Chapter 1
Boom!
Fireworks exploded across the Manhattan skyline.
The crowd burst into cheers.
Christian pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.
“You like it, baby?”
It was my birthday, and Christian had thrown me this over–the–top party at a rooftop lounge in Tribeca.
I looked up at him–same soft eyes, same gentle tone.
If I hadn’t seen him the other night pinning some woman against the wall, kissing her like she was his whole damn world, maybe I would’ve been touched.
My fingers brushed over his brow, his lashes, the face I once thought held only tenderness.
Everyone said Christian Cole was untouchable–Wall Street’s coldest king.
No woman ever got close.
Except me.
He fell for me, hard. Five years, and he hadn’t looked at anyone else.
Or so I thought.
I tried to smile, but it just wouldn’t come.
His voice from that night kept crashing in my head, over and over.
“She’s nice, yeah… but next to you? She’s dull as hell.”
“Right now, I’m definitely more into you, you wicked little tease.”
Christian noticed something was off. His brows pulled together with concern.
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Ditched My Toxic Duo for a Billionaire Ingrade!
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Chapter 1
Baby, are you okay? You don’t feel well?”
I almost laughed.
He cheats, then turns around and plays the perfect boyfriend. Classic.
I curled my lips into a faint smile.
Rationally, I knew tonight wasn’t the time to blow it all up.
“Yeah… I love it. Really.”
Right as I said it, a group of guests walked up with champagne flutes.
“Mr. Cole, you and Eve are such a perfect match. Wedding bells soon?”
Christian switched right back into his usual cool charm–but his words were anything but cold.
“If Eve says the word, I’ll marry her tomorrow.”
Gasps and claps followed, like we were America’s sweetheart couple.
“Eve, you lucky girl! To catch someone like Christian Cole?”
“Let us know the date–we’ll be there with bells on.”
“Man, Christian’s head over heels for you, huh?”
I smiled politely, nodding at them.
But when I met Christian’s adoring gaze, all I felt was a sharp twist in my chest.
Love?
Maybe he did love me. Once.
Before I came along, Christian was infamous on Wall Street for being completely uninterested in women.
Even when clients tried to send girls to his hotel room, he kicked them out and killed the deal.
People actually thought he was into men.
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Ditched My Toxic Duo for a Billionaire Upgrade!
Then I showed up, and all the rumors disappeared.
Christian started chasing me.
Every single day, he showed up outside the dance studio, holding a bouquet of roses, waiting.
People actually stopped on the sidewalk to stare.
He wore these perfectly tailored designer suits, cool and sharp like something out of GQ.
Yeah, I was hooked. Who wouldn’t be?
Everything felt so natural, like falling was inevitable.
I got swept up in how deeply he loved me.
We started dating.
If I so much as mentioned wanting one of those limited–edition collab drinks from Starbucks, he’d stand in line for hours to get it.
Every little holiday–Valentine’s, Halloween, even National freaking Donut Day–he had a surprise ready
for me.
When I got sick, he stayed up all night nursing me like I was made of glass.
I once told him I liked his cooking.
After that, he insisted on making dinner for me every night–himself.
One time, a rich cougar client humiliated me to my face.
Christian shut that down in seconds, cut her off and killed the deal.
She didn’t take it well–she tanked his company’s stock out of revenge.
But Christian didn’t back down.
He fought tooth and nail, got grilled by investors, ran himself into the ground–just to protect me.
That night, I curled up in his arms, tracing the long lines of his fingers.
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“Was it worth it?” I whispered.
He kissed my hair, soft and slow.
“Of course it was. You’re mine, baby. If I don’t protect you, who the hell will?”
People finally got it.
Christian Cole wasn’t cold–he just hadn’t found the right person.
And when I showed up, this untouchable Wall Street god stepped down from his pedestal.
Everyone started saying how lucky I was.
That I must’ve saved the damn universe in a past life to get Christian Cole–fiercely loyal, hopelessly devoted, all–in on me.
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