Billionaire's Bride

First Gift

The love I see in your eyes,
Do you see the same in mine?

The car ride was comfortable and silent. Janette occasionally stole glances at Asher through her peripheral vision. He looked breathtaking, so much so that she couldn’t summon the courage to lift her eyes off him. As they neared the venue, she recognized the elite area and the ornate decorations, and a familiar nervousness crept in—the same feeling she used to get pulling into the school parking lot with a test scheduled for first period. But today felt much harder. She was about to meet new people in a world she didn’t belong to. What a game destiny had played with her, she thought, sighing softly.

Asher noticed her growing unease. Without a word, he placed his hand on hers. Janette was startled at first but quickly felt a warm sense of comfort. He always seemed to know how to soothe her without asking. "Don't be nervous," he said flatly, still looking straight ahead. "They’re just like us," he added, referring to the people at the party before Janette could reply.

She almost gave him an incredulous look but stopped herself. He didn’t know she hadn’t grown up in the same privileged environment as him or her newly discovered biological family. So, she kept her mouth shut. While he didn’t show it, Asher noticed her shift in emotion and was puzzled. Why would she feel out of place? Weren’t rich girls supposed to love parties?

The car came to a stop, and Asher pulled his hand back, unexpectedly leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her cheek. “You’ll have to get used to my kisses and touches,” he whispered, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. His mesmerizing blue eyes locked onto hers. “My father and brother can’t suspect anything about our arrangement.”

“They’re going to be there?” she asked, alarmed.

He nodded. “You’re telling me this now?” she gave him a horrified look. If he’d mentioned this earlier, she could have mentally prepared for the conversation and braced herself for meeting them.

"It slipped my mind. I’ve been busy," he shrugged, rolling his eyes when she crossed her arms disapprovingly.

“What?” he asked, clearly amused.

“Never mind,” she muttered.

Janette’s thoughts raced. My first party as a married woman, not used to these lavish events, pretending to enjoy my new husband’s constant touches and kisses, and now meeting my father-in-law and brother-in-law? This is going to be tough, she thought, resisting the urge to panic.

Before she could step out of the car, Asher grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him. She stumbled, landing against his chest. They locked eyes, getting lost in each other’s gaze. His eyes roamed over her face, lingering on her lips. Her heart skipped a beat as he tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“What?” she asked silently, but he kept staring at her lips. Without thinking, Janette leaned in and kissed him. Asher froze for a moment, stunned, but quickly responded, deepening the kiss. It was something he had craved since the beginning—and, to her surprise, something she had needed even more.

After what felt like two minutes, he reluctantly pulled away, his eyes lingering on her face. She was hard to resist, but they had to leave the car. Just as Janette was about to speak, Asher pulled out a small box she hadn’t noticed before. Inside was a beautiful white pearl necklace.

“I can’t accept this,” she protested, but he silenced her with a look. “It’s not for you—it’s for my wife.” He removed the heart necklace she was wearing, the one with photos of her biological parents, and replaced it with the pearls.

“Where do I put it?” she asked, referring to Eric’s necklace. Asher took it from her and tucked it into his jacket. “It’ll be safe here,” he said, smiling as he patted his pocket. His smile reminded her of her foster father, Mr. Cameron, who used to do the same with her small keepsakes.

It had been months since she last spoke to him. She missed him, and before she could stop it, a tear rolled down her cheek. Asher noticed, wiping it away with his handkerchief.

“What’s wrong?” he asked gently.

She shook her head, forcing a smile. “Are you planning on spending the whole evening in the car?” she teased, managing to lighten the mood.

He smiled, stepping out of the car before opening the door for her. Taking her hand, they began walking towards the hall, only to be met by a swarm of paparazzi. The cameras and flashing lights blinded her, and she fought the rising panic.