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A Lonely Billionaire

A Lonely Billionaire

max htn

5.0
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While on vacation at her aunt's, **Louisa** didn't think her life would change so much. Her future already seemed mapped out according to the ambitions of her mother, **Véronique**, who dreams of seeing her marry a perfect man: **Grégoire Devalier**, a rich heir well regarded in high society. However, Louisa, fierce and independent, hesitates to comply with her mother's demands. Véronique, desperate by her daughter's insubordination, decides to send her to her sister, **Odile**, a modest woman living in the countryside. There, Louisa should learn the values of simplicity and understand that her life of privilege cannot be taken for granted. But everything does not go as planned... Louisa did not expect that she would enjoy this stay. And most importantly, she hadn't anticipated meeting the enigmatic neighbor: **Raphaël Belmont**, a billionaire retired from the business world. What is such a powerful man doing in such a remote place? Why does he live as a recluse, far from the spotlight? His dark eyes and magnetic charm disturb her beyond anything she has ever known. For Raphaël, as soon as he meets Louisa's gaze, he feels a connection he has never experienced before. Could she be the key to rekindling a heart extinguished by years of solitude and secrets? Yet a curse seems to weigh on him. What dangers does he hide? Why does he seem to be running away from her as much as looking for her? As the days go by, questions multiply. Why is Véronique so keen to keep Louisa away from her family? What secrets could Odile be hiding in her simple life? And Raphael, could he be involved in something much darker than he lets on? Between power games, revelations and a forbidden love, Louisa will find herself at the heart of a plot that threatens to turn everything upside down: her family, her future, and perhaps even her own survival. Is Raphael a blessing or a deadly threat? How far will Louisa be willing to go to discover the truth?

Chapter 1 Chapitre 1

Louisa stepped off the train with a slight shiver running down her spine. She had never imagined that her life would take such a turn. The countryside, with its vast expanses of fields and small houses scattered here and there, was far from the hustle and bustle of the city and the sophistication of her usual world. Her mother, in her desire to "straighten her out", had sent her here, to this remote village, to stay with her aunt Odile. Louisa had no real illusions about this stay, but she had had no choice.

She had barely set foot on the dusty ground of the small station when her gaze fell on the silhouette of a woman waiting for her. She smiled, a smile that seemed completely natural and sincere. There was no trace of hypocrisy, no artifice in her expression. That was her aunt Odile's air: a simplicity that was disturbing, but completely foreign to her.

"Welcome, my dear," Odile said, hugging her with a gentleness she was not used to receiving.

Louisa let him, a little surprised by this immediate affection. She hadn't seen her aunt for years, and yet it seemed as if she had never left. Odile smelled of lavender, and her perfume enveloped Louisa, like an unexpected caress. Her hair, silvered by age, was braided in a simple but neat cut. Her eyes, a peaceful blue, seemed to look at the world with benevolence, but also a certain curiosity, as if each moment were a precious gift.

"So, ready to discover life here?" Odile asked, her mischievous smile hiding a hint of malice.

Louisa hesitated for a moment. "I guess I have no choice."

"You'll get used to simplicity soon, my dear. There's nothing complicated here."

Louisa shrugged, a little jaded. She had always found this philosophy a little naive. For her, life was not a question of simplicity. It was a question of conquest, of achievement, of ambitions. The countryside, with its sheep and its endless fields, seemed so far from the lights of the city where she had grown up.

The drive was long. The road wound through lush green landscapes, but Louisa paid little attention to it. Her gaze wandered over the landscape, her mind drifting between the frustration of having to be there and the strange feeling she felt of being cut off from the world. It was a kind of involuntary freedom, and yet she had no desire to taste it.

"The people here are simple, but they have a kind of wisdom that is sometimes forgotten in the city," Odile continued, as if to break the silence that had settled. Louisa looked up at her, waiting to see if the conversation would take another turn. But her aunt just smiled without losing her serenity.

When the car stopped in front of a small stone house, Louisa felt as lost as she had at the beginning of this journey. The house seemed to breathe tranquility, but it seemed almost too quiet to her. The shutters were open, and the smell of fresh bread floated in the air, but nothing aroused her interest. She was not ready to abandon her world and her habits for such an ordinary existence.

"Come on in. I made you something to eat."

The meal was simple, but delicious: hot soup and homemade bread that crumbled under the fingers, a crisp salad of fresh vegetables from the garden, and to finish, seasonal fruits. Louisa ate in silence, absent-mindedly, casting occasional furtive glances around her. The house was tastefully decorated, but there was a simplicity that contrasted with the richness of what she was used to. The furniture was old, weathered by time, but it seemed full of history and warmth.

"I suppose this all seems... strange to you," Odile said, observing Louisa.

"A little," Louisa admitted, not really trying to hide her embarrassment. "It's... very small in here."

"You'll get used to it. It's a different kind of life, but it's no less precious."

She had barely finished her sentence when the sound of an engine caught her attention. Louisa stood up abruptly, curious in spite of herself. She went to the window and saw a figure moving away down the main street of the village. It was a man, alone, in an elegant black car, who seemed almost out of place in this very calm environment.

"Who is it?" she asked her aunt, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Odile turned her head and, following Louisa's gaze, observed the man as he walked away. "It's Raphaël Belmont," she answered in a neutral tone, but there was a kind of restraint in her voice. "He lives in the house on the edge of the village. A... strange man."

"Strange?" Louisa repeated, intrigued. There was something intriguing, almost magnetic, about the man she had just seen. His features were marked by the years, but his eyes, hidden under bushy eyebrows, seemed unfathomable. His bearing denoted a man accustomed to luxury, but who found himself in this quiet place, almost withdrawn from the world.

"Yes, strange," Odile repeated. "He's a bit... lonely. He avoids company, isn't interested in anyone, except when he has to buy products for his house. But he still has an aura, you know? A kind of distance."

Louisa frowned, but another detail came to mind. "Why live here, then, in this godforsaken village?"

"I don't know. Years ago, he left the business world. He stayed there, away from everything. It's a choice, I guess."

A heavy silence settled. Louisa moved away from the window and returned to the table. Her mind was now occupied by this unexpected encounter. Raphaël Belmont. She had the impression that he was carrying a secret. His gaze, that evening, was still engraved in her memory. He was a man who seemed to possess worlds inside him, universes that she did not yet understand.

The evening passed slowly. Louisa went to bed early, exhausted from the day, but her mind tormented by a thousand thoughts. She wondered if this village would really change her perception of the world, or if it was simply another step imposed by her mother. She was not sure what she was looking for here, but one thing was certain: Raphaël Belmont's gaze never left her.

In the morning, after a frugal breakfast prepared by Odile, Louisa went out for a stroll through the village. The narrow streets, the picturesque houses and the smiling faces of the inhabitants formed a picture that Louisa found both soothing and a little boring. There was no room for the unbridled ambitions and desires that she had cultivated in her previous world. Everything here seemed frozen, as if time had stopped.

As she walked by the small lake in the center of the village, she caught sight of Raphael from afar. He was sitting on a bench, alone, his eyes lost in the landscape. He seemed so distant, almost out of reach. She stopped for a moment, hesitating, but before she could make a move, he turned his head and their gazes met. His dark eyes stared at her, as if they had seen beyond his mask. Louisa suddenly felt embarrassed, trapped in that gaze that seemed to understand everything without a word being exchanged.

She walked away quickly, her heart beating faster. A strange feeling of irresistible attraction and danger was growing inside her, as if this man had something to offer her, something dangerous and irresistible. She knew, somehow, that her meeting with him would not be trivial.

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