Betrayed By The Billionaire

190

The confrontation in the grand foyer had reached a boiling point, the air thick with the scent of spilled red wine and the sharp tang of hostility. Feifei and her circle of socialites, sensing blood in the water, pounced on the opportunity to tear Chloe Bishop down in front of the city's elite. Their voices rose in a coordinated chorus of condemnation, drawing a massive crowd of onlookers.

"Chloe, how could you be so violent?" Feifei shrieked, her eyes gleaming with simulated horror.

"Just because you're the Young Mistress of the Grayson family doesn't mean you're above the law," another added, her voice dripping with artificial righteousness.

"Exactly! You're clearly in the wrong, yet you have the audacity to lay a hand on someone. It's beyond bullying!"

"Apologize! You must apologize to Yumie right now!"

The commotion was impossible to ignore. Standing on the periphery, Yvonne Blue watched the scene, her eyes eventually drifting to the man beside her, whose gaze had never truly left Chloe. "It seems Chloe is in quite a bit of trouble," she murmured softly.

Xavier Grayson’s lips curled into a ruthless, chilling smirk. "She brought this on herself. A few bitter lessons might actually do her some good."

Xavier had been watching since the moment Chloe was cornered. He had chosen to remain a spectator, his heart hardened by the fact that the two nights he spent nursing her fever seemed to have been forgotten the moment she felt strong enough to run to a banquet. To him, she was just like every other woman—ungrateful and manipulative.

His gaze snapped away from Chloe, locking onto Donovan Tang. The General offered a mocking salute with his wine glass, drained the amber liquid in one defiant gulp, and began weaving through the crowd toward Chloe.

Xavier’s eyes narrowed into lethal slits. Beside him, Yvonne let out a breath of feigned relief. "General Tang is heading over. Chloe should be—" Before she could finish, the space beside her was empty. Xavier was already moving, his stride predatory and swift. Yvonne bit her lip, clutching her silk skirts as she hurried to keep up. "Xavier, wait for me!"

In the center of the foyer, the pressure was mounting. The unified testimony of Feifei and the others had convinced Arthur Vance of Chloe’s guilt. He glared at her, his protective instincts for the "pitiable" Yumie flaring into rage. "Chloe Bishop, apologize to Yumie this instant."

"Yumie?" Chloe repeated the pet name with a flash of pure, localized disgust. A sardonic laugh bubbled in her throat. "Arthur Vance, what business is it of yours if I strike this 'White Lotus'? You want an apology? Tell me, which of your eyes actually saw me collide with Giselle?"

Arthur’s face darkened, his voice dropping into a hard, uncompromising register. "I said apologize. Now." To him, Chloe was simply being the spoiled, arrogant socialite he remembered—refusing to admit a mistake even when faced with a dozen witnesses.

Chloe tilted her chin up, her expression a masterclass in icy defiance. "In your dreams."

Arthur’s features contorted, looking very much like a lion prepared to spring. Chloe let out a sharp, cold laugh. "What? Are you going to hit me, President Vance?"

As the stalemate tightened, Yumie, who had been leaning heavily against Arthur, finally reached out to tug at his sleeve. Her eyes were rimmed with red, her voice a fragile, trembling whisper. "Forget it, Arthur. It’s better not to make a scene." She made a slow, reluctant show of pulling away from his support, looking as though she might collapse at any moment.

Seeing the red, swollen mark on Yumie’s delicate cheek, Arthur’s fury became an uncontainable fire. He stepped forward, his presence suffocating. "I am telling you for the last time. Apologize."

The women around them shrank back, terrified by the raw intensity of Arthur’s anger. They whispered among themselves, half-pitying and half-mocking Chloe’s stubbornness. They couldn't understand where she found the courage to provoke a man like Arthur Vance. Did she still think she was the untouchable "First Socialite" of the past? No matter how high she held her head, they were certain her fall tonight would be spectacular.

The Titans Converge

Chloe stands her ground, the cold wine still soaking her skin, her body shivering but her spirit unyielding. She is surrounded by enemies, with Arthur Vance looming over her like a vengeful shadow.

But the "Demon" and the "General" are both closing in. Xavier Grayson is not coming to save her—he is coming to reclaim his property. Donovan Tang is not coming to mediate—he is coming to protect his past. As the three most powerful men in the city converge on this single point of conflict, will Chloe be forced to her knees, or will the unexpected arrival of Xavier change the rules of the game entirely?

Do you think Xavier will force Chloe to apologize to Yumie to satisfy the business alliance with Arthur Vance?