HEART OVER NET WORTH

HEART OVER NET WORTH

mhizeniola2 · Completed · 266.9k Words

365
Hot
515
Views
110
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

She built an empire from code. He can’t afford a subway ride. What happens when love crashes through firewalls and fortune? Aspen Carter is a 24-year-old billionaire tech mogul, brilliant, ruthless, untouchable. But behind the sleek penthouses and global power plays, she’s never known love that wasn’t calculated or conditional. Enter Leo Moreno, a broke Brooklyn artist with paint on his jeans and dreams bigger than his rent. He doesn’t care about Aspen’s wealth. He doesn’t even know her name. And when their worlds collide in a chance café encounter, something electric sparks. Something real. But love between two people from opposite universes isn’t easy. Aspen wants to lift Leo up. Leo refuses to be a project. And when secrets, sabotage, and emotional firewalls threaten to destroy what they’ve built, they’ll have to decide: Is love a luxury neither can afford? Or the one thing worth losing everything for?

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

You Might Like 😍

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

819.2k Views · Ongoing · Louisa
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Omega Bound

Omega Bound

811.1k Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
The Biker's Fate

The Biker's Fate

1.2m Views · Completed · Piper Davenport
"You are absolutely my fucking woman, Dani. Got me?"
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Dani," he pressed. "Do you get me?"
"No, Austin, I don't," I admitted as I pulled my robe closed again and sat up. "You confuse me."
He dragged his hands down his face. "Tell me what's on your mind."
I sighed. "You're everything my parents warned me against. You're secretive, but you're also honest. I feel wholly protected by you, but then you scare me more than anyone I've ever known. You're a bad boy, but when I dated a so-called good one, he turned out to be the devil, so, yeah, I don't get you because you're not what I expected. You drive me crazier than anyone I've ever met, but then you make me feel complete. I'm feeling things I don't quite know how to process and that makes me want to run. I don't want to give up something that might be really, really good, but I also don't want to be stupid and fall for a boy just because he's super pretty and makes me come."
Danielle Harris is the daughter of an overprotective police chief and has led a sheltered life. As a kindergarten teacher, she's as far removed from the world of Harleys and bikers as you could get, but when she's rescued by the sexy and dangerous Austin Carver, her life is changed forever.
Although Austin 'Booker' Carver is enamored by the innocent Dani, he tries to keep the police chief's daughter at arm's length. But when a threat is made from an unexpected source, he finds himself falling hard and fast for the only woman who can tame his wild heart.
Will Booker be able to find the source of the threat before it's too late?
Will Dani finally give her heart to a man who's everything she's been warned about?
The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

396k Views · Ongoing · Riley Above Story
On the day Evelyn thought Liam would propose, he shocked her by getting down on one knee—for her stepsister, Samantha. As if that betrayal wasn’t enough, Evelyn learned the cruel truth: her parents had already decided to sell one daughter’s future to a dangerous man: the infamous War God Alpha Alexander, who was rumored to be scarred and crippled after a recent accident. And the bride could’t be their precious daughter Samantha. However, when the "ugly and crippled" Alpha revealed his true self—an impossibly handsome billionaire with no trace of injury—Samantha had a change of heart. She was ready to dump Liam and take Evelyn's place as the family daughter who should marry Alexander.
Yet Alexander made his decision clear to the world: “Evelyn is the only woman I will ever marry.”
Invisible To Her Bully

Invisible To Her Bully

154.5k Views · Ongoing · sunsationaldee
Unlike her twin brother, Jackson, Jessa struggled with her weight and very few friends. Jackson was an athlete and the epitome of popularity, while Jessa felt invisible. Noah was the quintessential “It” guy at school—charismatic, well-liked, and undeniably handsome. To make matters worse, he was Jackson’s best friend and Jessa’s biggest bully. During their senior year, Jessa decides it was time for her to gain some self-confidence, find her true beauty and not be the invisible twin. As Jessa transformed, she begins to catch the eye of everyone around her, especially Noah. Noah, initially blinded by his perception of Jessa as merely Jackson’s sister, started to see her in a new light. How did she become the captivating woman invading his thoughts? When did she become the object of his fantasies? Join Jessa on her journey from being the class joke to a confident, desirable young woman, surprising even Noah as she reveals the incredible person she has always been inside.
My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

762.6k Views · Completed · Veejay
"No... You can't do this to me..." I almost squeezed the words through my teeth, my voice trembling.
My drunk stepfather remained indifferent, his weight suffocating, making it hard to breathe as my heart raced.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and two figures burst in.
"Get off her!" a deafening roar echoed.
I didn't expect the twin brothers who'd bullied me at school to come charging in like gods to save me.
After my grandmother passed, I had to move in with my mom and stepdad, who treated me like a servant. I prayed every day for my 18th birthday to come, so l could leave and escape this broken home.
However, on my first day at my new school, l encountered the legendary twins everyone feared.
To make matters worse, the Moon Goddess revealed they were both my mates!
After helping me out with my stepdad, my twin mate cornered me, played with my hair, and whispered possessively, "You belong to us, our little mate..."
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

133.3k Views · Completed · Lily
"White wolf! Kill that monster!"
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

606.5k Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
Mr. Ryan

Mr. Ryan

276.5k Views · Completed · Mary D. Sant
"What things are not under your control tonight?" I gave my best smile, leaning against the wall.
He came closer with a dark and hungry expression,
so close,
his hands reached for my face, and he pressed his body against mine.
His mouth took mine eagerly, a little rudely.
His tongue left me breathless.
“If you don't go with me, I'll fuck you right here.” He whispered.


Katherine kept her virginity for years even after she turned 18. But one day, she met an extremely sexual man Nathan Ryan in the club. He had the most seductive blue eyes she has ever seen, a well-defined chin, almost golden blonde hair, full lips, perfectly drawn, and the most amazing smile, with perfect teeth and those damn dimples. Incredibly sexy.

She and he had a beautiful and hot one-night stand...
Katherine thought she might not meet the man again.
But fate has another plan

Katherine is about to take on the job of assistant to a billionaire who owns one of the biggest companies in the country and is known to be a conquering, authoritative and completely irresistible man. He is Nathan Ryan!

Will Kate be able to resist the charms of this attractive, powerful and seductive man?
Read to know a relationship torn between anger and the uncontrollable desire for pleasure.

Warning: R18+, Only for mature readers.
When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses

When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses

73.8k Views · Completed · Lily
At my bastard father's birthday party, I was drugged by my sister Emily—and worse, she planned to have her boyfriend assault me. As the substance coursed through my veins, desire began overwhelming my rational mind. But in that moment of vulnerability, my contract husband saved me. I found myself burning only for him. What started as his attempt to help me through the drug's effects became a night of raw, passionate intimacy that shattered every boundary we'd carefully constructed. In his arms, I discovered a hunger I never knew existed, and he claimed me with a possessive intensity that left us both breathless...
*
When Amelia Thompson signed that marriage contract, she never knew her husband was an FBI undercover agent.
Ethan Black approached her to investigate Viktor Group—the corrupt corporation where her late mother worked. To him, Amelia was just another lead, possibly the conspirator's daughter he was sworn to destroy.
But three months of marriage changed everything. Her warmth and fierce independence dismantled every defense around his heart—until the day she vanished.
Three years later, she returns with their child, seeking the truth about her mother's death. And he's no longer just an FBI agent, but a man desperate to win her back.
A Marriage Contract. A Life-Changing Inheritance. A Heart-Shattering Betrayal.
This time, can love survive the ultimate deception?
Mated by Contract to the Alpha

Mated by Contract to the Alpha

328k Views · Completed · CalebWhite
My perfect life shattered in a single heartbeat.
William—my devastatingly handsome, wealthy werewolf fiancé destined to become Delta—was supposed to be mine forever. After five years together, I was ready to walk down the aisle and claim my happily ever after.
Instead, I found him with her. And their son.
Betrayed, jobless, and drowning in my father's medical bills, I hit rock bottom harder than I ever imagined possible. Just when I thought I'd lost everything, salvation came in the form of the most dangerous man I'd ever encountered.
Damien Sterling—future Alpha of the Silver Moon Shadow Pack and ruthless CEO of Sterling Group—slid a contract across his desk with predatory grace.
“Sign this, little doe, and I'll give you everything your heart desires. Wealth. Power. Revenge. But understand this—the moment you put pen to paper, you become mine. Body, soul, and everything in between.”
I should have run. Instead, I signed my name and sealed my fate.
Now I belong to the Alpha. And he's about to show me just how wild love can be.
Thornhill Academy

Thornhill Academy

65.9k Views · Ongoing · Sheridan Hartin
Allison was never meant to survive. A siphon born in secret. A child lost by tragedy. A girl the Council intended to turn into a weapon… or erase completely. But fate had other ideas. When the truth of her bloodline is uncovered Allison’s world fractures and through the cracks, power pours. Danger follows her like a shadow. But so do they.
A demon king who would burn realms for her.
A dragon-shifter whose fire worships her skin.
A hellhound bound to her soul.
A professor who is off limits.
And the man who broke for her long before he ever touched her.
Four men. Four obsessions. Four hearts tethered to hers by magic older than the Wall itself.

Hunted, haunted, and newly awakened, Allison is thrust into a rebellion built on blood and hope, the same rebellion her parents died to protect. As enemies close in and desire becomes as sharp as any blade, she must decide what kind of power she will become: A weapon forged by the Council.
Or the storm that destroys them all. When Allison rises, kingdoms kneel, and when she loves, she loves like war.

-Dark Academia
-Reverse Harem
-Dark Romance
-Dark Humour
-Action Packed
-Steamy Scenes
-An Adventure You Cannot Miss