Beneath the Billionaire's Charm.

ay he couldn't shake. He turned back to the window, staring out at the restless ocean. The wave

You've built walls so high, you don't

ap

n through the polished armor he wore in public, cutting straight to the

ing for something-anything-to distract him. But his gaze kept drifting back to the s

to be harder

pping the strap of her bag as the doors slid sh

fore-stubborn CEOs, hardened soldiers, people whose trauma had turne

lly chosen to keep people at arm's length. And yet, there were cracks in his façad

ng him intrigued her m

, resolving to focus on her next client. She stepped out into the warm California sun,

r's seat and turned the key, h

built around himself. He wasn't just a man dealing with grief; he was someo

der: what had made him agree

hand. The amber liquid caught the light as he s

hadn't spoken about her in years, and now her memo

le to dull the ache. He hated how easily Nora had pulled it

wung open, and his assist

sked, eyeing the gl

a look. "What

s your therapist didn't

tent," Theo adm

obably a g

the glass dangling from his finge

" Lucas said, c

ou're more optim

ed to therapy if you didn't think it could help, even a

d, but Lucas's wor

e expects you to fix everything overnight. Just...g

e swirling liquid a poor subst

an I already ha

urther. "Well, if you need anyth

't afraid of failing therapy. He was afraid of what would happen if it worked-if the w

wasn't sure he knew ho

y heightened. She had spent the night replaying their session, going over his words

utler

uld knock, his express

" the butler greeted. "Mr.

was cool and still, the faint scent of cedarwood and citrus lin

proached the study, she steeled herself. Yesterday had been a small breakthrough, but she knew better than to e

ear the window. He was dressed casually today-dark jeans and a fitted gray sweater that hinted at his at

e said, setting down th

ng into the armchair across from

leaning back in his chair. "I've been th

n eyebrow, su

foolish for trying to get inside my head," he sai

ching his energy. "But you're here, which

dying her. "You're persis

Now, since you brought up yesterday's conversation, let's dig into th

tightness in his jaw. "Five year

relationship like

"It was good, I guess. She was charming, confident. She had this

pen gliding acros

knew exactly what to say, how to act, to get what she wan

ora repeated,

r Industries. My father had passed, the board was breathing down my neck,

alize she wasn't who

mentally-and instead of helping me heal, she used it as leverage. She pushed me to make public appearances, to k

in his voice, but she kept her tone steady

ealized it, it was too late. She had her claws in everything-my li

hing yesterday that stuck with me-that connections always end in disappointmen

ht he might shut down entirely. But then he spoke

k," he said.

our f

ve in weakness or second chances. Love, to him, was conditional-something

eight of unspoken mem

d, what?" Nora

into a thin line. "Y

tween them, heavy

manipulated you-they weren't your fault. But they shaped how you see the world, how you see your

the boy he must have been-the one who'd grown

his voice barely above a whis

d, her tone warm but fi

l, genuine smile. It was fleeting, but it was t

ra, that w