Claimed By the Billionaire Ex

Prologue

Aurora's POV

I can't remember the last time Jace looked at me the way he looked at her smiling, unguarded, caught off guard by the camera flash as she clung to his arm beneath the ballroom's glittering lights. The world seemed to revolve around them, and as I stared at my phone's screen in the empty living room, my own world threatened to stop spinning altogether.

The comments beneath the photo gutted me.

'@ire_goal_Childhood sweethearts. They look perfect together. He deserves someone who stands beside him. I guess that's why he's never seen with his wife.'

'Pretty sure that was a lie. No one has ever seen him with the supposed wife @ire_goal_'

I could understand why they would say things like this because truthfully, I was never seen with him. Jace never even acknowledged me in public. I was as good as fake. Only a handful of people knew he was even married to me and I was very much real.

I scroll back up to the freeze-frame of her laughter, her arm slipped through his like a secret that belonged only to them. His hand rests on her back with the tenderness I've craved for years. Everything she was receiving right now was something I've craved for years to belong to me.

My hands shake from anger, fear? I don't even know. Maybe disappointment but my resolve doesn't falter as I find the number in my contacts.

"Mr. Lewis? I need you to draw up divorce papers. Tonight."

There's a dull ache in my chest, not just anger but something far more tired. Even as I take my decision, I know I'm still hopelessly in love with the man sleeping on magazine covers. The one who is always kind to every other woman but never me.

I moved my feet to the kitchen, pulling myself together as best I can before he comes home. At least what used to be my home. He comes home late, the scent of expensive cologne and champagne trailing after him. I do what I always do, make dinner, ask how his day went, and pretend my world hasn't shattered.

He barely looks at me, worn down by some unseen battle. His tie half-undone and shirt unbuttoned at the throat, he's every inch the man they see in the magazines: cold, self-assured, untouchable. I search his face for warmth, for anything that says I matter. He gives me silence instead; the only thing he gives is what happens when the lights are off and we're alone in bed.

When he finally speaks, it's not to ask about my day, but to ask for me. His hand finds mine as we pass in the hallway, pulling me gently but firmly toward the bedroom. I don't protest, I never have. I let him take, because this is the only part of him he'll give.

We move to the bedroom in silence, shed our clothes in ritual, not in passion. My skin burns beneath his touch. His lips find the curve of my neck, his hands urgent and practiced. I arch into him, desperate for a tenderness that never comes. Beneath his weight, I feel both lost and found. The only thing holding me to him is need and hope, adrift in the sea of my own longing.

He kisses me with want and I open up clinging to the last piece of him I'll forever keep in my memory. I know he has kissed other girls like this, especially his childhood friend Felicity but I want him right now. We move together, my moves matching his with a loud moan.

His hands grip me tighter, his pace quickens, and for a moment I let myself believe that the desperation in his touch might be longing, not just need. His breath is warm against my ear, and I press my lips to his jaw in silent a plea.

"Please see me," I whisper, so soft I barely hear it myself.

He finishes with a shudder, his body relaxing as he collapses beside me. He drapes an arm over me, not with affection but with ownership. Minutes pass, his breathing slows, and I realize he's already drifting into sleep.

I lie awake, watching the city lights filter through the curtain above our bed. I trace circles on the cool sheets. I memorize the man beside me one last time, the sharp line of his jaw softened by dreams, the hand that held me now slack and open.

I quickly dress in jeans and a comfortable top. My bags were already packed. Down the hallway, the suitcase waits, silent and patient. I get up, careful not to wake him. I pause at the doorway, looking back. The life I'd built, the love I spent myself on, all behind me. I press a kiss to his bare shoulder, whisper goodbye, and slip from the room.

Immediately I made my way outside, the city welcomed me with the same buzz I had always thought I loved but now just makes me fed up. I don't waste any time as I move swiftly and get into a cab.

As the car moves, I look back to where I left Jace, the building still high and beautiful beneath the sky.

"Goodbye, Jace."

Tomorrow he'll get the divorce papers but I'll be long gone by then.

Chapter 1

I sat hunched on the edge of the bed, clutching the medical report so tightly it crumpled along the edges. I read the doctor's words again, even though every word pinted on the paper was embedded in my brain.

'You are not a match for your son's bone marrow transplant.'

I had built an empire from nothing, fashioned power out of pain and learned to wield both with precision. I had connections in every industry that mattered, money that could open almost any door in the world. But not this one. Not when it was my son's life on the line.

Alex was almost five, but seemed younger and weak but he was my brave little boy. He slept so still in the next room. The same dark curls lay soft and wild against his pillow, catching the faint light. His smile, that single dimple deep on one cheek, was a treasure Jace had never given me, but Alex lavished on me with the devotion only a child can.

He had the same eyes as his father, hazel eyes with flecks of gold that glimmered wuth mischief because he was always up to something every day. Eyes I sometimes loved and hated in equal measure.

I stood and crossed to him, brushing a stray curl from his forehead. His skin was too pale, but his breathing was steady. My heart stretched as I touched him, as if my love alone could cure what modern medicine and money could not.

The front door opened sharply, distracting me from my thoughts. Kelsey's bright voice carried through the hall, the subtle lilt of her French accent always a reminder of how far from New York I'd come.

"Rora?" she called, setting her bag down. Her blonde hair was a bit out of place, her cheeks flushed from the biting wind. Since my first days navigating the French biotech circles, she'd been my anchor and the face of my company to the world.

I tried to pull myself together as she entered, but my hand shook as I handed her the report.

My voice shook. "It's no use. I'm not a match for him. All my money, Kelsey, all these specialists and not one of them can help us. I would pay any price. Any fucking price and still nothing." I cried out.

She didn't hesitate simply crossed the room and caught me as my knees gave away, her arms closing around my shoulders before the tears could even fall.

"There has to be a way. We'll find one." She said to me her own voice shook with fear of the unknown.

I'm sure she still had the same question I had in my head. What if we don't find another option? Or what if the last option doesn't work. Kelsey was the best friend and sister I could ever ask for.

Kelsey's company, Lexington Innovations, was a powerhouse. It was a digital global branding company with tech deals spanning continents.

And then there was mine, Biogenix Therapeutics. In just a few years, I'd turned a fledgling medical research project into designing next-generation drug delivery systems and rare disease treatments that sent shockwaves through Europe's pharmaceutical world. Too bad even my company couldn't help my son right now.

Carter Holdings, Jace's company, was a company that consisted finance, tech, and pharmaceutical mergers. They'd tried luring Lexington and Biogenix both always thinking Kelsey was the mastermind, never seeing me behind my pseudonym.

"Does Carter Holdings realize you're the brains?" Kelsey had asked more than once, teasing, but I always shook my head.

No one would tie Aurora Carter, ex-wife and ghost, to Biogenix or the refusal slips crossing Jace's desk. Not even Jace at least, I was determined he wouldn't.

Everytime she asked me that question I always laughed shaking my head.

She wiped away a tear with her thumb, then gripped my hand. "You're scaring me. What are we going to do now?" She asked gently.

I stared at my sleeping son. "I need to see his father."

Everything about Kelsey changed in an instant, her mouth parted, the colour draining from her cheeks. "He's alive? Aurora, all this time... I thought..."

I shook my head. "He's alive, Kelsey. We haven't spoken for years. But he's the only hope Alex has left."

"Are you going to tell me who he is?" She asked me.

I sighed. "The CEO of Carter holdings."

"What the hell? Wait..." She exhaled with a shaky laugh. "Is he... is he the reason you won't sell to Carter Holdings? The CEO?"

I nodded. "Maybe?"

Her eyes widened comically. "Okay. Now it all makes sense the refusals, the secrecy. Well, damn, Rora."

I bit my lip and released a huge sigh. "I haven't told him about Alex. I...I never wanted to even..." I shook my head. "But Alex needs him now. Will you stay with him? Just until we are sure that this will go well or...I don't even know."

Kelsey gave me a nod running soothing hands down my back. "You know Alex is my baby too. I'll make sure it's okay, you just do what you have to do. And, if Jace gives you issues, just come to me. I'll deal with him."

I offered her a grateful smile. At least I had someone on my side.

Before dawn the next morning, I packed my bags. I kissed my son goodbye and promised him I'll be back soon.

The flight crawled by, every hour etched with unease. I replayed what little memory I had left of Jace. Some that still haunted me like our last night and how I had tried to reach out to him after finding out I was pregnant with our son. I shook my head...I didn't want to remember that at all.

When the plane landed in New York, my heart felt raw and open, everything inside me trembling.

I checked into a hotel near the Upper East Side. I just dropped my bag and after freshening up, I made my way to Jace's company.

Carter Holdings had one of the tallest buildings in America. It towered over me and it felt like I was walking into my death trap. The lobby inside was as cold as its reputation. The receptionist met my eyes with a tight professional smile that slipped into skepticism as she took me in.

"Can I help you?" she said without warmth.

"I'm here to see Jace Carter," I answered, willing my pulse to still. "It's urgent."

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked me coldly.

"No. But..."

She cut me off, voice clipped. "Mr. Carter does not take walk-ins. You'll need to schedule through proper channels. This isn't just any company. Only those with appointments get upstairs."

"I know that but if you could just let him know..."

"Why? You think you are special? If it's really important then you should have scheduled a meeting or better still I would have been told about it." She said to me.

"And I'm just saying if you could call him and tell him that..."

She dismissed me. "Come again another time. And make sure to schedule an appointment."

I groaned in frustration. "Could you tell Jace that his ex.."

"Ex wife?" She scoffed. "Or is it ex girlfriend now? We've had several walk inside claiming they were Mr. Carter's wife and none happened to be real. And besides, i thought people were past this shit. It's been years already."

I frowned. I had no idea what she was talking about but I wasn't giving up until I got my son the help he deserves.

"Now look here," I made a show of looking at her name tag. "Charlotte, is this how you guys treat people here?"

"Only those that don't deserve it."

"Really? And that's because you now know people that deserve to be here and people that don't? Let me guess, because you are the boss or you have the hots for him? Or perhaps you've already slept with him?" I asked her.

Petty and unnecessary, yes but I was fucking annoyed. I came kind and as someone who had something to loose. All she had to do was place the fucking call to his office and I'll be able to speak with him.

She opened her mouth to speak when a familiar voice made her and even me pause.

"Mrs. Carter?"

Chapter 2

Aurora's POV

"Mrs. Carter?"

I spun around, heart leaping to my throat. My gaze landed on George, the last person I expected to see, though the familiar voice should have warned me. And then again, I was in Jace's company. I should have known he would be around.

Not much had changed, he was still broad-shouldered, with a boyish grin that was all sincerity and none of the corporate polish you'd expect from Jace's right hand.

"George?" I called out, the shock evident in my voice.

He closed the distance in three long strides, his face torn between a smile and a frown.

"Holy hell, it's really you. Where have you been?" His voice was a flood, questions spilling out before I could respond. "Are you okay? What are you doing here? How are you? What are you doing now? Oh, Mr. Carter is going to lose it when he sees you. He's been searching for you all this while."

There was so much warmth and confusion in that greeting that I almost laughed, my shoulders loosening for the first time since I touched down in New York. But there was no way Jace had been searching for me. He didn't care. He never did and I was very certain he wasn't going to care that I had shown up.

George was practically vibrating with excitement. I could understand because we had been a bit friendly while I was with Jace. He was one of the people I had hated living behind.

When I found out Jace's assistant was a young man fresh out of university, I was shocked but as time went on, I understood why Jace had chosen him. He did his work well and effectively.

"You look...wow, you look good." He fixed me with a serious look, softer around the edges. "I always hoped you'd come back. Me. Carter never really got over..."

He trailed off, shaking his head at his own candor. "Come on, you have to see him. He's upstairs, I swear, he'll be fucking ecstatic to see you, Mrs. Carter."

I doubted that, but the lump in my throat wouldn't let me say it out loud.

George didn't give me more time to stall. He must have sensed my nerves, because as we walked together through the maze of Carter Holdings, past the sleek conference rooms and the smell of expensive cologne, he kept talking, peppering me with questions about my life, telling me I hadn't aged a day and making jokes just to lighten the walk. Each step, my mind spun faster. How do I tell Jace about Alex? Would he even listen? How would be react?

I was so lost in thought I had no idea when

we stopped in front of Jace's office. It looked like something out of an architectural magazine with floor-to-ceiling windows, a wall of thick glass,with the city skyline stretching behind him. George's grin was back in full force. "Wait here."

He slipped inside, closing the door behind him. I stared at the plaque with Jace's name, heart hammering so hard I thought it might shatter. My palms were sweating, knees shaky. I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, willing myself to be the version of Aurora who could slay a boardroom. The stakes had never been higher.

A few seconds passed, then the door swung open.

Jace stood there.

He was taller than I remembered if that was even possible which I know it wasnt. For a second he simply stared, mouth parted, his hazel eyes staring back at me, eyes that reminded me of Alex and why I was here even with his delicious my ex husband looked right now. Then all of a sudden, as if something broke, he crossed the room in two quick steps.

He pulled me into his arms.

I froze, caught in the familiarity of his embrace and the shock of it. I never planned for this, never planned for the way my body still remembered the shape of him, or how his warmth seeped into the cold places I pretended no longer existed.

Jace held onto me as if afraid to let go. My arms just hung there, too stunned to lift. When he finally loosened his hold, he cupped my face, and I saw a flurry of things cross his eyes, hope, anger, relief, and the ache of too many unspoken words.

He spoke softly. "Where have you been, Aurora? What happened? Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

I ignored his question going straight for a private moment. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

His gaze softened even more, and he nodded. "Of course. Come in."

He held the door wider as I stepped past him into the office. The lights were dimmed low, city light filtering through the windows. The place smelled comfortingly of coffee, rich, dark, exactly how I used to like it. Jace noticed my glance and, with that uncanny precision he used to wield so ruthlessly in the business world, placed a cup before me.

I stared. It looked perfect, just the way I always took it extra hot, one sugar, dash of oat milk. A shiver ran over my skin. Had he always noticed these things and simply never shown it?

He took the seat opposite, his expression openand soft. It was so unfamiliar and fucking weird that I almost forgot why I was there.

"I'm glad you're here, Aurora." His voice was gentle, as if one wrong word might fracture the space between us. "You look... you look good."

I pushed the coffee aside with a subtle hand, clearing my throat. I wasn't here because of Jace. I was here because of my son

"We need to talk," I said, my voice coming out steadier than I even expected. "It's... it's about something urgent."

Jace nodded. "I suspected. But whatever it is you need help with I'll help you. You just need to tell me."

For a moment, I just stared at him. This tenderness, this willingness to help, where had it been before? Why now, after all these years? Why was he behaving so different?

But there was no time for old wounds. I took out my phone, found the photo I'd saved hours before, and slid it across the desk.

His frown deepened as he picked it up the temperature in the room dropping to the chill I always felt whenever I was with Jace.

"What the fuck is this?" He growled out, he face contorted in anger.