Beneath The Billionaire's Shadow

he city outside barely registered as I lay there, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. My hear

too empty, too cold. He had left no note, no sign of his presence. Just the lingering trac

one, and I was supposed to walk away. It was supposed to be nothing

ce, unable to get rid of the weight

ything that had happened. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd made a mistake. I had al

elow. People were going about their day, unaware of the chaos in my mi

doing here? A night with him-nothing more, nothing less. That's

eyes locking onto mine. He was impeccably dressed, as always, his suit tailored to perfection. But there was

to sound casual, though the words c

his gaze drifting to the be

ht, Lola," he said finally, his

s presence still affected me. "And that's all

ainst the floor. "I told you before, there's no need fo

that all it was? A transaction? A fleeting

despite my best efforts. "You think

et him, there was a flash of something more-someth

n control of my emotions. "Then why d

at me with a mixture of frustration and something I couldn't

nd you really think it's that simple?

lming. "Yes. You did. But I won't apologize f

it, do you? You've turned everything upside down. I was just trying to save my family, to keep

seemed to consider them for a moment, then shook his head

said hit me harder than I expected. I had let myself go, let my guard d

readable. "You should go. Before this be

d when he was done with me. But something stopped me. Perhaps it was the vulnerability

h my voice felt small. "You don't get t

onged to me. This was never about ownership. It's a

pened. I wasn't sure what I wanted anymore-whether to walk away and pretend thi

was gone before I could hold onto it. "If you want to l

ding with conflicting emotions. Should I leave? Shoul

knife. Castillo reached into his pocket and answered it, his voice immediat

turned away, the sharpness of his focus on the cal

ast time. "This doesn't change anything

ds the door, no

to make sense of everything. Was that i

behind him, and I wa

expected any of this. And yet, he

seemed distant now, as if I was no longer a part of it. My heart ached i

terrifying thing: I wasn't sure if I could ever w

t sure he c

uld we both be brave