Billionaire's Match

Chapter 34 Khloe glanced at the screen and swiped the message away. There was nothing left to say between her and Trey. The other missed call was from Nick. The duration showed only a few seconds-probably an accidental dial. No message. She stared at his name for a moment, her finger hovering over the callback icon, then slowly lowered her hand. There was no need. 1 Their collaboration would continue as planned. Anything more would feel forced. After a marriage built on forged papers and hollow vows, she had long since learned how to separate emotion from interest.

Nick was an exceptional man, someone she genuinely admired. But his private life-who he met, what he did- wasn't her concern. She turned off her phone and lay back on the bed. Moonlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, casting pale shapes across the room. She closed her eyes. Sleep came quietly. When morning came, she wheeled her suitcase through the hotel lobby, her steps light. There was still so much waiting for her back home. Just before she left, a hotel staff member approached, holding a velvet-wrapped box. "Miss Roswell," the woman said, "Mr. Hunt left this for you.

He had to leave early and didn't want to disturb you, so he asked me to deliver it on his behalf." Khloe looked down. The box was small, black sandalwood, its surface carved with intricate old-style patterns. It was heavy and finely made. Inside, nestled against black velvet, lay a ring-an imperial-green emerald, oval-cut, polished to a clear, icy sheen. The gem was framed with a thin circle of diamonds, understated yet impossibly striking. Michael, standing beside her, let out a low whistle. "That's... incredible. The color alone could take your breath away." Khloe said nothing.

in jewelry, but even she knew emeralds of this shade and clarity was rare -extraordinarily rare-and worth a small fortune. Even for an arranged engagement, the gift was far too valuable. "I can't accept this," she said. "It's too much." She looked at Michael, intending to hand it back, but he stopped her. "Nick clearly meant

The company had suffered heavy losses recently, and until this deal was secured, he

had gone straight to voicemail. Was Khloe really going to ignore him completely this time? They'd had arguments before, but never for this long Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't anger. It wasn't distance born from a fight-it was indifference. Near the VIP exit, a cluster of reporters waited, cameras poised. His car was parked in the same section. He