BOUGHT BY THE BILLIONAIRE

2AM COFFEE

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*Chapter 13: 2AM COFFEE*

Chioma couldn’t sleep.

The mansion was too quiet. Too big. Too full of Daniel’s rules on the wall. Rule #50 kept flashing in her mind: _Do not fall for me._

Her mouth was dry. Thirsty.

She slipped out of bed at 2:03am, feet silent on the cold marble. “Just water,” she told herself. “Get water. Don’t look. Don’t think about Rule #50.”

The hallway was dark except for one thin line of light under Daniel’s bedroom door. It was still open from earlier.

Chioma walked past fast. Eyes straight. Don’t look. Don’t listen.

But his voice stopped her.

“I’m fine, James,” Daniel said on phone, voice low and rough. Like he was tired. “Yes, they moved in. No, I’m not getting attached. Rule #50 exists for a reason.”

Chioma froze behind the wall. Heart pounding.

A pause. Then Daniel’s next words hit her chest:

“Because I watched my mother fall for my father. And it killed her when he left. I won’t... I can’t do that again.”

Chioma pressed a hand to her mouth. The billionaire CEO. The man with 100 rules. He was scared. Scared of love. Scared of losing.

She wanted to run. But her feet wouldn’t move.

Then the kitchen light flicked on downstairs.

Chioma jumped. Someone was there.

She crept down the stairs, holding the railing. Maybe a maid. Maybe security.

It wasn’t.

Daniel stood in the kitchen.

But not CEO Daniel. Not suit-and-tie Daniel.

This Daniel wore only black trousers, unbuttoned at the waist. No shirt. No shoes. His hair was messy. His chest... Chioma had to bite her lip.

Muscles. Scars. One long scar ran across his ribs like someone tried to kill him once. He looked human. Wounded. Real.

He was making coffee. Slow. Careful. Like it was the only thing that mattered at 2am.

Chioma should’ve turned back. Rule #29: _Do not speak unless necessary._ Rule #1: _Do not enter without permission._

But her throat was dry and Daniel was right there.

The floor creaked under her foot.

Daniel spun around instantly. Eyes sharp, dangerous. Like a wolf caught off guard.

Then he saw her. And his shoulders dropped half an inch.

“Chioma,” he said. Not a question. Just her name.

She clutched her nightdress. “I... water. I’m sorry. Rule #1, I know—”

Daniel held up a hand. Stopped her. He poured coffee into a second mug. Black. No sugar. Like he remembered how she took it from the hospital.

He slid it across the counter to her.

“Rule #50,” he said quietly, not meeting her eyes. “Do not fall for me.”

Chioma took the mug. Their fingers brushed. Hot.

“I’m not,” she lied. Voice small.

Daniel finally looked up. His eyes were dark. Tired. Honest.

“Good,” he said. But his voice cracked on the word.

They stood in silence. 2am. Kitchen. Coffee. No suits. No contract talk. Just two broken people.

Daniel leaned against the counter, arms crossed. The scar on his ribs pulled with the movement.

“You heard me,” he said. Not a question.

Chioma nodded. Couldn’t lie.

Daniel closed his eyes for 1 second. When he opened them, the CEO mask was back. Cold. Distant.

“Go to bed, Chioma. Rule #3: 7am breakfast. Don’t be late.”

He turned away. Dismissed her.

Chioma walked back upstairs, mug warm in her hands. But her mind was stuck on his scar. On his voice. On “I won’t... I can’t do that again.”

Rule #50 said don’t fall for him.

But how do you not fall for a man who makes you coffee at 2am... while hiding scars he never shows anyone?

Chioma lay in bed, coffee untouched. Staring at the ceiling.

She was already falling. And Daniel Okoye knew it.

*End of Chapter 13*

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