Hiding the Billionaire's Twins (English)

Chapter 9

Rihav bade his farewell and left right after holding me in that embrace.

I honestly didn't know what to make of the feelings stirring inside me, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs. I had to admit it to myself, I missed Rihav. I had desperately wanted to wrap my arms around him, too, just as tightly as he had held me. Every single memory from our days back at his family’s mansion came flooding back the moment he pulled me close.

We were so happy back then. Even though our relationship had to be kept hidden, I never felt a painful divide between us, never felt like he was the rich master and I was merely a housemaid.

He never made me feel inferior because of our social standing, which was precisely why his cold, drastic behavior during my final days at the mansion had been such a devastating shock. It had culminated in him declaring his upcoming marriage.

To this day, his words from back then remained an unsettled blur. I still didn't understand why he had done what he did. Deep down, I was still waiting for an explanation, even though I knew a second chance was impossible now that he was a married man. Painful as it was, I had to accept reality.

“Fay!” Farah’s voice shouted just as I was about to latch the door shut.

She came running up to me, winded and gasping for air as she grabbed my wrist. My mouth fell open in surprise at her state, but before I could ask what was wrong, I guided her inside and helped her sit down. She fanned her face frantically with her hand and motioned for me to get her some water.

“What happened to you? Why were you running like that?” I asked, pouring a glass.

“Nothing,” she gasped, taking the glass and gulping the water down.

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean 'nothing'? Isn't our shift still ongoing?”

She set the empty glass on the table before answering. “Yeah, shift’s not over, but you’re already up here. It’s fine, though…I know who carried you up. To think you were just asking me about Sir Rihav yesterday, and now he’s carrying you around like a princess,” she teased with a laugh.

“We... know each other from before,” I admitted softly.

She paused, turning her gaze to me. “With Sir Rihav?”

I bit my lip and gave a small nod.

“Damn, Fayre... you hit the jackpot, but he’s off-limits. That man is married, Fayre. I don't want you getting caught in a mess if his wife ever shows up here. You’re my friend, even if we’ve only known each other for a few days.”

I released a long breath. Farah had a point. She was completely right, Rihav had a wife, and I had no business getting close to him again.

“I know,” I murmured. “I’m not going to force myself into his life. Starting tomorrow, I’ll just stay out of his way.”

Farah studied my face with a knowing look. “From what I saw earlier, you two aren't just 'acquaintances,' Fay. There’s something deeper there. But I won't push you to spill, that’s your story to tell.” She stood up, smoothing her outfit. “Alright, I need to get back downstairs.”

As she turned to leave, I quickly caught her arm. “Wait, why were you in such a rush earlier? I was curious, especially since you were with a guy.”

“Oh, that was Fabio, my baby boy,” she grinned, though her expression quickly sobered. “The people to whom my dad owes money are looking for me. They’re demanding I pay off his debts, so I’m dodging them. I don't have cash to give them since we haven't even gotten our first paycheck yet; I’m not an ATM that spits out money! And besides, I wasn't the one who took out the loan.” She rolled her eyes bitterly.

I nodded in understanding, choosing not to press further since it was her personal life. She touched up her makeup, adjusted her top, and laughed as she exposed a bit more cleavage. I playfully tapped her arm, and she gave my cheek a quick, affectionate peck before slipping out of the room.

The next morning, a persistent knocking on my door woke me up. Still half-asleep, I kicked off the blanket wrapped around my legs and dragged myself out of bed. Yawning with my eyes half-closed, I fumbled for the doorknob and pulled it open.

“Cute,” a smooth voice remarked.

I froze at the sound of that voice, my eyes snapping wide open. Standing in the doorway was Rihav, a broad smile resting on his lips. Stunned, I slammed the door shut immediately. I had assumed it was Sean or Farah; I hadn't expected Rihav to show up at my room first thing in the morning.

He knocked again in rapid succession, calling out my name through the door. Panicking, I rushed into the bathroom to fix my appearance, hastily brushing my long, messy hair. Once I looked somewhat presentable, I went back and cracked the door open.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded.

He held up a brown paper bag. “I brought you breakfast. Semon said you needed to eat because you’re too skinny, so... yeah.” He shrugged casually.

“I’m fine. Go away, I’m going back to sleep.” I reached for the door to close it, but he placed a firm hand against the wood to block me.

“If you want to sleep, go ahead and sleep. I won't disturb you, but please... just let me inside.”

Realizing I couldn't win, and mindful that he was an influential partner in the club who could easily make my job disappear, I stepped aside and let him in. I hadn't even earned my first paycheck yet; I couldn't risk getting thrown out.

I climbed back onto the mattress, pulled the blanket over my shoulders, and closed my eyes, leaving Rihav to do whatever he wanted. I figured he would get bored eventually and leave on his own.

I had no idea how many hours I slept after Rihav woke me. Stretching my arms, I sat up on the bed.

“Rihav?” I murmured, my voice raspy from sleep as I caught sight of him mopping the floor, shirtless. “What are you doing?”

“Cleaning your room,” he said, offering a soft smile.

I looked around the space, blinking in surprise. The room looked entirely different, furnished with brand-new items I certainly hadn't purchased. I had merely taken a nap, and my quarters had been completely transformed. Several large paper bags sat on the table. What is all this, Rihav?

“What are those?” I asked, pointing to the bags.

“Groceries... for you,” he answered simply, unpacking the items onto the counter.

I didn't say another word. Stretching my legs, I stood up from the bed and walked straight into the bathroom without looking at him while he worked. I took a quick shower to wash off the lingering exhaustion.

As the cool water washed over me, the same restless questions returned to my mind. How could Rihav act so attentive and caring toward me when he knew how deeply he had wronged me? Where did he find the nerve to speak to me so casually now, after all the cruel words he spat at me the day I left his family's home?

I squeezed my eyes shut, overwhelmed by the thoughts racing through my head.

Ever since we reunited, I hadn't felt any urge to tell him about the twins. Only Sean knew about them, and I was certain Sean hadn't said a word, Rihav hadn't made a single move regarding them, as if... as if he simply didn't care.

If he didn't care, why was he here? What did he want from me? Was he trying to force a confession out of me about Amer, or was he trying to dig up the truth himself?

I felt like I was going insane overthinking everything!

No matter what he did, I had nothing to confess. Amer was gay! He hated it when I even called him Amer, he insisted on being called Amera!

Finishing my shower, I changed inside the bathroom. I had made it a habit to bring a fresh set of clothes inside, so I wouldn't have to walk out in a towel. When I stepped out, Rihav had finished cleaning and was sitting at the table. The shopping bags were gone, replaced by a spread of freshly prepared food.

“Let’s eat. I’m hungry,” he said, looking up as soon as I emerged.

I had promised Farah last night that I would keep my distance from him because it was the right thing to do. But how was I supposed to maintain distance when he was sitting right inside my room? I shouldn't have let him in, it was a mistake.

“Go ahead and eat without me. I’m not hungry,” I said, turning toward the bed. I grabbed my bag and pulled out my phone, noticing a missed call from Sean.

I heard the scrape of a chair behind me and turned around. Rihav had stood up from his seat, carefully covering the dishes he had laid out.

My brows knitted together. “I thought you said you were hungry?”

He met my gaze softly. “I thought you’d eat with me. Go ahead and do what you need to do first.”

Was he trying to guilt-trip me?

Sighing, I set my phone down, walked over to the table, and pulled out a chair. I motioned for him to sit back down. I didn't even know why I was indulging him, I should have been yelling at him to get out instead.

“Let’s just eat, Rihav,” I said, wanting to get this over with so he would leave.

The rich aroma of the food filled the room. Rihav had never known how to cook, he must have had his household staff prepare it or ordered it from a high-end restaurant.

He sat across from me, and despite his calm posture, his body language made it obvious he was starving. Even though it had been years since we lived under the same roof, I still recognized his subtle habits. I knew when he liked a meal, when he was stressed, and when he was holding back, all things I had learned back when we were close.

As I reached for the serving spoon, he gently took it from my hand and served my plate first. I sat quietly, watching him. I realized then how much broader his build had become over the years. His arms were more defined, and the faint veins on his hands caught my attention as he carefully plated my portion before serving himself.

“Is that enough?” he asked, offering a gentle smile.

I gave a silent nod, keeping my eyes on my plate. We ate in silence, though I couldn't help but notice how quickly he was eating. Had he really not eaten anything while I was asleep?

“You eat like you’re starving. You shouldn't have wasted time cleaning the room if you were this hungry,” I remarked quietly.

He paused, setting his fork down. “I haven't eaten since yesterday,” he admitted.

“Why didn't you eat?”

“I was thinking about you,” he said, his expression turning serious. “I kept thinking about what you went through during the five years we were apart... what happened to make you end up working at a place like this.”

Why did he keep doing this? Why did I always let myself get swayed whenever he spoke with such soft, convincing words? Was I really that foolish?

After everything that had transpired over the last five years, I needed to build an unbreakable wall around my heart. I needed to remind myself never to believe a word that came out of his mouth. I had trusted him once, and it had destroyed me.

“Why are you acting like this?” I asked, my voice trembling with rising anger. “You act like you did nothing wrong to me! Do you have any idea how much your words hurt, Rihav? Every cruel thing that came out of your mouth is still carved into my heart!”

I wanted to end this madness. I was terrified of letting my emotions take over, terrified of letting him back into my life, especially now.

Before I could pull away, Rihav reached across the small table and clasped my hand. I tried to wrench my fingers free, but his grip tightened, firm yet gentle. His hand felt cool against mine, his broad palm easily enveloping my smaller fingers.

“That’s why I’m here, Fayre,” he pleaded softly, raising my hand to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss against my knuckles. “I’m here to apologize for every terrible word I said to you. I know I was wrong. I let my jealousy and anger toward Amer blind me, and I took it all out on you. Please... forgive me.”

“There’s still something you aren't telling me, Rihav,” I replied coldly, referring to his sudden marriage announcement five years ago.

He understood my point instantly. He opened his mouth to speak, but before a word could escape his lips, his phone chimed loudly on the table. It sat near my side, and using the hand still holding mine, he reached over to pick it up. But before he could swipe the screen, my eyes caught the caller ID display.

Dyessie…

Rihav held the vibrating phone, his dark eyes locking onto mine with deep hesitation, clearly torn over whether to answer. I pulled my gaze away, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw his thumb swipe the screen to take the call.

I kept my eyes fixed on my plate until Rihav’s voice suddenly shattered the quiet room.

“What?! What happened to Dion?!”

I snapped my head up. Pure panic was written across his features, his jaw clenching as he swallowed hard at whatever the caller was telling him.

Who was Dion? Who on earth was Dion?

“Yes, I’m coming right now. Wait for me, tell Dion I’m on my way!” he barked into the receiver before abruptly cutting the call.

He scrambled to his feet, snatching his suit jacket off the chair and pulling it on in a rush. He grabbed a travel bag I hadn't noticed earlier, packed with fresh clothes, as if he had originally intended to stay the night.

“We’re not done eating, Rihav,” I reminded him softly, my heart sinking.

He looked at me, slinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder. “I have to go, Fay.”

I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back the bitter words, but I couldn't stop myself.

“I thought you wanted my forgiveness? Sit back down and finish eating with—”

“I said I have to go!” he snapped loudly, startling me. “This is more important, Dion needs me!”

Without a single second of hesitation, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

A sharp, unbearable ache pierced my chest. I sank back into my chair as hot tears finally spilled over my lashes, slipping silently down my cheeks.

And he claimed he wanted my forgiveness.

In that single moment, a cold certainty settled inside me: I could never forgive Rihav for the wreckage he had made of my life. He could have explained himself, he could have spoken gently.

But instead, he yelled at me and walked away…