn’t even look guilty as I stood there, frozen, watching him tangle himself around another woman like I never existed. My heart had pounded so hard that night I thought it would explode. But nothing hurt more than the way he dismissed me, like I was just another inconvenience in his life. *"I don’t love you."* Even now, standing behind the bar, pouring drinks for men who probably didn’t love the women waiting for them at home, those words clung to my skin like a bad omen. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to be spending my nights in a dimly lit bar, serving overpriced liquor to men who looked at me like I was something to consume. I wasn’t supposed to be exhausted every night, smelling like whiskey and smoke, my feet aching from hours of standing. But life
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 2: The Ultimatum
Raphael’s POVI woke up with a headache and an unfamiliar scent clinging to my sheets. Something was wrong. My body felt sluggish, my mind foggy from the alcohol I had drowned myself in last night. I groaned, running a hand over my face before turning toward the warmth beside me. The woman from last night. I had been impatient to see what I was paying for, but the moment I finally got a look at her face, my stomach twisted. This wasn’t her. My eyes snapped open fully as I sat up, my movements startling the woman awake. Her head jerked toward me, sleep still clouding her wide hazel eyes. “What the—?” she started, looking around in confusion. My jaw clenched. I scanned her features again. She looked exactly like the woman I had hired last night, but something was missing. My gaze dropped to her wrist. No tattoo. My blood ran cold. *"Who are you?"* Her breath hitched at my question, but then her expression twisted in anger. "Who am I? Who the hell are you?" I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 3: Contract Marriage
"The operation needs to commence now." The doctor’s words echoed in my head like a relentless drum, pounding over and over again as I stepped out of his office. My body moved on autopilot, my hands clutching the strap of my worn-out bag as if it were the only thing anchoring me to reality. I walked through the hospital corridor, the scent of antiseptic burning my nose. Doctors and nurses passed me, their faces neutral, their steps quick and purposeful. No one spared me a glance. No one saw the storm raging inside me. But my world was falling apart. I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling. My brother had fallen again—another accident that proved how fragile his condition was. And now, the damage was worse. The doctors said he needed immediate surgery. But the cost… I had been saving for years, taking extra shifts at the bar, cutting back on everything I could. Yet, even after all the sacrifices, all the sleepless nights, it still wasn’t enough.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 4: The Other Woman
"If I had been told three months ago that I'd find myself falling for Raphael, I'd never believe it."Three months ago, I never would have imagined this. Back then, I had been desperate, willing to do anything to save my brother. And now, he was safe, studying in another city, walking on his own two feet again. That was all that mattered… or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. But the truth was, something else had changed—I had changed. I didn’t know when or how it had happened, but somewhere along the line, I had started falling for my husband. It was foolish, I knew that. This marriage wasn’t real. It was a business deal, a transaction that benefited us both. I had agreed to it knowing that Raphael Gold didn’t believe in love. That he was only doing this because of the ultimatum his father had given him. And yet, I had convinced myself that maybe—just maybe—things could be different. Raphael wasn’t a terrible husband, at least not in front of his father. He pl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 5 : Reunion
“Why are you with my phone?”I didn’t know what irritated me more—the fact that Henrietta was holding my phone or the way she quickly tried to mask her guilt. My eyes narrowed as I stepped forward, crossing the space between us in long, measured strides. “Why are you with my phone?” My voice was sharp, leaving no room for excuses. Henrietta’s fingers twitched before she quickly placed the phone back on the nightstand. She turned to face me, her lips parting slightly before she spoke. “I was just… checking the time,” she said, a little too fast. “I needed to know how much time I had left to arrange your clothes and then rush down to serve your dinner.” I raised a brow, unconvinced. She avoided my eyes, instead reaching for one of the suits I had draped over the chair. “Next time, use the clock,” I said flatly, picking up my phone. My screen was still on, the notification banner glowing softly. My grip tightened the second I saw the sender’s name. Kristine. For a moment, I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 6 : Compromise
Raphael's POV.“Well, are you going to speak or not?” Kristine's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat as a result of the news.“Kristine…I don't know…I understand your reason for coming back but I don't think you're welcome in my life at the moment.” The truth was bitter but I had to say it anyway.I couldn't give her the hope that there was still a space in my life for her after abandoning me for so long. But now..she wasn't the only one. We had a child together.Would it be fair that I let the child grow without a father?“Really? Yes, I left you but you're seriously not going to make a compromise? Not even for your child? I'm sorry but I won't leave until you take me back!” Kristine's sharp voice made my heart tremble.I clenched my fists but I soon released them as I stared at her, she stood rooted to the ground with firm arms that rounded her chest.Christ. What was this? How possible was it to manage two women in my life? What sort o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-03
Bab terbaru
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 18 : A Girl's Girl
Henrietta’s POV It was already past noon and the aroma from the muffins I had made earlier still filled the house. Kristine and I sat in the dining area for lunch. Thankfully, the baby was asleep in her bassinet, her tiny chest rising and falling. Her entire wardrobe was color matched, it was mostly pinks, whites, pastel and every other joyful color one could think of. We weren’t speaking so the only sound in the room was the clinks of our cutlery against our plates. The room was quiet but I could already feel the weird shift in the air like there was a pressure to speak and I knew she would strike up a conversation soon. She finally spoke up, quicker than I anticipated. “I just wanted to say thank you, for last night.” I wasn’t surprised but I tried to sound nice. “You don't need to thank me.” “Actually I do,” she insisted, her voice soft. “You don’t need to help me, you could have watched us scamper up and down and stood back but you knew what to do and you jumped in and hel
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 17 : Second Thoughts
Raphael’s POV The moment I entered the house, I could hear the baby crying. Katie’s cry sounded sharp and restless. She was agitated and maybe whatever was wrong with her was serious. I rushed towards the living room and found Kristine pacing the room, she was barefooted and her hair looked a mess. Her one hand bounced the baby gently while the other one had a damp cloth that she used to wipe at her face. Her eyes snapped up when she saw me. “I googled some stuff, I don’t know which one to do, her fever dropped a bit though,” she said quickly, in one breath. “She's still fussing a lot and crying and I think we need to take her to the hospital as fast as possible.” I moved closer to her, I had no idea what to do, I had only been a father for less than a week. “Let me feel her.” She shifted the head of the baby towards me, her skin was still warm but it didn’t seem like a fever but I didn’t know the temperature that could be called a fever for kids. “Let’s get to the car,” I sai
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 16 : Charity Gala
Henrietta’s POV As we drove to the charity gala, the car felt colder than usual. We didn't make small talk, just silence. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, my hands rested on my thighs, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. Silence wasn’t a new thing between Raphael and I, but tonight it held something different, something deep. The sting of being reminded, in such a manner, that I was just the wife on paper was going to be a sore soon. I was just the one who came to events and smiled for the camera. There was no depth, he’d not let me smoothen his shirt like Kristine had. I was just the figurehead. I clenched my jaw and looked outside the window.It didn’t matter how many times I told myself to stop caring or how many times I reminded myself that this marriage saved my brother’s life and it was the money Raphael gave me that helped pay off his tuition, medication and food bills. Without this job, Julian wouldn’t be finishing university. I had to keep my head in the game. It was
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 15: Living With Trouble
Henrietta’s POV There was a time when I used to think silence was peaceful but now it just felt like pressure. Since Kristine moved into our home, the space had changed, even the air felt different and Raphael? His energy felt… new. With me, he’d been quiet, colder in some ways and distracted most times. But when it came to her, to his beloved Kristine, his guard dropped. I noticed how he lingered longer in conversation with her, how he listened attentively to her pointless conversation and how he laughed with her in a way that felt real and genuine. I hated myself for noticing, for drawing comparison between his acting with me and his actions with her. That wasn’t all, I hated how much it bothered me. I kept telling myself it shouldn’t matter. It was a contract for heaven’s sake, a deal and nothing more. I had signed up for this in complete awareness. I was supposed to play the wife, smile at events and stay out of his way otherwise. But my stupid heart didn’t read the fine p
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 14: Playing A Game
Raphael’s POV Kristine’s body felt lighter than I had expected as I carried her down the hallway, her skin felt cold and her breathing was shallow. The baby was no longer fussing and was now cradled in Henrietta’s arms, calm. Henrietta didn’t say a word after she called the doctor. She just watched me with that unreadable expression she always had on her face. I laid Kristine gently on the guest bed, her hair sprawled over the pillow, she looked pale… very pale. “Kristine,” I said, crouching beside her. “Kristine, can you hear me?” There was no sign or response. I rubbed her palms gently, trying my best to be firm enough to stir her awake. After a few minutes, she stirred. Her eyes fluttered open lazily. “What… what happened?” She asked, her voice faint. “What happened? You fainted.” I said. “But it’s okay. You’re awake now. The doctor’s on his way.” She looked around the room, dazed. “I… I don’t remember anything. One moment I was standing and the next everything just… wen
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 13: A Fake
Henrietta’s POV I felt like the room was spinning or maybe it was just my head. I didn’t know which. Raphael stood in the middle of our living room, he still looked disheveled and scattered. She was seated on the armchair now with the baby in her arms, she held the girl tightly like if she let go, the baby would run away. I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene playing in front of me. I couldn’t process how any of this was happening under our roof. With my mind still turning, I looked at Raphael. “What happened?”He met my gaze, he looked tired, heavy and I wanted to believe that he was going to be honest with me. “I didn’t plan this,” he said. “I just ran into her by chance. She looked shaken and said she needed help getting a few baby things so I drove her to that big mall near Westfield, we were shopping and then I opted to take her to her house and when we got there, her house was on fire.” My stomach tightened. “There were already sirens everywhere and the entire place was i
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 12: Surprising Guest
Henrietta’s POV It was nearly 10 p.m, yet Raphael still wasn’t home. This was totally unlike him. He hadn’t sent a message, he hadn’t called or even sent a vague ‘working late’ text. I sat in the living room, one leg crossed over the other, my foot bounced with restrained anxiety. I had told myself I wouldn’t care, not after all that’s happened in the past few days. But the truth was, I cared, I always had and that was the part I hated the most. I couldn’t even toughen up. The lights in the house were ok low and there was no sound except my timely sighs and the ticking of the antique grandfather clock that his father gave us as a wedding gift because he thought it’d add some character to our home. It usually didn’t bother me but tonight, it sounded like it was counting down to something awful or ominous. I picked up my phone and called him again. It went straight to voicemail, his voice calm and collected asked me to leave a message after the beep. I didn’t. I hung up and
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 11: It's On Fire
Raphael’s POV I stood in the hallway, my mind raced. Henrietta had never spoken to me like this in all the time we knew each other and I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me, she was doing that now. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Kristine. Her name flashed on the screen and instead of the warmth I should have felt, I felt awkward. It felt like she just came back and turned my life upside down. I could leave the house now, say I needed air so I could go and meet Kristine and shut her up before she could keep calling my phone. I knocked on the door. I knew she could hear me. “You were right,” I said suddenly. I didn’t hear any movement inside. “I’ll stop seeing her.” I heard the door click open. “What?” She blinked at me, definitely caught off guard by my statement. “I’ll end whatever it is she’s trying to start up again” I said, clearing my throat. “You said it yourself. This isn’t about feelings, this marriage is a contract but I crossed a line and y
The Billionaire's Second Option Chapter 10: What's Up With Her ?
Raphael’s POV I stood in the hallway, my mind raced. Henrietta had never spoken to me like this in all the time we knew each other and I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me, she was doing that now. I had to figure out what was really going on, so I marched up the stairs straight to her door and opened it. “Henrietta, what the hell do you mean by what you said?” I asked, my jaw tight with anger. Henrietta didn’t even look startled. “I mean I’m done playing house while you sneak around with your little secret side wife.” I stepped forward, a heated rage rising under my skin. “You can’t just walk out. You know you can’t.” “Watch me then,” she snapped, spinning towards a suitcase. I grabbed her wrist, trying my best not to be rough but just firm enough for her to look at me. “Don’t forget why we’re doing this. My father is finally starting to respect me, he finally believes that I can be responsible. For the first time in a long time, I have his ears, if you leave now, the
