This Billionaire Secrets; Love built on Lies

Aria's POV The shrill cry of my alarm tore through the silence, drilling straight into my skull. I groaned, my body felt heavy and my head still foggy. I hit snooze and stared at the ceiling. Morning again. Another reminder that life wasn’t giving me a break anytime soon. ‎ ‎My body felt heavy, glued to the mattress as if it wanted to protect me from the day ahead. ‎ ‎ Do I really have to do this every single day? ‎Honestly, I could live on that bed forever. ‎ ‎With a dramatic sigh, I threw off the blanket off and scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over a pile of books from last night's prep. My hair was a mess, it looked like it had been fighting demons, I made it into a quick bun. ‎ ‎Toothbrush in one hand, phone in the other, I scrolled through my email with toothpaste foaming in my mouth. ‎ ‎Still no job offer. ‎ ‎My heart dipped a little. What else do they want from me? Blood? A kidney? My soul? Heck! ‎ ‎I rushed back into my room and yanked my wardrobe open like it owed me money. Clothes spilled out. Nothing looked right. Everything looked tired—just like me. ‎ ‎ Grabbed a shirt, half-buttoned it, and tucked it into my trousers while hopping on one foot to pull on my sneakers. ‎One glance at the clock almost made my heart stop. ‎ ‎Late. Again. ‎ ‎I grabbed my bag and sprinted for the door. ‎“Aria!” my mom called. “At least eat something—” ‎“Can’t!” I yelled back, already dashing out the door, heart pounding like I was in a competition. ‎ ‎My stomach rumbled angrily as I rushed down the street. If I was late one more time, my boss would embarrass me like she enjoyed it. My footsteps slapped the pavement, my mind racing faster than my legs. ‎ ‎I barely glanced at the road before crossing. Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air, a horn so loud it shook my bones, and headlights rushed straight at me. ‎ ‎My body stiffened. ‎ ‎For a moment, I saw nothing but the bright blur of the vehicle coming too fast. ‎ ‎My breath caught. ‎ ‎Then— ‎ ‎Strong hands wrapped around my waist and yanked me backwards. ‎ ‎I crashed into someone’s chest, my knees buckling as the car sped past with a violent WHOOSH. For a second, the world was nothing but ringing ears and a trembling heart. My knees buckled, but the grip around me held firm. ‎ ‎“Easy,” a low, calm voice murmured. ‎ ‎And everything in me paused. ‎ ‎ I tilted my head up and everything in me paused. My eyes met blue ocean like eyes, sharp yet warm, locking me in place. ‎ ‎His facial features were flawless—high cheekbones, straight nose, unfairly perfect jawline, lips that looked like they were crafted with intention, curved into the faintest smile. Standing there, he looked like he’d been meant to catch me all along. ‎ ‎“Are you always this reckless?” he asked, his tone a mix of concern and teasing. ‎ ‎“I… I didn’t see…” My voice came out weak, swallowed by the pounding in my chest. ‎ ‎He chuckled quietly. “You need to slow down. Not every driver out here cares enough to stop.” ‎ ‎Heat shot up my cheeks. Whether from fear or the closeness of him, I wasn’t sure. His hand was still on my arm—steady, grounding, warm. ‎ ‎And in that moment, I forgot the time. I forgot everything, except him. ‎ ‎“Thank you… I—” ‎The words refused to form properly. ‎ ‎My body was still trembling when I broke lose from his grip. It felt like the world hadn’t started moving again since that car almost ran into me. ‎ ‎I pressed my hands to my chest, trying to calm the crazy beat of my heart. ‎ ‎Then I looked at him properly. ‎ ‎And froze. ‎ ‎That face. I’d seen on TV and magazine covers. Adrian Ryenes. Owner of Ryenes Enterprises. ‎ ‎My throat went dry. ‎ ‎“You're Mr. Adrian" ‎ ‎He smirked, “You recognize me.” ‎ ‎Of course I did. Who wouldn’t?. ‎ ‎I stepped back quickly, my legs still unsteady. “Thank you for saving me,” I said. ‎ ‎ Then, with that rich tone of his, he said, “You shouldn’t be running across the road like that. Careless.” ‎Something about the way he said it, like I was a child being scolded, made my cheeks heat. ‎ ‎Before I could reply, a sleek black car halted before us. It looked as expensive as his entire life was. The driver stepped out immediately, opening the back door. ‎ ‎“Get in,” Adrian said simply. ‎I blinked at him, surprised. “What?” ‎ ‎“You’re late for something,” he said, glancing at the bag slung over my shoulder. ‎ ‎How did he know I was late? Was it that obvious? ‎ ‎“I—I can manage,” I muttered, though deep inside I knew I really couldn’t. ‎ ‎Adrian raised a brow. “Do you really want to waste more time arguing?” ‎ ‎I sighed and, against my better judgment, slid into the car. The faint smell of his cologne filled the space. ‎ ‎He joined me inside. His eyes glanced out the window as the car pulled into motion. ‎ ‎The silence was loud and heavy. ‎ ‎Finally, he spoke. “Where to?” ‎ ‎“Uh....Silver Crest,” I said quickly. “There’s a restaurant there.” ‎ ‎He hummed, no expression on his face. ‎ ‎The ride didn’t take long, but it felt like forever. Sitting next to Adrian Ryenes felt unreal. ‎ ‎When we stopped, the noise of the restaurant hit me —people shouting orders, plates clattering. ‎ ‎The driver opened my door, but before I could step out, Adrian slipped something into my hand. A card. ‎ ‎“Call me,” he said, his eyes locking on mine, cool but commanding. “You might be useful.” ‎ ‎I stared at the card. His actual number. My chest tightened. Me? ‎ ‎But then, he wasn’t inviting. He was… commanding me. ‎ ‎Something stubborn flared inside me. I didn’t like being spoken to like I was just another one of his employees. Or worse, a favor he had picked up on the street. ‎ ‎I slipped the card into my bag, already knowing I wasn't going to call. The way he said it, so sure I would—made me want to do the opposite. ‎ ‎Still, I met his eyes and gave a small smile. “Thank you. For earlier.” ‎ ‎I stepped out of the car. The door shut behind me, and his sleek car melted back into traffic. ‎ ‎And even though part of me wanted to roll my eyes at his arrogance, another part kept replaying the look in his blue eyes. ‎ ‎I shook my head hard, trying to push it away. I told myself again—I definitely wasn’t going to call. ‎ ‎His car was no longer in sight but still, as I walked into the noisy restaurant, I couldn’t stop touching the card in my bag. ‎ ‎Like a secret. ‎Will I call him later? Probably not. He said I'm useful. In what context?. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎