Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Chloe sank into the couch on the balcony. "So, why'd you ask me over?"

Connor slid in next to her, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "I wanted to see you."

This time, Chloe didn't shy away from his eyes. She looked straight at him-bold, unfiltered, and a little too curious. Her gaze drifted down his face, pausing at his chest. Connor noticed, tugged his pajama top tighter, and tried to play it cool as he grabbed a bottle of water from the table.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked.

"You got all dressed up tonight-don't tell me it's not for me to look at," Chloe shot back.

Connor almost choked on his water. Chloe reached over and patted his back, laughing. "Careful."

He glanced at her, half amused. "You don't have to be so straightforward, you know."

Connor had expected her to be shy, maybe even a little flustered, just like the old days. But Chloe just kept surprising him, always one step ahead.noveldrama

With a sigh, Connor started buttoning up his pajama shirt, pretending not to care. Chloe grinned. "Guess I always had great taste."

"Chloe, you-"

She broke into laughter, the sound bright and easy. For some reason, being around him made her relax. Sometimes, she just wanted to tease him-something she never felt around Lucas.

Connor had planned to mess with Chloe a little, maybe take advantage of her memory loss. Instead, she'd turned the tables on him. But honestly, he didn't mind. Seeing glimpses of her old self-bold, fiery, and utterly captivating-made him happier than he'd like to admit.

Even with her memories gone, Chloe was still Chloe. Never the quiet, gentle type. She was fearless, passionate, impossible not to notice.

Meanwhile, at the QUEEN Group at the headquarters, the CEO's office was shrouded in shadows. A man sat in a wheelchair, staring silently at the city lights through massive

windows. His figure was swallowed

by

darkness, more menacing than any villain in a story.

Behind him stood a woman in a glittering evening gown, her

presence almost lost in the gloom Her voice sounded tired. "You want me to steal the Shaw and Sartori family heirlooms? That's not something I can do."

The man's voice was calm, but there was a dangerous chill to it. "Amelia, are you planning to betray me too?"

Her eyes turned colder, more distant. "I'm not betraying you. I just can't do it."

She dropped her gaze. "If I did betray you, I'd already be dead. Isn't that how this works?"

Grant was more than just the CEO of

Ballard Group-he was the young leader of the Nightshade Organization. From the day she joined they'd injected her with a drug that turned her own cells against her, threatening to destroy her from the inside out. Every year, they gave her an antidote, but it was just another way to keep her under control.

If you wanted to live, you followed Nightshade's orders. No questions asked.

"You're smart," Grant said finally. "You'll figure something out. This isn't my order it comes from higher up."

At that, a flicker of fear crossed Maddie's eyes. Grant might be in charge, but even he answered to someone else. In all her years, Maddie had never seen the real boss behind Nightshade.

Sometimes, she wondered if Grant was just another puppet, same as the rest of them.