Unexpected Rival

Maya pushed open the heavy front door of the Eastridge villa, her fingers tight around the handle of her suitcase. Exhaustion weighed on her shoulders after the long flight, but her steps faltered in the entryway. A distinct hint of surprise flickered in her calm eyes.

Caleb Prescott stood in the hallway.

"Why are you here?" she asked, genuinely taken aback to find the acclaimed movie star standing in her living room.

Caleb offered her a gentle, warm smile. "Long time no see. I have a shoot over in Caldwell, so I planned to stay overnight." Reading the question in her gaze, he quickly added, "I didn't know you would come over. I'll pack up and leave in a while if my presence bothers you."

Years ago, before she ever married Desmond Radcliff and abandoned her career to nurse him, Maya had worked as Caleb’s dedicated manager. During his most difficult, impoverished days before his rise to immense fame, she had generously given him the spare key to this very villa so he would have a safe place to stay. It was a minor detail in her life that she had forgotten after dedicating three long years to healing Desmond's crippled leg.

"It's okay," Maya assured him, her tone softening. "It's getting late, and you're such an eye-catcher. It would be inconvenient for you to stay in a public hotel. You can just leave tomorrow."

She grabbed the handle of her lone suitcase, preparing to lug it upstairs and unpack. Caleb stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

"Let me help you with that," he insisted, effortlessly taking the heavy bag from her grip. He studied her face carefully. "Are you planning to move in?"

Maya nodded in confirmation, missing the cautious, hopeful probing embedded deep in his gentle tone. "Yes, so it might be inconvenient for you to stay over in the future."

"Okay, I understand. I've been living here for free all these years, and I'm grateful enough." Caleb smiled softly. Although the famous movie star could easily afford to buy ten luxury properties—and had purchased the massive neighboring villa in secret—he still vastly preferred staying in this specific house. To him, this space carried the undeniable, comforting atmosphere of Maya's life and presence.

"Coffee? I'm making some," he asked, smoothly changing the subject.

"Okay, but I need to take a shower first," Maya replied, turning and heading upstairs to wash away the travel fatigue.

Caleb returned to the pristine kitchen, a lingering, affectionate smile on his face as he carefully measured out the premium coffee beans. The grinder buzzed, filling the air with a rich, roasted aroma.

Just as the brew finished steeping, the sudden, sharp ring of the front doorbell shattered the quiet domestic atmosphere.

Wiping his hands on a towel, Caleb walked to the door and looked through the peephole. He stared, astonished by the sight.

Standing outside on the porch was Desmond Radcliff, the ruthless CEO of Radcliff Group and, ironically, the primary financial investor in Caleb's current blockbuster movie.

Caleb frowned, his mind racing. He wondered why the aloof billionaire was standing at this specific door, doubting the sheer chance that Desmond knew Maya on a personal level.

Outside, Desmond’s meager patience had run dry. He pressed the doorbell repeatedly, his face a tight mask of brewing fury. When the heavy door finally swung open, Desmond froze in his tracks.

Instead of his runaway wife, he was greeted by a tall, handsome man he had never personally met before, though he quickly deduced this must be the acclaimed actor, Caleb Prescott.

A sharp, dangerous glint flashed in Desmond's cold eyes. The suppressed anger in his chest almost erupted into violence at the sight of another man in the house.

"Where's Maya?" he demanded, his voice a low growl.

Sensing the immediate, aggressive hostility radiating from the billionaire, Caleb furrowed his brows, his own protective instincts flaring. "She's showering. Mr. Radcliff, do you have business with her?"

"Huh!" Desmond sneered, his voice laced with biting ice. "I am her husband. What do you think?"