Chapter 1 - The Encounter
I watched in absolute horror as Luca Moretti walked slowly toward my table.
The luxurious murmur of the exclusive Chicago restaurant seemed to completely fade away into total silence.
My five-year-old twins, Leo and Mia, were entirely oblivious to the powerful billionaire rapidly approaching us.
Mia was busy dipping her tiny finger into a rich chocolate dessert.
Leo was carefully drawing a messy, intricate spaceship on a crisp white linen napkin.
Luca stopped exactly two feet away from my chair, bringing a wave of expensive cologne with him.
His sharp, custom-tailored suit made him look even more imposing and dangerous than I remembered.
Evelyn, his beautiful and elegant new wife, trailed closely behind him with a deeply confused expression.
"Nia," Luca said, his deep, resonant voice sending an involuntary shiver straight down my spine.
I forced myself to remain seated and keep my breathing perfectly steady despite the panic rising in my chest.
"Hello, Luca," I replied as coldly as I possibly could.
His dark, penetrating eyes immediately shifted away from my face.
He stared intensely down at the two small children sitting across the table from me.
Leo looked up from his messy drawing and tilted his head in innocent curiosity.
My son had the exact same intense, dark eyes as the ruthless man towering over our table.
"Mommy, who is this tall man?" Leo asked innocently.
Luca flinched visibly, reacting as if he had just been struck by a brutal physical blow.
He looked closely at Leo's face, then at Mia's, and the color completely drained from his tanned cheeks.
The undeniable, striking resemblance was staring him right in the face in the middle of the crowded restaurant.
"They are exactly five years old, aren't they?" Luca whispered, his brilliant mind already doing the rapid mental math.
If they were five, it meant I had been pregnant on the exact night he kicked me out of our penthouse.
I stood up quickly, grabbing my purse and silently praying my legs would not give out.
"It was nice to see you, Luca, but we really have to go right now," I said, reaching frantically for my children.
Luca stepped directly into my path, completely blocking my only exit with his massive frame.
Evelyn placed a gentle, manicured hand on his arm, looking incredibly uncomfortable.
"Luca, darling, what exactly is going on here?" Evelyn asked nervously.
He completely ignored his new wife and kept his furious, burning gaze locked entirely onto my eyes.
"You hid my own flesh and blood from me for half a decade," he growled in a low, dangerous tone.
"They are my children, Luca, not yours," I lied, though my voice trembled betraying my absolute terror.
He let out a dark, humorless laugh that echoed over the quiet, sophisticated jazz music of the restaurant.
"Do not insult my intelligence, Nia, because we both know the undeniable truth."
He reached into his tailored jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek, black smartphone.
"You can try to run away right now, but it will not do you any good."
I grabbed Mia's small hand, absolutely desperate to escape this suffocating, public confrontation.
"Move out of my way, Luca, or I swear I will call the police and have you arrested for harassment," I threatened loudly.
He leaned in dangerously close, his breath brushing against my cheek like a terrifying whisper.
May you like
"Call them right now," Luca challenged smoothly.
"But before you do, you should know that I quietly purchased the architecture firm you work for this morning, which means I now completely own your entire career."
