Betrayed By The Billionaire

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Xavier’s sharp, dark eyes scanned the room, taking in the chaotic mix of young men and women. His brow furrowed in visible distaste before he finally stepped inside, still carrying the silent Liam Jr. in his arms.

Chloe Bishop took a sharp breath, gritted her teeth, and followed close behind him, slipping into the suite.

Behind her, Feifei’s lips curled into a predatory smirk. This is going to be a show, she thought, following them in.

As Xavier entered, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Conversations died mid-sentence, and those sitting stood up instinctively as if a king had walked into the room. Xavier moved to the deepest, most central sofa and sat down. Chloe didn't hesitate—she sat right beside him, pressing into his shadow.

The moment she settled, Xavier’s blade-like gaze sliced toward her. Chloe pointedly ignored him, fixing her stare on a decorative vase across the room as if it were the most fascinating object in existence.

Felix, noticing the tension, offered Chloe a bright, dimpled smile. "Hey, little sister-in-law!"

Chloe looked at the handsome young man and felt an immediate spark of liking for his friendly energy. But before she could even return the greeting, Xavier’s low, heartless voice vibrated beside her.

"Not for much longer."

Chloe’s heart did a painful somersault. Directly in front of everyone? He was intentionally stripping her of her status in a room full of her peers.

Around the suite, the women exchanged knowing, gleeful glances. The rumors were true: Chloe Bishop had been evicted, and her days as the "Grayson Matriarch" were numbered.

Felix cleared his throat, his face flushing with secondary embarrassment for Chloe. He scrambled to change the subject. "Uh, what can I get you two to drink?"

Xavier didn't deign to answer. Chloe spoke up softly, "Anything is fine."

Felix signaled for two glasses of red wine. Then, looking a bit too proud, he pulled a woman forward by the hand. "Xavier, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Bella."

Chloe suppressed a sigh. This kid has terrible taste in women, she realized. It was the same woman from the hallway who had just mocked her.

Bella looked at Xavier, her face heating up with a performative blush. "Xavier," she purred, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

Whether Xavier felt anything was a mystery, but Chloe felt a literal wave of goosebumps—and not the good kind. Xavier spared Bella one cold, dismissive glance before looking right through her.

Bella, however, lacked any sense of self-awareness. Since Felix was the host and she had invited most of the guests, she considered herself the queen of the evening. She looked at Chloe with "concerned" eyes. "Oh, when I came in earlier, I saw you standing all alone in the hallway. Did you and Xavier have a fight?"

She knows exactly what happened, Chloe thought. What is she playing at?

Chloe braced herself. She fully expected Xavier to join in the humiliation, perhaps by confirming she’d been kicked out or by mocking her presence.

Instead, Xavier spoke with slow, unhurried precision. "How is that any of your business?"

The blush drained from Bella’s face instantly. She stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. It was a verbal slap, clean and brutal, delivered in front of the entire social circle.

Felix, desperate to save his girlfriend's pride, jumped in. "Bella, that’s their private business. Let's not pry."

Bella’s eyes welled with tears, her voice trembling pathetically. "I... I was just being helpful. I didn't mean to pry into Xavier's privacy..."

Chloe wanted to laugh. Your acting is terrible, she thought. But given her current precarious position, "arrogance" wasn't a luxury she could afford.

Then, Xavier’s voice rang out again, cold enough to freeze the wine in their glasses. "Felix. Keep her away from me."

avier has confirmed he’s done with Chloe, yet he just defended her (or rather, defended his own privacy) by crushing Bella. Chloe is still in the lion's den, but the lion is currently biting anyone else who tries to get close. As the night continues, will Chloe find a way to use this strange "protection" to negotiate her way back into the estate?