Betrayed By The Billionaire

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As Lyra stumbled out of the VIP suite, leaning heavily on Julian’s shoulder, she blinked blearily at the group. "Chloe... what are you all staring at?"

Chloe quickly retracted her gaze from the closing elevator doors, offering a thin, practiced smile. "Nothing. You’re drunk, Lyra. I’m taking you home."

She felt a wave of relief that Lyra hadn't witnessed the scene. With Lyra’s blunt personality, if she had seen Xavier snubbing Chloe while walking with Yara, the entire city would have known about their fractured marriage by dawn.

On the drive back, the image of Yara’s hand resting on Xavier’s arm played on a loop in Chloe’s mind.

The media reports were likely eighty percent true. Xavier was almost certainly the powerhouse backing Yara’s meteoric rise. Had he shaken her off once the doors closed? Or did he let her cling to him? What exactly was their history?

Chloe’s thoughts were a tangled mess of static and suspicion. After dropping Lyra off, she headed back to the estate.

Xavier hadn't returned. Liam Jr. was in a foul mood, looking at her with large, pitiful eyes—the picture of a lonely puppy waiting to be comforted. Chloe’s heart melted. She scooped the little boy up and kissed his soft cheek, and his grumpiness vanished instantly.

That night, for the first time since their wedding, Xavier stayed out all night. When Chloe woke up, the side of the bed beside her was cold.

She forced herself not to dwell on the reasons.

During breakfast, Coach Lee called with good news. Yuvraj had called early that morning to offer a groveling apology, promising to compensate Team Swift for every cent of damage within three days. Chloe knew this wasn't a change of heart—it was Xavier’s silent hand at work.

At noon, Chloe called Xavier. She told him she was bringing lunch to the Grayson Group headquarters. To her surprise, he didn't refuse.

When she entered his office, Xavier was buried in work. His expensive black suit gave him an air of stoic, untouchable authority. He looked exhausted yet incredibly focused.

Chloe noticed the wedding ring still encircling his ring finger, and an inexplicable knot of tension in her chest loosened. If he was still wearing it, perhaps last night had nothing to do with Yara.

Yet, the memory of him walking past her as if she were invisible still felt like a dry yolk caught in her throat—painless, but suffocating. What am I to him, really?

She set the lunch containers down and wandered toward his desk. Her eyes caught a file lying on his right: "Han-Sin Group."

Xavier looked up, his sharp, blade-like features tightening as his dark eyes locked onto hers. "What are you looking at?"

Chloe pointed to the document. "Are you planning to collaborate with Han-Sin?"

Xavier arched a brow. "Why? You know them?"

Chloe nodded, her eyes clear. "I’ve met the Hans, though we aren't close." She hesitated for a heartbeat before adding, "They are currently in a deep partnership with the Martin Group."

Xavier was well aware of that. However, the fact that Chloe personally knew the Hans piqued his interest. His gaze turned piercing, searching her face. "How did you meet them?"

Chloe stiffened slightly. She knew better than to lie to a man whose eyes could peel back layers of deception like a hawk.

Xavier is clearly testing the waters to see if Chloe still has "inside information" on Liam’s business dealings. Is he asking out of professional curiosity, or is he looking for a reason to crush the Han-Sin/Martin alliance using Chloe as his weapon?

What should Chloe do next to navigate this conversational minefield?

"I went to South Korea with Liam Martin a while ago," she answered honestly. "That's how the introduction was made."

"Is that so?" Xavier’s voice was dangerously low, a cold edge creeping back into his tone at the mention of her ex-fiancé.