My Billionaire Heartbreaker

My Billionaire Heartbreaker: An Off-Limits Romance Taylor Friste Copyright Copyright © 2023 by Taylor Friste All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Contents 1. Claire Smith 2. Julien Eloi 3. Claire 4. Julien 5. Claire 6. Julien 7. Claire 8. Julien 9. Claire 10. Julien 11. Claire 12. Julien 13. Claire 14. Julien 15. Claire 16. Julien 17. Claire 18. Julien 19. Claire 20. Julien 21. Claire 22. Julien 23. Claire 24. Julien 25. Claire 26. Julien 27. Claire 28. Julien 29. Claire 30. Julien 31. Claire 32. Julien 33. Claire 34. Julien 35. EPILOGUE: Julien Want to Read More by Taylor Friste? Claire Smith Just over a year ago I woke up hyperventilating. Again. I tried to control my panicky breathing. My heart raced as if to beat a record. For a few seconds, I had no idea where I was. Breathe in, two, three, four. Hold. Breathe out, two, three, four. Hold, hold, hold. I gradually began to calm down. The air conditioner was on, but I was sweating profusely. I looked at my alarm clock next to my bed. It said 2:15. In the morning. That wasn't the first time this had happened. Several nights a week, I would wake up with panic attacks. I knew what was behind it. I think I know. I was struggling to break free of it. Thoughts of Andrew flashed through my mind. Don't you dare think about him! He was a memory and I wasn't ready to relive it. I was about to start a new chapter of my life. I had put thoughts of Andrew behind me, but the hurt remained. I forced myself back to sleep. The last thing I wanted was to be late on my first day. I had just landed an associate position at a major city law firm. God, I was super excited about it! The late-night reading. The classes and study groups. Cramming for exams. It had all paid off. I had ironed my favorite suit the night before, my pride and glory. Got it during a sale. Violet blue jacket with paler violet slacks, and a perfect fit. Never worn it before, as it had been specifically bought for my first day of work. I woke up minutes before my six o'clock alarm rang. I jumped out of bed and rushed to check my face in the dressing mirror. No dark circles. Thank goodness! Quick shower. Dressed. Pulled my very long hair up. Just as I was about to leave the house, my phone rang. I checked the caller ID. “Hi, Mom!” "Ready for your first day at work?" she asked me excitedly. "I sure am," I replied, trying hard to control my joy. "How was your night, Mom?" My mother was everything to me. We only had each other after my father passed away in a ghastly car accident when I was fifteen. The driver who killed him had broken every rule of the road. Ten years later, she was still my moral and financial support. I could hardly wait to turn the tables. It’s time for me to pay Mom’s way. She’ll fuss about it but I’ll figure it out. "It was good, how about yours? Still having panic attacks?" Her excited voice was replaced with that of concern. "My night was lovely, and no, I don't have them anymore," I lied. I knew if I told her the truth, she would become even more worried than she sounded. She had felt my pain when Andrew had left. She had wanted to come and be with me, but I didn't want her to see me the way I was, so I declined. "I have to go now, Mom. I'll call you as soon as I'm back from work." I hung up just after that, and it felt so good to say that. I wanted to be in high spirits, so talking about my past wasn't going to help. My one-bedroom place was on the third floor of the apartment building. I took the elevator down to the parking garage. I looked at my 2001 Toyota Camry with dismay. Well, at least it beats having to commute by subway. I checked the time. It was 7:15 am. I still had forty-five minutes. It didn't make me hurry any less. The drive to the firm was under twenty minutes. I had a quick stop at my favorite café for a “cuppa joe ta go.” I needed the caffeine jolt. The Litigators. That is what everyone called the firm—one of the biggest in the city—because that is all they did. Litigate. Went to court to settle disputes. I was thrilled to have gotten a job there. They owned the top floors of a ten-story building. They prioritized quality over quantity. Their lawyers were elites who had won difficult cases against other tough firms and earned so much. The pay? Very juicy, even for me as an associate, aka the rookie or new attorney. My desire to become a top lawyer in the state was what drew me to apply at The Litigators. My law school study group had a saying, “You want to be the best, you work for the best.” I placed in the Top Five students in my law school, giving me an edge during the interview. I took the elevator to the top floor as I had to report to the head of Human Resources. Before we settled in, he requested to see all the rookies for one final assessment. I wasn't surprised to meet others waiting at the reception when I got there. They all seemed really well turned out, and just as nervous as I was. I could tell they were well off from their clothes, unlike me. Naw, forget that. They just spent their first two paychecks on today’s outfits is all. Ha! While looking