Home / Romance / A Billionaire's Bargain / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of A Billionaire's Bargain: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

53 Chapters

1 - Mr Stranger

Araceli's Pov The sharp tone of my alarm jolted me awake, dragging me from my deep sleep. My heart thundered in my chest as I reached blindly for my phone, squinting at the screen. 5:00 PM. Three hours. That was all I had to turn myself from this sleepy mess into the polished, untouchable dancer the club demanded. The familiar ache in my muscles reminded me of the night before. Exhaustion lingered, but there was no time to dwell on it. The day was already slipping away. I threw off the sheets, stumbling into the bathroom. The cold spray of the shower against my skin had me fully awake. I reached for my hair shampoo, my mind filled with thoughts of tonight’s checklist: pack for work, grab food, feed Buttons, and drop off Mrs. Mackenzie’s salad. Her constant motherly concern about my health made me smile faintly as I scrubbed shampoo through my hair. The way she fussed over me, always claiming I didn’t eat enough or worked too hard, it was a comfort I didn’t know I needed until she
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-04
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2 - Infidelity

Freya's Pov The first light of dawn pierced through the curtains, stirring me awake. The soft wind played with the curtains but my focus stayed on the man beside me. Caleb’s face looked peaceful, his features relaxed in a way I rarely saw during the day. For a fleeting moment, I let myself enjoy this quiet, his steady breathing the only sound in the room. Slipping out of bed, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand as I moved gently, careful not to wake him from his sleep. In the kitchen, I got started with making coffee, the rich aroma quickly filling the space. As the coffee brewed, I put a call across to my PA. She picked on the first ring, “Tiana, has my dress been delivered?” “Yes ma'am,” Her calm voice spoke from the other end of the phone, “Your photo shoot is scheduled for twelve noon today ma'am, and we also have the board of…” “Cancel it.” The line went quiet for a few seconds. “Ma'am, we are already behind on the agreeded day for the shoot, the contract states that it
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-04
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3 - Her Again

Zayn's Pov The office buzzed with activity as I walked in, and I dove straight into work. Meetings with the data analytics team awaited me, and I needed to review last month’s performance. But even as I flipped through files and interviewed candidates for an open position, my mind wandered. I couldn’t shake her image. The girl from the club. Her scent, a warm blend of caramel, vanilla, and amber, still lingered in my mind. Her skin had felt like silk under my hand, and the way she moved on that stage, so graceful and deliberate. She was no doubt captivating, her image kept replaying in my head. It had been a week since I saw her, yet she occupied more space in my mind than I wanted to admit. I shook my head, refocusing on the file in front of me. This wasn’t like me. I never got distracted, least of all over a woman. My life had no room for complications, and this girl was exactly that, an unnecessary distraction. But I couldn’t stop. My thoughts kept dragging me back. **Flashbac
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-09
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4 - Job Hunting

Araceli's Pov My kitchen felt suffocating as I slurped down the last of my instant noodles. Hunger had won the war against dignity tonight. I dropped the empty bowl into the sink, ignoring the pile of dishes that had accumulated. My body was too drained to care, I can sort it out later. Sinking into my couch, I tried to distract myself with another episode of Love*****d, but my mind had other plans. His face, Mr. Stranger, kept creeping into my thoughts. His piercing gaze, the way he carried himself, his confidence, the air of authority that seemed to be flowing out of him, even in a dingy club like that... Who is he? What was he doing in a place that is clearly out of standard for him? His presence had done something to me, flipping a switch I didn’t know existed. On stage, his eyes had locked onto mine, and for a moment, I had felt like the only person in the room. I can't deny the little part of me that hoped he was pleased with my move. And then he had walked up on stage. That
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-09
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5- His PA

Araceli's Pov The dull ache in my feet had graduated to full-on screaming as I walked through the office in these ridiculous heels. Dancing in heels might be second nature to me, but working in them for hours? Torture. Starting a Monday morning like this wasn’t exactly a dream. Fiona, Zayn’s former PA, had done her best to cram weeks of training into two hours, but nothing could have prepared me for my boss’s yelling. Zayn Vanderbilt is one hell of a grumpy, arrogant boss. He is so bossy. I sighed, rolling my shoulders back. "Guess that’s why he’s the boss, Araceli," I muttered internally, trying to stay sane. At the reception desk, I handed Valerie a stack of documents Zayn had asked me to pass along...I mean, ordered me to pass along. “Hey,” I said, my smile as sweet as I could muster, “Mr. Vanderbilt asked me to give these to you. He said you would know what to do with them.” Valerie’s eyes shot daggers at me as she snatched the papers from my hand. “Of course, I would. Some of
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-22
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6- Caught

Zayn's Pov I drove home, my grip on the steering wheel tighter than it needed to be. My jaw clenched involuntarily as I replayed the events of the day. Seeing Araceli through my office window at lunch, smiling at David like that... it shouldn’t have gotten under my skin. But it did. Why? That was the question that burned at me. I have seen her smiling a thousand times, the way her brown eyes sparkle, the slight tilt of her head, her cute lips spreading slightly as she did. But watching her with someone else, someone who wasn’t me, was almost unbearable. I want to be the one she smiles at like that. I tried to focus on Freya instead. My wife. The woman I had vowed to love, honor, and protect. The woman who, for years now, had felt like a stranger. I couldn’t remember the last time we had a conversation that wasn’t filled with tension. Still, the guilt lingered in my chest. There should be no excuse for almost cheating on my wife. Pulling into the driveway, I cut the engine and sat f
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-24
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7 - Worried

Araceli's POV I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my outfit but my brain wasn't focused on my making sure I looked out together, instead, it was thinking about a certain boss. Last night was a mess I couldn’t stop replaying. It wasn’t just the tension in the car, it was the way he looked at me, the way his voice dropped when he told me to get out, like he was barely holding something back. It made my stomach do this stupid flutter thing I couldn’t control. “What is wrong with you?” I groaned, pacing my tiny apartment. “He literally told you to get out. That’s not romantic. That’s... whatever the opposite of romantic is.” But the way he leaned closer before that? Like he was about to... “Don’t even go there, Araceli,” I muttered, shaking my head. “He didn’t lean in. You imagined that. Right?” I stopped pacing, staring at my reflection in the mirror like it might give me answers. But all I saw was me, flushed cheeks, messy wavy hair, and a girl who had no business catching f
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-30
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8 - Feelings

Zayn's Pov Zayn's Pov I stood, flexing my fingers to test the wrap. "Let’s go for a drive." Her brows lifted, surprise flickering across her features. "A drive?" "Yes, a drive," I said, already heading toward the door. "Unless you have something more pressing to do?" She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I guess not." The drive was quiet at first, until Araceli’s voice broke the silence as she tilted her head toward me, inspecting my knuckles with a mock-serious expression. "You know, for someone who probably signs agreements about safety standards, you are pretty reckless with your hands." I glanced at her briefly, "It wasn’t planned." I muttered, memories of why I had punched the glass coming back to mind. Her lips twitched, that familiar glint of amusement lighting up her eyes. "Right. I’m sure the glass frame just threw itself at your fist." I snorted, turning my gaze back to the empty road ahead. My morning had started pretty chill until my p
last updateLast Updated : 2024-04-02
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9 - Saturday At The Office

Araceli's Pov A sharp honk echoes through the not so busy neighborhood, and I roll my eyes as I grab my hoodie. I already know who it is. Last night, as I made my way to my apartment, he had sent me a cute text, asking me to spend the day with him at the office. I don’t bother fixing my curls or changing out of the sweatpants I threw on. It’s saturday. If I am going to the office on a weekend, I am at least staying comfortable. I grab my phone, stuff it into my pocket, my work laptop, courtesy of Zayn, his folder and head downstairs. The second I step outside, the passenger door swings open. He is leaning over from the driver’s seat, one hand gripping the wheel, the other pushing the door wider. “Well, well, my personal chauffeur at my service again.” I slide in, shutting the door behind me. “I should start tipping you.” Zayn lets out a short laugh as he shifts into drive. “You could, but your wallet might not survive it.” I buckle my seatbelt as he pulls onto the road. “You kn
last updateLast Updated : 2024-04-08
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10 - Catching Up

Zayn’s Pov “My man, where you at?” Caleb’s voice boomed from the other end of the phone, carrying an unusual excitement. I glanced at Araceli before responding. “I’m out. Why?” “Nothing, just that I stopped by your house, and you ain’t home. It’s been a while. I wanted to catch up with my brother.” I sighed heavily. It had been months since I last saw Caleb. He had left after our family meeting some months ago, claiming he was going on a business trip. The timing of his sudden return was odd, but I can’t deny that I have missed him, his jokes, his recklessness, his ability to make things feel lighter even when they weren’t. But right now, I was enjoying my time with Araceli, and I didn’t want to cut it short. She stood in front of me, her gaze fixed on the window as she chewed slowly on a croissant, completely lost in thought. I let my eyes linger on her for a moment before answering Caleb. “Wait for me, bro. I will be home soon.” “No problem. I will make myself comfortable.”
last updateLast Updated : 2024-04-11
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