The Possessive Billionaire

Chapter 1

The sun was high in the sky that afternoon, bathing the Moreaus' vast gardens in a soft, golden light. Léna walked with a nonchalant step, savoring the tranquility of these familiar places where she felt safe. She loved getting lost in the paths lined with hundred-year-old trees, smelling the scent of carefully tended flowers and feeling the freshness of the wind caressing her skin. But as he approached the old stone pavilion at the back of the estate, something caught his attention.

A man stood there, looking towards the horizon. A tall, slender figure, he seemed perfectly in his place, despite the obvious intrusion. His black suit contrasted with the wild nature that surrounded him, but he exuded a confidence that made Léna shudder, as if this property, her secret garden, no longer belonged to her. A mixture of curiosity and distrust pushed her forward, although a small voice inside her whispered to turn back.

When she reached him, she observed him for a moment. He seemed impervious to her presence, his attention totally captivated by the lines of the hills and the nuances of the fields that stretched into the distance. He was a man of around thirty, with marked features and dark eyes, charged with a rare intensity.

She finally broke the silence. "Are you aware that you are on private property? »

The man slowly turned his head towards her, as if he had only just realized she was there. An enigmatic, almost mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"I know it. But, I must say that the view here is magnificent. » His voice was serious, calm, each word as if weighed with care.

Lena narrowed her eyes. "You didn't answer my question. Who are you and why are you here? »

He took a breath, remaining calm. "Gabriel Beaumont. Enchanted, Miss Moreau. »

Lena stiffened. He knew her name, of course, but she didn't, and this mystery annoyed her as much as it intrigued her.

"Nice to meet you, I suppose." But you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here? »

Gabriel gave a deeper smile, a smile that looked like an invitation, but also a challenge. "Let's just say I wanted to know a little more about the Moreau lands. Your father and I have... some business to discuss. »

She didn't like his way of speaking in riddles, of deliberately keeping his intentions vague. But she felt that insisting would be useless. He seemed determined to keep the exact reasons for his presence here to himself.

"You know, it would probably be easier to go through the main entrance to talk business with him," she replied with a touch of sarcasm.

Gabriel doesn't react right away. He simply looked at her, his gaze piercing and deep, as if trying to read her. "Sometimes the circuitous paths are more instructive. »

This simple exchange awakened something unpleasant in her, a dull tension that she could not dissipate. This man, with his confidence and his mysteries, seemed to take pleasure in destabilizing her. But she refused to show him that he had succeeded.

"Well, I hope you learned what you came for, because you don't belong here. » His words were firm, but she sensed that he would not be impressed so easily.

Gabriel tilted his head slightly, an almost amused look on his face. "I think I have found what I was looking for. »

Then, without saying another word, he quietly walked away, leaving her there, with a host of questions racing through her head. She stood there for a moment, watching his retreating figure, unable to comprehend what she had just experienced.

When she finally came to her senses, she rushed to the mansion, eager to find her father and get an explanation. Gabriel Beaumont... she had never heard that name before today, but it didn't bode well.