The Billionaire's secret love

d, and the weight of it lingered in the back of his mind every day. He didn't know what exactly had changed after that dinner, but he felt different. Lighter. Yet

making him feel like he could be himself around her, even when the rest of the world expected him to be something else. And he didn't know how to navigate that. He had

at him across a table or her laugh filled a quiet room-that made him want

afternoon meeting when he rec

sabella

xander

Blac

omplicated. But I'd like to talk more. Maybe it's time we stopped pretending it

e

lla T

blurred-it was gone. She was right, though. They had been pretending that their interactions were just about business or casu

his carefully constructed life whispered in the back of his mind. He could pull away. He

e him hesitate. Something about

exander

abella

To

ow about Thursday? I'

e

der Bl

re he could seco

ed, ensuring a level of privacy he preferred. The staff knew him well here, always respectful and discreet. He stood a

Isabella see past his facade. It was both unsettling and exhilarating. And as he stared at his reflection in the

e waves around her shoulders. She looked around the room before her gaze landed on him, and a smile spread across he

ice light but knowing. "I hope I

d, standing to greet he

ething like that. But then, she didn't seem bothered. In fact, she looked pleased, an

usual pleasantries, but it didn't take long for the dynamic between them to shift. The mo

fter a few moments, her eyes narrowin

of just how much he had been holding back. "Just thinking abo

ng that everything's fine, Alexander. You've sa

a way of cutting through his defenses like they were nothing. But h

is eyes drifting momentarily

t inviting him to speak more, to let down his guard. He had learned to shut people out when it bec

s then," she suggested softly, breaking

icate thread. Us. The idea seemed so f

ce quiet but genuine. "What

ant to know why you push people away," she said simply. "I want to know why you don't

ch. He hadn't expected such an open question-hadn't prepared fo

Isabella," he said, his voice low but firm. "Everything I've done has been for the success of t

is words carefully. "And what happens when that future is built?" she asked quietl

r a brief moment, he couldn't find an answer. How could he explain that he had built this empire to keep the em

a beat, his voice softening.

ingers brushing lightly over his hand. The contact was so simple, so gentle, and ye

to find out," s

ly looked at her-and for the first time, he didn't feel the need to pull back. She was right. Everything he had b

time, he didn'

voice steady but with a quiet determinat

allowed himself to lean into something he hadn't thought possible-a future where he wa