The Billionaire's First Glance (eBook)

A Contract Marriage Romance of Secrets and Lies

Jane Lexington (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
265 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-103556-0 (ISBN)

Infos

It was meant to be a contract marriage. Instead, it feels like destiny.
***             ***                ***
Amelie Cavanaugh has survived more than most-losing her parents at eight, escaping foster care at fourteen, and fighting her way to Columbia University. But when her younger brother collapses during a football game, the overwhelming medical bills leave her desperate for a way out.
Enter Dr. Nathaniel Carrington Michaels-ruthless billionaire CEO, heir to a powerful empire, and a man under pressure to marry or lose his legacy. Their chance meeting in a hospital café sparks an obsession, and soon Nathan offers Amelie a dangerous bargain: her brother's future in exchange for her vows.
The marriage contract is supposed to be cold and simple. Yet passion ignites where there should be distance, jealousy cuts too deep, and every touch blurs the line between fake relationship and true love.

✔But when long-buried family secrets surface, threatening to destroy them both, Amelie must decide: is Nathan her salvation-or her downfall?

Book 1

Textauszug

Chapter 1

Prologue – 12 Years Ago

“You told me it was over," she said. "Do you have feelings for this slut?"

"I love her. I want to be with her, not you," he replied. "There is nothing you can do to change that."

"I don't understand," she screamed, "She is nothing, a nobody. Have your fling like you always do, and be done with her. I am not moving out of the way for that, that woman."

"No, you don't understand," he declared. "You never meant anything to me. You were a business deal—a marriage of convenience. I have what I want from you. I fulfilled my obligation. I honestly should have done this years ago. Now I want a divorce."

She picked up the crystal vase and threw it in the direction of his head. He moved just in time to dodge it. It struck the fireplace brick and shattered into a thousand tiny, jagged shards. He looked down at the floor and then back at her.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" He stared at her, bewildered.

"You're the one who has lost your mind," she said coyly. "I will take you for EVERYTHING you are worth. Let's see how long it lasts when your reputation is smeared all over the sidewalk. That bitch will be destroyed as well. Her sweet little family ground into the mud."

"Are you threatening me?" He laughed. “Seriously?”

"Call it what you want. I will destroy you," she responded.

“You seem to have forgotten two very important points," he snarled at her. "First of all, you signed an ironclad prenuptial agreement. Your father is a fantastic lawyer, by the way. Second, I have the photos, remember?"

"You wouldn't!" She yelled.

"Try me. I won’t hesitate for one moment to release them," he smirked.

"You will regret this," she threatened. "You both will regret this."

The only thing I regret is that I married you in the first place," he replied. He turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing there.

As soon as the door closed, she reached for her phone. "Come on, pick up the phone," she said, her tone one of disdain.

"Hello," a male voice answered.

"Evander, we need to meet," she advised.

"When?" Evander asked, "Is it the same location as usual?"

"Tomorrow, 10 am. Regular location," she demanded. "I will pay 4 times the regular rate. This is a special request. It needs to be done quickly and discreetly."

"You can count on my team," Evander said.

"Good," She hung up the line. 

The maid walked in. "Clean up this mess," she barked at the maid and sashayed out of the room.

 NEXT DAY

"How long do we have to wait for this lady?" the dark-haired man said to his partner.

"As long as it fucking takes," Evander replied, "She is paying us enough to retire."

"Really? She must want these people dead," the dark-haired man shook his head.

The room was so dark that he barely knew she had entered, except for the sound of her high heels clicking across the floor. He shivered as a cold aura of power hit his body as she approached.

“You understand,” she said in an elegant voice. “It needs to appear to be an accident.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Evander said, “my team is the best there is. No one will even question their deaths.”

“For what I'm paying you, there better not be any questions,” she declared. “I want them gone for good. I want them to feel the pain they have given me for all these years. I want everyone who loves them to suffer. To live with pain for the rest of their lives. You have one week.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Evander replied.

“Good boy, Evander,” she said, smiling. “Don’t let me down, Evander. You know what happens when you let me down.”

“You can count on us,” Evander said.

“Oh, let me know how you decide to do it. If I can participate, I think that would make me very happy. I’d like them to see each other suffer,” she laughed manically.

Once again, her heels clicked along the floor, this time signaling her departure. The door snapped shut.

Evander shook his head, “That is one cold-hearted bitch.”

Chapter 2: Amelie’s Story

Amelie’s POV

There are days in your life that stand out, for better or worse. Days you’ll always remember, and days you wish you could forget.

I remember my eighth birthday as one of the happiest days of my life. My parents surprised me and took the family to New York. First, we saw a Broadway show and then visited Times Square.

The best that happened that day was my dream of standing on Wall Street. While most young girls played wedding dress up, I carried around my dad’s old messenger briefcase and gave financial advice. I knew one day I would be working on this street, and I vowed to myself as I glanced at the Bull statue. I had always been obsessed with New York and Wall Street, and the fact that I spent the day exploring it with my three favorite people made it the perfect day ever.

The nonstop pace of the city drew me in, and I was captured, heart and soul. It was love at first sight. I knew this was where I belonged, and I couldn't wait to call it my home one day.

Unfortunately, I think that was the last day I felt true happiness.  Four days later, my little brother and I were being moved into a foster home. My parents had been killed the night before. They were out celebrating my dad’s promotion when a drunk driver blew through a stop sign and slammed into their car, killing them instantly. At that moment, my life and my heart were shattered. There were so many pieces that I couldn’t pick them all up. Some, I felt, were lost forever.

My brother, Zander, was only 5 years old; he couldn’t grasp the concept of the loss. How could he? I could barely even grasp it myself. For the longest time, he was angry. He thought they had left him because he had done something wrong. He kept asking when they would be coming home. I just hugged him and told him not to worry. I was his family, and he could always depend on me.

Life after that day wasn’t easy; we were in and out of different foster care homes with no real sense of belonging. My love for school and determination to make something of myself were the only things that carried me through. To make life better for my brother Zander and me.

Zander was a good kid. Always smiling and polite. Just one look from his piercing grey eyes could set your mind at ease. I swear they smiled more than his mouth did. He was the kind of brother you could be proud of. He was always the one to turn the other cheek and take the high road regarding disputes. I’m sure he was an old soul and wise beyond his years. He had a heart of gold.

My 14th birthday was the first and only time Zander ever got into trouble. That’s the day my so-called foster dad decided I was old enough to be “taught.”  My brother walked in to see me crying while my foster dad had his hand down my pants. Zander lost it. At 11 years old, he was already standing 5’10” and had a personality more significant than his height.  He wailed punches down on my foster dad until he was unconscious. That was the last day we ever stayed in foster care.

I had a part-time job at the local diner. The owner, Betty, was like a mother figure to me, and when we ran away from the foster home, she let us stay in the tiny one-bedroom apartment above the diner for free. She also gave me extra hours and “leftover” food, so our bellies were never empty. We managed to scrape by. It was a tough time; we didn’t have much, but we had each other. I vowed that moment I would make something of myself and get us out of this town. Onwards and upwards was my mantra. I worked as much as possible to support us and spent the rest of my hours studying and doing homework. All the hard work eventually paid off when I was granted a full scholarship to Columbia University. I was ecstatic. After graduating as valedictorian of my class, I packed all our possessions and headed to New York.

I was entirely at home and thoroughly enjoying life in New York. I had settled into my studies at Columbia and got a part-time job at a coffee shop. Everything was perfect until I was again hit with a devastating blow that chilly November day.

“Oh, come on, sis, you have to be there! It’s a huge game,” Zander looked at me pleading.

“Zander, I need to finish this paper. Onwards and upwards, remember,” I reminded him, rolling my eyes.

“It’s just a couple of hours, that’s all.” You’ll be home by noon at the latest. You can’t miss my football game,” he said, pulling out his adorable pouty lip. I couldn’t resist.

“Geesh, stop with the lip! I’ll come!” I laughed as he jumped at me and hugged me tightly.

“You’re the best Ame!”

Later that morning, at the football game, everything was going great for the team. We were up by 14 with 4 minutes to go. On a routine play, my heart stopped beating for a split second. Zander was tackled, but he didn’t get up. The coach rushed onto the field as I stood in the crowd, willing him to move. A signal from the coach sent everyone around my brother’s ever-still body into a panic.

“SOMEONE CALL 911!”

“CALL AN AMBULANCE”

I felt frozen, unable to move or think. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The crowd surged a bit, and somehow, my feet carried me to the front of the stands.

“I’m sorry, miss, you can’t go on the field.” A security guard told me.

“THAT’S MY BROTHER LYING THERE!” I half screamed and half cried. He ushered me over to the team bench. The paramedics arrived shortly after, and my brother was put on a stretcher. The coach ran over to the bench, grabbed my...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 28.8.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-103556-8 / 0001035568
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-103556-0 / 9780001035560