Mr Billionaire, You are Late

Chapter 2

Amelia stared at her phone, Ethan Collins’ message glowing ominously on the screen. Why now?.

She hadn’t spoken to Ethan in years, not since they’d gone their separate ways in college. He had been the one that got away—the man she thought she’d marry before Dylan swept into her life.

But why was he reaching out to her now, of all times? Especially tonight, when her world had just fallen apart already?

Her breath hitched as the door slammed again, and Dylan reappeared, his coat half on, looking agitated.

“I forgot something,” he muttered, heading for the office in the corner of the house.

Amelia’s heart pounded so hard. She had to do something, and had to confront him as soon as she could. She rushed after him, her voice shaky but determined. “Dylan, wait…”

He paused with her commandment, turning slowly, his eyes cold as ever.

“What now, Amelia?”

“I’m not going to let you destroy everything we built over the years. You can’t just throw me out like garbage because you’ve got someone new in your life!” Her voice cracked, the weight of her words crashing down on her already.

“Could you please listen to me for a second, Dylan. If not for anything but because we’re having a chi...”

Dylan’s jaw clenched, he didn’t allow her to finish as he interrupted her immediately. With that, he reached for his briefcase on the desk and rifled through it, pulling out another folder.

“We’ve been over this a long time ago. I’ll take care of your financial needs, but this marriage? It’s done and that's final.”

His indifference hit her like a sharp slap on her face.

How could he be so cold and cruel?

How could he talk about their marriage like a business transaction?

Her blood boiled as the time went pass, but before she could respond, his phone buzzed again. This time, he didn’t bother hiding the name on the screen, it was Vanessa.

Amelia’s world tilted.

He didn’t even try to hide it anymore for her. His affair, his betrayal, it was all out in the open, as if she didn’t matter at all. Her heart raced as her mind filled with a single thought.

This isn’t over.

Without another word, Dylan turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing there, shaking with fury.

Hours passed in a quick haze. Amelia couldn’t stop pacing, her mind whirling with a storm of lots of emotions. The house was fully suffocating, the silence too loud building up a quick tension.

She had spent years in this mansion, trying to make it a home, and now it felt like a prison. Her thoughts returned to Ethan’s message. Why had he reached out? What could he possibly want after all this time?

The curiosity gnawed at her, so much so that before she knew it, she was typing a reply.

"Ethan, I’m free. Where do you want us to meet?

Seconds later, his response came through.

"My office. Midnight. Same time."

Amelia glanced at the hanging clock, 11:30 PM.

She had half an hour to decide whether she’d go or not. Meeting with Ethan, after everything that had just happened with Dylan, seemed reckless. But there was something about his message, something about reconnecting with the man who once cared for her as a young spinster, that made her grab her coat.

She was done sitting around, waiting for things to fall apart.

*****

Amelia arrived at Ethan’s office, her heart racing in her chest. The sleek, glass-fronted building was a true testament to his success, towering over the city just as he did in the business world. She hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

The elevator ride to the top floor felt like an eternity. Her mind raced with memories of their time together as a youth. Those his laughter, his ambition, the way he had always looked at her as if she was the only person in the whole room.

Could he really be here to help her? Or was this just another twist in the nightmare her life had become already?

The elevator doors opened at once, revealing Ethan waiting for her in the hallway. He was even more handsome than she remembered—tall, dark, and devastatingly charismatic. His eyes softened when they met hers, but there was something sharp and calculating behind that warmth.

“Amelia,” he greeted her, his voice low and smooth and fully calm.

“It’s been too long already.”

Her throat tightened as she stepped toward him. “Ethan, why are you doing this to me? Why now?”

He led her into his office without answering immediately. The space was just as sleek and modern as the rest of the building, nothing like Dylan’s cold, impersonal office at home. As they sat down, Ethan studied her, his expression unreadable and his look strange.

“I heard about the divorce,” he finally said, leaning back in his chair. “And I thought you could use a friend.”

Amelia’s chest tightened. “So, this is about Dylan? How did the news get out so soon?”

“Partially,” he admitted, his gaze never leaving hers. “But it’s also about us. You were always meant for more than just being someone’s wife, Amelia. And if you want a way out, a real way out, I can really help you. And for the news getting out, the press always have their ways.”

Her heart skipped a beat with those Word's of his.

“Help me? How?”

How could it even be possible?

Ethan leaned forward, his eyes glittering with intensity.

“Dylan’s empire isn’t as solid as it seems or you even imagine. I know things, things that could ruin him. If you’re ready to fight back, I can make sure you come out on top and make him really pay back.”

Amelia’s mind raced with those words.

Fight back? Against Dylan? She had never imagined going head-to-head with him, but the thought of it stirred something fierce within her inner self.

For the first time in many months, she felt a glimmer of control.

Before she could respond, though, the office door burst open, and a man Amelia didn’t recognize barged in, his face flushed with urgency.

“Sir, you need to see this, it is really urgent.”

Ethan frowned, gesturing for the man to continue. The stranger handed him a tablet, and Ethan’s expression darkened as he swiped through the screen. Amelia leaned in, her curiosity piqued.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice tense.

Ethan hesitated for a moment before turning the screen toward her. Her blood ran cold as she saw the headline.

"Socialite Amelia Sam Spotted at Late Night Meeting with Billionaire Ethan Collins—Love Affair or Revenge Plot?"

Amelia’s heart sank as she read the words. The picture was of her entering the building just minutes ago. The media had already caught on to her meeting with Ethan, and they were spinning it into something far more dangerous. If Dylan saw this, if Vanessa saw this…

“This isn’t good,” Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples. “We need to control the narrative before this spirals.”

Amelia’s pulse quickened. She hadn’t even made a decision yet, and already her life was spiraling out of control. Could she really trust Ethan? Was this part of his plan all along?

Before she could voice her doubts, her phone buzzed in her coat pocket. She glanced at the screen, her heart nearly stopping at the message flashing across it.

"You’ve really made a big mistake, Amelia. This ends now.”

It was from Dylan.

Her blood turned to ice.

She looked up at Ethan, panic rising in her chest. “He knows.”

Ethan stood up, his expression hardening. “Then we move fast. Are you with me or not?”

Amelia’s heart raced as the walls seemed to close in around her. Dylan was coming for her, and Ethan was her only ally in this game of power, revenge, and betrayal. But was it enough? Was she truly ready for what was about to come?

The sound of car tires screeching outside echoed through the office, followed by the flash of headlights cutting through the darkness. Dylan’s men were already here.

Ethan’s jaw clenched as he glanced toward the window.

“We don’t have enough time, Amelia. You need to decide now or no time else.”

Amelia’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood frozen in a spot, caught between two impossible choices.