The Billionaire I couldn't hate.

elieve that losing ever

he gate, neighbors whispering as they peered through their c

it happen

tes were locked, the furniture sold off piece by piece, and her

la learnt the cruel

announce themselves

at didn't belong to her, adjusting the sleeves of a blo

spered to her reflect

who she was tr

like the home she grew up in; no marble floors, no sweeping staircases, no su

ty really m

hone, and sighed. No new messages, no m

barely sp

pulling her coat tighter around herself. The city moved fast, ind

rrived at the address sent to her the ni

ng was...

ul, and quie

t the gate, rerea

needed. One chi

ring job." Everything about it whispered money

swal

she murmured. "J

chest. A strange awareness, as though she had stepp

or a second, Isabella

ooked effortlessly styled and eyes that were calm in a way that felt unsettling

ok surprised

e looked..

be Isabell

s smooth, de

quickly.

shed, stepping aside

exterior. Minimalist, clean, no clutter,

sabella said,

didn't notice. He had a habit of observing

early,"

e replied. "It give

that made his li

low

. Isabella's footsteps echoed so

casually, "how long h

plied. "Mostly lite

ress

d. People rarely

ng boy sat hunched over a desk,

niel said, "thi

anced up,

one?" he

gently. "Hopef

oss Nathaniel's face, a

to it," he said.

a released a breath she had

make a deal. I won't bore you to death

r a moment, then

t smoother tha

ood, and clearly lonely. Isabella recogni

on ended, Nath

t?" he ask

ooks quietly. "She'

ed Isabel

hat as succe

ked at her di

th me,"

silence between them wasn't awkwa

well," Nathaniel

s," she replied, th

ght th

oy tutoring

sidered lyin

id softly. "But it's honest work.

died her for

id. "Especially when lif

ond, something passed between them;

looked aw

ou," she said, professional

d immediately. "I'll have my

nt? Of

nge pull in her chest. This job felt different.

, Nathaniel

abe

tu

," he said. "As long

f how much those word

man she'd just met was tied to the worst night of her life, and N