Betrayed By The Billionaire

273

As Chloe Bishop descended the grand staircase, her mind was a whirlwind of anxiety. She could still feel the phantom pressure of Xavier Grayson’s fingers on her neck and hear the biting echo of his "loathing." She expected to find the banquet hall in disarray, her mother making excuses for the "Demon CEO’s" abrupt and silent departure.

Instead, she froze.

There sat Xavier, reclaimed by his seat at the head of the table, perfectly composed. The feast was in full swing. He was currently cutting a piece of Wagyu beef with surgical precision, his expression as calm as a frozen lake.

As Chloe slid into her seat beside him, she realized the atmosphere in the room had shifted from tense to... suggestive. Every guest at the table had a knowing smirk playing on their lips. The gazes directed at her and Xavier were heavy with an uncomfortable, predatory ambiguity.

Then, she felt the burn of a gaze from across the table. Donovan Tang’s eyes were fixed on her lips—now swollen and reddened from Xavier’s punishing kiss. A flash of lethal, blade-like coldness flickered in the Iron Commander's pupils.

The Scandalous Assumption

"My, my," Aunt Sarah tittered, her voice cutting through the clink of silverware. "Young people these days truly have no patience. Look at those lips! And oh, the shirt is gone entirely. Grandmother Grayson, I suspect you’ll be holding a new golden grandson much sooner than we thought!"

Chloe’s face went from pale to a violent crimson in a split second. She caught the embarrassed looks on her mother’s and grandparents' faces and realized the trap. Because Xavier had returned without his dress shirt—only his suit jacket draped over his frame—and because of the visible marks on her face, the entire room believed they had just engaged in a frantic, illicit tryst upstairs during the banquet.

"You’ve all misunderstood," Chloe stammered, her voice rising in a desperate bid for logic. "Xavier was... he was in a rush and perspiring. He only took the shirt off because it was damp."

She couldn't mention the car accident or the blood without causing a panic or a security scandal.

"Perspiring?" Aunt Sarah laughed, her eyes gleaming with malice. "In a multi-million dollar car with high-end climate control? Chloe, dear, don’t bother explaining. We were all newlyweds once. We understand."

"Chloe is just shy," Old Mrs. Grayson added, her laughter ringing out with pure delight. "Let’s not tease her anymore. If they’re this 'eager,' I’m more than happy."

Chloe felt like weeping. "Grandmother, truly, Xavier and I didn't—"

"I said I won't tease you!" the old woman interrupted, waving a hand. "Eat, eat!"

Chloe turned to look at the man beside her. He was the picture of thick-skinned indifference. He didn't offer a single word of defense or explanation. He simply continued his meal with an elegant, detached grace, as if the explosive confrontation in the bedroom had never occurred.

The Jealous Cousin

Sitting nearby, Tiffany watched the exchange with a mixture of disdain and simmering fury. How shameful, she thought. To behave so lewdly during a family elder's feast. She was terrified that Chloe’s "disgraceful" behavior would rub off on her own reputation.

Tiffany stole a glance at Donovan Tang, hoping to see disgust on his face. She had been infatuated with the Commander since the moment he walked in, and she hoped Chloe’s perceived lack of decorum would finally push her out of his favor.

As the evening wound down, guests began to filter out. Old Mrs. Grayson departed with a wink, yet Xavier showed no sign of moving. He sat in the drawing room, nursing a glass of mineral water, looking like he intended to stay for the century.

The Lingering Shadow

Chloe knew her greatest fear was approaching. She didn't want to go back to the Grayson Estate. Not tonight. The memory of the cellar was still too fresh, and the tension with Xavier was a live wire.

Jane Bishop sensed her daughter’s hesitation and pulled her into the kitchen. "Did Xavier say anything about... the 'incident'?"

It had been over twenty-four hours since the "shock" in the dungeon. Jane wanted to know if it was a genuine psychological break or if someone was playing a cruel game.

Chloe shook her head. "No."

Jane frowned. "Then let him stay here for the night. Your grandparents are exhausted; let them rest. If he stays, we can keep an eye on things."

Chloe nodded, though she had zero confidence in her ability to influence him. She took a deep breath and walked back into the drawing room. She sat down next to Liam Jr., who was leaning sleepily against the sofa.

"It’s late," Chloe said, her voice soft but steady as she addressed the "Demon CEO." "Don't drive back tonight. Stay here. There are spare clothes for you and Liam in the guest suite."

She waited for the rejection, her heart thudding against her ribs.

Xavier has been challenged to stay in the Bishop house, under the watchful eyes of a legendary healer and a jealous Commander. Will he accept the invitation to further the "loving couple" lie, or will his disdain for Chloe’s "financial independence" speech drive him to drag her back to the estate by force?