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Shelter With A Billionaire
img img Shelter With A Billionaire img Chapter 1 Beginnings
1 Chapters
Chapter 6 Home Sweet Home img
Chapter 7 The Assistant img
Chapter 8 Shop Til You Drop img
Chapter 9 Table For Nine img
Chapter 10 Holding Out For A Hero img
Chapter 11 Beyond The Headlines img
Chapter 12 Growing Pains img
Chapter 13 The Outsider img
Chapter 14 A Day In The Life img
Chapter 15 Career Day img
Chapter 16 Divided House img
Chapter 17 A Night Out With The Kids img
Chapter 18 Bet On It img
Chapter 19 Secrets img
Chapter 20 Hidden Truths img
Chapter 21 Rebel Hearts img
Chapter 22 Almost Close Enough img
Chapter 23 The Fallen Heiress img
Chapter 24 Beauty and The Bodyguard img
Chapter 25 The Burglary img
Chapter 26 Close Call img
Chapter 27 Cooper's Case img
Chapter 28 Home Brutal Home img
Chapter 29 All Work And No Play img
Chapter 30 A Change of Pace img
Chapter 31 The Camping Trip img
Chapter 32 Sparks and Stargazing img
Chapter 33 Under The Moonlight img
Chapter 34 Midnight Conversations img
Chapter 35 The Wrong Turn img
Chapter 36 Lost And Found img
Chapter 37 Hooked on Memories img
Chapter 38 A Night Of Passion img
Chapter 39 Her Worst Nightmare img
Chapter 40 El Diablo img
Chapter 41 The Party Plan img
Chapter 42 An Unlikely Reunion img
Chapter 43 Game Night img
Chapter 44 The Party Unravels img
Chapter 45 The Masks We Wear img
Chapter 46 The Things We Do For Love img
Chapter 47 What Came After img
Chapter 48 A Labor of Love img
Chapter 49 The Aftermath img
Chapter 50 I'll Take You To The Edge img
Chapter 51 Noah's Move img
Chapter 52 No, Not Ever img
Chapter 53 Some Things Can't Be Fixed img
Chapter 54 Ultimatum img
Chapter 55 You're Fired img
Chapter 56 Daydreaming img
Chapter 57 Date Night img
Chapter 58 Peonies for Millie img
Chapter 59 His Bitter Jealous Ex img
Chapter 60 The invitation img
Chapter 61 A Surprise Visit img
Chapter 62 The Christmas Dinner img
Chapter 63 Caught in the Act img
Chapter 64 Revealtions img
Chapter 65 Shattered img
Chapter 66 The Way We Met img
Chapter 67 And How We Fell img
Chapter 68 Reality img
Chapter 69 Broken Trust img
Chapter 70 Spring Blues img
Chapter 71 Darker Days img
Chapter 72 Fading Light img
Chapter 73 Stranger's Claim img
Chapter 74 Daphne img
Chapter 75 An Old Flame img
Chapter 76 Like Father, Like Son img
Chapter 77 The Proposal img
Chapter 78 Wedding Bells img
Chapter 79 Sage, You Feel So Good. img
Chapter 80 Broken Spell img
Chapter 81 The New Parents img
Chapter 82 Changes img
Chapter 83 In Her Hands img
Chapter 84 Second Chances img
Chapter 85 Secrets img
Chapter 86 A Victory img
Chapter 87 Happier Days img
Chapter 88 This Time, Forever img
Chapter 89 Epilogue img
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Shelter With A Billionaire

Author: Josie Quinn
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Chapter 1 Beginnings

"Get out," I spat; my voice shook with rage as I stepped back, creating a distance between my boyfriend and me.

Mike hesitated, his voice pleading. "Please Christine-"

"Hurt me? You cheated on me with your secretary." A lump formed in my throat, and tears spilled down my cheeks.

Mike's hands rose, palms up, in a defense gesture. "She came onto me," holding my shoulders, he continued. "You caught us at the wrong moment. Look, I swear to you, Christine, I would never dream of hurting you."

I stepped away from him and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. "You have hurt me for the last time, Mike Russo."

Mike licked his lips with resigned expression. "I love you, but you need to trust me on this one, baby."

"Love?" I burst into a bitter laugh. "The only person you love is yourself. I never want to see you again."

Then I slammed my front door shut and leaned by it, my body shaking as I broke into a sob, feeling my heart shatter to a million pieces.

A year later, I clipped my ID badge to my jacket. I took a deep breath, pushing away thoughts of Mike's betrayal from my mind.

I stepped onto the porch and rang the doorbell to Mrs. Smith's Group Home, in the suburbs of Seattle. I loved my job as a social worker, and inspections like this one were my favorite part. I got to see the kids and ensure they received the best care possible.

When the door opened, Mrs. Gladys Smith, the manager, greeted me without her usual warm smile. "Hi, Christine. Right on time, as always."

I creased my brows together, pulling out my clipboard and my pen. "Let's get started, shall we?"

The living room space was tidy, and Kimiko, aged six, was sitting in front of the TV watching a popular preschool cartoon.

She turned to face me with a bright gap-toothed grin. "Hi, Ms. Frank."

"Miko, ah, enjoying the fine entertainment TV has to offer, I see?" I asked.

Kimiko shot me a confused look and shrugged. "I guess."

Gladys led me through the usual routine: medication, security alarm, food plan. I checked through my list as I glanced through the fridge contents. The sound of a ball bouncing echoed through the walls as Jayden and Tommy burst through the kitchen back door.

I lifted a warning finger as they froze. "Uh-uh, take it outside, boys. No dunking in the kitchen."

Jayden frowned. "Aw man."

Tommy snatched the ball and ran out the door, followed closely by Jay. Annabeth played hula hoops with Daphne and Millie in the backyard. Meanwhile, Noah was likely playing video games in his room.

"And another perfect record, Gladys, as usual. Thank you for making my job easier." I turned to face her.

Her expression turned serious. "Christine, can I talk to you for a minute in my office?"

My curiosity rose, and I nodded, following her to the office. But as I sat behind her desk, Gladys dropped the bombshell: "I'm dying, Christine."

I widened my eyes and waited for a laugh and a 'just kidding.' "Oh God, Gladys." I gave a nervous chuckle. "Save the spooky talk for Halloween."

Her green eyes remained serious. "It's terminal lung cancer, and the doctor. Damn, the man says I have about six months to get my affairs in order before I die. It's the result of my smoking habit."

I bit back a smile. Gladys was about sixty-five, still agile for her age, but I suddenly noticed her cheerfulness was gone. Tears formed in my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away.

"Do the kids know about..." I whispered.

She sighed. "Just Noah, he found me passed out in the bathroom, called nine-one-one. Listen, you know my kids don't like this job, and I have no one to hand the home to."

If no one would take the job, then it would be a problem; group homes were in shortage... and there was a possibility of separation.

Gladys' eyes locked onto mine. "I know you're thinking about the system. You can't let them be separated; they're a family, and even when they fight, hell, they always find a way."

Mrs. Smith's coughing fit sent a jolt through me. I leapt from my seat, my pulse racing, as I rushed to her side. "Gladys!" I took a stride towards her by the window.

She lifted a hand as I helped her sit on the leather sofa. "I'm...fine." She wheezed.

I filled a glass of water and handed it to her.

"Listen, I'll do my best to convince the authorities. They'll be together," I said, sitting next to her. "The house may need a temporary manager."

She looked at me with precision. "Or a permanent one."

I felt a surge of surprise as Mrs. Smith's words sank in. "You're suggesting... me? As the permanent manager?"

Mrs. Smith nodded, her gentle smile filling me with a sense of wonder. "Who better to care for them than someone who already loves them like family? I've watched you interact with them better than anyone, Christine," she said, her eyes really believing.

I thought back to all the moments I'd shared with the kids-the laughter, the tears, the quiet moments of connection. I had grown to love them, but taking on the responsibility of managing the group home was a great task ahead.

"But Mrs. Smith, I... I don't know if I'm qualified," I stammered, my doubts creeping in.

As she sipped the water, I processed her words. Becoming the permanent manager would change my life, but I couldn't bear the thought of the kids being separated.

She took my hands in hers. "I put my faith in you, Frank. This is my final wish."

"Gladys, I'll do everything I can," I promised.

She smiled weakly. "I knew I could count on you, Christine."

I swallowed as I heard the kids' voices from outside. How would they cope without her? Six months later, Gladys passed away in her sleep.

            
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