Love x betrayal

chapter 21 : rags n riches

The next morning, Sadie woke to the sound of a knock on her door. A maid entered, her expression neutral as always. "Miss, it's time for breakfast," she said quietly, motioning for Sadie to get up. Still feeling the weight of yesterday's events, Sadie reluctantly climbed out of bed. The maid escorted her downstairs to the dining room, where Jake was already seated, eating breakfast in silence.

The tension in the room was palpable. Sadie took her seat across from Jake, her movements slow and cautious. For a while, the only sound in the room was the clinking of silverware against plates. Jake didn’t look up from his phone as he scrolled through messages, his attention seemingly elsewhere.

Finally, Jake broke the silence. "I'm sorry about yesterday," he said, his tone flat, his eyes still glued to the phone. "I was angry."

Sadie didn't reply. She kept her gaze fixed on her plate, her hands gripping the utensils tightly.

Jake continued, as if sensing her silence. "Your dad isn’t someone you can trust. I’m trying to protect you," he added, his voice still calm, almost too calm.

Sadie couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Oh, and I can trust you? A stranger who walked into my perfect life and started complicating it?" she burst out, her voice trembling with frustration.

The words hung in the air like a threat. Sadie instantly regretted them when she saw Jake’s reaction. His calm demeanor shattered, and a furious smile spread across his face. Without warning, he grabbed his plate and hurled it to the ground, the sound of breaking porcelain echoing through the dining room.

"You’re a spoiled brat who knows nothing about the real world!" Jake roared, standing up from the table. "That’s why all of this is so hard for you to take in. Have you ever asked about, heard of, or seen my parents? No! But here you are, ranting every day, even though I’m clearly trying to help you!"

Sadie froze, her heart pounding. Tears welled up in her eyes, but before she could say anything, Jake stormed over and grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't you dare start crying," Jake growled, his voice low and dangerous. "This is why you don't get told the truth a lot, you know. You let everything touch you. You need to act neutral in every situation. Your only emotions should be anger—and even then, only when needed."

Sadie’s tears brimmed at the edge of her lashes, but she held them back as best as she could. Jake’s grip tightened slightly as he leaned closer. "My woman can't be weak. Now, clean your tears and finish your meal. After that, go freshen up and come to my room. I have something I want to tell you."

With that, Jake released her and walked out of the room, leaving Sadie trembling in her seat. She wiped her eyes, trying to regain her composure, but the weight of his words pressed heavily on her chest.

---

After breakfast, Sadie returned to her room and freshened up. Her mind was still spinning, and she felt emotionally drained. But she pushed her thoughts aside, knowing she had to face Jake again soon. Once she was ready, she made her way to his room, determined not to let her emotions get the best of her.

Without thinking, she opened the door and stepped inside. The sight before her stopped her in her tracks—Jake stood in the middle of the room, his muscular frame bare, with only a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. His skin was still glistening from the shower, and Sadie’s face flushed with embarrassment.

But Jake didn’t seem to care. He barely glanced at her before saying, "Come in and sit down."

Sadie, feeling awkward but unable to disobey, walked toward the bed and sat down, keeping her eyes fixed on anything but him.

"What do you want to tell me?" she asked quietly.

Jake, still unfazed, casually picked out clothes from his wardrobe and began getting dressed. His tone was calm, almost business-like. "I’ll be plain and clear with you, woman. You are the heir to 500 billion dollars from your great-grandfather, who is sick in the hospital. He might die anytime soon."

Sadie’s mouth fell open in shock. "But… my great-grandfather is dead!" she protested.

Jake raised an eyebrow, his expression still neutral. "From your mother's side. Your biological mother is not dead, but she’s not necessarily alive either."

Sadie blinked, her confusion deepening. "What do you mean?"

Jake let out a sigh, as if explaining something obvious. "She’s been in a coma for about five years. No one knows if she’ll ever wake up. But here’s the important part—your great-grandfather is filthy rich, and a lot of people are after his money. Since all his children are dead and your mother—his granddaughter—is in a coma, he wrote in his will that you inherit everything."

Sadie was stunned, her mind racing. "Me? I’m… still rich?"

"Yes," Jake continued, "but everyone is against it. Including your father. Your stepmother bailed him out of jail last night."

Sadie felt a chill run through her. "My dad is free?" she whispered.

Jake nodded. "Yes. Not long after we left, he was bailed out. And I thought you should know before you go running off trying to fix everything. People are after you, Sadie. They’d kill you without hesitation to get that money."

Sadie felt overwhelmed. Everything was too much—her mother was in a coma, her great-grandfather was alive, her father was free, and she was the heir to a massive fortune that put her life in danger.

"Can I ask you something?" Sadie said softly after a moment, her voice barely audible.

Jake turned to her, his gaze intense. "One question. Make it count."

Sadie hesitated, but there was only one thing she truly needed to know. "Why are you helping me?"

Jake’s expression softened, just for a second. "Because you're my woman," he said with a serious expression. "And nothing of mine is allowed to be tampered with."

He paused, then added with a small, teasing smile, "Plus, I’ve been bored lately."

Sadie couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions at his response, but before she could overthink it, Jake gave her a warm smile.

"Now, run off to your room and take care of yourself for me, okay? I’ll protect you. I promise."

His words, and that rare smile, broke through her defenses. On impulse, Sadie stood up and hugged him. The embrace was quick and awkward, and as soon as she pulled away, she felt embarrassed for doing it. She quickly composed herself and hurried back to her room.

Once alone, Sadie sat on her bed, her thoughts swirling in a storm of confusion and disbelief. She had been thrown into a world she didn’t understand—a world of money, danger, and secrets. But for now, she had no choice but to leave everything in Jake’s hands.

Closing her eyes, Sadie whispered a prayer, hoping against all odds that somehow, everything would turn out okay.