The Billionaire's Lover

Leriche

Romance | Ongoing

5.0

Comment(s)

View

Chapters

Recently single, Jayden McCartney would have preferred to skip his sister's wedding. Not because he didn't love her-he did-but because he knew exactly what was waiting for him: a flood of pitying looks, thinly veiled comments about his single status... and worse, his grandmother's desperate attempts to set him up with someone "nice." A family tradition he dreaded almost as much as dinner with his ex. The problem? Jayden was in no state to date anyone new. Not after catching his ex in someone else's arms. The very idea of a relationship made his skin crawl. So, he did what any rational man would do in his situation: he hired someone. Alexandra. Alex, the shy geek from high school, now a woman as brilliant as she was irresistible. She was supposed to play the part of the perfect girlfriend, just for the weekend. Nothing more. At least, that's what he thought... Because watching her smile, feeling her slip her hand into his so naturally-it hit him. He had a new problem: he was falling for her. And what Jayden wants, Jayden gets.

Legend Humor First love Love triangle CEO Arrogant/Dominant Billionaires

Chapter 10 10

Yesterday 18:24

Chapter 1 01

QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND

The BlackBerry clattered carelessly across the glass surface of the coffee table. Jayden swore under his breath, his long, lean fingers raking through his thick hair in frustration. What the hell was he supposed to do now? This was supposed to be his holiday, and a holiday was supposed to be stress-free. No work. No family. Just peace and relaxation.

No work? Yeah, right! As a self-confessed workaholic, it was unsurprising now that his five out of eight companies had recently been floating in the international market, hitting the multibillion-dollar level on the way. That kind of money needed looking after, nurturing, and feeding. Still, he loved the job, even more so now that he didn't need to be in the office twenty-four-seven. He could simply flick an e-mail from wherever he was, whether in a hotel room in some lush French wine valley, a Hong Kong restaurant, or even his own bed! Whenever, wherever he was, his people could handle everything he threw at them.

But this was supposed to be different. This was supposed to be about him. This was supposed to be time away from everything-away from work, away from the constant buzz of e-mails, calls, and deals that never seemed to stop. A chance to breathe. To find some peace. Some balance.

Yet, as the ringing of his phone echoed through the quiet of the hotel room, his thoughts raced back to the mess he'd been trying to leave behind. His mind returned to the chaos his life had become in the past week, and the sickening memory of that phone call that shattered everything.

The family pressure was unbearable. His mother, Gracie, married to his father, Tom McCartney, for thirty-five years, had insisted he bring his current girlfriend to attend his sister Kelly's upcoming wedding in order to meet the whole family for the first time. And Granny Beth-Elizabeth McCartney, as she was formally known-had already issued a reminder that it was high time his girlfriend was tested against her infamous set of criteria for a suitable granddaughter-in-law.

It had been one of those moments that Jayden should've seen coming. His grandmother was notoriously traditional. Her standards had always been impossibly high for anyone entering the McCartney fold. But, honestly, he hadn't expected Sarah to be so... disappointing.

The problem wasn't just his grandmother's impossible expectations. It was Sarah herself. The woman he thought he'd been building a future with. Now, as Jayden sat on the leather sofa, staring out at the picturesque view of Queenstown, he realized how easily everything had fallen apart. What was supposed to be a time of reflection and escape had turned into a personal nightmare. He had come here to find some clarity, but instead, his mind was a whirlwind.

He took a deep, calming breath, as though the crisp, apple-scented air from outside could somehow wash away the bitter memories of Sarah's betrayal. It didn't. Instead, all that filled his thoughts was the image of her-her flawless skin, her body entwined with Kyle's-his best friend, of all people.

The memory of walking in on them, of the shock and the disbelief that had clouded his senses, still felt raw. He had expected confrontation, sure, but not this. Not betrayal at that level. His mind replayed the scene over and over again like a cursed loop, each time adding more weight to the sinking feeling in his chest.

His breath hitched, and he squeezed his eyes shut. How had it come to this? He had been so blind. So trusting. Jayden had always been the guy who believed in loyalty, in love. But Sarah had ripped that belief to shreds in one agonizing instant.

When he tried to picture her face now, it was as though a shadow clouded his memories, distorting everything that had once seemed so perfect. And it made his stomach twist. She had looked so beautiful that night, so seductive, even as she'd writhed beneath Kyle's touch.

It wasn't just the act itself. It was the feeling of betrayal that haunted him. That sickening feeling that the person he'd trusted most had let him down in the worst possible way.

The confrontation with Sarah had been brutal. He'd told her, in no uncertain terms, that he couldn't be with her anymore. There was no future. No second chances. She had begged, pleaded for forgiveness, for a chance to explain, but Jayden's fury was uncontrollable.

"Not what it looked like!" she'd cried, her eyes wide with desperation.

But Jayden had seen enough. He had seen what he needed to see, and no explanation would change the truth. She had betrayed him in the most unforgivable way, and the raw anger in his chest had risen to a boiling point.

"You were screwing him!" he had shouted, his voice hoarse with the weight of his fury and regret.

"I don't know what's worse-your betrayal or his," he had snarled, the words slicing through the air between them like a blade.

And then, as the tension reached its peak, he had said the words that would end it all.

"Get the hell out of my life."

She had done exactly that, walking out of his life as quickly as she had entered it. Her final words had been a cruel jab, a last attempt to hurt him. "I never loved you," she had spat, the words biting through the air.

Jayden hadn't had the strength to reply. He'd simply stood there, feeling empty, cold, and broken. The nights that followed were a blur of alcohol and self-doubt. Days spent in a haze, trying to escape the feelings that relentlessly gnawed at him.

But no amount of whiskey or beer could erase the pain, the humiliation. And then, one evening, Peter Thompson-a good friend from New Zealand, or Godzone, as they liked to call it-had found him nursing a beer in a nameless, expensive bar. Peter had been a steady presence in his life since university, a man who had never wavered when Jayden needed advice, even if it was just an excuse to get away from the chaos.

Peter had placed a strong hand on his shoulder, his voice low but firm.

"She's gone. Let it go, man. Plenty more fish in the sea."

It hadn't been the perfect advice, but it had been enough to snap Jayden back to reality. It was time to stop wallowing in the past. It was time to move on. He couldn't stay trapped in the mess Sarah had left behind.

Still, letting go wasn't as simple as Peter had made it sound. The pain lingered, even as Jayden tried to drown it out with the beauty of Queenstown. The rolling hills, the turquoise lakes, the snow-capped mountains-these were all distractions, reminders of how small his problems seemed in the grand scheme of things.

But his mind wouldn't be quieted. Sarah and Kyle's betrayal had left a scar. A mark on his heart that wouldn't fade as easily as Peter had promised.

Maybe time would heal the wounds. Maybe distance, a holiday away from everything, would help. But for now, Jayden had to face the truth. His life had been shattered. And no amount of scenery or escape would change that.

With a deep sigh, he reached for the BlackBerry again, his fingers brushing over the keys. He had no choice but to keep moving forward. The world didn't stop for his pain. And neither could he.