No Second Time: The Billionaire Craves Me Forever

“Did you see the Judith Sinclair post?” a colleague whispered near Alethea in the office, but she didn’t catch a word, as her mind was already elsewhere.

“An online pregnancy announcement after one night with Axel Jones? She’s literally gone crazy,” another voice replied, making a few heads in the office subtly turn at the mention of their boss's name.

“Not just that,” someone added. “She posted another video last night claiming the boss wants her to abort the baby. She must really want attention.”

Alethea kept her gaze fixed on her computer screen as the words finally filtered in.

“Maybe she’s being paid to ruin his image. How can someone turn something private into public even if she is pregnant?”

“She probably just wants money,” another voice concluded.

Alethea was still half-listening when a notification suddenly appeared on her screen: “CEO wants to see you.”

Her fingers instantly paused, and for a moment, the entire office noise faded. Without looking up, she stood, smoothing her dress, and walked away before anyone could question her.

Reaching the silent executive floor, she knocked once at Axel Jones’ glass door.

“Come in,” his voice came steady, familiar with authority.

Alethea entered swiftly.

Axel didn’t look up immediately, as he was going through documents on his desk.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Alethea muttered, and only then did he lift his gaze.

“Sit,” he instructed calmly.

Alethea obeyed, and a beat of silence passed before he spoke again.

“I saw your salary advance request,” he uttered.

Alethea swallowed before responding. “Sir, I know it’s sudden, but my daughter’s surgery is scheduled for this week and I just need a little more time to arrange—”

“I’ll cover it all,” he suddenly cut her off before she could land completely.

Alethea stared, stunned into silence, her mind becoming blank for a second. “Sir?” she managed.

“Both surgery and recovery bills. Everything…” Axel added as he watched her reaction. Then he reached forward and placed a document on the desk between them.

Alethea still looked puzzled, but the moment her eyes met the document heading, her breathing caught

“Marriage arrangement?” she asked slowly, looking up at him.

“It’s a temporary arrangement between us. It's only going to last a year,” Axel stated calmly, as if it wasn't a big deal.

Instantly, Alethea's heart started to beat faster in something closer to alarm. “I don’t understand, sir,” she managed.

Axel's gaze narrowed slightly. “Judith’s situation created unnecessary attention. The board is unstable. Investors are asking questions I don’t intend to answer,” he said simply, while still observing her. “A stable marriage removes speculation.”

Alethea stared at him, devastated. “So I’m the solution?” she questioned.

Axel’s gaze stayed on her for a moment longer than necessary before responding. “You’re discreet. You don’t draw attention. You're exactly who I need,” he paused. “I know you're a single mother, and I also know you need the money. You can check the document right here. I need a response before you leave.”

With this, uneasiness settled in Alethea's chest as she looked down at the file. For her daughter’s sake, she opened the seal with shaky hands. On the second page, there was a summary of the whole contract terms, and she read it in silence.

“I can’t do this, sir,” she muttered the moment she finished reading.

Axel studied her for a long moment while still evaluating. “Your daughter’s surgery is in forty-eight hours,” he reminded.

Alethea's chest tightened at the realisation of the bitter truth. Yet, she remained silent.

With a measured movement, Axel leaned back in his chair. “You’re not even being asked for love. And not even loyalty,” he said calmly.

Alethea looked at him, as if he just gibbered. “Then what am I being asked for, sir?” she asked.

“Presence. Only presence. After one year, you go back to your life,” he muttered.

Right in that moment, a notification flashed on Alethea's phone. Without even looking, no one needed to tell her it was a payment reminder message from the hospital.

Closing her eyes, her daughter’s face flashed in her mind, and she couldn't stop thinking about her tiny figure lying weakly on the hospital bed.

Exhaling slowly, she opened her eyes and reached forward to pick a pen from his desk.

Before she finished signing all the pages, another notification came buzzing from her phone. She checked it only to realise he had sent a hundred thousand dollars to her account.

“You should head to the hospital any chance you get. You only have a week to move in with me. Mind you, your daughter keeps living with your aunt once she's better,” he declared, before she could utter a word.

~

It had been a week since Alethea's daughter's condition stabilized, a week since she signed a contract marriage that still didn’t feel real no matter how many times she thought about it.

Somehow, Judith Sinclair’s scandal only seemed to grow worse. Every day brought a new headline with a new video revealing a new accusation.

“Mommy?”

Alethea looked down immediately, responding to her daughter's call. “Yes baby,” she muttered, seated on the couch in her aunt's living room.

“When will you come see me again?” Elora asked as she sat comfortably on her lap, her fingers wrapped around hers.

The question tightened something painfully inside Alethea's chest, and she forced a smile while brushing her hair gently. “I’ll come whenever I can, baby,” she finally replied.

Elora looked up at her seriously. “I’ll behave for Great-Aunt Lexi,” she murmured.

From across the room, the old Lexi in her 60s chuckled softly while folding laundry. “That’s right. And you’ll keep eating properly too,” she added.

“I will. The doctor said I need food to become stronger,” Elora chimed, with a bright smile.

This time Alethea also laughed quietly, but the guilt of leaving her daughter never still left her chest.

After leaving her aunt’s house, she resumed office only to be welcomed by Axel's call.

“Good morning sir,” she greeted upon reaching his desk.

“Morning. You can sit,” Axel responded, his gaze now directed toward her.

Alethea obeyed quietly, ready to listen.

“You’ll move into my penthouse today. There’ll be a private civil registration this evening as marriage evidence,” he added calmly.

Alethea looked up slowly, in amusement. “It’s happening so fast,” she mumbled.

Axel held her gaze a little longer than usual. “You signed the contract a week before,” he reminded swiftly.

~

After the day’s activities at the court, she followed closely behind Axel as he approached his penthouse elevator. Upon entering the living room, a staff member stepped forward and greeted them with a respectful bow.

“Is her room ready?” Axel asked curtly.

“Yes, Mr. Jones,” the house help replied.

“That will be all. I'll take it from here,” he said, dismissing the woman.

Alethea hesitated before following Axel, who began heading down the hallway in silence. When he finally stopped in front of a massive door, he didn't open it immediately. Instead, he turned back toward her with an unreadable expression.

“Your room is connected to mine,” he declared, his gaze locking onto hers. “This door leads to both.”

Alethea’s eyes widened as she looked at the door, realizing the private arrangement she had agreed to now felt much more intimate.

The following morning, Alethea carefully stepped out of her room. Last night, she feared she had to share a demarcated room with her boss, until she discovered the main door actually led to a small, private hallway with two separate room doors inside. The doors were close, but they were still separate.

To her surprise, she found Axel already seated at the dining table, with a coffee beside him as he scrolled through an iPad.

“You’re awake early. It's Saturday,” he said without looking up.

Alethea sat carefully across from him. “I couldn’t sleep much,” she muttered.

“That’ll change with time,” he said simply.

With breakfast already arranged across the table, Alethea picked at her food quietly before speaking again. “The Judith situation is still getting worse online,” she muttered.

Axel finally looked up at her. “It will completely pass after you finally play your part by also making a video,” he said flatly.

“What if she's really preg…”