Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Connor couldn't shake the strange feeling in his chest. When did Grandpa ever have guests? Then again, he hadn't been back much these last two years. Most of his time was spent with the Shaw family, mostly because Marian had come back to Riverbrook. After Claire died, his second sister and Madison had started treating him differently-checking in on him, actually caring about how he was doing. But now, both of them were abroad.

And Jeffery... well, Connor had no idea what happened there. For almost two years, Jeffery had basically disappeared from everyone's lives. He wouldn't see anyone, not even his old friends. The only times he'd come out were when Connor brought Tim over for a visit, and then he'd join them for dinner. But even that-Jeffery's hair had gone completely white in these two years. Connor could tell Jeffery was keeping secrets. Ever since Claire passed, whatever he was hiding had just exploded out, and now, Connor was starting to think it had something to do with the Grevenberg family.

Chloe and Connor headed back to their room. As soon as the door closed, Connor slipped his arms around her from behind, holding her close. Chloe intertwined her fingers with his, hugging his arms to her chest. He pressed his face into her hair, his voice soft and strained, thick with longing.

"I missed you so much..."

The way he said it was different-raw and honest, full of ache. For a split second, Chloe felt the true weight of his longing, simmering beneath the surface for two

whole years.

She turned in his arms, cupped his face, and looked into his eyes. "I missed you too."

Then she kissed him, gently at first. Connor didn't respond right away. Even though he knew she was really here, it felt surreal-like something out of a dream. He'd pictured this moment so many times, but every time in his dreams, she'd just slip away, vanishing like mist before he could hold on.

He never wanted to feel that kind of emptiness again. He just wanted to look at her, to make sure she was real.

Chloe's cheeks were warm and pink, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She kissed him again, slow and teasing, trailing her lips from his mouth to his jaw, then down to his neck. When she playfully bit at his Adam's apple, Connor finally snapped. He scooped her up and carried her to the bed, laying her gently on the soft sheets.

Ine

Chloe melted into the mattress, completely understanding the storm inside him. After wandering alone for so long, finding something real. almost felt like a trick-like it might disappear if you reached out for it.

But once you let yourself hope, you couldn't go back.

Connor kissed her skin, slow and reverent, like he was memorizing every inch. But when he reached her chest, he suddenly stopped.

There, carved deep into her delicate skin, were scars-sharp, angry lines forming three letters:

CNR.noveldrama

His name.

Connor stared, shock flooding through him. His voice came out rough, barely

above a whisper. "Chloe... what happened?"

She met his eyes, steady and

unflinching When Grant tried to

give me that injection, I broke a piece of glass and used it to carve your name. I needed the pain to wake me up, to give me something to hold onto. It worked, for a while. I managed to stay conscious on the plane-enough to fight back, enough to make it crash. But after that, I lost everything. When Lucas found me, I didn't remember who I was at all."