Love Me Like Before

Selina Williams has spent her life as a pawn in her adoptive family's ruthless games, only to be thrown into a cold, loveless marriage with billionaire David Kane. He belongs to another, and she is nothing more than a business arrangement until a past they both were unaware of ties them together in a way they least expected.

Chapters

Chapter 1

The flashing lights of Club Velvet made red shadows on Selina's face as she walked through the crowded dance floor. Her head was spinning. The sweet drink she took from James Harrison, the man she was supposed to go out with tonight, tasted weird from the first sip. Now, thirty minutes later, her skin felt like it was on fire.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, pushing past dancing people who gave her dirty looks. Her vision got blurry at the edges, with dark spots in front of her eyes. This wasn't just being drunk. Something was wrong.

Selina held her purse tighter, her shaking hands looking for her phone. The screen was too bright, making her close her eyes as she tried to call Michelle.

The music got quieter as she walked to the hotel hallway. Her heart was beating so loud in her ears, she couldn't even hear the music from the club below. The hallway looked like it was moving and changing before her eyes.

Three rings, then Michelle's voice, sharp and cold.

"What the hell have you done?"

Selina leaned against the wall, her free hand pressed against her burning head. The expensive wallpaper felt cool against her hand.

"Michelle," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Something's wrong with me. I think James put something in my drink."

A mean laugh came from the other end. "Are you seriously playing victim right now? James Harrison just called me. You slapped him? In front of everyone?"

The memory came back to Selina's mind - his hand moving up her leg, his dirty words getting worse and worse, his fingers grabbing her wrist when she tried to move away.

"He wouldn't stop touching me," Selina said, each word hard to say as the hallway started to tilt. "Please, Michelle, I need help. I can't see straight. Everything's burning."

"Do you know what you've done?" Michelle's voice got louder, full of anger. "That connection took me months to make! Do you know how many girls would kill for that chance? And you throw it away because he touched your leg?"

Selina's knees got weak. She slid down the wall, her silk dress bunching up around her legs. "Please," she begged, her throat feeling like sandpaper. "I don't know what he gave me. I feel like I'm dying. Can you come get me?"

"You can't even handle one simple job," Michelle said angrily. "One night playing escort to help your so-called 'best friend' when I needed you most. Now my reputation in Manhattan is ruined because of your small-town morals."

Tears hurt Selina's eyes, making her vision even worse. "Michelle, please, I think I need a hospital."

The call ended with a click.

Selina stared at the screen, watching it swim in front of her eyes. Michelle's betrayal hurt more than the physical pain in her body. Michelle had promised it was just dinner with a business friend, not whatever this was supposed to be.

Using the wall for support, Selina pushed herself up. The hallway seemed to go on forever in both directions, with identical doors that looked like a nightmare. She needed to find her room before she fell down completely.

Room 1504. Or was it 1405?

The numbers were blurry as she walked forward, one hand on the wall for balance. Her skin felt too tight, her dress like a second skin that was choking her. Sweat formed on her forehead, running down her neck.

Selina tried a door handle that looked familiar. To her surprise, it opened. Relief washed over her as she stumbled inside, her strength finally giving out.

She fell forward onto what she thought was her bed, but hit something solid and warm instead. Strong arms caught her before she could fall to the floor, holding her against a broad chest that smelled of expensive whiskey and something darker.

"Who the hell are you?" a deep voice asked, the words a little slurred.

Selina tried to focus, but could only see the outline of broad shoulders and a sharp jaw in the dim light from the curtains. The room was spinning, her lungs burning with each breath.

"Hot," she gasped, pulling at the high neck of her dress. "So hot... I'm burning up. Help me. Please."

The man moved under her, his breathing changing. She felt his muscles get tense as he breathed in deeply, smelling her perfume - jasmine and vanilla, a birthday gift from her adoptive mother that came with the usual mean comment: "Maybe if you smelled like a woman instead of a library, you'd bring home something other than perfect grades."

"Aren't you playing with fire, woman?" he whispered, his voice rough with alcohol and something else that sent a different kind of heat through Selina despite her foggy state.

Her head fell back, showing the delicate line of her throat. Even in her confusion, she could tell he was as drunk as she was, but in a different way. The room smelled of expensive liquor and quiet desperation.

"I know you want to earn money, Michelle, you shouldn't have done this," Selina mumbled, her thoughts scattered like broken glass in her mind. "Don't you think this is harsh? Using me like this?"

The man went stiff for a moment before a low, humorless laugh came from his chest after hearing her mention money. His hands, which had been holding her shoulders, moved down to her waist.

"Ladies these days will do anything for extra cash," he said quietly, his breath hot against her ear. "Even come to a man in his own hotel room. Tell me, do you even know who I am?"

Selina didn't understand his words, couldn't understand why he was talking about money. All she knew was that his touch brought relief to the fire burning inside her. She leaned into him, her hands grabbing at his shirt.

"Help me," she begged, her words slurring together. "I can't. I feel like I'm dying." She pressed against his neck.

Something in him changed. His grip on her waist got tighter, pulling her closer to him.

"I can help you," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. One hand moved to tangle in her hair, tilting her face up toward his. "I can make the fire stop," he said in a drunk voice.

Her last clear thought was that she should be afraid of this stranger, of being helpless, of the heat building between them that had nothing to do with whatever drug was in her system.

But fear needed a clear mind, and that had left her hours ago.

His lips found hers in the darkness, tasting of whiskey and reckless abandon. Her body responded to his touch even as her mind screamed warnings she could no longer hear.

The fever had taken her completely.

Continue to next part

On an overseas trip, an avalanche hit suddenly. My fiancé Henry instantly released my hand and rushed to Amara. Just as I lost all hope, Mateo appeared. Against the howling gale and blinding snow, he charged towards me, . After the avalanche, I broke up with Henry. Mateo became my rock. Our love grew, and he proposed. When I told him I was pregnant, his joy was overwhelming. Life was perfect. But soon, Mateo was diagnosed with leukemia. Without hesitation, I decided to donate my bone marrow. Days ago,I overheard, "Sakura's pregnant. Once the baby's born, Amara, you'll have a new bone marrow donor." Mateo replied, "I'd do anything for ." That's when I realized my happy marriage was a cruel ruse from the start.

Billionaire Modern Romance

9.7

Gradually drifting further and further away, books disappearing.

9.7

In five years of marriage, Christian had asked Samantha for a divorce three times. The first request came after a car accident left his leg injured. He told her he didn’t want to be a burden. She refused to give up on him. Miles she walked to a temple, praying for his safety, and returned with a red protection cord—only to find that same cord already wrapped around the wrist of his childhood sweetheart, Abigail. The second time, photos of him and Abigail having sex in a car splashed across the front page of the entertainment section. He wanted Samantha to publicly announce they were already divorced, to salvage Abigail’s reputation. Samantha still wouldn’t agree to the divorce. But facing the cameras, she graciously declared her belief in her husband’s character and called Abigail a mutual friend. From then on, the label stuck: the desperate, pathetic doormat. It spread through their entire social circle. The third time was last night. A call from one of Christian’s buddies—he’d killed a man. It was the dead of winter, a blizzard raging outside. Samantha didn’t even change. She ran out into the swirling snow and reached the clubhouse still in her pajamas and slippers. The private room was ringed with people. In the center, a man lay on the floor, his face a mottled mess of bruises. “What happened? Why did you fight?” “Christian’s fault—he’s so impulsive. The guy just called Abigail a homewrecker, and Christian went for the kill. Can’t stand anyone saying a word against her…” “What’s done is done. A life for a life. Samantha, you love Christian so much—why don’t you turn yourself in for him?” Samantha froze. Slowly, she lifted her head, her gaze sweeping the room. “Where is Christian?” “He took Abigail to another room. Said a dead body was bad luck—would sully her eyes.” Silence. “Samantha, Christian has such a bright future. If you don’t help him, who will?” “Exactly! You’re always going on about how much you love him. Can you bear to watch his life get ruined?” Samantha’s hands, hanging at her sides, slowly clenched into fists. “Fine. I’ll go to prison for him.” Dead silence held the room for a few seconds. Then, thunderous laughter erupted. “Holy shit! You really are the legendary doormat! Willing to do anything for Christian…” “Christian called it! He didn’t get you wrong at all!” Under Samantha’s stunned gaze, a hidden door in the private room swung slowly open. There sat Christian in the small room behind it, Abigail nestled in his arms. He was feeding her grapes. Beside them, the “dead man” on the floor nimbly got up and retreated to the wall. Finally, Samantha understood. She’d been played. Christian snapped his fingers. One of his lackeys tossed a document onto the floor in front of her. “Samantha, if you’re willing to take a murder charge for him, signing a divorce agreement shouldn’t be a big deal, right?” She looked down at the papers, then raised her eyes to Christian. “Christian, do you really want a divorce this badly?” “Can’t the doormat see? Christian’s just sick of you clinging—” “I want to hear him say it!” Samantha cut the lackey off. Christian shrugged, his expression one of weary resignation. *See? I told you this woman is a pain.* “Samantha, if you’re going to force me to spell it out, don’t blame me for being blunt.” “Go on. Say it.” “I’ve asked for a divorce more than once over the years, and you always find a way to dodge it. Honestly, it’s gotten tiresome. I’m worn out.” “You know perfectly well I only married you because of my grandfather’s will. Now that I’ve secured the inheritance, this marriage has lost its purpose. Besides, I can’t stand women who cling and won’t let go.” “Abigail and I grew up together. Childhood sweethearts. But my grandfather misunderstood her, never liked her. All these years she’s stayed by my side with no real status… suffered in silence. She’s gentle. Pure-hearted. I can’t just stand by and watch her get hurt. I need to give her the name she deserves.” As he spoke, he kissed Abigail’s cheek. Samantha nodded slowly. “I understand, Christian. You really do want a divorce.” “Alright then. I’ll give you what you want.”

Billionaire Modern Romance

7.4

Dumped My Fake-Poor Ex, Married My Wealthy Boss

7.4

For six years, I worked myself to the bone to support my "struggling artist" boyfriend, Kasen. I paid the rent on our leaky Brooklyn apartment and believed in his dream, thinking our love was real. That all ended one rainy night when I delivered documents to an exclusive club and overheard him with his wealthy friends. Our life, he said, was just a "sociological experiment." He wasn't poor at all. He was a trust fund heir with a fiancée in the Hamptons, waiting to close a corporate merger. "Kaia is just a naive pet who voluntarily pays my rent," he laughed over a three-thousand-dollar glass of scotch. He told them girls like me were so desperate we'd come crawling back for a scrap of affection. My entire world shattered. I packed my bags and walked out that night with eighty-four dollars to my name, ready to start over. But escaping one monster only threw me to another. The next day, a predatory client tried to drug me during a business meeting. My boss, the terrifyingly powerful CEO Camden William, intervened. But after a night of drug-induced chaos, I woke up in his bed. He didn't offer an apology. He offered a contract. "Marry me for three years," he commanded, "and I'll give you five million dollars and make sure Kasen can never touch you again."

Billionaire Modern Romance

7.8

Hidden Pregnancy: The Billionaire CEO's Secret Heir

7.8

I woke up in a bed of Egyptian cotton with a jackhammer headache and the naked CEO of my company sleeping beside me. I was a low-level analyst who had accidentally texted the world's most ruthless billionaire instead of my crush. Now, Sebastian Sterling wasn't just my boss-he was the man who owned my debt, my marriage, and a secret that was currently burning us both alive. He forced me into a cold-blooded marriage contract, trading my mother's life-saving medical bills for a year of my life as his trophy wife. I thought I was just a pawn in his corporate war against his ex-fiancée, but the tattoo over his heart-0825-held the date of the fire that destroyed my childhood and killed my peace. He hadn't just found me; he had been watching me from the shadows since I was twelve. He built a fortress of money and lies around me, manipulating my every move while his family tried to have me erased. When they finally targeted my mother and my son, I realized I couldn't just be a victim anymore. I fled to the industrial slums of Newark, erasing my identity to hunt down the ledgers that could put his family behind bars. But Sebastian didn't let me go; he stripped off his suits and checked out of his penthouse to follow me into the grime. Now, he's posing as a low-life driver named Ben, watching over me from a beat-up SUV while I infiltrate a criminal syndicate. He thinks he's my guardian angel, but I'm the one holding the match that will either save his empire or burn it to the ground.

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.1

The Betrayed Wife's Ruthless Comeback

8.1

My billionaire husband, Cooper, was thirty minutes late to my father's funeral. When the heavy cathedral doors finally opened, he wasn't there to comfort me. He was tightly shielding his mistress, Celeste, under his umbrella, treating her like a fragile lily while I stood alone in my black mourning dress. The whispers in the pews were deafening, but they were nothing compared to the truth I soon uncovered. Cooper hadn't just humiliated me—he had secretly taken my father's life-saving spot in a medical clinical trial and given it to Celeste's family. My father died gasping for air because of him. Days later, while I was shivering in the ER with a 103-degree fever, I saw Cooper sneaking into the VIP maternity ward. He was holding Celeste, his face glowing with the ecstatic joy of a man about to become a father. For three years, I swallowed my pride to be his perfect, obedient wife, only to let his elite friends openly mock me to my face. "You were just keeping the seat warm until the real queen came back." He let my father die, hid all our marital assets in offshore trusts, and made me take birth control every single morning, claiming he wasn't ready for kids. I didn't scream, and I didn't let him see me break. Instead, I hired Manhattan's most ruthless divorce lawyer, smiled sweetly as I handed Cooper his coat at home, and began secretly gathering the evidence to burn his entire empire to the ground.

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.7

The Billionaire's Claimed Obsession

8.7

After a brutal breakup, Avery leaves everything behind, hoping to find peace in a new city. But peace is the last thing she finds. She meets Luca — the city’s most feared and dangerously magnetic CEO. A man who builds empires, destroys enemies, and never lets anyone close... except her. What she believes is a drunken mistake becomes something she can’t escape. Avery doesn’t remember him — but Luca never forgot her. And now that she’s back in his life, he’s not letting her go again. When one night leaves her pregnant, Avery finds herself trapped between passion and fear, temptation and control, as Luca’s obsession pulls her deeper into his world — a world she swore she’d never be part of. She thought she escaped heartbreak... but she’s fallen into something far more dangerous.

Billionaire Modern Romance

Love Me Like Before

Chapter 1

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