Claimed By The Billionaire Who Ruined Me

Yvonne Who would have thought I, of all people, would stumble upon something this explosive? Me, a small, struggling journalist fighting to keep my head above water in the cutthroat world of media. My doe eyes lifted toward Madison, my best friend, who sat across from me with the biggest smile plastered across her face. Mischief glittered in her eyes, the kind of look she only wore when she knew she had handed me a loaded gun. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I whispered, staring back down at the report trembling between my fingers. “Of course it is.” Madison’s grin widened. “This could get you promoted. Girl, you’ll be famous in a matter of days.” She wasn’t wrong. This report, this secret was big enough to not only launch my career but also fix the one problem that had been weighing on me for months: my mother’s hospital bills. I needed this. I had worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to let hesitation steal this moment. So why, with everything on the line, did my stomach twist with unease? With trembling hands, I slid the report back into the envelope and tucked it safely into my bag. “Are you sure this isn’t forged? Can this doctor even be trusted?” My voice cracked. “My career is literally hanging on this, Maddie.”Her expression shifted, a faint frown tugging at her lips. “Don’t you trust me anymore? I’ve helped you uncover secrets before, and suddenly I’m not trustworthy?”Guilt pierced me instantly. Madison had been my lifeline since high school, my anchor through storms. “That’s not what I meant,” I rushed to say. “It’s the doctor I don’t trust. You, I trust completely. Thank you, Maddy.”Her arms folded, but I pulled her into a tight hug anyway. “You’re squeezing the life out of me,” she groaned, pushing me back. “And don’t call me Maddy again.”I laughed softly. She hated that nickname, which was exactly why I used it. Years of friendship gave me that privilege. “Now that your career is about to be secured, let’s celebrate!” Madison squealed, her energy filling the room. “You know I don’t do parties,” I reminded her. “Besides, I need to figure out how to present this to Liam. He’ll probably rip me apart before I get a full sentence out.”Madison waved a hand dismissively. “He wouldn’t dare. Nobody would reject something this juicy. You’ll be fine, I promise. And when you get your big break, we’ll both be swimming in money, because your money is mine.”I smirked. “And yours is mine.” “Yeah, no,” she shot back, and we both burst into laughter. --- The next morning, I found myself standing outside Liam Carter’s office, nervously smoothing the hem of my black skirt. My palms were clammy, and my heartbeat pounded like war drums in my chest.Liam wasn’t just my boss. He was the man everyone at Quill Media feared. A ruthless perfectionist, cold as stone, sharp as a blade. People said he had no soul, no weakness, no patience for mediocrity. He was the kind of man who could look you in the eye and make you feel like you weren’t worth the air you breathed. And now I had to convince him my story was worth his attention. “Are you going to come in, Miss Gates?” His voice, deep and cutting, slipped from the other side of the glass.My stomach dropped. Of course he had seen me lingering outside. Swallowing my fear, I pushed the door open and stepped inside, forcing a smile onto my face. A habit I had perfected whenever nerves threatened to undo me. “What do you want?” His eyes didn’t lift from the document he was signing, his tone as cold as an arctic wind.“I have a story,” I said, steadying my voice. “A secret uncovered about someone… unexpected.”That got his attention. His pen stilled. Slowly, he raised his gaze to mine. For a moment, the weight of his stare pinned me in place.“Well,” he said finally, stretching the single syllable. “Let me see it.”I moved quickly, placing the envelope on his desk. He picked it up, tore it open with practiced precision, and scanned the report.Seconds dragged like hours. My chest tightened as his frown deepened. What’s wrong? Did he already find a flaw? “Are you sure this is accurate, Yvonne?” Yvonne. Not Miss Gates. He almost never used my first name. My breath hitched. Was that good… or catastrophic? “Yes,” I said firmly, though Madison had been the one to source it. “I verified it before bringing it to you.” His sharp gaze lingered on me, as if trying to peel away layers I didn’t even know I had. Finally, he dropped the file onto his desk. “I’ll give you feedback tomorrow.”For a split second, I thought I had misheard. Feedback. Tomorrow. From Liam Carter.Hope bloomed in my chest, wild and reckless. “Thank you so much, sir. This means a lot to me.” Before he could change his mind, I turned on my heel and left the office, my pulse still racing.I texted Madison immediately, but she didn’t reply. Probably busy at her receptionist job. Still, I couldn’t wait to tell her the good news in person. --- That evening, I dragged myself home after a long day of errands. At Quill Media, I was everyone’s errand girl. The one given scraps, never a real shot. Until now. This story would change everything. After changing into something comfortable, I cooked dinner, Madison’s portion included, though she had warned she’d be home late. Hours ticked by, yet she still hadn’t returned. I sent another text, no reply. Strange. Slumping onto the couch, I turned on the TV for distraction. Just as I was about to lose myself in a show, my phone pinged. My heart leapt. Madison? No. It was an email. From Liam. I froze, staring at the screen. My lips parted as panic clawed its way up my throat. He wasn’t supposed to respond until tomorrow. Was this a rejection?My hand trembled as I tapped the notification. The message opened, and the words stared back at me. My heart stopped.