

Introduction
As their relationship deepens, Aspen wants to help Leo achieve his dreams, but he refuses to take her money, fearing it would make his success feel hollow. When Aspen’s wealthy world humiliates Leo, the two break up, realizing they come from different realities.
Months later, Leo’s art takes off on his terms, proving he doesn’t need wealth to succeed. When Aspen shows up at his gallery opening, they get a second chance this time, as equals, choosing love over money.
It’s a story about love, independence, and proving that real relationships aren’t built on net worth, but on trust and respect
Chapter 1
Aspen Carter never waited in lines.
Not at five-star restaurants, not at exclusive clubs, and certainly not for coffee. She had assistants for that. Assistants who knew her usual iced oat milk latte, light ice, extra caramel, and exactly how to get it into her hands within minutes of her craving it.
But today, for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she wanted to get it herself.
Maybe it was the exhaustion of back-to-back investor meetings. Maybe it was the suffocating perfection of her life pristine penthouses, luxury cars, and people who only spoke to her when they needed something. Or maybe it was just the need to do something normal for once.
So when her driver pulled up in front of a small, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Brooklyn a place called Grounded with a handwritten sign that looked like it hadn’t been changed in years Aspen felt something she hadn’t in a long time.
Curiosity.
She stepped inside, the tiny bell above the door chiming as she entered. The scent of freshly brewed espresso and warm cinnamon filled the air, a stark contrast to the sterile, overpriced cafés she was used to in Manhattan. The shop was cozy, all rustic wood and mismatched chairs, with local artwork covering the walls. It felt real.
And so did the man behind the counter.
Leo Moreno barely looked up when she walked in.
Which was unusual. He was used to customers doing a double take, especially when someone like her walked through the door. She didn’t belong here her crisp white blazer and designer heels practically screamed Upper East Side royalty, and the way she scanned the café like she was analyzing a stock portfolio told him she wasn’t here by accident.
Still, he wasn’t impressed.
“Cash only,” he said before she even reached the counter.
Aspen blinked, caught off guard. “Excuse me?”
Leo finally glanced up, his dark brown eyes locking onto hers. She was beautiful annoyingly beautiful but there was something unreadable in her expression. Like she wasn’t used to being told no.
“I said cash only.” He nodded toward the small, handwritten sign taped to the counter. “Our card reader’s been busted for weeks.”
Aspen exhaled, reaching into her purse and pulling out a sleek black card. “I don’t carry cash.”
Leo shrugged. “Then I don’t carry coffee.”
She stared at him. No one spoke to her like this. Not board members, not competitors, and certainly not baristas.
“Seriously?” she asked, arching a perfectly sculpted brow.
Leo leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “You’re welcome to find another place that takes your billionaire credit card.”
Aspen narrowed her eyes. “How do you know I’m?”
Leo gave her a pointed once-over. “Call it a wild guess.”
She should have been irritated. She was irritated. But she was also intrigued.
“Fine.” She dug into her bag, fingers brushing against something metallic. Pulling it out, she smirked. “Do you take gold?”
Leo blinked at the heavy, rose-gold money clip she held between two fingers. A few hundred dollar bills were folded inside, but it was the clip itself that caught his attention. Engraved, minimalistic, and expensive as hell.
He sighed, taking one of the bills. “I hate rich people.”
Aspen laughed an actual, genuine laugh. “That makes two of us
Leo made her drink begrudgingly, his fingers moving expertly over the espresso machine. Aspen watched, leaning against the counter, feeling oddly entertained by how unimpressed he was with her.
“You always this charming?” she asked.
“You always this difficult?”
She smiled, taking the cup from him. It was warm in her hands, a stark contrast to the cold, pre-ordered lattes she was used to. She took a sip and paused, surprised by how good it was.
“Not bad,” she admitted.
Leo rolled his eyes as he wiped down the counter. “Glad it meets your high standards, princess.”
Aspen raised an eyebrow. “Did you just call me princess?”
“Would you prefer an heiress?”
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “You know, most people at least pretend to be nice to me.”
“That’s probably because they want something from you.”
The words hit harder than she expected. Aspen had spent years surrounded by people who smiled to her face while silently calculating what they could gain from her. Investors, partners, employees everyone wanted something. But this guy? He didn’t seem to care about who she was or what she was worth.
It was refreshing.
Aspen took another sip of her coffee and tilted her head. “What’s your name?”
Leo hesitated for a beat, then answered, “Leo.”
“No last name?”
He smirked. “You don’t need it.”
“Fine, Leo. I’m Aspen.”
“I know,” he said casually, rinsing out a cup.
Aspen blinked. “Wait you do?”
Leo shrugged. “You own Vyre. Your face is in every business magazine. People either love you or hate you, depending on how much they care about billionaires running the world.”
“And which side do you fall on?”
Leo met her gaze. “I’m still deciding.”
A slow smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She should have been annoyed. Instead, she was intrigued.
“Well, let me know when you make up your mind,” she said, turning to leave.
Leo called after her. “Bring cash next time, princess.”
Aspen laughed softly to herself as she stepped outside.
She would be coming back.
Aspen didn’t return to Grounded the next day.
Or the day after that.
She told herself it was ridiculous she had meetings, deals, and a company to run. But for some reason, the coffee from her usual high-end café didn’t taste as good anymore.
So, three days later, she found herself back in Brooklyn, standing in front of Grounded like an idiot.
She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Maybe for Leo to look surprised that she’d come back. Maybe for him to be a little friendlier.
Instead, he barely looked up when she approached the counter. “Cash or no coffee.”
Aspen smirked and slid a crisp twenty-dollar bill across the counter. “You wound me, barista.”
Leo’s lips twitched slightly as he took the bill. “Progress.”
She leaned against the counter as he started making her drink. “So, Leo, how does a guy like you end up running a cash-only coffee shop in Brooklyn?”
“I don’t run it,” he said, focusing on the espresso machine. “I just work here.”
Aspen frowned. “You don’t own this place?”
“Nope.” He glanced at her. “Disappointed?”
She shrugged. “A little. I had this whole narrative in my head struggling artist opens indie coffee shop to make ends meet, refuses to sell out, fights off evil corporate overlords.”
Leo chuckled. “Nice try. I just work here to pay rent. My real thing is art.”
Aspen raised an eyebrow. “You’re an artist?”
He nodded. “Paint, mostly. Some mixed media.”
“And you’re still broke?”
Leo shot her a look. “Not all of us make billions off an app that profits from influencers selling teeth-whitening kits.”
Aspen grinned. “Ouch. You don’t like Vyre, do you?”
“It’s nothing personal,” Leo said, setting her drink in front of her. “I just think social media’s killing real art.”
She studied him, intrigued. “You’re a little intense for a barista.”
“And you’re a little nosy for a billionaire.”
Aspen took her coffee and smiled. “See you tomorrow, barista.”
Leo watched her go, shaking his head.
He had a feeling she wasn’t kidding.
Aspen came back the next day.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
It became a routine, something she looked forward to in a way she couldn’t quite explain.
At first, it was the coffee. Then it was the banter. Then it was him.
Leo, with his sarcastic comments and unimpressed attitude. Leo, who didn’t care about her net worth or her press coverage. Leo, who made her laugh in a way she hadn’t in years.
She learned things about him in bits and pieces. He grew up in Queens. His mom worked as a nurse. He dropped out of art school because he couldn’t afford it. He painted at night, in a tiny apartment that doubled as his studio.
And, most importantly he didn’t want her money.
Aspen wasn’t used to that.
People in her world always wanted something funding, investments, and connections. But Leo? He just made her coffee, called her princess, and sent her on her way.
Which only made her want to come back more.
What she didn’t realize was that she was about to become just as much a part of his routine as he had become a part of hers.
Neither of them saw it coming.
Neither of them knew how complicated it would get.
And neither of them expected that a simple coffee shop in Brooklyn would be the start of something that would change both their lives forever.
Aspen wasn’t sure when it happened when Grounded became more than just a coffee shop and when Leo’s smirk became something she looked forward to more than her morning meetings.
But by the end of the second week, she found herself clearing space in her schedule just to stop by.
It wasn’t logical. It wasn’t her. Aspen Carter didn’t do routines that weren’t meticulously planned. She didn’t waste time on things that didn’t serve a strategic purpose.
And yet, here she was, standing at the counter of Grounded again, handing Leo another crisp twenty.
“Starting to think you just like giving me your money,” he mused, sliding the bill into the register.
Aspen sipped her coffee, feigning indifference. “I just like your coffee.”
Leo leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “You know, if you liked it that much, you’d order something different once in a while.”
Aspen smirked. “I’m a woman who knows what she wants.”
“And apparently, what you want is an iced caramel macchiato with light ice and extra caramel every single day.”
She shrugged. “Consistency is key.”
Leo shook his head, wiping his hands on a towel. “You’re something else, princess.”
Aspen tilted her head. “So, have you decided yet?”
Leo raised an eyebrow. “Decided what?”
She grinned. “Whether you like me or hate me.”
Leo studied her for a second, then smirked. “Still deciding.”
Aspen didn’t know why that made her annoyingly happy.
Aspen was about to fire back another witty response when the door to Grounded swung open, and a woman stormed in, heading straight for Leo.
“Leo, where the hell have you been?” she demanded.
Aspen blinked. The girl was young, maybe early twenties, with the same dark brown eyes as Leo. There was a sharpness to her tone, a frustration that didn’t sound like an ex-girlfriend it sounded personal.
Leo sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Jordan, not now.”
Jordan?
Aspen took a step back, watching the exchange unfold.
“No, now,” Jordan snapped. “Mom’s hospital bill is overdue. Again. And before you say anything, I already know you don’t have it.”
Aspen felt a pang of discomfort. This wasn’t her place this wasn’t her world.
Leo’s jaw tightened. “I told you, I’m working on it.”
Jordan let out a humorless laugh. “Right. Because barista wages are gonna cover medical debt.”
Aspen had never felt more like an outsider in her life.
She should leave. This wasn’t her problem.
And yet, the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“I can help.”
Leo’s head snapped toward her so fast she almost took a step back. His eyes darkened, a storm brewing beneath the surface.
Jordan, on the other hand, looked at Aspen like she had just offered to land a spaceship on the moon. “Wait, who are you
Last Chapters
#50 Chapter 50: The Meeting in Geneva
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#49 Chapter 49: The Endgame
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#48 Chapter 48: Declaring War
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#47 Chapter 47: The Offer
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#46 Chapter 46: The Phoenix Strikes
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#45 Chapter 45: The Rise of a New Enemy
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#44 Chapter 44: The World Reshaped
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#43 Chapter 43: The Reckoning
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#42 Chapter 42: The Order of Echelon
Last Updated: 4/4/2025#41 Chapter 41: The New Order
Last Updated: 4/4/2025
You Might Like 😍
Fall in Love with the Dominant Billionaire
(Daily updates with three chapters)
Claimed by my Brother's Best Friends
THERE WILL BE MM, MF, and MFMM sex
At 22 years old, Alyssa Bennett returns to her small hometown, fleeing her abusive husband with their seven-month-old daughter, Zuri. Unable to contact her brother, she reluctantly turns to his asshole best friends for help-despite their history of tormenting her. King, the enforcer of her brother's motorcycle gang, the Crimson Reapers, is intent on breaking her. Nikolai aims to claim her for himself, and Mason, ever the follower, is just glad to be part of the action. As Alyssa navigates the dangerous dynamics of her brother's friends, she must find a way to protect herself and Zuri, all while discovering dark secrets that could change everything.
Luna On The Run- I stole The Alpha's Sons
The following morning, once clarity returns, Elena rejects Alpha Axton. Angered by her rejection, he leaks a scandalous tape to ruin her. When the tape goes live, her father shuns her from the pack. Alpha Axton believes it will force her back to him because she has nowhere else to go.
Little does he know, Elena is stubborn and refuses to bow to any Alpha, especially not the man she rejected. He wants his Luna and will stop at nothing to have her. Disgusted that her own mate could betray her, she runs. There’s just one issue: Elena is pregnant, and she just stole the Alpha’s sons.
Tropes & Triggers: Revenge, pregnancy, dark romance, dubcon, kidnapped, stalker, Noncon (Not by male lead) , psycho Alpha, captivity, Strong female Lead, possessive, cruel, Dominant, Alpha-hole, steamy. Rags to riches, enemies to lovers.
BXG, pregnancy, Runaway Luna, dark, Rogue Luna, obsessive, cruel, twisted. Independent female, Alpha female.
My Boss My Secret Husband
Heartbroken, she ended up marrying a stranger. The next morning, his face was just a blur.
Back at work, the plot thickened when she discovered the new CEO was none other than her mystery Vegas husband?!
Now, Hazel's got to figure out how to navigate this unexpected twist in both her personal and professional life ...
Fallen for Daddy's Friend
“Ride me, Angel.” He commands, panting, guiding my hips.
“Put it in me, please…” I beg, biting his shoulder, trying to control the pleasurable sensation that's taking over my body more intensely than any orgasm I have felt alone. He's just rubbing his dick on me, and the sensation is better than any I've been able to provide on my own.
“Shut up.” He says hoarsely, digging his finger even harder into my hips, guiding the way I ride on his lap quickly, sliding my wet entrance and causing my clit to rub against his hard-on.
“Hah, Julian…” His name escapes with a loud moan, and he lifts my hips with extreme ease and pulls me down again, making a hollow sound that makes me bite my lips. I could feel how the tip of his dick dangerously met my entrance…
Angelee decides to free herself and do whatever she wants, including losing her virginity after catching her boyfriend of four years sleeping with her best friend in his apartment. But who could be the best choice, if not her father's best friend, a successful man and a convicted bachelor?
Julian is used to having flings and one-night stands. More than that, he has never been committed to anyone, or had his heart won over. And that would make him the best candidate… if he were willing to accept Angelee's request. However, she's determined to convince him, even if it means seducing him and messing with his head completely. … “Angelee?” He looks at me confused, maybe my expression is confused. But I just open my lips, saying slowly, “Julian, I want you to fuck me.”
Rating: 18+
The Orphaned Queen
Fated to the Alpha King
It was Lukas.
Claire had gotten herself into a big mess. She is his unwanted human mate.
Why did he come to save her?
Her eyes widened when Lukas kissed her roughly.
For Lukas, he still despised the little human but she was his,
no one else was allowed to touch her but him,
no one else was allowed to make her miserable but him.
Claire was taken from her family by the tyrannical werewolf King to be his fated mate. He despises her because she's human while Claire just wants her freedom from the man who uses her body and breaks her mind.
When she is kidnapped by an attacking Pack, Alpha King Lukas goes into a fury and goes after his mate.
She was all his, after all, no one could take her away from him.
"This is where you belong, tied to my bed because I own all of you."
I Think I Slept with my Brother's Best Friend
I pulled away and I couldn't believe my eyes...I mean I knew he was huge but not this huge and I'm pretty sure he noticed that I was shocked.
"What's the matter doll....did I frighten you?" He smiled, locking eyes with me. I replied by tilting my head and smiling at him.
"You know I didn't expect you to do this, I just wanted to...." He stopped speaking when I wrapped my hands around his cock as I swirled my tongue around his mushroom before taking him into my mouth.
"Fuck!!" He groaned.
Dahlia Thompson's life takes a different turn after she returns from a two week trip to see her parents and walks in on her boyfriend, Scott Miller cheating on her with highschool best friend Emma Jones.
Angered and devastated, she decides to go back home but changes her mind and chooses to party hard with a stranger.
She gets herself drunk and ends up surrendering her body to this stranger Jason Smith who turns out to be her soon to be boss and her brother's best friend.
Forbidden Desires
I nodded once more and approached them. I started with Zion. He sprung up like a water fountain when I ran my hand over him. “Ohh!” I said to myself. I tried not to touch him directly as I lathered him up, but then he had to say, “Use your hands. It’s okay to touch me.” Well, I’m already in hell, so I might as well have some fun. Then, a sinister thought crossed my mind.
I began to stroke him. I heard him groan.
Sophie Deltoro was a shy, innocent, introverted teenager who thought she was invisible. She was living a safe, boring life with her three protective brothers. Then she gets kidnapped by the Mafia King of the Americas and his two sons. All three plan to share her, claim her, and dominate her.
She is swept up in their world of sin and violence, forced into a forbidden relationship, and sent to a school that encourages and applauds the sadistic sexual pleasures of her captors. No one can be trusted. The world Sophie thought she knew never existed. Will she willingly submit to her deepest fantasies, or will she let the darkness consume and bury her? Everyone around her has a secret and Sophie seems to be the center of them all. Too bad she is a Forbidden Desire.
The Lost Princess Of The Lycans
"No, please let me look at you. I want to see your beautiful body." He states.
How could he say I was beautiful with scars all over my body? I have nothing but skin and bones. Tears flow from my eyes. He wipes them away and embraces me in a comforting hug.
"Let it all out," he says.
He starts washing my thighs, slowly moving up towards my vagina. Sensing my tension, he abruptly stops and proceeds to wash my hair before wrapping a towel around me.
"Can I kiss you?" he asks.
I shake my head, yes.
He kisses me deeply and intensely.
As the lowest slave in the wolf pack, Sarah had been accustomed to whips and chains since she was a child.
When she closed her eyes again and waited to be whipped,
unexpectedly, what she waited for was just a warm hug.
"I finally found you."
The alpha king saved her. She was not only the missing princess but also his fated mate.