'TIL DECEIT DO US APART: BILLIONAIRE'S PRETEND BRIDE

Author's POV

The blaring horns of New York City's late-night traffic hammered against Lena's skull, intensifying the ache already gnawing at her temples. Rain drizzled down relentlessly, drenching the crowded streets in a damp, miserable haze.

"Hey! Some of us need some rest after a long day of work! What's with all this hold-up about?" a man hollered from his luxury Audi, his voice lost in the chaos.

Lena exhaled sharply and held her knee, trying to stop her head from aching.

Five months. Five whole months of relentless job hunting, yet nothing.

It didn't make sense. She had graduated at the top of her class, valedictorian of her Master's program in accounting with a stellar 4.2 GPA. That should have opened doors. Instead, she was stuck balancing jobs three jobs as a waitress, salonist, and daycare teacher just to get by.

But in a city ruled by the elite, academic achievements meant nothing compared to wealth, connections- and curves.

"Big boobs and a fat ass," she muttered, mocking herself. "Not my fault I was born flat."

She grimaced, clutching her knee tighter where the pain of standing too long had settled deep in the joint.

Earlier that day, she'd finally scored an interview with Luca Josh-the youngest heir of the infamous Josh dynasty. His early-morning email had been oddly direct, summoning her for a personal meeting after scanning her résumé and liking the photo on her ID.

It had all gone to hell the moment she entered his sleek, soulless office.

Luca had barely masked his disappointment when she walked in, but that hadn't stopped him from making vile, suggestive remarks under the guise of "friendly conversation." When she politely mentioned being engaged, he'd shrugged, leaning closer, his voice low with mockery:

"Well, sweetheart, unless you're willing to really impress me tonight, that ring won't help you get this job."

Disgust had turned her stomach, but she'd kept her composure-until he body-shamed her outright, picking at her appearance like she was nothing more than an object. She'd snapped back, venom sharp on her tongue, and the next thing she knew, she was being thrown out of the building.

Literally.

Lena shivered, blinking back the sting of tears.

'Why didn't I see the red flags sooner?' She asked herself.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Fumbling it out, she squinted at the screen.

Abby:

Girl, no time for calls. About to dominate a sexy Italian stranger (insert blushing emoji). Hope you nailed that interview! Also... I just saw Drake checking into The Josh's Hotel with some chick wearing basically lingerie. Maybe you should come to check it out? Love you! (insert 20 heart emojis).

Lena frowned, running a shaky hand through her damp hair before replying to her best friend's message.

Lena:

Love you too, Abs. Drake said he had therapy at that hotel tonight. Don't overthink it. I'm sure it's nothing.

She hesitated before adding:

Also... use protection.

When the message was sent, Lena barely had time to process anything else before-

SPLASH!

A sleek silver Porsche sped through a puddle, sending a wave of filthy rainwater cascading over her, drenching her completely.

Gasps echoed around her as she stood there, stunned, rainwater dripping from her hair and face.

Lena's wide eyes locked on the car as it came to a smooth stop in front of the massive glass building-Josh's main enterprise.

Her humiliation quickly twisted into rage.

'You've got to be kidding me.'

Teeth clenched, she stormed after the car, fists balled.

"Mommy, look! A witch!" a toddler whispered loudly, pointing at her dripping figure.

Lena ignored the sting of the words, her heels clicking hard against the pavement as the Porsche's door opened.

Out stepped a man who screamed power-dressed in a sharp, tailored black suit with a silver cross tattoo peeking from beneath the collar of his shirt. Before Lena could confront him, a sea of paparazzi and reporters swarmed in.

"Mr. Josh! Is it true your mother has been diagnosed with cancer?"

"Are you finally ready to take over your family's empire?"

The questions flew relentlessly, but the man-clearly another member of the Josh dynasty-stood unbothered, his jaw tight, his gaze hard.

' Arrogant prick!' Lena squirmed inwardly.

She shoved through the crowd, determined to give him a piece of her mind, but a wall of muscle blocked her path.

"Step back," A towering bodyguard barked, his scowl making her feel microscopic.

Lena scowled right back. "I need to see that asshole who didn't have the courtesy to stop his freaking car and say sorry to me after driving his car at an unlawful speed limit and sending shit water over me!"

The bodyguard's face twisted in horror. He glanced over at his boss, who had noticeably heard what Lena had said since he had come to a complete halt.

The guard turned to Lena rapidly, trembling with anxiety that his boss would make a commotion if he saw the woman who had ridiculed his name...

"You've got two seconds to leave before I make you." He growled a hint of fear in his eyes.

Lena opened her mouth to argue-only for the brute to shove her hard, sending her stumbling to the ground.

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Paparazzi barely spared her a glance, their focus glued to the Josh heir.

"Attention-seeking much?"

"Elites, don't date the oppressed; go find someone in your class and stop embarrassing yourself!"

"Petty little thing."

Lena's chest tightened. She scrambled to her feet, clutching her muddy briefcase as humiliation crushed her like a weight.

Tears blurred her vision as she staggered away from the scene, cold and soaked to the bone.

The towering skyscrapers loomed above, symbols of the life she'd once dreamed of. The life she had worked so damn hard for.

She'd sacrificed so much-missed parties, pushed away romance throughout her high school and college years-all for this? For a city that refused to see her worth?

Her hands trembled as she flipped both middle fingers at the Josh building, voice cracking as she cried out,

"Screw you. You just lost the best accountant you'll ever get."

'Who am I kidding?'

By the time Lena reached her apartment, her feet were blistered, and her spirit felt just as battered. She kicked off her mud-streaked heels, tossed them aside, and collapsed onto the couch, the dampness of her clothes seeping into the beige rug.

Hot tears welled again. She forced herself up, cleaned the mess, showered, and curled back up on the couch in a fresh set of clothes.

She returned to the living room, turned on the television, and was greeted with a commercial from the Joshes' company.

" If I ever get to see that asshole, I'll give him a piece of my mind." Lena scowled and turned off the television.

Her gaze flicked to the door, waiting for Drake. He always knew how to comfort her after bad days like this. But midnight passed. Then 1 a.m.

'The therapy should've ended hours ago.' Lena reckoned, worriedly.

Just as she was about to call him, her phone lit up with a call from Drake.

"Happy, she sat up and answered the call immediately.

" It's past midnight and you haven't returned. You owe me a lot for getting me so worried."

" I think you have to wait a little bit longer because your fiance here can't get enough of me." A female voice came through.

Lena raised a brow in confusion. She was about to ask who was speaking when the female spoke again.

" Look, I'm aware Drake has a fiancee. It's my job as a sex worker to bang him, but I don't want you to continue getting deceived by him."

Lena's heart started to beat fast. She rose to her feet and gripped the phone tightly.

" I don't understand what-"

" Thought I heard my phone ringing." Drake's voice came through, and after a second, Lena heard the sound of something crashing into a bed.

" Must be your imagination."

" Or maybe I'm too high from making love with you." Drake laughed so loud it shattered Lena's heart into pieces. " Stand on the bed and bend for me, would you? Be a nasty little prostitute, and don't scream till I tell you to."

" What about your fiancee? She'd get worried if you don't get home soon."

Drake chuckled ludicrously. " She will believe any false story I tell her like the naive little slut she is. If not for the money she's giving me, I would have taken you as my bride in her place."

Lena stood frozen in the center of her living room, her body trembling as the sounds of pleasure from her fiancé and the sex worker echoed in her ears.

She had often overheard women at the salon sharing stories of infidelity, their voices heavy with pain. Yet, until now, she had never truly grasped the devastation of being betrayed.

Unable to endure the torment any longer, she threw her phone aside and then collapsed onto the floor in a storm of tears.

She had loved Drake with everything she had. Their love story began after they both had faced rejection from their first job interview at Mac's Business Institute.

Drawn in by his charm, Lena had made the first move, and their connection had deepened swiftly-sharing laughter, late-night talks, and ultimately being intimate with him on her rooftop. Giving him her purity had only intensified her feelings for him.

It was she who had proposed to him, not only because of the constant pressure from her parents to marry or risk dying a disgrace but because she was hopelessly infatuated with him.

Lena cried herself into exhaustion, falling asleep right there on the floor.

The sound of the front door unlocking jolted her awake.

"Careless, as always. What if someone had tried to break in? You left the doors wide open," Drake muttered, barely sparing her a glance before heading toward the bedroom.

Her red, swollen eyes went unnoticed. His indifference broke something inside her.

Rising unsteadily, she followed him and seized his shoulder then forced him to face her. Without thinking, she slapped him hard across the face, her hand trembling even as fresh tears welled up.

Drake stared at her in stunned silence, clutching his cheek. "What the hell, Lena? How dare you lay hands on me!"

"How dare I? How dare you cheat on me!" she cried, her voice cracking. She shoved him in the chest, making him stumble. "You cheating bastard!"

When she raised her hand to strike him again, he caught her wrist and pinned her roughly against the wall.

Lena's heart pounded. His proximity made her feel both sick and ashamed of the lingering pull she felt toward him. She hated herself for it.

She struggled, but his grip only tightened. Slamming his fist into the wall beside her head, he made her recoil and freeze in horror.

"Fight me again, and I'll make you regret it," He hissed.

Lena searched into his eyes for any trace of love in his eyes, she found only cruelty.

"How could you do this to me? Cheat on me?" she whispered brokenly.

Drake's fingers clamped around her chin, tilting her face upward. His nails bit into her skin as his lips curled into a sneer.

"That's why you hit me? Because you found out?" He let out a cold laugh. "Well, congratulations for finally putting that brain of yours to use."

Her stomach twisted as he continued. "Yes, I cheated. And guess what? I enjoyed every damn bit of it." His lips brushed her neck, making her fidget in disgust. "Don't blame me, baby. No man wants to deal with a clingy, obsessive woman like you."

Lena's body stiffened as he sucked at her neck and his hand slid beneath her shirt. She struggled, gripping his wrist to stop him, but he was stronger.

"Stop resisting. You know you want me to take you right here," he growled, voice thick with mockery.

Fueled by adrenaline, Lena's knee shot up, striking him hard between the legs.

Drake staggered back with a strangled grunt, clutching himself.

Gasping for air, Lena pressed herself against the opposite wall, wrapping her arms protectively over her chest where her torn shirt revealed too much. She wept, humiliated, and heartbroken.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" She whimpered, wishing the walls could swallow her whole.

Drake muttered vile words under his breath as he held his throbbing p**is. " Just wait till I get my hands on you."

"You told me you loved me," she choked out, voice trembling.

Drake's lips curled into a mock pout. "I said a lot of things I didn't mean." His gaze was ice cold. "Did you really think I was the kind of man who'd settle for one woman forever? Please. I'm not some romance novel hero."

Lena's sobs deepened, but she refused to look away.

"You could've at least been a decent human being,"

His laugh came out sharp and cruel. "You call being 'decent' a man who bends over backward for you? No, Lena. You're pathetic. What makes you think someone like me would ever settle down?"

"Because I believed you loved me," she replied, voice barely above a whisper.

Drake smirked, stepping closer. "Oh, don't cry, sweetheart. If marriage is what you want, we'll still go through with it. I'm not calling off the wedding."

Lena stared at him, her heart aching. What was once supposed to be her happiest moment now felt like a living nightmare.

"I don't want to marry you anymore," she whispered her voice hoarse.

Drake's face darkened, then twisted into mock sympathy. "Really? And break your parents' hearts? Remember how thrilled they were when you told them we were getting engaged? Your father's health can't take more stress, can it?"

The reminder hit her hard. Though she was only twenty-two, her parents were relentless about tradition, rooted in their conservative values. Her great-grandparents, devout Muslims, had instilled the importance of early marriage, a belief passed down unwaveringly.

Even now, they reject modern ideals, believing today was just a rebranded version of the past.

Drake's smirk deepened as he saw her hesitation. "See? You wouldn't want to be the reason your father ends up in the hospital, would you?"

Lena felt crushed. She had always dreamed of marriage being built on love, not manipulation.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped when Drake tried to stroke her lips and then she slapped his hand away.

Hiding her face into her palms, she broke down again.

Drake chuckled coldly. "Let me guess. You failed your job interview because you weren't... physically what they were looking for? That's exactly why I cheated. I need a real woman."

Spinning on his heels, he headed for the stairs. "Don't cry yourself to death yet. I still need you alive for our wedding."

Lena fell to the floor, pressing her head against the wall as tears blurred her vision.

She had always been told never to show weakness, but holding back her pain felt impossible now.

If she wasn't screaming or breaking things, it was only because she was barely holding herself together.

Desperate to numb the ache, she grabbed her phone. She would go out tonight. She'd drink, dance, and sleep with a stranger just to prove Drake wasn't the only one who could be unfaithful.

Texting her best friends, Abby and Raymond, she typed, "Club tonight. 9 PM. Be there."

Within seconds, both replied with identical messages:

~Fuck yeah! And yes, we'll bring protection. (Insert eye roll emoji).~

"Asher, Mister Josh would like to see you now," Jade Baker, Robert Josh's personal assistant, announced from the doorway of Asher's office.

"Thank you, Jade," Asher replied with a faint, nearly imperceptible smile.

As she turned to leave, Jade peeked back inside and whispered, "If it's about marriage again, let me know. I'll knock some sense into him."

Asher shook his head, suppressing a laugh. "Get back to work before Father thinks we're slacking off again."

Jade grinned and as forwith she left, Asher's face darkened.

His relationship with his father had never been close. Robert Josh was strict, demanding, and emotionally distant, always expecting perfection from his children. Asher especially hated his father's constant pressure for him to marry.

Jade was one of the few who supported him, especially when his mother, Gabrielle Josh, wasn't around-her presence was far more intimidating. Jade, now 48 and unmarried, had once been a hostess before joining the Josh family's business. She'd been Asher's nanny since he was nine, before later becoming Robert's PA.

Asher made his way to the lounge where his father sat alone on a massive blue sofa, casually eating cherries. The television before him played a viral video from the night before-footage of a blonde woman publicly insulting his son.

"Quite the spectacle, wasn't it?" Robert remarked, gesturing toward the screen.

Asher watched how the blonde poured dirt on his name publicly. He didn't have the pleasure of seeing her face clearly yesterday but now he could see her.

Freckled nose. Brown eyes. Full lips. Average-sized figure. That face.

One thing was certain, he hated that face.

" She called the son of the Josh's family an asshole." Robert laughed somewhat happy about it. " I'd like to see her face-to-face. At least someone has the guts to step up to your curt attitude."

Asher's glare shifted between the TV and his father. "Is that why you called me here? To discuss this nonsense?"

"Frankly speaking, you should be lucky that's not why I called you here. Unless I'll make you go out and find that woman, then you'd apologize to her in my presence."

Asher's brows furrowed. " Apologize for what- You know what, never mind. Why did you ask to see me?"

Robert popped another cherry into his mouth and sat straight, ready for business.

"Angelica will be back in New York in three months-"

"I have told you to stop talking about that bitch."

" Language!" Robert snapped.

Asher's clenched his jaw.

"You know the type of woman she is," He muttered.

"Yes. Careless. But she's still the mother of your three-year-old daughter. And you're going to marry her."

"I'll marry someone I love. Angelica will never be that woman."

Robert's eyes narrowed. "Love? A man like you is incapable of romantic love. You'll end up alone if you keep this up."

Asher stood, towering over his father. "Exactly." He turned on his heel and left without another word.

Later, instead of returning to work, he called his best friend and business partner, Josiah Al-Nasser.

"Let me guess, someone pissed you off again, and now you need moral support?" Josiah's frivolous voice added a layer of anger to Asher's already overflowing pile.

"Are you in New York?"

"Come on, dude, I returned to New York with you this Monday. "

Josiah was the opposite of Asher; loud, carefree, and a magnet for attention. Yet when it came to business, he was sharp. His father, a powerful Sheikh from Ajman, had entrusted him with managing their American ventures till he found a wife and returned to his homeland.

"I know. I'm just asking a stupidly obvious question like you did- But, don't start smiling like an ass; I don't need your moral support. All I need is lights, alcohol, and music."

" Oh, is someone finally ready to take alcohol for the first time in his youth?"

" If I get drunk, I'll kill you." He switched the position of his phone to his other ear. " Fifteen minutes. I'll be waiting for you."

Josiah arrived in nine.

Two minutes on the road, Josiah was singing along to 'Another Love' playing on the drive.

Asher stared out the window, holding a smile.

" Oh, come on, Ash, I know you want to sing along."

" Shut up."

" Look at your leg; you are already moving to the beat."

"What beat? This is a freaking depressing song." Asher snorted.

" You can't hear the beat because your heart's been broken one too many times!"

Asher ran his hand through his face, laughing as he shook his head. " What woman would see a man like me and want to break my heart?"

Josiah scoffed. " And they say I'm a narcissist."

Within less than an hour in the bar, Josiah was wasted. Asher had only one shot of alcohol and knew he was never going to take it again.

He sat at the bar, face resting on his hands, thoughts circling back to his father's words.

His daughter.

The child Angelica used as a bargaining tool. He remembered the first time he saw his daughter-tiny, delicate, perfect. And now, Angelica refuses to let him see his child unless they get married.

"Hey, dude, check out that chick. She's been staring at me since we walked in," Josiah suddenly whispered.

Asher groaned. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Well, you are on your own because I'm going to meet her. " Josiah got up from the bar stool, grabbed Asher's shoulder, and brought his lips to his ear. " Plus, she has a sexy friend; you can go say hi to her or continue acting like a depressed teenager."

As Josiah wandered off, Asher's attention drifted toward the dance floor. His gaze locked on a blonde woman dancing with reckless abandon.

Asher stared at the blonde with furrowed brows. He could swear she resembled someone he'd seen on television an hour ago.

While Josiah took her friend away, it was only her and the ginger guy dancing together.

Asher stepped closer, needing to confirm it was her. She was wild, almost unrecognizable in a strapless crop top and yellow miniskirt. As she danced, laughing and twirling, his irritation grew.

Then the music shifted, slowing into a sensual rhythm.

Suddenly, she was pressed against him, arms wrapping around his neck.

"Go, Lena!" Raymond cheered. " Rock that ass."

Asher inhaled sharply as her body moved against him. Heat flared through his veins. She moaned softly when she felt his reaction pressing against her.

He clenched his jaw, trying to resist, but she turned around, eyes meeting his with a playful, tipsy smile.

"Hello, stranger." Lena smiled so brightly that Asher's bulge grew even bigger.

Asher came to a realization that she didn't remember him, or at least she was too drunk to. She swayed her hair left and right, dancing seductively on his body.

By the time the song was over, they were both breathing loudly and their nose were touching. Lena didn't take her hand off his neck. There was a burning fire in her that she needed to quench and she could feel it in him too.

She took a hand off his neck to graze his lips. " Make me forget." She closed her eyes and cupped his cheeks with both hands. A tear fell out of her eyes as she closed them. " I don't want to be the one who starts giving first."

She grabbed his large veiny hand and placed it on her breast. Her eyes were pleading, he could see she wasn't just asking for sex. Something was disturbing her greatly but there was no cause to give a damn. As far as he remembered, she disrespected him, he shouldn't have mercy on her.

" You want me to touch you?" He took his hand off her chest and grazed her parted lips. He frowned as he saw the bruises on them as well as the ones on her jaw.

" No...I want you to make love to me." She grabbed his hand to place it on her chest again, but he jerked his hand away.

A part of him didn't want to touch her but a bigger part of him wanted to. He wanted to punish her. He wanted to see if she could handle the ferociousness of his body pounding into hers.

" Turn around for me," Asher ordered, his eyes devoid of emotions.

Lena complied.

He placed a hand on her waist and the other on her neck then brought his face close to her neck. Another bruise.

His jaw clenched.

" Let's be civilized," he whispered on her neck.

A silent moan escaped her lips when his breath fanned the bruise on her neck.

" Mhm."

" What's the most civilized place to have sex in this place?"

It took two minutes to reach the bathroom. One minute to strip. Thirty minutes of heated foreplay and twenty minutes of Lena screaming and begging for Asher to keep on hurting and smashing her.

Then, three minutes later, for him to realize, something was definitely wrong with her.