Apartment 46

One Night With My Billionaire Boss

Nathaniel Stone

I woke up on silk sheets that smelled of expensive cedar and cold sandalwood, a world away from my cramped apartment in Brooklyn. Beside me lay Ezra Gardner-my boss, the billionaire CEO of Gardner Holdings, and the man who could end my career with a snap of his fingers. He didn't offer an apology for the night before; instead, he looked at me with terrifying clarity and proposed a cold, calculated business arrangement. "Marriage. It stabilizes the board and solves the PR crisis before it begins." He dressed me in archival Chanel and sent me home in his Maybach, but my life was already falling apart. My boyfriend, Irving, claimed he had passed out early, yet his location data placed him at my best friend's apartment until three in the morning. When I tried to run, I realized Ezra was already ten steps ahead, tracking my movements and uncovering the secret I'd spent twenty years hiding: my connection to the powerful Senator Grimes. I was trapped between a CEO who treated me like a line item on a quarterly report and a boyfriend who had been using me while sleeping with my closest friend. I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, wondering why a man like Ezra would walk up forty flights of stairs on a broken leg just to make sure I was safe. "Showtime, Mrs. Gardner." Standing on the red carpet in a gown that cost more than my life, I watched my cheating ex-boyfriend's face turn pale as Ezra claimed me in front of the world. I wasn't just an assistant anymore; I was a weapon, and it was time to burn their world down.

Romance Revenge Celebrities Drama

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RACHAEL'S POV

Sitting across from Amy, sunlight filtering through the café windows casting soft rays on our table, I am lost in our conversation reminiscing about the good old days.

"Remember that time we went to Ibiza for our birthdays?" Amy asks, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

"You almost missed the flight because you insisted on entering that store. "I laugh, shaking my head at the memory.

"Hey, I had to get those boots! They were gorgeous."

Amy raises her glass, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"And now look at us. Thirty and still day drinking like we're twenty-five." I clink my glass against hers, feeling a pleasant warmth spread through me, not just from the daytime drinks but from the joy of spending this moment with my best friend.

We had been through so much together, from wild nights in college and spontaneous trips to heartbreaks and new beginnings. Today felt like a nod to our youth, but with a touch of something deeper and more meaningful.

"I can't believe you're thirty," Amy says, setting her glass down and reaching for her purse.

"I got you something."

"Oh no, you didn't have to. Your sparkling company is enough." I tease."

She rolls her eyes and pulls out a small velvet box. I blink, surprised, as she hands it to me. I open the box slowly, and there it is: the necklace. The one I had seen when I was young, the one I had promised myself that I would buy the minute I started making money but never did.

"Amy..." My voice trails off as I run my fingers over the delicate chain, as it twinkles in the sunlight. It was exactly as I remembered. Simple, elegant.

"I know how much you wanted it," she says softly, watching me. "I thought it was time you had it."

Tears prick the corners of my eyes, but I blink back quickly, not wanting to get too emotional in public.

"It's perfect. Thank you."

After enjoying a few more sips of our drinks, I can't stop the excitement bubbling up inside me.

"You know, I have a feeling Jack's up to something today. He's been acting weird all week. I'm sure he's planning some sort of surprise party, and you're in on it too, aren't you?"

Amy looks at me innocently, but a guilty smile tugs at her lips. "Me? I have no idea what you're talking about, Rachael. I haven't seen Jack all week."

"Oh, please!" I laugh.

"You've been plotting this birthday lunch for days. I bet you're just stalling me so he can get everything ready at home." Amy shrugs, giving nothing away. We finish our drinks with a toast to the big three-oh.

"Happy birthday, my love," Amy says with a wink as we hug goodbye.

I leave the café a little tipsy, the necklace she had gifted me bouncing lightly against my chest as I walk to the car. My heart is racing with excitement, my mind spinning with thoughts of what Jack could have planned.

A party, maybe? Or a romantic dinner for two? I can't wait to get home and find out whatever it is.

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