Rejected By My Ex, I Married A Hidden Billionaire

Chapter 7 A Surprise Visit

The drive back to the mansion was quiet, but my heart was still racing from the confrontation at the flower shop. Revenge had felt sweet, but there was something else stirring in my chest—something warm, something I couldn’t quite name. It had nothing to do with Jake or Mia, and everything to do with the man who’d made it all possible.

When I walked through the front door, the house was quiet. The staff smiled and greeted me as I passed, calling me “Mrs. Hale” like it was the most natural thing in the world. I wandered into the living room, my shoes clicking against the marble floor, and froze when I saw Ethan sitting on the couch.

He wasn’t in his suit anymore. He was wearing a simple black sweater and dark jeans, his hair slightly messy, and for a second, he didn’t look like the intimidating billionaire CEO. He looked… human.

“You’re back early,” he said, setting down his tablet and standing up. His eyes raked over me, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Everything go okay at the shop?”

I nodded, a small smile creeping onto my face. “It went better than okay. They were shocked. Devastated, actually.”

Ethan laughed, a low, warm sound that made my stomach flip. “I knew you’d handle it perfectly. You’re stronger than you think, Lila.”

I felt my cheeks heat up, and I looked away, fidgeting with the strap of my bag. “Thank you. For everything. The card, the car… the marriage.”

He stepped closer, his voice softening. “I told you, it’s a deal. But… I’m glad it’s you. I couldn’t have picked a better partner for this.”

Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. The butler answered it, and a moment later, a woman in a tailored suit walked into the room—Ethan’s assistant, I assumed. She handed him a folder, her eyes flicking to me for a split second before she looked away.

“Mr. Hale, the papers you requested. And there’s a call from the board—they want to schedule a meeting tomorrow to discuss the new partnership.”

Ethan nodded, taking the folder. “Tell them 10 a.m. And hold all my calls unless it’s an emergency.”

The assistant left, and Ethan turned back to me, his expression serious. “I have to take care of some work, but I’ll be done in an hour. Would you like to join me for dinner? There’s a new Italian place downtown I think you’ll like.”

My heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t part of the contract—no dinners, no dates, just public appearances. But for some reason, I didn’t want to say no.

“I’d like that,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

Ethan’s smile widened, and for a second, I swore I saw something genuine in his eyes—something that wasn’t part of the act. “Good. I’ll meet you downstairs in an hour.”

I watched him walk into his home office, the door closing behind him. I wandered over to the window, staring out at the city below. This fake marriage was supposed to be just a deal, a way to get revenge. But lately, it felt like something was shifting between us.

Something real.

An hour later, I met Ethan downstairs, dressed in a simple black dress. He held out his arm, and I linked mine through his, my heart fluttering as our skin touched. As we walked out to the car, I couldn’t help but wonder—what if this deal wasn’t just a deal? What if, somewhere along the way, we’d stopped pretending?

The car pulled away from the mansion, and Ethan squeezed my hand gently. “You look beautiful, Lila.”

This time, I didn’t look away. I looked up at him, and smiled. “Thank you, Ethan.”

And for the first time, I meant it.