Betrayed By The Billionaire

210

The cold sweat had finally broken, leaving Chloe’s clothes damp but her spirit remarkably light. The crushing weight that had sat on her chest for days had evaporated, replaced by a refreshing clarity. After getting the "all-clear" from Terrence, Lyra fetched a change of clothes from the car. A quick shower later, Chloe emerged feeling like a completely different person—revitalized and sharp.

As the three women walked out of the villa two hours later, Chloe’s footsteps faltered. Parked discreetly near the entrance was a familiar black Rolls-Royce. Her heart skipped a beat as she peered through the tinted glass, her mind racing.

Is Xavier actually inside? Was he here the whole time?

"Chloe! What are you staring at? Let's go!" Lyra’s voice snapped her back to reality.

Inside the villa, Terrence watched the Ferrari’s taillights disappear on his monitor. He leaned back and smirked at the man still standing in the shadow of the hallway. "I’m telling you, take it easy. Look at the poor girl—you’ve run her ragged until she actually fell ill. I always thought you had no interest in women, but I guess I was wrong..."

Xavier’s gaze cut through the air like a frozen blade, silencing Terrence instantly.

Terrence cleared his throat awkwardly, running a hand through his hair. "Hey, look, you're a man. It’s normal. Totally normal."

Xavier didn't dignify the comment with a response. He reached down, snapped his laptop shut, and picked up his tailored blazer. As he slipped it on, his long, powerful fingers adjusted the sapphire cufflinks at his wrists. Every movement was precise, elegant, and radiated a cold, ascetic nobility.

Terrence lit a cigarette, his expression shifting from playful to professional in a heartbeat. "I’m confident I can treat Madam Han’s condition. I’ll likely need to fly to Seoul in a couple of days."

Xavier adjusted his lapel, his sharp eyes locking onto Terrence with the weight of an absolute monarch. "Success is the only option. I expect nothing less than good news."

As Terrence watched Xavier’s solitary, arrogant silhouette retreat, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Why is he so obsessed with securing a partnership with the Han family?

The Phone Call from Hell

Back in the Ferrari, the atmosphere was much heavier.

"Where to?" Sarah asked, her hands steady on the wheel.

Chloe leaned against the window, watching the scenery blur past. "Anywhere. I just... I really don't want to go back to that house yet." Her mind was still fixed on the Rolls-Royce at the villa. Was he there? And if he was, why didn't he show himself?

"Then let's go get some real food," Sarah suggested.

"Sounds perfect!"

Just as the words left Chloe's mouth, Sarah’s phone shrieked. Chloe’s stomach did an uncomfortable flip. She immediately thought of the slap she had delivered to Yvonne Blue at the hospital. A dark intuition told her that Arthur Vance was calling, and he wasn't calling to apologize.

The look on Sarah’s face confirmed it.

Arthur’s voice, distorted by rage, erupted from the speakers: "Sarah! Are you at the hospital? Get your ass home this instant! Stop making a damn spectacle of yourself in public!"

Get home?

Spectacle?

Hearing those words from the man who used to worship the ground she walked on felt like a physical strike to Sarah’s heart. There was a time when Arthur would have moved mountains just to prevent a single tear from falling down her face. Now, he was shouting at her, accusing her of being an embarrassment.

Sarah gripped the phone so hard her knuckles turned white. It took her several seconds to find her voice. "How exactly am I making a spectacle of myself?"

"You have the nerve to ask me that? What you, Lyra, and Chloe did is all over the internet! The media is blowing up my office line as we speak!"

Arthur sounded like he was vibrating with fury. "Sarah, I can tolerate your usual arrogance, but a hospital is a place for healing! Do you think you can just run wild whenever you feel like it? Assaulting medical staff? Do you have so much free time that you’ve decided to destroy our reputation for sport?"

Chloe felt a chill of pure disgust. Arthur hadn't asked for the context. He hadn't asked why they were there or what the doctor had done. He had simply looked at a headline and branded his wife a criminal.

The manipulation is working perfectly. Yvonne Blue’s leaked video has successfully painted Sarah and Chloe as the villains, and Arthur Vance has fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. While Sarah prepares to face a husband who no longer trusts her, Chloe realizes that the war has moved beyond the ballroom and into the very heart of their homes.

Will Sarah stand her ground and reveal the doctor's harassment, or will Arthur's blind rage push her to finally walk away? And more importantly, does Xavier have the same video on his laptop?

How do you think Arthur will react when he realizes he’s been shouting at his wife in front of Chloe?