THE BILLONIARE UNTOLD LOVE

The night was quiet, yet Sebastian Hale could never find peace. From his penthouse office, the sprawling city beneath him seemed like a distant world-a world where people felt, loved, and lived without the shadow of the past hanging over them. To him, the lights below were nothing but distractions, bright flickers that did nothing to fill the hollow space inside.

At thirty-five, Sebastian had built his empire with ruthless precision. He was feared, respected, and unapproachable-a man who saw emotions as weaknesses, and love as the cruelest of illusions. His father had taught him that. He had learned young that love could break a person, leave them shattered and useless. And for him, that lesson was etched in his mind every time he looked in the mirror, every time he remembered the cold, unforgiving face of his father.

But now, as his father's death had left a void of expectations, Sebastian found himself burdened with a new reality-one where he was about to be married to someone he had never chosen. His father had arranged it before he died, securing a union with another powerful family to keep the business empire intact. The woman he was to marry, a socialite named Adriana Verne, was everything he was expected to want: beautiful, poised, and connected. But she was not what he wanted. She was a stranger, a business deal wrapped in a wedding dress.

The arranged marriage was a necessity-a duty, even. It had been planned for years. His family had been grooming him for this very moment, but Sebastian couldn't bring himself to care. His heart had been locked away long ago, sealed by a past that had taught him that love was something people fought over, something people died for, and ultimately, something that destroyed them.

Tonight, like many others, he sat at his desk, trying to focus on the numbers before him, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the wedding looming in the distance. Adriana's face, perfect and polite, flashed in his mind. He couldn't imagine her beside him. He didn't want her beside him. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

"Mr. Hale," came the voice of his assistant, Jennifer, who had long since learned not to interrupt him unless it was urgent.

"Come in," Sebastian responded, his voice cold, unaffected.

Jennifer entered, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She handed him a folder, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "The final details for the wedding are in here, sir. We just need your final approval."

Sebastian took the folder, his fingers brushing hers briefly. He noticed the hesitation in her gaze, the unspoken thoughts lingering between them. Jennifer had worked for him for years, but she knew better than to expect anything more than his indifference. The brief touch didn't faze him, and yet, for some reason, something inside him stirred-a brief flash of warmth, a reminder of something he used to feel long ago.

"I'll look at it later," he said, his tone dismissive. He had no time for wedding details. He had no time for her. His mind was elsewhere, haunted by the reality of his fate.

As she left, he sat back in his chair, staring out the window at the city. The weight of the decision he had no choice but to make pressed down on him. He couldn't escape it. His father's legacy loomed large, and the marriage would cement his place in a world he had never wanted to be part of.

But then, something shifted. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, one he had tried to suppress. A memory. A face. Scarlett Hayes.

She was a woman he had met in passing-an acquaintance, really. She was bold, unapologetic, and free in ways that made him uncomfortable. The first time he had seen her, he had dismissed her like he did everyone else. But then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, he had allowed himself to be intrigued by her. She wasn't the kind of woman a man like him could ever have. She was too untamed, too full of life. She was everything he wasn't-and everything he shouldn't want.

But there it was, that spark of attraction, despite himself. She had the kind of freedom that his world had long since taken from him. And though he hadn't allowed himself to act on it, every time their paths crossed, it became harder to ignore the pull between them.

But he had a duty. A marriage to a woman he didn't want. And Scarlett... Scarlett was forbidden. Their worlds were too different, their lives too entangled in things that could never be reconciled.

Sebastian clenched his fists, pushing away the thoughts of Scarlett. He couldn't afford to be weak. He had worked too hard to build his empire, to secure his place in this world, to let some woman-especially one like Scarlett-ruin everything.

And yet, that feeling, that dangerous, forbidden pull, wouldn't go away.

The door to his office opened once again, and this time, the interruption was a familiar one. Damien, his best friend and business partner, walked in.

Sebastian looked up from the table as Damian entered the room. It reveals an easy charm that seems to contrast with Sebastian's cool and controlled demeanor. Damian is a man who knows how to mentor people. Be the person who can make jokes in the meeting room. and make everyone unarmed But tonight there was no humor in his sharp eyes.

"Still thinking about getting married?" Damian asked, closing the door behind him.

Sebastian leaned back in his chair. A faint anger appeared on his face. "I don't ruminate. I'm counting them."

Damian smiled as he plopped down in the chair across from Sebastian's desk. "Say what you want, but everyone can see that this doesn't suit you, is Adriana not your type?"

"Not my type," Sebastian retorted. His voice trailed off.

Damian raised his eyebrows, "Really? Then why do I catch you staring into space every time you mention Scarlet Hayes?"

The name struck Sebastian like an idiot. Even though his face remained impassive. His grip on the pen tightened. which was the only word that expressed his reaction.

"Scarlet is not involved," he said, his voice colder than the night outside. "This wedding is all about business. My personal preferences-or lack thereof-do not matter."

Damian leaned forward. Resting his elbows on his knees as he studied his friend. "You might want to tell yourself that. But let me remind you of something. You are not your father, Sebastian. You are allowed to demand more from the contract."

Sebastian's jaw tightened and a glint of anger flashed in his eyes. "This isn't what I want. It's about what's needed."

"And if Scarlett wants it," Damian pressed.

Sebastian immediately stood up. His chair hit the floor. He turned his back on Damian.

Look out the large window overlooking the city. His reflection in the mirror looked terrifying as if he could feel it.

"You can't," he said quietly. "You can't be anything to me. This is my reality, Damian Scarlett... You're such a mess I cannot accept chaos."

Damian sighed as he stood. "Chaos has a way of forcing its way into your life. Whether you are ready or not."

As Damian walks away His parting words hung in the air like a warning. Sebastian's mind was racing. His decision pressured him more than ever.

Calm returned, but it didn't feel comforting. It's amazing. His thoughts drifted back to Scarlett-her fiery spirit. Her ability to challenge him in ways no one else dared. Her image filled his mind. And her laughter sounded in his ears like a passion he couldn't escape.

And for the first time in years, Sebastian feared-not failure. Not my father's shadow But it was the loss of one thing he knew he would never allow...

He turned to the table. intending to implant the rising emotions in him. But as he sat down His phone also buzzed with information.

one message

The name of the sender took his breath away: Scarlett Hayes.

Sebastian stared at the screen. His pulse was fast. Against his better judgment, he opened the message.

It was simple, but it sent so many conflicting emotions through him:

"We need to talk. I don't wait any longer."

For the man who has created his own life to be in control. The ground beneath Sebastian's feet Hale felt extremely insecure.