FALLING FOR MY SECRET BILLIONAIRE BEST FRIEND

CHAPTER FIVE: UNVEILING TRUTH

The hum of the fridge was the loudest sound in the room. Even the city outside felt a bit distant, like the world had suddenly gone quiet, waiting for him to come home. I hated how the silence made me count every second he wasn't here.

Josh had promised to be home by ten, but the red digits on the clock now glowed 11:47 PM. I let out a sigh, staring at the door for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. Still nothing.

The city outside was alive, cars honking, laughter drifting from the streets below, but inside, everything felt still, almost lonely. I tried watching a movie to distract myself, but my eyes kept flicking to the clock, to the window, to the door.

He’d texted earlier, “Don’t wait up. I’ll be back soon.”

But of course, I waited anyway.

The warmth of the blanket, the faint sound of voices somewhere far away, and the exhaustion from the day finally pulled me under. My eyelids grew heavy, and before I knew it, I’d drifted off on the couch.

* * *

The sound of keys turning in the lock pulled me from sleep.

I didn’t move, I just stayed still, my body heavy, my mind half awake. The door creaked open, and soft footsteps crossed the room.

Josh.

Even half-asleep, I’d know that rhythm anywhere.

He stopped near the couch, and though my eyes were closed, I could feel his gaze on me. A moment later, his fingers brushed a strand of hair from my face, gentle enough to make my heart stumble awake.

Then his phone buzzed.

“Yeah, Frederick. Talk to me,” his voice dropped, low, calm, and controlled. Not the easygoing Josh I was used to. This was… different.

I kept my breathing steady, pretending to be asleep.

“No, tell the board I’ll finalise the approval by Friday. The shareholders already confirmed the new funding,” he said quietly, pacing across the room. “The partnership with LynxTech and Darnell Group stays. Everything aligns before next quarter.”

Board? Shareholders?

The words sliced through my drowsiness.

He paused for a second, his voice softening. “And about the BBTA invitation, tell them I’m not attending. I don’t care about publicity. I’m not ready to go public yet.”

BBTA? My brain tried to catch up, piecing together what little I understood.

He sighed, murmured something else I couldn’t make out, then ended the call. The faint sound of his footsteps moved toward the hallway, followed by the rush of water from the shower.

I opened my eyes slowly, staring into the dim ceiling. My mind replayed his words again and again. Board. Shareholders. BBTA.

What the hell was that about?

* * *

The next morning, I was making coffee when a sharp knock echoed through the apartment.

When I opened the door, I almost dropped my mug.

A tall man in a perfectly pressed black suit stood there, his expression unreadable.

“Good morning,” he said evenly. “I’m here to see Master Josh.”

“Uh… Master?” I blinked. “You mean Josh?”

“Yes.” His tone didn’t change.

I hesitated. “He’s not home yet, but… You can come in if you want.”

He stepped inside, moving with a sort of quiet precision, and sat on the edge of the couch. I tried to make conversation, offered coffee, asked if he wanted anything, but he declined politely, eyes fixed on the floor.

“So… why exactly are you looking for Josh?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“I'm afraid I can't discuss that miss,” but it's not much of a concern.

For some reason, I felt suspicious, or maybe I was being ridiculous, but there was something about him, probably the British accent, that made him feel a bit different."

“Okay then,” I muttered, sitting down across from him.

The silence stretched on and on.

Finally, the sound of a door opening saved me.

Josh walked in, hair still damp, eyes widening slightly when he saw the man in black sitting there.

“Frederick?” he said, his voice low.

“He’s been waiting for you,” I said, folding my arms.

Frederick stood. “Sir, we need to talk. It’s urgent.”

Josh sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s take this outside.”

The two of them stepped out onto the balcony. I waited a few seconds, then moved closer to the sliding door, pretending to tidy up but really trying to hear.

“…the BBTA is a massive opportunity,” Frederick said, his voice muffled but clear enough. “If you attend, it could raise the company’s value by fifteen per cent. Investors will double their shares.”

“I said no,” Josh’s voice was sharp, tense. “I’m not going public yet.”

“Sir, this could change everything”

“Enough, Frederick!”

The words hit like a slap. Silence followed.

I stood frozen, staring at the floor, my pulse thundering in my ears.

A few moments later, Josh came back inside. His expression was calm again, almost too calm. “Sorry about that. Business issues.”

“Who was that?” I asked quietly. “And what's with the whole master Josh thing?”

He paused for a heartbeat too long before chuckling. “Oh, that? He’s just a client. Old-fashioned type. We’ve been sorting out some business details.”

I wanted to believe him, I really did. But something in his eyes didn’t match his words.

He changed the topic so quickly I almost missed it.

* * *

That night, I couldn’t sleep.

I sat on my bed with my phone, the glow lighting up my face as I typed the letters slowly:

BBTA.

Billionaire Business Tycoon Awards.

My breath caught in my throat as I scrolled through the headlines that didn't feel real. There were photos of famous CEOs, luxury brand owners, investors, and people whose names I’d only ever seen in magazines.

Josh’s name wasn’t there, but my gut refused to settle. Something about the way Frederick spoke, the way Josh reacted… none of it felt casual.

I stared at my screen, my mind racing.

It can’t be true.

There’s no way Josh is a billionaire business tycoon or anything like that… right?

But the thought wouldn’t leave.

I looked toward his room, the faint glow from under his door spilling into the hallway. My chest felt heavy, my mind overwhelmed with questions I didn’t know how to ask.

Because deep down, I knew one thing for sure, Josh wasn’t who he seemed. And that night for the first time, I realised, I might not really know the man I was falling for.