THE BILLIONAIRE DADDY'S ADDICTION

Chapter 5

Tuesday

Noah didn't sleep.

He sat in his penthouse office, staring at the city skyline, his mind consumed with her. Ariella. The woman with the sharp tongue and the guarded eyes. The woman who worked two jobs and still smiled like she had secrets worth protecting.

He shouldn't be doing this. He knew it was wrong, invasive, borderline obsessive. But he couldn't stop himself.

He called Marcus.

"I need you to look someone up for me."

Marcus sighed. "Noah, it's six in the morning."

"I know. But I need this."

"Who's the lucky person?"

"Her name is Ariella Martinez. She's a receptionist at Hartwell Insurance. I need everything you can find."

There was a pause. "Noah, are you sure about this? Background checks on potential dates is a little... intense."

"She's not a potential date. She's..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words. "Just do it. Please."

Marcus sighed again. "Fine. But I'm telling Roz."

"Of course you are."

Two hours later, Marcus sent over a file. Noah opened it, his heart pounding.

Ariella Martinez. Age 23. Born in Queens. Father: unknown, left when she was seven. Mother: deceased, cancer, three years ago. No siblings. No living relatives.

Education: Bachelor's in Business Administration from Westbridge University. Graduated with honors. Student loans: $80,000. Current employment: receptionist at Hartwell Insurance, bartender at The Velvet Room.

No criminal record. No social media presence. No photos after college graduation.

Noah read the file three times. The more he learned, the more he wanted to know.

She was alone. Completely alone. No family, no support, drowning in debt, working herself to the bone just to survive.

He saw something of himself in her. The loneliness. The struggle. The determination to keep going even when everything was falling apart.

He closed the file and made a decision.

He was going to help her. Whether she wanted him to or not.