Mate To The Billionaire Alpha

AMELIA'S POV When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Daniel kissing another woman. For a moment, I couldn't make sense of it. My phone lay inches away, morning light flickered across the screen, and there the picture was, my boyfriend of three years kissing someone else.I felt like someone suddenly poured a big bucket of ice over me, goosebumps rose on my skin. His arm circled the woman's waist, fingers caressed against her dress as if he had every right. Her arms were around his neck, her body pressed to his, and they looked so comfortable.. like lovers. It wasn’t the kiss that immediately hurt, it was the look on their faces, the ease of his hold, the way he seemed to forget the world. I stared until my eyes stung. I don’t think he has ever looked at me that lovingly throughout our three years of being in a relationship. Then I checked beneath it. “We looked adorable, baby.” My stomach sank "No." It came out so softly that I hardly heard it myself. I sat up. The blanket slipped off my shoulders and gathered at my waist. My fingers gripped the phone tighter. He had sent it, Daniel had really sent this to me. No one writes "baby" by accident under a photo of themselves kissing another woman. Then it clicked, he never meant to send it to me. It was meant for her, the other woman. My throat closed up. I looked at the picture again, and the past three years came rushing back in fragments. Daniel waited outside my office with coffee after I'd worked late. Our first Christmas together. The night he said he loved me. His hand in mine as we talked about the future. I had believed every word, every promise. Every "I'm tired, Amelia. I'll call you tomorrow." Every night he claimed he had to stay late. How many of those nights had been hers? I looked back at my phone wondering what to type, then a few seconds later, I sent a simple text “what the hell is going on?” Within three minutes, my phone buzzed again, a text from Daniel. “Let me explain, please.” I stared at it, and another message popped up “Please, Amelia.” Then another. “Please answer me.” A laugh slipped out of me. It wasn't funny. It was the sound of not knowing whether to scream or throw up. "You've got to be kidding me." I opened the chat with trembling hands, I thought of what to say, without thinking anymore, I replied “How long?” Delivered. I looked at the screen. Nothing. Then the typing bubble showed up and vanished seconds later. I wanted to ask if the woman knew about me. If she knew he had a girlfriend. But it seemed pointless, the picture is real, and no amount of explanation can take it back. When his reply finally arrived, it was just what I expected. “It's not what you think.” My chest ached badly. Not because I didn't know the truth, but because some foolish part of me still hoped there was another one. I set the phone down beside me and glanced around my bedroom. His hoodie hung over the back of my chair. He'd left it there last weekend and I'd complained about it. My fingers brushed the sleeve as I reached for it, then I pulled my hand back. I couldn't bring myself to touch it or look at it. Three years. Three years of my life had just turned into something I could no longer trust. I pressed my hands to my eyes. No tears came and that scared me more than crying would have. I had always imagined that if Daniel ever hurt me like this, I would break down, instead, I felt numb, watching another woman live the life we both had. My phone rang. Eva, my childhood best friend , just the person I needed to talk to. I answered. "Hello?" "Amelia?" Her voice shifted at once. "What happened?" "Nothing." "Don't lie." I swallowed. “I discovered Daniel cheated on me.” Silence. “What?” I looked at the photo once more. “He sent me a picture.” “What sort of picture?” “Of him kissing another woman.” Eva stayed silent for a few seconds. Then, very softly, “You’re serious?” “I wish I weren’t.” “Send it to me.” I sent it. This time the silence lasted longer. “Oh, I hate him.” A tear finally slid down my cheek. I wiped it away at once. “He sent it by mistake.” “What?” “He meant to send it to her.” Eva’s voice dropped. “Oh, Amelia.” “He wrote, ‘We looked really cute, baby.’” “What an absolute idiot.” “I know.” “No, I mean he's genuinely stupid. Who sends proof of their own cheating?” I nearly smiled, almost. “I truly trusted him.” “I know.” “He said he couldn't see me because of work.” Eva said nothing. “He'd claim he had late meetings. Sometimes he'd vanish for hours.” My voice broke. “And I'd feel guilty for being upset, since I thought he was working so hard.” “You don't have to explain this to me.” “I stood up for him.” “I know.” “I stood up for him to you.” Eva let out a sigh. “You loved him.” “I excused him.” “Because you loved him.” I wiped another tear off my cheek. “I feel ashamed, I feel embarrassed.” “You have no reason to feel ashamed.” “It feels like everyone knows but me.” “Then everyone else can handle their own guilt. This isn't yours.” I shook my head pitifully. “I thought I'd marry him, I guess I was just being too delusional.” Eva fell silent. That sentence made it all real, not just the cheating but the future it took with it. “I know it hurts right now baby, just calm down.” she said softly. My eyes stung. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.” “Right now?” “Yes.” “Get through today.” I glanced at my laptop, the screen still showed the LBO model I’d worked on until two in the morning. “I have a presentation.” “You’re joking.” “I wish I was Eva.” “Amelia.” “I have to go.” “You just learned your boyfriend cheated on you.” “Former boyfriend.” “Good.” I drew a shaky breath. “I can’t stay here.” “Then don’t.” “What do you mean?” “Come out with me tonight.” “Eva…” “No arguing.” “I don’t want to go anywhere.” “That’s exactly why you’re going.” I frowned. “Where?” “A charity gala at the Blackwood Hotel.” I laughed, actually. “Absolutely not.” “You haven’t heard the rest.” “I don’t need to.” “My cousin’s catering company got me a VIP invitation.” “I don’t belong at a billionaire gala.” “You work in investment banking.” “So?” “So you already spend your days around rich people making questionable decisions.” “That doesn’t mean I want to socialize with them.” “You need a distraction.” “I need good alcohol and sleep.” “You need champagne.” I glanced at the empty spot next to me, then at Daniel's hoodie, then at the phone in my hand. "I doubt champagne can fix this." "I never said to fix it." Eva's voice grew gentler. "I said distract you." I shut my eyes, she was right. I couldn't stay in this apartment, surrounded by reminders of him. "Fine." "Yes!" "One hour." "Two." "One." "Fine. Two." I smiled in spite of myself. "You're impossible." "And you're coming." We ended the call. I stayed there a moment longer then Daniel's name popped up on my screen again. “I love you. Please don't discard three years without letting me explain.” I stared at it. My heart shattered once more, not because I believed him but because I still loved him. Nobody ever warned you about that part. You could know someone betrayed you and still long for who you thought they were. This time around, I chose to type nothing. I went through the block button on our chat and looked at it for a couple more minutes while reminiscing about our past. I wiped my eyes, there’s no use forgiving a cheating man, he’ll go back to it again, so, I blocked his number and I deleted the conversation. I sat staring at the empty screen. It should have brought relief, but it didn’t. I got ready for work anyway. By the time I entered the bank, I had wiped my face, fixed my hair and convinced myself I could last a few hours without breaking down. Somehow, I endured the meetings, and answered the questions, I even presented numbers and smiled when necessary. No one knew that as I discussed projected returns, my phone lay face down next to my laptop, with the image of my boyfriend kissing another woman still sitting in my gallery. By the time I got home that evening, shock had turned to anger. Anger was easier, I could handle anger. I showered and changed into a plain black evening dress. I stood in front of the mirror and styled my dark hair. I stared at my reflection and shook my head. My face looked somehow different, older. I covered it up with make up. Eva arrived twenty minutes later. She glanced at me once. “Ready?” “No.” “Perfect.” I picked up my purse. “Let’s go.” The Blackwood Hotel was unlike any place I'd seen before. Black cars filled the entrance and security guards stood under towering glass doors. Inside, crystal chandeliers hung overhead, casting light over polished marble floors. Waiters moved through the crowd with champagne and small plates of food I couldn't name. Everywhere I turned, there were costly gowns, tailored suits and faces I knew from TV, magazines or financial headlines. Eva leaned in. “If you spot anyone important, act like you know them.” “That's awful advice.” “It works.” I laughed. For the first time that day, I nearly forgot Daniel existed, almost. I had just raised my champagne glass when the man across the ballroom looked at me. Adrian Blackwood.I recognized him, everyone did. When our eyes met, his face shifted. The composed billionaire vanished, he actually froze, then the glass in his hand broke, not slipped, it shattered. Crystal scattered across the marble floor, Adrian didn't glance down, instead, his gaze stayed locked on mine. "Adrian?" the woman beside him asked. He gave no answer. I felt Eva's hand on my arm. "Amelia…" Adrian began walking toward us. One step, two, then a strange look crossed his face, almost like fear, he stopped. His eyes had changed, I thought I saw gold for a minute, maybe it was the heartbreak talking. He whispered something I couldn't hear. The woman beside him followed his gaze. She looked at me and she turned back to Adrian, her face turned completely white. "No," she whispered. And suddenly, she seized his arm. "Adrian, don't."