Page 67 of His Untouchable Heart

She unlocked her phone and opened the app. One glance. Then another. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped.

“Zero. It’s… it’s paid off. You paid it off.”

“Check your sister’s,” I said, already turning back to the windows.

Behind me, Gabrielle let out a small shriek.

“Anthony.”

I grinned.

Juliette’s reply came in less than thirty seconds.

First a flurry of texts in all caps:

Juliette: I’M GOING TO FAINT. THIS IS INSANE. GABRIELLE. YOU WIN. I GIVE UP. ALSO PLEASE TELL ANTHONY I LOVE HIM IN A NON-CREEPY WAY.

Then a follow-up photo: her laptop open to the loan portal, with a screenshot of the zero balance and a selfie of Juliette screaming into a pillow.

Gabrielle laughed so hard she had to sit down on the arm of the couch, her cheeks flushed and eyes glassy from joy.

I walked over and reached for her hand. “Come on.”

“Where now?” she asked, still smiling as I led her out the side doors and back into the gardens.

“Nowhere. Just… here.”

The sun had shifted lower, and the breeze had cooled, rustling the palms as we followed the path down through the garden and out onto the beach.

She leaned into me as we walked, our steps falling into rhythm.

“Does this mean I have to stop making fun of your wealth?” she teased gently.

“Not at all. I consider it one of your charms,” I squeezed her hand. “ It soon will beourwealth, not just mine…So it is kinda self-deprecating.”

“Anthony. I can’t… this is like a dream.” She laid her head on my chest.

We reached the edge of the sand, the tide pulling in slow and steady. The horizon stretched in soft lavender and rose gold.

I looked out across the water, then down the path that curved behind the house toward the guest cottage.

“I was thinking…” I began.

Gabrielle looked up at me.

“…maybe Juliette could stay. In the guest house. Rent-free. Until she finds her own place. Or, you know…” I smirked. “Finds her own billionaire.”

Gabrielle gasped and then laughed—a sound that wrapped around my ribs and squeezed.

“Yes,” she said. “God, yes. Until she finds her own billionaire, for sure.”

I leaned in and kissed her temple.

“We’ll keep Damian out of sight.”

She elbowed me, then laced her fingers through mine.

We stood in silence for a long moment, the water lapping at the shore, the breeze tugging gently at her hair. She looked out at the horizon, and I looked at her.

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