Betrayed By The Billionaire

180

"Was this Xavier’s idea, or yours, Butler White?"

Chloe looked at the older man with genuine confusion. Why was the butler suddenly so concerned about her well-being?

Butler White offered a diplomatic smile. "It’s the Master’s intention, of course. Even if he didn't state it explicitly, I know his mind well enough to understand what he wants."

"So, you’re just guessing," Chloe remarked flatly. She knew it. There was no way those specific words would ever cross Xavier’s cold lips.

The butler coughed slightly, feeling a bit awkward. "Young Mistress... I’ve been with the Master since he was a child. I have a fair understanding of his temperament."

Chloe didn't push him further. She looked at the array of high-end sunscreens and reached for a single bottle. "Fine. You can go. I’ll be down in a moment."

When Xavier checked the surveillance feed again, he saw Chloe fully "armored" against the elements. She was sitting in the picturesque courtyard, shielded by a wide-brimmed hat, stubbornly reading her book under the blazing sun. To make matters worse, a portable electric fan was buzzing away beside her.

Xavier’s thin, crimson lips pressed into a tight line of displeasure. Who said she could sit down? And an electric fan? She was far too comfortable. It seemed Butler White was being far too merciful to her.

Five minutes later, a group of servants swarmed the courtyard. Chloe watched in silent bewilderment as her book was confiscated, the fan was unplugged and carried away, and even the wrought-iron bench she had been sitting on was hoisted up and removed.

Finally, the scene met Xavier’s exacting standards of "discipline."

Left standing in the middle of the lawn, Chloe was utterly lost. What had she done wrong this time? Without the fan, the oppressive heat settled over her instantly. Sweat began to bead on her forehead and trickle down her neck. She looked at the inviting shade of the ancient oak trees, but the servants stood like statues, blocking her path to the shadows. The vibrant flowers and manicured hedges offered no comfort; she was trapped in a golden cage of heat.

Suddenly, a small, familiar figure came sprinting toward her across the grass.

Chloe saw Liam Jr. running her way, wearing a tiny sun hat and clutching his writing tablet to his chest. Behind him, Butler White was scurrying to keep up, holding a massive black umbrella over the "Little Prince" to ensure not a single ray of sun touched his skin.

Chloe knelt down as the boy reached her, her heart aching as she looked at his small, fragile limbs exposed to the warmth. "Liam Jr., it’s so hot out here. Why did you come out?"

The boy quickly scribbled a line on his tablet and held it up: I’m hungry. I want to eat.

Chloe looked up at Butler White, who gave her a knowing nod. It was clear the butler had staged this "interruption" to give her a reason to go back inside.

Looking at the boy’s adorable, handsome face, Chloe felt a wave of tenderness wash away her irritation. She scooped him into her arms. "What does Liam Jr. want to eat?"

The boy simply nodded and leaned his head against her shoulder, signaling that he would be happy with anything she cooked. He was nothing like his father; he wasn't picky at all.

"So well-behaved," Chloe murmured, kissing his forehead. "Shall we give Daddy a call first?"

The boy nodded eagerly. Chloe tapped his nose playfully. Perhaps it was time she asked Xavier directly—exactly what sin was she being punished for today?

The Ice King’s Burden

Meanwhile, in the executive suite of the Grayson Group, Secretary Feng was finishing his daily briefing. After covering the market fluctuations and the Han-Sin contract details, he hesitated. "President Grayson... your mother called again."

Xavier’s face remained a mask of mechanical indifference. "How much does she want this time?"

"Fifty million," Feng replied.

Xavier didn't blink. His expression was as cold as a statue's. "What does she need that kind of money for now?"

Secretary Feng pulled a photograph from his folder and placed it on the mahogany desk. "Your mother has been seen frequently with this man lately. He’s planning to open a high-end fitness center, and she wants to provide the initial investment."

The photo showed a candid shot of two people: a young, muscular man with a charismatic smile, and a woman who looked to be in her early thirties but was actually approaching fifty. Her skin was flawless, her figure perfectly maintained—the result of a lifetime of expensive treatments and zero stress. This was Anne Lan, Xavier’s biological mother.

Xavier stared at the image of the young man, his lips thinning into a dangerous line. After a few seconds of heavy silence, he spoke, his voice dropping to a lethal, freezing temperature. "Tell her if she wants the money, she needs to stay in line. If I see this man anywhere near her again, I will handle it personally."

"Understood," Feng said, bowing and exiting the room.

Once alone, Xavier picked up the photograph. The ice in his eyes seemed to crack, revealing a deep-seated, ancient bitterness. "All these years," he whispered to the empty room, "and you haven't changed a single bit."

She had been the same when she was young, and she was the same now—always chasing the thrill of a new face, always putting her own desires above the family name. The "Demon CEO" didn't come from nowhere; he was forged in the fire of a mother’s neglect and a father’s cold expectations.

The Hidden Wounds

Xavier is projecting his deep-seated resentment of his mother onto Chloe, punishing his wife for the "ambition" and "independence" that he associates with his mother's betrayals. While Chloe tries to be a mother to Liam Jr., Xavier is haunted by the failures of his own.

With Anne Lan demanding fifty million and Liam Jr. pulling Chloe back into the kitchen, the domestic world of the Graysons is becoming as complex as their corporate one. When Chloe calls Xavier to ask about lunch, will he take his frustration out on her, or will the sound of his son's voice be enough to thaw the ice for a moment?

How do you think Chloe will react when she finds out about Xavier's troubled relationship with his mother?