Claimed By The Arrogant Billionaire

EVA'S POV: A ray of sunlight seeped through the window and landed on my face. I woke on the bed, my body aching badly and my head throbbing with a pounding ache. As I shifted my right hand, I felt a jolt of shock when I touched another person sleeping beside me. “What? Who are you?” I gasped, sitting up immediately. The man had a sharp jawline, full brows, and thin lips. I looked down at my body and was stunned to find myself naked in bed with him. “Who the hell are you?” I yelled, just as the events of the previous night crashed over me. Layla Parker had invited me to celebrate her birthday at the hotel. Layla came from a wealthy family; she was twenty-four, fair-skinned, and my best friend from college. I always knew Layla’s family had money, but I came from a struggling home. She promised I would have fun at her party, even when I didn’t want to go. I agreed, and now I was in bed with an unknown man. “I should be the one asking what the hell you’re doing in my bed. This is a VIP suite. How did you get in here, miss?” The handsome man shifted away from me. I was stunned by his masculine physique—broad chest, chiseled abs, and six-pack. “Don’t ogle at me like that. Get up and get out,” he barked, and I refused. “I am a virgin. I’m not a prostitute, and you slept with me. Is this how you take responsibility for your actions? How did we end up entangled in bed?” I was sobbing, unable to believe I’d had s*x with a stranger. He ignored me and pulled the bedsheet away from my body to cover his own. He went into the bathroom, and the sound of running water filled my ears. The entrance door swung open, and Layla came in with Jacob Stone, my fiancé. “So this is what you do now, Eva? You hook up, after everything I did to support you?” Jacob accused, standing at the door with Layla. “No, Jacob. I don’t know what happened. Layla, you invited me to your party. How did I end up with that stranger in the bathroom?” I asked my best friend, desperate for her help. Layla wore a short blue dress paired with black shoes and clung to Jacob’s arm as if she were his fiancée. “Jacob, I don’t know what Eva is saying. She came to my party and told me she was looking forward to meeting a rich guy at this luxury five-star hotel—the Owen Hotel. I honestly don’t know how she got here until I asked the security team,” Layla lied, and Jacob believed her. “I can’t believe you would do this, Eva. After everything I did to feed you, sponsor you—this is how you repay me? It’s over between us.” Jacob stood there, glaring at me. “You never let me touch you, and now you gave your body willingly to another man. I want back all the money I spent on feeding you and clothing you for the five years we dated. If you fail to do that, I’ll have you arrested. Trust me.” He snatched his hand away from Layla and walked out of the hotel room. Layla glanced at me and smiled. “Do you think you deserve a rich man like Jacob Stone? Look at you, Eva. A poor girl like you can’t climb the ladder of wealth and power in Dominic City. Return to the slum where you belong, and don’t worry about Jacob. I’ll take care of him.” Layla smirked and walked out, slamming the door with a deafening sound. Tears flooded down my cheeks as I sat on the bed, speechless. “Where would I get the money to pay Jacob now?” He’d promised to marry me after I graduated, and now Layla had ruined everything, just after I’d finished school this year. I wiped the tears from my cheeks. Crying wouldn’t solve anything, but I couldn’t just leave. I needed an explanation from the man in the bathroom. How dare he use me, knowing I was intoxicated, and then act as if I were the one who had taken advantage of him? I waited for the man to come out, grabbing my clothes from the floor where they lay sprawled—the green dress I’d worn to Layla’s birthday party. A knock on the entrance door startled me again, and I quickly used the dress to cover my chest and shield my nakedness. A tall man in a black suit entered the room. Seeing me clutching the dress to my chest, he lowered his head and apologized. “I’m sorry, miss. Where is Mr. Owen?” “Mr. Owen? Who?” I asked, confused, just as the bathroom door opened and the handsome man who’d so coldly dismissed me stepped out. “Leave, Pete. I’ll call for you later,” he said. “Okay, boss,” the tall man replied, and my eyes widened. This handsome stranger was a boss. Who was he, and why had the tall man called him that? The man ignored me and went to gather his clothes. “Mr. Owen. You can’t take advantage of me without an explanation. I was drunk last night, and I bet you were too,” I said, my tone accusing, as he put on his shirt and buttoned it. He turned to face me, his sharp green eyes meeting mine. “I wasn’t drunk. But how do I know you were, when you came into my room, offered yourself to me, and kissed me first? Do you need me to replay the footage to show you what you did?” “No, I…” I was at a loss for words. “I would never do that. You’re accusing me wrongly,” I said, my voice quivering. I didn’t remember doing any of it. “I see.” Mr. Owen smirked, walked over, and picked up his phone. “Have a look,” he said, playing a video from the night before. I couldn’t believe my eyes. In the video, I barged into his room, rushed to the bed, climbed on top of him, and started kissing him. “I don’t remember doing that. That isn’t me, and how do you have the video on your phone?” I asked accusingly. He smirked. “Don’t play dumb with me, young lady. I own this hotel and the Owen Group in Dominic City. If anyone deserves compensation between us, it’s me. You took advantage of me, and I only helped you when I sensed you’d been drugged. If I hadn’t slept with you, who knows what damage would have happened to your body? So, you should compensate me.” “What?” My jaw dropped.