Hate To Love You My Billionaire Lover

Arianna frowned at herself in the mirror. She carefully removed her clip-on earrings and gently kneaded her earlobes afterward. She thought they'd done enough damage to her ears for the day.

This luxurious hall even had decorations in its bathroom. She glanced at the purple orchids by the sinks.

She began to fix her hair with some water and re-applied a layer of lipstick.

A shawl originally accompanied her white dress, however, she gave it to her colleague, Melissa, to cover a stain on her dress. Unfortunately, this left her thin shoulders and back exposed in her deep V-neck dress.

Arianna took out a small perfume bottle from her handbag and sprayed her hair, neck, and wrists. She took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped out of the bathroom.

The main hall was illuminated with golden lights and was filled with beautiful dresses, melodic music, and noisy chatter. She scanned the crowd, hoping to find Melissa.

But, the committee affairs leader called her, "Arianna, we could use a little help, if you don't mind."

This was the annual banquet organized by Arianna's business association. As staff members of the investment department, she and Melissa were recruited to be the interpreters for the evening.

However, many foreign guests brought their own interpreters, leaving the two women with lots of free time.

Arianna saw the company president speaking to a European guest as she approached them. She joined the conversation, facilitating translation and ensuring everything was properly understood.

She bowed elegantly before stepping away when she felt that she was no longer needed. But before she could do so, the guest suddenly grinned and softly picked up her wrist and slid his hand underneath her fingers.

His rugged beard was rough on her skin as he placed a kiss on her hand.

Arianna blushed in embarrassment as she turned to leave.

She could only take a couple of steps before someone stepped out in front of her and said, "Dear Arian."

Her heartbeat ramped up for a moment. It had been many years since someone called her that. She lost contact with her old friends a long time ago.

Standing in front of her was a young, shining woman in a red dress. A heart-warming smile on her face, "Arianna, it really is you!"

"Hello, Janie." Arianna responded without the same excitement, "Long time no see."

"What are you doing here? I thought your entire family moved away!"

"Nope. I've been here all along." She responded flatly. Arianna was about to say goodbye, but Janie began to beckon to someone. Arianna placed her hands on her hips.

A man turned his head away from the group of people he was talking to and looked at Janie. He politely excused himself and strode over to the two women.

The man was in good shape and had a deep, booming voice. On his fourth finger was the same style of ring as Janie. He said, "Arianna, you haven't changed a bit!"

"Neither have you two. Congratulations on the wedding!" Arianna said with a fake smile and left.

****

During the first few hours of the banquet, Arianna had nothing to do. She sat at a table with Melissa and observed the people. But now, people were recognizing her and giving her things to do. Was it because her gown was more revealing now and drawing more attention to her?

When Arianna finally found Melissa, she was talking to an official. She stepped back and waited for them to finish their conversation.

However, the official caught Arianna's eye and called to her, "Aren't you Arianna Jenkins, the granddaughter of Franco Sanchez? How is he?"

"He is well, thank you." Arianna was a little coy. She knew who he was but did not remember that they had ever officially met.

This was not Arianna's scene. She didn't expect to encounter acquaintances one after another. After the man left, she let out a long sigh.

Melissa raised one eyebrow at Arianna and asked, "What's up with you? He seemed nice."

"He knows my grandpa."

"And that couple you were talking to over there?"

"We were classmates back when we were kids."

"Well, they're making negotiations with the city." She pulled Arianna's arm and continued, "Anyways, stop hiding yourself. You don't need me to tell you that any man here packs a fortune. We'd make a nice score if any of them fell for us."

Melissa winked at her, "Let's go. Don't look down, hold your chest up and smile."

Arianna was surprised by Melissa's behavior. But she did have a point. Melissa helped ensure that neither of them was having a wardrobe malfunction, but her eyes widened, and she said, "Nice!"

Following her eyes, Arianna only saw the side profile of a tall man. His head was slightly lowered to speak to a group of shorter men.

The man had a modest expression on his face, but he still appeared to be above the others out of their league.

He turned his head sideways towards the girls as he could feel them watching him. Both Melissa and Arianna looked away when they saw his head begin to move.

Melissa said under her breath, "This guy is gorgeous. He could be a Greek God if you ask me... I haven't seen a real man like that in a while."

The corner of Arianna's mouth twitched as she fought her smile in response to Melissa's words. She looked back at the man and could see that they were saying goodbye.

His eyes briefly met hers once more before she quickly lowered hers to the floor.

Melissa asked, "Do you know him? Arianna, Hello? Who is that guy?"

At that moment, the music dipped to a quieter rhythm, leaving Melissa's questions echoing through the room. Before she could answer, someone nearby stated, "That is Travis Cooper, the president of Transcendent Jewels."

Melissa's mouth dropped, "Transcendent Jewels? Wow. Word has it that he owns diamond mines in South Africa. I thought he would be super old!"

She continued to babble, "People say he's out of the state most of the time and rarely appears in public. He doesn't like to be interviewed or photographed."

"This guy is a legend." Melissa finished with a hair flip.

After the meal and closing speeches, the banquet was finally over. However, Melissa and Arianna had to stay until all the guests had left. They were required to assist with any goodbyes and ensure all guests had a ride home.

The women were so relieved once the final guests were waving goodbye. Melissa's ride had been waiting for her for over half an hour, so she left immediately.

Arianna sighed and smoothly took off her high-heeled shoes and casually looped them through her fingers to carry them. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, but a waiter informed her, "Miss Jenkins, someone left a note for you."

He reached into his vest pocket, pulled out the folded piece of paper, and placed it in her hand.

She thanked him and shoved the note into her purse. Once Arianna was out of the building, she opened her bag and drew the note back out.

Written in black pen, the note simply stated, "Hillside." She could tell that this was a man's writing.

Hillside was a leisure club that was open all night. It was only ten minutes away from here, she thought.

Arianna decided to go back into the building to check her appearance. She took her hair out of the tight bun she wore for the banquet and shook it loose with her fingers.

Arianna sprayed herself with some perfume once again before slipping back into her heels. She then left the banquet hall for good.

Once in her car, she checked the time and took a sip of water. 12:30a.m. The night was still young.

After parking and entering the club, she was directed through several corridors before reaching the back. It was a secluded parking lot with no lights. Few members could enter here.

A black car was parked in the middle of the lot, blending in with the night.

The driver got out and opened the door for Arianna. She got in without saying a word and slid across the black leather seats.

The driver firmly closed the door, and she could feel the engine vibrate through the car, though it didn't make much sound.

The person next to her suddenly asked, "Do you mind if I smoke?"

It was not a request, rather a polite announcement that he was about to smoke. Travis Cooper took out his cigarette case and drew one out.

Arianna effortlessly found the car lighter and lit the cigarette for him.

In the flickering light, they briefly looked at each other. His eyes showed no emotion.

She quickly put out the flame and put the lighter back in its place.

As the car grew dark again, the only light was the reddish glow from the cigarette and a faint cloud of smoke.

The smell of tobacco was making her throat a little itchy. She couldn't help but lean forward and cough a bit, breaking the silence.

When she leaned back into her seat, she felt his arm behind her shoulders.

His muscles were very strong, though far less comfortable than the car cushions. Her shoulder blades began to ache.

To get more comfortable, Arianna turned towards him and leaned back into his body. Travis slowly lifted his arm and embraced her shoulder. He briefly ran his fingers through her hair before resting his hand on the side of her neck.

Arianna held her breath. He continued to slide his fingers down her body and gently stroked the skin on the front of her chest.

Though it was midsummer, his fingers were cool. They spread the cold through Arianna's body, giving her chills.

Lights from other vehicles flashed through the window, illuminating the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror. Nonetheless, the young driver was focused on the road.

Arianna whispered in his ear, "When did you come back?"

"Last week." He turned his head to look out the window.

His voice had a metallic texture, pleasant but cold, just like his fingertips.

His fingers continued to linger around her neck and chest. Finally, he asked, "Why didn't you find something to cover here? What about your necklace?"

Arianna answered lightly, "It's a little too flashy for me."

Travis smiled quietly in the dark.

****

Arianna finally woke up in complete darkness.

She had night blindness and could not see in the dark. This made her afraid of the dark. She usually left a light on when she slept alone.

Though squinting her eyes never helped before, she couldn't help but try. She felt powerless as if trapped in a nightmare.

Between her spastic heartbeats, she heard someone breathing deeply next to her.

Relief washed over her. She fumbled for the switch on the table lamp.

When the soft light brightened the room, her body was rejuvenated.

Travis was on the other side of the bed, lying on his stomach. He seemed to be in a deep sleep.

He looked very innocent, Arianna thought.

Melissa was right, with his thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, crisp jawline, and strong figure, he did look like he was from heroic myths.

But he was too intense for her to appreciate his looks while he was awake.

Arianna gently made a beheading gesture across his neck with her fingers.

She had always wanted to know if someone ever tried to harm him while sleeping if he would wake up instantly.

This game would be no fun if he took it seriously, so she did not dare to try with a real knife.

Then, she put her hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at his temple. He did not move.

With a small sigh, she slowly got out of bed to take a shower.

The water was hot and began to make her skin red. She didn't care and continued to shower for a long time.

Arianna looked at herself in the foggy mirror. Her chest and collarbone were bruised. Her shoulders had some hickeys and bite marks. Since her skin was so pale and delicate, these markings looked even more defined.

Travis's ancestors must be beasts, not apes, Arianna thought to herself. When lying under him, she always felt like he was out of control. In her dreams, he often transformed into a wolf and swallowed her whole.

Though his foreplay was soft and made her melt slowly like an iceberg, afterward, he did not stop until she was pushed to her limit.

Before, when she had more courage, she clenched her teeth and refused to do as he pleased. She would bite if he pushed her too hard. But in the end, she was always the one who suffered more.

She learned to follow his lead as much as possible. Obedience, though degrading, could yield moments of thoughtfulness from him.

Even this past night, she wasn't sure if she fell asleep due to extreme fatigue or passed out in a massive impact of his carnal desire.

Arianna dried off her body with the bath towel before wrapping it around her body.

She unlocked the door and stepped out of the humid bathroom.

Travis was sitting on the sofa by the window, wearing a silk bathrobe. He was reading a stack of papers with a cigarette in his hand.

When he saw her, he gestured for her to come and sit next to him.

Arianna strode over to the sofa and took a seat on the armrest. As Travis realized he was sitting in the middle of the couch, he slid over to give her a spot.

She slipped off the armrest and onto the couch, however, she was sitting tightly against him now.

Travis's cigarette-holding hand moved from the back of the sofa to her bare shoulder. He hooked her neck and pulled her in as he went for a drag of his cigarette.

Holding her breath, Arianna fought the urge to bite his arm to free herself. She remained motionless. Her body was exhausted.

At least in this position, he wouldn't touch her with the cigarette. She hated when the glowing ashes dropped on her body. She believed he never felt guilty about hurting her.

He finally finished reading the paper and put out his cigarette.

Grabbing a magazine, he flipped through the pages with Arianna. They were looking at beautiful advertisements for expensive jewelry.

Travis suddenly asked, "Which one is your favorite?"

Arianna's body stiffened as she leaned away from him slightly and said, "None of them."

He pointed to one image, "How about this one?"

The picture showed a large diamond-encrusted square emerald. It was crystal clear and translucent. It looked gorgeous and elegant on the young woman's back.

"The model is pretty. Is she your new love?"

Travis laughed mildly, "No, but I should consider it."

Arianna remained silent but slowly sunk back into him. Travis was warming up, "Do you like this one, though? You were looking at it for longer than the rest."

"I was looking at how the jewelry doesn't match the model's personality. It doesn't reflect well on the brand."

"You're right. This model is nowhere near as charming and sexy as you." He turned to her, "Arianna, you know that I like you being obedient, but are you just trying to please me right now?"

She ignored him and rested her head on the armrest with her eyes closed.

Travis folded the papers and threw them in the garbage can. He turned on the TV with its remote before lighting another cigarette.

Arianna was tired of the smell of smoke and said, "Give me one."

Without his consent, she leaned forward to take his cigarette case. Her arms had to stretch across his body to place her fingertips on the case.

But before she could capture the box, he slid the case further away from her and said, "A smoking woman is not charming."

As she was bringing back her arm, she snatched the cigarette from his mouth and sucked on it hard for two seconds before placing it back in his fingers.

She blew a ring of smoke and said, "You used to say you wanted to see the real me. But I don't think that's true."

Travis moved his body backward a little, peering at her like she was a stranger.

Arianna looked back at him without fear, her eyes were focused.

They confronted each other like two martial arts masters. It seemed peaceful on the surface, but two invisible forces were raging between them. Arianna lost her momentum first. She stood up and tried to step away.

However, when she stood up, he held the hem of her bath towel. The towel was torn off as she tried to get away, and she fell into his arms.

Using his strength, he turned her over and pinned her body down on the sofa. His lips pierced through the already injured skin on her chest. She whimpered in pain.

The sofa was very small, though particularly soft. Arianna was like a small bug trapped in a cobweb with nowhere to escape.

She pointed to the bed and spoke weakly, "There." But her request went totally ignored.

****

When Travis stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his hair dry, he noticed Arianna was already dressed.

She wore a light-blue cotton shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and she did not have any makeup on.

A folded pile of clothing caught her eye. It was one of the pantsuits she wore for work. She forgot she left that here. It must have been there for over a year by now.

Arianna rarely stayed overnight, and when she did, she tried to make sure that she never left anything behind. Whatever she needed was always delivered to her while she was there.

Surprisingly, she had never found any other woman's belongings. She sometimes wished that Travis would have affairs with many women so he would torture her less often.

Travis Cooper must have other women. Arianna was not extremely stunning physically, nor was her personality amazing. It must have been fun for him to play these games with her. The torture must be his form of pleasure.

In fact, Arianna remembers one night when he received a phone call from another woman while he was in bed with her. Though his response was brief, his tone was gentle and patient.

When Arianna saw Travis approach her, she stood upright inadvertently. Travis looked at her for several seconds and said, "You are still young and energetic. Just like when I first met you."

Her expression softened a little before she recovered. She remained quiet while scooping up her white dress from the floor. The collar and hemline were shredded.

She kneaded the dress into a ball and threw it into the garbage can.

"What a waste," Travis said slowly.

"I'm not the one who tore it up."

"Are you going home tonight? You've been full of energy recently."

That 'energy' was a dangerous topic. Arianna responded with caution, "I have to finish a work file that's due tomorrow."

"Let Ryan drive you home then."

"Just take me to Hillside so I can pick up my car."

"Let Ryan drive you home."