All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Regret : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

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

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

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

ELARA’S POV“I need to speak with you,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. Pushing away the feeling at crept up. My mind was spinning with questions I couldn’t push away.Who was the woman Nate was so determined to protect? And why did it feel like I was falling deeper into a game I didn’t understand?No Elara that’s none of your business. “Go on,” Nate muttered, his tone laced with irritation.“I just had a look at those pictures,” I began, watching his face closely for any sign of guilt. “And I’m curious… how did they get out? Who posted them?”His expression didn’t change, but I could tell I had his attention.“It’s also a little weird,” I added, stepping closer to him, “that in all those pictures, you don’t look even a little bit bothered. And, on top of that, you were the first person to find me at the airport. Convenient, don’t you think?”Nate raised a brow, his jaw tightening. “What are you trying to say, Elara?”“I don’t know,” I replied with a shrug, my tone drippin

ELARA’S POV After a few bites of the meal, I told the lady, who I now know to be Theresa, by name, to take it back. She did so gladly, leaving me with a polite nod and the glass of water on a tray. I took my pills and waited. For what, I wasn’t entirely sure. Maybe for Nate to send someone to tell me his team had finished their so-called “damage control,” or maybe for him to appear himself. Either way, I was stuck. But no one came. The last thing I wanted to do was wander around this ridiculously oversized condo looking for someone to ask. And calling Nate? Not in this lifetime. He’s the last person I want to speak to right now. Eventually, the exhaustion from my earlier flight caught up with me. I don’t even remember falling asleep, but I must have because the next thing I knew, it was morning. Weirdly enough, I woke up in bed, which made no sense because I’m pretty sure I’d dozed off on the couch. Did I sleepwalk? Before I could think too hard about it, a knock l