Betrayed By The Billionaire

206

"Chloe, come here." Sarah spotted her standing by the lobby entrance.

Chloe smoothed the fabric of her fresh knit dress and walked toward the trio, stopping right beside Sarah. The morning light caught the sharp lines of the luxury cars surrounding them, making the setting look like a high-stakes standoff.

Julian Lang, now fully aware of the social chasm between him and these women, didn't dare look Chloe in the eye. He kept his head bowed, his voice a low, humiliated mumble. "I'm sorry."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, her voice sounding cold and authoritative. "Louder. I can't hear you."

Julian winced. "I said I'm sorry! I was blind. I... I didn't know who I was talking to."

Chloe looked down at him, her expression devoid of pity. "Consider yourself lucky, Dr. Lang. If you had encountered me two years ago, before life tempered my edges, you wouldn't be walking back into that hospital with both hands intact."

The sheer conviction in her voice sent a fresh wave of terror through Julian. He realized then that these weren't just wealthy socialites; they possessed a ruthless streak that mirrored the powerful men they were associated with.

"Listen closely," Chloe continued, her gaze pinning him to the spot. "If you try to make a scene out of this or leak anything to the press, I personally guarantee you won't last another twenty-four hours in this city. Now, get out of my sight."

Julian shook his head frantically. "I won't. I swear. This stays between us." He knew a scandal would destroy his career faster than these women could, and he certainly didn't want to find out what kind of power was backing them.

"Then move! Unless you're waiting for us to buy you lunch?" Lyra snapped, waving a dismissive fist at him.

Julian adjusted his cracked glasses and scrambled toward the hospital entrance as if the devil himself were giving chase.

"Tch, coward," Lyra muttered, her lip curling in disdain. "Men these days... the less they have, the more they act out. The moment they get a little pocket change, they think they're the richest man on earth. Total frogs in a well."

Chloe offered a small, tired smile. "Where to next?"

"Look at you—you're pale as a ghost," Sarah said, her protective tone returning. "We're taking you to a real doctor. Get in the car."

The Confession in the Ferrari

Chloe slid into the passenger seat of Sarah’s car. For the first few miles, the only sound was the hum of the powerful engine. Chloe didn't ask questions; she knew Sarah needed to speak when she was ready.

True to her intuition, Sarah began to talk. Her voice was low and heavy, lacking its usual military crispness. She spoke about the birthday party, the cake, and the crushing weight of Arthur’s absence. Beneath the layer of sharp complaints and anger, Chloe could hear the raw, bleeding edges of Sarah’s helplessness.

"Chloe... tell me," Sarah whispered, her eyes fixed on the road. "How can a person change so completely, so suddenly?"

Because his heart moved.

The answer was on the tip of Chloe’s tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She remembered how Arthur used to treat Sarah—like a precious gem he was terrified of scratching. He used to stand by her side without question, defending her even when she was clearly in the wrong.

Now, even when Sarah provided the truth, he chose to believe a lie. The math was simple but devastating: his world was no longer centered on her. He could watch her cry now and feel nothing but irritation.

Chloe thought of Yvonne Blue’s poisonous threats at the hospital and felt a chill. She hesitated, then asked the question that felt like a blade: "Sarah... if things truly reach the point of no return, would you actually leave him?"

Sarah’s grip on the steering wheel tightened until her knuckles turned white. Her skin looked almost translucent in the morning light, her beauty fragile and haunting.

The silence stretched for a long, agonizing minute before Sarah finally replied. "I won't leave. For Bella's sake, I’ll accept a marriage that exists in name only. We can live separate lives under the same roof. It’s not like our circle isn't full of 'couples' doing the exact same thing."

Sarah is choosing the "Golden Cage" to protect her daughter, unaware that Yvonne Blue is already planning to tear that cage down from the outside. While Chloe worries for her friend's future, she realizes that her own marriage to Xavier is facing a similar crisis of truth. As they pull up to the next clinic, Chloe’s phone rings. It's a message from an unknown number: a photo of Xavier's car parked outside Yvonne Blue's apartment complex at 3:00 AM.

Do you think Chloe will show the photo to Sarah, or keep this new betrayal a secret to protect her friend's already fragile state?