THE BILLIONAIRE'S FOUR - DAYS LIE

The rain fell heavily against the glass windows of the small café where Elisa Morgan worked, creating a cold melody that matched the storm raging inside her heart. She glanced at the clock hanging above the counter. 7:45 PM. Fifteen more minutes. Fifteen more minutes before her shift ended. Fifteen more minutes before she had to face a reality she had spent the entire day trying to avoid. Her landlord wanted six months of overdue rent. Her younger brother's university fees were due by the end of the week. Her savings account contained an amount so embarrassing she no longer bothered checking it. And the worst part? She had no one to turn to. "Elisa!" Her manager's sharp voice cut through her thoughts. She quickly turned around. "Yes, sir?" "Table twelve has been waiting for their order for ten minutes." "I'm sorry. I'll take it right away." The man shook his head. "Your mind has been elsewhere all day." He was right. It had. But she couldn't tell him that she had spent her entire morning calculating how many possessions she could sell before she was thrown out of her apartment. She couldn't tell him that she had cried in the bathroom during her lunch break because she didn't know how to keep her family together. She couldn't tell him that she was exhausted from always being strong. So she did what she had done all her life. She smiled. "I'll be more careful." She picked up the tray and walked away. Just as she placed the customer's order on the table, her phone began vibrating inside her apron pocket. She ignored it. Work came first. A few seconds later, it rang again. And again. And again. Her heart tightened. Only one person called her that many times. Brayan. Her best friend. Something was wrong. "Excuse me," she said to the customer before stepping aside and answering. "Brayan, why are you calling me like the building is on fire?" His dramatic voice exploded through the phone. "Because your life is about to change." Elisa rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous." "Am I?" "Yes." "Then tell me why your boss is currently looking for someone who can pick up a very important guest from the airport tonight." Elisa frowned. "What are you talking about?" "Mrs. Carter's driver got into an accident. They need someone immediately." "And?" "And I gave them your name." Her eyes widened. "What?" "Before you thank me—" "I wasn't going to thank you." "—listen first." She walked toward the back of the café. "Brayan." "What?" "You volunteered me for a job I know nothing about." "Not a job. An opportunity." She sighed. "Those are usually the same thing said by people who want to get others into trouble." He laughed. "Trust me." The two words made her nervous. Whenever Brayan said trust me, chaos usually followed. "Who exactly am I picking up?" There was silence. A suspicious silence. "Brayan." "Don't scream." "Why would I scream?" "Because the man you're picking up is not just anyone." She leaned against the wall. "Just say it." Another pause. Then— "Ethan Blake." The name hit the air like thunder. Even Elisa, who avoided celebrity gossip and business news, knew the name. Ethan Blake. The youngest billionaire in the country. The man who had built a technology empire from the ground up after walking away from his family's company. A man known for being brilliant, ruthless, and impossible to please. The newspapers called him The Ice King of the Business World. Women called him a fantasy. Employees called him a nightmare. Elisa called him a problem. "No." "What do you mean no?" "I mean no." "Elisa—" "Find someone else." "Please." That one word stopped her. Brayan rarely sounded serious. "They are paying triple your daily salary just for a pickup." Her breathing slowed. Triple. Her mind immediately went to the unpaid bills hidden in her drawer. Her landlord's warning. Her brother's tuition. The electricity bill she had ignored for two weeks. She hated that money had the power to make her hesitate. Brayan noticed her silence. "See? You're thinking." "I'm thinking about how much I hate you." "That's fair." She almost smiled. Almost. "What time is the flight arriving?" "Eight-thirty." Her eyes moved to the clock. 7:58 PM. "Brayan." "Yes?" "If this billionaire insults me, I will personally hold you responsible." "Deal." "And if he is arrogant—" "He probably is." "And if he acts like the world belongs to him—" "He definitely does." She closed her eyes. "Why did I agree to this?" "Because your heart is too good to refuse." "No." She grabbed her coat. "Because I need the money." Forty-five minutes later, Elisa stood at the private arrival terminal of the airport. The place was unlike anything she had ever seen. Luxury vehicles lined the entrance. Security guards stood at every corner. People in expensive suits walked around carrying themselves like they owned the world. She felt completely out of place. She looked down at her simple clothes. A plain blouse. Black trousers. Comfortable shoes. Nothing about her belonged in this world. A sudden voice behind her made her freeze. "You are late." Her eyes slowly closed. She had not even turned around yet. And she already hated him. Taking a deep breath, she turned. Her prepared insult died on her lips. Because standing before her was a man who looked like he had stepped out of a magazine cover. Tall. Broad shoulders. A perfectly tailored black suit. Dark, intense eyes that carried both arrogance and a sadness she couldn't explain. Power surrounded him. But so did loneliness. And for one dangerous second, Elisa forgot what she was supposed to say. A small smirk appeared on his face. "What happened?" His deep voice sent an unfamiliar shiver through her. "I thought you were going to yell at me." Elisa immediately recovered. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't worry." She folded her arms. "I still might." For the first time that evening, something unexpected crossed Ethan Blake's face. Amusement. The woman standing before him was not intimidated. She wasn't impressed or flirting. She was challenging him. And that was something Ethan Blake had not experienced in a very long time. He stepped closer. "Interesting." She raised an eyebrow. "What is?" A dangerous smile touched his lips. "You." Elisa's heart skipped. She hated that it did. Because she had a feeling that meeting Ethan Blake was not just a mistake. It was the beginning of a disaster. A beautiful, expensive, impossible disaster. Elisa believes her only task is to drive a billionaire home. She has no idea that before the night is over, she will be standing in front of his family pretending to be the woman he loves.