All Chapters of Married To The Billionaire I Hate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Emily's POV.I stood by the window, arms crossed, my back to Cole. The city stretched out in front of me, lights blinking, cars moving, the world going on like nothing was wrong. Inside this room, though, the air was thick, suffocating. Cole stood behind me, his presence pressing against my back like a weight I refused to acknowledge. He had forced his way in, tracked me down like a desperate man clinging to something already gone.I didn’t turn around. I didn’t give him the satisfaction."Say whatever you want, Cole. It won’t change a damn thing," I said, reaching for the whiskey bottle on the counter. I poured myself a drink, the liquid steadying me.But Cole wasn’t leaving. His father’s threats must have been ringing in his ears. The humiliation, the headlines, the fear of losing everything…it was crashing down on him. His silence stretched long enough that I knew he was struggling to keep it together."Do you really hate me that much?" His voice was low, rough, like he was barely

Emily’s POVI sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, fingers tapping against my knee. The city lights spilled through the window, reflecting off the screen. The message I was about to send felt like a betrayal…to myself, to everything I’d fought for. But it was also a move, a necessary one.I exhaled sharply, then typed:‘Dad, I’m back with Cole. We’re fixing things.’A beat passed. Then another.My phone vibrated.‘Good. I knew you’d come to your senses.’I scoffed, rolling my eyes. My father had never hidden his opinions…he believed in power, in keeping our companies aligned, in making sure the Greyson and Hart names remained untouchable. Love? That was never part of the deal.‘Whatever. Just stay out of my life.’ I sent back.For the first time in years, he didn’t argue.Cole was standing near the window, hands in his pockets, watching me. “What did he say?”“That he knew I’d come to my senses.” I tossed the phone on the nightstand, my jaw tight. “He’s backing off now.”C

Cole's POV.Vanessa and I stepped out of the restaurant, her voice trailing as she talked about something I wasn’t even paying attention to. My mind was still stuck on the conversation we had inside, the way she had looked at me like she knew something I didn’t.Then, I saw her.Emily.She was a few feet away near the valet pickup, dressed in a fitted black jumpsuit that hugged her frame perfectly. A pair of strappy heels added to her height, and her long hair fell over her shoulders effortlessly. She looked… different. Not like the Emily I was used to. There was no sharpness in her expression, no guarded stance.She was happy.And it wasn’t because of me.She let out a laugh…a real one, as she jumped into the arms of a man I didn’t recognize. He caught her easily, arms wrapping around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground.Something hit me hard in my chest.Vanessa was still talking beside me, her voice laced with amusement. “Are you even listening to me, Cole?”I wasn’t.Be

Emily's POV.My brain short-circuited.Cole Grayson was kissing me.His lips were firm, demanding, pressing against mine like he had every right to take what he wanted. Like this wasn’t insane. Like I wasn’t Emily Hart…the same girl he had humiliated and torn apart seven years ago. The same girl he had looked at like trash beneath his feet.And yet, here he was. Kissing me.For a split second…just a damn second…my body betrayed me. My breath caught, my fingers curled into fists at my sides, and the warmth of his mouth sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. The night air was cool against my skin, but his touch was fire. My heart slammed against my ribs, confused, angry, dazed.Then, reality crashed over me like a sledgehammer.What the hell was I doing?I shoved him. Hard.Cole stumbled back a step, eyes flicking open in surprise. My palm stung from where it had pressed against his chest, but I didn’t care. My breath was uneven, my pulse out of control, and my entire body screamed w

Author’s Note:This chapter starts off slow, like nothing intense will happen. But keep reading, and things heat up fast. It gets very explicit with vulgar words, so consider this your warning!Emily’s POVI should have left.The moment he stepped into the kitchen, I should have picked up my tea and walked away like I always did. But something about tonight was different. Maybe it was the way his voice had dropped an octave, rough and edged with something that made my skin prickle. Maybe it was the way he looked at me…like I was something he wasn’t willing to lose.Or maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in seven years, I wanted to stay.I hated him. I had told myself that over and over again, burned the words into my mind until they became truth.But I didn’t hate the way he looked at me.Didn’t hate the way his body closed the distance, heat radiating off him in waves, making the air between us thick.Didn’t hate the way my fingers curled tighter around my mug, knuckles wh