The billionaire's unexpected heir.

a rushing barista. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the sound of chatter and c

ady thinking about the pile of bills waiting for her at home.

ely looked up. She was too busy wiping down the counter, her focus on keeping

she he

red an espresso, and ever

art st

t voice-it had been years, four to be exact-but she could never forget it. Slowly, her gaze

Blac

ing wealth and authority. His dark hair was immaculately styled, and his sharp jawline carried the faintest dust

ettable night with. The man who had disappeared w

had no idea

him more striking, more dangerous. And judging by the way

isted painfully.

in his eyes. Something dark, calculating. When he finally spoke,

time

ght, uneasy smile, her fingers gripping the coun

studying her with unnerving intensity. "T

Not here, not now. The walls of the café s

berate, as if he had all the time in the world

low in her ears. "Not exactly. Last I ch

t smirk, but it didn't reac

ly. Not enough to prepare for

th an excuse to leave, a so

fr

ers squeaking against the tiled floor. His dark curls bounced with each ste

nd cheerful. He ran straight to her, w

plummeted to

could feel his gaze shift from her

ing silence, the hum of voices and clat

en her eyes met his, she saw the exact moment realization dawned. His g

ivious to the tension in the

ned, his stormy ey

ice like the calm before a sto

n's question settle over he

but nothing came. There was no easy way out of this, no excuse t

d at the hem of her apron. His bright smile and innocent tone were like

down at him, running a shaky hand through his soft cu

asn't letti

nto her like they could strip away every lie and shield she had built ove

e it to him, he would

s voice low and controlled, though the fury b

she took a shaky breath

se to me, it looks pretty damn simple." He stepped closer, his towering frame rad

, leaving her scrambling for

she whispered, he

, his tone as cold as the s

knew that no matter what she said, the timeline wou

ted, her voice bar

rkened. She could see the gears turning in his head, his sh

year

stand four

h wasn'

omething darker-anger, disbelief, betrayal. When he spoke again, his

he m

shift, like the universe had s

ng screamed to lie, to protect the life she had built. But

es

ung in the air, h

tire body

er carefully built world was