The Billionaire's Betrothed

Name: The Billionaire's Betrothed
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Vikings

Romance | Ongoing

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Alexandra Stewart wasn't one to ask for help. She had always prided herself on being self-sufficient, even if that meant sacrificing a little sleep and comfort. But this was different. Her father's health was deteriorating quickly, and the cost of his surgery was beyond what she could afford. She had exhausted every option-loans, selling her belongings, working double shifts at the local café-but nothing seemed to be enough. Desperation had set in, and she found herself willing to do anything, even if it meant swallowing her pride. Then, Jayden McCartney entered her life. The moment he walked into the café where she worked, it felt like the entire room paused. He was tall, with sharp features, dark hair that looked like it had been styled by some high-end salon, and an air of confidence that practically radiated off of him. Alexandra's first instinct was to run. The man was too good-looking, too wealthy, too out of her league. There was no way he'd ever want to associate with someone like her. But then, he approached her, his presence overwhelming, and made her an offer she never saw coming. "I need a girlfriend," he said, his voice low and steady, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "And I think you're the perfect candidate." Alexandra blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?" "I'm going to a wedding. My sister's wedding. And my grandmother keeps trying to set me up with women I don't want. I need someone to pretend to be my girlfriend for a few days, and I'm willing to pay you for your time." The proposal was too enticing to ignore. Her father's surgery was slipping further out of reach with every passing day, but this? This could be the solution she desperately needed. She had never considered pretending to be someone's girlfriend for money, but for her dad... she would do anything. But the more she thought about it, the more complicated things became. The way Jayden looked at her made her heart tremble in her chest, and every time he touched her, she could feel a spark that terrified her. She wasn't supposed to fall for him. She couldn't afford to. But Jayden seemed determined to make her his, and the longer she spent with him, the more impossible it became to ignore the connection growing between them. And maybe... just maybe... she didn't want to.

Family Humor Love triangle CEO Arrogant/Dominant Billionaires Queen

Chapter 5 05

04-26 20:14

Chapter 1 01

The BlackBerry clattered carelessly across the glass surface of the coffee table. Jayden swore under his breath, his long, lean fingers raking through his thick hair in frustration. What the hell was he supposed to do now? This was supposed to be his holiday, and a holiday was supposed to be stress-free. No work. No family. Just peace and relaxation.

No work? Yeah, right! As a self-confessed workaholic, it was unsurprising now that five out of his eight companies had recently been floating in the international market, hitting the multibillion-dollar level on the way. That kind of money needed looking after, nurturing, and feeding. Still, he loved the job, even more so now that he didn't need to be in the office twenty-four-seven. He could simply flick an email from wherever he was, whether in a hotel room in some lush French wine valley, a Hong Kong restaurant, or even his own bed! Whenever, wherever he was, his people could handle everything he threw at them.

But this wasn't about work. His mind had been far too consumed by his personal life lately-something he normally tried to avoid when he escaped to places like Queenstown. Yet here he was, staring out at the alpine landscape with a clenched jaw, the serenity of the scenery unable to quell the turbulence inside him.

Sadly, the current focus of his stress was his family-more specifically, his grandmother. His mother, Gracie, married to his father, Tom McCartney, for thirty-five years, had insisted he bring his current girlfriend to attend his sister Kelly's upcoming wedding in order to meet the whole family for the first time. Tom's mother, Elizabeth, known to them as Granny Beth, had agreed to this with the reminder that it was high time his girlfriend was measured against her criteria of what made a suitable granddaughter-in-law. The whole damn family had made it clear they had their expectations, and he was expected to deliver.

That was the problem, wasn't it? Jay had always been good at meeting expectations-his business empire was proof of that. But no one had prepared him for the emotional wreckage of his personal life.

He took a deep breath and stepped back from the window, his eyes searching the room for something to focus on. The leather sofa creaked beneath him as he sank into it, the cool, fresh apple-crisp air of Queenstown filling the room through the open window. It should have been calming. It should have been peaceful. But his thoughts were like a runaway train, impossible to control.

He rubbed his face with both hands, trying to scrub away the remnants of that phone call-the one he'd received only an hour ago. It had been from Sarah, the woman he'd thought he would build a future with, and whose betrayal still stung like a fresh wound. God, how quickly things had unraveled.

He couldn't go back. He couldn't pretend nothing had happened. He'd seen enough. The sight of Sarah, his girlfriend of two years, in the arms of his best friend, Kyle Shore, had burned into his memory in a way that no amount of alcohol or distraction could erase. The bitter taste of betrayal was still fresh on his tongue, even now.

What stung the most wasn't just the fact that it had been Kyle, but the fact that he had trusted him. He'd known Kyle since they were kids, had shared everything with him-everything. And now? Now, Kyle had betrayed him in the worst possible way, taking the one person Jay had let himself get close to. That hurt far more than anything Sarah had done.

He shut his eyes, his mind betraying him again. The image of Sarah's body, bare and writhing under Kyle's touch, was burned into his brain. He tried to push it away, but the memory wouldn't let him go. She had been beautiful, yes. That had never changed. But now, when he tried to picture her face, it was as if a shadow had fallen over her, a darkness that made it impossible to remember the woman he'd once loved.

"God, it seems like such a cliché," he muttered to himself, though the words were almost foreign in his mouth. His best friend. His girlfriend. That damn betrayal.

Jay's fists clenched in anger, and he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He had expected a lot from his relationships, but this? This wasn't even in the realm of possibility. What had he missed? Was it something they had planned all along? The thought haunted him. He hadn't even seen the signs. Maybe it had been his own fault. Maybe he had only seen what they wanted him to see.

He thought back to the day he caught them in that hotel room in Sydney. The scene had played out in his head over and over again since then. The sounds of his own fury had echoed in the room as he had stormed in, not giving them the chance to explain. Kyle had looked up, surprise flashing across his face, but there was no guilt, no regret. Just... nothing. That hurt more than anything.

Sarah had tried to explain, to beg him for forgiveness, but he hadn't wanted to hear it. The lies. The excuses. None of it mattered anymore.

"Not what it looked like!" she had screamed, her face red with tears, but the words were meaningless to him.

"You were screwing him!" Jay had shouted back, his voice breaking with rage and disbelief. The pain was too much, but he had said it anyway. "I don't know what's worse-your betrayal or his."

And that was when the finality had set in. He had refused to listen to her any longer, his heart hardening with each word. "Get the hell out of my life," he had said, each syllable cold and cutting. "I don't want to hear it."

Sarah had left. And with her departure, she had thrown one final parting shot, a cruel remark that had hung in the air long after she was gone: "I never loved you, Jay."

The words had echoed through his mind, over and over again, until he had almost begun to believe them. Maybe she never had loved him. Maybe he had been just another distraction for her. Another guy to impress. The truth was, he didn't know anymore.

Jay leaned back against the sofa, his hand over his eyes, trying to block out the thoughts that were tearing at him. This was supposed to be his break. He had come to Queenstown to escape. But there was no escaping this.

He opened his eyes to stare at the panoramic view outside. The mountains were sharp and jagged against the soft blue sky, their grandeur mocking his emotional chaos. He couldn't even focus on the beauty of the landscape. The only thing he could focus on was the mess he had found himself in.

His phone buzzed on the table, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, seeing Sarah's name flashing on it. He didn't need to answer. He didn't want to answer. There was nothing left to say.

The truth was, he was done with her. Done with Kyle. Done with all of it. But the anger still simmered inside him, and he knew it wasn't going away anytime soon.

This wasn't a holiday anymore. This was a retreat from the wreckage of his life. And Jayden McCartney didn't know how to fix it.