Love In Disguise: The Billionaire's Gamble

ong shadows over book shelves that stretched along the walls. The sce

ood in sharp contrast to the deep leather chairs, every file

. something

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. Ev

old under my touch. Stacks of documents rested near a sharp, silver pe

gaze land

as a golden plaque. My stomach twisted as I stepped closer. The polished metal

of the year - L

ds pulled the floor out from

Three

s my eyes traced the letter

pid

s never

, an unforgiving tide dragging

l, the urgent need for a marriage arrangement, the

ruggling. He

e I could stop it - bitter, ra

hy alw

quiet depth of Lucas's study, surrounded by evidence of his success, I

ls pressing into my palms until the sting forced me to breathe. But bef

stood

harp. F

e. The air crackled, thick with

e?" His voice cut through the silen

exhale, my rage reigniting li

n't f

rned toward the glass display case, where his award gleamed under th

fingers trembling slightly fro

ied to

" I told you to sta

I don't care." I snap

ght of words unspoken, the sharp edges of

ed - not from fear, but from the s

ver bankrupt

ury burn brighter. I let out a sharp, bitter l

He wasn't indifferent, but he wasn't defendi

ecause right now, everything about this marriage, about t

gh him. For the first time, his composure cracked. I too

e weight, more venom than shouting ever could. "Someone your paren

hair. And he didn't answer. That was the worst p

I felt the rage shift into some

ray

ough to believe that this arrangement had a purpose beyond contro

n a way that was almost unbearable. I ref

g his shoulder as I moved through the

r wanted to hear. I just walked away, my heartbeat roaring in my e

old indifference, the weight of the truth pressing against my chest, the way

whole. I collapsed onto the bed, pressing my hands against my face as the flood of emotions ov

a world that was never meant for me, yet

I have be

me believe every carefully crafted lie. Never once had he a

uited him. I

curled into myself, my body trembling from

very thought like a blade

t answer. But the door opened anyway, and a maid s

en sent to prepare yo

my breath uneven. For a secon

ha

presence for a date. He ask

Of course. Is everyone in

rekindling itse

s hoarse but unwaverin

ophia..

id GE

her as if she, too, realized I wasn't in the mood to obey orders. I wiped

es pa

or opened before I could respond

ca

sed, still

ipping the bedsheets as I tried

ak, my voice sharp, final. Lucas leaned aga

ed to

mething - remorse, guilt, anything that proved he understood how badly he had ruined ev

ant to tal

epping further inside.

into my palm again. "You really th

t, then spoke calmly, firmly

wasn't ignoring it, either. I swallowed hard,

ver excuses or twisted truths he had to offer, made my

gave him. Not because I was ready to listen. But because I refused to remain in the dark

I muttered under my brea

ng in a neat row. My fingers traced the soft fabric absentm

g felt

re now. My hands shook slightly as I pulled a sleek black dress

ehow.........not. Something had shifted. And I had

ar the entrance, dressed in a tailored suit, effort

st my skin. A sleek black car sat idling near the front steps, an

n't that

t sure I wanted to hear them. Still, I stepped inside. The door shut

o the background as we headed toward the glowing lights of the city

yline came into view, I realized - I had no id