His Kept Secret Seven Years as the Billionaire's Hidden Lover

Julian Sterling kept a canary with a death wish.

Every year, in a desperate bid for status, she reinvented her methods, staging elaborate suicides to force his hand.

The first year, claiming life had hit rock bottom, she staged a leap from a building.

The second, lamenting that she was adrift in the wind, she feigned a hanging.

The third, declaring she would simply go with the flow, she pretended to drown in the river.

——

By the seventh year, the theatrics came to an abrupt halt.

Julian Sterling tucked the duvet around the young girl beside him before finally casting a casual glance my way.

"You know how it is," he said, voice devoid of guilt. "Someone slipped me an aphrodisiac. This young lady was kind enough to help."

He paused, eyes narrowing. "Be good. Put the pills down. It's just a title, Bella. Does it really matter that much?"

My vision blurred, heat stinging my eyes. It felt like my heart was being unraveled, fiber by fiber. "She's only eighteen! Julian, you're disgusting."

A cigarette dangled from his lips, his smile loose and careless. "And you aren't? You slept with me when you were eighteen too."

I couldn't find the words to refute him. Before I could formulate a retort, the male escort he'd summoned hoisted me over his shoulder.

Julian delivered a sharp, patronizing pat to my behind. "Gender equality, Bella. Go enjoy yourself."

Humiliation clawed at my chest. My mysophobia flared, every pore screaming against the stranger's touch.

I bit my lip until I tasted iron, my fists raining solid thuds against the escort's back.

He hissed and set me down, feigning innocence. "Miss Cox, I'm just following orders."

I shoved a wad of cash into his hand, raising my voice to ensure the occupants of the room heard every word.

"Go on then. Julian might be disgusting, but I have standards. Unlike him, I'm picky. I mind the filth, and I'm terrified of catching diseases."

As the words left my mouth, I realized how ridiculous they sounded.

Who was I kidding? How could she have a disease? She was the heiress of the Fox family, one of Harbor City's four great elites.

For seven years, I was the only one by Julian's side. Today, she became the second.

And the moment she appeared, she became the one Julian decided to marry.

The man took the money, thanking me profusely before scurrying away.

The confrontation I expected never came.

Instead, coquettish laughter drifted through the crack in the door.

Right. Why would a Harbor City heiress deign to bicker with a canary like me?

Julian knew me too well. He had left the door ajar on purpose, a vicious tactic to humiliate me—the thief who had stolen seven years of his life.

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the doorframe, torn between dignity and desperation.

Courage and greed waged war in my heart.

Tears blurred my vision, heavy drops smashing against the floorboards. I fled, pressing my back against the corridor wall, gasping for air as my mind went blank.

My body curled inward, trembling from a cold that came from within.

Seven years of theatrics, seven years of threatening death, and I still hadn't secured the status I craved. She had simply crooked a finger and won it all.

Julian, when you marry her—is it calculation, or love?

Before I could spiral further, my phone lit up. A message from Julian.

"Bella, bring condoms. Ultra-thin. I can't wait any longer."

A massive bank transfer followed immediately after.

It took a few breaths for the reality to sink in.

My mind screamed no, but my body moved on autopilot.

Maybe I thought there was still a chance. Maybe I wanted to prove he couldn't break me.

Regardless, I needed the money. I needed to protect myself.

Minutes later, I handed over the box of condoms. I even thoughtfully included a pack of emergency contraceptives.

"Non-toxic. No side effects."

The girl froze for a second before taking them, revealing cute canine teeth in a smile.

"Thank you."

I scoffed internally. A rich heiress really was magnanimous—or perhaps just oblivious.

Julian tapped the stopwatch without looking up. "Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds. You serve others faster than you shop for yourself, Bella."

Sensing the tension, the young girl covered Julian's mouth with her hand.

"Bella. That's a very pretty name."