BILLIONAIRE\'S UNEXPECTED LOVE

Chapter 1

The soft chime of the diner’s entrance bell rang as Amelia Brooks rushed past the counter, balancing a tray of steaming coffee mugs. The place was packed Friday nights always were. The scent of grilled burgers and fresh coffee filled the air, mixing with the quiet hum of conversations. She sighed, tucking a loose strand of chestnut hair behind her ear, and forced a smile as she approached a table.

“Here you go,” she said, setting down the drinks with practiced ease.

The customers barely acknowledged her, too lost in their own world. It didn’t matter. She was used to being invisible.

Amelia had been working at Rosie’s Diner for the past two years long enough to know the regulars, long enough to know which customers tipped and which ones didn’t. But tonight, there was someone new.

He sat in the farthest booth, near the window. The dim lights did little to hide his striking presence. A tailored navy-blue suit hugged his broad shoulders, and his perfectly styled dark hair hinted at wealth. His sharp jawline and piercing gray eyes gave him an almost dangerous aura. He didn’t belong here.

Amelia’s breath hitched as she realized he was staring at her.

Quickly looking away, she grabbed her notepad and approached his table. “Good evening. What can I get you?”

For a moment, he didn’t answer. His gaze flickered to her name tag, then back to her face. “Amelia.” His voice was smooth, deep. “I’ll take a coffee. Black.”

She nodded, writing it down even though it wasn’t necessary. “Anything else?”

“That depends,” he said, closing the file he had been reading. “Do you always look this exhausted, or is tonight special?”

Amelia blinked, heat rising to her cheeks. “Excuse me?”

His lips twitched as if he found her reaction amusing. “You look like you’ve had a long day.”

She straightened. “I have. But I don’t see how that concerns you.”

He chuckled. “Fair enough.”

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her. “Wait.”

She turned back.

He studied her for a moment before shaking his head. “Never mind.”

Confused, she hurried to fetch his coffee. As she poured it into the cup, Rosie, the diner’s owner, nudged her. “That man’s been sitting there for nearly an hour. You know who he is?”

Amelia frowned. “Should I?”

Rosie lowered her voice. “That’s Ethan Carter. The billionaire.”

Amelia’s heart skipped a beat. Ethan Carter. She had heard the name before who hadn’t? He owned half the city, his face often gracing business magazines. What was someone like him doing in a small diner like this?

Shaking off her curiosity, she carried the coffee back to his table. “Here you go,” she said, setting it down.

Ethan took the cup but didn’t drink. Instead, he watched her. “Thank you, Amelia.”

For reasons she couldn’t understand, hearing him say her name sent a strange shiver down her spine.