Betrayed BY MY Billionaire Ex-Lover

"You've got a visitor."

The words struck Scarlett like a slap, sending shivers down her spine. She looked up from her doodles, her heart beating and hoping it wasn't somebody she feared.

******

Scarlett Rivers had spent the previous five years creating a life separate from the flashy, tumultuous world she had once inhabited with Aiden Blackwood. The tranquil streets of Starlight Bay, the sea air, and her boutique, "Ava & Scarlett," had become her haven. Every stitch in her designs represented a thread in the fabric of her new beginning, a life she'd pieced together after her heart had been broken.

However, this idyllic existence had always been precarious. It only required the mention of him—a visitor whose identity was unspoken but apparent.

Scarlett's assistant, Jenna, shuffled uneasily near the entrance. "He's waiting outside," she mumbled, looking at Scarlett, who was pale with astonishment.

Scarlet swallowed hard. Five years. Five long years of stillness. Why now?

"Tell him I'm busy," she managed to murmur, her hands quivering. It was a lie, but she couldn't face him. Not now. Not ever. The images of their last encounter lingered in her mind—Aiden standing in the penthouse, betraying her in the worst way possible. And then she ran—left New York, her goals, and him behind.

But Jenna did not move. Instead, she exhaled. "Scarlett…he's not leaving."

Scarlett's heart accelerated, and her hands clutched her sketchbook as if it might keep her in the present. Aiden's reappearance was more than just unpleasant; it was hazardous. He didn't know about Ava. What if he found out?

"Do you want me to—"

"I'll handle it," Scarlett said, standing up abruptly. Her legs felt unsteady, but she forced herself to go, each step approaching the front door feeling like she was treading on the edge of a cliff.

Outside, the afternoon sun shed a golden glow over the town, creating a gorgeous scene that belied the storm seething within her. And there he was: Aiden Blackwood, leaning against a sleek black automobile, his eyes fixed on her. He looked exactly like the millionaire she remembered—tall, sharp suit, slightly unkempt hair in that carefree, intentional way. But his eyes had not changed. Dark, intense, looking for something.

He offered her that smile that used to make her world spin. Now it's only made her sick.

"Scarlett." His voice was rich, silky, and frustratingly calm. "We need to talk."

Scarlett stood erect, but her insides were unraveling. Aiden's charm had not faded with the passage of time, which worried her. She was no longer the innocent girl who had fallen for him so readily, seduced by his wealth, power, and undeniable connection. Now she was a mother. Her top priority was Ava, whom he knew nothing about.

"I don't have anything to say to you," she said, her voice chilly and maintaining her distance. She hoped he wouldn't see the quiver in her palms or the way her pulse raced just by standing so close to him again.

Aiden's eyes flashed with something unreadable. "Then just listen."

"No. You listen. I do not care why you are here, Aiden. "You don't belong in my life anymore." They both knew she was lying. A part of her despised how much she still cared, and the magnetic draw between them that had not diminished with time. But there was too much history and grief.

He moved closer, his expression softening. "Scarlett, I realize I made a mistake. But I won't leave until you hear me out."

"Then you'll be waiting a long time."

She turned on her heel and walked back into her shop before she could do something stupid, like show him how much he still influenced her.

Aiden's voice stopped her cold. "Scarlett, I am not only here for you. This is about something larger. A charitable event. Whether you like it or not, you are a part of it.

She halted at the door, tightening her grip on the latch. She could hear her heart beat in her ears. "A charity event?" "You expect me to work with you?"

"Not anticipate," he stated softly, "but need. It is for the local children's hospital, and your drawings have been specifically requested. "I tried to keep my involvement quiet," he said, trailing off.

There it was: the hook. He had cornered her. Scarlett's store needed more exposure, especially given the competition in Starlight Bay. She'd been struggling to make ends meet recently, and a charity event linked to Aiden's money would significantly help her career.

But what about working with him? Impossible. Unthinkable. However, she had no choice. Not if she wanted to keep her business going. Not if she wanted Ava to have the future she deserved.

Scarlett's fingers sank into the doorframe, her body stiff. She turned and stared down at Aiden, her lips pressed into a tight line. "Fine," she said quietly, her voice barely audible. "I will do it." But don't regard this as forgiveness."

Aiden's eyes clouded, but he nodded. "I wouldn't dream of it." His lips twisted into a half-smile, implying something unspoken and deeper.

Scarlett's heart fell as he turned to leave, realizing that this charity event was just the beginning. The past had returned, and this time there would be no running from it.

And then, just before getting into his car, he peered back over his shoulder, his voice low, menacing, and far too intimate for comfort.

"By the way… you look just like I remember."

Closing the door behind her, Scarlett tried to regain her breath by pushing her back against the wood. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she went back over Aiden's previous words. You seem exactly as I recall. His voice stayed in the air, smooth and terrible, as though it had never left. She squeezed her hands, trying to slow her heart, but the rush of memories was unrelenting.

Five years gone by. Five long years separating her previous visit from him. The guy who had wrecked her life and broken her heart, Aiden Blackwood, worked alone. And now he was back, dragging everything she had battled so hard underfoot. He was unaware of the whole degree of the devastation he had done. He was not aware of Ava.

Scarlett tightened her chest at the thought of her daughter. Just four years old, Ava had wide, inquisitive eyes and the same black hair that mirrored Aiden's. Scarlett's life's brightness came from her innocent grin and cheeky laugh—the one thing keeping her