THE BILLIONAIRE UNWANTED WIFE

EPISODE ONE: I never imagined the man I had spent three years trying to forget would be the man standing in front of me, asking me to marry him. Especially not Adrian Black. He stood across from me in his perfectly tailored black suit, looking as calm as if he were discussing a business meeting. I stared at him. Then at the small velvet box in his hand. Then back at him. “What is this?” His eyes remained fixed on mine. “A proposal.” I almost laughed. “You're joking.” “I’m not.” “Adrian, you can't be serious.” “I am.” I shook my head. “This doesn't make any sense.” He took a slow step toward me. “Marry me, Emma.” My heart skipped. Not because I wanted to hear those words. At least, that's what I told myself. I folded my arms across my chest. “Why?” His expression remained unreadable. “Because I need you.” I stared at him. “You need me?” “Yes.” “For what?” “To be my wife.” I let out a disbelieving laugh. “You disappear from my life for three years, barely speak to me whenever we see each other, and now you suddenly want me to become your wife?” “I didn't disappear.” “You did.” His jaw tightened. “You were the one who ended things.” I felt my chest tighten. “I ended things because you told me you didn't love me.” His eyes changed. For the first time since I had walked into his office, his confidence disappeared. “That was three years ago.” “And?” “And I was wrong.” The room became completely silent. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Adrian Black had just admitted that he was wrong. Three years ago, I had been twenty-one and completely in love with him. I had believed every promise he made. Every smile. Every late-night conversation. Every time he held my hand and told me I was different from everyone else. Then, one night, everything changed. He told me he didn't love me. He said our relationship had been a mistake. He walked away. And I spent months trying to understand what I had done wrong. Eventually, I stopped asking. I learned how to live without him. Or at least, I thought I had. Now he was standing in front of me, holding a diamond ring. “You can't just come back and expect me to forget everything,” I whispered. “I don't expect you to forget.” “Then what do you expect?” “I want another chance.” I looked at him. “A chance to do what?” “To love you properly this time.” My heart betrayed me. It hurt. It hurt because those were the words I had wanted to hear three years ago. Not now. Not after I had finally convinced myself that I didn't need him. “You're too late,” I said. His eyes lowered for a moment. “Are you seeing someone?” The question caught me off guard. “No.” “Do you love someone else?” “No.” He looked at me again. “Then I'm not too late.” I shook my head. “You don't get to decide that.” “I know.” He stepped closer. “You do.” I looked away. “Why now?” “Because I finally realized what I lost.” I swallowed. “And what exactly did you lose?” His answer came immediately. “You.” My heart raced. Adrian reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. “Don't.” He stopped. “You still have feelings for me.” I looked at him angrily. “You don't know what I feel.” “I know you.” “You used to.” His eyes softened. “I still do.” “No, Adrian. You don't.” I turned toward the door. “Emma.” I stopped. “I didn't stop loving you.” I closed my eyes. Those words were dangerous. Because a small part of me had spent three years hoping he would say them. I slowly turned around. “Then why did you leave?” He didn't answer. “Why did you tell me you didn't love me?” His silence hurt. I waited. Finally, he said, “Because I was afraid.” “Afraid of what?” “Losing you.” I frowned. “That doesn't make sense.” “It does to me.” He looked down at the ring. “I thought if I pushed you away, I could protect myself from what would happen if we didn't work out.” I stared at him. “You broke my heart because you were afraid yours would get broken?” “Yes.” I couldn't believe it. “That is the most selfish thing I've ever heard.” “I know.” “You made me feel like I wasn't good enough.” “I know.” “I spent months wondering what was wrong with me.” “I know.” My voice cracked. “And you never came back.” His expression changed. “I wanted to.” “But you didn't.” “I was a coward.” The anger inside me weakened. I hated that he was finally saying everything I had wanted to hear. I hated that his apology still mattered to me. Most of all, I hated that I still cared. Adrian came closer. “I can't change what happened.” “No.” “But I can change what happens next.” He opened the ring box. The diamond caught the light. “I don't want you to marry me because you feel sorry for me.” “I wouldn't.” “I don't want you to marry me because I'm rich.” “I definitely wouldn't.” A small smile appeared on his face. It was the first real smile I had seen from him in years. “I want you to marry me because I want to spend the rest of my life proving that I was wrong to let you go.” My heart trembled. “You make it sound easy.” “It won't be.” “Then why do it?” “Because you're worth it.” I looked at him for a long moment. Then I whispered, “I don't know if I can trust you again.” “You don't have to trust me today.” His voice was gentle. “Let me earn it.” I didn't tell Lily about the proposal immediately. I sat across from her at our favorite café, staring at my untouched coffee. She watched me suspiciously. “You're hiding something.” “I am not.” “You've been staring at that coffee for ten minutes.” I sighed. “Adrian proposed.” Lily nearly dropped her cup. “Adrian Black?” I nodded. “The Adrian Black?” “There isn't another one.” She stared at me. “What did you say?” “I didn't say yes.” She leaned back. “Good.” I frowned. “That's all you have to say?” “What do you want me to say? Congratulations?” “He said he still loves me.” Lily's expression softened. “And you?” I looked down. “I don't know.” “Emma.” “I really don't know.” She reached across the table and took my hand. “You've loved him for a long time.” “I used to.” “That isn't what I asked.” I looked away. The truth was painful. “I still care about him.” Lily squeezed my hand. “Then don't lie to yourself.” “But caring isn't enough.” “No.” She shook her head. “You also need to know whether he can give you the relationship you deserve.” I nodded slowly. For the first time, I realized that marrying Adrian wasn't just about whether I loved him. It was about whether I could trust him with my heart again. That night, Adrian called. I stared at his name on my phone. For three years, I had imagined what it would feel like to see his name again. Now that it was happening, I was terrified. I answered. “Hello?” “It's me.” “I know.” There was a quiet laugh on the other end. “I wasn't sure you'd answer.” “Neither was I.” “I wanted to hear your voice.” My heart tightened. “You're making this difficult.” “I know.” “What do you want?” “To see you.” “Why?” “Because I don't want our last conversation to be you walking away from me.” I was silent. “Dinner tomorrow?” he asked. I hesitated. “Emma.” “Fine.” “Seven?” “Seven.” “I'll pick you up.” “No.” He laughed softly. “Still stubborn.” “Still annoying.” “I missed that.” I smiled before I could stop myself. “Good night, Adrian.” “Good night, Emma.” I ended the call. Then I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my phone. A part of me was angry. A part of me was afraid. But another part of me—the part I had tried so hard to silence—was happy. And that scared me more than anything. Because maybe I hadn't stopped loving Adrian Black after all. Maybe I had only learned how to live without him. And now that he was back, I wasn't sure my heart remembered how to stay away.