One Night One Chance

One Night One Chance

Eve Halloway

5.0
Comment(s)
126
View
18
Chapters

Damien Logan, a ruthless billionaire, is used to control and power. But his life is shaken after a one-night stand with a mysterious woman, Ariana. When he wakes up to find her gone, he assumes they'll never meet again until fate steps in. Struggling with debt and the loss of her job, Ariana unexpectedly finds herself back in Damien's world. Faced with his grandfather's demand to marry a woman of his choosing, Damien comes up with a bold plan: a marriage contract with Ariana. In exchange for pretending to be his wife, she'll get the financial stability she needs. Reluctantly, Ariana agrees, stepping into a life of wealth and lies. But as their fake marriage goes on, their walls start to crack. The line between pretending and real feelings starts to blur. Secrets and insecurities threaten to ruin everything. Can a love built on a lie survive, or will their contract end before they find each other's hearts?

Chapter 1 The Night It Fell Apart

Ariana's POV

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I stammered, nearly crashing into a waiter holding a tray of drinks. My heels clicked against the white-tiled floor of Silver Foods Restaurant as I rushed toward the private booth at the back.

Thirty minutes late. My stomach churned as I glanced at my wristwatch again. I was supposed to meet Daniel at 7:00 PM, and it was nearly 7:30 PM.

Why was I running? Well, as ridiculous as it sounds, I was desperate to meet my boyfriend of five years, who'd called me earlier with a tone so cold it sent chills down my spine.

"Hey, love," I'd greeted warmly when I picked up his call.

"We need to talk. Meet me at the usual spot."

Before I could ask him what was wrong, he hung up.

I had barely caught my breath when I spotted him sitting at our usual table. His broad shoulders were hunched, and he was staring at his phone, oblivious to the bustling restaurant around him.

"Danny!" I called, plastering on a smile as I slid into the seat opposite him. "I'm so sorry. Traffic was horrible",

"You're late," he interrupted without looking up.

"I know, and I'm really sorry," I said softly, leaning closer. "But I'm here now."

Finally, he lifted his gaze to meet mine. My heart sank. His eyes, once filled with warmth and love, were now cold and distant. Something was wrong. I glanced at the table and noticed the spread.Steak, salad, and an expensive bottle of red wine. My heart warmed. Daniel had always been caring and romantic.

"So, is this a date?" I asked, smiling as I stared at him with love and admiration. "You should've told me. I would've worn something more... you know, sexy. Like that red dress you love," I teased, lightly touching his face.

But Daniel didn't react. On a normal day, he would've kissed me so hard I'd struggle to catch my breath. Now, all I got was a cold stare.

"What's going on, Danny?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Ariana, we need to talk."

"Okay..." I said hesitantly. "Talk about what honey? Is something wrong?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he poured himself a glass of wine, took a sip, and stared at the table like it held the answers to life's biggest questions.

"This is going to be our last meeting," he said finally.

I froze. "What do you mean, last meeting'?" I asked, forcing out a shaky laugh. "Danny, what are you talking about? Are you joking?"

He shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I'm serious, Ariana. We can't be together anymore."

My heart stopped. "Why?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"It's for the best," he said, his tone detached. "I got engaged last week."

For a moment, I thought I'd misheard him. "Engaged?" I repeated, blinking rapidly. "To who?"

"To the daughter of my dad's business partner," he said, his voice flat.

I stared at him, my mind struggling to process his words. "You're joking, right? Please tell me this is some kind of a sick joke."

"It's not a joke, Ariana," he said, looking me in the eye. "It's reality."

"Why?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Why are you doing this? Did I do something wrong?"

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ariana, you've always been amazing caring, beautiful, and loving. But..." He paused, searching for the right words. "You're not the kind of woman I need by my side. You don't understand the business world. My family expects me to marry someone who can contribute to our empire."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. "You've got to be kidding me," I said, my voice rising. "I loved you, Daniel. I stood by you when I didn't even know who you were, when you were just a regular guy at school. And now, you're throwing me away because I'm not 'business-minded' enough for you?"

"It's not personal, Ariana," he said, his tone infuriatingly calm.

"Not personal?" I repeated, my voice shaking. "You're breaking my heart, Daniel! How is this not personal?"

"Look," he said, leaning forward. "I've transferred some money to your account. It's the least I can do to make up for this."

I stared at him, stunned. "You think money can buy everything? you think money can buy all these years we've been together?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Do you really think throwing money at me will erase five years of love and memories?"

"Ariana, please don't make this harder than it needs to be," he said, standing up.

I grabbed his arm, tears streaming down my face. "Don't do this, Danny. Please. I love you. We can work through this. I'll learn about business, I'll do whatever it takes. Just don't leave me."

He pulled his arm free. "It's over, Ariana. Move on."

Before I could say anything else, he turned and walked away. I collapsed back into my seat, sobbing uncontrollably. The stares of other diners burned into my skin, but I didn't care. My world had just fallen apart.

I stumbled out of the restaurant, my vision blurred by tears. The night air was cool, but it did little to soothe the ache in my chest. I had no idea where I was going; I just needed to get away.

After wandering aimlessly for what felt like hours, I found myself standing in front of a bar. The neon sign flickered invitingly, and without thinking, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The bar was dimly lit, with faint music playing in the background. People sat in small groups, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to my misery.

I approached the counter, where a bartender was busy polishing a glass.

"Whiskey," I said, my voice hoarse.

The bartender looked up, his expression softening when he saw my tear-streaked face. "Rough night?"

"Just give me the drink," I snapped

He nodded, reaching for a bottle. "One whiskey, coming up."

I watched as he poured the amber liquid into a glass and slid it toward me. "Take it slow," he advised. "This stuff's strong."

I ignored him, downing the drink in one go. The burn in my throat was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

"Another," I said, slamming the glass down on the counter.

The bartender hesitated before pouring me another drink. "You sure about this?"

I nodded, taking the glass and sipping it slowly this time. The alcohol dulled the edges of my pain, but it couldn't erase it entirely.

Hours later, I was a drunken mess, barely able to keep my balance as I stumbled toward the exit.

"Watch it lady," a deep voice said as I collided with someone and just as I was about to fall, he caught me.

I looked up,or tried to. My vision was too blurry to make out his features, but I could tell he was tall and muscular.

He pushed me off him abruptly, but I grabbed onto him, unwilling to let go.

"Get me out of here, please," I mumbled, clutching him for support. I didn't care where he took me.

"Get you out of here? To where?" he asked, scanning me with a skeptical look.

"Just get me out of here, please. I'll go anywhere with you," I whispered desperately, holding him tighter.

"Well... I see. You're one of those girls who come to bars looking for anyone to take them home. I don't want to have anything to do with a drunk bar bitch," he said coldly.

I froze. Did he just call me a drunk bitch? Who did this man he was? My pride wouldn't let me stoop to his level, even in my drunken state.

"I'm not... a bitch... yes... drunk... but a... bitch... no.. Just... take me... anywhere... I..." My words trailed off as darkness consumed me.

Continue Reading

You'll also like

Flash Marriage To My Best Friend's Father

Flash Marriage To My Best Friend's Father

Madel Cerda
5.0

I was once the heiress to the Solomon empire, but after it crumbled, I became the "charity case" ward of the wealthy Hyde family. For years, I lived in their shadows, clinging to the promise that Anson Hyde would always be my protector. That promise shattered when Anson walked into the ballroom with Claudine Chapman on his arm. Claudine was the girl who had spent years making my life a living hell, and now Anson was announcing their engagement to the world. The humiliation was instant. Guests sneered at my cheap dress, and a waiter intentionally sloshed champagne over me, knowing I was a nobody. Anson didn't even look my way; he was too busy whispering possessively to his new fiancée. I was a ghost in my own home, watching my protector celebrate with my tormentor. The betrayal burned. I realized I wasn't a ward; I was a pawn Anson had kept on a shelf until he found a better trade. I had no money, no allies, and a legal trust fund that Anson controlled with a flick of his wrist. Fleeing to the library, I stumbled into Dallas Koch—a titan of industry and my best friend’s father. He was a wall of cold, absolute power that even the Hydes feared. "Marry me," I blurted out, desperate to find a shield Anson couldn't climb. Dallas didn't laugh. He pulled out a marriage agreement and a heavy fountain pen. "Sign," he commanded, his voice a low rumble. "But if you walk out that door with me, you never go back." I signed my name, trading my life for the only man dangerous enough to keep me safe.

The Curvy Ex-Wife's Revenge: The Divorce He Gave, The Regret He Earned

The Curvy Ex-Wife's Revenge: The Divorce He Gave, The Regret He Earned

Nieves Gómez
5.0

Nicole had entered marriage with Walter, a man who never returned her feelings, bound to him through an arrangement made by their families rather than by choice. Even so, she had held onto the quiet belief that time might soften his heart and that one day he would learn to love her. However, that day never came. Instead, he treated her with constant contempt, tearing her down with cruel words and dismissing her as fat and manipulative whenever it suited him. After two years of a cold and distant marriage, Walter demanded a divorce, delivering his decision in the most degrading manner he could manage. Stripped of her dignity and exhausted by the humiliation, Nicole agreed to her friend Brenda's plan to make him see what he had lost. The idea was simple but daring. She would use another man to prove that the woman Walter had mocked and insulted could still be desired by someone else. All they had to do was hire a gigolo. Patrick had endured one romantic disappointment after another. Every woman he had been involved with had been drawn not to him, but to his wealth. As one of the heirs to a powerful and influential family, he had long accepted that this pattern was almost unavoidable. What Patrick wanted was far more difficult to find. He longed to fall in love with a woman who cared for him as a person, not for the name he carried or the fortune attached to it. One night, while he was at a bar, an attractive stranger approached him. Because of his appearance and composed demeanor, she mistook him for a gigolo. She made an unconventional proposal, one that immediately caught his interest and proved impossible for him to refuse.

One Night With My Billionaire Boss

One Night With My Billionaire Boss

Nathaniel Stone
5.0

I woke up on silk sheets that smelled of expensive cedar and cold sandalwood, a world away from my cramped apartment in Brooklyn. Beside me lay Ezra Gardner—my boss, the billionaire CEO of Gardner Holdings, and the man who could end my career with a snap of his fingers. He didn’t offer an apology for the night before; instead, he looked at me with terrifying clarity and proposed a cold, calculated business arrangement. "Marriage. It stabilizes the board and solves the PR crisis before it begins." He dressed me in archival Chanel and sent me home in his Maybach, but my life was already falling apart. My boyfriend, Irving, claimed he had passed out early, yet his location data placed him at my best friend’s apartment until three in the morning. When I tried to run, I realized Ezra was already ten steps ahead, tracking my movements and uncovering the secret I’d spent twenty years hiding: my connection to the powerful Senator Grimes. I was trapped between a CEO who treated me like a line item on a quarterly report and a boyfriend who had been using me while sleeping with my closest friend. I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, wondering why a man like Ezra would walk up forty flights of stairs on a broken leg just to make sure I was safe. "Showtime, Mrs. Gardner." Standing on the red carpet in a gown that cost more than my life, I watched my cheating ex-boyfriend’s face turn pale as Ezra claimed me in front of the world. I wasn't just an assistant anymore; I was a weapon, and it was time to burn their world down.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book